when heaven gave her a second child , a guard of twice as many men as had first stood watch was again set about her . yet everything happened as before , only that this time the foster - mother said to her : " now you shall grieve as i did when you let the moon slip out ! " the queen wept and pleaded - for when the foster - mother was there she could speak - but without avail . now the old queen insisted that she be burned . but the prince once more succeeded in begging her free . when heaven gave her a third child , a three - fold guard was set about her . the foster - mother came while the guard slept , took the child , cut its little finger , and rubbed some of the blood on the queen 's mouth . " now , " said she , " you shall grieve just as i did when you let the sun slip out ! " and now the prince could in no way save her , she was to be and should be burned . but at the very moment when they were leading her to the stake , the foster - mother appeared with all three children ; the two older ones she led by the hand , the youngest she carried on her arm . she stepped up to the young queen and said : " here are your children , for now i give them back to you . i am the virgin mary , and the grief that you have felt is the same grief that i felt aforetimes , when you had let the star , the moon and the sun slip out . now you have been punished for that which you did , and from now on the power of speech is restored to you ! "
she could not speak .
why was the queen unable to tell others what her foster-mother had done ?
why was the queen unable to tell others what her foster-mother had done ?