1.] THE LOST PRINCE. 5

 

clared that she should be instantly condemned to be
eaten alive by white mice, and the soldier put into a
bag full of hedgehogs and rolled down the side of
the steepest precipice in that part of the world.

The unhappy maid wept bitterly and implored
mercy in piteous terms ; but it is doubtful whether she
would have obtained it, had not the King’s favourite
jester (who generally turned out to be the wisest
man at court) reminded the angry monarch that the
nature of white mice was not such as to render it
probable that they would do their part in carrying out
the sentence, and that hedgehogs being exceedingly
rare in that country, there would most likely bea great
and undesirable delay in the execution of the soldier.

After a little while, the King seemed to become
somewhat appeased, and turned his attention to the
consideration of the best means of recovering his
lost child. He ordered the forest to be thoroughly
well searched, and sent servants and messengers far
and wide along every road and pathway in the vicinity
of the palace. While he was engaged in giving these
commands, the Queen came in from her drive, and on
being informed of the misfortune which had befallen
her, gave vent to several shrill screams, and then
fainted away. Some time was occupied in bringing
Her Majesty back to consciousness, and when this
had been effected, her state was truly pitiable to
behold. She wept bitterly, let down her back hair,
tore her best pocket-handkerchief, trampled her new
bonnet underfoot, and scratched the faces of her
Mistress of the Robes and the three principal Ladies
in Waiting, to their great and visible consternation.