19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第3章

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this　help　would　not　do　much　good。



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

horror　that　every　path　that　led　to　it　was　strewn　with

bones。　Before　long　he　saw　Galifron　coming。　His　head

was　higher　than　the　tallest　trees；　and　he　sang　in　a　terrible

voice：



　　〃Bring　out　your　little　boys　and　girls；

　　Pray　do　not　stay　to　do　their　curls；

　　For　I　shall　eat　so　very　many；

　　I　shall　not　know　if　they　have　any。〃





Thereupon　Charming　sang　out　as　loud　as　he　could　to

the　same　tune：



　　〃Come　out　and　meet　the　valiant　Charming

　　Who　finds　you　not　at　all　alarming；

　　Although　he　is　not　very　tall；

　　He's　big　enough　to　make　you　fall。〃





The　rhymes　were　not　very　correct；　but　you　see　he　had

made　them　up　so　quickly　that　it　is　a　miracle　that　they

were　not　worse；　especially　as　he　was　horribly　frightened

all　the　time。　When　Galifron　heard　these　words　he　looked

all　about　him；　and　saw　Charming　standing；　sword　in　hand

this　put　the　giant　into　a　terrible　rage；　and　he　aimed　a　blow

at　Charming　with　his　huge　iron　club；　which　would

certainly　have　killed　him　if　it　had　reached　him；　but　at　that

instant　a　raven　perched　upon　the　giant's　head；　and；　pecking

with　its　strong　beak　and　beating　with　its　great　wings

so　confused　and　blinded　him　that　all　his　blows　fell　harmlessly

upon　the　air；　and　Charming；　rushing　in；　gave　him

several　strokes　with　his　sharp　sword　so　that　he　fell　to　the

ground。　Whereupon　Charming　cut　off　his　head　before　he

knew　anything　about　it；　and　the　raven　from　a　tree　close

by　croaked　out：



〃You　see　I　have　not　forgotten　the　good　turn　you　did　me

in　killing　the　eagle。　Today　I　think　I　have　fulfilled　my

promise　of　repaying　you。〃



〃Indeed；　I　owe　you　more　gratitude　than　you　ever　owed

me；〃　replied　Charming。



And　then　he　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　off　with

Galifron's　head。



When　he　reached　the　city　the　people　ran　after　him　in

crowds；　crying：



〃Behold　the　brave　Charming；　who　has　killed　the　giant！〃

And　their　shouts　reached　the　Princess's　ear；　but　she　dared

not　ask　what　was　happening；　for　fear　she　should　hear　that

Charming　had　been　killed。　But　very　soon　he　arrived　at

the　palace　with　the　giant's　head；　of　which　she　was　still

terrified；　though　it　could　no　longer　do　her　any　harm。



〃Princess；〃　said　Charming；　〃I　have　killed　your　enemy；

I　hope　you　will　now　consent　to　marry　the　King　my　master。〃



〃Oh　dear！　no；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃not　until　you　have

brought　me　some　water　from　the　Gloomy　Cavern。



〃Not　far　from　here　there　is　a　deep　cave；　the　entrance　to

which　is　guarded　by　two　dragons　with　fiery　eyes；　who　will

not　allow　anyone　to　pass　them。　When　you　get　into　the

cavern　you　will　find　an　immense　hole；　which　you　must　go

down；　and　it　is　full　of　toads　and　snakes；　at　the　bottom　of

this　hole　there　is　another　little　cave；　in　which　rises　the

Fountain　of　Health　and　Beauty。　It　is　some　of　this　water

that　I　really　must　have：　everything　it　touches　becomes

wonderful。　The　beautiful　things　will　always　remain

beautiful；　and　the　ugly　things　become　lovely。　If　one　is

young　one　never　grows　old；　and　if　one　is　old　one　becomes

young。　You　see；　Charming；　I　could　not　leave　my　kingdom

without　taking　some　of　it　with　me。〃



〃Princess；〃　said　he；　〃you　at　least　can　never　need　this

water；　but　I　am　an　unhappy　ambassador；　whose　death

you　desire。　Where　you　send　me　I　will　go；　though　I　know

I　shall　never　return。〃



And；　as　the　Princess　Goldilocks　showed　no　sign　of

relenting；　he　started　with　his　little　dog　for　the　Gloomy

Cavern。　Everyone　he　met　on　the　way　said：



〃What　a　pity　that　a　handsome　young　man　should

throw　away　his　life　so　carelessly！　He　is　going　to　the　cavern

alone；　though　if　he　had　a　hundred　men　with　him　he　could

not　succeed。　Why　does　the　Princess　ask　impossibilities？〃

Charming　said　nothing；　but　he　was　very　sad。　When

he　was　near　the　top　of　a　hill　he　dismounted　to　let　his　horse

graze；　while　Frisk　amused　himself　by　chasing　flies。

Charming　knew　he　could　not　be　far　from　the　Gloomy

Cavern；　and　on　looking　about　him　he　saw　a　black　hideous

rock　from　which　came　a　thick　smoke；　followed　in　a　moment

by　one　of　the　dragons　with　fire　blazing　from　his

mouth　and　eyes。　His　body　was　yellow　and　green；　and　his

claws　scarlet；　and　his　tail　was　so　long　that　it　lay　in　a

hundred　coils。　Frisk　was　so　terrified　at　the　sight　of　it　that

he　did　not　know　where　to　hide。　Charming；　quite　determined

to　get　the　water　or　die；　now　drew　his　sword；　and；

taking　the　crystal　flask　which　Pretty　Goldilocks　had

given　him　to　fill；　said　to　Frisk：



〃I　feel　sure　that　I　shall　never　come　back　from　this

expedition；　when　I　am　dead；　go　to　the　Princess　and　tell

her　that　her　errand　has　cost　me　my　life。　Then　find　the

King　my　master；　and　relate　all　my　adventures　to　him。〃



As　he　spoke　he　heard　a　voice　calling：　〃Charming；

Charming！〃



〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he；　then　he　saw　an　owl　sitting　in

a　hollow　tree；　who　said　to　him：



〃You　saved　my　life　when　I　was　caught　in　the　net；　now

I　can　repay　you。　Trust　me　with　the　flask；　for　I　know　all

the　ways　of　the　Gloomy　Cavern；　and　can　fill　it　from　the

Fountain　of　Beauty。〃　Charming　was　only　too　glad　to

give　her　the　flask；　and　she　flitted　into　the　cavern　quite

unnoticed　by　the　dragon；　and　after　some　time　returned

with　the　flask；　filled　to　the　very　brim　with　sparkling　water。

Charming　thanked　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　joyfully

hastened　back　to　the　town。



He　went　straight　to　the　palace　and　gave　the　flask　to　the

Princess；　who　had　no　further　objection　to　make。　So　she

thanked　Charming；　and　ordered　that　preparations　should

be　made　for　her　departure；　and　they　soon　set　out　together。

The　Princess　found　Charming　such　an　agreeable　companion

that　she　sometimes　said　to　him：　〃Why　didn't　we　stay

where　we　were？　I　could　have　made　you　king；　and　we

should　have　been　so　happy！〃



But　Charming　only　answered：



〃I　could　not　have　done　anything　that　would　have

vexed　my　master　so　much；　even　for　a　kingdom；　or　to

please　you；　though　I　think　you　are　as　beautiful　as　the

sun。〃



At　last　they　reached　the　King's　great　city；　and　he　came

out　to　meet　the　Princess；　bringing　magnificent　presents；

and　the　marriage　was　celebrated　with　great　rejoicings。

But　Goldilocks　was　so　fond　of　Charming　that　she　could

not　be　happy　unless　he　was　near　her；　and　she　was　always

singing　his　praises。



〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　Charming；〃　she　said　to　the　King；

〃I　should　never　have　come　here；　you　ought　to　be　very

much　obliged　to　him；　for　he　did　the　most　impossible　things

and　got　me　water　from　the　Fountain　of　Beauty；　so　I　can

never　grow　old；　and　shall　get　prettier　every　year。〃



Then　Charming's　enemies　said　to　the　King：



〃It　is　a　wonder　that　you　are　not　jealous；　the　Queen

thinks　there　is　nobody　in　the　world　like　Charming。　As　if

anybody　you　had　sent　could　not　have　done　just　as　much！〃



〃It　is　quite　true；　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　the

King。　〃Let　him　be　chained　hand　and　foot；　and　thrown

into　the　tower。〃



So　they　took　Charming；　and　as　a　reward　for　having

served　the　King　so　faithfully　he　was　shut　up　in　the　tower；

where　he　only　saw　the　jailer；　who　brought　him　a　piece　of

black　bread　and　a　pitcher　of　water　every　day。



However；　little　Frisk　came　to　console　him；　and　told

him　all　the　news。



When　Pretty　Goldilocks　heard　what　had　happened　she

threw　herself　at　the　King's　feet　and　begged　him　to　set

Charming　free；　but　the　more　she　cried；　the　more　angry　he

was；　and　at　last　she　saw　that　it　was　useless　to　say　any

more；　but　it　made　her　very　sad。　Then　the　King　took　it

into　his　head　that　perhaps　he　was　not　handsome　enough

to　please　the　Princess　Goldilocks；　and　he　thought　he

would　bathe　his　face　with　the　water　from　the　Fountain

of　Beauty；　which　was　in　the　flask　on　a　shelf　in　the　Princess's

room；　where　she　had　placed　it　that　she　might　see　it　often。

Now　it　happened　that　one　of　the　Princess's　ladies　in　chasing

a　spider　had　knocked　the　flask　off　the　shelf　and　broken

it；　and　ev