never been such a fly-catching before, nor a better
pasty, than that the Queen made for the fairy. The latter was greatly
surprised when the Queen handed it to her, and could not imagine how she
had been clever enough to catch the flies.

The Queen, finding herself exposed to the inclemencies of the poisonous
atmosphere, cut down some cypress branches, wherewith to build herself a
hut. The Frog generously offered her services, and putting herself at
the head of all those who had gone to collect the flies, they helped the
Queen to build as pretty a little tenement as the world could show.
Scarcely, however, had she laid herself down to rest, than the monsters
of the lake, jealous of her repose, came round her hut, and nearly drove
her distracted, by setting up a noise, more hideous than any ever heard
before.

She rose in fear and trembling and fled from the house: this was exactly
what the monsters desired. A dragon, who had formerly been a tyrant of
one of the finest states of the Universe, immediately took possession of
it.

The poor Queen tried to complain of the ill-treatment, but no one would
listen to her; the monsters laughed and hooted at her, and the Fairy
Lioness told her that if she came again to deafen her with lamentations,
she would give her a sound thrashing. She was forced, therefore, to
hold her tongue, and to have recourse to the Frog, who was the kindest
body in the world. They wept together; for as soon as she put on her cap
of roses, the Frog was able to laugh or weep like anyone else. "I feel
such an affection for you," she said to the Queen, "that I will re-build
your house, even though I drive all the monsters of the lake to
despair." She immediately cut some wood, and the little rustic palace of
the Queen was so quickly reared, that she was able to sleep in it that
night. The Frog, who thought of everything that was necessary for the
Queen's comfort, made her a bed of wild thyme. When the wicked fairy
found out that the Queen did not sleep on the ground, she sent for her:
"What gods or men are they who protect you?" she asked. "This land,
watered only by showers of burning sulphur, has never produced even a
leaf of sage; I am told, nevertheless, that sweet-smelling herbs spring
up beneath your feet!"

"I cannot explain it, madam," said the Queen, "unless the cause is due
to the child I hope one day to have, who will perhaps be less unhappy
than I am."

"What I now wish for," said the fair