05-the black thief-第1章

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THE　BLACK　THIEF

AND　KNIGHT　OF　THE　GLEN。



IN　times　of　yore　there　was　a　King　and　a　Queen　in　the　south　of

Ireland　who　had　three　sons；　all　beautiful　children；　but　the

Queen；　their　mother；　sickened　unto　death　when　they　were　yet　very

young；　which　caused　great　grief　throughout　the　Court；　particularly

to　the　King；　her　husband；　who　could　in　no　wise　be　comforted。

Seeing　that　death　was　drawing　near　her；　she　called　the　King　to　her

and　spoke　as　follows：



‘I　am　now　going　to　leave　you；　and　as　you　are　young　and　in

your　prime；　of　course　after　my　death　you　will　marry　again。　Now

all　the　request　I　ask　of　you　is　that　you　will　build　a　tower　in　an

island　in　the　sea；　wherein　you　will　keep　your　three　sons　until　they

are　come　of　age　and　fit　to　do　for　themselves；　so　that　they　may　not

be　under　the　power　or　jurisdiction　of　any　other　woman。　Neglect　not

to　give　them　education　suitable　to　their　birth；　and　let　them　be

trained　up　to　every　exercise　and　pastime　requisite　for　king's　sons　to

learn。　This　is　all　I　have　to　say；　so　farewell。'



The　King　had　scarce　time；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　to　assure　her

she　should　be　obeyed　in　everything；　when　she；　turning　herself　in

her　bed；　with　a　smile　gave　up　the　ghost。　Never　was　greater

mourning　seen　than　was　throughout　the　Court　and　the　whole

kingdom；　for　a　better　woman　than　the　Queen；　to　rich　and　poor；

was　not　to　be　found　in　the　world。　She　was　interred　with　great

pomp　and　magnificence；　and　the　King；　her　husband；　became　in

a　manner　inconsolable　for　the　loss　of　her。　However；　he　caused

the　tower　to　be　built　and　his　sons　placed　in　it；　under　proper

guardians；　according　to　his　promise。



In　process　of　time　the　lords　and　knights　of　the　kingdom　counselled

the　King　（as　he　was　young）　to　live　no　longer　as　he　had　done；

but　to　take　a　wife；　which　counsel　prevailing；　they　chose　him　a　rich

and　beautiful　princess　to　be　his　consorta　neighbouring　King's

daughter；　of　whom　he　was　very　fond。　Not　long　after；　the　Queen

had　a　fine　son；　which　caused　great　feasting　and　rejoicing　at　the

Court；　insomuch　that　the　late　Queen；　in　a　manner；　was　entirely

forgotten。　That　fared　well；　and　King　and　Queen　lived　happy

together　for　several　years。



At　length　the　Queen；　having　some　business　with　the　hen…wife；

went　herself　to　her；　and；　after　a　long　conference　passed；　was　taking

leave　of　her；　when　the　hen…wife　prayed　that　if　ever　she　should　come

back　to　her　again　she　might　break　her　neck。　The　Queen；　greatly

incensed　at　such　a　daring　insult　from　one　of　her　meanest　subjects；

demanded　immediately　the　reason；　or　she　would　have　her　put　to　death。



‘It　was　worth　your　while；　madam；'　says　the　hen…wife；　‘to　pay　me

well　for　it；　for　the　reason　I　prayed　so　on　you　concerns　you　much。'



‘What　must　I　pay　you？'　asked　the　Queen。



‘You　must　give　me；'　says　she；　‘the　full　of　a　pack　of　wool；　and　I

have　an　ancient　crock　which　you　must　fill　with　butter；　likewise　a

barrel　which　you　must　fill　for　me　full　of　wheat。'



‘How　much　wool　will　it　take　to　the　pack？'　says　the　Queen。



‘It　will　take　seven　herds　of　sheep；'　said　she；　‘and　their　increase

for　seven　years。'



‘How　much　butter　will　it　take　to　fill　your　crock？'



‘Seven　dairies；'　said　she；　‘and　their　increase　for　seven　years。'



‘And　how　much　will　it　take　to　fill　the　barrel　you　have？'　says

the　Queen。



‘It　will　take　the　increase　of　seven　barrels　of　wheat　for　seven

years。'



‘That　is　a　great　quantity；'　says　the　Queen；　‘but　the　reason

must　be　extraordinary；　and　before　I　want　it；　I　will　give　you　all　you

demand。'



‘Well；'　says　the　hen…wife；　‘it　is　because　you　are　so　stupid　that

you　don't　observe　or　find　out　those　affairs　that　are　so　dangerous

and　hurtful　to　yourself　and　your　child。'



‘What　is　that？'　says　the　Queen。



‘Why；'　says　she；　‘the　King　your　husband　has　three　fine　sons　he

had　by　the　late　Queen；　whom　he　keeps　shut　up　in　a　tower　until

they　come　of　age；　intending　to　divide　the　kingdom　between　them；

and　let　your　son　push　his　fortune；　now；　if　you　don't　find　some

means　of　destroying　them；　your　child　and　perhaps　yourself　will　be

left　desolate　in　the　end。'



‘And　what　would　you　advise　me　to　do？'　said　she；　‘I　am

wholly　at　a　loss　in　what　manner　to　act　in　this　affair。'



‘You　must　make　known　to　the　King；'　says　the　hen…wife；　‘that

you　heard　of　his　sons；　and　wonder　greatly　that　he　concealed　them

all　this　time　from　you；　tell　him　you　wish　to　see　them；　and　that　it

is　full　time　for　them　to　be　liberated；　and　that　you　would　be　desirous

he　would　bring　them　to　the　Court。　The　King　will　then　do　so；　and

there　will　be　a　great　feast　prepared　on　that　account；　and　also

diversions　of　every　sort　to　amuse　the　people；　and　in　these　sports；'　said

she；　‘ask　the　King's　sons　to　play　a　game　at　cards　with　you；　which

they　will　not　refuse。　Now；'　says　the　hen…wife；　‘you　must　make　a

bargain；　that　if　you　win　they　must　do　whatever　you　command　them；

and　if　they　win；　that　you　must　do　whatever　they　command　you

to　do；　this　bargain　must　be　made　before　the　assembly；　and　here

is　a　pack　of　cards；'　says　she；　‘that　I　am　thinking　you　will　not

lose　by。'



The　Queen　immediately　took　the　cards；　and；　after　returning　the

hen…wife　thanks　for　her　kind　instruction；　went　back　to　the　palace；

where　she　was　quite　uneasy　until　she　got　speaking　to　the　King　in

regard　of　his　children；　at　last　she　broke　it　off　to　him　in　a　very

polite　and　engaging　manner；　so　that　he　could　see　no　muster　or

design　in　it。　He　readily　consented　to　her　desire；　and　his　sons　were

sent　for　to　the　tower；　who　gladly　came　to　Court；　rejoicing　that　they

were　freed　from　such　confinement。　They　were　all　very　handsome；

and　very　expert　in　all　arts　and　exercises；　so　that　they　gained　the

love　and　esteem　of　all　that　had　seen　them。



The　Queen；　more　jealous　with　them　than　ever；　thought　it　an　age

until　all　the　feasting　and　rejoicing　was　over；　that　she　might　get

making　her　proposal；　depending　greatly　on　the　power　of　the　hen…

wife's　cards。　At　length　this　royal　assembly　began　to　sport　and　play

at　all　kinds　of　diversions；　and　the　Queen　very　cunningly　challenged

the　three　Princes　to　play　at　cards　with　her；　making　bargain　with

them　as　she　had　been　instructed。



They　accepted　the　challenge；　and　the　eldest　son　and　she　played

the　first　game；　which　she　won；　then　the　second　son　played；　and

she　won　that　game　likewise；　the　third　son　and　she　then　played　the

last　game；　and　he　won　it；　which　sorely　grieved　her　that　she　had　not

him　in　her　power　as　well　as　the　rest；　being　by　far　the　handsomest

and　most　beloved　of　the　three。



However；　everyone　was　anxious　to　hear　the　Queen's　commands

in　regard　to　the　two　Princes；　not　thinking　that　she　had　any　ill

design　in　her　head　against　them。　Whether　it　was　the　hen…wife

instructed　her；　or　whether　it　was　from　her　own　knowledge；　I　cannot

tell；　but　she　gave　out　they　must　go　and　bring　her　the　Knight　of

the　Glen's　wild　Steed　of　Bells；　or　they　should　lose　their　heads。



The　young　Princes　were　not　in　the　least　concerned；　not　knowing

what　they　had　to　do；　but　the　whole　Court　was　amazed　at　her

demand；　knowing　very　well　that　it　was　impossible　for　them　ever　to

get　the　steed；　as　all　that　ever　sought　him　perished　in　the　attempt。

However；　they　could　not　retract　the　bargain；　and　the　youngest

Prince　was　desired　to　tell　what　demand　he　had　on　the　Queen；　as　he

had　won　his　game。



‘My　brothers；'　says　he；　‘are　now　going　to　travel；　and；　as　I

understand；　a　perilous　journey　wherein　they　know　not　what　road　to　take

or　what　may　happen　them。　I　am　resolved；　therefore；　not　to　stay

here；　but　to　go　with　them；　let　what　will　betide；　and　I　request　and

command；　according　to　my　bargain；　that　the　Queen　shall　stand　on

the　highest　tower　of　the　palace　until　we　come　back　（or　find　out　that

we　are　certainly　dead）；　with　nothing　but　sheaf　corn　for　her　food　and

cold　water　for　her　drink；　if　it　should　be　for　seven　years　and　longer。'



All　things　being　now　fixed；　the　three　princes　departed　the　Court

in　search　of　the　Knight　of　the　Glen's