《石榴之屋》第38章

the　trees： the　frost　kept　snapping　the　little　twigs　on　either　side
of　them；　as　they　passed： and　when　they　came　to　the　mountain…
torrent　she　was　hanging　motionless　in　air；　for　the　ice…king　had
kissed　her。
so　cold　was　it　that　even　the　animals　and　the　birds　did　not　know
what　to　make　of　it。
ugh！　snarled　the　wolf；　as　he　limped　through　the　brushwood　with
his　tail　between　his　legs；　this　is　perfectly　monstrous　weather。
why　doesnt　the　government　look　to　it？
weet！　weet！　weet！　twittered　the　green　linnets；　the　old　earth　is
dead　and　they　have　laid　her　out　in　her　white　shroud。
the　earth　is　going　to　be　married；　and　this　is　her　bridal　dress；
whispered　the　turtle…doves　to　each　other。 their　little　pink　feet
were　quite　frost…bitten；　but　they　felt　that　it　was　their　duty　to
take　a　romantic　view　of　the　situation。
nonsense！　growled　the　wolf。 i　tell　you　that　it　is　all　the　fault
of　the　government；　and　if　you　dont　believe　me　i　shall　eat　you。
the　wolf　had　a　thoroughly　practical　mind；　and　was　never　at　a　loss
for　a　good　argument。
well；　for　my　own　part；　said　the　woodpecker；　who　was　a　born
philosopher；　i　dont　care　an　atomic　theory　for　explanations。 if　a
thing　is　so；　it　is　so；　and　at　present　it　is　terribly　cold。
terribly　cold　it　certainly　was。 the　little　squirrels；　who　lived
inside　the　tall　fir…tree；　kept　rubbing　each　others　noses　to　keep
themselves　warm；　and　the　rabbits　curled　themselves　up　in　their
holes；　and　did　not　venture　even　to　look　out　of　doors。 the　only
people　who　seemed　to　enjoy　it　were　the　great　horned　owls。 their
feathers　were　quite　stiff　with　rime；　but　they　did　not　mind；　and
they　rolled　their　large　yellow　eyes；　and　called　out　to　each　other
across　the　forest；　tu…whit！ tu…whoo！ tu…whit！ tu…whoo！　what
delightful　weather　we　are　having！
on　and　on　went　the　two　woodcutters；　blowing　lustily　upon　their
fingers；　and　stamping　with　their　huge　iron…shod　boots　upon　the
caked　snow。 once　they　sank　into　a　deep　drift；　and　came　out　as
white　as　millers　are；　when　the　stones　are　grinding；　and　once　they
slipped　on　the　hard　smooth　ice　where　the　marsh…water　was　frozen；
and　their　faggots　fell　out　of　their　bundles；　and　they　had　to　pick
them　up　and　bind　them　together　again；　and　once　they　thought　that
they　had　lost　their　way；　and　a　great　terror　seized　on　them；　for
they　knew　that　the　snow　is　cruel　to　those　who　sleep　in　her　arms。
but　they　put　their　trust　in　the　good　saint　martin；　who　watches　over
all　travellers；　and　retraced　their　steps；　and　went　warily；　and　at
last　they　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　forest；　and　saw；　far　down　in
the　valley　beneath　them；　the　lights　of　the　village　in　which　they
dwelt。
so　overjoyed　were　they　at　their　deliverance　that　they　laughed
aloud；　and　the　earth　seemed　to　them　like　a　flower　of　silver；　and
the　moon　like　a　flower　of　gold。
yet；　after　that　they　had　laughed　they　became　sad；　for　they
remembered　their　poverty；　and　one　of　them　said　to　the　other；　why
did　we　make　merry；　seeing　that　life　is　for　the　rich；　and　not　for
such　as　we　are？ better　that　we　had　died　of　cold　in　the　forest；　or
that　some　wild　beast　had　fallen　upon　us　and　slain　us。
truly；　answered　his　panion；　much　is　given　to　some；　and　little
is　given　to　others。 injustice　has　parcelled　out　the　world；　nor　is
there　equal　division　of　aught　save　of　sorrow。
but　as　they　were　bewailing　their　misery　to　each　other　this　strange
thing　happened。 there　fell　from　heaven　a　very　bright　and　beautiful
star。 it　slipped　down　the　side　of　the　sky；　passing　by　the　other
stars　in　its　course；　and；　as　they　watched　it　wondering；　it　seemed
to　them　to　sink　behind　a　clump　of　willow…trees　that　stood　hard　by　a
little　sheepfold　no　more　than　a　stones…throw　away。
why！　there　is　a　crook　of　gold　for　whoever　finds　it；　they　cried；
and　they　set　to　and　ran；　so　eager　were　they　for　the　gold。
and　one　of　them　ran　faster　than　his　mate；　and　outstripped　him；　and
forced　his　way　through　the　willows；　and　came　out　on　the　other　side；
and　lo！　there　was　indeed　a　thing　of　gold　lying　on　the　white　snow。
so　he　hastened　towards　it；　and　stooping　down　placed　his　hands　upon
it；　and　it　was　a　cloak　of　golden　tissue；　curiously　wrought　with
stars；　and　wrapped　in　many　folds。 and　he　cried　out　to　his　rade
that　he　had　found　the　treasure　that　had　fallen　from　the　sky；　and
when　his　rade　had　e　up；　they　sat　them　down　in　the　snow；　and
loosened　the　folds　of　the　cloak　that　they　might　divide　the　pieces
of　gold。 but；　alas！　no　gold　was　in　it；　nor　silver；　nor；　indeed；
treasure　of　any　kind；　but　only　a　little　child　who　was　asleep。
and　one　of　them　said　to　the　other： this　is　a　bitter　ending　to　our
hope；　nor　have　we　any　good　fortune；　for　what　doth　a　child　profit　to
a　man？ let　us　leave　it　here；　and　go　our　way；　seeing　that　we　are
poor　men；　and　have　children　of　our　own　whose　bread　we　may　not　give
to　another。
but　his　panion　answered　him： nay；　but　it　were　an　evil　thing　to
leave　the　child　to　perish　here　in　the　snow；　and　though　i　am　as　poor
as　thou　art；　and　have　many　mouths　to　feed；　and　but　little　in　the
pot；　yet　will　i　bring　it　home　with　me；　and　my　wife　shall　have　care
of　it。
so　very　tenderly　he　took　up　the　child；　and　wrapped　the　cloak　around
it　to　shield　it　from　the　harsh　cold；　and　made　his　way　down　the　hill
to　the　village；　his　rade　marvelling　much　at　his　foolishness　and
softness　of　heart。
and　when　they　came　to　the　village；　his　rade　said　to　him；　thou
hast　the　child；　therefore　give　me　the　cloak；　for　it　is　meet　that　we
should　share。
but　he　answered　him： nay；　for　the　cloak　is　neither　mine　nor
thine；　but　the　childs　only；　and　he　bade　him　godspeed；　and　went　to
his　own　house　and　knocked。
and　when　his　wife　opened　the　door　and　saw　that　her　husband　had
returned　safe　to　her；　she　put　her　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed
him；　and　took　from　his　back　the　bundle　of　faggots；　and　brushed　the
snow　off　his　boots；　and　bade　him　e　in。
but　he　said　to　her；　i　have　found　something　in　the　forest；　and　i
have　brought　it　to　thee　to　have　care　of　it；　and　he　stirred　not
from　the　threshold。
what　is　it？　she