第20章

类别:其他 作者:Andrew Lang字数:4841更新时间:18/12/27 08:37:30
AstheyrosethroughtheairthePrincessremarkedafiguremountedonaneagle’sbackflyinginfrontofthechariot。Shewasratheralarmed,butthePrincereassuredher,tellingheritwasthegoodFairytowhomsheowedsomuch,andwhowasnowconductingherinsafetytohermother。 ThatsamemorningtheKingwokesuddenlyfromatroubledsleep。 HehaddreamtthatthePrincesswasbeingcarriedofffromhim,and,transforminghimselfintoaneagle,heflewtothepalace。 Whenhefailedtofindherheflewintoaterriblerage,andhastenedhometoconsulthisbooks,bywhichmeanshediscoveredthatitwashissonwhohaddeprivedhimofthisprecioustreasure。Immediatelyhetooktheshapeofaharpy,and,filledwithrage,wasdeterminedtodevourhisson,andeventhePrincesstoo,ifonlyhecouldovertakethem。 Hesetoutatfullspeed;buthestartedtoolate,andwasfurtherdelayedbyastrongwindwhichtheFairyraisedbehindtheyoungcouplesoastobaffleanypursuit。 YoumayimaginetherapturewithwhichtheQueenreceivedthedaughtershehadgivenupforlost,aswellastheamiablePrincewhohadrescuedher。TheFairyenteredwiththem,andwarnedtheQueenthattheWizardKingwouldshortlyarrive,infuriatedbyhisloss,andthatnothingcouldpreservethePrinceandPrincessfromhisrageandmagicunlesstheywereactuallymarried。 TheQueenhastenedtoinformtheKingherhusband,andtheweddingtookplaceonthespot。 AstheceremonywascompletedtheWizardKingarrived。Hisdespairatbeingsolatebewilderedhimsoentirelythatheappearedinhisnaturalformandattemptedtosprinklesomeblackliquidoverthebrideandbridegroom,whichwasintendedtokillthem,buttheFairystretchedoutherwandandtheliquiddroppedontheMagicianhimself。Hefelldownsenseless,andthePrincess’sfather,deeplyoffendedatthecruelrevengewhichhadbeenattempted,orderedhimtoberemovedandlockedupinprison。 Nowasmagicianslosealltheirpowerassoonastheyareinprison,theKingfelthimselfmuchembarrassedatbeingthusatthemercyofthosehehadsogreatlyoffended。ThePrinceimploredandobtainedhisfather’spardon,andtheprisondoorswereopened。 NosoonerwasthisdonethantheWizardKingwasseenintheairundertheformofsomeunknownbird,exclaimingasheflewoffthathewouldneverforgiveeitherhissonortheFairythecruelwrongtheyhaddonehim。 EveryoneentreatedtheFairytosettleinthekingdomwhereshenowwas,towhichsheconsented。Shebuiltherselfamagnificentpalace,towhichshetransportedherbooksandfairysecrets,andwheresheenjoyedthesightoftheperfecthappinessshehadhelpedtobestowontheentireroyalfamily。 FromtheGerman。Kletke。 Therewasonceuponatimeamillerwhowasverywelloff,andhadasmuchmoneyandasmanygoodsasheknewwhattodowith。 Butsorrowcomesinthenight,andthemillerallofasuddenbecamesopoorthatatlasthecouldhardlycallthemillinwhichhesathisown。Hewanderedaboutalldayfullofdespairandmisery,andwhenhelaydownatnighthecouldgetnorest,butlayawakeallnightsunkinsorrowfulthoughts。 Onemorningheroseupbeforedawnandwentoutside,forhethoughthisheartwouldbelighterintheopenair。Ashewanderedupanddownonthebanksofthemill-pondheheardarustlinginthewater,andwhenhelookednearhesawawhitewomanrisingupfromthewaves。 Herealisedatoncethatthiscouldbenoneotherthanthenixyofthemill-pond,andinhisterrorhedidn’tknowifheshouldflyawayorremainwherehewas。Whilehehesitatedthenixyspoke,calledhimbyhisname,andaskedhimwhyhewassosad。 Whenthemillerheardhowfriendlyhertonewas,hepluckedupheartandtoldherhowrichandprosperoushehadbeenallhislifeuptillnow,whenhedidn’tknowwhathewastodoforwantandmisery。 Thenthenixyspokecomfortingwordstohim,andpromisedthatshewouldmakehimricherandmoreprosperousthanhehadeverbeeninhislifebefore,ifhewouldgiveherinreturntheyoungestthinginhishouse。 Themillerthoughtshemustmeanoneofhispuppiesorkittens,sopromisedthenixyatoncewhatsheasked,andreturnedtohismillfullofhope。Onthethresholdhewasgreetedbyaservantwiththenewsthathiswifehadjustgivenbirthtoaboy。 Thepoormillerwasmuchhorrifiedbythesetidings,andwentintohiswifewithaheavyhearttotellherandhisrelationsofthefatalbargainhehadjuststruckwiththenixy。’Iwouldgladlygiveupallthegoodfortuneshepromisedme,’hesaid,’ifIcouldonlysavemychild。’Butnoonecouldthinkofanyadvicetogivehim,beyondtakingcarethatthechildneverwentnearthemill-pond。 Sotheboythroveandgrewbig,andinthemeantimeallprosperedwiththemiller,andinafewyearshewasricherthanhehadeverbeenbefore。Butallthesamehedidnotenjoyhisgoodfortune,forhecouldnotforgethiscompactwiththenixy,andheknewthatsoonerorlatershewoulddemandhisfulfilmentofit。Butyearafteryearwentby,andtheboygrewupandbecameagreathunter,andthelordofthelandtookhimintohisservice,forhewasassmartandboldahunterasyouwouldwishtosee。Inashorttimehemarriedaprettyyoungwife,andlivedwithheringreatpeaceandhappiness。 Onedaywhenhewasouthuntingaharesprangupathisfeet,andranforsomewayinfrontofhimintheopenfield。Thehunterpursuedithotlyforsometime,andatlastshotitdead。Thenheproceededtoskinit,nevernoticingthathewasclosetothemill-pond,whichfromchildhooduphehadbeentaughttoavoid。 Hesoonfinishedtheskinning,andwenttothewatertowashthebloodoffhishands。Hehadhardlydippedtheminthepondwhenthenixyroseupinthewater,andseizinghiminherwetarmsshedraggedhimdownwithherunderthewaves。 Whenthehunterdidnotcomehomeintheeveninghiswifegrewveryanxious,andwhenhisgamebagwasfoundclosetothemill-pondsheguessedatoncewhathadbefallenhim。Shewasnearlybesideherselfwithgrief,androamedroundandroundthepondcallingonherhusbandwithoutceasing。Atlast,wornoutwithsorrowandfatigue,shefellasleepanddreamtthatshewaswanderingalongaflowerymeadow,whenshecametoahutwhereshefoundanoldwitch,whopromisedtorestoreherhusbandtoher。 Whensheawokenextmorningshedeterminedtosetoutandfindthewitch;soshewanderedonformanyaday,andatlastshereachedtheflowerymeadowandfoundthehutwheretheoldwitchlived。Thepoorwifetoldherallthathadhappenedandhowshehadbeentoldinadreamofthewitch’spowertohelpher。 Thewitchcounselledhertogotothepondthefirsttimetherewasafullmoon,andtocombherblackhairwithagoldencomb,andthentoplacethecombonthebank。Thehunter’swifegavethewitchahandsomepresent,thankedherheartily,andreturnedhome。 Timedraggedheavilytillthetimeofthefullmoon,butitpassedatlast,andassoonasitrosetheyoungwifewenttothepond,combedherblackhairwithagoldencomb,andwhenshehadfinished,placedthecombonthebank;thenshewatchedthewaterimpatiently。Soonsheheardarushingsound,andabigwaverosesuddenlyandsweptthecomboffthebank,andaminuteaftertheheadofherhusbandrosefromthepondandgazedsadlyather。 Butimmediatelyanotherwavecame,andtheheadsankbackintothewaterwithouthavingsaidaword。Thepondlaystillandmotionless,glitteringinthemoonshine,andthehunter’swifewasnotabitbetteroffthanshehadbeenbefore。 Indespairshewanderedaboutfordaysandnights,andatlast,wornoutbyfatigue,shesankoncemoreintoadeepsleep,anddreamtexactlythesamedreamabouttheoldwitch。Sonextmorningshewentagaintotheflowerymeadowandsoughtthewitchinherhut,andtoldherofhergrief。Theoldwomancounselledhertogotothemill-pondthenextfullmoonandplayuponagoldenflute,andthentolaythefluteonthebank。 Assoonasthenextmoonwasfullthehunter’swifewenttothemill-pond,playedonagoldenflute,andwhenshehadfinishedplaceditonthebank。Thenarushingsoundwasheard,andawavesweptthefluteoffthebank,andsoontheheadofthehunterappearedandroseuphigherandhighertillhewashalfoutofthewater。Thenhegazedsadlyathiswifeandstretchedouthisarmstowardsher。Butanotherrushingwavearoseanddraggedhimunderoncemore。Thehunter’swife,whohadstoodonthebankfullofjoyandhope,sankintodespairwhenshesawherhusbandsnatchedawayagainbeforehereyes。 Butforhercomfortshedreamtthesamedreamathirdtime,andbetookherselfoncemoretotheoldwitch’shutintheflowerymeadow。Thistimetheoldwomantoldhertogothenextfullmoontothemill-pond,andtospintherewithagoldenspinning- wheel,andthentoleavethespinning-wheelonthebank。 Thehunter’swifedidasshewasadvised,andthefirstnightthemoonwasfullshesatandspunwithagoldenspinning-wheel,andthenleftthewheelonthebank。Inafewminutesarushingsoundwasheardinthewaters,andawavesweptthespinning-wheelfromthebank。Immediatelytheheadofthehunterroseupfromthepond,gettinghigherandhighereachmoment,tillatlengthhesteppedontothebankandfellonhiswife’sneck。 Butthewatersofthepondroseupsuddenly,overflowedthebankwherethecouplestood,anddraggedthemundertheflood。Inherdespairtheyoungwifecalledontheoldwitchtohelpher,andinamomentthehunterwasturnedintoafrogandhiswifeintoatoad。Buttheywerenotabletoremaintogether,forthewatertorethemapart,andwhenthefloodwasovertheybothresumedtheirownshapesagain,butthehunterandthehunter’swifefoundthemselveseachinastrangecountry,andneitherknewwhathadbecomeoftheother。 Thehunterdeterminedtobecomeashepherd,andhiswifetoobecameashepherdess。Sotheyherdedtheirsheepformanyyearsinsolitudeandsadness。 Nowithappenedoncethattheshepherdcametothecountrywheretheshepherdesslived。Theneighbourhoodpleasedhim,andhesawthatthepasturewasrichandsuitableforhisflocks。Sohebroughthissheepthere,andherdedthemasbefore。Theshepherdandshepherdessbecamegreatfriends,buttheydidnotrecogniseeachotherintheleast。 Butoneeveningwhenthemoonwasfulltheysattogetherwatchingtheirflocks,andtheshepherdplayeduponhisflute。Thentheshepherdessthoughtofthateveningwhenshehadsatatthefullmoonbythemill-pondandhadplayedonthegoldenflute;therecollectionwastoomuchforher,andsheburstintotears。Theshepherdaskedherwhyshewascrying,andlefthernopeacetillshetoldhimallherstory。Thenthescalesfellfromtheshepherd’seyes,andherecognisedhiswife,andshehim。Sotheyreturnedjoyfullytotheirownhome,andlivedinpeaceandhappinesseverafter。 FromthePolish。Kletke。 OnceuponatimetherewasaGlassMountainatthetopofwhichstoodacastlemadeofpuregold,andinfrontofthecastletheregrewanapple-treeonwhichthereweregoldenapples。 Anyonewhopickedanapplegainedadmittanceintothegoldencastle,andthereinasilverroomsatanenchantedPrincessofsurpassingfairnessandbeauty。Shewasasrichtooasshewasbeautiful,forthecellarsofthecastlewerefullofpreciousstones,andgreatchestsofthefinestgoldstoodroundthewallsofalltherooms。