tanglewood tales- 第29部分

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　thought　she。　〃It　was　an　enchanted　torch；　and　should　have　kept　burning　till　my　child　came　back。〃

Lifting　her　eyes；　she　was　surprised　to　see　a　sudden　verdure　flashing　over　the　brown　and　barren　fields；　exactly　as　you　may　have　observed　a　golden　hue　gleaming　far　and　wide　across　the　landscape；　from　the　just　risen　sun。

〃Does　the　earth　disobey　me？〃　　xclaimed　Mother　Ceres；　indignantly。　〃Does　it　presume　to　be　green；　when　I　have　bidden　it　be　barren；　until　my　daughter　shall　be　restored　to　my　arms？〃

〃Then　open　your　arms；　dear　mother；〃　cried　a　well…known　voice；　〃and　take　your　little　daughter　into　them。〃

And　Proserpina　came　running；　and　flung　herself　upon　her　mother's　bosom。　Their　mutual　transport　is　not　to　be　described。　The　grief　of　their　separation　had　caused　both　of　them　to　shed　a　great　many　tears；　and　now　they　shed　a　great　many　more；　because　their　joy　could　not　so　well　express　itself　in　any　other　way。

When　their　hearts　had　grown　a　little　more　quiet；　Mother　Ceres　looked　anxiously　at　Proserpina。

〃My　child；〃　said　she；　〃did　you　taste　any　food　while　you　were　in　King　Pluto's　palace？〃

〃Dearest　mother；〃　exclaimed　Proserpina；　〃I　will　tell　you　the　whole　truth。　Until　this　very　morning；　not　a　morsel　of　food　had　passed　my　lips。　But　to…day；　they　brought　me　a　pomegranate　（a　very　dry　one　it　was；　and　all　shriveled　up；　till　there　was　little　left　of　it　but　seeds　and　skin）；　and　having　seen　no　fruit　for　so　long　a　time；　and　being　faint　with　hunger；　I　was　tempted　just　to　bite　it。　The　instant　I　tasted　it；　King　Pluto　and　Quicksilver　came　into　the　room。　I　had　not　swallowed　a　morsel；　butdear　mother；　I　hope　it　was　no　harmbut　six　of　the　pomegranate　seeds；　I　am　afraid；　remained　in　my　mouth。〃

〃Ah；　unfortunate　child；　and　miserable　me！〃　exclaimed　Ceres。　〃For　each　of　those　six　pomegranate　seeds　you　must　spend　one　month　of　every　year　in　King　Pluto's　palace。　You　are　but　half　restored　to　your　mother。　Only　six　months　with　me；　and　six　with　that　good…for…nothing　King　of　Darkness！〃

〃Do　not　speak　so　harshly　of　poor　King　Pluto；〃　said　Prosperina；　kissing　her　mother。　〃He　has　some　very　good　qualities；　and　I　really　think　I　can　bear　to　spend　six　months　in　his　palace；　if　he　will　only　let　me　spend　the　other　six　with　you。　He　certainly　did　very　wrong　to　carry　me　off；　but　then；　as　he　says；　it　was　but　a　dismal　sort　of　life　for　him；　to　live　in　that　great　gloomy　place；　all　alone；　and　it　has　made　a　wonderful　change　in　his　spirits　to　have　a　little　girl　to　run　up　stairs　and　down。　There　is　some　comfort　in　making　him　so　happy；　and　so；　upon　the　whole；　dearest　mother；　let　us　be　thankful　that　he　is　not　to　keep　me　the　whole　year　round。〃



THE　GOLDEN　FLEECE。

When　Jason；　the　son　of　the　dethroned　King　of　Iolchos；　was　a　little　boy；　he　was　sent　away　from　his　parents；　and　placed　under　the　queerest　schoolmaster　that　ever　you　heard　of。　This　learned　person　was　one　of　the　people；　or　quadrupeds；　called　Centaurs。　He　lived　in　a　cavern；　and　had　the　body　and　legs　of　a　white　horse；　with　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　man。　His　name　was　Chiron；　and；　in　spite　of　his　odd　appearance；　he　was　a　very　excellent　teacher；　and　had　several　scholars；　who　afterwards　did　him　credit　by　making　a　great　figure　in　the　world。　The　famous　Hercules　was　one；　and　so　was　Achilles；　and　Philoctetes　likewise；　and　Aesculapius；　who　acquired　immense　repute　as　a　doctor。　The　good　Chiron　taught　his　pupils　how　to　play　upon　the　harp；　and　how　to　cure　diseases；　and　how　to　use　the　sword　and　shield；　together　with　various　other　branches　of　education；　in　which　the　lads　of　those　days　used　to　be　instructed；　instead　of　writing　and　arithmetic。

I　have　sometimes　suspected　that　Master　Chiron　was　not　really　very　different　from　other　people；　but　that；　being　a　kind…hearted　and　merry　old　fellow；　he　was　in　the　habit　of　making　believe　that　he　was　a　horse；　and　scrambling　about　the　schoolroom　on　all　fours；　and　letting　the　little　boys　ride　upon　his　back。　And　so；　when　his　scholars　had　grown　up；　and　grown　old；　and　were　trotting　their　grandchildren　on　their　knees；　they　told　them　about　the　sports　of　their　school　days；　and　these　young　folks　took　the　idea　that　their　grandfathers　had　been　taught　their　letters　by　a　Centaur；　half　man　and　half　horse。　Little　children；　not　quite　understanding　what　is　said　to　them；　often　get　such　absurd　notions　into　their　heads；　you　know。

Be　that　as　it　may；　it　has　always　been　told　for　a　fact　（and　always　will　be　told；　as　long　as　the　world　lasts）；　that　Chiron；　with　the　head　of　a　schoolmaster；　had　the　body　and　legs　of　a　horse。　Just　imagine　the　grave　old　gentleman　clattering　and　stamping　into　the　schoolroom　on　his　four　hoofs；　perhaps　treading　on　some　little　fellow's　toes；　flourishing　his　switch　tail　instead　of　a　rod；　and；　now　and　then；　trotting　out　of　doors　to　eat　a　mouthful　of　grass！　I　wonder　what　the　blacksmith　charged　him　for　a　set　of　iron　shoes？

So　Jason　dwelt　in　the　cave；　with　this　four…footed　Chiron；　from　the　time　that　he　was　an　infant；　only　a　few　months　old；　until　he　had　grown　to　the　full　height　of　a　man。　He　became　a　very　good　harper；　I　suppose；　and　skilful　in　the　use　of　weapons；　and　tolerably　acquainted　with　herbs　and　other　doctor's　stuff；　and；　above　all；　an　admirable　horseman；　for；　in　teaching　young　people　to　ride；　the　good　Chiron　must　have　been　without　a　rival　among　schoolmasters。　At　length；　being　now　a　tall　and　athletic　youth；　Jason　resolved　to　seek　his　fortune　in　the　world；　without　asking　Chiron's　advice；　or　telling　him　anything　about　the　matter。　This　was　very　unwise；　to　be　sure；　and　I　hope　none　of　you；　my　little　hearers；　will　ever　follow　Jason's　example。

But；　you　are　to　understand；　he　had　heard　how　that　he　himself　was　a　prince　royal；　and　how　his　father；　King　Jason；　had　been　deprived　of　the　kingdom　of　Iolchos　by　a　certain　Pelias；　who　would　also　have　killed　Jason；　had　he　not　been　hidden　in　the　Centaur's　cave。　And；　being　come　to　the　strength　of　a　man；　Jason　determined　to　set　all　this　business　to　rights；　and　to　punish　the　wicked　Pelias　for　wronging　his　dear　father；　and　to　cast　him　down　from　the　throne；　and　seat　himself　there　instead。

With　this　intention；　he　took　a　spear　in　each　hand；　and　threw　a　leopard's　skin　over　his　shoulders；　to　keep　off　the　rain；　and　set　forth　on　his　travels；　with　his　long　yellow　ringlets　waving　in　the　wind。　The　part　of　his　dress　on　which　he　most　prided　himself　was　a　pair　of　sandals；　that　had　been　his　father's。　They　were　handsomely　embroidered；　and　were　tied　upon　his　feet　with　strings　of　gold。　But　his　whole　attire　was　such　as　people　did　not　very　often　see；　and　as　he　passed　along；　the　women　and　children　ran　to　the　doors　and　windows；　wondering　whither　this　beautiful　youth　was　journeying；　with　his　leopard's　skin　and　his　golden…tied　sandals；　and　what　heroic　deeds　he　meant　to　perform；　with　a　spear　in　his　right　hand　and　another　in　his　left。

I　know　not　how　far　Jason　had　traveled；　when　he　came　to　a　turbulent　river；　which　rushed　right　across　his　pathway；　with　specks　of　white　foam　among　its　black　eddies；　hurrying　tumultuously　onward；　and　roaring　angrily　as　it　went。　Though　not　a　very　broad　river　in　the　dry　seasons　of　the　year；　it　was　now　swollen　by　heavy　rains　and　by　the　melting　of　the　snow　on　the　sides　of　Mount　Olympus；　and　it　thundered　so　loudly；　and　looked　so　wild　and　dangerous；　that　Jason；　bold　as　he　was；　thought　it　prudent　to　pause　upon　the　brink。　The　bed　of　the　stream　seemed　to　be　strewn　with　sharp　and　rugged　rocks；　some　of　which　thrust　themselves　above　the　water。　By　and　by；　an　uprooted　tree；　with　shattered　branches；　came　drifting　along　the　current；　and　got　entangled　among　the　rocks。　Now　and　then；　a　drowned　sheep；　and　once　the　carcass　of　a　cow；　floated　past。

In　short；　the　swollen　river　had　already　done　a　great　deal　of　mischief。　It　was　evidently　too　deep　for　Jason　to　wade；　and　too　boisterous　for　him　to　swim；　he　could　see　no　bridge；　and　as　for　a　boat；　had　there　been　any；　the　rocks　would　have　broken　it　to　pieces　in　an　instant。

〃See　the　poor　lad；〃　said　a　cracked　voice　close　to　his　side。　〃He　must　have　had　but　a　poor　education；　since　he　does　not　know　how　to　cross　a　little　stream　like　this。　Or　is　he　afraid　of　wetting　his　fine　golden…stringed　sandals？　It　is　a　pity　his　four…footed　schoolmaster　is　not　here　to　carry　him　safely　across　on　his　back！〃

Jason　looked　round　greatly　surprised；　for　he　did　not　know　that　anybody　was　near。　But　beside　him　stood　an　old　woman；　with　a　ragged　mantle　over　her　head；　leaning　on　a　staff；　the　top　of　which　was　carved　into　the　shape　of　a　cuckoo。　She　looked　very　aged；　and　wrinkled；　and　infirm；　and　yet　her　eyes；　which　were　as　brown　as　those　of　an　ox；　were　so　extremely　large　and　beautiful；　that；　when　they　were　fixed　on　Jason's　eyes；　he　could　see　nothing　else　but　them。　The　old　woman　had　a　pomegranate　in　her　hand；　although　the　fruit　was　then　quite　out　of　season。

〃Whither　are　you　going；　Jason？〃　she　now　asked。

She　seemed　to　know　his　name；　you　will　observe；　and；　indeed；　those　great　brown　eyes　looked　as　if　they　had　a　knowledge　of　everything；　whether　past　or　to　come。　While　Jason　was　gazing　at　her；　a　peacock　strutted　forward；　and　took　his　stand　at　the　old　woman's　side。

〃I　am　going　to　Iolchos；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃to　bid　the　wicked　King　Pelias　come　down　from　my　father's　throne；　and　let　me　reign　in　his　stead。〃

〃Ah；　well；　then；〃　said　the　old　woman；　still　with　the　same　cracked　voice；　〃if　that　is　all　your　business；　you　need　not　be　in　a　very　great　hurry。　Just　take　me　on　your　back；　there's　a　good　youth；　and　carry　me　across　the　river。　I　and　my　peacock　have　something　to　do　on　the　other　side；　as　well　as　yourself。〃

〃Good　mother；〃　replied　Jason；　〃your　business　can　hardly　be　so　important　as　the　pulling　down　a　king　from　his　throne。　Besides；　as　you　may　see　for　yourself；　the　river　is　very　boisterous；　and　if　I　should　chance　to　stumble；　it　would　sweep　both　of　us　away　more　easily　than　it　has　carried　off　yonder　uprooted　tree。　I　would　gladly　help　you　if　I　could；　but　I　doubt　whether　I　am　strong　enough　to　carry　you　across。〃

〃Then；〃　said　she；　very　scornfully；　〃neither　are　you　strong　enough　to　pull　King　Pelias　off　his　throne。　And；　Jason；　unless　you　will　help　an　old　woman　at　her　need；　you　ought　not　to　be　a　king。　What　are　kings　made　for；　save　to　succor　the　feeble　and　distressed？　But　do　as　you　please。　Either　take　me　on　your　back；　or　with　my　poor　old　limbs　I　shall　try　m