11-stan bolovan-第2部分

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'What　are　you　doing？'　asked　the　dragon。

'I　was　thinking　what　a　beautiful　club　it　was；　and　what　a　pity　it
is　that　it　should　cause　your　death。'

'How　do　you　meanmy　death？'　asked　the　dragon。

'Only　that　I　am　afraid　that　if　I　throw　it　you　will　never　see
another　dawn。　　You　don't　know　how　strong　I　am！'

'Oh；　never　mind　that　be　quick　and　throw。'

'If　you　are　really　in　earnest；　let　us　go　and　feast　for　three
days：　　that　will　at　any　rate　give　you　three　extra　days　of　life。'

Stan　spoke　so　calmly　that　this　time　the　dragon　began　to　get　a
little　frightened；　though　he　did　not　quite　believe　that　things
would　be　as　bad　as　Stan　said。

They　returned　to　the　house；　took　all　the　food　that　could　be　found
in　the　old　mother's　larder；　and　carried　it　back　to　the　place
where　the　club　was　lying。　　Then　Stan　seated　himself　on　the　sack
of　provisions；　and　remained　quietly　watching　the　setting　moon。

'What　are　you　doing？'　asked　the　dragon。

'Waiting　till　the　moon　gets　out　of　my　way。'

'What　do　you　mean？　　I　don't　understand。'

'Don't　you　see　that　the　moon　is　exactly　in　my　way？　　But　of
course；　if　you　like；　I　will　throw　the　club　into　the　moon。'

At　these　words　the　dragon　grew　uncomfortable　for　the　second　time。

He　prized　the　club；　which　had　been　left　him　by　his　grandfather；
very　highly；　and　had　no　desire　that　it　should　be　lost　in　the
moon。

'I'll　tell　you　what；'　he　said；　after　thinking　a　little。　　'Don't
throw　the　club　at　all。　　I　will　throw　it　a　second　time；　and　that
will　do　just　as　well。'

'No；　certainly　not！'　replied　Stan。　　'Just　wait　till　the　moon
sets。'

But　the　dragon；　in　dread　lest　Stan　should　fulfil　his　threats；
tried　what　bribes　could　do；　and　in　the　end　had　to　promise　Stan
seven　sacks　of　ducats　before　he　was　suffered　to　throw　back　the
club　himself。

'Oh；　dear　me；　that　is　indeed　a　strong　man；'　said　the　dragon；
turning　to　his　mother。　　'Would　you　believe　that　I　have　had　the
greatest　difficulty　in　preventing　him　from　throwing　the　club　into
the　moon？'

Then　the　old　woman　grew　uncomfortable　too！　　Only　to　think　of　it！　
It　was　no　joke　to　throw　things　into　the　moon！　　So　no　more　was
heard　of　the　club；　and　the　next　day　they　had　all　something　else
to　think　about。

'Go　and　fetch　me　water！'　said　the　mother；　when　the　morning　broke；
and　gave　them　twelve　buffalo　skins　with　the　order　to　keep　filling
them　till　night。

They　set　out　at　once　for　the　brook；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an
eye　the　dragon　had　filled　the　whole　twelve；　carried　them　into　the
house；　and　brought　them　back　to　Stan。　　Stan　was　tired：　　he　could
scarcely　lift　the　buckets　when　they　were　empty；　and　he　shuddered
to　think　of　what　would　happen　when　they　were　full。　　But　he　only
took　an　old　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　began　to　scratch　up　the
earth　near　the　brook。

'What　are　you　doing　there？　　How　are　you　going　to　carry　the　water
into　the　house？'　asked　the　dragon。

'How？　　Dear　me；　that　is　easy　enough！　　I　shall　just　take　the
brook！'

At　these　words　the　dragon's　jaw　dropped。　　This　was　the　last　thing
that　had　ever　entered　his　head；　for　the　brook　had　been　as　it　was
since　the　days　of　his　grandfather。

'I'll　tell　you　what！'　he　said。　　'Let　me　carry　your　skins　for
you。'

'Most　certainly　not；'　answered　Stan；　going　on　with　his　digging；
and　the　dragon；　in　dread　lest　he　should　fulfil　his　threat；　tried
what　bribes　would　do；　and　in　the　end　had　again　to　promise　seven
sacks　of　ducats　before　Stan　would　agree　to　leave　the　brook　alone
and　let　him　carry　the　water　into　the　house。

On　the　third　day　the　old　mother　sent　Stan　into　the　forest　for
wood；　and；　as　usual；　the　dragon　went　with　him。

Before　you　could　count　three　he　had　pulled　up　more　trees　than
Stan　could　have　cut　down　in　a　lifetime；　and　had　arranged　them
neatly　in　rows。　　When　the　dragon　had　finished；　Stan　began　to　look
about　him；　and；　choosing　the　biggest　of　the　trees；　he　climbed　up
it；　and；　breaking　off　a　long　rope　of　wild　vine；　bound　the　top　of
the　tree　to　the　one　next　it。　　And　so　he　did　to　a　whole　line　of
trees。

'What　are　you　doing　there？'　asked　the　dragon。

'You　can　see　for　yourself；'　answered　Stan；　going　quietly　on　with
his　work。

'Why　are　you　tying　the　trees　together？'

'Not　to　give　myself　unnecessary　work；　when　I　pull　up　one；　all　the
others　will　come　up　too。'

'But　how　will　you　carry　them　home？'

'Dear　me！　　don't　you　understand　that　I　am　going　to　take　the　whole
forest　back　with　me？'　said　Stan；　tying　two　other　trees　as　he
spoke。

'I'll　tell　you　what；'　cried　the　dragon；　trembling　with　fear　at
the　thought　of　such　a　thing；　'let　me　carry　the　wood　for　you；　and
you　shall　have　seven　times　seven　sacks　full　of　ducats。'

'You　are　a　good　fellow；　and　I　agree　to　your　proposal；'　answered
Stan；　and　the　dragon　carried　the　wood。

Now　the　three　days'　service　which　were　to　be　reckoned　as　a　year
were　over；　and　the　only　thing　that　disturbed　Stan　was；　how　to　get
all　those　ducats　back　to　his　home！

In　the　evening　the　dragon　and　his　mother　had　a　long　talk；　but
Stan　heard　every　word　through　a　crack　in　the　ceiling。

'Woe　be　to　us；　mother；'　said　the　dragon；　'this　man　will　soon　get
us　into　his　power。　　Give　him　his　money；　and　let　us　be　rid　of
him。'

But　the　old　mother　was　fond　of　money；　and　did　not　like　this。

'Listen　to　me；'　said　she；　'you　must　murder　him　this　very　night。'

'I　am　afraid；'　answered　he。

'There　is　nothing　to　fear；'　replied　the　old　mother。　　'When　he　is
asleep　take　the　club；　and　hit　him　on　the　head　with　it。　　It　is
easily　done。'

And　so　it　would　have　been；　had　not　Stan　heard　all　about　it。　　And
when　the　dragon　and　his　mother　had　put　out　their　lights；　he　took
the　pigs'　trough　and　filled　it　with　earth；　and　placed　it　in　his
bed；　and　covered　it　with　clothes。　　Then　he　hid　himself
underneath；　and　began　to　snore　loudly。

Very　soon　the　dragon　stole　softly　into　the　room；　and　gave　a
tremendous　blow　on　the　spot　where　Stan's　head　should　have　been。　
Stan　groaned　loudly　from　under　the　bed；　and　the　dragon　went　away
as　softly　as　he　had　come。　　Directly　he　had　closed　the　door；　Stan
lifted　out　the　pigs'　trough；　and　lay　down　himself；　after　making
everything　clean　and　tidy；　but　he　was　wise　enough　not　to　shut　his
eyes　that　night。

The　next　morning　he　came　into　the　room　when　the　dragon　and　his
mother　were　having　their　breakfast。

'Good　morning；'　said　he。

'Good　morning。　　How　did　you　sleep？'

'Oh；　very　well；　but　I　dreamed　that　a　flea　had　bitten　me；　and　I
seem　to　feel　it　still。'

The　dragon　and　his　mother　looked　at　each　other。　　'Do　you　hear
that？'　whispered　he。　　'He　talks　of　a　flea。　　I　broke　my　club　on
his　head。'

This　time　the　mother　grew　as　frightened　as　her　son。　　There　was
nothing　to　be　done　with　a　man　like　this；　and　she　made　all　haste
to　fill　the　sacks　with　ducats；　so　as　to　get　rid　of　Stan　as　soon
as　possible。　　But　on　his　side　Stan　was　trembling　like　an　aspen；
as　he　could　not　lift　even　one　sack　from　the　ground。　　So　he　stood
still　and　looked　at　them。

'What　are　you　standing　there　for？'　asked　the　dragon。

'Oh；　I　was　standing　here　because　it　has　just　occurred　to　me　that
I　should　like　to　stay　in　your　service　for　another　year。　　I　am
ashamed　that　when　I　get　home　they　should　see　I　have　brought　back
so　little。　　I　know　that　they　will　cry　out；　〃Just　look　at　Stan
Bolovan；　who　in　one　year　has　grown　as　weak　as　a　dragon。〃　'

Here　a　shriek　of　dismay　was　heard　both　from　the　dragon　and　his
mother；　who　declared　they　would　give　him　seven　or　even　seven
times　seven　the　number　of　sacks　if　he　would　only　go　away。

'I'll　tell　you　what！'　said　Stan　at　last。　　'I　see　you　don't　want
me　to　stay；　and　I　should　be　very　sorry　to　make　myself
disagreeable。　　I　will　go　at　once；　but　only　on　condition　that　you
shall　carry　the　money　home　yourself；　so　that　I　may　not　be　put　to
shame　before　my　friends。'

The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　before　the　dragon　had
snatched　up　the　sacks　and　piled　them　on　his　back。　　Then　he　and
Stan　set　forth。

The　way；　though　really　not　far；　was　yet　too　long　for　Stan；　but　at
length　he　heard　his　children's　voices；　and　stopped　short。　　He　did
not　wish　the　dragon　to　know　where　he　lived；　lest　some　day　he
should　come　to　take　back　his　treasure。　　Was　there　nothing　he
could　say　to　get　rid　of　the　monster？　　Suddenly　an　idea　came　into
Stan's　head；　and　he　turned　round。

'I　hardly　know　what　to　do；'　said　he。　　'I　have　a　hundred　children；
and　I　am　afraid　they　may　do　you　harm；　as　they　are　always　ready
for　a　fight。　　However；　I　will　do　my　best　to　protect　you。'

A　hundred　children！　　That　was　indeed　no　joke！　　The　dragon　let
fall　the　sacks　from　terror；　and　then　picked　them　up　again。　　But
the　children；　who　had　had　nothing　to　eat　since　their　father　had
left　them；　came　rushing　towards　him；　waving　knives　in　their　right
hands　and　forks　in　their　left；　and　crying；　'Give　us　dragon's
flesh；　we　will　have　dragon's　flesh。'

At　this　dreadful　sight　the　dragon　waited　no　longer：　　he　flung
down　his　sacks　where　he　stood　and　took　flight　as　fast　as　he
could；　so　terrified　at　the　fate　that　awaited　him　that　from　that
day　he　has　never　dared　to　show　his　face　in　the　world　again。

＇Adapted　from　Rumanische　Marchen。＇