19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第3节

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〃Behold　the　brave　Charming；　who　has　killed　the　giant！〃

And　their　shouts　reached　the　Princess's　ear；　but　she　dared

not　ask　what　was　happening；　for　fear　she　should　hear　that

Charming　had　been　killed。　But　very　soon　he　arrived　at

the　palace　with　the　giant's　head；　of　which　she　was　still

terrified；　though　it　could　no　longer　do　her　any　harm。



〃Princess；〃　said　Charming；　〃I　have　killed　your　enemy；

I　hope　you　will　now　consent　to　marry　the　King　my　master。〃



〃Oh　dear！　no；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃not　until　you　have

brought　me　some　water　from　the　Gloomy　Cavern。



〃Not　far　from　here　there　is　a　deep　cave；　the　entrance　to

which　is　guarded　by　two　dragons　with　fiery　eyes；　who　will

not　allow　anyone　to　pass　them。　When　you　get　into　the

cavern　you　will　find　an　immense　hole；　which　you　must　go

down；　and　it　is　full　of　toads　and　snakes；　at　the　bottom　of

this　hole　there　is　another　little　cave；　in　which　rises　the

Fountain　of　Health　and　Beauty。　It　is　some　of　this　water

that　I　really　must　have：　everything　it　touches　becomes

wonderful。　The　beautiful　things　will　always　remain

beautiful；　and　the　ugly　things　become　lovely。　If　one　is

young　one　never　grows　old；　and　if　one　is　old　one　becomes

young。　You　see；　Charming；　I　could　not　leave　my　kingdom

without　taking　some　of　it　with　me。〃



〃Princess；〃　said　he；　〃you　at　least　can　never　need　this

water；　but　I　am　an　unhappy　ambassador；　whose　death

you　desire。　Where　you　send　me　I　will　go；　though　I　know

I　shall　never　return。〃



And；　as　the　Princess　Goldilocks　showed　no　sign　of

relenting；　he　started　with　his　little　dog　for　the　Gloomy

Cavern。　Everyone　he　met　on　the　way　said：



〃What　a　pity　that　a　handsome　young　man　should

throw　away　his　life　so　carelessly！　He　is　going　to　the　cavern

alone；　though　if　he　had　a　hundred　men　with　him　he　could

not　succeed。　Why　does　the　Princess　ask　impossibilities？〃

Charming　said　nothing；　but　he　was　very　sad。　When

he　was　near　the　top　of　a　hill　he　dismounted　to　let　his　horse

graze；　while　Frisk　amused　himself　by　chasing　flies。

Charming　knew　he　could　not　be　far　from　the　Gloomy

Cavern；　and　on　looking　about　him　he　saw　a　black　hideous

rock　from　which　came　a　thick　smoke；　followed　in　a　moment

by　one　of　the　dragons　with　fire　blazing　from　his

mouth　and　eyes。　His　body　was　yellow　and　green；　and　his

claws　scarlet；　and　his　tail　was　so　long　that　it　lay　in　a

hundred　coils。　Frisk　was　so　terrified　at　the　sight　of　it　that

he　did　not　know　where　to　hide。　Charming；　quite　determined

to　get　the　water　or　die；　now　drew　his　sword；　and；

taking　the　crystal　flask　which　Pretty　Goldilocks　had

given　him　to　fill；　said　to　Frisk：



〃I　feel　sure　that　I　shall　never　come　back　from　this

expedition；　when　I　am　dead；　go　to　the　Princess　and　tell

her　that　her　errand　has　cost　me　my　life。　Then　find　the

King　my　master；　and　relate　all　my　adventures　to　him。〃



As　he　spoke　he　heard　a　voice　calling：　〃Charming；

Charming！〃



〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he；　then　he　saw　an　owl　sitting　in

a　hollow　tree；　who　said　to　him：



〃You　saved　my　life　when　I　was　caught　in　the　net；　now

I　can　repay　you。　Trust　me　with　the　flask；　for　I　know　all

the　ways　of　the　Gloomy　Cavern；　and　can　fill　it　from　the

Fountain　of　Beauty。〃　Charming　was　only　too　glad　to

give　her　the　flask；　and　she　flitted　into　the　cavern　quite

unnoticed　by　the　dragon；　and　after　some　time　returned

with　the　flask；　filled　to　the　very　brim　with　sparkling　water。

Charming　thanked　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　joyfully

hastened　back　to　the　town。



He　went　straight　to　the　palace　and　gave　the　flask　to　the

Princess；　who　had　no　further　objection　to　make。　So　she

thanked　Charming；　and　ordered　that　preparations　should

be　made　for　her　departure；　and　they　soon　set　out　together。

The　Princess　found　Charming　such　an　agreeable　companion

that　she　sometimes　said　to　him：　〃Why　didn't　we　stay

where　we　were？　I　could　have　made　you　king；　and　we

should　have　been　so　happy！〃



But　Charming　only　answered：



〃I　could　not　have　done　anything　that　would　have

vexed　my　master　so　much；　even　for　a　kingdom；　or　to

please　you；　though　I　think　you　are　as　beautiful　as　the

sun。〃



At　last　they　reached　the　King's　great　city；　and　he　came

out　to　meet　the　Princess；　bringing　magnificent　presents；

and　the　marriage　was　celebrated　with　great　rejoicings。

But　Goldilocks　was　so　fond　of　Charming　that　she　could

not　be　happy　unless　he　was　near　her；　and　she　was　always

singing　his　praises。



〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　Charming；〃　she　said　to　the　King；

〃I　should　never　have　come　here；　you　ought　to　be　very

much　obliged　to　him；　for　he　did　the　most　impossible　things

and　got　me　water　from　the　Fountain　of　Beauty；　so　I　can

never　grow　old；　and　shall　get　prettier　every　year。〃



Then　Charming's　enemies　said　to　the　King：



〃It　is　a　wonder　that　you　are　not　jealous；　the　Queen

thinks　there　is　nobody　in　the　world　like　Charming。　As　if

anybody　you　had　sent　could　not　have　done　just　as　much！〃



〃It　is　quite　true；　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　the

King。　〃Let　him　be　chained　hand　and　foot；　and　thrown

into　the　tower。〃



So　they　took　Charming；　and　as　a　reward　for　having

served　the　King　so　faithfully　he　was　shut　up　in　the　tower；

where　he　only　saw　the　jailer；　who　brought　him　a　piece　of

black　bread　and　a　pitcher　of　water　every　day。



However；　little　Frisk　came　to　console　him；　and　told

him　all　the　news。



When　Pretty　Goldilocks　heard　what　had　happened　she

threw　herself　at　the　King's　feet　and　begged　him　to　set

Charming　free；　but　the　more　she　cried；　the　more　angry　he

was；　and　at　last　she　saw　that　it　was　useless　to　say　any

more；　but　it　made　her　very　sad。　Then　the　King　took　it

into　his　head　that　perhaps　he　was　not　handsome　enough

to　please　the　Princess　Goldilocks；　and　he　thought　he

would　bathe　his　face　with　the　water　from　the　Fountain

of　Beauty；　which　was　in　the　flask　on　a　shelf　in　the　Princess's

room；　where　she　had　placed　it　that　she　might　see　it　often。

Now　it　happened　that　one　of　the　Princess's　ladies　in　chasing

a　spider　had　knocked　the　flask　off　the　shelf　and　broken

it；　and　every　drop　of　the　water　had　been　spilt。　Not　knowing

what　to　do；　she　had　hastily　swept　away　the　pieces　of

crystal；　and　then　remembered　that　in　the　King's　room

she　had　seen　a　flask　of　exactly　the　same　shape；　also　filled

with　sparkling　water。　So；　without　saying　a　word；　she

fetched　it　and　stood　it　upon　the　Queen's　shelf。



Now　the　water　in　this　flask　was　what　was　used　in　the

kingdom　for　getting　rid　of　troublesome　people。　Instead

of　having　their　heads　cut　off　in　the　usual　way；　their　faces

were　bathed　with　the　water；　and　they　instantly　fell　asleep

and　never　woke　up　any　more。　So；　when　the　King；　thinking

to　improve　his　beauty；　took　the　flask　and　sprinkled

the　water　upon　his　face；　HE　fell　asleep；　and　nobody　could

wake　him。



Little　Frisk　was　the　first　to　hear　the　news；　and　he　ran

to　tell　Charming；　who　sent　him　to　beg　the　Princess　not　to

forget　the　poor　prisoner。　All　the　palace　was　in　confusion

on　account　of　the　King's　death；　but　tiny　Frisk　made　his

way　through　the　crowd　to　the　Princess's　side；　and　said：



〃Madam；　do　not　forget　poor　Charming。〃



Then　she　remembered　all　he　had　done　for　her；　and　without

saying　a　word　to　anyone　went　straight　to　the　tower；

and　with　her　own　hands　took　off　Charming's　chains。

Then；　putting　a　golden　crown　upon　his　head；　and　the　royal

mantle　upon　his　shoulders；　she　said：



〃Come；　faithful　Charming；　I　make　you　king；　and　will

take　you　for　my　husband。〃



Charming；　once　more　free　and　happy；　fell　at　her　feet

and　thanked　her　for　her　gracious　words。



Everybody　was　delighted　that　he　should　be　king；　and

the　wedding；　which　took　place　at　once；　was　the　prettiest

that　can　be　imagined；　and　Prince　Charming　and　Princess

Goldilocks　lived　happily　ever　after。＇1＇





＇1＇　Madame　d'Aulnoy。