登陆注册
5158000000079

第79章 Niels And The Giants(1)

On one of the great moors over in Jutland, where trees won't grow because the soil is so sandy and the wind so strong, there once lived a man and his wife, who had a little house and some sheep, and two sons who helped them to herd them.The elder of the two was called Rasmus, and the younger Niels.Rasmus was quite content to look after sheep, as his father had done before him, but Niels had a fancy to be a hunter, and was not happy till he got hold of a gun and learned to shoot.It was only an old muzzle-loading flint-lock after all, but Niels thought it a great prize, and went about shooting at everything he could see.So much did he practice that in the long run he became a wonderful shot, and was heard of even where he had never been seen.Some people said there was very little in him beyond this, but that was an idea they found reason to change in the course of time.

The parents of Rasmus and Niels were good Catholics, and when they were getting old the mother took it into her head that she would like to go to Rome and see the Pope.The others didn't see much use in this, but she had her way in the end: they sold all the sheep, shut up the house, and set out for Rome on foot.Niels took his gun with him.

'What do you want with that?' said Rasmus; 'we have plenty to carry without it.' But Niels could not be happy without his gun, and took it all the same.

It was in the hottest part of summer that they began their journey, so hot that they could not travel at all in the middle of the day, and they were afraid to do it by night lest they might lose their way or fall into the hands of robbers.One day, a little before sunset, they came to an inn which lay at the edge of a forest.

'We had better stay here for the night,' said Rasmus.

'What an idea!' said Niels, who was growing impatient at the slow progress they were making.'We can't travel by day for the heat, and we remain where we are all night.It will be long enough before we get to Rome if we go on at this rate.'

Rasmus was unwilling to go on, but the two old people sided with Niels, who said, 'The nights aren't dark, and the moon will soon be up.We can ask at the inn here, and find out which way we ought to take.'

So they held on for some time, but at last they came to a small opening in the forest, and here they found that the road split in two.

There was no sign-post to direct them, and the people in the inn had not told them which of the two roads to take.

'What's to be done now?' said Rasmus.'I think we had better have stayed at the inn.'

'There's no harm done,' said Niels.'The night is warm, and we can wait here till morning.One of us will keep watch till midnight, and then waken the other.'

Rasmus chose to take the first watch, and the others lay down to sleep.It was very quiet in the forest, and Rasmus could hear the deer and foxes and other animals moving about among the rustling leaves.After the moon rose he could see them occasionally, and when a big stag came quite close to him he got hold of Niels' gun and shot it.

Niels was wakened by the report.'What's that?' he said.

'I've just shot a stag,' said Rasmus, highly pleased with himself.

'That's nothing,' said Niels.'I've often shot a sparrow, which is a much more difficult thing to do.'

It was now close on midnight, so Niels began his watch, and Rasmus went to sleep.It began to get colder, and Niels began to walk about a little to keep himself warm.He soon found that they were not far from the edge of the forest, and when he climbed up one of the trees there he could see out over the open country beyond.At a little distance he saw a fire, and beside it there sat three giants, busy with broth and beef.They were so huge that the spoons they used were as large as spades, and their forks as big as hay-forks: with these they lifted whole bucketfuls of broth and great joints of meat out of an enormous pot which was set on the ground between them.Niels was startled and rather scared at first, but he comforted himself with the thought that the giants were a good way off, and that if they came nearer he could easily hide among the bushes.After watching them for a little, however, he began to get over his alarm, and finally slid down the tree again, resolved to get his gun and play some tricks with them.

When he had climbed back to his former position, he took good aim, and waited till one of the giants was just in the act of putting a large piece of meat into his mouth.Bang! went Niels' gun, and the bullet struck the handle of the fork so hard that the point went into the giant's chin, instead of his mouth.

'None of your tricks,' growled the giant to the one who sat next him.'What do you mean by hitting my fork like that, and making me prick myself?'

'I never touched your fork,' said the other.'Don't try to get up a quarrel with me.'

'Look at it, then,' said the first.'Do you suppose I stuck it into my own chin for fun?'

The two got so angry over the matter that each offered to fight the other there and then, but the third giant acted as peace-maker, and they again fell to their eating.

While the quarrel was going on, Niels had loaded the gun again, and just as the second giant was about to put a nice tit-bit into his mouth, bang! went the gun again, and the fork flew into a dozen pieces.

This giant was even more furious than the first had been, and words were just coming to blows, when the third giant again interposed.

'Don't be fools,' he said to them; 'what's the good of beginning to fight among ourselves, when it is so necessary for the three of us to work together and get the upper hand over the king of this country.

It will be a hard enough task as it is, but it will be altogether hopeless if we don't stick together.Sit down again, and let us finish our meal; I shall sit between you, and then neither of you can blame the other.'

Niels was too far away to hear their talk, but from their gestures he could guess what was happening, and thought it good fun.

'Thrice is lucky,' said he to himself; 'I'll have another shot yet.'

This time it was the third giant's fork that caught the bullet, and snapped in two.

同类推荐
  • The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

    The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 地藏菩萨经

    地藏菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天禄阁外史

    天禄阁外史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蜀碧

    蜀碧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 胎息精微论

    胎息精微论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 网红经济学

    网红经济学

    如果说zara是工业经济时代快时尚的开山鼻祖,网红模式则是社群化时代快时尚的探路者。前端通过与粉丝持续和高频的互动,更加精准地感知目标消费者的需求,后端供应链快速反应,一切业务由数据驱动,开始倒逼供应链的改造。
  • 冒牌太子妃(赵弈钦、李凯馨主演《山寨小萌主》原著)

    冒牌太子妃(赵弈钦、李凯馨主演《山寨小萌主》原著)

    贪财怎么了,山贼不都贪财吗!可为了一箱金子将自己送上腹黑太子床榻的山贼,古往今来就她一个了吧?大婚之日让她与太监拜堂不算,居然还命别人与她洞房!九龙夺嫡?后宫争斗?虽然和她没什么关系,可她也不是任人捏扁搓圆的软柿子!待她降服桀骜太子叱咤宫廷,没有十里红妆八抬大轿,她宁愿继续去做那逍遥的贼大王!
  • 销售不狠,业绩不稳

    销售不狠,业绩不稳

    《销售不狠,业绩不稳》借助动物仿生学原理,从鹰的眼睛、狼的性格、豹的速度和熊的力量四大角度出发,折射出其在销售中所必备的敏锐洞察力、坚韧意志力、强大说服力和果断成交力,深入浅出地对销售中的重要环节做了缜密的逻辑分析和阐述。通过诸多行之有效的营销案例揭示现实销售过程中的心理学规律,如何参透消费者的心理,如何进行客户的开发、如何抓住顾客的心理需求、如何运用相应的销售技巧,如何积极地促成交易等,最实用的销售攻略秘笈,本书将一网打尽。
  • 悍妃倾天下

    悍妃倾天下

    世人都知道方丞相长女方雪瑶爱恋太子端木泽,八年中她散尽金银为了保他登上皇位。他却把她送去做军妓,她才知自己只不过是他登上皇位的棋子而已。她看清了一切,拉响了绑在身上的轰天雷,只想和他同归于尽。幸亏老天垂怜让她重生十三岁,她还是那个方家跋扈的长女,还有那个她害死的皇叔依然活着。这一世她不在被人利用,双眸冷冽,她要复仇,为了自己可怜的母亲还有病弱的弟弟,她带着她们离开方家。她早已看破红尘只想潇洒活一生,可是那个皇叔怎么就对她霸道纠缠不休。
  • 诸天临凡

    诸天临凡

    这是一个修行者与觉醒者共存的世界,他们走在一起,为了对付共同的敌人——庞大怪物与神秘的妖兽。原本这世界并不是这样子的,至少在林晓白的世界观里不是,直到那天他睡了一天一夜,当他醒来后,却被告知一切都变了…………就让我们一同进入林晓白与他的小伙伴一起成长的故事里吧!你!准备好了吗!
  • 人生小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    人生小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    《少男少女文摘丛书》汇集的是近年来写得最优美真切、生动感人的少男少女作品。这里有少男少女们初涉爱河的惊喜、迷惘、痛苦和走出“误区”挽手无怨的历程,有对五彩纷呈的世界特殊的感受和选择,有在升学压力之下压弯了腰的哀怨和对父辈们关于人生关于命运关于社会的认从与反叛。
  • 雪落云廷

    雪落云廷

    北宋年间,小段幼年时因一桩冤案,家人被满门抄斩,后得西夏王昔日恋人收留,拜师学艺。帮官府勘破一系列奇案维持生计的同时,同时邂逅了三位性格各异、来自江湖朝堂的男子。四人共同行走江湖,结下了一段不解之缘。雅舍三位小姐溺毙断桥;新品胭脂竟含剧毒;万柳山庄里,众目睽睽下四件兵器接连失踪,看似毫不相干的人一一被杀,缠绕断发的七胜刀;神出鬼没的嗜血邪教,死因离奇的多位京官……且看段尘如何抽丝剥茧勇破奇案,众美男谁能破冰成功赢得美人心。
  • 末世病号生存录

    末世病号生存录

    她是在病床上躺过了其短短一生的人,一朝醒来,末日中求生存。谁会是谁的光?谁又会成为谁的救赎?
  • 球灵王子

    球灵王子

    超级侦探重生成为用有超级天赋的篮球运动员,从此开始了他的另类传奇人生,不断的魔鬼训练,不断的超越自我,创造一个又一个的篮球神话,奔跑的快意、扣篮的兴奋、美人的呐喊、男人的惊慕、星探的渴求,正当巅峰之时,命运却惊天逆转,神秘的谋杀、兄弟的背叛、爱人的消失,种种离奇不断上演,是谁设计了这一切,阴谋背后的诡秘,他能否揭开。
  • 公门果报录

    公门果报录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。