35-the seven foals-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！






THE　SEVEN　FOALS



THERE　was　once　upon　a　time　a　couple　of　poor　folks　who　lived　in

a　wretched　hut；　far　away　from　everyone　else；　in　a　wood。　They

only　just　managed　to　live　from　hand　to　mouth；　and　had　great　difficulty

in　doing　even　so　much　as　that；　but　they　had　three　sons；　and

the　youngest　of　them　was　called　Cinderlad；　for　he　did　nothing　else

but　lie　and　poke　about　among　the　ashes。



One　day　the　eldest　lad　said　that　he　would　go　out　to　earn　his　living；

he　soon　got　leave　to　do　that；　and　set　out　on　his　way　into　the　world。

He　walked　on　and　on　for　the　whole　day；　and　when　night　was　beginning

to　fall　he　came　to　a　royal　palace。　The　King　was　standing

outside　on　the　steps；　and　asked　where　he　was　going。



‘Oh；　I　am　going　about　seeking　a　place；　my　father；'　said　the　youth。



‘Wilt　thou　serve　me；　and　watch　my　seven　foals？'　asked　the

King。　‘If　thou　canst　watch　them　for　a　whole　day　and　tell　me　at

night　what　they　eat　and　drink；　thou　shalt　have　the　Princess　and

half　my　kingdom；　but　if　thou　canst　not；　I　will　cut　three　red　stripes

on　thy　back。'



The　youth　thought　that　it　was　very　easy　work　to　watch　the

foals；　and　that　he　could　do　it　well　enough。



Next　morning；　when　day　was　beginning　to　dawn；　the　King's

Master　of　the　Horse　let　out　the　seven　foals；　and　they　ran　away；

and　the　youth　after　them　just　as　it　chanced；　over　hill　and　dale；　through

woods　end　bogs。　When　the　youth　had　run　thus　for　a　long　time　he

began　to　be　tired；　and　when　he　had　held　on　a　little　longer　he　was

heartily　weary　of　watching　at　all；　and　at　the　same　moment　he　came

to　a　cleft　in　a　rock　where　an　old　woman　was　sitting　spinning　with

her　distaff　in　her　hand。



As　soon　as　she　caught　sight　of　the　youth；　who　was　running　after

the　foals　till　the　perspiration　streamed　down　his　face；　she　cried：



‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb

your　hair　for　you。'



The　lad　was　willing　enough；　so　he　sat　down　in　the　cleft　of　the

rock　beside　the　old　hag；　and　laid　his　head　on　her　knees；　and　she

combed　his　hair　all　day　while　he　lay　there　and　gave　himself　up　to

idleness。



When　evening　was　drawing　near；　the　youth　wanted　to　go。



‘I　may　just　as　well　go　straight　home　again；'　said　he；　‘for　it　is

no　use　to　go　to　the　King's　palace。'



‘Wait　till　it　is　dusk；'　said　the　old　hag；　‘and　then　the　King's

foals　will　pass　by　this　place　again；　and　you　can　run　home　with

them；　no　one　will　ever　know　that　you　have　been　lying　here　all　day

instead　of　watching　the　foals。'



So　when　they　came　she　gave　the　lad　a　bottle　of　water　and　a　bit

of　moss；　and　told　him　to　show　these　to　the　King　and　say　that　this

was　what　his　seven　foals　ate　and　drank。



‘Hast　thou　watched　faithfully　and　well　the　whole　day　long？'

said　the　King；　when　the　lad　came　into　his　presence　in　the　evening。



‘Yes；　that　I　have！'　said　the　youth。



‘Then　you　are　able　to　tell　me　what　it　is　that　my　seven　foals　eat

and　drink；'　said　the　King。



So　the　youth　produced　the　bottle　of　water　and　the　bit　of　moss

which　he　had　got　from　the　old　woman；　saying：



‘Here　you　see　their　meat；　and　here　you　see　their　drink。'



Then　the　King　knew　how　his　watching　had　been　done；　and　fell

into　such　a　rage　that　he　ordered　his　people　to　chase　the　youth　back

to　his　own　home　at　once；　but　first　they　were　to　cut　three　red

stripes　in　his　back；　and　rub　salt　into　them。



When　the　youth　reached　home　again；　anyone　can　imagine　what

a　state　of　mind　he　was　in。　He　had　gone　out　once　to　seek　a　place；

he　said；　but　never　would　he　do　such　a　thing　again。



Next　day　the　second　son　said　that　he　would　now　go　out　into　the

world　to　seek　his　fortune。　His　father　and　mother　said　‘No；'　and

bade　him　look　at　his　brother's　back；　but　the　youth　would　not　give

up　his　design；　and　stuck　to　it；　and　after　a　long；　long　time　he　got

leave　to　go；　and　set　forth　on　his　way。　When　he　had　walked　all　day

he　too　came　to　the　King's　palace；　and　the　King　was　standing　outside

on　the　steps；　and　asked　where　he　was　going；　and　when　the　youth

replied　that　he　was　going　about　in　search　of　a　place；　the　King　said

that　he　might　enter　into　his　service　and　watch　his　seven　foals。　Then

the　King　promised　him　the　same　punishment　and　the　same　reward

that　he　had　promised　his　brother。



The　youth　at　once　consented　to　this　and　entered　into　the　King's

service；　for　he　thought　he　could　easily　watch　the　foals　and　inform

the　King　what　they　ate　and　drank。



In　the　grey　light　of　dawn　the　Master　of　the　Horse　let　out　the

seven　foals；　and　off　they　went　again　over　hill　and　dale；　and　off　went

the　lad　after　them。　But　all　went　with　him　as　it　had　gone　with　his

brother。　When　he　had　run　after　the　foals　for　a　long；　long　time　and

was　hot　and　tired；　he　passed　by　a　cleft　in　the　rock　where　an　old

woman　was　sitting　spinning　with　a　distaff；　and　she　called　to　him：



‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb

your　hair。'



The　youth　liked　the　thought　of　this；　let　the　foals　run　where

they　chose；　and　seated　himself　in　the　cleft　of　the　rock　by　the　side

of　the　old　hag。　So　there　he　sat　with　his　head　on　her　lap；　taking　his

ease　the　livelong　day。



The　foals　came　back　in　the　evening；　and　then　he　too　got　a　bit　of

moss　and　a　bottle　of　water　from　the　old　hag；　which　things　he　was　to

show　to　the　King。　But　when　the　King　asked　the　youth：　‘Canst

thou　tell　me　what　my　seven　foals　eat　and　drink？'　and　the　youth

showed　him　the　bit　of　moss　and　the　bottle　of　water；　and　said：　‘Yes

here　may　you　behold　their　meat；　and　here　their　drink；'　the　King

once　more　became　wroth；　and　commanded　that　three　red　stripes

should　be　cut　on　the　lad's　back；　that　salt　should　be　strewn　upon

them；　and　that　he　should　then　be　instantly　chased　back　to　his　own

home。　So　when　the　youth　got　home　again　he　too　related　all

that　had　happened　to　him；　and　he　too　said　that　he　had　gone　out　in

search　of　a　place　once；　but　that　never　would　he　do　it　again。



On　the　third　day　Cinderlad　wanted　to　set　out。　He　had　a　fancy

to　try　to　watch　the　seven　foals　himself；　he　said。



The　two　others　laughed　at　him；　and　mocked　him。　‘What　I

when　all　went　so　ill　with　us；　do　you　suppose　that　you　are　going　to

succeed？　You　look　like　succeedingyou　who　have　never　done

anything　else　but　lie　and　poke　about　among　the　ashes！'　said　they。



‘Yes；　I　will　go　too；'　said　Cinderlad；　‘for　I　have　taken　it　into　my

head。'



The　two　brothers　laughed　at　him；　and　his　father　and　mother

begged　him　not　to　go；　but　all　to　no　purpose；　and　Cinderlad　set　out

on　his　way。　So　when　he　had　walked　the　whole　day；　he　too　came

to　the　King's　palace　as　darkness　began　to　fall。



There　stood　the　King　outside　on　the　steps；　and　he　asked　whither

he　was　bound。



‘I　am　walking　about　in　search　of　a　place；'　said　Cinderlad。



‘From　whence　do　you　come；　then？'　inquired　the　King；　for　by

this　time　he　wanted　to　know　a　little　more　about　the　men　before　he

took　any　of　them　into　his　service。



So　Cinderlad　told　him　whence　he　came；　and　that　he　was　brother

to　the　two　who　had　watched　the　seven　foals　for　the　King；　and　then

he　inquired　if　he　might　be　allowed　to　try　to　watch　them　on　the

following　day。



‘Oh；　shame　on　them！'　said　the　King；　for　it　enraged　him　even　to

think　of　them。　‘If　thou　art　brother　to　those　two；　thou　too　art　not

good　for　much。　I　have　had　enough　of　such　fellows。'



‘Well；　but　as　I　have　come　here；　you　might　just　give　me　leave

to　make　the　attempt；'　said　Cinderlad。



‘Oh；　very　well；　if　thou　art　absolutely　determined　to　have　thy

back　flayed；　thou　may'st　have　thine　own　way　if　thou　wilt；'　said　the

King。



‘I　would　much　rather　have　the　Princess；'　said　Cinderlad。



Next　morning；　in　the　grey　light　of　dawn；　the　Master　of　the　Horse

let　out　the　seven　foals　again；　and　off　they　set　over　hill　and　dale；

through　woods　and　bogs；　and　off　went　Cinderlad　after　them。　When

he　had　run　thus　for　a　long　time；　he　too　came　to　the　cleft　in　the　rock。

There　the　old　hag　was　once　more　sitting　spinning　from　her　distaff；

and　she　cried　to　Cinderlad；



‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb

your　hair　for　you。'



‘Come　to　me；　then；　come　to　me！'　said　Cinderlad；　as　he　passed

by　jumping　and　running；　and　keeping　tight　hold　of　one　of　the　foals'

tails。



When　he　had　got　safely　past　the　cleft　in　the　rock；　the　youngest

foal　said：



‘Get　on　my　back；　for　we　have　still　a　long　way　to　go。'　So　the

lad　did　this。



And　thus　they　journeyed　onwards　a　long；　long　way。



‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'　said　the　Foal。



‘No；'　said　Cinderlad。



So　they　journeyed　onwards　a　good　bit　farther。



‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'　asked　the　Foal。



‘Oh；　no；'　said　the　lad。



When　they　had　gone　thus　for　a　long；　long　way；　the　Foal　again

asked：



‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'



‘Yes；　now　I　see　something　that　is　white；'　said　Cinderlad。　‘It

looks　like　the　trunk　of　a　great　thick　birch　tree。'



‘Yes；　that　is　where　we　are　to　go　in；'　said　the　Foal。



When　they　got　to　the　trunk；　the　eldest　foal　broke　it　down　on

one　side；　and　then　they　saw　a　door　where　the　trunk　had　been

standing；　and　inside　this　there　was　a　small　room；　and　in　the　room

there　was　scarcely　anything　but　a　small　fire…place　and　a　couple　of

benches；　but　behind　the　door　hung　a　great　rusty　sword　and　a　small

pitcher。



‘Canst　thou　wield　that　sword？'　asked　the　Foal。



Cinderlad　tried；　but　could　not　do　it；　so　he　had　to　take　a　draught

from　the　pitcher；　and　then　one　more；　and　after　that　still　another；

and　then　he　was　able　to　wield　the　sword　with　perfect　ease。



‘Good；'　said　the　Foal；　‘and　now　thou　must　take　the　sword　away

with　thee；　and　with　it　shalt　thou　cut　off　the　heads　of　all　seven　of　us

on　thy　wedding…day；　and　then　we　shall　become　princes　again　as　we

were　before。　For　we　are　brothers　of　the　Princess　whom　thou　art

to　have　when　thou　canst　tell　the　King　what　we　eat　and　drink；　but

there　is　a　mighty　Troll　who　has　cast　a　spell　over　us。　When　thou

hast　cut　off　our　heads；　thou　must　take　the　greate