tanglewood tales-第32部分

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ater　magic；　I　trow；　than　it　did　to　make　swine　of　them。〃

So　Circe　waved　her　wand　again；　and　repeated　a　few　magic　words；　at　the　sound　of　which　the　two　and　twenty　hogs　pricked　up　their　pendulous　ears。　It　was　a　wonder　to　behold　how　their　snouts　grew　shorter　and　shorter；　and　their　mouths　（which　they　seemed　to　be　sorry　for；　because　they　could　not　gobble　so　expeditiously）　smaller　and　smaller；　and　how　one　and　another　began　to　stand　upon　his　hind　legs；　and　scratch　his　nose　with　his　fore　trotters。　At　first　the　spectators　hardly　knew　whether　to　call　them　hogs　or　men；　but　by　and　by　came　to　the　conclusion　that　they　rather　resembled　the　latter。　Finally；　there　stood　the　twenty…two　comrades　of　Ulysses；　looking　pretty　much　the　same　as　when　they　left　the　vessel。

You　must　not　imagine；　however；　that　the　swinish　quality　had　entirely　gone　out　of　them。　When　once　it　fastens　itself　into　a　person's　character；　it　is　very　difficult　getting　rid　of　it。　This　was　proved　by　the　hamadryad；　who；　being　exceedingly　fond　of　mischief；　threw　another　handful　of　acorns　before　the　twenty…　two　newly…restored　people；　whereupon　down　they　wallowed　in　a　moment；　and　gobbled　them　up　in　a　very　shameful　way。　Then；　recollecting　themselves；　they　scrambled　to　their　feet；　and　looked　more　than　commonly　foolish。

〃Thanks；　noble　Ulysses！〃　they　cried。　〃From　brute　beasts　you　have　restored　us　to　the　condition　of　men　again。〃

〃Do　not　put　yourselves　to　the　trouble　of　thanking　me；〃　said　the　wise　king。　〃I　fear　I　have　done　but　little　for　you。〃

To　say　the　truth；　there　was　a　suspicious　kind　of　a　grunt　in　their　voices；　and；　for　a　long　time　afterwards；　they　spoke　gruffly；　and　were　apt　to　set　up　a　squeal。

〃It　must　depend　on　your　own　future　behavior；〃　added　Ulysses；　〃whether　you　do　not　find　your　way　back　to　the　sty。〃

At　this　moment；　the　note　of　a　bird　sounded　from　the　branch　of　a　neighboring　tree。

〃Peep；　peep；　peweee！〃

It　was　the　purple　bird；　who；　all　this　while；　had　been　sitting　over　their　heads；　watching　what　was　going　forward；　and　hoping　that　Ulysses　would　remember　how　he　had　done　his　utmost　to　keep　him　and　his　followers　out　of　harm's　way。　Ulysses　ordered　Circe　instantly　to　make　a　king　of　this　good　little　fowl；　and　leave　him　exactly　as　she　found　him。　Hardly　were　the　words　spoken；　and　before　the　bird　had　time　to　utter　another　〃peweep；〃　King　Picus　leaped　down　from　the　bough　of　a　tree；　as　majestic　a　sovereign　as　any　in　the　world；　dressed　in　a　long　purple　robe　and　gorgeous　yellow　stockings；　with　a　splendidly　wrought　collar　about　his　neck；　and　a　golden　crown　upon　his　head。　He　and　King　Ulysses　exchanged　with　one　another　the　courtesies　which　belong　to　their　elevated　rank。　But　from　that　time　forth；　King　Picus　was　no　longer　proud　of　his　crown　and　his　trappings　of　royalty；　nor　of　the　fact　of　his　being　a　king；　he　felt　himself　merely　the　upper　servant　of　his　people；　and　that　it　must　be　his　life…long　labor　to　make　them　better　and　happier。

As　for　the　lions；　tigers；　and　wolves　（though　Circe　would　have　restored　them　to　their　former　shapes　at　his　slightest　word）；　Ulysses　thought　it　advisable　that　they　should　remain　as　they　now　were；　and　thus　give　warning　of　their　cruel　dispositions；　instead　of　going　about　under　the　guise　of　men；　and　pretending　to　human　sympathies；　while　their　hearts　had　the　blood…　thirstiness　of　wild　beasts。　So　he　let　them　howl　as　much　as　they　liked；　but　never　troubled　his　head　about　them。　And；　when　everything　was　settled　according　to　his　pleasure；　he　sent　to　summon　the　remainder　of　his　comrades；　whom　he　had　left　at　the　sea…shore。　These　being　arrived；　with　the　prudent　Eurylochus　at　their　head；　they　all　made　themselves　comfortable　in　Circe's　enchanted　palace；　until　quite　rested　and　refreshed　from　the　toils　and　hardships　of　their　voyage。



THE　POMEGRANATE　SEEDS。

Mother　Ceres　was　exceedingly　fond　of　her　daughter　Proserpina；　and　seldom　let　her　go　alone　into　the　fields。　But；　just　at　the　time　when　my　story　begins；　the　good　lady　was　very　busy；　because　she　had　the　care　of　the　wheat；　and　the　Indian　corn；　and　the　rye　and　barley　and；　in　short；　of　the　crops　of　every　kind；　all　over　the　earth；　and　as　the　season　had　thus　far　been　uncommonly　backward；　it　was　necessary　to　make　the　harvest　ripen　more　speedily　than　usual。　So　she　put　on　her　turban；　made　of　poppies　（a　kind　of　flower　which　she　was　always　noted　for　wearing）；　and　got　into　her　car　drawn　by　a　pair　of　winged　dragons；　and　was　just　ready　to　set　off。

〃Dear　mother；〃　said　Proserpina；　〃I　shall　be　very　lonely　while　you　are　away。　May　I　not　run　down　to　the　shore；　and　ask　some　of　the　sea　nymphs　to　come　up　out　of　the　waves　and　play　with　me？〃

〃Yes；　child；〃　answered　Mother　Ceres。　〃The　sea　nymphs　are　good　creatures；　and　will　never　lead　you　into　any　harm。　But　you　must　take　care　not　to　stray　away　from　them；　nor　go　wandering　about　the　fields　by　yourself。　Young　girls；　without　their　mothers　to　take　care　of　them；　are　very　apt　to　get　into　mischief。〃

The　child　promised　to　be　as　prudent　as　if　she　were　a　grown…up　woman；　and；　by　the　time　the　winged　dragons　had　whirled　the　car　out　of　sight；　she　was　already　on　the　shore；　calling　to　the　sea　nymphs　to　come　and　play　with　her。　They　knew　Proserpina's　voice；　and　were　not　long　in　showing　their　glistening　faces　and　sea…green　hair　above　the　water；　at　the　bottom　of　which　was　their　home。　They　brought　along　with　them　a　great　many　beautiful　shells；　and　sitting　down　on　the　moist　sand；　where　the　surf　wave　broke　over　them；　they　busied　themselves　in　making　a　necklace；　which　they　hung　round　Proserpina's　neck。　By　way　of　showing　her　gratitude；　the　child　besought　them　to　go　with　her　a　little　way　into　the　fields；　so　that　they　might　gather　abundance　of　flowers；　with　which　she　would　make　each　of　her　kind　playmates　a　wreath。

〃O　no；　dear　Proserpina；〃　cried　the　sea　nymphs；　〃we　dare　not　go　with　you　upon　the　dry　land。　We　are　apt　to　grow　faint；　unless　at　every　breath　we　can　snuff　up　the　salt　breeze　of　the　ocean。　And　don't　you　see　how　careful　we　are　to　let　the　surf　wave　break　over　us　every　moment　or　two；　so　as　to　keep　ourselves　comfortably　moist？　If　it　were　not　for　that；　we　should　look　like　bunches　of　uprooted　seaweed　dried　in　the　sun。

〃It　is　a　great　pity；〃　said　Proserpina。　〃But　do　you　wait　for　me　here；　and　I　will　run　and　gather　my　apron　full　of　flowers；　and　be　back　again　before　the　surf　wave　has　broken　ten　times　over　you。　I　long　to　make　you　some　wreaths　that　shall　be　as　lovely　as　this　necklace　of　many　colored　shells。〃

〃We　will　wait；　then；〃　answered　the　sea　nymphs。　〃But　while　you　are　gone；　we　may　as　well　lie　down　on　a　bank　of　soft　sponge　under　the　water。　The　air　to…day　is　a　little　too　dry　for　our　comfort。　But　we　will　pop　up　our　heads　every　few　minutes　to　see　if　you　are　coming。〃

The　young　Proserpina　ran　quickly　to　a　spot　where；　only　the　day　before；　she　had　seen　a　great　many　flowers。　These；　however；　were　now　a　little　past　their　bloom；　and　wishing　to　give　her　friends　the　freshest　and　loveliest　blossoms；　she　strayed　farther　into　the　fields；　and　found　some　that　made　her　scream　with　delight。　Never　had　she　met　with　such　exquisite　flowers　beforeviolets　so　large　and　fragrantroses　with　so　rich　and　delicate　a　blushsuch　superb　hyacinths　and　such　aromatic　pinksand　many　others；　some　of　which　seemed　to　be　of　new　shapes　and　c