28-prince darling-第1节

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PRINCE　DARLING





ONCE　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　king　who　was　so　just

and　kind　that　his　subjects　called　him　〃the　Good　King。〃

It　happened　one　day；　when　he　was　out　hunting；　that　a

little　white　rabbit；　which　his　dogs　were　chasing；　sprang

into　his　arms　for　shelter。　The　King　stroked　it　gently；

and　said　to　it：



〃Well；　bunny；　as　you　have　come　to　me　for　protection

I　will　see　that　nobody　hurts　you。〃



And　he　took　it　home　to　his　palace　and　had　it　put　in　a

pretty　little　house；　with　all　sorts　of　nice　things　to　eat。



That　night；　when　he　was　alone　in　his　room；　a　beautiful

lady　suddenly　appeared　before　him；　her　long　dress　was

as　white　as　snow；　and　she　had　a　crown　of　white　roses　upon

her　head。　The　good　King　was　very　much　surprised　to

see　her；　for　he　knew　his　door　had　been　tightly　shut；　and

he　could　not　think　how　she　had　got　in。　But　she　said

to　him：



〃I　am　the　Fairy　Truth。　I　was　passing　through　the

wood　when　you　were　out　hunting；　and　I　wished　to　find

out　if　you　were　really　good；　as　everybody　said　you　were；

so　I　took　the　shape　of　a　little　rabbit　and　came　to　your

arms　for　shelter；　for　I　know　that　those　who　are　merciful

to　animals　will　be　still　kinder　to　their　fellow…men。　If

you　had　refused　to　help　me　I　should　have　been　certain

that　you　were　wicked。　I　thank　you　for　the　kindness　you

have　shown　me；　which　has　made　me　your　friend　for　ever。

You　have　only　to　ask　me　for　anything　you　want　and　I

promise　that　I　will　give　it　to　you。〃



〃Madam；〃　said　the　good　King；　〃since　you　are　a　fairy

you　no　doubt　know　all　my　wishes。　I　have　but　one　son

whom　I　love　very　dearly；　that　is　why　he　is　called　Prince

Darling。　If　you　are　really　good　enough　to　wish　to　do

me　a　favor；　I　beg　that　you　will　become　his　friend。〃



〃With　all　my　heart；〃　answered　the　Fairy。　〃I　can

make　your　son　the　handsomest　prince　in　the　world；　or

the　richest；　or　the　most　powerful；　choose　whichever　you

like　for　him。〃



〃I　do　not　ask　either　of　these　things　for　my　son；〃　replied

the　good　King；　〃but　if　you　will　make　him　the　best　of

princes；　I　shall　indeed　be　grateful　to　you。　What　good

would　it　do　him　to　be　rich；　or　handsome；　or　to　possess　all

the　kingdoms　of　the　world　if　he　were　wicked？　You　know

well　he　would　still　be　unhappy。　Only　a　good　man　can

be　really　contented。〃



〃You　are　quite　right；〃　answered　the　Fairy；　〃but　it　is

not　in　my　power　to　make　Prince　Darling　a　good　man

unless　he　will　help　me；　he　must　himself　try　hard　to　become

good；　I　can　only　promise　to　give　him　good　advice；

to　scold　him　for　his　faults；　and　to　punish　him　if　he　will

not　correct　and　punish　himself。〃



The　good　King　was　quite　satisfied　with　this　promise；

and　very　soon　afterward　he　died。



Prince　Darling　was　very　sorry；　for　he　loved　his　father

with　all　his　heart；　and　he　would　willingly　have　given　all

his　kingdoms　and　all　his　treasures　of　gold　and　silver　if

they　could　have　kept　the　good　King　with　him。



Two　days　afterward；　when　the　Prince　had　gone　to

bed；　the　Fairy　suddenly　appeared　to　him　and　said：



〃I　promised　your　father　that　I　would　be　your　friend；

and　to　keep　my　word　I　have　come　to　bring　you　a　present。〃

At　the　same　time　she　put　a　little　gold　ring　upon　his

finger。



〃Take　great　care　of　this　ring；〃　she　said：　〃it　is　more

precious　than　diamonds；　every　time　you　do　a　bad　deed

it　will　prick　your　finger；　but　if；　in　spite　of　its　pricking；

you　go　on　in　your　own　evil　way；　you　will　lose　my　friendship；

and　I　shall　become　your　enemy。〃



So　saying；　the　Fairy　disappeared；　leaving　Prince

Darling　very　much　astonished。



For　some　time　he　behaved　so　well　that　the　ring　never

pricked　him；　and　that　made　him　so　contented　that　his

subjects　called　him　Prince　Darling　the　Happy。



One　day；　however；　he　went　out　hunting；　but　could　get

no　sport；　which　put　him　in　a　very　bad　temper；　it　seemed

to　him　as　he　rode　along　that　his　ring　was　pressing　into

his　finger；　but　as　it　did　not　prick　him　he　did　not　heed　it。

When　he　got　home　and　went　to　his　own　room；　his　little

dog　Bibi　ran　to　meet　him；　jumping　round　him　with

pleasure。　〃Get　away！〃　said　the　Prince；　quite　gruffly。

〃I　don't　want　you；　you　are　in　the　way。〃



The　poor　little　dog；　who　didn't　understand　this　at　all；

pulled　at　his　coat　to　make　him　at　least　look　at　her；　and

this　made　Prince　Darling　so　cross　that　he　gave　her　quite

a　hard　kick。



Instantly　his　ring　pricked　him　sharply；　as　if　it　had

been　a　pin。　He　was　very　much　surprised；　and　sat　down

in　a　corner　of　his　room　feeling　quite　ashamed　of　himself。



〃I　believe　the　Fairy　is　laughing　at　me；〃　he　thought。

〃Surely　I　can　have　done　no　great　wrong　in　just　kicking

a　tiresome　animal！　What　is　the　good　of　my　being　ruler

of　a　great　kingdom　if　I　am　not　even　allowed　to　beat　my

own　dog？〃



〃I　am　not　making　fun　of　you；〃　said　a　voice；　answering

Prince　Darling's　thoughts。　〃You　have　committed　three

faults。　First　of　all；　you　were　out　of　temper　because　you

could　not　have　what　you　wanted；　and　you　thought　all

men　and　animals　were　only　made　to　do　your　pleasure；

then　you　were　really　angry；　which　is　very　naughty

indeed；　and　lastly；　you　were　cruel　to　a　poor　little　animal

who　did　not　in　the　least　deserve　to　be　ill…treated



〃I　know　you　are　far　above　a　little　dog；　but　if　it　were

right　and　allowable　that　great　people　should　ill…treat　all

who　are　beneath　them；　I　might　at　this　moment　beat　you；

or　kill　you；　for　a　fairy　is　greater　than　a　man。　The

advantage　of　possessing　a　great　empire　is　not　to　be　able　to

do　the　evil　that　one　desires；　but　to　do　all　the　good　that

one　possibly　can。〃



The　Prince　saw　how　naughty　he　had　been；　and　promised

to　try　and　do　better　in　future；　but　he　did　not　keep

his　word。　The　fact　was　he　had　been　brought　up　by　a

foolish　nurse；　who　had　spoiled　him　when　he　was　little。

If　he　wanted　anything　he　only　had　to　cry　and　fret　and

stamp　his　feet　and　she　would　give　him　whatever　he

asked　for；　which　had　made　him　self…willed；　also　she　had

told　him　from　morning　to　night　that　he　would　one　day

be　a　king；　and　that　kings　were　very　happy；　because

everyone　was　bound　to　obey　and　respect　them；　and　no

one　could　prevent　them　from　doing　just　as　they　liked。



When　the　Prince　grew　old　enough　to　understand；　he

soon　learned　that　there　could　be　nothing　worse　than　to

be　proud；　obstinate；　and　conceited；　and　he　had　really

tried　to　cure　himself　of　these　defects；　but　by　that　time

all　his　faults　had　become　habits；　and　a　bad　habit　is　very

hard　to　get　rid　of。　Not　that　he　was　naturally　of　a　bad

disposition；　he　was　truly　sorry　when　he　had　been　naughty；

and　said：



〃I　am　very　unhappy　to　have　to　struggle　against　my

anger　and　pride　every　day；　if　I　had　been　punished　for

them　when　I　was　little　they　would　not　be　such　a　trouble

to　me　now。〃



His　ring　pricked　him　very　often；　and　sometimes　he

left　off　what　he　was　doing　at　once；　but　at　other　times　he

would　not　attend　to　it。　Strangely　enough；　it　gave　him

only　a　slight　prick　for　a　trifling　fault；　but　when　he　was

really　naughty　it　made　his　finger　actually　bleed。　At

last　he　got　tired　of　being　constantly　reminded；　and　wanted

to　be　able　to　do　as　he　liked；　so　he　threw　his　ring　aside；

and　thought　himself　the　happiest　of　men　to　have　got　rid

of　its　teasing　pricks。　He　gave　himself　up　to　doing　every

foolish　thing　that　occurred　to　him；　until　he　became　quite

wicked　and　nobody　could　like　him　any　longer。



One　day；　when　the　Prince　was　walking　about；　he　saw

a　young　girl　who　was　so　very　pretty　that　he　made　up

his　mind　at　once　that　he　would　marry　her。　Her　name

was　Celia；　and　she　was　as　good　as　she　was　beautiful。



Prince　Darling　fancied　that　Celia　would　think　herself

only　too　happy　if　he　offered　to　make　her　a　great　queen；

but　she　said　fearlessly：



〃Sire；　I　am　only　a　shepherdess；　and　a　poor　girl；　but；

nevertheless；　I　will　not　marry　you。〃



〃Do　you　dislike　me？〃　asked　the　Prince；　who　was　very

much　vexed　at　this　answer。



〃No；　my　Prince；〃　replied　Celia；　〃I　cannot　help

thinking　you　very　handsome；　but　what　good　would　riches　be

to　me；　and　all　the　grand　dresses　and　splendid　carriages

that　you　would　give　me；　if　the　bad　deeds　which　I　should

see　you　do　every　day　made　me　hate　and　despise　you？〃



The　Prince　was　very　angry　at　this　speech；　and

commanded　his　officers　to　make　Celia　a　prisoner　and　carry

her　off　to　his　palace。　All　day　long　the　remembrance　of

what　she　had　said　annoyed　him；　but　as　he　loved　her　he

could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　have　her　punished。



One　of　the　Prince's　favorite　companions　was　his　foster…

brother；　whom　he　trusted　entirely；　but　he　was　not　at　all

a　good　man；　and　gave　Prince　Darling　very　bad　advice；

and　encouraged　him　in　all　his　evil　ways。　When　he　saw

the　Prince　so　downcast　he　asked　what　was　the　matter；

and　when　he　explained　that　he　could　not　bear　Celia's

bad　opinion　of　him；　and　was　resolved　to　be　a　better　man

in　order　to　please　her；　this　evil　adviser　said　to　him：



〃You　are　very　kind　to　trouble　yourself　about　this　little

gir