Page:Story of the little white mouse, or, The overthrow of the tyrant king (1).pdf/12

12 looked again, and found the infant dressed in the finest linens and laces: she then kissed it, and shed a torrent of tears, not knowing how to part with her treasure.

At this moment in came the little mouse, and jumped into the basket. "Ah! little creature," said the queen, "how much it costs me to save your life! I shall perhaps lose my dear Juliet. Any other than me would have killed you for the dainty old woman; but I could not consent to it." "You will not repent it, madam," replied the mouse; "I am not so unworthy of your friendship as you suppose." The queen was like one thunderstruck, when she perceived its little visage change to that of a woman, and the paws become hands and feet. At length the queen, hardly daring to look up, discovered the figure to be the fairy that had visited her before, and who had promised to put an end to her misfortunes and sufferings. "I wished to try the goodness of your heart," said the fairy; "I know now that you are virtuous and worthy of my friendship. Fairies like me, who possess treasures and riches more than I can relate, do not seek so much for the luxuries of life as for friendship, and we seldom find it." "Is it possible, great fairy," exclaimed the queen, "that you, who are so powerful and wealthy, find it such a great trouble to gain a friend?" "Yes," replied