he saw before her a tiny house, and turned her slow steps
towards it. The nearer she approached the more miserable it appeared,
and at length she saw a little old woman sitting upon the door-step, who
said grimly:

'Here comes one of these fine beggars who are too idle to do anything
but run about the country!'

'Alas! madam,' said Celandine, with tears in her pretty eyes, 'a sad
fate forces me to ask you for shelter.'

'Didn't I tell you what it would be?' growled the old hag. 'From
shelter we shall proceed to demand supper, and from supper money to take
us on our way. Upon my word, if I could be sure of finding some one
every day whose head was as soft as his heart, I wouldn't wish for a
more agreeable life myself! But I have worked hard to build my house and
secure a morsel to eat, and I suppose you think that I am to give away
everything to the first passer-by who chooses to ask for it. Not at all!
I wager that a fine lady like you has more money than I have. I must
search her, and see if it is not so,' she added, hobbling towards
Celandine with the aid of her stick.

'Alas! madam,' replied the Princess, 'I only wish I had. I would give it
to you with all the pleasure in life.'

'But you are very smartly dressed for the kind of life you lead,'
continued the old woman.

'What!' cried the Princess, 'do you think I am come to beg of you?'

'I don't know about that,' answered she; 'but at any rate you don't seem
to have come to bring me anything. But what is it that you do want?
Shelter? Well, that does not cost much; but after that comes supper, and
that I can't hear of. Oh dear no! Why, at your age one is always ready
to eat; and now you have been walking, and I suppose you are ravenous?'

'Indeed no, madam,' answered the poor Princess, 'I am too sad to be
hungry.'

'Oh, well! if you will promise to go on being sad, you may stay for the
night,' said the old woman mockingly.

Thereupon she made the Princess sit down beside her, and began fingering
her silken robe, while she muttered 'Lace on top, lace underneath! This
must have cost you a pretty penny! It would have been better to save
enough to feed yourself, and not come begging to those who want all they
have for themselves. Pray, what may you have paid for these fine
clothes?'

'Alas! madam,' answered the Princess, 'I did not buy them, and I know
nothing about money.'

'What _do_ you know, if I may ask?' said the old dame.

'Not much; but indeed I