The Enchanted Canary · page 31 2 3 4201‘What are you doing there, you lovely creature?’ she said to Zizi.202‘I am waiting for my lover,’ Zizi replied; and then, with a simplicity quite natural in a girl who so lately had been a canary, she told all her story.203The gypsy had often seen the young Prince pass by, with his gun on his shoulder, when he was going after crows.204She was too ugly and ragged for him ever to have noticed her, but Titty on her side had admired him, though she thought he might well have been a little fatter.205‘Dear, dear!’ she said to herself.206‘So he likes yellow women!207Why, I am yellow too, and if I could only think of a way——’208It was not long before she did think of it.209‘What!’ cried the sly Titty, ‘they are coming with great pomp to fetch you, and you are not afraid to show yourself to so many fine lords and ladies with your hair down like that?210Get down at once, my poor child, and let me dress your hair for you!’211The innocent Zizi came down at once, and stood by Titty.212The gypsy began to comb her long brown locks, when suddenly she drew a pin from her stays, and, just as the titmouse digs its beak into the heads of linnets and larks, Titty dug the pin into the head of Zizi.213No sooner did Zizi feel the prick of the pin than she became a bird again, and, spreading her wings, she flew away.214‘That was neatly done,’ said the gypsy.215‘The Prince will be clever if he finds his bride.’216And, arranging her dress, she seated herself on the grass to await Désiré.217XII218Meanwhile the Prince was coming as fast as his horse could carry him.219He was so impatient that he was always full fifty yards in front of the lords and ladies sent by Tubby to bring back Zizi.220At the sight of the hideous gypsy he was struck dumb with surprise and horror.221‘Ah me!’ said Titty, ‘so you don’t know your poor Zizi?222While you were away the wicked witch came, and turned me into this.223But if you only have the courage to marry me I shall get back my beauty.’224And she began to cry bitterly.225Now the good-natured Désiré was as soft-hearted as he was brave.226‘Poor girl,’ he thought to himself.227‘It is not her fault, after all, that she has grown so ugly, it is mine.228Oh! why did I not follow the old man’s advice?229Why did I leave her alone?230And besides, it depends on me to break the spell, and I love her too much to let her remain like this.’231So he presented the gypsy to the lords and ladies of the Court, explaining to them the terrible misfortune which had befallen his beautiful bride.232They all pretended to believe it, and the ladies at once put on the false princess the rich dresses they had brought for Zizi.233She was then perched on the top of a magnificent ambling palfrey, and they set forth to the castle.234But unluckily the rich dress and jewels only made Titty look uglier still, and Désiré could not help feeling hot and uncomfortable when he made his entry with her into the city.235Bells were pealing, chimes ringing, and the people filling the streets and standing at their doors to watch the procession go by, and they could hardly believe their eyes as they saw what a strange bride their Prince had chosen.236In order to do her more honour, Tubby came to meet her at the foot of the great marble staircase.237At the sight of the hideous creature he almost fell backwards.238‘What!’ he cried.239‘Is this the wonderful beauty?’240‘Yes, father, it is she,’ replied Désiré with a sheepish look.241‘But she has been bewitched by a wicked sorceress, and will not regain her beauty until she is my wife.’242‘Does she say so?243Well, if you believe that, you may drink cold water and think it bacon,’ the unhappy Tubby answered crossly.244But all the same, as he adored his son, he gave the gypsy his hand and led her to the great hall, where the bridal feast was spread.checked by a teacher245XIII246The feast was excellent, but Désiré hardly touched anything.247However, to make up, the other guests ate greedily, and, as for Tubby, nothing ever took away his appetite.248When the moment arrived to serve the roast goose, there was a pause, and Tubby took the opportunity to lay down his knife and fork for a little.249But as the goose gave no sign of appearing, he sent his head carver to find out what was the matter in the kitchen.250Now this was what had happened.checked by a teacher251While the goose was turning on the spit, a beautiful little canary hopped on to the sill of the open window.252‘Good-morning, my fine cook,’ she said in a silvery voice to the man who was watching the roast.253‘Good-morning, lovely golden bird,’ replied the chief of the scullions, who had been well brought up.254‘I pray that Heaven may send you to sleep,’ said the golden bird, ‘and that the goose may burn, so that there may be none left for Titty.’255And instantly the chief of the scullions fell fast asleep, and the goose was burnt to a cinder.256When he awoke he was horrified, and gave orders to pluck another goose, to stuff it with chestnuts, and put it on the spit.257While it was browning at the fire, Tubby inquired for his goose a second time.258The Master Cook himself mounted to the hall to make his excuses, and to beg his lord to have a little patience.259Tubby showed his patience by abusing his son.260‘As if it wasn’t enough,’ he grumbled between his teeth, ‘that the boy should pick up a hag without a penny, but the goose must go and burn now.261It isn’t a wife he has brought me, it is Famine herself.’262XIV263While the Master Cook was upstairs, the golden bird came again to perch on the window-sill, and called in his clear voice to the head scullion, who was watching the spit:264‘Good-morning, my fine Scullion!’265‘Good-morning, lovely Golden Bird,’ replied the Scullion, whom the Master Cook had forgotten in his excitement to warn.266‘I pray Heaven,’ went on the Canary, ‘that it will send you to sleep, and that the goose may burn, so that there may be none left for Titty.’267And the Scullion fell fast asleep, and when the Master Cook came back he found the goose as black as the chimney.268In a fury he woke the Scullion, who in order to save himself from blame told the whole story.269‘That accursed bird,’ said the Cook; ‘it will end by getting me sent away.270Come, some of you, and hide yourselves, and if it comes again, catch it and wring its neck.’271He spitted a third goose, lit a huge fire, and seated himself by it.272The bird appeared a third time, and said: ‘Good-morning, my fine Cook.’273‘Good-morning, lovely Golden Bird,’ replied the Cook, as if nothing had happened, and at the moment that the Canary was beginning, ‘I pray Heaven that it may send,’ a scullion who was hidden outside rushed out and shut the shutters.274The bird flew into the kitchen.275Then all the cooks and scullions sprang after it, knocking at it with their aprons.276At length one of them caught it just at the very moment that Tubby entered the kitchen, waving his sceptre.277He had come to see for himself why the goose had never made its appearance.278The Scullion stopped at once, just as he was about to wring the Canary’s neck.279XV280‘Will some one be kind enough to tell me the meaning of all this?’ cried the Lord of Avesnes.281‘Your Excellency, it is the bird,’ replied the Scullion, and he placed it in his hand.282‘Nonsense!283What a lovely bird!’ said Tubby, and in stroking its head he touched a pin that was sticking between its feathers.284He pulled it out, and lo! the Canary at once became a beautiful girl with a golden skin who jumped lightly to the ground.285‘Gracious! what a pretty girl!’ said Tubby.286‘Father! it is she! it is Zizi!’ exclaimed Désiré, who entered at this moment.287And he took her in his arms, crying: ‘My darling Zizi, how happy I am to see you once more!’288‘Well, and the other one?’ asked Tubby.289The other one was stealing quietly to the door.290‘Stop her! called Tubby.291‘We will judge her cause at once.’292And he seated himself solemnly on the oven, and condemned Titty to be burned alive.293After which the lords and cooks formed themselves in lines, and Tubby betrothed Désiré to Zizi.294XVI295The marriage took place a few days later.296All the boys in the country side were there, armed with wooden swords, and decorated with epaulets made of gilt paper.checked by a teacher297Zizi obtained Titty’s pardon, and she was sent back to the brick-fields, followed and hooted at by all the boys.298And this is why to-day the country boys always throw stones at a titmouse.299On the evening of the wedding-day all the larders, cellars, cupboards and tables of the people, whether rich or poor, were loaded as if by enchantment with bread, wine, beer, cakes and tarts, roast larks, and even geese, so that Tubby could not complain any more that his son had married Famine.300Since that time there has always been plenty to eat in that country, and since that time, too, you see in the midst of the fair-haired blue-eyed women of Flanders a few beautiful girls, whose eyes are black and whose skins are the colour of gold.1 2 3 4← previousThe Three Dwarfs, part 3next →The Twelve Brothers↑ back to The Red Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg540/40/page/3/