and I would rather you deplored the loss of my life, than of my affection. They will find perchance in the forest, the fragments of my chariot, and all the ornaments that I wore in the hope of pleasing you; at such a sight you will no longer doubt that I am dead; and how can I be certain that you will not give to another my place in your heart? But at all events, I shall not know it, for I am never to return to the world." She would have continued a long time, lamenting in this manner, if she had not heard over her head the mournful croaking of a raven. She raised her eyes, and by favour of the little light that glimmered on the bank, she saw a large raven with a frog in its claws, and evincing a decided intention of eating it quickly. "Although there is nothing here to relieve me," said she, "I will not neglect to save a poor frog, who is in as much distress in its way as I am in mine." She caught up the first stick she could find, and made the raven abandon its prey. The Frog fell to the ground, remained for some time stupefied, then, recovering its frogish senses, said, "Beautiful Queen, you are the only kind-hearted person I have seen in these regions since my curiosity led me to them." "By what miracle are you able to speak, little Frog," said the Queen; "and who are the persons you have seen here, for as yet I have not seen any?" "All the monsters with which this lake is covered," replied the little Frog, "have once been in the world; some of them kings, others in the confidence of their sovereigns; there are even some here who have been the mistresses of kings, and cost the state much precious blood. They are those whom you see metamorphosed into leeches. Fate sends them hither for a certain time, but none of them return any better, or correct themselves of their faults." "I can easily understand," said the Queen, "that the herding of many wicked people together, would not tend to their reformation; but with regard to yourself, good gossip Frog, what do you do here?" "Curiosity induced me to come hither," replied she; "I am half a fairy; my power is limited in certain things, and very extensive in others; if the Fairy Lioness recognised me in her dominions, she would kill me."
"How is it possible," said the Queen, "that being a fairy, or half a fairy, a raven was about to eat you?" "Two words will make you understand it," replied the Frog; "when I have my little hood of roses on my head, in the which
