“There were once seven pigeons who said, ‘Seven pigeons are we——’”
“Stop!” cried Pedro; “I will have no such idle talk. Tell me who this
noble lover is, or I will do you an injury.”
“Sir,” cried the gardener, with a very serious countenance, “there were
once seven pigeons who said, ‘Seven pigeons are we, and——’”
“Take your watering-can,” shouted Pedro in disgust; “I will not listen
to your nonsense!”
“And yet there were once seven pigeons who said, ‘Seven pigeons are we;’
and now the last of them is gone, for the noble lover has been false to
his trust,” exclaimed the old man, looking very cunningly at Pedro.
At these words Pedro looked towards the place where he had placed the
pigeon, and it was no longer there.
Seized with a fit of fury, he was about to lay hands on the gardener,
when, to his astonishment, he found that he was also gone.
“I am undone,” cried the unhappy Pedro; “and now I shall not see the
princess again.” Saying which he fainted away, and might probably have
remained there some time, but that he heard a voice saying, in a jocular
manner—
“There were once seven pigeons who said, ‘Seven pigeons are we,
and——’”
Pedro started to his feet, and close to him was standing the princess
whom he had previously seen in the balcony.
“Why do you thus tease me, princess?” said Pedro. “I want to hear no
more about the seven horrid pigeons.”
“Don Pedro de Aragon,” answered the princess, “I must tell you that the
old gardener to whom you spoke is a magician, and he has possessed
himself of the last means I had of regaining my liberty, for I am under
his power. Is it not true that you came here with the purpose of killing
me?”
“I was under a vow to do so,” replied Pedro; “but I cannot kill you,
although I would rather slay you, fair princess, than do you a more
grievous injury.”
“Go back, then, to the unhappy lady whom you left on the sea-shore, and
tell her that you have been false to your promises,” said the princess.
“How sorry I am,” exclaimed Pedro, “that I was ever destined to be King
of Aragon! When I was a poor fisherman, I was far happier than I am
now!”
“Pedro of Aragon, the moon will be at the full to-night, and you may
then rescue me,” said the princess, “if you have the courage to meet the
wicked magician in this garden at midnight, for then is his power
weakest.”
“I am prepared for the worst,” replied Pedro, “and I fear not your
gaoler.”
“Well, then,” continued the princess, “when the magician sees you he
will again tell you about the seven pigeons; but when he has finished,
you must tell him that there were once seven wives who had only one
husband, and that they are waiting outside to see him. Do as I tell you,
and if you are not afraid of his anger, you may be able to free me.”
Pedro promised to do as he was told, and the princess having retired
into the palace, Pedro amused himself by walking under the lofty
balconies, watching the fire-flies grow brighter as night came on.
Just about midnight the magician was seen watering the pinks, and as
soon as he perceived Pedro he said—
“There were once seven pigeons who said, ‘Seven pigeons are we, and with
other seven pigeons we might all be mated; but, as it is, we must remain
seven pigeons.’”
“Quite so,” put in Pedro. “And once upon a time there were seven wives
who had only one husband, and they are waiting outside to see him.”
The magician, at these words, lost all control over his temper; but
Pedro heeded him not, rather did he endeavour to increase his rage by
repeating all about the seven wives.
“I am undone!” cried the magician; “but if you will induce the spirits
of my seven wives to again seek the grave, I will give you what you
want, and that is the princess.”
“Give me the princess first,” answered Pedro, “and then I will free you
of your wives.”
“Take her, then,” said the magician; “here she is. And forget not what
you have promised me, for I may tell you in confidence that a man with
seven wives cannot play the magician.”
Pedro hurried away with the princess; and after they had been married
and crowned, the princess, who was now queen, one day said to him—
“Pedro, the magician who held me captive from you was Rank, and
therefore were the balconies so high. When you saw me on the beach fed
by pigeons, it was that you should know my power; on the shore I was
attended by winged messengers, and on the sea I sailed about at
pleasure.”
“But what about the wounded pigeon?” asked Pedro.
“Recollect, Pedro, what you said to me in the garden,” answered the
princess—“that you would rather slay me than do me a more grievous
injury. That poor pigeon with its broken wing could no more hope to soar
aloft than an injured woman to mix with her former associates.”
“And what about the seven wives who were waiting outside, and who so
frightened the old magician, Rank?” continued Pedro.
“They are the seven deadly sins, who would each have a tongue for
itself, and yet without tongues are enough to frighten Rank,” answered
the princess.
“And who am I, then,” asked Pedro, “to be so exalted now?”
“You are the wise man who strove to do his best, yet tried not to exalt
himself above his position,” sweetly answered the princess.
“So that the magician Rank has unwillingly raised the poor fisherman to
be king,” whispered Pedro.
“Not Rank alone, but much more so thy own worth.”