Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-04-09
LITTLE MISS
TALK-7O0-MUCh

T1ere was great Otsulay III tue pui-
ace when 1t was discovered that the
kings most private secrets were
known to his enemy. Prince Open
Ears. and for long while no one
could discover who had Betrayed them.
The king was always most careful to
close the doors Of his golden palace he
fore he discussed his plans. and only
his most trusted courtiers and his little
daughter were ever present. He could
not bear her out Of his sight, and while
he talked she would nestle against his
knee like a white mouse and make not
the slightest sound.
You can guess his surprise and grief
when he found that 1t was she. and
she alone, who had betrayed his Sc
crets.
81 only told them to the birds" she
sobbed, looking so sweet and piteous
that her father would have at once for
given her.
Her fairy godmother. however. who
had been summoned In a great hurry.
thought the matter too serious to be
overlooked and left the palace with Il
dreadful frown.
When the princess woke the next
morning she was n little furry. brown
rabbit. with a little snow white tail
and velvet ears. Instead Of dainty
bed with siken hangings she had only
burrow In a sandy bank. Though
| she felt strange at first. she soon grew
used to her new surroundings and gam
boiled quite happily on the dewy grass
| In the early morning when the sun
beams touched the tops Of the pines
with gold. In spite Of her deplorable
habit of talking too much she had such
an amiable disposition that she was
soon beloved by all the wood folk, and
when n beautiful gray doe had litter
| of young ones the little princess. or
Softskin. as they called her now. was
the first to visit them In the snug
brood chamber. Softskin was 80 taken
with the tiny pink things In their nest
of down which the gray doe had pluck
ed from her own white breast to keep
them warm that she could not resist
| talking Of them when she left the war
rem. though Father Rabbit had care
| fully warned her not to do so.
| "Aba, aha!" cried badger who
made his home in the heart OF the
wood when he woke that night ana
heard from Il miscellaneous little breeze
what Softskin had been saying. u
know where to look for my supper"
| So he hied him away to the rabbit
warren, and soon the gray doe was
awakened from her peaceful slumbers
by the scratch. scratch. scratch OF Ills
cruel claws just above her head. She
had built her brood chamber only a
| few feet below the surface OF the
ground. and she knew well that before
long her enemy would be upon her and
her babies devoured. The news soon
spread through the warren. and the lit
tie princess was aghast at what she
had done.
"IW never, never talk too much
again." she cried to the night wind.
If only you'll Tighten the badger
away" And the night wind fastened
to the fairy godmother. who put 1t into
the gamekeeper's head to take stroll
in the direction of the common. The
badger heard his footsteps and fed,
and Softskin kept her promise. From
that time forward she was so discreet
that no one could find fault with her,
and before very long she was allowed
| to be princess again and was once
more trusted to sit with the king IN
the royal council chamber.