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THE
BRANCH
LIBH,
ciPTCl'Al.
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Tfi
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft
Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/fairytalesofcharOOperr
V.!-;
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Uniform with
this
Volume
THE YEAR'S AT THE SPRING An
Anthology of Recent Poetry. Selected L. D'O. Walters. With Twelve Plates in Colour and Twelve in Black by
and White and many Decorations by Harrv Clarke.
AN
IMTR.ODUCT'iaiN 1^Y
-
-rst
SX7
r
in^
First fublished Aiigusl i()^2
PL.
BRAKY I
TtLDEN
Kcyi-iuAi
it/"io
±1
Prmled
/« Grtitl Brit tin by
Tumbull 6^
Sptars, Ediaturgh
.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
9
LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD
21
THE FAIRY
27
BLUE BEARD
35
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY THE MASTER CAT;
IN
THE WOOD
OR, PUSS IN
BOOTS
47 67
CINDERILLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER
77
RIQUET WITtI THE
93
LITTLE
THUMB
i^'i
tU^'r.,'"' V\
ji'U
;^1
THE RIDICULOUS "^'ESHis DONKEY-SKIN
j
';
V
\'
109 127
137
I'AGE
CiNDERiLLA AND HER Prince
Frontispiece
"He
fencing
asked her whither she was going"
"'What
"'Am
I
is
this
I
see?' said her mother"
28
come hither to serve you with water, pray?'"
'•'What,
is
the young Fairy came out from BEHIND the hangings"
"He '
I
36 38
48 facing
54
saw, upon a bed, the finest sight was ever beheld" facin^g
56
will have it so,' REPLIED THE QUEEN, HER WITH A Sauce Robert'"
"The Marquis gave
'
AND WILL EAT
his hand to the Princess, followed the King, who went up first"
"Away "
fencing
30
this very instant
The Prince enquires of the aged Countryman
"
facing
not the key of my closet among the rest?'"
"This man had the misfortune to have a blue beard"
"At
24
59
and facing
she drove, scarce able to contain herself for joy"
Any one but Cinderilla would have dressed their heads awry
74 78
facing
80
FAIRY'TALES»OF«PERRAULT p,v(;k
"She left behind one of her glass
slippers,
which thf
Prince took up most carefully"
"The Prince
87
believed he had given her more wit than
he had reserved for himself" "
99
Riquet with the Tuft appeared to her the finest Prince
UPON earth"
/'«'',?
"Little Thumb was as good as his word, and returned that same night with the news" "
He brought them home
"Jupiter
appeared
thunderbolts
"A
LONc;
black
by the very same
before
him
way they came
wielding
his
"
1
10
1
1
I
pudding
came
winding
and
tell, this
2
mighty
"
28
wriggling
towards her"
"Truth to
f icing
°4
feeing 130
new ornament
did not set off her
beauty"
133
"Another gown the colour of the moon"
13S
"He
143
thought the Princess was
his
Queen"
"Curiosity made him put his eye to the keyhole"
facing 150
IJ^TRODUCTIOJ^ "
Avec ardeur
il
aitna les
beaux
arts."
Griselidis
/^ HA RLES PERRAULT nmst v^
a fellow as a
man
could
tneel.
have been as charming
He was
one of the
of his owtt great age, and he has remained ever since a prime favonrite of mankind. IVe are fortunate iii hiowing a great deal abont his varied life, best-liked personages
deriving oiir knowledge mainly
from DAleinberfs history French Academy and from his own memoirs, which
of the were written for his grandchildren, but not published 9
till
FAIRY^TALES^OFPERRAULT We
sixty-six years after his death.
more fortunate mid-career,
still
should,
I
think, be
memoirs had not ceased
if the
had permitted himself
or if their author
in to
without reserve or restraint,
write of his family affairs
IVe manner of modern autobiography. should like, for example, to know much more than we do about the wife and the two sons to whom he was so devoted. Perrault was born in Paris in 1628, the fifth son of in
the approved
Pierre Perrault, a prosperotis parliamentary lawyer ; at the age of nine,
was sent
to
—
a day-school
tJie
and,
College
His father helped him with his lessons at home, as he Jiimself, later on, was accustomed to help his own childroi. He can never have been a 7)iodel schoolboy, de Beauvais.
though he was always first in his
class,
and
Jie
ended his
school career prematurely by quarrelling with his master
and bidding him a formal farewell. The cause of this quarrel throws a Perraulfs subsequent
career.
He
bright light on
refused to accept
his
teacher s philosophical tenets on the mere traditional itself
authority.
He
ground of their claimed that novelty was in
a merit, and on this they parted.
He
did not go
One of his friends, a boy called Beaurain, espoused his cause, and for the next three or four years the two read together, haphazard, in the Luxembourg Gardens. This plan of study had almost certainly a bad effect on Beaurain, for we hear no more of him. It certainly prevented alone.
Perrault
from being a thorough 10
scholar,
though
it
made
1
INTRODUCTION ///;;/
a matt of taste, a sincere independent and an undaunted ,
amateur.
In i6ji he took his degree at the University of Orldans, where degrees were given with scandalous readiness, payment of fees being the only essential preliminary. In the meantime he had walked the hospitals with some vague notion
of following his
brother
Claude
the
into
profession
and had played a small part as a
medicine,
of
theological
controversialist in the quarrel then raging, about the nature
of grace, between the Jesuits and the Jansenists. Having abandoned medicine and theology he got called to the Bar, practised for a while with distinct success,
and
with a notion of codifying the laws of the realm.
proved
too
coquetted
The Bar
arid a profession to engage for long his attention ;
and found a place in the office of another brother, Pierre, who was Chief Commissioner of Taxes in Paris. Here Perrault had little to do save to read at large in the excellent library which his brother had formed. For want of further occupation he returned to the so he next sought
writing of verse, hood.
of the
one of the chief pleasures of his boy-
His first sustained sixth
book
of
literary effort
the
''
had
Aineid'\-
been a parody
which,
perhaps
fortunately for his reputation, was never published a7id has not sui'vived.
and his brother assisted him in this
Beaiirain
Nicholas, a doctor
perpetration, and of the Sorbonne, Claude made the pen-and-ink sketches with which it was illustrated.
In the few years that had elapsed since the 1
FAIRY-TALES 'OF-PERRAULT had acquired
writing of this burlesque Perrault
tnore sense
—
and his new poems in particular the ''Portrait diris" and the ''Dialogue entre I Amour et rAmiti^" (Did taste,
—
found charming by his contonporaries. They were issued anonymously, and Quinault, himself a poet of established reputation, used some of them to forward his suit with a young lady, allowing her to think that they were Perrault, when told of Quinaulfs pretensions, his own.
7vere
deemed
it
necessary
to
disclose
his
authorship ;
but,
on
hearing of the use to which his work had been put, he gallantly remained in the background, forgave the fratid,
and made a friend of the
culprit.
Architecture next engaged his attention,
and
in i6_§7
he designed a house at Viry for his brother arid supervised its construction.
Colbert approved so
much of
this
perform-
buildings
him in the superintendence of the royal and put him in special charge of Versailles, which
was then
in process
ance that he employed
of
erection.
Perrault flung himself with
ardour into this work, though not other activities.
He
w7'ote
odes in
he planned designs for Gobelin
to the
exclusion of his
honour of the King;
and
tapestries
paintings ; he became a member of the select
little
decorative
Academy
of Medals and Inscriptions which Colbert brought into being to devise suitable legends for the royal palaces
and mommients ;
he encouraged musicians and fought the cause of Lulli he joined with Claude in a successful effort to found the
Academy of
Science.
12
INTRODUCTION Claude Perrault had something of his brother s versatility and shared his love for architecture, and the two now
became deeply interested in the various schemes which were mooted for the completion of the Louvre. Bernini was
summoned
King from Rome, and entrusted with
by the
Charles con-
task; but the brothers Perrault intervened. ceived the idea of the great east front
the
and communicated
who drew the plans and was commissioned to The work was finisJied iti idyi, and is carry them out. still popularly known as Perraulfs Colonnade. In the same year Charles was elected to the Academy it
to Claude,
without any personal canvas on his part for the honour.
His inaugural address was heard with such approval that he ventured to suggest that the inauguration these addresses became the most
and
adopted,
The suggestion was
be a public function.
members should
of future
famous feature
of the Academy s proceedings and are so to the present day. This was not his only service to the Academy, for he carried a motion to the ballot ;
a
effect
that future elections should be by
and invented and provided, which,
ballot-box
at his
own
expetise,
though he does not describe
it,
probably the model of those in use in all modern clubs
was and
societies.
The
commend them Those expressed in his poem " Le
novelty of his views did not always
to his brother
'
Immortals.'
Steele de Louis
of sixteen
XIV"
years'
which he read as an Academician
standing,
initiated
13
one
of
the
most
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT famous and in
lasting literary quarrels of the era.
Perraulf,
praising the writers of his own age, ventured
to
dis-
parage some of the great authors of the ancient classics. Boileau lashed hi^nself into a fury of opposition and hurled Racine, more adroit, strident insults against the heretic. pretended irony. battle.
to
think that the
Most men of
No
letters
poem was a
piece of ingenious
hastened to participate in the
doubt Perraulf s position was tmtenable, but he
conducted his defence with perfect temper
and tnuch wit
and Boileau made himself not a little absurd by his violence and his obvious longing to display the extent of his learning. Perraulf s case is finally stated in his four volumes, " Le Parallele des Anciens et des Modernes," which were published in i688-i6g6.
He
evidently took vastly
more pride
and now almost forgotten work than in stories which have ??iade him famous for ever. dull
in this
the tnatchless
After twenty years in the service of Colbert, the sttn of Perraulf s fortunes passed its zenith. His brother, the Commissioner of Taxes, had a dispute with the Minister and was disgraced. Then Perrault got married to a young lady
of whom we know nothijig except that her marriage was the subject of some opposition from his powerful employer. In
a matter of the sort Perrault, though a
courtier,
could be
relied on to consider no wishes save those
and
himself.
shaky,
and
Colberf s
of his future wife own influence with the King became
this affected his temper.
fifty-five, slid quietly fro7n his service
14
So Perraidt, then just in the year i68j.
INTRODUCTION Before he went, he succeeded in frustrating a project for
Gardens against the people of Paris and Colbert proposed to reserve them to the royal
closing the Tuileries
their children. use,
but Perrault persuaded hi?n to come there one day for
a walk, showed him the citizens taking the air and playing with their children ; got the gardeners to testify that these privileges
were never abused, that
declaring, finally,
spacious that there
''the
and carried
his point
by
was
so
King's pleasaunce
was room for
all his children to
walk
pleaded that
this
there''
seventy years
Sainte-Beuve,
service to the children
ago,
of Paris should be commemorated by
The a statue of Perrault in the centre of the Tuileries. statue has never been erected ; and, to the present day, Paris, so plentifully
provided with statues and pictures of the great
men of France, has
neither the one nor the other to
she appreciates the genius of Perrault.
show that
Indeed, there
is
no
him in existence ; and the only painting of him with which I am acquai)ited is a doubtful one hung far away in an obscure corner of the palace of Versailles. The close of Perrault' s official career marked the begin-
statue of
ning of his period of greatest literary activity. In 1686 he published his long narrative poe?n "Saint Paulin Evesque dc Note" with ''an
Ode
Bossuet.
"«
to the
Christian Epistle tipon Penitence"
and
Newly-converted" which he dedicated
to
Between the years 1688 and i6g6 appeared the
" Paralltle des
Anciens
et des
15
Modernes"
to
which I have
FAIRY. TALESoOF«PERRAULT In i6gj he brought out his
already referred.
"
Cabinet des
Beaux Arts^' beautifully illustrated by engravings, and containing a poem on painting which even Boileau condescended to admire. des
He
FemmesT
i6g/, 1868.
and
"
wrote two comedies
Apologie
LOublieux"
to his reputation.
and i6gy were composed the immortal du Temps Passd" and the "Contes en life
—
''
These were not printed
Les Fontanges."
They added nothing
end of his
"
In i6g4 he published his
' '
in till
Between i6gi
Histoires on Contes
Toward
Vers!'
he busied himself with the
''
the
Eloges des
du Sikle de Louis XI V^ The first of these two stately volumes came out in i6g6 and the second They were illustrated by a hundred and two in ijoo.
Hommes
Illustres
excellent engravings, including one, by Edelinck,
himself and another of his brother Claude.
of Perrault
These biographies
and form a valuable conI have reign of the Roi Soleil.
are written with kindly justice, tribution to the history of the
not exhausted the list of Perraulfs writings, but, to speak
frankly, the rest are not worth mentioning.
He
died,
aged
seventy-five, in 170J, deservedly
admired
and regretted by all who knew him. This was not strange. For he was clever, honest, courteous, and witty. He did his duty to his family, his employer, his friends, and to the public at large.
In an age of great men, but also of great
prejudices, he fotight his
own way
fame and fortune.
and practised most of them. musicians, atid men of science
served all the arts, writers, sculptors,
to
16
He
Painters, all gladly
INTRODUCTION made Mm free of their company. As a good Civil Servant he was no politician, and he showed no leaning whatever toward what was regarded in his time as the greatest of all
These two
professions— that of arms.
deficiencies they be, only
endear him the more to
one likes a
man who
deserves to enjoy
enjoy
Perraiilt
was such a man.
it.
deficiencies,
was the cause of enjoyment
to
life
and
He
ns.
Every
does, in fact,
to
He
was more.
countless of his fellows,
his stories still promise enjoyment
if
and
countless others
to
come. It
is
remember that Perrault was rather Histoires ou Contes du Temps Passd''
amazing
ashamed of
his "
to
—
perhaps better known as or " Mother Goose's
"
Les Contes de
Tales,''
from
ma Mdre rOye"
the rough print which
was inserted as a frontispiece to the first collected edition in idgy. He would not even publish them in his own name. They were declared to be by P. Darmancour, Perrault's
young
son.
In order that the
secret
might be well
kept,
and went appeared from time
Perrault abandoned his usual publisher, Coignard, to
to ''
Barbin. time,
Recueil,"
The
stories
anonymously
,
had previously in
Moetjens
little
magazine the
The Hague. "La Sleeping Beauty") was the first:
which was published from
Belle au Bois
Dormant"
(^'
and in rapid succession followed Le Petit Chaperon Rouge " (" Red Riding-Hood"), " Le Maistre Chat, ou le Chat Bottd" ''
{;'
Puss
in Boots"), ''Les
Fees"
("
The Fairy
"),
" Cendrillon,
ou la Petite Pantoufie de Verre" {^'Cinderella"), " Riquet a
B
17
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT —
-
-
_
la
Hoiippe"
("
Tom
{''
-
_
Riguet of the
Tuft''),
and
"
Le
t
Petit Poucet"
T/nanb").
Perraidt was not so shy in admitting the authorship
of his
verse
three
Ridicules^'
anonymously
and it
reprinted with in
i6pj,
and
"
they
"
stories
Peau
—
" Griselidis,"
La
Les Souhaits
The first appeared, is true, in i6gi ; but, when it came to be Les Souhaits Ridicules " and " Peau d'Asne " were
d'Asne."
entrusted to
described as being by ''Mr
Franqoise!'
"
of Coignard
the firm
Perrault,
de
F Academic
Fontaine had made a fashion of this sort
of exercise. It would not be fair
to
assume that P. Darmancour had
no connection whatever with the composition of the stories
The best of Perraulf s critics, Paul de St Victor and Andrezv Lang among others, see in the book a marvellous collaboration of crabbed age and youth. The boy, probably, gathered the stories from his nurse and brought them to his father, who touched them up, and toned them down, and wrote them out. Paul Lacroix, in his fine which bore his ttame.
edition
of 1886, goes as far as
to attribute the entire
ship of the prose tales to Perraulf s son.
however,
to
when he
wiiversal usage
He
author-
deferred,
entitled his volume
''Les Contes en prose de Charles Perrault"
had an immediate Imitators sprung up at once by the dozen, and success. still persist ; but none of them has ever rivalled, much Every few years less surpassed, the inimitable originals. "Les Contes du
Temps
18
Passd''
INTRODUCTION a new and snmptuous edition appears in France.
The
and Andri le Channel ; and a
Fevre.
are probably those by Paul Lacroix
The
stories soon crossed the
best
translation
Mr
Samber, printed for J. Pole'' ivas advertised in the "Monthly Chronicle'' of i'j2g. "Mr Samber'' was ''by
presumably one Robert Samber of other tales
from
the French, for
No
about this time. is
known
Inn,
who translated
Edmond Curl the
bookseller,
copy of the first edition of his Perratilt
Yet
to exist.
New
by the fact that there
won a wide popularity, as is shown was a seventh edition published in
it
lygS, for J. Rivington, a bookseller, of Pearl Street,
New
York.
No
English translation of Perraulfs fairy tales has
attainted tmquestioned literary pre-eminence.
So the pub-
of the present book have thought it best Samber s translation, which has a special interest of lishers
i7i
Mansion, who has purged
from
tracting
its
use
its
own
The text
being almost contemporary with the original.
has been thoroughly revised and corrected by
to
Mr
J.
E.
of many errors witJwut de-
it
To
old-fashioned quality.
Mr
Mansion
due the credit for the translation of the " Les Souhaits Ridicules " and for the adaptation of " Peau d' Asne^ also is
" Griselidis''
is
reasons; firstly, Perratilt
'fairy It
'
from
excluded because
it
from Boccaccio;
is
is,
two good
an admitted borrowing by
secondly,
tale in the true sense
book for
this
because
it
is
not
a
of the word.
perhaps, unnecessary for 19
me
to
add anything about
FAIRY^TALES-OF^PERRAULT Mr Clarke s
Many of the
illustrations.
readers of this book Besides,
will be already familiar with his work.
feel that presence.
it is
Mr
for Perrault
an impertinence
to describe pictures in their
Clarke s speak for themselves. too.
It
is
delicacy, urbanity, tenderness,
gone in somewhat similar proportions
am
The grace,
and humour which went
the snaking of Perrault' s stories must,
I
They speak
seldom, indeed, that an illustrator
enters so thoroughly into the spirit of his text.
delightful drawings.
I always
it
to the
to
seems, have also
making of
these
sure that they would have given
pleasure to Perrault himself.
THOMAS BODKIN
Little
Red Riding-Hood
:
Little
°
Red Riding- Hood =
upon a
ONCE
time, there lived in a certain village, a
country
little
the
girl,
Her mother was
seen.
prettiest
became the
girl so
was
excessively fond of her
her grand-mother doated on her
good woman got made
creature
ever ;
much more.
for her a little red riding-hood
;
and This
which
extremely well, that every body called her
Red Riding-Hood. One day, her mother, having made some
Little
girdle-cakes,
said to her " I
Go,
my
dear,
and see how thy grand-mamma does,
hear she has been very
little
ill,
for
carry her a girdle-cake, and this
pot of butter."
Red Riding-Hood
Little
to her grand-mother,
was going
thro' the
mind
a very great
who
out
immediately to go
As she Wolf, who had
lived in another village.
wood, she met with Gaffer
to eat her up, but he durst not, because of
some faggot-makers hard by
He
set
in the forest.
The poor
asked her whither she was going.
who did not know that Wolf talk, said to him
it
was dangerous
to stay
child,
and hear a
:
" I
her a
am
going to
girdle-cake,
see
and a
my grand-mamma, little
pot
of
butter,
and
carry
from
my
mamma." "
Does she
"Oh!
ay,"
live far off?" said the
answered
Little
23
Wolf.
Red Riding-Hood,
"it
is
FAIRY^TALES-OF-PERRAULT beyond that mill you see
at
there,
the
first
house
the
in
village."
"Well," said the Wolf,
go
this way,
and you go
"
and
I'll
go and see her too
and we
that,
shall see
who
I'll
:
will
be
there soonest."
The Wolf began nearest way and the ;
to run as fast as he could, taking the farthest about,
went by that
little girl
diverting herself in gathering nuts, running after butterflies,
and making nosegays of such
:
"
Who's there ? "Your grand-child. Wolf,
Red Riding-Hood,"
Little
her
counterfeiting
you a girdle-cake, and a
voice,
found herself somewhat " Pull the peg,
The Wolf presently he
moment bit.
;
He
it
and the
then
brought
because she
bolt will fall."
and the door opened, and then ate her
up
in a
three days that he had not touched
shut the door, and went into the grand-
mother's bed, expecting Little
some time
in bed,
upon the good woman, and
was above
has
cry'd out
ill,
pull'd the peg,
fell
for
"who
replied
pot of butter, sent you by
little
mamma." The good grand-mother, who was
a
met with.
he knocked at the door, tap, tap.
"
the
flowers as she
not long before he got to the old woman's
The Wolf was house
little
Red Riding-Hood, who came
afterwards, and knock'd at the door, tap, tap.
"Who's there?" Little Red Riding-Hood,
hearing the big voice of the
24
HE ASKED HER WHllHER bHE WAS GOING
24
:
LITTLE Wolf, was at
RED
-
first
afraid
;
RIDING-HOOD
«
but believing her grand-mother had
got a cold, and was hoarse, answered "
Tis your grand-child,
Little
:
Red Riding-Hood, who
has brought you a girdle-cake, and a
mamma
little
sends you."
The Wolf
cried out to her, softening his voice as
as he could, " Pull the peg, and the bolt will
Red Riding-Hood pulled the The Wolf seeing her come in,
Little
opened.
himself under the bedclothes "
of butter,
pot
Put the
cake,
much
fall."
peg, and the door said to her, hiding
:
and the
little
upon the
pot of butter
come and lye down with me." Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself, and went bed where, being greatly amazed to see how her grand-
bread-bin, and
into
;
mother looked "
in her night-cloaths, she said to her
"
Grand-mamma, what great arms you have got That is the better to hug thee, my dear." Grand-mamma, what great legs you have got
"
That
"
Grand-mamma, what
"
That
"
Grand-mamma, what
"
"
!
is
is
to run the better,
"
Grand-mamma, what
"
That
is
my
child." "
great ears you have got
to hear the better,
" It is to see the better,
my
!
child."
great eyes you have got
my
" I
child."
great teeth you have got
" I
to eat thee up."
And, saying these words, Little
" !
Red Riding-Hood, and
this
wicked Wolf
ate her all up.
25
fell
upon poor
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT The Moral FroDi this short story easy we discern
What
conduct all young people ought to learn.
But above all, young, growifig misses fair, Whose orient rosy blootns begin f appear : Who, beauties in the fragrant spring of age. With pretty airs young hearts are apt f engage. do they listen
of tongues, Since some inchant and lure like Syrens songs.
Ill
No
to all sorts
wonder therefore
'tis,
if over-power d
So many of them has the Wolf devour d. The Wolf, I say, for Wolves too sure there are
and every character. Some of them mild and gentle-htmwurd be. Of noise and gall, and rancour wholly free ;
Of every
Who
sort,
tame, familiar, full of coinplaisance
Ogle and
leer,
languish, cajole
and glance ;
With luring tongues, and language wond'rous Follow young ladies as they walk the street,
Evn And,
sweet.
to their very houses, nay, bedside,
artful,
Yet ah
I
thd their true designs they hide;
these simpering
Wolves
!
Who does not see
Most dangerous of Wolves indeed they
be ?
The Fairy
'what
is
this
I
SEE?' SAID HER MOTHER" kpOS' 3°)
:
The was, once THERE The daughters.
Fairy
"
upon a
eldest
who had two
time, a widow,
was so much
like her in the face
and humour, that whoever looked upon the daughter
saw the mother.
They were both
so disagreeable, and
so proud, that there was no living with them.
who was
The youngest,
the very picture of her father, for courtesy and sweet-
ness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls ever seen.
As
own
people naturally love their
likeness, this
mother even doated on her eldest daughter, and time had a horrible aversion for the youngest. eat in the kitchen,
Among home
same
She made her
and work continually.
other things, this poor child was forced twice a
day to draw water above a mile and a half bring
at the
a pitcher
fountain, there
came
full
of
One
it.
day, as she
poor woman,
to her a
off the house,
was
who begged
and
at this
of her
to let her drink. "
O
ay, with all
my
heart.
and rinsing immediately the
Goody," said
this pretty
pitcher, she took
maid
;
up some water
from the clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.
The good woman having
"You
mannerly, that a Fairy,
so very
are I
who had
drank, said to her
pretty,
my
dear,
cannot help giving you a
so good and gift " (for this
so
was
taken the form of a poor country-woman, to
29
FAIRY TALES-OF^PERRAULT see
how
would
far the civility " I will
go).
and good manners of
this pretty girl
give you for gift," continued the Fairy,
"that at every word you speak, there shall come out of your
mouth
either a flower, or a jewel."
When
this pretty girl
came home, her mother scolded
at
her for staying so long at the fountain.
"I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor girl, "for not making more haste," and, in speaking these words, there
came out
of her
mouth two
roses,
two
and two
pearls,
diamonds.
"What "
I
think
mouth
!
I
this
is
I
see?" said her mother quite astonished,
see pearls
How happens
and diamonds come out of the this, child
?
"
(This was the
first
girl's
time
she ever called her child.)
The poor
creature told her frankly
without dropping out "
infinite
Come
hither,
the matter, not
numbers of diamonds.
In good faith," cried the mother, "
thither.
all
I
must send
my child
Fanny, look what comes out of thy
Would'st not thou be glad, mouth when she speaks my dear, to have the same gift given to thee? Thou hast nothing else to do but go and draw water out of the fountain, sister's
!
and when a give
it
certain poor
woman
asks thee to
let
her drink, to
her very civilly."
" It
would be a very
minx, " to see
"You
fine sight indeed," said this ill-bred
me go draw
shall go,
water
hussey,"
" !
said
minute."
30
the
mother,
"and
this
x^ "'am
1
COME HITHER TO SERVE YOU WITH WATER, PRAY
?'
" 30
:
THE
FAIRY
-
So away she went, but grumbling
all
the way, taking with
her the best silver tankard in the house.
She was no sooner at the fountain, than she saw coming out of the wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up This was, you must know, the to her, and asked to drink. very Fairy air
who appeared
to her sister, but
and dress of a princess,
would
how
far this girl's
come
I
said the proud, saucy slut,
hither,"
you with water, pray
I
?
drink out of
"You
it,
if
"to
suppose the silver tankard was
brought purely for your ladyship, was
However, you may
it ?
you have a fancy."
are not over and above mannerly," answered the
Fairy, without putting herself in a passion. since
rudeness
go.
"Am serve
to see
had now taken the
you have so
give you for
gift,
little
"Well
then,
breeding, and are so disobliging,
that at every
word you speak
come out of your mouth a snake or a toad." So soon as her mother saw her coming, she
I
there shall
cried out
"Well, daughter?" "•Well,
out of her
"O is
mother?" answered the
mouth two
mercy!"
vipers and two toads.
cried the mother,
that wretch her sister
shall
pay for
poor child forest,
it "
fled
;
pert hussey, throwing
who
"what
is it I
has occasioned
and immediately she ran
away from her and went
see!
all this
;
O,
it
but she
to beat her.
The
to hide herself in the
not far from thence.
The King's
son, then
on his return from hunting, met 31
FAIRY-TALES°OF-PERRAULT her,
and seeing her so very and why she
there alone,
"Alas
!
sir,
pretty,
asked her what she did
cried.
my mamma
has turned
me
out of doors."
The King's son, who saw five or six pearls, and as many diamonds, come out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She thereupon told him the whole story ;
and so the King's son with
fell
in love
with her
;
and, considering
himself that such a gift was worth more than any
marriage-portion whatsoever in another, conducted her to the palace of the
her
King
his father,
and there married
her.
As for her sister, she made herself so much hated that own mother turned her off; and the miserable wretch,
having wandered about a good while without finding anybody to take her in,
went to a corner
in the
wood and
there died.
THE
FAIRY
•
The Moral Money and jewels
Stamp strong But
still,
we find.
impressions on the mind.
sweet discourse more potent riches yields ;
Of higher
value
is
the powr
it wields.
Another Civil behaviour costs itideed some pains,
Requires of complaisance some
But
soon or late
And meets
it
often
its
little
due reward
when we
it
share ; gains,
re not aware.
Blue Beard
"'what,
is
not the key Ut MV CLOStl AMONG IHE REST?" {page 40)
Blue was THERE and
a
°
Beard
man who had
fine houses,
both
in
town
country, a deal of silver and gold plate, embroidered
furniture, this
and coaches gilded
man had
all
But
over with gold.
the misfortune to have a blue beard, which
made him so frightfully ugly, that all the women and girls ran away from him. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to her the choice which of the two she
would bestow upon him. him, and each
made
They would
neither of
them have
the other welcome of him, being not able
man who had
to bear the
thought of marrying a
And what
besides gave them disgust and aversion,
a blue beard.
was
his
having already been married to several wives, and no-body ever
knew what became
of them.
Blue Beard, to engage their
affection,
took them, with the
lady their mother, and three or four ladies of their acquaintance, with other
young people
of the neighbourhood, to one
of his country seats, where they stayed a whole week.
was nothing then fishing, dancing,
but
all
There
to be seen but parties of pleasure, hunting,
mirth and feasting.
passed the night
in
No-body went
to bed,
playing tricks upon each other.
In short, every thing succeeded so well, that the youngest
daughter began to think the master of the house not to
have a beard so very blue, and that he was a mighty 37
civil
FAIRY TALES OF-PERRAULT As soon
gentleman.
home, the marriage
as they returned
was concluded.
About a month afterwards Blue Beard he was obliged to take a country journey about
least,
divert
affairs of
herself in
told his wife that for six
make good
to
his absence, to
send for her friends and if
she pleased,
cheer wherever she was.
Here," said he, "are the keys of the two great ward-
"
robes, wherein
my
silver
key to
all
plate,
best furniture
which
my
my
caskets of jewels
apartments.
;
these are of
not every day in use
is
strong boxes, which hold
these
;
my
have
I
and gold
silver
open
at
very great consequence, desiring her to
acquaintances, to carry them into the country,
and
weeks
But
my ;
;
my
these
money, both gold and
and
this is the master-
for this little
one here,
it
is
the key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the
ground
them it
in
;
floor.
Open them
except that
little
such a manner
be no bounds to
all
which
closet
that, if
my just
go into
;
I
all
and every one of
forbid you,
you happen
to
open
and forbid
it,
there will
anger and resentment."
She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he had when he, after having embraced her, got into his ordered ;
coach and proceeded on his journey.
Her neighbours and good for
see
by the newmarried all
friends did not stay to be sent
lady, so great
was
their impatience to
the rich furniture of her house, not daring to
come
while her husband was there, because of his blue beard which frightened them.
They
ran thro'
38
all
the rooms, closets,
and
"this man had the MISFORIT'NE TO HAVE A BLUE
BEARl:)
38
;
BLUE wardrobes, which were
all
BEARD
-
so rich
and
that they
fine,
seemed
one another.
to surpass
After that, they went up into the two great rooms, where
were the best and richest furniture
;
they could not sufficiently
admire the number and beauty of the tapestry, beds, couches, cabinets,
stands,
tables,
might see yourself from head framed with finest
in
which you
of
them were
and
gilded, the
and looking-glasses to foot
some
;
glass, others with silver, plain
and most magnificent which were ever
They
seen.
ceased not to extol and envy the happiness of their friend,
who all
in the
mean time no way
diverted herself in looking upon
these rich things, because of the impatience she had to
and open the
closet of the
ground
She was so much
floor.
pressed by her curiosity, that, without considering that
very uncivil to leave her company, she went back-stair-case,
and with such excessive
go
down
it
a
was
little
haste, that she
had
twice or thrice like to have broken her neck.
Being come to the time, thinking
closet door, she
upon her husband's
what unhappiness might attend her
made
orders, if
a stop for
some
and considering
she was disobedient
but the temptation was so strong she could not overcome
She took then the could not at
were shut. the floor
first
After
was
all
little
see
key,
and opened
any thing
plainly, because the
:
windows
to perceive that
covered over with clotted blood, in which
were reflected the bodies of several dead the walls
trembling; but
it
some moments she began
it.
these were
all
the wives
39
women
whom
ranged against
Blue Beard had
FAIRY'^TALESoOF^PERRAULT married and murdered one after another.
have died for
fear,
She was
like to
and the key, which she pulled out of the
lock, fell out of her hand.
After having somewhat recovered her senses, she took
up the key, locked the door, and went up
chamber
to recover herself; but she could not, so
Having observed
she frightened.
was stained with blood, she it
off,
wash
and even rub
it
much was
that the key of the closet to
wipe
in vain did
she
with soap and sand, the blood
still
but the blood would it,
stairs into her
tried
two or three times
not come
off;
remained, for the key was a Fairy, and she could never it
quite clean
;
came again on
when
the blood
was gone
off
from one
make
side,
it
the other.
Blue Beard returned from his journey the same evening,
and
said,
he had received
that the affair he
His wife did
all
letters
upon the
road, informing
went about was ended
him
to his advantage.
she could to convince him she was extremely
Next morning he asked her
glad of his speedy return.
for
the keys, which she gave him, but with such a trembling
hand, that he easily guessed what had happened. "
What,"
the rest
said he, "
is
not the key of
my
closet
among
" ?
"I must
upon the
certainly,"
answered
she,
"have
left
it
above
table."
"Fail not," said Blue Beard, "to bring
it
me
presently."
After putting him off several times, she was forced to
40
:
:
BLUE bring him the key. considered "
How
"
I
BEARD
-
Blue Beard, having very attentively
said to his wife
it,
comes
this blood
upon the key ?"
do not know," cried the poor woman, paler than
death.
"You do
not know," replied Blue Beard; "
know, you were resolved
Mighty
Madam you
well,
among the Upon
go into the
to
shall
;
you saw
ladies
this she
go
closet,
in,
;
?
and take your place
there." feet,
and
the signs of a true repentance for
all
She would have melted a
and sorrowful was she
very well
were you not
threw herself at her husband's
begged his pardon with her disobedience.
I
rock, so beautiful
but Blue Beard had a heart harder
than any rock.
"You must "
Since
I
with her eyes say
my
die,
must all
Madam,"
that presently."
answered she, looking upon him
die,"
bathed
"and
said he,
in tears, " give
me some
little
time to
prayers."
"I give you," replied Blue Beard, "half a quarter of an hour, but not one
When
moment
more."
she was alone, she called out to her
sister,
and
said to her
"Sister
Anne"
(for that
was her name), "go up
you, upon the top of the tower, and look
not coming
and
if
;
they promised
me
that they
you see them, give them a sign 41
to
if
my
I
beg
brothers are
would come to-day,
make
haste."
FAIRY TALES-OF^PERRAULT Her
sister
Anne went up upon
the top of the tower, and
the poor afflicted wife cried out from time to time, sister
"Anne,
Anne, do you see any one coming?"
And " I
sister
Anne
said
:
see nothing but the sun,
which makes a dust, and
the grass growing green."
mean while Blue Beard, holding a
In the in his
hand, cried out as loud as he could bawl to his wife
"Come down "
great scimitar
instantly, or
One moment
longer,
"Anne,
And
sister
sister
" I see
shall
you
if
then she cried out very softly
I
come up
:
to you."
please," said his wife,
and
:
Anne, dost thou see any body coming?"
Anne answered
:
nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the
grass growing green."
"Come down come up " I
quickly," cried
Blue Beard, "or
will
I
to you."
am
coming," answered his wife
"
Anne,
"
I
sister
;
and then she cried
Anne, dost thou see any one coming
see," replied sister
Anne,
" a great
:
?"
dust that comes
this way." "
my brothers ? no, my dear sister,
Are they
" Alas
!
I
"Will you not come down?"
"One moment
see a flock of sheep." cried
Blue Beard.
longer," said his wife,
and then she
cried
out
"Anne,
sister
Anne, dost thou see nobody coming?" 42
;
BLUE "
see," said she, "
I
way
yet a great
"God brothers
;
BEARD
«
two horsemen coming, but they are
off."
my
be praised," she cried presently, "they are I
am
beckoning to them, as well as
I
can, for
them
make haste." Then Blue Beard bawled out so loud, that he made the whole house tremble. The distressed wife came down, and to
threw herself at his
feet, all in
tears,
with her hair about her
shoulders. "
Nought
will avail," said
Blue Beard, "you must die"
then, taking hold of her hair with one hand, his scimitar with
the other, he
was going
and
lifting
;
up
take off her
to
head.
The poor
lady turning about to him, and looking at him
with dying eyes, desired him to afford her one
little
moment
to recollect herself. "
No, no," said
he, "
recommend
thyself to God," and
was
just ready to strike.
At
this very instant there
the gate, that Blue Beard
was such a loud knocking
made
a sudden stop.
at
The gate was
who drawing He knew them to
opened, and presently entered two horsemen, their swords, ran directly to
Blue Beard.
be his wife's brothers, one a dragoon, the other a musqueteer so that he ran
away immediately
to save himself;
brothers pursued so close, that they overtook
thro' his
body and
left
him
before he
when they ran their him dead. The poor wife was
could get to the steps of the porch,
swords
but the two
43
FAIRY^TALES-OF^PERRAULT almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength enough
and welcome her brothers. Blue Beard had no heirs, and so his wife became mistress She made use of one part of it to marry her of all his estate. sister Anne to a young gentleman who had loved her a long to rise
another part to buy captains' commissions for her and the rest to marry herself to a very worthy brothers
while
;
;
gentleman,
who made
with Blue Beard.
her forget the
ill
time she had passed
:: ;
BLUE
BEARD
•
The Moral O
curiosity, thou
mortal bane I
spite of thy charms, thou causest often pain
And sore
A
of which we daily find thousand instances attend mankind
For thou
regret,
— O may
it
—
not displease the fair
A fleeting pleasure art, but lasting care. And always proiies, JVhicJi, in the
alas
too
I
dear the prize,
moment ofpossession,
dies.
Another
A very
little
share of common sense.
And knowledge of the
of time long pass d husbands now such panic terrors cast ;
That
No
world, will soon evince
Nor
this
a story
is
weakly, with a vain despotic hand,
Imperious, what' s impossible,
And be they discontented, Of wicked jealousy They
softly sing ;
Their beards
may
Griseld, or russet,
Which of the
command
or the fire
their hearts inspire.
and of whatever hue chance to
hard
it is
two, the
be,
man
to
or black, or blue,
say
or wife, bears sway.
The Sleeping Beauty in the IVood
'at this verv instant the
young fairy came out from behind the hangings l^page so)
°
The Sleeping Beauty °
"
in
THERE were so
the
=
child,
;
They went
vows, pilgrimages,
no purpose.
At
and was brought
very fine christening
mothers
Wood
all
;
last,
who were
to
to all the waters in
ways were
all
bed of a daughter.
and the Princess had
was the custom of Fairies
There was a for her
all
god-
kingdom
them might give her a
gift,
and that by
this
in those days,
means the Princess might have
the perfections imaginable.
After the ceremonies of the christening were over, to the King's palace,
a great feast for the Fairies.
and
tried
the Fairies they could find in the whole
company returned
it
however, the Queen proved with
(they found seven), that every one of
as
=
sorry that they had no children, so sorry that
the world to
=
formerly a King and a Queen,
cannot be expressed.
all
-
=
all
the
where was prepared
There was placed before every
one of them a magnificent cover with a case of massive gold, wherein were a spoon, knife and fork,
diamonds and table,
all
of pure gold set with
But as they were
rubies.
all sitting
they saw come into the hall a very old Fairy
had not invited, because
it
was above
fifty
down
whom
at
they
years since she had
been out of a certain tower, and she was believed to be either
dead or inchanted.
The King ordered
her a cover, but could
not furnish her with a case of gold as the others, because they
had seven only made
D
for the seven Fairies.
49
The
old Fairy
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT fancied she
was
slighted,
her teeth.
One
of the
how
heard the
young
she grumbled
Princess
little
and muttered some threat between
who
Fairies,
by
sat
her, over-
and judging that she might give
;
some unlucky
gift,
went, as soon as they
rose from the table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that
she might speak could, the evil
last,
and
repair, as
much
which the old Fairy might intend.
mean while all the Fairies began The youngest gave her Princess.
In the to the
as possible she
to give their gifts for gift, that she
should be the most beautiful person in the world that she should have the wit of an angel
;
the next,
;
the third, that she
should have a wonderful grace in every thing she did fourth, that she should
dance perfectly well
she should sing like a nightingale
should play upon
The
all
;
and the
the
;
fifth,
;
the that
sixth, that she
kinds of music to the utmost perfection.
old Fairy's turn
coming
next, with a
head shaking
more with spite than age, she said, that the Princess should have her hand pierced with a spindle, and die of the wound. This terrible gift made the whole company tremble, and every body
fell
a-crying.
young Fairy came out from behind the hangings, and spake these words aloud " Be reassured, O King and Queen your daughter shall not die of this disaster it is true, I have no power to undo
At
this very instant
the
;
:
intirely
what
pierce her
only
fall
my
elder has done.
hand with a spindle
;
The
Princess shall indeed
but instead of dying, she shall
into a profound sleep,
50
which
shall
last a
hundred
THE years
at the expiration of
;
awake
SLEEPING
-
-
BEAUTY
which a king's son
shall
come and
her."
The King,
by the old
to avoid the misfortune foretold
Fairy, caused immediately proclamations to be made, whereby
€very-body was forbidden, on pain of death, to spin with a distaff
and spindle or to have so much as any spindle
in their
houses.
King and Queen being gone to one of their houses of pleasure, the young Princess happened one day to divert herself running up and down the palace when going up from one apartment to another, she came into a little room on the top of a tower, where a good old woman, alone, was spinning with her About
fifteen or sixteen years after, the
;
This good
spindle.
woman had
never heard of the King's
proclamation against spindles.
"What
are
you
doing
there,
Goody?"
said
the
Princess. " I
who
am
spinning,
my
pretty child," said the old
did not
know who
"Ha!"
said the Princess, "this is very pretty
you do
it?
Give
it
woman,
she was.
to me, that I
may
see
if I
;
how do
can do so."
She had no sooner taken the spindle into her hand, than, whether being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy, or that the decree of the Fairy had so ordained
and she
fell
down
The good
old
in this affair, cried
in a
it,
it
ran into her hand,
swoon.
woman
not knowing very well what to do
out for help. 51
People came in from every
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT quarter in great numbers
they threw water upon the Princess's
;
unlaced her, struck her on the palms of her hands, and
face,
rubbed her temples with Hungary-water
;
but nothing would
bring her to herself.
And now
the King,
who came up
bethought
at the noise,
himself of the prediction of the Fairies, and judging very well
must necessarily come
that this
said
it,
ment
had
caused the Princess to be carried into the finest apart-
in his palace,
with gold and
and
silver.
to be laid
diminished one
and her
bit of
upon a bed
One would have
she was so very beautiful
tion,
to pass, since the Fairies
for her
;
she was heard to breathe
should not disturb her, but
;
her cheeks were carna-
indeed her eyes were shut, but
;
softly,
her that she was not dead.
taken her for an angel,
swooning away had not
her complexion
lips like coral
embroidered
all
which
satisfied those
about
The King commanded
that they
her sleep quietly
her hour
let
till
of awakening was come.
The good
Fairy,
who had
saved her
life
by condemning
her to sleep a hundred years, was in the kingdom of Matakin,
twelve thousand leagues Princess dwarf,
;
off,
when
this
accident befell
but she was instantly informed of
who had
boots of seven leagues, that
it is,
by a
The Fairy came away immediately, and she
about an hour
after,
The King handed
little
boots with
which he could tread over seven leagues of ground stride.
the
at
one
arrived,
a fiery chariot, drawn by dragons.
in
her out of the chariot, and she approved
every thing he had done
;
but, as she
52
had a very great
fore-
THE sight,
SLEEPING
^
when
she thought,
might not know what this
old palace
with her
;
and
this
wand every thing
BEAUTY should awake, she
Princess
the
do with
to
^
herself,
being
was what she did
:
in the palace (except
all
alone in
She touched the King and
the Queen), governesses, maids of honour, ladies of the bed-
chamber, gentlemen,
stewards,
officers,
cooks,
footmen
scullions, guards, with their beef-eaters, pages,
likewise touched
all
under-cooks, ;
she
the horses which were in the stables, as
well as their grooms, the great dogs in the outward court,
and pretty bitch,
Mopsey
little
too,
Princess's
the
little
spaniel-
which lay by her on the bed.
Immediately upon her touching them, they that they
might not awake before
their mistress,
all fell asleep,
and that they
might be ready to wait upon her when she wanted them. very spits at the
fire,
and pheasants, did
was done
in a
The
as full as they could hold of partridges
fall
moment.
asleep,
and the
fire likewise.
All this
Fairies are not long in doing their
business.
And now
King and the Queen, having kissed their dear child without waking her, went out of the palace, and put forth a proclamation, that nobody should dare to come near it. This, however, was not necessary for, in a quarter of an hour's time, there grew up, all round about the park, such a vast number of trees, great and small, bushes and the
;
brambles, twining one within another, that neither beast could pass thro'
;
man nor
so that nothing could be seen but the
very top of the towers of the palace
53
;
and that
too, not unless
FAIRY^TALES^OF^PERRAULT it
was a good way
off.
herein a sample of her
Nobody doubted but art,
the Fairy gave
that the Princess, while she con-
tinued sleeping, might have nothing to fear from any curious people.
When
a hundred years were gone and past, the son of
King then
the
who was
reigning, and
that of the sleeping Princess, being
side of the country, asked,
saw
in the
of another family from
gone a-hunting on that
what were those towers which he
middle of a great thick wood
according as they had heard
some
;
old castle, haunted by spirits
;
Every one answered
?
said that
it
was a ruinous
others, that all the sorcerers
and witches of the country kept there their sabbath, or nights The common opinion was that an Ogre^ lived meeting. there,
and that he carried thither
all
the
little
children he
could catch, that he might eat them up at his leisure, without
any-body's being able to follow him, as having himself, only, the power to pass thro' the wood.
The Prince was at a stand, not knowing what to believe, when a very aged countryman spake to him thus " May it please your Royal Highness, it is now above fifty years since I heard my father, who had heard my grandfather, say that :
there then
was
was ever seen
in this castle, a Princess, the ;
that she
must
sleep there a
and should be awaked by a king's son •
who
Ogre
is
;
for
most beautiful hundred years,
whom
she was
a giant, with long teeth and claws, with a raw head and bloody-bones, [Note by the little boys and girls, and eats them up.
runs away with naughty
translator.]
54
THE PRINCE ENQUIRES OF THE ACJED COUNTRYMAN
54
THE reserved."
SLEEPING
^
The young Prince was
on
all
to this rare adventure
moment
;
and pushed on by love and honour
to look into
it.
when
Scarce had he advanced towards the wood, great trees, the bushes and brambles, gave
him pass
to let at the little
thro'
;
way
the
all
of themselves
he walked up to the castle which he saw
end of a large avenue which he went into
surprised
these words,
fire at
moment's doubt, that he could put an end
believing, without a
resolved that
BEAUTY
^
him was,
saw none of
that he
;
and what a
his people could
follow him, because the trees closed again, as soon as he had pass'd thro' them.
However, he did not cease from continuing
way a young and amorous Prince is always valiant. He came into a spacious outward court, where everything he saw his
;
might have frozen up the most There reigned over
all
a most frightful silence
death everywhere shewed
itself,
seen but stretched out bodies of to be dead.
and
;
of wine,
He stairs,
;
their goblets,
shewed
and there was nothing
men and
animals,
all
to be
seeming
beef-eaters,
wherein
plainly, that they
still fell
that they were
only
remained some drops
asleep in their cups.
then crossed a court paved with marble, went up the
and came into the guard-chamber, where the guards
were standing
in their ranks,
with their muskets upon their
shoulders, and snoring as loud as they could.
went through several rooms asleep,
the image of
He, however, very well knew, by the ruby faces
and pimpled noses of the asleep
fearless person with horror.
some standing, others
full
of gentlemen
sitting.
55
After that he
At
last
and
ladies, all
he came into a
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT chamber
gilded with gold, where he saw, upon a bed, the
all
curtains of which were
beheld
who appeared
a Princess,
:
to be
about
years of age, and whose bright, and in a
somewhat
beauty, had
in
was ever
open, the finest sight
all
divine.
it
trembling and admiration, and
fell
fifteen or sixteen
manner resplendent
He
down
approached with
before her
upon
his
knees.
And
now, as the inchantment was at an end, the Princess
awaked, and looking on him with eyes more tender than the first
view might seem to admit of: "Is
said she to him,
The
"you have
it
shew
charmed with these words, and much more
Prince,
his joy
Prince,"
tarried long."
with the manner in which they were spoken, to
my
you,
and gratitude
;
knew
how
not
he assured her, that he loved
her better than he did himself; his discourse was not well connected, but
pleased her
it
all
great deal of love.
He was more
need not wonder at
it
to
him
;
for
nothing of
it
it)
is
;
the
more
;
little
eloquence, a
at a loss than she,
and we
she had time to think on what to say
very probable (though history mentions
that the
good Fairy, during so long a In short,
entertained her with pleasant dreams.
sleep,
had
when they
talked four hours together, they said not half what they had to say.
In the
mean
while,
all
thought upon their particular business
were not
in love,
awaked
the palace ;
and as
;
every one all
of
them
they were ready to die for hunger; the chief
lady of honour, being as sharp set as other folks, grew very
56
HE SAW, UPON A BED, THE FINEST
SlGH'l
WAS EVER BEHELD
56
THE
SLEEPING
«
and
impatient,
Princess aloud, That supper was
the
told
The Prince helped
served up.
BEAUTY
-
the Princess to
rise,
she was
and very magnificently, but his Royal High-
entirely dressed,
ness took care not to
her that she was dressed like his
tell
great grand-mother, and had a point-band peeping over collar
hiofh
charming
she looked
;
not a bit the less
into the great hall of looking-glasses,
where
they supped, and were served by the Princess's officers
tho'
it
played
and hautboys played old tunes, but very
was now above a hundred years ;
and
after supper,
almoner married them
sleep
;
in the
curtains.
excellent,
since they had been
They had but very
the Princess had no occasion, and the Prince
must needs have been anxious on
him
that he lost his
and that he had
the
chapel of the castle, and the
her next morning to return into the
told
;
without losing any time, the lord
honour drew the
chief lady of little
and
beautiful
for all that.
They went violins
a
way
city,
where his father
his account.
in the forest, as
left
The Prince
he was hunting,
lain at the cottage of a collier,
who gave him
cheese and brown bread.
The King his believed him but ;
father,
his
who was
of an easy disposition,
mother could not be persuaded
this
and seeing that he went almost every day a-hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready when he had laid out three or four nights together, she no longer doubted he
was
true
;
had some
little
two whole
years,
amour,
for
he lived with the Princess above
and had by her two children, the eldest of 57
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT who was a youngest, who was which,
daughter, was
named Aurora, and
the
a son, they called Day, because he was
even handsomer and more beautiful than his
sister.
The Queen said more than once to her son, in order to bring him to speak freely to her, that a young man must e'en take his pleasure secret
;
he feared her, tho' he loved her
;
race of the Ogres, her,
but he never dared to trust her with his
had
she was of the
and the King would never have married
not been for her vast riches
it
for
;
;
it
was even whispered
about the court, that she had Ogreish inclinations, and
whenever she saw difficulty
And
in
little
the world
children passing by, she had to refrain
so the Prince would never
tell
that,
all
the
from falling upon them. her one word.
But when the King was dead, which happened about two years afterwards
;
and he saw himself lord and master, he
openly declared his marriage to fetch his
Queen from
entry
the
into
capital
;
and he went
the castle. city,
in great
ceremony
They made a magnificent
she riding
between
her
two
children.
Some
time
after,
the
King went
to
make war with
the
Emperor Cantalabutte, his neighbour. He left the government of the kingdom to the Queen his mother, and earnestly recommended to her care his wife and children. He was like to be at
war
all
the
summer, and as soon as he departed, the
Queen-mother sent her daughter-in-law and her children country-house
more ease
among
the woods, that she
gratify her horrible longing.
58
to a
might with the
I
WILL HAVE
IT SO,'
REPLIED THE QUEEN, 'AND WILL EAT HER WITH A SAUCE ROBERT"
THE Some
-
SLEEPING
few days afterwards she went thither herself, and
said to her clerk of the kitchen " to
I
BEAUTY
-
:
have a mind to eat
little
Aurora
my
for
dinner
morrow."
"Ah "
I
Madam,"
!
will
have
in the tone of
meat),
"and
it
cried the clerk of the kitchen.
so," replied the
Queen (and
this she spake
an Ogress, who had a strong desire to eat fresh
will eat her
^
with a Sauce Robert."
The poor man knowing very
must not play
well that he
with Ogresses, took his great knife and went up into
tricks
She was then four years old, and came up to him jumping and laughing, to take him about the Upon which he neck, and ask him for some sugar-candy. Aurora's chamber.
little
began
to weep, the great knife
went into the back-yard, and it
out of his hand, and he
fell
killed a little lamb,
and dressed
with such good sauce, that his mistress assured him she
had never eaten anything so good
same time taken up
little
in her
He had
life.
at the
Aurora, and carried her to his wife,
to conceal her in the lodging he
had
at the
end of the court
yard.
About
eight days afterwards, the wicked
the clerk of the kitchen " I will
He
sup upon
1
which
This is
is
a French sauce,
added
little
He made
vinegar, mustard,
said to
:
Day."
answered not a word, being resolved
he had done before.
Queen
went
to cheat her, as
to find out little
Day, and saw
with onions shredded and boiled tender in butter, to
salt,
pepper, and a
6i
little
wine.
[Note by the translator.]
FAIRY«TALES-OF-.PERRAULT him with
a
in
little foil
which he was fencing
his hand, with
monkey the child being then only three years of age. He took him up in his arms, and carried him to his wife, that she might conceal him in her chamber along with his sister, and in the room of little Day cooked up a young with a great
;
kid very tender, which the Ogress found to be wonderfully
good.
This was hitherto
all
mighty well
but one evening this
:
wicked Queen said to her clerk of the kitchen " I will eat the
:
Queen with the same sauce
I
had with her
children."
was now that the poor clerk of the kitchen despaired of being able to deceive her. The young Queen was turned It
of twenty, asleep
white
her skin was
:
;
not reckoning the hundred years
and how to
puzzled him. his
own
life,
He
somewhat tough,
she had been
very
tho'
find in the yard a beast so firm,
fair
and
was what
took then a resolution, that he might save
to cut the Queen's throat
chamber, with intent to do
it
at once,
and going up into her
;
he put himself into as
great a fury as he could possibly, and
came
Queen's room with his dagger in his hand.
young He would not,
into the
however, surprise her, but told her, with a great deal of respect,
the
he
orders
had
received
from
the
Queen-
mother. "
Do
it,
do
it,"
said she stretching out her neck, " execute
your orders, and then children,
whom
I
so
I
shall
go and
much and 62
see
my
children,
my poor
so tenderly loved," for she
;
THE
SLEEPING
-
BEAUTY
-
thought them dead ever since they had been taken away without her knowledge.
No, no, Madam," cried the poor clerk of the kitchen,
"
in tears, "
all
you
children again
shall not die,
but
;
it
concealed them, and
I
must be
and yet you
in
my
shall see
lodgings, where
shall deceive the
I
your have
Queen once more, by
giving her in your stead a young hind."
Upon
he forthwith conducted her to his chamber
this
where leaving her
to
embrace her children, and cry along
with them, he went and dressed a hind, which the Queen had
and devoured
for her supper, it
with the same appetite, as
it
had been the young Queen.
Exceedingly was she delighted
with her cruelty, and she had invented a story to King, at his return,
Oueen
his wife,
One
if
how ravenous wolves had
tell
the
eaten up the
and her two children.
evening,
as
she was,
according
to
custom,
her
rambling round about the courts and yards of the palace, to see
if
room
she could smell any fresh meat, she heard, in a groundlittle
Day
mamma
crying, for his
him, because he had been naughty
same
time,
little
The Ogress
presently
knew
(with a
she
commanded
most horrible
voice,
whip
at the
for her brother.
the voice of the
mad
to
and she heard,
Aurora begging pardon
her children, and being quite deceived,
;
was going
that she
Queen and
had been thus
next morning, by break of day
which made every body tremble)
that they should bring into the middle of the great court a large tub, which she caused to be filled with toads, vipers,
63
FAIRY-TALES ^OFPERRAULT snakes, and
all
sorts of serpents, in order to have
thrown into
Queen and her children, the clerk of the kitchen, his all whom she had given orders should be wife and maid it
the
;
brought thither with their hands tied behind them.
They were brought out accordingly, and the executioners were just going to throw them into the tub, when the King (who was not so soon expected) entered the court on horseback
(for
he came post) and asked, with the utmost astonish-
ment, what was the meaning of that horrible spectacle
one dared to
tell
him
;
when
the Ogress,
?
No
inraged to see
all
what had happened, threw herself head-foremost
into the tub,
and was instantly devoured by the ugly creatures she had ordered to be thrown into
it
for others.
The King
but be very sorry, for she was his mother
;
could not
but he soon
comforted himself with his beautiful wife, and his pretty children.
.
THE
SLEEPING
o
«
BEAUTY
T^e Moral To get as prize a husband rich and gay,
Of humour sweet,
with
Is natural e?toitgh,
'tis
many years
to stay,
true;
To wait for him a hundred years,
And all that
A
while asleep, appears
thing entirely new.
Now
at this time of day.
Not one of all the sex we Doth
see
sleep with such profound tranquillity
Btit yet this Table seems to let us
That very
A
It ho
Are
often
Hyinens
know
blisses sweet,
some tedious obstacles they meet,
not less happy for approaching slow.
'Tis itatures
way
that ladies fair
Should yearn conjugal Joys
And so Tve
to
share ;
not the heart to preach
A moral that's beyond their reach.
The Master Cat; Puss in Boots
or,
:
The Master Cat "
"
=
or
"
Puss
THEREsonswashe a
miller,
in
"
who
=
left
Boots no more estate
=
to the
had, than his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat.
three
The
was soon made.
partition
nor attorney were sent eaten up
=
=
for.
the poor patrimony.
all
Neither the scrivener
They would soon have The eldest had the Mill,
the second the Ass, and the youngest nothing but the Cat.
The poor young so poor a "
fellow
My
brothers,"
when
his skin,
said
said he,
I
I
Do
shall
I
having
get their living hand-
my
Cat,
me
;
but for
my
and made me a muff of
die with hunger."
not thus
only to give that
may
their stocks together
have eaten up
must
"
The Cat, who heard all this, but made to him with a grave and serious air "
at
lot.
somely enough, by joining part,
was quite comfortless
afflict
yourself,
my
as
if
he did not,
good master; you have
a bag, and get a pair of boots
made
for me,
and the brambles, and you see that you have not so bad a portion of me as you
may scamper
thro' the dirt
imagine."
Tho' the Cat's master did not build very much upon he had however often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice as when he used and make to hang by the heels, or hide himself in the meal,
what he
said,
;
69
^TALESOFPERRAULT
FAIRY as
if
he were dead
so that he did not altogether despair of
him some help
his affording
When
;
what he asked
the Cat had
very gallantly the strings of
;
in his miserable condition. for,
he booted himself
and putting his bag about
his neck, he held
two
in his
it
fore paws,
where was great abundance of sow-thistle into his bag,
as
if
and went into a warren
He
rabbits.
put bran and
and stretching himself out
at length,
he had been dead, he waited for some young rabbit, not
yet acquainted with the deceits of the world,
rummage
his
bag
for
what he had put
into
to
come and
it.
Scarce was he lain down, but he had what he wanted
;
a rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and
Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing and it
killed
him without
to the palace,
was shewed up
my
him
have brought you,
to present to
sir,
me
making
a rabbit of the warren which "
(for that
his master) " has
was the
title
commanded
your Majesty from him."
thy master," said the King, " that
that he does
He
:
noble lord the Marquis of Carabas
" Tell
went with
to speak with his Majesty.
which Puss was pleased to give
me
his prey, he
stairs into the King's apartment, and,
a low reverence, said to " I
Proud of
pity.
and asked
close the strings, took
I
thank him, and
a great deal of pleasure."
Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, holding of partridges ran into
them both.
still it,
his
bag open
;
and when a brace
he drew the strings, and so caught
He went and made 70
a present of these to the
:
THE
MASTER
-
-
CAT
King, as he had done before of the rabbit which he took
The King
the warren.
manner received the partridges and ordered him some money to drink.
with great pleasure,
in like
The Cat continued his Majesty,
One day
for
two or three months, thus
to carry
from time to time, game of his master's taking.
when he knew
particular,
in
King was
in
to
take the
air,
for certain
along the river
side,
that the
with his
daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world, he said to his master " If
you
have nothing
else to do, but
river, in that part
The Marquis to,
my advice,
will follow
your fortune
go and wash yourself
shew you, and leave the
the
of Carabas did what the Cat advised
him
why
or wherefore.
to cry out, as loud as he could
At
in
you
me."
shall
While he was washing, the King passed " Help, help,
;
rest to
I
without knowing
began
made
is
my
lord
this noise the
window, and finding
it
his
and the Cat
:
Marquis of Carabas
King put
by,
is
drowning."
head out of his coach-
was the Cat who had so
him such good game, he commanded
his
often brought
guards to run
immediately to the assistance of his lordship the Marquis of Carabas.
While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach, and told the King that while his master was washing, there came by some rogues,
who went
off
with his clothes, tho' he had cried out
thieves," several times, as loud as he could.
71
" Thieves,
This cunning
FAIRY-TALES OF-PERRAULT had hidden
Cat
them under a great
immediately commanded the
one of his best suits
fetch
The King
fine (for
wardrobe
officers of his
for the lord
The King
stone.
and
to run
Marquis of Carabas.
him with great kindness, and as the clothes he had given him extremely set off his good mien he was well made, and very handsome in his person), the received
King's daughter took a secret inclination to him, and the
Marquis of Carabas had no sooner
cast
and somewhat tender glances, but she
two or three respectful
fell
with him to
in love
The King would needs have him come into his and take part of the airing. The Cat, quite over-joyed
distraction.
coach,
to see his project begin to succeed,
marched on
and
before,
meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow, he said to them "
Good
:
people,
you who are mowing,
the King, that the
meadow you mow
Marquis of Carabas, you
shall
if
you do not
my
belongs to
be chopped
tell
lord
small as
as
mince-meat."
The King did not fail asking of the mowers, meadow they were mowing belonged. " all
To my
together
;
lord for
to
whom
Marquis of Carabas," answered
the Cat's threats
had made them
the
they
terribly
afraid. "
Truly a
fine estate," said the
King
to the
Marquis of
Carabas.
"You
see,
which never
sir,"
said the
fails to yield
Marquis, "this
is
a
meadow
a plentiful harvest every year."
72
:
THE The Master and said
reapers,
MASTER
-
Cat, to
who
still
went on
CAT
«
before,
met with some
them
Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not tell King that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, "
the
you
shall be
chopped as small as mince-meat."
The King, who passed by a moment after, would needs know to whom all that corn, which he then saw, did belong.
"To my
lord
Marquis of Carabas," replied the reapers; and
King again congratulated the Marquis. The Master Cat, who went always before, said the same words to all he met and the King was astonished at the vast the
;
estates of
my
lord
Marquis of Carabas.
Monsieur Puss came
at last to a stately castle, the
master
was an Ogre, the richest had ever been known for all the lands which the King had then gone over belonged to this castle. The Cat, who had taken care to inform himself of which
who
this
;
Ogre was, and what he could
do,
asked to speak with
him, saying, he could not pass so near his
without
castle,
having the honour of paying his respects to him.
The Ogre received him made him sit down. " I gift of
as civilly as an
have been assured," said the Cat,
being able to change yourself into
you have a mind
to
;
you
into a lion, or elephant,
"This
is
true,"
Ogre could
" that
do,
and
you have the
sorts of creatures
all
can, for example, transform yourself
and the
like."
answered the Ogre very
convince you, you shall see
me now become 73
briskly,
a lion."
"and
to
FAIRY-TALES OF PERRAULT Puss was so sadly
terrified at the sight of a lion so
near
him, that he immediately got into the gutter, not without
abundance of trouble and danger, because of were
ill-suited for
when Puss saw
walking upon the
that the
A
tiles.
Ogre had resumed
know
I
little
much
not
how
to believe
change yourself into a
you,
I
rat or
"
but
you have also the power
that
it,
after,
frightened.
have been moreover informed," said the Cat,
take on you the shape of the smallest animals to
while
his natural form,
he came down, and owned he had been very "
which
his boots,
a mouse
;
but
;
I
for
I
to
example,
must own
to
take this to be impossible."
"Impossible?" presently,"
and
cried
the
Ogre,
"you
same time changed
at the
began to run about the
see
shall
into a mouse,
that
and
floor.
Puss no sooner perceived
this,
but he
fell
upon him, and
him up. Meanwhile the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine Puss, who castle of the Ogre's, had a mind to go into it. eat
heard the noise of his
Majesty's coach
running over the
drawbridge, ran out and said to the King "
Your Majesty
is
welcome
to
this
castle
of
my
lord
Marquis of Carabas."
"What! my this castle also
belong to you
than this court, and it
;
let
Marquis?"
lord
us go into
it,
all if
"and does
There can be nothing
finer
the stately buildings which surround
you
The Marquis gave
?
cried the King,
his
please."
hand 74
to the Princess,
and followed
"the marquis gave
his
hand to the PRIN'CESS, AND FOLLOWED THE WHO WENT UP first"
KING, 74
:
THE the King,
MASTER
who went up
first.
CAT
They passed
into a spacious
where they found a magnificent collation which the Ogre had prepared for his friends, who were that very day to visit him, but dared not to enter knowing the King was there. hall,
His Majesty was perfectly charmed with the good
my
lord
Marquis of Carabas, as was
fallen violently in love
with him
;
qualities of
his daughter
who was
and seeing the vast estate
he possessed, said to him, after having drank
five
or six
glasses " It will
you
are not
be owing to yourself only,
my
my
lord Marquis,
if
son-in-law."
The Marquis making
several
low bows, accepted the
honour which his Majesty conferred upon him, and forthwith, that very
same
day, married the Princess.
Puss became a great
lord,
more, but only for his diversion.
and never ran
after
mice any
F
A
I
R Y
TA LE
O
S
P E
F
RRA U LT
The Moral How By
advantageous
it
may
be,
long descent ofpedigree, T' enjoy a great estate.
Yet knowledge how to
act,
Joind with consnnunatc
we
see,
industry,
{Nor wonder ye thereat)
Doth
often prove a greater boon.
As should be
to
young people known.
Another If the son of a miller
Of a
so soon
beautiful princess,
gains the heart
and makes her impart
Sweet languishing glances, eyes melting for It
must be remarked offine
And that youth,
clothes
love,
how they move.
a good face, a good
air,
with good
mien.
Are
not always indiffereiit
The
love
mediums
to
win
of the fair, and gently inspire
The flames of sweet passion, and tender
desire.
Cinderilla ; or,
The
Little Glass Slipper
AWAY SHE DROVE, SCARCE ABLE TO CONTAIN HERSELF FOR JOY {page 84)
"
Cinderilla or The Little Glass Slipper
=
°
'
ONCE
there
=
=
=
was a gentleman who married,
second wife, the proudest and most haughty
was ever
his
for
woman
She had, by a former husband, two daughters of her own humour and they were that
seen.
indeed exactly like her in
He had
things.
all
likewise,
by
another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and
mother,
No
sweetness of temper, which
who was
she took from her
the best creature in the world.
sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over, but
the stepmother began to
shew
herself in her colours.
could not bear the good qualities of this pretty less,
because they made her
odious.
She employed her
she scoured
girl
own daughters appear
in the
the dishes, tables,
;
She
and the
the
more
meanest work of the house &c.
;
and rubbed Madam's
chamber, and those of Misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw-bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid,
upon beds of the very
newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large, that they
might see themselves
at their full length,
from head
to foot.
The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have rattled her off; for his wife governed him intirely. When she had done her work, she used to go 79
FAIRY TALES OF-PERRAULT into the chimney-corner,
and
down among
sit
cinders and
made her commonly be called Cinder-breech youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the
ashes, which
but the
;
eldest, called her Cinderilla.
However,
Cinderilla, notwith-
standing her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her It
they were always dressed very richly.
sisters, tho'
happened that the King's son gave a
invited
for they cut a
;
They were mightily busy
fully
clothes as
in
delighted at this invitation, and wonder-
for
it
was she who ironed her
plaited their ruffles
but
how
;
they talked
they should be dressed. I
I,"
This was a new trouble
might best become them.
and
"And
it.
chusing out such gowns, petticoats, and head-
to Cinderilla;
eldest, "
and invited
Our young misses were also very grand figure among the quality.
persons of fashion to
all
ball,
will
wear
my red
"
all
sisters' linen,
day long of nothing
For
my
part," said the
velvet suit, with French trimming."
said the youngest, "shall only have
my
usual petti-
make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my diamond stomacher, which is They far from being the most ordinary one in the world." sent for the best tire-woman they could get, to make up their coat
;
but then, to
head-dresses, and adjust their double-pinners,^ and they had their red brushes,
Cinderilla
and patches from the fashionable maker.
was likewise
in all these matters, for 1
two
'
called
up
to
them
she had excellent notions, and advised
Double-pinners — with — accurately translates the French cornettes a deux rangs.
Pinners' were coifs with two long side-flaps pinned on.
side-flaps
on each side
to be consulted
80
'
'
i?r«
ANY
ONE BUT CINDERILLA WOULD HAVE DRESSED THEIR HEADS AWRY "
^
So
:
:
CINDERILLA them always
nay and offered her service
for the best,
which they were very willing she should
their heads,
she was doing
this,
" Cinderilla,
they said to her
Ah " said she, " you am to go thither." !
as
I
"Thou make
art in the
only jeer at
right of
As
do.
:
would you not be glad
"
to dress
to
me
go
to the ball ?"
it is
;
not for such
would
replied they, "it
it,"
the people laugh to see a Cinder-breech at a ball."
Any one
but Cinderilla would have dressed their heads
awry, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well.
They were almost two days without were transported with joy
eating, so
much they
they broke above a dozen of laces
;
be laced up close, that they might have a fine
in trying to
slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-
At
glass.
last the
happy day came
;
they went to Court, and
them with her eyes as long as she and when she had lost sight of them she fell a-crying. Cinderilla followed
Her godmother, who saw her
all in tears,
could,
asked her what
was the matter. " I
wish
I
could
,
I
wish
I
to speak the rest, being interrupted
This godmother of hers,
could
—
Thou
"
Y—es,"
she was not able
by her tears and sobbing.
who was
a Fairy, said to her
wishest thou couldest go to the
"
" ;
ball, is
it
will contrive that
thou shalt go."
her chamber, and said to her
F
" ?
cried Cinderilla, with a great sigh.
"Well," said her godmother, "be but a good I
not so
8i
Then she took
girl,
and
her into
FAIRY-TALES»OF«PERRAULT "
Run
into the garden,
Cinderilla
went immediately
could get, and brought to imagine
how
and bring me a pumpkin."
this
it
to her
gather the finest she
to
godmother, not being able
pumpkin could make her go
Her godmother scooped out nothing but the rind
all
the
inside
to the ball.
of
it,
which done, she struck
;
it
leaving
with her
wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a coach, gilded
all
over with gold.
She then went found six mice little
a
fine
all
to look into her mouse-trap, alive,
and ordered Cinderilla
where she
to
lift
up a
when giving each mouse, as it went out, with her wand, the mouse was at that moment a fair horse, which altogether made a very fine set
the trap-door,
little
tap
turned into
of six horses of a beautiful mouse-coloured dapple-grey.
Being
at a loss for a
coachman,
"
I
will
go and
see," says
Cinderilla, "if there be never a rat in the rat-trap, that
may make a coachman of him." "Thou art in the right," and
replied
her godmother;
we "go
look."
Cinderilla brought the trap to her, and in
three huge rats.
The Fairy made
it
there were
choice of one of the three,
which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld.
After that, she said to her "
Go
again into the garden, and you will find six lizards
behind the watering pot
;
bring them to me."
82
:
CINDERILLA She had no sooner done so, but her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries
all
bedaubed with gold and
and clung as close behind
silver,
nothing else their whole
as
it,
they had done
if
The Fairy then
lives.
said
to
Cinderilla
"Well, you see here an equipage with
are you not pleased with
;
"
O
yes," cried she, " but
all
to the ball
it ?
must
go
I
just touched
thither as
I
am,
in
her with her wand,
were turned into cloth
instant, her clothes
of gold and silver,
go
?
Her godmother only same
to
"
these poison nasty rags
and, at the
fit
"
beset with jewels.
This done she gave
her a pair of glass-slippers,^ the prettiest in the whole world.
Being thus decked her godmother, above
all
up into her coach
out, she got
things,
commanded
after midnight, telling her, at the
till
stayed at the ball one
pumpkin footmen
moment
but
her not to stay
time, that
longer, her coach
again, her horses mice, lizards,
same
;
if
she
would be a
her coachman a
rat,
her
and her clothes become just as they were
before. ^
In Perrault's tale
:
pantotifles de verre.
There
is
no doubt
versions of this ancient tale Cinderilla was given pantoicfies de vair
—
that in the medieval i.e.,
of a grey, or grey
which has been a matter of controversy, but which was Long before the seventeenth century the word vair had passed probably a grey squirrel. out of use, except as a heraldic term, and had ceased to convey any meaning to the Thus the pantoufles de vair of the fairy tale became, in the oral tradition, the people. homonymous /a«/'(7?{;?« de verre, or glass slippers, a delightful improvement on the earlier
and
white, fur, the exact nature of
version.
83
FAIRY TALES-OF^PERRAULT She promised her godmother, she would not fail of leaving the ball before midnight and then away she drove, ;
The King's
scarce able to contain herself for joy.
was
Princess,
told that a great
whom
son,
who
no-body knew, was
come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall,
among
There was immediately a profound
silence,
all
the company.
they
left
attentive this
dancing, and
off
was every one
ceased
to
play,
so
to contemplate the singular beauty of
unknown new comer.
confused noise
the violins
Nothing was then heard but a
of,
"Ha! how handsome
she
is!
Ha! how handsome she
is
The King her,
and
himself, old as he was, could not help ogling
telling the
Queen
softly, " that
it
was a long time
he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature."
were busied
in considering her clothes
they might have some
made next day
since
All the ladies
and head-dress, that
after the
same
pattern,
provided they could meet with such fine materials, and as able hands to
make them.
The King's son conducted her
to the
most honourable
and afterwards took her out to dance with him she danced so very gracefully, that they all more and more
seat,
:
her.
A
young Prince
ate
admired
gazing on her.
was served up, whereof the not a morsel, so intently was he busied in She went and sat down by her sisters, fine collation
shewing them a thousand
civilities,
84
giving them part of the
;
CINDERILLA oranges and citrons which the Prince had presented her with
which very much surprised them,
While
was thus amusing her
Cinderilla
know
for they did not
sisters,
;
her.
she heard
whereupon she
the clock strike eleven and three quarters,
immediately made a curtesy to the company, and hasted
away
as fast as she could.
Being got home, she ran after
having thanked her, she
said, " she could not but heartily
wish she might go next day to the
As
son had desired her."
"
at the
How
the
at
her two sisters
ball,
door which Cinderilla ran and opened.
long you have stayed," cried she, gaping, rubbing
her eyes, and stretching herself as out of her sleep
she had
;
inclination to sleep since they " If
because the King's
ball,
she was eagerly telling her god-
mother whatever had passed knocked
godmother, and
to seek out her
thou hadst been
if
not,
she had been just awaked
however, any manner of
went from home.
at the ball," said
" thou wouldst not have been tired with
it
one of her
sisters,
came
thither
there
;
was seen with
the finest Princess, the most beautiful ever
mortal eyes
;
she shewed us a thousand
oranges and citrons."
name
she asked them the they did not
know
anxious to learn she was.
At
it,
Cinderilla
it
;
civilities,
and gave us
was transported with joy
of that Princess
;
but they told her
and that the King's son was very
and would give
all
the world to
this Cinderilla, smiling, replied
know who
:
She must then be very beautiful indeed Lord how happy have you been could not I see her ? Ah dear Miss "
!
;
!
;
85
FAIRY-TALES»OF-PERRAULT do lend me your yellow
Charlotte,
wear every day
"Ay,
to
I
be sure!"
very glad of the refusal it,
if
;
who's the
"
some such answer, and was
Cinderilla, indeed, expected
to
my
"lend
Miss Charlotte,
cried
cloaths to such a dirty Cinder-breech as thou art fool then ?
which you
suit of cloaths
"
;
for she
would have been sadly put
her sister had lent her what she asked for jestingly.
The next day
was
the two sisters were at the ball, and so
Cinderilla, but dressed
more magnificently than
The
before.
King's son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments and amorous speeches to her
to
;
whom
all this
was
so far from being tiresome, that she quite forgot what her
godmother had recommended
so that she, at
to her,
counted the clock striking twelve, when she took
more than eleven
she then rose up, and
;
fled as
it
last,
to be
no
nimble as a
deer.
The left
She
Prince followed, but could not overtake her.
behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took
up most
She got home, but quite out
carefully.
of breath,
without coach or footmen, and in her nasty old cloaths,
having nothing
her of
left
all
her finery, but one of the
slippers, fellow to that she dropped.
gate were asked said, they
if
The guards
at the palace ;
who
girl,
very
they had not seen a Princess go out
had seen no-body go
out, but a
meanly dressed, and who had more the wench, than a gentle-woman.
86
young
air of a
little
poor country
"she left behind one of her glass
slippers,
which the prince took up most carefully
:
CINDERILLA When
the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderilla
asked them
if
they had been well diverted, and
if
the fine lady
They told her. Yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so much had been
there.
haste, that she
dropped one of her
;
glass slippers, the
and which the King's son had taken
prettiest in the world,
up
little
that he had done nothing but look at
who owned
with the beautiful person
in love
all
the
and that most certainly he was very
latter part of the ball,
much
during
it
the
little
slipper.
What
they said was very true
King's son caused that he
it
would marry her whose
foot this slipper
Princesses, then the duchesses, and
was brought
two
to the
few days
sisters,
all
after,
the
by sound of trumpet,
to be proclaimed
They whom he employed began
fit.
It
for a
;
to try
would just
on upon the
it
the Court, but in vain.
who
did
they possibly
all
could to thrust their feet into the slipper, but they could not effect
it.
Cinderilla, to
who saw
and knew her
this,
slipper, said
them laughing " Let
her.
me
see
if it
will not
fit
me
" ?
Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper, looked
earnestly at Cinderilla, it
all
was but just
to let every
and finding her very handsome, said
that she should try,
one make
He
tryal.
down, and putting the slipper 89
pp^\\zo\
and that he had orders
invited
Cinderilla
to her foot, he
found
to it
sit
went
FAIRY«TALES«OF«PERRAULT on very
easily,
and
The astonishment great, but
still
her, as if
fitted
had been made of wax.
it
her two sisters were
in
was excessively
abundantly greater, when Cinderilla pulled
out of her pocket the other slipper, and put
it
on her foot
came her godmother, who having touched, with her wand, Cinderilla's cloaths, made them richer and more
Thereupon,
in
magnificent than any of those she had before.
And now lady
whom
her two sisters found her to be that fine beautiful
they had seen at the
at her feet, to
made
beg pardon
her undergo.
embraced them,
cried that she forgave
She was conducted days
treatment they had
ill
them
up,
them with
and as she all
her heart,
to love her.
to the
young
Prince, dressed as she
he thought her more charming than ever, and, a few after,
married her.
Cinderilla,
two
for all the
Cinderilla took
and desired them always
was;
They threw themselves
ball.
who was no
less
good than
sisters lodgings in the palace,
beautiful,
gave her
and that very same day
matched them with two great lords of the
court.
CINDERILLA The Moral Bemitys Still
to the
sex a treasure,
adniird beyond all measure,
And never yet was any known. By
still
But
admiring, weary grown.
that rare quality
call'
d grace,
Exceeds, by far, a handsome face ; Its lasting
charms surpass the
other,
And this rich gift her kind godmother Bestow d on Cinderilia fair.
Whom
she instructed with such care.
She gave
to
her such graceful mien,
That she, thereby, becatue a queen. For thus {may ever truth prevail) IVe draw our jnoral from this tale. This quality, fair ladies, know
much more {yoiillfind it so) Tingage and captivate a heart. Than a fine head dress d iip with art. The fairies gift of greatest worth
Prevails
Is grace of bearing, not high birth
Without
this gift
we II miss
Possession gives us wings to
;
the prize ; rise.
FAIRY-TALES<=OF-PERRAULT Another
A great advantage To have
'tis, 710
doubt, to
wit, courage, birth,
good sense, and
And other such-like qnalities, Receiv
which we
rich graces from above,
To your advancement
in the
If godmothers and sires you
>
brain.
d from heavens kind hand, and destiny.
But none of these
Or
man,
world will prove disobey,
'gainst their strict advice too long you stay.
Riquet with the Tuft
Riquet with the Tuft °
was,
THERE brought
to
bed of a son, so hideously ugly, that
at his birth, affirmed,
for all that, since he should be
She even added,
wit.
who was
once upon a time, a Queen,
long disputed, whether he had
who was
=
°
that
it
human
A
form.
it
was
Fairy,
he would be very lovable
indowed with abundance of
would be
his
in
power, by
virtue of a gift she had just then given him, to bestow on the
much
person he most loved as
wit as he pleased.
All this
somewhat comforted the poor Queen, who was under a grievous
an ugly prattle,
affliction
no sooner began
but he said a thousand pretty things, and that in
every-body.
call
having brought into the world such
It is true, that this child
brat.
his actions there
with a
for
little
was something so
forgot to
I
tuft of hair
tell
you, that he
upon
him Riquet with the
taking, that he
his head,
came
to all
charmed
into the world
which made them
Tuft, for Riquet
was the family
name.
Queen of a neighbouring kingdom was delivered of two daughters at a birth. The Seven or eight years
first-born of
these
was
after this, the
beautiful
beyond compare, whereat
Queen was so very glad, that those present were afraid The same Fairy, that her excess of joy would do her harm. the
who had was here
assisted at the birth of also
;
little
Riquet with the Tuft,
and, to moderate the Queen's gladness, she
declared, that this
little
Princess should have no wit at
95
all,
FAIRY-TALES-OFPERRAULT but be as stupid as she was pretty. extreamly, but some
sorrow
moments afterwards she had
far greater
was delivered
the second daughter she
for,
;
This mortified the Queen
was
of,
very ugly.
Do
"
Fairy
not
" your daughter shall have so great a portion of wit,
;
that her
want of beauty
"God way
much, Madam," said the
yourself so
afflict
grant
make
to
it,"
will scarcely
Queen; "but
replied the
the eldest,
who
be perceived." is
some
so pretty, have
is
there no little
wit?" " I can
do nothing
for her,
Madam,
as to wit," answered
the Fairy, " but
everything as to beauty
nothing but what
I
would do
for gift, that she shall
person
who
As
;
your
have the power
all
grew
the public talk
and the wit of the youngest. uglier
and
and more stupid
was asked this so
to
I
give her
make handsome
up, their perfections
the
uglier, ;
of the beauty of the eldest,
It is
true also that their defects
the youngest visibly
;
and the eldest became every day more
she either
her, or said
grew up
was
increased considerably with their age
grew
satisfaction,
is
shall best please her."
these Princesses
with them
for
and as there
;
made no answer
something very
silly
;
at all to
what
she was with
all
unhandy, that she could not place four pieces of china
upon the mantlepiece, without breaking one of them, nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of cloaths.
Tho' beauty
is
it
upon her
a very great advantage in young
people, yet here the youngest sister bore
96
away
the bell, almost
:
RIQUET-WITH-THE-TUFT always,
in
indeed, go
companies from the eldest
all
first
to the
Beauty
;
people would
and admire
to look upon,
her,
but turn aside soon after to the Wit, to hear a thousand most entertaining and agreeable turns, and in less than a quarter of
The
not but notice
eldest, tho' she
it,
was amazing
to see,
an hour's time, the eldest with not
company crowding about
a soul with her and the whole
youngest.
it
was unaccountably
and would have given
half the wit of her sister.
dull,
the
could
her beauty to have
all
The Queen, prudent
as she was,
could not help reproaching her several times, which had like
made this poor Princess die One day, as she retired into
to have
for grief.
misfortune, she saw, coming to her, a agreeable, but
little
most magnificently dressed.
young Prince Riquet with the left
to
bewail her
man, very
who having fallen many of which went
kingdom,
his father's
to
dis-
This was the
Tuft,
with her, by seeing her picture,
world over, had
wood
the
in love all
the
have the pleasure
of seeing and talking with her.
Overjoyed to find her thus to her with
all
" I
alone, he addressed himself
imaginable politeness and respect.
observed, after he had that she
all
made her
the ordinary compliments,
was extremely melancholy, he said cannot comprehend,
Having
Madam, how
to her
a person so beauti-
can be so sorrowful as you seem to be
ful as
you
tho'
can boast of having seen infinite numbers of ladies
I
are,
exquisitely charming,
I
can say that
whose beauty approaches yours." G
97
I
;
for
never beheld any one
FAIRY ^TALES-OF^PERRAULT "
You
are pleased to say so," answered the Princess,
and
here she stopped. " Beauty," replied
advantage, that
you
since
you
are,
much
had
treasure,
afflict
and have I
wit,
" is
such a great
all
things
;
and
nothing that can
see
I
you." "
far rather," cried the Princess,
so stupid as
that
ought to take the place of
it
possess this
possibly very " I
Riquet with the Tuft,
than have the beauty
be as ugly as
possess, and be
I
am."
"There
is
we have
wit,
Madam," returned he, "shews more than to believe we have none and it is the
nothing.
;
nature of that excellent quality, that the more people have of it,
the "
more they believe they want I
do not know
very well, that
am
I
it."
that," said the Princess
" ;
but
I
know,
very senseless, and thence proceeds the
vexation which almost kills me." " If that
easily put "
be
Madam, which
an end to your
And how
" I
all,
will
you do that ?"
it
your
will be
a share of to
can very
cried the Princess.
have the power. Madam," replied Riquet with the
wit as can be had
person,
I
affliction."
Tuft, " to give to that person
much
troubles you,
it
as
;
whom
shall
love
best, as
and as you. Madam, are that very
fault only,
any one
I
living,
if
you have not as great
provided you will be pleased
marry me."
The
Princess remained quite astonished, and answered
not a word.
98
"the prince believed HK had given her more wit than he had reserved for HIMSELF'
RIQUET-WITH-THE-TUFT "
I
Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal
see," replied
makes you very uneasy, and
I
do not wonder
give you a whole year to consider of
The
Princess had so
little wit,
at
it,
but
I
will
it."
and, at the
same
time, so
great a longing to have some, that she imagined the end of that year
would never be
;
therefore she accepted the proposal
She had no sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him on that day twelvemonth, than she found herself quite otherwise than she was which was made
before
;
her.
she had an incredible
she pleased, after a
polite,
facility of
easy,
speaking whatever
and natural manner
;
she
began that moment a very gallant conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, wherein she tattled at such a rate, that Riquet with the Tuft believed he had given her more wit than he had reserved for himself.
When
knew
she returned to the palace, the whole Court
not what to think of such a sudden and extraordinary change for they heard
as
many
;
from her now as much sensible discourse, and
infinitely witty turns, as they
impertinences before.
beyond imagination
;
had stupid and
The whole Court was it
pleased
all
silly
over-joyed at
it
but her younger sister
;
because having no longer the advantage of her in respect of wit, she appeared, in
homely puss.
comparison of
very disagreeable,
The King governed himself by
would even sometimes hold a council noise of this
her, a
her advice, and
in her apartment.
change spreading every where,
Princes of the neighbouring kingdoms strove lOI
all all
the
The young
they could
FAIRY ^TALES'OF'PERRAULT and almost
to gain her favour,
marriage
in
but she found not one of them had wit enough for
;
and she gave them
her,
them asked her
of
all
a hearing, but would not engage
all
herself to any.
However, there came one so powerful,
rich,
witty and
handsome, that she could not help having a good inclination
Her
for him.
her
own
father perceived
and
it,
told her that she
was
mistress as to the choice of a husband, and that she
As the more wit we have, the make a firm resolution upon such
might declare her intentions.
we
greater difficulty affairs, this
find to
made her
desire her father, after having thanked
him, to give her time to consider of
it.
same wood where
accidentally to walk in the
She went
she met Riquet with the Tuft, to think, the more conveniently,
what she ought
While she was walking
to do.
in a
meditation, she heard a confused noise under her
were of a great many people who went forwards,
and
were
\ery busy.
attentively, she heard
one say
"Bring me
"
and a
third, "
that pot
saw under her all
ment.
number
at the
feet,
feet,
backwards
Having
listened
as
it
and
more
:
another
"
me
Give
Put some wood upon the
The ground and
;
profound
that kettle";
fire."
same time opened, and she seemingly
a great kitchen
of cooks, scullions,
full
sorts of servants necessary for a magnificent entertain-
There came out of
it
of twenty, or thirty,
in a fine alley of
a
company
who went
of roasters, to the
to plant themselves
wood, about a very long I02
table,
with their
RIQUET»WITH^THE-TUFT who
larding pins in their hands, and skewers in their caps,
began to work, keeping time,
to the tune of a very
harmonious
song.
The
who
they worked "
them
Princess, all astonished at this sight, asked for.
For Prince Riquet with
the Tuft," said
the
chief of
who is to be married to-morrow." The Princess was more surprised than ever, and recollecting that it was now that day twelvemonth on which she "
them,
had promised
to
marry Riquet with the Tuft, she was
like to
sink into the ground.
What made
her forget this was that,
promise, she was very
silly,
when she made
this
and having obtained that vast
stock of wit which the Prince had bestowed on her, she had intirely forgot
She continued walking, but
her stupidity.
had not taken thirty steps before Riquet with the Tuft presented himself to her, bravely and most magnificently
who was going to be married. Madam," said he, " I am very exact in keeping
dressed, like a Prince "
my
You
see,
word, and doubt not, in the
to perform yours,
and
to
least,
but you are come hither
make me, by giving me your hand,
the happiest of men." " I
I
I
shall freely
own
to you,"
answered the Princess,
" that
have not yet taken any resolution on this aftair, and believe never shall take such a one as you desire."
"You
astonish me.
" I believe it," said
Madam,"
said Riquet with the Tuft.
the Princess,
103
"and
surely
if I
had to
FAIRY-TALES-OF«PERRAULT do with a clown, or a man of no
much
very
at a loss.
would he say the world I
am
is
;
I
talk to
You know,
that
when
why
you have me, now
will
I
person than
which
resolution,
of
was
I
have so much
judgment as you gave me, and which makes me difficult
man
the
is
notwithstanding, never come to a resolution
fool, I could,
marry you
whom
master of the greatest sense and judgment,
sure he will hear reason.
but a to
who
Princess always observes her word,'
But as he
so.'
should find myself
I
'and you must marry me, since you
to me,
promised to do
A
'
wit,
I
was
I
come
at that time, to
more
a
such a
to
could not then determine to agree to?
If
make me your wife, you have been greatly in the wrong to deprive me of my dull simplicity, and make me see things much more clearly than I did." " If a man of no wit and sense," replied Riquet with the you sincerely thought
Tuft, "
would be
to
why
breach of your word,
will
likewise in a matter wherein
concerned
Is
?
you
entitled, as
say, to reproach
you not
all
the happiness of
should be in a worse condition than those this
any thing with
Setting aside
please.
my "
me which
birth,
Not
respect
in
my
at all,"
you
life is
who have none?
you who have so great a
;
desired so earnestly to have
you
my
reasonable that persons of wit and sense
it
Can you pretend
for
Madam, do
me,
let
you
it ?
But
my ugliness
displeases you
wit,
let
share,
us come to
and deformity, ?
Are you
humour, or manners
and
fact, if is
there
dissatisfied
" ?
answered the Princess; "I love you and
in all that
you mention." 104
" If
it
be so," said
iOlK
I
WllH
IHF.
TL^Fl
APPEARED
I
O HER IHE FINEST PRINCE I'PON
EARTH
104
RIQUET-WITH-THE^TUFT Riquet with the Tuft, "
your power to make "
How
me
I
am
like to be happy, since
it
in
is
the most lovable of men."
can that be?" said the Princess.
come about," said Riquet with the Tuft " if you and that you may no love me enough to wish it to be so ways doubt, Madam, of what I say, know that the same Fairy, who, on my birth-day, gave me for gift the power of making " It will
;
;
the
who should
person
please
me
judicious, has, in like manner, given
making him, whom you
love,
extremely
you
witty
and
power of
for gift the
and would grant that favour
to,
extremely handsome." " If
heart, that
and
I
be so," said the Princess,
it
"
wish, with
I
you may be the most lovable Prince
bestow
it
on you, as much as
I
am
all
my
the world,
in
able."
The Princess had no sooner pronounced
these words,
but Riquet with the Tuft appeared to her the finest Prince
upon earth saw.
;
Some
the handsomest and most amiable affirm that
it
man
she ever
was not the enchantments of the
Fairy which worked this change, but that love alone caused the
metamorphosis.
made due
reflection
discretion,
and
all
They
say,
that
the
Princess,
on the perseverance of her
having
lover, his
the good qualities of his mind, his wit and
judgment, saw no longer the deformity of his body, nor the ugliness of his face
;
than the homely air of
whereas
till
hump seemed one who has a broad
that his
then she saw him
no more
back
and that
;
limp horribly, she found
nothing more than a certain sidling 105
to her
air,
which charmed
it
her.
FAIRY-TALES'OF-PERRAULT They say seemed
farther, that his eyes,
to her all the
more bright and sparkling
irregularity passed in her
excess of love
;
which were very squinting,
judgment
mark
for a
;
that their
of a violent
and, in short, that his great red nose had, in
her opinion, somewhat of the martial and heroic.
Howsoever
it
was, the Princess promised immediately to
marry him, on condition he obtained her
The King being acquainted
that his daughter
of esteem for Riquet with the Tuft, for a
father's
whom
had abundance
he knew otherwise
most sage and judicious Prince, received him
son-in-law with pleasure
;
consent.
and the next morning
for
his
their nuptials
were celebrated, as Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen, and according to the orders he had a long time before given.
RIQUET»WITH»THE»TUFT
The Moral What
in this little Tale
we find,
Is less a fable than real truth.
In those we love appear rare gifts of mind,
A}id body
too
:
wit,
judgment, beauty, youth.
Another
A countenance whereon, by natures hand. Beauty
Of such With
On
is
tracd, also the lively stain
complexio}i art can neer attain,
all these gifts
hearts, as
hath not so tnuch command
hath one secret charm
Love finds that
out, to all besides
alone.
unknown.
Little
Thumb
" LirrLE
THUMB WAS
AS
GOOD AS
HIS WORD,
AND RETURNED THAT SAME NIGHT WITH THE NEWS' {page 123)
:
Little
Thumb
"
was, once upon a time, a
THERE faggot-makers The
boys.
by
trade,
eldest
was but
youngest only seven. faggot-maker could have so but
was because
it
who had
his wife
and
their seven
seven
his wife,
children,
all
and the
years old,
One might wonder how that the many children in so little a time ;
went nimbly about her business
and never brought fewer than two poor,
ten
man and
children
They were very incommoded them greatly, at a birth.
because not one of them was able to earn his bread.
That
which gave them yet more uneasiness was, that the youngest was of a very puny constitution, and scarce ever spake a word,
which made them take that
good
sense.
He was
than one's thumb
The poor amiss
wrong
in ;
;
if
very
little,
and,
which was a sign of
when
which made him be called
child bore the
born, no bigger Little
Thumb.
blame of whatsoever was done
the house, and guilty or not
was always
in
the
he was, notwithstanding, more cunning and had a
far greater share of
and
for stupidity
he spake
wisdom than
little
all
his brothers put together,
he heard and thought the more.
There happened now
to
come a very bad
year,
and the
famine was so great, that these poor people resolved to rid themselves of their children. One evening, when they were
bed and the faggot-maker was sitting with his wife at the fire, he said to her, with his heart ready to burst with
all
in
grief
III
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT "
Thou and
children, face
am
I
;
we
see'st plainly that I
are not able to keep our
my
cannot see them starve to death before
resolved to lose them in the
which may very easily be done
wood to-morrow,
for while they are
;
we may run away, and
tying up the faggots,
busy
in
leave them,
without their taking any notice."
"Ah!"
"and
cried out his wife,
have
can'st thou thyself
the heart to take thy children out along with thee on purpose
them
to lose
" ?
In vain did her husband represent to her their extreme
poverty
she would not consent to
;
but she was their mother.
would be
to her to see
she was, indeed poor,
them perish with hunger, she
it
at last
consented and went to bed
Thumb
;
However, having considered what
a grief
Little
it
all in tears.
heard every word that had been spoken
for observing, as he lay in his
;
bed, that they were talking
very busily, he had got up softly and hid himself under his father's
stool, that
being seen. all
He
he might hear what they said, without
He went
to
bed again, but did not sleep a wink
the rest of the night, thinking on what he ought to do.
got up early in the morning, and went to the river side,
where he
filled
his pockets full of small white pebbles,
and
Little
Thumb
never told his brothers one syllable of what he knew.
They
then returned home.
They all went abroad, but forest,
where they could not see one
another at ten paces distance.
The faggot-maker began to gather up sticks to make
went into a very thick cut wood, and
the
children
to
112
HE BROUUHl IHtM HOME
fA
IHh
\
EK\ SAME WA'l THEY CAME
L
I
T T L E
THUMB
-
Their father and mother seeing them busy at their
faggots.
work, got from them by degrees, and then ran away from them all at
When
saw they were
the children
to cry as loud as they could.
knowing very
well
had taken care
how
to
to
drop
Little
"
Be not
here, but
I
down
selves
;
Then
began
them cry
let
for as he
came he
little
them
said he to
on,
and mother have
white
:
left
us
you home again, only follow me."
did so, and he brought them into the forest.
Thumb
along the way the
all
afraid, brothers, father
will lead
alone, they
left
go home again
pebbles he had in his pockets.
came
winding bushes.
once, along a by-way, thro' the
home by
the
They dared not
to
at the door, listening to
They very same way they
go
what
in,
but sat them-
their father
and
mother were saying.
The very moment
the faggot-maker and his wife were
got home, the lord of the manor sent them ten crowns, which
he had owed them a long while, expected.
This gave them new
life
;
and which they never for the
poor people were
The faggot-maker sent his wife immediately to the butcher's. As it was a long while since they had eaten a bit, she bought thrice as much meat as would sup two Having filled their bellies, the woman said people. " Alas where are now our poor children ? They would make a good feast of what we have left here but then it was you, William, who had a mind to lose them I told you we should repent of it what are they now doing in the almost famished.
:
!
;
;
:
forest
H
?
Alas
!
dear God, the wolves have, perhaps, already
113
FAIRY^TALES^OF^PERRAULT them up
eaten
:
thou art very inhuman thus to have
lost
thy
children."
The faggot-maker grew
at last quite out of patience, for
she repeated this above twenty times, that they should repent of
and she was
it,
the right of
in
threatened to beat her,
she did not hold her tongue.
if
He
for so saying.
it
It
was
not that the faggot-maker was not, perhaps, more vexed than
but that she teized him, and that he was of the
his wife,
humour
of a great
many
others,
who
love wives
but think those very importunate
right,
who
who speak
are always in the
She was half drowned in tears, crying out "Alas where are now my children, my poor children ? She spake this so very loud, that the children who were
right.
!
at the door,
began
Here we
"
to cry out all together
are, here
we
She ran immediately them
:
are."
open the door, and
said,
hugging
my dear children you my poor Peter, thou art
are very
to
:
"
I
am
glad to see you,
;
hungry and weary; and bemired
;
come
in
and
let
me
Now, you must know,
whom
she loved above
all
clean thee."
that
the
rest,
mother,
folks
because he was somewhat sat
down
to supper,
such a good appetite as pleased both
whom
the forest
Peter was her eldest son,
They
carrotty, as she herself was.
ate with
;
horribly
they acquainted
how
speaking almost always
father
and and
frightened they were in all
together.
The good
were extremely glad to see their children once more 114
at
LITTLE home, and
=
THUMB
this joy continued while the ten
money was
but when the
all
gone, they
fell
crowns lasted
former uneasiness, and resolved to lose them again that they
much
might be the surer of doing
and,
;
them
at a
not talk of
were overheard by Little Thumb,
this so secretly, but they
former
to carry
They could
greater distance than before.
who made
it,
;
again into their
account to get out of this difficulty as well as the
but though he got up betimes in the morning, to go
;
and pick up some
little
pebbles, he
was disappointed
;
for
he
found the housedoor double-locked, and was at a stand what
When
-to do.
their father
had given each of them a piece of
bread for their breakfast, he fancied he might make use of this bread instead of the pebbles, all
by throwing
along the way they should pass
it
in little bits
and so he put
;
it
up into
his pocket.
Their father and mother brought them into the thickest
and most obscure part of the a by-path, they there
uneasy at again,
it
;
for
by means of
left
forest
them.
;
when, stealing away into
Little
Thumb was
not very
he thought he could easily find the his bread
which he had scattered
all
way
along
But he was very much surprised when he could the birds had come and so much as one crumb
as he came.
not find
;
They were now in great affliction, for the farther they went, the more they were out of their way, and were more and more bewildered in the forest. Night now came on, and there arose a terrible high wind, which made them dreadfully afraid. They fancied they heard
eaten
it
up every
bit.
115
FaIRY^TALESoOF^PERRAULT on every side of them the houHng of wolves coming to eat them up they scarce dared to speak, or turn their heads. ;
After
rained very hard, which wet them to the skin
this, it
their feet slipped at every step they took, and they
whence they got up
the mire,
hands were Little
a very dirty pickle
;
into their
in a sorry state.
Thumb
climbed up to the top of a
could discover any thing
on every
in
fell
;
side,
he saw at
a candle, but a long
;
tree, to see if
and having turned
last a
glimmering
way from
he
his head about
light, like that of
He came
the forest.
down,
when upon the ground, he could see it no more, which However, having walked for some time grieved him sadly. and,
with his brothers towards that side on which he had seen the light,
he perceived
They came
it
again as he came out of the \\ood.
house where
at last to the
not without abundance of fear
;
this candle was,
for very often they lost sight
which happened every time they came into a bottom. They knocked at the door, and a good woman came and of
it,
open'd
it
she asked them what they wished.
;
Thumb
Little
been
told her they
lost in the forest,
sake.
The woman
and said
them
to
were poor children who had
and desired
to lodge there for
God's
seeing them so very pretty, began to weep,
:
Do
ye
know
that this house belongs to a cruel Ogre, .,.who eats
up
little
"Alas children "
!
poor babies, whither are ye come
?
" ?
Ah
!
dear
Madam," answered ii6
Little
Thumb
(who
LITTLE
THUMB
^
trembled every joint of him, as well as his brothers) "what
To
we do ?
shall
us to-night,
be sure, the wolves of the forest will devour
you refuse us
if
to lie here
rather the gentleman should eat us. pity on us, especially
The Ogre's them
warm
to
who
wife,
from her husband
till
you please
if
to
and
;
so,
we would
Perhaps he
beg
it
will
of him."
believed she could conceal
morning,
let
them come
themselves at a very good
take
fire
in,
and brought
for there
;
them
was
a whole sheep upon the spit roasting for the Ogre's supper.
As
they began to be a
four great raps at the door
Upon
home.
this she hid
open the door.
drawn
The sheep was
liked
it
this
them under the bed, and went
The Ogre
ready, and the wine table.
;
presently asked
and then he
;
as yet
He
the better for that.
warm, they heard three or was the Ogre, who was come
little
all
if
down
sat himself ;
to
but he
about to the right and
saying, " I smell fresh meat."
left,
"What you which
I
" I
smell so," said his wife,
"must be
smell fresh meat,
here which
I
I
tell
thee once more," replied the
something
these words, he got up from the table, and
directly to the bed.
"Ah!" thou cursed ;
is
do not understand."
As he spake went
the calf
have just now killed and flayed."
Ogre, looking crossly at his wife, "and there
too
supper was
raw and bloody
sniffed
to
but
said he,
woman
it is
;
"I I
how thou would'st cheat me, know not why I do not eat up thee see
well for thee that thou art a tough old carrion.
117
FAIRY ^TALES-OFPERRAULT Here
is
good game, which comes very luckily
three Ogres of
my
acquaintance,
who
are to pay
to
entertain
me
a visit in
a day or two."
With that he dragged them out from under the bed one by one. The poor children fell upon their knees, and begged his
pardon
Ogres
but they had to do with one of the most cruel
;
in the world,
who,
from having any pity on them,
far
had already devoured them with his eyes they would be delicate eating,
savoury sauce.
He
of them,
when
"What
left
he told his wife
tossed up with good
then took a great knife, and coming up to
these poor children, whetted
he held in his
when
;
hand.
it
He
had already taken hold of one
his wife said to
need you do
it
upon a great whet-stone which
him
:
now?
It
is
time enough to-
"
morrow ? " Hold your
prattling," said the Ogre, " they will eat the
tenderer." "
"
But you have so much meat already,"
you have no occasion.
Here
is
a
calf,
replied his wife,
two sheep, and half
a hog."
"That
is
true," said the Ogre,
"give them their belly-
may not fall away, and put them to bed." The good woman was overjoyed at this, and gave them a good supper but they were so much afraid, they could not eat a bit. As for the Ogre, he sat down again to full,
that they
;
drink, being to treat
highly pleased
his friends.
He
that
he had got wherewithal
drank a dozen glasses more than ii8
THUMB
LITTLE up
ordinary, which got
go
and obliged him
into his head,
to
to bed.
The Ogre had seven these young Ogresses had
daughters,
little
them very
of
all
all
fine
complexions,
because they used to eat fresh meat like their father
had
and very long sharp teeth standing each other.
They were not
been put to bed
boys
;
Little
it
in the
was
after
at
yet
a good distance from
over and above
fair for
might suck
with every one
early,
There was
bigness, and little
as
but they promised very
;
bit little children, that they
head.
but they
;
grey eyes, quite round, hooked noses, wide mouths,
little
chievous
and
children,
'a
it,
mis-
for they already
their blood.
They had
crown of gold upon her
same chamber another bed of the
like
into this bed the Ogre's wife put the seven
which she went to bed
to her
who had observed
Thumb,
that
husband. the
Ogre's
daughters had crowns of gold upon their heads, and was afraid lest the
Ogre should repent
up about midnight own, went very little
;
and taking
softly,
his not killing them, got
his brothers' bonnets
and
his
put them upon the heads of the seven
Ogresses, after having taken off their crowns of gold,
which he put upon
his
Ogre might take them for the little
boys
his brothers', that the
for his daughters,
whom
according to his desire
own head and
;
he wanted to
kill.
and his daughters All this succeeded
Ogre waking about midnight, do that till morning which he
for the
and sorry that he deferred
to
might have done over-night, threw himself hastily out of bed,
and taking his great knife
:
119
FAIRY-TALES-OF^PERRAULT "
Let us see," said he, "
make two jobs
He
how our
of the matter."
then went up, groping
chamber
and came
;
terribly afraid
the way, into his daughters'
all
to the bed
were every soul of them
who was
rogues do, and not
little
where the
fast asleep
little
boys
who Thumb,
lay,
except Little
;
when he found
the
Ogre fumbling
The
about his head, as he had done about his brothers'. Ogre, feeling the golden crowns, said
find
"
I
I
guzzled too
:
made a fine piece much last night."
should have
Then he went found the boys' lads, are
to the
little
you there
And throats of
?
of
bed where the
bonnets
Hah
"
:
Let us to work
work
of
girls lay "
!
it
truly;
and having
;
said he, "
my
merry
" !
saying these words, without more ado, he cut the all
his seven daughters.
Well pleased with what he had done, he went
So soon
again to his wife. snore, he
waked
into the garden, all
as Little
his brothers,
clothes presently,
almost
I
They
and got over the
stole
down
their softly
They kept running while, without knowing
wall.
the
all
bed
heard the Ogre
and bade them put on
and follow him.
night, trembling
Thumb
to
which way they went.
The Ogre, when he waked, "
Go up
stairs
said to his wife
and dress those young
rascals
who came
here last night."
The Ogress was very much
surprised at this goodness of
her husband, not dreaming after what
120
manner he intended she
;
LITTLE should dress them
go and put on and weltering the
first
but thinking that he had ordered her to
;
She
in their blood. all
fearing his wife
women
wretches shall pay for
I
find in such-like cases.
would be too long
that
I
in
doing what
He was
her.
no
less
done?"
cried
he.
"The
cursed
and that instantly."
it,
threw then a pitcher of water upon his wife's face
and having brought her "
for this is
;
his wife, at this frightful spectacle.
"Ah! what have
He
away
fainted
he had ordered, went up himself to help
amazed than
strangely-
perceived her seven daughters killed,
expedient almost
The Ogre,
went up, and was
their cloaths,
when she
astonished
THUMB
^
Give
me
quickly," cried he, "
may go and
He went
to herself:
out
;
my
boots of seven leagues,
catch them."
and, having run over a vast deal of ground,
both on this side and that, he came at
last into the
very road
where the poor children were, and not above a hundred paces from their father's house. They espied the Ogre, who went at
one step from mountain to mountain, and over rivers as
easily as
the
narrowest kennels.^
Little
hollow rock near the place where they were, hide themselves in
it,
and crowded into
it
Thumb, seeing a made his brothers himself,
minding
always what would become of the Ogre.
The Ogre, who found himself much and
fruitless
journey
(for
these
boots
tired
with his long
of seven
leagues
extremely fatigue the wearer), had a great mind to rest him1
That
is,
'channels.'
121
FAIRY TALES OF-PERRAULT these
he
down upon the rock where themselves. As he was worn out,
and, by chance, went to
self,
boys had hid
little
fell
asleep
:
sit
and, after reposing himself
some time he began were no
less
held up his great knife, and
was
to snore so frightfully, that the poor children
afraid of him, than
when he
going to cut their throats.
Thumb was
Little
them
frightened as his brothers, and told
much
not so
that they should
run away immediately towards home, while the Ogre was asleep so soundly
;
and that they should not be anxious about
They took his advice, and got home presently. Little Thumb came up to the Ogre, pulled off his boots gently, and put them on upon his own legs. The boots were very long him.
and large
but as they were Fairies, they had the
;
becoming big and wore them
;
so that they
they had been
his
according to the legs of those
for
of
who
and legs as well as
fitted his feet
made on purpose
He went saw
little,
gift
if
him.
immediately to the Ogre's house, where he
wife crying bitterly for the loss of her murdered
daughters.
"Your husband,"
danger, being taken by a gang of kill
him,
Just
if
he does not give them
when they
me, and desired in,
Thumb, "is in very great thieves, who have sworn to
said Little
all
his gold
and
silver.
held their daggers at his throat, he perceived
me
to
come and
tell
you the condition he
is
and that you should give me whatsoever he has of value,
without retaining any one thing
him without mercy
;
;
for otherwise they will kill
and, as his case
122
is
very pressing, he
"
LITTLE me
make use (you see I have them on) of might make the more haste, and to shew you
desired that
I
THUMB
o
to
his boots, I
do
sadly frightened, gave
him
all
Ogre was a very good husband,
tho'
he
that
not impose upon you.
The good woman, being she had
for
:
used to eat up
this little
children.
Little
Thumb, having thus
came home to his he was received with abundance of joy.
all
the Ogre's money,
Thumb
in this
stance,
and pretend that
at all,
and that he only thought he might very
Little
with safe conscience take
off
his
where
father's house,
There are many people who do not agree
circum-
never robbed the Ogre
boots
justly,
of seven
These
folks affirm, that they
and
leas^ues,
because he made no other use of them, but to run after children.
got
little
were very well assured
of this, and the more, as having drank and eaten often at the
faggot-maker's house.
had taken
They
aver, that,
off the Ogre's boots,
was informed
He
if
he desired
before night.
Little
that they were very anxious about off,
a certain
and the success of
him
went, say they, to the King, and told it,
Thumb
he went to Court, where he
army, which was two hundred leagues a battle.
when
that,
he would bring him news from the army
The King promised him a
upon that condition.
Little
Thumb was
great as
sum
good as
of
money
his word,
and returned that very same night with the news and this first expedition causing him to be known, he got whatever he ;
pleased
;
for the
King paid him very
well
for carrying his
orders to the army, and abundance of ladies gave
123
him what
FAIRY TALES-OFPERRAULT he would to bring them news from their lovers
was
his greatest gain.
who
sent letters by
so
ill
that
it
and that
this
There were some married women,
too,
to their husbands, but they paid
him
him
was not worth
his while,
;
and turned
to such
small account, that he scorned ever to reckon what he got that
way.
After having,
for
some
time,
carried
on
the
business of a messenger, and gained thereby great wealth, he
went home
to his father,
the joy they were
all
;
was impossible
bought places
and by that means
in the world, and, in the
favour.
it
in at his return.
family very well-to-do, brothers
where
mean
settled
to express
He made for
his
the whole
father
and
them very handsomely
time, rose high in the King's
THUMB
LITTLE
The Moral At
jnany children ^a yen fs doiit repine,
If they are
Jimidsonie
;
in their judgment shine
;
Polite in carriage are, in body strong,
Graceful in mien, and elegant in tongue.
But ifperchance an Hiui they
Such
is
I'evile,
offspring prove but weak,
laugh
at,
defraud and cheat.
the wretched ivorlds curs
Sometimes this urchin
whom
d way ; and yet
despisd we
see,
Through unforeseen events doth honour get,
And fortune bring to
all his family.
The Ridiculous IVishes
'JUPITER APPEARED BEFORE HIM WIELDING HIS MIGHTY THUNDERBOLTS
The
Ridiculous
°
Wishes
°
days long past there lived a poor woodcutter who found very hard.
life
Indeed,
INguerdon,
it
was
his
lot
to
for
toil
little
and although he was young and happily married there were moments when he wished himself dead and
below ground.
One day while at his work he was again lamenting his fate. " Some men," he said, " have only to make known their and straightway these are granted, and
desires,
wish
fulfilled
but
;
it
gods are deaf
for the
As
me
has availed
little
to
their every
wish
for ought,
to the prayers of such as I."
he spoke these words there was a great
thunder,
and
Jupiter
mighty thunderbolts.
appeared
before
Our poor man was
noise
him wielding
of his
stricken with fear
and threw himself on the ground. "
my
My
lord,"
he said,
" forget
wishes, but cease thy thundering "
plaint,
Have no
fear,"
foolish speech
;
heed not
" !
answered Jupiter;
" I
have heard thy
and have come hither to show thee how greatly thou
wrong me.
dost
Hark!
world, promise to grant in will please thee to utter,
well
my
I,
who am
full
the
first
sovereign lord of this three wishes which
whatever these
what things can bring thee joy and
thy happiness
is
at stake,
may
be.
it
Consider
prosperity,
and as
be not over-hasty, but revolve the
matter in thy mind."
Having thus spoken Jupiter withdrew himself and made I
129
FAIRY^TALES^OFePER R A U LT his ascent to
As
Olympus.
our woodcutter, he blithely
for
corded his faggot, and throwing for his
To one
home.
over his shoulder,
it
made
so light of heart the load also seemed
and his thoughts were merry as he strode along. Many a wish came into his mind, but he was resolved to seek the light,
who was
advice of his wife,
woman
a young
of
good under-
standing.
He
had soon reached his cottage, and casting down his
faggot "
Behold me, Fanny," he
spread the board, and
let
said.
may
Thereupon he that
day.
Make up
there be no stint.
Fanny, wealthy for evermore whatsoever we
"
;
We
we have only
the
fire
and
are wealthy, to
wish for
desire."
told her the
Fanny, whose
immediately conceived
story of what had befallen
mind was
many
quick
and
active,
plans for the advancement of
approved her husband's resolve to act
their fortune, but she
with prudence and circumspection. "
'Twere a pity," she
impatience.
We
said, " to spoil
our chances through
had best take counsel of the night, and wish
no wishes until to-morrow." "
That
is
well spoken," answered Harry.
fetch a bottle of
our
best,
and we
"
Meanwhile
shall drink to
our good
fortune."
Fanny brought
a bottle from the store behind the faggots,.
and our man enjoyed his toes to the fire
his ease, leaning
and
back
in his chair
his goblet in his hand.
130
with
"a long black
PUUDlNi;
CAME WIN'DING AND WRIGGLING TOWARDS HER
"
THE'RIDICULOUS^WISHES "What
fine
toasting
fine
glowing embers!" he
fire!
"and what a
said,
wish we had a black
I
pudding
at
hand."
Hardly had he spoken these words when to
her
astonishment, a long
great
issuing from
a corner of
wriggling towards her.
the
She
black
his wife beheld,
pudding which,
came winding and
hearth,
uttered a cry of fear, and then
dismay, when she perceived that this
again exclaimed in
strange occurrence was due to the wish which her husband
had so rashly and foolishly spoken.
Turning upon him,
her anger and disappointment she called the poor
abusive names that she could think
"What!" kingdom,
she said to him, gold,
for
pearls,
garments and wealth untold,
upon black puddings "
Nay
"
diamonds,
call
for
this the time to set
for
a
princely
your mind
!
but
I
shall
" 'twas a thoughtless speech,
now be on my
guard, and
do better next time."
shall
"Who Once a
free
;
can
"
answered the man,
!
and a sad mistake
"
is
the
all
of.
"when you
rubies,
man
in
rein
knows
witless to
that
fool,
you
will?"
returned
always a witless
fool
" !
his
wife.
and giving
her vexation and ill-temper she continued
upbraid her husband until his anger also was
stirred,
to
and
he had wellnigh made a second bid and wished himself a widower. "
Enough
!
woman," he
thy froward tongue
!
Who
cried at last
;
"
put a check upon
ever heard such impertinence as 131
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT this
A
!
plague on the shrew and on her pudding
heaven
to
No
it
hung
at the
end of her nose
!
Would
" !
sooner had the husband given voice to these words
than the wish was straightway granted, and the long
pudding appeared grafted
of black
to
the
coil
angry dame's
nose.
Our man paused when he beheld what he had wrought. Fanny was a comely young woman, and blest with good looks, and truth to tell, this new ornament did not set off
Yet
her beauty.
hung
it
offered
right before her mouth,
it
one advantage, that as
would thus
it
curb
effectively
her speech.
resolved
and,
now but one wish left, he had all but make good use of it without further delay,
having
So,
to
any other
before
mischance
himself a kingdom of his own. the word,
"It
is
could
He was
wish
about to speak
when he was stayed by a sudden thought. true,"
he said to himself, "that there
so great as a King, but what of the his
to
befall,
dignity?
Queen
that
With what grace would she
on the throne with a yard of black pudding
sit
is
none
must share beside
for a
nose
me ?
In this dilemma he resolved to put the case to Fanny,
and a
to
leave
her to decide whether she would
rather be
Queen, with this most horrible appendage marring her
good
looks, or
remain a peasant wife, but with her shapely
nose relieved of this untoward addition.
Fanny's mind was soon made up 132
:
although she had
"truth to
tell, this
new ornament
did not set off her beauty'
THE-RIDICULOUS-WISHES dreamt of a crown and is
always to please.
yield,
and
yet a
sceptre,
To
Fanny would
be a Queen with an ugly
this
woman's
great desire
rather
be
fair
in
all
first
wish
else
must
drugget than
face.
Thus our woodcutter did not change his state, did not become a potentate, nor fill his purse with golden crowns.
He was
thankful
enough
to
use
his
remaining wish to
a more humble purpose, and forthwith of her encumbrance.
relieved
his
wife
FAIRY-TALES<'OF-PERRAULT The Moral AJi
By
!
so it is tJiat miserable
man,
nature fickle, blind, Jinwise,
and rash,
Oft fails to reap a harvest from great gifts
Bestowed upon him by the heaz'nly gods.
Donkey-skin
"another gown the colour of the moon" {page 145)
Donkey-skin upon a time there was a King, so
ONCE
beloved by his people, and so respected by
neighbours and
so
great,
his
all
one might almost say he
allies that
was the happiest monarch
alive.
His good fortune
was made even greater by the choice he had made for wife of a Princess as beautiful as she was virtuous, with whom he Now, of this chaste marriage was lived in perfect happiness. born a daughter endowed with so many gifts that they had
no regret because other children were not given to them. Magnificence, good taste, and abundance reigned
and devoted spacious
and clever ministers, virtuous
there were wise
the palace;
in the world,
and diligent servants.
courtiers, faithful
stables were
filled
in the finest stall,
The
with the most beautiful horses
and coverts of
astonished strangers
in
caparison
rich
who came
to
;
but what most
admire them was to
see,
a master donkey, with great long ears.
was not for a whim but for a good reason that the King had given this donkey a particular and distinguished place.
Now,
it
The special
qualities of this rare animal deserved the distinction,
since nature had litter,
made
it
so extraordinary a
in
instead of being like that of other donkeys,
way
that
its
was covered
every morning with an abundance of beautiful golden crowns,
and golden
louis of every kind,
Since the vicissitudes of
on
their subjects,
and good
which were collected
life
is
wait on Kings as
always mingled with
139
daily.
much
as
it
so
ill,
FAIRY^TALES^OF^PERRAULT befell that the
Queen was suddenly attacked by a
fatal illness,
and, in spite of science, and the skill of the doctors, no remedy
There was great mourning throughout the
could be found.
The King who, notwithstanding the famous proverb, that marriage is the tomb of love, was deeply attached to his wife, was distressed beyond measure and made fervent vows land.
to all the temples in his for
that of his beloved
and the Fairies
before
again
.
that
die
I
."
.
:
consort
;
to give his life
but he invoked the gods
The Queen, feeling her husband, who was dissolved
in vain.
approach, said to her " It is well
kingdom, and offered
you should
perchance,
At these words the King broke
in tears
desire
to
of
marry
it
was
him of a second marriage.
my dear spouse,"
" No,
:
into piteous cries,
took his wife's hands in his own, and assured her that useless to speak to
hour
should speak to you of a certain matter
I
if,
last
he said at
how I may follow you." "The State," continued
the
last, "
speak to
Queen with a
me rather
finality
which
but increased the laments of the King, "the State demands successors, will
and since
I
have only given you a daughter,
urge you to beget sons
earnestly not to give until
way
who resemble you
;
but
to the persuasions of
I
it
ask you
your people
you have found a Princess more beautiful and more
perfectly fashioned than
and then
I
I
beg you
to
swear this tome,
shall die content."
Perchance, exacted
I.
the
this oath
Queen, who did not lack self-esteem, firmly believing
140
that
there
was not her
DONKEY-SKIN equal in the world, and so
felt
assured that the King would
Be this as it may, at length she died, and never did husband make so much lamentation the King never marry again.
;
wept and sobbed day and night, and the punctilious fulfilment of the rites of widower-hood, even the smallest,
was
his sole
occupation.
But even great
griefs
do not
After a time
last for ever.
the magnates of the State assembled and
came
At
first
urging him to take
another wife.
to the King, this
request
him and made him shed fresh tears. He pleaded the vows he had made to the Queen, and defied his counsellors to find a Princess more beautiful and better But fashioned than was she, thinking this to be impossible. seemed hard
to
the Council treated the promise as a
mattered
and
little
fruitful.
prosperity,
had
all
about beauty
if
the
trifle,
of necessity she
for its peace
in truth, the Princess, his
the qualities requisite for
must choose an
it
Queen were but virtuous
For the State needed Princes
and though,
and said that
daughter,
making a great Queen, alien for her
and
yet
husband, and
then the stranger would take her away with him.
If,
on the
other hand, he remained in her country and shared the throne
with her, their children would not be considered to be of pure native stock, and so, there being no Prince of his name,
neighbouring peoples would
stir
up wars, and the kingdom
would be ruined.
The King, impressed by that he
these considerations, promised
would think over the matter. 141
And
so search
was
FAIRY ^TALES'^OF-'PERRAULT made among would
the marriageable Princesses
all
Every day charming
suit him.
portraits
for
one that
were brought
him, but none gave promise of the beauty of his late Queen instead of
coming
he brooded over his sorrow
to a decision
the end his reason
until in
him.
left
In his delusions he
imagined himself once more a young man Princess
his
daughter, in
;
;
he thought the
her youth and beauty, was
his
Queen as he had known her in the days of their courtship, and living thus in the past he urged the unhappy girl to speedily become his bride.
The young
Princess,
herself at the feet of the
with
all
who was King her
the eloquence she could
virtuous and chaste, threw father
and conjured him,
command, not
to constrain
her to consent to his unnatural desire.
The King,
in
his
madness, could not understand the
reason of her desperate reluctance, and asked an old Druidpriest to set the conscience of the Princess at rest.
Now
this
Druid, less religious than ambitious, sacrificed the cause of innocence and virtue to the favour of so great a monarch, and instead of trying to restore the
encouraged him
King
to his right mind, he
in his delusion.
The young
Princess, beside herself with misery, at last
bethought her of the Lilac-fairy, her godmother to consult her, she set out that
carriage
When
knew
all
who
determined
in a pretty little
drawn by a great sheep who knew
she arrived the Fairy,
that she
same night
;
all
the roads.
loved the Princess, told her
she had come to say, but that she need have 142
"he thought the
princess was his queen
DONKEY-SKIN no
fear,
nothing would harm her
for
fulfilled the Fairy's injunctions.
said to her, "
it
would be a great
sin to
only she faithfully
if
my
" For,
dear child," she
submit to your
father's
wishes, but you can avoid the necessity without displeasing
him.
Tell
him
that to satisfy a
whim you
you a dress the colour of the weather. his love
The
and
his
power
will
have, he
must give
Never, in spite of
all
he be able to give you that."
Princess thanked her godmother from her heart,
and the next morning spoke
King as the Fairy had no one would win her hand
to the
counselled her, and protested that
unless he gave her a dress the colour of the weather.
The
King, overjoyed and hopeful, called together the most skilful
workmen, and demanded
much blue,
since,
that lovely dress
when it,
she
it
gown
are not a
was unfolded.
more
The
and did not know what went
to
to this
beautiful
was
Princess was
to do.
her Fairy-godmother who,
astonished that her plan had been for another
otherwise they
are girdled with clouds of gold, than
very sad because of
Once more
;
on the second day, they brought the
The heavens
desired robe.
when they
them
But he was saved from resorting
should be hanged.
extreme measure,
this robe of
foiled,
now
told her to ask
the colour of the moon.
The King again sought out the most clever workmen and expressly commanded them to make a dress the colour of the moon and woe betide them if between the giving of the ;
order and the bringing of the dress more than twenty-four
hours should elapse.
K
145
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT The was
Princess,
her
The
nurse.
of the sun
is
it
we
certain that
if
" Either
:
you ask
shall at last baffle the
would never be possible
to
who knew
Lilac-fairy,
hastened to comfort her and said deceived or
it
gave way to distress when she was with her
delivered,
women and
though pleased with the dress when
I
am
all,
greatly
for a dress the colour
King your
make such a gown
father, for ;
in
it
any case
we should gain time." So the Princess asked for yet another gown as the Fairy bade her. The infatuated King could refuse his daughter nothing, and he gave without regret rubies in his crown to aid this superb
diamonds and
the
all
work
nothing was to
;
be spared that could make the dress as beautiful as the sun.
And, indeed, when the dress appeared, it
all
those
who
unfolded
were obliged to close their eyes, so much were they dazzled.
And, truth
to
tell,
green spectacles and smoked glasses date
from that time.
What was and so
the Princess to do
a robe been
artistic
and pretending that
its
retired to her chamber,
Never had so beautiful
?
She was dumb-founded,
seen.
had hurt her eyes she
brilliance
where she found the Fairy awaiting
her.
On
seeing the dress like the sun, the Lilac-fairy became "
red with rage. Princess,
"we I
!
this time,
will put the
of his madness
request that
Oh
I
King
my
make
146
In spite
to terrible proof.
think he will be a
counsel you to
child," she said to the
little
of
astonished by the
him
;
it
is
that
he
DONKEY-SKIN should give you the skin
he loves so dearly,
of that ass
and which supplies him so profusely with the means of paying all his expenses. Go, and do not fail to tell him that you want
The
this skin.
Princess, overjoyed at finding yet
another avenue of escape
for
;
she thought that her father
could never bring himself to sacrifice the ass, went to find
him, and unfolded to him her latest desire.
Although the King was astonished by not hesitate to satisfy
it
;
the poor ass
was
this
whim, he did
sacrificed
and the
skin brought, with due ceremony, to the Princess, who, seeing
no other way of avoiding her
At you
that
my
doing,
tearing
"This
moment
is
the
"
her godmother arrived.
child?"
her hair,
was desperate.
ill-fortune,
she
asked,
seeing
What
Princess
the
her beautiful cheeks stained with
most happy moment
your
of
are
life.
tears.
Wrap
yourself in this skin, leave the palace, and walk so long as
you can
find
ground
to carry
thing to virtue the gods
and
I
your jewels
which
I
will
will give
rest,
:
need of the chest, and
when one to
her.
Then
many
after she
Go, ;
in
your chest with your clothes and steps,
will
and here
times,
it
is
my wand
when you have
appear before your eyes
haste to set forth, and do not delay."
her godmother
mete out reward.
tap the ground with it
sacrifices every-
your possessions follow you
follow your
you
:
know how
will take care that
whatever place you
you
The
:
but
Princess embraced
and begged her not
to forsake
had smeared herself with soot from the
chimney, she wrapped herself up 147
in that
ugly skin and went
FAIRY<^TALES-OF«PERRAULT out from the magnificent palace without being recognised
by a single person.
The absence of the Princess caused a great commotion. The King, who had caused a sumptuous banquet to be prepared,
He
was inconsolable.
out
sent
more than a
hundred gendarmes, and more than a thousand musketeers in
quest of her
;
but the Lilac-fairy
made her
invisible to
the cleverest seekers, and thus she escaped their vigilance.
Meanwhile farther
away
;
walked
Princess
the
after a
far,
far
and
even
time she sought for a resting place,
but although out of charity people gave her food, she was so dishevelled and dirty that no one wanted to keep her.
At length she came to a beautiful town, at the gate of which was a small farm. Now the farmer's wife had need of a wench to wash the dishes and to attend to the geese and the
pigs,
The
her.
joyfully.
the
for
and seeing so dirty a vagrant
Princess,
who was now much
She was put first
engage
offered to
fatigued, accepted
into a recess in the kitchen
where
days she was subjected to the coarse jokes of
the men-servants, so dirty and unpleasant did the donkey-
skin
make her appear.
At
last
moreover she was so attentive
they tired of their pleasantries to her
wife took her under her protection.
and penned them up when
it
work
that the farmer's
She minded the
if
sheep,
was necessary, and she took
the geese out to feed with such intelligence that as
;
she had never done anything
else.
her beautiful hands undertook was done well. 148
it
seemed
Everything that
DONKEY-SKIN One day she was
sitting near a clear
fountain where
she often repaired to bemoan her sad condition,
thought she would look
when she The horrible
at herself in the water.
donkey-skin which covered her from head to toe revolted
Ashamed, she washed her face and her hands, which became whiter than ivory, and once again her lovely her.
complexion took
its
herself so beautiful
the
and
pool,
this
natural freshness.
of finding
her with the desire to bathe in
filled
she
The joy
did.
But she had
to
don her
unworthy skin again before she returned to the farm. By good fortune the next day chanced to be a holiday,
and so she had leisure to tap for her chest with the fairy's wand, arrange her toilet, powder her beautiful hair and put on the lovely gown which was the colour of the weather
but the room was so small that the train could
;
The
not be properly spread out. at
herself,
so
much
in turn
and
and with good reason, admired her appearance
that she resolved to wear her magnificent dresses
on holidays and Sundays
this
diamonds
beautiful Princess looked
she in
regularly
did.
her
for
own amusement,
She entwined
her lovely hair with admirable
flowers
art,
and
and often
she sighed that she had no witness of her beauty save the
sheep and geese,
who
donkey-skin after which she
One hued
much in the horrible had been named at the farm.
loved her just as
when Donkey-skin had put on her sunson of the King to whom the farm belonged
holiday
dress, the
alighted there to rest on his return
149
from the hunt.
This
FAIRY TALES OF PERRAULT »
Prince was young and handsome, beloved of his father and of the
Queen
his mother,
and adored by the people.
After
he had partaken of the simple collation which was offered
him
he
set
out
inspect
to
nooks and corners.
In
he entered a dark
alley
closed
door.
all
from place to
the bottom
made him
Curiosity
Imagine
keyhole.
going thus at
and
farm-yard
the
put
of
its
place,
which was a eye
his
the
to
astonishment at seeing a Princess
his
so beautiful and so richly dressed, and withal of so noble
and dignified a mien,
The impetuosity made him force
he took her to be a divinity.
that
the door, had
was with
gloomy of
the
little
tiny
difficulty
intent
alley,
room might
not been for the respect
it
with which that charming figure It
moment would have
of his feelings at this
him.
filled
he
that
withdrew
from
this
on discovering who the inmate
He was
be.
that
told
it
was
a scullion called Donkey-skin because of the skin which she
always wore, that
she was
and that
no one took any notice of
so dirty and
her, or
unpleasant
even spoke to her
she had just been taken out of pity to look after the geese.
The saw was of
Prince, though
that
these dense
little
people
useless to question them.
the
King
his
father,
satisfied
by
this information,
knew no more, and that it So he returned to the palace
beyond words
in
love,
having
continually before his eyes the beautiful image of the goddess
whom
he had seen
through the keyhole.
regret that he had not knocked at
150
He was
full
of
the door, and promised
l^lRlu.-.!
1
V
MADE HIM
PI
I
His k\
t.
U)
I
Hh KflHtJLK
150
DONKEY-SKIN himself that he would
same night he was
was soon
at
was
child,
fail
love caused
the fervency of his that the
not
by a
terrible
agitation fever,
The Oueen, who had no
despair because
in
him such great
seized
death's door.
all
At
last
other
though
;
would cure the Prince.
they decided that some great sorrow had caused
terrible
this
their skill, nothing
all
and
remedies proved useless.
In vain she promised great rewards to the doctors they exerted
But
do so next time.
to
They
fever.
told
the
Queen,
who,
full
of
tenderness for her son, went to him and begged him to
She declared that even if it was a matter of giving him the crown, his father would yield or if he desired some the throne to him without regret her
tell
his
trouble.
;
Princess, even though there should be
war with the King
her father and their subjects should, with reason, complain,
She
should be sacrificed to obtain what he wished.
all
implored him with tears not to
die, since their life
depended
The Queen did not finish this touching discourse without moving the Prince to tears. " Madam," he said at last, in a very feeble voice, on
"
his.
I
am
rather I
not so base that
may Heaven
may always
desire the
grant him
life
for
crown of
many
my
years,
father,
and that
be the most faithful and the most respectful
of his subjects I
I
!
As
to the
Princesses that you speak
of,
have never yet thought of marriage, and you well know
that,
subject
as
I
am
always, even though
it
to
your wishes,
I
be painful to me." 151
shall
obey you
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT "Ah! my
son,"
nothing to save your
my
But,
life.
and be assured that you
"Well,
me be
my
you
tell
a
Madam," he
sin
thought,
place
to
Know, my mother,
that
a cake, and to have
it
I
who Donkey-skin might is,
Madam,"
by chance seen
It
lives
would
have
would indeed
so dear
me when
brought to this
at
to
it
is
me.
me
ready."
name, asked
strange
be.
one of her
replied
this
it."
wish Donkey-skin to make
The Queen, astonished " It
two
me what you
you
"since
obey you.
I
danger
in
telling
have
shall
said,
spare
will
dear child, save mine
and that of the King your father by desire,
"we
Queen,
the
replied
girl,
" It
is
imaginable after the wolf, a slut
officers
the most
who
who had
ugly creature
lodges at your farm,
and minds your geese." "It matters not," said the Queen;
way home from cakes
;
it
is
the
whim such
a
sometimes have. since Donkey-skin
A
chase,
In it
a is,
perchance
has as
word,
"my
son,
on his
eaten
of
her
sick
do
those
who
are
wish
that
Donkey-skin,
I
make him
presently a cake."
Donkey-skin
messenger ran to the farm and told
make a cake for the Prince as well as she possibly could. Now, some believe that Donkey-skin had been aware of the Prince in her heart at the moment when he had put his eye to the keyhole and then, that
she was to
;
looking
from
her
little
window,
she
had
seen
him,
so
young, so handsome, and so shapely, that the remembrance 152
DONKEY-SKIN him had remained, and that often the thought of him had cost her some sighs. Be that as it may, Donkey-skin, either having seen him, or having heard him spoken
of
of
with praise, was overjoyed
become known room, threw arranged silver,
and
herself to
an
put on a
equally
make
the
and
while
she was working she
and was mixed
in
muffled herself in
might
her
little
corsage of
and
and
cake.
then
set
She took the
freshest
them, whether
bright
butter,
by design
and
or no,
had on her finger fell into the cake When the cooking was done she it. her horrible
the messenger, asking
man would
she
in
petticoat,
desired
eggs
newest
flour,
ring which
herself
beautiful
beautiful
much
finest
a
that
ugly skin, bathed her face and hands,
off the
her hair,
She shut
him.
to
think
to
him
not deign to
skin
and gave the cake to
news of the Prince but the reply, and without a word ran for
;
quickly back to the palace.
Prince took the cake greedily from the man's hands, and ate it with such voracity that the doctors who were present did not fail to say that this haste was not a good
The
Indeed, the Prince came near to being choked by the of cake. ring, which he nearly swallowed, in one of the pieces
sign.
But he drew it cleverly from his mouth, and his desire fine emerald for the cake was forgotten as he examined the small that he knew set in a gold keeper-ring, a ring so it
could only be worn on the prettiest
world.
153
little
finger
in
the
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT He
and drew
pillow, self
kissed the ring a thousand times, put it
unobserved.
how he might
under his
that he thought him-
The torment
that he gave himself, planning
whom
the ring belonged, not daring
see her to
to believe that
moment
out every
it
he asked for Donkey-skin she would be
if
allowed to come, and not daring to speak of what he had seen
through the key-hole
for fear that he
would be laughed
at for
The doctors, not knowing what more to do, declared to the Queen that the Prince's malady was love, whereupon the Queen and the disconsolate King ran to their son.
a dreamer, brought back the fever with great violence.
"
My
my
son,
" tell us the
name
dear son," cried the affected
of her
whom
you desire
:
we swear
Even though she were
will give her to you.
monarch, that
we
the vilest of
slaves."
The Queen embracing him, agreed with all that the King had said, and the Prince, moved by their tears and caresses, said to
way
desire to
them
:
"
My
father
and
make a marriage which
is
my
mother,
in
I
no
displeasing to you."
And drawing the emerald from under his pillow he added " To prove the truth of this, I desire to marry her to whom this ring belongs. It is not likely that she who owns so :
pretty a finger
is
a rustic or a peasant."
The King and
the
Queen took
the ring, examined
great curiosity, and agreed with the Prince that
it
it
could only
belong to the daughter of a good house.
Then
having embraced his son, and entreated him
to get well,
154
with
the King,
went
DONKEY-SKIN He
out.
ordered the drums and
fifes
and trumpets
sounded throughout the town, and the heralds
whose
finger a certain ring
would
fit
to be
to cry that she
should marry the heir to
the throne. First the Princesses arrived, then the duchesses, and the
marquises, and the baronesses could to
make
but though they did
;
their fingers small,
all
they
none could put on the
ring.
So
the country girls had to be tried, but pretty though they
all
were, they
who was
all
had fingers that were too
feeling better,
made
the
fat.
trial himself.
the turn of the chamber-maids
;
Then, when everyone else had
tried, the
The Prince, At last it was
but they succeeded no better. Prince asked for the
kitchen-maids, the scullions, and the sheep-girls. all
brought to the palace, but their coarse
red, short, fingers
would hardly go through the golden hoop as "
me
You have
They were
far as the nail.
not brought that Donkey-skin,
who made
the cake," said the Prince.
Everyone
and
laughed
said,
"
No,"
so
and
dirty
unpleasant was she. " Let shall
someone
fetch her at once," said the
not be said that
I
left
out the lowliest."
King
" ;
And
it
the
servants ran laughing and mocking to find the goose-girl.
The
Princess,
who had
heard the drums and the cries
of the heralds, had no doubt that the ring was the cause of this uproar.
Now, she loved
the Prince, and, as true love
timorous and has no vanity, she was
some other lady would be found 155
is
in perpetual fear that
to have a finger as small as
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT hers.
was her joy when the messengers came
Great, then,
and knocked
at
knew
Since she
her door.
that they were
seeking the owner of the right finger on which to set her ring,
some impulse had moved her care,
arrange her hair with great
to
and to put on her beautiful
petticoat
At
emeralds.
and
of furbelows
full
the
first
silver
silver
corsage,
lace
studded with
knock she quickly covered her
The
with the donkey-skin and opened the door.
King had sent
in derision, told her that the
to
marry her
to his son.
they led her to the Prince,
it
in the third
you who lodge
at the
yard of the farm
for her in order
it
was she
whom
he had
bottom of that dark
alley
" ?
"Yes, your Highness," she
"Show me
visitors,
Sad and confounded, he
seen so majestic and so beautiful. said, " Is
finery
Then with loud peals of laughter who was astonished at the garb of
and dared not believe that
this girl,
and the
replied.
your hand," said the Prince trembling, and
heaving a deep sigh.
The King and courtiers were dumb-
Imagine how astonished everyone was the Queen, the chamberlains and
when from beneath
founded, a delicate
without
little
skin
fell
the
that black
and dirty skin came
white and rose-pink hand, and the ring slipped
difficulty
Then, by a
all
!
on to the
little
prettiest little finger in the world.
movement which
the Princess
made, the
from her shoulders and so enchanting was her guise,
that the Prince,
weak though he was,
held her so closely that she blushed.
156
fell
But
on his knees and that
was
scarcely
;
DONKEY-SKIN King and Queen came
noticed,
for
the
heartily,
and
to ask her
by
Princess, confused
handsome young
the
if
embrace
to
she would marry their son.
her
The
these caresses and by the love of
all
Prince,
was about
to
thank them when
suddenly the ceiling opened, and the Lilac-fairy descended in a chariot
made
of the branches and flowers from which she
took her name, and, with great charm, told the Princess's
The
King and Queen, overjoyed Donkey-skin was a great Princess redoubled
story.
know
to
that
their caresses,
but the Prince was even more sensible of her virtue, and his love increased as the Fairy unfolded her to
marry
her, indeed,
allow time
was so great
the
necessary
wedding which was
their due.
for
he was fairy,
first to
not,
whom
this course to
carriagfes
that she could not
right, presided
marry
father, so,
he
those
tigers
married a Queen
the
and
magnificent and most glorious of
He had
all,
all
the
sedan-chairs, others in beautiful
who came from and
over
The Lilachad recommended
Kings came from
prevent trouble.
rode on elephants
Princess.
King her
her
an invitation to the wedding was sent
round, some in ;
the grand
however, told the name of the bride.
who, as was
countries
for
scarcely
The King and Queen, now
the Prince without the consent of the
was the
that he could
preparations
She had declared
affection.
His impatience
daughter-in-law, overwhelmed
entirely devoted to their
with
tale.
all
most distant countries eagles.
But the most
was the father of the
happily recovered his reason, and had
who was
a
widow and very 157
beautiful, but
FAIRY-TALES-OF-PERRAULT by
whom
he had no
he recognised her
The
child.
at
Princess ran to him, and
once and embraced her with great
tenderness before she had time to throw herself on her knees.
The King and Queen
The nuptials were celebrated imaginable pomp, but the young couple were hardly
happiness of with
all
presented their son to him, and the
all
was complete.
aware of the ceremony, so wrapped up were they
in
one
another.
In spite of the protests of the noble-hearted young man, the Prince's father caused his son to be crowned the day, and kissing his hand, placed
The
him on the
same
throne.
celebrations of this illustrious marriage lasted nearly
three months, but the love of the two
young people would
have endured for more than a hundred years, had they outlived that age, so great
was
their affection for
one another.
DONKEY-SKIN
The Moral It scarce
may
be believed,
This tale of Donkey-skin ;
home ;
But laughing
children in the
Yea, mothers,
and grandmothers
Are little moved by facts ! By them 'twill be received.
too,
/
