34-the witch-第1部分

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THE　WITCH　＇28＇



＇28＇　From　the　Russian。



Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　peasant　whose　wife　died；　leaving　him

with　two　childrentwinsa　boy　and　a　girl。　　For　some　years　the

poor　man　lived　on　alone　with　the　children；　caring　for　them　as

best　he　could；　but　everything　in　the　house　seemed　to　go　wrong

without　a　woman　to　look　after　it；　and　at　last　he　made　up　his　mind

to　marry　again；　feeling　that　a　wife　would　bring　peace　and　order

to　his　household　and　take　care　of　his　motherless　children。　　So　he

married；　and　in　the　following　years　several　children　were　born　to

him；　but　peace　and　order　did　not　come　to　the　household。　　For　the

step…mother　was　very　cruel　to　the　twins；　and　beat　them；　and

half…starved　them；　and　constantly　drove　them　out　of　the　house；

for　her　one　idea　was　to　get　them　out　of　the　way。　　All　day　she

thought　of　nothing　but　how　she　should　get　rid　of　them；　and　at

last　an　evil　idea　came　into　her　head；　and　she　determined　to　send

them　out　into　the　great　gloomy　wood　where　a　wicked　witch　lived。　

And　so　one　morning　she　spoke　to　them；　saying：



'You　have　been　such　good　children　that　I　am　going　to　send　you　to

visit　my　granny；　who　lives　in　a　dear　little　hut　in　the　wood。　　You

will　have　to　wait　upon　her　and　serve　her；　but　you　will　be　well

rewarded；　for　she　will　give　you　the　best　of　everything。'



So　the　children　left　the　house　together；　and　the　little　sister；

who　was　very　wise　for　her　years；　said　to　the　brother：



'We　will　first　go　and　see　our　own　dear　grandmother；　and　tell　her

where　our　step…mother　is　sending　us。'



And　when　the　grandmother　heard　where　they　were　going；　she　cried

and　said：



'You　poor　motherless　children！　　How　I　pity　you；　and　yet　I　can　do

nothing　to　help　you！　　Your　step…mother　is　not　sending　you　to　her

granny；　but　to　a　wicked　witch　who　lives　in　that　great　gloomy

wood。　　Now　listen　to　me；　children。　　You　must　be　civil　and　kind　to

everyone；　and　never　say　a　cross　word　to　anyone；　and　never　touch　a

crumb　belonging　to　anyone　else。　　Who　knows　if；　after　all；　help

may　not　be　sent　to　you？'



And　she　gave　her　grandchildren　a　bottle　of　milk　and　a　piece　of

ham　and　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　they　set　out　for　the　great　gloomy

wood。　　When　they　reached　it　they　saw　in　front　of　them；　in　the

thickest　of　the　trees；　a　queer　little　hut；　and　when　they　looked

into　it；　there　lay　the　witch；　with　her　head　on　the　threshold　of

the　door；　with　one　foot　in　one　corner　and　the　other　in　the　other

corner；　and　her　knees　cocked　up；　almost　touching　the　ceiling。



'Who's　there？'　she　snarled；　in　an　awful　voice；　when　she　saw　the

children。



And　they　answered　civilly；　though　they　were　so　terrified　that

they　hid　behind　one　another；　and　said：



'Good…morning；　granny；　our　step…mother　has　sent　us　to　wait　upon

you；　and　serve　you。'



'See　that　you　do　it　well；　then；'　growled　the　witch。　　'If　I　am

pleased　with　you；　I'll　reward　you；　but　if　I　am　not；　I'll　put　you

in　a　pan　and　fry　you　in　the　oventhat's　what　I'll　do　with　you；

my　pretty　dears！　　You　have　been　gently　reared；　but　you'll　find　my

work　hard　enough。　　See　if　you　don't。'



And；　so　saying；　she　set　the　girl　down　to　spin　yarn；　and　she　gave

the　boy　a　sieve　in　which　to　carry　water　from　the　well；　and　she

herself　went　out　into　the　wood。　　Now；　as　the　girl　was　sitting　at

her　distaff；　weeping　bitterly　because　she　could　not　spin；　she

heard　the　sound　of　hundreds　of　little　feet；　and　from　every　hole

and　corner　in　the　hut　mice　came　pattering　along　the　floor；

squeaking　and　saying：



　　　　　　　　　　'Little　girl；　why　are　your　eyes　so　red？

　　　　　　　　　　If　you　want　help；　then　give　us　some　bread。'



And　the　girl　gave　them　the　bread　that　her　grandmother　had　given

her。　　Then　the　mice　told　her　that　the　witch　had　a　cat；　and　the

cat　was　very　fond　of　ham；　if　she　would　give　the　cat　her　ham；　it

would　show　her　the　way　out　of　the　wood；　and　in　the　meantime　they

would　spin　the　yarn　for　her。　　So　the　girl　set　out　to　look　for　the

cat；　and；　as　she　was　hunting　about；　she　met　her　brother；　in　great

trouble　because　he　could　not　carry　water　from　the　well　in　a

sieve；　as　it　came　pouring　out　as　fast　as　he　put　it　in。　　And　as

she　was　trying　to　comfort　him　they　heard　a　rustling　of　wings；　and

a　flight　of　wrens　alighted　on　the　ground　beside　them。　　And　the

wrens　said：



　　　　　　　　　　'Give　us　some　crumbs；　then　you　need　not　grieve。　　　　　　　　



　　　　　　　　　　For　you'll　find　that　water　will　stay　in　the　sieve。'



Then　the　twins　crumbled　their　bread　on　the　ground；　and　the　wrens

pecked　it；　and　chirruped　and　chirped。　　And　when　they　had　eaten

the　last　crumb　they　told　the　boy　to　fill　up　the　holes　of　the

sieve　with　clay；　and　then　to　draw　water　from　the　well。　　So　he　did

what　they　said；　and　carried　the　sieve　full　of　water　into　the　hut

without　spilling　a　drop。　　When　they　entered　the　hut　the　cat　was

curled　up　on　the　floor。　　So　they　stroked　her；　and　fed　her　with

ham；　and　said　to　her：



'Pussy；　grey　pussy；　tell　us　how　we　are　to　get　away　from　the

witch？'



Then　the　cat　thanked　them　for　the　ham；　and　gave　them　a　pocket…

handkerchief　and　a　comb；　and　told　them　that　when　the　witch

pursued　them；　as　she　certainly　would；　all　they　had　to　do　was　to

throw　the　handkerchief　on　the　ground　and　run　as　fast　as　they

could。　　As　soon　as　the　handkerchief　touched　the　ground　a　deep；

broad　river　would　spring　up；　which　would　hinder　the　witch's

progress。　　If　she　managed　to　get　across　it；　they　must　throw　the

comb　behind　them　and　run　for　their　lives；　for　where　the　comb　fell

a　dense　forest　would　start　up；　which　would　delay　the　witch　so

long　that　they　would　be　able　to　get　safely　away。　



The　cat　had　scarcely　finished　speaking　when　the　witch　returned　to

see　if　the　children　had　fulfilled　their　tasks。



'Well；　you　have　done　well　enough　for　to…day；'　she　grumbled；　'but

to…morrow　you'll　have　something　more　difficult　to　do；　and　if　you

don't　do　it　well；　you　pampered　brats；　straight　into　the　oven　you

go。'



Half…dead　with　fright；　and　trembling　in　every　limb；　the　poor

children　lay　down　to　sleep　on　a　heap　of　straw　in　the　corner　of

the　hut；　but　they　dared　not　close　their　eyes；　and　scarcely

ventured　to　breathe。　　In　the　morning　the　witch　gave　the　girl　two

pieces　of　linen　to　weave　before　night；　and　the　boy　a　pile　of　wood

to　cut　into　chips。　　Then　the　witch　left　them　to　their　tasks；　and

went　out　into　the　wood。　　As　soon　as　she　had　gone　out　of　sight　the

children　took　the　comb　and　the　handkerchief；　and；　taking　one

another　by　the　hand；　they　started　and　ran；　and　ran；　and　ran。　　And

first　they　met　the　watch…dog；　who　was　going　to　leap　on　them　and

tear　them　to　pieces；　but　they　threw　the　remains　of　their　bread　to

him；　and　he　ate　them　and　wagged　his　tail。　　Then　they　were

hindered　by　the　birch…trees；　whose　branches　almost　put　their　eyes

out。　　But　the　little　sister　tied　the　twigs　together　with　a　piece

of　ribbon；　and　they　got　past　safely；　and；　after　running　through

the　wood；　came　out　on　to　the　open　fields。



In　the　meantime　in　the　hut　the　cat　was　busy　weaving　the　linen　and

tangling　the　threads　as　it　wove。　　And　the　witch　returned　to　see

how　the　children　were　getting　on；　and　she　crept　up　to　the　window；

and　whispered：



'Are　you　weaving；　my　little　dear？'



'Yes；　granny；　I　am　weaving；'　answered　the　cat。



When　the　witch　saw　that　the　children　had　escaped　her；　she　was

furious；　and；　hitting　the　cat　with　a　porringer；　she　said：　'Why

did　you　let　the　children　leave　the　hut？　　Why　did　you　not　scratch

their　eyes　out？'



But　the　cat　curled　up　its　tail　and　put　its　back　up；　and　answered：

'I　have　served　you　all　these　years　and　you　never　even　threw　me　a

bone；　but　the　dear　children　gave　me　their　own　piece　of　ham。'



Then　the　witch　was　furious　with　the　watch…dog　and　with　the

birch…trees；　because　they　had　let　the　children　pass。　　But　the　dog

answered：



'I　have　served　you　all　these　years　and　you　never　gave　me　so　much

as　a　hard　crust；　but　the　dear　children　gave　me　their　own　loaf　of

bread。'



And　the　birch　rustled　its　leaves；　and　said：　'I　have　served　you

longer　than　I　can　say；　and　you　never　tied　a　bit　of　twine　even

round　my　branches；　and　the　dear　children　bound　them　up　with　their

brightest　ribbons。'



So　the　witch　saw　there　was　no　help　to　be　got　from　her　old

servants；　and　that　the　best　thing　she　could　do　was　to　mount　on

her　broom　and　set　off　in　pursuit　of　the　children。　　And　as　the

children　ran　they　heard　the　sound　of　the　broom　sweeping　the

ground　close　behind　them；　so　instantly　they　threw　the

handkerchief　down　over　their　shoulder；　and　in　a　moment　a　deep；

broad　river　flowed　behind　them。



When　the　witch　came　up　to　it；　it　took　her　a　long　time　before　she

found　a　place　which　she　could　ford　over　on　her　broom…stick；　but

at　last　she　got　across；　and　continued　the　chase　faster　than

before。　　And　as　the　children　ran　they　heard　a　sound；　and　the

little　sister　put　her　ear　to　the　ground；　and　heard　the　broom

sweeping　the　earth　close　behind　them；　so；　quick　as　thought；　she

threw　the　comb　down　on　the　ground；　and　in　an　instant；　as　the　cat

had　said；　a　dense　forest　sprung　up；　in　which　the　roots　and

branches　were　so　closely　intertwined；　that　it　was　impossible　to

force　a　way　through　it。　　So　when　the　witch　came　up　to　it　on　her

broom　she　found　that　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　turn　round

and　go　back　to　her　hut。



But　the　twins　ran　straight　on　till　they　reached　their　own　home。　

Then　they　told　their　father　all　that　they　had　suffered；　and　he

was　so　angry　with　their　step…mother　that　he　drove　her　out　of　the

house；　and　never　let　her　return；　but　he　and　the　children　lived

happily　together；　and　he　took　care　of　them　himself；　and　never　let

a　stranger　come　near　them。