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！
were only five or six drops of water in the
bottle； however； and he did not dare to drink。
So he was putting the flask away again when he
saw a little dog on the rocks； gasping for breath。
He looked at it； and then at the Golden River；
and he remembered the dwarf's words； 〃No
one can succeed except at the first trial〃； and
he tried to pass the dog。 But it whined
piteously； and Gluck stopped。 He could not bear
to pass it。 〃Confound the King and his gold；
too！〃 he said； and he poured the few drops of
water into the dog's mouth。
The dog sprang up； its tail disappeared； its
nose grew red； and its eyes twinkled。 The next
minute the dog was gone； and the King of the
Golden River stood there。 He stooped and
plucked a lily that grew beside Gluck's feet。
Three drops of dew were on its white leaves。
These the dwarf shook into the flask which Gluck
held in his hand。
〃Cast these into the river；〃 he said； 〃and go
down the other side of the mountains into the
Treasure Valley。〃 Then he disappeared。
Gluck stood on the brink of the Golden River；
and cast the three drops of dew into the stream。
Where they fell； a little whirlpool opened； but
the water did not turn to gold。 Indeed； the
water seemed vanishing altogether。 Gluck was
disappointed not to see gold； but he obeyed the
King of the Golden River； and went down the
other side of the mountains。
When he came out into the Treasure Valley；
a river； like the Golden River； was springing
from a new cleft in the rocks above； and flowing
among the heaps of dry sand。 And then fresh
grass sprang beside the river； flowers opened
along its sides； and vines began to cover the
whole valley。 The Treasure Valley was becoming
a garden again。
Gluck lived in the Valley； and his grapes were
blue； and his apples were red； and his corn was
yellow； and the poor were never driven from
his door。 For him； as the King had promised；
the river was really a River of Gold。
It will probably be clear to anyone who has
followed these attempts； that the first step in
adaptation is analysis； careful analysis of the
story as it stands。 One asks oneself； What is
the story？ Which events are necessary links in
the chain？ How much of the text is pure
description？
Having this essential body of the story in
mind； one then decides which of the steps toward
the climax are needed for safe arrival there； and
keeps these。 When two or more steps can be
covered in a single stride； one makes the stride。
When a necessary explanation is unduly long； or
is woven into the story in too many strands； one
disposes of it in an introductory statement； or
perhaps in a side remark。 If there are two or
more threads of narrative； one chooses among
them； and holds strictly to the one chosen；
eliminating details which concern the others。
In order to hold the simplicity of plot so
attained； it is also desirable to have but few
personages in the story； and to narrate the action
from the point of view of one of them；usually
the hero。 To shift the point of view of the
action is confusing to the child's mind。
When the analysis and condensation have
been accomplished； the whole must be cast in
simple language； keeping if possible the same
kind of speech as that used in the original； but
changing difficult or technical terms to plain；
and complex images to simple and familiar ones。
All types of adaptation share in this need of
simple language；stories which are too short；
as well as those which are too long； have this
feature in their changed form。 The change in a
short story is applied oftenest where it becomes
desirable to amplify a single anecdote； or
perhaps a fable； which is told in very condensed
form。 Such an instance is the following anecdote
of heroism； which in the original is quoted in
one of F。 W。 Robertson's lectures on Poetry。
A detachment of troops was marching along a valley；
the cliffs overhanging which were crested by the enemy。 A
sergeant； with eleven men； chanced to become separated from
the rest by taking the wrong side of a ravine； which they
expected soon to terminate； but which suddenly deepened
into an impassable chasm。 The officer in command signalled
to the party an order to return。 They mistook the signal for
a command to charge； the brave fellows answered with a
cheer； and charged。 At the summit of the steep mountain
was a triangular platform； defended by a breastwork； behind
which were seventy of the foe。 On they went； charging up
one of those fearful paths； eleven against seventy。 The
contest could not long be doubtful with such odds。 One
after another they fell； six upon the spot； the remainder
hurled backwards； but not until they had slain nearly twice
their own number。
There is a custom； we are told； amongst the hillsmen； that
when a great chieftain of their own falls in battle； his wrist is
bound with a thread either of red or green； the red denoting
the highest rank。 According to custom； they stripped the
dead； and threw their bodies over the precipice。 When their
comrades came； they found their corpses stark and gashed；
but round both wrists of every British hero was twined the
red thread！
This anecdote serves its purpose of illustration
perfectly well； but considered as a separate
story it is somewhat too explanatory in diction；
and too condensed in form。 Just as the long
story is analysed for reduction of given details；
so this must be analysed；to find the details
implied。 We have to read into it again all that
has been left between the lines。
Moreover； the order must be slightly changed；
if we are to end with the proper 〃snap；〃 the
final sting of surprise and admiration given by
the point of the story； the point must be prepared
for。 The purpose of the original is equally
well served by the explanation at the end； but
we must never forget that the place for the
climax； or effective point in a story told； is the
last thing said。 That is what makes a story
〃go off〃 well。
Imagining vividly the situation suggested； and
keeping the logical sequence of facts in mind；
shall we not find the story telling itself to boys
and girls in somewhat this form？
THE RED THREAD OF COURAGE＇1＇
＇1＇ See also The Red Thread of Honour； by Sir Francis Doyle；
in Lyra Heroica；
This story which I am going to tell you is a
true one。 It happened while the English troops
in India were fighting against some of the native
tribes。 The natives who were making trouble
were people from the hill…country； called
Hillsmen； and they were strong enemies。 The
English knew very little about them； except
their courage； but they had noticed one peculiar
custom； after certain battles；the Hillsmen had
a way of marking the bodies of their greatest
chiefs who were killed in battle by binding a red
thread about the wrist； this was the highest
tribute they could pay a hero。 The English；
however； found the common men of them quite
enough to handle； for they had proved themselves
good fighters and clever at ambushes。
One day； a small body of the English had
marched a long way into the hill country； after
the enemy； and in the afternoon they found
themselves in a part of the country strange
even to the guides。 The men moved forward
very slowly and cautiously； for fear of an
ambush。 The trail led into a narrow valley with
very steep； high； rocky sides； topped with woods
in which the enemy might easily hide。
Here the soldiers were ordered to advance
more quickly； though with caution； to get out
of the dangerous place。
After a little they came suddenly to a place
where the passage was divided in two by a big
three…cornered boulder which seemed to rise
from the midst of the valley。 The main line
of men kept to the right； to save crowding the
path； a sergeant and eleven men took the left；
meaning to go round the rock and meet the rest
beyond it。
They had been in the path only a few minutes
when they saw that the rock was not a single
boulder at all； but an arm of the left wall of the
valley； and that they were marching into a deep
ravine with no outlet except the way they came。
Both sides were sheer rock； almost perpendicular；
with thick trees at the top； in front of
them the ground rose in a steep hill； bare of
woods。 As they looked up； they saw that the
top was barricaded by the trunks of trees； and
guarded by a strong body of Hillsmen。 As the
English hesitated； looking at this； a shower of
spears fell from the wood's edge； aimed by
hidden foes。 The place was a death trap。
At this moment； their danger was seen by the
officer in command of the main body； and he
signalled to the sergeant to retreat。
By some terrible mischance； the signal was
misunderstood。 The men took it for the signal