"What do you mean?" said the queen, looking grave.

"Oh! don't frighten me, your Majesty!" exclaimed the nurse,
clasping her hands.

The queen saw that something was amiss, and fell down in a faint.
The nurse rushed about the palace, screaming, "My baby! my baby!"

Every one ran to the queen's room. But the queen could give no
orders. They soon found out, however, that the princess was
missing, and in a moment the palace was like a beehive in a garden;
and in one minute more the queen was brought to herself by a great
shout and a clapping of hands. They had found the princess fast
asleep under a rose-bush, to which the elvish little wind-puff had
carried her, finishing its mischief by shaking a shower of red
rose-leaves all over the little white sleeper. Startled by the
noise the servants made, she woke, and, furious with glee,
scattered the rose- leaves in all directions, like a shower of
spray in the sunset.

She was watched more carefully after this, no doubt; yet it would
be endless to relate all the odd incidents resulting from this
peculiarity of the young princess. But there never was a baby in a
house, not to say a palace, that kept the household in such
constant good humour, at least below- stairs. If it was not easy
for her nurses to hold her, at least she made neither their arms
nor their hearts ache. And she was so nice to play at ball with!
There was positively no danger of letting her fall. They might
throw her down, or knock her down, or push her down, but couldn't