登陆注册
14047300000077

第77章 THE STORY OF KING FROST

From the Russian.

There was once upon a time a peasant-woman who had a daughter and a step-daughter. The daughter had her own way in everything, and whatever she did was right in her mother's eyes; but the poor step-daughter had a hard time. Let her do what she would, she was always blamed, and got small thanks for all the trouble she took; nothing was right, everything wrong; and yet, if the truth were known, the girl was worth her weight in gold--she was so unselfish and good-hearted. But her step-mother did not like her, and the poor girl's days were spent in weeping; for it was impossible to live peacefully with the woman. The wicked shrew was determined to get rid of the girl by fair means or foul, and kept saying to her father: 'Send her away, old man; send her away--anywhere so that my eyes sha'n't be plagued any longer by the sight of her, or my ears tormented by the sound of her voice.

Send her out into the fields, and let the cutting frost do for her.'

In vain did the poor old father weep and implore her pity; she was firm, and he dared not gainsay her. So he placed his daughter in a sledge, not even daring to give her a horse-cloth to keep herself warm with, and drove her out on to the bare, open fields, where he kissed her and left her, driving home as fast as he could, that he might not witness her miserable death.

Deserted by her father, the poor girl sat down under a fir-tree at the edge of the forest and began to weep silently. Suddenly she heard a faint sound: it was King Frost springing from tree to tree, and cracking his fingers as he went. At length he reached the fir-tree beneath which she was sitting, and with a crisp crackling sound he alighted beside her, and looked at her lovely face.

'Well, maiden,' he snapped out, 'do you know who I am? I am King Frost, king of the red-noses.'

'All hail to you, great King!' answered the girl, in a gentle, trembling voice. 'Have you come to take me?'

'Are you warm, maiden?' he replied.

'Quite warm, King Frost,' she answered, though she shivered as she spoke.

Then King Frost stooped down, and bent over the girl, and the crackling sound grew louder, and the air seemed to be full of knives and darts; and again he asked:

'Maiden, are you warm? Are you warm, you beautiful girl?'

And though her breath was almost frozen on her lips, she whispered gently, 'Quite warm, King Frost.'

Then King Frost gnashed his teeth, and cracked his fingers, and his eyes sparkled, and the crackling, crisp sound was louder than ever, and for the last time he asked her:

'Maiden, are you still warm? Are you still warm, little love?'

And the poor girl was so stiff and numb that she could just gasp, 'Still warm, O King!'

Now her gentle, courteous words and her uncomplaining ways touched King Frost, and he had pity on her, and he wrapped her up in furs, and covered her with blankets, and he fetched a great box, in which were beautiful jewels and a rich robe embroidered in gold and silver. And she put it on, and looked more lovely than ever, and King Frost stepped with her into his sledge, with six white horses.

In the meantime the wicked step-mother was waiting at home for news of the girl's death, and preparing pancakes for the funeral feast. And she said to her husband: 'Old man, you had better go out into the fields and find your daughter's body and bury her.'

Just as the old man was leaving the house the little dog under the table began to bark, saying:

'YOUR daughter shall live to be your delight;HER daughter shall die this very night.'

'Hold your tongue, you foolish beast!' scolded the woman.

'There's a pancake for you, but you must say:

"HER daughter shall have much silver and gold;HIS daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold." '

But the doggie ate up the pancake and barked, saying:

'His daughter shall wear a crown on her head;

Her daughter shall die unwooed, unwed.'

Then the old woman tried to coax the doggie with more pancakes and to terrify it with blows, but he barked on, always repeating the same words. And suddenly the door creaked and flew open, and a great heavy chest was pushed in, and behind it came the step-daughter, radiant and beautiful, in a dress all glittering with silver and gold. For a moment the step-mother's eyes were dazzled. Then she called to her husband: 'Old man, yoke the horses at once into the sledge, and take my daughter to the same field and leave her on the same spot exactly; 'and so the old man took the girl and left her beneath the same tree where he had parted from his daughter. In a few minutes King Frost came past, and, looking at the girl, he said:

'Are you warm, maiden?'

'What a blind old fool you must be to ask such a question!' she answered angrily. 'Can't you see that my hands and feet are nearly frozen?'

Then King Frost sprang to and fro in front of her, questioning her, and getting only rude, rough words in reply, till at last he got very angry, and cracked his fingers, and gnashed his teeth, and froze her to death.

But in the hut her mother was waiting for her return, and as she grew impatient she said to her husband: 'Get out the horses, old man, to go and fetch her home; but see that you are careful not to upset the sledge and lose the chest.'

But the doggie beneath the table began to bark, saying:

'Your daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold, And shall never have a chest full of gold.'

'Don't tell such wicked lies!' scolded the woman. 'There's a cake for you; now say:

"HER daughter shall marry a mighty King."

At that moment the door flew open, and she rushed out to meet her daughter, and as she took her frozen body in her arms she too was chilled to death.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 捉鬼直播间

    捉鬼直播间

    安南,男,二十二岁,阳年阳月阳日阳时出生的九阳圣体,出身相师世家。职业:捉鬼直播间主播。技能:大直播系统,掌握天界各种法宝的操作。目标:完成捉鬼任务,迎娶玉帝女儿,走上人生巅峰!爱好:打滚求收藏推荐打赏月票……
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 龙珠之最强地球人

    龙珠之最强地球人

    重生在龙珠的世界中,成为地道的地球人。是否能挡住外来的入侵?是否还是一如既往的成为地球酱油党?龙珠最强地球人敬请期待!!!!
  • 纵宠无边

    纵宠无边

    “朕不要她背负任何仇恨,她只是个小孤女,就叫嘉儿吧,从今往后,她就是朕的专属宠物。”她掉落下来的眼泪,犹如刀子刺在心口般令他疼痛。他哄着她,当她展露笑颜时,他心中暖暖的,如沐春风。
  • 我的玩偶骑士们

    我的玩偶骑士们

    相传,在神秘的梦幻之城居住着心地善良的玩偶骑士。当人类流出最绝望的泪水,他们便会出现……他们的唯一使命就是守护主人的幸福。玩偶骑士会因为主人最绝望的泪水而出现,可当主人流出辛福的泪水他们将永远消失,不复存在。但,不是所有骑士都是善良的。有心术不正的骑士会因为不想消失而背叛自己的主人。对于玩偶骑士来说,要么守护主人等待消失,要么背叛主人变成人类……
  • TFBOYS之我心中的四叶草

    TFBOYS之我心中的四叶草

    苏小白是一个从小失去父母的孩子,所以一直在爷爷的宠爱中长大。但苏小白并没有因为爷爷过度的溺爱而变得任性,反而比一些同龄人更独立。因为苏小白不喜欢靠着家人生活,她想自己闯出来一片天。苏小白算是有钱人家的孩子,所以交到的朋友都是为了她的钱,但有一个人不一样,她是苏小白的闺蜜,苏柠檬。上初中后,她们转到重庆八中读书,因为苏小白是四叶草,她渴望来这读书。后来,她又会遇见谁?又会发生怎样的事呢?
  • 我们未来的远行

    我们未来的远行

    那些年,我们即将分离却又不舍得时光愿时光慢些走吧!
  • 三世情离

    三世情离

    相传红月出凶星亮世间必大乱首富叶家因为她血染半个凤国皇城因为她唯一的哥哥魂飞魄散。她没掉一滴泪,不是她不掉是她从小就没有泪因为他,她心被他挖走,因爱他信他,却为她人做了嫁衣虽心痛却没一滴泪掉落跌坐血泊中双眼迷茫看着眼前绝色男子轻轻呢喃:“师傅”他淡淡说了句:“青璃玩够了就跟为师回去”说完便蹲下来将她打横抱起。那一刻她远处的心漏跳了一拍觉得这一幕像在哪经历过般他舍弃天下苍生,招人暗算香消玉殒,“师傅!”她抱着他的尸身凄凉笑了眼泪一滴一滴的往下落,三千青丝成雪“今日不死,他日必血洗仙灵山”他再次醒来,他背对着她说“青璃,你可知罪”她看着她们之间遥远的距离说了句,“师傅,青璃何罪之有”
  • 废柴逆袭女神

    废柴逆袭女神

    她们白天是普通的咖啡厅老板,经营者并不普通的咖啡厅,晚上则是世界上最神秘的异能佣兵。她们是生死与共的搭档,是最熟悉彼此的姐妹。一次命运的逆转,她们来到了一个完全陌生的世界,她们又能否重新开始,走上不一样的巅峰,找到组织找到爱
  • 妖孽总裁恋上绝版萌物

    妖孽总裁恋上绝版萌物

    她是一位平凡不过的萌萌哒滴妹纸,却不知为何落入他的手中,他是令人闻风丧胆的暗黑夜帝,却对她不知如何是好,(这要是让其他人知道他怎么活啊!当两对欢喜冤家爱惨了对方时,却被一黑衣人棒打鸳鸯强行拆开……许多年后的她竟然变得如此冰冷……---------------情节------------“素他素他就素他那个死贱男,欺负偶”“那你就欺负我,最好欺负我一辈子”…………“韩雨熙我正式通知你!我得了一种病,一种这辈子都离不开你的病,你愿意照顾我这一辈子吗”“我……”……“想失去的不想失去的,现在都没了”“至少我还在不是吗”……