The Fairiespage 2 / 3
The poor child related what had happened, scattering countless diamonds as she spoke.
"Indeed!" cried her mother. "I must send my own daughter there. Come here, Fanchon. Look what comes out of your sister's mouth whenever she speaks! Wouldn't you like to be able to do the same thing? All you have to do is to go and draw some water at the spring, and when a poor woman asks you for a drink, give it to her very nicely."
"You want to see me going to the spring?" replied the ill-mannered girl.
"I am telling you that you are to go," replied the mother, "and this very instant!"
Very sulkily the girl went out taking with her the best silver flask in the house. No sooner had she reached the spring than she saw a magnificently dressed lady, who came out of the woods towards her and asked for a drink. This was the same fairy who had appeared to her sister, but she was now disguised as a princess in order to see how far this girl's bad manners would go.
"Do you think I have come here just to get you a drink?" she said the rude girl arrogantly. "Do you think I brought a silver flask here just to give madam a drink? Yes, that's just what I think! Have a drink, if you must!"
"You are not very polite," replied the fairy, showing no anger. "Very well! In return for your lack of courtesy I grant that for every word you speak a snake or a toad shall drop out of your mouth."
As soon as her mother saw her returning she cried out, "Well, daughter!"
"Well, mother?" replied the rude girl. As she spoke two vipers and two toads fell from her mouth.
"Heavens!" cried the mother. "What do I see? Her sister is the cause of this. She will pay for it!"
Off she ran to beat her, but the poor child ran off and escaped into the woods nearby. The king's son met her on his way home from hunting, and noticing how beautiful she was, he asked her what she was doing there all alone, and why she was crying.
"Alas, sir, my mother has driven me from home."