01-the bronze ring-第1章

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THE　BRONZE　RING





Once　upon　a　time　in　a　certain　country　there　lived　a

king　whose　palace　was　surrounded　by　a　spacious　garden。

But；　though　the　gardeners　were　many　and　the　soil　was

good；　this　garden　yielded　neither　flowers　nor　fruits；　not

even　grass　or　shady　trees。



The　King　was　in　despair　about　it；　when　a　wise　old　man

said　to　him：



〃Your　gardeners　do　not　understand　their　business：　but

what　can　you　expect　of　men　whose　fathers　were　cobblers

and　carpenters？　How　should　they　have　learned　to　cultivate

your　garden？〃



〃You　are　quite　right；〃　cried　the　King。



〃Therefore；〃　continued　the　old　man；　〃you　should　send

for　a　gardener　whose　father　and　grandfather　have　been

gardeners　before　him；　and　very　soon　your　garden　will　be

full　of　green　grass　and　gay　flowers；　and　you　will　enjoy　its

delicious　fruit。〃



So　the　King　sent　messengers　to　every　town；　village；　and

hamlet　in　his　dominions；　to　look　for　a　gardener　whose

forefathers　had　been　gardeners　also；　and　after　forty　days

one　was　found。



〃Come　with　us　and　be　gardener　to　the　King；〃　they　said

to　him。



〃How　can　I　go　to　the　King；〃　said　the　gardener；　〃a　poor

wretch　like　me？〃



〃That　is　of　no　consequence；〃　they　answered。　〃Here　are

new　clothes　for　you　and　your　family。〃



〃But　I　owe　money　to　several　people。〃



〃We　will　pay　your　debts；〃　they　said。



So　the　gardener　allowed　himself　to　be　persuaded；　and

went　away　with　the　messengers；　taking　his　wife　and　his

son　with　him；　and　the　King；　delighted　to　have　found　a

real　gardener；　entrusted　him　with　the　care　of　his　garden。

The　man　found　no　difficulty　in　making　the　royal　garden

produce　flowers　and　fruit；　and　at　the　end　of　a　year　the

park　was　not　like　the　same　place；　and　the　King　showered

gifts　upon　his　new　servant。



The　gardener；　as　you　have　heard　already；　had　a　son；

who　was　a　very　handsome　young　man；　with　most　agree…

able　manners；　and　every　day　he　carried　the　best　fruit　of

the　garden　to　the　King；　and　all　the　prettiest　flowers　to　his

daughter。　Now　this　princess　was　wonderfully　pretty　and

was　just　sixteen　years　old；　and　the　King　was　beginning

to　think　it　was　time　that　she　should　be　married。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　of　an　age　to　take　a

husband；　therefore　I　am　thinking　of　marrying　you　to　the

son　of　my　prime　minister。



〃Father；〃　replied　the　Princess；　〃I　will　never　marry　the

son　of　the　minister。〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　King。



〃Because　I　love　the　gardener's　son；〃　answered　the

Princess。



On　hearing　this　the　King　was　at　first　very　angry；　and

then　he　wept　and　sighed；　and　declared　that　such　a　husband

was　not　worthy　of　his　daughter；　but　the　young

Princess　was　not　to　be　turned　from　her　resolution　to

marry　the　gardener's　son。



Then　the　King　consulted　his　ministers。　〃This　is　what

you　must　do；〃　they　said。　〃To　get　rid　of　the　gardener　you

must　send　both　suitors　to　a　very　distant　country；　and　the

one　who　returns　first　shall　marry　your　daughter。〃



The　King　followed　this　advice；　and　the　minister's　son

was　presented　with　a　splendid　horse　and　a　purse　full　of

gold　pieces；　while　the　gardener's　son　had　only　an　old　lame

horse　and　a　purse　full　of　copper　money；　and　every　one

thought　he　would　never　come　back　from　his　journey。



The　day　before　they　started　the　Princess　met　her　lover

and　said　to　him：



〃Be　brave；　and　remember　always　that　I　love　you。　Take

this　purse　full　of　jewels　and　make　the　best　use　you　can　of

them　for　love　of　me；　and　come　back　quickly　and　demand

my　hand。〃



The　two　suitors　left　the　town　together；　but　the

minister's　son　went　off　at　a　gallop　on　his　good　horse；　and　very

soon　was　lost　to　sight　behind　the　most　distant　hills。　He

traveled　on　for　some　days；　and　presently　reached　a　fountain

beside　which　an　old　woman　all　in　rags　sat　upon　a

stone。



〃Good…day　to　you；　young　traveler；〃　said　she。



But　the　minister's　son　made　no　reply。



〃Have　pity　upon　me；　traveler；〃　she　said　again。　〃I　am

dying　of　hunger；　as　you　see；　and　three　days　have　I　been

here　and　no　one　has　given　me　anything。〃



〃Let　me　alone；　old　witch；〃　cried　the　young　man；　〃I　can

do　nothing　for　you；〃　and　so　saying　he　went　on　his　way。



That　same　evening　the　gardener's　son　rode　up　to　the

fountain　upon　his　lame　gray　horse。



〃Good…day　to　you；　young　traveler；〃　said　the　beggar…

woman。



〃Good…day；　good　woman；〃　answered　he。



〃Young　traveler；　have　pity　upon　me。〃



Take　my　purse；　good　woman；〃　said　he；　〃and　mount

behind　me；　for　your　legs　can't　be　very　strong。〃



The　old　woman　didn't　wait　to　be　asked　twice；　but

mounted　behind　him；　and　in　this　style　they　reached　the

chief　city　of　a　powerful　kingdom。　The　minister's　son　was

lodged　in　a　grand　inn；　the　gardener's　son　and　the　old

woman　dismounted　at　the　inn　for　beggars。



The　next　day　the　gardener's　son　heard　a　great　noise　in

the　street；　and　the　King's　heralds　passed；　blowing　all

kinds　of　instruments；　and　crying：



The　King；　our　master；　is　old　and　infirm。　He　will　give

a　great　reward　to　whoever　will　cure　him　and　give　him

back　the　strength　of　his　youth。〃



Then　the　old　beggar…woman　said　to　her　benefactor：



〃This　is　what　you　must　do　to　obtain　the　reward　which

the　King　promises。　Go　out　of　the　town　by　the　south　gate；

and　there　you　will　find　three　little　dogs　of　different　colors；

the　first　will　be　white；　the　second　black；　the　third　red。　You

must　kill　them　and　then　burn　them　separately；　and　gather

up　the　ashes。　Put　the　ashes　of　each　dog　into　a　bag　of　its　own

color；　then　go　before　the　door　of　the　palace　and　cry　out；

‘A　celebrated　physician　has　come　from　Janina　in　Albania。

He　alone　can　cure　the　King　and　give　him　back　the

strength　of　his　youth。'　The　King's　physicians　will　say；

This　is　an　impostor；　and　not　a　learned　man；'　and　they

will　make　all　sorts　of　difficulties；　but　you　will　overcome

them　all　at　last；　and　will　present　yourself　before　the　sick

King。　You　must　then　demand　as　much　wood　as　three

mules　can　carry；　and　a　great　cauldron；　and　must　shut

yourself　up　in　a　room　with　the　Sultan；　and　when　the

cauldron　boils　you　must　throw　him　into　it；　and　there　leave

him　until　his　flesh　is　completely　separated　from　his　bones。

Then　arrange　the　bones　in　their　proper　places；　and　throw

over　them　the　ashes　out　of　the　three　bags。　The　King　will

come　back　to　life；　and　will　be　just　as　he　was　when　he　was

twenty　years　old。　For　your　reward　you　must　demand　the

bronze　ring　which　has　the　power　to　grant　you　everything

you　desire。　Go；　my　son；　and　do　not　forget　any　of　my

instructions。〃



The　young　man　followed　the　old　beggar…woman's

directions。　On　going　out　of　the　town　he　found　the　white；

red；　and　black　dogs；　and　killed　and　burnt　them；　gathering

the　ashes　in　three　bags。　Then　he　ran　to　the　palace　and

cried：



〃A　celebrated　physician　has　just　come　from　Janina　in

Albania。　He　alone　can　cure　the　King　and　give　him　back

the　strength　of　his　youth。〃



The　King's　physicians　at　first　laughed　at　the　unknown

wayfarer；　but　the　Sultan　ordered　that　the　stranger　should

be　admitted。　They　brought　the　cauldron　and　the　loads

of　wood；　and　very　soon　the　King　was　boiling　away。

Toward　mid…day　the　gardener's　son　arranged　the　bones　in

their　places；　and　he　had　hardly　scattered　the　ashes　over

them　before　the　old　King　revived；　to　find　himself　once

more　young　and　hearty。



〃How　can　I　reward　you；　my　benefactor？〃　he　cried。

〃Will　you　take　half　my　treasures？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　gardener's　son。



〃My　daughter's　hand？〃



〃NO。〃



〃Take　half　my　kingdom。〃



〃No。　Give　me　only　the　bronze　ring　which　can　instantly

grant　me　anything　I　wish　for。〃



〃Alas！〃　said　the　King；　〃I　set　great　store　by　that

marvelous　ring；　nevertheless；　you　shall　have　it。〃　And　he　gave

it　to　him。



The　gardener's　son　went　back　to　say　good…by　to　the　old

beggar…woman；　then　he　said　to　the　bronze　ring：



〃Prepare　a　splendid　ship　in　which　I　may　continue　my

journey。　Let　the　hull　be　of　fine　gold；　the　masts　of　silver；