 CHAPTER XX. THE RAT-CATCHER A very long time ago, in the town of Hamel, Germany, was invaded by bands of rats, the like of which had never been seen before nor will ever be again. They were great black creatures that ran boldly in broad daylight through the streets and swarmed so all over the house that people at last could not put their hand or foot down anywhere without touching one. When dressing in the morning they found them in their breeches and petticoats, in their pockets and in their boots, and when they wanted a morsel to eat, the voracious hordes had swept away everything from cellar to garret. The night was even worse, as soon as the lights were out, these untiring nibblers set to work, and everywhere in the ceilings, in the floors, in the cupboards, at the doors, there was a chase and a rummage, and so furious a noise of gimlets, pincers, and saws that a deaf man could not have rested for one hour together. Neither cats nor dogs, nor poison nor traps, nor prayers, nor candles burnt to all the saints, nothing would do anything. The more they killed, the more came, and the inhabitants of Hamel began to go to the dogs, not that they were of much use. When one Friday there arrived in town a man with a queer face who played the bagpipes and sang this refrain. He was a great gawky fellow dry and bronzed with a crooked nose and a long rat-tailed mustache, two great yellow piercings and mocking eyes under a large felt hat set off by a scarlet cox feather. He was dressed in a green jacket with a leather belt and red breeches, and on his feet were sandals fastened by thongs passed round his legs in the gypsy fashion. That is how he may be seen to this day painted in a window of the cathedral of Hamel. He stopped on the great marketplace before the town hall, turned his back on the church, and went on with his music singing. Who live shall see, this is he, the rat-catcher. The town council had just assembled to consider, once more, this plague of eep-jipped from which no one could save the town. The stranger sent word to the counsellors that if they would make it worth his while he would rid them of all their rats before night, down to the very last. Then he is a sorcerer, cried the citizens with one voice, we must beware of him. The town counsellor, who was considered clever, reassured them. He said, sorcerer, no, if this bagpiper speaks the truth it was he who sent us this horrible vermin, and he wants to rid us to-day for money. While we must learn to catch the devil in his own snares, you leave it to me. Leave it to the town counsellor, said the citizens, one to another, and the stranger was brought before them. Before night, said he, I shall have dispatched all the rats in Hamel, if you will but pay me a grass ahead. A grass ahead, cried the citizens, but that will come to millions of florins. The town counsellor simply shrugged his shoulders and said to the stranger, a bargain! To work! The rats will be paid one grass ahead, as you ask. The bagpiper announced that he would operate to that very evening when the moon rose. He added that the inhabitants should look at that hour, leave the streets free, and content themselves with looking out of their windows at what was passing. And that it would be a pleasant spectacle. When the people of Hamel heard of the bargain they too exclaimed, a grass ahead, but this will cost us a deal of money. Leave it to the town counsellor, said the town counsellor with a malicious air, and the good people of Hamel repeated, with their counsellors, leave it to the town counsellor. Towards nine at night the bagpiper reappeared in the market. He turned as at first his back to the church, and the moment the moon rose on the horizon, tra tra tra tra tra, the bagpipes resounded. It was first a slow caressing sound, then more and more lively and urgent, and so sonorous and piercing that it penetrated as far as the farthest alleys and retreats of the town. Soon from the bottom of the cellars, the top of the garrets, from under all the furniture, from all the nooks and corners of the houses, out came the rats, searched for the door, fling themselves into the street, and trip trip trip began to run in file towards the front of the town hall, so squeezed together that they covered the pavement like the waves of flooded torrent. When the square was quite full, the bagpiper faced about, and still playing briskly turned towards the river that runs at the foot of the walls of Hamel. Arrived there he turned round, the rats were following. Hop hop! he cried, pointing with his finger to the middle of the stream, where the water whirled and was drawn down as if through a funnel. And hop hop! without hesitating, the rats took the leap, swam straight to the funnel, plunged in head foremost, and disappeared. The plunging continued thus without ceasing till midnight. At last dragging himself with difficulty came a big rat, white with age, and stopped at the bank. It was the king of the band. Are they all there, friend Blanchett? asked the bagpiper. They are all there, replied the friend Blanchett. And how many were they? Nine hundred and ninety-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine. Well reckoned, well reckoned. Then go and join the mulled sire, au revoir. Then the old white rat, spring in his turn into the river, swam to the whirlpool, and disappeared. When the bagpiper had thus concluded his business, he went to bed at his inn. And for the first time during three months the people of Hamel swept quietly throughout the night. The next morning at nine o'clock the bagpiper repaired to the town hall where the town council awaited him. All your rats took a jump into the river yesterday, said he to the counsellors, and I guarantee that not one of them comes back. They were nine hundred and ninety-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine at one grass ahead, reckoned. Let us reckoned the heads first. One grass ahead is one head, the grass. Where are the heads? The rat-catcher did not expect this treacherous stroke. He paled with anger in his eyes, flashed with fire. The heads, cried he, if you care about them go and find them in the river. So, replied the town counsellor, you refuse to hold to the terms of your agreement. We ourselves could refuse you all payment, but you have been of use to us, and we will not let you go without a recompense. He offered him fifty crowns. Keep your recompense for yourself, replied the rat-catcher proudly. If you do not pay me, I will be paid by your heirs. Thereupon he pulled his hat down over his eyes, went hastily out of the hall and left the town without speaking to a soul. When the Hamill people heard how the affair had ended, they rubbed their hands, and with no more scruple than their town counsellor, they laughed over the rat-catcher, who, they said, was caught in his own trap. But what made them laugh above all was his threat of getting himself paid by their heirs. Ha! They wished they only had such creditors for the rest of their lives. Next day, which was a Sunday, they all went gaily to the church, thinking that after mass they would at last be able to eat some good thing that the rats had not tasted before them. They never suspected the terrible surprise that awaited them on their return home. No children anywhere, they had all disappeared. Our children, where are our poor children, was the cry that was soon heard in all the streets. Then through the east door of the town came three little boys, who cried and wept, and this is what they told. While the parents were at church a wonderful music had resounded. Soon all the little boys and all the little girls that had been left at home had gone out, attracted by the magic sounds, and had rushed to the great marketplace. There they found the rat-catcher playing his bagpipes at the same spot as the evening before. Then the stranger had begun to walk quickly, and they had followed running, singing, and dancing to the sound of the music as far as the foot of the mountain which one sees on entering Hamel. At their approach the mountain had opened a little, and the bagpiper had gone in with them, after which it had closed again. Only the three little ones who told the adventures had remained outside, as if by a miracle. One was bandy-legged, and could not run fast enough. The other, who had left the house in haste, one foot shod, the other bare, had hurt himself against a big stone, and could not walk without difficulty. The third had arrived in time, but in herring to go in with the others had struck so violently against the wall of the mountain that he fell backwards at the moment it closed upon his comrades. At this story the parents redoubled their lamentations. They ran with pikes and maddox to the mountain and searched till evening to find the opening by which their children had disappeared without being able to find it. At last the night falling they returned to desolate Hamel. But the most unhappy of all was the town counsellors, for he had lost three little boys and two pretty little girls, and to crown all the people of Hamel overwhelmed him with reproaches, forgetting that the evening before they had all agreed with him. What had become of all these unfortunate children? The parents always hoped they were not dead, and that the ratcatcher, who certainly must have come out of the mountain, would have to take them with him to his country. That is why for several years they sent in search of them to different countries, but no one ever came on the trace of the poor little ones. It was not till much later that anything was to be heard of them. About one hundred and fifty years after the event, when there was no longer one left of the fathers, mothers, brothers, or sisters of that day, they arrived one evening in Hamel, some merchants of Bremen returning from the east, who asked to speak with the citizens. They told that they, in crossing Hungary, had sojourned into mountainous country called Transylvania, where the inhabitants only spoke German. While all around them nothing was spoken but a Hungarian. These people also declared that they came from Germany, but they did not know how they chanced to be in this strange country. Now, said the merchants of Bremen, these Germans cannot be other than the descendants of the lost children of Hamel. The people of Hamel did not doubt it, and since that day they regarded as certain that the Transylvanians of Hungary are their country folk, whose ancestors, as children, were brought there by the rat-catcher. There are more difficult things to believe than that. CHAPTER XXI OF THE RED FERRY BOOK. This is our LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, CHAPTER XXI. THE TRUE HISTORY OF LITTLE GOLDEN HOOD. You know the tale of poor little red riding-hood, that the wolf deceived and devoured with her cake, her little butter-can, and her grandmother? Well, the true story happened quite differently, as we know now. And first of all, the little girl was called, and is still called, little golden-hood. Secondly, it was not she, nor the good grand-aim, but the wicked wolf who was, in the end, caught and devoured. Only listen. The story begins something like the tale. There was once a little peasant girl, pretty and nice as a star in its season. Her real name was Blanchette, but she was more often called little golden-hood, on account of a wonderful little cloak with a hood, gold and fire-colored, which she always had on. This little hood was given her by her grandmother, who was so old that she did not know her age. It ought to bring her good luck, for it was made of a ray of sunshine, she said. And as the good old woman was considered something of a witch, everyone thought the little hood rather bewitched, too. And so it was, as you will see. One day the mother said to the child, Let us see, my little golden-hood, if you know now how to find your way by yourself. You shall take this good piece of cake to your grandmother for a Sunday treat tomorrow. You will ask her how she is, and come back at once, without stopping to chatter on the way with people you don't know. Do you quite understand? I quite understand, replied Blanchette gaily. And off she went with the cake, quite proud of her errand. But the grandmother lived in another village, and there was a big wood to cross before getting there. At a turn of the road, under the trees, suddenly, Who goes there? Friend Wolf. He had seen the child start alone, and the villain was waiting to devour her. When at the same moment he perceived some woodcutters who might observe him, and he changed his mind. Instead of falling upon Blanchette, he came frisking up to her like a good dog. "'Tis you, my nice little golden-hood,' said he. So the little girl stops to talk with the wolf, who, for all that, she did not know in the least. "'You know me, then,' said she. "'What is your name?' "'My name is Friend Wolf. And where are you going, that's my pretty one, with your little basket on your arm?' "'I'm going to my grandmother to take her a good piece of cake for her Sunday treat tomorrow.' "'And where does she live, your grandmother?' "'She lives at the other side of the wood, in the first house in the village, near the windmill, you know.' "'Ah, yes, I know now,' said the wolf. "'Well, that's just where I'm going. I shall get there before you, no doubt, with your little bits of legs, and I'll tell her you're coming to see her. Then she'll wait for you.' Thereupon the wolf cuts across the wood, and in five minutes arrives at the grandmother's house. He knocks at the door, no answer. He knocks louder, no body. Then he stands up on end, puts his two four paws on the latch, and the door opens. Not a soul in the house. The old woman had risen early to sell herbs in the town, and she had gone off in such haste that she had left her bed unmade, with her great nightcap on the pillow. "'Good,' said the wolf to himself, "'I know what I'll do.' He shuts the door, pulls on the grandmother's nightcap down to his eyes. Then he lies down all his length in the bed and draws the curtains. In the meantime, the good Blanchet went quietly on her way, as little girls do, amusing herself here and there by picking Easter daisies, watching the little birds making their nests, and running after the butterflies, which fluttered in the sunshine. At last she arrives at the door. "'Knock, knock, who is there?' says the wolf, softening his rough voice as best he can. "'It's me, Granny, your little golden hood. I'm bringing you a big piece of cake for your Sunday treat tomorrow.' "'Press your finger on the latch, then push and the door opens.' "'Why, you've got a cold, Granny,' said she, coming in. "'A little, a little,' replies the wolf, pretending to cough. "'Shut the door well, my little lamb. Put your basket on the table, and then take off your frock and come and lie down by me. You shall rest a little.' The good child undresses. But observe this. She kept her little hood upon her head. When she saw what a figure her granny cut in bed, the poor little thing was much surprised. "'Oh,' cries she, "'how like you are to friend Wolf, Grandmother!' "'That's on account of my nightcap, child,' replies the wolf. "'Oh, what hairy alms you've got, Grandmother!' "'All the better to hug you, my child!' "'Oh, what a big tongue you've got, Grandmother!' "'All the better for answering, child!' "'Oh, what a mouthful of great white teeth you have, Grandmother!' "'That's for crunching little children with.' And the wolf opened his jaws wide to swallow Blanchette. But she put down her head, crying, and the wolf only caught her little hood. Thereupon, oh dear, oh dear, he drew's back, crying and shaking his jaw as if he had swallowed red hotcoals. It was the little fire-colored hood that had burnt his tongue right down his throat. The little hood, you see, was one of those magic caps that they used to have in former times, in the stories, for making oneself invisible or invulnerable. So there was the wolf with his throat burnt, jumping off the bed and trying to find the door howling and howling as if all the dogs in the country were at his heels. Just at this moment, the Grandmother arrives, returning from the town with her long sack empty on her shoulder. "'Ah, Bregan!' she cries. "'Wait a bit!' Eventually she opens her sack wide across the door and the maddened wolf springs in head downwards. It is he now that is caught, swallowed like a letter in the post. For the brave old dame shuts her sack so. And she runs and empties it in the well where the vagabond, still howling, tumbles in and is drowned. "'Ah, Stendrel, you thought you would crunch my little grandchild? Well, tomorrow we will make her a moth of your skin, and you yourself shall be crunched, for we will give your carcass to the dogs.' Thereupon the Grandmother hastened to dress poor Blanchette, who was still trembling with fear in the bed. "'Well,' she said to her, "'without my little hood, where would you be now, darling?' And to restore heart and legs to the child, she made her eat a good piece of her cake and drink a good draft of wine, after which she took her by the hand and led her back to the house. And then who was it who scolded her when she knew all that had happened? It was the mother. But Blanchette promised over and over again that she would never more stop to listen to a wolf, so that at last the mother forgave her. And Blanchette, the little golden hood, kept her word, and in fine weather she may still be seen in the fields with her pretty little hood, the color of the sun. But to see her, you must rise early. Note, C.H. Marel. CHAPTER XXII The Golden Branch Once upon a time there was a king who was so morose and disagreeable that he was feared by all his subjects, and with good reason, as for the most trifling offenses he would have their heads cut off. This king grumpy, as he was called, had one son, who was as different from his father as he could possibly be. No prince equalled him in cleverness and kindness of heart, but unfortunately he was most terribly ugly. He had crooked legs and squinting eyes, a large mouth all on one side, and a hunchback. Never was there a beautiful soul in such a frightful little body, but in spite of his appearance everybody loved him. The queen, his mother, called him Curlicue, because it was a name she rather liked, and it seemed to suit him. King Grumpy, who cared a great deal more for his own grandeur than for his son's happiness, wished to betroth the prince to the daughter of a neighboring king, whose great estates joined his own, for he thought that this alliance would make him more powerful than ever, and as for the princess, she would do very well for Prince Curlicue, for she was as ugly as himself. Indeed, though she was the most amiable creature in the world, there was no concealing the fact that she was frightful, and so lame that she always went about with a crutch, and people called her Princess Cabbage Stock. The king, having asked for and received a portrait of this princess, had it placed in his great hall under a canopy, and sent for Prince Curlicue, to whom he said that as this was the portrait of his future bride, he hoped the prince found it charming. The prince, after one glance at it, turned away with a disdainful air, which greatly offended his father. Am I to understand that you were not pleased? He said very sharply. No, sire, replied the prince, how could I be pleased to marry an ugly lame princess? Certainly it is becoming in you to object to that, said King Grumpy, since you are ugly enough to frighten anyone yourself. That is the very reason, said the prince, that I wish to marry someone who was not ugly. I am quite tired enough of seeing myself. I tell you that you shall marry her, cried King Grumpy angrily, and the prince, seeing that it was of no use to remonstrate, bowed and retired. As King Grumpy was not used to being contradicted in anything, he was very much displeased with his son in order that he should be imprisoned in the tower that was kept on purpose for rebellious princes, but had not been used for about two hundred years, because there hadn't been any. The prince thought all the rooms looked strangely old-fashioned, with their antique furniture, but as there was a good library, he was pleased, for he was very fond of reading, and he soon got permission to have as many books as he liked. But when he looked at them, he found that they were written in a forgotten language, and he could not understand a single word, though he amused himself with trying. King Grumpy was so convinced that Prince Curly Q would soon get tired of being in prison, and so consent to marry the princess cabbage stock, that he sent ambassadors to her father, proposing that she should come and be married to his son, who would make her perfectly happy. The king was delighted to receive so good an offer for his unlucky daughter, though, to tell the truth, he found it impossible to admire the prince's portrait which had been sent to him. However, he had it placed in as favorable a light as possible, and sent for the princess, but the moment she caught sight of it, she looked the other way, and began to cry. The king, who was very much annoyed to see how greatly she disliked it, took a mirror, and holding it up before the unhappy princess said, I see you do not think the prince handsome, but look at yourself, and see if you have any right to complain about that. Sire, she answered, I do not wish to complain, only I beg of you, do not make me marry at all. I would rather be the unhappy princess cabbage stock all my life than inflict the sight of my ugliness on anyone else. But the king would not listen to her, and send her away with the ambassadors. In the meantime, the prince was kept safely locked up in his tower, and that he might be as dull as possible, king grumpy order that no one should speak to him, and that they should give him next nothing to eat. But all the prince's guards were so fond of him that they did everything they dared, in spite of the king, to make the time pass pleasantly. One day as the prince was walking up and down the great gallery, thinking how miserable it was to be so ugly, and to be forced to marry an equally frightful princess, he looked up suddenly, and noticed that the painted windows were particularly bright and beautiful, and, for the sake of doing something that would change his sad thoughts, he began to examine them attentively. He found that the pictures seemed to be scenes from the life of a man who appeared in every window, and the prince, fancying that he saw in this man some resemblance to himself, began to be deeply interested. In the first window there was a picture of him in one of the turrets of the tower. Further on he was seeking something in a chink in the wall. In the next picture he was opening an old cabinet with the golden key, and so it went on through numbers of scenes, and presently the prince noticed that another figure occupied the most important place in each scene, and this time it was a tall handsome young man. Before Prince Curly Q found it a pleasure to look at him. He was so straight and strong. By this time it had grown dark, and the prince had to go back to his own room, and to amuse himself he took up a quaint old book, and began to look at the pictures. But his surprise was great to find that they represented the same scene as the windows of the gallery, and what was more, that they seemed to be alive. In looking at pictures of musicians he saw their hands move and heard sweet sounds. There was a picture of a ball, and the prince could watch the little dancing people come and go. He turned to page, and there was an excellent smell of a savory dinner, and one of the figures who sat at the feast looked at him and said, We drink your health, Curly Q. Try to give us our queen again, for if you do you will be rewarded. If not it will be the worst for you. At these words the prince, who had been growing more and more astonished, was fairly terrified, and dropping the book with a crash he sank back insensible. The noise he made brought his guards to his aid, and as soon as he revived they asked him what was the matter. He answered that he was so faint and giddy with hunger that he had imagined he saw and heard all sorts of strange things. Thereupon, in spite of the king's orders, the guards gave him an excellent supper, and when he had eaten it, he again opened his book, but could see none of the wonderful pictures which convinced him that he must have been dreaming before. However, when he went into the gallery the next day, and looked at the painted windows again, he found that they moved, and the figures came and went as if they had been alive. And after watching the one who was like himself find the key in the crack of the turret wall and open the old cabinet, he determined to go and examine the place himself, and try to find out what the mystery was. So he went up into the turret and began to search about and tap upon the wall, and all at once he came upon a place that sounded hollow. Taking a hammer he broke away a bit of the stone, and found behind it a little golden key. The next thing to do was to find the cabinet, and the prince soon came to it, hidden away in a dark corner, though indeed it was so old and battered looking that he would never have noticed it of his own accord. At first he could not see any keyhole, but after a careful search he found one hidden in the carving, and the golden key just fitted it, so the prince gave it a vigorous turn and the doors flew open. Ugly and old as the cabinet was outside, nothing could have been more rich and beautiful than what met the prince's astonished eyes. Average roar was made of crystal, of amber, or of some precious stone, and was quite full of every kind of treasure. Prince Curly Q was delighted. He opened one after another, until at last he came to one tiny drawer which contained only an emerald key. I believe that this must open that little golden door in the middle, said the prince to himself, and he fitted in the little key and turned it. The tiny door swung back, and a soft crimson light gleamed over the whole cabinet. The prince found that it proceeded from an immense glowing carbuncle made into a box which lay before him. He lost no time in opening it, but what was his horror when he found that it contained a man's hand which was holding a portrait? He his first thought was to put back the terrible box and fly from the turret, but a voice in his ear said, This hand belonged to one whom you can help and restore. Look at this beautiful portrait, the original of which was the cause of all my misfortunes, and if you wish to help me, go with that a moment's delay to the great gallery. Notice where the sun's rays fall most brightly, and if you seek there you will find my treasure. The voice ceased, and though the prince and his bewilderment asked various questions, he received no answer. So he put back the box and locked the cabinet up again, and, having replaced the key and the crack in the wall, hastened down to the gallery. When he entered it, all the windows shook and clattered in the strangest way, but the prince did not heed them. He was looking so carefully for the place where the sun shone most brightly, and it seemed to him that it was upon the portrait of a most splendidly handsome young man. He went up and examined it, and found that it rested against the ebony and gold paneling, just like any of the other pictures in the gallery. He was puzzled, not knowing what to do next, and till it occurred to him to see if the windows would help him, and, looking at the nearest, he saw a picture of himself lifting the picture from the wall. The prince took the hint, and lifting aside the picture without difficulty, found himself in a marble hall adorned with statues. From this he passed on through numbers of splendid rooms, until at last he reached one all hung with blue gauze. The walls were of turquoises, and upon a low couch lay a lovely lady, who seemed to be asleep. Her hair, black as ebony, was spread across the pillows, making her face look ivory white, and the prince noticed that she was unquiet, and when he softly advanced, fearing to wake her, he could hear her sigh and murmur to herself, Ah, how dared you think to win my love by separating me from my beloved Floramond, and in my presence cutting off that dear hen that even you should have feared and honoured. Then the tears rolled slowly down the lovely lady's cheeks, and Prince Curly Q began to comprehend that she was under an enchantment, and that it was the hand of her lover that he had found. At this moment a huge eagle flew into the room, holding in its talons a golden branch, upon which were growing what looked like clusters of cherries. Only every cherry was a single glowing ruby. This he presented to the prince, who guessed by this time, that he was in some way to break the enchantment that surrounded the sleeping lady. Taking the branch he touched her lightly with it, saying, Fair one, I know not by what enchantment thou art bound, but in the name of thy beloved Floramond I conjure thee to come back to the life which thou hast lost, but not forgotten. Instantly the lady opened her lustrous eyes, and saw the eagle hovering near. Ah, stay, do love, stay, she cried. But the eagle, uttering a Dolores cry, fluttered his broad wings and disappeared. Then the lady turned to Prince Curly Q and said, I know that it is to you I owe my deliverance from an enchantment which has held me for two hundred years, but there is anything that I can do for you in return you have only to tell me, and all my fairy powers shall be used to make you happy. Madam, said Prince Curly Q, I wish to be allowed to restore your beloved Floramond to his natural form, since I cannot forget the tears you shed for him. That is very amiable of you, dear Prince, said the fairy, but it is reserved for another person to do that. I cannot explain more at present, but is there nothing you wish for yourself? Madam, cried the Prince, flinging himself down at her feet. Only look at my ugliness. I am called Curly Q, and am an object of derision. I entreat you to make me less ridiculous. Rise, Prince, said the fairy, touching him with the golden branch. Be as accomplished as you are handsome, and take the name of Prince Peerless, since that is the only title which will suit you now. Silent from joy, the Prince kissed her hand to express his thanks, and when he rose and saw his new reflection in the mirrors which surrounded him, he understood that Curly Q was indeed God forever. How I wish, said the fairy, that I dare to tell you what is in store for you, and warn you of the traps which lie in your path. But I must not fly from the tower, Prince, and remember that the fairy does line will be your friend always. When she had finished speaking, the Prince, to his great astonishment, found himself no longer in the tower, but sat down in the thick forest, at least a hundred leagues away from it. And there we must leave him for the present, and see what was happening elsewhere. When the guards found that the Prince did not ask for his supper as usual, they went into his room, and not finding him there were very much alarmed, and searched the tower from turret to dungeon, but without success. Knowing that the king would certainly have their heads cut off for allowing the Prince to escape, they then agreed to say that he was ill, and after making the smallest among them look as much like Prince Kerligue as possible, they put him into his bed and sent to inform the king. King Grumpy was quite delighted to hear that his son was ill, for he thought that he would all the sooner be brought to do as he wished, and marry the Princess. So he sent back to the guards to say that the Prince was to be treated as severely as before, which was just what they had hoped he would say. In the meantime, the Princess' cabbage stalk had reached the palace, traveling in a litter. King Grumpy would not to meet her, but when he saw her, with a skin like a tortoise's, her thick eyebrows meeting above her large nose, and her mouth from ear to ear, he could not help crying out. Well, I must say Kerligue is ugly enough, but I don't think you need have thought twice before consenting to marry him. Sire, she replied, I know too well what I am like to be hurt by what you say, but I assure you that I have no wish to marry your son. I had rather be called Princess Cabbage Stock than Queen Kerligue. This made King Grumpy very angry. Your father has sent you here to marry my son, he said, and you may be sure that I am not going to offend him by altering his arrangements. So the poor princesses sent away in disgrace to her own apartments, and the ladies who attended upon her were charged to bring her into a better mine. At this juncture, the guards, who were in great fear that they would be found out, sent to tell the king that his son was dead, which annoyed him very much. He had once made up his mind that it was entirely the princess's fault, and gave orders that she should be imprisoned in the tower in Prince Kerligue's place. The Princess Cabbage Stock was immensely astonished at this unjust proceeding, and sent many messages of remonstrance to King Grumpy, and he was in such a temper that no one dared to deliver them, or to send the letters which the princess wrote to her father. However, as she did not know this, she lived in hope of soon going back to her own country, and tried to amuse herself as well as she could until the time should come. Every day she walked up and down the long gallery until she, too, was attracted and fascinated by the ever-changing pictures in the windows, and recognized herself in one of the figures. They seemed to have taken a great delight in painting me since I came to this country, she said to herself. One would think that I and my crutch were put in on purpose to make that slim, charming young shepherdess in the next picture look prettier by contrast. Ah, how nice it would be to be as pretty as that! And then she looked at herself in a mirror, and turned away quickly, with tears in her eyes from the doleful sight. All at once she became aware that she was not alone, for behind her stood a tiny old woman in a cap, who was as ugly again as herself, and quite as lame. Princess, she said, your regrets are so piteous that I have come to offer you the choice of goodness or beauty. If you wish to be pretty, you shall have your way, but you will also be vain, capricious, and frivolous. If you remain as you are now, you shall be wise, and amiable, and modest. Alas, I, madam, cried the princess. Is it impossible to be at once wise and beautiful? No, child answered the old woman. Only to you it is decreed that you must choose between the two. See, I have brought with me my white and yellow muff. Breathe upon the yellow side, and you will become like the pretty shepherdess you so much admire, and you will have won the love of the handsome shepherd whose picture I have already seen you studying with interest. Breathe upon the white side, and your looks will not alter, but you will grow better and happier day by day. Now you may choose. Ah, well, said the princess, I suppose one can't have everything, and it's certainly better to be good than pretty. So she breathed upon the white side of the muff and thanked the old fairy, who immediately disappeared. The princess' cabbage stalk felt very forlorn when she was gone, and began to think that it was quite time her father sent an army to rescue her. If I could, but get up into the turret, she thought, to see if anyone is coming, but to climb up there seemed impossible. Nevertheless, she presently hid upon a plan. The great clock was in the turret, as she knew, though the weights hung down into the gallery. Taking one of them off the rope, she tied herself on in its place, and when the clock was wound, up she went triumphantly into the turret. She looked out over the country the first thing, but seeing nothing, she sat down to rest a little, and accidentally leaned back against the wall, which Curly Cue, or rather Prince Peerless, had so hastily mended. Out fell the broken stone, and with it the golden key. The clatter it made upon the floor attracted the princess' cabbage stalk's attention. She picked it up, and after a moment's consideration, decided that it must belong to the curious old cabinet in the corner, which had no visible keyhole. And then it was not long before she had it open, and was admiring the treasures that contained as much as Prince Peerless had done before her. And at last she came to the car-bunkle-box. No sooner had she opened it than with a shutter of horror she tried to throw it down, but found that some mysterious power compelled her to hold it against her will. And at this moment a voice in her ear said softly, "'Take courage, Princess. Upon this adventure your future happiness depends.' "'What am I to do?' said the princess, trembling. "'Take the box,' replied the voice, "'and hide it under your pillow, and when you see an eagle, "'give it to him without losing a moment.' Terrified as the princess was, she did not hesitate to obey, and hastened to put back all the other precious things precisely as she had found them. By this time her guards were seeking her everywhere, and they were amazed to find her up in the turret, for they said she could only have got there by magic. For three days nothing happened, but at last in the night the princess heard something flutter against her window, and drawing back her curtains, she saw on the moonlight that it was an eagle. Limping across at her utmost speed, she threw the window open, and the great eagle sailed and beating with his wings for joy. The princess lost no time in offering it the carbuncle box, which it grasped in its talons, and instantly disappeared, leaving in its place the most beautiful prince she had ever seen, who was splendidly dressed and wore a diamond crown. "'Princess,' said he, "'for two hundred years has a wicked enchanter "'kept me here. "'We both loved the same fairy, but she preferred me. "'However, he was more powerful than I, "'and succeeded when, for a moment, I was off my guard "'and changing me into an eagle, "'when my queen was left in an enchanted sleep. "'I knew that after two hundred years "'a prince would recall her to the light of day, "'and a princess, and restoring to me the hand "'which my enemy had cut off, "'would give me back by natural form. "'The fairy who watches over your destiny told me this, "'and it was she who guided you to the cabinet "'in the turret, where she had placed my hand. "'It is she also who permits me "'to show my gratitude to you "'by granting whatever favor you may ask of me. "'Tell me, princess, what is it that you wish for most? "'Shall I make you as beautiful as you deserve to be?' "'Ah, if only you would,' cried the princess, "'and at the same moment she heard a crick cracking "'in all her bones. "'She grew tall and straight and pretty, "'with eyes like shining stars, "'and a skin as white as milk. "'Oh, wonderful! "'Can this really be my poor little self?' she exclaimed, "'looking down in amazement, "'and her tiny worn-out crutch "'as it lay upon the floor. "'Indeed, princess,' replied Floramond, "'it is yourself, but you must have a new name, "'since the old one does not see you now. "'Be called Princess Sunbeam, "'for you are bright and charming enough "'to deserve the name.' "'And so, saying, he disappeared, "'and the princess, without knowing how she got there, "'found herself walking under shady trees "'by a clear river. "'Of course, the first thing she did "'was to look at her own reflection in the water, "'and she was extremely surprised to find "'that she was exactly like the shepherd "'that she had so much admired, "'and wore the same white dress and flowery wreath "'that she had seen in the painted windows. "'To complete the resemblance, "'her flock of sheep appeared, grazing around her, "'and she found a gay crook adorned with flowers "'upon the bank of the river. "'Quite tired out by so many new "'and wonderful experiences, "'the princess sat down to rest at the foot of a tree, "'and there she fell fast asleep. "'Now it happened that it was in this very country "'that Prince Peerless had been sat down, "'and while the princess Sunbeam "'was still sleeping peacefully, "'he came strolling along "'in search of a shady pasture for his sheep.' "'The moment he caught sight of the princess, "'he recognized her as the charming shepherdess "'whose picture he had seen so often in the tower. "'And as she was far prettier than he had remembered her, "'he was delighted that Chance had led him that way. "'He was still watching her admiringly "'when the princess opened her eyes, "'and as she also recognized him, "'they were soon great friends. "'The princess asked Prince Peerless, "'as he knew the country better than she did, "'to tell her of some peasant who would give her "'a lodging, and he said he knew of an old woman "'whose cottage would be the very place for her. "'It was so nice and so pretty. "'So they went there together, "'and the princess was charmed with the old woman "'and everything belonging to her. "'Supre was soon spread for her under a shady tree, "'and she invited the prince to share the cream "'in brown bread which the old woman provided. "'This he was delighted to do, "'and having first fetched from his own garden "'all the strawberries, cherries, nuts, and flowers "'he could find, they sat down together "'and were very merry. "'After this they met every day "'as they guarded their flocks, "'and were so happy that Prince Peerless "'begged the princess to marry him, "'so that they might never be parted again. "'Now though the princess Sunbeam "'appeared to be only a poor shepherdess, "'she never forgot that she was a real princess, "'and she was not at all sure "'that she ought to marry a humble shepherd, "'though she knew she would like to do so very much. "'So she resolved to consult an enchanter "'of whom she had heard a great deal "'since she had been a shepherdess, "'and without saying a word to anybody, "'she set out to find the castle "'in which he lived with his sister, "'who was a powerful fairy. "'The way was long and lay through a thick wood "'where the princess heard strange voices "'calling to her from every side. "'But she was in such a hurry that she stopped for nothing, "'and at last she came to the courtyard "'of the enchanter's castle. "'The grass and briars were growing as high "'as if it were a hundred years "'since anyone had set foot there. "'But the princess got through at last, "'though she gave herself a good many scratches, by the way. "'And then she went into a dark gloomy hall, "'where there was but one tiny hole in the wall "'through which the daylight could enter. "'The hangings were all of bat's wings, "'and from the ceiling hung twelve cats, "'who filled the hall with their ear-piercing yells. "'Upon the long table twelve mice were fastened by the tail, "'and just in front of each one's nose, "'but quite beyond its reach lay a tempting morsel of fat bacon. "'So the cats could always see the mice, "'but could not touch them, "'and the hungry mice were tormented by the sight and smell "'of the delicious morsels, which they could never seize. "'Princess was looking at the poor creatures in dismay "'when the enchanter suddenly entered, "'wearing a long black robe "'and with a crocodile upon his head. "'In his hand he carried a whip made of twenty long snakes, "'all alive and writhing, "'and the princess was so terrified at the sight "'that she heartily wished she had never come. "'Without saying a word she ran to the door, "'but it was covered with a thick spider's web, "'and when she broke it she found another, "'and another, and another. "'In fact there was no end to them. "'The princess's arms egged with tearing them down, "'and yet she was no nearer to getting out, "'and the wicked enchanter behind her left maliciously. "'At last he said, "'You might spend the rest of your life over that "'without doing any good, "'but as you were young and quite the prettiest creature "'I have seen for a long time, "'I will marry you if you like, "'and I will give you those cats and mice "'that you see there for your own. "'They are princes and princesses "'who have happened to offend me. "'They used to love one another "'as much as they now hate one another. "'Ah, it's a pretty little revenge "'to keep them like that. "'Oh, if you would only change me into a mouse, too,' "'cred the princess. "'Oh, so you won't marry me?' said he. "'Little simpleton. "'You should have everything heart can desire. "'No, indeed. "'Nothing should make me marry you. "'In fact, I don't think I shall ever love anyone,' "'cred the princess. "'In that case,' said the enchanter, touching her, "'you had better become a particular kind of creature "'that has neither fish nor fowl. "'You shall be light and airy, "'and as green as the grass you live in. "'Off with you, madam grasshopper. "'In the princess, rejoicing to find herself free once more, "'skipped out into the garden, "'the prettiest little green grasshopper in the world. "'But as soon as she was safely out, "'she began to be rather sorry for herself. "'Ah, Floramond,' she sighed, "'is this the end of your gift? "'Certainly beauty is short-lived, "'and this funny little face and a green crepe dress "'are our comical end to it. "'I had better have married my amiable shepherd, "'and must be for my pride that I am condemned "'to be grasshopper and sing day and night "'in the grass by this brook "'when I feel far more inclined to cry.' "'In the meantime, Prince Peerless "'had discovered the princess's absence "'and was lamenting over it by the river's brim "'when he suddenly became aware of the presence "'of a little old woman. "'She was quaintly dressed in a rough and farthing gale "'and a velvet hood covered her snow-white hair. "'You seem sorrowful, my son,' she said. "'What is the matter?' "'Alas, mother,' answered the prince, "'I have lost my sweet shepherdess, "'but I determined to find her again, "'though I should have to traverse the whole world "'in search for her.' "'Go that way, my son,' said the old woman, "'pointing towards the path that led to the castle. "'I have an idea that you will soon overtake her.' "'The prince thanked her heartily and set out. "'As he met with no hindrance, "'he soon reached the enchanted wood "'which surrounded the castle, "'and there he thought he saw the princess's son "'being gliding before him among the trees. "'Prince Peerless hastened after her at the top of his speed, "'but could not get any nearer. "'Then he called to her, "'Son, be my darling, only wait for me a moment!' "'But the phantom did but fly the faster, "'and the prince spent the whole day in this vain pursuit. "'When night came, he saw the castle before him, "'all lighted up, and as he imagined "'that the princess must be in it, "'he made haste to get there too. "'He entered without difficulty, "'and in the hall the terrible old fairy met him. "'She was so thin that the light shone through her, "'and her eyes glowed like lamps, "'her skin was like a shark's, "'her arms were thin as lathes, "'and her fingers like spindles. "'Nevertheless, she wore rouge and patches, "'a mantle of silver brocade, and a crown of diamonds, "'and her dress was covered with jewels "'and green and pink ribbons. "'At last you have come to see me, prince,' said she. "'Don't waste another thought upon that little shepherdess, "'who was unworthy of your notice. "'I am the queen of the comets, "'and can bring you to great honor if you will marry me. "'Marry you, madam?' cried the prince in horror. "'No, I will never consent to that.' "'Thereupon the fairy and her range gave two strokes of her wand "'and filled the gallery with horrible goblins, "'against whom the prince had to fight for his life. "'Though he had only his dagger, "'he defended himself so well that he escaped without any harm, "'and presently the old fairy stopped the fray "'and asked the prince if he was still of the same mind. "'When he answered firmly that he was, "'she called up the appearance of the princess sunbeam "'to the other end of the gallery and said, "'See you are beloved there? "'Take care what you are about, "'for if you again refuse to marry me, "'she shall be torn in pieces by two tigers.' "'The prince was distracted, for he fancied "'he heard his dear shepherdess weeping "'and begging him to save her. "'And despair, he cried, "'Oh fairy Dousaline, have you abandoned me "'after so many promises of friendship? "'Help, help us now!' "'Immediately a soft voice said in his ear, "'Be firm, happen what may, "'and seek the golden branch.' "'Less encouraged, the prince persevered in his refusal, "'and at length the old fairy and a fury cried, "'Get out of my sight, obstinate prince! "'Become a cricket!' "'And instantly the handsome prince peerless "'became a poor little black cricket, "'whose only idea would have been to find himself "'a cozy cranny behind some blazing hearth "'if he had not luckily remembered the fairy Dousaline's "'in junction to seek the golden branch.' "'So he hastened to depart from the fatal castle "'and sought shelter in a hollow tree, "'where he found a forlorn-looking little grasshopper "'crouching in a corner, too miserable to sing. "'Without in the least expecting an answer, "'the prince asked it, "'and where may you be going, gammer grasshopper?' "'Where are you going yourself, gaffer cricket?' "'Replied the grasshopper.' "'What, can you speak?' said he. "'Why should I not speak as well as you? "'Isn't a grasshopper as good as a cricket?' said she. "'I can talk because I was a prince,' said the cricket. "'And for that very same reason, "'I ought to be able to talk more than you, "'for I was a princess,' replied the grasshopper. "'Then you have met with the same fate as I have, "'said he, but where are you going now? "'Cannot we journey together?' "'I seemed to hear a voice in the air, which said, "'Be firm, happen what may, and seek the golden branch.' "'Answered the grasshopper, "'and I thought the command must be for me, "'so I started at once, though I don't know the way. "'At this moment their conversation was interrupted "'by two mice, who, breathless from running, "'flung themselves headlong through the hole into the tree, "'nearly crushing the grasshopper and the cricket, "'though they got out of the way as fast as they could "'and stood up in a dark corner. "'Ah, madam,' said the fatter of the two. "'I have such a pain in my side from running so fast. "'How does your highness find yourself?' "'I have pulled my tail off,' replied the younger mouse, "'but as I should still be on the sorcerer's table "'as I had, I do not regret it. "'Are we pursued, thank you? "'How lucky we were to escape!' "'I only trust that we may escape, cats and traps, "'and reach the golden branch soon,' said the fat mouse. "'You know the way, then?' said the other. "'Oh, dear, yes, as well as the way to my own house, "'madam, this golden branch is indeed a marvel. "'A single leaf from it makes one rich forever. "'It breaks enchantments. "'It makes all who approach it young and beautiful. "'We must set out for it at the break of day. "'May we have the honor of traveling with you.' "'This respectable cricket and myself,' said the grasshopper, "'stepping forward, we also are on a pilgrimage "'to the golden branch. "'The mice courteously assented, "'and after many polite speeches, "'the whole party fell asleep. "'With the earliest dawn they were on their way, "'and though the mice were in constant fear "'of being overtaken or trapped, "'they reached the golden branch in safety. "'It grew in the midst of a wonderful garden, "'all the paths of which were strewn "'with pearls as big as peas. "'The roses were crimson diamonds with emerald leaves. "'The pomegranates were garnets, "'and the marigolds, topazes, "'the daffodils, yellow diamonds, "'the violet sapphires, the cornflowers turquoise, "'the tulips, amethysts, opals and diamonds "'so that the garden borders blazed like the sun. "'The golden branch itself had become as tall as a forestry "'and sparkled with ruby cherries to its topmost twig. "'No sooner had the grasshopper and the cricket "'touched it than they were restored "'to their natural forms, "'and their surprise and joy were great "'when they recognized each other. "'At this moment, Floramond and the fairy Dousaline "'appeared in great splendor, "'and the fairy, as she descended from her chariot, "'said with a smile, "'say you two have found one another again, I see, "'but I have still surprise left for you. "'Don't hesitate, Princess, to tell your devoted shepherd "'how dearly you love him, "'as he is the very prince your father sent you to marry. "'So come here, both of you, and let me crown you, "'and we will have the wedding at once. "'The prince and Princess thanked her with all their hearts, "'and declared that to her they owed all their happiness, "'and then the two princesses, who had so lately been mice, "'came and begged that the fairy would use her power "'to release their unhappy friends "'who were still under the enchanter's spell. "'Really?' said the fairy Dousaline, "'on this happy occasion, I cannot find it in my heart "'to refuse you anything. "'And she gave three strokes of her wand "'upon the golden branch, "'and immediately all the prisoners "'in the enchanter's castle found themselves free, "'and came with all speed to the wonderful garden, "'where one touch of the golden branch "'restored each one to his natural form, "'and they greeted one another with many rejoicings, "'to complete her generous work, "'the fairy presented them with the wonderful cabinet "'and all the treasures it contained, "'which were worth at least ten kingdoms. "'But to Prince Peerless and the Princess Sunbeam, "'she gave the palace and garden of the golden branch, "'where, immensely rich and greatly beloved "'by all their subjects, they lived happily ever after.'" End of chapter 22. Chapter 23 at the Red Fairy Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lane. Chapter 23. The Three Dwarfs. There was once upon a time a man who lost his wife and a woman who lost her husband, and the man had a daughter and so had the woman. The two girls were great friends and used often to play together. One day the woman turned to the man's daughter and said, "'Go and tell your father that I will marry him, "'and then you shall wash in milk and drink wine, "'but my own daughter shall wash in water and drink it too.'" The girl went straight home and told her father what the woman had said. "'What am I to do?' he answered. "'Marriage is either a success or it is a failure.'" At last, being of an undecided character and not being able to make up his mind, he took off his boot and handing it to his daughter, said, "'Take this boot, which has a hole in the sole, "'hang it up on a nail in the hay loft, "'and pour water into it. "'If it holds water, I will marry again, "'but if it doesn't, I won't.'" The girl did as she was bid, but the water drew the hole together and the boot filled up to the very top. So she went and told her father the result. He got up and went to see for himself, and when he saw that it was true and no mistake, he accepted his fate, proposed to the widow, and they were married at once. On the morning after the wedding, when the two girls awoke, milk was standing for the man's daughter to wash in and wine for her to drink, but for the woman's daughter only water to wash in and only water to drink. On the second morning, water to wash in and water to drink was standing for the man's daughter as well, and on the third morning, water to wash in and water to drink was standing for the man's daughter and milk to wash in and wine to drink for the woman's daughter, and so it continued ever after. The woman hated her stepdaughter from the bottom of her heart and did all she could to make her life miserable. She was as jealous as she could possibly be because the girl was so beautiful and charming while her own daughter was both ugly and repulsive. One winter's day when there was a hard frost and mountain and valley were covered with snow, the woman made a dress of paper and calling the girl to her said, There, put on this dress and go out into the wood and fetch me a basket of strawberries. Now heaven help us, replied her stepdaughter, strawberries don't grow in winter. The earth is all frozen and the snow has covered up everything. And why send me in a paper dress? It is so cold outside that one's very breath freezes. The wind will whistle through my dress and the brambles tear it from my body. How dare you contradict me, said her stepmother, be off with you at once and don't show your face again till you have filled the basket with strawberries. Then she gave her a hard crust of bread saying, That will be enough for you today. And she thought to herself, The girl will certainly perish of hunger and cold outside and I shan't be bothered with her any more. The girl was so obedient that she put on the paper dress and set out with her little basket. There was nothing but snow far and near and not a green blade of grass to be seen anywhere. When she came to the wood she saw a little house and out of it peeped three little dwarfs. She wished them good day and knocked modestly at the door. They called out to her to enter so she stepped in and sat down on a seat by the fire, wishing to warm herself and eat her breakfast. The dwarfs said at once, Give us some of your food. Gladly, she said, and breaking her crust in two, she gave them the half. Then they asked her what she was doing in the depths of winter in her thin dress. Oh, she answered. I had been sent to get a basket full of strawberries and I didn't show my face again at home till I bring them with me. When she had finished her bread, they gave her a broom and told her to sweep away the snow from the back door. As soon as she left the room to do so, the three little men consulted what they should give her as a reward for being so sweet and good and for sharing her last crust with them. The first said, every day she shall grow prettier. The second, every time she opens her mouth, a piece of gold shall fall out. And the third, a king shall come and marry her. The girl in the meantime was doing as the dwarfs had bitten her and was sweeping the snow away from the back door. And what do you think she found there? Heaps of fine-ripe strawberries that showed out dark red against the white snow. She joyfully picked enough to fill her basket, thanked the little men for their kindness, shook hands with them and ran home to bring her stepmother what she had asked for. When she walked in and said, Good evening, a piece of gold fell out of her mouth. Then she told what had happened to her in the wood and at every word pieces of gold dropped from her mouth so that the room was soon covered with them. She surely more money than wit to throw gold about like that, said her stepsister. But in her secret heart she was very jealous and determined that she too would go to the wood and look for strawberries. But her mother refused to let her go, saying, My dear child, it is far too cold. You might freeze to death. The girl, however, left her no peace so she was forced at last to give in. But she insisted on her putting on a beautiful fur cloak and she gave her bread and butter and cakes to eat on the way. The girl went straight to the little house in the wood and as before the three little men were looking out of the window. She took no notice of them and without as much as by your knee or with your knee she flounced into the room, sat herself down at the fire and began to eat her bread and butter and cakes. Give her some, cried the dwarfs. But she answered, No, I won't. It's hardly enough for myself, so catch me giving you any. When she had finished eating, they said, There's a broom for you. Go and clear up our back door. I'll see myself further, she answered rudely. Do it yourselves. I'm not your servant. When she saw that they did not mean to give her anything, she left the house in no amiable frame of mind. Then the three little men consulted what they should do to her because she was so bad and had such an evil, covetous heart that she grudged everybody their good fortune. The first said, She shall grow uglier every day. The second, every time she speaks, a toad shall jump out of her mouth. And the third, she shall die a most miserable death. The girl searched for strawberries, but she found none and returned home in a very bad temper. When she opened her mouth to tell her mother what had before on her in the wood, a toad jumped out so that everyone was quite disgusted with her. Then the stepmother was more furious than ever and did nothing but plot mischief against the man's daughter, who was daily growing more and more beautiful. At last, one day the wicked woman took a large pot, put it on the fire and boiled some yarn in it. When it was well-skalded, she hung it round the poor girl's shoulder and, giving her an axe, she bade her break a hole in the frozen river and rinse the yarn in it. Her stepdaughter obeyed as usual and went and broke a hole in the ice. When she was in the act of ringing out the yarn, a magnificent carriage passed and the king sat inside. The carriage stood still and the king asked her, My child, who are you, and what in the wide world are you doing here? I am only a poor girl, she answered, and am rinsing out my yarn in the river. Then the king was sorry for her, and when he saw how beautiful she was, he said, Will you come away with me? Gladly she replied, for she knew how willingly she would leave her stepmother and sister and how glad they would be to be rid of her. So she stepped into the carriage and drove away with the king, and when they reached his palace, the wedding was celebrated with much splendour. So all turned out just as the three dwarfs had said. For a year the queen gave birth to a little son. When her stepmother heard of her good fortune, she came to the palace with her daughter by way of paying a call, and took up her abode there. Now one day, when the king was out and nobody else near, the bad woman took the queen by her head, and the daughter took her by her heels, and they dragged her from her bed and flung her out of the window into the stream which flowed beneath it. Then the stepmother laid her ugly daughter in the queen's place and covered her up with the clothes so that nothing of her was seen. When the king came home and wished to speak to his wife, the woman called out, quietly, quietly, I this will never do. Your wife is very ill. You must let her rest all day. The king suspected no evil, and didn't come again till next morning. When he spoke to his wife and she answered him, instead, at the usual piece of gold, a toad jumped out of her mouth. Then he asked what it meant, and the old woman told him it was nothing but weakness, and that she should soon be all right again. But that same evening the skullian noticed a duck swimming up the gutter, saying as it passed, What does the king, I pray you tell, Is he awake, or sleeps he well? And receiving no reply it continued, And all my guests, are they asleep? And the skullian answered, Yes, one and all, they slumbered deep. Then the duck went on, And what about my baby deer? And he answered, Oh, it sleeps soundly, never fear. Then the duck assumed the queen's shape, went up to the child's room, tucked him up comfortably in his cradle, then swum back down the gutter again, in the lightness of a duck. This was repeated for two nights, and on the third the duck said to the skullian, Go and tell the king to swing his sword three times over me on the threshold. The skullian did as the creature bade him, and the king came with his sword, and swung it three times over the bird, and lo and behold his wife stood before him once more, alive and as blooming as ever. The king rejoiced greatly, but he kept the queen in hiding till the Sunday on which the child was to be christened. After the christening he said, What punishment does that person deserve who draves another out of bed, and throws him or her, as the case may be, into the water? Then the wicked old stepmother answered, No better fate than to be put into a barrel lined with sharp nails, and to be rolled in it down the hill into the water. You have pronounced your own doom, said the king, and he ordered a barrel to be made, lined with sharp nails, and in it he put the bad old woman and her daughter. Then it was fastened down securely, and the barrel was rolled down the hill till it fell into the river. Green. End of chapter 23 of the Red Fairy Book. Chapter 24 of the Red Fairy Book. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recording by Ellie, the Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lange. Chapter 24, Deppelgrimm. There was once upon a time a couple of rich folks for twelve sons, and when the youngest was grown up he would not stay at home any longer, but would go out into the world and seek his fortune. His father and mother said that they thought he was very well off at home, and that he was welcome to stay with them, but he could not rest and said that he must and would go, and so at last they had to give him leave. When he had walked a long way, he came to the king's palace, where he asked for a place and got it. Now the daughter of the king of that country had been carried off into the mountains by a troll, and the king had no other children, and for this cause both he and all his people were full of sorrow and deflection, and the king had promised the princess and half his kingdom to anyone who could set her free, but there was no one who could do it. Though a great number had tried. So when the youth had been there for the space of a year or so, he wanted to go home again and pay his parents a visit. But when he got there, his father and mother were dead, and his brothers had divided everything that their parents possessed between themselves, so that there was nothing left at all for him. Shall I then receive nothing at all of my inheritance? asked the youth. Who could know that he was still alive? You, who had been a wanderer so long, answered the brothers. However, there are twelve mayors upon the herds, which we have not yet divided among us, and if you would like to have them for your share, you may take them. So the youths were pleased with this thank them, and at once set off to the hill, where the twelve mayors were at pasture. When he got up there and found them, each mayor had her fall, and by the sight of one of them was a big double-gray fall as well, which was so sleek that it shone again. Well, my little foal, you are a fine fellow, said the youth. Yes, but if you will kill all the other little foals, so that they can suck all the mayors for years, you shall see how big and handsome I shall be then, said the foal. So the youth did this. Killed all the twelve foals, and then went back again. Next year, when he came back home again to look after his mayors and the foal, it was as fat as it could be, and its coat shone with brightness, and it was so big that they led at the greatest difficulty in getting on its back, and each of the mayors had another foal. Well, it's very evident that I have lost nothing by letting you suck all my mayors, said the lead to the yearling, but now you are quite big enough, and must come away with me. No, said the cold. I must stay here another year, kill the twelve little foals, and then I can suck all the mayors this year also, and you shall see how big and handsome I shall be by summer. So the youth did it again, and when he went up the hill next year to look after his cold and the mayors, each of the mayors had her fall again, but the dappled cold was so big that when the lead wanted to fill its neck and see how fat it was, could not reach up to it. It was so high, and it was so bright that the light glanced off its coat. Big and handsome you were last year, my cold, but this year you are ever so much handsomer, said the youth, and all the king's court knows a choice is to be found, and now you shall come away with me. No, said the dappled cold once more. Here I must stay for another year, just kill the twelve little foals again, so that I can suck the mayors this year also, and then come and look at me in the summer. So the youth did it. He killed all the little foals, and then went home again. But next year, when he returned to look after the dappled cold and the mayors, he was quite appalled. He had never imagined that any horse could become so big and overgrown, for the dappled horse had to lie down on all fours before the youth could get on his back, and it was very hard to do that, even when it was lying down, and it was so plump that its coat shone in glistened, just as if it had been a looking-glass. This time, the dappled horse was not unwilling to go away with the youth, so he mounted it, and when he came riding home to his brothers, they all smothered their hands together and crossed themselves. For never in their lives had the either seen or heard tale of such a horse is dead. If you will procure me the best shoes for my horse, and the most magnificent saddle and bridle that can be found, said the youth, you may have all my twelve mayors, just as they are standing out on the hill and that were foals into the bargain, for this year also each mare had her foal. The brothers were quite willing to do this, so the lad got such shoes for his horse that the sticks and stones flew high into the air as he rode away over the hills, and such a good gold saddle and such a gold bridle that they could be seen glistening and glancing from afar. And now we will go to the king's palace, the dappled cream, that was the horse's name. But be in mind that you must ask the king for a good stable and excellent fodder for me. So the lad promised not to forget to do that. He rode to the palace and it will be easily understood that with such a horse as he had, he was not long on the way. When he arrived there, the king was standing out on the steps, and how did he stare at the man who came riding up? They, said he, never in my whole life have you seen such a man in such a horse. And when the youth inquired if he could have a place in the king's palace, the king was so delighted that he could have danced on the steps where he was standing. And then the lad was told that he should have a place. Yes, but I must have a good stable and most excellent fodder for me horse, said he. So they told him that he should have sweet hay and oats, and as much of them as the dappled horse chose to have, and all the other riders had to take the horses out of the stable that dappled cream had stand alone and rarely have plenty of room. But this did not last long, for the other people in the king's court became envious of the lad, and there was no bad thing that they could not have done to him if they had but dared. At last they besought themselves of telling the king that the youth had said that if he chose, he was quite able to rescue the princess, who had been carried off into the mountain a long time ago by the troll. The king immediately summoned the lad into his presence and said he had been informed that he had said that it was in his power to rescue the princess, so he was now to do it. If he succeeded in this, he no doubt knew that the king had promised his daughter and half the kingdom to anyone who set her free, which promise should be facefully and honorably kept. But if he failed, he should be put to death. The youth denied that he had said this, but all to no purpose, for the king was deaf to all his words. So there was nothing to be done but to say that he would make the attempt. He went down into the stable and where he sat on full of care he was. Then dappled cream inquired where he was so troubled and the youth told him and said that he did not know what to do, for as to setting the princess free, it was downright impossible. Oh, but it might be done, said dappled cream. I will help you, but you must first have me well shot. You must ask for 10 pounds of iron and 12 pounds of steel for the shoeing and one smith to hammer and one to hold. So the youth did this and no one said nay. He got both the iron and the steel and the smiths and thus was dappled cream shot strongly and well. And when the youth went out of the king's place, the cloud of dust rose behind him. But when he came to the mountain and to which the princess had been carried, the difficulty was to ascend the precipitous wall of rock by which he was to get on the top of the mountain beyond for the rocks to dried up on end as deep as the house side and as smooth as a sheet of glass. The first time the youth rode at it, he got a little way up the precipice, but then both dappled creams for a leg slipped and down came the horse and rider with the sound like thunder among the mountains. The next time that he rode at it, he got a little further up, but then one of dappled creams for a leg slipped and down the vent is the sound of a land slip. But the third time dappled cream said, now we must show what we can do and went at it once more till the stones sprang up sky high and thus they got up. Then they later rode into the mountain left full gallop and caught up the princess on his saddle bow and then out again before the troll but even time to stand up and thus the princess was set free. When the youth returned to the palace, the king was both happy and delighted to get his daughter back again. It may easily be believed, but somehow or other the people about the court had so worked on him that he was angry with the lead too. Tauschelt have my thanks for setting the princess free, he said, and the youth came into the palace with her and was then about to go away. She ought to be just as much my princess as she is yours now for you are a man of your word, said the youth. Yes, yes, said the king. Have heard Tauschelt as I have said it, but first all Thomas make the sunshine to my palace here for there was a large and high hill outside the windows which overshadowed the palace so much that the sun could not shine in. That was not part of our bargain, answered the youth. But there's nothing that I can say will move you, I suppose I shall have to try to do my best for the princess I will have. So he went down to dappled cream again and told him what the king desired and dappled cream thought that it might easily be done. But first of all he must have new shoes and 10 pounds of iron and 12 pounds of steel must go into the making of them and two smiths were also necessary, one to hammer and one to hold and then it would be very easy to make the sunshine into the king's palace. The lad asked for these things and obtained them instantly for the king thought that the very shame he could not refuse to give them. And so dappled cream got new shoes and they were good ones. The youth seated himself on him and once more they went their way and for each hop the dappled cream made down when they held 15 arrows into the earth and so they went on until there was no hill left for the king to see. When the youth came down again to the king's palace he asked the king if the princess should not at last be his. For now no one could say that the sun was not shining into the palace. But the other people in the palace had again stood up the king and he answered that the youth should have her and that he had never intended that he should not. But first of all he must get a quite as good a horse to ride to the wedding on as that which he had himself. The youth said that the king had never told him he was to do that and it seemed to him that he had now really earned the princess. But the king stuck to what he had said and if the youth were unable to do it he was to lose his life the king said. The youth went down to the stable again and where he said and sorrowful he was as anyone may well imagine. Then he told Dappelgrem that the king had now required that he should get the princess to go the bridal horse as that which the bride come had or he should lose his life. But that will be no easy thing to do said he. For your equal is not to be found in all the world. Oh yes, this one to match me is Dappelgrem. But it will not be easy to get him for his underground. However, we will try. Now you must go to the king and ask for new shoes for me and for them we must again have 10 pounds of iron, 12 pounds of steel and two smiths, one to hem and one to hold. But be very particular to see that the hooks are very sharp and you must also ask for 12 barrels of rye and 12 slotted oxen we must have with us and all the 12 oxen hides with 1200 spikes set in each of them. All these things we must have likewise a barrel of tar is 12 tons of tar in it. The youth went to the king and asked for all the things that Dappelgrem had named and once more as the king thought that it would be disgraceful to refuse them to him. He obtained them all. So he mounted Dappelgrem and rode away from the court. And when he had written for a long, long time over hers and Moore's Dappelgrem asked, do you hear anything? Yes, there is such a dreadful whistling up above in the air that I think I am growing alarmed, said the youth. That is all the wild birds in the forest flying about. They are sent to stop us, said Dappelgrem, but just cut the hole in the corn sex and then they will be so busy with the corn that they will forget us. The youth did it. He cut holes in the corn sex so that barley and rye ran out on every side and all the wild birds that were in the forest came in such numbers that they darkened the sun. But when they cut side of the corn, they could not refrain from it but flew down and began to scratch and pick at the corn and rye. And at last they began to fight among themselves and forgot all about the youth in Dappelgrem and did them no harm. And now the youth rode onwards for a long, long time over hill and dale, over rocky places and Moore's. And then Dappelgrem began to listen again and asked the youth if he heard anything now. Yes, now there is such a dreadful crackling and crashing in the forest on every side that I think I shall be really afraid, said the youth. That is all the wild beasts in the forest, said Dappelgrem. They are sent to stop us, but just throw out the 12 carcasses of the oxen and they will be so much occupied with them that they will quite forget us. So the youth threw out the carcasses of the oxen and then all the wild beasts in the forest, both bears and wolves and lions and grim beasts of all kinds came. But when they cut side of the carcasses of the oxen, they began to fight for them till the blood flowed and they entirely forgot Dappelgrem and the youth. So the youth rode onwards again and many, many were the new scenes they saw for traveling on Dappelgrem's back was not traveling slowly as may be imagined. And then Dappelgrem nayed. Do you hear anything he said? Yes, I heard something like a full-neighing white plainly, a long, long way off answered the youth. That's a full-grown cold, said Dappelgrem. If you hear it so plainly, then it is so far away from us. So they traveled onwards a long time and saw one new scene after another once more. Then Dappelgrem nayed again. Do you hear anything now he said? Yes, now I heard it quite distinctly and it nayed like a full-grown horse answered the youth. Yes, and you will hear it again very soon, said Dappelgrem. And then you will hear what the voice it has. So they traveled on from many more different kinds of country and then Dappelgrem nayed for a third time. But before he could ask the youth if he heard anything there was such a neighing on the other side of the youth that the youth thought that the heroes and rocks would be ranting pieces. Now he is here, said Dappelgrem. Be quick and fling over me the ox hides that have the spikes in them and throw the 12 tons of tower they filled and climb up into that great browse for a tree. When he comes, fire will spurt out of both his nostrils and the tower will catch fire. Now mark what I said. If the flame ascends, I conquer. And if it stinks, I fail. But if you see that I am winning, fling the bridle which you must take off me over his head and then he will become quite gentle. Just as the youth said flung all the hides with the spikes or Dappelgrem and the tower they filled and had got safely up into the browse for the horse came with flames sprouting from his nostrils and the tower caught fire in a moment. And Dappelgrem and the horse began to fight until the stone slapped up to the sky. The pit and the fort with the four legs and the hind legs and sometimes the youth looked at them and sometimes he looked at the tower but at last the flames began to rise. For were so ever the strange horse bit or were so ever he kicked he hit upon the spikes and the hides and the legs he had to yield. When the youth saw that he was not long in getting down from the tree and flinging the bridle over the horse's head and then he became so tame that he might have been led by a thin string. This horse was Dappelg too and so like Dappelgrem that no one could distinguish one from the other. The youth seated himself on the Dappelg horse which he had captured and rode home again to the king's palace in Dappelgrem and loosed by his side. When he got there the king was standing outside in the courtyard. Can you tell me which is the horse I've caught and which is the one I had before? Said the youth. If you can't, I think your daughter is mine and the king went and looked at both the Dappelg horses. He looked high and he looked low and looked before and looked behind but there was not the hair's difference between the two. No, said the king. That I cannot tell he as Tau has procured such a splendid bridle horse from a daughter, Tau shall have her. But first we must have one material just to see if Tau have fated to have her. She shall hide herself twice and then Tau shall hide herself twice. If Tau can't find her each time that she hides herself and if she cannot find tea in thy hiding places then it is fated and Tau shall have the princess. That too was not in our bargain, said the youth, but we will make this trial since it must be so. So the king's daughter was to hide herself first. Then she changed herself into a duck and lay swimming in a lake. There was just outside the palace. But the youth went down into the stable and asked Dappelgrimm what she had done with herself. Oh, all that you have to do is to take her gun and go down to the water and aim at the duck which is swimming about there. And she shall soon discover herself, said Dappelgrimm. The youth snatched up his gun and ran to the lake. I will just have to shoot at the duck, said he, and began to aim at it. Oh no dear friend, don't shoot. It is eyes at the princess. So he had found her once. The second time the princess changed herself into a loaf and laid herself on the table among four other loafs. And she was so like the other loafs that no one could see any difference between them. But the youth again went down to the stable to Dappelgrimm and told him that the princess had hidden herself again and that he had not the least idea what had become of her. Oh, just take a very large spread knife, sharpen it and pretend that you are going to cut straight through the third of the four loafs which are lying on the kitchen table in the king's palace. Count them from the right to the left and you will soon find her, said Dappelgrimm. So the youth went up to the kitchen and began to sharpen the longest spread knife that he could find. Then he caught hold of the third loaf on the left hand side and put the knife to it as if he meant to cut it straight in two. I will have a bit of this spread for myself, said he. No dear friend, don't cut. It is eye, said the princess again. So he found her the second time. And now it was his turn to go and hide himself but Dappelgrimm had given him such good instructions that it was not easy to find him. First he turned himself into a horse flight and hid himself in Dappelgrimm's left nostril. The princess went poking about and searching everywhere, high and low and wanted to go into Dappelgrimm's style too. But he began to bite and kick about so that she was afraid to go there and could not find the youth. Well, said she, as I am unable to find you, you must show yourself. Upon the use immediately appeared standing there on the stable floor. Dappelgrimm told him what he was to do the second time and he turned himself into a lamp of earth and stuck himself between the hoof and the shoe of Dappelgrimm's left forefoot. Once more the king stored the vent and sword everywhere inside and outside until at last she came into the stable and wanted to go into the style beside Dappelgrimm. So this time he allowed her to go into it and she peered about high and low but she could not look under his hooves before he stood much too firmly on his legs for that and she could not find the youth. Well, you will just have to show where you are yourself for I cannot find you, said the princess and in an instant the youth was standing by her side on the floor of the stable. Now you are mine, he said to the princess. Now you can see that it is fated that she should be mine, he said to the king. Yes, it is fated, said the king. So what must be must? Then everything was made ready for the wedding. This creates splendor and promptitude and the youths hold to church and Dappelgrimm and the king's daughter and the other horse. So everyone must see that they could not belong on the way tether from J. Moe. End of chapter 24, recording by Ellie, August 2009. Chapter 25 of the Red Fairy Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Bill Rusim. The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. Chapter 25, The Enchanted Canary. One. Once upon a time in the reign of King Camberness, there lived at Avesnes, one of his lords, who was the finest man, by which I mean the fattest in the whole country of Flanders. He ate four meals a day, slept 12 hours out of the 24, and the only thing he ever did was to shoot at small birds with his bow and arrow. Still, with all his practice, he shot very badly. He was so fat and heavy, and as he grew daily fatter, he was at last obliged to give up walking and be dragged about in a wheelchair. And the people made fun of him and gave him the name of my Lord Tubby. Now, the only trouble that Lord Tubby had was about his son, whom he loved very much, although they were not in the least alike, for the young prince was as thin as a cuckoo. And what vexed him more than all was that though the young ladies throughout all his lands did their best to make the prince fall in love with them, he would have nothing to say to any of them, and told his father he did not wish to marry. Instead of chatting with them in the dusk, he wandered about the woods, whispering to the moon. No wonder the young ladies thought him very odd, but they liked him all the better for that, and as he had received at the birth the name of Desiree, they all called him D'Amore Desiree. What does the matter with you? His father often said to him, you have everything you can possibly wish for, a good bed, good food, and tons full of beer. The only thing you want in order to become as fat as a pig is a wife that can bring you broad, rich lands. So marry and you will be perfectly happy. I asked nothing better than to marry, replied Desiree, but I have never seen a woman that pleases me. All the girls here are pink and white, and I am tired to death of their eternal lily and roses. My faith, cried Tubby. Do you want to marry a negroess and give me grandchildren as ugly as monkeys and as stupid as owls? No father, nothing of the sort, but there must be women somewhere in the world who are neither pink nor white, and I tell you once for all that I will never marry until I have found one exactly to my taste. Two. Some time afterwards, it happened that the prior of the Abbey of Saint Amand sent to the Lord of Avisness a basket of oranges with a beautifully written letter saying that these golden fruit, then unknown in Flanders, came straight from a land where the sun always shone. That evening, Tubby and his son ate the golden apples at supper and thought them delicious. Next morning as the day dawned, Desiree went down to the stable and saddled his pretty white horse. Then he went, all dressed for a journey to the bedside of Tubby and found him smoking his first pipe. Father, he said gravely, I have come to bid you farewell. Last night, I dreamed that I was walking in a wood where the trees were covered with golden apples. I gathered one of them and when I opened it, there came out a lovely princess with a golden skin. That is the wife I want and I am going to look for her. The Lord of Avisness was so much astonished that he let his pipe fall to the ground. Then he became so diverted at the notion of his son marrying a yellow woman and a woman showed up inside an orange that he burst into fits of laughter. Desiree waited to bid him goodbye until he was quiet again. But as his father went on laughing and showed no signs of stopping, the young man took his hand, kissed it tenderly, opened the door and in the twinkling of an eye was at the bottom of the staircase. He jumped lightly on his horse and was a mile from home before Tubby had ceased laughing. A yellow wife, he must be mad, fit for a straight waistcoat, cried the good man when he was able to speak. Here, quick, bring him back to me. The servants mounted their horses and rode after the prince, but as they did not know which road he had taken, they went always except the right one and instead of bringing him back, they returned themselves when it grew dark with their horses worn out and covered with dust. When Desiree thought they could no longer catch him, he pulled his horse into a walk like a prudent man who knows he has far to go. He traveled in this way for many weeks, passing by villages, towns, mountains, valleys and plains, but always pushing south where every day the sun seemed hotter and more brilliant. At last, one day at sunset, Desiree felt the sun so warm that he thought he must now be near the place of his dream. He was at that moment close to the corner of a wood where stood a little hut before the door of which his horse stopped of his own accord. An old man with a white beard was sitting on the doorstep enjoying the fresh air. The prince got down from his horse and asked to leave to rest. Come in, my young friend, said the old man. My house is not large, but it is big enough to hold a stranger. The traveler entered and his host put before him a simple meal. When his hunger was satisfied, the old man said to him, if I do not mistake, you come from far. May I ask where you are going? I will tell you, answered Desiree, though most likely you will laugh at me. I dreamed that in the land of the sun there was a wood full of orange trees and that in one of the oranges I should find a beautiful princess who is to be my wife. It is she I am seeking. Why should I laugh, asked the old man. Madness in youth is true wisdom. Go, young man, follow your dream. And if you do not find the happiness that you seek, at any rate, you will have had the happiness of seeking it. Four. The next day, the prince arose early and took leave of his host. The wood that you saw in your dream is not far from here, said the old man. It is in the depth of the forest and this road will lead you there. You will come to a vast park surrounded by high walls. In the middle of the park is a castle where dwells a horrible witch who allows no living being to enter the doors. Behind the castle is the orange grove. Follow the wall till you come to a heavy iron gate. Don't try to press it open, but oil the hinges with this. And the old man gave him a small bottle. The gate will open of itself, he continued, and a huge dog which guards the castle will come to you with his mouth wide open. But just throw him this oat cake. Next, you will see a baking woman leaning over her heated oven. Give her this brush. Lastly, you will find a well on your left. Do not forget to take the cord of the bucket and spread it in the sun. When you have done this, do not enter the castle, but go round it and enter the orange grove. Then gather three oranges and get back to the gate as fast as you can. Once out of the gate, leave the forest by the opposite side. Now, attend to this. Whatever happens, do not open your oranges till you reach the bank of a river or a fountain. Out of each orange will come a princess and you can choose what you like for your wife. Your choice once made, be very careful never to leave your bride for an instant and remember that the danger which is most to be feared is never the danger we are most afraid of. Five. Desiree thanked his host warmly and took the road he pointed out. In less than an hour, he arrived at the wall which was very high indeed. He sprang to the ground, fastened his horse to a tree and soon found the iron gate. Then he took out his bottle and oiled the hinges when the gate opened of itself and he saw an old castle standing inside. The prince entered boldly into the courtyard. Suddenly he heard fierce howls and a dog as tall as a donkey with eyes like billiard balls came toward him showing his teeth which were like the prongs of a fork. Desiree flung him the yoke cake which the great dog instantly snapped up and the young prince passed quietly on. A few yards further he saw a huge oven with a wide red-hot gaping mouth. A woman as tall as a giant was leaning over the oven. Desiree gave her the brush which she took in silence. Then he went on to the well, drew up the cord which was half-rotten and stretched it out in the sun. Lastly, he went round the castle and plunged into the orange grove. There he gathered the three most beautiful oranges he could find and turned to go back to the gate. But just at this moment the sun was darkened. The earth trembled and Desiree heard a voice crying, Baker, Baker, take him by his feet and throw him into the oven. No, replied the Baker. A long time has passed since I first began to scour this oven with my own flesh. You never cared to give me a brush, but he has given me one and he shall go in peace. Rope, oh rope! cried the voice again. Twine yourself around his neck and strangle him. No, replied the rope. You have left me for many years past to fall to pieces with the damp. He has stretched me out in the sun. Let him go in peace. Dog, my good dog, cried the voice more and more angry. Jump at his throat and eat him up. No, replied the dog. Though I have served you long, you never gave me any bread. He has given me as much as I want. Let him go in peace. Iron gate, iron gate, cried the voice, growling like thunder. Fall on him and grind him to powder. No, replied the gate. It is a hundred years since you left me to rust and he has oiled me. Let him go in peace. Six. Once outside, the young adventurer put his oranges into a bag that hung from his saddle, mounted his horse and rode quickly out of the forest. Now, as he was longing to see the princesses, he was very anxious to come to a river or a fountain. But, though he rode for hours, a river or fountain was nowhere to be seen. Still, his heart was light, for he felt that he had got through the most difficult part of his task and the rest was easy. About midday, he reached a sandy plain, scorching in the sun. Here, he was seized with dreadful thirst. He took his gourd and raised it to his lips. But the gourd was empty. In the excitement of his joy, he had forgotten to fill it. He rode on, struggling with his sufferings. But at last, he could bear it no longer. He let himself slide to the earth and lay down beside his horse, his throat burning, his chest heaving and his head going round. Already, he felt that death was near him when his eyes fell on the bag where the oranges peeped out. Poor Desiree, who had braved so many dangers to win the lady of his dreams, would have given at this moment all the princesses in the world where they pink or golden for a single drop of water. Ah, he said to himself, if only these oranges were real fruit, fruit as refreshing as what I ate in Flanders. And after all, who knows? This idea put some life into him. He had the strength to lift himself up and put his hand into his bag. He drew out an orange and opened it with his knife. Out of it flew the prettiest little female canary that ever was seen. Give me something to drink. I am dying of thirst, said the golden bird. Wait a minute, replied Desiree. So much astonish that he forgot his own sufferings. And to satisfy the bird, he took a second orange and opened it without thinking what he was doing. Out of it flew another canary and she too began to cry. I am dying of thirst, give me something to drink. Then Tubby's son saw his folly and while the two canaries flew away, he sank on the ground where, exhausted by his last effort, he lay unconscious. Seven. When he came to himself, he had a pleasant feeling of freshness all about him. It was night, the sky was sparkling with stars and the earth was covered with a heavy dew. The traveler, having recovered, mounted his horse and at the first streak of dawn, he saw a stream dancing in front of him and stooped down and drank his fill. He hardly had courage to open his last orange. Then he remembered that the night before he had disobeyed the orders of the old man. Perhaps his terrible thirst was a trick of the cunning witch and suppose, even though he opened the orange on the banks of the stream, that he did not find in it the princess that he sought. He took his knife and cut it open. Alas, out of it flew a little canary just like the others who cried. I am thirsty, give me something to drink. Great was the disappointment of Desiree. However, he was determined not to let this bird fly away. So he took up some water in the palm of his hand and held it to its beak. Scarcely had the canary drunk when she became a beautiful girl, tall and straight as a popular tree, with black eyes and a golden skin. Desiree had never seen anyone half so lovely and he stood gazing at her in delight. On her side, she seemed quite bewildered but she looked about her with happy eyes and was not at all afraid of her deliverer. He asked her name. She answered that she was called the Princess Zizi. She was about 16 years old and for 10 years of that time, the witch had kept her shut up in an orange in the shape of a canary. Well then, my charming Zizi said the young prince who was longing to marry her. Let us ride away quickly so as to escape from the wicked witch but Zizi wished to know where he meant to take her. To my father's castle, he said. He mounted his horse and took her in front of him and holding her carefully in his arms. They began their journey. Eight. Everything the princess saw was new to her and in passing through mountains, valleys and towns, she asked a thousand questions. Desiree was charmed to answer them. It is so delightful to teach those one loves. Once she inquired what the girls in his country were like. They are pink and white, he replied and their eyes are blue. Do you like blue eyes? said the princess. But Desiree thought it was a good opportunity to find out what was in her heart so he did not answer. And no doubt went on the princess. One of them is your intended bride? Still, he was silent and Zizi drew herself up proudly. No, he said at last. None of the girls of my own country are beautiful in my eyes and that is why I came to look for a wife in the land of the sun. Was I wrong, my lovely Zizi? This time it was Zizi's turn to be silent. Nine. Talking in this way, they drew near to the castle. When they were about four stone throws from the gates, they dismounted in the forest by the edge of a fountain. My dear Zizi, said Tubby's son, we cannot present ourselves before my father like two common people who have come back from a walk. We must enter the castle with more ceremony. Wait for me here and in an hour I will return with carriages and horses fit for a princess. Don't be long, replied Zizi and she watched him go with wistful eyes. When she was left by herself, the poor girl began to feel afraid. She was alone for the first time in her life and in the middle of a thick forest. Suddenly, she heard a noise among the trees. Fearing, lest it should be a wolf, she hid herself in the hollow trunk of a willow tree which hung over the fountain. It was big enough to hold her all together but she peeped out and her pretty head was reflected in the clear water. Then there appeared, not a wolf, but a creature quite as wicked and quite as ugly. Let us see who this creature was. 10. Not far from the fountain, there lived a family of bricklayers. Now, 15 years before this time, the father in walking through the forest found a little girl who had been deserted by the gypsies. He carried her home to his wife and the good woman was sorry for her and brought her up with her own sons. As she grew older, the little gypsy became much more remarkable for strength and cunning than for sense or beauty. She had a low forehead, a flat nose, thick lips, coarse hair and a skin not golden like that of Zizi but the color of clay. As she was always being teased about her complexion, she got as noisy and cross as a titmouse so they used to call her Titi. Titi was often sent by the bricklayer to fetch water from the fountain and as she was very proud and lazy, the gypsy disliked this very much. It was she who had frightened Zizi by appearing with her picture on her shoulder. Just as she was stooping to fill it, she saw reflected in the water the lovely image of the princess. What a pretty face, she exclaimed. Why, it must be mine. How in the world can they call me ugly? I am certainly much too pretty to be their water carrier. So saying, she broke her picture and went home. Where is your picture? Asked the bricklayer. Well, what do you expect? The picture may go many times to the well but at last it is broken. Well, here is a bucket that will not break. The gypsy returned to the fountain and addressing once more the image of Zizi, she said, No, I don't mean to be a beast of burden any longer. And she flung the bucket so high in the air that it stuck in the branches of an oak. I met a wolf, she told the bricklayer, and I broke the bucket across his nose. The bricklayer asked her no more questions but took down a broom and gave her such a beating that her pride was humbled a little. Then he handed her an old copper milk can and said, If you don't bring it back full, your bones shall suffer for it. 11. Titi went off rubbing her sides but this time she did not dare to disobey and in a very bad temper stooped down over the well. It was not at all easy to fill the milk can which was large and round. It would not go down into the well and the gypsy had to try again and again. At last her arms grew so tired that when she did manage to get the can properly under the water, she had no strength to pull it up and it rolled to the bottom. On seeing the can disappear, she made such a miserable face that Zizi, who had been watching her all this time, burst into fits of laughter. Titi turned round and perceived the mistakes she had made and she felt so angry that she made up her mind to be revenged at once. What are you doing there, you lovely creature? She said to Zizi. I am waiting for my lover, Zizi replied, and then with a simplicity quite natural in a girl who so lately had been a canary, she told all her story. The gypsy had often seen the young prince pass by with his gun on his shoulder when he was going after crows. She was too ugly and ragged for him ever to have noticed her but Titi on her side had admired him though she thought he might well have been a little fatter. Dear, dear, she said to herself, so he likes yellow women. Why, I am yellow too and if I could only think of a way, it was not long before she did think of it. What? cried the sly twitty. They are coming with great pomp to fetch you and you are not afraid to show yourself to so many fine lords and ladies with your hair down like that? Get down at once, my poor child and let me dress your hair for you. The innocent Zizi came down at once and stood by Titi. The gypsy began to comb her long brown locks when suddenly she drew a pin from her stays and just as the titmouse digs its beak into the heads of linens and larks, Titi dug the pin into the head of Zizi. No sooner did Zizi feel the prick of the pin than she became a bird again and, spreading her wings, she flew away. That was neatly done, said the gypsy. The prince will be clever if he finds his bride and, arranging her dress, she seated herself on the grass to await Desiree, 12. Meanwhile, the prince was coming as fast as his horse could carry him. He was so impatient that he was always full 50 yards in front of the lords and ladies sent by Tubby to bring back Zizi. At the sight of the hideous gypsy, he was struck dumb with surprise and horror. Ah, me, said Titi, so you don't know your poor Zizi? While you were away, the wicked witch came and turned me into this. But if you only have the courage to marry me, I shall get back my beauty. And she began to cry bitterly. Now the good nature Desiree was as soft-hearted as he was brave. Poor girl, he thought to himself. It is not her fault, after all, that she has grown so ugly. It is mine. Oh, why did I not follow the old man's advice? Why did I leave her alone? And besides, it depends on me to break the spell and I love her too much to let her remain like this. So he presented the gypsy to the lords and ladies of the court, explaining to them the terrible misfortune which had befallen his beautiful bride. They all pretended to believe it and the ladies at once put on the false princess the rich dresses they had brought for Zizi. She was then perched on the top of a magnificent ambling palfry and they set forth to the castle. But, unluckily, the rich dress and jewels only made Titi look uglier still and Desiree could not help feeling hot and uncomfortable when he made his entry with her into the city. Bells were peeling, chimes ringing and the people filling the streets and standing at their doors to watch the procession go by and they could hardly believe their eyes as they saw what a strange bride their prince had chosen. In order to do her more honor, Tubby came to meet her at the foot of the great marble staircase. At the sight of the hideous creature, he almost fell backwards. What, he cried, is this the wonderful beauty? Yes, father, it is she, replied Desiree with a sheepish look. But she has been bewitched by a wicked sorceress and will not regain her beauty until she is my wife. Does she say so? Well, if you believe that, you may drink cold water and think it bacon. The unhappy Tubby, answered crossly. But all the same as he adored his son, he gave the gypsy his hand and led her to the great hall where the bridal feast was spread. Thirteen. The feast was excellent, but Desiree hardly touched anything. However, to make up, the other guests ate greedily and, as for Tubby, nothing ever took away his appetite. When the moment arrived to serve the roast goose, there was a pause and Tubby took the opportunity to lay down his knife and fork for a little. But as the goose gave no sign of appearing, he sent his head cover to find out what was the matter in the kitchen. Now, this was what had happened. While the goose was turning on the spit, a beautiful little canary hopped on the sill of the open window. Good morning, my fine cook, she said in a silvery voice to the man who was watching the roast. Good morning, lovely golden bird, replied the chief of the Scullions, who had been well brought up. I pray that heaven may send you to sleep, said the golden bird, and that the goose may burn so that there may be none left for Titty. And instantly the chief of the Scullions fell fast asleep and the goose was burnt to a cinder. When he awoke, he was horrified and gave orders to pluck another goose and to stuff it with chestnuts and put it on the spit. While it was browning at the fire, Tubby inquired for his goose a second time. The master cook himself mounted to the hall to make his excuses and to beg his lord to have a little patience. Tubby showed his patience by abusing his son. As if it wasn't enough, he grumbled between his teeth, that the boy should pick up a hag without a penny, but the goose must go and burn now. It isn't a wife that he has brought me, it is famine herself. 15. While the master cook was upstairs, the golden bird came again to perch on the windowsill and called in his clear voice to the head Scullion who was watching the spit, Good morning, my fine Scullion. Good morning, lovely golden bird, replied the Scullion, whom the master cook had forgotten in his excitement to warn. I pray heaven went on the canary that it will send you to sleep and that the goose may burn so that there may be none left for Titty. And the Scullion fell fast asleep and when the master cook came back he found the goose as black as the chimney. In a fury he woke the Scullion who in order to save himself from blame told the whole story, that a cursed bird said the cook, it will end by getting me sent away. Come, some of you, and hide yourselves, and if it comes again, catch it and ring its neck. He spitted a third goose, lit a huge fire and seated himself by it. The bird appeared a third time and said, Good morning, my fine cook. Good morning, lovely golden bird, replied the cook, as if nothing had happened. And at the moment that the canary was beginning, I pray heaven that it may send, a Scullion who was hidden outside rushed out and shut the shutters. The bird flew into the kitchen, then all the cooks and Scullion sprang after it, knocking at it with their aprons. At length one of them caught it just at the very moment that Tubby entered the kitchen, waving his scepter. He had come to see for himself why the goose had never made its appearance. The Scullion stopped at once, just as he was about to ring the canary's neck. Fifteen. Will someone be kind enough to tell me the meaning of all this, cried the Lord of Avisness. Your Excellency, it is the bird, replied the Scullion, and he placed it in his hand. Nonsense, what a lovely bird, said Tubby, and in stroking its head he touched a pin that was sticking between its feathers. He pulled it out, and lo, the canary at once became a beautiful girl with a golden skin who jumped lightly to the ground. Gracious, what a pretty girl, said Tubby. Father, it is she, it is Zizi, exclaimed Desiree, who entered at this moment, and he took her in his arms, crying, My darling Zizi, how happy I am to see you once more. Well, and the other one, asked Tubby. The other one was stealing quietly to the door. Stop her, called Tubby. We will judge her cause at once, and he seated himself solemnly on the oven, and condemned Titty to be burned alive, after which the lords and cooks formed themselves in lines, and Tubby betrothed Desiree to Zizi. 16. The marriage took place a few days later. All the boys in the countryside were there, armed with wooden swords, and decorated with epaulets made of gilt paper. Zizi obtained Titty's pardon, and she was sent back to the brick fields, followed and hooded at by all the boys, and this is why today the country boys always throw stones at a titmouse. On the evening of the wedding day, all the larders, cellars, cupboards and tables of the people, whether rich or poor, were loaded as if by enchantment, with bread, wine, beer, cakes and tarts, roast larks, and even geese, so that Tubby could not complain anymore that his son had married famine. Since that time, there has always been plenty to eat in that country, and since that time, too, you see in the midst of the fair-haired blue-eyed women of Flanders, a few beautiful girls, whose eyes are black, and whose skins are the color of gold. They are the descendants of Zizi.