desired one of the valets-de-chambre to throw it into the sea. He instantly departed on his errand.
Behold the Princess exposed to extreme danger! The man, however, thinking the box beautiful, was sorry to deprive himself of it; so he seated himself on the sea-shore, and took out the ape, determining to kill it, (for he did not know it was his sovereign,) but whilst he had hold of it, a great noise which startled him obliged him to turn his head, when he saw an open chariot drawn by six unicorns, resplendent with gold and precious stones. It was preceded by a military band. A Queen crowned, and in a royal mantle, was seated in the chariot on cushions of cloth of gold, and she held in her arms her son, a child of four years old.
The valet recognised this Queen as the sister of his mistress. She had come to see and rejoice with her, but when she found the little Princess was dead, she departed sadly to return to her kingdom. She was lost in thought, when her son cried, "I want that monkey! I will have it." The Queen, looking up, beheld the prettiest monkey that ever was seen. The valet endeavoured to escape, but he was prevented. The Queen ordered a large sum to be given him for the monkey; and finding it gentle and playful, she named it Babiole; thus, notwithstanding her hard fate, the Princess fell into the hands of her own aunt.
When the Queen arrived in her own dominions, the little Prince begged her to give him Babiole for a playmate. He desired she should be dressed like a Princess; so every day they made her new dresses, and they taught her to walk only on her feet. It was impossible to find a prettier or more agreeable little monkey; her little face was as black as a jackdaw's, with a white ruff round her neck, and tufts of flesh colour at her ears. Her little paws were not bigger than butterflies' wings, and her sparkling eyes indicated so much intelligence, that there was no need for astonishment at anything she did.
The Prince, who loved her very much, petted her unceasingly; she would never bite him, and when he wept, she wept too. She had been already four years with the Queen, when, one day, she began to stammer like a child trying to talk. Every body wondered at her, and they were still more astonished when she began to speak in a voice so clear and distinct that every word was intelligible. Marvellous! Babiole
