Thereupon the Fairy, in a rage, gave two strokes of her wand and filled the gallery with horrible goblins, against whom the Prince had to fight for his life.Though he had only his dagger, he defended himself so well that he escaped without any harm, and presently the old Fairy stopped the fray and asked the Prince if he was still of the same mind.When he answered firmly that he was, she called up the appearance of the Princess Sunbeam to the other end of the gallery, and said:
`You see your beloved there? Take care what you are about, for if you again refuse to marry me she shall be torn in pieces by two tigers.'
The Prince was distracted, for he fancied he heard his dear shepherdess weeping and begging him to save her.In despair he cried:
`Oh, Fairy Douceline, have you abandoned me after so many promises of friendship? Help, help us now!'
Immediately a soft voice said in his ear:
`Be firm, happen what may, and seek the Golden Branch.'
Thus encouraged, the Prince persevered in his refusal, and at length the old Fairy in a fury cried:
`Get out of my sight, obstinate Prince.Become a Cricket!'
And instantly the handsome Prince Peerless became a poor little black Cricket, whose only idea would have been to find himself a cosy cranny behind some blazing hearth, if he had not luckily remembered the Fairy Douceline's injunction to seek the Golden Branch.
So he hastened to depart from the fatal castle, and sought shelter in a hollow tree, where he found a forlorn looking little Grasshopper crouching in a corner, too miserable to sing.
Without in the least expecting an answer, the Prince asked it:
`And where may you be going, Gammer Grasshopper?'
`Where are you going yourself, Gaffer Cricket?' replied the Grasshopper.
`What! can you speak?' said he.
`Why should I not speak as well as you? Isn't a Grasshopper as good as a Cricket?' said she.
`I can talk because I was a Prince,' said the Cricket.
`And for that very same reason I ought to be able to talk more than you, for I was a Princess,' replied the Grasshopper.
`Then you have met with the same fate as I have,' said he.`But where are you going now? Cannot we journey together?'
`I seemed to hear a voice in the air which said: ``Be firm, happen what may, and seek the Golden Branch,'' ' answered the Grasshopper, `and I thought the command must be for me, so Istarted at once, though I don't know the way.'
At this moment their conversation was interrupted by two mice, who, breathless from running, flung themselves headlong through the hole into the tree, nearly crushing the Grasshopper and the Cricket, though they got out of the way as fast as they could and stood up in a dark corner.
`Ah, Madam,' said the fatter of the two, `I have such a pain in my side from running so fast.How does your Highness find yourself?'
`I have pulled my tail off,' replied the younger Mouse, `but as Ishould still be on the sorcerer's table unless I had, I do not regret it.Are we pursued, think you? How lucky we were to escape!'
`I only trust that we may escape cats and traps, and reach the Golden Branch soon,' said the fat Mouse.
`You know the way then?' said the other.
`Oh dear, yes! as well as the way to my own house, Madam.
This Golden Branch is indeed a marvel, a single leaf from it makes one rich for ever.It breaks enchantments, and makes all who approach it young and beautiful.We must set out for it at the break of day.'
`May we have the honour of travelling with you--this respectable Cricket and myself?' said the Grasshopper, stepping forward.
`We also are on a pilgrimage to the Golden Branch.'
The Mice courteously assented, and after many polite speeches the whole party fell asleep.With the earliest dawn they were on their way, and though the Mice were in constant fear of being overtaken or trapped, they reached the Golden Branch in safety.
It grew in the midst of a wonderful garden, all the paths of which were strewn with pearls as big as peas.The roses were crimson diamonds, with emerald leaves.The pomegranates were garnets, the marigolds topazes, the daffodils yellow diamonds, the violets sapphires, the corn-flowers turquoises, the tulips amethysts, opals and diamonds, so that the garden borders blazed like the sun.The Golden Branch itself had become as tall as a forest tree, and sparkled with ruby cherries to its topmost twig.No sooner had the Grasshopper and the Cricket touched it than they were restored to their natural forms, and their surprise and joy were great when they recognised each other.At this moment Florimond and the Fairy Douceline appeared in great splendour, and the Fairy, as she descended from her chariot, said with a smile:
`So you two have found one another again, I see, but I have still a surprise left for you.Don't hesitate, Princess, to tell your devoted shepherd how dearly you love him, as he is the very Prince your father sent you to marry.So come here both of you and let me crown you, and we will have the wedding at once.'
The Prince and Princess thanked her with all their hearts, and declared that to her they owed all their happiness, and then the two Princesses, who had so lately been Mice, came and begged that the Fairy would use her power to release their unhappy friends who were still under the Enchanter's spell.
`Really,' said the Fairy Douceline, `on this happy occasion Icannot find it in my heart to refuse you anything.' And she gave three strokes of her wand upon the Golden Branch, and immediately all the prisoners in the Enchanter's castle found themselves free, and came with all speed to the wonderful garden, where one touch of the Golden Branch restored each one to his natural form, and they greeted one another with many rejoicings.To complete her generous work the Fairy presented them with the wonderful cabinet and all the treasures it contained, which were worth at least ten kingdoms.But to Prince Peerless and the Princess Sunbeam she gave the palace and garden of the Golden Branch, where, immensely rich and greatly beloved by all their subjects, they lived happily ever after.[18]
[18] Le Rameau d'Or.Par Madame d'Aulnoy,