DOI article:
Sharp, Evelyn: The Restless River
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25498#0187
By Evelyn Sharp 183
of heaven ; and that is why no one has ever kept a secret again,
from that day to this. And the Prince walked on swiftly, until
he reached the head of the Restless River.
And there lay a great dragon, in the middle of the stream, cease-
lessly flapping his enormous wings, and making such a disturbance
in the water, that the river was forced to rush downwards in its
mad career.
“ So you are the cause of all the trouble, eh ? ” said the Prince.
“ Just come out of that, at once, will you ? ”
“ I only wish I could,” groaned the dragon, disconsolately.
“ I have been at it, for sixteen years, now ; and I shall never be
released, until the Prince comes, who can neither read nor write.
And that is never likely to happen ; for even Princes are educated,
nowadays.”
“It has already happened,” said the Prince. “ I am the Prince
who can neither read nor write, and I have got the sharpest sword
in the world ; so come out of that, and let me kill you.”
The dragon stopped flapping his wings, and looked at him,
rather pathetically.
“Isn’t it a little hard,” he said, “that I should have to be killed
for doing exactly as I wish to do ? I am only too glad to come
out of this horribly cold water, and I really don’t see why I should
be killed for it.”
“Neither do I,” observed the Prince, sheathing his sword.
“And, now I come to think of it, my godfather never told me to
kill anybody at all. It’s very unusual, for, in all the stories I ever
heard, the Prince always had to kill somebody.”
“ I’ve heard those stories, too,” said the dragon ; “ but all the
Princes in them seem to have had fairy godmothers, instead of
godfathers ; and godmothers always complicate things, if they
can.” By this time, he had waded to shore, and stood shivering
with
of heaven ; and that is why no one has ever kept a secret again,
from that day to this. And the Prince walked on swiftly, until
he reached the head of the Restless River.
And there lay a great dragon, in the middle of the stream, cease-
lessly flapping his enormous wings, and making such a disturbance
in the water, that the river was forced to rush downwards in its
mad career.
“ So you are the cause of all the trouble, eh ? ” said the Prince.
“ Just come out of that, at once, will you ? ”
“ I only wish I could,” groaned the dragon, disconsolately.
“ I have been at it, for sixteen years, now ; and I shall never be
released, until the Prince comes, who can neither read nor write.
And that is never likely to happen ; for even Princes are educated,
nowadays.”
“It has already happened,” said the Prince. “ I am the Prince
who can neither read nor write, and I have got the sharpest sword
in the world ; so come out of that, and let me kill you.”
The dragon stopped flapping his wings, and looked at him,
rather pathetically.
“Isn’t it a little hard,” he said, “that I should have to be killed
for doing exactly as I wish to do ? I am only too glad to come
out of this horribly cold water, and I really don’t see why I should
be killed for it.”
“Neither do I,” observed the Prince, sheathing his sword.
“And, now I come to think of it, my godfather never told me to
kill anybody at all. It’s very unusual, for, in all the stories I ever
heard, the Prince always had to kill somebody.”
“ I’ve heard those stories, too,” said the dragon ; “ but all the
Princes in them seem to have had fairy godmothers, instead of
godfathers ; and godmothers always complicate things, if they
can.” By this time, he had waded to shore, and stood shivering
with