按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to be back upon the land。 He groaned aloud。
〃How quickly we get on；〃 cried Puff Jaw； 〃soon we shall be at my land
palace。〃
Heartened by this speech； Crumb Snatcher put his tail into the water
and worked it as a steering oar。 On and on they went； and Crumb Snatcher
gained heart for the adventure。 What a wonderful tale he would have to
tell to the clans of the mice！
But suddenly； outof the depths of the pond； a water snake raised his
horrid head。 Fearsome did that head seem to both mouse and frog。 And
163
… Page 164…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
forgetful of the guest that he carried upon his back； Puff jaw dived down
into the water。 He reached the bottom of the pond and lay on the mud in
safety。
But far from safety was Crumb Snatcher the mouse。 He sank and rose；
and sank again。 His wet fur weighed him down。 But before he sank for the
last time he lifted up his voice and cried out and his cry was heard at the
brink of the pond：
〃Ah； Puff Jaw； treacherous frog！ An evil thing you have done； leaving
me to drown in the middle of the pond。 Had you faced me on the land I
should have shown you which of us two was the better warrior。 Now I
must lose my life in the water。 But I tell you my death shall not go
unavengedthe cowardly frogs will be punished for the ill they have done
to me who am the son of the king of the mice。〃
Then Crumb Snatcher sank for the last time。 But Lick Platter； who was
at the brink of the pond； had heard his words。 Straightway this mouse
rushed to the hole of Bread Nibbler and told him of the death of his
princely son。
Bread Nibbler called out the clans of the mice。 The warrior mice
armed themselves； and this was the grand way of their arming：
First； the mice put on greaves that covered their forelegs。 These they
made out of bean shells broken in two。 For shield； each had a lamp's
centerpiece。 For spears they had the long bronze needles that they had
carried out of the houses of men。 So armed and so accoutered they were
ready to war upon the frogs。 And Bread Nibbler； their king； shouted to
them： 〃Fall upon the cowardly frogs； and leave not one alive upon the
bank of the pond。 Henceforth that bank is ours； and ours only。 Forward！ 〃
And； on the other side； Puff jaw was urging the frogs to battle。 〃Let us
take our places on the edge of the pond；〃 he said； 〃and when the mice
come amongst us； let each catch hold of one and throw him into the pond。
Thus we will get rid of these dry bobs； the mice。〃
The frogs applauded the speech of their king； and straightway they
went to their armor and their weapons。 Their legs they covered with the
leaves of mallow。 For breastplates they had the leaves of beets。 Cabbage
164
… Page 165…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
leaves； well cut； made their strong shields。 They took their spears from the
pond sidedeadly pointed rushes they were； and they placed upon their
heads helmets that were empty snail shells。 So armed and so accoutered
they were ready to meet the grand attack of the mice。
When the robber came to this part of the story Heracles halted his
march； for he was shaking with laughter。 The robber stopped in his story。
Heracles slapped him on the leg and said： 〃What more of the heroic
exploits of the mice？〃 The second robber said； 〃I know no more； but
perhaps my brother at the other side of you can tell you of the mighty
combat between them and the frogs。〃 Then Heracles shifted the first
robber from his back to his front； and the first robber said： 〃I will tell you
what I know about the heroical combat between the frogs and the mice。〃
And thereupon he began：
The gnats blew their trumpets。 This was the dread signal for war。
Bread Nibbler struck the first blow。 He fell upon Loud Crier the frog；
and overthrew him。 At this Loud Crier's friend； Reedy； threw down spear
and shield and dived into the water。 This seemed to presage victory for the
mice。 But then Water Larker； the most warlike of the frogs； took up a great
pebble and flung it at Ham Nibbler who was then pursuing Reedy。 Down
fell Ham Nibbler； and there was dismay in the ranks of the mice。
Then Cabbage Climber； a great…hearted frog； took up a clod of mud
and flung it full at a mouse that was coming furiously upon him。 That
mouse's helmet was knocked off and his forehead was plastered with the
clod of mud； so that he was well…nigh blinded。
It was then that victory inclined to the frogs。 Bread Nibbler again came
into the fray。 He rushed furiously upon Puff jaw the king。
Leeky； the trusted friend of Puff jaw； opposed Bread Nibbler's
onslaught。 Mightily he drove his spear at the king of the mice。 But the
point of the spear broke upon Bread Nibbler's shield； and then Leeky was
overthrown。
Bread Nibbler came upon Puff jaw； and the two great kings faced each
other。 The frogs and the mice drew aside； and there was a pause in the
combat。 Bread Nibbler the mouse struck Puff jaw the frog terribly upon
165
… Page 166…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
the toes。
Puff jaw drew out of the battle。 Now all would have been lost for the
frogs had not Zeus； the father of the gods； looked down upon the battle。
〃Dear； dear；〃 said Zeus； 〃what can be done to save the frogs？ They will
surely be annihilated if the charge of yonder mouse is not halted。〃
For the father of the gods； looking down； saw a warrior mouse coming
on in the most dreadful onslaught of the whole battle。 Slice Snatcher was
the name of this warrior。 He had come late into the field。 He waited to split
a chestnut in two and to put the halves upon his paws。 Then； furiously
dashing amongst the frogs； he cried out that he would not leave the ground
until he had destroyed the race； leaving the bank of the pond a playground
for the mice and for the mice alone。
To stop the charge of Slice Snatcher there was nothing for Zeus to do
but to hurl the thunderbolt that is the terror of gods and men。
Frogs and mice were awed by the thunder and the flame。 But still the
mice； urged on by Slice Snatcher； did not hold back from their onslaught
upon the frogs。
Now would the frogs have been utterly destroyed； but； as they dashed
on； the mice encountered a new and a dreadful army。 The warriors in these
ranks had mailed backs and curving claws。 They had bandy legs and long…
stretching arms。 They had eyes that looked behind them。 They came on
sideways。 These were the crabs； creatures until now unknown to the mice。
And the crabs had been sent by Zeus to save the race of the frogs from
utter destruction。
Coming upon the mice they nipped their paws。 The mice turned
around and they nipped their tails。 In vain the boldest of the mice struck at
the crabs with their sharpened spears。 Not upon the hard shells on the
backs of the crabs did the spears of the mice make any dint。 On and on； on
their queer feet and with their terrible nippers； the crabs went。 Bread
Nibbler could not rally them any more； and Slice Snatcher ceased to speak
of the monument of victory that the mice would erect upon the bank of the
pond。 With their heads out of the water they had retreated to； the frogs
watched the finish of the battle。 The mice threw down their spears and
166
… Page 167…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
shields and fled from the battleground。 On went the crabs as if they cared
nothing for their victory； and the frogs came out of the water and sat upon
the bank and watched them in awe。
Heracles had laughed at the diverting tale that the robbers had told him；
he could not bring them then to a place where they would meet with
captivity or death。 He let them loose upon the highway； and the robbers