Prince Darling flew right up to Celia, lighted on her shoulder, and tried in all the ways a dove knows to show its affection for her. Celia in return stroked it gently, although she, of course, had no idea who it was. Indeed, Celia seemed delighted to have found a new friend, and said softly:
“I am glad you have come to me, and I will care for you and love you always.”
Celia did not expect the dove to understand what she said. The hermit understood, however, and asked her whether she really meant it.
“Ah! Celia,” Prince Darling exclaimed, “with my whole heart I hope you do mean it!” And the astonished Celia turned and saw Prince Darling himself standing before her.
“Celia will not stop loving you now, Prince Darling,” said Fairy Truth, who had been disguised as the hermit all this time. “She has loved you from the beginning, and now that you have started on the road to goodness I know she will gladly join her fate with yours.”
Then Celia and Prince Darling threw themselves at the Fairy’s feet, and thanked her a thousand times over for bringing them together again after all their trials.
“Come, my children,” said the Fairy, “if you had not helped me I could not have brought this to pass. And now, let’s go back to Prince Darling’s kingdom, for I know King Suliman is waiting eagerly for a chance to give back the throne.”
The Fairy had scarcely stopped speaking when they found themselves in the royal palace. King Suliman was overjoyed to see the Prince return, and gladly yielded the throne to him again.
When the Prince was crowned King for the second time he also put on again the little gold ring which he had thrown away so long before. He and Celia gave their whole hearts to the effort to govern the kingdom justly and kindly. You will know that they succeeded very well, when I tell you that the magic ring never again pricked Prince Darling’s finger.
