14-the crow-第1章

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　THE　CROW＇13＇



＇13＇　From　the　Polish。　　Kletke。



Once　upon　a　time　there　were　three　Princesses　who　were　all　three

young　and　beautiful；　but　the　youngest；　although　she　was　not

fairer　than　the　other　two；　was　the　most　loveable　of　them　all。



About　half　a　mile　from　the　palace　in　which　they　lived　there　stood

a　castle；　which　was　uninhabited　and　almost　a　ruin；　but　the　garden

which　surrounded　it　was　a　mass　of　blooming　flowers；　and　in　this

garden　the　youngest　Princess　used　often　to　walk。



One　day　when　she　was　pacing　to　and　fro　under　the　lime　trees；　a

black　crow　hopped　out　of　a　rose…bush　in　front　of　her。　　The　poor

beast　was　all　torn　and　bleeding；　and　the　kind　little　Princess　was

quite　unhappy　about　it。　　When　the　crow　saw　this　it　turned　to　her

and　said：



'I　am　not　really　a　black　crow；　but　an　enchanted　Prince；　who　has

been　doomed　to　spend　his　youth　in　misery。　　If　you　only　liked；

Princess；　you　could　save　me。　　But　you　would　have　to　say　good…bye

to　all　your　own　people　and　come　and　be　my　constant　companion　in

this　ruined　castle。　　There　is　one　habitable　room　in　it；　in　which

there　is　a　golden　bed；　there　you　will　have　to　live　all　by

yourself；　and　don't　forget　that　whatever　you　may　see　or　hear　in

the　night　you　must　not　scream　out；　for　if　you　give　as　much　as　a

single　cry　my　sufferings　will　be　doubled。'



The　good…natured　Princess　at　once　left　her　home　and　her　family

and　hurried　to　the　ruined　castle；　and　took　possession　of　the　room

with　the　golden　bed。



When　night　approached　she　lay　down；　but　though　she　shut　her　eyes

tight　sleep　would　not　come。　　At　midnight　she　heard　to　her　great

horror　some　one　coming　along　the　passage；　and　in　a　minute　her

door　was　flung　wide　open　and　a　troop　of　strange　beings　entered

the　room。　　They　at　once　proceeded　to　light　a　fire　in　the　huge

fireplace；　　then　they　placed　a　great　cauldron　of　boiling　water　on

it。　　When　they　had　done　this；　they　approached　the　bed　on　which

the　trembling　girl　lay；　and；　screaming　and　yelling　all　the　time；

they　dragged　her　towards　the　cauldron。　　She　nearly　died　with

fright；　but　she　never　uttered　a　sound。　　Then　of　a　sudden　the　cock

crew；　and　all　the　evil　spirits　vanished。



At　the　same　moment　the　crow　appeared　and　hopped　all　round　the

room　with　joy。　　It　thanked　the　Princess　most　heartily　for　her

goodness；　and　said　that　its　sufferings　had　already　been　greatly

lessened。



Now　one　of　the　Princess's　elder　sisters；　who　was　very

inquisitive；　had　found　out　about　everything；　and　went　to　pay　her

youngest　sister　a　visit　in　the　ruined　castle。　　She　implored　her

so　urgently　to　let　her　spend　the　night　with　her　in　the　golden

bed；　that　at　last　the　good…natured　little　Princess　consented。　

But　at　midnight；　when　the　odd　folk　appeared；　the　elder　sister

screamed　with　terror；　and　from　this　time　on　the　youngest　Princess

insisted　always　on　keeping　watch　alone。



So　she　lived　in　solitude　all　the　daytime；　and　at　night　she　would

have　been　frightened；　had　she　not　been　so　brave；　but　every　day

the　crow　came　and　thanked　her　for　her　endurance；　and　assured　her

that　his　sufferings　were　far　less　than　they　had　been。



And　so　two　years　passed　away；　when　one　day　the　crow　came　to　the

Princess　and　said：　'In　another　year　I　shall　be　freed　from　the

spell　I　am　under　at　present；　because　then　the　seven　years　will　be

over。　　But　before　I　can　resume　my　natural　form；　and　take

possession　of　the　belongings　of　my　forefathers；　you　must　go　out

into　the　world　and　take　service　as　a　maidservant。'



The　young　Princess　consented　at　once；　and　for　a　whole　year　she

served　as　a　maid；　but　in　spite　of　her　youth　and　beauty　she　was

very　badly　treated；　and　suffered　many　things。　　One　evening；　when

she　was　spinning　flax；　and　had　worked　her　little　white　hands

weary；　she　heard　a　rustling　beside　her　and　a　cry　of　joy。　　Then

she　saw　a　handsome　youth　standing　beside　her；　who　knelt　down　at

her　feet　and　kissed　the　little　weary　white　hands。



'I　am　the　Prince；'　he　said；　'who　you　in　your　goodness；　when　I　was

wandering　about　in　the　shape　of　a　black　crow；　freed　from　the　most

awful　torments。　　Come　now　to　my　castle　with　me；　and　let　us　live

there　happily　together。'



So　they　went　to　the　castle　where　they　had　both　endured　so　much。　

But　when　they　reached　it；　it　was　difficult　to　believe　that　it　was

the　same；　for　it　had　all　been　rebuilt　and　done　up　again。　　And

there　they　lived　for　a　hundred　years；　a　hundred　years　of　joy　and

happiness。