a14-第3部分

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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　would　not　forget　the　eyes。

The　magician　then　opened　the　mountain　and　she　flew　home　again；　but
the　traveller　followed　and　flogged　her　so　much　with　the　rod；　that
she　sighed　quite　deeply　about　the　heavy　hail…storm；　and　made　as　much　haste　as　she　could　to　get　back　to　her　bedroom　through　the　window。

The　traveller　then　returned　to　the　inn　where　John　still　slept；　took
off　his　wings　and　laid　down　on　the　bed；　for　he　was　very　tired。　Early
in　the　morning　John　awoke；　and　when　his　fellow…traveller　got　up；　he
said　that　he　had　a　very　wonderful　dream　about　the　princess　and　her
shoe；　he　therefore　advised　John　to　ask　her　if　she　had　not　thought　of
her　shoe。　Of　course　the　traveller　knew　this　from　what　the　magician
in　the　mountain　had　said。

〃I　may　as　well　say　that