The Pink Fairy Book, part 4 · page 21 2101But the princess gave him a sabre set with gold pieces which he could use.102Then he flew away, bought himself a new dressing-gown, and sat down in the wood and began to make up a story, for it had to be ready by Saturday, and that was no easy matter.103When he had it ready it was Saturday.104The sultan, the sultana, and the whole court were at tea with the princess.105He was most graciously received.106‘Will you tell us a story?’ said the sultana; ‘one that is thoughtful and instructive?’107‘But something that we can laugh at,’ said the sultan.108‘Oh, certainly,’ he replied, and began: ‘Now, listen attentively.109There was once a box of matches which lay between a tinder-box and an old iron pot, and they told the story of their youth.110‘“We used to be on the green fir-boughs.111Every morning and evening we had diamond-tea, which was the dew, and the whole day long we had sunshine, and the little birds used to tell us stories.112We were very rich, because the other trees only dressed in summer, but we had green dresses in summer and in winter.113Then the woodcutter came, and our family was split up.114We have now the task of making light for the lowest people.115That is why we grand people are in the kitchen.”1 2← previousThe Pink Fairy Book, part 3next →The Pink Fairy Book, part 5↑ back to The Pink Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/4/page/2/