安徒生童话-第214章

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　thelittle　pages　offered　them　gingerbread　nuts　and　sweetmeats；　but　the　oldking　was　so　unhappy　he　could　eat　nothing；　and　besides；　gingerbreadnuts　were　too　hard　for　him。　It　was　decided　that　John　should　e　tothe　palace　the　next　day；　when　the　judges　and　the　whole　of　thecounsellors　would　be　present；　to　try　if　he　could　guess　the　firstriddle。　If　he　succeeded；　he　would　have　to　e　a　second　time；　but　ifnot；　he　would　lose　his　life；…　and　no　one　had　ever　been　able　to　guesseven　one。　However；　John　was　not　at　all　anxious　about　the　result　of　histrial；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　very　merry。　He　thought　only　of　thebeautiful　princess；　and　believed　that　in　some　way　he　should　have　help；but　how　he　knew　not；　and　did　not　like　to　think　about　it；　so　hedanced　along　the　high…road　as　he　went　back　to　the　inn；　where　he　hadleft　his　fellow…traveller　waiting　for　him。　John　could　not　refrain　fromtelling　him　how　gracious　the　princess　had　been；　and　how　beautifulshe　looked。　He　longed　for　the　next　day　so　much；　that　he　might　go　tothe　palace　and　try　his　luck　at　guessing　the　riddles。　But　his　radeshook　his　head；　and　looked　very　mournful。　〃I　do　so　wish　you　to　dowell；〃　said　he；　〃we　might　have　continued　together　much　longer；　and　nowI　am　likely　to　lose　you；　you　poor　dear　John！　I　could　shed　tears；　but　Iwill　not　make　you　unhappy　on　the　last　night　we　may　be　together。　Wewill　be　merry；　really　merry　this　evening；　to…morrow；　after　you　aregone；　shall　be　able　to　weep　undisturbed。〃

It　was　very　quickly　known　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　thatanother　suitor　had　arrived　for　the　princess；　and　there　was　greatsorrow　in　consequence。　The　theatre　remained　closed；　the　women　who　soldsweetmeats　tied　crape　round　the　sugar…sticks；　and　the　king　and　thepriests　were　on　their　knees　in　the　church。　There　was　a　greatlamentation；　for　no　one　expected　John　to　succeed　better　than　those　whohad　been　suitors　before。

In　the　evening　John's　rade　prepared　a　large　bowl　of　punch；and　said；　〃Now　let　us　be　merry；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　theprincess。〃　But　after　drinking　two　glasses；　John　became　so　sleepy；　thathe　could　not　keep　his　eyes　open；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　Then　hisfellow…traveller　lifted　him　gently　out　of　his　chair；　and　laid　him　onthe　bed；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　quite　dark；　he　took　the　two　large　wingswhich　he　had　cut　from　the　dead　swan；　and　tied　them　firmly　to　his　ownshoulders。　Then　he　put　into　his　pocket　the　largest　of　the　three　rodswhich　he　had　obtained　from　the　old　woman　who　had　fallen　and　broken　herleg。　After　this　he　opened　the　window；　and　flew　away　over　the　town；straight　towards　the　palace；　and　seated　himself　in　a　corner；　under　thewindow　which　looked　into　the　bedroom　of　the　princess。

The　town　was　perfectly　still　when　the　clocks　struck　a　quarter　totwelve。　Presently　the　window　opened；　and　the　princess；　who　had　largeblack　wings　to　her　shoulders；　and　a　long　white　mantle；　flew　awayover　the　city　towards　a　high　mountain。　The　fellow…traveller；　who　hadmade　himself　invisible；　so　that　she　could　not　possibly　see　him；　flewafter　her　through　the　air；　and　whipped　the　princess　with　his　rod；　sothat　the　blood　came　whenever　he　struck　her。　Ah；　it　was　a　strangeflight　through　the　air！　The　wind　caught　her　mantle；　so　that　itspread　out　on　all　sides；　like　the　large　sail　of　a　ship；　and　the　moonshone　through　it。　〃How　it　hails；　to　be　sure！〃　said　the　princess；　ateach　blow　she　received　from　the　rod；　and　it　served　her　right　to　bewhipped。

At　last　she　reached　the　side　of　the　mountain；　and　knocked。　Themountain　opened　with　a　noise　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　theprincess　went　in。　The　traveller　followed　her；　no　one　could　see　him；　ashe　had　made　himself　invisible。　They　went　through　a　long；　wide　passage。A　thousand　gleaming　spiders　ran　here　and　there　on　the　walls；　causingthem　to　glitter　as　if　they　were　illuminated　with　fire。　They　nextentered　a　large　hall　built　of　silver　and　gold。　Large　red　and　blueflowers　shone　on　the　walls；　looking　like　sunflowers　in　size；　but　noone　could　dare　to　pluck　them；　for　the　stems　were　hideous　poisonoussnakes；　and　the　flowers　were　flames　of　fire；　darting　out　of　theirjaws。　Shining　glow…worms　covered　the　ceiling；　and　sky…blue　batsflapped　their　transparent　wings。　Altogether　the　place　had　afrightful　appearance。　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　stood　a　thronesupported　by　four　skeleton　horses；　whose　harness　had　been　made　byfiery…red　spiders。　The　throne　itself　was　made　of　milk…white　glass；　andthe　cushions　were　little　black　mice；　each　biting　the　other's　tail。Over　it　hung　a　canopy　of　rose…colored　spider's　webs；　spotted　withthe　prettiest　little　green　flies；　which　sparkled　like　precious　stones。On　the　throne　sat　an　old　magician　with　a　crown　on　his　ugly　head；　and　asceptre　in　his　hand。　He　kissed　the　princess　on　the　forehead；　seatedher　by　his　side　on　the　splendid　throne；　and　then　the　musicmenced。　Great　black　grasshoppers　played　the　mouth　organ；　and　theowl　struck　herself　on　the　body　instead　of　a　drum。　It　was　altogethera　ridiculous　concert。　Little　black　goblins　with　false　lights　intheir　caps　danced　about　the　hall；　but　no　one　could　see　thetraveller；　and　he　had　placed　himself　just　behind　the　throne　where　hecould　see　and　hear　everything。　The　courtiers　who　came　in　afterwardslooked　noble　and　grand；　but　any　one　with　mon　sense　could　see　whatthey　really　were；　only　broomsticks；　with　cabbages　for　heads。　Themagician　had　given　them　life；　and　dressed　them　in　embroidered　robes。It　answered　very　well；　as　they　were　only　wanted　for　show。　Afterthere　had　been　a　little　dancing；　the　princess　told　the　magician　thatshe　had　a　new　suitor；　and　asked　him　what　she　could　think　of　for　thesuitor　to　guess　when　he　came　to　the　castle　the　next　morning。

〃Listen　to　what　I　say；〃　said　the　magician；　〃you　must　choosesomething　very　easy；　he　is　less　likely　to　guess　it　then。　Think　ofone　of　your　shoes；　he　will　never　imagine　it　is　that。　Then　cut　his　headoff；　and　mind　you　do　not　forget　to　bring　his　eyes　with　you　to…morrownight；　that　I　may　eat　them。〃

The　princess　curtsied　low；　and　said　she　would　not　forget　the　eyes。

The　magician　then　opened　the　mountain　and　she　flew　home　again；　butthe　traveller　followed　and　flogged　her　so　much　with　the　rod；　thatshe　sighed　quite　deeply　about　the　heavy　hail…storm；　and　made　as　muchhaste　as　she　could　to　get　back　to　her　bedroom　through　the　window。The　traveller　then　returned　to　the　inn　where　John　still　slept；　tookoff　his　wings　and　laid　down　on　the　bed；　for　he　was　very　tired。　Earlyin　the　morning　John　awoke；　and　when　his　fellow…traveller　got　up；　hesaid　that　he　had　a　very　wonderful　dream　about　the　princess　and　hershoe；　he　therefore　advised　John　to　ask　her　if　she　had　not　thought　ofher　shoe。　Of　course　the　traveller　knew　this　from　what　the　magicianin　the　mountain　had　said。

〃I　may　as　well　say　that　as　anything；〃　said　John。　〃Perhaps　yourdream　may　e　true；　still　I　will　say　farewell；　for　if　I　guess　wrong　Ishall　never　see　you　again。〃

Then　they　embraced　each　other；　and　John　went　into　the　town　andwalked　to　the　palace。　The　great　hall　was　full　of　people；　and　thejudges　sat　in　arm…chairs；　with　eider…down　cushions　to　rest　their　headsupon；　because　they　had　so　much　to　think　of。　The　old　king　stood　near；wiping　his　eyes　with　his　white　pocket…handkerchief。　When　theprincess　entered；　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she　had　appearedthe　day　before；　and　greeted　every　one　present　most　gracefully；　butto　John　she　gave　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you。〃

Now　came　the　time　for　John　to　guess　what　she　was　thinking　of；and　oh；　how　kindly　she　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　But　when　he　utteredthe　single　word　shoe；　she　turned　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　all　her　wisdomcould　not　help　her；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。　Oh；　how　pleased　theold　king　was！　It　was　quite　amusing　to　see　how　he　capered　about。　Allthe　people　clapped　their　hands；　both　on　his　account　and　John's；　whohad　guessed　rightly　the　first　time。　His　fellow…traveller　was　gladalso；　when　he　heard　how　successful　John　had　been。　But　John　foldedhis　hands；　and　thanked　God；　who；　he　felt　quite　sure；　would　help　himagain；　and　he　knew　he　had　to　guess　twice　more。　The　evening　passedpleasantly　like　the　one　preceding。　While　John　slept；　his　panionflew　behind　the　princess　to　the　mountain；　and　flogged　her　evenharder　than　before；　this　time　he　had　taken　two　rods　with　him。　No　onesaw　him　go　in　with　her；　and　he　heard　all　that　was　said。　The　princessthis　time　w