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！
and let it go at that。〃
〃A bargain is a bargain；〃 said the Piper；
〃for the last time；will you give me my
thousand guineas？〃
〃I'll give you a pipe of tobacco； something
good to eat； and call you lucky at that！〃 said
the Mayor； tossing his head。
Then the Piper's mouth grew strange and
thin； and sharp blue and green lights began
dancing in his eyes； and he said to the Mayor
very softly； 〃I know another tune than that I
played； I play it to those who play me false。〃
〃Play what you please！ You can't frighten
me！ Do your worst！〃 said the Mayor； making
himself big。
Then the Piper stood high up on the steps
of the town hall； and put the pipe to his lips；
and began to play a little tune。 It was quite
a different little tune； this time； very soft and
sweet； and very； very strange。 And before he
had played three notes； you heard
a rustling； that seemed like a bustling
Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling；
Small feet were pattering； wooden shoes clattering；
Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering；
And like fowls in a farmyard when barley is scattering；
Out came the children running。
All the little boys and girls；
With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls；
And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls；
Tripping and skipping； ran merrily after
The wonderful music with shouting and laughter。
〃Stop； stop！〃 cried the people。 〃He is taking
our children！ Stop him； Mr Mayor！〃
〃I will give you your money； I will！〃 cried
the Mayor； and tried to run after the Piper。
But the very same music that made the
children dance made the grown…up people stand
stock…still； it was as if their feet had been tied
to the ground； they could not move a muscle。
There they stood and saw the Piper move slowly
down the street； playing his little tune； with the
children at his heels。 On and on he went； on
and on the children danced； till he came to the
bank of the river。
〃Oh； oh！ He will drown our children in the
river！〃 cried the people。 But the Piper turned
and went along by the bank； and all the children
followed after。 Up； and up； and up the
hill they went； straight toward the mountain
which is like the roof of a house。 And just
as they got to it； the mountain OPENED；like two
great doors； and the Piper went in through the
opening； playing the little tune； and the children
danced after himandjust as they got through
the great doors slid together again and shut
them all in！ Every single one。 No； there was
one little lame child； who couldn't keep up with
the rest and didn't get there in time。 But none
of his little companions ever came back any
more； not one。
But years and years afterward； when the
fat old rat who swam across the river was a
grandfather； his children used to ask him；
〃What made you follow the music； Grandfather？〃
and he used to tell them； 〃My dears；
when I heard that tune I thought I heard the
moving aside of pickle…tub boards； and the leaving
ajar of preserve cupboards； and I smelled the
most delicious old cheese in the world； and I saw
sugar barrels ahead of me； and then； just as a
great yellow cheese seemed to be saying； ‘Come；
bore me'I felt the river rolling o'er me！〃
And in the same way the people asked
the little lame child； 〃What made you follow
the music？〃 〃I do not know what the others
heard；〃 he said； 〃but I； when the Piper began
to play； I heard a voice that told of a wonderful
country hard by； where the bees had no
stings and the horses had wings； and the trees
bore wonderful fruits； where no one was tired
or lame； and children played all day； and just
as the beautiful country was but one step away
the mountain closed on my playmates； and
I was left alone。〃
That was all the people ever knew。 The
children never came back。 All that was left
of the Piper and the rats was just the big street
that led to the river； so they called it the
Street of the Pied Piper。
And that is the end of the story。
WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES KEEP THEIR LEAVES IN WINTER＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Florence Holbrook's A Book of Nature
Myths。 （Harrap & Co。 9d。）
One day； a long； long time ago； it was very
cold； winter was coming。 And all the birds flew
away to the warm south； to wait for the
spring。 But one little bird had a broken
wing and could not fly。 He did not know
what to do。 He looked all round； to see if
there was any place where he could keep warm。
And he saw the trees of the great forest。
〃Perhaps the trees will keep me warm
through the winter；〃 he said。
So he went to the edge of the forest； hopping
and fluttering with his broken wing。 The first
tree he came to was a slim silver birch。
〃Beautiful birch…tree；〃 he said； 〃will you let
me live in your warm branches until the springtime
comes？〃
〃Dear me！〃 said the birch…tree； 〃what a thing
to ask！ I have to take care of my own leaves
through the winter； that is enough for me。 Go
away。〃
The little bird hopped and fluttered with his
broken wing until he came to the next tree。 It
was a great； big oak…tree。
〃O big oak…tree；〃 said the little bird； 〃will
you let me live in your warm branches until the
springtime comes？〃
〃Dear me；〃 said the oak…tree； 〃what a thing
to ask！ If you stay in my branches all winter
you will be eating my acorns。 Go away。〃
So the little bird hopped and fluttered with
his broken wing till he came to the willow…tree
by the edge of the brook。
〃O beautiful willow…tree；〃 said the little bird；
〃will you let me live in your warm branches
until the springtime comes？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 said the willow…tree； 〃I never
speak to strangers。 Go away。〃
The poor little bird did not know where to
go； but he hopped and fluttered along with his
broken wing。 Presently the spruce…tree saw
him； and said； 〃Where are you going； little bird？〃
〃I do not know；〃 said the bird； 〃the trees
will not let me live with them； and my wing
is broken so that I cannot fly。〃
〃You may live on one of my branches；〃 said
the spruce； 〃here is the warmest one of all。〃
〃But may I stay all winter？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the spruce； 〃I shall like to have
you。〃
The pine…tree stood beside the spruce； and
when he saw the little bird hopping and fluttering
with his broken wing； he said； 〃My branches
are not very warm； but I can keep the wind off
because I am big and strong。〃
So the little bird fluttered up into the warm
branch of the spruce； and the pine…tree kept the
wind off his house； then the juniper…tree saw
what was going on； and said that she would
give the little bird his dinner all the winter；
from her branches。 Juniper berries are very
good for little birds。
The little bird was very comfortable in his
warm nest sheltered from the wind； with juniper
berries to eat。
The trees at the edge of the forest remarked
upon it to each other：
〃I wouldn't take care of a strange bird；〃 said
the birch。
〃I wouldn't risk my acorns；〃 said the oak。
〃I would not speak to strangers；〃 said the
willow。 And the three trees stood up very tall
and proud。
That night the North Wind came to the
woods to play。 He puffed at the leaves with
his icy breath； and every leaf he touched fell
to the ground。 He wanted to touch every leaf
in the forest； for he loved to see the trees
bare。
〃May I touch every leaf？〃 he said to his
father； the Frost King。
〃No；〃 said the Frost King； 〃the trees which
were kind to the bird with the broken wing may
keep their leaves。〃
So North Wind had to leave them alone； and
the spruce； the pine； and the juniper…tree kept
their leaves through all the winter。 And they
have done so ever since。
THE STAR DOLLARS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Grimms' Fairy Tales。
There was once a little girl who was very；
very poor。 Her father and mother had died；
and at last she had no little room to stay in；
and no little bed to sleep in； and nothing more
to eat except one piece of bread。 So she said
a prayer； put on her little jacket and her hood；
and took her piece of bread in her hand； and
went out into the world。
When she had walked a little way； she met
an old man； bent and thin。 He looked at the
piece of bread in her hand； and said； 〃Will you
give me your bread； little girl？ I am very
hungry。〃 The little girl said； 〃Yes；〃 and gave
him her piece of bread。
When she had walked a little farther she
came upon a child； sitting by the path； crying。
〃I am so cold！〃 said the child。 〃Won't you
give me your little hood； to keep my head
warm？〃 The little girl took off her hood and
tied it on the child's head。 Then she went on
her way。
After a time； as she went； she met another
child。 This one shivered with the cold； and