18-kari woodengown-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！






KARI　WOODENGOWN



THERE　was　once　upon　a　time　a　King　who　had　become　a　widower。

His　Queen　had　left　one　daughter　behind　her；　and　she　was　so

wise　and　so　pretty　that　it　was　impossible　for　any　one　to　be　wiser　or

prettier。　For　a　long　time　the　King　went　sorrowing　for　his　wife；　for

he　had　loved　her　exceedingly；　but　at　last　he　grew　tired　of　living

alone；　and　married　a　Queen　who　was　a　widow；　and　she　also　had

a　daughter；　who　was　just　as　ill…favoured　and　wicked　as　the　other

was　good　and　beautiful。　The　stepmother　and　her　daughter　were

envious　of　the　King's　daughter　because　she　was　so　pretty；　but　so

long　as　the　King　was　at　home　they　dared　do　her　no　harm；　because

his　love　for　her　was　so　great。



Then　there　came　a　time　when　he　made　war　on　another　King　and

went　away　to　fight；　and　then　the　new　Queen　thought　that　she　could

do　what　she　liked；　so　she　both　hungered　and　beat　the　King's　daughter

and　chased　her　about　into　every　corner。　At　last　she　thought　that

everything　was　too　good　for　her；　and　set　her　to　work　to　look　after

the　cattle。　So　she　went　about　with　the　cattle；　and　herded　them　in

the　woods　and　in　the　fields。　Of　food　she　got　little　or　none；　and

grew　pale　and　thin；　and　was　nearly　always　weeping　and　sad。　Among

the　herd　there　was　a　great　blue　bull；　which　always　kept　itself　very

smart　and　sleek；　and　often　came　to　the　King's　daughter　and　let　her

stroke　him。　So　one　day；　when　she　was　again　sitting　crying　and

sorrowing；　the　Bull　came　up　to　her　and　asked　why　she　was　always

so　full　of　care？　She　made　no　answer；　but　continued　to　weep。



‘Well；'　said　the　Bull；　‘I　know　what　it　is；　though　you　will　not　tell

me；　you　are　weeping　because　the　Queen　is　unkind　to　you；　and　because

she　wants　to　starve　you　to　death。　But　you　need　be　under　no　concern

about　food；　for　in　my　left　ear　there　lies　a　cloth；　and　if　you　will　but

take　it　and　spread　it　out；　you　can　have　as　many　dishes　as　you　like。'



So　she　did　this；　and　took　the　cloth　and　spread　it　out　upon　the

grass；　and　then　it　was　covered　with　the　daintiest　dishes　that　any　one

could　desire；　and　there　was　wine；　and　mead；　and　cake。　And　now

she　became　brisk　and　well　again；　and　grew　so　rosy；　and　plump；　and

fair　that　the　Queen　and　her　scraggy　daughter　turned　blue　and　white

with　vexation　at　it。　The　Queen　could　not　imagine　how　her　step…

daughter　could　look　so　well　on　such　bad　food；　so　she　ordered　one　of

her　handmaidens　to　follow　her　into　the　wood　and　watch　her；　and

see　how　it　was；　for　she　thought　that　some　of　the　servants　must　be

giving　her　food。　So　the　maid　followed　her　into　the　wood　and

watched；　and　saw　how　the　step…daughter　took　the　cloth　out　of　the

Blue　Bull's　ear；　and　spread　it　out；　and　how　the　cloth　was　then　covered

with　the　most　delicate　dishes；　which　the　step…daughter　ate　and

regaled　herself　with。　So　the　waiting…maid　went　home　and　told　the　Queen。



And　now　the　King　came　home；　and　he　had　conquered　the　other

King　with　whom　he　had　been　at　war。　So　there　was　great　gladness

in　the　palace；　but　no　one　was　more　glad　than　the　King's　daughter。

The　Queen；　however；　pretended　to　be　ill；　and　gave　the　doctor　much

money　to　say　that　she　would　never　be　well　again　unless　she　had

some　of　the　flesh　of　the　Blue　Bull　to　eat。　Both　the　King's　daughter

and　the　people　in　the　palace　asked　the　doctor　if　there　were　no　other

means　of　saving　her；　and　begged　for　the　Bull's　life；　for　they　were　all

fond　of　him；　and　they　all　declared　that　there　was　no　such　Bull　in　the

whole　country；　but　it　was　all　in　vain；　he　was　to　be　killed；　and　should

be　killed；　and　nothing　else　would　serve。　When　the　King's　daughter

heard　it　she　was　full　of　sorrow；　and　went　down　to　the　byre　to　the

Bull。　He　too　was　standing　there　hanging　his　head；　and　looking　so

downcast　that　she　fell　a…weeping　over　him。



‘What　are　you　weeping　for？'　said　the　Bull。



So　she　told　him　that　the　King　had　come　home　again；　and　that

the　Queen　had　pretended　to　be　ill；　and　that　she　had　made　the　doctor

say　that　she　could　never　be　well　again　unless　some　of　the　flesh　of

the　Blue　Bull　was　given　her　to　eat；　and　that　now　he　was　to　be

killed。



‘When　once　they　have　taken　my　life　they　will　soon　kill　you

also；'　said　the　Bull。　‘If　you　are　of　the　same　mind　with　me；　we　will

take　our　departure　this　very　night。'



The　King's　daughter　thought　that　it　was　bad　to　go　and　leave

her　father；　but　that　it　was　worse　still　to　be　in　the　same　house　with

the　Queen；　so　she　promised　the　Bull　that　she　would　come。



At　night；　when　all　the　others　had　gone　to　bed；　the　King's　daughter

stole　softly　down　to　the　byre　to　the　Bull；　and　he　took　her　on　his

back　and　got　out　of　the　courtyard　as　quickly　as　he　could。　So　at

cock…crow　next　morning；　when　the　people　came　to　kill　the　Bull；　he

was　gone；　and　when　the　King　got　up　and　asked　for　his　daughter　she

was　gone　too。　He　sent　forth　messengers　to　all　parts　of　the　kingdom

to　search　for　them；　and　published　his　loss　in　all　the　parish　churches；

but　there　was　no　one　who　had　seen　anything　of　them。



In　the　meantime　the　Bull　travelled　through　many　lands　with　the

King's　daughter　on　his　back；　and　one　day　they　came　to　a　great

copper…wood；　where　the　trees；　and　the　branches；　and　the　leaves；　and

the　flowers；　and　everything　else　was　of　copper。



But　before　they　entered　the　wood　the　Bull　said　to　the　King's

daughter：



‘When　we　enter　into　this　wood；　you　must　take　the　greatest　care

not　to　touch　a　leaf　of　it；　or　all　will　be　over　both　with　me　and　with

you；　for　a　Troll　with　three　heads；　who　is　the　owner　of　the　wood；

lives　here。'



So　she　said　she　would　be　on　her　guard；　and　not　touch　anything。

And　she　was　very　careful；　and　bent　herself　out　of　the　way　of　the

branches；　and　put　them　aside　with　her　hands；　but　it　was　so　thickly

wooded　that　it　was　all　but　impossible　to　get　forward；　and　do　what

she　might；　she　somehow　or　other　tore　off　a　leaf　which　got　into　her

hand。



‘Oh！　oh！　What　have　you　done　now？'　said　the　Bull。　‘It　will

now　cost　us　a　battle　for　life　or　death；　but　do　be　careful　to　keep　the

leaf。'



Very　soon　afterwards　they　came　to　the　end　of　the　wood；　and　the

Troll　with　three　heads　came　rushing　up　to　them。



‘Who　is　that　who　is　touching　my　wood？'　said　the　Troll。



‘The　wood　is　just　as　much　mine　as　yours！'　said　the　Bull。



‘We　shall　have　a　tussle　for　that！'　shrieked　the　Troll。



‘That　may　be；'　said　the　Bull。



So　they　rushed　on　each　other　and　fought；　and　as　for　the　Bull

he　butted　and　kicked　with　all　the　strength　of　his　body；　but　the

Troll　fought　quite　as　well　as　he　did；　and　the　whole　day　went　by

before　the　Bull　put　an　end　to　him；　and　then　he　himself　was　so　full

of　wounds　and　so　worn　out　that　he　was　scarcely　able　to　move。　So

they　had　to　wait　a　day；　and　the　Bull　told　the　King's　daughter　to

take　the　horn　of　ointment　which　hung　at　the　Troll's　belt；　and　rub

him　with　it；　then　he　was　himself　again；　and　the　next　day　they　set

off　once　more。　And　now　they　journeyed　on　for　many；　many　days；

and　then　after　a　long；　long　time　they　came　to　a　silver　wood。　The

trees；　and　the　boughs；　and　the　leaves；　and　the　flowers；　and　everything

else　was　of　silver。



Before　the　Bull　went　into　the　wood；　he　said　to　the　King's

daughter：　‘When　we　enter　into　this　wood　you　must；　for　Heaven's

sake；　be　very　careful　not　to　touch　anything　at　all；　and　not　to　pluck

off　even　so　much　as　one　leaf；　or　else　all　will　be　over　both　with　you

and　with　me。　A　Troll　with　six　heads　lives　here；　who　is　the　owner

of　the　wood；　and　I　do　not　think　I　should　be　able　to　overcome　him。'



‘Yes；'　said　the　King's　daughter；　‘I　will　take　good　care　not　to

touch　what　you　do　not　wish　me　to　touch。'



But　when　they　got　into　the　wood　it　was　so　crowded；　and　the

trees　so　close　together；　that　they　could　scarcely　get　forward。　She

was　as　careful　as　she　could　be；　and　bent　aside　to　get　out　of　the　way　of

the　branches；　and　thrust　them　away　from　before　her　with　her　hands；

but　every　instant　a　branch　struck　against　her　eyes；　and　in　spite　of

all　her　care；　she　happened　to　pull　off　one　leaf。



‘Oh！　oh！　What　have　you　done　now？'　said　the　Bull。　It　will

now　cost　us　a　battle　for　life　or　death；　for　this　Troll　has　six　heads

and　is　twice　as　strong　as　the　other；　but　do　be　careful　to　keep　the

leaf。'



Just　as　he　said　this　came　the　Troll。　‘Who　is　that　who　is

touching　my　wood？'　he　said。



‘It　is　just　as　much　mine　as　yours！'



‘We　shall　have　a　tussle　for　that！'　screamed　the　Troll。



‘That　may　be；'　said　the　Bull；　and　rushed　at　the　Troll；　and　gored

out　his　eyes；　and　drove　his　horns　right　through　him　so　that　his

entrails　gushed　out；　but　the　Troll　fought　just　as　well　as　he　did；　and

it　was　three　whole　days　before　the　Bull　got　the　life　out　of　him。　But

the　Bull　was　then　so　weak　and　worn　out　that　it　was　only　with　pain

and　effort　that　he　could　move；　and　so　covered　with　wounds　that

the　blood　streamed　from　him。　So　he　told　the　King's　daughter　to

take　the　horn　of　ointment　that　was　hanging　at　the　Troll's　belt；　and

anoint　him　with　it。　She　did　this；　and　then　he　came　to　himself

again；　but　they　had　to　stay　there　and　rest　for　a　week　before　the

Bull　was　able　to　go　any　farther。



At　last　they　set　forth　on　their　way　again；　but　the　Bull　was　still

weak；　and　at　first　could　not　go　quickly。　The　King's　daughter

wished　to　spare　him；　and　said　that　she　was　so　young　and　light　of

foot　that　she　would　willingly　walk；　but　he　would　not　give　her　leave

to　do　that；　and　she　was　forced　to　seat　herself　on　his　back　again。

So　they　travelled　for　a　long　time；　and　through　many　lands；　and

the　King's　daughter　did　not　at　all　know　where　he　was　taking　her；

but　after　a　long；　long　time　they　came　to　a　gold　wood。　It　was　so

golden　that　the　gold　dripped　off　it；　and　the　trees；　and　the　branches；

and　the　flowers；　and　the　leaves　were　all　of　pure　gold。　Here　all

happened　just　as　it　had　happened　in　the　copper　wood　and　silver

wood。　The　Bull　told　the　King's　daughter　that　on　no　account　was

she　to　touch　it；　for　there　was　a　Troll　with　nine　heads　who　was　the

owner；　and　that　he　was　much　larger