IV.





The wise woman lifted her tenderly, and washed and dressed her far
more carefully than even her nurse. Then she set her down by the
fire, and prepared her breakfast. The princess was very hungry, and
the bread and milk as good as it could be, so that she thought she
had never in her life eaten any thing nicer. Nevertheless, as soon
as she began to have enough, she said to herself,--

"Ha! I see how it is! The old woman wants to fatten me! That is why
she gives me such nice creamy milk. She doesn't kill me now because
she's going to kill me then! She IS an ogress, after all!"

Thereupon she laid down her spoon, and would not eat another
mouthful--only followed the basin with longing looks, as the wise
woman carried it away.

When she stopped eating, her hostess knew exactly what she was
thinking; but it was one thing to understand the princess, and quite
another to make the princess understand her: that would require
time. For the present she took no notice, but went about the affairs
of the house, sweeping the floor, brushing down the cobwebs,
cleaning the hearth, dusting the table and chairs, and watering the
bed to keep it fresh and alive--for she never had more than one
guest at a time, and never would allow that guest to go to sleep