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Miss Clara's illustration of the damsel (la Damoiselle) in Marie Diaz's retelling.
The author made her a daughter of the landed gentry because she dislikes the baroque / rococo style.
She appears poised and mature, learned on account of the books, globe, and spectacles,
and dark-haired to appear mature as well. A truly beautiful figurine in an equally beautiful diorama.
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(Background music: Già nella notte densa, Otello, Verdi.
Just because I adore that duet and it fits my Snow Queen OTP)
Marie Diaz
QUATRIÈME HISTOIRE
Le Chevalier et la Damoiselle
In the heart of this shire, there is a wooden fortress, where the menu is most exquisite! In the highest story of the fortress, in the tower of the keep, there lives a damsel: she is charming, and so clever that she's read all the books in the world, but she was bored to death and she didn't even have a single friend. She's so learned that no one knew what to say to her in conversation. Thus, the damsel decided to wed the first man who would talk to her about something else than her beauty.
Her parents, the lord and lady of the shire, organized an audience for all the young men in the land. The best eligible bachelors presented themselves, even woodcutters and farmers, since everyone would have a chance.
The dashing suitors crowded the staircase, cheerfully talking to each other. They spoke eloquently, yet none of them passed the test. Upon entering the damsel's bedchamber, as they saw her before her rows of ornate picture books, the young men were seized by some kind of trance: they turned pale, they stuttered, and they could hardly recitate a single poem in praise of the damsel's fair visage, or of her beautiful complexion.
On the third day in the evening, a young knight without entourage or carriage presented himself, and he marched confidently up the staircase: he kept his hair long, and his eyes sparkled. He was carrying a knapsack...
The stranger passed beneath the brocades and the golden dragons of the great hall without even flinching; he saluted, with a smile, the lord and his vassals with their shining swords; and then, he greeted the lady and her maids, who were looking with scorn at his torn garments. His boots creaked and clinked in the silent room...
He passed before the armed and breastplated guards, and he finally arrived in the presence of the damsel, who was reading, sitting by the music stand she used to hold her books: she was reading a thousand-page book, as eagerly as if she were relishing the most delicious among desserts. She was so tired of listening to so much foolishness in a row that she didn't hear him come, nor notice that he had arrived.
All those who have seen the damsel dream of wedding her!
The strangest thing by far was that the young knight hadn't come to court her: he only felt curious about her knowledge. He asked her a question in some unknown foreign language, and the damsel replied immediately, looking rather pleased. That overjoyed her. She liked the knight so much, and he liked the damsel as well! She was overjoyed with him, and he was overjoyed with her too!
The fortress, which towered in the middle of the heath, was surrounded by a high palisade. Beyond the fence, the streets were deserted that night. In the tavern, the suitors that the damsel had scorned were drowning their sorrows in tankards of hot chocolate.
The bedchamber was sumptous: there were two wooden beds with golden carvings, covered in velvet brocade. Under the white canopy slept the damsel, and under the crimson one slept the knight. The young man was dashing.
In the stables, there were the best steeds, brought over from all corners of the world.
Later on, when autumn had given way to winter and winter had changed into spring, the knight and the damsel took a trip abroad. They loved to speak Double Dutch.
At last the Fourth Story retold for the Miss Clara illustrated, but told in English (different from the original French, which was the one I posted)... the retelling by Sarah Lowes... is within my reach!!! But at least only the first snippet. One day, I promise you readers, you will have the full story at your disposal!!
So what else could I do but post it here, as I flush red as a strawberry and hot as the sun?
Sarah Lowes
CHAPTER FOUR
The Prince and the Princess
"[···] he, is about to marry a princess, and she is as clever as she is beautiful.
[···] to the royal bedchamber via a back staircase that is rarely guarded.
[···] about the princess and how unusual she was. She loved learning, spending her time in the royal library among thousands of books. She was interested in marriage only if she found a man who equalled her in wit. Many suitors tried to court her, but none had been successful. None, that is, until one day a fair-haired boy had walked straight past all the guards and courtiers, and announced: "I have not come to woo the princess, but to learn from her wisdom."
[···] "He is always so brave and clever."
At last a grand building appeared in the distance. When they reached it, they found a half-open door at the back and not a guard in sight. [···] as they tiptoed inside. At the top of the stairs [···] As they passed through large rooms hung with silks and satins in every hue, [···] huge black shadows rustling and whispering along the walls. They were knights and ladies, horses and castles, and other shapes and figures, too many to count and constantly changing.
"They are dreams," [···] "they are here to entertain the lords and ladies while they sleep."
Then they came to the very last room, in which stood a great golden pillar. Looking up, [···] it was the trunk of a huge tree, with shining branches stretching up to form the ceiling and the facets of graceful glass leaves twinkling in the lamplight. From the tree hung two beds in the shape of lilies, one white and one red. In the white bed slept the princess and in the red one slept the boy.
[···] up to the boy's bed and shone the lamp on his hair. [···] and he awoke. [···]
The princess had woken up too, by this time, and she and the prince listened intently [···] They were impressed by [···] and persuaded [···] to stay the night.
In return for all the help [···], the princess offered [···] positions at court with the right to [···]. The prince and princess begged [···] to stay awhile at the palace, but all [···] asked for was a horse so that [···] could be on [···] way. "Of course!" declared the princess. She provided [···] with an immaculate riding coat, trimmed with fur and with velvet buttons. "Now," she said, "let us find you a mount."
They walked over to the stables, the princess inviting [···] to choose from a range of magnificent horses from every corner of the globe. [···]
Then they came to a stall where a handsome reindeer was waiting. [···] "Climb on my back; I will help you."
One of the palace grooms saddled and bridled the reindeer, hanging sacks of delicious food and wine along his flanks. "Goodbye and good luck!" cried the prince and princess. [···]
CHAPTER FIVE
The Outlaw Girl
Before long, they entered a dark forest where the heavily laden reindeer drew the eyes of the forest outlaws, who sprang out of the undergrowth and seized him by the bridle. The bags of provisions were taken [···]
"No!" shouted a clear, commanding voice. "[···] give me [···] fine clothes [···]."
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Snow Queen's Palace
[···] asked for news of the prince and princess. "Their royal highnesses are travelling in foreign lands, [···]"
