Andrew Lang_Fairy Book 06 Read Online Free

herself,
and her ladies-in-waiting came in for plenty of rude speeches—-
even the king did not escape scolding; but as he was a good-
tempered man, and very much in love, he bore it patiently. A few
days after the wedding the newly married pair set out for their
kingdom without leaving many regrets behind.
    The good equerry's fears proved only too true, as the king found
out to his cost. The young queen made her self most disagreeable
to all her court, her spite and bad temper knew no bounds, and
before the end of a month she was known far and wide as a regular
vixen.
    One day, when riding out, she met a poor old woman walking along
the road, who made a curtsy and was going on, when the queen had
her stopped, and cried: 'You are a very impertinent person; don't
you know that I am the queen? And how dare you not make me a
deeper curtsy?'
    'Madam,' said the old woman, 'I have never learnt how to measure
curtsies; but I had no wish to fail in proper respect.'
    'What!' screamed the queen; 'she dares to answer! Tie her to my
horse's tail and I'll just carry her at once to the best dancing-
master in the town to learn how to curtsy.'
    The old woman shrieked for mercy, but the queen would not listen,
and only mocked when she said she was protected by the fairies.
At last the poor old thing submitted to be tied up, but when the
queen urged her horse on he never stirred. In vain she spurred
him, he seemed turned to bronze. At the same moment the cord with
which the old woman was tied changed into wreaths of flowers, and
she herself into a tall and stately lady.
    Looking disdainfully at the queen, she said, 'Bad woman, unworthy
of your crown; I wished to judge for myself whether all I heard
of you was true. I have now no doubt of it, and you shall see
whether the fairies are to be laughed at.'
    So saying the fairy Placida (that was her name) blew a little
gold whistle, and a chariot appeared drawn by six splendid
ostriches. In it was seated the fairy queen, escorted by a dozen
other fairies mounted on dragons.
    All having dismounted, Placida told her adventures, and the fairy
queen approved all she had done, and proposed turning Mutinosa
into bronze like her horse.
    Placida, however, who was very kind and gentle, begged for a
milder sentence, and at last it was settled that Mutinosa should
become her slave for life unless she should have a child to take
her place.
    The king was told of his wife's fate and submitted to it, which,
as he could do nothing to help it, was the only course open to
him.
    The fairies then all dispersed, Placida taking her slave with
her, and on reaching her palace she said: 'You ought by rights to
be scullion, but as you have been delicately brought up the
change might be too great for you. I shall therefore only order
you to sweep my rooms carefully, and to wash and comb my little
dog.'
    Mutinosa felt there was no use in disobeying, so she did as she
was bid and said nothing.
    After some time she gave birth to a most lovely little girl, and
when she was well again the fairy gave her a good lecture on her
past life, made her promise to behave better in future, and sent
her back to the king, her husband.
    Placida now gave herself up entirely to the little princess who
was left in her charge. She anxiously thought over which of the
fairies she would invite to be godmothers, so as to secure the
best gift, for her adopted child.
    At last she decided on two very kindly and cheerful fairies, and
asked them to the christening feast. Directly it was over the
baby was brought to them in a lovely crystal cradle hung with red
silk curtains embroidered with gold.
    The little thing smiled so sweetly at the fairies that they
decided to do all they could for her. They began by naming her
Graziella, and then Placida said: 'You know, dear sisters, that
the commonest form of spite or punishment amongst us consists of
changing beauty to ugliness, cleverness to stupidity, and oftener
still to change a person's form altogether.