Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/173

Rh the middle of the sea without boat or assistance. She began to cry, and wept so bitterly that all the fishes pitied her. She knew not what to do, or what would become of her. "Assuredly," said she, "I have been thrown into the sea by order of the King of the Peacocks. He has repented his promise to marry me, and to get fairly rid of me has ordered me to be drowned. What an extraordinary man!" she continued; "I should have been so fond of him; we should have lived so happily together!" Thereupon she wept more bitterly, for she could not help loving him.

She remained thus for two days floating on the ocean, first one side and then the other, soaked to her bones, with a cold enough to kill her, and all but benumbed. If it had not been for little Fretillon, who imparted a little warmth to her heart, she would have died a hundred times over. She was tremendously hungry. She saw the oysters in their shells. She took as many as she chose, and ate them. Fretillon had little liking for them; but he was obliged to eat something. When it grew dark, Rosette became exceedingly frightened, and she said to her dog, "Fretillon, keep on barking, for fear the soles should eat us." He had barked all night, and the Princess's bed was not far from the shore. On the coast there was a good old man who lived all alone in a little hut, which nobody ever came near. He was very poor, and cared nothing for worldly goods. When he heard Fretillon bark, he was quite surprised, for dogs seldom passed that way. He thought some travellers had lost their road, and charitably came out of his hut to direct them. All on a sudden he perceived the Princess and Fretillon, who were floating on the water, and the Princess seeing him, stretched out her arms and cried to him, "Good old man, save me, for I am perishing here; I have languished thus for two days!"

When he heard her speak so sorrowfully, he had great compassion for her, and re-entered his dwelling to get a long boathook. He waded into the water up to his neck, and thought, twice or thrice, he should be drowned. At length he contrived to pull the bed to the shore. Rosette and Fretillon were vastly glad to be upon dry land. The Princess thanked the good man warmly, and wrapping herself up in her counterpane, walked barefooted into the hut, where he made a small fire for her with dry leaves, and took out of his