He waited a long time, but as she did not come near him again, and as the night had now cleared, he set off at last for the old woman's cottage.
It was long past midnight when he reached it, but, to his surprise, the old woman was paring potatoes at the door.

Fairies are fond of doing odd things.

Indeed, however they may dissemble, the night is always their day.

And so it is with all who have fairy blood in them.
"Why, what are you doing there, this time of the night, mother ?" said the prince; for that was the kind way in which any young man in his country would address a woman who was much older than himself.
"Getting your supper ready, my son," she answered.
"Oh, I don't want any supper," said the prince.
"Ah! you've seen Daylight," said she.
"I've seen a princess who never saw it," said the prince.
"Do you like her ?" asked the fairy.
"Oh! don't I ?" said the prince.

"More than you would believe, mother." "A fairy can believe anything that ever was or ever could be," said the old woman.
"Then are you a fairy ?" asked the prince.
"Yes," said she.
"Then what do you do for things not to believe ?" asked the prince.
"There's plenty of them--everything that never was nor ever could be." "Plenty, I grant you," said the prince.