04-the yellow dwarf-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



next　the　sea　being　the　only　one　which　the　Yellow　Dwarf

had　left　unprotected　by　the　dreadful　burning　walls。



〃I　know　quite　well；〃　said　the　Mermaid；　〃that　the

Princess　is　sitting　by　the　brook…side；　just　where　you　saw　her

as　you　passed；　but　as　you　will　have　many　enemies　to　fight

with　before　you　can　reach　her；　take　this　sword；　armed　with

it　you　may　dare　any　danger；　and　overcome　the　greatest

difficulties；　only　beware　of　one　thingthat　is；　never　to　let

it　fall　from　your　hand。　Farewell；　now　I　will　wait　by　that

rock；　and　if　you　need　my　help　in　carrying　off　your　beloved

Princess　I　will　not　fail　you；　for　the　Queen；　her　mother；　is

my　best　friend；　and　it　was　for　her　sake　that　I　went　to

rescue　you。〃



So　saying；　she　gave　to　the　King　a　sword　made　from　a

single　diamond；　which　was　more　brilliant　than　the　sun。

He　could　not　find　words　to　express　his　gratitude；　but　he

begged　her　to　believe　that　he　fully　appreciated　the

importance　of　her　gift；　and　would　never　forget　her　help　and

kindness。



We　must　now　go　back　to　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert。　When

she　found　that　the　King　did　not　return；　she　hastened　out

to　look　for　him；　and　reached　the　shore；　with　a　hundred　of

the　ladies　of　her　train；　loaded　with　splendid　presents　for

him。　Some　carried　baskets　full　of　diamonds；　others

golden　cups　of　wonderful　workmanship；　and　amber；　coral；

and　pearls；　others；　again；　balanced　upon　their　heads　bales

of　the　richest　and　most　beautiful　stuffs；　while　the　rest

brought　fruit　and　flowers；　and　even　birds。　But　what　was

the　horror　of　the　Fairy；　who　followed　this　gay　troop；　when

she　saw；　stretched　upon　the　sands；　the　image　of　the　King

which　the　Mermaid　had　made　with　the　sea…weeds。　Struck

with　astonishment　and　sorrow；　she　uttered　a　terrible　cry；

and　threw　herself　down　beside　the　pretended　King；　weeping；

and　howling；　and　calling　upon　her　eleven　sisters；　who

were　also　fairies；　and　who　came　to　her　assistance。　But

they　were　all　taken　in　by　the　image　of　the　King；　for；

clever　as　they　were；　the　Mermaid　was　still　cleverer；　and

all　they　could　do　was　to　help　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert　to

make　a　wonderful　monument　over　what　they　thought　was

the　grave　of　the　King　of　the　Gold　Mines。　But　while　they

were　collecting　jasper　and　porphyry；　agate　and　marble；

gold　and　bronze；　statues　and　devices；　to　immortalize　the

King's　memory；　he　was　thanking　the　good　Mermaid　and

begging　her　still　to　help　him；　which　she　graciously　promised

to　do　as　she　disappeared；　and　then　he　set　out　for　the

Castle　of　Steel。　He　walked　fast；　looking　anxiously　round

him；　and　longing　once　more　to　see　his　darling　Bellissima；

but　he　had　not　gone　far　before　he　was　surrounded　by　four

terrible　sphinxes　who　would　very　soon　have　torn　him　to

pieces　with　their　sharp　talons　if　it　had　not　been　for　the

Mermaid's　diamond　sword。　For；　no　sooner　had　he　flashed

it　before　their　eyes　than　down　they　fell　at　his　feet　quite

helpless；　and　he　killed　them　with　one　blow。　But　he　had

hardly　turned　to　continue　his　search　when　he　met　six

dragons　covered　with　scales　that　were　harder　than　iron。

Frightful　as　this　encounter　was　the　King's　courage　was

unshaken；　and　by　the　aid　of　his　wonderful　sword　he　cut

them　in　pieces　one　after　the　other。　Now　he　hoped　his

difficulties　were　over；　but　at　the　next　turning　he　was　met

by　one　which　he　did　not　know　how　to　overcome。　Four…

and…twenty　pretty　and　graceful　nymphs　advanced　toward

him；　holding　garlands　of　flowers；　with　which　they

barred　the　way。



〃Where　are　you　going；　Prince？〃　they　said；　〃it　is　our

duty　to　guard　this　place；　and　if　we　let　you　pass　great

misfortunes　will　happen　to　you　and　to　us。　We　beg　you　not

to　insist　upon　going　on。　Do　you　want　to　kill　four…and…

twenty　girls　who　have　never　displeased　you　in　any　way？〃



The　King　did　not　know　what　to　do　or　to　say。　It　went

against　all　his　ideas　as　a　knight　to　do　anything　a　lady

begged　him　not　to　do；　but；　as　he　hesitated；　a　voice　in　his

ear　said：



〃Strike！　strike！　and　do　not　spare；　or　your　Princess　is　lost

for　ever！〃



So；　without　reply　to　the　nymphs；　he　rushed　forward

instantly；　breaking　their　garlands；　and　scattering　them　in

all　directions；　and　then　went　on　without　further　hindrance

to　the　little　wood　where　he　had　seen　Bellissima。　She　was

seated　by　the　brook　looking　pale　and　weary　when　he

reached　her；　and　he　would　have　thrown　himself　down　at

her　feet；　but　she　drew　herself　away　from　him　with　as

much　indignation　as　if　he　had　been　the　Yellow　Dwarf



〃Ah！　Princess；〃　he　cried；　〃do　not　be　angry　with　me。　Let

me　explain　everything。　I　am　not　faithless　or　to　blame　for

what　has　happened。　I　am　a　miserable　wretch　who　has

displeased　you　without　being　able　to　help　himself。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　Bellissima；　〃did　I　not　see　you　flying　through

the　air　with　the　loveliest　being　imaginable？　Was　that

against　your　will？〃



〃Indeed　it　was；　Princess；〃　he　answered；　〃the　wicked

Fairy　of　the　Desert；　not　content　with　chaining　me　to　a

rock；　carried　me　off　in　her　chariot　to　the　other　end　of　the

earth；　where　I　should　even　now　be　a　captive　but　for　the

unexpected　help　of　a　friendly　mermaid；　who　brought　me

here　to　rescue　you；　my　Princess；　from　the　unworthy　hands

that　hold　you。　Do　not　refuse　the　aid　of　your　most　faithful

lover。〃　So　saying；　he　threw　himself　at　her　feet　and

held　her　by　her　robe。　But；　alas！　in　so　doing　he　let　fall　the

magic　sword；　and　the　Yellow　Dwarf；　who　was　crouching

behind　a　lettuce；　no　sooner　saw　it　than　he　sprang　out　and

seized　it；　well　knowing　its　wonderful　power。



The　Princess　gave　a　cry　of　terror　on　seeing　the　Dwarf；

but　this　only　irritated　the　little　monster；　muttering　a　few

magical　words　he　summoned　two　giants；　who　bound　the

King　with　great　chains　of　iron。



〃Now；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃I　am　master　of　my　rival's

fate；　but　I　will　give　him　his　life　and　permission　to　depart

unharmed　if　you；　Princess；　will　consent　to　marry　me。〃



〃Let　me　die　a　thousand　times　rather；〃　cried　the

unhappy　King。



〃Alas！〃　cried　the　Princess；　〃must　you　die？　Could

anything　be　more　terrible？〃



〃That　you　should　marry　that　little　wretch　would　be　far

more　terrible；〃　answered　the　King。



〃At　least；〃　continued　she；　〃let　us　die　together。〃



〃Let　me　have　the　satisfaction　of　dying　for　you；　my

Princess；〃　said　he。



〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　she　cried；　turning　to　the　Dwarf；　〃rather

than　that　I　will　do　as　you　wish。〃



〃Cruel　Princess！〃　said　the　King；　〃would　you　make　my

life　horrible　to　me　by　marrying　another　before　my　eyes？〃



〃Not　so；〃　replied　the　Yellow　Dwarf；　〃you　are　a　rival

of　whom　I　am　too　much　afraid；　you　shall　not　see　our

marriage。〃　So　saying；　in　spite　of　Bellissima's　tears　and

cries；　he　stabbed　the　King　to　the　heart　with　the　diamond

sword。



The　poor　Princess；　seeing　her　lover　lying　dead　at　her

feet；　could　no　longer　live　without　him；　she　sank　down　by

him　and　died　of　a　broken　heart。



So　ended　these　unfortunate　lovers；　whom　not　even　the

Mermaid　could　help；　because　all　the　magic　power　had

been　lost　with　the　diamond　sword。



As　to　the　wicked　Dwarf；　he　preferred　to　see　the

Princess　dead　rather　than　married　to　the　King　of　the　Gold

Mines；　and　the　Fairy　of　the　Desert；　when　she　heard　of　the

King's　adventures；　pulled　down　the　grand　monument

which　she　had　built；　and　was　so　angry　at　the　trick　that

had　been　played　her　that　she　hated　him　as　much　as　she

had　loved　him　before。



The　kind　Mermaid；　grieved　at　the　sad　fate　of　the　lovers；

caused　them　to　be　changed　into　two　tall　palm　trees；　which

stand　always　side　by　side；　whispering　together　of　their

faithful　love　and　caressing　one　another　with　their

interlacing　branches。＇1＇





＇1＇　Madame　d'Aulnoy。