tanglewood tales-第42部分

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on　the　sides　of　Mount　Olympus；　and　it　thundered　so　loudly；　and　looked　so　wild　and　dangerous；　that　Jason；　bold　as　he　was；　thought　it　prudent　to　pause　upon　the　brink。　The　bed　of　the　stream　seemed　to　be　strewn　with　sharp　and　rugged　rocks；　some　of　which　thrust　themselves　above　the　water。　By　and　by；　an　uprooted　tree；　with　shattered　branches；　came　drifting　along　the　current；　and　got　entangled　among　the　rocks。　Now　and　then；　a　drowned　sheep；　and　once　the　carcass　of　a　cow；　floated　past。

In　short；　the　swollen　river　had　already　done　a　great　deal　of　mischief。　It　was　evidently　too　deep　for　Jason　to　wade；　and　too　boisterous　for　him　to　swim；　he　could　see　no　bridge；　and　as　for　a　boat；　had　there　been　any；　the　rocks　would　have　broken　it　to　pieces　in　an　instant。

〃See　the　poor　lad；〃　said　a　cracked　voice　close　to　his　side。　〃He　must　have　had　but　a　poor　education；　since　he　does　not　know　how　to　cross　a　little　stream　like　this。　Or　is　he　afraid　of　wetting　his　fine　golden…stringed　sandals？　It　is　a　pity　his　four…footed　schoolmaster　is　not　here　to　carry　him　safely　across　on　his　back！〃

Jason　looked　round　greatly　surprised；　for　he　did　not　know　that　anybody　was　near。　But　beside　him　stood　an　old　woman；　with　a　ragged　mantle　over　her　head；　leaning　on　a　staff；　the　top　of　which　was　carved　into　the　shape　of　a　cuckoo。　She　looked　very　aged；　and　wrinkled；　and　infirm；　and　yet　her　eyes；　which　were　as　brown　as　those　of　an　ox；　were　so　extremely　large　and　beautiful；　that；　when　they　were　fixed　on　Jason's　eyes；　he　could　see　nothing　else　but　them。　The　old　woman　had　a　pomegranate　in　her　hand；　although　the　fruit　was　then　quite　out　of　season。

〃Whither　are　you　going；　Jason？〃　she　now　asked。

She　seemed　to　know　his　name；　you　will　observe；　and；　indeed；　those　great　brown　eyes　looked　as　if　they　had　a　knowledge　of　everything；　whether　past　or　to　come。　While　Jason　was　gazing　at　her；　a　peacock　strutted　forward；　and　took　his　stand　at　the　old　woman's　side。

〃I　am　going　to　Iolchos；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃to　bid　the　wicked　King　Pelias　come　down　from　my　father's　throne；　and　let　me　reign　in　his　stead。〃

〃Ah；　well；　then；〃　said　the　old　woman；　still　with　the　same　cracked　voice；　〃if　that　is　all　your　business；　you　need　not　be　in　a　very　great　hurry。　Just　take　me　on　your　back；　there's　a　good　youth；　and　carry　me　across　the　river。　I　and　my　peacock　have　something　to　do　on　the　other　side；　as　well　as　yourself。〃

〃Good　mother；〃　replied　Jason；　〃your　business　can　hardly　be　so　important　as　the　pulling　down　a　king　from　his　throne。　Besides；　as　you　may　see　for　yourself；　the　river　is　very　boisterous；　and　if　I　should　chance　to　stumble；　it　would　sweep　both　of　us　away　more　easily　than　it　has　carried　off　yonder　uprooted　tree。　I　would　gladly　help　you　if　I　could；　but　I　doubt　whether　I　am　strong　enough　to　carry　you　across。〃

〃Then；〃　said　she；　very　scornfully；　〃neither　are　you　strong　enough　to　pull　King　Pelias　off　his　throne。　And；　Jason；　unless　you　will　help　an　old　woman　at　her　need；　you　ought　not　to　be　a　king。　What　are　kings　made　for；　save　to　succor　the　feeble　and　distressed？　But　do　as　you　please。　Either　take　me　on　your　back；　or　with　my　poor　old　limbs　I　shall　try　my　best　to　struggle　across　the　stream。〃

Saying　this；　the　old　woman　poked　with　her　staff　in　the　river；　as　if　to　find　the　safest　place　in　its　rocky　bed　where　she　might　make　the　first　step。　But　Jason；　by　this　time；　had　grown　ashamed　of　his　reluctance　to　help　her。　He　felt　that　he　could　never　forgive　himself；　if　this　poor　feeble　creature　should　come　to　any　harm　in　attempting　to　wrestle　against　the　headlong　current。　The　good　Chiron；　whether　half　horse　or　no；　had　taught　him　that　the　noblest　use　of　his　strength　was　to　assist　the　weak；　and　also　that　he　must　treat　every　young　woman　as　if　she　were　his　sister；　and　every　old　one　like　a　mother。　Remembering　these　maxims；　the　vigorous　and　beautiful　young　man　knelt　down；　and　requested　the　good　dame　to　mount　upon　his　back。

〃The　passage　seems　to　me　not　very　safe；〃　he　remarked。　〃But　as　your　business　is　so　urgent；　I　will　try　to　carry　you　across。　If　the　river　sweeps　you　away；　it　shall　take　me　too。〃

〃That；　no　doubt；　will　be　a　great　comfort　to　both　of　us；〃　quoth　the　old　woman。　〃But　never　fear。　We　shall　get　safely　across。〃

So　she　threw　her　arms　around　Jason's　neck；　and　lifting　her　from　the　ground；　he　stepped　boldly　into　the　raging　and　foaming　current；　and　began　to　stagger　away　from　the　shore。　As　for　the　peacock；　it　alighted　on　the　old　dame's　shoulder。　Jason's　two　spears；　one　in　each　hand；　kept　him　from　stumbling；　and　enabled　him　to　feel　his　way　among　the　hidden　rocks；　although　every　instant；　he　expected　that　his　companion　and　himself　would　go　down　the　stream；　together　with　the　driftwood　of　shattered　trees；　and　the　carcasses　of　the　sheep　and　cow。　Down　came　the　cold；　snowy　torrent　from　the　steep　side　of　Olympus；　raging　and　thundering　as　if　it　had　a　real　spite　against　Jason；　or；　at　all　events；　were　determined　to　snatch　off　his　living　burden　from　his　shoulders。　When　he　was　half　way　across；　the　uprooted　tree　（which　I　have　already　told　you　about）　broke　loose　from　among　the　rocks；　and　bore　down　upon　him；　with　all　its　splintered　branches　sticking　out　like　the　hundred　arms　of　the　giant　Briareus。　It　rushed　past；　however；　without　touching　him。　But　the　next　moment　his　foot　was　caught　in　a　crevice　between　two　rocks；　and　stuck　there　so　fast；　that；　in　the　effort　to　get　free；　he　lost　one　of　his　golden…stringed　sandals。

At　this　accident　Jason　could　not　help　uttering　a　cry　of　vexation。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Jason？〃　asked　the　old　woman。

〃Matter　enough；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃I　have　lost　a　sandal　here　among　the　rocks。　And　what　sort　of　a　figure　shall　I　cut；　at　the　court　of　King　Pelias；　with　a　golden…stringed　sandal　on　one　foot；　and　the　other　foot　bare！〃

〃Do　not　take　it　to　heart；〃　answered　his　companion　cheerily。　〃You　never　met　with　better　fortune　than　in　losing　that　sandal。　It　satisfies　me　that　you　are　the　very　person　whom　the　Speaking　Oak　has　been　talking　about。〃

There　was　no　time；　just　then；　to　inquire　what　the　Speaking　Oak　had　said。　But　the　briskness　of　her　tone　encouraged　the　young　man；　and；　besides；　he　had　never　in　his　life　felt　so　vigorous　and　mighty　as　since　taking　this　old　woman　on　his　back。　Instead　of　being　exhausted；　he　gathered　strength　as　he　went　on；　and；　struggling　up　against　the　torrent；　he　at　last　gained　the　opposite　shore；　clambered　up　the　bank；　and　set　down　the　old　dame　and　her　peacock　safely　on　the　grass。　As　soon　as　this　was　done；　however；　he　could　not　help　looking　rather　despondently　at　his　bare　foot；　with　only　a　remnant　of　the　golden　string　of　the　sandal　clinging　round　his　ankle。

〃You　will　get　a　handsomer　pair　of　sandals　by　and　by；〃　said　the　old　woman；　with　a　kindly　look　out　of　her　beautiful　brown　eyes。　〃Only　let　King　Pelias　get　a　glimpse　of　that　bare　foot；　and　you　shall　see　him　turn　as　pale　as　ashes；　I　promise　you。　There　is　your　path。　Go　along；　my　good　Jason；　and　my　blessing　go　with　you。　And　when　you　sit　on　your　throne　remember　the　old　woman　whom　you　helped　over　the　river。〃

With　these　words；　she　hobbled　away；　giving　him　a　smile　over　her　shoulder　as　she　departed。

Whether　the　light　of　her　beautiful　brown　eyes　threw　a　glory　round　about　her；　or　whatever　the　cause　might　be；　Jason　fancie