登陆注册
15296100000034

第34章

The Frozen Heart In the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy, Button-Bright was the first to waken in the morning.Leaving his companions still asleep, he went out into the fresh morning air and saw some blackberries growing on bushes in a field not far away.Going to the bushes he found the berries ripe and sweet, so he began eating them.More bushes were scattered over the fields, so the boy wandered on, from bush to bush, without paying any heed to where he was wandering.Then a butterfly fluttered by.

He gave chase to it and followed it a long way.When finally he paused to look around him, Button-Bright could see no sign of Pon's house, nor had he the slightest idea in which direction it lay.

"Well, I'm lost again," he remarked to himself."But never mind; I've been lost lots of times.Someone is sure to find me."Trot was a little worried about Button-Bright when she awoke and found him gone.Knowing how careless he was, she believed that he had strayed away, but felt that he would come back in time, because he had a habit of not staying lost.Pon got the little girl some food for her breakfast and then together they went out of the hut and stood in the sunshine.

Pon's house was some distance off the road, but they could see it from where they stood and both gave a start of surprise when they discovered two soldiers walking along the roadway and escorting Princess Gloria between them.The poor girl had her hands bound together, to prevent her from struggling, and the soldiers rudely dragged her forward when her steps seemed to lag.

Behind this group came King Krewl, wearing his jeweled crown and swinging in his hand a slender golden staff with a ball of clustered gems at one end.

"Where are they going?" asked Trot."To the house of the Wicked Witch, I fear," Pon replied."Come, let us follow them, for I am sure they intend to harm my dear Gloria.""Won't they see us?" she asked timidly.

"We won't let them.I know a short cut through the trees to Blinkie's house," said he.

So they hurried away through the trees and reached the house of the witch ahead of the King and his soldiers.

Hiding themselves in the shrubbery, they watched the approach of poor Gloria and her escort, all of whom passed so near to them that Pon could have put out a hand and touched his sweetheart, had he dared to.

Blinkie's house had eight sides, with a door and a window in each side.Smoke was coming out of the chimney and as the guards brought Gloria to one of the doors it was opened by the old witch in person.She chuckled with evil glee and rubbed her skinny hands together to show the delight with which she greeted her victim, for Blinkie was pleased to be able to perform her wicked rites on one so fair and sweet as the Princess.

Gloria struggled to resist when they bade her enter the house, so the soldiers forced her through the doorway and even the King gave her a shove as he followed close behind.Pon was so incensed at the cruelty shown Gloria that he forgot all caution and rushed forward to enter the house also; but one of the soldiers prevented him, pushing the gardener's boy away with violence and slamming the door in his face.

"Never mind," said Trot soothingly, as Pon rose from where he had fallen."You couldn't do much to help the poor Princess if you were inside.How unfortunate it is that you are in love with her!""True," he answered sadly, "it is indeed my misfortune.

If I did not love her, it would be none of my business what the King did to his niece Gloria; but the unlucky circumstance of my loving her makes it my duty to defend her.""I don't see how you can, duty or no duty," observed Trot.

"No; I am powerless, for they are stronger than I.But we might peek in through the window and see what they are doing."Trot was somewhat curious, too, so they crept up to one of the windows and looked in, and it so happened that those inside the witch's house were so busy they did not notice that Pon and Trot were watching them.

Gloria had been tied to a stout post in the center of the room and the King was giving the Wicked Witch a quantity of money and jewels, which Googly-Goo had provided in payment.When this had been done the King said to her:

"Are you perfectly sure you can freeze this maiden's heart, so that she will no longer love that low gardener's boy?""Sure as witchcraft, your Majesty," the creature replied.

"Then get to work," said the King."There may be some unpleasant features about the ceremony that would annoy me, so I'll bid you good day and leave you to carry out your contract.One word, however: If you fail, I shall burn you at the stake!" Then he beckoned to his soldiers to follow him, and throwing wide the door of the house walked out.

This action was so sudden that King Krewl almost caught Trot and Pon eavesdropping, but they managed to run around the house before he saw them.Away he marched, up the road, followed by his men, heartlessly leaving Gloria to the mercies of old Blinkie.

When they again crept up to the window, Trot and Pon saw Blinkie gloating over her victim.Although nearly fainting from fear, the proud Princess gazed with haughty defiance into the face of the wicked creature; but she was bound so tightly to the post that she could do no more to express her loathing.

Pretty soon Blinkie went to a kettle that was swinging by a chain over the fire and tossed into it several magical compounds.The kettle gave three flashes, and at every flash another witch appeared in the room.

同类推荐
  • 徐氏珞琭子赋注

    徐氏珞琭子赋注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 养羊法

    养羊法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • AN ICELAND FISHERMAN

    AN ICELAND FISHERMAN

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 印法参同

    印法参同

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 灤陽錄

    灤陽錄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 宠妻成瘾,总裁你够了

    宠妻成瘾,总裁你够了

    一个二十七岁的成年男人压榨一个十八岁的小女人时用几分力量比较合适?十八岁那一年,左小暖遇见了一个男人,本以为是萍水相逢,却不曾想之后两个人这样那样的原因,开始反复牵扯在了一起。这是一场爱情迷局,明明是她拉的他进来,但最后沦陷的却只有她一个。当另外一个女人出现在他身边时,左小暖准备离开,后被他抓回,他嘶哑着声音问,“丫头,我是不是该在你肚子里种点什么,才能让你安安分分的呆在我身边,嗯?”左小暖冷嗤一声,“种吧,大不了我带着种子一起跑路!”
  • 无敌馆主

    无敌馆主

    馆主无敌,无敌馆主打遍天下无敌手。简介过两天改。
  • 亲亲总裁抱不够

    亲亲总裁抱不够

    在S市人人都知道,自家祖坟动得,XS集团太子爷的东西动不得,那一次,她却偏偏倒霉的错砸了他的。他向她索要一百万赔偿款,她甩给他一张冥币,然后想方设法开了溜,本以为能就此摆脱他,却不料,他竟再次找上门。
  • 先婚后爱:慕少宠妻上瘾

    先婚后爱:慕少宠妻上瘾

    这是什么鬼?苏一的内心是崩溃的,为什么她好不容易结个婚,可是偏偏老公的绯闻女友要上门挑衅呢?不行!苏一当机立断,一定要给这个女人一点厉害,不能让她把自己好不容易枪来的老公抢走。打定主意的苏一立刻新婚之夜手撕情敌,可是,这个老公好像根本就不在乎这个情敌啊?这是什么意思?难道老公已经默默的爱自己很长时间了?
  • 神剑无情

    神剑无情

    一般人看武侠小说,都分不清楚为谁更厉害。我这么说吧,武林修习功法,可大致分为六大阶段。比如用剑,第一是【手中有剑,心中无剑】,这个是武林新丁的入门。第二是【手中有剑,心中有剑】,这是武林高手,第三是【手中无剑,心中有剑】,一般修习到这阶段的巅峰,都是门派掌门人物。第四是【手中无剑,心中无剑】这阶段的人都是江湖隐侠了。第五是【无剑无我,我就是剑,剑就是我】这阶段已经接近仙佛境界了,一般不会再出现于江湖之上。第六阶段就是【仙佛境界】,可羽化成仙了。
  • 骗妻婚约,危险上司嫁不得

    骗妻婚约,危险上司嫁不得

    朱小知从来都没想过霉神会找上她,直到,她遇到他!第一次见面,她直接被他的车子泼了一身的水;第二次见面,她直接在他面前摔得狗吃屎;第三次见面,她直接从自行车里摔下来摔破腿;第四次见面,她直接摔进了游泳池喝了一肚子的水;第五次见面……第N次见面……尼玛!还是放过她吧!他根本就是她的扫把星,碰见他绝对没有好事!但是,她哪里想到,她不过一介小小员工,他竟然要她嫁给他!拜托,她躲他都来不及了,怎么可能还跟他这尊阎罗有这般亲密的交集!但她低估了这个男人,竟然用她母亲来威胁她。他说,嫁给她,他马上安排最权威的医生给她母亲看病,保证药到病除!不信?嫁给他试试就知道了。明明知道面前是个坑,但她为了母亲还是义无反顾,以为给他生完孩子就一了百了,互不相欠,可不曾想,心竟然也丢了。★☆★“燕随西,我宣你!我喜欢你!我爱你!你愿意跟我共度余生吗?”“白痴,别丢人,赶紧给我下来!”某男黑着脸将爬上某活动展台大声告白的某女拖走,丢人丢大发了!★☆★“呜呜!我好可怜啊!”某女一把眼泪一把鼻涕。“你哪里可怜了?”某男一脸无语又心痛。“你就只要崽不要娘,我还不可怜吗?”某女委屈哭诉。“谁说我不要?”这是污蔑!“真的吗?”某女心花怒放,“为了表示你没说谎,快点给我买冰淇淋,西瓜,芒果,我还要吃大闸蟹!”某男一头汗,“朱小知你这个吃货别忘了你是个孕妇!不准吃!”“呜呜!我好可怜啊!什么都不让吃啊!还让不让我娘俩活啦?”“……”
  • 女将,本王宠你可好

    女将,本王宠你可好

    21世纪的普通女高中生,穿越成了将军府大小姐,天哪,这惊天逆转,怎么办?眼前这美男子是谁?虽然看不清楚,但是满身狠戾裹袭在周身,仿佛来自地狱的死神,令人窒息。还有,为什么自己满身的血啊?进错剧组了吧!天哪,不会一穿越就死吧,这么衰啊……算了,死在这么温暖的怀里,死,也值了……昏过去了。
  • 赛尔号战神联盟之幻灵守护

    赛尔号战神联盟之幻灵守护

    她,一出生就背负着守护的使命;朋友,是她所守护的人,为了朋友,她不牺牲自己的生命,因为两个字——友情。
  • 星河巫妖

    星河巫妖

    即使相隔千亿光年,依然有追随他脚步的灵魂即使改变生命形态,他仍然是至高无上的存在当征服一个世界的巫妖之王,以灵魂占据的方式进入人类社会,结合人类科技的巫妖必将席卷星河。……已完本《超级骷髅兵》《骷髅魔导师》等等作品,品质保证,拜求收藏。
  • 我的双面陛下

    我的双面陛下

    追捕叛徒途中,被车撞倒?遇见黑白无常,是否重生?神秘男子遭捆绑,救不救?在奇怪的地方,有奇怪的相遇,她只想安静的做只鬼都不行?冷酷美男?暖男帅哥?求放过!