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
She resolved to take them to her own home, and thought Heaven had sent
her this little flock instead of the one she had lost. It was composed
of two girls, who were only two or three years old, and a little boy of
five. Each had a little ribbon round its neck, to which was attached
a small jewel. One was a golden cherry enamelled with crimson, and
engraved with the name of "Lirette." She thought that this must be
the name of the little girl who wore it, and she resolved to call her
by it. The other was a medlar, on which was written "Mirtis;" and the
little boy had an almond of green enamel, around which was written
"Finfin." The Good Woman felt perfectly satisfied that these were their
names.
The little girls had some jewels in their head-dresses, and more than
enough to put the Good Woman in easy circumstances. She had very soon
bought another flock, and surrounded herself with everything necessary
for the maintenance of her interesting family. She made their winter
clothing of the bark of trees, and in the summer they had white cotton
dresses of the finest bleaching.
Young as they were, they tended their flock. And this time the flock
was faithful, and was more docile and obedient to them than towards the
large dogs which guarded them; and these dogs were also gentle, and
attached to the children. They grew visibly, and passed their days most
innocently; they loved the Good Woman, and were all three excessively
fond of each other. They occupied themselves in tending their sheep,
fishing with a line, spreading nets to catch birds, working in a little
garden of their own, and employed their delicate hands in cultivating
flowers.
There was one rose-tree, which the young Lirette was especially fond
of; she watered it often, and took the greatest care of it; she thought
nothing so beautiful as a rose, and loved it above all other flowers.
She had a fancy one day to open a bud, and try to find its heart, when
in so doing she pricked her finger with a thorn. The pain was sharp,
and she began to cry; the beautiful Finfin, who very seldom left her,
approached, and began to cry too, at seeing her suffer. He took her
little finger, pressed it, and squeezed the blood gently from it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account