11-the grateful beasts-第2章

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sound　and　well　they　were　frightened　to　death；　for　they　feared　he

would　tell　the　King　of　their　conduct；　and　that　they　would　be

hung。



No　sooner　had　Ferko　entered　the　palace　than　all　eyes　were　turned

on　the　handsome　youth；　and　the　King's　daughter　herself　was　lost

in　admiration；　for　she　had　never　seen　anyone　so　handsome　in　her

life　before。　　His　brothers　noticed　this；　and　envy　and　jealousy

were　added　to　their　fear；　so　much　so　that　they　determined　once

more　to　destroy　him。　　They　went　to　the　King　and　told　him　that

Ferko　was　a　wicked　magician；　who　had　come　to　the　palace　with　the

intention　of　carrying　off　the　Princess。



Then　the　King　had　Ferko　brought　before　him；　and　said；　'You　are

accused　of　being　a　magician　who　wishes　to　rob　me　of　my　daughter；

and　I　condemn　you　to　death；　but　if　you　can　fulfil　three　tasks

which　I　shall　set　you　to　do　your　life　shall　be　spared；　on

condition　you　leave　the　country；　but　if　you　cannot　perform　what　I

demand　you　shall　be　hung　on　the　nearest　tree。'



And　turning　to　the　two　wicked　brothers　he　said；　'Suggest

something　for　him　to　do；　no　matter　how　difficult；　he　must　succeed

in　it　or　die。'



They　did　not　think　long；　but　replied；　'Let　him　build　your　Majesty

in　one　day　a　more　beautiful　palace　than　this；　and　if　he　fails　in

the　attempt　let　him　be　hung。'



The　King　was　pleased　with　this　proposal；　and　commanded　Ferko　to

set　to　work　on　the　following　day。　　The　two　brothers　were

delighted；　for　they　thought　they　had　now　got　rid　of　Ferko　for

ever。　　The　poor　youth　himself　was　heart…broken；　and　cursed　the

hour　he　had　crossed　the　boundary　of　the　King's　domain。　　As　he　was

wandering　disconsolately　about　the　meadows　round　the　palace；

wondering　how　he　could　escape　being　put　to　death；　a　little　bee

flew　past；　and　settling　on　his　shoulder　whispered　in　his　ear；

'What　is　troubling　you；　my　kind　benefactor？　　Can　I　be　of　any　help

to　you？　　I　am　the　bee　whose　wing　you　healed；　and　would　like　to

show　my　gratitude　in　some　way。'



Ferko　recognised　the　queen　bee；　and　said；　'Alas！　　how　could　you

help　me？　　for　I　have　been　set　to　do　a　task　which　no　one　in　the

whole　world　could　do；　let　him　be　ever　such　a　genius！　　To…morrow　I

must　build　a　palace　more　beautiful　than　the　King's；　and　it　must

be　finished　before　evening。'



'Is　that　all？'　answered　the　bee；　'then　you　may　comfort　yourself；

for　before　the　sun　goes　down　to…morrow　night　a　palace　shall　be

built　unlike　any　that　King　has　dwelt　in　before。　　Just　stay　here

till　I　come　again　and　tell　you　that　it　is　finished。'　　Having　said

this　she　flew　merrily　away；　and　Ferko；　reassured　by　her　words；

lay　down　on　the　grass　and　slept　peacefully　till　the　next　morning。



Early　on　the　following　day　the　whole　town　was　on　its　feet；　and

everyone　wondered　how　and　where　the　stranger　would　build　the

wonderful　palace。　　The　Princess　alone　was　silent　and　sorrowful；

and　had　cried　all　night　till　her　pillow　was　wet；　so　much　did　she

take　the　fate　of　the　beautiful　youth　to　heart。



Ferko　spent　the　whole　day　in　the　meadows　waiting　the　return　of

the　bee。　　And　when　evening　was　come　the　queen　bee　flew　by；　and

perching　on　his　shoulder　she　said；　'The　wonderful　palace　is

ready。　　Be　of　good　cheer；　and　lead　the　King　to　the　hill　just

outside　the　city　walls。'　　And　humming　gaily　she　flew　away　again。



Ferko　went　at　once　to　the　King　and　told　him　the　palace　was

finished。　　The　whole　court　went　out　to　see　the　wonder；　and　their

astonishment　was　great　at　the　sight　which　met　their　eyes。　　A

splendid　palace　reared　itself　on　the　hill　just　outside　the　walls

of　the　city；　made　of　the　most　exquisite　flowers　that　ever　grew　in

mortal　garden。　　The　roof　was　all　of　crimson　roses；　the　windows　of

lilies；　the　walls　of　white　carnations；　the　floors　of　glowing

auriculas　and　violets；　the　doors　of　gorgeous　tulips　and　narcissi

with　sunflowers　for　knockers；　and　all　round　hyacinths　and　other

sweet…smelling　flowers　bloomed　in　masses；　so　that　the　air　was

perfumed　far　and　near　and　enchanted　all　who　were　present。



This　splendid　palace　had　been　built　by　the　grateful　queen　bee；

who　had　summoned　all　the　other　bees　in　the　kingdom　to　help　her。



The　King's　amazement　knew　no　bounds；　and　the　Princess's　eyes

beamed　with　delight　as　she　turned　them　from　the　wonderful

building　on　the　delighted　Ferko。　　But　the　two　brothers　had　grown

quite　green　with　envy；　and　only　declared　the　more　that　Ferko　was

nothing　but　a　wicked　magician。



The　King；　although　he　had　been　surprised　and　astonished　at　the

way　his　commands　had　been　carried　out；　was　very　vexed　that　the

stranger　should　escape　with　his　life；　and　turning　to　the　two

brothers　he　said；　'He　has　certainly　accomplished　the　first　task；

with　the　aid　no　doubt　of　his　diabolical　magic；　but　what　shall　we

give　him　to　do　now？　　Let　us　make　it　as　difficult　as　possible；　and

if　he　fails　he　shall　die。'



Then　the　eldest　brother　replied；　'The　corn　has　all　been　cut；　but

it　has　not　yet　been　put　into　barns；　let　the　knave　collect　all　the

grain　in　the　kingdom　into　one　big　heap　before　to…morrow　night；

and　if　as　much　as　a　stalk　of　corn　is　left　let　him　be　put　to

death。



The　Princess　grew　white　with　terror　when　she　heard　these　words；

but　Ferko　felt　much　more　cheerful　than　he　had　done　the　first

time；　and　wandered　out　into　the　meadows　again；　wondering　how　he

was　to　get　out　of　the　difficulty。　　But　he　could　think　of　no　way

of　escape。　　The　sun　sank　to　rest　and　night　came　on；　when　a　little

mouse　started　out　of　the　grass　at　Ferko's　feet；　and　said　to　him；

'I'm　delighted　to　see　you；　my　kind　benefactor；　but　why　are　you

looking　so　sad？　　Can　I　be　of　any　help　to　you；　and　thus　repay　your

great　kindness　to　me？'



Then　Ferko　recognised　the　mouse　whose　front　paws　he　had　healed；

and　replied；　'Alas　I　how　can　you　help　me　in　a　matter　that　is

beyond　any　human　power！　　Before　to…morrow　night　all　the　grain　in

the　kingdom　has　to　be　gathered　into　one　big　heap；　and　if　as　much

as　a　stalk　of　corn　is　wanting　I　must　pay　for　it　with　my　life。'



'Is　that　all？'　answered　the　mouse；　'that　needn't　distress　you

much。　　Just　trust　in　me；　and　before　the　sun　sets　again　you　shall

hear　that　your　task　is　done。'　　And　with　these　words　the　little

creature　scampered　away　into　the　fields。



Ferko；　who　never　doubted　that　the　mouse　would　be　as　good　as　its

word；　lay　down　comforted　on　the　soft　grass　and　slept　soundly　till

next　morning。　　The　day　passed　slowly；　and　with　the　evening　came

the　little　mouse　and　said；　'Now　there　is　not　a　single　stalk　of

corn　left　in　any　field；　they　are　all　collected　in　one　big　heap　on

the　hill　out　there。'



Then　Ferko　went　joyfully　to　the　King　and　told　him　that　all　he

demanded　had　been　done。　　And　the　whole　Court　went　out　to　see　the

wonder；　and　were　no　less　astonished　than　they　had　been　the　first

time。　　For　in　a　heap　higher　than　the　King's　palace　lay　all　the

grain　of　the　country；　and　not　a　single　stalk　of　corn　had　been

left　behind　in　any　of　the　fields。　　And　how　had　all　this　been

done？　　The　little　mouse　had　summoned　every　other　mouse　in　the

land　to　its　help；　and　together　they　had　collected　all　the　grain

in　the　kingdom。



The　King　could　not　hide　his　amazement；　but　at　the　same　time　his

wrath　increased；　and　he　was　more　ready　than　ever　to　believe　the

two　brothers；　who　kept　on　repeating　that　Ferko　was　nothing　more

nor　less　than　a　wicked　magician。　　Only　the　beautiful　Princess

rejoiced　over　Ferko's　success；　and　looked　on　him　with　friendly

glances；　which　the　youth　returned。



The　more　the　cruel　King　gazed　on　the　wonder　before　him；　the　more

angry　he　became；　for　he　could　not；　in　the　face　of　his　promise；

put　the　stranger　to　death。　　He　turned　once　more　to　the　two

brothers　and　said；　'His　diabolical　magic　has　helped　him　again；

but　now　what　third　task　shall　we　set　him　to　do？　　No　matter　how

impossible　it　is；　he　must　do　it　or　die。'



The　eldest　answered　quickly；　'Let　him　drive　all　the　wolves　of　the

kingdom　on　to　this　hill　before　to…morrow　night。　　If　he　does　this

he　may　go　free；　if　not　he　sh