044-第1节

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Once　there　was　a　miller　who　was　poor；　but　who　had　a　beautiful
daughter。　　Now　it　happened　that　he　had　to　go　and　speak　to　the
king；　and　in　order　to　make　himself　appear　important　he　said
to　him；　I　have　a　daughter　who　can　spin　straw　into　gold。　　The
king　said　to　the　miller；　that　is　an　art　which
pleases　me　well；　if　your　daughter　is　as　clever　as　you　say；　bring
her　to…morrow　to　my　palace；　and　I　will　put　her　to　the　test。

And　when　the　girl　was　brought　to　him　he　took　her　into　a　room
which　was　quite　full　of　straw；　gave　her　a　spinning…wheel　and　a
reel；　and　said；　now　set　to　work；　and　if　by　to…morrow　morning
early　you　have　not　spun　this　straw　into　gold　during　the　night；
you　must　die。　　Thereupon　he　himself　locked　up　the　room；　and
left　her　in　it　alone。　　So　there　sat　the　poor　miller's　daughter；
and　for　the　life　of　her　could　not　tell　what　to　do；　she　had　no
idea　how　straw　could　be　spun　into　gold；　and　she　grew　more　and
more　frightened；　until　at　last　she　began　to　weep。

But　all　at　once　the　door　opened；　and　in　came　a　little　man；
and　said；　good　evening；　mistress　miller；　why　are　you　crying　so。
Alas；　answered　the　girl；　I　have　to　spin　straw　into　gold；　and　I　do
not　know　how　to　do　it。　　What　will　you　give　me；　said　the
manikin；　if　I　do　it　for　you。　　My　necklace；　said　the　girl。　　The
little　man　took　the　necklace；　seated　himself　in　front　of　the
wheel；　and　whirr；　whirr；　whirr；　three　turns；　and　the　reel　was
full；　then　he　put　another　on；　and　whirr；　whirr；　whirr；　three　times
round；　and　the　second　was　full　too。　　And　so　it　went　on　until
the　morning；　when　all　the　straw　was　spun；　and　all　the　reels
were　full　of　gold。

By　daybreak　the　king　was　already　there；　and
when　he　saw　the　gold　he　was　astonished　and　delighted；　but　his
heart　became　only　more　greedy。　　He　had　the　miller's　daughter
taken　into　another　room　full　of　straw；　which　was　much　larger；
and　commanded　her　to　spin　that　also　in　one　night　if　she　valued
her　life。　　The　girl　knew　not　how　to　help　herself；　and　was
crying；　when　the　door　opened　again；　and　the　little　man　appeared；
and　said；　what　will　you　give　me　if　I　spin　that　straw　into　gold
for　you。　　The　ring　on　my　finger；　answered　the　girl。　　The　little
man　took　the　ring；　again　began　to　turn　the　wheel；　and　by
morning　had　spun　all　the　straw　into　glittering　gold。

The　king　rejoiced　beyond　measure　at　the　sight；　but　still　he　had
not　gold　enough；　and　he　had　the　miller's　daughter　taken　into
a　still　larger　room　full　of　straw；　and　said；　you　must　spin　this；
too；　in　the　course　of　this　night；　but　if　you　succeed；　you　shall
be　my　wife。

Even　if　she　be　a　miller's　daughter；　thought　he；　I　could　not
find　a　richer　wife　in　the　whole　world。

When　the　girl　was　alone　the　manikin　came　again　for　the　third
time；　and　said；　what　will　you　give　me　if　I　spin　the　straw　for
you　this　time　also。　　I　have　nothing　left　that　I　could　give；
answered　the　girl。　　Then　promise　me；　if　you　should　become　queen；
to　give　me　your　first　child。　　Who　knows　whether　that　will
ever　happen；　thought　the　miller's　daughter；　and；　not　knowing
how　else　to　help　herself　in　this　strait；　she　promised　the
manikin　what　he　wanted；　and　for　that　he　once　more　spun　the
straw　into　gold。

And　when　the　king　came　in　the　morning；　and　found　all　as　he
had　wished；　he　took　her　in　marriage；　and　the　pretty　miller's
daughter　became　a　queen。

A　year　after；　she　brought　a　beautiful　child　into　the　world；
and　she　never　gave　a　thought　to　the　manikin。　　But　suddenly　he
came　into　her　room；　and　said；　now　give　me　what　you　promised。

The　queen　was　horror…struck；　and　offered　the　manikin　all　the
riches　of　the　kingdom　if　he　would　leave　her　the　child。　　But　the
manikin　said；　no；　something　alive　is　dearer　to　me　than　all　the
treasures　in　the　world。　　Then　the　queen　began　to　lament　and　cry；
so　that　the　manikin　pitied　her。　　I　will　give　you　three　days；
time；　said　he；　if　by　that　time　you　find　out　my　name；　then　shall
you　keep　your　child。

So　the　queen　thought　the　whole　night　of　all　the　names　that
she　had　ever　heard；　and　she　sent　a　messenger　over　the　country　to
inquire；　far　and　wide；　for　any　other　names　that　there　might　be。
When　the　manikin　came　the　next　day；　she　began　with　caspar；
melchior；　balthazar；　and　said　all　the　names　she　knew；　one
after　another；　but　to　every　one　the　little　man　said；　that　is　not
my　name。　　On　the　second　day　she　had　inquiries　made　in　the
neighborhood　as　to　the　names　of　the　people　there；　and　she
repeated　to　the　manikin　the　most　uncommon　and　curious。　　Perhaps
your　name　is　shortribs；　or　sheepshanks；　or　laceleg；　but　he
always　answered；　that　is　not　my　name。

On　the　third　day　the　messenger　came　back　again；　and　said；　I
have　not　been　able　to　find　a　single　new　name；　but　as　I　came　to
a　high　mountain　at　the　end　of　the　forest；　where　the　fox　and　the　hare
bid　each　other　good　night；　there　I　saw　a　little　house；　and
before　the　house　a　fire　was　burning；　and　round　about　the　fire
quite　a　ridiculous　little　man　was　jumping；　he　hopped　upon
one　leg；　and　shouted　…
　　　　　　　　　　to…day　I　bake；　to…morrow　brew；
　　　　　　　　　　the　next　I'll　have　the　young　queen's　child。
　　　　　　　　　　Ha；　glad　am　I　that　no　one　knew
　　　　　　　　　　that　Rumpelstiltskin　I　am　styled。

You　may　imagine　how　glad　the　queen　was　when　she　heard　the
name。　　And　when　soon　afterwards　the　little　man　came　in；　and
asked；　now；　mistress　queen；　what　is　my　name；　at　first　she
said；　is　your　name　Conrad？　　No。　　Is　your　name　Harry？　　No。
Perhaps　your　name　is　Rumpelstiltskin？

The　devil　has　told　you　that！　　The　devil　has　told　you　that；　cried
the　little　man；　and　in　his　anger　he　plunged　his　right　foot　so
deep　into　the　earth　that　his　whole　leg　went　in；　and　then　in
rage　he　pulled　at　his　left　leg　so　hard　with　both　hands　that
he　tore　himself　in　two。