ti^^^0*0***0m0^m*m0*^***^^***^^*^_

TALES ''OF
B\SSB>TIME$

BTMR-CHARLES • PERRAUIT

DECORATED « BY • JOHN -AUSTEN

ritfrvEnsiTY of

^RTH_CAROLINa
^HdFl ibrary
Science

, j*

UNIVERSITY OF N C AT CHAPEL HILL

00022228322

■

This Edition is limited
to two hundred copies
of which this is
Number i

PERRAULT

Tales of 'Passed Times

THE KEY, MADAM !

TALES

OF PASSED TIMES WRITTEN FOR
CHILDREN BY Mr. PERRAULT
NEWLY DECORATED
BY JOHN AUSTEN

SELWYN & BLOUNT LTD.
21 YORK Blds-ADELPHI,W.C.2

First printed 1022

CONTENTS

Little Red Riding-Hood

The Fairy

Blue Beard

The Sleeping Beauty

Puss in Boots

Cinderella

Riquet with the Tuft

Tom Thumb

Pagl

6

9
13

J9
3i

37
45
53

803699

I. LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD

Once upon a time, there lived in a certain village, a little country girl,
the prettiest creature was ever seen. Her mother was excessively
fond of her ; and her grand-mother doated on her much more. This
good woman got made for her a little red Riding-Hood ; which became
the girl so extremely well, that every body called her Little Red Riding-
Hood.

One day, her mother, having made some custards, said to her, "Go
my dear, and see how thy grand-mamma does, for I hear she has been
very ill, carry her a custard, and this little pot of butter." Little Red
Riding-Hood sets out immediately to go to her grand-mother, who
lived in another village. As she was going thro' the wood, she met
with Gaffer Wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he durst
not, because of some faggot makers hard by in the forest.

He asked her, whither she was going : The poor child, who did not
know that it was dangerous to stay and hear a Wolf talk, said to him,
"I am going to see my grand-mamma, and carry her a custard, and a
little pot of butter, from my mamma." "Does she live far off ?" said
the Wolf. "Oh ! ay," answered Little Red Riding-Hood, "it is beyond
that mill you see there, at the first house in the village." "Well," said

the Wolf, "and I'll go and see her too: I'll go this way, and you go
that, and we shall see who will be there soonest."

The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the nearest way ;
and the little girl went by that farthest about, diverting herself in
gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and making nosegays of such
little flowers as she met with. The Wolf was not long before he got to
the old woman's house : he knocked at the door, tap, tap. "Who's
there?" "Your grand-child, Little Red Riding-Hood" (replied the
Wolf, counterfeiting her voice) "who has brought you a custard, and
a little pot of butter, sent you by mamma."

The good grand-mother, who was in bed, because she found herself
somewhat ill, cry'd out, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."
The Wolf pull'd the bobbin, and the door opened, and then presently he
fell upon the good woman, and eat her up in a moment ; for it was
above three days that he had not touched a bit. He then shut the
door, and went into the grand-mother's bed, expecting Little Red
Riding-Hood, who came some time afterwards, and knock'd at the door,
tap, tap. "Who's there?" Littie Red Riding-Hood, hearing the big
voice of the Wolf, was at first afraid, but believing her grand-mother
had got a cold, and was hoarse, answered, "'Tis your grand-child,
Little Red Riding-Hood, who has brought you a custard, and a little

pot of butter, mamma sends you." The Wolf cried out to her, softening
his voice as much as he could, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go
up." Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.

The Wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the
bed-clothes: "Put the custard, and the little pot of butter upon the
stool, and come and lye down with me." Little Red Riding-Hood
undressed herself, and went into bed ; where, being greatly amazed to
see how her grand-mother looked in her night-cloaths, said to her,
"Grand-mamma, what great arms you have got ?" "That is the better
to hug thee, my dear." "Grand-mamma, what great legs you have got !'
"That is to run the better, my child." "Grand-mamma, what great
ears you have got!" "It is to hear the better, my child." "Grand-
mamma, what great eyes you have got !" "It is to see the better, my
child." "Grand-mamma, what great teeth you have got !" "That is to
eat thee up." And, saying these words, this wicked Wolf fell upon
poor Little Red Riding- Hood, and eat her all up.

II. THE FAIRY

There was, once upon a time, a widow, who had two daughters. The
eldest was So much like her in the face and humour, that whoever
looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so dis-
agreeable, and so proud, that there was no living with them. The
youngest, who was the very picture of her father, for courtesy and
sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls was ever
seen. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother even
doated on her eldest daughter, and at the same time had a horrible
aversion for the youngest. She made her eat in the kitchen, and work
continually.

Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw
water above a mile and a half off the house, and bring home a pitcher
full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came to her a
poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink : "O ay, with all my
heart, Goody," said this pretty little girl ; and rincing immediately the
pitcher, she took up some water from the clearest place of the fountain,
and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might
drink the easier.

The good woman having drank, said to her, "You are so very pretty,

my dear, so good and so mannerly, that I cannot help giving you a
gift" (for this was a Fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country-
woman, to see how far the civility and good manners of this pretty girl
would go) "I will give you for gift" (continued the Fairy) "that at every
word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a flower, or
a jewel."

When this pretty girl came home, her mother scolded at her for staying
so long at the fountain. "I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor
girl, "for not making more haste," and, in speaking these words, there
came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds. "What
is it I see there ?" said her mother quite astonished, "I think I see
pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth ! How happens
this, child ?" (This was the first time she ever called her child.)

The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping
out infinite numbers of diamonds. "In good faith," cried the mother,
"I must send my child thither. Come hither, Fanny, look what comes
out of thy sister's mouth when she speaks ! Would'st not thou be glad,
my dear, to have the same gift given to thee ? Thou hast nothing else
to do but go and draw water out of the fountain, and when a certain
poor woman asks you to let her drink, to give it her very civilly." "It
would be a very fine sight indeed," said this ill-bred minx, "to see me
go draw water !" You shall go, hussey," said the mother, "and this

10

minute." So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taking with
her the best silver tankard in the house.

She was no sooner at the fountain, than she saw coming out of the
wood, a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her, and asked to
drink. This was, you must know, the very Fairy who appeared to her
sister, but had now taken the air and dress of a princess, to see how far
this girl's rudeness would go. "Am I come hither, said the proud, saucy
slut, "to serve you with water, pray ? I suppose the silver tankard
was brought purely for your ladyship, was it ? However, you may
drink out of it, if you have a fancy."

"You are not over and above mannerly," answered the Fairy, without
putting herself in a passion : "Well then, since you have so little breeding,
and are so disobliging, I give you for gift, that at every word you speak
there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad." So soon as
her mother saw her coming, she cried out : "Well, daughter." "Well,
mother," answered the pert hussey, throwing out of her mouth two
vipers and two toads. "O mercy !" cried the mother, "what is it I
see ! O, it is that wretch her sister who has occasioned all this ; but
she shall pay for it ;" and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor
child fled away from her and went to hide herself in the forest, not far
from thence.

The king's son, then on his return from hunting, met her, and seeing

II

her so very pretty, asked her, What she did there alone, and why she
cried ? "Alas! sir, my mamma has turned me out of doors." The
king's son, who saw five or six pearls, and as many diamonds, come out
of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She there-
upon told him the whole story ; and so the king's son fell in love with
her ; and, considering with himself that such a gift was worth more
than any marriage-portion whatsoever in another, conducted her to
the palace of the king his father, and there married her.

As for her sister, she made herself so much hated that her own mother
turned her off ; and the miserable wretch, having wandered about a
good while without finding anybody to take her in, went to a corner
in the wood and there died.

12

III. BLUE BEARD

There was a man who had fine houses, both in town and country, a
deal of silver and gold plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches
gilded all over with gold. But this man had the misfortune to have a
Blue Beard, which made him so frightfully ugly, that all the women
and girls ran away from him.

One of his neighbours, a lady of quality had two daughters who were
perfect beauties. He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to
her the choice which of the two she would bestow upon him. They would
neither of them have him, and sent him backwards and forwards from
one to another, being not able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man
who had a Blue Beard. And what besides gave them disgust and
aversion, was his having already been married to several wives, and
nobody ever knew what became of them.

Blue Beard, to engage their affection, took them, with the lady their
mother, and three or four ladies of their acquaintance, with other young
people of the neighbourhood, to one of his country-seats, where they
stayed a whole week. There was nothing then to be seen but parties
of pleasure, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth and feasting. Nobody
went to bed, but all passed the night in rallying and joking with each
other: in short, everything succeeded so well, that the youngest
daughter began to think, the master of the house not to have a Beard
so very Blue, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman.

As soon as they returned home, the marriage was concluded. About
a month afterwards Blue Beard told his wife, that he was obliged to
take a country journey for six weeks at least, about affairs of very great
consequence, desiring her to divert herself in his absence, to send for
her friends and acquaintances, to carry them into the country, if she
pleased, and to make good cheer where-ever she was : "Here," said
he, "are the keys of the two great wardrobes, wherein I have my best

13

furniture ; these are of my silver and gold plate, which is not every
day in use ; these open my strong boxes, which hold my money, both
gold and silver ; these my caskets of jewels ; and this is the master-key
to all my apartments : But for this little one here, it is the key of the
closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor. Open them
all ; go into all and every one of them ; except that little closet which
I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you happen to open
it, there's nothing but what you may expect from my just anger and
resentment." She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he
had ordered ; when he, after having embraced her, got into his coach and
proceeded on his journey.

Her neighbours and good friends did not stay to be sent for by the
newmarried lady, so great was their impatience to see all the rich
furniture of her house, not daring to come while her husband was
there, because of his Blue Beard which frightened them. They ran
thro' all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, which were all so rich and
fine, that they seemed to surpass one another. After that, they went
up into the two great rooms, where were the best and richest furniture ;
they could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of the tapestry,

14

beds, couches, cabinets, stands, tables and looking-glasses, in which
you might see yourself from head to foot ; some of them were framed
with glass, others with silver, plain and gilded, the finest and most
magnificent which were ever seen. They ceased not to extol and envy
the happiness of their friend, who in the mean time no way diverted
herself in looking upon all these rich things, because of the impatience
she had to go and open the closet of the ground floor. She was so
much pressed by her curiosity, that, without considering that it was
very uncivil to leave her company, she went down a little back-stair-
case, and with such excessive haste, that she had twice or thrice like to
have broken her neck.

Being come to the closet door, she made a stop for some time, thinking
upon her husband's orders, and considering what unhappiness might
attend her if she was disobedient ; but the temptation was so strong
she could not overcome it : She took then the little key, and opened
it trembling ; but could not at first see any thing plainly, because the
windows were shut. After some moments she began to perceive that
the floor was all covered over with clotted blood, on which lay the
bodies of several dead women ranged against the walls : (These were
all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murdered one after

15

another.) She thought she should have died for fear, and the key,
which she pulled out of the lock, fell out of her hand.

After having somewhat recovered her surprise, she took up the key,
locked the door, and went up stairs into her chamber to recover herself ;
but she could not, so much was she frightened. Having observed
that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she tried two or three
times to wipe it off, but the blood would not come out ; in vain did
she wash it, and even rub it with soap and sand, the blood still remained,
for the key was a Fairy, and she could never make it quite clean ; when
the blood was gone off from one side, it came again on the other.

Blue Beard returned from his journey the same evening, and said,
he had received letters upon the road, informing him that the affair
he went about was ended to his advantage. His wife did all she could
to convince him she was extremely glad of his speedy return. Next
morning he asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such
a trembling hand, that he easily guessed what had happened. "What,"
said he, "is not the key of my closet among the rest ?" "I must cer-
tainly," answered she, "have left it above upon the table." "Fail
not," said Blue Beard, "to bring it me presently."

After several goings backwards and forwards, she was forced to bring
him the key. Blue Beard, having very attentively considered it, said
to his wife, "How comes this blood upon the key ?" "I do not know,"
cried the poor woman, paler than death. "You do not know," replied
Blue Beard, "I very well know, you was resolved to go into the closet,
was you not ? Mighty well, Madam ; you shall go in, and take your
place among the ladies you saw there."

Upon this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and begged his
pardon with all signs of a true repentance, and that she would never
more be disobedient. She would have melted a rock, so beautiful
and sorrowful was she ; but Blue Beard had a heart harder than any
rock ! "Thou must die, Madam," said he, "and that presently."
"Since I must die," answered she (looking upon him with her eyes all
bathed in tears) "give me some little time to say my prayers." "I
give you," replied Blue Beard, "half a quarter of an hour, but not one
moment more."

16

When she was alone, she called out to her sister, and said to her,
"Sister Anne (for that was her name) "go up I beg you, upon the top
of the tower, and look if my brothers are not coming ; they promised
me that they would come to day, and if you see them, give them a
sign to make haste." Her sister Anne went up upon the top of the
tower, and the poor afflicted wife cried out from time to time, "Anne,
sister Anne, do you see any one coming ?" And sister Anne said, "I
see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which
looks green."

In the mean while Blue Beard, holding a great scimitar in his hand,
cried out as loud as he could bawl to his wife, "Come down instantly,
or I shall come up to you." "One moment longer, if you please,"
said his wife, and then she cried out very softly, "Anne, sister Anne,
dost thou see any body coming ?" And sister Anne answered, "I
see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass looking green."
"Come down quickly," cried Blue Beard, "or I will come up to you."
"I am coming," answered his wife ; and then she cried, "Anne, sister
Anne, dost thou see any one coming ?" "I see, replied sister Anne,
"a great dust that comes on this side here." — "Are they my brothers ?"
"Alas! no, my dear sister, I see a flock of sheep." "Will you not come
down ?" cried Blue Beard. "One moment longer," said his wife, and
then she cried out, "Anne, sister Anne, dost thou see nobody coming ?"
"I see, said she, "two horsemen coming, but they are yet a great way off."
"God be praised," replied the poor wife, joyfully, "they are my brothers;
I will make them a sign, as well as I can, for them to make haste." Then
Blue Beard bawled out so loud, that he made the whole house tremble.

The distressed wife came down, and threw herself at his feet, all in
tears, with her hair about her shoulders : "This signifies nothing,"
says Blue Beard, "you must die ;" then, taking hold of her hair with
one hand, and lifting up his scimitar with the other, he was going to
take off her head. The poor lady turning about to him, and looking
at him with dying eyes, desired him to afford her one little moment to
recollect herself. "No, no," said he, "recommend thyself to God,"
and was just ready to strike. — At this very instant there was such a loud
knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard made a sudden stop. The gate

17

was opened, and presently entered two horesmen, who drawing their
swords, ran directly to Blue Beard. He knew them to be his wife's
brothers, one a dragoon, the other a musqueteer ; so that he ran away
immediately to save himself ; but the two brothers pursued so close,
that they overtook him before he could get to the steps of the porch,
when they ran their swords through his body and left him dead.

The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength
enough to rise and welcome her brothers. Blue Beard had no heirs,
and so his wife became mistress of all his estate. She made use of one
part of it to marry her sister Anne to a young gentleman who had loved
her a long while; another part to buy captains' commissions for her
brothers ; and the rest to marry herself to a very worthy gentleman,
who made her forget the illtime she had passed with Blue Beard.

18

IV. SLEEPING BEAUTY

THERE were formerly a king and a queen, who were so sorry that
they had no children, so sorry that it cannot be expressed. They
went to all the waters in the world ; vows, pilgrimages, all ways were
tried and all to no purpose. At last, however, the queen proved with
child, and was brought to bed of a daughter. There was a very fine
christening ; and the princess had for her godmothers all the Fairies
they could find in the whole kingdom (they found seven) that every
one of them might give her a gift, as was the custom of Fairies in those
days. By this means the princess had all the perfections imaginable.

After the ceremonies of the christening were over, all the company
returned to the king's palace, where was prepared a great feast for the
Fairies. There was placed before every one of them a magnificent
cover with a case of massive gold, wherein were a spoon, knife and fork,
all of pure gold set with diamonds and rubies. But as they were all
sitting dov/n at table, they saw come into the hall a very old Fairy whom
they had not invited, because it was above fifty years since she had been
out of a certain tower, and she was believed to be either dead or en-
chanted. The king ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her with
a case of gold as the others, because they had seven only made for the
seven Fairies. The old Fairy fancied she was slighted, and muttered

19

some threat between her teeth. One of the young Fairies, who sat by
her, over-heard how she grumbled ; and judging that she might give
the little Princess some unlucky gift, went, as soon as they rose from
the table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that she might speak
last, and repair, as much as possible she could, the evil which the old
Fairy might intend.

In the mean while all the Fairies began to give their gifts to the
princess. The youngest gave her for gift, that she should be the most
beautiful person in the world ; the next, that she should have the wit
of an angel ; the third, that she should have a wonderful grace in every-
thing she did ; the fourth, that she should dance perfectly well ; the
fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale ; and the sixth, that she
should play upon all kinds of music to the utmost perfection.

The old Fairy's turn coming next, with a head shaking more with
spite than age, she said, that the princess should have her hand pierced
with a spindle, and die of the wound. This terrible gift made the whole
company tremble, and every body fell a crying.

At this very instant the young Fairy came out from behind the
hangings, and spake these words aloud, "Assure yourselves, O king and
queen, that your daughter shall not die of this disaster : It is true, I
have no power to undo entirely what my elder has done. The princess
shall indeed pierce her hand with a spindle ; but instead of dying, she
shall only fall into a profound sleep, which shall last a hundred years ;
at the expiration of which a king's son shall come and awake her."

The king, to avoid the misfortune foretold by the old Fairy, caused
immediately proclamations to be made, whereby every body was for-
bidden, on pain of death, to spin with a distaff and spindle or to have so
much as any spindle in their houses. About fifteen or sixteen years
after, the king and queen being gone to one of their houses of pleasure,
the young princess happened one day to divert herself in running up
and down the palace ; when going up from one apartment to another,
she came into a little room on the top of a tower, where a good old
woman, alone, was spinning with her spindle. This good woman
had never heard of the king's proclamation against spindles. "What
are you doing there goody ?" said the princess. "I am spinning,

20

my pretty child," said the old woman, who did not know who she was.
"Ha ! said the princess, this is very pretty ; how do you do it ? Give
it to me, that I may see if I can do so ?'' She had no sooner taken it
into her hand, than, whether being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy,
or that the decree of the Fairy had so ordained it, it ran into her hand,
and she fell down in a swoon.

The good old woman not knowing very well what to do in this affair,
cried out for help. People came in from every quarter in great numbers ;
they threw water upon the princess's face, unlaced her, struck her on
the palms of her hands, and rubbed her temples with Hungary-water ;
but nothing would bring her to herself.

And now the king, who came up at the noise, bethought himself of
the prediction of the Fairies, and judging very well that this must
necessarily come to pass, since the fairies had said it, caused the princess
to be carried into the finest apartment in his palace, and to be laid
upon a bed all embroidered with gold and silver. One would have
taken her for a little angel, she was so very beautiful ; for her swooning
away had not diminished one bit her complexion; her cheeks were
carnation, and her lips like coral ; indeed her eyes were shut, but she
wasjieard to breathe softly, which satisfied those about her that she
was not dead. The king commanded that they should not disturb
her^but let her sleep quietly till her hour of awakening was come.

The good Fairy, who had saved her life by condemning her to sleep
a hundred years, was in the kindgom of Matakin, twelve thousand
leagues off, when this accident befell the Princess ; but she was instantly
informed of if by a little dwarf, who had boots of seven leagues, that
is, boots with which he could tread over seven leagues of ground at
one stride. The Fairy came away immediately, and she arrived,
about an hour after, in a fiery chariot, drawn by dragons. The king
handed her out of the chariot, and she approved every thing he had done ;
but, as she had a very great foresight, she thought, when the princess
should awake, she might not know what to do with herself, being all
alone in this old palace ; and this was what she did : She touched with
her wand every thing in the palace (except the king and the queen)
governesses, maids of honour, ladies of the bedchamber, gentlemen,

21

officers, stewards, cooks, under-cooks, scullions, guards, with their
beef-eaters, pages, footmen ; she likewise touched all the horses which
were in the stables, as well pads as others, the great dogs in the outward
court, and pretty little Mopsey too, the Princess's little spaniel-bitch,
which lay by her on the bed.

Immediately upon her touching them, they all fell asleep, that they
might not awake before their mistress, and that they might be ready to
wait upon her when she wanted them. The very spits at the fire, as
full as they could hold of partridges and pheasants, did fall asleep
also. All this was done in a moment. Fairies are not long in doing
their business.

And now the king and thequeen having kissed their dear child without
waking her, went out of the palace, and put forth a proclamation,
that nobody should dare to come near it. This, however, was not
necessary ; for, in a quarter of an hour's time, there grew up, all round
about the park, such a vast number of trees, great and small, bushes

22

and brambles, twining one within another, that neither man nor beast
could pass thro' ; so that nothing could be seen but the very top of the
towers of the palace ; and that too, not unless it was a good way off.
Nobody doubted but the Fairy gave herein a very extraordinary sample
of her art, that the Princess, while she continued sleeping, might have
nothing to fear from any curious people.

When a hundred years were gone and passed, the son of the king,
then reigning, and who was of another family from that of the sleeping
Princess, being gone a hunting on that side of the country, asked,
What those towers were which he saw in the middle of a great thick
wood ? Every one answered according as they had heard ; some said,
That it was a ruinous old castle, haunted by spirits ; others, That all
the sorcerers and witches of the country kept there their sabbath, or
nights meeting. The common opinion was, That an Ogre lived there,
and that he carried thither, all the little children he could catch, that
he might eat them up at his leisure, without anybody being able
to follow him, as having himself, only, the power to pass thro' the wood.

The Prince was at a stand, not knowing what to believe, when a very
aged countryman spake to him thus : "May it please your royal highness,
it is now above fifty years since I heard from my father, (who heard my
grandfather say,) that there then was in this castle, a Princess, the most
beautiful was ever seen ; that she must sleep there a hundred years,
and should be asked by a king's son ; for whom she was reserved."
The young Prince was all on fire at these words, believing, without

23

weighing the matter, that he could put an end to this rare adventure ;
and pushed on by love and honour resolved that moment to look into it.

Scarce had he advanced towards the wood, when all the great trees,
the bushes and brambles, gave way of themselves to let him pass thro';
he walked up to the castle which he saw at the end of a large avenue
which he went into ; and what a little surprised him, was, that he saw
none of his people could follow him, because the trees closed again,
as soon as he had passed thro' them. However, he did not cease from
continuing his way ; a young and amorous Prince is always valiant.
He came into a spacious outward court, where everything he saw might
have frozen up the most fearless person with horror. There reigned all
over a most frightful silence ; the image of death everywhere shewed
itself, and there was nothing to be seen but stretched out bodies of men
and animals, all seeming to be dead. He, however, very well knew, by
the ruby faces and pimpled noses of the beef-eaters, that they were
only asleep ; and their goblets, wherein still remained some drops of
wine, shewed plainly, that they fell asleep in their cups.

He then crossed a court paved with marble, went up the stairs, and
came into the guard-chamber, where the guards were standing in their
ranks, with their muskets upon their shoulder, and snoring as loud
as they could. After that he went through several rooms full of
gentlemen and ladies, all asleep, some standing, others sitting. At
last he came into a chamber all gilded with gold, where he saw, upon a
bed, the curtains of which were all open, the finest sight was ever
beheld ; a Princess, who appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years
of age, and whose bright, and in a manner resplendent beauty, had
somewhat in it divine. He approached with trembling and admiration,
and fell down before her upon his knees.

And now, as the enchantment was at an end, the Princess awaked,
and looking on him with eyes more tender than the first view might
seem to admit of ; "Is it you, my Prince," said she to him, "you have
waited a long time."

The Prince, charmed with these words, and much more with the
manner in which they were spoken, knew not how to shew his joy
and gratitude ; he assured her, that he loved her better than he did

24

himself ; their discourse was not well connected, they did weep more
than talk, little eloquence, a great deal of love. He was more at a loss
than she, and we need not wonder at it ; she had time to think on
what to say to him ; for it is very probable (though history mentions
nothing of it) that the good Fairy, during so long a sleep, had given her
very agreeable dreams. In short, they talked four hours together,
and yet they said not half what they had to say.

In the mean while, all the palace awaked ; every one thought upon
their particular business ; and as all of them were not in love, they
were ready to die for hunger ; the chief lady of honour, being as sharp
set as other folks, grew very impatient, and told the Princess aloud,
That supper was served up. The Prince helped the Princess to rise,
she was entirely dressed, and very magnificently, but his royal highness
took care not to tell her, that she was dressed like his great grand-mother,
and had a point-band peeping over a high collar; she looked not a bit
the less beautiful and charming for all that.

They went into the great hall of looking-glasses, where they supped,
and were served by the Princess's officers ; the violins and hautboys
played old tunes, but very excellent, tho' it was now above a hundred
years since they had played ; and after supper, without losing any time,
the lord almoner married them in the chapel of the castle, and the chief
lady of honour drew the curtains. They had but very little sleep ;
the Princess had no occasion, and the Prince left her next morning to
return into the city, where his father must needs have been in pain
for him. The Prince told him, That he lost his way in the forest, as
he was hunting, and that he had lain at the cottage of a collier, who
gave him cheese and brown bread.

The King his father, who was a good man, believed him ; but his
mother could not be persuaded this was true ; and seeing that he went
almost every day a hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready
for so doing, tho' he had laid out 3 or 4 nights together ; she began to
suspect he had some little amour, for he lived with the Princess above
two whole years, and had by her two children, the eldest of which,
who was a daughter, was named Morning, and the youngest, who was
a son, they called Day, because he was a great deal handsomer, and more
beautiful than his sister.

25

IS IT YOU MY PRINCE

YOU HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME

The queen spake several times to her son, to inform herself after
what manner he did pass his time, and that in this he ought in duty to
satisfy her : But he never dared to trust her with his secret ; he feared
her, tho' he loved her ; for she was of the race of the Ogres, and the
king would never have married her, had it not been for her vast riches ;
it was even whispered about the court, that she had Ogreish inclinations,
and that, whenever she saw little children passing by, she had all the
difficulty in the world to refrain falling upon them : And so the Prince
would never tell her one word.

But when the king was dead, which happened about two years
afterwards ; and he saw himself lord and master, he openly declared
his marriage ; and he went in great ceremony to conduct his queen
to the palace. They made a magnificent entry into the capital city,
she riding between her two children.

Some time after, the king went to make war with the Emperor
Cantalabutte, his neighbour. He left the government of the kingdom
to the queen his mother, and earnestly recommended to her care his
wife and children. He was obliged to continue his expedition all the
summer, and as soon as he departed, the queen-mother sent her
daughter-in-law and her children to a country-house among the woods,
that she might with the more ease gratify her horrible longing.

Some few days afterwards she went thither herself, and said to her
clerk of the kitchen ; "I have a mind to eat little Morning for my dinner
to morrow." "Ah ! Madam," cried the clerk of the kitchen ! "I
will have it so," replied the queen (and this she spake in the tone of an
Ogress, who had a strong desire to eat fresh meat) "and will eat her
with a Sauce Robert." The poor man knowing very well that he
must not play tricks with Ogresses, took his great knife and went up
into little Morning's chamber. She was then four years old, and came
up to him jumping and laughing to take him about the neck, and ask
him for some sugar-candy. Upon which he began to weep, the great
knife fell out of his hand, and he went into the back-yard, and killed
a little lamb, and dressed it with such good sauce, that his mistress
assured him she had never eaten anything so good in her life. He had
at the same time taken up little Morning, and carried her to his wife,
to conceal her in the lodging he had at the bottom of the court yard.

28

About eight days afterwards, the wicked queen said to the clerk of the
kitchen, "I will sup upon Little Day." He answered not a word,
being resolved to cheat her, as he had done before. He went to find
out little Day, and saw him with a little file in his hand, with which
he was fencing with a great monkey ; the child being then only three
years of age. He took him up in his arms, and carried him to his wife,
that she might conceal him in her chamber along with his sister, and
in the room of little Day cooked up a young kid very tender, which
the Ogress found to be wonderfully good .

This was hitherto all mighty well : but one evening this wicked queen
said to her clerk of the kitchen, "I will eat the Queen with the same
sauce I had with her children." It was now that the poor clerk of the
kitchen despaired of being able to deceive her. The young Queen
was turned of twenty, not reckoning the hundred years she had been
asleep ; her skin was somewhat tough, tho' very fair and white ; and
how to find in the yard a beast so firm, was what puzzled him. He
took then a resolution, that he might save his own life, to cut the Queen's
throat ; and going up into her chamber, with intent to do it at once,
he put himself into as great a fury as he could possibly, and came
into the young Queen's room with his dagger in his hand : He would
not, however, surprise her, but told her, with a great deal of respect,
the orders he had received from the queen-mother. "Do it, do it,"
(said she stretching out her neck) "execute your orders, and then I
shall go and see my children, my poor children, whom I so much and
so tenderly loved," for she thought them dead ever since they had been
taken away without her knowledge. "No, no madam" (cried the poor
clerk of the kitchen, all in tears) "you shall not die, and yet you shall
see your children again ; but then you must go home with me to my
lodgings, where I have concealed them, and I shall deceive the Queen
once more, by giving her in your stead a yound hind." Upon this
he forthwith conducted her to his chamber ; where leaving her to
embrace her children, and cry along with them, he went and dressed a
hind, which the Queen had for her supper, and devoured it with the
same appetite, as if it had been the young Queen. Exceedingly was
she delighted with her cruelty, and she had invented a story to tell
the King, at his return, how the mad wolves had eaten up the Queen

29

his wife, and her two children.

One evening, as she was, according to her custom, rambling round
the courts and yards of the palace, to see if she could smell any fresh
meat, she heard, in a ground-room little Day crying, for his mamma
was going to whip him, because he had been naughty ; and she heard,
at the same time, little Morning begging pardon for her brother.

The Ogress presently knew the voice of the Queen and her children,
and being quite mad that she had been thus deceived, she commanded
next morning, by break of day (with a most horrible voice, which made
everybody tremble) that they should bring into the middle of the great
court a large tub, which she caused to be filled with toads, vipers,
snakes, and all sorts of serpents, in order to have thrown into it the
Queen and her children, the clerk of the kitchen, his wife and maid;
all whom she had given orders should be brought thither with their
hands tied behind them.

They were brought out accordingly, and the executioners were
just going to throw them into the tub, when the King (who was not
so soon expected) entered the court on horseback (for he came post)
and asked, with the utmost astonishment, what was the meaning of
that horrible spectacle ? No one dared to tell him ; when the Ogress,
all enraged to see what had happened, threw herself head-foremost
into the tub, and was instantly devoured by the ugly creatures she had
ordered to be thrown into it for others. The King could not be but
very sorry, for she was his mother ; but he soon comforted himself
with his beautiful wife, and his pretty children.

30

V. PUSS IN BOOTS

There was a miller, who left no more estate to the three sons he had,
than his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat. The partition was soon
made. Neither the scrivener nor attorney were sent for. They would
soon have eaten up all the poor patrimony. The eldest had the Mill,
the second the Ass, and the youngest nothing but the Cat.

The poor young fellow was quite comfortless at having so poor a
lot. "My Brothers," said he, "may get their living handsomely enough,
by joining their stocks together ; but for my part, when I have eaten
up my Cat, and made me a muff of his skin, I must die with hunger."
The Cat, who heard all this, but made as if he did not, said to him
with a grave and serious air, "Do not thus afflict yourself, my good
master ; you have nothing else to do, but to give me a bag, and get
a pair of boots made for me, that I may scamper thro' the dirt and the
brambles, and you shall see that you have not so bad a portion of me
as you imagine."

Tho' the Cat's Master did not build very much upon what he said,
he had however often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to
catch rats and mice ; as when he used to hang by the heels, or hide
himself in the meal, and make as if he were dead ; so that he did not
altogether despair of his affording him some help in his miserable

3i

condition. When the Cat had what he asked for, he booted himself
very gallantly ; and putting his bag about his neck, he held the strings
of it in his two fore paws, and went into a warren where was great
abundance of rabbits. He put bran and sow-thistle into his bag, and
stretching himself out at length, as if he had been dead, he waited
for some young rabbits, not yet acquainted with the deceits of the
world, to come and rummage his bag for what he had put into it.

Scarce was he lain down, but he had what he wanted ; a rash and
foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, imme-
diately drawing close the strings, took and killed him without pity.
Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace, and asked to speak
with his majesty. He was shewed up stairs into the king's apartment,
and, making a low reverence, said to him, "I have brought you, Sir, a
rabbit of the warren which my noble lord the marquis of Carabas"
(for that was the title which Puss was pleased to give his master) "has
commanded me to present to your majesty from him." "Tell thy
master," said the king, "that I thank him, and that he does me a great
deal of pleasure."

Another time he went and hid himself among some standing-corn,
holding still his bag open ; and when a brace of partridges run into
it, he drew the strings, and so caught them both. He went and made a
present of these to the king, as he had done before of the rabbit, which
he took in the warren. The king in like manner received the par-
tridges with great pleasure, and ordered him some money to drink.

The Cat continued for two or three months, thus to carry his majesty,
from time to time, game of his master's taking. One day in particular,
when he knew for certain that he was to take the air, along the river
side, with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, he
said to his master, "If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made ;
you have nothing else to do, but go and wash yourself in the river,
in that part I shall shew you, and leave the rest to me." The marquis
of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing why or
wherefore.

While he was washing, the king passed by, and the Cat began to
cry out as loud as he could, "Help, help, my lord marquis of Carabas

32

is going to be drowned." At this noise the king put his head out of his
coach-window, and finding it was the Cat who had so often brought
him such good game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to
the assistance of his lordship the marquis of Carabas.

While they were drawing the poor marquis out of the river, the
Cat came up to the coach, and told the king, that while his master
was washing, there came by some rogues, who went off with his clothes,
tho' he had cried out "thieves, thieves," several times, as loud as he
could. This cunning Cat had hidden them under a great stone. The
king immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and
fetch one of his best suits for the lord marquis of Carabas.

The king caressed him after a very extraordinary manner ; and as
the fine clothes he had given him extremely set off his good mien
(for he was well made, and very handsome in his person) the king's
daughter took a secret inclination to him, and the marquis of Carabas
had no sooner cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances,
but she fell in love with him to distraction. The king would needs
have him come into his coach, and take part of the airing. The Cat,
quite over-joyed to see his project begin to succeed, marched on before,
and meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow,
he said to them, "Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not
tell the king, that the meadow you mow belongs to my lord marquis
of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot."

The king did not fail asking of the mowers, to whom the meadow
they were mowing belonged ; "to my lord marquis of Carabas,"
answered they altogether ; for the Cat's threats had made them terribly
afraid. "You see, sir," said the marquis, "this is a meadow which
never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year." The Master-Cat,
who went still on before, met with some reapers, and said to them,
"Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not tell the king that
all this corn belongs to the marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped
as small as herbs for the pot."

The king, who passed by a moment after, would needs know to whom
all that corn, which he then saw, did belong ; "to my lord marquis of
Carabas," replied the reapers ; and the king was very well pleased with it,

33

as well as the marquis, whom he congratulated thereupon. The
Master-Cat, who went always before, said the same words to all he
met ; and the king was astonished at the vast estates of my lord marquis
of Carabas.

Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which
was an Ogre, the richest had ever been known ; for all the lands which
the king had then gone over belonged to this castle. The Cat, who
had taken care to inform himself who this Ogre was, and what he could
do, asked to speak with him, saying, He could not pass so near his
castle, without having the honour of paying his respects to him.

The Ogre received him as civilly as an Ogre could do, and made
him sit down. "I have been assured," said the Cat, "that you have
the gift of being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you
have a mind to ; you can, for example, transform yourself into a lion,
or elephant, and the like." "This is true," answered the Ogre very
briskly, "and to convince you, you shall see me now become a lion."
Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him, that he
immediately got into the gutter, not without abundance of trouble
and danger, because of his boots, which were of no use at all to him
in walking upon the tiles. A little while after, when Puss saw that
the Ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down, and owned he
had been very much frightened.

34

"I have been moreover informed," said the Cat, "but I know not
how to believe it, that you have also the power to take on you the shape
of the smallest animals ; for example, to change yourself into a rat
or a mouse ; but I must own to you, I take this to be impossible."
"Impossible ?" cried the Ogre, "you shall see that presently," and at
the same time changed himself into a mouse, and began to run about
the floor. Puss no sooner perceived this, but he fell upon him, and
eat him up.

Meanwhile the king, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the
Ogre's, had a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard the noise of his
majesty's coach running over the drawbridge, ran out and said to the
king, "Your majesty is welcome to this castle of my lord marquis of
Carabas." "What ! my lord marquis ?" cried the king ; "and does
this castle also belong to you ? There can be nothing finer than this
court, and all the stately buildings which surround it ; let us go into
it, if you please." The marquis gave his hand to the princess,
and followed the king, who went up first. They passed into a spacious
hall, where they found a magnificent collation which the Ogre had
prepared for his friends, who were that very day to visit him, but dared

35

not to enter knowing the king was there. His majesty was perfectly
charmed with the good qualities of my lord marquis of Carabas, as
was his daughter who was fallen violently in love with him ; and seeing
the vast estate he possessed, said to him, after having drank five or six
glasses, "It will be owing to yourself only, my lord marquis, if you
are not my son-in-law." The marquis making several low bows,
accepted the honour which his majesty conferred upon him, and forth-
with, that very same day, married the princess.

Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more, but
only for his diversion.

36

VI. CINDERELLA; OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the
proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had
by a former husband, two daughters of her own humour and were indeed
exactly alike her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a
young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper,
which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the
world.

No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over, but the mother-
in-law began to shew herself in her colours. She could not bear the
good qualities of this pretty girl ; and the less, because they made
her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in
the meanest work of the house ; she scoured the dishes, tables, &c.
and rubbed Madam's chamber, and those of Misses, her daughters ;
she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw-bed, while her
sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very
newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large, that they
might see themselves at their full length, from head to foot. The
poor girl bore all patiently, and dare not tell her father, who would
have rattled her off ; for his wife governed him entirely. When she
had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit
down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called
Cinder-breech ; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil
as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwith-
standing her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her
sisters, tho' they were always dressed very richly.

It happened that the king' son gave a ball, and invited all persons of
fashion to it ; Our young misses were also invited ; for they cut a
very grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted
at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in chusing out such gowns

37

petticoats, and head-clothes as might best become them. This was
a new trouble to Cinderella ; for it was she who ironed her sisters'
linen, and plaited their ruffles ; they talked all day long of nothing but
how they should be dressed. "For my part," said the eldest, "I will
wear my red velvet suit, with French trimming." "And I," said
the youngest, "shall only have my usual petticoat ; but then, to make
amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my
diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one
in the world." They sent for the best tire-woman they could get,
to make up their head-dresses, and adjust their double-pinners, and
they had their red brushes, and patches from mademoiselle De la Poche.
Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these
matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for
the best, nay and offered her service to dress their heads, which they
were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to
her, "Cinderella, would you not be glad to go the the ball ;" "Ah !"
said she, "you only jeer me ; it is not for such as I am to go thither."
"Thou art in the right of it," replied they, "it would make the people
laugh to see a Cinder-breech at a ball." Any one but Cinderella
would have dressed their heads awry, but she was very good, and dressed

38

them perfectly well. They were almost two days without eating, so
much they were transported with joy : They broke above a dozen
of laces in trying to be laced up close, that they might have a fine slender
shape, and they were continually at their looking glass. At last the
happy day came ; they went to court, and Cinderella followed them
with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of
them, she fell a crying.

Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the

matter ? "I wish I could , I wish I could — ;" she was not able

to speak the rest, being interrupted by her tears and sobbing, this
godmother of hers, who was a Fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest thou
couldest go to the ball, is it not so ?" "Y — es," cried Cinderella,
with a great sigh. "Well," said her godmother, "be but a good girl,
and I will contrive that thou shalt go." Then she took her into her
chamber, and said to her, "Run into the garden, and bring me a pom-
pion." Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could
get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how
this pompion could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped
out all the inside of it, having left nothing but the rind ; which done,
she struck it with her wand, and the pompion was instantly turned
into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold.

39

She then went to look into her mouse-trap, where she found six
mice all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up the little trap-door,
when giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, the
mouse was at that moment turned into a fair horse, which altogether
made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-coloured dapple-
grey. Being at a loss for a coachman, "I will go and see," says
Cinderella, "if there be never a rat in the rat trap, we may make a
coachman of him." "Thou art in the right," replied her godmother ;
"go and look." Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it were
three huge rats. The Fairy made choice of one of the three, which
had the largest beard, and having touched him with her wand, he was
turned into a fat jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes
ever beheld.

After that, she said to her, "Go again into the garden, and you will
find six lizards behind the watering pot ; bring them to me." She had
no sooner done so, but her godmother turned them into six footmen,
who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all
bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behind each other,
as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The fairy then said
to Cinderella "Well, you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with ;
are you not pleased with it ?" "O yes, "cried she, "but must I go thither
as I am, in these poison nasty rags ?" Her godmother only just touched
her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes were turned
into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done she
gave her a pair of glass-slippers, the prettiest in the whole world.

Being thus decked out, she got up into her coach ; but her godmother,
above all things, commanded her not to stay till after midnight, telling
her, at the same time, That if she stayed at the ball one moment longer,
her coach would be a pompion again, her horses mice, her coachman
a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes become just as they were
before.

She promised her godmother, she would not fail of leaving the ball
before midnight ; and then away she drives, scarce able to contain
herself with joy. The king's son, who was told that a great princess,
whom no-body knew, was come, ran out to receive her ; he gave her

40

his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall,
among all the company. There was immediately a profound silence,
they left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was
every one to contemplate the singular beauties of this unknown new
comer. Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of "Ha ! how
handsome she is ! ha ! how handsome she is !" The king himself,
old as he was, could not help ogling her, and telling the queen softly,
"That it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a
creature." All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes
and head-dress, that they might have some made next day after the
same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials, and
as able hands to make them.

The king's son conducted her to the most honourable seat, and
afterwards took her out to dance with him ; she danced so very grace-
fully, that they all more and more admired her. A fine collation
was served up, whereof the young prince eat not a morsel, so intently
was he busied in gazing on her. She went and sat down by her sisters,
shewing them a thousand civilities, giving them part of the oranges
and citrons which the prince had presented her with ; which very much
surprised them, for they did not know her. While Cinderella was
thus amusing her sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three
quarters, whereupon she immediately made a curtsey to the company,
and hasted away as fast as she could .

Being got home, she ran to seek out her godmother, and after having
thanked her, she said, "She could not but heartily wish she might go
next day to the ball, because the king's son had desired her." As
she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at the ball,
her two sisters knocked at the door which Cinderella ran and opened.
"How long you have stayed," cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes,
and stretching herself as if she had been just awaked out of her sleep ;
she had not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they went
from home. "If thou hadst been at the ball," says one of her sisters,
"thou wouldst not have been tired with it ; there came thither the finest
princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes ; she shewed
us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons." Cinderella

41

seemed very indifferent in the matter : indeed she asked them, Tht
name of that princess ; but they told her, They did not know it ; and
that the king's son was very uneasy on her account, and would give
all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied,
"She must then be very beautiful indeed ; Lord ! how happy have
you been ; could not I see her ? Ah ! dear miss Charlotte, do lend
me your yellow suit of cloaths which you wear every day ;" "Ay, to
be sure !" cried miss Charlotte, "lend my cloaths to such a dirty
Cinder-breech as thou art ; who's the fool then ?" Cinderella, indeed,
expected some such answer, and was very glad of the refusal ; for she

42

would have been sadly put to it, if her sister had lent her what she asked
for jestingly.

The next day the two sisters were at the ball and so was Cinderella,
but dressed more magnificently than before, the king's son was always
by her, and never ceased his compliments and amorous speeches to
her ; to whom all this was so far from being tiresome, that she quite
forgot what her godmother had recommended to her so that she, at
last, counted the clock striking twelve, when she took it to be no more
than eleven ; she then rose up, and fled as nimble as a deer. The
prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of
her Glass Slippers, which the prince took up most carefully. She got
home, but quite out of breath, without coach or footmen, and in her
nasty old cloaths, having nothing left her of all her finery, but one of
the little Slippers, fellow to that she dropped. The guards at the
palace gate were asked, If they had not seen a princess go out? who said,
They had seen no-body go out, but a young girl, very meanly dressed,
and who had more the air of a poor country wench, than a gentle-

woman .

When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them,
If they had been well diverted, and if the fine lady had been there ?
They told her, Yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it
struck twelve, and with so much haste, that she dropped one of her

43

little Glass Slippers, the prettiest in the world, and which the king's
son had taken up ; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time
at the ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the
beautiful person who owned the little Slipper.

What they said was very true ; for a few days after, the king's son
caused it to be proclaimed by sound of trumpet, that he would marry
her whose foot this Slipper would just fit. They whom he employed
began to try it on upon the princesses, then the dutchesses, and all the
court but in vain ; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they
possibly could to thrust their foot into the Slipper, but they could not
effect it. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her Slipper, said to
them laughing, "Let me see if it will not fit me ?" Her sisters burst
out a laughing, and began to banter her. The gentleman who was sent
to try the slipper, looked earnestly at Cinderella, and finding her very
handsome, said It was but just that she should try, and that he had
orders to let every one make tryal. He obliged Cinderella to sit down,
and putting the Slipper to her foot, he found it went in very easily,
and fitted her, as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment her
two sisters were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater
when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other Slipper, and put it
on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who having touched,
with her wand, Cinderella's cloaths, made them richer and more magni-
ficent than any of those she had before.

And now her two sisters found her to be that fine beautiful lady
whom they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet,
to beg pardon for all the ill treatment they had made her undergo.
Cinderella took them up, and as she embraced them cried, That she
forgave them with all her heart, and desired them always to love her.
She was conducted to the young prince, dressed as she was ; he thought
her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her.
Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters
lodgings in the palace, and that very same day matched them with
two great lords of the court.

44

VII. RIQUET WITH THE TUFT

There was, once upon a time, a Queen, who was brought to bed of
a son, so hideously ugly, that it was long disputed, whether he had
human form. A fairy, who was at his birth, affirmed, He would be
very amiable for all that, since he should be indowed with abundance
of wit : She even added, that it would be in his power, by virtue of a
gift she had just then given him, to bestow on the person the most loved
as much wit as he pleased. All this somewhat comforted the poor
Queen, who was under a grievous affliction, for having brought into
the world such a deformed Marmot. It is true, that this child no
sooner began to prattle, but he said a thousand pretty things, and
something, of I know not what, of such a wittiness, that he charmed
every-body. I forgot to tell you, that he came into the world with a
little Tuft of hair upon his head, which made them call him Riquet
with the Tuft, for Riquet was the family name.

Seven or eight years after this, the Queen of a neighbouring kingdom
was delivered of two daughters at a birth. The first-born of these
was more beautiful than the day ; whereat the Queen was so very
glad, that those present were afraid that her excess of joy would do
her harm. The same Fairy, who had assisted at the birth of little
Riquet with the Tuft, was there also ; and, to moderate the Queen's
gladness, she declared, that this little princess should have no wit
at all, but be as stupid as she was pretty. This mortified the Queen
extreamly, but some moments afterwards she had far greater sorrow ;
for, the second daughter she was delivered of, was very ugly. "Do
not affect yourself so much, madam," said the Fairy ; "your daughter
shall have so great a portion of wit, that her want of beauty will scarcely
be perceived." "God grant it," replied the Queen ; "but is there no
way to make the eldest, who is so pretty, have any wit ?" "I can do
nothing for her, madam, as to wit," answered the Fairy, "but every
thing as to beauty ; and as there is nothing but what I would do for

45

your satisfaction, I give her for gift, that she shall have the power to
make hansdome the person which shall best please her."

In proportion, as these princesses grew up, their perfections grew
up with them ; all the public talk was of the beauty of the eldest, and
the wit of the youngest. It is true also, that their defects increased
considerably with their age ; the youngest visibly grew uglier and
uglier, and the eldest became every day more and more stupid ; she
either made no answer at all to what was asked her, or said something
very silly ; she was with all this so unhandy, that she could not place
four pieces of china upon the mantle-piece, without breaking one of
them, nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of it upon her
cloaths. Tho' beauty is a very great advantage in young people, yet
here the youngest sister bore away the bell, almost always in all com-
panies from the eldest ; people would indeed, go first to the Beauty
to look upon, and admire her, but turn aside soon after to the Wit, to
hear a thousand most entertaining and agreeable turns; and it was
amazing to see, in less than a quarter of an hour's time, the eldest with
not a soul with her, and the whole company crouding about the youngest.
The eldest, tho' she was unaccountably dull, took particular notice of
it, and would have given all her beauty to have half the wit of her sister.

46

The queen, prudent as she was, could not help reproaching her several
times, which had like to have made this poor princess die for grief.

One day, as she retired into the wood to bewail her misfortune,
she saw, coming to her, a little man, very disagreeable, but most magnifi-
cently dressed. This was the young Prince Riquet with the Tuft,
who having fallen in love with her, by seeing her picture, many of
which went all the world over, had left his father's kingdom, to have
the pleasure of seeing and talking with her. Overjoyed to find her
thus all alone, he addressed himself to her with all imaginable politeness
and respect. Having observed, after he had made the ordinary com-
pliments, that she was extremely melancholy, he said to her, "I cannot
comprehend, madam, how a person so beautiful as you are, can be so
sorrowful as you seem to be ; for tho' I can boast of having 8een infinite
numbers of ladies exquisitely charming, I can say that I never beheld
any whose beauty approaches your's." "You are pleased to say so,"
answered the princess, and here she stopped. "Beauty," replied Riquet
with the Tuft, "is such a great advantage, that it ought to take place
of all things ; and since you possess this treasure, I see nothing can
possibly very much afflict you." "I had far rather," cried the princess
"be as ugly as you are, and have wit, than have the beauty I possess
and be so stupid as I am." "There is nothing, madam," returned he,

47

"shews more that we have wit, than to believe we have none ; and it
is the nature of that excellent quality, that the more people have of it,
the more they believe they want it." "I do not know that," said the
princess ; "but I know, very well, that I am very senseless, and thence
proceeds the vexation which almost kills me."

"If that be all, madam, which troubles you, I can very easily put
an end to your affliction." "And how will you do that ?" cried the
princess. "I have the power, madam," replied Riquet with the Tuft,
"to give to that person whom I am to love best, as much wit as can be
had; and as you, madam, are that very person, it will be your fault only,
if you have not as great a share of it as any one living, provided you will
be pleased to marry me." The princess remained quite astonished,
and answered not a word. "I see, replied Riquet with the Tuft, "that
this proposal makes you very uneasy, and I do not wonder at it, but I
will give you a whole year to consider of it."

The princess had so little wit, and, at the same time, so great a longing
to have some, that she imagined the end of that year would never be ;
so that she accepted the proposal which was made her. She had no
sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft, that she would marry him on
that day twelve-month, than she found herself quite otherwise than
she was before ; she had an incredible facility of speaking whatever
she pleased, after a polite, easy, and natural manner ; she began that
moment a very gallant conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, wherein
she tattled at such a rate, that Riquet with the Tuft believed he had
given her more wit than he had reserved for himself.

When she returned to the palace, the whole court knew not what to
think of such a sudden and extraordinary change ; for they heard
from her now as much sensible discourse, and as many infinitely witty
turns, as they had stupid and silly impertinences before. The whole
court was over-joyed at it beyond imagination ; it pleased all but
her younger sister ; because having no longer the advantage of her in
wit, she appeared, in comparison of her, a very disagreeable, homely
puss. The king governed himself by her advice, and would even
sometimes hold a council in her apartment. The noise of this change
spreading every where all the young princes of the neighbouring king-

48

doms, strove all they could to gain her favour and almost all of them
asked her in marriage ; but she found not one of them had wit enough
for her, and she gave them all a hearing, but would not engage herself
to any.

However, there came one so powerful, rich, witty, and handsome,
that she could not help having a good inclination for him. Her father
perceived it, and told her, That she was her own mistress as to the
choice of a husband, and that she might declare her intentions. As
the more wit we have, the greater difficulty we find to make a firm
resolution upon such affairs ; this made her desire her father, after
having thanked him, To give her time to consider of it.

She went accidentally to walk in the same wood where she met
Riquet with the Tuft, to think, the more conveniently, what she had
to do. While she was walking in a profound meditation, she heard
a confused noise under her feet, as it were of a great many people
who went backwards and forwards, and were very busy. Having
listened more attentively, she heard one say, "Bring me that pot ;"
another "Give me that kettle ;" and a third "Put some wood upon
the fire." The ground at the same time opened, and she seemingly
saw under her feet, a great kitchen full of cooks, scullions, and all
sorts of officers necessary for a magnificent entertainment. There
came out of it a company of roasters, to the number of twenty, or
thirty, who went to plant themselves in a fine alley of wood, about a
very long table, with their larding pins in their hands, and foxes-tailes
in their caps, who began to work, keeping time, to the tune of a very
harmonious song.

The princess, all astonished at this sight, asked them, Who they
worked for ? "For Prince Riquet with the Tuft," said the chief of
them, "who is to be married to-morrow." The princess more sur-
prised than ever, and recollecting that it was now that day twelvemonth
on which she had promised to marry Riquet with the Tuft, she was
like to sink into the ground.

What made her forget this, was that, when she made this promise,
she was very silly, and having obtained that vast stock of wit which
the prince had bestowed on her, she had entirely forgot her stupidity.

49

She continued walking, but had not taken thirty steps before Riquet
with the Tuft presented himself to her, bravely and most magnificently
dressed, like a prince who was going to be married.

"You see, madam," said he, "I am very exact in keeping my word,
and doubt not, in the least, but you are come hither to perform your's,
and to make me, by giving me your hand, the happiest of men." "I
shall freely own to you," answered the princess, "that I have not yet
taken any resolution on this affair, and believe I never shall take such
a one as you desire." "You astonish me, madam," said Riquet, with
the Tuft. "I believe it," said the Princess, "and surely if I had to do
with a clown, or a man of no wit, I should find myself very much at
a loss. 'A princess always observes her word,' would he say to me,
'and you must marry me, since you promised to do so.' But as he
whom I talk to is the man of the world who is master of the greatest
sense and judgment, I am sure he will hear reason. You know, that
when I was but a fool, I could, notwithstanding, never come to a reso-
lution to marry you ; why will you have me, now I have so much
judgment as you gave me, and which makes me a more difficult person
than I was at that time, to come to such a resolution, which I could not
then determine to agree to ? If you sincerely thought to make me your

5°

wife, you have been greatly in the wrong to deprive me of my dull
simplicity, and make me see things much more clearly than I did."

"If a man of no wit and sense," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "would
be well received, as you say, in reproaching you for breach of your word,
why will you not let me, Madam, have the same usage in a matter
wherein all the happiness of my life is concerned ? Is it reasonable
that persons of wit and sense should be in a worse condition than
those who have none ? Can you pretend this ; you who have so great
a share, and desired so earnestly to have it ? But let us come to fact,
if you please. Setting aside my ugliness and deformity, is there any
thing in me which displeases you ? Are you dissatisfied with my
birth, my wit, humour, or manners ;" "Not at all," answered the
Princess ; "I love you and respect you in all what you mention." "If
it be so," said Riquet with the Tuft, "I am happy, since it is in your
power to make me the most amiable of men."

"How can that be," said the Princess ? "It is done," said Riquet
with the Tuft ; "if you love me enough to wish it was so ; and that
you may no ways doubt, Madam, of what I say, know that the same
Fairy, who, on my birth-day, gave me for gift the power of making
the person, who should please me, extremely witty and judicious,
has, in like manner, given you for gift the power of making him, whom
you love, and would grant that favour to, be extremely handsome."
"If it be so, "said the Princess, "I wish^with all my heart, that you may

5i

be the most amiable Prince in the world, and I bestow it on you, as
much as I am able."

The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words, but Riquet
with the Tuft appeared to her the finest prince upon earth ; the hand-
somest and most amiable man she ever saw. Some affirm, that this
was not owing to the charms of the Fairy, which worked this change,
but love alone caused the metamorphosis. They say, that the Princess,
having made due reflection on the perseverance of her lover, his dis-
cretion, and all the good qualities of his mind, his wit and judgment,
saw no longer the deformity of his body, nor the ugliness of his face ;
that his hump seemed to her no more than the grand air of one who
has a broad back ; and that whereas, till then, she saw him limp horribly,
she found it nothing more than a certain sidling air, which charmed
her. They say farther, that his eyes, which were very squinting,
seemed to her most bright and sparkling ; that their irregular turns
passed in her judgment for a mark of a violent excess of love ; and,
in short, that his great red nose had, in her opinion, somewhat of the
martial and heroic.

Howsoever it was, the princess promised immediately to marry
him, on condition he obtained her father's consent. The king being
acquainted, that his daughter had abundance of esteem for Riquet with
the Tuft, whom he knew othenvise for a most sage and judicious
Prince, received him for his son-in-law with pleasure ; and the next
morning their nuptials were celebrated, as Riquet with the Tuft had
foreseen, and according to the orders he had a long time before given.

52

VIII. TOM THUMB

There was, once upon a time, a man and his wife, faggot-makers
by trade, who had seven children, all boys. The eldest was but
ten years old, and the youngest only seven. One might wonder
how that the faggot-maker could have so many children in so little
a time ; but it was because his wife went nimbly about her business
and never brought fewer than two at a birth. They were very poor,
and their seven children incommoded them greatly, because not one
of them was able to earn his bread. That which gave them yet more
uneasiness, was, that the youngest was of a very puny constitution,
and scarce ever spake a word, which made them take that for stupidity
which was a sign of good sense ; He was very little, and, when born,
no bigger than ones thumb ; which made him be called Tom Thumb.

The poor child bore the blame of whatsoever was done amiss in the
house, and guilty or not was always in the wrong ; he was, notwith-
standing, more cunning and had a far greater share of wisdom than
all his brothers put together and if he spake little he heard and thought
the more.

There happened now to come a very bad year and the famine was
so great, that these poor people resolved to rid themselves of their
children. One evening, when they were all in bed and the faggot-
maker was sitting with his wife at the fire, he said to her, with his
heart ready to burst with grief, "Thou see'st plainly that we are not
able to keep our children and I cannot see them starve to death before
my face ; I am resolved to lose them in the wood to-morrow, which
may very easily be done ; for while they are busy in tying up the faggots,
we may run away, and leave them, without their taking any notice."
"Ah !" cried out his wife, "and can'st thou thyself have the heart to
take thy children out along with thee on purpose to lose them ?" In
vain did her husband represent to her their extreme poverty ; she would
not consent to it ; she was, indeed poor, but she was their mother.

53

However, having considered what a grief it would be to her to see
them perish with hunger, she at last consented and went to bed all in
tears.

Tom Thumb heard every word that had been spoken ; for observing
as he lay in his bed, that they were talking very busily, he got up softly
and hid himself under his father's stool, that he might hear what they
said, without being seen. He went to bed again, but did not sleep a
wink all the rest of the night, thinking on what he had to do. He
got up early in the morning, and went to the river side, where he filled
his pockets full of small white pebbles, and then returned home. They
all went abroad, but Tom Thumb never told his brothers one syllable
of what he knew. They went into a very thick forest, where they
could not see one another at ten paces distance. The faggot-maker
began to cut wood, and the children to gather up the sticks to make
faggots. Their father and mother seeing them busy at their work,
got from them insensibly, and then ran away from them all at once, a
by-way, thro' the winding bushes.

When the children saw they were left alone, they began to cry as
loud as they could. Tom Thumb let them cry on, knowing very well
how to go home again ; for as he came, he took care to drop all
along the way the little white pebbles he had in his pockets. Then he
said to them, "Be not afraid, brothers, father and mother have left us

54

here, but I will lead you home again, only follow me." They did so,
and he brought them home by the very same way they came into the
forest. They dared not go in, but sat themselves down at the door,
listening to what their father and mother were talking.

The very moment the faggot-maker and his wife were got home,
the lord of the manor sent them ten crowns, which he had owed them
a long while, and which they never expected. This gave them new
life ; for the poor people were almost famished. The faggot-maker
sent his wife immediately to the butcher's. As it was a long while
since they had eaten a bit, she bought thrice as much meat as would
sup two people. Having filled their bellies, the woman said, "Alas !
where are now our poor children ? they would make a good feast of
what we have left here ; but as it was you, William, who had a mind
to lose them, I told you we should repent of it : what are they now
doing in the forest ? Alas ! dear God, the wolves have, perhaps,
already eaten them up : thou art very inhuman thus to have lost thy
children."

The faggot-maker grew at last quite out of patience, for she repeated
it above twenty times, that they should repent of it, and that she was
in the right of it for so saying. He threatened to beat her, if she did not

55

hold her tongue. It was not that the faggot-maker was not, perhaps
more vexed than his wife, but that she teased him, and that he was of
the humour of a great many others, who love wives who speak well,
but think those very importunate who are continually doing so. She
was half drowned in tears crying out, "Alas ! where are now my children,
my poor children ?"

She spake this so very loud, that the children who were at the door,
began to cry out altogether, "Here we are, here we are." She ran
immediately to open the door, and said, hugging them, "I am glad to
see you, my dear children ; you are very hungry and weary ; and my
poor Peter, thou art horribly demired ; come in and let me clean thee."
Now, you must know, that Peter was her eldest son, whom she loved
above all the rest, because he was somewhat carrotty, as she herself
was. They sat down to supper, and eat with such a good appetite
as pleased both father and mother, whom they acquainted how frightened
they were in the forest ; speaking almost always all together. The good
folks were extremely glad to see their children once more at home,
and this joy continued while the ten crowns lasted ; but when the
money was all gone, they fell again to their former uneasiness, and
resolved to lose them again ; and, that they might be the surer of
doing it, to carry them at a much greater distance than before. They
would not talk of this so secretly, but they were overheard by Tom
Thumb, who made account to get out of this difficulty as well as the
former ; but though he got up betimes in the morning, to go and
pick up some little pebbles, he was disappointed: for he found the
housedoor double-locked, and was at a stand what to do. When
their father had given each of them a piece of bread for their breakfast,
he fancied he might make use of this bread instead of the pebbles, by
throwing it in little bits all along the way they should pass ; and so
he put it up into his pocket.

Their father and mother brought them into the thickest and most
obscure part of the forest ; when, stealing away into a by-path, they
there left them. Tom Thumb was not very uneasy at it ; for he thought
he could easily find the way again, by means of his bread which he had
scattered all along as he came ; but he was very much surprised, when

56

he could not find so much as one crumb ; the birds came and had
eaten it up every bit. They were now in great affliction, for the farther
they went, the more they were out of their way, and were more and
more bewildered in the forest.

Night now came on, and there arose a terrible high wind, which
made them dreadfully afraid. They fancied they heard on every side
of them the howling of wolves coming to eat them up ; they scarce
dared to speak, or turn their heads. After this, it rained very hard,
which wet them to the skin ; their feet slipped at every step they took,
and they fell into the mire, whence they got up in a very dirty pickle,
their hands were quite benumbed. Tom Thumb climbed up to the
top of a tree, to see if he could discover any thing ; and having turned
his head about on every side, he saw at last a glimmering light, like
that of a candle, but a long way from the forest. He came down,
and, when upon the ground, he could see it no more, which grieved
him sadly. However, having walked for some time with his brothers
towards that side on which he had seen the light, he perceived it again
as he came out of the wood.

They came at last to the house where this candle was, not without
abundance of fear ; for very often they lost sight of it, which happened
every time they came into a bottom. They knocked at the door, and
a good woman came and opened it ; she asked them, What they would
have ? Tom Thumb told her, They were poor children who had been
lost in the forest, and desired to lodge there for God's sake. The woman
seeing them so very pretty, began to weep, and said to them, "Alas !
poor babies, whither are ye come ? do ye know that this house belongs
to a cruel Ogre, who eats up little children ?" "Ah ! dear Madam,"
answered Tom Thumb (who trembled every joint of him, as well as
his brothers) "what shall we do ? To be sure the wolves of the forest
will devour us to-night, if you refuse us to lie here ; and so, we would
rather the gentleman should eat us ; especially if you please to beg it
of him." The Ogre's wife, who believed she could conceal them from
her husband till morning, let them come in, and brought them to warm
themselves at a very good fire ; for there was a whole sheep upon the
spit roasting for the Ogre's supper.

57

As they began to be a little warm, they heard three or four great raps
at the door ; this was the Ogre, who was come home. Upon this she
hid them under the bed, and went to open the door. The Ogre pres-
ently asked, if supper was ready, and the wine drawn ; and then he sat
himself down to table. The sheep was as yet all raw and bloody ;
but he liked it the better for that. He sniffed about to the right and
left, saying, "I smell fresh meat." "What you smell so" (said his
wife) "must be the calf which I have just now killed and flead." "I
smell fresh meat I tell thee once more" (replied the Ogre, looking
crossly at his wife) "and there is something here which I do not under-
stand."

As he spake these words, he got up from the table, and went directly
to the bed. "Ah !" (said he) "I see then how thou would'st cheat me,
thou cursed woman ; I know not why I do not eat up thee too ; but
it is well for thee that thou art a tough old carrion. Here is good game,
which comes very luckily to entertain three Ogres of my acquaintance,
who are to pay me a visit in a day or two." With that he dragged them
out from under the bed one by one.

The poor children fell upon their knees, and begged his pardon ;
but they had to do with one of the most cruel Ogres in the world,
who, far from having any pity on them, had already devoured them with
his eyes, and told his wife, they would be delicate eating, when tossed
up with good savory sauce. He then took a great knife, and coming
up to these poor children, whetted it upon a great whet-stone which he

58

held in his left hand. He had already taken hold of one of them,
when his wife said to him, "What need you do it now ? it is time enough
to-morrow ?" "Hold your prattling" (said the Ogre) "they will eat
the tenderer." "But you have so much meat already" (replied his
wife) "you have no occasion ? here is a calf, two sheep, and half a hog."
"That is true," said the Ogre, "give them their belly-full, that they
may not fall away, and put them to bed."

The good woman was overjoyed at this, and gave them a good supper;
but they were so much afraid, they could not eat a bit. As for the Ogre,
he sat down again to drink, being highly pleased that he had got where-
withal to treat his friends. He drank a dozen glasses more than ordinary
which got up into his head, and obliged him to go to bed.

The Ogre had seven daughters, all little children, and these young
Ogres had all of them very fine complexions, because they used to eat
fresh meat like their father ; but they had little grey eyes quite round,
hooked noses, wide mouths, and very long sharp teeth, standing at a
good distance from each other. They were not as yet over and above
mischievous ; but they promised very fair for it, for they already bit
little children, that they might suck their blood. They had been put to
bed early, with every one a crown of gold upon her head. There was
in the same chamber another bed of the like bigness, and it was into this
bed the Ogre's wife put the seven little boys ; after which she went to
bed to her husband.

Tom Thumb, who had observed that the Ogre's daughters had
crowns of gold upon their heads, and was afraid lest the Ogre should
repent his not killing them, got up about midnight ; and taking his
brothers' bonnets and his own, went very softly, put them upon the
heads of the seven little Ogresses, after having taken off their crown
of gold, which he put upon his own head and his brothers, that the Ogre
might take them for his daughters, and his daughters for the little
boys whom he wanted to kill. All this succeeded according to his
desire ; for the Ogre waking about mid-night, and sorry that he deferred
to do that till morning, which he might have done over-night, he threw
himself hastily out of bed, and taking his great knife, "Let us see (said
he) "how our little rogues do, and not make two jobs of the matter."

59

He then went up, groping all the way, into his daughters' chamber ;
and coming to the bed where the little boys lay, and who were every
soul of them fast asleep ; except Tom Thumb, who was terribly afraid
when he found the Ogre fumbling about his head, as he had done about
his brothers. The Ogre feeling the golden crowns, said, "I should have
made a fine piece of work of it truly ; I find I guzzled too much last
night." Then he went to the bed where the girls lay ; and having
found the boys little bonnets. "Hah !" (said he) "my merry lads, are
you there ? let us work as we ought ;" and saying these words, without
more ado, he cut the throats of all his seven daughters.

Well pleased with what he had done, he went to bed again to his
wife. So soon as Tom Thumb heard the Ogre snore, he waked his
brothers, and bade them put on their clothes presently, and follow
him : They stole down softly into the garden, and got over the wall.
They kept running almost all night, and trembled all the while, without
knowing which way they went.

The Ogre, when he waked, said to his wife, "Go up stairs and dress
those young rascals who came here last night." The Ogress was very
much surprised at this goodness of her husband, not dreaming after
what manner he intended she should dress them ; but thinking that he
had ordered her to go and put on their clothes, went up, and was
strangely astonished, when she perceived her seven daughters killed, and
weltering in their blood. She fainted away ; for this is the first expedient
almost all women find in such-like cases. The Ogre, fearing his wife
would be too long in doing what he had ordered, went up himself to help
her. He was no less amazed than his wife, at this frightful spectacle.

"Ah ! what have I done ?" cried he, "the cursed wretches shall pay
for it, and that instantly." He threw then a pitcher of water upon his
wife's face; and having brought her to herself; "Give me quickly,"
cried he, my boots of seven leagues, that I may go and catch them."
He went out; and, having run over a vast deal of ground, both on this
side and that, he came at last into the very road where the poor
children were, and not above a hundred paces from their father's house.
They espied the Ogre, who went, at one step, from mountain to
mountain, and over rivers as easily as the narrowest kennels, Tom

60

Thumb, seeing a hollow rock near the place where they were, made his
brothers hide themselves in it, and crowded into it himself, minding
always what would become of the Ogre.

The Ogre, who found himself much tired with his long and fruitless
journey (for these boots of seven leagues extremely fatigue the wearer)
had a great mind to rest himself, and, by chance, went to sit down upon
the rock where these little boys had hid themselves. As it was im-
possible he could be more weary than he was, he fell asleep ; and, after
reposing himself some time he began to snore so frightfully, that the
poor children were no less afraid of him, than when he held up his
great knife, and was going to cut their throats. Tom Thumb was not
so much frightened as his brothers, and told them, that they should
run away immediately towards home, while the Ogre was asleep so
soundly ; and that they should not be in any pain about him. They
took his advice, and got home presently. Tom Thumb came up to
the Ogre, pulled off his boots gently, and put them on upon his own
legs. The boots were very long and large ; but as they were Fairies,
they had the gift of becoming big and little, according to the legs of
those who wore them ; so that they fitted his feet and legs as well as if
they had been made on purpose for him. He went immediately to
the Ogre's house, where he saw his wife crying bitterly for the loss of
her murdered daughters.

"Your husband," said Tom Thumb, "is in very great danger, being
taken by a gang of thieves, who have sworn to kill him, if he does not
give them all his gold and silver. The very moment they held their
daggers at his throat, he perceived me, and desired me to come and
tell you the condition he is in, and that you should give me whatsoever
he has of value, without retaining any one thing ; for otherwise they
will kill him without mercy ; and, as his case is very pressing, he desired
me to make use (you see I have them on) of his boots, that I might
make the more haste, and to shew you that I do not impose upon you."

The good woman, being sadly frightened, gave him all she had :
For this Ogre was a very good husband, tho' he used to eat up little
children. Tom Thumb, having thus got all the Ogre's money, came
home to his father's house, where he was received with abundance
of joy.

61

There are many people who do not agree in this circumstance, and
pretend, that Tom Thumb never robbed the Ogre at all, and that he
only thought he might very justly, and with safe conscience take off
his boots of seven leagues, because he made no other use of them,
but to run after little children. These folks affirm, that they were
very well assured of this, and the more, as having drank and eaten
often at the faggot-maker's house. They aver, that, when Tom Thumb
had taken off the Ogre's boots, he went to court, where he was informed,
that they were very much in pain about a certain army, which was
two hundred leagues off, and the success of a battle. He went, say they,
to the king, and told him, That, if he desired it, he would bring him
news from the army before night. The king promised him a great sum of
money upon that condition. Tom Thumb was as good as his word,
and returned that very same night with the news ; and this first expedi-
tion causing him to be known, he got whatever he pleased ; for the
king paid him very well for carrying his orders to the army, and
abundance of ladies gave him what he would to bring them news from
their lovers ; and that this was his greatest gain. There were some
married women too, who sent letters by him to their husbands, but
they paid him so ill, that it was not worth his while, and turned to
such small account, that he scorned ever to reckon what he got that
way. After having, for some time, carried on the business of a messenger,
and gained thereby great wealth, he went home to his father, where it

62

was impossible to express the joy they were all in at his return. He
made the whole family very easy, bought places for his father and
brothers ; and by that means settled them very handsomely in the
world, and, in the mean time, made his own court to perfection.

i4nd they Ifoed happy ever after

63

Printed in England
at The Kvnoch Press