19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第1章

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THE　STORY　OF　PRETTY　GOLDILOCKS





ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　princess　who　was　the

prettiest　creature　in　the　world。　And　because　she　was　so

beautiful；　and　because　her　hair　was　like　the　finest　gold；

and　waved　and　rippled　nearly　to　the　ground；　she　was

called　Pretty　Goldilocks。　She　always　wore　a　crown　of

flowers；　and　her　dresses　were　embroidered　with　diamonds

and　pearls；　and　everybody　who　saw　her　fell　in　love　with

her。



Now　one　of　her　neighbors　was　a　young　king　who　was

not　married。　He　was　very　rich　and　handsome；　and　when

he　heard　all　that　was　said　about　Pretty　Goldilocks；　though

he　had　never　seen　her；　he　fell　so　deeply　in　love　with　her

that　he　could　neither　eat　nor　drink。　So　he　resolved　to

send　an　ambassador　to　ask　her　in　marriage。　He　had　a

splendid　carriage　made　for　his　ambassador；　and　gave　him

more　than　a　hundred　horses　and　a　hundred　servants；　and

told　him　to　be　sure　and　bring　the　Princess　back　with　him。

After　he　had　started　nothing　else　was　talked　of　at　Court；

and　the　King　felt　so　sure　that　the　Princess　would　consent

that　he　set　his　people　to　work　at　pretty　dresses　and　splendid

furniture；　that　they　might　be　ready　by　the　time　she

came。　Meanwhile；　the　ambassador　arrived　at　the　Princess's

palace　and　delivered　his　little　message；　but　whether

she　happened　to　be　cross　that　day；　or　whether　the

compliment　did　not　please　her；　is　not　known。　She　only

answered　that　she　was　very　much　obliged　to　the　King；　but

she　had　no　wish　to　be　married。　The　ambassador　set　off

sadly　on　his　homeward　way；　bringing　all　the　King's

presents　back　with　him；　for　the　Princess　was　too　well

brought　up　to　accept　the　pearls　and　diamonds　when　she

would　not　accept　the　King；　so　she　had　only　kept　twenty…

five　English　pins　that　he　might　not　be　vexed。



When　the　ambassador　reached　the　city；　where　the

King　was　waiting　impatiently；　everybody　was　very　much

annoyed　with　him　for　not　bringing　the　Princess；　and　the

King　cried　like　a　baby；　and　nobody　could　console　him。

Now　there　was　at　the　Court　a　young　man；　who　was　more

clever　and　handsome　than　anyone　else。　He　was　called

Charming；　and　everyone　loved　him；　excepting　a　few

envious　people　who　were　angry　at　his　being　the　King's

favorite　and　knowing　all　the　State　secrets。　He　happened

to　one　day　be　with　some　people　who　were　speaking　of　the

ambassador's　return　and　saying　that　his　going　to　the

Princess　had　not　done　much　good；　when　Charming　said

rashly：



〃If　the　King　had　sent　me　to　the　Princess　Goldilocks　I

am　sure　she　would　have　come　back　with　me。〃



His　enemies　at　once　went　to　the　King　and　said：



〃You　will　hardly　believe；　sire；　what　Charming　has　the

audacity　to　saythat　if　HE　had　been　sent　to　the　Princess

Goldilocks　she　would　certainly　have　come　back　with　him。

He　seems　to　think　that　he　is　so　much　handsomer　than　you

that　the　Princess　would　have　fallen　in　love　with　him　and

followed　him　willingly。〃　The　King　was　very　angry　when

he　heard　this。



〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　he；　〃does　he　laugh　at　my　unhappiness；

and　think　himself　more　fascinating　than　I　am？　Go；　and

let　him　be　shut　up　in　my　great　tower　to　die　of　hunger。〃



So　the　King's　guards　went　to　fetch　Charming；　who　had

thought　no　more　of　his　rash　speech；　and　carried　him　off　to

prison　with　great　cruelty。　The　poor　prisoner　had　only　a

little　straw　for　his　bed；　and　but　for　a　little　stream　of　water

which　flowed　through　the　tower　he　would　have　died　of

thirst。



One　day　when　he　was　in　despair　he　said　to　himself：



〃How　can　I　have　offended　the　King？　I　am　his　most

faithful　subject；　and　have　done　nothing　against　him。〃



The　King　chanced　to　be　passing　the　tower　and　recognized

the　voice　of　his　former　favorite。　He　stopped　to　listen

in　spite　of　Charming's　enemies；　who　tried　to　persuade

him　to　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　the　traitor。　But　the

King　said：



〃Be　quiet；　I　wish　to　hear　what　he　says。〃



And　then　he　opened　the　tower　door　and　called　to

Charming；　who　came　very　sadly　and　kissed　the　King's

hand；　saying：



〃What　have　I　done；　sire；　to　deserve　this　cruel　treatment？〃



〃You　mocked　me　and　my　ambassador；〃　said　the　King；

〃and　you　said　that　if　I　had　sent　you　for　the　Princess

Goldilocks　you　would　certainly　have　brought　her　back。〃



〃It　is　quite　true；　sire；〃　replied　Charming；　〃I　should　have

drawn　such　a　picture　of　you；　and　represented　your　good

qualities　in　such　a　way；　that　I　am　certain　the　Princess

would　have　found　you　irresistible。　But　I　cannot　see　what

there　is　in　that　to　make　you　angry。〃



The　King　could　not　see　any　cause　for　anger　either　when

the　matter　was　presented　to　him　in　this　light；　and　he　be…

gan　to　frown　very　fiercely　at　the　courtiers　who　had　so

misrepresented　his　favorite。



So　he　took　Charming　back　to　the　palace　with　him；　and

after　seeing　that　he　had　a　very　good　supper　he　said　to

him：



〃You　know　that　I　love　Pretty　Goldilocks　as　much　as

ever；　her　refusal　has　not　made　any　difference　to　me；　but

I　don't　know　how　to　make　her　change　her　mind；　I　really

should　like　to　send　you；　to　see　if　you　can　persuade　her　to

marry　me。〃



Charming　replied　that　he　was　perfectly　willing　to　go；

and　would　set　out　the　very　next　day。



〃But　you　must　wait　till　I　can　get　a　grand　escort　for

you；〃　said　the　King。　But　Charming　said　that　he　only

wanted　a　good　horse　to　ride；　and　the　King；　who　was

delighted　at　his　being　ready　to　start　so　promptly；　gave　him

letters　to　the　Princess；　and　bade　him　good　speed。　It　was

on　a　Monday　morning　that　he　set　out　all　alone　upon　his

errand；　thinking　of　nothing　but　how　he　could　persuade

the　Princess　Goldilocks　to　marry　the　King。　He　had　a

writing…book　in　his　pocket；　and　whenever　any　happy

thought　struck　him　he　dismounted　from　his　horse　and　sat

down　under　the　trees　to　put　it　into　the　harangue　which

he　was　preparing　for　the　Princess；　before　he　forgot　it。



One　day　when　he　had　started　at　the　very　earliest　dawn；

and　was　riding　over　a　great　meadow；　he　suddenly　had　a

capital　idea；　and；　springing　from　his　horse；　he　sat　down

under　a　willow　tree　which　grew　by　a　little　river。　When

he　had　written　it　down　he　was　looking　round　him；　pleased

to　find　himself　in　such　a　pretty　place；　when　all　at　once　he

saw　a　great　golden　carp　lying　gasping　and　exhausted　upon

the　grass。　In　leaping　after　little　flies　she　had　thrown

herself　high　upon　the　bank；　where　she　had　lain　till　she　was

nearly　dead。　Charming　had　pity　upon　her；　and；　though

he　couldn't　help　thinking　that　she　would　have　been　very

nice　for　dinner；　he　picked　her　up　gently　and　put　her　back

into　the　water。　As　soon　as　Dame　Carp　felt　the　refreshing

coolness　of　the　water　she　sank　down　joyfully　to　the

bottom　of　the　river；　then；　swimming　up　to　the　bank　quite

boldly；　she　said：



〃I　thank　you；　Charming；　for　the　kindness　you　have

done　me。　You　have　saved　my　life；　one　day　I　will　repay

you。〃　So　saying；　she　sank　down　into　the　water　again；

leaving　Charming　greatly　astonished　at　her　politeness。



Another　day；　as　he　journeyed　on；　he　saw　a　raven　in

great　distress。　The　poor　bird　was　closely　pursued　by　an

eagle；　which　would　soon　have　eaten　it　up；　had　not　Charming

quickly　fitted　an　arrow　to　his　bow　and　shot　the　eagle

dead。　The　raven　perched　upon　a　tree　very　joyfully。



〃Charming；〃　said　he；　〃it　was　very　generous　of　you　to

rescue　a　poor　raven；　I　am　not　ungrateful；　some　day　I　will

repay　you。〃



Charming　thought　it　was　very　nice　of　the　raven　to　say

so；　and　went　on　his　way。



Before　the　sun　rose　he　found　himself　in　a　thick　wood

where　it　was　too　dark　for　him　to　see　his　path；　and　here

he　heard　an　owl　crying　as　if　it　were　in　despair。



〃Hark！〃　said　he；　〃that　must　be　an　owl　in　great　trouble；

I　am　sure　it　has　gone　into　a　snare〃；　and　he　began　to　hunt

about；　and　presently　found　a　great　net　which　some　bird…

catchers　had　spread　the　night　before。



〃What　a　pity　it　is　that　men　do　nothing　but　torment　and

persecute　poor　creatures　which　never　do　them　any　harm！〃

said　he；　and　he　took　out　his　knife　and　cut　the　cords　o