It is not strange that the children considered her the most beautiful person they had ever beheld; and to them she was as gentle as beautiful, listening with much interest to their tale of the invasion of the Roly-Rogues, and promising to assist them by every means in her power.
This made Bud somewhat ashamed of his past enmity; so he said bluntly: “I am sorry we defeated your army and made them run.”
“QUEEN ZIXI GREETED BUD AND HIS SISTER AND AUNT WITH GREAT KINDNESS.”
“Why, that was the only thing you could do, when I had invaded your dominion,” answered Zixi. “I admit that you were in the right, and that I deserved my defeat.”
“But why did you try to conquer us?” asked Fluff.
“Because I wanted to secure the magic cloak, of which I had heard so much,” returned the queen, frankly.
“Oh!” said the girl.
“But, of course, you understand that if I had known the magic cloak could not grant any more wishes, I would not have been so eager to secure it,” continued Zixi.
“No,” said Bud; “the old thing won’t work any more; and we nearly got captured by the Roly-Rogues before we found it out.”