The Origin of the Fays and Other Tales of Faerie by Brian Stableford

Author:Brian Stableford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Coat Press
Published: 2019-12-26T00:00:00+00:00

The opposition of character of the young prince and princess soon caused Champetre and Prudalie a great anxiety; they began to despair of being able to overcome the prodigious distance of Sensitive; it must be remember that the fay Capable, who knew how necessary their union was, had recommended the two fays, above all, to form them in order to love one another one day. They believed that they had taken the most reliable measures to succeed in that, without ever making the reflection that the excess of the best necessarily engenders revolt.

When they were convinced of their error, they commenced with the reproaches that one ordinarily puts in place of means of reparation; they said and repeated to one another a thousand times everything that could serve to excuse themselves personally.

“I’ve given my prince bodily strength, majesty of stature, health, dexterity and courage,” said Champetre. “What more can one desire?”

“Charm,” replied Prudalie, and added, with an expression of scorn and denigration: “In truth, my sister, I feel sorry for you. Your conduct, compared with mine, appears deadly dull; it will be thought execrable and frightful. For, in sum, I’ve rendered my princess charming to behold, I’ve filled her with sentiments, delicacy, intelligence and talents, and what proves more than anything else my advantages and the reproaches that you merit is that Typhon renders her justice, in spite of the savage and barbaric education you have given him.”

Champetre responded, with the frankness of her character: “Typhon has a liking for Sensitive, I don’t disagree, but he only loves her because he has never seen anything else. Do you think that, without that reason, he could have attached himself to a precious little creature frightened by the buzz of a fly, who catches a chill in the mildest open air, who spends her life in a bell-jar and speaks a language that no one understands?

“At any rate, my sister,” she went on, “we’ve got it wrong, since we haven’t been able to succeed. The doyenne will judge us; you know that she’s severe. Believe me, let’s not join ill humor to the division and embarrassment we’re already in. let’s go find Capable and beg her pardon; that deference will touch her, and perhaps engage her to give us her advice and the means we need.”

Prudalie had a great deal of difficulty yielding to such a reasonable proposition; she repeated a hundred times over that she had done nothing wrong, that she defied the doyenne herself to do any better, but in the end she made her decision; it is the advantage of common sense always to prevail over preciosity and false brilliance. Furthermore, dread and authority lead easily to the confession of the sins one has committed, especially when it is only a matter of agreeing with someone who cannot be unaware of them.

The two fays departed immediately. Prudalie was mounted on her chariot constructed of madrigals, epigrams, quips, little tender romances and verses praising her; it was propelled by airs, prejudices and a host of sighs, which she had commanded.

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