Лучшие сказки загадочной Шотландии. Уровень 1 / The Best Tales of Enchanted Scotland

She wore a silk dress, the colour of the fresh spring grass. From her shoulders hung a velvet mantle. She had golden hair. On her head sparkled a diadem of precious stones. It flashed like fire in the sunlight.

Her horse's reins were of gold. They had little silver bells. As she rode along, she made a sound like fairy music.

She carried a hunting-horn[2 - hunting-horn – охотничий рог] and arrows. She led seven hunting dogs. Many dogs ran at her horse's side.

She was singing an old Scotch song.

She was like a queen. Her dress was really magnificent. Thomas wanted to stand on his knees by the side of the path and worship her. He thought it was the Blessed Virgin herself[3 - Blessed Virgin herself – сама Пресвятая Дева]!

The rider came to him, and understood his thoughts. So she shook her head sadly.

“I am not that Blessed Lady, as you think,” she said. “Men call me Queen. But I am the Queen of Fairy-land, and not the Queen of Heaven.

”

It seemed she said the truth. Thomas forgot prudence, and caution, and common-sense[4 - common-sense – здравый смысл]. It was dangerous for people to have business with Fairies. He knew that. But he was very entranced with the Lady's beauty. And he begged her to give him a kiss. This was just what she wanted. If she kisses him she has him in her power!

Their lips met. To the young man's horror, an awful change came over her. Her beautiful clothes disappeared.

She stood in a long grey dress. It was just the colour of ashes. Her beauty faded away also. She grew old and ugly. Half of her golden hair went grey. She saw the poor man's surprise and terror and laughed.

“I am not so fair now,” she said. “You sold yourself, Thomas! Now you are my servant for seven long years. Who kisses the Fairy Queen must go with her to Fairy-land. He will serve her there.”

Poor Thomas fell on his knees and asked for mercy. But the Queen only laughed in his face.

Then she brought her horse to him.

“You asked for the kiss,” she said, “and now you must pay the price. Now get on the horse behind me.”

So Thomas, with a sigh, got on the horse behind her. The grey horse galloped off.

On and on they went. They were faster than the wind. At last, they left the land of the men. They came to the edge of a great desert. It stretched before them. It was dry, and bare, and desolate.