the tinder-box-第2节

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could　get　a　look　at　the　princess。　〃Every　one　says　she　is　very

beautiful；〃　thought　he　to　himself；　〃but　what　is　the　use　of　that　if　she

is　to　be　shut　up　in　a　copper　castle　surrounded　by　so　many　towers。

Can　I　by　any　means　get　to　see　her。　Stop！　where　is　my　tinder…box？〃　Then

he　struck　a　light；　and　in　a　moment　the　dog；　with　eyes　as　big　as

teacups；　stood　before　him。

　　　　〃It　is　midnight；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃yet　I　should　very　much　like

to　see　the　princess；　if　only　for　a　moment。〃

　　　　The　dog　disappeared　instantly；　and　before　the　soldier　could　even

look　round；　he　returned　with　the　princess。　She　was　lying　on　the

dog's　back　asleep；　and　looked　so　lovely；　that　every　one　who　saw　her

would　know　she　was　a　real　princess。　The　soldier　could　not　help　kissing

her；　true　soldier　as　he　was。　Then　the　dog　ran　back　with　the

princess；　but　in　the　morning；　while　at　breakfast　with　the　king　and

queen；　she　told　them　what　a　singular　dream　she　had　had　during　the

night；　of　a　dog　and　a　soldier；　that　she　had　ridden　on　the　dog's

back；　and　been　kissed　by　the　soldier。

　　　　〃That　is　a　very　pretty　story；　indeed；〃　said　the　queen。　So　the　next

night　one　of　the　old　ladies　of　the　court　was　set　to　watch　by　the

princess's　bed；　to　discover　whether　it　really　was　a　dream；　or　what

else　it　might　be。

　　　　The　soldier　longed　very　much　to　see　the　princess　once　more；　so

he　sent　for　the　dog　again　in　the　night　to　fetch　her；　and　to　run　with

her　as　fast　as　ever　he　could。　But　the　old　lady　put　on　water　boots；　and

ran　after　him　as　quickly　as　he　did；　and　found　that　he　carried　the

princess　into　a　large　house。　She　thought　it　would　help　her　to　remember

the　place　if　she　made　a　large　cross　on　the　door　with　a　piece　of　chalk。

Then　she　went　home　to　bed；　and　the　dog　presently　returned　with　the

princess。　But　when　he　saw　that　a　cross　had　been　made　on　the　door　of

the　house；　where　the　soldier　lived；　he　took　another　piece　of　chalk　and

made　crosses　on　all　the　doors　in　the　town；　so　that　the　lady…in…waiting

might　not　be　able　to　find　out　the　right　door。

　　　　Early　the　next　morning　the　king　and　queen　accompanied　the　lady　and

all　the　officers　of　the　household；　to　see　where　the　princess　had　been。

　　　　〃Here　it　is；〃　said　the　king；　when　they　came　to　the　first　door　with

a　cross　on　it。

　　　　No；　my　dear　husband；　it　must　be　that　one；〃　said　the　queen；

pointing　to　a　second　door　having　a　cross　also。

　　　　〃And　here　is　one；　and　there　is　another！〃　they　all　exclaimed；　for

there　were　crosses　on　all　the　doors　in　every　direction。

　　　　So　they　felt　it　would　be　useless　to　search　any　farther。　But　the

queen　was　a　very　clever　woman；　she　could　do　a　great　deal　more　than

merely　ride　in　a　carriage。　She　took　her　large　gold　scissors；　cut　a

piece　of　silk　into　squares；　and　made　a　neat　little　bag。　This　bag　she

filled　with　buckwheat　flour；　and　tied　it　round　the　princess's　neck；

and　then　she　cut　a　small　hole　in　the　bag；　so　that　the　flour　might　be

scattered　on　the　ground　as　the　princess　went　along。　During　the

night；　the　dog　came　again　and　carried　the　princess　on　his　back；　and

ran　with　her　to　the　soldier；　who　loved　her　very　much；　and　wished

that　he　had　been　a　prince；　so　that　he　might　have　her　for　a　wife。　The

dog　did　not　observe　how　the　flour　ran　out　of　the　bag　all　the　way

from　the　castle　wall　to　the　soldier's　house；　and　even　up　to　the

window；　where　he　had　climbed　with　the　princess。　Therefore　in　the

morning　the　king　and　queen　found　out　where　their　daughter　had　been；

and　the　soldier　was　taken　up　and　put　in　prison。　Oh；　how　dark　and

disagreeable　it　was　as　he　sat　there；　and　the　people　said　to　him；

〃To…morrow　you　will　be　hanged。〃　It　was　not　very　pleasant　news；　and

besides；　he　had　left　the　tinder…box　at　the　inn。　In　the　morning　he

could　see　through　the　iron　grating　of　the　little　window　how　the　people

were　hastening　out　of　the　town　to　see　him　hanged；　he　heard　the　drums

beating；　and　saw　the　soldiers　marching。　Every　one　ran　out　to　look　at

them。　and　a　shoemaker's　boy；　with　a　leather　apron　and　slippers　on；

galloped　by　so　fast；　that　one　of　his　slippers　flew　off　and　struck

against　the　wall　where　the　soldier　sat　looking　through　the　iron

grating。　〃Hallo；　you　shoemaker's　boy；　you　need　not　be　in　such　a

hurry；〃　cried　the　soldier　to　him。　〃There　will　be　nothing　to　see　till　I

come；　but　if　you　will　run　to　the　house　where　I　have　been　living；　and

bring　me　my　tinder…box；　you　shall　have　four　shillings；　but　you　must

put　your　best　foot　foremost。〃

　　　　The　shoemaker's　boy　liked　the　idea　of　getting　the　four

shillings；　so　he　ran　very　fast　and　fetched　the　tinder…box；　and　gave　it

to　the　soldier。　And　now　we　shall　see　what　happened。　Outside　the　town　a

large　gibbet　had　been　erected；　round　which　stood　the　soldiers　and

several　thousands　of　people。　The　king　and　the　queen　sat　on　splendid

thrones　opposite　to　the　judges　and　the　whole　council。　The　soldier

already　stood　on　the　ladder；　but　as　they　were　about　to　place　the

rope　around　his　neck；　he　said　that　an　innocent　request　was　often

granted　to　a　poor　criminal　before　he　suffered　death。　He　wished　very

much　to　smoke　a　pipe；　as　it　would　be　the　last　pipe　he　should　ever

smoke　in　the　world。　The　king　could　not　refuse　this　request；　so　the

soldier　took　his　tinder…box；　and　struck　fire；　once；　twice；　thrice；…

and　there　in　a　moment　stood　all　the　dogs；…　the　one　with　eyes　as　big　as

teacups；　the　one　with　eyes　as　large　as　mill…wheels；　and　the　third；

whose　eyes　were　like　towers。　〃Help　me　now；　that　I　may　not　be

hanged；〃　cried　the　soldier。

　　　　And　the　dogs　fell　upon　the　judges　and　all　the　councillors；

seized　one　by　the　legs；　and　another　by　the　nose；　and　tossed　them

many　feet　high　in　the　air；　so　that　they　fell　down　and　were　dashed　to

pieces。

　　　　〃I　will　not　be　touched；〃　said　the　king。　But　the　largest　dog　seized

him；　as　well　as　the　queen；　and　threw　them　after　the　others。　Then　the

soldiers　and　all　the　people　were　afraid；　and　cried；　〃Good　soldier；　you

shall　be　our　king；　and　you　shall　marry　the　beautiful　princess。〃

　　　　So　they　placed　the　soldier　in　the　king's　carriage；　and　the　three

dogs　ran　on　in　front　and　cried　〃Hurrah！〃　and　the　little　boys

whistled　through　their　fingers；　and　the　soldiers　presented　arms。　The

princess　came　out　of　the　copper　castle；　and　became　queen；　which　was

very　pleasing　to　her。　The　wedding　festivities　lasted　a　whole　week；　and

the　dogs　sat　at　the　table；　and　stared　with　all　their　eyes。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。