tanglewood tales-第9章

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pon　the　ground；　I　am　five　hundred　times　stronger！　I　am　ashamed　to　kill　such　a　puny　little　dwarf　as　you　seem　to　be。　I　will　make　a　slave　of　you；　and　you　shall　likewise　be　the　slave　of　my　brethren　here；　the　Pygmies。　So　throw　down　your　club　and　your　other　weapons；　and　as　for　that　lion's　skin；　I　intend　to　have　a　pair　of　gloves　made　of　it。〃

〃Come　and　take　it　off　my　shoulders；　then；〃　answered　Hercules；　lifting　his　club。

Then　the　Giant；　grinning　with　rage；　strode　tower…like　towards　the　stranger　（ten　times　strengthened　at　every　step）；　and　fetched　a　monstrous　blow　at　him　with　his　pine　tree；　which　Hercules　caught　upon　his　club；　and　being　more　skilful　than　Antaeus；　he　paid　him　back　such　a　rap　upon　the　sconce；　that　down　tumbled　the　great　lumbering　man…mountain；　flat　upon　the　ground。　The　poor　little　Pygmies　（who　really　never　dreamed　that　anybody　in　the　world　was　half　so　strong　as　their　brother　Antaeus）　were　a　good　deal　dismayed　at　this。　But　no　sooner　was　the　Giant　down；　than　up　he　bounced　again；　with　tenfold　might；　and　such　a　furious　visage　as　was　horrible　to　behold。　He　aimed　another　blow　at　Hercules；　but　struck　awry；　being　blinded　with　wrath；　and　only　hit　his　poor　innocent　Mother　Earth；　who　groaned　and　trembled　at　the　stroke。　His　pine　tree　went　so　deep　into　the　ground；　and　stuck　there　so　fast；　that；　before　Antaeus　could　get　it　out；　Hercules　brought　down　his　club　across　his　shoulders　with　a　mighty　thwack；　which　made　the　Giant　roar　as　if　ali　sorts　of　intolerable　noises　had　come　screeching　and　rumbling　out　of　his　immeasurable　lungs　in　that　one　cry。　Away　it　went；　over　mountains　and　valleys；　and；　for　aught　I　know；　was　heard　on　the　other　side　of　the　African　deserts。

As　for　the　Pygmies；　their　capital　city　was　laid　in　ruins　by　the　concussion　and　vibration　of　the　air；　and；　though　there　was　uproar　enough　without　their　help；　they　all　set　up　a　shriek　out　of　three　millions　of　little　throats；　fancying；　no　doubt；　that　they　swelled　the　Giant's　bellow　by　at　least　ten　times　as　much。　Meanwhile；　Antaeus　had　scrambled　upon　his　feet　again；　and　pulled　his　pine　tree　out　of　the　earth；　and；　all　aflame　with　fury；　and　more　outrageously　strong　than　ever；　he　ran　at　Hercules；　and　brought　down　another　blow。

〃This　time；　rascal；〃　shouted　he；　〃you　shall　not　escape　me。〃

But　once　more　Hercules　warded　off　the　stroke　with　his　club；　and　the　Giant's　pine　tree　was　shattered　into　a　thousand　splinters；　most　of　which　flew　among　the　Pygmies；　and　did　them　more　mischief　than　I　like　to　think　about。　Before　Antaeus　could　get　out　of　the　way；　Hercules　let　drive　again；　and　gave　him　another　knock…　down　blow；　which　sent　him　heels　over　head；　but　served　only　to　increase　his　already　enormous　and　insufferable　strength。　As　for　his　rage；　there　is　no　telling　what　a　fiery　furnace　it　had　now　got　to　be。　His　one　eye　was　nothing　but　a　circle　of　red　flame。　Having　now　no　weapons　but　his　fists；　he　doubled　them　up　（each　bigger　than　a　hogshead）；　smote　one　against　the　other；　and　danced　up　and　down　with　absolute　frenzy；　flourishing　his　immense　arms　about；　as　if　he　meant　not　merely　to　kill　Hercules；　but　to　smash　the　whole　world　to　pieces。

〃Come　on！〃　roared　this　thundering　Giant。　〃Let　me　hit　you　but　one　box　on　the　ear；　and　you'll　never　have　the　headache　again。〃

Now　Hercules　（though　strong　enough；　as　you　already　know；　to　hold　the　sky　up）　began　to　be　sensible　that　he　should　never　win　the　victory；　if　he　kept　on　knocking　Antaeus　down；　for；　by　and　by；　if　he　hit　him　such　hard　blows；　the　Giant　would　inevitably；　by　the　help　of　his　Mother　Earth；　become　stronger　than　the　mighty　Hercules　himself。　So；　throwing　down　his　club；　with　which　he　had　fought　so　many　dreadful　battles；　the　hero　stood　ready　to　receive　his　antagonist　with　naked　arms。

〃Step　forward；〃　cried　he。　〃Since　I've　broken　your　pine　tree；　we'll　try　which　is　the　better　man　at　a　wrestling　match。〃

〃Aha！　then　I'll　soon　satisfy　you；〃　shouted　the　Giant；　for；　if　there　was　one　thing　on　which　he　prided　himself　more　than　another；　it　was　his　skill　in　wrestling。　〃Villain；　I'll　fling　you　where　you　can　never　pick　yourself　up　again。〃

On　came　Antaeus；　hopping　and　capering　with　the　scorching　heat　of　his　rage；　and　getting　new　vigor　wherewith　to　wreak　his　passion；　every　time　he　hopped。

But　Hercules；　you　must　understand；　was　wiser　than　this　numskull　of　a　Giant；　and　had　thought　of　a　way　to　fight　himhuge；　earth…born　monster　that　he　wasand　to　conquer　him　too；　in　spite　of　all　that　his　Mother　Earth　could　do　for　him。　Watching　his　opportunity；　as　the　mad　Giant　made　a　rush　at　him；　Hercules　caught　him　round　the　middle　with　both　hands；　lifted　him　high　into　the　air；　and　held　him　aloft　overhead。

Just　imagine　it；　my　dear　little　friends。　What　a　spectacle　it　must　have　been；　to　see　this　monstrous　fellow　sprawling　in　the　air；　face　downwards；　kicking　out　his　long　legs　and　wriggling　his　whole　vast　body；　like　a　baby　when　its　father　holds　it　at　arm's　length　towards　the　ceiling。

But　the　most　wonderful　thing　was；　that；　as　soon　as　Antaeus　was　fairly　off　the　earth；　he　began　to　lose　the　vigor　which　he　had　gained　by　touching　it。　Hercules　very　soon　perceived　that　his　troublesome　enemy　was　growing　weaker；　both　because　he　struggled　and　kicked　with　less　violence；　and　because　the　thunder　of　his　big　voice　subsided　into　a　grumble。　The　truth　was　that　unless　the　Giant　touched　Mother　Earth　as　often　as　once　in　five　minutes；　not　only　his　overgrown　strength；　but　the　very　breath　of　his　life；　would　depart　from　him。　Hercules　had　guessed　this　secret；　and　it　may　be　well　for　us　all　to　remember　it；　in　case　we　should　ever　have　to　fight　a　battle　with　a　fellow　like　Antaeus。　For　these　earth…born　creatures　are　only　difficult　to　conquer　on　their　own　ground；　but　may　easily　be　managed　if　we　can　contrive　to　lift　them　into　a　loftier　and　purer　region。　So　it　proved　with　the　poor　Giant；　whom　I　am　really　a　little　sorry　for；　notwithstanding　his　uncivil　way　of　treating　strangers　who　came　to　visit　him。

When　his　strength　and　breath　were　quite　gone；　Hercules　gave　his　huge　body　a　toss；　and　flung　it　about　a　mile　off；　where　it　fell　heavily；　and　lay　with　no　more　motion　than　a　sand　hill。　It　was　too　late　for　the　Giant's　Mother　Earth　to　help　him　now；　and　I　should　not　wonder　if　his　ponderous　bones　were　lying　on　the　same　spot　to　this　very　day；　and　were　mistaken　for　those　of　an　uncommonly　large　elephant。

But；　alas　me！　What　a　wailing　did　the　poor　little　Pygmies　set　up　when　they　saw　their　enormous　brother　treated　in　this　terrible　manner！　If　Hercules　heard　their　shrieks；　however；　he　took　no　notice；　and　perhaps　fancied　them　only　the　shrill；　plaintive　twittering　of　small　birds　that　had　been　frightened　from　their　nests　by　the　uproar　of　the　battle　between　himself　and　Antaeus。　Indeed；　his　thoughts　had　been　so　much　taken　up　with　the　Giant；　that　he　had　never　once　looked　at　the　Pygmies；　nor　even　knew　that　there　was　such　a　funny　little　nation　in　the　world。　And　now；　as　he　had　traveled　a　good　way；　and　was　also　rather　weary　with　his　exertions　in　the　fight；　he　spread　out　his　lion's　skin　on　the　ground；　and；　reclining　himself　upon　it；　fell　fast　asleep。

As　soon　as　the　Pygmies　saw　Hercules　preparing　for　a　nap；　they　nodded　their　little　heads　at　one　another；　and　winked　with　their　little　eyes。　And　when　his　deep；　regular　breathing　gave　them　notice　that　he　was　asleep；　they　assembled　together　in　an　immense　crowd；　spreading　over　a　space　of　about　twenty…seven　feet　square。　One　of　their　most　eloquent　orators　（and　a　valiant　warrior　enough；　besides；　though　hardly　so　good　at　any　other　weapon　as　he　was　with　his　tongue）　climbed　upon　a　toadstool；　and；　from　that　elevated　position；　addressed　the　multitude。　His　sentiments　were　pretty　much　as　follows；　or；　at　all　events；　something　like　this　was　probably　the　upshot　of　his　speech：

〃Tall　Pygmies　and　mighty　little　men！　You　and　all　of　us　have　seen　what　a　public　calamity　has　been　brought　to　pass；　and　what　an　insult　has　here　been　offered　to　the　majesty　of　our　nation。　Yonder　lies　Antaeus；　our　great　friend　and　brother；　slain；　within　our　territory；　by　a　miscreant　who　took　him　at　disadvantage；　and　fought　him　（if　fighting　it　can　be　called）　in　a　way　that　neither　man；　nor　Giant；　nor　Pygmy　ever　dreamed　of　fighting；　until　this　hour。　And；　adding　a　grievous　contumely　to　the　wrong　already　done　us；　the　miscreant　has　now　fallen　asleep　as　quietly　as　if　nothing　were　to　be　dreaded　from　our　wrath！　It　behooves　you；　fellow…countrymen；　to　consider　in　what　aspect　we　shall　stand　before　the　world；　and　what　will　be　the　verdict　of　impartial　history；　should　we　suffer　these　accumulated　outrages　to　go　unavenged。

〃Antaeus　was　our　brother；　born　of　that　same　beloved　parent　to　whom　we　owe　the　thews　and　sinews；　as　well　as　the　courageous　hearts；　which　made　him　proud　of　our　relationship。　He　was　our　faithful　ally；　and　fell　fighting　as　much　for　our　national　rights　and　immunities　as　for　his　own　personal　ones。　We　and　our　forefathers　have　dwelt　in　friendship　with　him；　and　held　affectionate　intercourse　as　man　to　man；　through　immemorial　generations。　You　remember　how　often　our　entire　people　have　reposed　in　his　great　shadow；　and　how　our　little　ones　have　played　at　hide…and…seek　in　the　tangles　of　his　hair；　and　how　his　mighty　footsteps　have　familiarly　gone　to　and　fro　among　us；　and　never　trodden　upon　any　of　our　toes。　And　there　lies　this　dear　brother　this　sweet　and　amiable　friendthis　brave　and　faithful　ally…this　virtuous　Giantthis　blameless　and　excellent　Antaeusdead！　Dead！　Silent！　Powerless！　A　mere　mountain　of　clay！　Forgive　my　tears！　Nay；　I　behold　your　own。　Were　we　to　drown　the　world　with　them；　could　the　world　blame　us？

〃But　to　resume：　Shall　we；　my　countrymen；　suffer　this　wicked　stranger　to　depart　unharmed；　and　triumph　in　his　treacherous　victory；　among　distant　communities　of　the　earth？　Shall　we　not　rather　compel　him　to　leave　his　bones　here　on　our　soil；　by　the　side　of　our　slain　brother's　bones？　so　that；　while　one　skeleton　shall　remain　as　the　everlasting　monument　of　our　sorrow；　the　other　shall　endure　as　long；　exhibiting　to　the　whole　human　race　a　terrible　example　of　Pygmy　vengeance！　Such　is　the　question。　I　put　it　to　you　in　full　confidence　of　a　response　that　shall　be　worthy　of　our　national　character；　and　calculated　to　increase；　rather　than　diminish；　the　glory　which　our　ancestors　have　transmitted　to　us；　and　which　we　ourselves　have　proudly　vindicated　in　our　warfare　with　the　cranes。〃

The　orator　was　here　interrupted　by　a　burst　of　irrepressible　enthusiasm；　every　individual　Pygmy　crying　out　that　the　national　honor　must　be　preserved　at　all　hazards。　He　bowed；　and；　making　a　gesture　for　silence；　wound　up　his　harangue　in　the　following　admirable　manner：

〃It　only　remains　for　us；　then；　to　decide　whether　we　shall　carry　on　the　war　in　our　national　capacityone　united　people　against　a　common　enemyor　whether　some　champion；　famous　in　former　fights；　shall　be　selected　to　defy　the　slayer　of　our　brother　Antaeus　to　single　combat。　In　the　latter　case；　though　not　unconscious　that　there　may　be　taller　men　among　you；　I　hereby　offer　myself　for　that　enviable　duty。　And　believe　me；　dear　countrymen；　whether　I　live　or　die；　the　honor　of　this　great　country；　and　the　fame　bequeathed　us　by　our　heroic　progenitors；　shall　suffer　no　diminution　in　my　hands。　Never；　while　I　can　wield　this　sword；　of　which　I　now　fling　away　the　scabbardnever；　never；　never；　even　if　the　crimson　hand　that　slew　the　great　Antaeus　shall　lay　me