‘What does the King, I pray you tell,
Is he awake or sleeps he well?’
and receiving no reply, it continued:
‘And all my guests, are they asleep?’
and the Scullion answered:
‘Yes, one and all they slumber deep.’
Then the Duck went on:
‘And what about my baby dear?’
and he answered:
‘Oh, it sleeps soundly, never fear.’
Then the Duck assumed the Queen’s shape, went up to the child’s room, tucked him up comfortably in his cradle, and then swam back down the gutter again, in the likeness of a Duck. This was repeated for two nights, and on the third the Duck said to the Scullion: