soup from a sausage skewer-第4章

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the　little　mouse；　〃and　I　watched　my　opportunity；　and　slipped　into

his　apartment；　for　there　is　a　mouse…hole　to　be　found　behind　every

closed　door。　The　prisoner　looked　pale；　he　had　a　great　beard　and　large；

sparkling　eyes。　There　was　a　lamp　burning；　but　the　walls　were　so

black　that　they　only　looked　the　blacker　for　it。　The　prisoner　scratched

pictures　and　verses　with　white　chalk　on　the　black　walls；　but　I　did　not

read　the　verses。　I　think　he　found　his　confinement　wearisome；　so　that　I

was　a　welcome　guest。　He　enticed　me　with　bread…crumbs；　with

whistling；　and　with　gentle　words；　and　seemed　so　friendly　towards　me；

that　by　degrees　I　gained　confidence　in　him；　and　we　became　friends；

he　divided　his　bread　and　water　with　me；　gave　me　cheese　and　sausage；

and　I　really　began　to　love　him。　Altogether；　I　must　own　that　it　was　a

very　pleasant　intimacy。　He　let　me　run　about　on　his　hand；　and　on　his

arm；　and　into　his　sleeve；　and　I　even　crept　into　his　beard；　and　he

called　me　his　little　friend。　I　forgot　what　I　had　come　out　into　the

world　for；　forgot　my　sausage　skewer　which　I　had　laid　in　a　crack　in　the

floor…　it　is　lying　there　still。　I　wished　to　stay　with　him　always　where

I　was；　for　I　knew　that　if　I　went　away　the　poor　prisoner　would　have

no　one　to　be　his　friend；　which　is　a　sad　thing。　I　stayed；　but　he　did

not。　He　spoke　to　me　so　mournfully　for　the　last　time；　gave　me　double　as

much　bread　and　cheese　as　usual；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　me。　Then　he

went　away；　and　never　came　back。　I　know　nothing　more　of　his　history。

　　　　〃The　jailer　took　possession　of　me　now。　He　said　something　about

soup　from　a　sausage　skewer；　but　I　could　not　trust　him。　He　took　me　in

his　hand　certainly；　but　it　was　to　place　me　in　a　cage　like　a

tread…mill。　Oh　how　dreadful　it　was！　I　had　to　run　round　and　round

without　getting　any　farther　in　advance；　and　only　to　make　everybody

laugh。　The　jailer's　grand…daughter　was　a　charming　little　thing。　She

had　curly　hair　like　the　brightest　gold；　merry　eyes；　and　such　a　smiling

mouth。

　　　　〃'You　poor　little　mouse；'　said　she；　one　day　as　she　peeped　into

my　cage；　'I　will　set　you　free。'　She　then　drew　forth　the　iron

fastening；　and　I　sprang　out　on　the　window…sill；　and　from　thence　to　the

roof。　Free！　free！　that　was　all　I　could　think　of；　not　of　the　object

of　my　journey。　It　grew　dark；　and　as　night　was　coming　on　I　found　a

lodging　in　an　old　tower；　where　dwelt　a　watchman　and　an　owl。　I　had　no

confidence　in　either　of　them；　least　of　all　in　the　owl；　which　is　like　a

cat；　and　has　a　great　failing；　for　she　eats　mice。　One　may　however　be

mistaken　sometimes；　and　so　was　I；　for　this　was　a　respectable　and

well…educated　old　owl；　who　knew　more　than　the　watchman；　and　even　as

much　as　I　did　myself。　The　young　owls　made　a　great　fuss　about

everything；　but　the　only　rough　words　she　would　say　to　them　were；

'You　had　better　go　and　make　some　soup　from　sausage　skewers。'　She　was

very　indulgent　and　loving　to　her　children。　Her　conduct　gave　me　such

confidence　in　her；　that　from　the　crack　where　I　sat　I　called　out

'squeak。'　This　confidence　of　mine　pleased　her　so　much　that　she　assured

me　she　would　take　me　under　her　own　protection；　and　that　not　a　creature

should　do　me　harm。　The　fact　was；　she　wickedly　meant　to　keep　me　in

reserve　for　her　own　eating　in　winter；　when　food　would　be　scarce。　Yet

she　was　a　very　clever　lady…owl；　she　explained　to　me　that　the

watchman　could　only　hoot　with　the　horn　that　hung　loose　at　his　side；

and　then　she　said　he　is　so　terribly　proud　of　it；　that　he　imagines

himself　an　owl　in　the　tower；…　wants　to　do　great　things；　but　only

succeeds　in　small；　all　soup　on　a　sausage　skewer。　Then　I　begged　the　owl

to　give　me　the　recipe　for　this　soup。　'Soup　from　a　sausage　skewer；'

said　she；　'is　only　a　proverb　amongst　mankind；　and　may　be　understood　in

many　ways。　Each　believes　his　own　way　the　best；　and　after　all；　the

proverb　signifies　nothing。'　'Nothing！'　I　exclaimed。　I　was　quite

struck。　Truth　is　not　always　agreeable；　but　truth　is　above　everything

else；　as　the　old　owl　said。　I　thought　over　all　this；　and　saw　quite

plainly　that　if　truth　was　really　so　far　above　everything　else；　it　must

be　much　more　valuable　than　soup　from　a　sausage　skewer。　So　I　hastened

to　get　away；　that　I　might　be　home　in　time；　and　bring　what　was

highest　and　best；　and　above　everything…　namely；　the　truth。　The　mice

are　an　enlightened　people；　and　the　mouse…king　is　above　them　all。　He　is

therefore　capable　of　making　me　queen　for　the　sake　of　truth。〃

　　　　〃Your　truth　is　a　falsehood；〃　said　the　mouse　who　had　not　yet

spoken；　〃I　can　prepare　the　soup；　and　I　mean　to　do　so。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HOW　IT　WAS　PREPARED



　　　　〃I　did　not　travel；〃　said　the　third　mouse；　〃I　stayed　in　this

country：　that　was　the　right　way。　One　gains　nothing　by　travelling…

everything　can　be　acquired　here　quite　as　easily；　so　I　stayed　at

home。　I　have　not　obtained　what　I　know　from　supernatural　beings。　I　have

neither　swallowed　it；　nor　learnt　it　from　conversing　with　owls。　I

have　got　it　all　from　my　reflections　and　thoughts。　Will　you　now　set　the

kettle　on　the　fire…　so？　Now　pour　the　water　in…　quite　full…　up　to　the

brim；　place　it　on　the　fire；　make　up　a　good　blaze；　keep　it　burning；

that　the　water　may　boil；　it　must　boil　over　and　over。　There；　now　I

throw　in　the　skewer。　Will　the　mouse…king　be　pleased　now　to　dip　his

tail　into　the　boiling　water；　and　stir　it　round　with　the　tail。　The

longer　the　king　stirs　it；　the　stronger　the　soup　will　become。　Nothing

more　is　necessary；　only　to　stir　it。〃

　　　　〃Can　no　one　else　do　this？〃　asked　the　king。

　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　mouse；　〃only　in　the　tail　of　the　mouse…king　is

this　power　contained。〃

　　　　And　the　water　boiled　and　bubbled；　as　the　mouse…king　stood　close

beside　the　kettle。　It　seemed　rather　a　dangerous　performance；　but　he

turned　round；　and　put　out　his　tail；　as　mice　do　in　a　dairy；　when　they

wish　to　skim　the　cream　from　a　pan　of　milk　with　their　tails　and

afterwards　lick　it　off。　But　the　mous