桧树.docx

桧树.docx

《桧树.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《桧树.docx（8页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

桧树

THEJUNIPERTREE.

Long,longago,sometwothousandyearsorso,therelivedarichmanwithagoodandbeautifulwife.Theylovedeachotherdearly,butsorrowedmuchthattheyhadnochildren.Sogreatlydidtheydesiretohaveone,thatthewifeprayedforitdayandnight,butstilltheyremainedchildless.

Infrontofthehousetherewasacourt,inwhichgrewajunipertree.Onewinter'sdaythewifestoodunderthetreetopeelsomeapples,andasshewaspeelingthem,shecutherfinger,andthebloodfellonthesnow.'Ah,'sighedthewomanheavily,'ifIhadbutachild,asredasbloodandaswhiteassnow,'andasshespokethewords,herheartgrewlightwithinher,anditseemedtoherthatherwishwasgranted,andshereturnedtothehousefeelinggladandcomforted.Amonthpassed,andthesnowhadalldisappeared;thenanothermonthwentby,andalltheearthwasgreen.Sothemonthsfollowedoneanother,andfirstthetreesbuddedinthewoods,andsoonthegreenbranchesgrewthicklyintertwined,andthentheblossomsbegantofall.Onceagainthewifestoodunderthejunipertree,anditwassofullofsweetscentthatherheartleapedforjoy,andshewassoovercomewithherhappiness,thatshefellonherknees.Presentlythefruitbecameroundandfirm,andshewasgladandatpeace;butwhentheywerefullyripeshepickedtheberriesandateeagerlyofthem,andthenshegrewsadandill.Alittlewhilelatershecalledherhusband,andsaidtohim,weeping.'IfIdie,burymeunderthejunipertree.'Thenshefeltcomfortedandhappyagain,andbeforeanothermonthhadpassedshehadalittlechild,andwhenshesawthatitwasaswhiteassnowandasredasblood,herjoywassogreatthatshedied.

Herhusbandburiedherunderthejunipertree,andweptbitterlyforher.Bydegrees,however,hissorrowgrewless,andalthoughattimeshestillgrievedoverhisloss,hewasabletogoaboutasusual,andlateronhemarriedagain.

Henowhadalittledaughterborntohim;thechildofhisfirstwifewasaboy,whowasasredasbloodandaswhiteassnow.Themotherlovedherdaughterverymuch,andwhenshelookedatherandthenlookedattheboy,itpiercedherhearttothinkthathewouldalwaysstandinthewayofherownchild,andshewascontinuallythinkinghowshecouldgetthewholeofthepropertyforher.Thisevilthoughttookpossessionofhermoreandmore,andmadeherbehaveveryunkindlytotheboy.Shedrovehimfromplacetoplacewithcuffingsandbuffetings,sothatthepoorchildwentaboutinfear,andhadnopeacefromthetimeheleftschooltothetimehewentback.

Onedaythelittledaughtercamerunningtohermotherinthestoreroom,andsaid,'Mother,givemeanapple.''Yes,mychild,'saidthewife,andshegaveherabeautifulappleoutofthechest;thechesthadaveryheavylidandalargeironlock.

'Mother,'saidthelittledaughteragain,'maynotbrotherhaveonetoo?

'Themotherwasangryatthis,butsheanswered,'Yes,whenhecomesoutofschool.'

Justthenshelookedoutofthewindowandsawhimcoming,anditseemedasifanevilspiritenteredintoher,forshesnatchedtheappleoutofherlittledaughter'shand,andsaid,'Youshallnothaveonebeforeyourbrother.'Shethrewtheappleintothechestandshutitto.Thelittleboynowcamein,andtheevilspiritinthewifemadehersaykindlytohim,'Myson,willyouhaveanapple?

'butshegavehimawickedlook.'Mother,'saidtheboy,'howdreadfulyoulook!

Yes,givemeanapple.'Thethoughtcametoherthatshewouldkillhim.'Comewithme,'shesaid,andsheliftedupthelidofthechest;'takeoneoutforyourself.'Andashebentovertodoso,theevilspiriturgedher,andcrash!

downwentthelid,andoffwentthelittleboy'shead.Thenshewasoverwhelmedwithfearatthethoughtofwhatshehaddone.'IfonlyIcanpreventanyoneknowingthatIdidit,'shethought.Soshewentupstairstoherroom,andtookawhitehandkerchiefoutofhertopdrawer;thenshesettheboy'sheadagainonhisshoulders,andbounditwiththehandkerchiefsothatnothingcouldbeseen,andplacedhimonachairbythedoorwithanappleinhishand.

Soonafterthis,littleMarleencameuptohermotherwhowasstirringapotofboilingwateroverthefire,andsaid,'Mother,brotherissittingbythedoorwithanappleinhishand,andhelookssopale;andwhenIaskedhimtogivemetheapple,hedidnotanswer,andthatfrightenedme.'

'Gotohimagain,'saidhermother,'andifhedoesnotanswer,givehimaboxontheear.'SolittleMarleenwent,andsaid,'Brother,givemethatapple,'buthedidnotsayaword;thenshegavehimaboxontheear,andhisheadrolledoff.Shewassoterrifiedatthis,thatsherancryingandscreamingtohermother.'Oh!

'shesaid,'Ihaveknockedoffbrother'shead,'andthensheweptandwept,andnothingwouldstopher.

'Whathaveyoudone!

'saidhermother,'butnoonemustknowaboutit,soyoumustkeepsilence;whatisdonecan'tbeundone;wewillmakehimintopuddings.'Andshetookthelittleboyandcuthimup,madehimintopuddings,andputhiminthepot.ButMarleenstoodlookingon,andweptandwept,andhertearsfellintothepot,sothattherewasnoneedofsalt.

Presentlythefathercamehomeandsatdowntohisdinner;heasked,'Whereismyson?

'Themothersaidnothing,butgavehimalargedishofblackpudding,andMarleenstillweptwithoutceasing.

Thefatheragainasked,'Whereismyson?

'

'Oh,'answeredthewife,'heisgoneintothecountrytohismother'sgreatuncle;heisgoingtostaytheresometime.'

'Whathashegonetherefor,andheneverevensaidgoodbyetome!

'

'Well,helikesbeingthere,andhetoldmeheshouldbeawayquitesixweeks;heiswelllookedafterthere.'

'Ifeelveryunhappyaboutit,'saidthehusband,'incaseitshouldnotbeallright,andheoughttohavesaidgoodbyetome.'

Withthishewentonwithhisdinner,andsaid,'LittleMarleen,whydoyouweep?

Brotherwillsoonbeback.'Thenheaskedhiswifeformorepudding,andasheate,hethrewthebonesunderthetable.

LittleMarleenwentupstairsandtookherbestsilkhandkerchiefoutofherbottomdrawer,andinitshewrappedallthebonesfromunderthetableandcarriedthemoutside,andallthetimeshedidnothingbutweep.Thenshelaidtheminthegreengrassunderthejunipertree,andshehadnosoonerdoneso,thenallhersadnessseemedtoleaveher,andsheweptnomore.Andnowthejunipertreebegantomove,andthebrancheswavedbackwardsandforwards,firstawayfromoneanother,andthentogetheragain,asitmightbesomeoneclappingtheirhandsforjoy.Afterthisamistcameroundthetree,andinthemidstofittherewasaburningasoffire,andoutofthefirethereflewabeautifulbird,thatrosehighintotheair,singingmagnificently,andwhenitcouldnomorebeseen,thejunipertreestoodthereasbefore,andthesilkhandkerchiefandthebonesweregone.

LittleMarleennowfeltaslightheartedandhappyasifherbrotherwerestillalive,andshewentbacktothehouseandsatdowncheerfullytothetableandate.

Thebirdflewawayandalightedonthehouseofagoldsmithandbegantosing:

'Mymotherkilledherlittleson;

MyfathergrievedwhenIwasgone;

Mysisterlovedmebestofall;

Shelaidherkerchiefoverme,

Andtookmybonesthattheymightlie

Underneaththejunipertree

Kywitt,Kywitt,whatabeautifulbirdamI!

'

Thegoldsmithwasinhisworkshopmakingagoldchain,whenheheardthesongofthebirdonhisroof.Hethoughtitsobeautifulthathegotupandranout,andashecrossedthethresholdhelostoneofhisslippers.Butheranonintothemiddleofthestreet,withaslipperononefootandasockontheother;hestillhadonhisapron,andstillheldthegoldchainandthepincersinhishands,andsohestoodgazingupatthebird,whilethesuncameshiningbrightlydownonthestreet.

'Bird,'hesaid,'howbeautifullyyousing!

Singmethatsongagain.'

'Nay,'saidthebird,'Idonotsingtwicefornothing.Givethatgoldchain,andIwillsingityouagain.'

'Hereisthechain,takeit,'saidthegoldsmith.'Onlysingmethatagain.'

Thebirdflewdownandtookthegoldchaininhisrightclaw,andthenhealightedagaininfrontofthegoldsmithandsang:

'Mymotherkilledherlittleson;

MyfathergrievedwhenIwasgone;

Mysisterlovedmebestofall;

Shelaidherkerchiefoverme,

Andtookmybonesthattheymightlie

Underneaththejunipertree

Kywitt,Kywitt,whatabeautifulbirdamI!

'

Thenheflewaway,andsettledontheroofofashoemaker'shouseandsang:

'Mymotherkilledherlittleson;

MyfathergrievedwhenIwasgone;

Mysisterlovedmebestofall;

Shelaidherkerchiefoverme,

Andtookmybonesthattheymightlie

Underneaththejunipertree

Kywitt,Kywitt,whatabeautifulbirdamI!

'

Theshoemakerheardhim,andhejumpedupandranoutinhisshirtsleeves,andstoodlookingupatthebirdontheroofwithhishandoverhiseyestokeephimselffrombeingblindedbythesun.

'Bird,'hesaid,'howbeautifullyyousing!

'Thenhecalledthroughthedoortohiswife:

'Wife,comeout;hereisabird,comeandlookatitandhearhowbeautifullyitsings.'Thenhecalledhisdaughterandthechildren,thentheapprentices,girlsandboys,andtheyallranupthestreettolookatthebird,andsawhowsplendiditwaswithitsredandgreenfeathers,anditsnecklikeburnishedgold,andeyesliketwobrightstarsinitshead.

'Bird,'saidtheshoemaker,'singmethatsongagain.'

'Nay,'answeredthebird,'Idonotsingtwicefornothing;youmustgivem