16-the envious neighbour-第1章

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THE　ENVIOUS　NEIGHBOUR

Long；　long　ago　an　old　couple　lived　in　a　village；　and；　as　they　had
no　children　to　love　and　care　for；　they　gave　all　their　affection
to　a　little　dog。　　He　was　a　pretty　little　creature；　and　instead　of
growing　spoilt　and　disagreeable　at　not　getting　everything　he
wanted；　as　even　children　will　do　sometimes；　the　dog　was　grateful
to　them　for　their　kindness；　and　never　left　their　side；　whether
they　were　in　the　house　or　out　of　it。

One　day　the　old　man　was　working　in　his　garden；　with　his　dog；　as
usual；　close　by。　　The　morning　was　hot；　and　at　last　he　put　down
his　spade　and　wiped　his　wet　forehead；　noticing；　as　he　did　so；
that　the　animal　was　snuffling　and　scratching　at　a　spot　a　little
way　off。　　There　was　nothing　very　strange　in　this；　as　all　dogs　are
fond　of　scratching；　and　he　went　on　quietly　with　his　digging；　when
the　dog　ran　up　to　his　master；　barking　loudly；　and　back　again　to
the　place　where　he　had　been　scratching。　　This　he　did　several
times；　till　the　old　man　wondered　what　could　be　the　matter；　and；
picking　up　the　spade；　followed　where　the　dog　led　him。　　The　dog
was　so　delighted　at　his　success　that　he　jumped　round；　barking
loudly；　till　the　noise　brought　the　old　woman　out　of　the　house。

Curious　to　know　if　the　dog　had　really　found　anything；　the　husband
began　to　dig；　and　very　soon　the　spade　struck　against　something。　
He　stooped　down　and　pulled　out　a　large　box；　filled　quite　full
with　shining　gold　pieces。　　The　box　was　so　heavy　that　the　old
woman　had　to　help　to　carry　it　home；　and　you　may　guess　what　a
supper　the　dog　had　that　night！　　Now　that　he　had　made　them　rich；
they　gave　him　every　day　all　that　a　dog　likes　best　to　eat；　and　the
cushions　on　which　he　lay　were　fit　for　a　prince。

The　story　of　the　dog　and　his　treasure　soon　became　known；　and　a
neighbour　whose　garden　was　next　the　old　people's　grew　so　envious
of　their　good　luck　that　he　could　neither　eat　nor　sleep。　　As　the
dog　had　discovered　a　treasure　once；　this　foolish　man　thought　he
must　be　able　to　discover　one　always；　and　begged　the　old　couple　to
lend　him　their　pet　for　a　little　while；　so　that　he　might　be　made
rich　also。

'How　can　you　ask　such　a　thing？'　answered　the　old　man　indignantly。

'You　know　how　much　we　love　him；　and　that　he　is　never　out　of　our
sight　for　five　minutes。'

But　the　envious　neighbour　would　not　heed　his　words；　and　came
daily　with　the　same　request；　till　at　last　the　old　people；　who
could　not　bear　to　say　no　to　anyone；　promised　to　lend　the　dog；
just　for　a　night　or　two。　　No　sooner　did　the　man　get　hold　of　the
dog　than　he　turned　him　into　the　garden；　but　the　dog　did　nothing
but　race　about；　and　the　man　was　forced　to　wait　with　what　patience
he　could。

The　next　morning　the　man　opened　the　house　door；　and　the　dog
bounded　joyfully　into　the　garden；　and；　running　up　to　the　foot　of
a　tree；　began　to　scratch　wildly。　　The　man　called　loudly　to　his
wife　to　bring　a　spade；　and　followed　the　dog；　as　he　longed　to
catch　the　first　glimpse　of　the　expected　treasure。　　But　when　he
had　dug　up　the　ground；　what　did　he　find？　　　Why；　nothing　but　a
parcel　of　old　bones；　which　smelt　so　badly　that　he　could　not　stay
there　a　moment　longer。　　And　his　heart　was　filled　with　rage
against　the　dog　who　had　played　him　this　trick；　and　he　seized　a
pickaxe　and　killed　it　on　the　spot；　before　he　knew　what　he　was
doing。　　When　he　remembered　that　he　would　have　to　go　with　his
story　to　the　old　man　and　his　wife　he　was　rather　frightened；　but
there　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　putting　it　off；　so　he　pulled　a
very　long　face　and　went　to　his　neighbour's　garden。

'Your　dog；'　said　he；　pretending　to　weep；　'has　suddenly　fallen
down　dead；　though　I　took　every　care　of　him；　and　gave　him
everything　he　could　wish　for。　　And　I　thought　I　had　better　come
straight　and　tell　you。'

Weeping　bitterly；　the　old　man　went　to　fetch　the　body　of　his
favourite；　and　brought　it　home　and　buried　it　under　the　fig…tree
where　he　had　found　the　treasure。　　From　morning　till　night　he　and
his　wife　mourned　over　their　loss；　and　nothing　could　comfort　them。

At　length；　one　night　when　he　was　asleep；　he　dreamt　that　the　dog
appeared　to　him　and　told　him　to　cut　down　the　fig…tree　over　his
grave；　and　out　of　its　wood　to　make　a　mortar。　　But　when　the　old
man　woke　and　thought　of　his　dream　he　did　not　feel　at　all　inclined
to　cut　down　the　tree；　which　bore　well　every　year；　and　consulted
his　wife　about　it。　　The　woman　did　not　hesitate　a　moment；　and　said
that　after　what　had　happened　before；　the　dog's　advice　must
certainly　be　obeyed；　so　the　tree　was　felled；　and　a　beautiful
mortar　made　from　it。　　And　when　the　season　came　for　the　rice　crop
to　be　gathered　the　mortar　was　taken　down　from　its　shelf；　and　the
grains　placed　in　it　for　pounding；　when；　lo　and　behold！　in　a
twinkling　of　an　eye；　they　all　turned　into　gold　pieces。　　At　the
sight　of　all　this　gold　the　hearts　of　the　old　people　were　glad；
and　once　more　they　blessed　their　faithful　dog。

But　it　was　not　long　before　this　story　also　came　to　the　ears　of
their　envious　neighbour；　and　he　lost　no　time　in　going　to　the　old
people　and　asking　if　they　happened　to　have　a　mortar　which　they
could　lend　him。　　The　old　man　did　not　at　all　like　parting　with　his
precious　treasure；　but　he　never　could　say　no；　so　the　neighbour
went　off　with　the　mortar　under　his　arm。

The　moment　he　got　into　his　own　house　he　took　a　great　handful　of
rice；　and　began　to　shell　off　the　husks；　with　the　help　of　his
wife。　　But；　instead　of　the　gold　pieces　for　which　they　looked；　the
rice　turned　into　berries　with　such　a　horrible　smell　that　they
were　obliged　to　run　away；　after　smashing　the　mortar　in　a　rage　and
setting　fire　to　the　bits。

The　old　people　next　door　were　naturally　very　much　put　out　when
they　learned　the　fate　of　their　mortar；　and　were　not　at　all
comforted　by　the　explanations　and　excuses　made　by　their
neighbour。　　But　that　night　the　dog　again　appeared　in　a　dream　to
his　master；　and　told　him　that　he　must　go　and　collect　the　ashes　of
the　burnt　mortar　and　bring　them　home。　　Then；　when　he　heard　that
the　Daimio；　or　great　lord　to　whom　this　part　of　the　country
belonged；　was　expected　at　the　capital；　he　was　to　carry　the　ashes
to　the　high　road；　through　which　the　procession　would　have　to
pass。　　And　as　soon　as　it　was　in　sight　he　was　to　climb　up　all　the
cherry…trees　and　sprinkle　the　ashes　on　them；　and　they　would　soon
blossom　as　they　had　never　blossomed　before。

This　time　the　old　man　did　not　wait　to　consult　his　wife　as　to
whether　he　was　to　do　what　his　dog　had　told　him；　but　directly　he
got　up　he　went　to　his　neighbour's　house　and　collected　the　ashes
of　the　burnt　mortar。　　He　put　them　carefully　in　a　china　vase；　and
carried　it　to　the　high　road；　Sitting　down　on　a　seat　till　the
Daimio　should　pass。　　The　cherry…trees　were　bare；　for　it　was　the
season　when　small　pots　of　them　were　sold　to　rich　people；　who　kept
them　in　hot　places；　so　that　they　might　blossom　early　and　decorate
their　rooms。　　As　to　the　trees　in　the　open　air；　no　one　would　ever
think　of　looking　for　the　tiniest　bud　for　more　than　a　month　yet。　
The　old　man　had　not　been　waiting　very　long　before　he　saw　a　cloud
of　dust　in　the　far　distance；　and　knew　that　it　must　be　the
procession　of　the　Daimio。　　On　they　came；　every　man　dressed　in　his
finest　clothes；　and　the　crowd　that　was　lining　the　road　bowed
their　faces　to　the　ground　as　they　went　by。　　Only　the　old　man　did
not　bow　himself；　and　the　great　lord　saw　this；　and　bade　one　of　his
courtiers；　in　anger；　go　and　inquire　why　he　had　disobeyed　the
ancient　customs。　　But　before　the　messenger　could　reach　him　the
old　man　had　climbed　the　nearest　tree　and　scattered　his　ashes　far
and　wide；　and　in　an　instant　the　white　flowers　had　flashed　into
life；　and　the　heart　of　the　Daimio　rejoiced；　and　he　gave　rich
presents　to　the　old　man；　whom　he　sent　for　to　his　castle。

We　may　be　sure　that　in　a　very　little　while　the　envious　neighbour
had　heard　this　also；　and　his　bosom　was　filled　with　hate。　　He
hastened　to　the　place　where　he　had　burned　the　mortar；　collected　a
few　of　the　ashes　which　the　old　man　had　left　behind；　and　took　them
to　the　road；　hoping　that　his　luck　might　be　as　good　as　the　old
man's；　or　perhaps　even　better。　　His　heart　beat　with　pleasure　when
he　caught　the　first　glimpses　of　the　Daimio's　train；　and　he　held
himself　ready　for　the　right　moment。　　As　the　Daimio　drew　near　he
flung　a　great　handful　of　ashes　over　the　trees；　but　no　buds　or
flowers　followed　the　action：　　instead；　the　ashes　were　all　blown
back　into　the　eyes　of　the　Daimio　and　his　warriors；　till　they
cried　out　from　pain。　　Then　the　prince　ordered　the　evil…doer　to　be
seized　and　bound　and　thrown　into　prison；　where　he　was　kept　for
many　months。　　By　the　time　he　was　set　free　everybody　in　his　native
village　had　found　out　his　wickedness；　and　they　would　not　let　him
live　there　any　longer；　and　as　he　would　not　leave　off　his　evil
ways　he　soon　went　from　bad　to　worse；　and　came　to　a　miserable　end。

＇Japanische　Marchen。＇