 Osmer and the Little Wizard by L. Frank Borm. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Osmer and the Little Wizard Once upon a time they lived in the beautiful emerald city which lies in the centre of the fairy land of Oz, a lovely girl called Princess Osmer, who was ruler of all that country. And among those who served this girlish ruler and lived in a cosy suite of rooms in her splendid palace, was a little wizard old man known as the Wizard of Oz. This little wizard could do a good many queer things in magic, with kind man, with merry twinkling eyes and a sweet smile. So instead of fearing him because of his magic everybody loved him. Now Osmer was very anxious that all her people who inhabited the pleasant land of Oz should be happy and contented. And therefore she decided one morning to make a journey to all parts of the country that she might discover if anything was amiss or anyone discontented or if there was any wrong that ought to be righted. She asked the little wizard to accompany her and he was glad to go. Shall I take my bag of magic tools with me? he asked. Of course, said Osmer, we may need a lot of magic before we return, for we are going into strange corners of the land where we may meet with unknown creatures and dangerous adventures. So the wizard took his bag of magic tools and the two left the emerald city and wandered over the country for many days. At last reaching a place far up in the mountains which neither of them had ever visited before. Stopping one morning at a cottage built beside the rocky path which led into a pretty valley beyond Osmer asked the man, Are you happy? Have you any complaints to make of your lot? And the man replied, We are happy except for three mischievous imps that live in Yonder valley and often come here to annoy us. If your highness would only drive away those imps, I and my family would be very happy and very grateful to you. Who are these bad imps? inquired the girl ruler. One is named Ollite and one Udent and one Urtenant and they have no respect for anyone or anything. If strangers pass through the valley, the imps jeer at them and make horrid faces and call names and often they push travelers out of the path or throw stones at them. Whenever Imp Ollite or Imp Udent or Imp Urtenant comes here to bother us, I and my family run into the house and lock all the doors and windows and we dare not venture out again till the imps have gone away. Princess Osmer would grieve to hear this report and the little wizard shook his head gravely and said the naughty imps deserved to be punished. They told the good man they would see what could be done to protect him and at once entered the valley to seek the dwelling place of the three mischievous creatures. Before long they came upon three caves hollowed from the rocks and in front of each cave squatted a queer little dwarf. Osmer and the wizard paused to examine them and found them well shaped, strong and lively. They had big round ears, flat noses and wide greening mouths and their jet-black hair came to points on top of their heads, much resembling horns. Their clothing fitted snugly to their bodies and limbs and the imps were so small in size that at first Osmer did not consider them at all dangerous. But one of them suddenly reached out her hand and caught the dress of the princess, jerking it so sharply that she nearly fell down and a moment later another imp pushed the little wizard so hard that he bumped against Osmer and both unexpectedly sat down upon the ground. At this the imps laughed boisterously and began running around in a circle and kicking dust upon the royal princess who cried in a sharp voice, "'Wizard, do your duty!' The wizard promptly obeyed. Without rising from the ground he opened his bag, got the tools he required and muttered a magic spell. Instantly the three imps became three bushes of a thorny stubby kind with their roots in the ground. As the bushes were at first motionless, perhaps through surprise at their sudden transformation the wizard and the princess found time to rise from the ground and brush the dust off their pretty clothes. Then Osmer turned to the bushes and said, "'The unhappy lot you now endure, my poor imps, is due entirely to your naughty actions. You can no longer annoy harmless travellers and you must remain ugly bushes covered with sharp thorns until you repent of your bad ways and promise to be good imps.' "'They can't help being good now, Your Highness,' said the wizard, who was very much pleased with his work, and the safest plan will be to allow them always to remain bushes.' But something must have been wrong with the wizard's magic or the creatures had magic of their own for no sooner were the words spoken than the bushes began to move. At first they only waved their branches at the girl and the little man but pretty soon they began to slide over the ground, their roots dragging through the earth. And one pushed itself against the wizard and pricked him so sharply with its thorns that he cried out, "'Och!' and started to run away. Osmer followed, for the other bushes were trying to stick their thorns into her legs, and one actually got so near her that it tore a great rent in her beautiful dress. The girl princess could run, however, and she followed the fleeing wizard until he tumbled headfirst over a log and rolled upon the ground. Then she sprang behind a tree and shouted, "'Quick! Transform them into something else!' The wizard heard, but he was much confused by his fall. Grabbing from his bag the first magical tool he could find, he transformed the bushes into three white pigs. That astonished the imps. In the shape of pigs, fat, roly-poly and cute, they scampered off a little distance and sat down to think about their new condition. Osmer drew long breath and, coming from behind the tree, she said, "'That is much better, Wiz. For such pigs as these must be quite harmless. No one need now fear the mischievous imps.' "'I intended to transform them into mice,' replied the wizard, but in my excitement I worked the wrong magic. However, unless the horrid creatures behave themselves hereafter, they are liable to be killed and eaten. They would make good chops, sausages, all roasts.' But the imps were now angry and had no intention of behaving. As Osmer and the little wizard turned to resume their journey, the three pigs rushed forward, dashing between their legs and tripping them up, so that both lost their balance and toppled over, clinging to one another. As the wizard tried to get up, he was tripped again and fell across the back of the third pig, which carried him on a run far down the valley until it dumped the little man in the river. Osmer had been sprawled upon the ground but found she wasn't hurt. So she picked herself up and ran to the assistance of the wizard, reaching him, just as he was crawling out of the river, gasping for breath and dripping with water. The girl could not help laughing at his woeful appearance, but he had no sooner wiped the wet from his eyes than one of the impish pigs tripped him again and sent him into the river for a second bath. The pigs tried to trip Osmer too, but she ran around a stump and so managed to keep out of their way. So the wizard scrambled out of the water again and picked up a sharp stick to defend himself. Then he mumbled a magic mutter which instantly dried his clothes, after which he hurried to assist Osmer. The pigs were afraid of the sharp stick and kept away from it. This won't do, said the princess. We have accomplished nothing, for the pig imps would annoy Treveless as much as the real imps. Transform them into something else, Wiz. The wizard took time to think. Then he transformed the white pigs into three blue doves. Doves, said he, are the most harmless thing in the world. But scarcely had he spoken when the doves flew at them and tried to peck out their eyes. When they endeavored to shield their eyes with their hands, two of the doves bit the wizard's fingers and another caught the pretty pink ear of the princess in its bill and gave it such a cruel tweak that she cried out in pain and threw her skirt over her head. These birds are worse than pigs, Wizard, she called to her companion. Nothing is harmless that is animated by impudent anger or impertinent mischief. You must transform the imps into something that is not alive. The wizard was pretty busy just then, driving off the birds. But he managed to open his bag of magic and find a charm which instantly transformed the doves into three buttons. As they fell to the ground, he picked them up and smiled with satisfaction. The tin button was imp alight, the brass button was imp udent and the lead button was imp urtinent. These buttons, the wizard placed in a little box which he put in his jacket pocket. Now, said he, the imps can't annoy treflers for we shall carry them back with us to the emerald city. But we dare not use the buttons. Said Osma, smiling once more now that the danger was over. Why not? asked the wizard. I intended to sew them upon my coat and watch them carefully. The spirits of the imps are stealing the buttons and after a time they will repent and be sorry for their naughtiness. Then they will decide to be very good in the future. When they feel that way, the tin button will turn to silver and the brass to gold while the lead button will become aluminium. I shall then restore them to their proper forms changing their names to pretty names instead of the ugly ones they used to bear. Thereafter the three imps will become good citizens of the land of Oz and I think you will find they will prove faithful subjects of our beloved Princess Osma. Ah, that is magic well worthwhile. exclaimed Osma. Well pleased. There is no doubt my friend but that you are a very clever wizard. End of Osma and the Little Wizard by L. Frank Baum read by Craig Franklin The Pungendrum Picture Book by Randolph Caldicott This is a LibriVox recording. All the LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Chad Horner Come lassies and lads Come lassies and lads Give leave of your dads And away to the maypole hey For every he has got him a shea With a minstrel standing by For Willie has gotten his jill And Johnny has gotten his jone To jig it jig it jig it jig it jig it up and down This is what agreed says Kate And I pray the fiddler play Content says Hodge And so says Maj For this is a holiday Then every man did put his hat off to his lass And every girl did kerchie kerchie kerchie on the grass Begin says Hall Aye aye says Mall We'll lead up Packenston's pound No no says Nall And so says Doll We'll first have cylinders round Then every man began to foot it round about And every girl did jett it jett it jett it in and out You're right says Dick No aye says Nick The fiddler played it false It is true says Hugh And so says Sue And so says Nimble Alice The fiddler then began to play the tune again And every girl did trip it trip it trip it to the man Then after an hour they went to a bar And played for ale and cakes And kisses too until they were due The lass has held the stakes The girls did then begin to quarrel with the man Take their kisses back and give them their own again Now there they did stay the whole of the day And tired the fiddler quite With singing and playing without any paying For mourning until night They told the fiddler then They'd pay him for his play And each a two pints two pints two pints Give him a win away Good night says Harry Good night says Mary Good night says Dolly to John Good night says Sue To her sweetheart Hugh Good night says everyone Some walked and some did run Some loitered on the way And bind themselves by kisses twelve To meet the next holiday Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross To see a fine lady get on a white horse With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes She shall have music wherever she goes A farmer went trotting upon his grey mare Bumpity bumpity bump With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair Lumpity lumpity lump A raven cried croak and they all tumbled down Bumpity bumpity bump The mare broke her knees and the farmer Is crying lump it lumpity lump The mischievous raven flew laughing away Bumpity bumpity bump And found he would serve them the same the next day Lumpity lumpity lump An elegy on the glory of her sex Mrs. Mary Plays by Dr. Oliver Goldsmith Good people all with one accord Lament for Madame Plays Who never wanted a good word From those who spoke her praise The needy seldom passed her door And always found her kind And freely lent to all the poor Who left a pledge behind She strove the neighbourhood to Plays With manners wonders winning And never followed wicked ways And this when she was sinning At church in Silks and Satins New With hope of monstrous sighs She never slumbered in her pew But when she shut her eyes And thought I do a ver By twenty, view and more The king himself has followed her When she has walked before But now her wealth and finery fled Her hangers on cut short all The doctors found when she was dead Her last disorder mortal Let us lament and sorrow soar For Kent Street well may say That had she lived a twelfth month more She had not died today The great Punjandram himself So she went into the garden to cut a cabbage leaf To make an apple pie And at the same time A great she-bear coming down the street Pops its head into the shop What, no soap? So he died And she very imprudently married the barber And there were present the Pikminis And the Joblilies And the Garulies And the great Punjandram himself With a little round button at top And they all fell to playing the game Of catch as catch can The gunpowder ran out at the hands Of their boots End of the Punjandram picture book By Randolph Caldicott The story of Augustus Who would not have any soup By Heinrich Hoffmann This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings Are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Augustus was a chubby lad Fat ruddy cheeks Augustus had And everybody saw with joy The plump and hearty healthy boy He ate and drank as he was told And never let his soup get cold But one day One cold winter's day He screamed out Take the soup away Oh take the nasty soup away I won't have any soup today Next day Now look The picture shows Now Lake and Lean Augustus grows Yet though he feels so weak and ill The naughty fellow cries out still Not any soup for me I say Oh take the nasty soup away I won't have any soup today The third day comes Oh what a sin To make himself so pale and thin Yet when the soup is put on table He screams as loud as he is able Not any soup for me I say Oh take the nasty soup away I won't have any soup today Look at him Now the fourth day's come He scarcely weighs a sugar plum He's like a little bit of thread And on the fifth day He was dead End of the story of Augustus Who would not have any soup By Heinrich Kaufmann Read by Anna Pinter The story of the Little Black Mingo By Helen Bannerman This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Read by Chad Horner Once upon a time there was a little black girl And her name was Little Black Mingo She had no father and mother So she had to live with a horde cross old woman Called Black Noggy Who used to scold her every day And sometimes beat her with a stick Even though she had done nothing naughty One day Black Noggy called her and said Take this chatty down to the river And fill it with water And come back as fast as you can quick now So Little Black Mingo took the chatty And ran down to the river as fast as she could And began to fill it with water When crack bang A horrible big mugger poked it's nose up through the bottom Of the chatty and said Haha Little Mingo I'm going to eat you up Little Mingo Black did not say anything She turned and ran away as fast as ever she could And the mugger ran after her But the broken chatty round his neck Caught his paws so he could not overtake her But when she got back to Black Noggy She told her how the mugger had broken the chatty Black Noggy was fearfully angry You naughty girl she said You have broken the chatty yourself I have a good mind to beat you And if she had not been in such a hurry For the water she would have beaten her Then she went and fetched the great big chatty That the Dobby used to boil the clothes in Take this said she And mind you don't break it or I will beat you But I can't carry that when it is full of water Said Little Black Mingo You must go twice and bring it half full each time Said Black Noggy So Little Black Mingo took the Dobby's great big chatty And started again to go to the river But first she went to a little bank above the river And peeped up and down To see if she could see the old mugger anywhere But she could not see him For he was hiding under the very bank She was standing on And though his tail stuck out a little She never saw him at all She would have liked to run home But she was too much afraid That Black Noggy would beat her So Little Black Mingo crept down to the river And began to fill the big chatty with water And while she was filling it The mugger came creepily Softly down behind her And caught her by the tail saying Ah ha Little Black Mingo Now I've got you And Little Black Mingo said Oh please don't eat me up Great big mugger What will you give me I don't eat you up Said the mugger But Little Black Mingo was so pure She had nothing to give So the mugger caught her In his great cruel mouth And swam away with her To an island in the middle of the river And set her down beside a huge pile of eggs Those are my eggs said he Tomorrow a Little Mugger Will come out of each And then we will have a great feast And we will eat you up Then he waddled off To catch fish for himself And left Little Black Mingo along With a big pile of eggs The Little Black Mingo sat down On a big stone And hid her face in her hands And cried bitterly Because she couldn't swim And she didn't know how to get away Presently she heard a queer Little squeaky noise That sounded like Squeak, squeak, squeak Oh Little Black Mingo Help me or I shall be drowned She got up and looked To see what was calling And she saw a bush Coming floating down The river with something Wriggling And scrambling about in it And as it came near She saw that it was a mongus That was in the bush So she wadded out as far as she could And caught hold of the bush And pulled it in And the poor mongus Crawled up her arm On to her shoulder And she carried him to shore When they got to shore The mongus shook himself And Little Black Mingo Rung out her petty coat And so they both very soon got dry The mongus then began To poke about for something to eat Very soon he found a great pile Of muggers' eggs Oh joy, said he What's this? Those her muggers' eggs Said Little Black Mingo I'm not afraid of muggers Said the mongus And he sat down And began to crack the eggs And eat the little muggers As they came out And he threw the shells Into the water So that the old mugger Should not see That anyone Had been eating them But he was careless And he left one egg shell On the edge And he was hungry But he ate so many That the pile got much smaller And when the old mugger Came back He saw at once That someone Had been meddling with them So he ran To Little Black Mingo Said How dare you eat my eggs Indeed, indeed I didn't Said Little Black Mingo Then who Could it have been Said the mugger And he ran back To the eggs As fast as he could And sure enough When he got back He found the mongus And eaten a whole lot more Then he said to himself Stay beside my eggs Till they are hatched Into little muggers Or the mongus Will eat them all So he curled himself Into a ring Round the eggs And went to sleep But while he was asleep The mongus came To eat some more of the eggs And ate as many as he wanted And when the mugger Woke this time Oh, what a rage he was in For there were only Six eggs left He roared so loud That all the little muggers Inside the shells Nashed their teeth And tried to roar too And he said I know what I'll do I'll fetch little black mongoes Big chai And cover my eggs with that Then the mongus Won't be able to get at them So he swam across the shore And fetched the dobbies Big chai And covered the eggs with it Now you wicked little mongus Come and eat my eggs If you can Said he And he went off Quite proud and happy By and by The mongus came back And he was terribly disappointed When he found the eggs All covered with the big chai So he ran off to little black mongo And asked her to help him And little black mongo Came and took the big chai Off the eggs And the mongus ate them Everyone Now he said There will be no little muggers To make a feast of for tomorrow No Said little black mongo But the mugger will eat me All by himself I'm afraid No he won't Said the mongus For he will sail away Together With the big chai Before he comes back So he climbed on To the edge of the chai And little black mongo Pushed the chai out into the water And then she clamoured into it And paddled with her two hands As hard as she could The big chai just sailed beautifully So they got across safely And little black mongo Filled the chai half full of water And took it to her head And they went off The bank together And when the mugger came back And found only empty eggshells He was fearfully angry He roared and he raged And he hurled and he yelled To the whole island's shook And his tears ran down His cheeks imparted on the sand like rain So he started to taste Little black mongo on the mongus And he swam across the river As fast as he could And when he was half way across He saw them landing And as he landed They hurried over the first bridge So he raced after them But they ran And just before he caught them They got into the house And banged the door in his face Then they shut all the windows So he could not get in anywhere All right said he You will have to come out sometime And then I will catch you both And eat you up So he hid behind the back of the house And wear it Now black noggy Was just coming home From the bazaar With a tin of kerosene On her head And a box of matches in her hand And when he saw her The mugger rushed out And gobbled her up Kerosene tin matches in all When black noggy Found herself in the muggers dark inside She wanted to see where she was So she felt for the matchbox And took out a match and lit it But the mugger's teeth Had made holes in the kerosene tin So that the flame of the match Caught the kerosene And bang The kerosene exploded And blew the old mugger And black noggy into little bits At the fearful noise Little black mingo And the mongus Came running out And there They found Black noggy And the old mugger All blown to bits So little black mingo And the mongus Got the nice little house For their very own And there They lived happy ever after And little black mingo Got the mugger's head for her seat And the mongus Got black noggy's handkerchief for his But he was so wee He used to put it On the mugger's nose And there they sat And had their tea every evening End of the story Of little black mingo By Helen Bannerman The Tale of Johnny Tynemouse By Beatrix Porter This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Read by Chad Horner Johnny Tynemouse was born in a cupboard Timmy Welley was born in a garden Timmy Welley was a little country mouse Who went to town by mistake In a hamper The gardener shined vegetables to town Once awake by carrier He packed them in a big hamper The gardener left the hamper By the garden gate So that the carrier could pick it up When he passed Timmy Welley crept in Through a hole in the wicker work And after eating some peas Timmy Welley fell fast asleep He awoke in a fright While the hamper was being lifted Into the carrier's cart Then there was a jolting And a clattering of horses feet Other packages were thrown in For miles and miles Jolt, jolt, jolt And Timmy Welley trembled Amongst the jumbled up vegetables At last the cart stopped at a house Where the hamper was taken out Carried in and set down The cook gave the carrier six pints The back door banged And the cart rumbled away But there was no quiet There seemed to be hundreds of carts passing Dogs barked Boys whistled in the street The cook laughed The parlor made ran up and downstairs And a canary sang like a steam engine Timmy Welley, who had lived all his life In a garden, was almost frightened to death Presently the cook opened the hamper And began to unpack the vegetables Outspraying the terrified Timmy Welley Up jumped the cook on a chair It's screaming, A mouse! A mouse! Call the cat Fetch me the pucker, Sarah Timmy Welley did not wait for Sarah With the pucker He rushed along the skirting board Till he came to a little hole And then he popped Half a foot and crashed into the middle Of a mouse dinner party Breaking three glasses Who in the world is this? Inquired Johnny Townmouse But after the first exclamation of surprise He instantly recovered his manners With the utmost politeness he introduced Timmy Welley to nine other mice All with long tails and white neckties Timmy Welley's own tail was insignificant Johnny Townmouse and his friends noticed it But they were too well-bred to make personal remarks Only one of them asked Timmy Welley If he had ever been in a trap The dinner was of eight courses Not much of anything, but truly elegant All the dishes were unknown to Timmy Welley He would have been a little afraid of tasting them Only he was very hungry and very anxious To behave with company manners The continual noise upstairs Made him so nervous that he dropped a plate Never mind, they don't belong to us Said Johnny Why don't those youngsters come back with the dessert It should be explained that two young mice Who were waiting on the others Went skirmishing upstairs to the kitchen Between courses Several times they had come tumbling in Squigging and laughing Timmy Welley learned with horror That they were being chased by the cat His appetite failed He felt faint Try some jelly Said Johnny Townmouse Would you rather go to bed? I will show you a most comfortable soft pillow The soft pillow had a hole in it Johnny Townmouse quite honestly recommended it As the best bed, kept exclusively for visitors But the surface smell of cat Timmy Welley preferred to spend a miserable night Under the fender It was just the same next day An excellent breakfast was provided For mice accustomed to eat bacon But Timmy Welley had been reared on roots And salad Johnny Townmouse and his friends Racketed about under the floors And came boldly out all over the house In the evening One particularly loud crash Had been caused by Sarah Tumbling downstairs with the tea tray There were crumbs and sugar And smears of jam to be collected In spite of the cat Timmy Welley longed to be at home In his peaceful nest in a sunny bank The food disagreed with him The noise prevented him from sleeping In a few days he grew so thin That Johnny Townmouse noticed it And questioned him He listened to Timmy Welley's story And inquired about the garden It sounds rather a dull place What do you do when it rains? When it rains I sit at my little sandy burrow And shell corn and seeds from my autumn store I peep out at the thrussels And blackbirds on the lawn And my friend caught robin And when the sun comes out again You should see my garden and the flowers Roses and pinks and pansies No noise except the birds and bays And the lambs in the meadows There goes the cat again exclaimed Johnny Townmouse When they had taken refuge in the coal cellar He resumed the conversation I confess I am a little disappointed We have endeavored to entertain you Timothy William Oh yes, yes You have been most kind But I do feel so ill Said Timmy Welley It may be that your teeth and digestion Are unaccustomed to your food Perhaps it might be wiser for you To return in the hamper Oh, oh, cried Timmy Welley Why of course for the matter of that We could have sent you back last week Said Johnny rather huffily Did you not know That the hamper goes back empty on Saturdays? So Timmy Welley said goodbye To his new friends And hid in the hamper With a crumb of cake And a withered cabbage leaf And after much jolting He was set down safely in his own garden Sometimes on Saturdays He went to look at the hamper Lying by the gate But he knew better than to get in again And nobody got out Though Johnny Townmouse Had half-promise to visit The winter passed The sun came out again Timmy Welley sat by his burrow Warming his little fur coat And sniffing the smell of violets And spring grass He had nearly forgotten his visit to town When up the sandy path All spick and span With a brown leather bag Came Johnny Townmouse Timmy Welley received him With open arms You have come at the best of all the year We will have herb pudding And sit in the sun Hmmm It is a little dump Said Johnny Townmouse Who was carrying his tail Under his arm out of the mud What is that fearful noise He started violently That, said Timmy Welley That is only a coy I will beg a little milk They are quite harmless Unless they happen to lie down upon you How are all our friends? Johnny's account was rather middling He explained why he was Paying his visit so early in the season The family had gone To the seaside for Easter The cook was doing spring cleaning On board beaches With particular instructions To clear out the mice There were four kittens And the cat had killed the canary They say we did it But I know better, said Johnny Townmouse Whatever is that fearful racket That is only the lawnmower I will fetch some of the grass clippings Presently to make your bed I am sure you had better settle In the country, Johnny Hmmm We shall see by Tuesday Wake the hamper is stopped While they are at the seaside I am sure you will never want To live in town again, said Timmy Welley But he had He went back to the very Next hamper of vegetables He said it was too quiet One place suits one person Another place suits another person For my part I prefer to live in the country Like Timmy Welley End of The Tale of Johnny Townmouse by Beatrix Porter The Real Princess by Hans Christian Anderson This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings can be found In the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org The Real Princess There once was a prince Who wished to marry a princess But then she must be a real princess He travelled all over the world In hopes of finding such a lady But there was always something wrong Princesses he found in plenty But whether they were real princesses It was impossible for him to decide For now one thing, now another Seemed to him not quite right about the ladies At last he returned to his palace Quite cast down Because he wished so much to have A real princess for his wife One evening a fearful tempest arose It thundered and lightened And the rain poured down from the sky And torrents Besides it was as dark as pitch All at once there was heard A violent knocking at the door And the old king, the princess father Went out himself to open it It was a princess Who was standing outside the door What with the rain and the wind She was in sad condition The water trickled down from her hair And her clothes clunked to her body She said she was a real princess Ah, we shall soon see that Thought the old queen mother However, she said not a word Of what she was going to do But went quietly into the bedroom Took all the bedcloths off the bed And put three little peas on the bedstand She then laid twenty mattresses One upon another over the three peas And put twenty for the bins over the mattresses Upon the spear the princess Was to pass the night The next morning she was asked How she had slept Oh, very badly indeed she replied I have scarcely closed my eyes The whole night through I do not know what was in my bed But I had something hard under me And I am all over black and blue It has hurt me so much Now it was plain that the lady Must be a real princess Since she had been able to feel The three little peas through the twenty mattresses And twenty for the beds None but a real princess Could have had such a delicate sense of feeling The prince accordingly made her his wife He now convinced that he had found a real princess The three peas were however put Into the cabinet of curiosities Where they are still to be seen Provided they are not lost Wasn't this a lady of real delicacy? End of The Real Princess By Hans Christian Andersen Read by Anna Pinto