37-prince ring-第1节

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PRINCE　RING　＇30＇



＇30＇　From　the　Icelandic。



Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　King　and　his　Queen　in　their　kingdom。



They　had　one　daughter；　who　was　called　Ingiborg；　and　one　son；

whose　name　was　Ring。　　He　was　less　fond　of　adventures　than　men　of

rank　usually　were　in　those　days；　and　was　not　famous　for　strength

or　feats　of　arms。　　When　he　was　twelve　years　old；　one　fine　winter

day　he　rode　into　the　forest　along　with　his　men　to　enjoy　himself。　

They　went　on　a　long　way；　until　they　caught　sight　of　a　hind　with　a

gold　ring　on　its　horns。　　The　Prince　was　eager　to　catch　it；　if

possible；　so　they　gave　chase　and　rode　on　without　stopping　until

all　the　horses　began　to　founder　beneath　them。　　At　last　the

Prince's　horse　gave　way　too；　and　then　there　came　over　them　a

darkness　so　black　that　they　could　no　longer　see　the　hind。　　By

this　time　they　were　far　away　from　any　house；　and　thought　it　was

high　time　to　be　making　their　way　home　again；　but　they　found　they

had　got　lost　now。　　At　first　they　all　kept　together；　but　soon　each

began　to　think　that　he　knew　the　right　way　best；　so　they

separated；　and　all　went　in　different　directions。



The　Prince；　too；　had　got　lost　like　the　rest；　and　wandered　on　for

a　time　until　he　came　to　a　little　clearing　in　the　forest　not　far

from　the　sea；　where　he　saw　a　woman　sitting　on　a　chair　and　a　big

barrel　standing　beside　her。　　The　Prince　went　up　to　her　and

saluted　her　politely；　and　she　received　him　very　graciously。　　He

looked　down　into　the　barrel　then；　and　saw　lying　at　the　bottom　an

unusually　beautiful　gold　ring；　which　pleased　him　so　much　that　he

could　not　take　his　eyes　off　it。　　The　woman　saw　this；　and　said

that　he　might　have　it　if　he　would　take　the　trouble　to　get　it；　for

which　the　Prince　thanked　her；　and　said　it　was　at　least　worth

trying。　　So　he　leaned　over　into　the　barrel；　which　did　not　seem

very　deep；　and　thought　he　would　easily　reach　the　ring；　but　the

more　he　stretched　down　after　it　the　deeper　grew　the　barrel。　　As

he　was　thus　bending　down　into　it　the　woman　suddenly　rose　up　and

pushed　him　in　head　first；　saying　that　now　he　could　take　up　his

quarters　there。　　Then　she　fixed　the　top　on　the　barrel　and　threw

it　out　into　the　sea。



The　Prince　thought　himself　in　a　bad　plight　now；　as　he　felt　the

barrel　floating　out　from　the　land　and　tossing　about　on　the　waves。



How　many　days　he　spent　thus　he　could　not　tell；　but　at　last　he

felt　that　the　barrel　was　knocking　against　rocks；　at　which　he　was

a　little　cheered；　thinking　it　was　probably　land　and　not　merely　a

reef　in　the　sea。　　Being　something　of　a　swimmer；　he　at　last　made

up　his　mind　to　kick　the　bottom　out　of　the　barrel；　and　having　done

so　he　was　able　to　get　on　shore；　for　the　rocks　by　the　sea　were

smooth　and　level；　but　overhead　there　were　high　cliffs。　　It　seemed

difficult　to　get　up　these；　but　he　went　along　the　foot　of　them　for

a　little；　till　at　last　he　tried　to　climb　up；　which　at　last　he

did。



Having　got　to　the　top；　he　looked　round　about　him　and　saw　that　he

was　on　an　island；　which　was　covered　with　forest；　with　apples

growing；　and　altogether　pleasant　as　far　as　the　land　was

concerned。　　After　he　had　been　there　several　days；　he　one　day

heard　a　great　noise　in　the　forest；　which　made　him　terribly

afraid；　so　that　he　ran　to　hide　himself　among　the　trees。　　Then　he

saw　a　Giant　approaching；　dragging　a　sledge　loaded　with　wood；　and

making　straight　for　him；　so　that　he　could　see　nothing　for　it　but

to　lie　down　just　where　he　was。　　When　the　Giant　came　across　him；

he　stood　still　and　looked　at　the　Prince　for　a　little；　then　he

took　him　up　in　his　arms　and　carried　him　home　to　his　house；　and

was　exceedingly　kind　to　him。　　He　gave　him　to　his　wife；　saying　he

had　found　this　child　in　the　wood；　and　she　could　have　it　to　help

her　in　the　house。　　The　old　woman　was　greatly　pleased；　and　began

to　fondle　the　Prince　with　the　utmost　delight。　　He　stayed　there

with　them；　and　was　very　willing　and　obedient　to　them　in

everything；　while　they　grew　kinder　to　him　every　day。



One　day　the　Giant　took　him　round　and　showed　him　all　his　rooms

except　the　parlour；　this　made　the　Prince　curious　to　have　a　look

into　it；　thinking　there　must　be　some　very　rare　treasure　there。　

So　one　day；　when　the　Giant　had　gone　into　the　forest；　he　tried　to

get　into　the　parlour；　and　managed　to　get　the　door　open　half…way。　

Then　he　saw　that　some　living　creature　moved　inside　and　ran　along

the　floor　towards　him　and　said　something；　which　made　him　so

frightened　that　he　sprang　back　from　the　door　and　shut　it　again。　

As　soon　as　the　fright　began　to　pass　off　he　tried　it　again；　for　he

thought　it　would　be　interesting　to　hear　what　it　said；　but　things

went　just　as　before　with　him。　　He　then　got　angry　with　himself；

and；　summoning　up　all　his　courage；　tried　it　a　third　time；　and

opened　the　door　of　the　room　and　stood　firm。　　Then　he　saw　that　it

was　a　big　Dog；　which　spoke　to　him　and　said：



'Choose　me；　Prince　Ring。'



The　Prince　went　away　rather　afraid；　thinking　with　himself　that　it

was　no　great　treasure　after　all；　but　all　the　same　what　it　had

said　to　him　stuck　in　his　mind。



It　is　not　said　how　long　the　Prince　stayed　with　the　Giant；　but　one

day　the　latter　came　to　him　and　said　he　would　now　take　him　over　to

the　mainland　out　of　the　island；　for　he　himself　had　no　long　time

to　live。　　He　also　thanked　him　for　his　good　service；　and　told　him

to　choose　some…one　of　his　possessions；　for　he　would　get　whatever

he　wanted。　　Ring　thanked　him　heartily；　and　said　there　was　no　need

to　pay　him　for　his　services；　they　were　so　little　worth；　but　if　he

did　wish　to　give　him　anything　he　would　choose　what　was　in　the

parlour。　　The　Giant　was　taken　by　surprise；　and　said：



'There；　you　chose　my　old　woman's　right　hand；　but　I　must　not　break

my　word。'



Upon　this　he　went　to　get　the　Dog；　which　came　running　with　signs

of　great　delight；　but　the　Prince　was　so　much　afraid　of　it　that　it

was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　from　showing　his　alarm。



After　this　the　Giant　accompanied　him　down　to　the　sea；　where　he

saw　a　stone　boat　which　was　just　big　enough　to　hold　the　two　of

them　and　the　Dog。　　On　reaching　the　mainland　the　Giant　took　a

friendly　farewell　of　Ring；　and　told　him　he　might　take　possession

of　all　that　was　in　the　island　after　he　and　his　wife　died；　which

would　happen　within　two　weeks　from　that　time。　　The　Prince　thanked

him　for　this　and　for　all　his　other　kindnesses；　and　the　Giant

returned　home；　while　Ring　went　up　some　distance　from　the　sea；　but

he　did　not　know　what　land　he　had　come　to；　and　was　afraid　to　speak

to　the　Dog。　　After　he　had　walked　on　in　silence　for　a　time　the　Dog

spoke　to　him　and　said：



'You　don't　seem　to　have　much　curiosity；　seeing　you　never　ask　my

name。'



The　Prince　then　forced　himself　to　ask；　'What　is　your　name？'



'You　had　best　call　me　Snati…Snati；'　said　the　Dog。　　'Now　we　are

coming　to　a　King's　seat；　and　you　must　ask　the　King　to　keep　us　all

winter；　and　to　give　you　a　little　room　for　both　of　us。'



The　Prince　now　began　to　be　less　afraid　of　the　Dog。　　They　came　to

the　King　and　asked　him　to　keep　them　all　the　winter；　to　which　he

agreed。　　When　the　King's　men　saw　the　Dog　they　began　to　laugh　at

it；　and　make　as　if　they　would　tease　it；　but　when　the　Prince　saw

this　he　advised　them　not　to　do　it；　or　they　might　have　the　worst

of　it。　　They　replied　that　they　didn't　care　a　bit　what　he　thought。



After　Ring　had　been　with　the　King　for　some　days　the　latter　began

to　think　there　was　a　great　deal　in　him；　and　esteemed　him　more

than　the　others。　　The　King；　however；　had　a　counsellor　called　Red；

who　became　very　jealous　when　he　saw　how　much　the　King　esteemed

Ring；　and　one　day　he　talked　to　him；　and　said　he　could　not

understand　why　he　had　so　good　an　opinion　of　this　stranger；　who

had　not　yet　shown　himself　superior　to　other　men　in　anything。　　The

King　replied　that　it　was　only　a　short　time　since　he　had　come

there。　　Red　then　asked　him　to　send　them　both　to　cut　down　wood

next　morning；　and　see　which　of　them　could　do　most　work。　

Snati…Snati　heard　this　and　told　it　to　Ring；　advising　him　to　ask

the　King　for　two　axes；　so　that　he　might　have　one　in　reserve　if

the　first　one　got　broken。　　Next　morning　the　King　asked　Ring　and

Red　to　go　and　cut　down　trees　for　him；　and　both　agreed。　　Ring　got

the　two　axes；　and　each　went　his　own　way；　but　when　the　Prince　had

got　out　into　the　wood　Snati　took　one　of　the　axes　and　began　to　hew

along　with　him。　　In　the　evening　the　King　came　to　look　over　their

day's　work；　as　Red　had　proposed；　and　found　that　Ring's　wood…heap

was　more　than　twice　as　big。



'I　suspected；'　said　the　King；　'that　Ring　was　not　quite　useless；

never　have　I　seen　such　a　day's　work。'



Ring　was　now　in　far　greater　esteem　with　the　King　than　before；　and

Red　was　all　the　more　discontented。　　One　day　he　came　to　the　King

and　said；　'If　Ring　is　such　a　mighty　man；　I　think　you　might　ask

him　to　kill　the　wild　oxen　in　the　wood　here；　and　flay　them　the

same　day；　and　bring　you　the　horns　and　the　hides　in　the　evening。'



'Don't　you　think　that　a　despera