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“And what about Edward?” she said, her voice high and uncertain.

“What about him, darling?” said her mother.

“Will Edward be sailing on the Queen Mary with us?”

“Well, of course, if you wish, although you are getting a little old for such things as china rabbits.”

“Nonsense,” said Abilene’s father jovially. “Who would protect Abilene if Edward was not there?”

From the vantage point of Abilene’s lap, Edward could see the whole table spread out before him in a way that he never could when he was seated in his own chair. He looked upon the glittering array of silverware and glasses and plates. He saw the amused and condescending looks of Abilene’s parents. And then his eyes met Pellegrina’s.

She was looking at him in the way a hawk hanging lazily in the air might study a mouse on the ground. Perhaps the rabbit fur on Edward’s ears and tail, and the whiskers on his nose had some dim memory of being hunted, for a shiver went through him.

“Yes,” said Pellegrina without taking her eyes off Edward, “who would watch over Abilene if the rabbit were not there?”

That night, when Abilene asked, as she did every night, if there would be a story, Pellegrina said, “Tonight, lady, there will be a story.”

Abilene sat up in bed. “I think that Edward needs to sit here with me,” she said, “so that he can hear the story, too.”

“I think that is best,” said Pellegrina. “Yes, I think that the rabbit must hear the story.”

Abilene picked Edward up, sat him next to her in bed, and arranged the covers around him; then she said to Pellegrina, “We are ready now.”

“So,” said Pellegrina. She coughed. “And so. The story begins with a princess.”

“A beautiful princess?” Abilene asked.

“A very beautiful princess.”

“How beautiful?”

“You must listen,” said Pellegrina. “It is all in the story.”

ONCE THERE WAS A PRINCESS WHO was very beautiful. She shone as bright as the stars on a moonless night. But what difference did it make that she was beautiful? None. No difference.”

“Why did it make no difference?” asked Abilene.

“Because,” said Pellegrina, “she was a princess who loved no one and cared nothing for love, even though there were many who loved her.”

At this point in her story, Pellegrina stopped and looked right at Edward. She stared deep into his painted-on eyes, and again, Edward felt a shiver go through him.

“And so,” said Pellegrina, still staring at Edward.

“What happened to the princess?” said Abilene.

“And so,” said Pellegrina, turning back to Abilene, “the king, her father, said that the princess must marry; and soon after this, a prince came from a neighboring kingdom and he saw the princess and, immediately, he loved her. He gave her a ring of pure gold. He placed it on her finger. He said these words to her: ‘I love you.’ But do you know what the princess did?”

Abilene shook her head.

“She swallowed the ring. She took it from her finger and swallowed it. She said, ‘That is what I think of love.’ And she ran from the prince. She left the castle and went deep into the woods. And so.”

“And so what?” said Abilene. “What happened then?”

“And so, the princess became lost in the woods. She wandered for many days. Finally, she came to a little hut, and she knocked on the door. She said, ‘Let me in; I am cold.’

“There was no answer.

“She knocked again. She said, ‘Let me in; I am hungry.’

“A terrible voice answered her. The voice said, ‘Enter if you must.’

“The beautiful princess entered, and she saw a witch sitting at a table counting pieces of gold.

“‘Three thousand six hundred and twenty-two,’ said the witch.

“‘I am lost,’ said the beautiful princess.

“‘What of it?’ said the witch. ‘Three thousand six hundred and twenty-three.’

“‘I am hungry,’ said the princess.

“‘Not my concern,’ said the witch. ‘Three thousand six hundred and twenty-four.’

“‘But I am a beautiful princess,’ said the princess.

“‘Three thousand six hundred and twenty-five,’ replied the witch.

“‘My father,’ said the princess, ‘is a powerful king. You must help me or there will