but his mother , who was still living , objected : " she can not speak , " said she , " and , maybe , she belongs to the troll - folk . " but the prince would not be satisfied until he had won her . when , after a time , heaven bestowed a child upon the queen , the prince set a strong guard about her . but suddenly they all fell asleep , and her foster - mother came , cut the child 's little finger , rubbed some of the blood over the mouth and hands of the queen , and said : " now you shall grieve just as i did when you let the star slip out ! " and with that she disappeared with the child . when those whom the prince had set to keep guard opened their eyes again , they thought that the queen had devoured her child , and the old queen wanted to have her burned ; but the prince loved her so very tenderly , that after much pleading he succeeded in having her saved from punishment , though only with the greatest difficulty .
the queen devoured her child .
what did people think when they opened their eyes again ?
what did people think when they opened their eyes again ?