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 found the vessel Anguillette had promised her. It was gilt all
over. The masts were of marqueterie of the most admirable pattern; the
sails, of rose-colour and silver tissue; and in every part of it was
inscribed the word "Liberty." The crew were attired in dresses of the
same colours as the sails. All appeared to breathe in this atmosphere
the sweet air of freedom.
The Princess entered a magnificent cabin. The furniture was admirable,
and the paintings perfect. She was as much a prey to sorrow in this new
abode as she was in her father's Court. They strove in vain to amuse
her by a thousand pleasures; she was not yet in a state of mind to pay
the slightest attention to them.
One day while she was contemplating a painting in her cabin, which
represented a landscape, she remarked in it a young shepherd, who, with
a smiling countenance, was depicted cutting nets to set at liberty a
great number of birds that had been caught in them, and some of these
little creatures seemed to be soaring to the skies with marvellous
velocity. All the other pictures displayed similar subjects. None
suggested an idea of love, and all appeared to boast the charms of
Liberty. "Alas!" exclaimed the Princess, sorrowfully, "will my heart
never enjoy that sweet happiness which reason prays for so often in
vain?"
The unfortunate Hebe thus passed her days, struggling between her love
and her desire to forget it. The ship had been a month at sea without
touching anywhere, when one morning that the Princess was on deck she
saw land at a distance, which appeared to be that of a very lovely
country. The trees were of surprising height and beauty, and as the
vessel neared them, she perceived they were covered with birds of the
most brilliant plumage, whose songs made a charming concert. Their
notes were very soft, and it appeared as if they were afraid of making
too much noise. They landed on this beautiful shore. The Princess
descended from the vessel, followed by her women, and from the moment
she breathed the air of this island, some unknown power seemed to set
her heart at rest, and she fell into an agreeable slumber, which for a
short time sealed up her beautiful eyes.
This pleasant country, to which she was a stranger, was the Peaceful
Island. The Fairy Anguillette, a near relation of the Princes who
reigned in these parts, had conferred upon it, for two thousand years,
the happy power of curing unfortunate attachments. It is confidently
asserted that it still possesses that power; but the difficulty is to
find the island.
The Prince who reigned in it at that period, was descended in a right
line from the celebrated Princess Carpillon and her charming husband,
of whom a modern Fairy, wiser and more polished than those of ancient
times, has so gracefully recounted the wonderful adventures.[8]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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