"Please your Majesty," he said, "I cannot leave my father and mother."
"That's right, Curdie!" cried the princess. "_I_ wouldn't if I was you."
The king looked at the princess and then at Curdie with a glow of
satisfaction on his countenance.
"I too think you are right, Curdie," he said, "and I will not ask you
again. But I shall have a chance of doing something for you some
time."
"Your Majesty has already allowed me to serve you," said Curdie.
"But, Curdie," said his mother, "why shouldn't you go with the king?
We
can get on very well without you."
"But I can't get on very well without you," said Curdie. "The king is
very kind, but I could not be half the use to him that I am to you.
Please your Majesty, if you wouldn't mind giving my mother a red
petticoat! I should have got her one long ago, but for the goblins."
Madhuri Noah
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