reat adventures she will have to go
through first, but her good judgement will cause her to surmount all
obstacles. Furthermore, ye shall have nothing to regret during your
lifetime than that your daughter's stature is not equal to that of other
mortals."

With these words the good fairy disappeared.

In due time the queen was brought to bed of a female child, so tiny that
it was hardly the length of the first joint of the queen's forefinger,
but withal of such surprising beauty that the fame thereof spread
throughout all the land.

The child grew and increased each day in beauty, until it reached its
full growth of one span in height.

About a year after the birth of the young princess the queen was again
confined of twins, both girls, rosy and healthy of the average size of
babes.

As the three sisters grew up their mother did her best to instruct them
in those duties which should fit them for good princesses, as well as
good wives and mothers, when a fever then raging through the
land--probably part of the witch's curse--carried off the good king and
queen almost at the same time, when the eldest princess was scarce
eighteen, and the three children were left in charge of a guardian.

Now, as there was no male issue, the Princess Bertha (the name of the
firstborn) had every right to the throne. This she knew, nor ever deemed
that her right would be disputed; but her younger sisters, who were
neither so good nor so beautiful as their elder one, were suddenly
seized with envy, and began to plot together in what manner they could
secure the crown for themselves. They had never loved their sister nor
each other, but they both agreed that the rightful heiress was to be
deposed, while each of the twin sisters vaunted herself most fit to
govern the country.

Neither of them had the least intention of yielding the crown to the
other, though both saw the necessity of wresting it from the lawful
heiress, as they said it would be absurd to permit such a farce as a
dwarf queen to rule over them. Now, this led to a very hot discussion,
which the Princess Bertha, who was concealed from them in some nook in
the chamber, happened to overhear.

This envy of her sisters grieved her very much. She herself was not
ambitious, and had her sisters been good to her, she would willingly
have ceded the crown to them, but seeing their envy, her just
indignation was roused, and she was determined not to be thrust aside
because she was