THE BROWN BULL--(_Continued_).
"And she
Told them an old-world history."
MATTHEW ARNOLD.
"'She is so courageous,' said the queen, 'there is no knowing what she
might not do.'
"'She is so kind-hearted,' said the king; 'she might imagine it her duty
to sacrifice herself to our people.'
"And the poor king and queen wept copiously at the mere thought, and all
the ladies and attendants of the Princess were ordered on no account to
let a breath of the terrible story be heard by her. Yet, after all, it
so happened that her suspicions were aroused afresh by the sight this
time of the weeping Bruna. For nothing else could be suggested than
again to try to deceive the monster; and Bruna, a still prettier girl
than the gardener's daughter, was this time chosen to represent the
Princess. But all happened as before. The brown bull rushed off with
his prize, the whole day the unfortunate Bruna was shaken on his back,
and again, as night began to fall, he stopped at the same spot.
"'What time must it be by this, king's daughter?' he asked.
"Foolish Bruna, thankful to have a moment's rest, answered hastily,
"'O brown bull, it must be getting late, and I am sorely tired. It must
be about the time that my mother takes all the eggs that have been laid
in the day to the king's kitchen.'
"'Throw thee once, throw thee twice, throw thee _thrice_,' roared the
bull, each time shaking the henwife's daughter roughly, at the end
flinging her to the ground. 'Shame on thee, thou henwife's daughter, to
call thyself a true Princess.'
"And with that off he rushed, furious, and from that day the ravages and
the terrors began again, and Bruna found her way home, bruised and
weeping, to tell her story.
"This was the tale now related to the Princess, and as she listened a
strange look of determination and courage came over her face.
"'There is but one thing to be done,' she said. 'It is childish to
attempt to deceive a creature who is evidently not what he seems. Let me
go myself, my parents. Trust me to do my best. And, at worst, if I
perish, it will be in a good cause. Better it should be so than that our
people should be driven from their homes, the whole country devastated,
and all its happiness destroyed.'
"The king and queen had no answer to give but their tears. But the
Princess remained firm, and they found themselves obliged to do as she
directed. A messenger was sent to the monster to inform him, for the
third time, that his terms were to be agreed to, and the rest of the day
was spent in the palace in weeping and lamentation.
"Only, strange to say, the Princess shed no tears. She seemed as
cheerful as usual; she played with her golden balls, and endeavoured to
comfort her sorrowful parents, and was so brave and hopeful that in
spite of themselves the poor king and queen could not help feeling a
little comforted.
"'It is a good sign that she has never left off playing with her balls,'
they said to each other. 'Who knows but what the fairy's prediction may
be true, and that in some way the balls may be the means of saving
her?'
"'They and my wits,' said the Princess, laughing, for she had often been
told of the fairy's saying.
"And the king and queen and all the ladies and gentlemen of the court
looked at her in astonishment, admiring her courage, but marvelling at
her having the spirit to laugh at such a moment.
"The next morning, at the usual time, the terrible visitor made his
appearance. He came slowly up to the castle courtyard and stood at the
great entrance, tossing his enormous head with impatience. But he was
not kept waiting long; the doors were flung open, and at the top of the
flight of steps leading down from them appeared the young Princess, pale
but resolute, her fair hair floating over her shoulders, her golden
balls flashing as she slowly walked down the steps, tossing them as she
went. And, unlike the false princesses, she was dressed entirely in
black, without a single jewel or ornament of any kind--nothing but her
balls, and her hair caught the sunlight as she passed. There were no
soldiers this time, no crowd of weeping friends; the grief of the king
and queen was now too real to be shown, and the Princess had asked that
there should be no one to see her go.
"The brown bull stood still as a lamb for her to mount, and then at a
gentle pace he set off. The Princess had no need to catch hold of his
horns to keep herself from falling, his step was so even. And all along
as she rode she threw her balls up softly in the air, catching them as
they fell. But the brown bull spoke not a word.
"On and on they went; the sun rose high in the heavens and poured down
on the girl's uncovered head the full heat of his rays. But just as she
began to feel it painfully, they entered a forest, where the green shade
of the summer trees made a pleasant shelter. And when they came out from
the forest again on the other side the sun was declining; before long he
had sunk below the horizon, evening was at hand. And as before, the
brown bull stopped.
"'King's daughter,' he said, in a voice so gentle, though deep, that the
Princess started with surprise, 'what hour must it be by this? Tell me,
king's daughter, I pray.'
"'Brown bull,' replied the Princess, without a moment's hesitation, for
those who have nothing to conceal are fearless and ready; 'brown bull,
it is getting late. By now must the king and queen, my father and
mother, be sitting down to their solitary supper and thinking of me, for
at this hour I was used to hasten to them, throwing my pretty balls
as I went.'
[Illustration: THE BROWN BULL OF NORROWA.--p. 162.]
"'I thank thee, thou true Princess,' said the bull in the same tone, and
he hastened on.
"And ere long the night fell, and the poor Princess was so tired and
sleepy, that without knowing it her pretty head drooped lower and lower,
and at last she lay fast asleep on the bull's broad back, her fair head
resting between his horns.
"She slept so soundly that she did not notice when he stopped, only she
had a strange dream. Some one lifted her gently and laid her on a couch,
it seemed to her, and a kind voice whispered in her ear, 'Good-night, my
fair Princess.'
"But it must have been a dream, she said to herself. How could a bull
have arms to lift her, or how could a rough, ferocious creature like him
be so gentle and kind? It must have been a dream, for when she awoke she
saw the great monster standing beside her on his four legs as usual; yet
it was strange, for she found herself lying on a delicious mossy couch,
and the softest and driest moss had been gathered together for a pillow,
and beside her a cup of fresh milk and a cake of oaten bread were lying
for her breakfast. How had all this been done for her? she asked
herself, as she ate with a very good appetite, for she had had no food
since the morning before. She began to think the bull not so bad after
all, and to wonder if it was to Fairyland he was going to take her. And
as she thought this to herself she threw her balls, which were lying
beside her, up into the air, and the morning sun caught their sparkle
and seemed to send it dancing back again on to her bright fair hair. And
a sudden fancy seized her.
"'Catch,' she said to the bull, throwing a ball at him as she spoke. He
tossed his head, and to her surprise the ball was caught on one of his
horns.
"'Catch,' she said again, and he had caught the second.
"'Catch,' a third time. The great creature caught it in his mouth like a
dog, and brought it gently to the Princess and laid it at her feet. She
took it and half timidly stroked his head; and no one who had seen the
soft pathetic look which crept into his large round eyes would have
believed in his being the cruel monster he had been described. He did
not speak, he seemed without the power to do so now, but by signs he
made the Princess understand it was time to continue their journey, and
she mounted his back as before.
"All that day the bull travelled on, but the Princess was now getting
accustomed to her strange steed, and felt less tired and frightened. And
when the sun grew hot the bull was sure to find a sheltered path, where
the trees shaded her from the glare, and when the road was rough he went
the more slowly, that she should not be shaken.
"Late in the evening the Princess heard a far-off rushing sound, that as
they went seemed to grow louder and louder.
"'What is that, brown bull?' she asked, feeling somehow a little
frightened.
"The brown bull raised his head and looked round him. Yes, the sun had
sunk, he might speak. And in the same deep voice he answered,
"'The sea, king's daughter, the sea that is to bear you and me to my
country of Norrowa.'
"'And how shall we cross it, brown bull?' she said.
"'Have no fear,' he replied. 'Lay down your head and shut your eyes, and
no harm will come near you.'
"The Princess did as he bade her. She heard the roar of the waves come
nearer and nearer, a cold wind blew over her face, and she felt at last
that her huge steed had plunged into the water, for it splashed on to
her hand, which was hanging downwards, and then she heard him, with a
gasp and a snort, strike out boldly. The Princess drew herself up on the
bull's back as closely as she could; she had no wish to get wet. But she
was not frightened. She grew accustomed to the motion of her great
steed's swimming, and as she kept her eyes fast shut she did not see how
near she was to the water, and felt as if in a peaceful dream. And after
a while the feeling became reality, for she fell fast asleep and dreamt
she was in her little turret chamber, listening to the wind softly
blowing through the casement.
"When she awoke she was alone. She was lying on a couch, but this time
not of moss, but of the richest and softest silk. She rubbed her eyes
and looked about her. Was she in her father's castle? Had her youth and
her courage softened the monster's heart, and made him carry her back
again to her happy home? For a moment she thought it must be so; but no,
when she looked again, none of the rooms in her old home were so
beautiful as this one where she found herself. Not even her mother's
great saloon, which she had always thought so magnificent, was to be
compared with it. It was not very large, but it was more like Fairyland
than anything she had ever dreamt of. The loveliest flowers were
trained against the walls, here and there fountains of delicately
scented waters refreshed the air, the floor was covered with carpets of
the richest hues and the softest texture. There were birds singing among
the flowers, gold and silver fish sporting in the marble basins--it was
a perfect fairy's bower. The Princess sat up and looked about her. There
was no one to be seen, not a sound but the dropping of the fountains and
the soft chatter of the birds. The Princess admired it all exceedingly,
but she was very hungry, and as her long sleep had completely refreshed
her, she felt no longer inclined to lie still. So she crossed the room
to where a curtain was hanging, which she thought perhaps concealed a
door. She drew aside the curtain, the door behind was already open; she
found herself in a second room, almost as beautiful as the first, and
lighted in the same way with coloured lamps hanging from the roof. And
to her great delight, before her was a table already laid for supper
with every kind of delicious fruit and bread, and cakes, and everything
that a young Princess could desire. She was so hungry that she at once
sat down to the table, and then she perceived to her surprise that it
was laid for two!
"'Can the bull be coming to sup with me?' she said to herself, half
laughing at the idea. And she added aloud, 'Come if you like, Mr. Bull;
I find your house very pretty, and I thank you for your hospitality.'
"And as she said the words, a voice which somehow seemed familiar to
her, replied,
"'I thank you, gracious Princess, for your permission. Without it I
could not have entered your presence as I do now,' and looking up, she
saw, coming in by another door that she had not noticed, a most
unexpected visitor.
"It was not the bull, it was a young Prince such as our pretty Princess,
who was not without her daydreams, like other young girls, had sometimes
pictured to herself as coming on a splendid horse, with his followers
around him in gallant attire, to ask her of her parents. He was well
made and manly, with a bright and pleasant expression, and dressed, of
course, to perfection. The Princess glanced at her plain black robe in
vexation, and her fair face flushed.
"'I knew not,' she began. 'I thought I should see no one but the brown
bull.'
"The Prince laughed merrily. He was in good spirits naturally, as any
one would be who, after being forced for ten years to wear a frightful
and hideous disguise, and to behave like a rough and surly bull,
instead of like a well-born gentleman, should suddenly find himself in
his own pleasant person again.
"'I _was_ the bull,' he said, 'but you, Princess, have transformed me.
How can I ever show you my gratitude?'
"'You owe me none,' said the Princess gently. 'What I did was to save my
parents and their people. If it has served you in good stead, that for
me is reward enough. But,' she added, 'I wish I had brought some of my
pretty dresses with me. It must look so rude to you to have this ugly
black one.'
"The Prince begged her not to trouble herself about such a trifle--to
him she was beautiful as the day in whatever attire she happened to be.
And then they ate their supper with a good appetite, though it seemed
strange to the Princess to be quite without attendants, sitting alone at
table with a young man whom she had never seen before.
"And after supper a new idea struck her.
"'Catch,' she said, drawing the first ball out of the little pocket in
the front of her dress, where she always carried her balls, and flinging
it across the table to the Prince with her usual skill, not breaking a
glass or bending a leaf of the flowers with which the dishes were
adorned.
"In an instant the Prince had caught it, and as she sent off the second,
crying again 'Catch,' he returned her the first, leaving his hand free
for the third.
"'Yes,' said the Princess, after continuing this game for a little
while. 'Yes, I see that you are a true Prince,' for strange to say, he
was as skilful at her game as she was herself.
"And they played with her balls for a long time throwing them higher and
higher without ever missing, and laughing with pleasure, like two merry
children.
"Then suddenly the Prince started from his seat, and his face grew sad
and grave.
"'I must go,' he said; 'my hour of liberty is over.'
"'Go?' said the Princess in surprise and distress, for she had found the
Prince a very pleasant companion. 'You must go? and leave me alone
here?'
"She looked as if she were going to cry, and the Prince looked as if he
were going to cry too.
"'Alas, Princess!' he said, 'in my joy for the moment, I had almost
forgotten my sad fate;' and then he went on to explain to her that for
many years past he had been under a fairy spell, the work of an evil
fairy who had vowed to revenge herself on his parents for some fancied
insult to her. He had been forced to take the form of a bull and to
spread terror wherever he went; and the power of this spell was to
continue till he should meet with a beautiful Princess who of her own
free will would return with him to his country and treat him with
friendliness, both of which conditions had been now fulfilled.
"'Then all is right!' exclaimed the Princess joyfully. 'Why should you
look so sad?'
"'Alas! no,' repeated the Prince, 'the spell is but partly broken. I
have only power to regain my natural form for three hours every evening
after sunset. And for three years more must it be so. Then, if your
goodness continues so long, all will indeed be right. But during that
time it will be necessary for you to live alone, except for the three
hours I can pass with you, in this enchanted palace of mine. No harm
will befall you, all your wants will be supplied by invisible hands; but
for a young and beautiful Princess like you, it will be a sad trial, and
one that I feel I have no right to ask your consent to.'
"'And can nothing be done?' said the Princess, 'nothing to shorten your
endurance of the spell?'
"'Nothing,' said the Prince, sadly. 'Any effort to do so would only
cause fearful troubles. I drop my hated skin at sunset, but three hours
later I must resume it.'
"He glanced towards the corner of the room where, though the Princess
had not before observed it, the brown bull's skin lay in a heap.
"'Hateful thing!' said the Princess, clenching her pretty hands, 'I
would like to burn it.'
"The Prince grew pale with fright. 'Hush! Princess,' he said. 'Never
breathe such words. Any rash act would have the most fearful
consequences.'
"'What?' said the Princess, curiously.
"The Prince came nearer her and said in a low voice, 'For _me_ they
would be such. In such a case I might too probably never see you more.'
"The Princess blushed. Considering that he had spent ten years as a
bull, it seemed to her that the Prince's manners were really not to be
found fault with, and she promised him that she would consider the
matter over, and by the next evening tell him her decision.
"She felt rather inclined to cry when she found herself again quite
alone in the great strange palace, for she was only sixteen, even though
so brave and cheerful. But still she had nothing whatever to complain
of. Not a wish was formed in her heart but it was at once fulfilled, for
this power was still the Prince's. She found, in what was evidently
intended for her dressing-room, everything a young Princess could
possibly desire in the shape of dresses, each more lovely than the
others; shoes of silk or satin, exquisitely embroidered to suit her
various costumes; laces and shawls, ribbons and feathers, and jewels of
every conceivable kind in far greater abundance than so sensible a young
lady found at all necessary. But believing all these pretty things to be
provided to please her by the Prince's desire, she endeavoured to amuse
herself with them, and found it rather interesting for the first time in
her life to have to choose for herself. Her breakfasts and dinners, and
everything conceivable in the shape of delicate and delicious food,
appeared whenever she wished for anything of the kind; invisible hands
opened the windows and shut the doors, lighted the lamps when the
evening closed in, arranged her long fair hair more skilfully than any
mortal maid, and brushed it softly when at night she wished to have it
unfastened. Books in every language to interest her, for the Princess
had been well taught, appeared on the tables, also materials for
painting and for embroidery, in which she was very clever. Altogether it
was impossible to complain, and the next day passed pleasantly enough,
though it must be confessed the young Princess often found herself
counting the hours till it should be that of sunset.
"Punctual to the moment the Prince made his appearance, but to his
guest's distress he seemed careworn and anxious.
"'Has some new misfortune threatened you?' she asked.
"'No,' replied the Prince, 'but I have to-day scarcely been able to
endure my anxiety to learn your decision. Never in all these terrible
years has my suffering been greater, never have I so loathed the hideous
disguise in which I am compelled to live.'
"Tears filled the Princess's eyes. Had anything been wanting to decide
her, the deep pity which she now felt for the unfortunate Prince would
have done so.
"'I _have_ decided!' she exclaimed. 'Three years will soon pass, and I
shall be well able to amuse myself with all the charming things with
which I am surrounded. Besides, I shall see you every day, and the
looking forward to that will help to cheer me.'
"It would be impossible to tell the Prince's delight. He became at once
as gay and lively as the day before. The Princess and he had supper
together, and amused themselves afterwards with the enchanted balls, and
the evening passed so quickly that the princess could hardly believe
more than one hour instead of three had gone, when he started up, saying
his time was over. It was sad to see him go, forced, through no fault of
his own, to return to his hated disguise; but still it was with a
lightened heart that the poor brown bull went tramping about during the
next one-and-twenty hours.
"And on her side the Princess's lonely hours were cheered by the thought
that she was to be the means of freeing him from the power of the
terrible spell, for all that she saw of him only served to increase her
sympathy and respect.
"So time went on. The Princess got more and more accustomed to her
strange life, and every day more attached to the Prince, who on his side
could not do enough to prove to her his gratitude. For many weeks he
never failed to enter her presence the instant the sun had sunk below
the horizon, and the three hours they spent together made amends to both
for the loneliness of the rest of the day. And whenever the Princess
felt inclined to murmur, she renewed her patience and courage by the
thought of how much harder to bear was the Prince's share of the trial.
She was allowed to remain in peaceful security, and to employ her time
in pleasant and interesting ways; while he was forced to rove the world
as a hateful monster, shunned by any of the human race whom he happened
to meet, constantly exposed to fatigue and privation.
"Sometimes they spent a part of the evening in the beautiful gardens
surrounding the palace. There, one day, as sunset was approaching, the
Princess had betaken herself to wait the Prince's arrival, when a sad
shock met her. It was past the usual hour of his coming. Several times
she had wandered up and down the path by which he generally approached
the castle, tossing her balls as she went, for more than once he had
seen their glitter from a distance, and known by it that she was
waiting. But this evening she waited and watched in vain, and at last, a
strange anxiety seizing her, she turned towards the castle to see if
possibly he had entered from the other side, and was hurrying back when
a low moan reached her ears, causing her heart for an instant almost to
leave off beating with terror.