04-the yellow dwarf-第1节

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THE　YELLOW　DWARF





Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　queen　who　had　been　the

mother　of　a　great　many　children；　and　of　them　all　only　one

daughter　was　left。　But　then　SHE　was　worth　at　least　a　thousand。



Her　mother；　who；　since　the　death　of　the　King；　her

father；　had　nothing　in　the　world　she　cared　for　so　much　as

this　little　Princess；　was　so　terribly　afraid　of　losing　her　that

she　quite　spoiled　her；　and　never　tried　to　correct　any　of　her

faults。　The　consequence　was　that　this　little　person；　who

was　as　pretty　as　possible；　and　was　one　day　to　wear　a　crown；

grew　up　so　proud　and　so　much　in　love　with　her　own　beauty

that　she　despised　everyone　else　in　the　world。



The　Queen；　her　mother；　by　her　caresses　and　flatteries；

helped　to　make　her　believe　that　there　was　nothing　too

good　for　her。　She　was　dressed　almost　always　in　the　prettiest

frocks；　as　a　fairy；　or　as　a　queen　going　out　to　hunt；　and

the　ladies　of　the　Court　followed　her　dressed　as　forest

fairies。



And　to　make　her　more　vain　than　ever　the　Queen　caused

her　portrait　to　be　taken　by　the　cleverest　painters　and　sent

it　to　several　neighboring　kings　with　whom　she　was　very

friendly。



When　they　saw　this　portrait　they　fell　in　love　with　the

Princessevery　one　of　them；　but　upon　each　it　had　a

different　effect。　One　fell　ill；　one　went　quite　crazy；　and　a

few　of　the　luckiest　set　off　to　see　her　as　soon　as　possible；

but　these　poor　princes　became　her　slaves　the　moment　they

set　eyes　on　her。



Never　has　there　been　a　gayer　Court。　Twenty　delightful

kings　did　everything　they　could　think　of　to　make

themselves　agreeable；　and　after　having　spent　ever　so

much　money　in　giving　a　single　entertainment　thought

themselves　very　lucky　if　the　Princess　said　〃That's　pretty。〃



All　this　admiration　vastly　pleased　the　Queen。　Not　a

day　passed　but　she　received　seven　or　eight　thousand

sonnets；　and　as　many　elegies；　madrigals；　and　songs；　which

were　sent　her　by　all　the　poets　in　the　world。　All　the　prose

and　the　poetry　that　was　written　just　then　was　about

Bellissimafor　that　was　the　Princess's　nameand　all　the

bonfires　that　they　had　were　made　of　these　verses；　which

crackled　and　sparkled　better　than　any　other　sort　of　wood。



Bellissima　was　already　fifteen　years　old；　and　every　one

of　the　Princes　wished　to　marry　her；　but　not　one　dared　to

say　so。　How　could　they　when　they　knew　that　any　of

them　might　have　cut　off　his　head　five　or　six　times　a　day

just　to　please　her；　and　she　would　have　thought　it　a　mere

trifle；　so　little　did　she　care？　You　may　imagine　how　hard…

hearted　her　lovers　thought　her；　and　the　Queen；　who

wished　to　see　her　married；　did　not　know　how　to　persuade

her　to　think　of　it　seriously。



〃Bellissima；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　wish　you　would　not　be　so

proud。　What　makes　you　despise　all　these　nice　kings？　I

wish　you　to　marry　one　of　them；　and　you　do　not　try　to

please　me。〃



〃I　am　so　happy；〃　Bellissima　answered：　〃do　leave　me　in

peace；　madam。　I　don't　want　to　care　for　anyone。〃



〃But　you　would　be　very　happy　with　any　of　these

Princes；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃and　I　shall　be　very　angry　if　you

fall　in　love　with　anyone　who　is　not　worthy　of　you。〃



But　the　Princess　thought　so　much　of　herself　that　she

did　not　consider　any　one　of　her　lovers　clever　or　handsome

enough　for　her；　and　her　mother；　who　was　getting　really

angry　at　her　determination　not　to　be　married；　began　to

wish　that　she　had　not　allowed　her　to　have　her　own　way　so

much。



At　last；　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　she　resolved　to

consult　a　certain　witch　who　was　called　〃The　Fairy　of　the

Desert。〃　Now　this　was　very　difficult　to　do；　as　she　was

guarded　by　some　terrible　lions；　but　happily　the　Queen

had　heard　a　long　time　before　that　whoever　wanted　to　pass

these　lions　safely　must　throw　to　them　a　cake　made　of

millet　flour；　sugar…candy；　and　crocodile's　eggs。　This　cake

she　prepared　with　her　own　hands；　and　putting　it　in　a

little　basket；　she　set　out　to　seek　the　Fairy。　But　as　she

was　not　used　to　walking　far；　she　soon　felt　very　tired　and

sat　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree　to　rest；　and　presently　fell

fast　asleep。　When　she　awoke　she　was　dismayed　to　find

her　basket　empty。　The　cake　was　all　gone！　and；　to　make

matters　worse；　at　that　moment　she　heard　the　roaring　of

the　great　lions；　who　had　found　out　that　she　was　near　and

were　coming　to　look　for　her



〃What　shall　I　do？〃　she　cried；　〃I　shall　be　eaten　up；〃　and

being　too　frightened　to　run　a　single　step；　she　began　to　cry；

and　leaned　against　the　tree　under　which　she　had　been

asleep。



Just　then　she　heard　some　one　say：　〃H'm；　h'm！〃



She　looked　all　round　her；　and　then　up　the　tree；　and

there　she　saw　a　little　tiny　man；　who　was　eating　oranges。



〃Oh！　Queen；〃　said　he；　〃I　know　you　very　well；　and　I

know　how　much　afraid　you　are　of　the　lions；　and　you　are

quite　right　too；　for　they　have　eaten　many　other　people：

and　what　can　you　expect；　as　you　have　not　any　cake　to

give　them？〃



〃I　must　make　up　my　mind　to　die；〃　said　the　poor　Queen。

〃Alas！　I　should　not　care　so　much　if　only　my　dear　daughter

were　married。〃



〃Oh！　you　have　a　daughter；〃　cried　the　Yellow　Dwarf

（who　was　so　called　because　he　WAS　a　dwarf　and　had　such

a　yellow　face；　and　lived　in　the　orange　tree）。　〃I'm　really

glad　to　hear　that；　for　I've　been　looking　for　a　wife　all　over

the　world。　Now；　if　you　will　promise　that　she　shall　marry

me；　not　one　of　the　lions；　tigers；　or　bears　shall　touch　you。〃



The　Queen　looked　at　him　and　was　almost　as　much

afraid　of　his　ugly　little　face　as　she　had　been　of　the　lions

before；　so　that　she　could　not　speak　a　word。



〃What！　you　hesitate；　madam；〃　cried　the　Dwarf。　〃You

must　be　very　fond　of　being　eaten　up　alive。〃



And；　as　he　spoke；　the　Queen　saw　the　lions；　which　were

running　down　a　hill　toward　them。



Each　one　had　two　heads；　eight　feet；　and　four　rows　of

teeth；　and　their　skins　were　as　hard　as　turtle　shells；　and

were　bright　red。



At　this　dreadful　sight；　the　poor　Queen；　who　was

trembling　like　a　dove　when　it　sees　a　hawk；　cried　out　as　loud　as

she　could；　〃Oh！　dear　Mr。　Dwarf；　Bellissima　shall　marry

you。〃



〃Oh；　indeed！〃　said　he　disdainfully。　〃Bellissima　is　pretty

enough；　but　I　don't　particularly　want　to　marry　heryou

can　keep　her。〃



〃Oh！　noble　sir；〃　said　the　Queen　in　great　distress；　ado

not　refuse　her。　She　is　the　most　charming　Princess　in　the

world。〃



〃Oh！　well；〃　he　replied；　〃out　of　charity　I　will　take　her；

but　be　sure　and　don't　forget　that　she　is　mine。〃



As　he　spoke　a　little　door　opened　in　the　trunk　of　the

orange　tree；　in　rushed　the　Queen；　only　just　in　time；　and

the　door　shut　with　a　bang　in　the　faces　of　the　lions。



The　Queen　was　so　confused　that　at　first　she　did　not

notice　another　little　door　in　the　orange　tree；　but　presently

it　opened　and　she　found　herself　in　a　field　of　thistles　and

nettles。　It　was　encircled　by　a　muddy　ditch；　and　a　little

further　on　was　a　tiny　thatched　cottage；　out　of　which　came

the　Yellow　Dwarf　with　a　very　jaunty　air。　He　wore　wooden

shoes　and　a　little　yellow　coat；　and　as　he　had　no　hair　and

very　long　ears　he　looked　altogether　a　shocking　little

object。



〃I　am　delighted；〃　said　he　to　the　Queen；　〃that；　as　you

are　to　be　my　mother…in…law；　you　should　see　the　little

house　in　which　your　Bellissima　will　live　with　me。　With

these　thistles　and　nettles　she　can　feed　a　donkey　which　she

can　ride　whenever　she　likes；　under　this　humble　roof　no

weather　can　hurt　her；　she　will　drink　the　water　of　this

brook　and　eat　frogswhich　grow　very　fat　about　here；　and

then　she　will　have　me　always　with　her；　handsome；　agreeable；

and　gay　as　you　see　me　now。　For　if　her　shadow　stays

by　her　more　closely　than　I　do　I　shall　be　surprised。〃



The　unhappy　Queen。　seeing　all　at　once　what　a　mis…

erable　life　her　daughter　would　have　with　this　Dwarf

could　not　bear　the　idea；　and　fell　down　insensible　without

saying　a　word。



When　she　revived　she　found　to　her　great　surprise　that

she　was　lying　in　her　own　bed　at　home；　and；　what　was

more；　that　she　had　on　the　loveliest　lace　night　cap　that　she

had　ever　seen　in　her　life。　At　first　she　thought　that　all　her

adventures；　the　terrible　lions；　and　her　promise　to　the

Yellow　Dwarf　that　he　should　marry　Bellissima；　must

have　been　a　dream；　but　there　was　the　new　cap　with　its

beautiful　ribbon　and　lace　to　remind　her　that　it　was　all

true；　which　made　her　so　unhappy　that　she　could　neither

eat；　drink；　nor　sleep　for　thinking　of　it。



The　Princess；　who；　in　spite　of　her　wilfulness；　really　loved

her　mother　with　all　her　heart；　was　much　grieved　when　she

saw　her　looking　so　sad；　and　often　asked　her　what　was　the

matter；　but　the　Queen；　who　didn't　want　her　to　find　out

the　truth；　only　said　that　she　was　ill；　or　that　one　of　her

neighbors　was　threatening　to　make　war　against　her。

Bellissima　knew　quite　well　that　something　was　being

hidden　from　herand　that　neither　of　these　was　the　real

reason　of　the　Queen's　uneasiness。　So　she　made　up　her

mind　that　she　would　go　and　consult　the　Fairy　of　the

Desert　about　it；　especially