The Dragon of the North英语童话故事.docx
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The Dragon of the North英语童话故事.docx
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TheDragonoftheNorth英语童话故事
TheDragonoftheNorth-英语童话故事
Verylongago,asoldpeoplehavetoldme,therelivedaterriblemonster,whocameoutoftheNorth,andlaidwastewholetractsofcountry,devouringbothmenandbeasts;andthismonsterwassodestructivethatitwasfearedthatunlesshelpcamenolivingcreaturewouldbeleftonthefaceoftheearth.Ithadabodylikeanox,andlegslikeafrog,twoshortfore-legs,andtwolongonesbehind,andbesidesthatithadataillikeaserpent,tenfathomsinlength.Whenitmoveditjumpedlikeafrog,andwitheveryspringitcoveredhalfamileofground.Fortunatelyitshabit,wastoremainforseveralyearsinthesameplace,andnottomoveontillthewholeneighbourhoodwaseatenup.Nothingcouldhuntit,becauseitswholebodywascoveredwithscales,whichwereharderthanstoneormetal;itstwogreateyesshonebynight,andevenbyday,likethebrightestlamps,andanyonewhohadtheilllucktolookintothoseeyesbecameasitwerebewitched,andwasobligedtorushofhisownaccordintothemonster'sjaws.InthiswaytheDragonwasabletofeeduponbothmenandbeastswithouttheleasttroubletoitself,asitneedednottomovefromthespotwhereitwaslying.Alltheneighbouringkingshadofferedrichrewardstoanyonewhoshouldbeabletodestroythemonster,eitherbyforceorenchantment,andmanyhadtriedtheirluck,butallhadmiserablyfailed.OnceagreatforestinwhichtheDragonlayhadbeensetonfire;theforestwasburntdown,butthefiredidnotdothemonstertheleastharm.However,therewasatraditionamongstthewisemenofthecountrythattheDragonmightbeovercomebyonewhopossessedKingSolomon'ssignet-ring,uponwhichasecretwritingwasengraved.ThisinscriptionwouldenableanyonewhowaswiseenoughtointerpretittofindouthowtheDragoncouldbedestroyed.Onlynooneknewwheretheringwashidden,norwasthereanysorcererorlearnedmantobefoundwhowouldbeabletoexplaintheinscription.
Atlastayoungman,withagoodheartandplentyofcourage,setouttosearchforthering.Hetookhiswaytowardsthesunrising,becauseheknewthatallthewisdomofoldtimecomesfromtheEast.AftersomeyearshemetwithafamousEasternmagician,andaskedforhisadviceinthematter.Themagiciananswered:
'Mortalmenhavebutlittlewisdom,andcangiveyounohelp,butthebirdsoftheairwouldbebetterguidestoyouifyoucouldlearntheirlanguage.Icanhelpyoutounderstanditifyouwillstaywithmeafewdays.'
Theyouththankfullyacceptedthemagician'soffer,andsaid,'Icannotnowofferyouanyrewardforyourkindness,butshouldmyundertakingsucceedyourtroubleshallberichlyrepaid.'
Thenthemagicianbrewedapowerfulpotionoutofninesortsofherbswhichhehadgatheredhimselfallalonebymoonlight,andhegavetheyouthninespoonfulsofitdaily
forthreedays,whichmadehimabletounderstandthelanguageofbirds.
Atpartingthemagiciansaidtohim.'IfyoueverfindSolomon'sringandgetpossessionofit,thencomebacktome,thatImayexplaintheinscriptionontheringtoyou,forthereisnooneelseintheworldwhocandothis.'
Fromthattimetheyouthneverfeltlonelyashewalkedalong;healwayshadcompany,becauseheunderstoodthelanguageofbirds;andinthiswayhelearnedmanythingswhichmerehumanknowledgecouldneverhavetaughthim.Buttimewenton,andheheardnothingaboutthering.Ithappenedoneevening,whenhewashotandtiredwithwalking,andhadsatdownunderatreeinaforesttoeathissupper,thathesawtwogaily-plumagedbirds,thatwerestrangetohim,sittingatthetopofthetreetalkingtooneanotherabouthim.Thefirstbirdsaid:
'Iknowthatwanderingfoolunderthetreethere,whohascomesofarwithoutfindingwhatheseeks.HeistryingtofindKingSolomon'slostring.'
Theotherbirdanswered,'HewillhavetoseekhelpfromtheWitch-maiden,whowilldoubtlessbeabletoputhimontherighttrack.Ifshehasnotgottheringherself,sheknowswellenoughwhohasit.'
'ButwhereishetofindtheWitch-maiden?
'saidthefirstbird.'Shehasnosettleddwelling,butishereto-dayandgoneto-morrow.Hemightaswelltrytocatchthewind.'
Theotherreplied,'Idonotknow,certainly,wheresheisatpresent,butinthreenightsfromnowshewillcometothespringtowashherface,asshedoeseverymonthwhenthemoonisfull,inorderthatshemaynevergrowoldnorwrinkled,butmayalwayskeepthebloomofyouth.'
'Well,'saidthefirstbird,'thespringisnotfarfromhere.Shallwegoandseehowitisshedoesit?
'
'Willingly,ifyoulike,'saidtheother.
Theyouthimmediatelyresolvedtofollowthebirdstothespring,onlytwothingsmadehimuneasy:
first,lesthemightbeasleepwhenthebirdswent,andsecondly,lesthemightlosesightofthem,sincehehadnotwingstocarryhimalongsoswiftly.Hewastootiredtokeepawakeallnight,yethisanxietypreventedhimfromsleepingsoundly,andwhenwiththeearliestdawnhelookeduptothetree-top,hewasgladtoseehisfeatheredcompanionsstillasleepwiththeirheadsundertheirwings.Heatehisbreakfast,andwaiteduntilthebirdsshouldstart,buttheydidnotleavetheplaceallday.Theyhoppedaboutfromonetreetoanotherlookingforfood,alldaylonguntiltheevening,whentheywentbacktotheiroldperchtosleep.Thenextdaythesamethinghappened,butonthethirdmorningonebirdsaidtotheother,'To-daywemustgotothespringtoseetheWitch-maidenwashherface.'Theyremainedonthetreetillnoon;thentheyflewawayandwenttowardsthesouth.Theyoungman'sheartbeatwithanxietylestheshouldlosesightofhisguides
,buthemanagedtokeepthebirdsinviewuntiltheyagainpercheduponatree.Theyoungmanranafterthemuntilhewasquiteexhaustedandoutofbreath,andafterthreeshortreststhebirdsatlengthreachedasmallopenspaceintheforest,ontheedgeofwhichtheyplacedthemselvesonthetopofahightree.Whentheyouthhadovertakenthem,hesawthattherewasaclearspringinthemiddleofthespace.Hesatdownatthefootofthetreeuponwhichthebirdswereperched,andlistenedattentivelytowhattheyweresayingtoeachother.
'Thesunisnotdownyet,'saidthefirstbird;'wemustwaityetawhiletillthemoonrisesandthemaidencomestothespring.Doyouthinkshewillseethatyoungmansittingunderthetree?
'
'Nothingislikelytoescapehereyes,certainlynotayoungman,saidtheotherbird.'Willtheyouthhavethesensenottolethimselfbecaughtinhertoils?
'
'Wewillwait,'saidthefirstbird,'andseehowtheygetontogether.'
Theeveninglighthadquitefaded,andthefullmoonwasalreadyshiningdownupontheforest,whentheyoungmanheardaslightrustlingsound.Afterafewmomentstherecameoutoftheforestamaiden,glidingoverthegrasssolightlythatherfeetseemedscarcelytotouchtheground,andstoodbesidethespring.Theyouthcouldnotturnawayhiseyesfromthemaiden,forhehadneverinhislifeseenawomansobeautiful.Withoutseemingtonoticeanything,shewenttothespring,lookeduptothefullmoon,thenkneltdownandbathedherfaceninetimes,thenlookeduptothemoonagainandwalkedninetimesroundthewell,andasshewalkedshesangthissong:
'Full-facedmoonwithlightunshaded,Letmybeautyne'erbefaded.Neverletmycheekgrowpale!
Whilethemooniswaningnightly,Maythemaidenbloommorebrightly,Mayherfreshnessneverfail!
'
Thenshedriedherfacewithherlonghair,andwasabouttogoaway,whenhereyesuddenlyfelluponthespotwheretheyoungmanwassitting,andsheturnedtowardsthetree.Theyouthroseandstoodwaiting.Thenthemaidensaid,'Yououghttohaveaheavypunishmentbecauseyouhavepresumedtowatchmysecretdoingsinthemoonlight.ButIwillforgiveyouthistime,becauseyouareastrangerandknewnobetter.Butyoumusttellmetrulywhoyouareandhowyoucametothisplace,wherenomortalhaseversetfootbefore.'
Theyouthansweredhumbly:
'Forgiveme,beautifulmaiden,ifIhaveunintentionallyoffendedyou.Ichancedtocomehereafterlongwandering,andfoundagoodplacetosleepunderthistree.AtyourcomingIdidnotknowwhattodo,butstayedwhereIwas,becauseIthoughtmysilentwatchingcouldnotoffendyou.'
Themaidenansweredkindly,'Comeandspendthisnightwithus.Youwillsleepbetteronapillowthanondampmoss.'
Theyouthhesitatedforalittle,butpresentlyheheardthebirdssay
ingfromthetopofthetree,'Gowhereshecallsyou,buttakecaretogivenoblood,oryouwillsellyoursoul.'Sotheyouthwentwithher,andsoontheyreachedabeautifulgarden,wherestoodasplendidhouse,whichglitteredinthemoonlightasifitwasallbuiltoutofgoldandsilver.Whentheyouthenteredhefoundmanysplendidchambers,eachonefinerthanthelast.Hundredsoftapersburntupongoldencandlesticks,andshedalightlikethebrightestday.Atlengththeyreachedachamberwhereatablewasspreadwiththemostcostlydishes.Atthetablewereplacedtwochairs,oneofsilver,theotherofgold.Themaidenseatedherselfuponthegoldenchair,andofferedthesilveronetohercompanion.Theywereservedbymaidensdressedinwhite,whosefeetmadenosoundastheymovedabout,andnotawordwasspokenduringthemeal.AfterwardstheyouthandtheWitch-maidenconversedpleasantlytogether,untilawoman,dressedinred,cameintoremindthemthatitwasbedtime.Theyouthwasnowshownintoanotherroom,containingasilkenbedwithdowncushions,wherehesleptdelightfully,yetheseemedtohearav
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