From that day prayers and petitions simply rained down upon the queen's window-*sill.
What could she do but take the pearls from her necklace? And so with trembling hands she drew off one pearl after another, and finally one morning there was not a single pearl left.
The king was not in a good temper at dinner that day, and he saw that the necklace was missing!
"Where is the necklace?" he shrieked. His voice sounded like the caw of a hoarse old crow. "Where is the necklace?"
The queen looked confused.
"Oh, I have not got it on today," she said. But the king had her eight tire-women and her eight laides-in-waiting called up, and they had to search over and over through all the queen's drawers and presses, till they were as red as cranberries, but the necklace was not to be found.
"Have you lost the necklace?" roared the king.
"No," said the queen, timidly.
"Have you given it away?" shouted the king. "To whom have you given it?"
