12-the giants and herd-boy-第1章

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　THE　GIANTS　AND　THE　HERD…BOY＇12＇



＇12＇　From　the　Bukowniaer。　　Von　Wliolocki。



There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　poor　boy　who　had　neither　father　nor

mother。　　In　order　to　gain　a　living　he　looked　after　the　sheep　of　a

great　Lord。　　Day　and　night　he　spent　out　in　the　open　fields；　and

only　when　it　was　very　wet　and　stormy　did　he　take　refuge　in　a

little　hut　on　the　edge　of　a　big　forest。　　Now　one　night；　when　he

was　sitting　on　the　grass　beside　his　flocks；　he　heard　not　very　far

from　him　the　sound　as　of　some　one　crying。　　He　rose　up　and

followed　the　direction　of　the　noise。　　To　his　dismay　and

astonishment　he　found　a　Giant　lying　at　the　entrance　of　the　wood；

he　was　about　to　run　off　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him；　when

the　Giant　called　out：　'Don't　be　afraid；　I　won't　harm　you。　　On　the

contrary；　I　will　reward　you　handsomely　if　you　will　bind　up　my

foot。　　I　hurt　it　when　I　was　trying　to　root　up　an　oak…tree。'　　The

Herd…boy　took　off　his　shirt；　and　bound　up　the　Giant's　wounded

foot　with　it。　　Then　the　Giant　rose　up　and　said；　'Now　come　and　I

will　reward　you。　　We　are　going　to　celebrate　a　marriage　to…day；

and　I　promise　you　we　shall　have　plenty　of　fun。　　Come　and　enjoy

yourself；　but　in　order　that　my　brothers　mayn't　see　you；　put　this

band　round　your　waist　and　then　you'll　be　invisible。'　　With　these

words　he　handed　the　Herd…boy　a　belt；　and　walking　on　in　front　he

led　him　to　a　fountain　where　hundreds　of　Giants　and　Giantesses

were　assembled　preparing　to　hold　a　wedding。　　They　danced　and

played　different　games　till　midnight；　then　one　of　the　Giants　tore

up　a　plant　by　its　roots；　and　all　the　Giants　and　Giantesses　made

themselves　so　thin　that　they　disappeared　into　the　earth　through

the　hole　made　by　the　uprooting　of　the　plant。　　The　wounded　Giant

remained　behind　to　the　last　and　called　out；　'Herd…boy；　where　are

you？'　'Here　I　am；　close　to　you；'　was　the　reply。　　'Touch　me；'　said

the　Giant；　'so　that　you　too　may　come　with　us　under　ground。'　　The

Herd…boy　did　as　he　was　told；　and　before　he　could　have　believed　it

possible　he　found　himself　in　a　big　hall；　where　even　the　walls

were　made　of　pure　gold。　　Then　to　his　astonishment　he　saw　that　the

hall　was　furnished　with　the　tables　and　chairs　that　belonged　to

his　master。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　company　began　to　eat　and　drink。



The　banquet　was　a　very　gorgeous　one；　and　the　poor　youth　fell　to

and　ate　and　drank　lustily。　　When　he　had　eaten　and　drunk　as　much

as　he　could　he　thought　to　himself；　'Why　shouldn't　I　put　a　loaf　of

bread　in　my　pocket？　　I　shall　be　glad　of　it　to…morrow。'　　So　he

seized　a　loaf　when　no　one　was　looking　and　stowed　it　away　under

his　tunic。　　No　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　the　wounded　Giant

limped　up　to　him　and　whispered　softly；　'Herd…boy；　where　are　you？'

'Here　I　am；'　replied　the　youth。　　'Then　hold　on　to　me；'　said　the

Giant；　'so　that　I　may　lead　you　up　above　again。'　　So　the　Herd…boy

held　on　to　the　Giant；　and　in　a　few　moments　he　found　himself　on

the　earth　once　more；　but　the　Giant　had　vanished。　　The　Herd…boy

returned　to　his　sheep；　and　took　off　the　invisible　belt　which　he

hid　carefully　in　his　bag。



The　next　morning　the　lad　felt　hungry；　and　thought　he　would　cut

off　a　piece　of　the　loaf　he　had　carried　away　from　the　Giants'

wedding　feast；　and　eat　it。　　But　although　he　tried　with　all　his

might；　he　couldn't　cut　off　the　smallest　piece。　　Then　in　despair

he　bit　the　loaf；　and　what　was　his　astonishment　when　a　piece　of

gold　fell　out　of　his　mouth　and　rolled　at　his　feet。　　He　bit　the

bread　a　second　and　third　time；　and　each　time　a　piece　of　gold　fell

out　of　his　mouth；　but　the　bread　remained　untouched。　　The　Herd…boy

was　very　much　delighted　over　his　stroke　of　good　fortune；　and；

hiding　the　magic　loaf　in　his　bag；　he　hurried　off　to　the　nearest

village　to　buy　himself　something　to　eat；　and　then　returned　to　his

sheep。



Now　the　Lord　whose　sheep　the　Herd…boy　looked　after　had　a　very

lovely　daughter；　who　always　smiled　and　nodded　to　the　youth　when

she　walked　with　her　father　in　his　fields。　　For　a　long　time　the

Herd…boy　had　made　up　his　mind　to　prepare　a　surprise　for　this

beautiful　creature　on　her　birthday。　　So　when　the　day　approached

he　put　on　his　invisible　belt；　took　a　sack　of　gold　pieces　with

him；　and　slipping　into　her　room　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　he

placed　the　bag　of　gold　beside　her　bed　and　returned　to　his　sheep。　

The　girl's　joy　was　great；　and　so　was　her　parents'　next　day　when

they　found　the　sack　full　of　gold　pieces。　　The　Herd…boy　was　so

pleased　to　think　what　pleasure　he　had　given　that　the　next　night

he　placed　another　bag　of　gold　beside　the　girl's　bed。　　And　this　he

continued　to　do　for　seven　nights；　and　the　girl　and　her　parents

made　up　their　minds　that　it　must　be　a　good　Fairy　who　brought　the

gold　every　night。　　But　one　night　they　determined　to　watch；　and

see　from　their　hiding　place　who　the　bringer　of　the　sack　of　gold

really　was。



On　the　eighth　night　a　fearful　storm　of　wind　and　rain　came　on

while　the　Herd…boy　was　on　his　way　to　bring　the　beautiful　girl

another　bag　of　gold。　　Then　for　the　first　time　he　noticed；　just　as

he　reached　his　master's　house；　that　he　had　forgotten　the　belt

which　made　him　invisible。　　He　didn't　like　the　idea　of　going　back

to　his　hut　in　the　wind　and　wet；　so　he　just　stepped　as　he　was　into

the　girl's　room；　laid　the　sack　of　gold　beside　her；　and　was

turning　to　leave　the　room；　when　his　master　confronted　him　and

said；　'You　young　rogue；　so　you　were　going　to　steal　the　gold　that

a　good　Fairy　brings　every　night；　were　you？'　　The　Herd…boy　was　so

taken　aback　by　his　words；　that　he　stood　trembling　before　him；　and

did　not　dare　to　explain　his　presence。　　Then　his　master　spoke。　

'As　you　have　hitherto　always　behaved　well　in　my　service　I　will

not　send　you　to　prison；　but　leave　your　place　instantly　and　never

let　me　see　your　face　again。'　　So　the　Herd…boy　went　back　to　his

hut；　and　taking　his　loaf　and　belt　with　him；　he　went　to　the

nearest　town。　　There　he　bought　himself　some　fine　clothes；　and　a

beautiful　coach　with　four　horses；　hired　two　servants；　and　drove

back　to　his　master。　　You　may　imagine　how　astonished　he　was　to　see

his　Herd…boy　returning　to　him　in　this　manner！　　Then　the　youth

told　him　of　the　piece　of　good　luck　that　had　befallen　him；　and

asked　him　for　the　hand　of　his　beautiful　daughter。　　This　was

readily　granted；　and　the　two　lived　in　peace　and　happiness　to　the

end　of　their　lives。