THE　STORY　OF　PRETTY　GOLDILOCKS
  ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　princess　who　was　the
  prettiest　creature　in　the　world。　And　because　she　was　so
  beautiful；　and　because　her　hair　was　like　the　finest　gold；
  and　waved　and　rippled　nearly　to　the　ground；　she　was
  called　Pretty　Goldilocks。　She　always　wore　a　crown　of
  flowers；　and　her　dresses　were　embroidered　with　diamonds
  and　pearls；　and　everybody　who　saw　her　fell　in　love　with
  her。
  Now　one　of　her　neighbors　was　a　young　king　who　was
  not　married。　He　was　very　rich　and　handsome；　and　when
  he　heard　all　that　was　said　about　Pretty　Goldilocks；　though
  he　had　never　seen　her；　he　fell　so　deeply　in　love　with　her
  that　he　could　neither　eat　nor　drink。　So　he　resolved　to
  send　an　ambassador　to　ask　her　in　marriage。　He　had　a
  splendid　carriage　made　for　his　ambassador；　and　gave　him
  more　than　a　hundred　horses　and　a　hundred　servants；　and
  told　him　to　be　sure　and　bring　the　Princess　back　with　him。
  After　he　had　started　nothing　else　was　talked　of　at　Court；
  and　the　King　felt　so　sure　that　the　Princess　would　consent
  that　he　set　his　people　to　work　at　pretty　dresses　and　splendid
  furniture；　that　they　might　be　ready　by　the　time　she
  came。　Meanwhile；　the　ambassador　arrived　at　the　Princess's
  palace　and　delivered　his　little　message；　but　whether
  she　happened　to　be　cross　that　day；　or　whether　the
  compliment　did　not　please　her；　is　not　known。　She　only
  answered　that　she　was　very　much　obliged　to　the　King；　but
  she　had　no　wish　to　be　married。　The　ambassador　set　off
  sadly　on　his　homeward　way；　bringing　all　the　King's
  presents　back　with　him；　for　the　Princess　was　too　well
  brought　up　to　accept　the　pearls　and　diamonds　when　she
  would　not　accept　the　King；　so　she　had　only　kept　twenty…
  five　English　pins　that　he　might　not　be　vexed。
  When　the　ambassador　reached　the　city；　where　the
  King　was　waiting　impatiently；　everybody　was　very　much
  annoyed　with　him　for　not　bringing　the　Princess；　and　the
  King　cried　like　a　baby；　and　nobody　could　console　him。
  Now　there　was　at　the　Court　a　young　man；　who　was　more
  clever　and　handsome　than　anyone　else。　He　was　called
  Charming；　and　everyone　loved　him；　excepting　a　few
  envious　people　who　were　angry　at　his　being　the　King's
  favorite　and　knowing　all　the　State　secrets。　He　happened
  to　one　day　be　with　some　people　who　were　speaking　of　the
  ambassador's　return　and　saying　that　his　going　to　the
  Princess　had　not　done　much　good；　when　Charming　said
  rashly：
  〃If　the　King　had　sent　me　to　the　Princess　Goldilocks　I
  am　sure　she　would　have　come　back　with　me。〃
  His　enemies　at　once　went　to　the　King　and　said：
  〃You　will　hardly　believe；　sire；　what　Charming　has　the
  audacity　to　saythat　if　HE　had　been　sent　to　the　Princess
  Goldilocks　she　would　certainly　have　come　back　with　him。
  He　seems　to　think　that　he　is　so　much　handsomer　than　you
  that　the　Princess　would　have　fallen　in　love　with　him　and
  followed　him　willingly。〃　The　King　was　very　angry　when
  he　heard　this。
  〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　he；　〃does　he　laugh　at　my　unhappiness；
  and　think　himself　more　fascinating　than　I　am？　Go；　and
  let　him　be　shut　up　in　my　great　tower　to　die　of　hunger。〃
  So　the　King's　guards　went　to　fetch　Charming；　who　had
  thought　no　more　of　his　rash　speech；　and　carried　him　off　to
  prison　with　great　cruelty。　The　poor　prisoner　had　only　a
  little　straw　for　his　bed；　and　but　for　a　little　stream　of　water
  which　flowed　through　the　tower　he　would　have　died　of
  thirst。
  One　day　when　he　was　in　despair　he　said　to　himself：
  〃How　can　I　have　offended　the　King？　I　am　his　most
  faithful　subject；　and　have　done　nothing　against　him。〃
  The　King　chanced　to　be　passing　the　tower　and　recognized
  the　voice　of　his　former　favorite。　He　stopped　to　listen
  in　spite　of　Charming's　enemies；　who　tried　to　persuade
  him　to　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　the　traitor。　But　the
  King　said：
  〃Be　quiet；　I　wish　to　hear　what　he　says。〃
  And　then　he　opened　the　tower　door　and　called　to
  Charming；　who　came　very　sadly　and　kissed　the　King's
  hand；　saying：
  〃What　have　I　done；　sire；　to　deserve　this　cruel　treatment？〃
  〃You　mocked　me　and　my　ambassador；〃　said　the　King；
  〃and　you　said　that　if　I　had　sent　you　for　the　Princess
  Goldilocks　you　would　certainly　have　brought　her　back。〃
  〃It　is　quite　true；　sire；〃　replied　Charming；　〃I　should　have
  drawn　such　a　picture　of　you；　and　represented　your　good
  qualities　in　such　a　way；　that　I　am　certain　the　Princess
  would　have　found　you　irresistible。　But　I　cannot　see　what
  there　is　in　that　to　make　you　angry。〃
  The　King　could　not　see　any　cause　for　anger　either　when
  the　matter　was　presented　to　him　in　this　light；　and　he　be…
  gan　to　frown　very　fiercely　at　the　courtiers　who　had　so
  misrepresented　his　favorite。
  So　he　took　Charming　back　to　the　palace　with　him；　and
  after　seeing　that　he　had　a　very　good　supper　he　said　to
  him：
  〃You　know　that　I　love　Pretty　Goldilocks　as　much　as
  ever；　her　refusal　has　not　made　any　difference　to　me；　but
  I　don't　know　how　to　make　her　change　her　mind；　I　really
  should　like　to　send　you；　to　see　if　you　can　persuade　her　to
  marry　me。〃
  Charming　replied　that　he　was　perfectly　willing　to　go；
  and　would　set　out　the　very　next　day。
  〃But　you　must　wait　till　I　can　get　a　grand　escort　for
  you；〃　said　the　King。　But　Charming　said　that　he　only
  wanted　a　good　horse　to　ride；　and　the　King；　who　was
  delighted　at　his　being　ready　to　start　so　promptly；　gave　him
  letters　to　the　Princess；　and　bade　him　good　speed。　It　was
  on　a　Monday　morning　that　he　set　out　all　alone　upon　his
  errand；　thinking　of　nothing　but　how　he　could　persuade
  the　Princess　Goldilocks　to　marry　the　King。　He　had　a
  writing…book　in　his　pocket；　and　whenever　any　happy
  thought　struck　him　he　dismounted　from　his　horse　and　sat
  down　under　the　trees　to　put　it　into　the　harangue　which
  he　was　preparing　for　the　Princess；　before　he　forgot　it。
  One　day　when　he　had　started　at　the　very　earliest　dawn；
  and　was　riding　over　a　great　meadow；　he　suddenly　had　a
  capital　idea；　and；　springing　from　his　horse；　he　sat　down
  under　a　willow　tree　which　grew　by　a　little　river。　When
  he　had　written　it　down　he　was　looking　round　him；　pleased
  to　find　himself　in　such　a　pretty　place；　when　all　at　once　he
  saw　a　great　golden　carp　lying　gasping　and　exhausted　upon
  the　grass。　In　leaping　after　little　flies　she　had　thrown
  herself　high　upon　the　bank；　where　she　had　lain　till　she　was
  nearly　dead。　Charming　had　pity　upon　her；　and；　though
  he　couldn't　help　thinking　that　she　would　have　been　very
  nice　for　dinner；　he　picked　her　up　gently　and　put　her　back
  into　the　water。　As　soon　as　Dame　Carp　felt　the　refreshing
  coolness　of　the　water　she　sank　down　joyfully　to　the
  bottom　of　the　river；　then；　swimming　up　to　the　bank　quite
  boldly；　she　said：
  〃I　thank　you；　Charming；　for　the　kindness　you　have
  done　me。　You　have　saved　my　life；　one　day　I　will　repay
  you。〃　So　saying；　she　sank　down　into　the　water　again；
  leaving　Charming　greatly　astonished　at　her　politeness。
  Another　day；　as　he　journeyed　on；　he　saw　a　raven　in
  great　distress。　The　poor　bird　was　closely　pursued　by　an
  eagle；　which　would　soon　have　eaten　it　up；　had　not　Charming
  quickly　fitted　an　arrow　to　his　bow　and　shot　the　eagle
  dead。　The　raven　perched　upon　a　tree　very　joyfully。
  〃Charming；〃　said　he；　〃it　was　very　generous　of　you　to
  rescue　a　poor　raven；　I　am　not　ungrateful；　some　day　I　will
  repay　you。〃
  Charming　thought　it　was　very　nice　of　the　raven　to　say
  so；　and　went　on　his　way。
  Before　the　sun　rose　he　found　himself　in　a　thick　wood
  where　it　was　too　dark　for　him　to　see　his　path；　and　here
  he　heard　an　owl　crying　as　if　it　were　in　despair。
  〃Hark！〃　said　he；　〃that　must　be　an　owl　in　great　trouble；
  I　am　sure　it　has　gone　into　a　snare〃；　and　he　began　to　hunt
  about；　and　presently　found　a　great　net　which　some　bird…
  catchers　had　spread　the　night　before。
  〃What　a　pity　it　is　that　men　do　nothing　but　torment　and
  persecute　poor　creatures　which　never　do　them　any　harm！〃
  said　he；　and　he　took　out　his　knife　and　cut　the　cords　of　the
  net；　and　the　owl　flitted　away　into　the　darkness；　but　then
  turning；　with　one　flicker　of　her　wings；　she　came　back　to
  Charming　and　said：
  〃It　does　not　need　many　words　to　tell　you　how　great　a
  service　you　have　done　me。　I　was　caught；　in　a　few　minutes
  the　fowlers　would　have　been　herewithout　your　help　I
  should　have　been　killed。　I　am　grateful；　and　one　day　I
  will　repay　you。〃
  These　three　adventures　were　the　only　ones　of　any
  consequence　that　befell　Charming　upon　his　journey；　and　he
  made　all　the　haste　he　could　to　reach　the　palace　of　the
  Princess　Goldilocks。
  When　he　arrived　he　thought　everything　he　saw　delightful
  and　magnificent。　Diamonds　were　as　plentiful　as　pebbles；
  and　the　gold　and　silver；　the　beautiful　dresses；　the
  sweetmeats　and　pretty　things　that　were　everywhere　quite
  amazed　him；　he　thought　to　himself：　〃If　the　Princess
  consents　to　leave　all　this；　and　come　with　me　to　marry　the
  King；　he　may　think　himself　lucky！〃
  Then　he　dressed　himself　car