The Tortoise

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

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 a
d 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."



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