登陆注册
15486400000092

第92章 The Hoodie-Crow.(1)

Once there lived a farmer who had three daughters, and good useful girls they were, up with the sun, and doing all the work of the house. One morning they all ran down to the river to wash their clothes, when a hoodie came round and sat on a tree close by.

'Wilt thou wed me, thou farmer's daughter?' he said to the eldest.

'Indeed I won't wed thee,' she answered, 'an ugly brute is the hoodie.' And the bird, much offended, spread his wings and flew away. But the following day he came back again, and said to the second girl:

'Wilt thou wed me, farmer's daughter?'

'Indeed I will not,' answered she, 'an ugly brute is the hoodie.'

And the hoodie was more angry than before, and went away in a rage. However, after a night's rest he was in a better temper, and thought that he might be more lucky the third time, so back he went to the old place.

'Wilt thou wed me, farmer's daughter?' he said to the youngest.

'Indeed I will wed thee; a pretty creature is the hoodie,' answered she, and on the morrow they were married.

'I have something to ask thee,' said the hoodie when they were far away in his own house. 'Wouldst thou rather I should be a hoodie by day and a man by night, or a man by day and a hoodie by night?'

The girl was surprised at his words, for she did not know that he could be anything but a hoodie at all times.

Still she said nothing of this, and only replied, 'I would rather thou wert a man by day and a hoodie by night,' And so he was; and a handsomer man or a more beautiful hoodie never was seen. The girl loved them both, and never wished for things to be different.

By and bye they had a son, and very pleased they both were. But in the night soft music was heard stealing close towards the house, and every man slept, and the mother slept also. When they woke again it was morning, and the baby was gone. High and low they looked for it, but nowhere could they find it, and the farmer, who had come to see his daughter, was greatly grieved, as he feared it might be thought that he had stolen it, because he did not want the hoodie for a son-in-law.

The next year the hoodie's wife had another son, and this time a watch was set at every door. But it was no use. In vain they determined that, come what might, they would not close their eyes; at the first note of music they all fell asleep, and when the farmer arrived in the morning to see his grandson, he found them all weeping, for while they had slept the baby had vanished.

Well, the next year it all happened again, and the hoodie's wife was so unhappy that her husband resolved to take her away to another house he had, and her sisters with her for company. So they set out in a coach which was big enough to hold them, and had not gone very far when the hoodie suddenly said:

'You are sure you have not forgotten anything?'

'I have forgotten my coarse comb,' answered the wife, feeling in her pocket, and as she spoke the coach changed into a withered faggot, and the man became a hoodie again, and flew away.

The two sisters returned home, but the wife followed the hoodie.

Sometimes she would see him on a hill-top, and then would hasten after him, hoping to catch him. But by the time she had got to the top of the hill, he would be in the valley on the other side.

When night came, and she was tired, she looked about for some place to rest, and glad she was to see a little house full of light straight in front of her, and she hurried towards it as fast as she could.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 云阁集

    云阁集

    诗词歌赋还有散文的意义很大,常给人启示。那种意境之优美,哲理之深刻,不仅陶冶了情操、性情,更明了的读出人类、世界、一切。我希望这本书能达到我上述说的。
  • 北京妖异志

    北京妖异志

    你信,或者不信,妖就在那里,可能是你的老板,可能是小区的保安,不增不减。镇妖师跨人妖两界,只为彼此安好,少些争端。这行中有僧有道有基督,也有赤脚游民,但有真本事的少,骗钱的多。解放前行业缺少规范,门派林立,解放后投师者日减,镇妖师就成了父传子的一脉传承。再后来有了计划生育,就变成了一人一派,又是掌门人,又是门徒。这本书记录了我和胖子等几位85后镇妖师在北京侦办的妖异事件。
  • 《死神之》

    《死神之》

    太古圣文,极道九转。玄门八卦,晓地通天。能者,可上至青冥,下达九幽,一手荡乾坤,只手碎星河。登天之路,仅有一条,欲通过者,唯有杀杀杀!且看一普通少年如何林立星空之巅。九九世界,欲登极天!
  • EXO之最爱闺蜜和你们

    EXO之最爱闺蜜和你们

    这部小说是偶的第一部作品,不喜勿喷哦,可能前面会有不好,可是你们要耐心看,看到后面,如果有什么建议可以提出哦,还有,你们可能会说我女主的名字和一部小说一样,那是因为我和那部小说的作者是朋友哦,我们一起想的名字,所以两部小说的女主名字会一样,推荐你们也看看那部小说哦,叫作《五人行必有EXO》哦!!现在我要怀挺啦,对了,你们可以叫我艾琳哦(^v^)
  • 星纪风云

    星纪风云

    人千面兮真亦假,芙蓉艳兮掩淤泥。隐藏在寰宇下的阴谋,权利,欲望所挑起的纷争将该如何平息?优胜略汰是亘古不变的生存法则。
  • 羊皮狼妻:倒追星王1314

    羊皮狼妻:倒追星王1314

    原本以为是美满的邂逅却不想是错误的开始“你既然来到了我身边我就不会放你走”男子用食指勾起女人的脸,“可是你不怕吗”女人眼中尽是痛苦“怕,这世上我就没有怕的”男人心中疼痛“本就是错误,又何必让它继续”女人眼角划过一滴泪
  • 星际快车

    星际快车

    这是一个科技伟力的时代,这是一个人类最美好的时代。三十多岁的左锷指着修练了万年成为天神的老怪物说道:靠,天神,那是什么玩意儿,好好的人不做,你去当天神,你就是人类的耻辱,人类的叛徙。老怪物:对不起,我错了,一定改过,我不要当天神了,要不我现在废掉修为,加入星际快车公司,您给我一瓶基因进化液和一具机甲怎么样?左锷:知错能改,善莫大焉。看在同为人类的份上,我就原谅你这一次,给你一次重新做人的机会。
  • 爱的生死劫

    爱的生死劫

    “若若,你醒醒啊!你醒醒啊!”妈妈摇着我的身体,我已经听见她的哭泣声了,可我就是醒不过来,我睁不开眼,开不了口,在心里大声地骂自己。“为什么会这样?为什么受伤的总是我?以后我该怎么办,我该怎么活在这个世界上呢?”这一路的呐喊,只为那场终身遗憾的爱恋,只为后来的振作。
  • 战天帝尊

    战天帝尊

    神武大陆,崇尚武力,人人追求擎天撼地的无上力量。少年宁辰,得神狐相助,问鼎世界之巅。
  • 春风剑侠传

    春风剑侠传

    月有圆缺,人有离合。十四年后,春风再度。风云涌动,谁主沉浮。热血男儿,江湖好汉。