Curiosities and wonders > Sleeping beauty of the wood

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to be filled with toads, vipers, snakes, and all
sorts of serpents, in order to throw into it the
queen and her children, the clerk of the kitchen,
his wife and maid; all of whom she had given
orders to have them all brought thither, with
their hands tied behind them, to sufifer the ven¬
geance of the incensed ogress.
They were brought out accordingly, and the
executioners were going to throw them into the
tub, when the king fortunately entered the court
in his carriage, and asked, with the utmost as¬
tonishment, what was meant by this horrid spec¬
tacle ; no one daring to tell him.
When the ogress saw what had happened, she
fell into a violent passion, and threw herself head
foremost into the tub, and was instantly devour¬
ed by the ugly creatures she had ordered to be
thrown into it for others.
The king could not but grieve being very
*orry, for she was his mother; but he soon com¬
forted himself with his beautiful wife, and his
two pretty children. And after all things were
settled, he well rewarded the clerk of the kitchen
for his wisdom, humanity and compassion.