tanglewood tales-第3部分

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〃That　may　happen　by　and　by；〃　said　Aethra。　〃Be　patient；　and　we　shall　see。　You　are　not　yet　big　and　strong　enough　to　set　out　on　such　an　errand。〃

〃And　how　soon　shall　I　be　strong　enough？〃　Theseus　persisted　in　inquiring。

〃You　are　but　a　tiny　boy　as　yet；〃　replied　his　mother。　〃See　if　you　can　lift　this　rock　on　which　we　are　sitting？〃

The　little　fellow　had　a　great　opinion　of　his　own　strength。　So；　grasping　the　rough　protuberances　of　the　rock；　he　tugged　and　toiled　amain；　and　got　himself　quite　out　of　breath；　without　being　able　to　stir　the　heavy　stone。　It　seemed　to　be　rooted　into　the　ground。　No　wonder　he　could　not　move　it；　for　it　would　have　taken　all　the　force　of　a　very　strong　man　to　lift　it　out　of　its　earthy　bed。

His　mother　stood　looking　on；　with　a　sad　kind　of　a　smile　on　her　lips　and　in　her　eyes；　to　see　the　zealous　and　yet　puny　efforts　of　her　little　boy。　She　could　not　help　being　sorrowful　at　finding　him　already　so　impatient　to　begin　his　adventures　in　the　world。

〃You　see　how　it　is；　my　dear　Theseus；〃　said　she。　〃You　must　possess　far　more　strength　than　now　before　I　can　trust　you　to　go　to　Athens；　and　tell　King　Aegeus　that　you　are　his　son。　But　when　you　can　lift　this　rock；　and　show　me　what　is　hidden　beneath　it；　I　promise　you　my　permission　to　depart。〃

Often　and　often；　after　this；　did　Theseus　ask　his　mother　whether　it　was　yet　time　for　him　to　go　to　Athens；　and　still　his　mother　pointed　to　the　rock；　and　told　him　that；　for　years　to　come；　he　could　not　be　strong　enough　to　move　it。　And　again　and　again　the　rosy…checked　and　curly…headed　boy　would　tug　and　strain　at　the　huge　mass　of　stone；　striving；　child　as　he　was；　to　do　what　a　giant　could　hardly　have　done　without　taking　both　of　his　great　hands　to　the　task。　Meanwhile　the　rock　seemed　to　be　sinking　farther　and　farther　into　the　ground。　The　moss　grew　over　it　thicker　and　thicker；　until　at　last　it　looked　almost　like　a　soft　green　seat；　with　only　a　few　gray　knobs　of　granite　peeping　out。　The　overhanging　trees；　also；　shed　their　brown　leaves　upon　It；　as　often　as　the　autumn　came；　and　at　its　base　grew　ferns　and　wild　flowers；　some　of　which　crept　quite　over　its　surface。　To　all　appearance；　the　rock　was　as　firmly　fastened　as　any　other　portion　of　the　earth's　substance。

But；　difficult　as　the　matter　looked；　Theseus　was　now　growing　up　to　be　such　a　vigorous　youth；　that；　in　his　own　opinion；　the　time　would　quickly　come　when　he　might　hope　to　get　the　upper　hand　of　this　ponderous　lump　of　stone。

〃Mother；　I　do　believe　it　has　started！〃　cried　he；　after　one　of　his　attempts。　〃The　earth　around　it　is　certainly　a　little　cracked！〃

〃No；　no；　child！〃　his　mother　hastily　answered。　〃It　is　not　possible　you　can　have　moved　it；　such　a　boy　as　you　still　are！〃

Nor　would　she　be　convinced；　although　Theseus　showed　her　the　place　where　he　fancied　that　the　stem　of　a　flower　had　been　partly　uprooted　by　the　movement　of　the　rock。　But　Aethra　sighed；　and　looked　disquieted；　for；　no　doubt；　she　began　to　be　conscious　that　her　son　was　no　longer　a　child；　and　that；　in　a　little　while　hence；　she　must　send　him　forth　among　the　perils　and　troubles　of　the　world。

It　was　not　more　than　a　year　afterwards　when　they　were　again　sitting　on　the　moss…covered　stone。　Aethra　had　once　more　told　him　the　oft…repeated　story　of　his　father；　and　how　gladly　he　would　receive　Theseus　at　his　stately　palace；　and　how　he　would　present　him　to　his　courtiers　and　the　people；　and　tell　them　that　here　was　the　heir　of　his　dominions。　The　eyes　of　Theseus　glowed　with　enthusiasm；　and　he　would　hardly　sit　still　to　hear　his　mother　speak。

〃Dear　mother　Aethra；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　never　felt　half　so　strong　as　now！　I　am　no　longer　a　child；　nor　a　boy；　nor　a　mere　youth！　I　feel　myself　a　man！　It　is　now　time　to　make　one　earnest　trial　to　remove　the　stone。〃

〃Ah；　my　dearest　Theseus；〃　replied　his　mother　〃not　yet！　not　yet！〃

〃Yes；　mother；〃　said　he；　resolutely；　〃the　time　has　come！〃

Then　Theseus　bent　himself　in　good　earnest　to　the　task；　and　strained　every　sinew；　with　manly　strength　and　resolution。　He　put　his　whole　brave　heart　into　the　effort。　He　wrestled　with　the　big　and　sluggish　stone；　as　if　it　had　been　a　living　enemy。　He　heaved；　he　lifted；　he　resolved　now　to　succeed；　or　else　to　perish　there；　and　let　the　rock　be　his　monument　forever！　Aethra　stood　gazing　at　him；　and　clasped　her　hands；　partly　with　a　mother's　pride；　and　partly　with　a　mother's　sorrow。　The　great　rock　stirred！　Yes；　it　was　raised　slowly　from　the　bedded　moss　and　earth；　uprooting　the　shrubs　and　flowers　along　with　it；　and　was　turned　upon　its　side。　Theseus　had　conquered！

While　taking　breath；　he　looked　joyfully　at　his　mother；　and　she　smiled　upon　him　through　her　tears。

〃Yes；　Theseus；〃　she　said；　〃the　time　has　come；　and　you　must　stay　no　longer　at　my　side！　See　what　King　Aegeus；　your　royal　father；　left　for　you　beneath　the　stone；　when　he　lifted　it　in　his　mighty　arms；　and　laid　it　on　the　spot　whence　you　have　now　removed　it。〃

Theseus　looked；　and　saw　that　the　rock　had　been　placed　over　another　slab　of　stone；　containing　a　cavity　within　it；　so　that　it　somewhat　resembled　a　roughly…made　chest　or　coffer；　of　which　the　upper　mass　had　served　as　the　lid。　Within　the　cavity　lay　a　sword；　with　a　golden　hilt；　and　a　pair　of　sandals。

〃That　was　your　father's　sword；〃　said　Aethra；　〃and　those　were　his　sandals。　When　he　went　to　be　king　of　Athens；　he　bade　me　treat　you　as　a　child　until　you　should　prove　yourself　a　man　by　lifting　this　heavy　stone。　That　task　being　accomplished；　you　are　to　put　on　his　sandals；　in　order　to　follow　in　your　father's　footsteps；　and　to　gird　on　his　sword；　so　that　you　may　fight　giants　and　dragons；　as　King　Aegeus　did　in　his　youth。〃

〃I　will　set　out　for　Athens　this　very　day！〃　cried　Theseus。

But　his　mother　persuaded　him　to　stay　a　day　or　two　longer；　while　she　got　ready　some　necessary　articles　for　his　journey。　When　his　grandfather；　the　wise　King　Pittheus；　heard　that　Theseus　intended　to　present　himself　at　his　father's　palace；　he　earnestly　advised　him　to　get　on　board　of　a　vessel；　and　go　by　sea；　because　he　might　thus　arrive　within　fifteen　miles　of　Athens；　without　either　fatigue　or　danger。

〃The　roads　are　very　bad　by　land；〃　quoth　the　venerable　king；　〃and　they　are　terribly　infested　with　robbers　and　monsters。　A　mere　lad；　like　Theseus；　is　not　fit　to　be　trusted　on　such　a　perilous　journey；　all　by　himself。　No；　no；　let　him　go　by　sea。〃

But　when　Theseus　heard　of　robbers　and　monsters；　he　pricked　up　his　ears；　and　was　so　much　the　more　eager　to　take　the　road　along　which　they　were　to　be　met　with。　On　the　third　day；　therefore；　he　bade　a　respectful　farewell　to　his　grandfather；　thanking　him　for　all　his　kindness；　and；　after　affectionately　embracing　his　mother；　he　set　forth　with　a　good　many　of　her　tears　glistening　on　his　cheeks；　and　some；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　that　had　gushed　out　of　his　own　eyes。　But　he　let　the　sun　and　wind　dry　them；　and　walked　stoutly　on；　playing　with　the　golden　hilt　of　his　sword；　and　taking　very　manly　strides　in　his　father's　sandals。

I　cannot　stop　to　tell　you　hardly　any　of　the　adventures　that　befell　Theseus　on　the　road　to　Athens。　It　is　enough　to　say；　that　he　quite　cleared　that　part　of　the　country　of　the　robbers　about　whom　King　Pittheus　had　been　so　much　alarmed。　One　of　these　bad　people　was　named　Procrustes；　and　he　was　indeed　a　terrible　fello