And in his great joy the King did not know that the woman he held in his arms was not his own dear wife , but a wicked witch . In the meantime , outside the palace walls , the poor White Duck swam up and down the pond ; and near it laid three eggs , out of which there came one morning two little fluffy ducklings and a little ugly drake . And the White Duck brought the little creatures up , and they paddled after her in the pond , and caught gold-fish , and hopped upon the bank and waddled about , ruffling their feathers and saying ` Quack , quack ' as they strutted about on the green banks of the pond . But their mother used to warn them not to stray too far , telling them that a wicked witch lived in the castle beyond the garden , adding , ` She has ruined me , and she will do her best to ruin you . ' But the young ones did not listen to their mother , and , playing about the garden one day , they strayed close up to the castle windows . The witch at once recognised them by their smell , and ground her teeth with anger ; but she hid her feelings , and , pretending to be very kind she called them to her and joked with them , and led them into a beautiful room , where she gave them food to eat , and showed them a soft cushion on which they might sleep . Then she left them and went down into the palace kitchens , where she told the servants to sharpen the knives , and to make a great fire ready , and hang a large kettleful of water over it . In the meantime the two little ducklings had fallen asleep , and the little drake lay between them , covered up by their wings , to be kept warm under their feathers . But the little drake could not go to sleep , and as he lay there wide awake in the night he heard the witch come to the door and say : ` Little ones , are you asleep ? ' And the little drake answered for the other two : ` We can not sleep , we wake and weep , Sharp is the knife , to take our life ; The fire is hot , now boils the pot , And so we wake , and lie and quake . ' ` They are not asleep yet , ' muttered the witch to herself ; and she walked up and down in the passage , and then came back to the door , and said : ` Little ones , are you asleep ? ' And again the little drake answered for his sisters : ` We can not sleep , we wake and weep , Sharp is the knife , to take our life ; The fire is hot , now boils the pot , And so we wake , and lie and quake . ' ` Just the same answer , ' muttered the witch ; ' I think I 'll go in and see . ' So she opened the door gently , and seeing the two little ducklings sound asleep , she there and then killed them . The next morning the White Duck wandered round the pond in a distracted manner , looking for her little ones ; she called and she searched , but could find no trace of them . And in her heart she had a foreboding that evil had befallen them , and she fluttered up out of the water and flew to the palace . And there , laid out on the marble floor of the court , dead and stone cold , were her three children . The White Duck threw herself upon them , and , covering up their little bodies with her wings , she cried : ` Quack , quack -- my little loves ! Quack , quack -- my turtle-doves ! I brought you up with grief and pain , And now before my eyes you 're slain .
I XXXXX you always of the best ; I kept you warm in my soft nest .
boils covered gave hid know opened ruffling sleep take went