stories to tell to children-第21章

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Fire　Spirits　will　pursue　me。〃



Then　he　went　up　to　the　mountain；　and　the

Fire　Spirits　only　laughed　when　they　saw　him；

for　he　looked　so　slinking；　inconsiderable；　and

mean；　that　none　of　them　thought　harm　from

him。　　And　in　the　night；　when　they　were　at

their　dance　about　the　mountain；　the　Coyote

stole　the　fire；　and　ran　with　it　down　the　slope　of

the　burning　mountain。　　When　the　Fire　Spirits

saw　what　he　had　done　they　streamed　out　after

him；　red　and　angry；　with　a　humming　sound　like

a　swarm　of　bees。　　But　the　Coyote　was　still

ahead；　the　sparks　of　the　brand　streamed　out

along　his　flanks；　as　he　carried　it　in　his　mouth；

and　he　stretched　his　body　to　the　trail。



The　Boy　saw　him　coming；　like　a　failing　star

against　the　mountain；　he　heard　the　singing

sound　of　the　Fire　Spirits　close　behind；　and　the

labouring　breath　of　the　Counsellor。　　And　when

the　good　beast　panted　down　beside　him；　the

Boy　caught　the　brand　from　his　jaws　and　was　off；

like　an　arrow　from　a　bent　bow。　　Out　he　shot　on

the　homeward　path；　and　the　Fire　Spirits　snapped

and　sang　behind　him。　　But　fast　as　they　pursued

he　fled　faster；　till　he　saw　the　next　runner　standing

in　his　place；　his　body　bent　for　the　running。

To　him　he　passed　it；　and　it　was　off　and　away；

with　the　Fire　Spirits　raging　in　chase。



So　it　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　and　the　Fire

Spirits　tore　after　it　through　the　scrub；　till　they

came　to　the　mountains　of　the　snows；　these　they

could　not　pass。　　Then　the　dark；　sleek　runners

with　the　backward　streaming　brand　bore　it　forward；

shining　starlike　in　the　night；　glowing　red

in　sultry　noons；　violet　pale　in　twilight　glooms；

until　they　came　in　safety　to　their　own　land。



And　there　they　kept　it　among　stones　and　fed

it　with　small　sticks；　as　the　Counsellor　advised；

and　it　kept　the　people　warm。



Ever　after　the　Boy　was　called　the　Fire…Bringer；

and　ever　after　the　Coyote　bore　the　sign　of　the

bringing；　for　the　fur　along　his　flanks　was　singed

and　yellow　from　the　flames　that　streamed　backward

from　the　brand。







THE　BURNING　OF　THE　RICEFIELDS＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　Gleanings　in　Buddha…Fields；　by　Lafeadio

Hearn。　　（Kegan　Paul；　Trench；　Trubner　and　Co；　Ltd。　　5s。　net。）





Once　there　was　a　good　old　man　who　lived　up

on　a　mountain；　far　away　in　Japan。　　All　round

his　little　house　the　mountain　was　flat；　and　the

ground　was　rich；　and　there　were　the　ricefields

of　all　the　people　who　lived　in　the　village　at　the

mountain's　foot。　　Mornings　and　evenings；　the

old　man　and　his　little　grandson；　who　lived　with

him；　used　to　look　far　down　on　the　people　at

work　in　the　village；　and　watch　the　blue　sea

which　lay　all　round　the　land；　so　close　that　there

was　no　room　for　fields　below；　only　for　houses。

The　little　boy　loved　the　ricefields；　dearly；　for　he

knew　that　all　the　good　food　for　all　the　people

came　from　them；　and　he　often　helped　his　grandfather

to　watch　over　them。



One　day；　the　grandfather　was　standing　alone；

before　his　house；　looking　far　down　at　the　people；

and　out　at　the　sea；　when；　suddenly；　he　saw

something　very　strange　far　off　where　the　sea

and　sky　meet。　　Something　like　a　great　cloud

was　rising　there；　as　if　the　sea　were　lifting　itself

high　into　the　sky。　　The　old　man　put　his　hands

to　his　eyes　and　looked　again；　hard　as　his　old

sight　could。　　Then　he　turned　and　ran　to　the

house。　　〃Yone；　Yone！〃　he　cried；　〃bring　a

brand　from　the　hearth！〃



The　little　grandson　could　not　imagine　what

his　grandfather　wanted　with　fire；　but　he　always

obeyed；　so　he　ran　quickly　and　brought　the　brand。

The　old　man　already　had　one；　and　was　running

for　the　ricefields。　　Yone　ran　after。　　But　what　was

his　horror　to　see　his　grandfather　thrust　his　burning

brand　into　the　ripe　dry　rice；　where　it　stood。



〃Oh；　Grandfather；　Grandfather！〃　screamed

the　little　boy；　〃what　are　you　doing？〃



〃Quick；　set　fire！　thrust　your　brand　in！〃　said

the　grandfather。



Yone　thought　his　dear　grandfather　had　lost

his　mind；　and　he　began　to　sob；　but　a　little

Japanese　boy　always　obeys；　so　though　he　sobbed；

he　thrust　his　torch　in；　and　the　sharp　flame　ran

up　the　dry　stalks；　red　and　yellow。　　In　an

instant；　the　field　was　ablaze；　and　thick　black

smoke　began　to　pour　up；　on　the　mountain　side。

It　rose　like　a　cloud；　black　and　fierce；　and　in　no

time　the　people　below　saw　that　their　precious

ricefields　were　on　fire。　　Ah；　how　they　ran！

Men；　women；　and　children　climbed　the　mountain；

running　as　fast　as　they　could　to　save　the

rice；　not　one　soul　stayed　behind。



And　when　they　came　to　the　mountain　top；　and

saw　the　beautiful　rice…crop　all　in　flames；　beyond

help；　they　cried　bitterly；　〃Who　has　done　this

thing？　　How　did　it　happen？〃



〃I　set　fire；〃　said　the　old　man；　very　solemnly；

and　the　little　grandson　sobbed；　〃Grandfather

set　fire。〃



But　when　they　came　fiercely　round　the　old

man；　with　〃Why？　　Why？〃　he　only　turned　and

pointed　to　the　sea。　　〃Look！〃　he　said。



They　all　turned　and　looked。　　And　there；

where　the　blue　sea　had　lain；　so　calm；　a　mighty

wall　of　water；　reaching　from　earth　to　sky；　was

rolling　in。　　No　one　could　scream；　so　terrible

was　the　sight。　　The　wall　of　water　rolled　in　on

the　land；　passed　quite　over　the　place　where　the

village　had　been；　and　broke；　with　an　awful

sound；　on　the　mountain　side。　　One　wave　more；

and　still　one　more；　came；　and　then　all　was

water；　as　far　as　they　could　look；　below；　the

village　where　they　had　been　was　under　the　sea。



But　the　people　were　all　safe。　　And　when　they

saw　what　the　old　man　had　done；　they　honoured

him　above　all　men　for　the　quick　wit　which　had

saved　them　all　from　the　tidal　wave。







THE　STORY　OF　WYLIE＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　Rab　and　his　Friends；　by　Dr　John　Brown。





This　is　a　story　about　a　dog；not　the　kind　of

dog　you　often　see　in　the　street　here；　not　a　fat；

wrinkly　pugdog；　nor　a　smooth…skinned　bulldog；

nor　even　a　big　shaggy　fellow；　but　a　slim；　silky…

haired；　sharp…eared　little　dog；　the　prettiest　thing

you　can　imagine。　　Her　name　was　Wylie；　and　she

lived　in　Scotland；　far　up　on　the　hills；　and　helped

her　master　take　care　of　his　sheep。



You　can't　think　how　clever　she　was！　　She

watched　over　the　sheep　and　the　little　lambs　like

a　soldier；　and　never　let　anything　hurt　them。

She　drove　them　out　to　pasture　when　it　was

time；　and　brought　them　safely　home　when　it　was

time　for　that。　　When　the　silly　sheep　got　frightened

and　ran　this　way　and　that；　hurting　themselves

and　getting　lost；　Wylie　knew　exactly　what　to

do；round　on　one　side　she　would　run；　barking

and　scolding；　driving　them　back；　then　round

on　the　other；　barking　and　scolding；　driving　them

back；　till　they　were　all　bunched　together　in　front

of　the　right　gate。　　Then　she　drove　them　through

as　neatly　as　any　person。　　She　loved　her　work；

and　was　a　wonderfully　fine　sheepdog。



At　last　her　master　grew　too　old　to　stay　alone

on　the　hills；　and　so　he　went　away　to　live。　　Before

he　went；　he　gave　Wylie　to　two　kind　young　men

who　lived　in　the　nearest　town；　he　knew　they

would　be　good　to　her。　　They　grew　very　fond　of

her；　and　so　did　their　old　grandmother　and　the

little　children：　she　was　so　gentle　and　handsome

and　well　behaved。



So　now　Wylie　lived　in　the　city　where　there

were　no　sheep　farms；　only　streets　and　houses；

and　she　did　not　have　to　do　any　work　at　all；

she　was　just　a　pet　dog。　　She　seemed　very　happy

and　she　was　always　good。



But　after　a　while；　the　family　noticed　something

odd；　something　very　strange　indeed；　about　their

pet。　　Every　single　Tuesday　night；　about　nine

o'clock；　Wylie　DISAPPEARED。　　They　would　look

for　her；　call　her；no；　she　was　gone。　　And　she

would　be　gone　all　night。　　But　every　Wednesday

morning；　there　she　was　at　the　door；　waiting　to

be　let　in。　　Her　silky　coat　was　all　sweaty　and

muddy　and　her　feet　heavy　with　weariness；　but

her　bright　eyes　looked　up　at　her　masters　as　

if　she　were　trying　to　explain　where　she　had

been。



Week　after　week　the　same　thing　happened。

Nobody　could　imagine　where　Wylie　went　every

Tuesday　night。　　They　tried　to　follow　her　to　find

out；　but　she　always　slipped　away；　they　tried　to

shut　her　in；　but　she　always　found　a　way　out。

It　grew　to　be　a　real　mystery。　　Where　in　the

world　did　Wylie　go？



You　never　could　guess；　so　I　am　going　to　tell

you。



In　the　city　near　the　town　where　the　kind

young　men　lived　was　a　big　market　like　（naming

one　in　the　neighbourhood）。　　Every　sort　of　thing

was　sold　there；　even　live　cows　and　sheep　and

hens。　　On　Tuesday　nights；　the　farmers　used　to

come　down　from　the　hills　with　their　sheep　to　sell；

and　drive　them　through　the　city　streets　into　the

pens；　ready　to　sell　on　Wednesday　morning；　that

was　the　day　they　sold　them。



The　sheep　weren't　used　to　the　city　noises　and

sights；　and　they　always　grew　afraid　and　wild；

and　gave　the　farmers　and　the　sheepdogs　a　great

deal　of　trouble。　　They　broke　away　and　ran　about；

in　everybody's　way。



But　just　as　the　trouble　was　worst；　about

sunrise；　the　farmers　would　see　a　little　silky；　sharp…

eared　dog　come　trotting　all　alone　down　the　road；

into　the　midst　of　them。



And　then！



In　and　out　the　little　dog　ran　like　the　wind；

round　and　about；　always　in　the　right　place；

drivingcoaxingpushingmaking　the　sheep

mind　like　a　good　school…teacher；　and　never

frightening　them；　till　they　were　all　safely　in！

All　the　other　dogs　together　could　not　do　as

much　as　the　little　strange　dog。　　She　was　a　perfect

wonder。　　And　no　one　knew　whose　dog　she

was　or　where　she　came　from。　　The　farmers　grew

to　watch　for　her；　every　week；　and　they　called

her　〃the　wee　fell　yin〃　which　is　Scots　for　〃the

little　terror〃；　they　used　to　say　when　they　saw

her　coming；　〃There's　the　wee　fell　yin！　　Now

we'll　get　them　in。〃



Every　farmer　would　have　liked　to　keep　her；

but　she　let　no　one　catch　her。　　As　soon　as　her

work　was　done　she　was　off　and　away　like　a　fairy

dog；　no　one　knew　where。　　Week　after　week　this

happened；　and　nobody　knew　who　the　little

strange　dog　was。



But　one　day　Wylie　went　to　walk　with　her　two

masters；　and　they　happened　to　meet　some　sheep

farmers。　　The　sheep　farmers　stopped　short　and

stared　at　Wylie；　and　then　they　cried　out；　〃Why；

THAT'S　THE　DOG！　　That's　the　wee　fell　yin！〃　　And

so　it　was。　　The　little　strange　dog　who　helped

with　the　sheep　was　Wylie。



Her　masters；　of　course；　didn't　know　what　the

farmers　meant；　till　they　were　told　all　about　what

I　have　been　telling　you。　　But　when　they　heard　

about　the　pretty　strange　dog　who　came　to

market　all　alone；　they　knew　at　last　where　Wylie

went；　every　Tuesday　night。　　And　they　loved

her　better　than　ever



Wasn't　it　wise　of　the　dear　little　dog　to　go　and

work　for　other　people　when　her　own　work　was

taken　away？　　I　fancy　she　knew　that　the　best

people　and　the　best　dogs　always　work　hard　at

something。　　Any　way　she　did　that　same　thing

as　long　as　she　lived；　and　she　was　always　just　as

gentle；　and　silky…haired；　and　loving　as　at