This is a fairy-story, but it is not about a princess; princesses are always wonderfully beautiful and wise and good, and the little girl in this story was a rather silly little girl.

 

She lived in a little house, on a great highway, and watched and waited for the coming of the prince for whom all girls, big and small, great princesses and poor silly little spinners, watch and wait.

 

Many people passed the little house by the roadside, as they travelled along the great highway. Once or twice the girl who 84 watched thought she saw the prince in the distance, but always as he approached the likeness¹ faded. Then came one traveller, who tarried for a while at the little house. He came quietly, unostentatiously, and the prince was to come riding on a white charger, clothed in the splendor² of purple and gold. So she hid herself under a cloak until the traveller again set out on the great highway, alone.

 

But after he had gone she saw that he had left a shadow behind him, and for some contrary, woman-reason, she hid it, and guarded it carefully, in case he should return and claim it.

 

The days became weeks—the weeks months—the months years, and the prince did not appear. Gradually she gave up the hope of him ever appearing, and no longer watched for him, but occupied her days instead 85 with wholesome⁴ labor⁵. And now she was no longer a silly little girl, but a lonely woman.

 

One evening she stood in the doorway⁶, watching the sunset. The highway was quite deserted⁷, save for one lone³ traveller, off in the distance, who seemed vaguely⁸ familiar. As he approached, she recognized in him the one who had tarried at her

分享到：