Princess Pattycake. The deep blue of her eyes made even the sky
envious, and the moss roses blushed when they saw the delicate bloom on
her cheeks. The long strands of her silken hair were brighter than
sunbeams, while her ears were like two tiny pink shells from the
seashore. Indeed, there was nothing in all the Valley so dainty and
pretty as Princess Pattycake, and many young men would have loved her
had they dared. But, alas! the Princess had a most terrible temper, and
never was pleased with anything; so the young men, and even the old
ones, were afraid to come near her.

She scolded from morning till night; she stamped her pretty foot with
rage when any one spoke to her; and if ever her brothers tried to
reason with her she boxed their ears so soundly that they were glad to
let her alone. Even the good Queen could not love Pattycake as she did
her other children, and the King often sighed when he thought of the
ugly disposition of his beautiful daughter. Of course no one cared very
much for her society, and she sat in her room all day long, refusing to
join the others in their sports and games, and becoming more moody and
bad-tempered the older she grew.

One day a young man came to the court to bring pickled peaches to his
Majesty, the King. The youth's name was Timtom, and he lived so far
away and came so seldom to court that never before had he seen the
Princess Pattycake.

When he looked into her sweet, blue eyes he loved her at once for her
beauty, and being both brave and bold he went directly to the King and
asked for Pattycake's hand in marriage.

His Majesty was naturally surprised at so strange a request; so he said