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second time that you have succoured me。'
'Nay； but thou hadst pity on me first；' said the Hare； and it ran
away swiftly。
And the Star…Child took the piece of yellow gold； and put it in his
wallet； and hurried to the city。 But the leper saw him coming； and
ran to meet him； and knelt down and cried； 'Give me a piece of
money or I shall die of hunger。'
And the Star…Child said to him； 'I have in my wallet but one piece
of yellow gold； and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me
and keep me as his slave。'
But the leper entreated him sore； so that the Star…Child had pity
on him； and gave him the piece of yellow gold。
And when he came to the Magician's house； the Magician opened to
him； and brought him in； and said to him； 'Hast thou the piece of
yellow gold？' And the Star…Child said to him； 'I have it not。' So
the Magician fell upon him； and beat him； and loaded him with
chains； and cast him again into the dungeon。
And on the morrow the Magician came to him； and said； 'If to…day
thou bringest me the piece of red gold I will set thee free； but if
thou bringest it not I will surely slay thee。'
So the Star…Child went to the wood； and all day long he searched
for the piece of red gold； but nowhere could he find it。 And at
evening he sat him down and wept； and as he was weeping there came
to him the little Hare。
And the Hare said to him； 'The piece of red gold that thou seekest
is in the cavern that is behind thee。 Therefore weep no more but
be glad。'
'How shall I reward thee？' cried the Star…Child； 'for lo！ this is
the third time thou hast succoured me。'
'Nay； but thou hadst pity on me first；' said the Hare； and it ran
away swiftly。
And the Star…Child entered the cavern； and in its farthest corner
he found the piece of red gold。 So he put it in his wallet； and
hurried to the city。 And the leper seeing him coming； stood in the
centre of the road； and cried out； and said to him； 'Give me the
piece of red money； or I must die；' and the Star…Child had pity on
him again； and gave him the piece of red gold； saying； 'Thy need is
greater than mine。' Yet was his heart heavy； for he knew what evil
fate awaited him。
But lo！ as he passed through the gate of the city； the guards bowed
down and made obeisance to him； saying； 'How beautiful is our
lord！' and a crowd of citizens followed him； and cried out； 'Surely
there is none so beautiful in the whole world！' so that the Star…
Child wept； and said to himself； 'They are mocking me； and making
light of my misery。' And so large was the concourse of the people；
that he lost the threads of his way； and found himself at last in a
great square； in which there was a palace of a King。
And the gate of the palace opened； and the priests and the high
officers of the city ran forth to meet him； and they abased
themselves before him； and said； 'Thou art our lord for whom we
have been waiting； and the son of our King。'
And the Star…Child answered them and said； 'I am no king's son； but
the child of a poor beggar…woman。 And how say ye that I am
beautiful； for I know that I am evil to look at？'
Then he； whose armour was inlaid with gilt flowers； and on whose
helmet crouched a lion that had wings； held up a shield； and cried；
'How saith my lord that he is not beautiful？'
And the Star…Child looked； and lo！ his face was even as it had
been； and his comeliness had come back to him； and he saw that in
his eyes which he had not seen there before。
And the priests and the high officers knelt down and said to him；
'It was prophesied of old that on this day should come he who was
to rule over us。 Therefore； let our lord take this crown and this
sceptre； and be in his justice and mercy our King over us。'
But he said to them； 'I am not worthy； for I have denied the mother
who bare me； nor may I rest till I have found her； and known her
forgiveness。 Therefore； let me go； for I must wander again over
the world； and may not tarry here； though ye bring me the crown and
the sceptre。' And as he spake he turned his face from them towards
the street that led to the gate of the city； and lo！ amongst the
crowd that pressed round the soldiers； he saw the beggar…woman who
was his mother； and at her side stood the leper； who had sat by the
road。
And a cry of joy broke from his lips； and he ran over； and kneeling
down he kissed the wounds on his mother's feet； and wet them with
his tears。 He bowed his head in the dust； and sobbing； as one
whose heart might break； he said to her： 'Mother； I denied thee in
the hour of my pride。 Accept me in the hour of my humility。
Mother； I gave thee hatred。 Do thou give me love。 Mother； I
rejected thee。 Receive thy child now。' But the beggar…woman
answered him not a word。
And he reached out his hands； and clasped the white feet of the
leper； and said to him： 'Thrice did I give thee of my mercy。 Bid
my mother speak to me once。' But the leper answered him not a
word。
And he sobbed again and said： 'Mother； my suffering is greater
than I can bear。 Give me thy forgiveness； and let me go back to
the forest。' And the beggar…woman put her hand on his head； and
said to him； 'Rise；' and the leper put his hand on his head； and
said to him； 'Rise；' also。
And he rose up from his feet； and looked at them； and lo！ they were
a King and a Queen。
And the Queen said to him； 'This is thy father whom thou hast
succoured。'
And the King said； 'This is thy mother whose feet thou hast washed
with thy tears。' And they fell on his neck and kissed him； and
brought him into the palace and clothed him in fair raiment； and
set the crown upon his head； and the sceptre in his hand； and over
the city that stood by the river he ruled； and was its lord。 Much
justice and mercy did he show to all； and the evil Magician he
banished； and to the Woodcutter and his wife he sent many rich
gifts； and to their children he gave high honour。 Nor would he
suffer any to be cruel to bird or beast； but taught love and
loving…kindness and charity； and to the poor he gave bread； and to
the naked he gave raiment； and there was peace and plenty in the
land。
Yet ruled he not long； so great had been his suffering； and so
bitter the fire of his testing； for after the space of three years
he died。 And he who came after him ruled evilly。
End
渔夫和他的灵魂
THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL
＇TO H。S。H。 ALICE； PRINCESS OF MONACO＇
Every evening the young Fisherman went out upon the sea； and threw
his nets into the water。
When the wind blew from the land he caught nothing； or but little
at best； for it was a bitter and black…winged wind； and rough waves
rose up to meet it。 But when the wind blew to the shore； the fish
came in from the deep； and swam into the meshes of his nets； and he
took them to the market…place and sold them。
Every evening he went out upon the sea； and one evening the net was
so heavy that hardly could he draw it into the boat。 And he
laughed； and said to himself； 'Surely I have caught all the fish
that swim； or snared some dull monster that will be a marvel to
men； or some thing of horror that the great Queen will desire；' and
putting forth all his strength； he tugged at the coarse ropes till；
like lines of blue enamel round a vase of bronze； the long veins
rose up on his arms。 He tugged at the thin ropes； and nearer and
nearer came the circle of flat corks； and the net rose at last to
the top of the water。
But no fish at all was in it； nor any monster or thing of horror；
but only a little Mermaid lying fast asleep。
Her hair was as a wet fleece of gold； and each separate hair as a
thread of fine gold in a cup of glass。 Her body was as white
ivory； and her tail was of silver and pearl。 Silver and pearl was
her tail； and the green weeds of the sea coiled round it； and like
sea…shells were her ears； and her lips were like sea…coral。 The
cold waves dashed over her cold breasts； and the salt glistened
upon her eyelids。
So beautiful was she that when the young Fisherman saw her he was
filled with wonder； and he put out his hand and drew the net close
to him； and leaning over the side he clasped her in his arms。 And
when he touched her； she gave a cry like a startled sea…gull； and
woke； and looked at him in terror with her mauve…amethyst eyes； and
struggled that she might escape。 But he held her tightly to him；
and would not suffer her to depart。
And when she saw that she could in no way escape from him； she
began to weep； and said； 'I pray thee let me go； for I am the only
daughter of a King； and my father is aged and alone。'
But the young Fisherman answered； 'I will not let thee go save thou
makest me a promise that whenever I call thee； thou wilt come and
sing to me； for the fish delight to listen to the song of the Sea…