15-felicia-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！







FELICIA　AND　THE　POT　OF　PINKS





ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　poor　laborer　who；　feeling

that　he　had　not　much　longer　to　live；　wished　to　divide　his

possessions　between　his　son　and　daughter；　whom　he　loved

dearly。



So　he　called　them　to　him；　and　said：　〃Your　mother

brought　me　as　her　dowry　two　stools　and　a　straw　bed；　I

have；　besides；　a　hen；　a　pot　of　pinks；　and　a　silver　ring；

which　were　given　me　by　a　noble　lady　who　once　lodged　in

my　poor　cottage。　When　she　went　away　she　said　to　me：



〃‘Be　careful　of　my　gifts；　good　man；　see　that　you　do　not

lose　the　ring　or　forget　to　water　the　pinks。　As　for　your

daughter；　I　promise　you　that　she　shall　be　more　beautiful

than　anyone　you　ever　saw　in　your　life；　call　her　Felicia；　and

when　she　grows　up　give　her　the　ring　and　the　pot　of　pinks

to　console　her　for　her　poverty。'　Take　them　both；　then；

my　dear　child；〃　he　added；　〃and　your　brother　shall　have

everything　else。〃



The　two　children　seemed　quite　contented；　and　when

their　father　died　they　wept　for　him；　and　divided　his

possessions　as　he　had　told　them。　Felicia　believed　that　her

brother　loved　her；　but　when　she　sat　down　upon　one　of　the

stools　he　said　angrily：



〃Keep　your　pot　of　pinks　and　your　ring；　but　let　my

things　alone。　I　like　order　in　my　house。〃



Felicia；　who　was　very　gentle；　said　nothing；　but　stood

up　crying　quietly；　while　Bruno；　for　that　was　her　brother's

name；　sat　comfortably　by　the　fire。　Presently；　when　sup…

per…time　came；　Bruno　had　a　delicious　egg；　and　he　threw

the　shell　to　Felicia；　saying：



〃There；　that　is　all　I　can　give　you；　if　you　don't　like　it；

go　out　and　catch　frogs；　there　are　plenty　of　them　in　the

marsh　close　by。〃　Felicia　did　not　answer；　but　she　cried

more　bitterly　than　ever；　and　went　away　to　her　own　little

room。　She　found　it　filled　with　the　sweet　scent　of　the

pinks；　and；　going　up　to　them；　she　said　sadly：



〃Beautiful　pinks；　you　are　so　sweet　and　so　pretty；　you

are　the　only　comfort　I　have　left。　Be　very　sure　that　I　will

take　care　of　you；　and　water　you　well；　and　never　allow

any　cruel　hand　to　tear　you　from　your　stems。〃



As　she　leaned　over　them　she　noticed　that　they　were

very　dry。　So　taking　her　pitcher；　she　ran　off　in　the　clear

moonlight　to　the　fountain；　which　was　at　some　distance。

When　she　reached　it　she　sat　down　upon　the　brink　to　rest；

but　she　had　hardly　done　so　when　she　saw　a　stately　lady

coming　toward　her；　surrounded　by　numbers　of　attendants。

Six　maids　of　honor　carried　her　train；　and　she　leaned

upon　the　arm　of　another。



When　they　came　near　the　fountain　a　canopy　was

spread　for　her；　under　which　was　placed　a　sofa　of　cloth…of…

gold；　and　presently　a　dainty　supper　was　served；　upon　a

table　covered　with　dishes　of　gold　and　crystal；　while　the

wind　in　the　trees　and　the　falling　water　of　the　fountain

murmured　the　softest　music。



Felicia　was　hidden　in　the　shade；　too　much　astonished

by　all　she　saw　to　venture　to　move；　but　in　a　few　moments

the　Queen　said：



〃I　fancy　I　see　a　shepherdess　near　that　tree；　bid　her

come　hither。〃



So　Felicia　came　forward　and　saluted　the　Queen　timidly；

but　with　so　much　grace　that　all　were　surprised。



〃What　are　you　doing　here；　my　pretty　child？〃　asked　the

Queen。　〃Are　you　not　afraid　of　robbers？〃



〃Ah！　madam；〃　said　Felicia；　〃a　poor　shepherdess　who

has　nothing　to　lose　does　not　fear　robbers。〃



〃You　are　not　very　rich；　then？〃　said　the　Queen；　smiling。



〃I　am　so　poor；〃　answered　Felicia；　〃that　a　pot　of　pinks

and　a　silver　ring　are　my　only　possessions　in　the　world。〃



〃But　you　have　a　heart；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃What　should

you　say　if　anybody　wanted　to　steal　that？〃



〃I　do　not　know　what　it　is　like　to　lose　one's　heart；

madam；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　have　always　heard　that　without

a　heart　one　cannot　live；　and　if　it　is　broken　one　must

die；　and　in　spite　of　my　poverty　I　should　be　sorry　not　to

live。〃



〃You　are　quite　right　to　take　care　of　your　heart；　pretty

one；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃But　tell　me；　have　you　supped？〃



〃No；　madam；〃　answered　Felicia；　〃my　brother　ate　all

the　supper　there　was。〃



Then　the　Queen　ordered　that　a　place　should　be　made

for　her　at　the　table；　and　herself　loaded　Felicia's　plate　with

good　things；　but　she　was　too　much　astonished　to　be

hungry。



〃I　want　to　know　what　you　were　doing　at　the　fountain

so　late？〃　said　the　Queen　presently。



〃I　came　to　fetch　a　pitcher　of　water　for　my　pinks；

madam；〃　she　answered；　stooping　to　pick　up　the　pitcher　which

stood　beside　her；　but　when　she　showed　it　to　the　Queen　she

was　amazed　to　see　that　it　had　turned　to　gold；　all　sparkling

with　great　diamonds；　and　the　water；　of　which　it　was　full；

was　more　fragrant　than　the　sweetest　roses。　She　was　afraid

to　take　it　until　the　Queen　said：



〃It　is　yours；　Felicia；　go　and　water　your　pinks　with　it；

and　let　it　remind　you　that　the　Queen　of　the　Woods　is

your　friend。〃



The　shepherdess　threw　herself　at　the　Queen's　feet；　and

thanked　her　humbly　for　her　gracious　words。



〃Ah！　madam；〃　she　cried；　〃if　I　might　beg　you　to　stay

here　a　moment　I　would　run　and　fetch　my　pot　of　pinks　for

youthey　could　not　fall　into　better　hands。〃



〃Go；　Felicia；〃　said　the　Queen；　stroking　her　cheek

softly；　〃I　will　wait　here　until　you　come　back。〃



So　Felicia　took　up　her　pitcher　and　ran　to　her　little

room；　but　while　she　had　been　away　Bruno　had　gone　in

and　taken　the　pot　of　pinks；　leaving　a　great　cabbage　in　its

place。　When　she　saw　the　unlucky　cabbage　Felicia　was

much　distressed；　and　did　not　know　what　to　do；　but　at

last　she　ran　back　to　the　fountain；　and；　kneeling　before　the

Queen；　said：



〃Madam；　Bruno　has　stolen　my　pot　of　pinks；　so　I　have

nothing　but　my　silver　ring；　but　I　beg　you　to　accept　it　as　a

proof　of　my　gratitude。〃



〃But　if　I　take　your　ring；　my　pretty　shepherdess；〃　said

the　Queen；　〃you　will　have　nothing　left；　and　what　will　you

do　then？〃



〃Ah！　madam；〃　she　answered　simply；　〃if　I　have　your

friendship　I　shall　do　very　well。〃



So　the　Queen　took　the　ring　and　put　it　on　her　finger；　and

mounted　her　chariot；　which　was　made　of　coral　studded

with　emeralds；　and　drawn　by　six　milk…white　horses。　And

Felicia　looked　after　her　until　the　winding　of　the　forest

path　hid　her　from　her　sight；　and　then　she　went　back　to

the　cottage；　thinking　over　all　the　wonderful　things　that

had　happened。



The　first　thing　she　did　when　she　reached　her　room　was

to　throw　the　cabbage　out　of　the　window。



But　she　was　very　much　surprised　to　hear　an　odd　little

voice　cry　out：　〃Oh！　I　am　half　killed！〃　and　could　not　tell

where　it　came　from；　because　cabbages　do　not　generally

speak。



As　soon　as　it　was　light；　Felicia；　who　was　very　unhappy

about　her　pot　of　pinks；　went　out　to　look　for　it；　and　the

first　thing　she　found　was　the　unfortunate　cabbage。　She

gave　it　a　push　with　her　foot；　saying：　〃What　are　you　doing

here；　and　how　dared　you　put　yourself　in　the　place　of　my

pot　of　pinks？〃



〃If　I　hadn't　been　carried；〃　replied　the　cabbage；　〃you

may　be　very　sure　that　I　shouldn't　have　thought　of　going

there。〃



It　made　her　shiver　with　fright　to　hear　the　cabbage　talk；

but　he　went　on：



〃If　you　will　be　good　enough　to　plant　me　by　my

comrades　again；　I　can　tell　you　where　your　pinks　are　at　this

momenthidden　in　Bruno's　bed！〃



Felicia　was　in　despair　when　she　heard　this；　not　knowing

how　she　was　to　get　them　back。　But　she　replanted　the

cabbage　very　kindly　in　his　old　place；　and；　as　she　finished

doing　it；　she　saw　Bruno's　hen；　and　said；　catching　hold　of　it：



〃Come　here；　horrid　little　creature！　you　shall　suffer　for

all　the　unkind　things　my　brother　has　done　to　me。〃



〃Ah！　shepherdess；〃　said　the　hen；　〃don't　kill　me；　I　am

rather　a　gossip；　and　I　can　tell　you　some　surprising　things

that　you　will　like　to　hear。　Don't　imagine　that　you　are

the　daughter　of　the　poor　laborer　who　brought　you　up；

your　mother　was　a　queen　who　had　six　girls　already；　and

the　King　threatened　that　unless　she　had　a　son　who　could

inherit　his　kingdom　she　should　have　her　head　cut　off。