09-the little green frog-第2章

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！



did　more。　　He　ordered　some　nets　to　be　prepared　and　painted　of　the

same　colours　as　the　bird's　plumage；　thinking　that　we　are　all

easily　caught　by　what　is　like　ourselves。　　In　this　he　had　to　help

him　not　only　the　fowlers　by　profession；　but　also　his　attendants；

who　excelled　in　this　art。　　For　a　man　is　not　a　courtier　unless　he

can　do　everything。



After　searching　as　usual　for　nearly　a　whole　day　Prince　Saphir

began　to　feel　overcome　with　thirst。　　He　was　too　tired　to　go　any

farther；　when　happily　he　discovered　a　little　way　off　a　bubbling

fountain　of　the　clearest　water。　　Being　an　experienced　traveller；

he　drew　from　his　pocket　a　little　cup　（without　which　no　one　should

ever　take　a　journey）；　and　was　just　about　to　dip　it　in　the　water；

when　a　lovely　little　green　frog；　much　prettier　than　frogs

generally　are；　jumped　into　the　cup。　　Far　from　admiring　its

beauty；　Saphir　shook　it　impatiently　off；　but　it　was　no　good；　for

quick　as　lightning　the　frog　jumped　back　again。　　Saphir；　who　was

raging　with　thirst；　was　just　about　to　shake　it　off　anew；　when　the

little　creature　fixed　upon　him　the　most　beautiful　eyes　in　the

world；　and　said；　'I　am　a　friend　of　the　bird　you　are　seeking；　and

when　you　have　quenched　your　thirst　listen　to　me。'



So　the　Prince　drank　his　fill；　and　then；　by　the　command　of　the

Little　Green　Frog；　he　lay　down　on　the　grass　to　rest　himself。



'Now；'　she　began；　'be　sure　you　do　exactly　in　every　respect　what　I

tell　you。　　First　you　must　call　together　your　attendants；　and

order　them　to　remain　in　a　little　hamlet　close　by　until　you　want

them。　　Then　go；　quite　alone；　down　a　road　that　you　will　find　on

your　right　hand；　looking　southwards。　　This　road　is　planted　all

the　way　with　cedars　of　Lebanon；　and　after　going　down　it　a　long

way　you　will　come　at　last　to　a　magnificent　castle。　　And　now；'　she

went　on；　'attend　carefully　to　what　I　am　going　to　say。　　Take　this

tiny　grain　of　sand；　and　put　it　into　the　ground　as　close　as　you

can　to　the　gate　of　the　castle。　　It　has　the　virtue　both　of　opening

the　gate　and　also　of　sending　to　sleep　all　the　inhabitants。　　Then

go　at　once　to　the　stable；　and　pay　no　heed　to　anything　except　what

I　tell　you。　　Choose　the　handsomest　of　all　the　horses；　leap

quickly　on　its　back；　and　come　to　me　as　fast　as　you　can。　

Farewell；　Prince；　I　wish　you　good　luck；'　and　with　these　words　the

Little　Frog　plunged　into　the　water　and　disappeared。



The　Prince；　who　felt　more　hopeful　than　he　had　done　since　he　left

home；　did　precisely　as　he　had　been　ordered。　　He　left　his

attendants　in　the　hamlet；　found　the　road　the　frog　had　described

to　him；　and　followed　it　all　alone；　and　at　last　he　arrived　at　the

gate　of　the　castle；　which　was　even　more　splendid　than　he　had

expected；　for　it　was　built　of　crystal；　and　all　its　ornaments　were

of　massive　gold。　　However；　he　had　no　thoughts　to　spare　for　its

beauty；　and　quickly　buried　his　grain　of　sand　in　the　earth。　　In

one　instant　the　gates　flew　open；　and　all　the　dwellers　inside　fell

sound　asleep。　　Saphir　flew　straight　to　the　stable；　and　already

had　his　hand　on　the　finest　horse　it　contained；　when　his　eye　was

caught　by　a　suit　of　magnificent　harness　hanging　up　close　by。　　It

occurred　to　him　directly　that　the　harness　belonged　to　the　horse；

and　without　ever　thinking　of　harm　（for　indeed　he　who　steals　a

horse　can　hardly　be　blamed　for　taking　his　saddle）；　he　hastily

placed　it　on　the　animal's　back。　　Suddenly　the　people　in　the

castle　became　broad　awake；　and　rushed　to　the　stable。　　They　flung

themselves　on　the　Prince；　seized　him；　and　dragged　him　before

their　lord；　but；　luckily　for　the　Prince；　who　could　only　find　very

lame　excuses　for　his　conduct；　the　lord　of　the　castle　took　a　fancy

to　his　face；　and　let　him　depart　without　further　questions。



Very　sad；　and　very　much　ashamed　of　himself　poor　Saphir　crept　back

to　the　fountain；　where　the　Frog　was　awaiting　him　with　a　good

scolding。



'Whom　do　you　take　me　for？'　she　exclaimed　angrily。　　'Do　you　really

believe　that　it　was　just　for　the　pleasure　of　talking　that　I　gave

you　the　advice　you　have　neglected　so　abominably？'



But　the　Prince　was　so　deeply　grieved；　and　apologised　so　very

humbly；　that　after　some　time　the　heart　of　the　good　little　Frog

was　softened；　and　she　gave　him　another　tiny　little　grain；　but

instead　of　being　sand　it　was　now　a　grain　of　gold。　　She　directed

him　to　do　just　as　he　had　done　before；　with　only　this　difference；

that　instead　of　going　to　the　stable　which　had　been　the　ruin　of

his　hopes；　he　was　to　enter　right　into　the　castle　itself；　and　to

glide　as　fast　as　he　could　down　the　passages　till　he　came　to　a

room　filled　with　perfume；　where　he　would　find　a　beautiful　maiden

asleep　on　a　bed。　　He　was　to　wake　the　maiden　instantly　and　carry

her　off；　and　to　be　sure　not　to　pay　any　heed　to　whatever

resistance　she　might　make。



The　Prince　obeyed　the　Frog's　orders　one　by　one；　and　all　went　well

for　this　second　time　also。　　The　gate　opened；　the　inhabitants　fell

sound　asleep；　and　he　walked　down　the　passage　till　he　found　the

girl　on　her　bed；　exactly　as　he　had　been　told　he　would。　　He　woke

her；　and　begged　her　firmly；　but　politely；　to　follow　him　quickly。　

After　a　little　persuasion　the　maiden　consented；　but　only　on

condition　that　she　was　allowed　first　to　put　on　her　dress。　　This

sounded　so　reasonable　and　natural　that　it　did　not　enter　the

Prince's　head　to　refuse　her　request。



But　the　maiden's　hand　had　hardly　touched　the　dress　when　the

palace　suddenly　awoke　from　its　sleep；　and　the　Prince　was　seized

and　bound。　　He　was　so　vexed　with　his　own　folly；　and　so　taken

aback　at　the　disaster；　that　he　did　not　attempt　to　explain　his

conduct；　and　things　would　have　gone　badly　with　him　if　his　friends

the　fairies　had　not　softened　the　hearts　of　his　captors；　so　that

they　once　more　allowed　him　to　leave　quietly。　　However；　what

troubled　him　most　was　the　idea　of　having　to　meet　the　Frog　who　had

been　his　benefactress。　　How　was　he　ever　to　appear　before　her　with

this　tale？　　Still；　after　a　long　struggle　with　himself；　he　made　up

his　mind　that　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done；　and　that　he

deserved　whatever　she　might　say　to　him。　　And　she　said　a　great

deal；　for　she　had　worked　herself　into　a　terrible　passion；　but　the

Prince　humbly　implored　her　pardon；　and　ventured　to　point　out　that

it　would　have　been　very　hard　to　refuse　the　young　lady's

reasonable　request。　　'You　must　learn　to　do　as　you　are　told；'　was

all　the　Frog　would　reply。



But　poor　Saphir　was　so　unhappy；　and　begged　so　hard　for

forgiveness；　that　at　last　the　Frog's　anger　gave　way；　and　she　held

up　to　him　a　tiny　diamond　stone。　　'Go　back；'　she　said；　'to　the

castle；　and　bury　this　little　diamond　close　to　the　door。　　But　be

careful　not　to　return　to　the　stable　or　to　the　bedroom；　they　have

proved　too　fatal　to　you。　　Walk　straight　to　the　garden　and　enter

through　a　portico；　into　a　small　green　wood；　in　the　midst　of　which

is　a　tree　with　a　trunk　of　gold　and　leaves　of　emeralds。　　Perched

on　this　tree　you　will　see　the　beautiful　bird　you　have　been

seeking　so　long。　　You　must　cut　the　branch　on　which　it　is　sitting；

and　bring　it　back　to　me　without　delay。　　But　I　warn　you　solemnly

that　if　you　disobey　my　directions；　as　you　have　done　twice　before；

you　have　nothing　more　to　expect　either　of　me　or　anyone　else。'



With　these　words　she　jumped　into　the　water；　and　the　Prince；　who

had　taken　her　threats　much　to　heart；　took　his　departure；　firmly

resolved　not　to　deserve　them。　　He　found　it　all　just　as　he　had

been　told：　the　portico；　the　wood；　the　magnificent　tree；　and　the

beautiful　bird；　which　was　sleeping　soundly　on　one　of　the

branches。　　He　speedily　lopped　off　the　branch；　and　though　he

noticed　a　splendid　golden　cage　hanging　close　by；　which　would　have

been　very　useful　for　the　bird　to　travel　in；　he　left　it　alone；　and

came　back　to　the　fountain；　holding　his　breath　and　walking　on

tip…toe　all　the　way；　for　fear　lest　he　should　awake　his　prize。　

But　what　was　his　surprise；　when　instead　of　finding　the　fountain

in　the　spot　where　he　had　left　it；　he　saw　in　its　place　a　little