"Florina shall repent having pleased King Charming!" cried she; and
dressing her own daughter in rich garments, with a gold crown on her
head, and King Charming's ring on her finger, she took her to the
tower. "Florina, your sister is come to see and bring you marriage
presents, for she is now the wife of King Charming."
Florina, doubting no more her lover's loss, fell down in a swoon, and
the queen immediately went to tell her father that she was mad for
love, and must be watched closely lest she should in some way disgrace
herself. The king said, her stepmother might do with her exactly what
she pleased.
When the princess recovered from her swoon, she began to weep, and
wept all night long, sitting at the open window of her tower. The Blue
Bird, who kept continually flying about the palace, but only at night
time, lest any one should see him, happened to come and perch upon a
tall cypress opposite the window, and heard her; but it was too dark
to see who she was, and at daylight she shut the window. Next night,
it was broad moonlight, and then he saw clearly the figure of a young
girl, weeping sore, and knew that it was his beloved Florina.
When she paused in her lamentations, "Adorable princess," said he,
"why do you mourn? Your troubles are not without remedy."
"Who speaks to me so gently?" asked she.
"A king, who loves you, and will never love any other.
Pages:
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392