happening to look towards the outside of the bed, perceived one of the
most beautiful animals in the world, a white mouse with green eyes,
playing about the floor, and performing an hundred pretty tricks. He was
already master of blue mice, red mice, and even white mice with yellow
eyes; but a white mouse with green eyes, was what he long endeavoured
to possess: whereupon, leaping from bed, with the utmost impatience and
agility, the youthful prince attempted to seize the little charmer; but
it was fled in a moment; for, alas! the mouse was sent by a discontented
princess, and was itself a fairy.

It is impossible to describe the agony of the prince upon this occasion.
He sought round and round every part of the room, even the bed where the
princess lay was not exempt from the inquiry; he turned the princess on
one side and the other, stripped her quite naked, but no mouse was to be
found; the princess herself was kind enough to assist, but still to no
purpose.

"Alas!" cried the young prince in an agony, "how unhappy am I to be thus
disappointed! never sure was so beautiful an animal seen; I would give
half my kingdom and my princess to him that would find it." The
princess, though not much pleased with the latter part of his offer,
endeavoured to comfort him as well as she could; she let him know he
had an hundred mice already, which ought to be at least sufficient to
satisfy any philosopher like him. Though none of them had green eyes,
yet he should learn to thank Heaven that they had eyes. She told him
(for she was a profound moralist,) that incurable evils must be borne,
and that useless lamentations were vain, and that man was born to
misfortunes; she even intreated him to return to bed, and she would
endeavour to lull him on her bosom to repose; but still the prince
continued inconsolable; and, regarding her with a stern air, for which
his family was remarkable, he vowed never to sleep in a royal palace,
or indulge himself in the innocent pleasures of matrimony, till he had
found the white mouse with green eyes.

When morning came, he published an edict, offering half his kingdom, and
his princess, to that person who should catch and bring him the white
mouse with green eyes.

The edict was scarce published, when all the traps in the kingdom were
baited with cheese; numberless mice were taken and destroyed, but still
the much-wished-for mouse was not among the number. The privy council
were assembled more tha