22-the golden branch-第3章

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would　be　found　out；　sent　to　tell　the　King　that　his　son　was　dead；

which　annoyed　him　very　much。　He　at　once　made　up　his　mind

that　it　was　entirely　the　Princess's　fault；　and　gave　orders　that　she

should　be　imprisoned　in　the　tower　in　Prince　Curlicue's　place。　The

Princess　Cabbage…Stalk　was　immensely　astonished　at　this　unjust

proceeding；　and　sent　many　messages　of　remonstrance　to　King

Grumpy；　but　he　was　in　such　a　temper　that　no　one　dared　to　deliver

them；　or　to　send　the　letters　which　the　Princess　wrote　to　her　father。

However；　as　she　did　not　know　this；　she　lived　in　hope　of　soon　going

back　to　her　own　country；　and　tried　to　amuse　herself　as　well　as

she　could　until　the　time　should　come。　Every　day　she　walked　up

and　down　the　long　gallery；　until　she　too　was　attracted　and　fascinated

by　the　ever…changing　pictures　in　the　windows；　and　recognised　herself

in　one　of　the　figures。　‘They　seem　to　have　taken　a　great　delight　in

painting　me　since　I　came　to　this　country；'　she　said　to　herself。　‘One

would　think　that　I　and　my　crutch　were　put　in　on　purpose　to　make

that　slim；　charming　young　shepherdess　in　the　next　picture　look

prettier　by　contrast。　Ah！　how　nice　it　would　be　to　be　as　pretty　as

that。'　And　then　she　looked　at　herself　in　a　mirror；　and　turned　away

quickly　with　tears　in　her　eyes　from　the　doleful　sight。　All　at　once

she　became　aware　that　she　was　not　alone；　for　behind　her　stood　a

tiny　old　woman　in　a　cap；　who　was　as　ugly　again　as　herself　and

quite　as　lame。



‘Princess；'　she　said；　‘your　regrets　are　so　piteous　that　I　have

come　to　offer　you　the　choice　of　goodness　or　beauty。　If　you　wish　to

be　pretty　you　shall　have　your　way；　but　you　will　also　be　vain；

capricious；　and　frivolous。　If　you　remain　as　you　are　now；　you　shall

be　wise　and　amiable　and　modest。'



‘Alas　I　madam；'　cried　the　Princess；　‘is　it　impossible　to　be　at　once

wise　and　beautiful？'



‘No；　child；'　answered　the　old　woman；　‘only　to　you　it　is　decreed

that　you　must　choose　between　the　two。　See；　I　have　brought　with

me　my　white　and　yellow　muff。　Breathe　upon　the　yellow　side　and

you　will　become　like　the　pretty　shepherdess　you　so　much　admire；　and

you　will　have　won　the　love　of　the　handsome　shepherd　whose　picture

I　have　already　seen　you　studying　with　interest。　Breathe　upon　the

white　side　and　your　looks　will　not　alter；　but　you　will　grow　better

and　happier　day　by　day。　Now　you　may　choose。'



‘Ah　well；'　said　the　Princess；　‘I　suppose　one　can't　have

everything；　and　it's　certainly　better　to　be　good　than　pretty。'



And　so　she　breathed　upon　the　white　side　of　the　muff　and　thanked

the　old　fairy；　who　immediately　disappeared。　The　Princess　Cabbage…

Stalk　felt　very　forlorn　when　she　was　gone；　and　began　to　think　that

it　was　quite　time　her　father　sent　an　army　to　rescue　her。



‘If　I　could　but　get　up　into　the　turret；'　she　thought；　‘to　see　if　any

one　is　coming。'　But　to　climb　up　there　seemed　impossible。　Nevertheless

she　presently　hit　upon　a　plan。　The　great　clock　was　in　the

turret；　as　she　knew；　though　the　weights　hung　down　into　the　gallery。

Taking　one　of　them　off　the　rope；　she　tied　herself　on　in　its　place；　and

when　the　clock　was　wound；　up　she　went　triumphantly　into　the

turret。　She　looked　out　over　the　country　the　first　thing；　but　seeing

nothing　she　sat　down　to　rest　a　little；　and　accidentally　leant　back

against　the　wall　which　Curlicue；　or　rather　Prince　Peerless；　had　so

hastily　mended。　Out　fell　the　broken　stone；　and　with　it　the　golden

key。　The　clatter　it　made　upon　the　floor　attracted　the　Princess

Cabbage…Stalk's　attention。



She　picked　it　up；　and　after　a　moment's　consideration　decided

that　it　must　belong　to　the　curious　old　cabinet　in　the　corner；　which

had　no　visible　keyhole。　And　then　it　was　not　long　before　she　had　it

open；　and　was　admiring　the　treasures　it　contained　as　much　as　Prince

Peerless　had　done　before　her；　and　at　last　she　came　to　the　carbuncle

box。　No　sooner　had　she　opened　it　than　with　a　shudder　of　horror

she　tried　to　throw　it　down；　but　found　that　some　mysterious　power

compelled　her　to　hold　it　against　her　will。　And　at　this　moment　a

voice　in　her　ear　said　softly：



‘Take　courage；　Princess；　upon　this　adventure　your　future　happiness

depends。'



‘What　am　I　to　do？'　said　the　Princess　trembling。



‘Take　the　box；'　replied　the　voice；　‘and　hide　it　under　your　pillow；

and　when　you　see　an　Eagle；　give　it　to　him　without　losing　a　moment。'



Terrified　as　the　Princess　was；　she　did　not　hesitate　to　obey；　and

hastened　to　put　back　all　the　other　precious　things　precisely　as　she

had　found　them。　By　this　time　her　guards　were　seeking　her　everywhere；

and　they　were　amazed　to　find　her　up　in　the　turret；　for　they

said　she　could　only　have　got　there　by　magic。　For　three　days　nothing

happened；　but　at　last　in　the　night　the　Princess　heard　something

flutter　against　her　window；　and　drawing　back　her　curtains　she　saw

in　the　moonlight　that　it　was　an　Eagle。



Limping　across　at　her　utmost　speed　she　threw　the　window　open；

and　the　great　Eagle　sailed　in　beating　with　his　wings　for　joy。　The

Princess　lost　no　time　in　offering　it　the　carbuncle　box；　which　it

grasped　in　its　talons；　and　instantly　disappeared；　leaving　in　its　place

the　most　beautiful　Prince　she　had　ever　seen；　who　was　splendidly

dressed；　and　wore　a　diamond　crown。



‘Princess；'　said　he；　‘for　two　hundred　years　has　a　wicked

enchanter　kept　me　here。　We　both　loved　the　same　Fairy；　but　she　pre…

ferred　me。　However；　he　was　more　powerful　than　I；　and　succeeded；

when　for　a　moment　I　was　off　my　guard；　in　changing　me　into　an

Eagle；　while　my　Queen　was　left　in　an　enchanted　sleep。　I　knew

that　after　two　hundred　years　a　Prince　would　recall　her　to　the　light

of　day；　and　a　Princess；　in　restoring　to　me　the　hand　which　my　enemy

had　cut　off；　would　give　me　back　my　natural　form。　The　Fairy　who

watches　over　your　destiny　told　me　this；　and　it　was　she　who　guided

you　to　the　cabinet　in　the　turret；　where　she　had　placed　my　hand。　It

is　she　also　who　permits　me　to　show　my　gratitude　to　you　by　granting

whatever　favour　you　may　ask　of　me。　Tell　me；　Princess；　what　is　it

that　you　wish　for　most？　Shall　I　make　you　as　beautiful　as　you

deserve　to　be？'



‘Ah；　if　you　only　would！'　cried　the　Princess；　and　at　the　same

moment　she　heard　a　crick…cracking　in　all　her　bones。　She　grew　tall

and　straight　and　pretty；　with　eyes　like　shining　stars；　and　a　skin　as

white　as　milk。



‘Oh；　wonderful！　can　this　really　be　my　poor　little　self？'　she

exclaimed；　looking　down　in　amazement　at　her　tiny　worn…out　crutch

as　it　lay　upon　the　floor。



‘Indeed；　Princess；'　replied　Florimond；　‘it　is　yourself；　but　you

must　have　a　new　name；　since　the　old　one　does　not　suit　you　now。

Be　called　Princess　Sunbeam；　for　you　are　bright　and　charming

enough　to　deserve　the　name。'



And　so　saying　he　disappeared；　and　the　Princess；　without　knowing

how　she　got　there；　found　herself　walking　under　shady　trees　by

a　clear　river。　Of　course；　the　first　thing　she　did　was　to　look　at　her

own　reflection　in　the　water；　and　she　was　extremely　surprised　to　find

that　she　was　exactly　like　the　shepherdess　she　had　so　much　admired；

and　wore　the　same　white　dress　and　flowery　wreath　that　she　had　seen

in　the　painted　windows。　To　complete　the　resemblance；　her　flock

of　sheep　appeared；　grazing　round　her；　and　she　found　a　gay　crook

adorned　with　flowers　upon　the　bank　of　the　river。　Quite　tired　out　by　so

many　new　and　wonderful　experiences；　the　Princess　sat　down　to　rest

at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　there　she　fell　fast　asleep。　Now　it　happened

that　it　was　in　this　very　country　that　Prince　Peerless　had　been　set

down；　and　while　the　Princess　Sunbeam　was　still　sleeping　peacefully；

he　came　strolling　along　in　search　of　a　shady　pasture　for　his　sheep。



The　moment　he　caught　sight　of　the　Princess　he　recognised　her

as　the　charming　shepherdess　whose　picture　he　had　seen　so　often

in　the　tower；　and　as　she　was　far　prettier　than　he　had　remembered

her；　he　was　delighted　that　chance　had　led　him　that　way。



He　was　still　watching　her　admiringly　when　the　Princess　opened

her　eyes；　and　as　she　also　r