The Dolphin (fairy tale) facts for kids

The Dolphin is a classic French fairy tale written by Madame d'Aulnoy. It's a story filled with magic, adventure, and lessons about inner beauty and kindness. Madame d'Aulnoy was a famous writer from the 1600s who helped create the fairy tale genre we know today.

Story Summary

Alidor's Journey

Once upon a time, there was a king and queen who had many children. They only showed love to their children who were considered beautiful. One of their sons, named Alidor, was not seen as handsome. Because of this, he felt very sad and decided to leave the palace in secret.

Alidor traveled far away. He met a young man who told him about a beautiful princess named Livorette. She was the daughter of the King of the Woods. Alidor decided to go to her kingdom.

The Princess and the Dolphin

When Alidor arrived, Princess Livorette and her friends made fun of his appearance. However, the queen of that land was kind. She talked to Alidor and soon realized he was very smart and polite. Alidor became a favorite at court, but Livorette still laughed at him. Alidor fell deeply in love with her, which made him very sad.

To cheer himself up, Alidor went fishing. He didn't catch anything, and Livorette mocked him again. One day, he caught a magical dolphin. The dolphin asked Alidor to release it, promising to help him in return. The dolphin even gave Alidor advice about winning Livorette's heart.

Alidor freed the dolphin. He felt hopeless at first, but the dolphin returned with many fish. The dolphin then told Alidor a clever plan to win Livorette. Alidor brought the fish back to the palace. Then, using magic, he changed himself into a beautiful canary.

The Canary and the Secret

As a canary, Alidor sang wonderfully to Princess Livorette. He charmed her but would not sing for anyone else. After a night, he convinced the princess to take him to her parents. He told them he was a king from a faraway island. The king and queen agreed to the marriage.

Alidor visited the court in his normal human form. The queen told him all about the upcoming wedding. That night, Alidor went to the seashore. He sat on a special rock. Suddenly, a small fairy named Grognette appeared. She was angry that Alidor sat on her rock and put a curse on him. She said he would suffer greatly.

Unexpected Events

Soon after, another prince sent messengers to ask for Livorette's hand in marriage. She seemed ready to accept him. However, Livorette suddenly became very ill. A doctor examined her and discovered she was going to have a baby. Soon, she gave birth to a son.

The king was furious and decided to have Livorette and her baby killed. The queen managed to delay this terrible decision. Alidor became very distressed, and the dolphin stopped appearing to him.

Rescue and Revelation

When the baby was four years old, the king asked every man to give the child a gift. When Alidor gave his gift, the baby reached for him. The king then declared that Alidor was the father. He ordered Alidor, the princess, and their son to be thrown into the sea inside a barrel.

Inside the barrel, Alidor, though still very upset, called for the dolphin. Livorette, showing great courage, told Alidor to command the dolphin to obey her. She then asked the dolphin to take them out of the barrel and transport them to a magnificent island. She also asked the dolphin to explain how she had a child and to make Alidor handsome and well again.

They landed on the beautiful island. Livorette forgave Alidor for his clever plan. The dolphin then made them the king and queen of the island.

However, the fairy Grognette's curse still had an effect. It meant Livorette could not truly consider Alidor her husband without her parents' permission.

Family Reunion

Meanwhile, the queen back in the original kingdom learned what the king had ordered for Livorette. She was very upset and told the king how wrong he was. The king confessed he had not had any peace since that day. They decided to ask a wise fairy for help.

The fairy sent them on a journey to the dolphin's island. Their ship was wrecked, but they survived. They did not recognize Alidor, Livorette, or their son, who welcomed them warmly. Finally, Livorette revealed the truth about who they were. With her parents' consent, their marriage was officially recognized and celebrated.

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