English
Thedaydrewnearwhentheinfantmustbechristened.Thekingwrotealltheinvitationswithhisownhand.Ofcoursesomebodywasforgotten.
Nowitdoesnotgenerallymatterifsomebodyisforgotten,onlyyoumustmindwho.
Unfortunately,thekingforgotwithoutintendingtoforget;andsothechancefelluponthePrincessMakemnoit,whichwasawkward.
Fortheprincesswastheking’sownsister;andheoughtnottohaveforgottenher.
Butshehadmadeherselfsodisagreeabletotheoldking,theirfather,thathehadforgottenherinmakinghiswill;andsoitwasnowonderthatherbrotherforgotherinwritinghisinvitations.
Butpoorrelationsdon’tdoanythingtokeepyouinmindofthem.Whydon’tthey?
Thekingcouldnotseeintothegarretshelivedin,couldhe?
Shewasasour,spitefulcreature.Thewrinklesofcontemptcrossedthewrinklesofpeevishness,andmadeherfaceasfullofwrinklesasapatofbutter.
Ifeverakingcouldbejustifiedinforgettinganybody,thiskingwasjustifiedinforgettinghissister,evenatachristening.Shelookedveryodd,too.
Herforeheadwasaslargeasalltherestofherface,andprojectedoveritlikeaprecipice.
Whenshewasangry,herlittleeyesflashedblue.
Whenshehatedanybody,theyshoneyellowandgreen.
Whattheylookedlikewhenshelovedanybody,Idonotknow;forIneverheardofherlovinganybodybutherself,andIdonotthinkshecouldhavemanagedthatifshehadnotsomehowgotusedtoherself.
Butwhatmadeithighlyimprudentinthekingtoforgetherwas—thatshewasawfullyclever.
Infact,shewasawitch;andwhenshebewitchedanybody,heverysoonhadenoughofit;forshebeatallthewickedfairiesinwickedness,andallthecleveronesincleverness.
Shedespisedallthemodeswereadofinhistory,inwhichoffendedfairiesandwitcheshavetakentheirrevenges;andtherefore,afterwaitingandwaitinginvainforaninvitation,shemadeuphermindatlasttogowithoutone,andmakethewholefamilymiserable,likeaprincessasshewas.
Sosheputonherbestgown,wenttothepalace,waskindlyreceivedbythehappymonarch,whoforgotthathehadforgottenher,andtookherplaceintheprocessiontotheroyalchapel.
Whentheywereallgatheredaboutthefont,shecontrivedtogetnexttoit,andthrowsomethingintothewater;afterwhichshemaintainedaveryrespectfuldemeanourtillthewaterwasappliedtothechild’sface.
Butatthatmomentsheturnedroundinherplacethreetimes,andmutteredthefollowingwords,loudenoughforthosebesidehertohear:
”Lightofspirit,bymycharms,
Lightofbody,everypart,
Neverwearyhumanarms—
Onlycrushthyparents’heart!”
Theyallthoughtshehadlostherwits,andwasrepeatingsomefoolishnurseryrhyme;butashudderwentthroughthewholeofthemnotwithstanding.
Thebaby,onthecontrary,begantolaughandcrow;whilethenursegaveastartandasmotheredcry,for,shethoughtshewasstruckwithparalysis:shecouldnotfeelthebabyinherarms.
Butsheclaspedittightandsaidnothing.
Themischiefwasdone.
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