the enchanted island of yew- 第5部分

〃Give　it　to　the　poor；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　promptly。

〃What　poor？〃

〃Oh；　the　poorest　people　I　can　find。〃

〃Will　you　permit　me　to　advise　you　in　this　matter？〃　asked　the　king　of　thieves；　politely。

〃Yes；　indeed；　for　I　am　a　stranger　in　this　land；〃　returned　the　prince。

〃Well；　I　know　a　lot　of　people　who　are　so　poor　that　they　have　no　possessions　whatever；　neither　food　to　eat；　houses　to　live　in；　nor　any　clothing　but　that　which　covers　their　bodies。　　They　can　call　no　man　friend；　nor　will　any　lift　a　hand　to　help　them。　　Indeed；　good　sir；　I　verily　believe　they　will　soon　perish　miserably　unless　you　come　to　their　assistance！〃

〃Poor　creatures！〃　exclaimed　Prince　Marvel；　with　ready　sympathy；　〃tell　me　who　they　are；　and　I　will　divide　amongst　them　all　your　ill…gotten　gains。〃

〃They　are　ourselves；〃　replied　the　king　of　thieves；　with　a　sigh。

Marvel　looked　at　him　in　amazement；　and　then　burst　into　joyous　laughter。

〃Yourselves！〃　he　cried；　greatly　amused。

〃Indeed；　yes！〃　said　Wul…Takim；　sadly。　　〃There　are　no　poorer　people　in　all　the　world；　for　we　have　ropes　about　our　necks　and　are　soon　to　be　hanged。　　To…morrow　we　shall　not　have　even　our　flesh　left；　for　the　crows　will　pick　our　bones。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　remarked　Marvel；　thoughtfully。　　〃But；　if　I　restore　to　you　the　treasure；　how　will　it　benefit　you；　since　you　are　about　to　die？〃

〃Must　you　really　hang　us？〃　asked　the　thief。

〃Yes；　I　have　decreed　it；　and　you　deserve　your　fate。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　you　have　wickedly　taken　from　helpless　people　their　property；　and　committed　many　other　crimes　besides。〃

〃But　I　have　reformed！　　We　have　all　reformedhave　we　not；　brothers？〃

〃We　have！〃　answered　the　other　thieves；　who；　having　regained　their　senses；　were　listening　to　this　conversation　with　much　interest。

〃And；　if　you　will　return　to　us　our　treasure；　we　will　promise　never　to　steal　again；　but　to　remain　honest　men　and　enjoy　our　wealth　in　peace；〃　promised　the　king。

〃Honest　men　could　not　enjoy　treasures　they　have　stolen；〃　said　Prince　Marvel。

〃True；　but　this　treasure　is　now　yours；　having　been　won　by　you　in　fair　battle。　　And　if　you　present　it　to　us　it　will　no　longer　be　stolen　treasure；　but　a　generous　gift　from　a　mighty　prince；　which　we　may　enjoy　with　clear　consciences。〃

〃Yet　there　remains　the　fact　that　I　have　promised　to　hang　you；〃　suggested　Prince　Marvel；　with　a　smile；　for　the　king　amused　him　greatly。

〃Not　at　all！　　Not　at　all！〃　cried　Wul…Takim。　　〃You　promised　to　hang　fifty…nine　thieves；　and　there　is　no　doubt　the　fifty…nine　thieves　deserved　to　be　hung。　　But；　consider！　　We　have　all　reformed　our　ways　and　become　honest　men；　so　it　would　be　a　sad　and　unkindly　act　to　hang　fifty…nine　honest　men！〃

〃What　think　you；　Nerle？〃　asked　the　Prince；　turning　to　his　esquire。

〃Why；　the　rogue　seems　to　speak　truth；〃　said　Nerle；　scratching　his　head　with　a　puzzled　air；　〃yet；　if　he　speaks　truth；　there　is　little　difference　between　a　rogue　and　an　honest　man。　　Ask　him；　my　master；　what　caused　them　all　to　reform　so　suddenly。〃

〃Because　we　were　about　to　die；　and　we　thought　it　a　good　way　to　save　our　lives；〃　replied　the　robber　king。

〃That's　an　honest　answer；　anyway；〃　said　Nerle。　　〃Perhaps；　sir；　they　have　really　reformed。〃

〃And　if　so；　I　will　not　have　the　death　of　fifty…nine　honest　men　on　my　conscience；〃　declared　the　prince。　　Then　he　turned　to　Wul…Takim　and　added：　〃I　will　release　you　and　give　you　the　treasure；　as　you　request。　But　you　owe　me　allegiance　from　this　time　forth；　and　if　I　ever　hear　of　your　becoming　thieves　again；　I　promise　to　return　and　hang　every　one　of　you。〃

〃Never　fear！〃　answered　Wul…Takim；　joyfully。　　〃It　is　hard　work　to　steal；　and　while　we　have　so　much　treasure　it　is　wholly　unnecessary。　Moreover；　having　accepted　from　you　our　lives　and　our　fortunes；　we　shall　hereafter　be　your　devoted　servants；　and　whenever　you　need　our　services　you　have　but　to　call　upon　us；　and　we　will　support　you　loyally　and　gladly。〃

〃I　accept　your　service；〃　answered　the　prince；　graciously。

And　then　he　unbound　the　fifty…nine　honest　men　and　took　the　ropes　from　their　necks。　　As　nightfall　was　fast　approaching　the　new　servants　set　to　work　to　prepare　a　great　feast　in　honor　of　their　master。　　It　was　laid　in　the　middle　of　the　grassy　clearing；　that　all　might　sit　around　and　celebrate　the　joyous　occasion。

〃Do　you　think　you　can　trust　these　men？〃　asked　Nerle；　suspiciously。

〃Why　not？〃　replied　the　prince。　　〃They　have　been　exceedingly　wicked；　it　is　true；　but　they　are　now　intent　upon　being　exceedingly　good。　　Let　us　encourage　them　in　this。　　If　we　mistrusted　all　who　have　ever　done　an　evil　act　there　would　be　fewer　honest　people　in　the　world。　　And　if　it　were　as　interesting　to　do　a　good　act　as　an　evil　one　there　is　no　doubt　every　one　would　choose　the　good。〃



6。　　The　Troubles　of　Nerle


That　night　Prince　Marvel　slept　within　the　cave；　surrounded　by　the　fifty…nine　reformed　thieves；　and　suffered　no　harm　at　their　hands。　　In　the　morning；　accompanied　by　his　esquire；　Nerle；　who　was　mounted　upon　a　spirited　horse　brought　him　by　Wul…Takim；　he　charged　the　honest　men　to　remember　their　promises；　bade　them　good　by；　and　set　out　in　search　of　further　adventure。

As　they　left　the　clearing　by　the　narrow　passage　that　led　between　the　overhanging　rocks；　the　prince　looked　back　and　saw　that　the　sign　above　the　gate　of　the　cave；　which　had　told　of　the　thieves'　treasure　house；　had　been　changed。　　It　now　read　as　follows：


　　　　　　　　　　　　WUL…TAKIM　　　　　　　　　KING　OF　HONEST　MEN　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　　　　　　　　　HIS　PLEASURE　HOUSE　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WALK　IN


〃That　is　much　better；〃　laughed　the　prince。　　〃I　accomplished　some　good　by　my　adventure；　anyway！〃

Nerle　did　not　reply。　　He　seemed　especially　quiet　and　thoughtful　as　he　rode　by　his　master's　side；　and　after　they　had　traveled　some　distance　in　silence　Prince　Marvel　said：

〃Tell　me　how　you　came　to　be　in　the　cave　of　thieves；　and　perched　upon　the　casks　where　I　found　you。〃

〃It　is　a　sad　story；〃　returned　Nerle；　with　a　sigh；　〃but　since　you　request　me　to　tell　it；　the　tale　may　serve　to　relieve　the　tedium　of　your　journey。

〃My　father　is　a　mighty　baron；　very　wealthy　and　with　a　heart　so　kind　that　he　has　ever　taken　pleasure　in　thrusting　on　me　whatever　gift　he　could　think　of。　　I　had　not　a　single　desire　unsatisfied；　for　before　I　could　wish　for　anything　it　was　given　me。

〃My　mother　was　much　like　my　father。　　She　and　her　women　were　always　making　jams；　jellies；　candies；　cakes　and　the　like　for　me　to　eat；　so　I　never　knew　the　pleasure　of　hunger。　　My　clothes　were　the　gayest　satins　and　velvets；　richly　made　and　sewn　with　gold　and　silver　braid；　so　it　was　impossible　to　wish　for　more　in　the　way　of　apparel。　　They　let　me　study　my　lessons　whenever　I　felt　like　it　and　go　fishing　or　hunting　as　I　pleased；　so　I　could　not　complain　that　I　was　unable　to　do　just　as　I　wanted　to。　　All　the　servants　obeyed　my　slightest　wish：　if　I　wanted　to　sit　up　late　at　night　no　one　objected；　if　I　wished　to　lie　in　bed　till　noon　they　kept　the　house　quiet　so　as　not　to　disturb　me。

〃This　condition　of　affairs；　as　you　may　imagine；　grew　more　and　more　tedious　and　exasperating　the　older　I　became。　　Try　as　I　might；　I　could　find　nothing　to　complain　of。　　I　once　saw　the　son　of　one　of　our　servants　receive　a　flogging；　and　my　heart　grew　light。　　I　immediately　begged　my　father　to　flog　me；　by　way　of　variety；　and　he；　who　could　refuse　me　nothing；　at　once　consented。　　For　this　reason　there　was　less　satisfaction　in　the　operation　than　I　had　expected；　although　for　the　time　being　it　was　a　distinct　novelty。

〃Now；　no　one　could　expect　a　high…spirited　boy　to　put　up　with　such　a　life　as　mine。　　With　nothing　to　desire　and　no　chance　of　doing　anything　that　would　annoy　my　parents；　my　days　were　dreary　indeed。〃

He　paused　to　wipe　the　tears　from　his　eyes；　and　the　prince　murmured；　sympathetically：　〃Poor　boy！　　Poor　boy！〃

〃Ah；　you　may　well　say　that！〃　continued　Nerle。　　〃But　one　day　a　stranger　came　to　my　father's　castle　with　tales　of　many　troubles　he　had　met　with。　　He　had　been　lost　in　a　forest　and　nearly　starved　to　death。　　He　had　been　robbed　and　beaten　and　left　wounded　and　sore　by　the　wayside。　He　had　begged　from　door　to　door　and　been　refused　food　or　assistance。　In　short；　his　story　was　so　delightful　that　it　made　me　envy　him；　and　I　yearned　to　suffer　as　he　had　done。　　When　I　could　speak　with　him　alone　I　said：　'Pray　tell　me　how　I　can　manage　to　acquire　the　misfortunes　you　have　undergone。　　Here　I　have　everything　that　I　desire；　and　it　makes　me　very　unhappy。'

〃The　stranger　laughed　at　me；　at　first；　and　I　found　some　pleasure　in　the　humiliation　I　then　felt。　　But　it　did　not　last　long；　for　presently　he　grew　sober　and　advised　me　to　run　away　from　home　and　seek　adventure。

〃'Once　away　from　your　father's　castle；'　said　he；　'troubles　will　fall　upon　you　thick　enough　to　satisfy　even　your　longings。'

〃'That　is　what　I　am　afraid　of！'　I　answered。　　'I　don't　want　to　be　satisfied；　even　with　troubles。　　What　I　seek　is　unsatisfied　longings。'

〃'Nevertheless；'　said　he；　'I　advise　you　to　travel。　　Everything　will　probably　go　wrong　with　you；　and　then　you　will　be　happy。'

〃I　acted　upon　the　stranger's　advice　and　ran　away　from　home　the　next　day。　　After　journeying　a　long　time　I　commenced　to　feel　the　pangs　of　hunger；　and　was　just　beginning　to　enjoy　myself　when　a　knight　rode　by　and　gave　me　a　supply　of　food。　　At　this　rebuff　I　could　not　restrain　my　tears；　but　while　I　wept　my　horse　stumbled　and　threw　me　over　his　head。　I　hoped　at　first　I　had　broken　my　neck；　and　was　just　congratulating　myself　upon　the　misfortune；　when　a　witch…woman　came　along　and　rubbed　some　ointment　upon　my　bruises；　in　spite　of　my　protests。　　To　my　great　grief　the　pain　left　me；　and　I　was　soon　well　again。　　But；　as　a　slight　compensation　for　my　disappointment；　my　horse　had　run　away；　so　I　began　my　journey　anew　and　on　foot。

〃That　afternoon　I　stepped　into　a　nest　of　wasps；　but　the　thoughtless　creatures　flew　away　without　stinging　me。　　Then　I　met　a　fierce　tiger；　and　my　heart　grew　light　and　gay。　　'Surely　this　will　cause　me　suffering！'　I　cried；　and　advanced　swiftly　upon　the　brute。　　But　the　cowardly　tiger　turned　tail　and　ran　to　hide　in　the　bushes；　leaving　me　unhurt！

〃Of　course；　my　many　disappointments　were　some　consolation；　but　not　much。　　That　night　I　slept　on　the　bare　ground；　and　hoped　I　should　catch　a　severe　cold；　but　no　such　joy　was　to　be　mine。

〃Yet　the　next　afternoon　I　experienced　m