how to tell children stories(如何给孩子讲故事)-第32节
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Daylight was hurt。 Alas； she was lying on the ground。 The prince ran to
her； but she was already up again。
〃Who are you？〃 she said。
〃I thought；〃 stammered the prince； 〃you might be hurt。〃
〃There is nothing the matter。 Go away。〃
The prince went sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince came。 〃I like you； you do
as you are told。 Are you good？〃
〃Not so good as I should like to be；〃 said the prince。
〃Then go and grow better；〃 said the princess。
The prince went； more sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince came。 〃I think you must be
a prince；〃 she said。
〃Why？〃 said the prince。
〃Because you do as you are told； and you tell the truth。 Will you tell
me what the sun looks like？〃
〃Why； everybody knows that；〃 said the prince。
〃I am different from everybody；〃 said the princess；〃I don't know。〃
〃But；〃 said the prince； 〃do you not look when you wake up in the
morning？〃
〃That's just it；〃 said the princess； 〃I never do wake up in the morning。 I
never can wake up until〃 Then the princess remembered that she was
talking to a prince； and putting her hands over her face she walked swiftly
away。 The prince followed her； but she turned and put up her hand to tell
him not to。 And like the gentleman prince that he was； he obeyed her at
once。
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Now all this time； the wicked swamp fairy had not known a word
about what was going on。 But now she found out； and she was furious； for
fear that little Daylight should be delivered from her spell。 So she cast her
spells to keep the prince from finding Daylight again。 Night after night the
poor prince wandered and wandered； and never could find the little dell。
And when daytime came； of course； there was no princess to be seen。
Finally； at the time that the moon was almost gone； the swamp fairy
stopped her spells； because she knew that by this time Daylight would be
so changed and ugly that the prince would never know her if he did see
her。 She said to herself with a wicked laugh：
〃No fear of his wanting to kiss her now！〃
That night the prince did find the dell； but no princess came。 A little
after midnight he passed near the lovely little house where she lived； and
there he overheard her waiting… women talking about her。 They seemed in
great distress。 They were saying that the princess had wandered into the
woods and was lost。 The prince didn't know； of course； what it meant； but
he did understand that the princess was lost somewhere； and he started off
to find her。 After he had gone a long way without finding her； he came to a
big old tree； and there he thought he would light a fire to show her the way
if she should happen to see it。
As the blaze flared up； he suddenly saw a little black heap on the other
side of the tree。 Somebody was lying there。 He ran to the spot； his heart
beating with hope。 But when he lifted the cloak which was huddled about
the form； he saw at once that it was not Daylight。 A pinched； withered；
white； little old woman's face shone out at him。 The hood was drawn close
down over her forehead； the eyes were closed； and as the prince lifted the
cloak； the old woman's lips moaned faintly。
〃Oh； poor mother；〃 said the prince； 〃what is the matter？〃 The old
woman only moaned again。 The prince lifted her and carried her over to
the warm fire； and rubbed her hands； trying to find out what was the
matter。 But she only moaned； and her face was so terribly strange and
white that the prince's tender heart ached for her。 Remembering his little
flask； he poured some of his liquid between her lips； and then he thought
the best thing he could do was to carry her to the princess's house； where
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she could be taken care of。
As he lifted the poor little form in his arms； two great tears stole out
from the old woman's closed eyes and ran down her wrinkled cheeks。
〃Oh； poor； poor mother；〃 said the prince pityingly； and he stooped and
kissed her withered lips。
As he walked through the forest with the old woman in his arms； it
seemed to him that she grew heavier and heavier； he could hardly carry
her at all； and then she stirred； and at last he was obliged to set her down；
to rest。 He meant to lay her on the ground。 But the old woman stood upon
her feet。
And then the hood fell back from her face。 As she looked up at the
prince； the first； long； yellow ray of the rising sun struck full upon her；
and it was the Princess Daylight！ Her hair was golden as the sun itself； and
her eyes as blue as the flower that grows in the corn。
The prince fell on his knees before her。 But she gave him her hand and
made him rise。
〃You kissed me when I was an old woman；〃 said the princess； 〃I'll kiss
you now that I am a young princess。〃 And she did。
And then she turned her face toward the dawn。
〃Dear Prince；〃 she said； 〃is that the sun？〃
THE SAILOR MAN＇1＇
＇1＇ From The Golden Windows； by Laura E。 Richards。 （H。 R。 Allenson
Ltd。 2s。 6d。 net。）
Once upon a time； two children came to the house of a sailor man；
who lived beside the salt sea； and they found the sailor man sitting in his
doorway knotting ropes。
〃How do you do？〃 asked the sailor man。
〃We are very well； thank you；〃 said the children； who had learned
manners； 〃and we hope you are the same。 We heard that you had a boat；
and we thought that perhaps you would take us out in her； and teach us
how to sail； for that is what we most wish to know。〃
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〃All in good time；〃 said the sailor man。 〃I am busy now； but by…and…by；
when my work is done； I may perhaps take one of you if you are ready to
learn。 Meantime here are some ropes that need knotting； you might be
doing that； since it has to be done。〃 And he showed them how the knots
should be tied； and went away and left them。
When he was gone the first child ran to the window and looked out。
〃There is the sea；〃 he said。 〃The waves come up on the beach； almost
to the door of the house。 They run up all white； like prancing horses； and
then they go dragging back。 Come and look！〃
〃I cannot；〃 said the second child。 〃I am tying a knot。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried the first child； 〃I see the boat。 She is dancing like a lady at
a ball； I never saw such a beauty。 Come and look！〃
〃I cannot；〃 said the second child。 〃I am tying a knot。〃
〃I shall have a delightful sail in that boat；〃 said the first child。 〃I expect
that the sailor man will take me； because I am the eldest and I know more
about it。 There was no need of my watching when he showed you the
knots； because I knew how already。〃
Just then the sailor man came in。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃my work is over。 What have you been doing in the
meantime？〃 〃I have been looking at the boat；〃 said the first child。 〃What a
beauty she is！ I shall have the best time in her that ever I had in my life。〃
〃I have been tying knots；〃 said the second child。
〃Come； then；〃 said the sailor man； and he held out his hand to the
second child。 〃I will take you out in the boat； and teach you to sail her。〃
〃But I am the eldest；〃 cried the first child； 〃and I know a great deal
more than she does。〃
〃That may be；〃 said the sailor man； 〃but a person must learn to tie a
knot before he can learn to sail a boat。〃
〃But I have learned to tie a knot；〃 cried the child。 〃I know all about it！〃
〃How can I tell that？〃 asked the sailor man。
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THE STORY OF JAIRUS'S DAUGHTER＇1＇
＇1＇ This should usually be prefaced by a brief statement of Jesus habit
of healing and comforting all with whom He came in close contact。 The
exact form of the preface must depend on how much of His life has
already been given in stories。
Once； while Jesus was journeying about； He passed near a town
where a man named Jairus lived。
