tanglewood tales-第18部分

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bout　the　country；　with　four　lads　around　her；　on　such　an　errand　as　this　seemed　to　be。　But　nobody　could　give　them　any　tidings　of　Europa；　nobody　had　seen　a　little　girl　dressed　like　a　princess；　and　mounted　on　a　snow…　white　bull；　which　galloped　as　swiftly　as　the　wind。

I　cannot　tell　you　how　long　Queen　Telephassa；　and　Cadmus；　Phoenix；　and　Cilix；　her　three　sons；　and　Thasus；　their　playfellow；　went　wandering　along　the　highways　and　bypaths；　or　through　the　pathless　wildernesses　of　the　earth；　in　this　manner。　But　certain　it　is；　that；　before　they　reached　any　place　of　rest；　their　splendid　garments　were　quite　worn　out。　They　all　looked　very　much　travel…stained；　and　would　have　had　the　dust　of　many　countries　on　their　shoes；　if　the　streams；　through　which　they　waded；　had　not　washed　it　all　away。　When　they　had　been　gone　a　year；　Telephassa　threw　away　her　crown；　because　it　chafed　her　forehead。

〃It　has　given　me　many　a　headache；〃　said　the　poor　queen；　〃and　it　cannot　cure　my　heartache。〃

As　fast　as　their　princely　robes　got　torn　and　tattered；　they　exchanged　them　for　such　mean　attire　as　ordinary　people　wore。　By　and　by；　they　come　to　have　a　wild　and　homeless　aspect；　so　that　you　would　much　sooner　have　taken　them　for　a　gypsy　family　than　a　queen　and　three　princes；　and　a　young　nobleman；　who　had　once　a　palace　for　a　home；　and　a　train　of　servants　to　do　their　bidding。　The　four　boys　grew　up　to　be　tall　young　men；　with　sunburnt　faces。　Each　of　them　girded　on　a　sword；　to　defend　themselves　against　the　perils　of　the　way。　When　the　husbandmen；　at　whose　farmhouses　they　sought　hospitality；　needed　their　assistance　in　the　harvest　field；　they　gave　it　willingly；　and　Queen　Telephassa　（who　had　done　no　work　in　her　palace；　save　to　braid　silk　threads　with　golden　ones）　came　behind　them　to　bind　the　sheaves。　If　payment　was　offered；　they　shook　their　heads；　and　only　asked　for　tidings　of　Europa。

〃There　are　bulls　enough　in　my　pasture；〃　the　old　farmers　would　reply；　〃but　I　never　heard　of　one　like　this　you　tell　me　of。　A　snow…white　bull　with　a　little　princess　on　his　back！　Ho！　ho！　I　ask　your　pardon；　good　folks；　but　there　never　such　a　sight　seen　hereabouts。〃

At　last；　when　his　upper　lip　began　to　have　the　down　on　it；　Phoenix　grew　weary　of　rambling　hither　and　thither　to　no　purpose。　So　one　day；　when　they　happened　to　be　passing　through　a　pleasant　and　solitary　tract　of　country；　he　sat　himself　down　on　a　heap　of　moss。

〃I　can　go　no　farther；〃　said　Phoenix。　〃It　is　a　mere　foolish　waste　of　life；　to　spend　it　as　we　do；　always　wandering　up　and　down；　and　never　coming　to　any　home　at　nightfall。　Our　sister　is　lost；　and　never　will　be　found。　She　probably　perished　in　the　sea；　or；　to　whatever　shore　the　white　bull　may　have　carried　her；　it　is　now　so　many　years　ago；　that　there　would　be　neither　love　nor　acquaintance　between　us；　should　we　meet　again。　My　father　has　forbidden　us　to　return　to　his　palace；　so　I　shall　build　me　a　hut　of　branches；　and　dwell　here。〃

〃Well；　son　Phoenix；〃　said　Telephassa；　sorrowfully；　〃you　have　grown　to　be　a　man；　and　must　do　as　you　judge　best。　But；　for　my　part；　I　will　still　go　in　quest　of　my　poor　child。〃

〃And　we　three　will　go　along　with　you！〃　cried　Cadmus　and　Cilix；　and　their　faithful　friend　Thasus。

But；　before　setting　out；　they　all　helped　Phoenix　to　build　a　habitation。　When　completed；　it　was　a　sweet　rural　bower；　roofed　overhead　with　an　arch　of　living　boughs。　Inside　there　were　two　pleasant　rooms；　one　of　which　had　a　soft　heap　of　moss　for　a　bed；　while　the　other　was　furnished　with　a　rustic　seat　or　two；　curiously　fashioned　out　of　the　crooked　roots　of　trees。　So　comfortable　and　home…like　did　it　seem；　that　Telephassa　and　her　three　companions　could　not　help　sighing；　to　think　that　they　must　still　roam　about　the　world；　instead　of　spending　the　remainder　of　their　lives　in　some　such　cheerful　abode　as　they　had　here　built　for　Phoenix。　But；　when　they　bade　him　farewell；　Phoenix　shed　tears；　and　probably　regretted　that　he　was　no　longer　to　keep　them　company。

However；　he　had　fixed　upon　an　admirable　place　to　dwell　in。　And　by　and　by　there　came　other　people；　who　chanced　to　have　no　homes；　and；　seeing　how　pleasant　a　spot　it　was；　they　built　themselves　huts　in　the　neighborhood　of　Phoenix's　habitation。　Thus；　before　many　years　went　by；　a　city　had　grown　up　there；　in　the　center　of　which　was　seen　a　stately　palace　of　marble；　wherein　dwelt　Phoenix；　clothed　in　a　purple　robe；　and　wearing　a　golden　crown　upon　his　head。　For　the　inhabitants　of　the　new　city；　finding　that　he　had　royal　blood　in　his　veins；　had　chosen　him　to　be　their　king。　The　very　first　decree　of　state　which　King　Phoenix　issued　was；　that；　if　a　maiden　happened　to　arrive　in　the　kingdom；　mounted　on　a　snow…white　bull；　and　calling　herself　Europa；　his　subjects　should　treat　her　with　the　greatest　kindness　and　respect；　and　immediately　bring　her　to　the　palace。　You　may　see；　by　this；　that　Phoenix's　conscience　never　quite　ceased　to　trouble　him；　for　giving　up　the　quest　of　his　dear　sister；　and　sitting　himself　down　to　be　comfortable；　while　his　mother　and　her　companions　went　onward。

But　often　and　often；　at　the　close　of　a　weary　day's　journey；　did　Telephassa　and　Cadmus；　Cilix；　and　Thasus；　remember　the　pleasant　spot　in　which　they　had　left　Phoenix。　It　was　a　sorrowful　prospect　for　these　wanderers；　that　on　the　morrow　they　must　again　set　forth；　and　that；　after　many　nightfalls；　they　would　perhaps　be　no　nearer　the　close　of　their　toilsome　pilgrimage　than　now。　These　thoughts　made　them　all　melancholy　at　times；　but　appeared　to　torment　Cilix　more　than　the　rest　of　the　party。　At　length；　one　morning；　when　they　were　taking　their　staffs　in　hand　to　set　out；　he　thus　addressed　them：


〃My　dear　mother；　and　you；　good　brother　Cadmus；　and　my　friend　Thasus；　methinks　we　are　like　people　in　a　dream。　There　is　no　substance　in　the　life　which　we　are　leading。　It　is　such　a　dreary　length　of　time　since　the　white　bull　carried　off　my　sister　Europa；　that　I　have　quite　forgotten　how　she　looked；　and　the　tones　of　her　voice；　and；　indeed；　almost　doubt　whether　such　a　little　girl　ever　lived　in　the　world。　And　whether　she　once　lived　or　no；　I　am　convinced　that　she　no　longer　survives；　and　that　therefore　it　is　the　merest　folly　to　waste　our　own　lives　and　happiness　in　seeking　her。　Were　we　to　find　her；　she　would　now　be　a　woman　grown；　and　would　look　upon　us　all　as　strangers。　So；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　have　resolved　to　take　up　my　abode　here；　and　I　entreat　you；　mother；　brother；　and　friend；　to　follow　my　example。〃

〃Not　I；　for　one；〃　said　Telephassa；　although　the　poor　queen；　firmly　as　she　spoke；　was　so　travel…worn　that　she　could　hardly　put　her　foot　to　the　ground。　〃Not　I；　for　one！　In　the　depths　of　my　heart；　little　Europa　is　still　the　rosy　child　who　ran　to　gather　flowers　so　many　years　ago。　She　has　not　grown　to　womanhood；　nor　forgotten　me。　At　noon；　at　night；　journeying　onward；　sitting　down　to　rest；　her　childish　voice　is　always　in　my　ears；　calling；　'Mother！　mother！'　Stop　here　who　may；　there　is　no　repose　for　me。〃

〃Nor　for　me；〃　said　Cadmus；　〃while　my　dear　mother　pleases　to　go　onward。〃

And　the　faithful　Thasus；　too；　was　resolved　to　bear　them　company。　They　remained　with　Cilix　a　few　days；　however；　and　helped　him　to　build　a　rustic　bower；　resembling　the　one　which　they　had　formerly　built　for　Phoenix。

When　they　were　bidding　him　farew