st terrible temper, and
never was pleased with anything; so the young men, and even the old
ones, were afraid to come near her.

She scolded from morning till night; she stamped her pretty foot with
rage when any one spoke to her; and if ever her brothers tried to
reason with her she boxed their ears so soundly that they were glad to
let her alone. Even the good Queen could not love Pattycake as she did
her other children, and the King often sighed when he thought of the
ugly disposition of his beautiful daughter. Of course no one cared very
much for her society, and she sat in her room all day long, refusing to
join the others in their sports and games, and becoming more moody and
bad-tempered the older she grew.

One day a young man came to the court to bring pickled peaches to his
Majesty, the King. The youth's name was Timtom, and he lived so far
away and came so seldom to court that never before had he seen the
Princess Pattycake.

When he looked into her sweet, blue eyes he loved her at once for her
beauty, and being both brave and bold he went directly to the King and
asked for Pattycake's hand in marriage.

His Majesty was naturally surprised at so strange a request; so he said
to the young man:

"What does the Princess say? Does she love you?"

"I do not know," replied Timtom, "for I have never spoken with her."

"Well," said the King, much amazed at the ignorance and temerity of the
youth, "go and speak to my daughter about the matter, and then come and
tell me what she replies."

Timtom went at once to the room where Princess Pattycake was moodily
sitting, and said, boldly:

"I should like to marry you."

"What!" screamed the Princess, in a great rage; "marry me! Go away this
instant, you impudent boy, or I shall throw my shoe at your head!"

Timtom was both surprised and shocked at this outburst, but he realized
that the Princess had a remarkably bad temper. Still he was not moved
from his purpose, for she was so pretty he decided not to abandon the
attempt to win her.

"Do not be angry, for I love you," he pleaded, looking bravely into
Pattycake's blue eyes.

"Love me?" echoed the surprised Princess; "that is not possible! Every
one else hates me."

"They do not hate you," ventured Timtom; "it is your temper they hate."

"But my temper and I are one," answered the Princess, harshly, as she
stamped her foot.

"Surely that is not so," returned the young man, "for certainly I love
you, wh