While Maleficent hated to admit it, Diaval wasn't the only one who was curious about the baby. As the days turned into weeks and then into months, the curiosity ate at Maleficent. It ate at her while she wandered the Moors¹, checking on the Thorn Wall. It ate at her while she sat on her throne, listening to the buzzing of faeries complaining or gossiping. The curiosity nearly overwhelmed her when she stumbled upon a bird and her newly hatched babies, their little beaks² jabbing at the air helplessly. And when she saw three pixies that bore an uncanny resemblance to Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle in the middle of a fight that caused them to ignore their little faerie children, the curiosity got the best of her.

Before she could think twice, she found herself parting the Wall and making her way into the forest. With purposeful strides, she moved toward the cottage in the clearing. Arriving, Maleficent saw that the back door was wide open and the pixies were nowhere in sight. But Aurora³ was. The infant had grown into a beautiful toddler with soft blond curls and rosy⁵ cheeks. As Maleficent watched, Aurora backed herself down the two steps and then began to toddle⁴ about. She burbled and giggled⁶ to herself, clearly used to being alone. Something we have in common, Maleficent thought, despite herself.

Determined⁸ to get over her curiosity, Maleficent approached the baby. Leaning down, she made the scariest face she could and screamed, "Ahhhhh!"

It worked! The baby began to wail⁹ and throw her arms about. Smiling, Maleficent waited for Aurora to run away. And sure enough, the baby did run. But to her surprise, Aurora ran straight at her. Then she threw her little arms around Maleficent's legs and buried her head in the faerie's long dark robes.

"Off! Off!" Maleficent cried, pushing Aurora away as though she were a bug¹⁰. But the baby just threw herself right back on Maleficent and continued to cry piteously. Then Aurora raised her arms, silently begging to be picked up.

Maleficent glanced around. Despite the loud wails¹¹, no one seemed to be coming. And if no one was coming, that meant the baby was going to keep crying. And all that crying was giving her a terrible headache...

But no, Maleficent resolved. She would not fall for the big blue watery¹² eyes that looked up at her hopefully. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. Aurora kept crying. Before she could stop herself, Maleficent leaned down and picked up the wailing¹³ child. "Shut your mouth," she said, though her tone was softer than the words she uttered.　

Instantly, Aurora melted into Maleficent. Wrapping her pudgy arms around Maleficent's neck, she whimpered and gasped¹⁴ for a moment. As Aurora calmed down, Maleficent tried to ignore the warm feeling spreading through her body. She tried to ignore the fresh scent¹⁵ of Aurora's hair. She tried not to feel the fluttering heartbeat against her own chest and the way it made her instinctively¹⁶ want to tighten¹⁷ her grip and keep the baby safe. This was the enemy. She had to stay strong.　

Then Aurora let out an adorable babble¹⁸ and, with absolutely no fear, reached up and grabbed one of Maleficent's horns. Shocked, Maleficent pulled her head back. Aurora's bottom lip quivered a bit. Curious to see what she would do next, Maleficent slowly bent¹⁹ her head ever so slightly. Aurora's lip stopped quivering instantly and once more she let out a giggle⁷ and latched²⁰ on, completely unafraid.

It was too much for Maleficent. Quickly she put Aurora down and, without looking back, left the clearing. But as she made her way back to the Faerie Mound²¹, her mind was racing²². She couldn't deny it. Aurora was sort of, kind of, maybe just a little cute. And that she even thought that at all made Maleficent furious at herself. Because she couldn't afford to think the baby was cute or sweet or cuddly²³ or precious. No. She had cursed her to eternal sleep. So there was no point in even paying attention to Aurora. Was there?

Yet as the saying goes, the best-laid plans often go wrong, and Maleficent quickly found that she couldn't help keeping an eye on Aurora. Diaval didn't help the situation, either. Growing bolder about his attachment²⁴ to the infant, he now dragged Maleficent along with him when he went to watch Aurora—which he had to do, often. The three pixies were useless, more concerned with themselves than with the baby they had been charged to protect. They occasionally paid attention to Aurora, but for the most part, the baby fended²⁵ for herself.

One particularly beautiful afternoon, Maleficent reclined in a tree next to Diaval, who kept a raven²⁶ eye on Aurora as she played below. Nearby, the pixies had laid out a picnic. Fresh berries, bread, and cheese lay neatly²⁷ on a brightly colored towel. But Aurora wanted nothing to do with the food. She was having too much fun playing with the butterflies that were flittering around nearby.

Noticing that the pixies had all sat down and were lounging lazily in the warm sun, Maleficent smiled mischievously²⁸. She made a tiny gesture, mimicking²⁹ the movement of pulling someone's hair. On the ground below, Thistlewit let out a yelp³⁰.

The faerie immediately looked next to her, convinced that Flittle had pulled her hair. In retaliation³¹, she pulled a strand³² of Flittle's hair—hard. Soon the three pixies were in the midst of an all-out hair-tugging war. With a satisfied smile, Maleficent leaned back and tossed a nut into her mouth.

For a moment, Maleficent just sat there, reveling in the shrieks³³ and cries from the three pixies below. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Aurora chasing a butterfly. The baby's little feet pounded on the warm grass, her hands were out in front of her, and her fingers grabbed frantically³⁴. Looking ahead, Maleficent raised an eyebrow³⁵. Intent on catching³⁶ the butterfly, Aurora was oblivious³⁷ that she was heading straight toward danger.　

"The little beast is about to fall off that ledge³⁸," Maleficent said nonchalantly to Diaval.　

With a worried "awk," Diaval flew off the branch and to the pixies for help. He began to caw wildly, flying around their blanket. Unfortunately, Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle were far too absorbed in their fight even to give notice to Diaval, shooing him away absentmindedly as they continued to bicker³⁹.　

Meanwhile, Maleficent watched as Aurora continued to run headlong toward the ledge. She was only fifty feet away. Then forty. Then thirty. Maleficent glanced over her shoulder and saw that the pixies still had no clue what was going on and Diaval was still cawing madly. The coast was clear. Quickly, she made her way out of the tree and raced over to the baby. Just as Aurora's little foot took a step into nothing, Maleficent grabbed the baby and pulled her back. Seeing Maleficent's familiar face, Aurora smiled.

Maleficent quickly plopped Aurora down safely and then retreated to the tree. A moment later Diaval landed next to her. Giving up on the pixies, he had flown over to try to help Aurora but found her safe and sound. Now he glanced at Maleficent and cocked his head, a quizzical look in his eyes.

"What?" she asked innocently. So she had saved Aurora's life. What was the big deal? It certainly didn't mean she liked the brat⁴⁰ or anything.

 

尽管玛琳菲森不愿承认，但迪艾瓦并不是唯一对那个孩子感到好奇的人。日子过去了一周又一周，一月又一月，好奇心不断困扰着玛琳菲森。不论她是在摩尔森林中漫步，还是在检视荆棘墙，又或是坐在王座上听着其他精灵的抱怨和八卦，她的心都被好奇侵蚀着。当她偶然发现一只鸟儿，它刚孵出的雏鸟们正张着小嘴向着空中无助地乱啄时，好奇心几乎要将她淹没了。当她看到那三个长得与红叶、绿蕨和蓝果惊人相似的魔法仙子，身陷打斗而完全无视她们的小精灵宝宝时，好奇心占据了她的全部。

容不得思虑再三，她发现自己已经离开荆棘墙，往人类森林前行。迈着坚定的步伐，她朝着空地上的小屋走去。到了门前，她发现后门大开，而三个魔法仙子不知所踪，只留下爱洛一个人。昔日的婴儿已经成长为漂亮的孩童，有着一头柔软的金色卷发，和红扑扑的脸蛋。玛琳菲森看见她自己走下了两级台阶，摇摇晃晃地到处走着。爱洛叽里咕噜地自言自语，咯咯地傻笑着，显然是习惯了一个人待着。玛琳菲森不由地想：我们还有些共同之处。

玛琳菲森决定满足一下自己的好奇心，向着孩子走去。她弯下腰，做了个最吓人的表情，大叫道：“啊！”

这次奏效了！孩子开始号啕大哭，手臂也乱舞起来。玛琳菲森笑了，等着看爱洛吓得跑开。果真，孩子跑了起来。不过出乎她的意料，爱洛直接朝她奔来。她的小手臂抱着玛琳菲森的腿，将自己的头埋在她长长的黑袍里。

“走开！走开！”玛琳菲森边喊边推开爱洛，好像她是只臭虫一般。可爱洛还是一头扎进了玛琳菲森的怀里，可怜巴巴地哭着。接着，爱洛举起了手臂，无声地请求把她抱起来。

玛琳菲森环顾四周，发现不管爱洛哭得多大声，也没有人赶过来看看。如果没人过来照看的话，就意味着孩子要继续哭下去。而她一听哭声就头疼得要命……

不行，玛琳菲森已经下定决心。她不能对那一双水汪汪的、满是希望的蓝色大眼睛动容。她双臂交叉在胸前，摇了摇头。爱洛还是哭个不停。在她停下之前，玛琳菲森弯下腰将这个大哭的孩子抱了起来，说道：“快闭嘴吧。”她的语气比她的言辞柔和得多。

爱洛立刻就融入了玛琳菲森的怀抱里。她那又短又圆的手臂围住了玛琳菲森的脖子，又抽泣了一会儿。等爱洛安静下来，玛琳菲森试着忽略那种遍布周身的暖意，还有爱洛发间的清香。她尽量让自己不去感受胸腔中躁动的心跳，还有她想抱紧孩子、保护孩子的本能。这可是敌人啊，她得坚定一些。

爱洛发出了一声可爱的咿呀声，毫无畏惧地举起手来抓住了玛琳菲森的一只犄角。玛琳菲森吃惊地把头往后一扬，爱洛的下嘴唇颤抖起来。玛琳菲森很好奇爱洛接下来要做什么，于是她慢慢地将头又低下了一丁点儿。爱洛的嘴唇立刻就不抖了，再次咯咯地笑了起来，抓着玛琳菲森的犄角完全不知道害怕。

玛琳菲森可受不了这样，她很快就放下了爱洛，头也不回地离开了空地。在回精灵丘的路上，她思绪万千。不可否认，爱洛有几分，有点儿，可能只是有一点点可爱。可就算她只是这样想想，她也对自己生起气来。因为觉得这个孩子或乖巧或亲切或可爱或珍贵的想法都是她所承受不起的。不，她已经诅咒爱洛让她陷入永久的沉睡。所以在她身上花心思也毫无意义，不是吗？

不过就像俗话说的那样，即便最完美的计划，也常会横生枝节。玛琳菲森很快就发现自己实在忍不住要照看爱洛。对此迪艾瓦也控制不住自己。他对那个孩子的牵挂越来越明目张胆了，现在已经发展到他拖着玛琳菲森一起去看望爱洛的程度—他常常不得不这么干。那三个魔法仙子一无是处，虽然她们的使命就是保护孩子，但她们却永远更关心自己。她们偶尔会照看爱洛，不过大多数时候，都是爱洛自己照顾自己。

在一个尤其迷人的午后，玛琳菲森斜倚在树上，一旁的迪艾瓦睁着一双乌鸦眼，密切注视着正在下方玩耍的爱洛。不远处，三个仙子正在布置野餐。鲜艳的方巾上整齐地摆放着新鲜的浆果、面包和奶酪。但是爱洛对食物却兴趣索然，她正在和附近飞来飞去的蝴蝶玩得开心。

玛琳菲森注意到三个仙子已经布置妥当，懒洋洋地躺在暖阳下休憩，她不怀好意地笑了起来。她手指一捏，模仿着拉扯头发的举动。下方的绿蕨仙子发出了一声尖叫。

绿蕨仙子立刻朝身边看去，觉得肯定是蓝果仙子扯了她的头发。作为反击，她也揪了一下蓝果仙子的一撮头发—力气还不小。随后三个仙子就陷入了全员扯头发大战。玛琳菲森满意地笑了，她靠回原处，往嘴里抛了一颗坚果。

有那么一刻，玛琳菲森只是坐在那儿，醉心于树下方三个仙子发出的惊叫和喊声。突然，她的眼角瞥见爱洛正在追一只蝴蝶。她的小脚咚咚地踩在温暖的草地上，她的小手扑向前方，手指疯狂地想要抓住什么。往前看去，玛琳菲森抬了抬眉毛。爱洛专心于抓蝴蝶，却不知道自己正朝危险走去。

玛琳菲森漠不关心地对迪艾瓦说：“那个小怪物就快要掉落悬崖了。”

迪艾瓦担心地“啊呜”叫了一声，立即飞下枝头，向三个仙子寻求帮助。他开始疯狂地叫了起来，在她们的毯子上方盘旋。不幸的是，红叶、蓝果和绿蕨仙子正专注于自己的打斗，完全注意不到迪艾瓦。她们只是心不在焉地嘘嘘两声想将迪艾瓦赶走，然后又继续加入了斗嘴的阵营。

与此同时，玛琳菲森眼看着爱洛继续朝着悬崖奔去。只剩五十英尺了，还有四十，还有三十。玛琳菲森越过肩膀向后看去，三个仙子依然不知道正在发生什么，迪艾瓦依然疯狂地叫着。除此之外没有其他人。她迅速从树下向爱洛跑去。当爱洛一脚踩空的时候，玛琳菲森揪住了她，将她拉了回来。看到玛琳菲森熟悉的面庞，爱洛笑了起来。

玛琳菲森很快就把爱洛安全地放在地上，然后回到了树上。片刻之后，迪艾瓦飞落在她身旁。他完全放弃那些仙子了，但正当他要飞去救爱洛的时候，却惊讶地发现爱洛已经安然无恙了。他瞟了一眼玛琳菲森，歪着头，眼睛里满是疑惑。

她故作无知地问道：“怎么了？”她是救了爱洛一命。这有什么大不了的呢？这又不能说明她喜欢那个讨厌的小家伙或是别的什么。

点击收听单词发音