“You are scarcely polite,” said the fairy, without losing her temper; “however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your mouth.”
Directly her mother caught sight of her, she called out, “Well, my daughter!” “Well, my mother!” replied the ill-tempered girl, throwing out as she spoke two vipers and two toads. “Alack!” cried the mother, “what do I see? This is her sister’s doing, but I will pay her out for it,” and, so saying, she ran towards the younger girl with intent to beat her. The unhappy girl fled from the house, and went and hid herself in a neighbouring forest. The King’s son, who was returning from hunting, met her, and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what she was doing there all alone, and why she was crying. “Alas! sir, my mother has driven me from home.” The King’s son, seeing five or six pearls and as many diamonds, falling from her mouth as she spoke, asked her to explain how this was, and she told him all her tale. The King’s son fell in love with her, and thinking that such a gift as she possessed was worth more than any ordinary dower brought by another, he carried her off to his father’s palace, and there married her.
As for her sister, she made herself so hated, that her own mother drove her from the house. The miserable girl, having gone about in vain trying to find someone who would take her in, crept away into the corner of a wood, and there died.
Of higher worth are gentle wordsThan diamonds or gold,And even o’er the minds of menA greater power they hold.It costs some pains to be polite,And needs some kindly thought,But soon or late, as here you see,Reward will come unsought.
Of higher worth are gentle wordsThan diamonds or gold,And even o’er the minds of menA greater power they hold.It costs some pains to be polite,And needs some kindly thought,But soon or late, as here you see,Reward will come unsought.
Of higher worth are gentle wordsThan diamonds or gold,And even o’er the minds of menA greater power they hold.
Of higher worth are gentle words
Than diamonds or gold,
And even o’er the minds of men
A greater power they hold.
It costs some pains to be polite,And needs some kindly thought,But soon or late, as here you see,Reward will come unsought.
It costs some pains to be polite,
And needs some kindly thought,
But soon or late, as here you see,
Reward will come unsought.
“I hope that Quick was short enough,” said Titania, laughingly, and then turning to Pink said “and yours?”
“Will be shorter still, your Majesty,” promptly answered Pink, stepping to the stool directly Quick had left it, and beginning at once the story of