diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-8.txt | 4053 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 72603 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 3079035 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/38976-h.htm | 4255 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/a1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10397 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 187594 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/frontis.jpg | bin | 0 -> 156668 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i014.jpg | bin | 0 -> 73635 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i043.jpg | bin | 0 -> 165851 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i055.jpg | bin | 0 -> 180338 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i059.jpg | bin | 0 -> 20111 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i060.jpg | bin | 0 -> 66900 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i062.jpg | bin | 0 -> 191535 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i086.jpg | bin | 0 -> 198900 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i099.jpg | bin | 0 -> 17923 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i100.jpg | bin | 0 -> 75028 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i109.jpg | bin | 0 -> 201184 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i152.jpg | bin | 0 -> 191658 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i155.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19131 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i157.jpg | bin | 0 -> 193469 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i158.jpg | bin | 0 -> 68571 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i166.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18774 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i167.jpg | bin | 0 -> 72112 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i169.jpg | bin | 0 -> 188900 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i185.jpg | bin | 0 -> 16961 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i186.jpg | bin | 0 -> 70970 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i200.jpg | bin | 0 -> 187429 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i205.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19986 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i206.jpg | bin | 0 -> 66193 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i210.jpg | bin | 0 -> 149305 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/i217.jpg | bin | 0 -> 17657 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/l1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10626 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/l2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 12088 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/o1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 12119 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/o2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10836 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/o3.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10732 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/o4.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10442 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/titlepage.jpg | bin | 0 -> 99587 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976-h/images/tree.jpg | bin | 0 -> 15339 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976.txt | 4053 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/38976.zip | bin | 0 -> 72584 bytes |
41 files changed, 12361 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/38976-8.txt b/old/38976-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ba3827 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4053 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and +Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories + +Author: Mary De Morgan + +Illustrator: Walter Crane + +Release Date: February 25, 2012 [EBook #38976] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + + + + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE + +AND OTHER STORIES + +[Illustration: "She was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a +fountain, feeding the gold fish who swam in the water."--FRONTISPIECE.] + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE; + +AND OTHER STORIES + +BY + +MARY DE MORGAN + +[_Author of "On a Pincushion"_] + +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY + +WALTER CRANE + +LONDON: +MACMILLAN & CO: +1886 + + +TO + +MY SIX LITTLE NEPHEWS AND NIECES + +THESE STORIES ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED + +BY + +THEIR LOVING AUNT + +MARY DE MORGAN + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE 1 + +THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON 43 + +THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN 79 + +THE PEDLAR'S PACK 131 + +THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT 140 + +THE THREE CLEVER KINGS 157 + +THE WISE PRINCESS 175 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +1. _Frontispiece._ + PAGE + +2. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "PRINCESS FIORIMONDE" 1 + +3. THE PRINCESS AND HER LOOKING-GLASS _To face_ 29 + +4. GERVAISE WITH THE NECKLACE " 39 + +5. TAILPIECE 42 + +6. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON" 43 + +7. ARASMON AND CHRYSEA PLAYING TO THE VILLAGERS _To face_ 44 + +8. ARASMON PLAYING BEFORE THE KING " 66 + +9. TAILPIECE 78 + +10. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN" 79 + +11. THE PRINCE AND THE WIZARD _To face_ 87 + +12. THE PRISON WINDOW " 128 + +13. TAILPIECE 130 + +14. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "THE PEDLAR'S PACK" 131 + +15. THE PEDLAR AND THE DONKEY _To face_ 131 + +16. TAILPIECE 139 + +17. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT" 140 + +18. THE IMP AND THE BAKER _To face_ 141 + +19. TAILPIECE 156 + +20. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE THREE CLEVER KINGS" 157 + +21. THE THREE CLEVER KINGS _To face_ 170 + +22. TAILPIECE 174 + +23. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE WISE PRINCESS" 175 + +24. THE WISE PRINCESS ON THE SEA-SHORE _To face_ 178 + +25. TAILPIECE 184 + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE + +[Illustration] + + +Once there lived a King, whose wife was dead, but who had a most beautiful +daughter--so beautiful that every one thought she must be good as well, +instead of which the Princess was really very wicked, and practised +witchcraft and black magic, which she had learned from an old witch who +lived in a hut on the side of a lonely mountain. This old witch was wicked +and hideous, and no one but the King's daughter knew that she lived there; +but at night, when every one else was asleep, the Princess, whose name was +Fiorimonde, used to visit her by stealth to learn sorcery. It was only the +witch's arts which had made Fiorimonde so beautiful that there was no one +like her in the world, and in return the Princess helped her with all her +tricks, and never told any one she was there. + +The time came when the King began to think he should like his daughter to +marry, so he summoned his council and said, "We have no son to reign after +our death, so we had best seek for a suitable prince to marry to our royal +daughter, and then, when we are too old, he shall be king in our stead." +And all the council said he was very wise, and it would be well for the +Princess to marry. So heralds were sent to all the neighbouring kings and +princes to say that the King would choose a husband for the Princess, who +should be king after him. But when Fiorimonde heard this she wept with +rage, for she knew quite well that if she had a husband he would find out +how she went to visit the old witch, and would stop her practising magic, +and then she would lose her beauty. + +When night came, and every one in the palace was fast asleep, the Princess +went to her bedroom window and softly opened it. Then she took from her +pocket a handful of peas and held them out of the window and chirruped low, +and there flew down from the roof a small brown bird and sat upon her wrist +and began to eat the peas. No sooner had it swallowed them than it began to +grow and grow and grow till it was so big that the Princess could not hold +it, but let it stand on the window-sill, and still it grew and grew and +grew till it was as large as an ostrich. Then the Princess climbed out of +the window and seated herself on the bird's back, and at once it flew +straight away over the tops of the trees till it came to the mountain where +the old witch dwelt, and stopped in front of the door of her hut. + +The Princess jumped off, and muttered some words through the keyhole, when +a croaking voice from within called, + +"Why do you come to-night? Have I not told you I wished to be left alone +for thirteen nights; why do you disturb me?" + +"But I beg of you to let me in," said the Princess, "for I am in trouble +and want your help." + +"Come in then," said the voice; and the door flew open, and the Princess +trod into the hut, in the middle of which, wrapped in a gray cloak which +almost hid her, sat the witch. Princess Fiorimonde sat down near her, and +told her, her story. How the King wished her to marry, and had sent word to +the neighbouring princes, that they might make offers for her. + +"This is truly bad hearing," croaked the witch, "but we shall beat them +yet; and you must deal with each Prince as he comes. Would you like them to +become dogs, to come at your call, or birds, to fly in the air, and sing of +your beauty, or will you make them all into beads, the beads of such a +necklace as never woman wore before, so that they may rest upon your neck, +and you may take them with you always." + +"The necklace! the necklace!" cried the Princess, clapping her hands with +joy. "That will be best of all, to sling them upon a string and wear them +around my throat. Little will the courtiers know whence come my new +jewels." + +"But this is a dangerous play," quoth the witch, "for, unless you are very +careful, you yourself may become a bead and hang upon the string with the +others, and there you will remain till some one cuts the string, and draws +you off." + +"Nay, never fear," said the Princess, "I will be careful, only tell me what +to do, and I will have great princes and kings to adorn me, and all their +greatness shall not help them." + +Then the witch dipped her hand into a black bag which stood on the ground +beside her, and drew out a long gold thread. + +The ends were joined together, but no one could see the joins, and however +much you pulled, it would not break. It would easily go over Fiorimonde's +head, and the witch slipped it on her neck saying, + +"Now mind, while this hangs here you are safe enough, but if once you join +your fingers around the string you too will meet the fate of your lovers, +and hang upon it yourself. As for the kings and princes who would marry +you, all you have to do is to make them close their fingers around the +chain, and at once they will be strung upon it as bright hard beads, and +there they shall remain, till it is cut and they drop off." + +"This is really delightful," cried the Princess; "and I am already quite +impatient for the first to come that I may try." + +"And now," said the witch, "since you are here, and there is yet time, we +will have a dance, and I will summon the guests." So saying, she took from +a corner a drum and a pair of drum-sticks, and going to the door, began to +beat upon it. It made a terrible rattling. In a moment came flying through +the air all sorts of forms. There were little dark elves with long tails, +and goblins who chattered and laughed, and other witches who rode on +broom-sticks. There was one wicked fairy in the form of a large cat, with +bright green eyes, and another came sliding in like a long shining viper. + +Then, when all had arrived, the witch stopped drumming, and, going to the +middle of the hut, stamped on the floor, and a trap-door opened in the +ground. The old witch stepped through it, and led the way down a narrow +dark passage, to a large underground chamber, and all her strange guests +followed, and here they all danced and made merry in a terrible way, but at +first sound of cock-crow all the guests disappeared with a whiff, and the +Princess hastened up the dark passage again, and out of the hut to where +her big bird still waited for her, and mounting its back she flew home in a +trice. Then, when she had stepped in at her bedroom window, she poured into +a cup from a small black bottle, a few drops of magic water, and gave it to +the bird to drink, and as it sipped it grew smaller, and smaller, till at +last it had quite regained its natural size, and hopped on to the roof as +before, and the Princess shut her window, and got into bed, and fell +asleep, and no one knew of her strange journey, or where she had been. + +Next day Fiorimonde declared to her father the King, that she was quite +willing to wed any prince he should fix upon as a husband for her, at which +he was much pleased, and soon after informed her, that a young king was +coming from over the sea to be her husband. He was king of a large rich +country, and would take back his bride with him to his home. He was called +King Pierrot. Great preparations were made for his arrival, and the +Princess was decked in her finest array to greet him, and when he came all +the courtiers said, "This is truly a proper husband for our beautiful +Princess," for he was strong and handsome, with black hair, and eyes like +sloes. King Pierrot was delighted with Fiorimonde's beauty, and was happy +as the day is long; and all things went merrily till the evening before the +marriage. A great feast was held, at which the Princess looked lovelier +than ever dressed in a red gown, the colour of the inside of a rose, but +she wore no jewels nor ornaments of any kind, save one shining gold string +round her milk-white throat. + +When the feast was done, the Princess stepped from her golden chair at her +father's side, and walked softly into the garden, and stood under an +elm-tree looking at the shining moon. In a few moments King Pierrot +followed her, and stood beside her, looking at her and wondering at her +beauty. + +"To-morrow, then, my sweet Princess, you will be my Queen, and share all I +possess. What gift would you wish me to give you on our wedding day?" + +"I would have a necklace wrought of the finest gold and jewels to be found, +and just the length of this gold cord which I wear around my throat," +answered Princess Fiorimonde. + +"Why do you wear that cord?" asked King Pierrot; "it has no jewel nor +ornament about it." + +"Nay, but there is no cord like mine in all the world," cried Fiorimonde, +and her eyes sparkled wickedly as she spoke; "it is as light as a feather, +but stronger than an iron chain. Take it in both hands and try to break it, +that you may see how strong it is;" and King Pierrot took the cord in both +hands to pull it hard; but no sooner were his fingers closed around it than +he vanished like a puff of smoke, and on the cord appeared a bright, +beautiful bead--so bright and beautiful as was never bead before--clear as +crystal, but shining with all colours--green, blue, and gold. + +Princess Fiorimonde gazed down at it and laughed aloud. + +"Aha, my proud lover! are you there?" she cried with glee; "my necklace +bids fair to beat all others in the world," and she caressed the bead with +the tips of her soft, white fingers, but was careful that they did not +close round the string. Then she returned into the banqueting hall, and +spoke to the King. + +"Pray, sire," said she, "send some one at once to find King Pierrot, for, +as he was talking to me a minute ago, he suddenly left me, and I am afraid +lest I may have given him offence, or perhaps he is ill." + +The King desired that the servants should seek for King Pierrot all over +the grounds, and seek him they did, but nowhere was he to be found, and the +old King looked offended. + +"Doubtless he will be ready to-morrow in time for the wedding," quoth he, +"but we are not best pleased that he should treat us in this way." + +Princess Fiorimonde had a little maid called Yolande. She was a +bright-faced girl with merry brown eyes, but she was not beautiful like +Fiorimonde, and she did not love her mistress, for she was afraid of her, +and suspected her of her wicked ways. When she undressed her that night she +noticed the gold cord, and the one bright bead upon it, and as she combed +the Princess's hair she looked over her shoulder into the looking-glass, +and saw how she laughed, and how fondly she looked at the cord, and +caressed the bead, again and again with her fingers. + +"That is a wonderful bead on your Highness's cord," said Yolande, looking +at its reflection in the mirror; "surely it must be a bridal gift from King +Pierrot." + +"And so it is, little Yolande," cried Fiorimonde, laughing merrily; "and +the best gift he could give me. But I think one bead alone looks ugly and +ungainly; soon I hope I shall have another, and another, and another, all +as beautiful as the first." + +Then Yolande shook her head, and said to herself, "This bodes no good." + +Next morning all was prepared for the marriage, and the Princess was +dressed in white satin and pearls with a long white lace veil over her, and +a bridal wreath on her head, and she stood waiting among her grandly +dressed ladies, who all said that such a beautiful bride had never been +seen in the world before. But just as they were preparing to go down to the +fine company in the hall, a messenger came in great haste summoning the +Princess at once to her father the King, as he was much perplexed. + +"My daughter," cried he, as Fiorimonde in all her bridal array entered the +room where he sat alone, "what can we do? King Pierrot is nowhere to be +found; I fear lest he may have been seized by robbers and basely murdered +for his rich clothes, or carried away to some mountain and left there to +starve. My soldiers are gone far and wide to seek him--and we shall hear +of him ere day is done--but where there is no bridegroom there can be no +bridal." + +"Then let it be put off, my father," cried the Princess, "and to-morrow we +shall know if it is for a wedding, or a funeral, we must dress;" and she +pretended to weep, but even then could hardly keep from laughing. + +So the wedding guests went away, and the Princess laid aside her bridal +dress, and all waited anxiously for news of King Pierrot; and no news came. +So at last every one gave him up for dead, and mourned for him, and +wondered how he had met his fate. + +Princess Fiorimonde put on a black gown, and begged to be allowed to live +in seclusion for one month in which to grieve for King Pierrot; but when +she was again alone in her bedroom she sat before her looking-glass and +laughed till tears ran down her cheeks; and Yolande watched her, and +trembled, when she heard her laughter. She noticed, too, that beneath her +black gown, the Princess still wore her gold cord, and did not move it +night or day. + +The month had barely passed away when the King came to his daughter, and +announced that another suitor had presented himself, whom he should much +like to be her husband. The Princess agreed quite obediently to all her +father said; and it was arranged that the marriage should take place. This +new prince was called Prince Hildebrandt. He came from a country far north, +of which one day he would be king. He was tall, and fair, and strong, with +flaxen hair and bright blue eyes. When Princess Fiorimonde saw his portrait +she was much pleased, and said, "By all means let him come, and the sooner +the better." So she put off her black clothes, and again great preparations +were made for a wedding; and King Pierrot was quite forgotten. + +Prince Hildebrandt came, and with him many fine gentlemen, and they brought +beautiful gifts for the bride. The evening of his arrival all went well, +and again there was a grand feast, and Fiorimonde looked so beautiful that +Prince Hildebrandt was delighted; and this time she did not leave her +father's side, but sat by him all the evening. + +Early next morning at sunrise, when every one was still sleeping, the +Princess rose, and dressed herself in a plain white gown, and brushed all +her hair over her shoulders, and crept quietly downstairs into the palace +gardens; then she walked on till she came beneath the window of Prince +Hildebrandt's room, and here she paused and began to sing a little song as +sweet and joyous as a lark's. When Prince Hildebrandt heard it he got up +and went to the window and looked out to see who sang, and when he saw +Fiorimonde standing in the red sunrise-light, which made her hair look +gold, and her face rosy, he made haste to dress himself and go down to meet +her. + +"How, my Princess," cried he, as he stepped into the garden beside her. +"This is indeed great happiness to meet you here so early. Tell me why do +you come out at sunrise to sing by yourself?" + +"I come that I may see the colours of the sky--red, blue, and gold," +answered the Princess. "Look, there are no such colours to be seen +anywhere, unless, indeed, it be in this bead which I wear here on my +golden cord. + +"What is that bead, and where did it come from?" asked Hildebrandt. + +"It came from over the sea, where it shall never return again," answered +the Princess. And again her eyes began to sparkle with eagerness, and she +could scarcely conceal her mirth. "Lift the cord off my neck and look at it +near, and tell me if you ever saw one like it." + +Hildebrandt put out his hands and took hold of the cord, but no sooner were +his fingers closed around it than he vanished, and a new bright bead was +slung next to the first one on Fiorimonde's chain, and this one was even +more beautiful than the other. + +The Princess gave a long low laugh, quite terrible to hear. + +"Oh, my sweet necklace," cried she, "how beautiful you are growing! I think +I love you more than anything in the world besides." Then she went softly +back to bed, without any one hearing her, and fell sound asleep, and slept +till Yolande came to tell her it was time for her to get up and dress for +the wedding. + +The Princess was dressed in gorgeous clothes, and only Yolande noticed that +beneath her satin gown, she wore the golden cord, but now there were two +beads upon it instead of one. Scarcely was she ready when the King burst +into her room in a towering rage. + +"My daughter," cried he, "there is a plot against us. Lay aside your bridal +attire and think no more of Prince Hildebrandt, for he too has disappeared, +and is nowhere to be found." + +At this the Princess wept, and entreated that Hildebrandt should be sought +for far and near, but she laughed to herself, and said, "Search where you +will, yet you shall not find him;" and so again a great search was made, +and when no trace of the Prince was found, all the palace was in an uproar. + +The Princess again put off her bride's dress and clad herself in black, and +sat alone, and pretended to weep, but Yolande, who watched her, shook her +head, and said, "More will come and go before the wicked Princess has done +her worst." + +A month passed, in which Fiorimonde pretended to mourn for Hildebrandt, +then she went to the King and said, + +"Sire, I pray that you will not let people say that when any bridegroom +comes to marry me, as soon as he has seen me he flies rather than be my +husband. I beg that suitors may be summoned from far and near that I may +not be left alone unwed." + +The King agreed, and envoys were sent all the world over to bid any who +would come and be the husband of Princess Fiorimonde. And come they did, +kings and princes from south and north, east and west,--King Adrian, Prince +Sigbert, Prince Algar, and many more,--but though all went well till the +wedding morning, when it was time to go to church, no bridegroom was to be +found. The old King was sadly frightened, and would fain have given up all +hope of finding a husband for the Princess, but now she implored him, with +tears in her eyes, not to let her be disgraced in this way. And so suitor +after suitor continued to come, and now it was known, far and wide, that +whoever came to ask for the hand of Princess Fiorimonde vanished, and was +seen no more of men. The courtiers were afraid and whispered under their +breath, "It is not all right, it cannot be;" but only Yolande noticed how +the beads came upon the golden thread, till it was well-nigh covered, yet +there always was room for one bead more. + +So the years passed, and every year Princess Fiorimonde grew lovelier and +lovelier, so that no one who saw her could guess how wicked she was. + +In a far off country lived a young prince whose name was Florestan. He had +a dear friend named Gervaise, whom he loved better than any one in the +world. Gervaise was tall, and broad, and stout of limb, and he loved Prince +Florestan so well, that he would gladly have died to serve him. + +It chanced that Prince Florestan saw a portrait of Princess Fiorimonde, and +at once swore he would go to her father's court, and beg that he might +have her for his wife, and Gervaise in vain tried to dissuade him. + +"There is an evil fate about the Princess Fiorimonde," quoth he; "many have +gone to marry her, but where are they now?" + +"I don't know or care," answered Florestan, "but this is sure, that I will +wed her and return here, and bring my bride with me." + +So he set out for Fiorimonde's home, and Gervaise went with him with a +heavy heart. + +When they reached the court, the old King received them and welcomed them +warmly, and he said to his courtiers, "Here is a fine young prince to whom +we would gladly see our daughter wed. Let us hope that this time all will +be well." But now Fiorimonde had grown so bold, that she scarcely tried to +conceal her mirth. + +"I will gladly marry him to-morrow, if he comes to the church," she said; +"but if he is not there, what can I do," and she laughed long and merrily, +till those who heard her shuddered. + +When the Princess's ladies came to tell her that Prince Florestan was +arrived, she was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a fountain, +feeding the gold fish who swam in the water. + +"Bid him come to me," she said, "for I will not go any more in state to +meet any suitors, neither will I put on grand attire for them. Let him come +and find me as I am, since all find it so easy to come and go." So her +ladies told the prince that Fiorimonde waited for him near the fountain. + +She did not rise when he came to where she lay, but his heart bounded with +joy, for he had never in his life beheld such a beautiful woman. + +She wore a thin soft white dress, which clung to her lithe figure. Her +beautiful arms and hands were bare, and she dabbled with them in the water, +and played with the fish. Her great blue eyes were sparkling with mirth, +and were so beautiful, that no one noticed the wicked look hid in them; and +on her neck lay the marvellous many-coloured necklace, which was itself a +wonder to behold. + +"You have my best greetings, Prince Florestan," she said. "And you, too, +would be my suitor. Have you thought well of what you would do, since so +many princes who have seen me have fled for ever, rather than marry me?" +and as she spoke, she raised her white hand from the water, and held it out +to the Prince, who stooped and kissed it, and scarcely knew how to answer +her for bewilderment at her great loveliness. + +Gervaise followed his master at a short distance, but he was ill at ease, +and trembled for fear of what should come. + +"Come, bid your friend leave us," said Fiorimonde, looking at Gervaise, +"and sit beside me, and tell me of your home, and why you wish to marry me, +and all pleasant things." + +Florestan begged that Gervaise would leave them for a little, and he walked +slowly away, in a very mournful mood. + +He went on down the walks, not heeding where he was going, till he met +Yolande, who stood beneath a tree laden with rosy apples, picking the +fruit, and throwing it into a basket at her feet. He would have passed her +in silence, but she stopped him, and said, + +"Have you come with the new Prince? Do you love your master?" + +"Ay, better than any one else on the earth," answered Gervaise. "Why do you +ask?" + +"And where is he now," said Yolande, not heeding Gervaise's question. + +"He sits by the fountain with the beautiful Princess," said Gervaise. + +"Then, I hope you have said good-bye to him well, for be assured you shall +never see him again," said Yolande nodding her head. + +"Why not, and who are you to talk like this?" asked Gervaise. + +"My name is Yolande," answered she, "and I am Princess Fiorimonde's maid. +Do you not know that Prince Florestan is the eleventh lover who has come to +marry her, and one by one they have disappeared, and only I know where they +are gone." + +"And where are they gone?" cried Gervaise, "and why do you not tell the +world, and prevent good men being lost like this?" + +"Because I fear my mistress," said Yolande, speaking low and drawing near +to him; "she is a sorceress, and she wears the brave kings and princes who +come to woo her, strung upon a cord round her neck. Each one forms the bead +of a necklace which she wears, both day and night. I have watched that +necklace growing; first it was only an empty gold thread; then came King +Pierrot, and when he disappeared the first bead appeared upon it. Then came +Hildebrandt, and two beads were on the string instead of one; then followed +Adrian, Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Baldwyn, and +Leofric, and Raoul, and all are gone, and ten beads hang upon the string, +and to-night there will be eleven, and the eleventh will be your Prince +Florestan." + +"If this be so," cried Gervaise, "I will never rest till I have plunged my +sword into Fiorimonde's heart;" but Yolande shook her head. + +"She is a sorceress," she said, "and it might be hard to kill her; besides, +that might not break the spell, and bring back the princes to life. I wish +I could show you the necklace, and you might count the beads, and see if I +do not speak truth, but it is always about her neck, both night and day, so +it is impossible." + +"Take me to her room to-night when she is asleep, and let me see it there," +said Gervaise. + +"Very well, we will try," said Yolande; "but you must be very still, and +make no noise, for if she wakes, remember it will be worse for us both." + +When night came and all in the palace were fast asleep, Gervaise and +Yolande met in the great hall, and Yolande told him that the Princess +slumbered soundly. + +"So now let us go," said she, "and I will show you the necklace on which +Fiorimonde wears her lovers strung like beads, though how she transforms +them I know not." + +"Stay one instant, Yolande," said Gervaise, holding her back, as she would +have tripped upstairs. "Perhaps, try how I may, I shall be beaten, and +either die or become a bead like those who have come before me. But if I +succeed and rid the land of your wicked Princess, what will you promise me +for a reward?" + +"What would you have?" asked Yolande. + +"I would have you say you will be my wife, and come back with me to my own +land," said Gervaise. + +"That I will promise gladly," said Yolande, kissing him, "but we must not +speak or think of this till we have cut the cord from Fiorimonde's neck, +and all her lovers are set free." + +So they went softly up to the Princess's room, Yolande holding a small +lantern, which gave only a dim light. There, in her grand bed, lay Princess +Fiorimonde. They could just see her by the lantern's light, and she looked +so beautiful that Gervaise began to think Yolande spoke falsely, when she +said she was so wicked. + +Her face was calm and sweet as a baby's; her hair fell in ruddy waves on +the pillow; her rosy lips smiled, and little dimples showed in her cheeks; +her white soft hands were folded amidst the scented lace and linen of which +the bed was made. Gervaise almost forgot to look at the glittering beads +hung round her throat, in wondering at her loveliness, but Yolande pulled +him by the arm. + +"Do not look at her," she whispered softly, "since her beauty has cost dear +already; look rather at what remains of those who thought her as fair as +you do now; see here," and she pointed with her finger to each bead in +turn. + +"This was Pierrot, and this Hildebrandt, and these are Adrian, and Sigbert, +and Algar, and Cenred, and that is Pharamond, and that Raoul, and last of +all here is your own master Prince Florestan. Seek him now where you will +and you will not find him, and you shall never see him again till the cord +is cut and the charm broken." + +"Of what is the cord made?" whispered Gervaise. + +"It is of the finest gold," she answered. "Nay, do not you touch her lest +she wake. I will show it to you." And Yolande put down the lantern and +softly put out her hands to slip the beads aside, but as she did so, her +fingers closed around the golden string, and directly she was gone. Another +bead was added to the necklace, and Gervaise was alone with the sleeping +Princess. He gazed about him in sore amazement and fear. He dared not call +lest Fiorimonde should wake. + +"Yolande," he whispered as loud as he dared, "Yolande where are you?" but +no Yolande answered. + +Then he bent down over the Princess and gazed at the necklace. Another bead +was strung upon it next to the one to which Yolande had pointed as Prince +Florestan. Again he counted them. "Eleven before, now there are twelve. Oh +hateful Princess! I know now where go the brave kings and princes who came +to woo you, and where, too, is my Yolande," and as he looked at the last +bead, tears filled his eyes. It was brighter and clearer than the others, +and of a warm red hue, like the red dress Yolande had worn. The Princess +turned and laughed in her sleep, and at the sound of her laughter Gervaise +was filled with horror and loathing. He crept shuddering from the room, and +all night long sat up alone, plotting how he might defeat Fiorimonde, and +set Florestan and Yolande free. + +[Illustration: "Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her +necklace and counted its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead +was added to the string."--P. 29.] + +Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her necklace and counted +its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead was added to the +string. + +"Who can have come and grasped my chain unknown to me?" she said to +herself, and she sat and pondered for a long time. At last she broke into +weird laughter. + +"At any rate, whoever it was, is fitly punished," quoth she. "My brave +necklace, you can take care of yourself, and if any one tries to steal you, +they will get their reward, and add to my glory. In truth I may sleep in +peace, and fear nothing." + +The day passed away and no one missed Yolande. Towards sunset the rain +began to pour in torrents, and there was such a terrible thunderstorm that +every one was frightened. The thunder roared, the lightning gleamed flash +after flash, every moment it grew fiercer and fiercer. The sky was so dark +that, save for the lightning's light, nothing could be seen, but Princess +Fiorimonde loved the thunder and lightning. + +She sat in a room high up in one of the towers, clad in a black velvet +dress, and she watched the lightning from the window, and laughed at each +peal of thunder. In the midst of the storm a stranger, wrapped in a cloak, +rode to the palace door, and the ladies ran to tell the Princess that a new +prince had come to be her suitor. "And he will not tell his name," said +they, "but says he hears that all are bidden to ask for the hand of +Princess Fiorimonde, and he too would try his good fortune." + +"Let him come at once," cried the Princess. "Be he prince or knave what +care I? If princes all fly from me it may be better to marry a peasant." + +So they led the new-comer up to the room where Fiorimonde sat. He was +wrapped in a thick cloak, but he flung it aside as he came in, and showed +how rich was his silken clothing underneath; and so well was he disguised, +that Fiorimonde never saw that it was Gervaise, but looked at him, and +thought she had never seen him before. + +"You are most welcome, stranger prince, who has come through such +lightning and thunder to find me," said she. "Is it true, then, that you +wish to be my suitor? What have you heard of me?" + +"It is quite true, Princess," said Gervaise. "And I have heard that you are +the most beautiful woman in the world." + +"And is that true also?" asked the Princess. "Look at me now, and see." + +Gervaise looked at her and in his heart he said, "It is quite true, oh +wicked Princess! There never was woman as beautiful as you, and never +before did I hate a woman as I hate you now;" but aloud he said, + +"No, Princess, that is not true; you are very beautiful, but I have seen a +woman who is fairer than you for all that your skin looks ivory against +your velvet dress, and your hair is like gold." + +"A woman who is fairer than I?" cried Fiorimonde, and her breast began to +heave and her eyes to sparkle with rage, for never before had she heard +such a thing said. "Who are you who dares come and tell me of women more +beautiful than I am?" + +"I am a suitor who asks to be your husband, Princess," answered Gervaise, +"but still I say I have seen a woman who was fairer than you." + +"Who is she--where is she?" cried Fiorimonde, who could scarcely contain +her anger. "Bring her here at once that I may see if you speak the truth." + +"What will you give me to bring her to you?" said Gervaise. "Give me that +necklace you wear on your neck, and then I will summon her in an instant;" +but Fiorimonde shook her head. + +"You have asked," said she, "for the only thing from which I cannot part," +and then she bade her maids bring her her jewel-casket, and she drew out +diamonds, and rubies, and pearls, and offered them, all or any, to +Gervaise. The lightning shone on them and made them shine and flash, but he +shook his head. + +"No, none of these will do," quoth he. "You can see her for the necklace, +but for nothing else." + +"Take it off for yourself then," cried Fiorimonde, who now was so angry +that she only wished to be rid of Gervaise in any way. + +"No, indeed," said Gervaise, "I am no tire-woman, and should not know how +to clasp and unclasp it;" and in spite of all Fiorimonde could say or do, +he would not touch either her or the magic chain. + +At night the storm grew even fiercer, but it did not trouble the Princess. +She waited till all were asleep, and then she opened her bedroom window and +chirruped softly to the little brown bird, who flew down from the roof at +her call. Then she gave him a handful of seeds as before, and he grew and +grew and grew till he was as large as an ostrich, and she sat upon his back +and flew out through the air, laughing at the lightning and thunder which +flashed and roared around her. Away they flew till they came to the old +witch's cave, and here they found the witch sitting at her open door +catching the lightning to make charms with. + +"Welcome, my dear," croaked she, as Fiorimonde stepped from the bird; "here +is a night we both love well. And how goes the necklace?--right merrily I +see. Twelve beads already--but what is that twelfth?" and she looked at it +closely. + +"Nay, that is one thing I want you to tell me," said Fiorimonde, drying the +rain from her golden hair. "Last night when I slept there were eleven, and +this morning there are twelve; and I know not from whence comes the +twelfth." + +"It is no suitor," said the witch, "but from some young maid, that that +bead is made. But why should you mind? It looks well with the others." + +"Some young maid," said the Princess. "Then, it must be Cicely or Marybel, +or Yolande, who would have robbed me of my necklace as I slept. But what +care I? The silly wench is punished now, and so may all others be, who +would do the same." + +"And when will you get the thirteenth bead, and where will he come from?" +asked the witch. + +"He waits at the palace now," said Fiorimonde, chuckling. "And this is why +I have to speak to you;" and then she told the witch of the stranger who +had come in the storm, and of how he would not touch her necklace, nor take +the cord in his hand, and how he said also that he knew a woman fairer than +she. + +"Beware, Princess, beware," cried the witch in a warning voice, as she +listened. "Why should you heed tales of other women fairer than you? Have I +not made you the most beautiful woman in the world, and can any others do +more than I? Give no ear to what this stranger says or you shall rue it." +But still the Princess murmured, and said she did not love to hear any one +speak of others as beautiful as she. + +"Be warned in time," cried the witch, "or you will have cause to repent it. +Are you so silly or so vain as to be troubled because a Prince says idly +what you know is not true? I tell you do not listen to him, but let him be +slung to your chain as soon as may be, and then he will speak no more." And +then they talked together of how Fiorimonde could make Gervaise grasp the +fatal string. + +Next morning when the sun rose, Gervaise started off into the woods, and +there he plucked acorns and haws, and hips, and strung them on to a string +to form a rude necklace. This he hid in his bosom, and then went back to +the palace without telling any one. + +When the Princess rose, she dressed herself as beautifully as she could, +and braided her golden locks with great care, for this morning she meant +her new suitor to meet his fate. After breakfast, she stepped into the +garden, where the sun shone brightly, and all looked fresh after the storm. +Here from the grass she picked up a golden ball, and began to play with it. + +"Go to our new guest," cried she to her ladies, "and ask him to come here +and play at ball with me." So they went, and soon they returned bringing +Gervaise with them. + +"Good morrow, prince," cried she. "Pray, come and try your skill at this +game with me; and you," she said to her ladies, "do not wait to watch our +play, but each go your way, and do what pleases you best." So they all went +away, and left her alone with Gervaise. + +"Well, prince," cried she as they began to play, "what do you think of me +by morning light? Yesterday when you came it was so dark, with thunder and +clouds, that you could scarcely see my face, but now that there is bright +sunshine, pray look well at me, and see if you do not think me as beautiful +as any woman on earth," and she smiled at Gervaise, and looked so lovely as +she spoke, that he scarce knew how to answer her; but he remembered +Yolande, and said, + +"Doubtless you are very beautiful; then why should you mind my telling you +that I have seen a woman lovelier than you?" + +At this the Princess again began to be angry, but she thought of the +witch's words and said, + +"Then, if you think there is a woman fairer than I, look at my beads, and +now, that you see their colours in the sun, say if you ever saw such jewels +before." + +"It is true I have never seen beads like yours, but I have a necklace here, +which pleases me better;" and from his pocket he drew the haws and acorns, +which he had strung together. + +"What is that necklace, and where did you get it? Show it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde; but Gervaise held it out of her reach, and said, + +"I like my necklace better than yours, Princess; and, believe me, there is +no necklace like mine in all the world." + +"Why; is it a fairy necklace? What does it do? Pray give it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde, trembling with anger and curiosity, for she thought, "Perhaps +it has power to make the wearer beautiful; perhaps it was worn by the woman +whom he thought more beautiful than I, and that is why she looked so fair." + +"Come, I will make a fair exchange," said Gervaise. "Give me your necklace +and you shall have mine, and when it is round your throat I will truthfully +say that you are the fairest woman in the world; but first I must have your +necklace." + +[Illustration: "Then he picked up the necklace on the point of his sword +and carried it, slung thereon, into the council chamber."--P. 39.] + +"Take it, then," cried the Princess, who, in her rage and eagerness, forgot +all else, and she seized the string of beads to lift it from her neck, but +no sooner had she taken it in her hands than they fell with a rattle to the +earth, and Fiorimonde herself was nowhere to be seen. Gervaise bent down +over the necklace as it lay upon the grass, and, with a smile, counted +thirteen beads; and he knew that the thirteenth was the wicked Princess, +who had herself met the evil fate she had prepared for so many others. + +"Oh, clever Princess!" cried he, laughing aloud, "you are not so very +clever, I think, to be so easily outwitted." Then he picked up the necklace +on the point of the sword and carried it, slung thereon, into the council +chamber, where sat the King surrounded by statesmen and courtiers busy with +state affairs. + +"Pray, King," said Gervaise, "send some one to seek for Princess +Fiorimonde. A moment ago she played with me at ball in the garden, and now +she is nowhere to be seen." + +The King desired that servants should seek her Royal Highness; but they +came back saying she was not to be found. + +"Then let me see if I cannot bring her to you; but first let those who have +been longer lost than she, come and tell their own tale." And, so saying, +Gervaise let the necklace slip from his sword on to the floor, and taking +from his breast a sharp dagger, proceeded to cut the golden thread on which +the beads were strung and as he clave it in two there came a mighty noise +like a clap of thunder. + +"Now;" cried he, "look, and see King Pierrot who was lost," and as he spoke +he drew from the cord a bead, and King Pierrot, in his royal clothes, with +his sword at his side, stood before them. + +"Treachery!" he cried, but ere he could say more Gervaise had drawn off +another bead, and King Hildebrandt appeared, and after him came Adrian, and +Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Raoul, and last of the +princes, Gervaise's own dear master Florestan, and they all denounced +Princess Fiorimonde and her wickedness. + +"And now," cried Gervaise, "here is she who has helped to save you all," +and he drew off the twelfth bead, and there stood Yolande in her red +dress; and when he saw her Gervaise flung away his dagger and took her in +his arms, and they wept for joy. + +The King and all the courtiers sat pale and trembling, unable to speak for +fear and shame. At length the King said with a deep groan, + +"We owe you deep amends, O noble kings and princes! What punishment do you +wish us to prepare for our most guilty daughter?" but here Gervaise stopped +him, and said, + +"Give her no other punishment than what she has chosen for herself. See, +here she is, the thirteenth bead upon the string; let no one dare to draw +it off, but let this string be hung up where all people can see it and see +the one bead, and know the wicked Princess is punished for her sorcery, so +it will be a warning to others who would do like her." + +So they lifted the golden thread with great care and hung it up outside the +town-hall, and there the one bead glittered and gleamed in the sunlight, +and all who saw it knew that it was the wicked Princess Fiorimonde who had +justly met her fate. + +Then all the kings and princes thanked Gervaise and Yolande, and loaded +them with presents, and each went to his own land. + +And Gervaise married Yolande, and they went back with Prince Florestan to +their home, and all lived happily to the end of their lives. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON + +[Illustration] + + +Long ago there lived a wandering musician and his wife, whose names were +Arasmon and Chrysea. Arasmon played upon a lute to which Chrysea sang, and +their music was so beautiful that people followed them in crowds and gave +them as much money as they wanted. When Arasmon played all who heard him +were silent from wonder and admiration, but when Chrysea sang they could +not refrain from weeping, for her voice was more beautiful than anything +they had ever heard before. + +Both were young and lovely, and were as happy as the day was long, for they +loved each other dearly, and liked wandering about seeing new countries +and people and making sweet music. They went to all sorts of places, +sometimes to big cities, sometimes to little villages, sometimes to lonely +cottages by the sea-shore, and sometimes they strolled along the green +lanes and fields, singing and playing so exquisitely, that the very birds +flew down from the trees to listen to them. + +One day they crossed a dark line of hills, and came out on a wild moorland +country, where they had never been before. On the side of the hill they saw +a little village, and at once turned towards it, but as they drew near +Chrysea said, + +"What gloomy place is this? See how dark and miserable it looks." + +[Illustration: "One by one the villagers came out of their cottages, and +gathered round them to listen."--P. 44.] + +"Let us try to cheer it with some music," said Arasmon, and began to play +upon his lute, while Chrysea sang. One by one the villagers came out of +their cottages and gathered round them to listen, but Chrysea thought she +had never before seen such forlorn-looking people. They were thin and bent, +their faces were pale and haggard, also their clothes looked old and +threadbare, and in some places were worn into holes. But they crowded about +Arasmon and Chrysea, and begged them to go on playing and singing, and as +they listened the women shed tears, and the men hid their faces and were +silent. When they stopped, the people began to feel in their pockets as if +to find some coins, but Arasmon cried, + +"Nay, good friends, keep your money for yourselves. You have not too much +of it, to judge by your looks. But let us stay with you for to-night, and +give us food and lodging, and we shall think ourselves well paid, and will +play and sing to you as much as you like." + +"Stay with us as long as you can, stay with us always," begged the people; +and each one entreated to be allowed to receive the strangers and give them +the best they had. So Arasmon and Chrysea played and sang to them till they +were tired, and at last, when the heavy rain began to fall, they turned +towards the village, but as they passed through its narrow streets they +thought the place itself looked even sadder than its inmates. The houses +were ill-built, and seemed to be almost tumbling down. The streets were +uneven and badly kept. In the gardens they saw no flowers, but dank dark +weeds. They went into a cottage which the people pointed out to them, and +Arasmon lay down by the fire, calling to Chrysea to rest also, as they had +walked far, and she must be weary. He soon fell asleep, but Chrysea sat at +the door watching the dark clouds as they drifted over the darker houses. +Outside the cottage hung a blackbird in a cage, with drooping wings and +scanty plumage. It was the only animal they had yet seen in the village, +for of cats or dogs or singing-birds there seemed to be none. + +When she saw it, Chrysea turned to the woman of the house, who stood beside +her, and said, + +"Why don't you let it go? It would be much happier flying about in the +sunshine." + +"The sun never shines here," said the woman sadly. "It could not pierce +through the dark clouds which hang over the village. Besides, we do not +think of happiness. It is as much as we can do to live." + +"But tell me," said Chrysea, "what is it that makes you so sad and your +village such a dreary place? I have been to many towns in my life, but to +none which looked like this." + +"Don't you know," said the woman, "that this place is spell-bound?" + +"Spell-bound?" cried Chrysea. "What do you mean?" + +The woman turned and pointed towards the moor. "Over yonder," she said, +"dwells a terrible old wizard by whom we are bewitched, and he has a number +of little dark elves who are his servants, and these are they who make our +village what you see it. You don't know how sad it is to live here. The +elves steal our eggs, and milk, and poultry, so that there is never enough +for us to eat, and we are half-starved. They pull down our houses, and undo +our work as fast as we do it. They steal our corn when it is standing in +sheaves, so that we find nothing but empty husks;" and as she ceased +speaking the woman sighed heavily. + +"But if they do all this harm," said Chrysea, "why do not some of you go +to the moor and drive them away?" + +"It is part of the spell," said the woman, "that we can neither hear nor +see them. I have heard my grandfather say that in the old time this place +was no different to others, but one day this terrible old magician came and +offered the villagers a great deal of money if they would let him dwell +upon the moor; for before that it was covered with golden gorse and +heather, and the country folk held all their merrymakings there, but they +were tempted with the gold, and sold it, and from that day the elves have +tormented us; and as we cannot see them, we cannot get rid of them, but +must just bear them as best we may." + +"That is a sad way to speak," said Chrysea. "Cannot you find out what the +spell really is and break it?" + +"It is a song," said the woman, "and every night they sing it afresh. It is +said that if any one could go to the moor between midnight and dawn, and +could hear them singing it, and then sing through the tune just as they +themselves do, the charm would be broken, and we should be free. But it +must be some one who has never taken their money, so we cannot do it, for +we can neither see nor hear them." + +"But I have not taken their money," said Chrysea. "And there is no tune I +cannot sing when I have heard it once. So I will go to the moor for you and +break the spell." + +"Nay, do not think of such a thing," cried the woman. "For the elves are +most spiteful, and you don't know what harm they might do to you, even if +you set us free." + +Chrysea said no more, but all the evening she thought of what the woman had +told her, and still stood looking out into the dismal street. When she went +to bed she did not sleep, but lay still till the clock struck one. Then she +rose softly, and wrapping herself in a cloak, opened the door and stepped +out into the rain. As she passed, she looked up and saw the blackbird +crouching in the bottom of its cage. She opened the cage door to let it +fly, but still it did not move, so she lifted it out in her hand. + +"Poor bird!" said she gently; "I wish I could give this village its liberty +as easily as I can give you yours," and carrying it with her she walked on +towards the moor. It was a large waste piece of land, and looked as though +it had been burnt, for the ground was charred and black, and there was no +grass or green plant growing on it, but there were some blackened stumps of +trees, and to these Chrysea went, and hid herself behind one to wait and +see what would come. She watched for a long time without seeing any one, +but at last there rose from the ground not far from her a lurid gleam, +which spread and spread until it became a large circle of light, in the +midst of which she saw small dark figures moving, like ugly little men. The +light was now so bright that she could distinguish each one quite plainly, +and never before had she seen anything so ugly, for they were black as ink, +and their faces were twisted and looked cruel and wicked. + +They joined hands, and, forming a ring, danced slowly round, and, as they +did so, the ground opened, and there rose up in their centre a tiny +village exactly like the spell-bound village, only that the houses were but +a few inches high. Round this the elves danced, and then they began to +sing. Chrysea listened eagerly to their singing, and no sooner had they +done, than she opened her lips and sang the same tune through from +beginning to end just as she had heard it. + +Her voice rang out loud and clear, and at the sound the little village +crumbled and fell away as though it had been made of dust. + +The elves stood silent for a moment, and then with a wild cry they all +rushed towards Chrysea, and at their head she saw one about three times the +size of the others, who appeared to be their chief. + +"Come, quickly, let us punish the woman who has dared to thwart us," he +cried. "What shall we change her to?" + +"A frog to croak on the ground," cried one. + +"No, an owl to hoot in the night," cried another. + +"Oh, for pity's sake," implored Chrysea, "don't change me to one of these +loathsome creatures, so that, if Arasmon finds me, he will spurn me." + +"Hear her," cried the chief, "and let her have her will. Let us change her +to no bird or beast, but to a bright golden harp, and thus shall she +remain, until upon her strings some one shall play our tune, which she has +dared to sing." + +"Agreed!" cried the others, and all began to dance round Chrysea and to +sing as they had sung around the village. She shrieked and tried to run, +but they stopped her on every side. She cried, "Arasmon! Arasmon!" but no +one came, and when the elves' song was done, and they disappeared, all that +was left was a little gold harp hanging upon the boughs of the tree, and +only the blackbird who sat above knew what had come of poor Chrysea. + +When morning dawned, and the villagers awoke, all felt that some great +change had taken place. The heavy cloud which hung above the village had +cleared away; the sun shone brightly, and the sky was blue; streams which +had been dry for years, were running clear and fresh: and the people all +felt strong, and able to work again; the trees were beginning to bud, and +in their branches sang birds, whose voices had not been heard there for +many a long year. The villagers looked from one to another and said, +"Surely the spell is broken; surely the elves must have fled;" and they +wept for joy. + +Arasmon woke with the first beam of the sun, and finding Chrysea was not +there, he rose, and went to seek her in the village, calling, "Chrysea, +Chrysea! the sun is up and we must journey on our way;" but no Chrysea +answered, so he walked down all the streets, calling "Chrysea! come, +Chrysea!" but no Chrysea came. Then he said, + +"She has gone into the fields to look for wild flowers, and will soon be +back." So he waited for her patiently, but the sun rose high, the villagers +went to their work, and she did not return. At this Arasmon was frightened, +and asked every one he met if they had seen her, but each one shook his +head and said "No, they had seen nothing of her." + +Then he called some of the men together and told them that his wife had +wandered away, and he feared lest she might lose herself and go still +farther, and he asked them to help him to look for her. So some went one +way, and some another, to search, and Arasmon himself walked for miles the +whole country round, calling "Chrysea! Chrysea!" but no answer came. + +The sun was beginning to set and twilight to cover the land, when Arasmon +came on to the moor where Chrysea had met her fate. That, too, was changed. +Flowers and grass were already beginning to grow there, and the children of +the village, who till now had never dared to venture near it, were playing +about it. Arasmon could hear their voices as he came near the tree against +which Chrysea had leaned, and on which now hung the golden harp. In the +branches above sat the blackbird singing, and Arasmon stopped and listened +to its song, and thought he had never heard a bird sing so sweetly before. +For it sang the magic song by which Chrysea had broken the elves' spell, +the first tune it had heard since it regained its liberty. + +"Dear blackbird," said Arasmon, looking up to it, "I wish your singing +could tell me where to find my wife Chrysea;" and as he looked up he saw a +golden harp hanging upon the branches, and he took it down and ran his +fingers over the strings. Never before did harp give forth such music. It +was like a woman's voice, and was most beautiful, but so sad that when +Arasmon heard it he felt inclined to cry. It seemed to be calling for help, +but he could not understand what it said, though each time he touched the +strings it cried, "Arasmon, Arasmon, I am here! It is I, Chrysea;" but +though Arasmon listened, and wondered at its tones, yet he did not know +what it said. + +He examined it carefully. It was a beautiful little harp, made of pure +gold, and at the top was a pair of golden hands and arms clasped together. + +"I will keep it," said Arasmon, "for I never yet heard a harp with such a +tone, and when Chrysea comes she shall sing to it." + +But Chrysea was nowhere to be found, and at last the villagers declared she +must be lost, or herself have gone away on purpose, and that it was vain to +seek her farther. At this Arasmon was angry, and saying that he would seek +Chrysea as long as he had life, he left the village to wander over the +whole world till he should find her. He went on foot, and took with him the +golden harp. + +He walked for many, many miles far away from the village and the moor, and +when he came to any farmhouses, or met any country people on the road he +began to play, and every one thronged round him and stared, in breathless +surprise at his beautiful music. When he had done he would ask them, "Have +you seen my wife Chrysea? She is dressed in white and gold, and sings more +sweetly than any of the birds of heaven." + +But all shook their heads and said, "No, she had not been there;" and +whenever he came to a strange village, where he had not been before, he +called, "Chrysea, Chrysea, are you here?" but no Chrysea answered, only the +harp in his hands cried whenever he touched its strings, "It is I, Arasmon! +It is I, Chrysea!" but though he thought its notes like Chrysea's voice, he +never understood them. + +He wandered for days and months and years through countries and villages +which he had never known before. When night came and he found himself in +the fields alone, he would lie down upon his cloak and sleep with his head +resting upon the harp, and if by chance one of its golden threads was +touched it would cry, "Arasmon, awake, I am here!" Then he would dream that +Chrysea was calling him, and would wake and start up to look for her, +thinking she must be close at hand. + +One day, towards night, when he had walked far, and was very tired, he came +to a little village on a lonely, rocky coast by the sea, and he found that +a thick mist had come up, and hung over the village, so that he could +barely see the path before him as he walked. But he found his way down on +to the beach, and there stood a number of fisherwomen, trying to look +through the mist towards the sea, and speaking anxiously. + +"What is wrong, and for whom are you watching, good folk?" he asked them. + +"We are watching for our husbands," answered one. "They went out in their +boats fishing in the early morning, when it was quite light, and then +arose this dreadful fog, and they should have come back long ago, and we +fear lest they may lose their way in the darkness and strike on a rock and +be drowned." + +"I too, have lost my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Has she passed by here? +She had long golden hair, and her gown was white and gold, and she sang +with a voice like an angel's." + +The women all said, "No, they had not seen her;" but still they strained +their eyes towards the sea, and Arasmon also began to watch for the return +of the boats. + +They waited and waited, but they did not come, and every moment the +darkness grew thicker and thicker, so that the women could not see each +other's faces, though they stood quite near together. + +Then Arasmon took his harp and began to play, and its music floated over +the water for miles through the darkness, but the women were weeping so for +their husbands, that they did not heed it. + +"It is useless to watch," said one. "They cannot steer their boats in such +a darkness. We shall never see them again." + +"I will wait all night till morning," said another, "and all day next day, +and next night, till I see some sign of the boats, and know if they be +living or dead," but as she stopped speaking, there rose a cry of "Here +they are," and two or three fishing-boats were pushed on to the sand close +by where they stood, and the women threw their arms round their husbands' +necks, and all shouted for joy. + +The fishermen asked who it was who had played the harp; "For," they said, +"it was that which saved us. We were far from land, and it was so dark that +we could not tell whether to go to left or to right, and had no sign to +guide us to shore; when of a sudden we heard the most beautiful music, and +we followed the sound, and came in quite safely. + +"'Twas this good harper who played while we watched," said the women, and +one and all turned to Arasmon, and told him with tears of their gratitude, +and asked him what they could do for him, or what they could give him in +token of their thankfulness; but Arasmon shook his head and said, "You can +do nothing for me, unless you can tell me where to seek my wife Chrysea. It +is to find her I am wandering;" and when the women shook their heads, and +said again they knew nothing of her, the harp-strings as he touched them +cried again, + +"Arasmon! Arasmon! listen to me. It is I, Chrysea;" but again no one +understood it, and though all pitied him, no one could help him. + +Next morning when the mist had cleared away, and the sun was shining, a +little ship set sail for foreign countries, and Arasmon begged the captain +to take him in it that he might seek Chrysea still farther. + +They sailed and sailed, till at last they came to the country for which +they were bound; but they found the whole land in confusion, and war and +fighting everywhere, and all the people were leaving their homes and hiding +themselves in the towns, for fear of a terrible enemy, who was invading +them. But no one hurt Arasmon as he wandered on with his harp in his hand, +only no one would stop to answer him, when he asked if Chrysea had been +there, for every one was too frightened and hurried to heed him. + +At last he came to the chief city where the King dwelt, and here he found +all the men building walls and fortresses, and preparing to defend the +town, because they knew their enemy was coming to besiege it, but all the +soldiers were gloomy and low-spirited. + +"It is impossible for us to conquer," they said, "for there are three of +them to every one of us, and they will take our city and make our King +prisoner." + +That night as the watchmen looked over the walls, they saw in the distance +an immense army marching towards them, and their swords and helmets +glittered in the moonlight. + +Then they gave the signal, and the captains gathered together their men to +prepare them for fighting; but so sure were they of being beaten that it +was with difficulty their officers could bring them to the walls. + +"It would be better," said the soldiers, "to lay down our arms at once and +let the enemy enter, for then we should not lose our lives as well as our +city and our wealth." + +When Arasmon heard this he sat upon the walls of the town, and began to +play upon his harp, and this time its music was so loud and clear, that it +could be heard far and wide, and its sound was so exultant and joyous, that +when the soldiers heard it they raised their heads, and their fears +vanished, and they started forward, shouting and calling that they would +conquer or be killed. + +Then the enemy attacked the city, but the soldiers within met them with so +much force that they were driven back, and had to fly, and the victorious +army followed them and drove them quite out of their country, and Arasmon +went with them, playing on his harp, to cheer them as they went. + +When they knew the victory was theirs, all the captains wondered what had +caused their sudden success, and one of the lieutenants said, "It was that +strange harper who went with us, playing on his harp. When our men heard +it, they became as brave as lions." So the captains sent for Arasmon, but +when he came they were astonished to see how worn and thin he looked, and +could scarcely believe it was he who had made such wonderful music, for his +face had grown thin and pale, and there were gray locks in his hair. + +They asked him what he would like to have, saying they would give him +whatever he would choose, for the great service he had done them. + +Arasmon only shook his head and said, + +"There is nothing I want that you can give me. I am seeking the whole world +round to find my wife Chrysea. It is many many years since I lost her. We +two were as happy as birds on the bough. We wandered over the world singing +and playing in the sunshine. But now she is gone, and I care for nothing +else." And the captains looked pityingly at him, for they all thought him +mad, and could not understand what the harp said when he played on it +again, and it cried, + +"Listen, Arasmon! I too am here--I, Chrysea." + +So Arasmon left that city, and started again, and wandered for days and +months and years. + +He came by many strange places, and met with many strange people, but he +found no trace of Chrysea, and each day he looked older and sadder and +thinner. + +At length he came to a country where the King loved nothing on earth so +much as music. So fond of it was he, that he had musicians and singers by +the score, always living in his palace, and there was no way of pleasing +him so well as by sending a new musician or singer. So when Arasmon came +into the country, and the people heard how marvellously he played, they +said at once, "Let us take him to the King. The poor man is mad. Hear how +he goes on asking for his wife; but, mad or not, his playing will delight +the King. Let us take him at once to the palace." So, though Arasmon would +have resisted them, they dragged him away to the court, and sent a +messenger to the King, to say they had found a poor mad wandering harper, +who played music the like of which they had never heard before. + +The King and Queen, and all the court, sat feasting when the messenger came +in saying that the people were bringing a new harper to play before his +majesty. + +"A new harper!" quoth he. "That is good hearing. Let him be brought here to +play to us at once." + +So Arasmon was led into the hall, and up to the golden thrones on which sat +the King and Queen. A wonderful hall it was, made of gold and silver, and +crystal and ivory, and the courtiers, dressed in blue and green and gold +and diamonds, were a sight to see. Behind the throne were twelve young +maids dressed in pure white, who sang most sweetly, and behind them were +the musicians who accompanied them on every kind of instrument. Arasmon had +never in his life seen such a splendid sight. + +"Come here," cried the King to him, "and let us hear you play." And the +singers ceased singing, and the musicians smiled scornfully, for they could +not believe Arasmon's music could equal theirs. For he looked to be in a +most sorry plight. He had walked far, and the dust of the roads was on him. +His clothes were worn threadbare, and stained and soiled, while his face +was so thin and anxious and sad that it was pitiful to see; but his harp of +pure shining gold was undulled, and untarnished. He began to play, and then +all smiles ceased, and the women began to weep, and the men sat and stared +at him in astonishment. When he had done the King started up, and throwing +his arms about his neck, cried, "Stay with me. You shall be my chief +musician. Never before have I heard playing like yours, and whatever you +want I will give you." But when he heard this, Arasmon knelt on one knee +and said, + +"My gracious lord, I cannot stay. I have lost my wife Chrysea. I must +search all over the world till I find her. Ah! how beautiful she was, and +how sweetly she sang; her singing was far sweeter than even the music of my +harp." + +"Indeed!" cried the King. "Then I too would fain hear her. But stay with +me, and I will send messengers all over the world to seek her far and near, +and they will find her much sooner than you." + +[Illustration: "He began to play, and then all smiles ceased."--P. 66.] + +So Arasmon stayed at the court, but he said that if Chrysea did not come +soon he must go farther to seek her himself. + +The King gave orders that he should be clad in the costliest clothes and +have all he could want given to him, and after this he would hear no music +but Arasmon's playing, so all the other musicians were jealous, and wished +he had never come to the palace. But the strangest thing was that no one +but Arasmon could play upon his golden harp. All the King's harpers tried, +and the King himself tried also, but when they touched the strings there +came from them a strange, melancholy wailing, and no one but Arasmon could +bring out its beautiful notes. + +But the courtiers and musicians grew more and more angry with Arasmon, till +at last they hated him bitterly, and only wanted to do him some harm; for +they said, + +"Who is he, that our King should love and honour him before us? After all, +it is not his playing which is so beautiful; it is chiefly the harp on +which he plays, and if that were taken from him he would be no better than +the rest of us;" and then they began to consult together as to how they +should steal his harp. + +One hot summer evening Arasmon went into the palace gardens, and sat down +to rest beneath a large beech-tree, when a little way off he saw two +courtiers talking together, and heard that they spoke of him, though they +did not see him or know he was there. + +"The poor man is mad," said one; "of that there is little doubt, but, mad +or not, as long as he plays on his harp the King will not listen to any one +else." + +"The only way is to take the harp from him," said the other. "But it is +hard to know how to get it away, for he will never let it go out of his +hands." + +"We must take it from him when he is sleeping," said the first. + +"Certainly," said the other; and then Arasmon heard them settle how and +when they would go to his room at night to steal his harp. + +He sat still till they were gone, and then he rose, and grasping it +tenderly, turned from the palace and walked away through the garden gates. + +"I have lost Chrysea," he said, "and now they would take from me even my +harp, the only thing I have to love in all this world, but I will go away, +far off where they will never find me," and when he was out of sight, he +ran with all his might, and never rested till he was far away on a lonely +hill, with no one near to see him. + +The stars were beginning to shine though it was not yet dark. Arasmon sat +on a stone and looked at the country far and near. He could hear the sheep +bells tinkling around him, and far, far off in the distance he could see +the city and the palace he had left. + +Then he began to play on his harp, and as he played the sheep stopped +browsing and drew near him to listen. + +The stars grew brighter and the evening darker, and he saw a woman carrying +a child coming up the hill. + +She looked pale and tired, but her face was very happy as she sat down not +far from Arasmon and listened to his playing, whilst she looked eagerly +across the hill as if she watched for some one who was coming. Presently +she turned and said, "How beautifully you play; I never heard music like it +before, but what makes you look so sad? Are you unhappy?" + +"Yes," said Arasmon, "I am very miserable. I lost my wife Chrysea many +years ago, and now I don't know where she can be." + +"It is a year since I have seen my husband," said the woman. "He went to +the war a year ago, but now there is peace and he is coming back, and +to-night he will come over this hill. It was just here we parted, and now I +am come to meet him." + +"How happy you must be," said Arasmon. "I shall never see Chrysea again," +and as he spoke he struck a chord on the harp, which cried, "O Arasmon, my +husband! why do you not know me? It is I, Chrysea." + +"Do not say that," continued the woman; "you will find her some day. Why do +you sit here? Was it here you parted from her?" + +Then Arasmon told her how they had gone to a strange desolate village and +rested there for the night, and in the morning Chrysea was gone, and that +he had wandered all over the world looking for her ever since. + +"I think you are foolish," said the woman; "perhaps your wife has been +waiting for you at that village all this time. I would go back to the place +where I parted from her if I were you, and wait there till she returns. How +could I meet my husband if I did not come to the spot where we last were +together? We might both wander on for ever and never find each other; and +now, see, here he is coming," and she gave a cry of joy and ran to meet a +soldier who was walking up the hill. + +Arasmon watched them as they met and kissed, and saw the father lift the +child in his arms, then the three walked over the hill together, and when +they were gone he sat down and wept bitterly. "What was it she said?" he +said. "That I ought to go back to the spot where we parted. She will not be +there, but I will go and die at the place where I last saw her." So again +he grasped his harp and started. He travelled many days and weeks by land +and sea, till late one day he came in sight of the hill on which stood the +little village. But at first he could not believe that he had come to the +right place, so changed did all appear. He stopped and looked around him in +astonishment. He stood in a shady lane, the arching trees met over his +head. The banks were full of spring flowers, and either side of the hedge +were fields full of young green corn. + +"Can this be the wretched bare road down which we walked together? I would +indeed it were, and that she were with me now," said he. When he looked +across to the village, the change seemed greater still. There were many +more cottages, and they were trim and well kept, standing in neat gardens +full of flowers. He heard the cheerful voices of the peasants, and the +laughter of the village children. The whole place seemed to be full of life +and happiness. He stopped again upon the mound where he and Chrysea had +first played and sung. + +"It is many, many a long year since I was here," he said. "Time has changed +all things strangely; but it would be hard to say which is the more +altered, this village or I, for then it was sunk in poverty and +wretchedness, and now it has gained happiness and wealth, and I, who was so +happy and glad, now am broken-down and worn. I have lost my only wealth, my +wife Chrysea. It was just here she stood and sang, and now I shall never +see her again or hear her singing." + +There came past him a young girl driving some cows, and he turned and spoke +to her. "Tell me, I beg," he said, "is not your village much changed of +late years? I was here long ago, but I cannot now think it the same place, +for this is as bright and flourishing a town as I have ever seen, and I +remember it only as a dreary tumble-down village where the grass never +grew." + +"Oh!" said the girl, "then you were here in our bad time, but we do not now +like to speak of that, for fear our troubles should return. Folks say we +were spell-bound. 'Tis so long ago that I can scarcely remember it, for I +was quite a little child then. But a wandering musician and his wife set us +free; at least, everything began to mend after they came, and now we think +they must have been angels from heaven, for next day they went, and we have +never seen them since." + +"It was I and my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Have you seen her? Has she +been here? I have sought all over the world ever since, but I cannot find +her, and now I fear lest she be dead." + +The girl stared at him in surprise. "You? you poor old man! Of what are you +talking? You must surely be mad to say such things. These musicians were +the most beautiful people upon the earth, and they were young and dressed +in shining white and gold, and you are old and gray and ragged, and surely +you are very ill too, for you seem to be so weak that you can scarcely +walk. Come home with me, and I will give you food and rest till you are +better." + +Arasmon shook his head. "I am seeking Chrysea," he said, "and I will rest +no more till I have found her;" and the girl, seeing that he was +determined, left him alone and went on her way driving her cows before +her. + +When she had gone Arasmon sat by the wayside and wept as though his heart +would break. "It is too true," he said; "I am so old and worn that when I +find her she will not know me," and as he again fell a-weeping his hand +struck the harp-strings, and they cried, "I have watched you through all +these years, my Arasmon. Take comfort, I am very near," and his tears +ceased, and he was soothed by the voice of the harp, though he knew not +why. + +Then he rose. "I will go to the moor," he said, "and look for the tree on +which I found my harp, and that will be my last resting-place, for surely +my strength will carry me no farther." So he tottered slowly on, calling, +as he went, in a weak voice, "Chrysea, my Chrysea! are you here? I have +sought you over the world since you left me, and now that I am old and like +to die, I am come to seek you where we parted." + +When he came upon the moor, he wondered again at the change of all the +country round. He thought of the charred, blackened waste on which he had +stood before, and now he looked with amazement at the golden gorse, the +purple heather, so thick that he could scarcely pick his way amongst it. + +"It is a beautiful place now," he said, "but I liked it better years ago, +deserted and desolate though it was, for my Chrysea was here." + +There were so many trees upon the common that he could not tell which was +the one on which his harp had hung, but, unable to go any farther, he +staggered and sank down beneath a large oak-tree, in whose branches a +blackbird was singing most sweetly. The sun was setting just as of yore +when he had found his harp, and most of the birds' songs were over, but +this one bird still sang sweet and clear, and Arasmon, tired and weak +though he was, raised his head and listened. + +"I never heard bird sing like that," he said. "What is the tune it sings? I +will play it on my harp before I die." And with what strength remained to +him he reached forth his trembling hand, and grasping his harp struck upon +it the notes of the bird's song, then he fell back exhausted, and his eyes +closed. + +At once the harp slid from his hand, and Chrysea stood beside him--Chrysea +dressed as of old, in shining white and gold, with bright hair and eyes. + +"Arasmon!" she cried, "see, it is I, Chrysea!" but Arasmon did not move. +Then she raised her voice and sang more sweetly than the bird overhead, and +Arasmon opened his eyes and looked at her. + +"Chrysea!" cried he; "I have found my wife Chrysea!" and he laid his head +on her bosom and died. And when Chrysea saw it her heart broke, and she lay +beside him and died without a word. + +In the morning when some of the villagers crossed the common they saw +Arasmon and Chrysea lying beneath the oak-tree in each other's arms, and +drew near them, thinking they were asleep, but when they saw their faces +they knew they were dead. + +Then an old man stooped and looked at Chrysea, and said, + +"Surely it is the woman who came to us and sang long ago, when we were in +our troubles; and, though he is sadly changed and worn, it is like her +husband who played for her singing." + +Then came the girl who had driven the cows and told them how she had met +Arasmon, and all he had said to her. + +"He searched everywhere for his wife, he said," said she. "I am glad he has +found her. Where could she be?" + +"Would that we had known it was he," said they all, "how we would have +greeted him! but see, he looks quite content and as if he wished nothing +more, since he has found his wife Chrysea." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN + +[Illustration] + + +Long ago, in the days of fairies, there lived a King and Queen, who were +rich and happy. + +But the Queen was a proud, haughty woman, and disliked every one more +powerful than herself. And most of all, she hated the fairy folk, and could +not bear them to come to the castle where she and the King dwelt. + +Time passed, and the Queen had a little baby,--a daughter whom they called +Joan--and the bells were rung, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country, and the King and Queen were happy as the day is long. + +One day as the Queen sat by the cradle of the little Princess, watching +it, she said, "My pretty babe, when you are grown to be a woman you will be +rich and beautiful, and you shall marry some young Prince, who will love +you dearly, and then in your turn be Queen, and have a fine palace, and +jewels, and lands to your heart's content." Scarcely had she done speaking +when she heard a little noise beside her, and, looking up, saw a woman +dressed in yellow from head to foot standing on the other side of the +cradle. She wore a yellow cap, which covered her head completely, so that +no hair was seen, and her eyes, which looked cunning and fierce, were +yellow as her dress. + +"And how do you know, Queen, that your child will be so happy? Whose help +will you seek to get her all these fine things?" said the strange woman. + +"I will ask no one's help," said the Queen haughtily, "for I am Queen of +the land, and can have what I please." + +The yellow woman laughed, and said, "Don't be too sure, proud Queen; but +the next night that the moon is bright, guard well the Princess when the +clock strikes twelve, lest aught of her's be stolen from her." + +"No thief shall come near her," cried the Queen; but ere she had done +speaking the woman had vanished, and the Queen knew it was a fairy. + +The sky that night was dark and overcast, and no moon to be seen, and the +next night was the same, but the third night the moon shone bright and +clear, and as the clock struck twelve the Queen awoke and looked at the +baby, who was sleeping peacefully in its cradle; but 'twixt the strokes of +the clock she heard a faint whistling outside the window, which grew louder +and fuller each moment. 'Twas as if some one whistled to decoy away a bird, +and on hearing it the baby awoke and began to cry bitterly. The Queen could +not quiet her, try how she might. At last the little one gave one scream +louder than all the others and then lay quite still, and at that moment the +Queen saw something flutter across the room like a tiny bird, with pink, +soft feathers. It flew straight out of the window, and the whistling +ceased, and all again was quiet as before. The Queen took the baby in her +arms and looked at it anxiously by the light of the moon, but it looked +well and slept calmly, so its mother placed it in its cradle and tried to +forget the yellow fairy and the whistling. + +The nurse of the Princess Joan was a very wise old woman who knew a great +deal of fairies and their ways, and as the child grew up she watched her +with an anxious face. + +"She is under a charm," she said, "though what it is I don't know; but +before she is a woman they will see how different she is from others." + +The nurse's words proved to be true. No one had ever seen a little girl +like the Princess. Nothing troubled her. She never shed one tear. If she +were angry she would stamp her feet and her eyes would flash, but she never +wept, and she loved nobody. When her little dog died she laughed outright; +when the King her father went to the war it did not grieve her; and when he +returned she was no happier than she had been when he was away. She never +kissed her mother, or her ladies, and when they said they loved her, she +stared at them, and asked what they meant. At this the ladies were angry +with her and chid her for being hard-hearted, but the old nurse always +stopped them, saying, + +"'Tis not her you should blame. She is enchanted, but 'tis not her fault." + +Princess Joan grew up and was the loveliest woman in the land. It was many +long years since any one so fair had been seen, but for all that her mother +mourned over her sorely, and her eyes were red with crying for her +beautiful daughter, who had never yet wept one tear herself. + +The neighbouring country was governed by a King and Queen who had only one +son, named Michael, whom everybody loved dearly. He was a handsome young +man, and as good as he was handsome. He was as gracious to the poorest +beggar as to the greatest lord, and all the poor folk came to him to tell +him their troubles, if they thought they were badly treated; and because +he was brave and handsome also, the court people loved him as well as the +peasants. + +In this country there stood on a high hill a round tower, and at the top of +it lived an old wizard. No man knew his age, for he had dwelt there for +hundreds of years, and no one knew how the tower had been built, for it was +made of one huge stone, and there were no joins in it at all. + +The King and Queen were afraid of the old magician, and never went near +him; indeed, no one in all the country had ever ventured to climb the tower +and see the old man at his work except Prince Michael, who knew the old +sorcerer well and did not fear him at all, but went up and down the tower +as he chose. + +One bright moonlight night it chanced that the Prince found himself alone +on the hill-side, and seeing a bright light shining from the top of the +tower he resolved to enter and pay the old man a visit. So he went to a +little door, and pushing it open stepped into a narrow, dark, winding +staircase, that went straight up the centre to the room at the top, in +which the wizard dwelt. The staircase was pitch dark, for there were no +windows. Moreover, it was so narrow that only one person could walk in it +at a time, but Prince Michael knew the way quite well, and climbed and +climbed till he saw a chink of light, and at last trod through a little +doorway into the room in which the sorcerer sat. + +This room was as light as day, for it was lit by a lamp which the old man +himself had made, and in which no oil or wick was burning, but every day it +was filled with sunbeams, and held them at night after the sun had set. + +So the whole room was brilliant, and in the middle sat the wizard, who was +a wonderful old man to look on, for he was all white. His beard was white +as snow, and from afar you could not tell which was beard and which gown, +but when you came near you saw that the beard flowed nearly to his feet, +and his skin was as white as either beard or gown. And his eyes were quite +colourless, but as bright as two candles. + +When Michael entered he sat looking at an enormous book full of coloured +pictures of little men and women about three inches high each. They were +not like other pictures, for they walked and moved over the page as though +they were alive. + +"It is I, father. What book are you looking at?" said Michael, stepping up +to the old man's side. + +"In this book," said the wizard, "I keep the portraits of all the men and +women in the world, and they are living portraits too, for they move, and +look just like the originals." + +"That must be very amusing," cried Michael. "Pray show me the portraits of +all the Kings, and Queens, and Princesses. This will be delightful," and he +knelt down by the old man and looked over his shoulder. + +The sorcerer muttered to himself and turned over the pages, and then +stopped at one on which Michael saw little figures of Kings and Queens of +all sorts, some of which he knew, and some of which he had never seen +before. + +[Illustration: "'Tis their daughter, Princess Joan," said the wizard with a +sigh. "But do not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but +trouble to all who know her."--P. 87.] + +"There," he cried, "is old King Réné who came to our court last year, and +that is Queen Constance, and that is their nephew Prince Guilbert, who will +be king when they are dead, and here are our neighbours the King and Queen +of the next country, and oh, my father, who is this lovely Princess next to +them?" + +"'Tis their daughter Princess Joan," said the wizard with a sigh. "But do +not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but trouble to all who +know her." + +"I don't care if she bring trouble or happiness," cried the Prince. "But +for certain she is the most beautiful creature in the world," and he seized +the book and looked long at the tiny figure of the Princess. Truly it was +very beautiful. It was dressed in white, with a golden girdle round the +waist, and a wreath of golden daisies on its head, and as Michael looked, +it turned upon the pages, and smiled at him till he smiled back again, and +could not move his eyes from it. + +When the wizard saw this, he took the book from the young man's hands, and +hid it away, saying, + +"Think no more of Princess Joan, however beautiful she be, or one day you +will rue it dearly." + +Prince Michael made no answer, but he thought all the more of the little +picture of the Princess. After he had left the tower, and returned to the +palace, he could not forget her, but dreamt of her all night, and thought +of her all day. + +Next morning he went to the King and said, "My father, I am come to beg +that you will send to the King of the next country and ask if I may have +his daughter, Princess Joan, for my wife, for I have seen her portrait, and +there is no one in the world whom I love so well." + +When the King heard this he was delighted. + +"Our good neighbours," he said, "are rich and powerful, and it will be a +capital thing for our son to marry their daughter." So he at once sent off +an ambassador to beg for the hand of Princess Joan for Prince Michael. + +Joan's father and mother were delighted with the offer, and at once +resolved to accept it; but the Queen's heart sank within her, for she +thought, "Our poor Joan is not like any other maid who ever lived before, +and perhaps when Prince Michael sees her and finds this out, he will refuse +to wed her after all;" but she said nothing of her fears, and the +ambassador returned to the court, loaded with presents, and bearing a +message of acceptance. + +Till his return Prince Michael knew no peace or rest, but wandered about +among the hills by himself, thinking of Joan, and still, in his heart, he +wondered what the magician had meant when he said that if he thought much +of Princess Joan, one day he would rue it. + +At last he said to himself, "I will disguise myself as a poor man, and go +and see my Princess for myself before the ambassador returns, then shall I +know what the wizard means." + +So he dressed himself as a peasant, and started alone without telling any +one whither he went, and he travelled day and night till he came to the +country where Joan dwelt and to her father's palace. Then he walked near +the palace gardens, and no one noticed him, and he saw a group of lovely +ladies, who sat together on the grass. + +His heart beat high as he looked at them, for in their midst, most +beautiful of all, sat the Princess Joan. Her yellow hair fell to her waist, +her face was like a blush rose, and her eyes were blue as forget-me-nots, +but when she lifted them, he saw that they were clear and hard as glass, +and her voice when she spoke was like a bright cold bell. + +There ran up to her a little serving-maid, crying bitterly, and said, + +"I beg of you, Princess, to let me return to my own home for a time, for my +father, the huntsman, has broken his leg and is very ill." + +"Why should you cry for that?" said the Princess. "'Tis your father and not +you that is hurt; but you may go, for when you cry and your eyes look red +you are ugly, and I don't like to see you, so be sure that when you return +you are pretty and bright as ever." + +When her ladies heard her they looked angry, but no one spoke, and the +little maid went crying away. + +Up there came a groom from the palace and said, + +"Your Royal Highness, the horse that you rode yesterday is dead, and we +think it is because you would ride so far when it was already tired, as we +told you." + +"Dead is it?" cried the Princess. "Then see quickly and get me another, +that I may ride again to-morrow, and be sure this time that it is a good +strong horse, or it may give way beneath me and so my ride be shortened." + +The groom went away muttering, and the Princess's ladies looked even graver +than before, but the Princess's own face was bright as a summer sky, and +she talked on without heeding their sad looks. + +Prince Michael turned away with a heavy heart. + +"The magician spoke truly," he said to himself, "and there will be nothing +but sorrow for all those who love my poor Princess Joan." + +Yet he could not bear to leave her and return at once to his own home, and +still he remained near the palace, and for some days watched her +unnoticed, when she walked and rode, and listened to all she said, and each +day he grieved more and more, for she never said one kind loving word to +any one; yet each day when he saw how beautiful she was he loved her more +and more. + +When he again returned to his own home he found great rejoicings +everywhere, for the ambassador had returned with a message from Joan's +father promising she should marry the Prince, and everywhere preparations +were being made for the entry of the Princess to her new home. + +"And now, my son," said the King, "all is arranged for you to journey in +state to her father's court and bring back your bride, so now I hope that +you are happy and wish for nothing more." + +On hearing this Prince Michael's face was sad and grave, and his father and +mother wondered what ailed him. But he said to himself, "I will never marry +my Joan till she loves me as I do her, and how can she ever do that when +she loves no one, not even her own father and mother?" + +At the court of Joan's father grand preparations had been made, and all was +in excitement when Prince Michael arrived with servants, and horses, and +presents for the bride. + +The King and Queen sat in state to receive him, and beside them was Joan, +and she looked so beautiful, in a dress as blue as her eyes, that every one +said, "How glad he will be when he sees how lovely she is." + +There was a blowing of trumpets and ringing of bells when Prince Michael, +followed by his attendants, entered, and the King and Queen and all the +courtiers rose. + +He passed up the hall to the thrones on which they sat, and kneeling on one +knee, kissed their hands, and last he kissed the hand of the Princess, but +he did not lift his eyes from the ground or look in her face, and his own +was so sad that the people whispered to each other, and said, "What is the +matter, and why does he look so unhappy? Surely he ought to be content when +he sees how beautiful she is." + +At night when the merrymakings were over the Prince sent a message to the +Queen, begging she would speak with him alone, and when she heard this her +heart sank, and she thought, "He must know that there is something amiss +with Joan, and perhaps he comes to say he will not marry her after all." + +So she sent every one away, except the old nurse and bid the Prince to +come. + +When he came in and saw her sad looks he said, "You have guessed then, +Queen, why I come to speak to you. Tell me truly what ails Princess Joan, +and why is she unlike any one I ever saw." The Queen cried bitterly, and +said, "I know not; would I did!" but the old nurse said, + +"I know and will tell you, Prince. Princess Joan is under a spell. A bad +fairy enchanted her when she was a tiny baby, and till this charm is +broken, she will never be like other people." + +"And what is the charm?" asked the Prince. + +"Nay, that I don't know," said the nurse. Then she told Michael of the +yellow woman and the whistling the Queen had heard at night; and as he +listened the Prince sighed and said, "There is no charm which cannot be +broken if one does but know how, but this is hard to do, for we do not know +what the spell is, or who is the fairy who cast it. But bid the people +cease their preparations, Queen, and stop the wedding rejoicings, for there +will be no wedding. No, not till I have found the fairy who has wronged my +Joan, and made her set her free. To-morrow I shall start at break of day, +and journey to the farthest ends of the world, to search for what can break +the charm. But I pray, Queen, that Joan may wait for me for seven years, +and if, when they are past, I have not returned, and you have heard nothing +of me, you must think that I am dead and gone, and marry her to whom you +will, for if I be alive, I will return before then. And till seven years +are past remember that Joan is still mine." + +On hearing this the Queen wept still more, and begged the Prince either to +remain and marry Joan, or to leave her and return to his home and forget +her; but if he wandered away to lands of goblins and fairies, no one would +know what had become of him, and he would never find the fairy who had +charmed Joan or learn how to break the spell; but Prince Michael only shook +his head, and said, "I have sworn that I will not marry Joan till she loves +me as I do her, neither can I return to my home and forget her, so bid her +be ready at dawn to-morrow to bid me farewell, and tell none that I am +going till I have gone. Also I beg you to send a messenger to my father and +mother to tell them why I do not return, for I will not see them first, +lest they too should try to dissuade me." The Queen said no more, but she +cried very bitterly; but the old nurse smiled and nodded to Michael and +said, + +"You do well. You are a noble Prince, and would well deserve our Princess's +love." + +Next morning at break of day the Queen awoke the Princess and bade her +rise, for Prince Michael waited to bid her good-bye. The Prince stood at +the door of the palace, and when Princess Joan came out looking lovelier +than ever in the dim morning light, the tears filled his eyes, and he +thought, "Most likely I shall never see her again, and then she will never +know how much I have loved her." + +"Good-bye, Joan," he said; "do not quite forget me for seven years, for +perhaps I may yet come back and marry you." + +"And why do you go?" said Joan; "I had thought there would be a grand +wedding, and I should have all the gifts that are being prepared for me, +and now I shall have nothing; but good-bye, if go you must." + +Michael sighed as he mounted his horse and bade her farewell. When he +looked back at the palace, the Queen and Joan still stood at the door, and +the Queen sobbed; but Princess Joan looked quite happy and contented, and +smiled brightly. + +Prince Michael rode and rode, till he came to his own home, and then he +turned at once to the tower in which dwelt the magician. He climbed the +tower and found the old man sitting alone as before, but he had no book +before him, and he looked very grave. + +"I know why you are come," he said, as soon as Michael entered the room. +"So you have seen Princess Joan; and do you still wish to marry her?" + +"I will marry her, or no one," said Michael. "But not till I have found out +who has bewitched her, and have broken the charm." + +"You will have to search far for that," said the wizard; "And it may be +years ere you could set her free. Forget her, my son, and return to your +own home, and do not waste your life in a fruitless quest." + +"I will seek to break the charm, even if it take my whole life," said +Michael. "But tell me what it is, and how shall I find out how to break +it." + +"A fairy has stolen her heart," said the wizard, "and that is why she loves +no one, and can feel no sorrow; she has no heart with which to love or +pity, and till it is found and restored to her, she will be hard and cold +as stone. The fairy swore she would be revenged on her mother for her +pride, and so she is." + +"Then I will go and seek her heart, and bring it back to her," said +Michael. "But where shall I look for it? Tell me at least where has the +fairy hidden it." + +"She has taken it to a castle in which are kept all the hearts of men and +women, that fairies steal, or that they themselves throw away; and this +castle is very far from here; moreover, it is guarded by an old gnome, who +is spiteful and cruel, and who pays no heed to those who beg him to let +them enter. Give up the Princess and return to your home, for if you go, +you will only die, or be enchanted like poor Princess Joan." + +"Nevertheless, I shall go," said Michael. "So tell me what path to take, +and I will start at once." + +On hearing this the sorcerer took from his bosom a small round piece of +glass, and gave it to the young man. "Take this," he said; "It is all that +I can give you, to help you, and through it you must look at the stars, and +you will see that they are all of different colours--blue, green, red, and +yellow; look for the one which is the deepest, brightest red, and follow +it; it will lead you many miles both by land and sea, but follow steadily, +and let nothing turn you from your course, and you will surely come to the +castle wherein is imprisoned the heart of your Princess." + +The Prince thanked the magician, and took the glass; then bidding him +"Good-bye," he left the strangely lighted chamber, and went down the dark +staircase, and stood again on the hill outside, with the dark sky overhead +filled with shining stars. + +Michael raised the glass and looked at them through it, and then he almost +shouted with surprise, for they looked wonderful. They were like jewels of +all colours--green, blue, yellow, pink--and in the south was one of a deep +glowing red, like a blood-red rose, and Michael knew that that was the star +he must follow. + +Then he looked back towards his father's palace. "Farewell," he said; "some +day I will return, and bring with me my Princess Joan." So he set off, and +journeyed and journeyed, till he had reached towns and villages which he +had never seen before. All that night he travelled while the stars shone, +and he could see the rosy star to follow. But when the stars grew pale, +and the sun rose, and people began to wake up and turn to their work, he +lay down under a tree and slept soundly. When he woke the day was almost +done, and the sun was sinking. So he went to a little town near and bought +food, and rested till again the stars shone in the sky. Then he rose and +went on all night, still following the crimson star. So passed many days +and nights, and he journeyed through strange lands, and his heart sank when +he thought, "So may I wander all round the world, and come no nearer to the +star, or to the castle where they keep the heart of my poor Joan." + +At last he came to the sea-shore, and in front of him lay a great cold sea, +and beyond it he saw no sign of land. But the star shone right over it, and +he knew that he must cross, if he still would follow it. It was in the +evening, the sun had set, but some fishermen still remained on the beach, +resting beside their boats. Michael went up to them, and taking some money +from his pocket, asked for how much they would sell him one of their +boats. + +At this the men looked surprised, and one of them said, "Why do you wish to +buy a boat? We use them to fish near the shore, but no boat or ship has +ever crossed this sea, for no one knows what land is beyond." + +"Then I will be the first to find out," said Michael. "Tell me how much you +want, and give me your largest boat." On this the men muttered together, +and one said, "He is mad." "Yes," said another, "but his money is good, for +all that. Let the madman have his way. It will hurt him, not us." So they +gave Michael their best boat, and he paid them well, and he set sail and +steered where the red star shone. He sailed all night till he had left +every trace of land behind him, and saw no shore in front, only the cold, +gray sea on every side. By day he kept the boat still, afraid lest he +should get out of the track of the star, but when the second night came he +was so weary that in spite of himself he fell asleep. When he awoke he +found the sun had risen, and his boat was drifting close to land. It was a +flat, lonely shore, without trees or grass growing in sight, and facing +him was an immense castle. It was built of black marble, and a more gloomy +place could not be, for the windows were small and high up, and were all +barred across, with heavy iron bars, and the castle had no spires or +towers, but was one square black block, and looked more like a prison than +a castle. Around it was a high wall, and outside this a moat, without a +bridge. + +Michael steered his boat to shore, and stepped from it, and looked about +for some way by which he could cross the moat, and try for entrance to the +castle. Then he saw a little hut near, and beside it lay an old man +apparently fast asleep. He was small and dark, and his face was gray and +wrinkled as a monkey's, and he had no hair on his head. Close beside him +coiled up was a large snake, also asleep. Michael stood watching them both, +afraid to wake them, when, without a word, the gray man raised his head, +and opening a pair of dull, gray eyes, fixed them on him. Still he did not +speak, and at last the Prince, growing impatient, went up to him and said, +"Friend, I beg you to tell me how I am to enter the castle; or if you have +the key, to give it to me." + +On this the old man answered, "I have the key, and no one can enter without +my leave. What will you give me for it?" + +"Why," said Michael, "I have nothing but money," and he took some coins +from his pocket as he spoke. + +At this the old man laughed. "Your money is nothing to me," he said; "But +look yonder. Over there I am building a wall of heavy stones, and I am old, +and my strength fails me; stay and work for me at that wall, and in return +I will give you the key of the castle." + +"But how long must I work?" said Michael, "For unless I can enter the +castle before seven years are over, it will be no use to me. + +"Look at that serpent," said the old man; "It is sitting on its eggs. When +they are hatched you shall have the key and open the castle door. Till then +you must be my slave." + +"Gladly," said Michael, who was delighted; "for no snake could take seven +years hatching its eggs." + +Then the old man rose, and beckoning to him to follow, went into the little +cottage. From a nail upon the wall he took a pair of manacles fastened +together by a heavy iron chain. These he slipped over Michael's wrists, and +stooping down over them, muttered a few words, and at once the manacles +fastened together as if they had been locked, and Michael could not move +them, or draw out his hands. Then the old man took down another heavy chain +and passed it over the first and fastened it with more iron rings to his +ankles, so that he could only move his arms and hands a little way, and +could not raise them high, and could only walk with slow careful steps. +This done, he pointed to where, on the wall high up, hung a gleaming golden +sword, the handle of which was set with precious stones. + +"That," said he, "is the key of the castle, and you need only push the +doors with its point and they will all fly open; but while your hands are +chained you cannot reach it to lift it down, but when the serpent's eggs +are hatched your iron rings will fall off, and you yourself may take the +sword down from its place, and push your way into the castle. Now get you +to your work, and work hard, or you may rue it." + +Then he showed Michael how he was to move the heavy stones, and where to +build with them, and he himself sat down by the serpent and watched him, +while the Prince went to work with a light heart, for he thought, "It is +hard work while it lasts, but 'twill not be for long, and 'tis not much to +do to win my Joan." So he worked hard till the sun had set, and then the +old man rose, saying, "Enough," and called him into the hut and gave him +food and drink, but he ate nothing himself, and then he showed him where he +could sleep in one corner, and Michael lay down and slept soundly and +dreamed of Joan. + +At break of day he was waked by the old man, who again gave him plenty to +eat, and again ate nothing, but what he gave to him he took from an urn in +the corner, and when he had done he put into the urn the fragments that +were left. + +All day Michael worked hard, and in the evening as he passed by the snake, +he looked at it as it lay coiled over its eggs, and said, + +"How soon will your work be done, and mine also, good snake? Make haste, I +pray, that I may find my way into the castle, and return to my Princess." + +So the days passed. Each morning the old man awoke Michael and gave him +food, and set him to work, and all day he laboured hard. Then when night +approached, he called "Enough," and beckoning him into the hut, gave him +plenty to eat and drink, but never ate himself, and beside that one word +never spoke, but crouched all day beside the snake, with closed eyes as if +asleep. + +Meantime, the doors of the castle never opened, and no one was seen going +in, or coming out; but sometimes, towards night, strange noises might be +heard from within its walls; sometimes there were wails and moans, which it +filled Michael with horror to hear, and sometimes there was sweet singing, +so sweet that it drew tears to his eyes. + +But the days passed, and the serpent never moved from its eggs, and +Michael's heart began to be oppressed with fear, lest the old man was +deceiving him, and they should never be hatched at all. As each day passed, +he put aside a stone on a bare rock, and one day when he counted over the +stones to see how many days were gone, he found that more than a year had +passed since his boat had brought him to the shore. His hands had grown +hard and brown and cracked, with working at the heavy stones, and his face +and neck were blistered and sunburnt with the fierce sun that beat upon +them as he worked. His clothes were cut and torn and soiled, and yet he +seemed to be no nearer entering the castle. Then he rose and went into the +cottage, and looked longingly at the sword which hung high up, on the +walls, and raised his arms to try and reach it, but the chains held him +down, and as he turned from it in despair he saw the old man standing in +the doorway watching him with his cold dull eyes. + +"What would you do here?" he asked; "have I not bid you serve me till the +serpent's eggs are hatched, and then the sword shall be yours?" + +"And when will the serpent's eggs be hatched?" cried Michael in despair. + +"That," said the old man, "I cannot tell, but a bargain is a bargain; keep +you your part and I will keep mine." Then he turned again to where the +serpent lay, and lying down beside it closed his eyes, and Michael returned +to his work mournfully. + +Time passed, but there came no change. Michael despaired in his heart, but +he could not have escaped even if he would, because of the chains which +hung from his arms. + +"I will work here," he said, "till the seven years are out, then I will +climb on the wall which I have built and throw myself into the sea and end +my troubles." + +Sometimes at night he would take from his bosom the piece of magic glass +which the wizard had given him and would gaze through it at the star which +still looked a bright crimson colour. + +"Why have you led me here, cruel star," he asked sadly, "if you cannot help +me more? Are you shining over my home and my Princess, and does she +remember me? The seven long years will soon be passed, and they will wed +her to another king, and it will be all of no avail that I have given up +everything to find her heart, since I have only broken my own." + +So the time passed. Michael worked hard by day, but by night he lay and +wept. One day, when the seven years had nearly worn themselves away, he +bent over a pool of water, and in it saw his own form, and he saw that his +hair was thin and streaked with gray, and his face furrowed and seamed, and +his eyes dim with crying, also his shoulders were bowed with hard work, and +his clothes, once so gorgeous, now hung mere rags upon his bent form. + +"Now all is in vain," said he, "for if even I returned to my own home no +one will know me, so changed am I. I will go and kill the snake that has +caused my misery, and then I will slay the old man who has deceived me." + +So he went up to the snake, who lay motionless coiled over its eggs as +usual, and reached out his hand to grasp its throat, but as he did so his +tears fell and dropped upon its head, and it writhed fearfully and then +glided away so fast that he could not see where it went, and left the heap +of gray eggs bare beneath his hand. The old man lay beside them as still as +usual, and did not move or open his eyes, even when the snake glided +hissing past him. + +"If the snake has escaped me," cried Michael, "then at least I can destroy +the eggs;" and lifting his heel he struck them with all his might, but his +foot left no mark upon them, nor even moved them from their place. They +might have been made of iron, and each one nailed to the ground, so hard +and firm they stood. + +Michael burst out weeping afresh. "How foolish I am," he said, "Yes, and +wicked too. It is not the fault of the poor snake that its eggs are not +hatched. Perhaps it is enchanted like me, and waits as patiently for them;" +and he bent his head till his tears fell upon the eggs. No sooner did they +touch them, than the shells broke, and the pieces fell asunder, and from +each egg came a small moving thing, though what it was Michael did not see, +for he leaped to his feet with a shout of joy, which filled the air, and +echoed again from the castle. At this the old man opened his eyes, and +raising himself gazed, as if thunderstruck, with astonishment at the eggs. + +"Tis a miracle," he cried, chuckling with joy. + +But out of the eggs, there came no one fully formed animal, but from one +egg came a foot, from another a leg, from another a tail, and from one a +head, and each looked as though it belonged to some different beast, yet +all these drew themselves together, and joined so well that the join was +not to be seen. And they made a hideous monster of many colours. Then the +manacles on Michael's wrists burst asunder, and the chains fell to the +ground. + +"Now," he cried, "I will go and take for myself the sword from the wall, +and win my way into the castle, and nothing shall hinder me more." And he +turned and rushed into the hut. There, upon the wall hung the shining +sword, and Michael reached out his hand and seized it firmly, and drew it +down from its place. + +"I will swear a vow," he cried, "upon this sword, that when I enter the +castle, I will say not one word for good or for ill to any one, save to ask +for what I come to seek, lest I should again be kept for years. Moreover, I +will not taste food or drink, till I have found the heart of my Joan to +take back to her." Then, with the sword in his hand, he passed the old man, +who still sat chuckling over the monster, too busy to heed him, and he went +straight on to the bridgeless moat. It was not wide, and he swam it easily, +and scrambled up the bank by the stone wall. He pushed with the point of +the sword at the gate, and it at once flew open, and he stood in the outer +court. Then he saw a heavy door in the wall of the castle, and went up to +it, nothing fearing, and, on touching it with the sword's point, it too +flew open at once, and he entered. + +He stepped into a passage filled with flowers and hung with silken +hangings. He trod upon a velvet carpet, and the air was laden with sweet +scents, and from afar he heard sweet voices singing. He strode on through +another door, and yet another, and at each step he took all things became +lovelier, till at last he passed into a splendid chamber, the like of which +he had never seen before. In the ceiling were precious stones set in +patterns of flowers and crowns, on the walls were soft velvet hangings and +embroideries. The furniture was of carven gold and silver and ivory, and +everywhere grew flowers of wonderful beauty, which sprang from the floor +and crept along the walls, and filled the air with sweet scents, and +hanging on the walls were cages which held what Michael thought were birds, +which sang most sweetly. + +On a table in the centre of the room was a banquet all laid ready, and as +Michael looked at it and wondered where he should go farther, a curtain was +drawn aside, and there stepped forth a stately dame dressed in black +velvet, who came smiling towards him and held out her hand, saying, "I am +indeed glad to see you, I am mistress of this castle, and you are very +welcome; but I beg that before you tell me from where you come and what you +seek, you will sit down and share this feast with me." Michael was +beginning to answer, when he felt the sword in his hand, and remembered his +oath, and looking full in the face of the new-comer, said, "I seek the +heart of Princess Joan." + +"And you shall find it," answered the grand lady. "But first you must rest +and eat, for you must be both tired and hungry;" and so saying she sat at +one end of the table, and signed to Michael to sit at the other, and took +the golden covers from the dishes, and prepared to begin the feast. Michael +knew not what to do, but he sat at the table in silence, and all at once +bethought him of the magic glass in his bosom, and drawing it forth when +she was not looking, gazed through it at her, and then he beheld no +finely-dressed lady, but a wizened old woman, robed in yellow, with an evil +yellow face and evil yellow eyes. He hid the glass again, and sat still as +stone, though the yellow woman pressed on him the different dishes again +and again. He saw that her face grew white with rage. Then all of a sudden +she disappeared, and the lights went out, and he was left alone in the +darkness. He rose and searched for the door by which he had entered, but +could not find it nor any way out of the room; so there he was, a prisoner +alone with the singing-birds. + +"Never mind," quoth he to himself cheerily; "I have at last reached the +inside of the castle, and surely shall find the heart of my Joan, and if I +keep my vow and neither eat nor drink here or say aught but ask for that +which I seek, nothing can harm me." + +So he sat down contentedly to wait for what might come. There he sat the +whole night, and no one came near him, but the birds sang so beautifully +that he almost forgot how the time passed. + +When morning dawned and light again shone through the windows, he searched +everywhere for some way out of the room, but the door had quite +disappeared. Moreover, the feast had gone from the table. The day passed, +and still he was all alone, and as evening again drew in he sat and +lamented, quite wearied out and faint for want of food. But when the +darkness came, the lamps about the room were suddenly lit as if by magic, +and all was brilliant, and a curtain was drawn aside, and there came in a +little child with bright eyes and hair, who held in one hand a goblet and +in the other a well-filled plate. These she placed before Michael, saying, +"My mistress sends you these, and begs that you will eat and drink, for you +must be both hungry and thirsty;" but Michael pushed away the goblet and +the plate, and said, + +"I seek the heart of Princess Joan; I beg you to give it to me." + +To this the seeming child answered nothing, but still pressed on him the +food and wine. Then Michael took from his bosom the magic glass and looked +through it, and saw no lovely child, but the same yellow hag with +shrivelled face and evil eyes. With a cry of rage she disappeared, and +though Michael searched everywhere, he could not find the way by which she +went. + +Now indeed he began to feel that unless he ate he could not live much +longer, and wept from very weakness. + +"Still I will neither eat nor drink," he said, "till I have found what I +came to seek, and the fairy cannot refuse me much longer." + +Night passed and day came, and he lay upon a couch quite still, too weak to +move, yet he feared to sleep lest some spell should be thrown upon him. + +So he lay all day, and as evening again drew near he began to feel despair, +for he knew that in another day he would be dead of hunger. + +"Oh! Why have I toiled for seven years," he cried aloud, "and at last won +my way into the castle, if now I am to be starved to death, and Joan will +never know how I have laboured for her sake?" + +"And why should you be starved to death, my Prince?" said a voice; and at +once the lights lit themselves, and into the room stepped the figure of +the Princess Joan just as he had seen her last, dressed in white and gold, +and in one hand bearing a golden goblet filled with clear ruby-coloured +wine. + +Michael gave a cry of joy and held out his arms to clasp her in them, but +as he did so the sword sprang as it hung at his side, and he remembered his +vow and drew back and gazed at her without speaking. + +She knelt down beside him and raised the goblet to his lips, saying softly, +"My poor love, how long you have worked for me! Pray drink now, that you +may be refreshed ere we two start for our home." + +Then as he looked at her face and saw how beautiful she was his heart +wavered, and he thought, "Can it be my Joan, and that I have truly won +her?" and almost had he let her place the wine at his lips, while with one +hand she stroked his hair and murmured to him the while in a soft voice, +when the cup struck against the magic glass in his bosom, and he drew it +forth and looked at her, and he trembled with horror and disgust, for there +he saw no lovely Princess Joan, but the same yellow hag, who held in one +skinny hand a goblet, formed from a skull, from which she would have him +drink. + +Michael sprang to his feet and dashed it from him, and the ruby wine poured +on the floor, and there followed an awful noise like a peal of thunder, and +the room was full of smoke, and wild cries were heard. + +He grasped the sword and sat still, trembling all over; but when the smoke +cleared away the whole aspect of the room was changed; the silken hangings, +and gold, and pearls, and flowers, were all gone, and he was sitting in a +grim gray chamber like a vault, and in front of him stood the yellow hag, +whose eyes shone spitefully and her lips laughed wickedly; but in one hand +she held what it made Michael rejoice to see. It was a soft pink feathery +thing, with wings, but shaped like a heart, and it trembled and quivered in +her hand. + +"Take it," she cried, "for well have you won it. Take it, and tell the +Queen how many years of toil and labour her proud words and boasting have +cost. Then when you see her, from whom it was stolen, let it fly, but +first say over it these words:-- + + "Heart of Joan + Lost and won + Fly back home, + Thy journey's done. + Take back joy + Take back pain + Heart of Joan, + Fly home again." + +and it will fly to her side, and you will see it no more; and now begone." + +Michael seized the heart with a cry of joy and exultation, and then turned +and fled from the room through an open iron door, and passed through the +passages, no longer softly carpeted and hung with silk, but dreary and +bare, made of cold stone, down which his foot-steps echoed and clashed. + +He hurried from the castle as quickly as might be, and once outside did not +stop to look for the old man or the monster, but swam the moat, and went +straight to where his boat lay moored as he had left it, nearly seven years +before, and never paused till he had rowed so far that the gray castle and +the shore had almost passed from view. At last he came again to the shore +where he had bought his boat of the fishermen, and here he went on land, +and started to walk till he had reached Joan's country, and her father's +castle. + +He had no money, and his clothes were rags, his hair was thin and gray, and +his shoulders bent. He looked like a poor beggar, and he had to beg food as +he went, or he would have been starved. Still, he was ready to cry for joy, +because he took with him the little soft heart he had gone so far to find. + +He trudged on both day and night, making great haste, for he knew that the +seven years were almost gone, and he was afraid lest already he might be +too late, and find that Joan had married some one else. At last, after many +weary miles, he reached her country, and drew near to the palace where she +lived, and here he found that the people were all decorating their houses, +and making preparations as if for some great festival. + +He stopped and begged for food from a woman who stood by a cottage door, +and when she had given him some bread, as he ate it he asked her to tell +him what went on in the country, and why there was such rejoicing. + +"It is for the marriage of the King's daughter Joan," said the woman; +"To-morrow she is to be married to old King Lambert, and the wedding will +be very grand, but none of the country folk like it, for he is old and +ugly, and they say he does not love her at all, but only marries her that +he may be king of this country as well as his own. The Queen is in sore +distress about it, and for seven years refused her consent; but they will +be over to-morrow, and so they will be wed, and the guests are already +beginning to arrive at the palace, and each one brings some splendid gift." + +"I will be a guest at that wedding," cried Michael; "And I bring the best +gift of all for the bride;" and he hurried on again, not heeding the +woman's scorn and laughter. + +When he came to the palace, he found that it was hung with flags, and +arches of flowers were erected in front of it, and grand lords and ladies, +and servants stood at the door to receive the guests who came. + +Michael went as near as he dared, afraid lest he should be driven away by +the servants, and then he saw a little foot-page, and he went to him and +said, + +"Please tell me where is the Princess Joan, and what she is doing." + +"She is sitting with the King and Queen and King Lambert in the state-room, +to receive the guests and accept the presents they bring," said the page. + +"I am a guest, and I bring a present for her," cried Michael; "Tell me how +I shall get into the palace that I may give it to her." + +On hearing this the page burst out laughing, and told the other servants +what he said. And they were very angry, and seized Michael, and some would +have ducked him in the pond, and some would have taken him before the King, +but they said, "Not now--wait till the wedding is over to-morrow, and then +we will see how he will punish the beggar-man for his impertinence." + +So they took him off to a stone tower outside the garden gates and thrust +him into it, and locked the door, and there was only one little window high +up and barred across with bars, and from it he could see the palace and the +gardens. + +Then at last he gave way to despair. "Of what avail were all my years of +toil, and for what am I gray and old before my time," he cried, "if after +all, when I have earned that for which I worked so long, I may not give it +to Joan, but must remain a prisoner and see her pass by to marry some one +else?" and he threw himself on the ground and cried aloud. + +At night as he lay and mourned, he heard sounds of merrymaking, and music +and laughter from the castle. Sometimes he called out, "Joan! Joan! I am +here--I who have worked for you for years, and brought home your stolen +heart, and now will you wed King Lambert in spite of all?" sometimes he +beat against the bars of the prison window, but all in vain, and at last, +when all sound had ceased from the castle, he lay silent upon the ground, +caring no more for life. + +When the sun rose, and there was again a stir without, he got up and looked +from the window, and saw the old nurse who walked by herself in the garden, +and she looked very sad. Then Michael called out, "Do you not know me? You +at least, who bid me go, and praised me then, should remember me now." On +hearing this the old nurse drew near the prison window, and looked at him, +and said, "Who are you, and why are you here? My eyes are old, and my ears +are deaf, but I think I have seen you, and heard your voice before." + +"Seven years ago," said Michael, "I too was a bridegroom, who came to wed +your Princess, and for seven long years have I worked, that I might bring +home to her the heart she had not. Go and ask your Queen, why she has +broken her pledge to wait for seven years, till Prince Michael should +return." + +"Prince Michael! Is it really Prince Michael?" cried the old nurse +joyfully. "And you come in time, for our Princess is not married yet, and +she must pass by here, on her way to church. So you shall call to her as +she passes by, and speak for yourself." + +"Then keep near and tell me when she comes," said Michael, "lest she go by +without seeing me." + +Presently the whole castle was astir, and trumpets were sounding, and +clarions ringing. Then when the sun was high, Michael heard the tramping of +horses, and the sound of music, and the old nurse said to him, "Here she +is," and he looked between the bars of the prison window and saw a grand +procession, and his heart gave a bound, for in their midst, in a golden +gown, and seated on a white palfrey, was Princess Joan, and she looked just +as lovely as when he went away seven years before. + +On one side of her rode her father and mother, and the Queen's face was +most mournful, and her eyes were red with crying. On the other rode an ugly +old man, whom Michael guessed to be King Lambert, and he smiled and bowed +to the people, but they muttered and grumbled, when they looked at him, +and saw how ugly and wicked, he looked. + +When Michael saw them coming, he took from his bosom the little pink heart, +and stroked it fondly as he whispered over it, + + "Heart of Joan + Lost and won + Fly back home, + Thy journey's done. + Take back joy + Take back pain + Heart of Joan, + Fly home again;" + +and at once it spread its wings and fluttered through the bars of the +prison, and over the heads of the people, who shouted, "Look at the pink +bird!" For a moment it rested at the side of the Princess Joan, and then +disappeared. She gave a scream, and cried, + +"My mother! My father! What has happened? Oh see, it is Michael who has +returned!" and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's head +towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars to +clasp the Prince. + +[Illustration: ----and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's +head towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars +to clasp the Prince."--P. 128.] + +"Michael, my love!" she cried, "How gray and worn you are now. How hard you +must have laboured for me through these long years. Now, how shall I pay +you, save by loving you all my life!" and she tried to beat down the bars +of the prison window. + +When the people heard her, they cried, "It is Prince Michael, who went +seven years ago, and who we all thought was dead, and he is returned in +time to marry our Princess. Now will we indeed have a wedding, and she +shall marry the Prince who has toiled so long for her;" and King and Queen +and people laughed for joy. 'Twas in vain for King Lambert to rage, and cry +that the Princess was betrothed to him. + +"Nay!" said the Queen, "She has been pledged to Prince Michael for seven +years. We are grieved for your sake, King Lambert, but we cannot break our +royal word." + +Then the people burst into the prison and brought out Michael, all torn and +gray as he was, and Princess Joan kissed him before them all, and begged +that he would marry her at once, that every one might see how well she +loved him and how grateful she was. So they brought a fine white horse with +a grand gold saddle, and jewelled bridle, and placed Michael upon it, and +he rode to church beside the Princess, and married her, and the people +threw flowers before them, and bells rang and trumpets sounded, and all +were glad. + +And when it was done Michael was dressed in purple and gold, and messengers +were sent to his father and mother and the old wizard, that they might come +and see how he had come home victorious, and rejoicings filled the whole +country. + +"For now we are sure of a good King," the people said. "See, he has already +shown what he can do. Surely no one else could ever have found the heart of +Princess Joan." + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: "Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, +perhaps you would not mind carrying my load for me for a little."--P. +131.] + + + + +THE PEDLAR'S PACK + +[Illustration] + + +A pedlar was toiling along a dusty road carrying his pack on his back, when +he saw a donkey grazing by the wayside. + +"Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, perhaps you would +not mind carrying my load for me for a little." + +"If I do so, what will you give me?" said the donkey. + +"I will give you two pieces of gold," said the pedlar, but he did not speak +the truth, for he knew he had no gold to give. + +"Agreed," said the donkey. So they journeyed on together in a very +friendly manner, the donkey carrying the pedlar's pack, and the pedlar +walking by his side. After a time they met a raven, who was looking for +worms in the roadside, and the donkey called out to him, + +"Good-morrow, black friend. If you are going our way, you would do well to +sit upon my back and drive away the flies, which worry me sadly." + +"And what will you pay me to do this?" asked the raven. + +"Money is no object to me," said the donkey, "so I will give you three +pieces of gold." And he too knew he was making a false promise, for he had +no gold at all to give. + +"Agreed," said the raven. So they went on in high good humour, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's wares, and the raven sitting on the donkey's back +driving away the flies. + +After a time they met a hedge-sparrow, and the raven called out to it, + +"Good-day, little cousin. Do you want to earn a little money? If so, bring +me some worms from the bank as we go along, for I had no breakfast, and am +very hungry." + +"What will you give me for it?" asked the hedge-sparrow. + +"Let us say four pieces of gold," said the raven grandly; "for I have saved +more during my long life than I know how to spend." But he knew this was +not true, for he had not saved any gold at all. + +"Very well," said the hedge-sparrow, and so on they went, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's pack, and the raven keeping the flies away from the +donkey, and the hedge-sparrow bringing worms to the raven. + +Presently they saw in the distance a good-sized town, and the pedlar took +out from his pack, some shawls and stuffs and hung them over the donkey's +back that the passers-by might see, and buy if they were so disposed. On +the top of the other goods lay a small scarlet blanket, and when he saw it +the hedge-sparrow said to the pedlar, + +"What will you take for that little blanket? It seems to be a good one. +Name your price and you shall have it whatever it is, for I am badly in +want of a blanket just now;" but as the hedge-sparrow had not a penny in +the world, he knew he could not pay for it. + +"The price of the blanket is five pieces of gold," said the pedlar. + +"That seems to me to be very dear," said the hedge-sparrow. "I don't mind +giving you four pieces of gold for it, but five is too much." + +"Agreed," said the pedlar, and he chuckled to himself and thought, "Now I +shall be able to pay the donkey, otherwise I might have had some trouble in +getting rid of him." + +The hedge-sparrow flew to the raven's side and whispered in his ear, +"Please to pay me the four pieces of gold you owe me, for we are coming to +a town, and I must be turning back." + +"Four pieces of gold is really too much for bringing a few worms," said the +raven. "It is absurd to expect such payment, but I will give you three, and +you shall have them almost immediately," and he bent down over the donkey's +ear and whispered, + +"My friend, it is time you paid me the three pieces of gold which you +promised, for the pedlar will stop at this town, and you will not have to +go farther with him." + +"On thinking it over," said the donkey, "I have come to the conclusion that +three pieces of gold are really a great deal too much to give for having a +few flies driven away. You must have known that I was only joking when I +said it, but I will let you have two, though I consider that it is much +more than the job was worth;" and the donkey turned again to the pedlar, +saying, "Now, good sir, your two pieces of gold, if you please." + +"In a moment," said the pedlar, and turning to the hedge-sparrow, said, "I +really must have the money for the blanket at once." + +"So you shall," answered the hedge-sparrow, and cried angrily to the raven, +"I want my money now, and cannot wait." + +"In an instant," answered the raven, and again whispered to the donkey, +"Why can't you pay me honestly? I should be ashamed of trying to slip out +of my debts in such a way." + +"I won't keep you waiting a second," said the donkey, and he turned once +more to the pedlar and cried, "Come, give me my money. For shame! a man +like you trying to cheat a poor beast like me." + +Then the pedlar said to the hedge-sparrow, "Pay me for my blanket, or I'll +wring your neck." + +And the hedge-sparrow cried to the raven, "Give me my money or I'll peck +out your eyes." + +And the raven croaked to the donkey, "If you don't pay me, I'll bite off +your tail." + +And the donkey again cried to the pedlar, "You dishonest wretch, pay me my +money or I'll kick you soundly." + +And they made such an uproar outside the walls of the town, that the beadle +came out to see what it was all about. Each turned to him and began to +complain of the other loudly. + +"You are a set of rogues and vagabonds," said the beadle, "and you shall +all come before the mayor, and he'll settle your quarrels pretty quickly, +and treat you as you deserve." + +At this they all begged to be allowed to go away, each one saying he did +not care about being paid at all. But the beadle would not listen to them, +and led them straight away to the market-place, where the mayor sat judging +the people. + +"Now, whom have we here?" cried he. "A pedlar, a donkey, a raven, and a +hedge-sparrow. A set of worthless vagabonds, I'll be bound! Let us hear +what they have to say for themselves." + +On this the pedlar began to complain of the hedge-sparrow, and the +hedge-sparrow of the raven, and the raven of the donkey, and the donkey of +the pedlar. + +The mayor did not heed them much, but he eyed the pedlar's pack, and at +length interrupted them, and said, + +"I am convinced that you are a set of good-for-nothing fellows, and one is +quite as bad as the other, so I order that the pedlar be locked up in the +prison, that the donkey be soundly well thrashed, and that the raven and +the hedge-sparrow both have their tail-feathers pulled out, and then be +turned out of the town. As for the blanket, it seems to me to be the only +good thing in the whole matter, and as I cannot allow you to keep the cause +of such a disturbance, I will take it for myself. Beadle, lead the +prisoners away." + +So the beadle did as he was told, and the pedlar was locked up for many +days in the prison. + +"It is very sad to think to what straits an honest man may be brought," he +sighed to himself as he sat lamenting his hard fate. "In future this will +be a warning to me to keep clear of hedge-sparrows. If the hedge-sparrow +had paid me as he ought, I should not be here now." + +Meantime the donkey was being soundly well thrashed, and after each blow he +cried, + +"Alas! alas! See what comes to an innocent quadruped for having to do with +human beings. Had the pedlar given me the money he owed, I should not now +be beaten thus. In future I will never make a bargain with men." + +The raven and the hedge-sparrow hopped out of the town by different roads, +and both were very sad, for they had lost all their tail feathers, which +the beadle had pulled out. + +"Alas!" croaked the raven, "my fate is indeed a hard one. But it serves me +right for trusting a donkey who goes on his feet and cannot fly. It is +truly a warning to me never again to trust anything without a beak." + +The hedge-sparrow was quite crestfallen, and could scarcely keep from +tears. "It all comes of my being so taken in by that raven," he sighed. +"But I should have known that these large birds are never honest. In future +I will be wise, and never make a bargain with anything bigger or stronger +than myself." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT + +[Illustration] + + +Once there was a baker who had a very bad, violent temper, and whenever a +batch of bread was spoiled he flew into such a rage, that his wife and +daughters dared not go near him. One day it happened that all his bread was +burnt, and on this he stamped and raved with anger. He threw the loaves all +about the floor, when one, burnt blacker than the rest, broke in half, and +out of it crept a tiny thin black man, no thicker than an eel, with long +arms and legs. + +"What are you making all this fuss about, Master Baker?" said he. "If you +will give me a home in your oven I will see to the baking of your bread, +and will answer for it that you shall never have so much as a loaf +spoiled." + +[Illustration: "If you will give me a home in your oven I will see to the +baking of your bread, and will answer for it that you shall never have so +much as a loaf spoiled."--P. 141.] + +"And pray what sort of bread would it be, if you were in the oven, and +helped to bake it?" said the baker; "I think my customers might not like to +eat it." + +"On the contrary," said the imp, "they would like it exceedingly. It is +true that it would make them rather unhappy, but that will not hurt you, as +you need not eat it yourself." + +"Why should it make them unhappy?" said the baker. "If it is good bread it +won't do any one harm, and if it is bad they won't buy it." + +"It will taste very good," replied the imp, "but it will make all who eat +it discontented, and they will think themselves very unfortunate whether +they are so or no; but this will not do you any harm, and I promise you +that you shall sell as much as you wish." + +"Agreed!" said the baker. So the little imp crept into the oven and curled +himself into the darkness behind, and the baker saw no more of him. + +But next day he made a great batch of bread, and though he took no heed of +the time when he put it in, and drew it out, just as he wanted it, it was +done quite right--neither too dark nor too light--and the baker was in high +good humour. + +The first person who tasted the bread was the chief justice. He came down +to breakfast in high spirits, for he had just heard that an old aunt was +dead, and had left him a great deal of money. So he kissed his wife and +chucked his daughters under the chin, and told them that he had good news +for them. His old aunt had left him twenty thousand pounds in her will. On +this his wife clapped her hands for joy, and his daughters ran to him and +kissed him, and begged him to let them have some of it. So they all sat +down to breakfast in great glee, but no sooner had the justice tasted the +bread than his face fell. + +"This is excellent bread," he said, taking a large slice; "I wish +everything else were as good;" and he heaved a deep sigh. + +"Why?" cried his wife, who had not yet begun to eat. "This morning, I am +sure, there is nothing for you to complain of." + +"Nay!" said the mayor; "it is very nice to have twenty thousand pounds, but +think how much nicer it would have been if it had been thirty. How much +more one could have done with that! Or even if it had been twenty-five +thousand pounds, or even twenty-one. Twenty-one thousand pounds is a very +nice sum of money, but twenty thousand pounds is no good at all. I am not +sure that it would not be better not to have had any." + +"Nonsense!" cried his wife, who was now eating her breakfast also; "you are +very wicked to be so discontented; but one thing I do say. It would have +been much nicer if we had had it when we were young and better able to +enjoy it. Money is very little use to people at our time of life. It would +have been really nice if we had had it fifteen years ago. As it is, I can't +say I care much for it, and it makes me sad to think we did not get it +before." + +"Nay," cried the daughters; "in that case how much better it would have +been for us to have it instead of you; we are young, and able to enjoy +ourselves, and we could have given you a little of it if you'd liked, but +we could have been very happy with the rest; as it is, it is no pleasure to +us." + +So they fell to quarrelling about the money, and by the time breakfast was +done, they all had tears in their eyes, and felt discontented and unhappy. + +The next person to eat the bread was the village doctor. All night long he +had been sitting up with a man who had broken his leg, and he had feared +lest he should die, but as morning came he saw he would live, so he +returned home to his wife in very good spirits, although he was sadly +tired. The wife had already had her breakfast, but she had made all ready +for her husband, with a loaf of the baker's new bread. + +"See, dear husband," she said, "here is your breakfast, and some nice bread +quite new, because I know you like it. How glad we ought to be, that this +poor man is likely to live." + +"Yes, indeed," said the doctor; "being up all night is tiring work, but I +don't grudge it when I know that it does some good," and then he began to +eat. "I am not sure, after all, that I have done such a good thing in +curing this man. It is true that his broken leg hurt him very much, but +perhaps when he is well again, he may break his back, and that would be +much worse. Perhaps I had better have left him to die. I daresay when he is +quite well, all kinds of misfortunes will befall him; I had much better +have let him alone." + +"Why," cried his wife in surprise, "what are you saying, husband? Are you +not a doctor, and is it not your business to cure people? And when you +succeed ought you not to be glad?" + +"I wish I were not a doctor," said the husband, sighing. "It would be much +better if there were no doctors at all;" and he sat and lamented, and +nothing his wife could say, could cheer him. + +In a pretty little cottage near the doctor's house lived a young couple, +who were newly married, and were as happy as the day was long. Their +cottage was covered with roses, and filled with pretty things, and they +had everything their hearts could desire. This morning they both came down +smiling and happy, and the young wife kissed her husband, and sang for joy. +So they sat down to breakfast, chattering like two birds in a nest; but no +sooner had the husband tasted the bread than his face fell, and he was +silent for a time; then he said, + +"It is a very terrible thing to think how happy we are, for it cannot last. +Something melancholy is sure to happen to us, and till it comes we shall +live in dread of it; for we know happiness never lasts, and this is a +thought that makes me very sad." + +The wife had now also taken some bread. + +"What is this you are saying?" she said. "How can you think such dreadful +things? I do not like you when you talk like that; and I think it is very +hard for me to be married to a man who wants to be unhappy." + +"The best thing we can hope for," said the husband, sighing, "is for some +great misfortune to befall us; then we should be all right, for we should +know then, that we knew the worst that could come. As it is we shall live +in suspense all our days." + +"Now," cried his wife, "I am indeed unfortunate. What could be worse than +to have a husband who does not like being happy? I wish I had married some +one else; or indeed had no husband at all." + +So both began to grumble, and at last to quarrel, and finally both were +crying with anger. + +Not far out of the village was a large pleasant farmhouse, standing amongst +fields, and the farmer was a hale, bright man, with a good wife and pretty +children. He was very busy just now getting in the corn, for it was autumn, +and he stood among his men, directing them as they worked in the fields. He +had not had time to have a proper breakfast before going to work, but his +wife sent some out to him with some of the baker's new bread, and he sat +down under a tree to eat it. As he did so he looked up at the farmhouse, +and thought, with pride, that it was the largest farm in all the country +round, and that it had belonged to his father, and his grandfather, and +his great-grandfather, before him. + +"'Tis a fine old house, for sure," thought he, as he took a large piece of +bread, "'Tis so well built and strong;" but no sooner had he swallowed a +mouthful than his thoughts changed. + +"What should I do if it were to fall down and crush me some day," he said +to himself. "After all, 'tis only built of brick, and might tumble any day. +How much stronger it would have been if it had been built of stone. Then it +would not have been nearly so likely to give way. Really when my +great-grandfather built it he should have thought of this. How selfish all +men are;" and he became quite unhappy lest his house should fall, and +lamented while he ate. + +In the kitchen the farmer's wife was very busy cooking and cleaning, and +scarcely stopped to eat till near mid-day. Then she took up a piece of +bread and cheese, and leant against the window as she ate it, that she +might watch for her eldest girl and boy, Janey and Jimmy, who would now be +returning from school. + +"Our baker really bakes very decent bread," said she; "'tis almost as good +as my own;" and she went on eating till she saw her two children coming +through the fields together. + +"Here they come," said she; "How bonny they look. Really I ought to be very +proud of them. I don't know which is the prettier, Janey or Jimmy, but 'tis +a pity, for sure, that Janey is the eldest. It would be much better if +Jimmy were older than she. 'Tis a bad thing for the sister to be older than +the brother. Now, if he were her age, and she were his, that would be +really nice, for then he could take care of her and see after her; but, as +it is, she will try to direct him, and boys never like to obey their +sisters; I really almost think I had better not have had any children at +all," and the tears filled her eyes, and when her girl and boy ran in to +her, her face was very sad, and she seemed to be scarcely glad to see them. + +So things went on all over the village. Each one as he tasted the bread +grew discontented and angry, till at last all the people went about +grumbling and complaining, or else shedding tears outright. Only the baker +himself was cheerful and merry, and sang as he kneaded his dough, and sold +it to his customers with a light heart, for his trade had never been so +good. Every atom of bread he made was sold at once, so he cared not one +whit for the trouble of the other people, and laughed to himself when he +heard them complaining, and thought of the words of the dark little elf. + +One day as he stood kneading at the door and whistling to himself, the +doctor walked past and looked angrily at him. + +"What on earth are you making that whistling for?" he asked. "I declare one +would think that you were as happy as a man could be." + +"And so I am," said the baker, "And so I should think were you too, for you +have nothing to trouble you." + +"Nothing to trouble me, forsooth!" cried the doctor in a rage. "How dare +you insult me in this way? I tell you what it is, my fine fellow, I think +you are very impertinent, and if I have any more of your impudence I will +take my stick and thrash you soundly. It really is not to be borne, that +one man should be allowed to tell another that he has nothing to complain +of." + +"Nay, _you_ can have as much to complain of as you like, so long as I have +not," cried the baker, and he laughed loudly. This only made the doctor +angrier still, and he was just going to seize the baker when up came the +farmer. + +"Was there ever such a village as this?" he cried. "It is not fit for any +one to live in, there is always such fighting and quarrelling going on. +What is the matter here?" + +"Matter enough," cried the doctor. "Here is a fellow dares to tell me I +have nothing to complain of, nor he either." + +"This is monstrous!" said the farmer; "he deserves to be hung. How dares he +say such a thing on such a wretched day as this, with such a blue sky and +such a bright sun?" + +"Why, Master Farmer," cried the baker, "yesterday you grumbled because it +was raining, and now you grumble because it is fine." + +"And I tell you that it is enough to make one grumble," said the farmer. +"It should have been fair yesterday, and should have rained to-day. You +ought to be ashamed of such talk, Master Baker, and I think it would serve +you justly right if we took you before the Justice and let us see what he +thinks of your conduct." + +"Nay!" cried the baker, beginning to be frightened, "what have I done that +I am to be taken before the Justice?" + +"What have you done, indeed!" said the doctor. "We will see if the Justice +cannot find that out pretty quickly." So they seized the baker and dragged +him away in spite of himself, and as they pulled him through the village +the people thronged about them, and followed till there was quite a large +crowd. + +The Justice sat at his door smoking a pipe, with tears in his eyes. + +"Now what is all this uproar for?" cried he. "Am I never to be left in +peace? How hard is the life of a Justice!" but he got up and came out on +the steps to meet them. + +"See here," cried the doctor; "here is a man who says he has nothing to +complain of, and we have brought him to you, to know if he is to be +punished, or to be allowed to go on talking like this." + +"Certainly not," cried the Justice, "or we shall soon have the whole +village in an uproar. Let him be taken to the market-place, and I will +order that he be publicly flogged by the soldiers." + +At this the poor baker burst out crying, and entreated to be let off, +saying that now indeed he had plenty to complain of, but at this the +justice was angrier still. "Then," said he, "you certainly deserve to be +flogged for having told an untruth before, when you said you had not. Take +him away, and do as I bid." + +So they dragged the baker off to the market-place, and made a ring round +him, so that he could not escape, and then there came down two or three +soldiers with ropes in their hands, and they seized him, and began to beat +him before all the crowd. + +But by this time all the people were so enraged against him, that a number +of them cried, "Let us go to his house and pull it down." So off they ran +to the baker's house, and broke the windows and knocked about the +furniture, and then some of them fell on the oven, and wrenched off the +door, and others seized the pokers and tongs, and smashed in its sides, and +in the hurry and scuffle, the little dark man crept out of the oven and +scuttled away unseen by any one. But no sooner had he gone than a great +change came across the people. + +The soldiers on the green stopped beating the baker, and looked at each +other aghast, and the Justice called out, + +"Stop! What is all this uproar about? And what has this man done that you +are beating him without my orders?" and the people in the crowd whispered +to each other; "It is true,--what has he done?" and they slunk away, +looking ashamed. + +The Justice also at first looked somewhat ashamed of himself, but he drew +himself up, and looking very important, said, "There, my man, you are +forgiven for this once, and now go your way, and see that you behave better +in future;" and then he walked away with much dignity. + +So the baker was left alone in the market-place, and he cried for rage and +pain. + +"This all comes of the oven imp," cried he, as he limped home. "Directly I +get home I will drive him out of my oven, and away from my house. Better to +have a hundred batches of bread spoiled than to be flogged for saying one +is happy." But when he reached his house the little dark man was nowhere to +be found; there was nought but the broken oven with its sides battered in. + +The baker mended the oven, and from that time forth his bread was just like +other people's; but for all that he had learnt to be quite contented, for +now he knew that there were worse things than having his loaves burnt +black, and he was only too well pleased to take his chance with other +people, without the help of fairy folk. As for the little black imp, he was +never heard of more, and the people in the village soon recovered their +good humour, and were just as happy and contented as they had been before +they tasted the bread of discontent. + +[Illustration] + + + + +YE THREE CLEVER KINGS + +[Illustration] + + +Old King Roland lay upon his death-bed, and as he had no son to reign after +him he sent for his three nephews, Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete, and +addressed them as follows:-- + +"My dear nephews, I feel that my days are now drawing to an end, and one of +you will have to be King when I am dead. But there is no pleasure in being +King. My people have been difficult to govern and never content with what I +did for them, so that my life has been a hard one, and though I have +watched you all closely, still I know not, which is most fit to wear the +crown; so my wish is that you should each try it in turn. You, Aldovrand, +as you are the oldest, shall be King first, and if you reign happily, all +well and good; but if you fail, let Aldebert take your place; and if he +fail, let him give it up to Alderete, and then you will know which is the +best fitted to govern." + +On this the three young men all thanked their uncle, and each one declared +that he would do his best, and soon after old King Roland died and was +buried with great state and ceremony. + +So now Aldovrand was to be King, and he was crowned, and there were great +rejoicings everywhere. + +"'Tis a fine thing to be King," cried he in much glee; "Now I can amuse +myself and do just as I please, and there will be no one to stop me, and I +will lie in bed as late as I like in the morning, for who dares blame one, +if one is King?" + +Next morning the Prime Minister and the Chancellor came to the palace to +see the new King and settle affairs of state, but they were told that his +majesty was in bed and had given orders that no one should disturb him. + +"This is a bad beginning," sighed the Prime Minister. + +"Very bad," echoed the Chancellor. + +When they came back to the palace later in the day the King was playing at +battledore and shuttlecock with some of his gentlemen, and was very angry +at being interrupted in his game. + +"A pretty thing," he cried, "That I the King am to be sent for hither and +thither as if I were a lacquey. They must go away and come another time;" +and on hearing this the Prime Minister and Chancellor looked graver still. + +But next morning there came the Commander-in-Chief and the Lord High +Admiral, as well as the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, all wanting to +have an audience with the King, and as he was not out of bed and they could +not wait any longer, they all stood outside his bedroom door, and knocked +to gain admittance, and at last he came out in a towering rage, and +throwing them his crown, cried, + +"Here, let one of my cousins be King, for I will not bear this longer. It +is much more trouble than it is worth, so Aldebert or Alderete may try it +and see how they like it, but as for me, I have had enough of it," and he +ran downstairs and out of the palace door, leaving the Prime Minister and +the Chancellor and the General and Admiral staring at each other in dismay. + +Aldovrand walked out of the town unnoticed, and turned towards the country, +whistling cheerily to himself. When he had gone some way in the fields, he +came to a farmhouse, and in a meadow near, the farmer stood talking to his +men. Aldovrand went straight up to him, and, touching his hat, asked if he +could give him any work. + +"Work?" cried the farmer, little thinking he was talking to his late king. +"Why, what sort of work can you do?" + +"Well," said Aldovrand, "I am not very fond of running about, but if you +want any one to mind your sheep, or keep the birds from your corn, I could +do that nicely." + +"I tell you what you can do if you like," said the farmer. "I am wanting a +goose-boy to take care of my geese. See, there they are on the common. All +you will have to do is to see that they don't stray away, and to drive them +in at night." + +"That will suit me exactly," cried Aldovrand. "I will begin at once;" and +he went straight on to the common, and when he had collected the geese +together lay down to watch them in high good humour. + +"This is capital," he cried, "and much better than being King at the +palace. Here there is no Prime Minister or Chancellor to come worrying;" +and he lay watching the geese all day very contentedly. + +When the Prime Minister and the Chancellor knew that Aldovrand was really +gone, they went in a great hurry to Aldebert to tell him that it was his +turn to be King. But when he heard how his cousin had run away, he looked +frightened. + +"I will do my best," quoth he; "but I really know very little about the +matter. However, you must tell me, and I will do whatever you direct." + +At hearing this the Prime Minister and the Chancellor were delighted. + +"Now we have got the right sort of King," they said; and both wagged their +heads with joy. + +So King Aldebert was crowned, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country. + +Early next morning he was up all ready to receive his Ministers, and first +came the Prime Minister. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "I come to you on an affair of much importance. A +great part of our city is falling down, and it is very necessary that we +should rebuild it at once. If you will command it, therefore, I will see +that it is done." + +"I have no doubt you are right," said the King; "pray let them begin +building at once;" and the Prime Minister went away delighted. + +Scarcely had he gone when in came the Commander-in-Chief. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "I wish to lay before you the state of our army. +Our soldiers have had a great deal of fighting to do lately, and are +beginning to be discontented, but the late King, your uncle, would never +attend to their wants." + +"Pray do what you like," said King Aldebert. + +"To satisfy them," said the Commander-in-Chief, "I think that we should +double their pay. This would keep them in a good humour, and all will go +well." + +"By all means, that will certainly be the best way," said Aldebert. "Let it +be given to them at once;" and on hearing this, the Commander-in-Chief went +away right merrily. + +When he had gone, there came in the Chancellor with a long face. + +"Your Majesty," he said, "I have this morning been to the treasury, and I +find that there is scarcely any money left. The late King, your uncle, +spent so much in spite of all I could say, that now it is almost all gone. +Your Majesty must now save all you can for the next year or two, and you +ought also to lower the soldiers' pay, and stop all public works." + +"I have no doubt you are quite right," cried the King. "You know best, let +it be done as you wish." + +But next morning in came the Prime Minister with a frowning face. "How is +this, your Majesty?" cried he. "Just as we are beginning our buildings, the +Chancellor comes and tells us that we are not to have any money to build +with." He had not done speaking when the Commander-in-Chief burst into the +room unable to conceal his rage. + +"Yesterday your Majesty told me that all the soldiers should have double +pay, and this morning I hear, that instead of that, their wages are to be +lowered!" Here he was interrupted by the Chancellor, who came running in +looking much excited, + +"Your Majesty," he cried, "did you not yesterday say we were now to begin +saving, and that I was not to allow any more money to be spent, and that +the army must do with less pay?" + +And then all three began to quarrel among themselves. When he saw how angry +they were, King Aldebert took off his crown and said, "I am sure you are +each of you quite right; but I think I am scarcely fit to be a King. Indeed +I think you had better find my cousin Alderete, and let him be crowned, and +I will seek my fortune elsewhere." And he had slipped out of the room, and +run downstairs and out of the palace, before they could stop him. + +He went briskly down the highroad into the country, the same way that +Aldovrand had gone. + +After he had gone some way, he met a travelling tinker who sat by the +roadside mending tin cans, with his little fire at his side. + +Aldebert stood watching him, and at last said, "How cleverly you mend those +holes! You must lead a pleasant life, going from house to house in the +green lanes mending wares. Do you think I could learn how to do it if you +would teach me?" + +The tinker, who was an old man, looked at him and said, + +"Well, I don't mind giving you a trial if you like to come with me, for I +want a strong young man sometimes to help me wheel my little cart, and +I'll teach you my trade, and we'll see what you can make of it." + +So Aldebert was delighted, and went with the tinker. + +When they knew he was really gone the Prime Minister and the Chancellor +looked at each other in dismay. + +"This will never do," cried they; "we must go at once to Prince Alderete; +and let us hope he may do better than his cousins." + +When Prince Alderete heard that it was his turn to reign he jumped for joy. + +"Now," cried he, "at last I will show what a king should really be like. My +cousins were neither of them any good, but they shall now see how different +I will be." + +So he was crowned, and again there were great rejoicings all over the +country. + +Next day he sat in state to receive the Chancellor and Prime Minister and +hear what they had to say. + +"My friends," said he to them, "a good King ought to be like a father to +his people, and this is what I mean to be. I mean to arrange everything +for them myself, and if they will only obey me, and do as I direct, they +are sure to be both prosperous and happy." + +On hearing this both Prime Minister and Chancellor looked anxious, and the +Chancellor said, + +"I fear, your Majesty, your people will not like to be too much meddled +with." At this the King was very angry, and bid them see about their own +business, and not presume to teach him his. + +When they had gone he went to take a drive in his city, that he might see +it and know it well; but directly he returned to the palace he sent for the +Prime Minister, and when he had arrived, said, + +"I already see much to be altered in my kingdom. I do not like the houses +in which many of the people dwell, nor indeed the dresses they wear; but +what strikes me most of all is, that wherever I go I smell a strong smell +of pea soup. Now, nothing is so unwholesome as pea soup, and therefore it +would not be right in me to allow the people to go on eating it. I +command, therefore, that no one shall again make, or eat pea soup, within +my realm on pain of death." + +Again the Prime Minister looked very grave, and began to say, + +"Your Majesty, your subjects will surely not like to be hindered from +eating and drinking what pleases them!" But the King cried out in a rage, + +"Go at once and do as I bid you." So the Prime Minister had to obey. + +Early next morning when the King arose he heard a great hubbub under his +window, and when he went to see what it was, he saw a vast mob of people +all shouting, "The King, the King! Where is this King who would dictate to +us what we shall eat and drink?" + +When he saw them he was terribly frightened, and at once sent off for the +Prime Minister and Chancellor to come to his aid. + +"Pray go and tell them to eat what they like," he cried when they arrived; +"But, do you know, I find it will not at all suit me to be King. You had +best try Aldovrand, or Aldebert, again;" and, so saying, he took off his +crown and laid it down, and slipped away out of the palace before either +Prime Minister or Chancellor could stop him. + +He went out of the back door, and ran, and ran, and ran, till he had left +the town far behind, and came to the country fields and lanes--the same way +that his two cousins had gone; and as he went he met a sweep trudging along +carrying his long brooms over his shoulder. + +"My friend," cried Alderete, stopping him, "Of all things in the world I +should like to be a sweep and learn how to sweep chimneys. May I go with +you, and will you teach me your trade?" + +The sweep looked surprised, but said, "Yes, Alderete could go with him if +he chose, and as he was now going on to the farmhouses, on the road, to +sweep the chimneys, he could begin at once." So Alderete went with the +sweep, carrying some of his brooms for him. + +After a time the people outside the palace grew quiet, when they heard that +the King would not interfere with them further. And when all was again +still, the Prime Minister and Chancellor went to seek the King, but he was +nowhere to be found in the palace. + +"This will never do," cried they. "We must have a King somehow, so we had +best have back one of the others." So they started to look for Aldovrand or +Aldebert. + +They sought them all over the city, and at last they came into the same +country road down which the three cousins had gone, and there they saw +Aldovrand lying in a meadow watching his flock of geese. + +"Good day, my friends," cried he when he saw them; "And how are things +going on at the palace? I hope my cousins like reigning better than I did. +Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, and it is much +nicer than being King." + +Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor told him all that had happened, and +begged that he would come back with them to the palace again, but at this +Aldovrand laughed outright. + +[Illustration: "Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, +and it is much nicer than being King."--P. 170.] + +"No indeed!" cried he, "I would not be King again for any man living. You +had best go and seek my cousin Aldebert, and ask him. I saw him go down the +road with a tinker, helping him to mend his tins. So go and ask him, and +leave me to mind my geese in peace." + +So the Prime Minister, and the Chancellor had to seek still farther. + +They trudged on and on, till at last they met Aldebert, who sat by the side +of the road mending a tin kettle, and whistling cheerily. + +"Heyday, whom have we here?" cried he. "The Prime Minister and the +Chancellor! And I am right glad to see you both. See how clever I have +grown; I am learning to be a tinker, and I mended that hole all myself." + +Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor begged him to leave his pots, and +come back to the palace and be King, but he fell to work again, harder than +ever, and said, + +"No indeed; go and ask my cousins, who are both much cleverer than I. I +really don't do for it at all, but I make a very good tinker, and I like +that much better." + +"Then what can we do?" cried the Prime Minister, "for we don't know where +Alderete has gone." + +"I saw him go by here with a sweep a little time ago," said Aldebert; "and +he went into that farmhouse yonder, so you had best seek him there." + +So the Prime Minister and the Chancellor went on to the farmhouse. At the +door stood the farmer's wife, but when they asked her if she had seen the +King go by, she stared with surprise. + +"Nay," said she; "no one has been here but our sweep and his apprentice. He +is in there sweeping the chimney now." On hearing this, the Prime Minister +and Chancellor at once ran into the farmhouse, and saw the old sweep +standing by the kitchen fire-place. "And where is the other sweep?" cried +they. "He is gone up the chimney, and is just going to begin sweeping," +said the old man. "So if you want to speak to him you must shout." So they +shouted and called, + +"King Alderete, King Alderete!" as loud as ever they could, but he did not +hear. Then the Chancellor knelt in front of the grate, and put his head up +the chimney, and called, + +"King Alderete, King Alderete! It is the Prime Minister and I, the +Chancellor, come to fetch your Majesty back to the palace." + +When Alderete heard him up the chimney, he trembled in every limb, but he +replied, + +"I'm not going to come down; I don't want to be King. I am going to be a +sweep, and I like that much better. I shan't come down till you are gone +away, and now you had best go quickly, for I am going to begin sweeping, +and all the soot will fall on your head," and then they heard the rattle of +the broom in the chimney, and a whole shower of soot fell on the +Chancellor's head. + +The Prime Minister and the Chancellor turned back to the city very +disconsolately. "We must go and look for a King elsewhere," they said. "It +is no use troubling about Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete." So they left +the one to his geese, and one to his tins, and the other to sweep chimneys, +and that was the end of the three clever Kings. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE WISE PRINCESS + +[Illustration] + + +Once upon a time lived a King whose wife was dead and who had one little +daughter who was named Fernanda. She was very good and pretty, but when she +was a child she vexed all her ladies by asking them questions about +everything she saw. + +"Your Highness should not wish to know too much," they told her, whereat +Princess Fernanda threw up her little head, and said, + +"I want to know everything." + +As she grew up she had masters and mistresses to teach her, and learnt +every language and every science; but still she said, "It is not enough; I +want to know more." + +In a deep cave underground there lived an old Wizard who was so wise that +his face was well-nigh black with wrinkles, and his long white beard flowed +to his feet. He knew all sorts of magic, and every day and night sat poring +over his books till now there seemed to be nothing left for him to learn. + +One night after every one was asleep, Princess Fernanda rose and slipped +softly down the stairs and out of the palace unheard by any one, and stole +away to the Wizard's cave. + +The old man was sitting on his low stool reading out of an immense book by +a dim green light, but he raised his eyes as the Princess entered at the +low doorway, and looked at her. She wore a blue and silver robe, but her +bright hair was unbound, and fell in ripples to her waist. + +"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" he asked shortly. + +"I am the Princess Fernanda," she said, "and I wish to be your pupil. Teach +me all you know." + +"Why do you wish for that?" said the Wizard: "you will not be better or +happier for it." + +"I am not happy now," said the Princess sighing wearily. "Teach me and you +shall find me an apt pupil, and I will pay you with gold." + +"I will not have your gold," said the Wizard, "but come to me every night +at this hour, and in three years you shall know all I do." + +So every night the Princess went down to the Wizard's cave while all the +court were sleeping. And the people wondered at her more and more, and +said, "How much she knows! How wise she is!" + +When the three years had gone by the Wizard said to her, "Go! I can teach +you no more now. You are as wise as I." Then the Princess thanked him and +went back to her father's palace. + +She was very wise. She knew the languages of all animals. The fishes came +from the deep at her call, and the birds from the trees. She could tell +when the winds would rise, and when the sea would be still. She could have +turned her enemies to stone, or given untold wealth to her friends. But +for all that, when she smiled, her lips were very sad, and her eyes were +always full of care. She said she was weary, and her father thought she was +sick, and would have sent for the physicians, but she stopped him. + +"How should physicians help me, my father," she said, "seeing that I know +more than they?" + +One night, a year after she had taken her last lesson from the Wizard, she +arose and returned to his cave, and he raised his eyes and saw her standing +before him as formerly. + +"What do you want?" he said. "I have taught you all I know." + +"You have taught me much," she said, falling on her knees beside him, "yet +I am ignorant of one thing--teach me that also--_how to be happy_.' + +"Nay," said the Wizard with a very mournful smile; "I cannot teach you +that, for I do not know it myself. Go and ask it of them who know and are +wiser than I." + +[Illustration: "Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the +sea-shore."--P. 178.] + +Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the sea-shore. All +that night she spent sitting on a rock that jutted out into the sea, +watching the wild sky and the moon coming and going behind the clouds. The +sea dashed up around her, and the wind blew, but she did not fear them, and +when the sun rose the waters were still and the wind fell. A skylark rose +from the fields and flew straight up to heaven, singing as though his heart +would burst with pure joy. + +"Surely that bird is happy," said the Princess to herself; and she called +it in its own tongue. + +"Why do you sing?" she asked. + +"I sing because I am so happy," answered the lark. + +"And why are you so happy?" asked the Princess. + +"So happy?" said the lark. "God is so good. The sky is so blue, and the +fields are so green. Is that not enough to make me happy?" + +"Teach me, then, that I may be happy too," said Princess Fernanda. + +"I cannot," said the lark; "I don't know how to teach;" and then he rose, +singing, into the blue overhead, and Princess Fernanda sighed and turned +back towards the palace. + +Outside her door she met her little lap-dog, who barked and jumped for joy +on seeing her. + +"Little dog," she said; "poor little dog, are you so glad to see me? Why +are you so happy?" + +"Why am I so happy?" said the little dog, surprised. "I have plenty to eat, +and a soft cushion to rest upon, and you to caress me. Is not it enough to +make me happy?" + +"It is not enough for me," said the Princess, sighing; but the little dog +only wagged his tail and licked her hand. + +Inside her room was the Princess's favourite little maid Doris, folding up +her dresses. + +"Doris," she said, "you look very merry. Why are you so happy?" + +"Please your Royal Highness, I am going to the fair," answered Doris, "and +Luke is to meet me there; only," she added, pouting a little, "I wish I had +a pretty new hat to wear with my new dress." + +"Then you are not perfectly happy, so you cannot teach me," said Princess +Fernanda, and then she sighed again. + +In the evening at sunset she arose, and went out into the village, and at +the door of the first cottage to which she came, sat a woman nursing a +baby, and hushing it to sleep. The baby was fat and rosy, and the mother +looked down at it proudly. + +The Princess stopped, and spoke to her. + +"You have a fine little child there," she said. "Surely you must be very +happy." + +The woman smiled. + +"Yes," she said, "so I am; only just now my goodman is out fishing, and as +he's rather late, it makes me anxious." + +"Then you could not teach me," said the Princess, sighing to herself as she +moved away. She wandered on till she came to a church, which she entered. +All was still within, for the church was empty; but before the altar, on a +splendid bier, lay the body of a young man, who had been killed in the war. +He was dressed in his gay uniform, and his breast was covered with medals, +and his sword lay beside him. He was shot through the heart, but his face +was peaceful and his lips were smiling. The Princess walked to his side, +and looked at the quiet face. Then she stooped and kissed the cold +forehead, and envied the soldier. "If he could speak," she said, "he surely +could teach me. No living mouth could ever smile like that." Then she +looked up and saw a white angel standing on the other side of the bier, and +she knew it was Death. + +"You have taught him," she said, holding out her arms. "Will you not teach +me to smile like that?" + +"Nay," said Death, pointing to the medals on the dead man's breast, "I +taught him whilst he was doing his duty. I cannot teach you." And so saying +he vanished from her sight. + +She went out from the church down to the sea-shore. There was a high sea, +and a great wind, a little child had been playing on a row of rocks, and +had slipped off them into the water, and was struggling among the waves, +and would soon be drowned, for he was beyond his depth in the water. + +When the Princess saw him, she plunged into the water and swam to where the +child was, and taking him in her arms, placed him safely on the rocks +again, but the waves were so strong that she could scarcely keep above +them. As she tried to seize the rocks, she saw Death coming over the water +towards her, and she turned to meet him gladly. + +"Now," said he, clasping her in his arms, "I will teach you all you want to +know;" and he drew her under the water, and she died. + + * * * * * + +The Kings servants found her lying on the shore, with her face white and +her lips cold, but smiling as they had never smiled before, and her face +was very calm. They carried her home, and she was laid out in great state, +covered with gold and silver. + +"She was so wise," sobbed her little maid, as she placed flowers in the +cold hand, "she knew everything." + +"Not everything," said the skylark from the window; "for she asked me, +ignorant though I am, to teach her how to be happy." + +"That was the one thing I could not teach her," said the old Wizard, +looking at the dead Princess's face. "Yet I think now she must be wiser +than I, and have learned that too. For see how she smiles." + +[Illustration] + + +_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde +and Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + +***** This file should be named 38976-8.txt or 38976-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/9/7/38976/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/38976-8.zip b/old/38976-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb72c23 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-8.zip diff --git a/old/38976-h.zip b/old/38976-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f34443e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h.zip diff --git a/old/38976-h/38976-h.htm b/old/38976-h/38976-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b1a596 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/38976-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4255 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Necklace Of Princess Fiorimonde, by Mary De Morgan. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .tocnum {position: absolute; top: auto; right: 10%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + +img.cap { float:left; + margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; + position:relative; } +p.cap_1 { text-indent: -2em; } +p.cap_2 { text-indent: -1.2em; } +p.cap_3 { text-indent: -0.9em; } +div.drop p { margin-bottom:0; } + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and +Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories + +Author: Mary De Morgan + +Illustrator: Walter Crane + +Release Date: February 25, 2012 [EBook #38976] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 470px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="470" height="650" alt="Cover" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE</h1> + +<h2>AND OTHER STORIES</h2> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="front" id="front"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 446px;"> +<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="446" height="650" alt=""She was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a +fountain, feeding the gold fish who swam in the water."—Frontispiece." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"She was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a +fountain, feeding the gold fish who swam in the water."—Frontispiece.</span> +</div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 481px;"> +<img src="images/titlepage.jpg" width="481" height="650" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE;</h1> + +<h2>AND OTHER STORIES</h2> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>MARY DE MORGAN</h2> + +<h4>[<i>Author of "On a Pincushion"</i>]</h4> + +<h4>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY</h4> + +<h3>WALTER CRANE</h3> + +<p class="center"> +LONDON:<br /> +MACMILLAN & CO:<br /> +1886<br /> +</p> + + +<p class="center"> +TO<br /> +<br /> +MY SIX LITTLE NEPHEWS AND NIECES<br /> +<br /> +THESE STORIES ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED<br /> +<br /> +BY<br /> +<br /> +THEIR LOVING AUNT<br /> +<br /> +MARY DE MORGAN<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<p> +<span class="tocnum">PAGE</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Wanderings of Arasmon</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_43'>43</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Heart of Princess Joan</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_79'>79</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Pedlar's Pack</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_131'>131</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Bread of Discontent</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_140'>140</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Three Clever Kings</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_157'>157</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Wise Princess</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_175'>175</a></span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + +<p> +1. <i><a href="#front">Frontispiece</a>.</i><br /> +<span class="tocnum">PAGE</span><br /> +<br /> +2. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial Letter, "Princess Fiorimonde"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></span><br /> +<br /> +3. <span class="smcap">The Princess and her Looking-Glass</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_28'>29</a></span><br /> +<br /> +4. <span class="smcap">Gervaise with the Necklace</span> <span class="tocnum">" <a href='#Page_39'>39</a></span><br /> +<br /> +5. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_42'>42</a></span><br /> +<br /> +6. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial Letter, "The Wanderings of Arasmon"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_43'>43</a></span><br /> +<br /> +7. <span class="smcap">Arasmon and Chrysea playing to the Villagers</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_44'>44</a></span><br /> +<br /> +8. <span class="smcap">Arasmon playing before the King</span> <span class="tocnum">" <a href='#Page_66'>66</a></span><br /> +<br /> +9. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_78'>78</a></span><br /> +<br /> +10. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial, "The Heart of Princess Joan"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_79'>79</a></span><br /> +<br /> +11. <span class="smcap">The Prince and the Wizard</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_86'>87</a></span><br /> +<br /> +12. <span class="smcap">The Prison Window</span> <span class="tocnum">" <a href='#Page_128'>128</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span>13. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_130'>130</a></span><br /> +<br /> +14. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial Letter, "The Pedlar's Pack"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_131'>131</a></span><br /> +<br /> +15. <span class="smcap">The Pedlar and the Donkey</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_131'>130</a></span><br /> +<br /> +16. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_139'>139</a></span><br /> +<br /> +17. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial, "The Bread of Discontent"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_140'>140</a></span><br /> +<br /> +18. <span class="smcap">The Imp and the Baker</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_140'>141</a></span><br /> +<br /> +19. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_156'>156</a></span><br /> +<br /> +20. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial, "The Three Clever Kings"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_157'>157</a></span><br /> +<br /> +21. <span class="smcap">The Three Clever Kings</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_170'>170</a></span><br /> +<br /> +22. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_174'>174</a></span><br /> +<br /> +23. <span class="smcap">Heading and Initial, "The Wise Princess"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_175'>175</a></span><br /> +<br /> +24. <span class="smcap">The Wise Princess on the Sea-shore</span> <span class="tocnum"><i>To face</i> <a href='#Page_178'>178</a></span><br /> +<br /> +25. <span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_184'>184</a></span><br /> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/tree.jpg" width="200" height="233" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i014.jpg" width="600" height="204" alt="THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/o1.jpg" width="125" height="129" alt="O" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_2"> +Once there lived a King, whose wife was dead, but who had a most beautiful +daughter—so beautiful that every one thought she must be good as well, +instead of which the Princess was really very wicked, and practised +witchcraft and black magic, which she had learned from an old witch who +lived in a hut on the side of a lonely mountain. This old witch was wicked +and hideous, and no one but the King's daughter knew that she lived there; +but at night, when every one else was asleep, the Princess, whose name was +Fiorimonde, used to visit her by stealth to learn sorcery.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> It was only the +witch's arts which had made Fiorimonde so beautiful that there was no one +like her in the world, and in return the Princess helped her with all her +tricks, and never told any one she was there.</p></div> + +<p>The time came when the King began to think he should like his daughter to +marry, so he summoned his council and said, "We have no son to reign after +our death, so we had best seek for a suitable prince to marry to our royal +daughter, and then, when we are too old, he shall be king in our stead." +And all the council said he was very wise, and it would be well for the +Princess to marry. So heralds were sent to all the neighbouring kings and +princes to say that the King would choose a husband for the Princess, who +should be king after him. But when Fiorimonde heard this she wept with +rage, for she knew quite well that if she had a husband he would find out +how she went to visit the old witch, and would stop her practising magic, +and then she would lose her beauty.</p> + +<p>When night came, and every one in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> palace was fast asleep, the Princess +went to her bedroom window and softly opened it. Then she took from her +pocket a handful of peas and held them out of the window and chirruped low, +and there flew down from the roof a small brown bird and sat upon her wrist +and began to eat the peas. No sooner had it swallowed them than it began to +grow and grow and grow till it was so big that the Princess could not hold +it, but let it stand on the window-sill, and still it grew and grew and +grew till it was as large as an ostrich. Then the Princess climbed out of +the window and seated herself on the bird's back, and at once it flew +straight away over the tops of the trees till it came to the mountain where +the old witch dwelt, and stopped in front of the door of her hut.</p> + +<p>The Princess jumped off, and muttered some words through the keyhole, when +a croaking voice from within called,</p> + +<p>"Why do you come to-night? Have I not told you I wished to be left alone +for thirteen nights; why do you disturb me?"</p> + +<p>"But I beg of you to let me in," said the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> Princess, "for I am in trouble +and want your help."</p> + +<p>"Come in then," said the voice; and the door flew open, and the Princess +trod into the hut, in the middle of which, wrapped in a gray cloak which +almost hid her, sat the witch. Princess Fiorimonde sat down near her, and +told her, her story. How the King wished her to marry, and had sent word to +the neighbouring princes, that they might make offers for her.</p> + +<p>"This is truly bad hearing," croaked the witch, "but we shall beat them +yet; and you must deal with each Prince as he comes. Would you like them to +become dogs, to come at your call, or birds, to fly in the air, and sing of +your beauty, or will you make them all into beads, the beads of such a +necklace as never woman wore before, so that they may rest upon your neck, +and you may take them with you always."</p> + +<p>"The necklace! the necklace!" cried the Princess, clapping her hands with +joy. "That will be best of all, to sling them upon a string<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> and wear them +around my throat. Little will the courtiers know whence come my new +jewels."</p> + +<p>"But this is a dangerous play," quoth the witch, "for, unless you are very +careful, you yourself may become a bead and hang upon the string with the +others, and there you will remain till some one cuts the string, and draws +you off."</p> + +<p>"Nay, never fear," said the Princess, "I will be careful, only tell me what +to do, and I will have great princes and kings to adorn me, and all their +greatness shall not help them."</p> + +<p>Then the witch dipped her hand into a black bag which stood on the ground +beside her, and drew out a long gold thread.</p> + +<p>The ends were joined together, but no one could see the joins, and however +much you pulled, it would not break. It would easily go over Fiorimonde's +head, and the witch slipped it on her neck saying,</p> + +<p>"Now mind, while this hangs here you are safe enough, but if once you join +your fingers around the string you too will meet the fate of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> your lovers, +and hang upon it yourself. As for the kings and princes who would marry +you, all you have to do is to make them close their fingers around the +chain, and at once they will be strung upon it as bright hard beads, and +there they shall remain, till it is cut and they drop off."</p> + +<p>"This is really delightful," cried the Princess; "and I am already quite +impatient for the first to come that I may try."</p> + +<p>"And now," said the witch, "since you are here, and there is yet time, we +will have a dance, and I will summon the guests." So saying, she took from +a corner a drum and a pair of drum-sticks, and going to the door, began to +beat upon it. It made a terrible rattling. In a moment came flying through +the air all sorts of forms. There were little dark elves with long tails, +and goblins who chattered and laughed, and other witches who rode on +broom-sticks. There was one wicked fairy in the form of a large cat, with +bright green eyes, and another came sliding in like a long shining viper.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then, when all had arrived, the witch stopped drumming, and, going to the +middle of the hut, stamped on the floor, and a trap-door opened in the +ground. The old witch stepped through it, and led the way down a narrow +dark passage, to a large underground chamber, and all her strange guests +followed, and here they all danced and made merry in a terrible way, but at +first sound of cock-crow all the guests disappeared with a whiff, and the +Princess hastened up the dark passage again, and out of the hut to where +her big bird still waited for her, and mounting its back she flew home in a +trice. Then, when she had stepped in at her bedroom window, she poured into +a cup from a small black bottle, a few drops of magic water, and gave it to +the bird to drink, and as it sipped it grew smaller, and smaller, till at +last it had quite regained its natural size, and hopped on to the roof as +before, and the Princess shut her window, and got into bed, and fell +asleep, and no one knew of her strange journey, or where she had been.</p> + +<p>Next day Fiorimonde declared to her father<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> the King, that she was quite +willing to wed any prince he should fix upon as a husband for her, at which +he was much pleased, and soon after informed her, that a young king was +coming from over the sea to be her husband. He was king of a large rich +country, and would take back his bride with him to his home. He was called +King Pierrot. Great preparations were made for his arrival, and the +Princess was decked in her finest array to greet him, and when he came all +the courtiers said, "This is truly a proper husband for our beautiful +Princess," for he was strong and handsome, with black hair, and eyes like +sloes. King Pierrot was delighted with Fiorimonde's beauty, and was happy +as the day is long; and all things went merrily till the evening before the +marriage. A great feast was held, at which the Princess looked lovelier +than ever dressed in a red gown, the colour of the inside of a rose, but +she wore no jewels nor ornaments of any kind, save one shining gold string +round her milk-white throat.</p> + +<p>When the feast was done, the Princess stepped from her golden chair at her +father's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> side, and walked softly into the garden, and stood under an +elm-tree looking at the shining moon. In a few moments King Pierrot +followed her, and stood beside her, looking at her and wondering at her +beauty.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow, then, my sweet Princess, you will be my Queen, and share all I +possess. What gift would you wish me to give you on our wedding day?"</p> + +<p>"I would have a necklace wrought of the finest gold and jewels to be found, +and just the length of this gold cord which I wear around my throat," +answered Princess Fiorimonde.</p> + +<p>"Why do you wear that cord?" asked King Pierrot; "it has no jewel nor +ornament about it."</p> + +<p>"Nay, but there is no cord like mine in all the world," cried Fiorimonde, +and her eyes sparkled wickedly as she spoke; "it is as light as a feather, +but stronger than an iron chain. Take it in both hands and try to break it, +that you may see how strong it is;" and King Pierrot took the cord in both +hands to pull it hard; but no sooner were his fingers closed around it than +he vanished like a puff of smoke,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> and on the cord appeared a bright, +beautiful bead—so bright and beautiful as was never bead before—clear as +crystal, but shining with all colours—green, blue, and gold.</p> + +<p>Princess Fiorimonde gazed down at it and laughed aloud.</p> + +<p>"Aha, my proud lover! are you there?" she cried with glee; "my necklace +bids fair to beat all others in the world," and she caressed the bead with +the tips of her soft, white fingers, but was careful that they did not +close round the string. Then she returned into the banqueting hall, and +spoke to the King.</p> + +<p>"Pray, sire," said she, "send some one at once to find King Pierrot, for, +as he was talking to me a minute ago, he suddenly left me, and I am afraid +lest I may have given him offence, or perhaps he is ill."</p> + +<p>The King desired that the servants should seek for King Pierrot all over +the grounds, and seek him they did, but nowhere was he to be found, and the +old King looked offended.</p> + +<p>"Doubtless he will be ready to-morrow in time for the wedding," quoth he, +"but we are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> not best pleased that he should treat us in this way."</p> + +<p>Princess Fiorimonde had a little maid called Yolande. She was a +bright-faced girl with merry brown eyes, but she was not beautiful like +Fiorimonde, and she did not love her mistress, for she was afraid of her, +and suspected her of her wicked ways. When she undressed her that night she +noticed the gold cord, and the one bright bead upon it, and as she combed +the Princess's hair she looked over her shoulder into the looking-glass, +and saw how she laughed, and how fondly she looked at the cord, and +caressed the bead, again and again with her fingers.</p> + +<p>"That is a wonderful bead on your Highness's cord," said Yolande, looking +at its reflection in the mirror; "surely it must be a bridal gift from King +Pierrot."</p> + +<p>"And so it is, little Yolande," cried Fiorimonde, laughing merrily; "and +the best gift he could give me. But I think one bead alone looks ugly and +ungainly; soon I hope I shall<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> have another, and another, and another, all +as beautiful as the first."</p> + +<p>Then Yolande shook her head, and said to herself, "This bodes no good."</p> + +<p>Next morning all was prepared for the marriage, and the Princess was +dressed in white satin and pearls with a long white lace veil over her, and +a bridal wreath on her head, and she stood waiting among her grandly +dressed ladies, who all said that such a beautiful bride had never been +seen in the world before. But just as they were preparing to go down to the +fine company in the hall, a messenger came in great haste summoning the +Princess at once to her father the King, as he was much perplexed.</p> + +<p>"My daughter," cried he, as Fiorimonde in all her bridal array entered the +room where he sat alone, "what can we do? King Pierrot is nowhere to be +found; I fear lest he may have been seized by robbers and basely murdered +for his rich clothes, or carried away to some mountain and left there to +starve. My soldiers are gone far and wide to seek him—and we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> shall hear +of him ere day is done—but where there is no bridegroom there can be no +bridal."</p> + +<p>"Then let it be put off, my father," cried the Princess, "and to-morrow we +shall know if it is for a wedding, or a funeral, we must dress;" and she +pretended to weep, but even then could hardly keep from laughing.</p> + +<p>So the wedding guests went away, and the Princess laid aside her bridal +dress, and all waited anxiously for news of King Pierrot; and no news came. +So at last every one gave him up for dead, and mourned for him, and +wondered how he had met his fate.</p> + +<p>Princess Fiorimonde put on a black gown, and begged to be allowed to live +in seclusion for one month in which to grieve for King Pierrot; but when +she was again alone in her bedroom she sat before her looking-glass and +laughed till tears ran down her cheeks; and Yolande watched her, and +trembled, when she heard her laughter. She noticed, too, that beneath her +black gown, the Princess still wore her gold cord, and did not move it +night or day.</p> + +<p>The month had barely passed away when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> the King came to his daughter, and +announced that another suitor had presented himself, whom he should much +like to be her husband. The Princess agreed quite obediently to all her +father said; and it was arranged that the marriage should take place. This +new prince was called Prince Hildebrandt. He came from a country far north, +of which one day he would be king. He was tall, and fair, and strong, with +flaxen hair and bright blue eyes. When Princess Fiorimonde saw his portrait +she was much pleased, and said, "By all means let him come, and the sooner +the better." So she put off her black clothes, and again great preparations +were made for a wedding; and King Pierrot was quite forgotten.</p> + +<p>Prince Hildebrandt came, and with him many fine gentlemen, and they brought +beautiful gifts for the bride. The evening of his arrival all went well, +and again there was a grand feast, and Fiorimonde looked so beautiful that +Prince Hildebrandt was delighted; and this time she did not leave her +father's side, but sat by him all the evening.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p>Early next morning at sunrise, when every one was still sleeping, the +Princess rose, and dressed herself in a plain white gown, and brushed all +her hair over her shoulders, and crept quietly downstairs into the palace +gardens; then she walked on till she came beneath the window of Prince +Hildebrandt's room, and here she paused and began to sing a little song as +sweet and joyous as a lark's. When Prince Hildebrandt heard it he got up +and went to the window and looked out to see who sang, and when he saw +Fiorimonde standing in the red sunrise-light, which made her hair look +gold, and her face rosy, he made haste to dress himself and go down to meet +her.</p> + +<p>"How, my Princess," cried he, as he stepped into the garden beside her. +"This is indeed great happiness to meet you here so early. Tell me why do +you come out at sunrise to sing by yourself?"</p> + +<p>"I come that I may see the colours of the sky—red, blue, and gold," +answered the Princess. "Look, there are no such colours to be seen +anywhere, unless, indeed, it be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> in this bead which I wear here on my +golden cord.</p> + +<p>"What is that bead, and where did it come from?" asked Hildebrandt.</p> + +<p>"It came from over the sea, where it shall never return again," answered +the Princess. And again her eyes began to sparkle with eagerness, and she +could scarcely conceal her mirth. "Lift the cord off my neck and look at it +near, and tell me if you ever saw one like it."</p> + +<p>Hildebrandt put out his hands and took hold of the cord, but no sooner were +his fingers closed around it than he vanished, and a new bright bead was +slung next to the first one on Fiorimonde's chain, and this one was even +more beautiful than the other.</p> + +<p>The Princess gave a long low laugh, quite terrible to hear.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my sweet necklace," cried she, "how beautiful you are growing! I think +I love you more than anything in the world besides." Then she went softly +back to bed, without any one hearing her, and fell sound asleep, and slept<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +till Yolande came to tell her it was time for her to get up and dress for +the wedding.</p> + +<p>The Princess was dressed in gorgeous clothes, and only Yolande noticed that +beneath her satin gown, she wore the golden cord, but now there were two +beads upon it instead of one. Scarcely was she ready when the King burst +into her room in a towering rage.</p> + +<p>"My daughter," cried he, "there is a plot against us. Lay aside your bridal +attire and think no more of Prince Hildebrandt, for he too has disappeared, +and is nowhere to be found."</p> + +<p>At this the Princess wept, and entreated that Hildebrandt should be sought +for far and near, but she laughed to herself, and said, "Search where you +will, yet you shall not find him;" and so again a great search was made, +and when no trace of the Prince was found, all the palace was in an uproar.</p> + +<p>The Princess again put off her bride's dress and clad herself in black, and +sat alone, and pretended to weep, but Yolande, who watched her, shook her +head, and said, "More will come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> and go before the wicked Princess has done +her worst."</p> + +<p>A month passed, in which Fiorimonde pretended to mourn for Hildebrandt, +then she went to the King and said,</p> + +<p>"Sire, I pray that you will not let people say that when any bridegroom +comes to marry me, as soon as he has seen me he flies rather than be my +husband. I beg that suitors may be summoned from far and near that I may +not be left alone unwed."</p> + +<p>The King agreed, and envoys were sent all the world over to bid any who +would come and be the husband of Princess Fiorimonde. And come they did, +kings and princes from south and north, east and west,—King Adrian, Prince +Sigbert, Prince Algar, and many more,—but though all went well till the +wedding morning, when it was time to go to church, no bridegroom was to be +found. The old King was sadly frightened, and would fain have given up all +hope of finding a husband for the Princess, but now she implored him, with +tears in her eyes, not to let her be disgraced in this way.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> And so suitor +after suitor continued to come, and now it was known, far and wide, that +whoever came to ask for the hand of Princess Fiorimonde vanished, and was +seen no more of men. The courtiers were afraid and whispered under their +breath, "It is not all right, it cannot be;" but only Yolande noticed how +the beads came upon the golden thread, till it was well-nigh covered, yet +there always was room for one bead more.</p> + +<p>So the years passed, and every year Princess Fiorimonde grew lovelier and +lovelier, so that no one who saw her could guess how wicked she was.</p> + +<p>In a far off country lived a young prince whose name was Florestan. He had +a dear friend named Gervaise, whom he loved better than any one in the +world. Gervaise was tall, and broad, and stout of limb, and he loved Prince +Florestan so well, that he would gladly have died to serve him.</p> + +<p>It chanced that Prince Florestan saw a portrait of Princess Fiorimonde, and +at once swore he would go to her father's court, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> beg that he might +have her for his wife, and Gervaise in vain tried to dissuade him.</p> + +<p>"There is an evil fate about the Princess Fiorimonde," quoth he; "many have +gone to marry her, but where are they now?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know or care," answered Florestan, "but this is sure, that I will +wed her and return here, and bring my bride with me."</p> + +<p>So he set out for Fiorimonde's home, and Gervaise went with him with a +heavy heart.</p> + +<p>When they reached the court, the old King received them and welcomed them +warmly, and he said to his courtiers, "Here is a fine young prince to whom +we would gladly see our daughter wed. Let us hope that this time all will +be well." But now Fiorimonde had grown so bold, that she scarcely tried to +conceal her mirth.</p> + +<p>"I will gladly marry him to-morrow, if he comes to the church," she said; +"but if he is not there, what can I do," and she laughed long and merrily, +till those who heard her shuddered.</p> + +<p>When the Princess's ladies came to tell her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> that Prince Florestan was +arrived, she was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a fountain, +feeding the gold fish who swam in the water.</p> + +<p>"Bid him come to me," she said, "for I will not go any more in state to +meet any suitors, neither will I put on grand attire for them. Let him come +and find me as I am, since all find it so easy to come and go." So her +ladies told the prince that Fiorimonde waited for him near the fountain.</p> + +<p>She did not rise when he came to where she lay, but his heart bounded with +joy, for he had never in his life beheld such a beautiful woman.</p> + +<p>She wore a thin soft white dress, which clung to her lithe figure. Her +beautiful arms and hands were bare, and she dabbled with them in the water, +and played with the fish. Her great blue eyes were sparkling with mirth, +and were so beautiful, that no one noticed the wicked look hid in them; and +on her neck lay the marvellous many-coloured necklace, which was itself a +wonder to behold.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You have my best greetings, Prince Florestan," she said. "And you, too, +would be my suitor. Have you thought well of what you would do, since so +many princes who have seen me have fled for ever, rather than marry me?" +and as she spoke, she raised her white hand from the water, and held it out +to the Prince, who stooped and kissed it, and scarcely knew how to answer +her for bewilderment at her great loveliness.</p> + +<p>Gervaise followed his master at a short distance, but he was ill at ease, +and trembled for fear of what should come.</p> + +<p>"Come, bid your friend leave us," said Fiorimonde, looking at Gervaise, +"and sit beside me, and tell me of your home, and why you wish to marry me, +and all pleasant things."</p> + +<p>Florestan begged that Gervaise would leave them for a little, and he walked +slowly away, in a very mournful mood.</p> + +<p>He went on down the walks, not heeding where he was going, till he met +Yolande, who stood beneath a tree laden with rosy apples, picking the +fruit, and throwing it into a basket<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> at her feet. He would have passed her +in silence, but she stopped him, and said,</p> + +<p>"Have you come with the new Prince? Do you love your master?"</p> + +<p>"Ay, better than any one else on the earth," answered Gervaise. "Why do you +ask?"</p> + +<p>"And where is he now," said Yolande, not heeding Gervaise's question.</p> + +<p>"He sits by the fountain with the beautiful Princess," said Gervaise.</p> + +<p>"Then, I hope you have said good-bye to him well, for be assured you shall +never see him again," said Yolande nodding her head.</p> + +<p>"Why not, and who are you to talk like this?" asked Gervaise.</p> + +<p>"My name is Yolande," answered she, "and I am Princess Fiorimonde's maid. +Do you not know that Prince Florestan is the eleventh lover who has come to +marry her, and one by one they have disappeared, and only I know where they +are gone."</p> + +<p>"And where are they gone?" cried Gervaise, "and why do you not tell the +world, and prevent good men being lost like this?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Because I fear my mistress," said Yolande, speaking low and drawing near +to him; "she is a sorceress, and she wears the brave kings and princes who +come to woo her, strung upon a cord round her neck. Each one forms the bead +of a necklace which she wears, both day and night. I have watched that +necklace growing; first it was only an empty gold thread; then came King +Pierrot, and when he disappeared the first bead appeared upon it. Then came +Hildebrandt, and two beads were on the string instead of one; then followed +Adrian, Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Baldwyn, and +Leofric, and Raoul, and all are gone, and ten beads hang upon the string, +and to-night there will be eleven, and the eleventh will be your Prince +Florestan."</p> + +<p>"If this be so," cried Gervaise, "I will never rest till I have plunged my +sword into Fiorimonde's heart;" but Yolande shook her head.</p> + +<p>"She is a sorceress," she said, "and it might be hard to kill her; besides, +that might not break the spell, and bring back the princes to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> life. I wish +I could show you the necklace, and you might count the beads, and see if I +do not speak truth, but it is always about her neck, both night and day, so +it is impossible."</p> + +<p>"Take me to her room to-night when she is asleep, and let me see it there," +said Gervaise.</p> + +<p>"Very well, we will try," said Yolande; "but you must be very still, and +make no noise, for if she wakes, remember it will be worse for us both."</p> + +<p>When night came and all in the palace were fast asleep, Gervaise and +Yolande met in the great hall, and Yolande told him that the Princess +slumbered soundly.</p> + +<p>"So now let us go," said she, "and I will show you the necklace on which +Fiorimonde wears her lovers strung like beads, though how she transforms +them I know not."</p> + +<p>"Stay one instant, Yolande," said Gervaise, holding her back, as she would +have tripped upstairs. "Perhaps, try how I may, I shall be beaten, and +either die or become a bead like those who have come before me. But if I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +succeed and rid the land of your wicked Princess, what will you promise me +for a reward?"</p> + +<p>"What would you have?" asked Yolande.</p> + +<p>"I would have you say you will be my wife, and come back with me to my own +land," said Gervaise.</p> + +<p>"That I will promise gladly," said Yolande, kissing him, "but we must not +speak or think of this till we have cut the cord from Fiorimonde's neck, +and all her lovers are set free."</p> + +<p>So they went softly up to the Princess's room, Yolande holding a small +lantern, which gave only a dim light. There, in her grand bed, lay Princess +Fiorimonde. They could just see her by the lantern's light, and she looked +so beautiful that Gervaise began to think Yolande spoke falsely, when she +said she was so wicked.</p> + +<p>Her face was calm and sweet as a baby's; her hair fell in ruddy waves on +the pillow; her rosy lips smiled, and little dimples showed in her cheeks; +her white soft hands were folded amidst the scented lace and linen of which +the bed was made. Gervaise almost forgot to look at the glittering beads +hung round her throat,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> in wondering at her loveliness, but Yolande pulled +him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"Do not look at her," she whispered softly, "since her beauty has cost dear +already; look rather at what remains of those who thought her as fair as +you do now; see here," and she pointed with her finger to each bead in +turn.</p> + +<p>"This was Pierrot, and this Hildebrandt, and these are Adrian, and Sigbert, +and Algar, and Cenred, and that is Pharamond, and that Raoul, and last of +all here is your own master Prince Florestan. Seek him now where you will +and you will not find him, and you shall never see him again till the cord +is cut and the charm broken."</p> + +<p>"Of what is the cord made?" whispered Gervaise.</p> + +<p>"It is of the finest gold," she answered. "Nay, do not you touch her lest +she wake. I will show it to you." And Yolande put down the lantern and +softly put out her hands to slip the beads aside, but as she did so, her +fingers closed around the golden string, and directly she was gone. Another +bead was added to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> necklace, and Gervaise was alone with the sleeping +Princess. He gazed about him in sore amazement and fear. He dared not call +lest Fiorimonde should wake.</p> + +<p>"Yolande," he whispered as loud as he dared, "Yolande where are you?" but +no Yolande answered.</p> + +<p>Then he bent down over the Princess and gazed at the necklace. Another bead +was strung upon it next to the one to which Yolande had pointed as Prince +Florestan. Again he counted them. "Eleven before, now there are twelve. Oh +hateful Princess! I know now where go the brave kings and princes who came +to woo you, and where, too, is my Yolande," and as he looked at the last +bead, tears filled his eyes. It was brighter and clearer than the others, +and of a warm red hue, like the red dress Yolande had worn. The Princess +turned and laughed in her sleep, and at the sound of her laughter Gervaise +was filled with horror and loathing. He crept shuddering from the room, and +all night long sat up alone, plotting how he might defeat Fiorimonde, and +set Florestan and Yolande free.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 456px;"> +<img src="images/i043.jpg" width="456" height="650" alt=""Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her +necklace and counted its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead +was added to the string."—P. 29." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her +necklace and counted its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead +was added to the string."—P. 29.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her necklace and counted +its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead was added to the +string.</p> + +<p>"Who can have come and grasped my chain unknown to me?" she said to +herself, and she sat and pondered for a long time. At last she broke into +weird laughter.</p> + +<p>"At any rate, whoever it was, is fitly punished," quoth she. "My brave +necklace, you can take care of yourself, and if any one tries to steal you, +they will get their reward, and add to my glory. In truth I may sleep in +peace, and fear nothing."</p> + +<p>The day passed away and no one missed Yolande. Towards sunset the rain +began to pour in torrents, and there was such a terrible thunderstorm that +every one was frightened. The thunder roared, the lightning gleamed flash +after flash, every moment it grew fiercer and fiercer. The sky was so dark +that, save for the lightning's light, nothing could be seen, but Princess +Fiorimonde loved the thunder and lightning.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>She sat in a room high up in one of the towers, clad in a black velvet +dress, and she watched the lightning from the window, and laughed at each +peal of thunder. In the midst of the storm a stranger, wrapped in a cloak, +rode to the palace door, and the ladies ran to tell the Princess that a new +prince had come to be her suitor. "And he will not tell his name," said +they, "but says he hears that all are bidden to ask for the hand of +Princess Fiorimonde, and he too would try his good fortune."</p> + +<p>"Let him come at once," cried the Princess. "Be he prince or knave what +care I? If princes all fly from me it may be better to marry a peasant."</p> + +<p>So they led the new-comer up to the room where Fiorimonde sat. He was +wrapped in a thick cloak, but he flung it aside as he came in, and showed +how rich was his silken clothing underneath; and so well was he disguised, +that Fiorimonde never saw that it was Gervaise, but looked at him, and +thought she had never seen him before.</p> + +<p>"You are most welcome, stranger prince,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> who has come through such +lightning and thunder to find me," said she. "Is it true, then, that you +wish to be my suitor? What have you heard of me?"</p> + +<p>"It is quite true, Princess," said Gervaise. "And I have heard that you are +the most beautiful woman in the world."</p> + +<p>"And is that true also?" asked the Princess. "Look at me now, and see."</p> + +<p>Gervaise looked at her and in his heart he said, "It is quite true, oh +wicked Princess! There never was woman as beautiful as you, and never +before did I hate a woman as I hate you now;" but aloud he said,</p> + +<p>"No, Princess, that is not true; you are very beautiful, but I have seen a +woman who is fairer than you for all that your skin looks ivory against +your velvet dress, and your hair is like gold."</p> + +<p>"A woman who is fairer than I?" cried Fiorimonde, and her breast began to +heave and her eyes to sparkle with rage, for never before had she heard +such a thing said. "Who are you who dares come and tell me of women more +beautiful than I am?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am a suitor who asks to be your husband, Princess," answered Gervaise, +"but still I say I have seen a woman who was fairer than you."</p> + +<p>"Who is she—where is she?" cried Fiorimonde, who could scarcely contain +her anger. "Bring her here at once that I may see if you speak the truth."</p> + +<p>"What will you give me to bring her to you?" said Gervaise. "Give me that +necklace you wear on your neck, and then I will summon her in an instant;" +but Fiorimonde shook her head.</p> + +<p>"You have asked," said she, "for the only thing from which I cannot part," +and then she bade her maids bring her her jewel-casket, and she drew out +diamonds, and rubies, and pearls, and offered them, all or any, to +Gervaise. The lightning shone on them and made them shine and flash, but he +shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, none of these will do," quoth he. "You can see her for the necklace, +but for nothing else."</p> + +<p>"Take it off for yourself then," cried Fiorimonde,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> who now was so angry +that she only wished to be rid of Gervaise in any way.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," said Gervaise, "I am no tire-woman, and should not know how +to clasp and unclasp it;" and in spite of all Fiorimonde could say or do, +he would not touch either her or the magic chain.</p> + +<p>At night the storm grew even fiercer, but it did not trouble the Princess. +She waited till all were asleep, and then she opened her bedroom window and +chirruped softly to the little brown bird, who flew down from the roof at +her call. Then she gave him a handful of seeds as before, and he grew and +grew and grew till he was as large as an ostrich, and she sat upon his back +and flew out through the air, laughing at the lightning and thunder which +flashed and roared around her. Away they flew till they came to the old +witch's cave, and here they found the witch sitting at her open door +catching the lightning to make charms with.</p> + +<p>"Welcome, my dear," croaked she, as Fiorimonde stepped from the bird; "here +is a night we both love well. And how goes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> the necklace?—right merrily I +see. Twelve beads already—but what is that twelfth?" and she looked at it +closely.</p> + +<p>"Nay, that is one thing I want you to tell me," said Fiorimonde, drying the +rain from her golden hair. "Last night when I slept there were eleven, and +this morning there are twelve; and I know not from whence comes the +twelfth."</p> + +<p>"It is no suitor," said the witch, "but from some young maid, that that +bead is made. But why should you mind? It looks well with the others."</p> + +<p>"Some young maid," said the Princess. "Then, it must be Cicely or Marybel, +or Yolande, who would have robbed me of my necklace as I slept. But what +care I? The silly wench is punished now, and so may all others be, who +would do the same."</p> + +<p>"And when will you get the thirteenth bead, and where will he come from?" +asked the witch.</p> + +<p>"He waits at the palace now," said Fiorimonde, chuckling. "And this is why +I have to speak to you;" and then she told the witch of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> the stranger who +had come in the storm, and of how he would not touch her necklace, nor take +the cord in his hand, and how he said also that he knew a woman fairer than +she.</p> + +<p>"Beware, Princess, beware," cried the witch in a warning voice, as she +listened. "Why should you heed tales of other women fairer than you? Have I +not made you the most beautiful woman in the world, and can any others do +more than I? Give no ear to what this stranger says or you shall rue it." +But still the Princess murmured, and said she did not love to hear any one +speak of others as beautiful as she.</p> + +<p>"Be warned in time," cried the witch, "or you will have cause to repent it. +Are you so silly or so vain as to be troubled because a Prince says idly +what you know is not true? I tell you do not listen to him, but let him be +slung to your chain as soon as may be, and then he will speak no more." And +then they talked together of how Fiorimonde could make Gervaise grasp the +fatal string.</p> + +<p>Next morning when the sun rose, Gervaise<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> started off into the woods, and +there he plucked acorns and haws, and hips, and strung them on to a string +to form a rude necklace. This he hid in his bosom, and then went back to +the palace without telling any one.</p> + +<p>When the Princess rose, she dressed herself as beautifully as she could, +and braided her golden locks with great care, for this morning she meant +her new suitor to meet his fate. After breakfast, she stepped into the +garden, where the sun shone brightly, and all looked fresh after the storm. +Here from the grass she picked up a golden ball, and began to play with it.</p> + +<p>"Go to our new guest," cried she to her ladies, "and ask him to come here +and play at ball with me." So they went, and soon they returned bringing +Gervaise with them.</p> + +<p>"Good morrow, prince," cried she. "Pray, come and try your skill at this +game with me; and you," she said to her ladies, "do not wait to watch our +play, but each go your way, and do what pleases you best." So they all went +away, and left her alone with Gervaise.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, prince," cried she as they began to play, "what do you think of me +by morning light? Yesterday when you came it was so dark, with thunder and +clouds, that you could scarcely see my face, but now that there is bright +sunshine, pray look well at me, and see if you do not think me as beautiful +as any woman on earth," and she smiled at Gervaise, and looked so lovely as +she spoke, that he scarce knew how to answer her; but he remembered +Yolande, and said,</p> + +<p>"Doubtless you are very beautiful; then why should you mind my telling you +that I have seen a woman lovelier than you?"</p> + +<p>At this the Princess again began to be angry, but she thought of the +witch's words and said,</p> + +<p>"Then, if you think there is a woman fairer than I, look at my beads, and +now, that you see their colours in the sun, say if you ever saw such jewels +before."</p> + +<p>"It is true I have never seen beads like yours, but I have a necklace here, +which pleases me better;" and from his pocket he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> drew the haws and acorns, +which he had strung together.</p> + +<p>"What is that necklace, and where did you get it? Show it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde; but Gervaise held it out of her reach, and said,</p> + +<p>"I like my necklace better than yours, Princess; and, believe me, there is +no necklace like mine in all the world."</p> + +<p>"Why; is it a fairy necklace? What does it do? Pray give it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde, trembling with anger and curiosity, for she thought, "Perhaps +it has power to make the wearer beautiful; perhaps it was worn by the woman +whom he thought more beautiful than I, and that is why she looked so fair."</p> + +<p>"Come, I will make a fair exchange," said Gervaise. "Give me your necklace +and you shall have mine, and when it is round your throat I will truthfully +say that you are the fairest woman in the world; but first I must have your +necklace."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 459px;"> +<img src="images/i055.jpg" width="459" height="650" alt=""Then he picked up the necklace on the point of his sword +and carried it, slung thereon, into the council chamber."—P. 39." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Then he picked up the necklace on the point of his sword +and carried it, slung thereon, into the council chamber."—P. 39.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Take it, then," cried the Princess, who, in her rage and eagerness, forgot +all else, and she seized the string of beads to lift it from her neck, but +no sooner had she taken it in her hands than they fell with a rattle to the +earth, and Fiorimonde herself was nowhere to be seen. Gervaise bent down +over the necklace as it lay upon the grass, and, with a smile, counted +thirteen beads; and he knew that the thirteenth was the wicked Princess, +who had herself met the evil fate she had prepared for so many others.</p> + +<p>"Oh, clever Princess!" cried he, laughing aloud, "you are not so very +clever, I think, to be so easily outwitted." Then he picked up the necklace +on the point of the sword and carried it, slung thereon, into the council +chamber, where sat the King surrounded by statesmen and courtiers busy with +state affairs.</p> + +<p>"Pray, King," said Gervaise, "send some one to seek for Princess +Fiorimonde. A moment ago she played with me at ball in the garden, and now +she is nowhere to be seen."</p> + +<p>The King desired that servants should seek her Royal Highness; but they +came back saying she was not to be found.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then let me see if I cannot bring her to you; but first let those who have +been longer lost than she, come and tell their own tale." And, so saying, +Gervaise let the necklace slip from his sword on to the floor, and taking +from his breast a sharp dagger, proceeded to cut the golden thread on which +the beads were strung and as he clave it in two there came a mighty noise +like a clap of thunder.</p> + +<p>"Now;" cried he, "look, and see King Pierrot who was lost," and as he spoke +he drew from the cord a bead, and King Pierrot, in his royal clothes, with +his sword at his side, stood before them.</p> + +<p>"Treachery!" he cried, but ere he could say more Gervaise had drawn off +another bead, and King Hildebrandt appeared, and after him came Adrian, and +Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Raoul, and last of the +princes, Gervaise's own dear master Florestan, and they all denounced +Princess Fiorimonde and her wickedness.</p> + +<p>"And now," cried Gervaise, "here is she who has helped to save you all," +and he drew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> off the twelfth bead, and there stood Yolande in her red +dress; and when he saw her Gervaise flung away his dagger and took her in +his arms, and they wept for joy.</p> + +<p>The King and all the courtiers sat pale and trembling, unable to speak for +fear and shame. At length the King said with a deep groan,</p> + +<p>"We owe you deep amends, O noble kings and princes! What punishment do you +wish us to prepare for our most guilty daughter?" but here Gervaise stopped +him, and said,</p> + +<p>"Give her no other punishment than what she has chosen for herself. See, +here she is, the thirteenth bead upon the string; let no one dare to draw +it off, but let this string be hung up where all people can see it and see +the one bead, and know the wicked Princess is punished for her sorcery, so +it will be a warning to others who would do like her."</p> + +<p>So they lifted the golden thread with great care and hung it up outside the +town-hall, and there the one bead glittered and gleamed in the sunlight, +and all who saw it knew that it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> the wicked Princess Fiorimonde who had +justly met her fate.</p> + +<p>Then all the kings and princes thanked Gervaise and Yolande, and loaded +them with presents, and each went to his own land.</p> + +<p>And Gervaise married Yolande, and they went back with Prince Florestan to +their home, and all lived happily to the end of their lives.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 167px;"> +<img src="images/i059.jpg" width="167" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i060.jpg" width="600" height="208" alt="THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/l1.jpg" width="125" height="124" alt="L" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_3">Long ago there lived a wandering musician and his wife, whose names were +Arasmon and Chrysea. Arasmon played upon a lute to which Chrysea sang, and +their music was so beautiful that people followed them in crowds and gave +them as much money as they wanted. When Arasmon played all who heard him +were silent from wonder and admiration, but when Chrysea sang they could +not refrain from weeping, for her voice was more beautiful than anything +they had ever heard before.</p></div> + +<p>Both were young and lovely, and were as happy as the day was long, for they +loved each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> other dearly, and liked wandering about seeing new countries +and people and making sweet music. They went to all sorts of places, +sometimes to big cities, sometimes to little villages, sometimes to lonely +cottages by the sea-shore, and sometimes they strolled along the green +lanes and fields, singing and playing so exquisitely, that the very birds +flew down from the trees to listen to them.</p> + +<p>One day they crossed a dark line of hills, and came out on a wild moorland +country, where they had never been before. On the side of the hill they saw +a little village, and at once turned towards it, but as they drew near +Chrysea said,</p> + +<p>"What gloomy place is this? See how dark and miserable it looks."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 481px;"> +<img src="images/i062.jpg" width="481" height="650" alt=""One by one the villagers came out of their cottages, and +gathered round them to listen."—P. 44." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"One by one the villagers came out of their cottages, and +gathered round them to listen."—P. 44.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Let us try to cheer it with some music," said Arasmon, and began to play +upon his lute, while Chrysea sang. One by one the villagers came out of +their cottages and gathered round them to listen, but Chrysea thought she +had never before seen such forlorn-looking people. They were thin and bent, +their faces were pale and haggard, also their clothes looked old and +threadbare, and in some places were worn into holes. But they crowded about +Arasmon and Chrysea, and begged them to go on playing and singing, and as +they listened the women shed tears, and the men hid their faces and were +silent. When they stopped, the people began to feel in their pockets as if +to find some coins, but Arasmon cried,</p> + +<p>"Nay, good friends, keep your money for yourselves. You have not too much +of it, to judge by your looks. But let us stay with you for to-night, and +give us food and lodging, and we shall think ourselves well paid, and will +play and sing to you as much as you like."</p> + +<p>"Stay with us as long as you can, stay with us always," begged the people; +and each one entreated to be allowed to receive the strangers and give them +the best they had. So Arasmon and Chrysea played and sang to them till they +were tired, and at last, when the heavy rain began to fall, they turned +towards the village, but as they passed through its narrow streets they +thought the place itself looked even sadder<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> than its inmates. The houses +were ill-built, and seemed to be almost tumbling down. The streets were +uneven and badly kept. In the gardens they saw no flowers, but dank dark +weeds. They went into a cottage which the people pointed out to them, and +Arasmon lay down by the fire, calling to Chrysea to rest also, as they had +walked far, and she must be weary. He soon fell asleep, but Chrysea sat at +the door watching the dark clouds as they drifted over the darker houses. +Outside the cottage hung a blackbird in a cage, with drooping wings and +scanty plumage. It was the only animal they had yet seen in the village, +for of cats or dogs or singing-birds there seemed to be none.</p> + +<p>When she saw it, Chrysea turned to the woman of the house, who stood beside +her, and said,</p> + +<p>"Why don't you let it go? It would be much happier flying about in the +sunshine."</p> + +<p>"The sun never shines here," said the woman sadly. "It could not pierce +through the dark clouds which hang over the village. Besides, we do not +think of happiness. It is as much as we can do to live."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But tell me," said Chrysea, "what is it that makes you so sad and your +village such a dreary place? I have been to many towns in my life, but to +none which looked like this."</p> + +<p>"Don't you know," said the woman, "that this place is spell-bound?"</p> + +<p>"Spell-bound?" cried Chrysea. "What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>The woman turned and pointed towards the moor. "Over yonder," she said, +"dwells a terrible old wizard by whom we are bewitched, and he has a number +of little dark elves who are his servants, and these are they who make our +village what you see it. You don't know how sad it is to live here. The +elves steal our eggs, and milk, and poultry, so that there is never enough +for us to eat, and we are half-starved. They pull down our houses, and undo +our work as fast as we do it. They steal our corn when it is standing in +sheaves, so that we find nothing but empty husks;" and as she ceased +speaking the woman sighed heavily.</p> + +<p>"But if they do all this harm," said Chrysea,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> "why do not some of you go +to the moor and drive them away?"</p> + +<p>"It is part of the spell," said the woman, "that we can neither hear nor +see them. I have heard my grandfather say that in the old time this place +was no different to others, but one day this terrible old magician came and +offered the villagers a great deal of money if they would let him dwell +upon the moor; for before that it was covered with golden gorse and +heather, and the country folk held all their merrymakings there, but they +were tempted with the gold, and sold it, and from that day the elves have +tormented us; and as we cannot see them, we cannot get rid of them, but +must just bear them as best we may."</p> + +<p>"That is a sad way to speak," said Chrysea. "Cannot you find out what the +spell really is and break it?"</p> + +<p>"It is a song," said the woman, "and every night they sing it afresh. It is +said that if any one could go to the moor between midnight and dawn, and +could hear them singing it, and then sing through the tune just as they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +themselves do, the charm would be broken, and we should be free. But it +must be some one who has never taken their money, so we cannot do it, for +we can neither see nor hear them."</p> + +<p>"But I have not taken their money," said Chrysea. "And there is no tune I +cannot sing when I have heard it once. So I will go to the moor for you and +break the spell."</p> + +<p>"Nay, do not think of such a thing," cried the woman. "For the elves are +most spiteful, and you don't know what harm they might do to you, even if +you set us free."</p> + +<p>Chrysea said no more, but all the evening she thought of what the woman had +told her, and still stood looking out into the dismal street. When she went +to bed she did not sleep, but lay still till the clock struck one. Then she +rose softly, and wrapping herself in a cloak, opened the door and stepped +out into the rain. As she passed, she looked up and saw the blackbird +crouching in the bottom of its cage. She opened the cage door to let it +fly, but still it did not move, so she lifted it out in her hand.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Poor bird!" said she gently; "I wish I could give this village its liberty +as easily as I can give you yours," and carrying it with her she walked on +towards the moor. It was a large waste piece of land, and looked as though +it had been burnt, for the ground was charred and black, and there was no +grass or green plant growing on it, but there were some blackened stumps of +trees, and to these Chrysea went, and hid herself behind one to wait and +see what would come. She watched for a long time without seeing any one, +but at last there rose from the ground not far from her a lurid gleam, +which spread and spread until it became a large circle of light, in the +midst of which she saw small dark figures moving, like ugly little men. The +light was now so bright that she could distinguish each one quite plainly, +and never before had she seen anything so ugly, for they were black as ink, +and their faces were twisted and looked cruel and wicked.</p> + +<p>They joined hands, and, forming a ring, danced slowly round, and, as they +did so, the ground opened, and there rose up in their centre<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> a tiny +village exactly like the spell-bound village, only that the houses were but +a few inches high. Round this the elves danced, and then they began to +sing. Chrysea listened eagerly to their singing, and no sooner had they +done, than she opened her lips and sang the same tune through from +beginning to end just as she had heard it.</p> + +<p>Her voice rang out loud and clear, and at the sound the little village +crumbled and fell away as though it had been made of dust.</p> + +<p>The elves stood silent for a moment, and then with a wild cry they all +rushed towards Chrysea, and at their head she saw one about three times the +size of the others, who appeared to be their chief.</p> + +<p>"Come, quickly, let us punish the woman who has dared to thwart us," he +cried. "What shall we change her to?"</p> + +<p>"A frog to croak on the ground," cried one.</p> + +<p>"No, an owl to hoot in the night," cried another.</p> + +<p>"Oh, for pity's sake," implored Chrysea, "don't change me to one of these +loathsome<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> creatures, so that, if Arasmon finds me, he will spurn me."</p> + +<p>"Hear her," cried the chief, "and let her have her will. Let us change her +to no bird or beast, but to a bright golden harp, and thus shall she +remain, until upon her strings some one shall play our tune, which she has +dared to sing."</p> + +<p>"Agreed!" cried the others, and all began to dance round Chrysea and to +sing as they had sung around the village. She shrieked and tried to run, +but they stopped her on every side. She cried, "Arasmon! Arasmon!" but no +one came, and when the elves' song was done, and they disappeared, all that +was left was a little gold harp hanging upon the boughs of the tree, and +only the blackbird who sat above knew what had come of poor Chrysea.</p> + +<p>When morning dawned, and the villagers awoke, all felt that some great +change had taken place. The heavy cloud which hung above the village had +cleared away; the sun shone brightly, and the sky was blue; streams which +had been dry for years, were running clear and fresh: and the people all +felt strong, and able to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> work again; the trees were beginning to bud, and +in their branches sang birds, whose voices had not been heard there for +many a long year. The villagers looked from one to another and said, +"Surely the spell is broken; surely the elves must have fled;" and they +wept for joy.</p> + +<p>Arasmon woke with the first beam of the sun, and finding Chrysea was not +there, he rose, and went to seek her in the village, calling, "Chrysea, +Chrysea! the sun is up and we must journey on our way;" but no Chrysea +answered, so he walked down all the streets, calling "Chrysea! come, +Chrysea!" but no Chrysea came. Then he said,</p> + +<p>"She has gone into the fields to look for wild flowers, and will soon be +back." So he waited for her patiently, but the sun rose high, the villagers +went to their work, and she did not return. At this Arasmon was frightened, +and asked every one he met if they had seen her, but each one shook his +head and said "No, they had seen nothing of her."</p> + +<p>Then he called some of the men together and told them that his wife had +wandered away,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> and he feared lest she might lose herself and go still +farther, and he asked them to help him to look for her. So some went one +way, and some another, to search, and Arasmon himself walked for miles the +whole country round, calling "Chrysea! Chrysea!" but no answer came.</p> + +<p>The sun was beginning to set and twilight to cover the land, when Arasmon +came on to the moor where Chrysea had met her fate. That, too, was changed. +Flowers and grass were already beginning to grow there, and the children of +the village, who till now had never dared to venture near it, were playing +about it. Arasmon could hear their voices as he came near the tree against +which Chrysea had leaned, and on which now hung the golden harp. In the +branches above sat the blackbird singing, and Arasmon stopped and listened +to its song, and thought he had never heard a bird sing so sweetly before. +For it sang the magic song by which Chrysea had broken the elves' spell, +the first tune it had heard since it regained its liberty.</p> + +<p>"Dear blackbird," said Arasmon, looking up to it, "I wish your singing +could tell me where to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> find my wife Chrysea;" and as he looked up he saw a +golden harp hanging upon the branches, and he took it down and ran his +fingers over the strings. Never before did harp give forth such music. It +was like a woman's voice, and was most beautiful, but so sad that when +Arasmon heard it he felt inclined to cry. It seemed to be calling for help, +but he could not understand what it said, though each time he touched the +strings it cried, "Arasmon, Arasmon, I am here! It is I, Chrysea;" but +though Arasmon listened, and wondered at its tones, yet he did not know +what it said.</p> + +<p>He examined it carefully. It was a beautiful little harp, made of pure +gold, and at the top was a pair of golden hands and arms clasped together.</p> + +<p>"I will keep it," said Arasmon, "for I never yet heard a harp with such a +tone, and when Chrysea comes she shall sing to it."</p> + +<p>But Chrysea was nowhere to be found, and at last the villagers declared she +must be lost, or herself have gone away on purpose, and that it was vain to +seek her farther. At this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> Arasmon was angry, and saying that he would seek +Chrysea as long as he had life, he left the village to wander over the +whole world till he should find her. He went on foot, and took with him the +golden harp.</p> + +<p>He walked for many, many miles far away from the village and the moor, and +when he came to any farmhouses, or met any country people on the road he +began to play, and every one thronged round him and stared, in breathless +surprise at his beautiful music. When he had done he would ask them, "Have +you seen my wife Chrysea? She is dressed in white and gold, and sings more +sweetly than any of the birds of heaven."</p> + +<p>But all shook their heads and said, "No, she had not been there;" and +whenever he came to a strange village, where he had not been before, he +called, "Chrysea, Chrysea, are you here?" but no Chrysea answered, only the +harp in his hands cried whenever he touched its strings, "It is I, Arasmon! +It is I, Chrysea!" but though he thought its notes like Chrysea's voice, he +never understood them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> + +<p>He wandered for days and months and years through countries and villages +which he had never known before. When night came and he found himself in +the fields alone, he would lie down upon his cloak and sleep with his head +resting upon the harp, and if by chance one of its golden threads was +touched it would cry, "Arasmon, awake, I am here!" Then he would dream that +Chrysea was calling him, and would wake and start up to look for her, +thinking she must be close at hand.</p> + +<p>One day, towards night, when he had walked far, and was very tired, he came +to a little village on a lonely, rocky coast by the sea, and he found that +a thick mist had come up, and hung over the village, so that he could +barely see the path before him as he walked. But he found his way down on +to the beach, and there stood a number of fisherwomen, trying to look +through the mist towards the sea, and speaking anxiously.</p> + +<p>"What is wrong, and for whom are you watching, good folk?" he asked them.</p> + +<p>"We are watching for our husbands," answered one. "They went out in their +boats<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> fishing in the early morning, when it was quite light, and then +arose this dreadful fog, and they should have come back long ago, and we +fear lest they may lose their way in the darkness and strike on a rock and +be drowned."</p> + +<p>"I too, have lost my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Has she passed by here? +She had long golden hair, and her gown was white and gold, and she sang +with a voice like an angel's."</p> + +<p>The women all said, "No, they had not seen her;" but still they strained +their eyes towards the sea, and Arasmon also began to watch for the return +of the boats.</p> + +<p>They waited and waited, but they did not come, and every moment the +darkness grew thicker and thicker, so that the women could not see each +other's faces, though they stood quite near together.</p> + +<p>Then Arasmon took his harp and began to play, and its music floated over +the water for miles through the darkness, but the women were weeping so for +their husbands, that they did not heed it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is useless to watch," said one. "They cannot steer their boats in such +a darkness. We shall never see them again."</p> + +<p>"I will wait all night till morning," said another, "and all day next day, +and next night, till I see some sign of the boats, and know if they be +living or dead," but as she stopped speaking, there rose a cry of "Here +they are," and two or three fishing-boats were pushed on to the sand close +by where they stood, and the women threw their arms round their husbands' +necks, and all shouted for joy.</p> + +<p>The fishermen asked who it was who had played the harp; "For," they said, +"it was that which saved us. We were far from land, and it was so dark that +we could not tell whether to go to left or to right, and had no sign to +guide us to shore; when of a sudden we heard the most beautiful music, and +we followed the sound, and came in quite safely.</p> + +<p>"'Twas this good harper who played while we watched," said the women, and +one and all turned to Arasmon, and told him with tears of their gratitude, +and asked him what they could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> do for him, or what they could give him in +token of their thankfulness; but Arasmon shook his head and said, "You can +do nothing for me, unless you can tell me where to seek my wife Chrysea. It +is to find her I am wandering;" and when the women shook their heads, and +said again they knew nothing of her, the harp-strings as he touched them +cried again,</p> + +<p>"Arasmon! Arasmon! listen to me. It is I, Chrysea;" but again no one +understood it, and though all pitied him, no one could help him.</p> + +<p>Next morning when the mist had cleared away, and the sun was shining, a +little ship set sail for foreign countries, and Arasmon begged the captain +to take him in it that he might seek Chrysea still farther.</p> + +<p>They sailed and sailed, till at last they came to the country for which +they were bound; but they found the whole land in confusion, and war and +fighting everywhere, and all the people were leaving their homes and hiding +themselves in the towns, for fear of a terrible enemy, who was invading +them. But no one hurt Arasmon as he wandered on with his harp in his hand,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +only no one would stop to answer him, when he asked if Chrysea had been +there, for every one was too frightened and hurried to heed him.</p> + +<p>At last he came to the chief city where the King dwelt, and here he found +all the men building walls and fortresses, and preparing to defend the +town, because they knew their enemy was coming to besiege it, but all the +soldiers were gloomy and low-spirited.</p> + +<p>"It is impossible for us to conquer," they said, "for there are three of +them to every one of us, and they will take our city and make our King +prisoner."</p> + +<p>That night as the watchmen looked over the walls, they saw in the distance +an immense army marching towards them, and their swords and helmets +glittered in the moonlight.</p> + +<p>Then they gave the signal, and the captains gathered together their men to +prepare them for fighting; but so sure were they of being beaten that it +was with difficulty their officers could bring them to the walls.</p> + +<p>"It would be better," said the soldiers, "to lay down our arms at once and +let the enemy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> enter, for then we should not lose our lives as well as our +city and our wealth."</p> + +<p>When Arasmon heard this he sat upon the walls of the town, and began to +play upon his harp, and this time its music was so loud and clear, that it +could be heard far and wide, and its sound was so exultant and joyous, that +when the soldiers heard it they raised their heads, and their fears +vanished, and they started forward, shouting and calling that they would +conquer or be killed.</p> + +<p>Then the enemy attacked the city, but the soldiers within met them with so +much force that they were driven back, and had to fly, and the victorious +army followed them and drove them quite out of their country, and Arasmon +went with them, playing on his harp, to cheer them as they went.</p> + +<p>When they knew the victory was theirs, all the captains wondered what had +caused their sudden success, and one of the lieutenants said, "It was that +strange harper who went with us, playing on his harp. When our men heard +it, they became as brave as lions." So the captains<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> sent for Arasmon, but +when he came they were astonished to see how worn and thin he looked, and +could scarcely believe it was he who had made such wonderful music, for his +face had grown thin and pale, and there were gray locks in his hair.</p> + +<p>They asked him what he would like to have, saying they would give him +whatever he would choose, for the great service he had done them.</p> + +<p>Arasmon only shook his head and said,</p> + +<p>"There is nothing I want that you can give me. I am seeking the whole world +round to find my wife Chrysea. It is many many years since I lost her. We +two were as happy as birds on the bough. We wandered over the world singing +and playing in the sunshine. But now she is gone, and I care for nothing +else." And the captains looked pityingly at him, for they all thought him +mad, and could not understand what the harp said when he played on it +again, and it cried,</p> + +<p>"Listen, Arasmon! I too am here—I, Chrysea."</p> + +<p>So Arasmon left that city, and started again, and wandered for days and +months and years.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span></p> + +<p>He came by many strange places, and met with many strange people, but he +found no trace of Chrysea, and each day he looked older and sadder and +thinner.</p> + +<p>At length he came to a country where the King loved nothing on earth so +much as music. So fond of it was he, that he had musicians and singers by +the score, always living in his palace, and there was no way of pleasing +him so well as by sending a new musician or singer. So when Arasmon came +into the country, and the people heard how marvellously he played, they +said at once, "Let us take him to the King. The poor man is mad. Hear how +he goes on asking for his wife; but, mad or not, his playing will delight +the King. Let us take him at once to the palace." So, though Arasmon would +have resisted them, they dragged him away to the court, and sent a +messenger to the King, to say they had found a poor mad wandering harper, +who played music the like of which they had never heard before.</p> + +<p>The King and Queen, and all the court, sat feasting when the messenger came +in saying<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> that the people were bringing a new harper to play before his +majesty.</p> + +<p>"A new harper!" quoth he. "That is good hearing. Let him be brought here to +play to us at once."</p> + +<p>So Arasmon was led into the hall, and up to the golden thrones on which sat +the King and Queen. A wonderful hall it was, made of gold and silver, and +crystal and ivory, and the courtiers, dressed in blue and green and gold +and diamonds, were a sight to see. Behind the throne were twelve young +maids dressed in pure white, who sang most sweetly, and behind them were +the musicians who accompanied them on every kind of instrument. Arasmon had +never in his life seen such a splendid sight.</p> + +<p>"Come here," cried the King to him, "and let us hear you play." And the +singers ceased singing, and the musicians smiled scornfully, for they could +not believe Arasmon's music could equal theirs. For he looked to be in a +most sorry plight. He had walked far, and the dust of the roads was on him. +His clothes were worn threadbare, and stained and soiled,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> while his face +was so thin and anxious and sad that it was pitiful to see; but his harp of +pure shining gold was undulled, and untarnished. He began to play, and then +all smiles ceased, and the women began to weep, and the men sat and stared +at him in astonishment. When he had done the King started up, and throwing +his arms about his neck, cried, "Stay with me. You shall be my chief +musician. Never before have I heard playing like yours, and whatever you +want I will give you." But when he heard this, Arasmon knelt on one knee +and said,</p> + +<p>"My gracious lord, I cannot stay. I have lost my wife Chrysea. I must +search all over the world till I find her. Ah! how beautiful she was, and +how sweetly she sang; her singing was far sweeter than even the music of my +harp."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" cried the King. "Then I too would fain hear her. But stay with +me, and I will send messengers all over the world to seek her far and near, +and they will find her much sooner than you."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;"> +<img src="images/i086.jpg" width="480" height="650" alt=""He began to play, and then all smiles ceased."—P. 66." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"He began to play, and then all smiles ceased."—P. 66.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>So Arasmon stayed at the court, but he said that if Chrysea did not come +soon he must go farther to seek her himself.</p> + +<p>The King gave orders that he should be clad in the costliest clothes and +have all he could want given to him, and after this he would hear no music +but Arasmon's playing, so all the other musicians were jealous, and wished +he had never come to the palace. But the strangest thing was that no one +but Arasmon could play upon his golden harp. All the King's harpers tried, +and the King himself tried also, but when they touched the strings there +came from them a strange, melancholy wailing, and no one but Arasmon could +bring out its beautiful notes.</p> + +<p>But the courtiers and musicians grew more and more angry with Arasmon, till +at last they hated him bitterly, and only wanted to do him some harm; for +they said,</p> + +<p>"Who is he, that our King should love and honour him before us? After all, +it is not his playing which is so beautiful; it is chiefly the harp on +which he plays, and if that were taken from him he would be no better than +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> rest of us;" and then they began to consult together as to how they +should steal his harp.</p> + +<p>One hot summer evening Arasmon went into the palace gardens, and sat down +to rest beneath a large beech-tree, when a little way off he saw two +courtiers talking together, and heard that they spoke of him, though they +did not see him or know he was there.</p> + +<p>"The poor man is mad," said one; "of that there is little doubt, but, mad +or not, as long as he plays on his harp the King will not listen to any one +else."</p> + +<p>"The only way is to take the harp from him," said the other. "But it is +hard to know how to get it away, for he will never let it go out of his +hands."</p> + +<p>"We must take it from him when he is sleeping," said the first.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said the other; and then Arasmon heard them settle how and +when they would go to his room at night to steal his harp.</p> + +<p>He sat still till they were gone, and then he rose, and grasping it +tenderly, turned from the palace and walked away through the garden gates.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have lost Chrysea," he said, "and now they would take from me even my +harp, the only thing I have to love in all this world, but I will go away, +far off where they will never find me," and when he was out of sight, he +ran with all his might, and never rested till he was far away on a lonely +hill, with no one near to see him.</p> + +<p>The stars were beginning to shine though it was not yet dark. Arasmon sat +on a stone and looked at the country far and near. He could hear the sheep +bells tinkling around him, and far, far off in the distance he could see +the city and the palace he had left.</p> + +<p>Then he began to play on his harp, and as he played the sheep stopped +browsing and drew near him to listen.</p> + +<p>The stars grew brighter and the evening darker, and he saw a woman carrying +a child coming up the hill.</p> + +<p>She looked pale and tired, but her face was very happy as she sat down not +far from Arasmon and listened to his playing, whilst she looked eagerly +across the hill as if she watched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> for some one who was coming. Presently +she turned and said, "How beautifully you play; I never heard music like it +before, but what makes you look so sad? Are you unhappy?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Arasmon, "I am very miserable. I lost my wife Chrysea many +years ago, and now I don't know where she can be."</p> + +<p>"It is a year since I have seen my husband," said the woman. "He went to +the war a year ago, but now there is peace and he is coming back, and +to-night he will come over this hill. It was just here we parted, and now I +am come to meet him."</p> + +<p>"How happy you must be," said Arasmon. "I shall never see Chrysea again," +and as he spoke he struck a chord on the harp, which cried, "O Arasmon, my +husband! why do you not know me? It is I, Chrysea."</p> + +<p>"Do not say that," continued the woman; "you will find her some day. Why do +you sit here? Was it here you parted from her?"</p> + +<p>Then Arasmon told her how they had gone to a strange desolate village and +rested there for the night, and in the morning Chrysea was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> gone, and that +he had wandered all over the world looking for her ever since.</p> + +<p>"I think you are foolish," said the woman; "perhaps your wife has been +waiting for you at that village all this time. I would go back to the place +where I parted from her if I were you, and wait there till she returns. How +could I meet my husband if I did not come to the spot where we last were +together? We might both wander on for ever and never find each other; and +now, see, here he is coming," and she gave a cry of joy and ran to meet a +soldier who was walking up the hill.</p> + +<p>Arasmon watched them as they met and kissed, and saw the father lift the +child in his arms, then the three walked over the hill together, and when +they were gone he sat down and wept bitterly. "What was it she said?" he +said. "That I ought to go back to the spot where we parted. She will not be +there, but I will go and die at the place where I last saw her." So again +he grasped his harp and started. He travelled many days and weeks by land +and sea, till late one day he came in sight of the hill<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> on which stood the +little village. But at first he could not believe that he had come to the +right place, so changed did all appear. He stopped and looked around him in +astonishment. He stood in a shady lane, the arching trees met over his +head. The banks were full of spring flowers, and either side of the hedge +were fields full of young green corn.</p> + +<p>"Can this be the wretched bare road down which we walked together? I would +indeed it were, and that she were with me now," said he. When he looked +across to the village, the change seemed greater still. There were many +more cottages, and they were trim and well kept, standing in neat gardens +full of flowers. He heard the cheerful voices of the peasants, and the +laughter of the village children. The whole place seemed to be full of life +and happiness. He stopped again upon the mound where he and Chrysea had +first played and sung.</p> + +<p>"It is many, many a long year since I was here," he said. "Time has changed +all things strangely; but it would be hard to say which is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> the more +altered, this village or I, for then it was sunk in poverty and +wretchedness, and now it has gained happiness and wealth, and I, who was so +happy and glad, now am broken-down and worn. I have lost my only wealth, my +wife Chrysea. It was just here she stood and sang, and now I shall never +see her again or hear her singing."</p> + +<p>There came past him a young girl driving some cows, and he turned and spoke +to her. "Tell me, I beg," he said, "is not your village much changed of +late years? I was here long ago, but I cannot now think it the same place, +for this is as bright and flourishing a town as I have ever seen, and I +remember it only as a dreary tumble-down village where the grass never +grew."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the girl, "then you were here in our bad time, but we do not now +like to speak of that, for fear our troubles should return. Folks say we +were spell-bound. 'Tis so long ago that I can scarcely remember it, for I +was quite a little child then. But a wandering musician and his wife set us +free; at least,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> everything began to mend after they came, and now we think +they must have been angels from heaven, for next day they went, and we have +never seen them since."</p> + +<p>"It was I and my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Have you seen her? Has she +been here? I have sought all over the world ever since, but I cannot find +her, and now I fear lest she be dead."</p> + +<p>The girl stared at him in surprise. "You? you poor old man! Of what are you +talking? You must surely be mad to say such things. These musicians were +the most beautiful people upon the earth, and they were young and dressed +in shining white and gold, and you are old and gray and ragged, and surely +you are very ill too, for you seem to be so weak that you can scarcely +walk. Come home with me, and I will give you food and rest till you are +better."</p> + +<p>Arasmon shook his head. "I am seeking Chrysea," he said, "and I will rest +no more till I have found her;" and the girl, seeing that he was +determined, left him alone and went on her way driving her cows before +her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>When she had gone Arasmon sat by the wayside and wept as though his heart +would break. "It is too true," he said; "I am so old and worn that when I +find her she will not know me," and as he again fell a-weeping his hand +struck the harp-strings, and they cried, "I have watched you through all +these years, my Arasmon. Take comfort, I am very near," and his tears +ceased, and he was soothed by the voice of the harp, though he knew not +why.</p> + +<p>Then he rose. "I will go to the moor," he said, "and look for the tree on +which I found my harp, and that will be my last resting-place, for surely +my strength will carry me no farther." So he tottered slowly on, calling, +as he went, in a weak voice, "Chrysea, my Chrysea! are you here? I have +sought you over the world since you left me, and now that I am old and like +to die, I am come to seek you where we parted."</p> + +<p>When he came upon the moor, he wondered again at the change of all the +country round. He thought of the charred, blackened waste on which he had +stood before, and now he looked with amazement at the golden gorse, the +purple<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> heather, so thick that he could scarcely pick his way amongst it.</p> + +<p>"It is a beautiful place now," he said, "but I liked it better years ago, +deserted and desolate though it was, for my Chrysea was here."</p> + +<p>There were so many trees upon the common that he could not tell which was +the one on which his harp had hung, but, unable to go any farther, he +staggered and sank down beneath a large oak-tree, in whose branches a +blackbird was singing most sweetly. The sun was setting just as of yore +when he had found his harp, and most of the birds' songs were over, but +this one bird still sang sweet and clear, and Arasmon, tired and weak +though he was, raised his head and listened.</p> + +<p>"I never heard bird sing like that," he said. "What is the tune it sings? I +will play it on my harp before I die." And with what strength remained to +him he reached forth his trembling hand, and grasping his harp struck upon +it the notes of the bird's song, then he fell back exhausted, and his eyes +closed.</p> + +<p>At once the harp slid from his hand, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> Chrysea stood beside him—Chrysea +dressed as of old, in shining white and gold, with bright hair and eyes.</p> + +<p>"Arasmon!" she cried, "see, it is I, Chrysea!" but Arasmon did not move. +Then she raised her voice and sang more sweetly than the bird overhead, and +Arasmon opened his eyes and looked at her.</p> + +<p>"Chrysea!" cried he; "I have found my wife Chrysea!" and he laid his head +on her bosom and died. And when Chrysea saw it her heart broke, and she lay +beside him and died without a word.</p> + +<p>In the morning when some of the villagers crossed the common they saw +Arasmon and Chrysea lying beneath the oak-tree in each other's arms, and +drew near them, thinking they were asleep, but when they saw their faces +they knew they were dead.</p> + +<p>Then an old man stooped and looked at Chrysea, and said,</p> + +<p>"Surely it is the woman who came to us and sang long ago, when we were in +our troubles; and, though he is sadly changed and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> worn, it is like her +husband who played for her singing."</p> + +<p>Then came the girl who had driven the cows and told them how she had met +Arasmon, and all he had said to her.</p> + +<p>"He searched everywhere for his wife, he said," said she. "I am glad he has +found her. Where could she be?"</p> + +<p>"Would that we had known it was he," said they all, "how we would have +greeted him! but see, he looks quite content and as if he wished nothing +more, since he has found his wife Chrysea."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 169px;"> +<img src="images/i099.jpg" width="169" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i100.jpg" width="600" height="213" alt="THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/l2.jpg" width="125" height="125" alt="L" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_3">Long ago, in the days of fairies, there lived a King and Queen, who were +rich and happy.</p></div> + +<p>But the Queen was a proud, haughty woman, and disliked every one more +powerful than herself. And most of all, she hated the fairy folk, and could +not bear them to come to the castle where she and the King dwelt.</p> + +<p>Time passed, and the Queen had a little baby,—a daughter whom they called +Joan—and the bells were rung, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country, and the King and Queen were happy as the day is long.</p> + +<p>One day as the Queen sat by the cradle of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> the little Princess, watching +it, she said, "My pretty babe, when you are grown to be a woman you will be +rich and beautiful, and you shall marry some young Prince, who will love +you dearly, and then in your turn be Queen, and have a fine palace, and +jewels, and lands to your heart's content." Scarcely had she done speaking +when she heard a little noise beside her, and, looking up, saw a woman +dressed in yellow from head to foot standing on the other side of the +cradle. She wore a yellow cap, which covered her head completely, so that +no hair was seen, and her eyes, which looked cunning and fierce, were +yellow as her dress.</p> + +<p>"And how do you know, Queen, that your child will be so happy? Whose help +will you seek to get her all these fine things?" said the strange woman.</p> + +<p>"I will ask no one's help," said the Queen haughtily, "for I am Queen of +the land, and can have what I please."</p> + +<p>The yellow woman laughed, and said, "Don't be too sure, proud Queen; but +the next<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> night that the moon is bright, guard well the Princess when the +clock strikes twelve, lest aught of her's be stolen from her."</p> + +<p>"No thief shall come near her," cried the Queen; but ere she had done +speaking the woman had vanished, and the Queen knew it was a fairy.</p> + +<p>The sky that night was dark and overcast, and no moon to be seen, and the +next night was the same, but the third night the moon shone bright and +clear, and as the clock struck twelve the Queen awoke and looked at the +baby, who was sleeping peacefully in its cradle; but 'twixt the strokes of +the clock she heard a faint whistling outside the window, which grew louder +and fuller each moment. 'Twas as if some one whistled to decoy away a bird, +and on hearing it the baby awoke and began to cry bitterly. The Queen could +not quiet her, try how she might. At last the little one gave one scream +louder than all the others and then lay quite still, and at that moment the +Queen saw something flutter across the room like a tiny bird, with pink, +soft feathers. It flew straight<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> out of the window, and the whistling +ceased, and all again was quiet as before. The Queen took the baby in her +arms and looked at it anxiously by the light of the moon, but it looked +well and slept calmly, so its mother placed it in its cradle and tried to +forget the yellow fairy and the whistling.</p> + +<p>The nurse of the Princess Joan was a very wise old woman who knew a great +deal of fairies and their ways, and as the child grew up she watched her +with an anxious face.</p> + +<p>"She is under a charm," she said, "though what it is I don't know; but +before she is a woman they will see how different she is from others."</p> + +<p>The nurse's words proved to be true. No one had ever seen a little girl +like the Princess. Nothing troubled her. She never shed one tear. If she +were angry she would stamp her feet and her eyes would flash, but she never +wept, and she loved nobody. When her little dog died she laughed outright; +when the King her father went to the war it did not grieve her; and when he +returned she was no happier<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> than she had been when he was away. She never +kissed her mother, or her ladies, and when they said they loved her, she +stared at them, and asked what they meant. At this the ladies were angry +with her and chid her for being hard-hearted, but the old nurse always +stopped them, saying,</p> + +<p>"'Tis not her you should blame. She is enchanted, but 'tis not her fault."</p> + +<p>Princess Joan grew up and was the loveliest woman in the land. It was many +long years since any one so fair had been seen, but for all that her mother +mourned over her sorely, and her eyes were red with crying for her +beautiful daughter, who had never yet wept one tear herself.</p> + +<p>The neighbouring country was governed by a King and Queen who had only one +son, named Michael, whom everybody loved dearly. He was a handsome young +man, and as good as he was handsome. He was as gracious to the poorest +beggar as to the greatest lord, and all the poor folk came to him to tell +him their troubles, if they thought they were badly treated;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> and because +he was brave and handsome also, the court people loved him as well as the +peasants.</p> + +<p>In this country there stood on a high hill a round tower, and at the top of +it lived an old wizard. No man knew his age, for he had dwelt there for +hundreds of years, and no one knew how the tower had been built, for it was +made of one huge stone, and there were no joins in it at all.</p> + +<p>The King and Queen were afraid of the old magician, and never went near +him; indeed, no one in all the country had ever ventured to climb the tower +and see the old man at his work except Prince Michael, who knew the old +sorcerer well and did not fear him at all, but went up and down the tower +as he chose.</p> + +<p>One bright moonlight night it chanced that the Prince found himself alone +on the hill-side, and seeing a bright light shining from the top of the +tower he resolved to enter and pay the old man a visit. So he went to a +little door, and pushing it open stepped into a narrow, dark, winding +staircase, that went straight up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> the centre to the room at the top, in +which the wizard dwelt. The staircase was pitch dark, for there were no +windows. Moreover, it was so narrow that only one person could walk in it +at a time, but Prince Michael knew the way quite well, and climbed and +climbed till he saw a chink of light, and at last trod through a little +doorway into the room in which the sorcerer sat.</p> + +<p>This room was as light as day, for it was lit by a lamp which the old man +himself had made, and in which no oil or wick was burning, but every day it +was filled with sunbeams, and held them at night after the sun had set.</p> + +<p>So the whole room was brilliant, and in the middle sat the wizard, who was +a wonderful old man to look on, for he was all white. His beard was white +as snow, and from afar you could not tell which was beard and which gown, +but when you came near you saw that the beard flowed nearly to his feet, +and his skin was as white as either beard or gown. And his eyes were quite +colourless, but as bright as two candles.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Michael entered he sat looking at an enormous book full of coloured +pictures of little men and women about three inches high each. They were +not like other pictures, for they walked and moved over the page as though +they were alive.</p> + +<p>"It is I, father. What book are you looking at?" said Michael, stepping up +to the old man's side.</p> + +<p>"In this book," said the wizard, "I keep the portraits of all the men and +women in the world, and they are living portraits too, for they move, and +look just like the originals."</p> + +<p>"That must be very amusing," cried Michael. "Pray show me the portraits of +all the Kings, and Queens, and Princesses. This will be delightful," and he +knelt down by the old man and looked over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>The sorcerer muttered to himself and turned over the pages, and then +stopped at one on which Michael saw little figures of Kings and Queens of +all sorts, some of which he knew, and some of which he had never seen +before.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 469px;"> +<img src="images/i109.jpg" width="469" height="650" alt=""'Tis their daughter, Princess Joan," said the wizard with a +sigh. "But do not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but +trouble to all who know her."—P. 87." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"'Tis their daughter, Princess Joan," said the wizard with a +sigh. "But do not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but +trouble to all who know her."—P. 87.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There," he cried, "is old King Réné who came to our court last year, and +that is Queen Constance, and that is their nephew Prince Guilbert, who will +be king when they are dead, and here are our neighbours the King and Queen +of the next country, and oh, my father, who is this lovely Princess next to +them?"</p> + +<p>"'Tis their daughter Princess Joan," said the wizard with a sigh. "But do +not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but trouble to all who +know her."</p> + +<p>"I don't care if she bring trouble or happiness," cried the Prince. "But +for certain she is the most beautiful creature in the world," and he seized +the book and looked long at the tiny figure of the Princess. Truly it was +very beautiful. It was dressed in white, with a golden girdle round the +waist, and a wreath of golden daisies on its head, and as Michael looked, +it turned upon the pages, and smiled at him till he smiled back again, and +could not move his eyes from it.</p> + +<p>When the wizard saw this, he took the book from the young man's hands, and +hid it away, saying,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Think no more of Princess Joan, however beautiful she be, or one day you +will rue it dearly."</p> + +<p>Prince Michael made no answer, but he thought all the more of the little +picture of the Princess. After he had left the tower, and returned to the +palace, he could not forget her, but dreamt of her all night, and thought +of her all day.</p> + +<p>Next morning he went to the King and said, "My father, I am come to beg +that you will send to the King of the next country and ask if I may have +his daughter, Princess Joan, for my wife, for I have seen her portrait, and +there is no one in the world whom I love so well."</p> + +<p>When the King heard this he was delighted.</p> + +<p>"Our good neighbours," he said, "are rich and powerful, and it will be a +capital thing for our son to marry their daughter." So he at once sent off +an ambassador to beg for the hand of Princess Joan for Prince Michael.</p> + +<p>Joan's father and mother were delighted with the offer, and at once +resolved to accept it; but the Queen's heart sank within her,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> for she +thought, "Our poor Joan is not like any other maid who ever lived before, +and perhaps when Prince Michael sees her and finds this out, he will refuse +to wed her after all;" but she said nothing of her fears, and the +ambassador returned to the court, loaded with presents, and bearing a +message of acceptance.</p> + +<p>Till his return Prince Michael knew no peace or rest, but wandered about +among the hills by himself, thinking of Joan, and still, in his heart, he +wondered what the magician had meant when he said that if he thought much +of Princess Joan, one day he would rue it.</p> + +<p>At last he said to himself, "I will disguise myself as a poor man, and go +and see my Princess for myself before the ambassador returns, then shall I +know what the wizard means."</p> + +<p>So he dressed himself as a peasant, and started alone without telling any +one whither he went, and he travelled day and night till he came to the +country where Joan dwelt and to her father's palace. Then he walked near +the palace gardens, and no one noticed him, and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> saw a group of lovely +ladies, who sat together on the grass.</p> + +<p>His heart beat high as he looked at them, for in their midst, most +beautiful of all, sat the Princess Joan. Her yellow hair fell to her waist, +her face was like a blush rose, and her eyes were blue as forget-me-nots, +but when she lifted them, he saw that they were clear and hard as glass, +and her voice when she spoke was like a bright cold bell.</p> + +<p>There ran up to her a little serving-maid, crying bitterly, and said,</p> + +<p>"I beg of you, Princess, to let me return to my own home for a time, for my +father, the huntsman, has broken his leg and is very ill."</p> + +<p>"Why should you cry for that?" said the Princess. "'Tis your father and not +you that is hurt; but you may go, for when you cry and your eyes look red +you are ugly, and I don't like to see you, so be sure that when you return +you are pretty and bright as ever."</p> + +<p>When her ladies heard her they looked angry, but no one spoke, and the +little maid went crying away.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>Up there came a groom from the palace and said,</p> + +<p>"Your Royal Highness, the horse that you rode yesterday is dead, and we +think it is because you would ride so far when it was already tired, as we +told you."</p> + +<p>"Dead is it?" cried the Princess. "Then see quickly and get me another, +that I may ride again to-morrow, and be sure this time that it is a good +strong horse, or it may give way beneath me and so my ride be shortened."</p> + +<p>The groom went away muttering, and the Princess's ladies looked even graver +than before, but the Princess's own face was bright as a summer sky, and +she talked on without heeding their sad looks.</p> + +<p>Prince Michael turned away with a heavy heart.</p> + +<p>"The magician spoke truly," he said to himself, "and there will be nothing +but sorrow for all those who love my poor Princess Joan."</p> + +<p>Yet he could not bear to leave her and return at once to his own home, and +still he remained near the palace, and for some days<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> watched her +unnoticed, when she walked and rode, and listened to all she said, and each +day he grieved more and more, for she never said one kind loving word to +any one; yet each day when he saw how beautiful she was he loved her more +and more.</p> + +<p>When he again returned to his own home he found great rejoicings +everywhere, for the ambassador had returned with a message from Joan's +father promising she should marry the Prince, and everywhere preparations +were being made for the entry of the Princess to her new home.</p> + +<p>"And now, my son," said the King, "all is arranged for you to journey in +state to her father's court and bring back your bride, so now I hope that +you are happy and wish for nothing more."</p> + +<p>On hearing this Prince Michael's face was sad and grave, and his father and +mother wondered what ailed him. But he said to himself, "I will never marry +my Joan till she loves me as I do her, and how can she ever do that when +she loves no one, not even her own father and mother?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the court of Joan's father grand preparations had been made, and all was +in excitement when Prince Michael arrived with servants, and horses, and +presents for the bride.</p> + +<p>The King and Queen sat in state to receive him, and beside them was Joan, +and she looked so beautiful, in a dress as blue as her eyes, that every one +said, "How glad he will be when he sees how lovely she is."</p> + +<p>There was a blowing of trumpets and ringing of bells when Prince Michael, +followed by his attendants, entered, and the King and Queen and all the +courtiers rose.</p> + +<p>He passed up the hall to the thrones on which they sat, and kneeling on one +knee, kissed their hands, and last he kissed the hand of the Princess, but +he did not lift his eyes from the ground or look in her face, and his own +was so sad that the people whispered to each other, and said, "What is the +matter, and why does he look so unhappy? Surely he ought to be content when +he sees how beautiful she is."</p> + +<p>At night when the merrymakings were over the Prince sent a message to the +Queen,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> begging she would speak with him alone, and when she heard this her +heart sank, and she thought, "He must know that there is something amiss +with Joan, and perhaps he comes to say he will not marry her after all."</p> + +<p>So she sent every one away, except the old nurse and bid the Prince to +come.</p> + +<p>When he came in and saw her sad looks he said, "You have guessed then, +Queen, why I come to speak to you. Tell me truly what ails Princess Joan, +and why is she unlike any one I ever saw." The Queen cried bitterly, and +said, "I know not; would I did!" but the old nurse said,</p> + +<p>"I know and will tell you, Prince. Princess Joan is under a spell. A bad +fairy enchanted her when she was a tiny baby, and till this charm is +broken, she will never be like other people."</p> + +<p>"And what is the charm?" asked the Prince.</p> + +<p>"Nay, that I don't know," said the nurse. Then she told Michael of the +yellow woman and the whistling the Queen had heard at night;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> and as he +listened the Prince sighed and said, "There is no charm which cannot be +broken if one does but know how, but this is hard to do, for we do not know +what the spell is, or who is the fairy who cast it. But bid the people +cease their preparations, Queen, and stop the wedding rejoicings, for there +will be no wedding. No, not till I have found the fairy who has wronged my +Joan, and made her set her free. To-morrow I shall start at break of day, +and journey to the farthest ends of the world, to search for what can break +the charm. But I pray, Queen, that Joan may wait for me for seven years, +and if, when they are past, I have not returned, and you have heard nothing +of me, you must think that I am dead and gone, and marry her to whom you +will, for if I be alive, I will return before then. And till seven years +are past remember that Joan is still mine."</p> + +<p>On hearing this the Queen wept still more, and begged the Prince either to +remain and marry Joan, or to leave her and return to his home and forget +her; but if he wandered away to lands of goblins and fairies, no one would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +know what had become of him, and he would never find the fairy who had +charmed Joan or learn how to break the spell; but Prince Michael only shook +his head, and said, "I have sworn that I will not marry Joan till she loves +me as I do her, neither can I return to my home and forget her, so bid her +be ready at dawn to-morrow to bid me farewell, and tell none that I am +going till I have gone. Also I beg you to send a messenger to my father and +mother to tell them why I do not return, for I will not see them first, +lest they too should try to dissuade me." The Queen said no more, but she +cried very bitterly; but the old nurse smiled and nodded to Michael and +said,</p> + +<p>"You do well. You are a noble Prince, and would well deserve our Princess's +love."</p> + +<p>Next morning at break of day the Queen awoke the Princess and bade her +rise, for Prince Michael waited to bid her good-bye. The Prince stood at +the door of the palace, and when Princess Joan came out looking lovelier +than ever in the dim morning light, the tears filled his eyes, and he +thought, "Most likely I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> shall never see her again, and then she will never +know how much I have loved her."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Joan," he said; "do not quite forget me for seven years, for +perhaps I may yet come back and marry you."</p> + +<p>"And why do you go?" said Joan; "I had thought there would be a grand +wedding, and I should have all the gifts that are being prepared for me, +and now I shall have nothing; but good-bye, if go you must."</p> + +<p>Michael sighed as he mounted his horse and bade her farewell. When he +looked back at the palace, the Queen and Joan still stood at the door, and +the Queen sobbed; but Princess Joan looked quite happy and contented, and +smiled brightly.</p> + +<p>Prince Michael rode and rode, till he came to his own home, and then he +turned at once to the tower in which dwelt the magician. He climbed the +tower and found the old man sitting alone as before, but he had no book +before him, and he looked very grave.</p> + +<p>"I know why you are come," he said, as soon as Michael entered the room. +"So you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> have seen Princess Joan; and do you still wish to marry her?"</p> + +<p>"I will marry her, or no one," said Michael. "But not till I have found out +who has bewitched her, and have broken the charm."</p> + +<p>"You will have to search far for that," said the wizard; "And it may be +years ere you could set her free. Forget her, my son, and return to your +own home, and do not waste your life in a fruitless quest."</p> + +<p>"I will seek to break the charm, even if it take my whole life," said +Michael. "But tell me what it is, and how shall I find out how to break +it."</p> + +<p>"A fairy has stolen her heart," said the wizard, "and that is why she loves +no one, and can feel no sorrow; she has no heart with which to love or +pity, and till it is found and restored to her, she will be hard and cold +as stone. The fairy swore she would be revenged on her mother for her +pride, and so she is."</p> + +<p>"Then I will go and seek her heart, and bring it back to her," said +Michael. "But<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> where shall I look for it? Tell me at least where has the +fairy hidden it."</p> + +<p>"She has taken it to a castle in which are kept all the hearts of men and +women, that fairies steal, or that they themselves throw away; and this +castle is very far from here; moreover, it is guarded by an old gnome, who +is spiteful and cruel, and who pays no heed to those who beg him to let +them enter. Give up the Princess and return to your home, for if you go, +you will only die, or be enchanted like poor Princess Joan."</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless, I shall go," said Michael. "So tell me what path to take, +and I will start at once."</p> + +<p>On hearing this the sorcerer took from his bosom a small round piece of +glass, and gave it to the young man. "Take this," he said; "It is all that +I can give you, to help you, and through it you must look at the stars, and +you will see that they are all of different colours—blue, green, red, and +yellow; look for the one which is the deepest, brightest red, and follow +it; it will lead you many miles both by land and sea,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> but follow steadily, +and let nothing turn you from your course, and you will surely come to the +castle wherein is imprisoned the heart of your Princess."</p> + +<p>The Prince thanked the magician, and took the glass; then bidding him +"Good-bye," he left the strangely lighted chamber, and went down the dark +staircase, and stood again on the hill outside, with the dark sky overhead +filled with shining stars.</p> + +<p>Michael raised the glass and looked at them through it, and then he almost +shouted with surprise, for they looked wonderful. They were like jewels of +all colours—green, blue, yellow, pink—and in the south was one of a deep +glowing red, like a blood-red rose, and Michael knew that that was the star +he must follow.</p> + +<p>Then he looked back towards his father's palace. "Farewell," he said; "some +day I will return, and bring with me my Princess Joan." So he set off, and +journeyed and journeyed, till he had reached towns and villages which he +had never seen before. All that night he travelled while the stars shone, +and he could see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> the rosy star to follow. But when the stars grew pale, +and the sun rose, and people began to wake up and turn to their work, he +lay down under a tree and slept soundly. When he woke the day was almost +done, and the sun was sinking. So he went to a little town near and bought +food, and rested till again the stars shone in the sky. Then he rose and +went on all night, still following the crimson star. So passed many days +and nights, and he journeyed through strange lands, and his heart sank when +he thought, "So may I wander all round the world, and come no nearer to the +star, or to the castle where they keep the heart of my poor Joan."</p> + +<p>At last he came to the sea-shore, and in front of him lay a great cold sea, +and beyond it he saw no sign of land. But the star shone right over it, and +he knew that he must cross, if he still would follow it. It was in the +evening, the sun had set, but some fishermen still remained on the beach, +resting beside their boats. Michael went up to them, and taking some money +from his pocket, asked for how much they would sell him one of their +boats.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this the men looked surprised, and one of them said, "Why do you wish to +buy a boat? We use them to fish near the shore, but no boat or ship has +ever crossed this sea, for no one knows what land is beyond."</p> + +<p>"Then I will be the first to find out," said Michael. "Tell me how much you +want, and give me your largest boat." On this the men muttered together, +and one said, "He is mad." "Yes," said another, "but his money is good, for +all that. Let the madman have his way. It will hurt him, not us." So they +gave Michael their best boat, and he paid them well, and he set sail and +steered where the red star shone. He sailed all night till he had left +every trace of land behind him, and saw no shore in front, only the cold, +gray sea on every side. By day he kept the boat still, afraid lest he +should get out of the track of the star, but when the second night came he +was so weary that in spite of himself he fell asleep. When he awoke he +found the sun had risen, and his boat was drifting close to land. It was a +flat, lonely shore, without trees or grass<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> growing in sight, and facing +him was an immense castle. It was built of black marble, and a more gloomy +place could not be, for the windows were small and high up, and were all +barred across, with heavy iron bars, and the castle had no spires or +towers, but was one square black block, and looked more like a prison than +a castle. Around it was a high wall, and outside this a moat, without a +bridge.</p> + +<p>Michael steered his boat to shore, and stepped from it, and looked about +for some way by which he could cross the moat, and try for entrance to the +castle. Then he saw a little hut near, and beside it lay an old man +apparently fast asleep. He was small and dark, and his face was gray and +wrinkled as a monkey's, and he had no hair on his head. Close beside him +coiled up was a large snake, also asleep. Michael stood watching them both, +afraid to wake them, when, without a word, the gray man raised his head, +and opening a pair of dull, gray eyes, fixed them on him. Still he did not +speak, and at last the Prince, growing impatient, went up to him and said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +"Friend, I beg you to tell me how I am to enter the castle; or if you have +the key, to give it to me."</p> + +<p>On this the old man answered, "I have the key, and no one can enter without +my leave. What will you give me for it?"</p> + +<p>"Why," said Michael, "I have nothing but money," and he took some coins +from his pocket as he spoke.</p> + +<p>At this the old man laughed. "Your money is nothing to me," he said; "But +look yonder. Over there I am building a wall of heavy stones, and I am old, +and my strength fails me; stay and work for me at that wall, and in return +I will give you the key of the castle."</p> + +<p>"But how long must I work?" said Michael, "For unless I can enter the +castle before seven years are over, it will be no use to me.</p> + +<p>"Look at that serpent," said the old man; "It is sitting on its eggs. When +they are hatched you shall have the key and open the castle door. Till then +you must be my slave."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Gladly," said Michael, who was delighted; "for no snake could take seven +years hatching its eggs."</p> + +<p>Then the old man rose, and beckoning to him to follow, went into the little +cottage. From a nail upon the wall he took a pair of manacles fastened +together by a heavy iron chain. These he slipped over Michael's wrists, and +stooping down over them, muttered a few words, and at once the manacles +fastened together as if they had been locked, and Michael could not move +them, or draw out his hands. Then the old man took down another heavy chain +and passed it over the first and fastened it with more iron rings to his +ankles, so that he could only move his arms and hands a little way, and +could not raise them high, and could only walk with slow careful steps. +This done, he pointed to where, on the wall high up, hung a gleaming golden +sword, the handle of which was set with precious stones.</p> + +<p>"That," said he, "is the key of the castle, and you need only push the +doors with its point and they will all fly open; but while your hands<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> are +chained you cannot reach it to lift it down, but when the serpent's eggs +are hatched your iron rings will fall off, and you yourself may take the +sword down from its place, and push your way into the castle. Now get you +to your work, and work hard, or you may rue it."</p> + +<p>Then he showed Michael how he was to move the heavy stones, and where to +build with them, and he himself sat down by the serpent and watched him, +while the Prince went to work with a light heart, for he thought, "It is +hard work while it lasts, but 'twill not be for long, and 'tis not much to +do to win my Joan." So he worked hard till the sun had set, and then the +old man rose, saying, "Enough," and called him into the hut and gave him +food and drink, but he ate nothing himself, and then he showed him where he +could sleep in one corner, and Michael lay down and slept soundly and +dreamed of Joan.</p> + +<p>At break of day he was waked by the old man, who again gave him plenty to +eat, and again ate nothing, but what he gave to him he took from an urn in +the corner, and when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> he had done he put into the urn the fragments that +were left.</p> + +<p>All day Michael worked hard, and in the evening as he passed by the snake, +he looked at it as it lay coiled over its eggs, and said,</p> + +<p>"How soon will your work be done, and mine also, good snake? Make haste, I +pray, that I may find my way into the castle, and return to my Princess."</p> + +<p>So the days passed. Each morning the old man awoke Michael and gave him +food, and set him to work, and all day he laboured hard. Then when night +approached, he called "Enough," and beckoning him into the hut, gave him +plenty to eat and drink, but never ate himself, and beside that one word +never spoke, but crouched all day beside the snake, with closed eyes as if +asleep.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the doors of the castle never opened, and no one was seen going +in, or coming out; but sometimes, towards night, strange noises might be +heard from within its walls; sometimes there were wails and moans, which it +filled Michael with horror to hear, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> sometimes there was sweet singing, +so sweet that it drew tears to his eyes.</p> + +<p>But the days passed, and the serpent never moved from its eggs, and +Michael's heart began to be oppressed with fear, lest the old man was +deceiving him, and they should never be hatched at all. As each day passed, +he put aside a stone on a bare rock, and one day when he counted over the +stones to see how many days were gone, he found that more than a year had +passed since his boat had brought him to the shore. His hands had grown +hard and brown and cracked, with working at the heavy stones, and his face +and neck were blistered and sunburnt with the fierce sun that beat upon +them as he worked. His clothes were cut and torn and soiled, and yet he +seemed to be no nearer entering the castle. Then he rose and went into the +cottage, and looked longingly at the sword which hung high up, on the +walls, and raised his arms to try and reach it, but the chains held him +down, and as he turned from it in despair he saw the old man standing in +the doorway watching him with his cold dull eyes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What would you do here?" he asked; "have I not bid you serve me till the +serpent's eggs are hatched, and then the sword shall be yours?"</p> + +<p>"And when will the serpent's eggs be hatched?" cried Michael in despair.</p> + +<p>"That," said the old man, "I cannot tell, but a bargain is a bargain; keep +you your part and I will keep mine." Then he turned again to where the +serpent lay, and lying down beside it closed his eyes, and Michael returned +to his work mournfully.</p> + +<p>Time passed, but there came no change. Michael despaired in his heart, but +he could not have escaped even if he would, because of the chains which +hung from his arms.</p> + +<p>"I will work here," he said, "till the seven years are out, then I will +climb on the wall which I have built and throw myself into the sea and end +my troubles."</p> + +<p>Sometimes at night he would take from his bosom the piece of magic glass +which the wizard had given him and would gaze through it at the star which +still looked a bright crimson colour.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why have you led me here, cruel star," he asked sadly, "if you cannot help +me more? Are you shining over my home and my Princess, and does she +remember me? The seven long years will soon be passed, and they will wed +her to another king, and it will be all of no avail that I have given up +everything to find her heart, since I have only broken my own."</p> + +<p>So the time passed. Michael worked hard by day, but by night he lay and +wept. One day, when the seven years had nearly worn themselves away, he +bent over a pool of water, and in it saw his own form, and he saw that his +hair was thin and streaked with gray, and his face furrowed and seamed, and +his eyes dim with crying, also his shoulders were bowed with hard work, and +his clothes, once so gorgeous, now hung mere rags upon his bent form.</p> + +<p>"Now all is in vain," said he, "for if even I returned to my own home no +one will know me, so changed am I. I will go and kill the snake that has +caused my misery, and then I will slay the old man who has deceived me."</p> + +<p>So he went up to the snake, who lay<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> motionless coiled over its eggs as +usual, and reached out his hand to grasp its throat, but as he did so his +tears fell and dropped upon its head, and it writhed fearfully and then +glided away so fast that he could not see where it went, and left the heap +of gray eggs bare beneath his hand. The old man lay beside them as still as +usual, and did not move or open his eyes, even when the snake glided +hissing past him.</p> + +<p>"If the snake has escaped me," cried Michael, "then at least I can destroy +the eggs;" and lifting his heel he struck them with all his might, but his +foot left no mark upon them, nor even moved them from their place. They +might have been made of iron, and each one nailed to the ground, so hard +and firm they stood.</p> + +<p>Michael burst out weeping afresh. "How foolish I am," he said, "Yes, and +wicked too. It is not the fault of the poor snake that its eggs are not +hatched. Perhaps it is enchanted like me, and waits as patiently for them;" +and he bent his head till his tears fell upon the eggs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> No sooner did they +touch them, than the shells broke, and the pieces fell asunder, and from +each egg came a small moving thing, though what it was Michael did not see, +for he leaped to his feet with a shout of joy, which filled the air, and +echoed again from the castle. At this the old man opened his eyes, and +raising himself gazed, as if thunderstruck, with astonishment at the eggs.</p> + +<p>"Tis a miracle," he cried, chuckling with joy.</p> + +<p>But out of the eggs, there came no one fully formed animal, but from one +egg came a foot, from another a leg, from another a tail, and from one a +head, and each looked as though it belonged to some different beast, yet +all these drew themselves together, and joined so well that the join was +not to be seen. And they made a hideous monster of many colours. Then the +manacles on Michael's wrists burst asunder, and the chains fell to the +ground.</p> + +<p>"Now," he cried, "I will go and take for myself the sword from the wall, +and win my way into the castle, and nothing shall hinder<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> me more." And he +turned and rushed into the hut. There, upon the wall hung the shining +sword, and Michael reached out his hand and seized it firmly, and drew it +down from its place.</p> + +<p>"I will swear a vow," he cried, "upon this sword, that when I enter the +castle, I will say not one word for good or for ill to any one, save to ask +for what I come to seek, lest I should again be kept for years. Moreover, I +will not taste food or drink, till I have found the heart of my Joan to +take back to her." Then, with the sword in his hand, he passed the old man, +who still sat chuckling over the monster, too busy to heed him, and he went +straight on to the bridgeless moat. It was not wide, and he swam it easily, +and scrambled up the bank by the stone wall. He pushed with the point of +the sword at the gate, and it at once flew open, and he stood in the outer +court. Then he saw a heavy door in the wall of the castle, and went up to +it, nothing fearing, and, on touching it with the sword's point, it too +flew open at once, and he entered.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + +<p>He stepped into a passage filled with flowers and hung with silken +hangings. He trod upon a velvet carpet, and the air was laden with sweet +scents, and from afar he heard sweet voices singing. He strode on through +another door, and yet another, and at each step he took all things became +lovelier, till at last he passed into a splendid chamber, the like of which +he had never seen before. In the ceiling were precious stones set in +patterns of flowers and crowns, on the walls were soft velvet hangings and +embroideries. The furniture was of carven gold and silver and ivory, and +everywhere grew flowers of wonderful beauty, which sprang from the floor +and crept along the walls, and filled the air with sweet scents, and +hanging on the walls were cages which held what Michael thought were birds, +which sang most sweetly.</p> + +<p>On a table in the centre of the room was a banquet all laid ready, and as +Michael looked at it and wondered where he should go farther, a curtain was +drawn aside, and there stepped forth a stately dame dressed in black +velvet, who came smiling towards him and held out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> her hand, saying, "I am +indeed glad to see you, I am mistress of this castle, and you are very +welcome; but I beg that before you tell me from where you come and what you +seek, you will sit down and share this feast with me." Michael was +beginning to answer, when he felt the sword in his hand, and remembered his +oath, and looking full in the face of the new-comer, said, "I seek the +heart of Princess Joan."</p> + +<p>"And you shall find it," answered the grand lady. "But first you must rest +and eat, for you must be both tired and hungry;" and so saying she sat at +one end of the table, and signed to Michael to sit at the other, and took +the golden covers from the dishes, and prepared to begin the feast. Michael +knew not what to do, but he sat at the table in silence, and all at once +bethought him of the magic glass in his bosom, and drawing it forth when +she was not looking, gazed through it at her, and then he beheld no +finely-dressed lady, but a wizened old woman, robed in yellow, with an evil +yellow face and evil yellow eyes. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> hid the glass again, and sat still as +stone, though the yellow woman pressed on him the different dishes again +and again. He saw that her face grew white with rage. Then all of a sudden +she disappeared, and the lights went out, and he was left alone in the +darkness. He rose and searched for the door by which he had entered, but +could not find it nor any way out of the room; so there he was, a prisoner +alone with the singing-birds.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," quoth he to himself cheerily; "I have at last reached the +inside of the castle, and surely shall find the heart of my Joan, and if I +keep my vow and neither eat nor drink here or say aught but ask for that +which I seek, nothing can harm me."</p> + +<p>So he sat down contentedly to wait for what might come. There he sat the +whole night, and no one came near him, but the birds sang so beautifully +that he almost forgot how the time passed.</p> + +<p>When morning dawned and light again shone through the windows, he searched +everywhere for some way out of the room, but the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> door had quite +disappeared. Moreover, the feast had gone from the table. The day passed, +and still he was all alone, and as evening again drew in he sat and +lamented, quite wearied out and faint for want of food. But when the +darkness came, the lamps about the room were suddenly lit as if by magic, +and all was brilliant, and a curtain was drawn aside, and there came in a +little child with bright eyes and hair, who held in one hand a goblet and +in the other a well-filled plate. These she placed before Michael, saying, +"My mistress sends you these, and begs that you will eat and drink, for you +must be both hungry and thirsty;" but Michael pushed away the goblet and +the plate, and said,</p> + +<p>"I seek the heart of Princess Joan; I beg you to give it to me."</p> + +<p>To this the seeming child answered nothing, but still pressed on him the +food and wine. Then Michael took from his bosom the magic glass and looked +through it, and saw no lovely child, but the same yellow hag with +shrivelled face and evil eyes. With a cry of rage she disappeared, and +though Michael searched everywhere,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> he could not find the way by which she +went.</p> + +<p>Now indeed he began to feel that unless he ate he could not live much +longer, and wept from very weakness.</p> + +<p>"Still I will neither eat nor drink," he said, "till I have found what I +came to seek, and the fairy cannot refuse me much longer."</p> + +<p>Night passed and day came, and he lay upon a couch quite still, too weak to +move, yet he feared to sleep lest some spell should be thrown upon him.</p> + +<p>So he lay all day, and as evening again drew near he began to feel despair, +for he knew that in another day he would be dead of hunger.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Why have I toiled for seven years," he cried aloud, "and at last won +my way into the castle, if now I am to be starved to death, and Joan will +never know how I have laboured for her sake?"</p> + +<p>"And why should you be starved to death, my Prince?" said a voice; and at +once the lights lit themselves, and into the room stepped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> the figure of +the Princess Joan just as he had seen her last, dressed in white and gold, +and in one hand bearing a golden goblet filled with clear ruby-coloured +wine.</p> + +<p>Michael gave a cry of joy and held out his arms to clasp her in them, but +as he did so the sword sprang as it hung at his side, and he remembered his +vow and drew back and gazed at her without speaking.</p> + +<p>She knelt down beside him and raised the goblet to his lips, saying softly, +"My poor love, how long you have worked for me! Pray drink now, that you +may be refreshed ere we two start for our home."</p> + +<p>Then as he looked at her face and saw how beautiful she was his heart +wavered, and he thought, "Can it be my Joan, and that I have truly won +her?" and almost had he let her place the wine at his lips, while with one +hand she stroked his hair and murmured to him the while in a soft voice, +when the cup struck against the magic glass in his bosom, and he drew it +forth and looked at her, and he trembled with horror and disgust, for there +he saw no lovely Princess<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> Joan, but the same yellow hag, who held in one +skinny hand a goblet, formed from a skull, from which she would have him +drink.</p> + +<p>Michael sprang to his feet and dashed it from him, and the ruby wine poured +on the floor, and there followed an awful noise like a peal of thunder, and +the room was full of smoke, and wild cries were heard.</p> + +<p>He grasped the sword and sat still, trembling all over; but when the smoke +cleared away the whole aspect of the room was changed; the silken hangings, +and gold, and pearls, and flowers, were all gone, and he was sitting in a +grim gray chamber like a vault, and in front of him stood the yellow hag, +whose eyes shone spitefully and her lips laughed wickedly; but in one hand +she held what it made Michael rejoice to see. It was a soft pink feathery +thing, with wings, but shaped like a heart, and it trembled and quivered in +her hand.</p> + +<p>"Take it," she cried, "for well have you won it. Take it, and tell the +Queen how many years of toil and labour her proud words and boasting have +cost. Then when you see her, from whom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> it was stolen, let it fly, but +first say over it these words:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Heart of Joan<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lost and won<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fly back home,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy journey's done.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Take back joy<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Take back pain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Heart of Joan,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fly home again."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and it will fly to her side, and you will see it no more; and now begone."</p> + +<p>Michael seized the heart with a cry of joy and exultation, and then turned +and fled from the room through an open iron door, and passed through the +passages, no longer softly carpeted and hung with silk, but dreary and +bare, made of cold stone, down which his foot-steps echoed and clashed.</p> + +<p>He hurried from the castle as quickly as might be, and once outside did not +stop to look for the old man or the monster, but swam the moat, and went +straight to where his boat lay moored as he had left it, nearly seven years +before, and never paused till he had rowed so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> far that the gray castle and +the shore had almost passed from view. At last he came again to the shore +where he had bought his boat of the fishermen, and here he went on land, +and started to walk till he had reached Joan's country, and her father's +castle.</p> + +<p>He had no money, and his clothes were rags, his hair was thin and gray, and +his shoulders bent. He looked like a poor beggar, and he had to beg food as +he went, or he would have been starved. Still, he was ready to cry for joy, +because he took with him the little soft heart he had gone so far to find.</p> + +<p>He trudged on both day and night, making great haste, for he knew that the +seven years were almost gone, and he was afraid lest already he might be +too late, and find that Joan had married some one else. At last, after many +weary miles, he reached her country, and drew near to the palace where she +lived, and here he found that the people were all decorating their houses, +and making preparations as if for some great festival.</p> + +<p>He stopped and begged for food from a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> woman who stood by a cottage door, +and when she had given him some bread, as he ate it he asked her to tell +him what went on in the country, and why there was such rejoicing.</p> + +<p>"It is for the marriage of the King's daughter Joan," said the woman; +"To-morrow she is to be married to old King Lambert, and the wedding will +be very grand, but none of the country folk like it, for he is old and +ugly, and they say he does not love her at all, but only marries her that +he may be king of this country as well as his own. The Queen is in sore +distress about it, and for seven years refused her consent; but they will +be over to-morrow, and so they will be wed, and the guests are already +beginning to arrive at the palace, and each one brings some splendid gift."</p> + +<p>"I will be a guest at that wedding," cried Michael; "And I bring the best +gift of all for the bride;" and he hurried on again, not heeding the +woman's scorn and laughter.</p> + +<p>When he came to the palace, he found that it was hung with flags, and +arches of flowers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> were erected in front of it, and grand lords and ladies, +and servants stood at the door to receive the guests who came.</p> + +<p>Michael went as near as he dared, afraid lest he should be driven away by +the servants, and then he saw a little foot-page, and he went to him and +said,</p> + +<p>"Please tell me where is the Princess Joan, and what she is doing."</p> + +<p>"She is sitting with the King and Queen and King Lambert in the state-room, +to receive the guests and accept the presents they bring," said the page.</p> + +<p>"I am a guest, and I bring a present for her," cried Michael; "Tell me how +I shall get into the palace that I may give it to her."</p> + +<p>On hearing this the page burst out laughing, and told the other servants +what he said. And they were very angry, and seized Michael, and some would +have ducked him in the pond, and some would have taken him before the King, +but they said, "Not now—wait till the wedding is over to-morrow, and then +we will see how he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> will punish the beggar-man for his impertinence."</p> + +<p>So they took him off to a stone tower outside the garden gates and thrust +him into it, and locked the door, and there was only one little window high +up and barred across with bars, and from it he could see the palace and the +gardens.</p> + +<p>Then at last he gave way to despair. "Of what avail were all my years of +toil, and for what am I gray and old before my time," he cried, "if after +all, when I have earned that for which I worked so long, I may not give it +to Joan, but must remain a prisoner and see her pass by to marry some one +else?" and he threw himself on the ground and cried aloud.</p> + +<p>At night as he lay and mourned, he heard sounds of merrymaking, and music +and laughter from the castle. Sometimes he called out, "Joan! Joan! I am +here—I who have worked for you for years, and brought home your stolen +heart, and now will you wed King Lambert in spite of all?" sometimes he +beat against the bars of the prison window, but all in vain, and at last, +when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> all sound had ceased from the castle, he lay silent upon the ground, +caring no more for life.</p> + +<p>When the sun rose, and there was again a stir without, he got up and looked +from the window, and saw the old nurse who walked by herself in the garden, +and she looked very sad. Then Michael called out, "Do you not know me? You +at least, who bid me go, and praised me then, should remember me now." On +hearing this the old nurse drew near the prison window, and looked at him, +and said, "Who are you, and why are you here? My eyes are old, and my ears +are deaf, but I think I have seen you, and heard your voice before."</p> + +<p>"Seven years ago," said Michael, "I too was a bridegroom, who came to wed +your Princess, and for seven long years have I worked, that I might bring +home to her the heart she had not. Go and ask your Queen, why she has +broken her pledge to wait for seven years, till Prince Michael should +return."</p> + +<p>"Prince Michael! Is it really Prince Michael?" cried the old nurse +joyfully. "And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> you come in time, for our Princess is not married yet, and +she must pass by here, on her way to church. So you shall call to her as +she passes by, and speak for yourself."</p> + +<p>"Then keep near and tell me when she comes," said Michael, "lest she go by +without seeing me."</p> + +<p>Presently the whole castle was astir, and trumpets were sounding, and +clarions ringing. Then when the sun was high, Michael heard the tramping of +horses, and the sound of music, and the old nurse said to him, "Here she +is," and he looked between the bars of the prison window and saw a grand +procession, and his heart gave a bound, for in their midst, in a golden +gown, and seated on a white palfrey, was Princess Joan, and she looked just +as lovely as when he went away seven years before.</p> + +<p>On one side of her rode her father and mother, and the Queen's face was +most mournful, and her eyes were red with crying. On the other rode an ugly +old man, whom Michael guessed to be King Lambert, and he smiled and bowed +to the people, but they muttered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> and grumbled, when they looked at him, +and saw how ugly and wicked, he looked.</p> + +<p>When Michael saw them coming, he took from his bosom the little pink heart, +and stroked it fondly as he whispered over it,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Heart of Joan<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lost and won<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fly back home,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy journey's done.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Take back joy<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Take back pain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Heart of Joan,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fly home again;"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and at once it spread its wings and fluttered through the bars of the +prison, and over the heads of the people, who shouted, "Look at the pink +bird!" For a moment it rested at the side of the Princess Joan, and then +disappeared. She gave a scream, and cried,</p> + +<p>"My mother! My father! What has happened? Oh see, it is Michael who has +returned!" and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's head +towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars to +clasp the Prince.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 479px;"> +<img src="images/i152.jpg" width="479" height="650" alt="——and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's +head towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars +to clasp the Prince."—P. 128." title="" /> +<span class="caption">——and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's +head towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars +to clasp the Prince."—P. 128.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Michael, my love!" she cried, "How gray and worn you are now. How hard you +must have laboured for me through these long years. Now, how shall I pay +you, save by loving you all my life!" and she tried to beat down the bars +of the prison window.</p> + +<p>When the people heard her, they cried, "It is Prince Michael, who went +seven years ago, and who we all thought was dead, and he is returned in +time to marry our Princess. Now will we indeed have a wedding, and she +shall marry the Prince who has toiled so long for her;" and King and Queen +and people laughed for joy. 'Twas in vain for King Lambert to rage, and cry +that the Princess was betrothed to him.</p> + +<p>"Nay!" said the Queen, "She has been pledged to Prince Michael for seven +years. We are grieved for your sake, King Lambert, but we cannot break our +royal word."</p> + +<p>Then the people burst into the prison and brought out Michael, all torn and +gray as he was, and Princess Joan kissed him before them all, and begged +that he would marry her at once, that every one might see how well she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +loved him and how grateful she was. So they brought a fine white horse with +a grand gold saddle, and jewelled bridle, and placed Michael upon it, and +he rode to church beside the Princess, and married her, and the people +threw flowers before them, and bells rang and trumpets sounded, and all +were glad.</p> + +<p>And when it was done Michael was dressed in purple and gold, and messengers +were sent to his father and mother and the old wizard, that they might come +and see how he had come home victorious, and rejoicings filled the whole +country.</p> + +<p>"For now we are sure of a good King," the people said. "See, he has already +shown what he can do. Surely no one else could ever have found the heart of +Princess Joan."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 190px;"> +<img src="images/i155.jpg" width="190" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 486px;"> +<img src="images/i157.jpg" width="486" height="650" alt=""Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, +perhaps you would not mind carrying my load for me for a little."—P. +131." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, +perhaps you would not mind carrying my load for me for a little."—P. +131.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i158.jpg" width="600" height="213" alt="THE PEDLAR'S PACK" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE PEDLAR'S PACK</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/a1.jpg" width="125" height="128" alt="A" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_2">A pedlar was toiling along a dusty road carrying his pack on his back, when +he saw a donkey grazing by the wayside.</p></div> + +<p>"Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, perhaps you would +not mind carrying my load for me for a little."</p> + +<p>"If I do so, what will you give me?" said the donkey.</p> + +<p>"I will give you two pieces of gold," said the pedlar, but he did not speak +the truth, for he knew he had no gold to give.</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said the donkey. So they journeyed on together in a very +friendly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> manner, the donkey carrying the pedlar's pack, and the pedlar +walking by his side. After a time they met a raven, who was looking for +worms in the roadside, and the donkey called out to him,</p> + +<p>"Good-morrow, black friend. If you are going our way, you would do well to +sit upon my back and drive away the flies, which worry me sadly."</p> + +<p>"And what will you pay me to do this?" asked the raven.</p> + +<p>"Money is no object to me," said the donkey, "so I will give you three +pieces of gold." And he too knew he was making a false promise, for he had +no gold at all to give.</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said the raven. So they went on in high good humour, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's wares, and the raven sitting on the donkey's back +driving away the flies.</p> + +<p>After a time they met a hedge-sparrow, and the raven called out to it,</p> + +<p>"Good-day, little cousin. Do you want to earn a little money? If so, bring +me some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> worms from the bank as we go along, for I had no breakfast, and am +very hungry."</p> + +<p>"What will you give me for it?" asked the hedge-sparrow.</p> + +<p>"Let us say four pieces of gold," said the raven grandly; "for I have saved +more during my long life than I know how to spend." But he knew this was +not true, for he had not saved any gold at all.</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the hedge-sparrow, and so on they went, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's pack, and the raven keeping the flies away from the +donkey, and the hedge-sparrow bringing worms to the raven.</p> + +<p>Presently they saw in the distance a good-sized town, and the pedlar took +out from his pack, some shawls and stuffs and hung them over the donkey's +back that the passers-by might see, and buy if they were so disposed. On +the top of the other goods lay a small scarlet blanket, and when he saw it +the hedge-sparrow said to the pedlar,</p> + +<p>"What will you take for that little blanket? It seems to be a good one. +Name your price<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> and you shall have it whatever it is, for I am badly in +want of a blanket just now;" but as the hedge-sparrow had not a penny in +the world, he knew he could not pay for it.</p> + +<p>"The price of the blanket is five pieces of gold," said the pedlar.</p> + +<p>"That seems to me to be very dear," said the hedge-sparrow. "I don't mind +giving you four pieces of gold for it, but five is too much."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said the pedlar, and he chuckled to himself and thought, "Now I +shall be able to pay the donkey, otherwise I might have had some trouble in +getting rid of him."</p> + +<p>The hedge-sparrow flew to the raven's side and whispered in his ear, +"Please to pay me the four pieces of gold you owe me, for we are coming to +a town, and I must be turning back."</p> + +<p>"Four pieces of gold is really too much for bringing a few worms," said the +raven. "It is absurd to expect such payment, but I will give you three, and +you shall have them almost immediately," and he bent down over the donkey's +ear and whispered,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My friend, it is time you paid me the three pieces of gold which you +promised, for the pedlar will stop at this town, and you will not have to +go farther with him."</p> + +<p>"On thinking it over," said the donkey, "I have come to the conclusion that +three pieces of gold are really a great deal too much to give for having a +few flies driven away. You must have known that I was only joking when I +said it, but I will let you have two, though I consider that it is much +more than the job was worth;" and the donkey turned again to the pedlar, +saying, "Now, good sir, your two pieces of gold, if you please."</p> + +<p>"In a moment," said the pedlar, and turning to the hedge-sparrow, said, "I +really must have the money for the blanket at once."</p> + +<p>"So you shall," answered the hedge-sparrow, and cried angrily to the raven, +"I want my money now, and cannot wait."</p> + +<p>"In an instant," answered the raven, and again whispered to the donkey, +"Why can't you pay me honestly? I should be ashamed of trying to slip out +of my debts in such a way."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I won't keep you waiting a second," said the donkey, and he turned once +more to the pedlar and cried, "Come, give me my money. For shame! a man +like you trying to cheat a poor beast like me."</p> + +<p>Then the pedlar said to the hedge-sparrow, "Pay me for my blanket, or I'll +wring your neck."</p> + +<p>And the hedge-sparrow cried to the raven, "Give me my money or I'll peck +out your eyes."</p> + +<p>And the raven croaked to the donkey, "If you don't pay me, I'll bite off +your tail."</p> + +<p>And the donkey again cried to the pedlar, "You dishonest wretch, pay me my +money or I'll kick you soundly."</p> + +<p>And they made such an uproar outside the walls of the town, that the beadle +came out to see what it was all about. Each turned to him and began to +complain of the other loudly.</p> + +<p>"You are a set of rogues and vagabonds," said the beadle, "and you shall +all come before the mayor, and he'll settle your quarrels pretty quickly, +and treat you as you deserve."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this they all begged to be allowed to go away, each one saying he did +not care about being paid at all. But the beadle would not listen to them, +and led them straight away to the market-place, where the mayor sat judging +the people.</p> + +<p>"Now, whom have we here?" cried he. "A pedlar, a donkey, a raven, and a +hedge-sparrow. A set of worthless vagabonds, I'll be bound! Let us hear +what they have to say for themselves."</p> + +<p>On this the pedlar began to complain of the hedge-sparrow, and the +hedge-sparrow of the raven, and the raven of the donkey, and the donkey of +the pedlar.</p> + +<p>The mayor did not heed them much, but he eyed the pedlar's pack, and at +length interrupted them, and said,</p> + +<p>"I am convinced that you are a set of good-for-nothing fellows, and one is +quite as bad as the other, so I order that the pedlar be locked up in the +prison, that the donkey be soundly well thrashed, and that the raven and +the hedge-sparrow both have their tail-feathers pulled out, and then be +turned out of the town.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> As for the blanket, it seems to me to be the only +good thing in the whole matter, and as I cannot allow you to keep the cause +of such a disturbance, I will take it for myself. Beadle, lead the +prisoners away."</p> + +<p>So the beadle did as he was told, and the pedlar was locked up for many +days in the prison.</p> + +<p>"It is very sad to think to what straits an honest man may be brought," he +sighed to himself as he sat lamenting his hard fate. "In future this will +be a warning to me to keep clear of hedge-sparrows. If the hedge-sparrow +had paid me as he ought, I should not be here now."</p> + +<p>Meantime the donkey was being soundly well thrashed, and after each blow he +cried,</p> + +<p>"Alas! alas! See what comes to an innocent quadruped for having to do with +human beings. Had the pedlar given me the money he owed, I should not now +be beaten thus. In future I will never make a bargain with men."</p> + +<p>The raven and the hedge-sparrow hopped out of the town by different roads, +and both were very sad, for they had lost all their tail feathers, which +the beadle had pulled out.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Alas!" croaked the raven, "my fate is indeed a hard one. But it serves me +right for trusting a donkey who goes on his feet and cannot fly. It is +truly a warning to me never again to trust anything without a beak."</p> + +<p>The hedge-sparrow was quite crestfallen, and could scarcely keep from +tears. "It all comes of my being so taken in by that raven," he sighed. +"But I should have known that these large birds are never honest. In future +I will be wise, and never make a bargain with anything bigger or stronger +than myself."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 174px;"> +<img src="images/i166.jpg" width="174" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i167.jpg" width="600" height="215" alt="THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/o2.jpg" width="125" height="127" alt="O" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_2">Once there was a baker who had a very bad, violent temper, and whenever a +batch of bread was spoiled he flew into such a rage, that his wife and +daughters dared not go near him. One day it happened that all his bread was +burnt, and on this he stamped and raved with anger. He threw the loaves all +about the floor, when one, burnt blacker than the rest, broke in half, and +out of it crept a tiny thin black man, no thicker than an eel, with long +arms and legs.</p></div> + +<p>"What are you making all this fuss about, Master Baker?" said he. "If you +will give me a home in your oven I will see to the baking of your bread, +and will answer for it that you shall never have so much as a loaf +spoiled."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 485px;"> +<img src="images/i169.jpg" width="485" height="650" alt=""If you will give me a home in your oven I will see to the +baking of your bread, and will answer for it that you shall never have so +much as a loaf spoiled."—P. 141." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"If you will give me a home in your oven I will see to the +baking of your bread, and will answer for it that you shall never have so +much as a loaf spoiled."—P. 141.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And pray what sort of bread would it be, if you were in the oven, and +helped to bake it?" said the baker; "I think my customers might not like to +eat it."</p> + +<p>"On the contrary," said the imp, "they would like it exceedingly. It is +true that it would make them rather unhappy, but that will not hurt you, as +you need not eat it yourself."</p> + +<p>"Why should it make them unhappy?" said the baker. "If it is good bread it +won't do any one harm, and if it is bad they won't buy it."</p> + +<p>"It will taste very good," replied the imp, "but it will make all who eat +it discontented, and they will think themselves very unfortunate whether +they are so or no; but this will not do you any harm, and I promise you +that you shall sell as much as you wish."</p> + +<p>"Agreed!" said the baker. So the little imp crept into the oven and curled +himself into the darkness behind, and the baker saw no more of him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + +<p>But next day he made a great batch of bread, and though he took no heed of +the time when he put it in, and drew it out, just as he wanted it, it was +done quite right—neither too dark nor too light—and the baker was in high +good humour.</p> + +<p>The first person who tasted the bread was the chief justice. He came down +to breakfast in high spirits, for he had just heard that an old aunt was +dead, and had left him a great deal of money. So he kissed his wife and +chucked his daughters under the chin, and told them that he had good news +for them. His old aunt had left him twenty thousand pounds in her will. On +this his wife clapped her hands for joy, and his daughters ran to him and +kissed him, and begged him to let them have some of it. So they all sat +down to breakfast in great glee, but no sooner had the justice tasted the +bread than his face fell.</p> + +<p>"This is excellent bread," he said, taking a large slice; "I wish +everything else were as good;" and he heaved a deep sigh.</p> + +<p>"Why?" cried his wife, who had not yet begun to eat. "This morning, I am +sure, there is nothing for you to complain of."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Nay!" said the mayor; "it is very nice to have twenty thousand pounds, but +think how much nicer it would have been if it had been thirty. How much +more one could have done with that! Or even if it had been twenty-five +thousand pounds, or even twenty-one. Twenty-one thousand pounds is a very +nice sum of money, but twenty thousand pounds is no good at all. I am not +sure that it would not be better not to have had any."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" cried his wife, who was now eating her breakfast also; "you are +very wicked to be so discontented; but one thing I do say. It would have +been much nicer if we had had it when we were young and better able to +enjoy it. Money is very little use to people at our time of life. It would +have been really nice if we had had it fifteen years ago. As it is, I can't +say I care much for it, and it makes me sad to think we did not get it +before."</p> + +<p>"Nay," cried the daughters; "in that case how much better it would have +been for us to have it instead of you; we are young, and able to enjoy +ourselves, and we could have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> given you a little of it if you'd liked, but +we could have been very happy with the rest; as it is, it is no pleasure to +us."</p> + +<p>So they fell to quarrelling about the money, and by the time breakfast was +done, they all had tears in their eyes, and felt discontented and unhappy.</p> + +<p>The next person to eat the bread was the village doctor. All night long he +had been sitting up with a man who had broken his leg, and he had feared +lest he should die, but as morning came he saw he would live, so he +returned home to his wife in very good spirits, although he was sadly +tired. The wife had already had her breakfast, but she had made all ready +for her husband, with a loaf of the baker's new bread.</p> + +<p>"See, dear husband," she said, "here is your breakfast, and some nice bread +quite new, because I know you like it. How glad we ought to be, that this +poor man is likely to live."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," said the doctor; "being up all night is tiring work, but I +don't grudge it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> when I know that it does some good," and then he began to +eat. "I am not sure, after all, that I have done such a good thing in +curing this man. It is true that his broken leg hurt him very much, but +perhaps when he is well again, he may break his back, and that would be +much worse. Perhaps I had better have left him to die. I daresay when he is +quite well, all kinds of misfortunes will befall him; I had much better +have let him alone."</p> + +<p>"Why," cried his wife in surprise, "what are you saying, husband? Are you +not a doctor, and is it not your business to cure people? And when you +succeed ought you not to be glad?"</p> + +<p>"I wish I were not a doctor," said the husband, sighing. "It would be much +better if there were no doctors at all;" and he sat and lamented, and +nothing his wife could say, could cheer him.</p> + +<p>In a pretty little cottage near the doctor's house lived a young couple, +who were newly married, and were as happy as the day was long. Their +cottage was covered with roses, and filled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> with pretty things, and they +had everything their hearts could desire. This morning they both came down +smiling and happy, and the young wife kissed her husband, and sang for joy. +So they sat down to breakfast, chattering like two birds in a nest; but no +sooner had the husband tasted the bread than his face fell, and he was +silent for a time; then he said,</p> + +<p>"It is a very terrible thing to think how happy we are, for it cannot last. +Something melancholy is sure to happen to us, and till it comes we shall +live in dread of it; for we know happiness never lasts, and this is a +thought that makes me very sad."</p> + +<p>The wife had now also taken some bread.</p> + +<p>"What is this you are saying?" she said. "How can you think such dreadful +things? I do not like you when you talk like that; and I think it is very +hard for me to be married to a man who wants to be unhappy."</p> + +<p>"The best thing we can hope for," said the husband, sighing, "is for some +great misfortune to befall us; then we should be all right, for we should +know then, that we knew the worst that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> could come. As it is we shall live +in suspense all our days."</p> + +<p>"Now," cried his wife, "I am indeed unfortunate. What could be worse than +to have a husband who does not like being happy? I wish I had married some +one else; or indeed had no husband at all."</p> + +<p>So both began to grumble, and at last to quarrel, and finally both were +crying with anger.</p> + +<p>Not far out of the village was a large pleasant farmhouse, standing amongst +fields, and the farmer was a hale, bright man, with a good wife and pretty +children. He was very busy just now getting in the corn, for it was autumn, +and he stood among his men, directing them as they worked in the fields. He +had not had time to have a proper breakfast before going to work, but his +wife sent some out to him with some of the baker's new bread, and he sat +down under a tree to eat it. As he did so he looked up at the farmhouse, +and thought, with pride, that it was the largest farm in all the country +round, and that it had belonged to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> his father, and his grandfather, and +his great-grandfather, before him.</p> + +<p>"'Tis a fine old house, for sure," thought he, as he took a large piece of +bread, "'Tis so well built and strong;" but no sooner had he swallowed a +mouthful than his thoughts changed.</p> + +<p>"What should I do if it were to fall down and crush me some day," he said +to himself. "After all, 'tis only built of brick, and might tumble any day. +How much stronger it would have been if it had been built of stone. Then it +would not have been nearly so likely to give way. Really when my +great-grandfather built it he should have thought of this. How selfish all +men are;" and he became quite unhappy lest his house should fall, and +lamented while he ate.</p> + +<p>In the kitchen the farmer's wife was very busy cooking and cleaning, and +scarcely stopped to eat till near mid-day. Then she took up a piece of +bread and cheese, and leant against the window as she ate it, that she +might watch for her eldest girl and boy, Janey and Jimmy, who would now be +returning from school.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Our baker really bakes very decent bread," said she; "'tis almost as good +as my own;" and she went on eating till she saw her two children coming +through the fields together.</p> + +<p>"Here they come," said she; "How bonny they look. Really I ought to be very +proud of them. I don't know which is the prettier, Janey or Jimmy, but 'tis +a pity, for sure, that Janey is the eldest. It would be much better if +Jimmy were older than she. 'Tis a bad thing for the sister to be older than +the brother. Now, if he were her age, and she were his, that would be +really nice, for then he could take care of her and see after her; but, as +it is, she will try to direct him, and boys never like to obey their +sisters; I really almost think I had better not have had any children at +all," and the tears filled her eyes, and when her girl and boy ran in to +her, her face was very sad, and she seemed to be scarcely glad to see them.</p> + +<p>So things went on all over the village. Each one as he tasted the bread +grew discontented and angry, till at last all the people went about +grumbling and complaining, or else shedding<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> tears outright. Only the baker +himself was cheerful and merry, and sang as he kneaded his dough, and sold +it to his customers with a light heart, for his trade had never been so +good. Every atom of bread he made was sold at once, so he cared not one +whit for the trouble of the other people, and laughed to himself when he +heard them complaining, and thought of the words of the dark little elf.</p> + +<p>One day as he stood kneading at the door and whistling to himself, the +doctor walked past and looked angrily at him.</p> + +<p>"What on earth are you making that whistling for?" he asked. "I declare one +would think that you were as happy as a man could be."</p> + +<p>"And so I am," said the baker, "And so I should think were you too, for you +have nothing to trouble you."</p> + +<p>"Nothing to trouble me, forsooth!" cried the doctor in a rage. "How dare +you insult me in this way? I tell you what it is, my fine fellow, I think +you are very impertinent, and if I have any more of your impudence I will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +take my stick and thrash you soundly. It really is not to be borne, that +one man should be allowed to tell another that he has nothing to complain +of."</p> + +<p>"Nay, <i>you</i> can have as much to complain of as you like, so long as I have +not," cried the baker, and he laughed loudly. This only made the doctor +angrier still, and he was just going to seize the baker when up came the +farmer.</p> + +<p>"Was there ever such a village as this?" he cried. "It is not fit for any +one to live in, there is always such fighting and quarrelling going on. +What is the matter here?"</p> + +<p>"Matter enough," cried the doctor. "Here is a fellow dares to tell me I +have nothing to complain of, nor he either."</p> + +<p>"This is monstrous!" said the farmer; "he deserves to be hung. How dares he +say such a thing on such a wretched day as this, with such a blue sky and +such a bright sun?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Master Farmer," cried the baker, "yesterday you grumbled because it +was raining, and now you grumble because it is fine."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And I tell you that it is enough to make one grumble," said the farmer. +"It should have been fair yesterday, and should have rained to-day. You +ought to be ashamed of such talk, Master Baker, and I think it would serve +you justly right if we took you before the Justice and let us see what he +thinks of your conduct."</p> + +<p>"Nay!" cried the baker, beginning to be frightened, "what have I done that +I am to be taken before the Justice?"</p> + +<p>"What have you done, indeed!" said the doctor. "We will see if the Justice +cannot find that out pretty quickly." So they seized the baker and dragged +him away in spite of himself, and as they pulled him through the village +the people thronged about them, and followed till there was quite a large +crowd.</p> + +<p>The Justice sat at his door smoking a pipe, with tears in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now what is all this uproar for?" cried he. "Am I never to be left in +peace? How hard is the life of a Justice!" but he got up and came out on +the steps to meet them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span></p> + +<p>"See here," cried the doctor; "here is a man who says he has nothing to +complain of, and we have brought him to you, to know if he is to be +punished, or to be allowed to go on talking like this."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," cried the Justice, "or we shall soon have the whole +village in an uproar. Let him be taken to the market-place, and I will +order that he be publicly flogged by the soldiers."</p> + +<p>At this the poor baker burst out crying, and entreated to be let off, +saying that now indeed he had plenty to complain of, but at this the +justice was angrier still. "Then," said he, "you certainly deserve to be +flogged for having told an untruth before, when you said you had not. Take +him away, and do as I bid."</p> + +<p>So they dragged the baker off to the market-place, and made a ring round +him, so that he could not escape, and then there came down two or three +soldiers with ropes in their hands, and they seized him, and began to beat +him before all the crowd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span></p> + +<p>But by this time all the people were so enraged against him, that a number +of them cried, "Let us go to his house and pull it down." So off they ran +to the baker's house, and broke the windows and knocked about the +furniture, and then some of them fell on the oven, and wrenched off the +door, and others seized the pokers and tongs, and smashed in its sides, and +in the hurry and scuffle, the little dark man crept out of the oven and +scuttled away unseen by any one. But no sooner had he gone than a great +change came across the people.</p> + +<p>The soldiers on the green stopped beating the baker, and looked at each +other aghast, and the Justice called out,</p> + +<p>"Stop! What is all this uproar about? And what has this man done that you +are beating him without my orders?" and the people in the crowd whispered +to each other; "It is true,—what has he done?" and they slunk away, +looking ashamed.</p> + +<p>The Justice also at first looked somewhat ashamed of himself, but he drew +himself up, and looking very important, said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> "There, my man, you are +forgiven for this once, and now go your way, and see that you behave better +in future;" and then he walked away with much dignity.</p> + +<p>So the baker was left alone in the market-place, and he cried for rage and +pain.</p> + +<p>"This all comes of the oven imp," cried he, as he limped home. "Directly I +get home I will drive him out of my oven, and away from my house. Better to +have a hundred batches of bread spoiled than to be flogged for saying one +is happy." But when he reached his house the little dark man was nowhere to +be found; there was nought but the broken oven with its sides battered in.</p> + +<p>The baker mended the oven, and from that time forth his bread was just like +other people's; but for all that he had learnt to be quite contented, for +now he knew that there were worse things than having his loaves burnt +black, and he was only too well pleased to take his chance with other +people, without the help of fairy folk. As for the little black imp, he was +never heard of more, and the people in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> the village soon recovered their +good humour, and were just as happy and contented as they had been before +they tasted the bread of discontent.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 172px;"> +<img src="images/i185.jpg" width="172" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i186.jpg" width="600" height="207" alt="Ye Three Clever Kings" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Ye Three Clever Kings</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/o3.jpg" width="125" height="130" alt="O" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_2">Old King Roland lay upon his death-bed, and as he had no son to reign after +him he sent for his three nephews, Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete, and +addressed them as follows:—</p></div> + +<p>"My dear nephews, I feel that my days are now drawing to an end, and one of +you will have to be King when I am dead. But there is no pleasure in being +King. My people have been difficult to govern and never content with what I +did for them, so that my life has been a hard one, and though I have +watched you all closely, still I know not, which is most fit to wear the +crown; so my wish is that you should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> each try it in turn. You, Aldovrand, +as you are the oldest, shall be King first, and if you reign happily, all +well and good; but if you fail, let Aldebert take your place; and if he +fail, let him give it up to Alderete, and then you will know which is the +best fitted to govern."</p> + +<p>On this the three young men all thanked their uncle, and each one declared +that he would do his best, and soon after old King Roland died and was +buried with great state and ceremony.</p> + +<p>So now Aldovrand was to be King, and he was crowned, and there were great +rejoicings everywhere.</p> + +<p>"'Tis a fine thing to be King," cried he in much glee; "Now I can amuse +myself and do just as I please, and there will be no one to stop me, and I +will lie in bed as late as I like in the morning, for who dares blame one, +if one is King?"</p> + +<p>Next morning the Prime Minister and the Chancellor came to the palace to +see the new King and settle affairs of state, but they were told that his +majesty was in bed and had given orders that no one should disturb him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> + +<p>"This is a bad beginning," sighed the Prime Minister.</p> + +<p>"Very bad," echoed the Chancellor.</p> + +<p>When they came back to the palace later in the day the King was playing at +battledore and shuttlecock with some of his gentlemen, and was very angry +at being interrupted in his game.</p> + +<p>"A pretty thing," he cried, "That I the King am to be sent for hither and +thither as if I were a lacquey. They must go away and come another time;" +and on hearing this the Prime Minister and Chancellor looked graver still.</p> + +<p>But next morning there came the Commander-in-Chief and the Lord High +Admiral, as well as the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, all wanting to +have an audience with the King, and as he was not out of bed and they could +not wait any longer, they all stood outside his bedroom door, and knocked +to gain admittance, and at last he came out in a towering rage, and +throwing them his crown, cried,</p> + +<p>"Here, let one of my cousins be King, for I will not bear this longer. It +is much more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> trouble than it is worth, so Aldebert or Alderete may try it +and see how they like it, but as for me, I have had enough of it," and he +ran downstairs and out of the palace door, leaving the Prime Minister and +the Chancellor and the General and Admiral staring at each other in dismay.</p> + +<p>Aldovrand walked out of the town unnoticed, and turned towards the country, +whistling cheerily to himself. When he had gone some way in the fields, he +came to a farmhouse, and in a meadow near, the farmer stood talking to his +men. Aldovrand went straight up to him, and, touching his hat, asked if he +could give him any work.</p> + +<p>"Work?" cried the farmer, little thinking he was talking to his late king. +"Why, what sort of work can you do?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said Aldovrand, "I am not very fond of running about, but if you +want any one to mind your sheep, or keep the birds from your corn, I could +do that nicely."</p> + +<p>"I tell you what you can do if you like," said the farmer. "I am wanting a +goose-boy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> to take care of my geese. See, there they are on the common. All +you will have to do is to see that they don't stray away, and to drive them +in at night."</p> + +<p>"That will suit me exactly," cried Aldovrand. "I will begin at once;" and +he went straight on to the common, and when he had collected the geese +together lay down to watch them in high good humour.</p> + +<p>"This is capital," he cried, "and much better than being King at the +palace. Here there is no Prime Minister or Chancellor to come worrying;" +and he lay watching the geese all day very contentedly.</p> + +<p>When the Prime Minister and the Chancellor knew that Aldovrand was really +gone, they went in a great hurry to Aldebert to tell him that it was his +turn to be King. But when he heard how his cousin had run away, he looked +frightened.</p> + +<p>"I will do my best," quoth he; "but I really know very little about the +matter. However, you must tell me, and I will do whatever you direct."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<p>At hearing this the Prime Minister and the Chancellor were delighted.</p> + +<p>"Now we have got the right sort of King," they said; and both wagged their +heads with joy.</p> + +<p>So King Aldebert was crowned, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country.</p> + +<p>Early next morning he was up all ready to receive his Ministers, and first +came the Prime Minister.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," said he, "I come to you on an affair of much importance. A +great part of our city is falling down, and it is very necessary that we +should rebuild it at once. If you will command it, therefore, I will see +that it is done."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt you are right," said the King; "pray let them begin +building at once;" and the Prime Minister went away delighted.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had he gone when in came the Commander-in-Chief.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," said he, "I wish to lay before you the state of our army. +Our soldiers have had a great deal of fighting to do lately,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> and are +beginning to be discontented, but the late King, your uncle, would never +attend to their wants."</p> + +<p>"Pray do what you like," said King Aldebert.</p> + +<p>"To satisfy them," said the Commander-in-Chief, "I think that we should +double their pay. This would keep them in a good humour, and all will go +well."</p> + +<p>"By all means, that will certainly be the best way," said Aldebert. "Let it +be given to them at once;" and on hearing this, the Commander-in-Chief went +away right merrily.</p> + +<p>When he had gone, there came in the Chancellor with a long face.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," he said, "I have this morning been to the treasury, and I +find that there is scarcely any money left. The late King, your uncle, +spent so much in spite of all I could say, that now it is almost all gone. +Your Majesty must now save all you can for the next year or two, and you +ought also to lower the soldiers' pay, and stop all public works."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt you are quite right," cried<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> the King. "You know best, let +it be done as you wish."</p> + +<p>But next morning in came the Prime Minister with a frowning face. "How is +this, your Majesty?" cried he. "Just as we are beginning our buildings, the +Chancellor comes and tells us that we are not to have any money to build +with." He had not done speaking when the Commander-in-Chief burst into the +room unable to conceal his rage.</p> + +<p>"Yesterday your Majesty told me that all the soldiers should have double +pay, and this morning I hear, that instead of that, their wages are to be +lowered!" Here he was interrupted by the Chancellor, who came running in +looking much excited,</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty," he cried, "did you not yesterday say we were now to begin +saving, and that I was not to allow any more money to be spent, and that +the army must do with less pay?"</p> + +<p>And then all three began to quarrel among themselves. When he saw how angry +they were, King Aldebert took off his crown and said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> "I am sure you are +each of you quite right; but I think I am scarcely fit to be a King. Indeed +I think you had better find my cousin Alderete, and let him be crowned, and +I will seek my fortune elsewhere." And he had slipped out of the room, and +run downstairs and out of the palace, before they could stop him.</p> + +<p>He went briskly down the highroad into the country, the same way that +Aldovrand had gone.</p> + +<p>After he had gone some way, he met a travelling tinker who sat by the +roadside mending tin cans, with his little fire at his side.</p> + +<p>Aldebert stood watching him, and at last said, "How cleverly you mend those +holes! You must lead a pleasant life, going from house to house in the +green lanes mending wares. Do you think I could learn how to do it if you +would teach me?"</p> + +<p>The tinker, who was an old man, looked at him and said,</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't mind giving you a trial if you like to come with me, for I +want a strong young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> man sometimes to help me wheel my little cart, and +I'll teach you my trade, and we'll see what you can make of it."</p> + +<p>So Aldebert was delighted, and went with the tinker.</p> + +<p>When they knew he was really gone the Prime Minister and the Chancellor +looked at each other in dismay.</p> + +<p>"This will never do," cried they; "we must go at once to Prince Alderete; +and let us hope he may do better than his cousins."</p> + +<p>When Prince Alderete heard that it was his turn to reign he jumped for joy.</p> + +<p>"Now," cried he, "at last I will show what a king should really be like. My +cousins were neither of them any good, but they shall now see how different +I will be."</p> + +<p>So he was crowned, and again there were great rejoicings all over the +country.</p> + +<p>Next day he sat in state to receive the Chancellor and Prime Minister and +hear what they had to say.</p> + +<p>"My friends," said he to them, "a good King ought to be like a father to +his people,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> and this is what I mean to be. I mean to arrange everything +for them myself, and if they will only obey me, and do as I direct, they +are sure to be both prosperous and happy."</p> + +<p>On hearing this both Prime Minister and Chancellor looked anxious, and the +Chancellor said,</p> + +<p>"I fear, your Majesty, your people will not like to be too much meddled +with." At this the King was very angry, and bid them see about their own +business, and not presume to teach him his.</p> + +<p>When they had gone he went to take a drive in his city, that he might see +it and know it well; but directly he returned to the palace he sent for the +Prime Minister, and when he had arrived, said,</p> + +<p>"I already see much to be altered in my kingdom. I do not like the houses +in which many of the people dwell, nor indeed the dresses they wear; but +what strikes me most of all is, that wherever I go I smell a strong smell +of pea soup. Now, nothing is so unwholesome as pea soup, and therefore it +would not be right<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> in me to allow the people to go on eating it. I +command, therefore, that no one shall again make, or eat pea soup, within +my realm on pain of death."</p> + +<p>Again the Prime Minister looked very grave, and began to say,</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty, your subjects will surely not like to be hindered from +eating and drinking what pleases them!" But the King cried out in a rage,</p> + +<p>"Go at once and do as I bid you." So the Prime Minister had to obey.</p> + +<p>Early next morning when the King arose he heard a great hubbub under his +window, and when he went to see what it was, he saw a vast mob of people +all shouting, "The King, the King! Where is this King who would dictate to +us what we shall eat and drink?"</p> + +<p>When he saw them he was terribly frightened, and at once sent off for the +Prime Minister and Chancellor to come to his aid.</p> + +<p>"Pray go and tell them to eat what they like," he cried when they arrived; +"But, do you know, I find it will not at all suit me to be King. You had +best try Aldovrand, or Aldebert,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> again;" and, so saying, he took off his +crown and laid it down, and slipped away out of the palace before either +Prime Minister or Chancellor could stop him.</p> + +<p>He went out of the back door, and ran, and ran, and ran, till he had left +the town far behind, and came to the country fields and lanes—the same way +that his two cousins had gone; and as he went he met a sweep trudging along +carrying his long brooms over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"My friend," cried Alderete, stopping him, "Of all things in the world I +should like to be a sweep and learn how to sweep chimneys. May I go with +you, and will you teach me your trade?"</p> + +<p>The sweep looked surprised, but said, "Yes, Alderete could go with him if +he chose, and as he was now going on to the farmhouses, on the road, to +sweep the chimneys, he could begin at once." So Alderete went with the +sweep, carrying some of his brooms for him.</p> + +<p>After a time the people outside the palace grew quiet, when they heard that +the King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> would not interfere with them further. And when all was again +still, the Prime Minister and Chancellor went to seek the King, but he was +nowhere to be found in the palace.</p> + +<p>"This will never do," cried they. "We must have a King somehow, so we had +best have back one of the others." So they started to look for Aldovrand or +Aldebert.</p> + +<p>They sought them all over the city, and at last they came into the same +country road down which the three cousins had gone, and there they saw +Aldovrand lying in a meadow watching his flock of geese.</p> + +<p>"Good day, my friends," cried he when he saw them; "And how are things +going on at the palace? I hope my cousins like reigning better than I did. +Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, and it is much +nicer than being King."</p> + +<p>Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor told him all that had happened, and +begged that he would come back with them to the palace again, but at this +Aldovrand laughed outright.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;"> +<img src="images/i200.jpg" width="480" height="650" alt=""Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, +and it is much nicer than being King."—P. 170." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, +and it is much nicer than being King."—P. 170.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No indeed!" cried he, "I would not be King again for any man living. You +had best go and seek my cousin Aldebert, and ask him. I saw him go down the +road with a tinker, helping him to mend his tins. So go and ask him, and +leave me to mind my geese in peace."</p> + +<p>So the Prime Minister, and the Chancellor had to seek still farther.</p> + +<p>They trudged on and on, till at last they met Aldebert, who sat by the side +of the road mending a tin kettle, and whistling cheerily.</p> + +<p>"Heyday, whom have we here?" cried he. "The Prime Minister and the +Chancellor! And I am right glad to see you both. See how clever I have +grown; I am learning to be a tinker, and I mended that hole all myself."</p> + +<p>Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor begged him to leave his pots, and +come back to the palace and be King, but he fell to work again, harder than +ever, and said,</p> + +<p>"No indeed; go and ask my cousins, who are both much cleverer than I. I +really don't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> do for it at all, but I make a very good tinker, and I like +that much better."</p> + +<p>"Then what can we do?" cried the Prime Minister, "for we don't know where +Alderete has gone."</p> + +<p>"I saw him go by here with a sweep a little time ago," said Aldebert; "and +he went into that farmhouse yonder, so you had best seek him there."</p> + +<p>So the Prime Minister and the Chancellor went on to the farmhouse. At the +door stood the farmer's wife, but when they asked her if she had seen the +King go by, she stared with surprise.</p> + +<p>"Nay," said she; "no one has been here but our sweep and his apprentice. He +is in there sweeping the chimney now." On hearing this, the Prime Minister +and Chancellor at once ran into the farmhouse, and saw the old sweep +standing by the kitchen fire-place. "And where is the other sweep?" cried +they. "He is gone up the chimney, and is just going to begin sweeping," +said the old man. "So if you want to speak to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> him you must shout." So they +shouted and called,</p> + +<p>"King Alderete, King Alderete!" as loud as ever they could, but he did not +hear. Then the Chancellor knelt in front of the grate, and put his head up +the chimney, and called,</p> + +<p>"King Alderete, King Alderete! It is the Prime Minister and I, the +Chancellor, come to fetch your Majesty back to the palace."</p> + +<p>When Alderete heard him up the chimney, he trembled in every limb, but he +replied,</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to come down; I don't want to be King. I am going to be a +sweep, and I like that much better. I shan't come down till you are gone +away, and now you had best go quickly, for I am going to begin sweeping, +and all the soot will fall on your head," and then they heard the rattle of +the broom in the chimney, and a whole shower of soot fell on the +Chancellor's head.</p> + +<p>The Prime Minister and the Chancellor turned back to the city very +disconsolately. "We must go and look for a King elsewhere," they said. "It +is no use troubling about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete." So they left +the one to his geese, and one to his tins, and the other to sweep chimneys, +and that was the end of the three clever Kings.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 176px;"> +<img src="images/i205.jpg" width="176" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/i206.jpg" width="600" height="212" alt="THE WISE PRINCESS" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE WISE PRINCESS</span> +</div> + + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/o4.jpg" width="125" height="128" alt="O" class="cap" /> +<p class="cap_2">Once upon a time lived a King whose wife was dead and who had one little +daughter who was named Fernanda. She was very good and pretty, but when she +was a child she vexed all her ladies by asking them questions about +everything she saw.</p></div> + +<p>"Your Highness should not wish to know too much," they told her, whereat +Princess Fernanda threw up her little head, and said,</p> + +<p>"I want to know everything."</p> + +<p>As she grew up she had masters and mistresses to teach her, and learnt +every language and every science; but still she said, "It is not enough; I +want to know more."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span></p> + +<p>In a deep cave underground there lived an old Wizard who was so wise that +his face was well-nigh black with wrinkles, and his long white beard flowed +to his feet. He knew all sorts of magic, and every day and night sat poring +over his books till now there seemed to be nothing left for him to learn.</p> + +<p>One night after every one was asleep, Princess Fernanda rose and slipped +softly down the stairs and out of the palace unheard by any one, and stole +away to the Wizard's cave.</p> + +<p>The old man was sitting on his low stool reading out of an immense book by +a dim green light, but he raised his eyes as the Princess entered at the +low doorway, and looked at her. She wore a blue and silver robe, but her +bright hair was unbound, and fell in ripples to her waist.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" he asked shortly.</p> + +<p>"I am the Princess Fernanda," she said, "and I wish to be your pupil. Teach +me all you know."</p> + +<p>"Why do you wish for that?" said the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> Wizard: "you will not be better or +happier for it."</p> + +<p>"I am not happy now," said the Princess sighing wearily. "Teach me and you +shall find me an apt pupil, and I will pay you with gold."</p> + +<p>"I will not have your gold," said the Wizard, "but come to me every night +at this hour, and in three years you shall know all I do."</p> + +<p>So every night the Princess went down to the Wizard's cave while all the +court were sleeping. And the people wondered at her more and more, and +said, "How much she knows! How wise she is!"</p> + +<p>When the three years had gone by the Wizard said to her, "Go! I can teach +you no more now. You are as wise as I." Then the Princess thanked him and +went back to her father's palace.</p> + +<p>She was very wise. She knew the languages of all animals. The fishes came +from the deep at her call, and the birds from the trees. She could tell +when the winds would rise, and when the sea would be still. She could have +turned her enemies to stone, or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> given untold wealth to her friends. But +for all that, when she smiled, her lips were very sad, and her eyes were +always full of care. She said she was weary, and her father thought she was +sick, and would have sent for the physicians, but she stopped him.</p> + +<p>"How should physicians help me, my father," she said, "seeing that I know +more than they?"</p> + +<p>One night, a year after she had taken her last lesson from the Wizard, she +arose and returned to his cave, and he raised his eyes and saw her standing +before him as formerly.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" he said. "I have taught you all I know."</p> + +<p>"You have taught me much," she said, falling on her knees beside him, "yet +I am ignorant of one thing—teach me that also—<i>how to be happy</i>.'</p> + +<p>"Nay," said the Wizard with a very mournful smile; "I cannot teach you +that, for I do not know it myself. Go and ask it of them who know and are +wiser than I."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 473px;"> +<img src="images/i210.jpg" width="473" height="650" alt=""Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the +sea-shore."—P. 178." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the +sea-shore."—P. 178.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the sea-shore. All +that night she spent sitting on a rock that jutted out into the sea, +watching the wild sky and the moon coming and going behind the clouds. The +sea dashed up around her, and the wind blew, but she did not fear them, and +when the sun rose the waters were still and the wind fell. A skylark rose +from the fields and flew straight up to heaven, singing as though his heart +would burst with pure joy.</p> + +<p>"Surely that bird is happy," said the Princess to herself; and she called +it in its own tongue.</p> + +<p>"Why do you sing?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I sing because I am so happy," answered the lark.</p> + +<p>"And why are you so happy?" asked the Princess.</p> + +<p>"So happy?" said the lark. "God is so good. The sky is so blue, and the +fields are so green. Is that not enough to make me happy?"</p> + +<p>"Teach me, then, that I may be happy too," said Princess Fernanda.</p> + +<p>"I cannot," said the lark; "I don't know how to teach;" and then he rose, +singing, into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> the blue overhead, and Princess Fernanda sighed and turned +back towards the palace.</p> + +<p>Outside her door she met her little lap-dog, who barked and jumped for joy +on seeing her.</p> + +<p>"Little dog," she said; "poor little dog, are you so glad to see me? Why +are you so happy?"</p> + +<p>"Why am I so happy?" said the little dog, surprised. "I have plenty to eat, +and a soft cushion to rest upon, and you to caress me. Is not it enough to +make me happy?"</p> + +<p>"It is not enough for me," said the Princess, sighing; but the little dog +only wagged his tail and licked her hand.</p> + +<p>Inside her room was the Princess's favourite little maid Doris, folding up +her dresses.</p> + +<p>"Doris," she said, "you look very merry. Why are you so happy?"</p> + +<p>"Please your Royal Highness, I am going to the fair," answered Doris, "and +Luke is to meet me there; only," she added, pouting a little, "I wish I had +a pretty new hat to wear with my new dress."</p> + +<p>"Then you are not perfectly happy, so you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> cannot teach me," said Princess +Fernanda, and then she sighed again.</p> + +<p>In the evening at sunset she arose, and went out into the village, and at +the door of the first cottage to which she came, sat a woman nursing a +baby, and hushing it to sleep. The baby was fat and rosy, and the mother +looked down at it proudly.</p> + +<p>The Princess stopped, and spoke to her.</p> + +<p>"You have a fine little child there," she said. "Surely you must be very +happy."</p> + +<p>The woman smiled.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she said, "so I am; only just now my goodman is out fishing, and as +he's rather late, it makes me anxious."</p> + +<p>"Then you could not teach me," said the Princess, sighing to herself as she +moved away. She wandered on till she came to a church, which she entered. +All was still within, for the church was empty; but before the altar, on a +splendid bier, lay the body of a young man, who had been killed in the war. +He was dressed in his gay uniform, and his breast was covered with medals, +and his sword lay beside<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> him. He was shot through the heart, but his face +was peaceful and his lips were smiling. The Princess walked to his side, +and looked at the quiet face. Then she stooped and kissed the cold +forehead, and envied the soldier. "If he could speak," she said, "he surely +could teach me. No living mouth could ever smile like that." Then she +looked up and saw a white angel standing on the other side of the bier, and +she knew it was Death.</p> + +<p>"You have taught him," she said, holding out her arms. "Will you not teach +me to smile like that?"</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Death, pointing to the medals on the dead man's breast, "I +taught him whilst he was doing his duty. I cannot teach you." And so saying +he vanished from her sight.</p> + +<p>She went out from the church down to the sea-shore. There was a high sea, +and a great wind, a little child had been playing on a row of rocks, and +had slipped off them into the water, and was struggling among the waves, +and would soon be drowned, for he was beyond his depth in the water.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the Princess saw him, she plunged into the water and swam to where the +child was, and taking him in her arms, placed him safely on the rocks +again, but the waves were so strong that she could scarcely keep above +them. As she tried to seize the rocks, she saw Death coming over the water +towards her, and she turned to meet him gladly.</p> + +<p>"Now," said he, clasping her in his arms, "I will teach you all you want to +know;" and he drew her under the water, and she died.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The Kings servants found her lying on the shore, with her face white and +her lips cold, but smiling as they had never smiled before, and her face +was very calm. They carried her home, and she was laid out in great state, +covered with gold and silver.</p> + +<p>"She was so wise," sobbed her little maid, as she placed flowers in the +cold hand, "she knew everything."</p> + +<p>"Not everything," said the skylark from the window; "for she asked me, +ignorant though I am, to teach her how to be happy."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That was the one thing I could not teach her," said the old Wizard, +looking at the dead Princess's face. "Yet I think now she must be wiser +than I, and have learned that too. For see how she smiles."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 174px;"> +<img src="images/i217.jpg" width="174" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h4><i>Printed by</i> <span class="smcap">R. & R. Clark</span>,<br /> <i>Edinburgh</i>.</h4> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde +and Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + +***** This file should be named 38976-h.htm or 38976-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/9/7/38976/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/a1.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/a1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..552eb09 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/a1.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..adb5836 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/frontis.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/frontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f2ee999 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/frontis.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i014.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i014.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f24e16b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i014.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i043.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i043.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..748c991 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i043.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i055.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i055.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..335395b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i055.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i059.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i059.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a44a2b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i059.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i060.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i060.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a169dc9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i060.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i062.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i062.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0223eb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i062.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i086.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i086.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5021493 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i086.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i099.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i099.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d670c35 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i099.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i100.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i100.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a6723c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i100.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i109.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i109.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1efc14f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i109.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i152.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i152.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..41984e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i152.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i155.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i155.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b95f859 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i155.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i157.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i157.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..be78806 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i157.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i158.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i158.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..41cf902 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i158.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i166.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i166.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b01c79 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i166.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i167.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i167.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff38dbe --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i167.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i169.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i169.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..459561e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i169.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i185.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i185.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1bf760b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i185.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i186.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i186.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad19f15 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i186.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i200.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i200.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b373307 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i200.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i205.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i205.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa87eff --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i205.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i206.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i206.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b40745 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i206.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i210.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i210.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..867e63e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i210.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/i217.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/i217.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..92872a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/i217.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/l1.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/l1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..25d2443 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/l1.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/l2.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/l2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..79ac2c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/l2.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/o1.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/o1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..932478f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/o1.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/o2.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/o2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff5ac29 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/o2.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/o3.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/o3.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9962b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/o3.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/o4.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/o4.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b777a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/o4.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/titlepage.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/titlepage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a829b02 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/titlepage.jpg diff --git a/old/38976-h/images/tree.jpg b/old/38976-h/images/tree.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c7b6fe --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976-h/images/tree.jpg diff --git a/old/38976.txt b/old/38976.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..366dc1b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4053 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and +Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories + +Author: Mary De Morgan + +Illustrator: Walter Crane + +Release Date: February 25, 2012 [EBook #38976] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + + + + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE + +AND OTHER STORIES + +[Illustration: "She was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a +fountain, feeding the gold fish who swam in the water."--FRONTISPIECE.] + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE; + +AND OTHER STORIES + +BY + +MARY DE MORGAN + +[_Author of "On a Pincushion"_] + +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY + +WALTER CRANE + +LONDON: +MACMILLAN & CO: +1886 + + +TO + +MY SIX LITTLE NEPHEWS AND NIECES + +THESE STORIES ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED + +BY + +THEIR LOVING AUNT + +MARY DE MORGAN + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE 1 + +THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON 43 + +THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN 79 + +THE PEDLAR'S PACK 131 + +THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT 140 + +THE THREE CLEVER KINGS 157 + +THE WISE PRINCESS 175 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +1. _Frontispiece._ + PAGE + +2. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "PRINCESS FIORIMONDE" 1 + +3. THE PRINCESS AND HER LOOKING-GLASS _To face_ 29 + +4. GERVAISE WITH THE NECKLACE " 39 + +5. TAILPIECE 42 + +6. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON" 43 + +7. ARASMON AND CHRYSEA PLAYING TO THE VILLAGERS _To face_ 44 + +8. ARASMON PLAYING BEFORE THE KING " 66 + +9. TAILPIECE 78 + +10. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN" 79 + +11. THE PRINCE AND THE WIZARD _To face_ 87 + +12. THE PRISON WINDOW " 128 + +13. TAILPIECE 130 + +14. HEADING AND INITIAL LETTER, "THE PEDLAR'S PACK" 131 + +15. THE PEDLAR AND THE DONKEY _To face_ 131 + +16. TAILPIECE 139 + +17. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT" 140 + +18. THE IMP AND THE BAKER _To face_ 141 + +19. TAILPIECE 156 + +20. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE THREE CLEVER KINGS" 157 + +21. THE THREE CLEVER KINGS _To face_ 170 + +22. TAILPIECE 174 + +23. HEADING AND INITIAL, "THE WISE PRINCESS" 175 + +24. THE WISE PRINCESS ON THE SEA-SHORE _To face_ 178 + +25. TAILPIECE 184 + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE + +[Illustration] + + +Once there lived a King, whose wife was dead, but who had a most beautiful +daughter--so beautiful that every one thought she must be good as well, +instead of which the Princess was really very wicked, and practised +witchcraft and black magic, which she had learned from an old witch who +lived in a hut on the side of a lonely mountain. This old witch was wicked +and hideous, and no one but the King's daughter knew that she lived there; +but at night, when every one else was asleep, the Princess, whose name was +Fiorimonde, used to visit her by stealth to learn sorcery. It was only the +witch's arts which had made Fiorimonde so beautiful that there was no one +like her in the world, and in return the Princess helped her with all her +tricks, and never told any one she was there. + +The time came when the King began to think he should like his daughter to +marry, so he summoned his council and said, "We have no son to reign after +our death, so we had best seek for a suitable prince to marry to our royal +daughter, and then, when we are too old, he shall be king in our stead." +And all the council said he was very wise, and it would be well for the +Princess to marry. So heralds were sent to all the neighbouring kings and +princes to say that the King would choose a husband for the Princess, who +should be king after him. But when Fiorimonde heard this she wept with +rage, for she knew quite well that if she had a husband he would find out +how she went to visit the old witch, and would stop her practising magic, +and then she would lose her beauty. + +When night came, and every one in the palace was fast asleep, the Princess +went to her bedroom window and softly opened it. Then she took from her +pocket a handful of peas and held them out of the window and chirruped low, +and there flew down from the roof a small brown bird and sat upon her wrist +and began to eat the peas. No sooner had it swallowed them than it began to +grow and grow and grow till it was so big that the Princess could not hold +it, but let it stand on the window-sill, and still it grew and grew and +grew till it was as large as an ostrich. Then the Princess climbed out of +the window and seated herself on the bird's back, and at once it flew +straight away over the tops of the trees till it came to the mountain where +the old witch dwelt, and stopped in front of the door of her hut. + +The Princess jumped off, and muttered some words through the keyhole, when +a croaking voice from within called, + +"Why do you come to-night? Have I not told you I wished to be left alone +for thirteen nights; why do you disturb me?" + +"But I beg of you to let me in," said the Princess, "for I am in trouble +and want your help." + +"Come in then," said the voice; and the door flew open, and the Princess +trod into the hut, in the middle of which, wrapped in a gray cloak which +almost hid her, sat the witch. Princess Fiorimonde sat down near her, and +told her, her story. How the King wished her to marry, and had sent word to +the neighbouring princes, that they might make offers for her. + +"This is truly bad hearing," croaked the witch, "but we shall beat them +yet; and you must deal with each Prince as he comes. Would you like them to +become dogs, to come at your call, or birds, to fly in the air, and sing of +your beauty, or will you make them all into beads, the beads of such a +necklace as never woman wore before, so that they may rest upon your neck, +and you may take them with you always." + +"The necklace! the necklace!" cried the Princess, clapping her hands with +joy. "That will be best of all, to sling them upon a string and wear them +around my throat. Little will the courtiers know whence come my new +jewels." + +"But this is a dangerous play," quoth the witch, "for, unless you are very +careful, you yourself may become a bead and hang upon the string with the +others, and there you will remain till some one cuts the string, and draws +you off." + +"Nay, never fear," said the Princess, "I will be careful, only tell me what +to do, and I will have great princes and kings to adorn me, and all their +greatness shall not help them." + +Then the witch dipped her hand into a black bag which stood on the ground +beside her, and drew out a long gold thread. + +The ends were joined together, but no one could see the joins, and however +much you pulled, it would not break. It would easily go over Fiorimonde's +head, and the witch slipped it on her neck saying, + +"Now mind, while this hangs here you are safe enough, but if once you join +your fingers around the string you too will meet the fate of your lovers, +and hang upon it yourself. As for the kings and princes who would marry +you, all you have to do is to make them close their fingers around the +chain, and at once they will be strung upon it as bright hard beads, and +there they shall remain, till it is cut and they drop off." + +"This is really delightful," cried the Princess; "and I am already quite +impatient for the first to come that I may try." + +"And now," said the witch, "since you are here, and there is yet time, we +will have a dance, and I will summon the guests." So saying, she took from +a corner a drum and a pair of drum-sticks, and going to the door, began to +beat upon it. It made a terrible rattling. In a moment came flying through +the air all sorts of forms. There were little dark elves with long tails, +and goblins who chattered and laughed, and other witches who rode on +broom-sticks. There was one wicked fairy in the form of a large cat, with +bright green eyes, and another came sliding in like a long shining viper. + +Then, when all had arrived, the witch stopped drumming, and, going to the +middle of the hut, stamped on the floor, and a trap-door opened in the +ground. The old witch stepped through it, and led the way down a narrow +dark passage, to a large underground chamber, and all her strange guests +followed, and here they all danced and made merry in a terrible way, but at +first sound of cock-crow all the guests disappeared with a whiff, and the +Princess hastened up the dark passage again, and out of the hut to where +her big bird still waited for her, and mounting its back she flew home in a +trice. Then, when she had stepped in at her bedroom window, she poured into +a cup from a small black bottle, a few drops of magic water, and gave it to +the bird to drink, and as it sipped it grew smaller, and smaller, till at +last it had quite regained its natural size, and hopped on to the roof as +before, and the Princess shut her window, and got into bed, and fell +asleep, and no one knew of her strange journey, or where she had been. + +Next day Fiorimonde declared to her father the King, that she was quite +willing to wed any prince he should fix upon as a husband for her, at which +he was much pleased, and soon after informed her, that a young king was +coming from over the sea to be her husband. He was king of a large rich +country, and would take back his bride with him to his home. He was called +King Pierrot. Great preparations were made for his arrival, and the +Princess was decked in her finest array to greet him, and when he came all +the courtiers said, "This is truly a proper husband for our beautiful +Princess," for he was strong and handsome, with black hair, and eyes like +sloes. King Pierrot was delighted with Fiorimonde's beauty, and was happy +as the day is long; and all things went merrily till the evening before the +marriage. A great feast was held, at which the Princess looked lovelier +than ever dressed in a red gown, the colour of the inside of a rose, but +she wore no jewels nor ornaments of any kind, save one shining gold string +round her milk-white throat. + +When the feast was done, the Princess stepped from her golden chair at her +father's side, and walked softly into the garden, and stood under an +elm-tree looking at the shining moon. In a few moments King Pierrot +followed her, and stood beside her, looking at her and wondering at her +beauty. + +"To-morrow, then, my sweet Princess, you will be my Queen, and share all I +possess. What gift would you wish me to give you on our wedding day?" + +"I would have a necklace wrought of the finest gold and jewels to be found, +and just the length of this gold cord which I wear around my throat," +answered Princess Fiorimonde. + +"Why do you wear that cord?" asked King Pierrot; "it has no jewel nor +ornament about it." + +"Nay, but there is no cord like mine in all the world," cried Fiorimonde, +and her eyes sparkled wickedly as she spoke; "it is as light as a feather, +but stronger than an iron chain. Take it in both hands and try to break it, +that you may see how strong it is;" and King Pierrot took the cord in both +hands to pull it hard; but no sooner were his fingers closed around it than +he vanished like a puff of smoke, and on the cord appeared a bright, +beautiful bead--so bright and beautiful as was never bead before--clear as +crystal, but shining with all colours--green, blue, and gold. + +Princess Fiorimonde gazed down at it and laughed aloud. + +"Aha, my proud lover! are you there?" she cried with glee; "my necklace +bids fair to beat all others in the world," and she caressed the bead with +the tips of her soft, white fingers, but was careful that they did not +close round the string. Then she returned into the banqueting hall, and +spoke to the King. + +"Pray, sire," said she, "send some one at once to find King Pierrot, for, +as he was talking to me a minute ago, he suddenly left me, and I am afraid +lest I may have given him offence, or perhaps he is ill." + +The King desired that the servants should seek for King Pierrot all over +the grounds, and seek him they did, but nowhere was he to be found, and the +old King looked offended. + +"Doubtless he will be ready to-morrow in time for the wedding," quoth he, +"but we are not best pleased that he should treat us in this way." + +Princess Fiorimonde had a little maid called Yolande. She was a +bright-faced girl with merry brown eyes, but she was not beautiful like +Fiorimonde, and she did not love her mistress, for she was afraid of her, +and suspected her of her wicked ways. When she undressed her that night she +noticed the gold cord, and the one bright bead upon it, and as she combed +the Princess's hair she looked over her shoulder into the looking-glass, +and saw how she laughed, and how fondly she looked at the cord, and +caressed the bead, again and again with her fingers. + +"That is a wonderful bead on your Highness's cord," said Yolande, looking +at its reflection in the mirror; "surely it must be a bridal gift from King +Pierrot." + +"And so it is, little Yolande," cried Fiorimonde, laughing merrily; "and +the best gift he could give me. But I think one bead alone looks ugly and +ungainly; soon I hope I shall have another, and another, and another, all +as beautiful as the first." + +Then Yolande shook her head, and said to herself, "This bodes no good." + +Next morning all was prepared for the marriage, and the Princess was +dressed in white satin and pearls with a long white lace veil over her, and +a bridal wreath on her head, and she stood waiting among her grandly +dressed ladies, who all said that such a beautiful bride had never been +seen in the world before. But just as they were preparing to go down to the +fine company in the hall, a messenger came in great haste summoning the +Princess at once to her father the King, as he was much perplexed. + +"My daughter," cried he, as Fiorimonde in all her bridal array entered the +room where he sat alone, "what can we do? King Pierrot is nowhere to be +found; I fear lest he may have been seized by robbers and basely murdered +for his rich clothes, or carried away to some mountain and left there to +starve. My soldiers are gone far and wide to seek him--and we shall hear +of him ere day is done--but where there is no bridegroom there can be no +bridal." + +"Then let it be put off, my father," cried the Princess, "and to-morrow we +shall know if it is for a wedding, or a funeral, we must dress;" and she +pretended to weep, but even then could hardly keep from laughing. + +So the wedding guests went away, and the Princess laid aside her bridal +dress, and all waited anxiously for news of King Pierrot; and no news came. +So at last every one gave him up for dead, and mourned for him, and +wondered how he had met his fate. + +Princess Fiorimonde put on a black gown, and begged to be allowed to live +in seclusion for one month in which to grieve for King Pierrot; but when +she was again alone in her bedroom she sat before her looking-glass and +laughed till tears ran down her cheeks; and Yolande watched her, and +trembled, when she heard her laughter. She noticed, too, that beneath her +black gown, the Princess still wore her gold cord, and did not move it +night or day. + +The month had barely passed away when the King came to his daughter, and +announced that another suitor had presented himself, whom he should much +like to be her husband. The Princess agreed quite obediently to all her +father said; and it was arranged that the marriage should take place. This +new prince was called Prince Hildebrandt. He came from a country far north, +of which one day he would be king. He was tall, and fair, and strong, with +flaxen hair and bright blue eyes. When Princess Fiorimonde saw his portrait +she was much pleased, and said, "By all means let him come, and the sooner +the better." So she put off her black clothes, and again great preparations +were made for a wedding; and King Pierrot was quite forgotten. + +Prince Hildebrandt came, and with him many fine gentlemen, and they brought +beautiful gifts for the bride. The evening of his arrival all went well, +and again there was a grand feast, and Fiorimonde looked so beautiful that +Prince Hildebrandt was delighted; and this time she did not leave her +father's side, but sat by him all the evening. + +Early next morning at sunrise, when every one was still sleeping, the +Princess rose, and dressed herself in a plain white gown, and brushed all +her hair over her shoulders, and crept quietly downstairs into the palace +gardens; then she walked on till she came beneath the window of Prince +Hildebrandt's room, and here she paused and began to sing a little song as +sweet and joyous as a lark's. When Prince Hildebrandt heard it he got up +and went to the window and looked out to see who sang, and when he saw +Fiorimonde standing in the red sunrise-light, which made her hair look +gold, and her face rosy, he made haste to dress himself and go down to meet +her. + +"How, my Princess," cried he, as he stepped into the garden beside her. +"This is indeed great happiness to meet you here so early. Tell me why do +you come out at sunrise to sing by yourself?" + +"I come that I may see the colours of the sky--red, blue, and gold," +answered the Princess. "Look, there are no such colours to be seen +anywhere, unless, indeed, it be in this bead which I wear here on my +golden cord. + +"What is that bead, and where did it come from?" asked Hildebrandt. + +"It came from over the sea, where it shall never return again," answered +the Princess. And again her eyes began to sparkle with eagerness, and she +could scarcely conceal her mirth. "Lift the cord off my neck and look at it +near, and tell me if you ever saw one like it." + +Hildebrandt put out his hands and took hold of the cord, but no sooner were +his fingers closed around it than he vanished, and a new bright bead was +slung next to the first one on Fiorimonde's chain, and this one was even +more beautiful than the other. + +The Princess gave a long low laugh, quite terrible to hear. + +"Oh, my sweet necklace," cried she, "how beautiful you are growing! I think +I love you more than anything in the world besides." Then she went softly +back to bed, without any one hearing her, and fell sound asleep, and slept +till Yolande came to tell her it was time for her to get up and dress for +the wedding. + +The Princess was dressed in gorgeous clothes, and only Yolande noticed that +beneath her satin gown, she wore the golden cord, but now there were two +beads upon it instead of one. Scarcely was she ready when the King burst +into her room in a towering rage. + +"My daughter," cried he, "there is a plot against us. Lay aside your bridal +attire and think no more of Prince Hildebrandt, for he too has disappeared, +and is nowhere to be found." + +At this the Princess wept, and entreated that Hildebrandt should be sought +for far and near, but she laughed to herself, and said, "Search where you +will, yet you shall not find him;" and so again a great search was made, +and when no trace of the Prince was found, all the palace was in an uproar. + +The Princess again put off her bride's dress and clad herself in black, and +sat alone, and pretended to weep, but Yolande, who watched her, shook her +head, and said, "More will come and go before the wicked Princess has done +her worst." + +A month passed, in which Fiorimonde pretended to mourn for Hildebrandt, +then she went to the King and said, + +"Sire, I pray that you will not let people say that when any bridegroom +comes to marry me, as soon as he has seen me he flies rather than be my +husband. I beg that suitors may be summoned from far and near that I may +not be left alone unwed." + +The King agreed, and envoys were sent all the world over to bid any who +would come and be the husband of Princess Fiorimonde. And come they did, +kings and princes from south and north, east and west,--King Adrian, Prince +Sigbert, Prince Algar, and many more,--but though all went well till the +wedding morning, when it was time to go to church, no bridegroom was to be +found. The old King was sadly frightened, and would fain have given up all +hope of finding a husband for the Princess, but now she implored him, with +tears in her eyes, not to let her be disgraced in this way. And so suitor +after suitor continued to come, and now it was known, far and wide, that +whoever came to ask for the hand of Princess Fiorimonde vanished, and was +seen no more of men. The courtiers were afraid and whispered under their +breath, "It is not all right, it cannot be;" but only Yolande noticed how +the beads came upon the golden thread, till it was well-nigh covered, yet +there always was room for one bead more. + +So the years passed, and every year Princess Fiorimonde grew lovelier and +lovelier, so that no one who saw her could guess how wicked she was. + +In a far off country lived a young prince whose name was Florestan. He had +a dear friend named Gervaise, whom he loved better than any one in the +world. Gervaise was tall, and broad, and stout of limb, and he loved Prince +Florestan so well, that he would gladly have died to serve him. + +It chanced that Prince Florestan saw a portrait of Princess Fiorimonde, and +at once swore he would go to her father's court, and beg that he might +have her for his wife, and Gervaise in vain tried to dissuade him. + +"There is an evil fate about the Princess Fiorimonde," quoth he; "many have +gone to marry her, but where are they now?" + +"I don't know or care," answered Florestan, "but this is sure, that I will +wed her and return here, and bring my bride with me." + +So he set out for Fiorimonde's home, and Gervaise went with him with a +heavy heart. + +When they reached the court, the old King received them and welcomed them +warmly, and he said to his courtiers, "Here is a fine young prince to whom +we would gladly see our daughter wed. Let us hope that this time all will +be well." But now Fiorimonde had grown so bold, that she scarcely tried to +conceal her mirth. + +"I will gladly marry him to-morrow, if he comes to the church," she said; +"but if he is not there, what can I do," and she laughed long and merrily, +till those who heard her shuddered. + +When the Princess's ladies came to tell her that Prince Florestan was +arrived, she was in the garden, lying on the marble edge of a fountain, +feeding the gold fish who swam in the water. + +"Bid him come to me," she said, "for I will not go any more in state to +meet any suitors, neither will I put on grand attire for them. Let him come +and find me as I am, since all find it so easy to come and go." So her +ladies told the prince that Fiorimonde waited for him near the fountain. + +She did not rise when he came to where she lay, but his heart bounded with +joy, for he had never in his life beheld such a beautiful woman. + +She wore a thin soft white dress, which clung to her lithe figure. Her +beautiful arms and hands were bare, and she dabbled with them in the water, +and played with the fish. Her great blue eyes were sparkling with mirth, +and were so beautiful, that no one noticed the wicked look hid in them; and +on her neck lay the marvellous many-coloured necklace, which was itself a +wonder to behold. + +"You have my best greetings, Prince Florestan," she said. "And you, too, +would be my suitor. Have you thought well of what you would do, since so +many princes who have seen me have fled for ever, rather than marry me?" +and as she spoke, she raised her white hand from the water, and held it out +to the Prince, who stooped and kissed it, and scarcely knew how to answer +her for bewilderment at her great loveliness. + +Gervaise followed his master at a short distance, but he was ill at ease, +and trembled for fear of what should come. + +"Come, bid your friend leave us," said Fiorimonde, looking at Gervaise, +"and sit beside me, and tell me of your home, and why you wish to marry me, +and all pleasant things." + +Florestan begged that Gervaise would leave them for a little, and he walked +slowly away, in a very mournful mood. + +He went on down the walks, not heeding where he was going, till he met +Yolande, who stood beneath a tree laden with rosy apples, picking the +fruit, and throwing it into a basket at her feet. He would have passed her +in silence, but she stopped him, and said, + +"Have you come with the new Prince? Do you love your master?" + +"Ay, better than any one else on the earth," answered Gervaise. "Why do you +ask?" + +"And where is he now," said Yolande, not heeding Gervaise's question. + +"He sits by the fountain with the beautiful Princess," said Gervaise. + +"Then, I hope you have said good-bye to him well, for be assured you shall +never see him again," said Yolande nodding her head. + +"Why not, and who are you to talk like this?" asked Gervaise. + +"My name is Yolande," answered she, "and I am Princess Fiorimonde's maid. +Do you not know that Prince Florestan is the eleventh lover who has come to +marry her, and one by one they have disappeared, and only I know where they +are gone." + +"And where are they gone?" cried Gervaise, "and why do you not tell the +world, and prevent good men being lost like this?" + +"Because I fear my mistress," said Yolande, speaking low and drawing near +to him; "she is a sorceress, and she wears the brave kings and princes who +come to woo her, strung upon a cord round her neck. Each one forms the bead +of a necklace which she wears, both day and night. I have watched that +necklace growing; first it was only an empty gold thread; then came King +Pierrot, and when he disappeared the first bead appeared upon it. Then came +Hildebrandt, and two beads were on the string instead of one; then followed +Adrian, Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Baldwyn, and +Leofric, and Raoul, and all are gone, and ten beads hang upon the string, +and to-night there will be eleven, and the eleventh will be your Prince +Florestan." + +"If this be so," cried Gervaise, "I will never rest till I have plunged my +sword into Fiorimonde's heart;" but Yolande shook her head. + +"She is a sorceress," she said, "and it might be hard to kill her; besides, +that might not break the spell, and bring back the princes to life. I wish +I could show you the necklace, and you might count the beads, and see if I +do not speak truth, but it is always about her neck, both night and day, so +it is impossible." + +"Take me to her room to-night when she is asleep, and let me see it there," +said Gervaise. + +"Very well, we will try," said Yolande; "but you must be very still, and +make no noise, for if she wakes, remember it will be worse for us both." + +When night came and all in the palace were fast asleep, Gervaise and +Yolande met in the great hall, and Yolande told him that the Princess +slumbered soundly. + +"So now let us go," said she, "and I will show you the necklace on which +Fiorimonde wears her lovers strung like beads, though how she transforms +them I know not." + +"Stay one instant, Yolande," said Gervaise, holding her back, as she would +have tripped upstairs. "Perhaps, try how I may, I shall be beaten, and +either die or become a bead like those who have come before me. But if I +succeed and rid the land of your wicked Princess, what will you promise me +for a reward?" + +"What would you have?" asked Yolande. + +"I would have you say you will be my wife, and come back with me to my own +land," said Gervaise. + +"That I will promise gladly," said Yolande, kissing him, "but we must not +speak or think of this till we have cut the cord from Fiorimonde's neck, +and all her lovers are set free." + +So they went softly up to the Princess's room, Yolande holding a small +lantern, which gave only a dim light. There, in her grand bed, lay Princess +Fiorimonde. They could just see her by the lantern's light, and she looked +so beautiful that Gervaise began to think Yolande spoke falsely, when she +said she was so wicked. + +Her face was calm and sweet as a baby's; her hair fell in ruddy waves on +the pillow; her rosy lips smiled, and little dimples showed in her cheeks; +her white soft hands were folded amidst the scented lace and linen of which +the bed was made. Gervaise almost forgot to look at the glittering beads +hung round her throat, in wondering at her loveliness, but Yolande pulled +him by the arm. + +"Do not look at her," she whispered softly, "since her beauty has cost dear +already; look rather at what remains of those who thought her as fair as +you do now; see here," and she pointed with her finger to each bead in +turn. + +"This was Pierrot, and this Hildebrandt, and these are Adrian, and Sigbert, +and Algar, and Cenred, and that is Pharamond, and that Raoul, and last of +all here is your own master Prince Florestan. Seek him now where you will +and you will not find him, and you shall never see him again till the cord +is cut and the charm broken." + +"Of what is the cord made?" whispered Gervaise. + +"It is of the finest gold," she answered. "Nay, do not you touch her lest +she wake. I will show it to you." And Yolande put down the lantern and +softly put out her hands to slip the beads aside, but as she did so, her +fingers closed around the golden string, and directly she was gone. Another +bead was added to the necklace, and Gervaise was alone with the sleeping +Princess. He gazed about him in sore amazement and fear. He dared not call +lest Fiorimonde should wake. + +"Yolande," he whispered as loud as he dared, "Yolande where are you?" but +no Yolande answered. + +Then he bent down over the Princess and gazed at the necklace. Another bead +was strung upon it next to the one to which Yolande had pointed as Prince +Florestan. Again he counted them. "Eleven before, now there are twelve. Oh +hateful Princess! I know now where go the brave kings and princes who came +to woo you, and where, too, is my Yolande," and as he looked at the last +bead, tears filled his eyes. It was brighter and clearer than the others, +and of a warm red hue, like the red dress Yolande had worn. The Princess +turned and laughed in her sleep, and at the sound of her laughter Gervaise +was filled with horror and loathing. He crept shuddering from the room, and +all night long sat up alone, plotting how he might defeat Fiorimonde, and +set Florestan and Yolande free. + +[Illustration: "Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her +necklace and counted its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead +was added to the string."--P. 29.] + +Next morning when Fiorimonde dressed she looked at her necklace and counted +its beads, but she was much perplexed, for a new bead was added to the +string. + +"Who can have come and grasped my chain unknown to me?" she said to +herself, and she sat and pondered for a long time. At last she broke into +weird laughter. + +"At any rate, whoever it was, is fitly punished," quoth she. "My brave +necklace, you can take care of yourself, and if any one tries to steal you, +they will get their reward, and add to my glory. In truth I may sleep in +peace, and fear nothing." + +The day passed away and no one missed Yolande. Towards sunset the rain +began to pour in torrents, and there was such a terrible thunderstorm that +every one was frightened. The thunder roared, the lightning gleamed flash +after flash, every moment it grew fiercer and fiercer. The sky was so dark +that, save for the lightning's light, nothing could be seen, but Princess +Fiorimonde loved the thunder and lightning. + +She sat in a room high up in one of the towers, clad in a black velvet +dress, and she watched the lightning from the window, and laughed at each +peal of thunder. In the midst of the storm a stranger, wrapped in a cloak, +rode to the palace door, and the ladies ran to tell the Princess that a new +prince had come to be her suitor. "And he will not tell his name," said +they, "but says he hears that all are bidden to ask for the hand of +Princess Fiorimonde, and he too would try his good fortune." + +"Let him come at once," cried the Princess. "Be he prince or knave what +care I? If princes all fly from me it may be better to marry a peasant." + +So they led the new-comer up to the room where Fiorimonde sat. He was +wrapped in a thick cloak, but he flung it aside as he came in, and showed +how rich was his silken clothing underneath; and so well was he disguised, +that Fiorimonde never saw that it was Gervaise, but looked at him, and +thought she had never seen him before. + +"You are most welcome, stranger prince, who has come through such +lightning and thunder to find me," said she. "Is it true, then, that you +wish to be my suitor? What have you heard of me?" + +"It is quite true, Princess," said Gervaise. "And I have heard that you are +the most beautiful woman in the world." + +"And is that true also?" asked the Princess. "Look at me now, and see." + +Gervaise looked at her and in his heart he said, "It is quite true, oh +wicked Princess! There never was woman as beautiful as you, and never +before did I hate a woman as I hate you now;" but aloud he said, + +"No, Princess, that is not true; you are very beautiful, but I have seen a +woman who is fairer than you for all that your skin looks ivory against +your velvet dress, and your hair is like gold." + +"A woman who is fairer than I?" cried Fiorimonde, and her breast began to +heave and her eyes to sparkle with rage, for never before had she heard +such a thing said. "Who are you who dares come and tell me of women more +beautiful than I am?" + +"I am a suitor who asks to be your husband, Princess," answered Gervaise, +"but still I say I have seen a woman who was fairer than you." + +"Who is she--where is she?" cried Fiorimonde, who could scarcely contain +her anger. "Bring her here at once that I may see if you speak the truth." + +"What will you give me to bring her to you?" said Gervaise. "Give me that +necklace you wear on your neck, and then I will summon her in an instant;" +but Fiorimonde shook her head. + +"You have asked," said she, "for the only thing from which I cannot part," +and then she bade her maids bring her her jewel-casket, and she drew out +diamonds, and rubies, and pearls, and offered them, all or any, to +Gervaise. The lightning shone on them and made them shine and flash, but he +shook his head. + +"No, none of these will do," quoth he. "You can see her for the necklace, +but for nothing else." + +"Take it off for yourself then," cried Fiorimonde, who now was so angry +that she only wished to be rid of Gervaise in any way. + +"No, indeed," said Gervaise, "I am no tire-woman, and should not know how +to clasp and unclasp it;" and in spite of all Fiorimonde could say or do, +he would not touch either her or the magic chain. + +At night the storm grew even fiercer, but it did not trouble the Princess. +She waited till all were asleep, and then she opened her bedroom window and +chirruped softly to the little brown bird, who flew down from the roof at +her call. Then she gave him a handful of seeds as before, and he grew and +grew and grew till he was as large as an ostrich, and she sat upon his back +and flew out through the air, laughing at the lightning and thunder which +flashed and roared around her. Away they flew till they came to the old +witch's cave, and here they found the witch sitting at her open door +catching the lightning to make charms with. + +"Welcome, my dear," croaked she, as Fiorimonde stepped from the bird; "here +is a night we both love well. And how goes the necklace?--right merrily I +see. Twelve beads already--but what is that twelfth?" and she looked at it +closely. + +"Nay, that is one thing I want you to tell me," said Fiorimonde, drying the +rain from her golden hair. "Last night when I slept there were eleven, and +this morning there are twelve; and I know not from whence comes the +twelfth." + +"It is no suitor," said the witch, "but from some young maid, that that +bead is made. But why should you mind? It looks well with the others." + +"Some young maid," said the Princess. "Then, it must be Cicely or Marybel, +or Yolande, who would have robbed me of my necklace as I slept. But what +care I? The silly wench is punished now, and so may all others be, who +would do the same." + +"And when will you get the thirteenth bead, and where will he come from?" +asked the witch. + +"He waits at the palace now," said Fiorimonde, chuckling. "And this is why +I have to speak to you;" and then she told the witch of the stranger who +had come in the storm, and of how he would not touch her necklace, nor take +the cord in his hand, and how he said also that he knew a woman fairer than +she. + +"Beware, Princess, beware," cried the witch in a warning voice, as she +listened. "Why should you heed tales of other women fairer than you? Have I +not made you the most beautiful woman in the world, and can any others do +more than I? Give no ear to what this stranger says or you shall rue it." +But still the Princess murmured, and said she did not love to hear any one +speak of others as beautiful as she. + +"Be warned in time," cried the witch, "or you will have cause to repent it. +Are you so silly or so vain as to be troubled because a Prince says idly +what you know is not true? I tell you do not listen to him, but let him be +slung to your chain as soon as may be, and then he will speak no more." And +then they talked together of how Fiorimonde could make Gervaise grasp the +fatal string. + +Next morning when the sun rose, Gervaise started off into the woods, and +there he plucked acorns and haws, and hips, and strung them on to a string +to form a rude necklace. This he hid in his bosom, and then went back to +the palace without telling any one. + +When the Princess rose, she dressed herself as beautifully as she could, +and braided her golden locks with great care, for this morning she meant +her new suitor to meet his fate. After breakfast, she stepped into the +garden, where the sun shone brightly, and all looked fresh after the storm. +Here from the grass she picked up a golden ball, and began to play with it. + +"Go to our new guest," cried she to her ladies, "and ask him to come here +and play at ball with me." So they went, and soon they returned bringing +Gervaise with them. + +"Good morrow, prince," cried she. "Pray, come and try your skill at this +game with me; and you," she said to her ladies, "do not wait to watch our +play, but each go your way, and do what pleases you best." So they all went +away, and left her alone with Gervaise. + +"Well, prince," cried she as they began to play, "what do you think of me +by morning light? Yesterday when you came it was so dark, with thunder and +clouds, that you could scarcely see my face, but now that there is bright +sunshine, pray look well at me, and see if you do not think me as beautiful +as any woman on earth," and she smiled at Gervaise, and looked so lovely as +she spoke, that he scarce knew how to answer her; but he remembered +Yolande, and said, + +"Doubtless you are very beautiful; then why should you mind my telling you +that I have seen a woman lovelier than you?" + +At this the Princess again began to be angry, but she thought of the +witch's words and said, + +"Then, if you think there is a woman fairer than I, look at my beads, and +now, that you see their colours in the sun, say if you ever saw such jewels +before." + +"It is true I have never seen beads like yours, but I have a necklace here, +which pleases me better;" and from his pocket he drew the haws and acorns, +which he had strung together. + +"What is that necklace, and where did you get it? Show it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde; but Gervaise held it out of her reach, and said, + +"I like my necklace better than yours, Princess; and, believe me, there is +no necklace like mine in all the world." + +"Why; is it a fairy necklace? What does it do? Pray give it to me!" cried +Fiorimonde, trembling with anger and curiosity, for she thought, "Perhaps +it has power to make the wearer beautiful; perhaps it was worn by the woman +whom he thought more beautiful than I, and that is why she looked so fair." + +"Come, I will make a fair exchange," said Gervaise. "Give me your necklace +and you shall have mine, and when it is round your throat I will truthfully +say that you are the fairest woman in the world; but first I must have your +necklace." + +[Illustration: "Then he picked up the necklace on the point of his sword +and carried it, slung thereon, into the council chamber."--P. 39.] + +"Take it, then," cried the Princess, who, in her rage and eagerness, forgot +all else, and she seized the string of beads to lift it from her neck, but +no sooner had she taken it in her hands than they fell with a rattle to the +earth, and Fiorimonde herself was nowhere to be seen. Gervaise bent down +over the necklace as it lay upon the grass, and, with a smile, counted +thirteen beads; and he knew that the thirteenth was the wicked Princess, +who had herself met the evil fate she had prepared for so many others. + +"Oh, clever Princess!" cried he, laughing aloud, "you are not so very +clever, I think, to be so easily outwitted." Then he picked up the necklace +on the point of the sword and carried it, slung thereon, into the council +chamber, where sat the King surrounded by statesmen and courtiers busy with +state affairs. + +"Pray, King," said Gervaise, "send some one to seek for Princess +Fiorimonde. A moment ago she played with me at ball in the garden, and now +she is nowhere to be seen." + +The King desired that servants should seek her Royal Highness; but they +came back saying she was not to be found. + +"Then let me see if I cannot bring her to you; but first let those who have +been longer lost than she, come and tell their own tale." And, so saying, +Gervaise let the necklace slip from his sword on to the floor, and taking +from his breast a sharp dagger, proceeded to cut the golden thread on which +the beads were strung and as he clave it in two there came a mighty noise +like a clap of thunder. + +"Now;" cried he, "look, and see King Pierrot who was lost," and as he spoke +he drew from the cord a bead, and King Pierrot, in his royal clothes, with +his sword at his side, stood before them. + +"Treachery!" he cried, but ere he could say more Gervaise had drawn off +another bead, and King Hildebrandt appeared, and after him came Adrian, and +Sigbert, and Algar, and Cenred, and Pharamond, and Raoul, and last of the +princes, Gervaise's own dear master Florestan, and they all denounced +Princess Fiorimonde and her wickedness. + +"And now," cried Gervaise, "here is she who has helped to save you all," +and he drew off the twelfth bead, and there stood Yolande in her red +dress; and when he saw her Gervaise flung away his dagger and took her in +his arms, and they wept for joy. + +The King and all the courtiers sat pale and trembling, unable to speak for +fear and shame. At length the King said with a deep groan, + +"We owe you deep amends, O noble kings and princes! What punishment do you +wish us to prepare for our most guilty daughter?" but here Gervaise stopped +him, and said, + +"Give her no other punishment than what she has chosen for herself. See, +here she is, the thirteenth bead upon the string; let no one dare to draw +it off, but let this string be hung up where all people can see it and see +the one bead, and know the wicked Princess is punished for her sorcery, so +it will be a warning to others who would do like her." + +So they lifted the golden thread with great care and hung it up outside the +town-hall, and there the one bead glittered and gleamed in the sunlight, +and all who saw it knew that it was the wicked Princess Fiorimonde who had +justly met her fate. + +Then all the kings and princes thanked Gervaise and Yolande, and loaded +them with presents, and each went to his own land. + +And Gervaise married Yolande, and they went back with Prince Florestan to +their home, and all lived happily to the end of their lives. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE WANDERINGS OF ARASMON + +[Illustration] + + +Long ago there lived a wandering musician and his wife, whose names were +Arasmon and Chrysea. Arasmon played upon a lute to which Chrysea sang, and +their music was so beautiful that people followed them in crowds and gave +them as much money as they wanted. When Arasmon played all who heard him +were silent from wonder and admiration, but when Chrysea sang they could +not refrain from weeping, for her voice was more beautiful than anything +they had ever heard before. + +Both were young and lovely, and were as happy as the day was long, for they +loved each other dearly, and liked wandering about seeing new countries +and people and making sweet music. They went to all sorts of places, +sometimes to big cities, sometimes to little villages, sometimes to lonely +cottages by the sea-shore, and sometimes they strolled along the green +lanes and fields, singing and playing so exquisitely, that the very birds +flew down from the trees to listen to them. + +One day they crossed a dark line of hills, and came out on a wild moorland +country, where they had never been before. On the side of the hill they saw +a little village, and at once turned towards it, but as they drew near +Chrysea said, + +"What gloomy place is this? See how dark and miserable it looks." + +[Illustration: "One by one the villagers came out of their cottages, and +gathered round them to listen."--P. 44.] + +"Let us try to cheer it with some music," said Arasmon, and began to play +upon his lute, while Chrysea sang. One by one the villagers came out of +their cottages and gathered round them to listen, but Chrysea thought she +had never before seen such forlorn-looking people. They were thin and bent, +their faces were pale and haggard, also their clothes looked old and +threadbare, and in some places were worn into holes. But they crowded about +Arasmon and Chrysea, and begged them to go on playing and singing, and as +they listened the women shed tears, and the men hid their faces and were +silent. When they stopped, the people began to feel in their pockets as if +to find some coins, but Arasmon cried, + +"Nay, good friends, keep your money for yourselves. You have not too much +of it, to judge by your looks. But let us stay with you for to-night, and +give us food and lodging, and we shall think ourselves well paid, and will +play and sing to you as much as you like." + +"Stay with us as long as you can, stay with us always," begged the people; +and each one entreated to be allowed to receive the strangers and give them +the best they had. So Arasmon and Chrysea played and sang to them till they +were tired, and at last, when the heavy rain began to fall, they turned +towards the village, but as they passed through its narrow streets they +thought the place itself looked even sadder than its inmates. The houses +were ill-built, and seemed to be almost tumbling down. The streets were +uneven and badly kept. In the gardens they saw no flowers, but dank dark +weeds. They went into a cottage which the people pointed out to them, and +Arasmon lay down by the fire, calling to Chrysea to rest also, as they had +walked far, and she must be weary. He soon fell asleep, but Chrysea sat at +the door watching the dark clouds as they drifted over the darker houses. +Outside the cottage hung a blackbird in a cage, with drooping wings and +scanty plumage. It was the only animal they had yet seen in the village, +for of cats or dogs or singing-birds there seemed to be none. + +When she saw it, Chrysea turned to the woman of the house, who stood beside +her, and said, + +"Why don't you let it go? It would be much happier flying about in the +sunshine." + +"The sun never shines here," said the woman sadly. "It could not pierce +through the dark clouds which hang over the village. Besides, we do not +think of happiness. It is as much as we can do to live." + +"But tell me," said Chrysea, "what is it that makes you so sad and your +village such a dreary place? I have been to many towns in my life, but to +none which looked like this." + +"Don't you know," said the woman, "that this place is spell-bound?" + +"Spell-bound?" cried Chrysea. "What do you mean?" + +The woman turned and pointed towards the moor. "Over yonder," she said, +"dwells a terrible old wizard by whom we are bewitched, and he has a number +of little dark elves who are his servants, and these are they who make our +village what you see it. You don't know how sad it is to live here. The +elves steal our eggs, and milk, and poultry, so that there is never enough +for us to eat, and we are half-starved. They pull down our houses, and undo +our work as fast as we do it. They steal our corn when it is standing in +sheaves, so that we find nothing but empty husks;" and as she ceased +speaking the woman sighed heavily. + +"But if they do all this harm," said Chrysea, "why do not some of you go +to the moor and drive them away?" + +"It is part of the spell," said the woman, "that we can neither hear nor +see them. I have heard my grandfather say that in the old time this place +was no different to others, but one day this terrible old magician came and +offered the villagers a great deal of money if they would let him dwell +upon the moor; for before that it was covered with golden gorse and +heather, and the country folk held all their merrymakings there, but they +were tempted with the gold, and sold it, and from that day the elves have +tormented us; and as we cannot see them, we cannot get rid of them, but +must just bear them as best we may." + +"That is a sad way to speak," said Chrysea. "Cannot you find out what the +spell really is and break it?" + +"It is a song," said the woman, "and every night they sing it afresh. It is +said that if any one could go to the moor between midnight and dawn, and +could hear them singing it, and then sing through the tune just as they +themselves do, the charm would be broken, and we should be free. But it +must be some one who has never taken their money, so we cannot do it, for +we can neither see nor hear them." + +"But I have not taken their money," said Chrysea. "And there is no tune I +cannot sing when I have heard it once. So I will go to the moor for you and +break the spell." + +"Nay, do not think of such a thing," cried the woman. "For the elves are +most spiteful, and you don't know what harm they might do to you, even if +you set us free." + +Chrysea said no more, but all the evening she thought of what the woman had +told her, and still stood looking out into the dismal street. When she went +to bed she did not sleep, but lay still till the clock struck one. Then she +rose softly, and wrapping herself in a cloak, opened the door and stepped +out into the rain. As she passed, she looked up and saw the blackbird +crouching in the bottom of its cage. She opened the cage door to let it +fly, but still it did not move, so she lifted it out in her hand. + +"Poor bird!" said she gently; "I wish I could give this village its liberty +as easily as I can give you yours," and carrying it with her she walked on +towards the moor. It was a large waste piece of land, and looked as though +it had been burnt, for the ground was charred and black, and there was no +grass or green plant growing on it, but there were some blackened stumps of +trees, and to these Chrysea went, and hid herself behind one to wait and +see what would come. She watched for a long time without seeing any one, +but at last there rose from the ground not far from her a lurid gleam, +which spread and spread until it became a large circle of light, in the +midst of which she saw small dark figures moving, like ugly little men. The +light was now so bright that she could distinguish each one quite plainly, +and never before had she seen anything so ugly, for they were black as ink, +and their faces were twisted and looked cruel and wicked. + +They joined hands, and, forming a ring, danced slowly round, and, as they +did so, the ground opened, and there rose up in their centre a tiny +village exactly like the spell-bound village, only that the houses were but +a few inches high. Round this the elves danced, and then they began to +sing. Chrysea listened eagerly to their singing, and no sooner had they +done, than she opened her lips and sang the same tune through from +beginning to end just as she had heard it. + +Her voice rang out loud and clear, and at the sound the little village +crumbled and fell away as though it had been made of dust. + +The elves stood silent for a moment, and then with a wild cry they all +rushed towards Chrysea, and at their head she saw one about three times the +size of the others, who appeared to be their chief. + +"Come, quickly, let us punish the woman who has dared to thwart us," he +cried. "What shall we change her to?" + +"A frog to croak on the ground," cried one. + +"No, an owl to hoot in the night," cried another. + +"Oh, for pity's sake," implored Chrysea, "don't change me to one of these +loathsome creatures, so that, if Arasmon finds me, he will spurn me." + +"Hear her," cried the chief, "and let her have her will. Let us change her +to no bird or beast, but to a bright golden harp, and thus shall she +remain, until upon her strings some one shall play our tune, which she has +dared to sing." + +"Agreed!" cried the others, and all began to dance round Chrysea and to +sing as they had sung around the village. She shrieked and tried to run, +but they stopped her on every side. She cried, "Arasmon! Arasmon!" but no +one came, and when the elves' song was done, and they disappeared, all that +was left was a little gold harp hanging upon the boughs of the tree, and +only the blackbird who sat above knew what had come of poor Chrysea. + +When morning dawned, and the villagers awoke, all felt that some great +change had taken place. The heavy cloud which hung above the village had +cleared away; the sun shone brightly, and the sky was blue; streams which +had been dry for years, were running clear and fresh: and the people all +felt strong, and able to work again; the trees were beginning to bud, and +in their branches sang birds, whose voices had not been heard there for +many a long year. The villagers looked from one to another and said, +"Surely the spell is broken; surely the elves must have fled;" and they +wept for joy. + +Arasmon woke with the first beam of the sun, and finding Chrysea was not +there, he rose, and went to seek her in the village, calling, "Chrysea, +Chrysea! the sun is up and we must journey on our way;" but no Chrysea +answered, so he walked down all the streets, calling "Chrysea! come, +Chrysea!" but no Chrysea came. Then he said, + +"She has gone into the fields to look for wild flowers, and will soon be +back." So he waited for her patiently, but the sun rose high, the villagers +went to their work, and she did not return. At this Arasmon was frightened, +and asked every one he met if they had seen her, but each one shook his +head and said "No, they had seen nothing of her." + +Then he called some of the men together and told them that his wife had +wandered away, and he feared lest she might lose herself and go still +farther, and he asked them to help him to look for her. So some went one +way, and some another, to search, and Arasmon himself walked for miles the +whole country round, calling "Chrysea! Chrysea!" but no answer came. + +The sun was beginning to set and twilight to cover the land, when Arasmon +came on to the moor where Chrysea had met her fate. That, too, was changed. +Flowers and grass were already beginning to grow there, and the children of +the village, who till now had never dared to venture near it, were playing +about it. Arasmon could hear their voices as he came near the tree against +which Chrysea had leaned, and on which now hung the golden harp. In the +branches above sat the blackbird singing, and Arasmon stopped and listened +to its song, and thought he had never heard a bird sing so sweetly before. +For it sang the magic song by which Chrysea had broken the elves' spell, +the first tune it had heard since it regained its liberty. + +"Dear blackbird," said Arasmon, looking up to it, "I wish your singing +could tell me where to find my wife Chrysea;" and as he looked up he saw a +golden harp hanging upon the branches, and he took it down and ran his +fingers over the strings. Never before did harp give forth such music. It +was like a woman's voice, and was most beautiful, but so sad that when +Arasmon heard it he felt inclined to cry. It seemed to be calling for help, +but he could not understand what it said, though each time he touched the +strings it cried, "Arasmon, Arasmon, I am here! It is I, Chrysea;" but +though Arasmon listened, and wondered at its tones, yet he did not know +what it said. + +He examined it carefully. It was a beautiful little harp, made of pure +gold, and at the top was a pair of golden hands and arms clasped together. + +"I will keep it," said Arasmon, "for I never yet heard a harp with such a +tone, and when Chrysea comes she shall sing to it." + +But Chrysea was nowhere to be found, and at last the villagers declared she +must be lost, or herself have gone away on purpose, and that it was vain to +seek her farther. At this Arasmon was angry, and saying that he would seek +Chrysea as long as he had life, he left the village to wander over the +whole world till he should find her. He went on foot, and took with him the +golden harp. + +He walked for many, many miles far away from the village and the moor, and +when he came to any farmhouses, or met any country people on the road he +began to play, and every one thronged round him and stared, in breathless +surprise at his beautiful music. When he had done he would ask them, "Have +you seen my wife Chrysea? She is dressed in white and gold, and sings more +sweetly than any of the birds of heaven." + +But all shook their heads and said, "No, she had not been there;" and +whenever he came to a strange village, where he had not been before, he +called, "Chrysea, Chrysea, are you here?" but no Chrysea answered, only the +harp in his hands cried whenever he touched its strings, "It is I, Arasmon! +It is I, Chrysea!" but though he thought its notes like Chrysea's voice, he +never understood them. + +He wandered for days and months and years through countries and villages +which he had never known before. When night came and he found himself in +the fields alone, he would lie down upon his cloak and sleep with his head +resting upon the harp, and if by chance one of its golden threads was +touched it would cry, "Arasmon, awake, I am here!" Then he would dream that +Chrysea was calling him, and would wake and start up to look for her, +thinking she must be close at hand. + +One day, towards night, when he had walked far, and was very tired, he came +to a little village on a lonely, rocky coast by the sea, and he found that +a thick mist had come up, and hung over the village, so that he could +barely see the path before him as he walked. But he found his way down on +to the beach, and there stood a number of fisherwomen, trying to look +through the mist towards the sea, and speaking anxiously. + +"What is wrong, and for whom are you watching, good folk?" he asked them. + +"We are watching for our husbands," answered one. "They went out in their +boats fishing in the early morning, when it was quite light, and then +arose this dreadful fog, and they should have come back long ago, and we +fear lest they may lose their way in the darkness and strike on a rock and +be drowned." + +"I too, have lost my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Has she passed by here? +She had long golden hair, and her gown was white and gold, and she sang +with a voice like an angel's." + +The women all said, "No, they had not seen her;" but still they strained +their eyes towards the sea, and Arasmon also began to watch for the return +of the boats. + +They waited and waited, but they did not come, and every moment the +darkness grew thicker and thicker, so that the women could not see each +other's faces, though they stood quite near together. + +Then Arasmon took his harp and began to play, and its music floated over +the water for miles through the darkness, but the women were weeping so for +their husbands, that they did not heed it. + +"It is useless to watch," said one. "They cannot steer their boats in such +a darkness. We shall never see them again." + +"I will wait all night till morning," said another, "and all day next day, +and next night, till I see some sign of the boats, and know if they be +living or dead," but as she stopped speaking, there rose a cry of "Here +they are," and two or three fishing-boats were pushed on to the sand close +by where they stood, and the women threw their arms round their husbands' +necks, and all shouted for joy. + +The fishermen asked who it was who had played the harp; "For," they said, +"it was that which saved us. We were far from land, and it was so dark that +we could not tell whether to go to left or to right, and had no sign to +guide us to shore; when of a sudden we heard the most beautiful music, and +we followed the sound, and came in quite safely. + +"'Twas this good harper who played while we watched," said the women, and +one and all turned to Arasmon, and told him with tears of their gratitude, +and asked him what they could do for him, or what they could give him in +token of their thankfulness; but Arasmon shook his head and said, "You can +do nothing for me, unless you can tell me where to seek my wife Chrysea. It +is to find her I am wandering;" and when the women shook their heads, and +said again they knew nothing of her, the harp-strings as he touched them +cried again, + +"Arasmon! Arasmon! listen to me. It is I, Chrysea;" but again no one +understood it, and though all pitied him, no one could help him. + +Next morning when the mist had cleared away, and the sun was shining, a +little ship set sail for foreign countries, and Arasmon begged the captain +to take him in it that he might seek Chrysea still farther. + +They sailed and sailed, till at last they came to the country for which +they were bound; but they found the whole land in confusion, and war and +fighting everywhere, and all the people were leaving their homes and hiding +themselves in the towns, for fear of a terrible enemy, who was invading +them. But no one hurt Arasmon as he wandered on with his harp in his hand, +only no one would stop to answer him, when he asked if Chrysea had been +there, for every one was too frightened and hurried to heed him. + +At last he came to the chief city where the King dwelt, and here he found +all the men building walls and fortresses, and preparing to defend the +town, because they knew their enemy was coming to besiege it, but all the +soldiers were gloomy and low-spirited. + +"It is impossible for us to conquer," they said, "for there are three of +them to every one of us, and they will take our city and make our King +prisoner." + +That night as the watchmen looked over the walls, they saw in the distance +an immense army marching towards them, and their swords and helmets +glittered in the moonlight. + +Then they gave the signal, and the captains gathered together their men to +prepare them for fighting; but so sure were they of being beaten that it +was with difficulty their officers could bring them to the walls. + +"It would be better," said the soldiers, "to lay down our arms at once and +let the enemy enter, for then we should not lose our lives as well as our +city and our wealth." + +When Arasmon heard this he sat upon the walls of the town, and began to +play upon his harp, and this time its music was so loud and clear, that it +could be heard far and wide, and its sound was so exultant and joyous, that +when the soldiers heard it they raised their heads, and their fears +vanished, and they started forward, shouting and calling that they would +conquer or be killed. + +Then the enemy attacked the city, but the soldiers within met them with so +much force that they were driven back, and had to fly, and the victorious +army followed them and drove them quite out of their country, and Arasmon +went with them, playing on his harp, to cheer them as they went. + +When they knew the victory was theirs, all the captains wondered what had +caused their sudden success, and one of the lieutenants said, "It was that +strange harper who went with us, playing on his harp. When our men heard +it, they became as brave as lions." So the captains sent for Arasmon, but +when he came they were astonished to see how worn and thin he looked, and +could scarcely believe it was he who had made such wonderful music, for his +face had grown thin and pale, and there were gray locks in his hair. + +They asked him what he would like to have, saying they would give him +whatever he would choose, for the great service he had done them. + +Arasmon only shook his head and said, + +"There is nothing I want that you can give me. I am seeking the whole world +round to find my wife Chrysea. It is many many years since I lost her. We +two were as happy as birds on the bough. We wandered over the world singing +and playing in the sunshine. But now she is gone, and I care for nothing +else." And the captains looked pityingly at him, for they all thought him +mad, and could not understand what the harp said when he played on it +again, and it cried, + +"Listen, Arasmon! I too am here--I, Chrysea." + +So Arasmon left that city, and started again, and wandered for days and +months and years. + +He came by many strange places, and met with many strange people, but he +found no trace of Chrysea, and each day he looked older and sadder and +thinner. + +At length he came to a country where the King loved nothing on earth so +much as music. So fond of it was he, that he had musicians and singers by +the score, always living in his palace, and there was no way of pleasing +him so well as by sending a new musician or singer. So when Arasmon came +into the country, and the people heard how marvellously he played, they +said at once, "Let us take him to the King. The poor man is mad. Hear how +he goes on asking for his wife; but, mad or not, his playing will delight +the King. Let us take him at once to the palace." So, though Arasmon would +have resisted them, they dragged him away to the court, and sent a +messenger to the King, to say they had found a poor mad wandering harper, +who played music the like of which they had never heard before. + +The King and Queen, and all the court, sat feasting when the messenger came +in saying that the people were bringing a new harper to play before his +majesty. + +"A new harper!" quoth he. "That is good hearing. Let him be brought here to +play to us at once." + +So Arasmon was led into the hall, and up to the golden thrones on which sat +the King and Queen. A wonderful hall it was, made of gold and silver, and +crystal and ivory, and the courtiers, dressed in blue and green and gold +and diamonds, were a sight to see. Behind the throne were twelve young +maids dressed in pure white, who sang most sweetly, and behind them were +the musicians who accompanied them on every kind of instrument. Arasmon had +never in his life seen such a splendid sight. + +"Come here," cried the King to him, "and let us hear you play." And the +singers ceased singing, and the musicians smiled scornfully, for they could +not believe Arasmon's music could equal theirs. For he looked to be in a +most sorry plight. He had walked far, and the dust of the roads was on him. +His clothes were worn threadbare, and stained and soiled, while his face +was so thin and anxious and sad that it was pitiful to see; but his harp of +pure shining gold was undulled, and untarnished. He began to play, and then +all smiles ceased, and the women began to weep, and the men sat and stared +at him in astonishment. When he had done the King started up, and throwing +his arms about his neck, cried, "Stay with me. You shall be my chief +musician. Never before have I heard playing like yours, and whatever you +want I will give you." But when he heard this, Arasmon knelt on one knee +and said, + +"My gracious lord, I cannot stay. I have lost my wife Chrysea. I must +search all over the world till I find her. Ah! how beautiful she was, and +how sweetly she sang; her singing was far sweeter than even the music of my +harp." + +"Indeed!" cried the King. "Then I too would fain hear her. But stay with +me, and I will send messengers all over the world to seek her far and near, +and they will find her much sooner than you." + +[Illustration: "He began to play, and then all smiles ceased."--P. 66.] + +So Arasmon stayed at the court, but he said that if Chrysea did not come +soon he must go farther to seek her himself. + +The King gave orders that he should be clad in the costliest clothes and +have all he could want given to him, and after this he would hear no music +but Arasmon's playing, so all the other musicians were jealous, and wished +he had never come to the palace. But the strangest thing was that no one +but Arasmon could play upon his golden harp. All the King's harpers tried, +and the King himself tried also, but when they touched the strings there +came from them a strange, melancholy wailing, and no one but Arasmon could +bring out its beautiful notes. + +But the courtiers and musicians grew more and more angry with Arasmon, till +at last they hated him bitterly, and only wanted to do him some harm; for +they said, + +"Who is he, that our King should love and honour him before us? After all, +it is not his playing which is so beautiful; it is chiefly the harp on +which he plays, and if that were taken from him he would be no better than +the rest of us;" and then they began to consult together as to how they +should steal his harp. + +One hot summer evening Arasmon went into the palace gardens, and sat down +to rest beneath a large beech-tree, when a little way off he saw two +courtiers talking together, and heard that they spoke of him, though they +did not see him or know he was there. + +"The poor man is mad," said one; "of that there is little doubt, but, mad +or not, as long as he plays on his harp the King will not listen to any one +else." + +"The only way is to take the harp from him," said the other. "But it is +hard to know how to get it away, for he will never let it go out of his +hands." + +"We must take it from him when he is sleeping," said the first. + +"Certainly," said the other; and then Arasmon heard them settle how and +when they would go to his room at night to steal his harp. + +He sat still till they were gone, and then he rose, and grasping it +tenderly, turned from the palace and walked away through the garden gates. + +"I have lost Chrysea," he said, "and now they would take from me even my +harp, the only thing I have to love in all this world, but I will go away, +far off where they will never find me," and when he was out of sight, he +ran with all his might, and never rested till he was far away on a lonely +hill, with no one near to see him. + +The stars were beginning to shine though it was not yet dark. Arasmon sat +on a stone and looked at the country far and near. He could hear the sheep +bells tinkling around him, and far, far off in the distance he could see +the city and the palace he had left. + +Then he began to play on his harp, and as he played the sheep stopped +browsing and drew near him to listen. + +The stars grew brighter and the evening darker, and he saw a woman carrying +a child coming up the hill. + +She looked pale and tired, but her face was very happy as she sat down not +far from Arasmon and listened to his playing, whilst she looked eagerly +across the hill as if she watched for some one who was coming. Presently +she turned and said, "How beautifully you play; I never heard music like it +before, but what makes you look so sad? Are you unhappy?" + +"Yes," said Arasmon, "I am very miserable. I lost my wife Chrysea many +years ago, and now I don't know where she can be." + +"It is a year since I have seen my husband," said the woman. "He went to +the war a year ago, but now there is peace and he is coming back, and +to-night he will come over this hill. It was just here we parted, and now I +am come to meet him." + +"How happy you must be," said Arasmon. "I shall never see Chrysea again," +and as he spoke he struck a chord on the harp, which cried, "O Arasmon, my +husband! why do you not know me? It is I, Chrysea." + +"Do not say that," continued the woman; "you will find her some day. Why do +you sit here? Was it here you parted from her?" + +Then Arasmon told her how they had gone to a strange desolate village and +rested there for the night, and in the morning Chrysea was gone, and that +he had wandered all over the world looking for her ever since. + +"I think you are foolish," said the woman; "perhaps your wife has been +waiting for you at that village all this time. I would go back to the place +where I parted from her if I were you, and wait there till she returns. How +could I meet my husband if I did not come to the spot where we last were +together? We might both wander on for ever and never find each other; and +now, see, here he is coming," and she gave a cry of joy and ran to meet a +soldier who was walking up the hill. + +Arasmon watched them as they met and kissed, and saw the father lift the +child in his arms, then the three walked over the hill together, and when +they were gone he sat down and wept bitterly. "What was it she said?" he +said. "That I ought to go back to the spot where we parted. She will not be +there, but I will go and die at the place where I last saw her." So again +he grasped his harp and started. He travelled many days and weeks by land +and sea, till late one day he came in sight of the hill on which stood the +little village. But at first he could not believe that he had come to the +right place, so changed did all appear. He stopped and looked around him in +astonishment. He stood in a shady lane, the arching trees met over his +head. The banks were full of spring flowers, and either side of the hedge +were fields full of young green corn. + +"Can this be the wretched bare road down which we walked together? I would +indeed it were, and that she were with me now," said he. When he looked +across to the village, the change seemed greater still. There were many +more cottages, and they were trim and well kept, standing in neat gardens +full of flowers. He heard the cheerful voices of the peasants, and the +laughter of the village children. The whole place seemed to be full of life +and happiness. He stopped again upon the mound where he and Chrysea had +first played and sung. + +"It is many, many a long year since I was here," he said. "Time has changed +all things strangely; but it would be hard to say which is the more +altered, this village or I, for then it was sunk in poverty and +wretchedness, and now it has gained happiness and wealth, and I, who was so +happy and glad, now am broken-down and worn. I have lost my only wealth, my +wife Chrysea. It was just here she stood and sang, and now I shall never +see her again or hear her singing." + +There came past him a young girl driving some cows, and he turned and spoke +to her. "Tell me, I beg," he said, "is not your village much changed of +late years? I was here long ago, but I cannot now think it the same place, +for this is as bright and flourishing a town as I have ever seen, and I +remember it only as a dreary tumble-down village where the grass never +grew." + +"Oh!" said the girl, "then you were here in our bad time, but we do not now +like to speak of that, for fear our troubles should return. Folks say we +were spell-bound. 'Tis so long ago that I can scarcely remember it, for I +was quite a little child then. But a wandering musician and his wife set us +free; at least, everything began to mend after they came, and now we think +they must have been angels from heaven, for next day they went, and we have +never seen them since." + +"It was I and my wife Chrysea," cried Arasmon. "Have you seen her? Has she +been here? I have sought all over the world ever since, but I cannot find +her, and now I fear lest she be dead." + +The girl stared at him in surprise. "You? you poor old man! Of what are you +talking? You must surely be mad to say such things. These musicians were +the most beautiful people upon the earth, and they were young and dressed +in shining white and gold, and you are old and gray and ragged, and surely +you are very ill too, for you seem to be so weak that you can scarcely +walk. Come home with me, and I will give you food and rest till you are +better." + +Arasmon shook his head. "I am seeking Chrysea," he said, "and I will rest +no more till I have found her;" and the girl, seeing that he was +determined, left him alone and went on her way driving her cows before +her. + +When she had gone Arasmon sat by the wayside and wept as though his heart +would break. "It is too true," he said; "I am so old and worn that when I +find her she will not know me," and as he again fell a-weeping his hand +struck the harp-strings, and they cried, "I have watched you through all +these years, my Arasmon. Take comfort, I am very near," and his tears +ceased, and he was soothed by the voice of the harp, though he knew not +why. + +Then he rose. "I will go to the moor," he said, "and look for the tree on +which I found my harp, and that will be my last resting-place, for surely +my strength will carry me no farther." So he tottered slowly on, calling, +as he went, in a weak voice, "Chrysea, my Chrysea! are you here? I have +sought you over the world since you left me, and now that I am old and like +to die, I am come to seek you where we parted." + +When he came upon the moor, he wondered again at the change of all the +country round. He thought of the charred, blackened waste on which he had +stood before, and now he looked with amazement at the golden gorse, the +purple heather, so thick that he could scarcely pick his way amongst it. + +"It is a beautiful place now," he said, "but I liked it better years ago, +deserted and desolate though it was, for my Chrysea was here." + +There were so many trees upon the common that he could not tell which was +the one on which his harp had hung, but, unable to go any farther, he +staggered and sank down beneath a large oak-tree, in whose branches a +blackbird was singing most sweetly. The sun was setting just as of yore +when he had found his harp, and most of the birds' songs were over, but +this one bird still sang sweet and clear, and Arasmon, tired and weak +though he was, raised his head and listened. + +"I never heard bird sing like that," he said. "What is the tune it sings? I +will play it on my harp before I die." And with what strength remained to +him he reached forth his trembling hand, and grasping his harp struck upon +it the notes of the bird's song, then he fell back exhausted, and his eyes +closed. + +At once the harp slid from his hand, and Chrysea stood beside him--Chrysea +dressed as of old, in shining white and gold, with bright hair and eyes. + +"Arasmon!" she cried, "see, it is I, Chrysea!" but Arasmon did not move. +Then she raised her voice and sang more sweetly than the bird overhead, and +Arasmon opened his eyes and looked at her. + +"Chrysea!" cried he; "I have found my wife Chrysea!" and he laid his head +on her bosom and died. And when Chrysea saw it her heart broke, and she lay +beside him and died without a word. + +In the morning when some of the villagers crossed the common they saw +Arasmon and Chrysea lying beneath the oak-tree in each other's arms, and +drew near them, thinking they were asleep, but when they saw their faces +they knew they were dead. + +Then an old man stooped and looked at Chrysea, and said, + +"Surely it is the woman who came to us and sang long ago, when we were in +our troubles; and, though he is sadly changed and worn, it is like her +husband who played for her singing." + +Then came the girl who had driven the cows and told them how she had met +Arasmon, and all he had said to her. + +"He searched everywhere for his wife, he said," said she. "I am glad he has +found her. Where could she be?" + +"Would that we had known it was he," said they all, "how we would have +greeted him! but see, he looks quite content and as if he wished nothing +more, since he has found his wife Chrysea." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE HEART OF PRINCESS JOAN + +[Illustration] + + +Long ago, in the days of fairies, there lived a King and Queen, who were +rich and happy. + +But the Queen was a proud, haughty woman, and disliked every one more +powerful than herself. And most of all, she hated the fairy folk, and could +not bear them to come to the castle where she and the King dwelt. + +Time passed, and the Queen had a little baby,--a daughter whom they called +Joan--and the bells were rung, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country, and the King and Queen were happy as the day is long. + +One day as the Queen sat by the cradle of the little Princess, watching +it, she said, "My pretty babe, when you are grown to be a woman you will be +rich and beautiful, and you shall marry some young Prince, who will love +you dearly, and then in your turn be Queen, and have a fine palace, and +jewels, and lands to your heart's content." Scarcely had she done speaking +when she heard a little noise beside her, and, looking up, saw a woman +dressed in yellow from head to foot standing on the other side of the +cradle. She wore a yellow cap, which covered her head completely, so that +no hair was seen, and her eyes, which looked cunning and fierce, were +yellow as her dress. + +"And how do you know, Queen, that your child will be so happy? Whose help +will you seek to get her all these fine things?" said the strange woman. + +"I will ask no one's help," said the Queen haughtily, "for I am Queen of +the land, and can have what I please." + +The yellow woman laughed, and said, "Don't be too sure, proud Queen; but +the next night that the moon is bright, guard well the Princess when the +clock strikes twelve, lest aught of her's be stolen from her." + +"No thief shall come near her," cried the Queen; but ere she had done +speaking the woman had vanished, and the Queen knew it was a fairy. + +The sky that night was dark and overcast, and no moon to be seen, and the +next night was the same, but the third night the moon shone bright and +clear, and as the clock struck twelve the Queen awoke and looked at the +baby, who was sleeping peacefully in its cradle; but 'twixt the strokes of +the clock she heard a faint whistling outside the window, which grew louder +and fuller each moment. 'Twas as if some one whistled to decoy away a bird, +and on hearing it the baby awoke and began to cry bitterly. The Queen could +not quiet her, try how she might. At last the little one gave one scream +louder than all the others and then lay quite still, and at that moment the +Queen saw something flutter across the room like a tiny bird, with pink, +soft feathers. It flew straight out of the window, and the whistling +ceased, and all again was quiet as before. The Queen took the baby in her +arms and looked at it anxiously by the light of the moon, but it looked +well and slept calmly, so its mother placed it in its cradle and tried to +forget the yellow fairy and the whistling. + +The nurse of the Princess Joan was a very wise old woman who knew a great +deal of fairies and their ways, and as the child grew up she watched her +with an anxious face. + +"She is under a charm," she said, "though what it is I don't know; but +before she is a woman they will see how different she is from others." + +The nurse's words proved to be true. No one had ever seen a little girl +like the Princess. Nothing troubled her. She never shed one tear. If she +were angry she would stamp her feet and her eyes would flash, but she never +wept, and she loved nobody. When her little dog died she laughed outright; +when the King her father went to the war it did not grieve her; and when he +returned she was no happier than she had been when he was away. She never +kissed her mother, or her ladies, and when they said they loved her, she +stared at them, and asked what they meant. At this the ladies were angry +with her and chid her for being hard-hearted, but the old nurse always +stopped them, saying, + +"'Tis not her you should blame. She is enchanted, but 'tis not her fault." + +Princess Joan grew up and was the loveliest woman in the land. It was many +long years since any one so fair had been seen, but for all that her mother +mourned over her sorely, and her eyes were red with crying for her +beautiful daughter, who had never yet wept one tear herself. + +The neighbouring country was governed by a King and Queen who had only one +son, named Michael, whom everybody loved dearly. He was a handsome young +man, and as good as he was handsome. He was as gracious to the poorest +beggar as to the greatest lord, and all the poor folk came to him to tell +him their troubles, if they thought they were badly treated; and because +he was brave and handsome also, the court people loved him as well as the +peasants. + +In this country there stood on a high hill a round tower, and at the top of +it lived an old wizard. No man knew his age, for he had dwelt there for +hundreds of years, and no one knew how the tower had been built, for it was +made of one huge stone, and there were no joins in it at all. + +The King and Queen were afraid of the old magician, and never went near +him; indeed, no one in all the country had ever ventured to climb the tower +and see the old man at his work except Prince Michael, who knew the old +sorcerer well and did not fear him at all, but went up and down the tower +as he chose. + +One bright moonlight night it chanced that the Prince found himself alone +on the hill-side, and seeing a bright light shining from the top of the +tower he resolved to enter and pay the old man a visit. So he went to a +little door, and pushing it open stepped into a narrow, dark, winding +staircase, that went straight up the centre to the room at the top, in +which the wizard dwelt. The staircase was pitch dark, for there were no +windows. Moreover, it was so narrow that only one person could walk in it +at a time, but Prince Michael knew the way quite well, and climbed and +climbed till he saw a chink of light, and at last trod through a little +doorway into the room in which the sorcerer sat. + +This room was as light as day, for it was lit by a lamp which the old man +himself had made, and in which no oil or wick was burning, but every day it +was filled with sunbeams, and held them at night after the sun had set. + +So the whole room was brilliant, and in the middle sat the wizard, who was +a wonderful old man to look on, for he was all white. His beard was white +as snow, and from afar you could not tell which was beard and which gown, +but when you came near you saw that the beard flowed nearly to his feet, +and his skin was as white as either beard or gown. And his eyes were quite +colourless, but as bright as two candles. + +When Michael entered he sat looking at an enormous book full of coloured +pictures of little men and women about three inches high each. They were +not like other pictures, for they walked and moved over the page as though +they were alive. + +"It is I, father. What book are you looking at?" said Michael, stepping up +to the old man's side. + +"In this book," said the wizard, "I keep the portraits of all the men and +women in the world, and they are living portraits too, for they move, and +look just like the originals." + +"That must be very amusing," cried Michael. "Pray show me the portraits of +all the Kings, and Queens, and Princesses. This will be delightful," and he +knelt down by the old man and looked over his shoulder. + +The sorcerer muttered to himself and turned over the pages, and then +stopped at one on which Michael saw little figures of Kings and Queens of +all sorts, some of which he knew, and some of which he had never seen +before. + +[Illustration: "'Tis their daughter, Princess Joan," said the wizard with a +sigh. "But do not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but +trouble to all who know her."--P. 87.] + +"There," he cried, "is old King Rene who came to our court last year, and +that is Queen Constance, and that is their nephew Prince Guilbert, who will +be king when they are dead, and here are our neighbours the King and Queen +of the next country, and oh, my father, who is this lovely Princess next to +them?" + +"'Tis their daughter Princess Joan," said the wizard with a sigh. "But do +not look at her, my son, for she will bring nothing but trouble to all who +know her." + +"I don't care if she bring trouble or happiness," cried the Prince. "But +for certain she is the most beautiful creature in the world," and he seized +the book and looked long at the tiny figure of the Princess. Truly it was +very beautiful. It was dressed in white, with a golden girdle round the +waist, and a wreath of golden daisies on its head, and as Michael looked, +it turned upon the pages, and smiled at him till he smiled back again, and +could not move his eyes from it. + +When the wizard saw this, he took the book from the young man's hands, and +hid it away, saying, + +"Think no more of Princess Joan, however beautiful she be, or one day you +will rue it dearly." + +Prince Michael made no answer, but he thought all the more of the little +picture of the Princess. After he had left the tower, and returned to the +palace, he could not forget her, but dreamt of her all night, and thought +of her all day. + +Next morning he went to the King and said, "My father, I am come to beg +that you will send to the King of the next country and ask if I may have +his daughter, Princess Joan, for my wife, for I have seen her portrait, and +there is no one in the world whom I love so well." + +When the King heard this he was delighted. + +"Our good neighbours," he said, "are rich and powerful, and it will be a +capital thing for our son to marry their daughter." So he at once sent off +an ambassador to beg for the hand of Princess Joan for Prince Michael. + +Joan's father and mother were delighted with the offer, and at once +resolved to accept it; but the Queen's heart sank within her, for she +thought, "Our poor Joan is not like any other maid who ever lived before, +and perhaps when Prince Michael sees her and finds this out, he will refuse +to wed her after all;" but she said nothing of her fears, and the +ambassador returned to the court, loaded with presents, and bearing a +message of acceptance. + +Till his return Prince Michael knew no peace or rest, but wandered about +among the hills by himself, thinking of Joan, and still, in his heart, he +wondered what the magician had meant when he said that if he thought much +of Princess Joan, one day he would rue it. + +At last he said to himself, "I will disguise myself as a poor man, and go +and see my Princess for myself before the ambassador returns, then shall I +know what the wizard means." + +So he dressed himself as a peasant, and started alone without telling any +one whither he went, and he travelled day and night till he came to the +country where Joan dwelt and to her father's palace. Then he walked near +the palace gardens, and no one noticed him, and he saw a group of lovely +ladies, who sat together on the grass. + +His heart beat high as he looked at them, for in their midst, most +beautiful of all, sat the Princess Joan. Her yellow hair fell to her waist, +her face was like a blush rose, and her eyes were blue as forget-me-nots, +but when she lifted them, he saw that they were clear and hard as glass, +and her voice when she spoke was like a bright cold bell. + +There ran up to her a little serving-maid, crying bitterly, and said, + +"I beg of you, Princess, to let me return to my own home for a time, for my +father, the huntsman, has broken his leg and is very ill." + +"Why should you cry for that?" said the Princess. "'Tis your father and not +you that is hurt; but you may go, for when you cry and your eyes look red +you are ugly, and I don't like to see you, so be sure that when you return +you are pretty and bright as ever." + +When her ladies heard her they looked angry, but no one spoke, and the +little maid went crying away. + +Up there came a groom from the palace and said, + +"Your Royal Highness, the horse that you rode yesterday is dead, and we +think it is because you would ride so far when it was already tired, as we +told you." + +"Dead is it?" cried the Princess. "Then see quickly and get me another, +that I may ride again to-morrow, and be sure this time that it is a good +strong horse, or it may give way beneath me and so my ride be shortened." + +The groom went away muttering, and the Princess's ladies looked even graver +than before, but the Princess's own face was bright as a summer sky, and +she talked on without heeding their sad looks. + +Prince Michael turned away with a heavy heart. + +"The magician spoke truly," he said to himself, "and there will be nothing +but sorrow for all those who love my poor Princess Joan." + +Yet he could not bear to leave her and return at once to his own home, and +still he remained near the palace, and for some days watched her +unnoticed, when she walked and rode, and listened to all she said, and each +day he grieved more and more, for she never said one kind loving word to +any one; yet each day when he saw how beautiful she was he loved her more +and more. + +When he again returned to his own home he found great rejoicings +everywhere, for the ambassador had returned with a message from Joan's +father promising she should marry the Prince, and everywhere preparations +were being made for the entry of the Princess to her new home. + +"And now, my son," said the King, "all is arranged for you to journey in +state to her father's court and bring back your bride, so now I hope that +you are happy and wish for nothing more." + +On hearing this Prince Michael's face was sad and grave, and his father and +mother wondered what ailed him. But he said to himself, "I will never marry +my Joan till she loves me as I do her, and how can she ever do that when +she loves no one, not even her own father and mother?" + +At the court of Joan's father grand preparations had been made, and all was +in excitement when Prince Michael arrived with servants, and horses, and +presents for the bride. + +The King and Queen sat in state to receive him, and beside them was Joan, +and she looked so beautiful, in a dress as blue as her eyes, that every one +said, "How glad he will be when he sees how lovely she is." + +There was a blowing of trumpets and ringing of bells when Prince Michael, +followed by his attendants, entered, and the King and Queen and all the +courtiers rose. + +He passed up the hall to the thrones on which they sat, and kneeling on one +knee, kissed their hands, and last he kissed the hand of the Princess, but +he did not lift his eyes from the ground or look in her face, and his own +was so sad that the people whispered to each other, and said, "What is the +matter, and why does he look so unhappy? Surely he ought to be content when +he sees how beautiful she is." + +At night when the merrymakings were over the Prince sent a message to the +Queen, begging she would speak with him alone, and when she heard this her +heart sank, and she thought, "He must know that there is something amiss +with Joan, and perhaps he comes to say he will not marry her after all." + +So she sent every one away, except the old nurse and bid the Prince to +come. + +When he came in and saw her sad looks he said, "You have guessed then, +Queen, why I come to speak to you. Tell me truly what ails Princess Joan, +and why is she unlike any one I ever saw." The Queen cried bitterly, and +said, "I know not; would I did!" but the old nurse said, + +"I know and will tell you, Prince. Princess Joan is under a spell. A bad +fairy enchanted her when she was a tiny baby, and till this charm is +broken, she will never be like other people." + +"And what is the charm?" asked the Prince. + +"Nay, that I don't know," said the nurse. Then she told Michael of the +yellow woman and the whistling the Queen had heard at night; and as he +listened the Prince sighed and said, "There is no charm which cannot be +broken if one does but know how, but this is hard to do, for we do not know +what the spell is, or who is the fairy who cast it. But bid the people +cease their preparations, Queen, and stop the wedding rejoicings, for there +will be no wedding. No, not till I have found the fairy who has wronged my +Joan, and made her set her free. To-morrow I shall start at break of day, +and journey to the farthest ends of the world, to search for what can break +the charm. But I pray, Queen, that Joan may wait for me for seven years, +and if, when they are past, I have not returned, and you have heard nothing +of me, you must think that I am dead and gone, and marry her to whom you +will, for if I be alive, I will return before then. And till seven years +are past remember that Joan is still mine." + +On hearing this the Queen wept still more, and begged the Prince either to +remain and marry Joan, or to leave her and return to his home and forget +her; but if he wandered away to lands of goblins and fairies, no one would +know what had become of him, and he would never find the fairy who had +charmed Joan or learn how to break the spell; but Prince Michael only shook +his head, and said, "I have sworn that I will not marry Joan till she loves +me as I do her, neither can I return to my home and forget her, so bid her +be ready at dawn to-morrow to bid me farewell, and tell none that I am +going till I have gone. Also I beg you to send a messenger to my father and +mother to tell them why I do not return, for I will not see them first, +lest they too should try to dissuade me." The Queen said no more, but she +cried very bitterly; but the old nurse smiled and nodded to Michael and +said, + +"You do well. You are a noble Prince, and would well deserve our Princess's +love." + +Next morning at break of day the Queen awoke the Princess and bade her +rise, for Prince Michael waited to bid her good-bye. The Prince stood at +the door of the palace, and when Princess Joan came out looking lovelier +than ever in the dim morning light, the tears filled his eyes, and he +thought, "Most likely I shall never see her again, and then she will never +know how much I have loved her." + +"Good-bye, Joan," he said; "do not quite forget me for seven years, for +perhaps I may yet come back and marry you." + +"And why do you go?" said Joan; "I had thought there would be a grand +wedding, and I should have all the gifts that are being prepared for me, +and now I shall have nothing; but good-bye, if go you must." + +Michael sighed as he mounted his horse and bade her farewell. When he +looked back at the palace, the Queen and Joan still stood at the door, and +the Queen sobbed; but Princess Joan looked quite happy and contented, and +smiled brightly. + +Prince Michael rode and rode, till he came to his own home, and then he +turned at once to the tower in which dwelt the magician. He climbed the +tower and found the old man sitting alone as before, but he had no book +before him, and he looked very grave. + +"I know why you are come," he said, as soon as Michael entered the room. +"So you have seen Princess Joan; and do you still wish to marry her?" + +"I will marry her, or no one," said Michael. "But not till I have found out +who has bewitched her, and have broken the charm." + +"You will have to search far for that," said the wizard; "And it may be +years ere you could set her free. Forget her, my son, and return to your +own home, and do not waste your life in a fruitless quest." + +"I will seek to break the charm, even if it take my whole life," said +Michael. "But tell me what it is, and how shall I find out how to break +it." + +"A fairy has stolen her heart," said the wizard, "and that is why she loves +no one, and can feel no sorrow; she has no heart with which to love or +pity, and till it is found and restored to her, she will be hard and cold +as stone. The fairy swore she would be revenged on her mother for her +pride, and so she is." + +"Then I will go and seek her heart, and bring it back to her," said +Michael. "But where shall I look for it? Tell me at least where has the +fairy hidden it." + +"She has taken it to a castle in which are kept all the hearts of men and +women, that fairies steal, or that they themselves throw away; and this +castle is very far from here; moreover, it is guarded by an old gnome, who +is spiteful and cruel, and who pays no heed to those who beg him to let +them enter. Give up the Princess and return to your home, for if you go, +you will only die, or be enchanted like poor Princess Joan." + +"Nevertheless, I shall go," said Michael. "So tell me what path to take, +and I will start at once." + +On hearing this the sorcerer took from his bosom a small round piece of +glass, and gave it to the young man. "Take this," he said; "It is all that +I can give you, to help you, and through it you must look at the stars, and +you will see that they are all of different colours--blue, green, red, and +yellow; look for the one which is the deepest, brightest red, and follow +it; it will lead you many miles both by land and sea, but follow steadily, +and let nothing turn you from your course, and you will surely come to the +castle wherein is imprisoned the heart of your Princess." + +The Prince thanked the magician, and took the glass; then bidding him +"Good-bye," he left the strangely lighted chamber, and went down the dark +staircase, and stood again on the hill outside, with the dark sky overhead +filled with shining stars. + +Michael raised the glass and looked at them through it, and then he almost +shouted with surprise, for they looked wonderful. They were like jewels of +all colours--green, blue, yellow, pink--and in the south was one of a deep +glowing red, like a blood-red rose, and Michael knew that that was the star +he must follow. + +Then he looked back towards his father's palace. "Farewell," he said; "some +day I will return, and bring with me my Princess Joan." So he set off, and +journeyed and journeyed, till he had reached towns and villages which he +had never seen before. All that night he travelled while the stars shone, +and he could see the rosy star to follow. But when the stars grew pale, +and the sun rose, and people began to wake up and turn to their work, he +lay down under a tree and slept soundly. When he woke the day was almost +done, and the sun was sinking. So he went to a little town near and bought +food, and rested till again the stars shone in the sky. Then he rose and +went on all night, still following the crimson star. So passed many days +and nights, and he journeyed through strange lands, and his heart sank when +he thought, "So may I wander all round the world, and come no nearer to the +star, or to the castle where they keep the heart of my poor Joan." + +At last he came to the sea-shore, and in front of him lay a great cold sea, +and beyond it he saw no sign of land. But the star shone right over it, and +he knew that he must cross, if he still would follow it. It was in the +evening, the sun had set, but some fishermen still remained on the beach, +resting beside their boats. Michael went up to them, and taking some money +from his pocket, asked for how much they would sell him one of their +boats. + +At this the men looked surprised, and one of them said, "Why do you wish to +buy a boat? We use them to fish near the shore, but no boat or ship has +ever crossed this sea, for no one knows what land is beyond." + +"Then I will be the first to find out," said Michael. "Tell me how much you +want, and give me your largest boat." On this the men muttered together, +and one said, "He is mad." "Yes," said another, "but his money is good, for +all that. Let the madman have his way. It will hurt him, not us." So they +gave Michael their best boat, and he paid them well, and he set sail and +steered where the red star shone. He sailed all night till he had left +every trace of land behind him, and saw no shore in front, only the cold, +gray sea on every side. By day he kept the boat still, afraid lest he +should get out of the track of the star, but when the second night came he +was so weary that in spite of himself he fell asleep. When he awoke he +found the sun had risen, and his boat was drifting close to land. It was a +flat, lonely shore, without trees or grass growing in sight, and facing +him was an immense castle. It was built of black marble, and a more gloomy +place could not be, for the windows were small and high up, and were all +barred across, with heavy iron bars, and the castle had no spires or +towers, but was one square black block, and looked more like a prison than +a castle. Around it was a high wall, and outside this a moat, without a +bridge. + +Michael steered his boat to shore, and stepped from it, and looked about +for some way by which he could cross the moat, and try for entrance to the +castle. Then he saw a little hut near, and beside it lay an old man +apparently fast asleep. He was small and dark, and his face was gray and +wrinkled as a monkey's, and he had no hair on his head. Close beside him +coiled up was a large snake, also asleep. Michael stood watching them both, +afraid to wake them, when, without a word, the gray man raised his head, +and opening a pair of dull, gray eyes, fixed them on him. Still he did not +speak, and at last the Prince, growing impatient, went up to him and said, +"Friend, I beg you to tell me how I am to enter the castle; or if you have +the key, to give it to me." + +On this the old man answered, "I have the key, and no one can enter without +my leave. What will you give me for it?" + +"Why," said Michael, "I have nothing but money," and he took some coins +from his pocket as he spoke. + +At this the old man laughed. "Your money is nothing to me," he said; "But +look yonder. Over there I am building a wall of heavy stones, and I am old, +and my strength fails me; stay and work for me at that wall, and in return +I will give you the key of the castle." + +"But how long must I work?" said Michael, "For unless I can enter the +castle before seven years are over, it will be no use to me. + +"Look at that serpent," said the old man; "It is sitting on its eggs. When +they are hatched you shall have the key and open the castle door. Till then +you must be my slave." + +"Gladly," said Michael, who was delighted; "for no snake could take seven +years hatching its eggs." + +Then the old man rose, and beckoning to him to follow, went into the little +cottage. From a nail upon the wall he took a pair of manacles fastened +together by a heavy iron chain. These he slipped over Michael's wrists, and +stooping down over them, muttered a few words, and at once the manacles +fastened together as if they had been locked, and Michael could not move +them, or draw out his hands. Then the old man took down another heavy chain +and passed it over the first and fastened it with more iron rings to his +ankles, so that he could only move his arms and hands a little way, and +could not raise them high, and could only walk with slow careful steps. +This done, he pointed to where, on the wall high up, hung a gleaming golden +sword, the handle of which was set with precious stones. + +"That," said he, "is the key of the castle, and you need only push the +doors with its point and they will all fly open; but while your hands are +chained you cannot reach it to lift it down, but when the serpent's eggs +are hatched your iron rings will fall off, and you yourself may take the +sword down from its place, and push your way into the castle. Now get you +to your work, and work hard, or you may rue it." + +Then he showed Michael how he was to move the heavy stones, and where to +build with them, and he himself sat down by the serpent and watched him, +while the Prince went to work with a light heart, for he thought, "It is +hard work while it lasts, but 'twill not be for long, and 'tis not much to +do to win my Joan." So he worked hard till the sun had set, and then the +old man rose, saying, "Enough," and called him into the hut and gave him +food and drink, but he ate nothing himself, and then he showed him where he +could sleep in one corner, and Michael lay down and slept soundly and +dreamed of Joan. + +At break of day he was waked by the old man, who again gave him plenty to +eat, and again ate nothing, but what he gave to him he took from an urn in +the corner, and when he had done he put into the urn the fragments that +were left. + +All day Michael worked hard, and in the evening as he passed by the snake, +he looked at it as it lay coiled over its eggs, and said, + +"How soon will your work be done, and mine also, good snake? Make haste, I +pray, that I may find my way into the castle, and return to my Princess." + +So the days passed. Each morning the old man awoke Michael and gave him +food, and set him to work, and all day he laboured hard. Then when night +approached, he called "Enough," and beckoning him into the hut, gave him +plenty to eat and drink, but never ate himself, and beside that one word +never spoke, but crouched all day beside the snake, with closed eyes as if +asleep. + +Meantime, the doors of the castle never opened, and no one was seen going +in, or coming out; but sometimes, towards night, strange noises might be +heard from within its walls; sometimes there were wails and moans, which it +filled Michael with horror to hear, and sometimes there was sweet singing, +so sweet that it drew tears to his eyes. + +But the days passed, and the serpent never moved from its eggs, and +Michael's heart began to be oppressed with fear, lest the old man was +deceiving him, and they should never be hatched at all. As each day passed, +he put aside a stone on a bare rock, and one day when he counted over the +stones to see how many days were gone, he found that more than a year had +passed since his boat had brought him to the shore. His hands had grown +hard and brown and cracked, with working at the heavy stones, and his face +and neck were blistered and sunburnt with the fierce sun that beat upon +them as he worked. His clothes were cut and torn and soiled, and yet he +seemed to be no nearer entering the castle. Then he rose and went into the +cottage, and looked longingly at the sword which hung high up, on the +walls, and raised his arms to try and reach it, but the chains held him +down, and as he turned from it in despair he saw the old man standing in +the doorway watching him with his cold dull eyes. + +"What would you do here?" he asked; "have I not bid you serve me till the +serpent's eggs are hatched, and then the sword shall be yours?" + +"And when will the serpent's eggs be hatched?" cried Michael in despair. + +"That," said the old man, "I cannot tell, but a bargain is a bargain; keep +you your part and I will keep mine." Then he turned again to where the +serpent lay, and lying down beside it closed his eyes, and Michael returned +to his work mournfully. + +Time passed, but there came no change. Michael despaired in his heart, but +he could not have escaped even if he would, because of the chains which +hung from his arms. + +"I will work here," he said, "till the seven years are out, then I will +climb on the wall which I have built and throw myself into the sea and end +my troubles." + +Sometimes at night he would take from his bosom the piece of magic glass +which the wizard had given him and would gaze through it at the star which +still looked a bright crimson colour. + +"Why have you led me here, cruel star," he asked sadly, "if you cannot help +me more? Are you shining over my home and my Princess, and does she +remember me? The seven long years will soon be passed, and they will wed +her to another king, and it will be all of no avail that I have given up +everything to find her heart, since I have only broken my own." + +So the time passed. Michael worked hard by day, but by night he lay and +wept. One day, when the seven years had nearly worn themselves away, he +bent over a pool of water, and in it saw his own form, and he saw that his +hair was thin and streaked with gray, and his face furrowed and seamed, and +his eyes dim with crying, also his shoulders were bowed with hard work, and +his clothes, once so gorgeous, now hung mere rags upon his bent form. + +"Now all is in vain," said he, "for if even I returned to my own home no +one will know me, so changed am I. I will go and kill the snake that has +caused my misery, and then I will slay the old man who has deceived me." + +So he went up to the snake, who lay motionless coiled over its eggs as +usual, and reached out his hand to grasp its throat, but as he did so his +tears fell and dropped upon its head, and it writhed fearfully and then +glided away so fast that he could not see where it went, and left the heap +of gray eggs bare beneath his hand. The old man lay beside them as still as +usual, and did not move or open his eyes, even when the snake glided +hissing past him. + +"If the snake has escaped me," cried Michael, "then at least I can destroy +the eggs;" and lifting his heel he struck them with all his might, but his +foot left no mark upon them, nor even moved them from their place. They +might have been made of iron, and each one nailed to the ground, so hard +and firm they stood. + +Michael burst out weeping afresh. "How foolish I am," he said, "Yes, and +wicked too. It is not the fault of the poor snake that its eggs are not +hatched. Perhaps it is enchanted like me, and waits as patiently for them;" +and he bent his head till his tears fell upon the eggs. No sooner did they +touch them, than the shells broke, and the pieces fell asunder, and from +each egg came a small moving thing, though what it was Michael did not see, +for he leaped to his feet with a shout of joy, which filled the air, and +echoed again from the castle. At this the old man opened his eyes, and +raising himself gazed, as if thunderstruck, with astonishment at the eggs. + +"Tis a miracle," he cried, chuckling with joy. + +But out of the eggs, there came no one fully formed animal, but from one +egg came a foot, from another a leg, from another a tail, and from one a +head, and each looked as though it belonged to some different beast, yet +all these drew themselves together, and joined so well that the join was +not to be seen. And they made a hideous monster of many colours. Then the +manacles on Michael's wrists burst asunder, and the chains fell to the +ground. + +"Now," he cried, "I will go and take for myself the sword from the wall, +and win my way into the castle, and nothing shall hinder me more." And he +turned and rushed into the hut. There, upon the wall hung the shining +sword, and Michael reached out his hand and seized it firmly, and drew it +down from its place. + +"I will swear a vow," he cried, "upon this sword, that when I enter the +castle, I will say not one word for good or for ill to any one, save to ask +for what I come to seek, lest I should again be kept for years. Moreover, I +will not taste food or drink, till I have found the heart of my Joan to +take back to her." Then, with the sword in his hand, he passed the old man, +who still sat chuckling over the monster, too busy to heed him, and he went +straight on to the bridgeless moat. It was not wide, and he swam it easily, +and scrambled up the bank by the stone wall. He pushed with the point of +the sword at the gate, and it at once flew open, and he stood in the outer +court. Then he saw a heavy door in the wall of the castle, and went up to +it, nothing fearing, and, on touching it with the sword's point, it too +flew open at once, and he entered. + +He stepped into a passage filled with flowers and hung with silken +hangings. He trod upon a velvet carpet, and the air was laden with sweet +scents, and from afar he heard sweet voices singing. He strode on through +another door, and yet another, and at each step he took all things became +lovelier, till at last he passed into a splendid chamber, the like of which +he had never seen before. In the ceiling were precious stones set in +patterns of flowers and crowns, on the walls were soft velvet hangings and +embroideries. The furniture was of carven gold and silver and ivory, and +everywhere grew flowers of wonderful beauty, which sprang from the floor +and crept along the walls, and filled the air with sweet scents, and +hanging on the walls were cages which held what Michael thought were birds, +which sang most sweetly. + +On a table in the centre of the room was a banquet all laid ready, and as +Michael looked at it and wondered where he should go farther, a curtain was +drawn aside, and there stepped forth a stately dame dressed in black +velvet, who came smiling towards him and held out her hand, saying, "I am +indeed glad to see you, I am mistress of this castle, and you are very +welcome; but I beg that before you tell me from where you come and what you +seek, you will sit down and share this feast with me." Michael was +beginning to answer, when he felt the sword in his hand, and remembered his +oath, and looking full in the face of the new-comer, said, "I seek the +heart of Princess Joan." + +"And you shall find it," answered the grand lady. "But first you must rest +and eat, for you must be both tired and hungry;" and so saying she sat at +one end of the table, and signed to Michael to sit at the other, and took +the golden covers from the dishes, and prepared to begin the feast. Michael +knew not what to do, but he sat at the table in silence, and all at once +bethought him of the magic glass in his bosom, and drawing it forth when +she was not looking, gazed through it at her, and then he beheld no +finely-dressed lady, but a wizened old woman, robed in yellow, with an evil +yellow face and evil yellow eyes. He hid the glass again, and sat still as +stone, though the yellow woman pressed on him the different dishes again +and again. He saw that her face grew white with rage. Then all of a sudden +she disappeared, and the lights went out, and he was left alone in the +darkness. He rose and searched for the door by which he had entered, but +could not find it nor any way out of the room; so there he was, a prisoner +alone with the singing-birds. + +"Never mind," quoth he to himself cheerily; "I have at last reached the +inside of the castle, and surely shall find the heart of my Joan, and if I +keep my vow and neither eat nor drink here or say aught but ask for that +which I seek, nothing can harm me." + +So he sat down contentedly to wait for what might come. There he sat the +whole night, and no one came near him, but the birds sang so beautifully +that he almost forgot how the time passed. + +When morning dawned and light again shone through the windows, he searched +everywhere for some way out of the room, but the door had quite +disappeared. Moreover, the feast had gone from the table. The day passed, +and still he was all alone, and as evening again drew in he sat and +lamented, quite wearied out and faint for want of food. But when the +darkness came, the lamps about the room were suddenly lit as if by magic, +and all was brilliant, and a curtain was drawn aside, and there came in a +little child with bright eyes and hair, who held in one hand a goblet and +in the other a well-filled plate. These she placed before Michael, saying, +"My mistress sends you these, and begs that you will eat and drink, for you +must be both hungry and thirsty;" but Michael pushed away the goblet and +the plate, and said, + +"I seek the heart of Princess Joan; I beg you to give it to me." + +To this the seeming child answered nothing, but still pressed on him the +food and wine. Then Michael took from his bosom the magic glass and looked +through it, and saw no lovely child, but the same yellow hag with +shrivelled face and evil eyes. With a cry of rage she disappeared, and +though Michael searched everywhere, he could not find the way by which she +went. + +Now indeed he began to feel that unless he ate he could not live much +longer, and wept from very weakness. + +"Still I will neither eat nor drink," he said, "till I have found what I +came to seek, and the fairy cannot refuse me much longer." + +Night passed and day came, and he lay upon a couch quite still, too weak to +move, yet he feared to sleep lest some spell should be thrown upon him. + +So he lay all day, and as evening again drew near he began to feel despair, +for he knew that in another day he would be dead of hunger. + +"Oh! Why have I toiled for seven years," he cried aloud, "and at last won +my way into the castle, if now I am to be starved to death, and Joan will +never know how I have laboured for her sake?" + +"And why should you be starved to death, my Prince?" said a voice; and at +once the lights lit themselves, and into the room stepped the figure of +the Princess Joan just as he had seen her last, dressed in white and gold, +and in one hand bearing a golden goblet filled with clear ruby-coloured +wine. + +Michael gave a cry of joy and held out his arms to clasp her in them, but +as he did so the sword sprang as it hung at his side, and he remembered his +vow and drew back and gazed at her without speaking. + +She knelt down beside him and raised the goblet to his lips, saying softly, +"My poor love, how long you have worked for me! Pray drink now, that you +may be refreshed ere we two start for our home." + +Then as he looked at her face and saw how beautiful she was his heart +wavered, and he thought, "Can it be my Joan, and that I have truly won +her?" and almost had he let her place the wine at his lips, while with one +hand she stroked his hair and murmured to him the while in a soft voice, +when the cup struck against the magic glass in his bosom, and he drew it +forth and looked at her, and he trembled with horror and disgust, for there +he saw no lovely Princess Joan, but the same yellow hag, who held in one +skinny hand a goblet, formed from a skull, from which she would have him +drink. + +Michael sprang to his feet and dashed it from him, and the ruby wine poured +on the floor, and there followed an awful noise like a peal of thunder, and +the room was full of smoke, and wild cries were heard. + +He grasped the sword and sat still, trembling all over; but when the smoke +cleared away the whole aspect of the room was changed; the silken hangings, +and gold, and pearls, and flowers, were all gone, and he was sitting in a +grim gray chamber like a vault, and in front of him stood the yellow hag, +whose eyes shone spitefully and her lips laughed wickedly; but in one hand +she held what it made Michael rejoice to see. It was a soft pink feathery +thing, with wings, but shaped like a heart, and it trembled and quivered in +her hand. + +"Take it," she cried, "for well have you won it. Take it, and tell the +Queen how many years of toil and labour her proud words and boasting have +cost. Then when you see her, from whom it was stolen, let it fly, but +first say over it these words:-- + + "Heart of Joan + Lost and won + Fly back home, + Thy journey's done. + Take back joy + Take back pain + Heart of Joan, + Fly home again." + +and it will fly to her side, and you will see it no more; and now begone." + +Michael seized the heart with a cry of joy and exultation, and then turned +and fled from the room through an open iron door, and passed through the +passages, no longer softly carpeted and hung with silk, but dreary and +bare, made of cold stone, down which his foot-steps echoed and clashed. + +He hurried from the castle as quickly as might be, and once outside did not +stop to look for the old man or the monster, but swam the moat, and went +straight to where his boat lay moored as he had left it, nearly seven years +before, and never paused till he had rowed so far that the gray castle and +the shore had almost passed from view. At last he came again to the shore +where he had bought his boat of the fishermen, and here he went on land, +and started to walk till he had reached Joan's country, and her father's +castle. + +He had no money, and his clothes were rags, his hair was thin and gray, and +his shoulders bent. He looked like a poor beggar, and he had to beg food as +he went, or he would have been starved. Still, he was ready to cry for joy, +because he took with him the little soft heart he had gone so far to find. + +He trudged on both day and night, making great haste, for he knew that the +seven years were almost gone, and he was afraid lest already he might be +too late, and find that Joan had married some one else. At last, after many +weary miles, he reached her country, and drew near to the palace where she +lived, and here he found that the people were all decorating their houses, +and making preparations as if for some great festival. + +He stopped and begged for food from a woman who stood by a cottage door, +and when she had given him some bread, as he ate it he asked her to tell +him what went on in the country, and why there was such rejoicing. + +"It is for the marriage of the King's daughter Joan," said the woman; +"To-morrow she is to be married to old King Lambert, and the wedding will +be very grand, but none of the country folk like it, for he is old and +ugly, and they say he does not love her at all, but only marries her that +he may be king of this country as well as his own. The Queen is in sore +distress about it, and for seven years refused her consent; but they will +be over to-morrow, and so they will be wed, and the guests are already +beginning to arrive at the palace, and each one brings some splendid gift." + +"I will be a guest at that wedding," cried Michael; "And I bring the best +gift of all for the bride;" and he hurried on again, not heeding the +woman's scorn and laughter. + +When he came to the palace, he found that it was hung with flags, and +arches of flowers were erected in front of it, and grand lords and ladies, +and servants stood at the door to receive the guests who came. + +Michael went as near as he dared, afraid lest he should be driven away by +the servants, and then he saw a little foot-page, and he went to him and +said, + +"Please tell me where is the Princess Joan, and what she is doing." + +"She is sitting with the King and Queen and King Lambert in the state-room, +to receive the guests and accept the presents they bring," said the page. + +"I am a guest, and I bring a present for her," cried Michael; "Tell me how +I shall get into the palace that I may give it to her." + +On hearing this the page burst out laughing, and told the other servants +what he said. And they were very angry, and seized Michael, and some would +have ducked him in the pond, and some would have taken him before the King, +but they said, "Not now--wait till the wedding is over to-morrow, and then +we will see how he will punish the beggar-man for his impertinence." + +So they took him off to a stone tower outside the garden gates and thrust +him into it, and locked the door, and there was only one little window high +up and barred across with bars, and from it he could see the palace and the +gardens. + +Then at last he gave way to despair. "Of what avail were all my years of +toil, and for what am I gray and old before my time," he cried, "if after +all, when I have earned that for which I worked so long, I may not give it +to Joan, but must remain a prisoner and see her pass by to marry some one +else?" and he threw himself on the ground and cried aloud. + +At night as he lay and mourned, he heard sounds of merrymaking, and music +and laughter from the castle. Sometimes he called out, "Joan! Joan! I am +here--I who have worked for you for years, and brought home your stolen +heart, and now will you wed King Lambert in spite of all?" sometimes he +beat against the bars of the prison window, but all in vain, and at last, +when all sound had ceased from the castle, he lay silent upon the ground, +caring no more for life. + +When the sun rose, and there was again a stir without, he got up and looked +from the window, and saw the old nurse who walked by herself in the garden, +and she looked very sad. Then Michael called out, "Do you not know me? You +at least, who bid me go, and praised me then, should remember me now." On +hearing this the old nurse drew near the prison window, and looked at him, +and said, "Who are you, and why are you here? My eyes are old, and my ears +are deaf, but I think I have seen you, and heard your voice before." + +"Seven years ago," said Michael, "I too was a bridegroom, who came to wed +your Princess, and for seven long years have I worked, that I might bring +home to her the heart she had not. Go and ask your Queen, why she has +broken her pledge to wait for seven years, till Prince Michael should +return." + +"Prince Michael! Is it really Prince Michael?" cried the old nurse +joyfully. "And you come in time, for our Princess is not married yet, and +she must pass by here, on her way to church. So you shall call to her as +she passes by, and speak for yourself." + +"Then keep near and tell me when she comes," said Michael, "lest she go by +without seeing me." + +Presently the whole castle was astir, and trumpets were sounding, and +clarions ringing. Then when the sun was high, Michael heard the tramping of +horses, and the sound of music, and the old nurse said to him, "Here she +is," and he looked between the bars of the prison window and saw a grand +procession, and his heart gave a bound, for in their midst, in a golden +gown, and seated on a white palfrey, was Princess Joan, and she looked just +as lovely as when he went away seven years before. + +On one side of her rode her father and mother, and the Queen's face was +most mournful, and her eyes were red with crying. On the other rode an ugly +old man, whom Michael guessed to be King Lambert, and he smiled and bowed +to the people, but they muttered and grumbled, when they looked at him, +and saw how ugly and wicked, he looked. + +When Michael saw them coming, he took from his bosom the little pink heart, +and stroked it fondly as he whispered over it, + + "Heart of Joan + Lost and won + Fly back home, + Thy journey's done. + Take back joy + Take back pain + Heart of Joan, + Fly home again;" + +and at once it spread its wings and fluttered through the bars of the +prison, and over the heads of the people, who shouted, "Look at the pink +bird!" For a moment it rested at the side of the Princess Joan, and then +disappeared. She gave a scream, and cried, + +"My mother! My father! What has happened? Oh see, it is Michael who has +returned!" and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's head +towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars to +clasp the Prince. + +[Illustration: ----and ere they could stop her she had turned her palfrey's +head towards the prison window, and pushed her white arms through the bars +to clasp the Prince."--P. 128.] + +"Michael, my love!" she cried, "How gray and worn you are now. How hard you +must have laboured for me through these long years. Now, how shall I pay +you, save by loving you all my life!" and she tried to beat down the bars +of the prison window. + +When the people heard her, they cried, "It is Prince Michael, who went +seven years ago, and who we all thought was dead, and he is returned in +time to marry our Princess. Now will we indeed have a wedding, and she +shall marry the Prince who has toiled so long for her;" and King and Queen +and people laughed for joy. 'Twas in vain for King Lambert to rage, and cry +that the Princess was betrothed to him. + +"Nay!" said the Queen, "She has been pledged to Prince Michael for seven +years. We are grieved for your sake, King Lambert, but we cannot break our +royal word." + +Then the people burst into the prison and brought out Michael, all torn and +gray as he was, and Princess Joan kissed him before them all, and begged +that he would marry her at once, that every one might see how well she +loved him and how grateful she was. So they brought a fine white horse with +a grand gold saddle, and jewelled bridle, and placed Michael upon it, and +he rode to church beside the Princess, and married her, and the people +threw flowers before them, and bells rang and trumpets sounded, and all +were glad. + +And when it was done Michael was dressed in purple and gold, and messengers +were sent to his father and mother and the old wizard, that they might come +and see how he had come home victorious, and rejoicings filled the whole +country. + +"For now we are sure of a good King," the people said. "See, he has already +shown what he can do. Surely no one else could ever have found the heart of +Princess Joan." + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: "Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, +perhaps you would not mind carrying my load for me for a little."--P. +131.] + + + + +THE PEDLAR'S PACK + +[Illustration] + + +A pedlar was toiling along a dusty road carrying his pack on his back, when +he saw a donkey grazing by the wayside. + +"Good-day, friend," said he. "If you have nothing to do, perhaps you would +not mind carrying my load for me for a little." + +"If I do so, what will you give me?" said the donkey. + +"I will give you two pieces of gold," said the pedlar, but he did not speak +the truth, for he knew he had no gold to give. + +"Agreed," said the donkey. So they journeyed on together in a very +friendly manner, the donkey carrying the pedlar's pack, and the pedlar +walking by his side. After a time they met a raven, who was looking for +worms in the roadside, and the donkey called out to him, + +"Good-morrow, black friend. If you are going our way, you would do well to +sit upon my back and drive away the flies, which worry me sadly." + +"And what will you pay me to do this?" asked the raven. + +"Money is no object to me," said the donkey, "so I will give you three +pieces of gold." And he too knew he was making a false promise, for he had +no gold at all to give. + +"Agreed," said the raven. So they went on in high good humour, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's wares, and the raven sitting on the donkey's back +driving away the flies. + +After a time they met a hedge-sparrow, and the raven called out to it, + +"Good-day, little cousin. Do you want to earn a little money? If so, bring +me some worms from the bank as we go along, for I had no breakfast, and am +very hungry." + +"What will you give me for it?" asked the hedge-sparrow. + +"Let us say four pieces of gold," said the raven grandly; "for I have saved +more during my long life than I know how to spend." But he knew this was +not true, for he had not saved any gold at all. + +"Very well," said the hedge-sparrow, and so on they went, the donkey +carrying the pedlar's pack, and the raven keeping the flies away from the +donkey, and the hedge-sparrow bringing worms to the raven. + +Presently they saw in the distance a good-sized town, and the pedlar took +out from his pack, some shawls and stuffs and hung them over the donkey's +back that the passers-by might see, and buy if they were so disposed. On +the top of the other goods lay a small scarlet blanket, and when he saw it +the hedge-sparrow said to the pedlar, + +"What will you take for that little blanket? It seems to be a good one. +Name your price and you shall have it whatever it is, for I am badly in +want of a blanket just now;" but as the hedge-sparrow had not a penny in +the world, he knew he could not pay for it. + +"The price of the blanket is five pieces of gold," said the pedlar. + +"That seems to me to be very dear," said the hedge-sparrow. "I don't mind +giving you four pieces of gold for it, but five is too much." + +"Agreed," said the pedlar, and he chuckled to himself and thought, "Now I +shall be able to pay the donkey, otherwise I might have had some trouble in +getting rid of him." + +The hedge-sparrow flew to the raven's side and whispered in his ear, +"Please to pay me the four pieces of gold you owe me, for we are coming to +a town, and I must be turning back." + +"Four pieces of gold is really too much for bringing a few worms," said the +raven. "It is absurd to expect such payment, but I will give you three, and +you shall have them almost immediately," and he bent down over the donkey's +ear and whispered, + +"My friend, it is time you paid me the three pieces of gold which you +promised, for the pedlar will stop at this town, and you will not have to +go farther with him." + +"On thinking it over," said the donkey, "I have come to the conclusion that +three pieces of gold are really a great deal too much to give for having a +few flies driven away. You must have known that I was only joking when I +said it, but I will let you have two, though I consider that it is much +more than the job was worth;" and the donkey turned again to the pedlar, +saying, "Now, good sir, your two pieces of gold, if you please." + +"In a moment," said the pedlar, and turning to the hedge-sparrow, said, "I +really must have the money for the blanket at once." + +"So you shall," answered the hedge-sparrow, and cried angrily to the raven, +"I want my money now, and cannot wait." + +"In an instant," answered the raven, and again whispered to the donkey, +"Why can't you pay me honestly? I should be ashamed of trying to slip out +of my debts in such a way." + +"I won't keep you waiting a second," said the donkey, and he turned once +more to the pedlar and cried, "Come, give me my money. For shame! a man +like you trying to cheat a poor beast like me." + +Then the pedlar said to the hedge-sparrow, "Pay me for my blanket, or I'll +wring your neck." + +And the hedge-sparrow cried to the raven, "Give me my money or I'll peck +out your eyes." + +And the raven croaked to the donkey, "If you don't pay me, I'll bite off +your tail." + +And the donkey again cried to the pedlar, "You dishonest wretch, pay me my +money or I'll kick you soundly." + +And they made such an uproar outside the walls of the town, that the beadle +came out to see what it was all about. Each turned to him and began to +complain of the other loudly. + +"You are a set of rogues and vagabonds," said the beadle, "and you shall +all come before the mayor, and he'll settle your quarrels pretty quickly, +and treat you as you deserve." + +At this they all begged to be allowed to go away, each one saying he did +not care about being paid at all. But the beadle would not listen to them, +and led them straight away to the market-place, where the mayor sat judging +the people. + +"Now, whom have we here?" cried he. "A pedlar, a donkey, a raven, and a +hedge-sparrow. A set of worthless vagabonds, I'll be bound! Let us hear +what they have to say for themselves." + +On this the pedlar began to complain of the hedge-sparrow, and the +hedge-sparrow of the raven, and the raven of the donkey, and the donkey of +the pedlar. + +The mayor did not heed them much, but he eyed the pedlar's pack, and at +length interrupted them, and said, + +"I am convinced that you are a set of good-for-nothing fellows, and one is +quite as bad as the other, so I order that the pedlar be locked up in the +prison, that the donkey be soundly well thrashed, and that the raven and +the hedge-sparrow both have their tail-feathers pulled out, and then be +turned out of the town. As for the blanket, it seems to me to be the only +good thing in the whole matter, and as I cannot allow you to keep the cause +of such a disturbance, I will take it for myself. Beadle, lead the +prisoners away." + +So the beadle did as he was told, and the pedlar was locked up for many +days in the prison. + +"It is very sad to think to what straits an honest man may be brought," he +sighed to himself as he sat lamenting his hard fate. "In future this will +be a warning to me to keep clear of hedge-sparrows. If the hedge-sparrow +had paid me as he ought, I should not be here now." + +Meantime the donkey was being soundly well thrashed, and after each blow he +cried, + +"Alas! alas! See what comes to an innocent quadruped for having to do with +human beings. Had the pedlar given me the money he owed, I should not now +be beaten thus. In future I will never make a bargain with men." + +The raven and the hedge-sparrow hopped out of the town by different roads, +and both were very sad, for they had lost all their tail feathers, which +the beadle had pulled out. + +"Alas!" croaked the raven, "my fate is indeed a hard one. But it serves me +right for trusting a donkey who goes on his feet and cannot fly. It is +truly a warning to me never again to trust anything without a beak." + +The hedge-sparrow was quite crestfallen, and could scarcely keep from +tears. "It all comes of my being so taken in by that raven," he sighed. +"But I should have known that these large birds are never honest. In future +I will be wise, and never make a bargain with anything bigger or stronger +than myself." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE BREAD OF DISCONTENT + +[Illustration] + + +Once there was a baker who had a very bad, violent temper, and whenever a +batch of bread was spoiled he flew into such a rage, that his wife and +daughters dared not go near him. One day it happened that all his bread was +burnt, and on this he stamped and raved with anger. He threw the loaves all +about the floor, when one, burnt blacker than the rest, broke in half, and +out of it crept a tiny thin black man, no thicker than an eel, with long +arms and legs. + +"What are you making all this fuss about, Master Baker?" said he. "If you +will give me a home in your oven I will see to the baking of your bread, +and will answer for it that you shall never have so much as a loaf +spoiled." + +[Illustration: "If you will give me a home in your oven I will see to the +baking of your bread, and will answer for it that you shall never have so +much as a loaf spoiled."--P. 141.] + +"And pray what sort of bread would it be, if you were in the oven, and +helped to bake it?" said the baker; "I think my customers might not like to +eat it." + +"On the contrary," said the imp, "they would like it exceedingly. It is +true that it would make them rather unhappy, but that will not hurt you, as +you need not eat it yourself." + +"Why should it make them unhappy?" said the baker. "If it is good bread it +won't do any one harm, and if it is bad they won't buy it." + +"It will taste very good," replied the imp, "but it will make all who eat +it discontented, and they will think themselves very unfortunate whether +they are so or no; but this will not do you any harm, and I promise you +that you shall sell as much as you wish." + +"Agreed!" said the baker. So the little imp crept into the oven and curled +himself into the darkness behind, and the baker saw no more of him. + +But next day he made a great batch of bread, and though he took no heed of +the time when he put it in, and drew it out, just as he wanted it, it was +done quite right--neither too dark nor too light--and the baker was in high +good humour. + +The first person who tasted the bread was the chief justice. He came down +to breakfast in high spirits, for he had just heard that an old aunt was +dead, and had left him a great deal of money. So he kissed his wife and +chucked his daughters under the chin, and told them that he had good news +for them. His old aunt had left him twenty thousand pounds in her will. On +this his wife clapped her hands for joy, and his daughters ran to him and +kissed him, and begged him to let them have some of it. So they all sat +down to breakfast in great glee, but no sooner had the justice tasted the +bread than his face fell. + +"This is excellent bread," he said, taking a large slice; "I wish +everything else were as good;" and he heaved a deep sigh. + +"Why?" cried his wife, who had not yet begun to eat. "This morning, I am +sure, there is nothing for you to complain of." + +"Nay!" said the mayor; "it is very nice to have twenty thousand pounds, but +think how much nicer it would have been if it had been thirty. How much +more one could have done with that! Or even if it had been twenty-five +thousand pounds, or even twenty-one. Twenty-one thousand pounds is a very +nice sum of money, but twenty thousand pounds is no good at all. I am not +sure that it would not be better not to have had any." + +"Nonsense!" cried his wife, who was now eating her breakfast also; "you are +very wicked to be so discontented; but one thing I do say. It would have +been much nicer if we had had it when we were young and better able to +enjoy it. Money is very little use to people at our time of life. It would +have been really nice if we had had it fifteen years ago. As it is, I can't +say I care much for it, and it makes me sad to think we did not get it +before." + +"Nay," cried the daughters; "in that case how much better it would have +been for us to have it instead of you; we are young, and able to enjoy +ourselves, and we could have given you a little of it if you'd liked, but +we could have been very happy with the rest; as it is, it is no pleasure to +us." + +So they fell to quarrelling about the money, and by the time breakfast was +done, they all had tears in their eyes, and felt discontented and unhappy. + +The next person to eat the bread was the village doctor. All night long he +had been sitting up with a man who had broken his leg, and he had feared +lest he should die, but as morning came he saw he would live, so he +returned home to his wife in very good spirits, although he was sadly +tired. The wife had already had her breakfast, but she had made all ready +for her husband, with a loaf of the baker's new bread. + +"See, dear husband," she said, "here is your breakfast, and some nice bread +quite new, because I know you like it. How glad we ought to be, that this +poor man is likely to live." + +"Yes, indeed," said the doctor; "being up all night is tiring work, but I +don't grudge it when I know that it does some good," and then he began to +eat. "I am not sure, after all, that I have done such a good thing in +curing this man. It is true that his broken leg hurt him very much, but +perhaps when he is well again, he may break his back, and that would be +much worse. Perhaps I had better have left him to die. I daresay when he is +quite well, all kinds of misfortunes will befall him; I had much better +have let him alone." + +"Why," cried his wife in surprise, "what are you saying, husband? Are you +not a doctor, and is it not your business to cure people? And when you +succeed ought you not to be glad?" + +"I wish I were not a doctor," said the husband, sighing. "It would be much +better if there were no doctors at all;" and he sat and lamented, and +nothing his wife could say, could cheer him. + +In a pretty little cottage near the doctor's house lived a young couple, +who were newly married, and were as happy as the day was long. Their +cottage was covered with roses, and filled with pretty things, and they +had everything their hearts could desire. This morning they both came down +smiling and happy, and the young wife kissed her husband, and sang for joy. +So they sat down to breakfast, chattering like two birds in a nest; but no +sooner had the husband tasted the bread than his face fell, and he was +silent for a time; then he said, + +"It is a very terrible thing to think how happy we are, for it cannot last. +Something melancholy is sure to happen to us, and till it comes we shall +live in dread of it; for we know happiness never lasts, and this is a +thought that makes me very sad." + +The wife had now also taken some bread. + +"What is this you are saying?" she said. "How can you think such dreadful +things? I do not like you when you talk like that; and I think it is very +hard for me to be married to a man who wants to be unhappy." + +"The best thing we can hope for," said the husband, sighing, "is for some +great misfortune to befall us; then we should be all right, for we should +know then, that we knew the worst that could come. As it is we shall live +in suspense all our days." + +"Now," cried his wife, "I am indeed unfortunate. What could be worse than +to have a husband who does not like being happy? I wish I had married some +one else; or indeed had no husband at all." + +So both began to grumble, and at last to quarrel, and finally both were +crying with anger. + +Not far out of the village was a large pleasant farmhouse, standing amongst +fields, and the farmer was a hale, bright man, with a good wife and pretty +children. He was very busy just now getting in the corn, for it was autumn, +and he stood among his men, directing them as they worked in the fields. He +had not had time to have a proper breakfast before going to work, but his +wife sent some out to him with some of the baker's new bread, and he sat +down under a tree to eat it. As he did so he looked up at the farmhouse, +and thought, with pride, that it was the largest farm in all the country +round, and that it had belonged to his father, and his grandfather, and +his great-grandfather, before him. + +"'Tis a fine old house, for sure," thought he, as he took a large piece of +bread, "'Tis so well built and strong;" but no sooner had he swallowed a +mouthful than his thoughts changed. + +"What should I do if it were to fall down and crush me some day," he said +to himself. "After all, 'tis only built of brick, and might tumble any day. +How much stronger it would have been if it had been built of stone. Then it +would not have been nearly so likely to give way. Really when my +great-grandfather built it he should have thought of this. How selfish all +men are;" and he became quite unhappy lest his house should fall, and +lamented while he ate. + +In the kitchen the farmer's wife was very busy cooking and cleaning, and +scarcely stopped to eat till near mid-day. Then she took up a piece of +bread and cheese, and leant against the window as she ate it, that she +might watch for her eldest girl and boy, Janey and Jimmy, who would now be +returning from school. + +"Our baker really bakes very decent bread," said she; "'tis almost as good +as my own;" and she went on eating till she saw her two children coming +through the fields together. + +"Here they come," said she; "How bonny they look. Really I ought to be very +proud of them. I don't know which is the prettier, Janey or Jimmy, but 'tis +a pity, for sure, that Janey is the eldest. It would be much better if +Jimmy were older than she. 'Tis a bad thing for the sister to be older than +the brother. Now, if he were her age, and she were his, that would be +really nice, for then he could take care of her and see after her; but, as +it is, she will try to direct him, and boys never like to obey their +sisters; I really almost think I had better not have had any children at +all," and the tears filled her eyes, and when her girl and boy ran in to +her, her face was very sad, and she seemed to be scarcely glad to see them. + +So things went on all over the village. Each one as he tasted the bread +grew discontented and angry, till at last all the people went about +grumbling and complaining, or else shedding tears outright. Only the baker +himself was cheerful and merry, and sang as he kneaded his dough, and sold +it to his customers with a light heart, for his trade had never been so +good. Every atom of bread he made was sold at once, so he cared not one +whit for the trouble of the other people, and laughed to himself when he +heard them complaining, and thought of the words of the dark little elf. + +One day as he stood kneading at the door and whistling to himself, the +doctor walked past and looked angrily at him. + +"What on earth are you making that whistling for?" he asked. "I declare one +would think that you were as happy as a man could be." + +"And so I am," said the baker, "And so I should think were you too, for you +have nothing to trouble you." + +"Nothing to trouble me, forsooth!" cried the doctor in a rage. "How dare +you insult me in this way? I tell you what it is, my fine fellow, I think +you are very impertinent, and if I have any more of your impudence I will +take my stick and thrash you soundly. It really is not to be borne, that +one man should be allowed to tell another that he has nothing to complain +of." + +"Nay, _you_ can have as much to complain of as you like, so long as I have +not," cried the baker, and he laughed loudly. This only made the doctor +angrier still, and he was just going to seize the baker when up came the +farmer. + +"Was there ever such a village as this?" he cried. "It is not fit for any +one to live in, there is always such fighting and quarrelling going on. +What is the matter here?" + +"Matter enough," cried the doctor. "Here is a fellow dares to tell me I +have nothing to complain of, nor he either." + +"This is monstrous!" said the farmer; "he deserves to be hung. How dares he +say such a thing on such a wretched day as this, with such a blue sky and +such a bright sun?" + +"Why, Master Farmer," cried the baker, "yesterday you grumbled because it +was raining, and now you grumble because it is fine." + +"And I tell you that it is enough to make one grumble," said the farmer. +"It should have been fair yesterday, and should have rained to-day. You +ought to be ashamed of such talk, Master Baker, and I think it would serve +you justly right if we took you before the Justice and let us see what he +thinks of your conduct." + +"Nay!" cried the baker, beginning to be frightened, "what have I done that +I am to be taken before the Justice?" + +"What have you done, indeed!" said the doctor. "We will see if the Justice +cannot find that out pretty quickly." So they seized the baker and dragged +him away in spite of himself, and as they pulled him through the village +the people thronged about them, and followed till there was quite a large +crowd. + +The Justice sat at his door smoking a pipe, with tears in his eyes. + +"Now what is all this uproar for?" cried he. "Am I never to be left in +peace? How hard is the life of a Justice!" but he got up and came out on +the steps to meet them. + +"See here," cried the doctor; "here is a man who says he has nothing to +complain of, and we have brought him to you, to know if he is to be +punished, or to be allowed to go on talking like this." + +"Certainly not," cried the Justice, "or we shall soon have the whole +village in an uproar. Let him be taken to the market-place, and I will +order that he be publicly flogged by the soldiers." + +At this the poor baker burst out crying, and entreated to be let off, +saying that now indeed he had plenty to complain of, but at this the +justice was angrier still. "Then," said he, "you certainly deserve to be +flogged for having told an untruth before, when you said you had not. Take +him away, and do as I bid." + +So they dragged the baker off to the market-place, and made a ring round +him, so that he could not escape, and then there came down two or three +soldiers with ropes in their hands, and they seized him, and began to beat +him before all the crowd. + +But by this time all the people were so enraged against him, that a number +of them cried, "Let us go to his house and pull it down." So off they ran +to the baker's house, and broke the windows and knocked about the +furniture, and then some of them fell on the oven, and wrenched off the +door, and others seized the pokers and tongs, and smashed in its sides, and +in the hurry and scuffle, the little dark man crept out of the oven and +scuttled away unseen by any one. But no sooner had he gone than a great +change came across the people. + +The soldiers on the green stopped beating the baker, and looked at each +other aghast, and the Justice called out, + +"Stop! What is all this uproar about? And what has this man done that you +are beating him without my orders?" and the people in the crowd whispered +to each other; "It is true,--what has he done?" and they slunk away, +looking ashamed. + +The Justice also at first looked somewhat ashamed of himself, but he drew +himself up, and looking very important, said, "There, my man, you are +forgiven for this once, and now go your way, and see that you behave better +in future;" and then he walked away with much dignity. + +So the baker was left alone in the market-place, and he cried for rage and +pain. + +"This all comes of the oven imp," cried he, as he limped home. "Directly I +get home I will drive him out of my oven, and away from my house. Better to +have a hundred batches of bread spoiled than to be flogged for saying one +is happy." But when he reached his house the little dark man was nowhere to +be found; there was nought but the broken oven with its sides battered in. + +The baker mended the oven, and from that time forth his bread was just like +other people's; but for all that he had learnt to be quite contented, for +now he knew that there were worse things than having his loaves burnt +black, and he was only too well pleased to take his chance with other +people, without the help of fairy folk. As for the little black imp, he was +never heard of more, and the people in the village soon recovered their +good humour, and were just as happy and contented as they had been before +they tasted the bread of discontent. + +[Illustration] + + + + +YE THREE CLEVER KINGS + +[Illustration] + + +Old King Roland lay upon his death-bed, and as he had no son to reign after +him he sent for his three nephews, Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete, and +addressed them as follows:-- + +"My dear nephews, I feel that my days are now drawing to an end, and one of +you will have to be King when I am dead. But there is no pleasure in being +King. My people have been difficult to govern and never content with what I +did for them, so that my life has been a hard one, and though I have +watched you all closely, still I know not, which is most fit to wear the +crown; so my wish is that you should each try it in turn. You, Aldovrand, +as you are the oldest, shall be King first, and if you reign happily, all +well and good; but if you fail, let Aldebert take your place; and if he +fail, let him give it up to Alderete, and then you will know which is the +best fitted to govern." + +On this the three young men all thanked their uncle, and each one declared +that he would do his best, and soon after old King Roland died and was +buried with great state and ceremony. + +So now Aldovrand was to be King, and he was crowned, and there were great +rejoicings everywhere. + +"'Tis a fine thing to be King," cried he in much glee; "Now I can amuse +myself and do just as I please, and there will be no one to stop me, and I +will lie in bed as late as I like in the morning, for who dares blame one, +if one is King?" + +Next morning the Prime Minister and the Chancellor came to the palace to +see the new King and settle affairs of state, but they were told that his +majesty was in bed and had given orders that no one should disturb him. + +"This is a bad beginning," sighed the Prime Minister. + +"Very bad," echoed the Chancellor. + +When they came back to the palace later in the day the King was playing at +battledore and shuttlecock with some of his gentlemen, and was very angry +at being interrupted in his game. + +"A pretty thing," he cried, "That I the King am to be sent for hither and +thither as if I were a lacquey. They must go away and come another time;" +and on hearing this the Prime Minister and Chancellor looked graver still. + +But next morning there came the Commander-in-Chief and the Lord High +Admiral, as well as the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, all wanting to +have an audience with the King, and as he was not out of bed and they could +not wait any longer, they all stood outside his bedroom door, and knocked +to gain admittance, and at last he came out in a towering rage, and +throwing them his crown, cried, + +"Here, let one of my cousins be King, for I will not bear this longer. It +is much more trouble than it is worth, so Aldebert or Alderete may try it +and see how they like it, but as for me, I have had enough of it," and he +ran downstairs and out of the palace door, leaving the Prime Minister and +the Chancellor and the General and Admiral staring at each other in dismay. + +Aldovrand walked out of the town unnoticed, and turned towards the country, +whistling cheerily to himself. When he had gone some way in the fields, he +came to a farmhouse, and in a meadow near, the farmer stood talking to his +men. Aldovrand went straight up to him, and, touching his hat, asked if he +could give him any work. + +"Work?" cried the farmer, little thinking he was talking to his late king. +"Why, what sort of work can you do?" + +"Well," said Aldovrand, "I am not very fond of running about, but if you +want any one to mind your sheep, or keep the birds from your corn, I could +do that nicely." + +"I tell you what you can do if you like," said the farmer. "I am wanting a +goose-boy to take care of my geese. See, there they are on the common. All +you will have to do is to see that they don't stray away, and to drive them +in at night." + +"That will suit me exactly," cried Aldovrand. "I will begin at once;" and +he went straight on to the common, and when he had collected the geese +together lay down to watch them in high good humour. + +"This is capital," he cried, "and much better than being King at the +palace. Here there is no Prime Minister or Chancellor to come worrying;" +and he lay watching the geese all day very contentedly. + +When the Prime Minister and the Chancellor knew that Aldovrand was really +gone, they went in a great hurry to Aldebert to tell him that it was his +turn to be King. But when he heard how his cousin had run away, he looked +frightened. + +"I will do my best," quoth he; "but I really know very little about the +matter. However, you must tell me, and I will do whatever you direct." + +At hearing this the Prime Minister and the Chancellor were delighted. + +"Now we have got the right sort of King," they said; and both wagged their +heads with joy. + +So King Aldebert was crowned, and there were great rejoicings all over the +country. + +Early next morning he was up all ready to receive his Ministers, and first +came the Prime Minister. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "I come to you on an affair of much importance. A +great part of our city is falling down, and it is very necessary that we +should rebuild it at once. If you will command it, therefore, I will see +that it is done." + +"I have no doubt you are right," said the King; "pray let them begin +building at once;" and the Prime Minister went away delighted. + +Scarcely had he gone when in came the Commander-in-Chief. + +"Your Majesty," said he, "I wish to lay before you the state of our army. +Our soldiers have had a great deal of fighting to do lately, and are +beginning to be discontented, but the late King, your uncle, would never +attend to their wants." + +"Pray do what you like," said King Aldebert. + +"To satisfy them," said the Commander-in-Chief, "I think that we should +double their pay. This would keep them in a good humour, and all will go +well." + +"By all means, that will certainly be the best way," said Aldebert. "Let it +be given to them at once;" and on hearing this, the Commander-in-Chief went +away right merrily. + +When he had gone, there came in the Chancellor with a long face. + +"Your Majesty," he said, "I have this morning been to the treasury, and I +find that there is scarcely any money left. The late King, your uncle, +spent so much in spite of all I could say, that now it is almost all gone. +Your Majesty must now save all you can for the next year or two, and you +ought also to lower the soldiers' pay, and stop all public works." + +"I have no doubt you are quite right," cried the King. "You know best, let +it be done as you wish." + +But next morning in came the Prime Minister with a frowning face. "How is +this, your Majesty?" cried he. "Just as we are beginning our buildings, the +Chancellor comes and tells us that we are not to have any money to build +with." He had not done speaking when the Commander-in-Chief burst into the +room unable to conceal his rage. + +"Yesterday your Majesty told me that all the soldiers should have double +pay, and this morning I hear, that instead of that, their wages are to be +lowered!" Here he was interrupted by the Chancellor, who came running in +looking much excited, + +"Your Majesty," he cried, "did you not yesterday say we were now to begin +saving, and that I was not to allow any more money to be spent, and that +the army must do with less pay?" + +And then all three began to quarrel among themselves. When he saw how angry +they were, King Aldebert took off his crown and said, "I am sure you are +each of you quite right; but I think I am scarcely fit to be a King. Indeed +I think you had better find my cousin Alderete, and let him be crowned, and +I will seek my fortune elsewhere." And he had slipped out of the room, and +run downstairs and out of the palace, before they could stop him. + +He went briskly down the highroad into the country, the same way that +Aldovrand had gone. + +After he had gone some way, he met a travelling tinker who sat by the +roadside mending tin cans, with his little fire at his side. + +Aldebert stood watching him, and at last said, "How cleverly you mend those +holes! You must lead a pleasant life, going from house to house in the +green lanes mending wares. Do you think I could learn how to do it if you +would teach me?" + +The tinker, who was an old man, looked at him and said, + +"Well, I don't mind giving you a trial if you like to come with me, for I +want a strong young man sometimes to help me wheel my little cart, and +I'll teach you my trade, and we'll see what you can make of it." + +So Aldebert was delighted, and went with the tinker. + +When they knew he was really gone the Prime Minister and the Chancellor +looked at each other in dismay. + +"This will never do," cried they; "we must go at once to Prince Alderete; +and let us hope he may do better than his cousins." + +When Prince Alderete heard that it was his turn to reign he jumped for joy. + +"Now," cried he, "at last I will show what a king should really be like. My +cousins were neither of them any good, but they shall now see how different +I will be." + +So he was crowned, and again there were great rejoicings all over the +country. + +Next day he sat in state to receive the Chancellor and Prime Minister and +hear what they had to say. + +"My friends," said he to them, "a good King ought to be like a father to +his people, and this is what I mean to be. I mean to arrange everything +for them myself, and if they will only obey me, and do as I direct, they +are sure to be both prosperous and happy." + +On hearing this both Prime Minister and Chancellor looked anxious, and the +Chancellor said, + +"I fear, your Majesty, your people will not like to be too much meddled +with." At this the King was very angry, and bid them see about their own +business, and not presume to teach him his. + +When they had gone he went to take a drive in his city, that he might see +it and know it well; but directly he returned to the palace he sent for the +Prime Minister, and when he had arrived, said, + +"I already see much to be altered in my kingdom. I do not like the houses +in which many of the people dwell, nor indeed the dresses they wear; but +what strikes me most of all is, that wherever I go I smell a strong smell +of pea soup. Now, nothing is so unwholesome as pea soup, and therefore it +would not be right in me to allow the people to go on eating it. I +command, therefore, that no one shall again make, or eat pea soup, within +my realm on pain of death." + +Again the Prime Minister looked very grave, and began to say, + +"Your Majesty, your subjects will surely not like to be hindered from +eating and drinking what pleases them!" But the King cried out in a rage, + +"Go at once and do as I bid you." So the Prime Minister had to obey. + +Early next morning when the King arose he heard a great hubbub under his +window, and when he went to see what it was, he saw a vast mob of people +all shouting, "The King, the King! Where is this King who would dictate to +us what we shall eat and drink?" + +When he saw them he was terribly frightened, and at once sent off for the +Prime Minister and Chancellor to come to his aid. + +"Pray go and tell them to eat what they like," he cried when they arrived; +"But, do you know, I find it will not at all suit me to be King. You had +best try Aldovrand, or Aldebert, again;" and, so saying, he took off his +crown and laid it down, and slipped away out of the palace before either +Prime Minister or Chancellor could stop him. + +He went out of the back door, and ran, and ran, and ran, till he had left +the town far behind, and came to the country fields and lanes--the same way +that his two cousins had gone; and as he went he met a sweep trudging along +carrying his long brooms over his shoulder. + +"My friend," cried Alderete, stopping him, "Of all things in the world I +should like to be a sweep and learn how to sweep chimneys. May I go with +you, and will you teach me your trade?" + +The sweep looked surprised, but said, "Yes, Alderete could go with him if +he chose, and as he was now going on to the farmhouses, on the road, to +sweep the chimneys, he could begin at once." So Alderete went with the +sweep, carrying some of his brooms for him. + +After a time the people outside the palace grew quiet, when they heard that +the King would not interfere with them further. And when all was again +still, the Prime Minister and Chancellor went to seek the King, but he was +nowhere to be found in the palace. + +"This will never do," cried they. "We must have a King somehow, so we had +best have back one of the others." So they started to look for Aldovrand or +Aldebert. + +They sought them all over the city, and at last they came into the same +country road down which the three cousins had gone, and there they saw +Aldovrand lying in a meadow watching his flock of geese. + +"Good day, my friends," cried he when he saw them; "And how are things +going on at the palace? I hope my cousins like reigning better than I did. +Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, and it is much +nicer than being King." + +Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor told him all that had happened, and +begged that he would come back with them to the palace again, but at this +Aldovrand laughed outright. + +[Illustration: "Now, here I lie peacefully all day long and watch my geese, +and it is much nicer than being King."--P. 170.] + +"No indeed!" cried he, "I would not be King again for any man living. You +had best go and seek my cousin Aldebert, and ask him. I saw him go down the +road with a tinker, helping him to mend his tins. So go and ask him, and +leave me to mind my geese in peace." + +So the Prime Minister, and the Chancellor had to seek still farther. + +They trudged on and on, till at last they met Aldebert, who sat by the side +of the road mending a tin kettle, and whistling cheerily. + +"Heyday, whom have we here?" cried he. "The Prime Minister and the +Chancellor! And I am right glad to see you both. See how clever I have +grown; I am learning to be a tinker, and I mended that hole all myself." + +Then the Prime Minister and Chancellor begged him to leave his pots, and +come back to the palace and be King, but he fell to work again, harder than +ever, and said, + +"No indeed; go and ask my cousins, who are both much cleverer than I. I +really don't do for it at all, but I make a very good tinker, and I like +that much better." + +"Then what can we do?" cried the Prime Minister, "for we don't know where +Alderete has gone." + +"I saw him go by here with a sweep a little time ago," said Aldebert; "and +he went into that farmhouse yonder, so you had best seek him there." + +So the Prime Minister and the Chancellor went on to the farmhouse. At the +door stood the farmer's wife, but when they asked her if she had seen the +King go by, she stared with surprise. + +"Nay," said she; "no one has been here but our sweep and his apprentice. He +is in there sweeping the chimney now." On hearing this, the Prime Minister +and Chancellor at once ran into the farmhouse, and saw the old sweep +standing by the kitchen fire-place. "And where is the other sweep?" cried +they. "He is gone up the chimney, and is just going to begin sweeping," +said the old man. "So if you want to speak to him you must shout." So they +shouted and called, + +"King Alderete, King Alderete!" as loud as ever they could, but he did not +hear. Then the Chancellor knelt in front of the grate, and put his head up +the chimney, and called, + +"King Alderete, King Alderete! It is the Prime Minister and I, the +Chancellor, come to fetch your Majesty back to the palace." + +When Alderete heard him up the chimney, he trembled in every limb, but he +replied, + +"I'm not going to come down; I don't want to be King. I am going to be a +sweep, and I like that much better. I shan't come down till you are gone +away, and now you had best go quickly, for I am going to begin sweeping, +and all the soot will fall on your head," and then they heard the rattle of +the broom in the chimney, and a whole shower of soot fell on the +Chancellor's head. + +The Prime Minister and the Chancellor turned back to the city very +disconsolately. "We must go and look for a King elsewhere," they said. "It +is no use troubling about Aldovrand, Aldebert, and Alderete." So they left +the one to his geese, and one to his tins, and the other to sweep chimneys, +and that was the end of the three clever Kings. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE WISE PRINCESS + +[Illustration] + + +Once upon a time lived a King whose wife was dead and who had one little +daughter who was named Fernanda. She was very good and pretty, but when she +was a child she vexed all her ladies by asking them questions about +everything she saw. + +"Your Highness should not wish to know too much," they told her, whereat +Princess Fernanda threw up her little head, and said, + +"I want to know everything." + +As she grew up she had masters and mistresses to teach her, and learnt +every language and every science; but still she said, "It is not enough; I +want to know more." + +In a deep cave underground there lived an old Wizard who was so wise that +his face was well-nigh black with wrinkles, and his long white beard flowed +to his feet. He knew all sorts of magic, and every day and night sat poring +over his books till now there seemed to be nothing left for him to learn. + +One night after every one was asleep, Princess Fernanda rose and slipped +softly down the stairs and out of the palace unheard by any one, and stole +away to the Wizard's cave. + +The old man was sitting on his low stool reading out of an immense book by +a dim green light, but he raised his eyes as the Princess entered at the +low doorway, and looked at her. She wore a blue and silver robe, but her +bright hair was unbound, and fell in ripples to her waist. + +"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" he asked shortly. + +"I am the Princess Fernanda," she said, "and I wish to be your pupil. Teach +me all you know." + +"Why do you wish for that?" said the Wizard: "you will not be better or +happier for it." + +"I am not happy now," said the Princess sighing wearily. "Teach me and you +shall find me an apt pupil, and I will pay you with gold." + +"I will not have your gold," said the Wizard, "but come to me every night +at this hour, and in three years you shall know all I do." + +So every night the Princess went down to the Wizard's cave while all the +court were sleeping. And the people wondered at her more and more, and +said, "How much she knows! How wise she is!" + +When the three years had gone by the Wizard said to her, "Go! I can teach +you no more now. You are as wise as I." Then the Princess thanked him and +went back to her father's palace. + +She was very wise. She knew the languages of all animals. The fishes came +from the deep at her call, and the birds from the trees. She could tell +when the winds would rise, and when the sea would be still. She could have +turned her enemies to stone, or given untold wealth to her friends. But +for all that, when she smiled, her lips were very sad, and her eyes were +always full of care. She said she was weary, and her father thought she was +sick, and would have sent for the physicians, but she stopped him. + +"How should physicians help me, my father," she said, "seeing that I know +more than they?" + +One night, a year after she had taken her last lesson from the Wizard, she +arose and returned to his cave, and he raised his eyes and saw her standing +before him as formerly. + +"What do you want?" he said. "I have taught you all I know." + +"You have taught me much," she said, falling on her knees beside him, "yet +I am ignorant of one thing--teach me that also--_how to be happy_.' + +"Nay," said the Wizard with a very mournful smile; "I cannot teach you +that, for I do not know it myself. Go and ask it of them who know and are +wiser than I." + +[Illustration: "Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the +sea-shore."--P. 178.] + +Then the Princess left the cave and wandered down to the sea-shore. All +that night she spent sitting on a rock that jutted out into the sea, +watching the wild sky and the moon coming and going behind the clouds. The +sea dashed up around her, and the wind blew, but she did not fear them, and +when the sun rose the waters were still and the wind fell. A skylark rose +from the fields and flew straight up to heaven, singing as though his heart +would burst with pure joy. + +"Surely that bird is happy," said the Princess to herself; and she called +it in its own tongue. + +"Why do you sing?" she asked. + +"I sing because I am so happy," answered the lark. + +"And why are you so happy?" asked the Princess. + +"So happy?" said the lark. "God is so good. The sky is so blue, and the +fields are so green. Is that not enough to make me happy?" + +"Teach me, then, that I may be happy too," said Princess Fernanda. + +"I cannot," said the lark; "I don't know how to teach;" and then he rose, +singing, into the blue overhead, and Princess Fernanda sighed and turned +back towards the palace. + +Outside her door she met her little lap-dog, who barked and jumped for joy +on seeing her. + +"Little dog," she said; "poor little dog, are you so glad to see me? Why +are you so happy?" + +"Why am I so happy?" said the little dog, surprised. "I have plenty to eat, +and a soft cushion to rest upon, and you to caress me. Is not it enough to +make me happy?" + +"It is not enough for me," said the Princess, sighing; but the little dog +only wagged his tail and licked her hand. + +Inside her room was the Princess's favourite little maid Doris, folding up +her dresses. + +"Doris," she said, "you look very merry. Why are you so happy?" + +"Please your Royal Highness, I am going to the fair," answered Doris, "and +Luke is to meet me there; only," she added, pouting a little, "I wish I had +a pretty new hat to wear with my new dress." + +"Then you are not perfectly happy, so you cannot teach me," said Princess +Fernanda, and then she sighed again. + +In the evening at sunset she arose, and went out into the village, and at +the door of the first cottage to which she came, sat a woman nursing a +baby, and hushing it to sleep. The baby was fat and rosy, and the mother +looked down at it proudly. + +The Princess stopped, and spoke to her. + +"You have a fine little child there," she said. "Surely you must be very +happy." + +The woman smiled. + +"Yes," she said, "so I am; only just now my goodman is out fishing, and as +he's rather late, it makes me anxious." + +"Then you could not teach me," said the Princess, sighing to herself as she +moved away. She wandered on till she came to a church, which she entered. +All was still within, for the church was empty; but before the altar, on a +splendid bier, lay the body of a young man, who had been killed in the war. +He was dressed in his gay uniform, and his breast was covered with medals, +and his sword lay beside him. He was shot through the heart, but his face +was peaceful and his lips were smiling. The Princess walked to his side, +and looked at the quiet face. Then she stooped and kissed the cold +forehead, and envied the soldier. "If he could speak," she said, "he surely +could teach me. No living mouth could ever smile like that." Then she +looked up and saw a white angel standing on the other side of the bier, and +she knew it was Death. + +"You have taught him," she said, holding out her arms. "Will you not teach +me to smile like that?" + +"Nay," said Death, pointing to the medals on the dead man's breast, "I +taught him whilst he was doing his duty. I cannot teach you." And so saying +he vanished from her sight. + +She went out from the church down to the sea-shore. There was a high sea, +and a great wind, a little child had been playing on a row of rocks, and +had slipped off them into the water, and was struggling among the waves, +and would soon be drowned, for he was beyond his depth in the water. + +When the Princess saw him, she plunged into the water and swam to where the +child was, and taking him in her arms, placed him safely on the rocks +again, but the waves were so strong that she could scarcely keep above +them. As she tried to seize the rocks, she saw Death coming over the water +towards her, and she turned to meet him gladly. + +"Now," said he, clasping her in his arms, "I will teach you all you want to +know;" and he drew her under the water, and she died. + + * * * * * + +The Kings servants found her lying on the shore, with her face white and +her lips cold, but smiling as they had never smiled before, and her face +was very calm. They carried her home, and she was laid out in great state, +covered with gold and silver. + +"She was so wise," sobbed her little maid, as she placed flowers in the +cold hand, "she knew everything." + +"Not everything," said the skylark from the window; "for she asked me, +ignorant though I am, to teach her how to be happy." + +"That was the one thing I could not teach her," said the old Wizard, +looking at the dead Princess's face. "Yet I think now she must be wiser +than I, and have learned that too. For see how she smiles." + +[Illustration] + + +_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde +and Other Stories, by Mary De Morgan + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NECKLACE OF PRINCESS FIORIMONDE *** + +***** This file should be named 38976.txt or 38976.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/9/7/38976/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/38976.zip b/old/38976.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..385fa62 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38976.zip |
