"
"Oh, you do, do you?" she answered, laughing her merry little laugh,
and capering up and down the moonbeam. "Oh! quite a modest youth!
Well, I'll make a bargain with you; and if you will do something for
me, you shall have your wish," said the queen.
Nimble Jim was about to pour out his gratitude, when she interrupted
him, saying: "Now, Nimble Jim, listen to me. Your wish is a foolish
one, and I warn you that if you gain it you will be sorry. Why will
you not be content as you are?"
"Your majesty," replied the obstinate youth. "I _cannot_ be content as
I am."
"Well, since you insist on having your own way, we'll make our
bargain. Here,"--and, sitting down on the moonbeam, she pulled off a
shoe,--"here, sir, I want you to mend my shoe. I tripped just now on
a rough place in this moonbeam. Mend the rip; show me you are a good
cobbler, and I promise that you shall have your wish."
"But, your majesty," began Nimble Jim, taking the shoe, which was no
bigger than a bean, "I can't sew such a little shoe; my fingers are
----"
"There, there! Stop! I'm a queen, and people don't say 'can't' or
'wont' to me, sir," interrupted her majesty, with much dignity.
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