Ifsheeverworkedastroke，nooneknewit。Alldaylongshesatintheparlour，theverybestone，everyday；oronbenchesunderthetreeswithembroideryframesorbooks，someofthemfearful，big，difficultlookingones，orrodeoverthecountry。

Sherodeinsunshineandsherodeinstorm，untilyouwouldthinkshecouldn’tseeherwaythroughhertangledblackhair。Sherodethroughsnowandinpouringrain，whenshecouldhavestayedoutofit，ifshehadwantedto。Shedidn’tseemtobeafraidofanythingonearthorinHeaven。Everyonethoughtshewaslikeherfatheranddidn’tbelievetherewasanyGod；sowhenshecameamongusatchurchoranypublicgathering，asshesometimesdid，peoplewereinnohurrytobefriendly，whileshelookedstraightaheadandneverspokeuntilshewasspokento，andthenshewaspreciseandcold，Itellyou。

Mentookofftheirhats，gotoutoftheroadwhenshecamepoundingalong，andstaredafterherlike“be-addledmummies，“mymothersaid。Butthatwasallshe，oranyoneelse，couldsay。

Theyoungfellowswerewildabouther，andiftheytriedtosidleuptoherinthehopethattheymightleadherhorseorgettoholdherfootwhenshemounted，theyalwayssawwhentheyreachedher，thatshewasn’tthere。

Butshewashere！Ihadseenheronlyafewtimes，butthiswasthePryorgirl，justassureasIwouldhaveknownifithadbeenSally。WhatdazedmewasthatsheansweredineveryparticularthedescriptionLaddiehadgivenmeoftheQueen’sdaughter。Andworstofall，fromthedayshefirstcameamongus，movingsoproudandcold，blabbingoldHannahDoversaidshecarriedherselflikeaPrincess——asifHannahDoverknewHOWaPrincesscarriedherself！——everylivingsoul，myfathereven，hadcalledherthePrincess。AtfirstitwasbecauseshewasliketheythoughtaPrincesswouldbe，butlatertheydiditinmeanness，tomakefun。Aftertheyknewhername，theywereusedtocallingherthePrincess，sotheykeptitup，butsomeofthemweresecretlyproudofher；becauseshecouldlook，anddo，andbewhattheywouldhavegivenanythingto，andknewtheycouldn’ttosavethem。

Iwasneverinsuchafixinallmylife。ShelookedmoreasLaddiehadsaidthePrincesswouldthanyouwouldhavethoughtanywomancould，butshewasPamelaPryor，nevertheless。EveryonecalledherthePrincess，butshecouldn’tmakerealityoutofthat。Shejustcouldn’tbetheFairyQueen’sdaughter；sothelettercouldn’tpossiblybeforher。

Shehadnobusinessinourwoods；youcouldseethattheyhadplentyoftheirown。Shewentstraighttothedoorofthewillowroomandwalkedinasifshebelongedthere。WhatifshefoundthehollowandtookLaddie’sletter！FastasIcouldslipovertheleaves，Iwentback。Shewasonthemosscarpet，onherknees，andtheletterwasinherfingers。It’sagoodthingtohaveyourmannerssoundlythrashedintoyou。You’vegottobescaredstiffbeforeyouforgetthem。Iwasn’tsoafraidofherasIwouldhavebeenifIhadknownsheWAStheprincess，andhaveLaddiesletter，sheshouldnot。Whathadthekindofgirlshewas，fromahomelikehers，toteachanyonefromourhouseaboutmakingsunshine？Iwasatthewillowwallbythattimepeeringthrough，soIjustparteditalittleandsaid：“Pleaseputbackthatletterwhereyougotit。Itisn’tforyou。“

Shekneltonthemosses，theletterinherhand，andherface，assheturnedtome，wasratherstartled；butwhenshesawmeshelaughed，andsaidinthesweetestvoiceIeverheard：“Areyousoverysureofthat？“

“WellIoughttobe，“Isaid。“Iputitthere。“

“MightIinquireforwhomyouputitthere？“

“Noma’am！That’sasecret。“

Youshouldhaveseenthelightflameinhereyes，thereddeepenonhercheeks，andthelittlecurloflaughterthatcurvedherlips。

“Howinteresting！“shecried。“IwondernowifyouarenotLittleSister。“

“IamtoLaddieandourfolks，“Isaid。“Youareastranger。“

Allthedancinglightswentfromherface。Shelookedasifsheweregoingtocryunlessshehurriedupandswalloweditdownhardandfast。

“Thatisquitetrue，“shesaid。“Iamastranger。Doyouknowthatbeingastrangeristhehardestthingthatcanhappentoanyoneinallthisworld？“

“Thenwhydon’tyouopenyourdoors，inviteyourneighboursin，gotoseethem，andstopyourfatherfromsayingsuchdreadfulthings？“

“Theyarenotmydoors，“shesaid，“andcouldyoukeepyourfatherfromsayinganythinghechooses？“

Istoodandblinkedather。OfcourseIwouldn’tevendaretrythat。

“I’msosorry，“wasallIcouldthinktosay。

Icouldn’taskhertocometoourhouse。Iknewnoonewantedher。ButifIcouldn’tspeakfortheothers，surelyImightformyself。Iletgothewillowsandwenttothedoor。ThePrincessaroseandsatontheseatLaddiehadmadefortheQueen’sdaughter。Itwasanawfulpitytotellhersheshouldn’tsitthere，forIhadmydoubtsifthereal，truePrincesswouldbehalfaslovelywhenshecame——ifsheeverdid。SomewaythePrincess，whowasnotaPrincess，appearedsoreal，Icouldn’tkeepfrombecomingconfusedandforgettingthatshewasonlyjustPamelaPryor。AlreadythelovelylightshadgonefromherfaceuntilitmademesosadIwantedtocry，andIwasnoeasycry-

babyeither。IfIcouldn’tofferfriendshipformyfamilyI

wouldformyself。

“YoumaycallmeLittleSister，ifyoulike，“Isaid。“Iwon’tbeastranger。“

“Whyhowlovely！“criedthePrincess。

Youshouldhaveseenthedancinglightsflybacktohereyes。

Probablyyouwon’tbelievethis，butthefirstthingIknewIwasbesideheronthethrone，herarmwasaroundme，andit’sthegospeltruththatshehuggedmetight。IjusthadsenseenoughtoreachoverandpickLaddie’sletterfromherfingers，andthenIwasonherside。Idon’tknowwhatshedidtome，butallatonceIknewthatshewasdreadfullylonely；thatshehatedbeingastranger；thatshewassorryenoughtocrybecausetheirhousewasoneofmystery，andthatshewouldopenthedoorifshecould。

“Ilikeyou，“Isaid，reachinguptotouchhercurls。

IneverhadseenherthatIdidnotwantto。TheywerelikeI

thoughttheywouldbe。FatherandLaddieandsomeofushadwavyhair，butherswascrisp——anditclungtoyourfingers，andwrappedaroundthemandseemedtotugatyourheartlikeitdoeswhenababygripsyou。Idrewawaymyhand，andthehairstretchedoutuntilitwaslongasanyofours，andthencurledupagain，andyoucouldseethatnotinshadstabbedintoherheadtomakethosecurls。Ibegantryingtosingleoutonehair。

“Whatareyoudoing？“sheasked。

“Iwanttoknowifonlyonehairisstrongenoughtodrawadrowningmanfromthewaterorstrangleanunhappyone，“Isaid。

“Believeme，no！“criedthePrincess。“ItwouldtakeallIhave，wovenintoarope，todothat。“

“Laddieknowscurlsthatjustonehairofthemisstrongenough，“

Iboasted。

“Iwondernow！“saidthePrincess。“IthinkhemusthavebeenmakingpoetryortellingFairytales。“

“Hewastellingthetruth，“Iassuredher。“Fatherdoesn’tbelieveinFairies，andmotherlaughs，butLaddieandIknow。DoyoubelieveinFairies？“

“OfcourseIdo！“shesaid。

“ThenyouknowthatthisCOULDbeanEnchantedWood？“

“Ihavefounditso，“saidthePrincess。

“AndMAYBEthisisaMagicCarpet？“

“ItsurelyisaMagicCarpet。“

“AndyoumightbethedaughteroftheQueen？Youreyesare`moonlitpoolsofdarkness。’Ifonlyyourhairwerestronger，andyouknewaboutmakingsunshine！“

“MaybeitisstrongerthanIthink。Itneverhasbeentested。

PerhapsIdoknowaboutmakingsunshine。PossiblyIamastrueasthewoodandthecarpet。“

Idrewawayandstaredather。ThelongerIlookedthemoreuncertainIbecame。MaybehermotherwastheQueen。Perhapsthatwasthemystery。Itmightbethereasonshedidn’twantthepeopletoseeher。MaybeshewassobusymakingsunshineforthePrincesstobringtoLaddiethatshehadnotimetosewcarpetrags，andtogotoquiltings，andfunerals，andmakevisits。Itwashardtoknowwhattothink。

“Iwishyou’dtellmeplainoutifyouaretheQueen’sdaughter，“

Isaid。“It’smostimportant。Youcan’thavethisletterunlessIKNOW。It’stheveryfirsttimeLaddieevertrustedmewithaletter，andIjustcan’tgiveittothewrongperson。“

“Thenwhydon’tyouleaveitwherehetoldyou？“

“Butyouhavegoneandfoundtheplace。Youstartedtotakeitonce；youwouldagain，soonasIleft。“

“Lookmestraightintheeyes，LittleSister，“saidthePrincesssoftly。“AmIlikeapersonwhowouldtakeanythingthatdidn’tbelongtoher？“

“No！“Isaidinstantly。

“HowdoyouthinkIhappenedtocometothisplace？“

“Maybeourwoodsareprettierthanyours。“

“HowdoyouthinkIknewwheretheletterwas？“

Ishookmyhead。

“IfIshowyousomeothersexactlyliketheoneyouhavethere，thenwillyoubelievethatisforme？“

“Yes，“Ianswered。

Ibelieveditanyway。ItjustSEEMEDso，thebetteryouknewher。ThePrincessslippedherhandamongthefoldsofthetrailingpalegreenskirt，andfromahiddenpocketdrewotherlettersexactlyliketheoneIheld。SheopenedoneandranherfingeralongthetoplineandIread，“TothePrincess，“andthenshepointedtotheendinganditwasmerelysigned，“Laddie，“butallthewordswrittenbetweenwerehiswriting。SlowlyIhandedhertheletter。

“Youdon’twantmetohaveit？“sheasked。

“Yes，“Isaid。“IwantyoutohaveitifLaddiewroteitforyou——butmotherandfatherwon’t，notatall。“

“Whatmakesyouthinkso？“sheaskedgently。

“Don’tyouknowwhatpeoplesayaboutyou？“

“Someofit，perhaps。“

“Well？“

“Doyouthinkitistrue？“

“Notthatyou’restuckup，andhatefulandproud，notthatyoudon’twanttobeneighbourlywithotherpeople，no，Idon’tthinkthat。ButyourfathersaidinourhomethattherewasnoGod，andyouwouldn’tletmymotherinwhensheputonherbestdressandwentinthecarriage，andwantedtobefriends。Ihavetobelievethat。“

“Yes，youcan’thelpbelievingthat，“saidthePrincess。

“Thencan’tyouseewhyyou’llbelikelytoshowLaddiethewaytofindtrouble，insteadofsunshine？“

“Icansee，“saidthePrincess。

“OhPrincess，youwon’tdoit，willyou？“Icried。

“Don’tyouthinksuchabigmanasLaddiecantakecareofhimself？“sheasked，andthedancinglightsthathadbeguntofadecameback。“Overthere，“shepointedthroughourwoodstowardthesouthwest，“livesamanyouknow。Whatdohisneighbourscallhim？“

“Stiff-neckedJohnny，“Iansweredpromptly。

“Andthemanwholivesnexthim？“

“Pinch-fistWilliams。“

Herfingerveeredtoanotherneighbour’s。

“Thegirlsofthathouse？“

“Giggle-headSmithsons。“

“Whataboutthemanwholivesoverthere？“

“Hebeatshiswife。“

“Andthehousebeyond？“

“Motherwhispersaboutthem。Idon’tknow。“

“Andthewomanonthehill？“

“Shedoesn’tdoanythingbutgussipandmakeeveryonetrouble。“

“Exactly！“saidthePrincess。“Yetmostofthesepeoplecometoyourhouse，andyourfamilygoestotheirs。Doyousupposepeopletheyknownothingaboutaresomuchworsethantheseothers？“

“IfyourfatherwilltakeitbackaboutGod，andyourmotherwillletpeoplein——mymotherandfatherbothwantedtobefriends，youknow。“

“ThatIcan’tpossiblydo，“shesaid，“butmaybeIcouldchangetheirfeelingstowardme。“

“Doit！“Icried。“Oh，I’djustloveyoutodoit！Iwishyouwouldcometoourhouseandbefriends。Sallyisprettyasyouare，onlyadifferentway，andIknowshe’dlikeyou，andsowouldShelley。IfLaddiewritesyoulettersandcomeshereaboutsunshine，ofcoursehe’dbedelightedifmotherknewyou；becausesheloveshimbestofanyofus。Shedependsonhimmostasmuchasfather。“