16-the wizard king-第2部分

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

overheard　her　lamentations　at　the　continued　persecutions　of　the

King；　who　had　pressed　her　to　consent　to　their　marriage。　　The

parrot　said　so　many　clever　and　tender　things　to　comfort　her　that

she　began　to　doubt　whether　this　could　indeed　be　her　own　parrot。



When　he　saw　her　well…disposed　towards　him；　he　exclaimed：　'Madam；

I　have　a　most　important　secret　to　confide　to　you；　and　I　beg　you

not　to　be　alarmed　by　what　I　am　about　to　say。　　I　am　here　on　behalf

of　the　Queen　your　mother；　with　the　object　of　delivering　your

Highness；　to　prove　which；　behold　this　portrait　which　she　gave　me

herself。'　　So　saying　he　drew　forth　the　miniature　from　under　his

wing。　　The　Princess's　surprise　was　great；　but　after　what　she　had

seen　and　heard　it　was　impossible　not　to　indulge　in　hope；　for　she

had　recognised　the　likeness　of　herself　which　her　mother　always

wore。



The　parrot；　finding　she　was　not　much　alarmed；　told　her　who　he

was；　all　that　her　mother　had　promised　him　and　the　help　he　had

already　received　from　a　Fairy　who　had　assured　him　that　she　would

give　him　means　to　transport　the　Princess　to　her　mother's　arms。



When　he　found　her　listening　attentively　to　him；　he　implored　the

Princess　to　allow　him　to　resume　his　natural　shape。　　She　did　not

speak；　so　he　drew　a　feather　from　his　wing；　and　she　beheld　before

her　a　Prince　of　such　surpassing　beauty　that　it　was　impossible　not

to　hope　that　she　might　owe　her　liberty　to　so　charming　a　person。



Meantime　the　Fairy　had　prepared　a　chariot；　to　which　she　harnessed

two　powerful　eagles；　then　placing　the　cage；　with　the　parrot　in

it；　she　charged　the　bird　to　conduct　it　to　the　window　of　the

Princess's　dressing…room。　　This　was　done　in　a　few　minutes；　and

the　Princess；　stepping　into　the　chariot　with　the　Prince；　was

delighted　to　find　her　parrot　again。



As　they　rose　through　the　air　the　Princess　remarked　a　figure

mounted　on　an　eagle's　back　flying　in　front　of　the　chariot。　　She

was　rather　alarmed；　but　the　Prince　reassured　her；　telling　her　it

was　the　good　Fairy　to　whom　she　owed　so　much；　and　who　was　now

conducting　her　in　safety　to　her　mother。



That　same　morning　the　King　woke　suddenly　from　a　troubled　sleep。　

He　had　dreamt　that　the　Princess　was　being　carried　off　from　him；

and；　transforming　himself　into　an　eagle；　he　flew　to　the　palace。　

When　he　failed　to　find　her　he　flew　into　a　terrible　rage；　and

hastened　home　to　consult　his　books；　by　which　means　he　discovered

that　it　was　his　son　who　had　deprived　him　of　this　precious

treasure。　　Immediately　he　took　the　shape　of　a　harpy；　and；　filled

with　rage；　was　determined　to　devour　his　son；　and　even　the

Princess　too；　if　only　he　could　overtake　them。



He　set　out　at　full　speed；　but　he　started　too　late；　and　was

further　delayed　by　a　strong　wind　which　the　Fairy　raised　behind

the　young　couple　so　as　to　baffle　any　pursuit。



You　may　imagine　the　rapture　with　which　the　Queen　received　the

daughter　she　had　given　up　for　lost；　as　well　as　the　amiable　Prince

who　had　rescued　her。　　The　Fairy　entered　with　them；　and　warned　the

Queen　that　the　Wizard　King　would　shortly　arrive；　infuriated　by

his　loss；　and　that　nothing　could　preserve　the　Prince　and　Princess

from　his　rage　and　magic　unless　they　were　actually　married。



The　Queen　hastened　to　inform　the　King　her　husband；　and　the

wedding　took　place　on　the　spot。



As　the　ceremony　was　completed　the　Wizard　King　arrived。　　His

despair　at　being　so　late　bewildered　him　so　entirely　that　he

appeared　in　his　natural　form　and　attempted　to　sprinkle　some　black

liquid　over　the　bride　and　bridegroom；　which　was　intended　to　kill

them；　but　the　Fairy　stretched　out　her　wand　and　the　liquid　dropped

on　the　Magician　himself。　　He　fell　down　senseless；　and　the

Princess's　father；　deeply　offended　at　the　cruel　revenge　which　had

been　attempted；　ordered　him　to　be　removed　and　locked　up　in

prison。



Now　as　magicians　lose　all　their　power　as　soon　as　they　are　in

prison；　the　King　felt　himself　much　embarrassed　at　being　thus　at

the　mercy　of　those　he　had　so　greatly　offended。　　The　Prince

implored　and　obtained　his　father's　pardon；　and　the　prison　doors

were　opened。



No　sooner　was　this　done　than　the　Wizard　King　was　seen　in　the　air

under　the　form　of　some　unknown　bird；　exclaiming　as　he　flew　off

that　he　would　never　forgive　either　his　son　or　the　Fairy　the　cruel

wrong　they　had　done　him。



Everyone　entreated　the　Fairy　to　settle　in　the　kingdom　where　she

now　was；　to　which　she　consented。　　She　built　herself　a　magnificent

palace；　to　which　she　transported　her　books　and　fairy　secrets；　and

where　she　enjoyed　the　sight　of　the　perfect　happiness　she　had

helped　to　bestow　on　the　entire　royal　family。