Page:Hansel and Gretel and other stories.djvu/253

CATSKIN HERE was once a King, whose Queen had hair of the purest gold, and was so beautiful that her match was not to be met with on the whole face of the earth. But this beautiful Queen fell ill, and when she felt that her end drew near, she called the King to her and said, "Vow to me that you will never marry again, unless you meet with a wife who is as beautiful as I am, and who has golden hair like mine." Then when the King in his grief had vowed all she asked, she shut her eyes and died. But the King was not to be comforted, and for a long time never thought of taking another wife. At last, however, his counsellors said, "This will not do; the King must marry again, that we may have a Queen." So messengers were sent far and wide, to seek for a bride who was as beautiful as the late Queen. But there was no Princess in the world so beautiful; and if there had been, still there was not one to be found who had such golden hair. So the messengers came home, and had done all their work for nothing.

Now the King had a daughter who was just as beauti-

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