25-the enchanted canary-第3章

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and　quite　as　ugly。　Let　us　see　who　this　creature　was。





X





Not　far　from　the　fountain　there　lived　a　family　of　bricklayers。

Now；　fifteen　years　before　this　time；　the　father　in　walking　through

the　forest　found　a　little　girl；　who　had　been　deserted　by　the　gypsies。

He　carried　her　home　to　his　wife；　and　the　good　woman　was　sorry

for　her；　and　brought　her　up　with　her　own　sons。　As　she　grew

older；　the　little　gypsy　became　much　more　remarkable　for　strength

and　cunning　than　for　sense　or　beauty。　She　had　a　low　forehead；

a　flat　nose；　thick　lips；　coarse　hair；　and　a　skin　not　golden　like　that

of　Zizi；　but　the　colour　of　clay。



As　she　was　always　being　teased　about　her　complexion；　she　got

as　noisy　and　cross　as　a　titmouse。　So　they　used　to　call　her　Titty。



Titty　was　often　sent　by　the　bricklayer　to　fetch　water　from　the

fountain；　and　as　she　was　very　proud　and　lazy　the　gypsy　disliked

this　very　much。



It　was　she　who　had　frightened　Zizi　by　appearing　with　her

pitcher　on　her　shoulder。　Just　as　she　was　stooping　to　fill　it；　she

saw　reflected　in　the　water　the　lovely　image　of　the　Princess。



‘What　a　pretty　face！'　she　exclaimed；　‘Why；　it　must　be

mine！　How　in　the　world　can　they　call　me　ugly？　I　am　certainly

much　too　pretty　to　be　their　water　carrier！'



So　saying；　she　broke　her　pitcher　and　went　home。



‘Where　is　your　pitcher？'　asked　the　bricklayer。



‘Well；　what　do　you　expect？　The　pitcher　may　go　many　times

to　the　well。　。　。　。'



‘But　at　last　it　is　broken。　Well；　here　is　a　bucket　that　will　not

break。'



The　gypsy　returned　to　the　fountain；　and　addressing　once　more

the　image　of　Zizi；　she　said：



‘No；　I　don't　mean　to　be　a　beast　of　burden　any　longer。'　And

she　flung　the　bucket　so　high　in　the　air　that　it　stuck　in　the　branches

of　an　oak。



‘I　met　a　wolf；'　she　told　the　bricklayer；　‘and　I　broke　the　bucket

across　his　nose。'



The　bricklayer　asked　her　no　more　questions；　but　took　down　a

broom　and　gave　her　such　a　beating　that　her　pride　was　humbled

a　little。



Then　he　handed　to　her　an　old　copper　milk…can；　and　said：



‘If　you　don't　bring　it　back　full；　your　bones　shall　suffer　for　it。'





XI





Titty　went　off　rubbing　her　sides；　but　this　time　she　did　not　dare

to　disobey；　and　in　a　very　bad　temper　stooped　down　over　the　well。

It　was　not　at　all　easy　to　fill　the　milk…can；　which　was　large　and

round。　It　would　not　go　down　into　the　well；　and　the　gypsy　had　to

try　again　and　again。



At　last　her　arms　grew　so　tired　that　when　she　did　manage　to　get

the　can　properly　under　the　water　she　had　no　strength　to　pull　it　up；

and　it　rolled　to　the　bottom。



On　seeing　the　can　disappear；　she　made　such　a　miserable　face

that　Zizi；　who　had　been　watching　her　all　this　time；　burst　into　fits　of

laughter。



Titty　turned　round　and　perceived　the　mistake　she　had　made；

and　she　felt　so　angry　that　she　made　up　her　mind　to　be　revenged　at

once。



‘What　are　you　doing　there；　you　lovely　creature？'　she　said　to

Zizi。



‘I　am　waiting　for　my　lover；'　Zizi　replied；　and　then；　with　a

simplicity　quite　natural　in　a　girl　who　so　lately　had　been　a　canary；

she　told　all　her　story。



The　gypsy　had　often　seen　the　young　Prince　pass　by；　with　his

gun　on　his　shoulder；　when　he　was　going　after　crows。　She　was　too

ugly　and　ragged　for　him　ever　to　have　noticed　her；　but　Titty　on　her

side　had　admired　him；　though　she　thought　he　might　well　have　been

a　little　fatter。



‘Dear；　dear！'　she　said　to　herself。　‘So　he　likes　yellow　women！

Why；　I　am　yellow　too；　and　if　I　could　only　think　of　a　way'



It　was　not　long　before　she　did　think　of　it。



‘What！'　cried　the　sly　Titty；　‘they　are　coming　with　great　pomp

to　fetch　you；　and　you　are　not　afraid　to　show　yourself　to　so　many

fine　lords　and　ladies　with　your　hair　down　like　that？　Get　down　at

once；　my　poor　child；　and　let　me　dress　your　hair　for　you！'



The　innocent　Zizi　came　down　at　once；　and　stood　by　Titty。　The

gypsy　began　to　comb　her　long　brown　locks；　when　suddenly　she　drew

a　pin　from　her　stays；　and；　just　as　the　titmouse　digs　its　beak　into

the　heads　of　linnets　and　larks；　Titty　dug　the　pin　into　the　head　of

Zizi。



No　sooner　did　Zizi　feel　the　prick　of　the　pin　than　she　became　a

bird　again；　and；　spreading　her　wings；　she　flew　away。



‘That　was　neatly　done；'　said　the　gypsy。　‘The　Prince　will　be

clever　if　he　finds　his　bride。'　And；　arranging　her　dress；　she　seated

herself　on　the　grass　to　await　Desire。





XII





Meanwhile　the　Prince　was　coming　as　fast　as　his　horse　could

carry　him。　He　was　so　impatient　that　he　was　always　full　fifty

yards　in　front　of　the　lords　and　ladies　sent　by　Tubby　to　bring　back

Zizi。



At　the　sight　of　the　hideous　gypsy　he　was　struck　dumb　with

surprise　and　horror。



‘Ah　me！'　said　Titty；　‘so　you　don't　know　your　poor　Zizi？

While　you　were　away　the　wicked　witch　came；　and　turned　me　into

this。　But　if　you　only　have　the　courage　to　marry　me　I　shall　get

back　my　beauty。'　And　she　began　to　cry　bitterly。



Now　the　good…natured　Desire　was　as　soft…hearted　as　he　was　brave。



‘Poor　girl；'　he　thought　to　himself。　‘It　is　not　her　fault；　after　all；

that　she　has　grown　so　ugly；　it　is　mine。　Oh！　why　did　I　not　follow

the　old　man's　advice？　Why　did　I　leave　her　alone？　And　besides；　it

depends　on　me　to　break　the　spell；　and　I　love　her　too　much　to　let

her　remain　like　this。'



So　he　presented　the　gypsy　to　the　lords　and　ladies　of　the　Court；

explaining　to　them　the　terrible　misfortune　which　had　befallen　his

beautiful　bride。



They　all　pretended　to　believe　it；　and　the　ladies　at　once　put　on

the　false　princess　the　rich　dresses　they　had　brought　for　Zizi。



She　was　then　perched　on　the　top　of　a　magnificent　ambling

palfrey；　and　they　set　forth　to　the　castle。



But　unluckily　the　rich　dress　and　jewels　only　made　Titty　look

uglier　still；　and　Desire　could　not　help　feeling　hot　and　uncomfortable

when　he　made　his　entry　with　her　into　the　city。



Bells　were　pealing；　chimes　ringing；　and　the　people　filling　the

streets　and　standing　at　their　doors　to　watch　the　procession　go　by；

and　they　could　hardly　believe　their　eyes　as　they　saw　what　a　strange

bride　their　Prince　had　chosen。



In　order　to　do　her　more　honour；　Tubby　came　to　meet　her　at　the

foot　of　the　great　marble　staircase。　At　the　sight　of　the　hideous

creature　he　almost　fell　backwards。



‘What！'　he　cried。　‘Is　this　the　wonderful　beauty？'



‘Yes；　father；　it　is　she；'　replied　Desire　with　a　sheepish　look。　‘But

she　has　been　bewitched　by　a　wicked　sorceress；　and　will　not　regain

her　beauty　until　she　is　my　wife。'



‘Does　she　say　so？　Well；　if　you　believe　that；　you　may　drink　cold

water　and　think　it　bacon；'　the　unhappy　Tubby　answered　crossly。



But　all　the　same；　as　he　adored　his　son；　he　gave　the　gypsy　his

hand　and　led　her　to　the　great　hall；　where　the　bridal　feast　was

spread。





XIII





The　feast　was　excellent；　but　Desire　hardly　touched　anything。

However；　to　make　up；　the　other　guests　ate　greedily；　and；　as　for

Tubby；　nothing　ever　took　away　his　appetite。



When　the　moment　arrived　to　serve　the　roast　goose；　there　was　a

pause；　and　Tubby　took　the　opportunity　to　lay　down　his　knife　and

fork　for　a　little。　But　as　the　goose　gave　no　sign　of　appearing；　he

sent　his　head　carver　to　find　out　what　was　the　matter　in　the　kitchen。



Now　this　was　what　had　happened。



While　the　goose　was　turning　on　the　spit；　a　beautiful　little

canary　hopped　on　to　the　sill　of　the　open　window。



‘Good…morning；　my　fine　cook；'　she　said　in　a　silvery　voice　to　the

man　who　was　watching　the　roast。



‘Good…morning；　lovely　golden　bird；'　replied　the　chief　of　the

scullions；　who　had　been　well　brought　up。



‘I　pray　that　Heaven　may　send　you　to　sleep；'　said　the　golden　bird；

‘and　that　the　goose　may　burn；　so　that　there　may　be　none　left　for

Titty。'



And　instantly　the　chief　of　the　scullions　fell　fast　asleep；　and　the

goose　was　burnt　to　a　cinder。



When　he　awoke　he　was　horrified；　and　gave　orders　to　pluck

another　goose；　to　stuff　it　with　chestnuts；　and　put　it