26-the headless dwarfs-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



'Are　you　not　ashamed　to　urge　me　to　break　my　word？'　said　he。　　'If
you　want　to　reach　the　town　to…night　you　must　go　alone。　　The　hour
of　my　freedom　has　struck；　and　I　cannot　go　with　you。'

'My　good　Hans；'　entreated　the　minister；　'I　really　ought　not　to
leave　you　here。　　Consider　what　danger　you　would　be　in！　　Yonder；
as　you　see；　a　gallows　is　set　up；　and　two　evil…doers　are　hanging
on　it。　　You　could　not　possibly　sleep　with　such　ghastly
neighbours。'

'Why　not？'　asked　Hans。　　'Those　gallows　birds　hang　high　in　the
air；　and　my　camp　will　be　on　the　ground；　we　shall　have　nothing　to
do　with　each　other。'　　As　he　spoke；　he　turned　his　back　on　the
minister；　and　went　his　way。

There　was　no　help　for　it；　and　the　minister　had　to　push　on　by
himself；　if　he　expected　to　arrive　in　time　for　the　christening。　
His　friends　were　much　surprised　to　see　him　drive　up　without　a
coachman；　and　thought　some　accident　had　happened。　　But　when　he
told　them　of　his　conversation　with　Hans　they　did　not　know　which
was　the　most　foolish；　master　or　man。

It　would　have　mattered　little　to　Hans　had　he　known　what　they　were
saying　or　thinking　of　him。　　He　satisfied　his　hunger　with　the　food
he　had　in　his　knapsack；　lit　his　pipe；　pitched　his　tent　under　the
boughs　of　a　tree；　wrapped　himself　in　his　furs；　and　went　sound
asleep。　　After　some　hours；　he　was　awakened　by　a　sudden　noise；　and
sat　up　and　looked　about　him。　　The　moon　was　shining　brightly　above
his　head；　and　close　by　stood　two　headless　dwarfs；　talking
angrily。　　At　the　sight　of　Hans　the　little　dwarfs　cried　out：

'It　is　he！　　It　is　he！'　and　one　of　them　stepping　nearer　
exclaimed；　'Ah；　my　old　friend！　　it　is　a　lucky　chance　that　has
brought　us　here。　　My　bones　still　ache　from　my　fall　down　the　steps
of　the　tower。　　I　dare　say　you　have　not　forgotten　that　night！　　Now
it　is　the　turn　of　your　bones。　　Hi！　comrades；　make　haste！　make
haste！'

Like　a　swarm　of　midges；　a　host　of　tiny　headless　creatures　seemed
to　spring　straight　out　of　the　ground；　and　every　one　was　armed
with　a　club。　　Although　they　were　so　small；　yet　there　were　such
numbers　of　them　and　they　struck　so　hard　that　even　a　strong　man
could　do　nothing　against　them。　　Hans　thought　his　last　hour　was
come；　when　just　as　the　fight　was　at　the　hottest　another　little
dwarf　arrived　on　the　scene。

'Hold；　comrades！'　he　shouted；　turning　to　the　attacking　party。　
'This　man　once　did　me　a　service；　and　I　am　his　debtor。　　When　I　was
in　his　power　he　granted　me　my　life。　　And　even　if　he　did　throw　you
downstairs；　well；　a　warm　bath　soon　cured　your　bruises；　so　you
must　just　forgive　him　and　go　quietly　home。'

The　headless　dwarfs　listened　to　his　words　and　disappeared　as
suddenly　as　they　had　come。　　As　soon　as　Hans　recovered　himself　a
little　he　looked　at　his　rescuer；　and　saw　he　was　the　dwarf　he　had
found　seated　in　the　church　bell。

'Ah！'　said　the　dwarf；　seating　himself　quietly　under　the　tree。　
'You　laughed　at　me　when　I　told　you　that　some　day　I　might　do　you　a
good　turn。　　Now　you　see　I　was　right；　and　perhaps　you　will　learn
for　the　future　not　to　despise　any　creature；　however　small。'

'I　thank　you　from　my　heart；'　answered　Hans。　　'My　bones　are　still
sore　from　their　blows；　and　had　it　not　been　for　you　I　should
indeed　have　fared　badly。'

'I　have　almost　paid　my　debt；'　went　on　the　little　man；　'but　as　you
have　suffered　already；　I　will　do　more；　and　give　you　a　piece　of
information。　　You　need　not　remain　any　longer　in　the　service　of
that　stingy　minister；　but　when　you　get　home　to…morrow　go　at　once
to　the　north　corner　of　the　church；　and　there　you　will　find　a
large　stone　built　into　the　wall；　but　not　cemented　like　the　rest。　
The　day　after　to…morrow　the　moon　is　full；　and　at　midnight　you
must　go　to　the　spot　and　get　the　stone　out　of　the　wall　with　a
pickaxe。　　Under　the　stone　lies　a　great　treasure；　which　has　been
hidden　there　in　time　of　war。　　Besides　church　plate；　you　will　find
bags　of　money；　which　have　been　lying　in　this　place　for　over　a
hundred　years；　and　no　one　knows　to　whom　it　all　belongs。　　A　third
of　this　money　you　must　give　to　the　poor；　but　the　rest　you　may
keep　for　yourself。'　　As　he　finished；　the　cocks　in　the　village
crowed；　and　the　little　man　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　Hans　found
that　his　limbs　no　longer　pained　him；　and　lay　for　some　time
thinking　of　the　hidden　treasure。　　Towards　morning　he　fell　asleep。

The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　his　master　returned　from　the
town。

'Hans；'　said　he；　'what　a　fool　you　were　not　to　come　with　me
yesterday！　　I　was　well　feasted　and　entertained；　and　I　have　money
in　my　pocket　into　the　bargain；'　he　went　on；　rattling　some　coins
while　he　spoke；　to　make　Hans　understand　how　much　he　had　lost。

'Ah；　sir；'　replied　Hans　calmly；　'in　order　to　have　gained　so　much
money　you　must　have　lain　awake　all　night；　but　I　have　earned　a
hundred　times　that　amount　while　I　was　sleeping　soundly。'

'How　did　you　manage　that？'　asked　the　minister　eagerly；　but　Hans
answered；　'It　is　only　fools　who　boast　of　their　farthings；　wise
men　take　care　to　hide　their　crowns。'

They　drove　home；　and　Hans　neglected　none　of　his　duties；　but　put
up　the　horses　and　gave　them　their　food　before　going　to　the　church
corner；　where　he　found　the　loose　stone；　exactly　in　the　place
described　by　the　dwarf。　　Then　he　returned　to　his　work。

The　first　night　of　the　full　moon；　when　the　whole　village　was
asleep；　he　stole　out；　armed　with　a　pickaxe；　and　with　much
difficulty　succeeded　in　dislodging　the　stone　from　its　place。　
Sure　enough；　there　was　the　hole；　and　in　the　hole　lay　the
treasure；　exactly　as　the　little　man　had　said。

The　following　Sunday　he　handed　over　the　third　part　to　the　village
poor；　and　informed　the　minister　that　he　wished　to　break　his　bond
of　service。　　As；　however；　he　did　not　claim　any　wages；　the
minister　made　no　objections；　but　allowed　him　to　do　as　he　wished。　
So　Hans　went　his　way；　bought　himself　a　large　house；　and　married　a
young　wife；　and　lived　happily　and　prosperously　to　the　end　of　his
days。

＇Ehstnische　Marchen。＇