lippers fall into the water. "Is
that all?" replied the King, and he sent for all the shoemakers in the
kingdom, and made the Queen a present of ten thousand green satin
slippers.

Still the Queen was no less sorrowful; the King asked her once more what
was the matter. She told him that, being hungry, she had eaten hastily,
and had swallowed her wedding-ring. The King knew that she was not
speaking the truth, for he had himself put away the ring, and he
replied, "My dear wife, you are not speaking the truth; here is your
ring, which I have kept in my purse." The Queen was put out of
countenance at being caught telling a lie--for there is nothing in the
world so ugly--and she saw that the King was vexed, so she told him what
the fairies had predicted about little Rosette, and begged him to tell
her if he could think of any remedy. The King was greatly troubled, so
much so, that at last he said to the Queen, "I see no way of saving our
two boys, except by putting the little girl to death, while she is still
in her swaddling clothes." But the Queen cried that she would rather
suffer death herself, that she would never consent to so cruel a deed,
and that the King must try and think of some other remedy. The King and
Queen could think of nothing else, and while thus pondering over the
matter, the Queen was told that in a large wood near the town, there
lived an old hermit, who made his home in the trunk of a tree, whom
people went from far and near to consult.

"It is to him I must go," said the Queen; "the fairies told me the evil,
but they forgot to tell me the remedy."

She started early in the morning, mounted on her little white mule, that
was shod with gold, and accompanied by two of her maids of honour, who
each rode a pretty horse. When they were near the wood they dismounted
out of respect, and made their way to the tree where the hermit lived.
He did not much care for the visits of women, but when he saw that it
was the Queen approaching, he said, "Welcome! what would you ask of me?"
She related to him what the fairies had said about Rosette, and asked
him to advise her what to do. He told her that the Princess must be shut
up in a tower, and not be allowed to leave it as long as she lived. The
Queen thanked him, and returned and told everything to the King. The
King immediately gave orders for a large tower to be built as quickly as
possible. In it he placed his daughter, but that she might not feel
lonely and