31-minnikin-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！






MINNIKIN



THERE　was　once　upon　a　time　a　couple　of　needy　folk　who　lived

in　a　wretched　hut；　in　which　there　was　nothing　but　black　want；

so　they　had　neither　food　to　eat　nor　wood　to　burn。　But　if　they　had

next　to　nothing　of　all　else　they　had　the　blessing　of　God　so　far　as

children　were　concerned；　and　every　year　brought　them　one　more。

The　man　was　not　overpleased　at　this。　He　was　always　going　about

grumbling　and　growling；　and　saying　that　it　seemed　to　him　that

there　might　be　such　a　thing　as　having　too　many　of　these　good

gifts；　so　shortly　before　another　baby　was　born　he　went　away　into

the　wood　for　some　firewood；　saying　that　he　did　not　want　to　see　the

new　child；　he　would　hear　him　quite　soon　enough　when　he　began　to

squall　for　some　food。



As　soon　as　this　baby　was　born　it　began　to　look　about　the　room。

‘Ah；　my　dear　mother！'　said　he；　‘give　me　some　of　my　brothers'　old

clothes；　and　food　enough　for　a　few　days；　and　I　will　go　out　into　the

world　and　seek　my　fortune；　for；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　you　have　children

enough。'



‘Heaven　help　thee；　my　son！'　said　the　mother；　‘that　will　never

do；　thou　art　still　far　too　little。'



But　the　little　creature　was　determined　to　do　it；　and　begged　and

prayed　so　long　that　the　mother　was　forced　to　let　him　have　some

old　rags；　and　tie　up　a　little　food　for　him；　and　then　gaily　and　happily

he　went　out　into　the　world。



But　almost　before　he　was　out　of　the　house　another　boy　was

born；　and　he　too　looked　about　him；　and　said；　‘Ah；　my　dear　mother！

give　me　some　of　my　brothers'　old　clothes；　and　food　for　some　days；

and　then　I　will　go　out　into　the　world　and　find　my　twin　brother；　for

you　have　children　enough。'



‘Heaven　help　thee；　little　creature！　thou　art　far　too　little　for　that；'

said　the　woman；　‘it　would　never　do。'



But　she　spoke　to　no　purpose；　for　the　boy　begged　and　prayed

until　he　had　got　some　old　rags　and　a　bundle　of　provisions；　and　then

he　set　out　manfully　into　the　world　to　find　his　twin　brother。



When　the　younger　had　walked　for　some　time　he　caught　sight

of　his　brother　a　short　distance　in　front　of　him；　and　called　to　him

and　bade　him　to　stop。



‘Wait　a　minute；'　he　said；　‘you　are　walking　as　if　for　a　wager；

but　you　ought　to　have　stayed　to　see　your　younger　brother　before

you　hurried　off　into　the　world。'



So　the　elder　stood　still　and　looked　back；　and　when　the　younger

had　got　up　to　him；　and　had　told　him　that　he　was　his　brother；　he　said：

‘But　now；　let　us　sit　down　and　see　what　kind　of　food　our　mother　has

given　us；'　and　that　they　did。



When　they　had　walked　on　a　little　farther　they　came　to　a　brook

which　ran　through　a　green　meadow；　and　there　the　younger　said　that

they　ought　to　christen　each　other。　‘As　we　had　to　make　such　haste；

and　had　no　time　to　do　it　at　home；　we　may　as　well　do　it　here；'　said　he。



‘What　will　you　be　called？'　asked　the　elder。



‘I　will　be　called　Minnikin；'　answered　the　second；　‘and　you；

what　will　you　be　called？'



‘I　will　be　called　King　Pippin；'　answered　the　elder。



They　christened　each　other　and　then　went　onwards。　When　they

had　walked　for　some　time　they　came　to　a　crossway；　and　there　they

agreed　to　part；　and　each　take　his　own　road。　This　they　did；　but　no

sooner　had　they　walked　a　short　distance　than　they　met　again。　So

they　parted　once　more；　and　each　took　his　own　road；　but　in　a　very

short　time　the　same　thing　happened　againthey　met　each　other

before　they　were　at　all　aware；　and　so　it　happened　the　third　time　also。

Then　they　arranged　with　each　other　that　each　should　choose　his

own　quarter；　and　one　should　go　east　and　the　other　west。



‘But　if　ever　you　fall　into　any　need　or　trouble；'　said　the　elder；

‘call　me　thrice；　and　I　will　come　and　help　you；　only　you　must　not

call　me　until　you　are　in　the　utmost　need。'



‘In　that　case　we　shall　not　see　each　other　for　some　time；'　said

Minnikin；　so　they　bade　farewell　to　each　other；　and　Minnikin　went

east　and　King　Pippin　went　west。



When　Minnikin　had　walked　a　long　way　alone；　he　met　an　old；

old　crook…backed　hag；　who　had　only　one　eye。　Minnikin　stole　it。



‘Oh！　oh！'　cried　the　old　hag；　‘what　has　become　of　my　eye？'



‘What　will　you　give　me　to　get　your　eye　back？'　said　Minnikin。



‘I　will　give　thee　a　sword　which　is　such　a　sword　that　it　can

conquer　a　whole　army；　let　it　be　ever　so　great；'　replied　the　woman。



‘Let　me　have　it；　then；'　said　Minnikin。



The　old　hag　gave　him　the　sword；　so　she　got　her　eye　back。

Then　Minnikin　went　onwards；　and　when　he　had　wandered　on　for

some　time　he　again　met　an　old；　old　crook…backed　hag；　who　had　only

one　eye。　Minnikin　stole　it　before　she　was　aware。



‘Oh！　oh！　what　has　become　of　my　eye？'　cried　the　old　hag。



‘What　will　you　give　me　to　get　your　eye　back？'　said　Minnikin。



‘I　will　give　thee　a　ship　which　can　sail　over　fresh　water　and　salt

water；　over　high　hills　and　deep　dales；'　answered　the　old　woman。



‘Let　me　have　it　then；'　said　Minnikin。



So　the　old　woman　gave　him　a　little　bit　of　a　ship　which　was　no

bigger　than　he　could　put　in　his　pocket；　and　then　she　got　her　eye

back；　and　she　went　her　way　and　Minnikin　his。　When　he　had

walked　on　for　a　long　time；　he　met　for　the　third　time　an　old；　old

crook…backed　hag；　who　had　only　one　eye。　This　eye　also　Minnikin

stole；　and　when　the　woman　screamed　and　lamented；　and　asked

what　had　become　of　her　eye；　Minnikin　said；　‘What　will　you　give

me　to　get　your　eye　back？'



‘I　will　give　thee　the　art　to　brew　a　hundred　lasts　of　malt　in　one

brewing。'



So；　for　teaching　that　art；　the　old　hag　got　her　eye　back；　and　they

both　went　away　by　different　roads。



But　when　Minnikin　had　walked　a　short　distance；　it　seemed　to

him　that　it　might　be　worth　while　to　see　what　his　ship　could　do；　so

he　took　it　out　of　his　pocket；　and　first　he　put　one　foot　into　it；　and

then　the　other；　and　no　sooner　had　he　put　one　foot　into　the　ship　than

it　became　much　larger；　and　when　he　set　the　other　foot　into　it；　it　grew

as　large　as　ships　that　sail　on　the　sea。



Then　Minnikin　said：　‘Now　go　over　fresh　water　and　salt　water；

over　high　hills　and　deep　dales；　and　do　not　stop　until　thou　comest

to　the　King's　palace。'



And　in　an　instant　the　ship　went　away　as　swiftly　as　any　bird　in

the　air　till　it　got　just　below　the　King's　palace；　and　there　it　stood

still。



From　the　windows　of　the　King's　palace　many　persons　had　seen

Minnikin　come　sailing　thither；　and　had　stood　to　watch　him；　and

they　were　all　so　astounded　that　they　ran　down　to　see　what　manner

of　man　this　could　be　who　came　sailing　in　a　ship　through　the　air。

But　while　they　were　running　down　from　the　King's　palace；　Minnikin

had　got　out　of　the　ship　and　had　put　it　in　his　pocket　again；　for　the

moment　he　got　out　of　it；　it　once　more　became　as　small　as　it　had

been　when　he　got　it　from　the　old　woman；　and　those　who　came　from

the　King's　palace　could　see　nothing　but　a　ragged　little　boy　who　was

standing　down　by　the　sea…shore。　The　King　asked　where　he　had

come　from；　but　the　boy　said　he　did　not　know；　nor　yet　could　he　tell

them　how　he　had　got　there；　but　he　begged　very　earnestly　and

prettily　for　a　place　in　the　King's　palace。　If　there　was　nothing　else

for　him　to　do；　he　said　he　would　fetch　wood　and　water　for　the

kitchen…maid；　and　that　he　obtained　leave　to　do。



When　Minnikin　went　up　to　the　King's　palace　he　saw　that

everything　there　was　hung　with　black　both　outside　and　inside；　from

the　bottom　to　the　top；　so　he　asked　the　kitchen…maid　what　that

meant。



‘Oh；　I　will　tell　you　that；'　answered　the　kitchen…maid。　‘The

King's　daughter　was　long　ago　promised　away　to　three　Trolls；　and

next　Thursday　evening　one　of　them　is　to　come　to　fetch　her。　Ritter

Red　has　said　that　he　will　be　able　to　set　her　free；　but　who　knows

whether　he　will　be　able　to　do　it？　so　you　may　easily　imagine　what

grief　and　distress　we　are　in　here。'



So　when　Thursday　evening　came；　Ritter　Red　accompanied　the

Princess　to　the　sea…shore；　for　there　she　was　to　meet　the　Troll；　and

Ritter　Red　was　to　stay　with　her　and　protect　her。　He；　however；　was

very　unlikely　to　do　the　Troll　much　injury；　for　no　sooner　had　the

Princess　seated　herself　by　the　sea…shore　than　Ritter　Red　climbed

up　into　a　great　tree　which　was　standing　there；　and　hid　himself　as

well　as　he　could　among　the　branches。



The　Princess　wept；　and　begged　him　most　earnestly　not　to　go　and

leave　her；　but　Ritter　Red　did　not　concern　himself　about　that。　‘It

is　better　that　one　should　die　than　two；'　said　he。



In　the　meantime　Minnikin　begged　the　kitchen…maid　very　prettily

to　give　him　leave　to　go　down　to　the　strand　for　a　short　time。



‘Oh；　what　could　you　do　down　at　the　strand？'　said　the　kitchen…

maid。　‘You　have　nothing　to　do　there。'



‘Oh　yes；　my　dear；　just　let　me　go；'　said　Minnikin。　‘I　should

so　like　to　go　and　amuse　myself　with　the　other　children。'



‘Well；　well；　go　then！'　said　the　kitchen…maid；　‘but　don't　let　me

find　you　staying　there　over　the　time　when　the　pan　has　to　be　set　on

the　fire　for　supper；　and　the　roast　put　on　the　spit；　and　mind　you

bring　back　a　good　big　armful　of　wood　for　the　kitchen。'



Minnikin　promised　this；　and　ran　down　to　the　sea…shore。



Just　as　he　got　to　the　place　where　the　King's　daughter　was

sitting；　the　Troll　came　rushing　up　with　a　great　whistling　and

whirring；　and　he　was　so　big　and　stout　that　he　was　terrible　to　see；　and

he　had　five　heads。



‘Fire！'　screeched　the　Troll。



‘Fire　yourself！'　said　Minnikin。



‘Can　you　fight？'　roared　the　Troll。



‘If　not；　I　can　learn；'　said　Minnikin。



So　the　Troll　struck　at　him　with　a　great　thick　iron　bar　which　he

had　in　his　fist；　till　the　sods　flew　five　yards　up　into　the　air。



‘Fie！'　said　Minnikin。　‘That　was　not　much　of　a　blow。　Now

you　shall　see　one　of　mine。'



So　he　grasped　the　sword　which　he　had　got　from　the　old　crook…

backed　woman；　and　slashed　at　the　Troll　so　that　all　five　heads　went

flying　away　over　the　sands。



When　the　Princess　saw　that　she　was　delivered　she　was　so

delighted　that　she　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing；　and　skipped

and　danced。