First the head with a golden crown. "It must have a crown because the story's about a princess and royal folk," the Queerbody explained. Next appeared the body in a long flowing robe fastened by an embroidered girdle. Then beautiful white hands and arms. At last it was all done but the feet.
With her eyes fixed lovingly upon the figure she had made, the Queerbody reached down into a jar that she had not touched before. Suddenly her look changed. The smile faded from her face and she turned her eyes on Ellen. "Oh, I forgot," she said in a low, sad voice. She drew her hand from the jar. There was nothing in it.
"What did you forget?" asked the little girl.
"I forgot the castle. I can't finish the story after all."
"But why not? She's all done but her feet. I should think you could easily do those."
"No, you see they have to be made of castle wondercluff. There was a castle in the story, and I haven't used any of that yet."
"You see, when a story is broken to pieces all the parts of it are put in different jars, as I told you. All the king wondercluff in a jar, and birds in another jar, magic in another, witches in another, and so on. All the castles were put in this jar, and now I remember another Queerbody was making a story this morning and she used the last piece of castle there was. Look for yourself. The jar is empty."
Ellen looked in the jar. There was nothing there. "Can't you use something else?"
"Of course not." The Queerbody spoke with some impatience. "Don't you remember the story begins with a castle where the princess lives?"
Suddenly, like a flash, Ellen remembered the genie and his promise. At the same moment the gander plucked at her sleeve. "Mistress, the castle you were promised," he whispered. There was no need of his reminding her.
"If I were to get a castle for you could you finish the story?" she asked the Queerbody hesitatingly.
"Yes, but where could you get a castle, you little girl?"
"I think I can get one." Ellen looked about. "We'd better go out in the hall," she whispered. She was afraid if she summoned the genie in there it would frighten the busy people around her.
She led the way back into the silent, empty hall while the gatekeeper and the Queerbody followed her wondering.