22-the boy and the wolves-第1节

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　THE　BOY　AND　THE　WOLVES；　OR　THE　BROKEN　PROMISE＇18＇



＇18＇　A　North　American　Indian　story。



Once　upon　a　time　an　Indian　hunter　built　himself　a　house　in　the

middle　of　a　great　forest；　far　away　from　all　his　tribe；　for　his

heart　was　gentle　and　kind；　and　he　was　weary　of　the　treachery　and

cruel　deeds　of　those　who　had　been　his　friends。　　So　he　left　them；

and　took　his　wife　and　three　children；　and　they　journeyed　on　until

they　found　a　spot　near　to　a　clear　stream；　where　they　began　to　cut

down　trees；　and　to　make　ready　their　wigwam。　　For　many　years　they

lived　peacefully　and　happily　in　this　sheltered　place；　never

leaving　it　except　to　hunt　the　wild　animals；　which　served　them

both　for　food　and　clothes。　　At　last；　however；　the　strong　man　felt

sick；　and　before　long　he　knew　he　must　die。



So　he　gathered　his　family　round　him；　and　said　his　last　words　to

them。　　'You；　my　wife；　the　companion　of　my　days；　will　follow　me

ere　many　moons　have　waned　to　the　island　of　the　blest。　　But　for

you；　O　my　children；　whose　lives　are　but　newly　begun；　the

wickedness；　unkindness；　and　ingratitude　from　which　I　fled　are

before　you。　　Yet　I　shall　go　hence　in　peace；　my　children；　if　you

will　promise　always　to　love　each　other；　and　never　to　forsake　your

youngest　brother。



'Never！'　they　replied；　holding　out　their　hands。　　And　the　hunter

died　content。



Scarcely　eight　moons　had　passed　when；　just　as　he　had　said；　the

wife　went　forth；　and　followed　her　husband；　but　before　leaving　her

children　she　bade　the　two　elder　ones　think　of　their　promise　never

to　forsake　the　younger；　for　he　was　a　child；　and　weak。　　And　while

the　snow　lay　thick　upon　the　ground；　they　tended　him　and　cherished

him；　but　when　the　earth　showed　green　again；　the　heart　of　the

young　man　stirred　within　him；　and　he　longed　to　see　the　wigwams　of

the　village　where　his　father's　youth　was　spent。　



Therefore　he　opened　all　his　heart　to　his　sister；　who　answered：

'My　brother；　I　understand　your　longing　for　our　fellow…men；　whom

here　we　cannot　see。　　But　remember　our　father's　words。　　Shall　we

not　seek　our　own　pleasures；　and　forget　the　little　one？'



But　he　would　not　listen；　and；　making　no　reply；　he　took　his　bow

and　arrows　and　left　the　hut。　　The　snows　fell　and　melted；　yet　he

never　returned；　and　at　last　the　heart　of　the　girl　grew　cold　and

hard；　and　her　little　boy　became　a　burden　in　her　eyes；　till　one

day　she　spoke　thus　to　him：　'See；　there　is　food　for　many　days　to

come。　　Stay　here　within　the　shelter　of　the　hut。　　I　go　to　seek　our

brother；　and　when　I　have　found　him　I　shall　return　hither。'



But　when；　after　hard　journeying；　she　reached　the　village　where

her　brother　dwelt；　and　saw　that　he　had　a　wife　and　was　happy；　and

when　she；　too；　was　sought　by　a　young　brave；　then　she　also　forgot

the　boy　alone　in　the　forest；　and　thought　only　of　her　husband。



Now　as　soon　as　the　little　boy　had　eaten　all　the　food　which　his

sister　had　left　him；　he　went　out　into　the　woods；　and　gathered

berries　and　dug　up　roots；　and　while　the　sun　shone　he　was

contented　and　had　his　fill。　　But　when　the　snows　began　and　the

wind　howled；　then　his　stomach　felt　empty　and　his　limbs　cold；　and

he　hid　in　trees　all　the　night；　and　only　crept　out　to　eat　what　the

wolves　had　left　behind。　　And　by…and…by；　having　no　other　friends；

he　sought　their　company；　and　sat　by　while　they　devoured　their

prey；　and　they　grew　to　know　him；　and　gave　him　food。　　And　without

them　he　would　have　died　in　the　snow。



But　at　last　the　snows　melted；　and　the　ice　upon　the　great　lake；

and　as　the　wolves　went　down　to　the　shore；　the　boy　went　after

them。　　And　it　happened　one　day　that　his　big　brother　was　fishing

in　his　canoe　near　the　shore；　and　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　child

singing　in　the　Indian　tone



　　　　　'My　brother；　my　brother！

　　　　　　I　am　becoming　a　wolf；

　　　　　　I　am　becoming　a　wolf！'



And　when　he　had　so　sung　he　howled　as　wolves　howl。　　Then　the　heart

of　the　elder　sunk；　and　he　hastened　towards　him；　crying；　'Brother；

little　brother；　come　to　me；'　but　he；　being　half　a　wolf；　only

continued　his　song。　　And　the　louder　the　elder　called　him；

'Brother；　little　brother；　come　to　me；'　the　swifter　he　fled　after

his　brothers　the　wolves；　and　the　heavier　grew　his　skin；　till；

with　a　long　howl；　he　vanished　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。



So；　with　shame　and　anguish　in　his　soul；　the　elder　brother　went

back　to　his　village；　and；　with　his　sister；　mourned　the　little　boy

and　the　broken　promise　till　the　end　of　his　life。