🧚 Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida, part 3 · page 2

‘“Who are you, little girl,” said she, “who dares to come where I allow no mortal to live, lest my birds should be disturbed?48 Still, if you are clever at anything,” she added, “I might be able to put up with your presence.”49

‘“Madam,” I answered, rising, “you may be very sure that I shall not do anything to alarm your birds.50 I only beg you, for pity’s sake, to give me something to eat.”51

‘“I will do that,” she replied, “before I send you where you deserve to go.”52

‘And thereupon she despatched six jays, who were her pages, to fetch me all sorts of biscuits, while some of the other birds brought ripe fruits.53 In fact, I had a delicious breakfast, though I do not like to be waited upon so quickly.54 It is so disagreeable to be hurried.55 I began to think I should like very well to stay in this pleasant country, and I said so to the stately lady, but she answered with the greatest disdain:56

‘“Do you think I would keep you here?57 _You_!58 Why what do you suppose would be the good of you in this country, where everybody is wide-awake and busy?59 No, no, I have shown you all the hospitality you will get from me.”60

‘With these words she turned and gave a vigorous pull to the silken rope which I mentioned before, but instead of a melodious chime, there arose a hideous clanging which quite terrified me, and in an instant a huge Black Bird appeared, which alighted at the Fairy’s feet, saying in a frightful voice--61

‘“What do you want of me, my sister?”62

‘“I wish you to take this little Princess to my cousin, the Giant of the Green Castle, at once,” she replied, “and beg him from me to make her work day and night upon his beautiful tapestry.”63

‘At these words the great Bird snatched me up, regardless of my cries, and flew off at a terrific pace--’64

‘Oh! you are joking, cousin,’ interrupted Prince Vivien; ‘you mean as slowly as possible.65 I know that horrible Black Bird, and the lengthiness of all his proceedings and surroundings.’66

‘Have it your own way,’ replied Placida, tranquilly.67 ‘I cannot bear arguing.68 Perhaps, this was not even the same bird.69 At any rate, he carried me off at a prodigious speed, and set me gently down in this very castle of which you are now the master.70 We entered by one of the windows, and when the Bird had handed me over to the Giant from whom you have been good enough to deliver me, and given the Fairy’s message, it departed.71

‘Then the Giant turned to me, saying,72

‘“So you are an idler!73 Ah! well, we must teach you to work.74 You won’t be the first we have cured of laziness.75 See how busy all my guests are.”76

‘I looked up as he spoke, and saw that an immense gallery ran all round the hall, in which were tapestry frames, spindles, skeins of wool, patterns, and all necessary things.77 Before each frame about a dozen people were sitting, hard at work, at which terrible sight I fainted away, and as soon as I recovered they began to ask me what I could do.78

‘It was in vain that I replied as before, and with the strongest desire to be taken at my word, “Nothing at all.”79

‘The Giant only said,80

‘“Then you must learn to do something; in this world there is enough work for everybody.”81

‘It appeared that they were working into the tapestry all the stories the Fairies liked best, and they began to try and teach me to help them, but from the first class, where they tried me to begin with, I sank lower and lower, and not even the most simple stitches could I learn.82

‘In vain they punished me by all the usual methods.83 In vain the Giant showed me his menagerie, which was entirely composed of children who would not work!84 Nothing did me any good, and at last I was reduced to drawing water for the dyeing of the wools, and even over that I was so slow that this morning the Giant flew into a rage and changed me into a gazelle.85 He was just putting me into the menagerie when I happened to catch sight of a dog, and was seized with such terror that I fled away at my utmost speed, and escaped through the outer court of the castle.86 The Giant, fearing that I should be lost altogether, sent his green lion after me, with orders to bring me back, cost what it might, and I should certainly have let myself be caught, or eaten up, or anything, rather than run any further, if I had not luckily met you by the fountain.87 And oh!’ concluded the Princess, ‘how delightful it is once more to be able to sit still in peace.88 I was so tired of trying to learn things.’89

Prince Vivien said that, for his part, he had been kept a great deal too still, and had not found it at all amusing, and then he recounted all his adventures with breathless rapidity.90 How he had taken shelter with Dame Patience, and consulted the Oracle, and voyaged in the paper ship.91 Then they went hand in hand to release all the prisoners in the castle, and all the Princes and Princesses who were in cages in the menagerie, for the instant the Green Giant was dead they had resumed their natural forms.92 As you may imagine, they were all very grateful, and Princess Placida entreated them never, never to do another stitch of work so long as they lived, and they promptly made a great bonfire in the courtyard, and solemnly burnt all the embroidery frames and spinning wheels.93 Then the Princess gave them splendid presents, or rather sat by while Prince Vivien gave them, and there were great rejoicings in the Green Castle, and everyone did his best to please the Prince and Princess.94 But with all their good intentions, they often made mistakes, for Vivien and Placida were never of one mind about their plans, so it was very confusing, and they frequently found themselves obeying the Prince’s orders, very, very slowly, and rushing off with lightning speed to do something that the Princess did not wish to have done at all, until, by-and-by, the two cousins took to consulting with, and consoling one another in all these little vexations, and at last came to be so fond of each other that for Placida’s sake Vivien became quite patient, and for Vivien’s sake Placida made the most unheard-of exertions.95 But now the Fairies who had been watching all these proceedings with interest, thought it was time to interfere, and ascertain by further trials if this improvement was likely to continue, and if they really loved one another.96 So they caused Placida to seem to have a violent fever, and Vivien to languish and grow dull, and made each of them very uneasy about the other, and then, finding a moment when they were apart, the Fairy Mirlifiche suddenly appeared to Placida, and said--97