` Alas I madam , ' cried the Princess , ` is it impossible to be at once wise and beautiful ? ' ` No , child , ' answered the old woman , ` only to you it is decreed that you must choose between the two . See , I have brought with me my white and yellow muff . Breathe upon the yellow side and you will become like the pretty shepherdess you so much admire , and you will have won the love of the handsome shepherd whose picture I have already seen you studying with interest . Breathe upon the white side and your looks will not alter , but you will grow better and happier day by day . Now you may choose . ' ` Ah well , ' said the Princess , ' I suppose one ca n't have everything , and it 's certainly better to be good than pretty . ' And so she breathed upon the white side of the muff and thanked the old fairy , who immediately disappeared . The Princess Cabbage-Stalk felt very forlorn when she was gone , and began to think that it was quite time her father sent an army to rescue her . ` If I could but get up into the turret , ' she thought , ` to see if any one is coming . ' But to climb up there seemed impossible . Nevertheless she presently hit upon a plan . The great clock was in the turret , as she knew , though the weights hung down into the gallery . Taking one of them off the rope , she tied herself on in its place , and when the clock was wound , up she went triumphantly into the turret . She looked out over the country the first thing , but seeing nothing she sat down to rest a little , and accidentally leant back against the wall which Curlicue , or rather Prince Peerless , had so hastily mended . Out fell the broken stone , and with it the golden key . The clatter it made upon the floor attracted the Princess Cabbage-Stalk 's attention . She picked it up , and after a moment 's consideration decided that it must belong to the curious old cabinet in the corner , which had no visible keyhole . And then it was not long before she had it open , and was admiring the treasures it contained as much as Prince Peerless had done before her , and at last she came to the carbuncle box . No sooner had she opened it than with a shudder of horror she tried to throw it down , but found that some mysterious power compelled her to hold it against her will .
And XXXXX this moment a voice in her ear said softly : ` Take courage , Princess ; upon this adventure your future happiness depends . '
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