FELICIA　AND　THE　POT　OF　PINKS
  ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　poor　laborer　who；　feeling
  that　he　had　not　much　longer　to　live；　wished　to　divide　his
  possessions　between　his　son　and　daughter；　whom　he　loved
  dearly。
  So　he　called　them　to　him；　and　said：　〃Your　mother
  brought　me　as　her　dowry　two　stools　and　a　straw　bed；　I
  have；　besides；　a　hen；　a　pot　of　pinks；　and　a　silver　ring；
  which　were　given　me　by　a　noble　lady　who　once　lodged　in
  my　poor　cottage。　When　she　went　away　she　said　to　me：
  〃‘Be　careful　of　my　gifts；　good　man；　see　that　you　do　not
  lose　the　ring　or　forget　to　water　the　pinks。　As　for　your
  daughter；　I　promise　you　that　she　shall　be　more　beautiful
  than　anyone　you　ever　saw　in　your　life；　call　her　Felicia；　and
  when　she　grows　up　give　her　the　ring　and　the　pot　of　pinks
  to　console　her　for　her　poverty。'　Take　them　both；　then；
  my　dear　child；〃　he　added；　〃and　your　brother　shall　have
  everything　else。〃
  The　two　children　seemed　quite　contented；　and　when
  their　father　died　they　wept　for　him；　and　divided　his
  possessions　as　he　had　told　them。　Felicia　believed　that　her
  brother　loved　her；　but　when　she　sat　down　upon　one　of　the
  stools　he　said　angrily：
  〃Keep　your　pot　of　pinks　and　your　ring；　but　let　my
  things　alone。　I　like　order　in　my　house。〃
  Felicia；　who　was　very　gentle；　said　nothing；　but　stood
  up　crying　quietly；　while　Bruno；　for　that　was　her　brother's
  name；　sat　comfortably　by　the　fire。　Presently；　when　sup…
  per…time　came；　Bruno　had　a　delicious　egg；　and　he　threw
  the　shell　to　Felicia；　saying：
  〃There；　that　is　all　I　can　give　you；　if　you　don't　like　it；
  go　out　and　catch　frogs；　there　are　plenty　of　them　in　the
  marsh　close　by。〃　Felicia　did　not　answer；　but　she　cried
  more　bitterly　than　ever；　and　went　away　to　her　own　little
  room。　She　found　it　filled　with　the　sweet　scent　of　the
  pinks；　and；　going　up　to　them；　she　said　sadly：
  〃Beautiful　pinks；　you　are　so　sweet　and　so　pretty；　you
  are　the　only　comfort　I　have　left。　Be　very　sure　that　I　will
  take　care　of　you；　and　water　you　well；　and　never　allow
  any　cruel　hand　to　tear　you　from　your　stems。〃
  As　she　leaned　over　them　she　noticed　that　they　were
  very　dry。　So　taking　her　pitcher；　she　ran　off　in　the　clear
  moonlight　to　the　fountain；　which　was　at　some　distance。
  When　she　reached　it　she　sat　down　upon　the　brink　to　rest；
  but　she　had　hardly　done　so　when　she　saw　a　stately　lady
  coming　toward　her；　surrounded　by　numbers　of　attendants。
  Six　maids　of　honor　carried　her　train；　and　she　leaned
  upon　the　arm　of　another。
  When　they　came　near　the　fountain　a　canopy　was
  spread　for　her；　under　which　was　placed　a　sofa　of　cloth…of…
  gold；　and　presently　a　dainty　supper　was　served；　upon　a
  table　covered　with　dishes　of　gold　and　crystal；　while　the
  wind　in　the　trees　and　the　falling　water　of　the　fountain
  murmured　the　softest　music。
  Felicia　was　hidden　in　the　shade；　too　much　astonished
  by　all　she　saw　to　venture　to　move；　but　in　a　few　moments
  the　Queen　said：
  〃I　fancy　I　see　a　shepherdess　near　that　tree；　bid　her
  come　hither。〃
  So　Felicia　came　forward　and　saluted　the　Queen　timidly；
  but　with　so　much　grace　that　all　were　surprised。
  〃What　are　you　doing　here；　my　pretty　child？〃　asked　the
  Queen。　〃Are　you　not　afraid　of　robbers？〃
  〃Ah！　madam；〃　said　Felicia；　〃a　poor　shepherdess　who
  has　nothing　to　lose　does　not　fear　robbers。〃
  〃You　are　not　very　rich；　then？〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling。
  〃I　am　so　poor；〃　answered　Felicia；　〃that　a　pot　of　pinks
  and　a　silver　ring　are　my　only　possessions　in　the　world。〃
  〃But　you　have　a　heart；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃What　should
  you　say　if　anybody　wanted　to　steal　that？〃
  〃I　do　not　know　what　it　is　like　to　lose　one's　heart；
  madam；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　have　always　heard　that　without
  a　heart　one　cannot　live；　and　if　it　is　broken　one　must
  die；　and　in　spite　of　my　poverty　I　should　be　sorry　not　to
  live。〃
  〃You　are　quite　right　to　take　care　of　your　heart；　pretty
  one；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃But　tell　me；　have　you　supped？〃
  〃No；　madam；〃　answered　Felicia；　〃my　brother　ate　all
  the　supper　there　was。〃
  Then　the　Queen　ordered　that　a　place　should　be　made
  for　her　at　the　table；　and　herself　loaded　Felicia's　plate　with
  good　things；　but　she　was　too　much　astonished　to　be
  hungry。
  〃I　want　to　know　what　you　were　doing　at　the　fountain
  so　late？〃　said　the　Queen　presently。
  〃I　came　to　fetch　a　pitcher　of　water　for　my　pinks；
  madam；〃　she　answered；　stooping　to　pick　up　the　pitcher　which
  stood　beside　her；　but　when　she　showed　it　to　the　Queen　she
  was　amazed　to　see　that　it　had　turned　to　gold；　all　sparkling
  with　great　diamonds；　and　the　water；　of　which　it　was　full；
  was　more　fragrant　than　the　sweetest　roses。　She　was　afraid
  to　take　it　until　the　Queen　said：
  〃It　is　yours；　Felicia；　go　and　water　your　pinks　with　it；
  and　let　it　remind　you　that　the　Queen　of　the　Woods　is
  your　friend。〃
  The　shepherdess　threw　herself　at　the　Queen's　feet；　and
  thanked　her　humbly　for　her　gracious　words。
  〃Ah！　madam；〃　she　cried；　〃if　I　might　beg　you　to　stay
  here　a　moment　I　would　run　and　fetch　my　pot　of　pinks　for
  youthey　could　not　fall　into　better　hands。〃
  〃Go；　Felicia；〃　said　the　Queen；　stroking　her　cheek
  softly；　〃I　will　wait　here　until　you　come　back。〃
  So　Felicia　took　up　her　pitcher　and　ran　to　her　little
  room；　but　while　she　had　been　away　Bruno　had　gone　in
  and　taken　the　pot　of　pinks；　leaving　a　great　cabbage　in　its
  place。　When　she　saw　the　unlucky　cabbage　Felicia　was
  much　distressed；　and　did　not　know　what　to　do；　but　at
  last　she　ran　back　to　the　fountain；　and；　kneeling　before　the
  Queen；　said：
  〃Madam；　Bruno　has　stolen　my　pot　of　pinks；　so　I　have
  nothing　but　my　silver　ring；　but　I　beg　you　to　accept　it　as　a
  proof　of　my　gratitude。〃
  〃But　if　I　take　your　ring；　my　pretty　shepherdess；〃　said
  the　Queen；　〃you　will　have　nothing　left；　and　what　will　you
  do　then？〃
  〃Ah！　madam；〃　she　answered　simply；　〃if　I　have　your
  friendship　I　shall　do　very　well。〃
  So　the　Queen　took　the　ring　and　put　it　on　her　finger；　and
  mounted　her　chariot；　which　was　made　of　coral　studded
  with　emeralds；　and　drawn　by　six　milk…white　horses。　And
  Felicia　looked　after　her　until　the　winding　of　the　forest
  path　hid　her　from　her　sight；　and　then　she　went　back　to
  the　cottage；　thinking　over　all　the　wonderful　things　that
  had　happened。
  The　first　thing　she　did　when　she　reached　her　room　was
  to　throw　the　cabbage　out　of　the　window。
  But　she　was　very　much　surprised　to　hear　an　odd　little
  voice　cry　out：　〃Oh！　I　am　half　killed！〃　and　could　not　tell
  where　it　came　from；　because　cabbages　do　not　generally
  speak。
  As　soon　as　it　was　light；　Felicia；　who　was　very　unhappy
  about　her　pot　of　pinks；　went　out　to　look　for　it；　and　the
  first　thing　she　found　was　the　unfortunate　cabbage。　She
  gave　it　a　push　with　her　foot；　saying：　〃What　are　you　doing
  here；　and　how　dared　you　put　yourself　in　the　place　of　my
  pot　of　pinks？〃
  〃If　I　hadn't　been　carried；〃　replied　the　cabbage；　〃you
  may　be　very　sure　that　I　shouldn't　have　thought　of　going
  there。〃
  It　made　her　shiver　with　fright　to　hear　the　cabbage　talk；
  but　he　went　on：
  〃If　you　will　be　good　enough　to　plant　me　by　my
  comrades　again；　I　can　tell　you　where　your　pinks　are　at　this
  momenthidden　in　Bruno's　bed！〃
  Felicia　was　in　despair　when　she　heard　this；　not　knowing
  how　she　was　to　get　them　back。　But　she　replanted　the
  cabbage　very　kindly　in　his　old　place；　and；　as　she　finished
  doing　it；　she　saw　Bruno's　hen；　and　said；　catching　hold　of　it：
  〃Come　here；　horrid　little　creature！　you　shall　suffer　for
  all　the　unkind　things　my　brother　has　done　to　me。〃
  〃Ah！　shepherdess；〃　said　the　hen；　〃don't　kill　me；　I　am
  rather　a　gossip；　and　I　can　tell　you　some　surprising　things
  that　you　will　like　to　hear。　Don't　imagine　that　you　are
  the　daughter　of　the　poor　laborer　who　brought　you　up；
  your　mother　was　a　queen　who　had　six　girls　already；　and
  the　King　threatened　that　unless　she　had　a　son　who　could
  inherit　his　kingdom　she　should　have　her　head　cut　off。
  〃So　when　the　Queen　had　another　little　daughter　she
  was　quite　frightened；　and　agreed　with　her　sister　（who　was
  a　fairy）　to　exchange　her　for　the　fairy's　little　son。　Now　the
  Queen　had　been　shut　up　in　a　great　tower　by　the　King's
  orders；　and　when　a　great　many　days　went　by　and　still　she
  heard　nothing　from　the　Fairy　she　made　her　escape　from
  the　window　by　means　of　a　rope　ladder；　taking　her　little
  baby　with　her。　After　wandering　about　until　she　was　half
  dead　with　cold　and　fatigue　she　reached　this　cottage。　I
  was　the　laborer's　wife；　and　was　a　good　nurse；　and　the
  Queen　gave　you　into　my　charge；　and　told　me　all　her
  misfortunes；　and　then　died　before　she　had　time　to　say　what
  was　to　become　of　you。
  〃As　I　never　in　all　my　life　could　keep　a　secret；　I　could
  not　help　telling　this　strange　tale　to　my　neighbors；　and　one
  day　a　beautiful　lady　came　here；　and　I　told　it　to　her　also。
  When　I　had　finished　she　touched　me　with　a　wand　she
  held　in　her　hand；　and　instantly　I　became　a　hen；　and　t