第368章
《安徒生童话英文版 全TXT版》章节:第368章,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
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 musiccommenced. 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 common 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 come 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!