乐播传媒

Tale Summary

There were once two kings named Peridor and Diamantino who were both cousins and neighbors, protected by the same fairies and loved by their wives. Diamantino, however, was very bad to his wife Aglantino, and so he was killed by the fairies, leaving behind a daughter, named Serpentine, who was too young to inherit the kingdom and anyways abducted by the fairies, which made Aglantino regent of the land. King Peridor loved his wife, Queen Constance, but was often thoughtless. To punish him, the fairies caused Constance to suddenly die, and the King lived in grief with only his son, Prince Saphir, for comfort. When the prince was around the age of fifteen he was learned and charming, and because the fairies did not want his love for his father to interfere with their other plans for the boy, they placed a little black mirror in a room he was fond of. He was surprised to find, instead of his own reflection, the image of a pretty young girl who he immediately fell in love with. One day, when he was eighteen years old, he became disquieted because he saw a second mirror which the girl possessed. The reflection was obscured, but he could see a man鈥檚 face, which made him jealous. At this time King Peridor became very ill and, because nothing would cure him, took to his room to die alone. He kept the window open, and one day a beautiful bird flew in. His feathers were gold and blue, his beak and feet were like rubies, his eyes were like diamonds, and on his head was a wonderful crown. The King felt his strength return to him as the bird looked at him, but it flew away when he tried to catch it. Because of the people鈥檚 love for him, and because of the high reward promised, the whole kingdom went looking for the bird. In the meantime, the King fell ill again, and his son vowed to find the bird. He set out but could not find anything, and came to one of the largest forests in the world, made up of cedars. With the help of his attendants and professional fowlers, the forest was scoured and giant nets were made in the colors of the bird. One day, Saphir was tired and thirsty from searching and went to a bubbling fountain to fill his cup. A pretty frog jumped in and told him that she was a friend of the bird he was seeking. She said he must order his attendants to remain in a closeby hamlet until called for, then he must go alone down the road to the south until he would reach a castle. He must take a tiny grain of sand, given to him by the frog, and place it near the gate so that it would open, and send all the inhabitants to sleep. He must then go to the stable, hop on the back of the most handsome horse, and ride back to the frog. The prince did all of this, but before mounting the horse he noticed a magnificent harness which suited him, but as soon as he placed it on the animal, everyone in the castle woke up and rushed to the stable. Luckily, the lord of the castle let him depart in peace because of his handsome face. The frog admonished him when he returned, but he was so grieved that she took pity on him and gave him a tiny grain of gold to open the gates and put the inhabitants to sleep, but instead of going to the stable he must find a room filled with perfume and carry away a beautiful sleeping maiden and ignore any resistance she might make. He followed these orders, but granted the girl her request to put on a dress before leaving and soon everyone in the castle seized him, but let him go because the fairies had softened their hearts. The frog was again angry but took pity on him, and gave him a small diamond to bury. He was to enter the garden through a fountain, and find a golden tree with emerald leaves, on which was perched the bird. He must cut off the branch and bring it to the frog without hesitation, or else she would never help him again. He did this, but when making his escape he saw that the way he entered was gone, and in its place was a tasteful little rustic palace, with the maiden he was so in love with waiting in the doorway. They both admitted that they had a mirror with which they watched each other, and the two had a tender conversation, at the end of which the prince asked why she was there, and if she knew anything about the little frog. The maiden told him that she was the frog and that her name was Serpentine, and that she was raised by the fairies with kindness but in seclusion. She had a mirror鈥搘ith which she observed the prince鈥揳nd because she neglected her duties, the fairies turned her home into a fountain, and she into a frog, and gave her strict directions as to what to say to the first person who came by, as she could not become human again until they found the bird. He told her of his sick father, and upon learning that he was a prince, she said that she loved him too much to allow him to marry below his rank. Presently, one of the fairies appeared in an ivory chariot accompanied by a beautiful middle-aged woman, and at the same time the bird awoke and flew to Saphir鈥檚 shoulder. The fairy introduced the woman as his Aunt Aglantine, widow of Diamantino, and they were very happy to see each other. Before they all mounted the chariot together, the fairy sent a message to the Prince鈥檚 attendants to travel back to the Court of the King as the bird had been found. King Peridor has shut himself in his room, where he was thought to die any minute, when the beautiful bird took flight and entered through the window and revealed herself to be his wife Constance, who he had thought to be long dead. Everyone rejoiced together, and the good news was told that Serpentine was indeed a princess, and the daughter of Aglantine. The two young people were married, and everybody lived happily until the end of their lives.

听