19-jesper-第2章

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have　lost　or　that　has　been　taken　from　you　will　find　its　way　back
to　you　in　a　moment。'

Jesper　thanked　her　for　the　whistle；　though　he　did　not　see　of　what
use　it　was　to　be　to　him　just　then；　and　held　on　his　way　to　the
palace。

When　Jesper　presented　his　pearls　to　the　king　there　were
exclamations　of　wonder　and　delight　from　everyone　who　saw　them。　
It　was　not　pleasant；　however；　to　discover　that　Jesper　was　a　mere
fisher…lad；　that　wasn't　the　kind　of　son…in…law　that　the　king　had
expected；　and　he　said　so　to　the　queen。

'Never　mind；'　said　she；　'you　can　easily　set　him　such　tasks　as　he
will　never　be　able　to　perform：　　we　shall　soon　get　rid　of　him。'

'Yes；　of　course；'　said　the　king；　'really　I　forget　things
nowadays；　with　all　the　bustle　we　have　had　of　late。'

That　day　Jesper　dined　with　the　king　and　queen　and　their　nobles；
and　at　night　was　put　into　a　bedroom　grander　than　anything　of　the
kind　he　had　ever　seen。　　It　was　all　so　new　to　him　that　he　could
not　sleep　a　wink；　especially　as　he　was　always　wondering　what　kind
of　tasks　would　be　set　him　to　do；　and　whether　he　would　be　able　to
perform　them。　　In　spite　of　the　softness　of　the　bed；　he　was　very
glad　when　morning　came　at　last。

After　breakfast　was　over；　the　king　said　to　Jesper；　'Just　come
with　me；　and　I'll　show　you　what　you　must　do　first。'　　He　led　him
out　to　the　barn；　and　there　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　was　a　large
pile　of　grain。　　'Here；'　said　the　king；　'you　have　a　mixed　heap　of
wheat；　barley；　oats；　and　rye；　a　sackful　of　each。　　By　an　hour
before　sunset　you　must　have　these　sorted　out　into　four　heaps；　and
if　a　single　grain　is　found　to　be　in　a　wrong　heap　you　have　no
further　chance　of　marrying　my　daughter。　　I　shall　lock　the　door；
so　that　no　one　can　get　in　to　assist　you；　and　I　shall　return　at
the　appointed　time　to　see　how　you　have　succeeded。'

The　king　walked　off；　and　Jesper　looked　in　despair　at　the　task
before　him。　　Then　he　sat　down　and　tried　what　he　could　do　at　it；
but　it　was　soon　very　clear　that　single…　handed　he　could　never
hope　to　accomplish　it　in　the　time。　　Assistance　was　out　of　the
questionunless；　he　suddenly　thoughtunless　the　King　of　the
Ants　could　help。　　On　him　he　began　to　call；　and　before　many
minutes　had　passed　that　royal　personage　made　his　appearance。　
Jesper　explained　the　trouble　he　was　in。

'Is　that　all？'　said　the　ant；　'we　shall　soon　put　that　to　rights。'　
He　gave　the　royal　signal；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　a　stream　of　ants
came　pouring　into　the　barn；　who　under　the　king's　orders　set　to
work　to　separate　the　grain　into　the　proper　heaps。

Jesper　watched　them　for　a　while；　but　through　the　continual
movement　of　the　little　creatures；　and　his　not　having　slept　during
the　previous　night；　he　soon　fell　sound　asleep。　　When　he　woke
again；　the　king　had　just　come　into　the　barn；　and　was　amazed　to
find　that　not　only　was　the　task　accomplished；　but　that　Jesper　had
found　time　to　take　a　nap　as　well。

'Wonderful；'　said　he；　'I　couldn't　have　believed　it　possible。　
However；　the　hardest　is　yet　to　come；　as　you　will　see　to…morrow。'

Jesper　thought　so　too　when　the　next　day's　task　was　set　before
him。　　The　king's　gamekeepers　had　caught　a　hundred　live　hares；
which　were　to　be　let　loose　in　a　large　meadow；　and　there　Jesper
must　herd　them　all　day；　and　bring　them　safely　home　in　the
evening：　　if　even　one　were　missing；　he　must　give　up　all　thought
of　marrying　the　princess。　　Before　he　had　quite　grasped　the　fact
that　this　was　an　impossible　task；　the　keepers　had　opened　the
sacks　in　which　the　hares　were　brought　to　the　field；　and；　with　a
whisk　of　the　short　tail　and　a　flap　of　the　long　ears；　each　one　of
the　hundred　flew　in　a　different　direction。

'Now；'　said　the　king；　'as　he　walked　away；　'let's　see　what　your
cleverness　can　do　here。'

Jesper　stared　round　him　in　bewilderment；　and　having　nothing
better　to　do　with　his　hands；　thrust　them　into　his　pockets；　as　he
was　in　the　habit　of　doing。　　Here　he　found　something　which　turned
out　to　be　the　whistle　given　to　him　by　the　old　woman。　　He
remembered　what　she　had　said　about　the　virtues　of　the　whistle；
but　was　rather　doubtful　whether　its　powers　would　extend　to　a
hundred　hares；　each　of　which　had　gone　in　a　different　direction
and　might　be　several　miles　distant　by　this　time。　　However；　he
blew　the　whistle；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　hares　came　bounding
through　the　hedge　on　all　the　four　sides　of　the　field；　and　before
long　were　all　sitting　round　him　in　a　circle。　　After　that；　Jesper
allowed　them　to　run　about　as　they　pleased；　so　long　as　they　stayed
in　the　field。

The　king　had　told　one　of　the　keepers　to　hang　about　for　a　little
and　see　what　became　of　Jesper；　not　doubting；　however；　that　as
soon　as　he　saw　the　coast　clear　he　would　use　his　legs　to　the　best
advantage；　and　never　show　face　at　the　palace　again。　　It　was
therefore　with　great　surprise　and　annoyance　that　he　now　learned
of　the　mysterious　return　of　the　hares　and　the　likelihood　of
Jesper　carrying　out　his　task　with　success。

'One　of　them　must　be　got　out　of　his　hands　by　hook　or　crook；'　said
he。　　'I'll　go　and　see　the　queen　about　it；　she's　good　at　devising
plans。'

A　little　later；　a　girl　in　a　shabby　dress　came　into　the　field　and
walked　up　to　Jesper。

'Do　give　me　one　of　those　hares；'　she　said；　'we　have　just　got
visitors　who　are　going　to　stay　to　dinner；　and　there's　nothing　we
can　give　them　to　eat。'

'I　can't；'　said　Jesper。　　'For　one　thing；　they're　not　mine；　for
another；　a　great　deal　depends　on　my　having　them　all　here　in　the
evening。'

But　the　girl　（and　she　was　a　very　pretty　girl；　though　so　shabbily
dressed）　begged　so　hard　for　one　of　them　that　at　last　he　said：

'Very　well；　give　me　a　kiss　and　you　shall　have　one　of　them。'

He　could　see　that　she　didn't　quite　care　for　this；　but　she
consented　to　the　bargain；　and　gave　him　the　kiss；　and　went　away
with　a　hare　in　her　apron。　　Scarcely　had　she　got　outside　the
field；　however；　when　Jesper　blew　his　whistle；　and　immediately　the
hare　wriggled　out　of　its　prison　like　an　eel；　and　went　back　to　its
master　at　the　top　of　its　speed。

Not　long　after　this　the　hare…herd　had　another　visit。　　This　time
it　was　a　stout　old　woman　in　the　dress　of　a　peasant；　who　also　was
after　a　hare　to　provide　a　dinner　for　unexpected　visitors。　　Jesper
again　refused；　but　the　old　lady　was　so　pressing；　and　would　take
no　refusal；　that　at　last　he　said：

'Very　well；　you　shall　have　a　hare；　and　pay　nothing　for　it　either；
if　you　will　only　walk　round　me　on　tiptoe；　look　up　to　the　sky；　and
cackle　like　a　hen。'

'Fie；'　said　she；　'what　a　ridiculous　thing　to　ask　anyone　to　do；
just　think　what　the　neighbours　would　say　if　they　saw　me。　　They
would　think　I　had　taken　leave　of　my　senses。'

'Just　as　you　like；'　said　Jesper；　'you　know　best　whether　you　want
the　hare　or　not。'

There　was　no　help　for　it；　and　a　pretty　figure　the　old　lady　made
in　carrying　out　her　task；　the　cackling　wasn't　very　well　done；　but
Jesper　said　it　would　do；　and　gave　her　the　hare。　　As　soon　as　she
had　left　the　field；　the　whistle　was　sounded　again；　and　back　came
long…legs…and…ears　at　a　marvellous　speed。

The　next　to　appear　on　the　same　errand　was　a　fat　old　fellow　in　the
dress　of　a　groom：　　it　was　the　royal　livery　he　wore；　and　he
plainly　thought　a　good　deal　of　himself。

'Young　man；'　said　he；　'I　want　one　of　those　hares；　name　your
price；　but　I　MUST　have　one　of　them。'

'All　right；'　said　Jesper；　'you　can　have　one　at　an　easy　rate。　
Just　stand　on　your　head；　whack　your　heels　together；　and　cry
〃Hurrah；〃　and　the　hare　is　yours。'

'Eh；　what！'　said　the　old　fellow；　'ME　stand　on　my　head；　what　an
idea！'

'Oh；　very　well；'　said　Jesper；　'you　needn't　unless　you　like；　you
know；　but　then　you　won't　get　the　hare。'

It　went　very　much　against　the　grain；　one　could　see；　but　after
some　efforts　the　old　fellow　had　his　head　on　the　grass　and　his
heels　in　the　air；　the　whacking　and　the　'Hurrah'　were　rather
feeble；　but　Jesper　was　not　very　exacting；　and　the　hare　was　handed
over。　　Of　course；　it　wasn't　long　in　coming　back　again；　like　the
others。

Evening　came；　and　home　came　Jesper　with　the　hundred　hares　behind
him。　　Great　was　the　wonder　over　all　the　palace；　and　the　king　and
queen　seemed　very　much　put　out；　but　it　was　noticed　that　the
princess　actually　smiled　to　Jesper。

'Well；　well；'　said　the　king；　'you　hav