the little lame prince(小瘸腿王子)-第32章
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mortals can do the same with your children。〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 said the king； sighing。 Still； he felt that the kindness of a
fairy was something gained for his son； and died not long after； content
and at peace。
Prince Cherry mourned deeply； for he dearly loved his father； and
would have gladly given all his kingdoms and treasures to keep him in life
a little longer。 Two days after the Good King was no more； Prince Cherry
was sleeping in his chamber； when he saw the same dazzling vision of the
fairy Candide。
〃I promised your father；〃 said she； 〃to be your best friend； and in
pledge of this take what I now give you；〃 and she placed a small gold ring
upon his finger。 〃Poor as it looks； it is more precious than diamonds； for
whenever you do ill it will prick your finger。 If； after that warning； you
still continue in evil； you will lose my friendship； and I shall become your
direst enemy。〃'
So saying； she disappeared； leaving Cherry in such amazement that he
would have believed it all a dream； save for the ring on his finger。
He was for a long time so good that the ring never pricked him at all；
and this made him so cheerful and pleasant in his humor that everybody
called him 〃Happy Prince Cherry。〃 But one unlucky day he was out
hunting and found no sport； which vexed him so much that he showed his
ill temper by his looks and ways。 He fancied his ring felt very tight and
uncomfortable； but as it did not prick him he took no heed of this： until；
re…entering his palace； his little pet dog； Bibi； jumped up upon him and
was sharply told to get away。 The creature； accustomed to nothing but
caresses； tried to attract his attention by pulling at his garments； when
Prince Cherry turned and gave it a severe kick。 At this moment he felt in
his finger a prick like a pin。
〃What nonsense！〃 said he to himself。 〃The fairy must be making game
of me。 Why； what great evil have I done！ I； the master of a great empire；
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cannot I kick my own dog？〃
A voice replied； or else Prince Cherry imagined it； 〃No； sire； the
master of a great empire has a right to do good； but not evil。 Ia fairyam
as much above you as you are above your dog。 I might punish you； kill
you； if I chose； but I prefer leaving you to amend your ways。 You have
been guilty of three faults todaybad temper； passion； cruelty： do better
to…morrow。〃
The prince promised； and kept his word a while； but he had been
brought up by a foolish nurse； who indulged him in every way and was
always telling him that he would be a king one day； when he might do as
he liked in all things。 He found out now that even a king cannot always do
that； it vexed him and made him angry。 His ring began to prick him so
often that his little finger was continually bleeding。 He disliked this； as
was natural； and soon began to consider whether it would not be easier to
throw the ring away altogether than to be constantly annoyed by it。 It was
such a queer thing for a king to have a spot of blood on his finger！ At last；
unable to put up with it any more； he took his ring off and hid it where he
would never see it； and believed himself the happiest of men； for he could
now do exactly what he liked。 He did it； and became every day more and
more miserable。
One day he saw a young girl； so beautiful that； being always
accustomed to have his own way； he immediately determined to espouse
her。 He never doubted that she would be only too glad to be made a queen；
for she was very poor。 But Zeliathat was her nameanswered； to his
great astonishment； that she would rather not marry him。
〃Do I displease you？〃 asked the prince； into whose mind it had never
entered that he could displease anybody。
〃Not at all； my prince；〃 said the honest peasant maiden。 〃You are very
handsome； very charming； but you are not like your father the Good King。
I will not be your queen； for you would make me miserable。〃
At these words the prince's love seemed all to turn to hatred： he gave
orders to his guards to convey Zelia to a prison near the palace； and then
took counsel with his foster brother； the one of all his ill companions who
most incited him to do wrong。
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〃Sir；〃 said this man； 〃if I were in your majesty's place； I would never
vex myself about a poor silly girl。 Feed her on bread and water till she
comes to her senses； and if she still refuses you； let her die in torment； as a
warning to your other subjects should they venture to dispute your will。
You will be disgraced should you suffer yourself to be conquered by a
simple girl。〃
〃But；〃 said Prince Cherry； 〃shall I not be disgraced if I harm a creature
so perfectly innocent？〃
〃No one is innocent who disputes your majesty's authority；〃 said the
courtier； bowing； 〃and it is better to commit an injustice than allow it to be
supposed you can ever be contradicted with impunity。〃
This touched Cherry on his weak pointhis good impulses faded； he
resolved once more to ask Zelia if she would marry him； and if she again
refused； to sell her as a slave。 Arrived at the cell in which she was
confined； what was his astonishment to find her gone！ He knew not whom
to accuse； for he had kept the key in his pocket the whole time。 At last； the
foster… brother suggested that the escape of Zelia might have been
contrived by an old man； Suliman by name； the prince's former tutor； who
was the only one who now ventured to blame him for anything that he did。
Cherry sent immediately； and ordered his old friend to be brought to him；
loaded heavily with irons。 Then； full of fury； he went and shut himself up
in his own chamber； where he went raging to and fro； till startled by a
noise like a clap of thunder。 The fairy Candide stood before him。
〃Prince；〃 said she； in a severe voice； 〃I promised your father to give
you good counsels and to punish you if you refused to follow them。 My
counsels were forgotten； my punishment despised。 Under the figure of a
man； you have been no better than the beasts you chase： like a lion in fury；
a wolf in gluttony； a serpent in revenge； and a bull in brutality。 Take；
therefore； in your new form the likeness of all these animals。〃
Scarcely had Prince Cherry heard these words than to his horror he
found himself transformed into what the Fairy had named。 He was a
creature with the head of a lion； the horns of a bull； the feet of a wolf； and
the tail of a serpent。 At the same time he felt himself transported to a
distant forest； where； standing on the bank of a stream； he saw reflected in
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the water his own frightful shape； and heard a voice saying：
〃Look at thyself； and know thy soul has become a thousand times
uglier even than thy body。〃
Cherry recognized the voice of Candide； and in his rage would have
sprung upon her and devoured her； but he saw nothing and the same voice
said b
