登陆注册
8047600000007

第7章 THE KINGDOM OF ARAPUSHKA,THE BLACK QUEEN(2)

At the end of that year the third brother followed them。He was the cleverest of the three。Arrived at the palace, his soldiers surrounded it, and, like the other ones, they began drinking; but he did not follow the example of his brothers, for he did not drink anything。When he saw his soldiers lying about he stole quietly away and climbed up a high tree which was overlooking the palace, and as the foliage was very dense, he was able to hide in that tree and see everything without being seen。Thus he waited there the whole day until night。When night fell he heard a whirr through the air, and he saw the Queen flying, and as she drew nearer he saw her picking up the soldiers with the point of a sword and throwing them behind the palace。

The young King burned with anger at the sight of his poor soldiers thus foully murdered。What was he to do? He could not help them。When he beheld her on her flight back and saw her extraordinary beauty, in spite of the blood-stained sword in her hand, he forgot all that had happened。All his fear left him, and, climbing down quickly from the tree, he leapt upon a charger which he believed belonged to one of his soldiers, and began following her in the direction she had taken in her flight。It was his luck that the Black Queen could not look back, for had she done so and seen him that would have been the end of him。

He rode on as fast as the legs of the charger could carry him, over hill and dale, through forests and across fields, on to the top of a mountain, where the horse dropped down from exhaustion。There he lost sight of the Queen。He had reached the Kingdom of the Finches。What was he now to do? He asked the Finches whether they knew where Arapushka lived。“We do not know,”they all replied with one voice;“but if you wish it we will show you the path she takes in her flight, for she passes this way very often, but never stops here。”So they took him as far as the frontier of their kingdom, and the Finches then left him there。

Finding himself alone, he followed the straight road, and going along for some length of time he came to the Kingdom of the Ravens, then to that of the Eagles, and then to that of the Storks; but they also answered his questions in the same way as the Finches, that they did not know where the Black Queen was living, except that they saw her flying across their countries from time to time。

Leaving them, he went on his way, and came to the Kingdoms of the Larks, Starlings and Cuckoos。The Kings of these birds sent out messengers to gather together all their subjects, but not one of them could tell where the Black Queen was living。Very late there came a lame lark limping along。

“Your Majesties,”he said,“I know where the Kingdom of the Arapushka is。”

“Do you really know?”

“How am I not to know since it was there that I got lame in my leg, and this for my sins。”

“Now, who is that Arapushka?”

“This Arapushka is a woman like all women,”he replied,“but her power lies in her scimitar。With that in her hand she can destroy the whole world, but without it she has no power whatsoever。”

The Kingthen asked,“Can you tell me what I must do in order to get to her Kingdom?”

“I can tell you, but it is very difficult。”

“Never mind, let it be as difficult as it may;”and the lark replied,“If that is the case, may you have success,”and, stretching out his wing, he tapped the young King on the face and told him to turn three somersaults。The young King did as he was told, and he became a fly like all flies, only with the difference that he could speak and understand everything。

“Now,”said the lark,“mount on my back,”and taking leave of the Kings, he with one jump rose up to the Kingdom of the Storm Wind, and thence let himself down。

“Wonderful how quickly thou didst fly!”said the young King, who could scarcely keep himself from gliding off the back of the lark。“Well,”he said,“if we travelled as men do it would have taken us three years to come to this place, so that is why I changed you into a fly;”and then he went on until they reached the borders of the Black Queen’s Kingdom。There the lark told him to turn again a somersault, and he became a man。The lark showed him the road he was to take and the way he was to go up the hill, for there he would find the house of Arapushka。He was to try and get in at the back, where he would find a door made entirely of gold。This door he was to open gently, and to enter the chamber where Arapushka as a rule used to sleep whenever she returned from a journey。There he was to wait, and bide his time until she was fast asleep, then gently take away the scimitar; and he was to run away and hide it even, if necessary, in the serpent’s hole, so deeply and so cunningly that Arapushka should not be able to find it when she searched for it。

“If you succeed in taking the scimitar away, then you can do with her whatever you like, for her whole strength lies in that sword。”

同类推荐
  • 名家人文之旅(套装共4册)

    名家人文之旅(套装共4册)

    本套装包括:《美国手记》是一本富有文学和历史价值的游记。《意大利的黄昏》是英国作家D.H.劳伦斯青年时期的一部域外游记,也是其最知名的一部游记作品。《法国和比利时游记》是雨果在法国和比利时,以及阿尔卑斯山和比利牛斯山一带旅行时的书信、札记合集。《那几年,卡夫卡》收录了卡夫卡的四次旅游日记。
  • 直上三楼

    直上三楼

    母亲和父亲早就认识他。当年--1938年,我父母在武汉刚入党,恰巧王震有事过武汉,他们见过面。解放初期,王震任新疆军区司令员,兼任中共新疆分局第一书记。母亲则参加中央访问团来到新疆。返回后在报刊写过不少文章,王震在新疆看了很高兴,还专门写信表示感谢。1955年,王震奉调进北京,担任新组建的国家农垦部部长;1957年,我父母双双被打成右派。此后虽在同一个北京,但从父母这边讲,已经自惭形秽了。
  • 爱情纪事

    爱情纪事

    我是那样钟情于诗,可诗却以她冷静的艺术规律残酷地拒绝着我。我学诗多年,始终不得要领,没有成为一个让自己满意的诗人,我深为遗憾。我一直以为刁斗会捧献出一部挺不错的诗集呢,可事实击碎了我的良好愿望。我总爱在极其美妙的幻想中生活。
  • 法兰西诗选

    法兰西诗选

    法国被誉为浪漫的诗之国度,法语也以优雅著称。有趣的是,浪漫与优雅并非一贯如此,法国文学曾因枯燥、呆板而饱受诟病,于是便诞生了著名的“七星诗社宣言”——《保卫和发扬法兰西语言》(1548)。经历了几个世纪的嬗变,法国诗歌成为世界文坛的一支奇葩,其间重要流派此起彼伏,天才诗人闪耀如群星。胡品清女士以洋溢的诗情和优美的译笔,让我们得以领略瑰丽神奇的法国诗坛之风采。
  • 诗的见证

    诗的见证

    本书乃米沃什应哈佛大学诺顿讲座之约所做的六次讲演的结集。米沃什关于诗歌的见证功能的阐释极其精辟。借助这本小册子,米沃什论述了诗歌之于时代的重要性。米氏所言并非老生常谈,他提醒世人关注的恰恰是诗歌的一个古老的传统,同时对于二十世纪的反省为这一思考维度提供了更为明晰的指向。
热门推荐
  • 星战特工

    星战特工

    一个成功的特工需要什么?卑鄙的手段,极厚的脸皮,令人发指的品行。特工身边都是什么样的人?养父是大猩猩,老师只是一颗大脑,搭档是一个精神分裂的神经病,助手是个36F大美女。如何算是一名成功的特工?衣着光鲜得体,谈吐优雅绅士,满肚子的坏水,混蛋眼中的超级混蛋。PS:作者老书百万字完本,放心收藏,品质保证。
  • 三界玄尊

    三界玄尊

    蜕凡、明体、御空、涅槃、永生,修行五境步步难。永生前方是否有人高歌?九天之上是谁呢喃低笑?混沌中是谁的身影朦胧浮现?秋色缘起,叶落而终。为伊人,愿入九幽踏轮回;为众生,愿散苦修成凡人。酒中落月,风弄散云与流觞;此生不枉,情衷与你心中藏。
  • 王源之如醉如梦

    王源之如醉如梦

    望着高高在上、绽发着耀眼光彩的王源。“王源,对不起,是我配不上你。”“顾欣晨,你知道你自己在说什么吗?就因为我是明星吗?那如果,我放弃。”
  • 赛博梦华录

    赛博梦华录

    被人诬陷,发配荒芜之地,一无所有的静渊将如何突破重围,带着自己心爱的女人,杀回赛博之地,为自己昭雪沉冤,而父亲的下落又该如何寻找。这扭曲的世界又该怎样冲破!?是否结点之外还存在一个仙境?
  • 素手毒医:邪王追妻一百招

    素手毒医:邪王追妻一百招

    她,楚墨染,21世纪首席毒医,一套银针,便能活死人,肉白骨,一袋粉末,便能使人死于无形之中。一世英名,却不料遭到同门算计而亡。一朝穿越成父母双亡的小奶娃。为给原身的爹娘报仇,她回到原身的家族,却不料遇见了他。他是天之骄子,初见时,被眼前的小家伙置之不理的态度引起了兴趣,势要他迷上她,却不料,自己却先爱上了她。“楚墨染,嫁给我吧!你想干什么就干什么,本王罩你!”某男单膝跪下,手捧花束。在外人耳里是最动听的情话,可某毒医一听,手一抖,挑了挑眉:“不好意思,我们认识吗?”某神医要到另一大陆去,某王爷誓死跟随。“染儿,带上我吧。”“哦,你会干什么。”“我会洗衣,做饭......还有暖床!”......
  • 武魂天帝

    武魂天帝

    东浩神州,这片神奇的土地,以血脉和传承为尊。少年陈阳,偶得一串虎眼石手串,从此,他便踏上了一条,自创传承,与美女相伴的路。————什么大能传承?那都是唬人的,还是用我的吧!——陈阳
  • 平凡的快穿之不平凡的冒险

    平凡的快穿之不平凡的冒险

    世界上哪有那么多巧合,不过是那个人为了你默默做的努力;世界上哪有那么多奇遇不过是那个人为了你而构造的美好。一场为你而策划的冒险,一个个为你构造的世界,一次次的任务,一次次的相遇,......愿归来是收获满满的我们,是满意的HappyEnding。
  • 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!
  • 弯刀挽兰

    弯刀挽兰

    小白猫于懵懂时候下界,遇到了愿意去扶持一生的君主。为他金戈铁马,铁血征伐,收复失地,革新吏政。“这破碎山河,你若不愿,孤...不会强求。”孝公声音依旧沉稳,可宽大的衣袖里紧握的拳头已然掐出血来。“主上,臣愿意的。”奶猫的眼睛沁出水来:“臣万死不辞。”
  • 风扬大帝

    风扬大帝

    三大绝帝之一云飞扬,一心向武,被亲兄弟杀害。重生一世要走到武学顶端,要美女一生陪。