The queen nearly fainted as Malevola drew back. But the king stepped forward too.
"Oh no you don't!" said he? raising his voice.
"How can you all be so very unfairylike? Have none of you ever been to school? Have none of you studied the traditions of your own race?"
"How dare you?" cried a fairy in a bonnet. "It is my turn, and I say the princess shall be —"
The king actually put his hand over her mouth.
"Look here," he said, "I won't have it. A fairy who breaks the rules of fairy history goes out — you know she does — like the flame of a candle. And all tradition shows that only one bad fairy is ever forgotten at a christening party and the good ones are always invited. So either this is not a christening party, or else you were all invited except one, and, by her own showing, that was Malevola. Try it, if you don't believe me. Give your nasty gifts to my innocent child — but as sure as you do, out you go, like a candle flame. Now, then, will you risk it?"
No one answered, but one by one on the fairies said goodbye and thank the queen for the delightful afternoon we had spent with her.
When the very last fairy was gone, the queen ran to look at the baby. She tore off its lace cap and burst into tears. For all the baby's downy golden hair came off with the cap, and the Princess Melisande was as bald as an egg.
