tanglewood tales-第29部分

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n　into　the　power　of　an　evil…minded　enchantress。

〃Wretches；〃　cried　she；　〃you　have　abused　a　lady's　hospitality；　and　in　this　princely　saloon　your　behavior　has　been　suited　to　a　hog…pen。　You　are　already　swine　in　everything　but　the　human　form；　which　you　disgrace；　and　which　I　myself　should　be　ashamed　to　keep　a　moment　longer；　were　you　to　share　it　with　me。　But　it　will　require　only　the　slightest　exercise　of　magic　to　make　the　exterior　conform　to　the　hoggish　disposition。　Assume　your　proper　shapes；　gormandizers；　and　begone　to　the　sty！〃

Uttering　these　last　words；　she　waved　her　wand；　and　stamping　her　foot　imperiously；　each　of　the　guests　was　struck　aghast　at　beholding；　instead　of　his　comrades　in　human　shape；　one　and　twenty　hogs　sitting　on　the　same　number　of　golden　thrones。　Each　man　（as　he　still　supposed　himself　to　be）　essayed　to　give　a　cry　of　surprise；　but　found　that　he　could　merely　grunt；　and　that；　in　a　word；　he　was　just　such　another　beast　as　his　companions。　It　looked　so　intolerably　absurd　to　see　hogs　on　cushioned　thrones；　that　they　made　haste　to　wallow　down　upon　all　fours；　like　other　swine。　They　tried　to　groan　and　beg　for　mercy；　but　forthwith　emitted　the　most　awful　grunting　and　squealing　that　ever　came　out　of　swinish　throats。　They　would　have　wrung　their　hands　in　despair；　but；　attempting　to　do　so；　grew　all　the　more　desperate　for　seeing　themselves　squatted　on　their　hams；　and　pawing　the　air　with　their　fore　trotters。　Dear　me！　what　pendulous　ears　they　had！　what　little　red　eyes；　half　buried　in　fat！　and　what　long　snouts；　instead　of　Grecian　noses！

But　brutes　as　they　certainly　were；　they　yet　had　enough　of　human　nature　in　them　to　be　shocked　at　their　own　hideousness；　and　still　intending　to　groan；　they　uttered　a　viler　grunt　and　squeal　than　before。　So　harsh　and　ear…piercing　it　was；　that　you　would　have　fancied　a　butcher　was　sticking　his　knife　into　each　of　their　throats；　or；　at　the　very　least；　that　somebody　was　pulling　every　hog　by　his　funny　little　twist　of　a　tail。

〃Begone　to　your　sty！〃　cried　the　enchantress；　giving　them　some　smart　strokes　with　her　wand；　and　then　she　turned　to　the　serving　men〃Drive　out　these　swine；　and　throw　down　some　acorns　for　them　to　eat。〃

The　door　of　the　saloon　being　flung　open；　the　drove　of　hogs　ran　in　all　directions　save　the　right　one；　in　accordance　with　their　hoggish　perversity；　but　were　finally　driven　into　the　back　yard　of　the　palace。　It　was　a　sight　to　bring　tears　into　one's　eyes　（and　I　hope　none　of　you　will　be　cruel　enough　to　laugh　at　it）；　to　see　the　poor　creatures　go　snuffing　along；　picking　up　here　a　cabbage　leaf　and　there　a　turnip　top；　and　rooting　their　noses　in　the　earth　for　whatever　they　could　find。　In　their　sty；　moreover；　they　behaved　more　piggishly　than　the　pigs　that　had　been　born　so；　for　they　bit　and　snorted　at　one　another；　put　their　feet　in　the　trough；　and　gobbled　up　their　victuals　in　a　ridiculous　hurry；　and；　when　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　had；　they　made　a　great　pile　of　themselves　among　some　unclean　straw；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　If　they　had　any　human　reason　left；　it　was　just　enough　to　keep　them　wondering　when　they　should　be　slaughtered；　and　what　quality　of　bacon　they　should　make。

Meantime；　as　I　told　you　before；　Eurylochus　had　waited；　and　waited；　and　waited；　in　the　entrance　hall　of　the　palace；　without　being　able　to　comprehend　what　had　befallen　his　friends。　At　last；　when　the　swinish　uproar　resounded　through　the　palace；　and　when　he　saw　the　image　of　a　hog　in　the　marble　basin；　he　thought　it　best　to　hasten　back　to　the　vessel；　and　inform　the　wise　Ulysses　of　these　marvelous　occurrences。　So　he　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　down　the　steps；　and　never　stopped　to　draw　breath　till　he　reached　the　shore。

〃Why　do　you　come　alone？〃　asked　King　Ulysses；　as　soon　as　he　saw　him。　〃Where　are　your　two　and　twenty　comrades？〃

At　these　questions；　Eurylochus　burst　into　tears。

〃Alas！〃　he　cried；　〃I　greatly　fear　that　we　shall　never　see　one　of　their　faces　again。〃

Then　he　told　Ulysses　all　that　had　happened；　as　far　as　he　knew　it；　and　added　that　he　suspected　the　beautiful　woman　to　be　a　vile　enchantress；　and　the　marble　palace；　magnificent　as　it　looked；　to　be　only　a　dismal　cavern　in　reality。　As　for　his　companions；　he　could　not　imagine　what　had　become　of　them；　unless　they　had　been　given　to　the　swine　to　be　devoured　alive。　At　this　intelligence；　all　the　voyagers　were　greatly　affrighted。　But　Ulysses　lost　no　time　in　girding　on　his　sword；　and　hanging　his　bow　and　quiver　over　his　shoulders；　and。　taking　a　spear　in　his　right　hand。　When　his　followers　saw　their　wise　leader　making　these　preparations；　they　inquired　whither　he　was　going；　and　earnestly　besought　him　not　to　leave　them。

〃You　are　our　king；〃　cried　they；　〃and　what　is　more；　you　are　the　wisest　man　in　the　whole　world；　and　nothing　but　your　wisdom　and　courage　can　get　us　out　of　this　danger。　If　you　desert　us；　and　go　to　the　enchanted　palace；　you　will　suffer　the　same　fate　as　our　poor　companions；　and　not　a　soul　of　us　will　ever　see　our　dear　Ithaca　again。〃

〃As　I　am　your　king；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃and　wiser　than　any　of　you；　it　is　therefore　the　more　my　duty　to　see　what　has　befallen　our　comrades；　and　whether　anything　can　yet　be　done　to　rescue　them。　Wait　for　me　here　until　tomorrow。　If　I　do　not　then　return；　you　must　hoist　sail；　and　endeavor　to　find　your　way　to　our　native　land。　For　my　part；　I　am　answerable　for　the　fate　of　these　poor　mariners；　who　have　stood　by　my　side　in　battle；　and　been　so　often　drenched　to　the　skin；　along　with　me；　by　the　same　tempestuous　surges。　I　will　either　bring　them　back　with　me；　or　perish。〃

Had　his　followers　dared；　they　would　have　detained　him　by　force。　But　King　Ulysses　frowned　sternly　on　them；　and　shook　his　spear；　and　bade　them　stop　him　at　their　peril。　Seeing　him　so　determined；　they　let　him　go；　and　sat　down　on　the　sand；　as　disconsolate　a　set　of　people　as　could　be；　waiting　and　praying　for　his　return。

It　happened　to　Ulysses；　just　as　before；　that；　when　he　had　gone　a　few　steps　from　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　the　purple　bird　came　fluttering　towards　him；　crying；　〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！〃　and　using　all　the　art　it　could　to　persuade　him　to　go　no　farther。

〃What　mean　you；　little　bird？〃　cried　Ulysses。　〃You　are　arrayed　like　a　king　in　purple　and　gold；　and　wear　a　golden　crown　upon　your　head。　Is　it　because　I　too　am　a　king；　that　you　desire　so　earnestly　to　speak　with　me？　If　you　can　talk　in　human　language；　say　what　you　would　have　me　do。〃

〃Peep！〃　answered　the　purple　bird；　very　dolorously。　〃Peep；　peep；　pewee！〃

Certainly　there　lay　some　heavy　anguish　at　the　little　bird's　heart；　and　it　was　a　sorrowful　predicament　that　he　could　not；　at　least；　have　the　consolation　of　telling　what　it　was。　But　Ulysses　had　no　time　to　waste　in　trying　to　get　at　the　mystery。　He　therefore　quickened　his　pace；　and　had　gone　a　good　way　along　the　pleasant　wood　path；　when　there　met　him　a　young　man　of　very　brisk　and　intelligent　aspect；　and　clad　in　a　rather　singular　garb。　He　wore　a　short　cloak　and　a　sort　of　cap　that　seemed　to　be　furnished　with　a　pair　of　wings；　and　from　the　lightness　of　his　step；　you　would　have　supposed　that　there　might　likewise　be　wings　on　his　feet。　To　enable　him　to　walk　still　better　（for　he　was　always　on　one　journey　or　another）　he　carried　a　winged　staff；　around　which　two　serpents　were　wriggling　and　twisting。　In　short