‘Oh! he did it by your orders,’ said the Chancellor; ‘then I’ll be revenged on you too,’ and he began to move uncomfortably near to the Princess. But the three pages threw themselves on him and tried to drag him back, but he turned suddenly on them.
‘What,’ he said scornfully, ‘you try to stop me—ye frogs! Ah! a good idea—by virtue of my magic power I command you to turn into water-rats; then perhaps the Owl there will eat you up.’
No sooner said than done, and the three pages instantly became water-rats, squattering in the water that was still in a pool on the floor.
Somehow the Princess did not seem to be at all frightened at this; she was only very angry.
‘I thought I told you not to hurt those pages.’
‘Who cares what you say?’
‘Dear me,’ thought the Princess, ‘he is getting excessively insolent—I shall have to be severe with him in a moment.’ So she said:
‘Turn those pages back again.’
‘I shall not.’
‘Then leave the room.’