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1、国外英文文学系列 Four and Twenty Fairy TalesTitle: Four and Twenty Fairy Tales Selected From Those of Perrault, and other Popular WritersAuthor: VariousPREFACE.The success attending the publication of a new translation of the Fairy Tales of the Countess dAulnoy has justified the publishers in believing that
2、 an equally faithful version of some of the most popular stories of her contemporaries and immediate successors, similarly annotated, might meet with as favourable a reception. I have therefore selected twenty-four of the best Fairy Tales, according to my judgment, remaining in the Cabinet des Fes,
3、commencing with those of Charles Perrault, the earliest, and terminating with some of Madame Leprince de Beaumont, the latest French writer of European celebrity in that particular class of literature. Independently of the fact that, with the exception of those of Madame de Beaumont, few if any in t
4、he present volume have ever been placed in their integrity before the English reader, I trust that the chronological order I have observed in their arrangement will give them a novel interest in the eyes of those children of a larger growth, who are not ashamed to confess, with La FontaineSi Peau da
5、ne mtoit contJy prendrais un plaisir extrme.Or with the great Reformer, Martin LutherPg xi I would not for any quantity of gold part with the wonderful tales which I have retained from my earliest childhood or have met with in my progress through life.The reader will by this arrangement observe, in
6、a clearer way than probably he has yet had an opportunity of doing, the rise, progress, and decline of the genuine Fairy Taleso thoroughly French in its origin, so specially connected with the age of that Grand Monarque whose reign presents us, in the graphic pages of St. Simon and Dangeau, with inn
7、umerable pictures of manners and customs, dresses and entertainments, the singularity, magnificence, profusion, and extent of which scarcely require the fancy of a dAulnoy to render fabulous. In my introduction to the tales of that lively and ingenious lady, I have already shown the progress of the
8、popularity of this class of composition; but in the present volume it will be seen how, in the course of little more than half a century, the Fairy Tale, from a fresh, sparkling, simple yet arch version of a legend as old as the monuments of that Celtic race by whom they were introduced into Gaul, b
9、ecame first elaborated into a novel, comprising an ingenious plot, with an amusing exaggeration of the manners of the period; next, inflated into a preposterous and purposeless caricature of its own peculiarities; and finally, denuded of its sportive fancy, its latent humour, and its gorgeous extrav
10、agance, subsided into the dull common-place moral story, which, taking less hold of the youthful imagination, was, however laudable in its intention, a very ineffective substitute for the merry monitors it vainly endeavoured to supersede. Too much like a lesson for the child, it was too childish for
11、 the man. The Fairies were dismissed in consequence of the incapacity of the writers to employ them; but they were not to be annihilated. They still live Pg xii in their own land, to laugh at those mortals who will not laugh with them and learn while they laugh. Modern art may vainly invoke them to
12、perform fresh marvels, but enough power still exists in their old spells to enchant youth, amuse manhood, and resuscitate age; and, despite the hypercritic and the purist, they will continue to exercise their magic influence over the human mind so long as it is capable of appreciating wit, fancy, an
13、d good feeling. As Mademoiselle Lheritier wrote two hundred years agoIls ne sont pas aises croire,Mais tant que dans le monde on verra des enfans,Des mres et des mres-grandsOn en gardera la memoire.BLUE BEARD.Once on a time there was a man who had fine town and country houses, gold and silver plate,
14、 embroidered furniture, and coaches gilt all over; but unfortunately, this man had a blue beard, which made him look so ugly and terrible, that there was not a woman or girl who did not run away from him. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had two daughters, who were perfectly beautiful. He p
15、roposed to marry one of them, leaving her to choose which of the two she would give him. Neither of them would have him; and they sent him from one to the other, not being able to make up their minds to marry a man who had a blue beard. What increased their distaste to him was, that he had had sever
16、al wives already, and nobody knew what had become of them.Blue Beard, in order to cultivate their acquaintance, took them, with their mother, three or four of their most intimate friends, and some young persons who resided in the neighbourhood, to one of his country seats, where they passed an entir
17、e week. Nothing was thought of but excursions, hunting and fishing, parties, balls, entertainments, collations; nobody went to bed; the whole night was spent in merry games and gambols. In short, all went off so well, that the youngest daughter began to find out that the beard of the master of the h
18、ouse was not as blue as it used to be, and that he was a very worthy man. Immediately upon their return to town the marriage took place. At the end of a month Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take a journey, which would occupy six weeks at least, on a matter of great consequence; that
19、 he entreated she would amuse herself as much as she could during his absence; that she Pg 4 would invite her best friends, take them into the country with her if she pleased, and keep an excellent table everywhere.Here, said he to her, are the keys of my two great store-rooms; these are those of th
20、e chests in which the gold and silver plate is kept, that is only used on particular occasions; these are the keys of the strong boxes in which I keep my money; these open the caskets that contain my jewels; and this is the pass-key of all the apartments. As for this little key, it is that of the cl
21、oset at the end of the long gallery, on the ground floor. Open everything, and go everywhere except into that little closet, which I forbid you to enter, and I forbid you so strictly, that if you should venture to open the door, there is nothing that you may not have to dread from my anger! She prom
22、ised to observe implicitly all his directions, and after he had embraced her, he got into his coach and set out on his journey.The neighbours and friends of the young bride did not wait for her invitation, so eager were they to see all the treasures contained in the mansion, not having ventured to e
23、nter it while the husband was at home, so terrified were they at his blue beard. Behold them immediately running through all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, each apartment exceeding the other in beauty and richness. They ascended afterwards to the store-rooms, where they could not sufficiently ad
24、mire the number and elegance of the tapestries, the beds, the sofas, the cabinets, the stands,1 the tables, and the mirrors in which they could see themselves from head to foot, and that had frames some of glass,2 some of silver, and some of gilt metal, more beautiful and magnificent than had ever b
25、een seen. They never ceased enlarging upon and envying the good fortune of their friend, who in the meanwhile was not in the least entertained by the sight of all these treasures, in consequence of her impatience to open the closet on the ground floor.Pg 5Her curiosity increased to such a degree tha
26、t, without reflecting how rude it was to leave her company, she ran down a back staircase in such haste that twice or thrice she narrowly escaped breaking her neck. Arrived at the door of the closet, she paused for a moment, bethinking herself of her husbands prohibition, and that some misfortune mi
27、ght befall her for her disobedience; but the temptation was so strong that she could not conquer it. She therefore took the little key and opened, tremblingly, the door of the closet. At first she could discern nothing, the windows being closed; after a short time she began to perceive that the floo
28、r was all covered with clotted blood, in which were reflected the dead bodies of several females suspended against the walls. These were all the wives of Blue Beard, who had cut their throats one after the other. She was ready to die with fright, and the key of the closet, which she had withdrawn fr
29、om the lock, fell from her hand. After recovering her senses a little, she picked up the key, locked the door again, and went up to her chamber to compose herself; but she could not succeed, so greatly was she agitated. Having observed that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she wiped it
30、two or three times, but the blood would not come off. In vain she washed it, and even scrubbed it with sand and free-stone, the blood was still there, for the key was enchanted, and there were no means of cleaning it completely: when the blood was washed off one side, it came back on the other.Blue
31、Beard returned that very evening, and said that he had received letters on the road informing him that the business on which he was going had been settled to his advantage. His wife did all she could to persuade him that she was delighted at his speedy return. The next morning he asked her for his k
32、eys again; she gave them to him; but her hand trembled so, that he had not much difficulty in guessing what had occurred. How comes it, said he, that the key of the closet is not with the others? I must have left it, she replied, upstairs on my table. Fail not, said Blue Beard, to give it me present
33、ly. After several excuses, she was compelled to produce the key. Blue Beard having examined it, said to his wife, Why is there some blood on this key? I dont know, answered the poor wife, paler than death. You dont know? rejoined Blue Beard. I Pg 6 know well enough. You must needs enter the closet.
34、Well, madam, you shall enter it, and go take your place amongst the ladies you saw there. She flung herself at her husbands feet, weeping and begging his pardon, with all the signs of true repentance for having disobeyed him. Her beauty and affliction might have melted a rock, but Blue Beard had a h
35、eart harder than a rock. You must die, madam, said he, and immediately. If I must die, she replied, looking at him with streaming eyes, give me a little time to say my prayers. I give you half a quarter of an hour, answered Blue Beard, but not a minute more. As soon as he had left her, she called he
36、r sister, and said to her, Sister Anne (for so she was named), go up, I pray thee, to the top of the tower, and see if my brothers are not coming. They have promised me that they would come to see me to-day; and if you see them, sign to them to make haste. Sister Anne mounted to the top of the tower
37、, and the poor distressed creature called to her every now and then, Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see anything coming? And sister Anne answered her, I see nothing but the sun making dust, and the grass growing green.In the meanwhile Blue Beard, with a great cutlass in his hand, called out with a
38、ll his might to his wife, Come down quickly, or I will come up there. One minute more, if you please, replied his wife; and immediately repeated in a low voice, Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see anything coming? And sister Anne replied, I see nothing but the sun making dust, and the grass growing
39、 green. Come down quickly, roared Blue Beard, or I will come up there. I come, answered his wife, and then exclaimed, Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see anything coming? I see, said sister Anne, a great cloud of dust moving this way. Is it my brothers? Alas! no, sister, I see a flock of sheep. Wil
40、t thou not come down? shouted Blue Beard. One minute more, replied his wife, and then she cried, Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see anything coming? I see, she replied, two horsemen coming this way; but they are still at a great distance. Heaven be praised! she exclaimed, a moment afterwards. They
41、 are my brothers! I am making all the signs I can to hasten them. Blue Beard began to roar so loudly that the whole house shook again. Pg 7 The poor wife descended, and went and threw herself, with streaming eyes and dishevelled tresses, at his feet.It is of no use, said Blue Beard. You must die! Th
42、en seizing her by the hair with one hand, and raising his cutlass with the other, he was about to cut off her head. The poor wife turned towards him, and fixing upon him her dying eyes, implored him to allow her one short moment to collect herself. No, no, said he; recommend thyself heartily to Heav
43、en. And lifting his arm At this moment there was so loud a knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard stopped short. It was opened, and two horsemen were immediately seen to enter, who, drawing their swords, ran straight at Blue Beard. He recognised them as the brothers of his wifeone a dragoon, the othe
44、r a musqueteer, and, consequently, fled immediately, in hope to escape; but they pursued him so closely, that they overtook him before he could reach the step of his door, and, passing their swords through his body, left him dead on the spot. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had
45、not strength to rise and embrace her brothers. It was found that Blue Beard had no heirs, and so his widow remained possessed of all his property. She employed part of it in marrying her sister Anne to a young gentleman who had long loved her; another part, in buying captains commissions for her two
46、 brothers, and with the rest she married herself to a very worthy man, who made her forget the miserable time she had passed with Blue Beard.Provided one has common sense, And of the world but knows the ways, This story bears the evidence Of being one of bygone days. No husband now is so terrific, I
47、mpossibilities, expecting: Though jealous, he is still pacific, Indifference to his wife affecting. And of his beard, whateer the hue, His spouse need fear no such disaster. Indeed, twould often puzzle you To say which of the twain is master.THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.Once upon a time there was
48、 a King and a Queen, who were so vexed at not having any childrenso vexed, that one cannot express it. They visited all the baths in the world. Vows, pilgrimages, everything was tried, and nothing succeeded. At length, however, the Queen was brought to bed of a daughter. There was a splendid christening. For godmothers they gave the young Princess all the Fairies they could find in the country (they found seven), in order that each making her a gift, according to the custom of Fairies in those days, the Princess would, by these means, become possessed of all imaginable perf