27-the witch and her servants-第3章

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soon　after　with　great　pomp　and　magnificence。



Three　months　of　great　happiness　followed；　when　Militza　received

one　day　an　invitation　to　visit　her　mother's　sister。



Although　the　Princess　was　very　unhappy　at　leaving　her　husband；

she　did　not　like　to　refuse　the　invitation；　and；　promising　to

return　in　seven　days　at　the　latest；　she　took　a　tender　farewell　of

the　Prince；　and　said：　'Before　I　go　I　will　hand　you　over　all　the

keys　of　the　castle。　　Go　everywhere　and　do　anything　you　like；　only

one　thing　I　beg　and　beseech　you；　do　not　open　the　little　iron　door

in　the　north　tower；　which　is　closed　with　seven　locks　and　seven

bolts；　for　if　you　do；　we　shall　both　suffer　for　it。'



Iwanich　promised　what　she　asked；　and　Militza　departed；　repeating

her　promise　to　return　in　seven　days。



When　the　Prince　found　himself　alone　he　began　to　be　tormented　by

pangs　of　curiosity　as　to　what　the　room　in　the　tower　contained。　

For　two　days　he　resisted　the　temptation　to　go　and　look；　but　on

the　third　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　and　taking　a　torch　in　his

hand　he　hurried　to　the　tower；　and　unfastened　one　lock　after　the

other　of　the　little　iron　door　until　it　burst　open。　



What　an　unexpected　sight　met　his　gaze！　　The　Prince　perceived　a

small　room　black　with　smoke；　lit　up　feebly　by　a　fire　from　which

issued　long　blue　flames。　　Over　the　fire　hung　a　huge　cauldron　full

of　boiling　pitch；　and　fastened　into　the　cauldron　by　iron　chains

stood　a　wretched　man　screaming　with　agony。



Iwanich　was　much　horrified　at　the　sight　before　him；　and　asked　the

man　what　terrible　crime　he　had　committed　to　be　punished　in　this

dreadful　fashion。



'I　will　tell　you　everything；'　said　the　man　in　the　cauldron；　'but

first　relieve　my　torments　a　little；　I　implore　you。'



'And　how　can　I　do　that？'　asked　the　Prince。



'With　a　little　water；'　replied　the　man；　'only　sprinkle　a　few

drops　over　me　and　I　shall　feel　better。'



The　Prince；　moved　by　pity；　without　thinking　what　he　was　doing；

ran　to　the　courtyard　of　the　castle；　and　filled　a　jug　with　water；

which　he　poured　over　the　man　in　the　cauldron。



In　a　moment　a　most　fearful　crash　was　heard；　as　if　all　the　pillars

of　the　palace　were　giving　way；　and　the　palace　itself；　with　towers

and　doors；　windows　and　the　cauldron；　whirled　round　the　bewildered

Prince's　head。　　This　continued　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then

everything　vanished　into　thin　air；　and　Iwanich　found　himself

suddenly　alone　upon　a　desolate　heath　covered　with　rocks　and

stones。



The　Prince；　who　now　realised　what　his　heedlessness　had　done；

cursed　too　late　his　spirit　of　curiosity。　　In　his　despair　he

wandered　on　over　the　heath；　never　looking　where　he　put　his　feet；

and　full　of　sorrowful　thoughts。　　At　last　he　saw　a　light　in　the

distance；　which　came　from　a　miserable…looking　little　hut。



The　owner　of　it　was　none　other　than　the　kind…hearted　gaunt　grey

beggar　who　had　given　the　Prince　the　bag　of　bread…crumbs　and　the

hare。　　Without　recognising　Iwanich；　he　opened　the　door　when　he

knocked　and　gave　him　shelter　for　the　night。



On　the　following　morning　the　Prince　asked　his　host　if　he　could

get　him　any　work　to　do；　as　he　was　quite　unknown　in　the

neighbourhood；　and　had　not　enough　money　to　take　him　home。



'My　son；'　replied　the　old　man；　'all　this　country　round　here　is

uninhabited；　I　myself　have　to　wander　to　distant　villages　for　my

living；　and　even　then　I　do　not　very　often　find　enough　to　satisfy

my　hunger。　　But　if　you　would　like　to　take　service　with　the　old

witch　Corva；　go　straight　up　the　little　stream　which　flows　below

my　hut　for　about　three　hours；　and　you　will　come　to　a　sand…hill　on

the　left…hand　side；　that　is　where　she　lives。'



Iwanich　thanked　the　gaunt　grey　beggar　for　his　information；　and

went　on　his　way。



After　walking　for　about　three　hours　the　Prince　came　upon　a

dreary…looking　grey　stone　wall；　this　was　the　back　of　the　building

and　did　not　attract　him；　but　when　he　came　upon　the　front　of　the

house　he　found　it　even　less　inviting；　for　the　old　witch　had

surrounded　her　dwelling　with　a　fence　of　spikes；　on　every　one　of

which　a　man's　skull　was　stuck。　　In　this　horrible　enclosure　stood

a　small　black　house；　which　had　only　two　grated　windows；　all

covered　with　cobwebs；　and　a　battered　iron　door。



The　Prince　knocked；　and　a　rasping　woman's　voice　told　him　to

enter。



Iwanich　opened　the　door；　and　found　himself　in　a　smoke…begrimed

kitchen；　in　the　presence　of　a　hideous　old　woman　who　was　warming

her　skinny　hands　at　a　fire。　　The　Prince　offered　to　become　her

servant；　and　the　old　hag　told　him　she　was　badly　in　want　of　one；

and　he　seemed　to　be　just　the　person　to　suit　her。



When　Iwanich　asked　what　his　work；　and　how　much　his　wages　would

be；　the　witch　bade　him　follow　her；　and　led　the　way　through　a

narrow　damp　passage　into　a　vault；　which　served　as　a　stable。　　Here

he　perceived　two　pitch…black　horses　in　a　stall。



'You　see　before　you；'　said　the　old　woman；　'a　mare　and　her　foal；

you　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　lead　them　out　to　the　fields　every

day；　and　to　see　that　neither　of　them　runs　away　from　you。　　If　you

look　after　them　both　for　a　whole　year　I　will　give　you　anything

you　like　to　ask；　but　if；　on　the　other　hand；　you　let　either　of　the

animals　escape　you；　your　last　hour　is　come；　and　your　head　shall

be　stuck　on　the　last　spike　of　my　fence。　　The　other　spikes；　as　you

see；　are　already　adorned；　and　the　skulls　are　all　those　of

different　servants　I　have　had　who　have　failed　to　do　what　I

demanded。'



Iwanich；　who　thought　he　could　not　be　much　worse　off　than　he　was

already；　agreed　to　the　witch's　proposal。



At　daybreak　nest　morning　he　drove　his　horses　to　the　field；　and

brought　them　back　in　the　evening　without　their　ever　having

attempted　to　break　away　from　him。　　The　witch　stood　at　her　door

and　received　him　kindly；　and　set　a　good　meal　before　him。



So　it　continued　for　some　time；　and　all　went　well　with　the　Prince。



Early　every　morning　he　led　the　horses　out　to　the　fields；　and

brought　them　home　safe　and　sound　in　the　evening。



One　day；　while　he　was　watching　the　horses；　he　came　to　the　banks

of　a　river；　and　saw　a　big　fish；　which　through　some　mischance　had

been　cast　on　the　land；　struggling　hard　to　get　back　into　the

water。



Iwanich；　who　felt　sorry　for　the　poor　creature；　seized　it　in　his

arms　and　flung　it　into　the　stream。　　But　no　sooner　did　the　fish

find　itself　in　the　water　again；　than；　to　the　Prince's　amazement；

it　swam　up　to　the　bank　and　said：



'My　kind　benefactor；　how　can　I　reward　you　for　your　goodness？'



'I　desire　nothing；'　answered　the　Prince。　　'I　am　quite　content　to

have　been　able　to　be　of　some　service　to　you。'



'You　must　do　me　the　favour；'　replied　the　fish；　'to　take　a　scale

from　my　body；　and　keep　it　carefully。　　If　you　should　ever　need　my

help；　throw　it　into　the　river；　and　I　will　come　to　your　aid　at

once。'



Iwanich　bowed；　loosened　a　scale　from　the　body　of　the　grateful

beast；　put　it　carefully　away；　and　returned　home。



A　short　time　after　this；　when　he　was　going　early　one　morning　to

the　usual　grazing　place　with　his　horses；　he　noticed　a　flock　of

birds　assembled　together　making　a　great　noise　and　flying　wildly

backwards　and　forwards。



Full　of　curiosity；　Iwanich　hurried　up　to　the　spot；　and　saw　that　a

large　number　of　ravens　had　attacked　an　eagle；　and　although　the

eagle　was　big　and　powerful　and　was　making　a　brave　fight；　it　was

overpowered　at　last　by　numbers；　and　had　to　give　in。



But　the　Prince；　who　was　sorry　for　the　poor　bird；　seized　the

branch　of　a　tree　and　hit　out　at　the　ravens　with　it；　terrified　at

this　unexpected　onslaught　they　flew　away；　leaving　many　of　their

number　dead　or　wounded　on　the　battlefield。



As　soon　as　the　eagle　saw　itself　free　from　its　tormentors　it

plucked　a　feather　from　its　wing；　and；　handing　it　to　the　Prince；

said：　'Here；　my　kind　benefactor；　take　this　feather　as　a　proof　of

my　gratitude；　should　you　ever　be　in　need　of　my　help　blow　this

feather　into　the　air；　and　I　will　help　you　as　much　as　is　in　my

power。'