he was quite different from
his brothers and sisters, and his parents loved Cadichon better than
any of them.

The years went on, and the children were growing big, when, one day,
after Gillette the queen had finished baking her cake, and had turned
it out on a plate, a lovely blue mouse crept up the leg of the table
and ran to the plate. Instead of chasing it away, as most women would
have done, the queen pretended not to notice what the mouse was
doing, and was much surprised to see the little creature pick up the
cake and carry it off to the chimney. She sprang forwards to stop it,
when, suddenly, both the mouse and cake vanished, and in their place
stood an old woman only a foot high, whose clothes hung in rags about
her. Taking up a sharp pointed iron stick, she drew on the earthen
floor some strange signs, uttering seven cries as she did so, and
murmuring something in a low voice, among which the queen was sure she
caught the words, 'faith,' 'wisdom,' 'happiness.' Then, seizing the
kitchen broom, she whirled it three times round her head, and
vanished. Immediately there arose a great noise in the next room, and
on opening the door, the queen beheld three large cockchafers, each
one with a princess between its feet, while the princes were seated on
the backs of three swallows. In the middle was a car formed of a
single pink shell, and drawn by two robin redbreasts, and in this car
Cadichon was sitting by the side of the blue mouse, who was dressed in
a splendid mantle of black velvet fastened under her chin. Before the
queen had recovered from her surprise, cockchafers, redbreasts, mouse
and children had all flown, singing, to the window, and disappeared
from view.

The loud shrieks of the queen brought her husband and father running
into the room, and when at last they made out from her broken
sentences what had really happened, they hastily snatched up some
stout sticks that were lying about and set off to the rescue--one
going in one direction and the other in another.

For at least an hour the queen sat sobbing where they had left her,
when at last she was roused by a piece of folded paper falling at her
feet. She stooped and picked it up eagerly, hoping that it might
contain some news of her lost children. It was very short, but when
she had read the few words, Gillette was comforted, for it bade her
take heart, as they were well and happy under the protection of a
fairy. 'On your own faith and prudence d