THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER. 65

each of these six nurses was compelled to hold a cat upon
her knees, and to tickle it all night so as to prevent it from
sleeping, and keep it purring.

 

T am certain, my dear children, that you are as curious
as the inhabitants of that little kingdom without a name, to
know why these extra nurses were forced to hold cats upon
their knees, and to tickle them in such a way that they
should never cease purring; but, as you would vainly
endeavour to find out the secret of that enigma, I shall
explain it to you, in order to save you the headache which
would not fail ‘to be the result of all your guess-work.

It happened one day that half-a-dozen great kings took
it into their heads to
pay a visit to the future
father of Princess Pir-
lipata, for at that
time the princess was
not born. They were
accompanied by the
royal princes, the he-
reditary. grand dukes,
: and the heirs apparent,
all most agreeable per-