As soon as it was light , Felicia , who was very unhappy about her pot of pinks , went out to look for it , and the first thing she found was the unfortunate cabbage . She gave it a push with her foot , saying : `` What are you doing here , and how dared you put yourself in the place of my pot of pinks ? '' `` If I had n't been carried , '' replied the cabbage , `` you may be very sure that I should n't have thought of going there . '' It made her shiver with fright to hear the cabbage talk , but he went on : `` If you will be good enough to plant me by my comrades again , I can tell you where your pinks are at this moment -- hidden in Bruno 's bed ! '' Felicia was in despair when she heard this , not knowing how she was to get them back . But she replanted the cabbage very kindly in his old place , and , as she finished doing it , she saw Bruno 's hen , and said , catching hold of it : `` Come here , horrid little creature ! you shall suffer for all the unkind things my brother has done to me . '' `` Ah ! shepherdess , '' said the hen , `` do n't kill me ; I am rather a gossip , and I can tell you some surprising things that you will like to hear . Do n't imagine that you are the daughter of the poor laborer who brought you up ; your mother was a queen who had six girls already , and the King threatened that unless she had a son who could inherit his kingdom she should have her head cut off . `` So when the Queen had another little daughter she was quite frightened , and agreed with her sister -LRB- who was a fairy -RRB- to exchange her for the fairy 's little son . Now the Queen had been shut up in a great tower by the King 's orders , and when a great many days went by and still she heard nothing from the Fairy she made her escape from the window by means of a rope ladder , taking her little baby with her . After wandering about until she was half dead with cold and fatigue she reached this cottage . I was the laborer 's wife , and was a good nurse , and the Queen gave you into my charge , and told me all her misfortunes , and then died before she had time to say what was to become of you . `` As I never in all my life could keep a secret , I could not help telling this strange tale to my neighbors , and one day a beautiful lady came here , and I told it to her also . When I had finished she touched me with a wand she held in her hand , and instantly I became a hen , and there was an end of my talking ! I was very sad , and my husband , who was out when it happened , never knew what had become of me . After seeking me everywhere he believed that I must have been drowned , or eaten up by wild beasts in the forest . That same lady came here once more , and commanded that you should be called Felicia , and left the ring and the pot of pinks to be given to you ; and while she was in the house twenty-five of the King 's guards came to search for you , doubtless meaning to kill you ; but she muttered a few words , and immediately they all turned into cabbages . It was one of them whom you threw out of your window yesterday .
`` I do n't know how it was that he could speak -- I have never heard either of them say a word before , nor have I been able XXXXX do it myself until now . ''
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