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care of。'
The Queen when she heard this began to cry； but made no
answer； and the old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her
what was the matter。
‘Why；' said the Queen； ‘there is only one mouse in this garret；
and that is such a dear； pretty little thing that I cannot bear to
think of its being killed。'
‘What！' cried the old woman； in a rage。 ‘Do you care more
for a miserable mouse than for your own baby？ Good…bye； madam！
I leave you to enjoy its company； and for my own part I thank my
stars that I can get plenty of mice without troubling you to give
them to me。'
And she hobbled off grumbling and growling。 As to the Queen；
she was so disappointed that； in spite of finding a better dinner
than usual； and seeing the little mouse dancing in its merriest
mood； she could do nothing but cry。 That night when her baby
was fast asleep she packed it into the basket； and wrote on a slip
of paper； ‘This unhappy little girl is called Delicia！' This she
pinned to its robe； and then very sadly she was shutting the basket；
when in sprang the little mouse and sat on the baby's pillow。
‘Ah！ little one；' said the Queen； ‘it cost me dear to save your
life。 How shall I know now whether my Delicia is being taken care
of or no？ Anyone else would have let the greedy old woman have
you； and eat you up； but I could not bear to do it。' Whereupon
the Mouse answered：
‘Believe me； madam； you will never repent of your kindness。'
The Queen was immensely astonished when the Mouse began
to speak； and still more so when she saw its little sharp nose turn
to a beautiful face； and its paws to hands and feet； then it suddenly
grew tall； and the Queen recognised the Fairy who had come with
the wicked King to visit her。
The Fairy smiled at her astonished look； and said：
‘I wanted to see if you were faithful and capable of feeling a
real friendship for me； for you see we fairies are rich in everything
but friends； and those are hard to find。'
‘It is not possible that YOU should want for friends； you charming
creature；' said the Queen； kissing her。
‘Indeed it is so；' the Fairy said。 ‘For those who are only
friendly with me for their own advantage； I do not count at all。
But when you cared for the poor little mouse you could not have
known there was anything to be gained by it； and to try you further
I took the form of the old woman whom you talked to from the
window； and then I was convinced that you really loved me。' Then；
turning to the little Princess； she kissed her rosy lips three times；
saying：
‘Dear little one； I promise that you shall be richer than your
father； and shall live a hundred years； always pretty and happy；
without fear of old age and wrinkles。'
The Queen； quite delighted； thanked the Fairy gratefully； and
begged her to take charge of the little Delicia and bring her up as
her own daughter。 This she agreed to do； and then they shut the
basket and lowered it carefully； baby and all； to the ground at the
foot of the tower。 The Fairy then changed herself back into the
form of a mouse； and this delayed her a few seconds； after which
she ran nimbly down the straw rope； but only to find when she got
to the bottom that the baby had disappeared。
In the greatest terror she ran up again to the Queen； crying：
‘All is lost！ my enemy Cancaline has stolen the Princess away。
You must know that she is a cruel fairy who hates me； and as
she is older than I am and has more power； I can do nothing against
her。 I know no way of rescuing Delicia from her clutches。'
When the Queen heard this terrible news she was heart…broken；
and begged the Fairy to do all she could to get the poor little Princess
back again。 At this moment in came the gaoler； and when he
missed the little Princess he at once told the King； who came in a
great fury asking what the Queen had done with her。 She answered
that a fairy； whose name she did not know； had come and carried
her off by force。 Upon this the King stamped upon the ground； and
cried in a terrible voice：
‘You shall be hung！ I always told you you should。' And without
another word he dragged the unlucky Queen out into the nearest
wood； and climbed up into a tree to look for a branch to which he
could hang her。 But when he was quite high up； the Fairy； who
had made herself invisible and followed them； gave him a sudden
push； which made him lose his footing and fall to the ground with
a crash and break four of his teeth； and while he was trying to
mend them the fairy carried the Queen off in her flying chariot to a
beautiful castle； where she was so kind to her that but for the loss of
Delicia the Queen would have been perfectly happy。 But though
the good little mouse did her very utmost； they could not find out
where Cancaline had hidden the little Princess。
Thus fifteen years went by； and the Queen had somewhat
recovered from her grief； when the news reached her that the son of
the wicked King wished to marry the little maiden who kept the
turkeys； and that she had refused him； the wedding…dresses had been
made； nevertheless； and the festivities were to be so splendid that
all the people for leagues round were flocking in to be present at
them。 The Queen felt quite curious about a little turkey…maiden
who did not wish to be a Queen； so the little mouse conveyed herself
to the poultry…yard to find out what she was like。
She found the turkey…maiden sitting upon a big stone； barefooted；
and miserably dressed in an old； coarse linen gown and cap； the
ground at her feet was all strewn with robes of gold and silver；
ribbons and laces； diamonds and pearls； over which the turkeys were
stalking to and fro； while the King's ugly； disagreeable son stood
opposite her； declaring angrily that if she would not marry him she
should be killed。
The Turkey…maiden answered proudly：
‘I never will marry you I you are too ugly and too much like
your cruel father。 Leave me in peace with my turkeys； which I like
far better than all your fine gifts。'
The little mouse watched her with the greatest admiration； for
she was as beautiful as the spring； and as soon as the wicked Prince
was gone； she took the form of an old peasant woman and said to
her：
‘Good day； my pretty one！ you have a fine flock of turkeys
there。'
The young Turkey…maiden turned her gentle eyes upon the old
woman； and answered：
‘Yet they wish me to leave them to become a miserable Queen！
what is your advice upon the matter？'
‘My child；' said the Fairy； ‘a crown is a very pretty thing； but
you know neither the price nor the weight of it。'
‘I know so well that I have refused to wear one；' said the little
maiden； ‘though I don't know who was my father； or who was my
mother； and I have not a friend in the world。'
‘You have goodness and beauty； which are of more value than
ten kingdoms；' said the wise Fairy。 ‘But tell me； child； how came
you here； and how is it you have neither father； nor mother； nor
friend？'
‘A Fairy called Cancaline is the cause of my being here；' answered
she； ‘for while I lived with her I got nothing but blows and harsh
words； until at last I could bear it no longer； and ran away from
her without knowing where I was going； and as I came through a
wood the wicked Prince met me； and offered to give me charge of
the poultry…yard。 I accepted gladly； not knowing that I should
have to see him day by day。 And now he wants to marry me； but
that I will never consent to。'
Upon hearing this the Fairy became convinced that the little
Turkey…maiden was none other than the Princess Delicia。
‘What is your name； my little one？' said she。
‘I am called Delicia； if it please you；' she answered。
Then the Fairy threw her arms round the Princess's neck； and
nearly smothered her with kisses； saying：
‘Ah； Delicia！ I am a very old friend of yours； and I am truly
glad to find you at last； but you might look nicer than you do in
that old gown； which is only fit for a kitchen…maid。 Take this pretty
dress and let us see the difference it will make。'
So Delicia took off the ugly cap； and shook out all her fair shining
hair； and bathed her hands and face in clear water from the nearest
spring till her cheeks were like roses； and when she was adorned
with the diamonds and the splendid robe the Fairy had given her；
she looked the most beautiful Princess in the world； and the Fairy
with great delight cried：
‘Now you look as you ought to look； Delicia： what do you
think about it yourself？'
And Delicia answered：
‘I feel as if I were the daughter of some great king。'
‘And would you be glad if you were？' said the Fairy。
‘Indeed I should；' answered she。
‘Ah； well；' said the Fairy； ‘to…morrow I may have some pleasant
news for you。'
So she hurried back to her castle； where the Queen sat busy with
her embroidery；