the iceberg express(冰山直通车)-第5章
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this they built their castle； where they lived until the giant's wife died and
was buried under the Chapel rock。
Then Jack the Giant Killer climbed up the mountain； and after a hard
fight Cormoran was killed； and there were no more giants in the land。
Next came the Small People； who cut down most of the forest； and
built cottages for themselves； ploughed the fields and made gardens。
But one day a great enchanter came that way； and his strange dress and
long gray beard frightened the women and children； and they shut their
doors in his face whenever he asked for a drink； for he had walked far and
was tired and thirsty。
At last he found the principal man of the Small People； a little old
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crusty fellow and very miserly。 And when the great enchanter asked him
for a drink of water； the Small Man told him he didn't keep a hotel for
beggars。 And this made the great enchanter so angry that he struck the
ground with his staff； so that it made a deep hole； and then he went upon
his journey。
Soon a little spring of water bubbled up through the hole； and by and
by a stream burst forth that swelled to a river； and after a time the whole
land was drowned； and only the high mountain remained above the water。
But the Small People who were buried under the water didn't die。 They
lived on just the same； waiting for the enchanter to return and lift the spell；
and the land to rise； again with all the people on it。
When the old fisherman had finished his story； he said； 〃I will take you
in my boat to see the Small People deep down in the water。
〃Yes； come with me in my boat and you shall see the Wonderland
under the Sea。〃
As soon as the old fisherman had hoisted the sail； away they went out
to sea over a wide path of moonlight like a silver road leading straight out
to the sky where it dipped down to the water。
All of a sudden Mary Louise noticed something come close up under
the side of the boat； and remain there staring straight at her。 She bent
over until she nearly touched the water； when what she had taken for a fish
appeared to be a very odd…looking little man。 He was even shorter than
she； very broad about the shoulders； with funny little arms and feet that
were brought together at the heels； with the toes turned straight out when
he stood up； making them look like a fish's tail。 His eyes were big and
round； without any eyelids or eyebrows。 But his mouth was the funniest
part； and when he opened it； he looked like a fish trying to talk。 He was
dressed in silvery white； shaded to blue and green。
With a sudden nod； he pointed to the road which opened behind him
down through the depths of the water until lost in the distance。
Little Mary Louise could not take her eyes from him； and； forgetting
all about the old fisherman and the boat； she bent over more and more； so
as to look closer at the funny little old man； until； splash！ down she went
into the water。
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Then came a tremendous ringing in her ears and she felt her breath go
and she knew nothing more until she found herself standing with the
strange little fish man by the side of a splendid carriage made of a scallop
shell； burnished until it shone with pearl and silver； and drawn by two
beautiful gold…fish and two silver…fish harnessed with the silken threads of
the finest sea…mosses； and driven by an old coachman that looked like a
mackerel。
〃We are the sea…horses of the deep； And we race through the waters
blue； Faster than wind and swifter than tide We gallop the ocean
through。〃
〃Jump in；〃 said the little old fish man； and without a question Mary
Louise stepped into the carriage and sat down on the beautiful pea…green
cushions。
Then the little man got in； the mackerel…faced coachman cracked his
whip； the gold and the silver fishes darted ahead； and away they went。
Great trees waved their long branches as the carriage swept past； and
odd…looking shapes came out from behind them。 Huge mouths opened
and shut； long arms waved about trying to catch anything in their reach；
and fierce looking monsters with fishes' heads came rushing in from all
sides； to stare at little Mary Louise with their great savage eyes。
Presently the little old man stood up and bowing politely； told them
that Mary Louise had never caught a fish with a cruel hook。
Then these dreadful monsters snapped their horny jaws and swam
away。
At once the mackerel…faced coachman whipped up his team of gold
and silver fishes and away they went spinning down the road again。
At last the carriage stopped in front of a fine mansion； and Mary
Louise and the little old man jumped out on the smooth beach of sparkling
sand which sloped down to a glassy lake on which curious and beautiful
little boats were sailing in all directions。
Along the edge of the lake were many houses； some stately castles and
some little cottages。 The little cottages were covered with creeping
plants abloom with red flowers and the stately castles with moss like
vines。
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But the people。 Oh dear me！ They were the strangest folk！ Some
had very long noses and ugly looking teeth in their wide mouths； and
others were so thin they looked like small sticks； and others so round that
they could almost trundle themselves along like a coach…wheel。 Some
were dressed in the shabbiest clothes； others in splendid suits； and some
covered with knobs and spikes and strange looking armor。
〃Come；〃 said the little fish man； and he led Mary Louise into his
house。
Presently he brought out from a closet a quaintly shaped box。 〃It is
the legend of Wonderland that a little girl shall break the spell that hangs
over us。 For it is deemed well…nigh impossible that a mortal child would
venture beneath the water to visit us。 Therefore； little Mary Louise； if I
call all my people together； will you open this box and deliver us from the
spell of the Great Enchanter？〃
〃I will；〃 she answered bravely； and at once the little old fish man
called together all his subjects。
As little Mary Louise looked at the box she saw printed on the cover
these words：
〃If a little girl mortal Shall uncover this prize； The sea will sink
And the land will rise。〃
And； would you believe it； the first thing she knew after carefully
opening the box； she was back in the boat with the old sailor； who was
shading his eyes and looking towards a beautiful green island that had
suddenly come out of the water。
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The Enchanted Prince
〃Would you like to land on the island？〃 asked the old sailor who
seemed in no wise surprised that an island should suddenly come up out of
the sea。
〃Yes；〃 gasped little Mary Louise； 〃it may be a wonderful place。 I
certainly saw strange things beneath the water。〃
〃To be sure you did；〃 replied the old sailor； taking it as a matter of
course that a little girl should make a trip to Wonder Land under the Sea；
and return safe and sound。
But then； you know； Mary Louise may have still retained some of the
charm of the little mermaid's magic comb。
Well； anyway； the old sailor steered his boat over to the green island；
where Mary Louise jumped out and after saying good…by to her sailor
friend； set off to look for new adventures。
After a while； she came to a great wood； where the trees were as big
around as smoke stacks on an ocean liner。
All of a sudden； she heard the sound of a woodman's ax； and the
crackling of the branches as they fell to the ground。
〃It must be some giant cutting down a tree；〃 she thought； and she
started off in the direction of the sound； and by and by； she saw a giant
beaver。 He was a most wonderful sort of an animal； for he could swing
an ax as well as a man。 Near at hand flowed a great river； where a white
water horse snorted as he dashed the spray high in the air with his forefeet。
〃Are you one of Neptune's horses？〃 asked little Mary Louise。 〃I once
read a story of a little boy named Hero who rode with King Neptune in his
wonderful chariot。〃
〃No； little girl；〃 answered the beautiful sea horse kindly。 〃But I can
show you some wonderful things。 Jump on my back and I will take you
to a strange place。〃
Then away went the great Water Horse over the water and through the
spray and Mary Louise wasn't the least bit afraid although she had no
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water wings and might have slipped of into the water。
〃Where are we going？〃 she asked； after a while； for by this time they
were far away from the shore and going up a dark river。
〃I'm going to show you the beautiful Green Waterfall Cave；〃 answered
the big Sea Horse； shaking his mane until it seemed almost as if it were
raining。
Well； pretty soon he stopped； telling Mary Louise to bend over his
back； before he swam into a big opening in a gray rock。
〃Now lift up your head；〃 he said； and when Mary Louise looked
around she saw they were in a beautiful cave。 All about them were
strange people； Mermaids and Water Nymphs； Water Sprites and Mermen；
fishes and dolphins； and even a w
