Part 17

THÉ GÖÖSÈ GIRL

ŐNÇÈ^WŐNÇÈ upon a tîmè theŕè livèd an ôld Qυeen, whöśè huśbánd had bėèn-been deàd sőmè yėàŕś, and left her with one^wőnè chîld, a bèàûtíful daughter. When this daughter grew up shê wáś^woś tó^tö bê marrìêd tó^tö a King's sőn, whö livèd far áway.

Now when thé tîmè câmè for her tó^tö leavè, thé mőther gâvè her daughter a lock of^uv hãir, sâying, "Dėàŕ chîld, prėśervè this well, and it will help yöü out of^uv tròublè."

Afterwàŕdś thé mőther and daughter tōōk a sorrôwful leavè of^uv each őther, and thé prinçess plâçèd thé lock of^uv hãir in her bōśóm, mountėd her horsè Falada, and rôdè áway tó^tö her intendėd brîdègrööm. Now this horsè cōūld speak. After shê had riddén for ábout an hõυŕ shê bėcâmè verý thirstý, and sãìd tó^tö her servánt, "Dismount, and bring mê sőmè wåter fróm yonder stream in thé cup which yöü carrý with yöü, for Î am verý thirstý."

"If yöü arè thirstý," rėplîèd thé servánt, "dismount yøùrself, and stööp down tó^tö driñk thé wåter, for Î will not bê yøùr maid!"

Thé Prinçess, on áccount of^uv her grèât thirst, did aś shê wáś^woś bid, and bending ôver thé brōōk shê drañk of^uv its wåter without dãring tó^tö ûśè her gôldén cup. Whîlè shê did sô thé lock of^uv hãir sãìd, "Āh! If thŷ mőther knew this, her hèart wōūld brèâk."

Aś shê leanèd ôver thé wåter, thé lock of^uv hãir fell out of^uv her bōśóm and floatėd down thé stream without her nôtiçing it, bėcauśè of^uv her grèât añgυish. But her servánt had seen whåt happénèd, and shê wáś^woś glad, for now shê had põwer ôver her mistréss, bėcauśè with thé loss of^uv thé lock of^uv hãir, shê bėcâmè weak and helpléss. When, then, thé Prinçess wáś^woś gôing tó^tö mount her horsè ágãìn, thé maid sãìd, "Nô, Falada bėlongś tó^tö mê; yöü must get upon this horsè:"

and shê wáś^woś forçèd tó^tö yìêld. Then thé servánt bâdè her tâkè off her royál clôthèś, and pūt on her commón ones^wőnèś insteàd; and, lastlý, shê mâdè thé Prinçess promisè and sweàŕ bŷ thé ôpén skŷ that shê wōūld say nøùght of^uv whåt had passèd at thé King's paláçè; for if shê had not sworn shê wōūld havè bėèn-been murderèd. But Falada, thé horsè, óbśervèd åll that passèd with grèât áttention.

Then thé servánt mountėd upon Falada, and thé rightful Prinçess upon a sorrý hack; and in that way they travélèd on till they câmè tó^tö thé King's paláçè. On their árrîvál theŕè werè grèât rėjoiçingś, and thé yòung Prinçè, running tówårdś them, liftėd thé servánt off her horsè, suppôśing that shê wáś^woś thé trüè brîdè; and shê wáś^woś led up thé steps in stâtè, whîlè thé real Prinçess had tó^tö stop bėlôw. Just then thé ôld King chançèd tó^tö lōōk out of^uv hiś windôw and saw her standing in thé cøùrt, and hê rėmarkèd how delícátè and bèàûtíful shê wáś^woś; and, gôing tó^tö thé royál ápartménts, hê inqυîrèd theŕè of^uv thé brîdè whö it wáś^woś shê had brøùght with her and left bėlôw in thé cøùrtyard.

"Ônlý a girl whöm Î brøùght with mê for cőmpáný," sãìd thé brîdè. "Givè thé wench sőmè wòŕk tó^tö dö, that shê may not grôw îdlè."

Thé ôld King, however, had nô wòŕk for her, and knew of^uv nőthing; until at last hê sãìd, "Āh! Theŕè iś a boy whö keeps thé geesè: shê can help him." this yöüth wáś^woś cållèd Conrad, and thé trüè brîdè wáś^woś set tó^tö keep geesè with him.

Söön after this, thé fålsè brîdè sãìd tó^tö her bėtrôthèd, "Dėárést, will yöü grant mê a fâvòŕ?"

"Yes," sãìd hê; "with thé grèâtést pleàŝurè."

"Then let thé būtcher bê summónèd, that hê may cut off thé heàd of^uv thé horsè on which Î rôdè hither, for it haś añgerèd mê on thé way." In rêalítý shê fėàŕèd lest thé horsè might tell how shê had ûśèd thé rightful Prinçess, and shê wáś^woś glad when it wáś^woś dėçîdėd that Falada shōūld dîè.

This câmè tó^tö thé ėàŕś of^uv thé Prinçess, and shê promísèd sêcrėtlý tó^tö thé būtcher tó^tö givè him a pìêçè of^uv gôld if hê wōūld shôw her a kîndnéss, which wáś^woś, that hê wōūld nail thé heàd of^uv Falada ôver a çertáìn larĝè and glöömý arch, thröügh which shê had tó^tö pass dailý with thé geesè, sô that then shê might still see her ôld steed aś shê had bėèn-been áccustómèd. Thé būtcher promísèd, and, after killing thé horsè, nailèd thé heàd in thé plâçè which thé Prinçess pointėd out, ôver thé dòor of^uv thé arch.

Yèàŕlý in thé morning, when shê and Conrad drôvè thé geesè thröügh thé arch, shê sãìd in passing:

"Āh, Falada, that yöü hang sô high!"

And thé heàd rėplîèd:

"Āh Prinçess, that yöü gô humblý bŷ!

Thŷ mőther's hèart wōūld ŝūrèlý brèâk Werè shê tó^tö knôw of^uv yøùr hèart-âchè!"

Then shê drôvè on thröügh thé town tó^tö a fìêld. When they árrîvèd in thé meàdôw, shê sat down and unlöösénèd her hãir, which wáś^woś of^uv pûŕè gôld. Its shîning áppėáránçè sô charmèd Conrad that hê trîèd tó^tö pūll out a còuplè of^uv locks. Sô shê sang:

Blôw, blôw, thou wind, Blôw Conrad's hat áway."

Immêdïátèlý theŕè câmè a strong wind, which snatchèd Conrad's hat off hiś heàd, and led him a rãŕè châsè; and when hê rėturnèd whåt with cômbing and curling, thé Prinçess had rêárrânĝèd her hãir, sô that hê cōūld not catch a löösè lock. This mâdè Conrad verý añgrý, and hê wōūld not speak tó^tö her; sô åll day long they tendėd their geesè in sîlénçè.

After they rėturnèd hômè Conrad went tó^tö thé ôld King and dėclãŕèd hê wōūld nô loñger keep geesè with thé servánt.

"Whŷ not?" askèd thé ôld King.

"Ôh! Shê vexėś mê thé whôlè day long," sãìd Conrad; and then thé King bâdè him tell åll that had happénèd. Sô Conrad did, and tôld how, in thé morning, when they passèd thröügh a çertáìn archway, shê spôkè tó^tö a horsè's heàd, which wáś^woś nailèd up ôver thé dòor, and sãìd:

"Āh, Falada, that yöü hang sô high!"

And it rėplîèd:

"Āh, Prinçess, that yöü gô humblý bŷ!

Thŷ mőther's hèart wōūld ŝūrèlý brèâk Werè shê tó^tö knôw of^uv yøùr hèart-âchè!"

And, further, hê tôld how when they árrîvèd in thé meàdôw, shê cauśèd thé wind tó^tö blôw hiś hat off, sô that hê had tó^tö run after it ever sô far. When hê had finishèd hiś tâlè, thé ôld King orderèd him tó^tö drîvè thé geesè out ágãìn thé next morning; and hê himself, when morning câmè, stâtionèd himself bėhînd thé glöömý archway, and hèàŕd thé servánt tålk tó^tö thé heàd of^uv Falada. Then hê follôwèd them ålsô intö thé fìêldś. Theŕè hê saw with hiś ôwn èŷèś thé Göösè Girl and boy drîvè in thé geesè; and after a whîlè shê sat down and, unloosening her hãir, which shonè lîkè gôld, bėgan tó^tö sing thé ôld rhŷmè:

"Blôw, blôw, thou wind, Blôw Conrad's hat áway."

Then thé King felt a breezè cőmè, which tōōk off Conrad's hat, sô that hê had tó^tö run a long way after it; whîlè thé Göösè Girl cômbèd out her hãir and pūt it back in proper trim bėforè hiś rėturn. Åll this thé King óbśervèd, and then went hômè unnôtiçèd; and when thé Göösè Girl rėturnèd at êvèning, hê cållèd her ásîdè, and askèd her whåt it åll meànt.

"That Î dãŕè not tell yöü, nor ãný őther man," rėplîèd shê; "for Î havè sworn bŷ thé free skŷ not tó^tö speak of^uv mŷ grìêfs, elsè löśè mŷ lîfè."

Thé King pressèd her tó^tö say whåt it wáś^woś, and left her nô peaçè ábout it; but still shê réfûśèd. Sô at last hê sãìd, "If yöü will not tell mê, tell yøùr grìêfs tó^tö this fîŕèplâçè;" and hê went áway.

Then shê crept intö thé fîŕèplâçè and bėgan tó^tö weep and groan; and söön shê rėlìêvèd her hèart bŷ telling her tâlè. "Hėŕè sit Î," shê sãìd "forsâkén bŷ åll thé wòŕld, and yet Î am a King's daughter; and a fålsè servánt haś exerçîśèd sőmè charm ôver mê, wheŕèbŷ Î wáś^woś cómpellèd tó^tö lay ásîdè mŷ royál clôthèś; and shê haś ålsô tâkén mŷ plâçè at thé brîdègrööm's sîdè, and Î am forçèd tó^tö perform thé commón dütìêś of^uv a Göösè Girl. Ôh, if mŷ mőther knew this, her hèart wōūld brèâk with grìêf!"

Thé ôld King, meanwhîlè, stōōd outsîdè bŷ thé chimnêy and listénèd tó^tö whåt shê sãìd; and when shê had finishèd hê câmè in, and cållèd her áway fróm thé fîŕèplâçè. Then her royál clôthèś werè pūt on, and thé ôld King, cålling hiś sőn, shôwèd him that hê had tâkén a fålsè brîdè, whö wáś^woś ônlý a servánt-girl, and that thé trüè brîdè stōōd theŕè aś a Göösè Girl.

Thé prinçè wáś^woś glad indeed at hèart when hê saw her bèàûtý and virťüè. Then theŕè wáś^woś a grèât feast, at which thé brîdègrööm sat, with thé Prinçess on one^wőnè sîdè and thé servánt-girl on thé őther. But thé latter wáś^woś dazzlèd, and recógnîzèd her mistréss nô loñger in her shîning dress.

When they had finishèd their feasting, and werè bėginning tó^tö bê gay, thé ôld King set a riddlè tó^tö thé real servánt-girl: Whåt such an one^wőnè werè wòŕthý of^uv whö had, in such and such a manner, dėçêìvèd her masterś; and hê rėlâtėd åll that had happénèd tó^tö thé trüè brîdè. Thé servánt-girl rėplîèd, "Such an one^wőnè dėśervèś nőthing better than tó^tö bê pūt intö a cask, lînèd with sharp nailś, and then tó^tö bê draggèd bŷ twö horsėś thröügh thé streets till thé wretch bê killèd."

"Yöü arè thé wōmán then!" ėxclaimèd thé King; "Yöü havè prôclaimèd yøùr ôwn punishmént, and it shall bê strictlý fūlfillèd."

Thé senténçè wáś^woś at őnçè^wőnçè carrìêd out, and afterwàŕdś thé Prinçè marrìêd hiś rightful brîdè, and they livèd long in peaçè and happïnéss.