13-the little good mouse- 第2部分

pinned　to　its　robe；　and　then　very　sadly　she　was　shutting　the　basket；

when　in　sprang　the　little　mouse　and　sat　on　the　baby's　pillow。



‘Ah！　little　one；'　said　the　Queen；　‘it　cost　me　dear　to　save　your

life。　How　shall　I　know　now　whether　my　Delicia　is　being　taken　care

of　or　no？　Anyone　else　would　have　let　the　greedy　old　woman　have

you；　and　eat　you　up；　but　I　could　not　bear　to　do　it。'　Whereupon

the　Mouse　answered：



‘Believe　me；　madam；　you　will　never　repent　of　your　kindness。'



The　Queen　was　immensely　astonished　when　the　Mouse　began

to　speak；　and　still　more　so　when　she　saw　its　little　sharp　nose　turn

to　a　beautiful　face；　and　its　paws　to　hands　and　feet；　then　it　suddenly

grew　tall；　and　the　Queen　recognised　the　Fairy　who　had　come　with

the　wicked　King　to　visit　her。



The　Fairy　smiled　at　her　astonished　look；　and　said：



‘I　wanted　to　see　if　you　were　faithful　and　capable　of　feeling　a

real　friendship　for　me；　for　you　see　we　fairies　are　rich　in　everything

but　friends；　and　those　are　hard　to　find。'



‘It　is　not　possible　that　YOU　should　want　for　friends；　you　charming

creature；'　said　the　Queen；　kissing　her。



‘Indeed　it　is　so；'　the　Fairy　said。　‘For　those　who　are　only

friendly　with　me　for　their　own　advantage；　I　do　not　count　at　all。

But　when　you　cared　for　the　poor　little　mouse　you　could　not　have

known　there　was　anything　to　be　gained　by　it；　and　to　try　you　further

I　took　the　form　of　the　old　woman　whom　you　talked　to　from　the

window；　and　then　I　was　convinced　that　you　really　loved　me。'　Then；

turning　to　the　little　Princess；　she　kissed　her　rosy　lips　three　times；

saying：



‘Dear　little　one；　I　promise　that　you　shall　be　richer　than　your

father；　and　shall　live　a　hundred　years；　always　pretty　and　happy；

without　fear　of　old　age　and　wrinkles。'



The　Queen；　quite　delighted；　thanked　the　Fairy　gratefully；　and

begged　her　to　take　charge　of　the　little　Delicia　and　bring　her　up　as

her　own　daughter。　This　she　agreed　to　do；　and　then　they　shut　the

basket　and　lowered　it　carefully；　baby　and　all；　to　the　ground　at　the

foot　of　the　tower。　The　Fairy　then　changed　herself　back　into　the

form　of　a　mouse；　and　this　delayed　her　a　few　seconds；　after　which

she　ran　nimbly　down　the　straw　rope；　but　only　to　find　when　she　got

to　the　bottom　that　the　baby　had　disappeared。



In　the　greatest　terror　she　ran　up　again　to　the　Queen；　crying：



‘All　is　lost！　my　enemy　Cancaline　has　stolen　the　Princess　away。

You　must　know　that　she　is　a　cruel　fairy　who　hates　me；　and　as

she　is　older　than　I　am　and　has　more　power；　I　can　do　nothing　against

her。　I　know　no　way　of　rescuing　Delicia　from　her　clutches。'



When　the　Queen　heard　this　terrible　news　she　was　heart…broken；

and　begged　the　Fairy　to　do　all　she　could　to　get　the　poor　little　Princess

back　again。　At　this　moment　in　came　the　gaoler；　and　when　he

missed　the　little　Princess　he　at　once　told　the　King；　who　came　in　a

great　fury　asking　what　the　Queen　had　done　with　her。　She　answered

that　a　fairy；　whose　name　she　did　not　know；　had　come　and　carried

her　off　by　force。　Upon　this　the　King　stamped　upon　the　ground；　and

cried　in　a　terrible　voice：



‘You　shall　be　hung！　I　always　told　you　you　should。'　And　without

another　word　he　dragged　the　unlucky　Queen　out　into　the　nearest

wood；　and　climbed　up　into　a　tree　to　look　for　a　branch　to　which　he

could　hang　her。　But　when　he　was　quite　high　up；　the　Fairy；　who

had　made　herself　invisible　and　followed　them；　gave　him　a　sudden

push；　which　made　him　lose　his　footing　and　fall　to　the　ground　with

a　crash　and　break　four　of　his　teeth；　and　while　he　was　trying　to

mend　them　the　fairy　carried　the　Queen　off　in　her　flying　chariot　to　a

beautiful　castle；　where　she　was　so　kind　to　her　that　but　for　the　loss　of

Delicia　the　Queen　would　have　been　perfectly　happy。　But　though

the　good　little　mouse　did　her　very　utmost；　they　could　not　find　out

where　Cancaline　had　hidden　the　little　Princess。



Thus　fifteen　years　went　by；　and　the　Queen　had　somewhat

recovered　from　her　grief；　when　the　news　reached　her　that　the　son　of

the　wicked　King　wished　to　marry　the　little　maiden　who　kept　the

turkeys；　and　that　she　had　refused　him；　the　wedding…dresses　had　been

made；　nevertheless；　and　the　festivities　were　to　be　so　splendid　that

all　the　people　for　leagues　round　were　flocking　in　to　be　present　at

them。　The　Queen　felt　quite　curious　about　a　little　turkey…maiden

who　did　not　wish　to　be　a　Queen；　so　the　little　mouse　conveyed　herself

to　the　poultry…yard　to　find　out　what　she　was　like。



She　found　the　turkey…maiden　sitting　upon　a　big　stone；　barefooted；

and　miserably　dressed　in　an　old；　coarse　linen　gown　and　cap；　the

ground　at　her　feet　was　all　strewn　with　robes　of　gold　and　silver；

ribbons　and　laces；　diamonds　and　pearls；　over　which　the　turkeys　were

stalking　to　and　fro；　while　the　King's　ugly；　disagreeable　son　stood

opposite　her；　declaring　angrily　that　if　she　would　not　marry　him　she

should　be　killed。



The　Turkey…maiden　answered　proudly：



‘I　never　will　marry　you　I　you　are　too　ugly　and　too　much　like

your　cruel　father。　Leave　me　in　peace　with　my　turkeys；　which　I　like

far　better　than　all　your　fine　gifts。'



The　little　mouse　watched　her　with　the　greatest　admiration；　for

she　was　as　beautiful　as　the　spring；　and　as　soon　as　the　wicked　Prince

was　gone；　she　took　the　form　of　an　old　peasant　woman　and　said　to

her：



‘Good　day；　my　pretty　one！　you　have　a　fine　flock　of　turkeys

there。'



The　young　Turkey…maiden　turned　her　gentle　eyes　upon　the　old

woman；　and　answered：



‘Yet　they　wish　me　to　leave　them　to　become　a　miserable　Queen！

what　is　your　advice　upon　the　matter？'



‘My　child；'　said　the　Fairy；　‘a　crown　is　a　very　pretty　thing；　but

you　know　neither　the　price　nor　the　weight　of　it。'



‘I　know　so　well　that　I　have　refused　to　wear　one；'　said　the　little

maiden；　‘though　I　don't　know　who　was　my　father；　or　who　was　my

mother；　and　I　have　not　a　friend　in　the　world。'



‘You　have　goodness　and　beauty；　which　are　of　more　value　than

ten　kingdoms；'　said　the　wise　Fairy。　‘But　tell　me；　child；　how　came

you　here；　and　how　is　it　you　have　neither　father；　nor　mother；　nor

friend？'



‘A　Fairy　called　Cancaline　is　the　cause　of　my　being　here；'　answered

she；　‘for　while　I　lived　with　her　I　got　nothing　but　blows　and　harsh

words；　until　at　last　I　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　ran　away　from

her　without　knowing　where　I　was　going；　and　as　I　came　through　a

wood　the　wicked　Prince　met　me；　and　offered　to　give　me　charge　of

the　poultry…yard。　I　accepted　gladly；　not　knowing　that　I　should

have　to　see　him　day　by　day。　And　now　he　wants　to　marry　me；　but

that　I　will　never　consent　to。'



Upon　hearing　this　the　Fairy　became　convinced　that　the　little

Turkey…maiden　was　none　other　than　the　Princess　Delicia。



‘What　is　your　name；　my　little　one？'　said　she。



‘I　am　called　Delicia；　if　it　please　you；'　she　answered。



Then　the　Fairy　threw　her　arms　round　the　Princess's　neck；　and

nearly　smothered　her　with　kisses；　saying：



‘Ah；　Delicia！　I　am　a　very　old　friend　of　yours；　and　I　am　truly

glad　to　find　you　at　last；　but　you　might　look　nicer　than　you　do　in

that　old　gown；　which　is　only　fit　for　a　kitchen…maid。　Take　this　pretty

dress　and　let　us　see　the　difference　it　will　make。'



So　Delicia　took　off　the　ugly　cap；　and　shook　out　all　her　fair　shining

hair；　and　bathed　her　hands　and　face　in　clear　water　from　the　nearest

spring　till　her　cheeks　were　like　roses；　and　when　she　was　adorned

with　the　diamonds　and　the　splendid　robe　the　Fairy　had　given　her；

she　looked　the　most　beautiful　Princess　in　the　world；　and　the　Fairy

with　great　delight　cried：



‘Now　you　look　as　you　ought　to　look；　Delicia：　what　do　you

think　about　it　yourself？'



And　Delicia　answered：



‘I　feel　as　if　I　were　the　daughter　of　some　great　king。'



‘And　would　you　be　glad　if　you　were？'　said　the　Fairy。



‘Indeed　I　should；'　answered　she。



‘Ah；　well；'　said　the　Fairy；　‘to…morrow　I　may　have　some　pleasant

news　for　you。'



So　she　hurried　back　to　her　castle；　where　the　Queen　sat　busy　with

her　embroidery；　and　cried：



‘Well；　madam！　will　you　wager　your　thimble　and　your　golden

needle　that　I　am　bringing　you　the　best　news　you　could　possibly　hear？'



‘Alas！'　sighed　the　Queen；　‘since　the　death　of　the　Jolly　King

and　the　loss　of　my　Delicia；　all　the　news　in　the　world　is　not　worth　a

pin　to　me。



‘There；　there；　don't　be　melancholy；'　said　the　Fairy。　‘I　assure

you　the　Princess　is　quite　well；　and　I　have　never　seen　her　equal　for

beauty。　She　might　be　a　Queen　to…morrow　if　she　chose；　‘and　then

she　told　all　that　had　happened；　and　the　Queen　first　rejoiced　over　the

thought　of　Delicia's　beauty；　and　then　wept　at　the　idea　of　her　being

a　Turkey…maiden。



‘I　will　not　hear　of　her　being　made　to　marry　the　wicked　King's

son；'　she　said。　‘Let　us　go　at　once　and　bring　her　here。'



In　the　meantime　the　wicked　Prince；　who　was　very　angry　with

Delicia；　had　sat　himself　down　under　a　tree；　and　cried　and　howled

with　rage　and　spite　until　the　King　heard　him；　and　cried　out　from

the　window：



‘What　is　the　matter　with　you；　that　you　are　making　all　this

disturbance？'



The　Prince　replied：



‘It　is　all　because　our　Turkey…maiden　will　not　love　me！'



‘Won't　love　you？　eh！'　said　the　King。　‘We'll　very　soon　see

about　that！'　So　he　called　his　guards　and　told　them　to　go　and

fetch　Delicia。　‘See　if　I　don't　make　her　change　her　mind　pretty

soon！'　said　the　wicked　King　with　a　chuckle。



Then　the　guards　began　to　search　the　poultry…yard；　and　could

find　nobody　there　but　Delicia；　who；　with　her　splendid　dress　and

her　crown　of　diamonds；　looked　such　a　lovely　Princess　that　they

hardly　dared　to　speak　to　her。　But　she　said　to　them　very　politely：



‘Pray　tell　me　what　you　are　looking　for　here？'



‘Madam；'　they　answered；　‘we　are　sent　for　an　insignificant　little

person　called　Delicia。'



‘Alas！'　said　she；　‘that　is　my　name。　What　can　you　want　with　me？'



So　the　guards　tied　her　hands　and　feet　with　thick　ropes；　for　fear

she　might　run　away；　and　brought　her　to　the　King；　wh