industrious; he had a wife and three grown-up sons, yet their united
labours scarcely sufficed for bread. No hope appeared of improving his
lot, when he was one day fortunate enough to save the life of his
master when attacked by robbers in the forest.
This master was not ungrateful; he desired the woodcutter to repair to
him on the following day in order to receive a reward. The poor man
did not fail, hoping to gain two or three crowns; for it appeared so
natural to defend an unarmed man that he attached little value to his
services, considering his own danger not worth a thought. He put on
his best array, shaved, and made many reverences to the porter and the
numerous lackeys previous to an introduction to the master, who was
much more polite than the valets.
"Well, Thomas," said he, "how can I recompense what you have done for
me? Without your assistance I should have perished; and as my life is
a very happy one, I value it accordingly."
Poor Thomas was at a loss how to reply; he stammered out, "My
Lord--your Grace," but could get no further.
The master, in order to relieve the poor man, interrupted him thus: "I
understand better than yourself, perhaps, what would suit you; I would
not wish to draw you from your native condition, for I believe that
none is more truly happy; but I present to you and your children's
children, in perpetuity, the cottage which you inhabit in the forest.
You and they shall have the power of cutting as much wood every year
as you can use; you shall work for yourself; and if your sons like to
hunt, all the game which they kill shall be for their own use. I only
exact that you sell nothing, and that while possessing every comfort,
you seek not to quit your peaceful obscurity."
Thomas was so astonished that he could find no words to express his
gratitude. He came home to his wife, who heartily shared his joy. The
sons immediately set off for a large supply of faggots, and made a
great fire; but when they had been thoroughly warmed, Mother Thomas
began to say what a pity it was they could make no use of all the wood
which was not burned.
"An idea has just struck me," replied the husband; "our master gives
us all we can _use_; these are his own words,--very well; I shall be
able to use enough to bring us in a pretty little income!"
"How?" said his wife.
"When I was a boy," rejoined the woodcutter, "my father taught me to
make wooden shoes and I made them so light and so neat, that they were
everywhere sought for. What need now prevent me from exercising this
trade? James shall cut wood in the forest, Peter shall kill game for
dinner, and Paul, who has not the least brains of the three, shall go
to sell my merchandise at the neighbouring town. This will be a public
benefit, by enabling the poor about us to dress with more decency and
comfort, and it will also serve to furnish our own cottage, of which
we shall make a little palace."
The boys, who were present, highly relished this idea. Mother Thomas,
who was rather inclined to gluttony, made the most of the game which
Peter provided. A little labour, good cheer, a blazing fire, and
perfect family concord, rendered this family the happiest in the
world. The master came to the cottage, and seeing them so united and
industrious, encouraged the trade of the wooden shoes, which increased
their comforts without exposing them to the vices attendant on avarice
and luxury.
But happiness such as this seldom remains permanent. A flock of
furious wolves appeared in the forest; every day they devoured either
helpless children or travellers; they tore up the roots of the trees,
attacking even each other, while their wild howlings were heard night
and day in the cottage of the woodcutter.
Mother Thomas would no longer suffer her boys to leave home; and when
they did go in spite of her, she remained watching at the door
refusing either to eat or drink until they returned.
Such a situation was deplorable; when at length the young men, who
were very brave, resolved to deliver themselves and their master.
Taking arms, in case they should be attacked, they went into the
forest and digged deep pits, covering them with a little earth, laid
over some branches of trees; and during this heavy labour, which
lasted several days, they lighted great fires around them, in order to
hinder the wolves from approaching.
Success crowned their enterprise, for in returning to the spot at
sunrise, they perceived that one of the pits had been broken into
during the night, and that it was now quite uncovered. They charged
their muskets, and each were disputing the honour of first firing,
when they heard issue from the depths below, a mild and supplicating
voice imploring assistance.
"What shall we do?" said Peter; "assuredly that is not the roaring of
a wolf; it is, perhaps, some unfortunate little wandering child. How
lucky that we did not draw the trigger!"
They approached, and distinguished a beautiful lady richly dressed,
wearing on her head a cluster of diamonds, which shone like a star.
She appeared very young, and was trembling with cold. Much rain had
fallen during the night, and her robe, of silver gauze, was dabbled in
mud and water; her fair and tender hands were all dirty, which seemed
to vex her even more than the dangers she had experienced. She
continued, however, to struggle and to make signs for relief, when
three enormous wolves appeared at a distance. The brothers looked at
each other expressively, like people who feel that all is lost, but
who resolve to do their duty They had a cord about them, which Peter
fastened round his body, and let himself down into the pit. He took
the beautiful lady on his shoulders, while his brothers assisted in
drawing them up. They then stretched her on the grass, for she had
fainted; and now the wolves had just reached them,--when, lo! these
beasts of prey were instantly turned into three little lambs, and
licked the feet of the lady, who slowly returned to life.
"My good lads," said she to the woodcutters, "fear nothing. From
henceforth no more dangerous animals than these shall trouble you. But
I owe you a still greater recompense; lead me to your father; I wish
to felicitate him on the generosity and bravery of his sons."
The poor youths were so astonished by this adventure, that they felt
unable to reply; but they respectfully lifted her long train from the
ground, it having now recovered all its splendour.
The three lambs followed, skipping and frolicking before them--they
seemed to know the way; and Mother Thomas, who sat at the door looking
out for her children, was not a little surprised to behold their
companion.
She had, however, presence of mind to invite her noble guest to enter
and rest; much ashamed of having nothing better to offer than a straw
chair, and some spring-water, which was in a very clean pitcher on the
dresser.
"I shall willingly rest an hour with you," said the lady. "Although
you now see me for the first time, I am one of your best friends, of
which I shall give you a proof. I accept a glass of water, on
condition that your husband and children will also pledge me."
A glance of Mother Thomas's eye directed her family; they each sought
their ordinary drinking cup, which was of wood, and then bent the neck
of the pitcher; but what was their astonishment to perceive the vessel
turn into wrought-silver in their hands, and to taste, instead of
water, a liquor so delicious, that when the woodcutter and his wife
had drunk, they felt themselves ten years younger than before!
They threw themselves at the feet of the beautiful lady, in terror;
for a natural instinct made them feel that great power is always more
or less to be dreaded, even when employed in acts of beneficence. The
lady meanwhile kindly raised them, and having spoken of the courage
and generosity of their sons, who exposed themselves to the fury of
wolves rather than take flight and abandon her, she said that her name
was the Fairy Coquette, and that she would willingly relate her
history.
"Previously, madam," said the woodcutter, "will you have the goodness
to tell me, what is a fairy? During thirty years that I have inhabited
this forest, I have heard of the devil, of the Were wolf, of the
monster of Gévaudan, but never have I heard of fairies."
"We exist, notwithstanding," replied Coquette, "but not in all ages,
nor in all countries. We are supernatural beings, to whom has been
imparted a portion of supernatural power, which we make use of for
good or evil, according to our natural disposition; in that alone
consists our resemblance to men."
The woodcutter, who was very simple, understood little of this
explanation; but, like many others, had a profound respect for what he
could not comprehend. He bowed down to the ground, and only requested
the fairy to inform him, why a supernatural being, so highly gifted,
could have fallen into a pit prepared for wolves.
"It is," replied Coquette, "because I have an enemy still more
powerful than myself, the Enchanter Barabapatapouf, the most wicked
ogre in the world; he has but three teeth, three hairs, one eye, and
is fifteen feet high. With all these charms he happened to fall in
love with me, and merely for mischief I affected to accept him. He
then invited his friends to the nuptials; when, to his great
mortification, I took them to witness that I would never be the wife
of such a monster. Barabapatapouf was deeply incensed, swore to be
revenged, and has never lost an opportunity of keeping his word. I
should have remained three days in that horrible pit but for the
generosity of your children."
"They have done nothing more than their duty," replied the woodcutter.
"I must also do mine," said Coquette, "but my power is limited. I can
satisfy but two wishes, and it is necessary that each of you should
choose freely, unbiased by the other. You must separate accordingly,
and to-morrow at early dawn, come to inform me what you have all
resolved on during the night."
Mother Thomas was very uneasy in thinking how she could accommodate
the fairy, for neither her children's beds nor her own were worthy of
offering to such a grand lady; but Coquette desired her to feel at
ease, as she would provide everything needful. She then drew forth
some grains of sand, which she scattered on the floor. Instantly there
arose on the spot a bed of rose-leaves three feet high; the bolster
was of violets, heartsease and orange flowers, all breathing delicious
perfumes; and the counterpane, entirely composed of butterflies'
wings, exhibited colours so brilliant and varied that one could never
be weary of examining it. The three lambs which had followed the fairy
lay down at her feet, and as the room was rather damp, they gently
warmed it with their breath, with a care and intelligence almost
human. The woodcutter and his sons felt so surprised at all these
wonders, that they imagined themselves dreaming. Coquette warned
Mother Thomas that if she should speak once to her husband before she
again saw her, the wishes could not be realized. The strictest
injunctions were indeed necessary, to prevent their communicating on a
subject which interested both so deeply. When day appeared, Coquette
summoned them to her presence.
The woodcutter first came, and said, with his usual simplicity, that
he never could have believed it so difficult to form a wish. Till that
moment he had considered himself happy, but now finding it possible
to obtain one thing, he desired a thousand. Wearied with the fatigue
of thought, he had fallen asleep without coming to a determination;
but seeing in his dreams five purses filled with gold, it seemed as if
one were for him, one for his wife, and one for each of his children.
"Well," said the Coquette, "these purses are apparently your desire;
go then to the bin where you deposit your bread, and you will find
them. Only say how many pounds you wish them to contain."
"Oh, if there were but a hundred pounds in each," replied Thomas,
"that would be sufficient to extend our little commerce, and send our
wooden shoes to China itself."
"Your wish is accomplished," said the fairy; "go away, and permit your
wife to come in her turn."
The good dame had also passed a sleepless night, and had never before
been so much agitated or so unhappy; sometimes she wished for riches,
and then thought, riches would not prevent her from dying--so she had
better wish that she might live a hundred years. Now one idea filled
her mind, now another; it seemed as if the fairy should have given her
at least a month to deliberate. At last she suddenly said: "Madam
Fairy, I am very old, and what I desire most is a daughter, to assist
me in household management and to keep me company; my husband almost
lives in the woods and leaves me at break of day; my sons also go
about their business; we are without neighbours, and I have nobody to
speak to."
"Be it so," said the fairy; "you shall have the prettiest daughter
imaginable, and she shall speak from her birth, in order that no time
may be lost. Call your husband and sons; I hope to find all parties
content."
The little family assembled, but harmony was not the result of their
communications. The young men thought their father's wish quite
pitiful, and the woodcutter by no means relished the idea of another
child. The fairy, however, provided an excellent breakfast, and the
wine reanimated his spirits.
"Now I promise," said Coquette, "that you shall have a daughter, who
at the moment of her birth will be endowed with the figure and the
intelligence of twelve years old. Call her Rose, for her complexion
shall shame the flower which bears that name."
"And _I_ pronounce that she shall also be as black as ebony, and
become, before the age of fifteen, the wife of a great king," said a
very strong voice in clear and distinct accents, accompanied by shouts
of laughter, which evidently proceeded from a great pitcher placed at
the corner of the chimney.
The Fairy Coquette turned pale, and consternation was general; but the
woodcutter, now merry with wine, joined in the laugh. "Ah! how droll,"
said he, "red and black roses! A likely story, indeed, that a great
king would come a-wooing to a woodcutter's daughter! Only a pitcher
could invent such nonsense, and I shall teach it to utter no more."
Thus saying, he gave the pitcher a great kick and broke it in pieces;
when there issued from it a smoke thick and black, and so stifling
that Coquette was obliged to use two bottles of essence to dissipate
its noxious effects.
"Ah, cruel Barabapatapouf!" cried she, "must your malignity then
extend even to those whom I wish to benefit? I indeed recognise my
enemy," said she to the woodcutter; "beware of him, and believe that
it is with no good intention he destines your daughter for the bride
of a king. Some mystery is here concealed, foreboding evil."
Every one was rendered quite melancholy by this adventure, and
Coquette, beginning to weary of these poor foresters, opened the
window and disappeared.
A great quarrel then arose between the woodcutter and his sons, who,
forgetting that respect in which they had never before failed,
reproached him for losing an opportunity of rendering them all happy.
"We might," said they, "have purchased estates, finery of all kinds,
and been as rich and noble as many who now despise us. One or two
millions would have been as easy said as five hundred pounds; that sum
would obtain a marquisate for my father, and baronies for each of us.
What extraordinary stupidity our parents have shown!"
"My children," said the woodcutter, "are these things, then, necessary
for happiness? It appeared to me that you were well satisfied when our
master only made our poverty a little less oppressive; and now, while
you have more gold than you ever saw in your lives, one would suppose
that you had been deeply injured, and could never know contentment
more."
As for Mother Thomas, she was wiser, and so well pleased with the idea
of her daughter, that her imagination roamed no farther. In course of
time she gave birth to an infant; but scarcely had it seen the light
than it glided from her arms, and started up to the stature of a
well-formed girl of twelve or thirteen years old, who made a low
courtesy to the woodcutter, kissed the hand of her mother, and offered
her brothers a cordial embrace. But these lads ill-naturedly repulsed
the young stranger; they felt jealous, fearing that she would now be
preferred to them.
Rose, one might say, was born dressed, for flowing ringlets fell
around her shoulders, forming a complete covering; and with her
increase of size, appeared a little smart petticoat and brown bodice
in peasant fashion. Her delicate feet were clad in wooden shoes, but
both the foot and the shoe were so shapely, that any lady in the land
might have been proud to exhibit them. Her little plump hand was so
white that it hardly appeared formed for rustic labours, yet she
immediately prepared to assist in household matters, and the poor old
dame was never weary of caressing such a charming child.
A bed was prepared for Rose beside her mother. This good girl arose at
dawn to prepare the young men's breakfast; for she had an excellent
natural disposition, and so much intelligence that she seemed to know
by instinct that her birth was displeasing to them, and sought to
gain their regard by good-natured attentions.
Mother Thomas soon rose likewise, and returned to the kitchen. But
what was her horror on beholding her daughter's face black as ebony,
her hair woolly and crisped like a negro's! As there was no mirror in
the cottage, Rose could not understand what had so alarmed her mother;
she asked if she had involuntarily had the misfortune to give offence?
"No, no," said the old dame, weeping; "shouldst thou remain all thy
life as black as ink, I shall not love thee less; but I cannot without
pain recall thy beauties of yesterday. Thou wilt be laughed at; and us
too. Still, we will keep thee--thou must never leave us."
Rose readily promised she never would. But when her brothers returned,
they considered the change in her quite as a matter of course. They
recollected the prediction of the pitcher, and seemed quite delighted
to think that, since it was fulfilled in the first instance, they
might yet become the brothers of a queen.
Meanwhile they lived on better terms with Rose, hoping that one day
she might be of service to them. Far from listening to the counsels of
their father, they endeavoured to awaken in her mind the seeds of
ambition; and in order to further views interested and selfish,
flattered her beauty, her talents, and her sense, rendering the future
queen the most respectful homage, which diverted her exceedingly.
But, strange to say, Rose was not always black; every second day she
recovered her natural beauty, from whence it might be concluded, that
the influence of the fairy and the Enchanter Barabapatapouf operated
alternately. The woodcutter's family grew gradually accustomed to
these successions; and as habit reconciles people to all things, each
colour became indifferent to them.
Thomas was too old to change his mode of life; he would not hear of
going to live in town, although they had money sufficient for that
purpose; he also still continued the making of wooden shoes. Those
which Rose wore in winter were trimmed with lamb's-wool, which she
wrought very dexterously; she was clever and ingenious but, it must be
confessed, a little imperious; and was sometimes surprised sighing
like a person indulging in visionary wishes, and languishing under
some secret chagrin.
A year passed: Rose grew tall, and her brothers, weary of waiting for
an event so uncertain as her marriage with a king, executed a crime
which they had long meditated. Seeing that their father had touched
but one of the purses, they easily obtained possession of the rest,
and rising with the dawn, all three departed, saying, to satisfy their
consciences, that these purses must be finally theirs, and that they
would, meanwhile, turn them to advantage. When they should become very
rich, they would come back to their parents and take care of their
latter days. Each of them made a belt, in which he concealed his gold;
and with perfect concord, more frequently found amongst knaves than
honest men, they travelled a hundred leagues in eight days.
The woodcutter and his wife did not at first comprehend the extent of
their misfortune. They thought their children must have gone astray in
the forest, and the old man wandered everywhere in search of them. But
when he observed the loss of the purses, the truth was revealed, and
he felt ready to die with grief. "Cursed gold!" cried he, "thou hast
corrupted my brave and honest boys; they were poor, but virtuous; they
are now become villains, and will meet punishment from either man or
God!"
Thus saying, he took the remaining purse, and flung it into the bottom
of a well. Mother Thomas was vexed, but dared not speak, for the
unfortunate man was so much irritated and troubled that he would have
beaten her.
When his reason cleared a little, however, he felt that he had
committed an error in parting with his money, they being both old and
unable to work as formerly. The dame sold some articles which had been
purchased during their prosperity. But poverty was nothing; it was the
conduct of their sons which inflicted the bitter sting. How was this
then augmented, when some officers of justice arrived, and announced
that James, Peter, and Paul had been arrested. It seemed that while
drinking together in a public-house, they had spread on a table all
their gold. The host surprised them, and not believing that young
peasants, so coarsely clothed and wearing wooden shoes, could lawfully
be in possession of such a sum, he had given them in charge. The poor
boys, quite terrified, related the story of the Fairy Coquette; but
as the magistrate had never seen a fairy, he did not believe one word
of the matter.
Having then no hope but in the kindness of their father, they sent to
summon the woodcutter and his wife, who confirmed all their
assertions. But as no money was found in the cottage, whose
inhabitants appeared to subsist on their labour, the officers knew not
what to think.
Meantime they arrested the woodcutter for the purpose of identifying
his children. Pale, and trembling like criminals, the old couple
followed the guards. Mother Thomas was ready to faint, and doubly
grieved for leaving poor Rose all alone, especially as this was her
day for being white and beautiful. She begged her not to leave the
house, but to live on the milk of her sheep, and to bake cakes of some
meal which was in the bin. Their adieus were heart-rending; although
the soldiers declared that in three days the forester should be at
liberty to return, provided the innocence of his family was
established. Rose believed them, and endeavoured to take courage. But
more than a month passed, and no tidings of her parents. She could not
then prevent herself from wandering a little on the highway; and
having walked till sunset, wept so bitterly, that her beauty indeed
must have been a fairy-gift to remain uninjured.
One evening, being more worn out than usual, she seated herself at the
foot of a tree and fell asleep. A slight noise awoke her, and, on
looking up, she perceived a young gentleman richly dressed, who was
contemplating her with evident astonishment. "Art thou a goddess, or a
simple mortal?" cried he.
"Sir," replied Rose, "I am the daughter of a poor woodcutter, who
lives in the forest;--it is late, and I beg you will not detain me."
"You are a wayward beauty, indeed!" replied the prince, for so he was;
"but as my way lies in that direction, I hope you will permit me to
see you home."
"It is not in my power to prevent you," said Rose, without raising her
eyes.
The prince at this moment remarked that she had been weeping, and,
delighted to have an opportunity of offering sympathy and consolation,
entreated her to impart her grief to him. "I am not actuated by mere
curiosity," added he; "I never can behold a woman in tears without
feeling moved to the bottom of my soul! Tell me your distress, and I
will neither sleep nor eat till I have aided you."