Then she was quite provoked , and said : ` What a bad little beast that mouse must be ! If it goes on like this I shall be starved . ' But when she glanced at the dish again it was covered with all sorts of nice things to eat , and the Queen made a very good dinner , and was gayer than usual over it . But afterwards as she sat at her spinning-wheel she began to consider what would happen if the little Princess did not grow up pretty enough to please the King , and she said to herself : ` Oh ! if I could only think of some way of escaping . ' As she spoke she saw the little mouse playing in a corner with some long straws . The Queen took them and began to plait them , saying : ` If only I had straws enough I would make a basket with them , and let my baby down in it from the window to any kind passer-by who would take care of her . ' By the time the straws were all plaited the little mouse had dragged in more and more , until the Queen had plenty to make her basket , and she worked at it day and night , while the little mouse danced for her amusement ; and at dinner and supper time the Queen gave it the three peas and the bit of black bread , and always found something good in the dish in their place . She really could not imagine where all the nice things came from . At last one day when the basket was finished , the Queen was looking out of the window to see how long a cord she must make to lower it to the bottom of the tower , when she noticed a little old woman who was leaning upon her stick and looking up at her . Presently she said : ' I know your trouble , madam . If you like I will help you . ' ` Oh ! my dear friend , ' said the Queen . ` If you really wish to be of use to me you will come at the time that I will appoint , and I will let down my poor little baby in a basket . If you will take her , and bring her up for me , when I am rich I will reward you splendidly . ' ' I do n't care about the reward , ' said the old woman , ` but there is one thing I should like . You must know that I am very particular about what I eat , and if there is one thing that I fancy above all others , it is a plump , tender little mouse . If there is such a thing in your garret just throw it down to me , and in return I will promise that your little daughter shall be well taken care of . ' The Queen when she heard this began to cry , but made no answer , and the old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her what was the matter .
` Why , ' said the Queen , ` there is only one mouse in this XXXXX , and that is such a dear , pretty little thing that I can not bear to think of its being killed . '
King Princess Queen bottom day garret gayer madam minutes night