友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the crimson fairy book-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 with terror。 Supposing that the shrinking of his nose had only been an accident before! Supposing that that nut and no other was able to cause its shrinking! In that case he had; by his own folly; in not letting well alone; ruined his life completely。 But; no! he had guessed rightly; for in no more time than his nose had taken to grow long did it take to return to its proper size。 'This may make my fortune;' he said joyfully to himself; and he gathered some of the apples; which he put into one pocket; and a good supply of nuts which he put into the other。 Next day he wove a basket out of some rushes; so that if he ever left the island he might be able to carry his treasures about。

That night he dreamed that his friend the old man appeared to him and said: 'Because you did not mourn for your lost treasure; but only for your pipes; I will give you a new set to replace them。' And; behold! in the morning when he got up a set of pipes was lying in the basket。 With what joy did he seize them and begin one of his favourite tunes; and as he played hope sprang up in his heart; and he looked out to sea; to try to detect the sign of a sail。 Yes! there it was; making straight for the island; and Tiidu; holding his pipes in his hand; dashed down to the shore。

The sailors knew the island to be uninhabited; and were much surprised to see a man standing on the beach; waving his arms in welcome to them。 A boat was put off; and two sailors rowed to the shore to discover how he came there; and if he wished to be taken away。 Tiidu told them the story of his shipwreck; and the captain promised that he should come on board; and sail with them back to Kungla; and thankful indeed was Tiidu to accept the offer; and to show his gratitude by playing on his pipes whenever he was asked to do so。

They had a quick voyage; and it was not long before Tiidu found himself again in the streets of the capital of Kungla; playing as he went along。 The people had heard no music like his since he went away; and they crowded round him; and in their joy gave him whatever money they had in their pockets。 His first care was to buy himself some new clothes; which he sadly needed; taking care; however; that they should be made after a foreign fashion。 When they were ready; he set out one day with a small basket of his famous apples; and went up to the palace。 He did not have to wait long before one of the royal servants passed by and bought all the apples; begging as he did so that the merchant should return and bring some more。 This Tiidu promised; and hastened away as if he had a mad bull behind him; so afraid was he that the man should begin to eat an apple at once。

It is needless to say that for some days he took no more apples back to the palace; but kept well away on the other side of the town; wearing other clothes; and disguised by a long black beard; so that even his own mother would not have known him。

The morning after his visit to the castle the whole city was in an uproar about the dreadful misfortune that had happened to the Royal Family; for not only the king but his wife and children; had eaten of the stranger's apples; and all; so said the rumour; were very ill。 The most famous doctors and the greatest magicians were hastily summoned to the palace; but they shook their heads and came away again; never had they met with such a disease in all the course of their experience。 By…and…bye a story went round the town; started no one knew how; that the malady was in some way connected with the nose; and men rubbed their own anxiously; to be sure that nothing catching was in the air。

Matters had been in this state for more than a week when it reached the ears of the king that a man was living in an inn on the other side of the town who declared himself able to cure all manner of diseases。 Instantly the royal carriage was commanded to drive with all speed and bring back this magician; offering him riches untold if he could restore their noses to their former length。 Tiidu had expected this summons; and had sat up all night changing his appearance; and so well had he succeeded that not a trace remained either of the piper or of the apple seller。 He stepped into the carriage; and was driven post haste to the king; who was feverishly counting every moment; for both his nose and the queen's were by this time more than a yard long; and they did not know where they would stop。

Now Tiidu thought it would not look well to cure the royal family by giving them the raw nuts; he felt that it might arouse suspicion。  So he had carefully pounded them into a powder; and divided the powder up into small doses; which were to be put on the tongue and swallowed at once。 He gave one of these to the king and another to the queen; and told them that before taking them they were to get into bed in a dark room and not to move for some hours; after which they might be sure that they would come out cured。

The king's joy was so great at this news that he would gladly have given Tiidu half of his kingdom; but the piper was no longer so greedy of money as he once was; before he had been shipwrecked on the island。 If he could get enough to buy a small estate and live comfortably on it for the rest of his life; that was all he now cared for。 However; the king ordered his treasure to pay him three times as much as he asked; and with this Tiidu went down to the harbour and engaged a small ship to carry him back to his native country。  The wind was fair; and in ten days the coast; which he had almost forgotten; stood clear before him。 In a few hours he was standing in his old home; where his father; three sisters; and two brothers gave him a hearty welcome。 His mother and his other brothers had died some years before。

When the meeting was over; he began to make inquiries about a small estate that was for sale near the town; and after he had bought it the next thing was to find a wife to share it with him。 This did not take long either; and people who were at the wedding feast declared that the best part of the whole day was the hour when Tiidu played to them on the pipes before they bade each other farewell and returned to their homes。

'From Esthnische Mahrchen。'



Paperarelloo

Once upon a time there lived a king and a queen who had one son。  The king loved the boy very much; but the queen; who was a wicked woman; hated the sight of him; and this was the more unlucky for; when he was twelve years old; his father died; and he was left alone in the world。

Now the queen was very angry because the people; who knew how bad she was; seated her son on the throne instead of herself; and she never rested till she had formed a plan to get him out of the way。 Fortunately; however; the young king was wise and prudent; and knew her too well to trust her。

One day; when his mourning was over; he gave orders that everything should be made ready for a grand hunt。 The queen pretended to be greatly delighted that he was going to amuse himself once more; and declared that she would accompany him。  'No; mother; I cannot let you come;' he answered; 'the ground is rough; and you are not strong。' But he might as well have spoken to the winds: when the horn was sounded at daybreak th
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!