安徒生童话-第191章

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e　heavy　hail…storm；　and　made　as　muchhaste　as　she　could　to　get　back　to　her　bedroom　through　the　window。The　traveller　then　returned　to　the　inn　where　John　still　slept；　tookoff　his　wings　and　laid　down　on　the　bed；　for　he　was　very　tired。　Earlyin　the　morning　John　awoke；　and　when　his　fellow…traveller　got　up；　hesaid　that　he　had　a　very　wonderful　dream　about　the　princess　and　hershoe；　he　therefore　advised　John　to　ask　her　if　she　had　not　thought　ofher　shoe。　Of　course　the　traveller　knew　this　from　what　the　magicianin　the　mountain　had　said。

〃I　may　as　well　say　that　as　anything；〃　said　John。　〃Perhaps　yourdream　may　e　true；　still　I　will　say　farewell；　for　if　I　guess　wrong　Ishall　never　see　you　again。〃

Then　they　embraced　each　other；　and　John　went　into　the　town　andwalked　to　the　palace。　The　great　hall　was　full　of　people；　and　thejudges　sat　in　arm…chairs；　with　eider…down　cushions　to　rest　their　headsupon；　because　they　had　so　much　to　think　of。　The　old　king　stood　near；wiping　his　eyes　with　his　white　pocket…handkerchief。　When　theprincess　entered；　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she　had　appearedthe　day　before；　and　greeted　every　one　present　most　gracefully；　butto　John　she　gave　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you。〃

Now　came　the　time　for　John　to　guess　what　she　was　thinking　of；and　oh；　how　kindly　she　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　But　when　he　utteredthe　single　word　shoe；　she　turned　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　all　her　wisdomcould　not　help　her；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。　Oh；　how　pleased　theold　king　was！　It　was　quite　amusing　to　see　how　he　capered　about。　Allthe　people　clapped　their　hands；　both　on　his　account　and　John's；　whohad　guessed　rightly　the　first　time。　His　fellow…traveller　was　gladalso；　when　he　heard　how　successful　John　had　been。　But　John　foldedhis　hands；　and　thanked　God；　who；　he　felt　quite　sure；　would　help　himagain；　and　he　knew　he　had　to　guess　twice　more。　The　evening　passedpleasantly　like　the　one　preceding。　While　John　slept；　his　panionflew　behind　the　princess　to　the　mountain；　and　flogged　her　evenharder　than　before；　this　time　he　had　taken　two　rods　with　him。　No　onesaw　him　go　in　with　her；　and　he　heard　all　that　was　said。　The　princessthis　time　was　to　think　of　a　glove；　and　he　told　John　as　if　he　had　againheard　it　in　a　dream。　The　next　day；　therefore；　he　was　able　to　guesscorrectly　the　second　time；　and　it　caused　great　rejoicing　at　thepalace。　The　whole　court　jumped　about　as　they　had　seen　the　king　dothe　day　before；　but　the　princess　lay　on　the　sofa；　and　would　not　saya　single　word。　All　now　depended　upon　John。　If　he　only　guessedrightly　the　third　time；　he　would　marry　the　princess；　and　reign　overthe　kingdom　after　the　death　of　the　old　king：　but　if　he　failed；　hewould　lose　his　life；　and　the　magician　would　have　his　beautiful　blueeyes。　That　evening　John　said　his　prayers　and　went　to　bed　very　early；and　soon　fell　asleep　calmly。　But　his　panion　tied　on　his　wings　tohis　shoulders；　took　three　rods；　and；　with　his　sword　at　his　side；flew　to　the　palace。　It　was　a　very　dark　night；　and　so　stormy　that　thetiles　flew　from　the　roofs　of　the　houses；　and　the　trees　in　the　gardenupon　which　the　skeletons　hung　bent　themselves　like　reeds　before　thewind。　The　lightning　flashed；　and　the　thunder　rolled　in　onelong…continued　peal　all　night。　The　window　of　the　castle　opened；　andthe　princess　flew　out。　She　was　pale　as　death；　but　she　laughed　at　thestorm　as　if　it　were　not　bad　enough。　Her　white　mantle　fluttered　inthe　wind　like　a　large　sail；　and　the　traveller　flogged　her　with　thethree　rods　till　the　blood　trickled　down；　and　at　last　she　couldscarcely　fly；　she　contrived；　however；　to　reach　the　mountain。　〃What　ahail…storm！〃　she　said；　as　she　entered；　〃I　have　never　been　out　insuch　weather　as　this。〃

〃Yes；　there　may　be　too　much　of　a　good　thing　sometimes；〃　said　themagician。

Then　the　princess　told　him　that　John　had　guessed　rightly　thesecond　time；　and　if　he　succeeded　the　next　morning；　he　would　win；　andshe　could　never　e　to　the　mountain　again；　or　practice　magic　as　shehad　done；　and　therefore　she　was　quite　unhappy。　〃I　will　find　outsomething　for　you　to　think　of　which　he　will　never　guess；　unless　heis　a　greater　conjuror　than　myself。　But　now　let　us　be　merry。〃

Then　he　took　the　princess　by　both　hands；　and　they　danced　withall　the　little　goblins　and　Jack…o'…lanterns　in　the　room。　The　redspiders　sprang　here　and　there　on　the　walls　quite　as　merrily；　and　theflowers　of　fire　appeared　as　if　they　were　throwing　out　sparks。　Theowl　beat　the　drum；　the　crickets　whistled　and　the　grasshoppers　playedthe　mouth…organ。　It　was　a　very　ridiculous　ball。　After　they　haddanced　enough；　the　princess　was　obliged　to　go　home；　for　fear　sheshould　be　missed　at　the　palace。　The　magician　offered　to　go　with　her；that　they　might　be　pany　to　each　other　on　the　way。　Then　they　flewaway　through　the　bad　weather；　and　the　traveller　followed　them；　andbroke　his　three　rods　across　their　shoulders。　The　magician　had　neverbeen　out　in　such　a　hail…storm　as　this。　Just　by　the　palace　the　magicianstopped　to　wish　the　princess　farewell；　and　to　whisper　in　her　ear；〃To…morrow　think　of　my　head。〃

But　the　traveller　heard　it；　and　just　as　the　princess　slippedthrough　the　window　into　her　bedroom；　and　the　magician　turned　roundto　fly　back　to　the　mountain；　he　seized　him　by　the　long　black　beard；and　with　his　sabre　cut　off　the　wicked　conjuror's　head　just　behindthe　shoulders；　so　that　he　could　not　even　see　who　it　was。　He　threwthe　body　into　the　sea　to　the　fishes；　and　after　dipping　the　head　intothe　water；　he　tied　it　up　in　a　silk　handkerchief；　took　it　with　him　tothe　inn；　and　then　went　to　bed。　The　next　morning　he　gave　John　thehandkerchief；　and　told　him　not　to　untie　it　till　the　princess　asked　himwhat　she　was　thinking　of。　There　were　so　many　people　in　the　greathall　of　the　palace　that　they　stood　as　thick　as　radishes　tiedtogether　in　a　bundle。　The　council　sat　in　their　arm…chairs　with　thewhite　cushions。　The　old　king　wore　new　robes；　and　the　golden　crownand　sceptre　had　been　polished　up　so　that　he　looked　quite　smart。　Butthe　princess　was　very　pale；　and　wore　a　black　dress　as　if　she　weregoing　to　a　funeral。

〃What　have　I　thought　of？〃　asked　the　princess；　of　John。　Heimmediately　untied　the　handkerchief；　and　was　himself　quitefrightened　when　he　saw　the　head　of　the　ugly　magician。　Every　oneshuddered；　for　it　was　terrible　to　look　at；　but　the　princess　sat　like　astatue；　and　could　not　utter　a　single　word。　At　length　she　rose　and　gaveJohn　her　hand；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。

She　looked　at　no　one；　but　sighed　deeply；　and　said；　〃You　are　mymaster　now；　this　evening　our　marriage　must　take　place。〃

〃I　am　very　pleased　to　hear　it；〃　said　the　old　king。　〃It　is　justwhat　I　wish。〃

Then　all　the　people　shouted　〃Hurrah。〃　The　band　played　music　in　thestreets；　the　bells　rang；　and　the　cake…women　took　the　black　crape　offthe　sugar…sticks。　There　was　universal　joy。　Three　oxen；　stuffed　withducks　and　chickens；　were　roasted　whole　in　the　market…place；　whereevery　one　might　help　himself　to　a　slice。　The　fountains　spouted　forththe　most　delicious　wine；　and　whoever　bought　a　penny　loaf　at　thebaker's　received　six　large　buns；　full　of　raisins；　as　a　present。　In　theevening　the　whole　town　was　illuminated。　The　soldiers　fired　offcannons；　and　the　boys　let　off　crackers。　There　was　eating　and　drinking；dancing　and　jumping　everywhere。　In　the　palace；　the　high…born　gentlemenand　beautiful　ladies　danced　with　each　other；　and　they　could　be　heardat　a　great　distance　singing　the　following　song：…

　　　〃Here　are　maidens；　young　and　fair；

　　　Dancing　in　the　summer　air；

　　　Like　two　spinning…wheels　at　play；

　　　Pretty　maidens　dance　away…

　　　Dance　the　spring　and　summer　through

　　　Till　the　sole　falls　from　your　shoe。〃

But　the　princess　was　still　a　witch；　and　she　could　not　love　John。His　fellow…traveller　had　thought　of　that；　so　he　gave　John　threefeathers　out　of　the　swan's　wings；　and　a　little　bottle　with　a　few　dropsin　it。　He　told　him　to　place　a　large　bath　full　of　water　by　theprincess's　bed；　and　put　the　feathers　and　the　drops　into　it。　Then；　atthe　moment　she　was　about　to　get　into　bed；　he　must　give　her　a　littlepush；　so　that　she　might　fall　into　the　water；　and　then　dip　her　threetimes。　This　would　destroy　the　power　of　the　magician；　and　she　wouldlove　him　very　much。　John　did　all　that　his　panion　told　him　to　do。The　princess　shrieked　aloud　when　he　dipped　her　under　the　water　thefirst　time；　and　struggled　under　his　hands　in　the　form　of　a　great　blackswan　with　fiery　eyes。　As　she　rose　the　second　time　from　the　water；the　swan　had　bee　white；　with　a　black　ring　round　its　neck。　Johnallowed　the　water　to　close　once　more　over　the　bird；　and　at　the　sametime　it　changed　into　a　most　beautiful　princess。　She　was　more　lovelyeven　than　before；　and　thanked　him；　while　her　eyes　sparkled　with　tears；for　having　broken　the　spell　of　the　magician。　The　next　day；　the　kingcame　with　the　whole　court　to　offer　their　congratulations；　and　stayedtill　quite　late。　Last　of　all　came　the　travelling　panion；　he　had　hisstaff　in　his　hand　and　his　knapsack　on　his　back。　John　kissed　him　manytimes　and　told　him　he　must　not　go；　he　must　remain　with　him；　for　he　wasthe　cause　of　all　his　good　fortune。　But　the　traveller　shook　his　head；and　said　gently　and　kindly；　〃No：　my　time　is　up　now；　I　have　only　paidmy　debt　to　you。　Do　you　remember　the　dead　man　whom　the　bad　peoplewished　to　throw　out　of　his　coffin？　You　gave　all　you　possessed　thathe　might　rest　in　his　grave；　I　am　that　man。〃　As