THE　WHITE　DUCK
  Once　upon　a　time　a　great　and　powerful　King　married　a　lovely
  Princess。　　No　couple　were　ever　so　happy；　but　before　their
  honeymoon　was　over　they　were　forced　to　part；　for　the　King　had　to
  go　on　a　warlike　expedition　to　a　far　country；　and　leave　his　young
  wife　alone　at　home。　　Bitter　were　the　tears　she　shed；　while　her
  husband　sought　in　vain　to　soothe　her　with　words　of　comfort　and
  counsel；　warning　her；　above　all　things；　never　to　leave　the
  castle；　to　hold　no　intercourse　with　strangers；　to　beware　of　evil
  counsellors；　and　especially　to　be　on　her　guard　against　strange
  women。　　And　the　Queen　promised　faithfully　to　obey　her　royal　lord
  and　master　in　these　four　matters。
  So　when　the　King　set　out　on　his　expedition　she　shut　herself　up
  with　her　ladies　in　her　own　apartments；　and　spent　her　time　in
  spinning　and　weaving；　and　in　thinking　of　her　royal　husband。
  Often　she　was　very　sad　and　lonely；　and　it　happened　that　one　day
  while　she　was　seated　at　the　window；　letting　salt　tears　drop　on
  her　work；　an　old　woman；　a　kind；　homely…looking　old　body；　stepped
  up　to　the　window；　and；　leaning　upon　her　crutch；　addressed　the
  Queen　in　friendly；　flattering　tones；　saying：
  'Why　are　you　sad　and　cast　down；　fair　Queen？　　You　should　not　mope
  all　day　in　your　rooms；　but　should　come　out　into　the　green　garden；
  and　hear　the　birds　sing　with　joy　among　the　trees；　and　see　the
  butterflies　fluttering　above　the　flowers；　and　hear　the　bees　and
  insects　hum；　and　watch　the　sunbeams　chase　the　dew…drops　through
  the　rose…leaves　and　in　the　lily…cups。　　All　the　brightness　outside
  would　help　to　drive　away　your　cares；　O　Queen。'
  For　long　the　Queen　resisted　her　coaxing　words；　remembering　the
  promise　she　had　given　the　King；　her　husband；　but　at　last　she
  thought　to　herself：　　After　all；　what　harm　would　it　do　if　I　were
  to　go　into　the　garden　for　a　short　time　and　enjoy　myself　among　the
  trees　and　flowers；　and　the　singing　birds　and　fluttering
  butterflies　and　humming　insects；　and　look　at　the　dew…drops　hiding
  from　the　sunbeams　in　the　hearts　of　the　roses　and　lilies；　and
  wander　about　in　the　sunshine；　instead　of　remaining　all　day　in
  this　room？　　For　she　had　no　idea　that　the　kind…looking　old　woman
  leaning　on　her　crutch　was　in　reality　a　wicked　witch；　who　envied
  the　Queen　her　good　fortune；　and　was　determined　to　ruin　her。　　And
  so；　in　all　ignorance；　the　Queen　followed　her　out　into　the　garden
  and　listened　to　her　smooth；　flattering　words。　　Now；　in　the　middle
  of　the　garden　there　was　a　pond　of　water；　clear　as　crystal；　and
  the　old　woman　said　to　the　Queen：
  'The　day　is　so　warm；　and　the　sun's　rays　so　scorching；　that　the
  water　in　the　pond　looks　very　cool　and　inviting。　　Would　you　not
  like　to　bathe　in　it；　fair　Queen？'
  'No；　I　think　not；'　answered　the　Queen；　but　the　next　moment　she
  regretted　her　words；　and　thought　to　herself：　　Why　shouldn't　I
  bathe　in　that　cool；　fresh　water？　　No　harm　could　come　of　it。　　And；
  so　saying；　she　slipped　off　her　robes　and　stepped　into　the　water。
  But　scarcely　had　her　tender　feet　touched　the　cool　ripples　when
  she　felt　a　great　shove　on　her　shoulders；　and　the　wicked　witch　had
  pushed　her　into　the　deep　water；　exclaiming：
  'Swim　henceforth；　White　Duck！'
  And　the　witch　herself　assumed　the　form　of　the　Queen；　and　decked
  herself　out　in　the　royal　robes；　and　sat　among　the　Court　ladies；
  awaiting　the　King's　return。　　And　suddenly　the　tramp　of　horses'
  hoofs　was　heard；　and　the　barking　of　dogs；　and　the　witch　hastened
  forward　to　meet　the　royal　carriages；　and；　throwing　her　arms　round
  the　King's　neck；　kissed　him。　　And　in　his　great　joy　the　King　did
  not　know　that　the　woman　he　held　in　his　arms　was　not　his　own　dear
  wife；　but　a　wicked　witch。
  In　the　meantime；　outside　the　palace　walls；　the　poor　White　Duck
  swam　up　and　down　the　pond；　and　near　it　laid　three　eggs；　out　of
  which　there　came　one　morning　two　little　fluffy　ducklings　and　a
  little　ugly　drake。　　And　the　White　Duck　brought　the　little
  creatures　up；　and　they　paddled　after　her　in　the　pond；　and　caught
  gold…fish；　and　hopped　upon　the　bank　and　waddled　about；　ruffling
  their　feathers　and　saying　'Quack；　quack'　as　they　strutted　about
  on　the　green　banks　of　the　pond。　　But　their　mother　used　to　warn
  them　not　to　stray　too　far；　telling　them　that　a　wicked　witch　lived
  in　the　castle　beyond　the　garden；　adding；　'She　has　ruined　me；　and
  she　will　do　her　best　to　ruin　you。'　　But　the　young　ones　did　not
  listen　to　their　mother；　and；　playing　about　the　garden　one　day；
  they　strayed　close　up　to　the　castle　windows。　　The　witch　at　once
  recognised　them　by　their　smell；　and　ground　her　teeth　with　anger；
  but　she　hid　her　feelings；　and；　pretending　to　be　very　kind　she
  called　them　to　her　and　joked　with　them；　and　led　them　into　a
  beautiful　room；　where　she　gave　them　food　to　eat；　and　showed　them
  a　soft　cushion　on　which　they　might　sleep。　　Then　she　left　them　and
  went　down　into　the　palace　kitchens；　where　she　told　the　servants
  to　sharpen　the　knives；　and　to　make　a　great　fire　ready；　and　hang　a
  large　kettleful　of　water　over　it。
  In　the　meantime　the　two　little　ducklings　had　fallen　asleep；　and
  the　little　drake　lay　between　them；　covered　up　by　their　wings；　to
  be　kept　warm　under　their　feathers。　　But　the　little　drake　could
  not　go　to　sleep；　and　as　he　lay　there　wide　awake　in　the　night　he
  heard　the　witch　come　to　the　door　and　say：
  'Little　ones；　are　you　asleep？'
  And　the　little　drake　answered　for　the　other　two：
  'We　cannot　sleep；　we　wake　and　weep；
  Sharp　is　the　knife；　to　take　our　life；
  The　fire　is　hot；　now　boils　the　pot；
  And　so　we　wake；　and　lie　and　quake。'
  'They　are　not　asleep　yet；'　muttered　the　witch　to　herself；　and　she
  walked　up　and　down　in　the　passage；　and　then　came　back　to　the
  door；　and　said：
  'Little　ones；　are　you　asleep？'
  And　again　the　little　drake　answered　for　his　sisters：
  'We　cannot　sleep；　we　wake　and　weep；
  Sharp　is　the　knife；　to　take　our　life；
  The　fire　is　hot；　now　boils　the　pot；
  And　so　we　wake；　and　lie　and　quake。'
  'Just　the　same　answer；'　muttered　the　witch；　'I　think　I'll　go　in
  and　see。'　　So　she　opened　the　door　gently；　and　seeing　the　two
  little　ducklings　sound　asleep；　she　there　and　then　killed　them。
  The　next　morning　the　White　Duck　wandered　round　the　pond　in　a
  distracted　manner；　looking　for　her　little　ones；　she　called　and
  she　searched；　but　could　find　no　trace　of　them。　　And　in　her　heart
  she　had　a　foreboding　that　evil　had　befallen　them；　and　she
  fluttered　up　out　of　the　water　and　flew　to　the　palace。　　And　there；
  laid　out　on　the　marble　floor　of　the　court；　dead　and　stone　cold；
  were　her　three　children。　　The　White　Duck　threw　herself　upon　them；
  and；　covering　up　their　little　bodies　with　her　wings；　she　cried：
  'Quack；　quackmy　little　loves！
  Quack；　quackmy　turtle…doves！
  I　brought　you　up　with　grief　and　pain；
  And　now　before　my　eyes　you're　slain。
  I　gave　you　always　of　the　best；
  I　kept　you　warm　in　my　soft　nest。
  I　loved　and　watched　you　day　and　night
  You　were　my　joy；　my　one　delight。'
  The　King　heard　the　sad　complaint　of　the　White　Duck；　and　called　to
  the　witch：　'Wife；　what　a　wonder　is　this？　　Listen　to　that　White
  Duck。'
  But　the　witch　answered；　'My　dear　husband；　what　do　you　mean？
  There　is　nothing　wonderful　in　a　duck's　quacking。　　Here；　servants！
  Chase　that　duck　out　of　the　courtyard。'　　But　though　the　servants
  chased　and　chevied；　they　could　not　get　rid　of　the　duck；　for　she
  circled　round　and　round；　and　always　came　back　to　the　spot　where
  her　children　lay；　crying：
  'Quack；　quackmy　little　loves！
  Quack；　quackmy　turtle…doves！
  The　wicked　witch　your　lives　did　take
  The　wicked　witch；　the　cunning　snake。
  First　she　stole　my　King　away；
  Then　my　children　did　she　slay。
  Changed　me；　from　a　happy　wife；
  To　a　duck　for　all　my　life。
  Would　I　were　the　Queen　again；
  Would　that　you　had　never　been　slain。'
  And　as　the　King　heard　her　words　he　began　to　suspect　that　he　had
  been　deceived；　and　he　called　out　to　the　servants；　'Catch　that
  duck；　and　bring　it　here。'　　But；　though　they　ran　to　and　fro；　the
  duck　always　fled　past　them；　and　would　not　let　herself　be　caught。
  So　the　King　himself　stepped　down　amongst　them；　and　instantly　the
  duck　fluttered　down　into　his　hands。　　And　as　he　stroked　her　wings
  she　was　changed　into　a　beautiful　woman；　and　he　recognised　his
  dear　wife。　　And　she　told　him　that　a　bottle　would　be　found　in　her
  nest　in　the　garden；　containing　some　drops　from　the　spring　of
  healing。　　And　it　was　brought　to　her；　and　the　ducklings　and　little
  drake　were　sprinkled　with　the　water；　and　from　the　little　dead
  bodies　three　lovely　children　arose。　　And　the　King　and　Queen　were
  overjoyed　when　they　saw　their　children；　and　they　all　lived
  happily　together　in　the　beautiful　palace。　　But　th