the little lame prince-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Poor　boy；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃I　will　give　you　some　supper　directly；　and　while　you　eat　it　I　will　tell　you　my　history　in　six　words；　for　I　hate　much　talking。　A　long　tongue　is　as　insupportable　as　a　long　nose；　and　I　remember　when　I　was　young　how　much　I　used　to　be　admired　because　I　was　not　a　talker；　indeed；　some　one　said　to　the　queen　my　motherfor　poor　as　you　see　me　now；　I　am　the　daughter　of　a　great　king；　who　always〃

〃Ate　when　he　was　hungry；　I　hope；〃　interrupted　the　prince；　whose　patience　was　fast　departing。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　imperturbable　old　fairy；　〃and　I　will　bring　you　your　supper　directly；　only　I　wish　first　just　to　say　that　the　king　my　father〃

〃Hang　the　king　your　father！〃　Prince　Wish　was　about　to　exclaim；　but　he　stopped　himself；　and　only　observed　that　however　the　pleasure　of　her　conversation　might　make　him　forget　his　hunger；　it　could　not　have　the　same　effect　upon　his　horse；　who　was　really　starving。

The　fairy；　pleased　at　his　civility；　called　her　servants　and　bade　them　supply　him　at　once　with　all　he　needed。　〃And；〃　added　she；　〃I　must　say　you　are　very　polite　and　very　good…tempered；　in　spite　of　your　nose。〃

〃What　has　the　old　woman　to　do　with　my　nose？〃　thought　the　prince。　〃If　I　were　not　so　very　hungry；　I　would　soon　show　her　what　she　is　a　regular　old　gossip　and　chatterbox。　She　to　fancy　she　talks　little；　indeed！　One　must　be　very　foolish　not　to　know　one's　own　defects。　This　comes　of　being　born　a　princess。　Flatterers　have　spoiled　her　and　persuaded　her　that　she　talks　little。　Little；　indeed！　I　never　knew　anybody　chatter　so　much。〃

While　the　prince　thus　meditated；　the　servants　were　laying　the　table；　the　fairy　asking　them　a　hundred　unnecessary　questions；　simply　for　the　pleasure　of　hearing　herself　talk。　〃Well；〃　thought　Wish；　〃I　am　delighted　that　I　came　hither；　if　only　to　learn　how　wise　I　have　been　in　never　listening　to　flatterers；　who　hide　from　us　our　faults；　or　make　us　believe　they　are　perfections。　But　they　could　never　deceive　me。　I　know　all　my　own　weak　points；　I　trust。〃　As　truly　he　believed　he　did。

So　he　went　on　eating　contentedly；　nor　stopped　till　the　old　fairy　began　to　address　him。

〃Prince；〃　said　she；　〃will　you　be　kind　enough　to　turn　a　little？　Your　nose　casts　such　a　shadow　that　I　cannot　see　what　is　on　my　plate。　And；　as　I　was　saying；　your　father　admired　me　and　always　made　me　welcome　at　court。　What　is　the　court　etiquette　there　now？　Do　the　ladies　still　go　to　assemblies；　promenades；　balls？I　beg　your　pardon　for　laughing；　but　how　very　long　your　nose　is。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　cease　to　speak　of　my　nose；〃　said　the　prince；　becoming　annoyed。　〃It　is　what　it　is；　and　I　do　not　desire　it　any　shorter。〃

〃Oh！　I　see　that　I　have　vexed　you；〃　returned　the　fairy。　〃Nevertheless；　I　am　one　of　your　best　friends；　and　so　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　always〃　She　would　doubtless　have　gone　on　talking　till　midnight；　but　the　prince；　unable　to　bear　it　any　longer；　here　interrupted　her；　thanked　her　for　her　hospitality；　bade　her　a　hasty　adieu；　and　rode　away。

He　traveled　for　a　long　time；　half　over　the　world；　but　he　heard　no　news　of　Princess　Darling。　However；　in　each　place　he　went　to；　he　heard　one　remarkable　factthe　great　length　of　his　own　nose。　The　little　boys　in　the　streets　jeered　at　him；　the　peasants　stared　at　him；　and　the　more　polite　ladies　and　gentlemen　whom　he　met　in　society　used　to　try　in　vain　to　keep　from　laughing；　and　to　get　out　of　his　way　as　soon　as　they　could。　So　the　poor　prince　became　gradually　quite　forlorn　and　solitary；　he　thought　all　the　world　was　mad；　but　still　he　never　thought　of　there　being　anything　queer　about　his　own　nose。　At　last　the　old　fairy；　who；　though　she　was　a　chatterbox；　was　very　good…natured；　saw　that　he　was　almost　breaking　his　heart。　She　felt　sorry　for　him　and　wished　to　help　him　in　spite　of　himself；　for　she　knew　the　enchantment　which　hid　from　him　the　Princess　Darling　could　never　be　broken　till　he　had　discovered　his　own　defect。　So　she　went　in　search　of　the　princess；　and　being　more　powerful　than　the　magician；　since　she　was　a　good　fairy　and　he　was　an　evil　magician；　she　got　her　away　from　him　and　shut　her　up　in　a　palace　of　crystal；　which　she　placed　on　the　road　which　Prince　Wish　had　to　pass。

He　was　riding　along；　very　melancholy；　when　he　saw　the　palace；　and　at　its　entrance　was　a　room；　made　of　the　purest　glass；　in　which　sat　his　beloved　princess；　smiling　and　beautiful　as　ever。　He　leaped　from　his　horse　and　ran　toward　her。　She　held　out　her　hand　for　him　to　kiss；　but　he　could　not　get　at　it　for　the　glass。　Transported　with　eagerness　and　delight；　he　dashed　his　sword　through　the　crystal　and　succeeded　in　breaking　a　small　opening；　to　which　she　put　up　her　beautiful　rosy　mouth。　But　it　was　in　vain；　Prince　Wish　could　not　approach　it。　He　twisted　his　neck　about；　and　turned　his　head　on　all　sides；　till　at　length；　putting　up　his　hand　to　his　face；　he　discovered　the　impediment。

〃It　must　be　confessed；'t　exclaimed　he；　〃that　my　nose　is　too　long。〃

That　moment　the　glass　walls　all　split　asunder；　and　the　old　fairy　appeared；　leading　Princess　Darling。

〃Avow；　prince；〃　said　she；　〃that　you　are　very　much　obliged　to　me；　for　now　the　enchantment　is　ended。　You　may　marry　the　object　of　your　choice。　But；〃　added　she；　smiling；　〃I　fear　I　might　have　talked　to　you　forever　on　the　subject　of　your　nose；　and　you　would　not　have　believed　me　in　its　length；　till　it　became　an　obstacle　to　your　own　inclinations。　Now　behold　it！〃　and　she　held　up　a　crystal　mirror。　〃Are　you　satisfied　to　be　no　different　from　other　people？〃

〃Perfectly；〃　said　Prince　Wish；　who　found　his　nose　had　shrunk　to　an　ordinary　length。　And　taking　the　Princess　Darling　by　the　hand；　he　kissed　her　courteously；　affectionately；　and　satisfactorily。　Then　they　departed　to　their　own　country；　and　lived　very　happily　all　their　days。



THE　FROG…PRINCE

IN　times　of　yore；　when　wishes　were　both　heard　and　granted；　lived　a　king　whose　daughters　were　all　beautiful　but　the　youngest　was　so　lovely　that　the　sun　himself；　who　has　seen　so　much；　wondered　at　her　beauty　every　time　he　looked　in　her　face。　Now；　near　the　king's　castle　was　a　large　dark　forest；　and　in　the　forest；　under　an　old　linden　tree；　was　a　deep　well。　When　the　day　was　very　hot；　the　king's　daughter　used　to　go　to　the　wood　and　seat　herself　at　the　edge　of　the　cool　well；　and　when　she　became　wearied；　she　would　take　a　golden　ball；　throw　it　up　in　the　air；　and　catch　it　again。　This　was　her　favorite　amusement。　Once　it　happened　that　her　golden　ball；　instead　of　falling　back　into　the　little　hand　that　she　stretched　out　for　it；　dropped　on　the　ground；　and　immediately　rolled　away　into　the　water。　The　king's　daughter　followed　it　with　her　eyes；　but　the　ball　had　vanished；　and　the　well　was　so　deep　that　no　one　could　see　down　to　the　bottom。　Then　she　began　to　weep；　wept　louder　and　louder　every　minute；　and　could　not　console　herself　at　all。

While　she　was　thus　lamenting　some　one　called　to　her：　〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　king's　daughter？　You　weep　so　that　you　would　touch　the　heart　of　a　stone。〃

She　looked　around　to　see　whence　the　voice　came；　and　saw　a　frog　stretching　his　thick　ugly　head　out　of　the　water。

〃Ah！　it　is　you；　old　water…paddler！〃　said　she。　〃I　am　crying　for　my　golden　ball；　which　has　fallen　into　the　well。〃

〃Be　content；〃　answered　the　frog；　〃I　dare　say　I　can　give　you　some　good　advice；　but　what　will　you　give　me　if　I　bring　back　your　plaything　to　you？〃

〃Whatever　you　like；　dear　frog；〃　said　she；　〃my　clothes；　my　pearls　and　jewels；　even　the　golden　crown　I　wear。〃

The　frog　answered；　〃Your　clothes；　your　pearls　and　jewels；　even　your　golden　crown；　I　do　not　care　for；　but　if　you　will　love　me；　and　let　me　be　your　companion　and　play…fellow；　sit　near　you　at　your　little　table；　eat　from　your　little　golden　plate；　drink　from　your　little　cup；　and　sleep　in　your　little　bedif　you　will　promise　me　this；　then　I　will　bring　you　back　your　golden　ball　from　the　bottom　of　the　well。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　she；　〃I　promise　you　every…　thing；　if　you　will　only　bring　me　back　my　golden　ball。〃

She　thought　to　herself；　meanwhile：　〃What　nonsense　the　silly　frog　talks！　He　sits　in　the　water　with　the　other　frogs；　and　croaks；　and　cannot　be　anybody's　playfellow！〃

But　the　frog；　as　soon　as　he　had　received　the　promise　dipped　his　head　under　the　water　and　sank　down。　In　a　little　while　up　he　came　again　with　the　ball　in　his　mouth；