01-a tale of the tontlawld-第2节

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what　was　said。　　Then　the　hostess　turned　round　and　whispered
something　to　a　maid　behind　her　chair；　and　the　maid　left　the　hall；
and　when　she　came　back　she　brought　a　little　old　man　with　her；　who
had　a　beard　longer　than　himself。　　He　bowed　low　to　the　lady　and
then　stood　quietly　near　the　door。

'Do　you　see　this　girl？'　said　the　lady　of　the　house；　pointing　to
Elsa。　　'I　wish　to　adopt　her　for　my　daughter。　　Make　me　a　copy　of
her；　which　we　can　send　to　her　native　village　instead　of　herself。'

The　old　man　looked　Elsa　all　up　and　down；　as　if　he　was　taking　her
measure；　bowed　again　to　the　lady；　and　left　the　hall。　　After
dinner　the　lady　said　kindly　to　Elsa；　'Kisika　has　begged　me　to　let
you　stay　with　her；　and　you　have　told　her　you　would　like　to　live
here。　　Is　that　so？'

At　these　words　Elsa　fell　on　her　knees；　and　kissed　the　lady's
hands　and　feet　in　gratitude　for　her　escape　from　her　cruel
stepmother；　but　her　hostess　raised　her　from　the　ground　and　patted
her　head；　saying；　'All　will　go　well　as　long　as　you　are　a　good；
obedient　child；　and　I　will　take　care　of　you　and　see　that　you　want
for　nothing　till　you　are　grown　up　and　can　look　after　yourself。　
My　waiting…maid；　who　teaches　Kisika　all　sorts　of　fine　handiwork；
shall　teach　you　too。'

Not　long　after　the　old　man　came　back　with　a　mould　full　of　clay　on
his　shoulders；　and　a　little　covered　basket　in　his　left　hand。　　He
put　down　his　mould　and　his　basket　on　the　ground；　took　up　a
handful　of　clay；　and　made　a　doll　as　large　as　life。　　When　it　was
finished　he　bored　a　hole　in　the　doll's　breast　and　put　a　bit　of
bread　inside；　then；　drawing　a　snake　out　of　the　basket；　forced　it
to　enter　the　hollow　body。

'Now；'　he　said　to　the　lady；　'all　we　want　is　a　drop　of　the
maiden's　blood。'

When　she　heard　this　Elsa　grew　white　with　horror；　for　she　thought
she　was　selling　her　soul　to　the　evil　one。

'Do　not　be　afraid！'　the　lady　hastened　to　say；　'we　do　not　want
your　blood　for　any　bad　purpose；　but　rather　to　give　you　freedom
and　happiness。'

Then　she　took　a　tiny　golden　needle；　pricked　Elsa　in　the　arm；　and
gave　the　needle　to　the　old　man；　who　stuck　it　into　the　heart　of
the　doll。　　When　this　was　done　he　placed　the　figure　in　the　basket；
promising　that　the　next　day　they　should　all　see　what　a　beautiful
piece　of　work　he　had　finished。

When　Elsa　awoke　the　next　morning　in　her　silken　bed；　with　its　soft
white　pillows；　she　saw　a　beautiful　dress　lying　over　the　back　of　a
chair；　ready　for　her　to　put　on。　　A　maid　came　in　to　comb　out　her
long　hair；　and　brought　the　finest　linen　for　her　use；　but　nothing
gave　Elsa　so　much　joy　as　the　little　pair　of　embroidered　shoes
that　she　held　in　her　hand；　for　the　girl　had　hitherto　been　forced
to　run　about　barefoot　by　her　cruel　stepmother。　　In　her　excitement
she　never　gave　a　thought　to　the　rough　clothes　she　had　worn　the
day　before；　which　had　disappeared　as　if　by　magic　during　the
night。　　Who　could　have　taken　them？　　Well；　she　was　to　know　that
by…and…by。　　But　WE　can　guess　that　the　doll　had　been　dressed　in
them；　which　was　to　go　back　to　the　village　in　her　stead。　　By　the
time　the　sun　rose　the　doll　had　attained　her　full　size；　and　no　one
could　have　told　one　girl　from　the　other。　　Elsa　started　back　when
she　met　herself　as　she　looked　only　yesterday。

'You　must　not　be　frightened；'　said　the　lady；　when　she　noticed　her
terror；　'this　clay　figure　can　do　you　no　harm。　　It　is　for　your
stepmother；　that　she　may　beat　it　instead　of　you。　　Let　her　flog　it
as　hard　as　she　will；　it　can　never　feel　any　pain。　　And　if　the
wicked　woman　does　not　come　one　day　to　a　better　mind　your　double
will　be　able　at　last　to　give　her　the　punishment　she　deserves。'

From　this　moment　Elsa's　life　was　that　of　the　ordinary　happy
child；　who　has　been　rocked　to　sleep　in　her　babyhood　in　a　lovely
golden　cradle。　　She　had　no　cares　or　troubles　of　any　sort；　and
every　day　her　tasks　became　easier；　and　the　years　that　had　gone
before　seemed　more　and　more　like　a　bad　dream。　　But　the　happier
she　grew　the　deeper　was　her　wonder　at　everything　around　her；　and
the　more　firmly　she　was　persuaded　that　some　great　unknown　power
must　be　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。

In　the　courtyard　stood　a　huge　granite　block　about　twenty　steps
from　the　house；　and　when　meal　times　came　round　the　old　man　with
the　long　beard　went　to　the　block；　drew　out　a　small　silver　staff；
and　struck　the　stone　with　it　three　times；　so　that　the　sound　could
be　heard　a　long　way　off。　　At　the　third　blow；　out　sprang　a　large
golden　cock；　and　stood　upon　the　stone。　　Whenever　he　crowed　and
flapped　his　wings　the　rock　opened　and　something　came　out　of　it。　
First　a　long　table　covered　with　dishes　ready　laid　for　the　number
of　persons　who　would　be　seated　round　it；　and　this　flew　into　the
house　all　by　itself。

When　the　cock　crowed　for　the　second　time；　a　number　of　chairs
appeared；　and　flew　after　the　table；　then　wine；　apples；　and　other
fruit；　all　without　trouble　to　anybody。　　After　everybody　had　had
enough；　the　old　man　struck　the　rock　again。　　the　golden　cock
crowed　afresh；　and　back　went　dishes；　table；　chairs；　and　plates
into　the　middle　of　the　block。

When；　however；　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the　thirteenth　dish；　which
nobody　ever　wanted　to　eat；　a　huge　black　cat　ran　up；　and　stood　on
the　rock　close　to　the　cock；　while　the　dish　was　on　his　other　side。

There　they　all　remained；　till　they　were　joined　by　the　old　man。

He　picked　up　the　dish　in　one　hand；　tucked　the　cat　under　his　arm；
told　the　cock　to　get　on　his　shoulder；　and　all　four　vanished　into
the　rock。　　And　this　wonderful　stone　contained　not　only　food；　but
clothes　and　everything　you　could　possibly　want　in　the　house。

At　first　a　language　was　often　spoken　at　meals　which　was　strange
to　Elsa；　but　by　the　help　of　the　lady　and　her　daughter　she　began
slowly　to　understand　it；　though　it　was　years　before　she　was　able
to　speak　it　herself。

One　day　she　asked　Kisika　why　the　thirteenth　dish　came　daily　to
the　table　and　was　sent　daily　away　untouched；　but　Kisika　knew　no
more　about　it　than　she　did。　　The　girl　must；　however；　have　told
her　mother　what　Elsa　had　said；　for　a　few　days　later　she　spoke　to
Elsa　seriously：

'Do　not　worry　yourself　with　useless　wondering。　　You　wish　to　know
why　we　never　eat　of　the　thirteenth　dish？　　That；　dear　child；　is
the　dish　of　hidden　blessings；　and　we　cannot　taste　of　it　without
bringing　our　happy　life　here　to　an　end。　　And　the　world　would　be　a
great　deal　better　if　men；　in　their　greed；　did　not　seek　to　snatch
every　thing　for　themselves；　instead　of　leaving　something　as　a
thankoffering　to　the　giver　of　the　blessings。　　Greed　is　man's
worst　fault。'

The　years　passed　like　the　wind　for　Elsa；　and　she　grew　into　a
lovely　woman；　with　a　knowledge　of　many　things　that　she　would
never　have　learned　in　her　native　village；　but　Kisika　was　still
the　same　young　girl　that　she　had　been　on　the　day　of　her　first
meeting　with　Elsa。　　Each　morning　they　both　worked　for　an　hour　at
reading　and　writing；　as　they　had　always　done；　and　Elsa　was
anxious　to　learn　all　she　could；　but　Kisika　much　preferred
childish　games　to　anything　else。　　If　the　humour　seized　her；　she
would　fling　aside　her　tasks；　take　her　treasure　box；　and　go　off　to
play　in　the　sea；　where　no　harm　ever　came　to　her。

'What　a　pity；'　she　would　often　say　to　Elsa；　'that　you　have　grown
so　big；　you　cannot　play　with　me　any　more。'

Nine　years　slipped　away　in　this　manner；　when　one　day　the　lady
called　Elsa　into　her　room。　　Elsa　was　surprised　at　the　summons；
for　it　was　unusual；　and　her　heart　sank；　for　she　feared　some　evil
threatened　her。　　As　she　crossed　the　threshold；　she　saw　that　the
lady's　cheeks　were　flushed；　and　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　which　she
dried　hastily；　as　if　she　would　conceal　them　from　the　girl。　
'Dearest　child；'　she　began；　'the　time　has　come　when　we　must
part。'

'Part？'　cried　Elsa；　burying　her　head　in　the　lady's　lap。　　'No；
dear　lady；　that　can　never　be　till　death　parts　us。　　You　once
opened　your　arms　to　me；　you　cannot　thrust　me　away　now。'

'Ah；　be　quiet；　child；'　replied　the　lady；　'you　do　not　know　what　I
would　do　to　make　you　happy。　　Now　you　are　a　woman；　and　I　have　no
right　to　keep　you　here。　　You　must　return　to　the　world　of　men；
where　joy　awaits　you。'

'Dear　lady；'　entreated　Elsa　again。　　'Do　not；　I　beseech　you；　send
me　from　you。　　I　want　no　other　happiness　but　to　live　and　die
beside　you。　　Make　me　your　waiting　maid；　or　set　me　to　any　work　you
choose；　but　do　not　cast　me　forth　into　the　world。　　It　would　have
been　better　if　you　had　left　me　with　my　stepmother；　than　first　to
have　brought　me　to　heaven　and　then　send　me　back　to　a　worse
place。'

'Do　not　talk　like　that；　dear　child；'　replied　the　lady；　'you　do
not　know　all　that　must　be　done　to　secure　your　happiness；　however
much　it　costs　me。　　But　it　has　to　be。　　You　are　only　a　common
mortal；　who　will　have　to　die　one　day；　and　you　cannot　stay　here
any　longer。　　Though　we　have　the　bodies　of　men；　we　are　not　men　at
all；　though　it　is　not　easy　for　you　to　understand　why。　　Some　day
or　other　you　will　find　a　husband　who　has　been　made　expressly　for
you；　and　will　live　happily　with　him　till　death　separates　you。　　It
will　be　very　hard　for　me　to　part　from　you；　but　it　has　to　be；　and
you　must　make　up　your　mind　to　it。'　　Then　she　drew　her　golden　comb
gently　through　Elsa's　hair；　and　bade　her　go　to　bed；　but　little
sleep　had　the　p