登陆注册
38596800000073

第73章

Then spoke the king and said: 'Yes, truly, you have found the princess. Now I will turn her as well as all her maidens into ducks, and if you can guess which of these ducks is my daughter, then you shall have her to wife.'

And immediately the king changed all the maidens into ducks, and he drove them before the young man, and said: 'Now show me which is my daughter.'

Then the princess, according to their understanding, began to clean her wings with her bill, and the lad said: 'She who cleans her wings is the princess.'

Now the king could do nothing more but give her to the young man to wife, and they lived together in great joy and happiness.

[From the German.]

THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY

Once upon a time there lived an emperor who was a great conqueror, and reigned over more countries than anyone in the world. And whenever he subdued a fresh kingdom, he only granted peace on condition that the king should deliver him one of his sons for ten years' service.

Now on the borders of his kingdom lay a country whose emperor was as brave as his neighbour, and as long as he was young he was the victor in every war. But as years passed away, his head grew weary of ****** plans of campaign, and his people wanted to stay at home and till their fields, and at last he too felt that he must do homage to the other emperor.

One thing, however, held him back from this step which day by day he saw more clearly was the only one possible. His new overlord would demand the service of one of his sons. And the old emperor had no son; only three daughters.

Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.

At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:

'What secret grief is troubling you? Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure? To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.'

'My daughter,' answered the emperor, 'what you say is true.

Never have you given me one moment's pain. Yet now you cannot help me. Ah! why is not one of you a boy!'

'I don't understand,' she answered in surprise. 'Tell us what is wrong: and though we are not boys, we are not quite useless!'

'But what can you do, my dear children? Spin, sew, and weave--that is all your learning. Only a warrior can deliver me now, a young giant who is strong to wield the battle-axe: whose sword deals deadly blows.'

'But WHY do you need a son so much at present? Tell us all about it! It will not make matters worse if we know!'

'Listen then, my daughters, and learn the reason of my sorrow.

You have heard that as long as I was young no man ever brought an army against me without it costing him dear. But the years have chilled my blood and drunk my strength. And now the deer can roam the forest, my arrows will never pierce his heart; strange soldiers will set fire to my houses and water their horses at my wells, and my arm cannot hinder them. No, my day is past, and the time has come when I too must bow my head under the yoke of my foe! But who is to give him the ten years' service that is part of the price which the vanquished must pay?'

'_I_ will,' cried the eldest girl, springing to her feet. But her father only shook his head sadly.

'Never will I bring shame upon you,' urged the girl. 'Let me go.

Am I not a princess, and the daughter of an emperor?'

'Go then!' he said.

The brave girl's heart almost stopped beating from joy, as she set about her preparations. She was not still for a single moment, but danced about the house, turning chests and wardrobes upside down. She set aside enough things for a whole year--dresses embroidered with gold and precious stones, and a great store of provisions. And she chose the most spirited horse in the stable, with eyes of flame, and a coat of shining silver.

When her father saw her mounted and curvetting about the court, he gave her much wise advice, as to how she was to behave like the young man she appeared to be, and also how to behave as the girl she really was. Then he gave her his blessing, and she touched her horse with the spur.

The silver armour of herself and her steed dazzled the eyes of the people as she darted past. She was soon out of sight, and if after a few miles she had not pulled up to allow her escort to join her, the rest of the journey would have been performed alone.

But though none of his daughters were aware of the fact, the old emperor was a magician, and had laid his plans accordingly. He managed, unseen, to overtake his daughter, and throw a bridge of copper over a stream which she would have to cross. Then, changing himself into a wolf, he lay down under one of the arches, and waited.

He had chosen his time well, and in about half an hour the sound of a horse's hoofs was heard. His feet were almost on the bridge, when a big grey wolf with grinning teeth appeared before the princess. With a deep growl that froze the blood, he drew himself up, and prepared to spring.

The appearance of the wolf was so sudden and so unexpected, that the girl was almost paralysed, and never even dreamt of flight, till the horse leaped violently to one side. Then she turned him round, and urging him to his fullest speed, never drew rein till she saw the gates of the palace rising before her.

The old emperor, who had got back long since, came to the door to meet her, and touching her shining armour, he said, 'Did I not tell you, my child, that flies do not make honey?'

The days passed on, and one morning the second princess implored her father to allow her to try the adventure in which her sister had made such a failure. He listened unwillingly, feeling sure it was no use, but she begged so hard that in the end he consented, and having chosen her arms, she rode away.

同类推荐
  • 岁晏行

    岁晏行

    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。
  • The Outlet

    The Outlet

    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。
  • 六十种曲三元记

    六十种曲三元记

    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。
  • 夷门雪赠主人

    夷门雪赠主人

    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。
  • 今水经

    今水经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 老师当了新娘

    老师当了新娘

    以明朗而优美的语言、深沉的笔触,以广大的自然界为背景,以自然界中活跃的生灵为主人公,以它们之间的生活故事为叙述展开的主体,精短的构思、丰盈的想象力、诗意的叙述语言共同构成了金波短篇童话比较典型的特征,是诗意派童话的代表性作品。内中多篇作品获奖。
  • 败退中国:知名外企溃败迷局

    败退中国:知名外企溃败迷局

    国际正规大型企业在中国频频受挫,世界的,为何不是中国的?中国通行,却又为何不能通行全球?这其中固然不乏其自身经营技能的问题,然而大多数源起“水土不服”,而水土不服的根源就出自不习惯或不接受体制内无所不在的“权本灵魂”。
  • 吾欲成仙

    吾欲成仙

    吾欲成仙,快乐齐天。变幻出神话在风中流传!
  • 习惯与健康

    习惯与健康

    习惯不是一般的行为,而是一种定型性行为。它是经过反复练习而养成的语言、思维、行为等生活方式,是人们头脑中建立起来的一系列条件反射。习惯在医学上叫条件反射。孩子出生无所谓习惯,但他们有无条件反射,如用乳头碰孩子的脸,孩子就会把头转过来,寻找乳头,这叫觅食反射,含住乳头就吮吸,这叫吮吸反射。这些反射是人类生存的必备条件,这和动物的本能有区别,无须训练。
  • 诗露沾我衣

    诗露沾我衣

    点点滴滴的小诗意,点缀生活的平凡梦,让世界的温暖浓一点、光明亮一点、前进的步伐更坚定不移!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 墨守陈禾

    墨守陈禾

    谁都不相信成绩优异,自信心爆棚的陈墨,会喜欢上自卑又敏感的罗小禾,为了小禾,陈墨甚至都忘了自己的目标......
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 魔鬼圣约

    魔鬼圣约

    他乌黑干枯的手指有节奏地敲击着泛黄的颅髅头骨。“心藏亘古之黑暗,肆意不羁的存在者。嘲弄高天之上的火焰,圣徒面前的浓烟!吾即是圣火熄灭之日的迎奉者。已立睹你虚伪的荣耀!以智慧之名!”黑袍人沙哑干涩地低颂着……“我已经在地狱游荡了千年!我曾到达冥河的彼岸,带来沉沦者呢喃的预言。他们说,他到来了!他降生了!【酒卿读者群:173371370】
  • 邪神修炼手册

    邪神修炼手册

    新书《巫师终临》已发布,希望大家多支持。极端的恐惧,不可描述的狂欢!这里是沾满了腐烂粘液的乐园,绝望、哀恸、背叛、疯狂、厌离……瘦长鬼影、食面人、鬼女孩花子、凶杀古画、背后灵、腹语人、星之彩、无形之子……无数的诅咒与瘟疫将为了亡者的归来而舞蹈!就座于骸骨与猩红王座之上,夏洛克抚摸着手中的日记,褐色的瞳孔中隐约蠕动着什么:“成为邪神还是救世主,这是个难题。”PS:克苏鲁、基金会、灵异风更新时间:每天两章,共计五千字左右,上午十二点与晚上七点左右,欢迎订阅、收藏、留言。剧情讨论群:964049454