OF
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The Queen
a* Who Flew
BY
FORD HUFFIER
AUTHOR OF "THE MOW* OWt."
"sHirriMC or THX nu.
With n Frontispiece by
BIB R BUHNE JONBS
Border Design by
C. B. B. BABRETT
LONDON
BLISS, SANDS & FOSTER
CRAVEN STREET, STRAND,
1894
A PRINCESS OF THE OLD TIME
BEFORE US
THIS TALK
IS DOE AND DEDICATED.
Over the leas tht Princess came,
On tht sward of tht cliffs that breast tht sea,
With her cfutks agfow and her hair aflame*
lTuU snartd tht eyes and blinded them,
And now is but a memory.
Over the Uas, the wind-tossed dream.
Over the leas above the sea,
Passe i and went to reign supreme.
— No need of a crtntm or diadem
In .'he kingdom of misty Memory.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
ONCE upon a time a Queen sat in her garden.
She was quite a young, young Queen ; but
that was a long while ago, so she would be older
now. But, for all she was Queen over a great and
powerful country, she led a very quiet life, and sat
a great deal alone in her parden watching the roses
grow, and talking to a bat that hung, head down-
wards, with its wings folded, for all the world like
an umbrella, beneath the shade of a rose tree over
hanging her favourite marble seat She did not
know much about the bat, not even that it could
fly, for her servants and nurses would never allow
her to be out at dusk, and the b.it was a great deal
too weak-eyed to fly about in the broad daylight
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8 THE QUEEN WHO fLE\V.
But, one summer day, it happened thai there
was a revolution in the land, and the Queen's
servants, not knowing who was likely to get the
upper hand, left the Queen all alone, and went to
look at the fight that was raging.
But you must understand that in those days
a revolution was a thing very different from what
it would be to-day.
Instead of trying to get rid of the Queen
altogether, the great nobles of the kingdom merely
fought violently with each other for possession of
the Queen's person. Then they would proclaim
themselves Regents of the kingdom and would
issue bills of attainder against all their rivals,
saying they were traitors against the Queen's
Government
In (act, a revolution in those days was like
what is called a change of Ministry now, save for
the (act that they were rather fond of indulging
themselves by decapitating tlieir rivals when they
had the chance, which of course one would never
think of doing nowadays.
The Queen and the bat had been talking a food
THE QUEEN WHO I-LLW. 3
deal that afternoon — about the weather and about
the revolution and the colour of cats and the like.
44 The raven will have a good time of it for a
day or two," the bat said.
But the Queen shuddered 44 Don't be horrid,"
she said
"I wonder who'll get the upper hand?" the
bat said.
" I'm sure I don't care a bit," th* Queen re-
torted "It doesn't make any difference to me.
They all give me things to sign, and they all say
I'm very beautiful"
44 That's because they want to marry you," the
bat said.
And the Queen answered, " I suppose it is ;
but I shan't marry them. And I wish all my
attendants weren't deaf and dumb ; it makes it so
awfully dull for me."
" That's so that they shan't abuse the Regent
behind his back," the bat said " Well, I shall
take a fly." The truth was, he felt insulted that
the Queen should say she was dull when she had
him to talk to.
I
THE QUEE.V WHO FLEW.
But the Queen was quite frightened when he
whizzed past her head and out into the dusky
evening, where she could see him flitting about
jerkily, and squeaking shrilly to paralyze the flies
with fright
After a while he got over his fit of sulks, and
came back again to hang in his accustomed bough.
" Why — you can fly 1 w the Queen said breath-
lessly. It gave her a new idea of the importance
of the bat
The bat said, " I can.* He was flattered by
her admiration.
"I wish / could fly," the Queen said "It
would be so much more exciting than being boxed
up here.*
The bat said, " Why donl you?"
M Because I haven't got winjs, I suppose," the
Queen said.
M You shouldn't suppose,* the bat said sharply.
\\.\\\ the evils in the world come from people
supposing."
" What are the * evils irx the world ' ? * the Queen
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'HIE QUEEN WHO fLLW.
And the bat answered, " What I don't you even
know that, y >u ignorant little thing? The evils in
the world are ever so many — strong winds so that
one can't fly straight, and cold weather so that the
flies die, and rheumatic pains in one's wing-joints,
and cats and swallows."
" I like cats," the Queen said ; " and swallows
are very pretty."
" That's what you think," the bat said angrily.
"But you're nobody. Now, I hate cats because
they always want to eat me ; and I hate swallows
because they always eat what I want to eat — flies.
They are the real evils of the world."
The Queen saw that he was angry, and she held
her peace for a while.
" I'm not nobody, all the same," she thought
to herself. "I'm the Queen of the 'most
prosperous and contented nation in the world,'
though I don't quite understand what it means.
But it will never do to offend the bat, it is so
dreadfully dull when he won't talk ; " so she said,
" Would it be possible for me to fly ? " for a great
longing had come into her heart to be able to fly
Sfc^'
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
away out of the garden with the roses and the
marble bench.
" Weil, it certainly won't be if you suppose you
can't," the bat said. " Now, » hen I was a mouse,
1 used to suppose I couldn't fly, and so, of course,
I couldn't But, one day, I saved the life of a
cockchaler that had got into a beetle-trap, and he
told me how it was to be managed. *
" How ? * the Queen said eagerly.
M Ah, you like cats," the bat said, "and you'd
tell them the secret ; and then there'd be no peace
for me. Ugh (—flying caul" And the bat
shuddered and wrapped his wings round his head
" Oh, but I promise 1 won't teU," the Queen
said eagerly; "indeed I da Dear bat, you are
so wise, and so good, and so handsome, do tell
me.*
Now, the bat was rather susceptible to com-
pliments, and so he unshrouded his head, pretend-
uig not to hare heard, though he had.
"Whit did you say?" he said.
And the Queen repeated her words.
'Hut pleased him, and he answered, "Well,
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 7
there's a certain flower that has two remarkable
properties— one, that people who carry it about
with them can always fly, and the other, that it
will restore the blind to sight"
" Yes ; but I shall have to travel over ever so
many mountains and rivers and things before I
can find it," the Queen said dismally.
" How do you know that ? " the bat asked
sharply.
" I don't know it, I only supposed it ; at least
I've read it in books."
" Well, of course, if you go supposing things
and reading them in books, I can't do anything
for you," the bat said. " The only good I can see
in books is that they breed bookworms, and the
worms turn into flies ; but even they aren't very
good to eat. When I was a mouse, though, I used
to nibble books to pieces, and the bits made rare
good nests. So there is some good in the most
useless of things. But I don't need a nest now
that I can fly."
" How did you come to be able to fly ? " the
Queen asked.
THE QUhEN WHO
"Well, after what the cockchafer told me, I
just ran out into the garden, and when I found
the flower, as I hadn't any pocket to* put it in so
as to have it always by me, I just ate it up, and
from that time forward I have been able to fly
ever so well"
The Queen said, M Oh, how nice ! And is the
flower actually here in the garden? Tell me which
it is, please do."
-Well, 111 tell you if youll bring me a nice
piece of raw meat, and a little red flannel for my
rheumatism."
Just at that moment the sound of a great bell
sounded out into the garden.
" Oh, how annoying ! " the Queen said M Just
as it was beginning to be interesting! Now I
shall have to go in to dinner. But 111 bring yoe
the meat and the flannel to-morrow, and then youll
tell me, won't you ? *
The bat said, - Well see about it," and so the
Queen arose from her seat, and, stooping to avoid
the roses that caught at her, went out towards the
palace and up the marble steps into it
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The palace was an enormous hall, all of marble,
and very, very cold
The dining-room itself was a vast hall, as long
as an ordinary street, with a table as long and as
broad as the roadway thereof, so that the poor
little Queen felt ratlur lonely, sitting at one end
of it, with the enormous Tessels all of gold, and
the great gold candlesticks, and the long line of
deaf and dumb domestics that stood and looked
on, or presented their dishes kneeling.
Generally the Regent's wife, or, if he hadn't one,
his sister or mother, acted as the Queen's gover-
ness, and stood behind her chair. But that
evening there was no one at all
" I suppose they've cut her head off," the Queen
said resignedly. " I wonder what the next one
will be like. But I shan't be bothered with her
long, if the bat tells me how to fly. I shall just
go right off somewhere, and see mountains, and
valleys, and rivers, and seas ; and hundreds and
hundreds of wonderful things out of books. Oh, it
will be lovely 1 And as to the Regents, they can just
cut each other's heads off as much as they like,"
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
And so, having dined, she went to bed, and
lay a long time awake thinking how delightful it
would be to fly.
The next morning, at breakfast, she found a
note to say that the Lord Bla.kjowl desired an
early audience with her on the subject of the
Regency.
" I suppose I must go," the Queen said. " I
do hope he won't be much wounded, it's so nasty
to look at, and I did want to go into the garden
to see the bat"
However, she went down into the audience
chamber at once, to get it over. The guard drew
back the curtain in the doorway and she went in.
A great man with a black beard was awaiting her,
and at her entrance sank down on one knee,
" Oh, get up, please," she said. * I don't like
talking to men when they kneel, it looks so stupid
What is it you want ? I suppose it's abput the
Regency."
The Lord Blackjowl arose. His eyes were little
and sharp; they seemed to look right through
the Queen.
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
it
" Your Majesty is correct, as so peerless a
lady must be," he said "The nobles and
people were groaning under the yoke of the late
traitor and tyrant who called himself Regent,
and so we took the liberty, the great liberty,
of - "
" Oh yes, I know what you want," the Queen
interrupted him. " You want to be pardoned for
the unconstitutionality of it So I suppose I shall
have to pardon you. If you give me the paper I'll
sign it."
The Lord Blackjowl handed her one of many
papers that he held in his hand
"If your Majesty will be graciously pleased to
sign it here."
So the Queen sat down at a table and signed
the crackling paper " Eldrida— Queen."
" I never sign it ' Eldrida R.,' " she said " It's
ridiculous to sign it in a language that isn't one's
own. Now I suppose you want me to sign a
paper appointing you Regent ? "
The Lord Blackjowl looked at her from under
his shaggy eyebrows.
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" That was included in the paper your Majesty
has been graciously pleased to sign."
" But I didn't know anything about it," the
Queen said hotly. M Now that's deceiving, and
I shall never be able to trust anything you give
me to sign without reading it I've a good mind
to take it back again."
14 1 assure your Majesty," the lord answered,
with a low bow, "I merely wished to save
your Majesty the trouble of twice appending
your gracious signature when once would suf-
fice."
" But why didn't you tell me what was in it ?"
she asked, a little mollified.
* Merely because your Majesty took the words
out of my mouth, if I may so say."
The Queen said, " Well, and what else do you
want me to do ?"
'• There are su jdry traitorous persons of the
fectkm of the late Regent, whose existence is
dangerous to the peace of the realm, and against
whom I wish to issue writs of attainder if your
Majesty will consent*
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
I thought so," the Queen said.
many are there?"
"Three thousand nine hundred and
the Regent sai*l, looking at a great scroll.
M Good gracious 1 " the Queen said.
»3
•'How
forty,"
-Why,
that's five times as many as ever there were
before."
The Regent stroked his beard "There is a
great deal of disaffection in the land," he said.
"Why, the last Regent said the people were
ever so contented," the Queen answered.
" The last Regent has deceived your Majesty."
" That's what they all say about the last Regent
Why, it was only the other day that he told me
that you were deceitful — and you are — and he
said that you had thrown your wife into a yard
full of hungry dogs, in order that you might marry
me."
a Your Majesty," the Regent said, flushing with
heavy anger, "the late Regent was a tyrant,
and all tyrants are untruthful, as your Majesty's
wisdom must tell you. My wife had the mis-
fortune to fall into a bear-pit, and, as for my
n_s your
14 THE QULEN WHO FLEW.
daring to raise my eyes as high
Majesty "
" Why, you're looking at me now," the Queen
said. "However, it doesn't matter. You can't
marry roe till I'm twenty-one, and I shan't be that
for some time. By the-by, who's going to be my
next governess?"
" Your Majesty is now of an age to need no
governess. I think a tutor would be more
suitable— with your Majesty's consent"
"Well, who's 10 be my tutor, then?" the
Queen said.
"I had purposed according that inestimable
honour to myself," the Regent answered.
"Oh, I say! You'll never do!" the Queen
remarked. "You could never darn a pair of
stockings, or comb my hair. You'd be so awfully
clumsy."
" Your Majesty has no need to have your royal
stockings darned ; you can always have a new
J..JU."
" But that would be so fearfully wasteful I " the
Queen said.
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 15
" Your Majesty might give the other pain to
the poor."
44 But what are ' the poor ' ? "
" The poor are wicked, idle people — too wicked
to work and earn the money, and too dirly to
wear stockings," the Regent said
" But what would be the good of my stockings
to them?" the Queen asked.
"It is the usual thing, your Majesty," the
Regent said " But will your Majesty be pleased
to sign these papers ? "
The Queen said, "Oh yes, I'll sign them, if
you'll just go down into the kitchen and ask for
a piece of raw meat, about the size of my hand,
and a piece of red flannel about large enough to
go round a bat Oh, and what's a good thing
for rheumatism ? "
The Regent looked a little surprised "I —
your Majesty, I really don't exactly know."
"Oh, well, ask the cook or somebody."
" Well, but— couldn't I send a servant, your
Majesty?" the Regent said
" No, that wouldn't be any good," the Queen
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
said. M If you're to take the place of my governess
you'll have to do that son of thing, you know."
The Regent bowed. <:Of course I shall be
only too grateful for your Majesty's commands.
I merely thought that your Majesty might need
some assistance in signing the papers."
But the Queen answered, "Oh no, I can man-
age that sort of thing well enough myselC I'm
quite used to it; so be quick, and remember, a
nice juicy piece of raw meat and some red
flannel, and— oh, opodeldoc ; that's just the thing.
Be quick 1 I don't want to keep the bat waiting."
The Regent went backwards out of the room,
bowing at every three steps, and, as he was dad in
armour from top to toe, he made a daaking noise
—quite like a tinker's cart, if you've ever heard one.
So, left to herself; the Queen signed the papers
one after the other. They all began—
"Br THE QUEEN, A PROCLAMATION,
E.R.
O*r
pi** this is/
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 17
But the Queen never read any further than
that, because she could never quite understand
what it all meant. At the last signature she
happened to make a little blot, and somehow or
other the ink happened to get into one of her
nails, and that annoyed her. It is so difficult
to get ink out of one's nails.
" I don't care if I never sign another Proclama-
tion," she said; "and I hope I never shall
Now, look here," she continued to the Regent,
who at that moment entered. "If you were a
governess I should be able to make you get
this ink out; but how can I ask a man to
do that ? "
"I will make the attempt, if your Majesty
pleases," the Regent said.
"Well, but you haven't got any nail-scissors,"
the Queen replied.
" I might use my sword," the Regent suggested.
But the Queen shivered. " Ugh 1 fancy having
a great ugly thing like that for it!" she said.
" Oh, well, you've brought the things ! Here are
your papers. They're all signed; and, if you
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
want anything else, you'll have to come into the
garden."
And she took up the meat and the flannel and
the opodeldoc and went into the garden, leaving
the Regent with the idea that he had made
rather a bad business by becoming the Queen's
attendant But he was a very determined man,
and merely set his teeth the firmer.
Under the overhanging rose tree the Queen sat
awaiting the bar's awakening.
44 It never does to wake him up," she said
" It makes him so bad tempered"
So she sat patiently and watched the rote-petals
that every now and then fluttered down on the wind
It was well on towards the afternoon, after
the Queen had had her dinner, before he awoke.
"Oh, you're there?" he said He had made
the same remark every day for the last two years
—which made seven hundred and thirty-one
tees, one of the years having been leap-year.
The Queen said, " Yes, here I am 1"
The bat yawned •• What's the weather like ? "
he asked
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 19
The Queen answered, " Oh, it's very nice, and
you promised to tell me the flower that would
make me fly."
" I shan't," the bat said. " You'd eat up all the
flies — a great thing like you."
The Queen's eyes filled with tears, it was so
disappointing.
" Oh, I promise I won't eat any flies," she said ;
" and I'll go right away and leave you in peace."
The bat said, " Um ! there's something in
that."
" And look," the Queen continued, " I've brought
you your meat and flannel, and some stuff that's
good for rheumatism."
The bat's eyes twinkled with delight. "Well,
I'll tell you," he said. " Only you must promise,
first, that you won't tell any one the secret ; and
secondly, that you won't eat any flies."
" Oh yes, I'll promise that willingly enough."
" Well, put the things up here on the top of the
seat and I'll tell you."
The Queen did as she was bidden, and the bat
continued —
TffE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
"The flower you want is at this moment
being trodden on by your foot"
The Queen felt a little startled, but, looking
down, saw a delicate white flower that had trailed
from a border and was being crushed beneath her
small green shoes.
" What I the wind-flower ? " she said. " I always
thought it was only a weed."
" You shouldn't think," the bat said. " It's at
bad as supposing."
" Well, and how am I to set about flying ? " the
Queen asked.
And the bat answered sharply, " Why, fly. Put
the flower somewhere about yon, and then go
o£ Only be careful not to knock against things."
The Queen thought for a moment, and then
plucked a handful and a handful and yet a
of the wind-flowers, and, baring twined
a carcanet, wound them into her soft gold-brown
hair, beneath her small crown royal
••Good-bye, dear bat," she said. She had
grown to like the bat, for all his strange appearance
and surly speeches.
*KX=. i
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The bat remarked, " Good riddance." He was
always a little irritable just after awakening.
So the Queen went out from under the arbour,
and made a first essay at flying.
11 I'll make just a short flight at first," she said,
and gave a little jump, and in a moment she flew
right over a rose bush and came down softly on
the turf on its further side, quite like a not too
timid pigeon that has to make a little flight from
before a horse's feet
41 Oh, come, that was a success," she said to
herself. "And it really is true. Well, I'll just
practise a little before I start to see the world."
So she flew over several trees, gradually going
higher and higher, until at last she caught a
glimpse of the red town roofs, and then, in a swift
moment's rush, she flew over the high white wall
and alighted in the road that bordered it.
" Hullo ! " a voice said before she had got used
to the new sensation of being out in the world.
" Hullo ! where did you drop from ? "
•' I didn't drop— I flew," the Queen said severely;
and she looked at the man.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
He was stretched on the ground, leaning his
back against the wall, and basking in the hot
sunlight that fell on him. He was very ragged and
very dirty, and he had neither shoes nor stockings.
By his side was a basket in which, over white paper
frills, nodded the heads of young ferns.
"Why, who are you?" the Queen said. And
then her eyes fell on his bare feet They
reminded her of what the Regent had said that
morning. " Oh, you must be the poor," she said,
" and you want my stocking!.10
" I don't know about your stockings, lady," the
man said ; M but if you've got any old clothes to
spare, I could give you some nice pots of flowers
for them."
The Queen said, M Why, what good would that
do you?"
And the man answered, " I should sell them and
get some money. I'm fearfully hungry."
" Why don't you have something to eat, then ? *
the Queen said.
And the man replied, " Because 1 haven't got
any money to buy it with."
.
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
" Why don't you tike it, then? "
"Because it would be stealing, and stealing's
wicked ; besides, I should be sent to prison for
" I don't understand quite what you mean," the
Queen said. " But come with me somewhere
where we can get some food, and you shall have
as much as you like."
The fern-seller arose with alacrity.
" There's a shop near here where they sell some
delicious honey-cakes."
" I can't make it out," the Queen said to herself.
" If he's hungry he can't be contented ; and yet
the Regent said every one was contented in the
land, because of his being Regent He must have
been mistaken, or else this man must be one of
the traitors."
And aloud she said, "Is there a bill of
attainder out against you ? "
The beggar shook his head. " I guess not," he
said. " Tradesmen won't let the likes of me run
up bills."
It was a remark the Queen could not understand
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THE QU&EN WHO FLEW.
" There1! no
are all afrai
Blackjowl
looked
Regent to-day
•till smouldering.
belonged to one of the opposite party, and he
wouldn't surrender and have his head chopped
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" I should think not," the Queen said.
The streets were quite empty, and all the
shutters were closed. Here and there an arrow
was sticking into the walls or the doors.
" Do people never walk about the streets ? M the
Queen asked.
" It wouldn't be safe when there's a revolution
on," the beggar answered.
Just at that moment they arrived before the door
of a house that, like all the rest, was closely shut
up. Over the door was written —
"JAMES GRUB,
Honey-cake Maker*
Here the beggar stopped and began to beat
violently at the door with his staff.
The sound of the blows echoed along the streets,
— and then from within came dismal shouts of
•• Murder!" "Police!" "Fire!"
But the beggar called back, " Nonsense, James
Grubb; it's only a lady come for some honey-
cakes."
Then, after a long while, there was a clatter of
^
'
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
chains behind the door, and it wai opened just an
inch, so that the Queen could see an old man's
face peeping cautiously out at her. The sight
seemed to reassure him, for he opened the door
and bobbed nervously. At other times he would
have bowed suavely.
" Will your ladyship be pleased to enter?" he
said. "I want to shut the door; it is so dan-
gerous to have it open with all these revolutions
about"
The Queen complied with his request, and found
herself in a little dark shop, only lighted dimly
through the round air-holes in the shutters.
"Give this man some honey-cakes," she said;
and the honey-cake maker seemed only too
delighted.
"How many shall I give him, madam?" he
said.
M As many as he wants, of course," the Queen
answered sharply. f
The beggar proceeded to help himself, and made
a clean sweep of all the cakes that were on the
counter. There was a lig hole in his coat, and
'
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THE QUEEN WhO FLEW.
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into that he thrust them, so that the lining at last
was quite full
The honey- cake maker was extremely pleased at
the sight, for he had not expected to sell any cakes
that day.
When the cakes had all disappeared there was
an awkward pause.
"Now 1 11 go on again," the Queen said.
" But you haven't paid," the honey-cake maker
said in some alarm.
" Pay ! " said the Queen. " What do you mean ? "
" Paid for the cakes, I mean," the honey-cake
maker said.
" I don't understand you," she answered. " I
am the Queen ; I never pay for what I eat"
" She is tlie Queen," the beggar said ; " and if
you don't take care she'll have your head oflf."
The honey-cake maker jumped back so suddenly
that he sat down in a tub of honey and stuck there
doubled up with his knees to his ch;n.
" O Lord ! O Lord ! " he said. " What shall I
do? what shall I do ?— all my cakes gone, and
never to be paid ! "
mi
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
14 You won't want to be paid if your head's cut
off," the beggar said.
Bui the Queen answrred, "Nonsense. No
one's going to cut your head off; and I dare
say, if you ask them at the palace, they'll pay
you, whatever it means. Ju>t pull him out of
the tub," she continued to the beggar, for the
unfortunate honey-baker, not being able to mote,
remained gasping in the tub.
So the beggar pulled him out, and, for all his
fright, his business spirit did not desert him.
44 Will your Majesty deign to sign an order for
payment ? " he said.
And the Queen answered, " Good gracious, no, I
won't ; the ink always gets into my finger-nails."
The honey-cake maker bowed lower still "At
least, your Majesty, deign to give me your signet-
ring as a token."
44 Oh, III give you that," the Queen said; and
she drew it from her finger.
The honey-cake maker suddenly smote his fore-
head with his hand, as though an idea had struck
him.
>*..:
---
7I/E QUEEN WHO FLEir. 29
"You might carry that ladder out for me," he
said to the beggar, indicating a ladder that lay
along the passage wall
The beggar did as he was asked, and placed it
against the house.
" Whatever is he going to do now? " the Queen
thought to herself, and, being in the street, awaited
the turn of events.
Presently the honey-cake maker came out,
carrying a pail of black paint and a large brush,
and, thus equipped, ascended the ladder and began
to paint, under the
"JAMES GRUBB,
Honey-cake Maker?
* to Her Majesty tiie Qiieen and the R *
But he had got no further than that, when, with
tumultuous shouts, a body of soldiers came rushing
round a corner, and, seeing the honey -cake maker
on the ladder and his door open, they at once
tumbled pell-mell into the shop.
No sooner did the unfortunate maker of cakes
see this, than, in his haste to descend the ladder,
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30 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
his foot slipped, and he came to the ground, with
the paint out of the pot running dismally all over
his head.
41 Oh dear 1 oh dear 1 " the Queen said, and went
to pick him up, when, at that moment, the soldiers
having found nothing in the shop but a tub of
honey and a tub of flour, came out again, not
quite as fast as they had entered, until they saw
the Queen, when they at once rushed to surround
her, and one of them caught at her crown, and
another at her bracelets, and another at her lace-
handkerchiet
The Queen said, "Leave me alone, do you
hear?"
But the soldiers answered, " In the Queen's
name, surrender."
" Well, I shouldn't surrender in any name but
my own, and I shan't surrender at all I am the
Queea"
Whereupon the leader of the soldiers, who had
not had the fortune to get at any of the Queen's
jewellery, said, M Release the lady ; " and, rather
crestfallen, the soldiers obeyed him.
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THE QUEEN HIIO FLEW.
" Oh, your Majesty," the leader said, kneeling,
" we have had such a trouble to find you. The
Regent, discovering that your Majesty had left
the palace, told us to follow you with all haste to
provide for your safety."
"So you provided for it by trying to rob
people's houses," the Queen said.
And the leader answered, " Oh no, your Majesty.
We feared, knowing that James Grubb is a noted
rebel, that he had kidnapped your Majesty, and
so were making a domiciliary search."
" I'm not a noted rebel," the honey-cake maker
gasped. " I'm only noted for my honey-cakes."
But no one noticed his little puff.
The Queen said to the soldiers, " Well, I don't
want you. You can go; and don't make any
more domiciliary searches."
The leader, however, answered, " Oh, but, your
Majesty, domiciliary searches are most necessary
in the present state of the kingdom."
" I don't care," the Queen said ; " I forbid you
to make them. So now go away."
" But, your Majesty," the leader answered, " the
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
Regent gave us orders to conduct your Majesty
back to the palace. It is not constitutional."
" I'm sure I don't care," the Queen answered ;
" I'm not going back. Good-bye."
And she suddenly flew straight up into the air
and away over the housetops, and the last sight
she had of them showed them, with their
upturned towards her, gazing in dumb
ment, the leader still on his knees and the hooey-
cake maker on his back in the street
The beggar had long since slunk round a corner
and disappeared.
So the Queen rose to quite a great height in theair*
" I shall go right away from the town," she said
41 The smoke is so choking up here above the
roofs. However people can live down there I
can't make out"
So she went right up into the blue sky and
made her way towards where, at the skirts of the
town, the mountains rose steep and frowning.
Up there, standing on the mountain's crest, she
had a glorious view of sea and sky and town and
country.
* l '*
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The sea threw back the deep blue of the sky
above, and the white wave-horses flecked its
surface, and the ships passed silently far out at
act; down below her feet, it beat against the
rocky base of the cliff, and in and out amongst
the spray the seagulls flew like a white cloud.
The town lay in a narrow valley, broad at the
sea face, and running inwards into narrowness
between grey, grand hills, right to where it dis-
appeared in the windings of the pass. Down
below, in the harbour, she could see the boats
getting ready for sea.
" Oh, how wonderful I " the Queen said ; " and
it all belongs to me— at least, so they say— though
I can't quite see what good it does me, for I can't
be everywhere at once. And I can't even make the
hills move or the sea heave its breast ; so that I
can't see that it does me any more good than any
one else, because it isn't even constitutional for
me to be here. I ought to be down there in the
palace garden, seeing nothing at all However, it's
very lovely here, so I mustn't grumble. I wonder
how the bat is getting on, and the Regent, and all"
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34 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
So for a while she stayed, looking down at the
town. Into the streets she could not see, for the
JMMti stood in the way, but she could see
the market-place plainly enough and the palace
steps.
Presently a number of soldiers came running
into the market-place, and up into the palace, and
the Queen knew they had come to announce her
flight
And then, a few minutes after, she s*w then
coming rapidly oat of the doors,
"Goodness me !" the Queen said, -the Regent
is kicking them down the steps. I shint go back
there again, or he might take to kicking me,"
So she set out along the hilltops, sometimes
walking and ipastimrs flying over the valleys, so
that, by the time the sun was near setting, she
found herself in a great stretch of dreary uplands,
with nothing like a house for miles around.
"Now, whatever shall I do?" she said -It's
coming on quite dark, and I don't know where I
am. I've a good mind to lie down and go to
sleep on the heather ; only there might be some
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 33
sort of wild animals about, and it wouldn't be
safe."
Then the sun sank lower and lower, and the
Queen began to feel a little lonely and very
nervous. There was not a sound to be heard,
save the roar of a brook that ran, gleaming
white, among the boulders in the gloom of the
valley at her feet.
" If I fly right up in the air again I shall be
safe, at any rate," the Queen said. " I shan't
go tumbling over precipices or getting eaten up
by wolves."
So she flew right up into the upper air where
she could see the sun again, and she tried to
catch him up, flying fast, fast westwards. But
she found that the sun went a great deal faster
than she could go — for, you know, the sun goes
a great deal more quickly than a train — and
gradually he sank below the horizon, and the
Queen was left alone with nothing but the stars
to keep her company.
As you may imagine, it was not the pleasantest
of feelings, that flying through the pitch-dark
36 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
night, and the Queen felt continually afraid of
running against something, though she was really
far too high to do any such thing.
But, for all that, she had the dread constantly
in her mind, until at last the moon crept silently
into being above a hill, seeming like an old
friend, and soon all the land below was bathed
in white light The Queen glided on; like a
black cloud, she could see her shadow running
along the fields below her. She watched till she
grew sleepier and sleepier, and found herself
nodding, to wake with a start and then fall off
to sleep again; till, at last, she fell asleep for
good and all, and went sailing quietly along in the
white night, whilst the moon gradually mounted
up straight overhead, and then sank lower and
lower, and the dawn began to wash the world
below her with a warmer light
But the Queen slept softly on; and, indeed,
never bed was softer than the air of the summer
night
The sun had been up some little while when
she was awakened by just touching on the top
:.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
of a lofty mountain, that reached up into the
sky and stopped her progress ; so that, when she
was fully awakened, she found herself seated on
its peak.
She rubbed her eyes, and in a moment remem-
bered all that had happened before she had
dropped off to sleep.
"Goodness me! I feel awfully hungry," she
said to herself, and, standing up, looked around
her.
On the one side, the mountain towered above
the uplands over which she had passed in the
night, but they looked dreary and uninviting;
on the other, in a fair plain, stood a town — she
could see the smoke rising from the chimneys and
the weather-cocks gleaming in the morning sun-
light as they veered about in the breeze. So she
flew gently down towards it, and the shepherds
in the fields and the women at the cottage doors
stared in amazement, and came rushing after her
as she swept past through the air.
So, by the time she arrived in the town, quite a
great crowd had followed her.
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
At last she alighted just before the town gates,
and, as there was no guard to stop her, entered
boldly enough, and walked on for a little way
until she came to a shop that seemed to be a
cake-shop, for one half of its window was full
of cakes, and the other of boots and shoes. And,
indeed, the owner, an old man with spectacles
on, was seated on his doorstep busily working
away at his cobbler's bench.
The Queen said, " I want some cakes, please.*
And the cobbler, looking up from his work,
said, M Then you've come to the right shop."
The crowd stood round in a ring and whis-
pered.
"Will you give me them, please?" the Queen
continued.
And the old cobbler inwiul, * 111 sell them to
you."
44 But I haven't got any money," the Queen
said
44 Then you've come to the wrmg shop," the
cobbler said determinedly, and looked down
again at his work.
S'
7 HE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 39
"But I'm the Queen," she said, remembering
her former experience.
The cobbler said, " Nonsense 1" and took a
little brass nail from his mouth.
44 But I am the Queen," the Queen said angrily.
The cobbler knocked the nail into the shoe.
" King Mark's a widower," was all he said.
And the crowd laughed until the Queen felt
quite uncomfortable. She was not used to being
stared at
"Why, I must have got into another country,"
she said to herself; "and, I suppose, the best
thing to do will be to see the King. I dare say
he'll give me enough to eat, for he'll tremble at
my name."
So she said aloud, " Take me to the King."
And so the crowd showed her the way, some
going in front and some following; but all so
anxious to see her that they stumbled over each
other's legs.
But at last they came to the palace, and the
crowd opened to make way for her. To tell the
truth, they seemed rather afraid to enter, but
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the Queen inarched in boldly enough till she came
to a great halt Long before she had time to
make out what it was like, an enormous voice
shouted —
" Who the dickens are you ?"
And, looking at the throne, she could make out
an enormous, black-bearded man seated thereon.
He was a great deal more ugly than the Regent
at home had been, and his red eyes twinkled under-
neath black, shaggy brows, like rubies in a cavern.
" Who are you?" he shouted.
And whilst his fearful voice echoed down the
great dark hall, the Queen answered —
" If you won't tremble, 111 tell you."
The King gave a tremendous roar of laughter.
M Ho, what a joke 1" he said, and, to enforce it,
he punched in the ribs the chamberlain who stood
at his right hand, and that so violently that the
wretched man rolled down the throne steps, taking
care to laugh vigorously the whole time, until the
King roared, "Be quiet, you idiot!" when the
chamberlain at once grew silent Then the King
said, somewhat more softly, "111 try very hard
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TIIE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
not to tremble ; but \i I'm very frightened you won't
mind, I hope"
And all the courtiers laughed so loud and long
at the King's sarcasm, that the Queen had some
difficulty in making herself heard
Then she said, " I am Eldrida, by the grace of
God Queen of the Narrowlands and all the
Isles."
The King really did seem a little startled.
" What in the world do you want here, then ? *
he said, and his red eyes glowed again,
" I want something to eat," the Queen said.
The King seemed lost in thought "Your
Majesty shall have something if "
11 If what ? " the Queen asked
" If you will marry me," the King said in a tone
that was meant to be sweet ; but it rather reminded
the Queen of a bull she had once heard grumbling
angrily.
She answered decidedly, " I shan't do anything
of the sort."
The King said, "Why not?"
" Because you're a great deal too cruel and ugly,"
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
the Queen answered. "What did you knock that
poor man down for? I can't bear that son of
wickedness. And as for ugliness, why, you're worse
than the Regent himself; and he's the ugliest man
I ever saw."
The King immediately became so convulsed
with rage that he could only roar till the windows
shook out of their frames and shattered on the
ground ; and the Queen stopped her ears with her
fingers, perfectly aghast at the storm she had
raised.
At last the King regained his powers of speech.
44 If you dont marry me this very day," he said,
" 111 have you beheaded, HI have you hanged, HI
have you thrown from the top of the highest tower
in the town and smash you to pieces."
41 You couldn't do anything of the sort," the
Queen said calmly.
Thereupon the King's rage became quite fright-
ful to see, especially for the courtiers who were
nearest him, for he rushed among them and began
to kick them so that they flew into the air; indeed,
it seemed as if the air was full of them. But, in
QUEEN WHO FLEW. 43
the middle of it, he suddenly made a dash at the
Queen, and, before she could avoid him, had
seized her in his fearful grasp.
" I'll show you if I can't dash you to pieces,"
he said, and in a minute he had seized her and
rushed out into the open air, carrying her like
a kitten.
Up to the little door at the foot of the palace tower
he went and kicked it open so violently that it
banged against the wall and quivered again with
the shock, and then round and round and round,
and up and up and up, a little dark winding stair,
until a sudden burst of light showed that they
were at the top.
" Now I'll show you," he muttered, and, shaking
her violently he threw her over the side.
But she only dropped softly a short way, and then
hovered up again till she played in the air around
the tower.
The astonishment of the King was now even
greater than his former rage.
" I told you how it would be," the Queen said.
" And, if you'll take my advice, you won't lose your
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44 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
temper so fearfully again. It might really make
you ill."
But the King said nothing at all, being a little
out of breath at having come so quickly up the
tower steps. So the Queen flew gaily off again
without saying " Good-bye."
But down at the base of the tower the courtiers,
discovering that the King was nicely trapped,
quietly shot the door and locked it Then they
gave a sigh of relief; and left him till he died
They had been long looking out for such an
opportunity.
The Queen, however, knew nothing of that
She flew on for a time, being far too excited to
remember her hunger ; but at last it came back
to her with redoubled force, and she determined to
descend at the first
to
try to
get some food somehow. Bat, by that time, the
country had become sandy and dry, with only a
few reeds bristling out over it here and there, and
no signs of cultivation or even of houses.
" Aiw, whatever shall I do ? " she said to herself,
as she flew along so dose to the ground that the
•
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
wind of her flight made the sand flit about in little
clouds. " I'm so awfully hungry and Why,
there is some sort of a building 1 — at least it looks
like one."
And there, in a hollow among the sand-dunes,
stood a funny little black erection, such as you
might see upon a beach.
So the Queen alighted and walked towards the
house. In front of the door a cat was sitting — a
black cat But not a magnificent creature with
a glossy coat that sits on the rug in front of the
drawing-room fire and only drinks cream, deeming
mice too vulgar. This was a long-limbed, little
creature, that looked half-starved and seemed as if
its proper occupation would be stealing along, very
lanky and grim in the moonlight, over the dunes
to catch rabbits.
So the Queen stopped and looked at the cat,
and the cat sat and looked at the Queen.
The black pupils of its yellow eyes dilated and
diminished in a most composed manner.
" Poor pussy ! " the Queen said, and bent to
scratch its neck.
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But the cat took no kind of notice, so the
Queen lifted the cat in her aims, whereupon it
give Tent to an awe-inspiring yell
The door flew violently open, and the Queen,
in alarm, let the cat go, and it dashed into the
house behind an old woman, but such an ugly old
woman that the Queen was quite startled
" Well, what do j*« want?" the old woman said.
" Oh, I want something to eat," the Queen said.
The old woman gave a cunning leer. "Some-
thing to eat, my dear young lady," she said.
" why, whatever made you expect to find any-
thing to eat fit for the likes of you in such
aplace?"
"Oh, I'm not particular," the Queen said;
" only Fm very hungry."
11 And what will you pay me?" the old WOMB
said.
41 1— I can't pay you anything," the Queen said.
" You see, I haven't got any money."
The old woman smiled again, in a nasty way.
" Oh well," she said, " HI give you some food,
if you'll do a day's work for it"
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
14 What sort of work?" the Queen said,
not very clever at work, you know."
" Oh, quite easy work — just goose-herding."
The Queen said, "Oh, I dare say I could do
that."
And the old woman answered, *4 Oh, very well ;
come along in, then."
And the Queen followed her into a dirty little
room, with only a table and a long bench in it
But there was a fine wood fire crackling on the
hearth, and before it a goose was slowly turning
on the spit, so that it did not look quite as dismal
as otherwise it might have done.
The Queen sat herself down at the table, and
the old woman and the cat were engaged in sitting
on the hearth watching the fire.
They did not seem at all talkative, and so the
Queen held her peace.
At last the old woman gave a grunt, for the
goose was done, and so she got up and found
a plate and knife and fork, and put them before
the Queen, with the goose on a dish and a large
hunk of bread
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" There," she said, •• that's all I can give you."
And so, although the food was by no meant as
dainty as what she would have had at home in the
palace, the Queen was so remarkably hungry that
she made a much larger meal than she ever
remembered to have made.
And all the while the cat sat and stared at her,
and seemed to grow positively bigger with staring
so much, though when the Queen held out a piece
of the goose to it, it merely sniffed contemptuously
so that the Queen felt quite humiliated.
Your cat doesn't seem to be very sociable,"
she said to the old woman.
And the old woman answered, " Why should
he be ? " and took up a Urge twig broom to sweep
the hearth with.
That done, she leant upon it and regarded the
Queen malevolently.
* Aren't you ever going to finish ? * she said
The Queen answered, "Well, I was rather
hungry, you see ; but I've finished now. There's
no great hurry, is there ?"
M I want my dinner," the old woman said, with
;
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 49
such an emphasis on the "my" that the Queen
was quite amused.
" Why, the goose is there ; at least, there's some
of it left."
" But / don't like goose," the old woman said.
Her manner was growing more and more peculiar.
" Any one would think you were going to eat
me" the Queen said ; and the cat licked its jaws.
" So I am," the old woman said, and her eyes
gleamed.
But the Queen said, «' Nonsense 1 *
a But it's not nonsense," the old woman said ;
and the cat began to grow visibly.
" Well, but you didn't say anything about it
before," the Queen said. " I only agreed to herd
your geese."
" But you won't be able to," the old woman
said.
The Queen said, " Why not ?*
" Because they're wild ones."
The cat was growing larger and larger, till the
Queen grew positively afraid.
" Well, at any rate, I'll have a try," she said.
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
And the old woman answered, "You may as
well save yourself the trouble."
But the Queen insisted, and so they went out-
side, the old woman carrying her broom, for all the
world like a crossing-sweeper.
The great cat rubbed against her skirt and
licked its jaws. It was about the size of a lion
now.
They came to the back of the house, and there
the pen was — a cage covered completely over, and
filled with a multitude of geese. The old woman
undid the door and threw it wide, and immediately,
with a mighty rustle of wings filling the air, the
geese swept out of the pen away into the sky.
The old woman chuckled, and the cat crouched
itself down as if preparing to spring, lashing its
sides with its long tail But the Queen only
smiled, and started off straight into the air, Caster
even than the geese had gone.
The old woman gave a shriek, and the cat a
horrible yell, and then the Queen saw the one
mounted upon her broom, and the other without
any sort of steed at all, come flying alter her.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
Then ensued a terrific race. The Queen put
up one hand to hold her crown on, and the other
to shield her eyes, and then flew as fast as she
could, with her hair streaming out upon the wind.
Right through the startled geese she went, and
the old woman and the cat followed after; but,
fast as she went, they gained upon her, and at
last the cat was almost upon her. In despair, she
doubled back and almost ran into the old woman,
who aimed a furious blow at her with her broom ;
but the Queen just dodged it, and it lighted
full in the face of the cat, and, locked fast
together, the cat and the old woman whirled to
the ground.
They were both of them too enraged to inquire
who was who, and such a furious battle raged
that the sand they threw up completely hid the
earth from view for miles around
The Queen, however, after she had recovered
her breath, hovered over the spot to see what
would happen.
All of a sudden there was a loud explosion, and
a column of blue flame shot up.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" Now what has happened ? " the Queen thought
to herself, and prepared to fly off at full speed.
But the cloud of sand sailed quietly off down
the wind, and, save for a deep hole, there re-
mained no trace of the old woman and her cat
Just at that moment the Queen heard a mighty
rustling of wings, and, looking op, saw the great
herd of wild geese swirling round and round her
"Dear me!" the Queen said to herself, "I
wonder if I could talk to them. Perhaps they will
understand bat's
Now, it is a rather difficult thing to gire you
a good idea of what the bat's language is like,
because, although one may produce a fairly good
imitation by rubbing two corks together, or by
blowing through a double button, it doesn't mean
any more in bat's language than " Huckery
hickyhoo * would in oun, if any one were foolish
enough to produce such sounds.
Suffice it, then, to say that the Queen said in
the bat's language, "Oh, come, that's a good
thing 1 •
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 53
And the geese answered, " Yes, isn't it scrump-
tious?1'
You see, geese are rather vulgar kinds of fowls,
and so they speak a vulgar language — about as dif-
ferent from the aristocratic bat's as a London cos-
termonger's is from that of a well-brought-up young
person. So that, if you can imagine a gander and
a bat proposing each to the lady of his choice, the
goose would say, " 'Lizer, be my disy ;" whereas the
bat would lay one claw upon its velvet coat over its
heart and begin, "Miss Elizabeth," or "Miss
Vespertilio," — for that is the bat's surname — " if
the devotion of a lifetime can atone for " and
so on, in the most elegant of phrases.
At any rate, the geese understood the Queen,
and the Queen understood the geese, which is the
main thing.
" Now what shall I do?" the Queen said
And the geese consulted among themselves.
Then an elderly gander spoke up for the rest.
"Ma'am," he said, or rather hissed, "you
have saved our lives."
The Queen said, " I'm sure I'm very glad."
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The poor gander blushed, not being used to
speaking in public ; but he began again bravely.
" Ma'am, seeing as how you've saved our lives,
we've made up our minds to be your faithful
servants, and to go where you go, and do what
you da"
" I'm sure it's very good of you," the Queen
said, not knowing exactly whether to be glad or
sorry. "But I don't quite know where I am
going ; though, as it's getting late in the day, I
think I'd better be moving on."
" Why don't you go back to the cottage ? " the
old gander said. "There'll be no one there to
bother you now."
" It's rather a good idea," the Queen said.
41 I've a good mind to."
"Do," the geese said. "There's s nice river
nearby."
And, although the Utter inducement was in-
considerable, the Queen did as she was asked.
In their mad career they had come so great a
distance that it was close on nightfall before they
reached the cottage again.
QUEEN WHO FLEW. 55
There everything was quiet and as they had
left it, only the fire had almost died away on the
hearth.
So the Queen, who rather disliked the darkness,
threw one or two turfs on it and blew it up well
with the bellows, so that the light glowed and
danced cheerfully on the farthest wall of the
cottage.
So the Queen sat and looked at the leaping
flames, and her shadow danced large upon the
walls. But outside, on the dunes before the door,
the geese were all asleep, with their heads under
their wings. Their shadows did not move in the
moonlight. Only the old gander remained as a
sentinel, marching up and down before the door.
No sentry was ever more perfect in his goose-step.
So, when a fit of nervousness came over the
Queen, and she went to look out at the door
for fear the old woman and her cat should return,
she felt quite reassured
"It was we who saved the capitol," the old
gander said ; " so you're quite safe."
And the remembrance soothed the Queen, so
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THE QUERN WHO FLEW.
that she went and lay down on the coach of dried
fern that served for a bed, and soon was fast
asleep.
After all, the geese were some companionship,
and it was better to sleep quietly on the bracken-
couch than to glide along in a ghostly way under
the moon, with no company but one's shadow on
the fields far, far down below.
So the Queen slept until morning, and the
first sound that awakened her was the quacking
of the geese, a really tremenflbus noise. The
sun was just up. The Queen sprang up, too,
and dressed hersell There was a pail in the
hut, and, at no great distance, a well So thither
she went, and, drawing a pail of water, washed
herself well in it It was delightfully cold and
refreshing.
The geese saluted her with a general chorus
of good mornings and good wishes, for which the
Queen thanked them.
So, having made herself comfortable, she began
to feel not a little hungry, as did the geese,
After looking about in the hut, she discovered
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 57
the cellar door, and, opening it, she went down,
not without being a little afraid that it might be
full of old women or black cats. She found no
trace of either, but merely quite a lot of bread
and cheese, and hard biscuits, and a sack of com,
which was evidently intended for the geese.
So she filled a measure with it and threw it
to them, and gave them a great pan of water
from the well, after which she made a frugal
breakfast off a biscuit and an egg which one of
the geese had laid.
Then the geese wanted to set forth for the
river, and asked the Queen to come with them,
which she did willingly enough, after she had
tidied the house a little and had made up the
fire so that it might not quite go out
Then gaily they trooped off over the sand-
dunes towards the river, the geese marching
gravely in line; only the old grey gander went
beside the Queen and talked to her.
Just where the river ran was a green meadow
with several pools of water in it And the
meadow was perfectly alive with birds; every-
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$8 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
where their wings seemed to be flapping and
fluttering and showing the whites underneath
then*
They eyed the Queen with something like
alarm, but the old grey gander made a speech
in which he referred to the Queen as their
preserver and friend ; and the Queen said that,
far from wishing to do them any harm, she was
very fond of birds.
And so the napping of wings went on again,
and the sun shone down upon the gay meadow.
But the geese led the Queen to the river's edge,
and there she sat down on the bank beneath a
willow tree, whilst they jumped in and revelled
in the clear water.
So the sun rose higher and higher, and the
shade of the tree grew more and more grateful
to the Queen, and the geese came out of the
river and arranged themselves for a nap on the
grass around her.
During the sun's height, too, all the other birds
were more silent; it was too hot for violent
exercise,
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
So the river gurgled among the rushes, and
they rustled and bent their heads, and the willow
leaves forgot to tremble for want of a breeze.
And the great, placid flow of the river was
without a dimple on its face, save when a fish
sprang gleaming out after a low-flying midge.
So the Queen felt happy and contented, and she,
too, dozed off into a little nap, whilst the woolly
clouds slowly sailed across the blue heaven.
But towards evening the birds all woke up;
the peewits flew off in a flock to the marshy
flats down the river, and the snipe whirred away
to the mud-banks, and the geese arose and cropped
the greensward with their bills.
And then, towards sunset, they all rose in
the air, and the Queen with them, and went
whirling round in great clouds of rustling pinions,
dyed red in the sunset, geese and peewits, and
snipe and herons, all wheeling about in sheer
delight of life ; until, when the sun was almost
down, the geese, with a great cry of farewell,
flew off through the gloaming with the Queen
towards the hut
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
And there she once more blew up the fire
for company, whilst the geese outside slept calmly.
And so she went to bed again.
Thus it fell about that the Queen remained
quite a long time in the hut with the geese for
her companions.
The days she spent down where the river whis-
pered to the rushes. When the sun was very hot,
she would bathe in the stream and lie among the
rushes ; and, having cut a pipe, she played upon it
in tune with the gurgle of the river.
Then the geese and the gulls and the peewits and
the gaunt grey herons would gather round and
listen attentively— so attentively that if one of the
gulls made a slight rustling in changing legs, he
always got a good peck for disturbing them. And
the great herons buried their bills in the feathers
of their breasts and shut their eyes, and did not
move even when the frogs crept out of the water
and listened, with their gold-rimmed eyes all agog,
and their yellow throats palpitating.
Then when she had finished, the herons snapped
their bills; and the gulls cried, " Kee-ah ;" and the
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
peewits, " Peewit ; " and the geese hissed, with
their necks streiched out — but that too signified
applause.
As for the frogs, they made haste to spring with
a plop into the rushes, without any applause at all ;
but that was because the herons had opened their
eyes and were stalking towards them.
So the Queen was very much beloved in the
bird-meadow, and the gulls would come out of the
shining pools to greet her when she came in
the freshness of the morning, and the herons would
lay fish at her feet, and the peewits would perch
upon her shoulder and fly round her head, and
the whirr of wings was everywhere. But the geese
were her guard of honour.
One morning before they set out for the bird-
meadow, whilst the Queen was engaged in tidying
up the hut, the geese suddenly set up a most
terrible hissing and quacking.
"Dear me!" the Queen said, "there'll be a
terrible rain-storm soon."
But at that moment the old grey gander
came running excitedly into the hut.
-
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" There's a man— two men — three men coming,1*
be said, quite out of breath.
The Queen said, " Good gracious! and my hair
in such a state 1 "
But she went to the door all the same.
There, sure enough, she saw three men coming
one after the other. The first two were quite near,
but the third was a great way off, though he
appeared to hop along over the dunes in a most
remarkable manner. He seemed to be habited
in a suit of black, and carried a black bag; but
he was still a great way off, and the Queen turned
her attention to the other two, who were now quite
close to her.
The first one was a handsome, very brooied young
man, in a suit of shining armour, that, to the Queen's
critical eyes, did not seem to fit him to perfection ;
whilst the second, a delicate-looking, haughty youth,
with a very lair skin, was habited in a shepherd's
coarse garments, and carried a crook and a
at his side.
The mai
bow and said—
sling
in armour bowed a clumsy son of
,
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 63
" Good morning ; " whilst the shepherd bowed in
. ^ a most courteous and elegant manner.
"Good morning, fair madam. Is Mrs. Hexer
at home ? *
The Queen said, " No, there's no one of that
name living here."
"Dear me," the man in armour said, "how
annoying I I am the — the Prince of Kamschkatka,
and this is a shepherd of Pendleton." He said it in
a great hurry, just as you might say a newly learned
lesson.
But the shepherd of Pendleton said, "Ah,
perhaps Mrs. Hexer does not live here."
The Queen said, "No, she doesn't; J live
here."
" What, alonf!" they both said
And the Queen answered, " No ; I live with my
geese."
The shepherd said, " Oh, then perhaps you could
tell us where Mrs. Hexer does live."
" I've never heard of her," the Queen said
" What! never heard of Mrs, Hexer?" they
both said
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
"Tne famous witch who has the well of the
Elixir of Life," the prince said.
But the shepherd said, "Of love."
The mention of •' witch " brought something to
the Queen's mind.
" There used to be a horrible old woman who lircd
here with a great black cat," she said. "Perhaps
tfu was Mrs, Hexer ; but she disappeared some
tine ago."
" That must have been her," the prince said.
And the shepherd continued, " Ah, if you would
let us sit for a while on the coping of your well, or
even give us a draught of its water, we should be
infinitely obliged to you.*
The Queen said, "Oh, you're very welcome,"
and turned into the house to get her bucket, when
she was astonished to see a coal-black thing with
horns and a long tail sitting in the very middle
of her fire.
She rubbed her eyes in surprise, and when
she looked again there was only a gentleman,
clad in an elegant suit of black, with his coal-
black hair carefully parted in the middle and
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
65
falling in sinuous lines on either side of his fore-
head. He held his hat in one hand, and in the
other a black bag and long narrow book.
"Oh, good morning, Mrs. Hexer," he said.
11 You will excuse my liberty ; but I saw you were
agreeably engaged, and so I took the opportunity
of slipping in by the back way."
" I didn't know there was a back way," the
Queen said.
"The chimney, I should have said, Mrs. Hexer,"
the gentleman said.
" But I'm not Mrs. Hexer, " the Queen replied.
" No, indeed," the gentleman answered. " The
elixir has had a most remarkable success in your
case. A photograph of you now would be a
most valuable advertisement — before taking and
after. I suppose you haven't got one of your
former state ? "
" But I tell you I'm not Mrs. Hexer," the Queen
said.
Whereupon the gentleman became a shade
more serious.
" You have exactly five minutes more life," he
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THE QUERN WHO FLEW.
said, after having consulted one of those keyless
watches that never seem to have had enough
winding. He laid down his hat and bag, and
looked carefully in his book. M Is this not your
signature?*
The Queen said, " Good gracious, no ; and Fm
not going to sign anything more."
"You've signed quite enough in this," the
44 But I tell you I ncrer signed it," the Queen
replied.
"Oh, nonsense, Mrs. Heier," the gentleman
said. " Come, your time is nearly at hand."
" It's nothing of the sort,* the Queen said.
And the gentleman bowed "You know best,
Mrs. Hexer," he said " There's one more minute."
The Queen waited to see what would happen.
The seconds passed by, and the Queen's heart
beat Then the gentleman tore the page out of
his book, at the dotted line, and put the book in
the bag.
" By-the-bye," he said, "whafs become of the
cat?"
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The Queen said, " It disappeared with
witch."
The gentleman looked at his watch. " Time's
up, Mrs. Hexer," he said, as he put it back in his
pocket " By virtue of this document, signed by
your blood "
"It isn't my blood," the Queen said, when,
all of a sudden, the hut vanished away over her
head, and she found herself standing in the open
air among the sand-dunes, ainid a large crowd of
people ; whilst the two men, shepherd and prince,
were lying tumbled on the sand, for the well on
which they had been seated had disappeared.
But the most astonishing thing was what
happened to the gentleman in black, for he
suddenly changed into a black demon and
advanced roaring towards her, until something
seemed to stop him, and he changed just as
suddenly back into the gentleman that he had
been before.
" I see there has been some mistake," he said,
bowing and placing his hand upon his heart.
Then he knelt upon the ground. " Be mine ! be
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
mine ! * he said. " Oh, most adorable maiden, be
marry me, and I will reform ; 111 give up
mine
smoking ; I'll never swear ; 111 — 111 go to church
—only marry me."
M I can't," the Queen said. " Don't be ridiculous
and kneel ; I never let the Regents kneel"
" You can marry me— you can," the gentleman
said. "I can marry while I'm on earth. Of
course, down below it's different But 111 keep
regular hours ; 111 be most respectable— I will, if
you'll only marry me."
" I tell you I can't," the Queen said ; " I don't
know what I've done to make you go on in this
ridiculous way."
" It's the elixir. You've been drinking it, you
know," the demon gentleman said ; ** and so I
can't help it But if you won't marry me, madam,
perhaps we can do a little business in my line.
I pride myself that my system is the very best
— the seven years' purchase system, you know."
w I don't understand you at all," the Queen
"Why, it's very simple. You give me what
*"•»
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 69
1 want, and I will re-erect for you the desirable
family residence that stood here, with all its
advantages — the delightfully secluded spot, the
landscape, the well of pure water, and the fowl-
house with its stock of geese. Come, let me fill
you up a form."
"Yes, but what do I have to do for it?" the
Queen said.
And he answered, " Oh, a mere trifle — only a
formality."
" But what is it?"
" Oh, you only give me your soul — it's nothing
at all."
" My soul I n the Queen said. " Certainly not"
" But I'll make you rich," the gentleman said.
"I'm quite rich enough already," the Queen
answered.
"I'll make you powerful— make you a great
queen."
" I'm one already, thanks," the Queen said
" I'll give you a broom that you can fly on,"
the gentleman remarked.
" I can fly without a broom," the Queen said.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
11 I'll let you drink the elixir," he went on.
" 1're had quite enough already," the Queen
said.
The demon gnashed his teeth. "Then you
won't trade ? " he said.
u Certainly no/," the Queen answered.
11 And you won't marry me ?"
« Certainly not ! " the Queen said.
There was blue name, and a great pillar of sand
shot up into the air. The wind carried it slowly
away— the gentleman in black had disappeared
* Come, that's something! " the Queen said, with
a sigh of relief, when her eye fell suddenly on the
crowd of people that were standing looking at her.
They were mostly standing on one leg. " Why,
whoever are you ? " the said.
And a grey-haired man answered, "We are —
that is, we were— the geese. / am the oldest of
them, and, as such, let me remind you that a ripe
man is by far the best one to marry. Oh, maiden,
marry mi!*
But a perfect storm of voices went up. " No ;
marry me! I'm "
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But the Queen held up her hand to command
silence.
"Don't make such a fearful noise. I can't
even hear myself think. I'm not going to marry
any of you, though you were very nice, dear
geese, and I was very fond of you."
"No; the lady is going to marry me!" a
voice said, and the man in shepherd's clothes
slept forth.
" No, marry me 1 " the man in armour said.
" I'm a prince. I will make you a princess,"
the man in shepherd's clothes said.
" I'm a shepherd," the man dressed like a prince
said. "A shepherd is a far better match for a
goose-girl than a prince is."
"But why were either of you so deceitful?"
the Queen said. " Because it's so ridiculous.
You don't look like a shepherd, prince — your skin
is much too fair ; and you are much too brawny
to be a prince, shepherd."
"Well, I thought it was not quite respectable
for a prince to be seen visiting a witch, and so I
changed clothes with the shepherd here."
•=S- 41'
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72 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
M And I changed clothes with the prince because
I had seen you from alar, and had loved you ; and
because I thought a prince would hare teemed
more splendid than a common shepherd."
"But you were both wrong to try to deceive
me," the Queen said "As for you, prince, I
will not marry you to be made a princess, for
I am a Queen already ; and for you, shepherd, I
will not marry you to become a shepherdess, for
I am goose-girl already, though my flock has
turned back from its goose-chape again. But how
did you become fetie, anyhow?" she asked of
And he who had been the old grey gander
answered, M The witch turned us into it when we
came to ask for the Elixir of Love,*
"Dear me!9 the Queen said. "Does love
make such geese of people ? *
And the shepherd in prince's clothing said,
" I'm afraid it does."
" You see, it was as I said,9 the old grey gander
. '
said; "those young men are all fools, You had
much better marry me."
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 73
He had no sooner said the words than a
perfect whirlwind of shouts arose.
"Marry me!" "No, marry me!" "Mel"
"Me!" "Me!"
The Queen put her fingers to her ears. "If
you don't be quiet I'll fly away altogether," she
said.
But it produced no effect at all; the sound of
voices went on just like the sound of surf on a
pebbly shore,
"Oh, I can't stand it," the Queen said u And
to think that it is to go on like this for ever and
ever, and all because of this horrible elixir! I
shall fly right away from it"
And she quietly rose and sailed away in the
air, and the last she saw of the geese was that
they were feebly trying to fly after her, waving
their arms frantically as if they had been wings.
The Queen flew straight up into the air, and
she had reached a dizzy height before she thought
of what she was doing.
To tell the truth, she was a little sorrowful at
the thought of leaving the geese; for, with the
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
said to herself. " But, good gracious, bow high
I am getting ! I shall be losing my way. Why,
the earth looks auite small and Quite like a
around was
thousand
of gleaming hail.
QUEEN WHO FLEW.
upon them. At the top was a great glare of
light.
The Queen felt tired and a little bewildered;
it seemed as if her wings would bear her no
longer or, at least, no higher.
Upon the many-coloured road she stood and
looked up the great white way. A voice spoke
to her like a great rushing of wind
" Maiden," it said, " so far and no further."
And a feeling akin to fear came over her ; but
not fear, for she knew not what guilt was.
And the voice spoke again. " Go down this
bow back to the earth, and do the work that is to
be done by you. Be of use to your fellows."
And the Queen turned and went her way down
the great road. The air was full of voices, glad
voices, such that the Queen had never heard
before — full of a joy that made her heart leap
to hear.
But she could see no one,
Till at last she came back to the green earth,
late in the afternoon.
For a moment, above her, she could see the
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THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
great span of the rainbow, and then it vanished
into the dear air, and the Queen was alone in the
little valley. There it was already dusk, though
the sky above the long down before her was still
golden with the rays of the sun that had sunk
behind it
There was a little rill running along the valley,
and the Queen knelt down and drank of its
brimfulness, taking the water up in her hand It
was very sweet and cool, and the Queen felt
happy to be back on the earth again.
"After .all.- she said to herself; as she sat
herself down in the soft, cool grass, that tickled
her hands — "after all, it's something to have firm
ground under one ; one feels just a UttU lonely up
there, quite away from everything except shooting
stars, and the world is a dear old place in the
twilight like this.*
Up above the hill-top she saw a man's head
appear, together with a pair of horses and a
plough. Quite plainly she could hear the bridle
trappings' rattle and dick, and the heavy breathing
of the horses in the evening stillness,
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
It was all so quiet and natural that she did not
feel at all surprised
Just at the brow of the hill, standing out black
against the light, the man halted, and, lifting the
plough, turned his team of horses round and set
off down the new furrow.
With very little hesitation, the Queen went
up the hill towards the spot from which he had
disappeared, and in a very short time she had
reached the brow and stood looking down the
furrows. The western sky was still a blaze of
glory, and the yellow light gleamed along the
ridge of shining earth that the plough turned up,
and on the steel of the ploughshare. The plough-
man was singing a song, and his voice came
mellowly along over the sunlit stubble that was not
yet ploughed up.
" I wonder, now, if it will be safe for me to
speak to him, or if he'll fall in love with me as
soon as he sees me ? because it's really too much
of a nuisance."
However, she went lightly across the stubble
towards him. He was just turning the plough
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW
as she approached, and he did not seem to notice
her.
" Now, lads," he said to the horses, M the last
lap for this evening."
And the horses whinnied softly and set their
necks to the collar.
"Can Ibeof any usetoyou?" the
The man stopped his team for a
looked towards her. Against the glow of the sky
she could not make out his lace ; but be seemed
to smile.
"No, friend," he said. " I have all but finished
my day's work ; but, if you will lead the horses
up the furrow, they may go straighter th*P i am
drive them."
So the Queen went to the hones1 heads, and
took one of them by the bridle, and the great
beasts stretched to the work. And the Queen felt
a new happiness come over her, at the thought
that she was of use in the world.
The sun set as they came to the edge of the
field. The plougher stretched his arms abroad,
tnd then came to the horses' heads.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 79
"Thank you, friend," he said to the Queen.
He did not look at her, but kept his eyes downcast
on the ground with a strangely distant appearance
in them. "Will you not come home and sup
with us? It is hardly a hundred yards to the
farm, and the nearest place to here is several
miles onwards."
The Queen said, "Thank you. I should be
very glad ; but— but — " as the thought struck her,
" I shan't be able to pay you, you know."
The ploughman laughed " Now I see you are
a stranger," he said "But yet I have seldom
had strangers pass here that offered to help
me."
The Queen said, " Yes, but it is so nice to be
of use to any one ; " and seeing that he was
engaged in unbuckling the horse from the plough
on the right side, she did as much for the one on
the left
The ploughman said, " Now, can you ride ? "
" Well, I've never tried, but I dare say I could
if they didn't go too fast"
" No, I don't think they'll go fast," he said
•»».(•:«.'-,< t.*iw*"
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" Here, let me lift you on. There, catch hold of
the horns of the collar."
And in a moment the Queen was seated side-
ways on the great horse. The ploughman made
his way to the horse's head and led it down the
valley again. The other horse went quietly along
by the side of them.
"How delicious everything looks in the owl-
light! "the Queen said.
And the ploughman sighed. - 1— I can't see
it," he said. " I can't see anything. I'm blind."
The Queen said, •• Blind ! Why, I should never
have known it You are as skilful as any one else."
The ploughman answered, "Oh yes, I can
manage pretty well because I'm used to it, and
there are many ways of managing things ; but it is
an affliction."
The horses went carefully down the hill, and
in a little space they had reached the valley
whence the Queen had started. It was now quite
dark there, and the harvest moon had not yet
arisen, but at no great distance from them the
Queen could see a light winking.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
So the horses plodded along, stopping now ami
again to crop a mouthful of grass or drink a
draught from the tinkling rill, whose sound had
grown loud in the twilight silence. In a very short
while they had come to where a little farmhouse
lay in the bottom of the valley among trees, that
looked black in the starlight
The ploughman called, " Mother, I'm bringing
a visitor."
And a little old woman came to the door.
0 Welcome 1 " she said, and added, " My dear,"
when the Queen came into sight in the light that
fell through the open door.
The Queen slipped down from the horse and
went into the door with the little old woman, whilst
the ploughman disappeared with the horses.
"She really is a dear little old woman," the
Queen said to herself — "very different from old
Mrs. Hexer."
And so indeed she was — quite a little woman in
comparison with her stalwart son, with white hair
and a rosy face and eyes not at all age-dimmed,
but blue as the cornflower or as a summer sky,
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
looking,
would
is very kind of you
are a stranger
that moment the ploughman
"Son, son," she answered,
There will be plenty."
I am glad to hear
And so the supper was made ready, and heartily
——"*•- —
THE QUEEN WHO
glad the Queen was, for she was as hungry
ploughman.
And they had the whitest of floury potatoes, m
the whitest of white wooden bowls, and the sweetest
of new milk, and the clearest of honey overrunning
the comb, and junket laid on rushes, and plums,
and apples, and apricots. And be certain that the
Queen enjoyed it.
And, when it was finished, they drew their chairs
round the fire, and the ploughman said, addressing
the Queen —
44 Now, friend, since you have travelled far, tell
us something of what may have befallen you on
the way, for we are such stay-at-home folk here,
that we know little of the world around. But
perhaps you are tired and would rather go to
bed"
But the Queen said, " Oh no, I am very well
rested now, and I will gladly tell you my story —
only first tell me where I am."
" This is the farm of Woodward, from which we
take our names, my mother and I, and we are
some ten miles from the Narrow Seas,*
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" Bat what is the Und called, and who rales
it? "the Queen said
The ploughman laughed. " Why, it is called
the land of the Happy Folk ; and as for who rules
it, why, just nobody, because it gets along very well
as it is."
The Queen leant back in the great chair they
had given her. She rubbed her chin reflectively
and looked at the fire.
••The Regent told me that a country couldn't
possibly exist without a King or Queen," she
said.
Who b the Regent?** the
said.
He too kept his face to the fire that he could
not see,
"Oh, well, he's just the Regent of my kingdom.
But 1 forgot you didn't know. I am Eldrida, Queen
of the Narrowlands and all the Isles.*
The little old woman looked at her interestedly.
And the ploughman said, " After all, you're not
so my far from your home ; because one can see L|
the coast of it quite plainly on a clear day from
our shore, so they say."
I
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
11 Why, then you must have quite a number of
people from there ? " the Queen said.
But the ploughman answered, " No, hardly ever
any one, because the seas run so swiftly through
the straights that no boat can live in them— so
people would have to come a long way round by
land. Besides, they've got everything that we've
got, so what could they want here ?" the ploughman
said, and added slily, " all except one thing, that is."
" Why, what is that ? " the Queen asked.
And the ploughman answered, "Why, the
Queen, of course ; because we have got her."
But the little old woman held her hand to shield
her eyes from the fire's blaze, and looked across
at the Queen.
" I shouldn't think it was a very nice country to
live in," she said.
The Queen asked, " Why ? "
" Well, one evening when we were down by the
sea, we saw the whole sky lit up over there, and,
later, we heard from a traveller, that the people
had set fire to the town when they were fighting
about who was to be Regent"
«€> ,— . -^
cs x"
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
'm afraid they mi
; but I didn't know anything about it
How was that ?" the ploughman said.
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
of the geese, to which she had
awaken. But gradually it all came back to her,
and for a while she lay and watched the roses
that were peeping in at the window and nodding
in the morning breeze.
" Come, this will never do I " the Queen said
to herself. " Whatever will they think of me ? "
So she arose from between the warm, clean sheets,
and, having dressed herself, went downstairs.
There she found the little old woman busy in the
kitchen.
" Good morning, my dear," she said.
And the Queen answered, "Good morning,
mother."
And the little old woman's eyes smiled her
pleasure. " I didn't wish to wake you," she said,
"you seemed so tired last night My son has
gone off to his ploughing ; but you will see him
as you pass the hill, and he will guide you a little
on your way, if you have to go further." The
little old woman's eyes looked quite wistful. " We
wish you would stay a little while with us; we
should like it so much."
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
Oh yes, you can be of use," the little old
a ~
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
himself by feeling with his feet the last furrow he
has made."
"Oh, I could lead the horses for him," the
Queen said.
And the mother answered, •' Yes, do, my dear ;
and you can take your dinner out with you. His
dog always fetches his for him."
So the Queen finished her breakfast, and then
set out along the valley towards the ploughing
place.
By daylight she could see better how pleasant
a place the valley was, very green in the bottom,
with here and there a pollard willow by the
stream, and here and there linen laid out to
bleach on the grass. But the steep hills that shut
it in were purple with heather, and brown with
bracken, and, now and then, a lonely thorn tree.
Behind her was the little white cottage, with a
cluster of trees drawn down around it, and with
the ducks and turkeys and chickens crowding
the valley in front of it Indeed, every now and
then along the valley a lily-white duck would
pop its golden-billed head out of the reeds and
0=5
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
meadow-sweet of the stream to look at her as she
passed along.
So she came to the hill where the valley made
a sharp turn, and on the top of which she could
see the ploughman. Up it she climbed through
the heather, and speedily reached htm,
« I've come to lead the horses for you," she
And he looked towards her and smfled
"That's right," be said. "Then you're not
going away just yet It's better here than being
shut up in a palace garden, with no one but a bat
to talk to."
" It is," the Queen said simply.
So, through the autumn day, she led the horses
up and down the furrows, whiUt he drove the
share deep into the ground.
And through the blue sky, up the wind and
down the wind, came the crows and starlings to
feed on the worms that the plough turned up.
So, late in the afternoon, they had come as far as
he meant to go.
"Further down the hill," he said, "the wheat
u
\.
THE QUEEN WHO I- LEW. 91
would catch the north wind. So that's enough for
to-day, Queen Eldrida."
"Don't call me Queen Eldrida, because, if I
am a queen, I'm not your queen. Just call me
Eldrida."
" One name's as good as another/' he said, as
he slipped on his coat " Now let's go home, and
I'll show you a little of the valley behind the
house,"
So the Queen stayed for a while with them,
and did as they did. And the blind man led her
up the hills, and on the hilltops called the sheep,
and from all sides they came to his call.
And the Queen halved his work for him, and
did those things which his want of sight prevented
his doing.
Sometimes she stayed to help the little mother
indoors, but, on the whole, she preferred being out
in the open air with the blind
Then came the beginning
went with him up the
storms to fold the s
home to the byres.
of
des, and
winter, and she
among
the
and drive the cattle
m\»- .i \\(*'
™| '
fex-r.
i«.i;\V
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
And then midwinter, when, tn the morning,
Lan thorn
roof-windows.
hard walking,
* • Hard lot, hot km,'
Then 111 oar pmtbwmj go
Torovfh lone, jrey lands ; luw^xiccp tskl UM
But the Queen was generally too out of breath
to be able to sing at all
At last, however, the now came right
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. 93
the roof-tree, and they could not go out of the
house at all. So they sat quietly around a great
fire, and the little old woman span, and the Queen
worked at the loom, and the blind man wove
baskets out of osiers. And they told tales.
Said the little old woman, "I will tell you a
tale that I had from my grandmother, and she
had it from hers, and so on, a great way back.
" Once upon a time, upon the earth there were
no people at all, no men and women, but only
little goblin things that covered the whole earth
and made it a beautiful green colour. But the
sun was a bright flame colour, and the moon very,
very white. So the Sun and the Earth took to
quarrelling as to which was the more beautiful of
the two.
"Said the Earth, 'I am the more beautiful;
such a lovely green as mine was surely never
seen.'
"Said the Sun, 'But just look at my mantle
of flame,1
"So, as they could not possibly agree, they
submitted the matter to the Moon. Now, the
is^l^T^
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
Moon was horribly jealous of the San, because
he so terribly outshone her; so she gave her
verdict for the Earth.
" Then, indeed, the Earth was proud, and gave
itself such airs and graces that not only the Son,
poor Earth-spirits
through the
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
no sooner was it done than they had to begin
all over again against the Sun.
"This went on— day in, day out ; night in, night
out — for a long, long time, until the poor Earth-
spirits grew wearier and wearier, and their lovely
green colour changed into a sickly yellow hue.
"Then in despair they prayed to the spirits of
the air and of the great waters to assist them.
And the waters arose and covered in the Earth,
and the winds of the air brought a mantle of
clouds, so that the Earth was shielded from the
fury of the Sun and the constellations ; but, alas !
when the waters receded and the skies grew clear
again, it was found that all the poor Earth-spirits
were drowned — all save a very few who had
taken refuge on the tops of the mountains.
" So these few, having such a lot to eat,
gradually grew and grew till they became men.
And the dead bodies of the green Earth-spirits
grew out of the Earth, too, and became the fruits
of the Earth ; but the dead bodies of the Sun
and Moon warriors became gold and silver, and
men dig them out of the Earth.
96 THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" But still the quarrel goes on ; for gold and
silver are man's greatest curse, and the fruits of
the Earth his one blessing."
And so with tales and work they beguiled the
time of the waiting for the snow's melting, and at
last it came. The valley was filled with the roar-
ing of the brook, grown large with the melting
of the snows, and the robin sang from the copses.
So the spring came on, and the earth grew
green, and it was the time of sowing, and the
Queen had almost forgotten that she was able
to fly— indeed, she mostly left her wind-flower
crown at home.'
But one day her eye fell upon it, and the
thought suddenly struck her that the bat had
said that the wind-flowers had the power of curing
" Now, if only I knew how it was to be done,
or if I had a few more of them I'd cure him.
Now, it's not really so very far from here to
there. I might just fly over to the palace garden
and ask the bat, and be back this very evening"
—for it was then the early morning. " And I
THE QUEEN WHO
won't tell them anything about it, and it'll be
delightful."
And so, without any more hesitation, she just
opened the little window and was up among the
dawn-clouds that were sweeping up from over
the sea, It was a little chilly and very lonely
up there, and the silent flights of seagulls that she
caught up and overpassed seemed too alarmed
to talk to her. The Queen felt a little lost, as
if there were something missing.
"Somehow it doesn't seem half as nice as it
used to do," she said to herselC " I wonder why
it is? I don't think, after I get home — I mean
back here — I shall ever go flying again."
But she folded her hands in her cloak and
went silently on over the grey shimmering sea.
The sun grew higher and higher, and it was about
eight in the morning before she was hovering
over the city.
She alighted in a street that seemed somewhat
empty, because she disliked the attention that
her mode of progression usually excited.
Just in front of her, under a shed formed by
H
r
ffe
98 THE QUERN WHO FLEW.
the pushing up of the shutters of his shop, a
tailor was seated, cross-legged, working away with
his head bent down over his work.
"Good morning!" the Queen said. "Can I
be of any use to yon?"
The tailor peered up at her through a great
pair of horn spectacles.
"Eh? "he said.
"I said, 'Can I be of any use to you?" the
Queen replied.
And the tailor regarded her in a dazed way.
Suddenly he said—
MOh yes; marry me, marry me, only marry
mel"
The Queen said, " Oh, nonsense,* because she
had just remembered the dudr.
But the tailor answered, M It isn't nonsense — it
really isn't It's true I'm married already; but
111 knock my wife on the head, and then 111 be
free."
But before the Queen could answer anything at
all there began a sudden growling sound that
resolved itself into a succession of footsteps
7 HE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
rapidly down wooden steps, and, in, a moment, a
door burst open just behind the tailor's back.
There was an old woman with a great broom just
behind it.
" Ah, would ye now ! murder your wife, a
respectable married woman, for the sake of a
hussy that comes dropping down out of the
chimney-tops. I'll teach you."
And with one sweep of her broom she knocked
the poor little tailor off his board, and made a dash
at the Queen.
But the Queen took to her heels and ran oft
" Why, she's worse than Mrs. Hexer," she said
to herself. " But really this elixir is a great nui-
sance. It makes it impossible to have any peace.
But I wonder what all the flags and decorations
are about"
Just at that moment two people, who appeared
to be a servant-girl and her mother, came out of
a neighbouring house. They were very gay in
holiday costume.
" What is to happen to-day ? " the Queen asked.
And the mother answered, " Why, don't you
^
too 7ffE QUEEN WHO PLEW.
know ? The Queen is twenty-one to-day, and
she's going to marry the Regent, Lord BUckjowL*
" Going to marry the Regent ! " the Queen said
" Why, who told you so ? "
M Everybody knows it," the mother answered
14 But how did everybody get to know it ? " the
Queen asked
And the mother answered, "The Regent told
them, I suppose."
And the girl said, "It's up among the Royal
proclamations, on the notice-board at the palace*
The Queen said, « Oh ! Will you show me the
way to the palace ? " she continued
14 Why, certainly," the girl said " We were just
going that way to see the procession."
So they set off through the gmy streets. A*
they went along the Queen could »ee the young
men on every side falling in love with her ; but
she paid no attention to them.
" Are you glad the Queen's going to be married ?"
she asked her guides.
And the girl answered, "Oh yes; we get a
holiday to go and see the procession."
M&
«r ' ' '•» .
.-.
7 HE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
" Why, thtn, I suppose you'd be just as glad if
the Queen died, and you could go and see her
funeral ? "
And the old woman said, " Of course ! *
By that time they had come to the market-place.
It was crowded with those who had come to see
the sights, and the fountains were running wine
instead of water ; so, of course, there was rather
a scramble to get at the fountains. That left the
ground clear for the Queen to get to the notice-
board where the Royal Proclamation hung.
There she saw, sure enough, the Regent's
proclamation, saying that the Queen would marry
him that day. At the end of it there was the
signature, " Eldrida, Qutcn."
11 Why, it isn't my signature at all,* the Queen
said.
And the mother and daughter looked at her
askance.
" Have any of you ever seen the Queen ? " she
asked.
And the mother answered, " No ; no one has
ever seen the Queen but the Regent ; but there
, . cs
-3fe
x
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
was a story that a beggar told about a year ago,
that she had flown out of the palace and away.
And they did say that Gruhb the honey<ake
maker and some soldiers knew something about
it But the Regent had them all executed, so we
never came to know the rights of the story. Any-
how, we've had to pay taxes just the
Now the Queen grew really angry with the
Regent BlackjowL
But she said, * Thank you," and M Good-bye,"
to the mother and daughter, and slipped away
through the crowd to the side-wall of the palace,
where, in the road, she had first commenced her
travels.
Here there were very few people about, because
there was little chance of seeing the procession
from there. She waiteil until the street was almost
empty, and then flew quietly over the palace wall
and down ioto the familiar garden.
There it was, a little more neglected and a little
more weed overgrown than ever, but otherwise
just the same. Only it seemed to have grown
a great deal smaller in the Queen's eyes ; but that
was because she had grown accustomed to great
prospects and wide expanses of country.
The long, thorny arms of the roses had grown
so much, that it was quite difficult to get under
them into the little seat
"Now I shall have ever so much trouble to
wake him, and he'll be fearfully surly," the Queen
said to herself.
But it is always the unexpected that happens—-
as you will one day learn— and the Queen found
that the rustling that the leaves made at her
entrance had awakened the bat.
" Hullo 1 " he said, " you there ! Glad to see
you. Heard from a nightingale that you'd been
seen in disreputable company, going about with
geese. Well, and what did you think of the world ? "
"Oh, it's a very nice place when you're used
to it."
" That's what you think," the bat said. " Wait
till you come to be my age. But now, tell me
your adventures."
" I'd better humour him," the Queen said to
he rself, and so she plunged into the recital
i«r*.-*:«!tvW*
-^<& *\il''":iWM?>
104 HIE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
When she had finished the bat said, " H'm I and
so you're going to marry the Regent ? *
" I'm not going to do an> thing of the sort," the
Queen said.
And the bat asked, "Who are you going to
marry, then?"
The Queen answered, " No one ; at least "
And the bat said, - Just so."
And the Queen replied, "Don't be stupid.
Oh, and tell me how one can cure blindness
with wind-flowers."
The bat said, " Do you know how to make tea ?"
" Of course I do," the Queen answered
" Well, you make an infusion of dried wind-
flowers just like tea, and then you give it to the
young scamp to drink."
" He's not a scamp," the Queen said ; M but
you're a dear good old bat all the some."
The bat said, "H'm I*
The Queen rose to her feet "Well, I must
be off," she said. " I've got a lot to do."
The bat said, "Wait a minute; I'm coming
too;" and he dropped down and hung on to
**•>
f
}$M
Kfejfl
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
the Queen's shoulder. He was rather a weight,
but the Queen suffered it.
" Why, there aren't any wind-flowers left ! " the
Queen said, surveying the spot where they had
grown.
The bat said, " No ; the weeds have choked
them all"
The Queen rubbed her chin and said nothing.
And the bat merely ejaculated, " H'm !"
So the Queen entered the palace.
All the great halls were silent, and empty of
people, and she passed through one after the
other, shivering a little at their vastness.
At last she came before the curtain that
separated her from the Throne HalL It was
large enough to contain the whole nation.
She pushed the curtain aside and found herself
standing behind the great throne. Through the
interstices of the carved back she could see
everything that was going on. The Great Hall
was thronged full of people from end to end.
On the throne platform the Regent was waiting,
evidently about to begin a speech.
m
THE QUEEN WHO FIEW.
The Queen stopped and peeped; there was
a great flourish of trumpets that echoed and
echoed along the hall, and the Regent began.
" Ladies noble, my lords, dames commoner,
and gentlemen ! " His great voice sounded dearly
through the silence, "As you are well aware,
our gracious and high mighty sovereign, the
Queen Eldrida, has deigned to favour my un-
worthy self with the priceless honour of her
hand, and that on this auspicious day. Her
hind and seal affixed to the weighty document
you have seen in the market-place,"
The Queen walked round the opposite side of
the throne into the view of the people, who set
up a tumultuous cheer. The Regent, however,
thought they were cheering him, and went on
with his speech.
"I had also announced that it was her
Majesty's royal pleasure to reveal herself to her
loyal people's eyes on this day."
The Queen slowly ascended the steps of the
throne and seated herself thereon. The great
gold crown— it was six feet high, and so heavy
-
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
that no head could bear its weight — hung above
her head by a great gold chain.
The people cheered again, and still the Regent,
whose back was to the throne, deemed that they
were applauding his speech. He ran his fingers
through his black beard and continued —
"It is, however, my painful duty to apprise
you that her Majesty has been pleased to alter
her design. We shall, therefore, be married in
private in the Queen's apartments. The Queen's
maiden modesty will not allow her to reveal her
charms to the vulgar multitude."
He paused and watched the effect of his
speech, nervously fingering his beard and blink-
ing with his little eyes. The people whispered
among themselves, evidently unable to under-
stand what it meant
Suddenly the Queen's voice rang through the
hall
" My people," she said, " it is an infamous lie !
I am here."
The Regent started and turned round ; his face
grew as pale as death. But from the people a
THE QUEEN WHO fLEW.
great thout went up at the discomfiture of the
hated Regent It echoed and reverberated through
the great hall, and then silence fell again.
The Regent fell on his knees. "Oh, your
Majesty, * he said, " marry me ! marry roe ! many
me 1 I adore you 1 oh, only marry me ! "
But the Queen was very pale and stem.
"This man," she said to the people, "has con-
cealed my absence, has forged my name, has
slandered me. I unmake him ; I degrade him ;
and I banish him the land 1 *
Once again the people cheered to see the
Regent led off by the guards.
Then one of the nobles spoke, " Your Majesty,"
he said, "it is for the good of the nation that
you should marry. The late Regent was a tyrant,
and, as such, unfitted for the inestimable honour ;
but I am the first noble in the realm. I am
beloved by the people; therefore, your Majesty,
adding to it the nun that I respectfully adore
your Majesty, I beg your Majesty to let these
things weigh down the balance of your mind, and
marry me,"
THE QUEEX WHO FLEW. 109
But hardly were the words out of his mouth
when a tumult arose, the like of which was never
heard in any land, for every man of the nation
was shouting, " Marry me! many me!" till the
whole building quivered.
The Queen held up her hand for silence.
" Listen ! " she said. " I shall marry no one of
you ; and I will not even remain your Queen.
For I am quite unfitted for a ruler, and I don't
in the least want to be one. Therefore, choose a
ruler for yourselves."
But the people with one voice shouted, "Be
you our ruler ! "
The Queen, however, said, " No ; I cannot and
will not. It wouldn't be any good at all ; besides,
all the men would love me a great deal too much,
and all the women would hate me a great deal too
much, because of their husbands and sweethearts
and all So you must choose a king for your-
selves."
But confusion became doubly confounded, for
every man in that vast assembly voted for himself
as king.
no 7 HE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
"Oh, this will never do," the Queen said;
" because, at this rate, you'll all go on quarrelling
for ever, and the kingdom had better have
remained under the Regent Shall I choose a
king for you ? "
And with one voice the people answered,
"Yes,"
So the Queen said, "The King I choose is
very fit in one way, for be is not likely to be
partial, since he is in this vast assembly the only
one that is not in love with me. He will be
very economical, because he neither needs much
food, nor cares for rich robes. Therefore, the
taxes will not be heavy; and, even if he is a
little weak-eyed, he will not be a bit more blind
to your interests, perhaps, than you are your-
selves.11
So saying, the Queen arose from the throne
and, taking the bat from her shoulder, set him
on the vacant seat, where he scuttled about and
did not seem particularly comfortable
"Now, you're the King,** the Queen said to
- ,
.
if'/'
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW. in
" H'm ! " he said •• Will they give me some
raw meat ? "
The Queen said, "Oh yes; and anything else
you like to ask for."
The bat said, " H'm ! this seat isn't very com-
fortable. What's that thing up there ? "
" That's the crown," the Queen said
And the King remarked, "H'm!" and in a
moment he was hanging upside down from the
bottom of the crown.
And the people cheered their King.
But the Queen just said, "Good-bye, your
Majesty."
"Good-bye," the Bat said "I suppose you
won't marry me ? "
" Don't be silly," the late Queen said ; and she
slipped behind the curtain and ran through the
deserted halls again, and once more out into the
garden. And once again she watered her favourite
plants, for the last time, and then flew right up into
the air and away, away over the troubled seas, to
the land that lay low in the horizon.
" How delightful it feels not to be a Queen any
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
longer !" she said to herself. " I always used to feel
afraid, when I sat under that great crown, that it
might (all on my head and squash me altogether.
But I wonder how the bat got on."
That the Queen never knew ; but this was what
happened. The bat took to kingship quite as
easily as a duck takes to water, and, for reasons
that the Queen gave, made a most popular ruler —
even though he was strictly just True, there were
only three people in the kingdom who understood
him, and they were mouse-trap makers who had
learnt the bat language from mice, But, as the
King always superintended the carrying out of his
own edicts, they did not care to play tricks. And
the Bat language was taught in all the schools, so
that it became the state tongue, And all the ladies
took to wearing brown sealskin cloaks with great
puffed sleeves and capes, so as to look as much
like bats as possible, and they all pretended to be
very weak-sighted and turned night into day, in
imitation of the King.
So that altogether the King was a great success
from every point of view, as he wa
'2JIE QUEEN WHO fLEW. 113
lived, the last news that has reached here from the
Narrowlands, reported that his Majesty was still
hanging head downwards from the great crown, and
v.as still setting the fashion throughout the king-
dom, though the news does not tell us that his
people have yet resorted to hanging from the
chandeliers by their toes.
But the Narrowlands is very far away fiom here,
so that news does not often reach us from it ; there
is even no talk of opening the country up, which
alone shows how difficult it must be to reach.
* * » • *
In the mean while the Queen had come to the
other shore. She flew straight to the little cottage
in the valley, and the cock who was standing on
the doorsill greeted her with a lusty crow, being
glad to see her again.
In the house there was no one to be found.
"The little mother must have gone to her
bleaching," the Queen said to herself, "and he —
oh, he told me he was going to work in the wood
to-day, so now I'll see about making the infusion.
The kettle's on the boil, and it won't take long."
.'«&
THE QUREN WIfO FLEW.
She took off the faded wind-flower crown, and
looked at it for a moment
" You poor thing ! " she said, " it seems a shame,
but still it can't be helped," and in a moment she
had dropped it into the boiling water, which
rapidly assumed the golden straw colour of a weak
cup of tea. This she poured into a drinking*
horn, and then set off with it into the wood at the
back of the house. It was rather a ticklish task,
walking through the low, dusky wood with the horn
in her hand, for it was getting on in the day and
the light was bad, and the small trees of which the
wood was composed were difficult to walk among.
By her side the stream rushed and rustled over
its rocky bottom, and her feet crackled too on the
flooring of last year's fellen leaves, but the sound
that she paused every now and then to listen for
she could not hear. There came no sharp ringing
of the axe down the valley among the trees.
" He must be binding the feggots together,* she
said to herself, and went on until she came to the
clearing where he should have been at work ; but
there he was not.
it gleamed upon the stream and
on the white ends of the newly
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
The light came down the valley duskily through
the mist ;
glimmered
chopped faggots that were neatly bound together
with withies.
" He must have gone further on," she said to
herself, and ran quite swiftly up the steep path
that climbed into the heart of the mountains. The
falling of the night frightened her a little, and she
was anxious to find him.
Up and up the rocky path went, whilst the
stream foamed down beside it, and at last she saw
him in a slant of light that came down a west-
facing valley. He was crossing the stream just
above where it thundered over a great boulder.
There was a bridge across the torrent, but it
was only a tree-trunk, and he preferred, in his
blindness, to cross on the stream bottom, over the
boulders with the aid of a good staff. The water
foamed up to his knees.
She came as close to the water's edge as she
could, and called —
" >Yhy, where are you going to ? "
-
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
In spite of the roaring of the waters he heard
her and turned.
"Who are you? "he asked
And she answered, " I am Eldrida,"
And in ft moment, with ft great splashing of the
black water, he was at her side.
* I thought you had gone for good," he said.
11 And so I worked as long as I felt able to ; but
just now it was all so silent and so dreadfully
lonely, tlut I coulJ not stand it, and I was about
to set out to search for you through the world."
" What all alone, and blind ? " she said.
And he answered, " Yes, since you were gone
I was alone and blind ; but if I had found you I
should not have been alone, and hardly blind at all"
She put the hoi n into hu hand, and said, " Drink
this."
" Why, what is it ?" she asked.
" It is what I went to fetch," she said ; " drink it
and see."
The light was shining on his face as he raised
it to his mouth and drank it off, and suddenly
came into his eyes a look of great joy.
r-
-
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
" Why," he said, " I can see 1 " and in a moment
he had thrown his arms round her and drew her
tightly to him. " I love you more than all the
world 1 " he said " Do you love me ? "
She seemed to have forgotten all about the elixir,
for instead of saying, u Don't be ridiculous ! " she
just said, " Yes, I love you very much."
And the stream roared on over the great boulder
and whirled back over the rocky shallows, and the
shadows in the valleys grew darker and darker;
but they both had a great deal to say, though, as a
matter of fact, it might most of it have been said
with three words and a kiss.
But, you see, they preferred to do it in another
way ; at least, as far as the speaking went— in my
experience, there is only one way of kissing.
" So you see, I shan't be able to fly away any
more," she said, after she had related her story,
" because the poor wind-flower crown is all boiled."
11 Oh, well," he said, " I dare say you won't want
it again, unless you get very tired of me."
And she said, " Don't be ridiculous ! " but even
that had nothing to do with the elixir.
*W^=-
THE QUEEN WHO FLEW.
And so they went home down the dark valley
to the cottage.
The little mother smiled to see Eldrida.
" I knew you would come back," she said ; * but
my son was in a dreadful state — weren't you, son,
son?"
And he only answered, " Mother, mother, I was.
And 1 am very hungry ; and I can see again 1 *
So there was great rejoicing in the cottage that
night, and the little old woman's eyes grew bright
with joy-tears.
But next day Eldrida and her love were married,
and, from that time forth, they worked together,
and went hand in hand up the tranquil valley or
in among the storms on the hillcrcsts, and so lived
happily ever after.
-_•
.•HINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SON*, LUIITSD,
LONDON AND
CHILDREN'S BOOKS.
NURSERY LYRICS
By Mr*. RICHARD SFRACHRY.
ILLUSTRATED BY G. P. JAC -MB HOOD.
Imperial 16mo. Prica 3». 6d.
An ml&At»t 4nif**d fy M* mrt «/ u Auvrtaf i* Ik* •Jmmf tf tk*t
" Pretty qoaiat ouratry rfejroM*. . . . SWM! ud
" A funny littk aetttmC book for cUkirm b tkb.
by «l«y. Md Mod UM« luppily to bod at
THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ALMERO.
By WtLH&LMIXA PICKERING.
iLLOfTEATlO BY MAEGARET HOOPBJL
lnonTl Edition. Fcap. 4to, Cloth Extra. Prico *. 6d.
0/ft^a'aVAV««M<l*J*af J*MM.
Aa oKfiMl Md chammc tak of dM feirioi of tto M. told
Tlw AiitSar. fa bar
apporiaf b pcwt ; bat mo apolofj, bdnd, it Biidid, and w« akdl kopo to >M •»>• of bar
HERCULES AND THE MARIONETTES
By R. MURRA Y G2LCHR1ST.
ILLUSTRATED BY C. P. SAJNTOM.
Fcap. 4to. 6«.
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