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THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK.. |
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gone to roost; then I'll climb up and catch them all for
So they passed the day, talking now of the beauty of the prince, now of the father of the princess, and then of the misfortune that had happened. At last the night arrived, and all the little birds were asleep high up on the branches of a big tree. The fox climbed up stealthily and caught the little creatures with his paws one after the other; and when he had killed them all he put their blood into a little bottle which he wore at his side and returned with it to Grannonia, who was beside herself with joy at the result of the fox's raid. But the fox said: "My dear daughter, ycur joy is in vain, because, let me tell you, this blood is of no earthly use to you unless you add some of mine to it." And with these words he took to his heels.
Grannonia, who saw her hopes dashed to the ground in this cruel way, had recourse to flattery and cunning, weapons which have often stood the sex in good stead, and called out after the fox: "Father Fox, you would be quite right to save your skin if, in the first place, I didn't feel I owed so much to you, and if, in the second, there weren't other foxes in the world; but as you know how grateful I feel to you, and as there are heaps of other foxes about, you can trust yourself to me. Don't behave like the cow that kicks the pail over after it has filled it with milk, but continue your journey with me, and when we get to the capital you can sell me to the king as a servant-girl."
It never entered the fox's head that even foxes can be outwitted, so after a bit he consented to go with her; but he hadn't gone far before the cunning girl seized a stick and gave him such a blow with it on the head that he dropped down dead on the spot. Then Grannonia took some of his blood and poured it into her little bottle and went on her way as fast as she could to Vallone Grosso.
When she arrrived there she went straight to the roval palace and let the king be told she had come to cure the young prince.
The king commanded her to be brought before him at once, and was much astonished when he saw that it was a girl who undertook to do what all the cleverest doctors of his kingdom had failed in. As an attempt hurts no one, he willingly consented that she should do what she could. |
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