At last she heard the Wagoner had left the toy-shop altogether, and she knew she should never see him again. And she cried, and cried, and cried, till she cried away every bit of pride in her nature! Indeed, from being the proudest Toy in the shop she became the meekest and gentlest—kind and thoughtful to all.
So the other Toys would often remark one to the other with surprise and pleasure:
“Lo! how poor Claribelle hath been chastened by sorrow!”
“Poor, poor Claribelle! I am sorry for her!” said the little girl.
“She had, indeed, a severe lesson,” answered the little Marionette.
“And did the Wagoner ever come back?”
“Never, never. He loved, but drove away.”
“How sad!” sighed the little girl.
“Sad, indeed,” said the Marionette. “Well, as I always say, let all young ladies take warning by the story of Proud Claribelle, and then it will not have been told in vain.”