24-the maiden with helmet- 第1部分

THE　MAIDEN　WITH　THE　WOODEN　HELMET

In　a　little　village　in　the　country　of　Japan　there　lived　long；
long　ago　a　man　and　his　wife。　　For　many　years　they　were　happy　and
prosperous；　but　bad　times　came；　and　at　last　nothing　was　left　them
but　their　daughter；　who　was　as　beautiful　as　the　morning。　　The
neighbours　were　very　kind；　and　would　have　done　anything　they
could　to　help　their　poor　friends；　but　the　old　couple　felt　that
since　everything　had　changed　they　would　rather　go　elsewhere；　so
one　day　they　set　off　to　bury　themselves　in　the　country；　taking
their　daughter　with　them。

Now　the　mother　and　daughter　had　plenty　to　do　in　keeping　the　house
clean　and　looking　after　the　garden；　but　the　man　would　sit　for
hours　together　gazing　straight　in　front　of　him；　and　thinking　of
the　riches　that　once　were　his。　　Each　day　he　grew　more　and　more
wretched；　till　at　length　he　took　to　his　bed　and　never　got　up
again。

His　wife　and　daughter　wept　bitterly　for　his　loss；　and　it　was　many
months　before　they　could　take　pleasure　in　anything。　　Then　one
morning　the　mother　suddenly　looked　at　the　girl；　and　found　that
she　had　grown　still　more　lovely　than　before。　　Once　her　heart
would　have　been　glad　at　the　sight；　but　now　that　they　two　were
alone　in　the　world　she　feared　some　harm　might　come　of　it。　　So；
like　a　good　mother；　she　tried　to　teach　her　daughter　all　she　knew；
and　to　bring　her　up　to　be　always　busy；　so　that　she　would　never
have　time　to　think　about　herself。　　And　the　girl　was　a　good　girl；
and　listened　to　all　her　mother's　lessons；　and　so　the　years　passed
away。

At　last　one　wet　spring　the　mother　caught　cold；　and　though　in　the
beginning　she　did　not　pay　much　attention　to　it；　she　gradually
grew　more　and　more　ill；　and　knew　that　she　had　not　long　to　live。　
Then　she　called　her　daughter　and　told　her　that　very　soon　she
would　be　alone　in　the　world；　that　she　must　take　care　of　herself；
as　there　would　be　no　one　to　take　care　of　her。　　And　because　it　was
more　difficult　for　beautiful　women　to　pass　unheeded　than　for
others；　she　bade　her　fetch　a　wooden　helmet　out　of　the　next　room；
and　put　it　on　her　head；　and　pull　it　low　down　over　her　brows；　so
that　nearly　the　whole　of　her　face　should　lie　in　its　shadow。　　The
girl　did　as　she　was　bid；　and　her　beauty　was　so　hidden　beneath　the
wooden　cap；　which　covered　up　all　her　hair；　that　she　might　have
gone　through　any　crowd；　and　no　one　would　have　looked　twice　at
her。　　And　when　she　saw　this　the　heart　of　the　mother　was　at　rest；
and　she　lay　back　in　her　bed　and　died。

The　girl　wept　for　many　days；　but　by…and…by　she　felt　that；　being
alone　in　the　world；　she　must　go　and　get　work；　for　she　had　only
herself　to　depend　upon。　　There　was　none　to　be　got　by　staying
where　she　was；　so　she　made　her　clothes　into　a　bundle；　and　walked
over　the　hills　till　she　reached　the　house　of　the　man　who　owned
the　fields　in　that　part　of　the　country。　　And　she　took　service
with　him　and　laboured　for　him　early　and　late；　and　every　night
when　she　went　to　bed　she　was　at　peace；　for　she　had　not　forgotten
one　thing　that　she　had　promised　her　mother；　and；　however　hot　the
sun　might　be；　she　always　kept　the　wooden　helmet　on　her　head；　and
the　people　gave　her　the　nickname　of　Hatschihime。

In　spite；　however；　of　all　her　care　the　fame　of　her　beauty　spread
abroad：　　many　of　the　impudent　young　men　that　are　always　to　be
found　in　the　world　stole　softly　up　behind　her　while　she　was　at
work；　and　tried　to　lift　off　the　wooden　helmet。　　But　the　girl
would　have　nothing　to　say　to　them；　and　only　bade　them　be　off；
then　they　began　to　talk　to　her；　but　she　never　answered　them；　and
went　on　with　what　she　was　doing；　though　her　wages　were　low　and
food　not　very　plentiful。　　Still　she　could　manage　to　live；　and
that　was　enough。

One　day　her　master　happened　to　pass　through　the　field　where　she
was　working；　and　was　struck　by　her　industry　and　stopped　to　watch
her。　　After　a　while　he　put　one　or　two　questions　to　her；　and　then
led　her　into　　his　house；　and　told　her　that　henceforward　her　only
duty　should　be　to　tend　his　sick　wife。　　From　this　time　the　girl
felt　as　if　all　her　troubles　were　ended；　but　the　worst　of　them　was
yet　to　come。

Not　very　long　after　Hatschihime　had　become　maid　to　the　sick
woman；　the　eldest　son　of　the　house　returned　home　from　Kioto；
where　he　had　been　studying　all　sorts　of　things。　　He　was　tired　of
the　splendours　of　the　town　and　its　pleasures；　and　was　glad　enough
to　be　back　in　the　green　country；　among　the　peach…blossoms　and
sweet　flowers。　　Strolling　about　in　the　early　morning；　he　caught
sight　of　the　girl　with　the　odd　wooden　helmet　on　her　head；　and
immediately　he　went　to　his　mother　to　ask　who　she　was；　and　where
she　came　from；　and　why　she　wore　that　strange　thing　over　her　face。

His　mother　answered　that　it　was　a　whim；　and　nobody　could　persuade
her　to　lay　it　aside；　whereat　the　young　man　laughed；　but　kept　his
thoughts　to　himself。

One　hot　day；　however；　he　happened　to　be　going　towards　home　when
he　caught　sight　of　his　mother's　waiting　maid　kneeling　by　a　little
stream　that　flowed　through　the　garden；　splashing　some　water　over
her　face。　　The　helmet　was　pushed　on　one　side；　and　as　the　youth
stood　watching　from　behind　a　tree　he　had　a　glimpse　of　the　girl's
great　beauty；　and　he　determined　that　no　one　else　should　be　his
wife。　　But　when　he　told　his　family　of　his　resolve　to　marry　her
they　were　very　angry；　and　made　up　all　sorts　of　wicked　stories
about　her。　　However；　they　might　have　spared　themselves　the
trouble；　as　he　knew　it　was　only　idle　talk。　　'I　have　merely　to
remain　firm；'　thought　he；　'and　they　will　have　to　give　in。'　　It
was　such　a　good　match　for　the　girl　that　it　never　occurred　to
anyone　that　she　would　refuse　the　young　man；　but　so　it　was。　　It
would　not　be　right；　she　felt；　to　make　a　quarrel　in　the　house；　and
though　in　secret　she　wept　bitterly；　for　a　long　while；　nothing
would　make　her　change　her　mind。　　At　length　one　night　her　mother
appeared　to　her　in　a　dream；　and　bade　her　marry　the　young　man。　　So
the　next　time　he　asked　heras　he　did　nearly　every　dayto　his
surprise　and　joy　she　consented。　　The　parents　then　saw　they　had
better　make　the　best　of　a　bad　business；　and　set　about　making　the
grand　preparations　suitable　to　the　occasion。　　Of　course　the
neighbours　said　a　great　many　ill…natured　things　about　the　wooden
helmet；　but　the　bridegroom　was　too　happy　to　care；　and　only
laughed　at　them。

When　everything　was　ready　for　the　feast；　and　the　bride　was
dressed　in　the　most　beautiful　embroidered　dress　to　be　found　in
Japan；　the　maids　took　hold　of　the　helmet　to　lift　it　off　her　head；
so　that　they　might　do　her　hair　in　the　latest　fashion。　　But　the
helmet　would　not　come；　and　the　harder　they　pulled；　the　faster　it
seemed　to　be；　till　the　poor　girl　yelled　with　pain。　　Hearing　her
cries　the　bridegroom　ran　in　and　soothed　her；　and　declared　that
she　should　be　married　in　the　helmet；　as　she　could　not　be　married
without。　　Then　the　ceremonies　began；　and　the　bridal　pair　sat
together；　and　the　cup　of　wine　was　brought　them；　out　of　which　they
had　to　drink。　　And　when　they　had　drunk　it　all；　and　the　cup　was
empty；　a　wonderful　thing　happened。　　The　helmet　suddenly　burst
with　a　loud　noise；　and　fell　in　pieces　on　the　ground；　and　as　they
all　turned　to　look　they　found　the　floor　covered　with　precious
stones　which　had　fallen　out　of　it。　　But　the　guests　were　less
astonished　at　the　brilliancy　of　the　diamonds　than　at　the　beauty
of　the　bride；　which　was　beyond　anything　they　had　ever　seen　or
heard　of。　　The　night　was　passed　in　singing　and　dancing；　and　then
the　bride　and　bridegroom　went　to　their　own　house；　where　they
lived　till　they　died；　and　had　many　children；　who　were　famous
throughout　Japan　for　their　goodness　and　beauty。

＇Japanische　Marchen。＇