16
and rocks. Here the queen resolved to gratify her horrible longings. She was, however, obliged to defer this pleasure for a few days, because her cook was not yet arrived, nor had sho prepared the sauce which she usually had at these delicious feasts.
In about a week the queen made another excursion to her country-house, taking with her the sauce and the cook. Having paid her respects to the princess, and kissed the children, she called the cook aside, and said to him,—“I have a mind to eat little Morning for my dinner to-morrow!” “Ah! madam,” cried the cook, “pray consider the pretty creature is yeur grand-daughter.” “I will have it so,” replied the queen in an angry tone, “fail not at your peril; and let her be well seasoned,and with plenty of my favourite sauce.” The poor man, knowing very well that he must not play tricks with Ogresses, took his great knife, and went up into little Morning’s chamber very early the next day, intending to kill her before broakfast; but the pretty little girl, who, thinking that ho had brought her somo sugar-candy, ran up to him, jumping and laughing, and caught him round the neck. This so affected the poor man that he could not refrain from tears; so, instead of killing her, he carried her to a littlo room he had at the bottom of the garden, and killed a little lamb, and dressed it so oxcellently, that his mistress assured him she had never eaten any thing so good in her life. As soon as tho wicked queen returned home in the evening, the ceok carried little Morning to the castle in the wood, which had been abandoned by its inhabitants after the princess had left it, and brought his wife and servant to attend her.
About eight days afterwards, the queen paid them another visit, and told tho cook that she would eat little Day. He returned no answer, boing resolved to cheat her as he had dono before; so, after hiding little Day, ho killed a young kid, which he cooked so very nicely, that the Ogress was quite delighted with it.
When the queen was gone, he also conducted littlo Day to his wife in tho old castle. This was hitherto all well: on her next visit, this wicked queen said to him,—“ I will eat tho young princess with tho same
