Blue Fairy Book
Blue Fairy Book Blue Fairy Book
-137- himself, and made him gentle and polite and grateful, and he thanked her and the Princess a thousand times. Lastly, the Queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their natural forms, and left them all very contented. The Prince and Princess were married as soon as possible with great splendor, and lived happily ever after. Fortunee. Par Madame la Comtesse d'Aulnoy. THE WHITE CAT ONCE upon a time there was a king who had three sons, who were all so clever and brave that he began to be afraid that they would want to reign over the kingdom before he was dead. Now the King, though he felt that he was growing old, did not at all wish to give up the government of his kingdom while he could still manage it very well, so he thought the best way to live in peace would be to divert the minds of his sons by promises which he could always get out of when the time came for keeping them. So he sent for them all, and, after speaking to them kindly, he added: "You will quite agree with me, my dear children, that my great age makes it impossible for me to look after my affairs of state as carefully as I once did. I begin to fear that this may affect the welfare of my subjects, therefore I wish that one of you should succeed to my crown; but in return for such a gift as this it is only right that you should do something for me. Now, as I think of retiring into the country, it seems to me that a pretty, lively, faithful little dog would be very good company for me; so, without any regard for your ages, I promise that the one who brings me the most beautiful little dog shall succeed me at once." The three Princes were greatly surprised by their father's sudden fancy for a little dog, but as it gave the two younger ones a chance they would not otherwise have had of being king, and as the eldest was too polite to make any objection, they accepted the commission with pleasure. They bade farewell to the King, who gave them presents of silver and precious stones, and appointed to
-138- meet them at the same hour, in the same place, after a year had passed, to see the little dogs they had brought for him. Then they went together to a castle which was about a league from the city, accompanied by all their particular friends, to whom they gave a grand banquet, and the three brothers promised to be friends always, to share whatever good fortune befell them, and not to be parted by any envy or jealousy; and so they set out, agreeing to meet at the same castle at the appointed time, to present themselves before the King together. Each one took a different road, and the two eldest met with many adventures; but it is about the youngest that you are going to hear. He was young, and gay, and handsome, and knew everything that a prince ought to know; and as for his courage, there was simply no end to it. Hardly a day passed without his buying several dogs -- big and little, greyhounds, mastiffs, spaniels, and lapdogs. As soon as he had bought a pretty one he was sure to see a still prettier, and then he had to get rid of all the others and buy that one, as, being alone, he found it impossible to take thirty or forty thousand dogs about with him. He journeyed from day to day, not knowing where he was going, until at last, just at nightfall, he reached a great, gloomy forest. He did not know his way, and, to make matters worse, it began to thunder, and the rain poured down. He took the first path he could find, and after walking for a long time he fancied he saw a faint light, and began to hope that he was coming to some cottage where he might find shelter for the night. At length, guided by the light, he reached the door of the most splendid castle he could have imagined. This door was of gold covered with carbuncles, and it was the pure red light which shone from them that had shown him the way through the forest. The walls were of the finest porcelain in all the most delicate colors, and the Prince saw that all the stories he had ever read were pictured upon them; but as he was terribly wet, and the rain still fell in torrents, he could not stay to look about any more, but came back to the golden door. There he saw a deer's foot hanging by a chain of diamonds, and he began to wonder who could live in this magnificent castle.
- Page 95 and 96: -86- RUMPELSTILTZKIN THERE was once
- Page 97 and 98: -88- manikin called out: "That's no
- Page 99 and 100: -90- safely into port with a rich c
- Page 101 and 102: -92- he saw were his own, and consi
- Page 103 and 104: -94- their agreement, and to prepar
- Page 105 and 106: -96- frightened he was. But when th
- Page 107 and 108: -98- happiness. Be as true-hearted
- Page 109 and 110: -100- "Ah, Beauty! why are you so u
- Page 111 and 112: -102- should cost me my life. Take
- Page 113 and 114: -104- seemed to come from some bush
- Page 115 and 116: -106- can I ever thank you enough,
- Page 117 and 118: -108- the King's daughter; so the f
- Page 119 and 120: -110- "That I have, master; it was
- Page 121 and 122: -112- "Yes, yes, wait till to-morro
- Page 123 and 124: -114- evil together, and love each
- Page 125 and 126: -116- "Just tell me when you have g
- Page 127 and 128: -118- bestir himself, for the calf
- Page 129 and 130: -120- hut, to greet the maiden cour
- Page 131 and 132: -122- home with all the speed he co
- Page 133 and 134: -124- Now the poor brother had both
- Page 135 and 136: -126- Another time he went and hid
- Page 137 and 138: -128- The ogre received him as civi
- Page 139 and 140: -130- came, Bruno had a delicious e
- Page 141 and 142: -132- "But if I take your ring, my
- Page 143 and 144: for my pinks, which I love better t
- Page 145: -136- "Madam," replied Felicia, blu
- Page 149 and 150: -140- and a number of other famous
- Page 151 and 152: -142- must have contained a magic d
- Page 153 and 154: -144- castle stood wide open, and e
- Page 155 and 156: -146- everyone laughed when he saw
- Page 157 and 158: -148- into it, but it was reported
- Page 159 and 160: -150- any companions but a parrot a
- Page 161 and 162: -152- himself, but at a touch from
- Page 163 and 164: -154- was furiously angry and told
- Page 165 and 166: -156- more than all the wizards of
- Page 167 and 168: -158- he saw an eagle flying above
- Page 169 and 170: -160- was told by a prophet whom he
- Page 171 and 172: -162- to keep his oath. So he went
- Page 173 and 174: -164- "You have taken it yourself,
- Page 175 and 176: -166- seen her he would have been c
- Page 177 and 178: -168- for her very life, and the wi
- Page 179 and 180: His enemies at once went to the Kin
- Page 181 and 182: -172- you." So saying, she sank dow
- Page 183 and 184: -174- as I did so a ring that I was
- Page 185 and 186: -176- the more frightened he grew.
- Page 187 and 188: -178- not succeed. Why does the Pri
- Page 189 and 190: -180- she had seen a flask of exact
- Page 191 and 192: whether they are able to do it, whi
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- Page 195 and 196: -186- It is not our business to ani
-138-<br />
meet them at the same hour, in the same place, after a year had passed, to see the little dogs they had brought for him.<br />
Then they went together to a castle which was about a league from the city, accompanied by all their particular friends, to<br />
whom they gave a grand banquet, and the three brothers promised to be friends always, to share whatever good fortune befell<br />
them, and not to be parted by any envy or jealousy; and so they set out, agreeing to meet at the same castle at the appointed<br />
time, to present themselves before the King together. Each one took a different road, and the two eldest met with many<br />
adventures; but it is about the youngest that you are going to hear. He was young, and gay, and handsome, and knew everything<br />
that a prince ought to know; and as for his courage, there was simply no end to it.<br />
Hardly a day passed without his buying several dogs -- big and little, greyhounds, mastiffs, spaniels, and lapdogs. As soon as<br />
he had bought a pretty one he was sure to see a still prettier, and then he had to get rid of all the others and buy that one, as,<br />
being alone, he found it impossible to take thirty or forty thousand dogs about with him. He journeyed from day to day, not<br />
knowing where he was going, until at last, just at nightfall, he reached a great, gloomy forest. He did not know his way, and, to<br />
make matters worse, it began to thunder, and the rain poured down. He took the first path he could find, and after walking for a<br />
long time he fancied he saw a faint light, and began to hope that he was coming to some cottage where he might find shelter for<br />
the night. At length, guided by the light, he reached the door of the most splendid castle he could have imagined. This door was<br />
of gold covered with carbuncles, and it was the pure red light which shone from them that had shown him the way through the<br />
forest. The walls were of the finest porcelain in all the most delicate colors, and the Prince saw that all the stories he had ever<br />
read were pictured upon them; but as he was terribly wet, and the rain still fell in torrents, he could not stay to look about any<br />
more, but came back to the golden door. There he saw a deer's foot hanging by a chain of diamonds, and he began to wonder<br />
who could live in this magnificent castle.