10-the child from egg-第2节

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to　herself；　and；　turning；　threw　the　wing　out　of　the　open　window。

In　a　moment　a　beautiful　lady　stood　beside　her。　　'Do　not　be
afraid；'　said　the　lady；　stroking　Dotterine's　head。　　'I　am　your
godmother；　and　have　come　to　pay　you　a　visit。　　Your　red　eyes　tell
me　that　you　are　unhappy。　　I　know　that　your　stepmother　is　very
unkind　to　you；　but　be　brave　and　patient；　and　better　days　will
come。　　She　will　have　no　power　over　you　when　you　are　grown　up；　and
no　one　else　can　hurt　you　either；　if　only　you　are　careful　never　to
part　from　your　basket；　or　to　lose　the　eggshells　that　are　in　it。　
Make　a　silken　case　for　the　little　basket；　and　hide　it　away　in
your　dress　night　and　day　and　you　will　be　safe　from　your
stepmother　and　anyone　that　tries　to　harm　you。　　But　if　you　should
happen　to　find　yourself　in　any　difficulty；　and　cannot　tell　what
to　do；　take　the　goose's　wing　from　the　basket；　and　throw　it　out　of
the　window；　and　in　a　moment　I　will　come　to　help　you。　　Now　come
into　the　garden；　that　I　may　talk　to　you　under　the　lime　trees；
where　no　one　can　hear　us。'

They　had　so　much　to　say　to　each　other；　that　the　sun　was　already
setting　when　the　godmother　had　ended　all　the　good　advice　she
wished　to　give　the　child；　and　saw　it　was　time　for　her　to　be
going。　　'Hand　me　the　basket；'　said　she；　'for　you　must　have　some
supper。　　I　cannot　let　you　go　hungry　to　bed。'

Then；　bending　over　the　basket；　she　whispered　some　magic　words；
and　instantly　a　table　covered　with　fruits　and　cakes　stood　on　the
ground　before　them。　　When　they　had　finished　eating；　the　godmother
led　the　child　back；　and　on　the　way　taught　her　the　words　she　must
say　to　the　basket　when　she　wanted　it　to　give　her　something。

In　a　few　years　more；　Dotterine　was　a　grown…up　young　lady；　and
those　who　saw　her　thought　that　the　world　did　not　contain　so
lovely　a　girl。

About　this　time　a　terrible　war　broke　out；　and　the　king　and　his
army　were　beaten　back　and　back；　till　at　length　they　had　to　retire
into　the　town；　and　make　ready　for　a　siege。　　It　lasted　so　long
that　food　began　to　fail；　and　even　in　the　palace　there　was　not
enough　to　eat。

So　one　morning　Dotterine；　who　had　had　neither　supper　nor
breakfast；　and　was　feeling　very　hungry；　let　her　wing　fly　away。　
She　was　so　weak　and　miserable；　　that　directly　her　godmother
appeared　she　burst　into　tears；　and　could　not　speak　for　some　time。

'Do　not　cry　so；　dear　child；'　said　the　godmother。　　'I　will　carry
you　away　from　all　this；　but　the　others　I　must　leave　to　take　their
chance。'　　Then；　bidding　Dotterine　follow　her；　she　passed　through
the　gates　of　the　town；　and　through　the　army　outside；　and　nobody
stopped　them；　or　seemed　to　see　them。

The　next　day　the　town　surrendered；　and　the　king　and　all　his
courtiers　were　taken　prisoners；　but　in　the　confusion　his　son
managed　to　make　his　escape。　　The　queen　had　already　met　her　death
from　a　spear　carelessly　thrown。

As　soon　as　Dotterine　and　her　godmother　were　clear　of　the　enemy；
Dotterine　took　off　her　own　clothes；　and　put　on　those　of　a
peasant；　and　in　order　to　disguise　her　better　her　godmother
changed　her　face　completely。　　'When　better　times　come；'　her
protectress　said　cheerfully；　'and　you　want　to　look　like　yourself
again；　you　have　only　to　whisper　the　words　I　have　taught　you　into
the　basket；　and　say　you　would　like　to　have　your　own　face　once
more；　and　it　will　be　all　right　in　a　moment。　　But　you　will　have　to
endure　a　little　longer　yet。'　　Then；　warning　her　once　more　to　take
care　of　the　basket；　the　lady　bade　the　girl　farewell。

For　many　days　Dotterine　wandered　from　one　place　to　another
without　finding　shelter；　and　though　the　food　which　she　got　from
the　basket　prevented　her　from　starving；　she　was　glad　enough　to
take　service　in　a　peasant's　house　till　brighter　days　dawned。　　At
first　the　work　she　had　to　do　seemed　very　difficult；　but　either
she　was　wonderfully　quick　in　learning；　or　else　the　basket　may
have　secretly　helped　her。　　Anyhow　at　the　end　of　three　days　she
could　do　everything　as　well　as　if　she　had　cleaned　pots　and　swept
rooms　all　her　life。

One　morning　Dotterine　was　busy　scouring　a　wooden　tub；　when　a
noble　lady　happened　to　pass　through　the　village。　　The　girl's
bright　face　as　she　stood　in　the　front　of　the　door　with　her　tub
attracted　the　lady；　and　she　stopped　and　called　the　girl　to　come
and　speak　to　her。

'Would　you　not　like　to　come　and　enter　my　service？'　she　asked。

'Very　much；'　replied　Dotterine；　'if　my　present　mistress　will
allow　me。'

'Oh；　I　will　settle　that；'　answered　the　lady；　and　so　she　did；　and
the　same　day　they　set　out　for　the　lady's　house；　Dotterine　sitting
beside　the　coachman。

Six　months　went　by；　and　then　came　the　joyful　news　that　the　king's
son　had　collected　an　army　and　had　defeated　the　usurper　who　had
taken　his　father's　place；　but　at　the　same　moment　Dotterine
learned　that　the　old　king　had　died　in　captivity。　　The　girl　wept
bitterly　for　his　loss；　but　in　secrecy；　as　she　had　told　her
mistress　nothing　about　her　past　life。

At　the　end　of　a　year　of　mourning；　the　young　king　let　it　be　known
that　he　intended　to　marry；　and　commanded　all　the　maidens　in　the
kingdom　to　come　to　a　feast；　so　that　he　might　choose　a　wife　from
among　them。　　For　weeks　all　the　mothers　and　all　the　daughters　in
the　land　were　busy　preparing　beautiful　dresses　and　trying　new
ways　of　putting　up　their　hair；　and　the　three　lovely　daughters　of
Dotterine's　mistress　were　as　much　excited　as　the　rest。　　The　girl
was　clever　with　her　fingers；　and　was　occupied　all　day　with
getting　ready　their　smart　clothes；　but　at　night　when　she　went　to
bed　she　always　dreamed　that　her　godmother　bent　over　her　and　said；
'Dress　your　young　ladies　for　the　feast；　and　when　they　have
started　follow　them　yourself。　　Nobody　will　be　so　fine　as　you。'

When　the　great　day　came；　Dotterine　could　hardly　contain　herself；
and　when　she　had　dressed　her　young　mistresses　and　seen　them
depart　with　their　mother　she　flung　herself　on　her　bed；　and　burst
into　tears。　　Then　she　seemed　to　hear　a　voice　whisper　to　her；
'Look　in　your　basket；　and　you　will　find　in　it　everything　that　you
need。'

Dotterine　did　not　want　to　be　told　twice！　　Up　she　jumped；　seized
her　basket；　and　repeated　the　magic　words；　and　behold！　　there　lay
a　dress　on　the　bed；　shining　as　a　star。　　She　put　it　on　with
fingers　that　trembled　with　joy；　and；　looking　in　the　glass；　was
struck　dumb　at　her　own　beauty。　　She　went　downstairs；　and　in　front
of　the　door　stood　a　fine　carriage；　into　which　she　stepped　and　was
driven　away　like　the　wind。

The　king's　palace　was　a　long　way　off；　yet　it　seemed　only　a　few
minutes　before　Dotterine　drew　up　at　the　great　gates。　　She　was
just　going　to　alight；　when　she　suddenly　remembered　she　had　left
her　basket　behind　her。　　What　was　she　to　do？　　Go　back　and　fetch
it；　lest　some　ill…fortune　should　befall　her；　or　enter　the　palace
and　trust　to　chance　that　nothing　evil　would　happen？　　But　before
she　could　decide；　a　little　swallow　flew　up　with　the　basket　in　its
beak；　and　the　girl　was　happy　again。

The　feast　was　already　at　its　height；　and　the　hall　was　brilliant
with　youth　and　beauty；　when　the　door　was　flung　wide　and　Dotterine
entered；　making　all　the　other　maidens　look　pale　and　dim　beside
her。　　Their　hopes　faded　as　they　gazed；　but　their　mothers
whispered　together；　saying；　'Surely　this　is　our　lost　princess！'

The　young　king　did　not　know　her　again；　but　he　never　left　her　side
nor　took　his　eyes　from　her。　　And　at　midnight　a　strange　thing
happened。　　A　thick　cloud　suddenly　filled　the　hall；　so　that　for　a
moment　all　was　dark。　　Then　the　mist　suddenly　grew　bright；　and
Dotterine's　godmother　was　seen　standing　there。

'This；'　she　said；　turning　to　the　king；　'is　the　girl　whom　you　have
always　believed　to　be　your　sister；　and　who　vanished　during　the
siege。　　She　is　not　your　sister　at　all；　but　the　daughter　of　the
king　of　a　neighbouring　country；　who　was　given　to　your　mother　to
bring　up；　to　save　her　from　the　hands　of　a　wizard。'

Then　she　vanished；　and　was　never　seen　again；　nor　the
wonder…working　basket　either；　but　now　that　Dotterine's　troubles
were　over　she　could　get　on　without　them；　and　she　and　the　young
king　lived　happily　together　till　the　end　of　their　days。

＇Ehstnische　Marchen。＇