content: the prince and the fairy ( for that was who she was ) had no sooner looked at one another than they went into fits of laughter , and cried at the same moment , " oh , what a funny nose ! " " not so funny as your own , " said prince hyacinth to the fairy ; " but , madam , i beg you to leave the consideration of our noses - such as they are - and to be good enough to give me something to eat , for i am starving , and so is my poor horse . " " with all my heart , " said the fairy . " though your nose is so ridiculous you are , nevertheless , the son of my best friend . i loved your father as if he had been my brother . now he had a very handsome nose ! " " and pray what does mine lack ? " said the prince . " oh ! it does n't lack anything , " replied the fairy . " on the contrary quite , there is only too much of it . but never mind , one may be a very worthy man though his nose is too long . i was telling you that i was your father 's friend ; he often came to see me in the old times , and you must know that i was very pretty in those days ; at least , he used to say so . i should like to tell you of a conversation we had the last time i ever saw him . " " indeed , " said the prince , " when i have supped it will give me the greatest pleasure to hear it ; but consider , madam , i beg of you , that i have had nothing to eat to - day . " in an instant the crystal prison flew into a thousand splinters , and the old fairy , taking the dear little princess by the hand , said to the prince : " now , say if you are not very much obliged to me . much good it was for me to talk to you about your nose ! you would never have found out how extraordinary it was if it had n't hindered you from doing what you wanted to . you see how self - love keeps us from knowing our own defects of mind and body . our reason tries in vain to show them to us ; we refuse to see them till we find them in the way of our interests . " prince hyacinth , whose nose was now just like anyone 's else , did not fail to profit by the lesson he had received . he married the dear little princess , and they lived happily ever after . 
answer: he was the son of the old fairy 's best friend .
question: why did the old fairy wish to make the prince happy and hit upon a plan ?
target: why did the old fairy wish to make the prince happy and hit upon a plan ?
references: why did the old fairy wish to make the prince happy and hit upon a plan ?