I will give you my kingdoms willingly . ' '' ` No , ' replied the old fairy , ` we will have nothing but your little daughter . She shall be as happy as the day is long , and we will give her everything that is worth having in fairy-land , but you must not see her again until she is married . ' '' ` Though it is a hard condition , ' said the Queen , ' I consent , for I shall certainly die if I do not taste the fruit , and so I should lose my little daughter either way . ' `` So the old fairy led her into the castle , and , though it was still the middle of the night , the Queen could see plainly that it was far more beautiful than she had been told , which you can easily believe , Prince , '' said the White Cat , `` when I tell you that it was this castle that we are now in . ` Will you gather the fruit yourself , Queen ? ' said the old fairy , ` or shall I call it to come to you ? ' '' ' I beg you to let me see it come when it is called , ' cried the Queen ; ` that will be something quite new . ' The old fairy whistled twice , then she cried : '' ` Apricots , peaches , nectarines , cherries , plums , pears , melons , grapes , apples , oranges , lemons , gooseberries , strawberries , raspberries , come ! ' `` And in an instant they came tumbling in one over another , and yet they were neither dusty nor spoilt , and the Queen found them quite as good as she had fancied them . You see they grew upon fairy trees . `` The old fairy gave her golden baskets in which to take the fruit away , and it was as much as four hundred mules could carry . Then she reminded the Queen of her agreement , and led her back to the camp , and next morning she went back to her kingdom , but before she had gone very far she began to repent of her bargain , and when the King came out to meet her she looked so sad that he guessed that something had happened , and asked what was the matter . At first the Queen was afraid to tell him , but when , as soon as they reached the palace , five frightful little dwarfs were sent by the fairies to fetch me , she was obliged to confess what she had promised . The King was very angry , and had the Queen and myself shut up in a great tower and safely guarded , and drove the little dwarfs out of his kingdom ; but the fairies sent a great dragon who ate up all the people he met , and whose breath burnt up everything as he passed through the country ; and at last , after trying in vain to rid himself of this monster , the King , to save his subjects , was obliged to consent that I should be given up to the fairies . This time they came themselves to fetch me , in a chariot of pearl drawn by sea-horses , followed by the dragon , who was led with chains of diamonds . My cradle was placed between the old fairies , who loaded me with caresses , and away we whirled through the air to a tower which they had built on purpose for me . There I grew up surrounded with everything that was beautiful and rare , and learning everything that is ever taught to a princess , but without any companions but a parrot and a little dog , who could both talk ; and receiving every day a visit from one of the old fairies , who came mounted upon the dragon . One day , however , as I sat at my window I saw a handsome young prince , who seemed to have been hunting in the forest which surrounded my prison , and who was standing and looking up at me . When he saw that I observed him he saluted me with great deference .
You can imagine that I was delighted to have some one new to talk to , and in spite of the height of my window our conversation was prolonged till XXXXX fell , then my prince reluctantly bade me farewell .
Apricots King Prince Queen day first gooseberries night plums raspberries