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NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
3 3333 05992 2993
NEARLY BEDTIME !
FAVOURITE FRENCH
FAIRY TALES
RETOLD FROM THE FRENCH OF
PERRAULT MADAME D'AULNOY AND
MADAME LEPRINCE DE BEAUMONT
BY
BARBARA DOUGLAS
Illustrated by R. CRAMER
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY
NEW YORK
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
H32II5
J '3 3#* J) PROPERTY OF P U
CITY Of NEW YORK
CONTENTS
PAGF
CINDERELLA Charles Perrault 9
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD Charles Perrault 25
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Charles Perrault 35
DIAMONDS AND TOADS Charles Perrault 57
Puss IN BOOTS Charles Perrault 71
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Madame Leprince de
Beaumont 85
LITTLE THUMBLING Charles Perrault nj
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT Charles Perrault 143
THE WHITE CAT Madame d'Aulnoy 159
PRINCE DARLING Madame Leprince de Beaumont 195
GOLDENLOCKS Madame (TAulnoy 223
ILLUSTRATIONS
PACT
NEARLY BEDTIME ! Frontispiece
CINDERELLA PREPARES HER SISTERS FOR THE
BALL 12
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD IN THE WOOD 28
THE PRINCESS FALLS ASLEEP 42
Puss PAYS RESPECTS TO THE OGRE 80
LITTLE THUMBLING OVERHEARS HIS FATHER'S
PLAN 120
PRINCE RIQUET ACCOSTS THE PRINCESS 148
AVENANT PLEADS WITH GOLDENLOCKS 236
CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE
GLASS SLIPPER
ONCE there was a gentleman who mar-
ried, as his second wife, a most proud
and selfish woman, who had two
daughters as overbearing as herself.
He, too, had a daughter a charming girl,
whose disposition was like that of her own
mother, who had been loved by all for her
gentleness and kindly ways.
When the daughter was christened a fairy
had appeared to act as godmother, and as the
child grew up it was clear that she had received
the best gift of all a character that could not
easily be spoiled.
No sooner were the marriage festivities over
than the new wife showed her true character by
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
a violent outburst of temper against her step-
daughter. And all because the well-bred man-
ners of the unfortunate girl made her own rude
daughters seem hateful.
She determined to put her stepdaughter in
her place, so she set her to do the most menial
work of the house, to wash dishes, scour pots
and pans and scrub the tables. It was she
who had to polish the oak floors of the rooms
where Madam and her two fine daughters slept.
A bare garret at the top of the house and
a hard straw mattress were her portion, while
their ladyships had soft beds, handsome furni-
ture, and great mirrors in which they could see
themselves from head to foot.
The poor girl bore it all very patiently.
She dared not complain to her father; he
would only have scolded her, being completely
under his wife's thumb.
When she had finished her work, the poor
girl was always so tired that she just sat down
in a corner of the wide kitchen fireplace, with
her feet near the ashes for warmth. Because
of this, all made game of her; the elder
IQ
CINDERELLA
sister called her c Cinder-scraper ' ; but the
younger, who was not quite so rude, dubbed
her ' Cinderella.'
None the less Cinderella, in her poor work-
ing clothes, was far more handsome than they
in their splendid gowns.
Now it happened that the Fling's son was
to give a ball, and all the nobility were invited.
The two sisters were also invited, for the family
cut quite a grand figure in the neighbourhood.
As you may suppose, this invitation pleased
them mightily, but for Cinderella it meant more
hard work, as it was she who ironed the linen
her sisters wore, and who goffered their lace
frills.
The stepsisters spoke of nothing else but
how they would dress for the occasion.
" I," said the elder sister, " will wear my
crimson velvet robe newly trimmed with my
rare old lace."
" I," said the younger, " shall put on my
usual skirt, but I shall wear an over-dress of
gold brocade, and my diamond bodice-front,
which is not unworthy of notice."
II
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
They engaged the services of the most
fashionable dressmakers, and they bought their
patches from the most noted maker.
They even talked over their attire with
Cinderella, for they knew what good taste she
had.
She not only gave them excellent advice,
but she also offered to dress their hair herself.
This offer they accepted gladly, and while she
was brushing their tresses they unfeelingly
asked her if she, too, would not like to go to
the ball.
" Oh ! please do not laugh at me ! " she
exclaimed. " You know that balls are not for
the like of me ! "
" You are quite right," said the elder sister.
" People would roar with laughter if they saw
a cinder-scraper entering the ball-room ! 3
Cinderella's beautiful eyes filled with tears.
Any other girl would have revenged herself by
dressing their hair badly, but Cinderella's kind
heart was proof against the temptation, and
she was so skilled that no hairdresser in the
town could excel her.
12
< INM kl I I \ I'Ki PAR] - INK' SIS! 1 k- FOR I HI' r. \i I
12
CINDERELLA
For two whole days the sisters were too
much excited to take their food. They broke
a dozen laces trying to draw in their waists to
make them look slender ; they just spent all
their time before their mirrors.
At last the great moment arrived. The
unfeeling sisters set off in high spirits, with
never a thought for Cinderella, who followed
them with her eyes as long as she could see
them. When the coach was quite out of sight
her brave young heart failed her, and she burst
into tears.
At that moment her Godmother appeared
before her.
" What is the matter, dear child ? " she
asked.
" I wish ... I wish . . ." Cinderella's
sobs choked her voice, and she could get no
farther.
" You wish that you also could go to the
ball do you not ? " said her Godmother kindly.
" I do ... I do ..." sobbed Cinderella.
" Well, you are a good girl and I shall see
to that," said the Godmother.
13
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
She led Cinderella to the hall and bade her
go to the garden and fetch a pumpkin.
Cinderella looked for the biggest she could
find, and brought it to her Godmother, secretly
wondering how a pumpkin could help her to
get to the ball.
The Godmother scooped out the inside,
leaving only the rind, then she touched this
with her magic wand, and lo ! in its place stood
a gorgeous gilded coach !
Then she went to the mouse-trap and found
six mice all alive. Telling Cinderella to raise
the trap-door only a little way to let the mice
out one at a time, she touched each with her
wand as it passed, and changed it into a beau-
tiful horse. Thus there stood a splendid team
of six well-matched dapple-grey horses, which
any king might have envied but there was no
coachman !
Cinderella, who had looked on with wonder,
now cried : "I will run and see if there is
anything in the rat-trap. If there is a rat
in it, we might perhaps make a coachman of
him ! "
4
CINDERELLA
" You are right," said the Godmother ; " go
and see."
Cinderella brought the trap it had three
fine rats in it. Choosing the one that had the
longest whiskers, with a touch of her wand the
fairy changed him into a stately coachman, with
the handsomest moustaches you ever saw.
Then she said : " Go to the garden and
bring me the six lizards which you will find
behind the watering-pot."
Cinderella brought them, and in a trice they
were changed into six footmen with gold-laced
liveries, who stepped up behind the coach,
bearing themselves with as much dignity as if
they had been fine lackeys all their lives.
Pointing to the coach with its splendid trap-
pings, the fairy turned to Cinderella : " There
is what is needed to take you to the ball does
it please you ? '
" Oh, yes, dear Godmother, but how can I
myself go in these ugly old clothes ? "
Her Godmother touched her lightly with the
wand, and lo ! she stood dressed in cloth of
gold and silver, all set with sparkling jewels,
15
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
while a pair of fine glass slippers gave an
exquisite finish to her magnificence.
Thus attired Cinderella now seated herself
in the coach, but before starting she was
warned by her Godmother that she must not
stay after midnight, that if she remained at the
ball one moment later her coach would again
become a pumpkin, her horses would be mice,
her footmen lizards, and she would find herself
once more in her old clothes.
Cinderella promised faithfully to leave before
midnight, and set off with a joyful heart.
Her arrival at the palace made a great stir;
word was at once brought to the King's son
that a great princess whom no one knew had
come, and he hastened to go himself to receive
her.
He reached the courtyard in time to assist
her to alight, and taking her hand he conducted
her to the ballroom, where the brilliant com-
pany was assembled. As they entered there
was a sudden hush the musicians stopped, the
dancers stood still, everyone's gaze was riveted
on the dazzling beauty of the unknown princess.
16
CINDERELLA
Then there was a low murmur of voices from
every side : " How lovely she is ! '
Even the aged King could not take his eyes
off her, and he remarked softly to the Queen
that it was many years since he had seen any-
one so lovely and so lovable.
The ladies took every opportunity of study-
ing the make of her garments, and the dressing
of her hair, in order to have them copied if only
they could find materials as rich and people
clever enough to do it.
The King's son gave Cinderella the place of
honour, and led her out as his partner in the
dance. She danced so gracefully that everyone
admired her more and more.
Delicious refreshments were served fruits,
ices, jellies, and wines but the Prince quite for-
got to eat, his mind being so full of the beauti-
ful stranger, to whom he offered every dainty.
She had seated herself beside her sisters,
and she showed them many polite attentions,
giving them a share of the good things which
the Prince had brought her.
This gave them a pleasant surprise, as they
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
did not in the least recognize Cinderella in the
seeming princess who was so gracious to them.
The beautiful stranger was still talking to them
when she heard the clock strike a quarter to
twelve ; she rose at once, and making a low
curtsey to the company, she retired as quickly
as possible.
On returning home Cinderella found her
Godmother awaiting her ; after thanking her
warmly, she told her how much she wished to
go again the next evening, as the King's son
had determined to give another ball and had
pressed her to come.
She was still telling her Godmother of the
happenings at the ball when her two sisters
knocked at the door, so she ran to open it for
them.
" How late you are ! " she exclaimed, rub-
bing her eyes, yawning and stretching herself
as if just newly awakened from sleep, though
indeed sleep had not been in her thoughts since
their departure.
" If you had been at the ball you would not
have felt tired," said one of the sisters.
18
CINDERELLA
" There was a beautiful princess there so
beautiful that no one ever saw her equal. She
was most polite and attentive to us, and gave
us some of the choice dainties which the Prince
had given to herself," said the other sister.
Cinderella could hardly hide her joy. She
asked them the name of the princess, but they
told her that no one knew it that the King's
son was so much in love with her that he
would give all he had in the world to know
who she was.
Cinderella smiled as she said, " She must
have been beautiful indeed ! How fortunate you
are ! Is it not possible for me also to see her ?
Oh ! Miss Charlotte, could you not lend me the
yellow frock which you wear every day ? '
" Lend my frock to a mean cinder-scraper
like you ! 3 exclaimed Charlotte. " You must
take me for a fool indeed ! '
Cinderella expected some such answer and
was quite pleased, for it would have placed her
in a very difficult position if her sister had been
willing to lend her the frock.
Next evening the two sisters were again at
19
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
the ball, and so was Cinderella, even more
richly dressed than upon the former occasion.
The King's son was constantly at her side,
making pleasant little speeches and paying her
compliments.
Far from getting weary, Cinderella enjoyed
the ball so much that she completely forgot
her Godmother's warning, and the first stroke
of twelve rang out when she thought it was
only a little after eleven o'clock. She rose in a
moment, and fled as lightly as a fawn.
In her haste one of her glass slippers dropped
from her foot upon the stair ; she could not
stop to pick it up, and before she reached the
hall the last stroke of twelve had sounded.
The Prince had followed her quickly ; not a
trace of her could he find but the little glass
slipper on the stair. You may be sure that he
picked this up with great care.
Cinderella got home quite out of breath,
without carriage, horse, or servant, and without
a vestige left of all her magnificence, except one
slipper like the one she had dropped.
The guards at the palace gate were ques-
20
CINDERELLA
tioned, but they had seen no princess going out,
nor indeed anyone but a young girl who was
so poorly dressed that she looked more like a
peasant than a fine lady.
When the sisters returned from the ball,
Cinderella asked if they had again enjoyed
themselves, and if the stranger princess was
there.
They said she was, but that, when midnight
had struck, she had gone off so hurriedly that
she had dropped one of her little glass slippers
the prettiest little thing in the world; that
the King's son had picked it up and had done
nothing but look at it ever since, thus showing
how deeply in love he must be with the beau-
tiful lady to whom it belonged.
They were quite right, for a few days later
the King's son had it proclaimed by sound of
trumpet that he would wed the lady whose
foot the glass slipper would fit exactly.
A gentleman of the court was sent round
with the slipper to see it tried on. He took it
first to the princesses, next to the duchesses,
then to each of die ladies of the court, but all
21
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
to no purpose. Then he brought it to the two
sisters, who did their very best to pull it on,
but in vain.
Cinderella, who had been looking on, now
said, with a laugh : " Let me try perhaps I
shall be the lucky girl ! " At which the sisters
burst into scornful laughter.
The gentleman who carried the slipper
looked attentively at Cinderella, whose appear-
ance pleased him very much. " It would only
be fair," said he ; " my orders are to let every
girl try it, till the owner is found."
Making Cinderella sit down, he presented
the slipper, and her neat little foot went into
it quite easily indeed, the slipper fitted it like
wax.
Great was the amazement of the two sisters,
but it was greater still when Cinderella drew
the other slipper from her pocket and put it
on !
At that moment the Godmother appeared,
and with a touch of her wand she changed
Cinderella's poor clothes into even more magni-
ficent garments than the former ones.
22
CINDERELLA
The two sisters now recognized her as the
beautiful stranger they had seen at the ball ;
they threw themselves at her feet, begging her
to forgive all their bad treatment of her.
Cinderella raised them, and kissed them
affectionately, saying she forgave them with all
her heart, and that she hoped henceforth they
would love her.
She then gave her hand to the gentleman,
who conducted her with great ceremony to the
palace. When the Prince beheld her, in all the
magnificence of the attire which her Godmother
had bestowed upon her, he thought her more
lovely than ever, and a few days later they were
married.
Cinderella, who was as kind and good as she
was beautiful, gave her two sisters apartments
in the palace, and in due course got each of
them married to a nobleman of the court.
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD 1
ONCE in a village by the side of a forest
there lived the very prettiest little girl
in the whole wide world.
Her mother loved her dearly, and her grand-
mother, who lived in a village on the other side
of the wood, just adored her.
The good old woman got a little red cloak
with a hood made for her darling, who looked
so charming in it that everyone began to call
her Little Red-Riding-Hood.
One day, when her mother was baking,
hearing that Grandmother was not very well,
and knowing that she liked girdle-cakes, she
made one specially for her. She also put some
1 I have departed from Perrault's ending ; thus Little Red-
Riding-Hood lives happy ever after ! Translator.
25
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
newly churned butter in a little pot for her, to
tempt her appetite.
These she put in a little basket, covered
them neatly with a white napkin, and called
Little Red-Riding-Hood.
" I want you to go to your grandmother's,
my dear ; she is not feeling well. Take her this
cake and little pot of fresh butter from me.
Say I hope she will enjoy them, and I should
like to know how she is."
It was a lovely day, and Little Red-Riding-
Hood set off gaily, greatly pleased to be sent
on such an errand all by herself.
Her road lay through the wood, which, to
her, seemed always full of lovely and wonderful
things.
The great trees threw patches of dappled
shadows across the road, and as she went along
she watched the butterflies flitting from flower
to flower, the white-tailed rabbits scurrying
off into the wood, and the gold-and-green-
backed beetles shimmering by the edge of the
grass.
A squirrel sprang from tree to tree, as if to
26
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD
keep her company, peering at her slyly from
behind the branches.
i Birds sang, insects hummed, and the
measured thud of the wood-cutters' axes beat
time to the music with which the air was throb-
bing ; everything seemed full of joyous life.
Near the middle of the wood, a great wolf
stepped softly into the road, and bade the little
girl " Good morning ! 3
He had seen her coming, and having had
nothing to eat for three days would have liked
to devour her at once, but he dared not for
fear of the wood-cutters.
" Where are you going, my little girl ? ' he
asked.
The poor child, who knew nothing of the
danger of waiting to talk to a wolf, answered
him at once :
" I am going to my grandmother's with a
cake and a pot of butter from my mother."
" Does she live very far from here ? '
" Oh ! yes, farther than the mill you can
see away over yonder ; at the first house in
the village."
27
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" I think I shall go and see her, too," said
the cunning wolf. " I see there are two paths
to the village : suppose you take this one and I
the other ; we could see which one of us would
get there first." So saying, the wolf made off as
fast as his legs could carry him.
Little Red-Riding-Hood was in no hurry,
but gathered some nuts which were growing
within her reach, and picked the prettiest
flowers she saw, to make a posy for her grand-
mother, so the wolf easily got to the house long
before her.
He knocked rat-tat.
" Who is there ? " cried a voice from within.
In as soft a voice as he could, the wolf
replied :
" Your Little Red-Riding-Hood, bringing
you a girdle-cake and a pot of fresh butter
from Mother."
The grandmother, feeling rather faint, had
lain down to rest on her bed in the curtained
recess.
" Pull the string," she cried, " and the latch
will lift."
28
LITTLE Kl l> RIDING-H< >< >l> IN I III- \\
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD
The wolf pulled the string and the door flew
open. In a moment he sprang on the poor old
woman, and swallowed her at one gulp ; but her
nightcap fell off on the floor.
Shutting the door, the wolf picked up the
cap and tied it on, pulling it forward almost
over his eyes, but he could not hide his ears, so he
got into bed, drew the curtain forward to shade
his face, pulled the coverlet up round his head,
and lay still, waiting for Red-Riding-Hood.
Now, after the wolf left the little girl in the
forest, one of the wood-cutters noticed a move-
ment in the long grass, a little way off, and saw
something dark passing swiftly between the
bushes. He had heard the day before that a
wolf had recently been seen prowling near the
forest.
" Ha ! " he said to himself, " the brute
knows better than to come near men with
axes ! "
Some time later, standing up for a moment
to look around, he spied in the distance a speck
of red moving along the road not far from the
village.
29
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" It is the Little Red-Riding-Hood going to
see her grandmother," thought he. " The old
lady will be pleased ! "
Next moment he remembered the wolf !
Clutching his axe, he ran with long, rapid
strides in the direction of the moving red
figure, hoping to overtake her before any harm
should befall her. He had never run so fast,
but he was still a little way off when Red-
Riding-Hood reached her grandmother's door.
She knocked rat-tat-tat.
A strange, hoarse voice asked, " Who is
there ? "
" What a bad cold poor Grannie has got,"
thought the little girl, but she answered, quite
brightly :
" It is your Little Red-Riding-Hood. I am
bringing you a cake which Mother has baked for
you, and a little pot of sweet fresh butter to eat
with it. I am to take her word how you are."
" Pull the string and the latch will lift,"
wheezed the wolf.
Little Red-Riding-Hood pulled the string,
the door opened, and she went in.
30
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD
The wolf drew the bed-clothes higher up
round his head :
" Put the cake and the pot of butter in the
bread-bin, set the basket on the lid, and come
and lie down beside me."
Little Red-Riding-Hood did as she was told ;
then she took off her cloak and climbed on the
bed, but suddenly sat back, amazed to see how
strange her grandmother looked in her night-
clothes. In a tone of wonder, she exclaimed :
" Oh ! Grannie, what great, big arms you
have got ! '
" All the better to hug you with, my child."
" Oh ! Grannie, what great legs you have
got ! "
" All the better to run with, my child."
" Oh ! Grannie, what great, big ears you
have got ! 3
" All the better for hearing with, my child."
" Oh ! Grannie, what great, big eyes you
have got ! 3
" All the better for seeing with, my child."
" But, Grannie, what terrible teeth you
have got ! "
31
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Just the right size for eating you up ! "
With this, the wolf opened his great jaws
but hark ! heavy, rapid footsteps a swift
shadow crossing the window a strong hand
on the latch !
With one bound the wolf reached the door,
only to be stretched dead on the threshold by
the blow of an axe ! The woodman was there
but had he been in time to save the inmates
of the cottage ?
A piteous wail, " My grannie ! my grannie !
where is my grannie ? ' showed him that Red-
Riding-Hood was safe, and, looking around for
the old woman, his eye caught the nightcap
trailing on the floor, the strings still round the
wolfs neck. He understood.
Taking his big clasp-knife from his pocket
he opened it, and slit the monster open from
head to tail there lay Grannie !
The woodman lifted her gently out she was
alive and unhurt !
The kettle she had put over the fire before
lying down was boiling merrily, and in a
very short time they were all three enjoying
32
LITTLE RED-RIDING-HOOD
a good cup of tea with girdle-cake and fresh
butter.
Then, when the grandmother had kissed her
darling to her heart's content, the woodman
took Little Red-Riding-Hood up in his arms
and carried her all the way home through the
wood to her mother, who, you may be sure,
could not make too much of her.
33
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
ALONG time ago there lived a King
and Queen, who for many years had no
family, and, being very fond of chil-
dren, they were almost heart-broken at their
misfortune.
At last, to their great joy, the Queen had a
little daughter.
The news of the birth of a Princess spread
rapidly over the whole kingdom. Everyone
kept holiday for a week. Bonfires blazed on
the hilltops, and church bells rang merry peals
to celebrate the event.
The King ordered that the christening
should be the grandest ever known, and, in
order that his daughter might have every charm
and accomplishment, he invited all the fairies
35
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
that could be found in the country, seven in
number, to come and be sponsors to the little
Princess for every fairy godmother makes some
rare gift to her godchild.
After the baptism, the whole company re-
turned from the church to the palace, where a
great banquet had been prepared for them, and,
as was usual on state occasions, the covers
that is, the plates drinking goblets, spoons,
knives and forks were all of pure gold.
The seven fairies were given places of
honour at the feast, and for each of them the
King had got specially made a magnificent case
of pure gold set with rubies and diamonds, to
hold her knife, fork and spoon, which she was
to take as a keepsake to remind her constantly
of her royal goddaughter.
As the fairies took their places at table, there
entered a very old fairy, who had not been
invited because no one remembered her. As
she had not been outside her tower for over
fifty years, people thought her either dead or
enchanted.
On seeing her the King welcomed her most
36
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
kindly, and led her to the table, causing a gold
cover to be brought for her. But he could not
give her a jewelled gold case like the others, as
only seven had been made, and the old fairy
considered this a slight and vowed vengeance in
her heart. As she took her seat, she muttered
some angry words between her teeth. The
young fairy who sat next her noted this, and
greatly feared that the old woman meant some
harm to the little Princess.
During the feast this kind-hearted young
fairy never thought of the grand dishes she was
tasting her mind was busy planning how to
save the royal infant from the wrath of the older
and more powerful fairy. She knew that the
youngest, being the least important, would be
asked to present her gift first, and each would
follow in turn, finishing with the eldest, yet she
saw that, to do any good, she herself must be
the last to speak. Before the feast was ended
she had planned what to do.
Fortunately, the young fairy was not very
tall, and as the guests rose from the table and
crowded into the great hall, she slipped behind
37
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
the rich tapestry curtains which adorned the
walls, no one missing her.
Then the ceremony of the Fairy-gifts began.
The first fairy endowed the Princess with
dazzling beauty; the next with the tenderness
and sweet temper of an angel ; the third with
such grace of movement and charm of manner
that she would be loved by all who saw her;
the fourth with the gift of dancing as lightly as
a sunbeam.
The fifth gave her a voice of such beauty
that no singing-bird could excel her; and the
sixth gave her the art of playing every known
instrument to perfection.
It was now the turn of the old fairy, who
stepped forward with spiteful eagerness. Lean-
ing on her ebony stick, her old head shaking
more from temper than from age, she hissed
out : " The child shall not grow up to woman-
hood she will prick her finger with a spindle
and die of the wound ! '
As this announcement was made, the whole
company drew back with shuddering horror;
many burst into tears.
38
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
The King and Queen, who had been radiant
with happiness while one good gift after another
was showered on their darling, now clasped each
other's hands and stood in mute agony, unable
to relieve themselves by tears.
Just then, a clear young voice rang out from
between the curtains which she was parting
with her hands :
" Be comforted, my dear King and Queen !
I have yet to speak the worst shall not happen !
True, I have not the power to undo all that my
superior in age, rank, and power has decreed,
but I can and I will lessen the misfortune.
"It must come to pass that the Princess
shall prick her hand with the spindle of a
distaff, but she shall not die of the wound ;
she will fall into a deep sleep, which shall last
for a hundred years. At the end of that time
the son of a King shall come to awaken her,
and to claim her for his bride."
During this speech you could have heard a
pin fall, and at its end a great sigh of relief
seemed to escape from everyone in the hall ;
but on looking round not a fairy was to be
39
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
seen ! It was against the custom of Fairyland
for one fairy thus to interfere with another, and
every fairy dreaded the consequence.
The King and Queen were filled with grati-
tude to the young fairy whose kindness of heart
had given her courage to speak last and save
their daughter, though she could not wait to
receive their thanks.
Much comforted, the King, who was a man
of action, immediately took steps to postpone
the calamity as long as possible, that the Queen
and himself might enjoy the company of their
beautiful child for some years at least. He
issued a proclamation forbidding anyone in his
dominions to spin with a distaff and spindle, or
even to have a spindle in her possession, on
pain of death.
Some fifteen or sixteen years later, the King,
Queen, and young Princess went with their
retinue to one of their country seats, a very old
castle, where they could enjoy some fine hunt-
ing and other sports.
The young Princess, who had read the his-
tory of the castle with great interest, amused
40
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
herself by examining the old rooms with their
beautiful tapestries, and trying to find out the
hiding - places and secret stairs behind the
panelled walls which she had heard so many
stories about; and one day she went up the
high tower of the old keep. At the top of the
winding stair was a small door, which she
opened and passed through.
She found herself in a small garret, where,
to her great surprise, sat an old woman spinning
with her distaff the old lady had never heard
that the King had forbidden such spinning.
" Whatever is it that you are doing, my good
woman ? " asked the Princess.
" I'm spinning, my pretty girl," replied the
old woman, who did not know, in the least, who
it was who spoke.
" Oh, how lovely ! " cried the Princess. " Let
me try if I can do it, too ! " So saying, the
gay, impulsive girl caught hold of the spindle,
and, not knowing how to use it, she pierced
her hand with the sharp point, and fell fainting
at the feet of the distressed and alarmed old
woman, who called loudly for help.
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
People came running from all sides, and
every means was tried to revive the Princess.
Cold water was thrown on her face, the palms
of her hands were slapped, her clothes were all
unfastened, her temples were rubbed with toilet
vinegar, but all was useless nothing could
restore her.
The King and Queen heard the running and
the confused noise of voices as they came in
from the garden, and went to find out what it
meant. The sounds led them to the top of
the tower, where the attendants stood aside
to let them pass. There, on the floor of the
garret, lay their beautiful daughter ! They
saw with dismay that the fairy-decree had
begun to operate, and knew that nothing
could be done to shorten the long sleep now
begun.
The King had his lovely daughter carried
down to her own room, where the Queen her-
self assisted the maids -of -honour to rearrange
her golden hair, and to dress her in the richest
clothes in her wardrobe ; then the King went
to superintend the officers and men-servants
42
I III PRINCESS FALLS ASLEEP
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
while they prepared the most magnificent room
in the palace to receive her.
When all was ready the Princess was carried
there and laid on a gorgeously gilded bed, hung
with curtains of cloth of gold, and with a coverlet
closely embroidered with gold and silver.
As she lay there in her perfect beauty, one
might have taken her for an angel. Her cheeks
had not lost their exquisite rose tint, and her
lips remained as red as coral. Her eyes, indeed,
were closed, but the gentle heaving of her
bosom and the soft sound of her breathing
showed that, though unconscious, she was not
dead.
The King and Queen gazed long and ten-
derly on their beloved daughter. They knew,
however, that they could not alter her fate,
so they made all arrangements to ensure her
being undisturbed during her long, long sleep,
and they comforted themselves with the know-
ledge that she would yet wake up to happy life,
though they might not live to see it.
The kind young fairy who had saved the
Princess from the sleep of death happened to
43
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
be a thousand leagues away, in the Kingdom of
Mattaquin, at the time ; but a little dwarf, whose
boots enabled him to spring over seven leagues
at a stride, sped off at once to tell her. In her
fiery chariot drawn by winged dragons she
drove through the air at incredible speed, and
reached the castle just as the arrangements were
completed.
The King went to receive her, and after
thanking her for coming so promptly to com-
fort them, he told her all that had been already
done by the Queen and himself.
The fairy approved of all, but being pos-
sessed of great foresight as well as sympathy,
she imagined how lonely and shy the Princess
was likely to feel on awaking a hundred years
later, to find herself alone in the castle, with no
one she knew to speak to her, or to do anything
for her only the young Prince, who would also
be a stranger.
Quick as thought, she stepped lightly round,
touching with her magic wand every living
thing in the castle except the King and Queen,
whose duties now called them elsewhere
44
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
governesses, maids -of-honour, chambermaids,
officers, house-stewards, butlers, cooks, scullery-
maids, errand-boys, guards, gate-keepers, foot-
men and at the touch each one fell into a deep
sleep, only to awake with their mistress at the
end of a hundred years !
The fairy did not stop there. Going into
the stables, she touched horses and grooms,
corn, straw, and bran ; in the courtyard she
touched the great mastiffs ; in the kitchen she
touched the spits with the pheasants and par-
tridges already half cooked, and all stood still in
an instant even the fire came under the spell,
so that at the moment of awaking everything
might go on as if it had never stopped. Finally,
she touched the little lap-dog. Fluff, which had
curled itself up beside its mistress on the
gorgeous covering of the bed. All this had
taken only a few moments fairies do not loiter
over their work !
Bidding the King and Queen farewell, the
fairy re-entered her chariot, the dragons spread
their wings, and the equipage shot through the
air like a meteor, leaving a trail of brilliant
45
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
light behind it. Then the King and Queen
kissed their daughter many times without fear
of awaking her, and sorrowfully returned to the
palace.
Before leaving, the King had given orders
that no one whatever should be allowed to go
near the castle, lest prying, inquisitive people
should disturb its calm repose; but the kind
fairy, unknown to him, had seen to that.
A quarter of an hour after their Majesties
had left, the great park was surrounded by a
perfect forest of great trees of every description,
standing up from a thicket of briers, thorns, and
great trails of strong ivy, all entwined in a solid
mass that neither man nor beast could penetrate.
The trees were so high, and the thicket so
dense, that no part of the castle was visible
but the top of the tower, and that only from
a considerable distance.
The King and Queen lived to a good old
age, cheering each other by talking of all the
pretty ways and clever sayings of their beloved
child, who had left nothing but pleasant memo-
ries of her young life.
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
After their death, a King of quite a different
family came to the throne. He was succeeded
by his son, then by his grandson, who was
reigning at the end of the hundred years.
This King had a handsome, spirited young son,
who was very fond of hunting, and one day
this young Prince found himself in the neigh-
bourhood of the castle, the tower of which he
had seen from quite a long way off. He asked
whose was the castle, and what it was called,
but no one could tell him its name or that of
its owner ; each peasant whom he asked had
some mysterious story to tell, but no two
stories were the same. One said he had heard
that it was haunted by ghosts of the dead ;
another that all the witches of the country held
their weekly revels there ; and others, that the
castle belonged to an ogre, who carried off all
the children he could find, to eat them there in
safety, as no one but he could penetrate the
thicket.
The astonished Prince did not know what to
make of these tales, till an old peasant, who had
lived in a cottage near the forest during his
47
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
whole life, came forward, and respectfully asked
if he might speak to the Prince, who, liking the
old man's appearance, told him to speak on.
" Fifty years ago," said the peasant, " I re-
member hearing my father tell that, when he
was a boy, people used to say that the most
beautiful young Princess that eyes ever beheld
lay in that castle under a spell which would
keep her in a deep sleep for a hundred years, at
the end of which time the King's son would
come to awake her, and to claim her for his
wife, and I make bold to think, sire, that it
must now be very near the time of her awaking."
The Prince believed the old man's story.
Full of youthful enthusiasm, and fired with the
desire to do knightly deeds, he resolved to over-
come every obstacle, and not to allow another
day to pass before he broke the spell under
which the beautiful Princess was lying.
Calling his men to follow him, he rode
straight toward the forest, and wonder of
wonders ! both the great trees and the under-
wood parted before him, disclosing a long
avenue, with the walls of the castle visible
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
through the opening at the end. He looked
round for his men, but not one of them was to
be seen, for the trees and the thicket had closed
behind him as he passed. If danger there was,
he saw he must face it alone.
Where youth and beauty are concerned, how-
ever, danger only inspires a lover with greater
courage, so he pushed on, undaunted, till he
reached the outer court of the castle.
There, the sight that met his eyes almost
froze the blood in his veins.
All around, in awful silence, and in every
possible position, lay, sat, or stood men and
animals, motionless as stone statues. Close
beside him at the gate one of the great mastiffs
seemed to strain at its chain ; while on the other
side lay another, half out of its kennel, its head
scarcely raised from its outstretched paws. One
of the gate-keepers had a well-filled glass raised
half-way to his lips, while another sat on the
bench, his fingers still touching the empty glass
he had set down.
For one dreadful moment the Prince halted,
the next he strode on. As he passed the keepers
49 D
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
his keen eye noted that their faces were red and
their noses pimpled, and that their countenances
seemed full of rough good humour.
His quick wit told him that they were not
dead, but that motion must have been arrested
in an instant, by the same spell which bound
the Princess. This thought dispelled the dread
which, for a moment, had gripped his heart.
Crossing the marble pavement of the inner
court, among many spell-bound attendants, he
ascended the great stairs and went through the
guard-room between rows of armed guards,
whose loud snoring was the only sound he had
heard, save his own footsteps, since he entered
the gates of the castle. Passing through room
after room, he knew by the richer dresses of the
ladies and the more brilliant uniforms of the
officers that he was nearing the object of his
search. Quickening his steps, almost before he
knew he found himself in a gorgeous apart-
ment, where, on a magnificent bed, draped with
gold embroideries, lay the most lovely being he
had ever seen or imagined. She looked about
sixteen years old, but the charm of her
50
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
radiant beauty gave her the appearance of
belonging to heaven rather than to earth.
For a while he stood transfixed, gazing on
the lovely vision with trembling admiration.
Then slowly and softly he approached and knelt
down beside the bed.
The appointed hour had come.
Under the influence of the loving gaze bent
upon her the Princess awoke, and, turning
toward the Prince, she held out her hand, say-
ing in tones of affectionate tenderness :
" It is you, my Prince ! How long you
have kept me waiting ! 3
Charmed and surprised both with this speech
and with the tone and manner in which it was
spoken, the Prince kissed the extended hand and
pressed it to his bosom, declaring that he loved
her more than his life, and that he would never
again leave her.
They were so absorbed in each other that
the Prince did not even notice that the whole
household waked up at the same moment as his
Princess, and continued their work as if it had
never been interrupted.
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The Prince listened more than he talked, as
everything was new and strange to him, but the
Princess had been prepared by many beautiful
dreams sent by the kind fairy, and talked as if
she had known the Prince for years.
Four hours passed, and the attendants, not
being in love, began to be very hungry. One
of the maids-of-honour could wait no longer, so
she interrupted their long conversation by telling
the lovers that supper was served.
The Prince assisted the Princess to rise, and
gave her his arm to go down to supper she did
not need to change her dress, being already
magnificently robed, though, like all her retinue,
in the fashion of a bygone age. She was none
the less beautiful for that !
They supped in the hall of mirrors, served
by the officers of the Princess in their splendid
uniforms. During supper the musicians played
beautiful old music which had not been heard
for many years.
During supper, the Prince and Princess con-
sulted the chaplain, who supped with them, as
to how soon their wedding could take place.
52
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
As the Princess was too young to live alone, and
had no relative to be her guardian, the good
man proposed that he should marry them that
very evening, in the private chapel of the castle,
which he did in the presence of the whole
household.
The youngest maid-of-honour acted as
bridesmaid, and the lords and ladies of highest
rank signed the register.
The chief officer of the household suggested
that they should celebrate the occasion by a
ball for the nobility, and another for the servants.
This proposal pleased everyone. The grand
ball was held in the ballroom of the castle, the
Prince and Princess leading the dance, while
the rest of the retainers danced to their hearts 3
content in the great servants '-hall.
There were abundant refreshments for all,
and, having already slept so long (though they
did not know it), they danced till morning
without the least feeling of fatigue.
Before daybreak, riders on swift horses
were dispatched by the Prince, with orders not
to draw rein till they reached the palace, as he
53
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
knew that his father must already be full of
anxiety on his account. They also carried a
letter from him, with some lines added by the
Princess, telling the King of their great happi-
ness, and how joyfully they looked forward to
being with him before the day was over, when
they should have the pleasure of sharing their
happiness with him.
The King was no longer young, and since
the Queen's death, some years before, he had
often felt very lonely, so the news gave him
great pleasure.
He ordered such festivities as the short
interval permitted to celebrate the home-coming
of the newly married pair, and everyone hailed
the advent of a Princess with delight.
As the time when they were expected drew
near, the King stood in the doorway of the
palace, at the top of the wide marble steps,
while the attendants stood in a deep circle
round the court. When the royal couple rode
through the gateway, and the people caught
sight of the Princess, " Long live the Queen of
Beauty ! " echoed from every side.
54
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
The King had hastened down to welcome
them, and amid the acclamations he assisted
the Princess to dismount. He kissed her affec-
tionately on both cheeks, saying : " A daughter
needs no formal introduction to her father " ;
then, placing one of her hands in that of his son,
while he held the other, he led the way, and
all three ascended the steps together. Having
reached the doorway, they turned and stood to
acknowledge the cheers which greeted them.
Then the King raised his hand to speak, and
everyone was silent.
Turning to the Prince and Princess, he
said :
" My people ! I am old, and need rest.
To-day I resign my throne. There, before you,
stand your King and Queen ! He is as brave
as he is handsome ; she is as good as she is
beautiful ! "
Then a great shout rent the air :
" Long live our King and his beautiful
Queen ! "
55
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
THERE was once upon a time a widow
who had two daughters. The elder was
so much like her mother, both in appear-
ance and "in nature, that people used to say,
" If you see the one you see the other ; they
are exactly alike." And they were both so
proud, and disagreeable, and ill-natured, that
no one could bear them ; in fact, there was no
living with them at all.
The younger daughter, on the other hand,
was the very image of her dead father, being
courteous and sweet-tempered, and was also
one of the most beautiful maidens ever born.
Everyone sought her company and enjoyed
talking with her. Indeed, whenever she went
forth into the fields or into the forest it seemed
57
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
as if even the birds and the butterflies and the
little flowers were glad to see her. They flut-
tered and nodded, and circled about her head ;
the butterflies rested on her hands, and the
birds sang more sweetly than ever.
She was loved by everything in nature, with
the exception of her mother and sister, who
well-nigh hated her. They tormented her in
every possible way, and made her life so miser-
able, that at times she would shrink away,
weeping bitter tears, and say : " Oh ! I wish I
were dead ! '
She had to do all the heavy work; it was
always she who scoured the kitchen, cleaned the
hearth, did the cooking, washed the dishes ; in
fact, she scrubbed and polished all day long.
She was never allowed to come into the parlour,
nor to taste any of the nice dainties which she
had cooked ; all she got was potatoes, with now
and again a few beans, and the dry bread which
the others would not eat. At night she slept on
a mat in the garret, and in winter she was so
ill-provided with blankets that she often lay
shivering with cold.
58
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
Yet the little maid did not complain, and
performed willingly all the work that fell to
her lot. And whenever she felt specially tired
and sad a little white dove would suddenly
make its appearance, a little friend of hers from
the forest near by.
" Cooc-cooroo, cooc-cooroo, my dear ! ' the
dove would say, as it perched on the window-
sill of the kitchen. " Are you feeling doleful
again to-day ? Don't lose heart ; there will be
an end to all this by and by, and in the end you
are sure to be happy."
Then the little girl would think of her dead
father, who just before dying had taken her
hand in his and had said : " Dear child, remain
always good and lovable and patient, and think
often of me ; I shall be at your side." So, as
the little white dove always appeared just at the
time when she found her lot hardest to bear,
she could not but think that it was her father
who sent the dove to comfort her.
Perhaps the heaviest work among the poor
girl's many tasks was when twice a day she was
obliged to go and fetch water in a huge earthen-
59
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
ware pitcher. The well was right in the forest,
and nearly half an hour's walk from the house.
At times she felt so tired that she did not know
how she could ever carry the heavy pitcher
home ; many a time she had to sit down by the
way and take breath before she could totter on
again. And when at last, quite exhausted, she
did reach her home, she was most often scolded
by her mother or her sister for having taken so
long.
One day, as she was at the well with her
pitcher, a poor woman suddenly appeared,
hobbling along a footpath, and begged to be
allowed to drink from the pitcher. She said she
had walked a long way and was very thirsty.
" Oh, yes, with all my heart, ma'am ! ' ' the
girl answered, in her usual friendly manner;
and after drawing and throwing away two or
three pitcherfuls of water, in order to have it
as fresh as possible, she offered it to the old
dame, holding up the pitcher the while, that
she might drink more easily.
When the old woman had drunk and re-
freshed herself, she said to the little maid :
60
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
" You have been so kind, and friendly, and
mannerly to me that I cannot help presenting
you with a precious gift."
For you must know that this old dame was
a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor peasant
woman just to see how far the civility and good
manners of this pretty girl would go. "I will
bestow on you this gift," continued the fairy,
" that at every word you speak there shall come
out of your mouth either a flower or a jewel."
The maid was much abashed, and said that
she wanted no reward, and had done nothing
to deserve one, since nothing was more natural
than to offer a drink to an aged woman who
was thirsty.
But the fairy answered, with a laugh : " Yes,
it is just because you find it so natural that I
am presenting you with a gift. Out of good-
ness comes goodness it is always so."
The next moment the fairy had disappeared
in the thick underwood of the forest.
The little maid was much astonished, but
she took up her pitcher, filled it anew, and set
out for home.
61
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
When she got there her mother was stand-
ing at the door, waiting for her with a scowling
face. fe
" Well ! I thought you would never come
home ! You seem to make a holiday of these
trips to the well. Now I warn you that hence-
forth you must be back within half an hour,
and not idle away all your precious time."
" Oh ! Mother, I'm so sorry ; but this time
it wasn't entirely my fault that I was so long
in coming back, for . . ."
While she spoke these words there fell from
her mouth a succession of roses, pearls, and
diamonds.
" What is this ! " cried her mother in amaze-
ment. " I really do believe that these pearls
and diamonds are falling from her mouth !
How is this, my dear ? '
It was the first time in her life that she had
called her daughter * my dear.'
Then the little maid told her what had
occurred in the forest, by the well, and during
her narrative numbers of diamonds continued
to drop from her mouth.
62
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
" So ! " said the mother. " My elder daughter
Fanny must also go to the well."
" Fanny, Fanny ! ' she cried, " come here,
quick, and just look what drops out of your
sister's mouth at every word that she speaks !
Wouldn't it be splendid if you also could obtain
this gift ? It is quite easily done ; you have
only to go for water to the well, and when an
old woman appears and asks you for a drink
out of the pitcher you have only to offer it to
her."
" No, thanks ! Do you think I would go to
the well and carry that heavy pitcher with me ?
I would not think of it. I want no gifts, and I
am not going."
Then her mother got very angry with her,
and stamped her foot and threatened, and
ordered her to go that very minute.
Fanny had to go, grumbling and muttering,
but she would on no account carry the pitcher,
and took instead a silver tankard that usually
adorned the parlour.
While she was on her way to the well the
little white dove, which was perched on a high
63
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
branch among the trees, saw her go by, and
said : " Cooc-cooroo, cooc-cooroo ! Does her
mother really believe that precious gifts are to
be won in this way ? Nay, they must first be
earned by good deeds. First be earned, and
then . . . cooc-cooroo, cooc-cooroo, this one will
come to no good."
Fanny was no sooner at the well than she
saw coming out of the wood a lady most
gloriously dressed, who came up to her and
asked to be allowed to drink out of her tankard.
This was, you must know, the same fairy
who had appeared to her sister, but who had
now taken the appearance of a princess, to see
how far this girl's rudeness would go.
" Do you really believe," she answered
rudely, " that I have come here to give water
to all and sundry ? No, that was not my pur-
pose in bringing my fine silver tankard. If you
are thirsty, and want to drink, you may draw
water for yourself."
" You do not appear to be very mannerly or
obliging," answered the fairy, but without show-
ing the least aneer. " Well now, since you are
64
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
so disagreeable, I shall bestow on you this gift,
that at every word you speak a toad or a snake
shall drop from your mouth."
" Nay, she cannot do that," thought Fanny,
and without troubling herself further about the
fairy she took up her silver tankard and returned
home with it.
" Cooc-cooroo, cooc-cooroo" said the white
dove, " she does not understand that goodness
begets goodness, but that out of badness comes
nought but evil."
The mother was standing at the door,
impatiently awaiting her daughter's return.
She was quite sure that her favourite must
have received the same gift as her sister. To
tell the truth, she had always been jealous of
her younger daughter, and could not bear the
thought that the latter should possess a gift
that was not shared by the elder.
" Well, child ! ' she called out, as soon as
Fanny appeared, coming out of the forest ;
" well, how did it go with you ? '
" Why, how should it have gone ? " an-
swered Fanny - and at these words three
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
toads and three serpents dropped out of her
mouth !
" Oh, heavens ! what is this ? " cried her
mother, terribly alarmed and as pale as death.
Then, in a passion of anger, she shouted : " This
must be the work of that wretch, her sister ; but
she shall pay for it ! ' And picking up a heavy
stick she rushed forth to give her a beating.
The poor child fled as fast as she could run,
and hid in the thickest part of the forest, among
the dark underwood, where no one could see
her.
Trembling and quaking, she crouched there
for many hours on end. If her mother and
Fanny should find her, there was no more hope
for her in this world. And yet, she was in
no way to blame. How could her mother be
so cruel and unjust ? And the tears streamed
down her cheeks.
While she sat thus in hiding, she suddenly
heard the snorting of a horse close at hand, and
a moment later, peeping through a small open-
ing in the bushes, she saw a young rider appear
on a magnificent white steed. He bore a small
66
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
wounded hart in his arms, and appeared to be
continually whispering fond words to the little
animal.
The maid could not but look, her eyes wide
open with astonishment. Forgetting every-
thing else, she suddenly stood up, facing the
Prince on his horse.
The young man was startled when he so
unexpectedly saw the lovely maiden rise before
him, with her eyes full of wonder and still wet
with tears. Suddenly a great feeling of pity and
sympathy came upon him.
" Who are you ? ' he asked, " and whence
have you come ? And why are you so sad ? "
Then he dismounted, gently laid the wounded
hart among the cool grass, and taking her
hand looked at her fondly with his deep-blue
eyes.
To the maid it was as if suddenly the sun
was shining on her with all its genial warmth,
and she was thrilled with a new and unknown
feeling of great happiness.
" I have been driven from home by my
mother," she said, with a blush, " and have
67
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
taken refuge here." While she spoke these
words, seven pearls and seven diamonds fell
from her mouth.
The Prince saw this with inexpressible
surprise, and asked her where the pearls and
diamonds came from.
So the maid told him the whole story of her
life, from the time when her father had died.
She told him all that her father had said to her
before departing this life, the sad existence
which she had led with her mother and sister,
and the heavy work which she had been forced
to do ; she told him about the white dove that
always came to comfort her in her moments of
greatest sadness, about her meeting with the
fairy at the well, about the gift which had been
bestowed on her, about Fanny, at whose every
word a toad or a snake would now fall from her
mouth, and about her last moments at home,
when her mother had made ready to beat her
with a stick.
The Prince listened open-eyed to her narra-
tive, and loved her all the more, for this Prince,
being himself good and noble-hearted, under-
68
DIAMONDS AND TOADS
stood at once why the fairy had bestowed such
a gift on her.
So the Prince took her in his arms and set
her on his white horse. Then he lifted the
wounded hart, which he had found in the forest
by the side of a brook, and which he was taking
home in order to tend it, and he placed it in
front of her on the saddle. Then he took the
horse's bridle, and led it, bearing these two, to
his palace, where one and the other would need
no better physician than his kind heart.
" Cooc-cooroOy cooc-cooroo" said the little
white dove, " in the end you are sure to be
happy.' 3
And after the Prince had introduced the
maiden to his father the King as his bride-
elect, preparations were made right speedily for
the wedding.
Of the mother and her daughter Fanny
nothing more was ever heard. They died un-
loved and unregretted.
The Prince and his little wife devoted their
whole lives to relieving and comforting all
who were in distress or affliction within their
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
kingdom, and whenever, toward evening, they
took a walk in the forest to the spot where
they had first met, they were attended by a
lame deer, which must surely have been a
great favourite with them both.
PUSS IN BOOTS
ONCE upon a time there was an aged
miller who, when dying, left his pro-
perty to his three sons, all he had being
his mill, his donkey, and his cat.
An equal division of these was, of course,
impossible, and to call in lawyers to try to do
it w r ould have eaten up the little there was, so
the brothers wisely agreed that each should take
a share as it stood, and make the best of it.
The eldest son, therefore, got the mill, the
second got the donkey, and only the cat was
left for the youngest.
Very naturally he was grieved that his share
was so small, and it puzzled him much to know
what to do with it.
" My brothers," said he to himself, " can
71
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
earn quite a decent living by working together
the one can grind the corn, and the other can
carry it away in sacks when ground, but, as for
me, even if I were to eat my cat and wear its
skin, I might die of hunger afterward."
This speech made Puss, who was near, feel
rather creepy, but he acted as if he had not
overheard it, for he loved his master, who had
always been kind to him, leaving him little bits
of fish on the fish-bones he gave him, and letting
him lie on his knee by the fire in the winter
evenings.
With his tail in the air, he came forward and
rubbed himself against his master's legs, purring
his loudest to gain his attention ; then, as the
young man stooped to stroke him, Puss looked
up in his face and said cheerily :
"Do not lose heart, sir; just give me a bag
with draw-strings and a pair of high boots to
tramp through the briers with, and perhaps you
will find that a cat may be worth more to you
than both a mill and a donkey ! '
His master did not build his hopes too high
on hearing this speech, but he had often seen his
72
PUSS IN BOOTS
cat's agility and cleverness in tricking the rats
and mice hanging head downward, as if dead,
lying quite motionless among the meal, and such-
like so he did not quite despair of being helped
a little by Puss in his dire poverty.
When the cat had got the things he asked for,
he proudly drew on his boots, slung the bag
round his neck, put a handful of bran and some
lettuce leaves in it, took the strings in his fore-
paws, and went straight to one of the King's
rabbit-warrens.
There he lay flat on the ground behind the
bag, which he held open in front of him, and
never moved till an unsuspecting young rabbit,
smelling a good meal, crept into it. In a moment
the strings were drawn tight bunny was caught
and killed. Another was enticed in the same
way, and met the same fate.
Greatly pleased with his ' bag,' Puss set off
for the palace, and asked to be allowed to speak
to the King.
He was taken to his Majesty's apartment,
where he made a low bow to the King, and
said :
73
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Here, sir, is a pair of rabbits from the
warrens of my lord, the Marquis of Carabas
[this was the title he gave his master]. He has
sent me to offer them to you, with his humble
compliments."
" Tell your master from me," said the King,
" that I thank him, and am pleased to accept
his present."
On another occasion Puss went to hide in a
field of wheat, his bag wide open as usual, and
two unwary partridges ran into it. These he
also went to present to the King, who was again
graciously pleased to receive them, and told his
purser to give Puss some money for his trouble.
The cat continued to act in this way for
several months, every few days carrying game
to the King, and you may be sure that he kept
his master well supplied also.
Hearing from the servants at the palace one
day that the King and his daughter, the most
beautiful Princess in the world, were to take
their drive along the road by the river, he said
to his master :
" If you will take my advice, your fortune is
74
PUSS IN BOOTS
made. You have only to go and bathe in the
river, at the spot I shall show you, and leave
the rest to me."
The young man did as his cat advised,
though indeed he couldn't see what good it
would do him.
Just as he was bathing the royal carriage
passed, and the cat began to shout wildly :
" Help ! help ! the lord Marquis of Carabas
is drowning ! '
Hearing the cry, the King put his head out
of the carriage-window, recognized the cat that
brought him game so often, and at once
ordered his guards to go to the assistance of
his lordship the Marquis of Carabas.
Puss, in the meantime, had hidden his
master's clothes under a heap of stones, and
while the guards were helping our marquis out of
the river, his cat, in a state of great excitement,
ran toward the royal carriage and told the King
that while his master, the marquis, was bathing,
thieves had stolen his clothes and run off with
them, though he had shouted " Stop thief !
stop thief ! " at the top of his voice. Wherefore,
75
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
though his master's life was saved, he had no
clothes to put on.
His Majesty was greatly concerned to hear
of the plight of the poor marquis, and he ordered
two of his equerries to ride back post-haste to
the palace, to fetch from the royal wardrobe
the finest clothes they could find for his
lordship.
A grand suit was soon brought and handed
to the cat, who hastened with it to his master,
and having helped him to dress in it, Puss
conducted him to the royal carriage, to pay his
grateful respects to the King and to thank his
Majesty for such timely help.
The miller's son, being healthy and well-
built, was a good-looking young fellow at all
times, but now, in his magnificent court dress,
he looked so stately that few, if any, of the young
nobles could compare with him.
The King, who had never seen the marquis
till that day, was much struck with his handsome
appearance.
He embraced him again and again, then
presented him to his daughter, who had been
76
PUSS IN BOOTS
watching the fine-looking young stranger with
secret admiration.
His Majesty insisted that our marquis should
join the royal party in their drive, and gave
him the seat next to himself in the coach.
During the drive, while her father was
talking to the marquis, the Princess could not
help noticing the frequent glances of respectful
admiration which his lordship of Carabas be-
stowed upon her, and before the drive was
ended she had fallen deeply in love with him.
The cat, overjoyed to see his plans succeed-
ing so well, now went on in front of the party,
taking short cuts wherever there was a bend
in the road to keep ahead of the carriage.
Coming to some peasants who were mowing
in a meadow by the roadside, he called to them :
" Listen, my good folk : the King is coming
this way, and may ask you whose hay you are
mowing. If he does, you must say it all belongs
to his lordship the Marquis of Carabas. If you
fail to say this, I shall have you all chopped into
mince-meat. :
As expected, the King stopped the carriage,
77
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
when it reached the meadow, that he might ask
the peasants who was the owner of the hay
they were cutting.
" It all belongs to his lordship the Marquis
of Carabas," they shouted with one voice, re-
membering the cat's dreadful threat.
" That is a fine bit of meadow-land," said
the King, turning to the marquis. " Yes, sire,"
he replied, " it yields a very heavy crop every
year."
Master Puss, who always kept well ahead,
next came to a band of reapers. " My good
men," shouted he, " if you do not tell the King,
who will pass shortly, that all the corn you are
reaping belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, I
shall have you all chopped into mince-meat."
The King, who passed shortly after, in-
quired to whom those splendid fields of wheat
belonged.
" They belong to the Marquis of Carabas,"
they all shouted together, and the King again
congratulated the marquis.
The cat, who kept well on in front, gave the
same directions to everyone whom he met, and
PUSS IN BOOTS
as one and all were too terrified to disobey, the
King was astonished at the great possessions of
his new friend, the Marquis of Carabas.
Finally the cat came to a grand castle, and,
on inquiry, he found that it and all the country
through which they had driven belonged to an
ogre, whose wealth was uncountable.
From the servants Puss found out all he
could about this Ogre, his riches, his power,
his ferocity, and the many wonderful things he
could do.
Then, saying he did not like to pass the
castle without paying his respects to such a
great person, he asked to see him.
The Ogre received the cat as politely as an
ogre knows how to do, and asked him to rest a
little while, and, if he had time, to stay to lunch
with some friends whom he was expecting in
a quarter of an hour.
The cat asked nothing better than the chance
thus offered for carrying out his own plans.
" People tell me very wonderful things about
your Highness," said the cat. " They even say
that you can change your form when you like,
79
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
and that you can turn yourself into a lion or an
elephant at will. Is it so, really ? '
" Certainly ! " said the Ogre sharply. cc And
to satisfy you on that point I shall change
myself into a lion." Which he did there and
then.
No sooner did he see the lion before him
than Puss jumped out of the window in terror,
and, fearing pursuit, climbed up the gutter to
the roof, not without both danger and difficulty,
the boots being sadly in his way. These,
though good for tramping over briers, were
useless for clinging to slanting tiles.
When the Ogre had resumed his own form,
Puss clambered down and re-entered by the
window, frankly confessing that he had been
dreadfully afraid.
" That was a feat ! " said the cat again ;
" but I have been told you can do a more
wonderful one still. Is it true that you, who
are so very big, can turn yourself as easily
into quite a small animal like a rat or even a
mouse? To my mind that would be quite
impossible ! 3
So
PAYS K'l -I'l CTS I" I II! <>(,KI
PUSS IN BOOTS
" Impossible ! : cried the Ogre scornfully.
" You shall see ! 3 A tiny mouse began to play
on the floor ! In a twinkling it was caught and
eaten by the cat.
The royal party, by this time, had reached
the castle, and the King made up his mind to
call on the owner.
Puss heard the sound of the carriage on the
drawbridge, and quickly went down to meet it.
As it came through the gates, he made a sweep-
ing bow to the King and said :
" Let me welcome your Majesty to the castle
of his lordship the Marquis of Carabas."
" What ! my lord Marquis," said the King,
" this castle also is yours ? Why, nothing
could possibly be finer than this spacious court-
yard and the noble buildings which surround
it ! Let us see the interior, if you please."
The marquis gave his hand to the Princess
to help her to alight, and they followed the
King into the castle.
They entered the stately dining-hall, where
they found the feast prepared for the Ogre's
friends, who arrived at that moment, but who
81
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
dared not go in when they heard that the King
was there.
The servants, to whom the cat had given
the hint, quickly helped the marquis and his
royal guests to all the good things on the
table savoury dishes, rich cakes, delicious
ices, and the finest old wines from the Ogre's
cellars.
The King and his daughter were not only
charmed with the amiability and good looks of
the marquis, but were also delighted to know
of his wealth and great estates.
After having refreshed himself with a few
glasses of wine, the King turned to his host and
said : " My dear Marquis of Carabas, if you
do not become my son-in-law, you will have
yourself to blame ! '
Our marquis rose and bowed low to the
King, then turned to the Princess and, lay-
ing his hand on his heart, dropped on one
knee before her.
With a pretty blush on her cheeks, the
Princess got up from her seat, and holding out
her hand, made him rise, and led him to her
82
PUSS IN BOOTS
father, the King, who gave orders that their
marriage should take place immediately.
Master Puss had been peeping and listening
by the slightly open door of the room, hardly
able to keep from mewing aloud with delight
when he saw the turn things were taking ; but
now, when his hopes were crowned, he could
hold himself no longer, and turned Catherine-
wheels from the top of the grand stair to the
bottom in his joy.
The marriage was celebrated with great
pomp and festivity, and the Marquis of Carabas
and his bride lived happily to a good old age
in the magnificent castle which had belonged
to the Ogre.
The servants were delighted to have such a
kind master and gentle mistress, for they had
only served the Ogre from fear of what he might
do to them.
The cat was made a great noble, and had
part of the castle set apart for his own use.
Needless to say he never again had to
catch rats or mice, except for the pleasure of
having a day's hunting !
83
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
A VERY wealthy merchant was left, at his
wife's death, with a family of three sons
and three daughters.
As he was a highly intelligent man, he deter-
mined to give his children the best education that
money could procure for them, and he spared no
expense to engage the very best masters to teach
them.
The three daughters were exceedingly hand-
some both in face and person, but the youngest
was especially admired for the sweetness of her
countenance. When she was only a very little
girl everyone called her the beauty of the family,
and as she grew up the name was still used, and all
friends addressed her as " My Beauty," to the dis-
gust of her elder sisters, who were jealous of her.
85
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
Beauty was not only prettier than her sisters
but she had a very much finer character, being
good-tempered, gentle-mannered, obliging, and
considerate.
The sisters, on the contrary, were haughty and
purse-proud. They liked to imagine themselves
great ladies, and they despised the daughters of
the other merchants, refusing to visit them or to
receive their visits. They spent all their time
driving in the park or going to balls and theatres,
and they amused themselves by making game of
their younger sister because she spent her leisure
painting, studying her music, or reading the works
of the best authors.
As everyone knew of their great wealth, these
young ladies had many suitors from among the
families of the other rich merchants, but when
these gentlemen asked them in marriage, the two
sisters replied contemptuously that no one less
than a duke, or at the very least an earl, need
take the trouble to propose to them. When any
gentleman proposed marriage to Beauty, she
thanked him politely for the honour he did her,
but told him she was too young to marry, and
86
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
wished to stay at home to cheer her father for
some years yet.
Quite suddenly the merchant lost the whole of
his great fortune, and all he had left was a few
acres of land with a small cottage on it, quite far
away in the country.
Almost broken-hearted, he called his children
together and told them of the calamity, and that
they must prepare to leave town and accompany
him to the cottage, where, by industry and hard
work, they would be able to live plainly, like the
peasants, and pay their way honestly.
The two elder daughters laughed scornfully
at the idea of living in such a place, and replied
that they had lovers enough desirous of marrying
them for their beauty, even if they had not a penny.
They were woefully disappointed, however, for
these very lovers refused to look at them now that
they were poor. As they had always been so dis-
dainful in their treatment of their neighbours, no
one was sorry for them.
" They do not deserve to be pitied. It is a
good thing to know their pride is humbled," was
all one heard, but with regard to the youngest
8?
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
sister it was quite different, and on all sides one
heard :
" Oh ! how sorry we are for poor Beauty she
was always so gentle and kind, and she was so
polite when she spoke to us ! "
There were even several gentlemen who came,
now when she had not a farthing, to ask if she
would marry them ; but while she thanked them
from her heart, she told them that she could not
leave her father in his misfortune, but would go
with him to the country, where she would grudge
no trouble to try to make him comfortable, and to
help him all she could in his work.
Poor Beauty had certainly been grieved by the
loss of their wealth it could not have been other-
wise; but when she felt inclined to cry over it,
she said to herself :
" Why should I cry ? An ocean of tears would
not mend matters. I must try and be happy
without riches, like the people I see round about
me."
When they were settled in their country cottage,
the merchant and his three sons set to work to
dig and cultivate their land. Beauty rose at four
88
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
o'clock every morning and busied herself cleaning
the house and preparing and cooking food for the
family.
At first she found it all very difficult, but
it gradually became easier, and at the end of a
few months she did not think it a trouble at all.
Also, she was very much stronger air and exer-
cise had given her perfect health, so that she
became more beautiful than ever. When she
had finished her household tasks she read,
played on the harpsichord, or sang to herself
while spinning.
Her two sisters, on the contrary, were bored
to death with their surroundings. They did not
get out of bed till ten o'clock, and spent their time
wandering aimlessly about, talking to each other
about their former grandeur, and regretting their
fine clothes and gay companions. They twitted
their sister with being mean and poor-spirited
because she was contented in her poverty. Their
father did not think as they did. He knew that
Beauty was better fitted than they were to shine
in a high position. He greatly admired the charac-
ter of his youngest daughter, and especially her
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
gentle patience with her sisters, who not only left
all the housework for her to do, but constantly
insulted her while she was doing it.
When the family had lived about a year at the
cottage, the merchant got a letter informing him
that a ship in which he had valuable cargo had
just arrived safely in port. The two elder girls
nearly lost their heads with joy at the news,
thinking that now they would be able to leave the
cottage where time had hung so heavy on their
hands, and when their father was ready to start
upon the journey which he must make to town,
they gave him a list of the dresses, mantles, and
hats that he was to bring them. Beauty asked for
nothing, thinking to herself that the price of the
cargo would hardly pay for all the things her
sisters had asked.
" Do you not want me to bring you any-
thing ? " said her father.
" Oh ! thank you ! " said Beauty. " I should
be so glad to have a rose, if you can get one, for
there are none in our little garden."
It was not really that Beauty wanted a rose so
much, but she did not want to look superior to
90
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
her sisters for fear of hurting their feelings, and
she knew a rose would not cost much.
The good father set off with hope in his heart,
but when he arrived in town someone brought
a lawsuit against him, and though he won his
case, it took all the money he had received to pay
the lawyers, so that after all his trouble he had
to return home as poor as when he went away,
and very much sadder. But he comforted himself
with the thought that he would soon be among
his own family again, and urged his horse on as
quickly as it could go.
When he was only thirty miles from home it
began to snow heavily, so that he could only see
a few yards before him. The road lay through a
large forest, with many paths branching in different
directions. He took a wrong turning and soon
found himself completely lost. The wind had
risen to a furious gale, and he was twice blown off
his horse. Then darkness came down, and the
thought of spending the night in the forest, with
the wolves already howling in the distance, filled
him with dismay. Also he was stiff with cold and
very hungry. Leading his tired horse he almost
91
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
groped his way, but he felt safer on foot, as the
swaying branches were too high to hurt him. All
of a sudden he saw a distant light and going in
its direction soon found himself in a long avenue,
at the end of which were many lights. Thanking
God for such a deliverance, he mounted his horse.
The intelligent animal also saw the lights and
needed no urging to gallop toward them. They
came from the windows of a great castle, but
though it was illuminated as if for a feast, there
was no sign or sound of Life anywhere around it.
From the court they could see the open door
of a great stable, toward which the horse turned
of its own accord, and, rinding both corn and hay
there, the tired, hungry animal attacked them
without hesitation and made a good meal.
The merchant tied him up for the night and
turned toward the house, but no one was to be
seen. He entered the open door and found him-
self in a great dining-hall, with a good fire blazing
on the hearth, and a fine dinner already on the
table, but with only one cover laid. As he was
wet to the skin, he stood up before the fire, saying
to himself:
92
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
" Both master and servants will pardon me,
under the circumstances, and no doubt they will
soon be here."
He waited long, but no one came, and when
the clock struck eleven o'clock he could resist no
longer, for he was faint with hunger, so he took
some chicken from a dish and ate it greedily, but
trembling with fear of the consequences. As no
one came, he filled a glass of wine for himself and
drank it off, then another, and another. His
courage returned, he went from the dining-hall,
through one splendid apartment after another,
all magnificently furnished, and soon found him-
self in a beautiful bedroom, evidently prepared
for a guest, and as it was past midnight, and he
was greatly fatigued, he made up his mind to lock
the door of the room and go to be j.
He did not wake till ten o'clock next morning,
and the first thing his eye fell on was a fine new
suit of clothes laid where his wet, muddy garments
had been the night before.
" Surely," said he to himself, " this palace
must belong to some good fairy, who has taken
pity on me in my misery."
93
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
He rose and looked out of the window. The
snow was all gone, and under a bright sun lawns
of velvety grass, avenues of shady trees, and
arbours of roses, with fountains and flowers,
enchanted the eye.
He dressed and went down to the great hall
where he had supped the previous night, and
there, on a small table, was a cup of delicious
chocolate and some crisp toast.
" Thank you, my lady fairy," said he, " for
having had the goodness to think of my breakfast."
When he had taken his chocolate, the good
man went out to the stable for his horse, and, as
he passed under a bower of roses, Beauty's request
came to his mind, so he broke off a branch which
had several roses on it. As he did so, a sudden
fearful sound arose, and, looking round, he saw
coming toward him a beast so horrible in appear-
ance that he almost fainted.
" Monster of ingratitude ! " said the Beast in
a terrible voice. " I saved your life by receiving
you into my castle, and, for my thanks, you rob
me of my roses, which I love above all else in the
world ! Your life is the price you must pay for
94
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
such a deed. I give you one quarter of an hour
to prepare for your death ! '
The merchant, clasping his hands, threw him-
self on his knees before the monster and cried :
"Pardon me, my lord, I did not dream of
offending you. I was only gathering a rose for
one of my daughters who had asked me to take
her one."
" I am not called ' my lord,' but ' the Beast.' "
replied the odious creature. " I hate compli-
ments, and only wish people to say what they
really think, so you need not try to make me
change my mind by your flatteries.
" You say, however, that you have daughters,
so if one of them will come, of her own free will,
to die in your stead, I am willing to pardon you
no arguing ! I have told you my will off with
you ! And if none of your daughters will die for
you, give me your oath that you will return your-
self three months from this day."
The good man had no intention of letting any
one of his daughters sacrifice herself for him,
but he saw the opportunity of seeing his family
once more, and of bidding them farewell, so he
95
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
promised, and the Beast told him he was free to
go at any hour that suited him, adding :
" I do not wish you, however, to leave my
house empty-handed. Go back to the room you
slept in. There you will see a large empty chest.
You may fill it with whatever you see around you,
and I shall see that it is taken to your cottage."
Then the Beast disappeared.
The merchant consoled himself a little by
thinking that, if he had to die, he would now be
able to provide his children with something to
help them to live, so he returned to the bedroom.
Looking around him, he discovered quite a heap
of gold coins lying on the floor. With these he
quickly filled the chest and locked it ; then, taking
his horse from the stable, he remounted, and left
the palace with a very heavy heart.
The horse, of its own accord, took the shortest
way to the cottage, where they arrived in a few
hours.
On his arrival the family crowded round him,
kissing him and welcoming him home, but instead
of returning their caresses he burst into tears.
He held the rose branch in his hand, and when
96
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
he could speak he turned to his daughter, and
gave it to her, saying :
"My Beauty, take the roses they are going
to cost your unfortunate father very dear ! '
Then he told his family the dire strait in which
he found himself.
On hearing his story 7 , the two elder daughters
uttered piercing shrieks, and heaped insults and
bad names on poor Beauty, who did not shed a
tear.
" Only think what the pride of that small
creature has brought about ! ' said they. " Why
could she not ask for useful garments, like us ?
But no ! the young lady wished to distinguish
herself. Look, she does not even cry for causing
the death of her father ! "
" That would be a very useless thing to do,"
said Beauty. " Why should I weep for my father's
death ? He shall not die ! Since the monster is
willing to accept one of his daughters in his place,
I shall give myself up to it, and shall be proud if
by the sacrifice of my life I can save that of my
dear father."
" No ! my dear sister," cried the three brothers,
97
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
with one voice . " We shall go and find this monster,
and we shall kill him or perish ourselves."
" Do not indulge in such hopes," said the
merchant. "The power of this Beast is so great
that I have no hope of anyone being able to kill
him. I am charmed with the kind heart of my
Beauty, but I cannot let her risk her life. I am
old, and, at best, could only live a few years
longer. I have nothing to regret but leaving
you alone, my dear children."
"I assure you, dearest Father," said Beauty,
" that you shall not go to the Beast's palace with-
out me. You could not possibly hinder me from
following you. Although I am young, life has
no great attractions for me, and I prefer being
devoured by the monster to dying of grief for the
loss of my father."
It was useless to try to dissuade her. Beauty
was quite determined to go with her father when
the time should come for him to return to the
palace, and the jealous sisters could hardly hide
their pleasure at her decision.
The merchant was so grieved at the thought
of perhaps losing his favourite daughter that
98
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
he quite forgot to speak of the chest of gold
coins which the Beast had promised to send,
but on going to bed he found it there at his
bedside.
He made up his mind not to tell his two elder
daughters about it, as he felt sure they would want
to go back to their extravagant life in town, and
he had determined to spend what of his life might
still be before him in the country. He, however,
confided the secret to Beauty, who at once
remembered to tell him that during his absence
two gentlemen who had made their acquaintance
had fallen in love with her sisters, and, in the
goodness of her heart, she advised her father to
use a great part of the money in getting them
married and comfortably provided for. The sweet-
tempered girl cherished no resentment against
them for their daily unkindness to her. She
wanted to see them happy.
When the sisters saw Beauty ready to start with
her father, at the date fixed, they rubbed their
eyelids with an onion to make them look as if
they were weeping; but the brothers, as well as
their father, wept in earnest, not knowing what
99
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
might happen. Beauty alone did not cry, for she
did not wish to add to their grief.
They set off on horseback. Beauty riding on a
pillion behind her father. The horse took the
road to the palace without being guided, and they
arrived in the evening, finding the whole place
brilliantly lighted as before. They alighted at the
entrance. The horse went to the stable, while the
father and daughter entered the dining-hall, where
they found a magnificently spread table, with
covers for two. The merchant was too sad to
care to eat, but Beauty made a great effort not to
seem afraid, and sitting down, began to help him
to the different dishes which he preferred. While
they were eating, Beauty remarked to herself :
" The Beast must wish to fatten me before
eating me, as he has provided such a feast."
Just when they had finished their supper they
heard a strange noise, and the merchant, feeling
sure it was the Beast, bade his daughter adieu,
weeping bitterly.
Beauty could not help shuddering when she
saw the horrible face of the frightful creature, but
she made a brave effort to overcome her fear, and
100
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
when the monster asked her if it was really of her
own free will that she had come, although she
was trembling from head to foot she answered,
" Yes."
" You are a good girl, and I am much obliged
to you," said the Beast; then he turned to the
father and said :
" Good man, leave this palace to-morrow
morning, and do not take it into your head to
return.
" Good night, my Beauty."
" Good night, Beast," the maiden replied, and
the Beast withdrew.
" Oh, my child," said the merchant, embracing
his daughter, cc I am half dead already with horror.
Hear me ! Let me stay."
" No, dear Father," said she firmly ; " you will
go home to-morrow, and you will leave me to
the care of kind Providence, who will perhaps
take pity on me."
They parted to go to their bedrooms ; neither
of them expected to sleep that night, but their
heads were no sooner on their pillows than they
fell into a deep slumber.
101
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
During her sleep. Beauty dreamt she saw a
lady, who said to her :
" Beauty, I am charmed with your tenderness
of heart. Your kind action in giving your life to
save your father's will not go unrewarded."
In the morning Beauty told the dream to her
father, and it comforted him a little, but it did
not keep him from crying aloud in his distress
when the moment came for parting with his
beloved daughter.
When he was out of sight, Beauty could not
help throwing herself on a couch and sobbing
as if her heart would break. This relieved her
feelings, and, being of a brave nature^ she sat up,
commended herself to the care of God, and though
she quite expected to be eaten by the Beast that
evening, she resolved not to waste the few last
hours of her life by meeting her trouble half-
way.
She therefore took a wall?: through the lovely
grounds, and then began to explore the interior
of the castle. She could not help admiring the
magnificent decorations and priceless tapestries,
as well as the costly furniture.
102
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
She came to a door on which was written :
BEAUTY'S BOUDOIR
Extremely surprised, she quickly opened the
door, and was dazzled by the brilliance of her
surroundings every comfort and luxury she
could desire was there.
One of the first things that caught her eye
was an exquisite bookcase, filled with handsome
editions of her favourite books, and near it was a
harpsichord with an abundance of music.
" The Beast does not want me to weary," said
she in a low voice; then she thought to herself,
" If I had only one day to live, he would surely
not have provided so much for my entertainment."
This thought gave her courage. She opened the
bookcase, and took out a volume with a very long
title in gold letters ; it was this :
Desire. Command.
You are Lady and Mistress here.
" Alas ! ' thought she, with a sigh, " I desire
nothing but to see my poor father, and to know
what he is doing just now."
She laid down the book without speaking a
103
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
word. Judge then of her surprise when, in a
great mirror on the opposite wall, she saw the
cottage where her father was just arriving, broken
down with grief. Her sisters came out to meet
him, pretending to be sorry, but, in spite of their
false grimaces, joy was visible in their eyes to see
him returning without her. Then it all dis-
appeared, and, standing there, she could not help
thinking how considerate and kind the Beast
seemed to have been in trying to make her happy,
and in her heart she felt she need not be so much
afraid of him.
At noon an excellent dinner was on the table,
and while she was eating she listened to a fine band
playing lovely music, but no one was visible.
In the evening, as she sat down to supper, she
heard the peculiar noise made by the Beast, and
she could not help trembling violently when he
appeared.
" Beauty," said the monster, " are you willing
to let me look at you while you sup ? '
"You are master here," said Beauty, in a
tremulous voice.
" No ! ' replied the Beast, " you alone are
104
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
mistress here. You have only to bid me go away
if my presence annoys you and I shall go at once.
Tell me frankly do you not think me extremely
ugly ? "
" I do indeed," said Beauty, " for I cannot tell
an untruth, but I think you are very kind."
" You are right," said the monster, " but
besides being ugly, I am very stupid. I know
quite well that I am only a fool."
" No one is really stupid who thinks he is not
clever. No fool ever considers himself one."
" Enjoy your supper, then. Beauty," said the
monster, " and try not to feel weary in your own
house, for all you see is yours, and it would grieve
me much to see you unhappy."
" You are very kind," said Beauty, " and your
goodness of heart gives me great pleasure. In-
deed, when I think how good you are, I do not
seem to see you so ugly."
" Oh ! for that part," said the Beast, " my heart
is tender enough, but it does not hinder me from
being a monster."
" There are many men far worse monsters
than you are," said Beauty, " and I prefer you
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
with the face you have to many men I have met,
who, behind a handsome face, hide a false, bad
heart."
" If I had wit enough I should pay you a great
compliment to thank you for the pleasure your
words give me," said the Beast, " but, being so
stupid, all I can say is that I am greatly obliged
to you."
Beauty took a hearty supper, and quite forgot
her fear of the Beast, but she was again in
an agony of terror when he suddenly said
to her :
" Beauty, will you be my wife ? '
It was some time before she could find words
to reply, but at last she answered simply :
" No, Beast."
At this the poor monster heaved a dreadful
sigh, which seemed more like a shriek, and the
whole palace shook with the sound. Beauty
thought her last hour had come. The Beast,
however, only said gently : " Good night, then,
Beauty," and went slowly to the door, turning
his head from time to time to look wistfully at
her as he went.
106
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Left alone, Beauty felt a great wave of pity
rising within her.
" What a pity it is that he is so ugly ! ' said
she. " He is so very good and kind ! '
Three months passed thus in the palace, with-
out any special event. Every evening Beauty
received a visit from the Beast, who did his best
to entertain her during supper with his simple
talk, which never lacked good sense, but which
was far from being what is called, in society,
brilliant conversation. Every day Beauty noticed
some new token of the goodness which lay below
the repulsive outward appearance of the monster.
She was becoming accustomed to his ugliness,
and instead of dreading his visits she often found
herself looking at her watch as nine o'clock drew
near, for that was the hour when he made his
appearance. There was only one thing which
really distressed her. It was that the monster,
before leaving her, never failed to ask her if she
would become his wife, and never seemed less
pained at her refusal.
One evening, Beauty said to him :
"Beast, you grieve me greatly. I only wish
107
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
I could bring myself to marry you, but I am too
sincere to pretend to you that I can ever do so.
I shall always be your friend will you not try to
be contented with that ? "
" I suppose I must/' said the Beast. " I can
judge justly, and I know how horribly ugly I am,
only I love you greatly. I ought to be very thank-
ful that you are willing to remain here to keep me
company. Promise me, I entreat you, that you
will never leave me."
Beauty blushed deeply at these words. That
afternoon she had seen in her mirror that her
father was very ill from his grief at losing her, and
she wished greatly to visit him, and reassure him.
" I could readily promise," said she, " never
to leave you altogether, but I wish so much to see
my father again that I shall die of grief if I may
not do so."
" I would rather die myself than grieve you,"
said the monster. " I shall send you home to your
father, you will stay there, and your poor Beast
will die of grief."
" Oh, no ! " said Beauty, weeping. " I love
you too much to wish to cause your death. I
108
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
promise you to return in eight days. You have
enabled me to see that my sisters are both married,
and that my brothers have joined the army. My
father is quite alone. Let me stay with him for
a week, I beg of you."
" You shall be there to-morrow morning,"
said the Beast, " but do remember your promise.
When you are ready to return, you have only to
lay your ring on the table when you go to bed.
Good-bye, Beauty."
The Beast sighed, in his usual fearful way,
when he said these words, and Beauty went to
bed, much grieved at having hurt him. She
awoke next morning in her father's house. She
rang a bell which was on the table by the side of
her bed, and it was answered by the servant-maid,
who gave a great cry of astonishment when she
saw her. The father went quickly upstairs to
know what had happened, and was beside himself
with joy when he saw his dear daughter. He
clasped her in his arms and they embraced each
other long and tenderly.
When she got up to dress, Beauty remembered
that she had no clothes to put on, but the maid
109
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
told her that she had just found a chest in the next
room, and on opening it she saw it was filled with
magnificent robes of costly materials, trimmed
with gold lace and embroidered with jewels, and
Beauty felt most grateful to the kind Beast for his
attentions. She chose the plainest of these beauti-
ful dresses ; then she asked the maid to lock the
chest, as she wished to give the others to her
sisters, but she had hardly said the words when
the chest disappeared. Her father said it looked
as if the Beast only intended the dresses for herself,
and at these words the chest was again in its place.
While Beauty was dressing, word of her arrival
was sent to her sisters, who appeared soon after
with their husbands. Both of them were miser-
ably unhappy. One had married a man who was
exceedingly handsome, but who was so vain that
he thought of nothing but his own good looks,
and took no notice whatever of his wife. The
other had married a man who was extraordinarily
clever, but the only use he made of his brains
was to utter sarcastic remarks to everyone, and
particularly to his wife.
These sisters were very envious when they saw
no
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Beauty looking prettier than ever and dressed like
a princess. In vain she kissed and fondled them ;
they could not hide their jealousy, which increased
as they saw how happy she was. They both went
into the garden to vent their spite, and to complain
to each other.
" Why," said they, " is that creature so much
happier than we? Are we not as deserving of
happiness as she is ? '
" Sister," said the eldest, " I have an idea ;
let us persuade her to overstay her time. Her
stupid Beast will be enraged with her for not
keeping her word, and probably he will devour
her."
" What a clever plan ! " said the other. " We
must pretend to be very fond of her and make
a great fuss about her."
With this wicked thought in their minds they
went back into the cottage, and were so very loving
in their speech and manner that poor Beauty
almost wept for joy. At the end of the eight days,
they made such a show of grief, tearing their hair
and wringing their hands, that Beauty consented
to stay another week, not without being very
in
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
sorry for the disappointment she was causing her
poor Beast, whom she had grown so fond of, and
whom she was longing to see again. On the
tenth night of her visit, she dreamt she was in the
palace garden, where she saw the Beast lying prone
upon the grass, dying, and reproaching her for her
ingratitude. She awoke with a start; then she
began to weep.
" How wicked I am ! ' she said to herself.
" How could I grieve the poor Beast who has been
so good to me ? Is it his fault that he is ugly and
not clever ? He is good, and that is worth more
than cleverness or good looks. Why could I not
marry him? I should have been much happier
with him than my sisters are with their husbands.
It is neither the good looks nor the cleverness of
her husband that can make a woman happy ; it is
kindness of heart, uprightness, and readiness to
oblige, and my poor Beast has all these good
qualities. I may not be in love with him, but my
heart is full of respect, friendship, and gratitude
whenever I think of him. Come ! I must not
make him unhappy. I should reproach myself
all my life if I did."
112
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Beauty got up, put her ring on the table, and
went back to bed. She quickly fell asleep, and
when she awoke next morning she was pleased to
find herself back in the palace of the Beast. She
dressed herself magnificently to give him pleasure,
and found the day pass all too slowly, waiting for
nine o'clock. At last the hour struck, but the
Beast did not make his appearance.
Beauty was greatly alarmed, fearing lest she
had caused his death. She ran from room to
room, calling him loudly, but she got no answer.
She was almost in despair when she suddenly
remembered her dream. Quick as thought, she
turned and ran toward the garden. There, on
the very spot she had seen in her sleep, lay her
poor Beast, prone on the grass near the brook,
quite unconscious and apparently dead. In an
agony of grief she threw herself down over his
4
body, without any sense of horror ; then, finding
that his heart was still beating, she brought water
from the stream and bathed his temples. This
revived him a little, and at length he opened his
eyes.
After a little, the Beast found strength to speak
113 H
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" You forgot your promise," said he, gazing at
Beauty. " My grief at losing you was so great that
I determined to starve myself to death, but I shall
die happy now that I have had the great pleasure
of seeing you again."
" No, my dear Beast, you shall not die," cried
Beauty. " You must live to become my husband.
From this moment I am yours. I imagined I had
no stronger feeling for you than friendship, but
now I know that I cannot live without you."
Just as Beauty finished this speech, the whole
palace was brilliantly illuminated, while fireworks
and music showed that some great event was being
celebrated. Beauty looked up for a moment, but
immediately turned again toward her dear Beast,
for whose life she trembled. But where was he ?
What did it all mean ? At her feet knelt a young
Prince, handsome as Adonis, who was gratefully
thanking her for having broken the spell of his
enchantment. Although this Prince well deserved
her attention, she quickly asked him :
" Where is my Beast ? "
"You see him at your feet," was the reply.
" A wicked fairy had condemned me to remain in
114
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
that dreadful form till a beautiful young lady
should, of her own free will, consent to many me,
and I was strictly forbidden to show my intelli-
gence. You alone of all those I have met were
touched by my kindness of disposition in spite of
my forbidding appearance, and in offering you my
crown and my heart I do not pretend to be able
to repay all I owe to you."
Beauty held out her hand to the Prince, in a
dream of delighted surprise. He rose and clasped
her hand in his, and they walked together to the
palace. On entering the great hall, Beauty was
overjoyed to see her dear father and all the family
there. The beautiful lady whom she had seen in
her dream had transported them there from the
cottage.
This lady, who was a great fairy, now came
forward.
" Beauty," said she, " come and receive the
reward of your wise choice. You preferred high
character to mere beauty, or even cleverness ; you
deserve to find all these united in one person. You
are going to be a great queen. I hope that the
throne will not alter your character."
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
"As for you, ladies," said the fairy to the
sisters, " I know the malice which fills your hearts.
You shall become statues, but you shall retain your
reason inside the stone which imprisons you. You
shall be placed one on each side of the door of
your sister's palace, where your only punishment
will be seeing your sister's happiness. When you
recognize your faults and repent of them, you will
be restored to your human forms, but I fear you
are likely to remain statues. One may correct
oneself of pride, bad temper, greed, or sloth, but
to change an evil, envious heart is little short of
a miracle."
Then, with one touch of her wand, she trans-
ported the whole company to the kingdom of the
Prince, whose subjects received him with joy.
Beauty and he were married with great pomp, the
festivities lasting many days. The union was a
very happy one, and at the end of a long life their
love for each other was still imdiminished.
116
LITTLE THUMBLING
NCE, by the side of a great forest, there
(lived a poor woodman, who had a family
of seven boys, all quite young, the eldest
being only ten years old when the youngest was
seven.
It seems strange to hear of such a large family
with only three years between the eldest and the
youngest, but the woodman's wife was an active
clever woman, who never gave her husband fewer
than two sons at a time, and on one occasion she
presented him with three.
The parents were veiy proud of their large
family, and they worked very hard to provide them
all with food and clothing.
Six of the boys were fine strong lads, but the
seventh was so small when he was born that he
117
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
was not much bigger than his father's thumb, and
he was at once called Thumbling.
Unfortunately, Thumbling did not grow as the
others did, but remained small and delicate. He
was very timid and sensitive, and, as he seldom
spoke a word, even his parents mistook his silence
for stupidity.
The strong, healthy brothers found him always
in the way, and the poor little fellow was blamed
for everything that went wrong in the house. No
one thought he would ever be able to earn his own
living, or indeed be of any use in the world, yet
he was really sharper and more observant than
any of his brothers, and, if he talked little, he
thought much, listened attentively to all he heard
and knew more than most.
As the boys grew bigger, it took more to feed
and clothe them, but the parents toiled cheerfully
on, hoping that in a few years their sons would
be able to help them, and that life would become
easier for them all. Also, the elder boys could
already help to weed and hoe the little garden
which provided them with vegetables all summer
as well as sufficient potatoes to store for the winter.
118
LITTLE THUMBLING
So long as seasons were good and harvests
plentiful, all went well.
There came a spring, however, when frosts
nipped all fruit in the bud. Then followed months
of hot sun without one drop of rain to moisten the
parched ground. The wheat was burnt in the
blade, so that there was no corn to grind for flour
to make bread. There was a great famine in the
land, and the woodman's family were faced with
starvation.
One evening, after the children had gone to
bed, the poor father and mother sat by the dying
embers of their ike, trying to think of some way
out of their trouble. They were almost at the
end of their little store, and had no money to buy
more. They were quite at their wits' end.
After a long silence, the husband, in a broken
voice, said to his wife :
" You see as well as myself that w r e can no
longer feed our family. There is only slow death
by starvation for them, and I, for one, cannot bear
to see their sufferings. I see no way but to take
them into the depth of the forest and leave them
there. It will be easily done, as they could never
119
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
find their way out alone. We have only to go
quietly out of sight while they amuse themselves
gathering little bundles of sticks. Fear and fatigue
will help to shorten their misery."
" What ! " cried his wife, " has it actually come
to this, that you would leave your own children
to be lost in the forest, and to die there ? No !
I cannot consent to that. We are starving, but I
am their mother let us all die together ! "
The father tried to show her that his way, being
the quickest, was the best, and asked her to think
of the agony it would be to see them dying one
by one before her eyes, for, sooner or later, die
they must.
At last, broken-hearted, she consented, and lay
down on her bed weeping bitterly.
Little Thumbling had been awake when his
parents began to talk. He had noticed during the
last few weeks that both his father and his mother
had looked sadder every day, and he began to
understand what was meant when the famine was
spoken of, so he slipped softly out of bed, and
went under the stool his father sat on, where he
could hear every word that was said.
120
I I I I 1 I ["HUMBLING OVERH1 VRS Mis FATHER S PLAN I-'"
LITTLE
When he heard his mother give per consent to
his father's plan, he went quietly b ac k to bed,
where he lay awake all night, planning what
to do.
Early in the morning he got up ^d went to a
little stream which had a pebbly ed e - There he
gathered all the small white stones ft 6 could find,
and rilled his pockets with them ; the 11 ne returned
to the cottage, and started with the others to go
to the forest, but he took care to be a ut tle behind
the others. Every few yards he dr'PP e d one ot
the white pebbles, so that the ro,ad they went
could be traced by them, just as it 1S m a paper-
chase.
The forest was so thick that no one could see
his neighbour ten yards away.
The woodman began cutting wood, and the
children busied themselves gathering branches of
brushwood and tying them in little bundles for
firewood.
While the children were so occupied the parents
went gradually farther from them P& they came
to a little by-path leading in anot^ er direction,
when they quickly ran along it till tfcy got out of
121
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
the forest, and returned to their cottage with heavy
hearts.
As soon as the brothers realized that they had
been forsaken, and were lost in the wood, they
were terrified, and ran shouting and crying in every
direction; then, getting no answer, they threw
themselves, sobbing, on the ground.
Thumbling let them cry for some time, and
he was of so little consequence in the eyes of his
bigger brothers that they did not even notice how
calm he was. Indeed, if they had, they would
only have thought it was because he did not know
their danger. Imagine their surprise when he
suddenly addressed them.
" You need not be so frightened ! Our father
and our mother have certainly left us, but I know
the way home. Follow me."
They followed him without a word, and guiding
himself by the pebbles, he took them out of the
forest by the way they had entered, leading them
to the door of the cottage, where they were over-
come by sudden fear of their parents, and dared
not go in. But each one listened to try to hear
what the father and mother might be saying.
122
LITTLE THUMBLING
Just as the woodman and his wife arrived at
their cottage, after leaving their children in the
forest, a messenger came from the squire to pay
a bill which he had forgotten for such a long
time that the poor couple never expected to get a
penny of it.
The money was quite a large sum for them,
and the sight of it seemed to give them new life.
The woodman sent his wife off at once to the
butcher's to get some meat for their supper, and
as they were both very hungry she bought far
more than was needed for two people. In her
excitement she had quite forgotten that there
were now no children to feed.
She cooked the whole of the meat, and when
they had eaten till they were satisfied, and the
woman saw how much was left, she cried out :
" Oh ! where are my children ? How they
would enjoy all that we have left ! They would
make short work of it ! It is all your fault ! I
told you we should repent of our work ! What may
be happening at this moment in that dark forest ?
God grant the cruel wolves may not have already
devoured them Oh ! where are my children ? '
123
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
In her grief she exclaimed so loudly that the
boys, listening at the door, heard the words dis-
tinctly, and shouted all together :
" Here we are. Mother ! Here we are ! '
Like lightning the mother flew to the door,
and next moment her children were all clinging
round her, while she hugged and kissed them one
after the other, many times over.
" How glad I am to have you all again, my
darlings ! How tired you all look, and how hungry
you must be ! I see you have been falling let me
wipe the mud off your hands and faces, then you
can eat your supper look what a feast is waiting
for you ! '
The boys needed no second invitation. They
were, indeed, very hungry, and the food dis-
appeared rapidly. The father and mother stood
by, delighted to see their enjoyment, and listening,
with tears in their eyes, while the seven, all speak-
ing at once, related every little thing that had
happened in the forest, and told what a dreadful
fright they had got when they found themselves
left alone.
These good souls were really glad to have their
124
LITTLE THUMBLING
children with them again, and, so long as the
money lasted, they were very happy, but when it
was all spent the grief returned. An empty purse
and a bare cupboard again brought despair, and
again there was no other way for them but the one
already tried, only this time they must not fail.
They planned to take the children much farther
away, to the very thickest part of the forest, and
took great care not to speak about it when they
were near. Thumbling, however, was on the
alert, and he could hide himself so easily that
again he heard all, but it did not trouble him;
his plan had been so successful before that he
had no fear of not finding his way with equal ease
this time.
He got up early, as before, to go to the river
for pebbles, but, do what he could, he could not
open the door it was double-locked ! He could
see no way out of this difficulty till, just before
starting, the mother gave each of the boys a piece
of bread to eat for breakfast on the way. When
no one was looking, he put his bread in his pocket,
telling himself that little bits of bread would serve
his purpose just as well as pebbles.
125
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The parents, followed by their family, went out
to their daily task of wood-cutting, as usual, but
with very heavy hearts. They went much farther
than they had ever gone before, till they came to
what appeared to be a nice wide path. This they
took for some distance, knowing well that it led
to the thickest and darkest parts of the forest.
Walking was easy in it, and the boys began playing
and teasing each other, so it was not difficult for
both father and mother to step aside and hide till
their children went past, when they both fled as
quickly as they could till they were far beyond the
sound of the young voices.
Thumbling was the first to notice that they
were left alone, but it did not worry him greatly,
as he expected to retrace his steps easily by follow-
ing the track of the bread-crumbs which he had
taken care to scatter at intervals all the way ; but
when he turned to look for them, not a crumb was
to be seen. The birds had picked them up almost
as soon as he had thrown them down.
Here was a terrible plight to be in !
The six brothers shouted for help till they were
hoarse, but no one came. They ran on, hoping
J26
LITTLE THUMBLING
to get out of the wood, but the path grew narrower,
and soon ended in an impenetrable tangle. Tired
and hungry they sat down and wept all but
Thumbling, who kept trying to think what was
the best thing to do, and did not see that tears
could help him.
To make matters worse, a fearful storm came
on, and it began to get near night. Rain came
down in torrents, soaking their clothes to the skin.
The wind roared through the great trees like an
army of demons, and in every new gust they
thought they heard the howling of wolves coming
to devour them.
In the meantime little Thumbling had managed
to climb to the top of a high tree, and in the gather-
ing darkness he could see a light in a distant
window. This gave the little fellow courage.
Though his trousers were torn and his knuckles
skinned by the furious lashing of the branches, he
managed to get down to the ground, where he
roused his brothers to make another effort to get
out of the forest, telling them that there was a
house near, and perhaps they could reach it, as he
had seen the light of a window from the top of a
127
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
tree, though from the ground he could not show
it to them.
They started again, keeping very close together,
and going in the direction where Thumbling saw
the light.
Many a time they fell, for the wet ground was
slippery; also they could not see to avoid holes,
and if one stumbled several fell over him ; but
terror made them go on. Once or twice, where
the ground rose a little, they caught a glimpse of
the light, but it seemed very far away, and in the
hollows it was again blotted out.
They reached the edge of the forest at last,
and, to their joy, the light was before them, but it
was still a long way off. It seemed to be only a
candle, but it was enough to guide them, even
though they lost it whenever they got into a
hollow, and at length they came to the house,
which was quite a big one.
They knocked at .the door. A kind-looking
woman opened it and asked what they wanted.
The brothers pushed little Thumbling forward
to speak for them.
" We are children who got lost in the forest,"
128
LITTLE THUMBLING
said he, " and we have no place to shelter us
from the storm. I beg you to let us sleep here
for charity."
" Alas ! my poor children," cried she, bursting
into tears, " whatever brought you here ? This is
the house of an ogre who devours all the children
he can find ! '
" Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! " cried Thumbling, who,
like his brothers, was trembling with fear, " what
shall we do? If we go back to the forest the
wolves will tear us to pieces. I would rather be
eaten by the gentleman, and perhaps, if you speak
for us, he will take pity on us."
The woman had a tender heart, though her
husband was an ogre. She took the children in,
and let them warm themselves by the great kitchen
fire, before which a whole sheep was being roasted
for her husband's supper. She hoped to be able
to hide them from him till morning, when she
might be able to get them away before he awoke.
Just when they were getting comfortably warm,
they heard three or four loud knocks on the door.
It was the ogre, who had come back a little sooner
than his wife expected. She hurriedly pushed all
129 l
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
the children below the bed, begging them to keep
quite quiet, and neither to speak nor to move.
Then she went to open the door for her husband,
who immediately asked if his supper was ready,
and if the wine had been brought from the cellar.
Then he sat down to eat the sheep, which was not
half cooked, for he liked it best when the blood
was still quite red.
After a little while he began to sniff right and
left, saying he smelt fresh meat.
" It must be that newly killed calf which I
have just been dressing," said his wife.
" I smell living flesh, I tell you," said he,
looking suspiciously at her. " There is some
underhand work going on, I see ! '
With these words he rose from the table and
went straight to the bed.
" So this is how you deceive me, vile wretch ! '
cried he. " It is well for you that you are so old
and tough or I would make my next meal of
yourself ! '
Then the ogre pulled one boy after another
from below the bed, till the seven crouched
trembling before him.
130
LITTLE THUMBLING
" This is a fine bag of game ! ' ' he cried with
glee. " It has come just in time to be a treat for
my three ogre friends who are to visit me the day
after to-morrow."
The terrified children threw themselves on
their knees before him, entreating him not to kill
them, and begging his pardon for having taken
shelter in his house.
This, however, was one of the most cruel ogres
in the land, and his horrid eyes gloated over them
as if he were eating them already, while he remarked
to his wife what delicious morsels they would be
if she cooked them properly, and served them
with the right sauce. He went for a great carving-
knife, and came toward the children, sharpening
it on a whetstone which he held in his left
hand.
The poor innocents thought their last hour had
come. He had already caught hold of the one
nearest to him, when his wife exclaimed :
" Whatever are you going to do at this hour
of the night? Will you not have time enough
to-morrow for such easy work ? '
" Hold your tongue ! " cried the ogre. " They
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
will be all the more tender for being killed to-
night."
" But you forget," said she, " that you have
too much meat already, and it will spoil ! There
are two sheep and a calf already killed, besides
the half of a pig."
" I believe you are right," said the ogre. " Give
them a good supper to keep them in perfect con-
dition, and pack them off to bed."
The good woman was much relieved. She
brought them an excellent supper, but the poor
children were far too terrified to eat.
As for the ogre, he was so pleased to think of
the feast he was going to have, and so thirsty from
the one he had just finished, that he sat down
again to drink. He took glass after glass, till his
head became so heavy and stupid that he could
only tumble into bed, where he lay like a log.
The ogre had seven small daughters, who had
lovely complexions from eating all their meat raw,
like their father, but they had little grey eyes,
quite round, and sunk far back in their heads.
They had hooked noses, which made them look
like birds of prey, and large, cruel-looking mouths
132
LITTLE THUMBLING
with sharp-pointed teeth sticking out, with wide
spaces between them. As yet, they were too
young to be very dangerous, but as their greatest
pleasure was to bite young children in order to
suck their blood, they were likely to be very
ferocious when they grew up.
They slept all together in a very large bed, and
instead of a nightcap each little ogress had a crown
of solid gold on her head.
In the same room there was another very large
bed, into which the ogre's wife put the seven boys,
making them as comfortable as she could before
she went downstairs to sleep beside her husband.
The six strong boys slept soundly, but Thumb-
ling lay awake trying to devise some means of
escape.
He feared that if the ogre awoke and regretted
having let them of! for a few hours, he might
come up and kill them before morning, so he set
his brains to work harder than ever.
He had noticed, when passing the bed of the
young ogresses, that each of them had a gold crown
on, and his sharp wit showed him what to do.
He got up softly, and very gently removed the
133
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
crowns, without waking the sleeping ogresses.
Then he took the damp woolly caps which he and
his brothers had still on their heads when put to
bed, and slipped one over the hair of each ogress.
Then he put the crowns on his brothers' heads
and his own, and lay down to keep watch.
It all happened just as he expected.
The ogre awoke a little after midnight, and
remembered the dainty morsels that had come to
him so unexpectedly.
" What a fool I was not to kill them at once,"
said he ; " something might happen to deprive me
of them even yet. I shall go up and make sure
of them." So saying, he rolled out of bed and got
hold of his great knife.
" We shall see what the rogues are doing,"
said he ; "I shall make short work of them ! "
He did not want to disturb his wife, as she
might have been troublesome, so he did not ask
for a candle, but groped his way up in the dark,
and went straight to where he knew the boys were
sleeping. He passed his great hand over each
head, to the terror of Thumbling, who could
hardly keep from betraying himself by screaming
134
LITTLE THUMBLING
out. The others, sleeping soundly, did not know
the danger they were in.
The giant seemed to hesitate. He muttered
something and felt again, but, sure enough, they
were crowns.
" That's a nice trick I had nearly played ! "
said he to himself. " I must have taken a good
deal more wine than I thought last night, to make
such a mistake in my own house ! '
He then went to the other bed, and, groping
as before, laid hold of a boy's wool cap.
" Ah ! here you are, you rascals ! To work,
then, at once ! " Without a moment's hesitation,
he cut the throats of all the seven, and went down
again, well pleased, to his bed.
Thumbling went on tiptoe to the door, which
the ogre had left open, and stood listening till he
heard the loud snoring of the ogre ; then he went
back to his brothers, whom he wakened, telling
them to dress as quickly as they could and to follow
him silently downstairs.
They managed to get out to the garden without
the ogre hearing perhaps the kind-hearted wife
had left the door unbolted, hoping the boys might
135
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
get away. They soon climbed over the wall and
ran for their lives, trembling in every limb, and
not knowing where they were going.
When the ogre awoke he roused his wife.
" Go upstairs," said he, " and dress those little
rascals that arrived last night."
The woman was astounded at her husband's
kindness, thinking he meant her to put on the
little lads' clothes, not dreaming that he was
ordering her to prepare them to be eaten at table.
She went upstairs, pleased to help the little fellows
she had such a liking for, but what a sight met
her eyes ! On the bed lay her seven daughters,
quite dead ! It was too much ! She fainted in
the doorway, as most women would have been
likely to do.
The ogre thought she was taking a long time
to prepare the children, and, being very particular
about his food, he went up to help her. He got
as great a shock as his wife had done, but he
was much stronger to stand it.
" Oh ! what have I done ? " he shouted, his
voice shaking the whole house. "The wretches
shall pay for it, and soon ! "
LITTLE THUMBLING
With that he lifted a jug of water, and threw
it in his wife's face. As soon as he saw her begin-
ning to recover, he cried :
" Give me my seven-league boots, and be
quick about it I must catch the little villains ! "
As soon as he had pulled on his seven-league
boots, he rushed out, striding over die country in
every direction. Fortunately for them, the boys
had five or six hours' start, and fear had lent wings
to their feet. They could already see their father's
house on the other side of the valley, when they
saw the ogre coming in their direction, striding
from hill to hill, and stepping over rivers as easily
as they could cross tiny brooks.
Thumbling's quick eyes saw a hollow beneath
a big rock, quite near. He hid his brothers in it,
and crept in after them, but he did not let himself
lose sight of the ogre.
Seven-league boots are very tiring to the
wearer, and the giant began to feel weary. As
bad luck would have it, he sat down to rest on the
very rock under which the brothers were hiding.
As he was dreadfully tired, he soon fell fast asleep,
and the noise of his snoring was so great that the
137
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
boys were nearly as frightened as they had been
when he brought out his great knife to kill them.
Brave little Thumbling was less frightened than
the others; he told his brothers that the giant
was too fast asleep to waken for some time, and he
advised them to creep out very quietly and make
for home as quickly as they could. They were
not to worry about leaving him alone, as he felt
quite able to take care of himself. The boys were
only too glad to take the advice, and as soon as
they were a few yards away they set off as quickly
as their legs would carry them.
Thumbling was now left alone. He went
quietly up to the ogre, and gently pulled off the
seven-league boots, which he promptly put on his
own feet. Each boot, as he drew it on, was big
enough to swallow him and all his brothers, but,
being made by the fairies, it could stretch or
draw in to suit the wearer, and the pair fitted
Thumbling as if they had been made for him.
The first use he made of them was to go straight
to the house of the ogre, where he found the poor
mother weeping beside the bodies of her daughters.
"Your husband," said little Thumbling to her,
138
LITTLE THUMBLING
" is in great danger. He fell into the hands of a
gang of robbers, who have sworn to kill him if he
does not give them everything he possesses. Just
when they had their daggers at his breast, he caught
sight of me, and begged them to wait till he sent
me to you. I am to ask you to give me all his
gold and silver, and all his valuables; otherwise
they will kill him without mercy. As there is no
time to lose, he has lent me, as you see, his seven-
league boots to reach you more quickly, and to
prove that I am not an impostor."
The poor woman was in greater distress than
ever, for although the ogre ate little children he
was, after all, her husband. She quickly got all
his money and valuables together, and handed
them to Thumbling, who sped with them to his
father's cottage, where the whole family received
him with great joy.
Many people say that Thumbling never robbed
the ogre of his riches in this way, though he made
no scruple about taking the boots, knowing that
the ogre only used them to steal little children that
he might eat them.
Some of these people say they can assure us,
139
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
on the best authority, having been in the wood-
cutters' house, and having sat at their table, that
Thumbling did not go back to the ogre's house at
all. They say that he went to the Court, where
he had learned that the King was anxious to know
the result of a great battle which his army had
been fighting in a distant country with which he
was at war, and offered his services, saying he
would bring the news before the next morning.
The King promised to give him a great sum of
money if he could do so, and, thanks to his own
nimbleness and the seven-league boots, he brought
the news that very evening. The fame of his
wonderful speed spread everywhere. The King
gave him a great salary as his principal courier,
and as so many people wanted news of husbands,
sons, brothers, or lovers who were in the army, he
made a great fortune in a very short time. He
provided a nice home for his parents, who never
needed to work again, and got his brothers edu-
cated and put into honourable posts.
As I was not there to see, I do not know which
of these tales is true, nor do I know what became
of the ogre, but I myself think the ogre died of
140
LITTLE THUMBLING
sunstroke after his exertions when hunting for
the boys in the great heat, and that Thumbling,
being sorry for the poor wife who had done her
best for him and his brothers, and dunking her
too good to be called an ogress, made her house-
keeper, with charge over all his servants, at the
great castle which he built for himself near the
forest where his parents had worked.
141
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
INGE a Queen had a little boy who came
into the world so unpleasing in face and
so deformed in body that the poor little
fellow looked hardly human.
Naturally this was a great grief to the mother,
who loved her son, and wished everyone else to
love him.
A fairy who was present at his birth assured
her that, in spite of his appearance, the babe would
be a most lovable child, and that he would make
up for his want of good looks by his great intelli-
gence and his kind disposition, besides which, as
her gift, she had just endowed him with the power
of making the lady he should love best one of the
wittiest and cleverest people in the world.
The fairy's speech cheered and comforted the
143
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
Queen, for she knew that, though beauty is a
valuable gift, it can be easily destroyed, but that
intelligence and sweetness of temper are lifelong
attractions.
By the time the child began to speak, the
fairy's words were proved true, for he astonished
all around him with his witty remarks, and with
the sweet way he had of saying just the right thing ;
also, in all his little actions there was such clever-
ness and grace of manner that everybody was
charmed with him.
I forgot to tell you that he was born with a
little tuft of hair on the top of his head, so that
he was at once named Riquet with the Tuft, for
Riquet was the family surname.
Seven or eight years later, the Queen of a
neighbouring kingdom had twin daughters. The
first-born was as beautiful as the dawn, and so
great was the mother's joy that the attendants
feared lest she should suffer from over-excitement.
The fairy who had presided at the birth of little
Riquet with the Tuft was again present, so she
told the Queen that the little Princess, though
charmingly pretty, would have very little intelli-
144
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
gence, and would be as dull and stupid as she
was beautiful.
This speech damped the Queen's spirits very
much, but an even greater disappointment awaited
her, for, when the second daughter was born,
she was found to be one of the plainest-looking
children ever seen, and the poor mother was
terribly grieved about it.
" Do not distress yourself so much, Madam,"
said the fairy ; " your little daughter will have
much to make her happy. Her wit and liveliness
will be such that no one will notice her want of
good looks."
" God grant it may be so ! " replied the Queen.
" But have you no means of giving a little good
sense to my poor pretty one ? '
" I can do nothing for her in the matter of
intelligence," said the fairy, cc but where beauty is
concerned I can do much, and, as there is nothing
I would not do to please you, I now give her power
to endow the person she loves best with beauty
as great as her own."
As these twin Princesses grew up, their attrac-
tions increased, and the whole talk at Court was
145
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
about the beauty of the elder, and the intelligent
wit of the younger.
True, their defects also became more apparent,
the younger becoming every day visibly plainer,
while the elder daily grew more dull and stupid.
When spoken to, she either made no answer at all
or said something foolishly rude. She was so
awkward in her movements that she could not
arrange four china ornaments on a shelf without
letting one fall, nor could she drink out of a glass
without spilling half of its contents over her clothes.
Although beauty adds so much to the charm
of youth, in this case it was the plain Princess who,
in every company, attracted the most attention.
At first people might go to where the beautiful
elder Princess sat, that they might see and admire
her, but they soon tired of her senseless remarks,
and left her to join the circle which gathered
round the plain sister, whose agreeable conver-
sation and sparkling wit charmed all listeners.
Sometimes people so far forgot their good manners
as to leave the poor beauty all alone; stupid
though she was, she could not help noticing this,
and she would willingly have given all her beauty
146
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
in exchange for one half of her younger sister's
intelligence.
Her silliness was so irritating that everyone's
patience got worn out, and even the Queen, though
a most wise and prudent lady, could not help
reproaching her repeatedly for her stupid rude-
ness, so that the poor Princess was often miserably
unhappy.
One day she went alone into the wood near
the palace, to weep over her lot without being seen,
and she noticed, coming toward her, a small and
very ugly young man, magnificently dressed. It
was the young Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who
had fallen in love with her from seeing her por-
trait, which hung on the walls of every castle he
visited. He had come all the way from his father's
kingdom, a very long way off, to have the pleasure
of seeing her personally, and, if possible, of enter-
ing into conversation with her.
Delighted to find the beautiful Princess alone,
he went forward with respectful politeness, and,
bowing low, begged to be allowed to introduce
himself. After he had talked to her for some time,
paying her many compliments, but getting no
147
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
" If that is all that troubles you. Madam, I can
easily put an end to your sorrow ! ' said Riquet
with the Tuft.
" What can you do in the matter ? " asked the
Princess.
" Madam," replied he, " I can endow the person
I love best with as much cleverness as any one
could wish to possess, and, as you are that person,
it remains with yourself to choose whether or not
you will become the most witty lady in the world.
One condition, however, must be observed you
must be willing to marry me."
The Princess was dumbfounded she answered
not a word !
" I see," continued Riquet with the Tuft, " that
the bare idea is painful to you, and that does not
surprise me, so I will give you a whole year to
make up your mind."
The poor stupid Princess thought a year was
such a long time that it would hardly ever come
to an end, and, having a great desire to be as clever
as her sister, she promised to marry Riquet with
the Tuft a year from that day.
No sooner had she given her promise than
149
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
such a marvellous change came over her that she
felt like a different creature. She could think
clearly and express her ideas with astonishing ease,
speaking on every subject with keen intelligence,
and using the most refined and polished language.
She began a bantering conversation with the
Prince, when her ready wit and brilliant sallies
made him ask himself whether he had not made
her more clever than himself.
On her return to the palace, the amazing
change in the Princess was so evident that the
whole Court was surprised and puzzled. No one
knew what to make of it, for, whereas they had
once never heard her speak without saying some-
thing silly or rude, or both, now she spoke with
the good sense and quiet dignity of a highly
cultivated lady, fit to be the partner of the most
particular of kings or princes.
The joy at Court was extreme. From the
King and Queen to the humblest attendant, every-
one was delighted with the livery wit which now
added such a charm to their beautiful Princess.
The younger sister alone found it impossible to
rejoice.
150
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
It was indeed hard on her, for the one advan-
tage which her cleverness had given her over her
stupid but beautiful sister was now of no account ;
everyone crowded round the brilliant beauty,
without taking the trouble to notice her poor,
plain-looking self, for even in Courts people can
be selfishly neglectful of other people's feelings.
The elder sister wcis now as much sought after
for her wisdom as for her beauty. The King
took her advice in everything that concerned his
government, and he even held his privy council in
her room.
The rumour of this great change spread far
and wide, and all the princes of the neighbouring
kingdoms vied with each other as suitors for the
hand of the beautiful Princess, who listened cour-
teously to one after another, but as she found none
of them sufficiently interesting to please her, she
accepted none. If you think it strange that she
had forgotten her promise to Riquet with the Tuft
you will hear shortly how this came about.
Finally came a young Prince who was so power-
ful, so rich, so clever, and so very handsome that
she could not help feeling attracted by him.
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
Her father noticed this, and told her that he left
her quite free to choose the husband she preferred;
she had only to tell him when her choice was made.
The more good sense people have, the more
difficult they find it to decide in such an important
affair as marriage . The Princess thanked her father,
and asked to be allowed a little time for reflection
before deciding.
As she wished to be alone with her thoughts,
she went out for a quiet walk, and entered the
wood without remembering that, a year before,
in this very wood, she had promised to marry the
Prince whose marvellous gift had made her so
intelligent. Indeed, the first result of that gift had
been that all memory of her former stupid words
and actions was quite blotted out.
For a while she walked on, in deep thought,
but after a little time she became aware of dull
muffled sounds somewhere quite near, so she stood
still to listen.
The sounds seemed to come from beneath her
feet, as if many people were busily working under-
ground, and she even heard their voices and could
distinguish their words.
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RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
" Fetch me the pan," said one. " Hand me
that kettle," said another. " Put more wood on
the fire," said a third.
As the Princess stood bewildered, the ground
in front of her opened, and, to her utter amazement,
she saw the interior of a great kitchen, with men-
servants and maids busily engaged in preparing a
grand banquet.
At the same time a band of twenty or thirty
men who had charge of the roasting came out,
and went to take their places round a long table
placed in an alley of the wood. Each had his
larding-pin in his hand, and they all began to
work heartily together, keeping time to a merry
song.
The astonished Princess asked for whom they
were preparing such a feast.
" We are preparing the wedding-feast of Prince
Riquet with the Tuft, Madam," was the reply.
" He is to be married to-morrow."
The words recalled in a flash her promise to
the Prince, and she stood stunned and ready to fall,
as if she had received a blow. Recovering herself,
she walked on a few paces, and suddenly found
153
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
herself face to face with the Prince, magnificently
arrayed as became a royal bridegroom.
Riquet with the Tuft advanced joyfully to meet
her.
" How delighted I am, dear Princess, to find
you as punctual as myself in keeping our appoint-
ment ! I had hardly dared to hope that you would
come yourself to meet me, and to make me the
happiest man in the world by giving me your
hand."
The Princess drew back coldly and replied :
" I must confess that I had no such intention.
I have not yet made up my mind on the subject,
nor do I think I shall ever be able to grant your
request."
" Your words astonish me, Madam," said the
Prince, completely taken aback.
" I quite believe you," said the Princess, " and
if I had to deal with a coarse, vulgar fellow, too
stupid to take in the situation, I should indeed be
in a difficulty, but as I am addressing the most
refined and intelligent gentleman in the whole
world, I feel quite sure that you yourself will see
how impossible it would be for me to keep a
154
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
promise made when I had not the sense to know
what I was doing. If you really wished me to
marry you, it would have been wiser not to have
made me so difficult to please that I have already
rejected the handsomest princes who have asked
me in marriage."
"Madam," said Riquet with the Tuft, "you
have admitted that a coarse and stupid man might
have held you to your word ! Is it just or kind
to treat me worse than such a fellow, because I am
a gentleman ? Surely that cannot be approved by
one who so greatly desired the gift of wit and
wisdom for herself ! But, be that as it may, let us
come to facts. Permit me to ask, Madam, if, apart
from my appearance, there is anything else about
me which displeases you ? Do you disapprove of
my birth, my character, or my manners ? '
"Not at all," said the Princess; "in all these
I find you perfect."
" If that is so," said Riquet with the Tuft, " I
may yet be happy, as you yourself can make me
the most lovable of men, even in appearance."
"How can I possibly do that?' asked the
Princess.
155
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" By loving me so much that you wish me to
be handsome. Madam; for the same fairy who
gave me power to make you wise, gave you, at
your birth, the power to make the man you love
as handsome as you are beautiful."
" If that is so," said the Princess, " I desire
with all my heart that you may become the finest-
looking Prince in the wide world ! '
The Princess had no sooner uttered the words
than Prince Riquet with the Tuft stood before her
transformed !
In face, in person, and in bearing she felt she
had never seen his equal.
Some people tell us that it was not the fairy's
magic which worked the change. They say that,
as " beauty is in the eyes of the beholder," it was
the great love that filled the heart of the Princess
when she thought of all the Prince's goodness of
heart and other great qualities that made her see
him in quite a different light. However that may
be, the Princess was eager to marry Prince Riquet
with the Tuft as soon as she could obtain her
father's consent. This the King gave at once, for
he had long heard of the Prince's great intelligence
156
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT
and sweetness of disposition, and now that he
saw him and heard him speak he was highly
pleased to have him for his son-in-law. So the
marriage took place the very next day, all the Court
sharing in the festivities which had already been
prepared by the Prince's retainers.
Prince Riquet with the Tuft and his beautiful
and witty Princess lived long and happily together,
admired and loved by their loyal subjects in every
part of their kingdom.
157
THE WHITE CAT
THERE was once a King who had three
grown-up sons, and, fearing that their
ambition might make them wish him out
of the way in order that one or other of them
might reign in his stead, he called them to him,
and said :
" I wish to give up my Crown to one of you,
but I think it is only right that you should, in
the meantime, do your very best to please me.
When I leave the throne I intend to retire to
some place in the country, and as I might feel
a little lonely, I think I should like to have a nice
little dog to bear me company, so that one of
you who will .bring me the prettiest little dog
shall be King in my place."
The Princes were rather surprised, but they
159
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
at once prepared to say good-bye to their father,
who told them to return in exactly a year from
that day.
The three brothers swore eternal friendship
for each other, and changed their names for
fear of being recognized. Then they set out,
all taking different roads.
The two elder had many adventures, but
we shall only relate those of the youngest, who
was both the handsomest and the most accom-
plished of the three.
He lost no time before starting his search.
Every day he bought a new dog, parting with
it as soon as he found a better bred or more
handsome one.
One evening his road lay through a forest,
and when he was about the middle of it a fearful
thunderstorm came on ; rain fell in torrents,
he got wet to the skin, and, worst of all, he lost
his way in the darkness. After wandering about
without knowing even the direction in which
he was going, he suddenly saw a bright light
through an opening of the trees, and he gladly
went toward it, soon finding himself at the
160
THE WHITE CAT
entrance to a superb palace. The gate was of
burnished gold studded with gems, whose bril-
liance lighted up the whole surroundings. This
was the light that had guided him. A stag's foot
hung from the gate by a chain of diamonds ;
the Prince took hold of this and gave a tug,
when he heard the ringing of a little gold bell
inside.
A moment elapsed, then the door opened of
itself. No one was visible, but a dozen hands,
each holding a torch in the air, lighted up the
entrance. He stood amazed and irresolute, but
other hands from behind pushed him firmly
forward. He went on, grasping the hilt of his
sword, prepared for all risks, but on entering
a marble hall two melodious voices begged him
to have no fear of the hands which he saw.
Thus encouraged, he went forward through
endless suites of splendidly furnished rooms,
all marvellously lit up. After conducting him
through at least sixty apartments, the guiding
hands stopped. A great armchair moved for-
ward to the fireplace, where the fire began to
burn brightly, and the hands took off his wet
161
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
clothing. They drew forward a dressing-table
furnished with the most costly articles for the
toilet, they combed and brushed his hair, and
dressed him in a much grander suit than any
he had ever had. When they had finished, he
looked as handsome as a young Greek god, and
they led him to the superb dining-hall, on the
walls of which were hung the portraits of all
the cats famous in story Puss in Boots, the
Writing Cat, the Lady-Cat, the Sorcerers who
had become Cats and also all the rites and
ceremonies of the Witch-revels.
The table was laid for two. The Prince
was asking himself : " Why two ? " when he
saw some cats taking their places in a specially
arranged orchestra. One had a music-book,
another, evidently the conductor, had a roll of
paper to beat time, and the others had small
guitars. They all began to mew in different
tones, and to twang the strings of the guitars.
It was a strange concert, and the Prince clapped
his hands over his ears to shut out the discord,
while he swayed with laughter at the grimaces
made by the cat musicians.
162
THE WHITE CAT
Then entered a little figure about twenty
inches high. The little creature was covered
from head to foot with a veil of black crape.
She was accompanied by two cats, who were
also in mourning, and each had a sword hanging
at his side. An escort of cats followed, carrying
rat-traps full of rats and cages filled with mice.
The little figure threw back her veil, and
the Prince saw the most lovely little white
pussy-cat he had ever seen in his life. She
looked very young and very sad, and she mewed
to him so sweetly that his heart was quite
touched with pity.
" King's Son," said she, " you are welcome.
My mewing Majesty sees you with pleasure."
" Madam Puss," replied the Prince, " I thank
you; but you are not an ordinary pussy-cat
your gift of speech, and your splendid castle,
show me that."
" Cease paying me compliments," said Pussy.
" I am simple in manner, but I like to be kind.
Come, stop the music and serve supper."
Hands brought in supper and put it on the
table. There were two dishes, one of stewed
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
pigeons, the other of fat mice. Puss assured
the Prince that he could eat without fear, as
his food would always be separately cooked and
served, so he ate with hearty appetite and enjoyed
his supper. He noticed that the cat wore a
portrait on a bracelet round her little front paw,
and he asked her if he might see it. She showed
it him willingly, and his surprise was great, for
it was that of a young man so like himself that
it might easily have been mistaken for his own.
After supper White Puss took her guest to
a room where there was a platform arranged as
a stage, on which a dozen cats and as many
monkeys danced a ballet very cleverly. Then
she wished the Prince good night, and he was
conducted by the hands to a bedroom which was
even more splendid than the one he had been
in before supper.
The next morning the Prince was awakened
by a great stir and noise in the court of the
castle. The attendant hands dressed him in
hunting-costume. He went to look out of the
window, and in the park he saw a great con-
course of over five hundred cats, some holding
164
THE WHITE CAT
greyhounds in leash, others winding their horns.
White Puss was going hunting and wished the
Prince to accompany her.
The hands mounted him on a wooden horse
which either went at full gallop or walked, as
desired.
White Puss herself rode on a monkey. She
had taken off her veil and wore a dragoon's
helmet, which gave her such a commanding
appearance that all the mice were terrified when
they saw her.
When the day's sport was ended, White Puss
took a little hunting-horn, not more than three
inches long, and blew two or three blasts, when
all the cats came crowding round her. She
returned to the castle with this feline escort,
and again invited the Prince to go with her.
He consented from politeness, but all this
behaviour on the part of cats seemed to him
too much like witches' enchantments.
They again supped together, and the fine
wines the Prince drank made him completely
forget about the little dog he was searching for
to take to his father. He seemed to think of
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
nothing but White Puss, and even forgot his
country so far as to wish at times that he were
a cat to pass the rest of his life in such good
company, for there was no game or sport of
any kind that White Puss would not set a-going
for his entertainment; sometimes she even
invented new games to amuse him.
It was almost a year since the Prince had
left home, but he did not remember the fact till
White Puss said to him one day :
" Do you know that you have only three
days now left to seek for the little dog your
father wants ? Your two brothers have got
beauties."
" What ! " exclaimed the Prince. " Have I
actually forgotten the very thing I left home to
do ? Where shall I find such a little dog as is
needed ? And if I had it, where is the horse
swift enough to take me to my father's palace
in three days ? '
He was in great distress, but White Puss
came to the rescue.
" The wooden horse will not take one day
to carry you home to your father's, and, as far
166
THE WHITE CAT
as the little dog is concerned, here is an acorn
containing one which is more lovely than the
dog-star itself. Hold the acorn to your ear and
you will hear it yelping.
" It is, however, important that no one should
know of this little dog till you open it in the
presence of your father. Promise me this."
The Prince was overjoyed. He readily gave
his promise, thanked White Puss a thousand
times for all her kindness, then mounted the
wooden horse and set off.
He was the first of the three to arrive at the
castle where he and his brothers had appointed
to meet each other. As he dared not tell them
of his extraordinary adventures, nor speak of the
acorn he carried, he took a quite common dog
with him, and they, very naturally, supposed it
was the one he intended to offer the King, but
they made no remark.
. Next morning the three sons went together
to their father. Each of the two elder carried
a small basket, with a lovely little dog; these
animals were so exquisitely fine and small that
they seemed almost too fragile to be handled
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
without hurting them. The dog led by the
youngest looked quite horrid by contrast with
these dainty little animals.
The King found it difficult to decide which
was the prettier of the two little dogs, when the
youngest son settled the matter by opening the
acorn given him by White Puss. Inside there
was a tiny dog lying on cotton- wool. It was
so small it could go through a lady's ring, yet
it was full of energy, and danced on its tiny
hind legs to the great delight of everyone present.
It was so perfect in form and so dainty that the
King was speechless with wonder. There could
be no longer any doubt as to which of the sons
had brought the best little dog.
The King, however, did not want to give up
his Crown quite yet, so he told his sons that he
would give them another year to seek for a piece
of linen, so fine that it could pass through
the eye of a needle such as is used in making
Venetian point lace.
Each of the three set out again, but with
fewer professions of friendship than before,
the episode of the marvellous little dog having
168
THE WHITE CAT
caused a certain degree of coolness between
them.
Our Prince returned to the castle of White
Puss, who had been very ill since he went away.
When she saw him safe back, she recovered
immediately and jumped high for sheer joy.
The Prince told her the result of his journey,
and what the new quest was to be.
" That will be quite easy to procure," said
she. " Some of my cats can spin thread like
gossamer, so the piece of linen will be ready in
time for you."
In the evening they had great fireworks to
celebrate the Prince's return, and four cats which
had stolen White Pussy's cheese and had been
condemned to death were pardoned and set
free, by request of the Prince, so no sadness
clouded the joy of the evening.
For many weeks sports, games, and theatrical
entertainments followed each other in rapid
succession. White Puss was so clever that every
day she found something interesting to do or
to see, and this second year passed as quickly
as the first had done.
169
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
White Puss, who never forgot to watch over
the welfare of the Prince, told him again when
it was time for him to return to his father. This
time she gave him an equipage and an escort
worthy of his royal birth. There was an open
carriage of solid gold, drawn by twelve white
horses, whose red velvet housings were thickly
embroidered with diamonds. It was followed
by a hundred coaches, each drawn by eight grey
horses, the coaches being filled with the great
lords of the court in superb uniforms, and
the carriages were accompanied by a thousand
gentlemen of the Guards, mounted on chestnut
steeds, and on the carriages and harness every-
where were ornamental devices with the portrait
of the White Cat.
" Go and prosper," said she to the Prince.
"Take this walnut with you. Do not break it
till you are in the presence of the King ; you
will find in it the linen you desire."
" Dear little White One," said he, " I should
prefer living here with you to any other earthly
grandeur."
" King's Son," said she, " you are kind, and
170
THE WHITE CAT
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for
your affection for a poor little cat who is good
for nothing but catching mice."
The Prince kissed the little white paw and
departed.
This time he was the last of the three to
arrive, and his brothers had already unfolded
for the King's inspection their pieces of linen,
so fine that they could be threaded through
the eye of a darning needle, but neither of the
pieces was sufficiently fine to pass through
the eye of the fine lace-making needle which
the King held in his hand. The linen these
two Princes brought was really so fine that many
people were dissatisfied with the King for being
so exacting. While the matter was being dis-
cussed there was the sound of delightful music
outside the palace it was our young Prince
arriving with his retinue.
He entered, saluted his father and kissed his
brothers ; then he produced the walnut and
cracked it, but instead of a piece of linen he
found a hazel-nut. This also he cracked, and
found a cherry-stone. The courtiers looked at
171
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
each other, and the King laughed quietly to
himself. The Prince grew very red, but pro-
ceeded to break the cherry-stone, which was
quite filled with its own kernel. Then, indeed,
everyone laughed aloud and made game of
nim. He took no notice of their ironical re-
marks, but opened the kernel, where he found
a grain of wheat, and in the wheat one grain
of bird-seed. Then he could not help saying
to himself : " White Puss, White Puss, you are
playing a practical joke on me ! '
At that moment an unseen paw scratched
the back of his hand, so that it bled slightly.
Reassured, he opened the seed and, to the
amazement of all, drew out a piece of linen four
hundred yards long, on which were painted all
kinds of birds, animals, and fishes, with trees,
shrubs, and fruit. Besides all these, there were
the sun, moon, and stars, and the portraits of
all the reigning sovereigns in the world.
When the King saw this web unfolded, he
became as white as his son had become red
while searching for it. It was passed and re-
passed through the needle six times.
172
THE WHITE CAT
The King drew a long sigh ; then, turning to
his children, he said :
" Go and travel for yet another year, and he
who will bring home the most beautiful young
lady shall marry her and be crowned King. I
wish my successor to be married, and I give
you my word for it that I shall not again delay
the reward."
As our Prince had already been twice suc-
cessful, the injustice of his father's action fell
entirely on him, but he was far too respectful
to complain. He said not a word, but went
back to his dear little White Puss.
She was expecting him, and was seated on
a dais under a pavilion of cloth of gold. The
road was strewn with flowers, and all the cats
mewed their best to bid him welcome.
" Well ! " she exclaimed. " Do you return
again without your crown ? '
" Madam," replied the Prince, " I believe
it is grieving my father more to part with his
Crown than it is going to please me to possess
it."
; That makes no difference," said she j " you
173
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
must do your best to deserve it, and since your
father now wants a beautiful young lady to be
taken to his Court, I shall seek for one who will
win the prize for you. In the meantime let
us go on with the rejoicings I had arranged for
your return. There is to be a naval engagement
between my cats and the terrible rats of this
country. My cats will find fighting at sea diffi-
cult, as they have a great fear of water, but
otherwise they would have a very unfair advan-
tage, and as I like to be just, we must equalize
things."
The Prince praised her wise planning, and
went with her to a terrace close to the sea.
The vessels of the cats were huge pieces of
cork. The rats' boats were made of egg-shells
joined to each other. The combat was a terrible
one. Twenty times the rats were vanquished
and victorious by turns, but at last Admiral
Minagrobis, who commanded the feline fleet,
reduced the rats to despair by eating up their
general, and White Puss gave the signal to stop
fighting. She had no desire to destroy the
enemy completely. She reflected that, if there
174
THE WHITE CAT
were neither rats nor mice in the country, her
subjects would have nothing to hunt and would
live in idleness, which would be fatal to the race.
The Prince spent this year like the two
former ones, riding, hunting, fishing, or playing
chess, a game in which White Puss excelled.
Many times the Prince asked her to tell him
if she were really a fairy, or if some fairy had
turned her into a cat, but instead of giving him
a direct answer she always beat about the bush
in such a manner that he could make neither
head nor tail of her meaning, and he concluded
that she did not wish to be questioned on the
subject.
The Prince would again have forgotten the
end of the year, had not White Puss told him,
the evening before the day he had to start, that
it was for himself to decide whether or not he
would take back a beautiful Princess to his
father's Court. She told him that the hour for
undoing the fatal work of the fairies had come,
and that all he needed to do was to cut off her
head and her tail and throw them into the fire.
" I ! " cried he in horror. " Oh ! little White
175
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
One, you are putting me to a terrible test ! I
am quite incapable of acting thus toward my
kindest and best friend ! "
She tried to persuade him to steel himself
to do as she asked him, but all her eloquence
failed, till she at last assured him that both his
own happiness and hers depended on his com-
plying with her request. Then, with a trembling
hand, he drew his sword and cut off both her
head and her tail.
Was he dreaming ? What had happened ?
Instead of his poor White Puss, there stood
before him the most beautiful girl his eyes had
ever beheld.
At first he believed himself to be under some
enchantment, but it was far otherwise. His
action had broken the spell under which his
dear White Puss, as well as all the inmates of
the castle, had lain.
They trooped in, lords and ladies, with their
cat-skins thrown across their shoulders, and all
pressed forward to pay court to their dear young
Queen, who received them with great kindness.
Then she asked them all to retire for a while,
176
THE WHITE CAT
as she wished to speak privately to the Prince.
When they had withdrawn, and she was left
alone with the Prince, she said :
"Do not think I was always a cat, or that
my birth was not quite equal to your own. My
father was monarch over six kingdoms. My
mother, who loved to travel, wanted to go to
a certain great mountain, and on the way she
was told that near it was an enchanted castle
into which no one dared enter but the fairies to
whom it belonged, and that in the castle garden
were found the finest fruits of the whole world.
The Queen, my mother, had a great desire to
taste some of these fruits, so she went to the
door of the magnificent building and knocked
repeatedly, but got no answer. She asked some
of her attendants to climb over the garden walls,
but the walls grew higher and higher, and when
they brought ladders, these broke, and the men
who were on them fell and were killed. The
Queen got tents pitched quite near to the castle,
and stayed there with her followers for six
weeks. She was taken with a great sickness,
and her people feared she was going to die.
177
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
One night she saw a very ugly little old woman
sitting by her bed, and presently the visitor
began to speak :
" 6 Since you are so determined to have some
of our fruit/ said she, ' we shall give you
some, but in return you must also make us a
gift.'
" ' Oh ! for that,' said the Queen, ( just ask
what you want.'
" ' We want the little daughter who is coming
to you soon. We shall come to fetch her as
soon as she is born. She shall be our child,
and we shall take good care of her and make
her happy, but you shall not be allowed to see
her again till she is married. Are you willing
to accept our conditions ? '
" c Quite willing,' said the Queen, ' for I feel
I shall die soon, and a motherless child might
be worse off than under your care.'
" The old fairy, having obtained this pro-
mise, then touched the Queen with her wand and
cured her of her illness. My mother called her
ladies and asked them to dress her at once, as
she was going to call at the enchanted palace.
THE WHITE CAT
At first they thought she was delirious, but
finding they were mistaken, they dressed her,
and she followed the old fairy. They entered
the castle (the one in which we now are), and
two fairies received them and bade the Queen
welcome. They asked her if she wished the
different fruits to come to her of their own
accord, and my mother said she would like to
see such an extraordinary sight.
" The old woman whistled three times, then
called : ' Apricots, peaches, cherries, plums,
pears, melons, apples, oranges, gooseberries,
raspberries, come here ! '
" ' But,' said the Queen, ' these fruits ripen
at different seasons ! '
" ' Not so, here,' replied the two fairies.
" There and then the fruits arrived pell-mell,
neither bruising nor soiling themselves. After-
ward the Queen went into the garden, where
she spent three days and three nights gathering
store for the winter, and as none of the fruits
ever spoiled, she had four thousand mules
loaded with them to send home.
" When my mother left, the fairies promised
179
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
her that they would give me the education
needed for my rank as a Princess, and that they
would invite her to my wedding when they
should have found me a suitable husband.
" The King was delighted to have my mother
back, and greatly enjoyed eating the splendid
fruit. He did not know of the strange promise
my mother had made to the fairies, neither did
she tell him exactly where she had been.
" As the time when I was expected drew near,
he Queen became very low-spirited, and deeply
regretted her promise. At last she told the
King all about it. He reproached her very
severely for her foolishness, and then put her
in a room in a tower, with guards all round
it, to prevent her from giving away the little
daughter, and he got nurses to take care of me
night and day in his own palace.
" The fairies sent to fetch me, as they had
arranged, but the escort were ugly little dwarfs,
whom the King did not even receive civilly.
The fairies were terribly angry, and after having
sent every imaginable plague into his six king-
doms, they let loose their horrible dragon,
180
THE WHITE CAT
which ate men, women, and children, and killed
all the plants with its scorching breath.
" In vain the King consulted all the wise
men and the magicians ; none of them could
help him. At last he went to ask advice from
an old fairy whom he knew. She told him to
give me to the fairies as had been promised,
and to pardon the Queen and set her at liberty,
telling him that by doing so he would avert
further evils, and would bring prosperity to his
subjects. The King found this very hard, as
he loved his little daughter, but at last con-
sented, to save his people from greater disasters.
" It was arranged that, eight days later, he
and my mother would take me in my cradle to
the mountain of flowers, half-way between their
palace and that of the fairies, and that they
should wait there till the fairies came to fetch
me.
The Queen was pardoned, and with the
King she arranged for the ceremony to take
place with due respect to my rank.
" My cradle was made of mother-of-pearl.
It was put on a light hand-barrow made of gold,
181
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
and twenty-four Princesses of the royal blood
were appointed to carry it. The whole of the
ladies and gentlemen of the Court accompanied
me.
cc
While they were carrying me up the flower-
mountain there was a sudden burst of music,
heralding the arrival of the fairies. There were
thirty-six of them, all very old and very ugly.
Each held an olive branch in her hand as a
sign of peace. They were followed by the
dragon which had been sent before to avenge
them when my father had refused to give me
up. The monster was led by a chain of dia-
monds attached to its neck.
" The thirty-six fairies almost smothered me
with kisses; then they began their fairy-reel,
which is a very merry dance round a circle
made on the ground. Afterward the dragon
came forward, and the three fairies to whom
my mother had promised me seated themselves
on its back, holding my cradle on their knees.
The dragon spread out his great scaly wings,
as fine as silk crape, and sped off through the
air to the fairy palace.
182
THE WHITE CAT
" When my mother saw me on the dragon
she shrieked aloud for fear, but my father did
all he could to console her.
" My fairy guardians had built a tower for
my own use, with handsome rooms, luxurious
furniture, and interesting books ; but the rooms
had no doors, every one being entered by the
windows, which were terribly high up. On the
top of the tower, however, there was a beautiful
garden.
" The fairies brought me up very well, and
always dressed me in beautiful clothes. They
had me taught everything that a Princess of my
age could learn, and always came on the dragon
to visit me. I believed myself to be their own
child. No one stayed with me in the tower,
but I had a parrot and a lap-dog which kept me
company, for they were endowed with reason
and also with speech.
" One side of the tower looked over a road
where I had never once seen anyone walking
or driving, so I was immensely surprised one
day, when, talking to my companions near the
window, I looked out and saw a handsome young
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
knight, who seemed to have overheard our
conversation. He made me a low bow; then,
as night was falling, he departed, after having
sounded his bugle to my great delight.
" Next morning I ran to my window, and
was overjoyed to see him again. He had a
speaking-trumpet which enabled me to hear all
he said, but I dared not answer back for fear
of being heard by the fairies ; however, I threw
him some flowers, for which he thanked me.
Then he said :
" * If you are willing to let me come every
morning at this hour to talk to you a little,
please throw something down, and I shall know
that you consent.' I took my turquoise ring
from my finger and dropped it down to him,
signing quickly to him to go away, as I heard
the fairy called Violence coming with my break-
fast. As soon as she dismounted from the
dragon she exclaimed :
" * I smell a man's voice here ! Search,
dragon ! '
" I trembled with fear.
" ' Has a voice a smell, dear Madam ? And
184
THE WHITE CAT
what mortal would dare to climb up here ? '
I asked.
" Violence made no answer, but when I had
taken my breakfast she handed me my distaff,
and said :
" ' Having eaten, you must now get some
work done. You did nothing at all yesterday.'
" As soon as she had gone, I threw down my
distaff, and went up to the roof-garden. I had
a very good field-glass, and in the distance I
saw the young knight resting under a pavilion
of cloth of gold. He was surrounded by a great
train of followers. I feared that, if he returned
to the tower, he might be discovered by the
dragon, so I told my parrot to fly to him, tell
him of his danger, and say I did not wish him
to come back.
" The parrot delivered my message correctly,
and the King (for such he was) gave her a
message for me and entrusted her with a ring,
which she carried in her claw, and a tiny portrait
of himself, which he tied under her wing.
" I awaited the return of my little courier
with great impatience. When she arrived, she
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
told me from the King that he was much too
brave to give up his visits on account of the
danger to himself, but that he would continue
to come whenever there was a favourable oppor-
tunity. I began to weep, as I feared what the
dragon might do, and to console me Poll gave
me the ring, which was a very much handsomer
one than the turquoise ring I had thrown down ;
then she lifted her wing, and I undid the string,
and took the royal portrait, which I slipped
inside my dress, and whenever I was very lonely
I brought it out to gaze on it.
" With so many new thoughts, some pleasant,
some sad, I began to feel restless and excited.
The fairies imagined that I was weary of living
alone, and they began to search for a husband
for me, and they chose the dwarf King Migonnet,
whose mind was as crooked as his body. His
cruel disposition and violent temper made him
dreaded by everyone near him. The parrot,
who overheard them talking about it, came
flying to me and said :
" * Oh ! how sorry I shall be for you, my
dear mistress, if you have to marry that horrid
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THE WHITE CAT
little Migonnet. The little monster terrifies me
even to look at him ! I know him only too well,
because I was reared on the same branch as
he, for he has eagle's claws instead of feet ! '
" I was distracted with grief, and determined
to die rather than marry Migonnet.
" In the morning my little dog, whose scent
is very keen, told me that the King was at the
bottom of the tower. I ran to the window, and
through his trumpet he begged me to find some
means of leaving the tower, or of letting him
enter, as he wanted to marry me, and then I
should be the greatest Queen in the world.
" I sent the parrot to tell him that what he
asked was almost impossible, but that I would
do my very best, if only he would not come
daily, as the fairies would have no mercy.
" The King went away delighted, but I was
terribly distressed, thinking of what I had
promised to do. I could find no means of
leaving the tower, and again I sent my parrot
to tell him so, and he was ready to die with
grief.
" My sadness increased daily and I wept the
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
greater part of my time. Fairy Violence noticed
my red eyes, and told me that if I did not tell
her why I wept so much, she would burn me.
I told her that I was weary of spinning, and
that I wanted little nets to catch the birds
which were destroying the fruits in the garden.
She brought me pieces of cord to make the
nets, and at the same time she told me to
dress to receive King Migonnet, who would
arrive presently.
" As soon as she had gone I hastened to
make a ladder of the cords, and I sent the parrot
to tell the King that I wanted him to come to
the tower that night and to stand just beneath
my window. I fastened the ladder firmly to
the iron bar of the window, and prepared to
descend, but before I could get out the King
had mounted it and come into the room. I was
so delighted to see him that I forgot all about
the danger. He asked me to marry him, and
we took the parrot and the dog as witnesses.
Never before were people of such high rank
married with so little ceremony.
" I told the King of the marriage the fairies
188
THE WHITE CAT
had arranged for me with Migonnet, and I
described his appearance, which horrified the
King as much as it had done myself.
" It was night when he left, and shortly
after his departure I saw, coming through the
air, a fiery chariot drawn by winged salamanders
and escorted by guards mounted on ostriches.
" A few minutes later Violence made her
appearance in my room.
" ' Your intended husband has arrived,' said
she. ' Prepare to receive him. 5
"'Who told you that I wanted a husband?'
I cried. ' Send King Migonnet home. I shall
never be his wife.'
" ' Oh, indeed ! ' said the fairy. ' But you
must understand, you little rebel, that I am in
no mood for joking, and I shall -
" ' What will you do ? ' said I, in despera-
tion. ' Can you make my life more miserable
than it already is, shut up as I am in this tower,
with only my parrot and my lap-dog ? '
" * You are an ungrateful little wretch ! ' said
Violence. Then she went off to report our
quarrel to her sisters.
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Both my parrot and my lap-dog scolded
me for being so impudent, and begged me to
conciliate the fairies by meekness and patience;
but I would not listen to them.
" My interview with Migonnet took place on
the roof-garden. He was very short, his legs
were without bones, his feet were like eagle's
claws, and he had to walk on both his knees and
his feet at the same time, supporting the weight
of his heavy, shapeless body on crutches. His
head was enormous, and his red nose was so
big and thick that a dozen birds could sit on it.
His beard was so bushy that several canaries
made their nests in it, and his long ears stood
half a yard above his head. The flame of his
chariot roasted the apples as he passed, and
dried up the water in my little garden. He
came forward to kiss me, but I fled down to
my room and shut both the door and the
windows, and Migonnet returned to the fairies
in great wrath.
" The fairies begged his pardon, and under-
took to tie my feet and hands while I was asleep,
and to put me in his fiery chariot, so that he
190
THE WHITE CAT
could fly away with me. They did not scold
me, but behaved so kindly that both of my pets
were suspicious and warned me to beware of
them ; but I paid no attention to the warnings.
I put out the ladder for my husband, as I had
done before. He came up and entered the room,
closing the window behind him, and we began
to talk happily together, when, all of a sudden,
my windows were burst open. Through one
came the fairies on their dragon, and through
the other came Migonnet in his fiery chariot.
" My husband the King, forgetful of his own
safety, drew his sword to protect me, but the
dragon killed him with his breath and swallowed
him up before my eyes. In utter despair I
rushed forward to the monster's fearful mouth,
hoping he would devour me, but the cruel
fairies held me back, crying :
" * No ! Death is too good for such a
wretch ! '
" They touched me with their wand and I
became a white cat. They brought me to this
palace, and changed all the great lords and
ladies of my father's kingdom into cats, except
191
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
those who were in office at the Court. These
they rendered invisible, all but their hands.
" They told me all about my rank and the
incidents connected with my birth; also that
both my father and my mother were dead.
Then they told me that I should not get rid
of my feline shape till I found a Prince resem-
bling my dead husband who would be willing
to deliver me. You, my Prince, are the image
of him, and my miseries are ended ! 5
White Puss, now a great Queen, seated her-
self in a magnificent chariot, our young Prince
by her side, and they set out for the palace,
where the brothers of the Prince were already
waiting. As the chariot neared the palace the
Queen hid herself in a piece of rock crystal.
When they arrived at the palace, the two
elder Princes were walking in the palace grounds
with two very beautiful Princesses whom they
had brought to show to the King. They asked
their brother what the lady he brought was like.
He said he had seen no beauties, so he only
brought a little white cat. At this they burst
out laughing.
192
THE WHITE CAT
The King welcomed the two Princes and
their Princesses, whom he thought so beautiful
that he could not decide which one should have
the prize. He looked at the youngest, and said :
"So you come alone this time ! '
" Your Majesty," replied the Prince, " will
find in this piece of rock crystal a little white
cat which mews so sweetly that I am sure it will
please you."
The King advanced toward the lump of
crystal, but at the same moment the Queen
touched a spring inside it, the crystal fell apart,
and she stepped out, like the sun from behind
clouds, her golden hair hanging in long curls
to her feet, and her white gauze robe girdled
with flowers. At the sight, the King exclaimed
with enthusiasm :
" This is she who has won the Crown ! '
" Sire," said the Queen, " I cannot deprive
you of a throne which you occupy so worthily.
I have six kingdoms of my own. Allow me to
offer you one of them, and to give one each to
your two elder sons. In exchange for these
three kingdoms, I would ask for your friendship,
193
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
and for the hand of your youngest son as my
husband."
The King bowed gracefully, while his cour-
tiers cheered this speech to the echo.
The marriages of all three sons were cele-
brated at once with great pomp and amid
general good-will ; then the three couples set off,
each to govern their own realm. As for the
beautiful White Cat, she has been immortlized
as much for her generous heart as for her
learning and her beauty.
194
PRINCE DARLING
THERE was once a King who was so just
and so kind that his people surnamed him
c< the Good." One day when he was out
hunting, a little rabbit, fleeing from the hounds,
jumped right into his arms. The King shel-
tered the little trembling creature under his
coat, saying to himself : "It came to me for
safety ; I must protect it." He carried the
rabbit home to the palace, got a pretty little
rabbit-hutch made for it, and gave orders that
it was to be well fed and attended to.
During the night, when he was alone, he
was astonished to find a beautiful lady standing
before him, and he felt puzzled to know how she
had come, as the door of his room was closed.
She was dressed very simply, having neither
195
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
gold nor silver embroidery, nor any jewels, but
her soft robe was as white as snow, and her
lovely hair was crowned with white roses, shed-
ding a delicate perfume all around.
While the King looked in silent amazement,
his fair visitor addressed him :
" I am Fairy Candour. I was in the
wood when you were hunting and wished to
find out for myself whether you are as kind-
hearted as people say you are. I therefore
assumed the form of a rabbit, and took refuge
in your arms, for I know that those who have
pity in their hearts for a dumb animal have even
more for their brother man, and if you had not
sheltered me I should have known you were a
hypocrite.
" I have come to thank you for your pro-
tection, and to tell you that under all circum-
stances you can rely on me as a friend, and now
you have only to ask what you wish ; if it is at
all possible, I shall give it you."
" Madam," said the good King, " since you
are a fairy, you know all that I wish. I have
only one son, whom I love with all my heart, so
196
PRINCE DARLING
that people generally name him Prince Darling.
If you wish to do me a kindness, promise me to
be a good friend to my boy/ 5
" With all my heart I promise you that,"
said the fairy. " I can make your son grow up
either the handsomest prince in the world, or
the richest, or the most powerful ; choose which
you would prefer him to be."
" I do not specially desire any of these great
gifts for my son," said the King, cc but I should
greatly like him to be the best Prince ever known.
Of what use would good looks, riches or great
kingdoms be to him, if he were a bad man ?
You know as well as I that he could be miserable
with all these advantages, and that goodness
alone can ever bring happiness."
" You are quite right there," said Candour,
" but even I cannot make your son a good man
unless he himself wishes to be good, and will
strive himself to be so. All that I can promise
is to watch over him, to give him good advice,
to point out his faults to him, and even to punish
him if he does not try to correct himself of them
and learn to deny himself."
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The good King was quite pleased with the
fairy's promise. He did not live long after,
but he died quite happy, knowing that his
son had such a good kind friend as Fairy
Candour.
Prince Darling was inconsolable. He loved
his father dearly, and would willingly have given
all he possessed to save his life, had that been
possible.
Two days after the death of the good King,
when Prince Darling had gone to bed, Candour
suddenly appeared to him.
" I promised your father," said she, " to be
a good friend to you, and in order to keep my
word I have come to make you a present."
At the same time she put a small gold ring
on his finger, saying to him :
" Take good care of this ring ; it is much
more precious than diamonds. Every time you
do anything wrong, it will prick your finger, but
if in spite of the prick you continue the wrong
action, you will lose my friendship and make
me your enemy."
When she finished this speech, she dis-
198
PRINCE DARLING
appeared, leaving Prince Darling greatly aston-
ished.
For a considerable time the Prince behaved
so well that the ring never once needed to prick
him, and he was so well pleased with himself
that he was always smiling. This made people
add c Happy ' to his name * Darling.'
Some months later the young Prince went
hunting, but came back without having caught
anything. This annoyed him and put him in
a bad humour. He imagined, for a moment,
that the ring pressed him a little, but as it did
not actually prick him he hardly noticed it. As
he entered his room, his little dog Flora came
jumping to welcome him, wanting to lick his
hand.
" Get out of my way," said he crossly. " I
can't be bothered with you just now."
The little creature did not understand, but
tugged at his coat to draw his attention. In his
ill-temper the Prince lifted his foot and kicked
her out of his way. The ring pricked him
sharply, as if it had been a pin. This made him
think of his conduct, and feeling both annoyed
199
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
and ashamed, he sat down sulkily in the darkest
corner of the room. It was a new and a dis-
agreeable experience for him to be found fault
with. He said to himself :
" Really, my fairy friend is making a fool of
me ! What wrong is there in giving a kick to
an animal that is pestering me? What is the
use of being master of a great empire, when I
am not at liberty to beat my dog if I like ? '
" I am not making a fool of you," said a voice,
replying to the Prince's thoughts. " You have
committed three faults instead of one. You let
yourself get cross because you did not have
what you wanted, and because you think both
men and animals are made only for your pleasure.
You flew into a passion, which is very wrong,
and in your passion you were cruel to a little
animal that had done nothing to deserve such
treatment. I know that you are greatly the
superior of a dog, but if it is to be accepted that
the great and powerful can tyrannize over those
who are beneath them, I might either flog you
or kill you, as a fairy is vastly more powerful
than a man. The real advantage of being
200
PRINCE DARLING
master over a great empire does not consist in
having power to do all the wrong you care to
do, but the power to do all the good you can."
Prince Darling saw his fault, and felt sorry
for a little while. He promised to try to correct
his own bad temper, but he soon forgot. Un-
fortunately his mother had died when he was
very little, and he had been brought up by a
very foolish old nurse, who let him have his own
way in everything. When he wanted anything
he had only to cry or fly into a passion, stamping
his feet or yelling at the top of his voice. The
stupid woman gave him what he wanted to
pacify him, and it made him very obstinate and
self-willed. She told him daily that soon he
would be a great King, and that all Kings were
happy because they could get everything they
wanted, as everyone had to obey them and
respect them, and no one could prevent a King
from doing what he liked.
When he grew big enough to understand, he
quite recognized how wrong these ideas were,
and he saw that nothing was so ignoble as pride,
vanity, and obstinacy. He really made many
201
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
efforts to correct himself, but these bad habits
had become almost part of his nature, and
nothing is so difficult to cure as a bad habit
learned when young. His heart was not natur-
ally bad or cruel, and sometimes he shed tears
as he said to himself :
" I am very unfortunate. I have to fight my
own pride and my own temper every day, and
yet they get the better of me. If I had been
corrected when I was young, it would have been
better for me to-day."
His ring pricked him many a time. Some-
times he attended to the warning at once, some-
times he paid no heed, but continued his wrong
course. The strange thing was that for a slight
fault the ring gave a very tiny prick, but for a
grave fault it pricked firmly till the finger bled.
At last he lost patience, and making up his mind
to do as he liked without restraint, he drew off
the ring and threw it away.
He felt greatly relieved when he had no more
pricking to worry him, and believed himself to
be enjoying life for the first time. He spent
his whole time in idle amusements, and even in
202
PRINCE DARLING
wrongdoing from which he would have shrunk
when younger, and at last he behaved so badly
that no nice people liked to be in his company.
One day when the Prince was out for an
airing he saw a girl who was so beautiful that
he determined to marry her. Her name was
Zelia, and she was as well-behaved as she was
good-looking, but she was of very humble birth.
The Prince thought Zelia would be only too
glad to marry him and become a real Queen, so
he asked her at once to be his wife, but the young
girl answered him with great frankness :
" Sire, I am only a peasant girl, without
fortune, but though I had a fortune I would not
marry you."
" Am I so displeasing to look at ? " asked
he, a little hurt.
" No, Sire," replied Zelia ; " you appear to
me just what you are, a very handsome man.
But of what use would your good looks, your
wealth, or the fine clothes and grand coaches
you promise, be to me, if your daily behaviour
forced me to despise you and hate you ? "
The Prince was very angry at this plain
203
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
speaking, and ordered his officers to take Zelia
by force to the palace. The young girl's con-
tempt for him rankled in his mind all day, but
he was so much in love with her that he could
not bring himself to ill-treat her.
Among the favourites of Prince Darling was
a foster-brother, who shared all his secrets. He
was a bad man, brought up among people of
low tastes. He kept himself in the Prince's
favour by flattering him and encouraging his
evil habits. As he saw that the Prince looked
sad, he asked him the cause. The Prince told
him that he was hurt by the contempt Zelia
had shown him, for he knew he had deserved it,
and he had just made up his mind to change his
manner of living, as he felt he could never win
Zelia's love unless he became a good man.
" You would change your ways because of
the opinion of a country girl ! You are surely
very kind ! ' sneered the foster-brother. " If I
were in your place, I should soon teach her her
proper place. Have you forgotten what is due
to your rank as King, and how humiliating it
would be for you to be ruled by the opinions of a
204
PRINCE DARLING
mere peasant who ought to be proud to be one of
your slaves ? Shut her up. Give her nothing
but bread and water, and if that does not bring
her to her senses, torture her to death, as a
lesson to everyone who disobeys you. You
would be disgraced for ever if people thought
a girl could resist you, and your subjects
would forget that they only exist for your
pleasure."
" But," replied the Prince, " should I not
be still more disgraced if I were to cause the
death of an innocent girl ? For, after all, Zelia
has done nothing wrong."
" No one is innocent who refuses to do your
bidding," said this false man ; " but it would
be better for you to be accused of injustice than
to be looked on as a contemptible weakling
whom your subjects may despise or contradict
when they like."
The flatterer had touched the Prince on his
weakest side, for he was vain and proud of his
power, so the fear of losing his authority made
him listen to this bad advice and stifle his
desire to be a better man.
205
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The foster-brother saw that he had shaken
the Prince's resolution, and in order to follow
up the advantage he had gained, he got three
of the worst of the Prince's bad companions to
come to sup with him that evening. They put
a drug in the Prince's wine, knowing that it
would madden him ; then they twitted him with
being under the thumb of an ignorant country-
girl, who could snap her fingers at him when
she chose.
The Prince, no longer master of himself,
rose and swore he would be revenged ; then,
with his drunken companions, he staggered off
toward Zelia's room, of which he had the key.
He unlocked the door, and with derisive oaths
they all reeled in, to find the room empty !
Zelia was not there !
The Prince's anger knew no bounds. He
vowed that he would severely punish anyone
who could even be suspected of having helped
Zelia to escape. His companions, hearing what
he said, determined to seize the opportunity to
ruin Suliman, the Prince's former tutor, whom
they hated and feared because he was good and
206
PRINCE DARLING
just, and had tried to persuade the Prince to
give up his bad habits.
Suliman loved the Prince sincerely, and at
first Darling had taken his advice, but latterly
he had resented it, and banished the good tutor
from the Court.
The Prince, nevertheless, respected Suliman
in his heart, and was often heard to speak of him
as a good, just man, though he did not wish his
interference, and would not have him near the
palace.
The bad companions had always feared that
Darling might change his mind and recall Suli-
man, so they now invented a story to the effect
that some people had heard Suliman boast that
he would let Zelia out of the room where she
was imprisoned. This story they told to the
Prince, who at first could hardly believe it, but
they bribed three other bad men to swear they
had heard Suliman say so. On hearing this,
the Prince was beside himself with rage, and
ordered his foster-brother to send soldiers to
bring Suliman to the palace in chains like a
criminal.
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
After giving this order. Prince Darling re-
tired to his room to brood over his loss.
As he entered, a terrible peal of thunder
shook the palace to its foundations, and he felt
the ground trembling beneath him ; then the
Fairy Candour appeared. In a severe voice she
said :
" I promised your father to give you good
advice, and to chastise you if you refused to
follow it. You have chosen to despise my
warnings and to act contrary to my advice. As
a consequence you have destroyed your man-
hood, and have nothing left but the outward
form of a man. Your evil deeds have changed
you into a monster, abhorred by both heaven
and earth. It is time for me to fulfil my promise
by meting out your punishment. I shall now
take from you even the semblance of a man, and
you shall become like the beasts whose habits
you have acquired. You have been like a lion
in fury, a wolf in greed, a serpent in ingratitude,
and a bull in brutality. In your new form I
condemn you to bear a resemblance to all these
animals."
208
PRINCE DARLING
Candour had hardly finished speaking when
the Prince found, with horror, that he had taken
the form she described. He had the head of a
lion, the horns of a bull, the legs of a wolf, and
the tail of a serpent. He found himself in a
great forest, beside a clear stream in which he
saw the reflection of his horrible appearance,
and he heard a voice from above him saying :
" Look at yourself and consider carefully
the state to which your vices have brought you ;
then remember that your soul is a thousand times
more frightful than your body."
Darling recognized the voice of Candour, and
in a burst of fury he turned to rush at her and
devour her, but no one was to be seen, and the
voice continued :
" Your rage and your evil intentions are
powerless to disturb me. Your pride needs still
to be humbled, so I am going to put you under
the power of your own subjects."
Darling turned from the fountain which
showed him his horrible form so plainly, and
thought he would hide himself in the wood, but
he fell into a hole which had been dug to trap
209
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
bears. Some hunters who were hiding in the
branches of a tree came down, and, having
chained him, led him to his own capital city.
On the way, instead of being sorry for the
conduct which had brought him to such a pass,
he cursed the fairy in his heart, bit his chains,
and gave himself over to fury.
As he and his captors neared the city they
noticed that some great event was being cele-
brated. The hunters asked some passers-by
what it meant. They replied :
" The people are rejoicing because Prince
Darling, who treated his subjects so badly, has
been killed in his room by a thunderbolt." For
such was the popular belief. " The gods," they
added, " could no longer endure his crimes and
his wickedness, so they have rid the earth of him.
Four great lords, who were his companions in
vice, made an attempt to seize the throne and
share the kingdom between them, but the people,
knowing that it was they who had ruined their
King, set upon them and killed them. The good
lord Suliman, whom the Prince had condemned
to death, has been crowned King, and the event
210
PRINCE DARLING
is being celebrated as a National Deliverance, for
Suliman is a good man, and will restore peace
and plenty to our country."
Darling felt ready to burst with rage when
he heard all this, but he had a greater trial to
face when they arrived at the great square in
front of the palace, where, on a superb throne,
sat Suliman, surrounded by crowds who shouted
loudly :
" Long live King Suliman ! May he have
many years of happiness to enable him to repair
the evil wrought by his predecessor ! '
Suliman stood up and made a sign with his
hand to the noisy multitude, who immediately
disposed themselves to listen in silent respect.
Then he said :
" I accept the Crown you offer me for the
time being, but I do so to preserve it for your
rightful King, my former pupil, Prince Darling.
He is not dead, as you suppose. A fairy has
told me this, and perhaps you and I may yet
have the pleasure of seeing him turn from his
evil ways and become again the good, kind man
that nature intended him to be. Alas ! he was
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
led astray by flatterers. I knew him well, and
his heart was good. He would have been a
father to his subjects had it not been for those
who were around him, who poisoned his mind
with evil thoughts and set him a bad example.
You and I must hate his vices, but we must be
sorry for him and pray that he may repent of
his wrongdoing, and may be restored to his
right mind. For myself I should be only too
happy if, by shedding my blood, I could see him
again on the throne, with the good character
and good desires which would enable him to
reign worthily."
This speech cut Darling to the heart. He
saw clearly how sincere and how faithful this
good man's friendship had been, and, for the
first time, he saw clearly how wicked his own
conduct had been, and blamed himself for the
misfortune that had come upon him. As soon
as this better mood began, his fury was calmed,
and he began to reflect on the many wrong
things he had done. His shame was great, and
he confessed to himself that he had deserved
an even greater punishment than had been laid
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PRINCE DARLING
on him. He ceased struggling to get out of the
iron cage in which he was now chained, and
became as quiet as a lamb. His captors took him
to a great building where all the wild animals
and monstrous creatures were kept, and they
chained him in one of the compartments.
Darling resolved to begin to mend his ways
at once, and his first step in the right direction
was taken when he became quite docile and
obedient to his keeper. The man was a brutal
bully who beat the creatures under his care
without rhyme or reason whenever he was in a
bad temper, and Darling's gentleness did not
save him from many a cruel blow. One day,
when the fellow had fallen asleep, a tiger broke
its chain and sprang on him to tear him to pieces.
For a moment Darling was tempted to rejoice
that the tiger was going to rid him of his perse-
cutor, but next moment a feeling of pity for the
unfortunate wretch made him wish he could
free himself to go to his assistance he wished to
render good for evil, by saving the keeper's life.
Just as the desire arose, Darling found his
cage was open. He flew to the assistance of the
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
man who was struggling to defend himself
against the tiger. The wretched man thought
his last hour had come when this other monster
bounded toward him, but his fear was changed to
joy when he saw it strangle the tiger and then
come to lie down at his own feet. The man
was filled with gratitude, and was bending over
to pat the head of the monster which had saved
his life, when he heard a voice saying :
" No good action goes without its reward."
At the same time he found there was no
monster to be caressed, but in its stead a very
handsome little dog, which licked the hand
stretched out to pat him.
Darling was delighted with this new change
of form, and gambolled joyfully round the
keeper, who lifted the dog in his arms and
carried him to the King, to whom he told the
wonderful story.
The Queen was so delighted with the beauti-
ful dog that she kept it as a pet, and it accom-
panied her everywhere, carried on a silk cushion
by her favourite page. Darling might have
thought himself very fortunate if he could only
214
PRINCE DARLING
have forgotten that he ought not to be a dog,
but that he should be a man and a king !
The Queen, who fondled him, often began
to fear that he would grow too fat, so she con-
sulted the most learned doctors of the Court on
this subject. These gentlemen produced weighty
books and ancient parchments to prove that dogs
thrive best on a spare diet of bread and water,
and as the Queen followed this advice rather
too strictly, poor Darling felt ready to die of
hunger the half of his time, but he told himself
he must learn to be patient.
One morning, when he got his little roll of
bread for his breakfast, he carried it in his mouth
to the garden of the palace to eat it near a brook
which he remembered.
The brook was no longer there, but in his
search for it he came to a great house whose
walls sparkled with gold and precious stones.
Crowds of magnificently dressed men and
women were going into it, and they all appeared
to be gay, for there were sounds of music and
dancing coming from all the brightly lighted
windows ; but what seemed strange indeed was
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
that those who came out from it were thin,
pale, and covered with hideous-looking boils and
sores, while they had only a few filthy rags to
cover themselves with. Some, indeed, fell dead
on the threshold as they came out, having no
strength to crawl farther. Some went a little
way, then lay down to die of hunger, begging
for a crust of bread from the gay crowds who
were flocking to the house, but none in these
crowds even looked at them as they passed.
Darling saw a young girl trying to pull up
some grass to eat to satisfy her hunger. He
went toward her, saying to himself :
" I am hungry, but I am not dying of hunger.
I can wait till dinner-time, and perhaps my roll
will save this girl's life."
He held out the roll to her. She snatched
it from him and ate it greedily. It seemed to
renew her strength, and Darling, delighted to
have been in time to save her, turned and began
to walk back toward the palace.
On the way he heard a woman's voice calling
for help. It seemed to be Zelia, who was being
dragged by four men who wanted to force her
216
PRINCE DARLING
to go into the brightly lighted house. At that
moment Darling regretted having lost his mon-
ster form, for he thought it would have enabled
him to terrify these bad men.
" What can a poor little dog do to help her ? J
he asked himself in great distress ; but he did his
best by barking and trying to bite the heels of
the girl's captors. They kicked him out of their
way, but he returned to the attack repeatedly,
till one kick seemed to blind him for a while,
and he lost sight of them.
His heart was torn with remorse as he told
himself that, but for his own wickedness in
imprisoning Zelia, she would not have been in
the hands of these bad men.
Suddenly Darling heard the sound of a
window opening, and his joy was great when he
saw a maiden, who resembled Zelia, throw
him a plateful of good roast beef and close the
casement quickly. As Darling was very hungry
he bounded forward to take some of the meat,
when the girl to whom he had given his roll that
morning came up and called him to her. Lifting
him in her arms, she said :
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Poor little animal, you must not touch any
food coming from that house. It is poisoned
and would kill you. That is the palace of the
terrible fairy Self-Indulgence, who poisons every-
one who enters her domains."
Then Darling heard a voice saying, as before :
" No good action goes without its reward,"
and at the same moment he found himself
changed into a beautiful white dove. He re-
membered that white was the favourite colour
of Candour, and he began to hope that in the
end she would restore him to his original form.
His first desire was to find out what had
become of Zelia, so he spread his wings and
flew all round the house. Seeing an open
window, he flew in and looked everywhere;
but Zelia was not there. He was terribly
grieved, but determined to fly to the end of the
earth, if necessary, in order to find her. He
sped on for several days without stopping, until,
when crossing a desert, he noticed the mouth
of a cave. Flying low, he entered this cave,
where to his great delight he found Zelia sitting
beside a hermit and sharing his frugal meal of
218
PRINCE DARLING
ripe fruit. Darling perched on her shoulder and
rubbed his soft head against her neck and face,
cooing all the time to show her how pleased he
was.
Zelia was charmed with the gentle little dove,
and stroked its soft feathers with her hand.
At the same time she spoke to it, though she
did not know that it could understand her words.
She told it that she accepted the gift of itself,
which it had made to her, and that she would
love and cherish it as long as she lived.
" What have you done, Zelia ? ' said the
hermit. " Do you know that you have just
plighted your troth ? '
" Yes, my dear girl," said Prince Darling,
who at that moment regained the power of
speech, " the spell of my enchantment cannot be
broken till you say you are willing to marry me.
You have just promised me to love me always.
I ask you to assure my happiness by consenting
to our union, and I shall beg Fairy Candour,
my protectress, to give me back the form which
was mine when I was fortunate enough to hear
you say my appearance pleased you."
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The Prince had barely uttered these words
when his own proper shape was restored.
" You need not fear that Zelia will be fickle/'
said Candour, throwing off the hermit's form
in which she had disguised herself. " Zelia
loved you whenever she saw you, but she knew
that your character did not correspond with
your appearance, and although only a poor girl
she was too well brought up to marry a bad man.
Your better nature has now reasserted itself,
and she sees you now as Nature intended you
to be, a good man as well as a good-looking one.
On that sure foundation your marriage will be
happy."
Both Zelia and Prince Darling threw them-
selves at the fairy's feet, to thank her for her
protecting kindness, and for the punishment
that had brought the Prince to his senses. Zelia
joyfully gave her promise, and Fairy Candour
herself married them there and then, while they
knelt at her feet. She finished by saying :
" Rise up, my children. I shall now take
you to the palace, that Prince Darling may
ascend the throne of which he is now worthy."
220
PRINCE DARLING
When Candour finished speaking Prince Dar-
ling and Princess Zelia found themselves in the
throne-room in the presence of Suliman. This
good man himself rose and seated the Prince on
his father's throne, and crowned him King ; he
then was the first of Darling's faithful subjects
to kneel and swear loyalty to him.
Darling and Zelia reigned long and happily,
and the young King never again needed to be
reminded of ill-doing by the pricking of the
fairy's ring.
221
GOLDENLOCKS
ONCE there was a King whose only
daughter was so beautiful that there was
no one in the world fit to compare with
her. Her exquisitely graceful figure and lovely
face were set off by a glory of golden hair such
as no one had ever seen. It was finer than the
finest silk, and so abundant and so long that it
fell in shining, rippling curls to her very feet.
She crowned it daily with a garland of flowers,
and let it fall over her graceful shoulders and
rich robes like a mantle. Because of her mar-
vellous hair she was known everywhere by the
name of Goldenlocks, and her beauty was such
that no one could see her without loving her.
Among the neighbouring sovereigns was a
young King, who was very rich. This monarch
223
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
heard so often of the beautiful Princess with the
golden locks, that although they had not met,
he fell violently in love with her; he let his
imagination dwell on her to such an extent that
at last he could neither eat nor sleep, and he
resolved to send an ambassador to ask her hand
in marriage. He got a splendid State coach
made, and sent a hundred superbly caparisoned
horses and a hundred riders in gold and scarlet
liveries with the ambassador, as an escort for
the Princess. He never doubted that she would
accept his proposal gladly.
After the escort had started, the Court could
talk of nothing but the approaching marriage,
and preparations for celebrating it were begun.
The rooms to be occupied by the bride were
newly furnished in the richest and most fashion-
able manner, and new dresses for every day of
the year, of the most costly velvets, satins, or
brocades, embroidered with diamonds, pearls,
and emeralds, were ordered by the King to be
made, and to be ready for the bride's use when
she should arrive.
After travelling many days the ambassador
224
GOLDENLOCKS
arrived at the palace of Goldenlocks, and was
granted an immediate audience.
He delivered his message and laid out before
the Princess the costly jewels which his master
had sent for her acceptance. What was his
surprise, as well as his disappointment, when
Goldenlocks told him to thank the King, his
master, for the honour he did her in asking her
to be his wife, but to tell him that she had no
intention of marrying anyone at that time ! Of
course she could not accept the valuable presents
sent, since she was not willing to marry the
sender, but to show that she did not wish to
be ungracious, she kept a pretty little box of
fine English pins articles which could not be
obtained in her own country.
The ambassador took his leave and set off
with a sad heart to return to the Court of his
own King, where he was awaited with impatience.
When he arrived with no golden-haired beauty
in the coach there was great lamentation, and
the disappointed young King was quite incon-
solable.
Among the lords of the Court was a youth
225 *
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
named Avenant, who was of quite extraordinary
beauty. His elegant figure and frank, handsome
face, together with his winning charm of manner,
were so pleasing that people said it was like the
rising sun, which brightens all around it. Every-
one loved him, except two or three envious
people, such as are to be found everywhere, who
hated the youth because the King regarded him
with special favour.
Avenant was one day standing near a group
of courtiers who were criticizing the ambassador
because of his failure to bring Goldenlocks back
with him.
" He had not used much eloquence, I
think ! " said one of them.
" I agree with you," said Avenant carelessly.
" If the King had given me the mission I feel
sure the Princess would have come back with
me ! "
Some of these men were wicked enough to
repeat these words to the King in such a way
as to make his Majesty think that Avenant had
boasted that his own personal attractions were
so great that the Princess would have followed
226
GOLDENLOCKS
him anywhere, and that she would have fallen
in love with him even in preference to his
Majesty.
" Only think of his presumption ! ' said
they. " To think that he would have succeeded
where your Majesty has failed ! ' This made
the King furious :
" Ha ! " said he, " this pretty pet of mine
makes game of my misfortune, does he? He
makes himself of more importance than I am !
We shall see ! Throw him into the dungeon
and let him die of hunger ! '
The guards went to find Avenant, who by
this time had quite forgotten his thoughtless
words. They dragged him to a tower and
heaped insults on him, handling him roughly
on the way. They left him in the dark dungeon
without food, and with only a little straw on
which he could lie down. After a time he was
ready to die of hunger, and suffered from such
thirst that he must have died had not a glimmer
of light from the slit high up in the wall fallen
for a moment on some water which was oozing
through the ground at one side of the dungeon.
227
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
He lay down on the ground and cooled his lips
in the tiny stream, sucking in the fresh water as
it rose. Feeling somewhat refreshed, he began
to reflect upon his hard fate.
" How have I offended the King ? " he asked
himself in piteous tones. " He had no more
loyal subject or more faithful friend. I would
willingly have died for him ! '
These words he repeated again and again,
though the walls could give him no answer.
After some days, the King, who felt lonely
without his friend, and who may have begun
to feel some remorse, went for his morning
walk along a path which passed close by the
tower. Hearing the pitiful sound, he recog-
nized Avenant's voice, though it was weak and
tremulous, and he stopped to listen, in spite of
the attempts of his courtiers to lead him away.
" Surely, Sire," said they, " you are not
going to amuse yourself by listening to that
wretch ! '
" Have done ! " replied the King. " It is my
will to listen ! "
Soon he made out every word of the poor
228
GOLDENLOCKS
youth's lament, and the tears rushed down his
cheeks. He ordered the warden to open the
door of the tower, and he himself called Avenant
by name.
Avenant, who could hardly stand, groped his
way along the wall toward the door, not knowing
what fate might have in store for him. At the
door he fell on his knees and kissed the King's
feet, while he sobbed :
" Wherein have I offended your Majesty,
that I should be so cruelly punished ? '
" You made game of me and my ambassador,"
replied the King. " You said that if I had sent
you for the Princess Goldenlocks, you could
easily have brought her back with you."
" That is quite true," said Avenant. " I,
who know you so well, could have told her of all
your good qualities, and I should have described
you so eloquently that she could not have helped
wanting to come with me ; but what was there
in that to displease you, Sire ? '
The King saw that he had judged the young
man wrongly, and he looked angrily at those
who had deceived him. He led Avenant to the
229
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
palace, telling him as they went how deeply he
regretted having punished him so unjustly, and
after bidding the servants bring refreshments,
told him to rest till supper, after which they
would have a little private talk together.
As Avenant was young and healthy, the
good food and refreshing wine soon restored
his strength, and having nothing now to sadden
him he recovered his lightness of heart.
In due time he partook, also, of the grand
supper prepared for him, and at its close the
King summoned him to his private apartment.
After a few minutes' conversation :
" Avenant," said the King, " I am still deeply
in love with the Princess Goldenlocks. Her
refusal has not completely discouraged me, but
I find it difficult to see how I can induce her to
consent to marry me. I should like to send you
to see if you could not succeed."
" I ask for nothing better, Sire," replied
Avenant. " I shall set off to-morrow, if you
wish it."
" That is too soon," said the King, " for I
must give you a fitting escort."
230
GOLDENLOCKS
" No escort is necessary," said Avenant.
"All I need is a good horse and your Majesty's
letters of introduction."
The King, delighted to find the youth so
ready to serve him, threw his arms round him
and kissed him fondly.
Next morning the finest horse in the royal
stables was led to the door of the palace, and
Avenant, bearing the King's letters, mounted
and rode off on his mission, followed by the
admiring eyes of all in the royal household.
During the whole of the long journey Ave-
nant thought of nothing but how he could best
plead the King's cause.
When his horse needed rest to and drink, he
would choose a shady part of some wood near
the banks of a stream, and while his horse rested
he sat on the grass and prepared the speech
which he would make to the Princess.
One day, while he was thus engaged, a golden
carp, chasing an insect, overleapt itself, and fell
on the bank near him. It was early morning,
for he always started at break of day, and the
fine fish would have made him a good breakfast,
231
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
but Avenant only saw the agony of the beautiful
fish struggling for its life. He rose from the
grass and, lifting the carp, dropped it gently
into the water. As soon as it felt itself in the
fresh cool stream again, it revived and sped like
a flash to the deepest part, below the overhanging
turf, but it rose again so near the surface that
Avenant could see it, and to his astonishment
he heard it say :
" Avenant, I thank you for what you have
done for me. I shall reward you."
Continuing his journey the next day Avenant
saw a raven pursued by an eagle, which would
have torn it to pieces had not Avenant come to
its rescue.
" How the strong oppress the weak ! " thought
he, and, taking an arrow from his quiver, he
drew his bow and shot the eagle a moment
before it could seize its prey. The eagle fell to
the ground dead, and the raven, delighted to
find itself alive and unhurt, came and perched
on the branch of a tree quite near.
" Avenant," said he, " you are very kind to
have taken the trouble to help me, who am only
232
GOLDENLOCKS
a poor raven, and I shall not forget your kind-
ness. One day I may be able to reward you."
Avenant again marvelled at this strange
happening, and continued his journey. One
day he started so early to avoid too much
travelling in the heat of the day that he could
hardly see his way through a wood he had to
cross. Quite near him he heard the despairing
shriek of an owl.
" There's a poor owl in a bad plight ! 3> said
he to himself. " I should not be surprised if
it is in the meshes of some hunter's net." He
groped about on one side and another, trying to
follow the sound, and came upon some nets
spread on the ground in which the unfortunate
owl had got snared.
" What a pity it is, " thought he, " that men
seem to take so much pleasure in tormenting
each other and in persecuting the dumb crea-
tures that do them no harm ! '
He took out his knife and cut the meshes
that held the owl, and, finding itself set free,
the bird swiftly flew up, but made a downward
swoop toward its benefactor to say :
233
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Avenant, it needs not a long speech to make
you understand how much I am obliged to you.
I have a grateful heart. I shall reward you."
These were the three principal adventures
of Avenant's journey, for he was in such a
hurry to get to the end of it that he wasted
no time.
When he arrived at the palace of Princess
Goldenlocks, he found that it surpassed in
splendour everything he had imagined.
Having removed the traces of his journey,
Avenant combed and powdered his hair, as was
the fashion of that day. He wore his Court
attire of scarlet and gold, the velvet cap adorned
with scarlet and white plumes. His splendidly
embroidered cape was thrown carelessly over
his shoulder, and his shoes glistened with
diamond buckles. Thus arrayed he took a
dainty basket in which was a lovely little dog
which he had brought to offer to the Princess,
and presented himself at the gate of the palace.
He was so handsome and so gracious in manner
and speech that the guards bowed low before
him. He told them his name and his errand,
234
GOLDENLOCKS
then gave the letters of introduction to be taken
to the Princess.
The lords -in- waiting hurried to tell Golden-
locks that Avenant had come from the great
King who was her nearest neighbour.
" Avenant ! ' said Goldenlocks. " That is
a pleasant name, and I doubt not its bearer is
handsome and pleasing to look upon."
" Indeed he is ! 3 ' said the maids -of-honour.
" We saw him from the garret, where we were
getting flax for our spinning, and so long as he
stood under the windows we could do nothing
but look at him ! "
" That is a nice story, indeed ! 3 said the
Princess. "You amuse yourselves watching
young gentlemen ! Come ! Make haste to dress
me. Bring my blue satin pearl-embroidered
gown, comb out my golden curls, weave a wreath
of fresh flowers for my hair, and give me my
fan and my high-heeled shoes."
The ladies ran in haste to do her bidding ;
they dressed her like a Queen, and she went into
the great gallery of mirrors, to view herself from
every side, and to make sure that no part of
235
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
her toilet had been neglected. Having satisfied
herself on that point, she went to the audience-
chamber and seated herself on her magnificent
throne of ivory, ebony, and gold.
She commanded her maidens to take their
musical instruments, seat themselves at a con-
venient distance, and sing softly to low sweet
accompaniments, so that the music should not
interfere with the conversation she held with
her guest.
When Avenant was brought into the throne-
room and saw the Princess, he was struck dumb
with admiration, and his well-prepared speech
went almost out of his memory. For a few
moments he had not a word to say. Neverthe-
less he took courage, and having begun to de-
liver his master's message and to plead for him,
his eloquence increased at every sentence. He
finished by entreating the Princess not to give
him the pain of returning to his master without
her.
" Dear Avenant," said the Princess, " you
plead well, and all your arguments are good.
You have so favourably impressed me that I
236
- \N I I'l ! MIS \vi in GOLDEND " K.S
GOLDENLOCKS
am inclined to your petition more than to that
of any other who has ever come to me. I cannot,
however, go with you at once, for this reason :
While I was walking by the river a month ago I
took off my glove, and in doing so I drew from
my finger a very precious ring which, unfortu-
nately, fell into the stream. That ring I prized
more than my father's kingdom, and my grief
for its loss is inexpressible. I have made a vow
that I shall listen to no proposal of marriage
unless he who comes as ambassador can find
this ring and bring it to me. Perchance you may
recover it ; otherwise your pleading is useless."
Avenant was much astonished at this reply,
but he made the Princess a courtly bow, and,
before retiring, begged her acceptance of the
little dog and a magnificent scarf. But the
Princess said she wanted no presents ; she hoped
he would pay attention to what she had said to
him.
When Avenant was conducted to the house
where he was to lodge he went to bed without
supper. Frisky, his little dog, also refused to
eat, and lay down on the bed beside him. The
237
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
whole night long Avenant lay awake sighing.
" What hope is there of finding a ring lost in a
great river a month ago ? " said he. "It would
be folly to try. The Princess has set me an
impossible task in order to get rid of me."
Frisky, who saw his grief, was as much dis-
tressed as his master, but he tried his best to
comfort him.
" My dear master," said he, " I beg of you
not to give up hope of succeeding. When day-
light comes, let us go to the riverside ; it can do
no harm to look for the ring."
Avenant patted him gently without speaking,
and worn out with the emotions of the day, he
fell sound asleep.
At the first streak of dawn the little dog
jumped off the bed, and frisked about to such
good purpose that he awakened his master.
Avenant dressed and went down to the garden,
hardly caring what he did. From the garden he
strolled toward the river, unconsciously follow-
ing the lead of the little dog. He walked slowly,
his cap drawn over his eyes and his arms crossed
on his bosom. He was too sad to take notice
238
GOLDENLOCKS
of the beautiful dawn, and brooded over his
return, when he would have to tell the King of
his failure.
Suddenly he heard a voice calling him by
name :
" Avenant ! Avenant ! "
He looked around, but no one was to be
seen, and he thought he must have been dream-
ing, so he continued his walk.
" Avenant ! Avenant ! " called the voice
again.
" Who calls me ? " cried Avenant.
Frisky, being so small, could look easily into
the clear water.
" Never believe me again," said he, " if it
is not this golden carp which I see."
Avenant stepped quickly to the side of the
river, and the carp addressed him :
" You saved my life when I lay gasping in
the meadow by the willows, where, but for you,
I must have died. I promised you to repay
your kindness. Stretch out your hand, dear
Avenant ; here is the ring dropped in the river
by the Golden-haired Beauty."
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
The carp opened its mouth ; Avenant stooped
down and took from it the much-wished-for ring.
Then he thanked his friend many times over.
Instead of going back to his lodging, Avenant
went straight to the palace, followed by the
faithful little Frisky, who was mightily pleased
with himself.
At the palace, Avenant again asked for an
audience with the Princess, and an attendant
went at once to announce him.
"Poor boy," said she, "he has no doubt
come to say good-bye. He has evidently seen
that I have asked him to do the impossible, and
he is returning to tell his master."
Avenant was ushered in, and gracefully pre-
sented the ring to the Princess, saying :
c Madam, your royal command is obeyed.
May I ask if you are willing now to take the
King, my master, for your husband ? "
When Goldenlocks saw the ring restored to
her without a flaw, she was mute with astonish-
ment, and seemed for a few moments to be in a
dream ; then she said :
' Really, my Avenant, some fairy must have
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taken a fancy for you ; you have performed what
seems a miracle."
" Madam," replied Avenant, "I am not
acquainted with any fairy, but I had an ardent
desire to give you pleasure."
" Since you are so well disposed toward me,"
said the Princess, " you must render me another
service ; until it is done, I shall not marry.
There is a Prince not far from here named
Galifron, who has taken it into his head to force
me to marry him. He threatens to destroy
my country should I refuse. He is a giant of
enormous strength, higher than that high tower,
and he can seize and eat a man as easily as a
monkey can eat a chestnut. I sent him word
that I did not want to marry, and begged him to
excuse me, but he has not ceased to persecute
me. He kills my subjects whenever he gets a
chance, so the greatest service you can render
me is to bring me his head."
Avenant was rather stupefied by the proposal.
He thought it over for a minute, however ; then,
drawing his slight figure up to its full height, he
replied bravely ;
241 o
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Madam, I shall fight Galifron. I am sure
to be vanquished, but at least I shall die a
faithful servant and an honourable gentleman."
The Princess was painfully surprised. She
had not expected such daring courage, and now
did all she could to dissuade Avenant from
undertaking so perilous an enterprise, but in
vain. He went at once to choose his weapons
and provide himself with all he should be likely
to need. Then, being equipped with everything
necessary, he put Frisky again in his basket,
which he fastened to his saddle-bow, and mount-
ing his charger set out to find Galifron.
Whenever he met anyone likely to be able
to give him information, he made inquiry about
the whereabouts and the habits of the giant.
Everyone spoke of him as a demon of cruelty,
whom no one dared approach, and the more
Avenant heard of him, the more he dreaded the
task he had undertaken. Frisky saw his master's
anxiety, and did all he could to cheer and en-
courage him.
" My dear master, while you are fighting the
giant, I shall run and bite his legs," said he;
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GOLDENLOCKS
" he will have to stoop down to drive me away ;
then you will be able to cut off his head."
Avenant admired his little dog's clever device,
but he knew that something more than that
would be needed to make him a match for his
terrible opponent.
As he neared the giant's castle our hero's
courage was tested to the utmost, for on every
hand were strewn the remains of the monster's
cannibal feasts.
Soon Galifron himself appeared in the dis-
tance, striding through the forest, head and
shoulders higher than the tallest trees. The
earth began to shake, and a voice more frightful
than rolling thunder rilled the air. It was the
giant, singing as he came :
" Where are the pretty babes ?
Bring them to me.
Be their skin dark or fair,
Welcome they'll be.
Bring them all, big or small,
Tender or tough ;
Though you bring all you find,
Tis not enough ! '
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
Immediately Avenant took up the same
tune and sang :
"Proud Galifron, take care !
I'll draw your teeth !
I'll lay you low ere I
My good sword sheath !
Although I am not big
My heart is strong ;
At last you've met your match.
Who do such wrong."
When Galifron first heard the clear, tremulous
voice, he looked around him in amazement, and
now as the slender youth who, sword in hand,
dared to defy him, came into view, he got into
a fearful fury. He poised his massive iron-
headed club, and would have pounded the brave
youth to jelly, but for a raven, which at that
very moment flew right in his face and picked
out his eyes. The sightless giant hit out
desperately on all sides. Foam flew from his
great lips, and he yelled with rage. Avenant
dodged the mighty blows, and pierced him in
many places with his sword, twice over burying
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GOLDENLOCKS
it up to the hilt in the giant's flesh. At last the
monster staggered and fell prone on the ground.
Avenant sprang upon him, and with his sword
severed the giant's head from his body. When
the horrid head rolled off. Frisky danced and
barked in frantic delight, while the raven, which
had perched on a branch to watch the combat,
flapped its wings and cawed approvingly; then
it spoke :
" Avenant, I have not forgotten the service
you rendered me when the eagle would have
killed me. I promised you then that I would
repay you. I think I have done so to-day."
" I owe my victory and my life to you, Sir
Raven," replied Avenant, " and I shall ever feel
myself your debtor."
Having thus thanked the raven, Avenant
prepared to return to the palace of Goldenlocks.
He tied the hideous head by its hair to the girth,
put Frisky in his basket, remounted his charger,
and did not draw rein till he reached the city.
There, as the people saw him arrive with the
head of Galifron, the noise was deafening, for
the whole population followed him, shouting :
245
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Avenant has killed the
giant ! "
Goldenlocks heard the commotion and her
heart sank. She did not dare to ask what it
meant, lest she might hear that Avenant had
been killed. Soon, however, she saw him ride
into the courtyard with the terrible head, and
the sight of it was so shocking that, although
there was nothing now to fear, she trembled
from head to foot. Soon Avenant was ushered
into her presence. He bowed low, and said :
c Madam, your enemy is dead ; I hope you
will no longer refuse to marry the King, my
master."
" Oh ! indeed ! " said the Princess. " But
I will refuse him, unless you can bring me some
water from the fairy fountain of the Dismal
Cave. There is, not far from here, a great
grotto which measures six leagues round its
sides. Its entrance is guarded by fiery dragons,
which spit flame at all intruders. In the dark
centre of this grotto is a deep hollow, filled with
all loathsome creeping things : snakes, toads, and
serpents. At the bottom of this hollow is the
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GOLDENLOCKS
mouth of a small cave through which flows the
fountain of beauty and health. Some of the
water of that stream I must have. Its virtue
is so marvellous that all who wash in it are for
ever young and beautiful. You can easily under-
stand, Avenant, that I cannot quit my country
without taking some of this priceless water with
me."
Madam," said Avenant, c you are already
so beautiful that you do not need this water, but
I am an unfortunate ambassador, whose death
you desire. I go to try to find what you ask,
but I go knowing that I shall never return."
These touching words did not make the
Princess change her resolution, and Avenant
set out with Frisky to seek the Gloomy Grotto
in which was the Dismal Cave, whence he was
to bring the Water of Eternal Youth and Beauty.
All who met him on the way looked sadly
after him, saying to each other : " How pitiful
it is to see such a charming young man go so
readily to his doom ! '
Avenant rode steadily on, though sad at
heart. He came at length to the top of a hill,
247
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
both steep and high, from which a good view of
the surrounding country could be got. Here he
dismounted to let his horse rest and graze, while
Frisky ran about chasing the flies. He looked
carefully around for traces of the Gloomy Grotto,
as he knew it could not be far away, and soon
perceived a massive rock, black as ink, from
which belched great volumes of smoke. A purl
of wind blew the clouds aside and revealed one
of the dragons ; fire issuing from its eyes, mouth,
and nostrils, a fearful-looking creature ! Its
body was yellow and green, its feet were armed
with long, cruel claws, and its great tail was
twisted in a hundred coils. Frisky caught sight
of it, and was petrified with terror.
Avenant, already prepared for death, drew his
sword and descended the hill, taking with him
a little phial given him by Goldenlocks to fill
with the wonderful water.
" I am done for," said he to Frisky; "it is
impossible to get the water guarded by such
dragons, but I go to make the attempt. When
I am dead, I want you, my faithful little friend,
to fill this phial with my blood and take it to
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GOLDENLOCKS
the Princess, that she may see the price I have
paid for trying to please her; then go to the
King, my master, and tell him the story of my
misfortunes."
He had hardly finished this mournful speech
when he heard a voice calling :
" Avenant ! Avenant ! "
" Who is calling me ? " asked he, turning in
the direction from which the voice had come.
An owl, looking out of a hole in an old tree,
replied :
" You released me from the fowler's net, and
so saved my life. I promised you then that I
should reward you, and my opportunity has
come. Give me the phial. I know all the outs
and ins of the Gloomy Grotto and the Dismal
Cave. I will fetch you water from the Spring
of Eternal Youth and Beauty ! '
Whose heart, think you, bounded with joy ?
You can guess !
Avenant quickly handed over the phial,
and the owl flew unhindered into the Gloomy
Grotto. In less than a quarter of an hour he
returned, bringing the phial well filled and
249
FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
firmly corked. Avenant was delighted. He
thanked the owl with all his heart, and was very
soon on his way back to the city, in a more joyful
mood than that in which he had left it.
When he arrived, he went straight to the
palace, and presented the phial to the Princess,
who had no longer excuse for not accompanying
him. She ordered everything to be prepared
for her departure, and soon they set off together.
On the way, he was so respectful and attentive,
and such pleasant company, that she often wished
that he had been the King she was travelling to
marry.
One day she said to him :
" If you had wished to marry me yourself,
Avenant, I should have made you King, and we
should not have needed to leave my country."
Avenant, however, replied at once :
" I would not have done anything so disloyal
and unfaithful for all the kingdoms of the world,
though I yield to no one in my admiration of
your beauty."
Messengers had been sent with tidings that
Avenant was bringing the Golden-haired Prin-
250
GOLDENLOCKS
cess with him, so they were met outside the
capital by the King, who made the Princess the
grandest and most costly presents ever seen.
The marriage took place amid great rejoicings.
Everything was done with such magnificence
that nothing else was talked of for a long time
afterward.
But in spite of all her grandeur, Goldenlocks
was not really happy. She had become so
attached to Avenant that he was never out of her
thoughts, and she was never weary of talking
about him and the great deeds he had done for
her.
" But for Avenant, I should never have been
here," said she to the King. " He performed
seemingly impossible feats for my pleasure.
You are under great obligation to him ; he even
fetched me water from the Spring of Eternal
Youth and Beauty ; thus I shall never grow old,
but shall be always beautiful."
Among those who heard the Queen speak
thus were some who were very envious of
Avenant. They took the first opportunity to
say to the King :
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
" Your Majesty is not at all jealous, though
you have such good reason to be so. Her
Majesty the Queen is so fond of Avenant that
she can neither eat nor drink. She does nothing
but talk of the obligations you are under to him,
as if no one else whom you could have sent
could have succeeded in bringing her."
The King replied :
" Now you mention it, I can see it for my-
self. Go and put him in irons, and shut him
up in the tower."
They took Avenant, and as a reward for
serving his King so loyally he was again flung
in chains into the tower. He was allowed to see
no one but his gaoler, who threw him his piece
of black bread through a slit in the wall and
gave him water in an earthenware bowl. How-
ever, Frisky remained faithful to him, consoled
him as well as he could, and brought him all
the news.
When Goldenlocks heard how Avenant had
been treated she threw herself weeping at the
feet of the King, and besought him to take
the youth out of prison, but the more she
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GOLDENLOCKS
begged, the more angry he became, saying to
himself :
" It must be that she loves him."
At last, seeing that she could not move the
King, Goldenlocks ceased mentioning Avenant's
name, but she became very sad.
The King began to fear that perhaps the
Queen did not think him sufficiently good-
looking, and he resolved to bathe his face with
some of the wonderful water Goldenlocks had
brought with her, so that she might like him
better.
Now, in order that she should always have
it at hand, the Queen kept the precious phial
in her sleeping-chamber on the mantelpiece.
That morning a careless maid, trying to kill a
spider with her broom, knocked over the phial,
and the priceless liquid was scattered over the
floor. The maid quickly gathered up the frag-
ments of glass and removed all traces of the
mishap; then, recalling that she had noticed a
similar phial in the King's dressing-room, she
fetched this and placed it where the broken phial
had stood.
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
Unfortunately the King's phial contained a
poisonous mixture, very deadly in its action. If
rubbed on the skin it would induce a deep
sleep from which the victim would never
awake.
When, therefore, his Majesty carried out his
purpose, having secured what he thought was
the magic elixir, he immediately fell into a deep
sleep, and ere long his horrified gentlemen dis-
covered that he was dead.
Frisky was quick to carry the news to
Avenant, who bade him find his way to the
Queen, and beg her to remember the poor
prisoner.
Frisky, being small, slipped easily through
the crowd which gathered round the Queen
for there was great parade of mourning at
Court.
When the little dog reached her Majesty, he
touched her gently with his paw to draw her
attention. She looked down into a pair of
beseeching eyes raised to hers, and heard a soft
voice saying :
" Madam, do not forget poor Avenant.
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GOLDENLOCKS
Avenant's great fidelity, and all he had
suffered on her account, flashed to the mind of
the Queen.
Without saying a word to those about her
she left the palace forthwith and went straight
to the tower, where she ordered the warden
to open the heavily barred door. She her-
self went to the dungeon and took the chains
from the hands and feet of the prisoner, after
which she led Avenant to the palace, seated
him on the throne, placed the crown of gold on
his head, and hung the royal mantle over his
shoulders.
Then, in presence of the whole Court, she
said :
" Avenant, I myself crown you King, and
take you for my husband."
At these gracious and condescending words,
Avenant knelt at the Queen's feet, raised her
hand to his lips, and thanked her.
The mourning at Court was now changed to
great rejoicing, everyone being delighted that
Avenant was King.
The wedding ceremonies were very splendid.
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FAVOURITE FRENCH FAIRY TALES
No one had ever seen such a lovely bride and
such a handsome bridegroom.
Queen Goldenlocks and the brave King
Avenant lived together happily to a good old
age, both retaining their handsome appearance,
despite the loss of the wonderful water.
