登陆注册
15492700000002

第2章 CHAPTER I. HOW THE KNIGHT CAME TO THE FISHERMAN.(1

There was once, it may be now many hundred years ago, a good old fisherman, who was sitting one fine evening before his door, mending his nets. The part of the country in which he lived was extremely pretty. The greensward, on which his cottage stood, ran far into the lake, and it seemed as if it was from love for the blue clear waters that the tongue of land had stretched itself out into them, while with an equally fond embrace the lake had encircled the green pasture rich with waving grass and flowers, and the refreshing shade of trees. The one welcomed the other, and it was just this that made each so beautiful. There were indeed few human beings, or rather none at all, to be met with on this pleasant spot, except the fisherman and his family. For at the back of this little promontory there lay a very wild forest, which, both from its gloom and pathless solitude as well as from the wonderful creatures and illusions with which it was said to abound, was avoided by most people except in cases of necessity.

The pious old fisherman, however, passed through it many a time undisturbed, when he was taking the choice fish, which he had caught at his beautiful home, to a large town situated not far from the confines of the forest. The principal reason why it was so easy for him to pass through this forest was because the tone of his thoughts was almost entirely of a religious character, and besides this, whenever he set foot upon the evil reputed shades, he was wont to sing some holy song, with a clear voice and a sincere heart.

While sitting over his nets this evening, unsuspicious of any evil, a sudden fear came upon him, at the sound of a rustling in the gloom of the forest, as of a horse and rider, the noise approaching nearer and nearer to the little promontory. All that he had dreamed, in many a stormy night, of the mysteries of the forest, now flashed at once through his mind; foremost of all, the image of a gigantic snow-white man, who kept unceasingly nodding his head in a portentous manner. Indeed, when he raised his eyes toward the wood it seemed to him as if he actually saw the nodding man approaching through the dense foliage. He soon, however, reassured himself, reflecting that nothing serious had ever befallen him even in the forest itself, and that upon this open tongue of land the evil spirit would be still less daring in the exercise of his power. At the same time he repeated aloud a text from the Bible with all his heart, and this so inspired him with courage that he almost smiled at the illusion he had allowed to possess him. The white nodding man was suddenly transformed into a brook long familiar to him, which ran foaming from the forest and discharged itself into the lake. The noise, however, which he had heard, was caused by a knight beautifully apparelled, who, emerging from the deep shadows of the wood, came riding toward the cottage. A scarlet mantle was thrown over his purple gold-embroidered doublet; a red and violet plume waved from his golden-colored head-gear; and a beautifully and richly ornamented sword flashed from his shoulder-belt. The white steed that bore the knight was more slenderly formed than war-horses generally are, and he stepped so lightly over the turf that this green and flowery carpet seemed scarcely to receive the slightest injury from his tread.

The old fisherman did not, however, feel perfectly secure in his mind, although he tried to convince himself that no evil was to be feared from so graceful an apparition; and therefore he politely took off his hat as the knight approached, and remained quietly with his nets.

Presently the stranger drew up, and inquired whether he and his horse could have shelter and care for the night. "As regards your horse, good sir," replied the fisherman. "I can assign him no better stable than this shady pasture, and no better provender than the grass growing on it. Yourself, however, I will gladly welcome to my small cottage, and give you supper and lodging as good as we have."

The knight was well satisfied with this; he alighted from his horse, and, with the assistance of the fisherman, he relieved it from saddle and bridle, and turned it loose upon the flowery green. Then addressing his host, he said: "Even had I found you less hospitable and kindly disposed, my worthy old fisherman, you would nevertheless scarcely have got rid of me to-day, for, as I see, a broad lake lies before us, and to ride back into that mysterious wood, with the shades of evening coming on, heaven keep me from it!"

"We will not talk too much of that," said the fisherman, and he led his guest into the cottage.

There, beside the hearth, from which a scanty fire shed a dim light through the cleanly-kept room, sat the fisherman's aged wife in a capacious chair. At the entrance of the noble guest she rose to give him a kindly welcome, but resumed her seat of honor without offering it to the stranger. Upon this the fisherman said with a smile: "You must not take it amiss of her, young sir, that she has not given up to you the most comfortable seat in the house; it is a custom among poor people, that it should belong exclusively to the aged."

同类推荐
  • 佛说无上依经

    佛说无上依经

    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。
  • 日闻录

    日闻录

    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。
  • 玄坛刊误论

    玄坛刊误论

    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。
  • 兼明书

    兼明书

    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。
  • 张龙湖先生文集

    张龙湖先生文集

    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
  • 重生男主之倒追女配计划

    重生男主之倒追女配计划

    何婧:这一生,最幸福的事就是遇见你,这一生,最不幸的事就是认识你。你是我永世的劫,见不到会思恋,见到了,便会心疼。封祁:这辈子最庆幸的事就是在我回头的时候原来你还在。本作品是作者第一次写文,希望多多关照,结局he,不小白。
  • 兽曲

    兽曲

    人兽之战以人类的胜利而告终陈楠却因为莫名的选择来到了战后的世界为人,亦或是为兽?陈楠表示:我只想回家
  • DOTA英雄传奇

    DOTA英雄传奇

    基于魔兽正史背景的DOTA英雄传记。魔兽的官方小说有很多,DOTA2的则完全抛弃了魔兽的背景。基于魔兽而产生的DOTA英雄们,处于一个特别尴尬的地位。这是一个8年魔兽、dota玩家不能忍受的。这部小说,将为dota英雄正名,在历史上给他们一个荣耀的地位。不为别的,就为曾经的基友网吧五连坐,就为已经逝去的DOTA青春。
  • 创灭十神

    创灭十神

    上神元之梦,万玄神之梦,纯元灵之梦。混元之始,神铸之梦。梦.古.玄.空.日.月.星.重.极
  • 临兵剑者

    临兵剑者

    楚临枫---侠义,我一直追逐……崇夜---如果全世界都要杀你,那么、我就杀光全世界!卓天痕---战斗,没有胜负,只有生死。叶羽凡---说出的话,绝不后悔;挥出的剑,绝不收回。莫千离---我将从梦中重生。项贞涛---没有自由的生命,那便是机械;没有自由的国度,那便早已灭亡。木苏苏---如果可以,我宁愿选择死。独孤倾月---我喜欢等待,但是我不等待我不喜欢的人。梁彦飞---有些事情无法选择,但却不得不去选择。秋鸣---天下之人尽想跳出天下,熟不知他永远都不可能。这是一个属于天下的故事,我相信他们会演绎着整个天下的沉沉浮浮,也许有些人会死,也许有些人会活着痛苦,但是这是属于他们的世界。
  • 台湾外记

    台湾外记

    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。
  • 盗墓之铁手神探

    盗墓之铁手神探

    一双铁手,寻龙点睛,凭山探墓,更凭借超人的分析能力解决一桩桩迷案
  • 现代交通(世界科技百科)

    现代交通(世界科技百科)

    本套青少年科普知识读物综合了中外最新科技的研究成果,具有很强的科学性、知识性、前沿性、可读性和系统性,是青少年了解科技、增长知识、开阔视野、提高素质、激发探索和启迪智慧的良好科谱读物,也是各级图书馆珍藏的最佳版本。
  • 国民男神太高冷

    国民男神太高冷

    她是九州大陆一代鬼才,倾城倾国,风华绝代,一朝被人陷害,死无完骨;“他是豪门世家的“小废物”,因不小心捡了一封情书,被人打死。当她因系统成为“他”,呵呵,废物?学渣变学霸,颜值堪比奇迹,迷妹上百万,更重要的是还撩了国民男神【欢迎入坑】
  • 白灵玉

    白灵玉

    白灵玉重出江湖,势必又要引发一场血腥无情的争杀!你准备好了吗?