looking parcel_ in her hand. Don't you
like opening parcels? The king did, and he was most friendly and polite
to the fairies. But the queen, though she saw them distinctly, took no
notice of them. You see, she did not believe in fairies, nor in her own
eyes, when she saw them. So she talked across the fairies to the king,
just as if they had not been there; but the king behaved as politely as
if they were _real_--which, of course, they were.

When dinner was over, and when the nurse had brought in the baby, all
the fairies gave him the most magnificent presents. One offered a purse
which could never be empty; and one a pair of seven-leagued boots; and
another a cap of darkness, that nobody might see the prince when he put
it on; and another a wishing-cap; and another a carpet, on which, when
he sat, he was carried wherever he wished to find himself. Another made
him beautiful for ever; and another, brave; and another, lucky: but the
last fairy of all, a cross old thing, crept up and said, "My child, you
shall be _too_ clever!"

This fairy's gift would have pleased the queen, if she had believed in
it, more than anything else, because she was so clever herself. But she
took no notice at all; and the fairies went each to her own country, and
none of them stayed there at the palace, where nobody believed in them,
except the king, a little. But the queen tossed all their nice boots and
caps, carpets, purses, swords, and all, away into a dark lumber-room;
for, of course, she thought that they were _all nonsense_, and merely
old rubbish out of books, or pantomime "properties."

[Illustration: Chapter Two]

CHAPTER II.--_Prince Prigio and his family_

WELL, the little prince grew up. I think I've told you that his name was
Prigio--did I not? Well, that _was_ his name.

You cannot think how clever he was. He argued with his nurse as soon as
he could speak, which was very soon. He argued that he did not like to
be washed, because the soap got into his eyes. However, when he was told
all about the _pores of the skin_, and how they could not be healthy
if he was not washed, he at once ceased to resist, for he was very
reasonable. He argued with his father that he did not see why there
should be kings who were rich, while beggars were poor; and why the
king--who was a little greedy--should have poached eggs and plum-cake
at afternoon tea, while many other persons went without dinner. The king
was so surprised and hurt