and was arrayed like the most elegant
State Puppet, after the newest Paris fashions. She left off her
natural lively movements, and assumed the stiff and stately
deportment of her husband and the ladies of the Court, who
considered it unbecoming to turn their head ever so little on
one side. She almost wholly forgot how to walk, while she
was constantly driving to balls, concerts, and parades, to
cockchafer-hunts and fly-chases. Her chief delight was in finery:
every day she put on a new dress, and before her windows were shops
of all the newest fashions, so that her first glance fell upon them
when she got up in the morning.

Her husband too, and his subjects, grew continually more and more
haughty. They looked down with contempt upon everything that was
not a Puppet, or so finely painted and varnished as they. Every
bird that flew past, or came near them, was pursued with the
greatest cruelty.

Even the Rootmen, who came from time to time for their pleasure,
were received with more and more coldness, insomuch that they soon
ceased coming at all. Nay the good King himself was compelled to
witness how his son-in-law and his own daughter came in time to
treat him with indifference. Naturally the former friendship of the
two Peoples was soon turned into bitter hatred. Before a month had
elapsed Prince Nutcracker's arrogance became so great, that he
demanded of the Rootmen a monthly tribute of two thousand of the
finest hazelnuts: at the same time he assembled his troops and
planted his fortresses in a line on the frontier of the
Root-kingdom, resolving, in case of refusal, to invade with his
army the territory of his father-in-law.

Such a violation of all right naturally filled the gentle spirit of
the good old King with indignation. One whole day long he wept
tears of bitterness into his mossy beard; he then publicly
renounced his ungrateful daughter, and forbade her ever to come
into his sight again. At length he retired from all affairs of
government; he felt that he was too tender-hearted for such arduous
business.

The tidings of this soon reached his daughter. Her eyes were now at
once opened, and she saw how unworthily she had given away her
hand, how from vanity she had violated her duty to her father, and
to all those who had once been dear to her. Alas, it was too late!
She tried all means to dissuade her husband from his unjust
demands, but he was resolute; and when she continued unceasingly
her entrea