Page:Mistress Madcap (1937).pdf/223

 When she had gone Chanty heaved a deep sigh. Mistress Nancy, who had taken up her knitting, glanced at her sympathetically.

"Dost want to hear a fairy tale?" she asked.

The other nodded eagerly.

"But I fear it has a sad ending," warned Mistress Nancy.

"Perhaps you can make it a happy ending just this once," suggested Charity hopefully. But the other shook her head.

"However, here be the tale," she began briskly. And Charity smiled with pleasure. The story, even with a sad ending would be nice!

"Once upon a time there lived a Princess who was in love with a Prince from a distant country. The Prince was visiting her city studying medicine."

"Like John when he did go to New York Town!" Charity clapped her hands.

"Aye—like John!" Mistress Nancy's eyes were upon her knitting. "Well, they were very happy—at least, the Princess was, until another maid from Eng—from a distant country came a-visiting, and she, too, fell in love with the Prince. She was a flighty maid, given to liking many young men, so when the Princess caught the Prince smiling at this maid one day, she was very angry. She said naught, however, and so time passed until a masked ball was given by one of the fine gentlemen o' the city. The Prince told the Princess he would mask as Night, in somber garb o' black, so she went as Starlight, in gown o' silver.

"When the Princess arrived that night, she looked