stories to tell to children-第31章

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ever　seen。　　Her　hair　was　like　yellow　corn；　and

her　smile　made　all　the　place　merry。　　Her　white

gown　fluttered　as　she　danced；　and　her　little

song　sounded　like　a　bird　note。



The　prince　watched　her　till　she　danced　out

of　sight；　and　then　until　she　once　more　came

toward　him；　and　she　seemed　so　like　a　moon…

beam　herself；　as　she　lifted　her　face　to　the　sky；

that　he　was　almost　afraid　to　breathe。　　He　had

never　seen　anything　so　lovely。　　By　the　time

she　had　danced　twice　round　the　circle；　he　could

think　of　nothing　in　the　world　except　the　hope

of　finding　out　who　she　was；　and　staying　near　her。



But　while　he　was　waiting　for　her　to　appear

the　third　time；　his　weariness　overcame　him；　and

he　fell　asleep。　　And　when　he　awoke；　it　was

broad　day；　and　the　beautiful　maiden　had

vanished。



He　hunted　about；　hoping　to　find　where　she

lived；　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　glade　he

came　upon　a　lovely　little　house；　covered　with

moss　and　climbing　roses。　　He　thought　she

must　live　there；　so　he　went　round　to　the

kitchen　door　and　asked　the　kind　cook　for　a

drink　of　water；　and　while　he　was　drinking　it

he　asked　who　lived　there。　　She　told　him　it　was

the　house　of　the　Princess　Daylight；　but　she　told

him　nothing　else　about　her；　because　she　was　not

allowed　to　talk　about　her　mistress。　　But　she

gave　him　a　very　good　meal　and　told　him　other

things。



He　did　not　go　back　to　the　little　old　woman

who　had　been　so　kind　to　him　first；　but

wandered　all　day　in　the　wood；　waiting　for　the

moontime。　　Again　he　waited　at　the　edge　of

the　dell；　and　when　the　white　moon　was　high

in　the　heavens；　once　more　he　saw　the　glimmering

in　the　distance；　and　once　more　the　lovely

maiden　floated　toward　him。　　He　knew　her

name　was　the　Princess　Daylight；　but　this　time

she　seemed　to　him　much　lovelier　than　before。

She　was　all　in　blue　like　the　blue　of　the　sky

in　summer。　　（She　really　was　more　lovely；　you

know；　because　the　moon　was　almost　at　the

full。）　　All　night　he　watched　her；　quite　forgetting

that　he　ought　not　to　be　doing　it；　till　she

disappeared　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　glade。

Then；　very　tired；　he　found　his　way　to　the　little

old　woman's　house；　had　breakfast　with　her；　and

fell　fast　asleep　in　the　bed　she　gave　him。



The　fairy　knew　well　enough　by　his　face　that

he　had　seen　Daylight；　and　when　he　woke　up　in

the　evening　and　started　off　again　she　gave　him

a　strange　little　flask　and　told　him　to　use　it　if

ever　he　needed　it。



This　night　the　princess　did　not　appear　in

the　dell　until　midnight；　at　the　very　full　of　the

moon。　　But　when　she　came；　she　was　so　lovely

that　she　took　the　prince's　breath　away。　　Just

think！she　was　dressed　in　a　gown　that　looked

as　if　it　were　made　of　fireflies'　wings；　em…

broidered　in　gold。　　She　danced　around　and

around；　singing；　swaying；　and　flitting　like　a

beam　of　sunlight；　till　the　prince　grew　quite

dazzled。



But　while　he　had　been　watching　her；　he　had

not　noticed　that　the　sky　was　growing　dark

and　the　wind　was　rising。　　Suddenly　there　was

a　clap　of　thunder。　　The　princess　danced　on。

But　another　clap　came　louder；　and　then　a

sudden　great　flash　of　lightning　that　lit　up　the

sky　from　end　to　end。　　The　prince　couldn't　help

shutting　his　eyes；　but　he　opened　them　quickly

to　see　if　Daylight　was　hurt。　　Alas；　she　was

lying　on　the　ground。　　The　prince　ran　to　her；

but　she　was　already　up　again。



〃Who　are　you？〃　she　said。



〃I　thought；〃　stammered　the　prince；　〃you

might　be　hurt。〃



〃There　is　nothing　the　matter。　　Go　away。〃



The　prince　went　sadly。



〃Come　back；〃　said　the　princess。　　The　prince

came。　　〃I　like　you；　you　do　as　you　are　told。

Are　you　good？〃



〃Not　so　good　as　I　should　like　to　be；〃　said

the　prince。



〃Then　go　and　grow　better；〃　said　the　princess。



The　prince　went；　more　sadly。



〃Come　back；〃　said　the　princess。　　The　prince

came。　　〃I　think　you　must　be　a　prince；〃　she

said。



〃Why？〃　said　the　prince。



〃Because　you　do　as　you　are　told；　and　you

tell　the　truth。　　Will　you　tell　me　what　the　sun

looks　like？〃



〃Why；　everybody　knows　that；〃　said　the

prince。



〃I　am　different　from　everybody；〃　said　the

princess；〃I　don't　know。〃



〃But；〃　said　the　prince；　〃do　you　not　look

when　you　wake　up　in　the　morning？〃



〃That's　just　it；〃　said　the　princess；　〃I　never

do　wake　up　in　the　morning。　　I　never　can　wake

up　until〃　　Then　the　princess　remembered

that　she　was　talking　to　a　prince；　and　putting

her　hands　over　her　face　she　walked　swiftly

away。　　The　prince　followed　her；　but　she　turned

and　put　up　her　hand　to　tell　him　not　to。　　And

like　the　gentleman　prince　that　he　was；　he

obeyed　her　at　once。



Now　all　this　time；　the　wicked　swamp　fairy

had　not　known　a　word　about　what　was　going

on。　　But　now　she　found　out；　and　she　was

furious；　for　fear　that　little　Daylight　should　be

delivered　from　her　spell。　　So　she　cast　her

spells　to　keep　the　prince　from　finding　Daylight

again。　　Night　after　night　the　poor　prince

wandered　and　wandered；　and　never　could　find

the　little　dell。　　And　when　daytime　came；　of

course；　there　was　no　princess　to　be　seen。

Finally；　at　the　time　that　the　moon　was　almost

gone；　the　swamp　fairy　stopped　her　spells；

because　she　knew　that　by　this　time　Daylight

would　be　so　changed　and　ugly　that　the　prince

would　never　know　her　if　he　did　see　her。　　She

said　to　herself　with　a　wicked　laugh：



〃No　fear　of　his　wanting　to　kiss　her　now！〃



That　night　the　prince　did　find　the　dell；　but

no　princess　came。　　A　little　after　midnight　he

passed　near　the　lovely　little　house　where　she

lived；　and　there　he　overheard　her　waiting…

women　talking　about　her。　　They　seemed　in

great　distress。　　They　were　saying　that　the

princess　had　wandered　into　the　woods　and

was　lost。　　The　prince　didn't　know；　of　course；

what　it　meant；　but　he　did　understand　that　the

princess　was　lost　somewhere；　and　he　started

off　to　find　her。　　After　he　had　gone　a　long

way　without　finding　her；　he　came　to　a　big

old　tree；　and　there　he　thought　he　would　light

a　fire　to　show　her　the　way　if　she　should　happen

to　see　it。



As　the　blaze　flared　up；　he　suddenly　saw　a

little　black　heap　on　the　other　side　of　the　tree。

Somebody　was　lying　there。　　He　ran　to　the

spot；　his　heart　beating　with　hope。　　But　when

he　lifted　the　cloak　which　was　huddled　about

the　form；　he　saw　at　once　that　it　was　not

Daylight。　　A　pinched；　withered；　white；　little　old

woman's　face　shone　out　at　him。　　The　hood　was

drawn　close　down　over　her　forehead；　the　eyes

were　closed；　and　as　the　prince　lifted　the　cloak；

the　old　woman's　lips　moaned　faintly。



〃Oh；　poor　mother；〃　said　the　prince；　〃what

is　the　matter？〃　　The　old　woman　only　moaned

again。　　The　prince　lifted　her　and　carried　her

over　to　the　warm　fire；　and　rubbed　her　hands；

trying　to　find　out　what　was　the　matter。　　But

she　only　moaned；　and　her　face　was　so　terribly

strange　and　white　that　the　prince's　tender　heart

ached　for　her。　　Remembering　his　little　flask；

he　poured　some　of　his　liquid　between　her　lips；

and　then　he　thought　the　best　thing　he　could　do

was　to　carry　her　to　the　princess's　house；　where

she　could　be　taken　care　of。



As　he　lifted　the　poor　little　form　in　his　arms；

two　great　tears　stole　out　from　the　old　woman's

closed　eyes　and　ran　down　her　wrinkled　cheeks。



〃Oh；　poor；　poor　mother；〃　said　the　prince

pityingly；　and　he　stooped　and　kissed　her

withered　lips。



As　he　walked　through　the　forest　with　the

old　woman　in　his　arms；　it　seemed　to　him　that

she　grew　heavier　and　heavier；　he　could　hardly

carry　her　at　all；　and　then　she　stirred；　and　at

last　he　was　obliged　to　set　her　down；　to　rest。

He　meant　to　lay　her　on　the　ground。　　But　the

old　woman　stood　upon　her　feet。



And　then　the　hood　fell　back　from　her　face。

As　she　looked　up　at　the　prince；　the　first；　long；

yellow　ray　of　the　rising　sun　struck　full　upon

her；and　it　was　the　Princess　Daylight！　　Her

hair　was　golden　as　the　sun　itself；　and　her　eyes

as　blue　as　the　flower　that　grows　in　the　corn。



The　pr