اودت

Chapter three

Odet

Zigfried left, and Odile went inside the castle. Odet, the wizard’s evil daughter, was behind a tree. When she saw Odile talking to the Prince, she was jealous; she wanted to go to the ball, and what was more, she wanted to marry the Prince. She didn’t like Odile, because she was so beautiful and kind. But the wizard loved her, so Odet couldn’t do anything to hurt her. until now!

Odet went to the wizard’s room, but he was not there. The room looked like a museum. There was an Egyptian statue against one wall, and large aquariums full of strange fish. On a table stood many different coloured bottles. Odet opened one of the bottles. Smoke came out of it. It smelled of burning wood.

The magic owl flew into the open window, unseen by Odet, and changed back into the wizard. “Do you like the smell?”

“Oh, Father! You scared me.”

“You wouldn’t be afraid if you were not in my room when I wasn’t here.”

“I know father, but I have something very important to tell you. It’s about Odile.”

The wizard opened his eyes wide. He was a tall man, with a long, white beard and long, white hair. He wore a big black hat and a long black robe with stars on it.

“Tell me what you know!”

“First, you must promise to do something for me.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you now. First, I must tell you about Odile, then I will ask for something. Will you do it?”

“Tell me, before I turn you into a frog!”

The wizard was very much in love with Odile. He would change his daughter into a frog because he wanted to know about Odile.

“Today, I saw Odile talking to Prince Zigfried. The Prince asked Odile to go to the royal ball tonight. He wants to marry her and free her from your evil powers.”

The wizard turned in a circle and pointed his hand at the floor. Fire came from his fingers and hit the floor. The whole castle shook.

“I should have destroyed the Prince today, when I saw him with Odile.”

“You saw him, too?”

“Yes, at the lake. I attacked him, but I was only an owl. Odile knew this and she left him. He must have followed her here.”

“Oh yes Father, and he is so handsome! You should see his face!”

“Silence!”

The wizard turned himself into a large, stone ball. He threw himself against the walls, making the castle shake again. Alone in her room, Odile felt the castle shaking. She hid her head under a pillow on her bed; she hated it when the wizard got angry.

The wizard changed back into himself in his room.

“Now Father, you promised you’d do something for me.”

“I never promised you anything!”

“Oh, Father. I want to go to the ball! I want to marry the prince.”

The wizard angrily raised his hand again. Then, he thought of something. Slowly, he lowered his hand.

“You would like to go to the ball, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh yes, Father!”

“And you would like to marry the prince?”

“Yes, I would.”

“Then you will, and he will think that you are Odile.”

“Oh Father, what a wonderful idea!”

She put her arms around him. His body was cold as stone, and his eyes were filled with fire.