The Hope of the Katzekopfs

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had been wishing for, hoping for, expecting, year after year, but no little boy came; and so, at length, folks began to despair, and to settle it in their own minds that, whenever King Kat

thday, or on that of anybody else; the thing is an impossibility, half the meat is sure to be raw, and the other half burnt, and so good beef is spoiled); the two chief conduits of the city no longer poured forth water, but one spouted out cowslip-wine, and the other raspberry-vinegar; the lake in front of the palace was filled with s

ther they were going, and for what they had been sent. Some were laughing, and some were crying, but the greater part were all talking at once, each making his own remarks, and nobody listening to his neighbour. The lords of the bed-chamber were laying wag

gs take their own course, and who can very seldom be roused to make an exertion of any kind. But the birth of an heir had thrown even him into a state of excitement. Happily, he was a king, and so he had it in his power to give vent to his emotions in the manner which wa

erials for the manufacture of the largest christening-cake that the world had ever seen; and, lastly, he called together his Privy Council, and having created the new born infant Commander in Chief, and Lord High Admiral, Inspector General of everything and everybod

nurse Yellowlily appeared with her precious charge swathed in a mantl

nd the great seal, and clasping his hands, as he fixed his

, “and you shall have a peep at his Royal Highne

ivy Councillors crowded round her. “There, my Lord,” sh

nurse a Baroness in her own right; upon which she curtsied three times, walked backwards till she trod upon the Lord Chamberla

st faint echoes of the melody had died awa

ith reference to the Prince, my son. And first, my Lord Chamberlain, I have to announce to you my intention of giving a most magnificent fête on the occasion of his Royal High

he Chamberlain suddenly nodded his head as if a thought had struck him. This was so uncommon an event that the Lord Steward of the Household immediately inquired in a whisper what it was tha

attracted by the whispering, and he graciously

ng diffidence, “that your Majesty has caused th

y Lord,” repl

ain, “but I presume that your Majesty did not intend that th

King, “I never t

s consort’s great aunt,”

airy,” suggested the S

n her temper at times; at least she turned an acquaintance

which took place in your Majesty’s family, some centuries ago, when all the misfortunes that occurred to your

hand, the bare thought of having the Hope of his House turned into a tadpole, or put to sleep in a castle in a wood for a hundred and fifty years, was m

ere to look for her? One moment she may be a thousand miles off, and the next she ma

istance, as though the owner of the said voice w

berlain, you must send for a cat, and when she has caught the mice, we will set her to

red a smattering of the black art himself, immediately endeavoured to repress King Katzekopf’s laughter, by saying,—“So please you, 13my Liege, I apprehend that there would be little difficulty in sending an invitati

sound was heard at the keyhole of the Council-chamber door, a scratching, rustling, noise,

and another, as the blowing at the keyhole was repeated. At length, when another blast had produced a shrill whistle, which showed that the aperture was clear, a little object, about the

doubt, are the elves that live among the green hills, and who love to dance by moonlight, in the glades of the forest, or beside the pleasant water-courses. But there are others who mingle more with the human race, and adopt their habits, and hence, it may be, they become 15more subject to the changes which affect mortals. Perhaps this was the cause why the Lady Abracadabra’s face had become so brown, and shrunken, and covered with deep-set wrinkles; or perhaps it was the having had her own way so much; or those long journeys in which she travelled at the rate of

ivy Councillors, stamped 16vehemently on the floor, and every mus

te, I see. Let who will come to court, I am to be excluded. There is al

lighted to see her, that he had just been speaking of sending her an invitation

late of metal over the opening, or else the key is left in the lock, and so my ruff gets crumpled to pieces. But the insult you have exposed me 17to to-day is intolerable: blocking up the passage wit

he expected to be changed into a tadpole, or some such reptile), ventured to assure the Lady, that he was the person in fault; for that, finding that the door-keeper had got into the habit of

18up by his ears to the vane of the church steeple. Go look for him, my Lord, and tell him from me, that if ever he puts h

And to this class the Lady Abracadabra had never belonged. If she was angry one moment, she was pacified the next,

her equanimity. Her eyes no longer sparkled with passion, and so agreeable an expression came over he

n one of our people told me of your good fortune; so here I came wind-speed to congra

ondescension, and immediately propos

surdity of the suggestion. “You don’t suppose I came to talk to you before I had

laimed the King

he was going to feed the child with pap that would have scalded it; but it will be cool enough, I warrant me, 20now, before she has done r

as a matter of course, and it would never do to affront her! Was there ever such a distress? And what would Queen Ninnilinda say, and what would

know what to answer. He could only stammer out someth

or-Sigismund-Belvidere-Narcissus-Adonis Katzekopf? I never heard such a string of silly, conceited names in my life. I shan’t allow it, I can tell you that,” and she stamped on the floor till her diamond buckles glanced like lightning. “If I am to have anything to do w

cted, that the word “Eigenwillig,” in the ancient Teutonic tongue, bears the meaning of Self-willed; a state

nd her, threw out her arms, brought them together above her head, sprung from the floor, shrunk up