the travelling companion-第3部分

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old　king　became　at　last　so　distressed　at　all　these　dreadful

circumstances；　that　for　a　whole　day　every　year　he　and　his　soldiers

knelt　and　prayed　that　the　princess　might　become　good；　but　she

continued　as　wicked　as　ever。　The　old　women　who　drank　brandy　would

color　it　quite　black　before　they　drank　it；　to　show　how　they　mourned；

and　what　more　could　they　do？

　　　　〃What　a　horrible　princess！〃　said　John；　〃she　ought　to　be　well

flogged。　If　I　were　the　old　king；　I　would　have　her　punished　in　some

way。〃

　　　　Just　then　they　heard　the　people　outside　shouting；　〃Hurrah！〃　and；

looking　out；　they　saw　the　princess　passing　by；　and　she　was　really　so

beautiful　that　everybody　forgot　her　wickedness；　and　shouted

〃Hurrah！〃　Twelve　lovely　maidens　in　white　silk　dresses；　holding

golden　tulips　in　their　hands；　rode　by　her　side　on　coal…black　horses。

The　princess　herself　had　a　snow…white　steed；　decked　with　diamonds

and　rubies。　Her　dress　was　of　cloth　of　gold；　and　the　whip　she　held　in

her　hand　looked　like　a　sunbeam。　The　golden　crown　on　her　head　glittered

like　the　stars　of　heaven；　and　her　mantle　was　formed　of　thousands　of

butterflies'　wings　sewn　together。　Yet　she　herself　was　more　beautiful

than　all。

　　　　When　John　saw　her；　his　face　became　as　red　as　a　drop　of　blood；

and　he　could　scarcely　utter　a　word。　The　princess　looked　exactly　like

the　beautiful　lady　with　the　golden　crown；　of　whom　he　had　dreamed　on

the　night　his　father　died。　She　appeared　to　him　so　lovely　that　he　could

not　help　loving　her。

　　　　〃It　could　not　be　true；〃　he　thought；　〃that　she　was　really　a

wicked　witch；　who　ordered　people　to　be　hanged　or　beheaded；　if　they

could　not　guess　her　thoughts。　Every　one　has　permission　to　go　and　ask

her　hand；　even　the　poorest　beggar。　I　shall　pay　a　visit　to　the　palace；〃

he　said；　〃I　must　go；　for　I　cannot　help　myself。〃

　　　　Then　they　all　advised　him　not　to　attempt　it；　for　he　would　be

sure　to　share　the　same　fate　as　the　rest。　His　fellow…traveller　also

tried　to　persuade　him　against　it；　but　John　seemed　quite　sure　of

success。　He　brushed　his　shoes　and　his　coat；　washed　his　face　and　his

hands；　combed　his　soft　flaxen　hair；　and　then　went　out　alone　into　the

town；　and　walked　to　the　palace。

　　　　〃Come　in；〃　said　the　king；　as　John　knocked　at　the　door。　John　opened

it；　and　the　old　king；　in　a　dressing　gown　and　embroidered　slippers；

came　towards　him。　He　had　the　crown　on　his　head；　carried　his　sceptre　in

one　hand；　and　the　orb　in　the　other。　〃Wait　a　bit；〃　said　he；　and　he

placed　the　orb　under　his　arm；　so　that　he　could　offer　the　other　hand　to

John；　but　when　he　found　that　John　was　another　suitor；　he　began　to　weep

so　violently；　that　both　the　sceptre　and　the　orb　fell　to　the　floor；　and

he　was　obliged　to　wipe　his　eyes　with　his　dressing　gown。　Poor　old　king！

〃Let　her　alone；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　fare　as　badly　as　all　the　others。

Come；　I　will　show　you。〃　Then　he　led　him　out　into　the　princess's

pleasure　gardens；　and　there　he　saw　a　frightful　sight。　On　every　tree

hung　three　or　four　king's　sons　who　had　wooed　the　princess；　but　had　not

been　able　to　guess　the　riddles　she　gave　them。　Their　skeletons

rattled　in　every　breeze；　so　that　the　terrified　birds　never　dared　to

venture　into　the　garden。　All　the　flowers　were　supported　by　human　bones

instead　of　sticks；　and　human　skulls　in　the　flower…pots　grinned

horribly。　It　was　really　a　doleful　garden　for　a　princess。　〃Do　you　see

all　this？〃　said　the　old　king；　〃your　fate　will　be　the　same　as　those　who

are　here；　therefore　do　not　attempt　it。　You　really　make　me　very

unhappy；…　I　take　these　things　to　heart　so　very　much。〃

　　　　John　kissed　the　good　old　king's　hand；　and　said　he　was　sure　it

would　be　all　right；　for　he　was　quite　enchanted　with　the　beautiful

princess。　Then　the　princess　herself　came　riding　into　the　palace　yard

with　all　her　ladies；　and　he　wished　her　〃Good　morning。〃　She　looked

wonderfully　fair　and　lovely　when　she　offered　her　hand　to　John；　and

he　loved　her　more　than　ever。　How　could　she　be　a　wicked　witch；　as　all

the　people　asserted？　He　accompanied　her　into　the　hall；　and　the

little　pages　offered　them　gingerbread　nuts　and　sweetmeats；　but　the　old

king　was　so　unhappy　he　could　eat　nothing；　and　besides；　gingerbread

nuts　were　too　hard　for　him。　It　was　decided　that　John　should　come　to

the　palace　the　next　day；　when　the　judges　and　the　whole　of　the

counsellors　would　be　present；　to　try　if　he　could　guess　the　first

riddle。　If　he　succeeded；　he　would　have　to　come　a　second　time；　but　if

not；　he　would　lose　his　life；…　and　no　one　had　ever　been　able　to　guess

even　one。　However；　John　was　not　at　all　anxious　about　the　result　of　his

trial；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　very　merry。　He　thought　only　of　the

beautiful　princess；　and　believed　that　in　some　way　he　should　have　help；

but　how　he　knew　not；　and　did　not　like　to　think　about　it；　so　he

danced　along　the　high…road　as　he　went　back　to　the　inn；　where　he　had

left　his　fellow…traveller　waiting　for　him。　John　could　not　refrain　from

telling　him　how　gracious　the　princess　had　been；　and　how　beautiful

she　looked。　He　longed　for　the　next　day　so　much；　that　he　might　go　to

the　palace　and　try　his　luck　at　guessing　the　riddles。　But　his　comrade

shook　his　head；　and　looked　very　mournful。　〃I　do　so　wish　you　to　do

well；〃　said　he；　〃we　might　have　continued　together　much　longer；　and　now

I　am　likely　to　lose　you；　you　poor　dear　John！　I　could　shed　tears；　but　I

will　not　make　you　unhappy　on　the　last　night　we　may　be　together。　We

will　be　merry；　really　merry　this　evening；　to…morrow；　after　you　are

gone；　shall　be　able　to　weep　undisturbed。〃

　　　　It　was　very　quickly　known　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　that

another　suitor　had　arrived　for　the　princess；　and　there　was　great

sorrow　in　consequence。　The　theatre　remained　closed；　the　women　who　sold

sweetmeats　tied　crape　round　the　sugar…sticks；　and　the　king　and　the

priests　were　on　their　knees　in　the　church。　There　was　a　great

lamentation；　for　no　one　expected　John　to　succeed　better　than　those　who

had　been　suitors　before。

　　　　In　the　evening　John's　comrade　prepared　a　large　bowl　of　punch；

and　said；　〃Now　let　us　be　merry；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　the

princess。〃　But　after　drinking　two　glasses；　John　became　so　sleepy；　that

he　could　not　keep　his　eyes　open；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　Then　his

fellow…traveller　lifted　him　gently　out　of　his　chair；　and　laid　him　on

the　bed；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　quite　dark；　he　took　the　two　large　wings

which　he　had　cut　from　the　dead　swan；　and　tied　them　firmly　to　his　own

shoulders。　Then　he　put　into　his　pocket　the　largest　of　the　three　rods

which　he　had　obtained　from　the　old　woman　who　had　fallen　and　broken　her

leg。　After　this　he　opened　the　window；　and　flew　away　over　the　town；

straight　towards　the　palace；　and　seated　himself　in　a　corner；　under　the

window　which　looked　into　the　bedroom　of　the　princess。

　　　　The　town　was　perfectly　still　when　the　clocks　struck　a　quarter　to

twelve。　Presently　the　window　opened；　and　the　princess；　who　had　large

black　wings　to　her　shoulders；　and　a　long　white　mantle；　flew　away

over　the　city　towards　a　high　mountain。　The　fellow…traveller；　who　had

made　himself　invisible；　so　that　she　could　not　possibly　see　him；　flew

after　her　through　the　air；　and　whipped　the　princess　with　his　rod；　so

that　the　blood　came　whenever　he　struck　her。　Ah；　it　was　a　strange

flight　through　the　air！　The　wind　caught　her　mantle；　so　that　it

spread　out　on　all　sides；　like　the　large　sail　of　a　ship；　and　the　moon

shone　through　it。　〃How　it　hails；　to　be　sure！〃　said　the　princess；　at

each　blow　she　received　from　the　rod；　and　it　served　her　right　to　be

whipped。

　　　　At　last　she　reached　the　side　of　the　mountain；　and　knocked。　The

mountain　opened　with　a　noise　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　the

princess　went　in。　The　traveller　followed　her；　no　one　could　see　him；　as

he　had　made　himself　invisible。　They　went　through　a　long；　wide　passage。

A　thousand　gleaming　spiders　ran　here　and　there　on　the　walls；　causing

them　to　glitter　as　if　they　were　illuminated　with　fire。　They　next

entered　a　large　hall　built　of　silver　and　gold。　Large　red　and　blue

flowers　shone　on　the　walls；　looking　like　sunflowers　in　size；　but　no

one　could　dare　to　pluck　them；　for　the　stems　were　hideous　poisonous

snakes；　and　the　flowers　were　flames　of　fire；　darting　out　of　their

jaws。　Shining　glow…worms　covered　the　ceiling；　and　sky…blue　bats

flapped　their　transparent　wings。　Altogether　the　place　had　a

frightful　appearance。　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　stood　a　throne

supported　by　four　skeleton　horses；　whose　harness　had　been　made　by

fiery…red　spiders。　The　throne　itself　was　made　of　milk…white　glass；　and

the　cushions　were　little　black　mice；　each　biting　the　other's　tail。

Over　it　hung　a　canopy　of　rose…colored　spider's　webs；　spotted　with

the　prettiest　little　green　flies；　which　sparkled　like　precious　stones。

On　the　throne　sat　an　old　magician　with　a　crown　on　his　ugly　head；　and　a

sceptre　in　his　hand。　He　kissed　the　princess　on　the　forehead；　seated

her　by　his　side　on　the　splendid　throne；　and　then　the　music

commenced。　Great　black　grasshoppers　played　the　mouth　organ；　and　the

owl　struck　herself　on　the　body　instead　of　a　drum。　It　was　altogether

a　ridiculous　concert。　Little　black　goblins　with　false　lights　in

their　caps　danced　about　the　hall；　but　no　one　could　see　the

traveller；　and　he　had　placed　himself　just　behind　the　throne　where　he

could　see　and　hear　everything。　The　courtiers　who　came　in　afterwards

looked　noble　and　grand；　but　any　one　with　common　sense　could　see　what

they　really　were；　only　broomsticks；　with　cabbages　for　heads。　The

magician　had　given　them　life；　and　dressed　them　in　embroidered　robes。

It　answered　very　well；　as　they　were　only　wanted　for　show。　After

there　had　been　a　little　dancing；　the　princess　told　the　magician　that

she　had　a　new　suitor；　and　asked　him　what　she　could　think　of　for　the

suitor　to　guess　when　he　came　to　the　castle　the　next　morning。

　　　　〃Listen　to　what　I　say；〃　said　the　magician；　〃you　must　choose

something　very　easy；　he　is　less　likely　to　guess　it　then。　Think　of

one　of　your　shoes；　he　will　never　imagine　it　is　that。　Then　cut　his　head

off；　and　mind　you　do　not　forget　to　bring　his　eyes　with　you　to…morrow

night；　that　I　may　eat　them。〃

　　　　The　princess　curtsied　low；　and　said　she　wou