and they all sat down and
looked at the Queen, but she did not stir.

At last Jack said, "When is the breakfast coming?"

"This is the breakfast," said the apple-woman; "these flowers are most
delicious eating. You never tasted anything so good in your life; but
we don't begin till the Queen does."

Quantities of blossoms had dropped into the boat. Several fairies
tumbled into it almost head over heels, they were in such a hurry, and
they heaped them into Mopsa's lap, but took no notice of Jack, nor of
the apple-woman either.

At last, when every one had waited some time, the Queen pulled a petal
off one flower, and began to eat, so every one else began; and what
the apple-woman had said was quite true. Jack knew that he never had
tasted anything half so nice, and he was quite sorry when he could not
eat any more. So, when every one had finished, the Queen leaned her
arm on the edge of the boat, and, turning her lovely face towards
Mopsa, said, "I want to whisper to you, sister."

"Oh!" said Mopsa, "I wish I was in Jack's waistcoat pocket again; but
I'm so big now." And she took hold of the two sides of his velvet
jacket, and hid her face between them.

"My old mother sent a message last night," continued the Queen, in a
soft, sorrowful voice. "She is much more powerful than we are."

"What is the message?" asked Mopsa; but she still hid her face.

So the Queen moved over, and put her lips close to Mopsa's ear, and
repeated it: "There cannot be two Queens in one hive."

"If Mopsa leaves the hive, a fine swarm will go with her," said the
apple-woman. "I shall, for one; that I shall!"

"No!" answered the Queen. "I hope not, dear; for you know well that
this is my old mother's doing, not mine."

"Oh!" said Mopsa; "I feel as if I must tell a story too, just as the
Queen does." But the apple-woman broke out in a very cross voice,
"It's not at all like Fairyland, if you go on in this way, and I would
as lieve be out of it as in it." Then she began to sing, that she and
Jack might not hear Mopsa's story:--

On the rocks by Aberdeen,
Where the whislin' wave had been,
As I wandered and at e'en
Was eerie;
There I saw thee sailing west,
And I ran with joy opprest--
Ay, and took out all my best,
My dearie.

Then I busked mysel' wi' speed,
And the neighbors cried "What need?
'Tis a lass in any weed
Aye bonny!"
Now my heart, my heart is sair.
What's the good,