The Tales of Mother Goose: As First Collected by Charles Perrault in 1696Perrault, Charles
General
The Tales of Mother Goose: As First Collected by Charles Perrault in 1696
Perrault, Charles
Children's stories, French -- Translations into English; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- France
Then, as the end of the enchantment was come, the Princess awoke, and
looking on him with eyes more tender than could have been expected at
first sight, said:--
"Is it you, my Prince? You have waited a long while."
The Prince, charmed with these words, and much more with the manner in
which they were spoken, knew not how to show his joy and gratitude; he
assured her that he loved her better than he did himself. Their
discourse was not very connected, but they were the better pleased, for
where there is much love there is little eloquence. He was more at a
loss than she, and we need not wonder at it; she had had time to think
of what to say to him; for it is evident (though history says nothing of
it) that the good fairy, during so long a sleep, had given her very
pleasant dreams. In short, they talked together for four hours, and then
they said not half they had to say.
In the meanwhile all the palace had woke up with the Princess; every one
thought upon his own business, and as they were not in love, they were
ready to die of hunger. The lady of honor, being as sharp set as the
other folks, grew very impatient, and told the Princess aloud that the
meal was served. The Prince helped the Princess to rise. She was
entirely and very magnificently dressed; but his royal Highness took
care not to tell her that she was dressed like his great-grandmother,
and had a high collar. She looked not a bit the less charming and
beautiful for all that.
They went into the great mirrored hall, where they supped, and were
served by the officers of the Princess's household. The violins and
hautboys played old tunes, but they were excellent, though they had not
been played for a hundred years; and after supper, without losing any
time, the lord almoner married them in the chapel of the castle. They
had but very little sleep--the Princess scarcely needed any; and the
Prince left her next morning to return into the city, where his father
was greatly troubled about him.
The Prince told him that he lost his way in the forest as he was
hunting, and that he had slept in the cottage of a charcoal-burner, who
gave him cheese and brown bread.
The King, his father, who was a good man, believed him; but his mother
could not be persuaded that it was true; and seeing that he went almost
every day a-hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready for so
doing, though he had been out three or four nights together, she began
to suspect that he was married; for he lived thus with the Princess
above two whole years, during which they had two children, the elder, a
daughter, was named Dawn, and the younger, a son, they called Day,
because he was a great deal handsomer than his sister.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account