Therewasonceanoldcastle, thatstoodinthemiddleof a deepgloomywood, andinthecastlelivedanoldfairy. Nowthisfairycouldtakeanyshapeshepleased. Allthedaylongsheflewaboutintheformofanowl, orcreptaboutthecountrylike a cat; butatnightshealwaysbecameanoldwomanagain. Whenanyyoungmancamewithin a hundredpacesofhercastle, hebecamequitefixed, andcouldnotmove a steptillshecameandsethimfree; whichshewouldnotdotillhehadgivenherhiswordnevertocomethereagain: butwhenanyprettymaidencamewithinthatspaceshewaschangedinto a bird, andthefairyputherinto a cage, andhungherupin a chamberinthecastle. Thereweresevenhundredofthesecageshanginginthecastle, andallwithbeautifulbirdsinthem.
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Nowtherewasonce a maidenwhosenamewasJorinda. Shewasprettierthanalltheprettygirlsthateverwereseenbefore, and a shepherdlad, whosenamewasJorindel, wasveryfondofher, andtheyweresoontobemarried. Onedaytheywenttowalkinthewood, thattheymightbealone; andJorindelsaid, 'Wemusttakecarethatwedon't gotooneartothefairy's castle.' Itwas a beautifulevening; thelastraysofthesettingsunshonebrightthroughthelongstemsofthetreesuponthegreenunderwoodbeneath, andtheturtle-dovessangfromthetallbirches.
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Jorindasatdowntogazeuponthesun; Jorindelsatbyherside; andbothfeltsad, theyknewnotwhy; butitseemedasiftheyweretobepartedfromoneanotherforever. Theyhadwandered a longway; andwhentheylookedtoseewhichwaytheyshouldgohome, theyfoundthemselvesat a losstoknowwhatpathtotake.
whenhersongstoppedsuddenly. Jorindelturnedtoseethereason, andbeheldhisJorindachangedinto a nightingale, sothathersongendedwith a mournfuljug, jug. Anowlwithfieryeyesflewthreetimesroundthem, andthreetimesscreamed:
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'Tuwhu! Tuwhu! Tuwhu!'
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Jorindelcouldnotmove; hestoodfixedas a stone, andcouldneitherweep, norspeak, norstirhandorfoot. Andnowthesunwentquitedown; thegloomynightcame; theowlflewinto a bush; and a momentaftertheoldfairycameforthpaleandmeagre, withstaringeyes, and a noseandchinthatalmostmetoneanother.
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Shemumbledsomethingtoherself, seizedthenightingale, andwentawaywithitinherhand. PoorJorindelsawthenightingalewasgone—butwhatcouldhedo? Hecouldnotspeak, hecouldnotmovefromthespotwherehestood. Atlastthefairycamebackandsangwith a hoarsevoice:
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'Tilltheprisonerisfast,
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Andherdoomiscast,
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Therestay! Oh, stay!
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Whenthecharmisaroundher,
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Andthespellhasboundher,
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Hieaway! away!'
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On a suddenJorindelfoundhimselffree. Thenhefellonhiskneesbeforethefairy, andprayedhertogivehimbackhisdearJorinda: butshelaughedathim, andsaidheshouldneverseeheragain; thenshewentherway.
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Heprayed, hewept, hesorrowed, butallinvain. 'Alas!' hesaid, 'whatwillbecomeofme?' Hecouldnotgobacktohisownhome, sohewentto a strangevillage, andemployedhimselfinkeepingsheep. Many a timedidhewalkroundandroundasneartothehatedcastleashedaredgo, butallinvain; heheardorsawnothingofJorinda.
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Atlasthedreamtonenightthathefound a beautifulpurpleflower, andthatinthemiddleofitlay a costlypearl; andhedreamtthathepluckedtheflower, andwentwithitinhishandintothecastle, andthateverythinghetouchedwithitwasdisenchanted, andthattherehefoundhisJorindaagain.
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Inthemorningwhenheawoke, hebegantosearchoverhillanddaleforthisprettyflower; andeightlongdayshesoughtforitinvain: butontheninthday, earlyinthemorning, hefoundthebeautifulpurpleflower; andinthemiddleofitwas a largedewdrop, asbigas a costlypearl. Thenhepluckedtheflower, andsetoutandtravelleddayandnight, tillhecameagaintothecastle.