A king and queen once upon a time reigned in a country a great wayoff, where there were in those days fairies. Now this king and queen hadplenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes to wear, and plenty of goodthings to eat and drink, and a coach to ride out in every day: butthough they had been married many years they had no children, and thisgrieved them very much indeed. But one day as the queen was walkingby the side of the river, at the bottom of the garden, she saw a poorlittle fish, that had thrown itself out of the water, and lay gaspingand nearly dead on the bank. Then the queen took pity on the littlefish, and threw it back again into the river; and before it swam awayit lifted its head out of the water and said, «I know what your wishis, and it shall be fulfilled, in return for your kindness to me—youwill soon have a daughter.» What the little fish had foretold sooncame to pass; and the queen had a little girl, so very beautiful thatthe king could not cease looking on it for joy, and said he wouldhold a great feast and make merry, and show the child to all theland. So he asked his kinsmen, and nobles, and friends, andneighbours. But the queen said, «I will have the fairies also, thatthey might be kind and good to our little daughter.» Now therewere thirteen fairies in the kingdom; but as the king and queen had onlytwelve golden dishes for them to eat out of, they were forced to leaveone of the fairies without asking her. So twelve fairies came, eachwith a high red cap on her head, and red shoes with high heels on herfeet, and a long white wand in her hand: and after the feast was overthey gathered round in a ring and gave all their best gifts to thelittle princess. One gave her goodness, another beauty, another riches,and so on till she had all that was good in the world.
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