Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/93

 ‘I have a mind to eat little Morning for my dinner to-morrow.’

‘Ah! madan,’ cried the clerk of the kitchen.

‘I will have it so,’ replied the Queen (and this she spoke in the tone of an Ogress who had a strong desire to eat fresh meat), ‘and will eat her with a sauce Robert.’

The poor man, knowing very well that he must not play tricks with Ogresses, took his great knife and went up into little Morning’s chamber. She was then four years old, and came up to him jumping and laughing, to take him about the neck, and ask him for some sugar-candy. Upon which he began to weep, the great knife fell out of his hand, and he went into the back yard, and killed a little lamb, and dressed it with such good sauce that his mistress assured him she had never eaten anything so good in her life. He had at the same time taken up little Morning, and carried her to his wife, to conceal her in the lodging he had at the bottom of the courtyard.



About eight days afterwards the wicked Queen said to the clerk of the kitchen, ‘I will sup upon little Day.’

He answered not a word, being resolved to cheat her as he had done before. He went to find out little Day, and saw him with a little foil in his hand, with which he was fencing with a great monkey, the child being then only three years of age. He took him up in his arms and carried him to his wife, that she might conceal him in her chamber along with his sister, and in the room