27-the witch and her servants-第1节

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THE　WITCH　AND　HER　SERVANTS＇22＇



＇22＇　From　the　Russian。　　Kletke。



Long　time　ago　there　lived　a　King　who　had　three　sons；　the　eldest

was　called　Szabo；　the　second　Warza；　and　the　youngest　Iwanich。



One　beautiful　spring　morning　the　King　was　walking　through　his

gardens　with　these　three　sons；　gazing　with　admiration　at　the

various　fruit…trees；　some　of　which　were　a　mass　of　blossom；　whilst

others　were　bowed　to　the　ground　laden　with　rich　fruit。　　During

their　wanderings　they　came　unperceived　on　a　piece　of　waste　land

where　three　splendid　trees　grew。　　The　King　looked　on　them　for　a

moment；　and　then；　shaking　his　head　sadly；　he　passed　on　in

silence。



The　sons；　who　could　not　understand　why　he　did　this；　asked　him　the

reason　of　his　dejection；　and　the　King　told　them　as　follows：



'These　three　trees；　which　I　cannot　see　without　sorrow；　were

planted　by　me　on　this　spot　when　I　was　a　youth　of　twenty。　　A

celebrated　magician；　who　had　given　the　seed　to　my　father；

promised　him　that　they　would　grow　into　the　three　finest　trees　the

world　had　ever　seen。　　My　father　did　not　live　to　see　his　words

come　true；　but　on　his　death…bed　he　bade　me　transplant　them　here；

and　to　look　after　them　with　the　greatest　care；　which　I

accordingly　did。　　At　last；　after　the　lapse　of　five　long　years；　I

noticed　some　blossoms　on　the　branches；　and　a　few　days　later　the

most　exquisite　fruit　my　eyes　had　ever　seen。



'I　gave　my　head…gardener　the　strictest　orders　to　watch　the　trees

carefully；　for　the　magician　had　warned　my　father　that　if　one

unripe　fruit　were　plucked　from　the　tree；　all　the　rest　would

become　rotten　at　once。　　When　it　was　quite　ripe　the　fruit　would

become　a　golden　yellow。



'Every　day　I　gazed　on　the　lovely　fruit；　which　became　gradually

more　and　more　tempting…looking；　and　it　was　all　I　could　do　not　to

break　the　magician's　commands。　



'One　night　I　dreamt　that　the　fruit　was　perfectly　ripe；　I　ate　some

of　it；　and　it　was　more　delicious　than　anything　I　had　ever　tasted

in　real　life。　　As　soon　as　I　awoke　I　sent　for　the　gardener　and

asked　him　if　the　fruit　on　the　three　trees　had　not　ripened　in　the

night　to　perfection。



'But　instead　of　replying；　the　gardener　threw　himself　at　my　feet

and　swore　that　he　was　innocent。　　He　said　that　he　had　watched　by

the　trees　all　night；　but　in　spite　of　it；　and　as　if　by　magic；　the

beautiful　trees　had　been　robbed　of　all　their　fruit。



'Grieved　as　I　was　over　the　theft；　I　did　not　punish　the　gardener；

of　whose　fidelity　I　was　well　assured；　but　I　determined　to　pluck

off　all　the　fruit　in　the　following　year　before　it　was　ripe；　as　I

had　not　much　belief　in　the　magician's　warning。



'I　carried　out　my　intention；　and　had　all　the　fruit　picked　off　the

tree；　but　when　I　tasted　one　of　the　apples　it　was　bitter　and

unpleasant；　and　the　next　morning　the　rest　of　the　fruit　had　all

rotted　away。



'After　this　I　had　the　beautiful　fruit　of　these　trees　carefully

guarded　by　my　most　faithful　servants；　but　every　year；　on　this

very　night；　the　fruit　was　plucked　and　stolen　by　an　invisible

hand；　and　next　morning　not　a　single　apple　remained　on　the　trees。　

For　some　time　past　I　have　given　up　even　having　the　trees

watched。'



When　the　King　had　finished　his　story；　Szabo；　his　eldest　son；　said

to　him：　'Forgive　me；　father；　if　I　say　I　think　you　are　mistaken。　

I　am　sure　there　are　many　men　in　your　kingdom　who　could　protect

these　trees　from　the　cunning　arts　of　a　thieving　magician；　I

myself；　who　as　your　eldest　son　claim　the　first　right　to　do　so；

will　mount　guard　over　the　fruit　this　very　night。'



The　King　consented；　and　as　soon　as　evening　drew　on　Szabo　climbed

up　on　to　one　of　the　trees；　determined　to　protect　the　fruit　even

if　it　cost　him　his　life。　　So　he　kept　watch　half　the　night；　but　a

little　after　midnight　he　was　overcome　by　an　irresistible

drowsiness；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　　He　did　not　awake　till　it　was

bright　daylight；　and　all　the　fruit　on　the　trees　had　vanished。



The　following　year　Warza；　the　second　brother；　tried　his　luck；　but

with　the　same　result。　　Then　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the　third　and

youngest　son。



Iwanich　was　not　the　least　discouraged　by　the　failure　of　his　elder

brothers；　though　they　were　both　much　older　and　stronger　than　he

was；　and　when　night　came　climbed　up　the　tree　as　they　had　done；

The　moon　had　risen；　and　with　her　soft　light　lit　up　the　whole

neighbourhood；　so　that　the　observant　Prince　could　distinguish　the

smallest　object　distinctly。



At　midnight　a　gentle　west　wind　shook　the　tree；　and　at　the　same

moment　a　snow…white　swan…like　bird　sank　down　gently　on　his

breast。　　The　Prince　hastily　seized　the　bird's　wings　in　his　hands；

when；　lo！　to　his　astonishment　he　found　he　was　holding　in　his

arms　not　a　bird　but　the　most　beautiful　girl　he　had　ever　seen。



'You　need　not　fear　Militza；'　said　the　beautiful　girl；　looking　at

the　Prince　with　friendly　eyes。　　'An　evil　magician　has　not　robbed

you　of　your　fruit；　but　he　stole　the　seed　from　my　mother；　and

thereby　caused　her　death。　　When　she　was　dying　she　bade　me　take

the　fruit；　which　you　have　no　right　to　possess；　from　the　trees

every　year　as　soon　as　it　was　ripe。　　This　I　would　have　done

to…night　too；　if　you　had　not　seized　me　with　such　force；　and　so

broken　the　spell　I　was　under。'



Iwanich；　who　had　been　prepared　to　meet　a　terrible　magician　and

not　a　lovely　girl；　fell　desperately　in　love　with　her。　　They　spent

the　rest　of　the　night　in　pleasant　conversation；　and　when　Militza

wished　to　go　away　he　begged　her　not　to　leave　him。



'I　would　gladly　stay　with　you　longer；'　said　Militza；　'but　a

wicked　witch　once　cut　off　a　lock　of　my　hair　when　I　was　asleep；

which　has　put　me　in　her　power；　and　if　morning　were　still　to　find

me　here　she　would　do　me　some　harm；　and　you；　too；　perhaps。'



Having　said　these　words；　she　drew　a　sparkling　diamond　ring　from

her　finger；　which　she　handed　to　the　Prince；　saying：　'Keep　this

ring　in　memory　of　Militza；　and　think　of　her　sometimes　if　you

never　see　her　again。　　But　if　your　love　is　really　true；　come　and

find　me　in　my　own　kingdom。　　I　may　not　show　you　the　way　there；　but

this　ring　will　guide　you。



'If　you　have　love　and　courage　enough　to　undertake　this　journey；

whenever　you　come　to　a　cross…road　always　look　at　this　diamond

before　you　settle　which　way　you　are　going　to　take。　　If　it

sparkles　as　brightly　as　ever　go　straight　on；　but　if　its　lustre　is

dimmed　choose　another　path。'



Then　Militza　bent　over　the　Prince　and　kissed　him　on　his　forehead；

and　before　he　had　time　to　say　a　word　she　vanished　through　the

branches　of　the　tree　in　a　little　white　cloud。



Morning　broke；　and　the　Prince；　still　full　of　the　wonderful

apparition；　left　his　perch　and　returned　to　the　palace　like　one　in

a　dream；　without　even　knowing　if　the　fruit　had　been　taken　or　not；

for　his　whole　mind　was　absorbed　by　thoughts　of　Militza　and　how　he

was　to　find　her。



As　soon　as　the　head…gardener　saw　the　Prince　going　towards　the

palace　he　ran　to　the　trees；　and　when　he　saw　them　laden　with　ripe

fruit　he　hastened　to　tell　the　King　the　joyful　news。　　The　King　was

beside　himself　for　joy；　and　hurried　at　once　to　the　garden　and

made　the　gardener　pick　him　some　of　the　fruit。　　He　tasted　it；　and

found　the　apple　quite　as　luscious　as　it　had　been　in　his　dream。　

He　went　at　once　to　his　son　Iwanich；　and　after　embracing　him

tenderly　and　heaping　praises　on　him；　he　asked　him　how　he　had

succeeded　in　protecting　the　costly　fruit　from　the　power　of　the

magician。



This　question　placed　Iwanich　in　a　dilemma。　　But　as　he　did　not

want　the　real　story　to　be　known；　he　said　that　about　midnight　a

huge　wasp　had　flown　through　the　branches；　and　buzzed　incessantly

round　him。　　He　had　warded　it　off　with　his　sword；　and　at　dawn；

when　he　was　becoming　quite　worn　out；　the　wasp　had　vanished　as

suddenly　as　it　had　appeared。



The　King；　who　never　doubted　the　truth　of　this　tale；　bade　his　son

go　to　rest　at　once　and　recover　from　the　fatigues　of　the　night；

but　he　himself　went　and　ordered　many　feasts　to　be　held　in　honour

of　the　preservation　of　the　wonderful　fruit。



The　whole　capital　was　in　a　stir；　and　everyone　shared　in　the

King's　joy；　the　Prince　alone　took　no　part　in　the　festivities。



While　the　King　was　at　a　banquet；　Iwanich　took　some　purses　of

gold；　and　mounting　the　quickest　horse　in　the　royal　stable；　he

sped　off　like　the　wind　without　a　single　soul　being　any　the　wiser。



It　was　only　on　the　next　day　that　they　missed　him；　the　King　was

very　distressed　at　his　disappearance；　and　sent　search…parties　all

over　the　kingdom　to　look　for　him；　but　in　vain；　and　after　six

months　they　gave　him　up　as　dead；　and　in　another　six　months　they

had　forgotten　all　about　him。　　But　in　the　meantime　the　Prince；

with　the　help　of　his　ring；　had　had　a　most　successful　journey；　and

no　evil　had　befallen　him。



At　the　end　of　three　months　he　came　to　the　entrance　of　a　huge

forest；　which　looked　as　if　it　had　never　been　trodden　by　human

foot　before；　and　which　seemed　to　stretch　out　indefinitely。　　The

Prince　w