35-the hazel-nut child-第1节

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THE　HAZEL…NUT　CHILD　＇29＇



＇29＇　From　the　Bukowniaer。　　Van　Wliolocki。



There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　couple　who　had　no　children；　and　they

prayed　Heaven　every　day　to　send　them　a　child；　though　it　were　no

bigger　than　a　hazel…nut。　　At　last　Heaven　heard　their　prayer　and

sent　them　a　child　exactly　the　size　of　a　hazel…nut；　and　it　never

grew　an　inch。　　The　parents　were　very　devoted　to　the　little

creature；　and　nursed　and　tended　it　carefully。　　Their　tiny　son　too

was　as　clever　as　he　could　be；　and　so　sharp　and　sensible　that　all

the　neighbours　marvelled　over　the　wise　things　he　said　and　did。



When　the　Hazel…nut　child　was　fifteen　years　old；　and　was　sitting

one　day　in　an　egg…shell　on　the　table　beside　his　mother；　she

turned　to　him　and　said；　'You　are　now　fifteen　years　old；　and

nothing　can　be　done　with　you。　　What　do　you　intend　to　be？'



'A　messenger；'　answered　the　Hazel…nut　child。



Then　his　mother　burst　out　laughing　and　said；　'What　an　idea！　　You

a　messenger！　　Why；　your　little　feet　would　take　an　hour　to　go　the

distance　an　ordinary　person　could　do　in　a　minute！'



But　the　Hazel…nut　child　replied；　'Nevertheless　I　mean　to　be　a

messenger！　　Just　send　me　a　message　and　you'll　see　that　I　shall　be

back　in　next　to　no　time。'



So　his　mother　said；　'Very　well；　go　to　your　aunt　in　the

neighbouring　village；　and　fetch　me　a　comb。'　　The　Hazel…nut　child

jumped　quickly　out　of　the　egg…shell　and　ran　out　into　the　street。　

Here　he　found　a　man　on　horseback　who　was　just　setting　out　for　the

neighbouring　village。　　He　crept　up　the　horse's　leg；　sat　down

under　the　saddle；　and　then　began　to　pinch　the　horse　and　to　prick

it　with　a　pin。　　The　horse　plunged　and　reared　and　then　set　off　at

a　hard　gallop；　which　it　continued　in　spite　of　its　rider's　efforts

to　stop　it。　　When　they　reached　the　village；　the　Hazel…nut　child

left　off　pricking　the　horse；　and　the　poor　tired　creature　pursued

its　way　at　a　snail's　pace。　　The　Hazel…nut　child　took　advantage　of

this；　and　crept　down　the　horse's　leg；　then　he　ran　to　his　aunt　and

asked　her　for　a　comb。　　On　the　way　home　he　met　another　rider；　and

did　the　return　journey　in　exactly　the　same　way。　　When　he　handed

his　mother　the　comb　that　his　aunt　had　given　him；　she　was　much

amazed　and　asked　him；　'But　how　did　you　manage　to　get　back　so

quickly？'



'Ah！　　mother；'　he　replied；　'you　see　I　was　quite　right　when　I　said

I　knew　a　messenger　was　the　profession　for　me。'



His　father　too　possessed　a　horse　which　he　often　used　to　take　out

into　the　fields　to　graze。　　One　day　he　took　the　Hazel…nut　child

with　him。　　At　midday　the　father　turned　to　his　small　son　and　said；

'Stay　here　and　look　after　the　horse。　　I　must　go　home　and　give

your　mother　a　message；　but　I　shall　be　back　soon。'



When　his　father　had　gone；　a　robber　passed　by　and　saw　the　horse

grazing　without　any　one　watching　it；　for　of　course　he　could　not

see　the　Hazel…nut　child　hidden　in　the　grass。　　So　he　mounted　the

horse　and　rode　away。　　But　the　Hazel…nut　child；　who　was　the　most

active　little　creature；　climbed　up　the　horse's　tail　and　began　to

bite　it　on　the　back；　enraging　the　creature　to　such　an　extent　that

it　paid　no　attention　to　the　direction　the　robber　tried　to　make　it

go　in；　but　galloped　straight　home。　　The　father　was　much

astonished　when　he　saw　a　stranger　riding　his　horse；　but　the

Hazel…nut　child　climbed　down　quickly　and　told　him　all　that　had

happened；　and　his　father　had　the　robber　arrested　at　once　and　put

into　prison。



One　autumn　when　the　Hazel…nut　child　was　twenty　years　old　he　said

to　his　parents：　'Farewell；　my　dear　father　and　mother。　　I　am　going

to　set　out　into　the　world；　and　as　soon　as　I　have　become　rich　I

will　return　home　to　you。'



The　parents　laughed　at　the　little　man's　words；　but　did　not

believe　him　for　a　moment。　　In　the　evening　the　Hazel…nut　child

crept　on　to　the　roof；　where　some　storks　had　built　their　nest。　

The　storks　were　fast　asleep；　and　he　climbed　on　to　the　back　of　the

father…stork　and　bound　a　silk　cord　round　the　joint　of　one　of　its

wings；　then　he　crept　among　its　soft　downy　feathers　and　fell

asleep。



The　next　morning　the　storks　flew　towards　the　south；　for　winter

was　approaching。　　The　Hazel…nut　child　flew　through　the　air　on　the

stork's　back；　and　when　he　wanted　to　rest　he　bound　his　silk　cord

on　to　the　joint　of　the　bird's　other　wing；　so　that　it　could　not

fly　any　farther。　　In　this　way　he　reached　the　country　of　the　black

people；　where　the　storks　took　up　their　abode　close　to　the

capital。　　When　the　people　saw　the　Hazel…nut　child　they　were　much

astonished；　and　took　him　with　the　stork　to　the　King　of　the

country。　　The　King　was　delighted　with　the　little　creature　and

kept　him　always　beside　him；　and　he　soon　grew　so　fond　of　the

little　man　that　he　gave　him　a　diamond　four　times　as　big　as

himself。　　The　Hazel…nut　child　fastened　the　diamond　firmly　under

the　stork's　neck　with　a　ribbon；　and　when　he　saw　that　the　other

storks　were　getting　ready　for　their　northern　flight；　he　untied

the　silk　cord　from　his　stork's　wings；　and　away　they　went；　getting

nearer　home　every　minute。　　At　length　the　Hazel…nut　child　came　to

his　native　village；　then　he　undid　the　ribbon　from　the　stork's

neck　and　the　diamond　fell　to　the　ground；　he　covered　it　first　with

sand　and　stones；　and　then　ran　to　get　his　parents；　so　that　they

might　carry　the　treasure　home；　for　he　himself　was　not　able　to

lift　the　great　diamond。



So　the　Hazel…nut　child　and　his　parents　lived　in　happiness　and

prosperity　after　this　till　they　died。