安徒生童话-第100章

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hward；　andto　taste　salt　water。　They　will　never　return　to　Bear's　Island。〃

〃So　you　have　done　mischief；〃　said　the　mother　of　the　Winds。

〃I　shall　leave　others　to　tell　the　good　I　have　done；〃　he　replied。〃But　here　es　my　brother　from　the　West；　I　like　him　best　of　all；for　he　has　the　smell　of　the　sea　about　him；　and　brings　in　a　cold；　freshair　as　he　enters。〃

〃Is　that　the　little　Zephyr？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃Yes；　it　is　the　little　Zephyr；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃but　he　is　notlittle　now。　In　years　gone　by　he　was　a　beautiful　boy；　now　that　is　allpast。〃

He　came　in；　looking　like　a　wild　man；　and　he　wore　a　slouched　hat　toprotect　his　head　from　injury。　In　his　hand　he　carried　a　club；　cutfrom　a　mahogany　tree　in　the　American　forests；　not　a　trifle　to　carry。

〃Whence　do　you　e？〃　asked　the　mother。

〃I　e　from　the　wilds　of　the　forests；　where　the　thorny　bramblesform　thick　hedges　between　the　trees；　where　the　water…snake　lies　in　thewet　grass；　and　mankind　seem　to　be　unknown。〃

〃What　were　you　doing　there？〃

〃I　looked　into　the　deep　river；　and　saw　it　rushing　down　from　therocks。　The　water　drops　mounted　to　the　clouds　and　glittered　in　therainbow。　I　saw　the　wild　buffalo　swimming　in　the　river；　but　thestrong　tide　carried　him　away　amidst　a　flock　of　wild　ducks；　whichflew　into　the　air　as　the　waters　dashed　onwards；　leaving　the　buffalo　tobe　hurled　over　the　waterfall。　This　pleased　me；　so　I　raised　a　storm；which　rooted　up　old　trees；　and　sent　them　floating　down　the　river。〃

〃And　what　else　have　you　done？〃　asked　the　old　woman。

〃I　have　rushed　wildly　across　the　savannahs；　I　have　stroked　thewild　horses；　and　shaken　the　cocoa…nuts　from　the　trees。　Yes；　I　havemany　stories　to　relate；　but　I　need　not　tell　everything　I　know。　Youknow　it　all　very　well；　don't　you；　old　lady？〃　And　he　kissed　hismother　so　roughly；　that　she　nearly　fell　backwards。　Oh；　he　was；　indeed；a　wild　fellow。

Now　in　came　the　South　Wind；　with　a　turban　and　a　flowing　Bedouincloak。

〃How　cold　it　is　here！〃　said　he；　throwing　more　wood　on　the　fire。〃It　is　easy　to　feel　that　the　North　Wind　has　arrived　here　before　me。〃

〃Why　it　is　hot　enough　here　to　roast　a　bear；〃　said　the　North　Wind。

〃You　are　a　bear　yourself；〃　said　the　other。

〃Do　you　want　to　be　put　in　the　sack；　both　of　you？〃　said　the　oldwoman。　〃Sit　down；　now；　on　that　stone；　yonder；　and　tell　me　where　youhave　been。〃

〃In　Africa；　mother。　I　went　out　with　the　Hottentots；　who　werelion…hunting　in　the　Kaffir　land；　where　the　plains　are　covered　withgrass　the　color　of　a　green　olive；　and　here　I　ran　races　with　theostrich；　but　I　soon　outstripped　him　in　swiftness。　At　last　I　came　tothe　desert；　in　which　lie　the　golden　sands；　looking　like　the　bottomof　the　sea。　Here　I　met　a　caravan；　and　the　travellers　had　just　killedtheir　last　camel；　to　obtain　water；　there　was　very　little　for　them；　andthey　continued　their　painful　journey　beneath　the　burning　sun；　and　overthe　hot　sands；　which　stretched　before　them　a　vast；　boundless　desert。Then　I　rolled　myself　in　the　loose　sand；　and　whirled　it　in　burningcolumns　over　their　heads。　The　dromedarys　stood　still　in　terror；while　the　merchants　drew　their　caftans　over　their　heads；　and　threwthemselves　on　the　ground　before　me；　as　they　do　before　Allah；　theirgod。　Then　I　buried　them　beneath　a　pyramid　of　sand；　which　covers　themall。　When　I　blow　that　away　on　my　next　visit；　the　sun　will　bleach　theirbones；　and　travellers　will　see　that　others　have　been　there　beforethem；　otherwise；　in　such　a　wild　desert；　they　might　not　believe　itpossible。〃

〃So　you　have　done　nothing　but　evil；〃　said　the　mother。　〃Into　thesack　with　you；〃　and；　before　he　was　aware；　she　had　seized　the　SouthWind　round　the　body；　and　popped　him　into　the　bag。　He　rolled　about　onthe　floor；　till　she　sat　herself　upon　him　to　keep　him　still。

〃These　boys　of　yours　are　very　lively；〃　said　the　prince。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　know　how　to　correct　them；　whennecessary；　and　here　es　the　fourth。〃　In　came　the　East　Wind；dressed　like　a　Chinese。

〃Oh；　you　e　from　that　quarter；　do　you？〃　said　she；　〃I　thought　youhad　been　to　the　garden　of　paradise。〃

〃I　am　going　there　to…morrow；〃　he　replied；　〃I　have　not　been　therefor　a　hundred　years。　I　have　just　e　from　China；　where　I　danced　roundthe　porcelain　tower　till　all　the　bells　jingled　again。　In　the　streetsan　official　flogging　was　taking　place；　and　bamboo　canes　were　beingbroken　on　the　shoulders　of　men　of　every　high　position；　from　thefirst　to　the　ninth　grade。　They　cried；　'Many　thanks；　my　fatherlybenefactor；'　but　I　am　sure　the　words　did　not　e　from　their　hearts；so　I　rang　the　bells　till　they　sounded；　'ding；　ding…dong。'〃

〃You　are　a　wild　boy；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃it　is　well　for　you　thatyou　are　going　to…morrow　to　the　garden　of　paradise；　you　always　getimproved　in　your　education　there。　Drink　deeply　from　the　fountain　ofwisdom　while　you　are　there；　and　bring　home　a　bottleful　for　me。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　said　the　East　Wind；　〃but　why　have　you　put　mybrother　South　in　a　bag？　Let　him　out；　for　I　want　him　to　tell　me　aboutthe　phoenix…bird。　The　princess　always　wants　to　hear　of　this　birdwhen　I　pay　her　my　visit　every　hundred　years。　If　you　will　open　thesack；　sweetest　mother；　I　will　give　you　two　pocketfuls　of　tea；　greenand　fresh　as　when　I　gathered　it　from　the　spot　where　it　grew。〃

〃Well；　for　the　sake　of　the　tea；　and　because　you　are　my　own　boy；I　will　open　the　bag。〃

She　did　so；　and　the　South　Wind　crept　out；　looking　quite　cast　down；because　the　prince　had　seen　his　disgrace。

〃There　is　a　palm…leaf　for　the　princess；〃　he　said。　〃The　oldphoenix；　the　only　one　in　the　world；　gave　it　to　me　himself。　He　hasscratched　on　it　with　his　beak　the　whole　of　his　history　during　thehundred　years　he　has　lived。　She　can　there　read　how　the　old　phoenix　setfire　to　his　own　nest；　and　sat　upon　it　while　it　was　burning；　like　aHindoo　widow。　The　dry　twigs　around　the　nest　crackled　and　smoked　tillthe　flames　burst　forth　and　consumed　the　phoenix　to　ashes。　Amidst　thefire　lay　an　egg；　red　hot；　which　presently　burst　with　a　loud　report；and　out　flew　a　young　bird。　He　is　the　only　phoenix　in　the　world；　andthe　king　over　all　the　other　birds。　He　has　bitten　a　hole　in　the　leafwhich　I　give　you；　and　that　is　his　greeting　to　the　princess。〃

〃Now　let　us　have　something　to　eat；〃　said　the　mother　of　theWinds。　So　they　all　sat　down　to　feast　on　the　roasted　stag；　and　as　theprince　sat　by　the　side　of　the　East　Wind；　they　soon　became　goodfriends。

〃Pray　tell　me；〃　said　the　prince；　〃who　is　that　princess　of　whom　youhave　been　talking！　and　where　lies　the　garden　of　paradise？〃

〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　the　East　Wind；　〃would　you　like　to　go　there？　Well；you　can　fly　off　with　me　to…morrow；　but　I　must　tell　you　one　thing…　nohuman　being　has　been　there　since　the　time　of　Adam　and　Eve。　I　supposeyou　have　read　of　them　in　your　Bible。〃

〃Of　course　I　have；〃　said　the　prince。

〃Well；〃　continued　the　East　Wind；　〃when　they　were　driven　out　of　thegarden　of　paradise；　it　sunk　into　the　earth；　but　it　retained　its　warmsunshine；　its　balmy　air；　and　all　its　splendor。　The　fairy　queen　livesthere；　in　the　island　of　happiness；　where　death　never　es；　and　all　isbeautiful。　I　can　manage　to　take　you　there　to…morrow；　if　you　will　siton　my　back。　But　now　don't　talk　any　more；　for　I　want　to　go　to　sleep；〃and　then　they　all　slept。

When　the　prince　awoke　in　the　early　morning；　he　was　not　a　littlesurprised　at　finding　himself　high　u