So, taking a knife out of his pocket, he began to saw away the woodwork.The girls heard the grating noise, but fancying it was a mouse, paid no attention, and Becasigue was left in peace to pursue his work.At length the hole was large enough for him to peep through, and the sight was one to strike him dumb with amazement.He had guessed truly: the tall lady was Eglantine herself; but the other--where had he seen her? Ah! now he knew--it was the lady of the portrait!
Desiree, in a flowing dress of green silk, was lying stretched out upon cushions, and as Eglantine bent over her to bathe the wounded leg, she began to talk:
'Oh! let me die,' cried she, 'rather than go on leading this life.You cannot tell the misery of being a beast all the day, and unable to speak to the man I love, to whose impatience I owe my cruel fate.Yet, even so, I cannot bring myself to hate him.'
These words, low though they were spoken, reached Becasigue, who could hardly believe his ears.He stood silent for a moment; then, crossing to the window out of which the prince was gazing, he took his arm and led him across the room.A single glance was sufficient to show the prince that it was indeed Desiree; and how another had come to the palace bearing her name, at that instant he neither knew nor cared.
Stealing on tip- toe from the room, he knocked at the next door, which was opened by Eglantine, who thought it was the old woman bearing their supper.
She started back at the sight of the prince, whom this time she also recognised.But he thrust her aside, and flung himself at the feet of Desiree, to whom he poured out all his heart!
Dawn found them still conversing; and the sun was high in the heavens before the princess perceived that she retained her human form.Ah!
how happy she was when she knew that the days of her punishment were over; and with a glad voice she told the prince the tale of her enchantment.
So the story ended well after all; and the fairy Tulip, who turned out to be the old woman of the hut, made the young couple such a wedding feast as had never been seen since the world began.And everybody was delighted, except Cerisette and her mother, who were put in a boat and carried to a small island, where they had to work hard for their living.
[Contes des Fees, par Madame d'Aulnoy.]
The Girl-FishOnce upon a time there lived, on the bank of a stream, a man and a woman who had a daughter.As she was an only child, and very pretty besides, they never could make up their minds to punish her for her faults or to teach her nice manners; and as for work-- she laughed in her mother's face if she asked her to help cook the dinner or to wash the plates.All the girl would do was to spend her days in dancing and playing with her friends; and for any use she was to her parents they might as well have no daughter at all.
However, one morning her mother looked so tired that even the selfish girl could not help seeing it, and asked if there was anything she was able to do, so that her mother might rest a little.
The good woman looked so surprised and grateful for this offer that the girl felt rather ashamed, and at that moment would have scrubbed down the house if she had been requested; but her mother only begged her to take the fishing-net out to the bank of the river and mend some holes in it, as her father intended to go fishing that night.
The girl took the net and worked so hard that soon there was not a hole to be found.She felt quite pleased with herself, though she had had plenty to amuse her, as everybody who passed by had stopped and had a chat with her.But by this time the sun was high overhead, and she was just folding her net to carry it home again, when she heard a splash behind her, and looking round she saw a big fish jump into the air.
Seizing the net with both hands, she flung it into the water where the circles were spreading one behind the other, and, more by luck than skill, drew out the fish.
'Well, you are a beauty!' she cried to herself; but the fish looked up to her and said:
'You had better not kill me, for, if you do, I will turn you into a fish yourself!'
The girl laughed contemptuously, and ran straight in to her mother.
'Look what I have caught,' she said gaily; 'but it is almost a pity to eat it, for it can talk, and it declares that, if I kill it, it will turn me into a fish too.'
'Oh, put it back, put it back!' implored the mother.'Perhaps it is skilled in magic.And I should die, and so would your father, if anything should happen to you.'
'Oh, nonsense, mother; what power could a creature like that have over me? Besides, I am hungry, and if I don't have my dinner soon, I shall be cross.' And off she went to gather some flowers to stick in her hair.
About an hour later the blowing of a horn told her that dinner was ready.
'Didn't I say that fish would be delicious?' she cried; and plunging her spoon into the dish the girl helped herself to a large piece.But the instant it touched her mouth a cold shiver ran through her.Her head seemed to flatten, and her eyes to look oddly round the corners;her legs and her arms were stuck to her sides, and she gasped wildly for breath.With a mighty bound she sprang through the window and fell into the river, where she soon felt better, and was able to swim to the sea, which was close by.
No sooner had she arrived there than the sight of her sad face attracted the notice of some of the other fishes, and they pressed round her, begging her to tell them her story.
'I am not a fish at all,' said the new-comer, swallowing a great deal of salt water as she spoke; for you cannot learn how to be a proper fish all in a moment.'I am not a fish at all, but a girl; at least Iwas a girl a few minutes ago, only--' And she ducked her head under the waves so that they should not see her crying.
'Only you did not believe that the fish you caught had power to carry out its threat,' said an old tunny.'Well, never mind, that has happened to all of us, and it really is not a bad life.Cheer up and come with us and see our queen, who lives in a palace that is much more beautiful than any your queens can boast of.'
