tanglewood tales-第16章

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iled；　by　flinging　great　masses　of　rock　at　them；　from　the　cliffs　along　the　shore。　After　going　through　such　troubles　as　these；　you　cannot　wonder　that　King　Ulysses　was　glad　to　moor　his　tempest…beaten　bark　in　a　quiet　cove　of　the　green　island；　which　I　began　with　telling　you　about。　But　he　had　encountered　so　many　dangers　from　giants；　and　one…eyed　Cyclops；　and　monsters　of　the　sea　and　land；　that　he　could　not　help　dreading　some　mischief；　even　in　this　pleasant　and　seemingly　solitary　spot。　For　two　days；　therefore；　the　poor　weather…worn　voyagers　kept　quiet；　and　either　staid　on　board　of　their　vessel；　or　merely　crept　along　under　the　cliffs　that　bordered　the　shore；　and　to　keep　themselves　alive；　they　dug　shellfish　out　of　the　sand；　and　sought　for　any　little　rill　of　fresh　water　that　might　be　running　towards　the　sea。

Before　the　two　days　were　spent；　they　grew　very　weary　of　this　kind　of　life；　for　the　followers　of　King　Ulysses；　as　you　will　find　it　important　to　remember；　were　terrible　gormandizers；　and　pretty　sure　to　grumble　if　they　missed　their　regulars　meals；　and　their　irregular　ones　besides。　Their　stock　of　provisions　was　quite　exhausted；　and　even　the　shellfish　began　to　get　scarce；　so　that　they　had　now　to　choose　between　starving　to　death　or　venturing　into　the　interior　of　the　island；　where　perhaps　some　huge　three…headed　dragon；　or　other　horrible　monster；　had　his　den。　Such　misshapen　creatures　were　very　numerous　in　those　days；　and　nobody　ever　expected　to　make　a　voyage；　or　take　a　journey；　without　running　more　or　less　risk　of　being　devoured　by　them。

But　King　Ulysses　was　a　bold　man　as　well　as　a　prudent　one；　and　on　the　third　morning　he　determined　to　discover　what　sort　of　a　place　the　island　was；　and　whether　it　were　possible　to　obtain　a　supply　of　food　for　the　hungry　mouths　of　his　companions。　So；　taking　a　spear　in　his　hand；　he　clambered　to　the　summit　of　a　cliff；　and　gazed　round　about　him。　At　a　distance；　towards　the　center　of　the　island；　he　beheld　the　stately　towers　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　palace；　built　of　snow…white　marble；　and　rising　in　the　midst　of　a　grove　of　lofty　trees。　The　thick　branches　of　these　trees　stretched　across　the　front　of　the　edifice；　and　more　than　half　concealed　it；　although；　from　the　portion　which　he　saw；　Ulysses　judged　it　to　be　spacious　and　exceedingly　beautiful；　and　probably　the　residence　of　some　great　nobleman　or　prince。　A　blue　smoke　went　curling　up　from　the　chimney；　and　was　almost　the　pleasantest　part　of　the　spectacle　to　Ulysses。　For；　from　the　abundance　of　this　smoke；　it　was　reasonable　to　conclude　that　there　was　a　good　fire　in　the　kitchen；　and　that；　at　dinner…time；　a　plentiful　banquet　would　be　served　up　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　palace；　and　to　whatever　guests　might　happen　to　drop　in。

With　so　agreeable　a　prospect　before　him；　Ulysses　fancied　that　he　could　not　do　better　than　go　straight　to　the　palace　gate；　and　tell　the　master　of　it　that　there　was　a　crew　of　poor　shipwrecked　mariners；　not　far　off；　who　had　eaten　nothing　for　a　day　or　two；　save　a　few　clams　and　oysters；　and　would　therefore　be　thankful　for　a　little　food。　And　the　prince　or　nobleman　must　be　a　very　stingy　curmudgeon；　to　be　sure；　if；　at　least；　when　his　own　dinner　was　over；　he　would　not　bid　them　welcome　to　the　broken　victuals　from　the　table。

Pleasing　himself　with　this　idea；　King　Ulysses　had　made　a　few　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　palace；　when　there　was　a　great　twittering　and　chirping　from　the　branch　of　a　neighboring　tree。　A　moment　afterwards；　a　bird　came　flying　towards　him；　and　hovered　in　the　air；　so　as　almost　to　brush　his　face　with　its　wings。　It　was　a　very　pretty　little　bird；　with　purple　wings　and　body；　and　yellow　legs；　and　a　circle　of　golden　feathers　round　its　neck；　and　on　its　head　a　golden　tuft；　which　looked　like　a　king's　crown　in　miniature。　Ulysses　tried　to　catch　the　bird。　But　it　fluttered　nimbly　out　of　his　reach；　still　chirping　in　a　piteous　tone；　as　if　it　could　have　told　a　lamentable　story；　had　it　only　been　gifted　with　human　language。　And　when　he　attempted　to　drive　it　away；　the　bird　flew　no　farther　than　the　bough　of　the　next　tree；　and　again　came　fluttering　about　his　head；　with　its　doleful　chirp；　as　soon　as　he　showed　a　purpose　of　going　forward。

〃Have　you　anything　to　tell　me；　little　bird？〃　asked　Ulysses。

And　he　was　ready　to　listen　attentively　to　whatever　the　bird　might　communicate；　for；　at　the　siege　of　Troy；　and　elsewhere；　he　had　known　such　odd　things　to　happen；　that　he　would　not　have　considered　it　much　out　of　the　common　run　had　this　little　feathered　creature　talked　as　plainly　as　himself。

〃Peep！〃　said　the　bird；　〃peep；　peep；　peweep！〃　And　nothing　else　would　it　say；　but　only；　〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！〃　in　a　melancholy　cadence；　and　over　and　over　and　over　again。　As　often　as　Ulysses　moved　forward；　however；　the　bird　showed　the　greatest　alarm；　and　did　its　best　to　drive　him　back；　with　the　anxious　flutter　of　its　purple　wings。　Its　unaccountable　behavior　made　him　conclude；　at　last；　that　the　bird　knew　of　some　danger　that　awaited　him；　and　which　must　needs　be　very　terrible；　beyond　all　question；　since　it　moved　even　a　little　fowl　to　feel　compassion　for　a　human　being。　So　he　resolved；　for　the　present；　to　return　to　the　vessel；　and　tell　his　companions　what　he　had　seen。

This　appeared　to　satisfy　the　bird。　As　soon　as　Ulysses　turned　back；　it　ran　up　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　and　began　to　pick　insects　out　of　the　bark　with　its　long；　sharp　bill；　for　it　was　a　kind　of　woodpecker；　you　must　know；　and　had　to　get　its　living　in　the　same　manner　as　other　birds　of　that　species。　But　every　little　while；　as　it　pecked　at　the　bark　of　the　tree；　the　purple　bird　bethought　itself　of　some　secret　sorrow；　and　repeated　its　plaintive　note　of　〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！〃

On　his　way　to　the　shore；　Ulysses　had　the　good　luck　to　kill　a　large　stag　by　thrusting　his　spear　into　his　back。　Taking　it　on　his　shoulders　（for　he　was　a　remarkably　strong　man）；　he　lugged　it　along　with　him；　and　flung　it　down　before　his　hungry　companions。　I　have　already　hinted　to　you　what　gormandizers　some　of　the　comrades　of　King　Ulysses　were。　From　what　is　related　of　them；　I　reckon　that　their　favorite　diet　was　pork；　and　that　they　had　lived　upon　it　until　a　good　part　of　their　physical　substance　was　swine's　flesh；　and　their　tempers　and　dispositions　were　very　much　akin　to　the　hog。　A　dish　of　venison；　however；　was　no　unacceptable　meal　to　them；　especially　after　feeding　so　long　on　oysters　and　clams。　So；　beholding　the　dead　stag；　they　felt　of　its　ribs；　in　a　knowing　way；　and　lost　no　time　in　kindling　a　fire　of　driftwood；　to　cook　it。　The　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　feasting；　and　if　these　enormous　eaters　got　up　from　table　at　sunset；　it　was　only　because　they　could　not　scrape　another　morsel　off　the　poor　animal's　bones。

The　next　morning；　their　appetites　were　as　sharp　as　ever。　They　looked　at　Ulysses；　as　if　they　expected　him　to　clamber　up　the　cliff　again；　and　come　back　with　another　fat　deer　upon　his　shoulders。　Instead　of　setting　out；　however；　he　summoned　the　whole　crew　together；　and　told　them　it　was　in　vain　to　hope　that　he　could　kill　a　stag　every　day　for　their　dinner；　and　therefore　it　was　advisable　to　think　of　some　other　mode　of　satisfying　their　hunger。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　was　on　the　cliff；　yesterday；　I　discovered　that　this　island　is　inhabited。　At　a　considerable　distance　from　the　shore　stood　a　marble　palace；　which　appeared　to　be　very　spacious；　and　had　a　great　deal　of　smoke　curling　out　of　one　of　its　chimneys。〃

〃Aha！〃　muttered　some　of　his　companions；　smacking　their　lips。　〃That　smoke　must　have　come　from　the　kitchen　fire。　There　was　a　good　dinner　on　the　spit；　and　no　doubt　there　will　be　as　good　a　one　to…day。〃

〃But；〃　continued　the　wise　Ulysses；　〃you　must　remember；　my　good　friends；　our　misadventure　in　the　cavern　of　one…eyed　Polyphemus；　the　Cyclops！　Instead　of　his　ordinary　milk　diet；　did　he　not　eat　up　two　of　our　comrades　for　his　supper；　and　a　couple　more　for　breakfast；　and　two　at　his　supper　again？　Methinks　I　see　him　yet；　the　hideous　monster；　scanning　us　with　that　great　red　eye；　in　the　middle　of　his　forehead；　to　single　out　the　fattest。　And　then；　again；　only　a　few　days　ago；　did　we　not　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　and　those　other　horrible　giants；　his　subjects；　who　devoured　a　great　many　more　of　us　than　are　now　left？　To　tell　you　the　truth；　if　we　go　to　yonder　palace；　there　can　be　no　question　that　we　shall　make　our　appearance　at　the　dinner　table；　but　whether　seated　as　guests；　or　served　up　as　food；　is　a　point　to　be　seriously　considered。〃

〃Either　way；〃　murmured　some　of　the　hungriest　of　the　crew；　〃it　will　be　better　than　starvation；　particularly　if　one　could　be　sure　of　being　well　fattened　beforehand；　and　daintily　cooked　afterwards。〃

〃That　is　a　matter　of　taste；〃　said　King　Ulysses；　〃and；　for　my　own　part；　neither　the　most　careful　fattening　nor　the　daintiest　of　cookery　would　reconcile　me　to　being　dished　at　last。　My　proposal　is；　therefore；　that　we　divide　ourselves　into　two　equal　parties；　and　ascertain；　by　drawing　lots；　which　of　the　two　shall　go　to　the　palace；　and　beg　for　food　and　assistance。　If　these　can　be　obtained；　all　is　well。　If　not；　and　if　the　inhabitants　prove　as　inhospitable　as　Polyphemus；　or　the　Laestrygons；　then　there　will　but　half　of　us　perish；　and　the　remainder　may　set　sail　and　escape。〃

As　nobody　objected　to　this　scheme；　Ulysses　proceeded　to　count　the　whole　band；　and　found　that　there　were　forty…six　men；　including　himself。　He　then　numbered　off　twenty…two　of　them；　and　put　Eurylochus　（who　was　one　of　his　chief　officers；　and　second　only　to　himself　in　sagacity）　at　their　head。　Ulysses　took　command　of　the　remaining　twenty…two　men；　in　person。　Then；　taking　off　his　helmet；　he　put　two　shells　into　it；　on　one　of　which　was　written；　〃Go；〃　and　on　the　other　〃Stay。〃　Another　person　now　held　the　helmet；　while　Ulysses　and　Eurylochus　drew　out　each　a　shell；　and　the　word　〃Go〃　was　found　written　on　that　which　Eurylochus　had　drawn。　In　this　manner；　it　was　decided　that　Ulysses　and　his　twenty…two　men　were　to　remain　at　the　seaside　until　the　other　party　should　have　found　out　what　sort　of　treatment　they　might　expect　at　the　mysterious　palace。　As　there　was　no　help　for　it；　Eurylochus　immediately　set　forth　at　the　head　of　his　twenty…two　followers；　who　went　off　in　a　very　melancholy　state　of　mind；　leaving　their　friends　in　hardly　better　spirits　than　themselves。

No　sooner　had　they　clambered　up　the　cliff；　than　they　discerned　the　tall　marble　towers　of　the　palace；　ascending；　as　white　as　snow；　out　of　the　lovely　green　shadow　of　the　trees　which　surrounded　it。　A　gush　of　smoke　came　from　a　chimney　in　the　rear　of　the　edifice。　This　vapor　rose　high　in　the　air；　and；　meeting　with　a　breeze；　was　wafted　seaward；　and　made　to　pass　over　the　heads　of　the　hungry　mariners。　When　people's　appetites　are　keen；　they　have　a　very　quick　scent　for　anything　savory　in　the　wind。

〃That　smoke　comes　from　the　kitchen！〃　cried　one　of　them；　turning　up　his　nose　as　high　as　he　could；　and　snuffing　eagerly。　〃And；　as　sure　as　I'm　a　half…starved　vagabond；　I　smell　roast　meat　in　it。〃

〃Pig；　roast　pig！〃　said　another。　〃Ah；　the　dainty　little　porker。　My　mouth　waters　for　him。〃

〃Let　us　make　haste；〃　cried　the　others；　〃or　we　shall　be　too　late　for　the　good　cheer！　〃

But　scarcely　had　they　made　half　a　dozen　steps　from　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　when　a　bird　came　fluttering　to　meet　them。　It　was　the　same　pretty　little　bird；　with　the　purple　wings　and　body；　the　yello