t to work to cry, and she cried for two days and
two nights without stopping, and at the end of that time the poor king
was ready to let her go anywhere or do anything for the sake of a little
peace.

"So she had her own way. They found her a flock of the loveliest white
sheep, all with blue ribbons round their necks, and blue rosettes on
their little white tails; and the queen dressed herself up in a red silk
petticoat and a cap embroidered in gold and silver, and then she set out
by herself.

"At first it was all delightful. She drove the sheep up the soft green
hillsides, and laughed with delight to see them nibbling the fresh
grass, and running hither and thither after her, and after each other.
The evening sun shone brightly, and she sat herself down on a rock and
sang all the tunes she knew, that she might be just like the little
shepherdess. But while she was singing the sheep strayed away, and she
had to run after them as fast as she could, to catch them up. This made
her hot and tired, so she tried to make them lie down under a chestnut
tree, that she might rest beside them. But the sheep were not a bit
tired, and had no mind to rest at all. While she was calling one set of
them together the other set ran scampering off, and the queen found out
that she must just give up her way for once and follow theirs. On went
the sheep, up hill and down dale, nibbling and frisking and trotting to
their hearts' content, till the queen was worn out.

"At last, by the time the sun was setting, the poor queen was so tired
that she could walk no longer. Down she sat, and the ungrateful sheep
kicked up their little hind legs and trotted away out of sight as fast
as they could trot. There she was left on the hillside all alone. It
began to get dark, and the sky, instead of being blue and clear as it
had been, filled with black clouds.

"'Oh dear! oh dear!' sighed the queen, 'here is a storm coming. If I
could only find my way down the hill, if I could only see the town!'

"But there were trees all about her, which hid the view, and soon it was
so dark there was nothing to be seen, not even the stars. And presently,
crash came the thunder, and after the thunder the rain--such rain! It
soaked the queen's golden cap till it was so heavy with water she was
obliged to throw it away, and her silk petticoat was as wet as if she
had been taking a bath in it. In vain she ran hither and thither, trying
to find a way through the trees,