their curtsey to the King and Queen, ranged themselves in a line
before her that she might choose. Most of them were fair and fat
and charming, but there was one who was dark-skinned and ugly,
and spoke a strange language which nobody could understand. The
Queen wondered how she dared offer herself, and she was told to
go away, as she certainly would not do. Upon which she muttered
something and passed on, but hid herself in a hollow tree, from
which she could see all that happened. The Queen, without giving
her another thought, chose a pretty rosy-faced nurse, but no sooner
was her choice made than a snake, which was hidden in the grass,
bit that very nurse on her foot, so that she fell down as if dead.
The Queen was very much vexed by this accident, but she soon
selected another, who was just stepping forward when an eagle flew
by and dropped a large tortoise upon her head, which was cracked
in pieces like an egg-shell. At this the Queen was much horrified;
nevertheless, she chose a third time, but with no better fortune, for
the nurse, moving quickly, ran into the branch of a tree and blinded
herself with a thorn. Then the Queen in dismay cried that there
must be some malignant influence at work, and that she would
choose no more that day; and she had just risen to return to the
palace when she heard peals of malicious laughter behind her, and
turning round saw the ugly stranger whom she had dismissed, who
was making very merry over the disasters and mocking everyone,
but especially the Queen. This annoyed Her Majesty very much,
and she was about to order that she should be arrested, when the
witch--for she was a witch--with two blows from a wand summoned
a chariot of fire drawn by winged dragons, and was whirled off
through the air uttering threats and cries. When the King saw this
he cried: