登陆注册
5435500000139

第139章

The king's son took the giant the apple he had promised him, and said, "You see, I have brought it without difficulty." The giant was glad that his desire had been so soon satisfied, hastened to his bride, and gave her the apple for which she had wished. She was a beautiful and wise maiden, and as she did not see the ring on his arm, she said, "I shall never believe that you have brought the apple, until I see the ring on your arm." The giant said, "I have nothing to do but go home and fetch it," and thought it would be easy to take away by force from the weak man, what he would not give of his own free will. He therefore demanded the ring from him, but the king's son refused it. "Where the apple is, the ring must be also,"said the giant. "If you will not give it of your own accord, you must fight me for it."They wrestled with each other for a long time, but the giant could not harm the king's son, who was strengthened by the magical power of the ring. Then the giant thought of a ruse, and said, "I have got warm with fighting, and so have you. We will bathe in the river, and cool ourselves before we begin again." The king's son, who knew nothing of falsehood, went with him to the water, and pulled off with his clothes the ring also from his arm, and sprang into the river.

The giant instantly snatched the ring, and ran away with it, but the lion, which had observed the theft, pursued the giant, tore the ring out of his hand, and brought it back to its master. Then the giant placed himself behind an oak-tree, and while the king's son was busy putting on his clothes again, surprised him, and put both his eyes out.

And now the unhappy king's son stood there, and was blind and knew not how to help himself. Then the giant came back to him, took him by the hand as if he were someone who wanted to guide him, and led him to the top of a high rock. There he left him standing, and thought, "Just two steps more, and he will fall down and kill himself, and I can take the ring from him." But the faithful lion had not deserted its master. It held him fast by the clothes, and drew him gradually back again.

When the giant came and wanted to rob the dead man, he saw that his cunning had been in vain. "Is there no way, then, of destroying a weak child of man like that?" said he angrily to himself, and seized the king's son and led him back again to the precipice by another way, but the lion which saw his evil design, helped its master out of danger here also. When they had come close to the edge, the giant let the blind man's hand drop, and was going to leave him behind alone, but the lion pushed the giant so that he was thrown down and fell, dashed to pieces, on the ground.

The faithful animal again drew its master back from the precipice, and guided him to a tree by which flowed a clear brook. The king's son sat down there, but the lion lay down, and sprinkled the water in his face with its paws. Scarcely had a couple of drops wetted the sockets of his eyes, than he was once more able to see something, and noticed a little bird flying quite close by, which hit itself against the trunk of a tree. So it went down to the water and bathed itself therein, and then it soared upwards and swept between the trees without touching them, as if it had recovered its sight. Then the king's son recognized a sign from God and stooped down to the water, and washed and bathed his face in it. And when he arose he had his eyes once more, brighter and clearer than they had ever been.

The king's son thanked God for his great mercy, and traveled with his lion onwards through the world. And it came to pass that he arrived before a castle which was enchanted. In the gateway stood a maiden of beautiful form and fine face, but she was quite black. She spoke to him and said, "Ah, if you could but deliver me from the evil spell which is thrown over me." "What shall I do?" said the king's son.

The maiden answered, "You must pass three nights in the great hall of this enchanted castle, but you must let no fear enter your heart.

When they are doing their worst to torment you, if you bear it without letting a sound escape you, I shall be free. Your life they dare not take." Then said the king's son, "I have no fear, with God's help I will try it." So he went gaily into the castle, and when it grew dark he seated himself in the large hall and waited.

Everything was quiet, however, till midnight, when all at once a great tumult began, and out of every hole and corner came little devils. They behaved as if they did not see him, seated themselves in the middle of the room, lighted a fire, and began to gamble. When one of them lost, he said, "It is not right, some one is here who does not belong to us, it is his fault that I am losing." "Wait, you fellow behind the stove, I am coming," said another. The screaming became still louder, so that no one could have heard it without terror. The king's son stayed sitting quite calmly, and was not afraid, but at last the devils jumped up from the ground, and fell on him, and there were so many of them that he could not defend himself from them. They dragged him about on the floor, pinched him, pricked him, beat him, and tormented him, but no sound escaped from him.

Towards morning they disappeared, and he was so exhausted that he could scarcely move his limbs, but when day dawned the black maiden came to him. She bore in her hand a little bottle wherein was the water of life wherewith she washed him, and he at once felt all pain depart and new strength flow through his veins. She said, "You have held out successfully for one night, but two more lie before you."Then she went away again, and as she was going, he observed that her feet had become white.

同类推荐
  • 学天台宗法门大意

    学天台宗法门大意

    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。
  • 供养仪式

    供养仪式

    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。
  • 佛说法乘义决定经

    佛说法乘义决定经

    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。
  • The Agony Column

    The Agony Column

    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。
  • 临证指南医案

    临证指南医案

    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
  • 那年我们毕业了

    那年我们毕业了

    当学业的列车到达了终点之后,我们感慨万分。有不舍,有迷茫,也有雄心壮志。故事讲述的是一个叫欧阳晨的男孩,在毕业之后,逐次经历了对学校的不舍,对社会的迷茫,以及最终成熟起来的故事。故事本身很趋于现实,故事中的每一个人,都可以在现实中找到与之对应的人。之所以写此文,一是记录我们的当年,另外一个也是为了感慨时光流逝,人事变迁。谨以此文先给那些已经毕业的人。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 殇城之恋

    殇城之恋

    “彼岸花,开一千年,落一千年,花叶永不相见。情不为因果,缘注定生死。”——《佛经》
  • 骨笛

    骨笛

    千年前,弥留少女被做成九根骨笛,留下一段凄凉的传说。千年后骨笛被人发掘,惊现于世,古老的笛声隐瞒着一个骇人听闻的秘密,魔咒仍在继续。阴暗的地宫深处,四条锁链捆绑着一口青铜古棺,无形的摄魄力让人望而跪拜,世界顶级科学团队数十年来不曾将其打开。你在九泉之下低吟回响,他在黄土高坡永世长眠,谁来还你抱憾千年的遗愿……
  • 魔幻城堡之地球保卫战

    魔幻城堡之地球保卫战

    外星人来攻打地球了!他们的科技远超地球人!不过不要担心,我们有另外一群外星人外援,他们比侵略者更加聪明!为了让这场正义的地球保卫战得到见证,友好的外星人物色了两个地球上的人类孩子作为“守护者”,还做飞碟飞到月球背面的外星人基地参加战斗!人类孩子聪明而勇敢,他们为这场战斗贡献了出人意料的智慧和勇气!想知道详细的经过吗?请听儿童科幻系列故事:魔幻城堡之地球保卫战——情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 息桐

    息桐

    景瑟耗了大半生,终于大仇得报然后,她重生了一切又得重新再来。她不高兴了,所以她也得让仇人们不高兴。有人开始倒霉了……PS:倘若有朝一日,我成了世人口中的奸妄之臣,你还愿意携我之手,不负此生吗?
  • 超级拍卖行系统

    超级拍卖行系统

    在仙云大陆,有这么一家拍卖行,它的每一件拍品没人知道来自于哪里,却能引起全大陆的追逐,只要你的金钱足够,它会把你全方位打造成一个傲世大陆的强者“什么?没钱?那去拍卖行后面的那个垃圾堆等着吧“某屌丝“哈哈哈,本座存款三百年,终于拍到了一件拍品”某散修大佬“你说为什么不强抢?好像大陆外几个顶级宗门的老祖还在抢救,还没脱离危险期吧?”某邪恶势力掌门总之,这是一个屌丝穿越异界后靠着系统混吃等死的浪荡故事
  • 重生之千金不换

    重生之千金不换

    上辈子错爱上渣男,倾尽所有却只换得后位被废,害的亲爹被流放至死,其他府中众人皆被斩首,就连身怀六甲的母亲也惨死刀下,自己又被那个假妹妹一杯毒酒送命,一朝得以重生,她浴血归来,势要皇族众人血债血偿!漫漫造反路修远兮,且看曲家千金如何奋斗成一代贤后!
  • 职场精英生存全攻略

    职场精英生存全攻略

    本书为初入职场人士的快速进阶宝典。职场精英规避“阴沟里翻船”的细节精典。帮你屏蔽从面试,融入、提升、叱咤职场时所遇到的小事情大风险。助你在窥得冰山一角之后,绕开潜在的职场陷阱深渊。讲述你在职场必然经历的小状况,提醒你不要因忽视它而伤害到自己。每天3分钟,直接了当,通过真实故事让你了解内幕,未雨绸缪。
  • 快穿之恶毒女配要逆袭

    快穿之恶毒女配要逆袭

    推荐新书《反派大佬在线掉马》慕晚歌是在被穿越女炮灰了之后才知道自己只是个女配,注定要为女主的事业添砖加瓦。PS:这是一个原女配被炮灰了后绑定系统穿梭于各个位面,完成宿主心愿的故事。【女主前期真恶毒女配,后期慢慢改变成长。不喜勿喷,人物三观不代表作者三观!】
  • 草人

    草人

    一个汗气腾腾的矮个子犯人狠命地撩起一脚,足球直冲球门而来,大个子守门员奋力跃起,那球擦过他的掌尖,竟贴着球门的头皮飞出了球场,在小马路上空划过一道弧线后,箭一样插进草坪。安啦和大鼓眼正站在球门北侧的边线外。足球在草坪上呈现定格画面的刹那,安啦眼前又闪现出那个遥远记忆里的情景,那情景没来得及清晰,便传来矮个子犯人的叫喊,嘿嘿,哥们儿,帮个忙啊。安啦从大鼓眼身边离开时,大鼓眼伸手要抓安啦一把,可他没抓住。安啦跑过小马路。一脚踏进草坪。草坪里的水被踩得汩汩响。