09-the enchanted pig-第2节

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the　carriage　to　stop；　and　got　out　and　rolled　about　in　the　mire　till

he　was　covered　with　mud　from　head　to　foot；　then　he　got　back

into　the　carriage　and　told　his　wife　to　kiss　him。　What　was　the

poor　girl　to　do？　She　bethought　herself　of　her　father's　words；　and；

pulling　out　her　pocket　handkerchief；　she　gently　wiped　the　Pig's

snout　and　kissed　it。



By　the　time　they　reached　the　Pig's　dwelling；　which　stood　in　a

thick　wood；　it　was　quite　dark。　They　sat　down　quietly　for　a　little；　as

they　were　tired　after　their　drive；　then　they　had　supper　together；　and

lay　down　to　rest。　During　the　night　the　Princess　noticed　that　the　Pig

had　changed　into　a　man。　She　was　not　a　little　surprised；　but

remembering　her　father's　words；　she　took　courage；　determined　to

wait　and　see　what　would　happen。



And　now　she　noticed　that　every　night　the　Pig　became　a　man；

and　every　morning　he　was　changed　into　a　Pig　before　she　awoke。

This　happened　several　nights　running；　and　the　Princess　could　not

understand　it　at　all。　Clearly　her　husband　must　be　bewitched。　In

time　she　grew　quite　fond　of　him；　he　was　so　kind　and　gentle。



One　fine　day　as　she　was　sitting　alone　she　saw　an　old　witch　go　past。

She　felt　quite　excited；　as　it　was　so　long　since　she　had　seen　a　human

being；　and　she　called　out　to　the　old　woman　to　come　and　talk　to　her。

Among　other　things　the　witch　told　her　that　she　understood　all

magic　arts；　and　that　she　could　foretell　the　future；　and　knew　the

healing　powers　of　herbs　and　plants。



‘I　shall　be　grateful　to　you　all　my　life；　old　dame；'　said　the

Princess；　‘if　you　will　tell　me　what　is　the　matter　with　my　husband。

Why　is　he　a　Pig　by　day　and　a　human　being　by　night？'



‘I　was　just　going　to　tell　you　that　one　thing；　my　dear；　to　show

you　what　a　good　fortune…teller　I　am。　If　you　like；　I　will　give　you　a

herb　to　break　the　spell。'



‘If　you　will　only　give　it　to　me；'　said　the　Princess；　‘I　will　give

you　anything　you　choose　to　ask　for；　for　I　cannot　bear　to　see　him　in

this　state。'



‘Here；　then；　my　dear　child；'　said　the　witch；　‘take　this　thread；

but　do　not　let　him　know　about　it；　for　if　he　did　it　would　lose　its

healing　power。　At　night；　when　he　is　asleep；　you　must　get　up　very

quietly；　and　fasten　the　thread　round　his　left　foot　as　firmly　as

possible；　and　you　will　see　in　the　morning　he　will　not　have　changed

back　into　a　Pig；　but　will　still　be　a　man。　I　do　not　want　any　reward。

I　shall　be　sufficiently　repaid　by　knowing　that　you　are　happy。　It

almost　breaks　my　heart　to　think　of　all　you　have　suffered；　and　I　only

wish　I　had　known　it　sooner；　as　I　should　have　come　to　your　rescue

at　once。'



When　the　old　witch　had　gone　away　the　Princess　hid　the　thread

very　carefully；　and　at　night　she　got　up　quietly；　and　with　a　beating

heart　she　bound　the　thread　round　her　husband's　foot。　Just　as　she

was　pulling　the　knot　tight　there　was　a　crack；　and　the　thread　broke；

for　it　was　rotten。



Her　husband　awoke　with　a　start；　and　said　to　her；　‘Unhappy

woman；　what　have　you　done？　Three　days　more　and　this　unholy

spell　would　have　fallen　from　me；　and　now；　who　knows　how　long　I

may　have　to　go　about　in　this　disgusting　shape？　I　must　leave　you

at　once；　and　we　shall　not　meet　again　until　you　have　worn　out　three

pairs　of　iron　shoes　and　blunted　a　steel　staff　in　your　search　for　me。'

So　saying　he　disappeared。



Now；　when　the　Princess　was　left　alone　she　began　to　weep　and

moan　in　a　way　that　was　pitiful　to　hear；　but　when　she　saw　that

her　tears　and　groans　did　her　no　good；　she　got　up；　determined　to　go

wherever　fate　should　lead　her。



On　reaching　a　town；　the　first　thing　she　did　was　to　order　three

pairs　of　iron　sandals　and　a　steel　staff；　and　having　made　these

preparations　for　her　journey；　she　set　out　in　search　of　her　husband。　On

and　on　she　wandered　over　nine　seas　and　across　nine　continents；

through　forests　with　trees　whose　stems　were　as　thick　as　beer…

barrels；　stumbling　and　knocking　herself　against　the　fallen　branches；

then　picking　herself　up　and　going　on；　the　boughs　of　the　trees　hit

her　face；　and　the　shrubs　tore　her　hands；　but　on　she　went；　and　never

looked　back。　At　last；　wearied　with　her　long　journey　and　worn　out

and　overcome　with　sorrow；　but　still　with　hope　at　her　heart；　she

reached　a　house。



Now　who　do　you　think　lived　there？　The　Moon。



The　Princess　knocked　at　the　door；　and　begged　to　be　let　in　that

she　might　rest　a　little。　The　mother　of　the　Moon；　when　she　saw　her

sad　plight；　felt　a　great　pity　for　her；　and　took　her　in　and　nursed　and

tended　her。　And　while　she　was　here　the　Princess　had　a　little

baby。



One　day　the　mother　of　the　Moon　asked　her：



‘How　was　it　possible　for　you；　a　mortal；　to　get　hither　to　the

house　of　the　Moon？'



Then　the　poor　Princess　told　her　all　that　happened　to　her；　and

added　‘I　shall　always　be　thankful　to　Heaven　for　leading　me

hither；　and　grateful　to　you　that　you　took　pity　on　me　and　on　my

baby；　and　did　not　leave　us　to　die。　Now　I　beg　one　last　favour　of

you；　can　your　daughter；　the　Moon；　tell　me　where　my　husband　is？'



‘She　cannot　tell　you　that；　my　child；'　replied　the　goddess；　‘but；

if　you　will　travel　towards　the　East　until　you　reach　the　dwelling　of

the　Sun；　he　may　be　able　to　tell　you　something。'



Then　she　gave　the　Princess　a　roast　chicken　to　eat；　and　warned

her　to　be　very　careful　not　to　lose　any　of　the　bones；　because　they

might　be　of　great　use　to　her。



When　the　Princess　had　thanked　her　once　more　for　her　hospitality

and　for　her　good　advice；　and　had　thrown　away　one　pair　of

shoes　that　were　worn　out；　and　had　put　on　a　second　pair；　she　tied　up

the　chicken　bones　in　a　bundle；　and　taking　her　baby　in　her　arms　and

her　staff　in　her　hand；　she　set　out　once　more　on　her　wanderings。



On　and　on　and　on　she　went　across　bare　sandy　deserts；　where　the

roads　were　so　heavy　that　for　every　two　steps　that　she　took　forwards

she　fell　back　one；　but　she　struggled　on　till　she　had　passed　these

dreary　plains；　next　she　crossed　high　rocky　mountains；　jumping

from　crag　to　crag　and　from　peak　to　peak。　Sometimes　she　would

rest　for　a　little　on　a　mountain；　and　then　start　afresh　always

farther　and　farther　on。　She　had　to　cross　swamps　and　to　scale

mountain　peaks　covered　with　flints；　so　that　her　feet　and　knees　and

elbows　were　all　torn　and　bleeding；　and　sometimes　she　came　to　a

precipice　across　which　she　could　not　jump；　and　she　had　to　crawl

round　on　hands　and　knees；　helping　herself　along　with　her　staff。

At　length；　wearied　to　death；　she　reached　the　palace　in　which　the

Sun　lived。　She　knocked　and　begged　for　admission。　The　mother　of

the　Sun　opened　the　door；　and　was　astonished　at　beholding　a　mortal

from　the　distant　earthly　shores；　and　wept　with　pity　when　she

heard　of　all　she　had　suffered。　Then；　having　promised　to　ask　her

son　about　the　Princess's　husband；　she　hid　her　in　the　cellar；　so　that

the　Sun　might　notice　nothing　on　his　return　home；　for　he　was　always

in　a　bad　temper　when　he　came　in　at　night。　　The　next　day　the

Princess　feared　that　things　would　not　go　well　with　her；　for　the

Sun　had　noticed　that　some　one　from　the　other　world　had　been

in　the　palace。　But　his　mother　had　soothed　him　with　soft　words；

assuring　him　that　this　was　not　so。　So　the　Princess　took　heart

when　she　saw　how　kindly　she　was　treated；　and　asked：



‘But　how　in　the　world　is　it　possible　for　the　Sun　to　be　angry？

He　is　so　beautiful　and　so　good　to　mortals。'



‘This　is　how　it　happens；'　replied　the　Sun's　mother。　‘In　the　morning　when＇

he　stands　at　the　gates　of　paradise　he　is　happy；　and　smiles　on　the　whole

world；　but　during　the　day　he　gets　cross；　because　he　sees　all　the　evil

deeds　of　men；　and　that　is　why　his　heat　becomes　so　scorching；　but

in　the　evening　he　is　both　sad　and　angry；　for　he　stands　at　the　gates

of　death；　that　is　his　usual　course。　From　there　he　comes　back　here。'



She　then　told　the　Princess　that　she　had　asked　about　her　hus…

band；　but　that　her　son　had　replied　that　he　knew　nothing　about　him；

and　that　her　only　hope　was　to　go　and　inquire　of　the　Wind。



Before　the　Princess　left　the　mother　of　the　Sun　gave　her　a　roast

chicken　to　eat；　and　advised　her　to　take　great　care　of　the　bones；

which　she　did；　wrapping　them　up　in　a　bundle。　She　then　threw

away　her　second　pair　of　shoes；　which　were　quite　worn　out；　and　with

her　child　on　her　arm　and　her　staff　in　her　hand；　she　set　forth　on

her　way　to　the　Wind。



In　these　wanderings　she　met　with　even　greater　difficulties　than

before；　for　she　came　upon　one　mountain　of　flints　after　another；　out

of　which　tongues　of　fire　would　flame　up；　she　passed　through　woods

which　had　never　been　trodden　by　human　foot；　and　had　to　cross

fields　of　ice　and　avalanches　of　snow。　The　poor　woman　nearly

died　of　these　hardships；　but　she　kept　a　brave　heart；　and　at　length

she　reached　an　enormous　cave　in　the　side　of　a　mountain。　This

was　where　the　Wind　lived。　There　was　a　little　door　in　the　railing

in　front　of　the　cave；　and　here　the　Princess　knocked　and　begged　for

admission。　The　mother　of　the　Wind　had　pity　on　her　and　took　her

in；　that　she　might　rest　a　little。　Here　too　she　wa