--- title: Heart of Ice, part 3 — The Green Fairy Book · full text with trees · page 2 description: Heart of Ice, part 3, «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: ‘She certainly sings perfectly; but there is no tenderness, no heart in her voice.’ --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/16/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Green Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/) / Heart of Ice, part 3 # Heart of Ice, part 3 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/16/) **2** ‘I, Brandatimor, to Farda-Kinbras send greeting.[44](../../44/ "tree and pragmatics") If I had before this time seen the portrait of your beautiful daughter Sabella I should not have permitted all these adventurers and petty Princes to be dancing attendance and getting themselves frozen with the absurd idea of meriting her hand.[45](../../45/ "tree and pragmatics") For myself I am not afraid of any rivals, and, now I have declared my intention of marrying your daughter, no doubt they will at once withdraw their pretensions.[46](../../46/ "tree and pragmatics") My Ambassador has orders, therefore, to make arrangements for the Princess to come and be married to me without delay--for I attach no importance at all to the farrago of nonsense which you have caused to be published all over the world about this Ice Mountain.[47](../../47/ "tree and pragmatics") If the Princess really has no heart, be assured that I shall not concern myself about it, since, if anybody can help her to discover one, it is myself.[48](../../48/ "tree and pragmatics") My worthy father-in-law, farewell!’[49](../../49/ "tree and pragmatics") The reading of this letter embarrassed and displeased Farda-Kinbras and Birbantine immensely, while the Princess was furious at the insolence of the demand.[50](../../50/ "tree and pragmatics") They all three resolved that its contents must be kept a profound secret until they could decide what reply should be sent, but Mousta contrived to send word of all that had passed to Prince Mannikin.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") He was naturally alarmed and indignant, and, after thinking it over a little, he begged an audience of the Princess, and led the conversation so cunningly up to the subject that was uppermost in her thoughts, as well as his own, that she presently told him all about the matter and asked his advice as to what it would be best to do.[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") This was exactly what he had not been able to decide for himself; however, he replied that he should advise her to gain a little time by promising her answer after the grand entry of the Ambassador, and this was accordingly done.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") The Ambassador did not at all like being put off after that fashion, but he was obliged to be content, and only said very arrogantly that so soon as his equipages arrived, as he expected they would do very shortly, he would give all the people of the city, and the stranger Princes with whom it was inundated, an idea of the power and the magnificence of his master.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") Mannikin, in despair, resolved that he would for once beg the assistance of the kind Fairy Genesta.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") He often thought of her and always with gratitude, but from the moment of his setting out he had determined to seek her aid only on the greatest occasions.[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") That very night, when he had fallen asleep quite worn out with thinking over all the difficulties of the situation, he dreamed that the Fairy stood beside him, and said:[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") ‘Mannikin, you have done very well so far; continue to please me and you shall always find good friends when you need them most.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") As for this affair with the Ambassador, you can assure Sabella that she may look forward tranquilly to his triumphal entry, since it will all turn out well for her in the end.’[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince tried to throw himself at her feet to thank her, but woke to find it was all a dream; nevertheless he took fresh courage, and went next day to see the Princess, to whom he gave many mysterious assurances that all would yet be well.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") He even went so far as to ask her if she would not be very grateful to anyone who would rid her of the insolent Brandatimor.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") To which she replied that her gratitude would know no bounds.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he wanted to know what would be her best wish for the person who was lucky enough to accomplish it.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") To which she said that she would wish them to be as insensible to the folly called ‘love’ as she was herself\![64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") This was indeed a crushing speech to make to such a devoted lover as Prince Mannikin, but he concealed the pain it caused him with great courage.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") And now the Ambassador sent to say that on the very next day he would come in state to receive his answer, and from the earliest dawn the inhabitants were astir, to secure the best places for the grand sight; but the good Fairy Genesta was providing them an amount of amusement they were far from expecting, for she so enchanted the eyes of all the spectators that when the Ambassador’s gorgeous procession appeared, the splendid uniforms seemed to them miserable rags that a beggar would have been ashamed to wear, the prancing horses appeared as wretched skeletons hardly able to drag one leg after the other, while their trappings, which really sparkled with gold and jewels, looked like old sheepskins that would not have been good enough for a plough horse.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") The pages resembled the ugliest sweeps.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") The trumpets gave no more sound than whistles made of onion-stalks, or combs wrapped in paper; while the train of fifty carriages looked no better than fifty donkey carts.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") In the last of these sat the Ambassador with the haughty and scornful air which he considered becoming in the representative of so powerful a monarch: for this was the crowning point of the absurdity of the whole procession, that all who took part in it wore the expression of vanity and self-satisfaction and pride in their own appearance and all their surroundings which they believed their splendour amply justified.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") The laughter and howls of derision from the whole crowd rose ever louder and louder as the extraordinary cortege advanced, and at last reached the ears of the King as he waited in the audience hall, and before the procession reached the palace he had been informed of its nature, and, supposing that it must be intended as an insult, he ordered the gates to be closed.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") You may imagine the fury of the Ambassador when, after all his pomp and pride, the King absolutely and unaccountably refused to receive him.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") He raved wildly both against King and people, and the cortege retired in great confusion, jeered at and pelted with stones and mud by the enraged crowd.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") It is needless to say that he left the country as fast as horses could carry him, but not before he had declared war, with the most terrible menaces, threatening to devastate the country with fire and sword.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") Some days after this disastrous embassy King Bayard sent couriers to Prince Mannikin with a most friendly letter, offering his services in any difficulty, and enquiring with the deepest interest how he fared.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Mannikin at once replied, relating all that had happened since they parted, not forgetting to mention the event which had just involved Farda-Kinbras and Brandatimor in this deadly quarrel, and he ended by entreating his faithful friend to despatch a few thousands of his veteran spaniels to his assistance.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/16/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/16/) - next →: [Heart of Ice, part 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/17/) - ↑ back to [The Green Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7277/)