At the birth of her first child the Queen was overjoyed. She had quite forgotten the queer little man, when one day he slipped into her chamber and said: “Where is the child you promised me?”
Then she was in sore distress. In vain she offered him all the treasures of the kingdom. But as the queer little man tucked the royal baby snugly under his arm, she gave such a cry that his odd little heart, like a dry currant, softened and he said: “I will give you three days to guess my name. If you can do it, you may keep the child.” And he dropped the baby with a bump back into the cradle.
From the Story: RUMPEL-STILT-SKIN, OR TOM TIT TOT.
ONCE UPON A TIME – A BOOK OF OLD-TIME FAIRY TALES.
Edited by Katharine Lee Bates.
Illustrated by Margaret Evans Price.
Rand McNally & Company: Chicago & New York. 1921.
Elephant's Picture Book 