"Ha, ha! Nimble Jim don't seem to like melons! I told you you'd be
sorry," laughed the little elfin queen. "I suppose you still want
to be as rich as the king? Or perhaps you would like to be the king
himself?" said she, tauntingly.
"Of course I would, your majesty," said Jim, "if the vine can only be
stopped."
"You are a very good cobbler, Nimble Jim," she answered, "and since
you mended my shoe so nicely, and as the king has promised to exchange
with any one who will wither and destroy the vine, and as you might as
well be king as another (and as you need a good lesson," said she to
herself), "I give you the means to do it all!"
And the tiny queen pulled off the mended shoe, and cried: "Here, you
silly boy! Take this and run to the palace. Once there, you need touch
but a tendril with this magic shoe, and the vine will wither and
disappear, and the crown and kingdom will be yours. I wish you joy of
both. Good-bye! You will learn contentment yet, poor Jim, I hope," she
added, as he ran out of hearing, with the precious little shoe in his
hand.
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