"But I will make amends for all the evil that I have done," said the
fairy; and, refusing to stay for the wedding-dinner, she remounted her
chariot, drawn by two terrible serpents, and flew to the palace of
Graciosa's father. There, before either king, or courtiers, or
ladies-in-waiting could stop her--even had they wished to do it, which
remains doubtful--she came behind the wicked Grognon, and twisted her
neck, just as a cook does a barn-door fowl. So Grognon died and was
buried, and nobody was particularly sorry for the same.
THE IRON STOVE.
In the days when magic was still of some avail, a king's son was
enchanted by an old witch, and compelled to spend his life sitting
inside a great Iron Stove in a wood. There he passed many years, and
nobody could release him.
Once a king's daughter came into the wood. She had gone astray, and
could not find her father's kingdom again; and having wandered about
for nine days, at last she stood before the Iron Stove. Then a voice
came out of it, and said, "Whence do you come, and where do you want
to go?"
She answered, "I have wandered from my father's kingdom, and lost
myself, and cannot get home again."
Then the voice spoke out of the Iron Stove: "I will help you home
again, and that, too, in a short time, if you will promise to do what
I desire. I am a greater prince than you are a princess, and I wish to
marry you.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208