11-the wonderful birch-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　WONDERFUL　BIRCH



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　were　a　man　and　a　woman；　who　had　an

only　daughter。　Now　it　happened　that　one　of　their　sheep　went

astray；　and　they　set　out　to　look　for　it；　and　searched　and　searched；

each　in　n　different　part　of　the　wood。　Then　the　good　wife　met　a

witch；　who　said　to　her：



‘If　you　spit；　you　miserable　creature；　if　you　spit　into　the　sheath

of　my　knife；　or　if　you　run　between　my　legs；　I　shall　change　you　into

a　black　sheep。'



The　woman　neither　spat；　nor　did　she　run　between　her　legs；　but

yet　the　witch　changed　her　into　a　sheep。　Then　she　made　herself

look　exactly　like　the　woman；　and　called　out　to　the　good　man：



‘Ho；　old　man；　halloa！　I　have　found　the　sheep　already！'



The　man　thought　the　witch　was　really　his　wife；　and　he　did

not　know　that　his　wife　was　the　sheep；　so　he　went　home　with　her；

glad　at　heart　because　his　sheep　was　found。　When　they　were　safe

at　home　the　witch　said　to　the　man：



‘Look　here；　old　man；　we　must　really　kill　that　sheep　lest　it　run

away　to　the　wood　again。'



The　man；　who　was　a　peaceable　quiet　sort　of　fellow；　made　no

objections；　but　simply　said：



‘Good；　let　us　do　so。'



The　daughter；　however；　had　overheard　their　talk；　and　she　ran

to　the　flock　and　lamented　aloud：



‘Oh；　dear　little　mother；　they　are　going　to　slaughter　you！'



‘Well；　then；　if　they　do　slaughter　me；'　was　the　black　sheep's

answer；　‘eat　you　neither　the　meat　nor　the　broth　that　is　made　of

me；　but　gather　all　my　bones；　and　bury　them　by　the　edge　of　the

field。'



Shortly　after　this　they　took　the　black　sheep　from　the　flock　and

slaughtered　it。　The　witch　made　pease…soup　of　it；　and　set　it　before

the　daughter。　But　the　girl　remembered　her　mother's　warning。

She　did　not　touch　the　soup；　but　she　carried　the　bones　to　the　edge

of　the　field　and　buried　them　there；　and　there　sprang　up　on　the

spot　a　birch　treea　very　lovely　birch　tree。



Some　time　had　passed　awaywho　can　tell　how　long　they　might

have　been　living　there？when　the　witch；　to　whom　a　child　had　been

born　in　the　meantime；　began　to　take　an　ill…will　to　the　man's

daughter；　and　to　torment　her　in　all　sorts　of　ways。



Now　it　happened　that　a　great　festival　was　to　be　held　at　the

palace；　and　the　King　had　commanded　that　all　the　people　should　be

invited；　and　that　this　proclamation　should　be　made：





‘Come；　people　all！

Poor　and　wretched；　one　and　all！

Blind　and　crippled　though　ye　be；

Mount　your　steeds　or　come　by　sea。'





And　so　they　drove　into　the　King's　feast　all　the　outcasts；　and　the

maimed；　and　the　halt；　and　the　blind。　In　the　good　man's　house；　too；

preparations　were　made　to　go　to　the　palace。　The　witch　said　to　the　man：



‘Go　you　on　in　front；　old　man；　with　our　youngest；　I　will　give

the　elder　girl　work　to　keep　her　from　being　dull　in　our　absence。'



So　the　man　took　the　child　and　set　out。　But　the　witch　kindled

a　fire　on　the　hearth；　threw　a　potful　of　barleycorns　among　the

cinders；　and　said　to　the　girl：



‘If　you　have　not　picked　the　barley　out　of　the　ashes；　and　put　it

all　back　in　the　pot　before　nightfall；　I　shall　eat　you　up！'



Then　she　hastened　after　the　others；　and　the　poor　girl　stayed　at

home　and　wept。　She　tried　to　be　sure　to　pick　up　the　grains　of

barley；　but　she　soon　saw　how　useless　her　labour　was；　and　so　she

went　in　her　sore　trouble　to　the　birch　tree　on　her　mother's　grave；

and　cried　and　cried；　because　her　mother　lay　dead　beneath　the　sod

and　could　help　her　no　longer。　In　the　midst　of　her　grief　she

suddenly　heard　her　mother's　voice　speak　from　the　grave；　and　say　to

her：



‘Why　do　you　weep；　little　daughter？'



‘The　witch　has　scattered　barleycorns　on　the　hearth；　and　bid

me　pick　them　out　of　the　ashes；'　said　the　girl；　‘that　is　why　I　weep；

dear　little　mother。'



‘Do　not　weep；'　said　her　mother　consolingly。　‘Break　off　one　of

my　branches；　and　strike　the　hearth　with　it　crosswise；　and　all　will

be　put　right。'

The　girl　did　so。　She　struck　the　hearth　with　the　birchen　branch；

and　lo！　the　barleycorns　flew　into　the　pot；　and　the　hearth　was　clean。

Then　she　went　back　to　the　birch　tree　and　laid　the　branch　upon　the

grave。　Then　her　mother　bade　her　bathe　on　one　side　of　the　stem；

dry　herself　on　another；　and　dress　on　the　third。　When　the　girl　had

done　all　that；　she　had　grown　so　lovely　that　no　one　on　earth　could　rival

her。　Splendid　clothing　was　given　to　her；　and　a　horse；　with　hair

partly　of　gold；　partly　of　silver；　and　partly　of　something　more　precious

still。　The　girl　sprang　into　the　saddle；　and　rode　as　swift　as　an　arrow

to　the　palace。　As　she　turned　into　the　courtyard　of　the　castle　the

King's　son　came　out　to　meet　her；　tied　her　steed　to　a　pillar；　and　led

her　in。　He　never　left　her　side　as　they　passed　through　the　castle

rooms；　and　all　the　people　gazed　at　her；　and　wondered　who　the

lovely　maiden　was；　and　from　what　castle　she　came；　but　no　one

knew　herno　one　knew　anything　about　her。　At　the　banquet　the

Prince　invited　her　to　sit　next　him　in　the　place　of　honour；　but　the

witch's　daughter　gnawed　the　bones　under　the　table。　The　Prince

did　not　see　her；　and　thinking　it　was　a　dog；　he　gave　her　such　a　push

with　his　foot　that　her　arm　was　broken。　Are　you　not　sorry　for　the

witch's　daughter？　It　was　not　her　fault　that　her　mother　was　a　witch。



Towards　evening　the　good　man's　daughter　thought　it　was　time

to　go　home；　but　as　she　went；　her　ring　caught　on　the　latch　of　the

door；　for　the　King's　son　had　had　it　smeared　with　tar。　She　did　not

take　time　to　pull　it　off；　but；　hastily　unfastening　her　horse　from　the

pillar；　she　rode　away　beyond　the　castle　walls　as　swift　as　an　arrow。

Arrived　at　home；　she　took　off　her　clothes　by　the　birch　tree；　left　her

horse　standing　there；　and　hastened　to　her　place　behind　the　stove。

In　a　short　time　the　man　and　the　woman　came　home　again　too；　and

the　witch　said　to　the　girl：



‘Ah！　you　poor　thing；　there　you　are　to　be　sure！　You　don't

know　what　fine　times　we　have　had　at　the　palace！　The　King's　son

carried　my　daughter　about；　but　the　poor　thing　fell　and　broke　her

arm。'



The　girl　knew　well　how　matters　really　stood；　but　she　pretended

to　know　nothing　about　it；　and　sat　dumb　behind　the　stove。



The　next　day　they　were　invited　again　to　the　King's　banquet。



‘Hey！　old　man；'　said　the　witch；　‘get　on　your　clothes　as　quick

as　you　can；　we　are　bidden　to　the　feast。　Take　you　the　child；　I　will

give　the　other　one　work；　lest　she　weary。'



She　kindled　the　fire；　threw　a　potful　of　hemp　seed　among　the

ashes；　and　said　to　the　girl：



‘If　you　do　not　get　this　sorted；　and　all　the　seed　back　into　the　pot；

I　shall　kill　you！'



The　girl　wept　bitterly；　then　she　went　to　the　birch　tree；　washed

herself　on　one　side　of　it　and　dried　herself　on　the　other；　and　this

time　still　finer　clothes　were　given　to　her；　and　a　very　beautiful

steed。　She　broke　off　a　branch　of　the　birch　tree；　struck　the　hearth

with　it；　so　that　the　seeds　flew　into　the　pot；　and　then　hastened　to　the

castle。



Again　the　King's　son　came　out　to　meet　her；　tied　her　horse　to　a

pillar；　and　led　her　into　the　banqueting　hall。　At　the　feast　the　girl　sat

next　him　in　the　place　of　honour；　as　she　had　done　the　day　before。

But　the　witch's　daughter　gnawed　bones　under　the　table；　and　the

Prince　gave　her　a　push　by　mistake；　which　broke　her　leghe　had

never　noticed　her　crawling　about　among　the　people's　feet。　She

was　VERY　unlucky！



The　good　man's　daughter　hastened　home　again　betimes；　but　the

King's　son　had　smeared　the　door…posts　with　tar；　and　the　girl's

golden　circlet　stuck　to　it。　She　had　not　time　to　look　for　it；　but

sprang　to　the　saddle　and　rode　like　an　arrow　to　the　birch　tree。

There　she　left　her　horse　and　her　fine　clothes；　and　said　to　her

mother：



‘I　have　lost　my　circlet　at　the　castle；　the　door…post　was　tarred；

and　it　stuck　fast。'



‘And　even　had　you　lost　two　of　them；'　answered　her　mother；　‘I

would　give　you　finer　ones。'



Then　the　girl　hastened　home；　and　when　her　father　came　home

from　the　feast　with　the　witch；　she　was　in　her　usual　place　behind

the　stove。　Then　the　witch　said　to　her：



‘You　poor　thing！　what　is　there　to　see　here　compared　with　what

WE　have　seen　at　the　palace？　The　King's　son　carried　my　daughter

from　one　room　to　another；　he　let　her　fall；　'tis　true；　and　my　child's

foot　was　broken。'



The　man's　daughter　held　her　peace　all　the　time；　and　busied

herself　about　the　hearth。



The　night　passed；　and　when　the　day　began　to　dawn；　the　witch

awakened　her　husband；　crying：



‘Hi！　get　up；　old　man！　We　are　bidden　to　the　royal　banquet。'



So　the　old　man　got　up。　Then　the　witch　gave　him　the　child；

saying：



‘Take　you　the　little　one；　I　will　give　the　other　girl　work　to　do；

else　she　will　weary　at　home　alone。'



She　did　as　usual。　This　time　it　was　a　dish　of　milk　she　poured

upon　the　ashes；　saying：



‘If　you　do　not　get　all　the　milk　into　the　dish　again　before　I　come

home；　you　will　suffer　for　it。'



How　frightened　the　girl　was　this　time！　She　ran　to　the　birch

tree；　and　by　its　magic　power　her　task　was　accomplished；　and　then

she　rode　away　to　the　palace　as　before。　When　she　got　to　the　courtyard

she　found　the　Prince　waiting　for　her。　He　led　her　into　the

hall；　where　she　was　highly　honoured；　but　the　witch's　daughter

sucked　the　bones　under　the　table；　and　crouching　at　the　people's　feet

she　got　an　eye　knocked　out；　poor　thing！　Now　no　one　knew　any

more　than　before　about　the　good　man's　daughter；　no　one　knew

whence　she　came；　but　the　Prince　had　had　the　threshold　smeared

with　tar；　and　as　she　fled　her　gold　slippers　stuck　to　it。　She　reached

the　birch　tree；　and　laying　aside　her　finery；　she　said：



‘Alas　I　dear　little　mother；　I　have　lost　my　gold　slippers！'



‘Let　them　be；'　was　her　mother's　reply；　‘if　you　need　them　I

shall　give　you　finer　ones。'



Scarcely　was　she　in　her　usual　place　behind　the　stove　when　her

father　came　home　with　the　witch。　Immediately　the　witch　began

to　mock　her；　saying：



‘Ah！　you　poor　thing；　there　is　nothing　for　you　to　see　here；　and

WEah：　what　great　things　we　have　seen　a