e forward and saluted the Queen timidly, but with so much
grace that all were surprised.

"What are you doing here, my pretty child?" asked the Queen. "Are you
not afraid of robbers?"

"Ah! madam," said Felicia, "a poor shepherdess who has nothing to lose
does not fear robbers."

"You are not very rich, then?" said the Queen, smiling.

"I am so poor," answered Felicia, "that a pot of pinks and a silver ring
are my only possessions in the world."

"But you have a heart," said the Queen. "What should you say if anybody
wanted to steal that?"

"I do not know what it is like to lose one's heart, madam," she replied;
"but I have always heard that without a heart one cannot live, and if it
is broken one must die; and in spite of my poverty I should be sorry not
to live."

"You are quite right to take care of your heart, pretty one," said the
Queen. "But tell me, have you supped?"

"No, madam," answered Felicia; "my brother ate all the supper there
was."

Then the Queen ordered that a place should be made for her at the table,
and herself loaded Felicia's plate with good things; but she was too
much astonished to be hungry.

"I want to know what you were doing at the fountain so late?" said the
Queen presently.

"I came to fetch a pitcher of water for my pinks, madam," she answered,
stooping to pick up the pitcher which stood beside her; but when she
showed it to the Queen she was amazed to see that it had turned to gold,
all sparkling with great diamonds, and the water, of which it was full,
was more fragrant than the sweetest roses. She was afraid to take it
until the Queen said:

"It is yours, Felicia; go and water your pinks with it, and let it
remind you that the Queen of the Woods is your friend."

The shepherdess threw herself at the Queen's feet, and thanked her
humbly for her gracious words.

"Ah! madam," she cried, "if I might beg you to stay here a moment I
would run and fetch my pot of pinks for you--they could not fall into
better hands."

"Go, Felicia," said the Queen, stroking her cheek softly; "I will wait
here until you come back."

So Felicia took up her pitcher and ran to her little room, but while she
had been away Bruno had gone in and taken the pot of pinks, leaving a
great cabbage in its place. When she saw the unlucky cabbage Felicia was
much distressed, and did not know what to do; but at last she ran back
to the fountain, and, kneeling before the Queen, said:

"Madam, Bruno has