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quiet　eyes　when　we　spoke　to　him　kindly；　looked　as　if　the　knowledge

of　these　things；　and　of　all　the　tender　things　there　are　to　think

about；　might　have　been　in　his　mind　…　as　if　he　thought；　with　us；

that　there　was　a　fellow…feeling　in　the　pauper　nurses　which　appeared

to　make　them　more　kind　to　their　charges　than　the　race　of　common

nurses　in　the　hospitals　…　as　if　he　mused　upon　the　Future　of　some

older　children　lying　around　him　in　the　same　place；　and　thought　it

best；　perhaps；　all　things　considered；　that　he　should　die　…　as　if　he

knew；　without　fear；　of　those　many　coffins；　made　and　unmade；　piled

up　in　the　store　below　…　and　of　his　unknown　friend；　'the　dropped

child；'　calm　upon　the　box…lid　covered　with　a　cloth。　　But　there　was

something　wistful　and　appealing；　too；　in　his　tiny　face；　as　if；　in

the　midst　of　all　the　hard　necessities　and　incongruities　he　pondered

on；　he　pleaded；　in　behalf　of　the　helpless　and　the　aged　poor；　for　a

little　more　liberty　…　and　a　little　more　bread。







PRINCE　BULL。　　A　FAIRY　TALE







ONCE　upon　a　time；　and　of　course　it　was　in　the　Golden　Age；　and　I

hope　you　may　know　when　that　was；　for　I　am　sure　I　don't；　though　I

have　tried　hard　to　find　out；　there　lived　in　a　rich　and　fertile

country；　a　powerful　Prince　whose　name　was　BULL。　　He　had　gone

through　a　great　deal　of　fighting；　in　his　time；　about　all　sorts　of

things；　including　nothing；　but；　had　gradually　settled　down　to　be　a

steady；　peaceable；　good…natured；　corpulent；　rather　sleepy　Prince。



This　Puissant　Prince　was　married　to　a　lovely　Princess　whose　name

was　Fair　Freedom。　　She　had　brought　him　a　large　fortune；　and　had

borne　him　an　immense　number　of　children；　and　had　set　them　to

spinning；　and　farming；　and　engineering；　and　soldiering；　and

sailoring；　and　doctoring；　and　lawyering；　and　preaching；　and　all

kinds　of　trades。　　The　coffers　of　Prince　Bull　were　full　of　treasure；

his　cellars　were　crammed　with　delicious　wines　from　all　parts　of　the

world；　the　richest　gold　and　silver　plate　that　ever　was　seen　adorned

his　sideboards；　his　sons　were　strong；　his　daughters　were　handsome；

and　in　short　you　might　have　supposed　that　if　there　ever　lived　upon

earth　a　fortunate　and　happy　Prince；　the　name　of　that　Prince；　take

him　for　all　in　all；　was　assuredly　Prince　Bull。



But；　appearances；　as　we　all　know；　are　not　always　to　be　trusted　…

far　from　it；　and　if　they　had　led　you　to　this　conclusion　respecting

Prince　Bull；　they　would　have　led　you　wrong　as　they　often　have　led

me。



For；　this　good　Prince　had　two　sharp　thorns　in　his　pillow；　two　hard

knobs　in　his　crown；　two　heavy　loads　on　his　mind；　two　unbridled

nightmares　in　his　sleep；　two　rocks　ahead　in　his　course。　　He　could

not　by　any　means　get　servants　to　suit　him；　and　he　had　a　tyrannical

old　godmother；　whose　name　was　Tape。



She　was　a　Fairy；　this　Tape；　and　was　a　bright　red　all　over。　　She　was

disgustingly　prim　and　formal；　and　could　never　bend　herself　a　hair's

breadth　this　way　or　that　way；　out　of　her　naturally　crooked　shape。

But；　she　was　very　potent　in　her　wicked　art。　　She　could　stop　the

fastest　thing　in　the　world；　change　the　strongest　thing　into　the

weakest；　and　the　most　useful　into　the　most　useless。　　To　do　this　she

had　only　to　put　her　cold　hand　upon　it；　and　repeat　her　own　name；

Tape。　　Then　it　withered　away。



At　the　Court　of　Prince　Bull　…　at　least　I　don't　mean　literally　at

his　court；　because　he　was　a　very　genteel　Prince；　and　readily

yielded　to　his　godmother　when　she　always　reserved　that　for　his

hereditary　Lords　and　Ladies　…　in　the　dominions　of　Prince　Bull；

among　the　great　mass　of　the　community　who　were　called　in　the

language　of　that　polite　country　the　Mobs　and　the　Snobs；　were　a

number　of　very　ingenious　men；　who　were　always　busy　with　some

invention　or　other；　for　promoting　the　prosperity　of　the　Prince's

subjects；　and　augmenting　the　Prince's　power。　　But；　whenever　they

submitted　their　models　for　the　Prince's　approval；　his　godmother

stepped　forward；　laid　her　hand　upon　them；　and　said　'Tape。'　　Hence

it　came　to　pass；　that　when　any　particularly　good　discovery　was

made；　the　discoverer　usually　carried　it　off　to　some　other　Prince；

in　foreign　parts；　who　had　no　old　godmother　who　said　Tape。　　This　was

not　on　the　whole　an　advantageous　state　of　things　for　Prince　Bull；

to　the　best　of　my　understanding。



The　worst　of　it　was；　that　Prince　Bull　had　in　course　of　years　lapsed

into　such　a　state　of　subjection　to　this　unlucky　godmother；　that　he

never　made　any　serious　effort　to　rid　himself　of　her　tyranny。　　I

have　said　this　was　the　worst　of　it；　but　there　I　was　wrong；　because

there　is　a　worse　consequence　still；　behind。　　The　Prince's　numerous

family　became　so　downright　sick　and　tired　of　Tape；　that　when　they

should　have　helped　the　Prince　out　of　the　difficulties　into　which

that　evil　creature　led　him；　they　fell　into　a　dangerous　habit　of

moodily　keeping　away　from　him　in　an　impassive　and　indifferent

manner；　as　though　they　had　quite　forgotten　that　no　harm　could

happen　to　the　Prince　their　father；　without　its　inevitably　affecting

themselves。



Such　was　the　aspect　of　affairs　at　the　court　of　Prince　Bull；　when

this　great　Prince　found　it　necessary　to　go　to　war　with　Prince　Bear。

He　had　been　for　some　time　very　doubtful　of　his　servants；　who；

besides　being　indolent　and　addicted　to　enriching　their　families　at

his　expense；　domineered　over　him　dreadfully；　threatening　to

discharge　themselves　if　they　were　found　the　least　fault　with；

pretending　that　they　had　done　a　wonderful　amount　of　work　when　they

had　done　nothing；　making　the　most　unmeaning　speeches　that　ever　were

heard　in　the　Prince's　name；　and　uniformly　showing　themselves　to　be

very　inefficient　indeed。　　Though；　that　some　of　them　had　excellent

characters　from　previous　situations　is　not　to　be　denied。　　Well；

Prince　Bull　called　his　servants　together；　and　said　to　them　one　and

all；　'Send　out　my　army　against　Prince　Bear。　　Clothe　it；　arm　it；

feed　it；　provide　it　with　all　necessaries　and　contingencies；　and　I

will　pay　the　piper！　　Do　your　duty　by　my　brave　troops；'　said　the

Prince；　'and　do　it　well；　and　I　will　pour　my　treasure　out　like

water；　to　defray　the　cost。　　Who　ever　heard　ME　complain　of　money

well　laid　out！'　　Which　indeed　he　had　reason　for　saying；　inasmuch　as

he　was　well　known　to　be　a　truly　generous　and　munificent　Prince。



When　the　servants　heard　those　words；　they　sent　out　the　army　against

Prince　Bear；　and　they　set　the　army　tailors　to　work；　and　the　army

provision　merchants；　and　the　makers　of　guns　both　great　and　small；

and　the　gunpowder　makers；　and　the　makers　of　ball；　shell；　and　shot；

and　they　bought　up　all　manner　of　stores　and　ships；　without

troubling　their　heads　about　the　price；　and　appeared　to　be　so　busy

that　the　good　Prince　rubbed　his　hands；　and　（using　a　favourite

expression　of　his）；　said；　'It's　all　right　I'　But；　while　they　were

thus　employed；　the　Prince's　godmother；　who　was　a　great　favourite

with　those　servants；　looked　in　upon　them　continually　all　day　long；

and　whenever　she　popped　in　her　head　at　the　door　said；　How　do　you

do；　my　children？　　What　are　you　doing　here？'　　'Official　business；

godmother。'　　'Oho！'　says　this　wicked　Fairy。　　'…　Tape！'　　And　then

the　business　all　went　wrong；　whatever　it　was；　and　the　servants'

heads　became　so　addled　and　muddled　that　they　thought　they　were

doing　wonders。



Now；　this　was　very　bad　conduct　on　the　part　of　the　vicious　old

nuisance；　and　she　ought　to　have　been　strangled；　even　if　she　had

stopped　here；　but；　she　didn't　stop　here；　as　you　shall　learn。　　For；

a　number　of　the　Prince's　subjects；　being　very　fond　of　the　Prince's

army　who　were　the　bravest　of　men；　assembled　together　and　provided

all　manner　of　eatables　and　drinkables；　and　books　to　read；　and

clothes　to　wear；　and　tobacco　to　smoke；　and　candies　to　burn；　and

nailed　them　up　in　great　packing…cases；　and　put　them　aboard　a　great

many　ships；　to　be　carried　out　to　that　brave　army　in　the　cold　and

inclement　country　where　they　were　fighting　Prince　Bear。　　Then；　up

comes　this　wicked　Fairy　as　the　ships　were　weighing　anchor；　and

says；　'How　do　you　do；　my　children？　　What　are　you　doing　here？'　…　'We

are　going　with　all　these　comforts　to　the　army；　godmother。'　…　'Oho！'

says　she。　　'A　pleasant　voyage；　my　darlings。　…　Tape！'　　And　from　that

time　forth；　those　enchanting　ships　went　sailing；　against　wind　and

tide　and　rhyme　and　reason；　round　and　round　the　world；　and　whenever

they　touched　at　any　port　were　ordered　off　immediately；　and　could

never　deliver　their　cargoes　anywhere。



This；　again；　was　very　bad　conduct　on　the　part　of　the　vicious　old

nuisance；　and　she　ought　to　have　been　strangled　for　it　if　she　had

done　nothing　worse；　but；　she　did　something　worse　still；　as　you

shall　learn。　　For；　she　got　astride　of　an　official　broomstick；　and

muttered　as　a　spell　these　two　sentences；　'On　Her　Majesty's

service；'　and　'I　have　the　honour　to　be；　sir；　your　most　obedient

servant；'　and　presently　alighted　in　the　cold　and　inclement　country

where　the　army　of　Prince　Bull　were　encamped　to　fight　the　army　of

Prince　Bear。　　On　the　sea…shore　of　that　country；　she　found　piled

together；　a　number　of　houses　for　the　army　to　live　in；　and　a

quantity　of　provisions　for　the　army　to　live　upon；　and　a　quantity　of

clothes　for　the　army　to　wear：　while；　sitting　in　the　mud　gazing　at

them；　were　a　group　of　officers　as　red　to　look　at　as　the　wicked　old

woman　herself。　　So；　she　said　to　one　of　them；　'Who　are　you；　my

darling；　and　how　do　you　do？'　…　'I　am　the　Quartermaster　General's

Department；　godmother；　and　I　am　pretty　well。'　　Then　she　said　to

another；　'Who　are　YOU；　my　darling；　and　how　do　YOU　do？'　…　'I　am　the

Commissariat　Department；　godmother；　and　I　am　pretty　well！　　Then　she

said　to　another；　'Who　are　YOU；　my　darling；　and　how　do　YOU　do？'　…　'I

am　the　Head　of　the　Medical　Department；　godmother；　and　I　am　pretty

well。'　　Then；　she　said　to　some　gentlemen　scented　with　lavender；　who

kept　themselves　at　a　great　distance　from　the　rest；　'And　who　are

YOU；　my　pretty　pets；　and　how　do　YOU　do？'　　And　they　answered；　'We…