tanglewood tales-第14部分

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　Hercules；　but　to　smash　the　whole　world　to　pieces。

〃Come　on！〃　roared　this　thundering　Giant。　〃Let　me　hit　you　but　one　box　on　the　ear；　and　you'll　never　have　the　headache　again。〃

Now　Hercules　（though　strong　enough；　as　you　already　know；　to　hold　the　sky　up）　began　to　be　sensible　that　he　should　never　win　the　victory；　if　he　kept　on　knocking　Antaeus　down；　for；　by　and　by；　if　he　hit　him　such　hard　blows；　the　Giant　would　inevitably；　by　the　help　of　his　Mother　Earth；　become　stronger　than　the　mighty　Hercules　himself。　So；　throwing　down　his　club；　with　which　he　had　fought　so　many　dreadful　battles；　the　hero　stood　ready　to　receive　his　antagonist　with　naked　arms。

〃Step　forward；〃　cried　he。　〃Since　I've　broken　your　pine　tree；　we'll　try　which　is　the　better　man　at　a　wrestling　match。〃

〃Aha！　then　I'll　soon　satisfy　you；〃　shouted　the　Giant；　for；　if　there　was　one　thing　on　which　he　prided　himself　more　than　another；　it　was　his　skill　in　wrestling。　〃Villain；　I'll　fling　you　where　you　can　never　pick　yourself　up　again。〃

On　came　Antaeus；　hopping　and　capering　with　the　scorching　heat　of　his　rage；　and　getting　new　vigor　wherewith　to　wreak　his　passion；　every　time　he　hopped。

But　Hercules；　you　must　understand；　was　wiser　than　this　numskull　of　a　Giant；　and　had　thought　of　a　way　to　fight　himhuge；　earth…born　monster　that　he　wasand　to　conquer　him　too；　in　spite　of　all　that　his　Mother　Earth　could　do　for　him。　Watching　his　opportunity；　as　the　mad　Giant　made　a　rush　at　him；　Hercules　caught　him　round　the　middle　with　both　hands；　lifted　him　high　into　the　air；　and　held　him　aloft　overhead。

Just　imagine　it；　my　dear　little　friends。　What　a　spectacle　it　must　have　been；　to　see　this　monstrous　fellow　sprawling　in　the　air；　face　downwards；　kicking　out　his　long　legs　and　wriggling　his　whole　vast　body；　like　a　baby　when　its　father　holds　it　at　arm's　length　towards　the　ceiling。

But　the　most　wonderful　thing　was；　that；　as　soon　as　Antaeus　was　fairly　off　the　earth；　he　began　to　lose　the　vigor　which　he　had　gained　by　touching　it。　Hercules　very　soon　perceived　that　his　troublesome　enemy　was　growing　weaker；　both　because　he　struggled　and　kicked　with　less　violence；　and　because　the　thunder　of　his　big　voice　subsided　into　a　grumble。　The　truth　was　that　unless　the　Giant　touched　Mother　Earth　as　often　as　once　in　five　minutes；　not　only　his　overgrown　strength；　but　the　very　breath　of　his　life；　would　depart　from　him。　Hercules　had　guessed　this　secret；　and　it　may　be　well　for　us　all　to　remember　it；　in　case　we　should　ever　have　to　fight　a　battle　with　a　fellow　like　Antaeus。　For　these　earth…born　creatures　are　only　difficult　to　conquer　on　their　own　ground；　but　may　easily　be　managed　if　we　can　contrive　to　lift　them　into　a　loftier　and　purer　region。　So　it　proved　with　the　poor　Giant；　whom　I　am　really　a　little　sorry　for；　notwithstanding　his　uncivil　way　of　treating　strangers　who　came　to　visit　him。

When　his　strength　and　breath　were　quite　gone；　Hercules　gave　his　huge　body　a　toss；　and　flung　it　about　a　mile　off；　where　it　fell　heavily；　and　lay　with　no　more　motion　than　a　sand　hill。　It　was　too　late　for　the　Giant's　Mother　Earth　to　help　him　now；　and　I　should　not　wonder　if　his　ponderous　bones　were　lying　on　the　same　spot　to　this　very　day；　and　were　mistaken　for　those　of　an　uncommonly　large　elephant。

But；　alas　me！　What　a　wailing　did　the　poor　little　Pygmies　set　up　when　they　saw　their　enormous　brother　treated　in　this　terrible　manner！　If　Hercules　heard　their　shrieks；　however；　he　took　no　notice；　and　perhaps　fancied　them　only　the　shrill；　plaintive　twittering　of　small　birds　that　had　been　frightened　from　their　nests　by　the　uproar　of　the　battle　between　himself　and　Antaeus。　Indeed；　his　thoughts　had　been　so　much　taken　up　with　the　Giant；　that　he　had　never　once　looked　at　the　Pygmies；　nor　even　knew　that　there　was　such　a　funny　little　nation　in　the　world。　And　now；　as　he　had　traveled　a　good　way；　and　was　also　rather　weary　with　his　exertions　in　the　fight；　he　spread　out　his　lion's　skin　on　the　ground；　and；　reclining　himself　upon　it；　fell　fast　asleep。

As　soon　as　the　Pygmies　saw　Hercules　preparing　for　a　nap；　they　nodded　their　little　heads　at　one　another；　and　winked　with　their　little　eyes。　And　when　his　deep；　regular　breathing　gave　them　notice　that　he　was　asleep；　they　assembled　together　in　an　immense　crowd；　spreading　over　a　space　of　about　twenty…seven　feet　square。　One　of　their　most　eloquent　orators　（and　a　valiant　warrior　enough；　besides；　though　hardly　so　good　at　any　other　weapon　as　he　was　with　his　tongue）　climbed　upon　a　toadstool；　and；　from　that　elevated　position；　addressed　the　multitude。　His　sentiments　were　pretty　much　as　follows；　or；　at　all　events；　something　like　this　was　probably　the　upshot　of　his　speech：

〃Tall　Pygmies　and　mighty　little　men！　You　and　all　of　us　have　seen　what　a　public　calamity　has　been　brought　to　pass；　and　what　an　insult　has　here　been　offered　to　the　majesty　of　our　nation。　Yonder　lies　Antaeus；　our　great　friend　and　brother；　slain；　within　our　territory；　by　a　miscreant　who　took　him　at　disadvantage；　and　fought　him　（if　fighting　it　can　be　called）　in　a　way　that　neither　man；　nor　Giant；　nor　Pygmy　ever　dreamed　of　fighting；　until　this　hour。　And；　adding　a　grievous　contumely　to　the　wrong　already　done　us；　the　miscreant　has　now　fallen　asleep　as　quietly　as　if　nothing　were　to　be　dreaded　from　our　wrath！　It　behooves　you；　fellow…countrymen；　to　consider　in　what　aspect　we　shall　stand　before　the　world；　and　what　will　be　the　verdict　of　impartial　history；　should　we　suffer　these　accumulated　outrages　to　go　unavenged。

〃Antaeus　was　our　brother；　born　of　that　same　beloved　parent　to　whom　we　owe　the　thews　and　sinews；　as　well　as　the　courageous　hearts；　which　made　him　proud　of　our　relationship。　He　was　our　faithful　ally；　and　fell　fighting　as　much　for　our　national　rights　and　immunities　as　for　his　own　personal　ones。　We　and　our　forefathers　have　dwelt　in　friendship　with　him；　and　held　affectionate　intercourse　as　man　to　man；　through　immemorial　generations。　You　remember　how　often　our　entire　people　have　reposed　in　his　great　shadow；　and　how　our　little　ones　have　played　at　hide…and…seek　in　the　tangles　of　his　hair；　and　how　his　mighty　footsteps　have　familiarly　gone　to　and　fro　among　us；　and　never　trodden　upon　any　of　our　toes。　And　there　lies　this　dear　brother　this　sweet　and　amiable　friendthis　brave　and　faithful　ally…this　virtuous　Giantthis　blameless　and　excellent　Antaeusdead！　Dead！　Silent！　Powerless！　A　mere　mountain　of　clay！　Forgive　my　tears！　Nay；　I　behold　your　own。　Were　we　to　drown　the　world　with　them；　could　the　world　blame　us？

〃But　to　resume：　Shall　we；　my　countrymen；　suffer　this　wicked　stranger　to　depart　unharmed；　and　triumph　in　his　treacherous　victory；　among　distant　communities　of　the　earth？　Shall　we　not　rather　compel　him　to　leave　his　bones　here　on　our　soil；　by　the　side　of　our　slain　brother's　bones？　so　that；　while　one　skeleton　shall　remain　as　the　everlasting　monument　of　our　sorrow；　the　other　shall　endure　as　long；　exhibiting　to　the　whole　human　race　a　terrible　example　of　Pygmy　vengeance！　Such　is　the　question。　I　put　it　to　you　in　full　confidence　of　a　response　that　shall　be　worthy　of　our　national　character；　and　calculated　to　increase；　rather　than　diminish；　the　glory　which　our　ancestors　have　transmitted　to　us；　and　which　we　ourselves　have　proudly　vindicated　in　our　warfare　with　the