tanglewood tales-第15部分

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stors　have　transmitted　to　us；　and　which　we　ourselves　have　proudly　vindicated　in　our　warfare　with　the　cranes。〃

The　orator　was　here　interrupted　by　a　burst　of　irrepressible　enthusiasm；　every　individual　Pygmy　crying　out　that　the　national　honor　must　be　preserved　at　all　hazards。　He　bowed；　and；　making　a　gesture　for　silence；　wound　up　his　harangue　in　the　following　admirable　manner：

〃It　only　remains　for　us；　then；　to　decide　whether　we　shall　carry　on　the　war　in　our　national　capacityone　united　people　against　a　common　enemyor　whether　some　champion；　famous　in　former　fights；　shall　be　selected　to　defy　the　slayer　of　our　brother　Antaeus　to　single　combat。　In　the　latter　case；　though　not　unconscious　that　there　may　be　taller　men　among　you；　I　hereby　offer　myself　for　that　enviable　duty。　And　believe　me；　dear　countrymen；　whether　I　live　or　die；　the　honor　of　this　great　country；　and　the　fame　bequeathed　us　by　our　heroic　progenitors；　shall　suffer　no　diminution　in　my　hands。　Never；　while　I　can　wield　this　sword；　of　which　I　now　fling　away　the　scabbardnever；　never；　never；　even　if　the　crimson　hand　that　slew　the　great　Antaeus　shall　lay　me　prostrate；　like　him；　on　the　soil　which　I　give　my　life　to　defend。〃

So　saying；　this　valiant　Pygmy　drew　out　his　weapon　（which　was　terrible　to　behold；　being　as　long　as　the　blade　of　a　penknife）；　and　sent　the　scabbard　whirling　over　the　heads　of　the　multitude。　His　speech　was　followed　by　an　uproar　of　applause；　as　its　patriotism　and　self…devotion　unquestionably　deserved；　and　the　shouts　and　clapping　of　hands　would　have　been　greatly　prolonged；　had　they　not　been　rendered　quite　inaudible　by　a　deep　respiration；　vulgarly　called　a　snore；　from　the　sleeping　Hercules。

It　was　finally　decided　that　the　whole　nation　of　Pygmies　should　set　to　work　to　destroy　Hercules；　not；　be　it　understood；　from　any　doubt　that　a　single　champion　would　be　capable　of　putting　him　to　the　sword；　but　because　he　was　a　public　enemy；　and　all　were　desirous　of　sharing　in　the　glory　of　his　defeat。　There　was　a　debate　whether　the　national　honor　did　not　demand　that　a　herald　should　be　sent　with　a　trumpet；　to　stand　over　the　ear　of　Hercules；　and　after　blowing　a　blast　right　into　it；　to　defy　him　to　the　combat　by　formal　proclamation。　But　two　or　three　venerable　and　sagacious　Pygmies；　well　versed　in　state　affairs；　gave　it　as　their　opinion　that　war　already　existed；　and　that　it　was　their　rightful　privilege　to　take　the　enemy　by　surprise。　Moreover；　if　awakened；　and　allowed　to　get　upon　his　feet；　Hercules　might　happen　to　do　them　a　mischief　before　he　could　be　beaten　down　again。　For；　as　these　sage　counselors　remarked；　the　stranger's　club　was　really　very　big；　and　had　rattled　like　a　thunderbolt　against　the　skull　of　Antaeus。　So　the　Pygmies　resolved　to　set　aside　all　foolish　punctilios；　and　assail　their　antagonist　at　once。

Accordingly；　all　the　fighting　men　of　the　nation　took　their　weapons；　and　went　boldly　up　to　Hercules；　who　still　lay　fast　asleep；　little　dreaming　of　the　harm　which　the　Pygmies　meant　to　do　him。　A　body　of　twenty　thousand　archers　marched　in　front；　with　their　little　bows　all　ready；　and　the　arrows　on　the　string。　The　same　number　were　ordered　to　clamber　upon　Hercules；　some　with　spades　to　dig　his　eyes　out；　and　others　with　bundles　of　hay；　and　all　manner　of　rubbish　with　which　they　intended　to　plug　up　his　mouth　and　nostrils；　so　that　he　might　perish　for　lack　of　breath。　These　last；　however；　could　by　no　means　perform　their　appointed　duty；　inasmuch　as　the　enemy's　breath　rushed　out　of　his　nose　in　an　obstreperous　hurricane　and　whirlwind；　which　blew　the　Pygmies　away　as　fast　as　they　came　nigh。　It　was　found　necessary；　therefore；　to　hit　upon　some　other　method　of　carrying　on　the　war。

After　holding　a　council；　the　captains　ordered　their　troops　to　collect　sticks；　straws；　dry　weeds；　and　whatever　combustible　stuff　they　could　find；　and　make　a　pile　of　it；　heaping　it　high　around　the　head　of　Hercules。　As　a　great　many　thousand　Pygmies　were　employed　in　this　task；　they　soon　brought　together　several　bushels　of　inflammatory　matter；　and　raised　so　tall　a　heap；　that；　mounting　on　its　summit；　they　were　quite　upon　a　level　with　the　sleeper's　face。　The　archers；　meanwhile；　were　stationed　within　bow　shot；　with　orders　to　let　fly　at　Hercules　the　instant　that　he　stirred。　Everything　being　in　readiness；　a　torch　was　applied　to　the　pile；　which　immediately　burst　into　flames；　and　soon　waxed　hot　enough　to　roast　the　enemy；　had　he　but　chosen　to　lie　still。　A　Pygmy；　you　know；　though　so　very　small；　might　set　the　world　on　fire；　just　as　easily　as　a　Giant　could；　so　that　this　was　certainly　the　very　best　way　of　dealing　with　their　foe；　provided　they　could　have　kept　him　quiet　while　the　conflagration　was　going　forward。

But　no　sooner　did　Hercules　begin　to　be　scorched；　than　up　he　started；　with　his　hair　in　a　red　blaze。

〃What's　all　this？〃　he　cried；　bewildered　with　sleep；　and　staring　about　him　as　if　he　expected　to　see　another　Giant。

At　that　moment　the　twenty　thousand　archers　twanged　their　bowstrings；　and　the　arrows　came　whizzing；　like　so　many　winged　mosquitoes；　right　into　the　face　of　Hercules。　But　I　doubt　whether　more　than　half　a　dozen　of　them　punctured　the　skin；　which　was　remarkably　tough；　as　you　know　the　skin　of　a　hero　has　good　need　to　be。

〃Villain！〃　shouted　all　the　Pygmies　at　once。　〃You　have　killed　the　Giant　Antaeus；　our　great　brother；　and　the　ally　of　our　nation。　We　declare　bloody　war　against　you；　and　will　slay　you　on　the　spot。〃

Surprised　at　the　shrill　piping　of　so　many　little　voices；　Hercules；　after　putting　out　the　conflagration　of　his　hair；　gazed　all　round　about；　but　could　see　nothing。　At　last；　however；　looking　narrowly　on　the　ground；　he　espied　the　innumerable　assemblage　of　Pygmies　at　his　feet。　He　stooped　down；　and　taking　up　the　nearest　one　between　his　thumb　and　finger；　set　him　on　the　palm　of　his　left　hand；　and　held　him　at　a　proper　distance　for　examination。　It　chanced　to　be　the　very　identical　Pygmy　who　had　spoken　from　the　top　of　the　toadstool；　and　had　offered　himself　as　a　champion　to　meet　Hercules　in　single　combat。

〃What　in　the　world；　my　little　fellow；〃　ejaculated　Hercules；　〃may　you　be？〃

〃I　am　your　enemy；〃　answered　the　valiant　Pygmy；　in　his　mightiest　squeak。　〃You　have　slain　the　enormous　Antaeus；　our　brother　by　the　mother's　side；　and　for　ages　the　faithful　ally　of　our　illustrious　nation。　We　are　determined　to　put　you　to　death；　and　for　my　own　part；　I　challenge　you　to　instant　battle；　on　equal　ground。〃

Hercules　was　so　tickled　with　the　Pygmy's　big　words　and　warlike　gestures；　that　he　burst　into　a　great　explosion　of　laughter；　and　almost　dropped　the　poor　little　mite　of　a　creature　off　the　palm　of　his　hand；　through　the　ecstasy　and　convulsion　of　his　merriment。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　cried　he；　〃I　thought　I　had　seen　wonders　before　to…dayhydras　with　nine　heads；　stags　with　golden　horns；　six…legged　men；　three…headed　dogs；　giants　with　furnaces　in　their　stomachs；　and　nobody　knows　what　besides。　But　here；　on　the　palm　of　my　hand；　stands　a　wonder　that　outdoes　them　all！　Your　body；　my　little　friend；　is　about　the　size　of　an　ordinary　man's　finger。　Pray；　how　big　may　your　soul　be？〃

〃As　big　as　your　own！〃　said　the　Pygmy。

Hercules　was　touched　with　the　little　man's　dauntless　courage；　and　could　not　help　acknowledging　such　a　brotherhood　with　him　as　one　hero