Stranica 160 [160]
OCR
IA BOUTGAY E SG-BAURY BOOK Intoxicated with joy, the prince kissed again and again the charming hand that crowned his wishes. He was more happy than wise, and little deserved to succeed; but fairies have their caprices, and Fortune is always a fairy. It was a long distance from the end of the world to the kingdom of the Vermilion Towers. Carlino experienced more than one storm and braved more than one danger on his way across land and sea, but at last, after a long voyage and a thousand trials, he reached his father’s country with his three citrons, which he had treasured like the apple of his eye. He was not more than two hours’ journey from the royal castle when he entered a dense forest where he had hunted many atime. A transparent fountain, bordered with wild flowers and shaded by the trembling leaves of the aspen, invited the traveler to repose. Carlino seated himself on a carpet of verdure enameled with daisies, and, taking his knife, cut one of the citrons. All at once a young girl as white as milk and as red as a strawberry darted past him like lightning. “Give me a drink!" said she, pausing an instant. “How beautiful she is!” cried the prince, so ravished by her charms that he forgot the advice of the Fate. He paid dearly for it; in a second the fairy had disappeared. Carlino smote his breast in despair, and stood as astonished as a child that sees the running water slip through his fingers. 124
