21-the wonderful sheep-第2章

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So　saying　she　advanced　toward　the　place　where　she

heard　the　bleating；　but　what　was　her　surprise　when；　in　a

lovely　little　glade　quite　surrounded　by　trees；　she　saw　a

large　sheep；　its　wool　was　as　white　as　snow；　and　its　horns

shone　like　gold；　it　had　a　garland　of　flowers　round　its

neck；　and　strings　of　great　pearls　about　its　legs；　and　a

collar　of　diamonds；　it　lay　upon　a　bank　of　orange…flowers；

under　a　canopy　of　cloth　of　gold　which　protected　it　from

the　heat　of　the　sun。　Nearly　a　hundred　other　sheep　were

scattered　about；　not　eating　the　grass；　but　some　drinking

coffee；　lemonade；　or　sherbet；　others　eating　ices；

strawberries　and　cream；　or　sweetmeats；　while　others；　again；

were　playing　games。　Many　of　them　wore　golden　collars

with　jewels；　flowers；　and　ribbons。



Miranda　stopped　short　in　amazement　at　this　unexpected

sight；　and　was　looking　in　all　directions　for　the

shepherd　of　this　surprising　flock；　when　the　beautiful

sheep　came　bounding　toward　her。



〃Approach；　lovely　Princess；〃　he　cried；　〃have　no　fear

of　such　gentle　and　peaceable　animals　as　we　are。〃



〃What　a　marvel！〃　cried　the　Princess；　starting　back　a

little。　〃Here　is　a　sheep　that　can　talk。〃



〃Your　monkey　and　your　dog　could　talk；　madam；〃　said

he；　〃are　you　more　astonished　at　us　than　at　them？〃



〃A　fairy　gave　them　the　power　to　speak；〃　replied

Miranda。　〃So　I　was　used　to　them。〃



〃Perhaps　the　same　thing　has　happened　to　us；〃　he　said；

smiling　sheepishly。　〃But；　Princess；　what　can　have　led

you　here？〃



〃A　thousand　misfortunes；　Sir　Sheep；〃　she　answered。



〃I　am　the　unhappiest　princess　in　the　world；　and　I　am

seeking　a　shelter　against　my　father's　anger。〃



〃Come　with　me；　madam；〃　said　the　Sheep；　〃I　offer　you

a　hiding…place　which　you　only　will　know　of；　and　where

you　will　be　mistress　of　everything　you　see。〃



〃I　really　cannot　follow　you；〃　said　Miranda；　〃for　I　am

too　tired　to　walk　another　step。〃



The　Sheep　with　the　golden　horns　ordered　that　his

chariot　should　be　fetched；　and　a　moment　after　appeared

six　goats；　harnessed　to　a　pumpkin；　which　was　so　big　that

two　people　could　quite　well　sit　in　it；　and　was　all　lined

with　cushions　of　velvet　and　down。　The　Princess　stepped

into　it；　much　amused　at　such　a　new　kind　of　carriage；　the

King　of　the　Sheep　took　his　place　beside　her；　and　the

goats　ran　away　with　them　at　full　speed；　and　only　stopped

when　they　reached　a　cavern；　the　entrance　to　which　was

blocked　by　a　great　stone。　This　the　King　touched　with

his　foot；　and　immediately　it　fell　down；　and　he　invited

the　Princess　to　enter　without　fear。　Now；　if　she　had　not

been　so　alarmed　by　everything　that　had　happened；　nothing

could　have　induced　her　to　go　into　this　frightful　cave；

but　she　was　so　afraid　of　what　might　be　behind　her　that

she　would　have　thrown　herself　even　down　a　well　at　this

moment。　So；　without　hesitation；　she　followed　the　Sheep；

who　went　before　her；　down；　down；　down；　until　she

thought　they　must　come　out　at　the　other　side　of　the

worldindeed；　she　was　not　sure　that　he　wasn't　leading

her　into　Fairyland。　At　last　she　saw　before　her　a　great

plain；　quite　covered　with　all　sorts　of　flowers；　the　scent　of

which　seemed　to　her　nicer　than　anything　she　had　ever

smelled　before；　a　broad　river　of　orange…flower　water

flowed　round　it　and　fountains　of　wine　of　every　kind　ran

in　all　directions　and　made　the　prettiest　little　cascades　and

brooks。　The　plain　was　covered　with　the　strangest　trees；

there　were　whole　avenues　where　partridges；　ready

roasted；　hung　from　every　branch；　or；　if　you　preferred

pheasants；　quails；　turkeys；　or　rabbits；　you　had　only　to

turn　to　the　right　hand　or　to　the　left　and　you　were　sure　to

find　them。　In　places　the　air　was　darkened　by　showers

of　lobster…patties；　white　puddings；　sausages；　tarts；　and

all　sorts　of　sweetmeats；　or　with　pieces　of　gold　and　silver；

diamonds　and　pearls。　This　unusual　kind　of　rain；　and

the　pleasantness　of　the　whole　place；　would；　no　doubt；

have　attracted　numbers　of　people　to　it；　if　the　King　of　the

Sheep　had　been　of　a　more　sociable　disposition；　but　from

all　accounts　it　is　evident　that　he　was　as　grave　as　a　judge。



As　it　was　quite　the　nicest　time　of　the　year　when

Miranda　arrived　in　this　delightful　land　the　only　palace　she

saw　was　a　long　row　of　orange　trees；　jasmines；　honeysuckles；

and　musk…roses；　and　their　interlacing　branches

made　the　prettiest　rooms　possible；　which　were　hung　with

gold　and　silver　gauze；　and　had　great　mirrors　and

candlesticks；　and　most　beautiful　pictures。　The　Wonderful

Sheep　begged　that　the　Princess　would　consider　herself

queen　over　all　that　she　saw；　and　assured　her　that；　though

for　some　years　he　had　been　very　sad　and　in　great　trouble；

she　had　it　in　her　power　to　make　him　forget　all　his　grief。



〃You　are　so　kind　and　generous；　noble　Sheep；〃　said　the

Princess；　〃that　I　cannot　thank　you　enough；　but　I　must

confess　that　all　I　see　here　seems　to　me　so　extraordinary

that　I　don't　know　what　to　think　of　it。〃



As　she　spoke　a　band　of　lovely　fairies　came　up　and

offered　her　amber　baskets　full　of　fruit；　but　when　she　held

out　her　hands　to　them　they　glided　away；　and　she　could

feel　nothing　when　she　tried　to　touch　them。



〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　〃what　can　they　be？　Whom　am　I

with？〃　and　she　began　to　cry。



At　this　instant　the　King　of　the　Sheep　came　back　to

her；　and　was　so　distracted　to　find　her　in　tears　that　he

could　have　torn　his　wool。



〃What　is　the　matter；　lovely　Princess？〃　he　cried。　〃Has

anyone　failed　to　treat　you　with　due　respect？〃



〃Oh！　no；〃　said　Miranda；　〃only　I　am　not　used　to　living

with　sprites　and　with　sheep　that　talk；　and　everything

here　frightens　me。　It　was　very　kind　of　you　to　bring

me　to　this　place；　but　I　shall　be　even　more　grateful　to　you

if　you　will　take　me　up　into　the　world　again。〃



〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　said　the　Wonderful　Sheep；　〃I

entreat　you　to　have　patience；　and　listen　to　the　story　of

my　misfortunes。　I　was　once　a　king；　and　my　kingdom

was　the　most　splendid　in　the　world。　My　subjects　loved

me；　my　neighbors　envied　and　feared　me。　I　was　respected

by　everyone；　and　it　was　said　that　no　king　ever

deserved　it　more。



〃I　was　very　fond　of　hunting；　and　one　day；　while　chasing

a　stag；　I　left　my　attendants　far　behind；　suddenly　I

saw　the　animal　leap　into　a　pool　of　water；　and　I　rashly

urged　my　horse　to　follow　it；　but　before　we　had　gone　many

steps　I　felt　an　extraordinary　heat；　instead　of　the　coolness

of　the　water；　the　pond　dried　up；　a　great　gulf　opened

before　me；　out　of　which　flames　of　fire　shot　up；　and　I　fell

helplessly　to　the　bottom　of　a　precipice。



〃I　gave　myself　up　for　lost；　but　presently　a　voice　said：

‘Ungrateful　Prince；　even　this　fire　is　hardly　enough　to

warm　your　cold　heart！'



〃‘Who　complains　of　my　coldness　in　this　dismal　place？'

I　cried。



〃‘An　unhappy　being　who　loves　you　hopelessly；'

replied　the　voice；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　flames　began

to　flicker　and　cease　to　burn；　and　I　saw　a　fairy；　whom　I

had　known　as　long　as　I　could　remember；　and　whose　ugliness

had　always　horrified　me。　She　was　leaning　upon　the

arm　of　a　most　beautiful　young　girl；　who　wore　chains　of

gold　on　her　wrists　and　was　evidently　her　slave。



〃‘Why；　Ragotte；'　I　said；　for　that　was　the　fairy's　name；

‘what　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？　Is　it　by　your　orders

that　I　am　here？'



〃‘And　whose　fault　is　it；'　she　answered；　‘that　you　have

never　understood　me　until　now？　Must　a　powerful　fairy

like　myself　condescend　to　explain　her　doings　to　you　who

are　no　better　than　an　ant　by　comparison；　though　you

think　yourself　a　great　king？'



〃‘Call　me　what　you　like；'　I　said　impatiently；　‘but

what　is　it　that　you　wantmy　crown；　or　my　cities；　or　my

treasures？'



〃‘Treasures！'　said　the　fairy；　disdainfully。　‘If　I　chose

I　could　make　any　one　of　my　scullions　richer　and　more

powerful　than　you。　I　do　not　want　your　treasures；　but；'

she　added　softly；　‘if　you　will　give　me　your　heartif　you

will　marry　meI　will　add　twenty　kingdoms　to　the　one

you　have　already；　you　shall　have　a　hundred　castles　full　of

gold　and　five　hundred　full　of　silver；　and；　in　short；

anything　you　like　to　ask　me　for。'



〃‘Madam　Ragotte；'　said　I；　‘when　one　is　at　the　bottom

of　a　pit　where　one　has　fully　expected　to　be　roasted　alive；

it　is　impossible　to　think　of　asking　such　a　charming　per…

son　as　you　are　to　marry　one！　I　beg　that　you　will　set　me

at　liberty；　and　then　I　shall　hope　to　answer　you　fittingly。'



〃‘Ah！'　said　she；　‘if　you　really　loved　me　you　would　not

care　where　you　werea　cave；　a　wood；　a　fox…hole；　a

desert；　would　please　you　equally　well。　Do　not　think

that　you　can　deceive　me；　you　fancy　you　are　going　to

escape；　but　I　assure　you　that　you　are　going　to　stay　here

and　the　first　thing　I　shall　give　you　to　do　will　be　to　keep　my

sheepthey　are　very　good　company　and　speak　quite　as

well　as　you　do。



〃As　she　spoke　she　advanced；　and　led　me　to　this　plain

where　we　now　stand；　and　showed　me　her　flock；　but　I　paid

little　attention　to　it　or　to　her。



〃To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　so　lost　in　admiration　of　her

beautiful　slave　that　I　forgot　everything　else；　and　the

cruel　Ragotte；　perceiving　this；　turned　upon　her　so　furious

and　terrible　a　look　that　she　fell　lifeless　to　the　ground。



〃At　this　dreadful　sight　I　drew　my　sword　and　rushed　at

Ragotte；　and　should　certainly　have　cut　off　her　head　had

she　not　by　her　magic　arts　chained　me　to　the　spot　on

which　I　stood；　all　my　efforts　to　move　were　useless；　and

at　last；　when　I　threw　myself　down　on　the　ground　in

despair；　she　said　to　me；　with　a　scornful　smile：



〃‘I　intend　to　make　you　feel　my　power。　It　seems　that

you　are　a　lion　at　present；　I　mean　you　to　be　a　sheep。'



〃So　saying；　she　touched　me　with　her　wand；　and　I

became　what　you　see。　I　did　not　lose　the　power　of　speech；

or　of　feeling　the　misery　of　my　present　state。



〃‘For　five　years；'　she　said；　‘you　shall　be　a　sheep；　and

lord　of　this　pleasant　land；　while　I；　no　longer　able　to　see

your　face；　which　I　loved　so　much；　shall　be　better　able　to

hate　you　as　you　deserve　to　be　hated。'



〃She　disappeared　as　she　finished　speaking；　and　if　I　had

not　been　too　unhappy　to　care　about　anything　I　should

have　been　glad　that　she　was　gone。



〃The　talking　sheep　received　me　as　their　king；　and　told

me　that　they；　too；　were　unfortunate　princes　who　had；　in

different　ways；　offended　the　revengeful　fairy；　and　had

been　added　to　her　flock　for　a　certain　number　of　years；

some　more；　some　less。　From　time　to　time；　indeed；　one

regains　his　own　proper　form　and　goes　back　again　to　his

place　in　the　upper　world；　but　the　other　beings　whom　you

saw　are　the　rivals　or　the　enemies　of　Ragotte；　whom　she　has

imprisoned　for　a　hundred　years　or　so；　though　even　they

will　go　back　at　last。　The　young　slave　of　whom　I　told

you　about　is　one　of　these；　I　have　seen　her　often；　and　it

has　been　a　great　pleasure　to　me。　She　never　speaks　to

me；　and　if　I　were　nearer　to　her　I　know　I　should　find　her

only　a　shadow；　which　would　be　very　annoying。　However；

I　noticed　that　one　of　my　comp