`` At this dreadful sight I drew my sword and rushed at Ragotte , and should certainly have cut off her head had she not by her magic arts chained me to the spot on which I stood ; all my efforts to move were useless , and at last , when I threw myself down on the ground in despair , she said to me , with a scornful smile : '' ' I intend to make you feel my power . It seems that you are a lion at present , I mean you to be a sheep . ' `` So saying , she touched me with her wand , and I became what you see . I did not lose the power of speech , or of feeling the misery of my present state . '' ` For five years , ' she said , ` you shall be a sheep , and lord of this pleasant land , while I , no longer able to see your face , which I loved so much , shall be better able to hate you as you deserve to be hated . ' `` She disappeared as she finished speaking , and if I had not been too unhappy to care about anything I should have been glad that she was gone . `` The talking sheep received me as their king , and told me that they , too , were unfortunate princes who had , in different ways , offended the revengeful fairy , and had been added to her flock for a certain number of years ; some more , some less . From time to time , indeed , one regains his own proper form and goes back again to his place in the upper world ; but the other beings whom you saw are the rivals or the enemies of Ragotte , whom she has imprisoned for a hundred years or so ; though even they will go back at last . The young slave of whom I told you about is one of these ; I have seen her often , and it has been a great pleasure to me . She never speaks to me , and if I were nearer to her I know I should find her only a shadow , which would be very annoying . However , I noticed that one of my companions in misfortune was also very attentive to this little sprite , and I found out that he had been her lover , whom the cruel Ragotte had taken away from her long before ; since then I have cared for , and thought of , nothing but how I might regain my freedom . I have often been in the forest ; that is where I have seen you , lovely Princess , sometimes driving your chariot , which you did with all the grace and skill in the world ; sometimes riding to the chase on so spirited a horse that it seemed as if no one but yourself could have managed it , and sometimes running races on the plain with the Princesses of your Court -- running so lightly that it was you always who won the prize . Oh ! Princess , I have loved you so long , and yet how dare I tell you of my love ! what hope can there be for an unhappy sheep like myself ? '' Miranda was so surprised and confused by all that she had heard that she hardly knew what answer to give to the King of the Sheep , but she managed to make some kind of little speech , which certainly did not forbid him to hope , and said that she should not be afraid of the shadows now she knew that they would some day come to life again . `` Alas ! '' she continued , `` if my poor Patypata , my dear Grabugeon , and pretty little Tintin , who all died for my sake , were equally well off , I should have nothing left to wish for here ! '' Prisoner though he was , the King of the Sheep had still some powers and privileges . `` Go , '' said he to his Master of the Horse , `` go and seek the shadows of the little black girl , the monkey , and the dog : they will amuse our Princess . ''
And an instant afterward Miranda saw them coming toward her , and their presence gave her the greatest pleasure , though they did not come near enough XXXXX her to touch them .
as at before by for in like off on with