A collection Fairy
tales from
Russia.
Sergei
Aksakov: The little scarlet flower.
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And she began to busy herself with maidenly handiwork: she embroidered widths of material in gold and silver and made fringes with finely-set pearls;
she began to send gifts to her dear father, but she presented the richest width to her kind guardian, to that very Beast of the Forest, Denizen of the Deep. And as the days passed by, she began to go more frequently to the white marble hall that she might utter grateful speeches to her generous guardian, and read his replies and
greet-ings etched in words of fire upon the wall.
So time passed-the tale is sooner told than the deed is done-and the merchant's lovely young daughter grew accustomed to her new life and home. Nothing surprised or frightened her any more. She was served by invisible attendants who ministered to her every need and drove her in horseless carriages, played music for her and per-formed her every command. And she grew daily more fond of her gracious master; she saw that he loved her more than himself and had not called her the mistress for naught; and she longed to hearken to his voice, she longed to converse with him without entering the white marble chamber, without reading the words of fire.
She began to beg and pray, but the Beast of the Forest, Denizen of the Deep, would not soon consent to her entreaties; for he feared that his voice would terrify her. But she continued to beg and beseech her kind guardian, and he could not refuse her any longer. Finally, he wrote in words of fire for the last time upon the white marble wall, "Come into the garden today, sit in thy favourite arbour that is twined with leaves and branches and blossoms and speak thus:
'Speak with me, my faithful stave'."
Barely had a moment passed than the merchant's lovely young daughter ran into the gardens, entered her favourite arbour twined with leaves and branches and blossoms and sat on the brocade-covered bench. Out of breath, her heart beating wildly like that of a trapped bird, she uttered these words,
"Fear not, my kind and gracious master, that thou wilt frighten me with thy voice. After all thy kindnesses, I would not fear a wild beast's roar. Be not afraid, speak with me."
She heard the sound of someone sighing behind the arbour, and a terrible voice gave out, wild and snarling, hoarse and gruff, though it was speaking low as yet. And the merchant's lovely young daugh-ter at first gave a start at the sound of the Beast of the Forest, Denizen of the Deep; yet she mastered her terror and did not show she was afraid. Presently, she began to listen to his kindly and
wel-coming words, his wise and prudent speeches, and her heart grew light.
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