 CHAPTER XXI OF THE ORANGE 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 ORANGE FAIRY-BOOK by Andrew Lang THE WHITE DOE FROM L'ÉTUDE ETHNOGRAPHICS SUR L'ÉPARONGUE PAR EN RÉGIONON Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who loved each other dearly, and would have been perfectly happy if they had only had a little son or daughter to play with. They never talked about it, and always pretended that there was nothing in the world to wish for, but sometimes when they looked at other people's children their faces grew sad and their courteurs in attendance knew the reason why. One day the queen was sitting alone by the side of a waterfall which sprung from some rocks in a large park adjoining the castle. She was feeling more than usually miserable and had sent away her ladies so that no one might witness her grief. Suddenly she heard a rustling movement in the pool below the waterfall, and on glancing up she saw a large crab climbing on to a stone beside her. "'Great Queen,' said the crab, "'I am here to tell you that the desire of your heart will soon be granted. But first you must permit me to lead you to the palace of the fairies, which though hard by has never been seen by mortal eyes because of the thick clouds that surround it. When there you will know more, that is, if you will trust yourself to me.' The queen had never before heard an animal speak and was struck dumb with surprise. However, she was so enchanted at the words of the crab that she smiled sweetly and held out her hand. It was taken not by the crab which had stood there only a moment before, but by a little old woman smartly dressed in white and crimson with green ribbons in her gray hair. And wonderful to say, not a drop of water fell from her clothes. The old woman ran lightly down a path along which the queen had been a hundred times before, but it seemed so different she could hardly believe it was the same. Instead of having to push her way through nettles and brambles, roses and jasmine hung about her head, while under her feet the ground was sweet with violets. The orange trees were so tall and thick that even at midday the sun was never too hot, and at the end of the path was a glimmer of something so dazzling that the queen had to shade her eyes and peep at it only between her fingers. What can it be? she asked, turning to her guide, who answered, Oh, that is the fairies' palace, and here are some of them coming to meet us. As she spoke, the gates swung back and six fairies approached, each bearing in her hand a flower made of precious stones, but so like the real one that it was only by touching you could tell the difference. Madam, they said, we know not how to thank you for this mark of your confidence, but have the happiness to tell you that in a short time you will have a little daughter. The queen was so enchanted at this news that she nearly fainted with joy, but when she was able to speak she poured out all her gratitude to the fairies for their promised gift. And now, she said, I ought not to stay any longer for my husband will think that I have run away or that some evil beast has devoured me. In a little while it happened just as the fairies had foretold, and a baby girl was born in the palace. Of course, both the king and queen were delighted, and the child was called Desiree, which means desired, for she had been desired for five years before her birth. At first the queen could think of nothing but her new plaything, but then she remembered the fairies who had sent it to her. Bidding her ladies bring her a posy of the jeweled flowers which had been given her at the palace, she took each flower in her hand and called it by name, and in turn each fairy appeared before her. But as unluckily often happens, the one to whom she owed the most, the crab fairy, was forgotten, and by this, as in the case of other babies you have read about, much mischief was wrought. However, for the moment always gaiety in the palace and everybody inside ran to the windows to watch the fairies' carriages, for no two were alike. One had a car of ebony drawn by white pigeons, another was lying back in her ivory chariot driven by ten black crows, while the rest had chosen rare woods or many colored seashells with scarlet and blue macaws, long-tailed peacocks, or green lovebirds for horses. These carriages were used only on occasions of state, for when they went to war, flying dragons, firies, serpents, lions, or leopards took the place of the beautiful birds. The fairies entered the queen's chamber followed by little dwarfs who carried their presents and looked much prouder than their mistresses. One by one the burdens were spread upon the ground, and no one had ever seen such lovely things. Everything that a baby could possibly wear or play with was there, and besides they had other and more precious gifts to give her, which only children who have fairies for godmothers can ever hope to possess. They were all gathered round the heap of pink cushions on which the baby lay asleep when a shadow seemed to fall between them and the sun, while a cold wind blew through the room. Everyone looked up, and there was the crab fairy who had grown as tall as the ceiling in her anger. So I am forgotten! cried she in a voice so loud that the queen trembled as she heard it. Who was it soothed you in your trouble? Who was it led you to the fairies? Who was it brought you back in safety to your home again? Yet I—I—am overlooked, while these who have done nothing in comparison are petted and thanked. The queen almost dumb with terror in vain tried to think of some explanation or apology, but there was none, and she could only confess her fault and implore forgiveness. The fairies also did their best to soften the wrath of their sister, and knowing that, like many plain people who are not fairies, she was very vain, they entreated her to drop her crab's disguise and to become once more the charming person they were accustomed to see. For some time the enraged fairy would listen to nothing, but at length the flatteries began to take effect. The crab's shell fell from her. She shrank into her usual size and lost some of her fierce expression. Well, she said, I will not cause the princess's death as I had meant to do, but at the same time she will have to bear the punishment of her mother's fault, as many other children have done before her. The sentence I pass upon her is that if she is allowed to see one ray of daylight before her fifteenth birthday she will rue it bitterly, and it may perhaps cost her her life. And with these words she vanished by the window through which she came, while the fairies comforted the weeping queen, and took counsel how best the princess might be kept safe during her childhood. At the end of half an hour they had made up their minds what to do, and at the command of the fairies a beautiful palace sprang up close to that of the king and queen, but different from every palace in the world in having no windows and only a door right under the earth. However, once within, daylight was hardly missed so brilliant were the multitudes of tapers that were burning on the walls. Now up to this time the princess's history has been like the history of many a princess that you have read about, but when the period of her imprisonment was nearly over her fortunes took another turn. For almost fifteen years the fairies had taken care of her, and amused her and taught her, so that when she came into the world she might be no witt behind the daughters of other kings in all that makes a princess charming and accomplished. They all loved her dearly, but the fairy tulip loved her most of all, and as the princess's fifteenth birthday drew near the fairy began to tremble lest something terrible should happen, some accident which had not been foreseen. Do not let her out of your sight, said tulip to the queen, and meanwhile let her portrait be painted and carried to the neighbouring courts, as is the custom in order that kings may see how far her beauty exceeds that of every other princess, and that they may demand her in marriage for their sons. And so it was done, and as the fairy had prophesied all the young princess fell in love with the picture, but the last one to whom it was shown could think of nothing else and refuse to let it be removed from his chamber where he spent whole days gazing at it. The king, his father, was much surprised at the change which had come over his son, who generally passed all his time in hunting or hawking, and his anxiety was increased by a conversation he overheard between two of his courtiers that they feared the prince must be going out of his mind so moody had he become. Without losing a moment the king went to visit his son and no sooner had he entered the room than the young man flung himself at his father's feet. You have betrothed me already to a bride I can never love, cried he, but if you will not consent to break off the match and ask for the hand of the Princess Desiree I shall die of misery, thankful to be alive no longer. These words much displeased the king who felt that in breaking off the marriage already arranged he would almost certainly be bringing on his subjects a long and bloody war. So without answering he went away hoping that a few days might bring his son to reason. But the prince's condition grew rapidly so much worse that the king, in despair, promised to send an embassy at once to Desiree's father. This news cured the young man in an instant of all his ills, and he began to plan out every detail of dress and of horses and carriages which were necessary to make the train of the envoy, whose name was Bekaseek, as splendid as possible. He longed to form part of the embassy himself if only in the disguise of a page, but this the king would not allow. And so the prince had to content himself with searching the kingdom for everything that was rare and beautiful to send to the princess. Indeed he arrived just as the embassy was starting with his portrait which had been painted in secret by the court painter. The king and queen wished for nothing better than that their daughter marry into such a great and powerful family and received the ambassador with every sign of welcome. They even wished him to see the princess Desiree, but this was prevented by the fairy Tulip who feared some ill might come of it. And be sure you tell him, added she, that the marriage cannot be celebrated till she is fifteen years old or else some terrible misfortune will happen to the child. So when Bekaseek, surrounded by his train, made a formal request that the princess Desiree might be given in marriage to his master's son, the king replied that he was much honored and would gladly give his consent, but that no one could even see the princess till her fifteenth birthday, as the spell laid upon her in her cradle by a spiteful fairy would not cease to work till that was passed. The ambassador was greatly surprised and disappointed, but he knew too much about fairies to venture to disobey them. Therefore he had to content himself with the presenting of the prince's portrait to the queen, who lost no time in carrying it to the princess. As the girl took it in her hands, it suddenly spoke, as it had been taught to do, and uttered a compliment of the most delicate and charming sort, which made the princess flush with pleasure. How would you like to have a husband like that? asked the queen laughing. As if I knew anything about husbands, replied Desiree who had long ago guessed the business of the ambassador. Well, he will be your husband in three months, answered the queen, ordering the prince's presence to be brought in. The princess was very pleased with them, and admired them greatly, but the queen noticed that all the while her eyes constantly strayed from the softest silks and the most brilliant jewels to the portrait of the prince. The ambassador, finding that there was no hope of his being allowed to see the princess, took his leave and returned to his own court. But here a new difficulty appeared. The prince, though transported with joy at the thought that Desiree was indeed to be his bride, was utterly disappointed that she had not been allowed to return with beka-sig, as he had foolishly expected. And never having been taught to deny himself anything or to control his feelings, he fell as ill as he had done before. He would eat nothing nor take pleasure in anything, but lay all day on a heap of cushions, gazing at the picture of the princess. If I have to wait three months before I can marry the princess, I shall die, was all this spoiled boy would say, and at length the king in despair resolved to send a fresh embassy to Desiree's father to implore him to permit the marriage to be celebrated at once. I would have presented my prayer in person, he added in his letter, but my great age and infirmities do not suffer me to travel. However, my envoy has orders to agree to any arrangement that you may propose. On his arrival at the palace Beka-sig pleaded his young master's cause as fervently as the king his father could have done, and entreated that the princess might be consulted in the matter. The queen hastened to the marble tower and told her daughter of the sad state of the prince. Desiree sank down fainting at the news, but soon came to herself again, and set about inventing a plan which would enable her to go to the prince without risk of the doom pronounced over her by the wicked fairy. I see she exclaimed joyfully at last. Let a carriage be built through which no light can come, and let it be brought into my room. Then I will get into it, and we can travel swiftly during the night and arrive before dawn at the palace of the prince. Once there I can remain in some underground chamber where no light can come. Ah, how clever you are! cried the queen, clasping her arms, and she hurried away to tell the king. What a wife our prince will have! said Beka-sig, bowing low. But I must hasten back with the tidings and prepare the underground chamber for the princess. And so he took his leave. In a few days the carriage commanded by the princess was ready. It was of green velvet scattered over with large golden thistles, and lined inside with silver brocade embroidered with pink roses. It had no windows, of course, but the fairy tulip whose counsel had been asked, had managed to light it up with a soft glow that came no one knew whither. It was carried straight up into the great hall of the tower, and the princess stepped into it followed by her faithful maid of honour, Eglantine, and by her lady-in-waiting Cerizet, who had also fallen in love with the princess' portrait, and was bitterly jealous of her mistress. The fourth place in the carriage was filled by Cerizet's mother, who had been sent by the queen to look after the three young people. Now the fairy of the fountain was the godmother of the princess Nera, to whom the prince had been betrothed before the picture of Desiree had made him faithless. She was very angry at the slight put upon her godchild, and from that moment kept careful watch on the princess. In this journey she saw her chance, and it was she who, invisible, sat by Cerizet and put bad thoughts into the minds of both her and her mother. The way to the city where the prince lived ran for the most part through a thick forest, and every night when there was no moon and not a single star could be seen through the trees, the guards who traveled with the princess opened the carriage to give it an airing. This went on for several days till only twelve hours' journey lay between them and the palace. Then Cerizet persuaded her mother to cut a great hole in the side of the carriage with a sharp knife which she herself had brought for the purpose. In the forest the darkness was so intense that no one perceived what she had done, and when they left the last of the trees behind them and emerged into the open country the sun was up, and for the first time since her babyhood Desiree found herself in the light of day. She looked up in surprise at the dazzling brilliance that streamed through the hole, then gave a sigh which seemed to come from her heart. The carriage door swung back as if by magic and a white dose sprang out, and in a moment was lost to sight in the forest. But quick as she was, a glanting her maid of honour had time to see where she went, and jumped from the carriage in pursuit of her, followed at a distance by the guards. Cerizet and her mother looked at each other in surprise and joy. They could hardly believe in their good fortune for everything had happened exactly as they wished. The first thing to be done was to conceal the hole which had been cut, and when this was managed with the help of the angry fairy though they did not know it. Cerizet hastened to take off her own clothes and put on those of the princess, placing the crown of diamonds on her head. She found this heavier than she expected, but then she had never been accustomed to wear crowns which makes all the difference. At the gates of the city the carriage was stopped by a guard of honour sent by the king as an escort to his son's bride. Though Cerizet and her mother could of course see nothing of what was going on outside, they heard plainly the shouts of welcome from the crowds along the streets. The carriage stopped at length in the vast hall which Bacassique had prepared for the reception of the princess. The grand chamberlain and the Lord High's steward were awaiting her, and when the false bride stepped into the brilliantly lighted room they bowed low and said they had orders to inform his highness the moment she arrived. The prince whom the strict etiquette of the court had prevented from being present in the underground hall was burning with impatience in his own apartments. So she had come, cried he, throwing down the bow he had been pretending to mend. Well, was I not right? Is she not a miracle of beauty and grace, and has she her equal in the whole world? The ministers looked at each other and made no reply, till it lengthed the chamberlain who was the boulder of the two observed. My Lord, as to her beauty, you can judge of that yourself. No doubt it is as great as you say, but at present it seems to have suffered as is natural from the fatigues of journey. This was certainly not what the prince had expected to hear. Could the portrait have flattered her? He had known of such things before, and a cold shiver ran through him, but with an effort he kept silent from further questioning and only said, Has the king been told that the princess is in the palace? Yes, highness, and he has probably already joined her. Then I will go too, said the prince. Weak as he was from his long illness, the prince descended the staircase supported by his ministers and entered the room just in time to hear his father's loud cry of astonishment and disgust at the sight of Sarazette. There has been treachery afoot, he exclaimed, while the prince lent dumb with horror against the door-post. But the lady in waiting, who had been prepared for something of the sort, advanced holding in her hand the letters which the king and queen had entrusted to her. This is the Princess Desiree, said she, pretending to have heard nothing, and I have the honour to present to you these letters from my liege-lord and lady, together with a casket containing the princess's jewels. The king did not move or answer her, so the prince, leaning on the arm of Bekoseg, approached a little closer to the false princess, hoping against hope that his eyes had deceived him. But the longer he looked, the more he agreed with his father that there was treason somewhere, for in no single respect did the portrait resemble the woman before him. Sarazette was so tall that the dress of the princess did not reach her ankles, and so thin that her bones showed through the stuff, besides that her nose was hooked, and her teeth black and ugly. In his turn the prince stood rooted to the spot. At last he spoke, and his words were addressed to his father, and not to the bride who had come so far to marry him. We have been deceived, he said, and it will cost me my life. And he leaned so heavily on the envoy that Bekoseg feared he was going to faint, and hastily laid him on the floor. For some minutes no one could attend to anybody but the prince, but as soon as he revived the lady in waiting made herself heard. Oh, my lovely princess! Why did we ever leave home? cried she. But the king, your father, will avenge the insults that have been heaped on you when we tell him how you have been treated. I will tell him myself, replied the king in wrath. He promised me a wonder of beauty. He has sent me a skeleton. I am not surprised that he has kept her for fifteen years hidden away from the eyes of the world. Take them both away, he continued turning to his guards, and lodge them in the state prison. There is something more I have to learn of this matter. His orders were obeyed, and the prince, loudly bewailing his sad fate, was led back to bed where for many days he lay in a high fever. At length he slowly began to gain strength, but his sorrow was still so great that he could not bear the sight of a strange face, and shuddered at the notion of taking his proper part in the court ceremonies. Unknown to the king or to anybody but Bekoseg, he planned that as soon as he was able he would make his escape and pass the rest of his life alone in some solitary place. It was some weeks before he had regained his health sufficiently to carry out this design. But finally, one beautiful starlet night, the two friends stole away, and when the king woke the next morning he found a letter lying by his bed, saying that his son has gone. He knew not whether. He wept bitter tears at the news, for he loved the prince dearly, but he felt that perhaps the young man had done wisely, and he trusted to time and Bekoseg's influence to bring the wanderer home. And while these things were happening, what had become of the white doe? Though when she sprang from the carriage she was aware that some unkind fate had changed her into an animal, yet till she saw herself in a stream she had no idea what it was. Is it really I, Desiree, she said to herself, weeping? What wicked fairy can have treated me so? And shall I never, never take my own shape again? My only comfort that in this great forest full of lions and serpents my life will be a short one. Now the fairy tulip was as much grieved at the sad fate of the princess as Desiree's own mother could have been if she had known of it. Still she could not help feeling that if the king and queen had listened to her advice, the girl would be by this time safely in the walls of her new home. However, she loved Desiree too much to let her suffer more than could be helped, and it was she who guided a glantine to the place where the white doe was standing, cropping grass which was her dinner. At the sound of footsteps the pretty creature lifted her head and when she saw her faithful companion approaching she bounded towards her and rubbed her head on a glanting shoulder. The maid of honor was surprised, but she was fond of animals and stroked the white doe tenderly speaking gently to her all the while. Suddenly the beautiful creature lifted her head and looked up into a glantine's face with tears streaming from her eyes. A thought flashed through her mind and quick as lightning the girl flung herself on her knees and lifting the animal's feet kissed them one by one. My princess! Oh my dear princess! cried she and again the white doe rubbed her head against her for though the spiteful fairy had taken away her power of speech she had not deprived her of her reason. All day long the two remained together and when a glantine grew hungry she was led by the white doe to a part of the forest where pears and peaches grew in abundance. But as night came on the maid of honor was filled with the terrors of wild beasts which had beset the princess during her first night in the forest. Is there no hut or cave we could go into? Asked she. But the doe only shook her head and the two sat down and wept with fright. The fairy Tulip who in spite of her anger was very soft-hearted was touched at their distress and flew quickly to their help. I cannot take away the spell altogether, she said, for the fairy of the fountain is stronger than I, but I can shorten the time of your punishment and am able to make it less hard for as soon as darkness falls you shall resume your own shape. To think that by and by she would cease to be a white doe indeed that she would at once cease to be wondering the night was for the present joy enough for Desiree and she skipped about on the grass in the prettiest manner. Go straight down the path in front of you, continue the fairy smiling as she watched her. Go straight down the path and you will soon reach a little hut where you will find shelter. And with these words she vanished leaving her hearers happier than they ever thought they could be again. An old woman was standing at the door of the hut when a glantine drew near with the white doe trotting by her side. Good evening, she said, could you give me a night's lodging for myself and my doe? Certainly I can, replied the old woman, and she led them into a room with two little white beds so clean and comfortable that it made you sleepy even to look at them. The door had hardly closed behind the old woman when the sun sank below the horizon and Desiree became a girl again. Oh, a glantine, what should I have done if you had not followed me? she cried, and she flung herself into her friend's arms in a transport of delight. Early in the morning a glantine was awakened by the sound of someone scratching at the door and on opening her eyes she saw the white doe struggling to get out. The little creature looked up and into her face and nodded her head as the maid of honor unfastened the latch, but bounded away into the woods and was lost to sight in a moment. Meanwhile the prince and Bekoseg were wandering through the wood till at last the prince grew so tired that he lay down under a tree and told Bekoseg that he had better go in search of food and someplace where they could sleep. Bekoseg had not gone very far when a turn of the path brought him face to face with the old woman who was feeding her dubs before her cottage. Could you give me some milk and fruit? asked he. I am very hungry myself and besides I have left a friend behind me who is still weak from illness. Certainly I can, answered the old woman, but come and sit down in my kitchen while I catch the goat and milk it. Bekoseg was glad enough to do as he was bid and in a few minutes the old woman returned with a basket brimming over with oranges and crepes. If your friend has been ill he should not pass the night in the forest, she said. I have a room in my hut, tiny enough it is true, but better than nothing and to that you are both heartily welcome. Bekoseg thanked her warmly and as by this time it was almost sunset he set out to fetch the prince. It was while he was absent that a glantine in the white dough entered the hut and having of course no idea that in the very next room was the man whose childish impatience had been the cause of all their troubles. In spite of his fatigue the prince slept badly and directly it was light he rose and bidding Bekoseg remain where he was as he wished to be alone he strolled out into the forest. He walked on slowly just as his fancy led him till suddenly he came to a wide open space and in the middle was the white dough quietly eating her breakfast. She bounded off at the sight of a man but not before the prince who had fastened on his bow without thinking had let fly several arrows which the very tulip took care should do her no harm. But quickly as she ran she soon felt her strength failing her for fifteen years of life in a tower had not taught her how to exercise her limbs. Luckily the prince was too weak to follow her far and a turn of the path brought her close to the hut where a glantine was awaiting her. Panting for breath she entered their room and flung herself down on the floor. When it was dark again and she was once more the princess's deseret she told a glantine what had befallen her. I feared the fairy of the fountain and the cruel beast said she but somehow I never thought of the dangers that I ran from men. I do not know now what saved me. You must stay quietly here until the time of your punishment is over. answered a glantine. But when the morning dawned and the girl turned to a doe the longing for the forest came over her and she sprang away as before. As soon as the prince was awake he hastened to the place where only the day before he had found the white doe feeding but of course she had taken care to go in the opposite direction. Much disappointed he tried first one green path and then another and at last wearied with walking he threw himself down and went fast asleep. Just at this moment the white doe sprang out of the thicket nearby and startled back trembling when she beheld her enemy lying there. Yet instead of turning to fly something bade her go and look at him unseen. As she gazed a thrill ran through her for she felt that worn and wasted though he was by illness it was the face of her destined husband. Gently stooping over him she kissed his forehead and at her touch he awoke. For a minute they looked at each other and to his amazement he recognized the white doe which had escaped him the previous day. But in an instant the animal was aroused to a sense of her danger and she fled with all her strength into the thickest part of the forest. Quick as lightning the Prince was on her track but this time it was with no wish to kill or even wound the beautiful creature. Pretty doe! Pretty doe! Stop! I won't hurt you! cried he but his words were carried away by the wind. At length the doe could run no more and when the Prince reached her she was lying stretched out on the grass waiting for her death blow. But instead the Prince knelt at her side and stroked her and bade her fear nothing as he would take care of her. So he fetched a little water from the stream in his horn hunting-cup then cutting some branches from the trees he twisted them into a litter which he covered with moss and laid the white doe gently on it. For a long time they remained thus but when Desiree saw by the way that the light struck the trees that the sun must be near its setting she was filled with alarm lest the darkness should fall and the Prince should behold her in her human shape. No, he must not see me for the first time here she thought and instantly began to plan how to get rid of him. Then she opened her mouth and let her tongue hang out as if she were dying of thirst and the Prince as she expected hastened to the stream to get her some more water. When he returned the white doe was gone. That night Desiree confessed to Eglantine that her pursuer was no other than the Prince and that far from flattering him the portrait had never done him justice. Is it not hard to meet him in this shape, wet she, when we both love each other so much? But Eglantine comforted her and reminded her that in a short time all would be well. The Prince was very angry at the flight of the white doe for whom he had taken so much trouble and returning to the cottage he poured out his adventures and his wrath to Becasseek who could not help smiling. She shall not escape me again, cried the Prince, if I hunt her every day for a year I will have her at last and in this frame of mind he went to bed. When the white doe entered the forest the next morning she had not made up her mind whether she would go and meet the Prince or whether she would shun him and hide in the thickets of which he knew nothing. She decided that the last plan was the best and so it would have been if the Prince had not taken the very same direction in search of her. Quite by accident he caught sight of her white skin shining through the bushes and at the same instant she heard a twig snap under his feet. In a moment she was up and away but the Prince not knowing how else to capture her aimed an arrow at her leg which brought her to the ground. The young man felt like a murderer as he ran hastily up to where the white doe lay and did his best to soothe the pain she felt which in reality was the last part of the punishment sent by the fairy of the fountain. First he brought her some water then he fetched some healing herbs and having crushed them in his hand laid them on the wound. Ah, what a wretch I was to have hurt you cried he resting her head upon his knees and how you will hate me and fly from me forever. For some time the doe lay quietly where she was but as before she remembered that the hour of her transformation was near. She struggled to her feet but the Prince would not hear of her walking and thinking the old woman might be able to dress her wound better than he could he took her in his arms to carry her back to the hut. But small as she was she made herself so heavy that after staggering a few steps under her weight he laid her down and tied her fast to a tree with some of the ribbons of his hat. This done he went away to get help. Meanwhile a glantine had grown very uneasy at the long absence of her mistress and had come out to look for her. Just as the Prince passed out of sight the fluttering ribbons danced before her eyes and she described her beautiful princess bound to a tree. With all her might she worked at the knots but not a single one could she undo that they all appeared so easy. She was still busy with them when a voice behind her said, pardon me, fair lady, but that is my dough you are trying to steal. Excuse me, good night, answered a glantine hardly glancing at him, but it is my dough that is tied up here and if you wish for proof of it you can see if she knows me or not. Touch my heart, my little one, she continued dropping on her knees and the dough lifted up its forefoot and laid it at her side. Now put your arms round my neck and sigh and again the dough did as she was bid. You are right, said the Prince, but it is with sorrow that I give her up to you, for though I have wounded her yet I love her deeply. To this a glantine answered nothing but carefully raising up the dough she led her slowly to the hut. Now both the Prince and Bacoseque were quite unaware that the old woman had any guests besides themselves and following afar they were much surprised to behold a glantine and her charge into the cottage. They lost no time in questioning the old woman who replied that she knew nothing about the lady and her white dough who slept next to the chamber occupied by the Prince and his friend, but that they were very quiet and paid her well. Then she went back to her kitchen. Do you know, said Bacoseque, when they were alone, I am certain that the lady we saw is the maid of honour to the Princess Desiree whom I met at the palace, and as her room is next to this it will be easy to make a small hole through which I can satisfy myself whether I am right or not. So taking a knife out of his pocket he began to saw away at the woodwork. The girls heard the grating noise but fancying it was a mouse paid no attention and Bacoseque was left in peace to pursue his work. At length the hole was large enough for him to peep through, and the sight was one to strike him dumb with amazement. He had guessed truly the tall lady was a glantine herself, but the other where had he seen her. Ah, now he knew it was the lady of the portrait. Desiree in a flowing dress of green silk was lying stretched out upon cushions and as a glantine bent over her to bathe the wounded leg she began to talk. Oh, let me die, crud she, rather than go on leading this life you cannot tell the misery of being a beast all day and unable to speak to the man I love to whose impatience I owe my cruel fate, yet even so I cannot bring myself to hate him. These words low though they were spoken reached Bacoseque who could hardly believe his ears. He stood silent for a moment then crossing to the window out of which the prince was gazing he took his arm and led him across the room. A single glance was sufficient to show the prince that it was indeed Desiree and how another had come to the palace bearing her name at that instant he neither knew nor cared. Stealing on tiptoe from the room he knocked at the next door which was opened by a glantine who thought it was the old woman bearing their supper. She started back at the sight of the prince whom this time she also recognized, but he thrust her aside and flung himself at the feet of Desiree to whom he poured out all his heart. Dawn found them still conversing and the sun was high in the heavens before the princess perceived that she had retained her human form. Ah! how happy she was when she knew that the days of her punishment were over and with a glad voice she told the prince the tale of her enchantment. So the story ended well after all and the fairy tulip, who turned out to be the old woman of the hut, made the young couple such a wedding feast as had never been seen since the world began, and everybody was delighted except Sirizette and her mother who were put in a boat and carried to a small island where they had to work hard for their living. End of The White Dough from the Orange Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. Recording by Gwendolyn Grace. As she was an only child and very pretty besides, they never could make up their minds to punish her for her faults or to teach her nice manners, and as for work she laughed in her mother's face if she asked her to help cook the dinner to wash the plates. All the girl would do was spend her days in dancing and playing with her friends and for any use she was to her parents they might as well have no daughter at all. However one morning her mother looked so tired that even the selfish girl could not help seeing it and asked if there was anything she was able to do so that her mother might rest a little. The good woman looked so surprised and grateful for this offer that the girl felt rather ashamed and at that moment would have scrubbed down the house if she had been requested, but her mother only begged her to take the fishing net out to the bank of the river and mend some holes in it as her father intended to go fishing that night. The girl took the net and worked so hard that soon there was not a hole to be found. She felt quite pleased with herself, though she had had plenty to amuse her as everybody who passed by had to chat with her. But by the time the sun was high overhead and she was just folding her net to carry it home again when she heard a splash behind her and looking round she saw a big fish jump into the air seizing the net with both hands she flung it went to the water where the circles were spreading one behind the other and more by luck than skill drew out the fish. Well you are a beauty she cried to herself but the fish looked up to her and said you had better not kill me for if you do I will turn you into a fish yourself. The girl laughed contemptuously and ran straight into her mother. Look what I have caught she said Gailey but it is almost a pity to eat it for it can talk and it declares that if I kill it it will turn me into a fish too. Oh put it back put it back implored the mother perhaps it is skilled magic and I should die and so would your father and if anything should happen to you. Oh nonsense mother what power could a creature like that have over me besides I am hungry and if I don't have my dinner soon I shall be cross and off she went to gather some flowers to stick in her hair. About an hour later the blowing of a horn told her that the dinner was ready. Didn't I say that fish would be delicious she cried and plunging her spoon into the first dish the girl helped herself to a large piece but the instant it touched her mouth a cold shiver ran through her her head seemed to flatten and her eyes to look at the oddly round the corners her legs and her arms were stuck to her sides and she gassed wildly for breath with a mighty bound she sprang through the window and fell into the river where she soon felt better and was able to swim into the sea which was close by. No sooner had she arrived there than the sight of her sad face attracted the notice of some of the other fishes and they pressed round her begging her to tell them her story. I am not a fish at all said the newcomer swallowing a great deal of salt water as she spoke for you cannot learn how to be a proper fish all in a moment. I am not a fish at all but a girl at least I was a girl a few minutes ago only and she ducked her head under the wave so that they should not see her crying. Only you did not believe that the fish you caught had power to carry out its threat said an old honey. Well never mind that has happened to all of us and it really it's not a bad life cheer up and come with us since your queen who lives in a palace that is more beautiful than any your queens can boast of. The new fish felt a little afraid of taking such a journey but as she was still more afraid of being left alone she waved her tail and token of consent and off they all set hundreds of them together the people on the rocks and the ships they saw them pass said to each other look what a splendid show and had no idea that they were hastening to the queen's palace but then dwellers on land have so little notion of what goes on in the bottom of the sea certainly the little new fish had none she had watched jellyfish and nautilus swimming a little way below the surface and beautiful colored seaweeds floating about but that was all now she had plunged deeper her eyes fell upon strange things wedges of gold great anchors heaps of pearl and estimable stones unvalued jewels all scattered in the bottom of the sea dead men's bones were there also and long white creatures who had never seen the light for they mostly dwelt in the clefts of rocks where the sun's rays could not come at first her little fish felt as if she were blind also but by and by she began to make out one object after another in the green dimness and by the time she had swum for a few hours all became clear here we are at last cried a big fish going down into a deep valley where for the sea has its mountains and valleys just as much as the land that is the palace of the queens of the fishes and i think you must confess that the emperor himself has nothing so fine it is beautiful indeed to cast the little fish who's very tired with trying to swim as fast as the rest and beautiful beyond words the palace was the walls are made of pale pink coral worn smooth by the waters and round the windows were rows of pearls the great doors were standing open and the whole troop floated into the chamber of audience where the queen who was half a woman after all was seated on a throne made of green and blue shell who are you and where do you come from said she to the little fish whom the others had pushed in front and in a low trembling voice the visitor told her story i was once a girl too answered the queen when the fish had ended and my father was the king of a great country a husband was found for me and on my wedding day my mother placed her crown on my head and told me that as long as i wore it i should likewise be queen for many months i was happiest a girl could be especially when i had a little son to play with but one morning when i was walking in my gardens there came a giant and snatched the crown from my head holding me fast he told me that he intended to give the crown to his daughter and to enchant my husband the prince so that he should not know the difference between us since then she has filled my place and been queen in my stead as for me i was so miserable that i threw myself into the sea and my ladies who loved me declared that they would die too but instead of dying some wizard who pitied my fate turned us all into fishes though he allowed me to keep the face and body of a woman and fished we must remain till someone brings me back my crown again i'll bring it back if you tell me what to do cried the little fish who would have promised anything that was likely to carry up to earth again and the queen answered yes i will tell you what to do she sat silent for a moment and then went on there is no danger if you will only follow my counsel and first you must return to earth and go up to the top of a high mountain where the giant has built his castle you will find him sitting on the steps weeping for his daughter who has just died while the prince was away hunting at the last she sent her father my crown by a faithful servant but i warn you to be careful for if he sees you he may kill you therefore i will give you the power to change yourself into any creature that may help you best you have only to strike your forehead and call out its name this time the journey to land seemed much shorter than before and when once the fish reached the shore she struck her forehead sharply with her tail and cried dear come to me in a moment the small slimy body disappeared and in its place stood a beautiful beast with branching horns and slender legs quivering with longing to be gone throwing back her head and suffering the air she broke into a run leaping easily over the rivers and walls that stood in her way it happened that the king's son had been hunting since daybreak but had killed nothing and when the deer crossed his path as he was resting under a tree he determined to have her he flung himself on his horse which went like the wind and as the prince had often hunted the force before and knew all the shortcuts he at last came up with a panting beast buy your favors let me go and do not kill me said the deer turning to the prince with tears in her eyes for I have far to run and much to do and as the prince struck down with surprise only looked at her the deer cleared the next wall and was soon out of sight that can't really be a deer so the prince to himself reigning in his horse and not attempting to follow her no deer ever had eyes like that it must be an enchanted maiden and I will marry her and no other so turning his horse's head he rode slowly back to the palace the deer reached the giant's castle quite at a breath and her heart sank as she gazed at the tall smooth walls which surrounded it then she plucked up courage and cried aunt come to me and in a moment the branching horns and beautiful shape vanished in a tiny brown ant invisible to all who did not look closely was climbing up the walls it was wonderful how fast she went that little creature the wall must have appeared miles and high comparison with her own body yet and less than one would have seen possible she was over the top and down the courtyard on the other side here she paused to consider what had best be done next and looking about her she saw that one of the walls had a tall tree growing by it and in the corner was a window very nearly on a level with the highest branch of the tree monkey come to me cried the ant and before you could turn around a monkey was swinging herself from the topmost branch into the room where the giant lay snoring perhaps he would be so frightened at the sight of me that he may die of fear and i shall never get the crown thought the monkey i'd better become something else and then she called softly parrot come to me then a pink and gray parrot hopped up to the giant who by this time was stretching himself and giving yon's which shook the castle the parrot waited a little until he was really awake and then she said boldly that she had been sent to take away the crown which was not his any longer now his daughter the queen was dead on hearing these words the giant leapt out of bed with an angry roar and sprang at the parrot in order to ring her neck with his great hands but the bird was too quick for him and flying behind his back beg the giant to have patience as her death would be of no use to him that is true answered the giant but i am not so foolish as to give you that crown for nothing let me think what i will have in exchange and he scratched his huge head for several minutes for giant's minds always move slowly ah yes that will do explain the giant at last his face brightening you shall have the crown if you will bring me a color of bluestones from the arch of st martin in the great city now when the parrot had been a girl she had often heard of this wonderful art and the precious stones and marbles that had been led into it it sounded as if it would be a very hard thing to get them away from the building of which they formed a part but all had gone well with her so far and at any rate she could just try so she bowed to the giant and made her way back to the window where the giant could not see her then she called quickly eagle come to me before she had even reached the tree she felt herself born up on strong winds ready to carry to the clouds if she wished to go there and seeming a mere speck in the sky she was swept along till she beheld the arch of st martin far below with the rays of the sun shining on it then she swooped down and hiding herself behind a buttress so that she could not be detected from below she set herself to dig out the nearest bluestones with her beak it was even harder work than she had expected but at last it was done and hope arose in her heart she necks her out a piece of string that she had found hanging from a tree and sitting down to rest strung stones together when the necklace was finished she hung it around her neck and called parrot come to me and a little later the pink and gray parrot stood before the giant here is the necklace you asked for said the parrot and the eyes of the giant glistened as he took the heap of bluestones in his hand but for all that he was not minded to give up the crown they are hardly as blue as i expected he grumbled though the parrot knew as well as he did that he was not speaking the truth so you must bring me something else in exchange for the crown you covet so much if you fail it will cost you not only the crown but your life also what is it you want now asked the parrot and the giant answered if i give you my crown i must have another still more beautiful and this time you shall bring me a crown of stars the parrot turned away and as soon as she was outside she murmured toad come to me and sure enough but toad she was and off she set in search of the starry crown she had not gone far before she came to a clear pool in which the stars were reflected so brightly that they looked quite real to touch and handle stooping down she filled a bag she was carrying with the shining water and returning to the castle loaved a crown out of the reflected stars then she cried as before parrot come to me and in the shape of a parrot she entered the presence of the giant here is the crown you asked for she said and this time the giant could not help crowing out with admiration he knew he was beaten and still holding the chaplet of stars he turned to the girl your power is greater than mine take the crown you have won it fairly the parrot did not need to be told twice season crown she sprang up onto the window crying monkey come to me and to a monkey the climb down the tree into the courtyard did not take half a minute when she had reached the ground she said again aunt come to me and a little ant at once began to crawl over the high wall how glad the ant was to be out of the giant's castle holding fast the crown which had shrunk into almost nothing as she herself had done but grew quite big again when the ant exclaimed dear come to me surely no deer ever ran so swiftly as that one on and on she went bounding over rivers and crashing through tangles till she reached the sea here she cried for the last time fish come to me and plunging in she swam along the bottom as far as the palace where the queen and all the fishes gathered together awaiting her the hours since she had left had gone very slowly as they always do to people that are waiting and many of them had quite given up hope i'm tired of staying here grumbled a beautiful little creature whose colors change for the every movement of her body i want to see what's going on in the upper world it must be months since that fish went away it was a very difficult task and the giant most certainly have killed her or she would have been back long ago remarked another the young flies will be coming out now murmur third and they will all be eaten up by the river fish it is really too bad when suddenly a voice was heard from behind look look what is that bright thing that is moving so swiftly toward us and the queen started up and stood on her tail so excited was she a silence fell and all the crowd and even the grumblers held their peace and gaze like the rest on and on came the fish holding the crown tightly in her mouth and the others moved back to let her pass on she went right up to the queen who bent and taking the crown placed it on her own head then a wonderful thing happened her tail dropped away or rather it divided and grew into legs and a pair of the prettiest feet in the world while her maidens who were grouped around her shed their scales and became girls again they all turned and looked at each other first and next at the little girl who regained her own shape and was more beautiful than any of them it is you who have given us back our life you you they cried and fell to weeping from very joy so they all went back to earth and the queen's palace and quite forgot the one that lay under the sea but they had been so long away that they found many changes the prince the queen's husband had died some years since and his place was her son who had grown up and was king even his joy of seeing his mother again an heir of sadness clung to him and at last the queen could bear it no longer and begged him to walk with her in the garden seated together in a bower of jessamine where she had passed long hours as a bride she took her son's hand and treated him to tell her the cause of the sorrow four said she if i can give you happiness you shall have it it is no use answered the prince nobody can help me i must bear it alone but at least let me shower your grief urged the queen no one can do that said he i have fallen in love with what i can never marry and i must get on as best as i can it may not be as impossible as you think answered the queen at any rate tell me there is silence between them for a moment then turning away his head the prince answered gently i have fallen in love with a beautiful deer oh if if that is all exclaimed the queen joyfully and she told him in broken words that as he had guessed it was no deer but enchanted maiden who had won back the crown and brought her home to her own people she's here in my palace added the queen i will take you to her but when the prince stood before the girl who's is much more beautiful than anything he'd ever dreamed of he lost all his courage and stood with bent head before her then the maiden drew near and her eyes as she looked at him were the eyes of the deer that day in the forest she whispered softly by your favor let me go and do not kill me and the prince remembered her words and his heart was filled with happiness and the queen his mother watched them and smiled end of the girlfish recording by jennifer puno chapter 23 of the orange fairy book this is a libruvox recording all libruvox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libruvox.org the orange fairy book by andrew lang chapter 23 the owl and the eagle once upon a time in a savage country where the snow lies deep for many months in the year they lived an owl and an eagle though they were so different in many ways they became great friends and at length set up house together one passing the day in hunting and the other the night in this manner they did not see very much of each other and perhaps agreed all the better for that but at any rate they were perfectly happy and only wanted one thing or rather two things and that was a wife for each i really am too tired when i come home in the evening to clean up the house said the eagle and i am much too sleepy at dawn after a long night's hunting to begin to sweep and dust answered the owl and they both made up their minds that wives they must have they flew about in their spare moments to the young ladies of their acquaintance but the girls all declared they preferred one husband to two the poor birds began to despair when one evening after they had been for a wonder hunting together they found two sisters fast asleep on their two beds the eagle looked at the owl and the owl looked at the eagle they will make capital wives if they will only stay with us said they and they flew off to give themselves a wash and to make themselves smart before the girls awoke for many hours the sisters slept on for they had come a long way from a town where there was scarcely anything to eat and felt weak and tired but by and by they opened their eyes and saw the two birds watching them i hope you are rested asked the owl politely oh yes thank you answered the girls only we are so very hungry do you think we could have something to eat certainly replied the eagle and he flew away to a farm of some mile or two off and brought back a nest of eggs in his strong beak while the owl catching up a tin pot went to a cottage where lived an old woman and her cow and entering the shed by the window dipped the pot into the pail of new milk that stood there the girls were so much delighted with the kindness and cleverness of their hosts that when the birds inquired if they would marry them and stay there forever they accepted without so much as giving it a second thought so the eagle took the younger sister to wife and the owl the elder and never was a home more peaceful than theirs all went well for several months and then the eagle's wife had a son while on the same day the owl's wife gave birth to a frog which she placed directly on the banks of a stream nearby as he did not seem to like the house the children both grew quickly and were never tired of playing together or wanted any other companions one night in the spring when the ice had melted and the snow was gone the sisters sat spinning in the house awaiting their husband's return but long though they watched neither the owl nor the eagle ever came neither that day nor the next nor the next nor the next at last the wives gave up all hope of their return but being sensible women they did not sit down and cry but called their children and set out determined to seek the whole world over till the missing husbands were found now the women had no idea in which direction the lost birds had gone but they knew that some distance off was a thick forest where good hunting was to be found it seemed a likely place to find them or at any rate they might share something of them and they walked quickly on cheered by the thought that they were doing something suddenly the young sister who was a little in front gave a cry of surprise oh look at that lake she said we shall never get across it yes we shall answer the elder I know what to do and taking a long piece of string from her pocket fastened it into the frog's mouth like a bit you must swim across the lake she said stooping to put him in it and we will walk across on the line behind you and so they did till they got to about the middle of the lake when the frog boy stopped I don't like it and I won't go any further cried he's sulkily and his mother had to promise him all sorts of nice things before he would go on again when at last they reached the other side the owl's wife untied the line from the frog's mouth and told him he might rest and play by the lake till they got back from the forest then she and her sister and the boy walked on with the great forest looming before them but they had by this time come far and were very tired and felt glad enough to see some smoke curling up from a little hut in front of them let us go in and ask for some water said the eagle's wife and in they went the inside of the hut was so dark that at first they could see nothing at all but presently they heard a feeble croak from one corner both sisters turned to look and there tied by wings and feet and their eyes sunken with the husbands that they sought quick as lightning the wives cut the deer thongs which bound them but the poor birds were too weak from pain and starvation to do more than utter soft sounds of joy hardly however were they set free then a voice of thunder made the two sisters jump while the little boy clung tightly around his mother's neck what are you doing in my house? cried she and the wives answered boldly that now they had found their husbands they meant to save them from such a wicked witch well i will give you your chance answered the augress with a hideous grin we will see if you can slide down this mountain if you can reach the bottom of the cavern you shall have your husbands back again and as she spoke she pushed them before her out of the door to the edge of a precipice which went straight down several hundreds of feet unseen by the witch the frog's mother fastened one end of the magic line about her and whispered to the little boy to hold fast the other she had scarcely done so when the witch turned round you don't seem to like your bargain said she but the girl answered oh yes i'm quite ready i was only waiting for you and sitting down she began her slide on on she went down to such a depth that even the witch's eyes could not follow her but she took for granted that the woman was dead and told the sister to take her place at that instant however the head of the elder appeared above the rock brought upwards by the magic line the witch gave a howl of disgust and hid her face in her hands thus giving the younger sister time to fasten the cord to her waist before the ogre's looked up you can't expect such luck twice she said and the girl sat down and slid over the edge but in a few minutes she too was back again and the witch saw that she had failed and feared lest her power was going trembling with rage though she was she dared not show it and only laughed hideously i shan't let my prisoners go as easily as that she said make my hair grow as thick and as black as yours or else your husband shall never see daylight again that is quite simple replied the elder sister only you must do as we did and perhaps you won't like the treatment if you can bear it of course i can answered the witch and so the girls told her they had first smeared their heads with pitch and then laid hot stones upon them it is very painful said they but there is no other way that we know of and in order to make sure that all will go right one of us will hold you down while the other pours on the pitch and so they did and the elder sister let down her hair till it hung over the witch's eyes so that she might believe it was her own hair growing then the other brought a huge stone and in short there was an end of the witch the sisters were savages who had never seen a missionary so when the sisters saw that she was dead they went to the hut and nursed their husbands till they grew strong then they picked up the frog and all went to make another home on the other side of the great lake end of the owl and the eagle chapter 24 of the orange 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 Laura McAlarie the orange fairy book by Andrew Lang the frog and a lion fairy from the journal of the Anthropological Institute once upon a time there lived a king who was always at war with his neighbors which was very strange as he was a good and kind man quite content with his own country and now wanting to seize land belonging to other people perhaps he may have tried too much to please everybody and that often ends in pleasing nobody but at any rate he found himself at the end of a hard struggle defeated in battle and obliged to fall back behind the walls of his capital city once there he began to make preparations for a long siege and the first thing he did was to plan on how best to send his wife to a place of security the queen who loved her husband dearly would gladly have remained with him to share in his dangers but he would not allow it so they parted with many tears and the queen set out with a strong guard to a fortified castle on the outskirts of a great forest some 200 miles distant she cried nearly all the way and when she arrived she cried still more for everything in the castle was dusty and old and outside there was only a graveled courtyard and the king had forbidden her to go beyond the walls without at least two soldiers to take care of her now the queen had only been married a few months and in her own home she had been used to walk and ride all over the hills without any attendance at all so she felt very dull at her being shut up in this way however she bore it for a long while because it was the king's wish but when time passed and there were no signs of the war drifting in the direction of the castle she grew bolder and sometimes strayed outside the walls in the direction of the forest then came a dreadful period when news from the king ceased entirely he must surely be ill or dead thought the poor girl who even now was only sixteen i can bear it no longer and if i do not get a letter from him soon i shall leave this horrible place and go back to see what is the matter oh i do wish i had never come away so without telling anyone what she intended to do she ordered a little low carriage to be built something like a sledge only it was on two wheels just big enough to hold one person i am tired of being always in this castle she said to her attendance and i mean to hunt a little quite close by of course she added seeing the anxious look on their faces and there's no reason that you should not hunt too all the faces brightened at that for to tell the truth they were nearly as dull as their mistress so the queen had her way and two beautiful horses were brought from the stable to draw the little chariot at first the queen took care to keep near the rest of the hunt but gradually she stayed away longer and longer and at last one morning she took advantage of the appearance of a wild boar after which her whole court instantly galloped to turn into a path in the opposite direction luckily it did not happen to lead towards the king's palace where she intended to go but she was so afraid her flight would be noticed that she whipped up her horses till they ran away when she understood what was happening the poor young queen was terribly frightened and dropping the reins clung to the side of the chariot the horses thus left without any control dashed blindly against a tree and the queen was flung out onto the ground where she lay for some minutes unconscious a rustling sound near her at length caused her to open her eyes before her stood a huge woman almost a gigantus without any clothes save a lion skin which was thrown over her shoulders while a dried snake skin was plated into her hair and in one hand she held a club onto which she leaned and on the other a quiver full of arrows at the sight of this strange figure the queen thought she must be dead and gazing on an inhabitant of another world so she murmured softly to herself i am not surprised that people so lost to die when they know they will see such horrible creatures but lo as she spoke the gigantus caught the words and began to laugh oh don't be afraid you are still alive and perhaps after all you may be sorry for it i am the lion fairy and you are going to spend the rest of your days with me in my palace which is quite near this so come along but the queen shrank back in horror oh madam lion take me back i pray you to my castle and fix whatever ransom you like for my husband will pay it whatever it is but the gigantus shook her head i am rich enough already she answered but i am often dull and i think you may amuse me a little and so saying she changed her shape into that of a lion and throwing the queen across her back she went down the 10 000 steps that led to her palace the lion had reached the center of the earth before she stopped in front of a house led it with lamps and built on the edge of a lake of quicksilver in this lake various huge monsters might have been seen playing or fighting the queen did not know which and around flew rooks and ravens uttering dismal croaks in the distance was a mountain down whose sides water slowly coarsed these were the tears of unhappy lovers and nearer the gate were trees without either fruit or flowers where nettles and brambles covered the ground if the castle had been gloomy what did the queen feel about this for some days the queen was so much shaken by all that she had gone through that she lay with her eyes closed unable to either move or speak when she got better the lion fairy told her that if she liked she could build herself a cabin as she would have to spend her life in that place at these words the queen burst into tears and implored her goler to put her to death rather than condemn her to such a life but the lion fairy only laughed and counseled her to try and make herself pleasant as many worse things might befall her is there no way in which i can touch your heart ask the poor girl and despair well if you really wish to please me you will make me a pastry out of the stings of bees and be sure it is good but i don't see any bees answered the queen looking around oh no there aren't any replied her tormentor but you will have to find them all the same and so sane she went away after all what does it matter thought the queen to herself i have only one life and i can but lose it and not caring what she did she left the palace and seating herself under a utri poured out all her grief oh my dear husband wept she what will you think when you come to the castle to fetch me and find me gone rather a thousand times that you should fancy me dead than imagine that i'd forgotten you oh how fortunate that the broken chariot should be lying in the wood for then you may grieve for me as one devoured by wild beasts and if another should take my place in your heart at least i shall never know it she might have continued for long in this fashion had not the voice of a crow directly overhead attracted her attention looking up to see what was the matter she beheld in the dim light a crow holding a fat frog in his claws which he evidently intended for is supper the queen rose hastily from the seat and striking the bird sharply on the claws with the fan which hung from her side she forced him to drop the frog which fell to the ground more dead than alive the crow furious at his disappointment flew angrily away as soon as the frog had recovered her senses she hopped up to the queen who is still sitting under the you standing on her hind legs and bowed low before her she said gently beautiful lady by what miss chance do you come here you are the only creature that i have seen do a kind deed since a fatal curiosity lured me to this place what sort of frog can you be that you know the language of mortals asked the queen in her turn but if you do tell me i pray if i alone am a captive or hitherto i have beheld no one but the monsters of this lake once upon a time there were men and women like yourself answered the frog that having power in their hands they used it for their own pleasure therefore fate has sent them from here for a while to bear the punishment of their misdoings but you friend frog you are not one of these wicked people i am sure asked the queen i am half fairy replied the frog but although i have certain magic gifts i am not able to do all i wish and if the lion fairy were to know of my presence in her kingdom she would hasten to kill me but if you are a fairy how was it that you were so neatly slain by the crow asked the queen wrinkling her forehead because the secret of my power lies in my little cap that is made of rose leaves but i had it laid aside for the moment when that horrible crow pounced upon me once it is on my head i fear nothing but let me repeat had it not been for you i could not have escaped death and if i can do anything to help you or soften your hard fate you have only to tell me side the queen i have been commanded by the lion fairy to make her a pastry out of the stings of bees and as far as i can discover there are none here as how should there be seen there are no flowers for them to feed on and even if there were how could i catch them leave it to me said the frog i will manage it for you and uttering a strange noise she struck the ground thrice with her foot in an instant six thousand frogs appeared before her one of them bearing a little cap cover yourselves with honey and hop around by the beehives commanded the frog putting on the cap which her friend was holding in her mouth and turning to the queen added the lion fairy keeps a store of bees in a secret place near the bottom of the ten thousand steps leading into the upper world not that she wants them for herself but they are sometimes useful to her in punishing her victims however this time we will get the better of her just as she had finished speaking the six thousand frogs returned looking so strange with the bees sticking to every part of them sad as she felt the poor queen could not help laughing the bees were also stupefied with what they had eaten that it was possible to draw their stings without hunting them so with the help of her friend the queen soon made ready her pastry and carried it to the lion fairy not enough pepper said the gigantes gulping down large morsels in order to hide the surprise she felt well you have escaped this time and i am glad to find i have got a companion a little more intelligent than the others i have tried now you better go and build yourself a house so the queen wandered away and picking up a small axe which lay near the door she began with the help of her friend the frog to cut down some cypress trees for the purpose and not content with that the six thousand froggy servants were told to help also and it was not long before they had built the prettiest little cabin in the world and made a bed in one corner of dried ferns which they had fetched from the top of the ten thousand steps it looked soft and comfortable and the queen was very glad to lie down upon it so tired was she with all that had happened since the morning scarcely however she had fallen asleep when the lake monsters began to make the most horrible noises just outside while a small dragon crept in and terrified her so that she ran away which was just what the dragon wanted the poor queen crouched under a rock for the rest of the night in the next morning when she woke from her troubled dreams she was cheered at seeing the frog watching by her i hear we shall have to build you another palace she said well this time we won't go so near the lake and she smiled with her funny wide mouth till the queen took heart and they went together to find wood for the new cabin the tiny palace was soon ready and a fresh bed made out of wild time which smelled delicious neither the queen nor the frog said anything about it but somehow as always happens the story came to the ears of the lion fairy and she sent a raven to fetch the culprit what gods or men are protecting you she asked with a frown this earth dried up by a constant rain of sulfur and fire protrudes nothing and yet i hear your bed is made of sweet smelling herbs however as you can get flowers for yourself of course you can get them from me and in an hour's time i must have in my room a nosegay the rarest flowers if not now you can go the poor queen returned to her house looking so sad at the frog who was waiting for her noticed it directly what's the matter she said smiling oh how can you laugh replied the queen this time i have to bring her in an hour a posee of the rarest flowers and where am i to find them if i fail i know she will kill me well i must see if i can't help you answered the frog the only person i have made friends with here is a bat she is a good creature and always does what i tell her so i will just lend her my cap and if she puts it on and flies out into the world she will bring back all what we want i will go myself only she would be quicker then the queen dried her eyes and waited patiently and long before the hour had gone by the bat flew in with all the most beautiful and sweetest flowers that grew on the earth the girls sprang up overjoyed at the site and hurried with them to the lion fairy who was so astonished that for once she had nothing to say now the smell and touch of the flowers had made the queen sick with longing for her home and she had told the frog that she would certainly die if she did not manage to escape somehow let me consult my cap said the frog and taking it off she laid it in a box and threw in after it a few springs of juniper some capers and two peas which she carried under her right leg she then shut down the lid of the box and murmured some words which the queen did not catch in a few moments a voice was heard speaking from the box fate who rules us all said the voice forbids you leaving this place till the time shall come when certain things are fulfilled but instead a gift shall be giving you which will comfort you in all your troubles and the voice spoke truly for a few days after when the frog peeped in at the door she found the most beautiful baby in the world lying by the side of the queen so the cap has kept its word cried the frog with delight how soft its cheeks are and what tiny feet it's got what should we call it this was a very important point and needed much discussion a thousand names were proposed and rejected for a thousand silly reasons one was another reminded the queen of somebody she did not like but at length an idea flashed into the queen's head and she called out i know we'll call her muffett that is the very thing shouted the frog jumping high into the air and so it was settled the princess muffett was about six months old when the frog noticed that the queen had begun to grow sad again why do you have that look in your eyes she asked one day when she had come in to play with the baby who could not crawl the way they played their game was to let muffett creep close to the frog and then for the frog to bound high into the air and a light on the child's head or back or legs when she always sent up a shout of pleasure there is no playfellow like a frog but then it must be a fairy frog or else you might get hurt and if you did something dreadful might happen to you well as i have said our frog was struck with the queen's sad face and lost no time in asking her what was the reason i don't see why you have to complain of now muffett is quite well and quite happy and even the lion fairy is kind to her when she sees her what is it oh if her father could only see her broke forth the queen clasping her hands or if i could only tell him all that has happened since we parted but they will have brought him tidings of the broken carriage and he will have thought of me dead or devoured by wild beast and though he will mourn for me long i know that well in time they will persuade him to take a wife and she will be young and fair and he will forget me and in all this the queen guessed truly saved that nine long years were to pass before he would consent to put another in her place the frog answered nothing at the time but stopped her game and hopped away among the cypress trees here she sat and thought and thought in the next morning she went back to the queen and said i have come madame to make you an offer shall i go to the king instead of you and tell him of your sufferings and that he has the most charming baby in the world for his daughter the way is long and i travel slowly but sooner or later i shall be sure to arrive only are you not afraid to be left without my protection ponder the matter carefully it is for you to decide oh it needs no pondering cried the queen joyfully holding up her class pans and making muffett do likewise in a token of gratitude but in order that he may know that you have come from me i will send him a letter and pricking her arm she wrote a few words with her blood on the corner of her handkerchief then tearing it off she gave it to the frog and they bade each other farewell it took the frog a year and four days to mount the ten thousand steps that led to the upper world but that was because she was still under the spell of a wicked fairy by the time she reached the top she was so tired that she had to remain for another year on the banks of a stream to rest and also to arrange the procession with which she was to present herself before the king for she knew far too well what was due to herself and her relations to appear at court as if she was a mere nobody at length after many consultations with her cap the affair was settled and at the end of the second year after her partying with the queen they all set out first walked her bodyguard of grasshoppers followed by her maids of honor who are those tiny green frogs you see in the fields each one mounted on a snail and seated on a velvet saddle next came the water rats dressed as pages and lastly the frog herself in a litter borne by eight toads and made of a tortoise shell here she could lie at her ease with her calf on her head for it was quite large and roomy and could easily have held two eggs when the frog was not in it the journey lasted seven years and all this time the queen suffered tortures of hope the muffett did her best to comfort her indeed she would most likely have died had not the lion fairy taken a fancy to that child and her mother should go hunting with her in the upper world and in spite of her sorrows it was always a joy to the queen to see the son again as for little muffett by the time she was seven her arrows seldom missed their mark so after all the years of waiting passed more quickly than the queen had dared to hope the frog was always careful to maintain her dignity and nothing would have persuaded her to show her face in public places or even along the high road where there was a chance of meeting anyone but sometimes when the procession had to cross a little stream or go over a piece of marshy ground orders would be given for a halt fine clothes were thrown off bridles were flung aside and grasshoppers water rats even the frog herself spent a delightful hour or two playing in the mud but at length the end was in sight and the hardships were forgotten in the vision of the towers of the king's palace and on one bright morning the cavalclade entered the gates with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal embassy and surely no ambassador had ever created such a sensation doors and windows even the roofs of houses were filled with people whose cheers reached the ears of the king however he had no time to attend to such matters just then as after nine years he had at last consented to the entries of his courtiers and was on the eve of celebrating his second marriage the frog's heart beat high when her litter drew up before the steps of the palace and leaning forward she beckoned to her side one of the guards who was standing in his doorway i wish to see his majesty said he his majesty is engaged and can see no one answered the soldier his majesty will see me returned the frog fixing her eyes upon him and somehow the man found himself leading the procession along the gallery into the hall of audience where the king sat surrounded by his nobles arranging the dresses which everyone was to wear at his marriage ceremony all stared at surprise as the procession advanced and still more when the frog gave one bound from the litter on to the floor and with another landed on the arm of the chair of state i am only just in timesire began the frog had i been a day later you would have broken your faith which you swore to the queen nine years ago her remembrance will always be dear to me answered the king gently though all present expected him to rebuke the frog severely for her impertinence but no lady frog that a king can sell and do as he wishes but must be bound by the desires of his subjects for nine years i have resisted them now i can do so no longer and have made choice of the fair young maiden playing at ball yonder you cannot let her however fair she may be for the queen your wife is still alive and sends you this letter written in her own blood said the frog holding out the square of hanker chiff as she spoke and what is more you have a daughter who is nearly nine years old and more beautiful than all the other children in the world put together the king turned pale when he heard these words and his hand trembled so that he could hardly read what the queen had written he then kissed the handkerchief twice or thrice burst into tears with some minutes before he could speak when at length he found his voice he told his counselors that the writing was indeed that of the queen and now that he had the joy of knowing she was alive he could of course proceed no further with his second marriage this naturally displeased the ambassadors who had conducted the bride to court and one of them inquired indignantly if he meant to put such an insult on the princess on the word of a mere frog i am not a mere frog and i will give you proof of it retorted the angry little creature and putting on her cap she cried fairies that are my friends come hither and in a moment a crowd of beautiful creatures each one with a crown on her head stood before her certainly none could have guessed that they were the snails water rats and grasshoppers from which she had chosen her routine at a sign from the frog the fairies danced a ballet with which everyone was so delighted that they begged to have it repeated but now it was not youth the maidens who were dancing but flowers then these again melted into fountains whose waters interlaced and rushing down the sides of the hall poured out in a cascade down the steps and formed a river found the castle with the most beautiful little boats upon it all painted and gilded oh let us go in them for a sale cried the princess who had long ago left her game of ball for a sight of these marvels and as she was bent upon it the ambassadors who had been charged to never lose sight of her were obliged to go also though they never entered a boat if they could help it but the moment they and the princess had seeded themselves on the soft cushions river and boat vanished and the princess and the ambassadors vanished too instead the snails and grasshoppers and water rats stood round the frog in their natural shapes perhaps she said your majesty may now be convinced that i am a fairy and speak the truth therefore lose no time in setting in order the affairs of your kingdom and go in search of your wife here is a ring that will admit you into the presence of the queen and will likewise allow you to address unharmed the lion fairy though she is the most terrible creature that ever existed by this time the king had forgotten all about the princess whom he had only chosen to please his people and was eager to depart on his journey as the frog was for him to go he made one of his ministers regent of the kingdom and gave the frog everything her heart could desire and with her ring on his finger he rode away to the outskirts of the forest here he dismounted and bidding on his horse to go home he pushed forward on foot having nothing to guide him as to where he would likely to find the entrance of the underworld the king wandered hither and thither for a long while till one day he was resting under a tree a voice spoke to him why do you give yourself so much trouble for not when you might know what you want to know for the asking alone you will never discover the path that leads to your wife much startled the king looked around him he could see nothing and somehow when he thought about it the voice seemed as if it was part of himself suddenly his eyes fell on the ring and he understood full that I was cried he and how much precious time have I wasted dear ring I beseech you grant me a vision of my wife and my daughter and even as he spoke their flashed past him a huge lioness followed by a lady and a beautiful young man mounted on fairy horses almost fainting with joy he gazed after them and then sank back trembling on the ground oh lead me to them lead me to them he exclaimed and the ring biting him to take courage conducted him safely to the dismal place where his wife had lived for ten years now the lion fairy knew beforehand of his expected presence in her dominions and she ordered a palace of crystal to be built in the middle of the lake of quicksilver and in order to make it more difficult of approach she let it float wither at wood immediately after their return from the chase where the king had seen them she conveyed the queen and muffet into the palace and put them under the guard of the monsters of the lake who won and all had fallen in love with the princess they were horribly jealous and ready to eat each other up for her sake so they readily accepted the charge some stationed themselves around the floating palace some sat by the door while the smallest and lightest perched themselves on the roof of course the king was quite arrogant of these arrangements and boldly entered the palace of the lion fairy who was waiting for him with her tail lashing furiously for she still kept her lion shape with a roar that shook the wall she flung herself upon him but he was on the watch and a blow from his sword cut off the paw she had put forth to strike him dead she fell back and with his helmet still on and his shield up he set his foot on her throat give me back the wife and the child you have stolen from me he said or you shall not live another second but the fairy answered look through the window at that lake and see if it is in my power to give them to you and the king looked and through the crystal walls he beheld his wife and daughter floating on the quicksilver at that site the lion fairy and all her wickedness was forgotten flinging off his helmet he shouted to them with all his might the queen knew his voice and she and Muffet ran to the window and held out their hands then the king swore a solemn oath that he would never leave the spot without taking them if it should cost him his life and he meant it though at the moment he did not know what he was undertaking three years passed by and the king was no nearer to obtaining his heart's desire he had suffered every hardship that could be imagined nettles had been his bed wild fruits more bitter than gal his food while his days had been spent in fighting the hideous monsters which kept him from the palace he had not advanced one single step nor gained one solitary advantage now he was almost in despair and ready to defy everything and throw himself into the lake it was at this moment of his blackest misery that one night a dragon who had long watched him from the roof crept to his side you thought that love would conquer all obstacles he said well you have found it hasn't but if you will swear to me by your crown and scepter that you will give me a dinner of the food that i never grow tired of whenever i choose to ask for it i will enable you to reach your wife and daughter and how glad the king was to hear that what oath would he not have taken so as to clasp his wife and child in his arms joyfully he swore whatever the dragon asked of him then he jumped on its back and in another instant would have been carried by the strong wings into the castle of the nearest monster had he not happened to awake and hear the noise of talking and swum to the shores to give battle the fight was long and hard and when the king at last beat back his foes another struggle awaited him at the entrance gigantic baths owls and crows set upon him from all sides but the dragon had teeth and claws while the queen broke off sharp bits of glass and stabbed and cut in her anxiety to help her husband at length the horrible creatures flew away a sound like thunder was heard and the palace and monsters vanished while at the same moment no one knew how the king found himself standing with his wife and daughter in the hall of his own home the dragon had disappeared with all the rest and for some years no more was heard or thought of him Muffet grew every day more beautiful and when she was fourteen the kings and emperors of the neighboring countries sent to ask her in marriage for themselves or their sons for a long time the girl turned a deaf ear to all their prayers but at length a young prince of rare gifts touched her heart and though the king had left her free to choose what husband she would he had secretly hoped that out of all the wooers this one might be his son-in-law so they were betrothed that someday with great pomp and then with many tears the prince set out for his father's court bearing with him a portrait of Muffet the days passed slowly to Muffet in spite of her brave efforts to occupy herself and not saddened other people by her complaints one morning she was playing on her harp in the queen's chamber when the king burst into the room and clasped his daughter in his arms with an energy that almost frightened her oh my child my dear child why were you ever born cried he as soon as he could speak is the prince dead faltered Muffet growing white and cold no no but oh how i could tell you and he sank down on a pile of cushions while his wife and daughter knelt beside him at length he was able to tell his tale and a terrible one it was there had just arrived at court a huge giant an ambassador from the dragon by whose help the king had rescued the queen and Muffet from the crystal palace the dragon had been very busy for many years past and had quite forgotten the princess till the news of her betrothal reached his ears then he remembered the bargain he had made with her father the more he felt sure she would make a delicious dish so he had ordered the giant who was his servant to fetch her at once no words would paint the horror of both the queen and the princess as they listened to this dreadful doom they rushed instantly to the hall where the giant was awaiting them and flinging themselves at his feet implored him to take the kingdom if he would but to have pity on the princess the giant looked at them kindly for he was not at all hard-hearted but he had said that he had no power to do anything and that if the princess did not go with him quietly the dragon would come himself several days went by and the king and queen hardly ceased from entreating the aid of the giant who by this time was getting wary of waiting there is only one way of helping you he said at last and that is to marry the princess to my nephew who besides being young and handsome has been trained in magic and will know how to keep her safe from the dragon oh thank you thank you cried the parents class being his great hands to their breasts you have indeed lifted a load from us she shall have half the kingdom for her dowry but muffett stood up and thrust them aside i will not buy my life with faithlessness she said proudly and i will go with you this moment to the dragon's abode and all her fathers and mothers tears and prayers availed nothing to move her the next morning muffett was put into a letter and guarded by the giant and followed by the king and queen and the weaving maids of honor they started for the foot of the mountain where the dragon had his castle the way though rough and stony seemed all too short and when they reached the spot appointed by the dragon the giant ordered the men who bore the litter to stand still it is time for you to bid farewell to your daughter he said for i see the dragon coming to us it was true a cloud appeared to pass over the sun for between them and it they could all discern dimly a huge body half a mile long approaching nearer and nearer at first the king could not believe that this was the small beast who had seemed so friendly on the shore of the lake of the quicksilver but then he knew very little and had never studied the art of expanding and contracting his body but it was the dragon and nothing else whose six wings were carrying him forward as fast as might be considering his great weight and the length of his tail which had fifty twists and a half he came quickly yes but the frog mounted on a greyhound and wearing her cap on her head went quicker still entering a room where the prince was sitting gazing at the portrait of his patrols she cried to him what are you doing lingering here when the life of the princess is nearing its last moment in the courtyard you will find a green horse with three heads and twelve feet and by its side a sword eighteen yards long hasten lest you should be too late the fight lasted all day and the prince's strength was well nayspent when the dragon thinking that the victory was won opened his jaws to give a roar of triumph the prince saw his chance and before his foe could shut his mouth again had plunged his sword far down his adversary's throat there was a desperate clutching of a claws to the earth a slow flagging of the great wings then the monster rolled over on his side and moved no more Muffet was delivered after this they all went back to the palace the marriage took place the following day and Muffet and her husband lived happily ever after end of the frog and the lion fairy recorded by Laura Macklery