Four and Twenty Fairy Tales: Selected from Those of Perrault, and Other Popular Writers
General
Four and Twenty Fairy Tales: Selected from Those of Perrault, and Other Popular Writers
Fairy tales
of the Prince, everything that she thought likely to prejudice her in
his favour; but she deceived herself this time; and on the arrival of
Ariston, she observed nothing of that emotion or surprise which is the
usual presage of a tender passion. As for the Prince, his sentiments
were in perfect accordance with the wishes of the Fairy: he became
passionately in love from the moment he first set eyes on Ravissante;
and it was not possible to see her without adoring her, for never were
grace and beauty so perfectly united as in the person of this amiable
princess. She had the most exquisite complexion, and her dark brown
hair added to its dazzling whiteness; her mouth had infinite charms,
her teeth were more purely white than pearls; her eyes, the most
beautiful in the world, were deep blue, and they were so brilliant, and
at the same time so touching in their expression, that it was hardly
possible to sustain their glances without yielding the heart at once
to the fatal power which love had bestowed on them. She was not very
tall, but perfectly beautiful, and all her movements were peculiarly
graceful. Everything she did and said pleased invariably, and often a
smile or a single word sufficed to prove that the charms of her mind
equalled those of her person.
Such, and a thousand times more amiable than I can paint her, it had
indeed been difficult for Ariston not to have become distractedly in
love; but the Princess received his attentions with indifference, and
did not appear in the least touched by them. The Fairy remarked it, and
felt a grief which was only surpassed by that of the Prince. She had
remarked in the stars that he who was destined to possess Ravissante
would extend his power not only over the earth, but even over the sea.
Therefore her ambition made her wish that her nephew should touch the
heart of the Princess as much as he desired the same effect from his
love. She thought, however, that if the Prince were as learned as she
was in the magic art, he might perhaps find some mode of rendering
himself more attractive in the eyes of Ravissante; but the Fairy, who
had never loved, was ignorant that the art of pleasing is not always
to be discovered, although sought for with the utmost ardour and
eagerness. She taught the Prince, therefore, in a short time, all those
sciences which are known only to the fairies. He had no pleasure in
learning them, nor had he any idea of employing them but with regard
to his passion for Ravissante. He began to make use of them by giving
every day a new fête to the Princess. She admired the wonders produced,
she deigned even sometimes to praise what appeared the most gallant in
these efforts of the Prince to please her; but after all, she received
his devotion and his attentions as the just homage due to her beauty,
and she considered them amply repaid by her condescending to receive
them without anger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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