THE DWARF NOSEY . 
479 
cook who prepared all those wonderful dishes. 
When the dwarf was presented to him he 
complimented him highly on his cookery. 
“ But;” he added, “ how is it that in all 
those ten days IVe been here you have never 
sent to table the pasty ‘ Souzeraine/ that is 
so aptly named the queen of all pasties ? ” 
Nosey had never even heard the name of 
that dish before, but he gathered all his 
courage together, and answered : “Oh, 
Prince, I hoped that your Highness would 
deign to let the light of your countenance 
shine upon us for many days to come, so I 
reserved the queen of pasties to bring to table 
as a speedwell on the day 
before your journey.” 
“ And for me, you 
rogue ! I expect you waited 
until I should take my 
last journey on earth,” 
interrupted the Duke, 
laughing gaily. “ But to- 
morrow you must prepare 
this Souzeraine, and take 
good care it is to my 
guest's taste; for if not 
i’ll have that big head of 
yours chopped off.” 
Nosey promised that all 
should be as the Duke had 
commanded, but when he 
left the banqueting - hall 
he gave way to despair, 
jor he did not know how to 
make it. 
When the goose saw his 
sorrow, she came up to 
him and asked why he was 
weeping. When he had 
told her she sa-id, “ Tf 
that is all, 1 can most 
likely help you ; for the 
Souzeraine was one of my 
father’s most favourite dishes, and I know 
something of how it is made. Perhaps there 
may be one or two little things I don’t 
remember, but that Prince won’t be such 
a connoisseur as to notice a small omission.” 
1 hen she told him what ingredients he had 
to use, and how it had to be made. 
Early next morning Nosey set about his 
task, using all his skill. It really looked 
splendid when it came out of the oven, so 
Nosey decked it with garlands of flowers and 
sent it to the ducal table. Then he put on 
his festal robes and entered ihe banqueting- 
hall. Ihe Duke was just taking a big bite. 
“ Ha ! by the beards of my forefathers, 
this is indeed a glorious pie ! x\ T o wonder it 
Vol. xlvi.— 61 . 
is called the queen of pasties ! ” he cried, in 
ecstasy. But his guest smiled acidly when 
he had tasted a little morsel, and pushed his 
plate aside. 
” I thought as much,” he murmured, under 
his breath ; then aloud : “ It is not so badly 
done,” he said, condescendingly ; “ but it is 
not quite, quite the Souzeraine.” 
An angry flush overspread the Duke’s face. 
“Dog of a dwarf!” he shouted. “What 
do you mean by this ? Why have you not 
made this pie properly ? I shall have you 
cut up into small pieces yourself and baked 
in a pasty for this want of respect ! ” 
Nosey threw himself 
upon his knees before the 
foreign Prince. 
“ Your Highness,” he 
begged, “'do not let me 
be killed for want of a 
handful of flour or some 
spices.” 
“Of course, you cannot 
help it,” answered the 
foreign Prince. “ I quite 
expected it would be so, 
for the herb that is lack- 
ing does not grow in this 
country. It is called 
4 Sneeze well, 5 and in my 
land there is plenty of it. 
That is why the Duke can 
never eat the Souzeraine 
as it is served at my table.” 
When he heard this the 
Duke was angrier than 
ever. 
“ Listen ! ” he screamed 
to Nosey. “Either you 
bring this Souzeraine to 
table to-morrow exactly as 
it ought to be. or off goes 
your head ! Now go ! ” 
The wretched dwarf left the hall and went 
weeping up to his chamber. 
“ Now it’s all up with me,” he said to the 
goose ; and he told her about the herb, and 
that he had never even heard of it. 
“ Nosey,” exclaimed Mimi, “ don’t cry 1 
That you don’t know' this herb makes me think 
it may be the very one that caused your 
enchantment. I know it very well. It only 
blossoms at new moon, and, as it is the flowers 
that possess the fragrant properties, it is lucky 
that it is just new moon to-day, for otherwise it 
might have been difficult to help you. This 
herb will only grow under old chestnuts. 
Now take me out into the palace gardens, and 
1 will search for this herb.” 
“ UK BOUGHT THREE GEESE, TOGETHER 
WITH THEIR CAGE, HOISTED IT ON 1!IS 
BROAD BACK, AND TURNED HOMEWARD,” 
