25-the enchanted canary-第3部分

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a　pin　from　her　stays；　and；　just　as　the　titmouse　digs　its　beak　into

the　heads　of　linnets　and　larks；　Titty　dug　the　pin　into　the　head　of

Zizi。



No　sooner　did　Zizi　feel　the　prick　of　the　pin　than　she　became　a

bird　again；　and；　spreading　her　wings；　she　flew　away。



‘That　was　neatly　done；'　said　the　gypsy。　‘The　Prince　will　be

clever　if　he　finds　his　bride。'　And；　arranging　her　dress；　she　seated

herself　on　the　grass　to　await　Desire。





XII





Meanwhile　the　Prince　was　coming　as　fast　as　his　horse　could

carry　him。　He　was　so　impatient　that　he　was　always　full　fifty

yards　in　front　of　the　lords　and　ladies　sent　by　Tubby　to　bring　back

Zizi。



At　the　sight　of　the　hideous　gypsy　he　was　struck　dumb　with

surprise　and　horror。



‘Ah　me！'　said　Titty；　‘so　you　don't　know　your　poor　Zizi？

While　you　were　away　the　wicked　witch　came；　and　turned　me　into

this。　But　if　you　only　have　the　courage　to　marry　me　I　shall　get

back　my　beauty。'　And　she　began　to　cry　bitterly。



Now　the　good…natured　Desire　was　as　soft…hearted　as　he　was　brave。



‘Poor　girl；'　he　thought　to　himself。　‘It　is　not　her　fault；　after　all；

that　she　has　grown　so　ugly；　it　is　mine。　Oh！　why　did　I　not　follow

the　old　man's　advice？　Why　did　I　leave　her　alone？　And　besides；　it

depends　on　me　to　break　the　spell；　and　I　love　her　too　much　to　let

her　remain　like　this。'



So　he　presented　the　gypsy　to　the　lords　and　ladies　of　the　Court；

explaining　to　them　the　terrible　misfortune　which　had　befallen　his

beautiful　bride。



They　all　pretended　to　believe　it；　and　the　ladies　at　once　put　on

the　false　princess　the　rich　dresses　they　had　brought　for　Zizi。



She　was　then　perched　on　the　top　of　a　magnificent　ambling

palfrey；　and　they　set　forth　to　the　castle。



But　unluckily　the　rich　dress　and　jewels　only　made　Titty　look

uglier　still；　and　Desire　could　not　help　feeling　hot　and　uncomfortable

when　he　made　his　entry　with　her　into　the　city。



Bells　were　pealing；　chimes　ringing；　and　the　people　filling　the

streets　and　standing　at　their　doors　to　watch　the　procession　go　by；

and　they　could　hardly　believe　their　eyes　as　they　saw　what　a　strange

bride　their　Prince　had　chosen。



In　order　to　do　her　more　honour；　Tubby　came　to　meet　her　at　the

foot　of　the　great　marble　staircase。　At　the　sight　of　the　hideous

creature　he　almost　fell　backwards。



‘What！'　he　cried。　‘Is　this　the　wonderful　beauty？'



‘Yes；　father；　it　is　she；'　replied　Desire　with　a　sheepish　look。　‘But

she　has　been　bewitched　by　a　wicked　sorceress；　and　will　not　regain

her　beauty　until　she　is　my　wife。'



‘Does　she　say　so？　Well；　if　you　believe　that；　you　may　drink　cold

water　and　think　it　bacon；'　the　unhappy　Tubby　answered　crossly。



But　all　the　same；　as　he　adored　his　son；　he　gave　the　gypsy　his

hand　and　led　her　to　the　great　hall；　where　the　bridal　feast　was

spread。





XIII





The　feast　was　excellent；　but　Desire　hardly　touched　anything。

However；　to　make　up；　the　other　guests　ate　greedily；　and；　as　for

Tubby；　nothing　ever　took　away　his　appetite。



When　the　moment　arrived　to　serve　the　roast　goose；　there　was　a

pause；　and　Tubby　took　the　opportunity　to　lay　down　his　knife　and

fork　for　a　little。　But　as　the　goose　gave　no　sign　of　appearing；　he

sent　his　head　carver　to　find　out　what　was　the　matter　in　the　kitchen。



Now　this　was　what　had　happened。



While　the　goose　was　turning　on　the　spit；　a　beautiful　little

canary　hopped　on　to　the　sill　of　the　open　window。



‘Good…morning；　my　fine　cook；'　she　said　in　a　silvery　voice　to　the

man　who　was　watching　the　roast。



‘Good…morning；　lovely　golden　bird；'　replied　the　chief　of　the

scullions；　who　had　been　well　brought　up。



‘I　pray　that　Heaven　may　send　you　to　sleep；'　said　the　golden　bird；

‘and　that　the　goose　may　burn；　so　that　there　may　be　none　left　for

Titty。'



And　instantly　the　chief　of　the　scullions　fell　fast　asleep；　and　the

goose　was　burnt　to　a　cinder。



When　he　awoke　he　was　horrified；　and　gave　orders　to　pluck

another　goose；　to　stuff　it　with　chestnuts；　and　put　it　on　the　spit。



While　it　was　browning　at　the　fire；　Tubby　inquired　for　his　goose

a　second　time。　The　Master　Cook　himself　mounted　to　the　hall　to

make　his　excuses；　and　to　beg　his　lord　to　have　a　little　patience。

Tubby　showed　his　patience　by　abusing　his　son。



‘As　if　it　wasn't　enough；'　he　grumbled　between　his　teeth；　‘that　the

boy　should　pick　up　a　hag　without　a　penny；　but　the　goose　must　go　and

burn　now。　It　isn't　a　wife　he　has　brought　me；　it　is　Famine　herself。'





XIV





While　the　Master　Cook　was　upstairs；　the　golden　bird　came　again

to　perch　on　the　window…sill；　and　called　in　his　clear　voice　to　the　head

scullion；　who　was　watching　the　spit：



‘Good…morning；　my　fine　Scullion！'



‘Good…morning；　lovely　Golden　Bird；'　replied　the　Scullion；　whom

the　Master　Cook　had　forgotten　in　his　excitement　to　warn。



‘I　pray　Heaven；'　went　on　the　Canary；　‘that　it　will　send　you　to

sleep；　and　that　the　goose　may　burn；　so　that　there　may　be　none　left

for　Titty。'



And　the　Scullion　fell　fast　asleep；　and　when　the　Master　Cook　came

back　he　found　the　goose　as　black　as　the　chimney。



In　a　fury　he　woke　the　Scullion；　who　in　order　to　save　himself

from　blame　told　the　whole　story。



‘That　accursed　bird；'　said　the　Cook；　‘it　will　end　by　getting　me

sent　away。　Come；　some　of　you；　and　hide　yourselves；　and　if　it　comes

again；　catch　it　and　wring　its　neck。'



He　spitted　a　third　goose；　lit　a　huge　fire；　and　seated　himself

by　it。



The　bird　appeared　a　third　time；　and　said：　‘Good…morning；　my

fine　Cook。'



‘Good…morning；　lovely　Golden　Bird；'　replied　the　Cook；　as　if

nothing　had　happened；　and　at　the　moment　that　the　Canary　was　beginning；

‘I　pray　Heaven　that　it　may　send；'　a　scullion　who　was　hidden

outside　rushed　out　and　shut　the　shutters。　The　bird　flew　into　the

kitchen。　Then　all　the　cooks　and　scullions　sprang　after　it；　knocking

at　it　with　their　aprons。　At　length　one　of　them　caught　it　just　at　the

very　moment　that　Tubby　entered　the　kitchen；　waving　his　sceptre。

He　had　come　to　see　for　himself　why　the　goose　had　never　made　its

appearance。



The　Scullion　stopped　at　once；　just　as　he　was　about　to　wring　the

Canary's　neck。





XV





‘Will　some　one　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me　the　meaning　of　all　this？'

cried　the　Lord　of　Avesnes。



‘Your　Excellency；　it　is　the　bird；'　replied　the　Scullion；　and　he

placed　it　in　his　hand。



‘Nonsense！　What　a　lovely　bird！'　said　Tubby；　and　in　stroking　its

head　he　touched　a　pin　that　was　sticking　between　its　feathers。　He

pulled　it　out；　and　lo！　the　Canary　at　once　became　a　beautiful　girl

with　a　golden　skin　who　jumped　lightly　to　the　ground。



‘Gracious！　what　a　pretty　girl！'　said　Tubby。



‘Father！　it　is　she！　it　is　Zizi！'　exclaimed　Desire；　who　entered

at　this　moment。



And　he　took　her　in　his　arms；　crying：　‘My　darling　Zizi；　how　happy

I　am　to　see　you　once　more！'



‘Well；　and　the　other　one？'　asked　Tubby。



The　other　one　was　stealing　quietly　to　the　door。



‘Stop　her！　called　Tubby。　‘We　will　judge　her　cause　at　once。'



And　he　seated　himself　solemnly　on　the　oven；　and　condemned

Titty　to　be　burned　alive。　After　which　the　lords　and　cooks　formed

themselves　in　lines；　and　Tubby　betrothed　Desire　to　Zizi。





XVI





The　marriage　took　place　a　few　days　later。　All　the　boys　in　the

country　side　were　there；　armed　with　wooden　swords；　and　decorated

with　epaulets　made　of　gilt　paper。



Zizi　obtained　Titty's　pardon；　and　she　was　sent　back　to　the　brick…

fields；　followed　and　hooted　at　by　all　the　boys。　And　this　is　why　to…

day　the　country　boys　always　throw　stones　at　a　titmouse。



On　the　evening　of　the　wedding…day　all　the　larders；　cellars；

cupboards　and　tables　of　the　people；　whether　rich　or　poor；　were　loaded

as　if　by　enchantment　with　bread；　wine；　beer；　cakes　and　tarts；　roast

larks；　and　even　geese；　so　that　Tubby　could　not　complain　any　more

that　his　son　had　married　Famine。



Since　that　time　there　has　always　been　plenty　to　eat　in　that

country；　and　since　that　time；　too；　you　see　in　the　midst　of　the　fair…

haired　blue…eyed　women　of　Flanders　a　few　beautiful　girls；　whose

eyes　are　black　and　whose　skins　are　the　colour　of　gold。　They　are

the　descendants　of　Zizi。＇21＇



＇21＇　Charles　Deulin；　Contes　du　Roi　Gambrinus。