at the back of the north wind-第43章

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yet　as　everybody　knew　she　was　under　a　bad　spell；　no　king　in　the

neighbourhood　had　any　desire　to　have　her　for　a　daughter…in…law。

There　were　serious　objections　to　such　a　relation。



About　this　time　in　a　neighbouring　kingdom；　in　consequence　of　the

wickedness　of　the　nobles；　an　insurrection　took　place　upon　the　death

of　the　old　king；　the　greater　part　of　the　nobility　was　massacred；

and　the　young　prince　was　compelled　to　flee　for　his　life；　disguised

like　a　peasant。　　For　some　time；　until　he　got　out　of　the　country；

he　suffered　much　from　hunger　and　fatigue；　but　when　he　got　into

that　ruled　by　the　princess's　father；　and　had　no　longer　any　fear

of　being　recognised；　he　fared　better；　for　the　people　were　kind。　

He　did　not　abandon　his　disguise；　however。　　One　tolerable　reason

was　that　he　had　no　other　clothes　to　put　on；　and　another　that　he

had　very　little　money；　and　did　not　know　where　to　get　any　more。　

There　was　no　good　in　telling　everybody　he　met　that　he　was　a　prince；

for　he　felt　that　a　prince　ought　to　be　able　to　get　on　like　other　people；

else　his　rank　only　made　a　fool　of　him。　　He　had　read　of　princes

setting　out　upon　adventure；　and　here　he　was　out　in　similar　case；

only　without　having　had　a　choice　in　the　matter。　　He　would　go　on；

and　see　what　would　come　of　it。



For　a　day　or　two　he　had　been　walking　through　the　palace…wood；

and　had　had　next　to　nothing　to　eat；　when　he　came　upon　the　strangest

little　house；　inhabited　by　a　very　nice；　tidy；　motherly　old　woman。　

This　was　one　of　the　good　fairies。　　The　moment　she　saw　him　she　knew　quite

well　who　he　was　and　what　was　going　to　come　of　it；　but　she　was　not　at

liberty　to　interfere　with　the　orderly　march　of　events。　　She　received

him　with　the　kindness　she　would　have　shown　to　any　other　traveller；

and　gave　him　bread　and　milk；　which　he　thought　the　most　delicious　food

he　had　ever　tasted；　wondering　that　they　did　not　have　it　for　dinner　at

the　palace　sometimes。　　The　old　woman　pressed　him　to　stay　all　night。　

When　he　awoke　he　was　amazed　to　find　how　well　and　strong　he　felt。　

She　would　not　take　any　of　the　money　he　offered；　but　begged　him；

if　he　found　occasion　of　continuing　in　the　neighbourhood；　to　return

and　occupy　the　same　quarters。



〃Thank　you　much；　good　mother；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃but　there　is

little　chance　of　that。　　The　sooner　I　get　out　of　this　wood　the　better。〃



〃I　don't　know　that；〃　said　the　fairy。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　prince。



〃Why；　how　should　I　know？〃　returned　she。



〃I　can't　tell；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　fairy。



〃How　strangely　you　talk！〃　said　the　prince。



〃Do　I？〃　said　the　fairy。



〃Yes；　you　do；〃　said　the　prince。



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　fairy。



The　prince　was　not　used　to　be　spoken　to　in　this　fashion；　so　he　felt

a　little　angry；　and　turned　and　walked　away。　　But　this　did　not　offend

the　fairy。　　She　stood　at　the　door　of　her　little　house　looking

after　him　till　the　trees　hid　him　quite。　　Then　she　said　〃At　last！〃

and　went　in。



The　prince　wandered　and　wandered；　and　got　nowhere。　　The　sun　sank

and　sank　and　went　out　of　sight；　and　he　seemed　no　nearer　the　end

of　the　wood　than　ever。　　He　sat　down　on　a　fallen　tree；　ate　a　bit

of　bread　the　old　woman　had　given　him；　and　waited　for　the　moon；

for；　although　he　was　not　much　of　an　astronomer；　he　knew　the　moon

would　rise　some　time；　because　she　had　risen　the　night　before。　

Up　she　came；　slow　and　slow；　but　of　a　good　size；　pretty　nearly

round　indeed；　whereupon；　greatly　refreshed　with　his　piece　of　bread；

he　got　up　and　wenthe　knew　not　whither。



After　walking　a　considerable　distance；　he　thought　he　was　coming

to　the　outside　of　the　forest；　but　when　he　reached　what　he　thought

the　last　of　it；　he　found　himself　only　upon　the　edge　of　a　great　open

space　in　it；　covered　with　grass。　　The　moon　shone　very　bright；

and　he　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　more　lovely　spot。　　Still　it　looked

dreary　because　of　its　loneliness；　for　he　could　not　see　the　house　at

the　other　side。　　He　sat　down；　weary　again；　and　gazed　into　the　glade。　

He　had　not　seen　so　much　room　for　several　days。



All　at　once　he　spied　something　in　the　middle　of　the　grass。　

What　could　it　be？　　It　moved；　it　came　nearer。　　Was　it　a　human　creature；

gliding　acrossa　girl　dressed　in　white；　gleaming　in　the　moonshine？　

She　came　nearer　and　nearer。　　He　crept　behind　a　tree　and　watched；

wondering。　　It　must　be　some　strange　being　of　the　wooda　nymph　whom

the　moonlight　and　the　warm　dusky　air　had　enticed　from　her　tree。　

But　when　she　came　close　to　where　he　stood；　he　no　longer　doubted　she

was　humanfor　he　had　caught　sight　of　her　sunny　hair；　and　her　clear

blue　eyes；　and　the　loveliest　face　and　form　that　he　had　ever　seen。　

All　at　once　she　began　singing　like　a　nightingale；　and　dancing

to　her　own　music；　with　her　eyes　ever　turned　towards　the　moon。　

She　passed　close　to　where　he　stood；　dancing　on　by　the　edge　of　the　trees

and　away　in　a　great　circle　towards　the　other　side；　until　he　could　see

but　a　spot　of　white　in　the　yellowish　green　of　the　moonlit　grass。　

But　when　he　feared　it　would　vanish　quite；　the　spot　grew；　and　became

a　figure　once　more。　　She　approached　him　again；　singing　and　dancing；

and　waving　her　arms　over　her　head；　until　she　had　completed　the　circle。　

Just　opposite　his　tree　she　stood；　ceased　her　song；　dropped　her　arms；

and　broke　out　into　a　long　clear　laugh；　musical　as　a　brook。　　Then；　as

if　tired；　she　threw　herself　on　the　grass；　and　lay　gazing　at　the　moon。　

The　prince　was　almost　afraid　to　breathe　lest　he　should　startle　her；

and　she　should　vanish　from　his　sight。　　As　to　venturing　near　her；

that　never　came　into　his　head。



She　had　lain　for　a　long　hour　or　longer；　when　the　prince　began　again

to　doubt　concerning　her。　　Perhaps　she　was　but　a　vision　of　his　own　fancy。　

Or　was　she　a　spirit　of　the　wood；　after　all？　　If　so；　he　too　would

haunt　the　wood；　glad　to　have　lost　kingdom　and　everything　for　the

hope　of　being　near　her。　　He　would　build　him　a　hut　in　the　forest；

and　there　he　would　live　for　the　pure　chance　of　seeing　her　again。　

Upon　nights　like　this　at　least　she　would　come　out　and　bask

in　the　moonlight；　and　make　his　soul　blessed。　　But　while　he　thus

dreamed　she　sprang　to　her　feet；　turned　her　face　full　to　the　moon；

and　began　singing　as　she　would　draw　her　down　from　the　sky　by　the　power

of　her　entrancing　voice。　　She　looked　more　beautiful　than　ever。　

Again　she　began　dancing　to　her　own　music；　and　danced　away　into

the　distance。　　Once　more　she　returned　in　a　similar　manner；

but　although　he　was　watching　as　eagerly　as　before；　what　with　fatigue

and　what　with　gazing；　he　fell　fast　asleep　before　she　came　near　him。　

When　he　awoke　it　was　broad　daylight；　and　the　princess　was　nowhere。



He　could　not　leave　the　place。　　What　if　she　should　come　the　next　night！　

He　would　gladly　endure　a　day's　hunger　to　see　her　yet　again：　

he　would　buckle　his　belt　quite　tight。　　He　walked　round　the　glade

to　see　if　he　could　discover　any　prints　of　her　feet。　　But　the　grass

was　so　short；　and　her　steps　had　been　so　light；　that　she　had　not

left　a　single　trace　behind　her。　　He　walked　half…way　round　the　wood

without　seeing　anything　to　account　for　her　presence。　　Then　he

spied　a　lovely　little　house；　with　thatched　roof　and　low　eaves；

surrounded　by　an　exquisite　garden；　with　doves　and　peacocks　walking

in　it。　　Of　course　this　must　be　where　the　gracious　lady　who　loved

the　moonlight　lived。　　Forgetting　his　appearance；　he　walked　towards

the　door；　determined　to　make　inquiries；　but　as　he　passed　a　little

pond　full　of　gold　and　silver　fishes；　he　caught　sight　of　himself

and　turned　to　find　the　door　to　the　kitchen。　　There　he　knocked；

and　asked　for　a　piece　of　bread。　　The　good…natured　cook　brought　him　in；

and　gave　him　an　excellent　breakfast；　which　the　prince　found　nothing

the　worse　for　being　served　in　the　kitchen。　　While　he　ate；　he　talked

with　his　entertainer；　and　learned　that　this　was　the　favourite

retreat　of　the　Princess　Daylight。　　But　he　learned　nothing　more；

both　because　he　was　afraid　of　seeming　inquisitive；　and　because　the　cook

did