“Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough briar,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire.”
Shakespeare.
81
CHAPTER IV.
The events recorded in the last chapter took place, as the judicious1 reader will have anticipated, a short time previously2 to that visit of the Lady Abracadabra3 to the Court of King Katzekopf, in which she asserted her authority, and proposed the companionship of a boy of his own age as likely to form a salutary check on the growing wilfulness4 and selfishness of Prince Eigenwillig.
82Accordingly, many days did not elapse before little Witikind was transported from the Castle of Taubennest to the royal nursery.
It was a sad business, that leaving his home. Of the trials that lay before him, he, poor child, could, of course, know nothing. He had never lived anywhere but at home, and he could not as yet imagine that any place could be very different from home; and he had good hope, from all his father told him, that he would be happy as the day was long at the court of King Katzekopf. But when it really came to bidding farewell: when he saw his mother trying to smile and encourage him, yet was sure, by her appearance, that she had been weeping all night long; when Ediltrudis and Veronica, quite unable to bear up against this, their first deep sorrow, clung to him, and sobbed5 as if their hearts were breaking. Oh, how bitterly did Witikind lament7 the rash words he had spoken! Oh, what would he have given to recall them, and to be allowed to live on, as heretofore, with those who so 83dearly loved him, and whom he so dearly loved! But it was now too late.
And so it is ever with us all. The blessings8 which we do not appreciate are sooner or later withdrawn10 from us, and when, on their removal, we feel their value, and would flee after them and secure them, we find they are gone irrecoverably, and that we can never be again as we were when we possessed12 them. For Witikind, we trust that many happy days may be in store, that he will return to Taubennest better and wiser every way than when he left it; that his mother will fold him in her arms once more, and that his sisters will shed more tears of pleasure over him than now of sorrow; but never, never will he be again as when first he quitted home: a change will have taken place; he will be different himself; those around him will be different; fresh hopes, and feelings, and wishes will have come over them; their confidences will not be the same confidences, their love will not be the same love that it was before they knew the sorrows of separation.
84Oh, reader, reader! if you have a happy home, and loving parents, and affectionate brothers and sisters, try and show yourself worthy13 of the blessing9 while yet it is yours. You know not how soon you may be taken from them, or they from you: strive, then, so to live with them, that, when separation comes, you may have no cause to mourn for your behaviour to them now!
Taubennest was a fine old castle in its way, but certainly not at all comparable to King Katzekopf’s palace; and as for the city, it was a thing altogether beyond Witikind’s conceptions. Such a labyrinth14 of streets and houses! such crowds of people passing and repassing! such strange, unaccustomed sights and sounds! the boy was in a state of utter bewilderment!
And before he had recovered himself, he found he was passing through marble halls, and corridors hung with silks and satins, and glittering with gilding15; and then he was 85brought into an apartment where King Katzekopf was sitting on his throne, with a velvet16 nightcap on his head, and his crown over his nightcap (for his Majesty17 was now growing so fat and infirm, that when he was not eating or governing the country, he was usually asleep); and then, when he had been patted on the head by a real, live king, and had been told to be a good boy by Queen Ninnilinda, who came into the room on purpose to look at him, he was committed to the care of Lady Brigida, and immediately became an inmate19 of the royal nursery.
The Prince was quite charmed to have such a companion: he dismounted from his rocking-horse in a moment, and running up to Witikind asked whether he was the little boy (Witikind was the biggest of the two) who was to come and live with him.
And when Lady Brigida answered in the affirmative, he immediately threw his arms round Witikind’s neck and kissed him.
“I shall love you so much, and we shall be 86so happy together,” said he. “I know we shall, for you look so good-natured.”
Witikind could say but little in reply, for he was quite unused to being with strangers, especially royal ones, and his thoughts were already reverting20 to his mother, and Ediltrudis, and Veronica, and the happy home at Taubennest; but he was grateful to the Prince for his kindness, and anxious by all the means in his power to show that he was so. He was a very gentle, amiable21, good humoured boy, ever ready to oblige, and not easily put out of temper, and though in some respects his being an only son had been to his disadvantage, he was not spoilt like the little Prince, and had even made some progress in habits of self-control.
For several days, therefore, the two boys lived very happily together, and the nurses and governesses began to congratulate themselves on the improvements which had taken place in their prospects23; and that, whereas, they scarce knew what it was to have five 87minutes in the course of the day free from vexation of some kind connected with their royal charge, the little Eigenwillig seemed all at once transformed into an amiable child.
And so he was, as long as he continued without any temptation to be overbearing and disagreeable. His attendants, whom heretofore he had tormented24 so diligently25, were now left in peace, because, for the time, he found more immediate18 amusement in Witikind than in the art of tormenting26. His companion was, as it were, a new toy: so long as Witikind was new to him, things were pretty sure to go smoothly27. The trial only began when the novelty ceased.
And there was a good deal in Witikind’s gentle temper, and in the feelings natural to his position, which tended to avert28, for some time, the explosion which, sooner or later, was inevitable29.
At first, the Prince treated him as if he were his equal in rank, offered him his toys to play with, and even went so far as to say 88that he would allow Witikind to ride on his pony,—when he had done with it himself. By-and-bye, however, when he saw that his attendants paid more respect to him than to the son of Count Rudolf, he thought it would be better to assume a patronizing air, which he did very much to his own satisfaction. A few more days elapsed, and then, instead of patronizing, he was domineering.
All this, however, Witikind submitted to as a matter of course. He had been already taught to give up his own wishes and inclinations30 cheerfully; and his father had inculcated upon him twenty times that he never was to allow himself to think of anything save how he could best please the heir-apparent. He felt it was his business to yield his own inclinations to the Prince’s, and he invariably did yield them amiably31, and as, consequently, the little Eigenwillig continued to have his own way, there could be no open rupture32. It is impossible to have a quarrel, when there is nobody to quarrel with.
89However, it cannot be said that at the end of a week Witikind thought his royal companion so full of good nature as he had expected, and at the end of a fortnight Witikind had begun to compare the ways of Ediltrudis and Veronica, with those of the Prince, and certainly the result of the comparison was not in his royal highness’s favour. On the other hand, the Prince had made the discovery that with his nurse and instructresses, the gentle-tempered son of Countess Ermengarde was rapidly becoming a much greater favourite than he was himself.
This made him very jealous; and his jealousy33 became insupportable when Witikind was held out as a model for his imitation. “What a sweet little boy is Count Rudolf’s son;” nurse Yellowlily would exclaim. “He always does what he is bid the moment he is spoken to: so unlike some people!”
“Yes;” the lady Brigida would add, “and so quick at his lessons; never stupid, never idle, never impatient. Such a contrast, you know!”
90“Every body loves little Witikind,” rejoined the nurse again, “he is so civil-spoken, and gives so little trouble, and isn’t proud, nor quarrelsome, nor selfish, nor finds pleasure in teasing and plaguing people.”
Thus these silly women took the surest means to prevent the prince from benefiting by the example of his companion.
Under such circumstances Witikind grew more and more unhappy every day. Let him do what he would, the Prince was always disposed to quarrel with him: and the more he gave up his own will to the Prince’s, the more he strove to oblige him, the more the Prince seemed to dislike him for it, for a contrast was sure to be drawn11 by the attendants between Witikind’s good nature, and the unamiable disposition34 of his companion.
At length Witikind gave up the attempt to please, and would go and hide himself in some corner where nobody was likely to find him, or would sit moping on a bench in the palace gardens, thinking of Ediltrudis and 91Veronica, and contrasting their affection with the Prince’s ill nature.
Now it so happened, that the seat to which Witikind was so fond of betaking himself was one which King Katzekopf could see out of his window as he sat in his arm chair. Witikind did not know this, or he would never have chosen it. He was thinking of watching the gold fish in the fountain, not of King Katzekopf, when he first made it his favourite haunt.
“I wonder why that boy sits on yonder bench all day,” observed the King, one fine afternoon. “I wonder why I never see him playing with Eigenwillig.” But nobody made any answer in reply to his Majesty’s observation, and so the matter passed from his thoughts. But when another day, and another, and another, and another, had elapsed, and Witikind was still seen on his favourite bench, the King’s curiosity was quite roused, and he sent for the boy. Witikind was very much frightened when he heard that the 92King wanted him; but he could not help hoping that, since the Prince disliked him so much, he was going to be sent home again.
“Why are you not at play with Eigenwillig?” asked the King, so soon as Witikind was ushered35 into the room.
“The Prince, Sire, prefers playing alone,” replied Witikind.
“But don’t you know that you came here on purpose to be his playfellow?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Why won’t the Prince play with you?”
“I suppose it is, Sire, because he does not like me,” answered the boy.
“Have you quarrelled with him?”
“No, Sire.”
“I am afraid, Witikind, you are not happy here,” said the King kindly36. “It is my wish that you should be so. I gave orders that you should be as kindly treated as if you were at home.”
“Your Majesty is very good to me,” replied Witikind, and he meant to have gone on 93to thank the King for all the favours that had been shown him; but his heart was very full, and that one word “home,” which the King had used, made it overflow37. Taubennest and all its dear ones, rose before his eyes, and he began to sob6 violently. The King saw there was something at which he had not yet arrived; but he thought it more prudent38 to seek an explanation elsewhere; so, with a few kind words, he dismissed the boy, telling him that he would speak to him again in a day or two.
By-and-bye, Witikind fell in with the Prince. “So!” exclaimed the latter, as soon as he saw him, “you have been complaining of me to the King, have you? You little, mean, spiteful creature!”
“No, Prince, I haven’t. The King asked me why you would not play with me, and I told him I supposed the reason was because you did not like me.”
“Well, I don’t like you. I hated you before, and I hate you now worse than ever.”
“Why should you hate me, Prince?”
94“Because I do,” answered the heir of the Katzekopfs.
“But why will you hate me? I am sure I don’t hate you, Prince; I would be very glad to love you, if you would only let me.”
“But I won’t, won’t, won’t” shouted the Prince, clenching39 his fist, and striking the table with it. “I won’t let you love me. I won’t have anything to say to such a mean, sneaking40 creature.”
“Why do you call me mean and sneaking?” asked Witikind, the colour mounting in his cheeks.
“Because you are so,” replied the other. “Are you not always trying to show off before Nurse Yellowlily, and the governesses, in order that they may praise you, and blame me?”
“No, Prince; I would much rather they should never praise me. I would much rather they would never say a word, unless they could praise us both. Oh, Prince, you would be so much happier, if you would try and not 95be so—so—so self-willed. Indeed, indeed, you would!”
“How dare you call me self-willed? And what business is it of yours if I am ever so self-willed? I wish I had never seen your face. You have done nothing but make mischief41 ever since you came here.”
“I never made mischief,” replied Witikind indignantly, “and it is very unjust of you to say such a thing. You would not have dared to say it to one who was your equal. But it is no use talking with you. If I am what you charge me with being, I am no fit companion for you; if I am not, you are no fit companion for me. So at no rate will I stay here any longer.” And he immediately proceeded towards the door.
“Oh, you won’t, won’t you?” cried his enraged42 companion; “then take this with you!” And, suiting his actions to his words, the Prince seized a heavy silver inkstand, which stood upon the table, and threw it at Witikind. Had it reached him, it might have hurt 96him very seriously; but Eigenwillig was in too great a passion to take a deliberate aim, and the consequence was, that the missile, instead of hitting Witikind, struck the centre of a large looking-glass, which it broke to shivers.
The crash of the falling fragments was heard by Queen Ninnilinda, and she immediately entered the apartment, to see what was the matter. The first object which met her eyes was Witikind, who ran against her in his hurry to escape from the Prince.
“Ah,” said she, laying hold of him, “you need not attempt to run away. I knew I should find you out sooner or later, and now I have caught you. How dared you to break that looking-glass, and spill the ink all over the carpet, you little, good-for-nothing varlet?”
“Please your Majesty, I did not break it.”
“Not break it!” exclaimed the Queen, who was much too angry to observe that her own son was likewise in the room. “Not break 97it? Are you not ashamed to utter such falsehoods?” And with that the Queen struck the little boy two or three sharp blows.
“Oh, Mamma, Mamma,” cried Prince Eigenwillig, rushing forward, and seizing her uplifted arm, “it was not his doing; it was mine. I don’t like him, and I wish he had never come here; but he didn’t break the looking-glass. I broke it; do not beat him; he doesn’t deserve it. I did the mischief. He put me in such a rage with what he said, that I took up the inkstand and threw it at him; but it struck the glass instead of him.”
The Prince was a spoilt child, and full of faults; but here was an evidence that there were redeeming43 points in his character. Nothing could have been better than the manner in which he came forward to take the blame on his own shoulders. There was still something to work upon; and had his mother been anything but what she was, the incident might have been turned as much to his advantage as to her own. But her weakness and 98vanity were excessive. She saw she had been too hasty; but was unwilling44 to confess herself in the wrong; so she availed herself of an expression of her son, and continued to pour out her wrath45 on the unfortunate Witikind.
“How dared you offend the Prince?” she cried. “How could you presume to misbehave yourself in such a manner, as to put him in a rage, as he says you did? And what is the meaning of all these malicious46 tales you have been carrying to the King?”
“I have carried no tales to the King, Madam,” replied Witikind.
“Yes, you have,” retorted the Queen, “you have been making him believe that the Prince is cruel to you. And like a little artful, hypocritical wretch47, you have been even setting his own attendants against him.”
Witikind was so bewildered with all these charges that he was quite silent.
“Yes,” continued the Queen, “no wonder you are struck dumb; now you are found out, you have not a word to say for yourself.”
99“Will you hear me, Madam, or believe me, when I do speak?” replied Witikind, recovering his self-possession.
“Believe you? you little deceitful creature! No, that will I not.”
“Then, since your Majesty says that, when you know I have never deceived you, I had rather say nothing, except that I hope you will confront me with the King, and the Prince’s attendants.”
“Leave the room,” said Queen Ninnilinda, in still greater anger, “I am not going to be argued with by you, I promise you.”
“Mamma,” said Prince Eigenwillig, as soon as Witikind had left the room, “I don’t like him, but I don’t think he ever tells lies; and I don’t think he ever tried to set Nurse Yellowlily against me, though she often praised him, in order to plague me.”
Here again, the boy was getting upon a right path; but his foolish mother, as soon as she perceived it, lost no time in turning him into a wrong one.
100“Ah, my sweetest boy,” said she, “it was no more than I expected from your noble, generous nature, that you should try and find excuses for this odious48 little brat49. You don’t know the world as well as I do: if you did, you would find it prudent to consider others less, and yourself more. But I have my own opinion about this Witikind. Everything went on well enough in the palace till he came, and now every thing goes wrong, and I can trace his finger at the bottom of all the mischief. I always misdoubted the intentions of that cross-grained old toad50, my Fairy-aunt, ever since she insisted on giving you your horrid51 name. I was sure her professions of kindliness52 were a blind, and that she was meaning mischief all the time. And I am quite satisfied now that this creature which she brought here, is not Count Rudolf’s son. Count Rudolf is a very respectable man and would not deceive us, but parents are proverbially blind;” (Yes, indeed, Queen Ninnilinda!) “and I don’t doubt that 101this Witikind is a changeling, some imp22 from Fairy-land, hundreds of years old, perhaps, sly, and mischievous53, and malicious, who is sent to bring some terrible misfortune on us all.”
Poor Witikind! he little suspected the nature of this fresh accusation54 against him; and while he was weeping in his chamber55 over the injustice56 which he was suffering, and writhing57 under the indignity58 of being charged with saying what was not true, he was being subjected to an imputation59, at once the most cruel, and (in his case) the most difficult to disprove.
The idea once started, every body had something to say in confirmation60 of it. All the courtiers discovered that, though they had never mentioned it, they had, from the first, observed something very elvish in his countenance61. The Keeper of the Records had been struck with his always being dressed in green and gold,—the fashionable colours in Fairy-land. The Ladies Frigida, Rigida, 102and Brigida, detected something supernatural in the precocious62 aptness with which he received their lessons. The Baroness63 Yellowlily had occasionally found great entanglement64 in the poor child’s sunny ringlets, when she combed them after he had been at play: this was a strong presumption65 they were elflocks. He was wont66 to talk with rapture67 of the happy home he had left; this, in the opinion of the Lord Chamberlain, was proof positive that he had come from Fairy-land, for what but Fairy-land could be preferable to a palace? Finally, even good-natured King Katzekopf, when he heard all these allegations, was fain to shake his head, and confess that there was something suspicious in the case, and that the circumstance which he had himself observed, namely, Witikind’s habit of sitting moping for hours together, by the side of the fountain, was certainly very unlike the habits of other boys.
What was to be done? If they sent him back to his reputed parents, without the Lady 103Abracadabra’s permission, they might bring all kinds of trouble upon themselves. If they kept him longer in the palace, there was no calculating the amount of mischief which might be effected by him. However, it was resolved, that of the two evils, this was the least: and so it was determined68, that things should go on as usual, and that Witikind should be kept in ignorance of the nature of the suspicions against him.
Whether all those who contributed to blacken this unlucky boy’s character, were sincere in their belief of his elvish origin, may be doubted. To seem so was to follow the fashion, and a ready method of getting into Queen Ninnilinda’s good graces; and that was enough for courtiers.
But, though Witikind knew not of what he was accused, he was not long kept in ignorance of the fact, that he was out of favour with every body. It seemed as if nobody, from the King on his throne, to the scullion in the kitchen, could say a word of kindness 104to him. Some were ruder than others, in proportion as they desired to pay court to her Majesty; but all made it evident that they wished to have nothing to say to him. A thousand petty mortifications were heaped upon him. He was kept at his lessons for many more hours than heretofore, and his tasks were made doubly difficult. He was allowed, as formerly69, to take his meals with the Prince, but those in attendance contrived70 to give him whatever was likely to be most unpalatable. He was required to be with the Prince during his play hours, but was not allowed to play with him, but only to wait on him; to run after his ball, or to fetch his hoop71 out of a ditch, or pick up his arrows which had fallen wide of the mark.
And yet nothing was said or done in such a manner that Witikind could lay hold of it. He felt that every body was against him, though it was their general manner, rather than any particular act, that gave him the impression. It seemed to him, as if his feet 105had become entangled72 in a net, and that some unseen hand was preventing his escape. And all this while, Prince Eigenwillig was growing more and more unkind, sometimes not speaking to him at all, and other times loading him with abuse and reproaches. For weeks and weeks, this state of things continued, and Witikind was nearly broken in spirit, and would have been quite so, had he not been able to cheer himself, by the thought that sooner or later, he would be sent home, and that the Fairy had promised to befriend him.
Yet still as time passed on, and he heard nothing from Taubennest, and his father never came to Court to inquire after him, and the Lady Abracadabra failed to appear, he grew more and more downcast. Sometimes he thought of running away; but whither should he run, and how could he find his way home? Sometimes he resolved to entreat73 the King to dismiss him; but then he remembered the Fairy’s commands, that let what would 106happen, he must not leave the Court, without her permission.
However, when things are at the worst, they usually begin to mend; and just as Witikind began to despair, the crisis came which he feared would never come.
In obedience74 to his mother,—for sometimes, when he had no temptation the other way, even Eigenwillig could be obedient,—the Prince had carefully abstained75 from letting fall any expression which should convey to Witikind the knowledge that he was suspected of being an elf in disguise; but at length it happened, as might have been expected, that the boy forgot his secret.
It fell out, upon a summer’s evening, that the Prince and Witikind were alone together in one of the apartments of the palace, which opened out of the Queen’s sitting-room76, and which had a door of communication with the gardens.—The Prince was amusing himself with a game of battledore, and Witikind stood near to pick up the shuttlecock for him 107as it occasionally fell. But the Prince was expert with his battledore, and would keep the shuttlecock bounding in the air for a long time together. Consequently the services of Witikind were not often needed.
No wonder, therefore, that he crept towards the window to look at the gay flower beds, and to watch the waters of his favourite fountain as they rose sparkling in the air to a vast height, and then fell into various fantastic basins, from which they issued into the grand reservoir below; and no wonder, as he listened to the soothing77 plash of the waters, and watched the clouds, painted with all the gorgeous hues78 which the setting sun threw over them, that his thoughts reverted79 to Taubennest, and that fatal evening when he had expressed a wish to quit it. Surely the error had brought its recompense of punishment! If he had done wrong, he had suffered for it, and had learned a lesson which would last him his life. Oh bitter and sincere was his repentance80! What would he not now give to turn 108his back for ever on the hateful palace! What would he not give to see the towers of Taubennest, and look from its ramparts on the mountains, barren as they were; and the valley, and the winding81 river! What would he not give, were it but for a few brief minutes, to hear the sweet voices of his sisters, and to be clasped in his mother’s arms!
The shuttlecock had fallen, but he heard it not, and remained inattentive to his duties. How could it be otherwise! he was hundreds of miles away.
“Why don’t you pick up the shuttlecock?” cried the Prince, in a sharp, impatient tone.—Witikind started, and ran forward in a random82 way; but he could not see it: tears were blinding his eyes.
“Not there, blockhead!” shouted the Prince “look behind the statue.” There were two statues; Witikind went towards the wrong one.
“What a stupid elf’s-brat you are!” cried the Hope of the Katzekopfs to the child of 109Countess Ermengarde, when he brought back the shuttlecock.
“What did you call me, Prince?” said Witikind with a look of surprise and anger.
“I called you what you are,—what all the world knows you to be—an elf’s-brat: the good-for-nothing, impish son of some malevolent83 old Fairy, or some old hag of a witch!”
“How dare you call my mother evil names?” exclaimed Witikind, his eyes sparkling with anger, and his whole frame quivering with emotion. His patient endurance and gentleness seemed to have fled from him for ever; his entire character appeared altered on the instant. Anything personal he had long since proved that he could submit to, but the insult to his mother called forth84 in a moment the long-sleeping energies of his character. “How DARE you to abuse my mother?” he cried in a still louder tone. “How dare you utter such a base, cowardly lie?”
The Prince, wholly unprepared for such an outbreak, was too much terrified to answer. 110He saw that in Witikind’s gleaming eye which told him, boy as he was, that Countess Ermengarde’s son was not to be trifled with. The Hope of the Katzekopfs turned pale, quailed85, and continued retreating towards the corner of the room nearest to his mother’s apartments.
“Unsay what you have said,” cried Witikind, following close upon him as he retreated step by step. “Unsay what you have said, and beg my pardon on your knees for this insult to my mother!”
Down sank the Prince on his knees in the corner of the room, while over him stood Witikind, pale with anger, his arm outstretched, and his fist clenched86, repeating in tones hoarse87 from excitement, but waxing louder, and louder every moment, “Unsay what you have said, unsay what you have said!”
Such was the sight which presented itself to Queen Ninnilinda’s wondering eyes, when she issued from her boudoir to ascertain88 the cause of the noise which had alarmed her.
111“Take him away! take him away!” cried the Prince, as soon as he saw his mother. “Take him away, or he will kill me!”
“Help! help!” shrieked89 the Queen, “or the Prince will be bewitched by this spiteful elf—this Fairy’s changeling.”
Her screams brought one of the yeomen of the guard into the room, who instantly seized Witikind.
“Hold him fast!” exclaimed her Majesty. “Get ropes and tie him hand and foot, and then flog him till he faints. He has been trying to bewitch my son!”
But the Queen’s commands were not destined90 to be obeyed. Even when the hubbub91 was at its height, a pause ensued, for the well-known whistle of the Fairy at the keyhole, loud and shrill92 above all other sounds, was heard. Forth from the aperture93 the Lady Abracadabra sprung, and with a single bound darted94 into the midst of the group. Her expression was that of the deepest indignation, and her robe seemed glowing with living fire. 112Throwing her wand down upon the nearest table, she caught hold of Witikind with one hand, and with the other sent the burly yeoman of the guard reeling to the extremity95 of the apartment, from whence he rushed forth in an agony of terror.
“And this is the way you keep your promises, is it, Queen Ninnilinda? This is the way you treat the poor child whom you engaged to bring up with the same kindness which you exhibit to yonder unhappy boy? Think not that I am not cognizant of all your proceedings96! Think not that I have not witnessed the indignities97 and unkindnesses you have heaped upon him! Think not that I have not overheard your shameless words of ingratitude98 towards myself. Think not, above all, that I, his friend and protector, have kept Witikind an hour longer than was necessary for his future happiness, in this abode99 of folly100 and weakness: think not, that I, your own child’s sponsor, will allow him to be longer exposed to your mismanagement, and evil influence. 113I gave you a fair warning; and you must now take the consequences of having neglected it. You have had your trial. It is over. Now comes your punishment.”
The Queen threw herself on her knees.
“No:” replied the Lady Abracadabra; “it is too late now. The sooner you take leave of your son the better. But first, Prince Eigenwillig, come here to me.”
“I won’t!” cried the Prince doggedly101.
“It will be the worse for you if you don’t,” said the Fairy.
“I won’t, I tell you!” repeated the Prince.
“Oh Eigenwillig,” cried his mother, “for mercy’s sake, do as you are bid; you know not what the consequences of disobedience may be!”
“Come, when I call you!” said Lady Abracadabra calmly, but fixing her eye upon him, “come here and beg Witikind’s pardon for all your abominable102 conduct towards him.”
Eigenwillig approached Witikind, who had already a smile of reconciliation103 on his face, 114expecting that the Prince would now gladly make up for his error. But the Hope of the Katzekopfs had no such intention. He advanced indeed close to Witikind, and stretched out one hand towards him, but with the other he snatched the Fairy’s wand off the table, and before she could prevent him, he struck Witikind over the head, and exclaimed, “Detestable creature! be thou turned into a timid hare! Mays’t thou be hunted to death by dogs and men!”
In another instant he was gazing in amazement104 at what he had done; for such was the portentous105 power of Abracadabra’s wand that, even in his hands, it failed not to work the required transformation106. Witikind was crouching107 before them, a terrified trembling hare!
“Well!” cried the Fairy, “be it so. You have but anticipated my purpose, evil-minded child that you are!” She opened a door that led into the garden, and said,
115“Hare! Hare! hurry away!
Neither halt nor rest,
And at Taubennest
You shall safely be, by the break of day.
No huntsman harm thee!
No hound alarm thee!
From evil I charm thee!
Bound forth! away! away!”
She paused a moment to see the little creature safe on its route, and then closed the door.
“And now,” said she to the author of the mischief, “I come to settle my account with thee. But first surrender my wand.”
“I’ll turn you into a toad first,” shouted the Prince, striking at her; but with indecision in his voice and manner; for, in spite of his recent triumph, he was utterly108 terrified at what he had done, and at what he was doing. He already had a misgiving109 that Fairies are not to be trifled with.
The Lady Abracadabra was, as may be supposed, in no humour to be turned into a toad. She, therefore, merely stretched out her hand, and caught hold of the extremity of the wand 116as the Hope of the Katzekopfs struck her with it.
“Give me the wand!” said she.
“I shan’t!” cried Eigenwillig.
“Give it me directly!”
“I won’t, won’t, WON’T!” screamed the naughty boy, clinging fast to one end of the wand, while the Fairy held the other.
“I shall make you glad enough to loose it before I have done with you.”
“Leave it alone, Eigenwillig,” cried his mother, clasping her hands.
“I won’t,” exclaimed the boy, “I won’t do anything you tell me. If you had not spoilt me, I shouldn’t be in all this trouble now! I won’t give it up, I say!”
“Then take the consequences!” said the Lady Abracadabra. As she said these words, she darted up into the air, still keeping hold of the wand, and lessening110 in size, as she rose, made her way towards the keyhole. By the time she had reached it, dragging the Prince after her, she had shrunk to the size which 117enabled her to go through it. But she paused for a moment before she disappeared, and, standing111 on the handle of the door, she cried out in a shrill, thin voice, such as might be expected to issue from one of her diminutive112 size:—
“Follow wand,
Follow hand.”
Then she sprung through the keyhole, and in another instant her wand was seen following her.
“drop it now, my darling!” exclaimed the Queen. “Let her take her wand, if she’ll only take herself off, too!”
All this time the wand was passing through the keyhole. Less and less of it was left in sight. Now not more than an inch; now not half an inch; now the tips of the Prince’s fingers seemed sucked up towards the keyhole.
“drop it,” cried the Queen, “why don’t you drop it?”
“Oh, mother, mother!” screamed the 118struggling, breathless boy, in an agony of terror, “I can’t, I CAN’T; it has grown to my fingers; it sticks to them! Oh dear! dear! what shall I do? my fingers are being dragged through the keyhole! they are being stretched into strings113! Oh help me! help me!”
The Queen rushed to the door, before which her son was kicking and writhing. But his efforts to escape were fruitless. To her horror, the Queen beheld114 each joint115 tapering116 and elongating117 itself, till it could pass through the narrow aperture; now, the wrists had disappeared; now, in a twinkling, the elbows were out of sight; now the upper portion of the arm was gone.
“Surely,” thought Ninnilinda, “she will never attempt to drag his head through.” But she was wrong; the boy’s hair was rapidly sucked through the keyhole, and the head began to lengthen118 itself out for the purpose of following.
This was too much for endurance. The Queen strove with all her power to open the 119door; but it was as fast as if it formed part of the original wall. Then, in her dismay, she seized hold of the body of the Prince, for the purpose of dragging him back; but a miserable119, elongated120 drawl from the other side of the door conveyed the boy’s entreaty121 that she would not hurt him.
“Never mind what he says, niece,” cried the voice of the Fairy. “Hold his legs tight, and in half a minute I shall have finished my work, and wound him up!”
The Queen was so transfixed with dismay, that she stood motionless, watching the receding122 body of the Prince, till the soles of his feet caught her despairing eyes.
“There! ‘tis done now,” cried the Lady Abracadabra. “He makes a very compact ball, and will travel well!”
The Queen, in her despair, now rushed to the door leading into the flower-garden; but she was too late.
The Fairy had reached the extremity of the terrace, kicking before her something 120that seemed like a ball of rope; but which ball was, in fact, the convoluted123 form of Prince Eigenwillig.
In another moment, the lady Abracadabra and the Hope of the Katzekopfs had bounded over the parapet, and were lost to view; and Queen Ninnilinda fell, for the first time in her life, into a real swoon.
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1
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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abracadabra
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| n.咒语，胡言乱语 | |
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wilfulness
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| 任性；倔强 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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8
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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10
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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13
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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14
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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15
gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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16
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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17
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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18
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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19
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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reverting
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| 恢复( revert的现在分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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21
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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22
imp
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| n.顽童 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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24
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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26
tormenting
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| 使痛苦的，使苦恼的 | |
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27
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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28
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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29
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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30
inclinations
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| 倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡 | |
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31
amiably
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| adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地 | |
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32
rupture
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| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
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33
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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34
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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35
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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37
overflow
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| v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出 | |
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38
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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39
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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40
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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41
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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42
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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43
redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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44
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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45
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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46
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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47
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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48
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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49
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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50
toad
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
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51
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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52
kindliness
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| n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为 | |
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53
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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54
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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55
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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56
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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57
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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58
indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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59
imputation
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| n.归罪，责难 | |
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60
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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61
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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62
precocious
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| adj.早熟的；较早显出的 | |
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63
baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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64
entanglement
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| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
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65
presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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66
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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67
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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68
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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69
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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70
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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71
hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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72
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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74
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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75
abstained
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| v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票） | |
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76
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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77
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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78
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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79
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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80
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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81
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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82
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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83
malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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84
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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85
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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86
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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87
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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88
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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89
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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91
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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92
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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93
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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94
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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95
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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96
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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97
indignities
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| n.侮辱，轻蔑( indignity的名词复数 ) | |
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98
ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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99
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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100
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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101
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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102
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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103
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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104
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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105
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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106
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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107
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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108
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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109
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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110
lessening
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| 减轻，减少，变小 | |
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111
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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112
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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113
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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114
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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115
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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116
tapering
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| adj.尖端细的 | |
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117
elongating
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的现在分词 ) | |
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118
lengthen
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| vt.使伸长，延长 | |
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119
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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120
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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121
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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122
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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123
convoluted
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| adj.旋绕的；复杂的 | |
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