03-sorid moria castle-第2部分

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and　curtsey。



Halvor　then　inquired　if　he　could　stay　there　and　have　lodging　for

the　night。　No；　that　he　certainly　could　not。　‘We　can　give　you　no

such　accommodation；'　they　said；　‘for　we　have　none　of　the　things　that

are　needful　when　a　great　lord　like　you　is　to　be　entertained。　It　will

be　better　for　you　to　go　up　to　the　farm。　It　is　not　far　off；　you　can　see

the　chimney…pots　from　here；　and　there　they　have　plenty　of　everything。'



Halvor　would　not　hear　of　that；　he　was　absolutely　determined　to

stay　where　he　was；　but　the　old　folks　stuck　to　what　they　had　said；

and　told　him　that　he　was　to　go　to　the　farm；　where　he　could　get　both

meat　and　drink；　whereas　they　themselves　had　not　even　a　chair　to

offer　him。



‘No；'　said　Halvor；　‘I　will　not　go　up　there　till　early　to…morrow

morning；　let　me　stay　here　to…night。　I　can　sit　down　on　the

hearth。'



They　could　say　nothing　against　that；　so　Halvor　sat　down　on　the

hearth；　and　began　to　rake　about　among　the　ashes　just　as　he　had

done　before；　when　he　lay　there　idling　away　his　time。



They　chattered　much　about　many　things；　and　told　Halvor　of

this　and　of　that；　and　at　last　he　asked　them　if　they　had　never　had

any　child。



‘Yes；'　they　said；　they　had　had　a　boy　who　was　called　Halvor；

but　they　did　not　know　where　he　had　gone；　and　they　could　not　even

say　whether　he　were　dead　or　alive。



‘Could　I　be　he？'　said　Halvor。



‘I　should　know　him　well　enough；'　said　the　old　woman　rising。

‘Our　Halvor　was　so　idle　and　slothful　that　he　never　did　anything　at

all；　and　he　was　so　ragged　that　one　hole　ran　into　another　all　over

his　clothes。　Such　a　fellow　as　he　was　could　never　turn　into　such　a

man　as　you　are；　sir。'



In　a　short　time　the　old　woman　had　to　go　to　the　fireplace　to　stir

the　fire；　and　when　the　blaze　lit　up　Halvor；　as　it　used　to　do　when　he

was　at　home　raking　up　the　ashes；　she　knew　him　again。



‘Good　Heavens！　is　that　you；　Halvor？'　said　she；　and　such　great

gladness　fell　on　the　old　parents　that　there　were　no　bounds　to　it。　And

now　he　had　to　relate　everything　that　had　befallen　him；　and　the　old

woman　was　so　delighted　with　him　that　she　would　take　him　up　to

the　farm　at　once　to　show　him　to　the　girls　who　had　formerly　looked

down　on　him　so。　She　went　there　first；　and　Halvor　followed　her。

When　she　got　there　she　told　them　how　Halvor　had　come　home

again；　and　now　they　should　just　see　how　magnificent　he　was。　‘He

looks　like　a　prince；'　she　said。



‘We　shall　see　that　he　is　just　the　same　ragamuffin　that　he　was

before；'　said　the　girls；　tossing　their　heads。



At　that　same　moment　Halvor　entered；　and　the　girls　were　so

astonished　that　they　left　their　kirtles　lying　in　the　chimney　corner；

and　ran　away　in　nothing　but　their　petticoats。　When　they　came

in　again　they　were　so　shamefaced　that　they　hardly　dared　to　look

at　Halvor；　towards　whom　they　had　always　been　so　proud　and

haughty　before。



‘Ay；　ay！　you　have　always　thought　that　you　were　so　pretty　and

dainty　that　no　one　was　equal　to　you；'　said　Halvor；　‘but　you　should

just　see　the　eldest　Princess　whom　I　set　free。　You　look　like　herds…

women　compared　with　her；　and　the　second　Princess　is　also　much

prettier　than　you；　but　the　youngest；　who　is　my　sweetheart；　is　more

beautiful　than　either　sun　or　moon。　I　wish　to　Heaven　they　were

here；　and　then　you　would　see　them。'



Scarcely　had　he　said　this　before　they　were　standing　by　his　side；

but　then　he　was　very　sorrowful；　for　the　words　which　they　had　said

to　him　came　to　his　mind。



Up　at　the　farm　a　great　feast　was　made　ready　for　the　Princesses；

and　much　respect　paid　to　them；　but　they　would　not　stay　there。



‘We　want　to　go　down　to　your　parents；'　they　said　to　Halvor；　‘so

we　will　go　out　and　look　about　us。'



He　followed　them　out；　and　they　came　to　a　large　pond　outside

the　farm…house。　Very　near　the　water　there　was　a　pretty　green

bank；　and　there　the　Princesses　said　they　would　sit　down　and　while

away　an　hour；　for　they　thought　that　it　would　be　pleasant　to　sit　and

look　out　over　the　water；　they　said。



There　they　sat　down；　and　when　they　had　sat　for　a　short　time

the　youngest　Princess　said；　‘I　may　as　well　comb　your　hair　a　little；

Halvor。'



So　Halvor　laid　his　head　down　on　her　lap；　and　she　combed　it；　and

it　was　not　long　before　he　fell　asleep。　Then　she　took　her　ring　from

him　and　put　another　in　its　place；　and　then　she　said　to　her　sisters：

‘Hold　me　as　I　am　holding　you。　I　would　that　we　were　at　Soria

Moria　Castle。'



When　Halvor　awoke　he　knew　that　he　had　lost　the　Princesses；

and　began　to　weep　and　lament；　and　was　so　unhappy　that　he　could

not　be　comforted。　In　spite　of　all　his　father's　and　mother's　entreaties；

he　would　not　stay；　but　bade　them　farewell；　saying　that　he　would

never　see　them　more；　for　if　he　did　not　find　the　Princess　again　he

did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　live。



He　again　had　three　hundred　dollars；　which　he　put　into　his　pocket

and　went　on　his　way。　When　he　had　walked　some　distance　he　met

a　man　with　a　tolerably　good　horse。　Halvor　longed　to　buy　it；　and

began　to　bargain　with　the　man。



‘Well；　I　have　not　exactly　been　thinking　of　selling　him；'　said　the

man；　‘but　if　we　could　agree；　perhaps'



Halvor　inquired　how　much　he　wanted　to　have　for　the　horse。



‘I　did　not　give　much　for　him；　and　he　is　not　worth　much；　he　is

a　capital　horse　to　ride；　but　good　for　nothing　at　drawing；　but　he　will

always　be　able　to　carry　your　bag　of　provisions　and　you　too；　if　you

walk　and　ride　by　turns。'　At　last　they　agreed　about　the　price；　and

Halvor　laid　his　bag　on　the　horse；　and　sometimes　he　walked　and

sometimes　he　rode。　In　the　evening　he　came　to　a　green　field；　where

stood　a　great　tree；　under　which　he　seated　himself。　Then　he　let　the

horse　loose　and　lay　down　to　sleep；　but　before　he　did　that　he　took

his　bag　off　the　horse。　At　daybreak　he　set　off　again；　for　he　did　not

feel　as　if　he　could　take　any　rest。　So　he　walked　and　rode　the　whole

day；　through　a　great　wood　where　there　were　many　green　places

which　gleamed　very　prettily　among　the　trees。　He　did　not　know

where　he　was　or　whither　he　was　going；　but　he　never　lingered　longer

in　any　place　than　was　enough　to　let　his　horse　get　a　little　food

when　they　came　to　one　of　these　green　spots；　while　he　himself　took

out　his　bag　of　provisions。



So　he　walked　and　he　rode；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　wood

would　never　come　to　an　end。　But　on　the　evening　of　the　second

day　he　saw　a　light　shining　through　the　trees。



‘If　only　there　were　some　people　up　there　I　might　warm　myself

and　get　something　to　eat；'　thought　Halvor。



When　he　got　to　the　place　where　the　light　had　come　from；　he

saw　a　wretched　little　cottage；　and　through　a　small　pane　of　glass　he

saw　a　couple　of　old　folks　inside。　They　were　very　old；　and　as　grey…

headed　as　a　pigeon；　and　the　old　woman　had　such　a　long　nose　that

she　sat　in　the　chimney　corner　and　used　it　to　stir　the　fire。



‘Good　evening　I　good　evening！'　said　the　old　hag；　‘but　what

errand　have　you　that　can　bring　you　here？　No　Christian　folk　have

been　here　for　more　than　a　hundred　years。'



So　Halvor　told　her　that　he　wanted　to　get　to　Soria　Moria　Castle；

and　inquired　if　she　knew　the　way　thither。



‘No；'　said　the　old　woman；　‘that　I　do　not；　but　the　Moon　will　be

here　presently；　and　I　will　ask　her；　and　she　will　know。　She　can

easily　see　it；　for　she　shines　on　all　things。'



So　when　the　Moon　stood　clear　and　bright　above　the　tree…tops

the　old　woman　went　out。　‘Moon！　Moon！'　she　screamed。　‘Canst

thou　tell　me　the　way　to　Soria　Moria　Castle？'



‘No；'　said　the　Moon；　‘that　I　can't；　for　when　I　shone　there；　there

was　a　cloud　before　me。'



‘Wait　a　little　longer；'　said　the　old　woman　to　Halvor；　‘for　the

West　Wind　will　presently　be　here；　and　he　will　know　it；　for　he

breathes　gently　or　blows　into　every　corner。'



‘What！　have　you　a　horse　too？'　she　said　when　she　came　in

again。　‘Oh！　let　the　poor　creature　loose　in　our　bit　of　fenced…in

pasture；　and　don't　let　it　stand　there　starving　at　our　very　door。　But

won't　you　exchange　him　with　me？　We　have　a　pair　of　old　boots

here　with　which　you　can　go　fifteen　quarters　of　a　mile　at　each　step。

You　shall　have　them　for　the　horse；　and　then　you　will　be　able　to　get

sooner　to　Soria　Moria　Castle。'



Halvor　consented　to　this　at　once；　and　the　old　woman　was　so

delighted　with　the　horse　that　she　was　ready　to　dance。　‘For　now　I；

too；　shall　be　able　to　ride　to　church；'　she　said。　Halvor　could　take　no

rest；　and　wanted　to　set　off　immediately；　but　the　old　woman　said

that　there　was　no　need　to　hasten。　‘Lie　down　on　the　bench　and

sleep　a　little；　for　we　have　no　bed　to　offer　you；'　said　she；　‘and　I　will

watch　for　the　coming　of　the　West　Wind。'



Ere　long　came　the　West　Wind；　roaring　so　loud　that　the　walls

creaked。



The　old　woman　went　out　and　cried：



‘West　Wind！　West　Wind！　Canst　thou　tell　me　the　way　to

Soria　Moria　Castle？　Here　is　one　who　would　go　thither。'



‘Yes；　I　know　it　well；'　said　the　West　Wind。　‘I　am　just　on　my

way　there　to　dry　the　clothes　for　the　wedding　which　is　to　take　place。

If　he　is　fleet　of　foot　he　can　go　with　me。'



Out　ran　Halvor。



‘You　will　have　to　make　haste　if　you　mean　to　go　with　me；'　said

the　West　Wind；　and　away　it　went　over　hill　and　dale；　and　moor　and

morass；　and　Halvor　had　enough　to　do　to　keep　up　with　it。



‘Well；　now　I　have　no　time　to　stay　with　you　any　longer；'　said

the　West　Wind；　‘for　I　must　first　go　and　tear　down　a　bit　of　spruce

fir　before　I　go　to　the　bleaching…ground　to　dry　the　clothes；　but　just

go　along　the　side　of　the　hill；　and　you　will　come　to　some　girls　who

are　standing　there　washing　clothes；　and　then　you　will　not　have　to

walk　far　before　you　are　at　Soria　Moria　Castle。'



Shortly　afterwards　Halvor　came　to　the　girls　who　were　standing

washing；　and　they　asked　him　if　he　had　seen　anything　of　the

West　Wind；　who　was　to　come　there　to　dry　the　clothes　for　the

wedding。



‘Yes；'　said　Halvor；　‘he　has　only　gone　to　break　down　a　bit　of

spruce　fir。　It　won't　be　long　before　he　is　here。'　And　then　he　asked

them　the　way　to　Soria　Moria　Castle。　The