11-the grateful beasts-第1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　GRATEFUL　BEASTS＇11＇



＇11＇　From　the　Hungarian。　　Kletke。



There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　man　and　woman　who　had　three

fine…looking　sons；　but　they　were　so　poor　that　they　had　hardly

enough　food　for　themselves；　let　alone　their　children。　　So　the

sons　determined　to　set　out　into　the　world　and　to　try　their　luck。　

Before　starting　their　mother　gave　them　each　a　loaf　of　bread　and

her　blessing；　and　having　taken　a　tender　farewell　of　her　and　their

father　the　three　set　forth　on　their　travels。



The　youngest　of　the　three　brothers；　whose　name　was　Ferko；　was　a

beautiful　youth；　with　a　splendid　figure；　blue　eyes；　fair　hair；

and　a　complexion　like　milk　and　roses。　　His　two　brothers　were　as

jealous　of　him　as　they　could　be；　for　they　thought　that　with　his

good　looks　he　would　be　sure　to　be　more　fortunate　than　they　would

ever　be。



One　day　all　the　three　were　sitting　resting　under　a　tree；　for　the

sun　was　hot　and　they　were　tired　of　walking。　　Ferko　fell　fast

asleep；　but　the　other　two　remained　awake；　and　the　eldest　said　to

the　second　brother；　'What　do　you　say　to　doing　our　brother　Ferko

some　harm？　　He　is　so　beautiful　that　everyone　takes　a　fancy　to

him；　which　is　more　than　they　do　to　us。　　If　we　could　only　get　him

out　of　the　way　we　might　succeed　better。'



'I　quite　agree　with　you；'　answered　the　second　brother；　'and　my

advice　is　to　eat　up　his　loaf　of　bread；　and　then　to　refuse　to　give

him　a　bit　of　ours　until　he　has　promised　to　let　us　put　out　his

eyes　or　break　his　legs。'



His　eldest　brother　was　delighted　with　this　proposal；　and　the　two

wicked　wretches　seized　Ferko's　loaf　and　ate　it　all　up；　while　the

poor　boy　was　still　asleep。



When　he　did　awake　he　felt　very　hungry　and　turned　to　eat　his

bread；　but　his　brothers　cried　out；　'You　ate　your　loaf　in　your

sleep；　you　glutton；　and　you　may　starve　as　long　as　you　like；　but

you　won't　get　a　scrap　of　ours。'



Ferko　was　at　a　loss　to　understand　how　he　could　have　eaten　in　his

sleep；　but　he　said　nothing；　and　fasted　all　that　day　and　the　next

night。　　But　on　the　following　morning　he　was　so　hungry　that　he

burst　into　tears；　and　implored　his　brothers　to　give　him　a　little

bit　of　their　bread。　　Then　the　cruel　creatures　laughed；　and

repeated　what　they　had　said　the　day　before；　but　when　Ferko

continued　to　beg　and　beseech　them；　the　eldest　said　at　last；　'If

you　will　let　us　put　out　one　of　your　eyes　and　break　one　of　your

legs；　then　we　will　give　you　a　bit　of　our　bread。'



At　these　words　poor　Ferko　wept　more　bitterly　than　before；　and

bore　the　torments　of　hunger　till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens；

then　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　and　he　consented　to　allow　his

left　eye　to　be　put　out　and　his　left　leg　to　be　broken。　　When　this

was　done　he　stretched　out　his　hand　eagerly　for　the　piece　of

bread；　but　his　brothers　gave　him　such　a　tiny　scrap　that　the

starving　youth　finished　it　in　a　moment　and　besought　them　for　a

second　bit。



But　the　more　Ferko　wept　and　told　his　brothers　that　he　was　dying

of　hunger；　the　more　they　laughed　and　scolded　him　for　his　greed。　

So　he　endured　the　pangs　of　starvation　all　that　day；　but　when

night　came　his　endurance　gave　way；　and　he　let　his　right　eye　be

put　out　and　his　right　leg　broken　for　a　second　piece　of　bread。



After　his　brothers　had　thus　successfully　maimed　and　disfigured

him　for　life；　they　left　him　groaning　on　the　ground　and　continued

their　journey　without　him。



Poor　Ferko　ate　up　the　scrap　of　bread　they　had　left　him　and　wept

bitterly；　but　no　one　heard　him　or　came　to　his　help。　　Night　came

on；　and　the　poor　blind　youth　had　no　eyes　to　close；　and　could　only

crawl　along　the　ground；　not　knowing　in　the　least　where　he　was

going。　　But　when　the　sun　was　once　more　high　in　the　heavens；　Ferko

felt　the　blazing　heat　scorch　him；　and　sought　for　some　cool　shady

place　to　rest　his　aching　limbs。　　He　climbed　to　the　top　of　a　hill

and　lay　down　in　the　grass；　and　as　he　thought　under　the　shadow　of

a　big　tree。　　But　it　was　no　tree　he　leant　against；　but　a　gallows

on　which　two　ravens　were　seated。　　The　one　was　saying　to　the　other

as　the　weary　youth　lay　down；　'Is　there　anything　the　least

wonderful　or　remarkable　about　this　neighbourhood？'



'I　should　just　think　there　was；'　replied　the　other；　'many　things

that　don't　exist　anywhere　else　in　the　world。　　There　is　a　lake

down　there　below　us；　and　anyone　who　bathes　in　it；　though　he　were

at　death's　door；　becomes　sound　and　well　on　the　spot；　and　those

who　wash　their　eyes　with　the　dew　on　this　hill　become　as

sharp…sighted　as　the　eagle；　even　if　they　have　been　blind　from

their　youth。'　



'Well；'　answered　the　first　raven；　'my　eyes　are　in　no　want　of　this

healing　bath；　for；　Heaven　be　praised；　they　are　as　good　as　ever

they　were；　but　my　wing　has　been　very　feeble　and　weak　ever　since

it　was　shot　by　an　arrow　many　years　ago；　so　let　us　fly　at　once　to

the　lake　that　I　may　be　restored　to　health　and　strength　again。'　

And　so　they　flew　away。



Their　words　rejoiced　Ferko's　heart；　and　he　waited　impatiently

till　evening　should　come　and　he　could　rub　the　precious　dew　on　his

sightless　eyes。



At　last　it　began　to　grow　dusk；　and　the　sun　sank　behind　the

mountains；　gradually　it　became　cooler　on　the　hill；　and　the　grass

grew　wet　with　dew。　　Then　Ferko　buried　his　face　in　the　ground　till

his　eyes　were　damp　with　dewdrops；　and　in　a　moment　he　saw　clearer

than　he　had　ever　done　in　his　life　before。　　The　moon　was　shining

brightly；　and　lighted　him　to　the　lake　where　he　could　bathe　his

poor　broken　legs。



Then　Ferko　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　lake　and　dipped　his　limbs

in　the　water。　　No　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　his　legs　felt　as

sound　and　strong　as　they　had　been　before；　and　Ferko　thanked　the

kind　fate　that　had　led　him　to　the　hill　where　he　had　overheard　the

ravens'　conversation。　　He　filled　a　bottle　with　the　healing　water；

and　then　continued　his　journey　in　the　best　of　spirits。



He　had　not　gone　far　before　he　met　a　wolf；　who　was　limping

disconsolately　along　on　three　legs；　and　who　on　perceiving　Ferko

began　to　howl　dismally。



'My　good　friend；'　said　the　youth；　'be　of　good　cheer；　for　I　can

soon　heal　your　leg；'　and　with　these　words　he　poured　some　of　the

precious　water　over　the　wolf's　paw；　and　in　a　minute　the　animal

was　springing　about　sound　and　well　on　all　fours。　　The　grateful

creature　thanked　his　benefactor　warmly；　and　promised　Ferko　to　do

him　a　good　turn　if　he　should　ever　need　it。



Ferko　continued　his　way　till　he　came　to　a　ploughed　field。　　Here

he　noticed　a　little　mouse　creeping　wearily　along　on　its　hind

paws；　for　its　front　paws　had　both　been　broken　in　a　trap。



Ferko　felt　so　sorry　for　the　little　beast　that　he　spoke　to　it　in

the　most　friendly　manner；　and　washed　its　small　paws　with　the

healing　water。　　In　a　moment　the　mouse　was　sound　and　whole；　and

after　thanking　the　kind　physician　it　scampered　away　over　the

ploughed　furrows。



Ferko　again　proceeded　on　his　journey；　but　he　hadn't　gone　far

before　a　queen　bee　flew　against　him；　trailing　one　wing　behind

her；　which　had　been　cruelly　torn　in　two　by　a　big　bird。　　Ferko

was　no　less　willing　to　help　her　than　he　had　been　to　help　the　wolf

and　the　mouse；　so　he　poured　some　healing　drops　over　the　wounded

wing。　　On　the　spot　the　queen　bee　was　cured；　and　turning　to　Ferko

she　said；　'I　am　most　grateful　for　your　kindness；　and　shall　reward

you　some　day。'　　And　with　these　words　she　flew　away　humming；

gaily。



Then　Ferko　wandered　on　for　many　a　long　day；　and　at　length　reached

a　strange　kingdom。　　Here；　he　thought　to　himself；　he　might　as　well

go　straight　to　the　palace　and　offer　his　services　to　the　King　of

the　country；　for　he　had　heard　that　the　King's　daughter　was　as

beautiful　as　the　day。



So　he　went　to　the　royal　palace；　and　as　he　entered　the　door　the

first　people　he　saw　were　his　two　brothers　who　had　so　shamefully

ill…treated　him。　　They　had　managed　to　obtain　places　in　the　King's

service；　and　when　they　recognised　Ferko　with　his　eyes　and　legs

sound　and　well　they　were　frightened　to　death；　for　they　feared　he

would　tell　the　King　of　their　conduct；　and　that　they　would　be

hung。



No　sooner　had　Ferko　entered　the　palace　than　all　eyes　were　turned

on　the　handsome　youth；　and　the　King's　daughter　herself　was　lost

in　admiration；　for　she　had　never　seen　anyone　so　handsome　in　her

life　before。　　His　brothers　noticed　this；　and　envy　and　jealousy

were　added　to　their　fear；　so　much　so　that　they　determined　once

more　to　destroy　him。　　They　went　to　the　King　and　told　him　that

Ferko　was　a　wicked　magician；　who　had　come　to　the　palace　with　the

intention　of　carrying　off　the　Princess。



Then　the　King　had　Ferko　brought　before　him；　and　said；　'You　are

accused　of　being　a　magician　who　wishes　to　rob　me　of　my　daughter；

and　I　condemn　you　to　death；　but　if　you　can　fulfil　three　tasks

which　I　shall　set　you　to　do　your　life　shall　be　spared；　on

condition　you　leave　the　country；　but　if　you　cannot　perform　what　I

demand　you　shall　be　hung　on　the　nearest　tree。'



And　turning　to　the　two　wicked　brothers　he　said；　'Suggest