She cried nearly all the way , and when she arrived she cried still more , for everything in the castle was dusty and old , and outside there was only a gravelled courtyard , and the king had forbidden her to go beyond the walls without at least two soldiers to take care of her . Now the queen had only been married a few months , and in her own home she had been used to walk and ride all over the hills without any attendants at all ; so she felt very dull at her being shut up in this way . However , she bore it for a long while because it was the king 's wish , but when time passed and there were no signs of the war drifting in the direction of the castle , she grew bolder , and sometimes strayed outside the walls , in the direction of the forest . Then came a dreadful period , when news from the king ceased entirely . ` He must surely be ill or dead , ' thought the poor girl , who even now was only sixteen . ' I can bear it no longer , and if I do not get a letter from him soon I shall leave this horrible place and go back to see what is the matter . Oh ! I do wish I had never come away ! ' So , without telling anyone what she intended to do , she ordered a little low carriage to be built , something like a sledge , only it was on two wheels -- just big enough to hold one person . ' I am tired of being always in the castle , ' she said to her attendants ; ` and I mean to hunt a little . Quite close by , of course , ' she added , seeing the anxious look on their faces . ` And there is no reason that you should not hunt too . ' All the faces brightened at that , for , to tell the truth , they were nearly as dull as their mistress ; so the queen had her way , and two beautiful horses were brought from the stable to draw the little chariot . At first the queen took care to keep near the rest of the hunt , but gradually she stayed away longer and longer , and at last , one morning , she took advantage of the appearance of a wild boar , after which her whole court instantly galloped , to turn into a path in the opposite direction . Unluckily , it did not happen to lead towards the king 's palace , where she intended to go , but she was so afraid her flight would be noticed that she whipped up her horses till they ran away . When she understood what was happening the poor young queen was terribly frightened , and , dropping the reins , clung to the side of the chariot . The horses , thus left without any control , dashed blindly against a tree , and the queen was flung out on the ground , where she lay for some minutes unconscious . A rustling sound near her at length caused her to open her eyes ; before her stood a huge woman , almost a giantess , without any clothes save a lion 's skin , which was thrown over her shoulders , while a dried snake 's skin was plaited into her hair . In one hand she held a club on which she leaned , and in the other a quiver full of arrows . At the sight of this strange figure the queen thought she must be dead , and gazing on an inhabitant of another world .
So she murmured softly to herself : ' I am not surprised that people are so loth to die when they know XXXXX they will see such horrible creatures . '
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