Repentance

: Blondine Bonne Biche and Beau Minon
: Old French Fairy Tales

Blondine was stupefied! Her conduct now appeared to her in all its

horror. She had shown a monstrous ingratitude towards the friends who

had been so tenderly devoted to her--who had dedicated seven years to

the care of her education. Would these kind friends ever receive her,

ever pardon her? What would be her fate, if they should close their

doors against her? And then, what did those awful words of the wicked

Parrot
ignify: "You have caused the destruction of your friends"?



Blondine turned round and wished to retrace her steps to the castle of

Bonne-Biche. The briers and thorns tore her arms and face terribly. She

continued however to force her way bravely through the thickets and

after three hours of most painful walking she came before the castle of

Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon.






Horror seized upon her, when in place of the superb building she saw

only an appalling ruin--in place of the magnificent trees and rare

flowers which surrounded it, only briers and thorns, nettles and

thistles, could be seen. Terrified and most desolate, she tried to force

her way in the midst of the ruins, to seek some knowledge of her kind

friends. A large Toad issued from a pile of stones, advanced before her,

and said:--



"What are you seeking? Have you not occasioned the death of your friends

by the basest ingratitude? Begone! do not insult their memory by your

unwelcome presence!"



"Alas! alas!" cried Blondine, "my poor friends, Bonne-Biche and

Beau-Minon, why can I not atone by my death for the sufferings I have

caused them?" And she fell, sobbing piteously, upon the stones and

nettles; her grief and her repentance were so excessive that she did not

feel their sharp points in her tender flesh. She wept profusely a long

time. At last she arose and looked about her, hoping to find some

shelter where she might take refuge. Ruin only stared her in the face!



"Well," said she, "let the wild beasts tear me to pieces, let me die of

hunger and thirst, if I can expiate my sins here upon the tomb of

Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon!"



As she uttered these words, she heard a soft voice saying: "True

repentance can atone for the worst of crimes."



She raised her head and saw only an immense black Crow flying above her.



"Alas! alas!" said Blondine, "my repentance however true, however bitter

it may be, can never give me back the lives of my dear Bonne-Biche and

Beau-Minon!"



"Courage, courage, Blondine! redeem your fault by your repentance and

do not allow yourself to be utterly cast down by grief."



The poor princess arose and left the scene of desolation. She followed a

little path, where the large trees seemed to have rooted out the

brambles and the earth was covered with moss. She was utterly exhausted

with grief and fatigue and fell at the foot of a large tree, sobbing

piteously.



"Courage, Blondine!" said another voice; "courage and hope!"



She saw near her only a Frog, which was looking at her compassionately.



"Oh, Frog!" said the princess, "you seem to pity my anguish! What will

become of me now that I am alone and desolate in the world?"



"Courage and hope!" was the reply.



Blondine sighed deeply and looked around, hoping to discover some herb

or fruit to appease her hunger and thirst. She saw nothing and her tears

flowed freely. The sound of bells now somewhat dissipated her despairing

thoughts. She saw a beautiful cow approaching her, gently and slowly. On

arriving near her, the cow paused, bowed down, and showed her a silver

porringer attached to her neck by a chain of beaten gold.



Blondine was very grateful for this unexpected succor. She detached the

porringer, milked the cow and drank the sweet milk with delight. The

pretty, gentle cow signed to her to replace the porringer. Blondine

obeyed, kissed her on the neck and said, sadly:--



"Thanks, Blanchette, it is without doubt to my poor friends that I owe

this sweet charity. Perhaps in another and better world they can see the

repentance of their poor Blondine and wish to assist her in her

frightful position."



"A true repentance will obtain pardon for all faults," said a kind

voice.



"Ah!" exclaimed Blondine, "years of sorrow and weeping for my crimes

would not suffice! I can never pardon myself!"



In the mean time, night approached. Notwithstanding her anguish and

repentance, Blondine began to reflect upon some means of securing

herself from the ferocious wild beasts, whose terrible roars she already

believed she heard in the distance. She saw some steps before her a kind

of hut, formed by several trees growing near together and interlacing

their branches. Bowing her head, she entered, and found that by

carefully connecting some branches she could form a pretty and secure

retreat. She employed the remainder of the day in arranging this little

room and gathered a quantity of moss, with which she made herself a bed

and pillow. She concealed the entrance to this little retreat by some

broken branches and leaves and went to rest, utterly worn out with

regret and fatigue.



When Blondine awoke it was broad daylight. At first she could scarcely

collect her thoughts and understand her position but the sad realities

of her lot were soon apparent to her and she commenced weeping as

before.



Blondine was hungry, and she could not imagine how she was to secure

food but soon she heard again the sound of the cow-bells. In a few

moments, Blanchette stood near her. Blondine again loosened the

porringer, drew the milk and drank till her hunger was appeased, then

replaced the porringer and kissed Blanchette, hoping to see her again

during the day. Every day--in the morning, at midday and in the

evening--Blanchette came to offer Blondine her frugal repast.



Blondine passed the time in tears for her poor friends, and bitter

self-reproach for her crimes.



"By my unpardonable disobedience," she said to herself, "I have caused

the most terrible misfortunes, which it is not in my power to repair. I

have not only lost my good and true friends but I am deprived of the

only means of finding my father, my poor father, who perhaps still

expects his Blondine, his most unhappy Blondine, condemned to live and

die alone in this frightful forest where her evil genius reigns

supreme."



Blondine sought to amuse and employ herself in every possible way. Her

little home was neatly arranged, and fresh moss and leaves composed her

simple couch. She had tied some branches together and formed a seat and

she made herself some needles and pins of the thorns and twisted some

thread from the hemp which grew near her little hut, and with these

implements she had mended the rents in her shoes.



In this simple way Blondine lived for six months; her grief was always

the same and it is just to say that it was not her sad and solitary life

which made her unhappy but sincere regret for her fault. She would

willingly have consented to pass her life in the forest if she could

thus have brought to life Bonne-Biche and Beau-Minon.



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