23-the glass axe-第1部分

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　THE　GLASS　AXE＇19＇



＇19＇　From　the　Hungarian。　　Kletke。



There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　King　and　Queen　who　had　everything

they　could　possibly　wish　for　in　this　world　except　a　child。　　At

last；　after　twelve　years；　the　Queen　gave　birth　to　a　son；　but　she

did　not　live　long　to　enjoy　her　happiness；　for　on　the　following

day　she　died。　　But　before　her　death　she　called　her　husband　to　her

and　said；　'Never　let　the　child　put　his　feet　on　the　ground；　for　as

soon　as　he　does　so　he　will　fall　into　the　power　of　a　wicked　Fairy；

who　will　do　him　much　harm。'　　And　these　were　the　last　words　the

poor　Queen　spoke。



The　boy　throve　and　grew　big；　and　when　he　was　too　heavy　for　his

nurse　to　carry；　a　chair　was　made　for　him　on　little　wheels；　in

which　he　could　wander　through　the　palace　gardens　without　help；　at

other　times　he　was　carried　about　on　a　litter；　and　he　was　always

carefully　watched　and　guarded　for　fear　he　should　at　any　time　put

his　feet　to　the　ground。



But　as　this　sort　of　life　was　bad　for　his　health；　the　doctors

ordered　him　horse　exercise；　and　he　soon　became　a　first…rate

rider；　and　used　to　go　out　for　long　excursions　on　horseback；

accompanied　always　by　his　father's　stud…groom　and　a　numerous

retinue。



Every　day　he　rode　through　the　neighbouring　fields　and　woods；　and

always　returned　home　in　the　evening　safe　and　well。　　In　this　way

many　years　passed；　and　the　Prince　grew　to　manhood；　and　hardly

anyone　remembered　the　Queen's　warning；　though　precautions　were

still　taken；　more　from　use　and　wont　than　for　any　other　reason。



One　day　the　Prince　and　his　suite　went　out　for　a　ride　in　a　wood

where　his　father　sometimes　held　a　hunt。　　Their　way　led　through　a

stream　whose　banks　were　overgrown　with　thick　brushwood。　　Just　as

the　horsemen　were　about　to　ford　the　river；　a　hare；　startled　by

the　sound　of　the　horses'　hoofs；　started　up　from　the　grass　and　ran

towards　the　thicket。　　The　young　Prince　pursued　the　little

creature；　and　had　almost　overtaken　it；　when　the　girth　of　his

saddle　suddenly　broke　in　two　and　he　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　

No　sooner　had　his　foot　touched　the　earth　than　he　disappeared

before　the　eyes　of　the　horrified　courtiers。



They　sought　for　him　far　and　near；　but　all　in　vain；　and　they　were

forced　to　recognise　the　power　of　the　evil　Fairy；　against　which

the　Queen　had　warned　them　on　her　death…bed。　　The　old　King　was

much　grieved　when　they　brought　him　the　news　of　his　son's

disappearance；　but　as　he　could　do　nothing　to　free　him　from　his

fate；　he　gave　himself　up　to　an　old　age　of　grief　and　loneliness；

cherishing　at　the　same　time　the　hope　that　some　lucky　chance　might

one　day　deliver　the　youth　out　of　the　hands　of　his　enemy。



Hardly　had　the　Prince　touched　the　ground　than　he　felt　himself

violently　seized　by　an　unseen　power；　and　hurried　away　he　knew　not

whither。　　A　whole　new　world　stretched　out　before　him；　quite

unlike　the　one　he　had　left。　　A　splendid　castle　surrounded　by　a

huge　lake　was　the　abode　of　the　Fairy；　and　the　only　approach　to　it

was　over　a　bridge　of　clouds。　　On　the　other　side　of　the　lake　high

mountains　rose　up；　and　dark　woods　stretched　along　the　banks；　over

all　hung　a　thick　mist；　and　deep　silence　reigned　everywhere。



No　sooner　had　the　Fairy　reached　her　own　domain　than　she　made

herself　visible；　and　turning　to　the　Prince　she　told　him　that

unless　he　obeyed　all　her　commands　down　to　the　minutest　detail　he

would　be　severely　punished。　　Then　she　gave　him　an　axe　made　of

glass；　and　bade　him　cross　the　bridge　of　clouds　and　go　into　the

wood　beyond　and　cut　down　all　the　trees　there　before　sunset。　　At

the　same　time　she　cautioned　him　with　many　angry　words　against

speaking　to　a　black　girl　he　would　most　likely　meet　in　the　wood。



The　Prince　listened　to　her　words　meekly；　and　when　she　had

finished　took　up　the　glass　axe　and　set　out　for　the　forest。　　At

every　step　he　seemed　to　sink　into　the　clouds；　but　fear　gave　wings

to　his　feet；　and　he　crossed　the　lake　in　safety　and　set　to　work　at

once。



But　no　sooner　had　he　struck　the　first　blow　with　his　axe　than　it

broke　into　a　thousand　pieces　against　the　tree。　　The　poor　youth

was　so　terrified　he　did　not　know　what　to　do；　for　he　was　in　mortal

dread　of　the　punishment　the　wicked　old　Fairy　would　inflict　on

him。　　He　wandered　to　and　fro　in　the　wood；　not　knowing　where　he

was　going；　and　at　last；　worn　out　by　fatigue　and　misery；　he　sank

on　the　ground　and　fell　fast　asleep。



He　did　not　know　how　long　he　had　slept　when　a　sudden　sound　awoke

him；　and　opening　his　eyes　he　saw　a　black　girl　standing　beside

him。　　Mindful　of　the　Fairy's　warning　he　did　not　dare　to　address

her；　but　she　on　her　part　greeted　him　in　the　most　friendly　manner；

and　asked　him　at　once　if　he　were　under　the　power　of　the　wicked

Fairy。　　The　Prince　nodded　his　head　silently　in　answer。



Then　the　black　girl　told　him　that　she　too　was　in　the　power　of　the

Fairy；　who　had　doomed　her　to　wander　about　in　her　present　guise

until　some　youth　should　take　pity　on　her　and　bear　her　in　safety

to　the　other　side　of　the　river　which　they　saw　in　the　distance；

and　on　the　other　side　of　which　the　Fairy's　domain　and　power

ended。



The　girl's　words　so　inspired　the　Prince　with　confidence　that　he

told　her　all　his　tale　of　woe；　and　ended　up　by　asking　her　advice

as　to　how　he　was　to　escape　the　punishment　the　Fairy　would　be　sure

to　inflict　on　him　when　she　discovered　that　he　had　not　cut　down

the　trees　in　the　wood　and　that　he　had　broken　her　axe。



'You　must　know；'　answered　the　black　girl；　'that　the　Fairy　in

whose　power　we　both　are　is　my　own　mother；　but　you　must　not　betray

this　secret；　for　it　would　cost　me　my　life。　　If　you　will　only

promise　to　try　and　free　me　I　will　stand　by　you；　and　will

accomplish　for　you　all　the　tasks　which　my　mother　sets　you。'



The　Prince　promised　joyfully　all　she　asked；　then　having　once　more

warned　him　not　to　betray　her　confidence；　she　handed　him　a　draught

to　drink　which　very　soon　sunk　his　senses　in　a　deep　slumber。



His　astonishment　was　great　when　he　awoke　to　find　the　glass　axe

whole　and　unbroken　at　his　side；　and　all　the　trees　of　the　wood

lying　felled　around　him！



He　made　all　haste　across　the　bridge　of　clouds；　and　told　the　Fairy

that　her　commands　were　obeyed。　　She　was　much　amazed　when　she

heard　that　all　the　wood　was　cut　down；　and　saw　the　axe　unbroken　in

his　hand；　and　since　she　could　not　believe　that　he　had　done　all

this　by　himself；　she　questioned　him　narrowly　if　he　had　seen　or

spoken　to　the　black　girl。　　But　the　Prince　lied　manfully；　and

swore　he　had　never　looked　up　from　his　work　for　a　moment。　　Seeing

she　could　get　nothing　more　out　of　him；　she　gave　him　a　little

bread　and　water；　and　showing　him　to　a　small　dark　cupboard　she

told　him　he　might　sleep　there。



Morning　had　hardly　dawned　when　the　Fairy　awoke　the　Prince；　and

giving　him　the　glass　axe　again　she　told　him　to　cut　up　all　the

wood　he　had　felled　the　day　before；　and　to　put　it　in　bundles　ready

for　firewood；　at　the　same　time　she　warned　him　once　more　against

approaching　or　speaking　a　word　to　the　black　girl　if　he　met　her　in

the　wood。



Although　his　task　was　no　easier　than　that　of　the　day　before；　the

youth　set　out　much　more　cheerfully；　because　he　knew　he　could

count　an　the　help　of　the　black　girl。　　With　quicker　and　lighter

step　he　crossed　the　bridge　of　clouds；　and　hardly　had　he　reached

the　other　side　than　his　friend　stood　before　him　and　greeted　him

cheerfully。　　When　she　heard　what　the　Fairy　demanded　this　time；

she　answered　smilingly；　'Never　fear；'　and　handed　him　another

draught；　which　very　soon　caused　the　Prince　to　sink　into　a　deep

sleep。



When　he　awoke　everything；　was　done。　　All　the　trees　of　the　wood

were　cut　up　into　firewood　and　arranged　in　bundles　ready　for　use。



He　returned　to　the　castle　as　quickly　as　he　could；　and　told　the

Fairy　that　her　commands　were　obeyed。　　She　was　even　more　amazed

than　she　had　been　before；　and　asked　him　again　if　he　had　either

seen　or　spoken　to　the　black　girl；　but　the　Prince　knew　better　than

to　betray　his　word；　and　once　more　lied　freely。



On　the　following　day　the　Fairy　set　him　a　third　task　to　do；　even

harder　than　the　other　two。　　She　told　him　he　must　build　a　castle

on　the　other　side　of　the　lake；　made　of　nothing　but　gold；　silver；

and　precious　stones；　and　unless　he　could　accomplish　this　within

an　hour；　the　most　frightful　doom　awaited　him。



The　Prince　heard　her　words　without　anxiety；　so　entirely　did　he

rely　on　the　help　of　his　black　friend。　　Full　of　hope　he　hurried

across　the　bridge；　and　recognised　at　once　the　spot　where　the

castle　was　to　stand；　for　spades；　hammers；　axes；　and　every　other

building　implement　lay　scattered　on　the　ground　ready　for　the

workman's　hand；　but　of　gold；　silver；　and　precious　stones　there

was　not　a　sign。　　But　before　the　Prince　had　time　to　feel

despondent　the　black　girl　beckoned　to　him　in　the　distance　from

behind　a　rock；　where　she　had　hidden　herself　for　fear　her　mother

should　catch　sight　of　her。　　Full　of　joy　the　youth　hurried　towards

her；　and　begged　her　aid　and　counsel　in　the　new　piece　of　work　he

had　been　given　to　do。



But　this　time　the　Fairy　had　watched　the　Prince's　movements　from

her　window；　and　she　saw　him　hiding　himself　behind　the　rock　with

her　daughter。　　She　uttered　a　piercing　shriek　so　that　the

mountains　re…echoed　with　the　sound　of　it；　and　the　terrified　pair

had　hardly　dared　to　look　out　from　their　hiding…place　when　the

enraged　woman；　with　her　dress　and　hair　flying　in　the　wind；

hurried　over　the　bridge　of　clouds。　　The　Prince　at　once　gave

himself　up　for　lost；　but　the　girl　told　him　to　be　of　good　courage

and　to　follow　her　as　quickly　as　he　could。　　But　before　they　left

their　shelter　she　broke　off　a　little　bit　of　the　rock；　spoke　some

magic　words　over　it；　and　threw　it　in　the　direction　her　mother　was

coming　from。　　In　a　moment　a　glittering　palace　arose　before　the

eyes　of　the　Fairy　which　blinded　her　with　its　dazzling　splendour；

and　with　its　many　doors　and　passages　prevented　her　for　some　time

from　finding　her　way　out