tanglewood tales-第15章

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hese　sons　of　deadly　mischief。

Up　sprouted　also　a　great　many　trumpeters；　and　with　the　first　breath　that　they　drew；　they　put　their　brazen　trumpets　to　their　lips；　and　sounded　a　tremendous　and　ear…shattering　blast；　so　that　the　whole　space；　just　now　so　quiet　and　solitary；　reverberated　with　the　clash　and　clang　of　arms；　the　bray　of　warlike　music；　and　the　shouts　of　angry　men。　So　enraged　did　they　all　look；　that　Cadmus　fully　expected　them　to　put　the　whole　world　to　the　sword。　How　fortunate　would　it　be　for　a　great　conqueror；　if　he　could　get　a　bushel　of　the　dragon's　teeth　to　sow！

〃Cadmus；〃　said　the　same　voice　which　he　had　before　heard；　〃throw　a　stone　into　the　midst　of　the　armed　men。〃

So　Cadmus　seized　a　large　stone；　and　flinging　it　into　the　middle　of　the　earth　army；　saw　it　strike　the　breastplate　of　a　gigantic　and　fierce…looking　warrior。　Immediately　on　feeling　the　blow；　he　seemed　to　take　it　for　granted　that　somebody　had　struck　him；　and；　uplifting　his　weapon；　he　smote　his　next　neighbor　a　blow　that　cleft　his　helmet　asunder；　and　stretched　him　on　the　ground。　In　an　instant；　those　nearest　the　fallen　warrior　began　to　strike　at　one　another　with　their　swords；　and　stab　with　their　spears。　The　confusion　spread　wider　and　wider。　Each　man　smote　down　his　brother；　and　was　himself　smitten　down　before　he　had　time　to　exult　in　his　victory。　The　trumpeters；　all　the　while；　blew　their　blasts　shriller　and　shriller；　each　soldier　shouted　a　battle　cry；　and　often　fell　with　it　on　his　lips。　It　was　the　strangest　spectacle　of　causeless　wrath；　and　of　mischief　for　no　good　end；　that　had　ever　been　witnessed；　but；　after　all；　it　was　neither　more　foolish　nor　more　wicked　than　a　thousand　battles　that　have　since　been　fought；　in　which　men　have　slain　their　brothers　with　just　as　little　reason　as　these　children　of　the　dragon's　teeth。　It　ought　to　be　considered；　too；　that　the　dragon　people　were　made　for　nothing　else；　whereas　other　mortals　were　born　to　love　and　help　one　another。

Well；　this　memorable　battle　continued　to　rage　until　the　ground　was　strewn　with　helmeted　heads　that　had　been　cut　off。　Of　all　the　thousands　that　began　the　fight；　there　were　only　five　left　standing。　These　now　rushed　from　different　parts　of　the　field；　and；　meeting　in　the　middle　of　it；　clashed　their　swords；　and　struck　at　each　other's　hearts　as　fiercely　as　ever。

〃Cadmus；〃　said　the　voice　again；　〃bid　those　five　warriors　sheathe　their　swords。　They　will　help　you　to　build　the　city。〃

Without　hesitating　an　instant；　Cadmus　stepped　forward；　with　the　aspect　of　a　king　and　a　leader；　and　extending　his　drawn　sword　amongst　them；　spoke　to　the　warriors　in　a　stern　and　commanding　voice。

〃Sheathe　your　weapons！〃　said　he。

And　forthwith；　feeling　themselves　bound　to　obey　him；　the　five　remaining　sons　of　the　dragon's　teeth　made　him　a　military　salute　with　their　swords；　returned　them　to　the　scabbards；　and　stood　before　Cadmus　in　a　rank；　eyeing　him　as　soldiers　eye　their　captain；　while　awaiting　the　word　of　command。

These　five　men　had　probably　sprung　from　the　biggest　of　the　dragon's　teeth；　and　were　the　boldest　and　strongest　of　the　whole　army。　They　were　almost　giants　indeed；　and　had　good　need　to　be　so；　else　they　never　could　have　lived　through　so　terrible　a　fight。　They　still　had　a　very　furious　look；　and；　if　Cadmus　happened　to　glance　aside；　would　glare　at　one　another；　with　fire　flashing　out　of　their　eyes。　It　was　strange；　too；　to　observe　how　the　earth；　out　of　which　they　had　so　lately　grown；　was　incrusted；　here　and　there；　on　their　bright　breastplates；　and　even；　begrimed　their　faces；　just　as　you　may　have　seen　it　clinging　to　beets　and　carrots；　when　pulled　out　of　their　native　soil。　Cadmus　hardly　knew　whether　to　consider　them　as　men；　or　some　odd　kind　of　vegetable；　although；　on　the　whole；　he　concluded　that　there　was　human　nature　in　them；　because　they　were　so　fond　of　trumpets　and　weapons；　and　so　ready　to　shed　blood。

They　looked　him　earnestly　in　the　face；　waiting　for　his　next　order；　and　evidently　desiring　no　other　employment　than　to　follow　him　from　one　battlefield　to　another；　all　over　the　wide　world。　But　Cadmus　was　wiser　than　these　earth…born　creatures；　with　the　dragon's　fierceness　in　them；　and　knew　better　how　to　use　their　strength　and　hardihood。

〃Come！〃　said　he。　〃You　are　sturdy　fellows。　Make　yourselves　useful！　Quarry　some　stones　with　those　great　swords　of　yours；　and　help　me　to　build　a　city。〃

The　five　soldiers　grumbled　a　little；　and　muttered　that　it　was　their　business　to　overthrow　cities；　not　to　build　them　up。　But　Cadmus　looked　at　them　with　a　stern　eye；　and　spoke　to　them　in　a　tone　of　authority；　so　that　they　knew　him　for　their　master；　and　never　again　thought　of　disobeying　his　commands。　They　set　to　work　in　good　earnest；　and　toiled　so　diligently；　that；　in　a　very　short　time；　a　city　began　to　make　its　appearance。　At　first；　to　be　sure；　the　workmen　showed　a　quarrelsome　disposition。　Like　savage　beasts；　they　would　doubtless　have　done　one　another　a　mischief；　if　Cadmus　had　not　kept　watch　over　them；　and　quelled　the　fierce　old　serpent　that　lurked　in　their　hearts；　when　he　saw　it　gleaming　out　of　their　wild　eyes。　But；　in　course　of　time；　they　got　accustomed　to　honest　labor；　and　had　sense　enough　to　feel　that　there　was　more　true　enjoyment　in　living　at　peace；　and　doing　good　to　one's　neighbor；　than　in　striking　at　him　with　a　two…edged　sword。　It　may　not　be　too　much　to　hope　that　the　rest　of　mankind　will　by　and　by　grow　as　wise　and　peaceable　as　these　five　earth…begrimed　warriors；　who　sprang　from　the　dragon's　teeth。

And　now　the　city　was　built；　and　there　was　a　home　in　it　for　each　of　the　workmen。　But　the　palace　of　Cadmus　was　not　yet　erected；　because　they　had　left　it　till　the　last；　meaning　to　introduce　all　the　new　improvements　of　architecture；　and　make　it　very　commodious；　as　well　as　stately　and　beautiful。　After　finishing　the　rest　of　their　labors；　they　all　went　to　bed　betimes；　in　order　to　rise　in　the　gray　of　the　morning；　and　get　at　least　the　foundation　of　the　edifice　laid　before　nightfall。　But；　when　Cadmus　arose；　and　took　his　way　towards　the　site　where　the　palace　was　to　be　built；　followed　by　his　five　sturdy　workmen　marching　all　in　a　row；　what　do　you　think　he　saw？

What　should　it　be　but　the　most　magnificent　palace　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　the　world。　It　was　built　of　marble　and　other　beautiful　kinds　of　stone；　and　rose　high　into　the　air；　with　a　splendid　dome　and　a　portico　along　the　front；　and　carved　pillars；　and　everything　else　that　befitted　the　habitation　of　a　mighty　king。　It　had　grown　up　out　of　the　earth　in　almost　as　short　a　time　as　it　had　taken　the　armed　host　to　spring　from　the　dragon's　teeth；　and　what　made　the　matter　more　strange；　no　seed　of　this　stately　edifice　ever　had　been　planted。

When　the　five　workmen　beheld　the　dome；　with　the　morning　sunshine　making　it　look　golden　and　glorious；　they　gave　a　great　shout。

〃Long　live　King　Cadmus；〃　they　cried；　〃in　his　beautiful　palace。〃

And　the　new　king；　with　his　five　faithful　followers　at　his　heels；　shouldering　their　pickaxes　and　marching　in　a　rank　（for　they　still　had　a　soldier…like　sort　of　behavior；　as　their　nature　was）；　ascended　the　palace　steps。　Halting　at　the　entrance；　they　gazed　through　a　long　vista　of　lofty　pillars；　that　were　ranged　from　end　to　end　of　a　great　hall。　At　the　farther　extremity　of　this　hall；　approaching　slowly　towards　him；　Cadmus　beheld　a　female　figure；　wonderfully　beautiful；　and　adorned　with　a　royal　robe；　and　a　crown　of　diamonds　over　her　golden　ringlets；　and　the　richest　necklace　that　ever　a　queen　wore。　His　heart　thrilled　with　delight。　He　fancied　it　his　long…lost　sister　Europa；　now　grown　to　womanhood；　coming　to　make　him　happy；　and　to　repay　him　with　her　sweet　sisterly　affection；　for　all　those　weary　wonderings　in　quest　of　her　since　he　left　King　Agenor's　palacefor　the　tears　that　he　had　shed；　on　parting　with　Phoenix；　and　Cilix；　and　Thasusfor　the　heart…breakings　that　had　made　the　whole　world　seem　dismal　to　him　over　his　dear　mother's　grave。

But；　as　Cadmus　advanced　to　meet　the　beautiful　stranger；　he　saw　that　her　features　were　unknown　to　him；　although；　in　the　little　time　that　it　required　to　tread　along　the　hall；　he　had　already　felt　a　sympathy　betwixt　himself　and　her。

〃No；　Cadmus；〃　said　the　same　voice　that　had　spoken　to　him　in　the　field　of　the　armed　men；　〃this　is　not　that　dear　sister　Europa　whom　you　have　sought　so　faithfully　all　over　the　wide　world。　This　is　Harmonia；　a　daughter　of　the　sky；　who　is　given　you　instead　of　sister；　and　brothers；　and　friend；　and　mother。　You　will　find　all　those　dear　ones　in　her　alone。〃

So　King　Cadmus　dwelt　in　the　palace；　with　his　new　friend　Harmonia；　and　found　a　great　deal　of　comfort　in　his　magnificent　abode；　but　would　doubtless　have　found　as　much；　if　not　more；　in　the　humblest　cottage　by　the　wayside。　Before　many　years　went　by；　there　was　a　group　of　rosy　little　children　（but　how　they　came　thither　has　always　been　a　mystery　to　me）　sporting　in　the　great　hall；　and　on　the　marble　steps　of　the　palace；　and　running　joyfully　to　meet　King　Cadmus　when　affairs　of　state　left　him　at　leisure　to　play　with　them。　They　called　him　father；　and　Queen　Harmonia　mother。　The　five　old　soldiers　of　the　dragon's　teeth　grew　very　fond　of　these　small　urchins；　and　were　never　weary　of　showing　them　how　to　shoulder　sticks；　flourish　wooden　swords；　and　march　in　military　order；　blowing　a　penny　trumpet；　or　beating　an　abominable　rub…a…dub　upon　a　little　drum。

But　King　Cadmus；　lest　there　should　be　too　much　of　the　dragon's　tooth　in　his　children's　disposition；　used　to　find　time　from　his　kingly　duties　to　teach　them　their　A　B　Cwhich　he　invented　for　their　benefit；　and　for　which　many　little　people；　I　am　afraid；　are　not　half　so　grateful　to　him　as　they　ought　to　be。



CIRCE'S　PALACE。

Some　of　you　have　heard；　no　doubt；　of　the　wise　King　Ulysses；　and　how　he　went　to　the　siege　of　Troy；　and　how；　after　that　famous　city　was　taken　and　burned；　he　spent　ten　long　years　in　trying　to　get　back　again　to　his　own　little　kingdom　of　Ithaca。　At　one　time　in　the　course　of　this　weary　voyage；　he　arrived　at　an　island　that　looked　very　green　and　pleasant；　but　the　name　of　which　was　unknown　to　him。　For；　only　a　little　while　before　he　came　thither；　he　had　met　with　a　terrible　hurricane；　or　rather　a　great　many　hurricanes　at　once；　which　drove　his　fleet　of　vessels　into　a　strange　part　of　the　sea；　where　neither　himself　nor　any　of　his　mariners　had　ever　sailed。　This　misfortune　was　entirely　owing　to　the　foolish　curiosity　of　his　shipmates；　who；　while　Ulysses　lay　asleep；　had　untied　some　very　bulky　leathern　bags；　in　which　they　supposed　a　valuable　treasure　to　be　concealed。　But　in　each　of　these　stout　bags；　King　Aeolus；　the　ruler　of　the　winds；　had　tied　up　a　tempest；　and　had　given　it　to　Ulysses　to　keep　in　order　that　he　might　be　sure　of　a　favorable　passage　homeward　to　Ithaca；　and　when　the　strings　were　loosened；　forth　rushed　the　whistling　blasts；　like　air　out　of　a　blown　bladder；　whitening　the　sea　with　foam；　and　scattering　the　vessels　nobody　could　tell　whither。

Immediately　after　escaping　from　this　peril；　a　still　greater　one　had　befallen　him。　Scudding　before　the　hurricane；　he　reached　a　place；　which；　as　he　afterwards　found；　was　called　Laestrygonia；　where　some　monstrous　giants　had　eaten　up　many　of　his　companions；　and　had　sunk　every　one　of　his　vessels；　except　that　in　which　he　himself　sailed；　by　flinging　great　masses　of　rock　at　them；　from　the　cliffs　along　the　shore。　After　going　through