19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第2章

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

net；　and　the　owl　flitted　away　into　the　darkness；　but　then

turning；　with　one　flicker　of　her　wings；　she　came　back　to

Charming　and　said：



〃It　does　not　need　many　words　to　tell　you　how　great　a

service　you　have　done　me。　I　was　caught；　in　a　few　minutes

the　fowlers　would　have　been　herewithout　your　help　I

should　have　been　killed。　I　am　grateful；　and　one　day　I

will　repay　you。〃



These　three　adventures　were　the　only　ones　of　any

consequence　that　befell　Charming　upon　his　journey；　and　he

made　all　the　haste　he　could　to　reach　the　palace　of　the

Princess　Goldilocks。



When　he　arrived　he　thought　everything　he　saw　delightful

and　magnificent。　Diamonds　were　as　plentiful　as　pebbles；

and　the　gold　and　silver；　the　beautiful　dresses；　the

sweetmeats　and　pretty　things　that　were　everywhere　quite

amazed　him；　he　thought　to　himself：　〃If　the　Princess

consents　to　leave　all　this；　and　come　with　me　to　marry　the

King；　he　may　think　himself　lucky！〃



Then　he　dressed　himself　carefully　in　rich　brocade；　with

scarlet　and　white　plumes；　and　threw　a　splendid　embroidered

scarf　over　his　shoulder；　and；　looking　as　gay　and　as

graceful　as　possible；　he　presented　himself　at　the　door　of

the　palace；　carrying　in　his　arm　a　tiny　pretty　dog　which　he

had　bought　on　the　way。　The　guards　saluted　him　respectfully；

and　a　messenger　was　sent　to　the　Princess　to　announce

the　arrival　of　Charming　as　ambassador　of　her

neighbor　the　King。



〃Charming；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃the　name　promises

well；　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　is　good　looking　and

fascinates　everybody。〃



〃Indeed　he　does；　madam；〃　said　all　her　maids　of　honor

in　one　breath。　〃We　saw　him　from　the　window　of　the

garret　where　we　were　spinning　flax；　and　we　could　do

nothing　but　look　at　him　as　long　as　he　was　in　sight。〃



〃Well　to　be　sure；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃that's　how　you

amuse　yourselves；　is　it？　Looking　at　strangers　out　of　the

window！　Be　quick　and　give　me　my　blue　satin　embroidered

dress；　and　comb　out　my　golden　hair。　Let　somebody

make　me　fresh　garlands　of　flowers；　and　give　me　my　high…

heeled　shoes　and　my　fan；　and　tell　them　to　sweep　my　great

hall　and　my　throne；　for　I　want　everyone　to　say　I　am　really

‘Pretty　Goldilocks。'〃



You　can　imagine　how　all　her　maids　scurried　this　way

and　that　to　make　the　Princess　ready；　and　how　in　their

haste　they　knocked　their　heads　together　and　hindered

each　other；　till　she　thought　they　would　never　have　done。

However；　at　last　they　led　her　into　the　gallery　of　mirrors

that　she　might　assure　herself　that　nothing　was　lacking　in

her　appearance；　and　then　she　mounted　her　throne　of　gold；

ebony；　and　ivory；　while　her　ladies　took　their　guitars　and

began　to　sing　softly。　Then　Charming　was　led　in；　and　was

so　struck　with　astonishment　and　admiration　that　at　first

not　a　word　could　he　say。　But　presently　he　took　courage

and　delivered　his　harangue；　bravely　ending　by　begging

the　Princess　to　spare　him　the　disappointment　of　going

back　without　her。



〃Sir　Charming；〃　answered　she；　〃all　the　reasons　you

have　given　me　are　very　good　ones；　and　I　assure　you　that

I　should　have　more　pleasure　in　obliging　you　than　anyone

else；　but　you　must　know　that　a　month　ago　as　I　was　walking

by　the　river　with　my　ladies　I　took　off　my　glove；　and

as　I　did　so　a　ring　that　I　was　wearing　slipped　off　my　finger

and　rolled　into　the　water。　As　I　valued　it　more　than　my

kingdom；　you　may　imagine　how　vexed　I　was　at　losing　it；

and　I　vowed　to　never　listen　to　any　proposal　of　marriage

unless　the　ambassador　first　brought　me　back　my　ring。　So

now　you　know　what　is　expected　of　you；　for　if　you　talked

for　fifteen　days　and　fifteen　nights　you　could　not　make　me

change　my　mind。〃



Charming　was　very　much　surprised　by　this　answer；　but

he　bowed　low　to　the　Princess；　and　begged　her　to　accept

the　embroidered　scarf　and　the　tiny　dog　he　had　brought

with　him。　But　she　answered　that　she　did　not　want　any

presents；　and　that　he　was　to　remember　what　she　had　just

told　him。　When　he　got　back　to　his　lodging　he　went　to　bed

without　eating　any　supper；　and　his　little　dog；　who　was

called　Frisk；　couldn't　eat　any　either；　but　came　and　lay

down　close　to　him。　All　night　Charming　sighed　and　lamented。



〃How　am　I　to　find　a　ring　that　fell　into　the　river　a　month

ago？〃　said　he。　〃It　is　useless　to　try；　the　Princess　must　have

told　me　to　do　it　on　purpose；　knowing　it　was　impossible。〃

And　then　he　sighed　again。



Frisk　heard　him　and　said：



〃My　dear　master；　don't　despair；　the　luck　may　change；

you　are　too　good　not　to　be　happy。　Let　us　go　down　to　the

river　as　soon　as　it　is　light。〃



But　Charming　only　gave　him　two　little　pats　and　said

nothing；　and　very　soon　he　fell　asleep。



At　the　first　glimmer　of　dawn　Frisk　began　to　jump　about；

and　when　he　had　waked　Charming　they　went　out　together；

first　into　the　garden；　and　then　down　to　the　river's

brink；　where　they　wandered　up　and　down。　Charming　was

thinking　sadly　of　having　to　go　back　unsuccessful　when　he

heard　someone　calling：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃　　He　looked

all　about　him　and　thought　he　must　be　dreaming；　as　he

could　not　see　anybody。　Then　he　walked　on　and　the　voice

called　again：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃



〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he。　Frisk；　who　was　very　small

and　could　look　closely　into　the　water；　cried　out：　〃I　see　a

golden　carp　coming。〃　And　sure　enough　there　was　the

great　carp；　who　said　to　Charming：



〃You　saved　my　life　in　the　meadow　by　the　willow　tree；

and　I　promised　that　I　would　repay　you。　Take　this；　it　is

Princess　Goldilock's　ring。〃　Charming　took　the　ring　out

of　Dame　Carp's　mouth；　thanking　her　a　thousand　times；

and　he　and　tiny　Frisk　went　straight　to　the　palace；　where

someone　told　the　Princess　that　he　was　asking　to　see　her。



〃Ah！　poor　fellow；〃　said　she；　〃he　must　have　come　to　say

good…by；　finding　it　impossible　to　do　as　I　asked。〃



So　in　came　Charming；　who　presented　her　with　the　ring

and　said：



〃Madam；　I　have　done　your　bidding。　Will　it　please　you

to　marry　my　master？〃　When　the　Princess　saw　her　ring

brought　back　to　her　unhurt　she　was　so　astonished　that　she

thought　she　must　be　dreaming。



〃Truly；　Charming；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　the　favorite

of　some　fairy；　or　you　could　never　have　found　it。〃



〃Madam；〃　answered　he；　〃I　was　helped　by　nothing　but

my　desire　to　obey　your　wishes。〃



〃Since　you　are　so　kind；〃　said　she；　〃perhaps　you　will　do

me　another　service；　for　till　it　is　done　I　will　never　be

married。　There　is　a　prince　not　far　from　here　whose　name

is　Galifron；　who　once　wanted　to　marry　me；　but　when　I

refused　he　uttered　the　most　terrible　threats　against　me；

and　vowed　that　he　would　lay　waste　my　country。　But

what　could　I　do？　I　could　not　marry　a　frightful　giant　as

tall　as　a　tower；　who　eats　up　people　as　a　monkey　eats

chestnuts；　and　who　talks　so　loud　that　anybody　who　has

to　listen　to　him　becomes　quite　deaf。　Nevertheless；　he

does　not　cease　to　persecute　me　and　to　kill　my　subjects。

So　before　I　can　listen　to　your　proposal　you　must　kill　him

and　bring　me　his　head。



Charming　was　rather　dismayed　at　this　command；　but

he　answered：



〃Very　well；　Princess；　I　will　fight　this　Galifron；　I　believe

that　he　will　kill　me；　but　at　any　rate　I　shall　die　in　your

defense。〃



Then　the　Princess　was　frightened　and　said　everything

she　could　think　of　to　prevent　Charming　from　fighting　the

giant；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　and　he　went　out　to　arm　himself

suitably；　and　then；　taking　little　Frisk　with　him；　he　mounted

his　horse　and　set　out　for　Galifron's　country。　Everyone

he　met　told　him　what　a　terrible　giant　Galifron　was；　and

that　nobody　dared　go　near　him；　and　the　more　he　heard；

the　more　frightened　he　grew。　Frisk　tried　to　encourage

him　by　saying：　〃While　you　are　fighting　the　giant；　dear

master；　I　will　go　and　bite　his　heels；　and　when　he　stoops

down　to　look　at　me　you　can　kill　him。〃



Charming　praised　his　little　dog's　plan；　but　knew　that

this　help　would　not　do　much　good。



At　last　he　drew　near　the　giant's　castle；　and　saw　to