stories to tell to children-第25章

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and　the　very　trees　swayed　as　if　they　wanted　to

dance。　　The　fauns　laughed　aloud　for　joy　as　the

melody　tickled　their　furry　little　ears。　　And

Midas　thought　it　the　sweetest　music　in　the

world。



Then　Apollo　rose。　　His　hair　shook　drops　of

light　from　its　curls；　his　robes　were　like　the

edge　of　the　sunset　cloud；　in　his　hands　he　held

a　golden　lyre。　　And　when　he　touched　the

strings　of　the　lyre；　such　music　stole　upon　the

air　as　never　god　nor　mortal　heard　before。　　The

wild　creatures　of　the　wood　crouched　still　as

stone；　the　trees　kept　every　leaf　from　rustling；

earth　and　air　were　silent　as　a　dream。　　To　hear

such　music　cease　was　like　bidding　farewell　to

father　and　mother。



When　the　charm　was　broken；　the　hearers

fell　at　Apollo's　feet　and　proclaimed　the　victory

his。　　All　but　Midas。　　He　alone　would　not

admit　that　the　music　was　better　than　Pan's。



〃If　thine　ears　are　so　dull；　mortal；〃　said

Apollo；　〃they　shall　take　the　shape　that　suits

them。〃　　And　he　touched　the　ears　of　Midas。

And　straightway　the　dull　ears　grew　long；

pointed；　and　furry；　and　they　turned　this　way

and　that。　　They　were　the　ears　of　an　ass！



For　a　long　time　Midas　managed　to　hide

the　tell…tale　ears　from　everyone；　but　at　last　a

servant　discovered　the　secret。　　He　knew　he

must　not　tell；　yet　he　could　not　bear　not　to；

so　one　day　he　went　into　the　meadow；　scooped

a　little　hollow　in　the　turf；　and　whispered　the

secret　into　the　earth。　　Then　he　covered　it　up

again；　and　went　away。　　But；　alas；　a　bed　of

reeds　sprang　up　from　the　spot；　and　whispered

the　secret　to　the　grass。　　The　grass　told　it　to

the　tree…tops；　the　tree…tops　to　the　little　birds；

and　they　cried　it　all　abroad。



And　to　this　day；　when　the　wind　sets　the

reeds　nodding　together；　they　whisper；　laughing；

〃Midas　has　the　ears　of　an　ass！　　Oh；　hush；

hush！〃







WHY　THE　SEA　IS　SALT＇1＇



＇1＇　There　are　many　versions　of　this　tale；　in　different

collections。　　This　one　is　the　story　which　grew　up　in　my　mind；

about　the　bare　outline　related　to　me　by　one　of　Mrs　Rutan's

hearers。　　What　the　original　teller　said；　I　never　knew；　but

what　the　listener　felt　was　clear。　　And　in　this　form　I　have

told　it　a　great　many　times。





Once　there　were　two　brothers。　　One　was

rich；　and　one　was　poor；　the　rich　one　was

rather　mean。　　When　the　Poor　Brother　used

to　come　to　ask　for　things　it　annoyed　him；　and

finally　one　day　he　said；　〃There；　I'll　give　it　to

you　this　time；　but　the　next　time　you　want

anything；　you　can　go　Below　for　it！〃



Presently　the　Poor　Brother　did　want　something；

and　he　knew　it　wasn't　any　use　to　go　to

his　brother；　he　must　go　Below　for　it。　　So　he

went；　and　he　went；　and　he　went；　till　he　came

Below。



It　was　the　queerest　place！　　There　were　red

and　yellow　fires　burning　all　around；　and　kettles

of　boiling　oil　hanging　over　them；　and　a　queer

sort　of　men　standing　round；　poking　the　fires。

There　was　a　Chief　Man；　he　had　a　long　curly

tail　that　curled　up　behind；　and　two　ugly　little

horns　just　over　his　ears；　and　one　foot　was　very

queer　indeed。　　And　as　soon　as　anyone　came

in　the　door；　these　men　would　catch　him　up

and　put　him　over　one　of　the　fires；　and　turn

him　on　a　spit。　　And　then　the　Chief　Man；　who

was　the　worst　of　all；　would　come　and　say；

〃Eh；　how　do　you　feel　now？　　How　do　you

feel　now？〃　　And　of　course　the　poor　people

screamed　and　screeched　and　said；　〃Let　us　out！

Let　us　out！〃　　That　was　just　what　the　Chief

Man　wanted。



When　the　Poor　Brother　came　in；　they　picked

him　up　at　once；　and　put　him　over　one　of　the

hottest　fires；　and　began　to　turn　him　round　and

round　like　the　rest；　and　of　course　the　Chief

Man　came　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Eh；　how　do

you　feel　now？　　How　do　you　feel　now？〃　　But

the　Poor　Brother　did　not　say；　〃Let　me　out！

Let　me　out！〃　　He　said；　〃Pretty　well；　thank

you。〃



The　Chief　Man　grunted　and　said　to　the

other　men；　〃Make　the　fire　hotter。〃　　But　the

next　time　he　asked　the　Poor　Brother　how　he

felt；　the　Poor　Brother　smiled　and　said。　　〃Much

better　now；　thank　you。〃　　The　Chief　Man　did

not　like　this　at　all；　because；　of　course；　the　whole

object　in　life　of　the　people　Below　was　to　make

their　victims　uncomfortable。　　So　he　piled　on

more　fuel　and　made　the　fire　hotter　still。　　But

every　time　he　asked　the　Poor　Brother　how　he

felt；　the　Poor　Brother　would　say；　〃Very　much

better〃；　and　at　last　he　said；　〃Perfectly

comfortable；　thank　you；　couldn't　be　better。〃



You　see　when　the　Poor　Brother　was　on

earth　he　had　never　once　had　money　enough

to　buy　coal　enough　to　keep　him　warm；　so　he

liked　the　heat。



At　last　the　Chief　Man　could　stand　it　no

longer。



〃Oh；　look　here；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　go

home。〃



〃Oh　no；　thank　you；〃　said　the　Poor　Brother；

〃I　like　it　here。〃



〃You　MUST　go　home；〃　said　the　Chief　Man



〃But　I　won't　go　home；〃　said　the　Poor

Brother。



The　Chief　Man　went　away　and　talked　with

the　other　men；　but　no　matter　what　they　did

they　could　not　make　the　Poor　Brother　uncomfortable；

so　at　last　the　Chief　Man　came　back

and　said；



〃What'll　you　take　to　go　home？〃



〃What　have　you　got？〃　said　the　Poor

Brother。



〃Well；〃　said　the　Chief　Man；　〃if　you'll　go

home　quietly　I'll　give　you　the　Little　Mill　that

stands　behind　my　door。〃



〃What's　the　good　of　it？〃　said　the　Poor

Brother。



〃It　is　the　most　wonderful　mill　in　the　world；〃

said　the　Chief　Man。　　〃Anything　at　all　that　you

want；　you　have　only　to　name　it；　and　say；　‘Grind

this；　Little　Mill；　and　grind　quickly；'　and　the

Mill　will　grind　that　thing　until　you　say　the

magic　word；　to　stop　it。〃



〃That　sounds　nice；〃　said　the　Poor　Brother。

〃I'll　take　it。〃　　And　he　took　the　Little　Mill

under　his　arm；　and　went　up；　and　up；　and　up；

till　he　came　to　his　own　house。



When　he　was　in　front　of　his　little　old　hut；　he

put　the　Little　Mill　down　on　the　ground　and

said　to　it；　〃Grind　a　fine　house；　Little　Mill；　and

grind　quickly。〃　　And　the　Little　Mill　ground；

and　ground；　and　ground　the　finest　house　that

ever　was　seen。　　It　had　fine　big　chimneys；　and

gable　windows；　and　broad　piazzas；　and　just　as

the　Little　Mill　ground　the　last　step　of　the　last

flight　of　steps；　the　Poor　Brother　said　the　magic

word；　and　it　stopped。



Then　he　took　it　round　to　where　the　barn　was；

and　said；　〃Grind　cattle；　Little　Mill；　and　grind

quickly。〃　　And　the　Little　Mill　ground；　and

ground；　and　ground；　and　out　came　great　fat

cows；　and　little　woolly　lambs；　and　fine　little

pigs；　and　just　as　the　Little　Mill　ground　the

last　curl　on　the　tail　of　the　last　little　pig；　the

Poor　Brother　said　the　magic　word；　and　it

stopped。



He　did　the　same　thing　with　crops　for　his

cattle；　pretty　clothes　for　his　daughters；　and

everything　else　they　wanted。　　At　last　he　had

everything　he　wanted；　and　so　he　stood　the

Little　Mill　behind　his　door。



All　this　time　the　Rich　Brother　had　been

getting　more　and　more　jealous；　and　at　last　he

came　to　ask　the　Poor　Brother　how　he　had

grown　so　rich。　　The　Poor　Brother　told　him　all

about　it。　　He　said；　〃It　all　comes　from　that

Little　Mill　behind　my　door。　　All　I　have　to　do

when　I　want　anything　is　to　name　it　to　the

Little　Mill；　and　say；　‘Grind　that；　Little　Mill；

and　grind　quickly；'　and　the　Little　Mill　will

grind　that　thing　until〃



But　the　Rich　Brother　didn't　wait　to　hear　any

more。　　〃Will　you　lend　me　the　Little　Mill？〃　he

said。



〃Why；　yes；〃　said　the　Poor　Brother；　〃I　will。〃



So　the　Rich　Brother　took　the　Little　Mill

under　his　arm　and　started　across　the　fields　to

his　house。　　When　he　got　near　home　he　saw　the

farm…hands　coming　in　from　the　fields　for　their

luncheon。　　Now；　you　remember；　he　was　rather

mean。　　He　thought　to　himself；　〃It　is　a　waste

of　good　time　for　them　to　come　into　the　house；

they　shall　have　their　porridge　where　they　are。〃

He　called　all　the　men　to　him；　and　made

them　bring　their　porridge…bowls。　　Then　he　set

the　Little　Mill　down　on　the　ground；　and　said

to　it；　〃Grind　oatmeal　porridge；　Little　Mill；　and

grind　quickly！〃　　The　Little　Mill　ground；　and

ground；　and　ground；　and　out　came　delicious

oatmeal　porridge。　　Each　man　held　his　bowl

under　the　spout。　　When　the　last　bowl　was

filled；　the　porridge　ran　over　on　the　ground。



〃That's　enough；　Little　Mill；〃　said　the　Rich

Brother。　　〃You　may　stop；　and　stop　quickly。〃



But　this　was　not　the　magic　word；　and　the

Little　Mill　did　not　stop。　　It　ground；　and　ground；

and　ground；　and　the　porridge　ran　all　round　and

made　a　little　pool。　　The　Rich　Brother　said；

〃No；　no；　Little　Mill；　I　said；　‘Stop　grinding；　and

stop　quickly。'〃　　But　the　Little　Mill　ground；　and

ground；　faster　than　ever；　and　presently　there

was　a　regular　pond　of　porridge；　almost　up　to

their　knees。　　The　Rich　Brother　said；　〃Stop

grinding；〃　in　every　kind　of　way；　he　called　the

Little　Mill　names；　but　nothing　did　any　good。

The　Little　Mill　ground　porridge　just　the　same。

At　last　the　men　said；　〃Go　and　get　your　brother

to　stop　the　Little　Mill；　or　we　shall　be　drowned

in　porridge。〃



So　the　Rich　Brother　started　for　his　brother's

house。　　He　had　to　swim　before　he　got　there；

and　the　porridge　went　up　his　sleeves；　and　down

his　neck；　and　it　was　horrid　and　sticky。　　His

brother　laughed　when　he　heard　the　story；　but

he　came　with　him；　and　they　took　a　boat　and

rowed　across　the　lake　of　porridge　to　where　the

Little　Mill　was　grinding。　　And　then　the　Poor

Brother　whispered　the　magic　word；　and　the

Little　Mill　stopped。



But　the　porridge　was　a　long　time　soaking　into

the　ground；　and　nothing　would　ever　grow　there

afterwards　except　oatmeal。



The　Rich　Brother　didn't　seem　to　care　much

about　the　Little　Mill　after　this；　so　the　Poor

Brother　took　it　home　again　and　put　it　behind

the　door；　and　there　it　stayed　a　long；　long　while。



Years　afterwards　a　Sea　Captain　came　there　on

a　visit。　　He　told　such　big　stories　that　the　Poor

Brother　said；　〃Oh；　I　daresay　you　have　seen

wonderful　things；　but　I　don't　believe　you　ever

saw　anything　more　wonderful　than　the　Little

Mill　that　stands　behind　my　door。〃



〃What　is　wonderful　about　that？〃　said　the

Sea　Captain。



〃Why；〃　said　the　Poor　Brother；　〃anything　in

the　world　you　want；you　have　only　to　name　it

to　the　Little　Mill　and　say；　‘Grind　that；　Little

Mill；　and　grind　quickly；'　and　it　will　grind　that

thing　until〃



The　Sea　Captain　didn't　wait　to　hear　another

word。　　〃Will　you　lend　me　that　Little　Mill？〃

he　said　eagerly。



The　Poor　Brother　smiled　a　little；　but　he　said；

〃Yes；〃　and　the　Sea　Captain　took　the　Little　Mill

under　his　arm；　and　went　on　board　his　ship　and

sailed　away。



They　had　head…winds　and　storms；　and　they

were　so　long　at　sea　that　some　of　the　food　gave

out。　　Worst　of　all；　the　salt　gave　out。　　It　was

dreadful；　being　without　salt。　　But　the　Captain

happened　to　remember　the　Little　Mill。



〃Bring　up　the　salt　box！〃　he　said　to　the　cook。

〃We　will　have　salt　enough。〃



He　set　the　Little　Mill　on　deck；　put　the　salt

box　under　the　spout；　and　said；



〃