'If she uses them well, they and these golden balls will stand her in good need.
"And as she kissed the baby she left by her pillow three lovely golden balls, at which, as soon as the little creature saw them, she smiled with pleasure, and held out her tiny hands to catch them.
"They were of course balls of fairy make--they were small enough for the little Princess at first to hold in her baby hands, but as she grew they grew, till, when she had reached her sixteenth year, they were the size of an orange.

They were golden, but yet neither hard nor heavy, and nothing had power to dint or stain them.

And all through her babyhood and childhood, and on into her girlhood, they were the Princess's favourite toy.

They were never away from her, and by the time she had grown to be a tall and beautiful girl, with constant practice she had learnt to catch them as cleverly as an Indian juggler.

She could whiz them all three in the air at a time, and never let one drop to the ground.