Historical Implications

Well for this catogory you're out of luck, I can't find anything on any website about this that is a known historical implication of in this faiy tale. On the up side here's some background about the author, Charlotte-Rose de Caumont La Force. Wowzers that's a long name, what a mouth full!

Anyways, her father was François de Caumont La Force, eighth son of Marshal La Force, and her mother's name was Marguerite de Viçose. What is with the French and their long names in the 16th century? Anyways (again), She wrote quite a few books and like other famous french female authors she was named a member of the Academy of the Ricovrati of Padua.

Summary

The story says that there was once a king who was gifted a beautiful daughter whom he could find no other name for her beauty that to name her Fairier-Than-A Fairy.

The fairies, angered by her name surely as soon as they knew about it, swiped her from her father's castle!

The fairy in charge of Fairier-Than-A-Fairy was named Lagree, she was a hideous thing you see, so old she only had one eye and one tooth left. To even remain alive the fairy had to soak all night in an elixir.

Lagree was a cruel thing, but yet she let the Princess stay in a lovely castle with gardens and a fountain. The Princess was charged with only two tasks in her stay at the castle; to keep the fire going in her room and to never use the bottle of water given to her.

As the years passed the Princess soon forgot about her father and his kingdom but one day as she was walking through the gardens she noticed the fountain was caught in a ray of sun and produced a magnificent rainbow. The rainbow confessed that he was actually a young prince whom Lagree held a grudge against his parents, because of this he was only allowed to talk and show himself in the form of a rainbow. He confessed that he had fallen in love with Fairier-Than-A-Fairy over the years she had been here.

Charmed naturally by the Prince's words as she had never received such words from a young man as none were let in. They soon fell in love and she placed a crystal bowl on her window sill so she and the prince could meet more readily.

The princess soon began to neglect her fire and it went out, upon her return Lagree was quick to show her spite towards her lovely prisoner. She sent the Princess to Locrinos, a vile monster who liked to eat whoever he came across, especially young girls, to fetch a new fire.

Luckily when the Princess arrive Locrinos was out and his wife was the only one home. The woman ,impressed by the Princess's youth and beauty as well as her gentle manners and the shining pebble she brought as a present gladly gave the Princess something to light the fire with.

The Princess quickly made her way back and lit her fire once again. Lagree was as surprised as she was displeased by this happy end to the Princess's expedition. The Princess was excited to tell the Prince of her journey but found he had alreayd been told by a fairy who protected him and to whom he was related.

The dangers she encounterd on her journey made the Prince think of a more convenient and quicker way for them to see each other. She found a crystal basin with which she carfully filled with water each night.

One day the prince appeared in woe for his lover. He ahd been told that he could no longer stay in this prison and was to be taken to another soon. The young couple were in dispair. They spent the entire day toget only parting with teh last rays of sunshine with hopes of seeing each other the next morning.

When the Princess awoke she was saddened to find it was cloudy this day but for a few minutes the sun shone through the clouds and she hurried over to the basin but in her haste she upset it and lost the water. She did not hesitate to take the two bottles of water and break them open and pour their contents into the basin. At once a rainbow appeared and the couple shared their last goodbye before the rainbow vanished. Before thsi though they both vowed to do what ever it took to find each otehr again.

The princess started off at once, taking nothing with her but her cat, dog, a spring of myrtle, and the stone which Locrinos' wife had given her.

Lagree was enraged to find the Princess had left the castle and set off in full pursuit. She quickly over took the girl when she lay down overcome with exhuastion. The dog who was watching after it's mistress promptly flew at Lagree, making her stumble into the cave wall and loose her last tooth. This gave the young Princess enough time to escape. Fear gave her strength to continue for a long while but soon she gave out and had to rest. As soon as the spring of myrtle touched the ground a green bower sprung up around her in this she hoped to sleep in peace.

However, Lagree was sure to catch the Princess now as she arrived just as the Princess had fallen asleep. The cat spied her and leaped at her face, tearing out her only eye. This dismissed the girl's persecuter.

Overcome with hunger and thirst the Princess dragged herself as far a a lovely little green and white house with which a lady dressed in green and white received her and fed her well and let her rest in a bed. The next day when the Princess set off again the woman gave her a nut, desiring her to open it only in the most urgent need.

After a long tiring journey the Princess was received again by a lady exactly like the one before. Only when she parted this woman gave her a golden pomegranate giving her the same instructions. Then journeying again she came to a third house, exactly the same as the others with a similar lady. This woman begged her not to loose her heart and assured her that her troubles should be rewarded. With the advice the woman gave her a crystal bottle and wished her only to open it in the most urgent need.

The Princess began again and after a long time she came to a forest though not more than a hundred yards in she found a silver castle suspended off the ground by sturdy silver chains. She had a strong desire to get inside this castle and opened the nut.

From inside the nut came a tiny porter who wore a belt with a chain and on that chain was a golden key. The Princess climbed the tree with the porter in her hand and despite his size the porter opened a secret door with his key and let the princess in.

On this elegant couch lay Prince Rainbow, looking more beautiful than ever, and sunk in profound slumber, in which he had been held ever since his disappearance.

Fairy-than-a-Fairy, who now saw him for the first time in his real shape, hardly dared to gaze at him, fearing lest his appearance might not be in keeping with the voice and language which had won her heart. At the same time she could not help feeling rather hurt at the apparent indifference with which she was received.

She related all the dangers and difficulties she had gone through, and though she repeated the story twenty times in a loud clear voice, the Prince slept on and took no heed. She then had recourse to the golden pomegranate, and on opening it found that all the seeds were as many little violins which flew up in the vaulted roof and at once began playing melodiously.

The Prince was not completely roused, but he opened his eyes a little and looked all the handsomer.

Impatient at not being recognized, Fairer-than-a-Fairy now drew out her third present, and on opening the crystal scent-bottle a little siren flew out, who silenced the violins and then sang close to the Prince's ear the story of all his lady love had suffered in her search for him. She added some gentle reproaches to her tale, but before she had got far he was wide awake, and transported with joy threw himself at the Princess's feet. At the same moment the walls of the room expanded and opened out, revealing a golden throne covered with jewels. A magnificent Court now began to assemble, and at the same time several elegant carriages filled with ladies in magnificent dresses drove up. In the first and most splendid of these carriages sat Prince Rainbow's mother. She fondly embraced her son, after which she informed him that his father had been dead for some years, that the anger of the Fairies was at length appeased, and that he might return in peace to reign over his people, who were longing for his presence.

The Court received the new King with joyful acclamations which would have delighted him at any other time, but all his thoughts were full of Fairer-than-a-Fairy. He was just about to present her to his mother and the Court, feeling sure that her charms would win all hearts, when the three green and white sisters appeared.

They declared the secret of Fairy-than-a-Fairy's royal birth, and the Queen taking the two lovers in her carriage set off with them for the capital of the kingdom.

Here they were received with tumultuous joy. The wedding was celebrated without delay, and succeeding years diminished neither the virtues, beauty, nor the mutual affection of King Rainbow and his Queen, Fairer-than-a-Fairy.