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双语·豪夫童话 亚历山大城总督和他的奴隶_矮子长鼻儿

所属教程:译林版·豪夫童话

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2022年06月06日

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The Sheik's Palace and His Slaves_The Dwarf Nosey

Sire! They are wrong who believe that fairies and magicians existed only at the time of Haroun-al-Raschid, or who assert that the reports of the doings of the genii and their princes, which one hears on the market-place, are untrue. There are fairies to-day, and it is not so long ago that I myself was the witness of an occurrence in which genii were concerned.

In an important city of my dear fatherland, Germany, there lived, some years ago, a poor but honest shoemaker and his wife. In the day time he sat at the corner of the street, repairing shoes and slippers, and even made new ones when he could find a customer, although he had to first purchase the leather, as he was too poor to keep any stock on hand. His wife sold vegetables and fruits, raised by her on a small plat before their door, and many people chose to buy of her because she was clean and neatly dressed, and knew how to make the best display of her vegetables.

These worthy people had a pleasant-faced, handsome boy, well-shaped and quite large for a child of eight years. He was accustomed to sit by his mother's side on the market-place, and to carry home a part of the fruit for the women or cooks who bought largely of his mother; and he rarely returned from these errands without a beautiful flower, or a piece of money, or cakes; as the masters of these cooks were always pleased to see the little fellow at their houses, and never failed to reward him generously.

One day, the shoemaker's wife sat, as usual, in the market-place;while ranged around her were baskets of cabbages and other vegetables, all kinds of herbs and seeds, and also, in a small basket, early pears, apples, and apricots. Little Jacob—this was the boy's name—sat near her and cried her wares in a manly voice:

“This way, gentlemen! See what beautiful cabbages! How sweet-smelling are these herbs! Early pears, ladies! Early apples and apricots! Who buys? My mother offers them cheap.”

An old woman came to the market, torn and ragged, with a small sharp-featured face, wrinkled with age, and a crooked pointed nose that nearly reached the chin. She leaned on a long crutch; and it was not easy to see how she got over the ground, as she limped and slid and staggered along—as if she had wheels on her feet, and was in momentary danger of being tilted over and striking her pointed nose on the pavement.

The shoemaker's wife looked attentively at this old woman. For sixteen years she had been in daily attendance at the market, but had never before seen this singular creature. But she involuntarily shrank back, as the old woman tottered towards her and stopped before her baskets.

“Are you Hannah, the vegetable dealer?” asked the old woman, in a harsh cracked voice, her head shaking from side to side.

“Yes, I am she,” replied the shoemaker's wife. “Can I do any thing for you?”

“We’ll see, we’ll see! Look at the herbs, look at the herbs, and see whether you have any thing I want,” answered the old woman as she bent down over the baskets, and, pushing her dark skinny hands down among the herbs, seized the bundles that were so tastefully spread out, and raised them one after another to her long nose, snuffing at every part of them. It pressed heavily on the heart of the shoemaker's wife to see her rare herbs handled in such a way, but she did not dare to offer any objections, as purchasers were privileged to examine her goods; and, besides this, she experienced a singular fear of the old woman. When she had rummaged through the basket, the old woman muttered: “Miserable stuff! Poor herbs! Nothing there that I want; much better fifty years ago; bad stuff—bad stuff!”

These remarks displeased little Jacob.

“You are a shameless old woman!” he cried, angrily. “First, you put your dirty brown fingers into the beautiful herbs and rumple them, then you put them up to your long nose, so that any one who saw it done will never buy them, and then you abuse our wares by calling them poor stuff, when, let me tell you, the duke's cook buys every thing of us!”

The old woman squinted at the spirited boy, laughed derisively, and said in a husky voice: “Sonny—sonny! So my nose, my beautiful long nose, pleases you? You shall also have one in the middle of your face to hang down to your chin.” While speaking, she slid along to another basket containing cabbages. She took the finest white head up in her hands, squeezed them together till they creaked, flung them down again into the basket in disorder, and repeated once more: “Bad wares! Poor cabbages!”

“Don’t wabble your head about so horribly!” exclaimed the boy, uneasily. “Your neck is as thin as a cabbage-Stem; it might break and let your head fall into the basket; who then would buy of us?”

“Don’t you like my thin neck?” muttered the old woman, laughing.“You shall have none at all, but your head shall stick into your shoulders, so as not to fall from your little body.”

“Don’t talk such stuff to the child!” said the shoemaker's wife, indignant at the continued inspection, fingering and smelling of her wares.“If you want to buy any thing, make haste, you are driving off all my other customers.”

“Good! It shall be as you say,” cried the old woman, grimly. “I will take these six heads of cabbage. But look here—I have to lean on my crutch and cannot carry any thing; let your little son carry my purchases home; I will reward him.”

The child was unwilling to go, and began to cry, as he was afraid of the ugly old woman; but his mother bade him go, as she considered it a sin to burden a weak old woman with so heavy a load. Half crying, he obeyed her; gathered the cabbages together in a towel, and followed the old woman from the market.

She went so slowly that it was three quarters of an hour before she reached a remote part of the city, and finally stopped before a tumble-down house. Then she drew a rusty old hook from her pocket, and inserted it skillfully into a small hole in the door, which sprung open with a bang. But how surprised was little Jacob as he entered! The interior of the house was splendidly fitted up; the ceilings and walls were of marble;the furniture of the finest ebony, inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl;while the floor was of glass, and so smooth that the boy slipped and fell several times. The old woman then drew a silver whistle from her pocket and whistled a tune that resounded shrilly through the house. In response to this, some Guinea-pigs came down the stairs; but, as seemed strange to Jacob, they walked upright on two legs, wore nutshells in place of shoes,and had on clothes and even hats of the latest fashion.

“Where are my slippers, you rabble?” demanded the old woman, striking at them with her crutch as they sprang squeaking into the air. “How long must I stand here waiting?”

The Guinea-pigs rushed quickly up the stairs, and soon returned, bringing a pair of cocoanut shells lined with leather, which the old woman put on.

Now all her limping and stumbling disappeared. She threw her staff away, and glided with great rapidity over the glass floor, pulling little Jacob along by the hand. At last she stopped in a room containing all kinds of furniture, that bore some resemblance to a kitchen, although the tables were mahogany, and the divans were covered with rich tapestry, suitable for a room of state.

“Take a seat,” said the old woman pleasantly, placing Jacob in a corner of the divan and moving the table before him, so that he could not well get out of his seat. “Sit down; you have had a heavy load to carry. Human heads are not so light, not so light.”

“But, madame, what strange things you say!” cried the boy, “I am really tired; but then I carried cabbage-heads that you bought of my mother.”

“Eh! You are mistaken,” laughed the old woman, as she lifted the cover of the basket and took out a human head by the hair. The child was frightened nearly out of his wits. He could not imagine how this had occurred; but he thought at once of his mother, and that if any one were to hear of this she would certainly be arrested.

“I must now give you a reward for being so polite,” muttered the old woman, “have patience for a little while, and I will make you a soup that you will never forget as long as you live.” With this she whistled once more.

Thereupon many Guinea-pigs, all in clothes, came in; they had kitchen aprons tied around them, and in their waistbands were ladles and carving-knives. After these, a lot of squirrels came leaping in, dressed in wide Turkish trousers, standing upright, and wearing little velvet caps on their heads. They seemed to be the scullions, as they raced up and down the walls and brought pans and dishes, eggs and butter, herbs and meal, which they placed on the hearth. Then the old woman glided across the floor in her cocoanut shoes, bustled about now here and now there, and the boy saw she was about to cook him something. Now the fire crackled and blazed up; then the kettle began to smoke and steam; an agreeable odor was spread through the room: while the old woman ran back and forth, followed by the squirrels and Guinea-pigs, and whenever she came to the fire she stopped to stick her long nose into the pot. Finally the soup began to bubble and boil, clouds of steam shot up into the air, and the froth ran over into the fire. Thereupon the old woman took the kettle off, poured some of its contents into a silver bowl, and placed the same before little Jacob, saying:

“There, sonny, there, eat some of this soup, and you shall have those things that so pleased you about me. You will also become a clever cook;but herbs—no, you will never find such herbs; why didn’t your mother have them in her basket.”

The boy did not understand very well what she said, but he gave his whole attention to the soup, which was very much to his taste. His mother had often prepared him nice food, but never any thing that could equal this. The fragrance of choice herbs and spices rose from his soup, which was neither too sweet nor too sour, and very strong.

While he was swallowing the last drops from the bowl, the Guinea-pigs burned some Arabic incense, the blue smoke of which swept through the room. Thicker and thicker became these clouds, till they filled the room from floor to ceiling. The odor of the incense had a magical effect on the boy; for, cry as often as he would that he must go back to his mother, at every attempt to rouse himself he sank back sleepily, and finally fell fast asleep on the old woman's divan. He dreamed strange dreams. It seemed to him that the old woman was pulling off his clothes, and giving him in their place the skin of a squirrel. Now he could leap and climb like a squirrel; he associated with the other squirrels and with the Guinea-pigs, all of whom were very nice well-bred people, and in common with them, thought himself in the service of the old woman. At first his duties were those of a shoe-black—that is, he had to put oil on the cocoanuts that served the old woman for slippers, and rub them until they shone brightly. However, as he had often done similar work at home, he was quite skillful at it. After the first year—as it seemed to him in his dream—he was given more genteel employment; with other squirrels, he was occupied in catching floating particles of dust, and when they had accumulated enough of these particles, they rubbed them through the finest hair sieve, for the old woman considered these dust atoms to be something superb, and as she had lost her teeth, she had her bread made of them.

After another year's service, he thought, he was placed in the ranks of those whose duty it was to provide the old woman with drinking-water. You must not suppose that she had had a cistern sunk, or placed a barrel in the yard to catch rain-water for this purpose; no, there was much more refinement displayed; the squirrels—and Jacob among them—had to collect the dew of the roses in hazelnut shells for the old woman's drink. And as she was a very thirsty body, the water-carriers had a hard time of it. In the course of another year he was given some inside work, such as the position of floor-cleaner; and as the floor was of glass, on which even a breath would gather, he had no easy task. They had to sweep it, and were required to do their feet up in old cloths, and in that condition step around the room. In the fourth year he was employed in the kitchen. This was a position of honor that could be attained only after a long apprenticeship. Jacob served there, rising from a scullion to be first pastry-cook, and soon acquired such uncommon cleverness and experience in all arts of the kitchen, that he often wondered at himself. The most difficult dishes—such as pasties seasoned with two hundred different essences, and vegetable soup consisting of all the vegetables on earth—all this he was learned in, and could prepare any thing speedily.

Thus had some seven years passed in the service of the old woman, when one day she took off her cocoanut shoes, grasped her crutch, and ordered Jacob to pluck a chicken, stuff it with herbs, and have it all nicely roasted by the time she came back. He did all this in accordance with the rules of his art. He wrung the chicken's neck, scalded it in hot water, pulled out the feathers, scraped the skin till it was nice and smooth, and, having drawn it, began to collect some herbs for the dressing. In the room where the vegetables were kept he discovered a closet which he had never noticed before, the door of which stood ajar. He went nearer, curious to see what was kept there; and beheld many baskets, from which a powerful but pleasant odor arose. He opened one of these baskets and found therein herbs of quite peculiar shape and color. The stems and leaves were of a bluish-green, and bore a small flower of brilliant red, bordered with gold. He examined this flower thoughtfully, smelt of it, and discovered that it gave forth the same strong odor that he had inhaled from the soup the old woman had cooked for him so long ago. But so strong was the fragrance that he began to sneeze; he sneezed more and more violently, and at last—woke up, sneezing.

He lay on the divan and looked around him in astonishment. “Really, how true one's dreams do seem!” said he to himself. “Just now I should have been willing to swear that I was a mean little squirrel, the companion of Guinea-pigs and other low creatures, and from them exalted to be a great cook! How my mother will laugh when I tell her all this! But may she not scold me for going to sleep in a strange house, instead of hurrying back to help her at the market-place?”

So thinking, he got up to go away; but found his limbs cramped, and his neck so stiff that he could not move it from side to side. He had to laugh at himself for being so helplessly sleepy; for every moment, before he knew it, he was striking his nose on a clothes-press, or on the wall, or knocked it against the door-frame when he turned around quickly. The squirrels and Guinea-pigs were whining around him, as if they wanted to accompany him, and he actually gave them an invitation to do so, as he stood upon the threshold, for they were nice little creatures; but they rushed quickly back into the house on their nutshells, and he could hear them squeaking from a distance.

It was a remote quarter of the city into which the old woman had led him, and he had difficulty in finding his way out of the narrow alleys;besides, he was in the midst of a crowd who seemed to have discovered a dwarf in the vicinity, for all around him he heard shouts of: “Hey! Look at the ugly dwarf! Where does the dwarf come from? Why, what a long nose he has! And look at the way his head sticks into his shoulders, and his ugly brown hands!”

At any other time, Jacob would willingly have joined them, as it was one of the delights of his life to see giants or dwarfs, or any rare and strange sights; but now he felt obliged to hurry back to his mother.

He was rather uneasy in his mind when he arrived at the market. His mother still sat there, and had quite a quantity of fruit in the basket; so that he could not have slept very long after all. But still he noticed, before reaching her, that she was very sad, as she did not call on the passers to buy, but supported her head in her hand; and when he came nearer he thought her much paler than usual. He hesitated as to what he should do, but finally mustered up courage to slip up behind her, laid his hand confidingly on her arm and said:

“Mother, what is the matter? Are you angry with me?”

His mother turned around, but on perceiving him sprang back with a cry of horror.

“What do you want with me, ugly dwarf?” cried she. “Be off with you! I will not stand such tricks!”

“But, mother, what is the matter with you?” asked Jacob, in a frightened way. “You are certainly not well; why do you chase your son away from you?”

“I have already told you to go your way,” replied Hannah, angrily.“You will get no money from me by your jugglery, you hateful monster!”

“Surely, God has taken away her understanding!” said the child, sorrowfully, to himself. “What means shall I take to get her home? Dear mother, only be reasonable now; just look at me once closely; I am really your son, your Jacob.”

“This joke is being carried too far,” cried Hannah to her neighbor.“Only look at this hateful dwarf, who stands there and keeps away all my customers, besides daring to make a jest of my misfortune. He says to me,‘I am your son, your Jacob,’—the impudent fellow!”

Upon that Hannah's neighbors all got up and began to abuse him as wickedly as they knew how—and market-women, as you know, understand it pretty well—ending by accusing him of making sport of the misfortune of poor Hannah, whose son, beautiful as a picture, had been stolen from her seven years ago: and they threatened to fall upon him in a body, and scratch his eyes out, if he did not at once go away.

Poor little Jacob knew not what to make of all this. Was it not true that he had gone to the market as usual with his mother, early this morning? that he had helped her arrange the fruits, and afterwards had gone with the old woman to her house, had there eaten a little soup, had indulged in a short nap, and come right back again? And now his mother and her neighbors talked about seven years, and called him an ugly dwarf! What, then, had happened to him?

When he saw that his mother would not hear another word from him, tears sprang into his eyes, and he went sadly down the street to the stall where his father mended shoes. “Now I will see,” thought he, “whether my father will not know me. I will stop in the door-way and speak to him.” On arriving at the shoemaker's stall, he placed himself in the door-way, and looked in. The master was so busily occupied with his work, that he did not notice him at first, but when by chance he happened to look at the door, he let shoes, thread and awl drop to the ground, and exclaimed in affrights, “In heaven's name!—what is that? what is that?”

“Good evening, master,” said the boy, as he stepped inside the shop.“How do you do?”

“Poorly, poorly, little master,” replied the father, to Jacob's great surprise; as he also did not seem to recognize him. “My business does not flourish very well, I have no one to assist me, and am getting old; and yet an apprentice would be too dear.”

“But have you no little son, who could one of these days assist you in your work?” inquired the boy.

“I had one, whose name was Jacob, and who must now be a tall active fellow of twenty, who could be a great support to me were he here. He must lead a happy life now. When he was only twelve years old he showed himself to be very clever, and already understood a good deal about the trade. He was pretty and pleasant too. He would have attracted custom, so that I should not have to mend any more, but only make new shoes. But so it goes in the world!”

“Where is your son, then?” asked Jacob, in a trembling voice.

“God only knows,” replied the old man. “Seven years ago—seven years—he was stolen from us on the market-place.”

“Seven years ago!” exclaimed Jacob in amazement.

“Yes, little master, seven years ago. I remember as though it were but yesterday how my wife came home weeping, and crying that the child had been gone the whole day, that she had inquired and searched everywhere, but could not find him. I had often said that it would turn out so; for Jacob was a beautiful child, as everybody said, and my wife was so proud of him, and was pleased when the people praised him, and she often sent him to carry vegetables and the like to the best houses. That was all well enough; he was richly rewarded every time; but I always said: ‘Take care! The city is large, and many bad people live in it. Mind what I say about little Jacob?’ Well, it turned out as I had predicted. An ugly old woman once came to the market, haggled over some fruits and vegetables, and finally bought more than she could carry home. My wife—compassionate soul—sent the child with her; and from that hour we saw him no more!”

“And that was seven years ago you say?”

“It will be seven years in the Spring. We had him cried on the streets, and went from house to house and inquired for him. Many had known and loved the pretty youngster, and now searched with us; but all in vain. Nor did any one know who the woman was that had bought the vegetables;but a decrepit old woman, some ninety years of age, said that it was very likely the wicked witch Kraeuterweiss, who comes once in every fifty years to the city to make purchases.”

Such was the story Jacob's father told him; and when the shoemaker had finished, he pegged away stoutly at his shoe, drawing the thread out with both fists as far as his arms could reach. By and by Jacob comprehended what had happened to him, namely: that he had not dreamed at all, but that he must have served the wicked witch as a squirrel for seven years. Anger and grief so swelled his heart that it almost broke. The old woman had stolen seven years of his youth; and what had he received as compensation therefor? The ability to make cocoanut slippers shine brightly; to clean a glass floor; and all the mysteries of cooking that he had learned of the guinea-pigs. He stood there a long time thinking over his fate, when his father finally asked him:

“Is there any thing in my line you would like, young master? A pair of new slippers, or,” he added, smiling, “perhaps a covering for your nose.”

“What's that about my nose?” asked Jacob. “What do I want of a cover for it?”

“Well,” responded the shoemaker, “every one to his taste; but I must say this much to you: if I had such a terrible nose, I would make for it a case of rose-colored patent leather. Look! I have a fine piece of it in my hand here; it would take at least a yard. But how well your nose would be protected! As it is now, I know you can’t help striking your nose on every door-post, and against every wagon that you try to get out of the way of.”

Jacob stood mute with terror. He felt of his nose; it was thick, and at least two hands long! So, too, had the old woman changed his figure so that his mother did not know him, and everybody had called him an ugly dwarf!

“Master,” said he, half crying, “have you a mirror handy, where I can look at myself?”

“Young master,” replied his father gravely. “You do not possess a figure that should make you vain, and you can have no reason to look in a glass every hour. Break off the habit; it is an especially silly one for you to indulge in.”

“Oh, do but let me look in the glass!” cried Jacob. “I assure you it is not from vanity I ask it.”

“Leave me in peace—I have none. My wife has a small one, but I don’t know where she keeps it. But if you are bound to look in a glass, across the street lives Urban, the barber, who has a mirror twice as large as your head; look into that; and in the meantime, good morning!”

With these words, his father pushed him gently out of the door, closed it after him, and sat down once more to his work. Jacob, very much cast-down, went across the street to Urban, whom he had known well in the past.

“Good morning, Urban,” said he to the barber. “I have come to beg a small favor of you; be so good as to let me look into your glass a moment.”

“With pleasure; there it is,” laughed the barber, and his customers, who were waiting for a shave, laughed with him. “You are a pretty fellow, tall and slim, with a neck like a swan, hands like a queen, and a stumpy nose that can not be equalled for beauty. You are a little vain of it, to be sure; but keep on looking; it shall not be said of me that I was so jealous I would not let you look in my glass.”

The barber's speech was followed by shouts of laughter that fairly shook the shop. Jacob, in the meantime, had approached the mirror and looked at his reflection in the glass. Tears came into his eyes. “Yes, surely you could not recognize your little Jacob, dear mother,” thought he. “He did not look thus in those joyful days when you paraded with him before the people!” His eyes had become small, like those of the pigs; his nose was monstrous, and hung down over his mouth and chin; the neck seemed to have entirely disappeared, as his head sank deeply into his shoulders, and it was only with the greatest effort that he could move it to the right or left. His body was still of the same height as seven years before; but what others gain from the twelfth to the twentieth year in height, he made up in breadth. His back and breast were drawn out rounding, so as to present the appearance of a small but closely-packed sack. This stout, heavy trunk was placed on thin, weak legs that did not seem able to support the weight. But still larger were his arms; they were as large as those of a full-grown man; his hands were rough, and of a yellowish-brown; his fingers long and spindling, and when he stretched them down straight he could touch the ground with their tips without stooping. Such was the appearance of little Jacob, who had grown to be a misshapen dwarf.

He recalled now the morning on which the old woman had come up to his mother's baskets. Every thing that he had criticised about her—the long nose, the ugly fingers, every thing, she had inflicted on him; only the long trembling neck she had left out entirely.

“Well, have you seen enough of yourself, my prince?” said the barber, stepping towards him with a laugh. “Really, if one were to try and dream of any thing like it, it would not be possible. For I will make you a proposal, my little man. My barber shop is certainly well patronized, but not so well as it used to be, which results from the fact that my neighbor, Barber Schaum, has somewhere picked up a giant, who serves to allure customers to his shop. Now, to grow a giant no great art is required; but to produce a little man like you is quite another matter. Enter my service, little man; you shall have food, drink and lodging—every thing; for all which you shall stand outside of my door mornings, and invite the people to come in; you shall make the lather, and hand the customers the towel;and be assured we shall both be benefitted. I shall get more customers than the man with the giant, while each one of them will cheerfully give you a fee.”

Jacob's soul recoiled at the thought of serving as a sign for a barber. But was he not forced to suffer this abuse patiently? He therefore quietly told the barber that he had not the time for such services, and went on his way.

Although the wicked old woman had changed his form, she had had no power over his spirit, and of this fact Jacob was well aware, as he no longer felt and thought as he had done seven years before. No; he knew he had grown wiser and more intelligent in this interval; he sorrowed not over his lost beauty, not over his ugly shape, but only over the fact that he had been driven like a dog from his father's door. He now resolved to make one more attempt to convince his mother of his identity.

He went to her in the market, and begged her to listen to him quietly. He reminded her of the day on which he had gone home with the old woman, of all the little details of his childhood, told her of his seven years’ service as a squirrel with the old witch, and how she transformed him because he had criticised her appearance. The shoemaker's wife did not know what to think of all this. His stories of his childhood agreed with her own recollections; but when he told her that he had been a squirrel for seven years, she exclaimed: “It is impossible! And there are no witches.”And when she looked at him, she shuddered at the sight of the ugly dwarf, and did not believe he could be her son. Finally, she considered it best to lay the matter before her husband. So she collected her baskets and called the dwarf to go with her. On reaching the shoemaker's stall, she said:

“Look here, this person claims to be our lost son, Jacob. He has told me all how he was stolen from us seven years ago, and how he was bewitched by an old hag.”

“Indeed!” interrupted the shoemaker, angrily. “Did he tell you that? Wait, you good-for nothing! I told him all this myself, not an hour ago, and now he runs over to jest with you! Enchanted are you, sonny? I will disenchant you again!” With this he picked up a bundle of thongs that he had just cut out, sprang at the dwarf, and lashed him on his back and arms till the dwarf cried out with pain and ran off weeping.

In that city, as in every other, there were but few pitying souls who would assist a poor unfortunate about whom there was any thing ridiculous. Therefore it was that the unfortunate dwarf remained the whole day without food or drink, and at evening was forced to choose the steps of a church for his couch, cold and hard as they were.

But when the rising sun awaked him, he began to think seriously of how he should support himself, now that his parents had cast him off. He was too proud to serve as a sign for a barber's shop; he would not travel round as a mountebank and exhibit himself for money. What should he do? It now occurred to him that as a squirrel he had made great progress in the art of cookery; he believed, not without reason, that he could hold his own with most cooks; and so he resolved to make use of his knowledge.

As soon as the streets began to show signs of life, and the morning was fairly advanced, he entered the church and offered up a prayer. Then he started on his way. The duke, the ruler of the country, was a well-known glutton and high-liver, who loved a good table, and selected his cooks from all parts of the world. To his palace the dwarf betook himself. When he came to the outer gate, the guards asked him what he wanted, and had a little sport with him. He asked to see the master of the kitchen. They laughed, and led him through the court, and at every step servants stopped to look after him, laughed loudly, and fell in behind him, so that by and by a monster procession of servants of all degrees crowded the steps of the palace. The stable-boys threw away their curry-combs, the messengers ran, the carpet-beaters forgot to dust their carpets, everybody pushed and crowded, and there was as much noise and confusion as if the enemy had been before the gates; and the shout “A dwarf! A dwarf! Have you seen the dwarf!” filled the air.

The steward of the palace now appeared at the door, with a stern face, and a large whip in his hand. “For heaven's sake, you dogs, why do you make such a noise? Don’t you know that the duke still sleeps?” and thereupon he raised the lash and let it fall on the backs of some stable-boys and guards.

“Oh, master!” cried they, “don’t you see any thing? We bring here a dwarf—a dwarf such as you have never seen before.”

The steward was able to control his laughter only with great difficulty, when he saw the dwarf. But it would not do to compromise his dignity by a laugh, so he drove away the crowd with his whip, led the dwarf into the palace, and asked him what he wanted. When he heard that Jacob wanted to see the master of the kitchen, he replied:

“You are mistaken, sonny; it is me, the steward of the palace, whom you wish to see. You would like to become body-dwarf to the duke. Isn’t that so?”

“No, master,” answered the dwarf; “I am a clever cook, and experienced in all kinds of rare dishes; if you will take me to the master of the kitchen perhaps he can make use of my services.”

“Every one to his own way, little man; but you are certainly an ill-advised youth. In the kitchen! Why, as body-dwarf you would have no work to do, and food and drink to your heart's desire, and fine clothes. Still, we will see. Your art will hardly be up to the standard of a cook for the duke, and you are too good for a scullion.” With these words the steward took him by the hand and led him to the rooms of the master of the kitchen.

“Gracious master!” said the dwarf, bowing so low that his hands rested on the floor, “have you no use for a clever cook?”

The master of the kitchen looked him over from head to foot, and burst into a loud laugh, “What? You a cook? Do you think that our hearths are so low that you can see the top of one by standing on your toes and lifting your head out of your shoulders? Oh dear, little fellow! Whoever sent you to me for employment as a cook has made a fool of you.” So spoke the master of the kitchen, laughing loudly; and the steward and all the servants in the room joined in the laugh.

But the dwarf did not allow himself to be disconcerted. “An egg or two, a little syrup and wine, and meal and spices, can be spared in a house where there is such plenty,” said he. “Give me some kind of a dainty dish to prepare, furnish me with what I need, and it shall be made quickly before your eyes, and you will have to confess that I am a cook by rule and right.” While the dwarf spoke, it was wonderful to see how his little eyes sparkled, how his long nose swayed from side to side, and his long spider-like fingers gesticulated in unison with his speech.

“Come on!” cried the master of the kitchen, taking the arm of the steward. “Come on; just for a joke, let's go down to the kitchen!”

They went through many passages, and at last reached the kitchen, which was a high roomy building splendidly fitted up. On twenty hearths burned a steady fire; a stream of clear water, in which fish were darting about, flowed through the middle of the room; the utensils for immediate use were kept in closets made of marble and costly woods, and to the right and left were ten rooms in which were preserved every thing costly and rare for the palate that could be found in the entire country of the Franks and even in the Levant. Kitchen servants, of all degrees, were running about, rattling kettles and pans, and with forks and ladles in their hands;but when the master of the kitchen entered, they all stopped and remained so still that one heard only the crackling of the fires and the splashing of the stream.

“What has His Grace ordered for breakfast this morning?” inquired the master of the kitchen of the breakfast-cook.

“Sir, he has been pleased to order Danish soup and red Hamburg dumplings.”

“Very well,” said the master of the kitchen. “Did you hear, little man, what His Grace will have to eat? Do you feel capable of preparing these difficult dishes? In any event, you will not be able to make the dumplings, for that is a secret.”

“Nothing easier,” replied the dwarf, to the astonishment of his hearers; for when a squirrel he had often made these dishes. “Nothing easier; for the soup, I shall require this and that vegetable, this and that spice, the fat of a wild boar, turnip, and eggs; but for the dumpling,”continued he, in a voice so low that only the master of the kitchen and the breakfast-cook could hear, “for the dumpling, I shall use four different kinds of meat, a little wine, the oil of a duck, ginger, and a certain vegetable called ‘stomach's joy.’”

“Ha! By St. Benedict! What magician learned you this?” cried the cook, in astonishment. “He has given the receipt to a hair, and the‘stomach's joy’ we did not know of ourselves. Yes, that would improve the flavor, no doubt. O you miracle of a cook!”

“I would not have believed it,” said the master of the kitchen; “but let him make the experiment; give him what things he wants, and let him prepare the breakfast.”

These commands were carried out, and every thing was laid out near the hearth, when it was discovered that the dwarf's nose barely came up to the fire-place. Therefore a couple of chairs were placed together, and upon them a marble slab was laid, and the little magician was then invited to try his skill. The cooks, scullions, servants, and various other people, formed a large circle around him, and looked on in astonishment to see how dexterous were his manipulations and how neatly his preparations were conducted. When he was through, he ordered both dishes to be placed on the fire, and to allow them to cook to the exact moment when he should call out. Then he began to count one, two, three, and so on, until he reached five hundred, when he sang out: “Stop!” The pots were then set to one side, and the dwarf invited the master of the kitchen to taste of their contents.

The head cook took a gold spoon from one of the scullions, dipped it in the brook, and handed it to the master of the kitchen, who stepped up to the hearth with a solemn air, dipped his spoon into the food, tasted it, closed his eyes, smacked his lips, and said:

“By the life of the duke, it's superb! Won’t you take a spoonful, steward?”

The steward bowed, took the spoon, tasted, and was beside himself with pleasure. “With all respect for your art, dear head cook, you have had experience, but have never made either soup or Hamburg dumpling that could equal this!”

The cook now took a taste, shook the dwarf most respectfully by the hand, and said: “Little One! You are a master of the art; really, that‘stomach's joy’ makes it perfect.”

At this moment the duke's valet came into the kitchen and announced that his grace was ready for his breakfast. The food was now placed on silver plates and sent in to the duke; the master of the kitchen taking the dwarf to his own room, where he entertained him. But they had not been there long enough to say a pater-noster, (such is the name of the Franks’ prayer, O Sire, and it does not take half as long to say it as to speak the prayer of the Faithful,) when there came a message from the duke requesting the presence of the master of the kitchen. He dressed himself quickly in his court costume, and followed the messenger.

The duke appeared to be in fine spirits. He had eaten all there was on the silver plates, and was wiping his beard as the master of the kitchen entered. “Hear me, master of the kitchen,” said he, “I have always been very well pleased with your cooks up to the present time; now tell me who it was that prepared my breakfast this morning? It was never so delicious since I sat on the throne of my ancestors; tell me the cook's name that I may send him a present of a few ducats.”

“Sire, it is a strange story,” replied the master of the kitchen; and went on to tell the duke how a dwarf had been brought to him that morning who wished a place as cook, and what had occurred afterwards. The duke was greatly astonished. He had the dwarf called, and asked him who he was, and where he came from. Now poor Jacob certainly could not say that he had been enchanted, and had once taken service as a squirrel; still he kept to the truth by saying that he had now neither father nor mother, and had learned how to cook from an old woman. The duke did not question him further, but examined the singular shape of his new cook.

“If you will remain in my service,” said the duke, “I will give you fifty ducats a year, a holiday suit, and two pair of trowsers besides. You will be expected to prepare my breakfast every morning with your own hands; must direct the preparation of dinner, and have a general oversight of my kitchen. As I am in the habit of naming all the people in my palace, you shall take the name of Nosey, and hold the office of assistant master of the kitchen.”

The dwarf, Nosey, prostrated himself before the mighty duke of the Franks, kissed his feet, and promised to serve him faithfully.

Thus was the dwarf provided for. And he did his office honor; for it can be said that the duke was quite another man while the dwarf remained in his service. Formerly he had been wont to express his displeasure by throwing the dishes, that were taken in to him, at the heads of the cooks;in fact, once in his anger, he had thrown a roasted calf's foot, that was not tender enough, at the master of the kitchen, and it hit him on the forehead and disabled him for three days. To be sure, the duke made amends for his anger afterwards by distributing handfuls of ducats among his victims;but nevertheless the cooks never took his meals in to him without fear and trembling. Since the dwarf's arrival, however, there was a magical change. Instead of three meals a day, the duke now indulged in five, in order to do justice to the skill of the assistant master of the kitchen; and he never betrayed the least appearance of dissatisfaction. On the contrary, he found every thing new and rare, was sociable and pleasant, and grew fleshier and happier from day to day.

He would often send for the master of the kitchen and the dwarf Nosey, in the middle of the meal, and giving them seats on either side of himself, would feed them the choicest morsels with his own fingers; a favor that they both knew how to prize.

The dwarf became the wonder of the city. Permission was constantly sought of the master of the kitchen to see him cook, and a few gentlemen of the highest rank were able to induce the duke to let their cooks take lessons from Nosey, and this brought the dwarf in quite a sum of money, as each pupil had to pay half a ducat daily. And in order to keep the good will of the other cooks, and prevent them from becoming jealous, Nosey distributed this money among them.

Thus lived Nosey, in exceptional comfort and honor, for nearly two years; and only when he thought of his parents did he feel sorrowful. One day, however, a curious incident occurred.

Nosey was especially fortunate in his purchases. For this reason he was in the habit of going to market himself for fowls and fruits, whenever his duties would permit. One morning he went to the goose-market to look for some heavy fat geese, such as his master loved. His form, far from arousing jokes and laughter, commanded respect, for he was known to be the famous chief cook of the duke, and every woman who had geese to sell was happy if he turned his nose towards her.

At the further end of a row of stalls, he saw a woman sitting in a corner, who had also geese to sell, but, unlike the other market-women, she did not cry her wares or attempt to attract buyers. To her he went and weighed her geese. They were just what he wanted, and he bought three, together with the cage, shouldered his burden, and started on his way home. It occurred to him as a very strange thing that only two of these geese cackled, as genuine geese are accustomed to do, while the third one sat quite still and reserved, occasionally sighing and sneezing like a human being. “It must be half-sick,” said he, as he went along. “I must hurry back so as to kill and dress it.” But, to his astonishment, the goose replied, quite plainly:

If you stick me,

I will bite ye.

If my neck you do not save,

You will fill an early grave.

Terribly frightened. Nosey sat the cage down, and the goose looked at him with beautiful intelligent eyes, and sighed.

“Good gracious!” exclaimed the dwarf. “Can you speak? Miss Goose? I would not have thought it! Well, now, don’t be anxious; one knows how to live without having any designs on such a rare bird. But I would be willing to bet that you have not always had these feathers. I was myself once a contemptible little squirrel.”

“You are right,” replied the goose, “in saying that I was not born with this ignominious form. Alas! It was never sung to me in my cradle that Mimi, daughter of the great Wetterbock, would meet her death in the kitchen of a duke!”

“Do not be uneasy, dear Miss Mimi,” said the dwarf cheerfully.“On my word of honor, and as sure as I am the assistant master of the kitchen of His Grace, no one shall harm you. I will fix you up a coop in my own room, where you shall have plenty of food, and I will devote all my leisure time to your entertainment. The other kitchen servants shall be told that I am fattening a goose with different kinds of vegetables, for the duke; and whenever an opportunity offers, I will set you at liberty.”

The goose thanked him with tears, and the dwarf did as he had promised. Nor did he furnish her with common goose food, but with pastry and sweetmeats, and whenever he was at liberty he paid her visits of condolence. They told one another their histories, and in this way Nosey learned that she was a daughter of the magician Wetterbock, who lived on the island of Gothland, and who had begun a quarrel with an old witch, who in turn had vanquished him by a clever stratagem, and had then revenged herself upon him by transforming his daughter into a goose, and bringing her thus far from home. When the dwarf had told her his story, she said:

“I am not inexperienced in these matters. My father gave my sisters and myself instructions in the art, as far as he thought best; your account of the quarrel you had with the old woman over the market baskets, your sudden transformation while inhaling the steam of that vegetable soup, taken in connection with some expressions of the old woman that you told me of, prove conclusively to me that you are bewitched by herbs;that is to say, if you can find the plant that the old woman used in your transformation, you can be restored to your former shape.”

This announcement was not very consoling to the dwarf, for where was he to find the plant? Still, he thanked the goose, and strove to be hopeful.

About this time the duke received a visit from a neighboring prince who was on friendly terms with him. He sent for the dwarf, and said to him: “Now is the time when you will have to prove your devotion to me, and your mastery of the art of cooking. The prince who visits me is accustomed to the very best, as you know, and is an excellent judge of fine cooking as well as a wise man. See to it, therefore, that my table is provided daily with such dishes as will cause his wonder to increase from day to day. And, on the penalty of my displeasure, you must not make the same dish twice, during his stay here. My treasurer will supply you with all the money you may want for this purpose. And even though you be forced to cook gold and diamonds in lard, do it! I would rather be ruined than put to the blush before him.”

Thus spake the duke; and the dwarf replied with a low obeisance:“It shall be as you say, my master; God willing, I will so provide that this prince of epicures shall be satisfied.”

The little cook put forth all his skill. He spared neither his master's money nor himself. And he might be seen the livelong day in the midst of clouds of smoke and flame, while his voice sounded constantly through the kitchen, as he ordered the under-cooks and scullions about like a prince.

The duke's guest had now been fourteen days with him, and had been well entertained. They ate not less than five times a day, and the duke was contented with the skill of his dwarf, for he saw satisfaction on the brow of his guest. But on the fifteenth day, it happened that the duke sent for the dwarf while they sat at table, and presented him to his guest, with the inquiry how the dwarf's cooking had pleased him.

“You are a marvelous cook,” replied the prince, “and know what constitutes good cheer. In all the time I have been here, you have not given us the same dish twice, and every thing has been well prepared. But tell me why it is you have let so long a time pass without producing the queen of dishes—the Pastry Souzeraine?”

The dwarf was all of a tremble, for he had never heard of this queen of pastries; but still he recovered himself, and replied:

“O Sire! I had hoped that the light of your countenance would be shed on this palace for many days yet; therefore I delayed this dish; for what could be a more appropriate compliment from the cook on the day of your departure, than the queen of the pastries?”

“Indeed?” laughed the duke, “and were you waiting for the day of my death, before you should compliment me in the same manner? For you have never placed this pastry before me. But think of some other parting dish: for you must set this pastry on the table to-morrow.”

“It shall be as you say, master!” answered the dwarf, as he went out. But he was very much disturbed in mind, for he knew that the day of his disgrace and misfortune was at hand. He had not the slightest idea how to make the pastry. He therefore went to his chamber and wept over his hard fate.

Just then the goose, Mimi, who had the run of his chamber, came up to him and inquired the cause of his sorrow. “Cease to weep,” said she, on learning of the incident of the pastry.“This entrée was a favorite dish of my father's, and I know about how it is made. You take this and that, so and so much, and if there should happen to be any little thing left out, why, the gentlemen will never notice it.”

The dwarf, on hearing Mimi's recipe, jumping for joy, blessed the day on which he had bought the goose, and ran off to make the queen of the pastries. He first made a small one by way of experiment, and lo, it tasted finely, and the master of the kitchen, to whom he gave a morsel, heartily praised his skill.

On the following day, he baked the pastry in a larger form, and after decorating it with a wreath of flowers, sent it, hot from the oven, to the duke's table. He then donned his best suit of clothes, and followed after it. As he entered the dining-room, the head carver was in the act of cutting the pastry and serving it up to the duke and his guest, with a silver pie-knife. The duke took a large mouthful of the pastry, cast his eyes up at the ceiling, and said as soon as he had swallowed it:

“Ah! ah! ah! They are right in calling this the queen of the pastries;but my dwarf is also king of all cooks—isn’t that so, dear friend?”

The prince helped himself to a small piece, tasted and examined it attentively, and then, with a scornful smile, pushed the plate away from him, exclaiming: “The thing is very cleverly made, but still it isn’t the genuine Souzeraine. I thought it would turn out that way.”

The duke scowled, and reddening with mortification, cried: “Dog of a dwarf! How dare you bring this disgrace on your master? Shall I have your big head taken off as a penalty for your bad cookery?”

“Alas, master, I prepared the dish in accordance with all the rules of art; there certainly can not any thing be wanting!” cried the dwarf trembling.

“You lie, you knave!” exclaimed the duke, giving him a kick, “or my guest would not say that some ingredient was wanting. I will have you cut up in small pieces and made into a pastry yourself!”

“Have pity!” cried the dwarf, falling on his knees before the guest, and clasping his feet. “Tell me what is wanting in this dish that it does not suit your palate? Do not let me die on account of a handful of meat and meal.”

“That wouldn’t help you much, dear Nosey,” answered the prince, laughing. “I felt pretty sure yesterday that you couldn’t make this dish as my cook does. Know, then, that there is an herb wanting, that is not known at all in this country, called Sneeze-with-pleasure, and, without this, the pastry is tasteless and your master will never have it as good as mine.”

The last words aroused the anger of the duke to the highest pitch.“And yet I will have it!” exclaimed he, with flashing eyes. “For I swear on my princely word, that I will either show you the pastry just as you require it, or—the head of this fellow impaled on the gate of my palace. Go, dog! Once more I grant you twenty-four hours’ time.”

The dwarf went back to his own room, and complained to the goose of his fate, for as he had never heard of this plant, he must die.

“Is that all that is wanted?” said she. “I can help you in that case, for I learned to know all vegetables from my father. At any other time you might have been doomed; but fortunately now there is a full moon, and at this time the plant blooms. But tell me, are there any old chestnut trees in the vicinity of the palace?”

“Oh, yes,” replied the dwarf, with a lighter heart; “by the lake, two hundred steps from the house, there is a large group of them; but what has that to do with it?”

“Well, at the foot of old chestnuts blooms this plant,” replied Mimi.“Therefore, let us lose no time in our search. Take me under your arm, and set me down when we are in the garden, and I will assist you.”

He did as she said, and went with her to the palace entrance. But there he was stopped by the guard who extended his weapon, and said:

“My good Nosey, it's all up with you; I have received the strictest orders not to let you out of the house.”

“But there can’t be any objection to my going into the garden,” urged the dwarf. “Be so kind as to send one of your comrades to the steward, and ask him whether I may not be allowed to look for vegetables in the garden.” The guard did as requested, and the dwarf received permission to go into the garden, as it was surrounded by high walls and escape was impossible. When Nosey was safely outside, he put the goose down carefully, and she ran on before him to the lake where the chestnut trees stood. He followed her closely, with beating heart, as his last hope was centered on the success of their search, and if they did not find the plant, he was fully resolved that he would throw himself into the lake, rather than submit to being beheaded. The goose wandered about under all the trees, turning aside every blade of grass with her bill, but all in vain was her search, and she began to cry from pity and anxiety, as the night was at hand, and it was difficult to distinguish objects around her.

Just then the dwarf chanced to look across the lake and he shouted:

“Look, look! Across the lake stands an old chestnut tree; let us go over there and search—perhaps we shall find my luck blooming there.”

The goose took the lead, hopping and flying, and Nosey ran after as fast as his little legs would carry him. The chestnut tree cast a large shadow, so that nothing could be seen under its branches; but the goose suddenly stopped, clapped her wings with joy, put her head down into the long grass, and plucked something that she presented with her bill to the astonished dwarf, saying:

“That is the plant, and there are a lot of them growing there, so that you will never lack for them.”

The dwarf examined the plant thoughtfully; it had a sweet odor, that reminded him involuntarily of the scene of his transformation. The stems and leaves were of a bluish-green color, and it bore a brilliant red flower with a yellowish border.

“God be praised!” exclaimed he at length. “How wonderful! Do you know that I believe this is the very plant that changed me from a squirrel to this hateful form? shall I make an experiment with it?”

“Not yet,” replied the goose. “Take a handful of these plants with you and let us go to your room; collect what money and other property you have, and then we will try the virtue of this plant.”

Taking some of the plants with them, they went back to his room, the heart of the dwarf beating so that it might almost be heard. After packing up his savings, some fifty or sixty ducats, and his shoes and clothes in a bundle, he said: “God willing, I will now free myself of this shape,” stuck his nose deep down into the plant and inhaled its fragrance.

Thereupon a stretching and cracking took place in all his limbs; he felt his head being raised from his shoulders; he squinted down at his nose and saw it getting smaller and smaller; his back and breast began to straighten out, and his legs grew longer.

The goose looked on in astonishment.

“Ha! How tall, how handsome you are!” exclaimed she. “Thank God! Nothing remains of your former shape?”

Jacob, greatly rejoiced, folded his hands and prayed. But in his joy he did not forget how much he was indebted to the goose; he longed with all his heart to go at once to his parents, but gratitude caused him to forego this pleasure, and to say:

“Whom but you have I to thank for my restoration. Without you I should never have found this plant, and should have forever remained a dwarf, or have died under the ax. Come, I will take you to your father; he, who is so experienced in magic, can easily disenchant you.”

The goose wept tears of joy, and accepted his offer. Jacob walked safely out of the palace with the goose, without being recognized, and started at once on his way to the coast to reach Mimi's home.

What shall I say further? That they reached their journey's end safely; that Wetterbock disenchanted his daughter, and sent Jacob, loaded down with presents, back to his native city; and that his parents easily recognized their son in the handsome young man; that he bought a shop with the presents given him by Wetterbock; and that he became rich and happy.

To this I will add, that after Jacob's escape from the palace, great trouble ensued; for on the following day, as the duke was about to carry out his threat of taking off the dwarf's head if he did not succeed in finding the plant, that individual was nowhere to be found. But the prince asserted that the duke had connived at his escape, so as not to be compelled to kill his best cook; and the prince accused the duke of breaking his word. From this a great war broke out between the two rulers, which is known to history as “The Vegetable War.” Many battles were fought, but finally peace was restored, and this peace was called “The Pastry Peace,” inasmuch as at the peace banquet, the Souzeraine, queen of the pastries, was prepared by the prince's cook, and rejoiced the palate of his grace, the duke.

Thus do the most trivial causes often lead to great results; and this, O Sire, is the story of the Dwarf Nosey.

Such was the story of the Frankish slave. When he had finished, Ali Banu had fruits served to him and the other slaves, and conversed, while they were eating, with his friends. The young men who had been introduced into the room so stealthily, were loud in their praises of the sheik, his house, and all his surroundings.

“Really,” said the young writer, “there is no pleasanter way of passing the time than in hearing stories. I could sit here the livelong day with my legs crossed, and one arm resting on a cushion, with my head supported by my hand, and, if allowable, the sheik's nargileh in my hand, and so situated listen to stories with the greatest zest. Something like this, I fancy, will be our existence in the Gardens of Mohammed.”

“So long as you are young and able to work,” replied the old man, who had conducted the young men into the house, “you can not be in earnest in such an idle wish. At the same time, I admit that there is a peculiar charm about these narratives. Old as I am—and I am now in my seventy-seventh year—and much as I have already heard in my life, still I am not ashamed when I see a large crowd gathered round a story-teller at the corner, to take my place there too and listen to him. The listener dreams that he is an actor in the events that are narrated; he lives for the time being amongst these people, among these wonderful spirits, with fairies and other folk, whom one does not meet every day; and has afterwards, when he is alone, the means of entertaining himself, just as does the traveller through the desert, who has provided well for his wants.”

“I had never thought much about wherein the charm of these stories lay,” responded another of the young men. “But I agree with you. When I was a child, I could always be quieted with a story. It mattered not, at first, of what it treated, so long as it was told me, so long as it was full of incidents and changes. How often have I, without experiencing the slightest fatigue, listened to those fables which wise men have devised, and in which they express a world of wisdom in a sentence: stories of the fox and the foolish stork, of the fox and the wolf, and dozens of stories of lions and other animals. As I grew older, and associated more with men, those short stories failed to satisfy me; I required longer ones, which treated too of people and their wonderful fortunes.”

“Yes, I recall that time very plainly,” interrupted one of the last speaker's friends. “It was you who created in us the desire for stories of all kinds. One of your slaves knew as many as a camel-driver could tell on the trip from Mecca to Medina. And when he was through with his work, he had to sit down with us on the grassplot before the house, and there we would tease until he began a story; and so it went on and on until night overtook us.”

“And was there not then disclosed to us a new, an undiscovered realm?” said the young writer. “The land of genii and fairies, containing, too, all the wonders of the vegetable kingdom, with palaces of emeralds and rubies, inhabited by giant slaves, who appear when a ring was turned around on the finger and back again, or by rubbing a magical lamp, and brought splendid food in golden shells? We felt that we were transported to that country; we made those marvelous voyages with Sinbad, we accompanied Haroun-al-Raschid, the wise ruler of the Faithful, on his evening walks, and we knew his vizier as well as we knew each other;in short, we lived in those stories, as one lives in his nightly dreams, and for us there was no part of the day so enjoyable as the evening, when we gathered on the grass-plot, and the old slave told us stories. But tell us, old man, why it is that this craving for stories is as strong in us to-day as it was in our childhood?”

The commotion that had arisen in the room, and the request of the steward for silence, prevented the old man from replying. The young men were uncertain whether they ought to rejoice at the prospect of hearing another story, or to feel vexed that their entertaining conversation with the old man had been broken off so suddenly. When silence had been restored, a second slave arose and began his story.

亚历山大城总督和他的奴隶_矮子长鼻儿

老爷!有些人相信只是在哈伦·阿里-拉希德还统治着巴格达的时代,才存在仙女和巫师,或者甚至认为城里市集广场上的说书人讲那些有关精灵及其主子们的事迹都属于子虚乌有,这些人便大错而特错了。现而今仍然有仙女。就在前不久,我亲身经历了一件事,其中显然有精灵在作祟。且听我慢慢道来。

许多许多年以前,在我亲爱的德意志祖国的某座大城市里,住着一个鞋匠和他的妻子,夫妻二人过着俭朴而又规矩的生活。白天,丈夫坐在街角,忙着缝补各种鞋子和拖鞋。他有时也做些新活儿,要是有谁来定做的话;可这一来他就得现去买皮子,因为太穷了,家里没有现存的材料。妻子则在城外一个小园子里种蔬菜和水果卖;许多市民都乐意在她这里买,因为她不只穿戴整洁,还把商品摆放陈列得令人赏心悦目。

夫妇俩有个漂亮的小男孩。小家伙生得眉清目秀,身材匀称,才十二岁个子已相当高。他通常喜欢坐在母亲的蔬果摊子上;对那些常来照顾鞋匠太太生意的妇女和厨师,他也乐意帮着送货上门,而送完回来时,很少手里不拿着一朵鲜花或一枚钱币再或一块蛋糕什么的。厨师们的东家看见带回家来这么个漂亮男孩都挺高兴,常常送给他不少礼物。

一天,鞋匠太太又跟往常一样坐在集市上,面前摆着一筐筐白菜、青菜、菜秧和其他蔬菜,还有一小篮早熟的梨儿、苹果和杏子。小雅各布——男孩叫这个名字——坐在母亲身边,正嗓音清脆地吆喝着卖货:

“来呀来呀,各位先生太太,您瞧瞧这白菜多水灵儿,这大葱蒜苗真是香喷喷;还有早熟的梨儿、苹果和杏子,你们哪位买啊?我妈妈开价便宜又公道!”

小家伙这么喊着,集市上走来一个老婆子。她看上去衣衫褴褛,长着一张尖溜溜的小脸儿,两眼通红,又尖又长的弯钩鼻子几乎伸到下巴,已老得脸上全是皱纹。只见她拄着一根长长的拐杖,走起路来一瘸一拐,摇摇晃晃,不,很难讲真是在走,简直就像双脚踩着滑轮,随时都可能尖鼻子朝下摔倒。

鞋匠太太仔细端详着老太婆。她每天都在集市上做生意,已经整整十六年,可从未见过这么个怪人。当她发现老婆子颤颤巍巍地向自己走来,停在她的菜筐子前面时,禁不住吓了一跳。

“你就是卖菜的汉娜吧?”老太婆嗓音嘶哑难听地问,同时不住地晃动脑袋。

“是的,我就是汉娜,”鞋匠太太回答,“想买点什么吗?”

“咱们瞧瞧,咱们瞧瞧!瞧瞧你这些破菜,瞧瞧你这些破菜,看可有我要买的。”老婆子回答,同时在菜筐前弯下腰,把她那双深褐色的丑陋的手伸进筐中,用蜘蛛腿一样的瘦长手指抓起那些原本摆放得整齐漂亮的蔬菜来乱翻一通,并且将它们一棵棵凑到自己的长鼻子下嗅来嗅去。看着她这么糟蹋自己珍贵的蔬菜,鞋匠太太的心都快缩紧了,但是又不敢讲什么,因为挑挑拣拣本就是顾客的权利;再说,对这个老太婆,她还感到一种特别的恐惧。把全筐都翻遍以后,老婆子竟嘟嘟囔囔:“破玩意儿,烂菜叶,没有一点我想要的,五十年前的货色可好多啦;破玩意儿,破玩意儿!”

这样的胡说终于使小雅各布不耐烦了。

“我说,你这个老太婆脸皮真叫厚,”他气得叫起来,“先是把自己又脏又丑的手指伸进好好的菜里乱捏乱翻,随后又凑到你那长鼻子底下嗅来嗅去,叫别人看见谁还会再来买?这会儿呢,竟然还骂我们的菜是破玩意儿;要知道连公爵厨子的东西都是在咱们这里买的哪!”

老婆子瞟了大胆的男孩一眼,冷笑了声,声音嘶哑地道:“小崽子,小崽子!这么说,你不喜欢我的鼻子,不喜欢我漂亮的长鼻子喽?我让你脸上同样长一个,一直垂到下巴上。”说时,她已移动到另一个摆着圆白菜的筐子边。她把那些洁净美丽的圆白菜抓在手里猛挤猛捏,挤捏得圆白菜发出吱吱吱的叫声,然后又胡乱扔回筐中,还是那句话:“破玩意儿,烂白菜!”

“别把脑袋那么讨厌地摇来摇去!”小男孩恐惧地喊道,“你的脖子细得跟圆白菜的把儿差不多,容易折断喽;真这样你的脑袋就会滚进筐子里,叫谁还敢来买咱们的菜呢!”

“你不喜欢细长的脖子,是不是?”老太婆笑嘻嘻地嘟哝说,“我让你压根儿没脖子,脑袋只好陷进两肩中间,免得它从你小小的身躯上掉下来!”

“别跟小孩子这么胡说八道好不好!”面对老婆子一个劲儿地闻来嗅去、吹毛求疵,鞋匠太太终于不高兴地说,“您要是想买什么就赶快买,别把我其他买主给赶跑了。”

“好好好,就照你说的办!”老婆子眼露凶光,大声回答,“这六棵圆白菜咱全买啦;可你瞧,我得拄着拐杖,再拿不了什么。叫你儿子把菜送我家去吧,我会给他小费的。”

小男孩不肯去,哭了起来;对这个丑陋的老太婆,他可害怕啦。然而母亲严肃地命令他去,因为在她看来,让一个如此瘦弱的小老太婆独自搬这么些菜,真正是罪过。雅各布只好从命,哭丧着脸用布将圆白菜裹起来,跟随着老婆子走出市场去了。

他们走得挺慢,用了将近三刻钟才走到城外一个很偏僻的地方,最终站在了一幢破旧歪斜的小屋前。这时候,老婆子从衣袋里掏出一个生了锈的旧铁钩子,把它敏捷地伸进门上的一个小孔,门便一下嘎啦嘎啦地自动开了。可是一跨进门,小雅各布是多么惊讶啊!房子内部的装修豪华至极,天花板和墙壁全是大理石板铺的,家具则是清一色的高级紫檀木,而且嵌满了宝石和金丝,地板却为玻璃镶成,因此滑得要命,小男孩一连摔倒了好多次。只见老婆子从衣袋里掏出一支小银笛来,吹出一段刺耳的曲调;笛声传遍了整个屋子。立刻从楼梯上跑下来几只豚鼠,那德行叫小雅各布感觉非常之奇怪,因为豚鼠都直着身子用两条后腿走道儿,爪子上还套着核桃壳儿当鞋子,身上穿着人类的小衣服,头上甚至戴着最时兴的礼帽。

“我的拖鞋到哪里去了,你们这帮坏蛋!”老太婆嚷嚷着,用拐杖打得豚鼠又是叫又是蹦,“还想让我这样子站多久?”

豚鼠们飞快地蹿上楼梯,带回来一双毛皮衬里的椰子壳拖鞋,灵巧地套在老婆子脚上。

这一下她一点不瘸不晃啦。只见她扔掉拐杖,一把拽住小雅各布的手,飞快地滑过玻璃地面。老太婆最终停在一个房间里;那里摆放着各式各样的器皿,很像是个厨房,尽管有一些桃花心木的桌子和铺着华丽毯子的沙发,使人觉得更可能是间客厅。

“坐下,孩子,”老太婆一边把雅各布按进一只沙发角,并且移了一张桌子到他面前让他出不来,一边说,“坐下歇会儿吧,你搬了够重的东西,那些人的脑袋可是不轻,可是不轻。”

“瞧您说什么呀,夫人!”小男孩叫起来,“我累是累,但我搬的只是些圆白菜,您从我妈妈那里买的圆白菜。”

“嘿,你错啦,”老婆子哈哈一笑,揭开筐盖,果然拽住头发从筐中拖出一个人头来。小家伙吓了一大跳,不明白一切是怎么搞的;可他立刻想到自己的母亲。要是有谁知道了这些人头的事,他暗自想,一定会去控告我妈妈的。

“现在也得给你一些个奖赏,因为你够乖,”老婆子喃喃道,“不过得耐心等一会儿,我要为你烧一碗汤,叫你喝过以后一辈子也不会忘记。”她说着又吹了吹笛子。

首先应声到来的是一些穿着人类衣服的豚鼠,它们扎着围裙,腰带上别着汤勺和餐刀;接着又蹦进来一群小松鼠,穿着宽大的土耳其裤子,站着走路,头戴着绿色的小便帽。松鼠们活像一群厨房打下手的小厮,只见它们动作麻利地爬上墙壁,取下来锅盆碗钵、鸡蛋黄油、蔬菜面粉,把它们一齐搬到灶台上。穿着椰子壳拖鞋的老太婆呢,在灶跟前不住地忙来忙去;小雅各布看在眼里,以为她真是想要为他烧点什么可口的东西哩。一会儿,灶火噼里啪啦冒了起来,烟雾腾腾,锅子里发出煎炸之声,屋子里弥漫着浓浓的香味。老婆子奔来奔去,松鼠、豚鼠紧随其后,每次经过灶跟前,她都要伸长鼻子瞅瞅锅子里的情况。终于开始冒泡,开始沸腾;一股股水汽从锅里腾起来,泡沫溢出,流进火中。老婆子端下锅子,把汤倒进一只银碗,把碗放到小雅各布面前。

“喏,孩子,”老太婆说,“喏,快喝下这汤,喝了你就会得到我身上你所喜欢的一切!你还会成为一名能干的厨师,还会有些出息。可是圆白菜,不,圆白菜你再也找不到啦。你的妈妈为什么不把它放在篮子里呢?”

小家伙不明白她在嘟哝些什么,便专心一意地喝起那他觉得很可口的汤来。他妈妈也曾经给过他许多好吃的东西,可从来没有什么东西的味道像这汤一样美。蔬菜和作料的浓郁香味从汤里飘出来,汤味儿酸甜酸甜的,稠糊糊的。在他喝最后两口汤的时候,豚鼠们点燃了阿拉伯线香,于是房中便有淡蓝色的烟雾弥漫飘逸。烟雾越来越浓重,越来越浓重,终于渐渐下沉;烟味儿叫小家伙昏昏沉沉。他多次想大声对自己喊,他得回母亲身边去。他努力打起精神,却一次又一次地坠入梦乡,最后还是在老婆子的沙发上沉沉入睡了。

他做了一些个怪梦。他觉得老婆子脱掉了他的衣服,在他身上裹了一张松鼠皮。现在他也能像只松鼠似的蹦蹦跳跳和攀登高处了。他和其他的豚鼠、松鼠一块儿四处忙活,替老婆子干这干那;它们全都是些规规矩矩的老好人。一开始,小雅各布只配当一名擦鞋工,也就是说,他必须给老婆子当拖鞋穿的椰子壳涂上油,然后把它擦得锃亮。由于在父亲那里他常奉命干类似的活儿,他擦起鞋来得心应手,因此大概过了一年,如他继续梦见的,他已被分配去干比较精细的差事。也就是说,他现在得和其他几只松鼠一块儿去逮太阳光中的尘埃,逮够了再用发丝编的细筛子筛。老太婆认为这才是最精细的粮食;她因为没有牙,不好咀嚼,就吩咐用阳光中的微尘做面包给她吃。

又过了一年,雅各布被提升为替老太婆搜集饮水的用人。你可别以为她是要挖一个蓄水池,或者让人摆一只桶在院坝中接雨水;不,事情要细致得多,雅各布和松鼠们必须用榛子壳儿从玫瑰花上采花露,这才是老太婆的饮水。由于她喝很多很多,挑水夫们的活儿真不轻松。再过一年,雅各布被调到了家里干内勤,任务是保持地板的清洁。因为地板是玻璃的,哈口气儿都看得出来,活儿也挺繁重。他们得用刷子刷,还在脚上缠些破抹布,踏着布在屋里不停地逛来逛去。第四年,他终于被派进了厨房。这可是桩荣誉职务,只有经受住了长期的考验才能获得。雅各布从小帮工一直干到了首席糕点师,凡是厨房里的活儿无所不懂,无所不精,以至他自己也常常感到十分惊异。就连用两百种原料烤的糕点,用地球上所有蔬菜烧的菜汤,他也通通学会做了;他领悟得快,做得也呱呱叫。

就这么样,雅各布在老婆子家里一干干了七年。一天,老婆子一边脱掉脚上的椰子壳,起篮子和拐杖准备出门,一边吩咐雅各布在家里杀一只小鸡,然后在鸡肚子里塞满香菜,等她回来时就得把鸡烤得黄酥酥的。雅各布按部就班地干着。他先拧断鸡脖子,把鸡浸进开水里,很麻利地褪掉鸡毛,剥去鸡的老皮,使它变得光光生生,最后再掏掉它的内脏。接着,他开始找寻各种准备塞进鸡肚子里的香菜。可是在菜库里,他这次发现了一个以前从未注意的小壁橱,半掩着门。他好奇地走过去,想看看里边装了些什么。可瞧啊,里边摆着些小篮子,一阵阵浓郁的芳香从篮子中飘了出来。他揭开一只小篮儿,发现里边盛着一种形状和颜色都很特别的蔬菜。茎和叶都是青绿青绿的,顶上托着一朵镶着黄边儿的火红色小花。雅各布端详着小花,闻着花香,不知不觉陷入了沉思。花香浓郁扑鼻,和当初老婆子给他喝的汤香味一个样。可是香味实在太强烈,雅各布开始打起喷嚏来,越打越响,越打越厉害——最后一下把他给打醒了。

他躺在老太婆的沙发上,莫名其妙地瞅着四周。“不,做梦哪会这么生动!”雅各布自言自语道,“现在我甚至敢起誓,我真的当过松鼠,还成了豚鼠和其他小动物的伙伴,并从它们中脱颖而出,当了一位大厨师。要是我把这些告诉母亲,她定会狠狠笑话我!还有她会不会生气呢,我竟在陌生人的家里睡着了,而没有在市场上帮她看摊子?”

这么想着,雅各布已振作精神,准备离开。只不过呢,他的手脚睡得已有些僵直,特别是脖子,他连脑袋也没法子再好好转来转去了。他自己也忍不住好笑,竟会睡得这么迷迷糊糊,以至于经常莫名其妙地让鼻子撞着橱柜或者墙壁,要不转身快一点,鼻子就打在了门框上。松鼠和豚鼠们呜咽着围住他跑来跑去,像是要给他送行;他呢,站在门槛上也真与它们挥手告别,因为它们确实是些可爱的小动物呀。可它们蹬着榛子壳儿滑进屋里去了,雅各布只能听见它们在远处哀号。

老婆子引他去的是城外一个很偏僻的地方,雅各布很难从那些狭窄的小巷里找出道来,再说周围的人又特别拥挤,看起来像是在围观附近的一个侏儒,因为他走到哪里哪里就有人喊:“嘿,快瞧那矮怪物!这小侏儒是打哪里来的?嚯,鼻子可真叫长!脑袋怎么陷进了肩膀里,一双手爪爪又黑又丑喽!”

要换在别的时候,雅各布肯定也会跟着跑去瞧热闹,因为他有生以来就喜欢看巨人、侏儒,还有奇装异服什么的;可这会儿他得加紧往母亲那里赶。

快走到市场时,他心里真是怕极了。母亲仍然坐在那里,筐子中还有相当多的蔬菜,也就是说他不可能睡了很久。然而,他远远地就已察觉,母亲似乎很悲伤;因为她没有吆喝着让人家买自己的菜,而是用手撑着脑袋。走近一些后,他也肯定她脸色确实比以前更加苍白了。他迟疑着,不知该怎么办才好。他终于鼓起勇气,轻轻来到母亲身后,用手抚着她的胳臂,亲切地问:

“妈妈,你怎么啦?你生我的气了吗?”

妇人转过身来,可马上惊叫一声退了回去。

“你要干什么,丑陋的侏儒?”她喊道,“滚开,快滚开!我可受不了这样的玩笑!”

“可妈妈,你这是怎么啦?”雅各布惊诧莫名,问,“你大概不舒服了吧,不然干吗赶自己的儿子走?”

“我说了快给我滚开!”汉娜太太恼怒地回答,“从我这里你甭想骗到一个子儿,你这丑八怪!”

“真的,上帝使她失去了理智!”小雅各布忧心忡忡地自言自语,“我怎样才能把她弄回家去呢?亲爱的妈妈,清醒清醒吧;好好看看我,我可是你的儿子,你的雅各布啊!”

“胡说,你这样瞎扯我可再不能容忍啦!”汉娜开始呼唤旁边的女贩,“喂,快瞧瞧这个小丑八怪;他站在这里把我的买主全赶跑了。他竟敢对我的不幸进行讥讽,说什么:我是你的儿子,你的雅各布!这不要脸的家伙!”

旁边的女贩一听都跳起来,扯开喉咙拼命谩骂——女贩们这可在行啦,你们了解,骂他不该取笑可怜的汉娜,因为七年前她遭遇了不幸,她那漂亮得跟画儿似的小男孩被人拐走了。骂着骂着,女贩们就一起扑过来,小家伙要不是马上逃之夭夭,一定会被抓得遍体鳞伤。

对刚发生的这一切,可怜的雅各布不知道该怎么想。今天早上,他不是跟平时一样陪妈妈来到市场上吗?他不是帮着她摆好蔬菜水果,然后跟一个老太婆去她家,在那里喝了一碗汤,打了一小会儿盹儿,现在不又回来了吗?可他妈妈和其他女贩却说什么七年!而且,她们还叫他小丑八怪!他这是到底怎么啦?

雅各布看见妈妈压根儿不愿再听他说什么,禁不住热泪盈眶。他伤心地转过街角,朝着父亲白天在那里补鞋的小铺走去。“我倒要看看,”他暗想,“他是不是也不肯认我;我要站在铺子门口,和他说话。”到了铺子,雅各布走到门口往里边瞅,只见鞋匠师傅正起劲地干活儿,根本没看见他。可没想到父亲偶然抬眼朝门口一望,手里的鞋、线和锥子全掉在了地上,而且惊呼:“上帝啊,那是什么?那是什么?”

“晚上好,师傅!”小家伙边说边走进铺子里,“您过得怎么样?”

“糟透啦,糟透啦,小先生!”父亲的回答令雅各布大为惊讶,似乎根本不认识他是谁,“生意做不好哟。年纪大了,就自己一个人,又请不起伙计。”

“可您不是有个小儿子吗?他慢慢就可以当您的帮手了呀!”雅各布继续探听。

“我是有过儿子,名叫雅各布,现在该是个魁梧能干的大小伙子啦,本来真可以好好帮我一把的。嗨,命该如此!他长到十二岁时,又听话,又机灵,已学会干不少活儿,模样儿既漂亮又可爱;他要在准会给我引来不少主顾,我也用不着再补补缝缝,而是只做新鞋!可世间的事就这样!”

“您的儿子他到底去哪里啦?”雅各布声音颤抖地问自己父亲。

“鬼才知道,”老人回答,“七年前,是啊,已经是很久以前的事了,他在市场上让人给拐走了!”

“七年前!”雅各布惊叫一声。

“是啊,小先生,是七年前;我记得清清楚楚,就像昨天才发生的事情一样:我的老婆又哭又喊地跑回家来,说是孩子一整天没见了,她到处打听,到处寻找,还是找不着。我早就想早就说,有一天会出事的!雅各布是个漂亮男孩,谁都得承认;我老婆因此很骄傲,总爱听别人夸奖他,也常常打发他送蔬菜到大户人家去。这样做倒没错,他每次都得到不少小费;可是,我说过,得留神啊!城市那么大,住的坏人也不少,可给我照看好雅各布哟!结果就像我讲的。一天市场上来了个丑老婆子,对蔬菜瓜果讨了很久的价,临了买的东西自己却拿不动。我老婆心肠好,就派儿子送她回家——从此就再也没见过儿子。”

“您是说,到今天已经七年了?”

“到春天就整整七年了。我们发寻人启事,我们挨家挨户打听。许多人认识这漂亮男孩,喜欢他,也跟我们一起寻找,可全都白费力气。还有那个买菜的老婆子,没有任何人认识她。只有一位很老很老的妇人说(她大概活了已有九十岁了吧),这可能就是恶毒的老妖婆烂菜帮干的,她每隔五十年来城里采购一次这样那样的东西。”

雅各布的父亲一边讲述,一边猛力地敲打鞋底,用两手从鞋里拽出长长的麻线。小家伙渐渐明白自己出了什么事,原来他不是在做梦,而是真的变成了一只小松鼠,给可恶的老妖婆当了七年差啊!他又恼又恨,肺都快气炸了。那鬼老婆子夺去了他七年的青春,为此给了他什么报偿呢?就是为她擦椰子壳拖鞋,为她打扫玻璃地板房间?就是从豚鼠们那里学习烹调的秘密?雅各布木呆呆地站了好一会儿,思考着自己的遭遇。这时他父亲终于问:

“您也许要我替您干点活儿吧,少爷?比如一双新拖鞋呀,或者,”他笑了笑,继续说,“也许是为您的鼻子做个套套?”

“您想把我鼻子怎么着?”雅各布问,“我干吗要给它做个套套?”

“喏,”鞋匠回答,“人跟人口味不同;可我必须告诉您,要是我有这么一个可怕的长鼻子,我定会让人用玫瑰红的光亮皮给我做一个鼻套。瞧!我手头就有一块挺漂亮的;没错儿,得用六七寸才够。那时候您就会安然无恙,小先生;而现在,我清楚,您想躲也躲不开,鼻子老是撞在门框上、车门上。”

雅各布惊呆了。他摸摸自己的鼻子,它真粗大啊,足足有两只手宽!这么说,老妖婆把他的模样也改变了!难怪母亲不认识他!难怪人家都骂他小丑八怪!

“师傅,”他哭声哭调地对鞋匠说,“您手边有没有一面镜子?可不可以借我照一照?”

“我说少爷,”他父亲一本正经地回答,“您可偏偏没有一副值得骄傲的好模样啊,您没有理由过一会儿就照照镜子啊。改掉这个坏习惯吧,它在您显得特别可笑。”

“唉,还是请您让我照一照,”雅各布提高嗓门说,“不是出于虚荣,真的!”

“别再烦我啦,我店里没镜子。我老婆有面小圆镜,可我不知道她藏在哪里。如果您非照不可,喏,去街对过的乌尔班那里,这理发师有面镜子,比您脑袋还大一倍。去那里照个够吧,咱们再见!”

父亲一边说,一边将雅各布慢慢推出铺子,在他背后关上铺门,又坐下干他的活儿去了。小家伙却十分懊恼,垂头丧气地向街对面的理发铺走去,乌尔班他可是先前就认识。

“早上好,乌尔班,”他招呼理发匠,“我来求您一件事;行行好,让我照照您的镜子吧!”

“请便,它就挂在那里,”乌尔班笑着回答,正等他刮胡子的顾客们也跟着哄堂大笑,“您可是位英俊小伙儿,身材修长挺拔,脖子长长得如同天鹅,小手保养得像位王后,鼻头儿更是美得不能再美!您为此有些骄傲,真的;您要照就照个够吧!可别让人说我乌尔班出于妒忌,连镜子也不借您照喽。”

理发匠如是说,整个铺子笑声震天。这时,小家伙已踱到镜子跟前,只是往里一瞅,泪水就涌进了眼眶。“是啊,亲爱的妈妈,这样子你当然认不出你的雅各布,”他自言自语,“在你还喜欢拿他在人前炫耀的欢乐时日,他可不是这副模样哟!”他的眼睛现在小得跟猪眼一般,鼻子长得拖过嘴巴快触到下巴,脖子似乎完全给截走了,脑袋深深陷进肩膀里,往左右转动都痛得要命。他的身高还跟七年前十二岁时一个样;如果说其他人从十二岁到二十岁都是往上长个儿的话,他却只是在横着长,因此胸和背远远地鼓出来,整个身躯看上去犹如一只塞得满满的口袋;如此臃肿的上身却由两条瘦弱的小腿儿勉勉强强支撑着,身上拖下来的两条胳臂因此显得格外的长,其长度和发育正常的成人差不多,手掌皮肤粗糙,呈黄褐色,指头细瘦得像蜘蛛腿儿,认真伸直手臂不弯腰就够得着地面。他,小雅各布,就是这么副怪样子,完全变成一个畸形的侏儒啦。

这当儿,他又回忆起了那天早上老妖婆来他母亲菜摊前的情形。她当时令他讨厌的一切,这长长的鼻子,这丑陋的指头,她全都移到他身上来啦;只有那条十分细瘦的颤巍巍的脖子,她全给免了。

“喏,您现在照够了吧,我的王子?”理发匠走到雅各布面前,笑嘻嘻地打量着他说,“真的,即使是安起心做梦,也梦不出会有如此滑稽可笑的相貌。可我要给你一个建议,小汉子。我的理发铺尽管生意还不错,可一些时候以来却不够理想。原因是我的邻居邵姆,他不知从哪里弄来一个巨人当广告,把顾客都吸引到他的理发铺里去了。喏,要变成巨人你自然没本事,可就像你这么个小东西,倒也别有一番趣味啊。替我干吧,小家伙,住的、吃的、喝的、穿的,我通通包了,你只需每天早上往我店门前一站,为我招揽顾客。然后呢,你就帮我打打肥皂沫儿,给顾客递递毛巾;你相信好啦,咱俩会合得来的。我将比用巨人做幌子那家伙顾客多,而每位顾客还乐意给你点小费。”

对于替理发匠当幌子的建议,小雅各布打心眼儿里感到愤慨。可是这奇耻大辱他除了忍着,还能做何反应?他因此心平气和地回答理发师,他没时间干这样的差事,说完便走开了。

可恶的老妖婆尽管改变了他的样子,却一点奈何不得他的精神,这点雅各布心里十分明白。要知道他的思想,他的感情,已不再是七年前的那个样子;不,他相信在此期间,他变得更加聪明,更加理智了。他现在难过的并不是失去了美貌,也并不是外表丑陋,而是他竟像狗一样,被父亲赶离了家门。因此他决定,再上母亲那里去试一试。

他来到市场上,走到母亲面前,求她静静地听他把话说完。他对她讲他跟去老婆子家那天的情形,讲他童年时代的一桩桩细小的事情,然后他告诉她,他怎么变成了小松鼠,在妖婆家里干了七年活儿;而老妖婆之所以把他变成眼下这样,就是因为他当时骂了她。鞋匠太太不知道该怎么想;雅各布对她讲的一切,包括他小时候的事情,都那么准确。只是当他说到当了七年的小松鼠,她才打断了他:“不,不可能,哪里有什么妖婆。”而且仔细看看雅各布,这小丑八怪立刻叫她感到厌恶,怎么也不相信他就是自己的儿子。临了,她觉得最好还是和自己丈夫再商量商量。于是她收拢菜筐,叫小东西跟她去。一会儿,他们走到了鞋匠铺。

“你看看,”她告诉丈夫,“这个人硬说他是咱们丢失了的雅各布。他给我讲了七年前被拐走时的全部情况,还说什么他是中了一个妖婆的魔法。”

“什么?”鞋匠怒冲冲地打断了她,“他给你讲这个?等着,你这坏种!一个钟头前我刚对他讲了一切,他竟马上就来愚弄你!你真中了魔法不是,小子?等着吧,我这就来替你驱魔!”说着,他抓起一束刚割好的皮条,冲到小矮子跟前,照他高高拱起的脊背和长长拖着的手臂上一阵猛抽,痛得小东西尖声哭叫着逃走了。

跟其余的地方一样,这座城市里也很少有愿意可怜一个既不幸又长得有些可笑的侏儒的饱含同情心的人。于是,不幸的小矮子一整天都没吃没喝,天黑了也只有待在一座教堂前的台阶上,把这又冷又硬的地方权当自己过夜的床铺。

可第二天清晨,当头一束阳光唤他醒来时,雅各布就开始认真考虑自己该怎么活下去,因为父母亲都已经不要他了。他自尊心太强,不可能替理发匠当活广告;他才不愿意为了钱丢人现眼,做别人取笑玩弄的小丑。他该怎么办呢?突然,他想起自己在当小松鼠时,烹调技术大有长进;他有理由相信,他比起许多厨师来毫不逊色;他决定利用自己的技术。

一当街上的人多了些,天完全大亮了,他便首先去教堂里做了祷告。随后他上了路,去自己决定去的地方。公爵,这个国家的国君,嗨,那真是一位出了名的美食家;为饱口福,他派人在全世界物色厨子。小矮子就要去他的宫中。当他来到大门前,门卫问他干什么,还拿他当笑料。他要求见大厨师,他们一边取笑他,一边领他穿过前面的院子。他所到之处,用人们都停住脚伸长脖子瞅他,冲他嘻嘻哈哈,向他聚拢,渐渐地就出现一支由各式各样的仆佣组成的大队伍,顺着宫里的台阶往上移动。马夫们扔下了手里的刷子,听差的一个个跑得更欢,清洁地毯的忘记了抽打地毯,全都争先恐后,你推我搡,那乱劲儿叫人感到似乎敌人已经杀到宫外。一阵阵叫嚷声在空中回荡:“一个侏儒!一个矮子!你们看见侏儒了吗?”

这当口,宫中的总管满脸恼怒,手里提着一条粗大的鞭子,从殿内走出来。“吵什么吵什么!你们这些狗东西,翻天了吗?你们不晓得公爵正在睡觉?”说着便挥动皮鞭,狠狠地抽在几名马夫和门卫的脊背上。

“唉,老爷!”他们叫起来,“您难道没瞧见?咱们给您带来了一个矮子,一个侏儒,您从未见过的侏儒。”

宫廷总管一见那个小丑八怪,好不容易才忍住了没有笑出声来,因为他怕大声地笑有损尊严。他用皮鞭赶走了其他人,自己把侏儒领进殿中,问他有何愿望。当他听说雅各布想见厨师长后,便说:

“你错啦,小伙子,你是想来见我,见宫廷总管;你是想当公爵身边的侏儒,对不对?”

“不,老爷!”侏儒回答,“我是一个能干的厨师,有做各种罕见菜肴的经验。求您领我去见厨师长,他也许用得着我的手艺。”

“人各有志喽,小汉子;只不过呢,你确实是欠考虑。当什么厨师!做公爵的贴身侏儒不需要干活儿,却有的是吃喝,还能穿漂亮衣服。相反,走着瞧吧,你的烹调手艺将很难达到对一位宫廷御厨的要求啊;而让你在厨房里打下手,又着实大材小用。”这么讲着,总管已牵着小矮子的手,领他进了厨师长的屋子。

“老爷,”小矮子在屋里深深一鞠躬,长鼻子几乎碰着了地毯,问,“您老不需要一个能干的厨师吗?”

厨师长从头到脚地打量了他一通,随即扑哧一声笑了出来,叫道:“什么什么?你当厨师?你以为我们的灶台就那么矮,你只要踮起脚尖,拼命伸出小脑袋,就能看得见上面吗?哦,亲爱的小伙子!谁劝你来我手下受雇当厨师,谁就是存心愚弄你。”说完厨师长又是一阵大笑,宫廷总管和在屋里的所有仆人也跟着笑起来。

小矮子却毫不动摇,镇定自若。“在老爷您这里,东西多的是,哪会在乎一两只鸡蛋,一些糖浆和料酒,一点面粉和佐料呢?”他说,“请让我做一份精美可口的菜肴,给我所必需的东西吧!我要当着您的面很快把它做好,让您不得不说,我确实是个合格的厨子。”小矮子如此这般地讲着,讲得两只小眼睛闪闪发光,讲得长鼻子甩过来摆过去,同时用蜘蛛腿儿一般纤细的手指比比画画,看上去实在是古怪稀奇。

“成啊!”厨师长大喝一声,挽起宫廷总管的胳臂,“成啊,就算开开心好了;咱们上厨房去!”

经过一座座大厅、一条条走廊,一行人终于来到了厨房里。这是一幢高大宽敞的建筑,布置陈设很是讲究;二十个灶台上一直烧着火,一道兼做养鱼池的清澈水渠从中间流过;在一些用大理石和珍贵木料做成的橱柜里,摆放着各种随时用得着的厨具;在左右两厢还各有十间大房间,里边储存着从法兰克诸国,甚至是从东方的阿拉伯远远搜罗来的珍奇美味。形形色色的厨房仆佣往来奔忙,锅碗瓢盆碰撞之声此起彼伏,不绝于耳。可是,一当厨师长跨进大门,所有人全没了动静,只听得见灶膛里的火还烧得噼啪有声,小水渠中的水还流得潺潺作响。

“公爵命令今天早餐做什么?”厨师长问首席早点师——一个上了年纪的厨子。

“大人,他传下旨来,命令做丹麦汤和汉堡红丸子。”

“好,”厨师长继续说,“你听清楚公爵要吃什么了吧?你有胆量做这些难做的早点吗?这种丸子你绝对烧不出来,因为它是个秘方。”

“这可是再容易不过啦,”小矮子回答,令在场的人无不感到惊讶,要知道,他在当小松鼠的时候,就经常做这些点心,“再容易不过!为了烧丹麦汤,请给我这种和那种蔬菜,这样和那样作料,还有野猪身上的肥肉,还有蒜头和鸡蛋。至于做丸子嘛,”他压低了嗓音,只让厨师长和头号早点师听得见,“我就需要各种各样的鲜鱼,一点料酒,还有鸭油、生姜和一些叫‘暖胃菜’的蔬菜。”

“哈!圣伯纳迪克特保佑!你是从哪位魔法师那里学来这一手的?”老厨子惊叫道,“他说得丝毫不差,还有‘暖胃菜’什么的连我们也不知道啊。是的,加上它味道会更美。哦,你真是个天才的厨师!”

“我可不这么认为,”厨师长说,“他先得做来试试看;给他他要的东西、厨具和所有材料。让他把早餐准备好。”

仆佣们依照命令行事,在灶台上摆好了所需的厨具。可这时问题来啦,小矮子连鼻子也够不上灶台。于是只得在灶前拼起几张凳子,在凳子上搭一块大理石板,然后才邀请小小的异人儿登台献技。厨师、仆佣、帮厨小厮和各色人等在他旁边围了一大圈,惊讶地看着他如何熟练、在行地进行操作,干脆利落地备办好一切。随后,他命人将两道菜同时搁到火上,并让一直烧到他发出指令为止。接下来他便开始数数:一,二,三……数啊数啊,一直数到了五百,突然听他大喝一声:“停!”锅子立刻被端下灶火,小厨师便邀请厨师长前去品尝。

首席早点师让小厮取来一把金勺,在水渠中涮了涮,递给厨师长。厨师长郑重其事地走到灶台前,舀一点汤来送进嘴里,马上美得眯缝起了眼睛,舌头咂得吧嗒吧嗒直响,随即说:

“好吃,以公爵的生命担保,真是太好吃啦!您老不想也尝一口吗,总管?”

总管弯下腰,操起勺,舀了一勺尝尝,同样快意舒服得要死。“你的手艺也令人钦佩,亲爱的早点师,你也是一位在行的厨师;可不管是丹麦汤还是汉堡丸子,您还从来没烧得这么可口!”

现在早点师自己也尝了尝,尝完便充满敬意地握住侏儒的手,同时说:“好小子!你是个呱呱叫的大师傅,是的,那‘暖胃菜’,它放到哪里都别有滋味。”

这当儿,公爵的贴身侍从来到厨房,宣布公爵要求开饭。汤和菜立刻被放到银托盘上给公爵送去;厨师长却拉着小矮子的手,领他到自己房中谈话。还没谈到念半篇《圣父经》的时间,一个听差就跑来喊厨师长去见公爵。他马上换了一身礼服,跟随听差去了。

公爵看上去很惬意。他把银托盘上的东西吃得干干净净,厨师长进去时他正在抹胡子。“我说,厨师长,”他道,“我对你的厨子们一直非常满意;可告诉我,今天的早餐是谁做的?我自从接位登基以来,它从未像今天这么可口过。告诉我,这个厨子叫什么名字,咱们好赏赐他几个金币。”

“大人,说来真叫稀奇。”厨师长回答,接着对公爵讲了今天早上下人是怎么给他带来一个侏儒,这侏儒怎么一定要当厨子,并且做了早点,等等。公爵一听惊奇极了,让人叫小矮子来,问他是谁,从哪里来的。这时候可怜的雅各布自然不好讲他是中了魔法,曾经给老妖婆当过小松鼠;不过仍旧实话实说,只回答自己眼下无父无母,手艺是在一个老太太处学的。公爵没有进一步追问,而是对他这位新厨子的奇怪长相大为开心。

“你要乐意留在我宫里干活儿,”他说,“我愿意每年给你五十个金币、一套礼服,外加两条裤子。为此你得每天亲手为我准备早餐,并安排午餐怎样做,负责我的整个膳食。因为宫里谁都有一个我亲授的特别的名字,我就叫你‘长鼻儿’,并且授予你厨师长助理的荣衔。”

小矮子长鼻儿跪倒在法兰克国伟大的公爵面前,吻他的脚,发誓为他效忠。

这样,小雅各布的生计暂时算是有了着落,作为厨师长助理他也确实不辱使命。因为大家都讲,自从侏儒长鼻儿来到宫里,公爵完全变成了另一个人。从前,他经常爱把给他端上来的碗碟和托盘劈头盖脸地向厨子扔去;是的,有一次他勃然大怒,甚至把一只还硬邦邦的烤牛腿朝厨师长的脑门儿砸去,砸得那么狠,厨师长仰面倒地,卧床三天起不来。事后,为了对自己气头上的莽撞行为表示歉意,公爵赏给了他大把大把的金币。可尽管如此,厨师们再给公爵送饮食去的时候,没有一个不是战战兢兢的。然而,自从小矮子来到宫中后,一切都像发生了奇迹似的变啦。公爵现在一天不再是进三餐,而是五餐,为的是好好品尝品尝他这位个头儿最小的臣仆的手艺,还有啊,他连额头都再也没皱过。不,他感觉一切都很新鲜、美妙,待人也和蔼可亲起来,并且一天比一天更加肥胖了。

经常地,他吃着吃着就把厨师长和他的长鼻儿助理招来,让他俩一个坐在右边,一个坐在左边,并亲自用指头拈几片美味塞进他们的嘴里面。这是何等的恩宠啊,他俩自然知道。

小矮子也成了整座城市的奇迹。市民们经常乞求厨师长恩准,只为了能亲眼看看小厨师烹调。有些个头面人物甚至获得公爵特许,把他们自己的厨子送到御厨中来接受长鼻儿厨师的培训,给小矮子增加了不少收入;因为每个学员一天得缴半个金币来着。不过呢,他把他们的主人交来的这些钱全分给了其他厨师,使他们总是高高兴兴,而不对他产生妒忌。

就这样,长鼻儿侏儒过了差不多两年极其富足荣耀的生活。只是有时思念父母,使他心里难受。日子如此平平淡淡地过去,直到发生了下面这件事。

长鼻儿矮子特别擅长做采买。所以只要时间允许,他总是亲自上市场去采购蔬菜和家禽。一天早上,他又来到鹅市,挑选公爵爱吃的那种又肥又重的大鹅。他在市场上已经巡视了几个来回。在这里,他的长相不再引起嘲笑讥讽,而是令人肃然起敬;因为谁都认得他这位公爵的大厨师,他的长鼻子冲着哪个卖鹅的女贩,哪个女贩就感到幸运。

这时,在市场尽头的一个角落上,他发现坐着一个妇人,虽然也在卖鹅,却不像其他贩子似的大声吆喝。长鼻儿走过去,瞅了瞅又掂了掂她的鹅。鹅正是他希望要的,于是就连笼子一起买了三只,扛到他宽宽的肩膀上,开始往回走。走着走着,他奇怪怎么只有两只鹅在嘎嘎嘎嘎叫,就是鹅总要叫的那样,而第三只偏偏闷声不响,蹲在那里像人似的陷入了沉思,还不住地唉声叹气。“准是病啦,”长鼻儿自言自语,“我得赶快回去宰了它,装扮起来。”谁料那鹅竟搭了话,既大声,又清楚:

你如杀我,

我准咬你。

你要是割断我脖子,

我送你早早入墓穴。

长鼻儿矮子吓得赶快放下笼子,发现那只鹅正一边用一双美丽又聪明的眼睛望着他,一边叹息着。

“我的天啊!”长鼻儿惊叫,“您会说话,鹅小姐?这我可没想到。喏,一点别害怕!咱通情达理,不会伤害一只这么稀罕的鸟儿。可我敢打赌,您不是生来就披着羽毛。我本人也曾经是一只美丽的小松鼠。”

“你讲得不错,”鹅回答,“我出生时是没裹着这可耻的臭皮囊。唉,真是做梦也想不到啊,伟大的威特玻克的女儿蜜蜜将被宰杀在一位公爵的厨房里!”

“别着急,亲爱的蜜蜜小姐,”小矮子安慰她说,“我以名誉担保,只要我还当殿下的厨师长助理,谁都别想碰一碰您的喉管。我愿在自己的房里为您搭一座巢,让您有足够的饲料,空闲的时间我将来陪你消遣。对其他厨师,我说你是我用特别的草料替公爵圈养的一只肥鹅;当机会一到来,我便放你出去享受自由。”

鹅对长鼻儿矮子感激涕零。长鼻儿也说话算话,只宰了另外两只鹅,并为蜜蜜专门搭建了一座巢,借口为公爵特别饲养。还有他喂蜜蜜的也不是通常的鹅饲料,而是供给她面包和甜汤什么的。只要一有空,他就去陪蜜蜜说话,并且安慰她。他俩还相互讲了自己的身世经历,这样长鼻儿才知道蜜蜜是住在果特兰岛的魔法师威特玻克的女儿。魔法师和一个妖婆发生了争斗,妖婆施诡计战胜了他,为报复他,她把他的女儿变成一只鹅,远远地遣送到了这里。当长鼻儿矮子对她讲完自己的遭遇以后,她便说:

“对魔法什么的我并非一无所知。父亲教了我和我的姐妹一些入门知识,大概他也只能透露这么多吧。在菜筐前的争论,你闻了那菜叶后突然变成这个模样,还有你告诉我的老婆子讲的话,所有这些都向我证明,你是中了菜邪;只要你能找到妖婆在蛊惑你时使用的那种菜,你就能恢复你原先的模样了。”

蜜蜜的这些话,并没有使小矮子感到多少安慰。叫他上哪里寻找那鬼菜去呀?可尽管如此,他仍旧感激蜜蜜,心里也产生了一点希望。

正好这时,公爵准备接待他的朋友,一位住在邻近地区的侯爵。他因此叫去矮子长鼻儿,对他讲:“现在是你表现的时候了,让我看看你是否效忠于我,你是否真是自己这一行里的大师。众所周知,这位来拜访我的侯爵是除我以外最讲究吃的人,是一位伟大的美食家和智者。喏,动动脑子,让每天摆上桌子的菜都令他惊讶,而且越来越惊讶。在他做客期间,我警告你,任何菜肴也不得在桌上出现第二次。为此,你需要什么就可以叫管库给你什么。即使你要油炸烩黄金和钻石,也请便!我宁肯变成一个穷光蛋,也不愿在他面前丢脸。”

这就是公爵的原话!长鼻儿呢,文质彬彬地先鞠了一躬,然后答道:“遵命,殿下!我一定做得既使上帝满意,又叫这位美食家侯爵喜欢。”

小厨子于是使出浑身解数,既不吝惜主人家的财富,更不吝惜他自己的时间和精力。只见他整天都处于烟雾和炉火的包围中,拱顶的厨房内不时回荡着他的喊声;那是他在对低级厨子和帮工的小厮们发号施令……

做客的侯爵在公爵府里已经住了十四天,极尽奢侈享乐之能事。他们一天至少吃五顿,公爵对长鼻儿的手艺挺满意,因为他看见客人脸上也总现出心满意足的神气。可是第十五天,公爵把长鼻儿唤到了席前,把他介绍给自己的那位贵客,然后问客人对他这个矮子厨师印象怎样。

“你是个了不起的厨师,”做客的侯爵回答,“你知道何谓美食。我来府上叨扰的整段时间里,你的菜没有一道重复,而且都做得呱呱叫。可是告诉我,这么久你为什么还不上菜中的女王——索泽拉涅馅饼呢?”

矮子厨师大吃一惊,他可是从来没听说过这种馅饼女王啊!不过他仍镇定自若地回答:

“哦,阁下!我是希望您的容颜能长久地为我主上的宫廷增辉,因此才迟迟没有上这道菜;要知道,在告别宴会上,最好的莫过于用馅饼女王向您表示敬意,对吧?”

“是吗?”公爵哈哈大笑,问,“如此说来,你是要等到我死的那天,才肯向我表示敬意喽?要知道,你还一直没有让我品尝过这种馅饼啊。告别宴会的事咱们另外再说;明天你必须给咱们上馅饼女王!”

“遵命,殿下!”矮子厨师回答,然后闷闷不乐地离开了公爵。这下他出丑和倒霉的日子到啦。他不知道该怎样做那馅饼,因此一回到房中就放声大哭,哭自己命太不好。

鹅儿蜜蜜本在他房中散步,这时候来到他身边,问他痛哭流涕是何原因。听说是为索泽拉涅馅饼,她便告诉雅各布:“别掉眼泪啦,这道菜我父亲的餐桌上常有,我大概知道需要哪些材料。你只需用多少这个,多少那个,如此如此,这般这般,就成啦。即使弄不到所需要的一切,爵爷们的嘴巴也未必那么厉害,能吃得出来。”

一听完蜜蜜的话,长鼻儿矮子高兴得跳了起来,连声感激他买回鹅儿的那一天,然后就动手做馅饼。他先做了个小的尝尝,发现味道真叫美;帮着他尝的厨师长又一次夸奖他的技艺精湛。

第二天,他做了一个大大的馅饼,还装饰上一圈花边,等它一出炉就趁热送到了餐桌上。他自己则穿上最漂亮的礼服,走进餐厅。他跨进厅门的当口儿,首席上菜师已切好馅饼,正用一只小银铲把它一块一块地上给公爵和客人。公爵狠狠咬了一口,眼睛上翻盯着天花板,在咽下去以后才说:

“啊,啊,啊!难怪称为馅饼女王;可我的长鼻儿矮子也是厨师之王喽!难道不对吗,亲爱的朋友?”

那客人小口小口地咬着,细细地品味着,脸上微微露出神秘的冷笑。“这饼嘛,做得倒也不错,”他回答,“只是呢,我琢磨着,这并非完全地道的索泽拉涅馅饼。”

公爵不高兴地蹙了蹙额头,难堪得脸红筋胀。“狗侏儒!”他喝道,“竟敢对主子来这一套?为了惩罚你蹩脚的烹调技术,要我砍掉你的大脑袋不成?”

“唉,殿下!老天在上,我可完全是按规矩做的这道菜啊,绝对没任何差错!”矮子厨师哆哆嗦嗦地回答。

“撒谎,浑蛋!”公爵应道,同时一脚踢开长鼻儿,“真那样,我的客人不会说有问题。我要把你剁成肉酱,烤成馅饼!”

“您开开恩吧!”小矮子跪倒在地,爬到客人跟前,抱住他的腿哀求,“请告诉我,饼里缺少什么,叫您吃起来不是滋味?别为了一小撮肉和面粉,就让我丧命啊!”

“告诉你也没有用喽,我亲爱的长鼻儿,”客人笑着回答,“昨天我就料到了,你没法像咱的厨师那样做这馅饼。知道吗,缺少一种蔬菜,一种本地人压根儿就不认识的蔬菜,名叫‘喷嚏叶儿’;缺了它馅饼就没有香味,你的主人一辈子也甭想有我一样的口福喽。”

法兰克的君主怒不可遏。“老爷偏要吃上这种馅饼!”他大吼一声,两眼喷火,“我凭自己君王的荣誉起誓:要么明天让你见到你所要求的馅饼;要么砍下这矮子的脑袋,叉在我的宫门上示众。滚,你这狗东西,我再给你二十四小时!”

公爵吼得好凶。小矮子哭着回到他房里,对蜜蜜述说他的不幸,说自己必死无疑。要知道,他可从来没听说过那种菜哟。

“就这点事吗?”蜜蜜问,“那我可以帮助你;我父亲教过我识别所有的蔬菜。要是换到另外的时间,你也许死定了;可眼下幸好正当出现新月,喷嚏叶儿在这时正茂盛。不过,告诉我,这爵爷府的附近可有一些老板栗树?”

“有,有!”长鼻儿回答,放心了一点,“在湖边上,离这房子两百步光景,有一大丛老板栗树。可干吗问这个?”

“喷嚏叶儿只长在老栗子树下,”蜜蜜回答,“咱们别再浪费时间,快找你需要的东西去吧。抱上我,到野外再放下;我会帮你找的。”

蜜蜜怎么说就怎么做,长鼻儿抱着她来到了宫门口。谁知门卫把矛一横,说道:

“我的好长鼻儿,你小子完啦;我收到严格的命令,不允许你出宫!”

“可到花园里去总可以吧?”小矮子回答,“行行好,派个伙计去请示宫廷总管,看允不允许我去花园里走走,摘一点菜?”门卫照办了,得到的回答是允许;因为花园的围墙很高,根本甭想逃出去。长鼻儿抱着蜜蜜,一到旷地上就轻轻放下她;她呢,立刻赶在头里冲向长着栗子树的湖滨。长鼻儿跟在后面,心怦怦跳着,因为这已是他唯一的、最后的希望;要是找不着喷嚏叶儿,他决心已定,宁肯一头栽进湖中淹死,也不让人砍掉脑袋。蜜蜜仔细地找着,找遍了栗子树下的所有地方,用喙翻动了每一株小草,然而一无所获。出于同情和恐惧,蜜蜜开始哭泣;要知道夜色越来越浓,四周的一切更难看清楚了。

这时候,小矮子的目光越过湖面,突然叫起来:

“瞧,瞧,那边湖对岸还有一棵高大的老栗子树!咱们快过去找找,也许在那里我会走运。”

鹅儿纵身飞向前方,小矮子紧跟在后,两条小腿儿翻得快得不能再快。栗子树投下巨大的阴影,四周黑得什么也辨不清。可谁知蜜蜜突然站住不走了,高兴得拍打着翅膀,然后把头伸进深草,用喙摘下一点什么来,斯斯文文地递到惊讶的长鼻儿面前,说:

“这就是喷嚏叶儿;此地长得很多,你永远也用不完。”

小矮子若有所思地端详着那野菜。从中向他飘来一股甜香,使他不禁想起自己当初改变长相的情景:那菜茎和菜叶儿都是青绿青绿的,顶上开着一朵镶着黄边儿的火红色小花。

“赞美上帝!”他终于叫起来,“竟有这样的奇迹!你知道,我相信这正是它,正是那把我从小松鼠变成现在这丑八怪模样的同一种野菜!我要再试一试吗?”

“现在别!”鹅儿请求道,“你先采一把带上,让咱们先回去收拾好你的钱和其他东西,然后再试试这喷嚏叶儿的魔力!”

他俩依计而行,走回自己的房间;一路上,小矮子充满期待的心跳得可以听见。他把节省的五六十个金币、一些衣服和鞋子捆在一个包袱里,说:“上帝保佑,我将获得解脱!”说着就把长鼻子深深埋进野菜中,猛吸它的香气。

吸着吸着,他全身的关节开始嘎啦嘎啦作响,他感觉脑袋正慢慢伸出肩膀,眼睛往下一瞟,看见鼻子也越变越短,后背和前胸开始变平,两条腿却长了起来。

鹅儿蜜蜜吃惊地看着这一切。

“哈!你好魁梧高大,好英俊漂亮啊!”她叫起来,“感谢上帝,你身上再没有过去的一点影子!”

雅各布同样非常高兴,立刻合起掌来进行祈祷。不过,尽管高兴,他仍没有忘记应该感谢鹅儿蜜蜜。虽然他巴不得马上回去见自己父母,出于对蜜蜜的感激,他仍克制住他这个欲望,说:

“我能恢复正常,除了你还能感谢谁啊?没有你,我永远找不到这种野菜,只能一直那么丑陋,没准儿甚至已经死在了斧头底下啦!得,我定要报答你。我要把你送到你父亲那里。他通晓所有的魔法,将轻而易举地帮你解脱。”

鹅儿蜜蜜高兴得流出了眼泪,接受雅各布的建议。雅各布带着蜜蜜顺利地混出了宫门,动身前往蜜蜜的故乡所在的海滨。

他俩一路顺风,威特玻克解除了女儿身上的魔障,送了雅各布许多礼物。雅各布回到故乡,他父母亲认出这英俊青年竟是自己丢失多年的儿子,真是喜出望外。小伙子用威特玻克送他的钱买了一爿店,过上富裕幸福的生活。

还得一说的就是,雅各布离开后,公爵府里发生了大乱;因为第二天,公爵准备兑现他的誓言,下令砍掉没能找到喷嚏叶儿的矮子厨师脑袋,不料这小子早已不知去向。可那侯爵坚持认为是公爵舍不得自己这个最好的厨子,所以偷偷放跑了他,指责公爵是个言而无信的小人。于是两位国君之间爆发了一场大战,这就是历史上很有名的所谓的“喷嚏叶儿战争”。打来打去,最后还是缔结了和约,即我们所称的“馅饼和约”;因为在讲和的仪式上,由侯爵的厨师做了一份索泽拉涅,即“馅饼女王”,让公爵殿下大饱了口福。

是啊,屁大的小事儿常常会成为大战的起因。噢,这就是矮子长鼻儿的故事。

来自法兰克的老奴讲完了,阿里·巴努总督吩咐给他和其他奴隶送来水果,让他们吃来提提精神;他自己呢,则和朋友们聊天。对于总督和他的府邸及其种种设施,那帮由老者领进来的青年真是赞叹不已。

“真的,”年轻的作家说,“再没有什么消遣比听讲故事来得舒服啦。我可以一连几天坐在那里,跷起二郎腿,胳膊肘支着靠垫,手撑着额头,如果行的话,也抽支像总督那样的大水烟袋,边抽边听讲故事——照我想来,就算在先知穆罕默德的乐园中,生活也不过如此吧。”

“只要你们还年轻,还能干活儿,这样一个偷懒的想法就不会是你们真正的心愿,”老先生说,“不过呢,我也承认,听讲故事确实自有它的魅力。就像我这把年纪,眼看快七十七岁啦,一生中听过的事儿已很多很多,可一旦看见街角上坐着个说书人,被一大群听众围着,我仍然会欣然地坐下来听。人们不知不觉便进入了所讲的故事,和故事的主人公,和那些奇妙的精灵啊,仙女啊,种种平时难得一遇的人物生活在一起。过后,当一个人感到寂寞孤独时,你就有可能回味那一切,就像个做好了充分准备才穿越沙漠的旅行者一样。”

“我从未思考过这类故事到底有何魅力,”另一个青年接过话头,“不过我的情形和你们一样。还是在小时候,每当我不耐烦,大人就会讲故事使我不再哭闹。开始时讲什么一点无所谓,只要讲,只要有事干就成。我曾无数次地听那些寓言,那些讲智者和他们储存智慧的种子的寓言,那些讲狐狸和愚蠢的乌鸦,讲狐狸和狼以及狮子与其他各式各样动物的寓言,听了几十上百篇,然而从未感到厌倦。后来长大了,进入了社会,这类短小的寓言故事就不再使我感到满足,而必须是篇幅长一些的,必须讲人和他们奇特的命运。”

“是啊,我还回忆得起那个时期,”另一个青年打断了他,“就是你,老缠着我们给你讲故事。你有个奴隶知道的故事很多很多,与那些从麦加到麦地那的赶驼人相比也不逊色。每当他活儿干完了,就一定得坐到我们跟前,我们于是不断要求,直到他开始讲起来。就这么讲啊讲啊,直讲到夜幕降临。”

“在这时,”年轻作家接着说,“咱们眼前就会出现一个崭新的、从不知道的国度,精灵和仙女们的国度,充满植物界的种种奇迹,耸峙着座座用红宝石和蓝宝石砌成的富丽堂皇的宫殿,还有大群大群的使女和奴仆;他们只需你转一转戒指,或者擦拭一下神灯,或是念念所罗门的咒语,就会到来,并且向你献上用金盘金盏盛着的美味佳肴。我们感觉身不由己地置身于那样的国度,和辛巴达一道完成他那些奇异的航行,与哈伦·阿里-拉希德这位教民的英明主宰一块儿在傍晚散步,我们像了解自己一样熟知他的宰相加法尔。一句话,我们生活在那些故事中,就跟夜里做梦时一样。对我们来说,一天中没有任何时辰比听那老奴讲故事的晚上更加美好。可是老人家,请您告诉我们吧,为什么我们当初那么爱听讲故事,眼下仍旧找不到更可喜的消遣,这原因到底在哪里呀?”

大厅中出现了骚动,奴隶总管示意大家注意了,老者于是没能就年轻人的问题做出回答。眼下又可以听一则新的故事了,他们和老者刚热烈起来的谈话却中断了,年轻人不知道是否应为此感到高兴。然而这当口儿,第二个奴隶已经讲起来——

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