19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第2章

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the　Princess　to　spare　him　the　disappointment　of　going

back　without　her。



〃Sir　Charming；〃　answered　she；　〃all　the　reasons　you

have　given　me　are　very　good　ones；　and　I　assure　you　that

I　should　have　more　pleasure　in　obliging　you　than　anyone

else；　but　you　must　know　that　a　month　ago　as　I　was　walking

by　the　river　with　my　ladies　I　took　off　my　glove；　and

as　I　did　so　a　ring　that　I　was　wearing　slipped　off　my　finger

and　rolled　into　the　water。　As　I　valued　it　more　than　my

kingdom；　you　may　imagine　how　vexed　I　was　at　losing　it；

and　I　vowed　to　never　listen　to　any　proposal　of　marriage

unless　the　ambassador　first　brought　me　back　my　ring。　So

now　you　know　what　is　expected　of　you；　for　if　you　talked

for　fifteen　days　and　fifteen　nights　you　could　not　make　me

change　my　mind。〃



Charming　was　very　much　surprised　by　this　answer；　but

he　bowed　low　to　the　Princess；　and　begged　her　to　accept

the　embroidered　scarf　and　the　tiny　dog　he　had　brought

with　him。　But　she　answered　that　she　did　not　want　any

presents；　and　that　he　was　to　remember　what　she　had　just

told　him。　When　he　got　back　to　his　lodging　he　went　to　bed

without　eating　any　supper；　and　his　little　dog；　who　was

called　Frisk；　couldn't　eat　any　either；　but　came　and　lay

down　close　to　him。　All　night　Charming　sighed　and　lamented。



〃How　am　I　to　find　a　ring　that　fell　into　the　river　a　month

ago？〃　said　he。　〃It　is　useless　to　try；　the　Princess　must　have

told　me　to　do　it　on　purpose；　knowing　it　was　impossible。〃

And　then　he　sighed　again。



Frisk　heard　him　and　said：



〃My　dear　master；　don't　despair；　the　luck　may　change；

you　are　too　good　not　to　be　happy。　Let　us　go　down　to　the

river　as　soon　as　it　is　light。〃



But　Charming　only　gave　him　two　little　pats　and　said

nothing；　and　very　soon　he　fell　asleep。



At　the　first　glimmer　of　dawn　Frisk　began　to　jump　about；

and　when　he　had　waked　Charming　they　went　out　together；

first　into　the　garden；　and　then　down　to　the　river's

brink；　where　they　wandered　up　and　down。　Charming　was

thinking　sadly　of　having　to　go　back　unsuccessful　when　he

heard　someone　calling：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃　　He　looked

all　about　him　and　thought　he　must　be　dreaming；　as　he

could　not　see　anybody。　Then　he　walked　on　and　the　voice

called　again：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃



〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he。　Frisk；　who　was　very　small

and　could　look　closely　into　the　water；　cried　out：　〃I　see　a

golden　carp　coming。〃　And　sure　enough　there　was　the

great　carp；　who　said　to　Charming：



〃You　saved　my　life　in　the　meadow　by　the　willow　tree；

and　I　promised　that　I　would　repay　you。　Take　this；　it　is

Princess　Goldilock's　ring。〃　Charming　took　the　ring　out

of　Dame　Carp's　mouth；　thanking　her　a　thousand　times；

and　he　and　tiny　Frisk　went　straight　to　the　palace；　where

someone　told　the　Princess　that　he　was　asking　to　see　her。



〃Ah！　poor　fellow；〃　said　she；　〃he　must　have　come　to　say

good…by；　finding　it　impossible　to　do　as　I　asked。〃



So　in　came　Charming；　who　presented　her　with　the　ring

and　said：



〃Madam；　I　have　done　your　bidding。　Will　it　please　you

to　marry　my　master？〃　When　the　Princess　saw　her　ring

brought　back　to　her　unhurt　she　was　so　astonished　that　she

thought　she　must　be　dreaming。



〃Truly；　Charming；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　the　favorite

of　some　fairy；　or　you　could　never　have　found　it。〃



〃Madam；〃　answered　he；　〃I　was　helped　by　nothing　but

my　desire　to　obey　your　wishes。〃



〃Since　you　are　so　kind；〃　said　she；　〃perhaps　you　will　do

me　another　service；　for　till　it　is　done　I　will　never　be

married。　There　is　a　prince　not　far　from　here　whose　name

is　Galifron；　who　once　wanted　to　marry　me；　but　when　I

refused　he　uttered　the　most　terrible　threats　against　me；

and　vowed　that　he　would　lay　waste　my　country。　But

what　could　I　do？　I　could　not　marry　a　frightful　giant　as

tall　as　a　tower；　who　eats　up　people　as　a　monkey　eats

chestnuts；　and　who　talks　so　loud　that　anybody　who　has

to　listen　to　him　becomes　quite　deaf。　Nevertheless；　he

does　not　cease　to　persecute　me　and　to　kill　my　subjects。

So　before　I　can　listen　to　your　proposal　you　must　kill　him

and　bring　me　his　head。



Charming　was　rather　dismayed　at　this　command；　but

he　answered：



〃Very　well；　Princess；　I　will　fight　this　Galifron；　I　believe

that　he　will　kill　me；　but　at　any　rate　I　shall　die　in　your

defense。〃



Then　the　Princess　was　frightened　and　said　everything

she　could　think　of　to　prevent　Charming　from　fighting　the

giant；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　and　he　went　out　to　arm　himself

suitably；　and　then；　taking　little　Frisk　with　him；　he　mounted

his　horse　and　set　out　for　Galifron's　country。　Everyone

he　met　told　him　what　a　terrible　giant　Galifron　was；　and

that　nobody　dared　go　near　him；　and　the　more　he　heard；

the　more　frightened　he　grew。　Frisk　tried　to　encourage

him　by　saying：　〃While　you　are　fighting　the　giant；　dear

master；　I　will　go　and　bite　his　heels；　and　when　he　stoops

down　to　look　at　me　you　can　kill　him。〃



Charming　praised　his　little　dog's　plan；　but　knew　that

this　help　would　not　do　much　good。



At　last　he　drew　near　the　giant's　castle；　and　saw　to　his

horror　that　every　path　that　led　to　it　was　strewn　with

bones。　Before　long　he　saw　Galifron　coming。　His　head

was　higher　than　the　tallest　trees；　and　he　sang　in　a　terrible

voice：



　　〃Bring　out　your　little　boys　and　girls；

　　Pray　do　not　stay　to　do　their　curls；

　　For　I　shall　eat　so　very　many；

　　I　shall　not　know　if　they　have　any。〃





Thereupon　Charming　sang　out　as　loud　as　he　could　to

the　same　tune：



　　〃Come　out　and　meet　the　valiant　Charming

　　Who　finds　you　not　at　all　alarming；

　　Although　he　is　not　very　tall；

　　He's　big　enough　to　make　you　fall。〃





The　rhymes　were　not　very　correct；　but　you　see　he　had

made　them　up　so　quickly　that　it　is　a　miracle　that　they

were　not　worse；　especially　as　he　was　horribly　frightened

all　the　time。　When　Galifron　heard　these　words　he　looked

all　about　him；　and　saw　Charming　standing；　sword　in　hand

this　put　the　giant　into　a　terrible　rage；　and　he　aimed　a　blow

at　Charming　with　his　huge　iron　club；　which　would

certainly　have　killed　him　if　it　had　reached　him；　but　at　that

instant　a　raven　perched　upon　the　giant's　head；　and；　pecking

with　its　strong　beak　and　beating　with　its　great　wings

so　confused　and　blinded　him　that　all　his　blows　fell　harmlessly

upon　the　air；　and　Charming；　rushing　in；　gave　him

several　strokes　with　his　sharp　sword　so　that　he　fell　to　the

ground。　Whereupon　Charming　cut　off　his　head　before　he

knew　anything　about　it；　and　the　raven　from　a　tree　close

by　croaked　out：



〃You　see　I　have　not　forgotten　the　good　turn　you　did　me

in　killing　the　eagle。　Today　I　think　I　have　fulfilled　my

promise　of　repaying　you。〃



〃Indeed；　I　owe　you　more　gratitude　than　you　ever　owed

me；〃　replied　Charming。



And　then　he　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　off　with

Galifron's　head。



When　he　reached　the　city　the　people　ran　after　him　in

crowds；　crying：



〃Behold　the　brave　Charming；　who　has　killed　the　giant！〃

And　their　shouts　reached　the　Princess's　ear；　but　she　dared

not　ask　what　was　happening；　for　fear　she　should　hear　that

Charming　had　been　killed。　But　very　soon　he　arrived　at

the　palace　with　the　giant's　head；　of　which　she　was　still

terrified；　though　it　could　no　longer　do　her　any　harm。



〃Princess；〃　said　Charming；　〃I　have　killed　your　enemy；

I　hope　you　will　now　consent　to　marry　the　King　my　master。〃



〃Oh　dear！　no；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃not　until　you　have

brought　me　some　water　from　the　Gloomy　Cavern。



〃Not　far　from　here　there　is　a　deep　cave；　the　entrance　to

which　is　guarded　by　two　dragons　with　fiery　eyes；　who　will

not　allow　anyone　to　pass　them。　When　you　get　into　the

cavern　you　will　find　an　immense　hole；　which　you　must　go

down；　and　it　is　full　of　toads　and　snakes；　at　the　bottom　of

this　hole　there　is　another　little　cave；　in　which　rises　the

Fountain　of　Health　and　Beauty。　It　is　some　of　this　water

that　I　really　must　have：　everything　it　touches　becomes

wonderful。　The　beautiful　things　will　always　remain

beautiful；　and　the　ugly　things　become　lovely。　If　one　is

young　one　never　grows　old；　and　if　one　is　old　one　becomes

young。　You　see；　Charming；　I　could　not　leave　my　kingdom

without　taking　some　of　it　with　me。〃



〃Princess；〃　said　he；　〃you　at　least　can　never　need　this

water；　but　I　am　an　unhappy　ambassador；　whose　death

you　desire。　Where　you　send　me　I　will　go；　though　I　know

I　shall　never　return。〃



And；　as　the　Princess　Goldilocks　showed　no　sign　of

relenting；　he　started　with　his　little　dog　for　the　Gloomy

Cavern。　Everyone　he　met　on　the　way　said：



〃What　a　pity　that　a　handsome　young　man　should

throw　away　his　life　so　carelessly！　He　is　going　to　the　cavern

alone；　though　if　he　had　a　hundred　men　with　him　he　could

not　succeed。　Why　does　the　Princess　ask　impossibilities？〃

Charming　said　nothing；　but　he　was　very　sad。　When

he　was　near　the　top　of　a　hill　he　dismounted　to　let　his　horse

graze；　while　Frisk　amused　himself　by　chasing　flies。

Charming　knew　he　could　not　be　far　from　the　Gloomy

Cavern；　and　on　looking　about　him　he　saw　a　black　hideous

rock　from　which　came　a　thick　smoke；　followed　in　a　moment

by　one　of　the　dragons　with　fire　blazing　from　his

mouth　and　eyes。　His　body　was　yellow　and　green；　and　his

claws　scarlet；　and　his　tail　was　so　long　that　it　lay　in　a

hundred　coils。　Frisk　was　so　terrified　at　the　sight　of　it　that

he　did　not　know　where　to　hide。　Charming；　quite　determined

to　get　the　water　or　die；　now　drew　his　sword；　and；

taking　the　crystal　flask　which　Pretty　Goldilocks　had

given　him　to　fill；　said　to　Frisk：



〃I　feel　sure　that　I　shall　never　come　back　from　this

expedition；　when　I　am　dead；　go　to　the　Princess　and　tell

her　that　her　errand　has　cost　me　my　life。　Then　find　the

King　my　master；　and　relate　all　my　adventures　to　him。〃



As　he　spoke　he　heard　a　voice　calling：　〃Charming；

Charming！〃



〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he；　then　he　saw　an　owl　sitting　in

a　hollow　tree；　who　said　to　him：



〃You　saved　my　life　when　I　was　caught　in　the　net；　now

I　can　repay　you。　Trust　me　with　the　flask；　for　I　know　all

the　ways　of　the　Gloomy　Cavern；　and　can　fill　it　from　the

Fountain　of　Beauty。〃　Charming　was　only　too　glad　to

give　her　the　flask；　and　she　flitted　into　the　cavern　quite

unnoticed　by　the　dragon；　and　after　some　time　returned

with　the　flask；　filled　to　the　very　brim　with　sparkling　water。

Charming　thanked　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　joyfully

hastened　back　to　the　town。



He　went　straight　to　the　palace　and　gave　the　flask　to　the

Princess；　who　had　no　further　objection　to　make。　So　she

thanked　Charming；　and　ordered　that　preparations　should

be　made　for　her　departure；　and　they　soon　set　out　together。

The　Princess　found　Charming　such　an　agreeable　companion

that　she　sometimes　said　to　him：　〃Why　didn't　we　stay

where　we　were？　I　could　have　made　you　king；　and　we

should　have　been　so　happy！〃



But　Charming　only　answered：



〃I　could　not　have　done　anything　that　would　have

vexed　my　master　so　much；　even　for　a　kingdom；　or　to