I was a pampered princess until my mother died and I came under the control of the wicked duchess who married my father. She was always looking for ways to punish me. I did my best, but I couldn’t do anything right. Then she enslaved an old Fairy who gave me impossible tasks. When I couldn’t do them, the queen beat me.

One day the old Fairy gave me a box to carry to back to the castle of the duchess. She forbade me to look into it. But the farther I went, the more I was overcome with curiosity. What harm could it do to take a peek?

I lifted the cover and hundreds of tiny men and women swarmed out. They were no taller than my finger, but oh, they were boisterous! They scattered all over the meadow, singing and dancing, and I was very amused by them. But when it was time for them to go back in the box, do you think they would? Not a chance. I ran all over the meadow chasing them while they dodged around trees and dove under moss with peels of elfin laughter.

Graciosa Who Opens a Forbidden Box, Graciosa and Percinet, Red Fairy Book. Illustration by H.J. Ford.