第49章
《安徒生童话英文版 全TXT版》章节:第49章,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
So cried both of them. Therefore theirold papa gave to each of them a handsome horse. The youth who knew thedictionary and newspaper by heart had a black horse, and he who knewall about the corporation laws received a milk-white steed. Thenthey rubbed the corners of their mouths with fish-oil, so that theymight become very smooth and glib. All the servants stood below in thecourtyard, and looked on while they mounted their horses; and justby chance the third son came up. For the proprietor had really threesons, though nobody counted the third with his brothers, because hewas not so learned as they, and indeed he was generally known as "Jackthe Dullard."
"Hallo!" said Jack the Dullard, "where are you going? I declareyou have put on your Sunday clothes!"
"We're going to the King's court, as suitors to the King'sdaughter. Don't you know the announcement that has been made allthrough the country?" And they told him all about it.
"My word! I'll be in it too!" cried Jack the Dullard; and histwo brothers burst out laughing at him, and rode away.
"Father, dear," said Jack, "I must have a horse too. I do feelso desperately inclined to marry! If she accepts me, she accepts me;and if she won't have me, I'll have her; but she shall be mine!"
"Don't talk nonsense," replied the old gentleman. "You shallhave no horse from me. You don't know how to speak- you can'tarrange your words. Your brothers are very different fellows fromyou."
"Well," quoth Jack the Dullard, "If I can't have a horse, I'lltake the Billy-goat, who belongs to me, and he can carry me verywell!"
And so said, so done. He mounted the Billy-goat, pressed his heelsinto its sides, and galloped down the high street like a hurricane.
"Hei, houp! that was a ride! Here I come!" shouted Jack theDullard, and he sang till his voice echoed far and wide.
But his brothers rode slowly on in advance of him. They spokenot a word, for they were thinking about the fine extempore speechesthey would have to bring out, and these had to be cleverly preparedbeforehand.
"Hallo!" shouted Jack the Dullard. "Here am I! Look what I havefound on the high road." And he showed them what it was, and it wasa dead crow.
"Dullard!" exclaimed the brothers, "what are you going to dowith that?"
"With the crow? why, I am going to give it to the Princess."
"Yes, do so," said they; and they laughed, and rode on.
"Hallo, here I am again! just see what I have found now: you don'tfind that on the high road every day!"
And the brothers turned round to see what he could have found now.
"Dullard!" they cried, "that is only an old wooden shoe, and theupper part is missing into the bargain; are you going to give thatalso to the Princess?"
"Most certainly I shall," replied Jack the Dullard; and againthe brothers laughed and rode on, and thus they got far in advanceof him; but-
"Hallo- hop rara!" and there was Jack the Dullard again. "It isgetting better and better," he cried. "Hurrah! it is quite famous."
"Why, what have you found this time?" inquired the brothers.
"Oh," said Jack the Dullard, "I can hardly tell you. How gladthe Princess will be!"
"Bah!" said the brothers; "that is nothing but clay out of theditch."
"Yes, certainly it is," said Jack the Dullard; "and clay of thefinest sort. See, it is so wet, it runs through one's fingers." And hefilled his pocket with the clay.
But his brothers galloped on till the sparks flew, andconsequently they arrived a full hour earlier at the town gate thancould Jack. Now at the gate each suitor was provided with a number,and all were placed in rows immediately on their arrival, six ineach row, and so closely packed together that they could not movetheir arms; and that was a prudent arrangement, for they wouldcertainly have come to blows, had they been able, merely because oneof them stood before the other.
All the inhabitants of the country round about stood in greatcrowds around the castle, almost under the very windows, to see thePrincess receive the suitors; and as each stepped into the hall, hispower of speech seemed to desert him, like the light of a candlethat is blown out. Then the Princess would say, "He is of no use!