金丝雀王子
金丝雀王子 (第2/3页)
donher.Theminuteshesteppedfromhercarriage,theladies-in-waitingallrushedoutandtoldhernottoworry,thegirlwaswellandhappy.Thequeenwentuptothegirlsroomforamoment."Soyourecomfortable,areyou?Youneednothing,doyou?Yourelookingwell,Isee;thecountryairisdoingyougood.Stayhappy,now.Bye-bye,dear!"Andoffshewent.Sheinformedthekingshehadneverseenhisdaughtersocontent.
Onthecontrary,alwasyaloneintheroom,withladies-in-waitingwhodidntsomuchaslookather,theprincessspentherdayswistfullyatthewindow.Shesatthereleaningonthewindowsill,andhadshenotthoughttoputapillowunderthem,shewouldhavegotcallusesonherelbows.Thewindowlookedoutontheforest,andalldaylongtheprincesssawnothingbuttreetops,cloudsand,downbelow,thehunterstrail.Overthattrailonedaycamethesonofakinginpursuitofawildboar.Nearingthecastleknowntohavebeenunoccupiedfornotellinghowmanyyears,hewasamazedtoseewashingspreadoutonthebattlements,smokerisingfromthechimneys,andopencasements.Ashelookedabouthim,henoticedabeautifulmaidenatoneoftheupperwindowsandsmiledather.Themaidensawtheprincetoo,dressedinyellow,withhuntersleggingsandgun,andsmilingather,soshesmiledbackathim.Forawholehour,theysmiled,bowed,andcurtsied,beingtoofaraparttocommunicateinanyotherway.
Thenextday,underthepretextofgoinghunting,thekingssonreturned,dressedinyellow,andtheystaredateachotherthistimefortwohours;inadditiontosmiles,bows,andcurtsies,theyputahandovertheirheartsandwavedhandkerchiefsatgreatlength.Thethirddaytheprincestoppedforthreehours,andtheybleweachotherkisses.Thefourthdayhewasthereasusual,whenfrombehindatreeawitchpeepedandbegantoguffaw:"Ho,ho,ho,ho!"
"Whoareyou?Whatssofunny?"snappedtheprince.
"Whatssofunny?Twoloverssillyenoughttostaysofarapart!"
"Wouldyouknowhowtogetanyclosertoher,ninny?"askedtheprince.
"Ilikeyouboth,"saidthewitch,"andIllhelpyou."
Sheknockedatthedoorandhandedtheladies-in-waitingabigoldbookwithyellow,smudgypages,sayingitwasagifttotheprincesssotheyoungladycouldpassthetimereading.Theladiestookittothegirl,whoopeneditatonceandread:"Thisisamagicbook.Turnthepagesforward,andthemanbecomesabird;turnthemback,andthebirdbecomesamanoncemore."
Thegirlrantothewindow,placedthebookonthesill,andturnedthepagesingreathastewhilewatchingtheyouthinyellowstandinginthepath.Movinghisarms,hewassoonflappingwingsandchangedintoacanary,dressedinyellowashewas.Uphesoaredabovethetreetopsandheadedstraightforthewindow,comingtorestonthecushionedsill.Theprincesscouldntresistpickingupthebeautifulcanaryandkissinghim;thenrememberinghewasayoungman,sheblushed.Butonsecondthoughtshewasntashamedatallandmadehastetoturnhimbackintoayouth.Shepickedupthebookandthumbedbackwardthroughit;thecanaryruffledhisyellowfeathers,flappedhiswings,thenmovedarmsandwasoncemoretheyouthdressedinyellowwiththehuntersleggings,whokneltbeforeher,declaring,"Iloveyou!"
Bythetimetheyfinishedconfessingalltheirloveforoneanother,itwasevening.Slowly,theprincessleafedthroughthebook.Lookingintohereyestheyouthturnedbackintoacanary,perchedonthewindowsill,thenontheeaves,thentrustingtothewind,flewdowninwidearcs,lightingonthelowerlimbofatree.Atthat,sheturnedthepagesbackinthebookandthecanarywasaprinceoncemorewhojumpeddown,whistledforhisdogs,threwakisstowardthewindow,andcontinuedalongthetrailoutofsight.
Soeverydaythepageswereturnedforwardtobringtheprinceflyinguptothewindowatthetopofthetower,thenturnedbackwardtorestorehishumanform,thenforwardagaintoenablehimtoflyaway,andfinallybackwardforhimtogethome.Neverintheirwholelifehadthetwoyoungpeopleknownsuchhappiness.
Onedaythequeencalledonherstepdaughter.Shewalkedabouttheroom,saying,"Youreallright,arentyou?Iseeyoureatrifleslimmer,butthatscertainlynocauseforconcern,isit?Itstrue,isntit,youveneverfeltbetter?"Asshetalked,shecheckedtoseethateverythingwasinplace.Sheopenedthewindowandpeeredout.Herecametheprinceinyellowalongthetrailwithhisdogs."Ifthissillygirlthinkssheisgoingtoflirtatthewindow,"saidthestepmothertoherself,"shehasanotherthoughtcomingtoher."Shesentthegirlforaglassofwaterandsomesugar,thenhurriedlyremovedfiveorsixhairpinsfromherownhairandconcealedtheminthepillowwiththesharppointsstickingstraightup."Thatwillteachhertoleanonthewindowsill!"Thegirlreturnedwiththewaterandsugar,butthequeensaid,"Oh,Imnolongerthirsty;youdrinkit,mydear!Imustbegettingbacktoyourfather.Youdontneedanything,doyou?Well,goodbye."Andshewasoff.
Assoonasthequeenscarriagewasoutofsight,thegirlhurriedlyflippedoverthepagesofthebook,theprinceturnedintoacanary,flewtothewindow,andstruckthepillowlikeanarrow.Heinstantlyletoutashrillcryofpain.Theyellowfeatherswerestainedwithblood;thecanaryhaddriventhepinsintohisbreast.Herosewithaconvulsiveflapping,trustedhimselftothewind,descendedinirregulararcs,andlitonthegroundwithoutstretchedwings.Thefrightenedprincess,notyetfullyawareofwhathadhappened,quicklyturnedthepagesbackinthehopetherewouldbenowoundswhenheregainedhishumanform.Alas,theprincereappeareddrippingbloodfromthedeepstabsthathadrenttheyellowgarmentonhischest,andlaybacksurroundedbyhisdogs.
Atthehowlingofthedogs,theotherhunterscametohisaidandcarriedhimoffonastretcherofbranches,buthedidntsomuchasglanceupatthewindowofhisbeloved,whowasstilloverwhelmedwithgriefandfright.
Backathispalace,theprinceshowednopromiseofrecovery,nordidthedoctorsknowwhattodoforhim.Thewoundsrefusedtohealover,andconstantlyhurt.Hisfatherthekingpostedproclamationsoneverystreetcornerpromisingafortunetoanyonewhocouldcurehim,butnotasoul
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