governesses, it is true, but he strictly forbade them
ever to say a harsh word to his darling; and one who had so far
transgressed this order as to reprove the princess for some fault, was
dismissed in disgrace. Thus it came about that the child grew daily more
and more wilful and capricious. Do what every one would, it was
impossible to please her, and as she was allowed to fly into a rage
about the most trifling matters, and as she sulked and scolded, and
growled and grumbled for the smallest annoyances, her voice gradually
acquired a peculiar snarling tone, which was as painful to listen to as
it was unbecoming in a young and pretty princess.

The whole court suffered from the depressing effects of the young
lady's ill-temper. Behind the king's back, the courtiers complained
pretty freely, but before his face no one dared show his annoyance, and
two old court ladies, whose nerves were not so strong as they had been,
and who feared to betray themselves, were obliged to employ a celebrated
professor of cosmetics to paint smiles on their faces that could not be
disturbed by the snarling and grumbling of the princess; but the Lord
Chamberlain concealed his feelings by a free use of his gold snuff-box,
and snuffed away his annoyance pretty successfully.

As his daughter grew up, the king was not without his share of suffering
from her ill-temper. But he bore it all very patiently,--"She will be a
queen," said he to himself, "and it is fit that she should have a will
of her own." The king himself was of an imperious temper, but such was
his love for his only child, that he bent it completely to her caprices.

In private, the courtiers were by no means so indulgent in their views,
and the future queen was known amongst them, behind her back, as the
Snarling Princess.

In spite of her ill-temper and unpleasing voice, however, she was so
beautiful, that--being also heir to the throne of a large kingdom--many
princes sought her hand in marriage. But the Snarling Princess was
resolved to reign alone, and she refused every suitor who appeared.

The princess's rooms were, of course, the most beautiful in the palace.
One of these, which looked out on to the forest, was her favourite
chamber, but it was also the source of her greatest vexation.

Never did she look out of the window towards the wood without snarling
in her harshest tone, "Hateful! Intolerable!"

The source of her annoyance was this:

On the edge of the fores