red fairy book

Chapter 4 12 dancing little princesses (2)

9.

They danced and danced until the princesses had holes in their shoes, and the cock crowed three times, and at last the violin stopped.

The black boy served a big breakfast.For breakfast there were luscious orange blossoms, candied rose leaves, powdered violets, crispy schnitzels, crepes, and all sorts of things the princesses would love to eat.

After breakfast, the dancers went back to the boat, and this time the Watcher was on board the Eldest Princess.Again they passed the Diamond Grove and the Silver Grove.

To prove that he saw all this, Watcher broke a twig as he passed the last forest.

When Lina heard the sound of a branch snapping, she turned her head and asked, "What sound?"

"No sound at all," said the Eldest Princess, "perhaps an owl is hooting in the tower of some castle."

While she was speaking, Mike slipped quietly ahead, up the stairs, and was the first to enter the princesses' rooms.

He pushed open the window and slid down the vines of the climbing plants.

When he got to the garden, the sun had just risen and he was about to start working.

10.

On this day, when Mike tied the flowers, he deliberately put the silver branch into the flowers dedicated to the little princess.

Lina was astonished when she found the silver branch.

However, she did not tell her sisters.As she was walking in the elms, she came across the Watcher.She stopped suddenly, as if she wanted to talk to him, but then changed her mind and left.

That evening the twelve sisters went to dance again, and the Watcher, in Lina's boat, followed them across the lake.This time, it was the prince who complained that the boat was too heavy.

"It is too hot," replied the little princess, "I feel hot too."

At the ball, the little princess looked around to find the little gardener, but she couldn't find him.

On the way back, Mike picked another golden branch.This time, it was the eldest princess who heard the sound of pulling the branches.

"There is no sound," said the little princess. "It may be that the owl is hooting in some castle tower."

11.

When the little princess got up, she found a golden branch among her bouquet.Her sisters walked in front, and she deliberately stayed behind, quietly asking the watchman where he picked the branch.

"Your Highness, you know very well," Mike said.

"You followed us?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

"How did you follow? Why didn't we see you?"

"I'm hiding." Overwatch said quietly.

The princess said nothing.After a while, she said, "You know our secret. If you help us keep it secret, I will reward you a lot." She threw a gold purse to the watcher.

"My silence doesn't sell," Mike replied, walking away without looking at the wallet on the floor.

For three consecutive nights, Lina found nothing.On the fourth night, when passing Diamond Grove, she heard the rustling again.That very day she saw the branches again among her flowers.

She called Watcher aside and asked him angrily, "Do you know what my father is willing to pay to unlock this secret?"

"Your Highness, I know." Mike replied.

"Do you want to tell him?"

"I do not want."

"You're scared?"

"I'm not afraid. Her Royal Highness."

"Then why are you so careful?"

Mike didn't answer her question.

12.

Lena's sisters make fun of her when they see her talking to Overwatch.

"Why don't you marry him?" asked the eldest princess. "That way you can be a gardener too, and a gardener is a good job. You will live in the little farm at the other end of the garden, and help your husband draw water from the well every day. When we get up, you come and give us flowers."

Lina was so angry that when Overwatch sent flowers, she accepted them with contempt.

Mike was so polite he didn't even lift his eyes to look at her.The little princess didn't see him all day, but she always felt that he was by her side.

One day, she finally made up her mind and told her elder sister about it.

"What?" said the Princess, "this rascal knows our secret? Why didn't you tell me earlier! I must destroy him as soon as possible. How? Well, take him to the castle with the dungeon! "

That's how princesses used to kill those who knew too much in ancient times.

Strangely, the little princess didn't seem to like the idea at all.After all, he had no intention of telling their father.

13.

The two of them decided to discuss the matter with ten other sisters, all of whom sided with the eldest princess.At last, the little princess said that if they dared to touch the Watcher, she would tell her father the secret.

In the end, it was decided to put Watchman to the test, and they were going to take him to the ball and give him medicine for breakfast, just like the other princes.

They sent to Watchman and asked him how he knew their secret.But he remained silent.

Later, the eldest princess told him in a condescending tone that they were going to take him to a dance.

All he said was, "I do."

In fact, when the princesses had a meeting just now, Watcher was present.They couldn't see him, but he heard everything.However, he made up his mind to drink the medicine.He felt that he could sacrifice his own for the happiness of the one he loved.

However, Overwatch doesn't want to look like a poor ghost in front of the princesses.He immediately ran to the tree and said, "Lovely tree, I plowed for you with a golden rake, watered you with a golden bucket, and scrubbed you with a silk scarf. Make me noble like a prince."

The tree immediately produced a beautiful pink flower.Mike picked the flowers, and immediately put on a beautiful fleece, which was black and bright, like the eyes of a little princess.He also wore a hat studded with diamonds, with a rose in full bloom in the buttonhole.

That night, dressed in this suit, he came before the Duke of Bellowley.He volunteered to find out the secrets of his daughters.He looked so dignified that no one recognized who he was.

14.

The twelve princesses went upstairs to bed.Mike followed them, waiting outside the open door of the room until they gave him the signal to go.

This time, he didn't take Lina's boat.He asked the eldest princess to take his arm and danced with each princess in turn.He behaved so gracefully that everyone liked him.In the end, he also danced with the little princess, who thought he was the best dancing partner in the world, but he didn't talk to her.

When he returned her to her seat, she said jeeringly, "And now your dreams come true: we treat you like a prince."

"Don't be afraid," replied the Watcher politely. "You will never become the gardener's wife."

The little princess stared at him in surprise.But he didn't wait for her answer, turned and left.

When the violin stopped, the silk shoes were worn out again.The black boy set the table, and Mike sat next to the eldest princess, and the little princess sat across from him.

The princesses fed him the most exquisite cakes, gave him the most delicious wine to drink, and to make him more confused, they continued to praise him.

However, Watcher is very careful not to let himself get drunk, whether it is drunk with wine or drunk with praise.

15.

The eldest princess made a gesture, and a black man brought up a gold cup.

"Magic Castle has no secrets from you." She said to the watcher. "Let us drink to your victory!"

Watching Star looked at the little princess and raised his cup without hesitation.

"Don't drink!" cried the little princess suddenly, "I'd rather marry the gardener!" Her tears welled up.

Mike poured the wine behind him, crossed the table, and fell at Lina's feet, and the other princes fell at the feet of the princesses.And just like that, each princess has chosen their soul mate, and the magic is broken.

Twelve pairs of lovers boarded the boat.In order to bring all the princes back, the boat went back and forth many times.At last they passed through three more woods, and when they came out of the door of the underground passage, they heard a loud noise, and the magic castle collapsed behind them.

Together they went to Duke Bellowley's room.As soon as the Duke woke up, he saw Mike holding a golden cup in his hand and told him the secret of the princesses' soles.

"You choose," said the Duke. "Which one do you like?"

"I've already chosen." Watcher said, and handed the little princess his hand.The little princess's face was flushed, and she lowered her eyes in shame.

16.

Princess Lina did not become the gardener's wife, quite the contrary, it was the watcher who became the prince.Before the wedding, the princess said that her lover should tell her how he had discovered their secret.

Watchman showed her two branches that helped him, and she, like a wayward little girl, thought that these two branches gave him too much superpower and made him superior to the princess, so she chopped off the branches It was broken and thrown into the stove.

So the country girls are singing:
Nousn, irons plus aubois,
Leslauriers sontcoupe, s.
They danced in the moonlight on summer nights.

(End of this chapter)