The Sacrifice
: OURSON: Old French Fairy Tales
Ourson turned his steps homeward, discouraged and exhausted. He walked
slowly and arrived at the farm late. Violette ran to meet him, took him
by the hand, and without saying a word led him to his mother. There she
fell on her knees and said:--
"My mother, I know what our well-beloved Ourson has suffered to-day.
During his absence the fairy Furious has told me all and the good fairy
Drolette has confirmed
believed, lost to us for ever and lost for my sake you revealed to me
that which in his nobility and goodness he wished to conceal. I know
that by changing skins with him I can restore to him his original
beauty. Happy, a hundred times happy in having this opportunity to
recompense the tenderness and devotion of my dearly-loved brother
Ourson, I demand to make this exchange allowed by the fairy Drolette and
I entreat her to complete the transfer immediately."
"Violette! Violette!" exclaimed Ourson, in great agitation, "take back
your words! You do not know to what you engage yourself; you are
ignorant of the life of anguish and misery unparalleled, the life of
solitude and isolation to which you thus condemn yourself; you know not
the unceasing desolation you will feel at knowing that you are an object
of fear to all mankind. Violette, Violette, in pity to me, withdraw your
words!"
"Dear Ourson," said Violette, calmly, but resolutely, "in making what
you believe to be so great a sacrifice, I accomplish the dearest wish of
my heart; I secure my own happiness; I satisfy an ardent and imperious
desire to testify my tenderness and my gratitude. I esteem myself for
doing what I propose. I should despise myself if I left it undone."
"Pause, Violette, for one instant longer, I beseech you! Think of my
grief, when I no longer see my beautiful Violette, when I think of you
exposed to the railleries, the horror of men. Oh! Violette, do not
condemn your poor Ourson to this anguish."
The lovely face of Violette was veiled with sadness. The fear that
Ourson would feel repugnance towards her made her heart tremble; but
this thought, which was wholly personal, was very fleeting--it could not
triumph over her devoted tenderness. Her only response was to throw
herself in the arms of Agnella, and say:--
"Mother, embrace your fair and pretty Violette for the last time."
Whilst Agnella, Ourson and Passerose embraced her and looked lovingly
upon her--whilst Ourson, on his knees, supplicated her to leave him his
bear-skin to which he had been accustomed for twenty years--Violette
called out again in a loud voice:--
"Fairy Drolette! Fairy Drolette! come and accept the price of the life
and health of my dear Ourson."
At this moment the fairy Drolette appeared in all her glory. She was
seated in a massive chariot of gold, drawn by a hundred and fifty larks.
She was clothed with a robe of butterflies' wings, of the most brilliant
colors while from her shoulders fell a mantle of network of diamonds,
which trailed ten feet behind her and it was so fine in texture that it
was light as gauze. Her hair, glittering like tissue of gold, was
ornamented by a crown of carbuncles more brilliant than the sun; each of
her slippers was carved from a single ruby and her beautiful face, soft,
yet gay, breathed contentment. She fixed upon Violette a most
affectionate regard.
"You wish it, then, my daughter?" said she.
"Madam," cried Ourson, falling at her feet, "deign to listen to me. You,
who have loaded me with undeserved benefits--you, who have inspired me
with boundless gratitude--you, good and just--will you execute the mad
wish of my dear Violette? Will you make my whole life wretched by
forcing me to accept this sacrifice? No, no, charming and humane fairy,
you could not, you will not do it!"
Whilst Ourson was thus supplicating, the fairy gave Violette a light
touch with her wand of pearl and Ourson another--then said:--
"Let it be according to the wish of your heart, my daughter. Let it be
contrary to your ardent desires, my son."
At the same moment, the face, arms and the whole body of the lovely
young girl were covered with the long hair which Ourson had worn, and
Ourson appeared with a white smooth skin, which set off his extreme
beauty to advantage.
Violette gazed at him with admiration, while he, his eyes cast down and
full of tears, dared not look at his poor Violette, so horribly
metamorphosed. At last he looked up, threw himself in her arms, and they
wept together.
Ourson was marvellously handsome. Violette was, as Ourson had been,
without form, without beauty, but not ugly. When Violette raised her
head and looked at Agnella, the latter extended her hands towards her,
and said:--
"Thanks, my daughter, my noble, generous child."
"Mother," said Violette, in low voice, "do you love me still?"
"Do I love you, my cherished child? Yes, a hundred times, a thousand
times more than ever before."
"Violette," said Ourson, "never fear being ugly in our eyes. To my
eyes, you are a hundred times more beautiful than when clothed with all
your loveliness. To me you are a sister--a friend incomparable. You will
always be the companion of my life, the ideal of my heart."
More
-
The Red-headed Woodpecker
There was an old woman who lived on a hill. You never heard of any one smaller or neater than she was. She always wore a black dress and a large white apron with big bows behind. On her head was the queerest little red bonnet that you ever saw. ... The Relief Of Lucknow
During the time of the terrible Indian Mutiny, when most of the native troops rose against their British rulers, and vowed to kill every white person in the land, many cruel deeds were done. A great number of white people were slain before the Bri... The Repentance Of Little Jim Crow
"Little Jim Crow had been very naughty," began daddy. "He had been bullying Sammy Crow for some time past simply because Sammy was not so large and not so strong as he was. Jim Crow was quite a leader, too, in a very mean way, for he'd tried to... The Republic Of Cuba
A nation may in a day overthrow a dynasty which has ruled for centuries, it may in a few years completely revolutionize its system of government and methods of trading, but its ancient code of marriage will live on unchanged for ages. It is a n... The Republic Of Mexico
Mexico is a federative Republic composed of twenty-seven States, three Territories and a Federal District. Under the present Constitution, which is dated February 5, 1857, each State has the power to control its own local domestic concerns and t... The Rescue Of The Canary Bird
"I am going to tell you a really true story," said daddy, "something which happened to-day. I was walking along a rather poor part of the city when I saw a number of children gathered in a group in a little side yard of a tenement house. The ch... The Return Of The Dead Wife
Once upon a time there lived in Alaska a chief of the Tlingit tribe who had one son. When the boy grew to be a man, he saw a girl who seemed to him prettier and cleverer than any other girl of the tribe, and his heart went out to her, and he told ... The Revenge
In the days of Queen Elizabeth, English sailors first began to find their way across the seas to new lands, from which they brought home many strange, and rich, and beautiful things. The Spaniards sailed across the seas too, to fetch gold and silv... The Revenge Of Coriolanus
BY CHARLES MORRIS (ADAPTED) Caius Marcius was a noble Roman youth, who fought valiantly, when but seventeen years of age, in the battle of Lake Regillus, and was there crowned with an oaken wreath, the Roman reward for saving the life of a fellow... The Revenge Of The Fireflies
The Fireflies and the Goblins had always been good friends, just as they were with the Fairies, until one night when the Goblins held a frolic in the woods and did not invite the Fireflies to come. It was a bright moonlight night, and the Gobli... The Revenge Of The Gnomes
The Fairies decided to give a party one night, and invited the Goblins, but they did not ask the Gnomes, because they did not think of them. The Gnomes live so deep in the earth that the Fairies seldom meet them, and so they really forgot and d... The Rhyme Of Ten Little Rabbits
BY KATE N. MYTINGER 1 little rabbit, =one= went out in the field to run. 2 little rabbits, =two= Said they didn't know what to do. 3 little rabbits, =three= Said: "Let us climb a tree." 4 little rabbits... The Rich Man and the Tanner
A RICH MAN lived near a Tanner, and not being able to bear the unpleasant smell of the tan-yard, he pressed his neighbor to go away. The Tanner put off his departure from time to time, saying that he would leave soon. But as he still continued to ... The Rich Man's Library
In Madrid, there was a rich man--and, they say, That ten times as stupid, as rich, he was too;-- Whose magnificent mansion made ample display Of furniture gorgeous and costly and new. "It vexes me much, that a house so comple... The Riddle
A King's son once had a great desire to travel through the world, so he started off, taking no one with him but one trusty servant. One day he came to a great forest, and as evening drew on he could find no shelter, and could not think where to ... The Rishi And The Brahman
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a Brahman. For many years he lived happily and cultivated his fields of rice and grain. But one day his wife gave up the observances imposed on her, and, as a result, the whole house ... The Rival Kempers
BY WILLIAM CARLETON In the north of Ireland there are spinning meetings of unmarried females frequently held at the houses of farmers, called kemps. Every young woman who has got the reputation of being a quick and expert spinner attends where ... The Rivers and the Sea
THE RIVERS joined together to complain to the Sea, saying, "Why is it that when we flow into your tides so potable and sweet, you work in us such a change, and make us salty and unfit to drink?" The Sea, perceiving that they intended to throw the bl... The Road To Fairy Land
The day is dull and dreary, And chilly winds and eerie Are sweeping through the tall oak trees that fringe the orchard lane. They send the dead leaves flying, And with a ... The Robber Bridegroom
There was once a miller who had one beautiful daughter, and as she was grown up, he was anxious that she should be well married and provided for. He said to himself, 'I will give her to the first suitable man who comes and asks for her hand.' Not lo... The Robe Of Feathers
Mio Strand is in the Province of Suruga. Its sand is yellow and fine, strewn with rose shells at the ebb tide. Its pine trees are ancient and they lean all one way, which is the way that the wild wind wills. Before Mio rolls the deep sea, and behi... The Robin And The Wren
The superstitious reverence with which these birds are almost universally regarded takes its origin from a pretty belief that they undertake the delicate office of covering the dead bodies of any of the human race with moss or leaves, if by any mean... The Robins Come To The Rescue
The honeysuckles were beginning to bud. Already the humming-birds were hovering near and had built a nest right in the heart of the vine. This vine was in a nice old-fashioned garden, but near by there was a vacant lot which was very swampy. ... The Robins Open A Spring Shop
"The robins, having left their warm winter home, had settled near a great, big, lovely park," said daddy. "Now, one of the robins happened to be a very practical old bird. He suggested that they shouldn't spend all their time singing, especiall... The Robins' Spring Concert
"The robins gave their spring concert the other morning for the fairies," said daddy. "They give one every year just after most of their family have arrived for the summer. It is one of the biggest events of the spring in fairyland, and they ar... The Rogue And The Herdsman
In a tiny cottage near the king's palace there once lived an old man, his wife, and his son, a very lazy fellow, who would never do a stroke of work. He could not be got even to look after their one cow, but left her to look after herself, while he ... The Rooster The Hand-mill And The Swarm Of Hornets
Once upon a time there was a peasant who wanted to go to sell a pig. After he had gone a while, he met a man who asked him where he was going with his pig. "I want to sell it," answered the peasant, "but I do not know what to do to get rid of it."... The Rope-dancer
As an unpractised urchin lessons took In dancing, of a veteran of the ring, On slack or tight rope,--it is all one thing,-- The youngster said,--"Good master, prithee, look; How this great staff bothers and wearies me, Which yo... The Rose and the Amaranth
AN AMARANTH planted in a garden near a Rose-Tree, thus addressed it: "What a lovely flower is the Rose, a favorite alike with Gods and with men. I envy you your beauty and your perfume." The Rose replied, "I indeed, dear Amaranth, flourish but fo... The Rose Tree
Once upon a time, long long years ago, in the days when one had to be careful about witches, there lived a good man, whose young wife died, leaving him a baby girl. Now this good man felt he could not look after the baby properly, so he married... The Roses And The Sparrows
IT really appeared as if something very important were going on by the duck pond, but this was not the case. A few minutes before, all the ducks had been resting on the water or standing on their heads--for that they can do--and then they all sw... The Rover Of The Plain
A long way off, near the sea coast of the east of Africa, there dwelt, once upon a time, a man and his wife. They had two children, a son and a daughter, whom they loved very much, and, like parents in other countries, they often talked of t... The Royal Oak
There is in Shropshire a fine oak-tree which the country people there call the "Royal Oak". They say it is the great-grandson, or perhaps the great-great-grandson of another fine old oak, which more than two hundred years ago stood on the same spo... The Runaway Couple
THE Boots at the Holly Tree Inn was the young man named Cobbs, who blacked the shoes, and ran errands, and waited on the people at the inn; and this is the story that he told, one day. "Supposing a young gentleman not eight years old was to run ... The Russian Empire
There have always been plenty of laws in Russia, the chief difficulty being not with the quantity but the quality. Another perplexing feature of Muscovite laws is the uncertainty of this patchwork of royal decrees, undefined traditions, changing c... The Sacred Milk Of Koumongoe
Far way, in a very hot country, there once lived a man and woman who had two children, a son named Koane and a daughter called Thakane. Early in the morning and late in the evenings the parents worked hard in the fields, resting, when the sun ... The Sacrifice
Ourson turned his steps homeward, discouraged and exhausted. He walked slowly and arrived at the farm late. Violette ran to meet him, took him by the hand, and without saying a word led him to his mother. There she fell on her knees and said:-- ... The Sad Story Of The Yaoya's Daughter
There was a wandering ballad-singer who came to a great house in Yedo where they wished to be entertained. "Will you have a dance or a song?" said the ballad-singer; "or shall I tell you a story?" The people of the house bade him tell a story. ... The Salad
As a merry young huntsman was once going briskly along through a wood, there came up a little old woman, and said to him, 'Good day, good day; you seem merry enough, but I am hungry and thirsty; do pray give me something to eat.' The huntsman took p... The Salt Merchant and His Ass
A PEDDLER drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt. His road home lay across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, fell by accident and rose up again with his load considerably lighter, as the water melted the sack. The Peddler retrac... The Sand Bed
I have a sand bed, and there I play, There in the sand for half the day. And mother comes and sits by me; And little sister likes to see The many things I make of sand, But she's to... The Sandman
BY MARGARET VANDERGRIFT The rosy clouds float overhead The sun is going down, And now the Sandman's gentle tread Comes stealing through the town. "White sand, white sand," he softly cries, And as ... The Sandpainting Of The Fire
<div> <img src="/images/i246.png" alt="The Sandpainting of the Fire" title="The Sandpainting of the Fire" height="287" width="300" /> The Sandpainting of the Fire </div> <p>When I was staying among the Navaho Indians, I met John Wetherall, the trader. ... The Satin Surgeon
Once upon a time there was a very rich and powerful king who, in spite of having been married several times, had only two daughters. The elder was extremely plain--she squinted and was hunchbacked; but at the same time she was very clever and am... The Saturday Story
Once upon a time there was a town-called Atpat. In it there lived a poor Brahman who had three daughters-in-law. He rose early even during the rainy season, and every day immediately after his morning meal he used to go to his field with his childre... The Scent
Man sees with his eyes, hears with his ears, smells with his nose, tastes with his mouth, and feels with his fingers. One man's eyes see better, another man's see worse. One hears from a distance, and another is deaf. One has keen senses and smell... The Sea King And The Magic Jewels
This is a tale beloved by the children of Japan, and by the old folk--a tale of magical jewels and a visit to the Sea King's palace. Prince Rice-Ear-Ruddy-Plenty loved a beautiful and royal maiden, and made her his bride. And the lady was called... The Sea King's Gift
There was once a fisherman who was called Salmon, and his Christian name was Matte. He lived by the shore of the big sea; where else could he live? He had a wife called Maie; could you find a better name for her? In winter they dwelt in a litt... The Sea Princess
In a palace of pearl and sea-weed, Set round with shining shells, Under the deeps of the ocean, The little Sea Princess dwells. Sometimes she sees the shadows Of great whales passing by, Or white-winged vesse... The Sea-maiden
There was once a poor old fisherman, and one year he was not getting much fish. On a day of days, while he was fishing, there rose a sea-maiden at the side of his boat, and she asked him, "Are you getting much fish?" The old man answered and said,... The Sea-serpent
Just then Trot happened to look up at the glass roof and saw a startling sight. A big head with a face surrounded by stubby gray whiskers was poised just over them, and the head was connected with a long, curved body that looked much like a sewer ... The Seagull and the Kite
A SEAGULL having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bag and lay down on the shore to die. A Kite saw him and exclaimed: "You richly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seek its food from the sea." Every ... The Seagulls Move To Bluey Cove
"Mr. and Mrs. Seagull didn't really know what to do," said daddy. "They loved their home, which was in a big harbor, for they enjoyed seeing the boats pass and hearing the different whistles. All kinds of boats passed--ferryboats, sailboats, ol... The Seal Catcher And The Merman
Once upon a time there was a man who lived not very far from John o' Groat's house, which, as everyone knows, is in the very north of Scotland. He lived in a little cottage by the sea-shore, and made his living by catching seals and selling their ... The Seaside Travelers
SOME TRAVELERS, journeying along the seashore, climbed to the summit of a tall cliff, and looking over the sea, saw in the distance what they thought was a large ship. They waited in the hope of seeing it enter the harbor, but as the object on whic... The Second Voyage Of Sindbad The Sailor
I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days at Bagdad, but it was not long ere I grew weary of an indolent life, and I put to sea a second time, with merchants of known probity. We embarked on board a good ship, and after recom... The Secret Of Fire
A TREE STORY. One summer night a great army of pine trees settled down in a quiet valley to rest. They were a tall, dark, grave-looking company. They held their heads high in the air, for they were the only trees in the world who knew the won... The Selfish Giant
BY OSCAR WILDE Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden. It was a large, lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flower-like stars; an... The Selfish Sparrow And The Houseless Crows
A Sparrow once built a nice little house for herself, and lined it well with wool and protected it with sticks, so that it resisted equally the summer sun and the winter rains. A Crow who lived close by had also built a house, but it was not such ... The Seller Of Dreams
Once upon a time a mother called her only son into the kitchen, gave him a basket of fine, fresh eggs, and bade him carry them to his Aunt Jane, who lived a few miles down the valley. The son, a lively lad about twelve years of age, obeyed his mothe... The Seller of Images
A CERTAIN MAN made a wooden image of Mercury and offered it for sale. When no one appeared willing to buy it, in order to attract purchasers, he cried out that he had the statue to sell of a benefactor who bestowed wealth and helped to heap up rich... The Serpent and the Eagle
A SERPENT and an Eagle were struggling with each other in deadly conflict. The Serpent had the advantage, and was about to strangle the bird. A countryman saw them, and running up, loosed the coil of the Serpent and let the Eagle go free. The Ser... The Seven Foals
THERE was once upon a time a couple of poor folks who lived in a wretched hut, far away from everyone else, in a wood. They only just managed to live from hand to mouth, and had great difficulty in doing even so much as that, but they had three sons... The Seven Ravens
There was once a man who had seven sons, and last of all one daughter. Although the little girl was very pretty, she was so weak and small that they thought she could not live; but they said she should at once be christened. So the father sent on... The Seven Sour Sisters
<p>If you look along any half-open bank in the edge of the woods, or even in the woods itself, you are sure to see one of the Seven Sorrel Sisters, with leaves a little like Clover, only notched in the end and without the white marks, that the Browni... The Seven Voyages Of Sindbad The Sailor
In the times of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid there lived in Bagdad a poor porter named Hindbad, who on a very hot day was sent to carry a heavy load from one end of the city to the other. Before he had accomplished half the distance he was so tir... The Seven-headed Serpent
'Die Siebenkopfige Schlange,' from Schmidt's Griechische Mahrchen. Once upon a time there was a king who determined to take a long voyage. He assembled his fleet and all the seamen, and set out. They went straight on night and day, until they ... The Seventh Birthday Of The Little Cousin From Constantinople
BY EMMA C. DOWD The Little Cousin from Constantinople was to have been given a party on her seventh birthday; but, just before the invitations were written, Mumps came uninvited, and, of course, there could be no other guests while Mumps stayed. ... The Shamrock And Her Three Sisters
<div> <img src="/images/i068.png" alt="Yellow-haired Hob" title="Yellow-haired Hob" height="400" width="249" /> </div> <p>The Shamrock is really the White Clover. It is much the same shape as the Red Clover, and has the same food bags in its cellar. I... The She-Goats and Their Beards
THE SHE-GOATS having obtained a beard by request to Jupiter, the He-Goats were sorely displeased and made complaint that the females equaled them in dignity. "Allow them," said Jupiter, "to enjoy an empty honor and to assume the badge of your noble... The Shee An Gannon And The Gruagach Gaire
The Shee an Gannon was born in the morning, named at noon, and went in the evening to ask his daughter of the king of Erin. "I will give you my daughter in marriage," said the king of Erin; "you won't get her, though, unless you go and bring me ... The Sheep And Pig Who Set Up Housekeeping
Once upon a time a Sheep stood in a pen to be fattened for the winter's feast. He lived well, for he was given the best of everything, and he soon became so fat that one day the maid who came to bring his food said: "Eat full to-day, little Sheep,...