Children's stories, French -- Translations into English; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- France
The girl had no sooner reached home than her mother began scolding her
for being back so late. "I am sorry, mother," said she, "to have been
out so long," and as she spoke, there fell from her mouth two roses, two
pearls, and two large diamonds. The mother gazed at her in astonishment.
"What do I see!" she exclaimed, "Pearls and diamonds seem to be dropping
from her mouth! How is this, my daughter?"--it was the first time she
had called her _daughter_. The poor child related in all simplicity what
had happened, letting fall quantities of diamonds in the course of her
narrative. "I must certainly send my other daughter there," said the
mother. "Look, Fanchon, see what falls from your sister's mouth when she
speaks! Would you not be glad to receive a similar gift? All you have to
do, is to go and fetch water from the spring, and if an old woman asks
you for some to drink, to give it her nicely and politely." "I should
like to see myself going to the spring," answered the rude, cross girl.
"I insist on your going," rejoined the mother, "and that at once."
[Illustration: '_She gave it to the Woman._']
The elder girl went off, still grumbling; with her she took the
handsomest silver bottle she could find in the house.
She had no sooner arrived at the spring, than she saw a lady
magnificently dressed walking towards her from the wood, who approached
and asked for some water to drink. It was the same fairy who had
appeared to the sister, but she had now put on the airs and apparel of a
princess, as she wished to see how far this girl's rudeness would go.
"Do you think I came here just to draw water for you?" answered the
arrogant and unmannerly girl; "I have, of course, brought this silver
bottle on purpose for madam to drink from! Well, all I have to say
is--drink from it if you like."
"You are scarcely polite," said the fairy, without losing her temper;
"however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that
with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your
mouth."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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