24-dapplegrim-第1部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！






DAPPLEGRIM



THERE　was　once　upon　a　time　a　couple　of　rich　folks　who　had　twelve

sons；　and　when　the　youngest　was　grown　up　he　would　not　stay

at　home　any　longer；　but　would　go　out　into　the　world　and　seek　his

fortune。　His　father　and　mother　said　that　they　thought　he　was　very

well　off　at　home；　and　that　he　was　welcome　to　stay　with　them；　but

ho　could　not　rest；　and　said　that　he　must　and　would　go；　so　at　last

they　had　to　give　him　leave。　When　he　had　walked　a　long　way；　he

came　to　a　King's　palace。　There　he　asked　for　a　place　and　got　it。



Now　the　daughter　of　the　King　of　that　country　had　been　carried

off　into　the　mountains　by　a　Troll；　and　the　King　had　no　other　children；

and　for　this　cause　both　he　and　all　his　people　were　full　of　sorrow　and

affliction；　and　the　King　had　promised　the　Princess　and　half　his

kingdom　to　anyone　who　could　set　her　free；　but　there　was　no　one

who　could　do　it；　though　a　great　number　had　tried。　So　when　the

youth　had　been　there　for　the　space　of　a　year　or　so；　he　wanted　to　go

home　again　to　pay　his　parents　a　visit；　but　when　he　got　there　his　father

and　mother　were　dead；　and　his　brothers　had　divided　everything

that　their　parents　possessed　between　themselves；　so　that　there　was

nothing　at　all　left　for　him。



‘Shall　I；　then；　receive　nothing　at　all　of　my　inheritance？'　asked

the　youth。



‘Who　could　know　that　you　were　still　aliveyou　who　have　been

a　wanderer　so　long？'　answered　the　brothers。　‘However；　there　are

twelve　mares　upon　the　hills　which　we　have　not　yet　divided　among

us；　and　if　you　would　like　to　have　them　for　your　share；　you　may　take

them。'



So　the　youth；　well　pleased　with　this；　thanked　them；　and　at　once

set　off　to　the　hill　where　the　twelve　mares　were　at　pasture。　When

he　got　up　there　and　found　them；　each　mare　had　her　foal；　and　by　the

side　of　one　of　them　was　a　big　dapple…grey　foal　as　well。　which　was　so

sleek　that　it　shone　again。



‘Well；　my　little　foal；　you　are　a　fine　fellow！'　said　the　youth。



‘Yes；　but　if　you　will　kill　all　the　other　little　foals　so　that　I　can

suck　all　the　mares　for　a　year；　you　shall　see　how　big　and　handsome

I　shall　be　then！'　said　the　Foal。



So　the　youth　did　thishe　killed　all　the　twelve　foals；　and　then

went　back　again。



Next　year；　when　he　came　home　again　to　look　after　his　mares　and

the　foal；　it　was　as　fat　as　it　could　be；　and　its　coat　shone　with　brightness；

and　it　was　so　big　that　the　lad　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in

getting　on　its　back；　and　each　of　the　mares　had　another　foal。



‘Well；　it's　very　evident　that　I　have　lost　nothing　by　letting　you

suck　all　my　mares；'　said　the　lad　to　the　yearling；　‘but　now　you　are

quite　big　enough；　and　must　come　away　with　me。'



‘No；'　said　the　Colt；　‘I　must　stay　here　another　year；　kill　the

twelve　little　foals；　and　then　I　can　suck　all　the　mares　this　year　also；

and　you　shall　see　how　big　and　handsome　I　shall　be　by　summer。'



So　the　youth　did　it　again；　and　when　he　went　up　on　the　hill　next

year　to　look　after　his　colt　and　the　mares；　each　of　the　mares　had　her

foal　again；　but　the　dappled　colt　was　so　big　that　when　the　lad　wanted

to　feel　its　neck　to　see　how　fat　it　was；　he　could　not　reach　up　to　it；　it

was　so　high？　and　it　was　so　bright　that　the　light　glanced　off　its　coat。



‘Big　and　handsome　you　were　last　year；　my　colt；　but　this　year

you　are　ever　so　much　handsomer；'　said　the　youth；　‘in　all　the　King's

court　no　such　horse　is　to　be　found。　But　now　you　shall　come　away

with　me。'



‘No；'　said　the　dappled　Colt　once　more；　‘here　I　must　stay　for

another　year。　Just　kill　the　twelve　little　foals　again；　so　that　I　can

suck　the　mares　this　year　also；　and　then　come　and　look　at　me　in　the

summer。'



So　the　youth　did　ithe　killed　all　the　little　foals；　and　then　went

home　again。



But　next　year；　when　he　returned　to　look　after　the　dappled　colt

and　the　mares；　he　was　quite　appalled。　He　had　never　imagined

that　any　horse　could　become　so　big　and　overgrown；　for　the　dappled

horse　had　to　lie　down　on　all　fours　before　the　youth　could　get　on　his

back；　and　it　was　very　hard　to　do　that　even　when　it　was　lying　down；

and　it　was　so　plump　that　its　coat　shone　and　glistened　just　as　if　it

had　been　a　looking…glass。　This　time　the　dappled　horse　was　not

unwilling　to　go　away　with　the　youth；　so　he　mounted　it；　and　when　he

came　riding　home　to　his　brothers　they　all　smote　their　hands

together　and　crossed　themselves；　for　never　in　their　lives　had　they

either　seen　or　heard　tell　of　such　a　horse　as　that。



‘If　you　will　procure　me　the　best　shoes　for　my　horse；　and　the

most　magnificent　saddle　and　bridle　that　can　be　found；'　said　the

youth；　‘you　may　have　all　my　twelve　mares　just　as　they　are　standing

out　on　the　hill；　and　their　twelve　foals　into　the　bargain。'　For

this　year　also　each　mare　had　her　foal。　The　brothers　were　quite

willing　to　do　this；　so　the　lad　got　such　shoes　for　his　horse　that　the

sticks　and　stones　flew　high　up　into　the　air　as　he　rode　away　over　the

hills；　and　such　a　gold　saddle　and　such　a　gold　bridle　that　they　could

be　seen　glittering　and　glancing　from　afar。



‘And　now　we　will　go　to　the　King's　palace；'　said　Dapplegrim

that　was　the　horse's　name；　‘but　bear　in　mind　that　you　must　ask　the

King　for　a　good　stable　and　excellent　fodder　for　me。'



So　the　lad　promised　not　to　forget　to　do　that。　He　rode　to　the

palace；　and　it　will　be　easily　understood　that　with　such　a　horse　as　he

had　he　was　not　long　on　the　way。



When　he　arrived　there；　the　King　was　standing　out　on　the　steps；

and　how　he　did　stare　at　the　man　who　came　riding　up！



‘Nay；'　said　he；　‘never　in　my　whole　life　have　I　seen　such　a　man

and　such　a　horse。'



And　when　the　youth　inquired　if　he　could　have　a　place　in　the

King's　palace；　the　King　was　so　delighted　that　he　could　have　danced

on　the　steps　where　he　was　standing；　and　there　and　then　the　lad　was

told　that　he　should　have　a　place。



‘Yes；　but　I　must　have　a　good　stable　and　most　excellent　fodder

for　my　horse；'　said　he。



So　they　told　him　that　he　should　have　sweet　hay　and　oats；　and　as

much　of　them　as　the　dappled　horse　chose　to　have；　and　all　the　other

riders　had　to　take　their　horses　out　of　the　stable　that　Dapplegrim

might　stand　alone　and　really　have　plenty　of　room。



But　this　did　not　last　long；　for　the　other　people　in　the　King's

Court　became　envious　of　the　lad；　and　there　was　no　bad　thing　that

they　would　not　have　done　to　him　if　they　had　but　dared。　At　last

they　bethought　themselves　of　telling　the　King　that　the　youth　had

said　that；　if　he　chose；　he　was　quite　able　to　rescue　the　Princess　who

had　been　carried　off　into　the　mountain　a　long　time　ago　by　the

Troll。



The　King　immediately　summoned　the　lad　into　his　presence；　and

said　that　he　had　been　informed　that　he　had　said　that　it　was　in　his

power　to　rescue　the　Princess；　so　he　was　now　to　do　it。　If　he

succeeded　in　this；　he　no　doubt　knew　that　the　King　had　promised　his

daughter　and　half　the　kingdom　to　anyone　who　set　her　free；　which

promise　should　be　faithfully　and　honourably　kept；　but　if　he　failed

he　should　be　put　to　death。　The　youth　denied　that　he　had　said　this；

but　all　to　no　purpose；　for　the　King　was　deaf　to　all　his　words；　so　there

was　nothing　to　be　done　but　say　that　he　would　make　the　attempt。



He　went　down　into　the　stable；　and　very　sad　and　full　of　care

he　was。　Then　Dapplegrim　inquired　why　he　was　so　troubled；　and

the　youth　told　him；　and　said　that　he　did　not　know　what　to　do；　‘for

as　to　setting　the　Princess　free；　that　was　downright　impossible。'



‘Oh；　but　it　might　be　done；'　said　Dapplegrim。　‘I　will　help　you；

but　you　must　first　have　me　well　shod。　You　must　ask　for　ten　pounds

of　iron　and　twelve　pounds　of　steel　for　the　shoeing；　and　one　smith　to

hammer　and　one　to　hold。'



So　the　youth　did　this；　and　no　one　said　him　nay。　He　got　both

the　iron　and　the　steel；　and　the　smiths；　and　thus　was　Dapplegrim

shod　strongly　and　well；　and　when　the　youth　went　out　of　the　King's

palace　a　cloud　of　dust　rose　up　behind　him。　But　when　he　came　to

the　mountain　into　which　the　Princess　had　been　carried；　the　difficulty

was　to　ascend　the　precipitous　wall　of　rock　by　which　he　was　to　get

on　to　the　mountain　beyond；　for　the　rock　stood　right　up　on　end；　as

steep　as　a　house　side　and　as　smooth　as　a　sheet　of　glass。　The　first

time　the　youth　rode　at　it　he　got　a　little　way　up　the　precipice；　but

then　both　Dapplegrim's　fore　legs　slipped；　and　down　came　horse　and

rider　with　a　sound　like　thunder　among　the　mountains。　The　next

time　that　he　rode　at　it　he　got　a　little　farther　up；　but　then　one　of

Dapplegrim's　fore　legs　slipped；　and　down　they　went　with　the　sound

of　a　landslip。　But　the　third　time　Dapplegrim　said：　‘Now　we　must

show　what　we　can　do；'　and　went　at　it　once　more　till　the　stones

sprang　up　sky　high；　and　thus　they　got　up。　Then　the　lad　rode　into

the　mountain　cleft　at　full　gallop　and　caught　up　the　Princess　on　his

saddle…bow；　and　then　out　again　before　the　Troll　even　had　time　to

stand　up；　and　thus　the　Princess　was　set　free。



When　the　youth　returned　to　the　palace　the　King　was　both

happy　and　delighted　to　get　his　daughter　back　again；　as　may　easily

be　believed；　but　somehow　or　other　the　people　about　the　Court　had

so　worked　on　him　that　he　was　angry　with　the　lad　too。　‘Thou　shalt

have　my　thanks　for　setting　my　Princess　free；'　he　said；　when　the

youth　came　into　the　palace　with　her；　and　was　then　about　to　go　away。



She　ought　to　be　just　as　much　my　Princess　as　she　is　yours　now；

for　you　are　a　man　of　your　word；'　said　the　youth。



‘Yes；　yes；'　said　the　King。　‘Have　her　thou　shalt；　as　I　have　said

it；　but　first　of　all　thou　must　make　the　sun　shine　into　my　palace

here。'



For　there　was　a　large　and　high　hill　outside　the　windows　which

overshadowed　the　palace　so　much　that　the　sun　could　not　shine　in。



‘That　was　no　part　of　our　bargain；'　answered　the　youth。　‘But

as　nothing　that　I　can　say　will　move　you；　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to

try　to　do　my　best；　for　the　Princess　I　will　have。'



So　he　went　down　to　Dapplegrim　again　and　told　him　what　the

King　desired；　and　Dapplegrim　thought　that