21-the history of dwarf long nose-第1节

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THE　HISTORY　OF　DWARF　LONG　NOSE

It　is　a　great　mistake　to　think　that　fairies；　witches；　magicians；
and　such　people　lived　only　in　Eastern　countries　and　in　such　times
as　those　of　the　Caliph　Haroun　Al…Raschid。　　Fairies　and　their
like　belong　to　every　country　and　every　age；　and　no　doubt　we
should　see　plenty　of　them　nowif　we　only　knew　how。

In　a　large　town　in　Germany　there　lived；　some　couple　of　hundred
years　ago；　a　cobbler　and　his　wife。　　They　were　poor　and
hard…working。　　The　man　sat　all　day　in　a　little　stall　at　the
street　corner　and　mended　any　shoes　that　were　brought　him。　　His
wife　sold　the　fruit　and　vegetables　they　grew　in　their　garden　in
the　Market　Place；　and　as　she　was　always　neat　and　clean　and　her
goods　were　temptingly　spread　out　she　had　plenty　of　customers。

The　couple　had　one　boy　called　Jem。　　A　handsome；　pleasant…faced
boy　of　twelve；　and　tall　for　his　age。　　He　used　to　sit　by　his
mother　in　the　market　and　would　carry　home　what　people　bought　from
her；　for　which　they　often　gave　him　a　pretty　flower；　or　a　slice　of
cake；　or　even　some　small　coin。

One　day　Jem　and　his　mother　sat　as　usual　in　the　Market　Place　with
plenty　of　nice　herbs　and　vegetables　spread　out　on　the　board；　and
in　some　smaller　baskets　early　pears；　apples；　and　apricots。　　Jem
cried　his　wares　at　the　top　of　his　voice：

'This　way；　gentlemen！　　See　these　lovely　cabbages　and　these　fresh
herbs！　　Early　apples；　ladies；　early　pears　and　apricots；　and　all
cheap。　　Come；　buy；　buy！'

As　he　cried　an　old　woman　came　across　the　Market　Place。　　She
looked　very　torn　and　ragged；　and　had　a　small　sharp　face；　all
wrinkled；　with　red　eyes；　and　a　thin　hooked　nose　which　nearly　met
her　chin。　　She　leant　on　a　tall　stick　and　limped　and　shuffled　and
stumbled　along　as　if　she　were　going　to　fall　on　her　nose　at　any
moment。

In　this　fashion　she　came　along　till　she　got　to　the　stall　where
Jem　and　his　mother　were；　and　there　she　stopped。

'Are　you　Hannah　the　herb　seller？'　she　asked　in　a　croaky　voice　as
her　head　shook　to　and　fro。

'Yes；　I　am；'　was　the　answer。　　'Can　I　serve　you？'

'We'll　see；　we'll　see！　　Let　me　look　at　those　herbs。　　I　wonder　if
you've　got　what　I　want；'　said　the　old　woman　as　she　thrust　a　pair
of　hideous　brown　hands　into　the　herb　basket；　and　began　turning
over　all　the　neatly　packed　herbs　with　her　skinny　fingers；　often
holding　them　up　to　her　nose　and　sniffing　at　them。

The　cobbler's　wife　felt　much　disgusted　at　seeing　her　wares
treated　like　this；　but　she　dared　not　speak。　　When　the　old　hag　had
turned　over　the　whole　basket　she　muttered；　'Bad　stuff；　bad　stuff；
much　better　fifty　years　agoall　bad。'

This　made　Jem　very　angry

'You　are　a　very　rude　old　woman；'　he　cried　out。　　'First　you　mess
all　our　nice　herbs　about　with　your　horrid　brown　fingers　and　sniff
at　them　with　your　long　nose　till　no　one　else　will　care　to　buy
them；　and　then　you　say　it's　all　bad　stuff；　though　the　duke's　cook
himself　buys　all　his　herbs　from　us。'

The　old　woman　looked　sharply　at　the　saucy　boy；　laughed
unpleasantly；　and　said：

'So　you　don't　like　my　long　nose；　sonny？　　Well；　you　shall　have
one　yourself；　right　down　to　your　chin。'

As　she　spoke　she　shuffled　towards　the　hamper　of　cabbages；　took　up
one　after　another；　squeezed　them　hard；　and　threw　them　back；
muttering　again；　'Bad　stuff；　bad　stuff。'

'Don't　waggle　your　head　in　that　horrid　way；'　begged　Jem
anxiously。　　'Your　neck　is　as　thin　as　a　cabbage…stalk；　and　it
might　easily　break　and　your　head　fall　into　the　basket；　and　then
who　would　buy　anything？'

'Don't　you　like　thin　necks？'　laughed　the　old　woman。　　'Then　you
sha'n't　have　any；　but　a　head　stuck　close　between　your　shoulders
so　that　it　may　be　quite　sure　not　to　fall　off。'

'Don't　talk　such　nonsense　to　the　child；'　said　the　mother　at　last。

'If　you　wish　to　buy；　please　make　haste；　as　you　are　keeping　other
customers　away。'

'Very　well；　I　will　do　as　you　ask；'　said　the　old　woman；　with　an
angry　look。　　'I　will　buy　these　six　cabbages；　but；　as　you　see；　I
can　only　walk　with　my　stick　and　can　carry　nothing。　　Let　your　boy
carry　them　home　for　me　and　I'll　pay　him　for　his　trouble。'

The　little　fellow　didn't　like　this；　and　began　to　cry；　for　he　was
afraid　of　the　old　woman；　but　his　mother　ordered　him　to　go；　for
she　thought　it　wrong　not　to　help　such　a　weakly　old　creature；　so；
still　crying；　he　gathered　the　cabbages　into　a　basket　and　followed
the　old　woman　across　the　Market　Place。

It　took　her　more　than　half　an　hour　to　get　to　a　distant　part　of
the　little　town；　but　at　last　she　stopped　in　front　of　a　small
tumble…down　house。　　She　drew　a　rusty　old　hook　from　her　pocket　and
stuck　it　into　a　little　hole　in　the　door；　which　suddenly　flew
open。　　How　surprised　Jem　was　when　they　went　in！　　The　house　was
splendidly　furnished；　the　walls　and　ceiling　of　marble；　the
furniture　of　ebony　inlaid　with　gold　and　precious　stones；　the
floor　of　such　smooth　slippery　glass　that　the　little　fellow
tumbled　down　more　than　once。

The　old　woman　took　out　a　silver　whistle　and　blew　it　till　the
sound　rang　through　the　house。　　Immediately　a　lot　of　guinea　pigs
came　running　down　the　stairs；　but　Jem　thought　it　rather　odd　that
they　all　walked　on　their　hind　legs；　wore　nutshells　for　shoes；　and
men's　clothes；　whilst　even　their　hats　were　put　on　in　the　newest
fashion。

'Where　are　my　slippers；　lazy　crew？'　cried　the　old　woman；　and　hit
about　with　her　stick。　　'How　long　am　I　to　stand　waiting　here？'

They　rushed　upstairs　again　and　returned　with　a　pair　of　cocoa　nuts
lined　with　leather；　which　she　put　on　her　feet。　　Now　all　limping
and　shuffling　was　at　an　end。　　She　threw　away　her　stick　and　walked
briskly　across　the　glass　floor；　drawing　little　Jem　after　her。　　At
last　she　paused　in　a　room　which　looked　almost　like　a　kitchen；　it
was　so　full　of　pots　and　pans；　but　the　tables　were　of　mahogany　and
the　sofas　and　chairs　covered　with　the　richest　stuffs。

'Sit　down；'　said　the　old　woman　pleasantly；　and　she　pushed　Jem
into　a　corner　of　a　sofa　and　put　a　table　close　in　front　of　him。　
'Sit　down；　you've　had　a　long　walk　and　a　heavy　load　to　carry；　and
I　must　give　you　something　for　your　trouble。　　Wait　a　bit；　and　I'll
give　you　some　nice　soup；　which　you'll　remember　as　long　as　you
live。'

So　saying；　she　whistled　again。　　First　came　in　guinea　pigs　in
men's　clothing。　　They　had　tied　on　large　kitchen　aprons；　and　in
their　belts　were　stuck　carving　knives　and　sauce　ladles　and　such
things。　　After　them　hopped　in　a　number　of　squirrels。　　They　too
walked　on　their　hind　legs；　wore　full　Turkish　trousers；　and　little
green　velvet　caps　on　their　heads。　　They　seemed　to　be　the
scullions；　for　they　clambered　up　the　walls　and　brought　down　pots
and　pans；　eggs；　flour；　butter；　and　herbs；　which　they　carried　to
the　stove。　　Here　the　old　woman　was　bustling　about；　and　Jem　could
see　that　she　was　cooking　something　very　special　for　him。　　At　last
the　broth　began　to　bubble　and　boil；　and　she　drew　off　the　saucepan
and　poured　its　contents　into　a　silver　bowl；　which　she　set　before
Jem。

'There；　my　boy；'　said　she；　'eat　this　soup　and　then　you'll　have
everything　which　pleased　you　so　much　about　me。　　And　you　shall　be
a　clever　cook　too；　but　the　real　herbno；　the　REAL　herb　you'll
never　find。　　Why　had　your　mother　not　got　it　in　her　basket？'

The　child　could　not　think　what　she　was　talking　about；　but　he
quite　understood　the　soup；　which　tasted　most　delicious。　　His
mother　had　often　given　him　nice　things；　but　nothing　had　ever
seemed　so　good　as　this。　　The　smell　of　the　herbs　and　spices　rose
from　the　bowl；　and　the　soup　tasted　both　sweet　and　sharp　at　the
same　time；　and　was　very　strong。　　As　he　was　finishing　it　the
guinea　pigs　lit　some　Arabian　incense；　which　gradually　filled　the
room　with　clouds　of　blue　vapour。　　They　grew　thicker　and　thicker
and　the　scent　nearly　overpowered　the　boy。　　He　reminded　himself
that　he　must　get　back　to　his　mother；　but　whenever　he　tried　to
rouse　himself　to　go　he　sank　back　again　drowsily；　and　at　last　he
fell　sound　asleep　in　the　corner　of　the　sofa。

Strange　dreams　came　to　him。　　He　thought　the　old　woman　took　off
all　his　clothes　and　wrapped　him　up　in　a　squirrel　skin；　and　that
he　went　about　with　the　other　squirrels　and　guinea　pigs；　who　were
all　very　pleasant　and　well　mannered；　and　waited　on　the　old　woman。

First　he　learned　to　clean　her　cocoa…nut　shoes　with　oil　and　to　rub
them　up。　　Then　he　learnt　to　catch　the　little　sun　moths　and　rub
them　through　the　finest　sieves；　and　the　flour　from　them　he　made
into　soft　bread　for　the　toothless　old　woman。

In　this　way　he　passed　from　one　kind　of　service　to　another；
spending　a　year　in　each；　till　in　the　fourth　year　he　was　promoted
to　the　kitchen。　　Here　he　worked　his　way　up　from　under…scullion　to
head…pastrycook；　and　reached　the　greatest　perfection。　　He　could
make　all　the　most　difficult　dishes；　and　two　hundred　different
kinds　of　patties；　soup　flavoured　with　every　sort　of　herbhe　had
learnt　it　all；　and　learnt　it　well　and　quickly。

When　he　had　lived　seven　years　with　the　old　woman　she　ordered　him
one　day；　as　she　was　going　out；　to　kill　and　pluck　a　chicken；　stuff
it　with　herbs；　and　have　it　very　nicely　roasted　by　the　time　she
got　back。　　He　did　this　quite　according　to　rule。　　He　wrung　the
chicken's　neck；　plunged　it　into　boiling　water；　carefully　plucked
out　all　the　feathers；　and　rubbed　the　skin　nice