安徒生童话-第150章

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The　Viking's　wife　sat　upon　a　raised　cross　seat　in　the　open　hall。She　wore　a　silk　dress；　golden　bracelets；　and　large　amber　beads。　Shewas　in　costly　attire；　and　the　bard　named　her　in　his　song；　and　spoke　ofthe　rich　treasure　of　gold　which　she　had　brought　to　her　husband。　Herhusband　had　already　seen　the　wonderfully　beautiful　child　in　thedaytime；　and　was　delighted　with　her　beauty；　even　her　wild　ways　pleasedhim。　He　said　the　little　maiden　would　grow　up　to　be　a　heroine；　with　thestrong　will　and　determination　of　a　man。　She　would　never　wink　her　eyes；even　if；　in　joke；　an　expert　hand　should　attempt　to　cut　off　hereye…brows　with　a　sharp　sword。

The　full　cask　of　mead　soon　became　empty；　and　a　fresh　one　wasbrought　in；　for　these　were　people　who　liked　plenty　to　eat　and　drink。The　old　proverb；　which　every　one　knows；　says　that　〃the　cattle　knowwhen　to　leave　their　pasture；　but　a　foolish　man　knows　not　the　measureof　his　own　appetite。〃　Yes；　they　all　knew　this；　but　men　may　know　whatis　right；　and　yet　often　do　wrong。　They　also　knew　〃that　even　thewele　guest　bees　wearisome　when　he　sits　too　long　in　the　house。〃But　there　they　remained；　for　pork　and　mead　are　good　things。　And　soat　the　Viking's　house　they　stayed；　and　enjoyed　themselves；　and　atnight　the　bondmen　slept　in　the　ashes；　and　dipped　their　fingers　inthe　fat；　and　licked　them。　Oh；　it　was　a　delightful　time！

Once　more　in　the　same　year　the　Viking　went　forth；　though　thestorms　of　autumn　had　already　menced　to　roar。　He　went　with　hiswarriors　to　the　coast　of　Britain；　he　said　that　it　was　but　an　excursionof　pleasure　across　the　water；　so　his　wife　remained　at　home　with　thelittle　girl。　After　a　while；　it　is　quite　certain　the　foster…motherbegan　to　love　the　poor　frog；　with　its　gentle　eyes　and　its　deepsighs；　even　better　than　the　little　beauty　who　bit　and　fought　withall　around　her。

The　heavy；　damp　mists　of　autumn；　which　destroy　the　leaves　of　thewood；　had　already　fallen　upon　forest　and　heath。　Feathers　of　pluckedbirds；　as　they　call　the　snow；　flew　about　in　thick　showers；　andwinter　was　ing。　The　sparrows　took　possession　of　the　stork's　nest；and　conversed　about　the　absent　owners　in　their　own　fashion；　andthey；　the　stork　pair　and　all　their　young　ones；　where　were　they　stayingnow？　The　storks　might　have　been　found　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　wherethe　sun's　rays　shone　forth　bright　and　warm；　as　it　does　here　atmidsummer。　Tamarinds　and　acacias　were　in　full　bloom　all　over　thecountry；　the　crescent　of　Mahomet　glittered　brightly　from　the　cupolasof　the　mosques；　and　on　the　slender　pinnacles　sat　many　of　the　storks；resting　after　their　long　journey。　Swarms　of　them　took　dividedpossession　of　the　nests…　nests　which　lay　close　to　each　other　betweenthe　venerable　columns；　and　crowded　the　arches　of　temples　inforgotten　cities。　The　date　and　the　palm　lifted　themselves　as　ascreen　or　as　a　sun…shade　over　them。　The　gray　pyramids　looked　likebroken　shadows　in　the　clear　air　and　the　far…off　desert；　where　theostrich　wheels　his　rapid　flight；　and　the　lion；　with　his　subtle　eyes；gazes　at　the　marble　sphinx　which　lies　half　buried　in　sand。　Thewaters　of　the　Nile　had　retreated；　and　the　whole　bed　of　the　river　wascovered　with　frogs；　which　was　a　most　acceptable　prospect　for　the　storkfamilies。　The　young　storks　thought　their　eyes　deceived　them；everything　around　appeared　so　beautiful。

〃It　is　always　like　this　here；　and　this　is　how　we　live　in　ourwarm　country；〃　said　the　stork…mamma；　and　the　thought　made　the　youngones　almost　beside　themselves　with　pleasure。

〃Is　there　anything　more　to　see？〃　they　asked；　〃are　we　going　fartherinto　the　country？〃

〃There　is　nothing　further　for　us　to　see；〃　answered　thestork…mamma。　〃Beyond　this　delightful　region　there　are　immense　forests；where　the　branches　of　the　trees　entwine　round　each　other；　whileprickly；　creeping　plants　cover　the　paths；　and　only　an　elephant　couldforce　a　passage　for　himself　with　his　great　feet。　The　snakes　are　toolarge；　and　the　lizards　too　lively　for　us　to　catch。　Then　there　is　thedesert；　if　you　went　there；　your　eyes　would　soon　be　full　of　sand　withthe　lightest　breeze；　and　if　it　should　blow　great　guns；　you　wouldmost　likely　find　yourself　in　a　sand…drift。　Here　is　the　best　placefor　you；　where　there　are　frogs　and　locusts；　here　I　shall　remain；　andso　must　you。〃　And　so　they　stayed。

The　parents　sat　in　the　nest　on　the　slender　minaret；　and　rested；yet　still　were　busily　employed　in　cleaning　and　smoothing　theirfeathers；　and　in　sharpening　their　beaks　against　their　red　stockings；then　they　would　stretch　out　their　necks；　salute　each　other；　andgravely　raise　their　heads　with　the　high…polished　forehead；　and　soft；smooth　feathers；　while　their　brown　eyes　shone　with　intelligence。　Thefemale　young　ones　strutted　about　amid　the　moist　rushes；　glancing　atthe　other　young　storks　and　making　acquaintances；　and　swallowing　a　frogat　every　third　step；　or　tossing　a　little　snake　about　with　their　beaks；in　a　way　they　considered　very　being；　and　besides　it　tasted　verygood。　The　young　male　storks　soon　began　to　quarrel；　they　struck　at　eachother　with　their　wings；　and　pecked　with　their　beaks　till　the　bloodcame。　And　in　this　manner　many　of　the　young　ladies　and　gentlemen　werebetrothed　to　each　other：　it　was；　of　course；　what　they　wanted；　andindeed　what　they　lived　for。　Then　they　returned　to　a　nest；　and　therethe　quarrelling　began　afresh；　for　in　hot　countries　people　are　almostall　violent　and　passionate。　But　for　all　that　it　was　pleasant；especially　for　the　old　people；　who　watched　them　with　great　joy：　allthat　their　young　ones　did　suited　them。　Every　day　here　there　wassunshine；　plenty　to　eat；　and　nothing　to　think　of　but　pleasure。　Butin　the　rich　castle　of　their　Egyptian　host；　as　they　called　him；pleasure　was　not　to　be　found。　The　rich　and　mighty　lord　of　the　castlelay　on　his　couch；　in　the　midst　of　the　great　hall；　with　its　manycolored　walls　looking　like　the　centre　of　a　great　tulip；　but　he　wasstiff　and　powerless　in　all　his　limbs；　and　lay　stretched　out　like　amummy。　His　family　and　servants　stood　round　him；　he　was　not　dead；although　he　could　scarcely　be　said　to　live。　The　healing　moor…flowerfrom　the　north；　which　was　to　have　been　found　and　brought　to　him　by　herwho　loved　him　so　well；　had　not　arrived。　His　young　and　beautifuldaughter　who；　in　swan's　plumage；　had　flown　over　land　and　seas　to　thedistant　north；　had　never　returned。　She　is　dead；　so　the　twoswan…maidens　had　said　when　they　came　home；　and　they　made　up　quite　astory　about　her；　and　this　is　what　they　told；…

〃We　three　flew　away　together　through　the　air；〃　said　they：　〃ahunter　caught　sight　of　us；　and　shot　at　us　with　an　arrow。　The　arrowstruck　our　young　friend　and　sister；　and　slowly　singing　her　farewellsong　she　sank　down；　a　dying　swan；　into　the　forest　lake。　On　theshores　of　the　lake；　under　a　spreading　birch…tree；　we　laid　her　in　thecold　earth。　We　had　our　revenge；　we　bound　fire　under　the　wings　of　aswallow；　who　had　a　nest　on　the　thatched　roof　of　the　huntsman。　Thehouse　took　fire；　and　burst　into　flames；　the　hunter　was　burnt　withthe　house；　and　the　light　was　reflected　over　the　sea　as　far　as　thespreading　birch；　beneath　which　we　laid　her　sleeping　dust。　She　willnever　return　to　the　land　of　Egypt。〃　And　then　they　both　wept。　Andstork…papa；　who　heard　the　story；　snapped　with　his　beak　so　that　itmight　be　heard　a　long　way　off。

'Deceit　and　lies！〃　cried　he；　〃I　should　like　to　run　my　b