英文童话故事TheWhiteCat.docx

英文童话故事TheWhiteCat.docx

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英文童话故事TheWhiteCat

英文童话故事：

TheWhiteCat

Onceuponatime...

Therewasakingwhohadthreesons,whowereallsocleverandbravethathebegantobeafraidthattheywouldwanttoreignoverthekingdombeforehewasdead.NowtheKing,thoughhefeltthathewasgrowingold,didnotatallwishtogiveupthegovernmentofhiskingdomwhilehecouldstillmanageitverywell,sohethoughtthebestwaytoliveinpeacewouldbetodivertthemindsofhissonsbypromiseswhichhecouldalwaysgetoutofwhenthetimecameforkeepingthem.

Sohesentforthemall,and,afterspeakingtothemkindly,headded：

"Youwillquiteagreewithme,mydearchildren,thatmygreatagemakesitimpossibleformetolookaftermyaffairsofstateascarefullyasIoncedid.Ibegintofearthatthismayaffectthewelfareofmysubjects,thereforeIwishthatoneofyoushouldsucceedtomycrown;butinreturnforsuchagiftasthisitisonlyrightthatyoushoulddosomethingforme.Now,asIthinkofretiringintothecountry,itseemstomethatapretty,lively,faithfullittledogwouldbeverygoodcompanyforme;so,withoutanyregardforyourages,Ipromisethattheonewhobringsmethemostbeautifullittledogshallsucceedmeatonce."

ThethreePrincesweregreatlysurprisedbytheirfather'ssuddenfancyforalittledog,butasitgavethetwoyoungeronesachancetheywouldnototherwisehavehadofbeingking,andastheeldestwastoopolitetomakeany

objection,theyacceptedthecommissionwithpleasure.TheybadefarewelltotheKing,whogavethempresentsofsilverandpreciousstones,andappointedtomeetthematthesamehour,inthesameplace,afterayearhadpassed,toseethelittledogstheyhadbroughtforhim.

Thentheywenttogethertoacastlewhichwasaboutaleaguefromthecity,accompaniedbyalltheirparticularfriends,towhomtheygaveagrandbanquet,andthethreebrotherspromisedtobefriendsalways,tosharewhatevergoodfortunebefellthem,andnottobepartedbyanyenvyorjealousy;andsotheysetout,agreeingtomeetatthesamecastleattheappointedtime,topresentthemselvesbeforetheKingtogether.Eachonetookadifferentroad,andthetwoeldestmetwithmanyadventures;butitisabouttheyoungestthatyouaregoingtohear.Hewasyoung,andgay,andhandsome,andkneweverythingthataprinceoughttoknow;andasforhiscourage,therewassimplynoendtoit.

Hardlyadaypassedwithouthisbuyingseveraldogs--bigandlittle,greyhounds,mastiffs,spaniels,andlapdogs.Assoonashehadboughtaprettyonehewassuretoseeastillprettier,andthenhehadtogetridofalltheothersandbuythatone,as,beingalone,hefounditimpossibletotakethirtyorfortythousanddogsaboutwithhim.Hejourneyedfromdaytoday,notknowingwherehewasgoing,untilatlast,justatnightfall,hereachedagreat,gloomy

forest.Hedidnotknowhisway,and,tomakemattersworse,itbegantothunder,andtherainpoureddown.Hetookthefirstpathhecouldfind,andafterwalkingforalongtimehefanciedhesawafaintlight,andbegantohopethathewascomingtosomecottagewherehemightfindshelterforthenight.Atlength,guidedbythelight,hereachedthedoorofthemostsplendidcastlehecouldhaveimagined.Thisdoorwasofgoldcoveredwithcarbuncles,anditwasthepureredlightwhichshonefromthemthathadshownhimthewaythroughtheforest.Thewallswereofthefinestporcelaininallthemostdelicatecolours,andthePrincesawthatallthestorieshehadeverreadwerepictureduponthem;butashewasterriblywet,andtherainstillfellintorrents,hecouldnotstaytolookaboutanymore,butcamebacktothegoldendoor.Therehesawadeer'sfoothangingbyachainofdiamonds,andhebegantowonderwhocouldliveinthismagnificentcastle.

"Theymustfeelverysecureagainstrobbers,"hesaidtohimself."Whatistohinderanyonefromcuttingoffthatchainanddiggingoutthosecarbuncles,andmakinghimselfrichforlife?

"

Hepulledthedeer'sfoot,andimmediatelyasilverbellsoundedandthedoorflewopen,butthePrincecouldseenothingbutnumbersofhandsintheair,eachholdingatorch.Hewassomuchsurprisedthathestoodquitestill,untilhefelthimselfpushedforwardbyotherhands,sothat,thoughhewassomewhatuneasy,hecouldnothelpgoingon.Withhishandonhissword,tobepreparedforwhatevermighthappen,heenteredahallpavedwithlapis-lazuli,whiletwolovelyvoicessang：

"ThehandsyouseefloatingaboveWillswiftlyyourbiddingobey;IfyourheartdreadsnotconqueringLove,Inthisplaceyoumayfearlesslystay."

ThePrincecouldnotbelievethatanydangerthreatenedhimwhenhewaswelcomedinthisway,so,guidedbythemysterioushands,hewenttowardadoorofcoral,whichopenedofitsownaccord,andhefoundhimselfinavasthallofmother-of-pearl,outofwhichopenedanumberofotherrooms,glitteringwiththousandsoflights,andfullofsuchbeautifulpicturesandpreciousthingsthatthePrincefeltquitebewildered.Afterpassingthroughsixtyroomsthehandsthatconductedhimstopped,andthePrincesawamostcomfortable-lookingarm-chairdrawnupclosetothechimneycorner;atthesamemomentthefirelighteditself,andthepretty,soft,cleverhandstookoffthePrince'swet,muddyclothes,andpresentedhimwithfreshonesmadeofthericheststuffs,allembroideredwithgoldandemeralds.Hecouldnothelpadmiringeverythinghesaw,andthedeftwayinwhichthehandswaitedonhim,thoughtheysometimesappearedsosuddenlythattheymadehimjump.

Whenhewasquiteready--andIcanassureyouthathelookedverydifferentfromthewetandwearyPrincewhohadstoodouts

ideintherain,andpulledthedeer'sfoot--thehandsledhimtoasplendidroom,uponthewallsofwhichwerepaintedthehistoriesofPussinBootsandanumberofotherfamouscats.Thetablewaslaidforsupperwithtwogoldenplates,andgoldenspoonsandforks,andthesideboardwascoveredwithdishesandglassesofcrystalsetwithpreciousstones.ThePrincewaswonderingwhothesecondplacecouldbefor,whensuddenlyincameaboutadozencatscarryingguitarsandrollsofmusic,whotooktheirplacesatoneendoftheroom,andunderthedirectionofacatwhobeattime

witharollofpaperbegantomewineveryimaginablekey,andtodrawtheirclawsacrossthestringsoftheguitars,makingthestrangestkindofmusicthatcouldbeheard.ThePrincehastilystoppeduphisears,buteventhenthesightofthesecomicalmusicianssenthimintofitsoflaughter.

"WhatfunnythingshallIseenext?

"hesaidtohimself,andinstantlythedooropened,andincameatinyfigurecoveredbyalongblackveil.Itwasconductedbytwocatswearingblackmantlesandcarryingswords,andalargepartyofcatsfollowed,whobroughtincagesfullofratsandmice.

ThePrincewassomuchastonishedthathethoughthemustbedreaming,butthelittlefigurecameuptohimandthrewbackitsveil,andhesawthatitwastheloveliestlittlewhitecatitispossibletoimagine.Shelookedveryyoungandverysad,andinasweetlittlevoicethatwentstraighttohisheartshesaidtothePrince：

"King'sson,youarewelcome;theQueenoftheCatsisgladtoseeyou."

"LadyCat,"repliedthePrince,"Ithankyouforreceivingmesokindly,butsurelyyouarenoordinarypussycat?

Indeed,thewayyouspeakandthemagnificenceofyourcastleproveitplainly."

"King'sson,"saidtheWhiteCat,"Ibegyoutosparemethesecompliments,forIamnotusedtothem.Butnow,"sheadded,"letsupperbeserved,andletthemusiciansbesilent,asthePrincedoesnotunderstandwhattheyaresaying."

Sothemysterioushandsbegantobringinthesupper,andfirsttheyputonthetabletwodishes,onecontainingstewedpigeonsandtheotherafricasseeoffatmice.ThesightofthelattermadethePrincefeelasifhecouldnotenjoyhissupperatall;buttheWhiteCat,seeingthis,assuredhimthatthedishesintendedforhimwerepreparedinaseparatekitchen,andhemightbequitecertainthattheycontainedneitherratsnormice;andthePrincefeltsosurethatshewouldnotdeceivehimthathehadnomorehesitationinbeginning.PresentlyhenoticedthatonthelittlepawthatwasnexthimtheWhiteCatworeabraceletcontainingaportrait,andhebeggedtobeallowedtolookatit.Tohisgreatsurprisehefounditrepresentedanextremelyhandsomeyoungman,whowassolikehimselfthatitmighthavebeenhisown

portrait!

TheWhiteCatsighedashelookedatit,andseemedsadderthanever,andthePrincedarednotaskanyquestionsforfearofdispleasingher;sohebegantotalkaboutotherthings,andfoundthatshewasinterestedinallthesubjectshecaredforhimself,andseemedtoknowquitewellwhatwasgoingonintheworld.Aftersuppertheywentintoanotherroom,whichwasfittedupasatheatre,andthecatsactedanddancedfortheiramusement,andthentheWhiteCatsaidgood-nighttohim,andthehandsconductedhimintoaroomhehadnotseenbefore,hungwithtapestryworkedwithbutterflies'wingsofeverycolour;thereweremirrorsthatreachedfromtheceilingtothefloor,andalittlewhitebedwithcurtainsofgauzetiedupwithribbons.ThePrincewenttobedinsilence,ashedidnotquiteknowhowtobeginaconversationwiththehandsthatwaitedonhim,andinthemorninghewasawakenedbyanoiseandconfusionoutsideofhiswindow,andthehandscameandquicklydressedhimin

huntingcostume.Whenhelookedoutallthecatswereassembledinthecourtyard,someleadinggreyhounds,someblowinghorns,fortheWhiteCatwasgoingouthunting.ThehandsledawoodenhorseuptothePrince,andseemedtoex