The Magic Fishbone Read online

good then," said the Fairy, "and live happy ever afterwards."

  Then, Grandmarina waved her fan, and the Queen came in most splendidlydressed, and the seventeen young Princes and Princesses, no longer grownout of their clothes, came in newly fitted out from top to toe, with tucksin everything to admit of its being let out. After that, the Fairy tappedthe Princess Alicia with her fan, and the smothering coarse apron flewaway, and she appeared exquisitely dressed, like a little Bride, witha wreath of orange-flowers and a silver veil. After that, the kitchendresser changed of itself into a wardrobe, made of beautiful woods andgold and looking glass, which was full of dresses of all sorts, all forher and all exactly fitting her. After that, the angelic baby came in,running alone, with his face and eye not a bit the worse but much thebetter. Then, Grandmarina begged to be introduced to the Duchess, and,when the Duchess was brought down many compliments passed between them.

  A little whispering took place between the Fairy and the Duchess, andthen the Fairy said out loud, "Yes. I thought she would have told you."Grandmarina then turned to the King and Queen, and said, "We are goingin search of Prince Certainpersonio. The pleasure of your company isrequested at church in half an hour precisely." So she and the PrincessAlicia got into the carriage, and Mr Pickles's boy handed in the Duchesswho sat by herself on the opposite seat, and then Mr Pickles's boy put upthe steps and got up behind, and the Peacocks flew away with their tailsspread.

  She appeared exquisitely dressed, like a little Bride]

  Prince Certainpersonio was sitting by himself, eating barley-sugarand waiting to be ninety. When he saw the Peacocks followed by thecarriage, coming in at the window, it immediately occurred to him thatsomething uncommon was going to happen.

  "Prince," said Grandmarina, "I bring you your Bride."

  The moment the Fairy said those words, Prince Certainpersonio's face leftoff being stickey, and his jacket and corduroys changed to peach-bloomvelvet, and his hair curled, and a cap and feather flew in like a bird andsettled on his head. He got into the carriage by the Fairy's invitation,and there he renewed his acquaintance with the Duchess, whom he had seenbefore.

  In the church were the Prince's relations and friends, and the PrincessAlicia's relations and friends, and the seventeen Princes and Princesses,and the baby, and a crowd of the neighbours. The marriage was beautifulbeyond expression. The Duchess was bridesmaid, and beheld the ceremonyfrom the pulpit where she was supported by the cushion of the desk.

  Grandmarina gave a magnificent wedding feast afterwards, in which therewas everything and more to eat, and everything and more to drink. Thewedding cake was delicately ornamented with white satin ribbons, frostedsilver and white lilies, and was forty-two yards round.

  When Grandmarina had drunk her love to the young couple, and PrinceCertainpersonio had made a speech, and everybody had cried Hip hip hiphurrah! Grandmarina announced to the King and Queen that in future therewould be eight quarter days in every year, except in leap year, when therewould be ten. She then turned to Certainpersonio and Alicia, and said, "Mydears, you will have thirty-five children, and they will all be good andbeautiful. Seventeen of your children will be boys, and eighteen will begirls. The hair of the whole of your children will curl naturally. Theywill never have the measles, and will have recovered from thewhooping-cough before being born."

  On hearing such good news, everybody cried out "Hip hip hip hurrah!"again.

  "It only remains," said Grandmarina in conclusion, "to make an end of thefish-bone."

  So she took it from the hand of the Princess Alicia, and it instantly flewdown the throat of the dreadful little snapping pug-dog next door andchoked him, and he expired in convulsions.

  THE END

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  PRINTED AT THE ARDEN PRESS, LETCHWORTH, ENGLAND.

  FIRST IMPRESSION, TWELVE THOUSAND COPIES, SEPT. MCMXI:SECOND IMPRESSION, TWELVE THOUSAND COPIES, DEC. MCMXI