life." "Death is less frightful to me than thou art," exclaimed the Princess; "and if thou seekest to do me some kindness, never let me set eyes on thee again." The green serpent gave a long hiss (the manner in which serpents sigh), and without answering a word, went immediately under water. "What a horrible monster!" said the Princess to herself. "He has green wings, a body of a thousand colours, ivory claws,[1] fiery eyes, and on his head is a bristling mane of long hair. Oh, I would much rather die than owe my life to him! But," continued she, "what motive has he in following me? and by what accident has he the power of speaking like a rational being?" She was thus musing, when a voice, in answer to her thoughts, said to her: "Learn, Laidronette, that Green-Serpent is not to be despised; and, were it not a harsh thing to say to thee, I might assure thee he is less hideous in the sight of his species than thou art in the eyes of thine. But, far from desiring to annoy thee, our wish is to lighten thy sorrows, provided thou dost consent." This voice greatly surprised the Princess, and the words it uttered appeared to her so unjustifiable, that she could not suppress her tears; but a sudden reflection striking her, she exclaimed: "How is this? Do I grieve to die, because I am reproached with my ugliness? Alas! should I not perish as certainly, were I the handsomest person in the world? It should rather console me, and prevent my regretting the speedy termination of my existence." Whilst she thus moralized, the vessel, completely at the mercy of the winds, drifted on till it struck upon a rock, and went immediately to pieces. The poor Princess felt that all her philosophy could not support her in such an extremity. She caught at some pieces of the wreck, and clung, as she imagined, to them; she felt herself supported in the water, and happily reached the shore at the foot of a great rock. Alas! what was her horror, when she discovered that her arms were tightly locked round the neck of the green serpent! Perceiving her dreadful terror, he retired a short distance from her, and said: "You would fear me less, if you knew me better; but it is my hard fate to terrify all who see me." With that he plunged into the waves, and Laidronette remained alone upon the rock, which soared to a prodigious height above her.
- ↑ See note 3, page 305.
