第85章 THE GOLDEN BRAN(5)

they sat down together and were very merry.After this they met every day as they guarded their flocks, and were so happy that Prince Peerless begged the Princess to marry him, so that they might never be parted again.Now though the Princess Sunbeam appeared to be only a poor shepherdess, she never forgot that she was a real Princess, and she was not at all sure that she ought to marry a humble shepherd, though she knew she would like to do so very much.

So she resolved to consult an Enchanter of whom she had heard a great deal since she had been a shepherdess, and without saying a word to anybody she set out to find the castle in which he lived with his sister, who was a powerful Fairy.The way was long, and lay through a thick wood, where the Princess heard strange voices calling to her from every side, but she was in such a hurry that she stopped for nothing, and at last she came to the courtyard of the Enchanter's castle.

The grass and briers were growing as high as if it were a hundred years since anyone had set foot there, but the Princess got through at last, though she gave herself a good many scratches by the way, and then she went into a dark, gloomy hall, where there was but one tiny hole in the wall through which the daylight could enter.The hangings were all of bats' wings, and from the ceiling hung twelve cats, who filled the hall with their ear piercing yells.

Upon the long table twelve mice were fastened by the tail, and just in front of each one's nose, but quite beyond its reach, lay a tempting morsel of fat bacon.So the cats could always see the mice, but could not touch them, and the hungry mice were tormented by the sight and smell of the delicious morsels which they could never seize.

The Princess was looking at the poor creatures in dismay, when the Enchanter suddenly entered, wearing a long black robe and with a crocodile upon his head.In his hand he carried a whip made of twenty long snakes, all alive and writhing, and the Princess was so terrified at the sight that she heartily wished she had never come.Without saying a word she ran to the door, but it was covered with a thick spider's web, and when she broke it she found another, and another, and another.In fact, there was no end to them; the Princess's arms ached with tearing them down, and yet she was no nearer to getting out, and the wicked Enchanter behind her laughed maliciously.At last he said:

`You might spend the rest of your life over that without doing any good, but as you are young, and quite the prettiest creature Ihave seen for a long time, I will marry you if you like, and I will give you those cats and mice that you see there for your own.

They are princes and princesses who have happened to offend me.

They used to love one another as much as they now hate one another.Aha! It's a pretty little revenge to keep them like that.'

`Oh! If you would only change me into a mouse too,' cried the Princess.

`Oh! so you won't marry me?' said he.`Little simpleton, you should have everything heart can desire.'

`No, indeed; nothing should make me marry you; in fact, Idon't think I shall ever love anyone,' cried the Princess.

`In that case,' said the Enchanter, touching her, `you had better become a particular kind of creature that is neither fish nor fowl; you shall be light and airy, and as green as the grass you live in.Off with you, Madam Grasshopper.' And the Princess, rejoicing to find herself free once more, skipped out into the garden, the prettiest little green Grasshopper in the world.But as soon as she was safely out she began to be rather sorry for herself.

`Ah! Florimond,' she sighed, `is this the end of your gift?

Certainly beauty is short-lived, and this funny little face and a green crape dress are a comical end to it.I had better have married my amiable shepherd.It must be for my pride that I am condemned to be a Grasshopper, and sing day and night in the grass by this brook, when I feel far more inclined to cry.'

In the meantime Prince Peerless had discovered the Princess's absence, and was lamenting over it by the river's brim, when he suddenly became aware of the presence of a little old woman.She was quaintly dressed in a ruff and farthingale, and a velvet hood covered her snow-white hair.

`You seem sorrowful, my son,' she said.`What is the matter?'

`Alas! mother,' answered the Prince, `I have lost my sweet shepherdess, but I am determined to find her again, though I should have to traverse the whole world in search of her.'

`Go that way, my son,' said the old woman, pointing towards the path that led to the castle.`I have an idea that you will soon overtake her.'

The Prince thanked her heartily and set out.As he met with no hindrance, he soon reached the enchanted wood which surrounded the castle, and there he thought he saw the Princess Sunbeam gliding before him among the trees.Prince Peerless hastened after her at the top of his speed, but could not get any nearer;then he called to her:

`Sunbeam, my darling--only wait for me a moment.'

But the phantom did but fly the faster, and the Prince spent the whole day in this vain pursuit.When night came he saw the castle before him all lighted up, and as he imagined that the Princess must be in it, he made haste to get there too.He entered without difficulty, and in the hall the terrible old Fairy met him.

She was so thin that the light shone through her, and her eyes glowed like lamps; her skin was like a shark's, her arms were thin as laths, and her fingers like spindles.Nevertheless she wore rouge and patches, a mantle of silver brocade and a crown of diamonds, and her dress was covered with jewels, and green and pink ribbons.

`At last you have come to see me, Prince,' said she.`Don't waste another thought upon that little shepherdess, who is unworthy of your notice.I am the Queen of the Comets, and can bring you to great honour if you will marry me.'

`Marry you, Madam,' cried the Prince, in horror.`No, I will never consent to that.'