There was once a Princess so lovely that no one could see her without
loving her. Her hair fell about her shoulders in waving masses, and
because it was the color of gold, she was called Pretty Goldilocks.
She always wore a crown of flowers, and her dresses were embroidered
with pearls and diamonds.
The fame of her beauty reached a young King, who determined to marry
her, although he had never seen her. He sent an ambassador to ask
her hand in marriage; and so confident was he that the Princess would
return with him, that he made every preparation to receive her. The
ambassador arrived at the palace of the Princess with a hundred horses
and as many servants. With great ceremony, he presented the King's
gifts of pearls and diamonds, together with his message. The Princess,
however, did not favor the King's suit, and sent back his gifts with
a polite refusal. When the ambassador returned without the Princess,
every one blamed him for his failure; and the King's disappointment
was so great that no one could console him.
Now at the King's court was a young man so handsome and clever that he
was called Charming. Every one loved him, except some who were envious
because he was the King's favorite. One day Charming rashly remarked
that if the King had sent _him_ for the Princess, she would have
come back with him. His enemies at once went to the King and used the
remark to influence him against Charming.
"He thinks himself so handsome that the Princess could not have
resisted him, although she refused his King," they told his Majesty.
The boastful words so offended the King that he ordered Charming to be
shut up in the tower, where he had only straw to lie on and bread and
water to eat. In this miserable state he languished for some time, not
knowing why he had been imprisoned. One day the King happened to be
passing the tower and heard him exclaim:
"I am the King's most faithful subject; how have I incurred his
displeasure?" Then, in spite of the protests of Charming's enemies,
the King ordered the tower-door opened and Charming brought forth. His
old favorite sadly knelt and kissed his hand, saying:
"Sire, how have I offended?"
The King told him of the boast his enemies had repeated.
"True, Sire, I did say that had I been sent to plead your cause, it
would not have failed for lack of eloquence. Could the Princess see
you as my tongue would picture you, I would not return without her."
The King at once saw that he had been deceived, and restored Charming
to favor. While at supper that night, he confided to him that he was
as much in love with Goldilocks as ever, and could not be reconciled
to her answer.
"Do you think," asked the King, "that she could be induced to change
her mind?"
Charming replied that he was at the King's service and willing to
undertake the task of winning the Princess for him. The King was
delighted and offered him a splendid escort, but he asked only for a
good horse.
Early the next day he set forth, with a resolute heart and the King's
letter to the Princess. One day when he had ridden a great distance,
he dismounted and sat down under a tree that grew beside a river. He
took from his pocket a little book, in which he jotted down some happy
thoughts that he meant to use in his plea to the Princess. Not far
from where he sat, a golden carp was springing from the water to catch
flies, and a bound too high landed it on the grass at Charming's feet.
It panted helplessly, and would have died had he not taken pity on it
and thrown it back into the river. It sank out of sight, but presently
returned to the surface long enough to say:
"Thank you, Charming, for saving my life. Some day I may repay you."
Naturally, he was greatly surprised at so much politeness from a fish.
A few days later, while riding along his way, he saw a raven pursued
by an eagle. In a moment more the eagle would have overtaken the
raven, had not Charming aimed his arrow in time and killed the
pursuer. The raven perched on a tree near by and croaked its
gratitude:
"You have rescued me from a dreadful fate," it said. "Some day I will
repay you."
A day or two afterward, in the dusk of early morning, he heard the
distressful cries of an owl. Hunting about, he found the unfortunate
bird caught in a net which some birdcatchers had spread. "Why will men
persecute and torment harmless creatures!" exclaimed Charming, as he
set the bird free. The owl fluttered above his head, saying:
"You have saved me from the fowlers, who would have killed me. I am
not ungrateful, and some day I will repay you!" After that it flew
swiftly away.
Charming at last reached the palace of the Princess, and asked an
audience. His name so pleased her that she at once received him. He
was ushered into the presence of the Princess, who sat on a throne of
gold and ivory. Her satin dress was embroidered with jewels, and her
golden hair was confined by a crown of flowers. Soft music and perfume
filled the air, and Charming was so awed by all this splendor that at
first he could not speak. Recovering himself in a moment, he told
of his mission, and set forth the good qualities of the King in such
glowing terms that the Princess listened.
"You have argued so eloquently," replied she, "that I regret to deny
you; but I have made a vow not to marry, until the ambassador can
return to me a ring which I lost in the river a month ago. I valued
it more than all my other jewels, and nothing but its recovery can
persuade me to your suit."
Charming could urge no more, but offered an embroidered scarf and his
little dog Frisk as tokens of devotion. These were declined, so bowing
low, he reluctantly took leave of the Princess. He believed that she
had but used this means to put him off, and his disappointment was so
great that he could not sleep.
In the morning he and Frisk were walking by the riverside when the dog
ran to the water's edge, barking furiously. Joining the little animal,
he saw that his excitement was caused by a golden carp which came
swimming swiftly toward them. In its mouth was a beautiful ring which
it laid in Charming's hand.
"You saved my life by the willow-tree," said the carp, "and I now
repay you by giving to you the Princess's ring."
Charming lost no time in presenting it to the Princess and claiming
his reward.
"What fairy aids you?" asked the Princess.
"Only my wish to serve you," Charming replied.
"Alas!" said the Princess, "I cannot marry until Galifron, the giant,
is dead. Because I would not take him for my husband, he persecutes my
subjects and lays waste my land."
"Princess, I will bring back the giant's head to you or die in your
defense," bravely declared Charming.
The Princess and all the people tried to dissuade him, but he mounted
his horse and rode off, accompanied only by his little dog, Frisk. He
traveled straight to the giant's castle. All about it were strewn the
bones of Galifron's victims. Inside the castle the giant was singing
in a terrible voice:
"Little children I love to eat;
Their bones are tender, their flesh is sweet.
I do not care, I eat so many,
If their hair be straight, or if they haven't any."
Charming called out loudly in reply:
"Be not so boastful, Galifron,
Till you've met a knight, who
May be good to feed upon,
But is here to fight you."
The giant appeared at the door, club in hand. When he saw Charming
fearlessly awaiting him, he came toward him in a terrible rage. But
before he could wield his club, a raven lit on his head and pecked at
his eyes, so that he dropped his weapon and was at Charming's mercy.
When the valiant knight had killed the giant, the raven croaked from a
tree near by:
"You saved me from the eagle, and I in turn have saved you from the
giant."
Charming cut off the head of the giant, and carried it back with him
to the Princess. Then the people shouted until they were hoarse, and
welcomed him as a great hero.
"Your enemy is dead," Charming told the Princess. "Will you now make
my master the happiest of kings?"
"There is," replied the reluctant Princess, "some water which gives
eternal health and beauty to those who drink it. I would regret to
leave my kingdom without possessing some of it; but no one has dared
to brave the two dragons that guard the cavern where the fountain is
to be found."
"You do not need the water, Princess; but my life is yours to
command," gallantly replied Charming; and he set out at once on the
perilous mission.
When he came to the mouth of the cavern, black smoke issued forth; and
presently he perceived the terrible form of a dragon, from whose
mouth and eyes fire was darting. Bidding good-by to faithful Frisk, he
grasped his sword in one hand and the crystal flask which the Princess
had given him in the other. Just then he heard his name called twice,
and, looking back, he saw an owl flying toward him.
"I can enter the gloomy cavern without danger," the owl said. "Give
the flask to me, and I will repay the debt I owe you for having saved
me from the net."
Charming gladly surrendered the flask to the owl, who in a short time
returned it to him filled with the precious water.
The Princess this time consented to marry the King, and after many
preparations she and Charming started for his kingdom. The journey
was made so entertaining for the Princess that she one day said to
Charming:
"Why did I not make you King, and remain in my own country?" Charming
replied that he must have considered his duty to his King, even before
a happiness so great.
The King, with presents of rich jewels and a splendid escort, met them
on the way to the palace. The marriage was celebrated with great
pomp, and Charming stood first in the King's favor. His good fortune,
however, did not continue long, for envious enemies pointed out to the
King that the Princess was never happy unless Charming was near. The
unhappy knight was again put into prison, where he was cruelly chained
and fed on bread and water.
When Goldilocks learned this, she wept and implored the King to set
him free. "But for him I never would have been here," she said. "Did
he not perform every task I required, even that of getting for me the
water whereby I shall never grow old?"
The Princess's grief only made the King more jealous, but he
determined to make use of this wonderful water of which she had
told. It so happened that one of the Princess's ladies had broken the
crystal flask and spilled all of the water. Not daring to confess,
she put another in its place that exactly resembled it in appearance.
This, however, contained a deadly poison. When the King bathed his
face with it, he fell into a sleep from which he never awoke.
There was great confusion in the palace when the King was found dead.
Frisk ran immediately to Charming and told him the news. In a short
time Goldilocks also appeared, unlocked his chains, and set him free.
"You shall be my husband," said she, "and I will make you King."
Charming fell at her feet and expressed his gratitude and joy. They
were married soon afterward, and they reigned together for many happy
years.
* * * * *