登陆注册
5435500000062

第62章

I see that this will not do, said the man. You had better spin, perhaps you can do that better. She sat down and tried to spin, but the hard thread soon cut her soft fingers so that the blood ran down. See, said the man, you are fit for no sort of work.

I have made a bad bargain with you. Now I will try to make a business with pots and earthenware. You must sit in the market-place and sell the ware. Alas, thought she, if any of the people from my father's kingdom come to the market and see me sitting there, selling, how they will mock me. But it was of no use, she had to yield unless she chose to die of hunger.

For the first time she succeeded well, for the people were glad to buy the woman's wares because she was good-looking, and they paid her what she asked. Many even gave her the money and left the pots with her as well. So they lived on what she had earned as long as it lasted, then the husband bought a lot of new crockery. With this she sat down at the corner of the market-place, and set it out round about her ready for sale.

But suddenly there came a drunken hussar galloping along, and he rode right amongst the pots so that they were all broken into a thousand bits. She began to weep, and did now know what to do for fear. Alas, what will happen to me, cried she. What will my husband say to this.

She ran home and told him of the misfortune. Who would seat herself at a corner of the market-place with crockery, said the man. Leave off crying, I see very well that you cannot do any ordinary work, so I have been to our king's palace and have asked whether they cannot find a place for a kitchen-maid, and they have promised me to take you. In that way you will get your food for nothing.

The king's daughter was now a kitchen-maid, and had to be at the cook's beck and call, and do the dirtiest work. In both her pockets she fastened a little jar, in which she took home her share of the leavings, and upon this they lived.

It happened that the wedding of the king's eldest son was to be celebrated, so the poor woman went up and placed herself by the door of the hall to look on. When all the candles were lit, and people, each more beautiful than the other, entered, and all was full of pomp and splendor, she thought of her lot with a sad heart, and cursed the pride and haughtiness which had humbled her and brought her to so great poverty.

The smell of the delicious dishes which were being taken in and out reached her, and now and then the servants threw her a few morsels of them. These she put in her jars to take home.

All at once the king's son entered, clothed in velvet and silk, with gold chains about his neck. And when he saw the beautiful woman standing by the door he seized her by the hand, and would have danced with her. But she refused and shrank with fear, for she saw that it was king thrushbeard, her suitor whom she had driven away with scorn. Her struggles were of no avail, he drew her into the hall. But the string by which her pockets were hung broke, the pots fell down, the soup ran out, and the scraps were scattered all about. And when the people saw it, there arose general laughter and derision, and she was so ashamed that she would rather have been a thousand fathoms below the ground. She sprang to the door and would have run away, but on the stairs a man caught her and brought her back. And when she looked at him it was king thrushbeard again. He said to her kindly, do not be afraid, I and the fiddler who has been living with you in that wretched hovel are one. For love of you I disguised myself so. And I also was the hussar who rode through your crockery.

This was all done to humble your proud spirit, and to punish you for the insolence with which you mocked me.

Then she wept bitterly and said, I have done great wrong, and am not worthy to be your wife. But he said, be comforted, the evil days are past. Now we will celebrate our wedding.

Then the maids-in-waiting came and put on her the most splendid clothing, and her father and his whole court came and wished her happiness in her marriage with king thrushbeard, and the joy now began in earnest. I wish you and I had been there too.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst she was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, and she thought to herself, would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame.

Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, and as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony, and she was therefore called little snow-white. And when the child was born, the queen died.

After a year had passed the king took to himself another wife.

She was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear that anyone else chould surpass her in beauty. She had a wonderful looking-glass, and when she stood in front of it and looked at herself in it, and said, looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of all.

The looking-glass answered, thou, o queen, art the fairest of all.

Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke the truth.

But snow-white was growing up, and grew more and more beautiful, and when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the day, and more beautiful than the queen herself. And once when the queen asked her looking-glass, looking-glass, looking-glass, on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of all.

It answered, thou art fairer than all who are here, lady queen.

But more beautiful still is snow-white, as I ween.

Then the queen was shocked, and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour, whenever she looked at snow-white, her heart heaved in her breast, she hated the girl so much.

同类推荐
  • 江城秋霁

    江城秋霁

    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。
  • PROTAGORAS

    PROTAGORAS

    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。
  • 凡草诫

    凡草诫

    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。
  • 净土必求

    净土必求

    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。
  • Loveand Friendship

    Loveand Friendship

    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
  • 我是猫

    我是猫

    日本“国民大师”夏目漱石成名处女作,对日本文学有着极深远的影响。对鲁迅影响力极大的小说。《我是猫》小说以一只猫的视角,观察并评述身为中学教师的主人苦沙弥和他的朋友们的日常生活,同时穿插了资本家邻居金田的女儿婚事等事件。小说中的猫语言幽默机智,妙语连珠,作者借其口嘲笑了明治社会知识分子空虚的精神世界,揭露了金田等资产阶级及其帮凶的势利、粗鄙、凶残的本性。全书构思灵巧,手法夸张,具有鲜明的艺术特色。
  • 独摇揽死生

    独摇揽死生

    两国纷争,内忧外患的状态下,不得不争,而争是为光芒万丈的生和无怨无悔的死,输赢都不负此生。本长篇连载讲述主人公齐瑶在荆棘之中,一步一步走向执政长公主。
  • 我的老婆是仙子

    我的老婆是仙子

    楚家三少楚破,因为庶出且患有小儿麻痹症,被家族给予十万块钱放到烟海市任其自生自灭。在机缘巧合之下,受伤的仙界九天仙女灵儿寄附到他的身上,并教其财气诀。楚破凭借此功法修复双腿,强势崛起。且看楚家废少如何逆袭仙子,纨绔天下!
  • 亡灵放牧者

    亡灵放牧者

    【叮,您激活领地成功,您的领地系统正式启动!】【叮,您开启领地商店抽奖功能!您获得【语言精通卷轴】一个您获得【亡灵召唤令】一个您获得【亡灵矿洞图纸】一张】……ps:这是一个凭借着领地系统,在异界开挂的故事!
  • 教你学吊环·跳马·蹦床

    教你学吊环·跳马·蹦床

    本套图书全部根据具体内容进行相应分章且归类排列,具有很强的可读性、操作性和知识性,是青少年学习田径与体操的最佳读物。
  • 异界缪神传

    异界缪神传

    扮猪吃老虎?不存在的,我只能逆袭……斗皇、圣魔、古巨龙、圣贤者?都靠边站!唯一能阻碍我的只有天!与天斗~神挡杀神、魔起灭魔!
  • 傲娇竹马你不要跑

    傲娇竹马你不要跑

    他们因为一场娃娃亲被绑在一起,就连名字都是被绑在一起的。小时候的易水寒每次出门玩都要带上风潇潇,这并不是易水寒他自己愿意的,而是他的妈妈和他的干妈。易母&风母:“水寒出去玩啊!带上潇潇一起吧。”导致易水寒的小伙伴每次一看到风潇潇都喊:“易水寒~她来了。”这让易水寒特别想甩掉身后的跟屁虫。某一天,易水寒发现风潇潇不再黏他了,好像…有点…不适应了。好像有一种奇怪情愫在他的心中悄悄的发芽…… 【青梅竹马】
  • 陌生的恐惧

    陌生的恐惧

    他是我的初中同桌,他是一个为了实现理想能豁出命去打拼的人,也是一个有着坎坷经历的人。十七岁的他独自闯进陌生的城市寻找梦中的路,在这个陌生的城市里用血与命征服了原本陌生的世界,造就了人生的精彩......他就是一本书!
  • 啼血金钱

    啼血金钱

    深秋。秋雨绵绵。这是一个平常的夜晚——准确地说应该是凌晨了。细雨迷离的灯光下,清源市公安局的办公楼十分肃静。主管刑侦的副局长陶大可神色疲惫,眼睛微微有些红肿。陶大可背对着探长欧阳夏雪和警官罗格,声音涩涩地说:“说说情况吧。简要一些,说骨头的东西。”欧阳夏雪看了罗格一眼,像是在征求他的意见,而后说:“接到指挥部命令,说医保中心主任林清泉要出逃,我们便在机场、车站等交通要道布了控。结果,林清泉没有外逃,却死在自己的办公室里。现场有林清泉去J国的护照、手机等物品,没有发现其余有价值的线索,尚不能断定他是自杀还是他杀。又得知,中行东方办事处主任卢子和失踪了,我们也去了现场,目前尚不知去向。不过,整个案子已经有了一个初步轮廓,他们合伙作案,将在东方办事处开户的3.6亿的医保基金挪走了!”
  • 青少年科技常识必读(青少年必读常识)

    青少年科技常识必读(青少年必读常识)

    每一朵花,都是一个春天,盛开馥郁芬芳;每一粒沙,都是一个世界,搭建小小天堂;每一颗心,都是一盏灯光,把地球村点亮!借助图书为你的生活添一丝色彩。这是一套包罗生活万象的、有趣的书,向读者介绍了不可不知的中的常识。包括文学常识、地理常识、历史常识、安全常识、文化常识、动物常识、植物常识、科技常识、天文常识、生活常识等。这些都是一些生活常识性的问题,说大不大,说小不小,因为零散,平时想了解又难以查找,我们将这些你们可能感兴趣的、富有趣味的日常生活中日积月累的宝贵经验搜集并编辑成册,以便您在遇到问题时随时查询,轻松解决生活中的问题。