The Book of Monelle by Marcel Schwob

Author:Marcel Schwob [Marcel Schwob]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3

No one knows what Princess Morgane saw in the mirror of blood. But along the route back, her muleteers were found murdered, one by one, night after night, their grey faces turned to the heavens, after they had joined her in the palanquin. And this princess came to be known as Morgane the Red, and her reputation as a prostitute and a terrifying throat-slitter of men preceded her.

THE SACRIFICED

Lilly and Nan were farm girls. In the summer, they carried water from the well along the wild path that ran through the field of ripe wheat; and in the winter, when it was cold and icicles hung from the windowsills, Lilly slept beside Nan. Huddled under the covers, they would listen to the howling of the wind. They always carried white coins in their pockets and wore fine, cherry-ribboned guimpes; both were equally blonde and giddy. Every night they put out a tub of fresh water in the corner of the fireplace; where also every morning they would find, it was said, on leaping out of bed, the silver coins they would jingle in their hands. For the pixies would throw coins into the tub after bathing in it. But neither Nan nor Lilly—nor anyone at all—had seen these pixies, except in fairy tales and ballads, where they are evil little black things with spinning tails.

One night, Nan forgot to draw water from the well; this was especially bad, considering it was December, and the rusted chain iced over. As she was sleeping with her hands resting on Lilly’s shoulders, Nan’s arms and calves were suddenly pinched, and the hair on the nape of her neck was wickedly yanked. She woke up, crying: “I’ll be black and blue all over!” And she said to Lilly: “Hold me, hold me: I didn’t put out the tub of fresh water; but I’m not getting out of my bed, even if all the pixies of Devonshire want a bath.” So, good little Lilly kissed her, got up, drew some water, and put the tub by the corner of the fireplace. When she got back to bed, Nan was asleep.

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