27-rapunzel-第1部分

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RAPUNZEL



ONCE　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　man　and　his　wife　who　were　very

unhappy　because　they　had　no　children。　These　good　people

had　a　little　window　at　the　back　of　their　house；　which　looked　into

the　most　lovely　garden；　full　of　all　manner　of　beautiful　flowers　and

vegetables；　but　the　garden　was　surrounded　by　a　high　wall；　and　no

one　dared　to　enter　it；　for　it　belonged　to　a　witch　of　great　power；　who

was　feared　by　the　whole　world。　One　day　the　woman　stood　at　the

window　overlooking　the　garden；　and　saw　there　a　bed　full　of　the

finest　rampion：　the　leaves　looked　so　fresh　and　green　that　she　longed

to　eat　them。　The　desire　grew　day　by　day；　and　just　because　she

knew　she　couldn't　possibly　get　any；　she　pined　away　and　became

quite　pale　and　wretched。　Then　her　husband　grew　alarmed　and

said：



‘What　ails　you；　dear　wife？'



‘Oh；'　she　answered；　‘if　I　don't　get　some　rampion　to　eat　out　of

the　garden　behind　the　house；　I　know　I　shall　die。'



The　man；　who　loved　her　dearly；　thought　to　himself；　‘Come！　rather

than　let　your　wife　die　you　shall　fetch　her　some　rampion；　no　matter

the　cost。'　So　at　dusk　he　climbed　over　the　wall　into　the　witch's

garden；　and；　hastily　gathering　a　handful　of　rampion　leaves；　he

returned　with　them　to　his　wife。　She　made　them　into　a　salad；　which

tasted　so　good　that　her　longing　for　the　forbidden　food　was　greater

than　ever。　If　she　were　to　know　any　peace　of　mind；　there　was

nothing　for　it　but　that　her　husband　should　climb　over　the　garden

wall　again；　and　fetch　her　some　more。　So　at　dusk　over　he　got；

but　when　he　reached　the　other　side　he　drew　back　in　terror；　for

there；　standing　before　him；　was　the　old　witch。



‘How　dare　you；'　she　said；　with　a　wrathful　glance；　‘climb　into

my　garden　and　steal　my　rampion　like　a　common　thief？　You　shall

suffer　for　your　foolhardiness。'



‘Oh！'　he　implored；　‘pardon　my　presumption；　necessity　alone

drove　me　to　the　deed。　My　wife　saw　your　rampion　from　her　window；

and　conceived　such　a　desire　for　it　that　she　would　certainly　have

died　if　her　wish　had　not　been　gratified。'　Then　the　Witch's　anger

was　a　little　appeased；　and　she　said：



‘If　it's　as　you　say；　you　may　take　as　much　rampion　away　with

you　as　you　like；　but　on　one　condition　onlythat　you　give　me　the

child　your　wife　will　shortly　bring　into　the　world。　All　shall　go　well

with　it；　and　I　will　look　after　it　like　a　mother。'



The　man　in　his　terror　agreed　to　everything　she　asked；　and　as　soon

as　the　child　was　born　the　Witch　appeared；　and　having　given　it　the

name　of　Rapunzel；　which　is　the　same　as　rampion；　she　carried　it　off

with　her。



Rapunzel　was　the　most　beautiful　child　under　the　sun。　When

she　was　twelve　years　old　the　Witch　shut　her　up　in　a　tower；　in　the

middle　of　a　great　wood；　and　the　tower　had　neither　stairs　nor　doors；

only　high　up　at　the　very　top　a　small　window。　When　the　old　Witch

wanted　to　get　in　she　stood　underneath　and　called　out：





‘Rapunzel；　Rapunzel；

Let　down　your　golden　hair；'





for　Rapunzel　had　wonderful　long　hair；　and　it　was　as　fine　as　spun

gold。　Whenever　she　heard　the　Witch's　voice　she　unloosed　her

plaits；　and　let　her　hair　fall　down　out　of　the　window　about　twenty

yards　below；　and　the　old　Witch　climbed　up　by　it。



After　they　had　lived　like　this　for　a　few　years；　it　happened　one

day　that　a　Prince　was　riding　through　the　wood　and　passed　by　the

tower。　As　he　drew　near　it　he　heard　someone　singing　so　sweetly

that　he　stood　still　spell…bound；　and　listened。　It　was　Rapunzel　in

her　loneliness　trying　to　while　away　the　time　by　letting　her　sweet　voice

ring　out　into　the　wood。　The　Prince　longed　to　see　the　owner　of　the

voice；　but　he　sought　in　vain　for　a　door　in　the　tower。　He　rode　home；

but　he　was　so　haunted　by　the　song　he　had　heard　that　he　returned

every　day　to　the　wood　and　listened。　One　day；　when　he　was　standing

thus　behind　a　tree；　he　saw　the　old　Witch　approach　and　heard

her　call　out：





‘Rapunzel；　Rapunzel；

Let　down　your　golden　hair。'





Then　Rapunzel　let　down　her　plaits；　and　the　Witch　climbed　up　by　them。




‘So　that's　the　staircase；　is　it？'　said　the　Prince。　‘Then　I　too　will

climb　it　and　try　my　luck。'



So　on　the　following　day；　at　dusk；　he　went　to　the　foot　of　the　tower

and　cried：



‘Rapunzel；　Rapunzel；

Let　down　your　golden　hair；'



and　as　soon　as　she　had　let　it　down　the　Prince　climbed　up。



At　first　Rapunzel　was　terribly　frightened　when　a　man　came　in；　for　she　had

never　seen　one　before；　but　the　Prince　spoke　to　her　so　kindly；　and　told　her

at　once　that　his　heart　had　been　so　touched　by　her　singing；　that　he　felt

he　should　know　no　peace　of　mind　till　he　had　seen　her。　Very　soon　Rapunzel

forgot　her　fear；　and　when　he　asked　her　to　marry　him　she　consented　at　once。

‘For；'　she　thought；　‘he　is　young　and　handsome；　and　I'll　certainly　be　happier

with　him　than　with　the　old　Witch。'　So　she　put　her　hand　in　his　and　said：



‘Yes；　I　will　gladly　go　with　you；　only　how　am　I　to　get　down　out　of　the　tower？

Every　time　you　come　to　see　me　you　must　bring　a　skein　of　silk　with　you；

and　I　will　make　a　ladder　of　them；　and　when　it　is　finished　I　will　climb　down

by　it；　and　you　will　take　me　away　on　your　horse。'



They　arranged　that　till　the　ladder　was　ready；　he　was　to　come　to　her

every　evening；　because　the　old　woman　was　with　her　during　the　day。

The　old　Witch；　of　course；　knew　nothing　of　what　was　going　on；

till　one　day　Rapunzel；　not　thinking　of　what　she　was　about；

turned　to　the　Witch　and　said：



‘How　is　it；　good　mother；　that　you　are　so　much　harder　to　pull

up　than　the　young　Prince？　He　is　always　with　me　in　a　moment。'



‘Oh！　you　wicked　child；'　cried　the　Witch。　‘What　is　this　I　hear？　I

thought　I　had　hidden　you　safely　from　the　whole　world；　and　in　spite

of　it　you　have　managed　to　deceive　me。'



In　her　wrath　she　seized　Rapunzel's　beautiful　hair；　wound　it

round　and　round　her　left　hand；　and　then　grasping　a　pair　of　scissors

in　her　right；　snip　snap；　off　it　came；　and　the　beautiful　plaits　lay　on

the　ground。　And；　worse　than　this；　she　was　so　hard…hearted　that

she　took　Rapunzel　to　a　lonely　desert　place；　and　there　left　her　to

live　in　loneliness　and　misery。



But　on　the　evening　of　the　day　in　which　she　had　driven　poor

Rapunzel　away；　the　Witch　fastened　the　plaits　on　to　a　hook　in　the

window；　and　when　the　Prince　came　and　called　out：



‘Rapunzel；　Rapunzel；

Let　down　your　golden　hair；'



she　let　them　down；　and　the　Prince　climbed　up　as　usual；　but　instead

of　his　beloved　Rapunzel　he　found　the　old　Witch；　who　fixed　her　evil；

glittering　eyes　on　him；　and　cried　mockingly：



‘Ah；　ah！　you　thought　to　find　your　lady　love；　but　the　pretty　bird

has　flown　and　its　song　is　dumb；　the　cat　caught　it；　and　will　scratch

out　your　eyes　too。　Rapunzel　is　lost　to　you　for　everyou　will　never

see　her　more。'



The　Prince　was　beside　himself　with　grief；　and　in　his　despair　he

jumped　right　down　from　the　tower；　and；　though　he　escaped　with　his

life；　the　thorns　among　which　he　fell　pierced　his　eyes　out。　Then　he

wandered；　blind　and　miserable；　through　the　wood；　eating　nothing

but　roots　and　berries；　and　weeping　and　lamenting　the　loss　of　his

lovely　bride。　So　he　wandered　about　for　some　years；　as　wretched

and　unhappy　as　he　could　well　be；　and　at　last　he　came　to　the　desert

place　where　Rapunzel　was　living。　Of　a　sudden　he　heard　a　voice

which　seemed　strangely　familiar　to　him。　He　walked　eagerly　in

the　direction　of　the　sound；　and　when　he　was　quite　close；　Rapunzel

recognised　him　and　fell　on　his　neck　and　wept。　But　two　of　her

tears　touched　his　eyes；　and　in　a　moment　they　became　quite　clear

again；　and　he　saw　as　well　as　he　had　ever　done。　Then　he　led　her　to

his　kingdom；　where　they　were　received　and　welcomed　with　great

joy；　and　they　lived　happily　ever　after。＇23＇



＇23＇　Grimm。