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132 MOONFOLK.
" Don't you ? "Well, then, his name is Rumplestiltkins,
and you can tell him I said so, if you like.
So that's
all settled, and now good-by."
" Oh, stop a minute, please, dear godmother. There's
one thing more," exclaimed Cinderella, turning very red
again.
" The king wants me to knit some more stockings
for nim, to give as a present to the Khan of Grand
Tartary, who has sent a special ambassador to ask if I
would oblige him so much. And I promised Rumplestiltkins
that I never would ask him to do any more,
and and I can't knit at all."
" Then, why, pray, did you ever say that you could ? "
asked the fairy, severely. " You deserve to suffer for
your wicked folly, and I am glad you do and
; although I
am going to help you out of this scrape, I will never do
so again unless you amend,
so far at least as to tell the
truth. Take this spindle, put
it in the wool-chamber,
and say to it :
'
Spindle straight, and spindle true,
Here's some work for you to do ;
Turn and twist the magic thread
Until the task shall all be sped.'
Then come out and leave it as many hours as you wish
pairs of stockings, and when you go back they will be
ready. But, remember whenever you touch it, that I
have given it orders to wound your hands as often as
you have told wrong stories since you
last handled
it, and I assure you it will obey me sharply enough.