18-kari woodengown-第3部分

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could　tell　him　where　it　lay；　so　he　was　forced　to　have　patience　once

more。



Next　Sunday　some　one　had　to　go　to　the　Prince　with　a　comb。

Kari　begged　for　leave　to　go　with　it；　but　the　others　reminded　her　of

what　had　happened　last　time；　and　scolded　her　for　wanting　to　let　the

Prince　see　her　when　she　was　so　black　and　so　ugly　in　her　wooden

gown；　but　she　would　not　give　up　asking　until　they　gave　her　leave

to　go　up　to　the　Prince　with　the　comb。　When　she　went　clattering

up　the　stairs　again；　out　came　the　Prince　and　took　the　comb　and

flung　it　at　her；　and　ordered　her　to　be　off　as　fast　as　she　could。　After

that　the　Prince　went　to　church；　and　Kari　also　begged　for　leave　to

go。　Again　they　all　asked　what　she　would　do　there；　she　who　was　so

black　and　ugly；　and　had　no　clothes　that　she　could　be　seen　in　by

other　people。　The　Prince　or　some　one　else　might　very　easily　catch

sight　of　her；　they　said；　and　then　both　she　and　they　would　suffer　for

it；　but　Kari　said　that　they　had　something　else　to　do　than　to　look

at　her；　and　she　never　ceased　begging　until　she　got　leave　to　go。



And　now　all　happened　just　as　it　had　happened　twice　already。

She　went　away　to　the　rock　and　knocked　at　it　with　the　stick；　and

then　the　man　came　out　and　gave　her　a　gown　which　was　very　much

more　magnificent　than　either　of　the　others。　It　was　almost　entirely

made　of　pure　gold　and　diamonds；　and　she　also　got　a　noble　horse

with　housings　embroidered　with　gold；　and　a　golden　bridle。



When　the　King's　daughter　came　to　the　church　the　priest　and　people

were　all　standing　on　the　hillside　waiting　for　her；　and　the　Prince　ran

up　and　wanted　to　hold　the　horse；　but　she　jumped　off；　saying：



‘No；　thank　you；　there　is　no　need；　my　horse　is　so　well　broken　in

that　it　will　stand　still　when　I　bid　it。'



So　they　all　hastened　into　the　church　together　and　the　priest　got

into　the　pulpit；　but　no　one　listened　to　what　he　said；　for　they　were

looking　far　too　much　at　her　and　wondering　whence　she　came；　and

the　Prince　was　far　more　in　love　than　he　had　been　on　either　of　the

former　occasions；　and　he　was　mindful　of　nothing　but　of　looking　at　her。



When　the　sermon　was　over　and　the　King's　daughter　was　about

to　leave　the　church；　the　Prince　had　caused　a　firkin　of　tar　to　be

emptied　out　in　the　porch　in　order　that　he　might　go　to　help　her　over

it；　she；　however；　did　not　trouble　herself　in　the　least　about　the　tar；

but　set　her　foot　down　in　the　middle　of　it　and　jumped　over　it；　and

thus　one　of　her　gold　shoes　was　left　sticking　in　it。　When　she　had

seated　herself　on　the　horse　the　Prince　came　running　out　of　the

church　and　asked　her　whence　she　came。



‘From　Combland；'　said　Kari。　But　when　the　Prince　wanted　to

reach　her　her　gold　shoe；　she　said：





‘Darkness　behind　me；　but　light　on　my　way；

That　the　Prince　may　not　see　where　I'm　going　to…day！'





The　Prince　did　not　know　what　had　become　of　her；　so　he　travelled

for　a　long　and　wearisome　time　all　over　the　world；　asking　where

Combland　was；　but　when　no　one　could　tell　him　where　that　country

was；　he　caused　it　to　be　made　known　everywhere　that　he　would

marry　any　woman　who　could　put　on　the　gold　shoe。　So　fair　maidens

and　ugly　maidens　came　thither　from　all　regions；　but　there　was　none

who　had　a　foot　so　small　that　she　could　put　on　the　gold　shoe。　After

a　long；　long　while　came　Kari　Woodengown's　wicked　stepmother；

with　her　daughter　too；　and　the　shoe　fitted　her。　But　she　was　so

ugly　and　looked　so　loathsome　that　the　Prince　was　very　unwilling

to　do　what　he　had　promised。　Nevertheless　all　was　got　ready　for

the　wedding；　and　she　was　decked　out　as　a　bride；　but　as　they　were

riding　to　church　a　little　bird　sat　upon　a　tree　and　sang：



‘A　slice　off　her　heel

And　a　slice　off　her　toes；

Kari　Woodengown's　shoe

Fills　with　blood　as　she　goes！'



And　when　they　looked　to　it　the　bird　had　spoken　the　truth；　for　blood

was　trickling　out　of　the　shoe。　So　all　the　waiting…maids；　and　all　the

womenkind　in　the　castle　had　to　come　and　try　on　the　shoe；　but

there　was　not　one　whom　it　would　fit。



‘But　where　is　Kari　Woodengown；　then？'　asked　the　Prince；

when　all　the　others　had　tried　on　the　shoe；　for　he　understood　the

song　of　birds　and　it　came　to　his　mind　what　the　bird　had　said。



‘Oh！　that　creature！'　said　the　others；　‘it's　not　the　least　use　for

her　to　come　here；　for　she　has　feet　like　a　horse！'



‘That　may　be；'　said　the　Prince；　‘but　as　all　the　others　have　tried

it；　Kari　may　try　it　too。'



‘Kari！'　he　called　out　through　the　door；　and　Kari　came　upstairs；

and　her　wooden　gown　clattered　as　if　a　whole　regiment　of　dragoons

were　coming　up。



‘Now；　you　are　to　try　on　the　gold　shoe　and　be　a　Princess；'　said

the　other　servants；　and　they　laughed　at　her　and　mocked　her。　Kari

took　up　the　shoe；　put　her　foot　into　it　as　easily　as　possible；　and　then

threw　off　her　wooden　gown；　and　there　she　stood　in　the　golden　gown

which　flashed　like　rays　of　sunshine；　and　on　her　other　foot　she　had

the　fellow　to　the　gold　shoe。　The　Prince　knew　her　in　a　moment；

and　was　so　glad　that　he　ran　and　took　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed

her；　and　when　he　heard　that　she　was　a　King's　daughter　he　was

gladder　still；　and　then　they　had　the　wedding。＇14＇



＇14＇　From　P。　C。　Asbjornsen。