The Fairy Ring

and took the way to the castle in her turn. She had not walked long in a steep road, bordered with thorn trees in blossom, when she found herself in front of a

t edged with jet, and her diadem, Finette looked more like an Egyptian princess than a Christian. The old woman frowned, and, sha

Finette, "give me only

ich projected from her mouth like a bear's tusk, "so you want a corner of the s

eather purse which she wore at her belt, took from it a

let, precio

f it be th

they rose higher and higher, flapping about like fish in a net,

house, the cow, and everything else. Hurrah! I am going to the town to live like a lady with nothing to do. Oh, dear, ho

ible refuge for a woman accustomed to living in the giant's grand castle. Without seeming troubled, Finette went to the hear

let, precio

f it be th

ls, the thatch, the wooden rocking chair, the stool, the chest, the bed, the cow's horns, everything, even to the spi

e threw herself on the bed without undressing, and, worn out by

by mistake. The steward listened to the old woman's story, shook his head, and said that it looked like witchcraft; then he mysteriously brought a pair of scales, weighed the guineas, which he found to be genuine and of full weight, kept as many of them as he could, and advised the owner to tell

est friends, both of whom swore on the heads of their little children to keep it secret. The oath was a solemn one, and so well kept that at noon the next day there was no

on going to bed. Before dawn he rose to make his rounds in the direction of the stranger's cottage. By the first gleam of day he spied something shining in the distance like a light among the woods. On reaching the place he was greatly surprised to find a golden co

in the world that would not be too happy to give him her hand. Without hesitating therefore he declared to Fine

gold that you gave the old woman has raised suspicions. There is magic in this house. If you do not accept me for a

you have a peculiar way of paying court to ladies. Even when the

ed the steward; "we go straight to the poin

the distaff, "there are the fireb

f," said the steward,

op of the ashes," returned F

eward, picking up

"Villain, may the tongs hold you, an

, and the hot ashes that flew into his eyes. It was useless for him to shout, pray, weep, and blaspheme; no one heard him. If Finette had stayed at home she would d

. He made such leaps, he uttered such groans, he was so blackened, scorched, and benumbed, that everyone in the village was afraid of him, thinking that he was

ing into a laugh, showing his great yellow teeth, and puffing and blowing like an ox, though at heart he was not less obstinate or less threatening than his predecessor. Finette entreated the bailiff to leave her alone. He laughed and hinted to her in a good-natured way that, by right of his office, he had the power to

ther parchment here on which I will write an agreement to live ap

do as you wish if I were sure of finding

ed the bailiff, smiling, and

t a good husband would leave that door wide open,

the bailiff; "it was very stupi

of the knob?"

ed the happy bailiff; "I

you hold the door, villain, and m

had he tried such a waltz, and I imagine that he never wished to dance a second one of the same sort. Sometimes the door swung open with him in the street; sometimes it fl

might be at his heels. Fortunately for him all were still asleep when he reached the village, and he could hide himself in bed without anyone seeing his deplorable plight. This was a great piece of g

a velvet cap and a sword. It was the seneschal of the barony of Kerver. He stood with

vassal?" said he i

rvice, my lord," rep

se and furni

everything, a

ternly. "Rise, vassal! I do you the honor to marry you, and to ta

too great an honor for a poor girl like m

. "I am your lord and master; I have nothi

inette, "I don't

al, in a voice that shook the house. "Do you take me f

on the paper, and hand

ur own death sentence, and I shall take on myself to execute it." He drew

but, on attempting to enter an unexpected obstacle stopped him. The frightened cow had backed at the sight of t

hal, and, with a grasp like that of Hercules, he seize

hold you, villain, and may you hold the cow's tail

lleys, crossed marshes, rivers, quagmires, and brakes, glided over the seas without sinking, were frozen in Siberia and scorched in Africa, climbed the Himalayas, desce

der at the spectacle. But, torn as he was by the cactuses of Barbary and the thickets of Tartary, the seneschal had lost nothing of his hau