For
not only did the king pay him handsomely to carry orders to the army,
but many ladies at the court gave him anything he asked to get them news
of their lovers, and this was his greatest source of income. He was
occasionally entrusted by wives with letters to their husbands, but they
paid him so badly, and this branch of the business brought him in so
little, that he did not even bother to reckon what he made from it. After acting as courier for some time, and amassing great wealth
thereby, little Tom Thumb returned to his father's house, and was there
greeted with the greatest joy imaginable. He made all his family
comfortable, buying newly-created positions for his father and brothers. In this way he set them all up, not forgetting at the same time to look
well after himself. THE FAIRIES


Once upon a time there lived a widow with two daughters. The elder was
often mistaken for her mother, so like her was she both in nature and in
looks; parent and child being so disagreeable and arrogant that no one
could live with them. The younger girl, who took after her father in the gentleness and
sweetness of her disposition, was also one of the prettiest girls
imaginable. The mother doted on the elder daughter--naturally enough,
since she resembled her so closely--and disliked the younger one as
intensely. She made the latter live in the kitchen and work hard from
morning till night. One of the poor child's many duties was to go twice a day and draw water
from a spring a good half-mile away, bringing it back in a large
pitcher. One day when she was at the spring an old woman came up and
begged for a drink. 'Why, certainly, good mother,' the pretty lass replied. Rinsing her
pitcher, she drew some water from the cleanest part of the spring and
handed it to the dame, lifting up the jug so that she might drink the
more easily. Now this old woman was a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor village
dame to see just how far the girl's good nature would go. 'You are so
pretty,' she said, when she had finished drinking, 'and so polite, that
I am determined to bestow a gift upon you. This is the boon I grant
you: with every word that you utter there shall fall from your mouth
either a flower or a precious stone.' When the girl reached home she was scolded by her mother for being so
long in coming back from the spring. 'I am sorry to have been so long, mother,' said the poor child. As she spoke these words there fell from her mouth three roses, three
pearls, and three diamonds. 'What's this?' cried her mother; 'did I see pearls and diamonds dropping
out of your mouth? What does this mean, dear daughter?' (This was the
first time she had ever addressed her daughter affectionately.) The poor child told a simple tale of what had happened, and in speaking
scattered diamonds right and left. 'Really,' said her mother, 'I must send my own child there. Come here,
Fanchon; look what comes out of your sister's mouth whenever she speaks! Wouldn't you like to be able to do the same? All you have to do is to go
and draw some water at the spring, and when a poor woman asks you for a
drink, give it her very nicely.' 'Oh, indeed!' replied the ill-mannered girl; 'don't you wish you may see
me going there!' 'I tell you that you are to go,' said her mother, 'and to go this
instant.' [Illustration: '_Lifting up the jug so that she might drink the more
easily_']

Very sulkily the girl went off, taking with her the best silver flagon
in the house. No sooner had she reached the spring than she saw a lady,
magnificently attired, who came towards her from the forest, and asked
for a drink. This was the same fairy who had appeared to her sister,
masquerading now as a princess in order to see how far this girl's
ill-nature would carry her. 'Do you think I have come here just to get you a drink?' said the
loutish damsel, arrogantly. 'I suppose you think I brought a silver
flagon here specially for that purpose--it's so likely, isn't it? Drink
from the spring, if you want to!' 'You are not very polite,' said the fairy, displaying no sign of anger. 'Well, in return for your lack of courtesy I decree that for every word
you utter a snake or a toad shall drop out of your mouth.' The moment her mother caught sight of her coming back she cried out,
'Well, daughter?' 'Well, mother?' replied the rude girl. As she spoke a viper and a toad
were spat out of her mouth. 'Gracious heavens!' cried her mother; 'what do I see? Her sister is the
cause of this, and I will make her pay for it!' Off she ran to thrash the poor child, but the latter fled away and hid
in the forest near by. The king's son met her on his way home from
hunting, and noticing how pretty she was inquired what she was doing all
alone, and what she was weeping about. 'Alas, sir,' she cried; 'my mother has driven me from home!' As she spoke the prince saw four or five pearls and as many diamonds
fall from her mouth. He begged her to tell him how this came about, and
she told him the whole story. The king's son fell in love with her, and reflecting that such a gift as
had been bestowed upon her was worth more than any dowry which another
maiden might bring him, he took her to the palace of his royal father,
and there married her. As for the sister, she made herself so hateful that even her mother
drove her out of the house. Nowhere could the wretched girl find any one
who would take her in, and at last she lay down in the forest and died. RICKY OF THE TUFT


Once upon a time there was a queen who bore a son so ugly and misshapen
that for some time it was doubtful if he would have human form at all. But a fairy who was present at his birth promised that he should have
plenty of brains, and added that by virtue of the gift which she had
just bestowed upon him he would be able to impart to the person whom he
should love best the same degree of intelligence which he possessed
himself. This somewhat consoled the poor queen, who was greatly disappointed at
having brought into the world such a hideous brat. And indeed, no sooner
did the child begin to speak than his sayings proved to be full of
shrewdness, while all that he did was somehow so clever that he charmed
every one. I forgot to mention that when he was born he had a little tuft of hair
upon his head. For this reason he was called Ricky of the Tuft, Ricky
being his family name. Some seven or eight years later the queen of a neighbouring kingdom gave
birth to twin daughters. The first one to come into the world was more
beautiful than the dawn, and the queen was so overjoyed that it was
feared her great excitement might do her some harm. The same fairy who
had assisted at the birth of Ricky of the Tuft was present, and, in
order to moderate the transports of the queen she declared that this
little princess would have no sense at all, and would be as stupid as
she was beautiful.