e queen
feel about this?

For some days the queen was so much shaken by all she had gone through
that she lay with her eyes closed, unable either to move or speak. When
she got better, the Lion Fairy told her that if she liked she could
build herself a cabin, as she would have to spend her life in that
place. At these words the queen burst into tears, and implored her
gaoler to put her to death rather than condemn her to such a life; but
the Lion Fairy only laughed, and counselled her to try to make herself
pleasant, as many worse things might befall her.

'Is there no way in which I can touch your heart?' asked the poor girl
in despair.

'Well, if you really wish to please me you will make me a pasty out of
the stings of bees, and be sure it is good.'

'But I don't see any bees,' answered the queen, looking round.

'Oh, no, there aren't any,' replied her tormentor; 'but you will have to
find them all the same.' And, so saying, she went away.

'After all, what does it matter?' thought the queen to herself, 'I have
only one life, and I can but lose it.' And not caring what she did, she
left the palace and seating herself under a yew tree, poured out all her
grief.

'Oh, my dear husband,' wept she, 'what will you think when you come to
the castle to fetch me and find me gone? Rather a thousand times that
you should fancy me dead than imagine that I had forgotten you! Ah, how
fortunate that the broken chariot should be lying in the wood, for then
you may grieve for me as one devoured by wild beasts. And if another
should take my place in your heart--Well, at least I shall never know
it.'

She might have continued for long in this fashion had not the voice of
a crow directly overhead attracted her attention. Looking up to see what
was the matter she beheld, in the dim light, a crow holding a fat frog
in his claws, which he evidently intended for his supper. The queen rose
hastily from the seat, and striking the bird sharply on the claws with
the fan which hung from her side, she forced him to drop the frog,
which fell to the round more dead than alive. The crow, furious at his
disappointment, flew angrily away.

As soon as the frog had recovered her senses she hopped up to the queen,
who was still sitting under the yew. Standing on her hind legs, and
bowing low before her, she said gently:

'Beautiful lady, by what mischance do you come here? You are the only
creature that I have seen do a kind deed since a fat