登陆注册
5435500000024

第24章

In vain he declared his innocence, he was dismissed with no better answer.

In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest, and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one said in a pitiful tone, something lies heavy on my stomach, as Iwas eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the queen's window. The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, here is a fine duck, pray, kill her. Yes, said the cook, and weighed her in his hand, she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long enough. So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the spit, the queen's ring was found inside her.

The servant could now easily prove his innocence, and the king, to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favor, and promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for.

The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for traveling, as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little. When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They leapt with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, we will remember you and repay you for saving us.

He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies. That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without mercy. So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to him, we will remember you - one good turn deserves another.

The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones.

Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures, cried they, we cannot find food for you any longer, you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves. But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, oh, what helpless chicks we are. We must shift for ourselves, and yet we cannot fly. What can we do, but lie here and starve. So the good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, and cried, we will remember you - one good turn deserves another.

And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, the king's daughter wants a husband, but whoever seeks her hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life. Many had already made the attempt, but in vain, nevertheless when the youth saw the king's daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, went before the king, and declared himself a suitor.

So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, before his eyes, then the king ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, if you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves. All the people grieved for the handsome youth, then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea.

He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the king, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward.

But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task. She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass, then she said, tomorrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting.

The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks.

Presently the king's daughter herself came down into the garden, and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the tree of life. The youth did not know where the tree of life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand.

同类推荐
  • 长离阁集

    长离阁集

    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。
  • 纪丰润张学士马江战事本末

    纪丰润张学士马江战事本末

    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。
  • 五言排律

    五言排律

    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。
  • 寿昌无明和尚语录

    寿昌无明和尚语录

    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。
  • 重修福建台湾府志

    重修福建台湾府志

    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
  • 我的奇葩前女友是只鬼

    我的奇葩前女友是只鬼

    【治愈系】患有心脏衰竭的林夏浅,因为爱的每一个人,每天都很拼命活着,她这一生活的太累了,原本心脏有问题的她,又突然患了脑癌,她用尽全力推开最爱自己的初恋,失忆以后,很短的时间就遇上了另一个人。可是,他根本不懂珍惜,让她连死了,都爱得狼狈不堪,所有的记忆都回来了………一切好像黄粱一梦。你相信这个世界上有鬼吗?【原来,我忘记的是我曾经用生命去爱的人。】
  • 舰艇基础科技知识(下)(青少年必知的舰艇航母科技)

    舰艇基础科技知识(下)(青少年必知的舰艇航母科技)

    舰艇与航母是高技术的武器种类,我们学习舰艇与航母的科学知识,就可以学得武器的有关高科技知识。这样不仅可以增强我们的高超军事素质,也可以增强我们高度的军事科学知识。
  • 拟神传说

    拟神传说

    上帝与两个门徒:亚达、欧尔斯创造了神、狱、普三界,本以为能使万物和谐,谁知道三界却互起冲突。一名普通的普界青年从一出生就继承了一种神圣的力量,拥有这股力量的人被称为“神能者”,就这样有了这么一个故事――拟神传说!
  • 你拿什么改变世界:乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告

    你拿什么改变世界:乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告

    《你拿什么改变世界(乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告)》是一本关于成功励志的通俗读物。史蒂夫·乔布斯,这位亲手打造苹果帝国奇迹的 男人,创造了当代历史上不可思议的商业辉煌。自他离世后,世人都在思考:是什么让乔布斯成为了改变世界的天才呢? 在《你拿什么改变世界(乔布斯给年轻人的100条 成功忠告)》中,作者黄薇收集和整理乔布斯的名言 警句后,归纳总结出乔布斯给年轻人的100个忠告, 将乔布斯跌宕起伏的人生经历精彩地呈现给读者,研究乔布斯的思维,找出他成功的秘诀,用生动的案例和简单的道理给予读者诸多人生启示。乔布斯的经历无法再现,但只要敢于尝试,你也可以成就一番了不起的事业。
  • 捡了个萌宠带回家

    捡了个萌宠带回家

    新书已发《原来你喜欢我呀》失恋第一天,被他捡回家,好吧,先暂住一下!只是……大神,我们熟吗?只不过是友情客串一下你的女朋友,帮你撑个场面,就当做是报答在你这白吃白住之恩,你怎么就能真的这么亲密、亲切、又亲热呢?“大神,我们这样肆无忌惮地秀恩爱真的好吗?毕竟不是真的情侣啊……”“我们什么时候不是真的情侣了?”啊?什么时候?她……她也不知道啊……这是假戏真做了吗?
  • 上海民营股份企业第一人

    上海民营股份企业第一人

    第一个在上海创建股份制的民营企业。此举不仅在上海这块热土上燃起一片辉煌,而且使整个中国大地躁动不安,这种在当时敢为天下先的现实意义与以后的历史意义,已经远远跃出了经济这个范畴,启迪与影响极其深远。第一家上市股票的民营公司。民营企业中第一个在上海的“钻石地段”——外滩金融区抢滩成功,投资四点五七亿元,建筑了总面积达三万六千平方米的金融大厦,与世界各国金融巨头逐鹿于中国第一滩,其志凌云,令世界金融界对中国民营企业刮目相看。第一个个人捐资一千万,创建慈善事业的中国共产党党员。
  • 无上仙侣,神君哪里跑!

    无上仙侣,神君哪里跑!

    落魄的妖族女皇遇上遭人追杀的冰冷神帝!同是天涯沦落人又同体共存,冰冷神帝次次解围,妖族女皇的倾心以待,能换回属于他们的幸福吗?
  • 刺青者

    刺青者

    他喜欢刺青。在光滑的肌肤上点一下,一股清烟扶摇直上,刺痛中带着一点微痒,带出一抹幻觉。一个蓝点紧接着另一个蓝点,起初看不到整个图案,只有一些破碎的点。但是他很有耐,一个点接着另一个点,一幅图案迟早便会魔术般地显现在皮肤上,显示出他与众不同的重重心机。可惜的是,他现在被关在监狱里,无法施展拳脚。他被判死刑,缓期两年执行。于是,他借着放风或者做活之间休息的机会,用自制的蓝药水,给狱友们文身。都文在身体上被衣裤遮挡的地方,一个除了他和文身者,没有第三个人知道的地方。
  • 请把美献给这个世界的荒凉

    请把美献给这个世界的荒凉

    本书为作者关于近年来图书、电影的评论集,左手妙论昆汀·塔伦蒂诺、贾樟柯、陈凯歌、杜琪峰,右手辣评冯友兰、杜维明、翁贝托·艾柯、萨拉马戈、熊秉元、雅各布斯……畅销元素与思维深度兼而有之。既有韩寒式的嬉笑怒骂,也有周濂式的理性分析,既有马家辉式的小资情调,也有梁文道式的人文关怀。
  • 男人的肋骨

    男人的肋骨

    《男人的肋骨》以两广手信之一金银肝为例,娓娓道来食材的制作、吃法、味道和奇遇。读之,与文中描写的众生一样,垂涎不止,起卧不安。老男人吃风情万种的金银肝:“发觉有人艳羡,那老男人越吃越发心满意足,越发嚼得咂咂有声,越发喝得咕噜生响。活脱脱一副镶了金牙就特别爱笑,戴了手表就特别爱撸袖子的表情。”