stories to tell to children-第11节

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sun　began　to　go　down；　he　saw　the　beautiful

cataract　of　the　Golden　River　turn　red；　and

yellow；　and　then　pure　gold。



〃Oh；　dear！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃how　fine

it　would　be　if　the　river　were　really　golden！

I　needn't　be　poor；　then。〃



〃It　wouldn't　be　fine　at　all！〃　said　a　thin；

metallic　little　voice；　in　his　ear。



〃Mercy；　what's　that！〃　said　Gluck；　looking

all　about。　　But　nobody　was　there。



Suddenly　the　sharp　little　voice　came　again。



〃Pour　me　out；〃　it　said；　〃I　am　too　hot！〃



It　seemed　to　come　right　from　the　oven；　and

as　Gluck　stood；　staring　in　fright；　it　came　again；

〃Pour　me　out；　I'm　too　hot！〃



Gluck　was　very　much　frightened；　but　he

went　and　looked　in　the　melting　pot。　　When

he　touched　it；　the　little　voice　said；　〃Pour　me

out；　I　say！〃　　And　Gluck　took　the　handle　and

began　to　pour　the　gold　out。



First　came　out　a　tiny　pair　of　yellow　legs；　then

a　pair　of　yellow　coat…tails；　then　a　strange　little

yellow　body；　and；　last；　a　wee　yellow　face；　with

long　curls　of　gold　hair。　　And　the　whole　put　itself

together　as　it　fell；　and　stood　up　on　the　floor；the

strangest　little　yellow　dwarf；　about　a　foot　high！



〃Dear；　me！〃　said　Gluck。



But　the　little　yellow　man　said；　〃Gluck；　do

you　know　who　I　am？　　I　am　the　King　of　the

Golden　River。〃



Gluck　did　not　know　what　to　say；　so　he　said

nothing；　and；　indeed；　the　little　man　gave　him

no　chance。　　He　said；　〃Gluck；　I　have　been

watching　you；　and　what　I　have　seen　of　you；

I　like。　　Listen；　and　I　will　tell　you　something

for　your　good。　　Whoever　shall　climb　to　the

top　of　the　mountain　from　which　the　Golden

River　falls；　and　shall　cast　into　its　waters　three

drops　of　holy　water；　for　him　and　him　only　shall

its　waters　turn　to　gold。　　But　no　one　can　

succeed　except　at　the　first　trial；　and　anyone　who

casts　unholy　water　in　the　river　will　be　turned

into　a　black　stone。〃



And　then；　before　Gluck　could　draw　his　breath；

the　King　walked　straight　into　the　hottest　flame

of　the　fire；　and　vanished　up　the　chimney！



When　Gluck's　brothers　came　home；　they　beat

him　black　and　blue；　because　the　mug　was　gone。

But　when　he　told　them　about　the　King　of　the

Golden　River　they　quarrelled　all　night；　as　to

which　should　go　to　get　the　gold。　　At　last；

Hans；　who　was　the　stronger；　got　the　better

of　Schwartz；　and　started　off。　　The　priest　would

not　give　such　a　bad　man　any　holy　water；　so

he　stole　a　bottleful。　　Then　he　took　a　basket　of

bread　and　wine；　and　began　to　climb　the　mountain。



He　climbed　fast；　and　soon　came　to　the　end

of　the　first　hill。　　But　there　he　found　a　great

glacier；　a　hill　of　ice；　which　he　had　never　seen

before。　　It　was　horrible　to　cross；the　ice　was

slippery；　great　gulfs　yawned　before　him；　and

noises　like　groans　and　shrieks　came　from　under

his　feet。　　He　lost　his　basket　of　bread　and　wine；

and　was　quite　faint　with　fear　and　exhaustion

when　his　feet　touched　firm　ground　again。



Next　he　came　to　a　hill　of　hot；　red　rock；

without　a　bit　of　grass　to　ease　the　feet；　or　a

particle　of　shade。　　After　an　hour's　climb　he

was　so　thirsty　that　he　felt　that　he　must　drink。

He　looked　at　the　flask　of　water。　　〃Three　drops

are　enough；〃　he　thought；　〃I　will　just　cool　my

lips。〃　　He　was　lifting　the　flask　to　his　lips　when

he　saw　something　beside　him　in　the　path。　　It

was　a　small　dog；　and　it　seemed　to　be　dying

of　thirst。　　Its　tongue　was　out；　its　legs　were

lifeless；　and　a　swarm　of　black　ants　were　crawling

about　its　lips。　　It　looked　piteously　at　the

bottle　which　Hans　held。　　Hans　raised　the　bottle；

drank；　kicked　at　the　animal；　and　passed　on。



A　strange　black　shadow　came　across　the

blue　sky。



Another　hour　Hans　climbed；　the　rocks　grew

hotter　and　the　way　steeper　every　moment。　　At

last　he　could　bear　it　no　longer；　he　must　drink。

The　bottle　was　half　empty；　but　he　decided　to

drink　half　of　what　was　left。　　As　he　lifted　it；

something　moved　in　the　path　beside　him。　　It

was　a　child；　lying　nearly　dead　of　thirst　on　the

rock；　its　eyes　closed；　its　lips　burning；　its　breath

coming　in　gasps。　　Hans　looked　at　it；　drank；

and　passed　on。



A　dark　cloud　came　over　the　sun；　and　long

shadows　crept　up　the　mountain…side。



It　grew　very　steep　now；　and　the　air　weighed

like　lead　on　Hans's　forehead；　but　the　Golden

River　was　very　near。　　Hans　stopped　a　moment

to　breathe；　then　started　to　climb　the　last　height。



As　he　clambered　on；　he　saw　an　old；　old　man

lying　in　the　path。　　His　eyes　were　sunken；　and

his　face　deadly　pale。



〃Water！〃　he　said；　〃water！〃



〃I　have　none　for　you；〃　said　Hans；　〃you　have

had　your　share　of　life。〃　　He　strode　over　the　old

man's　body　and　climbed　on。



A　flash　of　blue　lightning　dazzled　him　for　an

instant；　and　then　the　heavens　were　dark。



At　last　Hans　stood　on　the　brink　of　the　cataract

of　the　Golden　River。　　The　sound　of　its　roaring

filled　the　air。　　He　drew　the　flask　from　his

side　and　hurled　it　into　the　torrent。　　As　he　did

so；　an　icy　chill　shot　through　him；　he　shrieked

and　fell。　　And　the　river　rose　and　flowed　over



The　Black　Stone





When　Hans　did　not　come　back　Gluck　grieved；

but　Schwartz　was　glad。　　He　decided　to　go　and

get　the　gold　for　himself。　　He　thought　it　might

not　do　to　steal　the　holy　water；　as　Hans　had　done；

so　he　took　the　money　little　Gluck　had　earned；

and　bought　holy　water　of　a　bad　priest。　　Then　he

took　a　basket　of　bread　and　wine；　and　started　off。



He　came　to　the　great　hill　of　ice；　and　was　as

surprised　as　Hans　had　been；　and　found　it　as　hard

to　cross。　　Many　times　he　slipped；　and　he　was

much　frightened　at　the　noises；　and　was　very　glad

to　get　across；　although　he　had　lost　his　basket　of

bread　and　wine。　　Then　he　came　to　the　same　hill

of　sharp；　red　stone；　without　grass　or　shade；　that

Hans　had　climbed。　　And　like　Hans　he　became

very　thirsty。　　Like　Hans；　too；　he　decided　to

drink　a　little　of　the　water。　　As　he　raised　it　to

his　lips；　he　suddenly　saw　the　same　fair　child　that

Hans　had　seen。



〃Water！〃　said　the　child。　　〃Water！　　I　am

dying。〃



〃I　have　not　enough　for　myself；〃　said　Schwartz；

and　passed　on。



A　low　bank　of　black　cloud　rose　out　of　the

west。



When　he　had　climbed　for　another　hour；　the

thirst　overcame　him　again；　and　again　he　lifted

the　flask　to　his　lips。　　As　he　did　so；　he　saw　an

old　man　who　begged　for　water。



〃I　have　not　enough　for　myself；〃　said　Schwartz；

and　passed　on。



A　mist；　of　the　colour　of　blood；　came　over　the

sun。



Then　Schwartz　climbed　for　another　hour；　and

once　more　he　had　to　drink。　　This　time；　as　he

lifted　the　flask；　he　thought　he　saw　his　brother

Hans　before　him。　　The　figure　stretched　its　arms

to　him；　and　cried　out　for　water。



〃Ha；　ha；〃　laughed　Schwartz；　〃do　you　suppose

I　brought　the　water　up　here　for　you？〃　　And　he

strode　over　the　figure。　　But　when　he　had　gone

a　few　yards　farther；　he　looked　back；　and　the

figure　was　not　there。



Then　he　stood　at　the　brink　of　the　Golden

River；　and　its　waves　were　black；　and　the　roaring

of　the　waters　filled　all　the　air。　　He　cast　the

flask　into　the　stream。　　And　as　he　did　so　the

lightning　glared　in　his　eyes；　the　earth　gave　way

beneath　him；　and　the　river　flowed　over



The　two　Black　Stones。





When　Gluck　found　himself　alone；　he　at　last

decided　to　try　his　luck　with　the　King　of　the

Golden　River。　　The　priest　gave　him　some　holy

water　as　soon　as　he　asked　for　it；　and　with　this

and　a　basket　of　bread　he　started　off。



The　hill　of　ice　was　much　harder　for　Gluck

to　climb；　because　he　was　not　so　strong　as　his

brothers。　　He　lost　his　bread；　fell　often；　and　was

exhausted　when　he　got　on　firm　ground。　　He

began　to　climb　the　hill　in　the　hottest　part　of

the　day。　　When　he　had　climbed　for　an　hour

he　was　very　thirsty；　and　lifted　the　bottle　to

drink　a　little　water。　　As　he　did　so　he　saw　a

feeble　old　man　coming　down　the　path　toward

him。



〃I　am　faint　with　thirst；〃　said　the　old　man；

〃will　you　give　me　some　of　that　water？〃



Gluck　saw　that　he　was　pale　and　tired；　so　he

gave　him　the　water；　saying；　〃Please　don't　drink

it　all。〃　　But　the　old　man　drank　a　great　deal；　and

gave　back　the　bottle　two…thirds　emptied。　　Then

he　bade　Gluck　good　speed；　and　Gluck　went　on

merrily。



Some　grass　appeared　on　the　path；　and　the

grasshoppers　began　to　sing。



At　the　end　of　another　hour；　Gluck　felt　that　he

must　drink　again。　　But；　as　he　raised　the　flask；

he　saw　a　little　child　lying　by　the　roadside；　and

it　cried　out　pitifully　for　water。　　After　a　struggle

with　himself　Gluck　decided　to　bear　the　thirst　a

little　longer。　　He　put　the　bottle　to　the　child's

lips；　and　it　drank　all　but　a　few　drops。　　Then　it

got　up　and　ran　down　the　hill。



All　kinds　of　sweet　flowers　began　to　grow　on

the　rocks；　and　crimson　and　purple　butterflies

flitted　about　in　the　air。



At　the　end　of　another　hour；　Gluck's　thirst

was　almost　unbearable。　　He　saw　that　there

were　only　five　or　six　drops　of　water　in　the

bottle；　however；　and　he　did　not　dare　to　drink。

So　he　was　putting　th