THE GRATEFUL BEASTSWord文档下载推荐.docx
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thesecondbrother,'
WhatdoyousaytodoingourbrotherFerko
someharm?
Heissobeautifulthateveryonetakesafancyto
him,whichismorethantheydotous.Ifwecouldonlygethim
outofthewaywemightsucceedbetter.'
'
Iquiteagreewithyou,'
answeredthesecondbrother,'
andmy
adviceistoeatuphisloafofbread,andthentorefusetogive
himabitofoursuntilhehaspromisedtoletusputouthis
eyesorbreakhislegs.'
Hiseldestbrotherwasdelightedwiththisproposal,andthetwo
wickedwretchesseizedFerko'
sloafandateitallup,whilethe
poorboywasstillasleep.
Whenhedidawakehefeltveryhungryandturnedtoeathis
bread,buthisbrotherscriedout,'
Youateyourloafinyour
sleep,youglutton,andyoumaystarveaslongasyoulike,but
youwon'
tgetascrapofours.'
Ferkowasatalosstounderstandhowhecouldhaveeateninhis
sleep,buthesaidnothing,andfastedallthatdayandthenext
night.Butonthefollowingmorninghewassohungrythathe
burstintotears,andimploredhisbrotherstogivehimalittle
bitoftheirbread.Thenthecruelcreatureslaughed,and
repeatedwhattheyhadsaidthedaybefore;
butwhenFerko
continuedtobegandbeseechthem,theeldestsaidatlast,'
If
youwillletusputoutoneofyoureyesandbreakoneofyour
legs,thenwewillgiveyouabitofourbread.'
AtthesewordspoorFerkoweptmorebitterlythanbefore,and
borethetormentsofhungertillthesunwashighintheheavens;
thenhecouldstanditnolonger,andheconsentedtoallowhis
lefteyetobeputoutandhisleftlegtobebroken.Whenthis
wasdonehestretchedouthishandeagerlyforthepieceof
bread,buthisbrothersgavehimsuchatinyscrapthatthe
starvingyouthfinisheditinamomentandbesoughtthemfora
secondbit.
ButthemoreFerkoweptandtoldhisbrothersthathewasdying
ofhunger,themoretheylaughedandscoldedhimforhisgreed.
Soheenduredthepangsofstarvationallthatday,butwhen
nightcamehisendurancegaveway,andhelethisrighteyebe
putoutandhisrightlegbrokenforasecondpieceofbread.
Afterhisbrothershadthussuccessfullymaimedanddisfigured
himforlife,theylefthimgroaningonthegroundandcontinued
theirjourneywithouthim.
PoorFerkoateupthescrapofbreadtheyhadlefthimandwept
bitterly,butnooneheardhimorcametohishelp.Nightcame
on,andthepoorblindyouthhadnoeyestoclose,andcouldonly
crawlalongtheground,notknowingintheleastwherehewas
going.Butwhenthesunwasoncemorehighintheheavens,Ferko
felttheblazingheatscorchhim,andsoughtforsomecoolshady
placetoresthisachinglimbs.Heclimbedtothetopofahill
andlaydowninthegrass,andashethoughtundertheshadowof
abigtree.Butitwasnotreeheleantagainst,butagallows
onwhichtworavenswereseated.Theonewassayingtotheother
asthewearyyouthlaydown,'
Isthereanythingtheleast
wonderfulorremarkableaboutthisneighbourhood?
Ishouldjustthinktherewas,'
repliedtheother;
'
manythings
thatdon'
texistanywhereelseintheworld.Thereisalake
downtherebelowus,andanyonewhobathesinit,thoughhewere
atdeath'
sdoor,becomessoundandwellonthespot,andthose
whowashtheireyeswiththedewonthishillbecomeas
sharp-sightedastheeagle,eveniftheyhavebeenblindfrom
theiryouth.'
Well,'
answeredthefirstraven,'
myeyesareinnowantofthis
healingbath,for,Heavenbepraised,theyareasgoodasever
theywere;
butmywinghasbeenveryfeebleandweakeversince
itwasshotbyanarrowmanyyearsago,soletusflyatonceto
thelakethatImayberestoredtohealthandstrengthagain.'
Andsotheyflewaway.
TheirwordsrejoicedFerko'
sheart,andhewaitedimpatiently
tilleveningshouldcomeandhecouldrubthepreciousdewonhis
sightlesseyes.
Atlastitbegantogrowdusk,andthesunsankbehindthe
mountains;
graduallyitbecamecooleronthehill,andthegrass
grewwetwithdew.ThenFerkoburiedhisfaceinthegroundtill
hiseyesweredampwithdewdrops,andinamomenthesawclearer
thanhehadeverdoneinhislifebefore.Themoonwasshining
brightly,andlightedhimtothelakewherehecouldbathehis
poorbrokenlegs.
ThenFerkocrawledtotheedgeofthelakeanddippedhislimbs
inthewater.Nosoonerhadhedonesothanhislegsfeltas
soundandstrongastheyhadbeenbefore,andFerkothankedthe
kindfatethathadledhimtothehillwherehehadoverheardthe
ravens'
conversation.Hefilledabottlewiththehealingwater,
andthencontinuedhisjourneyinthebestofspirits.
Hehadnotgonefarbeforehemetawolf,whowaslimping
disconsolatelyalongonthreelegs,andwhoonperceivingFerko
begantohowldismally.
Mygoodfriend,'
saidtheyouth,'
beofgoodcheer,forIcan
soonhealyourleg,'
andwiththesewordshepouredsomeofthe
preciouswateroverthewolf'
spaw,andinaminutetheanimal
wasspringingaboutsoundandwellonallfours.Thegrateful
creaturethankedhisbenefactorwarmly,andpromisedFerkotodo
himagoodturnifheshouldeverneedit.
Ferkocontinuedhiswaytillhecametoaploughedfield.Here
henoticedalittlemousecreepingwearilyalongonitshind
paws,foritsfrontpawshadbothbeenbrokeninatrap.
Ferkofeltsosorryforthelittlebeastthathespoketoitin
themostfriendlymanner,andwasheditssmallpawswiththe
healingwater.Inamomentthemousewassoundandwhole,and
afterthankingthekindphysicianitscamperedawayoverthe
ploughedfurrows.
Ferkoagainproceededonhisjourney,buthehadn'
tgonefar
beforeaqueenbeeflewagainsthim,trailingonewingbehind
her,whichhadbeencruellytornintwobyabigbird.Ferko
wasnolesswillingtohelpherthanhehadbeentohelpthewolf
andthemouse,sohepouredsomehealingdropsoverthewounded
wing.Onthespotthequeenbeewascured,andturningtoFerko
shesaid,'
Iammostgratefulforyourkindness,andshallreward
yousomeday.'
Andwiththesewordssheflewawayhumming,
gaily.
ThenFerkowanderedonformanyalongday,andatlengthreached
astrangekingdom.Here,hethoughttohimself,hemightaswell
gostraighttothepalaceandofferhisservicestotheKingof
thecountry,forhehadheardthattheKing'
sdaughterwasas
beautifulastheday.
Sohewenttotheroyalpalace,andasheenteredthedoorthe
firstpeoplehesawwerehistwobrotherswhohadsoshamefully
ill-treatedhim.TheyhadmanagedtoobtainplacesintheKing'
s
service,andwhentheyrecognisedFerkowithhiseyesandlegs
soundandwelltheywerefrightenedtodeath,fortheyfearedhe
wouldtelltheKingoftheirconduct,andthattheywouldbe
hung.
NosoonerhadFerkoenteredthepalacethanalleyeswereturned
onthehandsomeyouth,andtheKing'
sdaughterherselfwaslost
inadmiration,forshehadneverseenanyonesohandsomeinher
lifebefore.Hisbrothersnoticedthis,andenvyandjealousy
wereaddedtotheirfear,somuchsothattheydeterminedonce
moretodestroyhim.TheywenttotheKingandtoldhimthat
Ferkowasawickedmagician,whohadcometothepalacewiththe
intentionofcarryingoffthePrincess.
ThentheKinghadFerkobroughtbeforehim,andsaid,'
Youare
accusedofbeingamagicianwhowishestorobmeofmydaughter,
andIcondemnyoutodeath;
butifyoucanfulfilthreetasks
whichIshallsetyoutodoyourlifeshallbespared,on
conditionyouleavethecountry;
butifyoucannotperformwhatI
demandyoushallbehungonthenearesttree.'
Andturningtothetwowickedbrothershesaid,'
Suggest
somethingforhimtodo;
nomatterhowdifficult,hemustsucceed
initordie.'
Theydidnotthinklong,butreplied,'
LethimbuildyourMajesty
inonedayamorebeautifulpalacethanthis,andifhefailsin
theattemptlethimbehung.'
TheKingwaspleasedwiththisproposal,andcommandedFerkoto
settoworkonthefollowingday.Thetwobrotherswere
delighted,fortheythoughttheyhadnowgotridofFerkofor
ever.Thepooryouthhimselfwasheart-broken,andcursedthe
hourhehadcrossedtheboundaryoftheKing'
sdomain.Ashewas
wanderingdisconsolatelyaboutthemeadowsroundthepalace,
wonderinghowhecouldescapebeingputtodeath,alittlebee
flewpast,andsettlingonhisshoulderwhisperedinhisear,
Whatistroublingyou,mykindbenefactor?
CanIbeofanyhelp
toyou?
Iamthebeewhosewingyouhealed,andwouldliketo
showmygratitudeinsomeway.'
Ferkorecognisedthequeenbee,andsaid,'
Alas!
howcouldyou
helpme?
forIhavebeensettodoa