The Little Lame Prince

What sort of cloak was it, and

t grew smaller still, dwindling down till he could put it in his trousers pocket, like a handkerchief rolled up into a ball. He did this at once, for fea

at all, being so worn and shabby, though not dirty. It had a split cut to the center, forming a round hole for the neck-and that was all

sly; spread it out on the door, then arranged it on his shoulders. It felt very warm and comfortabl

es, as I never go out. Why was this given me, I wonder? and what in the world am

, poor and shabby as it was, hiding it in a safe corner of his top cupboard, which his nurse never meddled with.

ot seeing her again, he almost forgot his sweet old godmother, or thought of her only as he did of the an

hair and her pretty soft garments; above all, when, waking in the middle of the night, with the stars peering in at his window, or the moonlight shining across his little bed, he would not have

y a boy's memory, after all; until something happened which made hi

restless, cross, and disagreeable. Even when a little better, he was too weak to enjoy anything, but lay all day long on his sofa, fidgeting his nurse extremely-while, in her intense terror lest he migh

o something, or to go somewhere-would have liked to imitate his white kitten-ju

happen; for the kitten, he remembe

eady like my nurse only I wouldn't like to have her great, noisy, clumping shoes. Still it would be very nice to move about qu

er crossed the lonely plain; and he had been much interested i

hen they die-perhaps; I wish I were dead, that I do. I am so tired, so tired; and nobody cares for me.

id so, he felt somebody kiss him at the back of his neck, and, turning, found that he was resti

er hands, to see if she were all real and alive! then put both his arms

ou have not forgotten my teachings. Kissing is a good thing-i

en!" h

to you since I saw you-or, rather, since yo

g ever does happen to me," a

ou very du

her I could not jump down to the botto

, not being a

wish I were anyth

rent, nor can I do it either. You must

lips on his forehead. It was the first time the boy had ever heard any one talk like this, and

h,-let us see what we can do; how much I can do for you, or s

"I-I put it away in the cupboa

er used it; y

olite. "Don't you think it's-just a

ed-long and loud, t

ss I gave it them. Old and shabby! It's the most valuable thing imaginable! Very few ever have

hen with a sort of anxiety, into his godmother's face, whic

legs. "These are not like

nurse never

time you were told; and I te

hat, dear

t your life will be quite different from most people's lives; b

, and his lips began to quiver, though he did not actual

dmired and tried hard to imitate but always failed. Now he began to understand why he failed, and that he always should fail-that, in fact, he was not like other little boys; and it was of

t we must learn to bear them and make the best of them-this lesson, which everybody has to learn soon or late-came, alas! sadly so

ve always comforts; and then she whispered to him,

replied he, catching the courage of her tone and spea

e a prince. Now we know exactly where we are

, if it had a name), "and there is no wheel t

goose! Well for you that yo

he eager

and-non

nsense! What

soft twinkle in her eyes. "So as you know me, and know me well, you may give me any name you please; it doesn't matter. But I am

at her-as her figure dilated, her eyes grew lustrous as stars, her very raiment brighten

he suddenly dwindled down into the little old woman all in gray, and

t out on the floor, and wait till the split closes and the edges turn up like a rim all round. Then go and open the skylight,-mind, I say OPEN T

ed so exceedingly silly; he wondered that a wise old

reat alarm, his unspoken thoughts. "Did I not tell you some p

ere the Prince's age instead of her own, whatever that mi

you want to go traveling on it, say 'Abracadabra, dum, dum, dum'; when you

eel for the moment quite strong and well, was all the Prince

heeks have grown! You seem to have got well

t gently and kindly even to his grim nurse. "And now le

s illness he had satisfactorily cleared, Prince Dolor sprang down from his sofa, and with one or two of his

t was n

l his "rubbish"-as she considered it: his beloved headless horses, broken carts, sheep without feet, and birds without wings-all the treas

n on the floor, looking at the empty shelves, so beautifully cle

his nurse hear him cry. She only laughe

dmother, forgive me! I'll never be so careless again. I don't know what the cloak is exactly, but I am su

one thing in the world which nobody can steal. It is of no use to anybody

ound. But no; he only beheld, lying in a corner of the r

er complaining. Snatching it to his breast, he hugged and kissed it, cobwebs and all, as if it had been something alive. Then he b