such a squeaky voice, all fled but a poor country cobbler. Now he not
long before had mended the shoes of an old hermit, who, having no
money gave him a box of ointment for the cure of the leprosy, and a
bottle of spirits for a harsh voice. So the cobbler having a mind to
do an act of charity, was induced to go up to her and ask her who she
was.

"I am," said she, "the King of Colchester's daughter-in-law."

"Well," said the cobbler, "if I restore you to your natural
complexion, and make a sound cure both in face and voice, will you in
reward take me for a husband?"

"Yes, friend," replied she, "with all my heart!"

With this the cobbler applied the remedies, and they made her well in
a few weeks; after which they were married, and so set forward for the
Court at Colchester. When the queen found that her daughter had
married nothing but a poor cobbler, she hanged herself in wrath. The
death of the queen so pleased the king, who was glad to get rid of her
so soon, that he gave the cobbler a hundred pounds to quit the Court
with his lady, and take to a remote part of the kingdom, where he
lived many years mending shoes, his wife spinning the thread for him.



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THE ENGLISH FAIRY TALES