at
thing disagreeing," said the old lady, with the greatest contempt it was
possible to express. "Don't be greedy. I think you want it all yourself."

The King hung his head under this reproof, and said he wouldn't talk about
things disagreeing, any more.

"Be good, then," said the Fairy Grandmarina, "and don't! When the
beautiful Princess Alicia consents to partake of the salmon--as I think
she will--you will find she will leave a fish-bone on her plate. Tell
her to dry it, and to rub it, and to polish it till it shines like
mother-of-pearl, and to take care of it as a present from me."

"Is that all?" asked the King.

"Don't be impatient, sir," returned the Fairy Grandmarina, scolding him
severely. "Don't catch people short, before they have done speaking. Just
the way with you grown-up persons. You are always doing it."

The King again hung his head, and said he wouldn't do so any more.

"Be good then," said the Fairy Grandmarina, "and don't! Tell the Princess
Alicia, with my love, that the fish-bone is a magic present which can only
be used once; but that it will bring her, that once, whatever she wishes
for, PROVIDED SHE WISHES FOR IT AT THE RIGHT TIME. That is the
message. Take care of it."

[Illustration: HOITY TOITY ME!]

The King was beginning, "Might I ask the reason--?" when the Fairy became
absolutely furious.

"_Will_ you be good, sir?" she exclaimed, stamping her foot on the ground.
"The reason for this, and the reason for that, indeed! You are always
wanting the reason. No reason. There! Hoity toity me! I am sick of your
grown-up reasons."

The King was extremely frightened by the old lady's flying into such a
passion, and said he was very sorry to have offended her, and he wouldn't
ask for reasons any more.

"Be good then," said the old lady, "and don't!"

With those words, Grandmarina vanished, and the King went on and on and
on, till he came to the office. There he wrote and wrote and wrote, till
it was time to go home again. Then he politely invited the Princess
Alicia, as the Fairy had directed him, to partake of the salmon. And
when she had enjoyed it very much, he saw the fish-bone on her plate, as
the Fairy had told him he would, and he delivered the Fairy's message, and
the Princess Alicia took care to dry the bone, and to rub it, and to
polish it till it shone like mother-of-pearl.

[Illustration: He saw the Fish-bone on her Plate]

And so when the Queen was going to get up in t