28-the boys-第1节

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THE　BOYS　WITH　THE　GOLDEN　STARS

Once　upon　a　time　what　happened　did　happen：　　and　if　it　had　not
happened；　you　would　never　have　heard　this　story。

Well；　once　upon　a　time　there　lived　an　emperor　who　had　half　a
world　all　to　himself　to　rule　over；　and　in　this　world　dwelt　an　old
herd　and　his　wife　and　their　three　daughters；　Anna；　Stana；　and
Laptitza。

Anna；　the　eldest；　was　so　beautiful　that　when　she　took　the　sheep
to　pasture　they　forgot　to　eat　as　long　as　she　was　walking　with
them。　　Stana；　the　second；　was　so　beautiful　that　when　she　was
driving　the　flock　the　wolves　protected　the　sheep。　　But　Laptitza；
the　youngest；　with　a　skin　as　white　as　the　foam　on　the　milk；　and
with　hair　as　soft　as　the　finest　lamb's　wool；　was　as　beautiful　as
both　her　sisters　put　togetheras　beautiful　as　she　alone　could
be。

One　summer　day；　when　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　pouring　down　on　the
earth；　the　three　sisters　went　to　the　wood　on　the　outskirts　of　the
mountain　to　pick　strawberries。　　As　they　were　looking　about　to
find　where　the　largest　berries　grew　they　heard　the　tramp　of
horses　approaching；　so　loud　that　you　would　have　thought　a　whole
army　was　riding　by。　　But　it　was　only　the　emperor　going　to　hunt
with　his　friends　and　attendants。

They　were　all　fine　handsome　young　men；　who　sat　their　horses　as　if
they　were　part　of　them；　but　the　finest　and　handsomest　of　all　was
the　young　emperor　himself。

As　they　drew　near　the　three　sisters；　and　marked　their　beauty；
they　checked　their　horses　and　rode　slowly　by。

'Listen；　sisters！'　said　Anna；　as　they　passed　on。　　'If　one　of
those　young　men　should　make　me　his　wife；　I　would　bake　him　a　loaf
of　bread　which　should　keep　him　young　and　brave　for　ever。'

'And　if　I；'　said　Stana；　'should　be　the　one　chosen；　I　would　weave
my　husband　a　shirt　which　will　keep　him　unscathed　when　he　fights
with　dragons；　when　he　goes　through　water　he　will　never　even　be
wet；　or　if　through　fire；　it　will　not　scorch　him。'

'And　I；'　said　Laptitza；　'will　give　the　man　who　chooses　me　two
boys；　twins；　each　with　a　golden　star　on　his　forehead；　as　bright
as　those　in　the　sky。'

And　though　they　spoke　low　the　young　men　heard；　and　turned　their
horses'　heads。

'I　take　you　at　your　word；　and　mine　shall　you　be；　most　lovely　of
empresses！'　cried　the　emperor；　and　swung　Laptitza　and　her
strawberries　on　the　horse　before　him。

'And　I　will　have　you；'　'And　I　you；'　exclaimed　two　of　his　friends；
and　they　all　rode　back　to　the　palace　together。

The　following　morning　the　marriage　ceremony　took　place；　and　for
three　days　and　three　nights　there　was　nothing　but　feasting　over
the　whole　kingdom。　　And　when　the　rejoicings　were　over　the　news
was　in　everybody's　mouth　that　Anna　had　sent　for　corn；　and　had
made　the　loaf　of　which　she　had　spoken　at　the　strawberry　beds。　
And　then　more　days　and　nights　passed；　and　this　rumour　was
succeeded　by　another　onethat　Stana　had　procured　some　flax；　and
had　dried　it；　and　combed　it；　and　spun　it　into　linen；　and　sewed　it
herself　into　the　shirt　of　which　she　had　spoken　over　the
strawberry　beds。

Now　the　emperor　had　a　stepmother；　and　she　had　a　daughter　by　her
first　husband；　who　lived　with　her　in　the　palace。　　The　girl's
mother　had　always　believed　that　her　daughter　would　be　empress；
and　not　the　'Milkwhite　Maiden；'　the　child　of　a　mere　shepherd。　　So
she　hated　the　girl　with　all　her　heart；　and　only　bided　her　time　to
do　her　ill。

But　she　could　do　nothing　as　long　as　the　emperor　remained　with　his
wife　night　and　day；　and　she　began　to　wonder　what　she　could　do　to
get　him　away　from　her。

At　last；　when　everything　else　had　failed；　she　managed　to　make　her
brother；　who　was　king　of　the　neighbouring　country；　declare　war
against　the　emperor；　and　besiege　some　of　the　frontier　towns　with
a　large　army。　　This　time　her　scheme　was　successful。　　The　young
emperor　sprang　up　in　wrath　the　moment　he　heard　the　news；　and
vowed　that　nothing；　not　even　his　wife；　should　hinder　his　giving
them　battle。　　And　hastily　assembling　whatever　soldiers　happened
to　be　at　hand　he　set　off　at　once　to　meet　the　enemy。　　The　other
king　had　not　reckoned　on　the　swiftness　of　his　movements；　and　was
not　ready　to　receive　him。　　The　emperor　fell　on　him　when　he　was
off　his　guard；　and　routed　his　army　completely。　　Then　when　victory
was　won；　and　the　terms　of　peace　hastily　drawn　up；　he　rode　home　as
fast　as　his　horse　would　carry　him；　and　reached　the　palace　on　the
third　day。

But　early　that　morning；　when　the　stars　were　growing　pale　in　the
sky；　two　little　boys　with　golden　hair　and　stars　on　their
foreheads　were　born　to　Laptitza。　　And　the　stepmother；　who　was
watching；　took　them　away；　and　dug　a　hole　in　the　corner　of　the
palace；　under　the　windows　of　the　emperor；　and　put　them　in　it；
while　in　their　stead　she　placed　two　little　puppies。

The　emperor　came　into　the　palace；　and　when　they　told　him　the　news
he　went　straight　to　Laptitza's　room。　　No　words　were　needed；　he
saw　with　his　own　eyes　that　Laptitza　had　not　kept　the　promise　she
had　made　at　the　strawberry　beds；　and；　though　it　nearly　broke　his
heart；　he　must　give　orders　for　her　punishment。

So　he　went　out　sadly　and　told　his　guards　that　the　empress　was　to
be　buried　in　the　earth　up　to　her　neck；　so　that　everyone　might
know　what　would　happen　to　those　who　dared　to　deceive　the　emperor。

Not　many　days　after；　the　stepmother's　wish　was　fulfilled。　　The
emperor　took　her　daughter　to　wife；　and　again　the　rejoicings
lasted　for　three　days　and　three　nights。

Let　us　now　see　what　happened　to　the　two　little　boys。

The　poor　little　babies　had　found　no　rest　even　in　their　graves。　
In　the　place　where　they　had　been　buried　there　sprang　up　two
beautiful　young　aspens；　and　the　stepmother；　who　hated　the　sight
of　the　trees；　which　reminded　her　of　her　crime；　gave　orders　that
they　should　be　uprooted。　　But　the　emperor　heard　of　it；　and
forbade　the　trees　to　be　touched；　saying；　'Let　them　alone；　I　like
to　see　them　there！　　They　are　the　finest　aspens　I　have　ever
beheld！'

And　the　aspens　grew　as　no　aspens　had　ever　grown　before。　　In　each
day　they　added　a　year's　growth；　and　each　night　they　added　a
year's　growth；　and　at　dawn；　when　the　stars　faded　out　of　the　sky；
they　grew　three　years'　growth　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and
their　boughs　swept　across　the　palace　windows。　　And　when　the　wind
moved　them　softly；　the　emperor　would　sit　and　listen　to　them　all
the　day　long。

The　stepmother　knew　what　it　all　meant；　and　her　mind　never　ceased
from　trying　to　invent　some　way　of　destroying　the　trees。　　It　was
not　an　easy　thing；　but　a　woman's　will　can　press　milk　out　of　a
stone；　and　her　cunning　will　overcome　heroes。　　What　craft　will　not
do　soft　words　may　attain；　and　if　these　do　not　succeed　there　still
remains　the　resource　of　tears。

One　morning　the　empress　sat　on　the　edge　of　her　husband's　bed；　and
began　to　coax　him　with　all　sorts　of　pretty　ways。

It　was　some　time　before　the　bait　took；　but　at　length　even
emperors　are　only　men！

'Well；　well；'　he　said　at　last；　'have　your　way　and　cut　down　the
trees；　but　out　of　one　they　shall　make　a　bed　for　me；　and　out　of
the　other；　one　for　you！'

And　with　this　the　empress　was　forced　to　be　content。　　The　aspens
were　cut　down　next　morning；　and　before　night　the　new　bed　had　been
placed　in　the　emperor's　room。

Now　when　the　emperor　lay　down　in　it　he　seemed　as　if　he　had　grown
a　hundred　times　heavier　than　usual；　yet　he　felt　a　kind　of　calm
that　was　quite　new　to　him。　　But　the　empress　felt　as　if　she　was
lying　on　thorns　and　nettles；　and　could　not　close　her　eyes。

When　the　emperor　was　fast　asleep；　the　bed　began　to　crack　loudly；
and　to　the　empress　each　crack　had　a　meaning。　　She　felt　as　if　she
were　listening　to　a　language　which　no　one　but　herself　could
understand。

'Is　it　too　heavy　for　you；　little　brother？'　asked　one　of　the　beds。

'Oh；　no；　it　is　not　heavy　at　all；'　answered　the　bed　in　which　the
emperor　was　sleeping。　　'I　feel　nothing　but　joy　now　that　my
beloved　father　rests　over　me。'

'It　is　very　heavy　for　me！'　said　the　other　bed；　'for　on　me　lies　an
evil　soul。'

And　so　they　talked　on　till　the　morning；　the　empress　listening　all
the　while。

By　daybreak　the　empress　had　determined　how　to　get　rid　of　the
beds。　　She　would　have　two　others　made　exactly　like　them；　and　when
the　emperor　had　gone　hunting　they　should　be　placed　in　his　room。　
This　was　done　and　the　aspen　beds　were　burnt　in　a　large　fire；　till
only　a　little　heap　of　ashes　was　left。

Yet　while　they　were　burning　the　empress　seemed　to　hear　the　same
words；　which　she　alone　could　understand。

Then　she　stooped　and　gathered　up　the　ashes；　and　scattered　them　to
the　four　winds；　so　that　they　might　blow　over　fresh　lands　and
fresh　seas；　and　nothing　remain　of　them。

But　she　had　not　seen　that　where　the　fire　burnt　brightest　two
sparks　flew　up；　and；　after　floating　in　the　air　for　a　few　moments；
fell　down　into　the　great　river　that　flows　through　the　heart　of
the　country。　　Here　the　sparks　had　turned　into　two　little　fishes
with　golden　scales；　and　one　was　so　exactly　like　the　other　that
everyone　could　tell　at　the　first　glance　that　they　must　be　twins。　
Early　one　morning　the　emperor's　fishermen　went　down　to　the　river
to　get　some　fish　for　their　master's　breakfast；　and　cast　their
nets　into　the　stream。　　As　the　last　star　twinkled　out　of　the　sky
they　drew　them　in；　and　among