nothing but skin and bone. One evening, as she was spinning (for the wicked King, who was very avaricious, made her work night and day), she saw a very pretty little Mouse come in through a hole. She said to it, "Alas! my little darling, what dost thou come to seek here? I have only three peas for myself the whole day long; if thou wouldst not fast, thou hadst better depart." The little Mouse ran hither and thither, and danced and capered like a little monkey, and the Queen was so amused at it, that she gave it the only pea that she had left for her supper. "Here, little darling," said she, "eat this; I have nothing more, and I give it you willingly." As soon as she had done so, she saw upon the table an excellent partridge, wonderfully well roasted, and two jars of sweetmeats. "Truly," said she, "a good deed is never unrewarded." She ate a little, but she had lost her appetite through fasting. She threw some bon-bons to the Mouse, who was still nibbling, and then she began to skip about more than before supper. Early the next morning, the jailor brought the Queen the three peas, which he had put into a large dish out of mockery. The little Mouse came softly and ate them all three and the bread also. When the Queen wanted her dinner, she could not find anything. She was very angry with the Mouse. "It is a wicked little animal," said she; "if it continues to do this, I shall be starved." As she was about to put the cover on the empty dish, she saw it fill with all sorts of good things to eat: she was delighted and began to dine on them, but whilst eating she bethought herself that the wicked King would perhaps in a few days order her baby to be killed, and she left the table weeping, and raising her eyes to heaven exclaimed, "Ah! are there no means of saving my child?" As she uttered these words she saw the little Mouse playing with some long bits of straw; she took them up and set to work upon them. "If there is enough straw," said she, "I will make a covered basket to put my little girl in, and I will give her out of the window to the first charitable person who will take care of her." She then worked on with renewed spirit. There was plenty of straw, the Mouse always dragging some into the room, where she continued to skip about, and at meal-time the Queen gave it her three peas, and, in exchange, always found a hundred sorts of ragouts. She was much
