tanglewood tales-第16部分

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〃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　feels　for　another。

〃My　good　little　people；〃　said　he；　making　a　low　obeisance　to　the　grand　nation；　〃not　for　all　the　world　would　I　do　an　intentional　injury　to　such　brave　fellows　as　you！　Your　hearts　seem　to　me　so　exceedingly　great；　that；　upon　my　honor；　I　marvel　how　your　small　bodies　can　contain　them。　I　sue　for　peace；　and；　as　a　condition　of　it；　will　take　five　strides；　and　be　out　of　your　kingdom　at　the　sixth。　Good…bye。　I　shall　pick　my　steps　carefully；　for　fear　of　treading　upon　some　fifty　of　you；　without　knowing　it。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Ho；　ho；　ho！　For　once；　Hercules　acknowledges　himself　vanquished。〃

Some　writers　say；　that　Hercules　gathered　up　the　whole　race　of　Pygmies　in　his　lion's　skin；　and　carried　them　home　to　Greece；　for　the　children　of　King　Eurystheus　to　play　with。　But　this　is　a　mistake。　He　left　them；　one　and　all；　within　their　own　territory；　where；　for　aught　I　can　tell；　their　descendants　are　alive　to　the　present　day；　building　their　little　houses；　cultivating　their　little　fields；　spanking　their　little　children；　waging　their　little　warfare　with　the　cranes；　doing　their　little　business；　whatever　it　may　be；　and　reading　their　little　histories　of　ancient　times。　In　those　histories；　perhaps；　it　stands　recorded；　that；　a　great　many　centuries　ago；　the　valiant　Pygmies　avenged　the　death　of　the　Giant　Antaeus　by　scaring　away　the　mighty　Hercules。



THE　DRAGON'S　TEETH。

Cadmus；　Phoenix；　and　Cilix；　the　three　sons　of　King　Agenor；　and　their　little　sister　Europa　（who　was　a　very　beautiful　child）；　were　at　play　together　near　the　seashore　in　their　father's　kingdom　of　Phoenicia。　They　had　rambled　to　some　distance　from　the　palace　where　their　parents　dwelt；　and　were　now　in　a　verdant　meadow；　on　one　side　of　which　lay　the　sea；　all　sparkling　and　dimpling　in　the　sunshine；　and　murmuring　gently　against　the　beach。　The　three　boys　were　very　happy；　gathering　flowers；　and　twining　them　into　garlands；　with　which　they　adorned　the　little　Europa。　Seated　on　the　grass；　the　child　was　almost　hidden　under　an　abundance　of　buds　and　blossoms；　whence　her　rosy　face　peeped　merrily　out；　and；　as　Cadmus　said；　was　the　prettiest　of　all　the　flowers。

Just　then；　there　came　a　splendid　butterfly；　fluttering　along　the　meadow；　and　Cadmus；　Phoenix；　and　Cilix　set　off　in　pursuit　of　it；　crying　out　that　it　was　a　flower　with　wings。　Europa；　who　was　a　little　wearied　with　playing　all　day　long；　did　not　chase　the　butterfly　with　her　brothers；　but　sat　still　where　they　had　left　her；　and　closed　her　eyes。　For　a　while；　she　listened　to　the　pleasant　murmur　of　the　sea；　which　was　like　a　voice　saying　〃Hush！〃　and　bidding　her　go　to　sleep。　But　the　pretty　child；　if　she　slept　at　all；　could　not　have　slept　more　than　a　moment；　when　she　heard　something　trample　on　the　grass；　not　far　from　her；　and；　peeping　out　from　the　heap　of　flowers；　beheld　a　snow…white　bull。

And　whence　could　this　bull　have　com　？　Europa　and　her　brothers　had　been　a　long　time　playing　in　the　meadow；　and　had　seen　no　cattle；　nor　other　living　thing；　either　there　or　on　the　neighboring　hills。

〃Brother　Cadmus！〃　cried　Europa；　starting　up　out　of　the　midst　of　the　roses　and　lilies。　〃Phoenix！　Cilix！　Where　are　you　all？　Help！　Help！　Come　and　drive　away　this　bull！〃

But　her　brothers　were　too　far　off　to　hear；　especially　as　the　fright　took　away　Europa's　voice；　and　hindered　her　from　calling　very　loudly。　So　there　she　stood；　with　her　pretty　mouth　wide　open；　as　pale　as　the　white　lilies　that　were　twisted　among　the　other　flowers　in　her　garlands。

Nevertheless；　it　was　the　suddenness　with　which　she　had　perceived　the　bull；　rather　than　anything　frightful　in　his　appearance；　that　caused　Europa　so　much　alarm。　On　looking　at　him　more　attentively；　she　began　to　see　that　he　was　a　beautiful　animal；　and　even　fancied　a　particularly　amiable　expression　in　his　face。　As　for　his　breaththe　breath　of　cattle；　you　know；　is　always　sweetit　was　as　fragrant　as　if　he　had　been　grazing　on　no　other　food　than　rosebuds；　or　at　least；　the　most　delicate　of　clover　blossoms。　Never　before　did　a　bull　have　such　bright　and　tender　eyes；　and　such　smooth　horns　of　ivory；　as　this　one。　And　the　bull　ran　little　races；　and　capered　sportively　around　the　child；　so　that　she　quite　forgot　how　big　and　strong　he　was；　and；　from　the　gentleness　and　playfulness　of　his　actions；　soon　came　to　consider　him　as　innocent　a　creature　as　a　pet　lamb。

Thus；　frightened　as　she　at　first　was；　you　might　by　and　by　have　seen　Europa　stroking　the　bull's　forehead　with　her　small　white　hand；　and　taking　the　garlands　off　her　own　head　to　hang　them　on　his　neck　and　ivory　horns。　Then　she　pulled　up　some　blades　of　grass；　and　he　ate　them　out　of　her　hand；　not　as　if　he　were　hungry；　but　because　he　wanted　to　be　friends　with　the　child；　and　took　pleasure　in　eating　what　she　had　touched。　Well；　my　stars！　was　there　ever　such　a　gentle；　sweet；　pretty；　and　amiable　creature　as　this　bull；　and　ever　such　a　nice　playmate　for　a　little　girl？

When　the　animal　saw　（for　the　bull　had　so　much　intelligence　that　it　is　really　wonderful　to　think　of）；　when　he　saw　that　Europa　was　no　longer　afraid　of　him；　he　grew　overjoyed；　and　could　hardly　contain　himself　for　delight。　He　frisked　about　the　meadow；　now　here；　now　there；　making　sprightly　leaps；　with　as　little　effort　as　a　bird　expends　in　hopping　from　twig　to　twig。　Indeed；　his　motion　was　as　light　as　if　he　were　flying　through　the　air；　and　his　hoofs　seemed　hardly　to　leave　their　print　in　the　grassy　soil　over　which　he　trod。　With　his　spotless　hue；　he　resembled　a　snow　drift；　wafted　along　by　the　wind。　Once　he　galloped　so　far　away　that　Europa　feared　lest　she　might　never　see　him　again；　so；　setting　up　her　childish　voice；　called　him　back。

〃Come　back；　pretty　creature！〃　she　cried。　〃Here　is　a　nice　clover　blossom。〃

And　then　it　was　delightful　to　witness　the　gratitude　of　this　amiable　bull；　and　how　he　was　so　full　of　joy　and　thankfulness　that　he　capered　higher　than　ever。　He　came　running；　and　bowed　his　head　before　Europa；　as　if　he　knew　her　to　be　a　king's　daughter；　or　else　recognized　the　important　truth　that　a　little　girl　is　everybody's　queen。　And　not　only　did　the　bull　bend　his　neck；　he　absolutely　knelt　down　at　her　feet；　and　made　such　intelligent　nods；　and　other　inviting　gestures；　that　Europa　understood　what　he　meant　just　as　well　as　if　he　had　put　it　in　so　many　words。

〃Come；　dear　child；〃　was　what　he　wanted　to　say；　〃let　me　give　you　a　ride　on　my　back。〃

At　the　first　thought　of　such　a　thing；　Europa　drew　back。　But　then　she　considered　in　her　wise　little　head　that　there　could　be　no　possible　harm　in　taking　just　one　gallop　on　the　back　of　this　docile　and　friendly　animal；　who　would　certainly　set　her　down　the　very　instant　she　desired　it。　And　how　it　would　surprise　her　brothers　to　see　her　riding　across　the　green　meadow！　And　what　merry　times　they　might　have；　either　taking　turns　for　a　gallop；　or　clambering　on　the　gentle　creature；　all　four　children　together；　and　careering　round　the　field　with　shouts　of　laughter　that　would　be　heard　as　far　off　as　King　Agenor's　palace！

〃I　think　I　will　do　it；〃　said　the　child　to　herself。

And；　indeed；　why　not？　She　cast　a　glance　around；　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　Cadmus；