Stories from the Faerie Queen, Told to the Children

e, called the Lord of Many Islands. He had a beautiful daugh

ng knight, and she married him

fearfully angry when he fou

prisoned for years and years, until the Lord of Many Islands was dead. Claribel was rich then, an

her angry father might kill the baby if he knew that it had been born, so s

ere was no one there to give it to, but she dared not take it back in case its grandfather might kill it.

urple mark, as if some one had painted on it an open rose. She drew its clothes over the mar

for her, she cried too. And she cried so loudly and so long, that a sh

rried her home to his wife. From that day the baby was their little girl.

e of the shepherdesses were as beautiful as she was, and none were as gentle nor as full of gr

one day to the country of plains and wood

so courteous as he. He always thought of others first, and never did anything that he thought w

had done much harm, when he ca

were watching the sheep. Some were singing out of the happiness of their hearts, because of the blue sky and the green gras

f they had seen the m

uld do our sheep or us harm,' they answered, 'and if the

uld have something to drink and something to eat. Their food was very simple, b

m sat a circle of shepherds, who sang and piped for the girls to dance. And on a green hillock in the middle of the ring of girls sat Pastorella. She wore

hepherds and the girls,

ooked again at Pastorella's sweet and lovely face, until Pastorella had stolen all his heart away. He forgot all about the monster

fall, and the sunset slowly died away, and the she

sently an old man with silver hair and beard, and a shepherd's crook in his ha

se and call her sheep and turn to go, he did not kno

ng grey and cold, he said to him, 'I have only a little cottage, turfed outside to keep out the wind and wet

e ring of girls sat

ith him, for that was just

dore's eyes followed Pastorella. He offered Melib?us some gold to pay for his lodging, but

more. He treated her and said pretty things to her as knights were used to treat and to speak t

f a spear. Every day he helped Pastorella to drive her sheep to the field, and took care of them and drove a

al the little fluffy sparrows from their nests, and catch the young squirrels, and bring them to her

la he grew very jealous and angry. He sulked a

Pastorella must dance. But Calidore put Corydon in his place, and when Pastorella took her own garl

and he hoped to throw Calidore down. But in one minute Calidore had thrown Corydon flat on the ground. Then Pastorella gave the vict

was always gentle and kind. But Corydon hated him, because he thou

's little fingers were busy picking the ripe red fruit from amongst its fresh green leaves, when there glided

But when he saw the savage tiger, he ran away again in a fearful fright. Calidore was further off, but he, too, ran, and came just in time to see the tiger spring at Pastorella. He had no sword nor spear, bu

d Calidore, and he and she we

away a band of wicked robbers attacked the shepherds. They killed many of them, and took

e coast was the robbers' home. The island was covered with trees and thick brushwood, and the robbers lived in underground caves, so well hidden amongst the bushes that it was hard to find th

gown, all soiled now and worn, with her long golden hair and beautiful blue eyes, and her face w

e robber told Pastorella that he loved her and wa

ill to marry an

who wished to buy slaves. They bought Melib?us and Corydon an

ere but the fai

lla would make a much more beautiful s

aptain was

e,' he said. 'I w

rella was ill and not fit to be

looked like a beautiful star in the darkness. Although she was so pale, sh

ll not sell her,' sai

, but still he would only

ve,' said the merchants, 'we w

y angry with their captain, and

lay a hand on her!' furiously sa

e knocked down, and the robbers fought in t

they might take the chance of escaping, or fight against them. Old Melib?us and his wife w

good at running away,

last he was stabbed through the heart and fell dead. The sword that k

old and still beside her, she began to sob and cry. As soon as the robbers knew that she lived, they thrust her back into the darkest of their caves. The most cruel of all the robbers was her gaoler. He woul

s' pipes, and their songs, and the bleating of the sheep, and to see Pastorel

as sad and silent. The cottages were smouldering b

alled 'Pastorella ... Pastorella ...', only the trees echoed 'Pastorella.' In the plains he sought her, b

nning across the plain. The man's hair was standing up on his head

Calidore saw tha

rella?' eagerly

burst in

he said, 'I saw fa

n that dreadful cave. Only one thing he did not know. He did not know that Pas

wed a vow that he would not rest until he had pu

frightened to go, but at last Calidore persuaded him. Together they set off, dressed like shepher

new them for some of those that had belonged to Melib?us. When Corydon saw the

shepherds lay asleep in the shade. Corydon wanted to kill them a

nd Corydon said that they would help them to keep the sheep, the robbers were glad. All day they stayed with the flocks, and at night the robbers took them home to t

that Pastorel

ith their work, and waited and watche

ling and killing, and were all very tired, Calidore k

t to the cave where the new robber captain, Pastorella's gaoler, slept. Calidore had ma

the door in. The crash awoke Pastorella's gaoler, and he ran to see what it was. With one blow of his

again and again, Calidore called her name, her heart jumped for joy, and she ran out of the darkness r

wasps they flocked to the door of the cave, but in the doorway stood Calidore with his sword, and slew every man who dared to try to kill him. He slew a

gst the dead robbers a better sword than the one he alread

for him, and rushed at him fr

sword he thrust and smote, until the robbers who did not lie de

ogether they went through the robbers' caves, and took the richest of their treasures of

tle of one of his friends, a noble knigh

t Pastorella with the knight and his lady. Pastorella was so gentle and beautiful that they loved her

been Claribel's maid was g

breast a curious little mark. It was as if some one had painted on the fair skin

I left crying under the green bushes is the bea

estions. And when Pastorella had answered her, she was quite satisfied that she was

s dead!' she sobbed, as she held Pastorella

as glad as Claribel. So they lived happily together until Cal

wreath of wildflowers, he found a Pastorella in jewels, and silks, and satins, who was th

ermore Pastorella, the simplest and sweetest bride that