Andrew Lang_Fairy Book 01 (8 page)

The King did not know what to do or to say. It went
against all his ideas as a knight to do anything a lady
begged him not to do; but, as he hesitated, a voice in his
ear said:

"Strike! strike! and do not spare, or your Princess is lost
for ever!"

So, without reply to the nymphs, he rushed forward
instantly, breaking their garlands, and scattering them in
all directions; and then went on without further hindrance
to the little wood where he had seen Bellissima. She was
seated by the brook looking pale and weary when he
reached her, and he would have thrown himself down at
her feet, but she drew herself away from him with as
much indignation as if he had been the Yellow Dwarf.

"Ah! Princess," he cried, "do not be angry with me. Let
me explain everything. I am not faithless or to blame for
what has happened. I am a miserable wretch who has
displeased you without being able to help himself."

"Ah!" cried Bellissima, "did I not see you flying through
the air with the loveliest being imaginable? Was that
against your will?"

"Indeed it was, Princess," he answered; "the wicked
Fairy of the Desert, not content with chaining me to a
rock, carried me off in her chariot to the other end of the
earth, where I should even now be a captive but for the
unexpected help of a friendly mermaid, who brought me
here to rescue you, my Princess, from the unworthy hands
that hold you. Do not refuse the aid of your most faithful
lover." So saying, he threw himself at her feet and
held her by her robe. But, alas! in so doing he let fall the
magic sword, and the Yellow Dwarf, who was crouching
behind a lettuce, no sooner saw it than he sprang out and
seized it, well knowing its wonderful power.

The Princess gave a cry of terror on seeing the Dwarf,
but this only irritated the little monster; muttering a few
magical words he summoned two giants, who bound the
King with great chains of iron.

"Now," said the Dwarf, "I am master of my rival's
fate, but I will give him his life and permission to depart
unharmed if you, Princess, will consent to marry me."

"Let me die a thousand times rather," cried the
unhappy King.

"Alas!" cried the Princess, "must you die? Could
anything be more terrible?"

"That you should marry that little wretch would be far
more terrible," answered the King.

"At least," continued she, "let us die together."

"Let me have the satisfaction of dying for you, my
Princess," said he.

"Oh, no, no!" she cried, turning to the Dwarf; "rather
than that I will do as you wish."

"Cruel Princess!" said the King, "would you make my
life horrible to me by marrying another before my eyes?"

"Not so," replied the Yellow Dwarf; "you are a rival
of whom I am too much afraid; you shall not see our
marriage." So saying, in spite of Bellissima's tears and
cries, he stabbed the King to the heart with the diamond
sword.

The poor Princess, seeing her lover lying dead at her
feet, could no longer live without him; she sank down by
him and died of a broken heart.

So ended these unfortunate lovers, whom not even the
Mermaid could help, because all the magic power had
been lost with the diamond sword.

As to the wicked Dwarf, he preferred to see the
Princess dead rather than married to the King of the Gold
Mines; and the Fairy of the Desert, when she heard of the
King's adventures, pulled down the grand monument
which she had built, and was so angry at the trick that
had been played her that she hated him as much as she
had loved him before.

The kind Mermaid, grieved at the sad fate of the lovers,
caused them to be changed into two tall palm trees, which
stand always side by side, whispering together of their
faithful love and caressing one another with their
interlacing branches.
[4]

Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a
little country girl, the prettiest creature was ever seen.
Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother
doted on her still more. This good woman had
made for her a little red riding-hood; which became the girl
so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red
Riding-Hood.

One day her mother, having made some custards, said
to her:

"Go, my dear, and see how thy grandmamma does, for
I hear she has been very ill; carry her a custard, and this
little pot of butter."

Little Red Riding-Hood set out immediately to go to
her grandmother, who lived in another village.

As she was going through the wood, she met with Gaffer
Wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he
dared not, because of some faggot-makers hard by in the
forest. He asked her whither she was going. The poor
child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and
hear a wolf talk, said to him:

"I am going to see my grandmamma and carry her a
custard and a little pot of butter from my mamma."

"Does she live far off?" said the Wolf.

"Oh! ay," answered Little Red Riding-Hood; "it is
beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in the
village."

"Well," said the Wolf, "and I'll go and see her too. I'll
go this way and you go that, and we shall see who will be
there soonest."

The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the
nearest way, and the little girl went by that farthest about,
diverting herself in gathering nuts, running after butterflies,
and making nosegays of such little flowers as she met
with. The Wolf was not long before he got to the old
woman's house. He knocked at the door—tap, tap.

"Who's there?"

"Your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood," replied
the Wolf, counterfeiting her voice; "who has brought you
a custard and a little pot of butter sent you by mamma."

The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she
was somewhat ill, cried out:

"Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

The Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and
then presently he fell upon the good woman and ate her
up in a moment, for it was above three days that he had
not touched a bit. He then shut the door and went into
the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding-Hood,
who came some time afterward and knocked at the
door—tap, tap.

"Who's there?"

Little Red Riding-Hood, hearing the big voice of the
Wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother
had got a cold and was hoarse, answered:

" 'Tis your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood, who
has brought you a custard and a little pot of butter
mamma sends you."

The Wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much
as he could:

"Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the bobbin, and the
door opened.

The Wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself
under the bed-clothes:

"Put the custard and the little pot of butter upon the
stool, and come and lie down with me."

Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself and went
into bed, where, being greatly amazed to see how her
grandmother looked in her night-clothes, she said to her:

"Grandmamma, what great arms you have got!"

"That is the better to hug thee, my dear."

"Grandmamma, what great legs you have got!"

"That is to run the better, my child."

"Grandmamma, what great ears you have got!"

"That is to hear the better, my child."

"Grandmamma, what great eyes you have got!"

"It is to see the better, my child."

"Grandmamma, what great teeth you have got!"

"That is to eat thee up."

And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon
Little Red Riding-Hood, and ate her all up.

There were formerly a king and a queen, who were so
sorry that they had no children; so sorry that it cannot
be expressed. They went to all the waters in the world;
vows, pilgrimages, all ways were tried, and all to no
purpose.

At last, however, the Queen had a daughter. There was
a very fine christening; and the Princess had for her
god-mothers all the fairies they could find in the whole
kingdom (they found seven), that every one of them might
give her a gift, as was the custom of fairies in those days.
By this means the Princess had all the perfections imaginable.

After the ceremonies of the christening were over, all
the company returned to the King's palace, where was
prepared a great feast for the fairies. There was placed
before every one of them a magnificent cover with a case
of massive gold, wherein were a spoon, knife, and fork, all
of pure gold set with diamonds and rubies. But as they
were all sitting down at table they saw come into the hall
a very old fairy, whom they had not invited, because it
was above fifty years since she had been out of a certain
tower, and she was believed to be either dead or enchanted.

The King ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her
with a case of gold as the others, because they had only
seven made for the seven fairies. The old Fairy fancied
she was slighted, and muttered some threats between her
teeth. One of the young fairies who sat by her overheard
how she grumbled; and, judging that she might give the
little Princess some unlucky gift, went, as soon as they
rose from table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that
she might speak last, and repair, as much as she could, the
evil which the old Fairy might intend.

In the meanwhile all the fairies began to give their gifts
to the Princess. The youngest gave her for gift that she
should be the most beautiful person in the world; the
next, that she should have the wit of an angel; the third,
that she should have a wonderful grace in everything she
did; the fourth, that she should dance perfectly well; the
fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale; and the
sixth, that she should play all kinds of music to the
utmost perfection.

The old Fairy's turn coming next, with a head shaking
more with spite than age, she said that the Princess
should have her hand pierced with a spindle and die of
the wound. This terrible gift made the whole company
tremble, and everybody fell a-crying.

At this very instant the young Fairy came out from
behind the hangings, and spake these words aloud:

"Assure yourselves, O King and Queen, that your
daughter shall not die of this disaster. It is true, I have
no power to undo entirely what my elder has done. The
Princess shall indeed pierce her hand with a spindle; but,
instead of dying, she shall only fall into a profound sleep,
which shall last a hundred years, at the expiration of
which a king's son shall come and awake her."

The King, to avoid the misfortune foretold by the old
Fairy, caused immediately proclamation to be made,
whereby everybody was forbidden, on pain of death, to
spin with a distaff and spindle, or to have so much as any
spindle in their houses. About fifteen or sixteen years
after, the King and Queen being gone to one of their houses
of pleasure, the young Princess happened one day to
divert herself in running up and down the palace; when
going up from one apartment to another, she came into
a little room on the top of the tower, where a good old
woman, alone, was spinning with her spindle. This good
woman had never heard of the King's proclamation
against spindles.

"What are you doing there, goody?" said the Princess.

"I am spinning, my pretty child," said the old woman,
who did not know who she was.

"Ha!" said the Princess, "this is very pretty; how do
you do it? Give it to me, that I may see if I can do so."

She had no sooner taken it into her hand than, whether
being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy, or that the
decree of the Fairy had so ordained it, it ran into her
hand, and she fell down in a swoon.

The good old woman, not knowing very well what to do
in this affair, cried out for help. People came in from
every quarter in great numbers; they threw water upon
the Princess's face, unlaced her, struck her on the palms
of her hands, and rubbed her temples with Hungary-water;
but nothing would bring her to herself.

And now the King, who came up at the noise, bethought
himself of the prediction of the fairies, and, judging very
well that this must necessarily come to pass, since the
fairies had said it, caused the Princess to be carried into
the finest apartment in his palace, and to be laid upon a
bed all embroidered with gold and silver.

One would have taken her for a little angel, she was so
very beautiful; for her swooning away had not diminished
one bit of her complexion; her cheeks were carnation, and
her lips were coral; indeed, her eyes were shut, but she
was heard to breathe softly, which satisfied those about
her that she was not dead. The King commanded that
they should not disturb her, but let her sleep quietly till
her hour of awaking was come.

The good Fairy who had saved her life by condemning
her to sleep a hundred years was in the kingdom of
Matakin, twelve thousand leagues off, when this accident
befell the Princess; but she was instantly informed of it
by a little dwarf, who had boots of seven leagues, that is,
boots with which he could tread over seven leagues of
ground in one stride. The Fairy came away immediately,
and she arrived, about an hour after, in a fiery chariot
drawn by dragons.

The King handed her out of the chariot, and she
approved everything he had done, but as she had very great
foresight, she thought when the Princess should awake
she might not know what to do with herself, being all
alone in this old palace; and this was what she did: she
touched with her wand everything in the palace (except
the King and Queen)—governesses, maids of honor, ladies
of the bedchamber, gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks,
undercooks, scullions, guards, with their beefeaters,
pages, footmen; she likewise touched all the horses which
were in the stables, pads as well as others, the great dogs
in the outward court and pretty little Mopsey too, the
Princess's little spaniel, which lay by her on the bed.