said the old woman, "who are born with such benevolent hearts! But do you imagine you will not be rewarded? Be assured," continued she, "that the first wish you make without thinking of me, will be fulfilled." At the same moment she disappeared, and they had not the least doubt of her being a fairy.
They were astonished at this adventure. They had never seen a fairy before. They were frightened, and talked of her constantly for five or six months, so that, whenever they wished for anything she came immediately into their minds. Nothing, therefore, came to pass, which greatly incensed them against the Fairy. But one day, that the King was going out hunting, he called in passing at the celebrated Cook's, to ascertain if she were really as clever as report asserted, and as he approached the garden, in which the three sisters were gathering strawberries, they heard the noise, and Roussette exclaimed, "Ah! if I were fortunate enough to marry my Lord Admiral, I venture to say, that, with my spindle and distaff, I would spin so much thread, and with that thread make so much cloth, that he would never want to purchase any more for the sails of his vessels." "And I," said Brunette, "if Fortune were sufficiently favourable to me to make me the wife of the King's brother; I venture to say, that, with my needle, I would make him so much lace that his palace would be filled with it." "And I," said Blondine, "I venture to say, that if the King married me, I would bring him two handsome boys, and a beautiful girl, whose hair should fall in ringlets, out of which should come fine jewels, and each should have a brilliant star on the forehead, and a rich chain of gold around the neck."
One of the king's favourites who had preceded him to inform the mistress of the house of his majesty's approach, having heard voices in the garden, stopped and listened, quietly, and was greatly surprised at the conversation of these three handsome girls. He went in all haste to amuse the King by its repetition. The King laughed at it, and ordered the girls to be brought before him.
They quickly presented themselves with wonderful grace and good manners. They saluted the King with much respect and modesty, and when he inquired if it were true that they had been holding such a conversation respecting the
