22-the golden branch-第5章

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‘Be　firm；　happen　what　may；　and　seek　the　Golden　Branch。'



Thus　encouraged；　the　Prince　persevered　in　his　refusal；　and　at

length　the　old　Fairy　in　a　fury　cried：



‘Get　out　of　my　sight；　obstinate　Prince。　Become　a　Cricket！'



And　instantly　the　handsome　Prince　Peerless　became　a　poor　little

black　Cricket；　whose　only　idea　would　have　been　to　find　himself　a

cosy　cranny　behind　some　blazing　hearth；　if　he　had　not　luckily

remembered　the　Fairy　Douceline's　injunction　to　seek　the　Golden　Branch。



So　he　hastened　to　depart　from　the　fatal　castle；　and　sought　shelter

in　a　hollow　tree；　where　he　found　a　forlorn　looking　little　Grasshopper

crouching　in　a　corner；　too　miserable　to　sing。



Without　in　the　least　expecting　an　answer；　the　Prince　asked　it：



‘And　where　may　you　be　going；　Gammer　Grasshopper？'



‘Where　are　you　going　yourself；　Gaffer　Cricket？'　replied　the　Grasshopper。



‘What！　can　you　speak？'　said　he。



‘Why　should　I　not　speak　as　well　as　you？　Isn't　a　Grasshopper

as　good　as　a　Cricket？'　said　she。



‘I　can　talk　because　I　was　a　Prince；'　said　the　Cricket。



‘And　for　that　very　same　reason　I　ought　to　be　able　to　talk　more

than　you；　for　I　was　a　Princess；'　replied　the　Grasshopper。



‘Then　you　have　met　with　the　same　fate　as　I　have；'　said　he。　‘But

where　are　you　going　now？　Cannot　we　journey　together？'



‘I　seemed　to　hear　a　voice　in　the　air　which　said：　‘‘Be　firm；

happen　what　may；　and　seek　the　Golden　Branch；''　'　answered　the

Grasshopper；　‘and　I　thought　the　command　must　be　for　me；　so　I

started　at　once；　though　I　don't　know　the　way。'



At　this　moment　their　conversation　was　interrupted　by　two　mice；

who；　breathless　from　running；　flung　themselves　headlong　through

the　hole　into　the　tree；　nearly　crushing　the　Grasshopper　and　the

Cricket；　though　they　got　out　of　the　way　as　fast　as　they　could　and

stood　up　in　a　dark　corner。



‘Ah；　Madam；'　said　the　fatter　of　the　two；　‘I　have　such　a　pain　in

my　side　from　running　so　fast。　How　does　your　Highness　find　yourself？'



‘I　have　pulled　my　tail　off；'　replied　the　younger　Mouse；　‘but　as　I

should　still　be　on　the　sorcerer's　table　unless　I　had；　I　do　not　regret

it。　Are　we　pursued；　think　you？　How　lucky　we　were　to　escape！'



‘I　only　trust　that　we　may　escape　cats　and　traps；　and　reach　the

Golden　Branch　soon；'　said　the　fat　Mouse。



‘You　know　the　way　then？'　said　the　other。



‘Oh　dear；　yes！　as　well　as　the　way　to　my　own　house；　Madam。

This　Golden　Branch　is　indeed　a　marvel；　a　single　leaf　from　it　makes

one　rich　for　ever。　It　breaks　enchantments；　and　makes　all　who

approach　it　young　and　beautiful。　We　must　set　out　for　it　at　the

break　of　day。'



‘May　we　have　the　honour　of　travelling　with　youthis　respectable

Cricket　and　myself？'　said　the　Grasshopper；　stepping　forward。

‘We　also　are　on　a　pilgrimage　to　the　Golden　Branch。'



The　Mice　courteously　assented；　and　after　many　polite　speeches

the　whole　party　fell　asleep。　With　the　earliest　dawn　they　were　on

their　way；　and　though　the　Mice　were　in　constant　fear　of　being

overtaken　or　trapped；　they　reached　the　Golden　Branch　in　safety。



It　grew　in　the　midst　of　a　wonderful　garden；　all　the　paths　of　which

were　strewn　with　pearls　as　big　as　peas。　The　roses　were　crimson

diamonds；　with　emerald　leaves。　The　pomegranates　were　garnets；

the　marigolds　topazes；　the　daffodils　yellow　diamonds；　the　violets

sapphires；　the　corn…flowers　turquoises；　the　tulips　amethysts；　opals

and　diamonds；　so　that　the　garden　borders　blazed　like　the　sun。　The

Golden　Branch　itself　had　become　as　tall　as　a　forest　tree；　and　sparkled

with　ruby　cherries　to　its　topmost　twig。　No　sooner　had　the　Grasshopper

and　the　Cricket　touched　it　than　they　were　restored　to　their

natural　forms；　and　their　surprise　and　joy　were　great　when　they

recognised　each　other。　At　this　moment　Florimond　and　the　Fairy

Douceline　appeared　in　great　splendour；　and　the　Fairy；　as　she

descended　from　her　chariot；　said　with　a　smile：



‘So　you　two　have　found　one　another　again；　I　see；　but　I　have　still

a　surprise　left　for　you。　Don't　hesitate；　Princess；　to　tell　your　devoted

shepherd　how　dearly　you　love　him；　as　he　is　the　very　Prince　your

father　sent　you　to　marry。　So　come　here　both　of　you　and　let　me

crown　you；　and　we　will　have　the　wedding　at　once。'



The　Prince　and　Princess　thanked　her　with　all　their　hearts；　and

declared　that　to　her　they　owed　all　their　happiness；　and　then　the　two

Princesses；　who　had　so　lately　been　Mice；　came　and　begged　that　the

Fairy　would　use　her　power　to　release　their　unhappy　friends　who

were　still　under　the　Enchanter's　spell。



‘Really；'　said　the　Fairy　Douceline；　‘on　this　happy　occasion　I

cannot　find　it　in　my　heart　to　refuse　you　anything。'　And　she　gave

three　strokes　of　her　wand　upon　the　Golden　Branch；　and　immediately

all　the　prisoners　in　the　Enchanter's　castle　found　themselves　free；

and　came　with　all　speed　to　the　wonderful　garden；　where　one　touch

of　the　Golden　Branch　restored　each　one　to　his　natural　form；　and

they　greeted　one　another　with　many　rejoicings。　To　complete　her

generous　work　the　Fairy　presented　them　with　the　wonderful　cabinet

and　all　the　treasures　it　contained；　which　were　worth　at　least　ten

kingdoms。　But　to　Prince　Peerless　and　the　Princess　Sunbeam　she

gave　the　palace　and　garden　of　the　Golden　Branch；　where；　immensely

rich　and　greatly　beloved　by　all　their　subjects；　they　lived　happily

ever　after。＇18＇



＇18＇　Le　Rameau　d'Or。　Par　Madame　d'Aulnoy；