.

Once upon a time there lived a king and queen, who had an only
daughter. Her incomparable beauty, sweetness, and intelligence caused
her to be named Graciosa. She was all her mother's joy. Every day she
had given her a different dress, of gold brocade, velvet, or satin;
yet she was neither conceited nor boastful. She used to pass her
mornings in study, and in the afternoon she sat sewing by the queen's
side. She had, however, plenty of play-time, and sweetmeats without
end, so that she was altogether the happiest princess alive.

At the same court was an elderly young lady named Duchess Grognon, who
was the very opposite of Graciosa. Her hair was fiery red, her face
fat and spotty, and she had but one eye. Her mouth was so big that you
might have thought she could eat you up, only she had no teeth to do
it with; she was also humpbacked and lame. Of course she could not
help her ugliness, and nobody would have disliked her for that, if she
had not been of such an unpleasant temper that she hated everything
sweet and beautiful, and especially Graciosa. She had also a very good
opinion of herself, and when any one praised the princess, would say
angrily, "That is a lie! My little finger is worth her whole body."

In course of time the queen fell sick and died, and her daughter was
almost broken-hearted. So was her husband for a year, and then he
began to comfort himself by hunting. One day, after a long chase, he
came to a strange castle, which happened to be that of the Duchess
Grognon. She, informed of his approach, went out to meet him, and
received him most respectfully. As he was very hot with hunting, she
took him into the coolest place in the palace, which was a vaulted
cave, most elegantly furnished, where there were two hundred barrels
arranged in long rows.

"Madam, are these all yours?" inquired the king.

"Yes, sire, but I shall be most happy if you will condescend to taste
their contents. Which wine do you prefer--canary, hermitage,
champagne?" and she ran over a long list, out of which his majesty
made his choice.

Grognon took a little hammer, and struck "toc, toc," on the cask, from
which there rolled out a handful of silver money. "Nay, what is this?"
said she, smiling, and passed on to the next, from which, when she
tapped it, out poured a stream of gold coins. "I never saw the
like--what nonsense!" and she tried the third, out of which came a
heap of pearls and diamonds, so that the floor of