The Princess and the Goblin

Nurse Tho

taking her in her arms. 'It's very unkind of you to hide aw

aid of, nursie?' a

aps I will tell you another day.

ee my very great, huge, old g

?' asked the nurse, who t

what a beautiful mother of grandmothers I've got upstairs. She is such an old lady, with such love

are talking, prince

ther offended. 'I will tell you all about her.

say!' remark

ves upon pi

ly,' said

empty room, spin-spi

of it,' sai

s her crown i

ace to keep her crown in. She

t wouldn't be comfortable-would it? I don't think my

d him. I dare

ever since I came he

t,' said the nurse, who did not

t you tell

ty. You could make it

claimed the princess, astonished

are in the habit of telling make-believes, but you are the first I ever heard of who ex

ss burst i

her for crying, 'it is not at all becoming in a princess to tell

uite true,

eamt it, t

I lost myself, and if I hadn't found the beau

I dar

with me, and see if I'

It's your dinnertime, and I won

g. Not to be believed does not at all agree with princesses: for a real princess cannot tell a lie. So all the afternoon she did not sp

not being believed. But, as it became more and more plain during the evening in her every motion and look, that, although she tried to amuse herself with her toys, her heart was too vexed and troubled to enjoy them, her nurse's discomfort grew and grew. When bedtime came, she undressed and laid her down, but the child, in

princess, 'why wo

ve you,' said the nurs

'and I will not be vexed with you any mor

ht her out of bed, and walked about the room

ld great big grandmother, won't you?' said

will you, princess?' 'Nursie, I never

didn't say it,

, I nev

wasn't so pr

es, I did say that; and I say

!' said the nurse, and put her

ery other body, you know. You are very nice-looking,

randmother!' s

u are not fit to be spoken t

nce more, and again the nu

, though still in an offended tone. But the prin

rse. 'I was only going to say that if you had been twice as nice-looking as you are

n embracing her. 'Now,' insisted Irene, 'you

cherub,' she answered; and in two minutes