登陆注册
15316000000061

第61章 The Three Robes(2)

It always happens that if a person's eyes are once opened they see a great deal more than they ever expected; and soon it struck the king that the members of his court had a way of disappearing one after the other without any reason.At first he had not paid much attention to the fact, but merely appointed some fresh person to the vacant place.As, however, man after man vanished without leaving any trace, he began to grow uncomfortable and to wonder if the queen could have anything to do with it.

Things were in this state when, one day, his wife said to him that it was time for him to make a progress through his kingdom and see that his governors were not cheating him of the money that was his due.'And you need not be anxious about going,' she added, 'for Iwill rule the country while you are away as carefully as you could yourself.'

The king had no great desire to undertake this journey, but the queen's will was stronger than his, and he was too lazy to make a fight for it.So he said nothing and set about his preparations, ordering his finest ship to be ready to carry him round the coast.

Still his heart was heavy, and he felt uneasy, though he could not have told why; and the night before he was to start he went to the children's palace to take leave of his son and daughter.

He had not seen them for some time, and they gave him a warm welcome, for they loved him dearly and he had always been kind to them.They had much to tell him, but after a while he checked their merry talk and said:

'If I should never come back from this journey I fear that it may not be safe for you to stay here; so directly there are no more hopes of my return go instantly and take the road eastwards till you reach a high mountain, which you must cross.Once over the mountain keep along by the side of a little bay till you come to two trees, one green and the other red, standing in a thicket, and so far back from the road that without looking for them you would never see them.

Hide each in the trunk of one of the trees and there you will be safe from all your enemies.'

With these words the king bade them farewell and entered sadly into his ship.For a few days the wind was fair, and everything seemed going smoothly; then, suddenly, a gale sprang up, and a fearful storm of thunder and lightning, such as had never happened within the memory of man.In spite of the efforts of the frightened sailors the vessel was driven on the rocks, and not a man on board was saved.

That very night Prince Sigurd had a dream, in which he thought his father appeared to him in dripping clothes, and, taking the crown from his head, laid it at his son's feet, leaving the room as silently as he had entered it.

Hastily the prince awoke his sister Lineik, and they agreed that their father must be dead, and that they must lose no time in obeying his orders and putting themselves in safety.So they collected their jewels and a few clothes and left the house without being observed by anyone.

They hurried on till they arrived at the mountain without once looking back.Then Sigurd glanced round and saw that their stepmother was following them, with an expression on her face which made her uglier than the ugliest old witch.Between her and them lay a thick wood, and Sigurd stopped for a moment to set it on fire; then he and his sister hastened on more swiftly than before, till they reached the grove with the red and green trees, into which they jumped, and felt that at last they were safe.

Now, at that time there reigned over Greece a king who was very rich and powerful, although his name has somehow been forgotten.

He had two children, a son and a daughter, who were more beautiful and accomplished than any Greeks had been before, and they were the pride of their father's heart.

The prince had no sooner grown out of boyhood than he prevailed on his father to make war during the summer months on a neighbouring nation, so as to give him a chance of making himself famous.In winter, however, when it was difficult to get food and horses in that wild country, the army was dispersed, and the prince returned home.

During one of these wars he had heard reports of the Princess Lineik's beauty, and he resolved to seek her out, and to ask for her hand in marriage.All this Blauvor, the queen, found out by means of her black arts, and when the prince drew near the capital she put a splendid dress on her own daughter and then went to meet her guest.

She bade him welcome to her palace, and when they had finished supper she told him of the loss of her husband, and how there was no one left to govern the kingdom but herself.

'But where is the Princess Lineik?' asked the prince when she had ended her tale.

'Here,' answered the queen, bringing forward the girl, whom she had hitherto kept in the background.

The prince looked at her and was rather disappointed.The maiden was pretty enough, but not much out of the common.

'Oh, you must not wonder at her pale face and heavy eyes,' said the queen hastily, for she saw what was passing in his mind.'She has never got over the loss of both father and mother.'

'That shows a good heart,' thought the prince; 'and when she is happy her beauty will soon come back.' And without any further delay he begged the queen to consent to their betrothal, for the marriage must take place in his own country.

The queen was enchanted.She had hardly expected to succeed so soon, and she at once set about her preparations.Indeed she wished to travel with the young couple, to make sure that nothing should go wrong; but here the prince was firm, that he would take no one with him but Laufer, whom he thought was Lineik.

同类推荐
  • 十住经卷第一

    十住经卷第一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 野议

    野议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛制比丘六物图

    佛制比丘六物图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 海阳十咏·玄览亭

    海阳十咏·玄览亭

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 伤寒证治准绳

    伤寒证治准绳

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 铸道者

    铸道者

    一念起,万水千山,一念灭,沧海桑田。为执念,少年艰苦追寻,超越诸生......这天道,我来铸......
  • 郊庙歌辞 祀九宫贵

    郊庙歌辞 祀九宫贵

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 斗战星域

    斗战星域

    我命由我不由天,宇宙要我死,我便逆他,战那亿万星空又如何。咦,不对!我有系统我怕谁
  • 一剑称尊

    一剑称尊

    一剑在手,八方运动,试问天下,谁是英雄,剑扫十方,一剑称尊,普天之下,无人敢当
  • 只对你任性

    只对你任性

    秦硕请说爱我。秦硕第一次说做他女友时,罗汨便笃定今生今世非他不嫁。“离婚吧。”“好。”罗汨为了他放弃继续求学,甘愿洗手作羹汤,他却弃之如敝履。
  • 凰立高巅

    凰立高巅

    灵魂穿越,刚睁眼却濒临生死一线,又被他救回一命。“这人情你打算怎么还?”他邪魅的笑笑。第一个恩情还没还,转眼又欠一个……“你是故意制造机会让我欠人情的吗?”怕是从第一次见面时留下那个吻开始,他的恩情就抱不完了。“络儿,你可愿嫁于我?”君无言笑得迷惑众生。
  • 二十八药叉大将名号

    二十八药叉大将名号

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • SGV改变世界

    SGV改变世界

    一团奇怪物体的出现,让全世界都拥有了神奇的能力,而杨麟轩的能力bug确实让人头疼,神奇的绿光碎片又会带来哪些惊喜呢?冲出地球跨越宇宙从这里开始。希望大家多多支持。
  • 都市锋尚

    都市锋尚

    黑色盒子?叶轩?黑暗者.?这究竟是怎么回事。让我们走进这个故事一探究竟!
  • 浪子帝王

    浪子帝王

    他出生时神龙附体,父母却被杀害,而后被人救走,但却被人废掉命脉,在艰苦中成长,敌人一步步阻止他的成长,在自己的成长中激活自己的神龙之体,最终修成一代仙侠,惩善扬恶,美名传天下