PRINCE VIVIEN AND THE PRINCESS PLACIDA

Edition and rights: Original English text from Project Gutenberg ebook #7277, marked public domain in the USA. The literary text below is reproduced without AI rewriting.

Browse more fantasy stories.

Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who loved one another
dearly. Indeed the Queen, whose name was Santorina, was so pretty and so
kind-hearted that it would have been a wonder if her husband had not been
fond of her, while King Gridelin himself was a perfect bundle of good
qualities, for the Fairy who presided at his christening had summoned the
shades of all his ancestors, and taken something good from each of them to
form his character. Unfortunately, though, she had given him rather too
much kindness of heart, which is a thing that generally gets its possessor
into trouble, but so far all things had prospered with King Gridelin.
However, it was not to be expected such good fortune could last, and
before very long the Queen had a lovely little daughter who was named
Placida. Now the King, who thought that if she resembled her mother in
face and mind she would need no other gift, never troubled to ask any of
the Fairies to her christening, and this offended them mortally, so that
they resolved to punish him severely for thus depriving them of their
rights. So, to the despair of King Gridelin, the Queen first of all became
very ill, and then disappeared altogether. If it had not been for the
little Princess there is no saying what would have become of him, he was
so miserable, but there she was to be brought up, and luckily the good
Fairy Lolotte, in spite of all that had passed, was willing to come and
take charge of her, and of her little cousin Prince Vivien, who was an
orphan and had been placed under the care of his uncle, King Gridelin,
when he was quite a baby. Although she neglected nothing that could
possibly have been done for them, their characters, as they grew up,
plainly proved that education only softens down natural defects, but
cannot entirely do away with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely,
and with a capacity and intelligence which enabled her to learn and
understand anything that presented itself, was at the same time as lazy
and indifferent as it is possible for anyone to be, while Vivien on the
contrary was only too lively, and was for ever taking up some new thing
and as promptly tiring of it, and flying off to something else which held
his fickle fancy an equally short time. As these two children would
possibly inherit the kingdom, it was natural that their people should take
a great interest in them, and it fell out that all the tranquil and
peace-loving citizens desired that Placida should one day be their Queen,
while the rash and quarrelsome hoped great things for Vivien. Such a
division of ideas seemed to promise civil wars and all kinds of troubles
to the State, and even in the Palace the two parties frequently came into
collision. As for the children themselves, though they were too well
brought up to quarrel, still the difference in all their tastes and
feelings made it impossible for them to like one another, so there seemed
no chance of their ever consenting to be married, which was a pity, since
that was the only thing that would have satisfied both parties. Prince
Vivien was fully aware of the feeling in his favour, but being too
honourable to wish to injure his pretty cousin, and perhaps too impatient
and volatile to care to think seriously about anything, he suddenly took
it into his head that he would go off by himself in search of adventure.
Luckily this idea occurred to him when he was on horseback, for he would
certainly have set out on foot rather than lose an instant. As it was, he
simply turned his horse’s head, without another thought than that of
getting out of the kingdom as soon as possible. This abrupt departure was
a great blow to the State, especially as no one had any idea what had
become of the Prince. Even King Gridelin, who had never cared for anything
since the disappearance of Queen Santorina, was roused by this new loss,
and though he could not so much as look at the Princess Placida without
shedding floods of tears, he resolved to see for himself what talents and
capabilities she showed. He very soon found out that in addition to her
natural indolence, she was being as much indulged and spoilt day by day as
if the Fairy had been her grandmother, and was obliged to remonstrate very
seriously upon the subject. Lolotte took his reproaches meekly, and
promised faithfully that she would not encourage the Princess in her
idleness and indifference any more. From this moment poor Placida’s
troubles began! She was actually expected to choose her own dresses, to
take care of her jewels, and to find her own amusements; but rather than
take so much trouble she wore the same old frock from morning till night,
and never appeared in public if she could possibly avoid it. However, this
was not all, King Gridelin insisted that the affairs of the kingdom should
be explained to her, and that she should attend all the councils and give
her opinion upon the matter in hand whenever it was asked of her, and this
made her life such a burden to her that she implored Lolotte to take her
away from a country where too much was required of an unhappy Princess.

The Fairy refused at first with a great show of firmness, but who could
resist the tears and entreaties of anyone so pretty as Placida? It came to
this in the end, that she transported the Princess just as she was, cosily
tucked up upon her favourite couch, to her own Grotto, and this new
disappearance left all the people in despair, and Gridelin went about
looking more distracted than ever. But now let us return to Prince Vivien,
and see what his restless spirit has brought him to. Though Placida’s
kingdom was a large one; his horse had carried him gallantly to the limit
of it, but it could go no further, and the Prince was obliged to dismount
and continue his journey on foot, though this slow mode of progress tired
his patience severely.

After what seemed to him a very long time, he found himself all alone in a
vast forest, so dark and gloomy that he secretly shuddered; however, he
chose the most promising looking path he could find, and marched along it
courageously at his best speed, but in spite of all his efforts, night
fell before he reached the edge of the wood.

For some time he stumbled along, keeping to the path as well as he could
in the darkness, and just as he was almost wearied out he saw before him a
gleam of light.

This sight revived his drooping spirits, and he made sure that he was now
close to the shelter and supper he needed so much, but the more he walked
towards the light the further away it seemed; sometimes he even lost sight
of it altogether, and you may imagine how provoked and impatient he was by
the time he finally arrived at the miserable cottage from which the light
proceeded. He gave a loud knock at the door, and an old woman’s voice
answered from within, but as she did not seem to be hurrying herself to
open it he redoubled his blows, and demanded to be let in imperiously,
quite forgetting that he was no longer in his own kingdom. But all this
had no effect upon the old woman, who only noticed all the uproar he was
making by saying gently:

‘You must have patience.’

He could hear that she really was coming to open the door to him, only she
was so very long about it. First she chased away her cat, lest it should
run away when the door was opened, then he heard her talking to herself
and made out that her lamp wanted trimming, that she might see better who
it was that knocked, and then that it lacked fresh oil, and she must
refill it. So what with one thing and another she was an immense time
trotting to and fro, and all the while she now and again bade the Prince
have patience. When at last he stood within the little hut he saw with
despair that it was a picture of poverty, and that not a crumb of anything
eatable was to be seen, and when he explained to the old woman that he was
dying of hunger and fatigue she only answered tranquilly that he must have
patience. However, she presently showed him a bundle of straw on which he
could sleep.

‘But what can I have to eat?’ cried Prince Vivien sharply.

‘Wait a little, wait a little,’ she replied. ‘If you will only have
patience I am just going out into the garden to gather some peas: we will
shell them at our leisure, then I will light a fire and cook them, and
when they are thoroughly done, we can enjoy them peaceably; there is no
hurry.’

‘I shall have died of starvation by the time all that is done,’ said the
Prince ruefully.

‘Patience, patience,’ said the old woman looking at him with her slow
gentle smile, ‘I can’t be hurried. “All things come at last to him who
waits;” you must have heard that often.’

Prince Vivien was wild with aggravation, but there was nothing to be done.

‘Come then,’ said the old woman, ‘you shall hold the lamp to light me
while I pick the peas.’

The Prince in his haste snatched it up so quickly that it went out, and it
took him a long time to light it again with two little bits of glowing
charcoal which he had to dig out from the pile of ashes upon the hearth.
However, at last the peas were gathered and shelled, and the fire lighted,
but then they had to be carefully counted, since the old woman declared
that she would cook fifty-four, and no more. In vain did the Prince
represent to her that he was famished—that fifty-four peas would go
no way towards satisfying his hunger—that a few peas, more or less,
surely could not matter. It was quite useless, in the end he had to count
out the fifty-four, and worse than that, because he dropped one or two in
his hurry, he had to begin again from the very first, to be sure the
number was complete. As soon as they were cooked the old dame took a pair
of scales and a morsel of bread from the cupboard, and was just about to
divide it when Prince Vivien, who really could wait no longer, seized the
whole piece and ate it up, saying in his turn, ‘Patience.’

‘You mean that for a joke,’ said the old woman, as gently as ever, ‘but
that is really my name, and some day you will know more about me.’

Then they each ate their twenty-seven peas, and the Prince was surprised
to find that he wanted nothing more, and he slept as sweetly upon his bed
of straw as he had ever done in his palace.

In the morning the old woman gave him milk and bread for his breakfast,
which he ate contentedly, rejoicing that there was nothing to be gathered,
or counted, or cooked, and when he had finished he begged her to tell him
who she was.

‘That I will, with pleasure,’ she replied. ‘But it will be a long story.’

‘Oh! if it’s long, I can’t listen,’ cried the Prince.

‘But,’ said she, ‘at your age, you should attend to what old people say,
and learn to have patience.’

‘But, but,’ said the Prince, in his most impatient tone, ‘old people
should not be so long-winded! Tell me what country I have got into, and
nothing else.’

‘With all my heart,’ said she. ‘You are in the Forest of the Black Bird;
it is here that he utters his oracles.’

‘An Oracle,’ cried the Prince. ‘Oh! I must go and consult him.’ Thereupon
he drew a handful of gold from his pocket, and offered it to the old
woman, and when she would not take it, he threw it down upon the table and
was off like a flash of lightning, without even staying to ask the way. He
took the first path that presented itself and followed it at the top of
his speed, often losing his way, or stumbling over some stone, or running
up against a tree, and leaving behind him without regret the cottage which
had been as little to his taste as the character of its possessor. After
some time he saw in the distance a huge black castle which commanded a
view of the whole forest. The Prince felt certain that this must be the
abode of the Oracle, and just as the sun was setting he reached its
outermost gates. The whole castle was surrounded by a deep moat, and the
drawbridge and the gates, and even the water in the moat, were all of the
same sombre hue as the walls and towers. Upon the gate hung a huge bell,
upon which was written in red letters:

‘Mortal, if thou art curious to know thy fate, strike this bell, and
submit to what shall befall thee.’

The Prince, without the smallest hesitation, snatched up a great stone,
and hammered vigorously upon the bell, which gave forth a deep and
terrible sound, the gate flew open, and closed again with a thundering
clang the moment the Prince had passed through it, while from every tower
and battlement rose a wheeling, screaming crowd of bats which darkened the
whole sky with their multitudes. Anyone but Prince Vivien would have been
terrified by such an uncanny sight, but he strode stoutly forward till he
reached the second gate, which was opened to him by sixty black slaves
covered from head to foot in long mantles.

He wished to speak to them, but soon discovered that they spoke an utterly
unknown language, and did not seem to understand a word he said. This was
a great aggravation to the Prince, who was not accustomed to keep his
ideas to himself, and he positively found himself wishing for his old
friend Patience. However, he had to follow his guides in silence, and they
led him into a magnificent hall; the floor was of ebony, the walls of jet,
and all the hangings were of black velvet, but the Prince looked round it
in vain for something to eat, and then made signs that he was hungry. In
the same manner he was respectfully given to understand that he must wait,
and after several hours the sixty hooded and shrouded figures re-appeared,
and conducted him with great ceremony, and also very very slowly, to a
banqueting hall, where they all placed themselves at a long table. The
dishes were arranged down the centre of it, and with his usual impetuosity
the Prince seized the one that stood in front of him to draw it nearer,
but soon found that it was firmly fixed in its place. Then he looked at
his solemn and lugubrious neighbours, and saw that each one was supplied
with a long hollow reed through which he slowly sucked up his portion, and
the Prince was obliged to do the same, though he found it a frightfully
tedious process. After supper, they returned as they had come to the ebony
room, where he was compelled to look on while his companions played
interminable games of chess, and not until he was nearly dying of
weariness did they, slowly and ceremoniously as before, conduct him to his
sleeping apartment. The hope of consulting the Oracle woke him very early
the next morning, and his first demand was to be allowed to present
himself before it, but, without replying, his attendants conducted him to
a huge marble bath, very shallow at one end, and quite deep at the other,
and gave him to understand that he was to go into it. The Prince, nothing
loth, was for springing at once into deep water, but he was gently but
forcibly held back and only allowed to stand where it was about an inch
deep, and he was nearly wild with impatience when he found that this
process was to be repeated every day in spite of all he could say or do,
the water rising higher and higher by inches, so that for sixty days he
had to live in perpetual silence, ceremoniously conducted to and fro,
supping all his meals through the long reed, and looking on at innumerable
games of chess, the game of all others which he detested most. But at last
the water rose as high as his chin, and his bath was complete. And that
day the slaves in their black robes, and each having a large bat perched
upon his head, marched in slow procession with the Prince in their midst,
chanting a melancholy song, to the iron gate that led into a kind of
Temple. At the sound of their chanting, another band of slaves appeared,
and took possession of the unhappy Vivien.

They looked to him exactly like the ones he had left, except that they
moved more slowly still, and each one held a raven upon his wrist, and
their harsh croakings re-echoed through the dismal place. Holding the
Prince by the arms, not so much to do him honour as to restrain his
impatience, they proceeded by slow degrees up the steps of the Temple, and
when they at last reached the top he thought his long waiting must be at
an end. But on the contrary, after slowly enshrouding him in a long black
robe like their own, they led him into the Temple itself, where he was
forced to witness numbers of lengthy rites and ceremonies. By this time
Vivien’s active impatience had subsided into passive weariness, his yawns
were continual and scandalous, but nobody heeded him, he stared hopelessly
at the thick black curtain which hung down straight in front of him, and
could hardly believe his eyes when it presently began to slide back, and
he saw before him the Black Bird. It was of enormous size, and was perched
upon a thick bar of iron which ran across from one side of the Temple to
the other. At the sight of it all the slaves fell upon their knees and hid
their faces, and when it had three times flapped its mighty wings it
uttered distinctly in Prince Vivien’s own language the words:

‘Prince, your only chance of happiness depends upon that which is most
opposed to your own nature.’

Then the curtain fell before it once more, and the Prince, after many
ceremonies, was presented with a raven which perched upon his wrist, and
was conducted slowly back to the iron gate. Here the raven left him and he
was handed over once more to the care of the first band of slaves, while a
large bat flickered down and settled upon his head of its own accord, and
so he was taken back to the marble bath, and had to go through the whole
process again, only this time he began in deep water which receded daily
inch by inch. When this was over the slaves escorted him to the outer
gate, and took leave of him with every mark of esteem and politeness, to
which it is to be feared he responded but indifferently, since the gate
was no sooner opened than he took to his heels, and fled away with all his
might, his one idea being to put as much space as possible between himself
and the dreary place into which he had ventured so rashly, just to consult
a tedious Oracle who after all had told him nothing. He actually reflected
for about five seconds on his folly, and came to the conclusion that it
might sometimes be advisable to think before one acted.

After wandering about for several days until he was weary and hungry, he
at last succeeded in finding a way out of the forest, and soon came to a
wide and rapid river, which he followed, hoping to find some means of
crossing it, and it happened that as the sun rose the next morning he saw
something of a dazzling whiteness moored out in the middle of the stream.
Upon looking more attentively at it he found that it was one of the
prettiest little ships he had ever seen, and the boat that belonged to it
was made fast to the bank quite close to him. The Prince was immediately
seized with the most ardent desire to go on board the ship, and shouted
loudly to attract the notice of her crew, but no one answered. So he
sprang into the little boat and rowed away without finding it at all hard
work, for the boat was made all of white paper and was as light as a rose
leaf. The ship was made of white paper too, as the Prince presently
discovered when he reached it. He found not a soul on board, but there was
a very cosy little bed in the cabin, and an ample supply of all sorts of
good things to eat and drink, which he made up his mind to enjoy until
something new happened. Having been thoroughly well brought up at the
court of King Gridelin, of course he understood the art of navigation, but
when once he had started, the current carried the vessel down at such a
pace that before he knew where he was the Prince found himself out at sea,
and a wind springing up behind him just at this moment soon drove him out
of sight of land. By this time he was somewhat alarmed, and did his best
to put the ship about and get back to the river, but wind and tide were
too strong for him, and he began to think of the number of times, from his
childhood up, that he had been warned not to meddle with water. But it was
too late now to do anything but wish vainly that he had stayed on shore,
and to grow heartily weary of the boat and the sea and everything
connected with it. These two things, however, he did most thoroughly. To
put the finishing touch to his misfortunes he presently found himself
becalmed in mid-ocean, a state of affairs which would be considered trying
by the most patient of men, so you may imagine how it affected Prince
Vivien! He even came to wishing himself back at the Castle of the Black
Bird, for there at least he saw some living beings, whereas on board the
white-paper ship he was absolutely alone, and could not imagine how he was
ever to get away from his wearisome prison. However, after a very long
time, he did see land, and his impatience to be on shore was so great that
he at once flung himself over the ship’s side that he might reach it
sooner by swimming. But this was quite useless, for spring as far as he
might from the vessel, it was always under his feet again before he
reached the water, and he had to resign himself to his fate, and wait with
what patience he could muster until the winds and waves carried the ship
into a kind of natural harbour which ran far into the land. After his long
imprisonment at sea the Prince was delighted with the sight of the great
trees which grew down to the very edge of the water, and leaping lightly
on shore he speedily lost himself in the thick forest. When he had
wandered a long way he stopped to rest beside a clear spring of water, but
scarcely had he thrown himself down upon the mossy bank when there was a
great rustling in the bushes close by, and out sprang a pretty little
gazelle panting and exhausted, which fell at his feet gasping out—

‘Oh! Vivien, save me!’

The Prince in great astonishment leapt to his feet, and had just time to
draw his sword before he found himself face to face with a large green
lion which had been hotly pursuing the poor little gazelle. Prince Vivien
attacked it gallantly and a fierce combat ensued, which, however, ended
before long in the Prince’s dealing his adversary a terrific blow which
felled him to the earth. As he fell the lion whistled loudly three times
with such force that the forest rang again, and the sound must have been
heard for more than two leagues round, after which having apparently
nothing more to do in the world he rolled over on his side and died. The
Prince without paying any further heed to him or to his whistling returned
to the pretty gazelle, saying:

‘Well! are you satisfied now? Since you can talk, pray tell me instantly
what all this is about, and how you happen to know my name.’

‘Oh, I must rest for a long time before I can talk,’ she replied, ‘and
beside, I very much doubt if you will have leisure to listen, for the
affair is by no means finished. In fact,’ she continued in the same
languid tone, ‘you had better look behind you now.’

The Prince turned sharply round and to his horror saw a huge Giant
approaching with mighty strides, crying fiercely—

‘Who has made my lion whistle I should like to know?’

‘I have,’ replied Prince Vivien boldly, ‘but I can answer for it that he
will not do it again!’

At these words the Giant began to howl and lament.

‘Alas, my poor Tiny, my sweet little pet,’ he cried, ‘but at least I can
avenge thy death.’

Thereupon he rushed at the Prince, brandishing an immense serpent which
was coiled about his wrist. Vivien, without losing his coolness, aimed a
terrific blow at it with his sword, but no sooner did he touch the snake
than it changed into a Giant and the Giant into a snake, with such
rapidity that the Prince felt perfectly giddy, and this happened at least
half-a-dozen times, until at last with a fortunate stroke he cut the
serpent in halves, and picking up one morsel flung it with all his force
at the nose of the Giant, who fell insensible on top of the lion, and in
an instant a thick black cloud rolled up which hid them from view, and
when it cleared away they had all disappeared.

Then the Prince, without even waiting to sheathe his sword, rushed back to
the gazelle, crying:

‘Now you have had plenty of time to recover your wits, and you have
nothing more to fear, so tell me who you are, and what this horrible
Giant, with his lion and his serpent, have to do with you and for pity’s
sake be quick about it.’

‘I will tell you with pleasure,’ she answered, ‘but where is the hurry? I
want you to come back with me to the Green Castle, but I don’t want to
walk there, it is so far, and walking is so fatiguing.’

‘Let us set out at once then,’ replied the Prince severely, ‘or else
really I shall have to leave you where you are. Surely a young and active
gazelle like you ought to be ashamed of not being able to walk a few
steps. The further off this castle is the faster we ought to walk, but as
you don’t appear to enjoy that, I will promise that we will go gently, and
we can talk by the way.’

‘It would be better still if you would carry me,’ said she sweetly, ‘but
as I don’t like to see people giving themselves trouble, you may carry me,
and make that snail carry you.’ So saying, she pointed languidly with one
tiny foot at what the Prince had taken for a block of stone, but now he
saw that it was a huge snail.

‘What! I ride a snail!’ cried the Prince; ‘you are laughing at me, and
beside we should not get there for a year.’

‘Oh! well then don’t do it,’ replied the gazelle, ‘I am quite willing to
stay here. The grass is green, and the water clear. But if I were you I
should take the advice that was given me and ride the snail.’

So, though it did not please him at all, the Prince took the gazelle in
his arms, and mounted upon the back of the snail, which glided along very
peaceably, entirely declining to be hurried by frequent blows from the
Prince’s heels. In vain did the gazelle represent to him that she was
enjoying herself very much, and that this was the easiest mode of
conveyance she had ever discovered. Prince Vivien was wild with
impatience, and thought that the Green Castle would never be reached.
However, at last, they did get there, and everyone who was in it ran to
see the Prince dismount from his singular steed.

But what was his surprise, when having at her request set the gazelle
gently down upon the steps which led up to the castle, he saw her suddenly
change into a charming Princess, and recognized in her his pretty cousin
Placida, who greeted him with her usual tranquil sweetness. His delight
knew no bounds, and he followed her eagerly up into the castle, impatient
to know what strange events had brought her there. But after all he had to
wait for the Princess’s story, for the inhabitants of the Green Lands,
hearing that the Giant was dead, ran to offer the kingdom to his
vanquisher, and Prince Vivien had to listen to various complimentary
harangues, which took a great deal of time, though he cut them as short as
politeness allowed—if not shorter. But at last he was free to rejoin
Placida, who at once began the story of her adventures.

‘After you had gone away,’ said she, ‘they tried to make me learn how to
govern the kingdom, which wearied me to death, so that I begged and prayed
Lolotte to take me away with her, and this she presently did, but very
reluctantly. However, having been transported to her grotto upon my
favourite couch, I spent several delicious days, soothed by the soft green
light, which was like a beech wood in the spring, and by the murmuring of
bees and the tinkle of falling water. But alas! Lolotte was forced to go
away to a general assembly of the Fairies, and she came back in great
dismay, telling me that her indulgence to me had cost her dear, for she
had been severely reprimanded and ordered to hand me over to the Fairy
Mirlifiche, who was already taking charge of you, and who had been much
commended for her management of you.’

‘Fine management, indeed,’ interrupted the Prince, ‘if it is to her I owe
all the adventures I have met with! But go on with your story, my cousin.
I can tell you all about my doings afterwards, and then you can judge for
yourself.’

‘At first I was grieved to see Lolotte cry,’ resumed the Princess, ‘but I
soon found that grieving was very troublesome, so I thought it better to
be calm, and very soon afterwards I saw the Fairy Mirlifiche arrive,
mounted upon her great unicorn. She stopped before the grotto and bade
Lolotte bring me out to her, at which she cried worse than ever, and
kissed me a dozen times, but she dared not refuse. I was lifted up on to
the unicorn, behind Mirlifiche, who said to me—

‘“Hold on tight, little girl, if you don’t want to break your neck.”

‘And, indeed, I had to hold on with all my might, for her horrible steed
trotted so violently that it positively took my breath away. However, at
last we stopped at a large farm, and the farmer and his wife ran out as
soon as they saw the Fairy, and helped us to dismount.

‘I knew that they were really a King and Queen, whom the Fairies were
punishing for their ignorance and idleness. You may imagine that I was by
this time half dead with fatigue, but Mirlifiche insisted upon my feeding
her unicorn before I did anything else. To accomplish this I had to climb
up a long ladder into the hayloft, and bring down, one after another,
twenty-four handfuls of hay. Never, never before, did I have such a
wearisome task! It makes me shudder to think of it now, and that was not
all. In the same way I had to carry the twenty-four handfuls of hay to the
stable, and then it was supper time, and I had to wait upon all the
others. After that I really thought I should be allowed to go peaceably to
my little bed, but, oh dear no! First of all I had to make it, for it was
all in confusion, and then I had to make one for the Fairy, and tuck her
in, and draw the curtains round her, beside rendering her a dozen little
services which I was not at all accustomed to. Finally, when I was
perfectly exhausted by all this toil, I was free to go to bed myself, but
as I had never before undressed myself, and really did not know how to
begin, I lay down as I was. Unfortunately, the Fairy found this out, and
just as I was falling into a sweet slumber, she made me get up once more,
but even then I managed to escape her vigilance, and only took off my
upper robe. Indeed, I may tell you in confidence, that I always find
disobedience answer very well. One is often scolded, it is true, but then
one has been saved some trouble.

‘At the earliest dawn of day Mirlifiche woke me, and made me take many
journeys to the stable to bring her word how her unicorn had slept, and
how much hay he had eaten, and then to find out what time it was, and if
it was a fine day. I was so slow, and did my errands so badly, that before
she left she called the King and Queen and said to them:

‘“I am much more pleased with you this year. Continue to make the best of
your farm, if you wish to get back to your kingdom, and also take care of
this little Princess for me, and teach her to be useful, that when I come
I may find her cured of her faults. If she is not—”

‘Here she broke off with a significant look, and mounting my enemy the
unicorn, speedily disappeared.

‘Then the King and Queen, turning to me, asked me what I could do.

‘“Nothing at all, I assure you,” I replied in a tone which really ought to
have convinced them, but they went on to describe various employments, and
tried to discover which of them would be most to my taste. However, at
last I persuaded them that to do nothing whatever would be the only thing
that would suit me, and that if they really wanted to be kind to me, they
would let me go to bed and to sleep, and not tease me about doing
anything. To my great joy, they not only permitted this, but actually,
when they had their own meals, the Queen brought my portion up to me. But
early the next morning she appeared at my bedside, saying, with an
apologetic air:

‘“My pretty child, I am afraid you must really make up your mind to get up
to-day. I know quite well how delightful it is to be thoroughly idle, for
when my husband and I were King and Queen we did nothing at all from
morning to night, and I sincerely hope that it will not be long before
those happy days will come again for us. But at present we have not
reached them, nor have you, and you know from what the Fairy said that
perhaps worse things may happen to us if she is not obeyed. Make haste, I
beg of you, and come down to breakfast, for I have put by some delicious
cream for you.”

‘It was really very tiresome, but as there was no help for it I went down!

‘But the instant breakfast was over they began again their cuckoo-cry of
“What will you do?” In vain did I answer—

‘“Nothing at all, if it please you, madam.”

‘The Queen at last gave me a spindle and about four pounds of hemp upon a
distaff, and sent me out to keep the sheep, assuring me that there could
not be a pleasanter occupation, and that I could take my ease as much as I
pleased. I was forced to set out, very unwillingly, as you may imagine,
but I had not walked far before I came to a shady bank in what seemed to
me a charming place. I stretched myself cosily upon the soft grass, and
with the bundle of hemp for a pillow slept as tranquilly as if there were
no such things as sheep in the world, while they for their part wandered
hither and thither at their own sweet will, as if there were no such thing
as a shepherdess, invading every field, and browsing upon every kind of
forbidden dainty, until the peasants, alarmed by the havoc they were
making, raised a clamour, which at last reached the ears of the King and
Queen, who ran out, and seeing the cause of the commotion, hastily
collected their flock. And, indeed, the sooner the better, since they had
to pay for all the damage they had done. As for me I lay still and watched
them run, for I was very comfortable, and there I might be still if they
had not come up, all panting and breathless, and compelled me to get up
and follow them; they also reproached me bitterly, but I need hardly tell
you that they did not again entrust me with the flock.

‘But whatever they found for me to do it was always the same thing, I
spoilt and mismanaged it all, and was so successful in provoking even the
most patient people, that one day I ran away from the farm, for I was
really afraid the Queen would be obliged to beat me. When I came to the
little river in which the King used to fish, I found the boat tied to a
tree, and stepping in I unfastened it, and floated gently down with the
current. The gliding of the boat was so soothing that I did not trouble
myself in the least when the Queen caught sight of me and ran along the
bank, crying—

‘“My boat, my boat! Husband, come and catch the little Princess who is
running away with my boat!”

‘The current soon carried me out of hearing of her cries, and I dreamed to
the song of the ripples and the whisper of the trees, until the boat
suddenly stopped, and I found it was stuck fast beside a fresh green
meadow, and that the sun was rising. In the distance I saw some little
houses which seemed to be built in a most singular fashion, but as I was
by this time very hungry I set out towards them, but before I had walked
many steps, I saw that the air was full of shining objects which seemed to
be fixed, and yet I could not see what they hung from.

‘I went nearer, and saw a silken cord hanging down to the ground, and
pulled it just because it was so close to my hand. Instantly the whole
meadow resounded to the melodious chiming of a peal of silver bells, and
they sounded so pretty that I sat down to listen, and to watch them as
they swung shining in the sunbeams. Before they ceased to sound, came a
great flight of birds, and each one perching upon a bell added its
charming song to the concert. As they ended, I looked up and saw a tall
and stately dame advancing towards me, surrounded and followed by a vast
flock of every kind of bird.

‘“Who are you, little girl,” said she, “who dares to come where I allow no
mortal to live, lest my birds should be disturbed? Still, if you are
clever at anything,” she added, “I might be able to put up with your
presence.”

‘“Madam,” I answered, rising, “you may be very sure that I shall not do
anything to alarm your birds. I only beg you, for pity’s sake, to give me
something to eat.”

‘“I will do that,” she replied, “before I send you where you deserve to
go.”

‘And thereupon she despatched six jays, who were her pages, to fetch me
all sorts of biscuits, while some of the other birds brought ripe fruits.
In fact, I had a delicious breakfast, though I do not like to be waited
upon so quickly. It is so disagreeable to be hurried. I began to think I
should like very well to stay in this pleasant country, and I said so to
the stately lady, but she answered with the greatest disdain:

‘“Do you think I would keep you here? You! Why what do you suppose
would be the good of you in this country, where everybody is wide-awake
and busy? No, no, I have shown you all the hospitality you will get from
me.”

‘With these words she turned and gave a vigorous pull to the silken rope
which I mentioned before, but instead of a melodious chime, there arose a
hideous clanging which quite terrified me, and in an instant a huge Black
Bird appeared, which alighted at the Fairy’s feet, saying in a frightful
voice—

‘“What do you want of me, my sister?”

‘“I wish you to take this little Princess to my cousin, the Giant of the
Green Castle, at once,” she replied, “and beg him from me to make her work
day and night upon his beautiful tapestry.”

‘At these words the great Bird snatched me up, regardless of my cries, and
flew off at a terrific pace—’

‘Oh! you are joking, cousin,’ interrupted Prince Vivien; ‘you mean as
slowly as possible. I know that horrible Black Bird, and the lengthiness
of all his proceedings and surroundings.’

‘Have it your own way,’ replied Placida, tranquilly. ‘I cannot bear
arguing. Perhaps, this was not even the same bird. At any rate, he carried
me off at a prodigious speed, and set me gently down in this very castle
of which you are now the master. We entered by one of the windows, and
when the Bird had handed me over to the Giant from whom you have been good
enough to deliver me, and given the Fairy’s message, it departed.

‘Then the Giant turned to me, saying,

‘“So you are an idler! Ah! well, we must teach you to work. You won’t be
the first we have cured of laziness. See how busy all my guests are.”

‘I looked up as he spoke, and saw that an immense gallery ran all round
the hall, in which were tapestry frames, spindles, skeins of wool,
patterns, and all necessary things. Before each frame about a dozen people
were sitting, hard at work, at which terrible sight I fainted away, and as
soon as I recovered they began to ask me what I could do.

‘It was in vain that I replied as before, and with the strongest desire to
be taken at my word, “Nothing at all.”

‘The Giant only said,

‘“Then you must learn to do something; in this world there is enough work
for everybody.”

‘It appeared that they were working into the tapestry all the stories the
Fairies liked best, and they began to try and teach me to help them, but
from the first class, where they tried me to begin with, I sank lower and
lower, and not even the most simple stitches could I learn.

‘In vain they punished me by all the usual methods. In vain the Giant
showed me his menagerie, which was entirely composed of children who would
not work! Nothing did me any good, and at last I was reduced to drawing
water for the dyeing of the wools, and even over that I was so slow that
this morning the Giant flew into a rage and changed me into a gazelle. He
was just putting me into the menagerie when I happened to catch sight of a
dog, and was seized with such terror that I fled away at my utmost speed,
and escaped through the outer court of the castle. The Giant, fearing that
I should be lost altogether, sent his green lion after me, with orders to
bring me back, cost what it might, and I should certainly have let myself
be caught, or eaten up, or anything, rather than run any further, if I had
not luckily met you by the fountain. And oh!’ concluded the Princess, ‘how
delightful it is once more to be able to sit still in peace. I was so
tired of trying to learn things.’

Prince Vivien said that, for his part, he had been kept a great deal too
still, and had not found it at all amusing, and then he recounted all his
adventures with breathless rapidity. How he had taken shelter with Dame
Patience, and consulted the Oracle, and voyaged in the paper ship. Then
they went hand in hand to release all the prisoners in the castle, and all
the Princes and Princesses who were in cages in the menagerie, for the
instant the Green Giant was dead they had resumed their natural forms. As
you may imagine, they were all very grateful, and Princess Placida
entreated them never, never to do another stitch of work so long as they
lived, and they promptly made a great bonfire in the courtyard, and
solemnly burnt all the embroidery frames and spinning wheels. Then the
Princess gave them splendid presents, or rather sat by while Prince Vivien
gave them, and there were great rejoicings in the Green Castle, and
everyone did his best to please the Prince and Princess. But with all
their good intentions, they often made mistakes, for Vivien and Placida
were never of one mind about their plans, so it was very confusing, and
they frequently found themselves obeying the Prince’s orders, very, very
slowly, and rushing off with lightning speed to do something that the
Princess did not wish to have done at all, until, by-and-by, the two
cousins took to consulting with, and consoling one another in all these
little vexations, and at last came to be so fond of each other that for
Placida’s sake Vivien became quite patient, and for Vivien’s sake Placida
made the most unheard-of exertions. But now the Fairies who had been
watching all these proceedings with interest, thought it was time to
interfere, and ascertain by further trials if this improvement was likely
to continue, and if they really loved one another. So they caused Placida
to seem to have a violent fever, and Vivien to languish and grow dull, and
made each of them very uneasy about the other, and then, finding a moment
when they were apart, the Fairy Mirlifiche suddenly appeared to Placida,
and said—

‘I have just seen Prince Vivien, and he seemed to me to be very ill.’

‘Alas! yes, madam,’ she answered, ‘and if you will but cure him, you may
take me back to the farm, or bring the Green Giant to life again, and you
shall see how obedient I will be.’

‘If you really wish him to recover,’ said the Fairy, ‘you have only to
catch the Trotting Mouse and the Chaffinch-on-the-Wing and bring them to
me. Only remember that time presses!’

She had hardly finished speaking before the Princess was rushing headlong
out of the castle gate, and the Fairy after watching her till she was lost
to sight, gave a little chuckle and went in search of the Prince, who
begged her earnestly to send him back to the Black Castle, or to the paper
boat if she would but save Placida’s life. The Fairy shook her head, and
looked very grave. She quite agreed with him, the Princess was in a bad
way—‘But,’ said she, ‘if you can find the Rosy Mole, and give him to
her she will recover.’ So now it was the Prince’s turn to set off in a
vast hurry, only as soon as he left the Castle he happened to go in
exactly the opposite direction to the one Placida had taken. Now you can
imagine these two devoted lovers hunting night and day. The Princess in
the woods, always running, always listening, pursuing hotly after two
creatures which seemed to her very hard to catch, which she yet never
ceased from pursuing. The Prince on the other hand wandering continually
across the meadows, his eyes fixed upon the ground, attentive to every
movement among the moles. He was forced to walk slowly—slowly upon
tip-toe, hardly venturing to breathe. Often he stood for hours motionless
as a statue, and if the desire to succeed could have helped him he would
soon have possessed the Rosy Mole. But alas! all that he caught were black
and ordinary, though strange to say he never grew impatient, but always
seemed ready to begin the tedious hunt again. But this changing of
character is one of the most ordinary miracles which love works. Neither
the Prince nor the Princess gave a thought to anything but their quest. It
never even occurred to them to wonder what country they had reached. So
you may guess how astonished they were one day, when having at last been
successful after their long and weary chase, they cried aloud at the same
instant: ‘At last I have saved my beloved,’ and then recognising each
other’s voice looked up, and rushed to meet one another with the wildest
joy. Surprise kept them silent while for one delicious moment they gazed
into each other’s eyes, and just then who should come up but King
Gridelin, for it was into his kingdom they had accidentally strayed. He
recognized them in his turn and greeted them joyfully, but when they
turned afterwards to look for the Rosy Mole, the Chaffinch, and the
Trotting-Mouse, they had vanished, and in their places stood a lovely lady
whom they did not know, the Black Bird, and the Green Giant. King Gridelin
had no sooner set eyes upon the lady than with a cry of joy he clasped her
in his arms, for it was no other than his long-lost wife, Santorina, about
whose imprisonment in Fairyland you may perhaps read some day.

Then the Black Bird and the Green Giant resumed their natural form, for
they were enchanters, and up flew Lolotte and Mirlifiche in their
chariots, and then there was a great kissing and congratulating, for
everybody had regained someone he loved, including the enchanters, who
loved their natural forms dearly. After this they repaired to the Palace,
and the wedding of Prince Vivien and Princess Placida was held at once
with all the splendour imaginable.

King Gridelin and Queen Santorina, after all their experiences had no
further desire to reign, so they retired happily to a peaceful place,
leaving their kingdom to the Prince and Princess, who were beloved by all
their subjects, and found their greatest happiness all their lives long in
making other people happy.

Nonchalante et Papillon