You must know that I am very particular about what I eat , and if there is one thing that I fancy above all others , it is a plump , tender little mouse . If there is such a thing in your garret just throw it down to me , and in return I will promise that your little daughter shall be well taken care of . ' The Queen when she heard this began to cry , but made no answer , and the old woman after waiting a few minutes asked her what was the matter . ` Why , ' said the Queen , ` there is only one mouse in this garret , and that is such a dear , pretty little thing that I can not bear to think of its being killed . ' ` What ! ' cried the old woman , in a rage . ` Do you care more for a miserable mouse than for your own baby ? Good-bye , madam ! I leave you to enjoy its company , and for my own part I thank my stars that I can get plenty of mice without troubling you to give them to me . ' And she hobbled off grumbling and growling . As to the Queen , she was so disappointed that , in spite of finding a better dinner than usual , and seeing the little mouse dancing in its merriest mood , she could do nothing but cry . That night when her baby was fast asleep she packed it into the basket , and wrote on a slip of paper , ` This unhappy little girl is called Delicia ! ' This she pinned to its robe , and then very sadly she was shutting the basket , when in sprang the little mouse and sat on the baby 's pillow . ` Ah ! little one , ' said the Queen , ` it cost me dear to save your life . How shall I know now whether my Delicia is being taken care of or no ? Anyone else would have let the greedy old woman have you , and eat you up , but I could not bear to do it . ' Whereupon the Mouse answered : ` Believe me , madam , you will never repent of your kindness . ' The Queen was immensely astonished when the Mouse began to speak , and still more so when she saw its little sharp nose turn to a beautiful face , and its paws to hands and feet ; then it suddenly grew tall , and the Queen recognised the Fairy who had come with the wicked King to visit her . The Fairy smiled at her astonished look , and said : ' I wanted to see if you were faithful and capable of feeling a real friendship for me , for you see we fairies are rich in everything but friends , and those are hard to find . '
` It is not possible that YOU should want XXXXX friends , you charming creature , ' said the Queen , kissing her .
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