35-the seven foals-第2节

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When　they　got　to　the　trunk；　the　eldest　foal　broke　it　down　on

one　side；　and　then　they　saw　a　door　where　the　trunk　had　been

standing；　and　inside　this　there　was　a　small　room；　and　in　the　room

there　was　scarcely　anything　but　a　small　fire…place　and　a　couple　of

benches；　but　behind　the　door　hung　a　great　rusty　sword　and　a　small

pitcher。



‘Canst　thou　wield　that　sword？'　asked　the　Foal。



Cinderlad　tried；　but　could　not　do　it；　so　he　had　to　take　a　draught

from　the　pitcher；　and　then　one　more；　and　after　that　still　another；

and　then　he　was　able　to　wield　the　sword　with　perfect　ease。



‘Good；'　said　the　Foal；　‘and　now　thou　must　take　the　sword　away

with　thee；　and　with　it　shalt　thou　cut　off　the　heads　of　all　seven　of　us

on　thy　wedding…day；　and　then　we　shall　become　princes　again　as　we

were　before。　For　we　are　brothers　of　the　Princess　whom　thou　art

to　have　when　thou　canst　tell　the　King　what　we　eat　and　drink；　but

there　is　a　mighty　Troll　who　has　cast　a　spell　over　us。　When　thou

hast　cut　off　our　heads；　thou　must　take　the　greatest　care　to　lay　each

head　at　the　tail　of　the　body　to　which　it　belonged　before；　and　then

the　spell　which　the　Troll　has　cast　upon　us　will　lose　all　its　power。'



Cinderlad　promised　to　do　this；　and　then　they　went　on　farther；



When　they　had　travelled　a　long；　long　way；　the　Foal　said：



‘Dost　thou　see　anything？'



‘No；'　said　Cinderlad。



So　they　went　on　a　great　distance　farther。



‘And　now？'　inquired　the　Foal；　‘seest　thou　nothing　now？'



‘Alas！　no；'　said　Cinderlad。



So　they　travelled　onwards　again；　for　many　and　many　a　mile；

over　hill　and　dale。



‘Now；　then；'　said　the　Foal；　‘dost　thou　not　see　anything　now？'



‘Yes；'　said　Cinderlad；　‘now　I　see　something　like　a　bluish　streak；

far；　far　away。'



‘That　is　a　river；'　said　the　Foal；　‘and　we　have　to　cross　it。'



There　was　a　long；　handsome　bridge　over　the　river；　and　when

they　had　got　to　the　other　side　of　it　they　again　travelled　on　a　long；

long　way；　and　then　once　more　the　Foal　inquired　if　Cinderlad　saw

anything。　Yes；　this　time　he　saw　something　that　looked　black；　far；

far　away；　and　was　rather　like　a　church　tower。



‘Yes；'　said　the　Foal；　‘we　shall　go　into　that。'



When　the　Foals　got　into　the　churchyard　they　turned　into　men

and　looked　like　the　sons　of　a　king；　and　their　clothes　were　so

magnificent　that　they　shone　with　splendour；　and　they　went　into

the　church　and　received　bread　and　wine　from　the　priest；　who　was

standing　before　the　altar；　and　Cinderlad　went　in　too。　But　when　the

priest　had　laid　his　hands　on　the　princes　and　read　the　blessing；　they

went　out　of　the　church　again；　and　Cinderlad　went　out　too；　but　he

took　with　him　a　flask　of　wine　and　some　consecrated　bread。　No

sooner　had　the　seven　princes　come　out　into　the　churchyard　than　they

became　foals　again；　and　Cinderlad　got　upon　the　back　of　the　youngest；

and　they　returned　by　the　way　they　had　come；　only　they　went　much；

much　faster。



First　they　went　over　the　bridge；　and　then　past　the　trunk　of　the

birch　tree；　and　then　past　the　old　hag　who　sat　in　the　cleft　of　the　rock

spinning；　and　they　went　by　so　fast　that　Cinderlad　could　not　hear

what　the　old　hag　screeched　after　him；　but　just　heard　enough　to

understand　that　she　was　terribly　enraged。



It　was　all　but　dark　when　they　got　back　to　the　King　at　nightfall；

and　he　himself　was　standing　in　the　courtyard　waiting　for　them。



‘Hast　thou　watched　well　and　faithfully　the　whole　day？'　said　the

King　to　Cinderlad。



‘I　have　done　my　best；'　replied　Cinderlad。



‘Then　thou　canst　tell　me　what　my　seven　foals　eat　and　drink？'

asked　the　King。



So　Cinderlad　pulled　out　the　consecrated　bread　and　the　flask　of

wine；　and　showed　them　to　the　King。　‘Here　may　you　behold　their

meat；　and　here　their　drink；'　said　he。



‘Yes；　diligently　and　faithfully　hast　thou　watched；'　said　the　King；

‘and　thou　shalt　have　the　Princess　and　half　the　kingdom。'



So　all　was　made　ready　for　the　wedding；　and　the　King　said　that

it　was　to　be　so　stately　and　magnificent　that　everyone　should　hear

of　it；　and　everyone　inquire　about　it。



But　when　they　sat　down　to　the　marriage…feast；　the　bridegroom

arose　and　went　down　to　the　stable；　for　he　said　that　he　had　forgotten

something　which　he　must　go　and　look　to。　When　he　got　there；　he

did　what　the　foals　had　bidden　him；　and　cut　off　the　heads　of　all

the　seven。　First　the　eldest；　and　then　the　second；　and　so　on　according

to　their　age；　and　he　was　extremely　careful　to　lay　each　head　at

the　tail　of　the　foal　to　which　it　had　belonged；　and　when　that　was

done；　all　the　foals　became　princes　again。　When　he　returned　to　the

marriage…feast　with　the　seven　princes；　the　King　was　so　joyful　that

he　both　kissed　Cinderlad　and　clapped　him　on　the　back；　and　his　bride

was　still　more　delighted　with　him　than　she　had　been　before。



‘Half　my　kingdom　is　thine　already；'　said　the　King；　‘and　the

other　half　shall　be　thine　after　my　death；　for　my　sons　can　get

countries　and　kingdoms　for　themselves　now　that　they　have　become

princes　again。'



Therefore；　as　all　may　well　believe；　there　was　joy　and　merriment

at　that　wedding。＇31＇



＇31＇　From　J。　Moe。