22-the golden branch-第4节

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covered　with　a　thick　spider's　web；　and　when　she　broke　it　she　found

another；　and　another；　and　another。　In　fact；　there　was　no　end　to

them；　the　Princess's　arms　ached　with　tearing　them　down；　and　yet

she　was　no　nearer　to　getting　out；　and　the　wicked　Enchanter　behind

her　laughed　maliciously。　At　last　he　said：



‘You　might　spend　the　rest　of　your　life　over　that　without　doing

any　good；　but　as　you　are　young；　and　quite　the　prettiest　creature　I

have　seen　for　a　long　time；　I　will　marry　you　if　you　like；　and　I　will

give　you　those　cats　and　mice　that　you　see　there　for　your　own。

They　are　princes　and　princesses　who　have　happened　to　offend　me。

They　used　to　love　one　another　as　much　as　they　now　hate　one

another。　Aha！　It's　a　pretty　little　revenge　to　keep　them　like　that。'



‘Oh！　If　you　would　only　change　me　into　a　mouse　too；'　cried　the　Princess。



‘Oh！　so　you　won't　marry　me？'　said　he。　‘Little　simpleton；　you

should　have　everything　heart　can　desire。'



‘No；　indeed；　nothing　should　make　me　marry　you；　in　fact；　I

don't　think　I　shall　ever　love　anyone；'　cried　the　Princess。



‘In　that　case；'　said　the　Enchanter；　touching　her；　‘you　had

better　become　a　particular　kind　of　creature　that　is　neither　fish　nor

fowl；　you　shall　be　light　and　airy；　and　as　green　as　the　grass　you　live

in。　Off　with　you；　Madam　Grasshopper。'　And　the　Princess；　rejoicing

to　find　herself　free　once　more；　skipped　out　into　the　garden；　the

prettiest　little　green　Grasshopper　in　the　world。　But　as　soon　as　she

was　safely　out　she　began　to　be　rather　sorry　for　herself。



‘Ah！　Florimond；'　she　sighed；　‘is　this　the　end　of　your　gift？

Certainly　beauty　is　short…lived；　and　this　funny　little　face　and　a　green

crape　dress　are　a　comical　end　to　it。　I　had　better　have　married　my

amiable　shepherd。　It　must　be　for　my　pride　that　I　am　condemned

to　be　a　Grasshopper；　and　sing　day　and　night　in　the　grass　by　this

brook；　when　I　feel　far　more　inclined　to　cry。'



In　the　meantime　Prince　Peerless　had　discovered　the　Princess's

absence；　and　was　lamenting　over　it　by　the　river's　brim；　when　he

suddenly　became　aware　of　the　presence　of　a　little　old　woman。　She

was　quaintly　dressed　in　a　ruff　and　farthingale；　and　a　velvet　hood

covered　her　snow…white　hair。



‘You　seem　sorrowful；　my　son；'　she　said。　‘What　is　the　matter？'



‘Alas！　mother；'　answered　the　Prince；　‘I　have　lost　my　sweet

shepherdess；　but　I　am　determined　to　find　her　again；　though　I　should

have　to　traverse　the　whole　world　in　search　of　her。'



‘Go　that　way；　my　son；'　said　the　old　woman；　pointing　towards　the

path　that　led　to　the　castle。　‘I　have　an　idea　that　you　will　soon

overtake　her。'



The　Prince　thanked　her　heartily　and　set　out。　As　he　met　with

no　hindrance；　he　soon　reached　the　enchanted　wood　which　surrounded

the　castle；　and　there　he　thought　he　saw　the　Princess　Sunbeam

gliding　before　him　among　the　trees。　Prince　Peerless　hastened

after　her　at　the　top　of　his　speed；　but　could　not　get　any　nearer；

then　he　called　to　her：



‘Sunbeam；　my　darlingonly　wait　for　me　a　moment。'



But　the　phantom　did　but　fly　the　faster；　and　the　Prince　spent

the　whole　day　in　this　vain　pursuit。　When　night　came　he　saw

the　castle　before　him　all　lighted　up；　and　as　he　imagined　that　the

Princess　must　be　in　it；　he　made　haste　to　get　there　too。　He　entered

without　difficulty；　and　in　the　hall　the　terrible　old　Fairy　met　him。

She　was　so　thin　that　the　light　shone　through　her；　and　her　eyes

glowed　like　lamps；　her　skin　was　like　a　shark's；　her　arms　were　thin

as　laths；　and　her　fingers　like　spindles。　Nevertheless　she　wore

rouge　and　patches；　a　mantle　of　silver　brocade　and　a　crown　of

diamonds；　and　her　dress　was　covered　with　jewels；　and　green　and

pink　ribbons。



‘At　last　you　have　come　to　see　me；　Prince；'　said　she。　‘Don't

waste　another　thought　upon　that　little　shepherdess；　who　is

unworthy　of　your　notice。　I　am　the　Queen　of　the　Comets；　and　can

bring　you　to　great　honour　if　you　will　marry　me。'



‘Marry　you；　Madam；'　cried　the　Prince；　in　horror。　‘No；　I　will

never　consent　to　that。'



Thereupon　the　Fairy；　in　a　rage；　gave　two　strokes　of　her　wand

and　filled　the　gallery　with　horrible　goblins；　against　whom　the

Prince　had　to　fight　for　his　life。　Though　he　had　only　his　dagger；　he

defended　himself　so　well　that　he　escaped　without　any　harm；　and

presently　the　old　Fairy　stopped　the　fray　and　asked　the　Prince　if

he　was　still　of　the　same　mind。　When　he　answered　firmly　that　he

was；　she　called　up　the　appearance　of　the　Princess　Sunbeam　to　the

other　end　of　the　gallery；　and　said：



‘You　see　your　beloved　there？　Take　care　what　you　are　about；

for　if　you　again　refuse　to　marry　me　she　shall　be　torn　in　pieces　by

two　tigers。'



The　Prince　was　distracted；　for　he　fancied　he　heard　his　dear

shepherdess　weeping　and　begging　him　to　save　her。　In　despair　he

cried：



‘Oh；　Fairy　Douceline；　have　you　abandoned　me　after　so　many

promises　of　friendship？　Help；　help　us　now！'



Immediately　a　soft　voice　said　in　his　ear：



‘Be　firm；　happen　what　may；　and　seek　the　Golden　Branch。'



Thus　encouraged；　the　Prince　persevered　in　his　refusal；　and　at

length　the　old　Fairy　in　a　fury　cried：



‘Get　out　of　my　sight；　obstinate　Prince。　Become　a　Cricket！'



And　instantly　the　handsome　Prince　Peerless　became　a　poor　little

black　Cricket；　whose　only　idea　would　have　been　to　find　himself　a

cosy　cranny　behind　some　blazing　hearth；　if　he　had　not　luckily

remembered　the　Fairy　Douceline's　injunction　to　seek　the　Golden　Branch。



So　he　hastened　to　depart　from　the　fatal　castle；　and　sought　shelter

in　a　hollow　tree；　where　he　found　a　forlorn　looking　little　Grasshopper

crouching　in　a　corner；　too　miserable　to　sing。



Without　in　the　least　expecting　an　answer；　the　Prince　asked　it：



‘And　where　may　you　be　going；　Gammer　Grasshopper？'



‘Where　are　you　going　yourself；　Gaffer　Cricket？'　replied　the　Grasshopper。



‘What！　can　you　speak？'　said　he。



‘Why　should　I　not　speak　as　well　as　you？　Isn't　a　Grasshopper

as　good　as　a　Cricket？'　said　she。



‘I　can　talk　because　I　was　a　Prince；'　said　the　Cricket。



‘And　for　that　very　same　reason　I　ought　to　be　able　to　talk　more

than　you；　for　I　was　a　Princess；'　replied　the　Grasshopper。



‘Then　you　have　met　with　the　same　fate　as　I　have；'　said　he。　‘But

where　are　you　going　now？　Cannot　we　journey　together？'



‘I　seemed　to　hear　a　voice　in　the　air　which　said：　‘‘Be　firm；

happen　what　may；　and　seek　the　Golden　Branch；''　'　answered　the

Grasshopper；　‘and　I　thought　the　command　must　be　for　me；　so　I

started　at　once；　though　I　don't　know　the　way。'



At　this　moment　their　conversation　was　interrupted　by　two　mice；

who；　breathless　from　running；　flung　themselves　headlong　through

the　hole　into　the　tree；　nearly　crushing　the　Grasshopper　and　the

Cricket；　though　they　got　out　of　the　way　as　fast　as　they　could　and

stood　up　in　a　dark　corner。



‘Ah；　Madam；'　said　the　fatter　of　the　two；　‘I　have　such　a　pain　in

my　side　from　running　so　fast。　How　does　your　Highness　find　yourself？'



‘I　have　pulled　my　tail　off；'　replied　the　younger　Mouse；　‘but　as　I

should　still　be　on　the　sorcerer's　table　unless　I　had；　I　do　not　regret

it。　Are　we　pursued；　think　you？　How　lucky　we　were　to　escape！'



‘I　only　trust　that　we　may　escape　cats　and　traps；　and　reach　the

Golden　Branch　soon；'　said　the　fat　Mouse。



‘You　know　the　way　then？'　said　the　other。



‘Oh　dear；　yes！　as　well　as　the　way　to　my　own　house；　Madam。

This　Golden　Branch　is　indeed　a　marvel；　a　single　leaf　from　it　makes

one　rich　for　ever。　It　breaks　enchantments；　and　makes　all　who

approach　it　young　and　beautiful。　We　must　set　out　for　it　at　the

break　of　day。'



‘May　we　have　the　honour　of　travelling　with　youthis　respectable

Cricket　and　myself？'　said　the　Grasshopper；　stepping　forward。

‘We　also　are　on　a　pilgrimage　to　the　Golden　Branch。'



The　Mice　courteously　assented；　and　after　many　polite　speeches

the　whole　party　fell　asleep。　With　the　earliest　dawn　they　were　on

their　way；　and　though　the　Mice　were　in　constant　fear　of　being

overtaken　or　trapped；　they　reached　the　Golden　Branch　in　safety。



It　grew　in　the　midst　of　a　wonderful　garden；　all　the　paths　of　which

were　strewn　with　pearls　as　big　as　peas。　The　roses　were　crimson

diamonds；　with　emerald　leaves。　The　pomegranates　were　garnets；

the　marigolds　topazes；　the　daffodils　yellow　diamonds；　the　violets

sapphires；　the　corn…flowers　turquoises；　the　tulips　amethysts；　opals

and　diamonds；　so　that　the　garden　borders　blazed　like　the　sun。　The

Golden　Branch　itself　had　become　as　tall　as　a　forest　tree；　and　sparkled

with　ruby　cherries　to　its　topmost　twig。　No　sooner　had　the　Grasshopper

and　the　Cricket　touched　it　than　they　were　restored　to　their

natural　forms；　and　their　surprise　and　joy　were　great　when　they

recognised　each　other。　At　this　moment　Florimond　and　the　Fairy

Douceline　appeared　in　great　splendour；　and　the　Fairy；　as　she

descended　from　her　chariot；　said　with　a　smile：



‘So　you　two　have　found　one　another　again；　I　see；　but　I　have　still

a　surprise　left　for　you。　Don't　hesitate；　Princess；　to　tell　your　d