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feathers of all sorts of birds。 There were nightingales； canaries；
goldfinches； linnets； tomtits； parrots； owls； sparrows； doves；
ostriches； bustards； peacocks； larks； partridges； and everything else
that you can think of。 These feathers were all mixed up in such
confusion that the birds themselves could not have chosen out their
own。 ‘Here；' said the Fairy； ‘is a little task which it will take all
your prisoner's skill and patience to accomplish。 Tell her to pick
out and lay in a separate heap the feathers of each bird。 She
would need to be a fairy to do it。'
The Queen was more than delighted at the thought of the
despair this task would cause the Princess。 She sent for her； and
with the same threats as before locked her up with the three keys；
ordering that all the feathers should be sorted by sunset。 Graciosa
set to work at once； but before she had taken out a dozen feathers
she found that it was perfectly impossible to know one from another。
‘Ah！ well；' she sighed； ‘the Queen wishes to kill me； and if I
must die I must。 I cannot ask Percinet to help me again； for if
he really loved me he would not wait till I called him； he would
come without that。'
‘I am here； my Graciosa；' cried Percinet； springing out of the
barrel where he had been hiding。 ‘How can you still doubt that I
love you with all my heart？'
Then he gave three strokes of his wand upon the barrel； and all
the feathers flew out in a cloud and settled down in neat little
separate heaps all round the room。
‘What should I do without you； Percinet？' said Graciosa
gratefully。 But still she could not quite make up her mind to go
with him and leave her father's kingdom for ever； so she begged
him to give her more time to think of it； and he had to go away
disappointed once more。
When the wicked Queen came at sunset she was amazed and
infuriated to find the task done。 However； she complained that
the heaps of feathers were badly arranged； and for that the
Princess was beaten and sent back to her garret。 Then the
Queen sent for the Fairy once more； and scolded her until she was
fairly terrified； and promised to go home and think of another task
for Graciosa； worse than either of the others。
At the end of three days she came again； bringing with her a
box。
‘Tell your slave；' said he； ‘to carry this wherever you please；
but on no account to open it。 She will not be able to help doing
so； and then you will be quite satisfied with the result。' So the
Queen came to Graciosa； and said：
‘Carry this box to my castle； and place it upon the table in my
own room。 But I forbid you on pain of death to look at what it
contains。'
Graciosa set out； wearing her little cap and wooden shoes and
the old cotton frock； but even in this disguise she was so beautiful
that all the passers…by wondered who she could be。 She had not
gone far before the heat of the sun and the weight of the box
tired her so much that she sat down to rest in the shade of a little
wood which lay on one side of a green meadow。 She was carefully
holding the box upon her lap when she suddenly felt the greatest
desire to open it；
‘What could possibly happen if I did？' she said to herself。
‘I should not take anything out。 I should only just see what was
there。'
And without farther hesitation she lifted the cover。
Instantly out came swarms of little men and women； no taller
than her finger； and scattered themselves all over the meadow；
singing and dancing； and playing the merriest games； so that at
first Graciosa was delighted and watched them with much amusement。
But presently； when she was rested and wished to go on
her way； she found that； do what she would； she could not get them
back into their box。 If she chased them in the meadow they fled
into the wood； and if she pursued them into the wood they dodged
round trees and behind sprigs of moss； and with peals of elfin
laughter scampered back again into the meadow。
At last； weary and terrified； she sat down and cried。
‘It is my own fault；' she said sadly。 ‘Percinet； if you can still
care for such an imprudent Princess； do come and help me once more。'
Immediately Percinet stood before her。
‘Ah； Princess！' he said； ‘but for the wicked Queen I fear you
would never think of me at all。'
‘Indeed I should；' said Graciosa； ‘I am not so ungrateful as
you think。 Only wait a little and I believe I shall love you quite
dearly。'
Percinet was pleased at this； and with one stroke of his wand
compelled all the wilful little people to come back to their places
in the box； and then rendering the Princess invisible he took her
with him in his chariot to the castle。
When the Princess presented herself at the door； and said that
the Queen had ordered her to place the box in her own room； the
governor laughed heartily at the idea。
‘No； no； my little shepherdess；' said he； ‘that is not the place
for you。 No wooden shoes have ever been over that floor yet。'
Then Graciosa begged him to give her a written message telling
the Queen that he had refused to admit her。 This he did； and she
went back to Percinet； who was waiting for her； and they set out
together for the palace。 You may imagine that they did not go
the shortest way； but the Princess did not find it too long； and
before they parted she had promised that if the Queen was still
cruel to her； and tried again to play her any spiteful trick； she
would leave her and come to Percinet for ever。
When the Queen saw her returning she fell upon the Fairy；
whom she had kept with her； and pulled her hair； and scratched
her face； and would really have killed her if a Fairy could be
killed。 And when the Princess presented the letter and the box
she threw them both upon the fire without opening them； and
looked very much as if she would like to throw the Princess after
them。 However； what she really did do was to have a great hole
as deep as a well dug in her garden； and the top of it covered with
a flat stone。 Then she went and walked near it； and said to
Graciosa and all her ladies who were with her：
‘I am told that a great treasure lies under that stone； let us see
if we can lift it。'
So they all began to push and pull at it； and Graciosa among
the others； which was just what the Queen wanted； for as soon as
the stone was lifted high enough； she gave the Princess a push
which sent her down to the bottom of the well； and then the stone
was let fall again； and there she was a prisoner。 Graciosa felt
that now indeed she was hopelessly lost； surely not even Percinet
could find her in the heart of the earth。
‘This is like being buried alive；' she said with a shudder。 ‘Oh；
Percinet！ if you only knew how I am suffering for my want of
trust in you！ But how could I be sure that you would not be like
other men and tire of me from the moment you were sure I loved
you？'
As she spoke she suddenly saw a little door open； and the
sunshine blazed into the dismal well。 Graciosa did not hesitate an
instant； but passed through into a charming garden。 Flowers and
fruit grew on every side； fountains plashed； and birds sang in the
branches overhead； and when she reached a great avenue of trees
and looked up to see where it would lead her； she found herself
close to the palace of crystal。 Yes！ there was no mistaking it；
and the Queen and Percinet were coming to meet her。
‘Ah； Princess！' said the Queen； ‘don't keep this poor Percinet
in suspense any longer。 You little guess the anxiety he has
suffered while you were in the power of that miserable Queen。'
The Princess kissed her gratefully； and promised to do as she
wished in everything； and holding out her hand to Percinet； with a
smile； she said：
‘Do you remember telling me that I should not see your palace
again until I had been buried？ I wonder if you guessed then
that； when that happened； I should tell you that I love you with all
my heart； and will marry you whenever you like？'
Prince Percinet joyfully took the hand that was given him； and；
for fear the Princess should change her mind； the wedding was
held at once with the greatest splendour； and Graciosa and Percinet
lived happily ever after。＇11＇
＇11＇ Gracieuse et Percinet。 Mdme。 d'Aulnoy。