The Princess And The Witch
The king and the queen and their daughter were pacing impatiently on their terrace. They were expecting a very important guest, the prince of the neighboring kingdom. The princess, of course, was the one to feel most excited about the visitor. Much had she heard about his virtues, that he was as charming as he was brave. And she looked forward to marrying him. Let us tell you in confidence that although the princess had some sweet name, people called her Troutina! It was because she bore on her body such patches as are to be found on a trout fish. And, be sure, she was as cunning as the movement of a fish in the water. Moreover, she was cruel and quarrelsome. Yes, she was cruel and quarrelsome, particularly with Flora. You must be wondering who this Flora was. She was a girl as soft and sweet as a flower. She was the king's elder daughter, born of his first wife who was no more. The prince that was coming had heard much praise of the princess. Needless to say, that was about Flora, not Troutina. The prince duly arrived and the king and the queen hastened to receive him warmly. The very next thing they did was to introduce Troutina to him. Troutina pretended to feel shy while the prince cast hurried glances at her. He was a bit surprised, for, the princess ought to look different if the reports he had received about her were true.
A week passed. One day, on his return after a stroll in the garden, the prince saw a girl sweeping his room. The girl who wore soiled clothes and wore no ornaments at all was ready to leave the room as soon as she saw him. But, "Please wait," said the prince and he gazed at her intently. "It seems I have seen you. No, I haven't. But you fit the description of a girl I had heard about," said the prince and he sighed. Curious the girl asked, "Who is that girl?" "The daughter of my host, the king." "Well, I am his daughter, surely!" mumbled out Flora. The prince was overwhelmed with bewilderment and joy. Then, with a few questions put to Flora, he grasped the entire situation. That very night, at their dinner, the queen proposed Troutina's marriage with the prince. "I am willing to marry Flora," announced the prince. "That would do, my boy.." exclaimed the king happily. But he was rudely interrupted by the queen. "Never!" she screamed, "You must marry my daughter." "I shall marry none but Flora," said the Prince calmly.
The queen left the dinner in a huff. At once she set out for the royal game reserve, at a corner of which lived a witch. The queen was very fond of her and she was of the queen. In the morning the naughty witch met the prince. "Either you marry the younger princess or face the consequence!" she hollered. "Don't threaten me!" shouted the prince, waving his arm. His arm touched the witch's white hair. At that very moment, she muttered a spell. The prince was changed into a golden dove. He fluttered for a moment and then flew away. Flora was thrown into a dungeon at the top of the castle. Seated there she wept alone for the whole of the day. But as the sun went down and its golden rays sprayed on her window, she saw a golden dove seated on the sill. Slowly the dove flew in and sat on her shoulder and whispered to her who he really was. Flora was sad at the prince's plight but was happy too. He gave her company every night. She cared nothing for her imprisonment. The queen heard that Flora wept no more. One night she peeped into her dungeon and heard her talking to the dove.
She stormed into the dungeon and tried to take hold of the dove. But the dove flew away instantly. "I shall ask the king to set his soldiers to capture all the doves!" she announced and hurried to the king's bedroom. But, lo, the king had suddenly died. His ministers stood surrounding his bed. They informed the queen that the king's last instruction was to crown princess Flora the monarch of the land. The queen was shocked. She was afraid, Flora, once on the throne, would punish her and Troutina and the witch. She and her daughter fled the castle. They met the witch and then all the three escaped to some unknown place. The ministers looked for Flora and found her in the dungeon. They sought for the wicked queen, but in vain. However, with due ceremony, Flora ascended the throne. But she was not happy. She must find out the golden dove. She asked her ministers to take care of the kingdom and, disguised as a peasant woman, went out in quest of the dove. Days passed and she was never tired of asking the people, "Have you seen a golden dove?" Nobody had! One evening, by the side of a river, she met an old woman who had patches on her body resembling those of Troutina. When asked, she said, "Indeed, I know where the dove is. In fact, he is no more a dove. The witch has changed him into the prince that he really was. They want him to marry Troutina so that she can become the queen of his land!" "What am I to do?" asked Flora, on the verge of weeping. "Don't weep. Have these three eggs. Burst one at a time when you need some special help!" said the old woman, handing out the eggs.
"Your step-sister is one of those witches who live as trouts," informed the old woman further. "I too am one like her," she said with a twinkle in her eyes, and added, "I wish, she becomes a fish again instead of a queen." Flora bursts the first egg on the river bank. Before her appeared a small chariot drawn by swans. She went in and was flown to the balcony of a palace that stood on a rock amidst waters. "You are a fairy, are you?" asked Troutina, coming out to meet the stranger. "No, I am a human being," said Flora. Troutina, coming closer, began to recognize Flora. She looked furious. But before she could harm her, Flora burst another egg. Instantly a hundred trouts sprang onto the balcony. They pushed Troutina into the river. She fell headlong into the water and was at once changed into a fish. Flora entered the palace. There sat the prince in his chair gloomy and weak. He saw Flora but thought that he was dreaming. Flora greeted him and told him all that had happened. Then she burst another egg. At once a beautiful boat appeared before the palace. They set sail for Flora's castle. They saw innumerable trouts swimming around their boat. It was not possible for them to recognize which one of them was Troutina.
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