Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/401

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THE PRINCESS CARPILLON.
355

far as respect would permit her. "And what do you call yourself, my child?" said the Queen. "They call me Carpillon," said she. "The name is singular," replied the King, "and, perhaps, some adventure gave rise to it; it is seldom any one receives such an appellation." She did not reply, and took one of the spindles from the Queen, to wind off the thread. When they saw her hands, they thought she was taking out of her sleeves two balls of snow formed in that shape; they were so brilliantly white. The King and Queen looked at each other very significantly, and said to her, "Your dress is very warm, Carpillon, for the climate we live in, and your wooden shoes are very hard for so young a person as you are; you must be dressed differently." "In my country," replied Carpillon, "they are dressed as I am; but if it pleases you, mother, to order me to do so, I will dress otherwise." They admired her submission, and above all the modesty which appeared in her eyes and pervaded her whole countenance.

Supper time had arrived; they arose, and all entered the house. The two Princesses had caught some nice little fish; they had also some new-laid eggs, some milk, and some fruit.

"I am surprised," said the King, "that my son has not returned yet; his love of hunting takes him farther than I like, and I am always fearful some accident will happen to him." "I am as much alarmed as you are," said the Queen; "but, if you like, we will wait supper for him." "No," said the King, "we will do nothing of the sort; on the contrary, I beg, when he returns, that no one will speak to him, and that everybody will be very cold to him." "You know how affectionate he is," said the Queen, "and that it will distress him so much; he will be ill in consequence." "I cannot help it," said the King; "he must be corrected." They sat down to table, and some time afterwards the Prince came in; he had a roebuck on his shoulders, his hair was wet with perspiration, and his face covered with dust. He leaned upon a small spear which he usually carried, his bow was fastened on one side, and his quiver full of arrows on the other. In this state there was something so noble and so haughty in his countenance and in his appearance, that no one could see him without attention and respect. "Mother," said he, addressing the Queen, "my wish to bring you this