01-the bronze ring-第3节

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each　other。



The　mouse　with　the　cropped　ears　found　a　lamp　full　of

oil　and　a　bottle　full　of　pepper。　So　she　dipped　her　tail　first

in　the　oil　and　then　in　the　pepper；　and　held　it　to　the

sorcerer's　nose。



〃Atisha！　atisha！〃　sneezed　the　old　man；　but　he　did　not

wake；　and　the　shock　made　the　bronze　ring　jump　out　of　his

mouth。　Quick　as　thought　the　lame　mouse　snatched　up　the

precious　talisman　and　carried　it　off　to　the　boat。



Imagine　the　despair　of　the　magician　when　he　awoke　and

the　bronze　ring　was　nowhere　to　be　found！



But　by　that　time　our　three　mice　had　set　sail　with　their

prize。　A　favoring　breeze　was　carrying　them　toward　the

island　where　the　queen　of　the　mice　was　awaiting　them。

Naturally　they　began　to　talk　about　the　bronze　ring。



〃Which　of　us　deserves　the　most　credit？〃　they　cried　all

at　once。



〃I　do；〃　said　the　blind　mouse；　〃for　without　my

watchfulness　our　boat　would　have　drifted　away　to　the　open　sea。〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　cried　the　mouse　with　the　cropped　ears；

〃the　credit　is　mine。　Did　I　not　cause　the　ring　to　jump　out

of　the　man's　mouth？〃



〃No；　it　is　mine；〃　cried　the　lame　one；　〃for　I　ran　off　with

the　ring。〃



And　from　high　words　they　soon　came　to　blows；　and；

alas！　when　the　quarrel　was　fiercest　the　bronze　ring　fell　into

the　sea。



〃How　are　we　to　face　our　queen；〃　said　the　three　mice

〃when　by　our　folly　we　have　lost　the　talisman　and　condemned

our　people　to　be　utterly　exterminated？　We　cannot

go　back　to　our　country；　let　us　land　on　this　desert

island　and　there　end　our　miserable　lives。〃　No　sooner　said

than　done。　The　boat　reached　the　island；　and　the　mice

landed。



The　blind　mouse　was　speedily　deserted　by　her　two

sisters；　who　went　off　to　hunt　flies；　but　as　she　wandered

sadly　along　the　shore　she　found　a　dead　fish；　and　was　eating

it；　when　she　felt　something　very　hard。　At　her　cries　the

other　two　mice　ran　up。



〃It　is　the　bronze　ring！　It　is　the　talisman！〃　they　cried

joyfully；　and；　getting　into　their　boat　again；　they　soon

reached　the　mouse　island。　It　was　time　they　did；　for　the

captain　was　just　going　to　land　his　cargo　of　cats；　when　a

deputation　of　mice　brought　him　the　precious　bronze　ring。



〃Bronze　ring；〃　commanded　the　young　man；　〃obey　thy

master。　Let　my　ship　appear　as　it　was　before。〃



Immediately　the　genii　of　the　ring　set　to　work；　and　the

old　black　vessel　became　once　more　the　wonderful　golden

ship　with　sails　of　brocade；　the　handsome　sailors　ran　to　the

silver　masts　and　the　silken　ropes；　and　very　soon　they　set

sail　for　the　capital。



Ah！　how　merrily　the　sailors　sang　as　they　flew　over　the

glassy　sea！



At　last　the　port　was　reached。



The　captain　landed　and　ran　to　the　palace；　where　he

found　the　wicked　old　man　asleep。　The　Princess　clasped

her　husband　in　a　long　embrace。　The　magician　tried　to

escape；　but　he　was　seized　and　bound　with　strong　cords。



The　next　day　the　sorcerer；　tied　to　the　tail　of　a　savage

mule　loaded　with　nuts；　was　broken　into　as　many　pieces　as

there　were　nuts　upon　the　mule's　back。＇1＇





＇1＇　Traditions　Populaires　de　l'Asie　Mineure。　Carnoy　et

Nicolaides。　Paris：　Maisonneuve；　1889。