blue fairy tale book

Chapter 27 The Magical Sheep (2)
"Oh! No," said Miranda. "I'm just not used to living with talking goblins and sheep, everything here scares me. You kindly brought me here, but I'd appreciate you even more if you brought me back into the world. "

"Don't be afraid," said the wonderful sheep, "I beg you to bear with me and hear the story of my misfortune. I was once a king, and my kingdom was the best in the world. My subjects loved me, but my neighbors were jealous." And be afraid of me. I am honored by all, and it is said that no king has ever had such an honor.

"I am very fond of hunting, and one day, while chasing a stag, I left my followers far behind. Suddenly I saw the animal leap into a pond, and I rode eagerly to follow, but had not yet After a few steps I felt extra heat, not the coolness of the water. Then the pond dried up, and a huge abyss opened before me, from which flames shot out, and I fell helplessly at the bottom of a cliff.

"I thought it was over, but presently a voice said: 'Ingrateful Prince, even this flame is not enough to warm your hard heart!'" 'Who complains of my cruelty in this depressing place? ' I shouted.

"'A wretched wretch who loves you hopelessly,' answered the voice. At the same moment the fire flickered and ceased to burn, and then I saw a goblin I'd known since I could remember, her ugly The appearance has always terrified me. She is leaning on the arm of a rather young and beautiful girl with a gold chain around her wrist, apparently her servant.

"'Well, Regat,' said I, because the goblin was called that, 'what's the meaning of all this? Did you arrange to have me here?'" 'And whose fault it is,' She replied, 'You didn't understand me until now?Though you think yourself a great king, must a goblin as powerful as I condescend to explain what I do to you who are no better than an ant? '"'You can call me what you like,' I said impatiently, 'but what do you want—my crown, my city, or my treasure?'" 'Treasure! ' said the goblin contemptuously, 'if I had a choice, I would have any of my kitchen boys richer and more powerful than you.

I don't want your treasure, but,' she went on softly, 'if you give me your heart--if you marry me--I'll add 20 to the kingdom you already have A kingdom that lets you have 100 castles full of gold and 500 castles full of silver, simply put whatever you want and I'll give it to you. '"'Ms. Riggart,' said I, 'it is impossible for a man to propose to such a beauty as you are when he is at the bottom of an abyss, and all he waits for is to be roasted alive! I let it go, and then I hope to repay you properly.'"'Ah! ' She said, 'If you really love me, it doesn't matter where you are - a cave, a wood, a fox hole, a desert, it will please you equally.Don't think you can fool me, you want to run away, but I tell you for sure that you will stay here, and the first thing I ask you to do is to herd my sheep - they are very good company, exactly like You can talk too. ’” As she spoke, she walked on, and took me to this plain where we are now, and showed me her flock, though I paid no attention to them or to her.

"To tell the truth, I was so infatuated with her beautiful servant that I forgot all else, the cruel Regatta perceived this, and turned and gave her a furious and terrible look, and she fell to the ground dead. up.

"Beholding this dreadful spectacle, I drew my sword and struck at Regat, whose head I would have cut off if she had not held me in place by magic and chains. I struggled to break free of the iron chain, but to no avail, and at last when I fell to the ground in despair, she said to me with a contemptuous smile:

'I intend to let you experience my magic.Now you seem to be a lion, I want you to be a sheep. '" As she spoke, she touched me with her cane, and I became what you see. I have not lost the ability to speak, and I can still feel my current pain.

"'In five years' time,' said she, 'you will be a sheep and king of this paradise, and I shall never see your face I love so much, and I shall hate it more You—you deserve to be hated, too.'" And then she disappeared, and I would have been glad if I hadn't been too unlucky to care about anything.

"Those talking sheep made me their lord, saying they too were unfortunate princes who offended the vengeful goblin in different ways, and were brought into her flock for years , some years more, some years less. It is true that every now and then a person regains his original appearance and returns to his own place in the upper world. But the other sheep you see are Regatta's opponents or Enemies, although they can go back eventually, the goblins have imprisoned them for about 100 years. The young servant I spoke of was one of them, and I saw her often, and thought it was a very pleasant thing. She never Don't talk to me, and if I get closer to her, I know I'll find her a mere shadow, and that'll annoy me.

I noticed, however, that one of my unfortunate companions was also very attentive to the little ghost, and I found that he had been her lover, long ago taken from her by the cruel Regat.Since then, I have only cared or thought about how I can regain my freedom.I have often been in the forest, and that is where I met you, sweet princess, and sometimes you drive your carriage with the most graceful dexterity in all the world, and sometimes you ride after a vigorous horse—it seems that no one but you One can tame it - and sometimes you race across the plain with the other princesses of the court - and you run so lightly that you are always the prize.oh!Princess, I have been in love with you for a long time, but how dare I tell you my love for you!What hope is there for an unfortunate sheep like me? "

Hearing all this, Miranda was surprised and bewildered. She almost didn't know how to answer the Sheep King, but she still managed to say a few short words, which certainly wouldn't break his hope.She said that she is no longer afraid of those shadows now, because she knows that they will revive one day. "Ah!" she went on, "my poor Betty Bate and dear Glebkin and pretty little Tintin are all dead because of me, and if they do as well I can't hope for anything else here Already!"

Although the Sheep King is a prisoner, he still has some power and privileges.

"Go," he said to the horseman, "and look for shadows of the little Negro girl, monkey, and dog, which will please our princess."

A moment later Miranda saw them coming towards her, and though they couldn't come close enough for her to touch, their presence gave her the greatest pleasure.

The Sheep King is very kind and funny, and loves Miranda so affectionately that she eventually falls in love with him too.

Such a handsome sheep, so gentle and considerate, that it is impossible not to like it, especially when you learn that he is a real king, and that his incredible imprisonment will soon be over!So while the princess was waiting for that happy moment, she lived extremely happily.The Sheep King, with the help of his flock, held dances, concerts, and hunting parties, and even the shadows took part in the various entertainments, believing they had returned to their true selves.

One night, when the messengers came (the King of Sheep sent them very cautiously to scout for news--and they always brought back the best news), they announced that Princess Miranda's sister was going to marry a great prince, and Nothing could be more spectacular than everything put together for this wedding.

"Ah!" cried the little princess, "how unlucky I am not to see so many beautiful things! I am shut up in this dungeon with no friends but sheep and shadows, while my sister is dressed up Like a queen, surrounded by everyone who loves and admires her, and everyone can go and wish her happiness except me!"

"Why are you complaining, Princess?" asked the Sheep King. "Did I tell you that you could not go to the wedding? You can go whenever you like, but promise that I must come back, because I love you too much, and I will not go to the wedding without you." just can't survive."

Miranda was very grateful for it, and sincerely promised that nothing in the world could keep her from coming back.The King of Sheep ordered to prepare for her a team of attendants corresponding to her status. She dressed herself very luxuriously and did not forget anything that could make her more beautiful.Her carriage, made of mother-of-pearl, was pulled by six dun griffin heads brought from the other side of the world, and she was escorted by a number of guards in splendid livery.All the guards were at least eight feet high, and they were chosen from all directions, and rode through the procession of the princess.

When the wedding ceremony had just begun, Miranda went to her father's palace. When she entered the palace, everyone was amazed by her beauty and her dazzling jewels.She heard praises from all around, and the king—her father was watching her so intently that she was afraid he would recognize her.But the king was sure that she was dead, never thinking that she would be his daughter.

However, fearing she would not be able to leave the place when the time came, she left before the wedding was over.

She hurried out, leaving behind a coral jewel case studded with emeralds.The jewel box had the words "Gems for the Bride" spelled out in blue diamonds. As soon as they found the box they opened it, and it seemed to be filled with endless beautiful things.The king had hoped to get acquainted with this unknown princess and find out who she was, but she was very disappointed by her sudden disappearance, so he gave an order that as soon as she came back, he would close the door so that he would not be easily let go. She is gone.Although Miranda had not been away for a long time, the Sheep King felt as if 100 years had passed.He was waiting for her by a mountain spring deep in the dense forest, and the ground was covered with exquisite gifts that he was going to give her to express how happy and grateful he was for her return.

As soon as she appeared he ran to meet her, jumping like a real sheep.He caressed her tenderly, he knelt at her feet and kissed her hands, he told her how disturbed he had been in her absence, how anxiously he had been waiting for her return, and his brilliant eloquence charmed her.

After some time, word came that the king's second daughter was also about to marry.After hearing this, Miranda asked the Sheep King to allow her to attend the wedding as before.This request made him very sad, and he seemed to have a premonition of some disaster to come, but his love for the princess surpassed all, and he would not refuse her request.

"You wish to leave me, princess," said he, "and it is my bad fate—you cannot be blamed. I consent to your going, but believe me, nothing loves you more than I do."

The Princess assured him that she would only be staying for a short time, as on the last occasion, and begged him not to be anxious, for she would be as sad as he was if anything should delay her return.

So she set off with the same procession, and they reached the palace when the wedding began.Everyone was delighted to see her, and she was so pretty that they all thought she must be some fairy princess, and the princes who were at the wedding kept looking at her.

She came again, and the king, more than anyone else, ordered all the doors to be closed and bolted at once.

When the wedding was drawing to a close, the princess got up quickly, intending to slip away among the crowd when no one was looking, but to her great alarm she found that every door was fastened and fastened.

She was relieved when the king came towards her, and begged her with the utmost respect not to run away so soon, but to at least stay in his honor to attend the feast prepared for the princes and princesses.He led her into a stately hall where all the court was assembled.The king himself took up a golden bowl full of water, and handed it to her, to dip her pretty fingers in the water.

The princess could not control herself any longer, and she knelt at the king's feet, crying:
"My dream finally became a reality - on my sister's wedding day, you offered to pass me water to wash my hands, and it didn't make you angry."

The king recognized her at once--indeed, he had thought several times how much she resembled his poor little Meranda.

"Oh! my dear daughter," he cried, kissing her, "can you forget my cruelty? I order you to be put to death, because I thought your dream foretold that I would lose my crown. And it was so, he continued, "for now your two sisters are married and have kingdoms of their own—and mine shall be yours." And he put his crown on the princess's head. , shouting:
"Long live Queen Miranda!"

All the people in the court shouted, "Long live Queen Miranda!" The two sisters of the young queen ran up, put their arms around her neck, and kissed her a thousand times, and then suddenly they laughed and cried. , Saying and kissing again.Miranda thanked her father, and then greeted everyone—especially the captain of the guard, to whom she owed so much.But to her great sorrow, she heard that he was dead.Presently they sat down to the feast, and the king made Miranda tell him all that had happened since that dreadful morning when he sent the captain of the guard to fetch her.She described it vividly, and all the guests listened with bated breath and interest.But while she was so joyously with the King and his sisters, the Sheep King was anxiously waiting for her time to go back.But when the moment came and passed without the princess, he was so anxious that at last he could bear it no longer.

"She'll never come back," he cried. "My unfortunate sheep's face bores her, and what am I without Miranda? What a wretch I am! Oh! Heartless!" Riggett, my punishment should be over."

He grieved for such a bad fate for a long time. At this time, seeing that the sky was getting dark, but there was still no figure of the princess, he set off towards the city as fast as he could.When he reached the palace, he asked to see Miranda, but by this time everyone had heard the stories of her adventures, and they didn't want her to come back to the Sheep King, so they flatly refused to let him see her.He begged them to let him in, and though his pleas melted hearts of stone, they failed to move the palace guards, and at last his heart broke and he fell dead at their feet.

At the same time, the king, who had no idea of ​​such a tragedy outside the palace gates, proposed that Miranda take a carriage and drive around the city—he was to be placed in the windows and balconies and in all the great squares. Thousands of torches are shining brightly.But just at the gate of the palace, what a scene she saw!There lay her dear, kind sheep, soundless and motionless on the pavement!
She rushed out of the carriage and ran to him, weeping bitterly, for she knew that he had lost his life by breaking his promise.For a long time she suffered so much that people thought she too would die.

So you see, even a princess isn't always happy - especially when she forgets to keep her promises.

(End of this chapter)