at. In this miserable
plight Graciosa did indeed regret the fairy palace, and she would have
called Percinet to her aid, only she felt sure he was still vexed with
her for leaving him, and thought that she could not expect him to come.

Meanwhile the Queen had sent for an old Fairy, as malicious as herself,
and said to her:

'You must find me some task for this fine Princess which she cannot
possibly do, for I mean to punish her, and if she does not do what I
order, she will not be able to say that I am unjust.' So the old Fairy
said she would think it over, and come again the next day. When she
returned she brought with her a skein of thread, three times as big
as herself; it was so fine that a breath of air would break it, and so
tangled that it was impossible to see the beginning or the end of it.

The Queen sent for Graciosa, and said to her:

'Do you see this skein? Set your clumsy fingers to work upon it, for I
must have it disentangled by sunset, and if you break a single thread
it will be the worse for you.' So saying she left her, locking the door
behind her with three keys.

The Princess stood dismayed at the sight of the terrible skein. If
she did but turn it over to see where to begin, she broke a thousand
threads, and not one could she disentangle. At last she threw it into
the middle of the floor, crying:

'Oh, Percinet! this fatal skein will be the death of me if you will not
forgive me and help me once more.'

And immediately in came Percinet as easily as if he had all the keys in
his own possession.

'Here I am, Princess, as much as ever at your service,' said he, 'though
really you are not very kind to me.'

Then he just stroked the skein with his wand, and all the broken threads
joined themselves together, and the whole skein wound itself smoothly
off in the most surprising manner, and the Prince, turning to Graciosa,
asked if there was nothing else that she wished him to do for her, and
if the time would never come when she would wish for him for his own
sake.

'Don't be vexed with me, Percinet,' she said. 'I am unhappy enough
without that.'

'But why should you be unhappy, my Princess?' cried he. 'Only come with
me and we shall be as happy as the day is long together.'

'But suppose you get tired of me?' said Graciosa.

The Prince was so grieved at this want of confidence that he left her
without another word.

The wicked Queen was in such a hurry to punish Graciosa that she though