Il Razzo Straordinario

Il figlio del Re stava per sposarsi, perciò vi furono festeggiamenti generali. Aveva atteso la sua sposa per un anno intero e finalmente lei era arrivata. Era una principessa russa, e aveva viaggiato fin dalla Finlandia su una slitta trainata da sei renne.

The King’s son was going to be married, so there were general rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last she had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all the way from Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer.

La slitta aveva la forma di un grande cigno d’oro, e tra le ali del cigno giaceva la piccola Principessa stessa.

The sledge was shaped like a great golden swan, and between the swan’s wings lay the little Princess herself.

Il suo lungo mantello di ermellino le arrivava fino ai piedi, sul capo portava una minuscola cuffia di tessuto d’argento, ed era pallida come il Palazzo di Neve in cui aveva sempre vissuto. Era così pallida che, mentre attraversava le strade, tutta la gente si meravigliava.

Her long ermine-cloak reached right down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace in which she had always lived. So pale was she that as she drove through the streets all the people wondered.

“È come una rosa bianca!” gridavano, e le gettavano fiori dai balconi.

“She is like a white rose!” they cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies.

Al cancello del Castello il Principe attendeva di riceverla. Aveva occhi color violetto sognanti e i capelli come oro fino. Quando la vide, si inginocchiò su un ginocchio e le baciò la mano.

At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand.

“Il tuo ritratto era bellissimo,” mormorò, “ma tu sei più bella del tuo ritratto”; e la piccola Principessa arrossì.

“Your picture was beautiful,” he murmured, “but you are more beautiful than your picture”; and the little Princess blushed.

“Prima era come una rosa bianca,” disse un giovane Paggio al suo vicino, “ma ora è come una rosa rossa”; e l’intera Corte ne fu deliziata.

“She was like a white rose before,” said a young Page to his neighbour, “but she is like a red rose now”; and the whole Court was delighted.

Per i tre giorni successivi tutti andavano in giro dicendo: “Rosa bianca, rosa rossa, rosa rossa, rosa bianca”; e il Re diede ordine che lo stipendio del Paggio venisse raddoppiato.

For the next three days everybody went about saying, “White rose, Red rose, Red rose, White rose”; and the King gave orders that the Page’s salary was to be doubled.

Poiché non riceveva alcuno stipendio, la cosa non gli fu di grande utilità, ma fu considerata un grande onore e debitamente pubblicata sulla Gazzetta di Corte.

As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette.

Terminati i tre giorni, il matrimonio fu celebrato. Fu una cerimonia magnifica, e la sposa e lo sposo camminarono mano nella mano sotto un baldacchino di velluto porpora ricamato con piccole perle.

When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls.

Poi ci fu un Banchetto di Stato, che durò cinque ore. Il Principe e la Principessa sedevano a capo della Sala Grande e bevevano da una coppa di cristallo limpido.

Then there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five hours. The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal.

Solo i veri innamorati potevano bere da questa coppa, poiché se labbra false la toccavano, essa diventava grigia, opaca e torbida.

Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy.

“È del tutto chiaro che si amano,” disse il piccolo Paggio, “chiaro come il cristallo!” e il Re raddoppiò il suo stipendio una seconda volta. “Che onore!” gridarono tutti i cortigiani.

“It’s quite clear that they love each other,” said the little Page, “as clear as crystal!” and the King doubled his salary a second time. “What an honour!” cried all the courtiers.

Dopo il banchetto doveva esserci un Ballo. La sposa e lo sposo dovevano danzare insieme la danza della Rosa, e il Re aveva promesso di suonare il flauto. Suonava molto male, ma nessuno aveva mai osato dirglielo, perché era il Re.

After the banquet there was to be a Ball. The bride and bridegroom were to dance the Rose-dance together, and the King had promised to play the flute. He played very badly, but no one had ever dared to tell him so, because he was the King.