The grass and briers were growing as high as if it were a hundred years since anyone had set foot there , but the Princess got through at last , though she gave herself a good many scratches by the way , and then she went into a dark , gloomy hall , where there was but one tiny hole in the wall through which the daylight could enter . The hangings were all of bats ' wings , and from the ceiling hung twelve cats , who filled the hall with their ear piercing yells . Upon the long table twelve mice were fastened by the tail , and just in front of each one 's nose , but quite beyond its reach , lay a tempting morsel of fat bacon . So the cats could always see the mice , but could not touch them , and the hungry mice were tormented by the sight and smell of the delicious morsels which they could never seize . The Princess was looking at the poor creatures in dismay , when the Enchanter suddenly entered , wearing a long black robe and with a crocodile upon his head . In his hand he carried a whip made of twenty long snakes , all alive and writhing , and the Princess was so terrified at the sight that she heartily wished she had never come . Without saying a word she ran to the door , but it was covered with a thick spider 's web , and when she broke it she found another , and another , and another . In fact , there was no end to them ; the Princess 's arms ached with tearing them down , and yet she was no nearer to getting out , and the wicked Enchanter behind her laughed maliciously . At last he said : ` You might spend the rest of your life over that without doing any good , but as you are young , and quite the prettiest creature I have seen for a long time , I will marry you if you like , and I will give you those cats and mice that you see there for your own . They are princes and princesses who have happened to offend me . They used to love one another as much as they now hate one another . Aha ! It 's a pretty little revenge to keep them like that . ' ` Oh ! If you would only change me into a mouse too , ' cried the Princess . ` Oh ! so you wo n't marry me ? ' said he . ` Little simpleton , you should have everything heart can desire . ' ` No , indeed ; nothing should make me marry you ; in fact , I do n't think I shall ever love anyone , ' cried the Princess .
` In that case , ' said the Enchanter , touching her , ` you had better become a particular kind XXXXX creature that is neither fish nor fowl ; you shall be light and airy , and as green as the grass you live in .
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