27-the young man- 第1部分

THE　YOUNG　MAN　WHO　WOULD　HAVE　HIS　EYES　OPENED

Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　youth　who　was　never　happy　unless
he　was　prying　into　something　that　other　people　knew　nothing
about。　　After　he　had　learned　to　understand　the　language　of　birds
and　beasts；　he　discovered　accidentally　that　a　great　deal　took
place　under　cover　of　night　which　mortal　eyes　never　saw。　　From
that　moment　he　felt　he　could　not　rest　till　these　hidden　secrets
were　laid　bare　to　him；　and　he　spent　his　whole　time　wandering　from
one　wizard　to　another；　begging　them　to　open　his　eyes；　but　found
none　to　help　him。　　At　length　he　reached　an　old　magician　called
Mana；　whose　learning　was　greater　than　that　of　the　rest；　and　who
could　tell　him　all　he　wanted　to　know。　　But　when　the　old　man　had
listened　attentively　to　him；　he　said；　warningly：

'My　son；　do　not　follow　after　empty　knowledge；　which　will　not
bring　you　happiness；　but　rather　evil。　　Much　is　hidden　from　the
eyes　of　men；　because　did　they　know　everything　their　hearts　would
no　longer　be　at　peace。　　Knowledge　kills　joy；　therefore　think　well
what　you　are　doing；　or　some　day　you　will　repent。　　But　if　you　will
not　take　my　advice；　then　truly　I　can　show　you　the　secrets　of　the
night。　　Only　you　will　need　more　than　a　man's　courage　to　bear　the
sight。'

He　stopped　and　looked　at　the　young　man；　who　nodded　his　head；　and
then　the　wizard　continued；　'To…morrow　night　you　must　go　to　the
place　where；　once　in　seven　years；　the　serpent…king　gives　a　great
feast　to　his　whole　court。　　In　front　of　him　stands　a　golden　bowl
filled　with　goats'　milk；　and　if　you　can　manage　to　dip　a　piece　of
bread　in　this　milk；　and　eat　it　before　you　are　obliged　to　fly；　you
will　understand　all　the　secrets　of　the　night　that　are　hidden　from
other　men。　　It　is　lucky　for　you　that　the　serpent…king's　feast
happens　to　fall　this　year；　otherwise　you　would　have　had　long　to
wait　for　it。　　But　take　care　to　be　quick　and　bold；　or　it　will　be
the　worse　for　you。'

The　young　man　thanked　the　wizard　for　his　counsel；　and　went　his
way　firmly　resolved　to　carry　out　his　purpose；　even　if　he　paid　for
it　with　his　life；　and　when　night　came　he　set　out　for　a　wide；
lonely　moor；　where　the　serpent…king　held　his　feast。　　With
sharpened　eyes；　he　looked　eagerly　all　round　him；　but　could　see
nothing　but　a　multitude　of　small　hillocks；　that　lay　motionless
under　the　moonlight。　　He　crouched　behind　a　bush　for　some　time；
till　he　felt　that　midnight　could　not　be　far　off；　when　suddenly
there　arose　in　the　middle　of　the　moor　a　brilliant　glow；　as　if　a
star　was　shining　over　one　of　the　hillocks。　　At　the　same　moment
all　the　hillocks　began　to　writhe　and　to　crawl；　and　from　each　one
came　hundreds　of　serpents　and　made　straight　for　the　glow；　where
they　knew　they　should　find　their　king。　　When　they　reached　the
hillock　where　he　dwelt；　which　was　higher　and　broader　than　the
rest；　and　had　a　bright　light　hanging　over　the　top；　they　coiled
themselves　up　and　waited。　　The　whirr　and　confusion　from　all　the
serpent…houses　were　so　great　that　the　youth　did　not　dare　to
advance　one　step；　but　remained　where　he　was；　watching　intently
all　that　went　on；　but　at　last　he　began　to　take　courage；　and　moved
on　softly　step　by　step。

What　he　saw　was　creepier　than　creepy；　and　surpassed　all　he　had
ever　dreamt　of。　　Thousands　of　snakes；　big　and　little　and　of　every
colour；　were　gathered　together　in　one　great　cluster　round　a　huge
serpent；　whose　body　was　as　thick　as　a　beam；　and　which　had　on　its
head　a　golden　crown；　from　which　the　light　sprang。　　Their　hissings
and　darting　tongues　so　terrified　the　young　man　that　his　heart
sank；　and　he　felt　he　should　never　have　courage　to　push　on　to
certain　death；　when　suddenly　he　caught　sight　of　the　golden　bowl
in　front　of　the　serpent…king；　and　knew　that　if　he　lost　this
chance　it　would　never　come　back。　　So；　with　his　hair　standing　on
end　and　his　blood　frozen　in　his　veins；　he　crept　forwards。　　Oh！　
what　a　noise　and　a　whirr　rose　afresh　among　the　serpents。　
Thousands　of　heads　were　reared；　and　tongues　were　stretched　out　to
sting　the　intruder　to　death；　but　happily　for　him　their　bodies
were　so　closely　entwined　one　in　the　other　that　they　could　not
disentangle　themselves　quickly。　　Like　lightning　he　seized　a　bit
of　bread；　dipped　it　in　the　bowl；　and　put　it　in　his　mouth；　then
dashed　away　as　if　fire　was　pursuing　him。　　On　he　flew　as　if　a
whole　army　of　foes　were　at　his　heels；　and　he　seemed　to　hear　the
noise　of　their　approach　growing　nearer　and　nearer。　　At　length　his
breath　failed　him；　and　he　threw　himself　almost　senseless　on　the
turf。　　While　he　lay　there　dreadful　dreams　haunted　him。　　He
thought　that　the　serpent…king　with　the　fiery　crown　had　twined
himself　round　him；　and　was　crushing　out　his　life。　　With　a　loud
shriek　he　sprang　up　to　do　battle　with　his　enemy；　when　he　saw　that
it　was　rays　of　the　sun　which　had　wakened　him。　　He　rubbed　his　eyes
and　looked　all　round；　but　nothing　could　he　see　of　the　foes　of　the
past　night；　and　the　moor　where　he　had　run　into　such　danger　must
be　at　least　a　mile　away。　　But　it　was　no　dream　that　he　had　run
hard　and　far；　or　that　he　had　drunk　of　the　magic　goats'　milk。　　And
when　he　felt　his　limbs；　and　found　them　whole；　his　joy　was　great
that　he　had　come　through　such　perils　with　a　sound　skin。

After　the　fatigues　and　terrors　of　the　night；　he　lay　still　till
mid…day；　but　he　made　up　his　mind　he　would　go　that　very　evening
into　the　forest　to　try　what　the　goats'　milk　could　really　do　for
him；　and　if　he　would　now　be　able　to　understand　all　that　had　been
a　mystery　to　him。　　And　once　in　the　forest　his　doubts　were　set　at
rest；　for　he　saw　what　no　mortal　eyes　had　ever　seen　before。　
Beneath　the　trees　were　golden　pavilions；　with　flags　of　silver　all
brightly　lighted　up。　　He　was　still　wondering　why　the　pavilions
were　there；　when　a　noise　was　heard　among　the　trees；　as　if　the
wind　had　suddenly　got　up；　and　on　all　sides　beautiful　maidens
stepped　from　the　trees　into　the　bright　light　of　the　moon。　　These
were　the　wood…nymphs；　daughters　of　the　earth…mother；　who　came
every　night　to　hold　their　dances；　in　the　forest。　　The　young　man；
watching　from　his　hiding　place；　wished　he　had　a　hundred　eyes　in
his　head；　for　two　were　not　nearly　enough　for　the　sight　before
him；　the　dances　lasting　till　the　first　streaks　of　dawn。　　Then　a
silvery　veil　seemed　to　be　drawn　over　the　ladies；　and　they
vanished　from　sight。　　But　the　young　man　remained　where　he　was
till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens；　and　then　went　home。

He　felt　that　day　to　be　endless；　and　counted　the　minutes　till
night　should　come；　and　he　might　return　to　the　forest。　　But　when
at　last　he　got　there　he　found　neither　pavilions　nor　nymphs；　and
though　he　went　back　many　nights　after　he　never　saw　them　again。　
Still；　he　thought　about　them　night　and　day；　and　ceased　to　care
about　anything　else　in　the　world；　and　was　sick　to　the　end　of　his
life　with　longing　for　that　beautiful　vision。　　And　that　was　the
way　he　learned　that　the　wizard　had　spoken　truly　when　he　said；
'Blindness　is　man's　highest　good。'

＇Ehstnische　Marchen。＇