Page 326 - Child's own book

the door, anti laid his oar to the key-hole, putting his hair aside
that he might llie better hear what was said. At the same
time, Leander entered the eourt-hallof the palace with his red
capupon his head, so that he was not to be seen : and perceiving
Furibon listening at the door of the king’s chamber, he took a
nail and a hammer, and nailed his ear to the
door. Furibon, in sharp pain, and all bloody,
foil a roaring like a madman. The queen hearing
bur son's voice, ran and opened the door, and
pulling it hostilv, tore her son's ear from bis
head, so that be bled like a pig. The queen,
half out of her wits, set him in her lap, and took
up his ear, kissed ii, and clapped it again upon
its place ; but the invisible Leander, seizing upon
a handful of twigs, with which they correctcd
the kind’s little dogs* gave the queen several lashes upon
her bands* and her son as many on the nose: upon which the
<|Ueen cried out, u Murder! murder ! ,J and upon her crying out,
the king looked about, and the people came running in ; but
nothing was to be seen. Some cried that the qutelt was madt
and that her madness proceeded from her griof to see that her
son had Jost one ear ; and the king Was as ready as any to
believe i t ; -so that when she came near him, he avoided her,
which made a very ridiculous scone. Leander gave Furibon
some more jerks; and then leaving the chamber, went into the
gardent And there .is-suming bis own shape, he boldly began to
pluck the queen’s cherries, iipricots, and strawberries, aud
Capped her flowers by handfuls^ though he knew the queen
set such a high value nu them, that it was as much as a man s
life was worth to touch one. The gardeners, all amazed, came
and told their majesties, that prince Leander was making havoc
of all the fruits and flowers in the queen’s garden. " What