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第4节

soup from a sausage skewer-第4节

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'squeak。' This confidence of mine pleased her so much that she assured

me she would take me under her own protection; and that not a creature

should do me harm。 The fact was; she wickedly meant to keep me in

reserve for her own eating in winter; when food would be scarce。 Yet

she was a very clever lady…owl; she explained to me that the

watchman could only hoot with the horn that hung loose at his side;

and then she said he is so terribly proud of it; that he imagines

himself an owl in the tower;… wants to do great things; but only

succeeds in small; all soup on a sausage skewer。 Then I begged the owl

to give me the recipe for this soup。 'Soup from a sausage skewer;'

said she; 'is only a proverb amongst mankind; and may be understood in

many ways。 Each believes his own way the best; and after all; the

proverb signifies nothing。' 'Nothing!' I exclaimed。 I was quite

struck。 Truth is not always agreeable; but truth is above everything

else; as the old owl said。 I thought over all this; and saw quite

plainly that if truth was really so far above everything else; it must

be much more valuable than soup from a sausage skewer。 So I hastened

to get away; that I might be home in time; and bring what was

highest and best; and above everything… namely; the truth。 The mice

are an enlightened people; and the mouse…king is above them all。 He is

therefore capable of making me queen for the sake of truth。〃

    〃Your truth is a falsehood;〃 said the mouse who had not yet

spoken; 〃I can prepare the soup; and I mean to do so。〃

                     HOW IT WAS PREPARED



    〃I did not travel;〃 said the third mouse; 〃I stayed in this

country: that was the right way。 One gains nothing by travelling…

everything can be acquired here quite as easily; so I stayed at

home。 I have not obtained what I know from supernatural beings。 I have

neither swallowed it; nor learnt it from conversing with owls。 I

have got it all from my reflections and thoughts。 Will you now set the

kettle on the fire… so? Now pour the water in… quite full… up to the

brim; place it on the fire; make up a good blaze; keep it burning;

that the water may boil; it must boil over and over。 There; now I

throw in the skewer。 Will the mouse…king be pleased now to dip his

tail into the boiling water; and stir it round with the tail。 The

longer the king stirs it; the stronger the soup will become。 Nothing

more is necessary; only to stir it。〃

    〃Can no one else do this?〃 asked the king。

    〃No;〃 said the mouse; 〃only in the tail of the mouse…king is

this power contained。〃

    And the water boiled and bubbled; as the mouse…king stood close

beside the kettle。 It seemed rather a dangerous performance; but he

turned round; and put out his tail; as mice do in a dairy; when they

wish to skim the cream from a pan of milk with their tails and

afterwards lick it off。 But the mous

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