27-the witch and her servants-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



but　he　himself　went　and　ordered　many　feasts　to　be　held　in　honour

of　the　preservation　of　the　wonderful　fruit。



The　whole　capital　was　in　a　stir；　and　everyone　shared　in　the

King's　joy；　the　Prince　alone　took　no　part　in　the　festivities。



While　the　King　was　at　a　banquet；　Iwanich　took　some　purses　of

gold；　and　mounting　the　quickest　horse　in　the　royal　stable；　he

sped　off　like　the　wind　without　a　single　soul　being　any　the　wiser。



It　was　only　on　the　next　day　that　they　missed　him；　the　King　was

very　distressed　at　his　disappearance；　and　sent　search…parties　all

over　the　kingdom　to　look　for　him；　but　in　vain；　and　after　six

months　they　gave　him　up　as　dead；　and　in　another　six　months　they

had　forgotten　all　about　him。　　But　in　the　meantime　the　Prince；

with　the　help　of　his　ring；　had　had　a　most　successful　journey；　and

no　evil　had　befallen　him。



At　the　end　of　three　months　he　came　to　the　entrance　of　a　huge

forest；　which　looked　as　if　it　had　never　been　trodden　by　human

foot　before；　and　which　seemed　to　stretch　out　indefinitely。　　The

Prince　was　about　to　enter　the　wood　by　a　little　path　he　had

discovered；　when　he　heard　a　voice　shouting　to　him：　'Hold；　youth！　

Whither　are　you　going？'



Iwanich　turned　round；　and　saw　a　tall；　gaunt…looking　man；　clad　in

miserable　rags；　leaning　on　a　crooked　staff　and　seated　at　the　foot

of　an　oak　tree；　which　was　so　much　the　same　colour　as　himself　that

it　was　little　wonder　the　Prince　had　ridden　past　the　tree　without

noticing　him。



'Where　else　should　I　be　going；'　he　said；　'than　through　the　wood？'



'Through　the　wood？'　said　the　old　man　in　amazement。　　'It's　easily

seen　that　you　have　heard　nothing　of　this　forest；　that　you　rush　so

blindly　to　meet　your　doom。　　Well；　listen　to　me　before　you　ride

any　further；　let　me　tell　you　that　this　wood　hides　in　its　depths　a

countless　number　of　the　fiercest　tigers；　hyenas；　wolves；　bears；

and　snakes；　and　all　sorts　of　other　monsters。　　If　I　were　to　cut

you　and　your　horse　up　into　tiny　morsels　and　throw　them　to　the

beasts；　there　wouldn't　be　one　bit　for　each　hundred　of　them。　　Take

my　advice；　therefore；　and　if　you　wish　to　save　your　life　follow

some　other　path。'



The　Prince　was　rather　taken　aback　by　the　old　man's　words；　and

considered　for　a　minute　what　he　should　do；　then　looking　at　his

ring；　and　perceiving　that　it　sparkled　as　brightly　as　ever；　he

called　out：　'If　this　wood　held　even　more　terrible　things　than　it

does；　I　cannot　help　myself；　for　I　must　go　through　it。'



Here　he　spurred　his　horse　and　rode　on；　but　the　old　beggar

screamed　so　loudly　after　him　that　the　Prince　turned　round　and

rode　back　to　the　oak　tree。



'I　am　really　sorry　for　you；'　said　the　beggar；　'but　if　you　are

quite　determined　to　brave　the　dangers　of　the　forest；　let　me　at

least　give　you　a　piece　of　advice　which　will　help　you　against

these　monsters。



'Take　this　bagful　of　bread…crumbs　and　this　live　hare。　　I　will

make　you　a　present　of　them　both；　as　I　am　anxious　to　save　your

life；　but　you　must　leave　your　horse　behind　you；　for　it　would

stumble　over　the　fallen　trees　or　get　entangled　in　the　briers　and

thorns。　　When　you　have　gone　about　a　hundred　yards　into　the　wood

the　wild　beasts　will　surround　you。　　Then　you　must　instantly　seize

your　bag；　and　scatter　the　bread…crumbs　among　them。　　They　will

rush　to　eat　them　up　greedily；　and　when　you　have　scattered　the

last　crumb　you　must　lose　no　time　in　throwing　the　hare　to　them；　as

soon　as　the　hare　feels　itself　on　the　ground　it　will　run　away　as

quickly　as　possible；　and　the　wild　beasts　will　turn　to　pursue　it。　

In　this　way　you　will　be　able　to　get　through　the　wood　unhurt。'



Iwanich　thanked　the　old　man　for　his　counsel；　dismounted　from　his

horse；　and；　taking　the　bag　and　the　hare　in　his　arms；　he　entered

the　forest。　　He　had　hardly　lost　sight　of　his　gaunt　grey　friend

when　he　heard　growls　and　snarls　in　the　thicket　close　to　him；　and

before　he　had　time　to　think　he　found　himself　surrounded　by　the

most　dreadful…looking　creatures。　　On　one　side　he　saw　the

glittering　eye　of　a　cruel　tiger；　on　the　other　the　gleaming　teeth

of　a　great　she…wolf；　here　a　huge　bear　growled　fiercely；　and

there　a　horrible　snake　coiled　itself　in　the　grass　at　his　feet。



But　Iwanich　did　not　forget　the　old　man's　advice；　and　quickly　put

his　hand　into　the　bag　and　took　out　as　many　bread…crumbs　as　he

could　hold　in　his　hand　at　a　time。　　He　threw　them　to　the　beasts；

but　soon　the　bag　grew　lighter　and　lighter；　and　the　Prince　began

to　feel　a　little　frightened。　　And　now　the　last　crumb　was　gone；

and　the　hungry　beasts　thronged　round　him；　greedy　for　fresh　prey。　

Then　he　seized　the　hare　and　threw　it　to　them。



No　sooner　did　the　little　creature　feel　itself　on　the　ground　than

it　lay　back　its　ears　and　flew　through　the　wood　like　an　arrow　from

a　bow；　closely　pursued　by　the　wild　beasts；　and　the　Prince　was

left　alone。　　He　looked　at　his　ring；　and　when　he　saw　that　it

sparkled　as　brightly　as　ever　he　went　straight　on　through　the

forest。



He　hadn't　gone　very　far　when　he　saw　a　most　extraordinary　looking

man　coming　towards　him。　　He　was　not　more　than　three　feet　high；

his　legs　were　quite　crooked；　and　all　his　body　was　covered　with

prickles　like　a　hedgehog。　　Two　lions　walked　with　him；　fastened　to

his　side　by　the　two　ends　of　his　long　beard。



He　stopped　the　Prince　and　asked　him　in　a　harsh　voice：　'Are　you

the　man　who　has　just　fed　my　body…guard？'



Iwanich　was　so　startled　that　he　could　hardly　reply；　but　the

little　man　continued：　'I　am　most　grateful　to　you　for　your

kindness；　what　can　I　give　you　as　a　reward？'



'All　I　ask；'　replied　Iwanich；　'is；　that　I　should　be　allowed　to　go

through　this　wood　in　safety。'



'Most　certainly；'　answered　the　little　man；　'and　for　greater

security　I　will　give　you　one　of　my　lions　as　a　protector。　　But

when　you　leave　this　wood　and　come　near　a　palace　which　does　not

belong　to　my　domain；　let　the　lion　go；　in　order　that　he　may　not

fall　into　the　hands　of　an　enemy　and　be　killed。'



With　these　words　he　loosened　the　lion　from　his　beard　and　bade　the

beast　guard　the　youth　carefully。



With　this　new　protector　Iwanich　wandered　on　through　the　forest；

and　though　he　came　upon　a　great　many　more　wolves；　hyenas；

leopards；　and　other　wild　beasts；　they　always　kept　at　a　respectful

distance　when　they　saw　what　sort　of　an　escort　the　Prince　had　with

him。



Iwanich　hurried　through　the　wood　as　quickly　as　his　legs　would

carry　him；　but；　nevertheless；　hour　after　hour　went　by　and　not　a

trace　of　a　green　field　or　a　human　habitation　met　his　eyes。　　At

length；　towards　evening；　the　mass　of　trees　grew　more　transparent；

and　through　the　interlaced　branches　a　wide　plain　was　visible。



At　the　exit　of　the　wood　the　lion　stood　still；　and　the　Prince　took

leave　of　him；　having　first　thanked　him　warmly　for　his　kind

protection。　　It　had　become　quite　dark；　and　Iwanich　was　forced　to

wait　for　daylight　before　continuing　his　journey。



He　made　himself　a　bed　of　grass　and　leaves；　lit　a　fire　of　dry

branches；　and　slept　soundly　till　the　next　morning。



Then　he　got　up　and　walked　towards　a　beautiful　white　palace　which

he　saw　gleaming　in　the　distance。　　In　about　an　hour　he　reached　the

building；　and　opening　the　door　he　walked　in。



After　wandering　through　many　marble　halls；　he　came　to　a　huge

staircase　made　of　porphyry；　leading　down　to　a　lovely　garden。



The　Prince　burst　into　a　shout　of　joy　when　he　suddenly　perceived

Militza　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　girls　who　were　weaving

wreaths　of　flowers　with　which　to　deck　their　mistress。



As　soon　as　Militza　saw　the　Prince　she　ran　up　to　him　and　embraced

him　tenderly；　and　after　he　had　told　her　all　his　adventures；　they

went　into　the　palace；　where　a　sumptuous　meal　awaited　them。　　Then

the　Princess　called　her　court　together；　and　introduced　Iwanich　to

them　as　her　future　husband。



Preparations　were　at　once　made　for　the　wedding；　which　was　held

soon　after　with　great　pomp　and　magnificence。



Three　months　of　great　happiness　followed；　when　Militza　received

one　day　an　in