the travelling companion-第4章

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little　pages　offered　them　gingerbread　nuts　and　sweetmeats；　but　the　old

king　was　so　unhappy　he　could　eat　nothing；　and　besides；　gingerbread

nuts　were　too　hard　for　him。　It　was　decided　that　John　should　come　to

the　palace　the　next　day；　when　the　judges　and　the　whole　of　the

counsellors　would　be　present；　to　try　if　he　could　guess　the　first

riddle。　If　he　succeeded；　he　would　have　to　come　a　second　time；　but　if

not；　he　would　lose　his　life；…　and　no　one　had　ever　been　able　to　guess

even　one。　However；　John　was　not　at　all　anxious　about　the　result　of　his

trial；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　very　merry。　He　thought　only　of　the

beautiful　princess；　and　believed　that　in　some　way　he　should　have　help；

but　how　he　knew　not；　and　did　not　like　to　think　about　it；　so　he

danced　along　the　high…road　as　he　went　back　to　the　inn；　where　he　had

left　his　fellow…traveller　waiting　for　him。　John　could　not　refrain　from

telling　him　how　gracious　the　princess　had　been；　and　how　beautiful

she　looked。　He　longed　for　the　next　day　so　much；　that　he　might　go　to

the　palace　and　try　his　luck　at　guessing　the　riddles。　But　his　comrade

shook　his　head；　and　looked　very　mournful。　〃I　do　so　wish　you　to　do

well；〃　said　he；　〃we　might　have　continued　together　much　longer；　and　now

I　am　likely　to　lose　you；　you　poor　dear　John！　I　could　shed　tears；　but　I

will　not　make　you　unhappy　on　the　last　night　we　may　be　together。　We

will　be　merry；　really　merry　this　evening；　to…morrow；　after　you　are

gone；　shall　be　able　to　weep　undisturbed。〃

　　　　It　was　very　quickly　known　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　that

another　suitor　had　arrived　for　the　princess；　and　there　was　great

sorrow　in　consequence。　The　theatre　remained　closed；　the　women　who　sold

sweetmeats　tied　crape　round　the　sugar…sticks；　and　the　king　and　the

priests　were　on　their　knees　in　the　church。　There　was　a　great

lamentation；　for　no　one　expected　John　to　succeed　better　than　those　who

had　been　suitors　before。

　　　　In　the　evening　John's　comrade　prepared　a　large　bowl　of　punch；

and　said；　〃Now　let　us　be　merry；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　the

princess。〃　But　after　drinking　two　glasses；　John　became　so　sleepy；　that

he　could　not　keep　his　eyes　open；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　Then　his

fellow…traveller　lifted　him　gently　out　of　his　chair；　and　laid　him　on

the　bed；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　quite　dark；　he　took　the　two　large　wings

which　he　had　cut　from　the　dead　swan；　and　tied　them　firmly　to　his　own

shoulders。　Then　he　put　into　his　pocket　the　largest　of　the　three　rods

which　he　had　obtained　from　the　old　woman　who　had　fallen　and　broken　her

leg。　After　this　he　opened　the　window；　and　flew　away　over　the　town；

straight　towards　the　palace；　and　seated　himself　in　a　corner；　under　the

window　which　looked　into　the　bedroom　of　the　princess。

　　　　The　town　was　perfectly　still　when　the　clocks　struck　a　quarter　to

twelve。　Presently　the　window　opened；　and　the　princess；　who　had　large

black　wings　to　her　shoulders；　and　a　long　white　mantle；　flew　away

over　the　city　towards　a　high　mountain。　The　fellow…traveller；　who　had

made　himself　invisible；　so　that　she　could　not　possibly　see　him；　flew

after　her　through　the　air；　and　whipped　the　princess　with　his　rod；　so

that　the　blood　came　whenever　he　struck　her。　Ah；　it　was　a　strange

flight　through　the　air！　The　wind　caught　her　mantle；　so　that　it

spread　out　on　all　sides；　like　the　large　sail　of　a　ship；　and　the　moon

shone　through　it。　〃How　it　hails；　to　be　sure！〃　said　the　princess；　at

each　blow　she　received　from　the　rod；　and　it　served　her　right　to　be

whipped。

　　　　At　last　she　reached　the　side　of　the　mountain；　and　knocked。　The

mountain　opened　with　a　noise　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　the

princess　went　in。　The　traveller　followed　her；　no　one　could　see　him；　as

he　had　made　himself　invisible。　They　went　through　a　long；　wide　passage。

A　thousand　gleaming　spiders　ran　here　and　there　on　the　walls；　causing

them　to　glitter　as　if　they　were　illuminated　with　fire。　They　next

entered　a　large　hall　built　of　silver　and　gold。　Large　red　and　blue

flowers　shone　on　the　walls；　looking　like　sunflowers　in　size；　but　no

one　could　dare　to　pluck　them；　for　the　stems　were　hideous　poisonous

snakes；　and　the　flowers　were　flames　of　fire；　darting　out　of　their

jaws。　Shining　glow…worms　covered　the　ceiling；　and　sky…blue　bats

flapped　their　transparent　wings。　Altogether　the　place　had　a

frightful　appearance。　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　stood　a　throne

supported　by　four　skeleton　horses；　whose　harness　had　been　made　by

fiery…red　spiders。　The　throne　itself　was　made　of　milk…white　glass；　and

the　cushions　were　little　black　mice；　each　biting　the　other's　tail。

Over　it　hung　a　canopy　of　rose…colored　spider's　webs；　spotted　with

the　prettiest　little　green　flies；　which　sparkled　like　precious　stones。

On　the　throne　sat　an　old　magician　with　a　crown　on　his　ugly　head；　and　a

sceptre　in　his　hand。　He　kissed　the　princess　on　the　forehead；　seated

her　by　his　side　on　the　splendid　throne；　and　then　the　music

commenced。　Great　black　grasshoppers　played　the　mouth　organ；　and　the

owl　struck　herself　on　the　body　instead　of　a　drum。　It　was　altogether

a　ridiculous　concert。　Little　black　goblins　with　false　lights　in

their　caps　danced　about　the　hall；　but　no　one　could　see　the

traveller；　and　he　had　placed　himself　just　behind　the　throne　where　he

could　see　and　hear　everything。　The　courtiers　who　came　in　afterwards

looked　noble　and　grand；　but　any　one　with　common　sense　could　see　what

they　really　were；　only　broomsticks；　with　cabbages　for　heads。　The

magician　had　given　them　life；　and　dressed　them　in　embroidered　robes。

It　answered　very　well；　as　they　were　only　wanted　for　show。　After

there　had　been　a　little　dancing；　the　princess　told　the　magician　that

she　had　a　new　suitor；　and　asked　him　what　she　could　think　of　for　the

suitor　to　guess　when　he　came　to　the　castle　the　next　morning。

　　　　〃Listen　to　what　I　say；〃　said　the　magician；　〃you　must　choose

something　very　easy；　he　is　less　likely　to　guess　it　then。　Think　of

one　of　your　shoes；　he　will　never　imagine　it　is　that。　Then　cut　his　head

off；　and　mind　you　do　not　forget　to　bring　his　eyes　with　you　to…morrow

night；　that　I　may　eat　them。〃

　　　　The　princess　curtsied　low；　and　said　she　would　not　forget　the　eyes。

　　　　The　magician　then　opened　the　mountain　and　she　flew　home　again；　but

the　traveller　followed　and　flogged　her　so　much　with　the　rod；　that

she　sighed　quite　deeply　about　the　heavy　hail…storm；　and　made　as　much

haste　as　she　could　to　get　back　to　her　bedroom　through　the　window。

The　traveller　then　returned　to　the　inn　where　John　still　slept；　took

off　his　wings　and　laid　down　on　the　bed；　for　he　was　very　tired。　Early

in　the　morning　John　awoke；　and　when　his　fellow…traveller　got　up；　he

said　that　he　had　a　very　wonderful　dream　about　the　princess　and　her

shoe；　he　therefore　advised　John　to　ask　her　if　she　had　not　thought　of

her　shoe。　Of　course　the　traveller　knew　this　from　what　the　magician

in　the　mountain　had　said。

　　　　〃I　may　as　well　say　that　as　anything；〃　said　John。　〃Perhaps　your

dream　may　come　true；　still　I　will　say　farewell；　for　if　I　guess　wrong　I

shall　never　see　you　again。〃

　　　　Then　they　embraced　each　other；　and　John　went　into　the　town　and

walked　to　the　palace。　The　great　hall　was　full　of　people；　and　the

judges　sat　in　arm…chairs；　with　eider…down　cushions　to　rest　their　heads

upon；　because　they　had　so　much　to　think　of。　The　old　king　stood　near；

wiping　his　eyes　with　his　white　pocket…handkerchief。　When　the

princess　entered；　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she　had　appeared

the　day　before；　and　greeted　every　one　present　most　gracefully；　but

to　John　she　gave　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you。〃

　　　　Now　came　the　time　for　John　to　guess　what　she　was　thinking　of；

and　oh；　how　kindly　she　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　But　when　he　uttered

the　single　word　shoe；　she　turned　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　all　her　wisdom

could　not　help　her；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。　Oh；　how　pleased　the

old　king　was！　It　was　quite　amusing　to　see　how　he　capered　about。　All

the　people　clapped　their　hands；　both　on　his　account　and　John's；　who

had　guessed　rightly　the　first　time。　His　fellow…traveller　was　glad

also；　when　he　heard　how　successful　John　had　been。　But　John　folded

his　hands；　and　tha