18-the glass mountain-第1节

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THE　GLASS　MOUNTAIN＇16＇



＇16＇　From　the　Polish。　　Kletke。



Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　Glass　Mountain　at　the　top　of　which

stood　a　castle　made　of　pure　gold；　and　in　front　of　the　castle

there　grew　an　apple…tree　on　which　there　were　golden　apples。



Anyone　who　picked　an　apple　gained　admittance　into　the　golden

castle；　and　there　in　a　silver　room　sat　an　enchanted　Princess　of

surpassing　fairness　and　beauty。　　She　was　as　rich　too　as　she　was

beautiful；　for　the　cellars　of　the　castle　were　full　of　precious

stones；　and　great　chests　of　the　finest　gold　stood　round　the　walls

of　all　the　rooms。



Many　knights　had　come　from　afar　to　try　their　luck；　but　it　was　in

vain　they　attempted　to　climb　the　mountain。　　In　spite　of　having

their　horses　shod　with　sharp　nails；　no　one　managed　to　get　more

than　half…way　up；　and　then　they　all　fell　back　right　down　to　the

bottom　of　the　steep　slippery　hill。　　Sometimes　they　broke　an　arm；

sometimes　a　leg；　and　many　a　brave　man　had　broken　his　neck　even。



The　beautiful　Princess　sat　at　her　window　and　watched　the　bold

knights　trying　to　reach　her　on　their　splendid　horses。　　The　sight

of　her　always　gave　men　fresh　courage；　and　they　flocked　from　the

four　quarters　of　the　globe　to　attempt　the　work　of　rescuing　her。　

But　all　in　vain；　and　for　seven　years　the　Princess　had　sat　now　and

waited　for　some　one　to　scale　the　Glass　Mountain。



A　heap　of　corpses　both　of　riders　and　horses　lay　round　the

mountain；　and　many　dying　men　lay　groaning　there　unable　to　go　any

farther　with　their　wounded　limbs。　　The　whole　neighbourhood　had

the　appearance　of　a　vast　churchyard。　　In　three　more　days　the

seven　years　would　be　at　an　end；　when　a　knight　in　golden　armour

and　mounted　on　a　spirited　steed　was　seen　making　his　way　towards

the　fatal　hill。



Sticking　his　spurs　into　his　horse　he　made　a　rush　at　the　mountain；

and　got　up　half…way；　then　he　calmly　turned　his　horse's　head　and

came　down　again　without　a　slip　or　stumble。　　The　following　day　he

started　in　the　same　way；　the　horse　trod　on　the　glass　as　if　it　had

been　level　earth；　and　sparks　of　fire　flew　from　its　hoofs。　　All

the　other　knights　gazed　in　astonishment；　for　he　had　almost　gained

the　summit；　and　in　another　moment　he　would　have　reached　the

apple…tree；　but　of　a　sudden　a　huge　eagle　rose　up　and　spread　its

mighty　wings；　hitting　as　it　did　so　the　knight's　horse　in　the　eye。



The　beast　shied；　opened　its　wide　nostrils　and　tossed　its　mane；

then　rearing　high　up　in　the　air；　its　hind　feet　slipped　and　it

fell　with　its　rider　down　the　steep　mountain　side。　　Nothing　was

left　of　either　of　them　except　their　bones；　which　rattled　in　the

battered　golden　armour　like　dry　peas　in　a　pod。



And　now　there　was　only　one　more　day　before　the　close　of　the　seven

years。　　Then　there　arrived　on　the　scene　a　mere　schoolboya

merry；　happy…hearted　youth；　but　at　the　same　time　strong　and

well…grown。　　He　saw　how　many　knights　had　broken　their　necks　in

vain；　but　undaunted　he　approached　the　steep　mountain　on　foot　and

began　the　ascent。



For　long　he　had　heard　his　parents　speak　of　the　beautiful　Princess

who　sat　in　the　golden　castle　at　the　top　of　the　Glass　Mountain。　

He　listened　to　all　he　heard；　and　determined　that　he　too　would　try

his　luck。　　But　first　he　went　to　the　forest　and　caught　a　lynx；　and

cutting　off　the　creature's　sharp　claws；　he　fastened　them　on　to

his　own　hands　and　feet。



Armed　with　these　weapons　he　boldly　started　up　the　Glass　Mountain。



The　sun　was　nearly　going　down；　and　the　youth　had　not　got　more

than　half…way　up。　　He　could　hardly　draw　breath　he　was　so　worn

out；　and　his　mouth　was　parched　by　thirst。　　A　huge　black　cloud

passed　over　his　head；　but　in　vain　did　he　beg　and　beseech　her　to

let　a　drop　of　water　fall　on　him。　　He　opened　his　mouth；　but　the

black　cloud　sailed　past　and　not　as　much　as　a　drop　of　dew

moistened　his　dry　lips。



His　feet　were　torn　and　bleeding；　and　he　could　only　hold　on　now

with　his　hands。　　Evening　closed　in；　and　he　strained　his　eyes　to

see　if　he　could　behold　the　top　of　the　mountain。　　Then　he　gazed

beneath　him；　and　what　a　sight　met　his　eyes！　　A　yawning　abyss；

with　certain　and　terrible　death　at　the　bottom；　reeking　with

half…decayed　bodies　of　horses　and　riders！　　And　this　had　been　the

end　of　all　the　other　brave　men　who　like　himself　had　attempted　the

ascent。



It　was　almost　pitch　dark　now；　and　only　the　stars　lit　up　the　Glass

Mountain。　　The　poor　boy　still　clung　on　as　if　glued　to　the　glass

by　his　blood…stained　hands。　　He　made　no　struggle　to　get　higher；

for　all　his　strength　had　left　him；　and　seeing　no　hope　he　calmly

awaited　death。　　Then　all　of　a　sudden　he　fell　into　a　deep　sleep；

and　forgetful　of　his　dangerous　position；　he　slumbered　sweetly。　

But　all　the　same；　although　he　slept；　he　had　stuck　his　sharp　claws

so　firmly　into　the　glass　that　he　was　quite　safe　not　to　fall。　



Now　the　golden　apple…tree　was　guarded　by　the　eagle　which　had

overthrown　the　golden　knight　and　his　horse。　　Every　night　it　flew

round　the　Glass　Mountain　keeping　a　careful　look…out；　and　no

sooner　had　the　moon　emerged　from　the　clouds　than　the　bird　rose　up

from　the　apple…tree；　and　circling　round　in　the　air；　caught　sight

of　the　sleeping　youth。



Greedy　for　carrion；　and　sure　that　this　must　be　a　fresh　corpse；

the　bird　swooped　down　upon　the　boy。　　But　he　was　awake　now；　and

perceiving　the　eagle；　he　determined　by　its　help　to　save　himself。



The　eagle　dug　its　sharp　claws　into　the　tender　flesh　of　the　youth；

but　he　bore　the　pain　without　a　sound；　and　seized　the　bird's　two

feet　with　his　hands。　　The　creature　in　terror　lifted　him　high　up

into　the　air　and　began　to　circle　round　the　tower　of　the　castle。　

The　youth　held　on　bravely。　　He　saw　the　glittering　palace；　which

by　the　pale　rays　of　the　moon　looked　like　a　dim　lamp；　and　he　saw

the　high　windows；　and　round　one　of　them　a　balcony　in　which　the

beautiful　Princess　sat　lost　in　sad　thoughts。　　Then　the　boy　saw

that　he　was　close　to　the　apple…tree；　and　drawing　a　small　knife

from　his　belt；　he　cut　off　both　the　eagle's　feet。　　The　bird　rose

up　in　the　air　in　its　agony　and　vanished　into　the　clouds；　and　the

youth　fell　on　to　the　broad　branches　of　the　apple…tree。



Then　he　drew　out　the　claws　of　the　eagle's　feet　that　had　remained

in　his　flesh；　and　put　the　peel　of　one　of　the　golden　apples　on　the

wound；　and　in　one　moment　it　was　healed　and　well　again。　　He　pulled

several　of　the　beautiful　apples　and　put　them　in　his　pocket；　then

he　entered　the　castle。　　The　door　was　guarded　by　a　great　dragon；

but　as　soon　as　he　threw　an　apple　at　it；　the　beast　vanished。



At　the　same　moment　a　gate　opened；　and　the　youth　perceived　a

courtyard　full　of　flowers　and　beautiful　trees；　and　on　a　balcony

sat　the　lovely　enchanted　Princess　with　her　retinue。



As　soon　as　she　saw　the　youth；　she　ran　towards　him　and　greeted　him

as　her　husband　and　master。　　She　gave　him　all　her　treasures；　and

the　youth　became　a　rich　and　mighty　ruler。　　But　he　never　returned

to　the　earth；　for　only　the　mighty　eagle；　who　had　been　the

guardian　of　the　Princess　and　of　the　castle；　could　have　carried　on

his　wings　the　enormous　treasure　down　to　the　world。　　But　as　the

eagle　had　lost　its　feet　it　died；　and　its　body　was　found　in　a　wood

on　the　Glass　Mountain。　　　　　　　　　　　



　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。



One　day　when　the　youth　was　strolling　about　in　the　palace　garden

with　the　Princess；　his　wife；　he　looked　down　over　the　edge　of　the

Glass　Mountain　and　saw　to　his　astonishment　a　great　number　of

people　gathered　there。　　He　blew　his　silver　whistle；　and　the

swallow　who　acted　as　messenger　in　the　golden　castle　flew　past。



'Fly　down　and　ask　what　the　matter　is；'　he　said　to　the　little

bird；　who　sped　off　like　lightning　and　soon　returned　saying：



'The　blood　of　the　eagle　has　restored　all　the　people　below　to

life。　　All　those　who　have　perished　on　this　mountain　are　awakening

up　to…day；　as　it　were　from　a　sleep；　and　are　mounting　their

horses；　and　the　whole　population　are　gazing　on　this　unheard…of

wonder　with　joy　and　amazement。'