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news for you。'
So she hurried back to her castle； where the Queen sat busy with
her embroidery； and cried：
‘Well； madam！ will you wager your thimble and your golden
needle that I am bringing you the best news you could possibly hear？'
‘Alas！' sighed the Queen； ‘since the death of the Jolly King
and the loss of my Delicia； all the news in the world is not worth a
pin to me。
‘There； there； don't be melancholy；' said the Fairy。 ‘I assure
you the Princess is quite well； and I have never seen her equal for
beauty。 She might be a Queen to…morrow if she chose； ‘and then
she told all that had happened； and the Queen first rejoiced over the
thought of Delicia's beauty； and then wept at the idea of her being
a Turkey…maiden。
‘I will not hear of her being made to marry the wicked King's
son；' she said。 ‘Let us go at once and bring her here。'
In the meantime the wicked Prince； who was very angry with
Delicia； had sat himself down under a tree； and cried and howled
with rage and spite until the King heard him； and cried out from
the window：
‘What is the matter with you； that you are making all this
disturbance？'
The Prince replied：
‘It is all because our Turkey…maiden will not love me！'
‘Won't love you？ eh！' said the King。 ‘We'll very soon see
about that！' So he called his guards and told them to go and
fetch Delicia。 ‘See if I don't make her change her mind pretty
soon！' said the wicked King with a chuckle。
Then the guards began to search the poultry…yard； and could
find nobody there but Delicia； who； with her splendid dress and
her crown of diamonds； looked such a lovely Princess that they
hardly dared to speak to her。 But she said to them very politely：
‘Pray tell me what you are looking for here？'
‘Madam；' they answered； ‘we are sent for an insignificant little
person called Delicia。'
‘Alas！' said she； ‘that is my name。 What can you want with me？'
So the guards tied her hands and feet with thick ropes； for fear
she might run away； and brought her to the King； who was waiting
with his son。
When he saw her he was very much astonished at her beauty；
which would have made anyone less hard…hearted sorry for her。
But the wicked King only laughed and mocked at her； and
cried： ‘Well； little fright； little toad！ why don't you love my
son； who is far too handsome and too good for you？ Make haste
and begin to love him this instant； or you shall be tarred and
feathered。'
Then the poor little Princess； shaking with terror； went down
on her knees； crying：
‘Oh； don't tar and feather me； please！ It would be so
uncomfortable。 Let me have two or three days to make up my mind；
and then you shall do as you like with me。'
The wicked Prince would have liked very much to see her
tarred and feathered； but the King ordered that she should be shut
up in a dark dungeon。 It was just at this moment that the Queen
and the Fairy arrived in the flying chariot； and the Queen was
dreadfully distressed at the turn affairs had taken； and said
miserably that she was destined to be unfortunate all her days。
But the Fairy bade her take courage。
‘I'll pay them out yet；' said she； nodding her head with an air
of great determination。
That very same night； as soon as the wicked King had gone to
bed； the Fairy changed herself into the little mouse； and creeping
up on to his pillow nibbled his ear； so that he squealed out quite
loudly and turned over on his other side； but that was no good； for
the little mouse only set to work and gnawed away at the second
ear until it hurt more than the first one。
Then the King cried ‘Murder！' and ‘Thieves！' and all his
guards ran to see what was the matter； but they could find nothing
and nobody； for the little mouse had run off to the Prince's room
and was serving him in exactly the same way。 All night long she
ran from one to the other； until at last； driven quite frantic by
terror and want of sleep； the King rushed out of the palace crying：
‘Help！ help！ I am pursued by rats。'
The Prince when he heard this got up also； and ran after the
King； and they had not gone far when they both fell into the river
and were never heard of again。
Then the good Fairy ran to tell the Queen； and they went
together to the black dungeon where Delicia was imprisoned。 The
Fairy touched each door with her wand； and it sprang open
instantly； but they had to go through forty before they came to the
Princess； who was sitting on the floor looking very dejected。 But
when the Queen rushed in； and kissed her twenty times in a
minute； and laughed； and cried； and told Delicia all her history；
the Princess was wild with delight。 Then the Fairy showed her all
the wonderful dresses and jewels she had brought for her； and said：
‘Don't let us waste time； we must go and harangue the people。'
So she walked first； looking very serious and dignified； and
wearing a dress the train of which was at least ten ells long。
Behind her came the Queen wearing a blue velvet robe embroidered
with gold； and a diamond crown that was brighter than the sun
itself。 Last of all walked Delicia； who was so beautiful that it was
nothing short of marvellous。
They proceeded through the streets； returning the salutations of
all they met； great or small； and all the people turned and followed
them； wondering who these noble ladies could be。
When the audience hall was quite full； the Fairy said to the
subjects of the Wicked King that if they would accept Delicia； who
was the daughter of the Jolly King； as their Queen； she would
undertake to find a suitable husband for her； and would promise
that during their reign there should be nothing but rejoicing and
merry…making； and all dismal things should be entirely banished。
Upon this the people cried with one accord； ‘We will； we will！ we
have been gloomy and miserable too long already。' And they all
took hands and danced round the Queen； and Delicia； and the good
Fairy； singing： ‘Yes； yes； we will； we will！'
Then there were feasts and fireworks in every street in the
town； and early the next morning the Fairy； who had been all over
the world in the night； brought back with her； in her flying chariot；
the most handsome and good…tempered Prince she could find
anywhere。 He was so charming that Delicia loved him from the
moment their eyes met； and as for him； of course he could not help
thinking himself the luckiest Prince in the world。 The Queen felt
that she had really come to the end of her misfortunes at last； and
they all lived happily ever after。＇10＇
＇10＇ La bonne vetite Souris' par Madame d'Aulnoy。