登陆注册
15324800000090

第90章 DAPPLEGRIM(2)

But this did not last long, for the other people in the King's Court became envious of the lad, and there was no bad thing that they would not have done to him if they had but dared.At last they bethought themselves of telling the King that the youth had said that, if he chose, he was quite able to rescue the Princess who had been carried off into the mountain a long time ago by the Troll.

The King immediately summoned the lad into his presence, and said that he had been informed that he had said that it was in his power to rescue the Princess, so he was now to do it.If he succeeded in this, he no doubt knew that the King had promised his daughter and half the kingdom to anyone who set her free, which promise should be faithfully and honourably kept, but if he failed he should be put to death.The youth denied that he had said this, but all to no purpose, for the King was deaf to all his words; so there was nothing to be done but say that he would make the attempt.

He went down into the stable, and very sad and full of care he was.Then Dapplegrim inquired why he was so troubled, and the youth told him, and said that he did not know what to do, `for as to setting the Princess free, that was downright impossible.'

`Oh, but it might be done,' said Dapplegrim.`I will help you;but you must first have me well shod.You must ask for ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of steel for the shoeing, and one smith to hammer and one to hold.'

So the youth did this, and no one said him nay.He got both the iron and the steel, and the smiths, and thus was Dapplegrim shod strongly and well, and when the youth went out of the King's palace a cloud of dust rose up behind him.But when he came to the mountain into which the Princess had been carried, the difficulty was to ascend the precipitous wall of rock by which he was to get on to the mountain beyond, for the rock stood right up on end, as steep as a house side and as smooth as a sheet of glass.The first time the youth rode at it he got a little way up the precipice, but then both Dapplegrim's fore legs slipped, and down came horse and rider with a sound like thunder among the mountains.The next time that he rode at it he got a little farther up, but then one of Dapplegrim's fore legs slipped, and down they went with the sound of a landslip.But the third time Dapplegrim said: `Now we must show what we can do,' and went at it once more till the stones sprang up sky high, and thus they got up.Then the lad rode into the mountain cleft at full gallop and caught up the Princess on his saddle-bow, and then out again before the Troll even had time to stand up, and thus the Princess was set free.

When the youth returned to the palace the King was both happy and delighted to get his daughter back again, as may easily be believed, but somehow or other the people about the Court had so worked on him that he was angry with the lad too.`Thou shalt have my thanks for setting my Princess free,' he said, when the youth came into the palace with her, and was then about to go away.

She ought to be just as much my Princess as she is yours now, for you are a man of your word,' said the youth.

`Yes, yes,' said the King.`Have her thou shalt, as I have said it; but first of all thou must make the sun shine into my palace here.'

For there was a large and high hill outside the windows which overshadowed the palace so much that the sun could not shine in.

`That was no part of our bargain,' answered the youth.`But as nothing that I can say will move you, I suppose I shall have to try to do my best, for the Princess I will have.'

So he went down to Dapplegrim again and told him what the King desired, and Dapplegrim thought that it might easily be done; but first of all he must have new shoes, and ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of steel must go to the making of them, and two smiths were also necessary, one to hammer and one to hold, and then it would be very easy to make the sun shine into the King's palace.

The lad asked for these things and obtained them instantly, for the King thought that for very shame he could not refuse to give them, and so Dapplegrim got new shoes, and they were good ones.The youth seated himself on him, and once more they went their way, and for each hop that Dapplegrim made, down went the hill fifteen ells into the earth, and so they went on until there was no hill left for the King to see.

When the youth came down again to the King's palace he asked the King if the Princess should not at last be his, for now no one could say that the sun was not shining into the palace.But the other people in the palace had again stirred up the King, and he answered that the youth should have her, and that he had never intended that he should not; but first of all he must get her quite as good a horse to ride to the wedding on as that which he had himself.The youth said that the King had never told him he was to do that, and it seemed to him that he had now really earned the Princess; but the King stuck to what he had said, and if the youth were unable to do it he was to lose his life, the King said.The youth went down to the stable again, and very sad and sorrowful he was, as anyone may well imagine.Then he told Dapplegrim that the King had now required that he should get the Princess as good a bridal horse as that which the bridegroom had, or he should lose his life.`But that will be no easy thing to do,' said he, `for your equal is not to be found in all the world,'

`Oh yes, there is one to match me,' said Dapplegrim.`But it will not be easy to get him, for he is underground.However, we will try.Now you must go up to the King and ask for new shoes for me, and for them we must again have ten pounds of iron, twelve pounds of steel, and two smiths, one to hammer and one to hold, but be very particular to see that the hooks are very sharp.

And you must also ask for twelve barrels of rye, and twelve slaughtered oxen must we have with us, and all the twelve ox-hides with twelve hundred spikes set in each of them; all these things must we have, likewise a barrel of tar with twelve tons of tar in it.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 福晋心很宽

    福晋心很宽

    穿越了,穿越成马尔汉家的女儿。珍汐表示未来有阳光义气的十三爷做姐夫十分期待,只是没想到原来她才是十三爷的女人。某女心声:“嫡女嫡妻都不能把日子过好,她还怎么见江东父老!”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 重回云梦

    重回云梦

    一位少年从小力量被封印,成为家中的废材。在灭族后,又获得一段奇缘,得到绝世修炼法诀,并穿越到现代。在现代,他遇到了许多关心他的人,见到其中有人死去,也遇到了许多危机,他都艰难地度过了,终于成为一个与人瞩目的绝世强者,回到过去,与敌人相争,为自己的家族复仇。
  • 徂徕

    徂徕

    徂徕(culai)徘徊着得栋梁之才!重生在仙侠世界后才知道,老祖宗们的教诲还是很有用的!刘禹锡说:“善积家肥,子孙多材,如彼榱栋,必生徂徕。”郭沫若说:“这风便是所谓直觉、灵感,这起了的波浪便是高涨着的情调,这活动着的印象便是徂徕着的想象。”封语说:“不管几世徂徕(culai),我只想今世了却心愿!得大逍遥,享大自在!”
  • 影响中国人的十大汉字:让

    影响中国人的十大汉字:让

    读过本书的这些故事以后,大家应该向故事中的主人公学习了。不管是在古代还是在当今,礼让都是人重要的品德。只有礼让了,世界才会和平,社会才会和谐,人与人之间才会有爱。
  • 麻辣香妃

    麻辣香妃

    “你逃不掉!”森冷的声音带着凛然的霸气,他大掌翻飞,满室都是凌乱。一朝穿越,她沦为低贱嫔妃!上到君王,下到宫人,人人欺之!邪魅无情的亲王,面若桃花心如毒蟒的帝王,冷心冷情却生死相随的属下……谁才是她的命定之人,暗藏的阴谋,隐秘的宝藏,背后操控一切的魔鬼,看她如何遇神杀神,遇佛杀佛,在这盛世王朝谱写一卷佞妃毒后的史册……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 无限之幸运掠夺者

    无限之幸运掠夺者

    没有主神阴谋论,亦没有养蛊论,更没有修仙者或任何强大势力介入。一切的一切,只是为了活下去,从主神空间回到地球!从《死神来了》到《生化危机》,再到《星河舰队》,且看张礼如何从一个普通人成长为顶级大触……PS:本书不会涉及到武侠类电影或小说,因为作者不会写,也不感冒武侠。
  • 倾城颜:一生一世一双人

    倾城颜:一生一世一双人

    死生契阔,与子成说;执子之手,与子偕老。(本书不断修改中,大家耐心等待,谢谢!)
  • 生死一念间

    生死一念间

    人有七情六欲方为人。当世界法律失去效果,末世来临,人类的某一欲望达到极致的时候,人,已经不能被称之为人。
  • 林语堂的半半哲学

    林语堂的半半哲学

    林语堂先生的过人之处,就是他一直对人文精神的高度关切,并且由此总结出了许多动人的生活经验和生存智慧。本书将他的“半半哲学”讲述给广大读者。学习大师的“半半”处世之道,在繁杂中找到一份随意和超然。
  • 笑林广记

    笑林广记

    《笑林广记》,集民族传统笑话之大成者。以机趣、夸张的眼光审视世界,以诙谐幽默、通俗易懂的语言来反映炎凉世态、情趣人生。全书多取自明清笑话,语言风趣、文字简练隽永,是中国民间针对“世情”的幽默与讽刺之书,是民间智慧的独特展现。