the elfin hill-第2节

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indeed　which　were　legs　and　which　were　arms；　for　they　were　all　flying

about　together；　like　the　shavings　in　a　saw…pit！　And　then　they　spun

round　so　quickly　that　the　death…horse　and　the　grave…pig　became　sick

and　giddy；　and　were　obliged　to　leave　the　table。

　　　　〃Stop！〃　cried　the　old　goblin；〃　is　that　the　only　house…keeping　they

can　perform？　Can　they　do　anything　more　than　dance　and　throw　about

their　legs；　and　make　a　whirlwind？〃

　　　　〃You　shall　soon　see　what　they　can　do；〃　said　the　elf　king。　And　then

he　called　his　youngest　daughter　to　him。　She　was　slender　and　fair　as

moonlight；　and　the　most　graceful　of　all　the　sisters。　She　took　a

white　chip　in　her　mouth；　and　vanished　instantly；　this　was　her

accomplishment。　But　the　old　goblin　said　he　should　not　like　his　wife　to

have　such　an　accomplishment；　and　thought　his　boys　would　have　the

same　objection。　Another　daughter　could　make　a　figure　like　herself

follow　her；　as　if　she　had　a　shadow；　which　none　of　the　goblin　folk　ever

had。　The　third　was　of　quite　a　different　sort；　she　had　learnt　in　the

brew…house　of　the　moor　witch　how　to　lard　elfin　puddings　with

glow…worms。

　　　　〃She　will　make　a　good　housewife；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　and　then

saluted　her　with　his　eyes　instead　of　drinking　her　health；　for　he　did

not　drink　much。

　　　　Now　came　the　fourth　daughter；　with　a　large　harp　to　play　upon；

and　when　she　struck　the　first　chord；　every　one　lifted　up　the　left

leg　（for　the　goblins　are　left…legged）；　and　at　the　second　chord　they

found　they　must　all　do　just　what　she　wanted。

　　　　〃That　is　a　dangerous　woman；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　and　the　two　sons

walked　out　of　the　hill；　they　had　had　enough　of　it。　〃And　what　can　the

next　daughter　do？〃　asked　the　old　goblin。

　　　　〃I　have　learnt　everything　that　is　Norwegian；〃　said　she；　〃and　I

will　never　marry；　unless　I　can　go　to　Norway。〃

　　　　Then　her　youngest　sister　whispered　to　the　old　goblin；　〃That　is

only　because　she　has　heard；　in　a　Norwegian　song；　that　when　the　world

shall　decay；　the　cliffs　of　Norway　will　remain　standing　like　monuments；

and　she　wants　to　get　there；　that　she　may　be　safe；　for　she　is　so　afraid

of　sinking。〃

　　　　〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃is　that　what　she　means？　Well；　what

can　the　seventh　and　last　do？〃

　　　　〃The　sixth　comes　before　the　seventh；〃　said　the　elf　king；　for　he

could　reckon；　but　the　sixth　would　not　come　forward。

　　　　〃I　can　only　tell　people　the　truth；〃　said　she。　〃No　one　cares　for

me；　nor　troubles　himself　about　me；　and　I　have　enough　to　do　to　sew　my

grave　clothes。〃

　　　　So　the　seventh　and　last　came；　and　what　could　she　do？　Why；　she

could　tell　stories；　as　many　as　you　liked；　on　any　subject。

　　　　〃Here　are　my　five　fingers；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃now　tell　me　a

story　for　each　of　them。〃

　　　　So　she　took　him　by　the　wrist；　and　he　laughed　till　he　nearly

choked；　and　when　she　came　to　the　fourth　finger；　there　was　a　gold

ring　on　it；　as　if　it　knew　there　was　to　be　a　betrothal。　Then　the　old

goblin　said；　〃Hold　fast　what　you　have：　this　hand　is　yours；　for　I

will　have　you　for　a　wife　myself。〃

　　　　Then　the　elfin　girl　said　that　the　stories　about　the　ring…finger

and　little　Peter　Playman　had　not　yet　been　told。

　　　　〃We　will　hear　them　in　the　winter；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃and

also　about　the　fir　and　the　birch…trees；　and　the　ghost　stories；　and

of　the　tingling　frost。　You　shall　tell　your　tales；　for　no　one　over

there　can　do　it　so　well；　and　we　will　sit　in　the　stone　rooms；　where　the

pine　logs　are　burning；　and　drink　mead　out　of　the　golden

drinking…horn　of　the　old　Norwegian　kings。　The　water…god　has　given　me

two；　and　when　we　sit　there；　Nix　comes　to　pay　us　a　visit；　and　will　sing

you　all　the　songs　of　the　mountain　shepherdesses。　How　merry　we　shall

be！　The　salmon　will　be　leaping　in　the　waterfalls；　and　dashing

against　the　stone　walls；　but　he　will　not　be　able　to　come　in。　It　is

indeed　very　pleasant　to　live　in　old　Norway。　But　where　are　the　lads？〃

　　　　Where　indeed　were　they？　Why；　running　about　the　fields；　and　blowing

out　the　will…o'…the…wisps；　who　so　good…naturedly　came　and　brought

their　torches。

　　　　〃What　tricks　have　you　been　playing？〃　said　the　old　goblin。　〃I

have　taken　a　mother　for　you；　and　now　you　may　take　one　of　your　aunts。〃

　　　　But　the　youngsters　said　they　would　rather　make　a　speech　and

drink　to　their　good　fellowship；　they　had　no　wish　to　marry。　Then　they

made　speeches　and　drank　toasts；　and　tipped　their　glasses；　to　show　that

they　were　empty。　Then　they　took　off　their　coats；　and　lay　down　on　the

table　to　sleep；　for　they　made　themselves　quite　at　home。　But　the　old

goblin　danced　about　the　room　with　his　young　bride；　and　exchanged　boots

with　her；　which　is　more　fashionable　than　exchanging　rings。

　　　　〃The　cock　is　crowing；〃　said　the　old　elfin　maiden　who　acted　as

housekeeper；　now　we　must　close　the　shutters；　that　the　sun　may　not

scorch　us。〃

　　　　Then　the　hill　closed　up。　But　the　lizards　continued　to　run　up　and

down　the　riven　tree；　and　one　said　to　the　other；　〃Oh；　how　much　I　was

pleased　with　the　old　goblin！〃

　　　　〃The　boys　pleased　me　better；〃　said　the　earth…worm。　But　then　the

poor　miserable　creature　could　not　see。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。