I brought you here to tell me if the child will grow up pretty and fortunate . ' Then the Fairy answered that the Princess would be as pretty , and clever , and well brought up as it was possible to be , and the old King growled to the Queen that it was lucky for her that it was so , as they would certainly have been hanged if it were otherwise . Then he stamped off , taking the Fairy with him , and leaving the poor Queen in tears . ` How can I wish my little daughter to grow up pretty if she is to be married to that horrid little dwarf , the King 's son , ' she said to herself , ` and yet , if she is ugly we shall both be killed . If I could only hide her away somewhere , so that the cruel King could never find her . ' As the days went on , the Queen and the little Princess grew thinner and thinner , for their hard-hearted gaoler gave them every day only three boiled peas and a tiny morsel of black bread , so they were always terribly hungry . At last , one evening , as the Queen sat at her spinning-wheel -- for the King was so avaricious that she was made to work day and night -- she saw a tiny , pretty little mouse creep out of a hole , and said to it : ` Alas , little creature ! what are you coming to look for here ? I only have three peas for my day 's provision , so unless you wish to fast you must go elsewhere . ' But the mouse ran hither and thither , and danced and capered so prettily , that at last the Queen gave it her last pea , which she was keeping for her supper , saying : ` Here , little one , eat it up ; I have nothing better to offer you , but I give this willingly in return for the amusement I have had from you . ' She had hardly spoken when she saw upon the table a delicious little roast partridge , and two dishes of preserved fruit . ` Truly , ' said she , ' a kind action never goes unrewarded ; ` and she and the little Princess ate their supper with great satisfaction , and then the Queen gave what was left to the little mouse , who danced better than ever afterwards . The next morning came the gaoler with the Queen 's allowance of three peas , which he brought in upon a large dish to make them look smaller ; but as soon as he set it down the little mouse came and ate up all three , so that when the Queen wanted her dinner there was nothing left for her . Then she was quite provoked , and said : ` What a bad little beast that mouse must be ! If it goes on like this I shall be starved . ' But when she glanced at the dish again it was covered with all sorts of nice things to eat , and the Queen made a very good dinner , and was gayer than usual over it . But afterwards as she sat at her spinning-wheel she began to consider what would happen if the little Princess did not grow up pretty enough to please the King , and she said to herself : ` Oh ! if I could only think of some way of escaping . ' As she spoke she saw the little mouse playing in a corner with some long straws . The Queen took them and began to plait them , saying : ` If only I had straws enough I would make a basket with them , and let my baby down in it from the window to any kind passer-by who would take care of her . '
By the time the straws were all plaited the little mouse had dragged in more and more , until the Queen had plenty to make her basket , and she worked at it day and night , while the little mouse danced for her amusement ; and at dinner and supper time the Queen gave it the three peas and the bit XXXXX black bread , and always found something good in the dish in their place .
As If for in of over than that to unless