stories to tell to children-第26章

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He　set　the　Little　Mill　on　deck；　put　the　salt

box　under　the　spout；　and　said；



〃Grind　salt；　Little　Mill；　and　grind　quickly！〃



And　the　Little　Mill　ground　beautiful；　white；

powdery　salt。　　When　they　had　enough；　the

Captain　said；　〃Now　you　may　stop；　Little　Mill；

and　stop　quickly。〃　　The　Little　Mill　kept　on

grinding；　and　the　salt　began　to　pile　up　in　little

heaps　on　the　deck。　　〃I　said；　‘Stop；'〃　said　the

Captain。　　But　the　Little　Mill　ground；　and　ground；

faster　than　ever；　and　the　salt　was　soon　thick　on

the　deck　like　snow。　　The　Captain　called　the

Little　Mill　names　and　told　it　to　stop；　in　every

language　he　knew；　but　the　Little　Mill　went　on

grinding。　　The　salt　covered　all　the　decks　and

poured　down　into　the　hold；　and　at　last　the　ship

began　to　settle　in　the　water；　salt　is　very　heavy。

But　just　before　the　ship　sank　to　the　water…line；

the　Captain　had　a　bright　thought：　he　threw　the

Little　Mill　overboard！



It　fell　right　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea。

AND　IT　HAS　BEAN　GRINDING　SALT　EVER　SINCE。







BILLY　BEG　AND　HIS　BULL＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　In　Chimney　Corners；　by　Seumas　McManus。

I　have　ventured　to　give　this　in　the　somewhat　Hibernian

phraseology　suggested　by　the　original；　because　I　have　found

that　the　humour　of　the　manner　of　it　appeals　quite　as　readily

to　the　boys　and　girls　of　my　acquaintance　as　to　maturer　friends；

and　they　distinguish　as　quickly　between　the　savour　of　it　and

any　unintentional　crudeness　of　diction。





Once　upon　a　time；　there　was　a　king　and　a

queen；　and　they　had　one　son；　whose　name　was

Billy。　　And　Billy　had　a　bull　he　was　very　fond

of；　and　the　bull　was　just　as　fond　of　him。　　And

when　the　queen　came　to　die；　she　put　it　as　her

last　request　to　the　king；　that　come　what　might；

come　what　may；　he'd　not　part　Billy　and　the　bull。

And　the　king　promised　that；　come　what　might；

come　what　may；　he　would　not。　　Then　the　good

queen　died；　and　was　buried。



After　a　time；　the　king　married　again；　and　the

new　queen　could　not　abide　Billy；　no　more　could

she　stand　the　bull；　seeing　him　and　Billy　so　thick。

So　she　asked　the　king　to　have　the　bull　killed。

But　the　king　said　he　had　promised；　come　what

might；　come　what　may；　he'd　not　part　Billy　Beg

and　his　bull；　so　he　could　not。



Then　the　queen　sent　for　the　Hen…Wife；　and

asked　what　she　should　do。　　〃What　will　you

give　me；〃　said　the　Hen…Wife；　〃and　I'll　very　soon

part　them？〃



〃Anything　at　all；〃　said　the　queen。



〃Then　do　you　take　to　your　bed；　very　sick　with

a　complaint；〃　said　the　Hen…Wife；　〃and　I'll　do

the　rest。〃



So　the　queen　took　to　her　bed；　very　sick　with

a　complaint；　and　the　king　came　to　see　what

could　be　done　for　her。　　〃I　shall　never　be　better

of　this；〃　she　said；　〃till　I　have　the　medicine　the

Hen…Wife　ordered。〃



〃What　is　that？〃　said　the　king。



〃A　mouthful　of　the　blood　of　Billy　Beg's　bull。〃



〃I　can't　give　you　that；〃　said　the　king；　and

went　away；　sorrowful。



Then　the　queen　got　sicker　and　sicker；　and

each　time　the　king　asked　what　would　cure　her　she

said；　〃A　mouthful　of　the　blood　of　Billy　Beg's

bull。〃　　And　at　last　it　looked　as　if　she　were　going

to　die。　　So　the　king　finally　set　a　day　for　the　bull

to　be　killed。　　At　that　the　queen　was　so　happy

that　she　laid　plans　to　get　up　and　see　the　grand

sight。　　All　the　people　were　to　be　at　the　killing；

and　it　was　to　be　a　great　affair。



When　Billy　Beg　heard　all　this；　he　was　very

sorrowful；　and　the　bull　noticed　his　looks。　　〃What

are　you　doitherin'　about？〃　said　the　bull　to　him。

So　Billy　told　him。　　〃Don't　fret　yourself　about

me；〃　said　the　bull；　〃it's　not　I　that'll　be　killed！〃



The　day　came；　when　Billy　Beg's　bull　was　to

be　killed；　all　the　people　were　there；　and　the

queen；　and　Billy。　　And　the　bull　was　led　out；　to

be　seen。　　When　he　was　led　past　Billy　he　bent

his　head。　　〃Jump　on　my　back；　Billy；　my　boy；〃

says　he；　〃till　I　see　what　kind　of　a　horseman　you

are！〃　　Billy　jumped　on　his　back；　and　with　that

the　bull　leaped　nine　miles　high　and　nine　miles

broad　and　came　down　with　Billy　sticking　between

his　horns。　　Then　away　he　rushed；　over　the　head

of　the　queen；　killing　her　dead；　where　you

wouldn't　know　day　by　night　or　night　by　day；

over　high　hills；　low　hills；　sheep　walks　and

bullock　traces；　the　Cove　o'　Cork；　and　old　Tom

Fox　with　his　bugle　horn。



When　at　last　he　stopped　he　said；　〃Now；

Billy；　my　boy；　you　and　I　must　undergo　great

scenery；　there's　a　mighty　great　bull　of　the　forest

I　must　fight；　here；　and　he'll　be　hard　to　fight；

but　I'll　be　able　for　him。　　But　first　we　must　have

dinner。　　Put　your　hand　in　my　left　ear　and　pull

out　the　napkin　you'll　find　there；　and　when　you've

spread　it；　it　will　be　covered　with　eating　and

drinking　fit　for　a　king。〃



So　Billy　put　his　hand　in　the　bull's　left　ear；

and　drew　out　the　napkin；　and　spread　it；　and；

sure　enough；　it　was　spread　with　all　kinds　of

eating　and　drinking；　fit　for　a　king。　　And　Billy

Beg　ate　well。



But　just　as　he　finished　he　heard　a　great　roar；

and　out　of　the　forest　came　a　mighty　bull；　snorting

and　running。



And　the　two　bulls　at　it　and　fought。　　They

knocked　the　hard　ground　into　soft；　the　soft　into

hard；　the　rocks　into　spring　wells；　and　the　spring

wells　into　rocks。　　It　was　a　terrible　fight。　　But

in　the　end；　Billy　Beg's　bull　was　too　much　for

the　other　bull；　and　he　killed　him；　and　drank　his

blood。



Then　Billy　jumped　on　the　bull's　back；　and　the

bull　off　and　away；　where　you　wouldn't　know　day

from　night　or　night　from　day；　over　high　hills；

low　hills；　sheep　walks　and　bullock　traces；　the

Cove　o'　Cork；　and　old　Tom　Fox　with　his　bugle

horn。　　And　when　he　stopped　he　told　Billy　to

put　his　hand　in　his　left　ear　and　pull　out　the

napkin；　because　he'd　to　fight　another　great　bull

of　the　forest。　　So　Billy　pulled　out　the　napkin

and　spread　it；　and　it　was　covered　with　all　kinds

of　eating　and　drinking；　fit　for　a　king。



And；　sure　enough；　just　as　Billy　finished　eating；

there　was　a　frightful　roar；　and　a　mighty　great

bull；　greater　than　the　first；　rushed　out　of　the

forest。　　And　the　two　bulls　at　it　and　fought。

It　was　a　terrible　fight！　　They　knocked　the　hard

ground　into　soft；　the　soft　into　hard；　the　rocks

into　spring　wells；　and　the　spring　wells　into　rocks。

But　in　the　end；　Billy　Beg's　bull　killed　the　other

bull；　and　drank　his　blood。



Then　he　off　and　away；　with　Billy。



But　when　he　came　down；　he　told　Billy　Beg

that　he　was　to　fight　another　bull；　the　brother　of

the　other　two；　and　that　this　time　the　other　bull

would　be　too　much　for　him；　and　would　kill　him

and　drink　his　blood。



〃When　I　am　dead；　Billy；　my　boy；〃　he　said；

〃put　your　hand　in　my　left　ear　and　draw　out　the

napkin；　and　you'll　never　want　for　eating　or

drinking；　and　put　your　hand　in　my　right　ear；

and　you'll　find　a　stick　there；　that　will　turn　into

a　sword　if　you　wave　it　three　times　round　your

head；　and　give　you　the　strength　of　a　thousand

men　beside　your　own。　　Keep　that；　then　cut　a

strip　of　my　hide；　for　a　belt；　for　when　you　buckle

it　on；　there's　nothing　can　kill　you。〃



Billy　Beg　was　very　sad　to　hear　that　his　friend

must　die。　　And　very　soon　he　heard　a　more

dreadful　roar　than　ever　he　heard；　and　a　tremendous

bull　rushed　out　of　the　forest。　　Then　came

the　worst　fight　of　all。　　In　the　end；　the　other

bull　was　too　much　for　Billy　Beg's　bull；　and　he

killed　him　and　drank　his　blood。



Billy　Beg　sat　down　and　cried　for　three　days

and　three　nights。　　After　that　he　was　hungry；

so　he　put　his　hand　in　the　bull's　left　ear；　and

drew　out　the　napkin；　and　ate　all　kinds　of　eating

and　drinking。　　Then　he　put　his　hand　in　the

right　ear　and　pulled　out　the　stick　which　was　to

turn　into　a　sword　if　waved　round　his　head　three

times；　and　to　give　him　the　strength　of　a　thousand

men　beside　his　own。　　And　he　cut　a　strip　of　the

hide　for　a　belt；　and　started　off　on　his　adventures。



Presently　he　came　to　a　fine　place；　an　old

gentleman　lived　there。　　So　Billy　went　up　and

knocked；　and　the　old　gentleman　came　to　the

door。



〃Are　you　wanting　a　boy？〃　says　Billy。



〃I　am　wanting　a　herd…boy；〃　says　the　gentleman；

〃to　take　my　six　cows；　six　horses；　six

donkeys；　and　six　goats　to　pasture　every　morning；

and　bring　them　back　at　night。　　Maybe　you'd　do。〃



〃What　are　the　wages？〃　says　Billy。



〃Oh；　well；〃　says　the　gentleman；　〃it's　no　use

to　talk　of　that　now；　there's　three　giants　live

in　the　wood　by　the　pasture；　and　every　day　they

drink　up　all　the　milk　and　kill　the　boy　that　looks

after　the　cattle；　so　we'll　wait　to　talk　about

wages　till　we　see　if　you　come　back　alive。〃



〃All　right；〃　says　Billy；　and　he　entered　service

with　the　old　gentleman。



The　first　day；　he　drove　the　six　cows；　six

horses；　six　donkeys；　and　six　goats　to　pasture；

and　sat　down　by　them。　　About　noon　he　heard

a　kind　of　roaring　from　the　wood；　and　out

rushed　a　giant　with　two　heads；　spitting　fire

out　of　his　two　mouths。



〃Oh！　my　fine　fellow；〃　says　he　to　Billy；　〃you

are　too　big　for　one　swallow　and　not　big　enough

for　two；　how　would　you　like　to　die；　then？

By　a　cut　with　the　sword；　a　blow　with　the　fist

or　a　swing　by　the　back？〃



〃That　is　as　may　be；〃　says　Billy；　〃but　I'll

fight　you。〃　　And　he　buckled　on　his　hide　belt

and　swung　his　stick　three　times　round　his

head；　to　give　him　the　strength　of　a　thousand

men　besides　his　own；　and　went　for　the　giant。

And　at　the　first　grapple　Billy　Beg　lifted　the　giant

up　and　sunk　him　in　the　ground；　to　his　armpits。



〃Oh；　mercy！　mercy！　　Spare　my　life！〃　cried

the　giant。



〃I　think　not；〃　said　Billy；　and　he　cut　off　his

heads。



That　night；　when　the　cows　and　the　goats

were　driven　home；　they　gave　so　much　milk

that　all　the　dishes　in　the　house　were　filled

and　the　milk　ran　over　and　made　a　little　brook

in　the　yard。



〃This　is　very　queer；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；

〃they　never　gave　any　milk　before。　　Did　you　see

nothing　in　the　pasture？〃



〃Nothing　worse　than　myself；〃　said　Billy。

And　next　morning　he　drove　the　six　cows；　six

horses；　six　donkeys；　and　six　goats　to　pasture

again。



Just　before　noon　he　heard　a　terrific　roar；　and

out　of　the　wood　came　a　giant　with　six　heads。



〃You　killed　my　brother；〃　he　roared；　fire

coming　out　of　his　six　mouths；　〃and　I'll　very

soon　have　your　blood！　　Will　you　die　by　a　cut

of　the　sword；　or　a　swing　by　the　back？〃



〃I'll　fight　you；〃　said　Billy。　　And　buckling

on　his　belt　and　swinging　his　stick　three　times

round　his　head；　he　ran　in　and　grappled　the

giant。　　At　the　first　hold；　he　sunk　the　giant　up

to　the　shoulders　in　the　ground。



〃Mercy；　mercy；　kind　gentleman！〃　cried　the

giant。　　〃Spare　my　life！〃



〃I　think　not；〃　said　Billy；　and　cut　off　his　heads。



That　night　the　cattle　gave　so　much　milk　that

it　ran　out　of　the　house　and　made　a　stream；　and

turned　a　mill　wheel　which　had　not　been　turned

for　seven　years！



〃It's　certainly　very　queer；〃　said　the　old

gentleman；　〃did　you　see　nothing　in　the

pasture；　Billy？〃



〃Nothing　w