第32章 BROTHER AND SISTER(3)

The old witch thought here was a good chance for her; so she took the form of the lady in waiting, and, hurrying into the room where the Queen lay in her bed, called out, `The bath is quite ready; it will help to make you strong again.Come, let us be quick, for fear the water should get cold.' Her daughter was at hand, too, and between them they carried the Queen, who was still very weak, into the bath-room and laid her in the bath; then they locked the door and ran away.

They took care beforehand to make a blazing hot fire under the bath, so that the lovely young Queen might be suffocated.

As soon as they were sure this was the case, the old witch tied a cap on her daughter's head and laid her in the Queen's bed.She managed, too, to make her figure and general appearance look like the Queen's, but even her power could not restore the eye she had lost; so she made her lie on the side of the missing eye, in order to prevent the King's noticing anything.

In the evening, when the King came home and heard the news of his son's birth, he was full of delight, and insisted on going at once to his dear wife's bedside to see how she was getting on.But the old witch cried out, `Take care and keep the curtains drawn;don't let the light get into the Queen's eyes; she must be kept perfectly quiet.' So the King went away and never knew that it was a false Queen who lay in the bed.

When midnight came and everyone in the palace was sound asleep, the nurse who alone watched by the baby's cradle in the nursery saw the door open gently, and who should come in but the real Queen.She lifted the child from its cradle, laid it on her arm, and nursed it for some time.Then she carefully shook up the pillows of the little bed, laid the baby down and tucked the coverlet in all round him.She did not forget the little Roe either, but went to the corner where it lay, and gently stroked its back.Then she silently left the room, and next morning when the nurse asked the sentries if they had seen any one go into the castle that night, they all said, `No, we saw no one at all.'

For many nights the Queen came in the same way, but she never spoke a word, and the nurse was too frightened to say anything about her visits.

After some little time had elapsed the Queen spoke one night, and said:

`Is my child well? Is my Roe well?

I'll come back twice and then farewell.'

The nurse made no answer, but as soon as the Queen had disappeared she went to the King and told him all.The King exclaimed, `Good heavens! what do you say? I will watch myself to-night by the child's bed.'

When the evening came he went to the nursery, and at midnight the Queen appeared and said:

`Is my child well? Is my Roe well?

I'll come back once and then farewell.'

And she nursed and petted the child as usual before she disappeared.The King dared not trust himself to speak to her, but the following night he kept watch again.

That night when the Queen came she said:

`Is my child well? Is my Roe well?

I've come this once, and now farewell.'

Then the King could restrain himself no longer, but sprang to her side and cried, `You can be no one but my dear wife!'

`Yes,' said she, `I am your dear wife!' and in the same moment she was restored to life, and was as fresh and well and rosy as ever.

Then she told the King all the cruel things the wicked witch and her daughter had done.The King had them both arrested at once and brought to trial, and they were condemned to death.The daughter was led into the forest, where the wild beasts tore her to pieces, and the old witch was burnt at the stake.

As soon as she reduced to ashes the spell was taken off the little Roe, and he was restored to his natural shape once more, and so brother and sister lived happily ever after.[6]

[6] Grimm.