安徒生童话-第88章

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ts　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　up　above　the　clouds。　He　was　seatedon　the　back　of　the　East　Wind；　who　held　him　faithfully；　and　they　wereso　high　in　the　air　that　woods　and　fields；　rivers　and　lakes；　as　theylay　beneath　them；　looked　like　a　painted　map。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　East　Wind。　〃You　might　have　slept　on　awhile；　for　there　is　very　little　to　see　in　the　flat　country　overwhich　we　are　passing　unless　you　like　to　count　the　churches；　theylook　like　spots　of　chalk　on　a　green　board。〃　The　green　board　was　thename　he　gave　to　the　green　fields　and　meadows。

〃It　was　very　rude　of　me　not　to　say　good…bye　to　your　mother　andyour　brothers；〃　said　the　prince。

〃They　will　excuse　you；　as　you　were　asleep；〃　said　the　East　Wind；and　then　they　flew　on　faster　than　ever。

The　leaves　and　branches　of　the　trees　rustled　as　they　passed。When　they　flew　over　seas　and　lakes；　the　waves　rose　higher；　and　thelarge　ships　dipped　into　the　water　like　diving　swans。　As　darknesscame　on；　towards　evening；　the　great　towns　looked　charming；　lights　weresparkling；　now　seen　now　hidden；　just　as　the　sparks　go　out　one　afteranother　on　a　piece　of　burnt　paper。　The　prince　clapped　his　hands　withpleasure；　but　the　East　Wind　advised　him　not　to　express　hisadmiration　in　that　manner；　or　he　might　fall　down；　and　find　himselfhanging　on　a　church　steeple。　The　eagle　in　the　dark　forests　fliesswiftly；　but　faster　than　he　flew　the　East　Wind。　The　Cossack；　on　hissmall　horse；　rides　lightly　o'er　the　plains；　but　lighter　still　passedthe　prince　on　the　winds　of　the　wind。

〃There　are　the　Himalayas；　the　highest　mountains　in　Asia；〃　said　theEast　Wind。　〃We　shall　soon　reach　the　garden　of　paradise　now。〃

Then；　they　turned　southward；　and　the　air　became　fragrant　withthe　perfume　of　spices　and　flowers。　Here　figs　and　pomegranates　grewwild；　and　the　vines　were　covered　with　clusters　of　blue　and　purplegrapes。　Here　they　both　descended　to　the　earth；　and　stretchedthemselves　on　the　soft　grass；　while　the　flowers　bowed　to　the　breath　ofthe　wind　as　if　to　wele　it。　〃Are　we　now　in　the　garden　ofparadise？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃No；　indeed；〃　replied　the　East　Wind；　〃but　we　shall　be　there　verysoon。　Do　you　see　that　wall　of　rocks；　and　the　cavern　beneath　it；　overwhich　the　grape　vines　hang　like　a　green　curtain？　Through　that　cavernwe　must　pass。　Wrap　your　cloak　round　you；　for　while　the　sun　scorchesyou　here；　a　few　steps　farther　it　will　be　icy　cold。　The　bird　flyingpast　the　entrance　to　the　cavern　feels　as　if　one　wing　were　in　theregion　of　summer；　and　the　other　in　the　depths　of　winter。〃

〃So　this　then　is　the　way　to　the　garden　of　paradise？〃　asked　theprince；　as　they　entered　the　cavern。　It　was　indeed　cold；　but　the　coldsoon　passed；　for　the　East　Wind　spread　his　wings；　and　they　gleamed　likethe　brightest　fire。　As　they　passed　on　through　this　wonderful　cave；　theprince　could　see　great　blocks　of　stone；　from　which　water　trickled；hanging　over　their　heads　in　fantastic　shapes。　Sometimes　it　was　sonarrow　that　they　had　to　creep　on　their　hands　and　knees；　while　at　othertimes　it　was　lofty　and　wide；　like　the　free　air。　It　had　theappearance　of　a　chapel　for　the　dead；　with　petrified　organs　andsilent　pipes。　〃We　seem　to　be　passing　through　the　valley　of　death　tothe　garden　of　paradise；〃　said　the　prince。

But　the　East　Wind　answered　not　a　word；　only　pointed　forwards　toa　lovely　blue　light　which　gleamed　in　the　distance。　The　blocks　of　stoneassumed　a　misty　appearance；　till　at　last　they　looked　like　white　cloudsin　moonlight。　The　air　was　fresh　and　balmy；　like　a　breeze　from　themountains　perfumed　with　flowers　from　a　valley　of　roses。　A　river；　clearas　the　air　itself；　sparkled　at　their　feet；　while　in　its　clear　depthscould　be　seen　gold　and　silver　fish　sporting　in　the　bright　water；　andpurple　eels　emitting　sparks　of　fire　at　every　moment；　while　the　broadleaves　of　the　water…lilies；　that　floated　on　its　surface；　flickeredwith　all　the　colors　of　the　rainbow。　The　flower　in　its　color　of　flameseemed　to　receive　its　nourishment　from　the　water；　as　a　lamp　issustained　by　oil。　A　marble　bridge；　of　such　exquisite　workmanshipthat　it　appeared　as　if　formed　of　lace　and　pearls；　led　to　the　island　ofhappiness；　in　which　bloomed　the　garden　of