the flying trunk-第2节

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market…basket　decide　what　is　right。'

　　　　〃'I　certainly　am　vexed；'　said　the　basket；　'inwardly　vexed；　more

than　any　one　can　imagine。　Are　we　spending　the　evening　properly？

Would　it　not　be　more　sensible　to　put　the　house　in　order？　If　each

were　in　his　own　place　I　would　lead　a　game；　this　would　be　quite　another

thing。'

　　　　〃'Let　us　act　a　play；'　said　they　all。　At　the　same　moment　the　door

opened；　and　the　maid　came　in。　Then　not　one　stirred；　they　all

remained　quite　still；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　there　was　not　a　single

pot　amongst　them　who　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　himself；　and　of　what　he

could　do　if　he　chose。

　　　　〃'Yes；　if　we　had　chosen；'　they　each　thought；　'we　might　have

spent　a　very　pleasant　evening。'

　　　　〃The　maid　took　the　matches　and　lighted　them；　dear　me；　how　they

sputtered　and　blazed　up！

　　　　〃'Now　then；'　they　thought；　'every　one　will　see　that　we　are　the

first。　How　we　shine；　what　a　light　we　give！'　Even　while　they　spoke

their　light　went　out。

　　　　〃What　a　capital　story；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were

really　in　the　kitchen；　and　could　see　the　matches；　yes；　you　shall　marry

our　daughter。〃

　　　　〃Certainly；〃　said　the　king；　〃thou　shalt　have　our　daughter。〃　The

king　said　thou　to　him　because　he　was　going　to　be　one　of　the　family。

The　wedding…day　was　fixed；　and；　on　the　evening　before；　the　whole

city　was　illuminated。　Cakes　and　sweetmeats　were　thrown　among　the

people。　The　street　boys　stood　on　tiptoe　and　shouted　〃hurrah；〃　and

whistled　between　their　fingers；　altogether　it　was　a　very　splendid

affair。

　　　　〃I　will　give　them　another　treat；〃　said　the　merchant's　son。　So　he

went　and　bought　rockets　and　crackers；　and　all　sorts　of　fire…works　that

could　be　thought　of；　packed　them　in　his　trunk；　and　flew　up　with　it

into　the　air。　What　a　whizzing　and　popping　they　made　as　they　went

off！　The　Turks；　when　they　saw　such　a　sight　in　the　air；　jumped　so

high　that　their　slippers　flew　about　their　ears。　It　was　easy　to　believe

after　this　that　the　princess　was　really　going　to　marry　a　Turkish

angel。

　　　　As　soon　as　the　merchant's　son　had　come　down　in　his　flying　trunk　to

the　wood　after　the　fireworks；　he　thought；　〃I　will　go　back　into　the

town　now；　and　hear　what　they　think　of　the　entertainment。〃　It　was

very　natural　that　he　should　wish　to　know。　And　what　strange　things

people　did　say；　to　be　sure！　every　one　whom　he　questioned　had　a

different　tale　to　tell；　though　they　all　thought　it　very　beautiful。

　　　　〃'I　saw　the　Turkish　angel　myself；〃　said　one；　〃he　had　eyes　like

glittering　stars；　and　a　head　like　foaming　water。〃

　　　　〃He　flew　in　a　mantle　of　fire；〃　cried　another；　〃and　lovely　little

cherubs　peeped　out　from　the　folds。〃

　　　　He　heard　many　more　fine　things　about　himself；　and　that　the　next

day　he　was　to　be　married。　After　this　he　went　back　to　the　forest　to

rest　himself　in　his　trunk。　It　had　disappeared！　A　spark　from　the

fireworks　which　remained　had　set　it　on　fire；　it　was　burnt　to　ashes！　So

the　merchant's　son　could　not　fly　any　more；　nor　go　to　meet　his　bride。

She　stood　all　day　on　the　roof　waiting　for　him；　and　most　likely　she

is　waiting　there　still；　while　he　wanders　through　the　world　telling

fairy　tales；　but　none　of　them　so　amusing　as　the　one　he　related　about

the　matches。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。