They had nineteen children, and were always having more.  Seventeen
of these children took care of the baby; and Alicia, the eldest,
took care of them all.  Their ages varied from seven years to seven
months.

Let us now resume our story.

One day the king was going to the office, when he stopped at the
fishmonger's to buy a pound and a half of salmon not too near the
tail, which the queen (who was a careful housekeeper) had requested
him to send home.  Mr. Pickles, the fishmonger, said, 'Certainly,
sir; is there any other article?  Good-morning.'

The king went on towards the office in a melancholy mood; for
quarter-day was such a long way off, and several of the dear
children were growing out of their clothes.  He had not proceeded
far, when Mr. Pickles's errand-boy came running after him, and
said, 'Sir, you didn't notice the old lady in our shop.'

'What old lady?' inquired the king.  'I saw none.'

Now the king had not seen any old lady, because this old lady had
been invisible to him, though visible to Mr. Pickles's boy.
Probably because he messed and splashed the water about to that
degree, and flopped the pairs of soles down in that violent manner,
that, if she had not been visible to him, he would have spoilt her
clothes.

Just then the old lady came trotting up.  She was dressed in shot-
silk of the richest quality, smelling of dried lavender.

'King Watkins the First, I believe?' said the old lady.

'Watkins,' replied the king, 'is my name.'

'Papa, if I am not mistaken, of the beautiful Princess Alicia?'
said the old lady.

'And of eighteen other darlings,' replied the king.

'Listen.  You are going to the office,' said the old lady.

It instantly flashed upon the king that she must be a fairy, or how
could she know that?

'You are right,' said the old lady, answering his thoughts.  'I am
the good Fairy Grandmarina.  Attend!  When you return home to
dinner, politely invite the Princess Alicia to have some of the
salmon you bought just now.'

'It may disagree with her,' said the king.

The old lady became so very angry at this absurd idea, that the
king was quite alarmed, and humbly begged her pardon.

'We hear a great deal too much about this thing disagreeing, and
that thing disagreeing,' said the old lady, with the greatest
contempt it was possible to express.  'Don't be greedy.  I think
you want it all yourself.'

The king hung his head under this reproof, and said he wouldn't
talk about things disagreeing any more.

'Be good, then,' said the Fairy Grandmarina, 'and don't.  When the
beautiful Princess Alicia consents to partake of the salmon, - as I
think she will, - you will find she will leave a fish-bone on her
plate.  Tell her to dry it, and to rub it, and to polish it till it
shines like mother-of-pearl, and to take care of it as a present
from me.'

'Is that all?' asked the king.

'Don't be impatient, sir,' returned the Fairy Grandmarina, scolding
him severely.  'Don't catch people short, before they have done
speaking.  Just the way with you grown-up persons.  You are always
doing it.'

The king again hung his head, and said he wouldn't do so any more.

'Be good, then,' said the Fairy Grandmarina, 'and don't!  Tell the
Princess Alicia, with my love, that the fish-bone is a magic
present which can only be used once; but that it will bring her,
that once, whatever she wishes for, PROVIDED SHE WISHES FOR IT AT
THE RIGHT TIME.  That is the message.  Take care of it.'

The king was beginning, 'Might I ask the reason?' when the fairy
became absolutely furious.

'WILL you be good, sir?' she exclaimed, stamping her foot on the
ground.  'The reason for this, and the reason for that, indeed!
You are always wanting the reason.  No reason.  There!  Hoity toity
me!  I am sick of your grown-up reasons.'

The king was extremely frightened by the old lady's flying into
such a passion, and said he was very sorry to have offended her,
and he wouldn't ask for reasons any more.

'Be good, then,' said the old lady, 'and don't!'