第 1 节
作者:笑傲网络      更新:2021-02-20 05:45      字数:5687
  THE HAZEL…NUT CHILD '29'
  '29' From the Bukowniaer。  Van Wliolocki。
  There was once upon a time a couple who had no children; and they
  prayed Heaven every day to send them a child; though it were no
  bigger than a hazel…nut。  At last Heaven heard their prayer and
  sent them a child exactly the size of a hazel…nut; and it never
  grew an inch。  The parents were very devoted to the little
  creature; and nursed and tended it carefully。  Their tiny son too
  was as clever as he could be; and so sharp and sensible that all
  the neighbours marvelled over the wise things he said and did。
  When the Hazel…nut child was fifteen years old; and was sitting
  one day in an egg…shell on the table beside his mother; she
  turned to him and said; 'You are now fifteen years old; and
  nothing can be done with you。  What do you intend to be?'
  'A messenger;' answered the Hazel…nut child。
  Then his mother burst out laughing and said; 'What an idea!  You
  a messenger!  Why; your little feet would take an hour to go the
  distance an ordinary person could do in a minute!'
  But the Hazel…nut child replied; 'Nevertheless I mean to be a
  messenger!  Just send me a message and you'll see that I shall be
  back in next to no time。'
  So his mother said; 'Very well; go to your aunt in the
  neighbouring village; and fetch me a comb。'  The Hazel…nut child
  jumped quickly out of the egg…shell and ran out into the street。
  Here he found a man on horseback who was just setting out for the
  neighbouring village。  He crept up the horse's leg; sat down
  under the saddle; and then began to pinch the horse and to prick
  it with a pin。  The horse plunged and reared and then set off at
  a hard gallop; which it continued in spite of its rider's efforts
  to stop it。  When they reached the village; the Hazel…nut child
  left off pricking the horse; and the poor tired creature pursued
  its way at a snail's pace。  The Hazel…nut child took advantage of
  this; and crept down the horse's leg; then he ran to his aunt and
  asked her for a comb。  On the way home he met another rider; and
  did the return journey in exactly the same way。  When he handed
  his mother the comb that his aunt had given him; she was much
  amazed and asked him; 'But how did you manage to get back so
  quickly?'
  'Ah!  mother;' he replied; 'you see I was quite right when I said
  I knew a messenger was the profession for me。'
  His father too possessed a horse which he often used to take out
  into the fields to graze。  One day he took the Hazel…nut child
  with him。  At midday the father turned to his small son and said;
  'Stay here and look after the horse。  I must go home and give
  your mother a message; but I shall be back soon。'
  When his father had gone; a robber passed by and saw the horse
  grazing without any one watching it; for of course he could not
  see the Hazel…nut child hidden in the grass。  So he mounted the
  horse and rode away。  But the Hazel…nut child; who was the most
  active little creature; climbed up the horse's tail and began to
  bite it on the back; enraging the creature to such an extent that
  it paid no attention to the direction the robber tried to make it
  go in; but galloped straight home。  The father was much
  astonished when he saw a stranger riding his horse; but the
  Hazel…nut child climbed down quickly and told him all that had
  happened; and his father had the robber arrested at once and put
  into prison。
  One autumn when the Hazel…nut child was twenty years old he said
  to his parents: 'Farewell; my dear father and mother。  I am going
  to set out into the world; and as soon as I have become rich I
  will return home to you。'
  The parents laughed at the little man's words; but did not
  believe him for a moment。  In the evening the Hazel…nut child
  crept on to the roof; where some storks had built their nest。
  The storks were fast asleep; and he climbed on to the back of the
  father…stork and bound a silk cord round the joint of one of its
  wings; then he crept among its soft downy feathers and fell
  asleep。
  The next morning the storks flew towards the south; for winter
  was approaching。  The Hazel…nut child flew through the air on the
  stork's back; and when he wanted to rest he bound his silk cord
  on to the joint of the bird's other wing; so that it could not
  fly any farther。  In this way he reached the country of the black
  people; where the storks took up their abode close to the
  capital。  When the people saw the Hazel…nut child they were much
  astonished; and took him with the stork to the King of the
  country。  The King was delighted with the little creature and
  kept him always beside him; and he soon grew so fond of the
  little man that he gave him a diamond four times as big as
  himself。  The Hazel…nut child fastened the diamond firmly under
  the stork's neck with a ribbon; and when he saw that the other
  storks were getting ready for their northern flight; he untied
  the silk cord from his stork's wings; and away they went; getting
  nearer home every minute。  At length the Hazel…nut child came to
  his native village; then he undid the ribbon from the stork's
  neck and the diamond fell to the ground; he covered it first with
  sand and stones; and then ran to get his parents; so that they
  might carry the treasure home; for he himself was not able to
  lift the great diamond。
  So the Hazel…nut child and his parents lived in happiness and
  prosperity after this till they died。