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19-the story of pretty goldilocks-第2章

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King; he may think himself lucky!〃



Then he dressed himself carefully in rich brocade; with

scarlet and white plumes; and threw a splendid embroidered

scarf over his shoulder; and; looking as gay and as

graceful as possible; he presented himself at the door of

the palace; carrying in his arm a tiny pretty dog which he

had bought on the way。 The guards saluted him respectfully;

and a messenger was sent to the Princess to announce

the arrival of Charming as ambassador of her

neighbor the King。



〃Charming;〃 said the Princess; 〃the name promises

well; I have no doubt that he is good looking and

fascinates everybody。〃



〃Indeed he does; madam;〃 said all her maids of honor

in one breath。 〃We saw him from the window of the

garret where we were spinning flax; and we could do

nothing but look at him as long as he was in sight。〃



〃Well to be sure;〃 said the Princess; 〃that's how you

amuse yourselves; is it? Looking at strangers out of the

window! Be quick and give me my blue satin embroidered

dress; and comb out my golden hair。 Let somebody

make me fresh garlands of flowers; and give me my high…

heeled shoes and my fan; and tell them to sweep my great

hall and my throne; for I want everyone to say I am really

‘Pretty Goldilocks。'〃



You can imagine how all her maids scurried this way

and that to make the Princess ready; and how in their

haste they knocked their heads together and hindered

each other; till she thought they would never have done。

However; at last they led her into the gallery of mirrors

that she might assure herself that nothing was lacking in

her appearance; and then she mounted her throne of gold;

ebony; and ivory; while her ladies took their guitars and

began to sing softly。 Then Charming was led in; and was

so struck with astonishment and admiration that at first

not a word could he say。 But presently he took courage

and delivered his harangue; bravely ending by begging

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

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