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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:59:40 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33511-h.zip b/33511-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a101fa --- /dev/null +++ b/33511-h.zip diff --git a/33511-h/33511-h.htm b/33511-h/33511-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a4c177 --- /dev/null +++ b/33511-h/33511-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4704 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Tales of Passed Time, by Charles Perrault + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +ins { + text-decoration: none; + border-bottom: 1px dotted #dcdcdc; +} + +hr { margin: 5em auto 3em auto; + height: 0px; + border-width: 1px 0 0 0; + border-style: solid; + border-color: #5c7d5c; + width: 500px; + clear: both; +} +hr.hra {margin: 3em auto 5em auto;} +hr.hr2 {width: 150px; margin: 1em auto 1em auto;} +hr.hr3 {width: 150px; margin: 3em auto 4em auto;} +hr.hr4 {width: 150px; margin: 2em auto 2em auto;} +hr.hr5 {width: 150px; margin: 5em auto 5em auto;} +hr.white {border-width: 0; margin: 2em auto 3em auto;} + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: normal;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + border-collapse: collapse; width: 30em; +} +th {font-weight: normal; text-align: right; font-size: .8em;} +td {vertical-align: bottom; padding-bottom: .5em;} +td.tdl {text-align: left; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 2em; + text-indent: -2em; padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top;} +td.tdr {text-align: right; padding-right: 1em;} +td.tdr2 {text-align: right; padding-left: 1em;} + +.pagenum {/* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /*visibility: hidden;*/ + position: absolute; + left: 1%; + font-size: 10px; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + font-style: normal; + letter-spacing: normal; + text-indent: 0em; + text-align: right; + color: #999999; + background-color: #ffffff; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} +.right {text-align: right; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.noi {text-indent: 0em;} +.caption {font-weight: normal;} +.hidden {display: none;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: 5em auto 3em auto; + text-align: center; +} +.figc { + margin: 5em auto 1em auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.block {margin: auto; width: 30em;} +.block1 {margin: auto; width: 32em;} +.block2 {margin: auto; width: 24em;} +.block3 {margin: auto; width: 36em;} +.block4 {margin: auto; width: 20em;} +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 1em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 3em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i8 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em;} + +.pub {font-size: 2em;} +.or {font-size: .8em;} +#boxtn {margin: 5em auto 5em auto; width: 26em; border: 1px solid #dcdcdc; clear: left; + padding: .5em 1em .5em 1em; background-color: #f5f5f5;} +.link {font-size: .8em; text-indent: 0em; text-align: left;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of Passed Times, by Charles Perrault + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales of Passed Times + +Author: Charles Perrault + +Illustrator: Charles Robinson + +Release Date: August 23, 2010 [EBook #33511] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF PASSED TIMES *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr /> + +<h1>Tales of Passed Times</h1> + +<hr class="hr3" /> + + +<div class="tp"> +<p class="center"><span class="pub">THE<br /> +TEMPLE<br /> +CLASSICS</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/logo.jpg" width="200" height="279" alt="Logo" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p class="center"><span class="pub">FOR<br /> +YOUNG<br /> +PEOPLE</span></p> +</div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="frontis" id="frontis"></a> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="400" height="640" alt="Frontispiece" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figc" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/coverpage.jpg" width="400" height="640" alt="Title Page" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="center">TALES <i>of</i><br /> +PASSED<br /> +TIMES<br /> +<br /> +TOLD BY<br /> +MASTER<br /> +CHARLES PERRAULT</p> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="center"><i>WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS</i><br /> +<i>BY</i><br /> +CHARLES ROBINSON</p> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> +J.M. DENT & COMPANY<br /> +ALDINE HOUSE, BEDFORD STREET<br /> +COVENT GARDEN.<br /> +<br /> +1900.</p> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<p>It is to Perrault that we owe our acquaintance with the greater number +of good old-fashioned fairy-tales, but an edition of these, although it +includes such intimate friends of our childhood as Blue Beard, the +Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding-Hood, is hardly complete without +"Beauty and the Beast"; a version of this tale, by Mme. Le Prince de +Beaumont, has, therefore, been added to this collection. It has also +been increased, space permitting it, by the insertion of two tales by +Mme. la Comtesse d'Aulnoy; her writings, of a less robust class than +those of Perrault, possess in their atmosphere of hidden magic, the +charm which resides in that special feature of fairyland, and the +addition of "The Benevolent Frog" and "Princess Rosette" will not, we +think, be unwelcome to the youthful reader.</p> + + + + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="contents" id="contents"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr> +<th class="thr2" colspan="2">PAGE</th> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#sleeping">5</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Little Red Riding-Hood</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#red">23</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Blue Beard</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#blue">31</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#cat">43</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Fairies</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#fairies">55</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#slipper">63</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Riquet with the Tuft</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#riquet">77</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Little Thumbling</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#thumbling">91</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Beauty and the Beast</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#beauty">109</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Benevolent Frog</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#frog">133</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Princess Rosette</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#rosette">169</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="illustrations" id="illustrations"></a>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<table summary="Illustrations"> +<tr> +<th class="thr2" colspan="2">PAGE</th> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Cinderella</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#frontis"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">She fell into a Swoon</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#swoon">9</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl">"<span class="smcap">Grandma, what Great Ears You Have!</span>"</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#have">25</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">"Your Tears are useless," said Blue Beard; + "You must Die"</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#die">37</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Puss among the Reapers</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#reapers">47</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">She gave It to the Woman</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#woman">57</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The King's Son gave Her His Hand</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#hand">67</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">"Then," said the Princess, "I wish You may + be the Handsomest Prince in the World"</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#world">85</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Boys followed Him</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#him">93</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><a name="arriving2" id="arriving2"></a><span class="smcap">Her Father was just arriving</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#arriving">120</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">When She opened Her Eyes, She saw, standing + beside Her, a Woman of Gigantic Size + clothed in a Lion's Skin</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#size">137</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">"Oh, you are Jesting," said the King of the + Peacocks</span></td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#peacocks">177</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="sleeping" id="sleeping"></a>The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood</h2> + +<hr class="hr3" /> + + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">There</span> were once a King and Queen, who were very unhappy at not having +any children, more unhappy than words can tell. Vows, pilgrimages, +everything was tried, but nothing was of any avail; at length, however, +a little daughter was born to them.</p> + +<p>There was a splendid christening. For godmothers, they gave the young +Princess all the fairies they could find in the country—they were seven +in number—in order that each making her a gift, according to the custom +of fairies in those days, the Princess might, by these means, become +possessed of all imaginable perfections. When the ceremony was over, all +the company returned to the King's palace, where a great banquet had +been prepared for the fairies. The table was magnificently laid for +them, and each had placed for her a massive gold case, containing a +spoon, a fork, and a knife of fine gold, set with diamonds and rubies.</p> + +<p>But as they were all taking their seats, there was seen to enter an old +fairy, who had not been invited, for everyone thought that she was +either dead or enchanted, as she had not been outside the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> tower in +which she lived for upwards of fifty years. The King ordered a cover to +be laid for her, but there was no possibility of giving her a massive +gold case, such as the others had, because there had been only seven +made expressly for the seven fairies. The old fairy thought she was +treated with contempt, and muttered some threats between her teeth. One +of the young fairies, who chanced to be near her, overheard her +grumblings, and was afraid she might bestow some evil gift on the young +Princess. Accordingly, as soon as they rose from table, she went and hid +herself behind the hangings, in order to be the last to speak, and so +enable herself to repair, as far as possible, any harm the old fairy +might have done. Meanwhile the fairies began bestowing their gifts on +the Princess. The youngest, as her gift, promised that she should be the +most beautiful person in the world; the next fairy, that she should have +the mind of an angel; the third, that every movement of hers should be +full of grace; the fourth, that she should dance to perfection; the +fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale; the sixth, that she +should play on every kind of instrument in the most exquisite manner +possible. It was now the turn of the old fairy, and she said, while her +head shook more with malice than with age, that the Princess should +pierce her hand with a spindle, and die of the wound.</p> + +<p>The whole company trembled when they heard this terrible prediction, and +there was not one among them who did not shed tears. At this moment the +young fairy advanced from behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> the tapestry, and said, speaking that +all might hear,—</p> + +<p>"Comfort yourselves, King and Queen; your daughter shall not die of the +wound. It is true that I have not sufficient power to undo entirely what +my elder has done. The Princess will pierce her hand with a spindle, +but, instead of dying, she will only fall into a deep sleep, which will +last a hundred years, at the end of which time a king's son will come +and wake her."</p> + +<p>The King, in the hope of preventing the misfortune foretold by the old +fairy, immediately sent forth a proclamation forbidding everyone, on +pain of death, either to spin with a spindle, or to have spindles in +their possession.</p> + +<p>Fifteen or sixteen years had passed, when, the King and Queen being +absent at one of their country houses, it happened that the Princess, +while running about the castle one day, and up the stairs from one room +to the other, came to a little garret at the top of a turret, where an +old woman sat alone spinning with distaff and spindle, for this good +woman had never heard the King's proclamation forbidding the use of the +spindle.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing there?" asked the Princess.</p> + +<p>"I am spinning, my pretty child," answered the old woman, who did not +know who she was.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how pretty it is!" exclaimed the Princess. "How do you do it? Give +it to me, that I may see if I can do it as well."</p> + +<p>She had no sooner taken hold of the spindle, than, being very hasty, and +rather thoughtless, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> moreover, the fairies having ordained that it +should be so, she pierced her hand with the point of it, and fainted +away. The poor old woman was in great distress, and called for help. +People came running from all quarters; they threw water in the +Princess's face, they unlaced her dress, they slapped her hands, they +rubbed her temples with Queen of Hungary's water, but nothing would +bring her to. The King, who had run upstairs at the noise, then +remembered the prediction of the fairies, and wisely concluded that this +accident must have happened as the fairies had said it would. He ordered +the Princess to be carried into a beautiful room of the palace, and laid +on a bed embroidered with silver and gold. One might have thought it was +an angel lying there, so lovely did she look, for the rich colours of +her complexion had not faded in her swoon; her cheeks were still rosy, +and her lips like coral. Only, her eyes were closed, but they could hear +her breathing softly, which showed that she was not dead.</p> + +<p>The King gave orders that she was to be left to sleep there in quiet, +until the hour of her awaking should arrive. The good fairy who had +saved her life, by condemning her to sleep for a hundred years, was in +the Kingdom of Mataquin, twelve thousand leagues away, when the Princess +met with her accident, but she was informed of it instantly by a little +dwarf, who had a pair of seven-league boots, that is, boots which +enabled the wearer to take seven leagues at a stride.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="swoon"></a> +<img src="images/i019.jpg" width="400" height="665" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"<i>She fell into a swoon.</i>"<br /> +<i>The Sleeping Beauty</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +</div> + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +The fairy set out immediately, and an hour afterwards she was seen +arriving in a chariot of fire, drawn by dragons.</p> + +<p>The King advanced to hand her out of the chariot. She approved of all he +had done, but being gifted with great foresight, she bethought her that +the Princess would feel very lost and bewildered on awaking and finding +herself all alone in the old castle; so this is what the fairy did. With +her wand she touched everybody who was in the castle, except the King +and Queen: governesses, maids of honour, women of the bed-chamber, +gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks, scullions, boys, guards, porters, +pages, footmen; she also touched the horses that were in the stables +with their grooms, the great mastiffs in the courtyard, and little +Fluff, the pet dog of the Princess, that was on the bed beside her. As +soon as she had touched them, they all fell asleep, not to wake again +until the hour arrived for their mistress to do so, in order that they +should all be ready to attend upon her as soon as she should want them. +Even the spits before the fire, hung with partridges and pheasants, and +the very fire itself, went to sleep. All this was done in a moment, for +fairies never lost much time over their work.</p> + +<p>The King and Queen now kissed their dear daughter, who still slept on, +quitted the castle, and issued a proclamation forbidding any person, +whosoever, to approach it. These orders were unnecessary, for in a +quarter of an hour there grew up around the park such a number of trees, +large and small, of brambles and thorns interlacing each other, that +neither man nor beast could have got through them, and nothing could be +now seen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> of the castle but the tops of the turrets, and they only from +a considerable distance. Nobody doubted that this also was some of the +fairy's handiwork, in order that the Princess might be protected from +the curiosity of strangers during her long slumber.</p> + +<p>When the hundred years had passed away, the son of the King at that time +upon the throne, and who was of a different family to that of the +sleeping Princess, having been hunting in the neighbourhood, inquired +what towers they were that he saw above the trees of a very thick wood. +Each person answered him according to the story he had heard. Some said +it was an old castle, haunted by ghosts; others, that all the witches of +the country held their midnight revels there. The more general opinion, +however, was that it was the abode of an ogre, and that he carried +thither all the children he could catch, in order to eat them at his +leisure, and without being pursued, he alone having the power of making +his way through the wood.</p> + +<p>The Prince did not know what to believe of all this, when an old peasant +spoke in his turn, and said to him, "Prince, it is more than fifty years +ago since I heard my father say, that there was in that castle the most +beautiful Princess that was ever seen; that she was to sleep for a +hundred years, and would be awakened by a king's son, for whom she was +intended and was waiting."</p> + +<p>The young Prince, at these words, felt himself all on fire. He had not a +moment's doubt that he was the one chosen to accomplish this famous +adventure, and urged to the deed by love and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> glory, he resolved, +without delay, to see what would come of it.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had he approached the wood, when all those great trees, all +those brambles and thorns, made way for him to pass of their own accord. +He walked towards the castle, which he saw at the end of a long avenue +he had entered, and he was somewhat surprised to find that none of his +people had been able to follow him, the trees having closed up again as +soon as he had passed. Nevertheless, he continued to advance; a young +prince, inspired by love, is always courageous. He came to a large +fore-court, where everything he saw might well have frozen his blood +with terror. A frightful silence reigned around; death seemed everywhere +present; on every side, nothing to be seen but the bodies of men and +animals stretched out, apparently lifeless. He soon discovered, however, +by the shining noses and red faces of the porters, that they were only +asleep; and their goblets, in which still remained a few drops of wine, +sufficiently proved that they had dozed off whilst drinking.</p> + +<p>He next passed through a large courtyard paved with marble, ascended the +staircase, and entered the guard-room, where the guards stood, drawn up +in line, their carbines shouldered, and snoring their loudest. He +traversed several rooms with ladies and gentlemen all asleep, some +standing, others seated. At last he came to one covered with gold, and +there on a bed, the curtains of which were open on either side, he saw +the most lovely sight he had ever looked upon—a Princess, who appeared +to be about fifteen or sixteen, and whose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> dazzling beauty shone with a +radiance which scarcely seemed to belong to this world. He approached, +trembling and admiring, and knelt down beside her.</p> + +<p>At that moment, the enchantment being ended, the Princess awoke, and +gazing at him for the first time with unexpected tenderness, "Is it you, +Prince?" she said; "I have waited long for you to come." The Prince, +delighted at these words, and still more by the tone in which they were +uttered, knew not how to express his joy and gratitude. He assured her +that he loved her better than himself. His words were rather confused, +but she was all the more pleased with them; there was little eloquence, +but a great deal of love. He was much more embarrassed than she was, +which is not to be wondered at. She had had time to think over what she +should say to him, for there is reason to believe, although history does +not mention it, that during her long, long sleep, the good fairy had let +her enjoy very pleasant dreams. In short, they talked for four hours +without having said half what they had to say to each other.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, all the palace had been roused at the same time as the +Princess. Everybody remembered his or her duty, and, as they were not +all in love, they were dying with hunger. The lady-in-waiting, as hungry +as any of them, became impatient, and announced loudly to the Princess +that the meat was on the table. The Prince assisted the Princess to +rise; she was fully dressed, and most magnificently, but he was careful +not to tell her that she was dressed like his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> grandmother, and wore a +stand-up collar, for, in spite of this, she was not a whit less +beautiful.</p> + +<p>They passed into a hall of mirrors, where they supped, waited upon by +the officers of the Princess. The violins and hautboys played old but +charming pieces of music, notwithstanding that it was a hundred years +since they had been performed by anybody, and after supper, without loss +of time, the grand almoner married the royal lovers in the chapel of the +castle.</p> + +<p>Early next morning the Prince returned to the city, where he knew his +father would be in anxiety about him. The Prince told him that he had +lost his way in the forest whilst hunting, and that he had slept in the +hut of a woodcutter, who had given him black bread and cheese to eat.</p> + +<p>The King, his father, who was a simple-minded man, believed him, but his +mother was not so easily satisfied. She noticed that he went hunting +nearly every day, and had always some story ready as an excuse, when he +had slept two or three nights away from home, and so she felt quite sure +that he had a lady-love. More than two years went by and the Princess +had two children, the first, which was a girl, was named Aurora, and the +second, a son, was called Day, because he was still more beautiful than +his sister.</p> + +<p>The Queen, hoping to find out the truth from her son, often said to him +that he ought to form some attachment, but he never dared to trust her +with his secret. Although he loved her, he feared her, for she was of +the race of ogres, and the King had only married her on account of her +great riches. It was even whispered about the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> court that she had the +inclinations of an ogress, and that when she saw little children +passing, it was with the greatest difficulty that she restrained herself +from pouncing upon them. The Prince, therefore, would never say one word +to her about his affairs.</p> + +<p>On the death of the King, however, which took place two years later, the +Prince, being now his own master, made a public declaration of his +marriage, and went in great state to bring the Queen, his wife, to the +palace. She made a magnificent entry into the capital, with her two +children, one on either side of her.</p> + +<p>Sometime afterwards, the King went to war with his neighbour, the +Emperor Cantalabute. He left the Queen, his mother, Regent of the +Kingdom, earnestly recommending to her care his wife and children. He +was likely to be all summer in the field, and he had no sooner left than +the Queen-mother sent her daughter-in-law and the children to a country +house in the wood, so that she might more easily gratify her horrible +longing. She followed them thither a few days after, and one evening +said to her head cook, "I will eat little Aurora for dinner to-morrow." +"Ah, madam!" exclaimed the cook. "I will," said the Queen, and she said +it in the voice of an ogress longing to eat fresh meat; "and I will have +her served with my favourite sauce."</p> + +<p>The poor man, seeing plainly that an ogress was not to be trifled with, +took his great knife and went up to little Aurora's room. She was then +about four years old, and came jumping and laughing to throw her arms +about his neck, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> ask him for sweetmeats. He burst into tears, and +the knife fell from his hands; then he went down again and into the +farmyard, and there killed a little lamb which he served up with so +delicious a sauce, that his mistress assured him she had never eaten +anything so excellent. In the meanwhile, he had carried off little +Aurora, and given her to his wife, that she might hide her in the +lodging which she occupied at the further end of the farmyard. A week +later, the wicked Queen said to her head cook, "I will eat little Day +for supper." He made no reply, having decided in his own mind to deceive +her as before.</p> + +<p>He went in search of little Day, and found him with a tiny foil in his +hand, fencing with a great monkey, though he was only three years old. +He carried the child to his wife, who hid him where she had hidden his +sister, and then cooked a very tender little kid in the place of little +Day, which the ogress thought wonderfully good. All had gone well enough +so far, but one evening this wicked Queen said to the head cook, "I +should like to eat the Queen with the same sauce that I had with the +children."</p> + +<p>Then the poor cook was indeed in despair, for he did not know how he +should be able to deceive her. The young Queen was over twenty years of +age, without counting the hundred years she had slept, and no longer +such tender food, although her skin was still white and beautiful, and +where among all his animals should he find one old enough to take her +place?</p> + +<p>He resolved at last that, to save his own life, he would kill the Queen, +and he went up to her room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> determined to carry out his purpose without +delay. He worked himself up into a passion, and entered the young +Queen's room, dagger in hand. He did not wish, however, to take her by +surprise, and so he repeated to her, very respectfully, the order he had +received from the Queen-mother. "Do your duty," she said, stretching out +her neck to him; "obey the orders that have been given you. I shall +again see my children, my poor children, whom I loved so dearly," for +she had thought them dead, ever since they had been carried away from +her without a word of explanation.</p> + +<p>"No, no, madam!" replied the poor cook, touched to the quick, "you shall +not die, and you shall see your children again, but it will be in my own +house, where I have hidden them; I will again deceive the Queen-mother +by serving up to her a young hind in your stead."</p> + +<p>He led her forthwith to his own apartments, then, leaving her to embrace +her children and weep with them, he went and prepared a hind, which the +Queen ate at her supper with as much appetite as if it had been the +young Queen. She exulted in her cruelty, and intended to tell the King, +on his return, that some ferocious wolves had devoured the Queen, his +wife, and her two children.</p> + +<p>One evening, while she was prowling, as usual, round the courts and +poultry-yards of the castle, to inhale the smell of fresh meat, she +overheard little Day crying in one of the lower rooms, because the +Queen, his mother, was about to whip him for being naughty, and she also +heard little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> Aurora begging forgiveness for her brother. The ogress +recognised the voices of the Queen and her children, and, furious at +having been deceived, she gave orders, in a voice that made everybody +tremble, that the next morning early there should be brought into the +middle of the court a large copper, which she had filled with toads, +vipers, adders, and serpents, in order to throw into it the Queen and +her children, the head cook, his wife, and his maid-servant. She further +commanded that they should be brought thither with their hands tied +behind them.</p> + +<p>There they stood, and the executioners were preparing to fling them into +the copper, when the King, who was not expected back so soon, entered +the courtyard on horseback. He had ridden post-haste, and in great +astonishment asked what was the meaning of this horrible spectacle? No +one dared tell him, when the ogress, enraged at what she saw, flung +herself head foremost into the copper, where she was instantly devoured +by the horrid reptiles, with which she had herself caused it to be +filled. The King could not help being sorry for it; she was his mother; +but he quickly consoled himself with his beautiful wife and children.</p> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Some time for a husband to wait<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Who is young, handsome, wealthy and tender,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">May not be a hardship too great<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For a maid whom love happy would render.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But to be for a century bound<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To live single, I fancy the number<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Beauties but small would be found<br /></span> +<span class="i2">So long who could patiently slumber.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">To lovers who hate time to waste,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And minutes as centuries measure,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I would hint, those who marry in haste<br /></span> +<span class="i2">May live to repent it at leisure<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet so ardently onwards they press,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And on prudence so gallantly trample,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That I haven't the heart, I confess,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To urge on them Beauty's example.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +</div></div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +<a name="red" id="red"></a>Little Red Riding-Hood</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">There</span> was once upon a time a little village girl, the prettiest ever +seen or known, of whom her mother was dotingly fond. Her grandmother was +even fonder of her still, and had a little red hood made for the child, +which suited her so well, that wherever she went, she was known by the +name of Little Red Riding-Hood.</p> + +<p>One day, her mother having baked some cakes, said to her, "Go and see +how your grandmother is getting on, for I have been told she is ill; +take her a cake and this little jar of butter." Whereupon Little Red +Riding-Hood started off without delay towards the village in which her +grandmother lived. On her way she had to pass through a wood, and there +she met that sly old fellow, Mr Wolf, who felt that he should very much +like to eat her up on the spot, but was afraid to do so, as there were +woodcutters at hand in the forest. He asked her which way she was going, +and the poor child, not knowing how dangerous it is to stop and listen +to a wolf, answered, "I am going to see my grandmother, and am taking a +cake and a little jar of butter, which my mother has sent her."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +"Does she live far from here?" asked the Wolf.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!" replied Little Red Riding-Hood, "on the further side of the +mill that you see down there; hers is the first house in the village."</p> + +<p>"Well, I was thinking of going to visit her myself," rejoined the Wolf, +"so I will take this path, and you take the other, and we will see which +of us gets there first."</p> + +<p>The Wolf then began running off as fast as he could along the shorter +way, which he had chosen, while the little girl went by the longer way, +and amused herself with stopping to gather nuts, or run after +butterflies, and with making little nosegays of all the flowers she +could find.</p> + +<p>It did not take the Wolf long to reach the grandmother's house; he +knocked: tap, tap.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?"</p> + +<p>"It is your grand-daughter, Little Red Riding-Hood," answered the Wolf, +imitating the child's voice. "I have brought a cake and a little jar of +butter, which my mother has sent you." The good grandmother, who was ill +in bed, called out, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." The +Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. He leaped on to the poor +old woman, and ate her up in less than no time, for he had been three +days without food. He then shut the door again, and laid himself down in +the grandmother's bed, to wait for Little Red Riding-Hood. Presently she +came and knocked at the door: tap, tap.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="have"></a> +<img src="images/i035.jpg" width="400" height="629" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>Grandma, what great ears you have!</i>'<br /> +<i>Little Red Riding-Hood</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +"Who is there?" Little Red Riding-Hood was frightened at first, on +hearing the Wolf's gruff voice, but thinking that her grandmother had a +cold, she answered,—</p> + +<p>"It is your grand-daughter, Little Red Riding-Hood. I have brought a +cake and a little jar of butter, which my mother has sent you."</p> + +<p>The Wolf called out, this time in rather a softer voice, "Pull the +bobbin, and the latch will go up." Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the +bobbin, and the door opened.</p> + +<p>When the Wolf saw her come in, he hid himself under the bedclothes, and +said to her, "Put the cake and the little jar of butter in the cupboard, +and come into bed with me."</p> + +<p>Little Red Riding-Hood undressed, and went to the bedside, and was very +much astonished to see how different her grandmother looked to what she +did when she was up and dressed.</p> + +<p>"Grandmother," she exclaimed, "what long arms you have!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to embrace you with, my little girl."</p> + +<p>"Grandmother, what long legs you have!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to run with, child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmother, what long ears you have!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to hear with, child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmother, what large eyes you have!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to see with, child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmother, what large teeth you have!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to eat you with!" and saying these words, the wicked +Wolf sprang out upon Little Red Riding-Hood, and ate her up.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> + + +<h4>MORAL</h4> + +<div class="block1"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Now, children, take warning, and chiefly, I pray,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">You maidens so gentle and fair,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When you come across all kinds of folk, have a care<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Not to listen to what they may say;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For it can't be thought strange if you do,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Should the Wolf choose to eat up a few.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>The</i> Wolf, I say here, for you'll find<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Wolves are many, and vary in kind;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There are some, easy-mannered and tame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Without malice, or temper, the same,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Most obliging and sweet in their way,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like to follow their tender young prey,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And will track them right into their homes—lack-a-day!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who among us has not learnt by this time to know,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The most dangerous of wolves is the soft, smooth-tongued foe!<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></div></div></div> + + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +<a name="blue" id="blue"></a>Blue Beard</h2> + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +BLUE BEARD</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there was a man who had fine houses in town and +country, gold and silver plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilt +all over; but, unfortunately, this man had a blue beard, which made him +look so ugly and terrible, that there was not a woman or girl who did +not run away from him.</p> + +<p>One of his neighbours, a lady of rank, had two daughters, who were +perfectly beautiful. He proposed to marry one of them, leaving the +mother to choose which of the two she would give him. Neither of the +daughters, however, would have him, and they sent him from one to the +other, each being unable to make up her mind to marry a man with a blue +beard. A further reason which they had for disliking him was, that he +had already been married several times, and nobody knew what had become +of his wives. Blue Beard, in order to improve the acquaintance, took the +girls with their mother, three or four of their most intimate friends, +and some other young people who resided in the neighbourhood, to one of +his country seats, where they spent an entire week. Nothing was thought +of but excursions, hunting and fishing-parties, balls, entertainments,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +suppers; nobody went to bed; the whole night was passed in games and +playing merry tricks on one another. In short, all went off so well, +that the youngest daughter began to think that the beard of the master +of the house was not so blue as it used to be, and that he was a very +worthy man. Immediately upon their return to town the marriage took +place.</p> + +<p>At the end of a month, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to +take a journey, which would keep him away from home for six weeks at +least, as he had business of great importance to attend to. He begged +her to amuse herself as well as she could during his absence, to invite +her best friends, and, if she liked, take them into the country, and +wherever she was, to have the best of everything for the table.</p> + +<p>"Here," said he to her, "are the keys of my two large store-rooms; these +are those of the chests in which the gold and silver plate, not in +general use, is kept; these are the keys of the strong boxes in which I +keep my money; these open the caskets that contain my jewels, and this +is the master-key of all the rooms. As for this little key, it is that +of the closet at the end of the long gallery on the ground floor. Open +everything, and go everywhere except into that little closet, which I +forbid you to enter, and I forbid you so strictly, that if you should +venture to open the door, there is nothing that you may not have to +dread from my anger!" She promised to obey his orders to the letter, +and, after having embraced her, he got into his coach and set out on his +journey.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +The friends and neighbours of the young bride did not wait for her +invitation, so eager were they to see all the rich treasures in the +house, and not having ventured to visit her while her husband was at +home, so frightened were they at his blue beard. They were soon to be +seen running through all the rooms, and into the closets and wardrobes, +each one more beautiful and splendid than the last. Then they went +upstairs to the store-rooms; there they could not sufficiently express +their admiration at the number and beauty of the hangings, the beds, the +sofas, the cabinets, the elegant little stands, the tables, the mirrors +in which they could see themselves from head to foot, framed some with +glass, some with silver, some with gilt metal, all of a costliness +beyond what had ever before been seen. They never ceased enlarging upon, +and envying, the good fortune of their friend, who, meanwhile, took no +pleasure in the sight of all these treasures, so great was her longing +to go and open the door of the closet on the ground floor. Her curiosity +at last reached such a pitch that, without stopping to consider how rude +it was to leave her guests, she ran down a little back staircase leading +to the closet, and in such haste that she nearly broke her neck two or +three times before she reached the bottom. At the door of the closet she +paused for a moment, calling to mind her husband's prohibition, and +reflecting that some trouble might fall upon her for her disobedience; +but the temptation was so strong that she could not resist it. So she +took the little key, and with a trembling hand opened the door of the +closet.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +At first she could distinguish nothing, for the windows were closed; in +a few minutes, however, she began to see that the floor was covered with +blood, in which was reflected the bodies of several dead women hanging +on the walls. These were all the wives of Blue Beard, who had killed +them one after another. She was ready to die with fright, and the key, +which she had taken out of the lock, fell from her hand.</p> + +<p>After recovering her senses a little, she picked up the key, locked the +door again, and went up to her room to try and compose herself; but she +found it impossible to quiet her agitation.</p> + +<p>She now perceived that the key of the closet was stained with blood; she +wiped it two or three times, but the blood would not come off. In vain +she washed it, and even scrubbed it with sand and free-stone, the stain +was still there, for the key was an enchanted one, and there were no +means of cleaning it completely; when the blood was washed off one side, +it came back on the other.</p> + +<p>Blue Beard returned that very evening, and said that he had received +letters on the road, telling him that the business on which he was going +had been settled to his advantage.</p> + +<p>His wife did all she could to make him believe that she was delighted at +his speedy return.</p> + +<p>The next morning he asked her for his keys again; she gave them to him; +but her hand trembled so, that he had not much difficulty in guessing +what had happened.</p> + +<p>"How comes it," said he, "that the key of the closet is not with the +others?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +"I must have left it," she replied, "upstairs on my table."</p> + +<p>"Fail not," said Blue Beard, "to give it me presently."</p> + +<p>After several excuses, she was obliged to go and fetch the key. Blue +Beard having examined it, said to his wife, "Why is there blood on this +key?" "I don't know," answered the poor wife, paler than death.</p> + +<p>"You don't know!" rejoined Blue Beard; "I know well enough. You must +needs go into the closet. Well, madam, you shall go in again, and take +your place among the ladies you saw there."</p> + +<p>She flung herself at her husband's feet, weeping and begging his pardon, +with all the signs of a true repentance at having disobeyed him. Her +beauty and sorrow might have melted a rock, but Blue Beard had a heart +harder than rock.</p> + +<p>"You must die, madam," said he, "and at once."</p> + +<p>"If I must die," she replied, looking at him with streaming eyes, "give +me a little time to say my prayers."</p> + +<p>"I give you half a quarter of an hour," answered Blue Beard, "not a +minute more."</p> + +<p>As soon as she found herself alone, she called her sister, and said to +her, "Sister Anne"—for so she was named—"go up, I pray you, to the top +of the tower, and see if my brothers are not in sight. They promised +they would come to visit me to-day, and if you see them, sign to them to +make haste."</p> + +<p>Sister Anne mounted to the top of the tower,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> and the poor unhappy wife +called to her from time to time, "Anne! Sister Anne! do you not see +anything coming?" and Sister Anne answered her, "I see nothing but the +dust turning gold in the sun, and the grass growing green."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Blue Beard, with a large cutlass in his hand, called out with +all his might to his wife, "Come down quickly, or I shall come up +there." "One minute more, if you please," replied his wife; and then +said quickly in a low voice, "Anne! Sister Anne! do you not see anything +coming?" And Sister Anne answered, "I see nothing but the dust turning +gold in the sun, and the grass growing green."</p> + +<p>"Come down quickly," roared Blue Beard, "or I shall come up there."</p> + +<p>"I am coming," answered his wife; and then called "Anne! Sister Anne! do +you not see anything coming?"</p> + +<p>"I see a great cloud of dust moving this way," said Sister Anne.</p> + +<p>"Is it my brothers?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! no, sister, only a flock of sheep."</p> + +<p>"Will you not come down?" shouted Blue Beard.</p> + +<p>"One minute more," replied his wife; and then she cried, "Anne! Sister +Anne! do you not see anything coming?"</p> + +<p>"I see two horsemen coming this way," she replied, "but they are still a +great distance off. Heaven be praised!" she exclaimed a moment +afterwards. "They are my brothers! I am making all the signs I can to +hasten them."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="die"></a> +<img src="images/i047.jpg" width="400" height="652" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><i>"Your tears are useless" said Bluebeard, "you must +die!"</i><br /> +<i>Bluebeard.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +</div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +Blue Beard began to roar so loudly that the whole house shook again. The +poor wife went down and threw herself at his feet with weeping eyes and +dishevelled hair. "It is of no use," said Blue Beard; "you must die!" +Then, taking her by the hair with one hand, and raising the cutlass with +the other, he was about to cut off her head.</p> + +<p>The poor wife, turning towards him her dying eyes, begged him to give +her one short moment to collect herself. "No, no," said he; "commend +yourself to heaven," and, lifting his arm.... At this moment there was +such a loud knocking at the gate that Blue Beard stopped short. It was +opened, and two horsemen were immediately seen to enter, who, drawing +their swords, ran straight at Blue Beard. He recognised them as the +brothers of his wife, one a dragoon, the other a musketeer, and he +therefore fled at once, hoping to escape; but they pursued him so +closely that they overtook him before he could reach the steps to his +door, and, running their swords through his body, left him dead on the +spot. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not +strength to rise and embrace her brothers.</p> + +<p>It was found that Blue Beard had left no heirs, and so his widow came +into possession of all his property. She employed part of it in marrying +her Sister Anne to a man who had long loved her; another part in buying +captains' commissions for her two brothers; and with the remainder she +married herself to a very worthy man, who made her forget the dreadful +time she had passed with Blue Beard.</p> + +<div class="block2"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +<span class="i0">Provided one has common sense,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And of the world but knows the ways,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This story bears the evidence<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of being one of bygone days.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No husband now is so terrific,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Impossibilities expecting:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though jealous, he is still pacific,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Indifference to his wife affecting.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And of his beard, whate'er the hue,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His spouse need fear no such disaster;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Indeed, 'twould often puzzle you<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To say which of the twain is master.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></div></div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +<a name="cat" id="cat"></a>Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +MASTER CAT;<br /> +<span class="or">OR,</span> +<br /> +PUSS IN BOOTS</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">A miller</span> bequeathed to his three sons all he possessed of worldly goods, +which consisted only of his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat. It did not take +long to divide the property, and neither notary nor attorney was called +in; they would soon have eaten up the poor little patrimony. The eldest +son had the Mill; the second son, the Ass; and the youngest had nothing +but the Cat.</p> + +<p>The latter was very disconsolate at having such a poor share of the +inheritance. "My brothers," said he, "may be able to earn an honest +livelihood by entering into partnership; but, as for me, when I have +eaten my Cat and made a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger." The +Cat, who had heard this speech, although he had not appeared to do so, +said to him with a sedate and serious air, "Do not be troubled, master; +you have only to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me in +which I can go among the bushes, and you will see that you are not left +so badly off as you believe." Though his master did not place much +reliance on the Cat's words, he had seen him play such cunning tricks in +catching rats and mice,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> when he would hang himself up by the heels, or +hide in the flour pretending to be dead, that he was not altogether +without hope of being helped by him out of his distress.</p> + +<p>As soon as the Cat had what he asked for, he boldly pulled on his boots, +and, hanging his bag round his neck, he took the strings of it in his +fore-paws, and started off for a warren where there were a great number +of rabbits. He put some bran and sow-thistles in his bag, and then, +stretching himself out as if he were dead, he waited till some young +rabbit, little versed in the wiles of the world, should come and poke +his way into the bag, in order to eat what was inside it.</p> + +<p>He had hardly laid himself down before he had the pleasure of seeing a +young scatterbrain of a rabbit get into the bag, whereupon Master Cat +pulled the strings, caught it, and killed it without mercy. Proud of his +prey, he went to the palace, and asked to speak to the King. He was +ushered upstairs and into the state apartment, and, after making a low +bow to the King, he said, "Sire, here is a wild rabbit, which my Lord +the Marquis of Carabas—for such was the title he had taken a fancy to +give to his master—has ordered me to present, with his duty, to your +Majesty."</p> + +<p>"Tell your master," replied the King, "that I thank him and am pleased +with his gift."</p> + +<p>Another day he went and hid himself in the wheat, keeping the mouth of +his bag open as before, and as soon as he saw that a brace of partridges +had run inside, he pulled the strings, and so took them both. He went +immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> and presented them to the King, as he had the rabbits. The +King was equally grateful at receiving the brace of partridges, and +ordered drink to be given him.</p> + +<p>For the next two or three months, the Cat continued in this manner, +taking presents of game at intervals to the King, as if from his master. +One day, when he knew the King was going to drive on the banks of the +river, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world, he +said to his master, "If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made; +you have only to go and bathe in a part of the river I will point out to +you, and then leave the rest to me."</p> + +<p>The Marquis of Carabas did as his Cat advised him, without knowing what +good would come of it. While he was bathing, the King passed by, and the +Cat began to call out with all his might, "Help! Help! My Lord the +Marquis of Carabas is drowning!" Hearing the cry, the King looked out of +the coach window, and recognising the Cat who had so often brought him +game, he ordered his guards to fly to the help of my Lord the Marquis of +Carabas. Whilst they were getting the poor Marquis out of the river, the +Cat went up to the royal coach, and told the King that, while his master +had been bathing, some robbers had come and carried off his clothes, +although he had shouted, "Stop thief," as loud as he could. The rogue +had hidden them himself under a large stone. The King immediately +ordered the officers of his wardrobe to go and fetch one of his +handsomest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> suits for my Lord the Marquis of Carabas. The King embraced +him a thousand times, and as the fine clothes they dressed him in set +off his good looks—for he was handsome and well made—the Marquis of +Carabas quite took the fancy of the King's daughter, and after he had +cast two or three respectful and rather tender glances towards her, she +fell very much in love with him. The King insisted upon his getting into +the coach, and accompanying them in their drive. The Cat, delighted to +see that his plans were beginning to succeed, ran on before, and coming +across some peasants who were mowing a meadow, he said to them, "You, +good people, who are mowing here, if you do not tell the King that this +meadow you are mowing belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas, you +shall all be cut in pieces as small as minced meat." The King did not +fail to ask the peasants whose meadow it was they were mowing. "It +belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas," said they all together, for +the Cat's threat had frightened them. "You have a fine property there," +said the King to the Marquis of Carabas.</p> + +<p>"As you say, sire," responded the Marquis of Carabas, "for it is a +meadow which yields an abundant crop every year."</p> + +<p>Master Cat, who still kept in advance of the party, came up to some +reapers, and said to them, "You, good people, who are reaping, if you do +not say that all this corn belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas, +you shall all be cut into pieces as small as minced meat."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="reapers"></a> +<img src="images/i057.jpg" width="400" height="624" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><i>Puss among the reapers.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +The King, who passed by a minute afterwards, wished to know to whom +belonged all the cornfields he saw. "To my Lord the Marquis of Carabas," +repeated the reapers, and the King again congratulated the Marquis on +his property.</p> + +<p>The Cat, still continuing to run before the coach, uttered the same +threat to everyone he met, and the King was astonished at the great +wealth of my Lord the Marquis of Carabas. Master Cat at length arrived +at a fine castle, the owner of which was an ogre, the richest ogre ever +known, for all the lands through which the King had driven belonged to +the Lord of this castle. The Cat took care to find out who the ogre was, +and what he was able to do; then he asked to speak with him, saying that +he did not like to pass so near his castle without doing himself the +honour of paying his respects to him. The ogre received him as civilly +as an ogre can, and made him sit down.</p> + +<p>"I have been told," said the Cat, "that you have the power of changing +yourself into all kinds of animals; that you could, for instance, +transform yourself into a lion or an elephant."</p> + +<p>"'Tis true," said the ogre, abruptly, "and to prove it to you, you shall +see me become a lion." The Cat was so frightened when he saw a lion in +front of him, that he quickly scrambled up into the gutter, not without +difficulty and danger, on account of his boots, which were worse than +useless for walking on the tiles. Shortly afterwards, seeing that the +ogre had resumed his natural form, the Cat climbed down again, and +admitted that he had been terribly frightened. "I have also been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +assured," said the Cat, "but I cannot believe it, that you have the +power besides of taking the form of the smallest animal; for instance, +that of a rat, or a mouse; I confess to you I hold this to be utterly +impossible." "Impossible!" exclaimed the ogre, "you shall see!" and he +immediately changed himself into a mouse, and began running about the +floor. The cat no sooner caught sight of it, than he pounced upon it and +ate it.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, the King, seeing the fine castle of the ogre as he was +driving past, thought he should like to go inside. The Cat, who heard +the noise of the coach rolling over the draw-bridge, ran to meet it, and +said to the King, "Your Majesty is welcome to the Castle of my Lord the +Marquis of Carabas!"</p> + +<p>"How, my Lord Marquis," exclaimed the King, "this castle belongs to you? +Nothing could be finer than this courtyard, and all these buildings +which surround it. Let us see the inside of it, if you please."</p> + +<p>The Marquis handed out the young Princess, and following the King, who +led the way upstairs, they entered a grand hall, where they found +prepared a magnificent repast, which the ogre had ordered in expectation +of some friends, who were to have visited him that very day, but who did +not venture to enter when they heard the King was there. The King, as +greatly delighted with the excellent qualities of my Lord the Marquis of +Carabas as his daughter, who was more than ever in love with him, seeing +what great wealth he possessed, said to him, after having drunk five or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +six bumpers, "It depends entirely on yourself, my Lord Marquis, whether +or not you become my son-in-law." The Marquis, making several profound +bows, accepted the honour the King offered him, and that same day was +married to the Princess. The Cat became a great lord, and never again +ran after mice, except for his amusement.</p> + +<div class="block2"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Be the advantage never so great<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of owning a superb estate,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">From sire to son descended,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Young men oft find, on industry,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Combined with ingenuity,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">They'd better have depended.<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="block3"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">If the son of a miller so quickly could gain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The heart of a Princess, it seems pretty plain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With good looks and good manners, and some aid from dress,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The humblest need not quite despair of success.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></div> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +<a name="fairies" id="fairies"></a>The Fairies</h2> + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +THE FAIRIES</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">There</span> was once a widow who had two daughters. The elder was so like her +mother in temper and face, that to have seen the one was to have seen +the other. They were both so disagreeable and proud, that it was +impossible to live with them. The younger, who was the exact portrait of +her father in her kindly and polite ways, was also as beautiful a girl +as one could see. As we are naturally fond of those who resemble us, the +mother doted on her elder daughter, while for the younger she had a most +violent aversion, and made her take her meals in the kitchen and work +hard all day. Among other things that she was obliged to do, this poor +child was forced to go twice a day to fetch water from a place a mile or +more from the house, and carry back a large jug filled to the brim. As +she was standing one day by this spring, a poor woman came up to her, +and asked the girl to give her some water to drink.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, my good woman," she replied, and the beautiful girl at once +stooped and rinsed out the jug, and then, filling it with water from the +clearest part of the spring, she held it up to the woman, continuing to +support the jug, that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> might drink with greater comfort. Having +drunk, the woman said to her, "You are so beautiful, so good and kind, +that I cannot refrain from conferring a gift upon you," for she was +really a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor village woman, in order +to see how far the girl's kind-heartedness would go. "This gift I make +you," continued the fairy, "that with every word you speak, either a +flower or a precious stone will fall from your mouth."</p> + +<p>The girl had no sooner reached home than her mother began scolding her +for being back so late. "I am sorry, mother," said she, "to have been +out so long," and as she spoke, there fell from her mouth two roses, two +pearls, and two large diamonds. The mother gazed at her in astonishment. +"What do I see!" she exclaimed, "Pearls and diamonds seem to be dropping +from her mouth! How is this, my daughter?"—it was the first time she +had called her <i>daughter</i>. The poor child related in all simplicity what +had happened, letting fall quantities of diamonds in the course of her +narrative. "I must certainly send my other daughter there," said the +mother. "Look, Fanchon, see what falls from your sister's mouth when she +speaks! Would you not be glad to receive a similar gift? All you have to +do, is to go and fetch water from the spring, and if an old woman asks +you for some to drink, to give it her nicely and politely." "I should +like to see myself going to the spring," answered the rude, cross girl.</p> + +<p>"I insist on your going," rejoined the mother, "and that at once."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="woman"></a> +<img src="images/i067.jpg" width="400" height="641" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>She gave it to the Woman.</i>'</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +The elder girl went off, still grumbling; with her she took the +handsomest silver bottle she could find in the house.</p> + +<p>She had no sooner arrived at the spring, than she saw a lady +magnificently dressed walking towards her from the wood, who approached +and asked for some water to drink. It was the same fairy who had +appeared to the sister, but she had now put on the airs and apparel of a +princess, as she wished to see how far this girl's rudeness would go. +"Do you think I came here just to draw water for you?" answered the +arrogant and unmannerly girl; "I have, of course, brought this silver +bottle on purpose for madam to drink from! Well, all I have to say +is—drink from it if you like."</p> + +<p>"You are scarcely polite," said the fairy, without losing her temper; +"however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that +with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your +mouth."</p> + +<p>Directly her mother caught sight of her, she called out, "Well, my +daughter!" "Well, my mother!" replied the ill-tempered girl, throwing +out as she spoke two vipers and two toads. "Alack!" cried the mother, +"what do I see? This is her sister's doing, but I will pay her out for +it," and, so saying, she ran towards the younger girl with intent to +beat her. The unhappy girl fled from the house, and went and hid herself +in a neighbouring forest. The King's son, who was returning from +hunting, met her, and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what she +was doing there all alone, and why she was crying.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> "Alas! sir, my +mother has driven me from home." The King's son, seeing five or six +pearls and as many diamonds, falling from her mouth as she spoke, asked +her to explain how this was, and she told him all her tale. The King's +son fell in love with her, and thinking that such a gift as she +possessed was worth more than any ordinary dower brought by another, he +carried her off to his father's palace, and there married her.</p> + +<p>As for her sister, she made herself so hated, that her own mother drove +her from the house. The miserable girl, having gone about in vain trying +to find someone who would take her in, crept away into the corner of a +wood, and there died.</p> + +<div class="block2"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Of higher worth are gentle words<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Than diamonds or gold,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And even o'er the minds of men<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A great power they hold.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">It costs some pains to be polite,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And needs some kindly thought,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But soon or late, as here you see,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Reward will come unsought.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></div></div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +<a name="slipper" id="slipper"></a>Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +CINDERELLA;<br /> +<span class="or">OR,</span> +THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there was a nobleman, who took for a second wife the +haughtiest and proudest woman that had ever been seen. She had two +daughters of the same temper, and who resembled her in everything. The +husband, on his side, had a daughter, of unexampled gentleness and +goodness. She inherited these qualities from her mother, who had been +the best creature in the world.</p> + +<p>The wedding was hardly over before the stepmother's ill-humour broke +out. She could not endure the young girl, whose good qualities made her +own daughters appear still more detestable. She put her to do all the +most menial work in the house. It was she who washed up the plates and +dishes, and cleaned the stairs; who scrubbed the stepmother's room, and +those of her daughters. She slept in a garret at the top of the house, +on a wretched straw mattress, while her sisters occupied rooms with +inlaid floors, and had the latest fashioned beds, and mirrors in which +they could see themselves from head to foot. The poor girl bore +everything with patience, and did not dare complain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> to her father, who +would only have scolded her, as he was +<a name="entirely" id="entirely"></a><ins title="Original has entirly">entirely</ins> governed by +his wife. When she had done her work, she was in the habit of going into +the chimney-corner and sitting down amongst the cinders, which caused +her to be nicknamed Cindertail by the household in general. The second +daughter, however, who was not quite so rude as her sister, called her +Cinderella. Nevertheless, Cinderella in her shabby clothes, still looked +a thousand times more beautiful than her sisters, although so +magnificently dressed.</p> + +<p>It happened that the King's son gave a ball, to which he invited +everyone of position. Our two fine ladies were among those who received +an invitation, for they made a great show in the neighbourhood. They +were now in great delight, and very busy choosing the most becoming +gowns and head-dresses. A new mortification for poor Cinderella, for it +was she who had to iron her sisters' fine linen, and goffer their +ruffles. No one talked of anything but of the style in which they were +to be dressed. "I," said the eldest, "will wear my red velvet dress, and +my English point-lace trimmings." "I," said the youngest, "shall only +wear my usual petticoat; but, to make up for that, I shall put on my +gold-flowered cloak, and my clasp of diamonds, which are none of the +least valuable." They sent for a first-rate milliner, that their caps +might be made to fashion, and they bought their patches from the best +maker. They called Cinderella to give them her opinion, for her taste +was excellent. Cinderella gave them the best advice in the world, and +even offered to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> dress their hair for them, which they were very willing +she should do.</p> + +<p>Whilst she was busy with the hairdressing, they said to her, +"Cinderella, should you be very glad to go to the ball?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! you only make fun of me; such a thing would not be suitable for +me at all."</p> + +<p>"You are right; they would indeed laugh to see a Cindertail at the +ball!"</p> + +<p>Any other than Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry, but she +had a good disposition, and arranged it for both of them to perfection. +They could eat nothing for nearly two days, so transported were they +with joy. More than a dozen laces were broken in making their waists as +small as possible, and they were continually before their +looking-glasses. At last the happy day arrived. They set off, and +Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could. When they +were out of sight she began to cry. Her godmother, who saw her all in +tears, asked her what was the matter. "I should so like—I should so +like—" she sobbed so violently that she could not finish the sentence. +"You would so like to go to the ball, is not that it?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! yes," said Cinderella, sighing.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you will be a good girl, I will undertake that you shall go." +She took her into her room, and said to her, "Go into the garden and +bring me a pumpkin." Cinderella went at once, gathered the finest she +could find, and brought it to her godmother, wondering the while how a +pumpkin could enable her to go to the ball. Her godmother scooped it +out, and, having left nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> but the rind, struck it with her wand, +and the pumpkin was immediately changed into a beautiful coach, gilt all +over. She then went and looked into the mouse-trap, where she found six +mice, all alive. She told Cinderella to lift the door of the mouse-trap +a little, and to each mouse, as it ran out, she gave a tap with her +wand, and the mouse was immediately changed into a fine horse, so that +at last there stood ready a handsome train of six horses, of a beautiful +dappled mouse-grey colour. As she was in some difficulty as to what she +could take to turn into a coachman, Cinderella said, "I will go and see +if there is not a rat in the rat-trap; we will make a coachman of him."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said her godmother, "go and see."</p> + +<p>Cinderella brought her the rat-trap, in which there were three large +rats. The fairy chose one from the three on account of its ample beard, +and having touched it, it was changed into a fat coachman, with the +finest whiskers that ever were seen. She then said, "Go into the garden, +and there, behind the watering-pot, you will find six lizards, bring +them to me." Cinderella had no sooner brought them than the godmother +changed them into six footmen, with their liveries all covered with +lace, who immediately jumped up behind the coach, and hung on to it as +if they had done nothing else all their lives. The fairy then said to +Cinderella, "Well, there is something in which to go to the ball; are +you not well pleased?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="hand"></a> +<img src="images/i077.jpg" width="400" height="638" alt="'The King's son gave her his hand.' Cinderella." title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>The King's son gave her his hand.</i>' <i>Cinderella.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +"Yes, but am I to go in these dirty old clothes?" Her godmother touched +her lightly with her wand, and in the same instant her dress was changed +into one of gold and silver, covered with precious stones. She then gave +her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the world. When she was +thus attired, she got into the coach; but her godmother told her, above +all things, not to stay past midnight—warning her, that if she remained +at the ball a minute longer, her coach would again become a pumpkin, her +horses, mice, her footmen, lizards, and her clothes turn again into her +old ones. She promised her godmother that she would not fail to leave +the ball before midnight, and drove off, almost out of her mind with +joy.</p> + +<p>The King's son, who was informed that a grand Princess had arrived whom +nobody knew, ran to receive her. He handed her out of the coach and led +her into the hall, where the guests were assembled. There was +immediately a dead silence; the dancing stopped, and the fiddlers ceased +to play, so engaged did everyone become in gazing upon the wonderful +beauty of the unknown lady. Nothing was heard but a general murmur of +"Oh! how lovely she is!" The King himself, old as he was, could not take +his eyes from her, and observed to the Queen, that it was a long time +since he had seen so lovely and amiable a person. All the ladies were +intently occupied in examining her head-dress and her clothes, that they +might order some like them the very next day, provided that they might +be able to find materials as costly, and work-people sufficiently clever +to make them up.</p> + +<p>The King's son conducted her to the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> honourable seat, and then led +her out to dance. She danced so gracefully that everybody's admiration +of her was increased. A very grand supper was served, of which the +Prince ate not a morsel, so absorbed was he in the contemplation of her +beauty. She seated herself beside her sisters, and showed them a +thousand civilities. She shared with them the oranges and citrons which +the Prince had given her, at which they were greatly surprised, for she +appeared a perfect stranger to them. While they were thus talking +together, Cinderella heard the clock strike the three quarters past +eleven; she at once made a profound curtsey to the company, and left as +quickly as she could. As soon as she had reached home, she went to find +her godmother, and after having thanked her, said she much wished to go +to the ball again next day, because the King's son had invited her. She +was telling her godmother all that had passed at the ball, when the two +sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella went and opened it. "How late +<a name="you" id="you"></a><ins title="Original has your">you</ins> are!" said she to them, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and then +stretching herself as if she had but just awoke, although she had had no +inclination to sleep since she parted from them. "If you had been at the +ball," said one of her sisters to her, "you would not have been weary of +it. There came to it the most beautiful princess—the most beautiful +that ever was seen; she paid us many attentions, and gave us oranges and +citrons." Cinderella was beside herself with delight. She asked them the +name of the Princess, but they replied that nobody knew her, that the +King's son was much puzzled about it,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> and that he would give everything +in the world to know who she was. Cinderella smiled, and said, "She was +very lovely, then? How fortunate you are! Could not I get a sight of +her? Alas! Miss Javotte, lend me the yellow gown you wear every day."</p> + +<p>"Truly," said Miss Javotte, "I like that! Lend one's gown to a dirty +Cindertail like you! I should be mad indeed!" Cinderella fully expected +this refusal, and was rejoiced at it, for she would not have known what +to do if her sister had lent her the gown.</p> + +<p>The next day the sisters went again to the ball, and Cinderella also, +but still more splendidly dressed than before. The King's son never left +her side, or ceased saying tender things to her. Cinderella found the +evening pass very pleasantly, and forgot her godmother's warning, so +that she heard the clock begin to strike twelve while still thinking +that it was not yet eleven. She rose and fled as lightly as a fawn. The +Prince followed her, but could not overtake her. She dropped one of her +glass slippers, which the Prince carefully picked up. Cinderella reached +home almost breathless, without coach or footmen, and in her shabby +clothes, with nothing remaining of her finery but one of her little +slippers, the fellow of that which she had dropped. The guards at the +palace gate were asked if they had not seen a Princess pass out; they +answered that they had seen no one pass but a poorly-dressed girl, who +had more the appearance of a peasant than of a lady. When the two +sisters returned from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> ball, Cinderella asked them if they had been +as much entertained as before, and if the beautiful lady had been +present. They said yes, but that she had fled as soon as it had struck +twelve, and in such haste, that she had dropped one of her little glass +slippers, the prettiest in the world; that the King's son had picked it +up, and had done nothing but gaze upon it during the remainder of the +evening; and that, undoubtedly, he was very much in love with the +beautiful person to whom the little slipper belonged. They spoke the +truth; for a few days afterwards the King's son caused it to be +proclaimed by sound of trumpet that he would marry her whose foot would +exactly fit the slipper. They began by trying it on the princesses, then +on the duchesses, and so on throughout the Court; but in vain. It was +taken to the two sisters, who did their utmost to force one of their +feet into the slipper, but they could not manage to do so. Cinderella, +who was looking on, and who recognised the slipper, said laughingly, +"Let me see if it will not fit me." Her sisters began to laugh and +ridicule her. The gentleman of the Court who had been entrusted to try +the slipper, having looked attentively at Cinderella, and seeing that +she was very beautiful, said that it was only fair that her request +should be granted, as he had received orders to try the slipper on all +maidens, without exception. He made Cinderella sit down, and putting the +slipper to her little foot, he saw it slip on easily and fit like wax. +Great was the astonishment of the two sisters, but it was still greater +when Cinderella took the other little slipper out of her pocket and put +it on her other foot.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> At that moment the godmother appeared, who giving +a tap with her wand to Cinderella's clothes, they became still more +magnificent than those she had worn before.</p> + +<p>The two sisters then recognised in her the beautiful person they had +seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg for +forgiveness for all the ill-treatment she had suffered from them. +Cinderella raised and embraced them, said that she forgave them with all +her heart, and begged them to love her dearly for the future. She was +conducted, dressed as she was, to the young Prince. He found her more +charming than ever, and a few days afterwards he married her. +Cinderella, who was as kind as she was beautiful, gave her sisters +apartments in the palace, and married them the very same day to two +great lords of the Court.</p> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Beauty in woman is a treasure rare<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Which we are never weary of admiring;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But a sweet temper is a gift more fair<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And better worth the youthful maid's desiring.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That was the boon bestowed on Cinderella<br /></span> +<span class="i2">By her wise godmother—her truest glory.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The rest was "nought but leather and prunella."<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Such is the moral of this little story—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beauties, that charm, become you more than dress,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And win a heart with far greater facility.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In short, in all things to ensure success,<br /></span> +<span class="i8">The real Fairy Gift is amiability!<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></div></div></div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="block2"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Talent, courage, wit, and worth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Are rare gifts to own on earth;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But if you want to thrive at Court—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">So, at least, the wise report—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">You will find you need some others,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Such as godfathers or mothers.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></div></div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +<a name="riquet" id="riquet"></a>Riquet with the Tuft</h2> + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +RIQUET WITH THE TUFT</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there was a Queen who had a son, so ugly and misshapen, +that it was doubted for a long time whether his form was really human. A +fairy, who was present at his birth, affirmed, nevertheless, that he +would be worthy to be loved, as he would have an excellent wit; she +added, moreover, that by virtue of the gift she had bestowed upon him, +he would be able to impart equal intelligence to the one whom he loved +best. All this was some consolation to the poor Queen, who was much +distressed at having brought so ugly a little monkey into the world. It +is true that the child was no sooner able to speak than he said a +thousand pretty things, and that in all his ways there was a certain air +of intelligence, with which everyone was charmed. I had forgotten to say +that he was born with a little tuft of hair on his head, and so he came +to be called Riquet with the Tuft; for Riquet was the family name.</p> + +<p>About seven or eight years later, the Queen of a neighbouring kingdom +had two daughters. The elder was fairer than the day, and the Queen was +so delighted, that it was feared some harm might come to her from her +great joy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> The same fairy who had assisted at the birth of little +Riquet, was present upon this occasion, and in order to moderate the joy +of the Queen, she told her that this little Princess would have no gifts +of mind at all, and that she would be as stupid as she was beautiful. +The Queen was greatly mortified on hearing this, but, shortly after, she +was even more annoyed, when her second little daughter was born and +proved to be extremely ugly. "Do not distress yourself, madam," said the +fairy to her, "your daughter will find compensation, for she will have +so much intelligence, that her lack of beauty will scarcely be +perceived."</p> + +<p>"Heaven send it may be so," replied the Queen; "but are there no means +whereby a little more understanding might be given to the elder, who is +so lovely?" "I can do nothing for her in the way of intelligence, +madam," said the fairy, "but everything in the way of beauty; as, +however, there is nothing in my power I would not do to give you +comfort, I will bestow on her the power of conferring beauty on any man +or woman who shall please her." As these two Princesses grew up, their +endowments also became more perfect, and nothing was talked of anywhere +but the beauty of the elder, and the intelligence of the younger. It is +true that their defects also greatly increased with their years. The +younger became uglier every moment, and the elder more stupid every day. +She either made no answer when she was spoken to, or else said something +foolish. With this she was so clumsy, that she could not even place four +pieces of china on a mantelshelf, without breaking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> one of them, or +drink a glass of water, without spilling half of it on her dress. +Notwithstanding the attraction of beauty, the younger, in whatever +society they might be, nearly always bore away the palm from her sister. +At first everyone went up to the more beautiful, to gaze at and admire +her; but they soon left her for the cleverer one, to listen to her many +pleasant and amusing sayings; and people were astonished to find that in +less than a quarter of an hour, the elder had not a soul near her, while +all the company had gathered round the younger. The elder, though very +stupid, noticed this, and would have given, without regret, all her +beauty, for half the sense of her sister. Discreet as she was, the Queen +could not help often reproaching her with her stupidity, which made the +poor Princess ready to die of grief.</p> + +<p>One day, when she had gone by herself into a wood, to weep over her +misfortune, she saw approaching her, a little man of very ugly and +unpleasant appearance, but magnificently dressed. It was the young +Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who, having fallen in love with her from +seeing her portraits, which were sent all over the world, had left his +father's kingdom that he might have the pleasure of beholding her and +speaking to her. Enchanted at meeting her thus alone, he addressed her +with all the respect and politeness imaginable. Having remarked, after +paying her the usual compliments, that she was very melancholy, he said +to her, "I cannot understand, madam, how a person so beautiful as you +are can be so unhappy as you appear; for, although I can boast of having +seen an infinite number of beautiful people, I can say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> with truth that +I have never seen one whose beauty could be compared with yours."</p> + +<p>"You are pleased to say so, sir," replied the Princess, and there she +stopped.</p> + +<p>"Beauty," continued Riquet, "is so great an advantage, that it ought to +take the place of every other, and, possessed of it, I see nothing that +can have power to afflict one."</p> + +<p>"I would rather," said the Princess, "be as ugly as you are, and have +intelligence, than possess the beauty I do, and be so stupid as I am."</p> + +<p>"There is no greater proof of intelligence, madam, than the belief that +we have it not; it is the nature of that gift, that the more we have, +the more we believe ourselves to be without it."</p> + +<p>"I do not know how that may be," said the Princess, "but I know well +enough that I am very stupid, and that is the cause of the grief that is +killing me."</p> + +<p>"If that is all that troubles you, madam, I can easily put an end to +your sorrow."</p> + +<p>"And how would you do that?" said the Princess.</p> + +<p>"I have the power, madam," said Riquet with the Tuft, "to give as much +intelligence as it is possible to possess, to the person whom I love +best; as you, madam, are that person, it will depend entirely upon +yourself, whether or not you become gifted with this amount of +intelligence, provided that you are willing to marry me."</p> + +<p>The Princess was struck dumb with astonishment, and replied not a word.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +"I see," said Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal troubles you, +and I am not surprised, but I will give you a full year to consider it."</p> + +<p>The Princess had so little sense, and at the same time was so anxious to +have a great deal, that she thought the end of that year would never +come; so she at once accepted the offer that was made her. She had no +sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him that day +twelve months, than she felt herself quite another person to what she +had previously been. She found she was able to say whatever she pleased, +with a readiness past belief, and of saying it in a clever, but easy and +natural manner. She immediately began a sprightly and well-sustained +conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, and was so brilliant in her +talk, that Riquet with the Tuft began to think he had given her more wit +than he had reserved for himself. On her return to the palace, the whole +Court was puzzled to account for a change so sudden and extraordinary; +for the number of foolish things which they had been accustomed to hear +from her, she now made as many sensible and exceedingly witty remarks. +All the Court was in a state of joy not to be described. The younger +sister alone was not altogether pleased, for, having lost her +superiority over her sister in the way of intelligence, she now only +appeared by her side as a very unpleasing-looking person.</p> + +<p>The King now began to be guided by his elder daughter's advice, and at +times even held his Council in her apartments. The news of the change of +affairs was spread abroad, and all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> young princes of the +neighbouring kingdoms exerted themselves to gain her affection, and +nearly all of them asked her hand in marriage. She found none of them, +however, intelligent enough to please her, and she listened to all of +them, without engaging herself to one.</p> + +<p>At length arrived a Prince, so rich and powerful, so clever and so +handsome, that she could not help listening willingly to his addresses. +Her father, having perceived this, told her that he left her at perfect +liberty to choose a husband for herself, and that she had only to make +known her decision. As the more intelligence we possess, the more +difficulty we find in making up our mind on such a matter as this, she +begged her father, after having thanked him, to allow her time to think +about it.</p> + +<p>She went, by chance, to walk in the same wood in which she had met +Riquet with the Tuft, in order to meditate more uninterruptedly over +what she had to do. While she was walking, deep in thought, she heard a +dull sound beneath her feet, as of many persons running to and fro, and +busily occupied. Having listened more attentively, she heard one say, +"Bring me that saucepan;" another, "Give me that kettle;" another, "Put +some wood on the fire." At the same moment the ground opened, and she +saw beneath her what appeared to be a large kitchen, full of cooks, +scullions, and all sorts of servants necessary for the preparation of a +magnificent banquet. There came forth a band of about twenty to thirty +cooks, who went and established themselves in an avenue of the wood,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> at +a very long table, and who, each with the larding-pin in his hand and +the tail of his fur cap over his ear, set to work, keeping time to a +harmonious song.</p> + +<p>The Princess, astonished at this sight, asked the men for whom they were +working.</p> + +<p>"Madam," replied the chief among them, "for Prince Riquet with the Tuft, +whose marriage will take place to-morrow." The Princess, still more +surprised than she was before, and suddenly recollecting that it was +just a twelvemonth from the day on which she had promised to marry +Prince Riquet with the Tuft, was overcome with trouble and amazement. +The reason of her not having remembered her promise was, that when she +made it she had been a very foolish person, and when she became gifted +with the new mind that the Prince had given her, she had forgotten all +her follies.</p> + +<p>She had not taken another thirty steps, when Riquet with the Tuft +presented himself before her, gaily and splendidly attired, like a +Prince about to be married. "You see, madam," said he, "I keep my word +punctually, and I doubt not that you have come thither to keep yours, +and to make me, by the giving of your hand, the happiest of men."</p> + +<p>"I confess to you, frankly," answered the Princess, "that I have not yet +made up my mind on that matter, and that I do not think I shall ever be +able to do so in the way you wish." "You astonish me, madam," said +Riquet with the Tuft. "I have no doubt I do," said the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> Princess; "and +assuredly, had I to deal with a stupid person, with a man without +intelligence, I should feel greatly perplexed. 'A Princess is bound by +her word,' he would say to me, 'and you must marry me, as you have +promised to do so.' But as the person to whom I speak is, of all men in +the world, the one of greatest sense and understanding, I am certain he +will listen to reason. You know that, when I was no better than a fool, +I nevertheless could not decide to marry you—how can you expect, now +that I have the mind which you have given me, and which renders me much +more difficult to please than before, that I should take to-day a +resolution which I could not then? If you seriously thought of marrying +me, you did very wrong to take away my stupidity, and so enable me to +see more clearly than I saw then." "If a man without intelligence," +replied Riquet with the Tuft, "who reproached you with your breach of +promise, might have a right, as you have just intimated, to be treated +with indulgence, why would you, madam, that I should receive less +consideration in a matter which affects the entire happiness of my life? +Is it reasonable that persons of intellect should be in a worse position +than those that have none? Can you assert this—you who have so much, +and who so earnestly desired to possess it? But let us come to the +point, if you please. Setting aside my ugliness, is there anything in me +that displeases you? Are you dissatisfied with my birth, my +understanding, my temper, or my manners?"</p> + +<p>"Not in the least," replied the Princess; "I admire in you everything +you have mentioned."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="world"></a> +<img src="images/i095.jpg" width="400" height="629" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><i>Then said the Princess "I wish that you may be the +handsomest prince in the world."</i><br /> +<i>Riquet with the Tuft.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +"If that is so," rejoined Riquet with the Tuft, "I shall soon be happy, +as you have it in your power to make me the most pleasing looking of +men."</p> + +<p>"How can that be done?" asked the Princess.</p> + +<p>"It can be done," said Riquet with the Tuft, "if you love me +sufficiently to wish that it should be. And, in order, madam, that you +should have no doubt about it, know that the same fairy, who, on the day +I was born, endowed me with the power to give intelligence to the person +I chose, gave you also the power to render handsome the man you should +love, and on whom you should wish to bestow this favour."</p> + +<p>"If such be the fact," said the Princess, "I wish, with all my heart, +that you should become the handsomest and most lovable Prince in the +world, and I bestow the gift on you to the fullest extent in my power."</p> + +<p>The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words than Riquet with the +Tuft appeared to her eyes, of all men in the world, the handsomest, the +best made, and most attractive she had ever seen. There are some who +assert that it was not the spell of the fairy, but love alone that +caused this metamorphosis. They say that the Princess, having reflected +on the perseverance of her lover, on his prudence, and on all the good +qualities of his heart and mind, no longer saw the deformity of his +body, or the ugliness of his features; that his hump appeared to her +nothing more than a good-natured shrug of his shoulders, and that +instead of noticing, as she had done, how badly he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> limped, she saw in +him only a certain lounging air, which charmed her. They say also that +his eyes, which squinted, only seemed to her the more brilliant for +this; and that the crookedness of his glance was to her merely +expressive of his great love; and, finally, that his great red nose had +in it, to her mind, something martial and heroic. However this may be, +the Princess promised on the spot to marry him, provided he obtained the +consent of the King, her father. The King, having learned that his +daughter entertained a great regard for Riquet with the Tuft, whom he +knew also to be a very clever and wise Prince, received him with +pleasure as his son-in-law. The wedding took place the next morning, as +Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen, and according to the orders which he +had given a long time before.</p> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">No beauty, no talent, has power above<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Some indefinite charm discern'd only by love.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></div></div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +<a name="thumbling" id="thumbling"></a>Little Thumbling</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +LITTLE THUMBLING</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there was a woodcutter and his wife who had seven +children, all boys. The eldest was but ten years old, and the youngest +only seven. People wondered that the woodcutter had so many children so +near in age, but the fact was, that several of them were twins. He and +his wife were very poor, and their seven children were a great burden to +them, as not one of them was yet able to earn his livelihood. What +troubled them still more was, that the youngest was very delicate, and +seldom spoke, which they considered a proof of stupidity rather than of +good sense. He was very diminutive, and, when first born, scarcely +bigger than one's thumb, and so they called him Little Thumbling.</p> + +<p>This poor child was the scapegoat of the house, and was blamed for +everything that happened. Nevertheless, he was the shrewdest and most +sensible of all his brothers, and if he spoke little, he listened a +great deal.</p> + +<p>There came a year of bad harvest, and the famine was so severe that +these poor people determined to get rid of their children. One evening, +when they were all in bed, and the woodcutter was sitting over the fire +with his wife,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> he said to her, with an aching heart, "You see plainly +that we can no longer find food for our children. I cannot let them die +of hunger before my very eyes, and I have made up my mind to take them +to the wood to-morrow, and there lose them, which will be easily done, +for whilst they are busy tying up the faggots, we have only to run away +unseen by them." "Ah!" exclaimed the woodcutter's wife, "Can you find +the heart to lose your own children?" In vain her husband represented to +her their great poverty; she would not consent to the deed. She was +poor, but she was their mother. After a while, however, having thought +over the misery it would be to her to see them die of hunger, she +assented to her husband's proposal, and went weeping to bed.</p> + +<p>Little Thumbling had overheard all they said, for having found out, as +he lay in his bed, that they were talking of their affairs, he got up +quietly and crept under his father's stool, so as to listen to what they +were saying without been seen. He went to bed again, but did not sleep a +wink the rest of the night, thinking what he should do. He got up early, +and went down to the banks of the stream; there he filled his pockets +with small white pebbles, and then returned home. They set out all +together, and Little Thumbling said not a word to his brothers of what +he had overheard. They entered a very thick forest, wherein, at ten +paces distant, they could not see one another. The woodcutter began to +cut wood, and the children to pick up brushwood for the faggots. The +father and mother, seeing them busy at work, gradually stole farther and +farther away from them, and then suddenly ran off down a little winding +path.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="him"></a> +<img src="images/i103.jpg" width="400" height="625" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>The boys followed him.</i>'</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +</div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +When the children found themselves all alone, they began to scream and +cry with all their might. Little Thumbling let them scream, well knowing +how he could get home again, for on their way to the forest, he had +dropped all along the road the little white pebbles he had in his +pockets. He then said to them, "Have no fear, brothers; my father and +mother have left us here, but I will take you safely home; only follow +me." They followed him, and he led them back to the house by the same +road that they had taken to the forest. They were afraid to go inside at +once, but placed themselves close to the door, to listen to what their +father and mother were saying. It chanced that just at the moment that +the woodcutter and his wife reached home, the lord of the manor sent +them ten crowns, which he had owed them a long time, and which they had +given up all hope of receiving. This was new life to them, for the poor +things were actually starving. The woodcutter immediately sent his wife +to the butcher's, and, as it was many a day since they had tasted meat, +she bought three times as much as was sufficient for two people's +supper. When they had appeased their hunger, the woodcutter's wife said, +"Alas! where now are our poor children? They would fare merrily on what +we have left. But it was you, William, who would lose them. Truly did I +say we should repent it. What are they now doing in the forest? Alas! +Heaven help me! the wolves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> have, perhaps, already devoured them. Cruel +man that you are, thus to have lost your children!"</p> + +<p>The woodcutter began at last to lose his temper, for she repeated over +twenty times that they would repent the deed, and that she had said it +would be so. He threatened to beat her if she did not hold her tongue. +It was not that the woodcutter was not, perhaps, even more sorry than +his wife, but that she made so much noise about it, and that he was like +many other people, who are fond of women who say the right thing, but +are annoyed by those who are always in the right. The wife was all in +tears. "Alas! where are now my children, my poor children?" She uttered +her cry, at last, so loudly, that the children, who were at the door, +heard her, and began to call out all together, "Here we are! here we +are!" She rushed to the door to open it, and embracing them, exclaimed, +"How thankful I am to see you again, my dear children; you are very +tired and hungry; and you, little Peter, how dirty you are! come here +and let me wash you." Peter was her eldest son, and she loved him better +than all the rest, because he was red-headed, and she was rather +red-haired herself. They sat down to supper and ate with an appetite +that delighted their father and mother, to whom they related how +frightened they had been in the forest, nearly all keeping on speaking +at the same time. The good people were overjoyed to see their children +around them once more, and their joy lasted as long as the ten crowns. +When the money was spent, however, they fell back into their former +state of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> misery, and resolved to lose their children again; and to make +quite sure of doing so this time, they determined to lead them much +further from home than they had before.</p> + +<p>They could not talk of this so secretly, but that they were overheard by +Little Thumbling, who reckoned upon being able to get out of the +difficulty by the same means as the first time; but though he got up +very early to collect the little pebbles, he did not succeed in his +object, for he found the house door double locked. He was at his wit's +end what to do, when his mother having given each of them a piece of +bread for their breakfast, it occurred to him that he might make the +bread take the place of the pebbles, by strewing crumbs along the path +as they went, and so he put his piece in his pocket. The father and +mother led them into the thickest and darkest part of the forest, and as +soon as they had done so, they turned into a bypath, and left them +there. Little Thumbling did not trouble himself much, for he believed he +could easily find his way back by help of the crumbs which he had +scattered wherever he had passed; but he was greatly surprised to find +not a single crumb left—the birds had come and picked them all up. The +poor children were now, indeed, in great distress; the further they +wandered, the deeper they plunged into the forest. Night came on, and a +great wind arose, which filled them with terror. They fancied they heard +nothing on every side but the howling of wolves, running towards them to +devour them. They scarcely dared to speak or look behind them. Then +there came a heavy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> rain, which drenched them to the skin; they slipped +at every step, tumbling into the mud, out of which they scrambled +covered with dirt, not knowing what to do with their hands. Little +Thumbling climbed up a tree to try if he could see anything from the top +of it. Having looked about on all sides, he saw a little light, like +that of a candle, but it was a long way off, on the other side of the +forest. He came down again, and when he had reached the ground, he could +no longer see the light. He was in despair at this, but having walked on +with his brothers for some time in the direction of the light, he caught +sight of it again as they emerged from the forest.</p> + +<p>At length they reached the house where the candle was shining, not +without many alarms, for often they lost sight of it altogether, and +always when they went down into the hollows. They knocked loudly at the +door, and a good woman came to open it. She asked them what they wanted. +Little Thumbling told her they were poor children who had lost their way +in the forest, and who begged a night's lodgings for charity's sake. The +woman, seeing they were all so pretty, began to weep, and said to them, +"Alas! my poor children, to what a place have you come! Know you not +that this is the house of an ogre who eats little children?" "Alas!" +replied Little Thumbling, who trembled from head to foot, as indeed did +all his brothers, "what shall we do? We shall certainly be all eaten up +by the wolves to-night, if you do not give us shelter, and, in that +case, we would rather be eaten by the ogre; perhaps he may have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> pity +upon us, if you are kind enough to ask him." The ogre's wife, who +thought that she might be able to hide them from her husband till the +next morning, let the children come in, and led them where they could +warm themselves by a good fire, for there was a whole sheep on the spit, +roasting for the ogre's supper.</p> + +<p>Just as they were beginning to get warm they heard two or three loud +knocks at the door. It was the ogre who had come home. His wife +immediately made the children hide under the bed, and went to open the +door. The ogre first asked if his supper was ready, and if she had drawn +the wine, and with that he sat down to his meal. The mutton was all but +raw, but he liked it all the better for that. He sniffed right and left, +saying that he smelt fresh meat. "It must be the calf I have just +skinned," said his wife. "I tell you, I smell fresh meat," replied the +ogre, giving an angry glance at his wife; "there is something here I do +not understand." With these words, he rose from the table and went +straight towards the bed. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "so this is the way in +which you would deceive me, you wretched woman! I do not know what +hinders me from eating you also! It is well for you that you are such an +old creature! But here is some game, which comes in handy, and will +serve to feast three of my ogre friends, who are soon coming to pay me a +visit." He dragged the children from under the bed, one after the other. +They fell upon their knees, begging for mercy, but they had to deal with +the most cruel of all the ogres, and who, far from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> feeling pity for +them, devoured them already with his eyes, and said to his wife that +they would be dainty bits, when she had made a good sauce for them. He +went and took up a large knife, and as he came towards the children +again, he whetted it on a long stone that he held in his left hand. He +had already seized one of them, when his wife said to him, "Why are you +doing that at this hour of night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow?" +"Hold your peace," replied the ogre. "They will be the more tender." +"But you have already too much food," continued his wife. "Here are a +calf, two sheep, and half a pig." "You are right," said the ogre, "give +them a good supper, that they may keep plump, and then put them to bed." +The good woman was rejoiced, and brought them plenty of supper; but they +could not eat, they were so overcome with fright. As for the ogre, he +seated himself to drink again, delighted to think he had such a treat in +store for his friends. He drained a dozen goblets more than usual, which +made him feel sleepy and heavy, and obliged him to go to bed.</p> + +<p>The ogre had seven daughters, who were still young children. These +little ogresses had the most beautiful complexions, as they lived on +fresh meat like their father; but they had very small round grey eyes, +hooked noses, and very large mouths, with long teeth, exceedingly sharp, +and wide apart. They were not very wicked as yet; but they promised to +become so, for they already began to bite little children, that they +might suck their blood. They had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> sent to bed early, and were all +seven in a large bed, each wearing a crown of gold on her head. In the +same room was another bed of the same size. It was in this bed that the +ogre's wife put the seven little boys to sleep, after which she went to +bed herself.</p> + +<p>Little Thumbling, who had noticed that the ogre's daughters had golden +crowns on their heads, and who was afraid that the ogre might repent not +having killed him and his brothers that evening, got up in the middle of +the night, and, taking off his own nightcap, and those of his brothers, +went very softly and placed them on the heads of the ogre's daughters, +first taking off their golden crowns, which he put on his brothers and +himself, in order that the ogre might mistake them for his daughters, +and his daughters for the boys whom he wanted to kill.</p> + +<p>Everything turned out as Little Thumbling had expected. The ogre awoke +at midnight, and regretted having put off till the morning what he might +have done the evening before. He, therefore, jumped suddenly out of bed, +and seizing his great knife, "Let us go, and see," said he, "how the +young rogues are getting on! I will not think twice about it this time." +So he stole on tiptoes up to his daughters' bedroom, and went up to the +bed in which lay the little boys, who were all asleep except Thumbling, +who was dreadfully frightened when the ogre put his hand on his head to +feel it, as he had in turn felt those of his brothers. The ogre, feeling +the golden crowns, said, "Truly, I was about to do a pretty piece of +work! It's plain I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> drank too much wine last night." He then went to the +bed where his daughters slept, and having felt the little nightcaps that +belonged to the boys, "Aha!" cried he, "here are our fine young fellows. +Let us to work boldly!" So saying, he, without pause, cut the throats of +his seven daughters.</p> + +<p>Well satisfied with his deed, he returned and lay down beside his wife. +As soon as Little Thumbling heard the ogre snoring, he awoke his +brothers, and bade them dress themselves quickly and follow him. They +crept down into the garden and jumped over the wall. They ran nearly all +night long, trembling the whole time, and not knowing whither they were +going. The ogre, awaking in the morning, said to his wife, "Go upstairs +and dress those young scamps you took in last night." The ogress was +astonished at her husband's kindness, never guessing what he meant, and +only fancying that he wished her to go and put on their clothes. She +went upstairs, where she was horrified to find that her own children had +been killed. The first thing she did was to faint, for it is the first +thing that almost all women do in similar circumstances. The ogre, +fearing that his wife would be too long over the job he had given her to +do, went upstairs to help her. His surprise was not less than had been +his wife's, when his eyes fell on the frightful spectacle.</p> + +<p>"Ah! what have I done?" he exclaimed. "The young wretches shall pay for +it, and that at once." He threw a jugful of water in his wife's face, +and having brought her to, said, "Quick!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> fetch me my seven-league +boots, that I may go after them and catch them." He set out, and after +running in every direction, came at last upon the track of the poor +children, who were not more than a hundred yards from their father's +house. They saw the ogre striding from hill to hill, and stepping over +rivers as easily as if they were the smallest brooks. Little Thumbling, +who caught sight of a hollow rock close by where they were, hid his +brothers in it, and crept in after them, keeping his eye on the ogre all +the while. The ogre, feeling very tired with his long journey to no +purpose—for seven-league boots are very fatiguing to the +wearer—thought he should like to rest, and, by chance, sat down on the +very rock in which the little boys had concealed themselves. As he was +quite worn out, he had not rested long before he fell asleep, and began +to snore so dreadfully, that the poor children were not less frightened +than they were when he took up the great knife to cut their throats.</p> + +<p>Little Thumbling was not so much alarmed, and told his brothers to run +quickly into the house while the ogre was sound asleep, and not to be +uneasy about him. They took his advice and soon reached home. Little +Thumbling then going up to the ogre, gently pulled off his boots, and +put them on himself. The boots were very large and very long; but as +they were enchanted boots, they had the quality of becoming larger or +smaller according to the leg of the person who wore them, so that they +fitted him as if they had been made for him. He went straight to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +ogre's house, where he found the wife weeping over her murdered +daughters. "Your husband," said Little Thumbling to her, "is in great +danger, for he has been seized by a band of robbers, who have sworn to +kill him if he does not give them all his gold and silver. Just as they +had their daggers at his throat, he saw me, and begged me to come and +tell you what had happened to him, and sent word that you were to give +me all his ready money, without keeping back any of it, as otherwise +they will kill him without mercy. As time pressed, he insisted on my +taking his seven-league boots, which you see I have on, in order that I +might make haste, and also that you might be sure I was not imposing +upon you."</p> + +<p>The good woman, very much alarmed, immediately gave him all the money +she could find, for the ogre was not a bad husband to her, although he +ate little children. Little Thumbling, thus laden with all the ogre's +wealth, hastened back to his father's house, where he was received with +great joy.</p> + +<p>There are many persons who differ in their account of this part of the +story, and who pretend that Little Thumbling never stole the ogre's +money, and that he really only took the seven-league boots, as he felt +no scruple in doing this, seeing that the ogre used them expressly for +running after little children. These people assert that they have heard +it from good authority, and that they have eaten and drunk in the +woodcutter's house. They assure us that when Little Thumbling had put on +the ogre's boots, he went to Court, where he knew they were in much +trouble about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> an army which was within two hundred leagues of them, and +were anxious to hear the result of a battle that had been fought. They +say he went to find the King, and told him that, if he wished it, he +would bring him back news of the army before the end of the day. The +King promised him a large sum of money if he did so.</p> + +<p>Little Thumbling brought news that very evening, and this first journey +having made him well known, he got whatever he chose to ask, for the +King paid him most liberally for carrying his orders to the army; a +great number of ladies also gave him whatever he wished, in return for +news of their lovers, and this brought him in the greatest gain.</p> + +<p>After he had been a courier for some time, and had saved a great deal of +money, he returned to his father, and it is impossible to imagine the +joy of his family at seeing him again. He made them all comfortable. He +bought newly-made offices for his father and brothers, and by these +means established them all, making his own way at Court at the same +time.</p> + +<div class="block4"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Often is the handsome boy<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Made, alone, his father's joy;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While the tiny, timid child<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is neglected, or reviled,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Notwithstanding, sometimes he<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lives, of all, the prop to be.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +</div> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +<a name="beauty" id="beauty"></a>Beauty and the Beast</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +BEAUTY AND THE BEAST</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">There</span> was once a merchant, who was very, very rich. He had six children, +three boys and three girls, and as he was a man of good sense, he spared +no expense in order that they might be well educated, and gave them +masters of every kind. His daughters were all beautiful, but his +youngest one was especially admired, and from the time she was a small +child, had been only known and spoken of as "Beauty." The name remained +with her as she grew older, which gave rise to a great deal of jealousy +on the part of her sisters. The young girl was not only more beautiful +than they were, but also kinder and more amiable. The elder daughters +gave themselves great airs, for they were overweeningly proud of being +so rich, and would not condescend to receive visits from the daughters +of other merchants, as they only cared for the society of people in high +position. Not a day passed that they did not go to a ball, or a theatre, +or for a drive or walk in a fashionable part of the town, and they made +fun of their sister, who spent a great part of her time in study. The +girls received many offers of marriage from well-to-do merchants, as +they were known to be rich, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> the two elder ones replied, that they +did not intend to marry anyone, unless a duke or an earl could be found +for a husband.</p> + +<p>Beauty, the youngest, was more polite, and thanked those who asked for +her hand, but she was, as she told them, too young as yet, and wished to +remain for a few more years as a companion to her father.</p> + +<p>Then, all at once, the merchant lost the whole of his fortune; nothing +was left to him but a little house, situated far away in the country. He +told his children, weeping, that they would +<a name="be" id="be"></a><ins title="Original has he">be</ins> obliged to go and +live there, and that, even then, they would have to support themselves +by the work of their own hands. His two elder daughters refused to leave +the town; they had many admirers, they said, who would be only too glad +to marry them, although they were now without fortune. But these young +ladies found themselves greatly mistaken, for their admirers did not +even care to look at them, now that they were poor. They had made +themselves generally disliked, on account of their haughty behaviour. +"They do not deserve to be pitied," said everyone; "we are very glad +that their pride is humbled; let them go and play the fine lady, keeping +sheep." But people spoke differently of Beauty. "We are very sorry," +they said, "that she is in trouble; she is such a good girl! she always +spoke so kindly to the poor! she was so gentle and courteous!" Several +of her suitors, also, still wished to marry her, although she had not a +penny, but she told them that she could not think of leaving her father +in his distress, and that she intended going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> with him into the country, +to comfort him, and help with the work. Beauty was very unhappy at +losing her fortune, but she said to herself, "It is no use crying, tears +will not give me back my riches; I must try and be happy without them."</p> + +<p>As soon as they were settled in their country house, the merchant and +his sons began to till the ground. Beauty rose every morning at four +o'clock, and made haste to clean the house and prepare the dinner. She +found her duties very painful and fatiguing at first, for she had not +been accustomed to do the work of a servant; but in two months' time she +had grown stronger, and the activity of her life gave her fresh health +and colour. When her day's work was over, she amused herself with +reading, or music; sometimes she sat down to her wheel, and sang to her +spinning. Meanwhile her two sisters were wearied to death with the +dulness of their life; they stayed in bed till ten o'clock, did nothing +all day but saunter about, and for their only diversion talked with +regret of their former fine clothes and friends. "Look at our young +sister," they said to one another; "she is so low-minded and stupid, +that she is quite content with her miserable condition."</p> + +<p>The good merchant thought differently: he knew that Beauty was better +fitted to shine in society than they were; he admired the good qualities +of his youngest child, especially her patience, for her sisters, not +content with allowing her to do all the work of the house, took every +opportunity of insulting her.</p> + +<p>The family had lived in this solitude for a year,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> when a letter arrived +for the merchant, telling him that a vessel, on which there was +merchandise belonging to him, had arrived safely in port. The two elder +girls were nearly out of their minds with joy when they heard this good +news, for now they hoped that they should be able to leave the country. +They begged their father, ere he departed, to bring them back dresses +and capes, head-dresses, and all sorts of odds and ends of fancy attire. +Beauty asked for nothing; for, as she thought to herself, all the money +that the merchandise would bring in, would not be sufficient to pay for +everything that her sisters wished for. "Is there nothing you wish me to +buy for you?" her father said to her. "As you are so kind as to think of +me," she replied, "I pray you to bring me a rose, for we have not one +here." Now Beauty did not really care about the rose, but she had no +wish to seem, by her example, to reprove her sisters, who would have +said that she did not ask for anything, in order to make herself appear +more considerate than they were.</p> + +<p>The father left them, but on arriving at his destination, he had to go +to law about his merchandise, and after a great deal of trouble, he +turned back home as poor as he came. He had not many more miles to go, +and was already enjoying, in anticipation, the pleasure of seeing his +children again, when, passing on his journey through a large wood, he +lost his way. It was snowing hard; the wind was so violent that he was +twice blown off his horse, and, as the night was closing in, he was +afraid that he would die of cold and hunger, or that he would be eaten +by the wolves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> that he could hear howling around him. All at once, +however, he caught sight of a bright light, which appeared to be some +way off, at the further end of a long avenue of trees. He walked towards +it, and soon saw that it came from a splendid castle, which was +brilliantly illuminated. The merchant thanked God for the help that had +been sent him, and hastened towards the castle, but was greatly +surprised, on reaching it, to find no one in the courtyard, or about the +entrances. His horse, which was following him, seeing the door of a +large stable standing open, went in, and finding there some hay and +oats, the poor animal, half dead for want of food, began eating with +avidity.</p> + +<p>The merchant fastened him up in the stable, and went towards the house, +but still no one was to be seen; he walked into a large dining-hall, and +there he found a good fire, and a table laid for one person, covered +with provisions. Being wet to the skin with the rain and snow, he drew +near the fire to dry himself, saying, as he did so, "The master of this +house, or his servants, will pardon me the liberty I am taking; no doubt +they will soon appear." He waited for a considerable time; but when +eleven o'clock had struck, and still he had seen no one, he could no +longer resist the feeling of hunger, and seizing a chicken, he ate it up +in two mouthfuls, trembling the while. Then he took a draught or two of +wine, and, his courage returning, he left the dining-hall and made his +way through several large rooms magnificently furnished. Finally he came +to a room where there was a comfortable bed, and as it was now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> past +midnight, and he was very tired, he made up his mind to shut the door +and lie down.</p> + +<p>It was ten o'clock next morning before he awoke, when, to his great +surprise, he found new clothes put in place of his own, which had been +completely spoiled. "This palace must certainly belong to some good +fairy," he said to himself, "who, seeing my condition, has taken pity +upon me." He looked out of the window; the snow was gone, and he saw +instead, bowers of delicious flowers which were a delight to the eye.</p> + +<p>He went again into the dining-hall where he had supped the night before, +and saw a little table with chocolate upon it. "I thank you, good madam +fairy," he said aloud, "for your kindness in thinking of my breakfast."</p> + +<p>The merchant, having drunk his chocolate, went out to find his horse; as +he passed under a bower of roses, he remembered that Beauty had asked +him to bring her one, and he plucked a branch on which several were +growing. He had scarcely done so, when he heard a loud roar, and saw +coming towards him a Beast, of such a horrible aspect, that he nearly +fainted. "You are very ungrateful," said the Beast in a terrible voice; +"I received you into my castle, and saved your life, and now you steal +my roses, which I care for more than anything else in the world. Death +alone can make amends for what you have done; I give you a quarter of an +hour, no more, in which to ask forgiveness of God."</p> + +<p>The merchant threw himself on his knees, and with clasped hands, said to +the Beast, "I pray you, my lord, to forgive me. I did not think to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +offend you by picking a rose for one of my daughters, who asked me to +take it her." "I am not called my lord," responded the monster, "but +simply the Beast, I do not care for compliments; I like people to say +what they think; so do not think to mollify me with your flattery. But +you tell me you have some daughters; I will pardon you on condition that +one of your daughters will come of her own free will to die in your +place. Do not stop to argue with me; go! and if your daughter refuses to +die for you, swear that you will return yourself in three months' time."</p> + +<p>The merchant had no intention of sacrificing one of his daughters to +this hideous monster, but he thought, "At least I shall have the +pleasure of embracing them once more." He swore therefore to return, and +the Beast told him that he might go when he liked; "but," added he, "I +do not wish you to go from me with empty hands. Go back to the room in +which you slept, there you will find a large empty trunk; you may fill +it with whatever you please, and I will have it conveyed to your house." +With these words the Beast withdrew, and the merchant said +<a name="to" id="to"></a><ins title="Original has ro">to</ins> +himself, "If I must die, I shall at least have the consolation of +leaving my children enough for their daily bread."</p> + +<p>He returned to the room where he had passed the night, and finding there +a great quantity of gold pieces, he filled the trunk, of which the Beast +had spoken, with these, closed it, and remounting his horse, which he +found still in the stable, he rode out from the castle, his sadness now +as great as had been his joy on entering it. His horse carried him of +its own accord along one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> of the roads through the forest, and in a few +hours the merchant was again in his own little house.</p> + +<p>His children gathered round him; but instead of finding pleasure in +their caresses, he began to weep as he looked upon them. He held in his +hand the branch of roses which he had brought for Beauty. "Take them," +he said, as he gave them to her, "your unhappy father has paid dearly +for them." And then he told his family of the melancholy adventure that +had befallen him.</p> + +<p>The two elder girls, when they had heard his tale, cried and screamed, +and began saying all sorts of cruel things to Beauty, who did not shed a +tear. "See what the pride of this wretched little creature has brought +us to!" said they. "Why couldn't she ask for wearing apparel as we did? +but no, she must needs show herself off as a superior person. It is she +who will be the cause of our father's death, and she does not even cry!"</p> + +<p>"That would be of little use," replied Beauty. "Why should I cry about +my father's death? He is not going to die. Since the monster is willing +to accept one of his daughters, I will give myself up to him, that he +may vent his full anger upon me; and I am happy in so doing, for by my +death I shall have the joy of saving my father, and of proving my love +for him."</p> + +<p>"No, my sister," said the three brothers, "you shall not die; we will go +and find out this monster, and we will either kill him or die beneath +his blows." "Do not hope to kill him," said their father to them; "for +the Beast is so powerful, that I fear there are no means by which he +could be destroyed. My Beauty's loving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> heart fills mine with gladness, +but she shall not be exposed to such a terrible death. I am old, I have +but a little while to live; I shall but lose a few years of life, which +I regret on your account, and on yours alone, my children."</p> + +<p>"I am determined, my father," said Beauty, "that you shall not return to +that castle without me; you cannot prevent me following you. Although I +am young, life has no great attraction for me, and I would far rather be +devoured by the monster than die of the grief which your death would +cause me."</p> + +<p>In vain the others tried to dissuade her, Beauty persisted in her +determination to go to the castle; and her sisters were not sorry about +it, for the virtues of their young sister had aroused in them a strong +feeling of jealousy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p><p>The merchant was so taken up with grief at losing his daughter, that he +quite forgot about the trunk which he had filled with gold pieces, but, +to his astonishment, he had no sooner shut himself into his room for the +night, than he found it beside his bed. He resolved not to tell his +children of his newly-obtained riches, for he knew that his daughters +would then wish to return to the town, and he had made up his mind to +die where he was in the country. He confided his secret, however, to +Beauty, who told him that there had been visitors at the house during +his absence, among them two who were in love with her sisters. She +begged her father to marry them; for she was so good of heart, that she +loved them and freely forgave them all the unkindness they had shown +her.</p> + +<p>The two hard-hearted girls rubbed their eyes with an onion that they +might shed tears on the departure of their father and Beauty; but the +brothers wept sincerely, as did also the merchant; Beauty alone would +not cry, fearing that it might increase their sorrow. The horse took the +road that led to the castle, and as evening fell, it came in view, +illuminated as before. Again the horse was the only one in the stable, +and once more the merchant entered the large dining-hall, this time with +his daughter, and there they found the table magnificently laid for two.</p> + +<p>The merchant had not the heart to eat; but Beauty, doing her utmost to +appear cheerful, sat down to the table and served him to something. Then +she said to herself, "The Beast wants to fatten me before he eats me, +since he provides such good cheer."</p> + +<p>They had finished their supper, when they heard a great noise, and the +merchant, weeping, said farewell to his poor daughter, for he knew it +was the Beast. Beauty could not help shuddering when she saw the +dreadful shape approaching; but she did her best not to give way to her +fear, and when the Beast asked her if it was of her own free will that +she had come, she told him, trembling, that it was so. "You are very +good, and I am much obliged to you," said the Beast. "Good man, +to-morrow morning you will leave, and do not venture ever to come here +again." "Good-bye, Beast," replied Beauty, and the Beast immediately +retired. "Alas! my daughter," said the merchant, clasping Beauty in his +arms, "I am half dead with fright. Listen to me, and leave me here." +"No, my father," said Beauty, without faltering. "You will depart +to-morrow morning, and you will leave me under Heaven's protection, +maybe I shall find pity and help."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="arriving"></a> +<img src="images/i129.jpg" width="400" height="654" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>Her father was just arriving.</i>'<br /> +<i>Beauty & the Beast</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +</div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +They retired to rest, thinking that they would have no sleep that night; +but no sooner were they in bed than their eyes closed. In her dreams +there appeared to Beauty a lady, who said to her, "I have pleasure in +the goodness of your heart, Beauty; your good action in giving your life +to save that of your father will not be without its reward." Beauty told +her father next morning of her dream, and although it afforded him some +consolation, it did not prevent his loud cries of grief when at last he +was forced to bid good-bye to his dear daughter.</p> + +<p>After his departure, Beauty went back and sat down in the dining-hall, +and began weeping herself. She was, however, of a courageous +disposition, and so she commended herself to God, and resolved not to be +miserable during the short time still left her to live, for she quite +thought that the Beast would eat her that evening. In the meanwhile she +resolved to walk about and look over the fine castle she was in. She +found it impossible not to admire its beauty, but her surprise was great +when she came to a door over which was written: Beauty's Room. She +hastily opened the door, and was dazzled by the magnificence of the +whole apartment; what most attracted her admiration, however, was a +large bookcase, a piano, and several books of music.</p> + +<p>"He does not wish me to feel dull," she said in a low voice. Then the +thought came to her,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> "If I was only going to live here a day, there +would not have been so much provided for my amusement." This thought +revived her courage.</p> + +<p>She opened the bookcase and there saw a book on which was written in +letters of gold:—</p> + +<p>"Wish what you like, Command what you will, You alone are Queen and +Mistress here."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" she murmured, sighing, "I wish for nothing but to see my dear +father again, and to know what he is doing at this moment." She had only +said this to herself in a low voice, what was her surprise, therefore, +when, turning towards a large mirror, she saw her home, and her father, +just returned, wearing a sad countenance; her sisters went forward to +meet him, and in spite of the expression of sorrow which they tried to +assume, it was evident in their faces that they were delighted to have +lost their sister. In another minute, the picture had disappeared, and +Beauty could not help thinking that the Beast was very kind hearted, and +that she had not much to fear from him.</p> + +<p>She found the table laid for her at noon, and during her dinner she was +entertained with a delightful concert, although no creature was visible.</p> + +<p>In the evening, as she was just sitting down to her meal, she heard the +sound of the Beast's voice, and could not help shuddering. "Beauty," +said the monster to her, "will you allow me to look on while you are +eating your supper?" "You are master here," replied Beauty, trembling. +"Not so," rejoined the Beast, "it is you who alone are mistress; if I +annoy you, you have only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> to tell me to go, and I will leave you at +once. But confess now, you think me very ugly, do you not?" "That is +true," said Beauty, "for I cannot tell a lie; but I think you are very +kind."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said the monster; "but, besides being ugly, I am also +stupid; I know, well enough, that I am only a Beast."</p> + +<p>"No one is stupid, who believes himself to be wanting in intelligence, +it is the fool who is not aware of being without it." "Eat, Beauty," +said the monster to her, "and try to find pleasure in your own house; +for everything here belongs to you. I should be very sorry if you were +unhappy." "You are everything that is kind," said Beauty. "I assure you +that your goodness of heart makes me happy; when I think of that, you no +longer appear so ugly to me." "Ah, yes!" replied the Beast, "I have a +kind heart, but for all that I am a monster." "Many men are more +monsters than you," said Beauty; "and I care more for you with your +countenance, than for those who with their human face hide a false, +corrupt, and ungrateful heart." "If I had sufficient wit," responded the +Beast, "I would make you a pretty answer in return for your words; but I +am too stupid for that, and all I can say is, that I am very grateful to +you."</p> + +<p>Beauty ate her supper with a good appetite. She had lost almost all her +fear of the monster, but she almost died of fright, when he said, +"Beauty, will you be my wife?"</p> + +<p>She sat for a while without answering; she was alarmed at the thought of +arousing the monster's anger by refusing him. Nevertheless she finally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +said, trembling, "No, Beast." At this the poor monster sighed, and the +hideous sound he made echoed throughout the castle, but Beauty was soon +<a name="reassured" id="reassured"></a><ins title="Original has reassurred">reassured</ins>, for the Beast, after sadly bidding her adieu, +left the room, turning his head from time to time to look at her again.</p> + +<p>A strong feeling of compassion for the Beast came over Beauty when she +was left alone. "Alas!" she said, "it is a pity he is so ugly, for he is +so good!"</p> + +<p>Beauty spent three months in the castle, more or less happily. The Beast +paid her a visit every evening, and conversed with her as she ate her +supper, showing good sense in his talk, but not what the world deems +cleverness. Every day Beauty discovered some fresh good quality in the +monster; she grew accustomed to his ugliness, and far from fearing his +visit, she would often look at her watch to see if it was nearly nine +o'clock, for the Beast always arrived punctually at that hour. There was +only one thing which caused distress to Beauty, and that was, that every +evening before retiring, the monster asked her if she would be his wife, +and always appeared overcome with sorrow at her refusal. One day she +said to him, "You grieve me, Beast; I wish it were possible for me to +marry you, but I am too truthful to make you believe that such a thing +could ever happen; I shall always be your friend, try to be satisfied +with that." "I suppose I must," responded the Beast; "I know I am +horrible to look upon, but I love you very much. However, I am but too +happy that you consent to remain here; promise me that you will never +leave me." The colour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> came into Beauty's face; her mirror had shown her +that her father was ill with the grief of losing her, and she was hoping +to see him again. "I would promise without hesitation never to leave +you," said Beauty to him, "but I do so long to see my father again, that +I shall die of sorrow if you refuse me this pleasure." "I would rather +die myself," said the monster, "than give you pain; I will send you home +to your father, you will stay there, and your poor Beast will die of +grief at your absence." "No, no," said Beauty, crying; "I care for you +too much to wish to cause your death; I promise to return in a week's +time. You have let me see that my sisters are married, and that my +brothers have entered the army. My father is all alone, let me remain +with him a week." "You shall be with him to-morrow morning, but remember +your promise. When you wish to return, you have only to put your ring on +the table before going to bed. Farewell, Beauty." The Beast gave his +usual sigh as he said these words, and Beauty went to bed feeling +troubled at the thought of the sorrow she had caused him. When she awoke +the following morning, she found herself at home, and ringing a little +bell that stood beside her bed, the maid-servant came in, who gave a +loud cry of astonishment at seeing her there. Her father ran in on +hearing the cry, and almost died of joy when he found his dear daughter, +and they remained clasped in each other's arms for more than a quarter +of an hour.</p> + +<p>Beauty, after the first transports of joy were over, remembered that she +had no clothes with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> her; but the servant told her that she had just +found a trunk in the next room, in which were dresses of gold fabric, +trimmed with diamonds. Beauty thanked the kind Beast for his +thoughtfulness. She took out the least costly of the dresses, and told +the maid to lock the others away again, as she wished to give them to +her sisters; but she had no sooner uttered these words, than the trunk +disappeared. Her father said to her that the Beast evidently wished her +to keep them all for herself, and the trunk and the dresses immediately +reappeared.</p> + +<p>Beauty dressed herself, and, meanwhile, news of her arrival was sent to +her sisters, who came in haste with their husbands. They were both +extremely unhappy. The eldest had married a young man who was as +handsome as nature could make him, but he was so in love with his own +face, that he could think of nothing else from morning to night, and +cared nothing for the beauty of his wife. The second had married a very +witty and clever man, but he only made use of his ability to put +everybody in a bad temper, beginning with his wife.</p> + +<p>Her sisters nearly died of envy when they saw Beauty dressed like a +princess, and beautiful as the day. In vain she showered caresses upon +them, nothing could stifle their jealousy, which only increased when she +told them how happy she was.</p> + +<p>These two jealous creatures went into the garden, that they might cry +more at their ease. They said to one another, "Why should this wretched +little thing be happier than we are? Are we not more attractive than she +is?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +"Sister," said the eldest one, "an idea has occurred to me: let us try +to keep her here over the week. Her stupid old Beast will be enraged at +her breaking her word, and perhaps he will devour her." "You are right, +sister," replied the other; "to carry out our plan, we must appear very +loving and kind to her." And having settled this, they went back to the +house and were so affectionate to her, that Beauty cried for joy. When +the week drew to a close, the two sisters showed such signs of grief at +her departure, and made such lamentation, that she promised to stay till +the end of the second one. Beauty, however, reproached herself for the +sorrow she would cause her poor Beast, whom she loved with all her +heart; and she began to miss him very much. On the tenth night of her +absence, she dreamed that she was in the garden of the castle, and that +she saw the Beast lying on the grass, apparently dying, and that he +reproached her with her ingratitude. Beauty awoke with a start, and +wept. "I am indeed wicked," she said, "to behave so ungratefully to a +Beast who has been so considerate and kind to me! Is it his fault that +he is ugly and that he is not clever? He is good, and that is worth +everything else. Why did I refuse to marry him? I should be happier with +him than my sisters are with their husbands. It is neither beauty nor +wit in a husband which makes a wife happy; it is amiability of +character, uprightness and generosity: and the Beast has all these good +qualities. I do not love him, but I respect him, and I feel both +affection for him, and gratitude. I will not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> make him unhappy; should I +do so, I should reproach myself for it as long as I live."</p> + +<p>With these words, Beauty rose, placed her ring on a table, and lay down +again. The moment she was in bed, she fell asleep, and when she awoke +next morning, she saw with delight that she was back in the Beast's +castle. She dressed herself magnificently, in order to please him, and +the hours seemed to drag as she waited for nine o'clock to strike; but +the hour came, and the Beast did not appear.</p> + +<p>Then Beauty began to fear that she had caused his death. She ran through +the castle, uttering loud cries, for she was in despair. After having +looked everywhere, she remembered her dream, and ran into the garden +towards the water, where she had seen him in her sleep. She found the +poor Beast stretched on the ground, and unconscious, and she thought he +was dead. Forgetting her horror at his appearance, she threw herself +upon him, and feeling that his heart was still beating, she fetched some +water and threw it over his head. The Beast opened his eyes, and said to +Beauty, "You forgot your promise; in my grief at losing you, I +determined to let myself die of hunger; but I die happy, since I have +had the joy of seeing you once again." "No, my dear Beast, you shall not +die," exclaimed Beauty. "You shall live to be my husband; I am yours +from this moment, and only yours. Alas! I thought the feeling I had for +you was only one of friendship; but now I know, by the grief I feel, +that I cannot live without you." Beauty had scarcely uttered these words +before she saw the castle suddenly become<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> brilliantly illuminated, +while fire-works, music, everything indicated the celebration of some +joyful event. She did not gaze long, however, at these splendours, but +quickly turned her eyes again towards her dear Beast, the thought of +whose danger made her tremble with anxiety. But what was her surprise +when she saw that the Beast had disappeared, and that a young and +handsome Prince was lying at her feet, who thanked her for having +released him from enchantment. Although this Prince was fully worthy of +her attention, Beauty, nevertheless, could not help asking what had +become of the Beast. "You see him at your feet," said the Prince to her. +"A wicked fairy condemned me to remain in the form of a monster, until +some fair damsel would consent to marry me, and she forbade me also to +betray that I had intelligence. You are the only one who has been kind +enough to allow the goodness of my heart to touch yours, and I cannot, +even by offering you my crown, acquit myself of obligation to you."</p> + +<p>Beauty, agreeably surprised, gave the young Prince her hand, to help him +to rise. They passed, side by side, into the castle, and Beauty nearly +died of joy, when she found her father and all her family assembled in +the dining-hall, the beautiful lady whom she had seen in her dream +having transported them thither. "Beauty," said the lady, who was a +well-known fairy, "receive the recompense of your noble choice; you +preferred virtue to beauty or intelligence, and you therefore deserve to +find all these qualities united in one person. You are soon to become a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +great queen; I trust your exalted position will not destroy your good +disposition. As for you," said the fairy, turning to Beauty's sisters, +"I know your hearts and all the malice concealed in them. Be turned, +therefore, into statues, but preserve your consciousness beneath the +stone which will envelop you. You will remain at the entrance of your +sister's palace, and I impose no further punishment upon you, than to be +the constant witnesses of her happiness. You will not be able to resume +your present forms, until you have recognised and confessed your faults, +but I greatly fear that you will always remain statues. Pride, anger, +greediness, and laziness may be corrected; but nothing short of a +miracle can convert the envious and malicious heart." The fairy then +gave a tap with her wand, and all those assembled in the dining-hall +were immediately transported into the Prince's kingdom. His subjects +greeted him with joy; he married Beauty, who lived a long life with him +of perfect happiness, for it was founded upon virtue.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +<a name="frog" id="frog"></a>The Benevolent Frog</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +THE BENEVOLENT FROG</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">There</span> was once a King who for many years had been engaged in a war with +his neighbours; a great number of battles had been fought, and at last +the enemy laid siege to his capital. The King, fearing for the safety of +the Queen, begged her to retire to a fortified castle, which he himself +had never visited but once. The Queen endeavoured, with many prayers and +tears, to persuade him to allow her to remain beside him and to share +his fate, and it was with loud cries of grief that she was put into her +chariot by the King to be driven away. He ordered his guards, however, +to accompany her, and promised to steal away when possible to visit her. +He tried to comfort her with this hope, although he knew that there was +little chance of fulfilling it, for the castle stood a long distance +off, surrounded by a thick forest, and only those who were well +acquainted with the roads could possibly find their way to it.</p> + +<p>The Queen parted from her husband, broken-hearted at leaving him exposed +to the dangers of war; she travelled by easy stages, in case the fatigue +of so long a journey should make her ill; at last she reached the +castle, feeling low-spirited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> and distressed. When sufficiently rested, +she walked about the surrounding country, but found nothing to interest +her or divert her thoughts. She saw only far-spreading desert tracts on +either side, which gave her more pain than pleasure to look upon; sadly +she gazed around her, exclaiming at intervals, "What a contrast between +this place and that in which I have lived all my life! If I stay here +long I shall die! To whom have I to talk in these solitudes? With whom +can I share my troubles? What have I done to the King that he should +banish me? He wishes me, it seems, to feel the full bitterness of our +separation, by exiling me to this miserable castle."</p> + +<p>Thus she lamented; and although the King wrote daily to her, and sent +her good news of the progress of the siege, she grew more and more +unhappy, and at last determined that she would return to him. Knowing, +however, that the officers who were in attendance upon her had received +orders not to take her back, unless the King sent a special messenger, +she kept her design secret, but ordered a small chariot to be built for +her, in which there was only room for one, saying that she should like +sometimes to accompany the hunt. She drove herself, and followed so +closely on the hounds, that the huntsmen were left behind; by this means +she had sole command of her chariot, and could get away whenever she +liked. Her only difficulty was her ignorance of the roads that traversed +the forest; but she trusted to the kindness of Providence to bring her +safely through it. She gave word that there was to be a great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> hunt, and +that she wished everybody to be there; she herself would go in her +chariot, and each was to follow a different route, that there might be +no possibility of escape for the wild beasts. Everything was done +according to her orders. The young Queen, feeling sure that she should +soon see her husband again, dressed herself as becomingly as possible; +her hat was covered with feathers of different colours, the front of her +dress lavishly trimmed with precious stones, and her beauty, which was +of no ordinary kind, made her seem, when so adorned, a second Diana.</p> + +<p>While everybody was occupied with the pleasures of the hunt, she gave +rein to her horses, encouraged them with voice and whip, and soon their +quickened pace became a gallop; then, taking the bit between their +teeth, they flew along at such a speed, that the chariot seemed borne by +the winds, and the eye could scarcely follow it. Too late the poor Queen +repented of her rashness: "What could I have been thinking of?" she +said. "How could I have imagined that I should be able to control such +wild and fiery horses? Alas! what will become of me? What would the King +do if he knew the great danger I am in, he who loves me so dearly, and +who only sent me away that I might be in greater safety! This is my +gratitude for his tender care!" The air resounded with her piteous +lamentations; she invoked Heaven, she called the fairies to her +assistance, but it seemed that all the powers had abandoned her. The +chariot was overthrown; she had not sufficient strength to jump quickly +enough to the ground, and her foot was caught<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> between the wheel and the +axle-tree; it was only by a miracle she was saved.</p> + +<p>She remained stretched on the ground at the foot of a tree; her heart +scarcely beat, she could not speak, and her face was covered with blood. +She lay thus for a long time; when at last she opened her eyes, she saw, +standing near her, a woman of gigantic stature, clothed only in a lion's +skin, with bare arms and legs, her hair tied up with the dried skin of a +snake, the head of which dangled over her shoulders; in her hand was a +club made of stone, which served her as a walking-stick, and a quiver +full of arrows was fastened to her side. When the Queen caught sight of +this extraordinary figure, she felt sure that she was dead, for she did +not think it was possible that she could be alive after such a terrible +accident, and she said in a low voice to herself, "I am not surprised +that it is so difficult to resolve to die, since what is to be seen in +the other world is so frightful." The giantess, who overheard her words, +could not help laughing at the Queen's idea that she was dead. "Take +courage," she said to her, "for know that you are still among the +living; but your fate is none the less sad. I am the Fairy Lioness, +whose dwelling is near here; you must come and live with me." The Queen +looked sorrowfully at her, and said, "If you will be good enough, Madam +Lioness, to take me back to my castle, and tell the King what ransom you +demand, he loves me so dearly, that he will not refuse you even the half +of his kingdom." "No," replied the giantess, "I am rich enough, but for +some time past my lonely life has seemed dull to me; you are +intelligent, and will be able perhaps to amuse me." As she finished +speaking, she took the form of a lioness, and placing the Queen on her +back, she carried her to the depths of her cave, and there rubbed her +with a spirit which quickly healed the Queen's wounds. But what surprise +and misery for the Queen to find herself in this dreadful abode! It was +only reached by ten thousand steps, which led down to the centre of the +earth; there was no light but that shed by a number of tall lamps, which +were reflected in a lake of quicksilver. This lake was covered with +monsters, each hideous enough to have frightened a less timid queen; +there were owls, screech-owls, ravens, and other birds of ill omen, +filling the air with discordant sounds; in the distance could be seen +rising a mountain whence flowed the sluggish waters of a stream composed +of all the tears shed by unhappy lovers, from the reservoirs of their +sad loves. The trees were bare of leaves and fruit, the ground covered +with marigolds, briars, and nettles.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="size"></a> +<img src="images/i147.jpg" width="400" height="657" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><i>She saw beside her a woman of a gigantic size.</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +The food corresponded to the climate of this miserable country; for a +few dried roots, some horse-chestnuts, and thorn-apples, were all that +was provided by the Fairy Lioness to appease the hunger of those who +fell into her hands.</p> + +<p>As soon as the Queen was well enough to begin work, the fairy told her +she could build herself a hut, as she was going to remain with her for +the rest of her life. On hearing this, the Queen could no longer +restrain her tears: "Alas, what have I done to you," she cried, "that +you should keep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> me here? If my death, which I feel is near, would give +you pleasure, I pray you, kill me, it is all the kindness I dare hope +from you; but do not condemn me to pass a long and melancholy life apart +from my husband."</p> + +<p>The Lioness only scoffed at her, and told her that the best thing she +could do was to dry her tears, and try to please her; that if she acted +otherwise, she would be the most miserable person in the world.</p> + +<p>"What must I do then," replied the Queen, "to soften your heart?" "I am +fond of fly-pasties," said the Lioness. "You must find means of +procuring a sufficient number of flies to make me a large and +sweet-tasting one." "But," said the Queen, "I see no flies here, and +even were there any, it is not light enough to catch them; and if I were +to catch some, I have never in my life made pastry, so that you are +giving me orders which it is impossible for me to execute." "No matter," +said the pitiless Lioness; "that which I wish to have, I will have."</p> + +<p>The Queen made no reply: she thought to herself, in spite of the cruel +fairy, that she had but one life to lose, and in the condition in which +she then was, what was there to fear in death? Instead, therefore, of +going in search of flies, she sat herself down under a yew tree, and +began to weep and complain: "Ah, my dear husband, what grief will be +yours, when you go to the castle to fetch me, and find I am not there; +you will think that I am dead, or faithless, and I would rather that you +should mourn the loss of my life, than that of my love; perhaps someone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +will find the remains of my chariot in the forest, and all the ornaments +which I took with me to please you; and when you see these, you will no +longer doubt that death has taken me; and how can I tell that you will +not give to another the heart's love which you have shared with me? But, +at least, I shall not have the pain of knowing this, since I am not to +return to the world." She would have continued communing thus with +herself for a long time, if she had not been interrupted by the dismal +croaking of a raven above her head. She lifted her eyes, and by the +feeble light saw a large raven with a frog in its bill, and about to +swallow it. "Although I see no help at hand for myself," she said, "I +will not let this poor frog perish if I can save it; it suffers as much +in its way, as I do in mine, although our conditions are so different," +and picking up the first stick she could find, she made the raven drop +its prey. The frog fell to the ground, where it lay for a time +half-stunned, but finally recovering its froggish senses, it began to +speak, and said: "Beautiful Queen, you are the first benevolent person +that I have seen since my curiosity first brought me here." "By what +wonderful power are you enabled to speak, little Frog?" responded the +Queen, "and what kind of people do you see here? for as yet I have seen +none." "All the monsters that cover the lake," replied the little Frog, +"were once in the world: some on thrones, some in high positions at +court; there are even here some royal ladies, who caused much strife and +blood*-shed; it is they whom you see changed into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> leeches; their fate +condemns them to be here for a time, but none of those who come return +to the world better or wiser." "I can well understand," said the Queen, +"that many wicked people together do not help to make each other better; +but you, my little Frog friend, what are you doing here?" "It was +curiosity which led me here," she replied. "I am half a fairy, my powers +are restricted with regard to certain things, but far-reaching in +others; if the Fairy Lioness knew that I was in her dominions, she would +kill me."</p> + +<p>"Whether fairy or half-fairy," said the Queen, "I cannot understand how +you could have fallen into the raven's clutches and been nearly eaten." +"I can explain it in a few words," replied the Frog. "When I have my +little cap of roses on my head, I fear nothing, as in that resides most +of my power; unfortunately, I had left it in the marsh, when that ugly +raven pounced upon me; if it had not been for you, madam, I should be no +more; and as you have saved my life, you have only to command, and I +will do all in my power to alleviate the sorrows of your own." "Alas! +dear Frog," said the Queen, "the wicked fairy who holds me captive +wishes me to make her a fly-pasty; but there are no flies here; if there +were any, I could not see in the dim light to catch them; I run a +chance, therefore, of being killed by her blows."</p> + +<p>"Leave it to me," said the Frog. "I will soon get you some." Whereupon +the Frog rubbed herself over with sugar, and more than six thousand of +her frog friends did likewise; then they repaired<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> to a place where the +fairy kept a large store of flies, for the purpose of tormenting some of +her unhappy victims. As soon as they smelt the sugar, they flew to it, +and stuck to the frogs, and these kind helpers returned at a gallop to +the Queen. There had never been such a fly-catching before, nor a better +pasty, than that the Queen made for the fairy. The latter was greatly +surprised when the Queen handed it to her, and could not imagine how she +had been clever enough to catch the flies.</p> + +<p>The Queen, finding herself exposed to the inclemencies of the poisonous +atmosphere, cut down some cypress branches, wherewith to build herself a +hut. The Frog generously offered her services, and putting herself at +the head of all those who had gone to collect the flies, they helped the +Queen to build as pretty a little tenement as the world could show. +Scarcely, however, had she laid herself down to rest, than the monsters +of the lake, jealous of her repose, came round her hut, and nearly drove +her distracted, by setting up a noise, more hideous than any ever heard +before.</p> + +<p>She rose in fear and trembling and fled from the house: this was exactly +what the monsters desired. A dragon, who had formerly been a tyrant of +one of the finest states of the Universe, immediately took possession of +it.</p> + +<p>The poor Queen tried to complain of the ill-treatment, but no one would +listen to her; the monsters laughed and hooted at her, and the Fairy +Lioness told her that if she came again to deafen her with lamentations, +she would give her a sound thrashing. She was forced, therefore,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> to +hold her tongue, and to have recourse to the Frog, who was the kindest +body in the world. They wept together; for as soon as she put on her cap +of roses, the Frog was able to laugh or weep like anyone else. "I feel +such an affection for you," she said to the Queen, "that I will re-build +your house, even though I drive all the monsters of the lake to +despair." She immediately cut some wood, and the little rustic palace of +the Queen was so quickly reared, that she was able to sleep in it that +night. The Frog, who thought of everything that was necessary for the +Queen's comfort, made her a bed of wild thyme. When the wicked fairy +found out that the Queen did not sleep on the ground, she sent for her: +"What gods or men are they who protect you?" she asked. "This land, +watered only by showers of burning sulphur, has never produced even a +leaf of sage; I am told, nevertheless, that sweet-smelling herbs spring +up beneath your feet!"</p> + +<p>"I cannot explain it, madam," said the Queen, "unless the cause is due +to the child I hope one day to have, who will perhaps be less unhappy +than I am."</p> + +<p>"What I now wish for," said the fairy, "is a bunch of the rarest +flowers; see if this coming happiness you speak of will obtain these for +you. If you fail to get them, blows will not fail to follow, for these I +often give, and know well how to administer." The Queen began to cry; +such threats as these were anything but pleasant to her and she was in +despair at the thought of the impossibility of finding flowers.</p> + +<p>She went back to her little house; her friend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> the Frog came to her: +"How unhappy you are!" she said to the Queen. "Alas! who would not be +so, dear friend? The fairy has ordered a bunch of the most beautiful +flowers, and where am I to find them? You see what sort of flowers grow +here; my life, nevertheless, is at stake, if I do not procure them for +her." "Dear Queen," said the Frog in tender tones, "we must try our best +to get you out of this difficulty. There lives a bat in this +neighbourhood, the only one with whom I have made acquaintance; she is a +good creature, and moves more quickly than I can; I will give her my cap +of roses, and aided by this, she will be able to find you the flowers." +The Queen made a low curtsey; for there was no possible way of embracing +the Frog. The latter went off without delay to speak to the bat; a few +hours later she returned, bearing under her wings the most exquisite +flowers. The Queen hurried off with them to the fairy, who was more +overcome by surprise than before, unable to understand in what +miraculous way the Queen received help.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Queen was continually thinking by what means she could +escape. She confided her longing to the Frog, who said to her, "Madam, +allow me first to consult my little cap, and we will then arrange +matters according to its advice." She took her cap, placed it on some +straw, and then burned in front of it a few sprigs of juniper, some +capers, and two green peas; she then croaked five times, and the +ceremony being then completed, she put on her cap again, and began +speaking like an oracle. "Fate, the ruler of all things, forbids you to +leave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> this place. You will have a little Princess, more beautiful than +Venus herself; do not trouble yourself about anything else, time alone +can comfort you." The Queen's head drooped, a few tears fell from her +eyes, but she resolved to trust her friend: "At least," she said to her, +"do not leave me here alone; and befriend me when my little one is +born." The Frog promised to remain with her, and comforted her as best +she could.</p> + +<p>But it is now time to return to the King. While the enemy kept him shut +up in his capital, he could not continually send messengers to the +Queen. At last, however, after several sorties, he obliged the besiegers +to retire, and he rejoiced at his success less on his own account, than +on that of the Queen, whom he could now bring back in safety. He was in +total ignorance of the disaster which had befallen her, for none of his +officers had dared to tell him of it. They had been into the forest and +found the remains of the chariot, the runaway horses, and the driving +apparel which she had put on when going to find her husband. As they +were fully persuaded that she was dead, and had been eaten by wild +beasts, their only care was to make the King believe that she had died +suddenly. On receiving this mournful intelligence, he thought he should +die himself of grief; he tore his hair, he wept many tears, and gave +vent to his bereavement in every imaginable expression of sorrow, cries, +sobs, and sighs. For some days he would see no one, nor allow himself to +be seen; he then returned to his capital, and entered on a long period +of mourning, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> which the sorrow of his heart testified more sincerely +than even his sombre garments of grief. All the surrounding kings sent +their ambassadors charged with messages of condolence; and when the +ceremonies, indispensable to these occasions, were over, he granted his +subjects a period of peace, exempting them from military service, and +helping them, in every possible way, to improve their commerce.</p> + +<p>The Queen knew nothing of all this. Meanwhile a little Princess had been +born to her, as beautiful as the Frog had predicted, to whom they gave +the name of Moufette. The Queen had great difficulty in persuading the +fairy to allow her to bring up the child, for so ferocious was she, that +she would have liked to eat it. Moufette, a wonder of beauty, was now +six months old; the Queen, as she looked upon her with a tenderness +mingled with pity, continually said: "Ah! if your father could see you, +my poor little one, how delighted he would be! how dear you would be to +him! But even, already, maybe, he has begun to forget me; he believes, +no doubt, that we are lost to him in death; and perhaps another fills +the place in his heart, that once was mine."</p> + +<p>These sorrowful reflections caused her many tears; the Frog, who truly +loved her, seeing her cry like this, said to her one day: "If you would +like me to do so, madam, I will go and find the King, your husband; the +journey is long, and I travel but slowly; but, sooner or later, I shall +hope to arrive." This proposal could not have been more warmly received +than it was; the Queen clasped her hands, and made Moufette clasp<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> hers +too, in sign of the gratitude she felt towards Madam Frog, for offering +to undertake the journey. She assured her that the King also would not +be ungrateful; "but," she continued, "of what use will it be to him to +know that I am in this melancholy abode; it will be impossible for him +to deliver me from it?" "Madam," replied the Frog, "we must leave that +to Heaven; we can only do that which depends on ourselves."</p> + +<p>They said good-bye to one another; the Queen sent a message to the King, +written with her blood on a piece of rag; for she +<a name="possessed" id="possessed"></a><ins title="Original has possesed">possessed</ins> +neither ink nor paper. She begged him to give attention to everything +the good Frog told him, and to believe all she said, as she was bringing +him news of herself.</p> + +<p>The Frog was a year and four days climbing up the ten thousand steps +which lead from the dark country, in which she had left the Queen, up +into the world; it took her another year to prepare her equipage, for +she had too much pride to allow herself to appear at the Court like a +poor, common frog from the marshes. She had a little sedan-chair made, +large enough to hold two eggs comfortably; it was covered on the outside +with tortoise-shell, and lined with lizard-skin; then she chose fifty +maids of honour, these were the little green frogs which hop about the +meadows; each was mounted on a snail, furnished with a light saddle, and +rode in style with the leg thrown over the saddle-bow; several +water-rats, dressed as pages, ran before the snails, as her body-guard; +in short, nothing so pretty had ever been seen before, and to crown it +all, her cap of crimson<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> roses, always fresh and in full bloom, suited +her in the most admirable manner. She was a bit of a coquette in her +way, so she felt obliged to add a little rouge and a few patches; some +said that she was painted as were many ladies of that country, but +inquiries into the matter proved that this report had only been spread +by her enemies.</p> + +<p>The journey lasted seven years, during which time the poor Queen went +through unspeakable pains and suffering, and if it had not been for the +beautiful Moufette, who was a great comfort to her, she would have died +a hundred times over. This wonderful little creature could not open her +mouth or say a word, without filling her mother with delight; indeed, +everybody, with the exception of the Fairy Lioness, was enchanted with +her; at last, when the Queen had lived six years in this horrible place, +the fairy said that, provided everything she killed was given to her, +she might go hunting with her.</p> + +<p>The joy of the Queen at once more seeing the sun may be imagined. So +unaccustomed had she grown to its light, that at first she thought it +would blind her. As for Moufette, she was so quick and intelligent, that +even at five or six years of age, she never failed to hit her mark, and +so, in this way, the mother and daughter succeeded in somewhat lessening +the ferocity of the fairy.</p> + +<p>The Frog travelled over mountains and valleys, never stopping day or +night; at last she drew near the capital, where the King was in +residence. She was surprised to see dancing and festivity in every +direction; there was laughter and singing, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> the nearer she got to +the town, the more joyous and jubilant the people seemed. Her rural +equipage caused great astonishment, everyone went after it, and so large +had the crowd become by the time she had reached the town, that she had +great difficulty in making her way to the palace. Here everything was as +magnificent as possible, for the King, who had been a widower for nine +years, had at last yielded to the prayers of his subjects, and was on +the eve of marriage with a Princess, less beautiful, it is true, than +his wife, but not the less agreeable for that.</p> + +<p>The kind Frog, having descended from her sedan-chair, entered the royal +presence, followed by her attendants. She had no need to ask for +audience, for the King, his affianced bride, and all the princes, were +all much too curious to know the reason of her coming, to think of +interrupting her. "Sire," said she, "I hardly know if the news I bring +you will give you joy or sorrow; the marriage which you are about to +celebrate, convinces me of your infidelity to the Queen."</p> + +<p>"Her memory is dear to me as ever," said the King, unable to prevent the +falling of a tear or two; "but you must know, kind frog, that kings are +not always able to do what they wish; for the last nine years, my +subjects have been urging me to marry; I owe them an heir to the throne, +and I have therefore chosen this young Princess, who appears to me all +that is charming." "I advise you not to marry her, for the Queen is not +dead; I bring you a letter from her, written with her own blood. A +little daughter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> Moufette, has been born to you, more beautiful than +the heavens themselves." The King took the rag, on which the Queen had +scrawled a few words; he kissed it, he bathed it in his tears, he showed +it to the whole assembly, saying that he recognised his wife's +handwriting; he asked the Frog a thousand questions, which she answered +with vivacity and intelligence.</p> + +<p>The betrothed Princess, the ambassadors who had come to be present at +the marriage, began to pull long faces. One of the most important of the +guests turned to the King, and said, "Sire, can you think of breaking so +solemn an engagement, on the word of a toad like that? This scum of the +marshes has the insolence to come and tell lies before the whole Court, +for the pleasure of being heard!" "Know, your Excellency," replied the +Frog, "that I am no scum of the marshes, and since I am forced to +exhibit my powers: Come forth, fairies all!" And thereupon all the +frogs, rats, snails, lizards, with the frog at their head, suddenly +appeared; not, however, in the usual form of these reptiles, but with +tall, majestic figures, pleasing countenances, and eyes more brilliant +than stars; each wore a jewelled crown on his head, and over his +shoulders a regal mantle of velvet, lined with ermine, with a long train +which was borne by dwarfs. At the same time was heard the sound of +trumpets, kettle-drums, hautboys, and drums, filling the air with +melodious and warlike music, and all the fairies began to dance a +ballet, their every step so light, that the slightest spring lifted them +to the vaulted ceiling of the room. +<a name="the" id="the"></a><ins title="Original has duplicate The">The</ins> King and +his future Queen, surprised as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> were at this, were no less +astonished, when they saw all these fairy ballet dancers suddenly change +into flowers, jasmine, jonquils, violets, pinks, and tube roses, which +still continued to dance as if they had legs and feet. It was like a +living flower-bed, of which every movement delighted both the eye and +the sense of smell. Another moment, and the flowers had disappeared; in +their place several fountains threw their waters into the air and fell +into an artificial lake at the foot of the castle walls; this was +covered with little painted and gilded boats, so pretty and dainty that +the Princess invited the ambassadors to go for a trip on the water. They +were all pleased to do so, thinking it was all a merry pastime, which +would end happily in the marriage festivities. But they had no sooner +embarked, than the boats, water, and fountains disappeared, and the +frogs were frogs again. The King asked what had become of the Princess; +the Frog replied, "Sire, no queen is yours, but your wife; were I less +attached to her than I am, I should not interfere; but she is so +deserving, and your daughter Moufette is so charming that you ought not +to delay a moment in going to their deliverance." "I assure you, Madam +Frog," said the King, "that if I did not believe my wife to be dead, +there is nothing in the world I would not do to see her again." "After +the wonders I have shown you," she replied, "it seems to me that you +ought to be more convinced of the truth of what I have told you. Leave +your kingdom in charge of trustworthy men, and start without delay. Here +is a ring which will furnish you with the means of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> seeing the Queen, +and of speaking with the Fairy Lioness, although she is the most +terrible creature in the world."</p> + +<p>The King departed, refusing to have anyone to accompany him, after +making handsome presents to the Frog: "Do not be discouraged," she said +to him; "you will meet with terrible difficulties, but I hope that you +will succeed according to your wishes." Somewhat comforted by her words, +the King started in search of his dear wife, with no other guide than +his ring.</p> + +<p>As Moufette grew older, her beauty became more perfect, and all the +monsters of the quicksilver lake fell in love with her; and the dragons, +with their hideous and terrifying forms, came and lay at her feet. +Although Moufette had seen them ever since she was born, her beautiful +eyes could not accustom themselves to the sight of these creatures, and +she would run away and hide in her mother's arms. "Shall we remain here +long?" she asked her; "is there to be no end to our misery?" The Queen +spoke hopefully in order to cheer her child, but in her heart she had no +hope; the absence of the Frog, her unbroken silence, the long time that +had elapsed since she had news of the King, all these things filled her +with sorrow and despair.</p> + +<p>The Fairy Lioness had gradually made it a practice to take them with her +hunting. She was fond of good things, and liked the game they killed for +her, and although all they got in return was the gift of the head or the +feet, it was something to be allowed to see again the light of day. The +fairy took the form of a lioness, the Queen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> and her daughter seated +themselves on her back, and thus they went hunting through the forests.</p> + +<p>The King happened to be resting in a forest one day, whither his ring +had guided him, and saw them pass like an arrow shot from the bow; he +was unseen of them, and when he tried to follow them, they vanished +completely from his sight. Notwithstanding the constant trouble she had +been in, the Queen still preserved her former beauty; she appeared to +her husband more charming than ever. He longed for her to return to him, +and feeling sure that the young Princess who was with her was his dear +little Moufette, he determined to face a thousand deaths, rather than +abandon his design of rescuing her.</p> + +<p>By the help of his ring, he found his way into the obscure region where +the Queen had been so many years; he was not a little surprised when he +found himself descending to the centre of the earth, but every fresh +thing he saw astonished him more and more. The Fairy Lioness, who knew +everything, was aware of the day and the hour when he would arrive; she +would have given a great deal if the powers in league with her had +ordained otherwise; but she determined at least to oppose his strength +with the full might of her own.</p> + +<p>She built a palace of crystal, which floated in the centre of the lake +of quicksilver, and rose and fell with its waves. In it she imprisoned +the Queen and her daughter, and then harangued all the monsters who were +in love with Moufette. "You will lose this beautiful Princess," she said +to them, "if you do not help me to protect her from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> a knight who has +come to carry her away." The monsters promised to leave nothing in their +power undone; they surrounded the palace of crystal; the lightest in +weight took their stations on the roof and walls; the others kept guard +at the doors, and the remainder in the lake.</p> + +<p>The King, advised by his faithful ring, went first to the Fairy's Cave; +she was awaiting him in her form of lioness. As soon as he appeared she +threw herself upon him; but he handled his sword with a valour for which +she was not prepared, and as she was putting out one of her paws to fell +him to the earth, he cut it off at the joint just where the elbow comes. +She uttered a loud cry and fell over; he went up to her, put his foot on +her throat and swore that he would kill her, and in spite of her +ungovernable fury and invulnerability, she felt a little afraid. "What +do you wish to do with me?" she asked. "What do you want of me?" "I wish +to punish you," he replied proudly, "for having carried away my wife, +and you shall give her up to me or I will strangle you on the spot." +"Look towards the lake," she said, "and see if I have the power to do +so." The King turned in the direction towards which she pointed, and saw +the Queen and her daughter in the palace of crystal, which was floating +like a vessel, without oars or rudder, on the lake of quicksilver. He +was ready to die with mingled joy and sorrow; he called to them with all +his might, and they heard him, but how was he to reach them? While +thinking over the means by which he might accomplish this, the Fairy +Lioness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> disappeared. He ran round and round the lake, but whenever the +palace came close enough to him, on one side or the other, for him to +spring upon it, it suddenly floated away again with terrible swiftness, +and so his hopes were continually disappointed. The Queen, fearing he +would at length grow weary, called to him not to lose courage, that the +Fairy Lioness wanted to tire him out, but that true love knew how to +face all difficulties. She and Moufette then stretched out their hands +towards him with imploring gestures. Seeing this, the King was filled +with renewed courage, and raising his voice, he said that he would +rather pass the remainder of his life in this melancholy region than go +away without them. He needed great patience, for no king on earth ever +spent such a wretched time before. He had only the ground, covered with +briars and thorns, for his bed; his food consisted of wild fruits, more +bitter than gall, and he was incessantly engaged in defending himself +from the monsters of the lake.</p> + +<p>Three years passed in this manner, and the King could not flatter +himself that he had gained the least advantage; he was almost in +despair, and over and over again was tempted to throw himself in the +lake, and he would certainly have done so if he could have thought that +by such a deed he might alleviate the sufferings of the Queen and the +Princess. He was running one day as usual, first to one side of the lake +then to the other, when one of the most hideous of the dragons called +him, and said to him: "If you will swear to me by your crown and +sceptre, by your royal mantle, by your wife and child, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> give me, +whenever I shall ask for it, a certain delicate morsel to eat, for which +I have a taste, I will take you on my back, and I promise you that none +of the monsters of this lake, who guard the palace, shall prevent us +from carrying off the Queen and Princess Moufette."</p> + +<p>"Ah! my beloved Dragon!" cried the King, "I swear to you, and to all the +family of dragons, that I will give you your fill to eat of what you +like, and will for ever remain your humble servant." "Do not make any +promises," replied the Dragon, "if you have any thought of not +fulfilling them; for, in that case, misfortunes will fall upon you that +you will not forget as long as you live." The King renewed his +protestations; he was dying of impatience to get possession of his dear +Queen. He mounted on the Dragon's back, as if it was the finest horse in +the world, but the other monsters now advanced to bar his passage. They +fought together, nothing was to be heard but the sharp hissings of the +serpents, nothing to be seen but fire, and sulphur, and saltpetre, +falling in every direction. At last the King reached the palace, but +here his efforts had to be renewed, for the entrances were defended by +bats, owls, and ravens; however, the Dragon, with his claws, his teeth +and tail, cut to pieces even the boldest of these. The Queen, on her +side, who was looking on at this fierce encounter, kicked away pieces of +the wall, and armed herself with these to help her dear husband. They +were at last victorious; they ran into one another's arms, and the work +of disenchantment was completed by a thunderbolt, which fell into the +lake and dried it up.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +The friendly Dragon had disappeared with all the other monsters, and the +King, by what means he could not guess, found himself again in his own +capital, seated, with his Queen and Moufette, in a magnificent +dining-hall, with a table spread with exquisite meats in front of them. +Such joy and astonishment as theirs were unknown before. All their +subjects ran in to see the Queen and the young Princess, who, to add to +the wonder of it all, was so superbly dressed, that the eye could hardly +bear to look upon her dazzling jewels.</p> + +<p>It is easy to imagine the festivities that now went on at the castle; +masquerades, running at the ring, and tournaments attracted the greatest +princes in the world; but even more were they attracted by the bright +eyes of Moufette. Among those who were the handsomest and most +accomplished in feats of arms, Prince Moufy everywhere was the most +conspicuous. He was universally admired and applauded, and Moufette, who +hitherto had been only in the company of dragons and serpents, did not +withhold her share of praise. No day passed but Prince Moufy showed her +some fresh attention, in the hope of pleasing her, for he loved her +deeply; and having offered himself as a suitor, he made known to the +King and Queen, that his principality was of a beauty and extent that +deserved their special attention.</p> + +<p>The King replied that Moufette was at liberty to choose a husband, and +that he only wished to please her and make her happy. The Prince was +delighted with this answer, and having already become aware that he was +not indifferent to the Princess, offered her his hand. She assured him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +that if he was not her husband, no other man should be, and Moufy, +overcome with joy, threw himself at her feet, and in affectionate terms +begged her to remember the promise she had given him. The Prince and +Princess were betrothed, and Prince Moufy then returned to his +principality to make preparations for the marriage. Moufette shed many +tears at his departure, for she was troubled with a presentiment of evil +which she could not explain. The Queen, seeing that the Prince was also +overcome with sorrow, gave him the portrait of her daughter, and begged +him rather to lessen the magnificence of the preparations than to delay +his return. The Prince, only too ready to obey such a command, promised +to comply with what would be for his own happiness.</p> + +<p>The Princess occupied herself during his absence with her music, for she +had, in a few months, learnt to play well. One day, when she was in the +Queen's room, the King rushed in, his face bathed in tears, and taking +his daughter in his arms: "Alas, my child," he cried. "Alas! wretched +father, unhappy King!" He could say no more, for his voice was stifled +with sobs. The Queen and Princess, in great alarm, asked him what was +the matter, and at last he was able to tell them that a giant of an +enormous height, who gave himself out to be an ambassador from the +Dragon of the lake, had just arrived; that in accordance with the +promise, made by the King in return for the help he had received in +fighting the monsters, the Dragon demanded him to give up the Princess, +as he wished to make her into a pie for his dinner; the King added that +he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> had bound himself by solemn oaths to give him what he asked, and in +those days no one ever broke his word.</p> + +<p>When the Queen heard this dreadful news, she uttered piercing cries, and +clasped her child to her breast. "My life shall be taken," she said, +"before my daughter shall be delivered up to that monster; let him +rather take our kingdom and all that we possess. Unnatural father! can +you possibly consent to such a cruel thing? What! my child made into a +pie! The thought of it is intolerable! Send me this terrible ambassador, +maybe the sight of my anguish may touch his heart."</p> + +<p>The King made no reply, but went in search of the giant and brought him +to the Queen, who threw herself at his feet. She and her daughter +implored him to have mercy upon them, and to persuade the Dragon to take +everything they possessed, and to spare Moufette's life; but the giant +replied that the matter did not rest with him, and that the Dragon was +so obstinate and so fond of good things, that all the powers combined +would not prevent him eating whatever he had taken into his head he +would like for a meal. He further advised them, as a friend, to consent +with a good grace, as otherwise greater evils might arise. At these +words the Queen fainted, and the Princess, had she not been obliged to +go to her mother's assistance, would have done the same.</p> + +<p>No sooner was the sad news spread through the palace, than the whole +town knew it. Nothing was heard but weeping and wailing, for Moufette +was greatly beloved. The King could not make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> up his mind to give her to +the giant, and the giant, who had already waited some days, began to +grow impatient, and to utter terrible threats. The King and Queen, +however, said to each other, "What worse thing could happen to us? If +the Dragon of the lake were to come and devour us all we could not be +more distressed; if Moufette is put into a pie, we are lost."</p> + +<p>The giant now told them that he had received a message from his master, +and that if the Princess would agree to marry a nephew of his, the +Dragon would let her live; that the nephew was young and handsome; that, +moreover, he was a Prince, and that she would be able to live with him +very happily. This proposal somewhat lessened their grief; the Queen +spoke to the Princess, but found her still more averse to this marriage +than to the thought of death. "I cannot save my life by being +unfaithful," said Moufette. "You promised me to Prince Moufy, and I will +marry no one else; let me die; my death will ensure the peace of your +lives." The King then came and endeavoured with all the tenderest of +expressions to persuade her; but nothing moved her, and finally it was +decided that she should be conducted to the summit of a mountain, and +there await the Dragon.</p> + +<p>Everything was prepared for this great sacrifice; nothing so mournful +had before been seen; nothing to be met anywhere but black garments, and +pale and horrified faces. Four hundred maidens of the highest rank, +dressed in long white robes, and crowned with cypress, accompanied the +Princess, who was carried in an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> open litter of black velvet, that all +might look on this masterpiece of beauty. Her hair, tied with crape, +hung over her shoulders, and she wore a crown of jasmine, mingled with a +few marigolds. The grief of the King and Queen, who followed, overcome +by their deep sorrow, appeared the only thing that moved her. The giant, +armed from head to foot, marched beside the litter, and looked with +hungry eye at the Princess, as if anticipating his share of her when she +came to be eaten; the air resounded with sighs and sobs, and the road +was flooded with the tears of the onlookers.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Frog, Frog," cried the Queen, "you have indeed forsaken me! Alas! +why did you give me help in that unhappy region, and now withhold it +from me! Would that I had then died, I should not now be lamenting the +loss of all my hopes, I should not now have the anguish of seeing my +dear Moufette on the point of being devoured!" The procession meanwhile +was slowly advancing, and at last reached the summit of the fatal +mountain. Here the cries and lamentations were redoubled, nothing more +piteous had before been heard. The giant ordered everyone to say +farewell and to retire, and they all obeyed him, for in those days, +people were very simple and submissive, and never sought for a remedy in +their misfortunes.</p> + +<p>The King and Queen, and all the Court, now ascended another mountain, +whence they could see all that happened to the Princess: and they had +not to wait long, before they saw a Dragon, half a league long, coming +through the air. His body<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> was so heavy that, notwithstanding his six +large wings, he was hardly able to fly; he was covered with immense blue +scales, and poisonous tongues of flame; his tail was twisted into as +many as fifty and a half coils; each of his claws was the size of a +<a name="windmill" id="windmill"></a><ins title="Original has windwill">windmill</ins>, and three rows of teeth, as long as those of an +elephant, could be seen inside his wide-open jaw. As the Dragon slowly +made his way towards the mountain, the good, faithful Frog, mounted on +the back of a hawk, flew rapidly to Prince Moufy. She wore her cap of +roses, and although he was locked into his private room, she entered +without a key, and said, "What are you doing here, unhappy lover? You +sit dreaming of Moufette's beauty, and at this very moment she is +exposed to the most frightful danger; here is a rose-leaf, by blowing +upon it, I can change it into a superb horse, as you will see."</p> + +<p>There immediately appeared a horse, green in colour, and with twelve +hoofs and three heads, of which one emitted fire, another bomb-shells, +and the third cannon-balls. She gave the Prince a sword, eight yards +long, and lighter than a feather. She clothed him with a single diamond, +which he put on like a coat, and which, although as hard as a rock, was +so pliable that he could move in it at his ease. "Go," she said, "run, +fly to the rescue of her whom you love; the green horse I have given +you, will take you to her, and when you have delivered her, let her know +the share I have had in the matter."</p> + +<p>"Generous fairy," cried the Prince, "I cannot at this moment show you +all my gratitude; but from henceforth, I am your faithful servitor."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +He mounted the horse with the three heads, which instantly galloped off +on its twelve hoofs, and went at a greater rate than three of the best +ordinary horses, so that in a very little time the Prince reached the +mountain, when he found his dear Princess all alone, and saw the Dragon +slowly drawing near. The green horse immediately began to send forth +fire, bomb-shells, and cannon-balls, which not a little astonished the +monster; he received twenty balls in his throat, and his scales were +somewhat damaged, and the bomb-shells put out one of his eyes. He grew +furious, and made as if to throw himself on the Prince; but his long +sword was so finely-tempered, that he could use it as he liked, +thrusting it in at times up to the hilt, and at others using it like a +whip. The Prince, on his side, would have suffered from the Dragon's +claws, had it not been for his diamond coat, which was impenetrable.</p> + +<p>Moufette had recognised her lover a long way off, for the diamond that +covered him was transparent and bright, and she was seized with mortal +terror at the danger he was in. The King and Queen, however, were filled +with renewed hope, for it was such an unexpected thing to see a horse +with three heads and twelve hoofs, sending forth fire and flame, and a +Prince in a diamond suit and armed with a formidable sword, arrive at +such an opportune moment, and fight with so much valour. The King put +his hat on the top of his stick, and the Queen tied her handkerchief to +the end of another, as signals of encouragement to the Prince; and all +their Court followed suit. As a fact, this was not necessary, for his +own heart and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> the peril in which he saw Moufette, were sufficient to +animate his courage. And what efforts did he not make! the ground was +covered with stings, claws, horns, wings, and scales of the Dragon; the +earth was coloured blue and green with the mingled blood of the Dragon +and the horse. Five times the Prince fell to the ground, but each time +he rose again and leisurely mounted his horse, and then there were +cannonades, and rushing of flames, and explosions, such as were never +heard or seen before. The Dragon's strength at last gave way, and he +fell; the Prince gave him a final blow, and nobody could believe their +eyes, when from this last great wound, there stepped forth a handsome +and charming prince, in a coat of blue and gold velvet, embroidered with +pearls, while on his head he wore a little Grecian helmet, shaded with +white feathers. He rushed, his arms outspread, towards Prince Moufy, and +embraced him. "What do I not owe you, valiant liberator?" he cried. "You +have delivered me from a worse prison than ever before enclosed a king; +I have languished there since, sixteen years ago, the Fairy Lioness +condemned me to it; and, such was her power, that she would have forced +me, against my will, to devour that adorable Princess; lead me to her +feet, that I may explain to her my misfortune."</p> + +<p>Prince Moufy, surprised and delighted at this extraordinary termination +to his adventure, showered civilities on the newly-found Prince. They +hastened to rejoin Moufette, who thanked Heaven a thousand times for her +unhoped-for happiness. The King, the Queen, and all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> Court, were +already with her; everybody spoke at once, nobody listened to anybody +else, and they all shed nearly as many tears of joy as they had before +of grief. Finally, that nothing might be wanting to complete their +rejoicing, the good Frog appeared, flying through the air on her hawk, +which had little bells of gold on its feet. When the tinkle, tinkle, of +these was heard, everyone looked up, and saw the cap of roses shining +like the sun, and the Frog as beautiful as the dawn.</p> + +<p>The Queen ran towards her, and took her by one of her little paws, and +in the same moment, the wise Frog became a great Queen, with a charming +countenance. "I come," she cried, "to crown the faithful Moufette, who +preferred to risk her life, rather than be untrue to Prince Moufy." She +thereupon took two myrtle wreaths, and placed them on the heads of the +lovers, and giving three taps with her wand, all the Dragon's bones +formed themselves into a triumphal arch, in commemoration of the great +event which had just taken place.</p> + +<p>They all wended their way back to the town, singing wedding songs, as +gaily as they had before mournfully bewailed the sacrifice of the +Princess. The marriage took place the following day, and the joy with +which it was celebrated may be imagined.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> + +<p class="link"><a href="#contents">Return to contents</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +<a name="rosette" id="rosette"></a>Princess Rosette</h2> + + +<hr class="hr3" /> + +<h2><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +PRINCESS ROSETTE</h2> + + +<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Once</span> upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had two handsome boys; +so well-fed and hearty were they, that they grew like the day.</p> + +<p>Whenever the Queen had a child, she sent for the fairies, that she might +learn from them what would be its future lot. After a while she had a +little daughter, who was so beautiful, that no one could see her without +loving her. The fairies came as usual, and the Queen having feasted +them, said to them as they were going away, "Do not forget that good +custom of yours, but tell me what will happen to Rosette"—for this was +the name of the little Princess. The fairies answered her that they had +left their divining-books at home, and that they would come again to see +her. "Ah!" said the Queen, "that bodes no good, I fear; you do not wish +to distress me by foretelling evil; but, I pray you, let me know the +worst, and hide nothing from me." The fairies continued to make excuses, +but the Queen only became more anxious to know the truth. At last the +chief among them said to her, "We fear, madam, that Rosette will be the +cause of a great misfortune befalling her brothers; that they may even +lose their lives on her account. This is all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> that we can tell you of +the fate of this sweet little Princess, and we are grieved to have +nothing better to say about her." The fairies took their departure, and +the Queen was very sorrowful, so sorrowful that the King saw by her face +that she was in trouble. He asked her what was the matter. She told him +she had gone too near the fire and accidentally burnt all the flax that +was on her distaff. "Is that all?" replied the King, and he went up to +his store-room and brought her down more flax than she could spin in a +hundred years.</p> + +<p>But the Queen was still very sorrowful, and the King again asked her +what was the matter. She told him that she had been down to the river +and had let one of her green satin slippers fall into the water. "Is +that all?" replied the King, and he sent for all the shoemakers in the +kingdom, and made the Queen a present of ten thousand green satin +slippers.</p> + +<p>Still the Queen was no less sorrowful; the King asked her once more what +was the matter. She told him that, being hungry, she had eaten hastily, +and had swallowed her wedding-ring. The King knew that she was not +speaking the truth, for he had himself put away the ring, and he +replied, "My dear wife, you are not speaking the truth; here is your +ring, which I have kept in my purse." The Queen was put out of +countenance at being caught telling a lie—for there is nothing in the +world so ugly—and she saw that the King was vexed, so she told him what +the fairies had predicted about little Rosette, and begged him to tell +her if he could think of any remedy. The King was greatly troubled, so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +much so, that at last he said to the Queen, "I see no way of saving our +two boys, except by putting the little girl to death, while she is still +in her swaddling clothes." But the Queen cried that she would rather +suffer death herself, that she would never consent to so cruel a deed, +and that the King must try and think of some other remedy. The King and +Queen could think of nothing else, and while thus pondering over the +matter, the Queen was told that in a large wood near the town, there +lived an old hermit, who made his home in the trunk of a tree, whom +people went from far and near to consult.</p> + +<p>"It is to him I must go," said the Queen; "the fairies told me the evil, +but they forgot to tell me the remedy."</p> + +<p>She started early in the morning, mounted on her little white mule, that +was shod with gold, and accompanied by two of her maids of honour, who +each rode a pretty horse. When they were near the wood they dismounted +out of respect, and made their way to the tree where the hermit lived. +He did not much care for the visits of women, but when he saw that it +was the Queen approaching, he said, "Welcome! what would you ask of me?" +She related to him what the fairies had said about Rosette, and asked +him to advise her what to do. He told her that the Princess must be shut +up in a tower, and not be allowed to leave it as long as she lived. The +Queen thanked him, and returned and told everything to the King. The +King immediately gave orders for a large tower to be built as quickly as +possible. In it he placed his daughter, but that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> she might not feel +lonely and depressed, he, and the Queen, and her two brothers, went to +see her every day. The elder of these was called the big Prince, and the +younger, the little Prince. They loved their sister passionately, for +she was the most beautiful and graceful Princess ever seen, and the +least glance of hers was worth more than a hundred gold pieces. When she +was fifteen years old, the big Prince said to the King, "Father, my +sister is old enough to be married; shall we not soon have a wedding?" +The little Prince said the same to the Queen, but their Majesties +laughed and changed the subject, and made no answer about the marriage.</p> + +<p>Now, it happened that the King and Queen both fell very ill, and died +within a few days of one another. There was great mourning; everyone +wore black, and all the bells were tolled. Rosette was inconsolable at +the loss of her good mother.</p> + +<p>As soon as the funeral was over, the dukes and marquises of the kingdom +placed the big Prince on a throne made of gold and diamonds; he wore a +splendid crown on his head, and robes of violet velvet embroidered with +suns and moons. Then the whole Court cried out, "Long live the King!" +and now on all sides there was nothing but rejoicing.</p> + +<p>Then the young King and his brother said one to another, "Now that we +are the masters, we will release our sister from the tower, where she +has been shut up for such a long and dreary time." They had only to pass +through the garden to reach the tower, which stood in one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> corner of it, +and had been built as high as was possible, for the late King and Queen +had intended her to remain there always. Rosette was embroidering a +beautiful dress on a frame in front of her, when she saw her brothers +enter. She rose, and taking the King's hand, said, "Good-day, sire, you +are now King, and I am your humble subject; I pray you to release me +from this tower, where I lead a melancholy life," and with this, she +burst into tears. The King embraced her, and begged her not to weep, for +he was come, he said, to take her from the tower, and to conduct her to +a beautiful castle. The Prince had his pockets full of sweetmeats, which +he gave Rosette. "Come," he said, "let us get away from this wretched +place; the King will soon find you a husband; do not be unhappy any +longer."</p> + +<p>When Rosette saw the beautiful garden, full of flowers, and fruits, and +fountains, she was so overcome with astonishment, that she stood +speechless, for she had never seen anything of the kind before. She +looked around her, she went first here, then there, she picked the fruit +off the trees, and gathered flowers from the beds; while her little dog, +Fretillon, who was as green as a parrot, kept on running before her, +saying, yap, yap, yap! and jumping and cutting a thousand capers, and +everybody was amused at his ways. Presently he ran into a little wood, +whither the Princess followed him, and here her wonder was even greater +than before, when she saw a large peacock spreading out its tail. She +thought it so beautiful, so very beautiful, that she could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> take her +eyes off it. The King and the Prince now joined her, and asked her what +delighted her so much. She pointed to the peacock, and asked them what +it was. They told her it was a bird, which was sometimes eaten. "What!" +she cried, "dare to kill and eat a beautiful bird like that! I tell you, +that I will marry no one but the King of the Peacocks, and when I am +their Queen I shall not allow anybody to eat them." The astonishment of +the King cannot be described. "But, dear sister," said he, "where would +you have us go to find the King of the Peacocks?" "Whither you please, +sire; but him, and him alone, will I marry."</p> + +<p>Having come to this decision, she was now conducted by her brothers to +their castle; the peacock had to be brought and put into her room, so +fond was she of it. All the Court ladies who had not before seen Rosette +now hastened to greet her, and pay their respects to her. Some brought +preserves with them, some sugar, and others dresses of woven gold, +beautiful ribbons, dolls, embroidered shoes, pearls, and diamonds. +Everyone did their best to entertain her, and she was so well brought +up, so courteous, kissing their hands, curtseying when anything +beautiful was given to her, that there was not a lord or lady who did +not leave her presence gratified and charmed. While she was thus +occupied, the King and the Prince were turning over in their minds how +they should find the King of the Peacocks, if there was such a person in +the world to be found. They decided that they would have Rosette's +portrait painted; and when completed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> it was so life-like, that only +speech was wanting. Then they said to her, "Since you will marry no one +but the King of the Peacocks, we are going together to look for him, and +will traverse the whole world to try and find him for you. If we find +him, we shall be very glad. Meanwhile take care of our kingdom until we +return."</p> + +<p>Rosette thanked them for all the trouble they were taking; she promised +to govern the kingdom well, and said that, during their absence, her +only pleasure would be in looking at the peacock, and making her little +dog dance. They all three cried when they said good-bye to each other.</p> + +<p>So the two Princes started on their long journey, and they asked +everyone whom they met, "Do you know the King of the Peacocks?" but the +reply was always the same, "No, we do not." Each time they passed on and +went further, and in this way they travelled so very, very far, that no +one had ever been so far before.</p> + +<p>They came to the kingdom of the cock-chafers; and these were in such +numbers, and made such a loud buzzing, that the King feared he should +become deaf. He asked one of them, who appeared to him to have the most +intelligence, whether he knew where the King of the Peacocks was to be +found. "Sire," replied the cock-chafer, "his kingdom lies thirty +thousand leagues from here; you have chosen the longest way to reach +it." "And how do you know that?" asked the King. "Because," answered the +cock-chafer, "we know you very well, for every year<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> we spend two or +three months in your gardens." Whereupon the King and his brother +embraced the cock-chafer, and they went off arm in arm to dine together, +and the two strangers admired all the curiosities of that new country, +where the smallest leaf of a tree was worth a gold piece. After that, +they continued their journey, and having been directed along the right +way, they were not long in reaching its close. On their arrival, they +found all the trees laden with peacocks, and, indeed, there were +peacocks everywhere, so that they could be heard talking and screaming +two leagues off.</p> + +<p>The King said to his brother "If the King of the Peacocks is a peacock +himself, how can our sister marry him? it would be folly to consent to +such a thing, and it would be a fine thing for us to have little +peacocks for nephews." The Prince was equally disturbed at the thought. +"It is an unhappy fancy she has taken into her head," he said. "I cannot +think what led her to imagine that there was such a person in the world +as the King of the Peacocks."</p> + +<p>When they entered the town, they saw that it was full of men and women, +and that they all wore clothes made of peacocks' feathers, and that +these were evidently considered fine things, for every place was covered +with them. They met the King, who was driving in a beautiful little +carriage of gold, studded with diamonds, and drawn by twelve peacocks at +full gallop. This King of the Peacocks was so handsome, that the King +and the Prince were delighted; he had long, light, curly hair, fair +complexion, and wore a crown of peacocks' feathers. Directly he saw +them, he guessed, seeing that they wore a different costume to the +people of the country, that they were strangers, and wishing to +ascertain if this was so, he ordered his carriage to stop, and sent for +them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<a name="peacocks"></a> +<img src="images/i187.jpg" width="400" height="644" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">'<i>Oh, you are jesting;</i>' <i>replied the King of the +Peacocks.</i><br /> +<i>Princess Rosette</i></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +</div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +The King and the Prince advanced, bowing low, and said, "Sire, we have +come from afar, to show you a portrait." They drew forth Rosette's +portrait and showed it to him. After gazing at it a while, the King of +the Peacocks said, "I can scarcely believe that there is so beautiful a +maiden in the whole world." "She is a thousand times more beautiful," +said the King. "You are jesting," replied the King of the Peacocks. +"Sire," rejoined the Prince, "here is my brother, who is a King, like +yourself; he is called King, and my name is Prince; our sister, of whom +this is the portrait, is the Princess Rosette. We have come to ask if +you will marry her; she is good and beautiful, and we will give her, as +dower, a bushel of golden crowns." "It is well," said the King. "I will +gladly marry her; she shall want for nothing, and I shall love her +greatly; but I require that she shall be as beautiful as her portrait, +and if she is in the smallest degree less so, I shall make you pay for +it with your lives." "We consent willingly," said both Rosette's +brothers. "You consent?" added the King. "You will go to prison then, +and remain there until the Princess arrives." The Princes made no +difficulty about this, for they knew well that Rosette was more +beautiful than her portrait. They were well looked after while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> in +prison, and were well served with all they required, and the King often +went to see them. He kept Rosette's portrait in his room, and could +scarcely rest day or night for looking at it. As the King and his +brother could not go to her themselves, they wrote to Rosette, telling +her to pack up as quickly as possible, and to start without delay, as +the King of the Peacocks was awaiting her. They did not tell her that +they were prisoners, for fear of causing her uneasiness.</p> + +<p>The Princess scarcely knew how to contain herself with joy, when she +received this message. She told everybody that the King of the Peacocks +had been found, and that he wanted to marry her. Bonfires were lit, and +guns fired, and quantities of sweetmeats and sugar were eaten; everyone +who came to see the Princess, during the three days before her +departure, was given bread-and-butter and jam, rolled wafers, and negus. +After having thus dispensed hospitality to her visitors, she presented +her beautiful dolls to her best friends, and handed over the government +to the wisest elders of the town, begging them to look well after +everything, to spend little, and to save up money for the King on his +return. She also prayed them to take care of her peacock, for with her +she only took her nurse, and her foster-sister, and her little green +dog, Fretillon. They set out in a boat on the sea, carrying with them +the bushel of golden crowns, and sufficient clothes for two changes a +day for ten years. They made merry on their voyage, laughing and +singing, and the nurse kept on asking the boatman if they were nearing +the Kingdom of the Peacocks; for a long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> time, all he said was, "No, no, +not yet." Then at last, when she asked again, "Are we anywhere near it +now?" he answered, "We shall soon be there, very soon." Once more she +said, "Are we near, are we anywhere near it now?" and he said, "Yes, we +are now within reach of shore." On hearing this, the nurse went to the +end of the boat, and sitting down beside the boatman, said to him, "If +you like, you can be rich for the remainder of your life." He replied, +"I should like nothing better." She continued, "If you like, you can +earn good money." "That would suit me very well," he answered. "Well," +she went on, "then to-night, when the Princess is asleep, you must help +me throw her into the sea. After she is drowned, I will dress my +daughter in her fine clothes, and we will take her to the King of the +Peacocks, who will only be too pleased to marry her; and as a reward to +you, we will give you as many diamonds as you care to possess." The +boatman was very much astonished at this proposal; he told the nurse +that it was a pity to drown such a pretty Princess, and that he felt +compassion for her; but the nurse fetched a bottle of wine and made him +drink so much, that he had no longer any power to refuse.</p> + +<p>Night having come, the Princess went to bed as usual, her little +Fretillon lying at her feet, not even stirring one of his paws. Rosette +slept soundly, but the wicked nurse kept awake, and went presently to +fetch the boatman. She took him into the Princess's room, and together +they lifted her up, feather bed, mattress, sheets, coverlet, and all, +and threw them into the sea, the Princess all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> the while so fast asleep, +that she never woke. But fortunately, her bed was made of +Phœnix-feathers, which are extremely rare, and have the property of +always floating on water; so that she was carried along in her bed as in +a boat. The water, however, began gradually first to wet her feather +bed, then her mattress, and Rosette began to feel uncomfortable, and +turned from side to side, and then Fretillon woke up. He had a capital +nose, and when he smelt the soles and cod-fish so near, he started +barking at them, and this awoke all the other fish, who began swimming +about. The bigger ones ran against the Princess's bed, which, not being +attached to anything, span round and round like a whirligig. Rosette +could not make out what was happening. "Is our boat having a dance on +the water?" she said. "I am not accustomed to feeling so uneasy as I am +to-night," and all the while Fretillon continued barking, and going on +as if he was out of his mind. The wicked nurse and the boatman heard him +from afar, and said: "There's that funny little beast drinking our +healths with his mistress. Let us make haste to land," for they were now +just opposite the town of the King of the Peacocks.</p> + +<p>He had sent down a hundred chariots to the landing-place; they were +drawn by all kinds of rare animals, lions, bears, stags, wolves, horses, +oxen, asses, eagles, and peacocks: and the chariot which was intended +for the Princess was harnessed with six blue monkeys, that could jump, +dance on the tight rope, and do endless clever tricks; they had +beautiful trappings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> of crimson velvet, overlaid with plates of gold. +Sixty young maids of honour were also in attendance, who had been chosen +by the King for the amusement of the Princess; they were dressed in all +sorts of colours, and gold and silver were the least precious of their +adornments.</p> + +<p>The nurse had taken great pains to dress her daughter finely; she had +put on her Rosette's best robe, and decked her all over from head to +foot with the Princess's diamonds; but with all this, she was still as +ugly as an ape, with greasy black hair, crooked eyes, bowed legs, and a +hump on her back; and, added to these deformities, she was besides of a +disagreeable and sulky temper, and was always grumbling.</p> + +<p>When the people saw her get out of the boat, they were so taken aback by +her appearance, that they could not utter a sound. "What is the meaning +of this?" she said. "Are you all asleep? Be off, and bring me something +to eat! A nice set of beggars you are! I will have you all hanged." When +they heard this, they murmured, "What an ugly creature! and she is as +wicked as she is ugly! A nice wife for our King; well, we are not +surprised! but it was scarcely worth the trouble to bring her from the +other side of the world." Meanwhile she still behaved as if she were +already mistress of all and everything, and for no reason at all, boxed +their ears, or gave a blow with her fist to everybody in turn.</p> + +<p>As her escort was a very large one, the procession moved slowly, and she +sat up in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> her chariot like a queen; but all the peacocks, who had +stationed themselves on the trees, so as to salute her as she passed, +and who had been prepared to shout, "Long live the beautiful Queen +Rosette!" could only call out, "Fie, fie, how ugly she is!" as soon as +they caught sight of her. She was so enraged at this, that she called to +her guards, "Kill those rascally peacocks who are insulting me." But the +peacocks quickly flew away, and only laughed at her.</p> + +<p>The treacherous boatman, seeing and hearing all this, said in a low +voice to the nurse, "There is something wrong, good mother; your +daughter should have been better looking." She answered, "Hold your +tongue, stupid, or you will bring us into trouble."</p> + +<p>The King had word brought him that the Princess was approaching. "Well," +he said, "have her brothers, I wonder, told me the truth? Is she more +beautiful than her portrait?" "Sire," said those near him, "there will +be nothing to wish for, if she is as beautiful." "You are right," +replied the King, "I shall be well content with that. Come, let us go +and see her," for he knew by the hubbub in the courtyard that she had +arrived. He could not distinguish anything that was said, except, "Fie, +fie, how ugly she is!" and he imagined that the people were calling out +about some little dwarf or animal that she had brought with her, for it +never entered his head that the words were applied to the Princess +herself.</p> + +<p>Rosette's portrait was carried uncovered, at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> top of a long pole, +and the King walked after it in solemn state, with all his nobles and +his peacocks, followed by ambassadors from various kingdoms. The King of +the Peacocks was very impatient to see his dear Rosette; but when he did +see her—well, he very nearly died on the spot. He flew into a violent +rage, he tore his clothes, he would not go near her, he felt quite +afraid of her. "What!" he cried, "have those two villains I have in +prison had the boldness and impudence to make a laughing-stock of me, +and to propose my marrying such a fright as that? They shall both be +killed; and let that insolent woman, and the nurse, and the man who is +with them, be immediately carried to the dungeon of my great tower, and +there kept." While this was going on, the King and his brother, who knew +that his sister was expected, had put on their bravest apparel ready to +receive her; but instead of seeing their prison door open and being set +at liberty, as they had hoped, the gaoler came with a body of soldiers +and made them go down into a dark cellar, full of horrible reptiles, and +where the water was up to their necks; no one was ever more surprised or +distressed than they were. "Alas!" they said to one another, "this is +indeed a melancholy marriage feast for us! What can have happened that +we should be so ill-treated?" They did not know what in the world to +think, except that they were to be killed, and they were very sorrowful +about this. Three days passed, and no news reached them of any kind. At +the end of that time, the King of the Peacocks came, and began calling +out insulting things to them through a hole in the wall. "You<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> called +yourselves King and Prince, that I might fall into your trap, and engage +myself to marry your sister; but you are nothing better than two +beggars, who are not worth the water you drink. I am going to bring you +before the judges, who will soon pass their verdict upon you; the rope +to hang you with is already being made." "King of the Peacocks," replied +the King, angrily, "do not act too rashly in this matter, or you may +repent it. I am a King as well as you, and I have a fine kingdom, and +rich clothing, and crowns, to say nothing of good gold pieces. You must +be joking to talk like this of hanging us; have we stolen anything from +you?"</p> + +<p>When the King heard him speak so boldly, he did not know what to think, +and he felt half inclined to let them and their sister go without +putting them to death; but his chief adviser, who was an arrant +flatterer, dissuaded him from this, telling him that if he did not +revenge the insult that had been put upon him, all the world would make +fun of him, and look upon him as nothing better than a miserable little +King worth a few coppers a day. The King thereupon swore that he would +never forgive them, and ordered them to be brought to trial at once. +This did not take long; the judges had only to look at the real +Rosette's portrait and then at the Princess who had arrived, and, +without hesitation, they ordered the prisoners' heads to be cut off as a +punishment for having lied to the King, since they had promised him a +beautiful Princess, and had only given him an ugly peasant girl. They +repaired with great ceremony to the prison to read this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> sentence to +them; but the prisoners declared that they had not lied, that their +sister was a Princess, and more beautiful than the day; that there must +be something under this which they did not understand, and they asked +for a respite of seven days, as before that time had expired their +innocence might have been established. The King of the Peacocks, who had +worked himself up to a high pitch of anger, could with great difficulty +be induced to accord them this grace, but at last he consented.</p> + +<p>While these things were going on at the Court, we must say something +about poor Rosette. Both she and Fretillon were very much astonished, +when daylight came, to find themselves in the middle of the sea, without +a boat, and far from all help. She began to cry, and cried so piteously, +that even the fishes had compassion on her: she did not know what to do, +nor what would become of her. "There is no doubt," she said, "that the +King of the Peacocks ordered me to be thrown into the sea, having +repented his promise of marrying me, and to get rid of me quietly he has +had me drowned. What a strange man!" she continued, "for I should have +loved him so much! We should have been so happy together," and with that +she burst out crying afresh, for she could not help still loving him. +She remained floating about on the sea for two days, wet to the skin, +and almost dead with cold; she was so benumbed by it, that if it had not +been for little Fretillon, who lay beside her and kept a little warmth +in her, she could not have survived. She was famished with hunger, and +seeing the oysters in their shells,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> she took as many of these as she +wanted and ate them; Fretillon did the same, to keep himself alive, +although he did not like such food. Rosette became still more alarmed +when the night set in. "Fretillon," she said, "keep on barking, to +frighten away the soles, for fear they should eat us." So Fretillon +barked all night, and when the morning came, the Princess was floating +near the shore. Close to the sea at this spot, there lived a good old +man; he was poor, and did not care for the things of the world, and no +one ever visited him in his little hut. He was very much surprised when +heard Fretillon barking, for no dogs ever came in that direction; he +thought some travellers must have lost their way, and went out with the +kind intention of putting them on the right road again. All at once he +caught sight of the Princess and Fretillon floating on the sea, and the +Princess, seeing him, stretched out her arms to him, crying out, "Good +man, save me, or I shall perish; I have been in the water like this for +two days." When he heard her speak so sorrowfully, he had great pity on +her, and went back into his hut to fetch a long hook; he waded into the +water up to his neck, and once or twice narrowly escaped drowning. At +last, however, he succeeded in dragging the bed on to the shore. Rosette +and Fretillon were overjoyed to find themselves again on dry ground; and +were full of gratitude to the kind old man. Rosette wrapped herself in +her coverlet, and walked bare-footed into the hut, where the old man lit +a little fire of dry straw, and took one of his dead wife's best dresses +out of a trunk, with some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> stockings and shoes, and gave them to the +Princess. Dressed in her peasant's attire, she looked as beautiful as +the day, and Fretillon capered round her and made her laugh. The old man +guessed that Rosette was some great lady, for her bed was embroidered +with gold and silver, and her mattress was of satin. He begged her to +tell him her story, promising not to repeat what she told him if she so +wished. So she related to him all that had befallen her, crying bitterly +the while, for she still thought that it was the King of the Peacocks +who had ordered her to be drowned.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do, my daughter?" said the old man. "You are a Princess +and accustomed to the best of everything, and I have but poor fare to +offer, black bread and radishes; but if you will let me, I will go and +tell the King of the Peacocks that you are here; if he had once seen +you, he would assuredly marry you." "Alas! he is a wicked man," said +Rosette; "he would only put me to death; but if you can lend me a little +basket, I will tie it round Fretillon's neck, and he will have very bad +luck, if he does not manage to bring back some food."</p> + +<p>The old man gave her a basket, which she fastened to Fretillon's neck, +and then said, "Go to the best kitchen in the town, and bring me back +what you find in the saucepan." Fretillon ran off to the town, and as +there was no better kitchen than that of the King, he went in, uncovered +the saucepan, and cleverly carried off all that was in it; then he +returned to the hut. Rosette said to him, "Go back and take whatever you +can find of the best in the larder." Fretillon went back to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> the King's +larder, and took white bread, wine, and all sorts of fruits and +sweetmeats; he was so laden that he could only just manage to carry the +things home.</p> + +<p>When the King of the Peacocks' dinner hour arrived, there was nothing +for him either in the saucepan or in the larder; his attendants looked +askance at one another, and the King was in a terrible rage. "It seems, +then, that I am to have no dinner; but see that the spit is put before +the fire, and let me have some good roast meat this evening." The +evening came, and the Princess said to Fretillon, "Go to the best +kitchen in the town and bring me a joint of good roast meat." Fretillon +obeyed, and knowing no better kitchen than that of the King, he went +softly in, while the cooks' backs were turned, took the meat, which was +of the best kind, from the spit, and carried it back in his basket to +the Princess. She sent him back without delay to the larder, and he +carried off all the preserves and sweetmeats that had been prepared for +the King.</p> + +<p>The King, having had no dinner, was very hungry, and ordered supper to +be served early, but no supper was forthcoming; enraged beyond words, he +was forced to go supperless to bed.</p> + +<p>The same thing happened the following day, both as to dinner and supper; +so that the King, for three days, was without meat or drink, for every +time he sat down to table, it was found that the meal that had been +prepared had been stolen. His chief adviser, fearing for the life of the +King, hid himself in the corner of the kitchen to watch; he kept his +eyes on the saucepan, that was boiling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> over the fire, and what was his +surprise to see enter a little green dog, with one ear, that uncovered +the pot, and put the meat in its basket. He followed it to see where it +would go; he saw it leave the town, and still following, came to the old +man's hut. Then he went and told the King that it was to a poor +peasant's home that the food was carried morning and evening. The King +was greatly astonished, and ordered more inquiries to be made. His chief +adviser, anxious for favour, decided to go himself, taking with him a +body of archers. They found the old man and Rosette at dinner, eating +the meat that had been stolen from the King's kitchen, and they seized +them, and bound them with cords, taking Fretillon prisoner at the same +time.</p> + +<p>They brought word to the King that the delinquents had been captured, +and he replied, "To-morrow, the last day of reprieve for my two insolent +prisoners will expire; they and these thieves shall die together." He +then went into his court of justice. The old man threw himself on his +knees before him, and begged to be allowed to tell him everything. As he +was speaking, the King looked towards the beautiful Princess, and his +heart was touched when he saw her crying. When, therefore, the old man +said that she was the +<a name="Princess" id="Princess"></a><ins title="Original has Prrincess">Princess</ins> Rosette who had been thrown +into the water, in spite of the weak condition he was in from having +starved for so long, he gave three bounds of joy, ran and embraced her, +and untied her cords, declaring the while that he loved her with all his +heart.</p> + +<p>They at once went to find the Princes, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> thought they were going to +be put to death, and came forward in great dejection and hanging their +heads; the nurse and her daughter were brought in at the same time. The +brothers and sister recognised one another, as soon as they were brought +face to face, and Rosette threw herself on her brothers' necks. The +nurse and her daughter, and the boatman, begged on their knees for +mercy, and the universal rejoicing and their own joy were so great, that +the King and the Princess pardoned them, and gave the good old man a +handsome reward, and from that time he continued to live in the palace.</p> + +<p>Finally, the King of the Peacocks did all in his power to atone for his +conduct to the King and his brother, expressing the deepest regret at +having treated them so badly. The nurse restored to Rosette all her +beautiful clothes and the bushel of golden crowns, and the wedding +festivities lasted a fortnight. Everyone was happy down to Fretillon, +who ate nothing but partridge wings for the rest of his life.</p> + +<hr class="white" /> + +<h4>THE END</h4> + + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="center"><i>Colston & Coy. Limited, Printers, Edinburgh.</i></p> + + + +<hr class="white" /> + +<div id="boxtn"> +<p class="center">Transcriber's Note:</p> + +<p class="noi">Punctuation has been standardised. Changes to the original publication +have been made as follows:</p> + +<p class="noi">List of Illustrations, added <a href="#arriving2">illustration</a> on Page 120></p> + +<p class="noi">Page 64<br /> + +as he was entirly governed by <i>changed to</i><br /> +as he was <a href="#entirely">entirely</a> governed by</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 70<br /> + +your are!" said she to them, <i>changed to</i><br /> +<a href="#you">you</a> are!" said she to them,</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 110<br /> + +they would he obliged to go and <i>changed to</i><br /> +they would <a href="#be">be</a> obliged to go and</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 115<br /> + +withdrew, and the merchant said ro <i>changed to</i><br /> +withdrew, and the merchant said <a href="#to">to</a></p> + +<p class="noi">Page 124<br /> + +reassurred, for the Beast, after <i>changed to</i><br /> +<a href="#reassured">reassured</a>, for the Beast, after</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 148<br /> + +on a piece of rag; for she possesed <i>changed to</i><br /> +on a piece of rag; for she <a href="#possessed">possessed</a></p> + +<p class="noi">Page 151<br /> + +of the room. The The King and <i>changed to</i><br /> +of the room. <a href="#the">The</a> King and</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 163<br /> + +windwill, and three rows of teeth <i>changed to</i><br /> +<a href="#windmill">windmill</a>, and three rows of teeth</p> + +<p class="noi">Page 191<br /> + +said that she was the Prrincess Rosette <i>changed to</i><br /> +said that she was the <a href="#Princess">Princess</a> Rosette</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Passed Times, by Charles Perrault + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF PASSED TIMES *** + +***** This file should be named 33511-h.htm or 33511-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/5/1/33511/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales of Passed Times + +Author: Charles Perrault + +Illustrator: Charles Robinson + +Release Date: August 23, 2010 [EBook #33511] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF PASSED TIMES *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + THE TEMPLE CLASSICS + FOR YOUNG PEOPLE + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + TALES _of_ PASSED TIMES + + TOLD BY + MASTER CHARLES PERRAULT + + _WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY_ + CHARLES ROBINSON + + + LONDON: + J.M. DENT & COMPANY + ALDINE HOUSE, BEDFORD STREET + COVENT GARDEN. + + 1900. + + + + +It is to Perrault that we owe our acquaintance with the greater number +of good old-fashioned fairy-tales, but an edition of these, although it +includes such intimate friends of our childhood as Blue Beard, the +Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding-Hood, is hardly complete without +"Beauty and the Beast"; a version of this tale, by Mme. Le Prince de +Beaumont, has, therefore, been added to this collection. It has also +been increased, space permitting it, by the insertion of two tales by +Mme. la Comtesse d'Aulnoy; her writings, of a less robust class than +those of Perrault, possess in their atmosphere of hidden magic, the +charm which resides in that special feature of fairyland, and the +addition of "The Benevolent Frog" and "Princess Rosette" will not, we +think, be unwelcome to the youthful reader. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD 5 + + LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD 23 + + BLUE BEARD 31 + + MASTER CAT; OR, PUSS IN BOOTS 43 + + THE FAIRIES 55 + + CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER 63 + + RIQUET WITH THE TUFT 77 + + LITTLE THUMBLING 91 + + BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 109 + + THE BENEVOLENT FROG 133 + + PRINCESS ROSETTE 169 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + + CINDERELLA _Frontispiece_ + + SHE FELL INTO A SWOON 9 + + "GRANDMA, WHAT GREAT EARS YOU HAVE!" 25 + + "YOUR TEARS ARE USELESS," SAID BLUE BEARD; + "YOU MUST DIE" 37 + + PUSS AMONG THE REAPERS 47 + + SHE GAVE IT TO THE WOMAN 57 + + THE KING'S SON GAVE HER HIS HAND 67 + + "THEN," SAID THE PRINCESS, "I WISH YOU MAY + BE THE HANDSOMEST PRINCE IN THE WORLD" 85 + + THE BOYS FOLLOWED HIM 93 + + WHEN SHE OPENED HER EYES, SHE SAW, STANDING BESIDE + HER, A WOMAN OF GIGANTIC SIZE CLOTHED IN A + LION'S SKIN 137 + + "OH, YOU ARE JESTING," SAID THE KING OF THE + PEACOCKS 177 + + + + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD + + +There were once a King and Queen, who were very unhappy at not having +any children, more unhappy than words can tell. Vows, pilgrimages, +everything was tried, but nothing was of any avail; at length, however, +a little daughter was born to them. + +There was a splendid christening. For godmothers, they gave the young +Princess all the fairies they could find in the country--they were seven +in number--in order that each making her a gift, according to the custom +of fairies in those days, the Princess might, by these means, become +possessed of all imaginable perfections. When the ceremony was over, all +the company returned to the King's palace, where a great banquet had +been prepared for the fairies. The table was magnificently laid for +them, and each had placed for her a massive gold case, containing a +spoon, a fork, and a knife of fine gold, set with diamonds and rubies. + +But as they were all taking their seats, there was seen to enter an old +fairy, who had not been invited, for everyone thought that she was +either dead or enchanted, as she had not been outside the tower in +which she lived for upwards of fifty years. The King ordered a cover to +be laid for her, but there was no possibility of giving her a massive +gold case, such as the others had, because there had been only seven +made expressly for the seven fairies. The old fairy thought she was +treated with contempt, and muttered some threats between her teeth. One +of the young fairies, who chanced to be near her, overheard her +grumblings, and was afraid she might bestow some evil gift on the young +Princess. Accordingly, as soon as they rose from table, she went and hid +herself behind the hangings, in order to be the last to speak, and so +enable herself to repair, as far as possible, any harm the old fairy +might have done. Meanwhile the fairies began bestowing their gifts on +the Princess. The youngest, as her gift, promised that she should be the +most beautiful person in the world; the next fairy, that she should have +the mind of an angel; the third, that every movement of hers should be +full of grace; the fourth, that she should dance to perfection; the +fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale; the sixth, that she +should play on every kind of instrument in the most exquisite manner +possible. It was now the turn of the old fairy, and she said, while her +head shook more with malice than with age, that the Princess should +pierce her hand with a spindle, and die of the wound. + +The whole company trembled when they heard this terrible prediction, and +there was not one among them who did not shed tears. At this moment the +young fairy advanced from behind the tapestry, and said, speaking that +all might hear,-- + +"Comfort yourselves, King and Queen; your daughter shall not die of the +wound. It is true that I have not sufficient power to undo entirely what +my elder has done. The Princess will pierce her hand with a spindle, +but, instead of dying, she will only fall into a deep sleep, which will +last a hundred years, at the end of which time a king's son will come +and wake her." + +The King, in the hope of preventing the misfortune foretold by the old +fairy, immediately sent forth a proclamation forbidding everyone, on +pain of death, either to spin with a spindle, or to have spindles in +their possession. + +Fifteen or sixteen years had passed, when, the King and Queen being +absent at one of their country houses, it happened that the Princess, +while running about the castle one day, and up the stairs from one room +to the other, came to a little garret at the top of a turret, where an +old woman sat alone spinning with distaff and spindle, for this good +woman had never heard the King's proclamation forbidding the use of the +spindle. + +"What are you doing there?" asked the Princess. + +"I am spinning, my pretty child," answered the old woman, who did not +know who she was. + +"Oh, how pretty it is!" exclaimed the Princess. "How do you do it? Give +it to me, that I may see if I can do it as well." + +She had no sooner taken hold of the spindle, than, being very hasty, and +rather thoughtless, and moreover, the fairies having ordained that it +should be so, she pierced her hand with the point of it, and fainted +away. The poor old woman was in great distress, and called for help. +People came running from all quarters; they threw water in the +Princess's face, they unlaced her dress, they slapped her hands, they +rubbed her temples with Queen of Hungary's water, but nothing would +bring her to. The King, who had run upstairs at the noise, then +remembered the prediction of the fairies, and wisely concluded that this +accident must have happened as the fairies had said it would. He ordered +the Princess to be carried into a beautiful room of the palace, and laid +on a bed embroidered with silver and gold. One might have thought it was +an angel lying there, so lovely did she look, for the rich colours of +her complexion had not faded in her swoon; her cheeks were still rosy, +and her lips like coral. Only, her eyes were closed, but they could hear +her breathing softly, which showed that she was not dead. + +The King gave orders that she was to be left to sleep there in quiet, +until the hour of her awaking should arrive. The good fairy who had +saved her life, by condemning her to sleep for a hundred years, was in +the Kingdom of Mataquin, twelve thousand leagues away, when the Princess +met with her accident, but she was informed of it instantly by a little +dwarf, who had a pair of seven-league boots, that is, boots which +enabled the wearer to take seven leagues at a stride. + +[Illustration: "_She fell into a swoon._" + +_The Sleeping Beauty_] + +The fairy set out immediately, and an hour afterwards she was seen +arriving in a chariot of fire, drawn by dragons. + +The King advanced to hand her out of the chariot. She approved of all he +had done, but being gifted with great foresight, she bethought her that +the Princess would feel very lost and bewildered on awaking and finding +herself all alone in the old castle; so this is what the fairy did. With +her wand she touched everybody who was in the castle, except the King +and Queen: governesses, maids of honour, women of the bed-chamber, +gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks, scullions, boys, guards, porters, +pages, footmen; she also touched the horses that were in the stables +with their grooms, the great mastiffs in the courtyard, and little +Fluff, the pet dog of the Princess, that was on the bed beside her. As +soon as she had touched them, they all fell asleep, not to wake again +until the hour arrived for their mistress to do so, in order that they +should all be ready to attend upon her as soon as she should want them. +Even the spits before the fire, hung with partridges and pheasants, and +the very fire itself, went to sleep. All this was done in a moment, for +fairies never lost much time over their work. + +The King and Queen now kissed their dear daughter, who still slept on, +quitted the castle, and issued a proclamation forbidding any person, +whosoever, to approach it. These orders were unnecessary, for in a +quarter of an hour there grew up around the park such a number of trees, +large and small, of brambles and thorns interlacing each other, that +neither man nor beast could have got through them, and nothing could be +now seen of the castle but the tops of the turrets, and they only from +a considerable distance. Nobody doubted that this also was some of the +fairy's handiwork, in order that the Princess might be protected from +the curiosity of strangers during her long slumber. + +When the hundred years had passed away, the son of the King at that time +upon the throne, and who was of a different family to that of the +sleeping Princess, having been hunting in the neighbourhood, inquired +what towers they were that he saw above the trees of a very thick wood. +Each person answered him according to the story he had heard. Some said +it was an old castle, haunted by ghosts; others, that all the witches of +the country held their midnight revels there. The more general opinion, +however, was that it was the abode of an ogre, and that he carried +thither all the children he could catch, in order to eat them at his +leisure, and without being pursued, he alone having the power of making +his way through the wood. + +The Prince did not know what to believe of all this, when an old peasant +spoke in his turn, and said to him, "Prince, it is more than fifty years +ago since I heard my father say, that there was in that castle the most +beautiful Princess that was ever seen; that she was to sleep for a +hundred years, and would be awakened by a king's son, for whom she was +intended and was waiting." + +The young Prince, at these words, felt himself all on fire. He had not a +moment's doubt that he was the one chosen to accomplish this famous +adventure, and urged to the deed by love and glory, he resolved, +without delay, to see what would come of it. + +Scarcely had he approached the wood, when all those great trees, all +those brambles and thorns, made way for him to pass of their own accord. +He walked towards the castle, which he saw at the end of a long avenue +he had entered, and he was somewhat surprised to find that none of his +people had been able to follow him, the trees having closed up again as +soon as he had passed. Nevertheless, he continued to advance; a young +prince, inspired by love, is always courageous. He came to a large +fore-court, where everything he saw might well have frozen his blood +with terror. A frightful silence reigned around; death seemed everywhere +present; on every side, nothing to be seen but the bodies of men and +animals stretched out, apparently lifeless. He soon discovered, however, +by the shining noses and red faces of the porters, that they were only +asleep; and their goblets, in which still remained a few drops of wine, +sufficiently proved that they had dozed off whilst drinking. + +He next passed through a large courtyard paved with marble, ascended the +staircase, and entered the guard-room, where the guards stood, drawn up +in line, their carbines shouldered, and snoring their loudest. He +traversed several rooms with ladies and gentlemen all asleep, some +standing, others seated. At last he came to one covered with gold, and +there on a bed, the curtains of which were open on either side, he saw +the most lovely sight he had ever looked upon--a Princess, who appeared +to be about fifteen or sixteen, and whose dazzling beauty shone with a +radiance which scarcely seemed to belong to this world. He approached, +trembling and admiring, and knelt down beside her. + +At that moment, the enchantment being ended, the Princess awoke, and +gazing at him for the first time with unexpected tenderness, "Is it you, +Prince?" she said; "I have waited long for you to come." The Prince, +delighted at these words, and still more by the tone in which they were +uttered, knew not how to express his joy and gratitude. He assured her +that he loved her better than himself. His words were rather confused, +but she was all the more pleased with them; there was little eloquence, +but a great deal of love. He was much more embarrassed than she was, +which is not to be wondered at. She had had time to think over what she +should say to him, for there is reason to believe, although history does +not mention it, that during her long, long sleep, the good fairy had let +her enjoy very pleasant dreams. In short, they talked for four hours +without having said half what they had to say to each other. + +In the meanwhile, all the palace had been roused at the same time as the +Princess. Everybody remembered his or her duty, and, as they were not +all in love, they were dying with hunger. The lady-in-waiting, as hungry +as any of them, became impatient, and announced loudly to the Princess +that the meat was on the table. The Prince assisted the Princess to +rise; she was fully dressed, and most magnificently, but he was careful +not to tell her that she was dressed like his grandmother, and wore a +stand-up collar, for, in spite of this, she was not a whit less +beautiful. + +They passed into a hall of mirrors, where they supped, waited upon by +the officers of the Princess. The violins and hautboys played old but +charming pieces of music, notwithstanding that it was a hundred years +since they had been performed by anybody, and after supper, without loss +of time, the grand almoner married the royal lovers in the chapel of the +castle. + +Early next morning the Prince returned to the city, where he knew his +father would be in anxiety about him. The Prince told him that he had +lost his way in the forest whilst hunting, and that he had slept in the +hut of a woodcutter, who had given him black bread and cheese to eat. + +The King, his father, who was a simple-minded man, believed him, but his +mother was not so easily satisfied. She noticed that he went hunting +nearly every day, and had always some story ready as an excuse, when he +had slept two or three nights away from home, and so she felt quite sure +that he had a lady-love. More than two years went by and the Princess +had two children, the first, which was a girl, was named Aurora, and the +second, a son, was called Day, because he was still more beautiful than +his sister. + +The Queen, hoping to find out the truth from her son, often said to him +that he ought to form some attachment, but he never dared to trust her +with his secret. Although he loved her, he feared her, for she was of +the race of ogres, and the King had only married her on account of her +great riches. It was even whispered about the court that she had the +inclinations of an ogress, and that when she saw little children +passing, it was with the greatest difficulty that she restrained herself +from pouncing upon them. The Prince, therefore, would never say one word +to her about his affairs. + +On the death of the King, however, which took place two years later, the +Prince, being now his own master, made a public declaration of his +marriage, and went in great state to bring the Queen, his wife, to the +palace. She made a magnificent entry into the capital, with her two +children, one on either side of her. + +Sometime afterwards, the King went to war with his neighbour, the +Emperor Cantalabute. He left the Queen, his mother, Regent of the +Kingdom, earnestly recommending to her care his wife and children. He +was likely to be all summer in the field, and he had no sooner left than +the Queen-mother sent her daughter-in-law and the children to a country +house in the wood, so that she might more easily gratify her horrible +longing. She followed them thither a few days after, and one evening +said to her head cook, "I will eat little Aurora for dinner to-morrow." +"Ah, madam!" exclaimed the cook. "I will," said the Queen, and she said +it in the voice of an ogress longing to eat fresh meat; "and I will have +her served with my favourite sauce." + +The poor man, seeing plainly that an ogress was not to be trifled with, +took his great knife and went up to little Aurora's room. She was then +about four years old, and came jumping and laughing to throw her arms +about his neck, and ask him for sweetmeats. He burst into tears, and +the knife fell from his hands; then he went down again and into the +farmyard, and there killed a little lamb which he served up with so +delicious a sauce, that his mistress assured him she had never eaten +anything so excellent. In the meanwhile, he had carried off little +Aurora, and given her to his wife, that she might hide her in the +lodging which she occupied at the further end of the farmyard. A week +later, the wicked Queen said to her head cook, "I will eat little Day +for supper." He made no reply, having decided in his own mind to deceive +her as before. + +He went in search of little Day, and found him with a tiny foil in his +hand, fencing with a great monkey, though he was only three years old. +He carried the child to his wife, who hid him where she had hidden his +sister, and then cooked a very tender little kid in the place of little +Day, which the ogress thought wonderfully good. All had gone well enough +so far, but one evening this wicked Queen said to the head cook, "I +should like to eat the Queen with the same sauce that I had with the +children." + +Then the poor cook was indeed in despair, for he did not know how he +should be able to deceive her. The young Queen was over twenty years of +age, without counting the hundred years she had slept, and no longer +such tender food, although her skin was still white and beautiful, and +where among all his animals should he find one old enough to take her +place? + +He resolved at last that, to save his own life, he would kill the Queen, +and he went up to her room, determined to carry out his purpose without +delay. He worked himself up into a passion, and entered the young +Queen's room, dagger in hand. He did not wish, however, to take her by +surprise, and so he repeated to her, very respectfully, the order he had +received from the Queen-mother. "Do your duty," she said, stretching out +her neck to him; "obey the orders that have been given you. I shall +again see my children, my poor children, whom I loved so dearly," for +she had thought them dead, ever since they had been carried away from +her without a word of explanation. + +"No, no, madam!" replied the poor cook, touched to the quick, "you shall +not die, and you shall see your children again, but it will be in my own +house, where I have hidden them; I will again deceive the Queen-mother +by serving up to her a young hind in your stead." + +He led her forthwith to his own apartments, then, leaving her to embrace +her children and weep with them, he went and prepared a hind, which the +Queen ate at her supper with as much appetite as if it had been the +young Queen. She exulted in her cruelty, and intended to tell the King, +on his return, that some ferocious wolves had devoured the Queen, his +wife, and her two children. + +One evening, while she was prowling, as usual, round the courts and +poultry-yards of the castle, to inhale the smell of fresh meat, she +overheard little Day crying in one of the lower rooms, because the +Queen, his mother, was about to whip him for being naughty, and she also +heard little Aurora begging forgiveness for her brother. The ogress +recognised the voices of the Queen and her children, and, furious at +having been deceived, she gave orders, in a voice that made everybody +tremble, that the next morning early there should be brought into the +middle of the court a large copper, which she had filled with toads, +vipers, adders, and serpents, in order to throw into it the Queen and +her children, the head cook, his wife, and his maid-servant. She further +commanded that they should be brought thither with their hands tied +behind them. + +There they stood, and the executioners were preparing to fling them into +the copper, when the King, who was not expected back so soon, entered +the courtyard on horseback. He had ridden post-haste, and in great +astonishment asked what was the meaning of this horrible spectacle? No +one dared tell him, when the ogress, enraged at what she saw, flung +herself head foremost into the copper, where she was instantly devoured +by the horrid reptiles, with which she had herself caused it to be +filled. The King could not help being sorry for it; she was his mother; +but he quickly consoled himself with his beautiful wife and children. + + Some time for a husband to wait + Who is young, handsome, wealthy and tender, + May not be a hardship too great + For a maid whom love happy would render. + But to be for a century bound + To live single, I fancy the number + Of Beauties but small would be found + So long who could patiently slumber. + + To lovers who hate time to waste, + And minutes as centuries measure, + I would hint, those who marry in haste + May live to repent it at leisure + Yet so ardently onwards they press, + And on prudence so gallantly trample, + That I haven't the heart, I confess, + To urge on them Beauty's example. + + + + +LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD + + +There was once upon a time a little village girl, the prettiest ever +seen or known, of whom her mother was dotingly fond. Her grandmother was +even fonder of her still, and had a little red hood made for the child, +which suited her so well, that wherever she went, she was known by the +name of Little Red Riding-Hood. + +One day, her mother having baked some cakes, said to her, "Go and see +how your grandmother is getting on, for I have been told she is ill; +take her a cake and this little jar of butter." Whereupon Little Red +Riding-Hood started off without delay towards the village in which her +grandmother lived. On her way she had to pass through a wood, and there +she met that sly old fellow, Mr Wolf, who felt that he should very much +like to eat her up on the spot, but was afraid to do so, as there were +woodcutters at hand in the forest. He asked her which way she was going, +and the poor child, not knowing how dangerous it is to stop and listen +to a wolf, answered, "I am going to see my grandmother, and am taking a +cake and a little jar of butter, which my mother has sent her." + +"Does she live far from here?" asked the Wolf. + +"Oh, yes!" replied Little Red Riding-Hood, "on the further side of the +mill that you see down there; hers is the first house in the village." + +"Well, I was thinking of going to visit her myself," rejoined the Wolf, +"so I will take this path, and you take the other, and we will see which +of us gets there first." + +The Wolf then began running off as fast as he could along the shorter +way, which he had chosen, while the little girl went by the longer way, +and amused herself with stopping to gather nuts, or run after +butterflies, and with making little nosegays of all the flowers she +could find. + +It did not take the Wolf long to reach the grandmother's house; he +knocked: tap, tap. + +"Who is there?" + +"It is your grand-daughter, Little Red Riding-Hood," answered the Wolf, +imitating the child's voice. "I have brought a cake and a little jar of +butter, which my mother has sent you." The good grandmother, who was ill +in bed, called out, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." The +Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. He leaped on to the poor +old woman, and ate her up in less than no time, for he had been three +days without food. He then shut the door again, and laid himself down in +the grandmother's bed, to wait for Little Red Riding-Hood. Presently she +came and knocked at the door: tap, tap. + +[Illustration: '_Grandma, what great ears you have!_' + +_Little Red Riding-Hood_] + +"Who is there?" Little Red Riding-Hood was frightened at first, on +hearing the Wolf's gruff voice, but thinking that her grandmother had a +cold, she answered,-- + +"It is your grand-daughter, Little Red Riding-Hood. I have brought a +cake and a little jar of butter, which my mother has sent you." + +The Wolf called out, this time in rather a softer voice, "Pull the +bobbin, and the latch will go up." Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the +bobbin, and the door opened. + +When the Wolf saw her come in, he hid himself under the bedclothes, and +said to her, "Put the cake and the little jar of butter in the cupboard, +and come into bed with me." + +Little Red Riding-Hood undressed, and went to the bedside, and was very +much astonished to see how different her grandmother looked to what she +did when she was up and dressed. + +"Grandmother," she exclaimed, "what long arms you have!" + +"All the better to embrace you with, my little girl." + +"Grandmother, what long legs you have!" + +"All the better to run with, child." + +"Grandmother, what long ears you have!" + +"All the better to hear with, child." + +"Grandmother, what large eyes you have!" + +"All the better to see with, child." + +"Grandmother, what large teeth you have!" + +"All the better to eat you with!" and saying these words, the wicked +Wolf sprang out upon Little Red Riding-Hood, and ate her up. + + +MORAL + + Now, children, take warning, and chiefly, I pray, + You maidens so gentle and fair, + When you come across all kinds of folk, have a care + Not to listen to what they may say; + For it can't be thought strange if you do, + Should the Wolf choose to eat up a few. + _The_ Wolf, I say here, for you'll find + Wolves are many, and vary in kind; + There are some, easy-mannered and tame, + Without malice, or temper, the same, + Most obliging and sweet in their way, + Like to follow their tender young prey, + And will track them right into their homes--lack-a-day! + Who among us has not learnt by this time to know, + The most dangerous of wolves is the soft, smooth-tongued foe! + + + + +BLUE BEARD + + +Once upon a time there was a man who had fine houses in town and +country, gold and silver plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilt +all over; but, unfortunately, this man had a blue beard, which made him +look so ugly and terrible, that there was not a woman or girl who did +not run away from him. + +One of his neighbours, a lady of rank, had two daughters, who were +perfectly beautiful. He proposed to marry one of them, leaving the +mother to choose which of the two she would give him. Neither of the +daughters, however, would have him, and they sent him from one to the +other, each being unable to make up her mind to marry a man with a blue +beard. A further reason which they had for disliking him was, that he +had already been married several times, and nobody knew what had become +of his wives. Blue Beard, in order to improve the acquaintance, took the +girls with their mother, three or four of their most intimate friends, +and some other young people who resided in the neighbourhood, to one of +his country seats, where they spent an entire week. Nothing was thought +of but excursions, hunting and fishing-parties, balls, entertainments, +suppers; nobody went to bed; the whole night was passed in games and +playing merry tricks on one another. In short, all went off so well, +that the youngest daughter began to think that the beard of the master +of the house was not so blue as it used to be, and that he was a very +worthy man. Immediately upon their return to town the marriage took +place. + +At the end of a month, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to +take a journey, which would keep him away from home for six weeks at +least, as he had business of great importance to attend to. He begged +her to amuse herself as well as she could during his absence, to invite +her best friends, and, if she liked, take them into the country, and +wherever she was, to have the best of everything for the table. + +"Here," said he to her, "are the keys of my two large store-rooms; these +are those of the chests in which the gold and silver plate, not in +general use, is kept; these are the keys of the strong boxes in which I +keep my money; these open the caskets that contain my jewels, and this +is the master-key of all the rooms. As for this little key, it is that +of the closet at the end of the long gallery on the ground floor. Open +everything, and go everywhere except into that little closet, which I +forbid you to enter, and I forbid you so strictly, that if you should +venture to open the door, there is nothing that you may not have to +dread from my anger!" She promised to obey his orders to the letter, +and, after having embraced her, he got into his coach and set out on his +journey. + +The friends and neighbours of the young bride did not wait for her +invitation, so eager were they to see all the rich treasures in the +house, and not having ventured to visit her while her husband was at +home, so frightened were they at his blue beard. They were soon to be +seen running through all the rooms, and into the closets and wardrobes, +each one more beautiful and splendid than the last. Then they went +upstairs to the store-rooms; there they could not sufficiently express +their admiration at the number and beauty of the hangings, the beds, the +sofas, the cabinets, the elegant little stands, the tables, the mirrors +in which they could see themselves from head to foot, framed some with +glass, some with silver, some with gilt metal, all of a costliness +beyond what had ever before been seen. They never ceased enlarging upon, +and envying, the good fortune of their friend, who, meanwhile, took no +pleasure in the sight of all these treasures, so great was her longing +to go and open the door of the closet on the ground floor. Her curiosity +at last reached such a pitch that, without stopping to consider how rude +it was to leave her guests, she ran down a little back staircase leading +to the closet, and in such haste that she nearly broke her neck two or +three times before she reached the bottom. At the door of the closet she +paused for a moment, calling to mind her husband's prohibition, and +reflecting that some trouble might fall upon her for her disobedience; +but the temptation was so strong that she could not resist it. So she +took the little key, and with a trembling hand opened the door of the +closet. + +At first she could distinguish nothing, for the windows were closed; in +a few minutes, however, she began to see that the floor was covered with +blood, in which was reflected the bodies of several dead women hanging +on the walls. These were all the wives of Blue Beard, who had killed +them one after another. She was ready to die with fright, and the key, +which she had taken out of the lock, fell from her hand. + +After recovering her senses a little, she picked up the key, locked the +door again, and went up to her room to try and compose herself; but she +found it impossible to quiet her agitation. + +She now perceived that the key of the closet was stained with blood; she +wiped it two or three times, but the blood would not come off. In vain +she washed it, and even scrubbed it with sand and free-stone, the stain +was still there, for the key was an enchanted one, and there were no +means of cleaning it completely; when the blood was washed off one side, +it came back on the other. + +Blue Beard returned that very evening, and said that he had received +letters on the road, telling him that the business on which he was going +had been settled to his advantage. + +His wife did all she could to make him believe that she was delighted at +his speedy return. + +The next morning he asked her for his keys again; she gave them to him; +but her hand trembled so, that he had not much difficulty in guessing +what had happened. + +"How comes it," said he, "that the key of the closet is not with the +others?" + +"I must have left it," she replied, "upstairs on my table." + +"Fail not," said Blue Beard, "to give it me presently." + +After several excuses, she was obliged to go and fetch the key. Blue +Beard having examined it, said to his wife, "Why is there blood on this +key?" "I don't know," answered the poor wife, paler than death. + +"You don't know!" rejoined Blue Beard; "I know well enough. You must +needs go into the closet. Well, madam, you shall go in again, and take +your place among the ladies you saw there." + +She flung herself at her husband's feet, weeping and begging his pardon, +with all the signs of a true repentance at having disobeyed him. Her +beauty and sorrow might have melted a rock, but Blue Beard had a heart +harder than rock. + +"You must die, madam," said he, "and at once." + +"If I must die," she replied, looking at him with streaming eyes, "give +me a little time to say my prayers." + +"I give you half a quarter of an hour," answered Blue Beard, "not a +minute more." + +As soon as she found herself alone, she called her sister, and said to +her, "Sister Anne"--for so she was named--"go up, I pray you, to the top +of the tower, and see if my brothers are not in sight. They promised +they would come to visit me to-day, and if you see them, sign to them to +make haste." + +Sister Anne mounted to the top of the tower, and the poor unhappy wife +called to her from time to time, "Anne! Sister Anne! do you not see +anything coming?" and Sister Anne answered her, "I see nothing but the +dust turning gold in the sun, and the grass growing green." + +Meanwhile, Blue Beard, with a large cutlass in his hand, called out with +all his might to his wife, "Come down quickly, or I shall come up +there." "One minute more, if you please," replied his wife; and then +said quickly in a low voice, "Anne! Sister Anne! do you not see anything +coming?" And Sister Anne answered, "I see nothing but the dust turning +gold in the sun, and the grass growing green." + +"Come down quickly," roared Blue Beard, "or I shall come up there." + +"I am coming," answered his wife; and then called "Anne! Sister Anne! do +you not see anything coming?" + +"I see a great cloud of dust moving this way," said Sister Anne. + +"Is it my brothers?" + +"Alas! no, sister, only a flock of sheep." + +"Will you not come down?" shouted Blue Beard. + +"One minute more," replied his wife; and then she cried, "Anne! Sister +Anne! do you not see anything coming?" + +"I see two horsemen coming this way," she replied, "but they are still a +great distance off. Heaven be praised!" she exclaimed a moment +afterwards. "They are my brothers! I am making all the signs I can to +hasten them." + +[Illustration: _"Your tears are useless" said Bluebeard, "you must +die!"_ _Bluebeard._] + +Blue Beard began to roar so loudly that the whole house shook again. The +poor wife went down and threw herself at his feet with weeping eyes and +dishevelled hair. "It is of no use," said Blue Beard; "you must die!" +Then, taking her by the hair with one hand, and raising the cutlass with +the other, he was about to cut off her head. + +The poor wife, turning towards him her dying eyes, begged him to give +her one short moment to collect herself. "No, no," said he; "commend +yourself to heaven," and, lifting his arm.... At this moment there was +such a loud knocking at the gate that Blue Beard stopped short. It was +opened, and two horsemen were immediately seen to enter, who, drawing +their swords, ran straight at Blue Beard. He recognised them as the +brothers of his wife, one a dragoon, the other a musketeer, and he +therefore fled at once, hoping to escape; but they pursued him so +closely that they overtook him before he could reach the steps to his +door, and, running their swords through his body, left him dead on the +spot. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not +strength to rise and embrace her brothers. + +It was found that Blue Beard had left no heirs, and so his widow came +into possession of all his property. She employed part of it in marrying +her Sister Anne to a man who had long loved her; another part in buying +captains' commissions for her two brothers; and with the remainder she +married herself to a very worthy man, who made her forget the dreadful +time she had passed with Blue Beard. + + Provided one has common sense, + And of the world but knows the ways, + This story bears the evidence + Of being one of bygone days. + No husband now is so terrific, + Impossibilities expecting: + Though jealous, he is still pacific, + Indifference to his wife affecting. + And of his beard, whate'er the hue, + His spouse need fear no such disaster; + Indeed, 'twould often puzzle you + To say which of the twain is master. + + + + +MASTER CAT; OR, PUSS IN BOOTS + + +A miller bequeathed to his three sons all he possessed of worldly goods, +which consisted only of his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat. It did not take +long to divide the property, and neither notary nor attorney was called +in; they would soon have eaten up the poor little patrimony. The eldest +son had the Mill; the second son, the Ass; and the youngest had nothing +but the Cat. + +The latter was very disconsolate at having such a poor share of the +inheritance. "My brothers," said he, "may be able to earn an honest +livelihood by entering into partnership; but, as for me, when I have +eaten my Cat and made a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger." The +Cat, who had heard this speech, although he had not appeared to do so, +said to him with a sedate and serious air, "Do not be troubled, master; +you have only to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me in +which I can go among the bushes, and you will see that you are not left +so badly off as you believe." Though his master did not place much +reliance on the Cat's words, he had seen him play such cunning tricks in +catching rats and mice, when he would hang himself up by the heels, or +hide in the flour pretending to be dead, that he was not altogether +without hope of being helped by him out of his distress. + +As soon as the Cat had what he asked for, he boldly pulled on his boots, +and, hanging his bag round his neck, he took the strings of it in his +fore-paws, and started off for a warren where there were a great number +of rabbits. He put some bran and sow-thistles in his bag, and then, +stretching himself out as if he were dead, he waited till some young +rabbit, little versed in the wiles of the world, should come and poke +his way into the bag, in order to eat what was inside it. + +He had hardly laid himself down before he had the pleasure of seeing a +young scatterbrain of a rabbit get into the bag, whereupon Master Cat +pulled the strings, caught it, and killed it without mercy. Proud of his +prey, he went to the palace, and asked to speak to the King. He was +ushered upstairs and into the state apartment, and, after making a low +bow to the King, he said, "Sire, here is a wild rabbit, which my Lord +the Marquis of Carabas--for such was the title he had taken a fancy to +give to his master--has ordered me to present, with his duty, to your +Majesty." + +"Tell your master," replied the King, "that I thank him and am pleased +with his gift." + +Another day he went and hid himself in the wheat, keeping the mouth of +his bag open as before, and as soon as he saw that a brace of partridges +had run inside, he pulled the strings, and so took them both. He went +immediately and presented them to the King, as he had the rabbits. The +King was equally grateful at receiving the brace of partridges, and +ordered drink to be given him. + +For the next two or three months, the Cat continued in this manner, +taking presents of game at intervals to the King, as if from his master. +One day, when he knew the King was going to drive on the banks of the +river, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world, he +said to his master, "If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made; +you have only to go and bathe in a part of the river I will point out to +you, and then leave the rest to me." + +The Marquis of Carabas did as his Cat advised him, without knowing what +good would come of it. While he was bathing, the King passed by, and the +Cat began to call out with all his might, "Help! Help! My Lord the +Marquis of Carabas is drowning!" Hearing the cry, the King looked out of +the coach window, and recognising the Cat who had so often brought him +game, he ordered his guards to fly to the help of my Lord the Marquis of +Carabas. Whilst they were getting the poor Marquis out of the river, the +Cat went up to the royal coach, and told the King that, while his master +had been bathing, some robbers had come and carried off his clothes, +although he had shouted, "Stop thief," as loud as he could. The rogue +had hidden them himself under a large stone. The King immediately +ordered the officers of his wardrobe to go and fetch one of his +handsomest suits for my Lord the Marquis of Carabas. The King embraced +him a thousand times, and as the fine clothes they dressed him in set +off his good looks--for he was handsome and well made--the Marquis of +Carabas quite took the fancy of the King's daughter, and after he had +cast two or three respectful and rather tender glances towards her, she +fell very much in love with him. The King insisted upon his getting into +the coach, and accompanying them in their drive. The Cat, delighted to +see that his plans were beginning to succeed, ran on before, and coming +across some peasants who were mowing a meadow, he said to them, "You, +good people, who are mowing here, if you do not tell the King that this +meadow you are mowing belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas, you +shall all be cut in pieces as small as minced meat." The King did not +fail to ask the peasants whose meadow it was they were mowing. "It +belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas," said they all together, for +the Cat's threat had frightened them. "You have a fine property there," +said the King to the Marquis of Carabas. + +"As you say, sire," responded the Marquis of Carabas, "for it is a +meadow which yields an abundant crop every year." + +Master Cat, who still kept in advance of the party, came up to some +reapers, and said to them, "You, good people, who are reaping, if you do +not say that all this corn belongs to my Lord the Marquis of Carabas, +you shall all be cut into pieces as small as minced meat." + +[Illustration: _Puss among the reapers._] + +The King, who passed by a minute afterwards, wished to know to whom +belonged all the cornfields he saw. "To my Lord the Marquis of Carabas," +repeated the reapers, and the King again congratulated the Marquis on +his property. + +The Cat, still continuing to run before the coach, uttered the same +threat to everyone he met, and the King was astonished at the great +wealth of my Lord the Marquis of Carabas. Master Cat at length arrived +at a fine castle, the owner of which was an ogre, the richest ogre ever +known, for all the lands through which the King had driven belonged to +the Lord of this castle. The Cat took care to find out who the ogre was, +and what he was able to do; then he asked to speak with him, saying that +he did not like to pass so near his castle without doing himself the +honour of paying his respects to him. The ogre received him as civilly +as an ogre can, and made him sit down. + +"I have been told," said the Cat, "that you have the power of changing +yourself into all kinds of animals; that you could, for instance, +transform yourself into a lion or an elephant." + +"'Tis true," said the ogre, abruptly, "and to prove it to you, you shall +see me become a lion." The Cat was so frightened when he saw a lion in +front of him, that he quickly scrambled up into the gutter, not without +difficulty and danger, on account of his boots, which were worse than +useless for walking on the tiles. Shortly afterwards, seeing that the +ogre had resumed his natural form, the Cat climbed down again, and +admitted that he had been terribly frightened. "I have also been +assured," said the Cat, "but I cannot believe it, that you have the +power besides of taking the form of the smallest animal; for instance, +that of a rat, or a mouse; I confess to you I hold this to be utterly +impossible." "Impossible!" exclaimed the ogre, "you shall see!" and he +immediately changed himself into a mouse, and began running about the +floor. The cat no sooner caught sight of it, than he pounced upon it and +ate it. + +In the meanwhile, the King, seeing the fine castle of the ogre as he was +driving past, thought he should like to go inside. The Cat, who heard +the noise of the coach rolling over the draw-bridge, ran to meet it, and +said to the King, "Your Majesty is welcome to the Castle of my Lord the +Marquis of Carabas!" + +"How, my Lord Marquis," exclaimed the King, "this castle belongs to you? +Nothing could be finer than this courtyard, and all these buildings +which surround it. Let us see the inside of it, if you please." + +The Marquis handed out the young Princess, and following the King, who +led the way upstairs, they entered a grand hall, where they found +prepared a magnificent repast, which the ogre had ordered in expectation +of some friends, who were to have visited him that very day, but who did +not venture to enter when they heard the King was there. The King, as +greatly delighted with the excellent qualities of my Lord the Marquis of +Carabas as his daughter, who was more than ever in love with him, seeing +what great wealth he possessed, said to him, after having drunk five or +six bumpers, "It depends entirely on yourself, my Lord Marquis, whether +or not you become my son-in-law." The Marquis, making several profound +bows, accepted the honour the King offered him, and that same day was +married to the Princess. The Cat became a great lord, and never again +ran after mice, except for his amusement. + + Be the advantage never so great + Of owning a superb estate, + From sire to son descended, + Young men oft find, on industry, + Combined with ingenuity, + They'd better have depended. + + * * * * * + + If the son of a miller so quickly could gain + The heart of a Princess, it seems pretty plain, + With good looks and good manners, and some aid from dress, + The humblest need not quite despair of success. + + + + +THE FAIRIES + + +There was once a widow who had two daughters. The elder was so like her +mother in temper and face, that to have seen the one was to have seen +the other. They were both so disagreeable and proud, that it was +impossible to live with them. The younger, who was the exact portrait of +her father in her kindly and polite ways, was also as beautiful a girl +as one could see. As we are naturally fond of those who resemble us, the +mother doted on her elder daughter, while for the younger she had a most +violent aversion, and made her take her meals in the kitchen and work +hard all day. Among other things that she was obliged to do, this poor +child was forced to go twice a day to fetch water from a place a mile or +more from the house, and carry back a large jug filled to the brim. As +she was standing one day by this spring, a poor woman came up to her, +and asked the girl to give her some water to drink. + +"Certainly, my good woman," she replied, and the beautiful girl at once +stooped and rinsed out the jug, and then, filling it with water from the +clearest part of the spring, she held it up to the woman, continuing to +support the jug, that she might drink with greater comfort. Having +drunk, the woman said to her, "You are so beautiful, so good and kind, +that I cannot refrain from conferring a gift upon you," for she was +really a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor village woman, in order +to see how far the girl's kind-heartedness would go. "This gift I make +you," continued the fairy, "that with every word you speak, either a +flower or a precious stone will fall from your mouth." + +The girl had no sooner reached home than her mother began scolding her +for being back so late. "I am sorry, mother," said she, "to have been +out so long," and as she spoke, there fell from her mouth two roses, two +pearls, and two large diamonds. The mother gazed at her in astonishment. +"What do I see!" she exclaimed, "Pearls and diamonds seem to be dropping +from her mouth! How is this, my daughter?"--it was the first time she +had called her _daughter_. The poor child related in all simplicity what +had happened, letting fall quantities of diamonds in the course of her +narrative. "I must certainly send my other daughter there," said the +mother. "Look, Fanchon, see what falls from your sister's mouth when she +speaks! Would you not be glad to receive a similar gift? All you have to +do, is to go and fetch water from the spring, and if an old woman asks +you for some to drink, to give it her nicely and politely." "I should +like to see myself going to the spring," answered the rude, cross girl. + +"I insist on your going," rejoined the mother, "and that at once." + +[Illustration: '_She gave it to the Woman._'] + +The elder girl went off, still grumbling; with her she took the +handsomest silver bottle she could find in the house. + +She had no sooner arrived at the spring, than she saw a lady +magnificently dressed walking towards her from the wood, who approached +and asked for some water to drink. It was the same fairy who had +appeared to the sister, but she had now put on the airs and apparel of a +princess, as she wished to see how far this girl's rudeness would go. +"Do you think I came here just to draw water for you?" answered the +arrogant and unmannerly girl; "I have, of course, brought this silver +bottle on purpose for madam to drink from! Well, all I have to say +is--drink from it if you like." + +"You are scarcely polite," said the fairy, without losing her temper; +"however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that +with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your +mouth." + +Directly her mother caught sight of her, she called out, "Well, my +daughter!" "Well, my mother!" replied the ill-tempered girl, throwing +out as she spoke two vipers and two toads. "Alack!" cried the mother, +"what do I see? This is her sister's doing, but I will pay her out for +it," and, so saying, she ran towards the younger girl with intent to +beat her. The unhappy girl fled from the house, and went and hid herself +in a neighbouring forest. The King's son, who was returning from +hunting, met her, and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what she +was doing there all alone, and why she was crying. "Alas! sir, my +mother has driven me from home." The King's son, seeing five or six +pearls and as many diamonds, falling from her mouth as she spoke, asked +her to explain how this was, and she told him all her tale. The King's +son fell in love with her, and thinking that such a gift as she +possessed was worth more than any ordinary dower brought by another, he +carried her off to his father's palace, and there married her. + +As for her sister, she made herself so hated, that her own mother drove +her from the house. The miserable girl, having gone about in vain trying +to find someone who would take her in, crept away into the corner of a +wood, and there died. + + Of higher worth are gentle words + Than diamonds or gold, + And even o'er the minds of men + A great power they hold. + + * * * * * + + It costs some pains to be polite, + And needs some kindly thought, + But soon or late, as here you see, + Reward will come unsought. + + + + +CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER + + +Once upon a time there was a nobleman, who took for a second wife the +haughtiest and proudest woman that had ever been seen. She had two +daughters of the same temper, and who resembled her in everything. The +husband, on his side, had a daughter, of unexampled gentleness and +goodness. She inherited these qualities from her mother, who had been +the best creature in the world. + +The wedding was hardly over before the stepmother's ill-humour broke +out. She could not endure the young girl, whose good qualities made her +own daughters appear still more detestable. She put her to do all the +most menial work in the house. It was she who washed up the plates and +dishes, and cleaned the stairs; who scrubbed the stepmother's room, and +those of her daughters. She slept in a garret at the top of the house, +on a wretched straw mattress, while her sisters occupied rooms with +inlaid floors, and had the latest fashioned beds, and mirrors in which +they could see themselves from head to foot. The poor girl bore +everything with patience, and did not dare complain to her father, who +would only have scolded her, as he was entirely governed by his wife. +When she had done her work, she was in the habit of going into the +chimney-corner and sitting down amongst the cinders, which caused her to +be nicknamed Cindertail by the household in general. The second +daughter, however, who was not quite so rude as her sister, called her +Cinderella. Nevertheless, Cinderella in her shabby clothes, still looked +a thousand times more beautiful than her sisters, although so +magnificently dressed. + +It happened that the King's son gave a ball, to which he invited +everyone of position. Our two fine ladies were among those who received +an invitation, for they made a great show in the neighbourhood. They +were now in great delight, and very busy choosing the most becoming +gowns and head-dresses. A new mortification for poor Cinderella, for it +was she who had to iron her sisters' fine linen, and goffer their +ruffles. No one talked of anything but of the style in which they were +to be dressed. "I," said the eldest, "will wear my red velvet dress, and +my English point-lace trimmings." "I," said the youngest, "shall only +wear my usual petticoat; but, to make up for that, I shall put on my +gold-flowered cloak, and my clasp of diamonds, which are none of the +least valuable." They sent for a first-rate milliner, that their caps +might be made to fashion, and they bought their patches from the best +maker. They called Cinderella to give them her opinion, for her taste +was excellent. Cinderella gave them the best advice in the world, and +even offered to dress their hair for them, which they were very willing +she should do. + +Whilst she was busy with the hairdressing, they said to her, +"Cinderella, should you be very glad to go to the ball?" + +"Alas! you only make fun of me; such a thing would not be suitable for +me at all." + +"You are right; they would indeed laugh to see a Cindertail at the +ball!" + +Any other than Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry, but she +had a good disposition, and arranged it for both of them to perfection. +They could eat nothing for nearly two days, so transported were they +with joy. More than a dozen laces were broken in making their waists as +small as possible, and they were continually before their +looking-glasses. At last the happy day arrived. They set off, and +Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could. When they +were out of sight she began to cry. Her godmother, who saw her all in +tears, asked her what was the matter. "I should so like--I should so +like--" she sobbed so violently that she could not finish the sentence. +"You would so like to go to the ball, is not that it?" + +"Alas! yes," said Cinderella, sighing. + +"Well, if you will be a good girl, I will undertake that you shall go." +She took her into her room, and said to her, "Go into the garden and +bring me a pumpkin." Cinderella went at once, gathered the finest she +could find, and brought it to her godmother, wondering the while how a +pumpkin could enable her to go to the ball. Her godmother scooped it +out, and, having left nothing but the rind, struck it with her wand, +and the pumpkin was immediately changed into a beautiful coach, gilt all +over. She then went and looked into the mouse-trap, where she found six +mice, all alive. She told Cinderella to lift the door of the mouse-trap +a little, and to each mouse, as it ran out, she gave a tap with her +wand, and the mouse was immediately changed into a fine horse, so that +at last there stood ready a handsome train of six horses, of a beautiful +dappled mouse-grey colour. As she was in some difficulty as to what she +could take to turn into a coachman, Cinderella said, "I will go and see +if there is not a rat in the rat-trap; we will make a coachman of him." + +"You are right," said her godmother, "go and see." + +Cinderella brought her the rat-trap, in which there were three large +rats. The fairy chose one from the three on account of its ample beard, +and having touched it, it was changed into a fat coachman, with the +finest whiskers that ever were seen. She then said, "Go into the garden, +and there, behind the watering-pot, you will find six lizards, bring +them to me." Cinderella had no sooner brought them than the godmother +changed them into six footmen, with their liveries all covered with +lace, who immediately jumped up behind the coach, and hung on to it as +if they had done nothing else all their lives. The fairy then said to +Cinderella, "Well, there is something in which to go to the ball; are +you not well pleased?" + +[Illustration: '_The King's son gave her his hand._' _Cinderella._] + +"Yes, but am I to go in these dirty old clothes?" Her godmother touched +her lightly with her wand, and in the same instant her dress was changed +into one of gold and silver, covered with precious stones. She then gave +her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the world. When she was +thus attired, she got into the coach; but her godmother told her, above +all things, not to stay past midnight--warning her, that if she remained +at the ball a minute longer, her coach would again become a pumpkin, her +horses, mice, her footmen, lizards, and her clothes turn again into her +old ones. She promised her godmother that she would not fail to leave +the ball before midnight, and drove off, almost out of her mind with +joy. + +The King's son, who was informed that a grand Princess had arrived whom +nobody knew, ran to receive her. He handed her out of the coach and led +her into the hall, where the guests were assembled. There was +immediately a dead silence; the dancing stopped, and the fiddlers ceased +to play, so engaged did everyone become in gazing upon the wonderful +beauty of the unknown lady. Nothing was heard but a general murmur of +"Oh! how lovely she is!" The King himself, old as he was, could not take +his eyes from her, and observed to the Queen, that it was a long time +since he had seen so lovely and amiable a person. All the ladies were +intently occupied in examining her head-dress and her clothes, that they +might order some like them the very next day, provided that they might +be able to find materials as costly, and work-people sufficiently clever +to make them up. + +The King's son conducted her to the most honourable seat, and then led +her out to dance. She danced so gracefully that everybody's admiration +of her was increased. A very grand supper was served, of which the +Prince ate not a morsel, so absorbed was he in the contemplation of her +beauty. She seated herself beside her sisters, and showed them a +thousand civilities. She shared with them the oranges and citrons which +the Prince had given her, at which they were greatly surprised, for she +appeared a perfect stranger to them. While they were thus talking +together, Cinderella heard the clock strike the three quarters past +eleven; she at once made a profound curtsey to the company, and left as +quickly as she could. As soon as she had reached home, she went to find +her godmother, and after having thanked her, said she much wished to go +to the ball again next day, because the King's son had invited her. She +was telling her godmother all that had passed at the ball, when the two +sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella went and opened it. "How late +you are!" said she to them, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and then +stretching herself as if she had but just awoke, although she had had no +inclination to sleep since she parted from them. "If you had been at the +ball," said one of her sisters to her, "you would not have been weary of +it. There came to it the most beautiful princess--the most beautiful +that ever was seen; she paid us many attentions, and gave us oranges and +citrons." Cinderella was beside herself with delight. She asked them the +name of the Princess, but they replied that nobody knew her, that the +King's son was much puzzled about it, and that he would give everything +in the world to know who she was. Cinderella smiled, and said, "She was +very lovely, then? How fortunate you are! Could not I get a sight of +her? Alas! Miss Javotte, lend me the yellow gown you wear every day." + +"Truly," said Miss Javotte, "I like that! Lend one's gown to a dirty +Cindertail like you! I should be mad indeed!" Cinderella fully expected +this refusal, and was rejoiced at it, for she would not have known what +to do if her sister had lent her the gown. + +The next day the sisters went again to the ball, and Cinderella also, +but still more splendidly dressed than before. The King's son never left +her side, or ceased saying tender things to her. Cinderella found the +evening pass very pleasantly, and forgot her godmother's warning, so +that she heard the clock begin to strike twelve while still thinking +that it was not yet eleven. She rose and fled as lightly as a fawn. The +Prince followed her, but could not overtake her. She dropped one of her +glass slippers, which the Prince carefully picked up. Cinderella reached +home almost breathless, without coach or footmen, and in her shabby +clothes, with nothing remaining of her finery but one of her little +slippers, the fellow of that which she had dropped. The guards at the +palace gate were asked if they had not seen a Princess pass out; they +answered that they had seen no one pass but a poorly-dressed girl, who +had more the appearance of a peasant than of a lady. When the two +sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if they had been +as much entertained as before, and if the beautiful lady had been +present. They said yes, but that she had fled as soon as it had struck +twelve, and in such haste, that she had dropped one of her little glass +slippers, the prettiest in the world; that the King's son had picked it +up, and had done nothing but gaze upon it during the remainder of the +evening; and that, undoubtedly, he was very much in love with the +beautiful person to whom the little slipper belonged. They spoke the +truth; for a few days afterwards the King's son caused it to be +proclaimed by sound of trumpet that he would marry her whose foot would +exactly fit the slipper. They began by trying it on the princesses, then +on the duchesses, and so on throughout the Court; but in vain. It was +taken to the two sisters, who did their utmost to force one of their +feet into the slipper, but they could not manage to do so. Cinderella, +who was looking on, and who recognised the slipper, said laughingly, +"Let me see if it will not fit me." Her sisters began to laugh and +ridicule her. The gentleman of the Court who had been entrusted to try +the slipper, having looked attentively at Cinderella, and seeing that +she was very beautiful, said that it was only fair that her request +should be granted, as he had received orders to try the slipper on all +maidens, without exception. He made Cinderella sit down, and putting the +slipper to her little foot, he saw it slip on easily and fit like wax. +Great was the astonishment of the two sisters, but it was still greater +when Cinderella took the other little slipper out of her pocket and put +it on her other foot. At that moment the godmother appeared, who giving +a tap with her wand to Cinderella's clothes, they became still more +magnificent than those she had worn before. + +The two sisters then recognised in her the beautiful person they had +seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg for +forgiveness for all the ill-treatment she had suffered from them. +Cinderella raised and embraced them, said that she forgave them with all +her heart, and begged them to love her dearly for the future. She was +conducted, dressed as she was, to the young Prince. He found her more +charming than ever, and a few days afterwards he married her. +Cinderella, who was as kind as she was beautiful, gave her sisters +apartments in the palace, and married them the very same day to two +great lords of the Court. + + Beauty in woman is a treasure rare + Which we are never weary of admiring; + But a sweet temper is a gift more fair + And better worth the youthful maid's desiring. + That was the boon bestowed on Cinderella + By her wise godmother--her truest glory. + The rest was "nought but leather and prunella." + Such is the moral of this little story-- + Beauties, that charm, become you more than dress, + And win a heart with far greater facility. + In short, in all things to ensure success, + The real Fairy Gift is amiability! + + * * * * * + + Talent, courage, wit, and worth, + Are rare gifts to own on earth; + But if you want to thrive at Court-- + So, at least, the wise report-- + You will find you need some others, + Such as godfathers or mothers. + + + + +RIQUET WITH THE TUFT + + +Once upon a time there was a Queen who had a son, so ugly and misshapen, +that it was doubted for a long time whether his form was really human. A +fairy, who was present at his birth, affirmed, nevertheless, that he +would be worthy to be loved, as he would have an excellent wit; she +added, moreover, that by virtue of the gift she had bestowed upon him, +he would be able to impart equal intelligence to the one whom he loved +best. All this was some consolation to the poor Queen, who was much +distressed at having brought so ugly a little monkey into the world. It +is true that the child was no sooner able to speak than he said a +thousand pretty things, and that in all his ways there was a certain air +of intelligence, with which everyone was charmed. I had forgotten to say +that he was born with a little tuft of hair on his head, and so he came +to be called Riquet with the Tuft; for Riquet was the family name. + +About seven or eight years later, the Queen of a neighbouring kingdom +had two daughters. The elder was fairer than the day, and the Queen was +so delighted, that it was feared some harm might come to her from her +great joy. The same fairy who had assisted at the birth of little +Riquet, was present upon this occasion, and in order to moderate the joy +of the Queen, she told her that this little Princess would have no gifts +of mind at all, and that she would be as stupid as she was beautiful. +The Queen was greatly mortified on hearing this, but, shortly after, she +was even more annoyed, when her second little daughter was born and +proved to be extremely ugly. "Do not distress yourself, madam," said the +fairy to her, "your daughter will find compensation, for she will have +so much intelligence, that her lack of beauty will scarcely be +perceived." + +"Heaven send it may be so," replied the Queen; "but are there no means +whereby a little more understanding might be given to the elder, who is +so lovely?" "I can do nothing for her in the way of intelligence, +madam," said the fairy, "but everything in the way of beauty; as, +however, there is nothing in my power I would not do to give you +comfort, I will bestow on her the power of conferring beauty on any man +or woman who shall please her." As these two Princesses grew up, their +endowments also became more perfect, and nothing was talked of anywhere +but the beauty of the elder, and the intelligence of the younger. It is +true that their defects also greatly increased with their years. The +younger became uglier every moment, and the elder more stupid every day. +She either made no answer when she was spoken to, or else said something +foolish. With this she was so clumsy, that she could not even place four +pieces of china on a mantelshelf, without breaking one of them, or +drink a glass of water, without spilling half of it on her dress. +Notwithstanding the attraction of beauty, the younger, in whatever +society they might be, nearly always bore away the palm from her sister. +At first everyone went up to the more beautiful, to gaze at and admire +her; but they soon left her for the cleverer one, to listen to her many +pleasant and amusing sayings; and people were astonished to find that in +less than a quarter of an hour, the elder had not a soul near her, while +all the company had gathered round the younger. The elder, though very +stupid, noticed this, and would have given, without regret, all her +beauty, for half the sense of her sister. Discreet as she was, the Queen +could not help often reproaching her with her stupidity, which made the +poor Princess ready to die of grief. + +One day, when she had gone by herself into a wood, to weep over her +misfortune, she saw approaching her, a little man of very ugly and +unpleasant appearance, but magnificently dressed. It was the young +Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who, having fallen in love with her from +seeing her portraits, which were sent all over the world, had left his +father's kingdom that he might have the pleasure of beholding her and +speaking to her. Enchanted at meeting her thus alone, he addressed her +with all the respect and politeness imaginable. Having remarked, after +paying her the usual compliments, that she was very melancholy, he said +to her, "I cannot understand, madam, how a person so beautiful as you +are can be so unhappy as you appear; for, although I can boast of having +seen an infinite number of beautiful people, I can say with truth that +I have never seen one whose beauty could be compared with yours." + +"You are pleased to say so, sir," replied the Princess, and there she +stopped. + +"Beauty," continued Riquet, "is so great an advantage, that it ought to +take the place of every other, and, possessed of it, I see nothing that +can have power to afflict one." + +"I would rather," said the Princess, "be as ugly as you are, and have +intelligence, than possess the beauty I do, and be so stupid as I am." + +"There is no greater proof of intelligence, madam, than the belief that +we have it not; it is the nature of that gift, that the more we have, +the more we believe ourselves to be without it." + +"I do not know how that may be," said the Princess, "but I know well +enough that I am very stupid, and that is the cause of the grief that is +killing me." + +"If that is all that troubles you, madam, I can easily put an end to +your sorrow." + +"And how would you do that?" said the Princess. + +"I have the power, madam," said Riquet with the Tuft, "to give as much +intelligence as it is possible to possess, to the person whom I love +best; as you, madam, are that person, it will depend entirely upon +yourself, whether or not you become gifted with this amount of +intelligence, provided that you are willing to marry me." + +The Princess was struck dumb with astonishment, and replied not a word. + +"I see," said Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal troubles you, +and I am not surprised, but I will give you a full year to consider it." + +The Princess had so little sense, and at the same time was so anxious to +have a great deal, that she thought the end of that year would never +come; so she at once accepted the offer that was made her. She had no +sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him that day +twelve months, than she felt herself quite another person to what she +had previously been. She found she was able to say whatever she pleased, +with a readiness past belief, and of saying it in a clever, but easy and +natural manner. She immediately began a sprightly and well-sustained +conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, and was so brilliant in her +talk, that Riquet with the Tuft began to think he had given her more wit +than he had reserved for himself. On her return to the palace, the whole +Court was puzzled to account for a change so sudden and extraordinary; +for the number of foolish things which they had been accustomed to hear +from her, she now made as many sensible and exceedingly witty remarks. +All the Court was in a state of joy not to be described. The younger +sister alone was not altogether pleased, for, having lost her +superiority over her sister in the way of intelligence, she now only +appeared by her side as a very unpleasing-looking person. + +The King now began to be guided by his elder daughter's advice, and at +times even held his Council in her apartments. The news of the change of +affairs was spread abroad, and all the young princes of the +neighbouring kingdoms exerted themselves to gain her affection, and +nearly all of them asked her hand in marriage. She found none of them, +however, intelligent enough to please her, and she listened to all of +them, without engaging herself to one. + +At length arrived a Prince, so rich and powerful, so clever and so +handsome, that she could not help listening willingly to his addresses. +Her father, having perceived this, told her that he left her at perfect +liberty to choose a husband for herself, and that she had only to make +known her decision. As the more intelligence we possess, the more +difficulty we find in making up our mind on such a matter as this, she +begged her father, after having thanked him, to allow her time to think +about it. + +She went, by chance, to walk in the same wood in which she had met +Riquet with the Tuft, in order to meditate more uninterruptedly over +what she had to do. While she was walking, deep in thought, she heard a +dull sound beneath her feet, as of many persons running to and fro, and +busily occupied. Having listened more attentively, she heard one say, +"Bring me that saucepan;" another, "Give me that kettle;" another, "Put +some wood on the fire." At the same moment the ground opened, and she +saw beneath her what appeared to be a large kitchen, full of cooks, +scullions, and all sorts of servants necessary for the preparation of a +magnificent banquet. There came forth a band of about twenty to thirty +cooks, who went and established themselves in an avenue of the wood, at +a very long table, and who, each with the larding-pin in his hand and +the tail of his fur cap over his ear, set to work, keeping time to a +harmonious song. + +The Princess, astonished at this sight, asked the men for whom they were +working. + +"Madam," replied the chief among them, "for Prince Riquet with the Tuft, +whose marriage will take place to-morrow." The Princess, still more +surprised than she was before, and suddenly recollecting that it was +just a twelvemonth from the day on which she had promised to marry +Prince Riquet with the Tuft, was overcome with trouble and amazement. +The reason of her not having remembered her promise was, that when she +made it she had been a very foolish person, and when she became gifted +with the new mind that the Prince had given her, she had forgotten all +her follies. + +She had not taken another thirty steps, when Riquet with the Tuft +presented himself before her, gaily and splendidly attired, like a +Prince about to be married. "You see, madam," said he, "I keep my word +punctually, and I doubt not that you have come thither to keep yours, +and to make me, by the giving of your hand, the happiest of men." + +"I confess to you, frankly," answered the Princess, "that I have not yet +made up my mind on that matter, and that I do not think I shall ever be +able to do so in the way you wish." "You astonish me, madam," said +Riquet with the Tuft. "I have no doubt I do," said the Princess; "and +assuredly, had I to deal with a stupid person, with a man without +intelligence, I should feel greatly perplexed. 'A Princess is bound by +her word,' he would say to me, 'and you must marry me, as you have +promised to do so.' But as the person to whom I speak is, of all men in +the world, the one of greatest sense and understanding, I am certain he +will listen to reason. You know that, when I was no better than a fool, +I nevertheless could not decide to marry you--how can you expect, now +that I have the mind which you have given me, and which renders me much +more difficult to please than before, that I should take to-day a +resolution which I could not then? If you seriously thought of marrying +me, you did very wrong to take away my stupidity, and so enable me to +see more clearly than I saw then." "If a man without intelligence," +replied Riquet with the Tuft, "who reproached you with your breach of +promise, might have a right, as you have just intimated, to be treated +with indulgence, why would you, madam, that I should receive less +consideration in a matter which affects the entire happiness of my life? +Is it reasonable that persons of intellect should be in a worse position +than those that have none? Can you assert this--you who have so much, +and who so earnestly desired to possess it? But let us come to the +point, if you please. Setting aside my ugliness, is there anything in me +that displeases you? Are you dissatisfied with my birth, my +understanding, my temper, or my manners?" + +"Not in the least," replied the Princess; "I admire in you everything +you have mentioned." + +[Illustration: _Then said the Princess "I wish that you may be the +handsomest prince in the world."_ _Riquet with the Tuft._] + +"If that is so," rejoined Riquet with the Tuft, "I shall soon be happy, +as you have it in your power to make me the most pleasing looking of +men." + +"How can that be done?" asked the Princess. + +"It can be done," said Riquet with the Tuft, "if you love me +sufficiently to wish that it should be. And, in order, madam, that you +should have no doubt about it, know that the same fairy, who, on the day +I was born, endowed me with the power to give intelligence to the person +I chose, gave you also the power to render handsome the man you should +love, and on whom you should wish to bestow this favour." + +"If such be the fact," said the Princess, "I wish, with all my heart, +that you should become the handsomest and most lovable Prince in the +world, and I bestow the gift on you to the fullest extent in my power." + +The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words than Riquet with the +Tuft appeared to her eyes, of all men in the world, the handsomest, the +best made, and most attractive she had ever seen. There are some who +assert that it was not the spell of the fairy, but love alone that +caused this metamorphosis. They say that the Princess, having reflected +on the perseverance of her lover, on his prudence, and on all the good +qualities of his heart and mind, no longer saw the deformity of his +body, or the ugliness of his features; that his hump appeared to her +nothing more than a good-natured shrug of his shoulders, and that +instead of noticing, as she had done, how badly he limped, she saw in +him only a certain lounging air, which charmed her. They say also that +his eyes, which squinted, only seemed to her the more brilliant for +this; and that the crookedness of his glance was to her merely +expressive of his great love; and, finally, that his great red nose had +in it, to her mind, something martial and heroic. However this may be, +the Princess promised on the spot to marry him, provided he obtained the +consent of the King, her father. The King, having learned that his +daughter entertained a great regard for Riquet with the Tuft, whom he +knew also to be a very clever and wise Prince, received him with +pleasure as his son-in-law. The wedding took place the next morning, as +Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen, and according to the orders which he +had given a long time before. + + No beauty, no talent, has power above + Some indefinite charm discern'd only by love. + + + + +LITTLE THUMBLING + + +Once upon a time there was a woodcutter and his wife who had seven +children, all boys. The eldest was but ten years old, and the youngest +only seven. People wondered that the woodcutter had so many children so +near in age, but the fact was, that several of them were twins. He and +his wife were very poor, and their seven children were a great burden to +them, as not one of them was yet able to earn his livelihood. What +troubled them still more was, that the youngest was very delicate, and +seldom spoke, which they considered a proof of stupidity rather than of +good sense. He was very diminutive, and, when first born, scarcely +bigger than one's thumb, and so they called him Little Thumbling. + +This poor child was the scapegoat of the house, and was blamed for +everything that happened. Nevertheless, he was the shrewdest and most +sensible of all his brothers, and if he spoke little, he listened a +great deal. + +There came a year of bad harvest, and the famine was so severe that +these poor people determined to get rid of their children. One evening, +when they were all in bed, and the woodcutter was sitting over the fire +with his wife, he said to her, with an aching heart, "You see plainly +that we can no longer find food for our children. I cannot let them die +of hunger before my very eyes, and I have made up my mind to take them +to the wood to-morrow, and there lose them, which will be easily done, +for whilst they are busy tying up the faggots, we have only to run away +unseen by them." "Ah!" exclaimed the woodcutter's wife, "Can you find +the heart to lose your own children?" In vain her husband represented to +her their great poverty; she would not consent to the deed. She was +poor, but she was their mother. After a while, however, having thought +over the misery it would be to her to see them die of hunger, she +assented to her husband's proposal, and went weeping to bed. + +Little Thumbling had overheard all they said, for having found out, as +he lay in his bed, that they were talking of their affairs, he got up +quietly and crept under his father's stool, so as to listen to what they +were saying without been seen. He went to bed again, but did not sleep a +wink the rest of the night, thinking what he should do. He got up early, +and went down to the banks of the stream; there he filled his pockets +with small white pebbles, and then returned home. They set out all +together, and Little Thumbling said not a word to his brothers of what +he had overheard. They entered a very thick forest, wherein, at ten +paces distant, they could not see one another. The woodcutter began to +cut wood, and the children to pick up brushwood for the faggots. The +father and mother, seeing them busy at work, gradually stole farther and +farther away from them, and then suddenly ran off down a little winding +path. + +[Illustration: '_The boys followed him._'] + +When the children found themselves all alone, they began to scream and +cry with all their might. Little Thumbling let them scream, well knowing +how he could get home again, for on their way to the forest, he had +dropped all along the road the little white pebbles he had in his +pockets. He then said to them, "Have no fear, brothers; my father and +mother have left us here, but I will take you safely home; only follow +me." They followed him, and he led them back to the house by the same +road that they had taken to the forest. They were afraid to go inside at +once, but placed themselves close to the door, to listen to what their +father and mother were saying. It chanced that just at the moment that +the woodcutter and his wife reached home, the lord of the manor sent +them ten crowns, which he had owed them a long time, and which they had +given up all hope of receiving. This was new life to them, for the poor +things were actually starving. The woodcutter immediately sent his wife +to the butcher's, and, as it was many a day since they had tasted meat, +she bought three times as much as was sufficient for two people's +supper. When they had appeased their hunger, the woodcutter's wife said, +"Alas! where now are our poor children? They would fare merrily on what +we have left. But it was you, William, who would lose them. Truly did I +say we should repent it. What are they now doing in the forest? Alas! +Heaven help me! the wolves have, perhaps, already devoured them. Cruel +man that you are, thus to have lost your children!" + +The woodcutter began at last to lose his temper, for she repeated over +twenty times that they would repent the deed, and that she had said it +would be so. He threatened to beat her if she did not hold her tongue. +It was not that the woodcutter was not, perhaps, even more sorry than +his wife, but that she made so much noise about it, and that he was like +many other people, who are fond of women who say the right thing, but +are annoyed by those who are always in the right. The wife was all in +tears. "Alas! where are now my children, my poor children?" She uttered +her cry, at last, so loudly, that the children, who were at the door, +heard her, and began to call out all together, "Here we are! here we +are!" She rushed to the door to open it, and embracing them, exclaimed, +"How thankful I am to see you again, my dear children; you are very +tired and hungry; and you, little Peter, how dirty you are! come here +and let me wash you." Peter was her eldest son, and she loved him better +than all the rest, because he was red-headed, and she was rather +red-haired herself. They sat down to supper and ate with an appetite +that delighted their father and mother, to whom they related how +frightened they had been in the forest, nearly all keeping on speaking +at the same time. The good people were overjoyed to see their children +around them once more, and their joy lasted as long as the ten crowns. +When the money was spent, however, they fell back into their former +state of misery, and resolved to lose their children again; and to make +quite sure of doing so this time, they determined to lead them much +further from home than they had before. + +They could not talk of this so secretly, but that they were overheard by +Little Thumbling, who reckoned upon being able to get out of the +difficulty by the same means as the first time; but though he got up +very early to collect the little pebbles, he did not succeed in his +object, for he found the house door double locked. He was at his wit's +end what to do, when his mother having given each of them a piece of +bread for their breakfast, it occurred to him that he might make the +bread take the place of the pebbles, by strewing crumbs along the path +as they went, and so he put his piece in his pocket. The father and +mother led them into the thickest and darkest part of the forest, and as +soon as they had done so, they turned into a bypath, and left them +there. Little Thumbling did not trouble himself much, for he believed he +could easily find his way back by help of the crumbs which he had +scattered wherever he had passed; but he was greatly surprised to find +not a single crumb left--the birds had come and picked them all up. The +poor children were now, indeed, in great distress; the further they +wandered, the deeper they plunged into the forest. Night came on, and a +great wind arose, which filled them with terror. They fancied they heard +nothing on every side but the howling of wolves, running towards them to +devour them. They scarcely dared to speak or look behind them. Then +there came a heavy rain, which drenched them to the skin; they slipped +at every step, tumbling into the mud, out of which they scrambled +covered with dirt, not knowing what to do with their hands. Little +Thumbling climbed up a tree to try if he could see anything from the top +of it. Having looked about on all sides, he saw a little light, like +that of a candle, but it was a long way off, on the other side of the +forest. He came down again, and when he had reached the ground, he could +no longer see the light. He was in despair at this, but having walked on +with his brothers for some time in the direction of the light, he caught +sight of it again as they emerged from the forest. + +At length they reached the house where the candle was shining, not +without many alarms, for often they lost sight of it altogether, and +always when they went down into the hollows. They knocked loudly at the +door, and a good woman came to open it. She asked them what they wanted. +Little Thumbling told her they were poor children who had lost their way +in the forest, and who begged a night's lodgings for charity's sake. The +woman, seeing they were all so pretty, began to weep, and said to them, +"Alas! my poor children, to what a place have you come! Know you not +that this is the house of an ogre who eats little children?" "Alas!" +replied Little Thumbling, who trembled from head to foot, as indeed did +all his brothers, "what shall we do? We shall certainly be all eaten up +by the wolves to-night, if you do not give us shelter, and, in that +case, we would rather be eaten by the ogre; perhaps he may have pity +upon us, if you are kind enough to ask him." The ogre's wife, who +thought that she might be able to hide them from her husband till the +next morning, let the children come in, and led them where they could +warm themselves by a good fire, for there was a whole sheep on the spit, +roasting for the ogre's supper. + +Just as they were beginning to get warm they heard two or three loud +knocks at the door. It was the ogre who had come home. His wife +immediately made the children hide under the bed, and went to open the +door. The ogre first asked if his supper was ready, and if she had drawn +the wine, and with that he sat down to his meal. The mutton was all but +raw, but he liked it all the better for that. He sniffed right and left, +saying that he smelt fresh meat. "It must be the calf I have just +skinned," said his wife. "I tell you, I smell fresh meat," replied the +ogre, giving an angry glance at his wife; "there is something here I do +not understand." With these words, he rose from the table and went +straight towards the bed. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "so this is the way in +which you would deceive me, you wretched woman! I do not know what +hinders me from eating you also! It is well for you that you are such an +old creature! But here is some game, which comes in handy, and will +serve to feast three of my ogre friends, who are soon coming to pay me a +visit." He dragged the children from under the bed, one after the other. +They fell upon their knees, begging for mercy, but they had to deal with +the most cruel of all the ogres, and who, far from feeling pity for +them, devoured them already with his eyes, and said to his wife that +they would be dainty bits, when she had made a good sauce for them. He +went and took up a large knife, and as he came towards the children +again, he whetted it on a long stone that he held in his left hand. He +had already seized one of them, when his wife said to him, "Why are you +doing that at this hour of night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow?" +"Hold your peace," replied the ogre. "They will be the more tender." +"But you have already too much food," continued his wife. "Here are a +calf, two sheep, and half a pig." "You are right," said the ogre, "give +them a good supper, that they may keep plump, and then put them to bed." +The good woman was rejoiced, and brought them plenty of supper; but they +could not eat, they were so overcome with fright. As for the ogre, he +seated himself to drink again, delighted to think he had such a treat in +store for his friends. He drained a dozen goblets more than usual, which +made him feel sleepy and heavy, and obliged him to go to bed. + +The ogre had seven daughters, who were still young children. These +little ogresses had the most beautiful complexions, as they lived on +fresh meat like their father; but they had very small round grey eyes, +hooked noses, and very large mouths, with long teeth, exceedingly sharp, +and wide apart. They were not very wicked as yet; but they promised to +become so, for they already began to bite little children, that they +might suck their blood. They had been sent to bed early, and were all +seven in a large bed, each wearing a crown of gold on her head. In the +same room was another bed of the same size. It was in this bed that the +ogre's wife put the seven little boys to sleep, after which she went to +bed herself. + +Little Thumbling, who had noticed that the ogre's daughters had golden +crowns on their heads, and who was afraid that the ogre might repent not +having killed him and his brothers that evening, got up in the middle of +the night, and, taking off his own nightcap, and those of his brothers, +went very softly and placed them on the heads of the ogre's daughters, +first taking off their golden crowns, which he put on his brothers and +himself, in order that the ogre might mistake them for his daughters, +and his daughters for the boys whom he wanted to kill. + +Everything turned out as Little Thumbling had expected. The ogre awoke +at midnight, and regretted having put off till the morning what he might +have done the evening before. He, therefore, jumped suddenly out of bed, +and seizing his great knife, "Let us go, and see," said he, "how the +young rogues are getting on! I will not think twice about it this time." +So he stole on tiptoes up to his daughters' bedroom, and went up to the +bed in which lay the little boys, who were all asleep except Thumbling, +who was dreadfully frightened when the ogre put his hand on his head to +feel it, as he had in turn felt those of his brothers. The ogre, feeling +the golden crowns, said, "Truly, I was about to do a pretty piece of +work! It's plain I drank too much wine last night." He then went to the +bed where his daughters slept, and having felt the little nightcaps that +belonged to the boys, "Aha!" cried he, "here are our fine young fellows. +Let us to work boldly!" So saying, he, without pause, cut the throats of +his seven daughters. + +Well satisfied with his deed, he returned and lay down beside his wife. +As soon as Little Thumbling heard the ogre snoring, he awoke his +brothers, and bade them dress themselves quickly and follow him. They +crept down into the garden and jumped over the wall. They ran nearly all +night long, trembling the whole time, and not knowing whither they were +going. The ogre, awaking in the morning, said to his wife, "Go upstairs +and dress those young scamps you took in last night." The ogress was +astonished at her husband's kindness, never guessing what he meant, and +only fancying that he wished her to go and put on their clothes. She +went upstairs, where she was horrified to find that her own children had +been killed. The first thing she did was to faint, for it is the first +thing that almost all women do in similar circumstances. The ogre, +fearing that his wife would be too long over the job he had given her to +do, went upstairs to help her. His surprise was not less than had been +his wife's, when his eyes fell on the frightful spectacle. + +"Ah! what have I done?" he exclaimed. "The young wretches shall pay for +it, and that at once." He threw a jugful of water in his wife's face, +and having brought her to, said, "Quick! fetch me my seven-league +boots, that I may go after them and catch them." He set out, and after +running in every direction, came at last upon the track of the poor +children, who were not more than a hundred yards from their father's +house. They saw the ogre striding from hill to hill, and stepping over +rivers as easily as if they were the smallest brooks. Little Thumbling, +who caught sight of a hollow rock close by where they were, hid his +brothers in it, and crept in after them, keeping his eye on the ogre all +the while. The ogre, feeling very tired with his long journey to no +purpose--for seven-league boots are very fatiguing to the +wearer--thought he should like to rest, and, by chance, sat down on the +very rock in which the little boys had concealed themselves. As he was +quite worn out, he had not rested long before he fell asleep, and began +to snore so dreadfully, that the poor children were not less frightened +than they were when he took up the great knife to cut their throats. + +Little Thumbling was not so much alarmed, and told his brothers to run +quickly into the house while the ogre was sound asleep, and not to be +uneasy about him. They took his advice and soon reached home. Little +Thumbling then going up to the ogre, gently pulled off his boots, and +put them on himself. The boots were very large and very long; but as +they were enchanted boots, they had the quality of becoming larger or +smaller according to the leg of the person who wore them, so that they +fitted him as if they had been made for him. He went straight to the +ogre's house, where he found the wife weeping over her murdered +daughters. "Your husband," said Little Thumbling to her, "is in great +danger, for he has been seized by a band of robbers, who have sworn to +kill him if he does not give them all his gold and silver. Just as they +had their daggers at his throat, he saw me, and begged me to come and +tell you what had happened to him, and sent word that you were to give +me all his ready money, without keeping back any of it, as otherwise +they will kill him without mercy. As time pressed, he insisted on my +taking his seven-league boots, which you see I have on, in order that I +might make haste, and also that you might be sure I was not imposing +upon you." + +The good woman, very much alarmed, immediately gave him all the money +she could find, for the ogre was not a bad husband to her, although he +ate little children. Little Thumbling, thus laden with all the ogre's +wealth, hastened back to his father's house, where he was received with +great joy. + +There are many persons who differ in their account of this part of the +story, and who pretend that Little Thumbling never stole the ogre's +money, and that he really only took the seven-league boots, as he felt +no scruple in doing this, seeing that the ogre used them expressly for +running after little children. These people assert that they have heard +it from good authority, and that they have eaten and drunk in the +woodcutter's house. They assure us that when Little Thumbling had put on +the ogre's boots, he went to Court, where he knew they were in much +trouble about an army which was within two hundred leagues of them, and +were anxious to hear the result of a battle that had been fought. They +say he went to find the King, and told him that, if he wished it, he +would bring him back news of the army before the end of the day. The +King promised him a large sum of money if he did so. + +Little Thumbling brought news that very evening, and this first journey +having made him well known, he got whatever he chose to ask, for the +King paid him most liberally for carrying his orders to the army; a +great number of ladies also gave him whatever he wished, in return for +news of their lovers, and this brought him in the greatest gain. + +After he had been a courier for some time, and had saved a great deal of +money, he returned to his father, and it is impossible to imagine the +joy of his family at seeing him again. He made them all comfortable. He +bought newly-made offices for his father and brothers, and by these +means established them all, making his own way at Court at the same +time. + + Often is the handsome boy + Made, alone, his father's joy; + While the tiny, timid child + Is neglected, or reviled, + Notwithstanding, sometimes he + Lives, of all, the prop to be. + + + + +BEAUTY AND THE BEAST + + +There was once a merchant, who was very, very rich. He had six children, +three boys and three girls, and as he was a man of good sense, he spared +no expense in order that they might be well educated, and gave them +masters of every kind. His daughters were all beautiful, but his +youngest one was especially admired, and from the time she was a small +child, had been only known and spoken of as "Beauty." The name remained +with her as she grew older, which gave rise to a great deal of jealousy +on the part of her sisters. The young girl was not only more beautiful +than they were, but also kinder and more amiable. The elder daughters +gave themselves great airs, for they were overweeningly proud of being +so rich, and would not condescend to receive visits from the daughters +of other merchants, as they only cared for the society of people in high +position. Not a day passed that they did not go to a ball, or a theatre, +or for a drive or walk in a fashionable part of the town, and they made +fun of their sister, who spent a great part of her time in study. The +girls received many offers of marriage from well-to-do merchants, as +they were known to be rich, but the two elder ones replied, that they +did not intend to marry anyone, unless a duke or an earl could be found +for a husband. + +Beauty, the youngest, was more polite, and thanked those who asked for +her hand, but she was, as she told them, too young as yet, and wished to +remain for a few more years as a companion to her father. + +Then, all at once, the merchant lost the whole of his fortune; nothing +was left to him but a little house, situated far away in the country. He +told his children, weeping, that they would be obliged to go and live +there, and that, even then, they would have to support themselves by the +work of their own hands. His two elder daughters refused to leave the +town; they had many admirers, they said, who would be only too glad to +marry them, although they were now without fortune. But these young +ladies found themselves greatly mistaken, for their admirers did not +even care to look at them, now that they were poor. They had made +themselves generally disliked, on account of their haughty behaviour. +"They do not deserve to be pitied," said everyone; "we are very glad +that their pride is humbled; let them go and play the fine lady, keeping +sheep." But people spoke differently of Beauty. "We are very sorry," +they said, "that she is in trouble; she is such a good girl! she always +spoke so kindly to the poor! she was so gentle and courteous!" Several +of her suitors, also, still wished to marry her, although she had not a +penny, but she told them that she could not think of leaving her father +in his distress, and that she intended going with him into the country, +to comfort him, and help with the work. Beauty was very unhappy at +losing her fortune, but she said to herself, "It is no use crying, tears +will not give me back my riches; I must try and be happy without them." + +As soon as they were settled in their country house, the merchant and +his sons began to till the ground. Beauty rose every morning at four +o'clock, and made haste to clean the house and prepare the dinner. She +found her duties very painful and fatiguing at first, for she had not +been accustomed to do the work of a servant; but in two months' time she +had grown stronger, and the activity of her life gave her fresh health +and colour. When her day's work was over, she amused herself with +reading, or music; sometimes she sat down to her wheel, and sang to her +spinning. Meanwhile her two sisters were wearied to death with the +dulness of their life; they stayed in bed till ten o'clock, did nothing +all day but saunter about, and for their only diversion talked with +regret of their former fine clothes and friends. "Look at our young +sister," they said to one another; "she is so low-minded and stupid, +that she is quite content with her miserable condition." + +The good merchant thought differently: he knew that Beauty was better +fitted to shine in society than they were; he admired the good qualities +of his youngest child, especially her patience, for her sisters, not +content with allowing her to do all the work of the house, took every +opportunity of insulting her. + +The family had lived in this solitude for a year, when a letter arrived +for the merchant, telling him that a vessel, on which there was +merchandise belonging to him, had arrived safely in port. The two elder +girls were nearly out of their minds with joy when they heard this good +news, for now they hoped that they should be able to leave the country. +They begged their father, ere he departed, to bring them back dresses +and capes, head-dresses, and all sorts of odds and ends of fancy attire. +Beauty asked for nothing; for, as she thought to herself, all the money +that the merchandise would bring in, would not be sufficient to pay for +everything that her sisters wished for. "Is there nothing you wish me to +buy for you?" her father said to her. "As you are so kind as to think of +me," she replied, "I pray you to bring me a rose, for we have not one +here." Now Beauty did not really care about the rose, but she had no +wish to seem, by her example, to reprove her sisters, who would have +said that she did not ask for anything, in order to make herself appear +more considerate than they were. + +The father left them, but on arriving at his destination, he had to go +to law about his merchandise, and after a great deal of trouble, he +turned back home as poor as he came. He had not many more miles to go, +and was already enjoying, in anticipation, the pleasure of seeing his +children again, when, passing on his journey through a large wood, he +lost his way. It was snowing hard; the wind was so violent that he was +twice blown off his horse, and, as the night was closing in, he was +afraid that he would die of cold and hunger, or that he would be eaten +by the wolves, that he could hear howling around him. All at once, +however, he caught sight of a bright light, which appeared to be some +way off, at the further end of a long avenue of trees. He walked towards +it, and soon saw that it came from a splendid castle, which was +brilliantly illuminated. The merchant thanked God for the help that had +been sent him, and hastened towards the castle, but was greatly +surprised, on reaching it, to find no one in the courtyard, or about the +entrances. His horse, which was following him, seeing the door of a +large stable standing open, went in, and finding there some hay and +oats, the poor animal, half dead for want of food, began eating with +avidity. + +The merchant fastened him up in the stable, and went towards the house, +but still no one was to be seen; he walked into a large dining-hall, and +there he found a good fire, and a table laid for one person, covered +with provisions. Being wet to the skin with the rain and snow, he drew +near the fire to dry himself, saying, as he did so, "The master of this +house, or his servants, will pardon me the liberty I am taking; no doubt +they will soon appear." He waited for a considerable time; but when +eleven o'clock had struck, and still he had seen no one, he could no +longer resist the feeling of hunger, and seizing a chicken, he ate it up +in two mouthfuls, trembling the while. Then he took a draught or two of +wine, and, his courage returning, he left the dining-hall and made his +way through several large rooms magnificently furnished. Finally he came +to a room where there was a comfortable bed, and as it was now past +midnight, and he was very tired, he made up his mind to shut the door +and lie down. + +It was ten o'clock next morning before he awoke, when, to his great +surprise, he found new clothes put in place of his own, which had been +completely spoiled. "This palace must certainly belong to some good +fairy," he said to himself, "who, seeing my condition, has taken pity +upon me." He looked out of the window; the snow was gone, and he saw +instead, bowers of delicious flowers which were a delight to the eye. + +He went again into the dining-hall where he had supped the night before, +and saw a little table with chocolate upon it. "I thank you, good madam +fairy," he said aloud, "for your kindness in thinking of my breakfast." + +The merchant, having drunk his chocolate, went out to find his horse; as +he passed under a bower of roses, he remembered that Beauty had asked +him to bring her one, and he plucked a branch on which several were +growing. He had scarcely done so, when he heard a loud roar, and saw +coming towards him a Beast, of such a horrible aspect, that he nearly +fainted. "You are very ungrateful," said the Beast in a terrible voice; +"I received you into my castle, and saved your life, and now you steal +my roses, which I care for more than anything else in the world. Death +alone can make amends for what you have done; I give you a quarter of an +hour, no more, in which to ask forgiveness of God." + +The merchant threw himself on his knees, and with clasped hands, said to +the Beast, "I pray you, my lord, to forgive me. I did not think to +offend you by picking a rose for one of my daughters, who asked me to +take it her." "I am not called my lord," responded the monster, "but +simply the Beast, I do not care for compliments; I like people to say +what they think; so do not think to mollify me with your flattery. But +you tell me you have some daughters; I will pardon you on condition that +one of your daughters will come of her own free will to die in your +place. Do not stop to argue with me; go! and if your daughter refuses to +die for you, swear that you will return yourself in three months' time." + +The merchant had no intention of sacrificing one of his daughters to +this hideous monster, but he thought, "At least I shall have the +pleasure of embracing them once more." He swore therefore to return, and +the Beast told him that he might go when he liked; "but," added he, "I +do not wish you to go from me with empty hands. Go back to the room in +which you slept, there you will find a large empty trunk; you may fill +it with whatever you please, and I will have it conveyed to your house." +With these words the Beast withdrew, and the merchant said to himself, +"If I must die, I shall at least have the consolation of leaving my +children enough for their daily bread." + +He returned to the room where he had passed the night, and finding there +a great quantity of gold pieces, he filled the trunk, of which the Beast +had spoken, with these, closed it, and remounting his horse, which he +found still in the stable, he rode out from the castle, his sadness now +as great as had been his joy on entering it. His horse carried him of +its own accord along one of the roads through the forest, and in a few +hours the merchant was again in his own little house. + +His children gathered round him; but instead of finding pleasure in +their caresses, he began to weep as he looked upon them. He held in his +hand the branch of roses which he had brought for Beauty. "Take them," +he said, as he gave them to her, "your unhappy father has paid dearly +for them." And then he told his family of the melancholy adventure that +had befallen him. + +The two elder girls, when they had heard his tale, cried and screamed, +and began saying all sorts of cruel things to Beauty, who did not shed a +tear. "See what the pride of this wretched little creature has brought +us to!" said they. "Why couldn't she ask for wearing apparel as we did? +but no, she must needs show herself off as a superior person. It is she +who will be the cause of our father's death, and she does not even cry!" + +"That would be of little use," replied Beauty. "Why should I cry about +my father's death? He is not going to die. Since the monster is willing +to accept one of his daughters, I will give myself up to him, that he +may vent his full anger upon me; and I am happy in so doing, for by my +death I shall have the joy of saving my father, and of proving my love +for him." + +"No, my sister," said the three brothers, "you shall not die; we will go +and find out this monster, and we will either kill him or die beneath +his blows." "Do not hope to kill him," said their father to them; "for +the Beast is so powerful, that I fear there are no means by which he +could be destroyed. My Beauty's loving heart fills mine with gladness, +but she shall not be exposed to such a terrible death. I am old, I have +but a little while to live; I shall but lose a few years of life, which +I regret on your account, and on yours alone, my children." + +"I am determined, my father," said Beauty, "that you shall not return to +that castle without me; you cannot prevent me following you. Although I +am young, life has no great attraction for me, and I would far rather be +devoured by the monster than die of the grief which your death would +cause me." + +In vain the others tried to dissuade her, Beauty persisted in her +determination to go to the castle; and her sisters were not sorry about +it, for the virtues of their young sister had aroused in them a strong +feeling of jealousy. + +The merchant was so taken up with grief at losing his daughter, that he +quite forgot about the trunk which he had filled with gold pieces, but, +to his astonishment, he had no sooner shut himself into his room for the +night, than he found it beside his bed. He resolved not to tell his +children of his newly-obtained riches, for he knew that his daughters +would then wish to return to the town, and he had made up his mind to +die where he was in the country. He confided his secret, however, to +Beauty, who told him that there had been visitors at the house during +his absence, among them two who were in love with her sisters. She +begged her father to marry them; for she was so good of heart, that she +loved them and freely forgave them all the unkindness they had shown +her. + +The two hard-hearted girls rubbed their eyes with an onion that they +might shed tears on the departure of their father and Beauty; but the +brothers wept sincerely, as did also the merchant; Beauty alone would +not cry, fearing that it might increase their sorrow. The horse took the +road that led to the castle, and as evening fell, it came in view, +illuminated as before. Again the horse was the only one in the stable, +and once more the merchant entered the large dining-hall, this time with +his daughter, and there they found the table magnificently laid for two. + +The merchant had not the heart to eat; but Beauty, doing her utmost to +appear cheerful, sat down to the table and served him to something. Then +she said to herself, "The Beast wants to fatten me before he eats me, +since he provides such good cheer." + +They had finished their supper, when they heard a great noise, and the +merchant, weeping, said farewell to his poor daughter, for he knew it +was the Beast. Beauty could not help shuddering when she saw the +dreadful shape approaching; but she did her best not to give way to her +fear, and when the Beast asked her if it was of her own free will that +she had come, she told him, trembling, that it was so. "You are very +good, and I am much obliged to you," said the Beast. "Good man, +to-morrow morning you will leave, and do not venture ever to come here +again." "Good-bye, Beast," replied Beauty, and the Beast immediately +retired. "Alas! my daughter," said the merchant, clasping Beauty in his +arms, "I am half dead with fright. Listen to me, and leave me here." +"No, my father," said Beauty, without faltering. "You will depart +to-morrow morning, and you will leave me under Heaven's protection, +maybe I shall find pity and help." + +[Illustration: '_Her father was just arriving._' _Beauty & the Beast_] + +They retired to rest, thinking that they would have no sleep that night; +but no sooner were they in bed than their eyes closed. In her dreams +there appeared to Beauty a lady, who said to her, "I have pleasure in +the goodness of your heart, Beauty; your good action in giving your life +to save that of your father will not be without its reward." Beauty told +her father next morning of her dream, and although it afforded him some +consolation, it did not prevent his loud cries of grief when at last he +was forced to bid good-bye to his dear daughter. + +After his departure, Beauty went back and sat down in the dining-hall, +and began weeping herself. She was, however, of a courageous +disposition, and so she commended herself to God, and resolved not to be +miserable during the short time still left her to live, for she quite +thought that the Beast would eat her that evening. In the meanwhile she +resolved to walk about and look over the fine castle she was in. She +found it impossible not to admire its beauty, but her surprise was great +when she came to a door over which was written: Beauty's Room. She +hastily opened the door, and was dazzled by the magnificence of the +whole apartment; what most attracted her admiration, however, was a +large bookcase, a piano, and several books of music. + +"He does not wish me to feel dull," she said in a low voice. Then the +thought came to her, "If I was only going to live here a day, there +would not have been so much provided for my amusement." This thought +revived her courage. + +She opened the bookcase and there saw a book on which was written in +letters of gold:-- + +"Wish what you like, Command what you will, You alone are Queen and +Mistress here." + +"Alas!" she murmured, sighing, "I wish for nothing but to see my dear +father again, and to know what he is doing at this moment." She had only +said this to herself in a low voice, what was her surprise, therefore, +when, turning towards a large mirror, she saw her home, and her father, +just returned, wearing a sad countenance; her sisters went forward to +meet him, and in spite of the expression of sorrow which they tried to +assume, it was evident in their faces that they were delighted to have +lost their sister. In another minute, the picture had disappeared, and +Beauty could not help thinking that the Beast was very kind hearted, and +that she had not much to fear from him. + +She found the table laid for her at noon, and during her dinner she was +entertained with a delightful concert, although no creature was visible. + +In the evening, as she was just sitting down to her meal, she heard the +sound of the Beast's voice, and could not help shuddering. "Beauty," +said the monster to her, "will you allow me to look on while you are +eating your supper?" "You are master here," replied Beauty, trembling. +"Not so," rejoined the Beast, "it is you who alone are mistress; if I +annoy you, you have only to tell me to go, and I will leave you at +once. But confess now, you think me very ugly, do you not?" "That is +true," said Beauty, "for I cannot tell a lie; but I think you are very +kind." + +"You are right," said the monster; "but, besides being ugly, I am also +stupid; I know, well enough, that I am only a Beast." + +"No one is stupid, who believes himself to be wanting in intelligence, +it is the fool who is not aware of being without it." "Eat, Beauty," +said the monster to her, "and try to find pleasure in your own house; +for everything here belongs to you. I should be very sorry if you were +unhappy." "You are everything that is kind," said Beauty. "I assure you +that your goodness of heart makes me happy; when I think of that, you no +longer appear so ugly to me." "Ah, yes!" replied the Beast, "I have a +kind heart, but for all that I am a monster." "Many men are more +monsters than you," said Beauty; "and I care more for you with your +countenance, than for those who with their human face hide a false, +corrupt, and ungrateful heart." "If I had sufficient wit," responded the +Beast, "I would make you a pretty answer in return for your words; but I +am too stupid for that, and all I can say is, that I am very grateful to +you." + +Beauty ate her supper with a good appetite. She had lost almost all her +fear of the monster, but she almost died of fright, when he said, +"Beauty, will you be my wife?" + +She sat for a while without answering; she was alarmed at the thought of +arousing the monster's anger by refusing him. Nevertheless she finally +said, trembling, "No, Beast." At this the poor monster sighed, and the +hideous sound he made echoed throughout the castle, but Beauty was soon +reassured, for the Beast, after sadly bidding her adieu, left the room, +turning his head from time to time to look at her again. + +A strong feeling of compassion for the Beast came over Beauty when she +was left alone. "Alas!" she said, "it is a pity he is so ugly, for he is +so good!" + +Beauty spent three months in the castle, more or less happily. The Beast +paid her a visit every evening, and conversed with her as she ate her +supper, showing good sense in his talk, but not what the world deems +cleverness. Every day Beauty discovered some fresh good quality in the +monster; she grew accustomed to his ugliness, and far from fearing his +visit, she would often look at her watch to see if it was nearly nine +o'clock, for the Beast always arrived punctually at that hour. There was +only one thing which caused distress to Beauty, and that was, that every +evening before retiring, the monster asked her if she would be his wife, +and always appeared overcome with sorrow at her refusal. One day she +said to him, "You grieve me, Beast; I wish it were possible for me to +marry you, but I am too truthful to make you believe that such a thing +could ever happen; I shall always be your friend, try to be satisfied +with that." "I suppose I must," responded the Beast; "I know I am +horrible to look upon, but I love you very much. However, I am but too +happy that you consent to remain here; promise me that you will never +leave me." The colour came into Beauty's face; her mirror had shown her +that her father was ill with the grief of losing her, and she was hoping +to see him again. "I would promise without hesitation never to leave +you," said Beauty to him, "but I do so long to see my father again, that +I shall die of sorrow if you refuse me this pleasure." "I would rather +die myself," said the monster, "than give you pain; I will send you home +to your father, you will stay there, and your poor Beast will die of +grief at your absence." "No, no," said Beauty, crying; "I care for you +too much to wish to cause your death; I promise to return in a week's +time. You have let me see that my sisters are married, and that my +brothers have entered the army. My father is all alone, let me remain +with him a week." "You shall be with him to-morrow morning, but remember +your promise. When you wish to return, you have only to put your ring on +the table before going to bed. Farewell, Beauty." The Beast gave his +usual sigh as he said these words, and Beauty went to bed feeling +troubled at the thought of the sorrow she had caused him. When she awoke +the following morning, she found herself at home, and ringing a little +bell that stood beside her bed, the maid-servant came in, who gave a +loud cry of astonishment at seeing her there. Her father ran in on +hearing the cry, and almost died of joy when he found his dear daughter, +and they remained clasped in each other's arms for more than a quarter +of an hour. + +Beauty, after the first transports of joy were over, remembered that she +had no clothes with her; but the servant told her that she had just +found a trunk in the next room, in which were dresses of gold fabric, +trimmed with diamonds. Beauty thanked the kind Beast for his +thoughtfulness. She took out the least costly of the dresses, and told +the maid to lock the others away again, as she wished to give them to +her sisters; but she had no sooner uttered these words, than the trunk +disappeared. Her father said to her that the Beast evidently wished her +to keep them all for herself, and the trunk and the dresses immediately +reappeared. + +Beauty dressed herself, and, meanwhile, news of her arrival was sent to +her sisters, who came in haste with their husbands. They were both +extremely unhappy. The eldest had married a young man who was as +handsome as nature could make him, but he was so in love with his own +face, that he could think of nothing else from morning to night, and +cared nothing for the beauty of his wife. The second had married a very +witty and clever man, but he only made use of his ability to put +everybody in a bad temper, beginning with his wife. + +Her sisters nearly died of envy when they saw Beauty dressed like a +princess, and beautiful as the day. In vain she showered caresses upon +them, nothing could stifle their jealousy, which only increased when she +told them how happy she was. + +These two jealous creatures went into the garden, that they might cry +more at their ease. They said to one another, "Why should this wretched +little thing be happier than we are? Are we not more attractive than she +is?" + +"Sister," said the eldest one, "an idea has occurred to me: let us try +to keep her here over the week. Her stupid old Beast will be enraged at +her breaking her word, and perhaps he will devour her." "You are right, +sister," replied the other; "to carry out our plan, we must appear very +loving and kind to her." And having settled this, they went back to the +house and were so affectionate to her, that Beauty cried for joy. When +the week drew to a close, the two sisters showed such signs of grief at +her departure, and made such lamentation, that she promised to stay till +the end of the second one. Beauty, however, reproached herself for the +sorrow she would cause her poor Beast, whom she loved with all her +heart; and she began to miss him very much. On the tenth night of her +absence, she dreamed that she was in the garden of the castle, and that +she saw the Beast lying on the grass, apparently dying, and that he +reproached her with her ingratitude. Beauty awoke with a start, and +wept. "I am indeed wicked," she said, "to behave so ungratefully to a +Beast who has been so considerate and kind to me! Is it his fault that +he is ugly and that he is not clever? He is good, and that is worth +everything else. Why did I refuse to marry him? I should be happier with +him than my sisters are with their husbands. It is neither beauty nor +wit in a husband which makes a wife happy; it is amiability of +character, uprightness and generosity: and the Beast has all these good +qualities. I do not love him, but I respect him, and I feel both +affection for him, and gratitude. I will not make him unhappy; should I +do so, I should reproach myself for it as long as I live." + +With these words, Beauty rose, placed her ring on a table, and lay down +again. The moment she was in bed, she fell asleep, and when she awoke +next morning, she saw with delight that she was back in the Beast's +castle. She dressed herself magnificently, in order to please him, and +the hours seemed to drag as she waited for nine o'clock to strike; but +the hour came, and the Beast did not appear. + +Then Beauty began to fear that she had caused his death. She ran through +the castle, uttering loud cries, for she was in despair. After having +looked everywhere, she remembered her dream, and ran into the garden +towards the water, where she had seen him in her sleep. She found the +poor Beast stretched on the ground, and unconscious, and she thought he +was dead. Forgetting her horror at his appearance, she threw herself +upon him, and feeling that his heart was still beating, she fetched some +water and threw it over his head. The Beast opened his eyes, and said to +Beauty, "You forgot your promise; in my grief at losing you, I +determined to let myself die of hunger; but I die happy, since I have +had the joy of seeing you once again." "No, my dear Beast, you shall not +die," exclaimed Beauty. "You shall live to be my husband; I am yours +from this moment, and only yours. Alas! I thought the feeling I had for +you was only one of friendship; but now I know, by the grief I feel, +that I cannot live without you." Beauty had scarcely uttered these words +before she saw the castle suddenly become brilliantly illuminated, +while fire-works, music, everything indicated the celebration of some +joyful event. She did not gaze long, however, at these splendours, but +quickly turned her eyes again towards her dear Beast, the thought of +whose danger made her tremble with anxiety. But what was her surprise +when she saw that the Beast had disappeared, and that a young and +handsome Prince was lying at her feet, who thanked her for having +released him from enchantment. Although this Prince was fully worthy of +her attention, Beauty, nevertheless, could not help asking what had +become of the Beast. "You see him at your feet," said the Prince to her. +"A wicked fairy condemned me to remain in the form of a monster, until +some fair damsel would consent to marry me, and she forbade me also to +betray that I had intelligence. You are the only one who has been kind +enough to allow the goodness of my heart to touch yours, and I cannot, +even by offering you my crown, acquit myself of obligation to you." + +Beauty, agreeably surprised, gave the young Prince her hand, to help him +to rise. They passed, side by side, into the castle, and Beauty nearly +died of joy, when she found her father and all her family assembled in +the dining-hall, the beautiful lady whom she had seen in her dream +having transported them thither. "Beauty," said the lady, who was a +well-known fairy, "receive the recompense of your noble choice; you +preferred virtue to beauty or intelligence, and you therefore deserve to +find all these qualities united in one person. You are soon to become a +great queen; I trust your exalted position will not destroy your good +disposition. As for you," said the fairy, turning to Beauty's sisters, +"I know your hearts and all the malice concealed in them. Be turned, +therefore, into statues, but preserve your consciousness beneath the +stone which will envelop you. You will remain at the entrance of your +sister's palace, and I impose no further punishment upon you, than to be +the constant witnesses of her happiness. You will not be able to resume +your present forms, until you have recognised and confessed your faults, +but I greatly fear that you will always remain statues. Pride, anger, +greediness, and laziness may be corrected; but nothing short of a +miracle can convert the envious and malicious heart." The fairy then +gave a tap with her wand, and all those assembled in the dining-hall +were immediately transported into the Prince's kingdom. His subjects +greeted him with joy; he married Beauty, who lived a long life with him +of perfect happiness, for it was founded upon virtue. + + + + +THE BENEVOLENT FROG + + +There was once a King who for many years had been engaged in a war with +his neighbours; a great number of battles had been fought, and at last +the enemy laid siege to his capital. The King, fearing for the safety of +the Queen, begged her to retire to a fortified castle, which he himself +had never visited but once. The Queen endeavoured, with many prayers and +tears, to persuade him to allow her to remain beside him and to share +his fate, and it was with loud cries of grief that she was put into her +chariot by the King to be driven away. He ordered his guards, however, +to accompany her, and promised to steal away when possible to visit her. +He tried to comfort her with this hope, although he knew that there was +little chance of fulfilling it, for the castle stood a long distance +off, surrounded by a thick forest, and only those who were well +acquainted with the roads could possibly find their way to it. + +The Queen parted from her husband, broken-hearted at leaving him exposed +to the dangers of war; she travelled by easy stages, in case the fatigue +of so long a journey should make her ill; at last she reached the +castle, feeling low-spirited and distressed. When sufficiently rested, +she walked about the surrounding country, but found nothing to interest +her or divert her thoughts. She saw only far-spreading desert tracts on +either side, which gave her more pain than pleasure to look upon; sadly +she gazed around her, exclaiming at intervals, "What a contrast between +this place and that in which I have lived all my life! If I stay here +long I shall die! To whom have I to talk in these solitudes? With whom +can I share my troubles? What have I done to the King that he should +banish me? He wishes me, it seems, to feel the full bitterness of our +separation, by exiling me to this miserable castle." + +Thus she lamented; and although the King wrote daily to her, and sent +her good news of the progress of the siege, she grew more and more +unhappy, and at last determined that she would return to him. Knowing, +however, that the officers who were in attendance upon her had received +orders not to take her back, unless the King sent a special messenger, +she kept her design secret, but ordered a small chariot to be built for +her, in which there was only room for one, saying that she should like +sometimes to accompany the hunt. She drove herself, and followed so +closely on the hounds, that the huntsmen were left behind; by this means +she had sole command of her chariot, and could get away whenever she +liked. Her only difficulty was her ignorance of the roads that traversed +the forest; but she trusted to the kindness of Providence to bring her +safely through it. She gave word that there was to be a great hunt, and +that she wished everybody to be there; she herself would go in her +chariot, and each was to follow a different route, that there might be +no possibility of escape for the wild beasts. Everything was done +according to her orders. The young Queen, feeling sure that she should +soon see her husband again, dressed herself as becomingly as possible; +her hat was covered with feathers of different colours, the front of her +dress lavishly trimmed with precious stones, and her beauty, which was +of no ordinary kind, made her seem, when so adorned, a second Diana. + +While everybody was occupied with the pleasures of the hunt, she gave +rein to her horses, encouraged them with voice and whip, and soon their +quickened pace became a gallop; then, taking the bit between their +teeth, they flew along at such a speed, that the chariot seemed borne by +the winds, and the eye could scarcely follow it. Too late the poor Queen +repented of her rashness: "What could I have been thinking of?" she +said. "How could I have imagined that I should be able to control such +wild and fiery horses? Alas! what will become of me? What would the King +do if he knew the great danger I am in, he who loves me so dearly, and +who only sent me away that I might be in greater safety! This is my +gratitude for his tender care!" The air resounded with her piteous +lamentations; she invoked Heaven, she called the fairies to her +assistance, but it seemed that all the powers had abandoned her. The +chariot was overthrown; she had not sufficient strength to jump quickly +enough to the ground, and her foot was caught between the wheel and the +axle-tree; it was only by a miracle she was saved. + +She remained stretched on the ground at the foot of a tree; her heart +scarcely beat, she could not speak, and her face was covered with blood. +She lay thus for a long time; when at last she opened her eyes, she saw, +standing near her, a woman of gigantic stature, clothed only in a lion's +skin, with bare arms and legs, her hair tied up with the dried skin of a +snake, the head of which dangled over her shoulders; in her hand was a +club made of stone, which served her as a walking-stick, and a quiver +full of arrows was fastened to her side. When the Queen caught sight of +this extraordinary figure, she felt sure that she was dead, for she did +not think it was possible that she could be alive after such a terrible +accident, and she said in a low voice to herself, "I am not surprised +that it is so difficult to resolve to die, since what is to be seen in +the other world is so frightful." The giantess, who overheard her words, +could not help laughing at the Queen's idea that she was dead. "Take +courage," she said to her, "for know that you are still among the +living; but your fate is none the less sad. I am the Fairy Lioness, +whose dwelling is near here; you must come and live with me." The Queen +looked sorrowfully at her, and said, "If you will be good enough, Madam +Lioness, to take me back to my castle, and tell the King what ransom you +demand, he loves me so dearly, that he will not refuse you even the half +of his kingdom." "No," replied the giantess, "I am rich enough, but for +some time past my lonely life has seemed dull to me; you are +intelligent, and will be able perhaps to amuse me." As she finished +speaking, she took the form of a lioness, and placing the Queen on her +back, she carried her to the depths of her cave, and there rubbed her +with a spirit which quickly healed the Queen's wounds. But what surprise +and misery for the Queen to find herself in this dreadful abode! It was +only reached by ten thousand steps, which led down to the centre of the +earth; there was no light but that shed by a number of tall lamps, which +were reflected in a lake of quicksilver. This lake was covered with +monsters, each hideous enough to have frightened a less timid queen; +there were owls, screech-owls, ravens, and other birds of ill omen, +filling the air with discordant sounds; in the distance could be seen +rising a mountain whence flowed the sluggish waters of a stream composed +of all the tears shed by unhappy lovers, from the reservoirs of their +sad loves. The trees were bare of leaves and fruit, the ground covered +with marigolds, briars, and nettles. + +[Illustration: _She saw beside her a woman of a gigantic size._] + +The food corresponded to the climate of this miserable country; for a +few dried roots, some horse-chestnuts, and thorn-apples, were all that +was provided by the Fairy Lioness to appease the hunger of those who +fell into her hands. + +As soon as the Queen was well enough to begin work, the fairy told her +she could build herself a hut, as she was going to remain with her for +the rest of her life. On hearing this, the Queen could no longer +restrain her tears: "Alas, what have I done to you," she cried, "that +you should keep me here? If my death, which I feel is near, would give +you pleasure, I pray you, kill me, it is all the kindness I dare hope +from you; but do not condemn me to pass a long and melancholy life apart +from my husband." + +The Lioness only scoffed at her, and told her that the best thing she +could do was to dry her tears, and try to please her; that if she acted +otherwise, she would be the most miserable person in the world. + +"What must I do then," replied the Queen, "to soften your heart?" "I am +fond of fly-pasties," said the Lioness. "You must find means of +procuring a sufficient number of flies to make me a large and +sweet-tasting one." "But," said the Queen, "I see no flies here, and +even were there any, it is not light enough to catch them; and if I were +to catch some, I have never in my life made pastry, so that you are +giving me orders which it is impossible for me to execute." "No matter," +said the pitiless Lioness; "that which I wish to have, I will have." + +The Queen made no reply: she thought to herself, in spite of the cruel +fairy, that she had but one life to lose, and in the condition in which +she then was, what was there to fear in death? Instead, therefore, of +going in search of flies, she sat herself down under a yew tree, and +began to weep and complain: "Ah, my dear husband, what grief will be +yours, when you go to the castle to fetch me, and find I am not there; +you will think that I am dead, or faithless, and I would rather that you +should mourn the loss of my life, than that of my love; perhaps someone +will find the remains of my chariot in the forest, and all the ornaments +which I took with me to please you; and when you see these, you will no +longer doubt that death has taken me; and how can I tell that you will +not give to another the heart's love which you have shared with me? But, +at least, I shall not have the pain of knowing this, since I am not to +return to the world." She would have continued communing thus with +herself for a long time, if she had not been interrupted by the dismal +croaking of a raven above her head. She lifted her eyes, and by the +feeble light saw a large raven with a frog in its bill, and about to +swallow it. "Although I see no help at hand for myself," she said, "I +will not let this poor frog perish if I can save it; it suffers as much +in its way, as I do in mine, although our conditions are so different," +and picking up the first stick she could find, she made the raven drop +its prey. The frog fell to the ground, where it lay for a time +half-stunned, but finally recovering its froggish senses, it began to +speak, and said: "Beautiful Queen, you are the first benevolent person +that I have seen since my curiosity first brought me here." "By what +wonderful power are you enabled to speak, little Frog?" responded the +Queen, "and what kind of people do you see here? for as yet I have seen +none." "All the monsters that cover the lake," replied the little Frog, +"were once in the world: some on thrones, some in high positions at +court; there are even here some royal ladies, who caused much strife and +blood*-shed; it is they whom you see changed into leeches; their fate +condemns them to be here for a time, but none of those who come return +to the world better or wiser." "I can well understand," said the Queen, +"that many wicked people together do not help to make each other better; +but you, my little Frog friend, what are you doing here?" "It was +curiosity which led me here," she replied. "I am half a fairy, my powers +are restricted with regard to certain things, but far-reaching in +others; if the Fairy Lioness knew that I was in her dominions, she would +kill me." + +"Whether fairy or half-fairy," said the Queen, "I cannot understand how +you could have fallen into the raven's clutches and been nearly eaten." +"I can explain it in a few words," replied the Frog. "When I have my +little cap of roses on my head, I fear nothing, as in that resides most +of my power; unfortunately, I had left it in the marsh, when that ugly +raven pounced upon me; if it had not been for you, madam, I should be no +more; and as you have saved my life, you have only to command, and I +will do all in my power to alleviate the sorrows of your own." "Alas! +dear Frog," said the Queen, "the wicked fairy who holds me captive +wishes me to make her a fly-pasty; but there are no flies here; if there +were any, I could not see in the dim light to catch them; I run a +chance, therefore, of being killed by her blows." + +"Leave it to me," said the Frog. "I will soon get you some." Whereupon +the Frog rubbed herself over with sugar, and more than six thousand of +her frog friends did likewise; then they repaired to a place where the +fairy kept a large store of flies, for the purpose of tormenting some of +her unhappy victims. As soon as they smelt the sugar, they flew to it, +and stuck to the frogs, and these kind helpers returned at a gallop to +the Queen. There had never been such a fly-catching before, nor a better +pasty, than that the Queen made for the fairy. The latter was greatly +surprised when the Queen handed it to her, and could not imagine how she +had been clever enough to catch the flies. + +The Queen, finding herself exposed to the inclemencies of the poisonous +atmosphere, cut down some cypress branches, wherewith to build herself a +hut. The Frog generously offered her services, and putting herself at +the head of all those who had gone to collect the flies, they helped the +Queen to build as pretty a little tenement as the world could show. +Scarcely, however, had she laid herself down to rest, than the monsters +of the lake, jealous of her repose, came round her hut, and nearly drove +her distracted, by setting up a noise, more hideous than any ever heard +before. + +She rose in fear and trembling and fled from the house: this was exactly +what the monsters desired. A dragon, who had formerly been a tyrant of +one of the finest states of the Universe, immediately took possession of +it. + +The poor Queen tried to complain of the ill-treatment, but no one would +listen to her; the monsters laughed and hooted at her, and the Fairy +Lioness told her that if she came again to deafen her with lamentations, +she would give her a sound thrashing. She was forced, therefore, to +hold her tongue, and to have recourse to the Frog, who was the kindest +body in the world. They wept together; for as soon as she put on her cap +of roses, the Frog was able to laugh or weep like anyone else. "I feel +such an affection for you," she said to the Queen, "that I will re-build +your house, even though I drive all the monsters of the lake to +despair." She immediately cut some wood, and the little rustic palace of +the Queen was so quickly reared, that she was able to sleep in it that +night. The Frog, who thought of everything that was necessary for the +Queen's comfort, made her a bed of wild thyme. When the wicked fairy +found out that the Queen did not sleep on the ground, she sent for her: +"What gods or men are they who protect you?" she asked. "This land, +watered only by showers of burning sulphur, has never produced even a +leaf of sage; I am told, nevertheless, that sweet-smelling herbs spring +up beneath your feet!" + +"I cannot explain it, madam," said the Queen, "unless the cause is due +to the child I hope one day to have, who will perhaps be less unhappy +than I am." + +"What I now wish for," said the fairy, "is a bunch of the rarest +flowers; see if this coming happiness you speak of will obtain these for +you. If you fail to get them, blows will not fail to follow, for these I +often give, and know well how to administer." The Queen began to cry; +such threats as these were anything but pleasant to her and she was in +despair at the thought of the impossibility of finding flowers. + +She went back to her little house; her friend the Frog came to her: +"How unhappy you are!" she said to the Queen. "Alas! who would not be +so, dear friend? The fairy has ordered a bunch of the most beautiful +flowers, and where am I to find them? You see what sort of flowers grow +here; my life, nevertheless, is at stake, if I do not procure them for +her." "Dear Queen," said the Frog in tender tones, "we must try our best +to get you out of this difficulty. There lives a bat in this +neighbourhood, the only one with whom I have made acquaintance; she is a +good creature, and moves more quickly than I can; I will give her my cap +of roses, and aided by this, she will be able to find you the flowers." +The Queen made a low curtsey; for there was no possible way of embracing +the Frog. The latter went off without delay to speak to the bat; a few +hours later she returned, bearing under her wings the most exquisite +flowers. The Queen hurried off with them to the fairy, who was more +overcome by surprise than before, unable to understand in what +miraculous way the Queen received help. + +Meanwhile the Queen was continually thinking by what means she could +escape. She confided her longing to the Frog, who said to her, "Madam, +allow me first to consult my little cap, and we will then arrange +matters according to its advice." She took her cap, placed it on some +straw, and then burned in front of it a few sprigs of juniper, some +capers, and two green peas; she then croaked five times, and the +ceremony being then completed, she put on her cap again, and began +speaking like an oracle. "Fate, the ruler of all things, forbids you to +leave this place. You will have a little Princess, more beautiful than +Venus herself; do not trouble yourself about anything else, time alone +can comfort you." The Queen's head drooped, a few tears fell from her +eyes, but she resolved to trust her friend: "At least," she said to her, +"do not leave me here alone; and befriend me when my little one is +born." The Frog promised to remain with her, and comforted her as best +she could. + +But it is now time to return to the King. While the enemy kept him shut +up in his capital, he could not continually send messengers to the +Queen. At last, however, after several sorties, he obliged the besiegers +to retire, and he rejoiced at his success less on his own account, than +on that of the Queen, whom he could now bring back in safety. He was in +total ignorance of the disaster which had befallen her, for none of his +officers had dared to tell him of it. They had been into the forest and +found the remains of the chariot, the runaway horses, and the driving +apparel which she had put on when going to find her husband. As they +were fully persuaded that she was dead, and had been eaten by wild +beasts, their only care was to make the King believe that she had died +suddenly. On receiving this mournful intelligence, he thought he should +die himself of grief; he tore his hair, he wept many tears, and gave +vent to his bereavement in every imaginable expression of sorrow, cries, +sobs, and sighs. For some days he would see no one, nor allow himself to +be seen; he then returned to his capital, and entered on a long period +of mourning, to which the sorrow of his heart testified more sincerely +than even his sombre garments of grief. All the surrounding kings sent +their ambassadors charged with messages of condolence; and when the +ceremonies, indispensable to these occasions, were over, he granted his +subjects a period of peace, exempting them from military service, and +helping them, in every possible way, to improve their commerce. + +The Queen knew nothing of all this. Meanwhile a little Princess had been +born to her, as beautiful as the Frog had predicted, to whom they gave +the name of Moufette. The Queen had great difficulty in persuading the +fairy to allow her to bring up the child, for so ferocious was she, that +she would have liked to eat it. Moufette, a wonder of beauty, was now +six months old; the Queen, as she looked upon her with a tenderness +mingled with pity, continually said: "Ah! if your father could see you, +my poor little one, how delighted he would be! how dear you would be to +him! But even, already, maybe, he has begun to forget me; he believes, +no doubt, that we are lost to him in death; and perhaps another fills +the place in his heart, that once was mine." + +These sorrowful reflections caused her many tears; the Frog, who truly +loved her, seeing her cry like this, said to her one day: "If you would +like me to do so, madam, I will go and find the King, your husband; the +journey is long, and I travel but slowly; but, sooner or later, I shall +hope to arrive." This proposal could not have been more warmly received +than it was; the Queen clasped her hands, and made Moufette clasp hers +too, in sign of the gratitude she felt towards Madam Frog, for offering +to undertake the journey. She assured her that the King also would not +be ungrateful; "but," she continued, "of what use will it be to him to +know that I am in this melancholy abode; it will be impossible for him +to deliver me from it?" "Madam," replied the Frog, "we must leave that +to Heaven; we can only do that which depends on ourselves." + +They said good-bye to one another; the Queen sent a message to the King, +written with her blood on a piece of rag; for she possessed neither ink +nor paper. She begged him to give attention to everything the good Frog +told him, and to believe all she said, as she was bringing him news of +herself. + +The Frog was a year and four days climbing up the ten thousand steps +which lead from the dark country, in which she had left the Queen, up +into the world; it took her another year to prepare her equipage, for +she had too much pride to allow herself to appear at the Court like a +poor, common frog from the marshes. She had a little sedan-chair made, +large enough to hold two eggs comfortably; it was covered on the outside +with tortoise-shell, and lined with lizard-skin; then she chose fifty +maids of honour, these were the little green frogs which hop about the +meadows; each was mounted on a snail, furnished with a light saddle, and +rode in style with the leg thrown over the saddle-bow; several +water-rats, dressed as pages, ran before the snails, as her body-guard; +in short, nothing so pretty had ever been seen before, and to crown it +all, her cap of crimson roses, always fresh and in full bloom, suited +her in the most admirable manner. She was a bit of a coquette in her +way, so she felt obliged to add a little rouge and a few patches; some +said that she was painted as were many ladies of that country, but +inquiries into the matter proved that this report had only been spread +by her enemies. + +The journey lasted seven years, during which time the poor Queen went +through unspeakable pains and suffering, and if it had not been for the +beautiful Moufette, who was a great comfort to her, she would have died +a hundred times over. This wonderful little creature could not open her +mouth or say a word, without filling her mother with delight; indeed, +everybody, with the exception of the Fairy Lioness, was enchanted with +her; at last, when the Queen had lived six years in this horrible place, +the fairy said that, provided everything she killed was given to her, +she might go hunting with her. + +The joy of the Queen at once more seeing the sun may be imagined. So +unaccustomed had she grown to its light, that at first she thought it +would blind her. As for Moufette, she was so quick and intelligent, that +even at five or six years of age, she never failed to hit her mark, and +so, in this way, the mother and daughter succeeded in somewhat lessening +the ferocity of the fairy. + +The Frog travelled over mountains and valleys, never stopping day or +night; at last she drew near the capital, where the King was in +residence. She was surprised to see dancing and festivity in every +direction; there was laughter and singing, and the nearer she got to +the town, the more joyous and jubilant the people seemed. Her rural +equipage caused great astonishment, everyone went after it, and so large +had the crowd become by the time she had reached the town, that she had +great difficulty in making her way to the palace. Here everything was as +magnificent as possible, for the King, who had been a widower for nine +years, had at last yielded to the prayers of his subjects, and was on +the eve of marriage with a Princess, less beautiful, it is true, than +his wife, but not the less agreeable for that. + +The kind Frog, having descended from her sedan-chair, entered the royal +presence, followed by her attendants. She had no need to ask for +audience, for the King, his affianced bride, and all the princes, were +all much too curious to know the reason of her coming, to think of +interrupting her. "Sire," said she, "I hardly know if the news I bring +you will give you joy or sorrow; the marriage which you are about to +celebrate, convinces me of your infidelity to the Queen." + +"Her memory is dear to me as ever," said the King, unable to prevent the +falling of a tear or two; "but you must know, kind frog, that kings are +not always able to do what they wish; for the last nine years, my +subjects have been urging me to marry; I owe them an heir to the throne, +and I have therefore chosen this young Princess, who appears to me all +that is charming." "I advise you not to marry her, for the Queen is not +dead; I bring you a letter from her, written with her own blood. A +little daughter, Moufette, has been born to you, more beautiful than +the heavens themselves." The King took the rag, on which the Queen had +scrawled a few words; he kissed it, he bathed it in his tears, he showed +it to the whole assembly, saying that he recognised his wife's +handwriting; he asked the Frog a thousand questions, which she answered +with vivacity and intelligence. + +The betrothed Princess, the ambassadors who had come to be present at +the marriage, began to pull long faces. One of the most important of the +guests turned to the King, and said, "Sire, can you think of breaking so +solemn an engagement, on the word of a toad like that? This scum of the +marshes has the insolence to come and tell lies before the whole Court, +for the pleasure of being heard!" "Know, your Excellency," replied the +Frog, "that I am no scum of the marshes, and since I am forced to +exhibit my powers: Come forth, fairies all!" And thereupon all the +frogs, rats, snails, lizards, with the frog at their head, suddenly +appeared; not, however, in the usual form of these reptiles, but with +tall, majestic figures, pleasing countenances, and eyes more brilliant +than stars; each wore a jewelled crown on his head, and over his +shoulders a regal mantle of velvet, lined with ermine, with a long train +which was borne by dwarfs. At the same time was heard the sound of +trumpets, kettle-drums, hautboys, and drums, filling the air with +melodious and warlike music, and all the fairies began to dance a +ballet, their every step so light, that the slightest spring lifted them +to the vaulted ceiling of the room. The King and his future Queen, +surprised as they were at this, were no less astonished, when they saw +all these fairy ballet dancers suddenly change into flowers, jasmine, +jonquils, violets, pinks, and tube roses, which still continued to dance +as if they had legs and feet. It was like a living flower-bed, of which +every movement delighted both the eye and the sense of smell. Another +moment, and the flowers had disappeared; in their place several +fountains threw their waters into the air and fell into an artificial +lake at the foot of the castle walls; this was covered with little +painted and gilded boats, so pretty and dainty that the Princess invited +the ambassadors to go for a trip on the water. They were all pleased to +do so, thinking it was all a merry pastime, which would end happily in +the marriage festivities. But they had no sooner embarked, than the +boats, water, and fountains disappeared, and the frogs were frogs again. +The King asked what had become of the Princess; the Frog replied, "Sire, +no queen is yours, but your wife; were I less attached to her than I am, +I should not interfere; but she is so deserving, and your daughter +Moufette is so charming that you ought not to delay a moment in going to +their deliverance." "I assure you, Madam Frog," said the King, "that if +I did not believe my wife to be dead, there is nothing in the world I +would not do to see her again." "After the wonders I have shown you," +she replied, "it seems to me that you ought to be more convinced of the +truth of what I have told you. Leave your kingdom in charge of +trustworthy men, and start without delay. Here is a ring which will +furnish you with the means of seeing the Queen, and of speaking with +the Fairy Lioness, although she is the most terrible creature in the +world." + +The King departed, refusing to have anyone to accompany him, after +making handsome presents to the Frog: "Do not be discouraged," she said +to him; "you will meet with terrible difficulties, but I hope that you +will succeed according to your wishes." Somewhat comforted by her words, +the King started in search of his dear wife, with no other guide than +his ring. + +As Moufette grew older, her beauty became more perfect, and all the +monsters of the quicksilver lake fell in love with her; and the dragons, +with their hideous and terrifying forms, came and lay at her feet. +Although Moufette had seen them ever since she was born, her beautiful +eyes could not accustom themselves to the sight of these creatures, and +she would run away and hide in her mother's arms. "Shall we remain here +long?" she asked her; "is there to be no end to our misery?" The Queen +spoke hopefully in order to cheer her child, but in her heart she had no +hope; the absence of the Frog, her unbroken silence, the long time that +had elapsed since she had news of the King, all these things filled her +with sorrow and despair. + +The Fairy Lioness had gradually made it a practice to take them with her +hunting. She was fond of good things, and liked the game they killed for +her, and although all they got in return was the gift of the head or the +feet, it was something to be allowed to see again the light of day. The +fairy took the form of a lioness, the Queen and her daughter seated +themselves on her back, and thus they went hunting through the forests. + +The King happened to be resting in a forest one day, whither his ring +had guided him, and saw them pass like an arrow shot from the bow; he +was unseen of them, and when he tried to follow them, they vanished +completely from his sight. Notwithstanding the constant trouble she had +been in, the Queen still preserved her former beauty; she appeared to +her husband more charming than ever. He longed for her to return to him, +and feeling sure that the young Princess who was with her was his dear +little Moufette, he determined to face a thousand deaths, rather than +abandon his design of rescuing her. + +By the help of his ring, he found his way into the obscure region where +the Queen had been so many years; he was not a little surprised when he +found himself descending to the centre of the earth, but every fresh +thing he saw astonished him more and more. The Fairy Lioness, who knew +everything, was aware of the day and the hour when he would arrive; she +would have given a great deal if the powers in league with her had +ordained otherwise; but she determined at least to oppose his strength +with the full might of her own. + +She built a palace of crystal, which floated in the centre of the lake +of quicksilver, and rose and fell with its waves. In it she imprisoned +the Queen and her daughter, and then harangued all the monsters who were +in love with Moufette. "You will lose this beautiful Princess," she said +to them, "if you do not help me to protect her from a knight who has +come to carry her away." The monsters promised to leave nothing in their +power undone; they surrounded the palace of crystal; the lightest in +weight took their stations on the roof and walls; the others kept guard +at the doors, and the remainder in the lake. + +The King, advised by his faithful ring, went first to the Fairy's Cave; +she was awaiting him in her form of lioness. As soon as he appeared she +threw herself upon him; but he handled his sword with a valour for which +she was not prepared, and as she was putting out one of her paws to fell +him to the earth, he cut it off at the joint just where the elbow comes. +She uttered a loud cry and fell over; he went up to her, put his foot on +her throat and swore that he would kill her, and in spite of her +ungovernable fury and invulnerability, she felt a little afraid. "What +do you wish to do with me?" she asked. "What do you want of me?" "I wish +to punish you," he replied proudly, "for having carried away my wife, +and you shall give her up to me or I will strangle you on the spot." +"Look towards the lake," she said, "and see if I have the power to do +so." The King turned in the direction towards which she pointed, and saw +the Queen and her daughter in the palace of crystal, which was floating +like a vessel, without oars or rudder, on the lake of quicksilver. He +was ready to die with mingled joy and sorrow; he called to them with all +his might, and they heard him, but how was he to reach them? While +thinking over the means by which he might accomplish this, the Fairy +Lioness disappeared. He ran round and round the lake, but whenever the +palace came close enough to him, on one side or the other, for him to +spring upon it, it suddenly floated away again with terrible swiftness, +and so his hopes were continually disappointed. The Queen, fearing he +would at length grow weary, called to him not to lose courage, that the +Fairy Lioness wanted to tire him out, but that true love knew how to +face all difficulties. She and Moufette then stretched out their hands +towards him with imploring gestures. Seeing this, the King was filled +with renewed courage, and raising his voice, he said that he would +rather pass the remainder of his life in this melancholy region than go +away without them. He needed great patience, for no king on earth ever +spent such a wretched time before. He had only the ground, covered with +briars and thorns, for his bed; his food consisted of wild fruits, more +bitter than gall, and he was incessantly engaged in defending himself +from the monsters of the lake. + +Three years passed in this manner, and the King could not flatter +himself that he had gained the least advantage; he was almost in +despair, and over and over again was tempted to throw himself in the +lake, and he would certainly have done so if he could have thought that +by such a deed he might alleviate the sufferings of the Queen and the +Princess. He was running one day as usual, first to one side of the lake +then to the other, when one of the most hideous of the dragons called +him, and said to him: "If you will swear to me by your crown and +sceptre, by your royal mantle, by your wife and child, to give me, +whenever I shall ask for it, a certain delicate morsel to eat, for which +I have a taste, I will take you on my back, and I promise you that none +of the monsters of this lake, who guard the palace, shall prevent us +from carrying off the Queen and Princess Moufette." + +"Ah! my beloved Dragon!" cried the King, "I swear to you, and to all the +family of dragons, that I will give you your fill to eat of what you +like, and will for ever remain your humble servant." "Do not make any +promises," replied the Dragon, "if you have any thought of not +fulfilling them; for, in that case, misfortunes will fall upon you that +you will not forget as long as you live." The King renewed his +protestations; he was dying of impatience to get possession of his dear +Queen. He mounted on the Dragon's back, as if it was the finest horse in +the world, but the other monsters now advanced to bar his passage. They +fought together, nothing was to be heard but the sharp hissings of the +serpents, nothing to be seen but fire, and sulphur, and saltpetre, +falling in every direction. At last the King reached the palace, but +here his efforts had to be renewed, for the entrances were defended by +bats, owls, and ravens; however, the Dragon, with his claws, his teeth +and tail, cut to pieces even the boldest of these. The Queen, on her +side, who was looking on at this fierce encounter, kicked away pieces of +the wall, and armed herself with these to help her dear husband. They +were at last victorious; they ran into one another's arms, and the work +of disenchantment was completed by a thunderbolt, which fell into the +lake and dried it up. + +The friendly Dragon had disappeared with all the other monsters, and the +King, by what means he could not guess, found himself again in his own +capital, seated, with his Queen and Moufette, in a magnificent +dining-hall, with a table spread with exquisite meats in front of them. +Such joy and astonishment as theirs were unknown before. All their +subjects ran in to see the Queen and the young Princess, who, to add to +the wonder of it all, was so superbly dressed, that the eye could hardly +bear to look upon her dazzling jewels. + +It is easy to imagine the festivities that now went on at the castle; +masquerades, running at the ring, and tournaments attracted the greatest +princes in the world; but even more were they attracted by the bright +eyes of Moufette. Among those who were the handsomest and most +accomplished in feats of arms, Prince Moufy everywhere was the most +conspicuous. He was universally admired and applauded, and Moufette, who +hitherto had been only in the company of dragons and serpents, did not +withhold her share of praise. No day passed but Prince Moufy showed her +some fresh attention, in the hope of pleasing her, for he loved her +deeply; and having offered himself as a suitor, he made known to the +King and Queen, that his principality was of a beauty and extent that +deserved their special attention. + +The King replied that Moufette was at liberty to choose a husband, and +that he only wished to please her and make her happy. The Prince was +delighted with this answer, and having already become aware that he was +not indifferent to the Princess, offered her his hand. She assured him +that if he was not her husband, no other man should be, and Moufy, +overcome with joy, threw himself at her feet, and in affectionate terms +begged her to remember the promise she had given him. The Prince and +Princess were betrothed, and Prince Moufy then returned to his +principality to make preparations for the marriage. Moufette shed many +tears at his departure, for she was troubled with a presentiment of evil +which she could not explain. The Queen, seeing that the Prince was also +overcome with sorrow, gave him the portrait of her daughter, and begged +him rather to lessen the magnificence of the preparations than to delay +his return. The Prince, only too ready to obey such a command, promised +to comply with what would be for his own happiness. + +The Princess occupied herself during his absence with her music, for she +had, in a few months, learnt to play well. One day, when she was in the +Queen's room, the King rushed in, his face bathed in tears, and taking +his daughter in his arms: "Alas, my child," he cried. "Alas! wretched +father, unhappy King!" He could say no more, for his voice was stifled +with sobs. The Queen and Princess, in great alarm, asked him what was +the matter, and at last he was able to tell them that a giant of an +enormous height, who gave himself out to be an ambassador from the +Dragon of the lake, had just arrived; that in accordance with the +promise, made by the King in return for the help he had received in +fighting the monsters, the Dragon demanded him to give up the Princess, +as he wished to make her into a pie for his dinner; the King added that +he had bound himself by solemn oaths to give him what he asked, and in +those days no one ever broke his word. + +When the Queen heard this dreadful news, she uttered piercing cries, and +clasped her child to her breast. "My life shall be taken," she said, +"before my daughter shall be delivered up to that monster; let him +rather take our kingdom and all that we possess. Unnatural father! can +you possibly consent to such a cruel thing? What! my child made into a +pie! The thought of it is intolerable! Send me this terrible ambassador, +maybe the sight of my anguish may touch his heart." + +The King made no reply, but went in search of the giant and brought him +to the Queen, who threw herself at his feet. She and her daughter +implored him to have mercy upon them, and to persuade the Dragon to take +everything they possessed, and to spare Moufette's life; but the giant +replied that the matter did not rest with him, and that the Dragon was +so obstinate and so fond of good things, that all the powers combined +would not prevent him eating whatever he had taken into his head he +would like for a meal. He further advised them, as a friend, to consent +with a good grace, as otherwise greater evils might arise. At these +words the Queen fainted, and the Princess, had she not been obliged to +go to her mother's assistance, would have done the same. + +No sooner was the sad news spread through the palace, than the whole +town knew it. Nothing was heard but weeping and wailing, for Moufette +was greatly beloved. The King could not make up his mind to give her to +the giant, and the giant, who had already waited some days, began to +grow impatient, and to utter terrible threats. The King and Queen, +however, said to each other, "What worse thing could happen to us? If +the Dragon of the lake were to come and devour us all we could not be +more distressed; if Moufette is put into a pie, we are lost." + +The giant now told them that he had received a message from his master, +and that if the Princess would agree to marry a nephew of his, the +Dragon would let her live; that the nephew was young and handsome; that, +moreover, he was a Prince, and that she would be able to live with him +very happily. This proposal somewhat lessened their grief; the Queen +spoke to the Princess, but found her still more averse to this marriage +than to the thought of death. "I cannot save my life by being +unfaithful," said Moufette. "You promised me to Prince Moufy, and I will +marry no one else; let me die; my death will ensure the peace of your +lives." The King then came and endeavoured with all the tenderest of +expressions to persuade her; but nothing moved her, and finally it was +decided that she should be conducted to the summit of a mountain, and +there await the Dragon. + +Everything was prepared for this great sacrifice; nothing so mournful +had before been seen; nothing to be met anywhere but black garments, and +pale and horrified faces. Four hundred maidens of the highest rank, +dressed in long white robes, and crowned with cypress, accompanied the +Princess, who was carried in an open litter of black velvet, that all +might look on this masterpiece of beauty. Her hair, tied with crape, +hung over her shoulders, and she wore a crown of jasmine, mingled with a +few marigolds. The grief of the King and Queen, who followed, overcome +by their deep sorrow, appeared the only thing that moved her. The giant, +armed from head to foot, marched beside the litter, and looked with +hungry eye at the Princess, as if anticipating his share of her when she +came to be eaten; the air resounded with sighs and sobs, and the road +was flooded with the tears of the onlookers. + +"Ah! Frog, Frog," cried the Queen, "you have indeed forsaken me! Alas! +why did you give me help in that unhappy region, and now withhold it +from me! Would that I had then died, I should not now be lamenting the +loss of all my hopes, I should not now have the anguish of seeing my +dear Moufette on the point of being devoured!" The procession meanwhile +was slowly advancing, and at last reached the summit of the fatal +mountain. Here the cries and lamentations were redoubled, nothing more +piteous had before been heard. The giant ordered everyone to say +farewell and to retire, and they all obeyed him, for in those days, +people were very simple and submissive, and never sought for a remedy in +their misfortunes. + +The King and Queen, and all the Court, now ascended another mountain, +whence they could see all that happened to the Princess: and they had +not to wait long, before they saw a Dragon, half a league long, coming +through the air. His body was so heavy that, notwithstanding his six +large wings, he was hardly able to fly; he was covered with immense blue +scales, and poisonous tongues of flame; his tail was twisted into as +many as fifty and a half coils; each of his claws was the size of a +windmill, and three rows of teeth, as long as those of an elephant, +could be seen inside his wide-open jaw. As the Dragon slowly made his +way towards the mountain, the good, faithful Frog, mounted on the back +of a hawk, flew rapidly to Prince Moufy. She wore her cap of roses, and +although he was locked into his private room, she entered without a key, +and said, "What are you doing here, unhappy lover? You sit dreaming of +Moufette's beauty, and at this very moment she is exposed to the most +frightful danger; here is a rose-leaf, by blowing + +upon it, I can change it into a superb horse, as you will see." + +There immediately appeared a horse, green in colour, and with twelve +hoofs and three heads, of which one emitted fire, another bomb-shells, +and the third cannon-balls. She gave the Prince a sword, eight yards +long, and lighter than a feather. She clothed him with a single diamond, +which he put on like a coat, and which, although as hard as a rock, was +so pliable that he could move in it at his ease. "Go," she said, "run, +fly to the rescue of her whom you love; the green horse I have given +you, will take you to her, and when you have delivered her, let her know +the share I have had in the matter." + +"Generous fairy," cried the Prince, "I cannot at this moment show you +all my gratitude; but from henceforth, I am your faithful servitor." + +He mounted the horse with the three heads, which instantly galloped off +on its twelve hoofs, and went at a greater rate than three of the best +ordinary horses, so that in a very little time the Prince reached the +mountain, when he found his dear Princess all alone, and saw the Dragon +slowly drawing near. The green horse immediately began to send forth +fire, bomb-shells, and cannon-balls, which not a little astonished the +monster; he received twenty balls in his throat, and his scales were +somewhat damaged, and the bomb-shells put out one of his eyes. He grew +furious, and made as if to throw himself on the Prince; but his long +sword was so finely-tempered, that he could use it as he liked, +thrusting it in at times up to the hilt, and at others using it like a +whip. The Prince, on his side, would have suffered from the Dragon's +claws, had it not been for his diamond coat, which was impenetrable. + +Moufette had recognised her lover a long way off, for the diamond that +covered him was transparent and bright, and she was seized with mortal +terror at the danger he was in. The King and Queen, however, were filled +with renewed hope, for it was such an unexpected thing to see a horse +with three heads and twelve hoofs, sending forth fire and flame, and a +Prince in a diamond suit and armed with a formidable sword, arrive at +such an opportune moment, and fight with so much valour. The King put +his hat on the top of his stick, and the Queen tied her handkerchief to +the end of another, as signals of encouragement to the Prince; and all +their Court followed suit. As a fact, this was not necessary, for his +own heart and the peril in which he saw Moufette, were sufficient to +animate his courage. And what efforts did he not make! the ground was +covered with stings, claws, horns, wings, and scales of the Dragon; the +earth was coloured blue and green with the mingled blood of the Dragon +and the horse. Five times the Prince fell to the ground, but each time +he rose again and leisurely mounted his horse, and then there were +cannonades, and rushing of flames, and explosions, such as were never +heard or seen before. The Dragon's strength at last gave way, and he +fell; the Prince gave him a final blow, and nobody could believe their +eyes, when from this last great wound, there stepped forth a handsome +and charming prince, in a coat of blue and gold velvet, embroidered with +pearls, while on his head he wore a little Grecian helmet, shaded with +white feathers. He rushed, his arms outspread, towards Prince Moufy, and +embraced him. "What do I not owe you, valiant liberator?" he cried. "You +have delivered me from a worse prison than ever before enclosed a king; +I have languished there since, sixteen years ago, the Fairy Lioness +condemned me to it; and, such was her power, that she would have forced +me, against my will, to devour that adorable Princess; lead me to her +feet, that I may explain to her my misfortune." + +Prince Moufy, surprised and delighted at this extraordinary termination +to his adventure, showered civilities on the newly-found Prince. They +hastened to rejoin Moufette, who thanked Heaven a thousand times for her +unhoped-for happiness. The King, the Queen, and all the Court, were +already with her; everybody spoke at once, nobody listened to anybody +else, and they all shed nearly as many tears of joy as they had before +of grief. Finally, that nothing might be wanting to complete their +rejoicing, the good Frog appeared, flying through the air on her hawk, +which had little bells of gold on its feet. When the tinkle, tinkle, of +these was heard, everyone looked up, and saw the cap of roses shining +like the sun, and the Frog as beautiful as the dawn. + +The Queen ran towards her, and took her by one of her little paws, and +in the same moment, the wise Frog became a great Queen, with a charming +countenance. "I come," she cried, "to crown the faithful Moufette, who +preferred to risk her life, rather than be untrue to Prince Moufy." She +thereupon took two myrtle wreaths, and placed them on the heads of the +lovers, and giving three taps with her wand, all the Dragon's bones +formed themselves into a triumphal arch, in commemoration of the great +event which had just taken place. + +They all wended their way back to the town, singing wedding songs, as +gaily as they had before mournfully bewailed the sacrifice of the +Princess. The marriage took place the following day, and the joy with +which it was celebrated may be imagined. + + + + +PRINCESS ROSETTE + + +Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had two handsome boys; +so well-fed and hearty were they, that they grew like the day. + +Whenever the Queen had a child, she sent for the fairies, that she might +learn from them what would be its future lot. After a while she had a +little daughter, who was so beautiful, that no one could see her without +loving her. The fairies came as usual, and the Queen having feasted +them, said to them as they were going away, "Do not forget that good +custom of yours, but tell me what will happen to Rosette"--for this was +the name of the little Princess. The fairies answered her that they had +left their divining-books at home, and that they would come again to see +her. "Ah!" said the Queen, "that bodes no good, I fear; you do not wish +to distress me by foretelling evil; but, I pray you, let me know the +worst, and hide nothing from me." The fairies continued to make excuses, +but the Queen only became more anxious to know the truth. At last the +chief among them said to her, "We fear, madam, that Rosette will be the +cause of a great misfortune befalling her brothers; that they may even +lose their lives on her account. This is all that we can tell you of +the fate of this sweet little Princess, and we are grieved to have +nothing better to say about her." The fairies took their departure, and +the Queen was very sorrowful, so sorrowful that the King saw by her face +that she was in trouble. He asked her what was the matter. She told him +she had gone too near the fire and accidentally burnt all the flax that +was on her distaff. "Is that all?" replied the King, and he went up to +his store-room and brought her down more flax than she could spin in a +hundred years. + +But the Queen was still very sorrowful, and the King again asked her +what was the matter. She told him that she had been down to the river +and had let one of her green satin slippers fall into the water. "Is +that all?" replied the King, and he sent for all the shoemakers in the +kingdom, and made the Queen a present of ten thousand green satin +slippers. + +Still the Queen was no less sorrowful; the King asked her once more what +was the matter. She told him that, being hungry, she had eaten hastily, +and had swallowed her wedding-ring. The King knew that she was not +speaking the truth, for he had himself put away the ring, and he +replied, "My dear wife, you are not speaking the truth; here is your +ring, which I have kept in my purse." The Queen was put out of +countenance at being caught telling a lie--for there is nothing in the +world so ugly--and she saw that the King was vexed, so she told him what +the fairies had predicted about little Rosette, and begged him to tell +her if he could think of any remedy. The King was greatly troubled, so +much so, that at last he said to the Queen, "I see no way of saving our +two boys, except by putting the little girl to death, while she is still +in her swaddling clothes." But the Queen cried that she would rather +suffer death herself, that she would never consent to so cruel a deed, +and that the King must try and think of some other remedy. The King and +Queen could think of nothing else, and while thus pondering over the +matter, the Queen was told that in a large wood near the town, there +lived an old hermit, who made his home in the trunk of a tree, whom +people went from far and near to consult. + +"It is to him I must go," said the Queen; "the fairies told me the evil, +but they forgot to tell me the remedy." + +She started early in the morning, mounted on her little white mule, that +was shod with gold, and accompanied by two of her maids of honour, who +each rode a pretty horse. When they were near the wood they dismounted +out of respect, and made their way to the tree where the hermit lived. +He did not much care for the visits of women, but when he saw that it +was the Queen approaching, he said, "Welcome! what would you ask of me?" +She related to him what the fairies had said about Rosette, and asked +him to advise her what to do. He told her that the Princess must be shut +up in a tower, and not be allowed to leave it as long as she lived. The +Queen thanked him, and returned and told everything to the King. The +King immediately gave orders for a large tower to be built as quickly as +possible. In it he placed his daughter, but that she might not feel +lonely and depressed, he, and the Queen, and her two brothers, went to +see her every day. The elder of these was called the big Prince, and the +younger, the little Prince. They loved their sister passionately, for +she was the most beautiful and graceful Princess ever seen, and the +least glance of hers was worth more than a hundred gold pieces. When she +was fifteen years old, the big Prince said to the King, "Father, my +sister is old enough to be married; shall we not soon have a wedding?" +The little Prince said the same to the Queen, but their Majesties +laughed and changed the subject, and made no answer about the marriage. + +Now, it happened that the King and Queen both fell very ill, and died +within a few days of one another. There was great mourning; everyone +wore black, and all the bells were tolled. Rosette was inconsolable at +the loss of her good mother. + +As soon as the funeral was over, the dukes and marquises of the kingdom +placed the big Prince on a throne made of gold and diamonds; he wore a +splendid crown on his head, and robes of violet velvet embroidered with +suns and moons. Then the whole Court cried out, "Long live the King!" +and now on all sides there was nothing but rejoicing. + +Then the young King and his brother said one to another, "Now that we +are the masters, we will release our sister from the tower, where she +has been shut up for such a long and dreary time." They had only to pass +through the garden to reach the tower, which stood in one corner of it, +and had been built as high as was possible, for the late King and Queen +had intended her to remain there always. Rosette was embroidering a +beautiful dress on a frame in front of her, when she saw her brothers +enter. She rose, and taking the King's hand, said, "Good-day, sire, you +are now King, and I am your humble subject; I pray you to release me +from this tower, where I lead a melancholy life," and with this, she +burst into tears. The King embraced her, and begged her not to weep, for +he was come, he said, to take her from the tower, and to conduct her to +a beautiful castle. The Prince had his pockets full of sweetmeats, which +he gave Rosette. "Come," he said, "let us get away from this wretched +place; the King will soon find you a husband; do not be unhappy any +longer." + +When Rosette saw the beautiful garden, full of flowers, and fruits, and +fountains, she was so overcome with astonishment, that she stood +speechless, for she had never seen anything of the kind before. She +looked around her, she went first here, then there, she picked the fruit +off the trees, and gathered flowers from the beds; while her little dog, +Fretillon, who was as green as a parrot, kept on running before her, +saying, yap, yap, yap! and jumping and cutting a thousand capers, and +everybody was amused at his ways. Presently he ran into a little wood, +whither the Princess followed him, and here her wonder was even greater +than before, when she saw a large peacock spreading out its tail. She +thought it so beautiful, so very beautiful, that she could not take her +eyes off it. The King and the Prince now joined her, and asked her what +delighted her so much. She pointed to the peacock, and asked them what +it was. They told her it was a bird, which was sometimes eaten. "What!" +she cried, "dare to kill and eat a beautiful bird like that! I tell you, +that I will marry no one but the King of the Peacocks, and when I am +their Queen I shall not allow anybody to eat them." The astonishment of +the King cannot be described. "But, dear sister," said he, "where would +you have us go to find the King of the Peacocks?" "Whither you please, +sire; but him, and him alone, will I marry." + +Having come to this decision, she was now conducted by her brothers to +their castle; the peacock had to be brought and put into her room, so +fond was she of it. All the Court ladies who had not before seen Rosette +now hastened to greet her, and pay their respects to her. Some brought +preserves with them, some sugar, and others dresses of woven gold, +beautiful ribbons, dolls, embroidered shoes, pearls, and diamonds. +Everyone did their best to entertain her, and she was so well brought +up, so courteous, kissing their hands, curtseying when anything +beautiful was given to her, that there was not a lord or lady who did +not leave her presence gratified and charmed. While she was thus +occupied, the King and the Prince were turning over in their minds how +they should find the King of the Peacocks, if there was such a person in +the world to be found. They decided that they would have Rosette's +portrait painted; and when completed it was so life-like, that only +speech was wanting. Then they said to her, "Since you will marry no one +but the King of the Peacocks, we are going together to look for him, and +will traverse the whole world to try and find him for you. If we find +him, we shall be very glad. Meanwhile take care of our kingdom until we +return." + +Rosette thanked them for all the trouble they were taking; she promised +to govern the kingdom well, and said that, during their absence, her +only pleasure would be in looking at the peacock, and making her little +dog dance. They all three cried when they said good-bye to each other. + +So the two Princes started on their long journey, and they asked +everyone whom they met, "Do you know the King of the Peacocks?" but the +reply was always the same, "No, we do not." Each time they passed on and +went further, and in this way they travelled so very, very far, that no +one had ever been so far before. + +They came to the kingdom of the cock-chafers; and these were in such +numbers, and made such a loud buzzing, that the King feared he should +become deaf. He asked one of them, who appeared to him to have the most +intelligence, whether he knew where the King of the Peacocks was to be +found. "Sire," replied the cock-chafer, "his kingdom lies thirty +thousand leagues from here; you have chosen the longest way to reach +it." "And how do you know that?" asked the King. "Because," answered the +cock-chafer, "we know you very well, for every year we spend two or +three months in your gardens." Whereupon the King and his brother +embraced the cock-chafer, and they went off arm in arm to dine together, +and the two strangers admired all the curiosities of that new country, +where the smallest leaf of a tree was worth a gold piece. After that, +they continued their journey, and having been directed along the right +way, they were not long in reaching its close. On their arrival, they +found all the trees laden with peacocks, and, indeed, there were +peacocks everywhere, so that they could be heard talking and screaming +two leagues off. + +The King said to his brother "If the King of the Peacocks is a peacock +himself, how can our sister marry him? it would be folly to consent to +such a thing, and it would be a fine thing for us to have little +peacocks for nephews." The Prince was equally disturbed at the thought. +"It is an unhappy fancy she has taken into her head," he said. "I cannot +think what led her to imagine that there was such a person in the world +as the King of the Peacocks." + +When they entered the town, they saw that it was full of men and women, +and that they all wore clothes made of peacocks' feathers, and that +these were evidently considered fine things, for every place was covered +with them. They met the King, who was driving in a beautiful little +carriage of gold, studded with diamonds, and drawn by twelve peacocks at +full gallop. This King of the Peacocks was so handsome, that the King +and the Prince were delighted; he had long, light, curly hair, fair +complexion, and wore a crown of peacocks' feathers. Directly he saw +them, he guessed, seeing that they wore a different costume to the +people of the country, that they were strangers, and wishing to +ascertain if this was so, he ordered his carriage to stop, and sent for +them. + +[Illustration: '_Oh, you are jesting;_' _replied the King of the +Peacocks._ _Princess Rosette_] + +The King and the Prince advanced, bowing low, and said, "Sire, we have +come from afar, to show you a portrait." They drew forth Rosette's +portrait and showed it to him. After gazing at it a while, the King of +the Peacocks said, "I can scarcely believe that there is so beautiful a +maiden in the whole world." "She is a thousand times more beautiful," +said the King. "You are jesting," replied the King of the Peacocks. +"Sire," rejoined the Prince, "here is my brother, who is a King, like +yourself; he is called King, and my name is Prince; our sister, of whom +this is the portrait, is the Princess Rosette. We have come to ask if +you will marry her; she is good and beautiful, and we will give her, as +dower, a bushel of golden crowns." "It is well," said the King. "I will +gladly marry her; she shall want for nothing, and I shall love her +greatly; but I require that she shall be as beautiful as her portrait, +and if she is in the smallest degree less so, I shall make you pay for +it with your lives." "We consent willingly," said both Rosette's +brothers. "You consent?" added the King. "You will go to prison then, +and remain there until the Princess arrives." The Princes made no +difficulty about this, for they knew well that Rosette was more +beautiful than her portrait. They were well looked after while in +prison, and were well served with all they required, and the King often +went to see them. He kept Rosette's portrait in his room, and could +scarcely rest day or night for looking at it. As the King and his +brother could not go to her themselves, they wrote to Rosette, telling +her to pack up as quickly as possible, and to start without delay, as +the King of the Peacocks was awaiting her. They did not tell her that +they were prisoners, for fear of causing her uneasiness. + +The Princess scarcely knew how to contain herself with joy, when she +received this message. She told everybody that the King of the Peacocks +had been found, and that he wanted to marry her. Bonfires were lit, and +guns fired, and quantities of sweetmeats and sugar were eaten; everyone +who came to see the Princess, during the three days before her +departure, was given bread-and-butter and jam, rolled wafers, and negus. +After having thus dispensed hospitality to her visitors, she presented +her beautiful dolls to her best friends, and handed over the government +to the wisest elders of the town, begging them to look well after +everything, to spend little, and to save up money for the King on his +return. She also prayed them to take care of her peacock, for with her +she only took her nurse, and her foster-sister, and her little green +dog, Fretillon. They set out in a boat on the sea, carrying with them +the bushel of golden crowns, and sufficient clothes for two changes a +day for ten years. They made merry on their voyage, laughing and +singing, and the nurse kept on asking the boatman if they were nearing +the Kingdom of the Peacocks; for a long time, all he said was, "No, no, +not yet." Then at last, when she asked again, "Are we anywhere near it +now?" he answered, "We shall soon be there, very soon." Once more she +said, "Are we near, are we anywhere near it now?" and he said, "Yes, we +are now within reach of shore." On hearing this, the nurse went to the +end of the boat, and sitting down beside the boatman, said to him, "If +you like, you can be rich for the remainder of your life." He replied, +"I should like nothing better." She continued, "If you like, you can +earn good money." "That would suit me very well," he answered. "Well," +she went on, "then to-night, when the Princess is asleep, you must help +me throw her into the sea. After she is drowned, I will dress my +daughter in her fine clothes, and we will take her to the King of the +Peacocks, who will only be too pleased to marry her; and as a reward to +you, we will give you as many diamonds as you care to possess." The +boatman was very much astonished at this proposal; he told the nurse +that it was a pity to drown such a pretty Princess, and that he felt +compassion for her; but the nurse fetched a bottle of wine and made him +drink so much, that he had no longer any power to refuse. + +Night having come, the Princess went to bed as usual, her little +Fretillon lying at her feet, not even stirring one of his paws. Rosette +slept soundly, but the wicked nurse kept awake, and went presently to +fetch the boatman. She took him into the Princess's room, and together +they lifted her up, feather bed, mattress, sheets, coverlet, and all, +and threw them into the sea, the Princess all the while so fast +asleep, that she never woke. But fortunately, her bed was made of +Phoenix-feathers, which are extremely rare, and have the property of +always floating on water; so that she was carried along in her bed as in +a boat. The water, however, began gradually first to wet her feather +bed, then her mattress, and Rosette began to feel uncomfortable, and +turned from side to side, and then Fretillon woke up. He had a capital +nose, and when he smelt the soles and cod-fish so near, he started +barking at them, and this awoke all the other fish, who began swimming +about. The bigger ones ran against the Princess's bed, which, not being +attached to anything, span round and round like a whirligig. Rosette +could not make out what was happening. "Is our boat having a dance on +the water?" she said. "I am not accustomed to feeling so uneasy as I am +to-night," and all the while Fretillon continued barking, and going on +as if he was out of his mind. The wicked nurse and the boatman heard him +from afar, and said: "There's that funny little beast drinking our +healths with his mistress. Let us make haste to land," for they were now +just opposite the town of the King of the Peacocks. + +He had sent down a hundred chariots to the landing-place; they were +drawn by all kinds of rare animals, lions, bears, stags, wolves, horses, +oxen, asses, eagles, and peacocks: and the chariot which was intended +for the Princess was harnessed with six blue monkeys, that could jump, +dance on the tight rope, and do endless clever tricks; they had +beautiful trappings of crimson velvet, overlaid with plates of gold. +Sixty young maids of honour were also in attendance, who had been chosen +by the King for the amusement of the Princess; they were dressed in all +sorts of colours, and gold and silver were the least precious of their +adornments. + +The nurse had taken great pains to dress her daughter finely; she had +put on her Rosette's best robe, and decked her all over from head to +foot with the Princess's diamonds; but with all this, she was still as +ugly as an ape, with greasy black hair, crooked eyes, bowed legs, and a +hump on her back; and, added to these deformities, she was besides of a +disagreeable and sulky temper, and was always grumbling. + +When the people saw her get out of the boat, they were so taken aback by +her appearance, that they could not utter a sound. "What is the meaning +of this?" she said. "Are you all asleep? Be off, and bring me something +to eat! A nice set of beggars you are! I will have you all hanged." When +they heard this, they murmured, "What an ugly creature! and she is as +wicked as she is ugly! A nice wife for our King; well, we are not +surprised! but it was scarcely worth the trouble to bring her from the +other side of the world." Meanwhile she still behaved as if she were +already mistress of all and everything, and for no reason at all, boxed +their ears, or gave a blow with her fist to everybody in turn. + +As her escort was a very large one, the procession moved slowly, and she +sat up in her chariot like a queen; but all the peacocks, who had +stationed themselves on the trees, so as to salute her as she passed, +and who had been prepared to shout, "Long live the beautiful Queen +Rosette!" could only call out, "Fie, fie, how ugly she is!" as soon as +they caught sight of her. She was so enraged at this, that she called to +her guards, "Kill those rascally peacocks who are insulting me." But the +peacocks quickly flew away, and only laughed at her. + +The treacherous boatman, seeing and hearing all this, said in a low +voice to the nurse, "There is something wrong, good mother; your +daughter should have been better looking." She answered, "Hold your +tongue, stupid, or you will bring us into trouble." + +The King had word brought him that the Princess was approaching. "Well," +he said, "have her brothers, I wonder, told me the truth? Is she more +beautiful than her portrait?" "Sire," said those near him, "there will +be nothing to wish for, if she is as beautiful." "You are right," +replied the King, "I shall be well content with that. Come, let us go +and see her," for he knew by the hubbub in the courtyard that she had +arrived. He could not distinguish anything that was said, except, "Fie, +fie, how ugly she is!" and he imagined that the people were calling out +about some little dwarf or animal that she had brought with her, for it +never entered his head that the words were applied to the Princess +herself. + +Rosette's portrait was carried uncovered, at the top of a long pole, +and the King walked after it in solemn state, with all his nobles and +his peacocks, followed by ambassadors from various kingdoms. The King of +the Peacocks was very impatient to see his dear Rosette; but when he did +see her--well, he very nearly died on the spot. He flew into a violent +rage, he tore his clothes, he would not go near her, he felt quite +afraid of her. "What!" he cried, "have those two villains I have in +prison had the boldness and impudence to make a laughing-stock of me, +and to propose my marrying such a fright as that? They shall both be +killed; and let that insolent woman, and the nurse, and the man who is +with them, be immediately carried to the dungeon of my great tower, and +there kept." While this was going on, the King and his brother, who knew +that his sister was expected, had put on their bravest apparel ready to +receive her; but instead of seeing their prison door open and being set +at liberty, as they had hoped, the gaoler came with a body of soldiers +and made them go down into a dark cellar, full of horrible reptiles, and +where the water was up to their necks; no one was ever more surprised or +distressed than they were. "Alas!" they said to one another, "this is +indeed a melancholy marriage feast for us! What can have happened that +we should be so ill-treated?" They did not know what in the world to +think, except that they were to be killed, and they were very sorrowful +about this. Three days passed, and no news reached them of any kind. At +the end of that time, the King of the Peacocks came, and began calling +out insulting things to them through a hole in the wall. "You called +yourselves King and Prince, that I might fall into your trap, and engage +myself to marry your sister; but you are nothing better than two +beggars, who are not worth the water you drink. I am going to bring you +before the judges, who will soon pass their verdict upon you; the rope +to hang you with is already being made." "King of the Peacocks," replied +the King, angrily, "do not act too rashly in this matter, or you may +repent it. I am a King as well as you, and I have a fine kingdom, and +rich clothing, and crowns, to say nothing of good gold pieces. You must +be joking to talk like this of hanging us; have we stolen anything from +you?" + +When the King heard him speak so boldly, he did not know what to think, +and he felt half inclined to let them and their sister go without +putting them to death; but his chief adviser, who was an arrant +flatterer, dissuaded him from this, telling him that if he did not +revenge the insult that had been put upon him, all the world would make +fun of him, and look upon him as nothing better than a miserable little +King worth a few coppers a day. The King thereupon swore that he would +never forgive them, and ordered them to be brought to trial at once. +This did not take long; the judges had only to look at the real +Rosette's portrait and then at the Princess who had arrived, and, +without hesitation, they ordered the prisoners' heads to be cut off as a +punishment for having lied to the King, since they had promised him a +beautiful Princess, and had only given him an ugly peasant girl. They +repaired with great ceremony to the prison to read this sentence to +them; but the prisoners declared that they had not lied, that their +sister was a Princess, and more beautiful than the day; that there must +be something under this which they did not understand, and they asked +for a respite of seven days, as before that time had expired their +innocence might have been established. The King of the Peacocks, who had +worked himself up to a high pitch of anger, could with great difficulty +be induced to accord them this grace, but at last he consented. + +While these things were going on at the Court, we must say something +about poor Rosette. Both she and Fretillon were very much astonished, +when daylight came, to find themselves in the middle of the sea, without +a boat, and far from all help. She began to cry, and cried so piteously, +that even the fishes had compassion on her: she did not know what to do, +nor what would become of her. "There is no doubt," she said, "that the +King of the Peacocks ordered me to be thrown into the sea, having +repented his promise of marrying me, and to get rid of me quietly he has +had me drowned. What a strange man!" she continued, "for I should have +loved him so much! We should have been so happy together," and with that +she burst out crying afresh, for she could not help still loving him. +She remained floating about on the sea for two days, wet to the skin, +and almost dead with cold; she was so benumbed by it, that if it had not +been for little Fretillon, who lay beside her and kept a little warmth +in her, she could not have survived. She was famished with hunger, and +seeing the oysters in their shells, she took as many of these as she +wanted and ate them; Fretillon did the same, to keep himself alive, +although he did not like such food. Rosette became still more alarmed +when the night set in. "Fretillon," she said, "keep on barking, to +frighten away the soles, for fear they should eat us." So Fretillon +barked all night, and when the morning came, the Princess was floating +near the shore. Close to the sea at this spot, there lived a good old +man; he was poor, and did not care for the things of the world, and no +one ever visited him in his little hut. He was very much surprised when +heard Fretillon barking, for no dogs ever came in that direction; he +thought some travellers must have lost their way, and went out with the +kind intention of putting them on the right road again. All at once he +caught sight of the Princess and Fretillon floating on the sea, and the +Princess, seeing him, stretched out her arms to him, crying out, "Good +man, save me, or I shall perish; I have been in the water like this for +two days." When he heard her speak so sorrowfully, he had great pity on +her, and went back into his hut to fetch a long hook; he waded into the +water up to his neck, and once or twice narrowly escaped drowning. At +last, however, he succeeded in dragging the bed on to the shore. Rosette +and Fretillon were overjoyed to find themselves again on dry ground; and +were full of gratitude to the kind old man. Rosette wrapped herself in +her coverlet, and walked bare-footed into the hut, where the old man lit +a little fire of dry straw, and took one of his dead wife's best dresses +out of a trunk, with some stockings and shoes, and gave them to the +Princess. Dressed in her peasant's attire, she looked as beautiful as +the day, and Fretillon capered round her and made her laugh. The old man +guessed that Rosette was some great lady, for her bed was embroidered +with gold and silver, and her mattress was of satin. He begged her to +tell him her story, promising not to repeat what she told him if she so +wished. So she related to him all that had befallen her, crying bitterly +the while, for she still thought that it was the King of the Peacocks +who had ordered her to be drowned. + +"What shall we do, my daughter?" said the old man. "You are a Princess +and accustomed to the best of everything, and I have but poor fare to +offer, black bread and radishes; but if you will let me, I will go and +tell the King of the Peacocks that you are here; if he had once seen +you, he would assuredly marry you." "Alas! he is a wicked man," said +Rosette; "he would only put me to death; but if you can lend me a little +basket, I will tie it round Fretillon's neck, and he will have very bad +luck, if he does not manage to bring back some food." + +The old man gave her a basket, which she fastened to Fretillon's neck, +and then said, "Go to the best kitchen in the town, and bring me back +what you find in the saucepan." Fretillon ran off to the town, and as +there was no better kitchen than that of the King, he went in, uncovered +the saucepan, and cleverly carried off all that was in it; then he +returned to the hut. Rosette said to him, "Go back and take whatever you +can find of the best in the larder." Fretillon went back to the King's +larder, and took white bread, wine, and all sorts of fruits and +sweetmeats; he was so laden that he could only just manage to carry the +things home. + +When the King of the Peacocks' dinner hour arrived, there was nothing +for him either in the saucepan or in the larder; his attendants looked +askance at one another, and the King was in a terrible rage. "It seems, +then, that I am to have no dinner; but see that the spit is put before +the fire, and let me have some good roast meat this evening." The +evening came, and the Princess said to Fretillon, "Go to the best +kitchen in the town and bring me a joint of good roast meat." Fretillon +obeyed, and knowing no better kitchen than that of the King, he went +softly in, while the cooks' backs were turned, took the meat, which was +of the best kind, from the spit, and carried it back in his basket to +the Princess. She sent him back without delay to the larder, and he +carried off all the preserves and sweetmeats that had been prepared for +the King. + +The King, having had no dinner, was very hungry, and ordered supper to +be served early, but no supper was forthcoming; enraged beyond words, he +was forced to go supperless to bed. + +The same thing happened the following day, both as to dinner and supper; +so that the King, for three days, was without meat or drink, for every +time he sat down to table, it was found that the meal that had been +prepared had been stolen. His chief adviser, fearing for the life of the +King, hid himself in the corner of the kitchen to watch; he kept his +eyes on the saucepan, that was boiling over the fire, and what was his +surprise to see enter a little green dog, with one ear, that uncovered +the pot, and put the meat in its basket. He followed it to see where it +would go; he saw it leave the town, and still following, came to the old +man's hut. Then he went and told the King that it was to a poor +peasant's home that the food was carried morning and evening. The King +was greatly astonished, and ordered more inquiries to be made. His chief +adviser, anxious for favour, decided to go himself, taking with him a +body of archers. They found the old man and Rosette at dinner, eating +the meat that had been stolen from the King's kitchen, and they seized +them, and bound them with cords, taking Fretillon prisoner at the same +time. + +They brought word to the King that the delinquents had been captured, +and he replied, "To-morrow, the last day of reprieve for my two insolent +prisoners will expire; they and these thieves shall die together." He +then went into his court of justice. The old man threw himself on his +knees before him, and begged to be allowed to tell him everything. As he +was speaking, the King looked towards the beautiful Princess, and his +heart was touched when he saw her crying. When, therefore, the old man +said that she was the Princess Rosette who had been thrown into the +water, in spite of the weak condition he was in from having starved for +so long, he gave three bounds of joy, ran and embraced her, and untied +her cords, declaring the while that he loved her with all his heart. + +They at once went to find the Princes, who thought they were going to +be put to death, and came forward in great dejection and hanging their +heads; the nurse and her daughter were brought in at the same time. The +brothers and sister recognised one another, as soon as they were brought +face to face, and Rosette threw herself on her brothers' necks. The +nurse and her daughter, and the boatman, begged on their knees for +mercy, and the universal rejoicing and their own joy were so great, that +the King and the Princess pardoned them, and gave the good old man a +handsome reward, and from that time he continued to live in the palace. + +Finally, the King of the Peacocks did all in his power to atone for his +conduct to the King and his brother, expressing the deepest regret at +having treated them so badly. The nurse restored to Rosette all her +beautiful clothes and the bushel of golden crowns, and the wedding +festivities lasted a fortnight. Everyone was happy down to Fretillon, +who ate nothing but partridge wings for the rest of his life. + + +THE END + + +_Colston & Coy. Limited, Printers, Edinburgh._ + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +Punctuation has been standardised. Changes to the original publication +have been made as follows: + + Page 64 + as he was entirly governed by _changed to_ + as he was entirely governed by + + Page 70 + your are!" said she to them, _changed to_ + you are!" said she to them, + + Page 110 + they would he obliged to go and _changed to_ + they would be obliged to go and + + Page 115 + withdrew, and the merchant said ro _changed to_ + withdrew, and the merchant said to + + Page 124 + reassurred, for the Beast, after _changed to_ + reassured, for the Beast, after + + Page 148 + on a piece of rag; for she possesed _changed to_ + on a piece of rag; for she possessed + + Page 151 + of the room. The The King and _changed to_ + of the room. The King and + + Page 163 + windwill, and three rows of teeth _changed to_ + windmill, and three rows of teeth + + Page 191 + said that she was the Prrincess Rosette _changed to_ + said that she was the Princess Rosette + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Passed Times, by Charles Perrault + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF PASSED TIMES *** + +***** This file should be named 33511.txt or 33511.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/5/1/33511/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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