Beauty With Golden Hair

There once was a king's daughter who was so beautiful that there was no nothing so beautiful in the world; and because she was so beautiful they named Beauty with Golden Hair because her hair was finer than gold, and marvelously blond, all curly, which fell down to her on the feet. She always went covered in her curly hair, with a crown of flowers on her head and clothes embroidered with diamonds and pearls: so much so that one could not see her without loving her.

There was a young king among his neighbors who was not married, and who was well made and very rich. When he had learned everything that was said of Beauty with Golden Hair, although he had not yet seen her, he began to love him so much that he lost his ability to drink and eat, and he decided to send her an ambassador to ask her to marry him. He had a magnificent carriage made for his ambassador; he gave him more hundred horses and a hundred lackeys, and recommended him to bring him the princess.

When he had taken leave of the king and left, the whole court did not spoke of something else; and the king, who had no doubt that Beauty hair of gold did not consent to what he wished, already made him do beautiful dresses and admirable furniture. While the workers were busy working, the ambassador, arriving at Belle aux golden hair, gave him his little message; but, whether she was not that day in a good mood, or that the compliment did not seem to him her wish, she replied to the ambassador that she thanked the king, but that she didn't want to get married.

The ambassador left the court of this princess, very sad not to see her not bring with him; he brought back all the presents he had carried on behalf of the king, because she was very wise, and knew well that he girls should not receive anything from boys: also she should not never wanted to accept the beautiful diamonds and the rest; and, so as not to to displease the king, she only took a quarter of pins from England.

When the ambassador arrived at the king's great city, where he was expected so impatiently, everyone was distressed that he did not bring Beauty with golden hair. The king began to cry like a child: he was consoled without being able to overcome it.

There was a young boy at court who was as beautiful as the sun, and the best done in all the kingdom: because of his good grace and his spirit, he was called Avenant. Everyone loved him, except the envious, who were angry that the king did him good and that he entrusted him with all the days its business.

Avenant found himself with people who were talking about the return of the ambassador, and who said that he had done nothing worthwhile. He said to them, without paying attention:

--If the king had sent me to Beauty with golden hair, I am sure she would have come with me. Immediately these bad people will say to the king:

--Sire, you don't know what Avenant says? That, if you had it sent to Beauty with the Golden Hair, he would have brought her back. Consider well his malice, he claims to be more handsome than you, and that she would have loved so much, that she would have followed him everywhere.

Here is the king who gets angry, so angry that he was out of it.

--Ha! Ha! he said, this pretty cutie makes fun of my misfortune, and he takes more than me. Come on, let's put him in my big tower, and there starve!

The king's guards were at Avenant's house, who no longer thought about what he had said. They dragged him to prison and caused him a thousand pains. This poor boy only had a little straw to lie on and he would be dead without a small fountain which flowed in the foot of the tower, of which he drank a little to refresh himself, because hunger had dried him out quite well. mouth.

One day when he couldn't take it anymore, he said with a sigh:

--What is the king complaining about? He has no subject that is more his faithful as I am, I have never offended him.

The king, by chance, was passing near the tower, and when he heard the voice of the one he had loved so much, he stopped to listen to it, despite those who were with him, who hated Avenant and who told king:

--What fun are you having, sire! Don't you know he's a rascal?

The king replied:

--Leave me there, I want to listen to it.

Having heard her complaints, tears came to his eyes. He opened the door of the tower and called him. Avenant came all sad and began to kneel before him, and kissed his feet:

--What have I done to you, sire, said he, to treat me so harshly?

“You made fun of me and my ambassador,” said the king. You said that If I had sent you to Beauty with the Golden Hair, you would have had it brought.

“It is true, sire,” replied Avenant, “that I would have done him so well know your great qualities, which I am convinced she could not have defend oneself from it; and in this I said nothing that should not be relevant to you pleasant.

The king found that he was indeed not at fault; he looked from through those who had spoken ill of his favorite to him, and he took him with him, truly repenting of the pain he had caused her.

After having given him a wonderful supper, he called him into his study, and said to him:

--Agreeable, I still love Beauty with the golden hair, her refusals have not bothered me rejected point; but I don't know how to make her want marry me: I want to send you there to see if you can succeed.

Avenant replied that he was willing to obey him in all things, and that he would leave the next day.

--Ho! said the king, I want to give you a large crew.

“That is not necessary,” he replied; I only need one good horse, with letters from you. The king kissed him, because he was delighted to see it ready.

It was on Monday morning that he took leave of the king and his friends, to go at his embassy all alone, without pomp and noise. He was only dream of ways to induce Beauty with the Golden Hair to marry the king. He had a writing desk in his pocket, and when something came to him nice thought to put in his harangue, he got off his horse and sat under trees to write, so as not to forget anything. A morning that he had left at daybreak, passing through a large meadow, a very pretty thought occurred to him; he dismounted, and placed himself against willows and poplars which were planted on along a small river which flowed at the edge of the meadow. After he had written, he looked in all directions, delighted to find himself in such a beautiful place. He saw a large golden carp on the grass yawning and who couldn't take it anymore, because, having wanted to catch little midges, she had jumped so far out of the water that she had thrown herself onto the grass, where she was close to death. Avenant took pity on him; and, although he was lean day and he could have taken it for his dinner, he went to take it and gently put her back into the river. As soon as my gossip the carp smells the freshness of the water, she begins to rejoice, and lets herself flow To the bottom; then returning cheerfully to the edge of the river:

--Agreement, she said, I thank you for the pleasure you have just given me TO DO; without you I would have died, and you saved me; I tell you will come back.

After this little compliment, she sank into the water; and Avenant remained very surprised at the wit and great civility of the carp.

Another day as he continued his journey, he saw a raven embarrassed: this poor bird was chased by a big eagle crow eater; he was close to catching it, and he would have swallowed it like a lens, if Avenant had not felt compassion for this bird.

--This, he said, is how the strongest oppress the weakest: how why does the eagle eat the crow?

He takes his bow that he always carried, and an arrow, then, aiming well the eagle, fang! he shoots the arrow into his body and pierces him from side to side. The eagle falls dead, and the raven, delighted, comes perch on a tree.

--Agreeable, he said to him, you are very generous to have helped me who am only a miserable crow; but I will not remain ungrateful, I will repay you.

Avenant admired the raven's good spirit and continued on his way. In entering a large wood, so early that he could barely see his On the way, he heard an owl calling like a desperate owl.

--Yeah! he said, this is a very distressed owl, he could have left himself caught in some net.

He searched on all sides, and finally he found large nets that Bird catchers had set out at night to catch baby birds.

--What a pity! he said; men are only made for torment each other, or to persecute poor animals who do not do no harm or damage.

He drew his knife and cut the cords. The owl took flight; but, returning quickly:

--Agreeable, he said, it is not necessary for me to give you a long harangue to make you understand the obligation I have to you; She speaks enough for itself: the hunters were coming, I was taken, I would have died without your help. I have a grateful heart, I will come back.

These are the three most important adventures that happened to Avenant in his journey. He was in such a hurry to arrive that it didn't take long for him to go to the palace of Beauty with the Golden Hair. Everything there was admirable; one saw the diamonds piled up like stones; beautiful clothes, candy, money; they were wonderful things; and he thought in himself that, if she left all that to come to the king her master, he would have to be very lucky. He took a suit of brocade, crimson and white feathers; he combed his hair, powdered himself, washed his face, put a rich embroidered scarf around his neck, with a little basket, and inside a beautiful little dog, which he had bought in passing through Boulogne. Avenant was so well done, so friendly, he made everything with so much grace, that when he presented himself at the door of the palace, all the guards made him a great bow; and we ran tell Beauty with Golden Hair that Avenant, the king's ambassador, her most close neighbor, asked to see her.

On this name of Avenant, the princess said:

--This means a lot to me; I would bet that he is pretty and that he pleases everyone.

--Really yes, madame, said all her maids of honor, we saw it from the attic where we were storing your tow, and as long as it remained under the windows we could not do anything.

--That's beautiful, replied Beauty with golden hair, to have fun watching the boys! Here, give me my big satin dress embroidered blue, and that my blond hair is spread out well; that they tell me make garlands of new flowers; give me my shoes tops and my fan; let my room and my throne be swept: for I want it to say everywhere that I am truly Beauty with the Golden Hair.

Here are all the women who hastened to adorn her like a queen; they showed so much haste that they collided and did not move forward hardly. Finally the princess passed into her gallery with the large mirrors, to see if anything was missing. Then she ascended her golden throne, of ivory and ebony, which smelled like balm; and she commanded her girls to take instruments and sing softly to don't stun anyone.

Avenant was led into the courtroom. He remained so transported of admiration that he has said many times that he almost could not talk. Nevertheless he regained courage and delivered his harangue wonderfully: he asked the princess that he would not have the displeasure of returning without She.

--Gentle Avenant, she said to him, all the reasons that you have just told me stories are very good, and I assure you that I would be very happy to favor you more than anyone else. But you need to know that there is one month I went for a walk on the river with all my ladies; And as my snack was served to me, taking off my glove I took from my finger a ring which unfortunately fell into the river. I cherished her more than my kingdom. I leave you to judge what affliction this loss was followed. I swore never to listen to any marriage proposal, that the ambassador who will propose a husband to me does not bring me my ring. Now see what you have to do about it because even if you spoke to me for fifteen days and fifteen nights, you would not would not persuade you to change your feelings.

Avenant remained very surprised by this response. He gave her a deep reverence and asked her to receive the little dog, the basket and the scarf; but she replied that she did not want any presents, and that he thought about what she had just told him.

When he returned home, he went to bed without supper. His small dog, whose name was Cabriolle, did not want to have supper either: he came get close to him. All night long, Avenant never stopped sigh.

--Where can I get a ring that fell a month ago in a large river? he said. It's crazy to undertake it! The princess does not told me this only to make it impossible for me to obey him.

He sighed and grieved greatly. Cabriolle, who was listening to him, said to him:

--My dear master, please do not despair of your good fortune: you are too kind not to be happy. Let's go that it will be daylight by the river.

Avenant gave him two little taps with his hand and said nothing; but, overwhelmed with sadness, he fell asleep. Cabriolle, seeing the day, cavorted so much that he woke him up, and said to him:

--My master, get dressed, and let us go out. Avenant wanted it. He gets up, gets dressed and goes down into the garden, and from the garden he goes imperceptibly to the edge of the river, where he walked his hat on eyes and his arms crossed one over the other, thinking only of his departure, when suddenly he heard someone calling him:

--Agreement! Endorsement!

He looks around and sees no one; he thought he was dreaming. He keeps on his walk; we recall:

--Agreement! Endorsement!

--Who's calling me? he said.

Cabriolle, who was very small, and who looked closely at the water, replied:

--Never believe me, unless I see a golden carp.

Immediately the big carp appears and says to him:

--You saved my life in the hazel meadow, where I would have stayed without you; I promised to repay you. Here, dear Avenant, here is the ring of Beauty with the Golden Hair.

He stooped down and took it from the mouth of my gossip the carp, which he thanked a thousand times.

Instead of returning home, he went straight to the palace with the little Cabriolle, who was very happy to have brought his master to the edge of the water. They went to tell the princess that he asked to see her.

--Alas! she said, the poor boy, he has come to take leave of me. He has considered that what I want is impossible, and he is going to tell his master.

Avenant was brought in, who presented him with his ring and said:

--Madame Princess, your command is done; do you like it to receive the king my master as a husband?

When she saw her ring where nothing was missing, she was so amazed, that she thought she was dreaming.

--Really, she said, gracious Avenant, you must be favored of some fairy, because naturally that is not possible.

--Madame, he said, I don't know any of them, but I really wanted to obey you.

--Since you have such good will, she continued, you must do me another service, without which I will never marry. There's has a prince, who is not far from here, called Galifron, who had decided to marry me. He made me declare his purpose with terrible threats, that if I refused him he would desolate my kingdom. But judge if I could accept it: it is a giant who is higher than a tall tower; he eats a man like a monkey eats a brown. When he goes to the countryside, he carries small bags in his pockets. cannons, which he uses as pistols; and, when he speaks loudly, those who are near him become deaf. I made him reply that I did not want to marry me, and he would excuse me; however, he did not stopped persecuting me; he kills all my subjects and, above all things, you must fight him and bring me his head.

Avenant remained a little stunned by this proposition. He dreamed something time, then he says:

--Well, madam, I will fight Galifron. I believe I will be defeated; but I will die a brave man.

The princess remained very surprised: she told him a thousand things to prevent him from doing this business. It was of no use: he withdrew to get weapons and everything he needed. When he got what he wanted, he put little Cabriolle back in his basket, mounted his beautiful horse, and was in the land of Galifron. He asked of his news to those he met, and everyone told him that he was a real demon that no one dared approach: the more he heard that, the more he was afraid. Cabriolle reassured him, saying:

--My dear master, while you are fighting, I will go and bite his legs; he will lower his head to chase me away, and you will kill him.

Avenant admired the little dog's spirit, but he knew well enough that his relief would not be enough.

Finally, he arrived near the castle of Galifron. All the paths were covered with bones and carcasses of men he had eaten or put into pieces. He didn't wait long for him when he saw him coming through a drink. His head towered above the tallest trees, and he sang with a terrible voice:

Where are the little children,
That I should bite into them?
I need so much, so much, so much
That the world is not enough.

Immediately Avenant began to sing to the same tune:

Approach, here is Avenant,
Who will pull out your teeth;
Although he is not the greatest,
To beat you it is enough.

The rhymes weren't very regular but he made the song loud quickly, and it's even a miracle that he didn't hurt her more, because he was horribly afraid. When Galifron heard these words, he looked on all sides, and saw Avenant with sword in hand, who said to him two or three insults to irritate him. It didn't take that much: he put himself in terrible anger; and taking a club made entirely of iron, he would have knocked out the kind Avenant with the first blow, without a crow coming to put on the top of his head, and with his beak gave him so fair in the eyes, that he put them out; the blood was running down his face, he was like a desperate man, striking on all sides. Avenant avoided him and he carried great blows with his sword which he thrust up to the hilt, and which gave him a thousand wounds, through which he lost so much blood that he fell. Immediately Avenant cut off his head, very delighted to have been so happy; and the crow, which was perched on a tree, said to him:

--I have not forgotten the service you rendered me by killing the eagle who was chasing me. I promised you to fulfill it: I believe I have it done today.

“It is I who owe you everything, Monsieur du Corbeau,” replied Avenant; I remain your servant. He immediately mounted his horse, charged with the terrible head of Galifron.

When he arrived in the city, everyone followed him and shouted: “Here is the brave Avenant who has just killed the monster,” so that the princess, who heard a lot of noise and who trembled lest someone came to her learning of Avenant's death, did not dare to ask what had happened to him; but she saw Avenant enter with the head of the giant, who left no trace to scare him again, although there was nothing more to fear.

--Madame, he said to her, your enemy is dead; I hope you don't will you no longer refuse the king my master?

--Ah! if done, said the Beauty with the golden hair, I will refuse it if you do not find a way, before I leave, to bring me water from the cave dark.

“There is a deep cave near here which is a good six leagues around. There are two dragons at the entrance that prevent anyone from entering. They have fire in the mouth and in the eyes. Then, when we are in the cave, we find a large hole into which we must descend: it is full of toads, snakes and snakes. At the bottom of this hole, he there is a small cellar where the fountain of beauty and health flows: it is this water that I absolutely want. Everything we wash from it becomes wonderful: if one is beautiful, one always remains beautiful; if we are ugly, we become beautiful; if you are young, you stay young; if we are old, we become young. You judge well, Avenant, that I will not leave not my kingdom without taking some.

--Madame, he said to her, you are so beautiful that this water is good for you. useless; but I am an unfortunate ambassador whose death: I will go and get what you want, with the certainty of not being able to come back.

Beauty with golden hair did not change her plans, and Avenant left with the little dog Cabriolle, to go to the dark cave look for beauty water. Everyone he met on the way said:

--It's a pity to see such a kind boy lose himself in joy of heart; he goes alone to the cave, and when would he go accompanied by a hundred brave, he could not overcome it. Why doesn't the princess Does she only want impossible things?

He continued walking, and did not say a word; but he was good sad.

He came to the top of a mountain where he sat down to rest for a while. little, and he left his horse to graze and Cabriolle to run after flies. He knew that the dark cave was not far from there, he looked to see if he would see her. Finally he saw an ugly rock black as ink, from which a large smoke came out, and after a moment one of the dragons, who was throwing fire out of his eyes and out of his mouth: it had a yellow and green body, claws and a long tail which made more than a hundred revolutions. Cabriolle saw all this; he didn't know where to go hide, he was so afraid.

Avenant, completely resolved to die, drew his sword, came down with a vial that the Beauty with the golden hair had given him to fill it with water of beauty. He said to his dog Cabriolle:

--It's made of me! I will never be able to have this water which is guarded by dragons. When I'm dead, fill the vial with my blood and take it to the princess, so that she can see what it costs me; and then go to the king my master and tell him about my misfortune.

As he spoke thus, he heard someone calling:

--Agreement! Endorsement!

He says:

--Who's calling me?

And he saw an owl in the hole of an old tree, which said to him:

--You took me out of the hunters' net where I was caught, and you saved your life, I promised you that I would repay you: here is the time. Give me your vial: I know all the paths to the cave dark; I'll get you some beauty water.

Lady! who was very happy? I'll leave it to you to think about. Avenant gave him quickly the vial, and the owl entered the cave without any hindrance. In less than a quarter of an hour later, he returned to bring back the tightly corked bottle. Avenant was delighted, he thanked him with all his heart, and, going up the mountain, he took the road to the city very joyful.

He went straight to the palace; he presented the vial to Beauty with Hair gold, who had nothing more to say: she thanked Avenant, and gave order everything you needed to get going; then she set off on a journey with him. She found him very friendly and sometimes said to him:

--If you had wanted, I would have made you king, we would not be left my kingdom.

But he replied:

--I would not want to cause such great displeasure to my master for everyone the kingdoms of the earth, although I find you more beautiful than the sun.

Finally they arrived at the great city of the king, who, knowing that Beauty with golden hair came, went to meet her and made her the most beautiful present in the world. He married her with so much rejoicing that we was talking about something else. But Beauty with golden hair, whom Avenant loved deep in her heart, was only happy when she saw him, and she always praised him.

"I would not have come without Avenant," she said to the king. It was necessary that he did impossible things for my service: you owe him to be obliged. He gave me water of beauty: I will never grow old, I will always be beautiful.

The envious people who listened to the queen said to the king:

--You are not jealous, and you have reason to be. The Queen loves Avenant so much that she loses eating and drinking him. She doesn't do what to talk about him and the obligations you have to him, as if such other than you would have sent would not have done the same.

The king said:

--Really, I am aware of it; let's put him in the tower with the irons on the feet and hands.

They took Avenant, and, as his reward for having served the king so well, he was locked up in the tower with shackles on his hands and feet. He ... not saw no one but the jailer, who threw him a piece of black bread through a hole, and water in an earthen bowl. Yet his little dog Cabriolle never left him; he consoled him and came to tell him all the news.

When Beauty with the golden hair learned of her disgrace, she threw herself at the feet of the king, and, all in tears, she begged him to bring Avenant out of prison. But the more she prayed to him, the angrier he became, thinking: “It’s that she loves him,” and he would have nothing to do with it. She spoke no more of it; she was very sad.

The king realized that perhaps she did not find him handsome enough; he had want to rub her face with beauty water, so that the queen loved him more than she did. This water was in a flask on the edge of the fireplace in the queen's bedroom, she had put it there to look at it more often; but one of her maids, wanting killed a spider with a broom, unfortunately threw the vial on the ground, which broke, and all the water was lost. She swept quickly, and, knowing what to do, she remembered that she had seen in the cabinet king a very similar flask full of clear water as was the water of beauty; she took it deftly without saying anything, and carried it on her Queen's fireplace.

The water that was in the king's cabinet was used to kill the princes and great lords when they were criminals; instead of cut off their heads or hang them, their faces were rubbed with this water: they fell asleep, and did not wake up again. So one evening, the king took the vial and rubbed his face well, then he fell asleep and died. The little dog Cabriolle learned it among the first and did not did not fail to go and tell Avenant, who told him to go find the Belle with golden hair and to make her remember the poor prisoner.

Cabriolle slipped gently into the press, because there was a lot of noise at court for the death of the king. He said to the queen:

--Madame, don't forget poor Avenant.

She immediately remembered the pain he had suffered because of of her and her great fidelity. She went out without speaking to anyone, and went straight to the tower, where she herself removed the irons from the feet and hands of Avenant. And, putting a golden crown on his head and royal mantle on her shoulders, she said to him:

--Come, kind Avenant, I make you king and take you for my husband.

He threw himself at her feet and thanked her. Everyone was delighted to have him for master. He had the most beautiful wedding in the world, and Beauty with hair d'or lived a long time with the handsome Avenant, both happy and satisfied.

If by chance an unfortunate
Asks you for your assistance,
Do not refuse him generous help.
A benefit sooner or later receives its reward.

When Avenant, with so much kindness,
Servati carp and crow; when even the owl itself,
Without being put off by its extreme ugliness,
He retained his freedom!

Could we ever have believed it,
That these animals someday
would lead him to the height of glory,
When he would like the king to serve tender love?

Despite all the attractions of charming beauty,
Which began for him to feel desires,
He keeps to his master, stifling his sighs,
Constant loyalty.

However, for no reason, he finds himself accused:
But when there seems to be no more obstacle to his happiness,
Heaven owed him a miracle,
That Heaven has never refused virtue.