penguin island-第13节

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out　of　the　rocks　and　I　will　put　my　girdle　round　his　neck　and　lead　him　like　an　obedient　dog。〃

〃Ought　you　not　to　be　accompanied　by　a　courageous　and　pious　man　who　will　kill　the　dragon？〃　asked　Mael。

〃It　will　be　as　thou　sayest；　venerable　father。　I　shall　deliver　the　monster　to　Kraken；　who　will　stay　him　with　his　flashing　sword。　For　I　tell　thee　that　the　noble　Kraken；　who　was　believed　to　be　dead；　will　return　among　the　Penguins　and　he　shall　slay　the　dragon。　And　from　the　creature's　belly　will　come　forth　the　little　children　whom　he　has　devoured。〃

〃What　you　declare　to　me；　O　virgin；〃　cried　the　apostle；　〃seems　wonderful　and　beyond　human　power。〃

〃It　is；〃　answered　the　virgin　Orberosia。　〃But　learn；　O　Mael；　that　I　have　had　a　revelation　that　as　a　reward　for　their　deliverance；　the　Penguin　people　will　pay　to　the　knight　Kraken　an　annual　tribute　of　three　hundred　fowls；　twelve　sheep；　two　oxen；　three　pigs；　one　thousand　eight　hundred　bushels　of　corn；　and　vegetables　according　to　their　season；　and　that；　moreover；　the　children　who　will　come　out　of　the　dragon's　belly　will　be　given　and　committed　to　the　said　Kraken　to　serve　him　and　obey　him　in　all　things。　If　the　Penguin　people　fail　to　keep　their　engagements　a　new　dragon　will　come　upon　the　island　more　terrible　than　the　first。　I　have　spoken。〃



XIII。　THE　DRAGON　OF　ALCA　（Continuation　and　End）

The　people　of　the　Penguins　were　assembled　by　Mael　and　they　spent　the　night　on　the　Coast　of　Shadows　within　the　bounds　which　the　holy　man　had　prescribed　in　order　that　none　among　the　Penguins　should　be　poisoned　by　the　monster's　breath。

The　veil　of　night　still　covered　the　earth　when；　preceded　by　a　hoarse　bellowing；　the　dragon　showed　his　indistinct　and　monstrous　form　upon　the　rocky　coast。　He　crawled　like　a　serpent　and　his　writhing　body　seemed　about　fifteen　feet　long。　At　his　appearance　the　crowd　drew　back　in　terror。　But　soon　all　eyes　were　turned　towards　the　Virgin　Orberosia；　who；　in　the　first　light　of　the　dawn；　clothed　in　white；　advanced　over　the　purple　heather。　With　an　intrepid　though　modest　gait　she　walked　towards　the　beast；　who；　uttering　awful　bellowings；　opened　his　flaming　throat。　An　immense　cry　of　terror　and　pity　arose　from　the　midst　of　the　Penguins。　But　the　virgin；　unloosing　her　linen　girdle；　put　it　round　the　dragon's　neck　and　led　him　on　the　leash　like　a　faithful　dog　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　spectators。

She　had　walked　over　a　long　stretch　of　the　heath　when　Kraken　appeared　armed　with　a　flashing　sword。　The　people；　who　believed　him　dead；　uttered　cries　of　joy　and　surprise。　The　hero　rushed　towards　the　beast；　turned　him　over　on　his　back；　and　with　his　sword　cut　open　his　belly；　from　whence　came　forth　in　their　shirts；　with　curling　hair　and　folded　hands；　little　Elo　and　the　five　other　children　whom　the　monster　had　devoured。

Immediately　they　threw　themselves　on　their　knees　before　the　virgin　Orberosia；　who　took　them　in　her　arms　and　whispered　into　their　ears：

〃You　will　go　through　the　villages　saying：　'We　are　the　poor　little　children　who　were　devoured　by　the　dragon；　and　we　came　out　of　his　belly　in　our　shirts。'　The　inhabitants　will　give　you　abundance　of　all　that　you　can　desire。　But　if　you　say　anything　else　you　will　get　nothing　but　cuffs　and　whippings。　Go！〃

Several　Penguins；　seeing　the　dragon　disembowelled；　rushed　forward　to　cut　him　to　pieces；　some　from　a　feeling　of　rage　and　vengeance；　others　to　get　the　magic　stone　called　dragonite；　that　is　engendered　in　his　head。　The　mothers　of　the　children　who　had　come　back　to　life　ran　to　embrace　their　little　ones。　But　the　holy　Mael　kept　them　back；　saying　that　none　of　them　were　holy　enough　to　approach　a　dragon　without　dying。

And　soon　little　Elo；　and　the　five　other　children　came　towards　the　people　and　said：

〃We　are　the　poor　little　children　who　were　devoured　by　the　dragon　and　we　came　out　of　his　belly　in　our　shirts。〃

And　all　who　heard　them　kissed　them　and　said：

〃Blessed　children；　we　will　give　you　abundance　of　all　that　you　can　desire。〃

And　the　crowd　of　people　dispersed；　full　of　joy；　singing　hymns　and　canticles。

To　commemorate　this　day　on　which　Providence　delivered　the　people　from　a　cruel　scourge；　processions　were　established　in　which　the　effigy　of　a　chained　dragon　was　led　about。

Kraken　levied　the　tribute　and　became　the　richest　and　most　powerful　of　the　Penguins。　As　a　sign　of　his　victory　and　so　as　to　inspire　a　salutary　terror；　he　wore　a　dragon's　crest　upon　his　head　and　he　had　a　habit　of　saying　to　the　people：

〃Now　that　the　monster　is　dead　I　am　the　dragon。〃

For　many　years　Orberosia　bestowed　her　favours　upon　neatherds　and　shepherds；　whom　she　thought　equal　to　the　gods。　But　when　she　was　no　longer　beautiful　she　consecrated　herself　to　the　Lord。

At　her　death　she　became　the　object　of　public　veneration；　and　was　admitted　into　the　calendar　of　the　saints　and　adopted　as　the　patron　saint　of　Penguinia。

Kraken　left　a　son；　who；　like　his　father；　wore　a　dragon's　crest；　and　he　was　for　this　reason　surnamed　Draco。　He　was　the　founder　of　the　first　royal　dynasty　of　the　Penguins。　



BOOK　III。　THE　MIDDLE　AGES　AND　THE　RENAISSANCE

I。　BRIAN　THE　GOOD　AND　QUEEN　GLAMORGAN

The　kings　of　Alca　were　descended　from　Draco；the　son　of　Kraken；and　they　wore　on　their　heads　a　terrible　dragon's　crest；　as　a　sacred　badge　whose　appearance　alone　inspired　the　people　with　veneration；　terror；　and　love。　They　were　perpetually　in　conflict　either　with　their　own　vassals　and　subjects　or　with　the　princes　of　the　adjoining　islands　and　continents。

The　most　ancient　of　these　kings　has　left　but　a　name。　We　do　not　even　know　how　to　pronounce　or　write　it。　The　first　of　the　Draconides　whose　history　is　known　was　Brian　the　Good；　renowned　for　his　skill　and　courage　in　war　and　in　the　chase。

He　was　a　Christian　and　loved　learning。　He　also　favoured　men　who　had　vowed　themselves　to　the　monastic　life。　In　the　hall　of　his　palace　where；　under　the　sooty　rafters；　there　hung　the　heads；　pelts；　and　horns　of　wild　beasts；　he　held　feasts　to　which　all　the　harpers　of　Alca　and　of　the　neighbouring　islands　were　invited；　and　he　himself　used　to　join　in　singing　the　praises　of　the　heroes。　He　was　just　and　magnanimous；　but　inflamed　by　so　ardent　a　love　of　glory　that　he　could　not　restrain　himself　from　putting　to　death　those　who　had　sung　better　than　himself。

The　monks　of　Yvern　having　been　driven　out　by　the　pagans　who　ravaged　Brittany；　King　Brian　summoned　them　into　his　kingdom　and　built　a　wooden　monastery　for　them　near　his　palace。　Every　day　he　went　with　Queen　Glamorgan；　his　wife；　into　the　monastery　chapel　and　was　present　at　the　religious　ceremonies　and　joined　in　the　hymns。

Now　among　these　monks　there　was　a　brother　called　Oddoul；　who；　while　still　in　the　flower　of　his　youth；　had　adorned　himself　with　knowledge　and　virtue。　The　devil　entertained　a　great　grudge　against　him；　and　attempted　several　times　to　lead　him　into　temptation。　He　took　several　shapes　and　appeared　to　him　in　turn　as　a　war…horse；　a　young　maiden；　and　a　cup　of　mead。　Then　he　rattled　two　dice　in　a　dicebox　and　said　to　him：

〃Will　you　play　with　me　for　the　kingdoms　of；　the　world　against　one　of　the　hairs　of　your　head？〃

But　the　man　of　the　Lord；　armed　with　the　sign　of　the　Cross；　repulsed　the　enemy。　Perceiving　that　he　could　not　seduce　him；　the　devil　thought　of　an　artful　plan　to　ruin　him。　One　summer　night　he　approached　the　queen；　who　slept　upon　her　couch；　showed　her　an　image　of　the　young　monk　whom　she　saw　every　day　in　the　wooden　monastery；　and　upon　this　image　he　placed　a　spell。　Forthwith；　like　a　subtle　poison；　love　flowed　into　Glamorgan's　veins；　and　she　burned　with　an　ardent　desire　to　do　as　she　listed　with　Oddoul。　She　found　unceasing　pretexts　to　have　him　near　her。　Several　times　she　asked　him　to　teach　reading　and　singing　to　her　children。

〃I　entrust　them　to　you；〃　said　she　to　him。　〃And　will　follow　the　lessons　you　will　give　them　so　that　I　myself　may　learn　also。　You　will　teach　both　mother　and　sons　at　the　same　time。〃

But　the　young　monk　kept　making　excuses。　At　times　he　would　say　that　he　was　not　a　learned　enough　teacher；　and　on　other　occasions　that　his　state　forbade　him　all　intercourse　with　women。　This　refusal　inflamed　Glamorgan's　passion。　One　day　as　she　lay　pining　upon　her　couch；　her　malady　having　become　intolerable；　she　summoned　Oddoul　to　her　chamber。　He　came　in　obedience　to　her　orders；　but　remained　with　his　eyes　cast　down　towards　the　threshold　of　the　door。　With　impatience　and　grief　she　resented　his　not　looking　at　her。

〃See；〃　said　she　to　him；　〃I　have　no　more　strength；　a　shadow　is　on　my　eyes。　My　body　is　both　burning　and　freezing。〃

And　as　he　kept　silence　and　made　no　movement；　she　called　him　in　a　voice　of　entreaty：

〃Come　to　me；　come！〃

With　outstretched　arms　to　which　passion　gave　more　length；　she　endeavoured　to　seize　him　and　draw　him　towards　her。

But　he　fled　away；　reproaching　her　for　her　wantonness。

Then；　incensed　with　rage　and　fearing　that　Oddoul　might　divulge　the　shame　into　which　she　had　fallen；　she　determined　to　ruin　him　so　that　he　might　not　ruin　her。

In　a　voice　of　lamentation　that　resounded　throughout　all　the　palace　she　called　for　help；　as　if；　in　truth；　she　were　in　some　great　danger。　Her　servants　rushed　up　and　saw　the　young　monk　fleeing　and　the　queen　pulling　back　the　sheets　upon　her　couch。　They　all　cried　out　together。　And　when　King　Brian；　attracted　by　the　noise；　ent