tanglewood tales-第7章

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torious。　In　the　joy　of　their　success；　however；　and　amidst　the　sports；　dancing；　and　other　merriment；　with　which　these　young　folks　wore　away　the　time；　they　never　once　thought　whether　their　sails　were　black；　white；　or　rainbow　colored；　and；　indeed；　left　it　entirely　to　the　mariners　whether　they　had　any　sails　at　all。　Thus　the　vessel　returned；　like　a　raven；　with　the　same　sable　wings　that　had　wafted　her　away。　But　poor　King　Aegeus；　day　after　day；　infirm　as　he　was；　had　clambered　to　the　summit　of　a　cliff　that　overhung　the　sea；　and　there　sat　watching　for　Prince　Theseus；　homeward　bound；　and　no　sooner　did　he　behold　the　fatal　blackness　of　the　sails；　than　he　concluded　that　his　dear　son；　whom　he　loved　so　much；　and　felt　so　proud　of；　had　been　eaten　by　the　Minotaur。　He　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　living　any　longer；　so；　first　flinging　his　crown　and　sceptre　into　the　sea　（useless　baubles　that　they　were　to　him　now）；　King　Aegeus　merely　stooped　forward；　and　fell　headlong　over　the　cliff；　and　was　drowned；　poor　soul；　in　the　waves　that　foamed　at　its　base！

This　was　melancholy　news　for　Prince　Theseus；　who；　when　he　stepped　ashore；　found　himself　king　of　all　the　country；　whether　he　would　or　no；　and　such　a　turn　of　fortune　was　enough　to　make　any　young　man　feel　very　much　out　of　spirits。　However；　he　sent　for　his　dear　mother　to　Athens；　and；　by　taking　her　advice　in　matters　of　state；　became　a　very　excellent　monarch；　and　was　greatly　beloved　by　his　people。



THE　PYGMIES。

A　great　while　ago；　when　the　world　was　full　of　wonders；　there　lived　an　earth…born　Giant；　named　Antaeus；　and　a　million　or　more　of　curious　little　earth…born　people；　who　were　called　Pygmies。　This　Giant　and　these　Pygmies　being　children　of　the　same　mother　（that　is　to　say；　our　good　old　Grandmother　Earth）；　were　all　brethren；　and　dwelt　together　in　a　very　friendly　and　affectionate　manner；　far；　far　off；　in　the　middle　of　hot　Africa。　The　Pygmies　were　so　small；　and　there　were　so　many　sandy　deserts　and　such　high　mountains　between　them　and　the　rest　of　mankind；　that　nobody　could　get　a　peep　at　them　oftener　than　once　in　a　hundred　years。　As　for　the　Giant；　being　of　a　very　lofty　stature；　it　was　easy　enough　to　see　him；　but　safest　to　keep　out　of　his　sight。

Among　the　Pygmies；　I　suppose；　if　one　of　them　grew　to　the　height　of　six　or　eight　inches；　he　was　reckoned　a　prodigiously　tall　man。　It　must　have　been　very　pretty　to　behold　their　little　cities；　with　streets　two　or　three　feet　wide；　paved　with　the　smallest　pebbles；　and　bordered　by　habitations　about　as　big　as　a　squirrel's　cage。　The　king's　palace　attained　to　the　stupendous　magnitude　of　Periwinkle's　baby　house；　and　stood　in　the　center　of　a　spacious　square；　which　could　hardly　have　been　covered　by　our　hearth…　rug。　Their　principal　temple；　or　cathedral；　was　as　lofty　as　yonder　bureau；　and　was　looked　upon　as　a　wonderfully　sublime　and　magnificent　edifice。　All　these　structures　were　built　neither　of　stone　nor　wood。　They　were　neatly　plastered　together　by　the　Pygmy　workmen；　pretty　much　like　birds'　nests；　out　of　straw；　feathers；　egg　shells；　and　other　small　bits　of　stuff；　with　stiff　clay　instead　of　mortar；　and　when　the　hot　sun　had　dried　them；　they　were　just　as　snug　and　comfortable　as　a　Pygmy　could　desire。

The　country　round　about　was　conveniently　laid　out　in　fields；　the　largest　of　which　was　nearly　of　the　same　extent　as　one　of　Sweet　Fern's　flower　beds。　Here　the　Pygmies　used　to　plant　wheat　and　other　kinds　of　grain；　which；　when　it　grew　up　and　ripened；　overshadowed　these　tiny　people　as　the　pines；　and　the　oaks；　and　the　walnut　and　chestnut　trees　overshadow　you　and　me；　when　we　walk　in　our　own　tracts　of　woodland。　At　harvest　time；　they　were　forced　to　go　with　their　little　axes　and　cut　down　the　grain；　exactly　as　a　woodcutter　makes　a　clearing　in　the　forest；　and　when　a　stalk　of　wheat；　with　its　overburdened　top；　chanced　to　come　crashing　down　upon　an　unfortunate　Pygmy；　it　was　apt　to　be　a　very　sad　affair。　If　it　did　not　smash　him　all　to　pieces；　at　least；　I　am　sure；　it　must　have　made　the　poor　little　fellow's　head　ache。　And　O；　my　stars！　if　the　fathers　and　mothers　were　so　small；　what　must　the　children　and　babies　have　been？　A　whole　family　of　them　might　have　been　put　to　bed　in　a　shoe；　or　have　crept　into　an　old　glove；　and　played　at　hide…and…seek　in　its　thumb　and　fingers。　You　might　have　hidden　a　year…old　baby　under　a　thimble。

Now　these　funny　Pygmies；　as　I　told　you　before；　had　a　Giant　for　their　neighbor　and　brother；　who　was　bigger；　if　possible；　than　they　were　little。　He　was　so　very　tall　that　he　carried　a　pine　tree；　which　was　eight　feet　through　the　butt；　for　a　walking　stick。　It　took　a　far…sighted　Pygmy；　I　can　assure　you；　to　discern　his　summit　without　the　help　of　a　telescope；　and　sometimes；　in　misty　weather；　they　could　not　see　his　upper　half；　but　only　his　long　legs；　which　seemed　to　be　striding　about　by　themselves。　But　at　noonday　in　a　clear　atmosphere；　when　the　sun　shone　brightly　over　him；　the　Giant　Antaeus　presented　a　very　grand　spectacle。　There　he　used　to　stand；　a　perfect　mountain　of　a　man；　with　his　great　countenance　smiling　down　upon　his　little　brothers；　and　his　one　vast　eye　（which　was　as　big　as　a　cart　wheel；　and　placed　right　in　the　center　of　his　forehead）　giving　a　friendly　wink　to　the　whole　nation　at　once。

The　Pygmies　loved　to　talk　with　Antaeus；　and　fifty　times　a　day；　one　or　another　of　them　would　turn　up　his　head；　and　shout　through　the　hollow　of　his　fists；　〃Halloo；　brother　Antaeus！　How　are　you；　my　good　fellow？〃　　And　when　the　small　distant　squeak　of　their　voices　reached　his　ear；　the　Giant　would　make　answer；　〃Pretty　well；　brother　Pygmy；　I　thank　you；〃　in　a　thunderous　roar　that　would　have　shaken　down　the　walls　of　their　strongest　temple；　only　that　it　came　from　so　far　aloft。

It　was　a　happy　circumstance　that　Antaeus　was　the　Pygmy　people's　friend；　for　there　was　more　strength　in　his　little　finger　than　in　ten　million　of　such　bodies　as　this。　If　he　had　been　as　ill…natured　to　them　as　he　was　to　everybody　else；　he　might　have　beaten　down　their　biggest　city　at　one　kick；　and　hardly　have　known　that　he　did　it。　With　the　tornado　of　his　breath；　he　could　have　stripped　the　roofs　from　a　hundred　dwellings　and　sent　thousands　of　the　inhabitants　whirling　through　the　air。　He　might　have　set　his　immense　foot　upon　a　multitude；　and　when　he　took　it　up　again；　there　would　have　been　a　pitiful　sight；　to　be　sure。　But；　being　the　son　of　Mother　Earth；　as　they　likewise　were；　the　Giant　gave　them　his　brotherly　kindness；　and　loved　them　with　as　big　a　love　as　it　was　possible　to　feel　for　creatures　so　very　small。　And；　on　their　parts；　the　Pygmies　loved　Antaeus　with　as　much　affection　as　their　tiny　hearts　could　hold。　He　was　always　ready　to　do　them　any　good　offices　that　lay　in　his　power；　as　for　example；　when　they　wanted　a　breeze　to　turn　their　windmills；　the　Giant　would　set　all　the　sails　a…going　with　the　mere　natural　respiration　of　his　lungs。　When　the　sun　was　too　hot；　he　often　sat　himself　down；　and　let　his　shadow　fall　over　the　kingdom；　from　one　frontier　to　the　other；　and　as　for　matters　in　general；　he　was　wise　enough　to　let　them　alone；　and　leave　the　Pygmies　to　manage　their　own　affairswhich；　after　all；　is　about　the　best　thing　that　great　people　can　do　for　little　ones。

In　short；　as　I　said　before；　Antaeus　loved　the　Pygmies；　and　the　Pygmies　loved　Antaeus。　The　Giant's　life　being　as　long　as　his　body　was　large；　while　the　lifetime　of　a　Pygmy　was　but　a　span；　this　friendly　intercourse　had　been　going　on　for　innumerable　generations　and　ages。　It　was　written　about　in　the　Pygmy　histories；　and　talked　about　in　their　ancient　traditions。　The　most　venerable　and　white…bearded　Pygmy　had　never　heard　of　a　time；　even　in　his　greatest　of　grandfathers'　days；　when　the　Giant　was　not　their　enormous　friend。　Once；　to　be　sure　（as　was　recorded　on　an　obelisk；　three　feet　high；　erected　on　the　place　of　the　catastrophe）；　Antaeus　sat　down　upon　about　five　thousand　Pygmies；　who　were　assembled　at　a　military　review。　But　this　was　one　of　those　unlucky　accidents　for　which　nobody　is　to　blame；　so　that　the　small　folks　never　took　it　to　heart；　and　only　requested　the　Giant　to　be　careful　forever　afterwards　to　examine　the　acre　of　ground　where　he　intended　to　squat　himself。

It　is　a　very　pleasant　picture　to　imagine　Antaeus　standing　among　the　Pygmies；　like　the　spire　of　the　tallest　cathedral　that　ever　was　built；　while　they　ran　about　like　pismires　at　his　feet；　and　to　think　that；　in　spite　of　their　difference　in　size；　there　were　affection　and　sympathy　between　them　and　him！　Indeed；　it　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　the　Giant　needed　the　little　people　more　than　the　Pygmies　needed　the　Giant。　For；　unless　they　had　been　his　neighbors　and　well　wishers；　and；　as　we　may　say；　his　playfellows；　Antaeus　would　not　have　had　a　single　friend　in　the　world。　No　other　being　like　himself　had　ever　been　created。　No　creature　of　his　own　size　had　ever　talked　with　him；　in　thunder…　like　accents；　face　to　face。　When　he　stood　with　his　head　among　the　clouds；　he　was　quite　alone；　and　had　been　so　for　hundreds　of　years；　and　would　be　so　forever。　Even　if　he　had　met　another　Giant；　Antaeus　would　have　fancied　the　world　not　big　enough　for　two　such　vast　personages；　and；　instead　of　being　friends　with　him；　would　have　fought　him　till　one　of　the　two　was　killed。　But　with　the　Pygmies　he　was　the　most　sportive　and　humorous；　and　merry…hearted；　and　sweet…tempered　old　Giant　that　ever　washed　his　face　in　a　wet　cloud。

His　little　friends；　like　all　other　small　people；　had　a　great　opinion　of　their　own　importance；　and　used　to　assume　quite　a　patronizing　air　towards　the　Giant。

〃Poor　creature！〃　they　said　one　to　another。　〃He　has　a　very　dull　time　of　it；　all　by　himself；　and　we　ought　not　to　grudge　wasting　a　little　of　our　precious　time　to　amuse　him。　He　is　not　half　so　bright　as　we　are；　to　be　sure；　and；　for　that　reason；　he　needs　us　to　look　after　his　comfort　and　happiness。　Let　us　be　kind　to　the　old　fellow。　Why；　if　Mother　Earth　had　not　been　very　kind　to　ourselves；　we　might　all　have　been　Giants　too。〃

On　all　their　holidays；　the　Pygmies　had　excellent　sport　with　Antaeus。　He　often　stretched　himself　out　at　full　length　on　the　ground；　where　he　looked　like　the　long　ridge　of　a　hill；　and　it　was　a　good　hour's　walk；　no　doubt；　for　a　short…legged　Pygmy　to　journey　from　head　to　foot　of　the　Giant。　He　would　lay　down　his　great　hand　flat　on　the　grass；　and　challenge　the　tallest　of　them　to　clamber　upon　it；　and　straddle　from　finger　to　finger。　So　fearless　were　they；　that　they　made　nothing　of　creeping　in　among　the　folds　of　his　garments。　When　his　head　lay　sidewise　on　the　earth；　they　would　march　boldly　up；　and　peep　into　the　great　cavern　of　his　mouth；　and　take　it　all　as　a　joke　（as　indeed　it　was　meant）　when　Antaeus　gave　a　sudden　snap　of　his　jaws；　as　if　he　were　going　to　swallow　fifty　of　them　at　once。　You　would　have　laughed　to　see　the　children　dodging　in　and　out　among　his　hair；　or　swinging　from　his　beard。　It　is　impossible　to　tell　half　of　the　funny　tricks　that　they　played　with　their　huge　comrade；　but　I　do　not　know　that　anything　was　more　curious　than　when　a　party　of　boys　were　seen　running　races　on　his　forehead；　to　try　which　of　them　could　get　first　round　the　circle　of　his　one　great　eye。　It　was　another　favorite　feat　with　them　to　march　along　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　and　jump　down　upon　his　upper　lip。

If　the　truth　must　be　told；　they　were　sometimes　as　troublesome　to　the　Giant　as　a　swarm　of　ants　or　mosquitoes；　especially　as　they　had