Into this shop Taboret flew; and as she was well known there as a good customer, the master of the shop came forward to meet her at once, and bowing, begged to know what he could get for her.
“I want,” said Taboret, “a Princess.”
“A Princess!” said the shopman, who was in reality an old wizard. “What size do you want it? I have one or two in stock.”
“It must look now about six years old. But it must grow.”
“I can make you one,” said the wizard, “but it’ll come rather expensive.”
“I don’t mind that,” said Taboret. “See! I want it to look exactly like this,” and so saying she took a portrait of Ursula out of her bosom and gave it to the old man, who examined it carefully.
“I’ll get it for you,” he said. “When will you want it?”
“As soon as possible,” said Taboret. “By tomorrow evening if possible. How much will it cost?”
“It’ll come to a good deal,” said the wizard, thoughtfully. “I have such difficulty in getting these things properly made in these days. What sort of a voice is it to have?”
“It need not be at all talkative,” said Taboret, “so that won’t add much to the price. It need only say, ‘If you please,’ ‘No, thank you,’ ‘Certainly,’ and ‘Just so.’ ”
“Well, under those circumstances,” said the wizard, “I will do it for four cat’s footfalls, two fish’s screams, and two swan’s songs.”
“It is too much,” cried Taboret. “I’ll give you the footfalls and the screams, but to ask for swans’ songs!”
She did not really think it dear, but she always made a point of trying to beat tradesmen down.
“I can’t do it for less,” said the wizard, “and if you think it too much, you’d better try another shop.”
“As I am really in a hurry for it, and cannot spend time in searching about, I suppose I must have it,” said Taboret; “but I consider the price very high. When will it be ready?”
“By tomorrow evening.”
“Very well, then, be sure it is ready for me by the time I call for it, and whatever you do, don’t make it at all noisy or rough in its ways;” and Taboret swept out of the shop and returned to her home.
Next evening she returned and asked if her job was done.
“I will fetch it, and I am sure you will like it,” said the wizard, leaving the shop as he spoke. Presently he came back, leading by the hand a pretty little girl of about six years old—a little girl so like the Princess Ursula that no one could have told them apart.
“Well,” said Taboret, “it looks well enough. But are you sure that it’s a good piece of workmanship, and won’t give way anywhere?”
“It’s as good a piece of work as ever was done,” said the wizard, proudly, striking the child on the back as he spoke, “Look at it! Examine it all over, and see if you find a flaw anywhere. There’s not one fairy in twenty who could tell it from the real thing, and no mortal could.”
“It seems to be fairly made,” said Taboret, approvingly, as she turned the little girl round. “Now I’ll pay you, and then will be off;” with which she raised her wand in the air and waved it three times, and there arose a series of strange sounds.
The first was a low tramping, the second shrill and piercing screams, the third voices of wonderful beauty, singing a very sorrowful song.
The wizard caught all the sounds and pocketed them at once, and Taboret, without ceremony, picked up the child, took her head downwards under her arm, and flew away.
At court that night the little Princess had been naughty, and had refused to go to bed. It was a long time before her ladies could get her into her crib, and when she was there, she did not really go to sleep, only lay still and pretended, till everyone went away; then she got up and stole noiselessly to the window, and sat down on the window-seat all curled up in a little bunch, while she looked out wistfully at the moon. She was such a pretty soft little thing, with all her warm bright hair falling over her shoulders, that it would have been hard for most people to be angry with her. She leaned her chin on her tiny white hands, and as she gazed out, the tears rose to her great blue eyes; but remembering that her ladies would call this naughty, she wiped them hastily away with her nightgown sleeve.
“Ah moon, pretty bright moon!” she said to herself, “I wonder if they let you cry when you want to. I think I’d like to go up there and live with you; I’m sure it would be nicer than being here.”
“Would you like to go away with me?” said a voice close beside her; and looking up she saw a funny old woman in a red cloak, standing near to her. She was not frightened, for the old woman had a kind smile and bright black eyes, though her nose was hooked and her chin long.
“Where would you take me?” said the little Princess, sucking her thumb, and staring with all her might.
“I’d take you to the seashore, where you’d be able to play about on the sands, and where you’d have-some little boys and girls to play with, and no one to tell you not to make a noise.”
“I’ll go,” cried Ursula, springing up at once.
“Come along,” said the old woman, taking her tenderly in her arms and folding her in her warm red cloak. Then they rose up in the air, and flew out of the window, right away over the tops of the houses.
The night air was sharp, and Ursula soon fell asleep;
