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4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!



ad of flowing; it stood still and began to talk: 'Sir prince; tell me what brings you into these wilds? I must have been flowing here a hundred years and more and no one has ever yet come by。'

'I will tell you;' answered the prince; 'if you will divide yourself so that I may walk through。'

The stream parted at once; and the prince walked through without wetting his feet; and directly he got to the other side he told his story as he had promised。

'Oh; do ask Lucky Luck;' cried the brook; 'why; though I am such a clear; bright; rapid stream I never have a fish or any other living creature in my waters。'

The prince said he would do so; and continued his journey。

When he got quite clear of the forest he walked on through a lovely valley till he reached a little house thatched with rushes; and he went in to rest for he was very tired。

Everything in the house was beautifully clean and tidy; and a cheerful honest…looking old woman was sitting by the fire。

'Good…morning; mother;' said the prince。

'May Luck be with you; my son。 What brings you into these parts?'

'I am looking for Lucky Luck;' replied the prince。

'Then you have come to the right place; my son; for I am his mother。 He is not at home just now; he is out digging in the vineyard。 Do you go too。 Here are two spades。 When you find him begin to dig; but don't speak a word to him。 It is now eleven o'clock。 When he sits down to eat his dinner sit beside him and eat with him。 After dinner he will question you; and then tell him all your troubles freely。 He will answer whatever you may ask。'

With that she showed him the way; and the prince went and did just as she had told him。 After dinner they lay down to rest。

All of a sudden Lucky Luck began to speak and said: 'Tell me; what sort of man are you; for since you came here you have not spoken a word?'

'I am not dumb;' replied the young man; 'but I am that unhappy prince whose faithful servant has been turned to stone; and I want to know how to help him。'

'And you do well; for he deserves everything。 Go back; and when you get home your wife will just have had a little boy。 Take three drops of blood from the child's little finger; rub them on your servant's wrists with a blade of grass and he will return to life。'

'I have another thing to ask;' said the prince; when he had thanked him。 'In the forest near here is a fine stream but not a fish or other living creature in it。 Why is this?'

'Because no one has ever been drowned in the stream。 But take care; in crossing; to get as near the other side as you can before you say so; or you may be the first victim yourself。'

'Another question; please; before I go。 On my way here I lodged one night in the house of three maidens。 All were well…mannered; hard…working; and pretty; and yet none has had a wooer。 Why was this?'

'Because they always throw out their sweepings in the face of the sun。'

'And why is it that a miller; who has a large mill with all the best machinery and gets plenty of corn to grind is so poor that he can hardly live from day to day?'

'Because the miller keeps everything for himself; and does not give to those who need it。'

The prince wrote down the answers to his questions; took a friendly leave of Lucky Luck; and set off for home。

When he reached the stream it asked if he brought it any good news。 'When I get across I will tell you;' said he。 So the stream parted; he walked through and on to the highest part of the bank。 He stopped and shouted out:

'Listen; oh stream! Lucky Luck says you will never have any living creature in your waters until someone is drowned in you。'

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the stream swelled and overflowed till it reached the rock up which he had climbed; and dashed so far up it that the spray flew over him。 But he clung on tight; and after failing to reach him three times the stream returned to its proper course。 Then the prince climbed down; dried himself in the sun; and set out on his march home。

He spent the night once more at the mill and gave the miller his answer; and by…and…by he told the three sisters not to throw out all their sweepings in the face of the sun。

The prince had hardly arrived at home when some thieves tried to ford the stream with a fine horse they had stolen。 When they were half…way across; the stream rose so suddenly that it swept them all away。 From that time it became the best fishing stream in the country…side。

The miller; too; began to give alms and became a very good man; and in time grew so rich that he hardly knew how much he had。

And the three sisters; now that they no longer insulted the sun; had each a wooer within a week。

When the prince got home he found that his wife had just got a fine little boy。 He did not lose a moment in pricking the baby's finger till the blood ran; and he brushed it on the wrists of the stone figure; which shuddered all over and split with a loud noise in seven parts and there was the faithful servant alive and well。

When the old king saw this he foamed with rage; stared wildly about; flung himself on the ground and died。

The servant stayed on with his royal master and served him faithfully all the rest of his life; and; if neither of them is dead; he is serving him still。

'From Ungarische Mahrchen。'



The Hairy Man

Somewhere or other; but I don't know where; there lived a king who owned two remarkably fine fields of rape; but every night two of the rape heaps were burnt down in one of the fields。 The king was extremely angry at this; and sent out soldiers to catch whoever had set fire to the ricks; but it was all of no usenot a soul could they see。 Then he offered nine hundred crowns to anyone who caught the evil…doer; and at the same time ordered that whoever did not keep proper watch over the fields should be killed; but though there were a great many people; none seemed able to protect the fields。

The king had already put ninety…nine people to death; when a little swineherd came to him who had two dogs; one was called 'Psst;' and the other 'Hush'; and the boy told the king that he would watch over the ricks。

When it grew dark he climbed up on the top of the fourth rick; from where he could see the whole field。 About eleven o'clock he thought he saw someone going to a rick and putting a light to it。  'Just you wait;' thought he; and called out to his dogs: 'Hi! Psst; Hush; catch him! ' But Psst and Hush had not waited for orders; and in five minutes the man was caught。

Next morning he was brought bound before the king; who was so pleased with the boy that he gave him a thousand crowns at once。  The prisoner was all covered with hair; almost like an animal; and altogether he was so curious to look at that the king locked him up in a strong room and sent out letters of invitation to all the other kings and princes asking them to come and see this wonder。

That was all very well; but the king had a little boy of ten years old who went to look at the hairy man also; and the man begged so hard to be set free that the boy took pity on him。 He stole the key of the strong room from his mother and opened the door。 Then he took the key back; but the hairy man escape
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!