stories to tell to children(儿童故事)-第31节
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to the royal menagerie without hurting them。
Life was very terrible to the prince； now； but he began to see that he
had brought all his sorrow on himself； and he tried to bear it patiently。 The
worst to bear was the cruelty of the keeper。 At last； one night； this keeper
was in great danger； a tiger got loose； and attacked him。 〃Good enough！
Let him die！〃 thought Prince Cherry。 But when he saw how helpless the
keeper was； he repented； and sprang to help。 He killed the tiger and saved
the keeper's life。
As he crouched at the keeper's feet； a voice said； 〃Good actions never
go unrewarded！〃 And the terrible monster was changed into a pretty little
white dog。
The keeper carried the beautiful little dog to the court and told the
story； and from then on； Cherry was carefully treated； and had the best of
everything。 But in order to keep the little dog from growing； the queen
ordered that he should be fed very little； and that was pretty hard for the
poor prince。 He was often half starved； although so much petted。
One day he had carried his crust of bread to a retired spot in the palace
woods； where he loved to be； when he saw a poor old woman hunting for
roots； and seeming almost starved。
〃Poor thing；〃 he thought； 〃she is even hungrier than I；〃 and he ran up
and dropped the crust at her feet。
The woman ate it； and seemed greatly refreshed。
Cherry was glad of that； and he was running happily back to his kennel
when he heard cries of distress； and suddenly he saw some rough men
dragging along a young girl； who was weeping and crying for help。 What
was his horror to see that the young girl was Zelia！ Oh； how he wished he
were the monster once more； so that he could kill the men and rescue her！
But he could do nothing except bark； and bite at the heels of the wicked
men。 That could not stop them； they drove him off； with blows； and
carried Zelia into a palace in the wood。
Poor Cherry crouched by the steps； and watched。 His heart was full of
pity and rage。 But suddenly he thought； 〃I was as bad as these men； I
myself put Zelia in prison； and would have treated her worse still； if I had
not been prevented。〃 The thought made him so sorry and ashamed that he
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repented bitterly the evil he had done。
Presently a window opened； and Cherry saw Zelia lean out and throw
down a piece of meat。 He seized it and was just going to devour it； when
the old woman to whom he had given his crust snatched it away and took
him in her arms。 〃No； you shall not eat it； you poor little thing；〃 she said；
〃for every bit of food in that house is poisoned。〃
At the same moment； a voice said； 〃Good actions never go
unrewarded！〃 And instantly Prince Cherry was transformed into a little
white dove。
With great joy； he flew to the open palace window to seek out his Zelia；
to try to help her。 But though he hunted in every room； no Zelia was to be
found。 He had to fly away； without seeing her。 He wanted more than
anything else to find her； and stay near her； so he flew out into the world；
to seek her。
He sought her in many lands； until one day； in a far eastern country； he
found her sitting in a tent； by the side of an old； white…haired hermit。
Cherry was wild with delight。 He flew to her shoulder； caressed her hair
with his beak； and cooed in her ear。
〃You dear； lovely little thing！〃 said Zelia。 〃Will you stay with me？ If
you will； I will love you always。〃
〃Ah； Zelia； see what you have done！〃 laughed the hermit。 At that
instant； the white dove vanished； and Prince Cherry stood there； as
handsome and charming as ever； and with a look of kindness and modesty
in his eyes which had never been there before。 At the same time； the
hermit stood up； his flowing hair changed to shining gold； and his face
became a lovely woman's face； it was the Fairy Candide。 〃Zelia has
broken your spell；〃 she said to the Prince； 〃as I meant she should； when
you were worthy of her love。〃
Zelia and Prince Cherry fell at the fairy's feet。 But with a beautiful
smile she bade them come to their kingdom。 In a trice； they were
transported to the Prince's palace； where King Suliman greeted them with
tears of joy。 He gave back the throne； with all his heart； and King Cherry
ruled again； with Zelia for his queen。
He wore the little gold ring all the rest of his life； but never once did it
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have to prick him hard enough to make his finger bleed。
THE GOLD IN THE ORCHARD＇1＇
＇1＇ An Italian folk tale。
There was once a farmer who had a fine olive orchard。 He was very
industrious； and the farm always prospered under his care。 But he knew
that his three sons despised the farm work； and were eager to make wealth
fast； through adventure。
When the farmer was old； and felt that his time had come to die； he
called the three sons to him and said； 〃My sons； there is a pot of gold
hidden in the olive orchard。 Dig for it； if you wish it。〃
The sons tried to get him to tell them in what part of the orchard the
gold was hidden； but he would tell them nothing more。
After the farmer was dead； the sons went to work to find the pot of
gold； since they did not know where the hiding…place was； they agreed to
begin in a line； at one end of the orchard； and to dig until one of them
should find the money。
They dug until they had turned up the soil from one end of the orchard
to the other； round the tree…roots and between them。 But no pot of gold
was to be found。 It seemed as if some one must have stolen it； or as if the
farmer had been wandering in his wits。 The three sons were bitterly
disappointed to have all their work for nothing。
The next olive season； the olive trees in the orchard bore more fruit
than they had ever given； the fine cultivating they had had from the
digging brought so much fruit； and of so fine a quality； that when it was
sold it gave the sons a whole pot of gold！
And when they saw how much money had come from the orchard；
they suddenly understood what the wise father had meant when he said；
〃There is gold hidden in the orchard； dig for it。〃
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MARGARET OF NEW ORLEANS
If you ever go to the beautiful city of New Orleans； somebody will be
sure to take you down into the old business part of the city； where there are
banks and shops and hotels； and show you a statue which stands in a little
square there。 It is the statue of a woman； sitting in a low chair； with her
arms around a child； who leans against her。 The woman is not at all pretty：
she wears thick； common shoes； a plain dress； with a little shawl； and a
sun…bonnet； she is stout and short； and her face is a square…chinned Irish
face； but her eyes look at you like your mother's。
Now there is something very surprising about this statue： it was the
first one that was ever made in this country in honor of a woman。 Even in
old Europe there are not many monuments to women； and most of the few
are to great queens or princesses； very beautiful and very richly dressed。
You see； this statue in New Orleans is not quite like anything else。
It is the statue of a woman named Margaret。 Her whole name was
Margaret Haughery； but no one in New Orleans remembers her by it； any
more than you think of your dearest sister by her full name； she is just
Margaret。 This is her story； and it tells why people made a monument for
her。
When Margaret was a tiny baby； her father and mother died； and she
was adopted by two young people as poor and as kind as her own parents。
She lived with them until she grew u
