madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第21节
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this summer； from among woods of box and evergreen oak； and vineyards
of rich red wine。 In that warm land once lived savages； who hunted amid
ice and snow the reindeer； and with the reindeer animals stranger still。
And now I will tell you a fairy tale： to make you understand it at all I
must put it in the shape of a tale。 I call it a fairy tale； because it is so
strange； indeed I think I ought to call it the fairy tale of all fairy tales； for
by the time we get to the end of it I think it will explain to you how our
forefathers got to believe in fairies； and trolls； and elves； and scratlings；
and all strange little people who were said to haunt the mountains and the
caves。
Well； once upon a time； so long ago that no man can tell when； the
land was so much higher； that between England and Ireland； and； what is
more； between England and Norway； was firm dry land。 The country
then must have lookedat least we know it looked so in Norfolkvery like
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what our moors look like here。 There were forests of Scotch fir； and of
spruce too； which is not wild in England now； though you may see plenty
in every plantation。 There were oaks and alders； yews and sloes； just as
there are in our woods now。 There was buck…bean in the bogs； as there is
in Larmer's and Heath pond； and white and yellow water…lilies； horn… wort；
and pond…weeds； just as there are now in our ponds。 There were wild
horses； wild deer； and wild oxen； those last of an enormous size。 There
were little yellow roe…deer； which will not surprise you； for there are
hundreds and thousands in Scotland to this day； and； as you know； they
will thrive well enough in our woods now。 There were beavers too： but
that must not surprise you； for there were beavers in South Wales long
after the Norman Conquest； and there are beavers still in the mountain
glens of the south…east of France。 There were honest little water…rats too；
who I dare say sat up on their hind legs like monkeys； nibbling the water…
lily pods； thousands of years ago； as they do in our ponds now。 Well； so
far we have come to nothing strange： but now begins the fairy tale。
Mixed with all these animals； there wandered about great herds of
elephants and rhinoceroses； not smooth…skinned； mind； but covered with
hair and wool； like those which are still found sticking out of the
everlasting ice cliffs； at the mouth of the Lena and other Siberian rivers；
with the flesh； and skin； and hair so fresh upon them； that the wild wolves
tear it off； and snarl and growl over the carcase of monsters who were
frozen up thousands of years ago。 And with them； stranger still； were
great hippopotamuses； who came； perhaps； northward in summer time
along the sea…shore and down the rivers； having spread hither all the way
from Africa； for in those days； you must understand； Sicily； and Italy； and
Maltalook at your mapwere joined to the coast of Africa： and so it
may be was the rock of Gibraltar itself； and over the sea where the Straits
of Gibraltar now flow was firm dry land； over which hyaenas and leopards；
elephants and rhinoceroses ranged into Spain； for their bones are found at
this day in the Gibraltar caves。 And this is the first chapter of my fairy
tale。
Now while all this was going on； and perhaps before this began； the
climate was getting colder year by yearwe do not know how； and； what
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is more； the land was sinking； and it sank so deep that at last nothing was
left out of the water but the tops of the mountains in Ireland； and Scotland；
and Wales。 It sank so deep that it left beds of shells belonging to the
Arctic regions nearly two thousand feet high upon the mountain side。
And so
〃It grew wondrous cold； And ice mast…high came floating by； As
green as emerald。〃
But there were no masts then to measure the icebergs by； nor any ship
nor human being there。 All we know is that the icebergs brought with
them vast quantities of mud； which sank to the bottom； and covered up
that pleasant old forest…land in what is called boulder…clay； clay full of bits
of broken rock； and of blocks of stone so enormous； that nothing but an
iceberg could have carried them。 So all the animals were drowned or
driven away； and nothing was left alive perhaps； except a few little hardy
plants which clung about cracks and gullies in the mountain tops； and
whose descendants live there still。 That was a dreadful time； the worst；
perhaps； of all the age of Ice； and so ends the second chapter of my fairy
tale。
Now for my third chapter。 〃When things come to the worst；〃 says the
proverb； 〃they commonly mend；〃 and so did this poor frozen and drowned
land of England and France and Germany； though it mended very slowly。
The land began to rise out of the sea once more； and rose till it was
perhaps as high as it had been at first； and hundreds of feet higher than it is
now： but still it was very cold； covered； in Scotland at least； with one
great sea of ice and glaciers descending down into the sea； as I said when I
spoke to you about the Ice…Plough。 But as the land rose； and grew
warmer too； while it rose； the wild beasts who had been driven out by the
great drowning came gradually back again。 As the bottom of the old icy
sea turned into dry land； and got covered with grasses； and weeds； and
shrubs once more； elephants； rhinoceroses； hippopotamuses； oxen
sometimes the same species； sometimes slightly different onesreturned
to France； and then to England （for there was no British Channel then to
stop them）； and with them came other strange animals； especially the great
Irish elk； as he is called； as large as the largest horse； with horns
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sometimes ten feet across。 A pair of those horns with the skull you have
seen yourself； and can judge what a noble animal he must have been。
Enormous bears came too； and hyaenas； and a tiger or lion （I cannot say
which）； as large as the largest Bengal tiger now to be seen in India。
And in those dayswe cannot； of course； exactly say whenthere
camefirst I suppose into the south and east of France； and then gradually
onward into England and Scotland and Irelandcreatures without any hair
to keep them warm； or scales to defend them； without horns or tusks to
fight with； or teeth to worry and bite； the weakest you would have thought
of the beasts； and yet stronger than all the animals； because they were Men；
with reasonable souls。 Whence they came we cannot tell； nor why；
perhaps from mere hunting after food； and love of wandering and being
independent and alone。 Perhaps they came into that icy land for fear of
stronger and cleverer people than themselves； for we have no proof； my
child； none at all； that they were the first men that trod this earth。 But be
that as it may； they came； and so cunning were these savage men； and so
brave likewise； though they had no iron among them； only flint and
sharpened bones； yet they contrived to kill and eat the mammoths； and the
giant oxen； and the wild horses； and the reindeer； and to hold their own
against the hyaenas； and tigers； and bears； simply because they had wits；
and the dumb animals had none。 And that is the strangest part to me of
all my fairy tale。 For what a man's wits are； and why he has them； and
therefore is able to invent and to improve； while even the cleverest ape has
none； and therefore can invent and improve nothing； and therefore cannot
better himself； but must remain from father to son； and father to son again；
a stupid； pitiful； ridiculous ap
