you new
strength; make haste before it gets cold." Her daughter was also at
hand, and they carried the poor weak queen between them into the
bathroom, and laid her in the bath: then they shut the door and ran
away. But under the bath they had first lighted a great furnace-fire,
so that the beautiful young queen could not save herself from being
scorched alive.

When that was done the old witch took her own daughter, put a cap on
her, and laid her on the bed in the queen's room. She changed her also
into the shape of the young queen, all except her one eye, and she
could not give her another. But in order that the king might not
observe it, she was obliged to lie on that side where there was no
eye. In the evening, when he was come home, and heard that he had a
little son, he was very much delighted, and wished to visit his dear
wife and see how she was getting on; on which the old woman cried out
in a great hurry, "As you value your life, don't touch the curtain;
the queen must not see the light, and must be left quite quiet." So
the king went away, and never found out that it was a false queen in
the bed.

But when it was midnight, and all the world was asleep, the nurse who
was sitting beside the cradle, and who was the only person awake, saw
the door open and the true queen come in. She took the baby out of the
cradle, laid it in her arms, and nursed it tenderly. She then shook
up the pillows, laid it down again, and covered it with the
counterpane. She did not forget the roe either, but went into the
corner where it lay, and stroked it gently. After this she passed out,
quite silently, through the door; and the nurse inquired next morning
of the sentinels whether any one had gained entrance into the palace
during the night, but they answered, "No--we have seen nobody." She
continued to come in the same way for several nights, though she spoke
never a word: the nurse always saw her, but never dared to mention it.

When some time had passed, the queen at last began to speak, and
said--

"How is my baby? How is my roe?
I can come again twice, then for ever must go."

The nurse could not answer her; but when she had disappeared she went
to the king, and told him all about it, upon which he cried, "What
does it mean? I will myself watch by the child to-night."

In the evening he came to the nursery, and there at midnight the dead
queen appeared, and said--

"How is my baby? How is my roe?
I can