Music Welcome to Snoozecast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by Marvelous Sites and Boundless Delights. Tonight we'll read a version of the French literary fairy tale called The White Doe, originally written by Madame Downway. This version was found in my book of favorite fairy tales, edited by Captain Edrick Freddonberg, and published in 1921. Madame Delnoi, writing at the end of the 17th century, is credited with helping to popularize the term fairytale itself, as she brought together aristocratic salon wit and magical storytelling. Her tales were never strictly for children. They were often satirical, romantic, and filled with elaborate detail meant to entertain grown-up audiences in the court of Louis XIV. The White Doe is one of her lesser-known but richly imagined stories, blending themes of transformation, betrayal, and enchanted punishment. In this tale, the heroine is bound by a strange

prophecy and a single broken rule sets off a chain of magical consequences. The story's combination of court intrigue, fairy interventions and symbolic metamorphosis makes it a quintessential example of del noise genre-bending fire.

Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. There was once upon a time a king and queen who were perfectly happy with one exception and that was that they had no child. One day when the queen was staying in a watering place, some distance from home, she was sitting by a fountain alone, sadly thinking of the daughter she longed to have, when she perceived a crab coming in her direction, who, to the queen's surprise, addressed her thus. Great queen, if you will condescend to be conducted by a humble crab, I will lead you to a fairies palace, and your wish shall be fulfilled. I would certainly come with you, replied the queen, but I am afraid that I cannot walk backwards.

The crab smiled and transforming herself into a beautiful little old woman said, Now, Madame, it is not necessary to go backwards. Come with me.

And I beg of you to look upon me as your friend." She then escorted the queen to the most magnificent palace that could possibly be imagined. It was built entirely of diamonds.

In this superb place dwelt six fairies who received the queen with the greatest respect, and each one presented her with a flower made of precious stones, a rose, tulip, and anemone, a column-bine, a violet, and a carnation. Ma'am, they said, we have pleasure in telling you that soon you will have a daughter, who You will name Dezele. Directly she arrives, do not fail to call upon us, for we will bestow all sorts of good gifts upon her. You will have only to hold this bouquet and mention each flower, thinking of us, and be Be assured that we shall at once appear in your chamber. The queen transported with joy and overcome with gratitude through herself upon their necks and warmly embraced them. then spent several hours admiring the wonders of the palace and its gardens, and it was not until evening that she returned to her attendance, who were in a serious state of anxiety at the prolonged absence of her majesty. Not very long afterwards, when the queen was once more at home in her royal palace, a baby princess was born whom she named Dezele. taking the bouquet into her hand, the queen, one by one, pronounced the names of the flowers. When they're immediately appeared, flying through the air and elegant chariots drawn by different kinds of birds, the six fairies who entered the apartment, bearing beautiful presence for the little baby. Marvelously fine linen, but so strong that it could be worn a hundred years without going into holes, lace of the finest with the history of the world worked into its pattern.

Toys of all descriptions that a child would love to play with, and a cradle ornamented

with rubies and diamonds, and supported by four cubits ready to rock it, should the baby cry. But best of all, the fairies endowed the little princess with beauty and virtue and health, and every good thing that could be desired. The queen was thanking the fairies a thousand times for all their favors, when the door opened, and a crab appeared. Ungrateful queen said the crab, you have not dain't to me, the fairy of the fountain, and to punish your ingratitude, if the princess sees daylight before she is fifteen years old, she will have caused to repent it, and it may cost her her life. It was well I took the form of a crab for your friendship instead of advancing has gone backwards. Then, in spite of all the queen and the fairies could say, the crab went backwards out of the door, leaving them in consternation, and it was long before they could decide what was best to be done. Then with three waves of a wand, the fairies caused a high tower to spring up. It had neither door nor window, an underground passage was made, through which

everything necessary could be carried. And in this tower, the little princess was shut

up, and there she lived by candlelight, where never a glimpse of the sun could come. When the princess Desiree was 14 years old, the queen had her portrait painted and copies of it were carried to all the courts in the world. All the princes admired it greatly, but there was one prince named Warrior, who loved it above everything. He used to stand before the picture and devout his passion, just as if it heard what he said, and at last he told the king, his father. You have resolved that I shall marry the princess noir, but this I can never do so great as my love for the princess Desoie. But where have you seen her? And quiet the king. the prince hastened to fetch her portrait, and the king was so greatly struck by Dezehre's beauty that he agreed to follow his son's wishes and break off his engagement with the princess's noir, that he might wed the princess Dezehre.. So the king dispatched as ambassador a rich young lord named Beika Figa. Beika Figa was devoted to Prince Warrior, and he fitted out a most splendid retinue to visit the Princess Deslai's court. Besides numerous magnificent presence, Bacafiga took with him the Princess Portrait, which had been painted by such a clever artist that it would speak. It could not exactly answer questions, but could make certain remarks. It was truly a speaking likeness of the young prince. Dezeche's father and mother were delighted when they heard that the prince's warrior was seeking their daughter's hand in marriage, but they knew him to be a brave and noble young man. But, as it still wanted three months to the princesses' 15th year, warned by the fairy tulip, who had taken disobey under her special care, they refused to let him see their daughter, or to let her yet marry the Prince Warrior. But they showed her the Princess Portrait, with which she was greatly pleased, and particularly when it said, Lovely Desiree! You cannot imagine how ardently I am waiting for you. Come soon into our court to make it beautiful by your presence." When Prince Warrior saw the ambassador return without Des Rais, he was so terribly disappointed that he could neither eat nor sleep, and before long fell ill. Meanwhile, Dezele had no less pleasure in looking at the prince's portrait than he had admiring hers. and this was soon discovered by those around her, and among others, Wall Flower and Long Thorn, her maids of honor. Wall Flower loved her passionately and faithfully, but Long Thorn was full of envy of the princess who was so good and beautiful. And besides long thorn, Dezehe had another enemy, and that was the princess noir, to whom Prince Warrior had been betrothed. This princess noir now went to the fairy of the fountain, who was her best friend, and begged her to take revenge upon Princess Desray, and this the fairy promised to do. Meanwhile, once more bake a fig came to the capital where Deza Rays' father lived, and

throwing himself at the king's feet besought him in most touching words to let his daughter go with him at once to the prince, who would surely die if he could not behold her. Princess Des Raie heard of the Princess Illness, she suggested that she should set out without delay, but in a dark carriage that only at night should be open to give her food. This plan was approved of. The ambassador was told, and he departed full of joy. So in a carriage like a large, dark box, shut up with her lady in waiting, and her two maids of honor, wall flower, and long thorn Princess Desire departed for Prince Warrior's court. Perhaps you will remember that longthorn did not like Princess Desire, but she greatly admired Prince Warrior for she had seen his portrait speaking, and she had told her mother the lady in waiting that she should die if he married Desare. The king and queen had begged the lady in waiting to take the greatest of care of their to your daughter and above all to be heatful that she did not see the light of day until

her fifth. the greatest of care of their dear daughter, and above all to be heatful that she did not see the light of day until her 15th birthday, saying that the ambassador had promised that until then she should be placed where there was no other light than that of candles. But now, as they drew near their destination, while it was broad daylight, the wicked woman urged by her envious daughter Longthorn, all at once tore a large hole into the covering of the carriage with her hands. Then, for the first time, the princess Dezaix saw the light of day. Hardly had she perceived it when uttering a deep sigh, she threw herself from the carriage, in the form of a white fawn,

fleetly fled into the forest nearby. The fairy of the fountain, who was the cause of this disaster, seeing that all who were accompanying the princess were about to hasten to the town to tell the prince warrior what had happened, called up a great thunderstorm and scattered them in every direction. Only the lady in waiting long th Thorn and Wallflower were left.

Wallflower, who ran after her mistress, making the trees and rocks echo with her mournful calls. Then, Longthorn clothed herself in the rich bridal robes provided for Deizhae. She placed the crown upon her head, the scepter and orb she carried in her hands so that all should take her for the princess. With her mother bearing her train, she gravely walked

in the direction of the town.