08-princess rosette-第1部分

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PRINCESS　ROSETTE



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　King　and　Queen　who　had　two

beautiful　sons　and　one　little　daughter；　who　was　so　pretty　that

no　one　who　saw　her　could　help　loving　her。　When　it　was　time　for

the　christening　of　the　Princess；　the　Queenas　she　always　did

sent　for　all　the　fairies　to　be　present　at　the　ceremony；　and　afterwards

invited　them　to　a　splendid　banquet。



When　it　was　over；　and　they　were　preparing　to　go　away；　the

Queen　said　to　them：



‘Do　not　forget　your　usual　good　custom。　Tell　me　what　is　going

to　happen　to　Rosette。'



For　that　was　the　name　they　had　given　the　Princess。



But　the　fairies　said　they　had　left　their　book　of　magic　at　home；

and　they　would　come　another　day　and　tell　her。



‘Ah！'　said　the　Queen；　‘I　know　very　well　what　that　meansyou

have　nothing　good　to　say；　but　at　least　I　beg　that　you　will　not　hide

anything　from　me。'



So；　after　a　great　deal　of　persuasion；　they　said：



‘Madam；　we　fear　that　Rosette　may　be　the　cause　of　great

misfortunes　to　her　brothers；　they　may　even　meet　with　their　death

through　her；　that　is　all　we　have　been　able　to　foresee　about　your　dear

little　daughter。　We　are　very　sorry　to　have　nothing　better　to　tell　you。'



Then　they　went　away；　leaving　the　Queen　very　sad；　so　sad　that

the　King　noticed　it；　and　asked　her　what　was　the　matter。



The　Queen　said　that　she　had　been　sitting　too　near　the　fire；　and

had　burnt　all　the　flax　that　was　upon　her　distaff。



‘Oh！　is　that　all？'　said　the　King；　and　he　went　up　into　the

garret　and　brought　her　down　more　flax　than　she　could　spin　in　a

hundred　years。　But　the　Queen　still　looked　sad；　and　the　King

asked　her　again　what　was　the　matter。　She　answered　that　she

had　been　walking　by　the　river　and　had　dropped　one　of　her　green

satin　slippers　into　the　water。



‘Oh！　if　that's　all；'　said　the　King；　and　he　sent　to　all　the　shoe…

makers　in　his　kingdom；　and　they　very　soon　made　the　Queen　ten

thousand　green　satin　slippers；　but　still　she　looked　sad。　So　the

King　asked　her　again　what　was　the　matter；　and　this　time　she

answered　that　in　eating　her　porridge　too　hastily　she　had　swallowed

her　wedding…ring。　But　it　so　happened　that　the　King　knew　better；

for　he　had　the　ring　himself；　and　he　said：



‘Oh　I　you　are　not　telling　me　the　truth；　for　I　have　your　ring　here

in　my　purse。'



Then　the　Queen　was　very　much　ashamed；　and　she　saw　that　the

King　was　vexed　with　her；　so　she　told　him　all　that　the　fairies　had

predicted　about　Rosette；　and　begged　him　to　think　how　the　misfortunes

might　be　prevented。



Then　it　was　the　King's　turn　to　look　sad；　and　at　last　he　said：



‘I　see　no　way　of　saving　our　sons　except　by　having　Rosette's

head　cut　off　while　she　is　still　little。'



But　the　Queen　cried　that　she　would　far　rather　have　her　own

head　cut　off；　and　that　he　had　better　think　of　something　else；　for　she

would　never　consent　to　such　a　thing。　So　they　thought　and　thought；

but　they　could　not　tell　what　to　do；　until　at　last　the　Queen　heard

that　in　a　great　forest　near　the　castle　there　was　an　old　hermit；　who

lived　in　a　hollow　tree；　and　that　people　came　from　far　and　near　to

consult　him；　so　she　said：



‘I　had　better　go　and　ask　his　advice；　perhaps　he　will　know　what

to　do　to　prevent　the　misfortunes　which　the　fairies　foretold。'



She　set　out　very　early　the　next　morning；　mounted　upon　a　pretty

little　white　mule；　which　was　shod　with　solid　gold；　and　two　of　her

ladies　rode　behind　her　on　beautiful　horses。　When　they　reached

the　forest　they　dismounted；　for　the　trees　grew　so　thickly　that　the

horses　could　not　pass；　and　made　their　way　on　foot　to　the　hollow

tree　where　the　hermit　lived。　At　first　when　he　saw　them　coming　he

was　vexed；　for　he　was　not　fond　of　ladies；　but　when　he　recognised

the　Queen；　he　said：



‘You　are　welcome；　Queen。　What　do　you　come　to　ask　of　me？'



Then　the　Queen　told　him　all　the　fairies　had　foreseen　for　Rosette；

and　asked　what　she　should　do；　and　the　hermit　answered　that　she

must　shut　the　Princess　up　in　a　tower　and　never　let　her　come　out　of

it　again。　The　Queen　thanked　and　rewarded　him；　and　hastened

back　to　the　castle　to　tell　the　King。　When　he　heard　the　news　he

had　a　great　tower　built　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　there　the

Princess　was　shut　up；　and　the　King　and　Queen　and　her　two　brothers

went　to　see　her　every　day　that　she　might　not　be　dull。　The　eldest

brother　was　called　‘the　Great　Prince；'　and　the　second　‘the　Little

Prince。'　They　loved　their　sister　dearly；　for　she　was　the　sweetest；

prettiest　princess　who　was　ever　seen；　and　the　least　little　smile　from

her　was　worth　more　than　a　hundred　pieces　of　gold。　When　Rosette

was　fifteen　years　old　the　Great　Prince　went　to　the　King　and　asked

if　it　would　not　soon　be　time　for　her　to　be　married；　and　the　Little

Prince　put　the　same　question　to　the　Queen。



Their　majesties　were　amused　at　them　for　thinking　of　it；　but　did

not　make　any　reply；　and　soon　after　both　the　King　and　the　Queen

were　taken　ill；　and　died　on　the　same　day。　Everybody　was

sorry；　Rosette　especially；　and　all　the　bells　in　the　kingdom　were

tolled。



Then　all　the　dukes　and　counsellors　put　the　Great　Prince　upon　a

golden　throne；　and　crowned　him　with　a　diamond　crown；　and　they

all　cried；　‘Long　live　the　King！'　And　after　that　there　was　nothing

but　feasting　and　rejoicing。



The　new　King　and　his　brother　said　to　one　another：



‘Now　that　we　are　the　masters；　let　us　take　our　sister　out　of　that

dull　tower　which　she　is　so　tired　of。'



They　had　only　to　go　across　the　garden　to　reach　the　tower；　which

was　very　high；　and　stood　up　in　a　corner。　Rosette　was　busy　at　her

embroidery；　but　when　she　saw　her　brothers　she　got　up；　and　taking

the　King's　hand　cried：



‘Good　morning；　dear　brother。　Now　that　you　are　King；　please

take　me　out　of　this　dull　tower；　for　I　am　so　tired　of　it。'



Then　she　began　to　cry；　but　the　King　kissed　her　and　told　her　to

dry　her　tears；　as　that　was　just　what　they　had　come　for；　to　take　her

out　of　the　tower　and　bring　her　to　their　beautiful　castle；　and　the

Prince　showed　her　the　pocketful　of　sugar　plums　he　had　brought　for

her；　and　said：



‘Make　haste；　and　let　us　get　away　from　this　ugly　tower；　and　very

soon　the　King　will　arrange　a　grand　marriage　for　you。'



When　Rosette　saw　the　beautiful　garden；　full　of　fruit　and　flowers；

with　green　grass　and　sparkling　fountains；　she　was　so　astonished

that　not　a　word　could　she　say；　for　she　had　never　in　her　life　seen

anything　like　it　before。　She　looked　about　her；　and　ran　hither　and

thither　gathering　fruit　and　flowers；　and　her　little　dog　Frisk；　who

was　bright　green　all　over；　and　had　but　one　ear；　danced　before　her；

crying　‘Bow…wow…wow；'　and　turning　head　over　heels　in　the　most

enchanting　way。



Everybody　was　amused　at　Frisk's　antics；　but　all　of　a　sudden　he

ran　away　into　a　little　wood；　and　the　Princess　was　following　him；

when；　to　her　great　delight；　she　saw　a　peacock；　who　was　spreading

his　tail　in　the　sunshine。　Rosette　thought　she　had　never　seen

anything　so　pretty。　She　could　not　take　her　eyes　off　him；　and　there　she

stood　entranced　until　the　King　and　the　Prince　came　up　and　asked

what　was　amusing　her　so　much。　She　showed　them　the　peacock；

and　asked　what　it　was；　and　they　answered　that　it　was　a　bird　which

people　sometimes　ate。



‘What！'　said　the　Princess；　‘do　they　dare　to　kill　that　beautiful

creature　and　eat　it？　I　declare　that　I　will　never　marry　any　one　but

the　King　of　the　Peacocks；　and　when　I　am　Queen　I　will　take　very

good　care　that　nobody　eats　any　of　my　subjects。'



At　this　the　King　was　very　much　astonished。



‘But；　little　sister；'　said　he；　‘where　shall　we　find　the　King　of　the

Peacocks？'



‘Oh！　wherever　you　like；　sire；'　she　answered；　‘but　I　will　never

marry　any　one　else。'



After　this　they　took　Rosette　to　the　beautiful　castle；　and　the

peacock　was　brought　with　her；　and　told　to　walk　about　on　the　terrace

outside　her　windows；　so　that　she　might　always　see　him；　and　then

the　ladies　of　the　court　came　to　see　the　Princess；　and　they　brought

her　beautiful　presentsdresses　and　ribbons　and　sweetmeats；　diamonds

and　pearls　and　dolls　and　embroidered　slippers；　and　she　was

so　well　brought　up；　and　said；　‘Thank　you！'　so　prettily；　and　was　so

gracious；　that　everyone　went　away　delighted　with　her。



Meanwhile　the　King　and　the　Prince　were　considering　how　they

should　find　the　King　of　the　Peacocks；　if　there　was　such　a　person　in

the　world。　And　first　of　all　they　had　a　portrait　made　of　the　Princess；

which　was　so　like　her　that　you　really　would　not　have　been　surprised

if　it　had　spoken　to　you。　Then　they　said　to　her：



‘Since　you　will　not　marry　anyone　but　the　King　of　the　Peacocks；

we　are　going　out　together　into　the　wide　world　to　search　for　him。

If　we　find　him　for　you　we　shall　be　very　glad。　In　the　meantime；

mind　you　take　good　care　of　our　kingdom。'



Rosette　thanked　them　for　all　the　trouble　they　were　taking　on　her

account；　and　promised　to　take　great　care　of　the　kingdom；　and　only　to

amuse　herself　by　looking　at　the　peacock；　and　making　Frisk　dance

while　they　were　away。



So　they　set　out；　and　asked　everyone　they　met



‘Do　you　know　the　King　of　the　Peacocks？'



But　the　answer　was　always；　‘No；　no。'



Then　they　went　on　and　on；　so　far　that　no　one　has　ever　been

farther；　and　at　last　they　came　to　the　Kingdom　of　the　Cockchafers。



They　had　never　before　seen　such　a　number　of　cockchafers；　and

the　buzzing　was　so　loud　that　the　King　was　afraid　he　should　be

deafened　by　it。　He　asked　the　most　distinguished…looking　cockchafer

they　met　if　he　knew　where　they　could　find　the　King　of　the

Peacocks。



‘Sire；'　replied　the　cockchafer；　‘his　kingdom　is　thirty　thousand

leagues　from　this；　you　have　come　the　longest　way。'



‘And　how　do　you　know　that？'　said　the　King。



‘Oh！'　said　the　cockchafer；　‘we　all　know　you　very　well；　since　we

spend　two　or　three　months　in　your　garden　every　year。'



Thereupon　the　King　and　the　Prince　made　great　friends　with　him；

and　they　all　walked　arm…in…arm　and　dined　together；　and　afterwards

the　cockc