Children Stories - The Tortoise

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The Little Robber Girl
The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Tortoise

from Old French Fairy Tales - Blondine Bonne Biche and Beau Minon

One day Blondine was seated at the entrance of her hut, musing sadly as
usual, thinking of her lost friends and of her father, when she saw
before her an enormous Tortoise.

"Blondine," said the Tortoise, "if you will place yourself under my
protection, I will conduct you out of this forest."

"And why, Madam Tortoise, should I seek to leave this forest? Here I
caused the death of my friends and here I wish to die."

"Are you very certain of their death, Blondine?"

"What do you mean? Is it possible I may be deceived? But, no; I saw the
ruins of their castle. The Parrot and the Toad assured me of their
death. You are kind and good and wish to console me without doubt but,
alas! I do not hope to see them again. If they still lived they would
not have left me alone with the frightful despair of having caused their
death."

"But how do you know, Blondine, that this seeming neglect is not forced
upon them? They may now be subjected to a power greater than their own.
You know, Blondine, that a true repentance will obtain pardon for many
crimes."

"Ah! Madam Tortoise, if they still live, if you can give me news of
them, if you can assure me that I need no longer reproach myself with
their death, assure me that I shall one day see them again, there is no
price which I will not gladly pay to merit this great happiness."

"Blondine, I am not permitted to disclose to you the fate of your
friends but if you have the courage to mount on my back, remain there
for six months and not address a single question to me during the
journey, I will conduct you to a place where all will be revealed."

"I promise all that you ask, Madam Tortoise, provided I can only learn
what has become of my friends."

"Take care, Blondine! reflect well. Six months without descending from
my back and without asking me a single question! When once you have
accepted the conditions, when we have commenced our journey, if you have
not the courage to endure to the end, you will remain eternally in the
power of the enchanter, Perroquet, and his sister Rose and I cannot
even continue to bestow upon you the little assistance to which you owe
your life during the last six months."

"Let us go, Madam Tortoise let us be off, immediately. I prefer to die
of hunger and fatigue rather than of grief and uncertainty. Your words
have brought hope to my poor heart, and I have courage to undertake even
a more difficult journey than that of which you speak."

"Let it be according to your wish, Blondine. Mount my back. Fear neither
hunger nor thirst nor cold nor sunshine nor any accident during our long
journey. As long as it lasts you shall not suffer from any
inconvenience."

Blondine mounted on the back of the Tortoise. "Now, silence!" said she;
"and not one word till we have arrived and I speak to you first."

Next: The Journey And Arrival
Previous: Repentance

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