August 2, 2025 • 11 mins
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter twelve, The sad, sad Tale of the Sorrowing Princess
with a speck in her heart, and what all happened
when she had ended it, which the reader must read
for himself. Little Baron and dear Lord Bulgar began the
crystal eyed Damosel, after she had eased her soul of
its load of woe by three long and deep, deep sighs.
(00:24):
Know then, that I am not that Damosel Glowstone, but
none other than the Royal Princess Cristelina herself. That she
whose hair I comb should comb, mine, that she whom
I have served for ten long years, should have served me.
And to think, o, Princess, I burst out joyfully, that
my beloved Bulgar should have been the first to discover
(00:46):
that she, who was seated on the steps of the
crystal throne, was not entitled to the seat. To think
that his subtle intellect should have been the first to
scent out the wrong that had been done, thee his
keen eye, the first to go to the bottom of
the truth. Well, but, fair Princess, I am bursting with
impatience to know how thou thyself did ever discover the
(01:07):
wrong that has been done thee that thou shalt speedily know,
little Baron, answered Cristelina, And that thou mayest know all
that I know. I'll begin at the very beginning. The
day I was born. There was great rejoicing in the
land of the Micamenkes, and the people gathered in front
of the royal palace and laughed and cried by turns.
(01:28):
So happy were they to think they were to be
governed by another princess, after Queen Galaxi's heart should run down.
For many years ago, a bad king had made them
very unhappy, and they had hoped and prayed that no
more such would come to reign over them. And pretty
soon one of them began to tell the others what
he thought the little princess would be like. She will
(01:51):
be the fairest that ever sat upon the crystal throne.
Her hands and feet will be like pearls tipped with coral,
her hair whiter than the river's foam. And from her
beautiful eyes will burst the radiance of her pure soul.
And her heart, Oh, her heart will be like a
little lump of frozen water, So clear and so transparent.
Will it be so like a bit of purest crystal,
(02:12):
bright and flawless as a diamond of the first water.
And therefore let her be called the Princess Cristellina, or
the maid with the crystal heart. Forthwith the cry went up,
I let her be called Cristellina, or the Maid with
the crystal heart. And Queen Galaxa heard the cry of
her people and sent them word that it should be
as they wished, that I should be the Princess Cristallina,
(02:35):
but ah me that I should have lived to tell it.
After a few days, the nurse came to my royal mother,
wringing her hands and pouring down a flood of tears.
Throwing herself on her knee, she whispered to the Queen
Royal Mistress, bid me die rather than tell thee what
I know. Being ordered to speak, the nurse informed Queen
(02:56):
Galaxa that she had that day, for the first time,
held me up to the light, and had discovered that
there was a spet in my heart. The Queen uttered
a cry of horror and swoon. When she came to herself.
She directed that I should be brought to her and
held up to the light, so that she might see
for herself. Alas too true. There was a speck in
(03:20):
my heart. Sure enough I was not worthy of the
sweet name which her loving people had bestowed upon me.
They would turn from me with horror. They would never
consent to have me for their queen when the truth
should become known. They would not be moved by a
mother's prayers. They would turn a deaf ear to every
one who should be bold enough to advise them to
(03:41):
accept a princess with a speck in her heart when
they had thought they were getting one well deserving of
the title they had bestowed upon her. Queen Glaxa knew
that something must be done at once, that it would
be time and labor lost to attempt to reason with
the disappointed people, So she said to work thinking up
(04:01):
some way out of her trouble. Now, it so happened
little Baron that the very day I had come into
the world, a babe had been born to one of
Queen Galax's serving women, And so hastily summing the woman,
she ordered her to bring her babe into the royal
bedchamber and leave it there, promising that it should be
brought up as my foster sister. But no sooner had
(04:24):
the serving woman gone her way, rejoicing, than the nurse
was ordered to change the children in the cradle, and
in a few moments Glowstone was wrapped in my richly
embroidered blanket, and eyes swathed up in her plain coverlets.
How things went for several years I know not, But
one day a how well I recollect it, my little
(04:48):
mind was puzzled by hearing Cristelina cry out, nay, nay,
der Mamma, tis not fair. I like it not each
day when thou comest to us, thou givest clothes on
ten kisses and me but sing. Then would Queen Galaxa
smile a sad smile, and bestow some bubble upon Christelina
to coax her back to contentment again. And so we
(05:10):
went on, Cristelina and I, from one year to another,
until we were little maids well grown, and she sat
on the throne and wore royal purple stitched with gold,
and I plain white. But still most of the kisses
fell to my share, and I marveled not a little
at it, but dared not ask why it was. However,
(05:33):
once when I was alone with Queen Galaxa, seated on
my cushion, in the corner, plying my needle and thinking
of the sail we were to have on the river
that day. Suddenly I was startled to see the Queen
throw herself on her knees in front of me, and
to feel her clasp me in her arms and cover
my face and head with tears and kisses, as she
(05:55):
sobbed and moaned, Oh, my babe, my lost babe, my
blessing and my joy wilt never never never come back
to me, art gone forever? Must I give THEE up?
Or must I nay? Royal Lady? I stammered in my
more than wonder at her words and actions. Thou art
(06:18):
in a dream? Awake, and see clearly I am not crystalline.
I am glosstone, thy foster child. I'll hie me straight
and bring my royal sister to THEE. But she would
not let me loose, and for all answer showered more
kisses on me till I was well nigh smothered, so
tight she held me pressed against her bosom, while around
(06:39):
and o'er me, her long thick tresses fell like a
woven mantle. And then she told me all all that
I have told THEE little Marin, and charged me never
to impart it unto any soul in Goggleland. And I
made a solemn promise unto her that I never would,
And thou hast kept thy word like a true princess,
(07:00):
as thou art said I cheerily, for I am not
of thy world, Fair Cristellina. Now that I have told
these a sad tale of the sorrowing princess with a
speck in her heart, little Perrin, murmured Cristelina, fixing her
large and radiant eyes upon me. There is but one
thing more for me to do, and it is to
let thee look through me, so that thou mayest know
(07:22):
exactly what counsel to give. And so saying, the fair
princess rose from her seat, and, having placed herself in
front of me, with a flood of white light falling
full upon her back, she lowered her black fan and
bade me gaze upon the heavy heart which she had
carried about with her all those years, and tell her
exactly how large the speck was, and where it lay,
(07:45):
and what color it was. I was overjoyed to get
an opportunity at last to look through one of the
Micaminky's and my own heart bounded with satisfaction as I
looked and looked upon that mysterious little thing, nay, rather
a tiny bean, live breathing, palpitating within her breast, now
slow and measured as she dwelt in thought upon her
(08:06):
sad fate, now beating faster and faster, as the hope
bubbled up in her mind, that possibly I might be
able to counsel her so wisely that an end would
come to all her sorrow. Well, wise, little Baron, she murmured, anxiously,
what seest thou? Is it very large? In what part
is it? Is it black as night? Or some color
(08:27):
less fatal Take courage, fair, Princess, said I, it is
very small, and lies just beneath the bow on the
left side. Nor is it black but reddish? Rather, And
if a single drop of blood from the veins of
thy far distant ancestors had outlived them these thousands of
years and hardened there to tell whence thy people came,
(08:47):
the princess wept tears of joy upon hearing these comforting words.
If it had been black, she whispered, I would have
laid me down in this bed of violets and never
risen more. Till my people had come to bear me
to my grave in the silent burial chamber, unvisited by
the river of light. At this sad outbreak, Bulgar whined
(09:08):
piteously and licked the Princess's hands as he looked up
at her with his dark eyes radiant with sympathy. She
was greatly cheered by this message of comfort, and it
moved me too by its heartiness. List fair Princess, said
I gravely, I own the task is not a little one,
but hope for the best. I would that we had
more time, But as thou knowest, Queen Galaxi's heart will
(09:31):
soon run down. Therefore must we act with despatch as
well as wisdom. But first of all, must I speak
with the Queen and gain her consent to act for
THEE in this matter that I fear she will never grant,
moaned Cristelina. However, thou art so much wiser than I do,
as best seems to THEE. The next thing to be done,
(09:51):
fair Princess, I added, solemnly, is to show thy heart
boldly and fearlessly to thy people. Nay, little baron, she exclaimed,
rising to your feet, that may not be, that may
not be for know that our law doth make it
trees in itself for one of our people to look
through a person of royal blood. Oh no, oh, no,
little baron, that may never be. Stay, sweet Princess, I
(10:15):
urged in gentlest tones. Not so fast thou dost not
know what I mean by showing the heart boldly to
thy people. Never fear, I will not break the law
of the land. And yet they shall look upon the
speck within thy heart and see how small it is,
and hear what I have to say about it, and
thou shalt not even be visible to them, Oh, little baron,
(10:36):
murmured Cristelina. If this may only be, I feel they
will forgive me. Thou art so wise, and thy words
carry such strong hope to my poor heavy heart, that
I almost nay, Fair Princess, I interrupted hope for the best.
No more. I am not wise enough to read the future,
and from what I know of thy people they seem
(10:58):
but little different from mine own. Perchance I may be
able to sway them towards by views and make them
cry long Live Princess Cristallina. But I can only promise
THEE to do my best. Betake THEE now to the palace,
and scorn not for yet a day or so to
take up the golden comb and play the damosel glowstone
(11:18):
in all humility. End of Chapter twelve.
Chapter twelve, The sad, sad Tale of the Sorrowing Princess
with a speck in her heart, and what all happened
when she had ended it, which the reader must read
for himself. Little Baron and dear Lord Bulgar began the
crystal eyed Damosel, after she had eased her soul of
its load of woe by three long and deep, deep sighs.
(00:24):
Know then, that I am not that Damosel Glowstone, but
none other than the Royal Princess Cristelina herself. That she
whose hair I comb should comb, mine, that she whom
I have served for ten long years, should have served me.
And to think, o, Princess, I burst out joyfully, that
my beloved Bulgar should have been the first to discover
(00:46):
that she, who was seated on the steps of the
crystal throne, was not entitled to the seat. To think
that his subtle intellect should have been the first to
scent out the wrong that had been done, thee his
keen eye, the first to go to the bottom of
the truth. Well, but, fair Princess, I am bursting with
impatience to know how thou thyself did ever discover the
(01:07):
wrong that has been done thee that thou shalt speedily know,
little Baron, answered Cristelina, And that thou mayest know all
that I know. I'll begin at the very beginning. The
day I was born. There was great rejoicing in the
land of the Micamenkes, and the people gathered in front
of the royal palace and laughed and cried by turns.
(01:28):
So happy were they to think they were to be
governed by another princess, after Queen Galaxi's heart should run down.
For many years ago, a bad king had made them
very unhappy, and they had hoped and prayed that no
more such would come to reign over them. And pretty
soon one of them began to tell the others what
he thought the little princess would be like. She will
(01:51):
be the fairest that ever sat upon the crystal throne.
Her hands and feet will be like pearls tipped with coral,
her hair whiter than the river's foam. And from her
beautiful eyes will burst the radiance of her pure soul.
And her heart, Oh, her heart will be like a
little lump of frozen water, So clear and so transparent.
Will it be so like a bit of purest crystal,
(02:12):
bright and flawless as a diamond of the first water.
And therefore let her be called the Princess Cristellina, or
the maid with the crystal heart. Forthwith the cry went up,
I let her be called Cristellina, or the Maid with
the crystal heart. And Queen Galaxa heard the cry of
her people and sent them word that it should be
as they wished, that I should be the Princess Cristallina,
(02:35):
but ah me that I should have lived to tell it.
After a few days, the nurse came to my royal mother,
wringing her hands and pouring down a flood of tears.
Throwing herself on her knee, she whispered to the Queen
Royal Mistress, bid me die rather than tell thee what
I know. Being ordered to speak, the nurse informed Queen
(02:56):
Galaxa that she had that day, for the first time,
held me up to the light, and had discovered that
there was a spet in my heart. The Queen uttered
a cry of horror and swoon. When she came to herself.
She directed that I should be brought to her and
held up to the light, so that she might see
for herself. Alas too true. There was a speck in
(03:20):
my heart. Sure enough I was not worthy of the
sweet name which her loving people had bestowed upon me.
They would turn from me with horror. They would never
consent to have me for their queen when the truth
should become known. They would not be moved by a
mother's prayers. They would turn a deaf ear to every
one who should be bold enough to advise them to
(03:41):
accept a princess with a speck in her heart when
they had thought they were getting one well deserving of
the title they had bestowed upon her. Queen Glaxa knew
that something must be done at once, that it would
be time and labor lost to attempt to reason with
the disappointed people, So she said to work thinking up
(04:01):
some way out of her trouble. Now, it so happened
little Baron that the very day I had come into
the world, a babe had been born to one of
Queen Galax's serving women, And so hastily summing the woman,
she ordered her to bring her babe into the royal
bedchamber and leave it there, promising that it should be
brought up as my foster sister. But no sooner had
(04:24):
the serving woman gone her way, rejoicing, than the nurse
was ordered to change the children in the cradle, and
in a few moments Glowstone was wrapped in my richly
embroidered blanket, and eyes swathed up in her plain coverlets.
How things went for several years I know not, But
one day a how well I recollect it, my little
(04:48):
mind was puzzled by hearing Cristelina cry out, nay, nay,
der Mamma, tis not fair. I like it not each
day when thou comest to us, thou givest clothes on
ten kisses and me but sing. Then would Queen Galaxa
smile a sad smile, and bestow some bubble upon Christelina
to coax her back to contentment again. And so we
(05:10):
went on, Cristelina and I, from one year to another,
until we were little maids well grown, and she sat
on the throne and wore royal purple stitched with gold,
and I plain white. But still most of the kisses
fell to my share, and I marveled not a little
at it, but dared not ask why it was. However,
(05:33):
once when I was alone with Queen Galaxa, seated on
my cushion, in the corner, plying my needle and thinking
of the sail we were to have on the river
that day. Suddenly I was startled to see the Queen
throw herself on her knees in front of me, and
to feel her clasp me in her arms and cover
my face and head with tears and kisses, as she
(05:55):
sobbed and moaned, Oh, my babe, my lost babe, my
blessing and my joy wilt never never never come back
to me, art gone forever? Must I give THEE up?
Or must I nay? Royal Lady? I stammered in my
more than wonder at her words and actions. Thou art
(06:18):
in a dream? Awake, and see clearly I am not crystalline.
I am glosstone, thy foster child. I'll hie me straight
and bring my royal sister to THEE. But she would
not let me loose, and for all answer showered more
kisses on me till I was well nigh smothered, so
tight she held me pressed against her bosom, while around
(06:39):
and o'er me, her long thick tresses fell like a
woven mantle. And then she told me all all that
I have told THEE little Marin, and charged me never
to impart it unto any soul in Goggleland. And I
made a solemn promise unto her that I never would,
And thou hast kept thy word like a true princess,
(07:00):
as thou art said I cheerily, for I am not
of thy world, Fair Cristellina. Now that I have told
these a sad tale of the sorrowing princess with a
speck in her heart, little Perrin, murmured Cristelina, fixing her
large and radiant eyes upon me. There is but one
thing more for me to do, and it is to
let thee look through me, so that thou mayest know
(07:22):
exactly what counsel to give. And so saying, the fair
princess rose from her seat, and, having placed herself in
front of me, with a flood of white light falling
full upon her back, she lowered her black fan and
bade me gaze upon the heavy heart which she had
carried about with her all those years, and tell her
exactly how large the speck was, and where it lay,
(07:45):
and what color it was. I was overjoyed to get
an opportunity at last to look through one of the
Micaminky's and my own heart bounded with satisfaction as I
looked and looked upon that mysterious little thing, nay, rather
a tiny bean, live breathing, palpitating within her breast, now
slow and measured as she dwelt in thought upon her
(08:06):
sad fate, now beating faster and faster, as the hope
bubbled up in her mind, that possibly I might be
able to counsel her so wisely that an end would
come to all her sorrow. Well, wise, little Baron, she murmured, anxiously,
what seest thou? Is it very large? In what part
is it? Is it black as night? Or some color
(08:27):
less fatal Take courage, fair, Princess, said I, it is
very small, and lies just beneath the bow on the
left side. Nor is it black but reddish? Rather, And
if a single drop of blood from the veins of
thy far distant ancestors had outlived them these thousands of
years and hardened there to tell whence thy people came,
(08:47):
the princess wept tears of joy upon hearing these comforting words.
If it had been black, she whispered, I would have
laid me down in this bed of violets and never
risen more. Till my people had come to bear me
to my grave in the silent burial chamber, unvisited by
the river of light. At this sad outbreak, Bulgar whined
(09:08):
piteously and licked the Princess's hands as he looked up
at her with his dark eyes radiant with sympathy. She
was greatly cheered by this message of comfort, and it
moved me too by its heartiness. List fair Princess, said
I gravely, I own the task is not a little one,
but hope for the best. I would that we had
more time, But as thou knowest, Queen Galaxi's heart will
(09:31):
soon run down. Therefore must we act with despatch as
well as wisdom. But first of all, must I speak
with the Queen and gain her consent to act for
THEE in this matter that I fear she will never grant,
moaned Cristelina. However, thou art so much wiser than I do,
as best seems to THEE. The next thing to be done,
(09:51):
fair Princess, I added, solemnly, is to show thy heart
boldly and fearlessly to thy people. Nay, little baron, she exclaimed,
rising to your feet, that may not be, that may
not be for know that our law doth make it
trees in itself for one of our people to look
through a person of royal blood. Oh no, oh, no,
little baron, that may never be. Stay, sweet Princess, I
(10:15):
urged in gentlest tones. Not so fast thou dost not
know what I mean by showing the heart boldly to
thy people. Never fear, I will not break the law
of the land. And yet they shall look upon the
speck within thy heart and see how small it is,
and hear what I have to say about it, and
thou shalt not even be visible to them, Oh, little baron,
(10:36):
murmured Cristelina. If this may only be, I feel they
will forgive me. Thou art so wise, and thy words
carry such strong hope to my poor heavy heart, that
I almost nay, Fair Princess, I interrupted hope for the best.
No more. I am not wise enough to read the future,
and from what I know of thy people they seem
(10:58):
but little different from mine own. Perchance I may be
able to sway them towards by views and make them
cry long Live Princess Cristallina. But I can only promise
THEE to do my best. Betake THEE now to the palace,
and scorn not for yet a day or so to
take up the golden comb and play the damosel glowstone
(11:18):
in all humility. End of Chapter twelve.
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