登陆注册
5435500000209

第209章

As they were thus disputing, a duck quacked at them, you thieving folks, who bade you go to my nut-hill. Wait, you shall suffer for it, and ran with open beak at the cock. But the cock also was not idle, and fell boldly on the duck, and at last wounded her so with his spurs that she begged for mercy, and willingly let herself be harnessed to the carriage as a punishment. The little cock now seated himself on the box and was coachman, and thereupon they went off at a gallop, with the cock crying, duck, go as fast as you can. When they had driven a part of the way they met two foot-passengers, a pin and a needle. They cried, stop. Stop. And said that it would soon be as dark as pitch, and then they could not go a step further, and that it was so dirty on the road, and asked if they could not get into the carriage for a while. They had been at the tailor's public-house by the gate, and had stayed too long over the beer. As they were thin people, who did not take up much room, the cock let them both get in, but they had to promise him and his little hen not to step on their feet. Late in the evening they came to an inn, and as they did not like to go further by night, and as the duck also was not strong on her feet, and fell from one side to the other, they went in. The host at first made many objections, his house was already full, besides he thought they could not be very distinguished persons. But at last, as they made pleasant speeches, and told him that he should have the egg which the little hen had laid on the way, and should likewise keep the duck, which laid one every day, he at length said that they might stay the night. And now they had themselves well served, and feasted and had a high good time. Early in the morning, when day was breaking and every one was asleep, the cock awoke the hen, brought the egg, pecked it open, and they ate it together, but they threw the shell on the hearth. Then they went to the needle which was still asleep, took it by the head and stuck it into the cushion of the landlord's chair, and put the pin in his towel, and at last without more ado they fled away over the heath. The duck who liked to sleep in the open air and had stayed in the yard, heard them going away, made herself merry and found a stream, down which she swam, which was a much quicker way of traveling than being harnessed to a carriage. The host did not get out of bed until a couple of hours later. He washed himself and was about to dry himself, when the pin went over his face and made a red scratch from one ear to the other. After this he went into the kitchen and wanted to light a pipe, but when he came to the hearth the egg-shell darted into his eyes. This morning everything attacks my head, said he, and angrily sat down on his grandfather's chair, but he quickly started up again and cried, ow, for the needle had pricked him still worse than the pin, and not in the head. Now he was thoroughly angry, and suspected the guests who had come so late the night before. And when he went in search of them, they were gone. Then he made a vow to take no more ragamuffins into his house, for they consume much, pay for nothing, and play mischievous tricks into the bargain by way of gratitude.

In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth, and that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. When she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped without her observing it, and lay on the ground beside a straw, and soon afterwards a burning coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw began and said, dear friends, from whence do you come here. The coal replied, I fortunately sprang out of the fire, and if I had not escaped by sheer force, my death would have been certain, I should have been burnt to ashes. The bean said, I too have escaped with a whole skin, but if the old woman had got me into the pan, I should have been made into broth without any mercy, like my comrades. And would a better fate have fallen to my lot, said the straw. The old woman has destroyed all my brethren in fire and smoke. She seized sixty of them at once, and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers.

But what are we to do now, said the coal.

I think, answered the bean, that as we have so fortunately escaped death, we should keep together like good companions, and lest a new mischance should overtake us here, we should go away together, and repair to a foreign country.

The proposition pleased the two others, and they set out on their way together. Soon, however, they came to a little brook, and as there was no bridge or foot-plank, they did not know how they were to get over it. The straw hit on a good idea, and said, I will lay myself straight across, and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge. The straw therefore stretched itself from one bank to the other, and the coal, who was of an impetuous disposition, tripped quite boldly on to the newly-built bridge.

But when she had reached the middle, and heard the water rushing beneath her, she was, after all, afraid, and stood still, and ventured no farther. The straw, however, began to burn, broke in two pieces, and fell into the stream. The coal slipped after her, hissed when she got into the water, and breathed her last.

The bean, who had prudently stayed behind on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, was unable to stop, and laughed so heartily that she burst. It would have been all over with her, likewise, if, by good fortune, a tailor who was traveling in search of work, had not sat down to rest by the brook. As he had a compassionate heart he pulled out his needle and thread, and sewed her together. The bean thanked him most prettily, but as the tailor used black thread, all beans since then have a black seam.

There was once upon a time a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pig-stye close by the sea, and every day he went out fishing.

同类推荐
  • 同异录

    同异录

    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。
  • 诊家枢要

    诊家枢要

    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 Monster Men

    The Monster Men

    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。
  • 养蒙便读

    养蒙便读

    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。
  • Soldiers of Fortune

    Soldiers of Fortune

    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
  • 穿越之鸠梦

    穿越之鸠梦

    叶宁自认为不是什么好人,任务失败,以为活不下来的叶宁穿越到了历史上根本不存在的朝代,而且被她穿越的女孩子好像并没有真正地死去……
  • 未来之食全食美

    未来之食全食美

    叮!系统提示,您已用美食收服了一只机器人。叮!系统提示,您已用辣椒打肿了一群猛兽。叮!系统提示,您已用食材改造了一颗星球。叮!系统提示,您修炼有成,可以返回家乡。洛英表示终于可以回地球了!而某只两次被收服的伪·机器人委屈地表示,要回家必须带上孩子和我。
  • 印度大冒险(环游世界大探险)

    印度大冒险(环游世界大探险)

    印度著名的科学家恶心巴拉教授研制出了一种爆炸性病毒,只要将其暴露在空气中,便能以爆炸的姿态瞬间充满周围的空气,并且以极快的速度向周围扩散,人类在粹不及防的情况下便会全部死亡。巴拉教授在将他的这项发明呈送给卡西欧博士的过程中却因遭遇意外而将病毒丢失。博士惊慌失措,立刻派遣田健三郎带领大批人马前去印度寻找病毒,米娜、卡奇和莱恩也闻声而动,身为联合国特派员的哈利也加入了行动,他们与田健三郎斗智斗勇,努力完成拯救人类的计划……
  • 婴税

    婴税

    只见夫人刚刚生下的婴儿,雪白的皮肤竟然在顷刻间变得层层剥离、并且还散发着一阵阵腐臭,顿时下人们慌做一团,也顾不得申老板就在身侧,纷纷从产房里夺路而逃。楔子申公馆的灯光大亮着,申老板颇为心急地在一楼的玄关旁走来走去,听着二楼卧房里夫人的惨叫,他额角上顿时渗出了细细的汗水。稳婆已经上去三个时辰了,那声久违的婴孩啼哭似乎并未传来。“快打热水来!”“别乱别乱!老爷还在下面候着呢。
  • 杂言

    杂言

    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。
  • 我的鬼仙妻

    我的鬼仙妻

    一次考古活动后,沈言莫名多了个未婚妻,虽然很苦恼自己老婆竟然是只鬼,但是内心还是喜滋滋的,然而不久后沈言猛然发现自己老婆大有来头!这是一个现代天师带着自己的鬼仙娘子在秀恩爱的同时顺便搞事的故事。ps1:本书有大量秀恩爱情节,担心吃撑的可以隔几天看一次ps2:本书慢热,而且作者是佛系作者,一切随缘
  • 重临大地

    重临大地

    当梦境可化为现实,当幻想亦可成真!当异常降临,我们如何看待这个世界,究竟是幻想化作现实,还是所谓的现实早已残缺?!新旧的交替,混乱的起点,时代的大幕早已悄然揭开。(温馨提示,本书为半无敌文)
  • 正一醮宅仪

    正一醮宅仪

    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。
  • 柽柳斋

    柽柳斋

    《柽柳斋》是一部描述关于婚姻欺诈的文章。柽柳的花语代表罪。小说书名解释为一个充满罪恶之念的屋子。本书根据真实故事改编而成!不过声明一下故事中的情节是改编后的体现,并不能代表就是事情本来原貌。还请实际生活中的某些人不要对号入座!本故事只想阐述一下个人生活中的一些感悟与观点!希望这些感悟与观点对看到本故事的一些人有点帮助。谢谢你能关注本故事!
  • 滏水集

    滏水集

    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。