21-the wonderful sheep-第1章

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THE　WONDERFUL　SHEEP





ONCE　upon　a　timein　the　days　when　the　fairies　lived

there　was　a　king　who　had　three　daughters；　who　were　all

young；　and　clever；　and　beautiful；　but　the　youngest　of　the

three；　who　was　called　Miranda；　was　the　prettiest　and

the　most　beloved。



The　King；　her　father；　gave　her　more　dresses　and　jewels

in　a　month　than　he　gave　the　others　in　a　year；　but　she　was

so　generous　that　she　shared　everything　with　her　sisters；

and　they　were　all　as　happy　and　as　fond　of　one　another　as

they　could　be。



Now；　the　King　had　some　quarrelsome　neighbors；　who；

tired　of　leaving　him　in　peace；　began　to　make　war　upon

him　so　fiercely　that　he　feared　he　would　be　altogether

beaten　if　he　did　not　make　an　effort　to　defend　himself。

So　he　collected　a　great　army　and　set　off　to　fight　them；

leaving　the　Princesses　with　their　governess　in　a　castle

where　news　of　the　war　was　brought　every　daysometimes

that　the　King　had　taken　a　town；　or　won　a　battle；

and；　at　last；　that　he　had　altogether　overcome　his　enemies

and　chased　them　out　of　his　kingdom；　and　was　coming

back　to　the　castle　as　quickly　as　possible；　to　see　his　dear

little　Miranda　whom　he　loved　so　much。



The　three　Princesses　put　on　dresses　of　satin；　which　they

had　had　made　on　purpose　for　this　great　occasion；　one

green；　one　blue；　and　the　third　white；　their　jewels　were

the　same　colors。　The　eldest　wore　emeralds；　the　second

turquoises；　and　the　youngest　diamonds；　and　thus　adorned

they　went　to　meet　the　King；　singing　verses　which　they

had　composed　about　his　victories。



When　he　saw　them　all　so　beautiful　and　so　gay　he

embraced　them　tenderly；　but　gave　Miranda　more　kisses　than

either　of　the　others。



Presently　a　splendid　banquet　was　served；　and　the　King

and　his　daughters　sat　down　to　it；　and　as　he　always

thought　that　there　was　some　special　meaning　in　everything；

he　said　to　the　eldest：



〃Tell　me　why　you　have　chosen　a　green　dress。〃



〃Sire；〃　she　answered；　〃having　heard　of　your　victories

I　thought　that　green　would　signify　my　joy　and　the　hope

of　your　speedy　return。〃



〃That　is　a　very　good　answer；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　you；

my　daughter；〃　he　continued；　〃why　did　you　take　a　blue

dress？〃



〃Sire；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃to　show　that　we　constantly

hoped　for　your　success；　and　that　the　sight　of　you　is　as

welcome　to　me　as　the　sky　with　its　most　beautiful　stars。〃



〃Why；〃　said　the　King；　〃your　wise　answers　astonish

me；　and　you；　Miranda。　What　made　you　dress　yourself

all　in　white？



〃Because；　sire；〃　she　answered；　〃white　suits　me　better

than　anything　else。〃



〃What！〃　said　the　King　angrily；　〃was　that　all　you

thought　of；　vain　child？〃



〃I　thought　you　would　be　pleased　with　me；〃　said　the

Princess；　〃that　was　all。〃



The　King；　who　loved　her；　was　satisfied　with　this；　and

even　pretended　to　be　pleased　that　she　had　not　told　him

all　her　reasons　at　first。



〃And　now；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　have　supped　well；　and　it　is

not　time　yet　to　go　to　bed；　tell　me　what　you　dreamed　last

night。〃



The　eldest　said　she　had　dreamed　that　he　brought　her　a

dress；　and　the　precious　stones　and　gold　embroidery　on

it　were　brighter　than　the　sun。



The　dream　of　the　second　was　that　the　King　had　brought

her　a　spinning　wheel　and　a　distaff；　that　she　might　spin

him　some　shirts。



But　the　youngest　said：　〃I　dreamed　that　my　second

sister　was　to　be　married；　and　on　her　wedding…day；　you；

father；　held　a　golden　ewer　and　said：　‘Come；　Miranda；

and　I　will　hold　the　water　that　you　may　dip　your　hands

in　it。'〃



The　King　was　very　angry　indeed　when　he　heard　this

dream；　and　frowned　horribly；　indeed；　he　made　such　an

ugly　face　that　everyone　knew　how　angry　he　was；　and　he

got　up　and　went　off　to　bed　in　a　great　hurry；　but　he　could

not　forget　his　daughter's　dream。



〃Does　the　proud　girl　wish　to　make　me　her　slave？〃　he

said　to　himself。　〃I　am　not　surprised　at　her　choosing　to

dress　herself　in　white　satin　without　a　thought　of　me。

She　does　not　think　me　worthy　of　her　consideration！　But

I　will　soon　put　an　end　to　her　pretensions！〃



He　rose　in　a　fury；　and　although　it　was　not　yet

daylight；　he　sent　for　the　Captain　of　his　Bodyguard；　and　said

to　him：



〃You　have　heard　the　Princess　Miranda's　dream？　I

consider　that　it　means　strange　things　against　me；　therefore

I　order　you　to　take　her　away　into　the　forest　and　kill

her；　and；　that　I　may　be　sure　it　is　done；　you　must　bring

me　her　heart　and　her　tongue。　If　you　attempt　to　deceive

me　you　shall　be　put　to　death！〃



The　Captain　of　the　Guard　was　very　much　astonished

when　he　heard　this　barbarous　order；　but　he　did　not　dare

to　contradict　the　King　for　fear　of　making　him　still　more

angry；　or　causing　him　to　send　someone　else；　so　he

answered　that　he　would　fetch　the　Princess　and　do　as　the

King　had　said。　When　he　went　to　her　room　they　would

hardly　let　him　in；　it　was　so　early；　but　he　said　that　the

King　had　sent　for　Miranda；　and　she　got　up　quickly　and

came　out；　a　little　black　girl　called　Patypata　held　up　her

train；　and　her　pet　monkey　and　her　little　dog　ran　after

her。　The　monkey　was　called　Grabugeon；　and　the　little

dog　Tintin。



The　Captain　of　the　Guard　begged　Miranda　to　come

down　into　the　garden　where　the　King　was　enjoying　the

fresh　air；　and　when　they　got　there；　he　pretended　to　search

for　him；　but　as　he　was　not　to　be　found；　he　said：



〃No　doubt　his　Majesty　has　strolled　into　the　forest；〃

and　he　opened　the　little　door　that　led　to　it　and　they　went

through。



By　this　time　the　daylight　had　begun　to　appear；　and

the　Princess；　looking　at　her　conductor；　saw　that　he　had

tears　in　his　eyes　and　seemed　too　sad　to　speak。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said　in　the　kindest　way。

〃You　seem　very　sorrowful。〃



〃Alas！　Princess；〃　he　answered；　〃who　would　not　be

sorrowful　who　was　ordered　to　do　such　a　terrible　thing　as

I　am？　The　King　has　commanded　me　to　kill　you　here；

and　carry　your　heart　and　your　tongue　to　him；　and　if　I

disobey　I　shall　lose　my　life。〃



The　poor　Princess　was　terrified；　she　grew　very　pale　and

began　to　cry　softly。



Looking　up　at　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　with　her

beautiful　eyes；　she　said　gently：



Will　you　really　have　the　heart　to　kill　me？　I　have

never　done　you　any　harm；　and　have　always　spoken　well

of　you　to　the　King。　If　I　had　deserved　my　father's　anger

I　would　suffer　without　a　murmur；　but；　alas！　he　is　unjust

to　complain　of　me；　when　I　have　always　treated　him　with

love　and　respect。〃



〃Fear　nothing；　Princess；〃　said　the　Captain　of　the

Guard。　〃I　would　far　rather　die　myself　than　hurt　you；

but　even　if　I　am　killed　you　will　not　be　safe：　we　must　find

some　way　of　making　the　King　believe　that　you　are　dead。〃



〃What　can　we　do？〃　said　Miranda；　〃unless　you　take

him　my　heart　and　my　tongue　he　will　never　believe　you。〃



The　Princess　and　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　were　talking

so　earnestly　that　they　did　not　think　of　Patypata；

but　she　had　overheard　all　they　said；　and　now　came　and

threw　herself　at　Miranda's　feet



〃Madam；〃　she　said；　〃I　offer　you　my　life；　let　me　be

killed；　I　shall　be　only　too　happy　to　die　for　such　a　kind

mistress。〃



〃Why；　Patypata；〃　cried　the　Princess；　kissing　her；

〃that　would　never　do；　your　life　is　as　precious　to　me　as

my　own；　especially　after　such　a　proof　of　your　affection

as　you　have　just　given　me。〃



〃You　are　right；　Princess；〃　said　Grabugeon；　coming

forward；　〃to　love　such　a　faithful　slave　as　Patypata；　she

is　of　more　use　to　you　than　I　am；　I　offer　you　my　tongue

and　my　heart　most　willingly；　especially　as　I　wish　to

make　a　great　name　for　myself　in　Goblin　Land。〃



〃No；　no；　my　little　Grabugeon；〃　replied　Miranda；　〃I

cannot　bear　the　thought　of　taking　your　life。〃



〃Such　a　good　little　dog　as　I　am；〃　cried　Tintin；　acould

not　think　of　letting　either　of　you　die　for　his　mistress。　If

anyone　is　to　die　for　her　it　must　be　me。〃



And　then　began　a　great　dispute　between　Patypata；

Grabugeon；　and　Tintin；　and　they　came　to　high　words；

until　at　last　Grabugeon；　who　was　quicker　than　the

othe