17-the water-lily-第1章

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THE　WATER…LILY。　THE　GOLD…SPINNERS





ONCE　upon　a　time；　in　a　large　forest；　there　lived　an　old

woman　and　three　maidens。　They　were　all　three　beautiful；

but　the　youngest　was　the　fairest。　Their　hut　was　quite

hidden　by　trees；　and　none　saw　their　beauty　but　the　sun

by　day；　and　the　moon　by　night；　and　the　eyes　of　the　stars。

The　old　woman　kept　the　girls　hard　at　work；　from　morning

till　night；　spinning　gold　flax　into　yarn；　and　when　one

distaff　was　empty　another　was　given　them；　so　they　had

no　rest。　The　thread　had　to　be　fine　and　even；　and　when

done　was　locked　up　in　a　secret　chamber　by　the　old　woman；

who　twice　or　thrice　every　summer　went　a　journey。

Before　she　went　she　gave　out　work　for　each　day　of　her

absence；　and　always　returned　in　the　night；　so　that　the

girls　never　saw　what　she　brought　back　with　her；　neither

would　she　tell　them　whence　the　gold　flax　came；　nor　what

it　was　to　be　used　for。



Now；　when　the　time　came　round　for　the　old　woman　to

set　out　on　one　of　these　journeys；　she　gave　each　maiden

work　for　six　days；　with　the　usual　warning：　〃Children；

don't　let　your　eyes　wander；　and　on　no　account　speak　to　a

man；　for；　if　you　do；　your　thread　will　lose　its　brightness；

and　misfortunes　of　all　kinds　will　follow。〃　They　laughed

at　this　oft…repeated　caution；　saying　to　each　other：　〃How

can　our　gold　thread　lose　its　brightness；　and　have　we　any

chance　of　speaking　to　a　man？〃



On　the　third　day　after　the　old　woman's　departure　a

young　prince；　hunting　in　the　forest；　got　separated　from

his　companions；　and　completely　lost。　Weary　of　seeking

his　way；　he　flung　himself　down　under　a　tree；　leaving　his

horse　to　browse　at　will；　and　fell　asleep。



The　sun　had　set　when　he　awoke　and　began　once　more

to　try　and　find　his　way　out　of　the　forest。　At　last　he

perceived　a　narrow　foot…path；　which　he　eagerly　followed　and

found　that　it　led　him　to　a　small　hut。　The　maidens；　who

were　sitting　at　the　door　of　their　hut　for　coolness；　saw　him

approaching；　and　the　two　elder　were　much　alarmed；　for

they　remembered　the　old　woman's　warning；　but　the

youngest　said：　〃Never　before　have　I　seen　anyone　like

him；　let　me　have　one　look。〃　They　entreated　her　to　come

in；　but；　seeing　that　she　would　not；　left　her；　and　the　Prince；

coming　up；　courteously　greeted　the　maiden；　and　told　her

he　had　lost　his　way　in　the　forest　and　was　both　hungry　and

weary。　She　set　food　before　him；　and　was　so　delighted

with　his　conversation　that　she　forgot　the　old　woman's

caution；　and　lingered　for　hours。　In　the　meantime　the

Prince's　companions　sought　him　far　and　wide；　but　to　no

purpose；　so　they　sent　two　messengers　to　tell　the　sad　news

to　the　King；　who　immediately　ordered　a　regiment　of

cavalry　and　one　of　infantry　to　go　and　look　for　him。



After　three　days'　search；　they　found　the　hut。　The

Prince　was　still　sitting　by　the　door　and　had　been　so　happy

in　the　maiden's　company　that　the　time　had　seemed　like

a　single　hour。　Before　leaving　he　promised　to　return　and

fetch　her　to　his　father's　court；　where　he　would　make　her

his　bride。　When　he　had　gone；　she　sat　down　to　her　wheel

to　make　up　for　lost　time；　but　was　dismayed　to　find　that

her　thread　had　lost　all　its　brightness。　Her　heart　beat　fast

and　she　wept　bitterly；　for　she　remembered　the　old

woman's　warning　and　knew　not　what　misfortune　might　now

befall　her。



The　old　woman　returned　in　the　night　and　knew　by　the

tarnished　thread　what　had　happened　in　her　absence。　She

was　furiously　angry　and　told　the　maiden　that　she　had

brought　down　misery　both　on　herself　and　on　the　Prince。

The　maiden　could　not　rest　for　thinking　of　this。　At　last

she　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　resolved　to　seek　help　from

the　Prince。



As　a　child　she　had　learned　to　understand　the　speech　of

birds；　and　this　was　now　of　great　use　to　her；　for；　seeing　a

raven　pluming　itself　on　a　pine　bough；　she　cried　softly　to

it：　〃Dear　bird；　cleverest　of　all　birds；　as　well　as　swiftest

on　wing；　wilt　thou　help　me？〃　〃How　can　I　help　thee？〃

asked　the　raven。　She　answered：　〃Fly　away；　until　thou

comest　to　a　splendid　town；　where　stands　a　king's　palace；

seek　out　the　king's　son　and　tell　him　that　a　great　misfortune

has　befallen　me。〃　Then　she　told　the　raven　how　her

thread　had　lost　its　brightness；　how　terribly　angry　the　old

woman　was；　and　how　she　feared　some　great　disaster。　The

raven　promised　faithfully　to　do　her　bidding；　and；　spreading

its　wings；　flew　away。　The　maiden　now　went　home　and

worked　hard　all　day　at　winding　up　the　yarn　her　elder

sisters　had　spun；　for　the　old　woman　would　let　her　spin　no

longer。　Toward　evening　she　heard　the　raven's　〃craa；

craa；〃　from　the　pine　tree　and　eagerly　hastened　thither　to

hear　the　answer。



By　great　good　fortune　the　raven　had　found　a　wind

wizard's　son　in　the　palace　garden；　who　understood　the

speech　of　birds；　and　to　him　he　had　entrusted　the　message。

When　the　Prince　heard　it；　he　was　very　sorrowful；　and　took

counsel　with　his　friends　how　to　free　the　maiden。　Then　he

said　to　the　wind　wizard's　son：　〃Beg　the　raven　to　fly

quickly　back　to　the　maiden　and　tell　her　to　be　ready　on　the

ninth　night；　for　then　will　I　come　and　fetch　her　away。〃

The　wind　wizard's　son　did　this；　and　the　raven　flew　so

swiftly　that　it　reached　the　hut　that　same　evening。　The

maiden　thanked　the　bird　heartily　and　went　home；　telling

no　one　what　she　had　heard。



As　the　ninth　night　drew　near　she　became　very　unhappy；

for　she　feared　lest　some　terrible　mischance　should　arise

and　ruin　all。　On　this　night　she　crept　quietly　out　of　the

house　and　waited　trembling　at　some　little　distance　from

the　hut。　Presently　she　heard　the　muffled　tramp　of　horses；

and　soon　the　armed　troop　appeared；　led　by　the　Prince；

who　had　prudently　marked　all　the　trees　beforehand；　in

order　to　know　the　way。　When　he　saw　the　maiden　he

sprang　from　his　horse；　lifted　her　into　the　saddle；　and　then；

mounting　behind；　rode　homeward。　The　moon　shone　so

brightly　that　they　had　no　difficulty　in　seeing　the　marked

trees。



By　and　by　the　coming　of　dawn　loosened　the　tongues　of

all　the　birds；　and；　had　the　Prince　only　known　what　they

were　saying；　or　the　maiden　been　listening；　they　might

have　been　spared　much　sorrow；　but　they　were　thinking

only　of　each　other；　and　when　they　came　out　of　the　forest

the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens。



Next　morning；　when　the　youngest　girl　did　not　come　to

her　work；　the　old　woman　asked　where　she　was。　The

sisters　pretended　not　to　know；　but　the　old　woman　easily

guessed　what　had　happened；　and；　as　she　was　in　reality　a

wicked　witch；　determined　to　punish　the　fugitives。

Accordingly；　she　collected　nine　different　kinds　of　enchanters'

nightshade；　added　some　salt；　which　she　first　bewitched；

and；　doing　all　up　in　a　cloth　into　the　shape　of　a　fluffy　ball；

sent　it　after　them　on　the　wings　of　the　wind；　saying：



　　〃Whirlwind！mother　of　the　wind！

　　Lend　thy　aid　'gainst　her　who　sinned！

　　Carry　with　thee　this　magic　ball。

　　Cast　her　from　his　arms　for　ever；

　　Bury　her　in　the　rippling　river。〃





At　midday　the　Prince　and　his　men　came　to　a　deep

river；　spanned　by　so　narrow　a　bridge　that　only　one　rider

could　cross　at　a　time。　The　horse　on　which　the　Prince　and

the　maiden　were　riding　had　just　reached　the　middle　when

the　magic　ball　flew　by。　The　horse　in　its　fright　suddenly

reared；　and　before　anyone　could　stop　it　flung　the　maiden

into　the　swift　current　below。　The　Prince　tried　to　jump

in　after　her；　but　his　men　held　him　back；　and　in　spite　of　his

struggles　led　him　home；　where　for　six　weeks　he　shut　himself

up　in　a　secret　chamber；　and　would　neither　eat　nor

drink；　so　great　was　his　grief。　At　last　he　became　so　ill　his

life　was　despaired　of；　and　in　great　alarm　the　King　caused

all　the　wizards　of　his　country　to　be　summoned。　But　none

could　cure　him。　At　last　the　wind　wizard's　son　said　to　the

King：　〃Send　for　the　old　wizard　from　Finland　he　knows

more　than　all　the　wizards　of　your　kingdom　put　together。〃

A　messenger　was　at　once　sent　to　Finland；　and　a　week　later

the　old　wizard　himself　arrived　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。