35-mogarzea-第1节

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MOGARZEA　AND　HIS　SON

There　was　once　a　little　boy；　whose　father　and　mother；　when　they
were　dying；　left　him　to　the　care　of　a　guardian。　　But　the　guardian
whom　they　chose　turned　out　to　be　a　wicked　man；　and　spent　all　the
money；　so　the　boy　determined　to　go　away　and　strike　out　a　path　for
himself。

So　one　day　he　set　off；　and　walked　and　walked　through　woods　and
meadows　till　when　evening　came　he　was　very　tired；　and　did　not
know　where　to　sleep。　　He　climbed　a　hill　and　looked　about　him　to
see　if　there　was　no　light　shining　from　a　window。　　At　first　all
seemed　dark；　but　at　length　he　noticed　a　tiny　spark　far；　far　off；
and；　plucking　up　his　spirits；　he　at　once　went　in　search　of　it。

The　night　was　nearly　half　over　before　he　reached　the　spark；　which
turned　out　to　be　a　big　fire；　and　by　the　fire　a　man　was　sleeping
who　was　so　tall　he　might　have　been　a　giant。　　The　boy　hesitated
for　a　moment　what　he　should　do；　then　he　crept　close　up　to　the
man；　and　lay　down　by　his　legs。

When　the　man　awoke　in　the　morning　he　was　much　surprised　to　find
the　boy　nestling　up　close　to　him。

'Dear　me！　where　do　you　come　from？'　said　he。

'I　am　your　son；　born　in　the　night；'　replied　the　boy。

'If　that　is　true；'　said　the　man；　'you　shall　take　care　of　my
sheep；　and　I　will　give　you　food。　　But　take　care　you　never　cross
the　border　of　my　land；　or　you　will　repent　it。'　　Then　he　pointed
out　where　the　border　of　his　land　lay；　and　bade　the　boy　begin　his
work　at　once。

The　young　shepherd　led　his　flock　out　to　the　richest　meadows　and
stayed　with　them　till　evening；　when　he　brought　them　back；　and
helped　the　man　to　milk　them。　　When　this　was　done；　they　both　sat
down　to　supper；　and　while　they　were　eating　the　boy　asked　the　big
man：　'What　is　your　name；　father？'

'Mogarzea；'　answered　he。

'I　wonder　you　are　not　tired　of　living　by　yourself　in　this　lonely
place。'

'There　is　no　reason　you　should　wonder！　　Don't　you　know　that　there
was　never　a　bear　yet　who　danced　of　his　own　free　will？'

'Yes；　that　is　true；'　replied　the　boy。　　'But　why　is　it　you　are
always　so　sad？　　Tell　me　your　history；　father。'

'What　is　the　use　of　my　telling　you　things　that　would　only　make
you　sad　too？'

'Oh；　never　mind　that！　　I　should　like　to　hear。　　Are　you　not　my
father；　and　am　I　not　your　son？'

'Well；　if　you　really　want　to　know　my　story；　this　is　it：　　As　I
told　you；　my　name　is　Mogarzea；　and　my　father　is　an　emperor。　　I
was　on　my　way　to　the　Sweet　Milk　Lake；　which　lies　not　far　from
here；　to　marry　one　of　the　three　fairies　who　have　made　the　lake
their　home。　　But　on　the　road　three　wicked　elves　fell　on　me；　and
robbed　me　of　my　soul；　so　that　ever　since　I　have　stayed　in　this
spot　watching　my　sheep　without　wishing　for　anything　different；
without　having　felt　one　moment's　joy；　or　ever　once　being　able　to
laugh。　　And　the　horrible　elves　are　so　ill…natured　that　if　anyone
sets　one　foot　on　their　land　he　is　instantly　punished。　　That　is
why　I　warn　you　to　be　careful；　lest　you　should　share　my　fate。'

'All　right；　I　will　take　great　care。　　Do　let　me　go；　father；'　said
the　boy；　as　they　stretched　themselves　out　to　sleep。

At　sunrise　the　boy　got　up　and　led　his　sheep　out　to　feed；　and　for
some　reason　he　did　not　feel　tempted　to　cross　into　the　grassy
meadows　belonging　to　the　elves；　but　let　his　flock　pick　up　what
pasture　they　could　on　Mogarzea's　dry　ground。

On　the　third　day　he　was　sitting　under　the　shadow　of　a　tree；
playing　on　his　fluteand　there　was　nobody　in　the　world　who　could
play　a　flute　betterwhen　one　of　his　sheep　strayed　across　the
fence　into　the　flowery　fields　of　the　elves；　and　another　and
another　followed　it。　　But　the　boy　was　so　absorbed　in　his　flute
that　he　noticed　nothing　till　half　the　flock　were　on　the　other
side。

He　jumped　up；　still　playing　on　his　flute；　and　went　after　the
sheep；　meaning　to　drive　them　back　to　their　own　side　of　the
border；　when　suddenly　he　saw　before　him　three　beautiful　maidens
who　stopped　in　front　of　him；　and　began　to　dance。　　The　boy
understood　what　he　must　do；　and　played　with　all　his　might；　but
the　maidens　danced　on　till　evening。

'Now　let　me　go；'　he　cried　at　last；　'for　poor　Mogarzea　must　be
dying　of　hunger。　　I　will　come　and　play　for　you　to…morrow。'

'Well；　you　may　go！'　they　said；　'but　remember　that　even　if　you
break　your　promise　you　will　not　escape　us。'

So　they　both　agreed　that　the　next　day　he　should　come　straight
there　with　the　sheep；　and　play　to　them　till　the　sun　went　down。　
This　being　settled；　they　each　returned　home。

Mogarzea　was　surprised　to　find　that　his　sheep　gave　so　much　more
milk　than　usual；　but　as　the　boy　declared　he　had　never　crossed　the
border　the　big　man　did　not　trouble　his　head　further；　and　ate　his
supper　heartily。

With　the　earliest　gleams　of　light；　the　boy　was　off　with　his　sheep
to　the　elfin　meadow；　and　at　the　first　notes　of　his　flute　the
maidens　appeared　before　him　and　danced　and　danced　and　danced　till
evening　came。　　Then　the　boy　let　the　flute　slip　through　his
fingers；　and　trod　on　it；　as　if　by　accident。

If　you　had　heard　the　noise　he　made；　and　how　he　wrung　his　hands
and　wept　and　cried　that　he　had　lost　his　only　companion；　you　would
have　been　sorry　for　him。　　The　hearts　of　the　elves　were　quite
melted；　and　they　did　all　they　could　to　comfort　him。

'I　shall　never　find　another　flute　like　that；　moaned　he。　　'I　have
never　heard　one　whose　tone　was　as　sweet　as　mine！　　It　was　cut
from　the　centre　of　a　seven…year…old　cherry　tree！'

'There　is　a　cherry　tree　in　our　garden　that　is　exactly　seven　years
old；'　said　they。　　'Come　with　us；　and　you　shall　make　yourself
another　flute。'

So　they　all　went　to　the　cherry　tree；　and　when　they　were　standing
round　it　the　youth　explained　that　if　he　tried　to　cut　it　down　with
an　axe　he　might　very　likely　split　open　the　heart　of　the　tree；
which　was　needed　for　the　flute。　　In　order　to　prevent　this；　he
would　make　a　little　cut　in　the　bark；　just　large　enough　for　them
to　put　their　fingers　in；　and　with　this　help　he　could　manage　to
tear　the　tree　in　two；　so　that　the　heart　should　run　no　risk　of
damage。　　The　elves　did　as　he　told　them　without　a　　thought；　then
he　quickly　drew　out　the　axe；　which　had　been　sticking　into　the
cleft；　and　behold！　all　their　fingers　were　imprisoned　tight　in
the　tree。

It　was　in　vain　that　they　shrieked　with　pain　and　tried　to　free
themselves。　　They　could　do　nothing；　and　the　young　man　remained
cold　as　marble　to　all　their　entreaties。

Then　he　demanded　of　them　Mogarzea's　soul。

'Oh；　well；　if　you　must　have　it；　it　is　in　a　bottle　on　the　window
sill；'　said　they；　hoping　that　they　might　obtain　their　freedom　at
once。　　But　they　were　mistaken。

'You　have　made　so　many　men　suffer；'　answered　he　sternly；　'that　it
is　but　just　you　should　suffer　yourselves；　but　to…morrow　I　will
let　you　go。'　　And　he　turned　towards　home；　taking　his　sheep　and
the　soul　of　Mogarzea　with　him。

Mogarzea　was　waiting　at　the　door；　and　as　the　boy　drew　near　he
began　scolding　him　for　being　so　late。　　But　at　the　first　word　of
explanation　the　man　became　beside　himself　with　joy；　and　he　sprang
so　high　into　the　air　that　the　false　soul　which　the　elves　had
given　him　flew　out　of　his　mouth；　and　his　own；　which　had　been　shut
tightly　into　the　flask　of　water；　took　its　place。

When　his　excitement　had　somewhat　calmed　down；　he　cried　to　the
boy；　'Whether　you　are　really　my　son　matters　nothing　to　me；　tell
me；　how　can　I　repay　you　for　what　you　have　done　for　me？'

'By　showing　me　where　the　Milk　Lake　is；　and　how　I　can　get　one　of
the　three　fairies　who　lives　there　to　wife；　and　by　letting　me
remain　your　son　for　ever。'

The　night　was　passed　by　Mogarzea　and　his　son　in　songs　and
feasting；　for　both　were　too　happy　to　sleep；　and　when　day　dawned
they　set　out　together　to　free　the　elves　from　the　tree。　　When　they
reached　the　place　of　their　imprisonment；　Mogarzea　took　the　cherry
tree　and　all　the　elves　with　it　on　his　back；　and　carried　them　off
to　his　father's　kingdom；　where　everyone　rejoiced　to　see　him　home
again。　　But　all　he　did　was　to　point　to　the　boy　who　had　saved　him；
and　had　followed　him　with　his　flock。

For　three　days　the　boy　stayed　in　the　palace；　receiving　the　thanks
and　praises　of　the　whole　court。　　Then　he　said　to　Mogarzea：

'The　time　has　come　for　me　to　go　hence；　but　tell　me；　I　pray　you；
how　to　find　the　Sweet　Milk　Lake；　and　I　will　return；　and　will
bring　my　wife　back　with　me。'

Mogarzea　tried　in　vain　to　make　him　stay；　but；　finding　it　was
useless；　he　told　him　all　he　knew；　for　he　himself　had　never　seen
the　lake。

For　three　summer　days　the　boy　and　his　flute　journeyed　on；　till
one　evening　he　reached　the　lake；　which　lay　in　the　kingdom　of　a
powerful　fairy。　　The　next　morning　had　scarcely　dawned　when　the
youth　went　down　to　the　shore；　and　began　to　play　on　his　flute；　and
the　first　notes　had　hardly　sounded　when　he　saw　a　beautiful　fairy
standing　before　him；　with　hair　and　robes　that　shone　like　gold。　
He　gazed　at　her　in　wonder；　when　suddenly　she　began　to　dance。　　Her
movements　were　so　graceful　that　he　forgot　to　play；　and　as　soon　as
the　notes　of　his　flute　ceased　she　vanished　from　his　sight。　　The
next　day　the　same　thing　happened；　but　on　the　third　he　took
courage；　and　drew　a　little　nearer；　playing　on　his　flute　all　the
while。　　Suddenly　he　sprang　forward；　seized　her　in　his　arms　and
kissed　her；　and　plucked　a　rose