Page 12 - Jeremiah Lollipop

snug, in his own little room which faced into the courtyard. While

Jeremiah sat by his window, with a thick pile of blankets wrapped

around him, he saw, through the swirling snow, a figure approach the

main doors. He heard the tap of the big, brass door-knocker, and he

watched to see what would happen.

Nothing happened. The figure stood in the snow, with flapping shawl

and restless dress, and waited. Jeremiah hugged his blankets round him

and went out into the hall. He stopped at the top of the stairs and

wondered if he ought to open the door, but he didn’t need to. Someone

was coming.

The king himself had gotten out of bed, and was coming closer,

covered in blankets and holding a candle. He went downstairs and

shuffled across the wide, stone entrance. Yawning, he opened the door a

little and the light from his candle spilled out into the darkness.

There, before the king, was a girl. She was shivering with cold, and

speckled with snow, but even in the poor light from a flickering candle,

Jeremiah could see she was beautiful.

“You poor dear,” said the king, “Come on in and warm yourself by my

candle, err, no that wouldn’t work. The fire…. This way!”

“Th-th-thank you,” said the girl, with chattering teeth and shivering

body. She followed the king into the large dining room, where the

remains of a big fire glowed red in the grate. The king threw some wood

on the embers and gave them a poke and soon a bright fire was burning.