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preeious stones; but, as they were all sitting down at the table, they saw come into the hall a very old fairy whom they had not invited, because it was near fifty years since she had been out of a eertain tower, and was thought to have been either dead or enehanted.
The king ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her with a case of gold as the others had, because he had only seven made for the seven fairies. The old fairy, thinking she was slighted by not being treated in the same manner as the rest, murmured out some threats between her teeth.
One of the young fairies who sat overheard how she grumbled, and judging that she might give the little prineess some unlucky gift, she went, as soon as she rose from the table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that she might speak last, and repair, as much as possibly she eould, the evil which the old fairy might intend.
In the meanwhile, all the fairies began to give their gifts to the prineess in the following manner:—
The youngest gave her a gift, that she should be the most beautiful person in the world.
The third, that she would have a wonderful grace in every thing that she did.
