40-the blue mountains-第3章

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the　world　began　to　gather。　　The　old　man　questioned　each　of　them

as　to　where　they　had　come　from；　but　there　was　not　one　of　them

that　had　come　from　the　Blue　Mountains。　　After　he　had　run　over

them　all；　however；　he　missed　a　big　Eagle　that　was　wanting；　and

wondered　that　it　had　not　come。　　Soon　afterwards　he　saw　something

big　coming　towards　him；　darkening　the　sky。　　It　kept　coming　nearer

and　growing　bigger；　and　what　was　this　after　all　but　the　Eagle？　

When　she　arrived　the　old　man　scolded　her；　and　asked　what　had　kept

her　so　long　behind。



'I　couldn't　help　it；'　she　said；　'I　had　more　than　twenty　times

further　to　come　than　any　bird　that　has　come　here　to…day。'



'Where　have　you　come　from；　then？'　said　the　old　man。



'From　the　Blue　Mountains；'　said　she。



'Indeed！'　said　the　old　man；　and　what　are　they　doing　there？'



'They　are　making　ready　this　very　day；'　said　the　Eagle；　'for　the

marriage　of　the　daughter　of　the　King　of　the　Blue　Mountains。　　For

three　years　now　she　has　refused　to　marry　anyone　whatsoever；　until

she　should　give　up　all　hope　of　the　coming　of　the　man　who　released

her　from　the　spell。　　Now　she　can　wait　no　longer；　for　three　years

is　the　time　that　she　agreed　with　her　father　to　remain　without

marrying。'



The　Irishman　knew　that　it　was　for　himself　she　had　been　waiting　so

long；　but　he　was　unable　to　make　any　better　of　it；　for　he　had　no

hope　of　reaching　the　Blue　Mountains　all　his　life。　　The　old　man

noticed　how　sad　he　grew；　and　asked　the　Eagle　what　she　would　take

for　carrying　this　man　on　her　back　to　the　Blue　Mountains。



'I　must　have　threescore　cattle　killed；'　said　she；　'and　cut　up

into　quarters；　and　every　time　I　look　over　my　shoulder　he　must

throw　one　of　them　into　my　mouth。'



As　soon　as　the　Irishman　and　the　old　man　heard　her　demand　they

went　out　hunting；　and　before　evening　they　had　killed　three…score

cattle。　　They　made　quarters　of　them；　as　the　Eagle　told　them；　and

then　the　old　man　asked　her　to　lie　down；　till　they　would　get　it

all　heaped　up　on　her　back。　　First　of　all；　though；　they　had　to　get

a　ladder　of　fourteen　steps；　to　enable　them　to　get　on　to　the

Eagle's　back；　and　there　they　piled　up　the　meat　as　well　as　they

could。　　Then　the　old　man　told　the　Irishman　to　mount；　and　to

remember　to　throw　a　quarter　of　beef　to　her　every　time　she　looked

round。　　He　went　up；　and　the　old　man　gave　the　Eagle　the　word　to　be

off；　which　she　instantly　obeyed；　and　every　time　she　turned　her

head　the　Irishman　threw　a　quarter　of　beef　into　her　mouth。



As　they　came　near　the　borders　of　the　kingdom　of　the　Blue

Mountains；　however；　the　beef　was　done；　and；　when　the　Eagle　looked

over　her　shoulder；　what　was　the　Irishman　at　but　throwing　the

stone　between　her　tail　and　her　neck！　　At　this　she　turned　a

complete　somersault；　and　threw　the　Irishman　off　into　the　sea；

where　he　fell　into　the　bay　that　was　right　in　front　of　the　King's

Palace。　　Fortunately　the　points　of　his　toes　just　touched　the

bottom；　and　he　managed　to　get　ashore。



When　he　went　up　into　the　town　all　the　streets　were　gleaming　with

light；　and　the　wedding　of　the　Princess　was　just　about　to　begin。　

He　went　into　the　first　house　he　came　to；　and　this　happened　to　be

the　house　of　the　King's　hen…wife。　　He　asked　the　old　woman　what

was　causing　all　the　noise　and　light　in　the　town。



'The　Princess；'　said　she；　'is　going　to　be　married　to…night

against　her　will；　for　she　has　been　expecting　every　day　that　the

man　who　freed　her　from　the　spell　would　come。'



'There　is　a　guinea　for　you；'　said　he；　'go　and　bring　her　here。'



The　old　woman　went；　and　soon　returned　along　with　the　Princess。　

She　and　the　Irishman　recognised　each　other；　and　were　married；　and

had　a　great　wedding　that　lasted　for　a　year　and　a　day。