And she began to make much of her guest, calling her her darling, and heart of hearts. She treated her with a collation; and Bellah found upon the table St. Corentin’s knife, which had been left there by Houarn. She took it up against the time of need, and followed the Groac’h into the garden. There the fairy showed her the grass-plots flowered with diamonds, the fountains of perfumed waters, and, above all, the fish-pond, wherein swam fishes of a thousand colours.
With these last Bellah pretended to be especially taken, so that she must needs sit down upon the edge of the pond, the better to enjoy the sight of them.
The Groac’h took advantage of her delight to ask her if she would not like to spend all her days in this lovely place. Bellah replied that she should like it of all things.
“Well, then, so you may, and from this very hour, if you are only ready at once to marry me,” proceeded the fairy.
“Very well,” replied Bellah; “but you must let me fetch up one of these beautiful fishes with the steel net that hangs at your girdle.”
The Groac’h, nothing suspecting, and taking this request for a mere boyish freak, gave her the net, saying with a smile, “Let us see, fair fisherman, what you will catch.”
“Thee, fiend!” cried Bellah, throwing the net over the Groac’h’s head. “In the name of the Saviour of men, accursed sorceress, become in body even as thou art in soul!”
The cry uttered by the Groac’h died away in a stifled murmur, for the exorcism had already taken effect; the beautiful water fay was now nothing more than the hideous queen of toadstools.
In an instant Bellah drew the net, and with all speed threw it into a well, upon which she laid a stone sealed with the sign of the cross, that it might remain closed till the tombs shall be opened at the last day.
She then hastened back to the pond; but all the fish were already out of it, coming forth to meet her, like a procession of many-coloured monks, crying in their little hoarse voices, “Behold our lord and master! who has delivered us from the net of steel and the golden frying-pan.”