tanglewood tales-第12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！


　the　scabbardnever；　never；　never；　even　if　the　crimson　hand　that　slew　the　great　Antaeus　shall　lay　me　prostrate；　like　him；　on　the　soil　which　I　give　my　life　to　defend。〃

So　saying；　this　valiant　Pygmy　drew　out　his　weapon　（which　was　terrible　to　behold；　being　as　long　as　the　blade　of　a　penknife）；　and　sent　the　scabbard　whirling　over　the　heads　of　the　multitude。　His　speech　was　followed　by　an　uproar　of　applause；　as　its　patriotism　and　self…devotion　unquestionably　deserved；　and　the　shouts　and　clapping　of　hands　would　have　been　greatly　prolonged；　had　they　not　been　rendered　quite　inaudible　by　a　deep　respiration；　vulgarly　called　a　snore；　from　the　sleeping　Hercules。

It　was　finally　decided　that　the　whole　nation　of　Pygmies　should　set　to　work　to　destroy　Hercules；　not；　be　it　understood；　from　any　doubt　that　a　single　champion　would　be　capable　of　putting　him　to　the　sword；　but　because　he　was　a　public　enemy；　and　all　were　desirous　of　sharing　in　the　glory　of　his　defeat。　There　was　a　debate　whether　the　national　honor　did　not　demand　that　a　herald　should　be　sent　with　a　trumpet；　to　stand　over　the　ear　of　Hercules；　and　after　blowing　a　blast　right　into　it；　to　defy　him　to　the　combat　by　formal　proclamation。　But　two　or　three　venerable　and　sagacious　Pygmies；　well　versed　in　state　affairs；　gave　it　as　their　opinion　that　war　already　existed；　and　that　it　was　their　rightful　privilege　to　take　the　enemy　by　surprise。　Moreover；　if　awakened；　and　allowed　to　get　upon　his　feet；　Hercules　might　happen　to　do　them　a　mischief　before　he　could　be　beaten　down　again。　For；　as　these　sage　counselors　remarked；　the　stranger's　club　was　really　very　big；　and　had　rattled　like　a　thunderbolt　against　the　skull　of　Antaeus。　So　the　Pygmies　resolved　to　set　aside　all　foolish　punctilios；　and　assail　their　antagonist　at　once。

Accordingly；　all　the　fighting　men　of　the　nation　took　their　weapons；　and　went　boldly　up　to　Hercules；　who　still　lay　fast　asleep；　little　dreaming　of　the　harm　which　the　Pygmies　meant　to　do　him。　A　body　of　twenty　thousand　archers　marched　in　front；　with　their　little　bows　all　ready；　and　the　arrows　on　the　string。　The　same　number　were　ordered　to　clamber　upon　Hercules；　some　with　spades　to　dig　his　eyes　out；　and　others　with　bundles　of　hay；　and　all　manner　of　rubbish　with　which　they　intended　to　plug　up　his　mouth　and　nostrils；　so　that　he　might　perish　for　lack　of　breath。　These　last；　however；　could　by　no　means　perform　their　appointed　duty；　inasmuch　as　the　enemy's　breath　rushed　out　of　his　nose　in　an　obstreperous　hurricane　and　whirlwind；　which　blew　the　Pygmies　away　as　fast　as　they　came　nigh。　It　was　found　necessary；　therefore；　to　hit　upon　some　other　method　of　carrying　on　the　war。

After　holding　a　council；　the　captains　ordered　their　troops　to　collect　sticks；　straws；　dry　weeds；　and　whatever　combustible　stuff　they　could　find；　and　make　a　pile　of　it；　heaping　it　high　around　the　head　of　Hercules。　As　a　great　many　thousand　Pygmies　were　employed　in　this　task；　they　soon　brought　together　several　bushels　of　inflammatory　matter；　and　raised　so　tall　a　heap；　that；　mounting　on　its　summit；　they　were　quite　upon　a　level　with　the　sleeper's　face。　The　archers；　meanwhile；　were　stationed　within　bow　shot；　with　orders　to　let　fly　at　Hercules　the　instant　that　he　stirred。　Everything　being　in　readiness；　a　torch　was　applied　to　the　pile；　which　immediately　burst　into　flames；　and　soon　waxed　hot　enough　to　roast　the　enemy；　had　he　but　chosen　to　lie　still。　A　Pygmy；　you　know；　though　so　very　small；　might　set　the　world　on　fire；　just　as　easily　as　a　Giant　could；　so　that　this　was　certainly　the　very　best　way　of　dealing　with　their　foe；　provided　they　could　have　kept　him　quiet　while　the　conflagration　was　going　forward。

But　no　sooner　did　Hercules　begin　to　be　scorched；　than　up　he　started；　with　his　hair　in　a　red　blaze。

〃What's　all　this？〃　he　cried；　bewildered　with　sleep；　and　staring　about　him　as　if　he　expected　to　see　another　Giant。

At　that　moment　the　twenty　thousand　archers　twanged　their　bowstrings；　and　the　arrows　came　whizzing；　like　so　many　winged　mosquitoes；　right　into　the　face　of　Hercules。　But　I　doubt　whether　more　than　half　a　dozen　of　them　punctured　the　skin；　which　was　remarkably　tough；　as　you　know　the　skin　of　a　hero　has　good　need　to　be。

〃Villain！〃　shouted　all　the　Pygmies　at　once。　〃You　have　killed　the　Giant　Antaeus；　our　great　brother；　and　the　ally　of　our　nation。　We　declare　bloody　war　against　you；　and　will　slay　you　on　the　spot。〃

Surprised　at　the　shrill　piping　of　so　many　little　voices；　Hercules；　after　putting　out　the　conflagration　of　his　hair；　gazed　all　round　about；　but　could　see　nothing。　At　last；　however；　looking　narrowly　on　the　ground；　he　espied　the　innumerable　assemblage　of　Pygmies　at　his　feet。　He　stooped　down；　and　taking　up　the　nearest　one　between　his　thumb　and　finger；　set　him　on　the　palm　of　his　left　hand；　and　held　him　at　a　proper　distance　for　examination。　It　chanced　to　be　the　very　identical　Pygmy　who　had　spoken　from　the　top　of　the　toadstool；　and　had　offered　himself　as　a　champion　to　meet　Hercules　in　single　combat。

〃What　in　the　world；　my　little　fellow；〃　ejaculated　Hercules；　〃may　you　be？〃

〃I　am　your　enemy；〃　answered　the　valiant　Pygmy；　in　his　mightiest　squeak。　〃You　have　slain　the　enormous　Antaeus；　our　brother　by　the　mother's　side；　and　for　ages　the　faithful　ally　of　our　illustrious　nation。　We　are　determined　to　put　you　to　death；　and　for　my　own　part；　I　challenge　you　to　instant　battle；　on　equal　ground。〃

Hercules　was　so　tickled　with　the　Pygmy's　big　words　and　warlike　gestures；　that　he　burst　into　a　great　explosion　of　laughter；　and　almost　dropped　the　poor　little　mite　of　a　creature　off　the　palm　of　his　hand；　through　the　ecstasy　and　convulsion　of　his　merriment。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　cried　he；　〃I　thought　I　had　seen　wonders　before　to…dayhydras　with　nine　heads；　stags　with　golden　horns；　six…legged　men；　three…headed　dogs；　giants　with　furnaces　in　their　stomachs；　and　nobody　knows　what　besides。　But　here；　on　the　palm　of　my　hand；　stands　a　wonder　that　outdoes　them　all！　Your　body；　my　little　friend；　is　about　the　size　of　an　ordinary　man's　finger。　Pray；　how　big　may　your　soul　be？〃

〃As　big　as　your　own！〃　said　the　Pygmy。

Hercules　was　touched　with　the　little　man's　dauntless　courage；　and　could　not　help　acknowledging　such　a　brotherhood　with　him　as　one　hero　feels　for　another。

〃My　good　little　people；〃　said　he；　making　a　low　obeisance　to　the　grand　nation；　〃not　for　all　the　world　would　I　do　an　intentional　injury　to　such　brave　fellows　as　you！　Your　hearts　seem　to　me　so　exceedingly　great；　that；　upon　my　honor；　I　marvel　how　your　small　bodies　can　contain　them。　I　sue　for　peace；　and；　as　a　condition　of　it；　will　take　five　strides；　and　be　out　of　your　kingdom　at　the　sixth。　Good…bye。　I　shall　pick　my　steps　carefully；　for　fear　of　treading　upon　some　fifty　of　you；　without　knowing　it。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Ho；　ho；　ho！　For　once；　Hercules　acknowledges　himself　vanquished。〃

Some　writers　say；　that　Hercules　gathered　up　the　whole　race　of　Pygmies　in　his　lion's　skin；　and　carried　them　home　to　Greece；　for　the　children　of　King　Eurystheus　to　play　with。　But　this　is　a　mistake。　He　left　them；　one　and　all；　within　their　own　territory；　where；　for　aught　I　can　tell；　their　descendants　are　alive　to　the　present　day；　building　their　little　houses；　cultivating　their　little　fields；　spanking　their　little　children；　waging　their　little　warfare　with　the　cranes；　doing　their　little　business；　whatever　it　may　be；　and　reading　their　little　histories　of　ancient　times。　In　those　histories；　perhaps；　it　stands　recorded；　that；　a　great　many　centuries　ago；　the　valiant　Pygmies　avenged　the　death　of　the　Giant　Antaeus　by　scaring　away　the　mighty　Hercules。



THE　DRAGON'S　TEETH。

Cadmus；　Phoenix；　and　Cilix；　the　three　sons　of　King　Agenor；　and　their　little　sister　Europa　（who　was　a　very　beautiful　child）；　were　at　play　together　near　the　seashore　in　their　father's　kingdom　of　Phoenicia。　They　had　rambled　to　some　distance　from　the　palace　where　their　parents　dwelt；　and　were　now　in　a　verdant　meadow；　on　one　side　of　which　lay　the　sea；　all　sparkling　and　dimpling　in　the　sunshine；　and　murmuring　gently　against　the　beach。　The　three　boys　were　very　happy；　gathering　flowers；　and　twining　them　into　garlands；　with　which　they　adorned　the　little　Europa。　Seated　on　the　grass；　the　child　was　almost　hidden　under　an　abundance　of　buds　and　blossoms；　whence　her　rosy　face　peeped　merrily　out；　and；　as　Cadmus　said；　was　the　prettiest　of　all　the　flowers。

Just　then；　there　came　a　splendid　butterfly；　fluttering　along　the　meadow；　and　Cadmus；　Phoenix；　and　Cilix　set　off　in　pursuit　of　it；　crying　out　that　it　was　a　flower　with　wings。　Europa；　who　was　a　little　wearied　with　playing　all　day　long；　did　not　chase　the　butterfly　with　her　brothers；　but　sat　still　where　they　had　left　her；　and　closed　her　eyes。　For　a　while；　she　listened　to　the　pleasant　murmur　of　the　sea；　which　was　like　a　voice　saying　〃Hush！〃　and　bidding　her　go　to　sleep。　But　the　pretty　child；　if　she　slept　at　all；　could　not　have　slept　more　than　a　moment；　when　she　heard　something　trample　on　the　grass；　not　far　from　her；　and；　peeping　out　from　the　heap　of　flowers；　beheld　a　snow…white　bull。

And　whence　could　this　bull　have　com　？　Europa　and　her　brothers　had　been　a　long　time　playing　in　the　meadow；　and　had　seen　no　cattle；　nor　other　living　thing；　either　there　or　on　the　neighboring　hills。

〃Brother　Cadmus！〃　cried　Europa；　starting　up　out　of　th