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Frog Prince and Other Stories - Walter Crane · Jane Austen Book Collection

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  Speaker 1: Story number one of The Frog Prince and Other Stories.
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  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recorded by Laurie Ann Walden. The
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  Speaker 1: Frog Prince and Other Stories author anonymous. Story number one
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  Speaker 1: The Frog Prince. In the olden time, when wishing was having,
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  Speaker 1: there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but
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  Speaker 1: the youngest was so exceedingly beautiful that the sun himself,
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  Speaker 1: although he saw her very often, was enchanted every time
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  Speaker 1: she came out into the sunshine. Near the castle of
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  Speaker 1: this king was a large and gloomy forest, and in
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  Speaker 1: the midst stood an old lime tree, beneath whose branches
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  Speaker 1: splashed a little fountain. So whenever it was very hot,
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  Speaker 1: the king's youngest daughter ran off into this wood and
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  Speaker 1: sat down by the side of this fountain. And when
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  Speaker 1: she felt dull, would often divert herself by throwing a
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  Speaker 1: golden ball up in the air and catching it. And
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  Speaker 1: this was her favorite amusement. Now, one day it happened
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  Speaker 1: that this golden ball, when the king's daughter threw it
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  Speaker 1: into the air, did not fall down into her hand,
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  Speaker 1: but on the grass, and then it rolled past her
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  Speaker 1: into the fountain. The king's daughter followed the ball with
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  Speaker 1: her eyes, but it disappeared beneath the water, which was
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  Speaker 1: so deep that no one could see to the bottom.
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  Speaker 1: Then she began to lament and to cry louder and louder.
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  Speaker 1: And as she cried, a voice called out, why weepest thou,
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  Speaker 1: o King's daughter. Thy tears would melt even a stone
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  Speaker 1: to pity. And she looked around to the spot whence
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  Speaker 1: the voice came, and saw a frog stretching his thick,
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  Speaker 1: ugly head out of the water. Ah, you, old water paddler,
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  Speaker 1: said she. Was it you that spoke? I am weeping
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  Speaker 1: for my golden ball, which had slipped away from me
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  Speaker 1: into the water. Be quiet and do not cry, answered
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  Speaker 1: the frog. I can give thee good advice. But what
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  Speaker 1: wilt thou give me if I fetch thy plaything up again?
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  Speaker 1: What will you have, dear frog? Said she, My dresses,
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  Speaker 1: my pearls and jewels, or the golden crown which I wear.
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  Speaker 1: The frog answered, dresses or jewels or golden crowns are
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  Speaker 1: not for me. But if thou wilt love me and
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  Speaker 1: let me be thy companion and playfellow, and sit at
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  Speaker 1: thy table, and eat from thy little golden plate, and
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  Speaker 1: drink out of thy cup, and sleep in thy little bed.
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  Speaker 1: If thou wilt promise me all these, then will I
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  Speaker 1: dive down and fetch up thy golden ball. Oh, I
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  Speaker 1: will promise you all, said she, if you will only
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  Speaker 1: get me my ball. But she thought to herself, what
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  Speaker 1: is the silly frog chattering about? Let him remain in
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  Speaker 1: the water with his equals. He cannot mix in society.
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  Speaker 1: But the frog, as soon as he had received her promise,
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  Speaker 1: drew his head under the water and dive down. Presently
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  Speaker 1: he swam up again with the ball in his mouth,
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  Speaker 1: and threw it on the grass. The king's daughter was
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  Speaker 1: full of joy when she again saw her beautiful plaything,
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  Speaker 1: and taking it up. She ran off immediately. Stop stop,
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  Speaker 1: cried the frog. Take me with thee I cannot run
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  Speaker 1: as thou canst. But all his croaking was useless. Although
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  Speaker 1: it was loud enough, the king's daughter did not hear it,
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  Speaker 1: but hastening home, soon forgot the poor frog, who was
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  Speaker 1: obliged to leap back into the fountain. The next day,
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  Speaker 1: when the king's daughter was sitting at table with her
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  Speaker 1: father and all his courtiers, and was eating from her
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  Speaker 1: own little golden plate. Something was heard coming up the
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  Speaker 1: marble stairs, splish splash, splish splash, And when it arrived
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  Speaker 1: at the top, it knocked at the door, and a
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  Speaker 1: voice said, open the door, thou, youngest daughter of the king.
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  Speaker 1: So she rose and went to see who it was
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  Speaker 1: that called her. But when she opened the door and
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  Speaker 1: caught sight of the frog, she shut it again with
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  Speaker 1: great vehemence, and sat down at the table, looking very pale.
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  Speaker 1: But the king perceived that her heart was beating violently,
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  Speaker 1: and asked her whether it were a giant who had
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  Speaker 1: come to fetch her away who stood at the door.
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  Speaker 1: Oh no, answered she. It is no giant, but an
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  Speaker 1: ugly frog. What does the frog want with you, said
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  Speaker 1: the king, Oh, dear father. When I was sitting yesterday
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  Speaker 1: playing by the fountain, my golden ball fell into the water,
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  Speaker 1: and this frog fetched it up again because I cried
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  Speaker 1: so much. But first I must tell you he pressed
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  Speaker 1: me so much that I promised him he should be
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  Speaker 1: my companion. I never thought that he could come out
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  Speaker 1: of the water, but somehow he has jumped out, and
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  Speaker 1: now he wants to come in here. At that moment
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  Speaker 1: there was another knock, and a voice said, King's daughter
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  Speaker 1: youngest opened the door. Hast thou forgotten thy promises made
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  Speaker 1: at the fountain so clear neath the lime tree shade.
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  Speaker 1: King's daughter youngest opened the door. Then the king said,
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  Speaker 1: what you have promised that you must perform, go and
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  Speaker 1: let him in. So the king's daughter went and opened
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  Speaker 1: the door, and the frog hopped in after her, right
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  Speaker 1: up to her chair, And as soon as she was seated,
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  Speaker 1: the frog said, take me up. But she hesitated so
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  Speaker 1: long that at last the king ordered her to obey.
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  Speaker 1: And as soon as the frog sat on the chair,
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  Speaker 1: he jumped on to the table and said, now push
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  Speaker 1: thy plate near me, that we may eat together. And
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  Speaker 1: she did so, But as every one saw, very unwillingly,
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  Speaker 1: the frog seemed to relish his dinner much, but every
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  Speaker 1: bit that the king's daughter ate nearly choked her. Till
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  Speaker 1: at last the frog said, I have satisfied my hunger
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  Speaker 1: and feel very tired. Wilt thou carry me upstairs now
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  Speaker 1: into thy chamber, and make thy bed ready, that we
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  Speaker 1: may sleep together. At this speed each the king's daughter
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  Speaker 1: began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold
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  Speaker 1: frog and dared not touch him, And besides, he actually
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  Speaker 1: wanted to sleep in her own beautiful, clean bed. But
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  Speaker 1: her tears only made the king very angry, and he said,
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  Speaker 1: he who helped you in the time of your trouble
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  Speaker 1: must not now be despised. So she took the frog
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  Speaker 1: up with two fingers and put him in a corner
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  Speaker 1: of her chamber. But as she lay in her bed,
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  Speaker 1: he crept up to it and said, I am so
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  Speaker 1: very tired that I shall sleep well. Do take me up,
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  Speaker 1: or I will tell thy father. This speech put the
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  Speaker 1: king's daughter in a terrible passion, and catching the frog up,
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  Speaker 1: she threw him with all her strength against the wall, saying,
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  Speaker 1: now will you be quiet, you ugly frog. But as
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  Speaker 1: he fell, he was changed from a frog into a
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  Speaker 1: handsome prince with beautiful eyes, who, after a little while became,
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  Speaker 1: with her father's consent, her dear companion and betrothed. Then
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  Speaker 1: he told her how he had been transformed by an
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  Speaker 1: evil witch, and that no one but herself could have
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  Speaker 1: had the power to take him out of the fountain,
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  Speaker 1: and that on the morrow they would go together into
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  Speaker 1: his own kingdom. The next morning, as soon as the
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  Speaker 1: sun rose, a carriage drawn by eight white horses with
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  Speaker 1: ostrich feathers on their heads and golden bridles, drove up
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  Speaker 1: to the door of the palace, and behind the carriage
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  Speaker 1: stood the trusty Henry, the servant of the young Prince.
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  Speaker 1: When his master was changed into a frog. Trusty Henry
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  Speaker 1: had grieved so much that he had bound three iron
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  Speaker 1: bands round his heart for fear it should break with
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  Speaker 1: grief and sorrow. But now that the carriage was ready
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  Speaker 1: to carry the young Prince to his own country, the
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  Speaker 1: faithful Henry helped in the bride and bridegroom and placed
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  Speaker 1: himself in the seat behind. Full of joy at his
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  Speaker 1: master's release. They had not proceeded far when the Prince
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  Speaker 1: heard a crack, as if something had broken behind the carriage.
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  Speaker 1: So he put his head out of the window and
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  Speaker 1: asked Henry what was broken, And Henry answered, it was
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  Speaker 1: not the carriage, my master, but a band which I
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  Speaker 1: bound round my heart when it was in such grief,
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  Speaker 1: because you were changed into a frog. Twice afterwards on
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  Speaker 1: the journey there was the same noise, and each time
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  Speaker 1: the Prince thought that it was some part of the
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  Speaker 1: carriage that had given way, But it was only the
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  Speaker 1: breaking of the bands which bound the heart of the
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  Speaker 1: trusty Henry, who was thenceforward, free and happy. End of
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  Speaker 1: story number one. Story number two of the Frog Prints
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  Speaker 1: and Other Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
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  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recorded by Laurie
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  Speaker 1: Ann Walden The Frog Prince and Other Stories author anonymous.
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  Speaker 1: Story number two Princess bell Atoale. Once upon a time
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  Speaker 1: there were three princesses named Rousette, Brunette, and Blondine, who
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  Speaker 1: lived in retirement with their mother, a princess who had
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  Speaker 1: lost all her former grandeur. One day, an old woman
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  Speaker 1: called and asked for dinner, as this princess was an
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  Speaker 1: excellent cook. After the meal was over, the old woman,
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  Speaker 1: who was a fairy, promised that their kindness should be rewarded,
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  Speaker 1: and immediately disappeared. Shortly after, the King came that way
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  Speaker 1: with his brother and the Lord Admiral. They were all
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  Speaker 1: so struck with the beauty of the three princesses that
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  Speaker 1: the King married the youngest Blondine, his brother married Brunette,
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  Speaker 1: and the Lord admiral married Rousette. The good fairy who
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  Speaker 1: had brought all this about, also caused the young Queen
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  Speaker 1: Blondine to have three lovely children, two boys and a girl,
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  Speaker 1: out of whose hair fell fine jewels. Each had a
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  Speaker 1: brilliant star on the forehead and a rich chain of
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  Speaker 1: gold around the neck. At the same time, Brunette, her sister,
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  Speaker 1: gave birth to a handsome boy. Now the young Queen
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  Speaker 1: and Brunette were much attached to each other, but Rousette
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  Speaker 1: was jealous of both, and the Old Queen, the King's mother,
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  Speaker 1: hated them. Brunette died soon after the birth of her son,
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  Speaker 1: and the king was absent on a warlike expedition, so
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  Speaker 1: Rousette joined the wicked old Queen in forming plans to
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  Speaker 1: injure Blondine. They ordered Fantis, the old Queen's waiting woman,
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  Speaker 1: to strangle the queen's three children and the son of
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  Speaker 1: Princess Brunette and buried them secretly. But as she was
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  Speaker 1: about to execute this wicked order, she was so struck
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  Speaker 1: by their beauty and the appearance of the sparkling stars
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  Speaker 1: on their foreheads that she shrank from the deed. So
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  Speaker 1: she had a boat brought round to the beach and
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  Speaker 1: put the four babes with some strings of jewels into
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  Speaker 1: a cradle, which she placed in the boat, and then
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  Speaker 1: set it adrift. The boat was soon far out at sea,
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  Speaker 1: the waves rose, the rain poured in torrents, and the
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  Speaker 1: thunder roared. Fantis could not doubt that the boat would
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  Speaker 1: be swamped, and felt relieved by the thought that the
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  Speaker 1: poor little innocence would perish, for she would otherwise always
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  Speaker 1: be haunted by the fear that something would occur to
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  Speaker 1: betray the share she had had in their preservation. But
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  Speaker 1: the good fairy protected them, and after floating at sea
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  Speaker 1: for seven days, they were picked up by a corsair.
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  Speaker 1: He was so struck by their beauty that he altered
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  Speaker 1: his course and took them home to his wife, who
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  Speaker 1: had no children. She was transported with joy when he
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  Speaker 1: placed them in her hands. They admired together the wonderful stars,
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  Speaker 1: the chains of gold that could not be taken off
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  Speaker 1: their necks, and their long ringlets. Much greater was the
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  Speaker 1: woman's astonishment when she combed them, for at every instant
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  Speaker 1: there rolled out of their hair pearls, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds.
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  Speaker 1: She told her husband of it, who was not less
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  Speaker 1: surprised than herself. I am very tired, said he of
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  Speaker 1: a Corsair's life. And if the locks of those little
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  Speaker 1: children continued to say, apply us with such treasures, I
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  Speaker 1: will give up ruaming the seas. The Corsair's wife, whose
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  Speaker 1: name was Corsine, was enchanted at this, and loved the
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  Speaker 1: four infants so much. The more for it. She named
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  Speaker 1: the Princess bel Atoll, her eldest brother, Pettis Solas, the
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  Speaker 1: second Euro, and the son of Brunet Cherie. As they
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  Speaker 1: grew older, the Corsair applied himself seriously to their education,
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  Speaker 1: as he felt convinced there was some great mystery attached
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  Speaker 1: to their birth. The Corsair and his wife had never
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  Speaker 1: told the story of the four children who passed for
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  Speaker 1: their own. They were exceedingly united, but Prince Cherie entertained
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  Speaker 1: for Princess belletoial a greater affection than the other two.
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  Speaker 1: The moment she expressed a wish for anything, he would
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  Speaker 1: attempt even impossibilities, to gratify her. One day, bel Atoale
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  Speaker 1: overheard the Corsair and his wife talking. When I fell
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  Speaker 1: in with them, said the Corsair, I saw nothing that
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  Speaker 1: could give me any idea of their birth. I suspect,
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  Speaker 1: said Corsin that Shari is not their brother. He has
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  Speaker 1: neither star nor neck chain. Belletoal immediately ran and told
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  Speaker 1: this to the three princes, who resolved to speak to
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  Speaker 1: the Corsair and his wife and ask them to let
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  Speaker 1: them set out to discover the secret of their birth.
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  Speaker 1: After some remonstrance, they gained their consent. A beautiful vessel
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  Speaker 1: was prepared, and the young princess and the three princes
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  Speaker 1: set out. They determined to sail to the very spot
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  Speaker 1: where the Corsair had found them, and made preparations for
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  Speaker 1: a grand sacrifice to the fairies for their protection and guidance.
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  Speaker 1: They were about to immolate a turtle dove, but the
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  Speaker 1: princess saved its life and let it fly. At this moment,
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  Speaker 1: a siren issued from the water and said, cease your anxiety.
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  Speaker 1: Let your vessel go where it will land where it stops.
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  Speaker 1: The vessel now sailed more quickly. Suddenly they came in
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  Speaker 1: sight of a city so beautiful that they were anxious
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  Speaker 1: their vessel should enter the port. Their wishes were accomplished.
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  Speaker 1: They landed, and the shore in a moment, was crowded
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  Speaker 1: with people who had observed the magnificence of their ship.
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  Speaker 1: They ran and told the king the news, and as
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  Speaker 1: the grand terrace of the palace looked out upon the
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  Speaker 1: sea shore, he speedily repaired thither the princes. Hearing the
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  Speaker 1: people say, there is the King looked up and made
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  Speaker 1: a profound obeisance. He looked earnestly at them, and was
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  Speaker 1: as much charmed by the princess's beauty as by the
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  Speaker 1: handsome mien of the young princes. He ordered his equerry
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  Speaker 1: to offer them his protection and everything that they might require.
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  Speaker 1: The King was so interested about these four children that
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  Speaker 1: he went into the chamber of the Queen his mother
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  Speaker 1: to tell her of the wonderful stars which shone upon
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  Speaker 1: their foreheads, and everything that he admired in them. She
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  Speaker 1: was thunder struck at it, and was terribly afraid that
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  Speaker 1: Fantisse had betrayed her, and sent her secretary to inquire
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  Speaker 1: about them. What he told her of their ages confirmed
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  Speaker 1: her suspicions. She sent for Fantie and threatened to kill her. Fantis,
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  Speaker 1: half dead with terror, confessed all but promised if she
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  Speaker 1: spared her that she would still find means to do
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  Speaker 1: away with them. The queen was appeased, and indeed old
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: Fantisse did all she could for her own sake. Taking
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  Speaker 1: a guitar, she went and sat down opposite the princess's
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  Speaker 1: window and sang a song, which Belletoy thought so pretty
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  Speaker 1: that she invited her into her chamber. My fair child, said, Fantite,
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  Speaker 1: Heaven has made you very lovely, but you yet want
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  Speaker 1: one thing, the dancing water. If I had possessed it,
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  Speaker 1: you would not have seen a white hair upon my head,
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  Speaker 1: nor a wrinkle on my face. Alas I knew this
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  Speaker 1: secret too late, my charms had already faded. But where
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  Speaker 1: shall I find this dancing water, asked Bellatoal it is
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  Speaker 1: in the luminous forest, said fan You have three brothers.
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  Speaker 1: Does not any one of them love you sufficiently to
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  Speaker 1: go and fetch some. My brothers all love me, said
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  Speaker 1: the princess. But there is one of them who would
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  Speaker 1: not refuse me anything. The perfidious old woman retired, delighted
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  Speaker 1: at having been so successful. The princes returning from the chase,
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  Speaker 1: found Bellatoale engrossed by the advice of Fantis. Her anxiety
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  Speaker 1: about it was so apparent that Scherie, who thought of
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  Speaker 1: nothing but pleasing her, soon found out the cause of it,
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  Speaker 1: and in spite of her entreaties, he mounted his white
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  Speaker 1: horse and set out in search of the dancing water.
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  Speaker 1: When supper time arrived and the Princess did not see
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  Speaker 1: her brother Cheri, she could neither eat nor drink, and
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  Speaker 1: desired he might be sought for everywhere, and sent messengers
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  Speaker 1: to find him and bring him back. The wicked Fantis
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  Speaker 1: was very anxious to know the result of her advice,
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  Speaker 1: and when she heard that Cheri had already set out,
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  Speaker 1: she was delighted and reported to the Queen mother all
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  Speaker 1: that had passed, I admit, Madam, said she, that I
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  Speaker 1: can no longer doubt that they are the same four children.
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  Speaker 1: But one of the princes is already gone to seek
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  Speaker 1: the dancing water, and will no doubt perish in the attempt,
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  Speaker 1: And I shall find similar means to do away with
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  Speaker 1: all of them. The plan she had adopted with regard
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  Speaker 1: to Prince Scherie was one of the most certain, for
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  Speaker 1: the dancing water was not easily to be obtained. It
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  Speaker 1: was so notorious from the misfortunes which occurred to all
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  Speaker 1: who sought it that every one knew the road to it.
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  Speaker 1: He was eight days without taking any repose, but in
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  Speaker 1: the woods. At the end of this period, he began
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  Speaker 1: to suffer very much from the heat. But it was
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  Speaker 1: not the heat of the sun, and he did not
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  Speaker 1: know the cause of it until from the top of
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  Speaker 1: a mountain he perceived the luminous forest. All the trees
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  Speaker 1: were burning without being consumed, and casting out flames to
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  Speaker 1: such a distance that the country around was a dry desert.
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  Speaker 1: At this terrible scene, he descended and more than once
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  Speaker 1: gave himself up for lost. As he approached this great fire,
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: he was ready to die with thirst, and perceiving a
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: spring falling into a marble basin, he alighted from his horse,
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  Speaker 1: approached it, and stooped to take up some water in
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  Speaker 1: the little golden vase which he had brought with him.
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  Speaker 1: When he saw a turtle dove drowning in the fountain,
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  Speaker 1: Cherie took pity on it and saved it. My Lord Cherie,
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  Speaker 1: she said, I am not ungrateful. I can guide you
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  Speaker 1: to the dancing water, which without me you could never obtain,
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  Speaker 1: as it rises in the middle of the forest and
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  Speaker 1: can only be reached by going underground. The dove then
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  Speaker 1: flew away and summoned a number of foxes, badgers, moles, snails, ants,
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  Speaker 1: and all sorts of creatures that burrow in the earth.
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  Speaker 1: Scheri got off his horse at the entrance of the
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: subterranean passage they made for him, and groped his way
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: after the kind dove, which safely conducted him to the fountain.
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: The prince filled his golden vase and returned the same
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: way he came. He found Bellatoal sorrowfully seated under some trees,
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: but when she saw him, she was so pleased that
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: she scarcely knew how to welcome him. Old Fantis learned
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: from her spies that Cherie had returned, and that the princess,
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: having washed her face with the dancing water, had become
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: more lovely than ever. Finding this, she lost no time
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: in artfully making the princess sigh for the wonderful singing apple.
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: Prince Cherie again found her unhappy, and again found out
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: the cause, and once more set out on his white horse,
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: leaving a letter for Bellatoal. In the meantime, the king
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: did not forget the lovely children, and reproached them for
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: never going to the palace. They excused themselves by saying
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: that their brother's absence prevented them. Prince Scherie, at break
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: of day perceived a handsome young man from whom he
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: learned where the Singing Apple was to be found. But
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: after traveling some time with without seeing any sign of it,
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: he saw a poor turtle dove fall at his feet,
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: almost dead. He took pity on it and restored it
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: when it said, good day, handsome Cherie. You were destined
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: to save my life, and I to do you signal service.
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: You were come to seek for the singing apple. It
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: is guarded by a terrible dragon. The dove then led
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: him to a place where he found a suit of armor,
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: all of glass, and by her advice, he put it
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: on and boldly went to meet the dragon. The two
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: headed monster came bounding along, fire issuing from his throat,
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: but when he saw his alarming figure multiplied in the
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: Prince's mirrors, he was frightened. In his turn, he stopped, and,
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: looking fiercely at the prince. Apparently laden with dragons, he
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: took flight and threw himself into a deep chasm. The
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: prince then found the tree, which was surrounded with human
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: bones and breaking off an apple prepared to return to
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: the princess. She had never slept during his absence, and
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: ran to meet him eagerly. When the wicked fantis heard
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: the sweet singing of the apple, her grief was excessive,
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: for instead of doing harm to these lovely children, she
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: only did them good by her perfidious counsels. She allowed
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: some days to pass without showing herself, and then once
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: more made the princess unhappy by saying that the dancing
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: water and the singing apple were useless without the little
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: green bird that tells everything. Scherie again set out, and,
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: after some trouble, learnt that this bird was to be
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: found on the top of a frightful rock in a
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: frozen climate. At length, at dawn of day, he perceived
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: the rock, which was very high and very steep, and
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: upon the summit of it was the bird, speaking like
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: an oracle, telling wonderful things. He thought that with a
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: little dexterity, it would be easy to catch it, for
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: it seemed very tame. He got off his horse and
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: climbed up very quietly. He was so close to the
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: green bird that he thought he could lay hands on it.
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: When Suddenly the rock opened, and he fell into a
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: spacious hall and became as motionless as a statue. He
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: could neither stir nor utter a complaint at his deplorable situation.
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: Three hundred knights who had made the same attempt were
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: in the same state. To look at each other was
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: the only thing permitted them. The time seemed so long
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: to Belatoal, and still no signs of her beloved Cherie,
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: that she fell dangerously ill, and in the hopes of
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: curing her petty so let resolved to seek him, But
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: he too was swallowed up by the rock and fell
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: into the great hall. The first person he saw was Cheri,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: but he could not speak to him, and Prince Hiro
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: following soon after, met with the same fate as the
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: other two. When Fantis was aware that the third prince
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: was gone, she was exceedingly delighted at the success of
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: her plan, and when Bellatoale, inconsolable at finding not one
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: of her brother's return, reproached herself for their loss and
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: resolved to follow them, she was quite overjoyed. The princess
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: was disguised as a cavalier, but had no other armor
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: than her helmet. She was dreadfully cold as she drew
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: near the rock, but seeing a turtle dove lying on
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: the snow, she took it up, warmed it, and restored
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: it to life, and the dove, reviving gaily, said, I
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: know you, in spite of your disguise, follow my advice.
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: When you arrive at the rock, remain at the bottom
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: and begin to sing the sweetest song you know. The
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: green bird will listen to you. You must then pretend
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: to go to sleep. When it sees me, it will
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: come down to peck me, and at that moment you
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: will be able to seize it. All this fell out
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: as the dove foretold. The green bird begged for liberty first,
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: said Bellatoal, I wish that thou wouldst restore my three
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: brothers to me. Under my left wing, there is a
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: red feather, said the bird. Pull it out and touch
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: the rock with it. The princess hastened to do as
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: she was instructed. The rock split from the top to
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: the bottom. She entered with a victorious air the hall
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: in which stood the three princes with many others. She
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: ran towards Cherie, who did not know her in her
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: helmet and mail attire, and could neither speak nor move.
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: The green Bird then told the princess she must rub
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: the eyes and mouth of all those she wished to
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: disenchant with the red feather, which good office she did
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: to All the three princes and Belletoal hastened to present
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: themselves to the King, And when Belletoal showed her treasures,
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: the little green Bird told him that the Princes Petti,
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: Solet and Hero, and the Princess Belletoal were his children,
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: and that Prince Cheri was his nephew. Queen Blondine, who
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: had mourned for them all these years, embraced them, and
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: the wicked Queen Mother and old Fantie were justly punished,
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: and the the King, who thought his nephew Cheri the
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: handsomest man at court, consented to his marriage with Bellatoal.
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: And lastly, to make every one happy, the King sent
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: for the Corsair and his wife, who gladly came. End
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: of story number two, Story number three of the Frog Prince,
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: and other stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recorded by Laurie
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: Ann Walden, The Frog Prince and Other Stories author anonymous
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: story number three, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. Aladdin was
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: the son of a poor tailor in an eastern city.
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: He was a spoiled boy and loved play better than work,
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: so that when Mustapha, his father died, he was not
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: able to earn his living, and his poor mother had
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: to spend cotton all day long to procure food for
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: their support. But she dearly loved her son, knowing that
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: he had a good heart, and she believed that as
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: he grew older, he would do better and become at
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: last a worthy and prosperous man. One day, when Aladdin
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: was walking outside the town, an old man came up
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: to him, and, looking very hard in his face, said
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: he was his father's brother and had long been away
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: in a distant country, but that now he wished to
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: help his nephew to get on. He then put a
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: ring on the boy's finger, telling him that no harm
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: could happen to him so long as he wore it. Now,
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: this strange man was no uncle of Aladdin, nor was
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: he related at all to him, But he was a
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: wicked magician who wanted to make use of the lad's services.
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: As we shall see presently, the old man led Aladdin
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: a good way into the country until they came to
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: a very lonely spot between two lofty black mountains. Here
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: he lighted a fire and threw into it some gum,
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: all the time repeating many strange words. The ground then
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: opened just before them, and a stone trap door appeared.
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: After lifting this up, the magician told Aladdin to go
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: below down some broken steps, and at the foot of
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: these he would find three halls, in the last of
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: which was a door leading to a garden full of
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: beautiful trees. This he was to cross, and after mounting
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: some more steps, he would come to a terrace when
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: he would see a nish in which there was a
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: lighted lamp. He was then to take the lamp, put
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: out the light, empty the oil, and bring it away
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: with him. Aladdin found all the magician had told him
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: to be true. He passed quickly but cautiously through the
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: three halls, so as not even to touch the walls
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: with his clothes. As the magician had directed, he took
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: the lamp from the niche, throughout the oil, and put
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: it in his bosom. As he came back through the garden.
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: His eyes were dazzled with the bright colored fruits on
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: the trees, shining like glass. Many of these he plucked
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: and put in his pockets, and then returned with the
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: lamp and called upon his uncle to help him up
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: the broken steps. Give me the lamp, said the old
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: man angrily. Not till I get out safe, cried the boy.
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: The magician, in a passion, then slammed down the trap door,
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: and Aladdin was shut up vast enough. While crying bitterly,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: he by chance rubbed the ring, and a figure appeared
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: before him, saying, I am your slave, the genius of
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: the Ring. What do you desire? Aladdin told the Genius
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: of the Ring that he only wanted to be set
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: free and to be taken back to his mother. In
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: an instant, he found himself at home, very hungry, and
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: his poor mother was much pleased to see him again.
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: He told her all that had happened. She then felt
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: curious to look at the lamp he had brought, and
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: began rubbing it to make it shine brighter. Both were
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: quite amazed at seeing rose before them a strange figure.
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: This proved to be the Genius of the lamp, who
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: asked for their commands. On hearing that food was what
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: they most wanted, a black slave instantly entered with the
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: choicest fare, upon a dainty dish of silver, and with
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: silver plates for them to eat from. Aladdin and his
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: mother feasted upon the rich fare brought to them, and
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: sold the silver dish and plates on the produce of
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: which they lived happily for some weeks. Aladdin was now
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: able to dress well, and in taking his usual walk,
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: he one day chanced to see the Sultan's daughter coming
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: with her attendants from the baths. He was so much
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: struck with her beauty that he fell in love with
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: her at once, and told his mother that she must
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: go to the Sultan and ask him to give the
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: princess to be his wife. The poor woman said he
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: must be crazy, but her son not only knew what
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: a treasure he had got in the magic lamp, but
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: he had also found how valuable were the shining fruits
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: he had gathered, which he thought at the time to
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: be only colored glass. At first, he sent a bowlful
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: of these jewels, for so they were, to the Sultan,
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: who was amazed at their richness, and said to Aladdin's mother,
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: Your son shall have his wish if he can send
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: me in a week forty bulls like this, carried by
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: twenty white and twenty black slaves, handsomely dressed. He thought
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: by this to keep what he had got and to
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: hear no more of Aladdin. But the Genius of the
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: Lamp soon brought the bowls of jewels and the slaves,
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: and Aladdin's mother went with them to the Sultan. The
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: Sultan was overjoyed at receiving these rich gifts, and at
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: once agreed that the princess bull Bull should be the
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: wife of Aladdin. The happy youth then summoned the Genius
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: of the Lamp to assist him, and shortly set out
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: for the palace. He was dressed in a handsome suit
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: of clothes, and rode a beautiful horse by his side,
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: marched a number of attendants, scattering handfuls of gold among
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: the people. As soon as they were married, Aladdin ordered
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: the Genius of the Lamp to build, in the course
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: of a night a most superb palace, and there the
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: young couple lived quite happily for some time. One day,
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: when Aladdin was out hunting with the Sultan, the wicked magician,
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: who had heard of his good luck and wished to
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: get hold of the magic lamp, cried out in the streets,
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: new lamps for old ones, new lamps for old ones.
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: A silly maid in the palace, hearing this, got leave
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: of the princess to change Aladdin's old lamp, which she
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: had seen on a cornice where he always left it,
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: for a new one, and so the magician got possession
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: of it. As soon as the magician had safely got
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: the lamp, he caused the genius to remove the palace
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: and Bulbul within it to Africa. Aladdin's grief was very great,
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: and so was the rage of the Sultan at the
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: loss of the princess, and poor Aladdin's life was in
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: some danger, for the Sultan threatened to kill him if
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: he did not restore his daughter in three days. Aladdin
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: first called upon the Genius of the Ring to help him,
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: but all he could do was take him to Africa.
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: The princess was rejoiced to see him again, but was
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: very sorry to find that she had been the cause
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: of all their trouble by parting with the wonderful lamp. Aladdin, however,
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: consoled her and told her that he had thought of
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: a plan for getting it back. He then left her,
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: but soon returned with a powerful sleeping draft, and advised
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: her to receive the magician with pretended kindness and pour
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: it into his wine at dinner that day, so as
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: to make him fall sound asleep when they could take
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: the lamp from him. Everything happened as they expected. The
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: magician drank the wine, and when Aladdin came in, he
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: found that he had fallen back lifeless on the couch.
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: Aladdin took the lamp from his bosom and called upon
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: the genius to transport the palace, the princess, and himself
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: back to their native city. The sultan was as much
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: astonished and pleased at their return turn as he had
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: been provoked at the loss of his daughter, and Aladdin,
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: with his bull bull, lived long afterwards to enjoy his
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: good fortune. End of Story number three, End of the
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: Frog Prints and other stories.