Translation:The girl with a turned up nose/Chapter 7

by Monteiro Lobato

THE PUNISHMENT

AS soon as dawn broke, Narizinho jumped out of bed, anxious to know what had happened. The prince, as soon as the girl had gone to bed, took his weapons and went to the guardroom, step by step. And through the keyhole he discovered the captain in conference with two traitorous crickets.

— You two, he said, go to the palace now, climb through the window, enter the prince's room and tie him to the bed, while I go and arrange the rest of the party with Scorpio. Let's go! We can't be too careful!..

The prince hadn't even heard this and was already running back to his room. He opened the window through which the traitors would enter and put a trapdoor cage underneath, so that whoever jumped in would fall prisoner. And he waited. A moment later, he heard muffled voices outside and then three heads peering in at the window, very suspicious. The conspirators stood listening for a moment. Then, certain that the prince was sound asleep, they jumped inside and... they fell into the cage!

The prince immediately grabbed a padlock and locked the cage door tight. The crickets, so astonished, had their mouths hanging open and couldn't speak. The prince said nothing. He left the room and went to wake up a faithful cricket, telling him:

— Go and find the captain of the guard and tell him quietly in his ear: — "The three emissaries have sent you to say that the "deal" is done, but they need you to be present in the prince's room". Say it quietly and get out!

The messenger cricket went in search of the captain and found him prowling around the monster's prison. He approached him and repeated the message in his ear. The captain wanted to ask more questions, but by the time he opened his mouth, the messenger had gone.

— Good! He exclaimed. The tyrant is now dead! I'll go there now and tear his liver out with my own nails. And rubbing his hands together, he ran into the palace. He saw the prince's bedroom window open and went up the stairs that the others had left. When he reached the last step, he jumped into the room. But before he reached the floor, he felt a pain in his chest. Ouch! Ouch! He shouted. It was the prince who had struck him in the air with his terrible sword.

— Wretch! Here, for the just punishment of your disloyalty!" said the prince, cutting off his head with another stroke of his sword. The captain's body convulsed on the carpet for a few moments, next to his head, whose eyes were etched with astonishment at the unforeseen outcome of the conspiracy.

The prince, sheathing his sword, summoned some loyal soldiers to bring out the cage with the three traitors.

— Put the Scorpion inside with these traitors, tie a large stone on top of the cage and throw it into the lake.

The guards did so and the monster, instead of marrying Narizinho and ascending to a throne, went into a watery grave...

— Well done! Said the girl when she heard about the punishment. So may the whole race of traitors die! And she ran to congratulate the victorious prince, who hugged her and kissed her on the forehead, moved.

— You saved my kingdom. As a reward, you will receive the crown of princess and sit on the throne beside me as the most adored of wives," he said, putting the bridal ring on her finger.

Narizinho felt immense joy and, all agitated, was about to reply, when a familiar voice woke her up:

— Narizinho, Grandma's calling!

The little girl sat down on the grass, rubbed her eyes, saw the stream flowing as usual and her old aunt at the gate with her scarf tied around her head.

What a shame! It had all been a beautiful dream...