Blue Fairy Book
Blue Fairy Book Blue Fairy Book
-141- assured him that the dishes intended for him were prepared in a separate kitchen, and he might be quite certain that they contained neither rats nor mice; and the Prince felt so sure that she would not deceive him that he had no more hesitation in beginning. Presently he noticed that on the little paw that was next him the White Cat wore a bracelet containing a portrait, and he begged to be allowed to look at it. To his great surprise he found it represented an extremely handsome young man, who was so like himself that it might have been his own portrait! The White Cat sighed as he looked at it, and seemed sadder than ever, and the Prince dared not ask any questions for fear of displeasing her; so he began to talk about other things, and found that she was interested in all the subjects he cared for himself, and seemed to know quite well what was going on in the world. After supper they went into another room, which was fitted up as a theatre, and the cats acted and danced for their amusement, and then the White Cat said good-night to him, and the hands conducted him into a room he had not seen before, hung with tapestry worked with butterflies' wings of every color; there were mirrors that reached from the ceiling to the floor, and a little white bed with curtains of gauze tied up with ribbons. The Prince went to bed in silence, as he did not quite know how to begin a conversation with the hands that waited on him, and in the morning he was awakened by a noise and confusion outside of his window, and the hands came and quickly dressed him in hunting costume. When he looked out all the cats were assembled in the courtyard, some leading greyhounds, some blowing horns, for the White Cat was going out hunting. The hands led a wooden horse up to the Prince, and seemed to expect him to mount it, at which he was very indignant; but it was no use for him to object, for he speedily found himself upon its back, and it pranced gaily off with him. The White Cat herself was riding a monkey, which climbed even up to the eagles' nests when she had a fancy for the young eaglets. Never was there a pleasanter hunting party, and when they returned to the castle the Prince and the White Cat supped together as before, but when they had finished she offered him a crystal goblet, which
-142- must have contained a magic draught, for, as soon as he had swallowed its contents, he forgot everything, even the little dog that he was seeking for the King, and only thought how happy he was to be with the White Cat! And so the days passed, in every kind of amusement, until the year was nearly gone. The Prince had forgotten all about meeting his brothers: he did not even know what country he belonged to; but the White Cat knew when he ought to go back, and one day she said to him: "Do you know that you have only three days left to look for the little dog for your father, and your brothers have found lovely ones?" Then the Prince suddenly recovered his memory, and cried: "What can have made me forget such an important thing? My whole fortune depends upon it; and even if I could in such a short time find a dog pretty enough to gain me a kingdom, where should I find a horse who would carry me all that way in three days?" And he began to be very vexed. But the White Cat said to him: "King's son, do not trouble yourself; I am your friend, and will make everything easy for you. You can still stay here for a day, as the good wooden horse can take you to your country in twelve hours." "I thank you, beautiful Cat," said the Prince; "but what good will it do me to get back if I have not a dog to take to my father?" "See here," answered the White Cat, holding up an acorn; "there is a prettier one in this than in the Dogstar!" "Oh! White Cat dear," said the Prince, "how unkind you are to laugh at me now!" "Only listen," she said, holding the acorn to his ear. And inside it he distinctly heard a tiny voice say: "Bow-wow!" The Prince was delighted, for a dog that can be shut up in an acorn must be very small indeed. He wanted to take it out and look at it, but the White Cat said it would be better not to open the acorn till he was before the King, in case the tiny dog should be cold on the journey. He thanked her a thousand times, and said good-by quite sadly when the time came for him to set out.
- 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 and 146: -136- "Madam," replied Felicia, blu
- Page 147 and 148: -138- meet them at the same hour, i
- Page 149: -140- and a number of other famous
- 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
- Page 193 and 194: -184- countrymen with civility, and
- Page 195 and 196: -186- It is not our business to ani
- Page 197 and 198: -188- THE WONDERFUL SHEEP ONCE upon
- Page 199 and 200: -190- She does not think me worthy
-142-<br />
must have contained a magic draught, for, as soon as he had swallowed its contents, he forgot everything, even the little dog<br />
that he was seeking for the King, and only thought how happy he was to be with the White Cat! And so the days passed, in<br />
every kind of amusement, until the year was nearly gone. The Prince had forgotten all about meeting his brothers: he did not<br />
even know what country he belonged to; but the White Cat knew when he ought to go back, and one day she said to him:<br />
"Do you know that you have only three days left to look for the little dog for your father, and your brothers have found lovely<br />
ones?"<br />
Then the Prince suddenly recovered his memory, and cried:<br />
"What can have made me forget such an important thing? My whole fortune depends upon it; and even if I could in such a<br />
short time find a dog pretty enough to gain me a kingdom, where should I find a horse who would carry me all that way in three<br />
days?" And he began to be very vexed. But the White Cat said to him: "King's son, do not trouble yourself; I am your friend,<br />
and will make everything easy for you. You can still stay here for a day, as the good wooden horse can take you to your country<br />
in twelve hours."<br />
"I thank you, beautiful Cat," said the Prince; "but what good will it do me to get back if I have not a dog to take to my<br />
father?"<br />
"See here," answered the White Cat, holding up an acorn; "there is a prettier one in this than in the Dogstar!"<br />
"Oh! White Cat dear," said the Prince, "how unkind you are to laugh at me now!"<br />
"Only listen," she said, holding the acorn to his ear.<br />
And inside it he distinctly heard a tiny voice say: "Bow-wow!"<br />
The Prince was delighted, for a dog that can be shut up in an acorn must be very small indeed. He wanted to take it out and<br />
look at it, but the White Cat said it would be better not to open the acorn till he was before the King, in case the tiny dog should<br />
be cold on the journey. He thanked her a thousand times, and said good-by quite sadly when the time came for him to set out.
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