If she chased them in the meadow they fled into the wood , and if she pursued them into the wood they dodged round trees and behind sprigs of moss , and with peals of elfin laughter scampered back again into the meadow . At last , weary and terrified , she sat down and cried . ` It is my own fault , ' she said sadly . ` Percinet , if you can still care for such an imprudent Princess , do come and help me once more . ' Immediately Percinet stood before her . ` Ah , Princess ! ' he said , ` but for the wicked Queen I fear you would never think of me at all . ' ` Indeed I should , ' said Graciosa ; ' I am not so ungrateful as you think . Only wait a little and I believe I shall love you quite dearly . ' Percinet was pleased at this , and with one stroke of his wand compelled all the wilful little people to come back to their places in the box , and then rendering the Princess invisible he took her with him in his chariot to the castle . When the Princess presented herself at the door , and said that the Queen had ordered her to place the box in her own room , the governor laughed heartily at the idea . ` No , no , my little shepherdess , ' said he , ` that is not the place for you . No wooden shoes have ever been over that floor yet . ' Then Graciosa begged him to give her a written message telling the Queen that he had refused to admit her . This he did , and she went back to Percinet , who was waiting for her , and they set out together for the palace . You may imagine that they did not go the shortest way , but the Princess did not find it too long , and before they parted she had promised that if the Queen was still cruel to her , and tried again to play her any spiteful trick , she would leave her and come to Percinet for ever . When the Queen saw her returning she fell upon the Fairy , whom she had kept with her , and pulled her hair , and scratched her face , and would really have killed her if a Fairy could be killed . And when the Princess presented the letter and the box she threw them both upon the fire without opening them , and looked very much as if she would like to throw the Princess after them . However , what she really did do was to have a great hole as deep as a well dug in her garden , and the top of it covered with a flat stone . Then she went and walked near it , and said to Graciosa and all her ladies who were with her : ' I am told that a great treasure lies under that stone ; let us see if we can lift it . '
So they all began to push and pull at it , and Graciosa among the others , which was just what the Queen wanted ; for as soon as the stone was lifted high enough , she gave the Princess a push which sent her down to the bottom XXXXX the well , and then the stone was let fall again , and there she was a prisoner .
If as at for near of that upon with without