11-stan bolovan-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！






STAN　BOLOVAN

Once　upon　a　time　what　happened　did　happen；　and　if　it　had　not
happened　this　story　would　never　have　been　told。

On　the　outskirts　of　a　village　just　where　the　oxen　were　turned　out
to　pasture；　and　the　pigs　roamed　about　burrowing　with　their　noses
among　the　roots　of　the　trees；　there　stood　a　small　house。　　In　the
house　lived　a　man　who　had　a　wife；　and　the　wife　was　sad　all　day
long。

'Dear　wife；　what　is　wrong　with　you　that　you　hang　your　head　like　a
drooping　rosebud？'　asked　her　husband　one　morning。　　'You　have
everything　you　want；　why　cannot　you　be　merry　like　other　women？'

'Leave　me　alone；　and　do　not　seek　to　know　the　reason；'　replied
she；　bursting　into　tears；　and　the　man　thought　that　it　was　no　time
to　question　her；　and　went　away　to　his　work。

He　could　not；　however；　forget　all　about　it；　and　a　few　days　after
he　inquired　again　the　reason　of　her　sadness；　but　only　got　the
same　reply。　　At　length　he　felt　he　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and
tried　a　third　time；　and　then　his　wife　turned　and　answered　him。

'Good　gracious！'　cried　she；　'why　cannot　you　let　things　be　as　they
are？　　If　I　were　to　tell　you；　you　would　become　just　as　wretched　as
myself。　　If　you　would　only　believe；　it　is　far　better　for　you　to
know　nothing。'

But　no　man　yet　was　ever　content　with　such　an　answer。　　The　more
you　beg　him　not　to　inquire；　the　greater　is　his　curiosity　to　learn
the　whole。

'Well；　if　you　MUST　know；'　said　the　wife　at　last；　'I　will　tell
you。　　There　is　no　luck　in　this　houseno　luck　at　all！'

'Is　not　your　cow　the　best　milker　in　all　the　village？　　Are　not
your　trees　as　full　of　fruit　as　your　hives　are　full　of　bees？　　Has
anyone　cornfields　like　ours？　　Really　you　talk　nonsense　when　you
say　things　like　that！'

'Yes；　all　that　you　say　is　true；　but　we　have　no　children。'

Then　Stan　understood；　and　when　a　man　once　understands　and　has　his
eyes　opened　it　is　no　longer　well　with　him。　　From　that　day　the
little　house　in　the　outskirts　contained　an　unhappy　man　as　well　as
an　unhappy　woman。　　And　at　the　sight　of　her　husband's　misery　the
woman　became　more　wretched　than　ever。

And　so　matters　went　on　for　some　time。

Some　weeks　had　passed；　and　Stan　thought　he　would　consult　a　wise
man　who　lived　a　day's　journey　from　his　own　house。　　The　wise　man
was　sitting　before　his　door　when　he　came　up；　and　Stan　fell　on　his
knees　before　him。　　'Give　me　children；　my　lord；　give　me　children。'

'Take　care　what　you　are　asking；'　replied　the　wise　man。　　'Will　not
children　be　a　burden　to　you？　　Are　you　rich　enough　to　feed　and
clothe　them？'

'Only　give　them　to　me；　my　lord；　and　I　will　manage　somehow！'　and
at　a　sign　from　the　wise　man　Stan　went　his　way。

He　reached　home　that　evening　tired　and　dusty；　but　with　hope　in
his　heart。　　As　he　drew　near　his　house　a　sound　of　voices　struck
upon　his　ear；　and　he　looked　up　to　see　the　whole　place　full　of
children。　　Children　in　the　garden；　children　in　the　yard；　children
looking　out　of　every　windowit　seemed　to　the　man　as　if　all　the
children　in　the　world　must　be　gathered　there。　　And　none　was
bigger　than　the　other；　but　each　was　smaller　than　the　other；　and
every　one　was　more　noisy　and　more　impudent　and　more　daring　than
the　rest；　and　Stan　gazed　and　grew　cold　with　horror　as　he　realised
that　they　all　belonged　to　him。

'Good　gracious！　how　many　there　are！　how　many！'　he　muttered　to
himself。

'Oh；　but　not　one　too　many；'　smiled　his　wife；　coming　up　with　a
crowd　more　children　clinging　to　her　skirts。

But　even　she　found　that　it　was　not　so　easy　to　look　after　a
hundred　children；　and　when　a　few　days　had　passed　and　they　had
eaten　up　all　the　food　there　was　in　the　house；　they　began　to　cry；
'Father！　I　am　hungryI　am　hungry；'　till　Stan　scratched　his　head
and　wondered　what　he　was　to　do　next。　　It　was　not　that　he　thought
there　were　too　many　children；　for　his　life　had　seemed　more　full
of　joy　since　they　appeared；　but　now　it　came　to　the　point　he　did
not　know　how　he　was　to　feed　them。　　The　cow　had　ceased　to　give
milk；　and　it　was　too　early　for　the　fruit　trees　to　ripen。

'Do　you　know；　old　woman！'　said　he　one　day　to　his　wife；　'I　must　go
out　into　the　world　and　try　to　bring　back　food　somehow；　though　I
cannot　tell　where　it　is　to　come　from。'

To　the　hungry　man　any　road　is　long；　and　then　there　was　always　the
thought　that　he　had　to　satisfy　a　hundred　greedy　children　as　well
as　himself。

Stan　wandered；　and　wandered；　and　wandered；　till　he　reached　to　the
end　of　the　world；　where　that　which　is；　is　mingled　with　that　which
is　not；　and　there　he　saw；　a　little　way　off；　a　sheepfold；　with
seven　sheep　in　it。　　In　the　shadow　of　some　trees　lay　the　rest　of
the　flock。

Stan　crept　up；　hoping　that　he　might　manage　to　decoy　some　of　them
away　quietly；　and　drive　them　home　for　food　for　his　family；　but　he
soon　found　this　could　not　be。　　For　at　midnight　he　heard　a　rushing
noise；　and　through　the　air　flew　a　dragon；　who　drove　apart　a　ram；
a　sheep；　and　a　lamb；　and　three　fine　cattle　that　were　lying　down
close　by。　　And　besides　these　he　took　the　milk　of　seventy…seven
sheep；　and　carried　it　home　to　his　old　mother；　that　she　might
bathe　in　it　and　grow　young　again。　　And　this　happened　every　night。

The　shepherd　bewailed　himself　in　vain：　　the　dragon　only　laughed；
and　Stan　saw　that　this　was　not　the　place　to　get　food　for　his
family。

But　though　he　quite　understood　that　it　was　almost　hopeless　to
fight　against　such　a　powerful　monster；　yet　the　thought　of　the
hungry　children　at　home　clung　to　him　like　a　burr；　and　would　not
be　shaken　off；　and　at　last　he　said　to　the　shepherd；　'What　will
you　give　me　if　I　rid　you　of　the　dragon？'

'One　of　every　three　rams；　one　of　every　three　sheep；　one　of　every
three　lambs；'　answered　the　herd。

'It　is　a　bargain；'　replied　Stan；　though　at　the　moment　he　did　not
know　how；　supposing　he　DID　come　off　the　victor；　he　would　ever　be
able　to　drive　so　large　a　flock　home。

However；　that　matter　could　be　settled　later。　　At　present　night
was　not　far　off；　and　he　must　consider　how　best　to　fight　with　the
dragon。

Just　at　midnight；　a　horrible　feeling　that　was　new　and　strange　to
him　came　over　Stana　feeling　that　he　could　not　put　into　words
even　to　himself；　but　which　almost　forced　him　to　give　up　the
battle　and　take　the　shortest　road　home　again。　　He　half　turned；
then　he　remembered　the　children；　and　turned　back。

'You　or　I；'　said　Stan　to　himself；　and　took　up　his　position　on　the
edge　of　the　flock。

'Stop！'　he　suddenly　cried；　as　the　air　was　filled　with　a　rushing
noise；　and　the　dragon　came　dashing　past。

'Dear　me！'　exclaimed　the　dragon；　looking　round。　　'Who　are　you；
and　where　do　you　come　from？'

'I　am　Stan　Bolovan；　who　eats　rocks　all　night；　and　in　the　day
feeds　on　the　flowers　of　the　mountain；　and　if　you　meddle　with
those　sheep　I　will　carve　a　cross　on　your　back。'

When　the　dragon　heard　these　words　he　stood　quite　still　in　the
middle　of　the　road；　for　he　knew　he　had　met　with　his　match。

'But　you　will　have　to　fight　me　first；'　he　said　in　a　trembling
voice；　for　when　you　faced　him　properly　he　was　not　brave　at　all。

'I　fight　you？'　replied　Stan；　'why　I　could　slay　you　with　one
breath！'　Then；　stooping　to　pick　up　a　large　cheese　which　lay　at
his　feet；　he　added；　'Go　and　get　a　stone　like　this　out　of　the
river；　so　that　we　may　lose　no　time　in　seeing　who　is　the　best
man。'

The　dragon　did　as　Stan　bade　him；　and　brought　back　a　stone　out　of
the　brook。

'Can　you　get　buttermilk　out　of　your　stone？'　asked　Stan。

The　dragon　picked　up　his　stone　with　one　hand；　and　squeezed　it
till　it　fell　into　powder；　but　no　buttermilk　flowed　from　it。　　'Of
course　I　can't！'　he　said；　half　angrily。

'Well；　if　you　can't；　I　can；'　answered　Stan；　and　he　pressed　the
cheese　till　buttermilk　flowed　through　his　fingers。

When　the　dragon　saw　that；　he　thought　it　was　time　he　made　the　best
of　his　way　home　again；　but　Stan　stood　in　his　path。

'We　have　still　some　accounts　to　settle；'　said　he；　'about　what　you
have　been　doing　here；'　and　the　poor　dragon　was　too　frightened　to
stir；　lest　Stan　should　slay　him　at　one　breath　and　bury　him　among
the　flowers　in　the　mountain　pastures。

'Listen　to　me；'　he　said　at　last。　　'I　see　you　are　a　very　useful
person；　and　my　mother　has　need　of　a　fellow　like　you。　　Suppose　you
enter　her　service　for　three　days；　which　are　as　long　as　one　of
your　years；　and　she　will　pay　you　each　day　seven　sacks　full　of
ducats。'

Three　times　seven　sacks　full　of　ducats！　　The　offer　was　very
tempting；　and　Stan　could　not　resist　it。　　He　did　not　waste　words；
but　nodded　to　the　dragon；　and　they　started　along　the　road。

It　was　a　long；　long　way；　but　when　they　came　to　the　end　they　found
the　dragon's　mother；　who　was　as　old　as　time　itself；　expecting
them。　　Stan　saw　her　eyes　shining　like　lamps　from　afar；　and　when
they　entered　the　house　they　beheld　a　huge　kettle　standing　on　the
fire；　filled　with　milk。　　When　the　old　mother　found　that　her　son
had　arrived　empty…handed　she　grew　very　angry；　and　fire　and　flame
darted　from　her　nostrils；　but　before　she　could　speak　the　dragon
turned　to　Stan。

'Stay　here；'　said　he；　'and　wait　for　me；　I　am　going　to　explain
things　to　my　mother。'

Stan　was　already　repenting　bitterly　that　he　had　ever　come　to　such
a　place；　but；　since　he　was　there；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to
take　everything　quietly；　and　not　show　that　he　was　afraid。

'Listen；　mother；'　said　the　dragon　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　'I
have　brought　this　man　in　order　to　get　rid　of　him。　　He　is　a
terrific　fellow　who　eats　rocks；　and　can　press　buttermilk　out　of　a
stone；'　and　he　told　her　all　that　had　happened　the　night　before。

'Oh；　just　leave　him　to　me！'　she　said。　　'I　have　never　yet　let　a
man　slip　through　my　fingers。'　　So　Stan　had　to　stay　and　do　the　old
mother　service。

The　next　day　she　told　him　that　he　and　her　son　should　try　which
was　the　strongest；　and　she　took　down　a　huge　club；　bound　seven
times　with　iron。

The　dragon　picked　it　up　as　if　it　had　been　a　feather；　and；　after
whirling　it　round　his　head；　flung　it　lightly　three　miles　away；
telling　Stan　to　beat　that　if　he　could。

They　walked　to　the　spot　where　the　club　lay。　　Stan　stooped　and
felt　it；　then　a　great　fear　came　over　him；　for　he　knew　that　he　and
all　his　children　together　would　never　lift　that　club　from　the
ground。

'What　are　you　doing？'　asked　the　dragon。

'I　was　thinking　what　a　beautiful　club　it　was；　an