r fear it should contain a
spinning-wheel; and if anybody was found trying to smuggle one in he was
brought before the judges and punished.

By these devices the King felt certain that he had averted the fate laid
upon his daughter.

But the promises of the other wise women were fulfilled to the letter,
for the young Princess grew up to be the most beautiful, gifted and
gracious maiden in all the world. That, at any rate, was what everybody
in the palace said, from the lords and ladies down to the scullions in
the kitchen, and although people are inclined sometimes to flatter
Royalty, in this case there was reason for their admiration.

To begin with, the Princess was as lovely as a spring morning, with eyes
of the purest, softest blue, and hair in which the rays of the sun
seemed to be entangled. When she came into a room people stopped
whatever they were doing to look at her, and everyone felt happier
because she was there.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

And her cleverness! She never had any trouble with her letters or her
multiplication table. She could cipher as easily as she could spell; she
knew the history of her own country and of every country round it; and
nobody could puzzle her with the hardest question in geography. She
could sew and embroider, and knit and paint and draw; she could repeat
poetry in five different languages; she studied mathematics and botany
and astronomy and even law. In short, there was no end to her knowledge,
and all because she had those fairies for her godmothers.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Besides this, there were all her other accomplishments; she could play
on all sorts of musical instruments, as, for instance, fiddle and
zither, large harp and jew's-harp, church organ and mouth organ, flute
and penny-whistle, and even on the nursery comb; she could sing like a
nightingale and dance like a fairy.

[Illustration]

And yet she was never conceited or puffed-up, as some good-looking and
accomplished people are apt to be. On the contrary, she was always
sweet-tempered and modest, and for this reason she was loved. People may
admire good looks and a graceful deportment, and they may respect
ability, but it is only sweetness of nature and goodness of heart that
can win love. And these things were the gift of the third fairy.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

So the years passed, and at last came the day when the Princess
Briar-Rose was fifteen years of age.