30-the flying ship-第2节

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lay　down　and；　putting　his　ear　to　the　ground；　listened。



'That's　a　nice　sort　of　fellow！'　he　suddenly　exclaimed。　　'He's

lying　on　the　ground；　snoring　hard！'



At　this　the　marksman　seized　his　gun；　took　aim；　and　fired　in　the

direction　of　the　world's　end；　in　order　to　awaken　the　sluggard。　

And　a　moment　later　the　swift　runner　reappeared；　and；　stepping　on

board　the　ship；　handed　the　healing　water　to　the　Simpleton。　　So

while　the　King　was　still　sitting　at　table　finishing　his　dinner

news　was　brought　to　him　that　his　orders　had　been　obeyed　to　the

letter。



What　was　to　be　done　now？　　The　King　determined　to　think　of　a　still

more　impossible　task。　　So　he　told　another　courtier　to　go　to　the

Simpleton　with　the　command　that　he　and　his　comrades　were

instantly　to　eat　up　twelve　oxen　and　twelve　tons　of　bread。　　Once

more　the　sharp…eared　comrade　overheard　the　King's　words　while　he

was　still　talking　to　the　courtier；　and　reported　them　to　the

Simpleton。



'Alas；　alas！'　he　sighed；　'what　in　the　world　shall　I　do？　　Why；　it

would　take　us　a　year；　possibly　our　whole　lives；　to　eat　up　twelve

oxen　and　twelve　tons　of　bread。'



'Never　fear；'　said　the　glutton。　　'It　will　scarcely　be　enough　for

me；　I'm　so　hungry。'



So　when　the　courtier　arrived　with　the　royal　message　he　was　told

to　take　back　word　to　the　King　that　his　orders　should　be　obeyed。　

Then　twelve　roasted　oxen　and　twelve　tons　of　bread　were　brought

alongside　of　the　ship；　and　at　one　sitting　the　glutton　had

devoured　it　all。



'I　call　that　a　small　meal；'　he　said。　　'I　wish　they'd　brought　me

some　more。'



Next；　the　King　ordered　that　forty　casks　of　wine；　containing　forty

gallons　each；　were　to　be　drunk　up　on　the　spot　by　the　Simpleton

and　his　party。　　When　these　words　were　overheard　by　the

sharp…eared　comrade　and　repeated　to　the　Simpleton；　he　was　in

despair。



'Alas；　alas！'　he　exclaimed；　'what　is　to　be　done？　　It　would　take

us　a　year；　possibly　our　whole　lives；　to　drink　so　much；'



'Never　fear；'　said　his　thirsty　comrade。　　'I'll　drink　it　all　up　at

a　gulp；　see　if　I　don't。'　　And　sure　enough；　when　the　forty　casks

of　wine　containing　forty　gallons　each　were　brought　alongside　of

the　ship；　they　disappeared　down　the　thirsty　comrade's　throat　in

no　time；　and　when　they　were　empty　he　remarked：



'Why；　I'm　still　thirsty。　　I　should　have　been　glad　of　two　more

casks。'



Then　the　King　took　counsel　with　himself　and　sent　an　order　to　the

Simpleton　that　he　was　to　have　a　bath；　in　a　bath…room　at　the　royal

palace；　and　after　that　the　betrothal　should　take　place。　　Now　the

bath…room　was　built　of　iron；　and　the　King　gave　orders　that　it　was

to　be　heated　to　such　a　pitch　that　it　would　suffocate　the

Simpleton。　　And　so　when　the　poor　silly　youth　entered　the　room；　he

discovered　that　the　iron　walls　were　red　hot。　　But；　fortunately；

his　comrade　with　the　straw　on　his　back　had　entered　behind　him；

and　when　the　door　was　shut　upon　them　he　scattered　the　straw

about；　and　suddenly　the　red…hot　walls　cooled　down；　and　it　became

so　very　cold　that　the　Simpleton　could　scarcely　bear　to　take　a

bath；　and　all　the　water　in　the　room　froze。　　So　the　Simpleton

climbed　up　upon　the　stove；　and；　wrapping　himself　up　in　the　bath

blankets；　lay　there　the　whole　night。　　And　in　the　morning　when

they　opened　the　door　there　he　lay　sound　and　safe；　singing

cheerfully　to　himself。



Now　when　this　strange　tale　was　told　to　the　King　he　became　quite

sad；　not　knowing　what　he　should　do　to　get　rid　of　so　undesirable　a

son…in…law；　when　suddenly　a　brilliant　idea　occurred　to　him。



'Tell　the　rascal　to　raise　me　an　army；　now　at　this　instant！'　he

exclaimed　to　one　of　his　courtiers。　　'Inform　him　at　once　of　this；

my　royal　will。'　　And　to　himself　he　added；　'I　think　I　shall　do　for

him　this　time。'



As　on　former　occasions；　the　quick…eared　comrade　had　overheard　the

King's　command　and　repeated　it　to　the　Simpleton。



'Alas；　alas！'　he　groaned；　'now　I　am　quite　done　for。'



'Not　at　all；'　replied　one　of　his　comrades　（the　one　who　had

dragged　the　bundle　of　wood　through　the　forest）。　　'Have　you　quite

forgotten　me？'



In　the　meantime　the　courtier；　who　had　run　all　the　way　from　the

palace；　reached　the　ship　panting　and　breathless；　and　delivered

the　King's　message。



'Good！'　remarked　the　Simpleton。　　'I　will　raise　an　army　for　the

King；'　and　he　drew　himself　up。　　'But　if；　after　that；　the　King

refuses　to　accept　me　as　his　son…in…law；　I　will　wage　war　against

him；　and　carry　the　Princess　off　by　force。'



During　the　night　the　Simpleton　and　his　comrade　went；　together

into　a　big　field；　not　forgetting　to　take　the　bundle　of　wood　with

them；　which　the　man　spread　out　in　all　directionsand　in　a　moment

a　mighty　army　stood　upon　the　spot；　regiment　on　regiment　of　foot

and　horse　soldiers；　the　bugles　sounded　and　the　drums　beat；　the

chargers　neighed；　and　their　riders　put　their　lances　in　rest；　and

the　soldiers　presented　arms。



In　the　morning　when　the　King　awoke　he　was　startled　by　these

warlike　sounds；　the　bugles　and　the　drums；　and　the　clatter　of　the

horses；　and　the　shouts　of　the　soldiers。　　And；　stepping　to　the

window；　he　saw　the　lances　gleam　in　the　sunlight　and　the　armour

and　weapons　glitter。　　And　the　proud　monarch　said　to　himself；　'I

am　powerless　in　comparison　with　this　man。'　　So　he　sent　him　royal

robes　and　costly　jewels；　and　commanded　him　to　come　to　the　palace

to　be　married　to　the　Princess。　　And　his　son…in…law　put　on　the

royal　robes；　and　he　looked　so　grand　and　stately　that　it　was

impossible　to　recognise　the　poor　Simpleton；　so　changed　was　he；

and　the　Princess　fell　in　love　with　him　as　soon　as　ever　she　saw

him。



Never　before　had　so　grand　a　wedding　been　seen；　and　there　was　so

much　food　and　wine　that　even　the　glutton　and　the　thirsty　comrade

had　enough　to　eat　and　drink。