gray and soft and sweet. She put her hand before her own, screaming
loudly. When she took them away the old woman was gone.



CHAPTER II

Everybody was very kind to the poor little prince. I think people
generally are kind to motherless children, whether princes or peasants.
He had a magnificent nursery and a regular suite of attendants, and was
treated with the greatest respect and state. Nobody was allowed to talk
to him in silly baby language, or dandle him, or, above all to kiss him,
though perhaps some people did it surreptitiously, for he was such a
sweet baby that it was difficult to help it.

It could not be said that the Prince missed his mother--children of his
age cannot do that; but somehow after she died everything seemed to go
wrong with him. From a beautiful baby he became sickly and pale, seeming
to have almost ceased growing, especially in his legs, which had been so
fat and strong.

But after the day of his christening they withered and shrank; he no
longer kicked them out either in passion or play, and when, as he got
to be nearly a year old, his nurse tried to make him stand upon them, he
only tumbled down.

This happened so many times that at last people began to talk about it.
A prince, and not able to stand on his own legs! What a dreadful thing!
What a misfortune for the country!