yellow-green fairy tale book

Chapter 12 Combs and Collars (2)
After the boat docked, the fox pointed his paw at the prince's clothes.He understood what it meant, it was telling him to put on his clothes.He complied.They boarded the boat together, and when they were about to push the boat away, the prince saw the comb that scared the beautiful girl away, and he raised his hand, intending to throw it into the sea.The fox jumped up and grabbed his hand so tightly that he couldn't move.However, at this moment, a man on horseback on the shore shot an arrow at the fox, aiming so accurately, the poor little thing immediately fell heavily on the cabin, closing his eyes, as if someone had been fatally shot. Like an arrow.The prince was so distressed that he jumped ashore at once, but the murderer was already far away.When he turned around again, the boat and the fox were gone.

The storm was coming, and he hurried back to the cave.At this time, many candles were burning in the cave, one by one, like a half-drawn knife from its sheath.The tub is covered with a white ceiling-shaped curtain with many scabbards embroidered on it.At this time, a voice came from the curtain:

"Prince, if you knew that my heart belonged to you, as I feel your heart belongs to me, then you would believe me no matter what happened? But, beware, when the curtain opens, as long as If you show even the slightest bit of fear on your face, you'll lose me forever."

Thanks for her reminder.But even so, he worked very hard to keep his face unchanged and his hands trembling.Because he saw a ferocious crocodile poking its head towards him.He tried his best to keep calm and stared at the terrifying crocodile without moving.At this time, the crocodile raised its head again, and the face of the lovely shell girl appeared under it.

"Quick! Prince! Quick! Time is running out! Use the comb to comb my hair, or you will never see me." Hearing her words, he quickly took out the comb.But to his surprise, it took all his strength to pull the comb out of the box.What's even more strange is that as the comb was pulled out little by little, first the girl's head gradually came out of the terrible skin, and then her body also began to emerge from the water, after her shoulders and arms were also freed.She said to him again:

"Okay, you did exactly what I said just now. Now, burn my skin off."

"Ah! I must never do that," he cried, but the girl interrupted him:

"Then we both will regret it forever!" she said sadly, "I can only marry the man who burned my skin off." Just as he was still hesitating, the curtain closed and her It was covered, and the candle was extinguished.

The prince regretted it very much, and walked into the forest unconsciously.There was a bonfire burning there, and he didn't know what to do.As he walked, his foot almost tripped over a piece of crocodile skin lying across the road.

"Ah! how stupid I am! This must be the skin she wants me to burn," he said, grabbing it with both hands, and throwing it into the fire.Suddenly, the fish skin made a loud noise, and he didn't know what would happen next, so he quickly stepped back a few steps.After a while, seeing nothing happened, he returned to the fire.The crocodile skin was gone, leaving no trace.But in the ashes he saw something gleaming, and upon closer inspection, it was the magical collar.what!The sister he had been thinking of so much must be nearby.Before he could turn his head and pick up the collar, his sister's arms wrapped around him.At this moment, the brother and sister were so happy that they forgot everything else.

"Tell me what happened to you first!" she said.He told his own experience, but because his mind was full of the image of Shell girl, he completely forgot about the fox and didn't mention it at all.It was also a good thing that he forgot and didn't mention it, because when the princess talked endlessly about her adventures, she mentioned that everything was due to the little snow fox.

"It is absolutely impossible for you to imagine how much it cared about me when I was in the small palace. Although everything is out of its kindness, I can see from its eyes that it hopes that I can do something for it What, but I couldn't figure it out. Ah! Then one day, I paid the price and found out. I hid the collar in a thick bush, lest the fox would be scared away like other animals when it saw it. But one day, when we were in the garden, the sun was shining on it, and the fox happily ran to the collar when he saw it, and when he was about to pick it up with his teeth, the collar locked with a click. The fox made a sound and ran away screaming. I looked around for it afterwards, but I never saw it again. I happened to be here when you threw that fish skin into the fire. It must have come from my collar in my haste to escape. It fell off my body." With tears in her eyes, she continued, "Ah!

Dear brother, I can't live without my beloved fox, please, help me find him. "

She was so sad that the prince dared not tell her what had happened to the poor little animal.One can only hope that with time, she will slowly calm down.He promised her that as long as she spent the day with him by the sea, he would go anywhere with her.The princess had no choice but to agree.

The prince stood on the rock by the sea, looking out at the beautiful island, hoping to see the white sail again.At this moment, from the forest not far from him came a terrible scream.He ran quickly into the forest, and saw a knight riding a horse with a bow on his back, desperately pulling a woman onto his saddle.Seeing him, the knight was taken aback. He didn't expect that there would be someone in such a barren place, so he couldn't help but let go of the woman's arm.The woman hurried to hide behind the prince.The prince was surprised to see that this woman was his stepmother.

"Why did you come here?" He asked coldly, regretting coming to save her, and she had to pay for it.She saw what was going on in his mind, and knelt before him on her knees.

"Ah! forgive me my sin," she said, "for I have long since regretted what I have done. When your father was beaten by that mad Grand Duke, I wanted to help him. You were Saved me from the Grand Duke." When the prince was going to chase the horse in the direction of the sound of hooves, she said, "It's too late to chase him now." They walked back together, and after she parted them, told him.

"Since the king knew that I had abused your sister," she said, "he swore he would never see me again, and then he left the palace to look for you. I wanted to follow him secretly, but I never heard from him. I went to Ask the mother of the scabbard, she took me to a small island with palm trees, and showed me a lovely princess. Because of her magic, she will turn into a crocodile during the day. Whenever this terrible moment comes , the crocodile skin appeared in front of her. Although she was trembling, she was still driven by an irresistible force, put on the crocodile skin, and jumped into the sea. I want to lead you to this island, but we have to Find your sister first, for on her is the life of a white fox, if it is not dead."

"White Fox!" exclaimed the Prince, "do you understand him?"

"Not very well," replied the Queen, "but since I have come to this island, he has been with us a lot, and is very fond of us. He was not with us during the day yesterday. At night, a boat Floating on the beach, the fox was lying on the boat covered in blood. In the palace, we did everything possible to heal his wounds, and then I went to ask the wizard. The wizard said, I must go on a boat to find the prince and princess of Lombardy , If you can find them within 24 hours and bring them to the fox, then the fox's life can be saved.

By a rock on the coast I found your father, shot in the shoulder by his cousin, the mad Grand Duke.The mad Grand Duke drew another arrow from his quiver to shoot at me, and I ran off into the forest. "

"My father is near!" cried the Prince, "and we must go back to him, and to my sister."

They found the princess in the cave with the king's head in her lap.She was trying to stop the bleeding for him, but it was in vain.Together they carried him into the boat and rowed quickly to the island.On the way, the prince tactfully told his sister about the situation of the white fox.

"Take me to it!" said the Princess, as soon as the boat came ashore.The queen led them silently towards the palace.

The white fox was lying on a cushion by the fire with his eyes closed.One look at it and you know it's dying.However, it seemed to sense the princess coming to it in the dark. It opened its eyes and wagged its tail feebly.The princess couldn't help but burst into tears.Then someone patted her on the shoulder.

"Why are you wasting precious time like this?" said the governor of the island with a straight face. "Put the collar you wear around its neck and it will heal immediately, but you must hurry."

After hearing this, the princess was as dumb as a stone.

"Collar!" she stammered, "but I don't have a collar anymore. I left it in the forest."

Thousands of scabbards hanging on the wall shouted: "The collar is lost! The collar is lost!"

"What collars are you talking about?" said the king lying on the other bed, as a doctor bent over to heal him. "I have one here, which I picked up in the ashes before the maniac shot me— Maybe it's the one you're looking for, or else, it might work just as well." He motioned for a squire to pull the collar out of his pocket.

Seeing the precious collar, the princess rushed over happily, snatched it from the attendant's hand, and put it on the fox's neck.Everyone present held their breath, watching what happened next.I saw the fox's legs getting longer and longer, and his nose getting shorter and shorter.Then the fox disappeared, and there lay Pera Ritz, covered with a white fur.

Although the Lombard prince was happy to see his friends and cousins, his heart was still sad for the beautiful girl who mysteriously disappeared.The governor of the island, noticing the sad look on his face, asked him what was the matter.

"Ah! Help me if you can!" said the Prince. "It makes me sad to think that the beautiful enchanted maiden may still be suffering."

"Her suffering is worse than you can imagine," said the governor with a gloomy expression. "However, as long as your comb is still there, you can still rescue her from suffering." Taking it out of the box, he said again, "Ah! That's great, come with me!"

Not only the prince, but all the people followed behind him.The Governor led them down a long corridor to a large iron gate.The iron door opened automatically.The prince was stunned by the situation inside!The incredibly beautiful girl he had seen last time was sitting in a chair surrounded by flames that clung to her head like hair and licked her face.Her face was red and swollen, and her mouth was open as if she couldn't breathe.It's just that the hands and neck were not hurt, and they were still as delicate and white as before.

"It's all your fault," said the governor, "that's what she got into when you burned the crocodile skin. Now try it! See if your comb can relieve her pain!"

As soon as the comb touched the princess, the flame went out immediately; after combing it again, the pain on the princess's face was gone, and the swelling disappeared; after the third combing, the princess stood up from the chair, and she looked even more lovely than before.She threw herself into the arms of his brother Pellaretz.

There was only one thing left to do, and that was to get the two young couples married as soon as possible.After the wedding, Pera Ritz and his bride returned to Placenza, Ferrantina and her husband to Lombardy.They lived happily ever after until they grew old together.

(End of this chapter)