Marisol agreed and they entered the prince's bedroom. After some time the pinto rabbit came in, jumped on the bed, flipped over and became a handsome prince. Then a white rabbit came in, did the same, and became another handsome prince. At last the little green rabbit came in, and when he had jumped on the bed and flopped over, marisol could not stand it any longer. She cried and ran towards the prince.
The king, who had been strolling near the hall, heard Marisol cry and immediately rushed to the bedroom. When the king saw her, he was greatly angered, so much that he wanted to kill her. But then the youngest prince told his father, "My liege and my King, this maiden is my fiancée and we are going to be married."
The king's rage knew no bounds but, controlling himself he said, "So you want to get married, eh? And so you have seen each other without my consent, eh? Well, now, before I agree to your wedding you two must do as I say."
"You," he told the prince, "will continue to be a rabbit for seven more years. And you," the king told Marisol, "will not be able to marry the prince until you fill seven barrels with your tears and wear out these seven pairs of iron shoes."
The poor prince and the poor princess had to say yes. They could not do anything else. The rince knelt down and prayed and Marisol tearfully bade him good-bye as she went out into the world to wear out her iron shoes.
After walking and crying a long, long time, Marisol finally arrived at the house where the moon lived. Marisol had already filled the barrels with her tears and worn out the seven pairs of iron shoes. However, the poor girl was so tired and so far from the green rabbit's palace that she had to rest some place. Marisol knocked on the door of the moon's house and the moon came out.
"Niña," said the moon, "what are you doing here?"
Marisol told the moon her story and asked aid in reaching the green rabbit's home.
"Look," said the moon, "at present I cannot travel through that particular part of the world. I am not due on that side of the earth for many more days. But do you see that hill? My compadre, the Sun, lives over there. Go to him, he probably will be able to help you."
Marisol walked and walked and finally arrived at the sun's house. She knocked on the door and th sun came out. "What are you doing around here, niña?" asked the sun.
"I am the green rabbit's fiancée," said Marisol. "I am wondering if you could aid me in getting back to his palace."
The sun stared at Marisol and said, "Do you say you are the green rabbit's fiancée? That is impossible. The green rabbit is going to be married within three days. His fiancée was picked out by the king himself. All the people are praying for me to be in a good humor. They really want me to shine that day."
"Señor Sol," begged Marisol, "please take me to the palace." And the girl told the sun all that had happened to her.
"Look, niña," answered the sun, "I cannot take you because if I held you in my arms I would burn you. But listen! Yonder, on the other side of that hill, lives my compadre, the Wind. Tell him to take you where you are going."
Marisol walked and walked until finally reaching the hill, went to the house where the wind lived. The girl knocked on the door and señora Aire, the wind's wife, came out.
"Come in, hijita," señora Aire said, "what are you doing around here?"
Marisol told señora Aire all that had happened. Suddenly the señor Aire came in, laughing so hard that he shook all over. Señora Aire asked him the reason for his laughter and señor Aire answered that it was because he had destroyed all the preparations for the wedding of the green rabbit and his fiancée. The wind saw Marisol then, and asked her what she was doing there. Marisol told him what had befallen her.
"Oh," said señor Aire, "that's probably the reason the green rabbit has been praying so much in the chapel lately. I think he is asking for your return. take hold of my waist and quicker than you can wink your eye we will be at the palace."
And with whirlwind speed señor Aire took Marisol to the palace where the green rabbit lived.
The king was there also and he asked, "Who is this beggar?"
But the green rabbit recognized Marisol and ran to her, crying at the same time, "My fiancée is here! My true fiancée has come at last!"
Marisol then produced the seven barrels filled with her tears and a handkerchief where the remains of the seven pairs of iron shoes were tied. She gave them to the king.
And since the king had given his word, Marisol and the prince were married and lived happily ever after. |
