by Jane Yolen
The hands then placed the dishes on the table, and the Prince and White Cat seated themselves at it. The first dish was a pie made of young pigeons, and the next was a fricassee of the fattest mice.
The White Cat, who guessed the Prince’s thoughts, assured him that there were certain dishes at table which had been dressed on purpose for him, in which there was not a morsel of either rat or mouse. Accordingly, he ate heartily of such as she recommended.
When supper was over, he perceived that the White Cat had a portrait set in gold hanging to one of her feet. He begged her permission to look at it. To his astonishment, he saw the portrait of a handsome young man who exactly resembled himself! He thought there was something most extraordinary in all this; yet, as the White Cat sighed and looked very sorrowful, he did not venture to ask any questions. He conversed with her on different subjects, and found her extremely well versed in everything that was passing in the world.
When the evening was far advanced, his hostess wished him a good night, and he was conducted by the hands to his bedchamber, which was different from anything he had seen in the palace, being hung with the wings of butterflies mixed with the most curious feathers. His bed was of gauze, festooned with bunches of the gayest ribbons, and the looking glasses reached from the floor to the ceiling.
The Prince slept little, and in the morning was awakened by a confused noise. The hands took him out of bed and put on him a handsome hunting jacket. He looked into the courtyard and perceived more than five hundred cats busily employed in preparing for the hunting field—for this was a day of festival.
Presently the White Cat came to his apartment, and having politely inquired after his health, she invited him to partake of their amusement. The Prince mounted a wooden horse, richly caparisoned, which had been prepared for him. The beautiful White Cat mounted a monkey; she wore a dragoon’s cap, which made her look so fierce that all the rats and mice ran away in the utmost terror.
Everything being ready, the horns sounded and away they went. No hunting was ever more agreeable.
When the chase was over, the whole retinue returned to the palace. The White Cat immediately exchanged her dragoon’s cap for the veil, and sat down to supper with the Prince, who, being very hungry, ate heartily, and afterward partook with her of the most delicious wines.
He then was conducted to his chamber as before, and wakened in the morning to renew the same sort of life, which day after day became so charming to him that he no longer thought of anything but of pleasing the sweet little creature who received him so courteously. Accordingly, every day was spent in new amusements.
The Prince had almost forgotten his country and relations, and sometimes even regretted that he was not a cat, so great was his affection for his mewing companions.
“Alas!” said he to the White Cat, “how will it afflict me to leave you, whom I have love so much! Either make yourself a lady or make me a cat.”
She smiled at the Prince’s wish, but offered no reply.
At length the twelvemonth was nearly expired. The White Cat, who knew the very day when the Prince was to reach his father’s palace, reminded him that he had but three days longer to look for a perfect little dog. The Prince, astonished at his own forgetfulness, began to grieve.
The cat told him not to be so sorrowful, since she would not only provide him with a little dog, but also with a wooden horse which should convey him safely home in less than twelve hours.
“Look here,” said she, showing him an acorn, “this contains what you desire.”
The Prince put the acorn to his ear, and heard the barking of a little dog. Transported with joy, he thanked the cat a thousand times, and the next day, bidding her a tender farewell, he set out on his return.
The Prince arrived first at the place of rendezvous, and was soon joined by his brothers. They embraced and began to give an account of their success. The youngest showed them only a little mongrel cur, telling them that he thought it could not fail to please the King, from its extraordinary beauty.
The brothers trod on each other’s toes under the table, as much as to say, “We have little to fear from this sorry-looking animal.”
The next day they went together to the palace. The dogs of the two elder brothers were lying on cushions, and so curiously wrapped around with embroidered quilts that one would scarcely venture to touch them. The youngest produced his cur, and all wondered how the Prince could hope to receive a crown for such a shabby present.
The King examined the two little dogs of the elder Princes, and declared he thought them so equally beautiful that he knew not to which, with justice, he could give the preference. They accordingly began to dispute, when the youngest Prince, taking his acorn from his pocket, soon ended their contention; for a little dog appeared which could with ease go through the smallest ring, and was besides a miracle of beauty.
The King could not possibly hesitate in declaring his satisfaction; yet, as he was no more inclined than the year before to part with his crown, he told his sons that he was extremely obliged to them for the pains they had taken, and since they had succeeded so well, he wished they would make a second attempt. He therefore begged they would take another year in order to procure a piece of cambric fine enough to be drawn through the eye of a small needle.
The three Princes thought this very hard; yet they set out, in obedience to the King’s command. The two eldest took different roads, and the youngest remounted his wooden horse, and in a short time arrived at the palace of his beloved White Cat, who received him with the greatest joy, while the hands helped him to dismount and provided him with immediate refreshment. Afterward the Prince gave the White Cat an account of the admiration which had been bestowed on the beautiful little dog and informed her of the further injunction of his father.
“Make yourself perfectly easy, dear Prince,” said she. “I have in my palace some cats who are perfect adepts in making such cambric as the King requires; so you have nothing to do but to give me the pleasure of your company while it is being made and I will procure you all the amusement possible.”
She ordered the most curious fireworks to be played off in sight of the window of the apartment in which they were sitting, and nothing but festivity and rejoicing was heard throughout the palace for the Prince’s return.
As the White Cat frequently gave proofs of an excellent understanding, the Prince was by no means tired of her company. She talked with him of state affairs, of theaters, of fashions—in short, she was at a loss on no subject whatever.
In this manner the twelvemonth again passed quickly away, but the cat took care to remind the Prince of his duty in proper time.
“For once, my Prince,” said she, “I will have the pleasure of equipping you as suits your high rank.”
Looking into the courtyard, he saw a superb carriage, ornamented all over with gold, silver, pearls, and diamonds, drawn by twelve horses as white as snow, and harnessed in the most sumptuous trappings. Behind the carriage a thousand guards, richly appareled, were waiting to attend on the Prince’s person. The cat then presented him with a nut.
“You will find in it,” said she, “the piece of cambric I promised you; do not break the shell till you are in the presence of the King your father.” Then, she hastily bade him adieu.
Nothing could exceed the speed with which the snow-white horses conveyed this fortunate Prince to his father’s palace, where his brothers had just arrived before him. They embraced each other, and demanded an immediate audience of the King, who received them with the greatest of kindness. The Princes hastened to place at the feet of his majesty the curious present he had required them to procure.
The eldest produced a piece of cambric so extremely fine that his friends had no doubt of its passing through the eye of a needle. But when the King tried to draw the cambric through the eye of the needle it would not pass, though it failed but very little.
Then came the second Prince, who made as sure of obtaining the crown as his
brother had done, but, alas! with no better success; for though his piece of cambric was exquisitely fine, yet it could not be drawn through the eye of the needle.
It was now the turn of the youngest Prince, who accordingly advanced, and opening an elegant little box inlaid with jewels, took out a walnut and cracked the shell, imagining he should immediately perceive his piece of cambric. But what was his astonishment to see nothing but a filbert! He did not, however, lose his hopes. He cracked the filbert, and it presented him with a cherry stone. The lords of the court, who had assembled to witness this extraordinary trial, could not, any more than the Princes his brothers, refrain from laughing, to think he should be so silly as to claim the crown on no better pretensions. The Prince, however, cracked the cherry stone, which was filled with a kernel. He divided it, and found in the middle a grain of wheat, and in that a grain of millet seed. He was now absolutely confounded, and could not help muttering between his teeth, “O White Cat, White Cat, thou hast deceived me!” At this instant he felt his hand scratched by the claw of a cat, upon which he again took courage. Opening the grain of millet seed, to the astonishment of all present he drew forth a piece of cambric four hundred yards long, and fine enough to be threaded with perfect ease through the eye of the needle.
When the King found he had no pretext left for refusing the crown to his youngest son, he sighed deeply, and it was easy to be seen that he was sorry for the Prince’s success.
“My sons,” said he, “it is so gratifying to the heart of a father to receive proofs of his children’s love and obedience, that I cannot refuse myself the satisfaction of requiring of you one thing more. You must undertake another expedition. That one of you who, by the end of the year, brings me the most beautiful lady shall marry her and obtain my crown.”
So they again took leave of the King and of each other, and set out without delay; and in less than twelve hours our young Prince arrived at the palace of his dear White Cat. Everything went on as before till the end of another year. At length only one day remained of the year.
The White Cat thus addressed him: “Tomorrow, my Prince, you must present yourself at the palace of your father and give him a proof of your obedience. It depends only on yourself to conduct thither the most beautiful princess ever yet beheld, for the time is come when the enchantment by which I am bound may be ended. You must cut off my head and tail,” continued she, “and throw them into the fire.”
“I!” said the Prince hastily—“I cut off your head and tail! You surely mean to try my affection, which, believe me, beautiful cat, is truly yours.”
“You mistake me, generous Prince,” said she. “I do not doubt your regard, but if you wish to see me in any other form than that of a cat you must consent to do as I desire.”
The Prince’s eyes filled with tears as she spoke, yet he considered himself obliged to undertake the dreadful task. The cat continuing to press him with the greatest eagerness, with a trembling hand he drew his sword, cut off her head and tail, and threw them into the fire. No sooner was this done than the most beautiful lady his eyes had ever seen stood before him. Ere he had sufficiently recovered from his surprise to speak to her, a long train of attendants, who at the same moment as their mistress were changed to their natural shapes, came to offer their congratulations to the Queen and inquire her commands. She received them with the greatest kindness, and ordering them to withdraw, thus addressed the astonished Prince:
“Do not imagine, dear Prince, that I have always been a cat. My father was the monarch of six kingdoms. He tenderly loved my mother, and left her always at liberty to follow her own inclinations. Her prevailing passion was to travel, and a short time before my birth, having heard of some fairies who owned large gardens filled with the most delicious fruits, she had so strong a desire to eat some of them that she set out for the country where they lived. She arrived at their abode, which she found to be a magnificent palace, glittering on all sides with gold and precious stones. She knocked a long time at the gates, but no one came, nor could she perceive the least sign that it had any inhabitant. The difficulty, however, only increased the violence of my mother’s longing, for she saw the tops of the trees above the garden walls loaded with the most luscious fruits. The Queen ordered her attendants to place tents close to the door of the palace; but, having waited six weeks without seeing anyone pass the gates, she fell sick of vexation and her life was despaired of.
“One night, as she lay half asleep, she turned herself about, and opening her eyes, perceived a little old woman, very ugly and deformed, seated in the easy chair by her bedside.
“ ‘I and my sister fairies,’ said she, ‘take it very ill that Your Majesty should so obstinately persist in getting some of our fruit; but since so precious a life is at stake, we consent to give you as much as you can carry away provided you will give us in return what we shall ask.’
“ ‘Ah, kind fairy!’ cried the Queen, ‘I will give you anything that I possess, even my very kingdoms, on condition that I eat of your fruit.’
“The old fairy then informed the Queen that what they required was that she should give them her child as soon as it should be born, adding that every possible care should be taken of it, and that it should become the most accomplished princess.
“The Queen replied that however cruel the conditions she must accept them, since nothing but the fruit could save her life.
“In short, dear Prince,” continued the lady, “my mother instantly got out of bed, was dressed by her attendants, entered the palace, and satisfied her longing. Having eaten her fill, she ordered four thousand mules to be loaded with the fruit, which had the virtue of continuing all the year round in a state of perfection. Thus provided, she returned to the King my father, who, with the whole court, received her with rejoicings.
“All this time the Queen said nothing to my father of the promise she had made to give her daughter to the fairies. She grew very melancholy. At length, being pressed by the King, she declared the truth. Nothing could exceed his affliction when he heard that his only child was to be given to the fairies. He bore it, however, as well as he could for fear of adding to my mother’s grief, and also believing he should find some means of keeping me in a place of safety, which the fairies would not be able to approach.
“As soon as I was born, he had me conveyed to a tower in the palace, to which there were twenty flights of stairs and a door to each, of which my father kept the key, so that none came near me without his consent.
“When the fairies heard of what had been done, they sent first to demand me, and on my father’s refusal, they let loose a monstrous dragon, which devoured men, women, and children, and which, by the breath of its nostrils, destroyed everything it came near, so that even the trees and plants began to die.
“The grief of the King was excessive, and, finding that his whole kingdom would in a short time be reduced to famine, he consented to give me into their hands. I was accordingly laid in a cradle of mother-of-pearl, ornamented with gold and jewels, and carried to their palace, when the dragon immediately disappeared. The fairies placed me in a tower, elegantly furnished, but to which there was no door, so that whoever approached was obliged to come by the windows, which were a great height from the ground. In this place was I educated by the fairies, who behaved to me with the greatest kindness. My clothes were splendid, and I was instructed in every kind of accomplishment; in short, Prince, if I had never seen anyone but themselves I should have remained very happy.
“One day, however, as I was talking at the window with my parrot, I perceived a young gentleman listening to our conversation. As I had never seen a man except in pictures, I was not sorry for the opportunity of gratifying my curiosity. I thought him a very pleasing object. At length he bowed in the most respectful manner, without daring to speak, for he knew that I was in the palace of the fairies. When it began to grow dark he went away, and I vainly endeavored to see which road he took.
“I resolved to find some means of
escaping from my tower. I begged the fairies to bring me a netting needle, a mesh, and some cord, saying I wished to make some nets to amuse myself with catching birds at my window. This they readily complied with, and in a short time I completed a ladder long enough to reach to the ground.
“All at once the window opened, and the Fairy Violent, mounted on the dragon’s back, rushed into the tower. The fairy touched me with her wand and I instantly became a white cat. She conducted me to this palace, which belonged to my father, and gave me a train of cats for my attendants, together with the twelve hands that waited on Your Highness. She then informed me of my birth and the death of my parents, and pronounced that I should not be restored to my natural figure until a young prince should cut off my head and tail. You ended the enchantment. I need not add that I already love you more than my life. Let us therefore hasten to the palace of the King your father, and obtain his approbation to our marriage.”
The Prince and Princess accordingly set out side by side, in a carriage of still greater splendor than before, and reached the palace just as the two brothers had arrived with two beautiful princesses.
The King, hearing that each of his sons had succeeded in finding what he had required, again began to think of some new expedient to delay the time of his resigning the crown. But when the King was assembled with the whole court to pass judgment, the Princess who accompanied the youngest, perceiving his thoughts by his countenance, stepped majestically forward and thus addressed him.
“It is a pity that Your Majesty, who is so capable of governing, should think of resigning the crown! I am fortunate enough to have six kingdoms in my possession; permit me to bestow one on each of the eldest Princes, and to enjoy the remaining four in the society of the youngest. And may it please Your Majesty to keep your own kingdom, and make no decision concerning the beauty of three princesses, who, without such a proof of Your Majesty’s preference, will no doubt live happily together!”