英语故事:The Princess and the Glass Mountain

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There was once a king, who was so devotedto the chase that he knew of no greater pleasure than hunting the beasts of the forest. Early and late he would stay out in the field with hawkand hound, and always had good success. It nevertheless one day happened that he could find no game, though he sought on all sides from early morn.

When evening was drawing on, and he was about to return home with his attendants, he suddenly saw a dwarfto keep a strict watch over the wild man, so that he might not escape, and then returned to his palace.

One evening, as the king and his men were drinking and making themselves merry, the king, taking up a large horn, said: "What think ye of our sport to day? When could it before have been said of us, that we returned home without some game?" The men answered: "It is certainly true as you say, and yet, perhaps, there is not so good a sportsman as you to be found in the whole world. You must not, however, complain of our day's luck, for you have caught an animal, whose like was never before seen or heard of." This pleased the king exceedingly, and he asked what they thought he had best do with the wild man. One of the courtiers answered: "You should keep him confined here in the palace, that it may be known far and near what a great hunter you are; provided that you can guard him so that he does not escape; for he is a craftycreature." On hearing this, the king for some time sat silent; then raising the horns said: "I will do as you say and it shall be through no fault of mine, if the dwarf escapes. But this I vowsail on the gildedyards, and went far, far away to distant countries; and to whatever place he came, he was there victoriouswas, whether they had taken good care of the wild man; when the queen had to confess what had happened. At this news the king was greatly angered, and declared he would punish the guilty one, whoever he might be. He then caused a search to be made throughout the palace and every man's child was called forth to bear witness; but no one knew anything.

At last the little prince came forward. On appearing before his father he said: "I know that I have made you angry; but I cannot hide the truth, for it was I who let the wild man escape." On hearing this the queen grew deadly pale, and every other with her; for the little prince was the favorite of all. At length the king spokehim; but to bring his heart back, as a proof that his order had been carried out.

Now there was sorrow among the people such as the like had never before been experienced; every one intercededfor the young prince, but the king's word was final. The young men had, therefore, no alternative; so taking the prince with them, they set out on their way. When they had penetratedvery far into the forest, they met a man driving swine; whereupon one of the men said to his companion: "It seems to me not good to lay violent hands on a king's son: let us rather purchase a hogit, and took out its heart. They then told the prince go his way and never return.

The king's son did as they had directed him; he wandered on as far as he was able, and had no other food than the nuts and wild berries which grew in the forest. When he had thus traveled a long distance, he came to a mountain, on the summit of which stood a lofty fir tree. He then thought to himself: "I will climb up into this fir, and see whether there is any path." No sooner said than done. When he reached the top of the tree, and looked on all sides, he discerned a spaciouspalace lying at a great distance, and glittering in the sun. At this sight he was overjoyed, and instantly benthis steps there. On his way he met with a boy following a plough, with whom he exchanged clothes. Thus equipped he at length reached the palace, entered it, and asked for work; so was taken as a herd-boy, to watch the king's cattle. Now he ranged about the forest both late and early; and as time went on he forgot his sorrow, and grew tall and vigorous, so that nowhere was to be found his like.

Our story now turns to the king, to whom the palace belonged. He had been married, and by his queen had an only daughter. She was much fairer than other damsel, and was both kind and courteousarmed." This the king thought a good idea, and, yielding to his daughter's resolution, he sent a proclamation over the whole kingdom, that whosoever should ride fully armed to the top of the glass mountain, should win the princess for his wife.

When the day appointed by the king had arrived, the princess was taken to the glass mountain with great pomp and splendorup the hill one after another. But the mountain was high, and slippery as ice, and was, moreover, exceedingly steep; so that each suitor had ascendedonly a small way when he fell headlong to the bottom. You may well imagine that there was no lack of broken legs and arms. There arose a such a noise from the neighing of horses, the outcry of people and the crash of armor that it was heard at a considerable distance.

While all this was passing, the young prince was occupied in tending his cattle. On hearing the tumultand the rattlingof arms, he sat on a stone, rested his head on his hand, and wept; for he thought of the beautiful princess, and it passed in his mind how gladly he would have been one of the riders. In the same moment he heard the sound of a footstep, and, on looking up, saw the wild man standingbefore him. Thanks for the past," said he. "Why do you sit here lonely and sad?"

"I may well be sad," answered the prince. "For thy sake I am a fugitivefrom my native land, and have now not even a horse and arms, with which I might ride to the glass mountain, and contend for the princess."

"Oh," said the wild man, "if that's all, a remedy may easily be found. You have helped me, I will now help you in return."

Then, taking the prince by the hand, he led him to his cave deep down in the earth, and showed a suit of armor hanging on the wall, forged of the hardest steel, and so bright that it shed a bluish light all around. Close by it stood a splendid steed, ready saddled and bridledspurs on his heels, and a sword by his side, and felt as light in his steel armor as a bird in the air. Then vaultinginto the saddle, he gave his horse the reinenterprise, in which none had won the prize, though each had well played his part, and were now standing and thinking that another time fortune might be more favorable, when on a sudden they saw a young knightcome riding forth from the edge of the forest directly towards the mountain. He was clad in steel from head to foot, with shield on arm and sword in belt, and bore himself so nimbly in the saddle that it vas a pleasure to beholdhim. All eyes were instantly directed towards the strange knight, each asking another who he might be, for no one had seen him before. But they had no long time for asking; for scarcely had he emerged from the forest, when, raising himself in the stirrups, and setting spurs to his horse, he dartedlike an arrow straight up the glass mountain. Nevertheless, he did not reach the top, but when about half way on the slope, he suddenly turned his charger and rode down the hill, so that the sparks flew from his horse's hoofsrider. It was, moreover, whispered abroad that such was also the opinion of the princess herself, and that every night she dreamed of nothing but the daring stranger.

The time had now arrived when the suitors of the princess should make a second trial. As on the first time, she was conducted to the glass mountain, the attempt to climb which by the several competitors was attended with a result similar in every respect to what has been already related.

The prince in the meanwhile was watching his cattle, and unhappy at being unable to join in the attempt, when the wild man again appeared before him, who, after listening to his complaints, again conducted him to his underground home, where there hung a suit of armor formed of the brightest silver, close by which stood a snow-white steed ready saddled and fully equipped, pawing the ground with his silver-shod hoofs and champing his bit. The prince, following the directions of the wild man, having put on the armor and mounted the horse, galloped away to the glass mountain.

As before, the youth drew on him the gaze of every one present; he was instantly recognized as the knight who had already so distinguishedhimself; but he allowed them little time for observation, for setting spurs to his horse, he rode with an arrow's speed up the glassy mountain, when, having nearly reached the summit, he bowed to the princess, turned his horse, rapidly rode down again, and again disappeared in the forest.

The same series of events took place a third time, except that this time the prince received from the wild man a suit of golden armor, cased in which he, on the third day of trial, rode to the mountain's summit, bowed his knee before the princess, and from her hand received the golden apple. Then casting himself on his horse, he rode at full speed down the mountain, and again disappeared in the forest. Now arose an outcry on the mountain! The whole assemblage raised a shout of joy; horns and trumpets were sounded, and the king caused it to be proclaimed aloud that the stranger knight, in the golden armor, had won the prize.

All that now remained was to discover the gold-clad knight, for no one knew him. For some time hopes were cherished that he would appear at court, but he came not. His absence excited the astonishmentof all, the princess looked pale and was evidently pining away, the king became impatient, and the suitors murmured every day. When no alternative appeared, the king commanded a great assemblage to be held at his palace, at which every man's son high or low, should be present, that the princess might choose among them. At this meeting there was not one who did not readily attend, both for the sake of the princess, and in obedienceto the king's command, so that there was assembled an innumerable body of people. When all were gathered together, the princess issued from the royal palace in great state, and with her maidenspassed among the whole throngin the crowd. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, and was wrapped in a large grey cloak, like those worn by herdsmen, the hoodof which was drawnup over his head, so that no one could see his face. But the princess instantly ran towards him, pulled down his hood, clasped him in her arms and cried: "Here he is! here he is!"

At this all the people laughed, for they saw that it was the king's herd-boy, and the king himself exclaimed: "Gracious heaven support me! What kind of a son-in-law am I to have?"

But the young man said: "Do not let that trouble you! You will get as good a king's son, as you yourself are a king." At the same moment he threw aside his cloak, and where were now the laughers, when, in place of the grey herdsman, they saw before them a handsome young prince clad in gold from head to foot, and holding in his hand the princess's golden apple! All now recognized in him the youth who had ridden up the glass mountain.

Now, it is easy to imagine, there was joy, the like of which was never known. The prince held his beloved in his arms, and told her of his family and all he had undergone. The king instantly made preparations for the marriage, to which he invited all the suitors and all the people. A banquet was then given such as has never been heard of before or after. Thus did the prince gain the king's daughter and half the kingdom; and when the feastings had lasted about seven days, the prince took his fair young bride in great state to his father's kingdom, where both the king and the queen wept for joy to see him again. The prince and his bride ever afterwards lived happily and well. But nothing more was heard of the wild man.

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