GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book
130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people
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THE LAMB AND THE 48 x |
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her all about it. This woman had been wet nurse to the little girl, and she seemed drawn towards the lamb so tenderly, that at last she took her to a wise woman, and asked her advice.
Without hesitation, the wise woman pronounced some good words over the lamb and the fish, and at once the spell was broken, the children returned to their proper shapes, and went away together to a great forest, in which stood a small, but very pretty house. Here they lived, although lonely, yet contented and happy, for the rest of their lives. |
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There lived once a king and queen, who had riches and everything they wished for except a little child, and at last this wish also was granted to them, and a little prince was born into the world.
Now, the queen had once offended a wicked witch, and she by her witchcraft altered the baby's face till it looked like an ass's, and was so ugly that the mother, when she saw it, was quite frightened; she even wanted to have it thrown into the water and drowned, for she said it was only fit to be food for fishes.
But the king said, " No. Ugly as the child may be, he is my son, and after my death this kingdom and my crown will be his."
So the ugly little child was taken care of, and grew up healthy and strong, and not so very frightful after all, although he had such large ears. He was a lively, good-tempered little fellow— jumping and running here and there like a squirrel. But the most remarkable of his tastes was a love of music, and when he grew old enough he went to a first-rate professor, and asked to be taught to play on the lute.
Now, unfortunately, one of the young prince's defects was the form of his fingers, and the professor of music said to him : " My lord prince, I fear I could never teach you to play the lute, your fingers are too thick and clumsy."
The boy, however, was not to be daunted, and he persevered with so much determination that he soon played as well as his master. As he grew older, he began to think of his personal appearance, and one day happening to notice his looks in the |
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