21-the wonderful sheep-第2章

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until　at　last　Grabugeon；　who　was　quicker　than　the

others；　ran　up　to　the　very　top　of　the　nearest　tree；　and

let　herself　fall；　head　first；　to　the　ground；　and　there　she

layquite　dead！



The　Princess　was　very　sorry；　but　as　Grabugeon　was

really　dead；　she　allowed　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　to

take　her　tongue；　but；　alas！　it　was　such　a　little　onenot

bigger　than　the　Princess's　thumbthat　they　decided

sorrowfully　that　it　was　of　no　use　at　all：　the　King　would

not　have　been　taken　in　by　it　for　a　moment！



〃Alas！　my　little　monkey；〃　cried　the　Princess；　〃I　have

lost　you；　and　yet　I　am　no　better　off　than　I　was　before。〃



〃The　honor　of　saving　your　life　is　to　be　mine；〃

interrupted　Patypata；　and；　before　they　could　prevent　her；

she　had　picked　up　a　knife　and　cut　her　head　off　in　an　instant。



But　when　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　would　have　taken

her　tongue　it　turned　out　to　be　quite　black；　so　that　would

not　have　deceived　the　King　either。



〃Am　I　not　unlucky？〃　cried　the　poor　Princess；　〃I　lose

everything　I　love；　and　am　none　the　better　for　it。〃



〃If　you　had　accepted　my　offer；〃　said　Tintin；　〃you

would　only　have　had　me　to　regret；　and　I　should　have　had

all　your　gratitude。〃



Miranda　kissed　her　little　dog；　crying　so　bitterly；　that

at　last　she　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　turned　away　into

the　forest。　When　she　looked　back　the　Captain　of　the

Guard　was　gone；　and　she　was　alone；　except　for　Patypata；

Grabugeon；　and　Tintin；　who　lay　upon　the　ground。　She

could　not　leave　the　place　until　she　had　buried　them　in　a

pretty　little　mossy　grave　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　she

wrote　their　names　upon　the　bark　of　the　tree；　and　how

they　had　all　died　to　save　her　life。　And　then　she　began

to　think　where　she　could　go　for　safetyfor　this　forest

was　so　close　to　her　father's　castle　that　she　might　be　seen

and　recognized　by　the　first　passer…by；　and；　besides　that；

it　was　full　of　lions　and　wolves；　who　would　have　snapped

up　a　princess　just　as　soon　as　a　stray　chicken。　So　she

began　to　walk　as　fast　as　she　could；　but　the　forest　was　so

large　and　the　sun　was　so　hot　that　she　nearly　died　of　heat

and　terror　and　fatigue；　look　which　way　she　would　there

seemed　to　be　no　end　to　the　forest；　and　she　was　so　frightened

that　she　fancied　every　minute　that　she　heard　the

King　running　after　her　to　kill　her。　You　may　imagine

how　miserable　she　was；　and　how　she　cried　as　she　went

on；　not　knowing　which　path　to　follow；　and　with　the

thorny　bushes　scratching　her　dreadfully　and　tearing　her

pretty　frock　to　pieces。



At　last　she　heard　the　bleating　of　a　sheep；　and　said　to

herself：



〃No　doubt　there　are　shepherds　here　with　their　flocks；

they　will　show　me　the　way　to　some　village　where　I　can

live　disguised　as　a　peasant　girl。　Alas！　it　is　not　always

kings　and　princes　who　are　the　happiest　people　in　the

world。　Who　could　have　believed　that　I　should　ever　be

obliged　to　run　away　and　hide　because　the　King；　for　no

reason　at　all；　wishes　to　kill　me？〃



So　saying　she　advanced　toward　the　place　where　she

heard　the　bleating；　but　what　was　her　surprise　when；　in　a

lovely　little　glade　quite　surrounded　by　trees；　she　saw　a

large　sheep；　its　wool　was　as　white　as　snow；　and　its　horns

shone　like　gold；　it　had　a　garland　of　flowers　round　its

neck；　and　strings　of　great　pearls　about　its　legs；　and　a

collar　of　diamonds；　it　lay　upon　a　bank　of　orange…flowers；

under　a　canopy　of　cloth　of　gold　which　protected　it　from

the　heat　of　the　sun。　Nearly　a　hundred　other　sheep　were

scattered　about；　not　eating　the　grass；　but　some　drinking

coffee；　lemonade；　or　sherbet；　others　eating　ices；

strawberries　and　cream；　or　sweetmeats；　while　others；　again；

were　playing　games。　Many　of　them　wore　golden　collars

with　jewels；　flowers；　and　ribbons。



Miranda　stopped　short　in　amazement　at　this　unexpected

sight；　and　was　looking　in　all　directions　for　the

shepherd　of　this　surprising　flock；　when　the　beautiful

sheep　came　bounding　toward　her。



〃Approach；　lovely　Princess；〃　he　cried；　〃have　no　fear

of　such　gentle　and　peaceable　animals　as　we　are。〃



〃What　a　marvel！〃　cried　the　Princess；　starting　back　a

little。　〃Here　is　a　sheep　that　can　talk。〃



〃Your　monkey　and　your　dog　could　talk；　madam；〃　said

he；　〃are　you　more　astonished　at　us　than　at　them？〃



〃A　fairy　gave　them　the　power　to　speak；〃　replied

Miranda。　〃So　I　was　used　to　them。〃



〃Perhaps　the　same　thing　has　happened　to　us；〃　he　said；

smiling　sheepishly。　〃But；　Princess；　what　can　have　led

you　here？〃



〃A　thousand　misfortunes；　Sir　Sheep；〃　she　answered。



〃I　am　the　unhappiest　princess　in　the　world；　and　I　am

seeking　a　shelter　against　my　father's　anger。〃



〃Come　with　me；　madam；〃　said　the　Sheep；　〃I　offer　you

a　hiding…place　which　you　only　will　know　of；　and　where

you　will　be　mistress　of　everything　you　see。〃



〃I　really　cannot　follow　you；〃　said　Miranda；　〃for　I　am

too　tired　to　walk　another　step。〃



The　Sheep　with　the　golden　horns　ordered　that　his

chariot　should　be　fetched；　and　a　moment　after　appeared

six　goats；　harnessed　to　a　pumpkin；　which　was　so　big　that

two　people　could　quite　well　sit　in　it；　and　was　all　lined

with　cushions　of　velvet　and　down。　The　Princess　stepped

into　it；　much　amused　at　such　a　new　kind　of　carriage；　the

King　of　the　Sheep　took　his　place　beside　her；　and　the

goats　ran　away　with　them　at　full　speed；　and　only　stopped

when　they　reached　a　cavern；　the　entrance　to　which　was

blocked　by　a　great　stone。　This　the　King　touched　with

his　foot；　and　immediately　it　fell　down；　and　he　invited

the　Princess　to　enter　without　fear。　Now；　if　she　had　not

been　so　alarmed　by　everything　that　had　happened；　nothing

could　have　induced　her　to　go　into　this　frightful　cave；

but　she　was　so　afraid　of　what　might　be　behind　her　that

she　would　have　thrown　herself　even　down　a　well　at　this

moment。　So；　without　hesitation；　she　followed　the　Sheep；

who　went　before　her；　down；　down；　down；　until　she

thought　they　must　come　out　at　the　other　side　of　the

worldindeed；　she　was　not　sure　that　he　wasn't　leading

her　into　Fairyland。　At　last　she　saw　before　her　a　great

plain；　quite　covered　with　all　sorts　of　flowers；　the　scent　of

which　seemed　to　her　nicer　than　anything　she　had　ever

smelled　before；　a　broad　river　of　orange…flower　water

flowed　round　it　and　fountains　of　wine　of　every　kind　ran

in　all　directions　and　made　the　prettiest　little　cascades　and

brooks。　The　plain　was　covered　with　the　strangest　trees；

there　were　whole　avenues　where　partridges；　ready

roasted；　hung　from　every　branch；　or；　if　you　preferred

pheasants；　quails；　turkeys；　or　rabbits；　you　had　only　to

turn　to　the　right　hand　or　to　the　left　and　you　were　sure　to

find　them。　In　places　the　air　was　darkened　by　showers

of　lobster…patties；　white　puddings；　sausages；　tarts；　and

all　sorts　of　sweetmeats；　or　with　pieces　of　gold　and　silver；

diamonds　and　pearls。　This　unusual　kind　of　rain；　and

the　pleasantness　of　the　whole　place；　would；　no　doubt；

have　attracted　numbers　of　people　to　it；　if　the　King　of　the

Sheep　had　been　of　a　more　sociable　disposition；　but　from

all　accounts　it　is　evident　that　he　was　as　grave　as　a　judge。



As　it　was　quite　the　nicest　time　of　the　year　when

Miranda　arrived　in　this　delightful　land　the　only　palace　she

saw　was　a　long　row　of　orange　trees；　jasmines；　honeysuckles；

and　musk…roses；　and　their　interlacing　branches

made　the　prettiest　rooms　possible；　which　were　hung　with

gold　and　silver　gauze；　and　had　great　mirrors　and

candlesticks；　and　most　beautiful　pictures。　The　Wonderful

Sheep　begged　that　the　Princess　would　consider　herself

queen　over　all　that　she　saw；　and　assured　her　that；　though

for　some　years　he　had　been　very　sad　and　in　great　trouble；

she　had　it　in　her　power　to　make　him　forget　all　his　grief。



〃You　are　so　kind　and　generous；　noble　Sheep；〃　said　the

Princess；　〃that　I　cannot　thank　you　enough；　but　I　must

confess　that　all　I　see　here　seems　to　me　so　extraordinary

that　I　don't　know　what　to　think　of　it。〃



As　she　spoke　a　band　of　lovely　fairies　came　up　and

offered　her　amber　baskets　full　of　fruit；　bu