the old woman had to go home with her jar of rosemary under her
shawl.

The next day was the day before Christmas and there was a great stir
and bustle in the palace. The queen's physician had said that she
might sit up to see the Christmas Tree that night, and have her
presents with the rest of the family; and every one was running to and
fro to get things in readiness for her.

The queen had so many presents, and very fine they were, too, that the
Christmas Tree could not hold them all, so they were put on a table
before the throne and wreathed around with holly and with pine. The
little prince went in with his nurse to see them, and to put his gift,
which was a jewel, among them.

"She wanted a jar of rosemary," he said as he looked at the glittering
heap.

"She will never think of it again when she sees these things. You may
be sure of that," said the nurse.

But the little prince was not sure. He thought of it himself many
times that day, and once, when he was playing with his ball, he said
to the nurse:

"If I had a rosemary plant I'd be willing to sell it for a purse full
of gold. Wouldn't you?"

"Indeed, yes," said the nurse; "and so would any one else in his right
senses. You may be sure of that."

The little boy was not satisfied, though, and presently when he had
put his ball up and stood at the window watching the snow which had
come to whiten the earth for Christ's birthday, he said to the nurse:

"I wish it were spring. It is easy to get rosemary then, is it not?"

"Your little highness is like the king's parrot that knows but one
word with your rosemary, rosemary, rosemary," said the nurse who was a
little out of patience by that time. "Her majesty, the queen, only
asked for it to please you. You may be sure of that."

But the little prince was not sure; and when the nurse had gone to her
supper and he was left by chance for a moment alone, he put on his
coat of fur, and taking the ball with him he slipped away from the
palace, and hastened toward the old woman's house.

He had never been out at night by himself before, and he might have
felt a little afraid had it not been for the friendly stars that
twinkled in the sky above him.

"We will show you the way," they seemed to say; and he trudged on
bravely in their light, till, by and by, he came to the house and
knocked at the door.

[Illustration: SHE TOOK THE LITTLE PRINCE IN HER ARMS AND KISSED HIM.]

Now the little sick child had