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Once upon
a time...
There was once upon a time a widow who had two daughters. The
eldest was so much like her in the face and humour that whoever
looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so
disagreeable and so proud that there was no living with them.
The youngest, who was the very picture of her father for courtesy
and sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls
ever seen. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother
even doted on her eldest daughter and at the same time had a
horrible aversion for the youngest--she made her eat in the kitchen
and work continually.
Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw
water above a mile and a-half off the house, and bring home a
pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came
to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink.
"Oh! ay, with all my heart, Goody," said this pretty little girl;
and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water from the
clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding up the
pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.
The good woman, having drunk, said to her:
You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly, that I
cannot help giving you a gift." For this was a fairy, who had taken
the form of a poor country woman, to see how far the civility and
good manners of this pretty girl would go. "I will give you for a
gift," continued the Fairy, "that, at every word you speak, there
shall come out of your mouth either a flower or a jewel."
When this pretty girl came home her mother scolded her for staying
so long at the fountain.
"I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor girl, "for not making more
haste."
And in speaking these words there came out of her mouth two roses,
two pearls, and two diamonds
"What is it I see there?" said the mother, quite astonished. "I
think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth! How
happens this, child?"
This was the first time she had ever called her child.
The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without
dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds.
"In good faith," cried the mother, "I must send my child thither.
Come hither, Fanny; look what comes out of thy sister's mouth when
she speaks. Wouldst not thou be glad, my dear, to have the same gift
given thee? Thou hast nothing else to do but go and draw water out
of the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks you to let her
drink, to give it to her very civilly."
"It would be a very fine sight indeed," said this ill- bred minx,
"to see me go draw water."
"You shall go, hussy!" said the mother; "and this minute."
So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taking with her the
best silver tankard in the house.
She was no sooner at the fountain than she saw coming out of the
wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her, and asked
to drink. This was, you must know, the very fairy who appeared to
her sister, but now had taken the air and dress of a princess, to
see how far this girl's rudeness would go.
"Am I come hither," said the proud, saucy one, "to serve you with
water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was brought purely for
your ladyship, was it? However, you may drink out of it, if you have
a fancy."
"You are not over and above mannerly," answered the Fairy, without
putting herself in a passion. "Well, then, since you have so little
breeding, and are so disobliging, I give you for a gift that at
every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a
toad."
So soon as her mother saw her coming she cried out:
"Well, daughter?"
"Well, mother?" answered the pert hussy, throwing out of her mouth
two vipers and two toads.
"Oh! mercy," cried the mother; "what is it I see? Oh! it is that
wretch her sister who has occasioned all this; but she shall pay for
it"; and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor child fled away
from her, and went to hide herself in the forest, not far from
thence.
The King's son, then on his return from hunting, met her, and seeing
her so very pretty, asked her what she did there alone and why she
cried.
"Alas! sir, my mamma has turned me out of doors."
The King's son, who saw five or six pearls and as many diamonds come
out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She
thereupon told him the whole story; and so the King's son fell in
love with her, and, considering himself that such a gift was worth
more than any marriage portion, conducted her to the palace of the
King his father, and there married her.
As for the sister, she made herself so much hated that her own
mother turned her off; and the miserable wretch, having wandered
about a good while without finding anybody to take her in, went to a
corner of the wood, and there died.
Toads and Diamonds
from the Blue Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
