 Beauty and the Beast, edited by Andrew Lang. This is LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Musical Heart One. Beauty and the Beast, edited by Andrew Lang. Once upon a time, in a very far-off country, there lived a merchant who had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that he was enormously rich. As he had, however, six sons and six daughters, he found that his money was not too much to let them all have everything they fancied, as they were accustomed to do. But one day, a most unexpected misfortune befell them. Their house caught fire, and was speedily burnt to the ground, with all the splendid furniture, the books, pictures, gold, silver, and precious goods it contained. And this was only the beginning of their troubles. Their father, who had until this moment prospered in all ways, suddenly lost every ship he had upon the sea, either by dint of pirates, shipwreck, or fire. Then he heard that his clerks in distant countries, whom he trusted entirely, had proved unfaithful, and at last, from great wealth, he fell into the direst poverty. All that he had left was a little house in a desolate place, at least a hundred leagues from the town in which he had lived, and to this he was forced to retreat with his children, who were in despair at the idea of leading such a different life. Indeed, the daughters at first hoped that their friends, who had been so numerous while they were rich, would insist on their staying in their houses, now they no longer possessed one. But they soon found that they were left alone, and that their former friends even attributed their misfortunes to their own extravagance, and showed no intention of offering them any help. So nothing was left for them but to take their departure to the cottage, which stood in the midst of a dark forest, and seemed to be the most dismal place upon the face of the earth. As they were too poor to have any servants, the girls had to work hard like peasants, and the sons, for their part, cultivated the fields to earn their living. Roughly clothed and living in the simplest way, the girls regretted unceasingly the luxuries and amusements of their former life. Only the youngest tried to be brave and cheerful. She had been as sad as anyone when misfortune overtook her father, but soon, recovering her natural gaiety, she set to work to make the best of things, to amuse her father and brothers as well as she could, and to try to persuade her sisters to join her in dancing and singing. They would do nothing of the sort, and because she was not as doleful as themselves, they had declared that this miserable life was all she was fit for. But she was really far prettier and cleverer than they were. Indeed, she was so lovely that she was always called beauty. After two years, when they were all beginning to get used to their new life, something happened to disturb their tranquility. Their father received the news that one of his ships, which he had believed to be lost, had come safely into port with a rich cargo. All the sons and daughters at once thought that their poverty was in an end, and wanted to set out directly for the town, but their father, who was more prudent, begged them to wait a little, and though it was harvest time and he could ill be spared, determined to go himself first to make inquiries. Only the youngest daughter had any doubt but that they would soon be as rich as they were before, or at least rich enough to live comfortably in some town where they would find amusement and gay companions once more. So they all loaded their father with commissions for jewels and dresses, which it would have taken a fortune to buy. Only beauty, feeling sure that it was of no use, did not ask for anything. Her father, noticing her silence, said, And what shall I bring for you, beauty? The only thing I wish for is to see you come home safely, she answered. But this only vexed her sisters, who fancied she was blaming them for having asked for such costly things. Her father, however, was pleased, but as he thought that at her age she certainly ought to like pretty presents, he told her to choose something. Well, dear father, she said, As you insist upon it, I beg that you will bring me a rose. I have not seen one since we came here and I love them so much. So the merchants set out and reached the town as quickly as possible, but only to find that his former companions, believing him to be dead, had divided between them the goods which the ship had brought, and after six months of trouble and expense he found himself as poor as when he started, having been able to recover only just enough to pay the cost of his journey. To make matters worse, he was obliged to leave the town in the most terrible weather, so that by the time he was within a few leagues of his home he was almost exhausted with cold and fatigue. Though he knew it would take him some hours to get through the forest, he was so anxious to be at his journey's end that he resolved to go on. But night overtook him, and the deep snow and bitter frost made it impossible for his horse to carry him any further. Not a house was to be seen. The only shelter he could get was the hollow trunk of a great tree, and there he crouched all the night, which seemed to him the longest he had ever known. In spite of his weariness, the howling of the wolves kept him awake, and even when at last the day broke he was not much better off, for the falling snow had covered up every path, and he did not know which way to turn. At length he made out some sort of track, and though at the beginning it was so rough and slippery that he fell down more than once, it presently became easier and led him into an avenue of trees which ended in a splendid castle. It seemed to the merchant very strange that no snow had fallen in the avenue, which was entirely composed of orange trees covered with flowers and fruit. When he reached the first court of the castle, he saw before him a flight of agate steps, and he went up them, and passed through several splendidly furnished rooms. The pleasant warmth of the air revived him, and he felt very hungry, but there seems to be nobody in all this vast and splendid palace whom he could ask to give him something to eat. Deep silence reigned everywhere, and at last tired of roaming through empty rooms and galleries, he stopped in a room smaller than the rest, where a clear fire was burning and a couch was drawn up closely to it. Thinking that this must be prepared for someone who was expected, he sat down to wait till he should come, and very soon fell into a sweet sleep. When his extreme hunger awakened him after several hours he was still alone, but a little table upon which was a good dinner had been drawn up close to him, and as he had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours he lost no time in beginning his meal, hoping that he might soon have an opportunity of thanking his considerate entertainer, whoever it might be. But no one appeared, and even after another long sleep from which he awoke completely refreshed, there was no sign of anybody, though a fresh meal of dainty cakes and fruit was prepared upon the little table at his elbow. Being naturally timid, the silence began to terrify him, and he resolved to search once more through all the rooms, but it was of no use, not even a servant was to be seen. There was no sign of life in the palace. He began to wonder what he should do, and to amuse himself by pretending that all the treasures he saw were his own, and considering how he would divide them among his children. Then he went down into the garden, and though it was winter everywhere else, here the sun shone, and the birds sang, and the flowers bloomed, and the air was soft and sweet. The merchant, in ecstasies with all he saw and heard, said to himself, All this must be meant for me. I will go this minute and bring my children to share all these delights. In spite of being so cold and weary when he reached the castle, he had taken his horse to the stable and fed it. Now he thought he would saddle it for his homeward journey, and he turned down the path which led to the stable. The path had a hedge of roses on each side of it, and the merchant thought he had never seen or smelled such exquisite flowers. They reminded him of his promise to beauty, and he stopped and had just gathered one to take to her when he was startled by a strange noise behind him. Turning round he saw a frightful beast, which seemed to be very angry and said in a terrible voice, Who told you that you might gather my roses? Was it not enough that I allowed you to be in my palace and was kind to you? This is the way you show your gratitude by stealing my flowers, but your insolence shall not go unpunished. The merchant, terrified by these furious words, dropped the fatal rose and, throwing himself on his knees, cried, Pardon me, noble sir, I am truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was so magnificent that I could not imagine that you would be offended by my taking such a little thing as a rose. But the beast's anger was not lessened by the speech. You were very ready with excuses and flattery, he cried, but that will not save you from the death you deserve. Alas, thought the merchant, if my daughter could only know what danger her rose has brought me into. And in despair he began to tell the beast all his misfortunes and the reason of his journey, not forgetting to mention beauty's request. King's ransom would hardly have procured all that my other daughters asked, he said, but I thought that I might at least take beauty her rose. I beg you to forgive me, for you see I meant no harm. The beast considered for a moment, and then he said in a less furious tone, I will forgive you on one condition, that is, that you give me one of your daughters. Ah! cried the merchant, if I were cruel enough to buy my own life at the expense of one of my children's, what excuse could I invent to bring her here? No excuse would be necessary, answered the beast. If she comes at all, she must come willingly. On no other condition will I have her. See if any one of them is courageous enough and loves you well enough to come and save your life. You seem to be an honest man, so I will trust you to go home. I will give you a month to see if either of your daughters will come back with you and will stay here to let you go free. If neither of them is willing, you must come alone, after bidding them goodbye forever, for then you will belong to me. Do not imagine that you can hide from me, for if you fail to keep your word, I will come and fetch you, added the beast grimly. The merchant accepted this proposal, though he did not really think any of his daughters could be persuaded to come. He promised to return at the time appointed, and then anxious to escape from the presence of the beast, he asked permission to set off at once. But the beast answered that he could not go until next day. Then you will find a horse ready for you, he said. Now go and eat your supper, and await my orders. The poor merchant, more dead than alive, went back to his room where the most delicious supper was already served on the little table which was drawn up before a blazing fire. But he was too terrified to eat, and only tasted a few of the dishes, for fear the beast should be angry if he did not obey his orders. When he had finished he heard a great noise in the next room, which he knew meant that the beast was coming. As he could do nothing to escape his visit, the only thing that remained was to seem as little afraid as possible. So when the beast appeared and asked roughly if he had supped well, the merchant answered humbly that he had thanks to his host's kindness. Then the beast warned him to remember their agreement, and to prepare his daughter exactly for what she had to expect. Do not get up tomorrow, he added, until you see the sun and hear a golden bell ring. Then you will find your breakfast waiting for you here, and the horse you are to ride will be ready in the courtyard. He will also bring you back again when you are come with your daughter a month hence. Farewell, take a rose to beauty and remember your promise. The merchant was only too glad when the beast went away, and though he could not sleep for sadness he laid down until the sun rose. Then after a hasty breakfast he went to gather beauty's rose, and mounted his horse which carried him off so swiftly that in an instant he had lost sight of the palace, and he was still wrapped in gloomy thoughts when it stopped before the door of the cottage. His sons and daughters, who had been very uneasy at his long absence, rushed to meet him, eager to know the results of his journey, which, seeing him mounted upon a splendid horse and wrapped in a rich mantle, they supposed to be favorable. He hid the truth from them at first, only saying to beauty, as he gave her the rose, Here is what you ask me to bring you, you little know what it has cost. But this excited their curiosity so greatly that presently he told them his adventures from beginning to end, and then they were all very unhappy. The girls lamented loudly over their lost hopes, and the sons declared that their father should not return to this terrible castle, and began to make plans for killing the beast if it should come to fetch him. But he reminded them that he had promised to go back. Then the girls were very angry with beauty, and said it was all her fault, and that if she had asked for something sensible this would never have happened, and complained bitterly that they should have to suffer for her folly. Poor beauty, much distress, said to them, I have indeed caused this misfortune, but I assure you I did it innocently. Who could have guessed that to ask for a rose in the middle of summer would cost so much misery? But as I did the mischief it is only just that I should suffer for it. I will therefore go back with my father to keep his promise. At first nobody would hear of this arrangement, and her fathers and brothers who loved her dearly declared that nothing should make them let her go. But beauty was firm. As the times were near she divided all her little possessions between her sisters, said goodbye to everything she loved, and when the fatal day came she encouraged and cheered her fathers they mounted together the horse which had brought him back. It seemed to fly rather than gallop, but so smoothly the beauty was not frightened. Indeed she would have enjoyed the journey if she had not feared what might happen to her at the end of it. Her father still tried to persuade her to go back, but in vain. While they were talking the night fell, and then, to their great surprise, wonderful colored lights began to shine in all directions and splendid fireworks blazed out before them. All the forest was illuminated by them, and even felt pleasantly warm, though it had been bitterly cold before. This lasted until they reached the avenue of orange trees, were statues holding flaming torches, and when they got nearer to the palace they saw it was illuminated from the roof to the ground, and music sounded softly from the courtyard. The beast must be very hungry, said Beauty, trying to laugh, if he makes all this rejoicing over the arrival of his prey. But in spite of her anxiety she could not help admiring all the wonderful things she saw. The horse stopped at the foot of the flight of stairs leading to the terrace, and when they had dismounted her father led her to the little room he had been in before, where they found a splendid fire burning and the table daintily spread with a delicious supper. The merchant knew that this was meant for them, and Beauty, who was rather less frightened now than she had passed through so many rooms and seen nothing of the beast, was quite willing to begin for her long ride had made her very hungry. But they had hardly finished their meal when the noise of the beast's footsteps was heard approaching, and Beauty clung to her father in terror, which became all the greater when she saw how frightened he was. But when the beast really appeared, though she trembled at the sight of him, she made a great effort to hide her terror and saluted him respectfully. This evidently pleased the beast. After looking at her he said, in a tone that might have struck terror into the boldest heart, though he did not seem to be angry. Good evening, old man. Good evening, Beauty. The merchant was too terrified to reply, but Beauty answered sweetly, Good evening, Beast. Have you come willingly? asked the beast. Be content to stay here when your father goes away. Beauty answered bravely that she was quite prepared to stay. I am pleased with you, said the beast. As you have come of your own accord, you may stay. As for you, old man, he added, turning to the merchant. At sunrise tomorrow you will take your departure. When the bell rings, get up quickly and eat your breakfast, and you will find the same horse waiting to take you home. Remember that you must never expect to see my palace again. Then turning to Beauty, he said, Take your father to the next room and help him choose everything you think your brothers and sisters would like to have. You'll find two traveling trunks there. Fill them as full as you can. It is only just that you should send them something very precious, as a remembrance of yourself. Then he went away after saying, Goodbye, Beauty. Goodbye, old man. Beauty was beginning to think, with great dismay of her father's departure, she was afraid to disobey the beast's orders, and they went into the next room, which had shelves and cupboards all round it. They were greatly surprised at the riches it contained. There were splendid dresses fit for a queen with all the ornaments that were to be worn with them, and when Beauty opened the cupboards, she was quite dazzled by the gorgeous jewels that lay in heaps upon every shelf. After choosing a vast quantity, which she divided between her sisters, for she had made a heap of the wonderful dresses for each of them, she opened the last chest, which was full of gold. I think, Father, she said, that as the gold will be more useful to you, we had better take out the other things again and fill the trunks with it. So they did this, but the more they put in, the more room there seemed to be, and at last they put back all the jewels and dresses they had taken out, and Beauty even added as many more of the jewels that she could carry at once. And then the trunks were not too full, but they were so heavy that an elephant could not have carried them. The beast was mocking us, cried the merchant. He must have pretended to give us all these things, knowing I could not carry them away. Let us wait and see, answered Beauty. I cannot believe that he meant to deceive us. All we can do is fasten them up and leave them ready. So they did this and returned to the little room where, to their astonishment, they found breakfast ready. The merchant ate with a good appetite, as the beast's generosity made him believe that he might perhaps venture to come back soon and see Beauty. But she felt sure that her father was leaving her forever, so she was very sad when the bell rang sharply for the second time and warned him that the time had come for them to part. They went down into the courtyard where two horses were waiting, one loaded with the two trunks and the other for him to ride. They were pawing the ground in their impatient to start and the merchant was forced to bid Beauty a hasty farewell. And as soon as he was mounted he went off at such a pace that she lost sight of him in an instant. Then Beauty began to cry and wandered sadly back to her own room. But she soon found that she was very sleepy and as she had nothing better to do she lay down and fell instantly asleep. And then she dreamed she was walking by a brook bordered with trees and lamenting her sad fate when a young prince, handsomer than anyone she had ever seen and with a voice that went straight to her heart came to her and said, Ah, Beauty, you are not so unfortunate as you suppose. Here you will be rewarded for all you have suffered elsewhere. Your every wish shall be gratified. Only try to find me out no matter how I may be disguised as I love you dearly and in making me happy you will find your own happiness. Be as true-hearted as you are beautiful and nothing left to wish for. What can I do, Prince, to make you happy? said Beauty. Only be grateful, he answered, and do not trust too much to your eyes. And above all, do not desert me until you have saved me from my cruel misery. After this she thought she found herself in a room with a stately and beautiful lady who said to her, Dear Beauty, try not to regret all you have left behind you if you are destined to a better fate. Only do not let yourself be deceived by appearances. Beauty found her dream so interesting that she was in no hurry to awake, but presently the clock roused her by calling her name softly twelve times. And then she got up and found her dressing table set out with everything she could possibly want. And when her toilet was finished she found dinner was waiting in the room next to hers. But dinner does not take very long for herself, and very soon she sat down cosily in the corner of a sofa and began to think about the charming prince she had seen in her dream. He said I could make him happy, said Beauty to herself. It seems then that this horrible beast keeps him a prisoner. How can I set him free? I wonder why they both told me not to trust to appearances. I don't understand it. But after all it was only a dream so why should I trouble myself about it? I'd better go and find something to do to amuse myself. So she got up and began to explore some of the many rooms of the palace. The first she entered was lined with mirrors and Beauty saw herself reflected on every side and thought she had never seen such a charming room. Then a bracelet which was hanging from a chandelier caught her eye and on taking it down she was greatly surprised to find that it held a portrait of her own known admirer just as she had seen him in her dream. With great delight she slipped the bracelet on her arm and went into a gallery of pictures where she soon found a portrait of the same handsome prince as large as life and so well painted that as she studied it he seemed to smile kindly at her. Tearing herself away from the portrait at last she passed through into a room which contained every musical instrument under the sun and here she amused herself for a long while in trying some of them and singing until she was tired. The next room was a library and she saw everything she had ever wanted to read as well as everything she had read and it seemed to her that a whole lifetime would not be enough to even read the names of the books there were so many. By this time it was growing dusk and wax candles and diamonds and ruby candlesticks were beginning to light themselves in every room. Beauty found her supper serve just at the time she preferred to have it but she did not see anyone or hear a sound and though her father had warned her that she would be alone she began to find it rather dull but presently she heard the beast coming and wondered tremblingly if he meant to eat her now. However as he did not seem at all ferocious and only said gruffly good evening beauty she answered cheerfully and managed to conceal her terror then the beast asked her how she had been amusing herself and she told him all the room she had seen then he asked if she thought she could be happy in his palace and beauty answered that everything was so beautiful that she would be very hard to please if she could not be happy and after an hours talk beauty began to think that the beast was not nearly so terrible as she had supposed it first then he got up to leave her and said in his gruff voice do you love me beauty do you marry me oh what shall I say cried beauty for she was afraid to make the beast angry by refusing say yes or no without fear he replied oh no beast said beauty hastily since you will not good night beauty he said and she answered good night beast very glad to find that her refusal not provoked him and after he was gone she was very soon in bed and asleep and dreaming of her unknown prince she thought he came to her and said to her oh beauty why are you so unkind to me I fear I am fated to be unhappy for many a long day still and then her dreams changed but the charming prince figured in them all and when morning came her first thought was to look at the portrait was really like him and she found that it certainly was this morning she decided to amuse herself in the garden for the sun shone and all the fountains were playing but she was astonished to find that every place was familiar to her and presently she came to the brook where the myrtle trees were growing where she had first met the prince in her dream and that made her think more than ever that he must be kept a prisoner by the beast when she was tired she went back into the palace and found a new room full of materials for every kind of work ribbons to make into bows and silks to work into flowers then there was an aviary full of rare birds which were so tame that they flew to beauty as soon as they saw her and perched upon her shoulders and her head pretty little creatures she said how I wish that your cage was nearer to my room that I might often hear you sing so saying she opened the door and found to her delight that it led to her own room though she had thought it was quite the other side of the palace there were more birds in a room farther on parrots and cockatoos that could talk and they greeted beauty by name indeed she found them so entertaining that she took one or two back to her rooms and they talked to her while she was at supper after which the beast paid her his usual visit and asked her the same questions as before and then with a gruff good night he took his departure and beauty went to bed to dream of her mysterious prince the days passed swiftly in different amusements and after a while beauty found out one strange thing in the palace which often pleased her when she was tired of being alone there was one room which she had not noticed particularly and was empty except that under each of the windows stood a very comfortable chair and the first time she looked out of the window it seemed to her that a black curtain prevented her from seeing anything outside but the second time she went into the room happening to be tired she sat down in one of the chairs when instantly the curtain was rolled aside and a most amusing pantomime was acted before her there were dances and colored lights and music and pretty dresses and it was also gay that beauty was an ecstasies after that she tried the other seven windows in turn and there was some new and surprising entertainment to be seen in each of them so that beauty could never feel lonely anymore every evening and after supper beast came to see her and always before saying good night he asked her in this terrible voice beauty will you marry me and it seemed to beauty now she understood him better that when she said no beast he went away quite sad but her happy dreams of the handsome young prince who made her forget the poor beast the only thing that it all disturbed her was to be constantly told to distrust appearances to let her heart guide her and not her eyes and many other equally perplexing things which consider as she would she could not understand so everything went on for a long time until at last happy as she was beauty began to long for the sight of her father and her brothers and sisters and one night seeing her look very sad the beast asked her what was the matter beauty had quite ceased to be afraid of him now she knew that he was really gentle in spite of his ferocious looks and dreadful voice so she answered that she was longing to see her home once more upon hearing this the beast seemed sadly distressed and cried miserably beauty have you the heart to desert an unhappy beast like this what more do you want to make you happy because you hate me that you want to escape no dear beast answered beauty softly I do not hate you and I should be very sorry never to see you more but I long to see my father again only let me go for two months and I promise to come back to you and stay for the rest of my life the beast who had been signed dolefully while she spoke now replied I cannot refuse you anything you ask even though it should cost me my life take the four boxes you will find in the room next to your own and fill them with everything you wish to take with you but remember your promise and come back when the two months are over where you may have cause to repent it for if you do not come in good time you will find your faithful beast dead will not need any chariot to bring you back only say goodbye to all your brothers and sisters the night before you come away and when you have gone to bed turn this ring round upon your finger and say firmly I wish to go back to my palace and see my beast again good night beauty fear nothing sleep peacefully and before long you shall see your father once more as soon as beauty was alone she hastened to fill the boxes with all the rare and precious things she saw about her and only when she was tired then she went to bed but could hardly sleep for joy and when at last she did begin to dream of her beloved prince she was grieved to see him stretch upon a grassy bank sad and weary and hardly like himself what is the matter she cried he looked at her reproachfully and said how can you ask me cruel one are you not leaving me to my death perhaps ah don't be so sorrowful cried beauty I'm only going to assure my father that I'm safe and happy I have promised the beast faithfully that I will come back and he would die of grief if I did not keep my word what would that matter to you said the prince surely you would not care indeed I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kind beast cried beauty indignantly I would die to save him from pain I assure you it is not his fault that he is so ugly just then a strange sound woke her someone was speaking not very far away and opening her eyes she found herself in a room she had never seen before which was certainly not nearly so splendid as though she was used to in the beast's palace where could she be she got up and dressed hastily and then saw that the boxes she had packed the night before were all in the room while she was wondering by what magic she transported them in herself to this strange place she suddenly heard her father's voice and rushed out and greeted him joyfully her brothers and sisters were all astonished at her appearance as they had never expected to see her again and there was no end to the questions they asked her she also had much to hear about what had happened to them while she was away and of her father's journey home but when they heard that she had only come to be with them for a short time and then must go back to the beast's palace forever they lamented loudly then beauty asked her father what he thought could be the meaning of her strange dreams and why the prince constantly begged her not to trust two appearances after much consideration he answered you tell me yourself that the beast frightful as he is loves you dearly and deserves your love and gratitude for his gentleness and kindness I think the prince must mean you to understand that you ought to reward him by doing as he wishes you to in spite of his ugliness beauty could not help seeing that this seemed very probable still when she thought of her dear prince who was so handsome she did not feel at all inclined to marry the beast at any rate for two months she need not decide but could enjoy herself with her sisters but though they were rich now and lived in town again beauty found that nothing amused her very much and she often thought of the palace where she was so happy especially as at home she had never once dreamed of her dear prince and she felt quite sad without him then her sisters seemed to have got quite used to being without her and even found her rather in the way so she would not have been sorry when the two months were over but for her father and brothers who begged her to stay and seemed so grieved at the thought of her departure to buy to them every day when she got up she meant to stay at night and when night came she put it off again until at last she had a dismal dream which helped her to make up her mind she thought she was wandering in a lonely path in the palace gardens when she heard groans which seems to come from some bushes hiding the entrance of a cave and running quickly to see what could be the matter she found the beast stretched out upon his side apparently dying she reproached her faintly with being the cause of his distress and at the same moment a stately lady appeared and said very gravely Beauty you are only just in time to save his life see what happens when people do not keep their promises if you had delayed one day more you would have found him dead Beauty was so terrified by this dream that the next morning she announced her intention going back at once and that very night she said goodbye to her brothers and sisters and as soon as she was in bed she turned her ring round upon her finger and said firmly I wish to go back to my palace and see my beast again as she had been told to do then she fell asleep instantly and only woke up to hear the clock sing Beauty, Beauty twelve times in its musical voice was told her at once that she was really in the palace once more everything was just as before and her birds were so glad to see her Beauty thought she had never known such a long day for she was so anxious to see the beast again that she felt as if suppertime would never come but when it did come and no beast appeared she was really frightened so after listening and waiting for a long time she ran down into the garden to search for him up and down the paths and avenues ran for Beauty calling him in vain for no one answered not a trace of him could she find until at last quite tired thought for a minute's rest and saw that she was standing opposite the shady path she had seen in her dream she rushed down it and sure enough there was the cave and in it lay the beast asleep as Beauty thought quite glad to have found him she ran up and stroked his head but to her horror he did not move or open his eyes oh he is dead and it is all my fault said Beauty crying bitterly but then looking at him again she fancied he still breathed and hastily fetching some water from the nearest fountain she sprinkled it over his face and to her great delight he began to revive oh beast how you frightened me she cried I never knew how much I loved you until just now when I feared I was too late to save your life can you really love such an ugly creature as I am said the beast faintly ah Beauty you only came just in time I was dying because I thought you had forgotten your promise but go back now and rest and I shall see you again by and by Beauty who would half expected that he would be angry with her was reassured by his gentle voice and went back to the palace where supper was awaiting her and afterward the beast came in as usual and talked about the time she had spent with her father asking if she had enjoyed herself and if they had all been very glad to see her Beauty answered politely and quite enjoyed telling him all that had happened to her and when at last the time came for him to go and he asked as he had so often asked before Beauty will you marry me she answered softly yes dear beast as she spoke a blaze of light sprang up before the windows of the palace fireworks crackled and guns banged the avenue of orange trees and letters all made of fireflies was written long live the prince and his bride turning to ask the beast what it could all mean Beauty found that he had disappeared and in his place stood her long loved prince at the same moment the wheels of a chariot were heard upon the terrace and two ladies entered the room one of them Beauty recognized as the stately lady she had seen in her dreams the other was also so grand and queenly that Beauty hardly knew which to greet first but the one she already knew said to her companion well Queen this is Beauty who has had the courage to rescue your son from the terrible enchantment they love one another and only your consent to their marriage is waiting to make them perfectly happy I consent with all my heart cried the Queen how can I ever thank you enough charming girl for having restored my dear son to his natural form and then she tenderly embraced Beauty and the Prince who had meanwhile been greeting the fairy and receiving her congratulations now said the fairy to Beauty I suppose you would like me to send for all your brothers and sisters to dance at your wedding and so she did and the marriage was celebrated the very next day with the utmost splendor and Beauty and the Prince lived happily ever after end of Beauty and the Beast edited by Andrew Lang read by musical heart one in the sea is the water so blue like the leaves of the most beautiful cornflakes and as clear as the purest glass but it is very deep deeper than any anchor tower many church towers have to be set apart to reach the bottom to the water but now you don't have to believe that there is only the white sand floor no, there grow the special trees and plants that are so smooth in the style and in the leaves that they are at the smallest movement of the water's pipes especially as if they lived all fish, small and big slip between the two just like up here the bird in the air at the deepest place lies the Sea King castle the walls are made of corals and the long, pointed windows of the most clear, warm stone but the roof forms muskles that open and close depending on the stream of water that looks great because there are shining pearls in every one one single one would be in the crown of a king who gives the greatest beauty the Sea King down there was a widow for many years while his old mother was in business with him she was a clever woman but proud of her needle that's why she printed 12 of them the other women were allowed to wear only 6 otherwise she would earn a lot of money especially because she received a lot from the small princesses there were 6 beautiful children but the youngest was the most beautiful of all her skin was so clear and fine like a rose leaf her eyes were as blue as the deepest sea but like all the others she didn't have any feet her body ended up in a swan the whole day they were in the castle in the big lakes where alive flowers from the forests grew up and play the big birnstone windows were opened and then the fish swam into them, like the swans fly into us when we open the windows but the fish swam straight to the princesses out of their hands and let them sparkle outside in front of the castle was a big garden with fire red and dark blue trees the fruits glowed like gold and the flowers like burning fire in which they continued to be stings and leaves the earth itself was the finest sand but blue like the swan flame over the whole there was a unique blue shine you would rather believe that you are standing high in the air and have only sky above and below than that you are on the ground of the sea while the wind was still you could see the sun they appeared like a purple flower from which everything was shining light one of the small princesses had her little spot in the garden where she could graze and plant like it was her feeling the one had her flower spot the shape of a whale another feeling is better that the iris are a little but the youngest made the iris around the sun and only had flowers the red like these chains she was a wonderful child quiet and thoughtful and when the other sisters with the strange things which they had received from stranded ships started to make they only wanted to have a beautiful marble on top of the pink flowers she was a wonderful boy from white, clear stone who had come to the sea she planted a rose red with the pictures the wind was wonderful and with her fresh twigs went over the same towards the blue sand floor where the shadow was shining and immediately the twigs were moving it looked as if the tips and roots were playing together they didn't kiss there was no greater joy than hearing from the human world up there the old grandmother had to tell everything from ships and cities people and animals mainly they were particularly beautiful the flowers were smelling on the earth they didn't do that because of the sea and that the forests were green and that the fish could sing so loudly that it was a desire that were the little birds which the grandmother called fish because otherwise the children couldn't understand that they didn't have a bird yet when you have reached your 15th year says the grandmother then you should get the permission to dive out of the water to sit on the cliff in the moonlight and the large ships to see the world and the city you will see in the coming year one of the sisters was 15 years old but the others there was always one one year younger than the other the youngest of them had to wait 5 years before they came out of the sea and saw how it looked like but the one who promised the others what they found the most beautiful on the first day because their grandmother didn't tell them enough there was a lot about what they wanted to have in the future no one was so eager to see the youngest especially her who had the longest time and who was so quiet and thoughtful one night she stood at the open window and saw the dark blue water empire like the fish with their fins and tails moon and stars she could see freely they seemed very pale but because of the water they were much bigger than our eyes then something of a black cloud so she knew that it was either a whale who swam over it or a ship with many people they certainly didn't think that a lovely little young woman was standing down and her white hands were stretching against the whale now the oldest princess was 15 years old and was allowed to go over the sea surface when she came back she had a lot to tell but the most beautiful she said was lying on a sand bank in a quiet lake and looking at the coast to look at the city where the lights were shining hundreds of stars the music and the noise and the crowd of cars and people to see the many churches and peaks and to hear the people the bells especially because she couldn't get there she saw the boys most of all after all this oh how she lit up and when she stood at the window and looked through the dark blue water she thought of the big city with all the noise and then she believed to hear the bells to hear the people in the following years the second sister got the permission to go through the water and swim wherever she wanted she jumped up just when the sun went down and she found this view the most beautiful she said and the clouds she couldn't describe red and blue but much faster than this a long white slide a swarm of wild swans where the sun stood they swam the same but the sun sank and the rose seemed lost on the sea surface the third sister got up she was the most brave that's why she swam a wide sea surface in the sea beautiful green hill with wine rancor she looked at them she heard how all the birds sang and the sun seemed so warm that she often had to dive under the water to cool her burning antlet in a small bay she met a whole swarm of small children very naked they ran and pledged in the water she wanted to play with them but they were shocked and there came a little black animal that was a dog but she had never seen a dog she was so scared that she was scared and she was looking for the open lake but never she could see the beautiful forests the green hills and the cute children who could swim in the water even though they had no fish but the fourth sister was not so cool she stayed in the middle of the sea and told that it was the most beautiful there you can see around her many miles away and the sky was like a glass clock she saw ships but only in further distance they looked like sandmills and the porcelain dolphins had shot porcelain trees and the big whale fish had splashed water from their nostrils so that it looked like hundreds of sprinkles around now the series came to the fifth sister her birthday was just in winter and that's why she saw what the others hadn't seen for the first time the lake was very green and around her huge iceberg a hedgehog looked like a pearl she said and was much bigger than the church towers they showed themselves in a special shape and glowed like diamonds she sat on one of the biggest and all seagulls were shocked outside where she sat and the wind played with her long hair but in the evening the sky was full of wolves it flashed and dawned during the black sea the big iceberg was high and it flashed with red light on all ships you could see the seagull there was a fear and a fear but she sat calmly in the swimming iceberg and saw the blue flash in the shimmering sea for the first time when one of the sisters came across the water everyone was shocked by the new and beautiful what she saw but since she now had grown up when they wanted it became equal they went back after a month they said it was the most beautiful place at home in some evening hours they took the sisters into their arms and jumped over the water they had wonderful voices more beautiful than any human and when there was a storm they thought the ships would go down in front of the ships and sing how beautiful the sea was and the seagulls were waiting to get down but they couldn't understand and thought it was the storm and they couldn't see the beauty because when the ship sank the people drank and came to the sea castle when the sisters got up in the evening high up the water the little sister stood all alone and saw them and it was her that she would cry but the seagulls didn't have tears and that's why she was suffering I would be 15 years old she said I know that I will love you finally she was 15 years old hey now you are grown said the grandmother the old queen widow come, now let me eat your other sister and she put a white lioness on her hair but every leaf in the flower was the half of a pearl and the old one left 8 big stars in the tail of the princess to show her rank that hurts said the little seagull yes oh, she would like to shake off all this beauty and lay down the heavy grudge her red flowers in the garden dress her better but she couldn't change it live well she spoke and stood light and clearly in the water the sun just went down when she raised her head over the water but all clouds glowed like roses and gold and in the middle of the bluish the evening stars were shining bright and beautiful the air was mild and fresh and the sea very calm there was a big ship with three masters a single seagull was just up because there was no air and by the way there was music and singing and as the evening was dark hundreds of red lanterns were lit they looked like the flags of all the people in the air the little seagull swam to the caillou window and every time when the water raised her she could see through the window clear windows where many clean people stood but the most beautiful was the young prince with the big black eyes he was certainly not more than 15 years old today was his birthday and that's why he was born the matriarch danced on the roof and as the young prince went out there there were over 100 rockets in the air they were shining like the bright day so that the little seagull swam under the water but she was about to shake her head and there was as if all the stars of the sky fell down to her she had never seen such fireworks big sun sprouts around beautiful fire for ships flew into the blue air and everything was shining in the clear quiet sea again on the ship itself it was so bright that every little bird how much more could the people see oh, how was the young prince beautiful and he pushed the people the hands and laughed while the music sounded in the wonderful night it was late but the little seagull could not turn her eyes away from the ship and the beautiful prince the white lanterns were extinguished rockets were no longer in the air there were no cannon shots at all but deep down in the sea it was sinking and rummaging in the meantime she sat on the water and looked up and down so that she could look into the coyotes but the ship got more wind one sail after the other spread out now the waves were stronger big clouds rose it flashed in the distance oh, it's going to be a terrible bad weather that's why the sailors took the sail the big ship was sailing in the wild the water was rising big black mountains that wanted to wave over the mast but the ship sank between the high waves again on the water the little seagull thought it would be a funny ride but it didn't the ship cracked and creaked the big clouds crashed at the strong the seagull went deep into the ship the mast broke through as if it were a pipe and the ship lay on the side while the water was sinking now the little seagull saw that the seagull had to dive in the water to take a look it was so dark that it couldn't take the least but when it flashed it was so bright again that it could see the ship especially the young prince and he saw the ship sink deeper into the sea at first he was pleased but now he came to her but he thought that the people couldn't live in the water and that he couldn't live differently than dead no, die he couldn't do that that's why they swam on the seabed and it was full of gas deep under the water and rising again between the waves he almost couldn't swim in the storm his arms and legs began to sink the beautiful eyes closed he would have to die if the little seagull didn't come she held her head over the water and then let go of the waves where they wanted to in the morning the bad weather was over from the ship there was no trace the sun was red shining from the water it was as if the prince was alive there but the eyes were closed the young woman kissed her beautiful forehead it came to me as if he was drawing the marble in her little garden she kissed her again and wished that he still wanted to live now she looked at the mainland high, blue mountains on which the white snow was shining as if it were swans who were there and then on the coast there was a building lemon and apple trees grown in the garden and in front of the gate there were high palm trees the lake formed a small bay it was very quiet but very deep here until the clip where the white fine sand was played they swam with the beautiful prince put him in the sand and made sure that the head was high in the warm sunshine now the bells were ringing there was a big white building and there were many young girls in the garden the small lake woman swam behind a few high stones which were on the water she put her head on her chest so that no one could see her little eye and then she noticed who would come to the prince it was not long until a young girl came she was very scared but only one moment she saw the prince coming back to life and that he smiled but he didn't smile he didn't know that she had saved him she felt very sad and when she was brought into the big building she was sad under the water and came back to her father's castle always she was quiet and thoughtful but now she became much more the sisters asked her what she saw up there for the first time but she didn't tell some evening and morning she went up where she left the prince she saw how the fruit of the garden was ripe and picked up she saw snow on the high mountains but she didn't look at the prince and that's why she always came back home she was very sad to sit in her little garden and her arms around the beautiful marble to swing but she didn't take care of her flowers they grew like in a wilderness over the corridors and floated their long stools into the branches of the trees so that it was completely dark there at last she couldn't stop it but she told one of her sisters and there it came everyone else to know but no one else but this one and a few other young women who didn't tell it any further except her next friends one of them knew who the prince was she also saw it on the ship and knew where he was and where his castle was this one was made of a bright shiny stone type with large marble stairs one of them just reached the sea it was a fair amount of gold they raised over the roof and between the columns around the building there were marble pictures they looked like they were alive through the clear glass in the high windows you could see into the most beautiful soul where the church and the temples were hanging and all the walls were lined with large paintings so that it was a real pleasure to see them in the middle in the biggest hall there was a large spring fountain its rays reached up towards the glass dome in the ceiling especially on the water and the beautiful plants that grew in the big basin now she knew where he lived and there she spent some evening and some night on the water she swam far away from the land when one of the others was awake yes, she went up the narrow canal all the way up under the beautiful marble altar which was a long shadow over the water here she sat and looked at the young prince who believed he was all alone in the clear moon she saw him in some evening with music in his beautiful boat where the flags were waving she heard through the green shield and he grasped the wind her long silver-white veil and someone saw him so he believed he was a swan who spread the wings she heard in some night when the fishermen were on the lake that she told a lot of good things about the young prince she was so happy that she saved her life when he was half-dead on the boat and she thought how hard her head was and how heartily she kissed him he didn't have to he could not dream of her more and more she started to love people more and more she wished to be able to walk around their world more than the poor they could fly over the sea on the high mountains over the clouds and the countries she had they were far away from their sights there was so much what she wished to know but the sisters didn't know how to answer so she asked the old grandmother and she knew the higher world very well about the sea when people don't drink she asked the young woman can you live forever don't you die like us under the sea yes, said the old you have to die and your lifetime is even shorter than ours we can be 300 years old but when we stop to be turned into foam on the water we don't have a grave here under our love we don't have an immortal soul we will never live again we are the same in the green shelf if we cut through that it can't be green again the people around have a soul that lives forever after the body has become earth it rises up through the clear air in the pore to all the shining stars like we dive out of the water and look at the people's countries so they rise to unknown beautiful places that we will never see why didn't you get an immortal soul asked the young woman I want to give a part of my life to live to be a human and to have a part of the world you don't have to think about it said the old we feel happier and better than the people up there so I will die and as foam on the sea not the music of the clouds and the red sun I can't do anything to win an immortal soul no said the old only if a human would love you so much that you would be more than father and mother if he would with all his thoughts and all his love and his right hand in the tiny with the promise of faith and in all eternity then his soul flows in your body and you too you get a part of the happiness of the people he gives you soul and keeps his own but that can never happen what is beautiful here in the sea is your fishing rod find it on the earth you don't understand it better you have to have two plump supports that they call legs to be beautiful that's what the young woman says on her fishing rod let us be happy said the old we want to jump in the 300 years that we have to live that it was not a long time ago later you could live better today we will have a yard that was a beauty how you never look at the earth the walls and the ceiling of the big dance hall were made of thick but clear glass several hundred unabashed mussels rose red and grass green on each side in rows with a blue burning fire which illuminated the whole hall and went through the walls so that the lake was completely illuminated outside you could see all the countless fish big and small that swam against the glass walls on some glances the shells are pure pure red on others they appear like silver and gold through the middle of the hall there was a wide stream and on this dance the more men and women sang to their own loved ones so beautiful voices did not have the people on the earth the little seagull sang to the most beautiful of them all she was clenched and with a look in her eyes she felt a joy in her heart because she knew that she had the most beautiful voice of all on earth and in the sea but soon she saw again the world above her she could see the beautiful princess and her coma that she did not forget any undead souls like him therefore she slipped out of her father's castle and while all inside sang and were happy she sat in her little garden there she heard the waltorn through the water and she thought now he seizes up there from which I hold more of my father and mother the more I want to make my life happy I want to carry everything to win her and her undead souls while my sisters danced in my father's castle I want to go to the seaside where I always feared but she can maybe help me now the little seagull went out of her garden and went to the brook behind which she lived the way she had never turned back there were no flowers no seagulls only the naked, grey sand floor stretched against the brook where the water rolled around the brook and everything it caught was in the deeper in the middle between the crumbling whirls in the area of the seaside and here was a long way, no other way than through warm, sparkling slums, which were calling their torches behind it was a house in a strange forest all trees and bushes were polyps, half animals, half plants they looked like hundred-headed snakes that grew out of the earth all two were long arms, with fingers like smooth worms and glit-glit moved from the root to the outer tip everything they could find out more about snakes they found and never left the little seagull was shocked her heart was in fear almost she would be turned back but she thought of the princes and the souls of the people her long hair tied her to the head so that the polyps wouldn't want to attack her both hands put her over her chest and shot her through the water between the ugly polyps her soft arms and fingers behind her she saw, like every one of them something he had attacked with hundreds of small arms with strong iron bands people, who came to the lake and sunk deep into the lake they saw white ripples from the arms of the polyps ships and boxes held them bones of land animals and a small seaweep which caught them and stuck them that was almost the most terrible now she came to a large swampy place in the forest where big fat water snakes showed their ugly white belly in the middle of the square was a house of white bones of stranded people there sat the seaweep and ate a turtle from her mouth just like the people feeding a small canary bird sugar the ugly fat water snakes called her kitchen and left her on her swollen chest I know what you're talking about she said the seaweep it was stupid of you but you wanted it then he would crash into you my beautiful princess you would like to be a fish and instead of that two stubs just like the people to go so the young prince would love you and you could have a soul the witch laughed again so that the turtles and the snakes were on the earth where they were wailing you're coming at the right time said the witch tomorrow when the sun rises I couldn't help you until a year ago I will prepare you a drink you have to go before the sun swim to Milan sit there and drink then your beard and beard to what the people called ugly legs but who does that it is a sharp sword I will crush you everyone who sees you is the most beautiful human child what they have seen where you hold your sword no dancer can swim like you but every step you make is as if you turn on sharp knives as if your blood would flow do you want everything to suffer I will help you yes a little woman with a baby voice and thought of the prince and the immortal soul but I think said the witch did you get human form so you can never become a woman again you can never get water to your sister and to the castle of your father to come back and you don't wish the prince love so that he forgets father and mother to you with live and soul and puts your hands together that you will become a man and woman so you won't get any immortal soul on the first morning after you are married with another heartbreak and you will look at the water I want it said the young woman and was dead again but you have to pay me said the witch and there is not much what I demand you have the most beautiful voice of all here on the bottom of the sea you believe to be able to purify it but you have to give me this voice the best you have I want for my precious drink my own blood I have to give it to you so the drink will be sharp like a knife hard but if you take my voice said the young woman I want it your beautiful shape said the witch your moving and your talking eyes with that you can fool a human have you lost your courage stretch your little tongue then I cut the payment and you will get the strong drink it happened said the young woman and the witch put on her to cook the magic drink cleanliness is your good thing said she and shooed the witch with the snakes they are in a knot now she rinsed herself in the breast and left her black blood in a trough the steam formed the special shapes so that a fear and fear had to be every moment the old witch threw new things in the castle it sounded like a crocodile finally the drink was ready it looked like the most clear water there you have it said the witch and cut off the little tongue which was now deaf how the singing could still speak should the polyps attack you if you go back through my forest said the witch threw only one drop of this drink she jumped off her arm and hit a thousand pieces but the young woman didn't need to do that the polyps were shocked when they saw the sparkling drink which was shining in her hand as if it was a sparkling star so she quickly came through the forest the moor and the brouhous strudel she could see her father's castle the torches were in the large dance hall they all slept in it but she didn't dare to look for her now that she was deaf and wanted to leave her forever it was as if her heart was about to burst she was just in the garden took a flower from every flower of her sisters threw thousands of cuss fingers into the castle and walked through the dark blue lake the sun hadn't yet risen when she saw the prince castle and the beautiful marble staircase she saw him clearly the young woman drank the sparkling drink and it was as if it was a two-cut sword through her fine body she fell into the ocean and was dead when the sun rose over the lake she woke up and felt a cutting pain but in front of her the beautiful young prince stood and looked at her black eyes so that she could see her ugly face that her body was black and that she had the most beautiful white legs that only a girl could have but she was completely naked that's why she held herself in her big long hair the prince asked who she was and how she got there and she saw him mildly with her dark blue eyes she couldn't speak then he took her by the hand and took her into the castle at every step she took as the witch had said before she wore her on sharp needles and sharp knives but he liked that by the prince's hand she stood as light as a soap bubble and more like everyone was wondering about her lovely floating steps precious clothes from silk and mousseline she now got in the castle she was the most beautiful of all but she was dumb she could still sing a wonderful slave and gold clothes came before and sang in front of the prince and his royal parents one was more beautiful than the other and the prince clenched his hands and laughed at her then the little witch was mocked she knew that she was much more beautiful oh, she thought he should only know that to be with him my voice for all eternity was given to him now the slaves were dancing lovely floating dances to the most wonderful music as the little witch raised her beautiful white arms she aimed at the ten-point empoor and swiped the dancing over the floor like no one else had danced at every movement her beauty became even more visible and her eyes spoke deeper than the slaves sang everyone was envious especially the prince called her a little child and she kept dancing although every time when her feet were touched by the earth as if she was walking on a sharp knife the prince always said that she should always be with him and she received the permission to sleep in front of his door he let her make a man-dress so that she could accompany him to the earth she ran through the smelly forests where the green branches touched her shoulders and sang fresh leaves she climbed on the high mountains with the prince and although her toes were bleeding so that the others could see she laughed at him until the clouds were sailing as if it were a swarm of birds queuing for foreign countries at home in the prince's castle when the others slept at night she went out on the wide marble staircase and cooled her burning feet in cold seawater and then she thought of her down there in the deep once at night her sisters' arms came in arms they sang very sadly by swimming over the water and she winked at them and they recognized and told how they all bowed they visited them every night and one day she looked at her old grandmother who hadn't been to the sea and had been to the sea with her crown on her head they both shook hands against her but they weren't as close to the land as their sisters day by day she became the prince's lover he loved her so much that you could only love a good love but she couldn't do it to the king and his wife had to be her otherwise she wouldn't have had to look at the sea in the morning didn't you love me the most of all of them? did the young woman say when she took her arms and kissed her beautiful star? yes, you are my favorite prince said because you have the best heart of all of them you gave me the most and you look at a young girl I once saw I was on a ship that was on the beach the waves were throwing me at a temple in the country where several young women were serving the youngest there found me and saved my life I only saw her twice she would be the only one I could love in this world but you love her you almost tear her image from my soul that's why my good luck was sent to me we never want to be separated oh, he doesn't know that I saved his life thought the young woman I took him over the sea to the forest where the temple is I sat behind the foam and saw if no one would come I saw the pretty girl that he loves more than me and the young woman sighed she couldn't cry she heard the holy temple she never comes to the world she doesn't meet I am with her I love her I want to love her but now the prince should get married and have a beautiful daughter that's why he built a beautiful ship the prince travels to visit the neighboring country but it happens to see the prince's daughter a great success should accompany him but the little woman smiled and laughed she knew the prince better than the others I have to travel he said to her I have to see the beautiful princess my parents want but they don't want to force me to take her home I can't love her she doesn't compare the beautiful girl should I choose a bride you would be my dear, good, kind child with your eyes and he kissed her on her red mouth he played with her beautiful long hair and put his head on her heart so that this dream of human happiness and an immortal soul you don't fear the sea my stupid child he said when she was on the beautiful ship after the land of the neighboring king and he told her from the storm and from the wind from strange fish in the depths and what the diver saw there and she laughed at his story she knew better than anyone else on the basis of the sea in the Monday night when they all slept on the steward of the rudder she sat on the board of the ship and started under the clear water and she believed to see her father's castle high on the same the old grandmother stood with the silver crown on her head and started by the travelling currents to the ship Skil-Empor her sisters came over the water and started sad and rang their white hands she winked at them, laughed and wanted to tell them that it was their good that she was happy but the ship's young man had her and the sisters were dancing under what he saw was just a foam on the sea the next morning the ship sailed in the harbour of the neighboring king's city all the churches were ringing and from the high towers the posaunas were blown while the soldiers with flying flags and glittering bayonets were standing in rows and glades every day he led a new party bells and societies followed each other but the princess wasn't there yet she would continue to pull out a temple she said there she would learn all the royal tugs she finally got in the little young woman was eager to see her beauty and she had to admit that she had never seen a lovely appearance the skin was fine and clear and behind the long dark eye-wimps there were a few black-and-blue faithful eyes you are it, said the prince you, who saved me when I was lying on the coast on a corpse and he pressed his red belly into his arms oh, I'm so happy said the little young woman the best thing I could ever hope was success you know about my happiness because you think it's the best with me the little young woman kissed and it came to you as if she felt her heart breaking her wedding tomorrow you should give her the death and turn her into foam on the sea all the church bells were ringing the heralds rippled in the streets around the house and announced the annals on all the old heralds the smell of oil in precious silver lamps the priests swung the perfumes and brewed and brewed on each other the hand and the singing of the bishop the little young woman stood in silk and gold and held the slipper of the bride but her ears didn't listen to the festive music her eyes didn't see the holy action she thought of her death night and all the things that she had lost in this world but on the same evening the bride and the bride were on board the cannons were thundering all the flags were wailing and in the middle of the ship a tent made of gold and porpoise and with the most beautiful boxes the bride should sleep in the quiet cold night the sails were swirling in the wind and the ship glided lightly and without any big movement over the clear sea when it was dark white lamps were lit and the sails were dancing funny dances on the ceiling the little young woman had to think of her first appearance she had the same beauty and joy and she was dancing with her she swam like the swallowing when she was followed and all the young women were surprised she never danced so wonderfully she cut sharp knives into her but she didn't feel it she cut her heart scarier she knew it was the last evening when she saw her for whom she left her relatives and her home she gave her beautiful voice and had endless quotes without her knowing it was the last night that she breathed the same air the depth of the sea and the clear sky an eternal night without thoughts and dreams that no soul could win everything was joy and joy over the middle of the night she laughed and danced with dead thoughts the prince kissed his beautiful bride and she played with his black hair and arm in arm she went to rest in the splendid tent it was dead and quiet on the ship only the steward was on the call the little young woman laid her white arms on the ship's edge and looked east after the dawn the first sunrise she knew, she would kill she saw her sister getting up on the sea she was as pale as she was her long, beautiful hair were no longer in the wind they were cut off we gave her the witch to help you so you wouldn't have to die she gave us a knife here it is, do you see how sharp it is before the sun rises you have to stab it in the heart of the prince and when the warm blood splashes on your feet you put a fish tail together and you become a seawater you can get to us and live 300 years before you are dead calm down or you have to die before the sun rises our old grandmother saddened so that her white hair fell down like that of our witch kill the prince come back calm down, do you see the red stripes in a few minutes the sun rises then you have to die and they stab a deep seawater and sink into the waves the young woman took the purple carpet from the tent and she saw the beautiful bride with her head on the prince's chest and she bowed down kissed him on his beautiful star she looked up in the sky where the morning red was more and more shining looked at the sharp knife and looked again at the prince who in his dream called his bride by the name only she was in his thoughts and the knife stuck in the seawater but she threw it far out into the waves the shiny red where it fell looked out it cut off a drop of blood from the water again she looked at the prince with half broken eyes she crashed from the ship into the sea and felt how her body lifted up a foam and now the sun rises from the sea the rays of many mud and warmth on the dead sea foam and the young woman felt nothing of the dead she saw the clear sun and above her hundreds of beautiful creatures were floating she could see through the same white sail and the sky red clouds the language of the same was melodic but so emotional that no human ear could perceive it just as no human eye could see without swinging she swam through the air with her own ease the young woman saw that she had a body like this that lifted up more and more out of the foam to whom I came she asked and her voice sounded like the other being so emotional that no earth music could give her back to the girls in the air he repeated the others the young woman didn't have an immortal soul she could never have if she didn't win the love of a human from a foreign power her eternal star would be the girls in the air also didn't have an eternal soul but they could use good actions and create themselves we fly to the warm countries where the heavy snowfall kills people there we cool we spread the scent of flowers and healing when we have been fighting for 300 years everything is good what we are capable of so we get an immortal soul and take part in the eternal happiness of the people you poor little soul with a whole heart like we did you have suffered and been patient to the spirit world now you can work for yourself after 300 years and create an immortal soul the young woman raised her arms against the sun and for the first time she felt tears in her eyes on the ship she saw the prince looking for him with his beautiful brow who is brave they started the pearly foam as if they knew that they had fallen into the floods invisible she kissed the star of the brow she laughed at him and stepped on the rose-red clouds with the other children who shifted the Eta through after 300 years we float into the kingdom of God we could also get there earlier she decided to have a daughter invisible we float into the houses of the people where children are and for every day when we find a good child who prepares his parents for joy who earns their love shorten our test time the child does not know when we fly through the steppe and we have to laugh at the same thing for a year from the 300 years but we see an unethical and evil child so we have to forget sad tears and every tear is our test time one day the end of the young woman the Gense market by the brothers Grimm this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are license free and in public possession further information and information about the participation of this project is available at LibriVox.org the Gense market by the brothers Grimm once lived an old queen who had died a long time ago and she had a beautiful daughter as she grew up she was far beyond promised to a king son when the time came where she was to be mailed and now the child had to travel to the foreign kingdom she packed the old many precious equipment gold and silver cups and small ores briefly everything which only belonged to a king because she had her child and her heart was in love she also passed by a chamber boy who was supposed to take the bride to the hands of the bride and everyone got a horse to travel but the horse of the queen's daughter was called Falada and could speak as soon as the time came the old mother went to her bedroom took a knife and cut it with her finger put it on she put a small stick under it and let three drops of blood fall into it she gave the daughter and spoke dear child keep her well they will be in need of you both of them named each other the stick put the queen's daughter in front of them sat on the horse and continued to her bride because she was bitten for an hour she found a hot toast and spoke to her chamber boy step away and boil me with my cup which you took for me water from the barrel I would like to drink once if you are thirsty said the chamber boy step away lay down on the water and drink I don't like your market the queen's daughter in front of the big chest bowed over the water in the barrel and drank and was not allowed to drink from the golden cup there she spoke oh God answered the three drops of blood if that's what your mother would know the heart in the body would have run away but the chamber boy was demutious said nothing and went back to the horse so she rinsed several miles but the day was warm the sun was strong and she was thirsty soon when she came to a river she called her chamber boy step away and give me a cup because she had forgotten all the bad words the chamber boy spoke but even more demutious if you want to drink then I don't like your market the queen's daughter stepped down in front of the big chest lay down over the flowing water and cried and spoke oh God and the drops of blood answered again if that's what your mother would know the heart in the body would have run away and as she drank and rebelled where the three drops were out of the well and flowed with the water without her noticing in her great fear but the chamber boy looked at her and was happy because this had lost the drops she became weak and powerless when she wanted to go back to her horse the chamber boy said I belong to the chamber boy and you belong to my horse and that she had to let go then she ordered the chamber boy to wear the royal dress and to wear her clothes finally she had to swear under the clear sky that she didn't want to speak of it at the royal court and if she didn't have this dress she would have been brought to the court but Faladar saw it all and took it to the court the chamber girl now went to Faladar and the goods were on the bad horse and so she continued until she finally entered the royal palace there was great joy about her arrival her son ran away the chamber girl jumped from the horse and said she was his wife she was on the stairs the royal daughter had to stay down the old king looked at the window and saw her in the court and saw how she was fine she went to the royal court and asked the bride who she had with her and down there in the court and who she was I only took her to the society I only took her to the society I only took her to the society I only took her to the society but the old king didn't have any work for her and didn't know anything when he said there I have a little boy who hugs the gins the little boy had to hug the real bride but soon the wrong bride to the young king I'm begging you I have a favor he answered I would like to do that now let the shindar call and let the horse where I am here because it annoyed me but actually I told her that the horse wanted to speak like she was with the royal daughter now it was so far that it happened and the faithful should die there came the right royal daughter and she promised the shindar secretly a piece of money that she wanted to pay when he gave her a small service in the city there was a big window where she had to go in the evening and in the morning under the window he wanted to tie his head so that she could see him even more than once so he promised that the shindar wouldn't do he lifted his head and tied him under the window in the morning because she and the little boy were driving she said where are you where are you and the head where are you where are you when your mother knew her heart was beating she went further to the city and she drove the shindar to the field and when she arrived she sat down and opened her hair they were golden and the shindar saw her and she was happy to see her and she wanted to get up she said we, we, little boy take the shindar and let it be until I was tied and tied there came a strong wind a hüttchen blew away over all the land and it had to run after him until he came again she was finished with the comb and the hair and he couldn't get any hair there was a little boy and he didn't speak to her and so they hüttled the shindar until it was evening then they went home the other morning as they drove out under the window door the young woman said oh falada there you hang and falada answered oh you young queen there you go if that your mother knew her heart would burst and in the field she sat down again and started to comb her hair and the hüttchen ran and wanted to get up she said we we windchen take the hüttchen and let it be until I was tied and tied there the wind blew and the hüttchen blew away far away the hüttchen had to run and as it came again she had too much hair and it couldn't get any and so they hüttled the comb until it was evening but in the evening after they came home the hüttchen went to the old king and said I don't want to haunt the girl any more why? the old king asked oh it annoys me all day the old king told him to tell him how he went with her the hüttchen said tomorrow when we pass under the window door there is a gull's head on the wall to which she talks falla da da du hangest the head answers oh you king's youngfer da du gangest when that your mother knew her heart was going to burst and so the hüttchen told what was going on and how the hüttchen had to run in the wind the old king told him to drive the next day again and he himself, until it was morning sat behind the window door and heard how she spoke with the head of the falla da and then he went to the field and walked on a bus there he saw with his own eyes how the hüttchen drove and how after a while she sat without hair the glances she spoke again we we windchen almost hüttchen's hüttchen and let himself hunt until I flew and snatched and sat down again there came a windfall and drove with hüttchen's head away that it had to run and the market fought and flew her locks still which the old king watched on it he went unnoticed back and in the evening the gänse market came home he called her by side and asked why she was doing all this I can't tell you and no one can complain about my suffering because that's how I disappeared under the free sky because otherwise I would have come to my life and you wouldn't be satisfied but he couldn't bring anything out of her he said if you don't want to tell me anything that's how the iron oven caused your suffering and went on there she crawled in the iron oven started to yammer and cry she shook her heart out and said there I sit now of all the world and a false chamber boy brought me with violence that I had to put off my royal dress and took my place at my brothel and I have to do general services as a gänse market if that's what my mother knew, the heart would run away but the old king stood outside at the oven she listened and heard what she said then he came back and let her out of the oven there her royal dress was made and it seemed a wonder that she was so beautiful the old king called his son and told him that he had the wrong bride she was just a chamber boy but the truth stood here as a gänse market the young king was happy when he saw her beauty and grace and a big time was made to which all people and good friends were prayed on top of the brothel the royal daughter on one side and the chamber boy on the other but the chamber boy was blinded and he knew no one else in the sparkling beauty when she now ate and drank and had good moods the old king gave the chamber girl a riddle which would be such a value that the gentleman would have so and so threatened he told her the whole thing and asked which urtile is this worthy the wrong bride said that it is nothing better than that she pulled out a splinter which would be almost hidden which would be slashed with pointed nails and two white horses which would have to drag them up and down to death that is you said the old king and found your own urtile and after that you should go again and when the urtile was full the young king painted with his right and both captured their wealth in peace and tranquility the end of Gensemarkt from the brothers Grimm read by Hokus Pokus the princess of Nagoroshin Hans Christian Andersen this sound recording of LibriVox is a public achievement the prince lived and wanted to take for himself the princess the princess here she was and something was not there the princess was free but they were real before that he could not get so he came back home with nothing and was very angry he really wanted to take the princess for himself once in the evening the weather was not warm the lightning was so strong from the bucket what a horror suddenly in the town gate knocked and the old king went to do the gate was the princess oh my god what does she look like the water ran from her hair and dress right into the socks and flowed out of the heel and she still believed that she is a real princess we will find out thought the old queen but did not say a word and went to the bedroom there she took off the bed all the tiffins and pillows and put on the board on top of the garoshen sent 20 tiffins and even from above 20 puffins on this bed and put the princess to bed in the morning ah very stupid said the princess I almost closed my eyes God knows what I had for bed I was lying on something so hard that I have everything body now in bruises just terrible here everyone saw that she was a real princess she felt the garoshen after 40 tiffins and puffins such a delicate character could only be a real princess and got married to her now he knew that he would take a real princess and gave the garoshen to the chamber there she lies if only no one stole her know that the story is true the end of the fairy tale princess of the garoshen Hans Christian Andersen from Negeiser Switzerland the zapaterio and the gnomes written by Jacob and Wilhelm Green translated to portuguese by Enrique Marques Jr this is a free vox recording all these live vox recordings are in public domain for more information or to be a volunteer please visit LibriVox.org it was once a zapaterio that for vicitudes of life impoverished so much that only able to buy enough material for a pair of shoes at night she cut her skin for the next day to finish as it was good she lay down quietly she cried and fell asleep on the immediate day when she got up she was going to get on the task but the floor on the table was highly surprised but did not understand what the fact wanted to say she took the shoes and saw them examined them in all ways and fates but some of them found them they were also finished they were what is called a prime work an enchantment she entered in Casun Flegues who liked so many shoes that she bought them more expensive the zapaterio arranged the material for the other two pairs at the same night she cut for the next day to finish when she woke up she saw them ready this time they did not need buyers and with the product of the sale could get material for four pairs the next day the four pairs were ready finally everything she cut she appeared in the morning to wake up so that without much work she thought immediately one night, however, by the proximity of Christmas when she finished cutting the shoes and was going to lie down she said to the woman and if we go this night to see who is helping us the woman approved the idea and leaving the candle on hiding in the closet and in which she was hiding waiting for the events at midnight two beautiful gnomes entered the room they sat on the zapatero's tripod and taking on the cut skin with the little hands they adjusted, sewed and hit the sole with so much agility and prestige that it was a pleasure to see them they worked without rest until they finished the task in the morning in the morning the woman heard these gnomes enriched us and we should show them our gratitude they must feel cold without anything to wear do you know what I remembered? make them three shirts socks, socks and socks for them to wear and a pair of socks and to complete the gift a pair of shoes the husband agreed with the woman and immediately gave the work and in very few hours about such a nice resolution in the afternoon everything was ready they put the husband and the woman their clothes on the table just in the place in which it was customary to wear the cut work and they hid to check what the gnomes did in the middle of the night and they appeared to give the task but instead of the cut shoes for them to do as had happened in the previous days they found these clothes what caused them admiration which gave little place to a great joy dressed the facts with prestige they saw that they adjusted with a glove and started dancing on the chairs and the benches and singing since then they have never seen them the shoe however continued to be happy while he lived having everything he wanted end of the shoes that we named engraved by Anna