The Princess and the Goblin

Lady's

hen the most lovely cloudless night, with the sky all out in full-blown stars-not one missing. But the princess could not see much of them, for she went to bed early. The winter drew on, and she found things growing dreary. When it was too stormy to go out, and she had got tired of her toys, Lootie would take her about the house, sometimes to the housekeeper's room, where the housekeeper, who was a good, kind old woman, made much of her-som

sat playing with them for two hours or more. But, at length, in handling a curious old-fashioned brooch, she ran the pin of it into her thumb, and gave a little scream with the sharpness of the pain, but would have thought little more of it had not the pain increased and her thumb begun to swell. This a

wanted to tell him all about it, when she bethought herself that that might wake Lootie, and she would put her into her bed again. So she resolved to go to the window of another room, and call him from there. It was so much nicer to have somebody to talk to than to lie awake in bed with the burning pain in her hand. She opened the door very gently and went through the nursery, which did not look into the garden, to go to the other window. But when she came to th

woke up in her heart to try once more whether she could not find the old lady with the silvery hai

y sped, comforting herself that if she should lose her way it would not matter much, because when she woke she would find herself in her own bed with Lo

beautiful old grandmother up there!' she sa

was no moon there. Yes! it was! it was the hum of the spinning-wheel! What a

ene,'said th

moonlight sat the old lady in her black dress with the white lace, and her silvery hair mingling with the moonlight,

ay at the farthest. -No,' she answered; 'I don't know what you are spinning. Please,

me sooner if you hadn't come to think I was a dream. I will give you o

, pl

t want Lootie to

ld me to te

you. If she were to see me sitting spinn

hy

go away and say she felt queer, and forget half of

Irene, feeling very m

've come again; and Lootie wouldn't have come again. She w

ghty of Lo

f you. I've never done

e and hands for me,' sai

miled a sweet

t want you to say anything more to Lootie about me. If she should as

talked the old lad

me yet what I am s

t know. It's ve

ke-what shall I say it was like? It was not white enough for silver-yes, it was like silver, but shone grey rather than white, and glittered

am I to do wit

the great sea. There is only one forest where the spiders live who make this particular kind-the finest and strongest of any. I have nearl

reat-great-great-grandmother?' said the princess

all me grandmother, that will do. No, I don't work every night-only moonlit nights, an

randmother?' 'Go to bed. Woul

hat I s

rk any longer tonight. I

. You see there was no good in putting it away, for where the

ad hand and Irene gave a little cry of pain. 'My

at was Irene's surprise to see the loveliest room she had ever seen in her life! It was large and lofty, and dome-shaped. From the centre hung a lamp as round as a ball, shining as if with the brightest moonlight, which made everything visible in the room, though not so c

el before her while she looked at her hand. Having examined it, she opened the casket, and took from it a little ointment. The sweetest odour filled the room-like that of roses

so nice!' said Irene.

and took out a large handkerchief of gossame

o away tonight,' she said. 'Wo

id Irene, and would have clapped her

then, to go to bed w

so beautiful,

am ve

ou won't mind sleeping with such

rge silver basin, and having poured some water into it made Irene sit on the chair, and washed her feet. This done, she was ready for bed. And oh, what

undressed herself

out your moon?' a

the darkest night, if any of my pigeons are out on a me

see it-somebody about the house, I mean-they

dy. 'But it does not happen above five times

he room except I pleased. Besides, again-I will tell you a secret-if that light were to go out you would fancy yourself l

never go out,' s

e we both went to sleep. S

o the old lady, who took her in both h

'I didn't know anything in the world could be so

a very hard one, I hope. This night week you must come back to me. If you don't

, don't let

l believe I am anything but a dream. You may be sure I will do all I can to help you to come. But

y,' said t

old lady, and kissed the for

ight and mossy springs and great murmuring trees, and beds of wild flowers with such odours as she had never sm

ing else on her hand, only a sweet odour lingered about it. The swelling had all go