The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault. Шарль Перро

the peg, and the bolt will fall."

      The Wolf pull'd the peg, and the door opened, and then presently he fell upon the good woman, and ate her up in a moment; for it was above three days that he had not touched a bit. He then shut the door, and went into the grand-mother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding-Hood, who came some time afterwards, and knock'd at the door, tap, tap.

      "Who's there?"

      Little Red Riding-Hood, hearing the big voice of the Wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grand-mother had got a cold, and was hoarse, answered:

      "'Tis your grand-child, Little Red Riding-Hood, who has brought you a girdle-cake, and a little pot of butter, mamma sends you."

      The Wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, "Pull the peg, and the bolt will fall."

      Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the peg, and the door opened. The Wolf seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes:

      "Put the cake, and the little pot of butter upon the bread-bin, and come and lye down with me."

      Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself, and went into bed; where, being greatly amazed to see how her grand-mother looked in her night-cloaths, she said to her:

      "Grand-mamma, what great arms you have got!"

      "That is the better to hug thee, my dear."

      "Grand-mamma, what great legs you have got!"

      "That is to run the better, my child."

      "Grand-mamma, what great ears you have got!"

      "That is to hear the better, my child."

      "Grand-mamma, what great eyes you have got!"

      "It is to see the better, my child."

      "Grand-mamma, what great teeth you have got!"

      "That is to eat thee up."

      And, saying these words, this wicked Wolf fell upon poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and ate her all up.

The Moral

      From this short story easy we discern

      What conduct all young people ought to learn.

      But above all, young, growing misses fair,

      Whose orient rosy blooms begin t'appear:

      Who, beauties in the fragrant spring of age,

      With pretty airs young hearts are apt t'engage.

      Ill do they listen to all sorts of tongues,

      Since some inchant and lure like Syrens' songs.

      No wonder therefore 'tis, if over-power'd,

      So many of them has the Wolf devour'd.

      The Wolf, I say, for Wolves too sure there are

      Of every sort, and every character.

      Some of them mild and gentle-humour'd be,

      Of noise and gall, and rancour wholly free;

      Who tame, familiar, full of complaisance

      Ogle and leer, languish, cajole and glance;

      With luring tongues, and language wond'rous sweet,

      Follow young ladies as they walk the street,

      Ev'n to their very houses, nay, bedside,

      And, artful, tho' their true designs they hide;

      Yet ah! these simpering Wolves! Who does not see

      Most dangerous of Wolves indeed they be?

      The Fairy

      There was, once upon a time, a widow, who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humour, that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable, and so proud, that there was no living with them. The youngest, who was the very picture of her father, for courtesy and sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls ever seen. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother even doated on her eldest daughter, and at the same time had a horrible aversion for the youngest. She made her eat in the kitchen, and work continually.

      Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw water above a mile and a half off the house, and bring home a pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink.

      "O ay, with all my heart, Goody," said this pretty maid; and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water from the clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.

      The good woman having drank, said to her:

      "You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly, that I cannot help giving you a gift" (for this was a Fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country-woman, to see how far the civility and good manners of this pretty girl would go). "I will give you for gift," continued the Fairy, "that at every word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a flower, or a jewel."

      When this pretty girl came home, her mother scolded at her for staying so long at the fountain.

      "I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor girl, "for not making more haste," and, in speaking these words, there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds.

      "What is this I see?" said her mother quite astonished, "I think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth! How happens this, child?" (This was the first time she ever called her child.)

      The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds.

      "In good faith," cried the mother, "I must send my child thither. Come hither, Fanny, look what comes out of thy sister's mouth when she speaks! Would'st not thou be glad, my dear, to have the same gift given to thee? Thou hast nothing else to do but go and draw water out of the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks thee to let her drink, to give it her very civilly."

      "It would be a very fine sight indeed," said this ill-bred minx, "to see me go draw water!"

      "You shall go, hussey," said the mother, "and this minute."

      So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taking with her the best silver tankard in the house.

      She was no sooner at the fountain, than she saw coming out of the wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her, and asked to drink. This was, you must know, the very Fairy who appeared to her sister, but had now taken the air and dress of a princess, to see how far this girl's rudeness would go.

      "Am I come hither," said the proud, saucy slut, "to serve you with water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was brought purely for your ladyship, was it? However, you may drink out of it, if you have a fancy."

      "You are not over and above mannerly," answered the Fairy, without putting herself in a passion. "Well then, since you have so little breeding, and are so disobliging, I give you for gift, that at every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad."

      So soon as her mother saw her coming, she cried out: "Well, daughter?"

      "Well, mother?" answered the pert hussey, throwing out of her mouth two vipers and two toads.

      "O mercy!" cried the mother, "what is it I see! O, it is that wretch her sister who has occasioned all this; but she shall pay for it"; and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor child fled away from her and went to hide herself in the forest, not far from thence.

      The King's son, then on his return from hunting, met her, and seeing her so very pretty, asked her what she did there alone, and why she cried.

      "Alas! sir, my mamma has turned me out of doors."

      The King's son, who saw five or six pearls, and as many diamonds, come out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She thereupon told him the whole story; and so the King's son fell in love with her; and, considering with himself that such a gift was worth more than any marriage-portion