Theretheysatandtalkedforawhile，andhadtheirlittlesonalongwiththem。AfteratimeSigurdbecamesoheavywithsleepthathecouldnolongerkeepawake，sohewentbelowandlaydown，leavingtheQueenaloneonthedeck，playingwithherson。
AgoodwhileafterSigurdhadgonebelowtheQueensawsomethingblackonthesea，whichseemedtobecomingnearer。Asitapproachedshecouldmakeoutthatitwasaboat，andcouldseethefigureofsomeonesittinginitandrowingit。Atlasttheboatcamealongsidetheship，andnowtheQueensawthatitwasastoneboat，outofwhichtherecameuponboardtheshipafearfullyuglyWitch。TheQueenwasmorefrightenedthanwordscandescribe，andcouldneitherspeakawordnormovefromtheplacesoastoawakentheKingorthesailors。TheWitchcamerightuptotheQueen，tookthechildfromherandlaiditonthedeck；thenshetooktheQueen，andstrippedherofallherfineclothes，whichsheproceededtoputonherself，andlookedthenlikeahumanbeing。LastofallshetooktheQueen，putherintotheboat，andsaid——
’ThisspellIlayuponyou，thatyouslackennotyourcourseuntilyoucometomybrotherintheUnderworld。’
TheQueensatstunnedandmotionless，buttheboatatonceshotawayfromtheshipwithher，andbeforelongshewasoutofsight。
Whentheboatcouldnolongerbeseenthechildbegantocry，andthoughtheWitchtriedtoquietitshecouldnotmanageit；soshewentbelowtowheretheKingwassleepingwiththechildonherarm，andawakenedhim，scoldinghimforleavingthemaloneondeck，whileheandallthecrewwereasleep。Itwasgreatcarelessnessofhim，shesaid，toleavenoonetowatchtheshipwithher。
SigurdwasgreatlysurprisedtohearhisQueenscoldhimsomuch，forshehadneversaidanangrywordtohimbefore；buthethoughtitwasquiteexcusableinthiscase，andtriedtoquietthechildalongwithher，butitwasnouse。Thenhewentandwakenedthesailors，andbadethemhoistthesails，forabreezehadsprungupandwasblowingstraighttowardstheharbour。
TheysoonreachedthelandwhichSigurdwastoruleover，andfoundallthepeoplesorrowfulfortheoldKing’sdeath，buttheybecamegladwhentheygotSigurdbacktotheCourt，andmadehimKingoverthem。
TheKing’sson，however，hardlyeverstoppedcryingfromthetimehehadbeentakenfromhismotheronthedeckoftheship，althoughhehadalwaysbeensuchagoodchildbefore，sothatatlasttheKinghadtogetanurseforhim——oneofthemaidsoftheCourt。Assoonasthechildgotintoherchargehestoppedcrying，andbehavedwellasbefore。
Afterthesea-voyageitseemedtotheKingthattheQueenhadalteredverymuchinmanyways，andnotforthebetter。Hethoughthermuchmorehaughtyandstubbornanddifficulttodealwiththansheusedtobe。BeforelongothersbegantonoticethisaswellastheKing。IntheCourtthereweretwoyoungfellows，oneofeighteenyearsold，theotherofnineteen，whowereveryfondofplayingchess，andoftensatlonginsideplayingatit。TheirroomwasnexttheQueen’s，andoftenduringthedaytheyheardtheQueentalking。
Onedaytheypaidmoreattentionthanusualwhentheyheardhertalk，andputtheirearsclosetoacrackinthewallbetweentherooms，andheardtheQueensayquiteplainly，’WhenIyawnalittle，thenIamanicelittlemaiden；whenIyawnhalf-way，thenIamhalfatroll；andwhenIyawnfully，thenIamatrollaltogether。’
Asshesaidthissheyawnedtremendously，andinamomenthadputontheappearanceofafearfullyuglytroll。Thentherecameupthroughtheflooroftheroomathree-headedGiantwithatroughfullofmeat，whosalutedherashissisterandsetdownthetroughbeforeher。Shebegantoeatoutofit，andneverstoppedtillshehadfinishedit。Theyoungfellowssawallthisgoingon，butdidnothearthetwoofthemsayanythingtoeachother。
TheywereastonishedthoughathowgreedilytheQueendevouredthemeat，andhowmuchsheateofit，andwerenolongersurprisedthatshetooksolittlewhenshesatattablewiththeKing。AssoonasshehadfinishedittheGiantdisappearedwiththetroughbythesamewayashehadcome，andtheQueenreturnedtoherhumanshape。
NowwemustgobacktotheKing’ssonafterhehadbeenputinchargeofthenurse。Oneevening，aftershehadlitacandleandwasholdingthechild，severalplankssprangupintheflooroftheroom，andoutattheopeningcameabeautifulwomandressedinwhite，withanironbeltroundherwaist，towhichwasfastenedanironchainthatwentdownintotheground。Thewomancameuptothenurse，tookthechildfromher，andpressedittoherbreast；thenshegaveitbacktothenurseandreturnedbythesamewayasshehadcome，andthefloorclosedoverheragain。Althoughthewomanhadnotspokenasinglewordtoher，thenursewasverymuchfrightened，buttoldnooneaboutit。
Nexteveningthesamethinghappenedagain，justasbefore，butasthewomanwasgoingawayshesaidinasadtone，’Twoaregone，andoneonlyisleft，’andthendisappearedasbefore。Thenursewasstillmorefrightenedwhensheheardthewomansaythis，andthoughtthatperhapssomedangerwashangingoverthechild，thoughshehadnoill-opinionoftheunknownwoman，who，indeed，hadbehavedtowardsthechildasifitwereherown。Themostmysteriousthingwasthewomansaying’andonlyoneisleft；’butthenurseguessedthatthismustmeanthatonlyonedaywasleft，sinceshehadcomefortwodaysalready。
AtlastthenursemadeuphermindtogototheKing，andtoldhimthewholestory，andaskedhimtobepresentinpersonnextdayaboutthetimewhenthewomanusuallycame。TheKingpromisedtodoso，andcametothenurse’sroomalittlebeforethetime，andsatdownonachairwithhisdrawnswordinhishand。Soonaftertheplanksinthefloorsprangupasbefore，andthewomancameup，dressedinwhite，withtheironbeltandchain。TheKingsawatoncethatitwashisownQueen，andimmediatelyhewedasundertheironchainthatwasfastenedtothebelt。ThiswasfollowedbysuchnoisesandcrashingsdownintheearththatalltheKing’sPalaceshook，sothatnooneexpectedanythingelsethantoseeeverybitofitshakentopieces。Atlast，however，thenoisesandshakingstopped，andtheybegantocometothemselvesagain。
TheKingandQueenembracedeachother，andshetoldhimthewholestory——howtheWitchcametotheshipwhentheywereallasleepandsentheroffintheboat。Aftershehadgonesofarthatshecouldnotseetheship，shesailedonthroughdarknessuntilshelandedbesideathree-headedGiant。TheGiantwishedhertomarryhim，butsherefused；whereuponheshutherupbyherself，andtoldhershewouldnevergetfreeuntilsheconsented。Afteratimeshebegantoplanhowtogetherfreedom，andatlasttoldhimthatshewouldconsentifhewouldallowhertovisithersononearththreedaysonend。Thisheagreedto，butputonherthisironbeltandchain，theotherendofwhichhefastenedroundhisownwaist，andthegreatnoisesthatwereheardwhentheKingcutthechainmusthavebeencausedbytheGiant’sfallingdowntheundergroundpassagewhenthechaingavewaysosuddenly。TheGiant’sdwelling，indeed，wasrightunderthePalace，andtheterribleshakingsmusthavebeencausedbyhiminhisdeath-throes。
TheKingnowunderstoodhowtheQueenhehadhadforsometimepasthadbeensoill-tempered。Heatoncehadasackdrawnoverherheadandmadeherbestonedtodeath，andafterthattorninpiecesbyuntamedhorses。ThetwoyoungfellowsalsotoldnowwhattheyhadheardandseenintheQueen’sroom，forbeforethistheyhadbeenafraidtosayanythingaboutit，onaccountoftheQueen’spower。
TherealQueenwasnowrestoredtoallherdignity，andwasbelovedbyall。Thenursewasmarriedtoanobleman，andtheKingandQueengavehersplendidpresents。
THUMBELINA
Therewasonceawomanwhowantedtohavequiteatiny，littlechild，butshedidnotknowwheretogetonefrom。SoonedayshewenttoanoldWitchandsaidtoher:’Ishouldsomuchliketohaveatiny，littlechild；canyoutellmewhereIcangetone？’
’Oh，wehavejustgotoneready！’saidtheWitch。’Hereisabarley-cornforyou，butit’snotthekindthefarmersowsinhisfield，orfeedsthecocksandhenswith，Icantellyou。Putitinaflower-pot，andthenyouwillseesomethinghappen。’
’Oh，thankyou！’saidthewoman，andgavetheWitchashilling，forthatwaswhatitcost。Thenshewenthomeandplantedthebarley-corn；immediatelytheregrewoutofitalargeandbeautifulflower，whichlookedlikeatulip，butthepetalsweretightlyclosedasifitwerestillonlyabud。
’Whatabeautifulflower！’exclaimedthewoman，andshekissedtheredandyellowpetals；butasshekissedthemtheflowerburstopen。Itwasarealtulip，suchasonecanseeanyday；
butinthemiddleoftheblossom，onthegreenvelvetypetals，satalittlegirl，quitetiny，trim，andpretty。Shewasscarcelyhalfathumbinheight；sotheycalledherThumbelina。
Anelegantpolishedwalnut-shellservedThumbelinaasacradle，thebluepetalsofavioletwerehermattress，andarose-leafhercoverlid。Thereshelayatnight，butintheday-timesheusedtoplayaboutonthetable；herethewomanhadputabowl，surroundedbyaringofflowers，withtheirstalksinwater，inthemiddleofwhichfloatedagreattulippedal，andonthisThumbelinasat，andsailedfromonesideofthebowltotheother，rowingherselfwithtwowhitehorse-hairsforoars。Itwassuchaprettysight！Shecouldsing，too，withavoicemoresoftandsweetthanhadeverbeenheardbefore。
Onenight，whenshewaslyinginherprettylittlebed，anoldtoadcreptinthroughabrokenpaneinthewindow。Shewasveryugly，clumsy，andclammy；shehoppedontothetablewhereThumbelinalayasleepundertheredrose-leaf。
’Thiswouldmakeabeautifulwifeformyson，’saidthetoad，takingupthewalnut-shell，withThumbelinainside，andhoppingwithitthroughthewindowintothegarden。
Thereflowedagreatwidestream，withslipperyandmarshybanks；
herethetoadlivedwithherson。Ugh！howuglyandclammyhewas，justlikehismother！’Croak，croak，croak！’wasallhecouldsaywhenhesawtheprettylittlegirlinthewalnut-
shell。
’Don’ttalksoload，oryou’llwakeher，’saidtheoldtoad。
’Shemightescapeusevennow；sheisaslightasafeather。Wewillputheratonceonabroadwater-lilyleafinthestream。
Thatwillbequiteanislandforher；sheissosmallandlight。
Shecan’trunawayfromusthere，whilstwearepreparingtheguest-chamberunderthemarshwheresheshalllive。’
