Florinda and Yoringal (1)

Florinda and Yoringal (1)

Once upon a time there was an old castle in the middle of a huge, dark forest where an old woman kived all alone.

She was a witch.
During the day she changed herself into a cat or an owl, and at night she turned back to a human being.

She used magic to entice rabbits and birds to come to her.
Then she would boil or roast them for her dinner.

A powerful spell surrounded the castle.

If a man approached within a hundred steps he would find himself powerless to move.
There he would be forced to stay, like a statue, until the witch decided to free him.

But if a young girl approached, the witch would change her into a bird and lock her up in a cage.
She had seven thousand cages in her castle, each containing rare birds.

Near to the forest lived a girl named Florinda.
She was the most beautiful girl in the world and she was engaged to a handsome young man named Yoringal.

They loved each other very much and were to be married soon.

(1/5)     

Florinda and Yoringal (2)

Florinda and Yoringal (2)

One day they went for a walk in the forest so that they could spend some time alone.

" We must be careful not to go too close to the castle, " warned Yoringal as they set off.

Late that afternoon a change seemed to fall on the forest.

The sun still shone between the thick, green trees, but the turtle doves who lived there began to sing a sad song which made Florinda cry.

Then both Florinda and Yoringal began to moan.
They felt miserable, as if they were about o die, and it wasn't long before they realized that they had lost their way.

It was almost sunset.
Yoringal looked through the bushes and saw that they were very close to the castle walls.

He trembled at the sight.

Then he heard Florinda singing:

" Little bird with your red ring
 Singing sorrow ! Sorrow ! Sorrow !
 Singing the dove's death,
 Singing sorrow... Charp ! Charp ! Charp ! "

Before his very eyes, Florinda changed into a nightingale !

then an owl with haunting eyes appeared and flew three times around her crying, " Who-oo, Who-oo, Who-oo ! "

Yoringal found that he could not move an inch.
He stood like a stone, unable to cry, speak or move his hands and feet.

(2/5)  

Florinda and Yoringal (3)

Florinda and Yoringal (3)

Then the sun set.

The owl flew into a bush and from its dark leaves appeared an old hunch-backed woman, sallow-skinned and scraggy, with big red eyes and a long crooked nose.

She mumbled something, took the nightingale in her hand and carried it away.



Yoringal was helpless.

At first the young man despaired that he would be a statue for ever, but after a while the witch returned and began to chant in a sinister voice.

" Oh, Zachiel !  When the moon shines on the cage, break the spell at the right time, Zachiel. "

Then Yoringal was free.
He fell on his knees before the old witch and begged her to give him back his Florinda.
She told him he would never see Florinda again, then disappeared.

" What is to become of me ? " sighed Yoringal.

He wandered all night until he came to a village he'd never been to before.

There he worked as a shephered for many years.
He often walked near the castle, careful not to ge too close !

(3/5)  

Florinda and Yoringal (4)

Florinda and Yoringal (4)

Then one  night he dreamt he found a red flower in the middle of which was a beautiful, big pearl.

In his dream he picked the flower and took it to the castle.

Everything he touched with that flower was freed from the witch's evel spell, including Florinda.

When he awoke next morning, Yoringal began to serch high and low for such a flower.

He serched for nine days, and early on the ninth day he found it.

In the middle was a big dewdrop, as shiny as the finest pearl. 

Carefully he retraced his steps and returned to the castle.

This time the standing spell didn't effect him and he was able to walk right up to the door.

Yoringal was delighted.

He touched the door with the flower and it opened.
He entered, crossed the courtyard, then stopped and listened.

There was such a twittering and cheeping coming from the tower that it wasn't difficult for him to guess where the seven thousand birds were imprisoned !

(4/5)     

Florinda and Yoringal (5 完)

Florinda and Yoringal (5 完)

When the witch saw Yoringal sha fell into a great rage.

She cursed and spat poison at him, but she coud not get nearer to him than two steps.

He ignored her and hurried towards the bird cages.

But, alas, how could he find his beloved Florinda amongst the hundreds of nightingales ?

In the corner of his eye, Ypringal noticed that the witch had stolen a cage and was trying to escape through the door.

He leapt towards her and touched the cage with his flower.

The witch immediately lost all her powers and Florinda stood there, as beautiful as ever !

With a cry of joy she flung her arms around his neck.

Then together they changed all the other birds back to young girls again and returned home, where they lived happily ever after.  
 
(5/5 完)

Ariel's Underwater Adventure (6)

Ariel's Underwater Adventure (6)

Ariel reached up and peered over the side of the ship while Flounder looked on from the water below.

Ariel saw a young man.
His shipmates were singing and dancing.

"I've never seen  a human this close before, " said Ariel to Scuttle, who was also curious about the humans and had come for a better look.

" He's very handsome, isn't he ? " said Ariel, looking at the young man the sailors called Prince Eric.

" He looks kind of hairy to me, " said Scuttle, looking at Prince Eric's sheepdog , Max.

But Ariel didn't hear the sea gull.
All she could think was the young manーthe one she would someday join in the world of human being.

Ariel was falling in love.

(6/8)