6 PRINCE PRIGIO.

 

not believe in fairies: she said that they had
never existed; and that she maintained, though
The History of the Royal Family was full of
chapters about nothing else.

Well, at long and at last they had a little
boy, who was generally regarded as the finest
baby that had ever been seen. Even her
majesty: herself remarked that, though she
could never believe all the courtiers told her,
yet he certainly was a fine child—a very fine
child.

Now, the time drew near for the christening
party, and the king and queen were sitting at
breakfast in their summer parlour talking over
it. Itwasa splendid room, hung with portraits.
of the royal ancestors. There was Cinderella, the
grandmother of the reigning monarch, with her
little foot in her glass slipper thrust out before
her. There was the Marquis de Carabas, who,
as everyone knows, was raised to the throne as.
prince consort after his marriage with the
daughter of the king of the period. On the
arm of the throne was seated his celebrated
cat, wearing boots. There, too, was a portrait
of a beautiful lady, sound asleep: this was.
Madame La Belle au Bois-dormant, also an
ancestress of the royal family. Many other .
pictures of celebrated persons were hanging
on the walls.

“You have asked all the right people, my
dear?” said oe king.