Old French Fairy Tales. Comtesse de Ségur

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      THE PARROT

      Six months had passed since Blondine awaked from her seven years’ sleep. It seemed to the little princess a long time. The remembrance of her dear father often saddened her heart.

      Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon seemed to divine her thoughts. Beau-Minon mewed plaintively, and Bonne-Biche heaved the most profound sighs. Blondine spoke but rarely of that which occupied her thoughts continually. She feared to offend Bonne-Biche, who had said to her three or four times:

      “Dear Blondine, be patient. You will see your father when you are fifteen, if you continue wise and good. Trust me, dear child; do not trouble yourself about the future and above all do not seek to leave us.”

      One morning Blondine was alone and very sad. She was musing upon her singular and monotonous existence. Suddenly she was disturbed in her reverie by three soft little strokes upon her window. Raising her head, she perceived a parrot with beautiful green plumage and throat and breast of bright orange.

      Surprised at the appearance of a bird entirely unknown to her, she opened the window and invited the parrot to enter.

      What was her amazement when the bird said to her, in a fine sharp voice:

      “Good day, Blondine! I know that you sometimes have a very tedious time of it, because you have no one to talk to. I have taken pity upon you and come to have a chat with you. But I pray you do not mention that you have seen me, for Bonne-Biche would cut my throat if she knew it.”

      “Why so, beautiful Parrot? Bonne-Biche is good; she injures no one and only hates the wicked.”

      “Blondine, listen! If you do not promise to conceal my visit from Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon, I will fly away at once and never return.”

      “Since you wish it so much, beautiful Parrot, I will promise silence. Let us chat a little. It is a long time since I have had an opportunity to converse. You seem to me gay and witty. I do not doubt that you will amuse me much.”

      Blondine listened with delight to the lively talk of the Parrot, who complimented extravagantly her beauty, her wit and her talents.

      Blondine was enchanted. In about an hour the Parrot flew away, promising to return the next day. In short, he returned every day and continued to compliment and amuse her.

      One morning he struck upon the window and said:

      “Blondine! Blondine! open the window, quickly! I bring you news of your father. But above all make no noise unless you want my throat cut.”

      Blondine was overwhelmed with joy. She opened the window with alacrity and said: “Is it true, my beautiful Parrot, that you bring me news of my dear father? Speak quickly! What is he doing and how is he?”

      “Your father is well, Blondine, but he weeps your loss always. I have promised him to employ all my power to deliver you from your prison but I can do nothing without your assistance.”

      “My prison!” said Blondine. “But you are ignorant of all the goodness which Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon have shown me, of the pains they have lavished upon my education, of all their tenderness and forbearance. They will be enchanted to find a way of restoring me to my father. Come with me, beautiful Parrot and I will present you to Bonne-Biche. Come, I entreat you.”

      “Ah! Blondine,” said the sharp voice of the Parrot, “it is you, Princess, who do not know Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon. They detest me because I have sometimes succeeded in rescuing their victims from them. You will never see your father again, Blondine, you will never leave this forest, unless you yourself shall break the charm which holds you here.”

      “What charm?” said Blondine. “I know of no charm and what interest have Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon in keeping me a prisoner?”

      “Is it not to their interest to enliven their solitude, Blondine? There is a talisman which can procure your release. It is a simple Rose, which, gathered by yourself, will deliver you from your exile and restore you to the arms of your fond father.”

      “But there is not a single Rose in the garden. How then can I gather one?”

      “I will explain this to you another day, Blondine. Now I can tell you no more, as I hear Bonne-Biche coming. But to convince you of the virtues of the Rose, entreat Bonne-Biche to give you one and see what she will say. To-morrow—to-morrow, Blondine!”

      The Parrot flew away, well content to have scattered in Blondine’s heart the first seeds of discontent and ingratitude.

      The Parrot had scarcely disappeared when Bonne-Biche entered. She appeared greatly agitated.

      “With whom have you been talking, Blondine?” looking suspiciously towards the open window.

      “With no one, madam,” said the princess.

      “I am certain I heard voices in conversation.”

      “I must have been speaking to myself.”

      Bonne-Biche made no reply. She was very sad and tears fell from her eyes.

      Blondine was also engaged in thought. The cunning words of the Parrot made her look upon the kindness of Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon in a totally different light.

      In place of saying to herself that a hind which had the power to speak, to make wild beasts intelligent, to put an infant to sleep for seven years, to dedicate seven years to a tiresome and ignorant little girl, in short, a hind lodged and served like a queen, could be no ordinary criminal; in place of cherishing a sentiment of gratitude for all that Bonne-Biche had done for her, Blondine, alas! believed blindly in the Parrot, the unknown bird of whose character and veracity she had no proof. She did not remember that the Parrot could have no possible motive for risking its life to render her a service. Blondine believed it though, implicitly, because of the flattery which the Parrot had lavished upon her. She did not even recall with gratitude the sweet and happy existence which Bonne-Biche СКАЧАТЬ