`` And why does the king want all these tailors and hatters so suddenly , telescope-makers and swordmakers and shoemakers , too ? '' she asked herself , as she stood at the window watching the moon . `` I could find out . I could turn myself into a dog or a cat , and go into the room where he is giving his orders . But that is awkward , for when the servants see Rip '' -LRB- that was the dog -RRB- `` in two places at once , they begin to think the palace is haunted , and it makes people talk . Besides , I know it is wrong to listen to what one is not meant to hear . It is often difficult to be a magician and a good girl . The temptations are so strong , stronger than most people allow for . '' So she remained , with the moon shining on her pretty yellow hair and her white dress , wondering what the king intended to do , and whether it was something that Dick would not like . `` How stupid of me , '' she said at length , `` after all the lessons I have had . Why , I can drink the moon ! '' Now , this is a way of knowing what anyone else is thinking of and intends to do , for the moon sees and knows everything . Whether it is quite fair is another matter ; but , at all events , it is not listening . And anyone may see that , if you are a magician , like the Princess Jaqueline , a great many difficult questions as to what is right and wrong at once occur which do not trouble other people . King Prigio 's secret , why he sent for the tailor and the other people , was his own secret . The princess decided that she would not find it out by turning herself into Rip or the cat -LRB- whose name was Semiramis -RRB- , and , so far , she was quite right . But she was very young , and it never occurred to her that it was just as wrong to find out what the king meant by drinking the moon as by listening in disguise . As she grew older she learned to know better ; but this is just the danger of teaching young girls magic , and for that very reason it has been given up in most countries . However , the princess did not think about right and wrong , unluckily . She went to the bookcase and took down her Cornelius Agrippa , in one great tall black volume , with silver clasps which nobody else could open ; for , as the princess said , there are books which it would never do to leave lying about where the servants or anybody could read them .
Nobody could undo the clasps , however strong or clever he might be ; but the princess just breathed on them and made a sign , and the book flew open at the XXXXX place -- Book IV. , chapter vi. , about the middle of page 576 .
Agrippa Dick Jaqueline Prigio Semiramis right shoemakers swordmakers tailors telescope-makers