按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hu！' to laugh。〃
The fairies could not gainsay this； and the
bad fairy had her other chance。 She said；
〃Since she is to wake all night； I decree that
she shall wax and wane with the moon！ Ho；
ho； hu； hu！〃
Out stepped the seventh good fairy。 〃Until
a prince shall kiss her without knowing who
she is；〃 she said； quickly。
The swamp fairy had been prepared for the
trick of keeping back one good fairy； but she
had not suspected it of two； and she could not
say a word； for she had laughed 〃ho； ho！〃 and
〃hu； hu！〃
The poor king and queen looked sad enough。
〃We don't know what you mean；〃 they said to
the good fairy who had spoken last。 But the
good fairy smiled。 〃The meaning of the thing
will come with the thing；〃 she said。
That was the end of the party； but it was
only the beginning of the trouble。 Can you
imagine what a queer household it would be；
where the baby laughed and crowed all night；
and slept all day？ Little Daylight was as
merry and bright all night as any baby in the
world； but with the first sign of dawn she fell
asleep； and slept like a little dormouse till dark。
Nothing could waken her while day lasted。
Still； the royal family got used to this； but the
rest of the bad fairy's gift was a great deal
worse；that about waxing and waning with
the moon。 You know how the moon grows
bigger and brighter each night； from the time
it is a curly silver thread low in the sky till it
is round and golden； flooding the whole sky
with light？ That is the waxing moon。 Then；
you know； it wanes； it grows smaller and
paler again； night by night； till at last it
disappears for a while； altogether。 Well； poor
little Daylight waxed and waned with it。 She
was the rosiest； plumpest； merriest baby in the
world when the moon was at the full； but as
it began to wane her little cheeks grew paler；
her tiny hands thinner； with every night； till
she lay in her cradle like a shadow…baby； without
sound or motion。 At first they thought
she was dead； when the moon disappeared； but
after some months they got used to this too；
and only waited eagerly for the new moon； to
see her revive。 When it shone again； faint and
silver； on the horizon； the baby stirred weakly；
and then they fed her gently； each night she
grew a little better； and when the moon was
near the full again； she was again a lively； rosy；
lovely child。
So it went on till she grew up。 She grew
to be the most beautiful maiden the moon ever
shone on； and everyone loved her so much； for
her sweet ways and her merry heart； that someone
was always planning to stay up at night； to
be near her。 But she did not like to be watched；
especially when she felt the bad time of waning
coming on； so her ladies…in…waiting had to be
very careful。 When the moon waned she became
shrunken and pale and bent； like an old；
old woman； worn out with sorrow。 Only her
golden hair and her blue eyes remained
unchanged； and this gave her a terribly strange
look。 At last； as the moon disappeared； she
faded away to a little； bowed； old creature；
asleep and helpless。
No wonder she liked best to be alone！ She
got in the way of wandering by herself in the
beautiful wood； playing in the moonlight when
she was well； stealing away in the shadows
when she was fading with the moon。 Her
father had a lovely little house of roses and
vines built for her； there。 It stood at the edge
of a most beautiful open glade； inside the wood；
where the moon shone best。 There the princess
lived with her ladies。 And there she danced
when the moon was full。 But when the moon
waned； her ladies often lost her altogether； so
far did she wander； and sometimes they found
her sleeping under a great tree； and brought her
home in their arms。
When the princess was about seventeen years
old； there was a rebellion in a kingdom not far
from her father's。 Wicked nobles murdered
the king of the country and stole his throne；
and would have murdered the young prince；
too； if he had not escaped； dressed in peasant's
clothes。
Dressed in his poor rags； the prince wandered
about a long time； till one day he got into a
great wood； and lost his way。 It was the wood
where the Princess Daylight lived； but of course
he did not know anything about that nor about
her。 He wandered till night； and then he came
to a queer little house。 One of the good fairies
lived there； and the minute she saw him she
knew all about everything； but to him she
looked only like a kind old woman。 She gave
him a good supper and a bed for the night； and
told him to come back to her if he found no
better place for the next night。 But the prince
said he must get out of the wood at once； so in
the morning he took leave of the fairy。
All day long he walked； and walked； but at
nightfall he had not found his way out of the
wood； so he lay down to rest till the moon
should rise and light his path。
When he woke the moon was glorious； it
was three days from the full； and bright as
silver。 By its light he saw what he thought
to be the edge of the wood； and he hastened
toward it。 But when he came to it； it was
only an open space； surrounded with trees。 It
was so very lovely； in the white moonlight； that
the prince stood a minute to look。 And as he
looked； something white moved out of the trees
on the far side of the open space。 It was
something slim and white； that swayed in the dim
light like a young birch。
〃It must be a moon fairy；〃 thought the
prince； and he stepped into the shadow。
The moon fairy came nearer and nearer；
dancing and swaying in the moonlight。 And
as she came； she began to sing a soft； gay little
song。
But when she was quite close； the prince saw
that she was not a fairy after all； but a real
human maiden；the loveliest maiden he had
ever seen。 Her hair was like yellow corn； and
her smile made all the place merry。 Her white
gown fluttered as she danced； and her little
song sounded like a bird note。
The prince watched her till she danced out
of sight； and then until she once more came
toward him； and she seemed so like a moon…
beam herself； as she lifted her face to the sky；
that he was almost afraid to breathe。 He had
never seen anything so lovely。 By the time
she had danced twice round the circle； he could
think of nothing in the world except the hope
of finding out who she was； and staying near her。
But while he was waiting for her to appear
the third time； his weariness overcame him； and
he fell asleep。 And when he awoke； it was
broad day； and the beautiful maiden had
vanished。
He hunted about； hoping to find where she
lived； and on the other side of the glade he
came upon a lovely little house； covered with
moss and climbing roses。 He thought she
must live there； so he went round to the
kitchen door and asked the kind cook for a
drink of water； and while he was drinking it
he asked who lived there。 She told him it was
the house of the Princess Daylight； but she told
him nothing else about her； because she was not
allowed to talk about her mistress。 But she
gave him a very good meal and told him other
things。
He did not go back to the little old woman
who had been so kind to him first； but
wandered all day in the wood； waiting for the
moontime。 Again he waited at the edge of
the dell； and when the white moon was high
in the heavens； once more he saw the glimmering
in the distance； and once more the lovely
maiden floated toward him。 He knew her
name was the Princess Daylight； but this time
she seemed to him much lovelier than before。
She was all in blue like the blue of the sky
in summer。 （She really was more lovely； you
know； because the moon was almost at the
full。） All night he watched her； quite forgetting
that he ought not to be doing it； till she
disappeared on the opposite side of the glade。
Then； very tired； he found his way to the little
old woman's house； had breakfast with her； and
fell fast asleep in the bed she gave him。
The fairy knew well enough by his face that
he had seen Daylight； and when he woke up in
the evening and started off again she gave him
a strange little flask and told him to use it if
ever he needed it。
This night the princess did not appear in
the dell until midnight； at the very full of the
moon。 But when she came； she was so lovely
that she took the prince's breath away。 Just
think！she was dressed in a gown that looked
as if it were made of fireflies' wings； em…
broidered in gold。 She danced around and
around； singing； swaying； and flitting like a
beam of sunlight； till the prince grew quite
dazzled。
But while he had been watching her； he had
not noticed that the sky was growing dark
and the wind was rising。 Suddenly there was
a clap of thunder。