at the back of the north wind-第32章
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but a spot of white in the yellowish green of the moonlit grass。
But when he feared it would vanish quite； the spot grew； and became
a figure once more。 She approached him again； singing and dancing；
and waving her arms over her head； until she had completed the circle。
Just opposite his tree she stood； ceased her song； dropped her arms；
and broke out into a long clear laugh； musical as a brook。 Then； as
if tired； she threw herself on the grass； and lay gazing at the moon。
The prince was almost afraid to breathe lest he should startle her；
and she should vanish from his sight。 As to venturing near her；
that never came into his head。
She had lain for a long hour or longer； when the prince began again
to doubt concerning her。 Perhaps she was but a vision of his own fancy。
Or was she a spirit of the wood； after all？ If so； he too would
haunt the wood； glad to have lost kingdom and everything for the
hope of being near her。 He would build him a hut in the forest；
and there he would live for the pure chance of seeing her again。
Upon nights like this at least she would come out and bask
in the moonlight； and make his soul blessed。 But while he thus
dreamed she sprang to her feet； turned her face full to the moon；
and began singing as she would draw her down from the sky by the power
of her entrancing voice。 She looked more beautiful than ever。
Again she began dancing to her own music； and danced away into
the distance。 Once more she returned in a similar manner；
but although he was watching as eagerly as before； what with fatigue
and what with gazing； he fell fast asleep before she came near him。
When he awoke it was broad daylight； and the princess was nowhere。
He could not leave the place。 What if she should come the next night！
He would gladly endure a day's hunger to see her yet again：
he would buckle his belt quite tight。 He walked round the glade
to see if he could discover any prints of her feet。 But the grass
was so short； and her steps had been so light； that she had not
left a single trace behind her。 He walked half…way round the wood
without seeing anything to account for her presence。 Then he
spied a lovely little house； with thatched roof and low eaves；
surrounded by an exquisite garden； with doves and peacocks walking
in it。 Of course this must be where the gracious lady who loved
the moonlight lived。 Forgetting his appearance； he walked towards
the door； determined to make inquiries； but as he passed a little
pond full of gold and silver fishes； he caught sight of himself
and turned to find the door to the kitchen。 There he knocked；
and asked for a piece of bread。 The good…natured cook brought him in；
and gave him an excellent breakfast； which the prince found nothing
the worse for being served in the kitchen。 While he ate； he talked
with his entertainer； and learned that this was the favourite
retreat of the Princess Daylight。 But he learned nothing more；
both because he was afraid of seeming inquisitive； and because the cook
did not choose to be heard talking about her mistress to a peasant
lad who had begged for his breakfast。
As he rose to take his leave； it occurred to him that he might
not be so far from the old woman's cottage as he had thought；
and he asked the cook whether she knew anything of such a place；
describing it as well as he could。 She said she knew it well enough；
adding with a smile
〃It's there you're going； is it？〃
〃Yes； if it's not far off。〃
〃It's not more than three miles。 But mind what you are about；
you know。〃
〃Why do you say that？〃
〃If you're after any mischief； she'll make you repent it。〃
〃The best thing that could happen under the circumstances；〃
remarked the prince。
〃What do you mean by that？〃 asked the cook。
〃Why； it stands to reason；〃 answered the prince 〃that if you wish
to do anything wrong； the best thing for you is to be made to repent
of it。〃
〃I see；〃 said the cook。 〃Well； I think you may venture。
She's a good old soul。〃
〃Which way does it lie from here？〃 asked the prince。
She gave him full instructions； and he left her with many thanks。
Being now refreshed； however； the prince did not go back to the cottage
that day： he remained in the forest； amusing himself as best he could；
but waiting anxiously for the night； in the hope that the princess
would again appear。 Nor was he disappointed； for； directly the
moon rose； he spied a glimmering shape far across the glade。
As it drew nearer； he saw it was she indeednot dressed in white
as before： in a pale blue like the sky； she looked lovelier still。
He thought it was that the blue suited her yet better than the white；
he did not know that she was really more beautiful because the
moon was nearer the full。 In fact the next night was full moon；
and the princess would then be at the zenith of her loveliness。
The prince feared for some time that she was not coming near his
hiding…place that night； but the circles in her dance ever widened
as the moon rose； until at last they embraced the whole glade；
and she came still closer to the trees where he was hiding than she
had come the night before。 He was entranced with her loveliness；
for it was indeed a marvellous thing。 All night long he watched her；
but dared not go near her。 He would have been ashamed of watching
her too； had he not become almost incapable of thinking of anything
but how beautiful she was。 He watched the whole night long； and saw
that as the moon went down she retreated in smaller and smaller circles；
until at last he could see her no more。
Weary as he was； he set out for the old woman's cottage； where he
arrived just in time for her breakfast； which she shared with him。
He then went to bed； and slept for many hours。 When he awoke
the sun was down； and he departed in great anxiety lest he should
lose a glimpse of the lovely vision。 But； whether it was by the
machinations of the swamp…fairy； or merely that it is one thing
to go and another to return by the same road； he lost his way。
I shall not attempt to describe his misery when the moon rose；
and he saw nothing but trees； trees； trees。
She was high in the heavens before he reached the glade。
Then indeed his troubles vanished； for there was the princess
coming dancing towards him； in a dress that shone like gold；
and with shoes that glimmered through the grass like fireflies。
She was of course still more beautiful than before。 Like an embodied
sunbeam she passed him； and danced away into the distance。
Before she returned in her circle； the clouds had begun to gather
about the moon。 The wind rose； the trees moaned； and their lighter
branches leaned all one way before it。 The prince feared that the
princess would go in； and he should see her no more that night。
But she came dancing on more jubilant than ever； her golden dress
and her sunny hair streaming out upon the blast； waving her arms
towards the moon； and in the exuberance of her delight ordering
the clouds away from off her face。 The prince could hardly believe
she was not a creature of the elements； after all。
By the time she had completed another circle； the clouds had
gathered deep； and there were growlings of distant thunder。
Just as she passed the tree where he stood； a flash of lightning
blinded him for a moment； and when he saw again； to his horror；
the princess lay on the ground。 He darted to her； thinking she
had been struck； but when she heard him coming； she was on her feet
in a moment。
〃What do you want？〃 she asked。
〃I beg your pardon。 I thoughtthe lightning〃 said the prince；
hesitating。
〃There's nothing the matter；〃 said the princess； waving him off
rather haughtily。
The poor prince turned and walked towards the wood。
〃Come back；〃 said Daylight： 〃I like you。 You do what you are told。
Are you good？〃
〃Not so good as I should like to be；〃 said the prince。
〃Then go and grow better；〃 said the princess。
Again the disappointed prince turned and went。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。
He obeyed； and stood before her waiting。
〃Can you tell me what the sun is like？〃 she asked。
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃But where's the good of asking what you know？〃
〃But I don't know；〃 she rejoined。
〃Why； everybody knows。〃
〃That's the very thing： I'm not everybody。 I've never seen the sun。〃
〃Then you can't know what it's like till you do see it。〃
〃I think you must be a prince；〃 said the princess。
〃Do I look like one？〃 said the prince。
〃I can't quite say that。〃
〃Then why do you think so？〃
〃Because you both do what you are told and speak the truth。
Is the sun so very bright？〃
〃As bright as the lightning。〃
〃But it doesn't go out like that； does it？〃
〃Oh； no。 It shines like the moon； rises and sets like the moon；
is much the same shape as the moon； only so bright that you can't
look at it for a moment。〃
〃But I would look at it；〃 said the princess。
〃But you couldn't；〃 said the prince。
〃But I could；〃 said the princess。
〃Why don't you； then？〃
〃Because I can't。〃
〃Why can't you？〃
〃Because I can't wake。 And I never shall wake until〃
Here she hid her face in her hands； turned away； and walked in
the slowest； stateliest manner towards the house。 The prince ventured
to follow her at a little distance； but she turned and made a repellent
gesture； which； like a true gentleman…prince； he obeyed at once。
He waited a long time； but as she did not come near him again； and as
the night had now cleared； he set off at last for the old woman's cottage。
It was long past midnight when he reached it； but； to his surprise；
the old woman was paring potatoes at the door。 Fairies are fond
of doing odd things。 Indeed； however they may dissemble； the night
is always their day。 And so it is with all who have fairy blood
in them。
〃Why； what are you doing there； this time of the night； mother？〃
said the prince； for that was the kind way in which any young man
in his country would address a woman who was much older than himself。
〃Getting your supper ready； my son；〃 she answered。
〃Oh； I don't want any supper；〃 said the prince。
〃Ah！ you've seen Daylight；〃 said she。
〃I've seen a princess who never saw it；〃 said the prince。
〃Do you like her？〃 asked the fairy。
〃Oh！ don't I？〃 said the prince。 〃More than you would believe； mother。〃
〃A fairy can believe anything that ever was or ever could be；〃
said the old woman。
〃Then are you a fairy？〃 asked the prince。
〃Yes；〃 said she。
〃Then what do you do for things not to believe？〃 asked the prince。
〃There's plenty of themeverything that never was nor ever could be。〃
〃Plenty； I grant you；〃 said the prince。 〃But do you believe there
could
