16-the wizard king-第1部分

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　THE　WIZARD　KING＇14＇



＇14＇　From　Les　fees　illustres。



In　very　ancient　times　there　lived　a　King；　whose　power　lay　not

only　in　the　vast　extent　of　his　dominions；　but　also　in　the　magic

secrets　of　which　he　was　master。　　After　spending　the　greater　part

of　his　early　youth　in　pleasure；　he　met　a　Princess　of　such

remarkable　beauty　that　he　at　once　asked　her　hand　in　marriage；

and；　having　obtained　it；　considered　himself　the　happiest　of　men。



After　a　year's　time　a　son　was　born；　worthy　in　every　way　of　such

distinguished　parents；　and　much　admired　by　the　whole　Court。　　As

soon　as　the　Queen　thought　him　strong　enough　for　a　journey　she　set

out　with　him　secretly　to　visit　her　Fairy　godmother。　　I　said

secretly；　because　the　Fairy　had　warned　the　Queen　that　the　King

was　a　magician；　and　as　from　time　immemorial　there　had　been　a

standing　feud　between　the　Fairies　and　the　Wizards；　he　might　not

have　approved　of　his　wife's　visit。



The　Fairy　godmother；　who　took　the　deepest　interest　in　all　the

Queen's　concerns；　and　who　was　much　pleased　with　the　little

Prince；　endowed　him　with　the　power　of　pleasing　everybody　from　his

cradle；　as　well　as　with　a　wonderful　ease　in　learning　everything

which　could　help　to　make　him　a　perfectly　accomplished　Prince。　

Accordingly；　to　the　delight　of　his　teachers；　he　made　the　most

rapid　progress　in　his　education；　constantly　surpassing　everyone's

expectations。　　Before　he　was　many　years　old；　however；　he　had　the

great　sorrow　of　losing　his　mother；　whose　last　words　were　to

advise　him　never　to　undertake　anything　of　importance　without

consulting　the　Fairy　under　whose　protection　she　had　placed　him。



The　Prince's　grief　at　the　death　of　his　mother　was　great；　but　it

was　nothing　compared　to　that　of　the　King；　his　father；　who　was

quite　inconsolable　for　the　loss　of　his　dear　wife。　　Neither　time

nor　reason　seemed　to　lighten　his　sorrow；　and　the　sight　of　all　the

familiar　faces　and　things　about　him　only　served　to　remind　him　of

his　loss。　　He　therefore　resolved　to　travel　for　change；　and　by

means　of　his　magic　art　was　able　to　visit　every　country　he　came　to

see　under　different　shapes；　returning　every　few　weeks　to　the

place　where　he　had　left　a　few　followers。



Having　travelled　from　land　to　land　in　this　fashion　without

finding　anything　to　rivet　his　attention；　it　occurred　to　him　to

take　the　form　of　an　eagle；　and　in　this　shape　he　flew　across　many

countries　and　arrived　at　length　in　a　new　and　lovely　spot；　where

the　air　seemed　filled　with　the　scent　of　jessamine　and　orange

flowers　with　which　the　ground　was　thickly　planted。　　Attracted　by

the　sweet　perfume　he　flew　lower；　and　perceived　some　large　and

beautiful　gardens　filled　with　the　rarest　flowers；　and　with

fountains　throwing　up　their　clear　waters　into　the　air　in　a

hundred　different　shapes。　　A　wide　stream　flowed　through　the

garden；　and　on　it　floated　richly　ornamented　barges　and　gondolas

filled　with　people　dressed　in　the　most　elegant　manner　and　covered

with　jewels。



In　one　of　these　barges　sat　the　Queen　of　that　country　with　her

only　daughter；　a　maiden　more　beautiful　than　the　Day　Star；　and

attended　by　the　ladies　of　the　Court。　　No　more　exquisitely　lovely

mortal　was　ever　seen　than　this　Princess；　and　it　needed　all　an

eagle's　strength　of　sight　to　prevent　the　King　being　hopelessly

dazzled。　　He　perched　on　the　top　of　a　large　orange　tree；　whence　he

was　able　to　survey　the　scene　and　to　gaze　at　pleasure　on　the

Princess's　charms。



Now；　an　eagle　with　a　King's　heart　in　his　breast　is　apt　to　be

bold；　and　accordingly　he　instantly　made　up　his　mind　to　carry　off

the　lovely　damsel；　feeling　sure　that　having　once　seen　her　he

could　not　live　without　her。



He　waited　till　he　saw　her　in　the　act　of　stepping　ashore；　when；

suddenly　swooping　down；　he　carried　her　off　before　her　equerry　in

attendance　had　advanced　to　offer　her　his　hand。　　The　Princess；　on

finding　herself　in　an　eagle's　talons；　uttered　the　most

heart…breaking　shrieks　and　cries；　but　her　captor；　though　touched

by　her　distress；　would　not　abandon　his　lovely　prey；　and　continued

to　fly　through　the　air　too　fast　to　allow　of　his　saying　anything

to　comfort　her。



At　length；　when　he　thought　they　had　reached　a　safe　distance；　he

began　to　lower　his　flight；　and　gradually　descending　to　earth；

deposited　his　burden　in　a　flowery　meadow。　　He　then　entreated　her

pardon　for　his　violence；　and　told　her　that　he　was　about　to　carry

her　to　a　great　kingdom　over　which　he　ruled；　and　where　he　desired

she　should　rule　with　him；　adding　many　tender　and　consoling

expressions。



For　some　time　the　Princess　remained　speechless；　but　recovering

herself　a　little；　she　burst　into　a　flood　of　tears。　　The　King；

much　moved；　said；　'Adorable　Princess；　dry　your　tears。　　I　implore

you。　　My　only　wish　is　to　make　you　the　happiest　person　in　the

world。'



'If　you　speak　truth；　my　lord；'　replied　the　Princess；　'restore　to

me　the　liberty　you　have　deprived　me　of。　　Otherwise　I　can　only

look　on　you　as　my　worst　enemy。'



The　King　retorted　that　her　opposition　filled　him　with　despair；

but　that　he　hoped　to　carry　her　to　a　place　where　all　around　would

respect　her；　and　where　every　pleasure　would　surround　her。　　So

saying；　he　seized　her　once　more；　and　in　spite　of　all　her　cries　he

rapidly　bore　her　off　to　the　neighbourhood　of　his　capital。　　Here

he　gently　placed　her　on　a　lawn；　and　as　he　did　so　she　saw　a

magnificent　palace　spring　up　at　her　feet。　　The　architecture　was

imposing；　and　in　the　interior　the　rooms　were　handsome　and

furnished　in　the　best　possible　taste。



The　Princess；　who　expected　to　be　quite　alone；　was　pleased　at

finding　herself　surrounded　by　a　number　of　pretty　girls；　all

anxious　to　wait　on　her；　whilst　a　brilliantly…coloured　parrot　said

the　most　agreeable　things　in　the　world。



On　arriving　at　this　palace　the　King　had　resumed　his　own　form；　and

though　no　longer　young；　he　might　well　have　pleased　any　other　than

this　Princess；　who　had　been　so　prejudiced　against　him　by　his

violence　that　she　could　only　regard　him　with　feelings　of　hatred；

which　she　was　at　no　pains　to　conceal。　　The　King　hoped；　however；

that　time　might　not　only　soften　her　anger；　but　accustom　her　to

his　sight。　　He　took　the　precaution　of　surrounding　the　palace　with

a　dense　cloud；　and　then　hastened　to　his　Court；　where　his

prolonged　absence　was　causing　much　anxiety。



The　Prince　and　all　the　courtiers　were　delighted　to　see　their

beloved　King　again；　but　they　had　to　submit　themselves　to　more

frequent　absences　than　ever　on　his　part。　　He　made　business　a

pretext　for　shutting　himself　up　in　his　study；　but　it　was　really

in　order　to　spend　the　time　with　the　Princess；　who　remained

inflexible。



Not　being　able　to　imagine　what　could　be　the　cause　of　so　much

obstinacy　the　King　began　to　fear；　lest；　in　spite　of　all　his

precautions；　she　might　have　heard　of　the　charms　of　the　Prince　his

son；　whose　goodness；　youth　and　beauty；　made　him　adored　at　Court。　

This　idea　made　him　horribly　uneasy；　and　he　resolved　to　remove　the

cause　of　his　fears　by　sending　the　Prince　on　his　travels　escorted

by　a　magnificent　retinue。



The　Prince；　after　visiting　several　Courts；　arrived　at　the　one

where　the　lost　Princess　was　still　deeply　mourned。　　The　King　and

Queen　received　him　most　graciously；　and　some　festivities　were

revived　to　do　him　honour。



One　day　when　the　Prince　was　visiting　the　Queen　in　her　own

apartments　he　was　much　struck　by　a　most　beautiful　portrait。　　He

eagerly　inquired　whose　it　was；　and　the　Queen；　with　many　tears；

told　him　it　was　all　that　was　left　her　of　her　beloved　daughter；

who　had　suddenly　been　carried　off；　she　knew　neither　where　nor

how。



The　Prince　was　deeply　moved；　and　vowed　that　he　would　search　the

world　for　the　Princess；　and　take　no　rest　till　he　had　found　and

restored　her　to　her　mother's　arms。　　The　Queen　assured　him　of　her

eternal　gratitude；　and　promised；　should　he　succeed；　to　give　him

her　daughter　in　marriage；　together　with　all　the　estates　she

herself　owned。



The　Prince；　far　more　attracted　by　the　thoughts　of　possessing　the

Princess　than　her　promised　dower；　set　forth　in　his　quest　after

taking　leave　of　the　King　and　Queen；　the　latter　giving　him　a

miniature　of　her　daughter　which　she　was　in　the　habit　of　wearing。　

His　first　act　was　to　seek　the　Fairy　under　whose　protection　he　had

been　placed；　and　he　implored　her　to　give　him　all　the　assistance

of　her　art　and　counsel　in　this　important　matter。



After　listening　attentively　to　the　whole　adventure；　the　Fairy

asked　for　time　to　consult　her　books。　　After　due　consideration　she

informed　the　Prince　that　the　object　of　his　search　was　not　far

distant；　but　that　it　was　too　difficult　for　him　to　attempt　to

enter　the　enchanted　palace　where　she　was；　as　the　King　his　father

had　surrounded　it　with　a　thick　cloud；　and　that　the　only　expedient

she　could　think　of　would　be　to　gain　possession　of　the　Princess's

parrot。　　This；　she　added；　did　not　appear　impossible；　as　it　often

flew　about　to　some　distance　in　the　neighbourhood。



Having　told　the　Prince　all　this；　the　Fairy　went　out　in　hopes　of

seeing　the　parrot；　and　soon　returned　with　the　bird　in　her　hand。　

She　promptly　shut　it　up　in　a　cage；　and；　touching　the　Prince　with

her　wand；　transformed　him　into　an　exactly　similar　parrot；　after

which；　she　instructed　him　how　to　reach　the　Princess。



The　Prince　reached　the　palace　in　safety；　but　was　so　dazzled　at

first　by　the　Princess's　beauty；　which　far　surpassed　his

expectations；　that　he　was　quite　dumb　for　a　time。　　The　Princess

was　surprised　and　anxious；　and　fearing　the　parrot；　who　was　her

greatest　comfort；　had　fallen　ill；　she　took　him　in　her　hand　and

caressed　him。　　This　soon　reassured　the　Prince；　and　encouraged　him

to　play　his　part　well；　and　he　began　to　say　a　thousand　agreeable

things　which　charmed　the　Princess。



Presently　the　King　appeared；　and　the　parrot　noticed　with　joy　how

much　he　was　disliked。　　As　soon　as　the　King　left；　the　Princess

retired　to　her　dressing…room；　the　parrot　flew　after　her　and

overhea