There was one time a king, named Alfarout, who was dreaded by his neighbours, and beloved by his subjects. He was wise, good, just, brave, and active. He was deficient in nothing. A fairy came to visit him, and told him that great misfortunes would happen to him, if he did not preserve the ring which she placed upon his finger. When he turned the jewel of the ring towards his hand, he should become invisible; and when he turned it in the contrary direction, he should be visible as before. This ring was very convenient to him. When he distrusted any one of his subjects, he went to the closet of this man with his jewel turned inwards; he heard and saw all his family secrets, without being himself perceived. If he feared the intention of any neighbouring king, he entered into the most secret councils, where he learned every thing, avoiding, at the same time, any exposure of himself. Thus he prevented, without difficulty, all that they wished to do against him; he detected several conspiracies against his life, and foiled his enemies, who wished to overthrow him. For all this, he was not satisfied with his ring alone; but he asked of the fairy, the means of removing himself, in a moment, from one country to another, that he might make a more ready and convenient use of it.The fairy replied with a sigh: "You ask too much; I fear lest this last present may become hurtful to you."He would listen to nothing, and, consequently, urged her to this favour. "Well, well," said she, "in spite of myself, you must have what will cause you a little repentance."Then she rubbed his shoulders with an odorous liquid; immediately, he perceived two little wings, which sprang from his back; they did not appear at all from under his clothes; but when he determined to fly, he had but to touch them with his hand, they became so long, that he was in a condition to infinitely surpass the rapid flight of an eagle. As soon as he wished to discontinue his flight, he had but to retouch his wings, immediately they folded themselves up in as small a compass as before.By these means, the king went all about in little time; he knew every thing, and no one could conceive how he acquired his knowledge; for he shut himself up, and appeared to remain almost the whole of the day in his closet, which nobody dared to enter; as soon as he was there, he rendered himself invisible by his ring, extended his wings by a touch, and ran through immense tracts of country.With these aids, he engaged in vast wars, where he won as many battles as he desired. But as he witnessed continually the secret transactions of men, he found them so wicked and treacherous, that he durst no longer confide in them. The more powerful he became, the less was he beloved; and he perceived that those upon whom he had conferred the greatest benefits, were far from being the most ardent in their affection towards him.To console himself, he resolved to travel through the world, to seek out a perfect woman for his wife, by whom he should be beloved, and with whom he should be happy. He sought for a long time, and as he saw every thing without being seen, he became acquainted with the most hidden secrets. He attended every court; he found every where dissembling women, who wished to be beloved, but who loved themselves too much to care a great deal for their husbands. He entered into every private house: one had too light and inconstant a mind ; another was artful; another haughty; another odd; and almost all were false, vain, and admirers of their own beauty. He went down into the lowest ranks of society, and he found at last the daughter of a poor labourer, beautiful as the day, but simple and ingenuous with all her beauty, which she counted as nothing, and which was, indeed, her smallest recommendation, for she had an understanding, and a heart far exceeding all the graces of her person. All the young men of her neighbourhood were earnest to see her, and each young man felt satisfied that he would secure the happiness of his life, could he but marry her.The king could not see her, without becoming deeply in love with her; he asked her in marriage of her father, who was transported at the thought of his daughter's becoming a great queen.Clariphile (for this was her name) passed from the hut of her father to a splendid palace, where a numerous court received her. She was not dazzled in the least. She preserved her simplicity, her modesty, and her purity, and never forgot her humble origin, although she was loaded with honours.The king redoubled his affection for her, and believed at last that he had attained to happiness; but little was wanting, if he was not so already, so great a confidence did he begin to place in the good disposition of the queen. He made himself invisible every day to watch her, and, if possible, to surprise her; but he discovered nothing but what was worthy of admiration; he had but a slight portion of his former jealousy and distrust remaining; so little as to give him scarcely the slightest uneasiness in his affection for Clariphile.The fairy, who had predicted the most wretched consequences from the last gift, so often warned him, that she became troublesome to him; the king commanded that she should no longer be permitted to enter the palace, and told the queen that he forbade her receiving her.The queen promised with a great deal of reluctance to obey him, for she loved the good fairy very much. One day, the fairy, wishing to inform the queen of some future event, came in under the figure of an officer and declared to the queen who she was. Immediately, the queen embraced her tenderly.The king, who was then invisible, perceived it, and was transported by his jealousy to the utmost degree of fury; he drew his sword and stabbed the queen, who fell dying into his armsAt this moment, the fairy resumed her true figure; the king recognised her, and discovered the innocence of the queen. He immediately attempted to kill himself; the fairy arrested the blow, and endeavoured to console him. The queen, with her expiring voice, said to him: "Though I perish by your hand, my heart is entirely yours."Alfarout deplored the mistake of having wished, contrary to the advice of the fairy, for a gift which had proved so fatal. He restored her his ring, and begged her to take away his wings. The rest of his life was spent in bitterness and self-reproach. His only consolation, was to weep at the tomb of Clariphile.