Florina, doubting no more her lover's loss, fell down in a swoon, and the queen immediately went to tell her father that she was mad for love, and must be watched closely lest she should in some way disgrace herself. The king said, her stepmother might do with her exactly what she pleased. When the princess recovered from her swoon, she began to weep, and wept all night long, sitting at the open window of her tower. The Blue Bird, who kept continually flying about the palace, but only at night time, lest any one should see him, happened to come and perch upon a tall cypress opposite the window, and heard her; but it was too dark to see who she was, and at daylight she shut the window. Next night, it was broad moonlight, and then he saw clearly the figure of a young girl, weeping sore, and knew that it was his beloved Florina. When she paused in her lamentations, "Adorable princess," said he, "why do you mourn? Your troubles are not without remedy." "Who speaks to me so gently?" asked she. "A king, who loves you, and will never love any other." So saying he flew up to the window, and at first frightened the princess very much, for she could not understand such an extraordinary thing as a bird who talked in words like a man, yet kept still the piping voice of a nightingale. But soon she began stroking his beautiful plumage, and caressing him. "Who are you, charming bird?" "You have spoken my name. I am King Charming, condemned to be a bird for seven years, because I will not renounce you." "Ah! do not deceive me. I know you have married Troutina. She came to visit me with your diamonds on her neck, and your ring on her finger, wearing the golden crown and royal mantle which you had given her, while I was laden with iron chains." X "It is all false," sang the Blue Bird, and told her his whole story, which comforted her so much that she thought no more of her misfortunes. They conversed till daybreak, and promised faithfully every night to meet again thus. Meantime the princess could not sleep for thinking of her Blue Bird. "Suppose sportsmen should shoot him, or eagles and kites attack him, and vultures devour him just as if he were a mere bird and not a great king? What should I do if I saw his poor feathers scattered on the ground, and knew that he was no more?" So she grieved all day long. The beautiful Blue Bird, hid in a hollow tree, spent the hours in thinking of his princess. "How happy I am to have found her again, and found her so engaging and so sweet." And as he wished to pay her all the attentions that a lover delights in, he flew to his own kingdom, entered his palace by an open window, and sought for some diamond ear-rings, which he brought back in his beak, and, when night came, offered them to Florina. So night after night he brought her something beautiful, and they talked together till day, when he flew back to the hollow tree, where he sang her praises in a voice so sweet that the passers-by thought it was not a bird but a spirit. Rumours went about that the place was haunted, and no one would go near the spot. Thus, for two years, Florina spent her time, and never once regretted her captivity. Her Blue Bird visited her every night, and they loved one another dearly. And though she saw nobody, and he lived in the hollow of a tree, they always found plenty to say to one another. The malicious queen tried with all her might to get Troutina married, but in vain. Nobody would have her. "If it were Florina, now," said the kings, or the kings' am bassadors, we should be most happy to sign the contract." “That girl thwarts us still,” said the queen. "She must 66 have some secret correspondence with foreign suitors. But we will find her out and punish her." The mother and daughter finished talking so late that it was midnight before they reached Florina's apartment. She had dressed herself as usual, with the utmost care, to please her Blue Bird, who liked to see her lovely; and she had adorned herself with all the pretty things he had given her. He perched on the window-sill, and she sat at the window, and they were singing together a duet, which the queen heard outside. She burst the door open, and rushed into the chamber. open her little window But he would not. The first thing Florina did was to that the Blue Bird might fly away. He had seen the queen and Troutina, and though he could not defend his princess, he refused to leave her. The two rushed upon her like furies. Her wonderful beauty and her splendid jewels startled them. "Whence came all these ornaments ?” cried they. "I found them," replied Florina, and refused to answer more. "Some one has given them to you that you might join in treason against your father and the kingdom.” "Am I likely to do this? I, a poor princess, kept in captivity for two years, with you as my gaoler?" 66 "In captivity," repeated the queen. "Why, then, do you dress yourself so fine, and adorn your chamber with flowers?" I have leisure enough: I may just as well spend some of it in adorning myself, instead of bemoaning my misfortune -innocent as I am." 66 Innocent, indeed!" cried the queen, and began to search the room. In it she found all King Charming's presents— diamonds, rubies, emeralds, amethysts-in short, jewels without end. Meantime, from the window the Blue Bird, who had the eye of a lynx, sang aloud, "Beware, Florina !" 66 "You see, madam," said Florina, even the spirits of the air take pity upon me." "I see that you are in league with demons; but your father shall judge you ;" and, very much frightened, the queen left her, and went to hold counsel with Troutina as to what was to be done. They agreed to put in Florina's chamber a waiting-maid, who should watch her from morning till night. When the princess learnt this she was in great grief. "Alas!" cried she, "I can no longer talk with my bird who loved me so; and our love was consolation for all our misfortunes. What will he do? What shall I do?" And she melted into floods of tears. She dared not open the window, though she heard continually his wings fluttering round it. For more than a month she waited; but the serving-maid watched her night and day. At last, overcome with weariness, the girl fell asleep, and then Florina opened her little window, and sang in a low voice "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, The Blue Bird flew to the window-sill, and they lavished on one another a hundred caresses, and talked together till dawn. Next night it happened the same, till they began to hope that the waiting-maid, who seemed to enjoy her sleep so much, would sleep every night to come. But on the third night, hearing a noise, she wakened, and saw by the light of the moon the Princess Florina sitting at the window with a beautiful Blue Bird, who warbled in her ear and touched her gently with his beak. The spy listened and heard all their conversation, very much astonished that a princess could be so fond of a mere bird. When day came, she related all to the queen and Troutina, who concluded that the bird could be no other than King Charming. They sent the girl back, told her to express no curiosity, but to feign sleep, and to go to bed earlier than usual. Then the poor deceived princess opened her little window, and sang her usual song "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, Come to my side." But no Blue Bird appeared. The queen had caused sharp knives to be hung outside the hollow of the tree: he flew against them and cut his feet and wings, till he dropped down, covered with blood. "Oh, Florina, come to my help!" sighed he. is dead, I know, and I will die also." 66 At that moment, his friend, the magician, who, since he had seen the chariot with flying frogs return without King Charming, had gone eight times round the world in search of him, made his ninth journey, and came to the tree where the poor Blue Bird lay, calling out, "King Charming, King Charming!" The king recognised the voice of his best friend whereupon the magician took him out of the hollow tree, healed his wounds, and heard all his history. He persuaded King Charming that, overcome with fear and cruel treatment, Florina must have betrayed him. "Then do as you will with me!" cried the king. "Put me into a cage and take me back with you. I shall at least be safe there for the five years that are to be endured." "But," said the enchanter, 66 can you remain five years in so undignified a position? And you have enemies who will assuredly seize on your kingdom." "Why can I not return and govern it as before?" "I fear," replied his friend, "that the thing is difficult. Who would obey a Blue Bird?" "Ah, that is too true!" cried the king, sadly. "People only judge by the outside." Meantime Florina, overcome with grief, fell dangerously sick, and in her sickness she kept singing, day and night, her little song "Blue Bird, Blue Bird, Come to my side." But no one regarded her. At last a sudden change took place in her fortunes. The |