按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
afterwards as she sat at her spinning…wheel she began to consider
what would happen if the little Princess did not grow up pretty
enough to please the King； and she said to herself：
‘Oh！ if I could only think of some way of escaping。'
As she spoke she saw the little mouse playing in a corner with
some long straws。 The Queen took them and began to plait them；
saying：
‘If only I had straws enough I would make a basket with them；
and let my baby down in it from the window to any kind passer…
by who would take care of her。'
By the time the straws were all plaited the little mouse had
dragged in more and more； until the Queen had plenty to make
her basket； and she worked at it day and night； while the little
mouse danced for her amusement； and at dinner and supper time
the Queen gave it the three peas and the bit of black bread； and
always found something good in the dish in their place。 She
really could not imagine where all the nice things came from。
At last one day when the basket was finished； the Queen was looking
out of the window to see how long a cord she must make to
lower it to the bottom of the tower； when she noticed a little old
woman who was leaning upon her stick and looking up at her。
Presently she said：
‘I know your trouble； madam。 If you like I will help you。'
‘Oh！ my dear friend；' said the Queen。 ‘If you really wish to
be of use to me you will come at the time that I will appoint； and
I will let down my poor little baby in a basket。 If you will take
her； and bring her up for me； when I am rich I will reward you
splendidly。'
‘I don't care about the reward；' said the old woman； ‘but there
is one thing I should like。 You must know that I am very
particular about what I eat； and if there is one thing that I fancy
above all others； it is a plump； tender little mouse。 If there is
such a thing in your garret just throw it down to me； and in
return I will promise that your little daughter shall be well taken
care of。'
The Queen when she heard this began to cry； but made no
answer； and the old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her
what was the matter。
‘Why；' said the Queen； ‘there is only one mouse in this garret；
and that is such a dear； pretty little thing that I cannot bear to
think of its being killed。'
‘What！' cried the old woman； in a rage。 ‘Do you care more
for a miserable mouse than for your own baby？ Good…bye； madam！
I leave you to enjoy its company； and for my own part I thank my
stars that I can get plenty of mice without troubling you to give
them to me。'
And she hobbled off grumbling and growling。 As to the Queen；
she was so disappointed that； in spite of finding a better dinner
than usual； and seeing the little mouse dancing in its merriest
mood； she could do nothing but cry。 That night when her baby
was fast asleep she packed it into the basket； and wrote on a slip
of paper； ‘This unhappy little girl is called Delicia！' This she
pinned to its robe； and then very sadly she was shutting the basket；
when in sprang the little mouse and sat on the baby's pillow。
‘Ah！ little one；' said the Queen； ‘it cost me dear to save your
life。 How shall I know now whether my Delicia is being taken care
of or no？ Anyone else would have let the greedy old woman have
you； and eat you up； but I could not bear to do it。' Whereupon
the Mouse answered：
‘Believe me； madam； you will never repent of your kindness。'
The Queen was immensely astonished when the Mouse began
to speak； and still more so when she saw its little sharp nose turn
to a beautiful face； and its paws to hands and feet； then it suddenly
grew tall； and the Queen recognised the Fairy who had come with
the wicked King to visit her。
The Fairy smiled at her astonished look； and said：
‘I wanted to see if you were faithful and capable of feeling a
real friendship for me； for you see we fairies are rich in everything
but friends； and those are hard to find。'
‘It is not possible that YOU should want for friends； you charming
creature；' said the Queen； kissing her。
‘Indeed it is so；' the Fairy said。 ‘For those who are only
friendly with me for their own advantage； I do not count at all。
But when you cared for the poor little mouse you could not have
known there was anything to be gained by it； and to try you further
I took the form of the old woman whom you talked to from the
window； and then I was convinced that you really loved me。' Then；
turning to the little Princess； she kissed her rosy lips three times；
saying：
‘Dear little one； I promise that you shall be richer than your
father； and shall live a hundred years； always pretty and happy；
without fear of old age and wrinkles。'
The Queen； quite delighted； thanked the Fairy gratefully； and
begged her to take charge of the little Delicia and bring her up as
her own daughter。 This she agreed to do； and then they shut the
basket and lowered it carefully； baby and all； to the ground at the
foot of the tower。 The Fairy then changed herself back into the
form of a mouse； and this delayed her a few seconds； after which
she ran nimbly down the straw rope； but only to find when she got
to the bottom that the baby had disappeared。
In the greatest terror she ran up again to the Queen； crying：
‘All is lost！ my enemy Cancaline has stolen the Princess away。
You must know that she is a cruel fairy who hates me； and as
she is older than I am and has more power； I can do nothing against
her。 I know no way of rescuing Delicia from her clutches。'
When the Queen heard this terrible news she was heart…broken；
and begged the Fairy to do all she could to get the poor little Princess
back again。 At this moment in came the gaoler； and when he
missed the little Princess he at once told the King； who came in a
great fury asking what the Queen had done with her。 She answered
that a fairy； whose name she did not know； had come and carried
her off by force。 Upon this the King stamped upon the ground； and
cried in a terrible voice：
‘You shall be hung！ I always told you you should。' And without
another word he dragged the unlucky Queen out into the nearest
wood； and climbed up into a tree to look for a branch to which he
could hang her。 But when he was quite high up； the Fairy； who
had made herself invisible and followed them； gave him a sudden
push； which made him lose his footing and fall to the ground with
a crash and break four of his teeth； and while he was trying to
mend them the fairy carried the Queen off in her flying chariot to a
beautiful castle； where she was so kind to her that but for the loss of
Delicia the Queen would have been perfectly happy。 But though
the good little mouse did her very utmost； they could not find out
where Cancaline had hidden the little Princess。
Thus fifteen years went by； and the Queen had somewhat
recovered from her grief； when the news reached her that the son of
the