27-the witch and her servants-第2节

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

Prince　was　about　to　enter　the　wood　by　a　little　path　he　had

discovered；　when　he　heard　a　voice　shouting　to　him：　'Hold；　youth！　

Whither　are　you　going？'



Iwanich　turned　round；　and　saw　a　tall；　gaunt…looking　man；　clad　in

miserable　rags；　leaning　on　a　crooked　staff　and　seated　at　the　foot

of　an　oak　tree；　which　was　so　much　the　same　colour　as　himself　that

it　was　little　wonder　the　Prince　had　ridden　past　the　tree　without

noticing　him。



'Where　else　should　I　be　going；'　he　said；　'than　through　the　wood？'



'Through　the　wood？'　said　the　old　man　in　amazement。　　'It's　easily

seen　that　you　have　heard　nothing　of　this　forest；　that　you　rush　so

blindly　to　meet　your　doom。　　Well；　listen　to　me　before　you　ride

any　further；　let　me　tell　you　that　this　wood　hides　in　its　depths　a

countless　number　of　the　fiercest　tigers；　hyenas；　wolves；　bears；

and　snakes；　and　all　sorts　of　other　monsters。　　If　I　were　to　cut

you　and　your　horse　up　into　tiny　morsels　and　throw　them　to　the

beasts；　there　wouldn't　be　one　bit　for　each　hundred　of　them。　　Take

my　advice；　therefore；　and　if　you　wish　to　save　your　life　follow

some　other　path。'



The　Prince　was　rather　taken　aback　by　the　old　man's　words；　and

considered　for　a　minute　what　he　should　do；　then　looking　at　his

ring；　and　perceiving　that　it　sparkled　as　brightly　as　ever；　he

called　out：　'If　this　wood　held　even　more　terrible　things　than　it

does；　I　cannot　help　myself；　for　I　must　go　through　it。'



Here　he　spurred　his　horse　and　rode　on；　but　the　old　beggar

screamed　so　loudly　after　him　that　the　Prince　turned　round　and

rode　back　to　the　oak　tree。



'I　am　really　sorry　for　you；'　said　the　beggar；　'but　if　you　are

quite　determined　to　brave　the　dangers　of　the　forest；　let　me　at

least　give　you　a　piece　of　advice　which　will　help　you　against

these　monsters。



'Take　this　bagful　of　bread…crumbs　and　this　live　hare。　　I　will

make　you　a　present　of　them　both；　as　I　am　anxious　to　save　your

life；　but　you　must　leave　your　horse　behind　you；　for　it　would

stumble　over　the　fallen　trees　or　get　entangled　in　the　briers　and

thorns。　　When　you　have　gone　about　a　hundred　yards　into　the　wood

the　wild　beasts　will　surround　you。　　Then　you　must　instantly　seize

your　bag；　and　scatter　the　bread…crumbs　among　them。　　They　will

rush　to　eat　them　up　greedily；　and　when　you　have　scattered　the

last　crumb　you　must　lose　no　time　in　throwing　the　hare　to　them；　as

soon　as　the　hare　feels　itself　on　the　ground　it　will　run　away　as

quickly　as　possible；　and　the　wild　beasts　will　turn　to　pursue　it。　

In　this　way　you　will　be　able　to　get　through　the　wood　unhurt。'



Iwanich　thanked　the　old　man　for　his　counsel；　dismounted　from　his

horse；　and；　taking　the　bag　and　the　hare　in　his　arms；　he　entered

the　forest。　　He　had　hardly　lost　sight　of　his　gaunt　grey　friend

when　he　heard　growls　and　snarls　in　the　thicket　close　to　him；　and

before　he　had　time　to　think　he　found　himself　surrounded　by　the

most　dreadful…looking　creatures。　　On　one　side　he　saw　the

glittering　eye　of　a　cruel　tiger；　on　the　other　the　gleaming　teeth

of　a　great　she…wolf；　here　a　huge　bear　growled　fiercely；　and

there　a　horrible　snake　coiled　itself　in　the　grass　at　his　feet。



But　Iwanich　did　not　forget　the　old　man's　advice；　and　quickly　put

his　hand　into　the　bag　and　took　out　as　many　bread…crumbs　as　he

could　hold　in　his　hand　at　a　time。　　He　threw　them　to　the　beasts；

but　soon　the　bag　grew　lighter　and　lighter；　and　the　Prince　began

to　feel　a　little　frightened。　　And　now　the　last　crumb　was　gone；

and　the　hungry　beasts　thronged　round　him；　greedy　for　fresh　prey。　

Then　he　seized　the　hare　and　threw　it　to　them。



No　sooner　did　the　little　creature　feel　itself　on　the　ground　than

it　lay　back　its　ears　and　flew　through　the　wood　like　an　arrow　from

a　bow；　closely　pursued　by　the　wild　beasts；　and　the　Prince　was

left　alone。　　He　looked　at　his　ring；　and　when　he　saw　that　it

sparkled　as　brightly　as　ever　he　went　straight　on　through　the

forest。



He　hadn't　gone　very　far　when　he　saw　a　most　extraordinary　looking

man　coming　towards　him。　　He　was　not　more　than　three　feet　high；

his　legs　were　quite　crooked；　and　all　his　body　was　covered　with

prickles　like　a　hedgehog。　　Two　lions　walked　with　him；　fastened　to

his　side　by　the　two　ends　of　his　long　beard。



He　stopped　the　Prince　and　asked　him　in　a　harsh　voice：　'Are　you

the　man　who　has　just　fed　my　body…guard？'



Iwanich　was　so　startled　that　he　could　hardly　reply；　but　the

little　man　continued：　'I　am　most　grateful　to　you　for　your

kindness；　what　can　I　give　you　as　a　reward？'



'All　I　ask；'　replied　Iwanich；　'is；　that　I　should　be　allowed　to　go

through　this　wood　in　safety。'



'Most　certainly；'　answered　the　little　man；　'and　for　greater

security　I　will　give　you　one　of　my　lions　as　a　protector。　　But

when　you　leave　this　wood　and　come　near　a　palace　which　does　not

belong　to　my　domain；　let　the　lion　go；　in　order　that　he　may　not

fall　into　the　hands　of　an　enemy　and　be　killed。'



With　these　words　he　loosened　the　lion　from　his　beard　and　bade　the

beast　guard　the　youth　carefully。



With　this　new　protector　Iwanich　wandered　on　through　the　forest；

and　though　he　came　upon　a　great　many　more　wolves；　hyenas；

leopards；　and　other　wild　beasts；　they　always　kept　at　a　respectful

distance　when　they　saw　what　sort　of　an　escort　the　Prince　had　with

him。



Iwanich　hurried　through　the　wood　as　quickly　as　his　legs　would

carry　him；　but；　nevertheless；　hour　after　hour　went　by　and　not　a

trace　of　a　green　field　or　a　human　habitation　met　his　eyes。　　At

length；　towards　evening；　the　mass　of　trees　grew　more　transparent；

and　through　the　interlaced　branches　a　wide　plain　was　visible。



At　the　exit　of　the　wood　the　lion　stood　still；　and　the　Prince　took

leave　of　him；　having　first　thanked　him　warmly　for　his　kind

protection。　　It　had　become　quite　dark；　and　Iwanich　was　forced　to

wait　for　daylight　before　continuing　his　journey。



He　made　himself　a　bed　of　grass　and　leaves；　lit　a　fire　of　dry

branches；　and　slept　soundly　till　the　next　morning。



Then　he　got　up　and　walked　towards　a　beautiful　white　palace　which

he　saw　gleaming　in　the　distance。　　In　about　an　hour　he　reached　the

building；　and　opening　the　door　he　walked　in。



After　wandering　through　many　marble　halls；　he　came　to　a　huge

staircase　made　of　porphyry；　leading　down　to　a　lovely　garden。



The　Prince　burst　into　a　shout　of　joy　when　he　suddenly　perceived

Militza　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　girls　who　were　weaving

wreaths　of　flowers　with　which　to　deck　their　mistress。



As　soon　as　Militza　saw　the　Prince　she　ran　up　to　him　and　embraced

him　tenderly；　and　after　he　had　told　her　all　his　adventures；　they

went　into　the　palace；　where　a　sumptuous　meal　awaited　them。　　Then

the　Princess　called　her　court　together；　and　introduced　Iwanich　to

them　as　her　future　husband。



Preparations　were　at　once　made　for　the　wedding；　which　was　held

soon　after　with　great　pomp　and　magnificence。



Three　months　of　great　happiness　followed；　when　Militza　received

one　day　an　invitation　to　visit　her　mother's　sister。



Although　the　Princess　was　very　unhappy　at　leaving　her　husband；

she　did　not　like　to　refuse　the　invitation；　and；　promising　to

return　in　seven　days　at　the　latest；　she　took　a　tender　farewell　of

the　Prince；　and　said：　'Before　I　go　I　will　hand　you　over　all　the

keys　of　the　castle。　　Go　everywhere　and　do　anything　you　like；　only

one　thing　I　beg　and　beseech　you；　do　not　open　the　little　iron　door

in　the　north　tower；　which　is　closed　with　seven　locks　and　seven

bolts；　for　if　you　do；　we　shall　both　suffer　for　it。'



Iwanich　promised　what　she　asked；　and　Militza　departed；　repeating

her　promise　to　return　in　seven　days。



When　the　Prince　found　himself　alone　he　began　to　be　tormented　by

pangs　of　curiosity　as　to　what　the　room　in　the　tower　contained。　

For　two　days　he　resisted　the　temptation　to　go　and　look；　but　on

the　third　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　and　taking　a　torch　in　his

hand　he　hurried　to　the　tower；　and　unfastened　one　lock　after　the

other　of　the　little　iron　door　until　it　burst　open。　



What　an　unexpected　sight　met　his　gaze！　　The　Prince　perceived　a

small　room　black　with　smoke；　lit　up　feebly　by　a　fire　from　which

issued　long　blue　flames。　　Over　the　fire　hung　a　huge　cauldron　full

of　boiling　pitch；　and　fastened　into　the　cauldron　by　iron　chains

stood　a　wretched　man　screaming　with　agony。



Iwanich　was　much　horrified　at　the　sight　before　him；　and　asked　the

man　what　terrible　crime　he　had　committed　to　be　punished　in　this

dreadful　fashion。



'I　will　tell　you　everything；'　said　the　man　in　the　cauldron；　'but

first　relieve　my　torments　a　little；　I　implore　you。'



'And　how　can　I　do　that？'　asked　the　Prince。



'With　a　little　water；'　replied　the　man；　'only　sprinkle　a　few

drops　over　me　and　I　shall　feel　better。'



The　Prince；　moved　by　pity；　without　thinking　what　he　was　doing；

ran　to　the　courtyard　of　the　castle；　and　filled　a　jug　with　water；

which　he　poured　over　the　man　in　the　cauldron。



In