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A Toy Princess

bit of wood-and-leather Princess, you could behave well enough to it, but now that you have a real flesh-and-blood woman, you none of you care for her.”

“Our late dear daughter—” began the King, when the fairy interrupted him.

“I do believe,” she said, “that you would like to have the doll back again. Now I will give you your choice. Which will you have—my Princess Ursula, the real one, or your Princess Ursula, the sham?”

The King sank back into his chair. “I am not equal to this,” he said: “summon the council, and let them settle it by vote.” So the council were summoned, and the fairy explained to them why they were wanted.

“Let both Princesses be fetched,” she said; and the toy Princess was brought in with great care from her cupboard, and her head stood on the table beside her, and the real Princess came in with her eyes still red from crying and her bosom heaving

“I should think there could be no doubt which one would prefer,” said the Prime Minister to the Chancellor.

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