The Blue Fairy Book
believe me, your soul is a thousand times more hideous than your body.”
Prince Darling recognized the voice of the Fairy Truth and turned in
a fury to catch her and eat her up if he possibly could; but he saw no
one, and the same voice went on:
“I laugh at your powerlessness and anger, and I intend to punish your
pride by letting you fall into the hands of your own subjects.”
The Prince began to think that the best thing he could do would be to
get as far away from the lake as he could, then at least he would not
be continually reminded of his terrible ugliness. So he ran toward the
wood, but before he had gone many yards he fell into a deep pit which
had been made to trap bears, and the hunters, who were hiding in a tree,
leaped down, and secured him with several chains, and led him into the
chief city of his own kingdom.
On the way, instead of recognizing that his own faults had brought this
punishment upon him, he accused the Fairy of being the cause of all his
misfortunes, and bit and tore at his chains furiously.
As they approached the town he saw that some great rejoicing was being
held, and when the hunters asked what had happened they were told that
the Prince, whose only pleasure it was to torment his people, had been
found in his room, killed by a thunder-bolt (for that was what was
supposed to have become of him). Four of his courtiers, those who had
encouraged him in his wicked doings, had tried to seize the kingdom
and divide it between them, but the people, who knew it was their bad
counsels which had so changed the Prince, had cut off their heads, and
had offered the crown to Suliman, whom the Prince had left in prison.
This noble lord had just been crowned, and the deliverance of the
kingdom was the cause of the rejoicing. “For,” they said, “he is a good
and just man, and we shall once more enjoy peace and prosperity.”
Prince Darling roared with anger when he heard this; but it was still
worse for him when he reached the great square before his own palace. He
saw Suliman seated upon a magnificent throne, and all the people crowded
round, wishing him a long life that he might undo all the mischief done
by his predecessor.
Presently Suliman made a sign with his hand that the people should be
silent, and said: “I have accepted the crown you have offered me, but
only that I may keep it for Prince Darling, who is not dead as you
suppose; the Fairy has assured me that there is still hope that you may
some day see him again, good and virtuous as he was when he first came
to the throne. Alas!” he continued, “he was led away by flatterers.
I knew his heart, and am certain that if it had not been for the bad
influence of those who surrounded him he would have been a good king and
a father to his people. We may hate his faults, but let us pity him and
hope for his restoration. As for me, I would die gladly if that could
bring back our Prince to reign justly and worthily once more.”
These words went to Prince Darling’s heart; he realized the true
affection and faithfulness of his old tutor, and for the first time
reproached himself for all his evil deeds; at the same instant he felt
all his anger melting away, and he began quickly to think over his
past life, and to admit that his punishment was not more than he had
deserved. He left off tearing at the iron bars of the cage in which he
was shut up, and became as gentle as a lamb.
The hunters who had caught him took him to a great menagerie, where he
was chained up among all the other wild beasts, and he determined to
show his sorrow for his past bad behavior by being gentle and obedient
to the man who had to take care of him. Unfortunately, this man was very
rough and unkind, and though the poor monster was quite quiet, he often
beat him without rhyme or reason when he happened to be in a bad temper.
One day when this keeper was asleep a tiger broke its chain, and flew at
him to eat him up. Prince Darling, who saw what was going on, at
first felt quite pleased to think that he should be delivered from his
persecutor, but soon thought better of it and wished that he were free.
“I would return good for evil,” he said to himself, “and save the
unhappy man’s life.” He had hardly wished this when his iron cage flew
open, and he rushed to the side of the keeper, who was awake and was
defending himself against the tiger. When he saw the monster had got out
he gave himself up for lost, but his fear was soon changed into joy, for
the kind monster threw itself upon the tiger and very soon killed it,
and then came and crouched at the feet of the man it had saved.
Overcome with gratitude, the keeper stooped to caress the strange
creature which had done him such a great service; but suddenly a voice
said in his ear:
“A good action should never go unrewarded,” and at the same instant the
monster disappeared, and he saw at his feet only a pretty little dog!
Prince Darling, delighted by the change, frisked about the keeper,
showing his joy in every way he could, and the man, taking him up in his
arms, carried him to the King, to whom he told the whole story.
The Queen said she would like to have this wonderful little dog, and
the Prince would have been very happy in his new home if he could have
forgotten that he was a man and a king. The Queen petted and took
care of him, but she was so afraid that he would get too fat that she
consulted the court physician, who said that he was to be fed only upon
bread, and was not to have much even of that. So poor Prince Darling was
terribly hungry all day long, but he was very patient about it.
One day, when they gave him his little loaf for breakfast, he thought
he would like to eat it out in the garden; so he took it up in his mouth
and trotted away toward a brook that he knew of a long way from the
palace. But he was surprised to find that the brook was gone, and where
it had been stood a great house that seemed to be built of gold and
precious stones. Numbers of people splendidly dressed were going into
it, and sounds of music and dancing and feasting could be heard from the
windows.
But what seemed very strange was that those people who came out of the
house were pale and thin, and their clothes were torn, and hanging in
rags about them. Some fell down dead as they came out before they had
time to get away; others crawled farther with great difficulty; while
others again lay on the ground, fainting with hunger, and begged a
morsel of bread from those who were going into the house, but they would
not so much as look at the poor creatures.
Prince Darling went up to a young girl who was trying to eat a few
blades of grass, she was so hungry. Touched with compassion, he said to
himself:
“I am very hungry, but I shall not die of starvation before I get my
dinner; if I give my breakfast to this poor creature perhaps I may save
her life.”
So he laid his piece of bread in the girl’s hand, and saw her eat it up
eagerly.
She soon seemed to be quite well again, and the Prince, delighted to
have been able to help her, was thinking of going home to the palace,
when he heard a great outcry, and, turning round, saw Celia, who was
being carried against her will into the great house.
For the first time the Prince regretted that he was no longer the
monster, then he would have been able to rescue Celia; now he could only
bark feebly at the people who were carrying her off, and try to follow
them, but they chased and kicked him away.
He determined not to quit the place till he knew what had become of
Celia, and blamed himself for what had befallen her.
“Alas!” he said to himself, “I am furious with the people who are
carrying Celia off, but isn’t that exactly what I did myself, and if I
had not been prevented did I not intend to be still more cruel to her?”
Here he was interrupted by a noise above his head--someone was opening
a window, and he saw with delight that it was Celia herself, who came
forward and threw out a plate of most delicious-looking food, then the
window was shut again, and Prince Darling, who had not had anything to
eat all day, thought he might as well take the opportunity of getting
something. He ran forward to begin, but the young girl to whom he
had given his bread gave a cry of terror and took him up in her arms,
saying:
“Don’t touch it, my poor little dog--that house is the palace of
pleasure, and everything that comes out of it is poisoned!”
At the same moment a voice said:
“You see a good action always brings its reward,” and the Prince found
himself changed into a beautiful white dove. He remembered that white
was the favorite color of the Fairy Truth, and began to hope that he
might at last win back her favor. But just now his first care was for
Celia, and rising into the air he flew round and round the house, until
he saw an open window; but he searched through every room in vain. No
trace of Celia was to be seen, and the Prince, in despair, determined
to search through the world till he found her. He flew on and on for
several days, till he came to a great desert, where he saw a cavern,
and, to his delight, there sat Celia, sharing the simple breakfast of an
old hermit.
Overjoyed to have found her, Prince Darling perched upon her shoulder,
trying to express by his caresses how glad he was to see her again,
and Celia, surprised and delighted by the tameness of this pretty white
dove, stroked it softly, and said, though she never thought of its
understanding her:
“I accept the gift that you make me of yourself, and I will love you
always.”
“Take care what you are saying, Celia,” said the old hermit; “are you
prepared to keep that promise?”
“Indeed, I hope so, my sweet shepherdess,” cried the Prince, who was
at that moment restored to his natural shape. “You promised to love me
always; tell me that you really mean what you said, or I shall have to
ask the Fairy to give me back the form of the dove which pleased you so
much.”
“You need not be afraid that she will change her mind,” said the Fairy,
throwing off the hermit’s robe in which she had been disguised and
appearing before them.
“Celia has loved you ever since she first saw you, only she would not
tell you while you were so obstinate and naughty. Now you have repented
and mean to be good you deserve to be happy, and so she may love you as
much as she likes.”
Celia and Prince Darling threw themselves at the Fairy’s feet, and
the Prince was never tired of thanking her for her kindness. Celia
was delighted to hear how sorry he was for all his past follies and
misdeeds, and promised to love him as long as she lived.
“Rise, my children,” said the Fairy, “and I will transport you to the
palace, and Prince Darling shall have back again the crown he forfeited
by his bad behavior.”
While she was speaking, they found themselves in Suliman’s hall, and his
delight was great at seeing his dear master once more. He gave up the
throne joyfully to the Prince, and remained always the most faithful of
his subjects.
Celia and Prince Darling reigned for many years, but he was so
determined to govern worthily and to do his duty that his ring, which he
took to wearing again, never once pricked him severely.(1)
(1) Cabinet des Fees.
BLUE BEARD
There was a man who had fine houses, both in town and country, a deal
of silver and gold plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilded all
over with gold. But this man was so unlucky as to have a blue beard,
which made him so frightfully ugly that all the women and girls ran away
from him.
One of his neighbors, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were
perfect beauties. He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to
her choice which of the two she would bestow on him. They would neither