Page:Story of the little white mouse, or, The overthrow of the tyrant king (1).pdf/13

13 she, "because persons seldom love us but for interest; but when you loved me as a little mouse, it seemed from a disinterested motive, and I wished to put you to a still greater trial: I took the figure of an old woman, and it was I who spoke to you at the bottom of the tower; you have always answerd my best expectation." At these words she embraced the queen, then she kissed the little vermilion mouth of the infant princess, and said, "My pretty little girl, you shall henceforth be your mother's consolation; you shall be richer than your father; you shall live an hundred years without illness, wrinkles, or old age." The enraptured queen returned thanks, and begged that the fairy would take Juliet away, and be careful of her, adding at the same time, "I give her to be your daughter."

The fairy accepted the offer, and thanked her: she then put the little one into the basket, which she let down to the bottom of the tower, and having again taken the form of a mouse, she descended by the cord; but when she got down, she could not find the child any where, and remounting in a fright, "All is lost," cried she to the queen, "my enemy Cancaline has just carried away the princess. You must know that she is a cruel fairy, who hates me, and, unhappily, she is older than I am, and has more power. I