The Frog was a year and four days ascending the ten thousand steps from the black plain, where she had left the Queen, up into the world, and she was another year preparing her equipage, for she was too proud to appear in a great court like a paltry little frog from the marshes. She ordered a litter to be made large enough to hold conveniently two eggs; it was entirely covered with tortoiseshell outside, and lined with the skin of young lizards. She had fifty maids of honour; they were some of those little green queens who leap about the meadows,—each of them was mounted on a snail, with an English saddle, her leg placed on the bow with a wonderful air; several water-rats dressed as pages preceded the snails, to whom she had confided the care of her person; in short, nothing was ever so pretty; above all, her hood of marvellous roses, always fresh and blooming, became her better than anything. She was rather a coquette in her way, which induced her to use rouge and patches; they even said she painted,[1] as the greater number of the ladies did in that country, but the matter being looked into, it was found to be the mere scandal of her enemies.
She was seven years on her journey, during which time the poor Queen suffered inexpressible pains and hardships, and without the beautiful Moufette to console her she would have died a hundred, and a hundred times over again. This wonderful little creature never opened her mouth, nor spoke a word that she did not charm her mother; she even tamed the heart of the Fairy Lioness,—and in short, after the Queen had passed six years in this horrible abode, she allowed her to go hunting, on condition that all she killed should be for her.
How delighted was the poor Queen, once more to behold the sun; she was so unaccustomed to it that she was fearful of becoming blind. As to Moufette, she was so skilful, though only five or six years old, that nothing escaped her that she shot at, and by this means the mother and daughter tamed down a little the ferocity of the Fairy Lioness.
The little Frog travelled day and night over hill and dale, and at last arrived in the vicinity of the capital city, where
- ↑ That is, white as well as red, colouring the lips and marking the eyebrows. The wearing of rouge alone was not considered objectionable, as it became almost a necessity after the introduction of hair-powder.
