Then she plucked up courage and cried : ` Ant , come to me ! ' And in a moment the branching horns and beautiful shape had vanished , and a tiny brown ant , invisible to all who did not look closely , was climbing up the walls . It was wonderful how fast she went , that little creature ! The wall must have appeared miles high in comparison with her own body ; yet , in less time than would have seemed possible , she was over the top and down in the courtyard on the other side . Here she paused to consider what had best be done next , and looking about her she saw that one of the walls had a tall tree growing by it , and in the corner was a window very nearly on a level with the highest branches of the tree . ` Monkey , come to me ! ' cried the ant ; and before you could turn round a monkey was swinging herself from the topmost branches into the room where the giant lay snoring . ` Perhaps he will be so frightened at the sight of me that he may die of fear , and I shall never get the crown , ' thought the monkey . ' I had better become something else . ' And she called softly : ` Parrot , come to me ! ' Then a pink and grey parrot hopped up to the giant , who by this time was stretching himself and giving yawns which shook the castle . The parrot waited a little , until he was really awake , and then she said boldly that she had been sent to take away the crown , which was not his any longer , now his daughter the queen was dead . On hearing these words the giant leapt out of bed with an angry roar , and sprang at the parrot in order to wring her neck with his great hands . But the bird was too quick for him , and , flying behind his back , begged the giant to have patience , as her death would be of no use to him . ` That is true , ' answered the giant ; ` but I am not so foolish as to give you that crown for nothing . Let me think what I will have in exchange ! ' And he scratched his huge head for several minutes , for giants ' minds always move slowly . ` Ah , yes , that will do ! ' exclaimed the giant at last , his face brightening . ` You shall have the crown if you will bring me a collar of blue stones from the Arch of St. Martin , in the Great City . '
Now when the parrot had been a girl she had often heard of this wonderful arch and the precious stones and marbles that had been let XXXXX it .
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