“Apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums,
greengages, pears, grapes, apples, oranges,
lemons, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, come!
come! come!”
‘Instantly from every tree down hopped the fruit
and ran—and ran—just like chickens coming to be
fed, and the queen ate as much as she liked, and
found every kind of fruit passing good.
‘The old fairy now gave her gilded baskets in
which to carry away as much fruit as she liked,
and she laded all her mules and servants with it.
Then she reminded the queen, my mother, of the
agreement; and next morning the queen returned
to her kingdom, nibbling at the fruit all the way.
“However, it must not be supposed that she did
not regret her bargain, when she saw me in my
cradle on her return. She was afraid to tell the
king what she had: done, and she tried to deaden
her remorse by eating fruit all day long.
‘Presently there arrived at the palace five frightful
little dwarfs sent by the fairies to fetch me; and
then the queen was obliged to tell the king, my
father, all she had promised. He was, of course,
very angry, and ordered his guards to surround
and cut the dwarfs to pieces. But as fast as they
were chopped up they came together again, and
persisted in their demand, as though nothing in-
commoded by the maltreatment to which they were
exposed. Then the fairies came in a flaming chariot
drawn by sea-horses, took up my cradle, placed
it between them, and went away, carrying me.
‘I grew up surrounded by everything that was
beautiful and rare, and learning everything that is
ever taught to a princess, but without any com-
panions save a parrot and a little dog, who could
both talk, and receiving every day a visit from one
of the old fairies, who caressed me and spoke
kindly to me, and assured me of her and her
sisters’ protection, so long as I remained in the
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