stories to tell to children(儿童故事)-第25章
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whole land？ May I not kick my own dog； if I choose？ What evil is there in
that？〃
A silver voice spoke in his ear： 〃The king of the land has a right to do
good； but not evil； you have been guilty of bad temper and of cruelty to…
day； see that you do better to…morrow。〃
The prince turned sharply； but no one was to be seen； yet he
recognized the voice as that of Fairy Candide。
He followed her advice for a little； but presently he forgot； and the ring
pricked him so sharply that his finger had a drop of blood on it。 This
happened again and again； for the prince grew more self…willed and
headstrong every day； he had some bad friends； too； who urged him on； in
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the hope that he would ruin himself and give them a chance to seize the
throne。 He treated his people carelessly and his servants cruelly； and
everything he wanted he felt that he must have。
The ring annoyed him terribly； it was embarrassing for a king to have
a drop of blood on his finger all the time！ At last he took the ring off and
put it out of sight。 Then he thought he should be perfectly happy； having
his own way； but instead； he grew more unhappy as he grew less good。
Whenever he was crossed； or could not have his own way instantly； he
flew into a passion；
Finally； he wanted something that he really could not have。 This time
it was a most beautiful young girl； named Zelia； the prince saw her； and
loved her so much that he wanted at once to make her his queen。 To his
great astonishment； she refused。
〃Am I not pleasing to you？〃 asked the prince in surprise。
〃You are very handsome； very charming； Prince；〃 said Zelia； 〃but you
are not like the good king； your father； I fear you would make me very
miserable if I were your queen。〃
In a great rage； Prince Cherry ordered the young girl put in prison； and
the key of her dungeon he kept。 He told one of his friends； a wicked man
who flattered him for his own purposes； about the thing； and asked his
advice。
〃Are you not king？〃 said the bad friend； 〃May you not do as you will？
Keep the girl in a dungeon till she does as you command； and if she will
not； sell her as a slave。〃
〃But would it not be a disgrace for me to harm an innocent creature？〃
said the prince。
〃It would be a disgrace to you to have it said that one of your subjects
dared disobey you！〃 said the courtier。
He had cleverly touched the Prince's worst trait； his pride。 Prince
Cherry went at once to Zelia's dungeon； prepared to do this cruel thing。
Zelia was gone。 No one had the key save the prince himself； yet she
was gone。 The only person who could have dared to help her； thought the
prince； was his old tutor； Suliman； the only man left who ever rebuked him
for anything。 In fury； he ordered Suliman to be put in fetters and brought
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before him。
As his servants left him； to carry out the wicked order； there was a
clash； as of thunder； in the room； and then a blinding light。 Fairy Candide
stood before him。 Her beautiful face was stern； and her silver voice rang
like a trumpet； as she said； 〃Wicked and selfish prince； you have become
baser than the beasts you hunt； you are furious as a lion； revengeful as a
serpent； greedy as a wolf； and brutal as a bull； take； therefore； the shape of
those beasts whom you resemble！〃
With horror； the prince felt himself being transformed into a monster。
He tried to rush upon the fairy and kill her； but she had vanished with her
words。 As he stood； her voice came from the air； saying； sadly； 〃Learn to
conquer your pride by being in submission to your own subjects。〃 At the
same moment； Prince Cherry felt himself being transported to a distant
forest； where he was set down by a clear stream。 In the water he saw his
own terrible image； he had the head of a lion； with bull's horns； the feet of
a wolf； and a tail like a serpent。 And as he gazed in horror； the fairy's voice
whispered； 〃Your soul has become more ugly than your shape is； you
yourself have deformed it。〃
The poor beast rushed away from the sound of her words； but in a
moment he stumbled into a trap； set by bear…catchers。 When the trappers
found him they were delighted to have caught a curiosity； and they
immediately dragged him to the palace courtyard。 There he heard the
whole court buzzing with gossip。 Prince Cherry had been struck by
lightning and killed； was the news； and the five favorite courtiers had
struggled to make themselves rulers； but the people had refused them； and
offered the crown to Suliman； the good old tutor。
Even as he heard this； the prince saw Suliman on the steps of the
palace； speaking to the people。 〃I will take the crown to keep in trust；〃 he
said。 〃Perhaps the prince is not dead。〃
〃He was a bad king； we do not want him back；〃 said the people。
〃I know his heart；〃 said Suliman； 〃it is not all bad； it is tainted； but not
corrupt； perhaps he will repent and come back to us a good king。〃
When the beast heard this； it touched him so much that he stopped
tearing at his chains； and became gentle。 He let his keepers lead him away
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to the royal menagerie without hurting them。
Life was very terrible to the prince； now； but he began to see that he
had brought all his sorrow on himself； and he tried to bear it patiently。 The
worst to bear was the cruelty of the keeper。 At last； one night； this keeper
was in great danger； a tiger got loose； and attacked him。 〃Good enough！
Let him die！〃 thought Prince Cherry。 But when he saw how helpless the
keeper was； he repented； and sprang to help。 He killed the tiger and saved
the keeper's life。
As he crouched at the keeper's feet； a voice said； 〃Good actions never
go unrewarded！〃 And the terrible monster was changed into a pretty little
white dog。
The keeper carried the beautiful little dog to the court and told the
story； and from then on； Cherry was carefully treated； and had the best of
everything。 But in order to keep the little dog from growing； the queen
ordered that he should be fed very little； and that was pretty hard for the
poor prince。 He was often half starved； although so much petted。
One day he had carried his crust of bread to a retired spot in the palace
woods； where he loved to be； when he saw a poor old woman hunting for
roots； and seeming almost starved。
〃Poor thing；〃 he thought； 〃she is even hungrier than I；〃 and he ran up
and dropped the crust at her feet。
The woman ate it； and seemed greatly refreshed。
Cherry was glad of that； and he was running happily back to his kennel
when he heard cries of distress； and suddenly he saw some rough men
dragging along a young girl； who was weeping and crying for help。 What
was his horror to see that the young girl was Zelia！ Oh； how he wished he
were the monster once more； so that he could kill the men and rescue her！
But he could do nothing except bark； and bite at the heels of the wicked
men。 That could not stop them； they drove him off； with blows； and
carried Zelia into a palace in the wood。
Poor Cherry crouched by the steps； and watched。 His heart was full of
pity and rage。 But suddenly he thought； 〃I was as bad as these men； I
myself put Zelia in prison； and would have treated her worse still； if I had
not been prevented。〃 The thought made him so sorry and ashamed that he
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repented bitterly the evil he had done。
Presently a window opened； and Cherry saw Zelia lean out and throw
down a piece of meat。 He seized it and was just going to devour it； when
the old woman to whom he had given his crust snatched it away and took
him in her arms。 〃No； you shall not eat it； you poor little thing；〃 she said；
〃for every bit of food in that house is poisoned。〃
At the same moment； a voice said； 〃Good actions never go
unrewarded！〃 And instantly Prince Cherry was transformed into a little
white dove。
With great joy； he flew to the open palace window to seek out his Zelia；
to try to help her。 But though he hunted in every room； no Zelia was to be
found。 He had to fly away； without seeing her。 He wanted more than
anything else to find her； and stay near her； so he flew out into the world；
to seek her。
He sought her in many lands； until one day； in a far eastern country； he
found her sitting in a tent； by the side of an old； white…haired hermit。
Cherry was wild with delight。 He flew to her shoulder； caressed her hair
with his beak； and cooed in her ear。
〃You dear； lovely little thing！〃 said Zelia。 〃Will you stay with me？ If
you will； I will love you always。〃
〃Ah； Zelia； see what you have done！〃 laughed the hermit。 At that
instant； the white dove vanished； and Prince Cherry stood there； as
handsome and charming as ever； and with a look of kindness and modesty
in his eyes which had never been there before。 At the same time； the
hermit stood up； his flowing hair changed to shining gold； and his face
became a lovely woman's face； it was the Fairy Candide。 〃Zelia has
broken your spell；〃 she said to the Prince； 〃as I meant she should； when
you were worthy of her love。〃
Zelia and Prince Cherry fell at the fairy's feet。 But with a beautiful
smile she bade them come to their kingdom。 In a trice； they were
transported to the Prince's palace； where King Suliman greeted them with
tears of joy。 He gave back the throne； with all his heart； and King Cherry
ruled again； wi
