Chapter Two
Buzzby was all in. He'd kept up a swift, almost frantic pace for hours, rather ignoring Thumbelina's occasional words of encouragement – he didn't need encouragement to pursue his master. But it was all over now.
Thumbelina sat up when she realized that the high-pitched hum of Buzzby's wings had turned into a lower-pitched drone as the bumblebee slowed, then began to descend. She'd been staring at the empty horizon so long that her eyes smarted from the wind and she pressed her fingertips to her eyelids as she allowed herself to accept the truth. Cornelius was gone.
Thumbelina had changed much over the past several months. Before she had met Cornelius she had always lived her life in one place, carefully watched over by her human adoptive mother and many loyal animal friends. She was so well looked-after that when she had suddenly found herself outside her sphere of knowledge, out of sight of her familiar surroundings, she had easily – much too easily - given in to despair. But when she had nearly allowed that despair to swallow her up, she had found within herself one last shred of inner fortitude and clung to it with a tenacity she had never known she had. Since that time, she had found that her courage had grown. It came easily to her now, and the Fairies often remarked to one another how much strength of character their lovely new Princess had.
But how strong could she be now? Thumbelina opened her eyes again to the darkening sky, her vision blurred. Cornelius and all her people were gone.
Buzzby landed on a broad leaf, his wings drooped at an unnatural angle. Thumbelina dismounted at once and, kneeling before the bee, put her hands on either side of his long face. "I'm sorry boy," she consoled him. And she was sorry. She remained there for a few moments, stroking Buzzby's head. The bee, usually so energetic, lay still, closing his shiny black eyes.
Thumbelina looked up at the twilit sky again, and searched for a last reserve of hope. I've lost Cornelius before, she reasoned to herself. Thought he was dead. But he wasn't. He came back to me. Or rather...She pondered. I met him. At the Vale of the Fairies. We could meet again. But where?
Thumbelina had a vision of Cornelius being carried off by that sinister-looking Faerie-Kin. A Kobold. They were Kobolds. King Colbert had shown her one in a painting. It was a painting of many different Fey, all gamboling together. The King explained that once they had all lived together in peace. But that was long ago. The Kobolds were now of the Dark Fey, and they despised Fairies. What would they do with her people? If they were taking the Fairies somewhere, wouldn't it be to their own land? Quite possibly not, but it was the only lead she had.
"I have to find the home of the Kobolds," she whispered to Buzzby, who gave no indication that he'd heard her.
Thumbelina stood up and looked around. The tree she was in stood alone in a field, and she thought she could hear a stream nearby. She could hear something else, though, and it sounded jarringly familiar. She fluttered to a higher leaf and listened. Someone was singing:
À la claire fontaine
M'en allant promener
J'ai
trouvé l'eau si belle
Que je m'y suis baigne
Il y a
longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai!
Thumbelina's heart lightened. "Jacquimo!" she declared, and flying off of the leaf she headed for a low branch, her wings trailing silver. She found her friend swaying to and fro, fussily adjusting the red feather in his gaudy hat.
"Jacquimo!" she said again as she lit, and the swallow looked round.
"Bonjour, Thumbelina!" the bird greeted her heartily, sweeping his hat in a wide arc and plopping it back onto his sleek head. "Out on an evening flight, oui?"
"No." Thumbelina fidgeted with her dress and shook her head. "No...Oh...Jacquimo..."
Jacquimo was at her side in an instant. "What is it, chere?" he demanded, suddenly serious. "Something has happened?"
Thumbelina nodded, but she resisted the impulse to cover her face with her hands and cry into the swallow's harlequin vest. She instead looked Jacquimo in the eye. "All the Fairies have been kidnapped," she said bravely.
This left Jacquimo speechless for a moment, allowing Thumbelina to continue. "I need to find the Mountain of the Kobolds. Jacquimo, you found the Vale of the Fairies for me. Will you help me again?"
The swallow shook himself hard, making every feather stand on end for a moment before smoothing down again. "Yes, oui, yes, of course, of course I will help you!" He was fairly indignant that such a thing could even happen in the first place. "These Kobolds," the bird continued, looking at Thumbelina expectantly, "you say they steal every Fairy but you?"
Thumbelina kept her voice steady. "Yes, even Cornelius," she replied, and Jacquimo looked very grave.
"Tres bien," he said slowly. "I find this place, this Mountain. I start tonight."
"I'll come with you."
Jacquimo bowed, this time apologetically. "No, Thumbelina," he said gently. "There is no sense in me dragging you all about. Besides, I think I fly faster alone, oui?" Thumbelina nodded in understanding. "But, I take you first, to your dear Mother's house, how about that?"
Thumbelina nodded again, gratefully. "Yes," she said. "Yes, I would like that." She stepped forward, and paused, thinking of Buzzby; but she knew full well that the bumblebee could fare for himself. She climbed on Jacquimo's back and they were off, flying high across the fields.
Of course Jacquimo knew the way, and they were at the house in less than an hour. He lit on the sill of an open window and hopped inside. Thumbelina climbed down onto the bureau, surprising her Mother who was standing before it, combing her grey hair.
"Thumbelina!" exclaimed Mother delightedly, setting down the brush. "And dear Jacquimo! What a surprise."
Jacquimo gave a great sweeping bow. "Bon soir, Madame," he greeted her, "but, forgive me, I cannot stay. Farewell." And he vanished out the window and into the dark night.
"Well, Thumbelina, would you like some tea?" Mother put out her hand and Thumbelina climbed into it, like she used to do before she had wings and how she continued to do, because it was just comforting to her - like Mother was, and the old farmhouse. They bustled to the kitchen and Mother put on a kettle.
Thumbelina, on the breakfast table, settled herself on the cushion which was still kept there for her and waited for the tea to be done, rehearsing in her mind how she would tell her dear Mother what had happened without making her too upset.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
"What you stop for now?"
Cor rested on a branch, glancing back at the cobweb holding the tear in his wing closed. He bristled at Grundel's sharp question, repeated now about ten times as Cor had been forced to land frequently to check his bandage. "I told you, I was injured!" he shouted, feeling his patience snap. "Saving you, if you recall."
Grundel landed heavily on a nearby branch, causing it to shudder and give up half its leaves. Despite his bout with the stork the sturdy toad had kept up easily, hopping through the trees, as Cornelius had set a rather slow pace. "What good go slowly?" Grundel grunted, pausing to snap a gnat out of the air with his tongue and gulping it loudly. "I hop fast, fast - faster than you fly."
"Well maybe I should hop and you can try flying." Cor grinned a little despite himself as he had a mental image of shoving the hateful toad off of the branch. "I could give you your first lesson right now."
The threat sailed right over Grundel's head. "Flying no good," he announced as if it were a monumental declaration. "I hop fast. I pig you on back. We no waste more time."
At this Cor recoiled. "Ride on your back?" he sneered. "Forget it! I wouldn't – "
Grundel abruptly sprang onto Cor's branch, which was rather thin, causing the Prince to flail wildly to keep from tumbling off. The toad suddenly seized him, pinning both arms to his sides.
"You no want my help?" The toad's tone was low and dangerous. They were nose to nose, and Cor tried futilely to draw his sword – this of course was impossible. "You save life, I help you," Grundel went on, his voice rising, and Cor began to feel truly afraid. "You think toad no got honor – I think Fairy Prince no got honor!" He squeezed, and Cor gasped. "Too good take help from common toad?"
But before Cornelius could argue Grundel released the Prince in surprise as something yellow, round, and yelling dropped from above to attach itself to the toad's face. Stunned, Cor could only watch in bewilderment as the toad staggered backwards off of the branch and tumbled noisily to the forest floor, grappling with the thing on his head.
"Prince Cornelius, are you okay?"
Cor looked round and found himself looking into the wide, concerned eyes of a small insect child wearing a buttercup as a bonnet. "That big toad was going to eat you, I saw him!" she went on. "Daddy was so brave to jump on him, wasn't he?"
The Prince kneeled before the tiny Jitterbug. "Buttercup," he said, "I appreciate your intervention, but I'm not sure that – oh no," he interrupted himself, looking down at the scene below.
Numerous Jitterbugs had joined Buttercup's father, Bramble, and now Grundel was surrounded by a teeming swarm, all of them darting in and out to deliver sharp kicks and punches to the surprised toad. A few hovered overhead, throwing berries and small stones. None of this was helping Grundel's mood any, as he was bellowing with rage and snapping his tongue ineffectively in all directions trying to nab the bugs, all of whom were luckily dodging.
"No, Prince Cornelius!" warned Buttercup, clinging to the Fairy's elbow as Cor prepared to jump off the branch. "They'll chase him away. Let's wait up here."
"But I don't want them to chase him away." Cor ignored Buttercup's look of confusion as he fluttered to the ground, the tiny Jitterbug still clinging to his arm. "Stop, stop, everyone!" he shouted, struggling to reach Grundel's side.
His voice startled the Jitterbugs, making them pause and look about in wonder. This gave Grundel opportunity to snatch a nearby bug in one great webbed hand – it was none other than Gnatty, Buttercup's tiny brother, who had bravely joined the battle despite warnings from the older bugs. Gnatty looked into the livid eyes of the toad and screamed.
Cor plunged forward, Buttercup dropping to the ground, and he seized Grundel's arm. "Let him go," Cornelius ordered the amphibian firmly, "Now." His eyes met the toad's, and both stood still, once again locked in a staring contest.
All the Jitterbugs froze, watching tensely, waiting to see what would happen. Nobody dared breathe. Surely the foul-tempered beast would kill both Gnatty and the Prince with one swipe?
But the air rang with gasps of amazement as Grundel instead obediently released Gnatty, who buzzed to the ground and ran to his mother, Briar. The toad continued to stare at Cor, but now with an air of expectance. It was the Fairy who dropped his gaze first.
"Forgive me," said the Prince.
The Jitterbugs began to murmur among themselves in astonishment. One stepped forward. "Your Highness?" he prompted respectfully. It was Bramble. "What's goin' on?"
Cor took a breath. "I am apologizing to my companion," he said steadily, looking at Bramble. "I have offended him and he was right to be angry with me." As the Jitterbugs looked around at each other in some confusion, Cor turned back to Grundel, drawing himself up straight to look the toad in the eye. Grundel was watching him with arms folded. "I have been arrogant," the Fairy went on. "We are equals, and I do want your help. And...I believe I have been wasting time. You were right to be impatient." He waited, unsure if Grundel would disapprove of such a long speech.
But this time the toad merely nodded. "Bueno," he said, clearly placated, and Cor, who hadn't realized he had been holding his breath, let it out in a soft whoosh.
Bramble coughed. "We apologize as well," he spoke up, addressing Grundel, though clearly afraid to look the hulking amphibian in the face. "We...well, we did think...I mean, after all..."
"We thought you were gonna eat him!" piped up Gnatty loudly.
"Gnatty!" gasped Briar.
But Grundel seemed not to hear. "Is getting dark," he pointed out. "Is soon owls come. No good stay out in open."
Cor nodded. "Right again," he said. "We'll find shelter for the night and tomorrow find someone who knows about the Kobolds."
"Your Highness," said Briar, "has something happened?"
"Yes." Cornelius turned to her. "A great tragedy, I'm afraid."
Buttercup gasped. "Not...Thumbelina...?" She glanced involuntarily at Grundel, who had suddenly, it seemed, become terribly bored with his surroundings.
"No, she got away."
"From what?" prompted Bramble.
"The Kobolds," replied Cor gravely. "The Kobolds have stolen away my people. Only Thumbelina and I escaped."
This statement of course resulted in gasps of dismay all around. "But where is Thumbelina?" asked Gnatty.
"I don't know," admitted Cornelius. "But...she's got Buzzby with her. Maybe she went to her mother's house."
"You could meet her there!" suggested Buttercup, but she frowned when Cor shook his head.
"No," he said sadly. "Her house lies in the wrong direction. My people come first. Thumbelina will have to wait." Suddenly, he brightened. "Thistle," he said, turning to a tall, thin Jitterbug. "Can you find Thumbelina for me, tell her that I've gone to look for the mountain where the Kobolds dwell, and that..." He faltered. "...And that, I'll see her soon?" He hoped that wouldn't be an untruth.
Thistle saluted smartly. "Yes, Your Highness! Right away!" And he zipped off, right then and there.
"And Briar, can you show us to a safe place to pass the night?"
"Of course," replied Briar, casting an uneasy glance at Grundel, who still stood behind the Prince silently, once again beginning to show signs of impatience. She mentally went over nearby hollow logs and stumps, trying to pick out a suitable one. In a moment she nodded. "This way, then."
Ushering her children along before her, Briar led Cor and Grundel through the trees as the light faded. The rest of the Jitterbugs made a pretense of wandering away, but nearly every one of them ended up doubling back and trailing after the group furtively. Not one of them trusted that big toad to not harm their beloved Thumbelina's handsome Prince, and they would take it in turns to keep watch during the night in case something happened.
When they at last reached the large, rotted log, Grundel thumped it with one fist as if to test the solidarity of its structure. When nothing crumbled he grunted in satisfaction and scrambled on top of the log rather than inside without saying anything to anybody, and headed to the other end to help himself to an overhanging branch of wild raspberries.
Briar drew the Prince close to her, and the children leaned in automatically to listen. "You don't really trust that great brute, do you?" she whispered urgently. "After all he's done? Why, he could gobble you up in your sleep! He could snap you like a twig! He could - "
Cor spoke up before she could tic off any other unpleasant ways to die at the hands of a toad (the children's eyes had gotten very round). "He may be a brute," he said, "and his temper may be vile, but I'll need all the help I can get when I reach the Mountain of the Kobolds if I want to free my people."
"But surely one toad won't be enough! You'll need...you'll need an army, won't you?"
"Yes," replied Cor, nodding. "I shall. But first I must find the Kobolds, and that will be no easy task. My father told me their Mountain lies far, far from here, beside a mighty river."
Briar shook her head. "But there are no rivers near here," she said. "Streams and rivulets, yes – but they go every which way. One might lead to the right river – but how will you know which one?"
"I have hope that someone, somewhere, will be able to tell me that."
The conviction in Cor's voice encouraged the Jitterbugs, and Briar inclined her head. "Then it must be so," she said. "Sleep well, Your Highness, and good luck."
"Thank you."
"Good night!" shouted Buttercup and Gnatty in chorus as Cornelius strode into the musty log.
Cor settled down on a patch of moss beneath a hole, and gazed up at the few stars not concealed by the forest canopy. He wanted to sleep, he knew he needed all the rest he could get before returning to his quest in the morning; but too much had happened today to let him shut down his mind and drift off. The mass kidnapping of the Fairies was the most catastrophic thing to happen to his people since the great Pestie Invasion of his great-great-great grandfather's time, when the Fairies had managed to drive off a horde of the puny but determined Dark Fey after suffering heavy losses. Well, to be fair, this was really much worse. Cornelius groaned and closed his eyes. Couldn't this have happened when someone else was in charge? He cringed at the un-Princely thought and rubbed the bridge of his nose, imagining what King Colbert would say if he knew what his son was thinking at this moment: that he wished he could go back and find Thumbelina and just hide away somewhere with her, to at least live out his years with the woman he loved...
But even as he tried to beat that cowardly thought from his head he remembered Thumbelina's angry face that afternoon, how she had raised her voice and thrown his gift back at him in a fury. Cor's hand trailed over and inside his pocket, and he drew out the offending diamond necklace. What was wrong with it? He held it in the starlight. It was a lovely, tastefully cut stone, which glittered enticingly. Sure, it was as big as both his fists together, but she was a Princess, for crying out loud! Her people expected her to look grand! He turned the diamond over and over in his hands as it glinted in the faint light.
The light suddenly vanished as something blocked the hole over Cor's head. "What you got there?" demanded a gruff voice, and Cornelius looked up sharply at a looming green face.
"It's Thumbelina's," he retorted defensively, holding it near the floor with one hand to try and place it as far from the toad as possible. But to his horror there was a pink flash and the necklace vanished in a spray of slime, Grundel disappearing from view a split-second later. Cor shot up through the hole as the toad spat the necklace out into his hand to look at it with interest.
"Give that back!" the Prince shouted furiously, making a grab for the diamond. Grundel jerked it away just in time, and Cor flitted about angrily to the toad's other side. "That belongs to Thumbelina!"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Grundel's wide mouth. "Then why you got it, eh?" he asked, finding this new game rather amusing. Cor made another grab and the toad hopped backward nimbly.
"That's none of your business, Toad!"
"Oho!" grinned Grundel, leaping to the other end of the log as Cor made another grab. "Was gift, yes? She no like, yes?" He waved the necklace enticingly, hoping to goad Cor into snatching at it again; but Cor had paused mid-dive to stare at Grundel in some surprise; the toad had fallen on the right track very quickly.
"What did you say?"
Somewhat disappointed that the game had ended so soon, Grundel sat back and swung the necklace from one hand. He made a show of rubbing his chin and rolling his eyes as if deep in thought. "She say, let me think...She say, is too big, yes? And then," he went on with relish as Cor dropped to the log, too stunned to stay in the air, "she...throw it at you!" And he threw the necklace straight into Cor's chest, the Fairy only just managing to grab the chain before the jewel could fall and tumble off the log.
"How..." Cor floundered, aghast, as the toad began chuckling with real amusement. "How did you know that?"
Grundel grinned, putting his hands on his knees. "Is women," he replied, closing his eyes and nodding sagely. "Is all alike. I travel, all over world, and everywhere women is the same. You listen, I know, all woman this way."
Cornelius was frankly floored. He could not have possibly expected, of all the people in the world, this vile toad to be an expert in lover's spats. If he was so familiar with women, shouldn't he have known Thumbelina wouldn't appreciate being kidnapped and forced to marry someone she'd never met? Cor stood, staring down at the diamond for a moment, then slowly put it back in his pocket. He walked towards Grundel, who watched him silently but with lingering amusement, and sat near him. Eventually Cor spoke.
"Why didn't she like it?"
Grundel put on a long-suffering look. "I say I know how woman is. I not say, I know why."
Cornelius grunted and leaned back on his hands. "If you did, you'd be the most famous person in the world."
The toad laughed, and Cornelius smiled faintly.
"So, Thumbelina have fiery temper, eh?"
Cor looked sharply at Grundel and his smile vanished as he suddenly remembered that this was very the toad who had coveted his beloved to the extreme of trying to kill him to win her. It didn't seem proper to say anything about what kind of wife Thumbelina turned out to be. But it wouldn't do to irritate the toad, now that he'd gotten in a pleasant mood for once.
So Cor tactfully changed the subject. "You're the one with a fiery temper," he said slyly, raising an eyebrow at his companion.
"Ees nada," replied the toad lightly, completely un-offended. "I no temper. Look how I get along with Fairy Prince, yes?"
Cornelius raised the other eyebrow. "Is that an insult?" he smiled.
"Por supuesto no." Grundel continued to grin. "Is no insult. I only wonder, after you try kill me."
Cornelius's spine went rigid. "You tried to kill me too," he pointed out. "I was starting to get the impression you had forgotten what happened last winter."
"I no forget. I hear Thumbelina marry Fairy Prince. At first I no like, but then I glad."
"You...were?" Cor was mystified. "Why?"
Grundel shrugged. "You Prince," he said, waving one hand airily. "I am a toad."
Cor frowned. "Hey now," he said sternly. "I thought we agreed that we're equals." And after that fuss he made! he thought.
"Yes," replied the toad, nodding. "But...she is Princess now. She marry me, she have hard time. Life on road, is hard, is hard work. She get grey hair, get little wrinkles around eyes, think she fat. She be like Mama: dye hair strange color she no born with, wear makeup like plaster, and always on diet that never end. Is not good life."
Cornelius was silent for a minute after taking this all in. He watched the trees sway overhead. "You do love her, then," he said quietly. "You must, to be glad she's not yours."
Grundel sobered and peered round at the Prince. "I no love Thumbelina," he said simply. Cor looked at him.
"It sounds like you do," he said gently.
"No." The toad turned to look stubbornly at the stars. "Is mistake. Mama says, is my trouble. I...apasionado...Too much feeling." He hesitated searchingly. "I no know word," he admitted at length.
"Passionate," guessed Cornelius. "Well, you are, that." Grundel grunted in acceptance. "But you surely have no trouble meeting women?" Cornelius went on impishly, feeling bolder. "I mean, Thumbelina told me about your family and how you travel everywhere entertaining people. She said you seemed very successful."
Grundel blinked rapidly a couple of times when Cor brought up his family but he shook his head. "Is no trouble toad meet woman," he said with forced energy, waving an arm. "Is toad women everywhere. In pond, in stream, in swamp. Everywhere. Have only to sing."
"What do you mean, 'sing'?"
"Toad have many song," Grundel explained. "Song for find food, song for help, song for meet women."
"Do you mean croaking?"
"Is not croaking!" The toad bristled. "Is song!"
"Really?" Cornelius tried to sound especially interested so Grundel would not get too angry. "And this...singing, it brings the lady toads in droves, does it?"
Grundel allowed himself a self-satisfied smirk. "Usually."
"Show me."
The toad blinked. "There no lady toads in forest," he argued, flustered but trying to sound offended. Cornelius didn't fall for it, though.
"It doesn't matter," Cor assured him. "It's only a demonstration." He smiled encouragingly when Grundel gave him an incredulous look. "Oh come on, next time I'm in a swamp I'd like to know if I'm overhearing the Dating Network. Just do it once," he pleaded as Grundel continued to hesitate.
The toad threw Cor a defeated look. "Onstage I get many request, but this is the strangest, I think," he muttered. "All right, I do, because you save life – But once only." He suddenly leapt over Cor's head to the far end of the log and squatted there a moment, his throat pulsing.
Cor watched in rapt fascination.
Suddenly Grundel raised his head and let loose with the loudest, deepest croak Cornelius had ever heard; it rumbled through the forest and startled the watching Jitterbugs above. Their frightened jumps dislodged several leaves, making it appear as if the mighty croak had been a solid thing that had swept along through the branches knocking things down. The sound seemed to linger about them for a moment before fading off into the distance; this was followed by a hollow silence, as if the very forest were appalled that such a thing could have ever occurred within its boundaries.
"Very romantic," grinned Cor.
Grundel turned to him, looking smug. "Is good, yes," he stated rather than asked.
"Maybe you can teach it to me so I can do it the next time I see Thumbelina," added Cor, suddenly feeling a little glum. "And if I'm lucky she won't throw anything at me," he added in an undertone.
Grundel chuckled again. "I do not think it would work," he remarked.
Cor smiled wanly and shook his head. "You're probably right - I think if I made that noise my mother would confine me to bed for a month." Grundel laughed aloud but Cornelius felt suddenly depressed, and he sighed morosely.
"You thinking she never forgive you. You thinking, she mad forever."
Cor sighed a second time. The toad was good. "You didn't see her face," he muttered, clasping his hands across his knees and resting his forehead on them.
Grundel rolled his eyes heavenward. "Is that what bother you? Look," he said, giving a small hop and landing with a hollow thump at Cor's side, "you think right now, Thumbelina sitting somewhere looking at the stars and thinking, 'That Fairy Prince, he nothing but idiota grande, I should have married handsome toad'?"
Cor spluttered with laughter and hastily caught himself. "Sorry I – uh, no. I mean, no offense – "
"Ees nada," the toad assured him with another easy wave. "She no think that. She thinking...She thinking of last time she was with her Fairy Prince and he say – " here Grundel stood up tall and put both hands over his heart as he gazed dramatically down at an imaginary Thumbelina – "'I love you, Thumbelina. I so glad you no marry that rich good-looking toad. Here is a teensy-weensy little diamond – '"
Cornelius wheezed with laughter. "All right," he exclaimed at length, wiping his eyes with the back of one hand as Grundel grinned down at him, "I get it." He chuckled for a moment more before turning a solemn eye on the toad, who had wandered off to the overhanging raspberry branch. "You know, you're pretty smart," he said with feeling. "I take back everything I've ever said or thought about you." He paused. "I'd still like to learn that Lady Call, though."
"Pfaw," grunted Grundel, tugging off a berry as big as a Fairy's head and watching the branch bounce upward. "You want impress Thumbelina, you use words."
"You mean...tell her how beautiful she is? Tell her...how wonderful...how kind – "
Grundel tossed the berry at the Prince, who caught it and took a bite, suddenly realizing how hungry he was. "Is no good just say," the toad admonished. "Is just talk."
Chewing, Cor pondered. He swallowed. "You mean, don't just croak when I can sing?"
Grundel nodded empathetically. "Sing, si, sing!" he exclaimed, holding one arm aloft dramatically. "Sing what you feel, and others feel it too." And, swept up in the moment, he burst into song.
The Royal Court of the Fairies has its own opera, and they are exceptionally talented – possibly more so by human standards, as Fairies as individuals more often have fine singing voices than humans and so those Fairies that sing professionally have honed their skills to a flawless edge. The voice of the toad Grundel, ringed with emotion, struck Cor in an instant as being possibly one of the best he had ever heard:
La mia letizia infondere
vorrei nel suo bel core!
Vorrei
destar co' palpiti
del mio beato amore
tante armonie
nell'etere
quanti pianete egli ha:
ah! ir seco al cielo, ed
ergermi
dove mortal non va!
Most Fairies don't travel far by human standards (being so much smaller), and therefore are almost never multi-lingual. Cornelius didn't understand the Italian words of the opera, but they spoke to him nonetheless; of one who longs to tell another how he feels.
Around and above the pair, forest animals stirred from their sleep for the second time and listened, surprised but somewhat pleased to overhear this performance (especially after that awful noise from before); and the Jitterbugs on watch, being sensitive creatures, sighed and closed their eyes and listened harder than anyone.
When Grundel finished grandly, Cor gazed in silence for a moment and then leapt to his feet, dropping the forgotten berry.
"Spectacular!" he gasped, applauding belatedly. "You have a marvelous voice!"
"Ees nada," replied the toad modestly, though he gave a short bow.
"I don't think I've ever heard better," insisted Cor, stepping forward. "You must...you simply must play the Palace!" Again, mention of going back to normal life among his people made him hesitate, but he went on bravely, "My mother would adore it." And indeed, Queen Tabitha was an immense fan of the Royal Opera. "Certainly you've performed for royalty before."
"Eh? Oh, no." Grundel, who had been trying to hide his growing pleasure at the unexpected praise, frowned slightly. "Mama's act is not kind you take before King."
Cor shook his head. "No, not that," he said, "I mean...you. You know...the opera. Have you considered joining a troupe? You'd have no trouble getting in. Perhaps," he went on quickly, "our own Royal Op – "
"No," said the toad so sharply that Cor was brought up short. "My Mama...she no like opera. She say it too..." He trailed off, evidently searching for words again.
But Cornelius didn't even try to guess at this one. "Has she not heard you?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Forget that flashy showboat; with a talent like that, you'd be – "
"NO," repeated Grundel, so firmly that it bordered on dangerous. Cor fell silent at once, wondering what he had said wrong. But the toad, turning away, did not give him a chance to ask. "Is late, we journey far tomorrow." And with that short speech Grundel hopped off of the log and disappeared inside.
Cornelius stood alone for a few moments, confused and a little disturbed. At last he fluttered down and lay at the opposite end of the log Grundel had taken.
