23-the glass axe-第2部分

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

from　finding　her　way　out　of　it。



In　the　meantime　the　black　girl　hurried　on　with　the　Prince；

hastening　to　reach　the　river；　where　once　on　the　other　side　they

would　for　ever　be　out　of　the　wicked　Fairy's　power。　　But　before

they　had　accomplished　half　the　way　they　heard　again　the　rustle　of

her　garments　and　her　muttered　curses　pursuing　them　closely。



The　Prince　was　terrified；　he　dared　not　look　back；　and　he　felt　his

strength　giving　way。　　But　before　he　had　time　to　despair　the　girl

uttered　some　more　magic　words；　and　immediately　she　herself　was

changed　into　a　pond；　and　the　Prince　into　a　duck　swimming　on　its

surface。



When　the　Fairy　saw　this　her　rage　knew　no　bounds；　and　she　used　all

her　magic　wits　to　make　the　pond　disappear；　she　caused　a　hill　of

sand　to　arise　at　her　feet；　meaning　it　to　dry　up　the　water　at

once。　　But　the　sand　hill　only　drove　the　pond　a　little　farther

away；　and　its　waters　seemed　to　increase　instead　of　diminishing。　

When　the　old　woman　saw　that　the　powers　of　her　magic　were　of　so

little　avail；　she　had　recourse　to　cunning。　　She　threw　a　lot　of

gold　nuts　into　the　pond；　hoping　in　this　way　to　catch　the　duck；

but　all　her　efforts　were　fruitless；　for　the　little　creature

refused　to　let　itself　be　caught。



Then　a　new　idea　struck　the　wicked　old　woman；　and　hiding　herself

behind　the　rock　which　had　sheltered　the　fugitives；　she　waited

behind　it；　watching　carefully　for　the　moment　when　the　Prince　and

her　daughter　should　resume　their　natural　forms　and　continue　their

journey。



She　had　not　to　wait　long；　for　as　soon　as　the　girl　thought　her

mother　was　safely　out　of　the　way；　she　changed　herself　and　the

Prince　once　more　into　their　human　shape；　and　set　out　cheerfully

for　the　river。



But　they　had　not　gone　many　steps　when　the　wicked　Fairy　hurried

after　them；　a　drawn　dagger　in　her　hand；　and　was　close　upon　them；

when　suddenly；　instead　of　the　Prince　and　her　daughter；　she　found

herself　in　front　of　a　great　stone　church；　whose　entrance　was

carefully　guarded　by　a　huge　monk。



Breathless　with　rage　and　passion；　she　tried　to　plunge　her　dagger

into　the　monk's　heart；　but　it　fell　shattered　in　pieces　at　her

feet。　　In　her　desperation　she　determined　to　pull　down　the　church；

and　thus　to　destroy　her　two　victims　for　ever。　　She　stamped　three

times　on　the　ground；　and　the　earth　trembled；　and　both　the　church

and　the　monk　began　to　shake。　　As　soon　as　the　Fairy　saw　this　she

retreated　to　some　distance　from　the　building；　so　as　not　to　be

hurt　herself　by　its　fall。　　But　once　more　her　scheme　was　doomed　to

failure；　for　hardly　had　she　gone　a　yard　from　the　church　than　both

it　and　the　monk　disappeared；　and　she　found　herself　in　a　wood

black　as　night；　and　full　of　wolves　and　bears　and　wild　animals　of

all　sorts　and　descriptions。



Then　her　wrath　gave　place　to　terror；　for　she　feared　every　moment

to　be　torn　in　pieces　by　the　beasts　who　one　and　all　seemed　to　defy

her　power。　　She　thought　it　wisest　to　make　her　way　as　best　she

could　out　of　the　forest；　and　then　to　pursue　the　fugitives　once

more　and　accomplish　their　destruction　either　by　force　or　cunning。



In　the　meantime　the　Prince　and　the　black　girl　had　again　assumed

their　natural　forms；　and　were　hurrying　on　as　fast　as　they　could

to　reach　the　river。　　But　when　they　got　there　they　found　that

there　was　no　way　in　which　they　could　cross　it；　and　the　girl's

magic　art　seemed　no　longer　to　have　any　power。　　Then　turning　to

the　Prince　she　said；　'The　hour　for　my　deliverance　has　not　yet

come；　but　as　you　promised　to　do　all　you　could　to　free　me；　you

must　do　exactly　as　I　bid　you　now。　　Take　this　bow　and　arrow　and

kill　every　beast　you　see　with　them；　and　be　sure　you　spare　no

living　creature。'



With　these　words　she　disappeared；　and　hardly　had　she　done　so　than

a　huge　wild　boar　started　out　of　the　thicket　near　and　made

straight　for　the　Prince。　　But　the　youth　did　not　lose　his　presence

of　mind；　and　drawing　his　bow　he　pierced　the　beast　with　his　arrow

right　through　the　skull。　　The　creature　fell　heavily　on　the

ground；　and　out　of　its　side　sprang　a　little　hare；　which　ran　like

the　wind　along　the　river　bank。　　The　Prince　drew　his　bow　once

more；　and　the　hare　lay　dead　at　his　feet；　but　at　the　same　moment　a

dove　rose　up　in　the　air；　and　circled　round　the　Prince's　head　in

the　most　confiding　manner。　　But　mindful　of　the　black　girl's

commands；　he　dared　not　spare　the　little　creature's　life；　and

taking　another　arrow　from　his　quiver　he　laid　it　as　dead　as　the

boar　and　the　hare。　　But　when　he　went　to　look　at　the　body　of　the

bird　he　found　instead　of　the　dove　a　round　white　egg　lying　on　the

ground。



While　he　was　gazing　on　it　and　wondering　what　it　could　mean；　he

heard　the　sweeping　of　wings　above　him；　and　looking　up　he　saw　a

huge　vulture　with　open　claws　swooping　down　upon　him。　　In　a　moment

he　seized　the　egg　and　flung　it　at　the　bird　with　all　his　might；

and　lo　and　behold！　　instead　of　the　ugly　monster　the　most

beautiful　girl　he　had　ever　seen　stood　before　the　astonished　eyes

of　the　Prince。



But　while　all　this　was　going　on　the　wicked　old　Fairy　had　managed

to　make　her　way　out　of　the　wood；　and　was　now　using　the　last

resource　in　her　power　to　overtake　her　daughter　and　the　Prince。　

As　soon　as　she　was　in　the　open　again　she　mounted　her　chariot；

which　was　drawn　by　a　fiery　dragon；　and　flew　through　the　air　in

it。　　But　just　as　she　got　to　the　river　she　saw　the　two　lovers　in

each　other's　arms　swimming　through　the　water　as　easily　as　two

fishes。



Quick　as　lightning；　and　forgetful　of　every　danger；　she　flew　down

upon　them。　　But　the　waters　seized　her　chariot　and　sunk　it　in　the

lowest　depths；　and　the　waves　bore　the　wicked　old　woman　down　the

stream　till　she　was　caught　in　some　thorn　bushes；　where　she　made　a

good　meal　for　all　the　little　fishes　that　were　swimming　about。



And　so　at　last　the　Prince　and　his　lovely　Bride　were　free。　　They

hurried　as　quickly　as　they　could　to　the　old　King；　who　received

them　with　joy　and　gladness。　　On　the　following　day　a　most　gorgeous

wedding　feast　was　held；　and　as　far　as　we　know　the　Prince　and　his

bride　lived　happily　for　ever　afterwards。