第 12 节
作者:沸点123      更新:2021-02-27 02:03      字数:9322
  essential events of the series leading up to the climax; and present these so
  simply as to appeal to children's ears; and so briefly as not to tire them。
  The   printed   story   is   eight   thousand   words   in   length。   The   first   three
  thousand words depict the beauty and fertility of the Treasure Valley; and
  the    cruel    habits    of   Hans     and    Schwartz;      its  owners;     and    give    the
  culminating   incident   which   leads   to   their   banishment   by   〃West   Wind。〃
  This     episode;the     West     Wind's    appearance       in  the   shape    of   an   aged
  traveller; his kind reception by the younger brother; little Gluck; and the
  subsequent wrath of Hans and Schwartz; with their resulting punishment;
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  occupies about two thousand words。 The rest of the story deals with the
  three   brothers   after   the   decree   of West Wind   has   turned Treasure Valley
  into   a   desert。   In   the   little   house   where   they   are   plying   their   trade  of
  goldsmiths; the King of the Golden River appears to Gluck and tells him
  the magic secret of turning the river's waters to gold。 Hans and Schwartz
  in turn attempt the miracle; and in turn incur the penalty attached to failure。
  Gluck tries; and wins the treasure through self…sacrifice。 The form of the
  treasure is a renewal of the fertility of Treasure Valley; and the moral of
  the   whole   story   is   summed   up   in   Ruskin's   words;   〃So   the   inheritance
  which was lost by cruelty was regained by love。〃
  It is easy to see that the dramatic part of the story and that which most
  pointedly   illustrates   the   underlying   idea;   is   the   triple   attempt   to   win   the
  treasure;the   two   failures   and   the   one   success。   But   this   is   necessarily
  introduced by the episode of the King of the Golden River; which is; also;
  an incident sure to appeal to a child's imagination。 And the regaining   of
  the inheritance is meaningless without the fact of its previous loss; and the
  reason for the loss; as a contrast with the reason for its recovery。 We need;
  then;   the   main   facts   recorded   in   the   first   three   thousand   words。   But   the
  West Wind episode must be avoided; not only for brevity; but because two
  supernatural appearances; so similar; yet of different personalities; would
  hopelessly confuse a told story。
  Our oral story is now to be made out of a condensed statement of the
  character of the Valley and of its owners; and the manner of its loss; the
  intervention of the King of the Golden River; the three attempts to turn the
  river   to  gold;   and   Gluck's    success。    Gluck    is  to  be  our  hero;   and   our
  underlying idea is   the power of   love versus cruelty。  Description is to be
  reduced to its lowest terms; and the language made simple and concrete。
  With this outline in mind; it may be useful to compare the following
  adaptation   with   the  original   story。 The  adaptation   is   not intended   in   any
  sense as a substitute for the original; but merely as that form of it which
  can be TOLD; while the original remains for reading。
  THE GOLDEN RIVER'1'
  '1' Adapted from Ruskin's King of the Golden River。
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  There was once a beautiful little valley; where the sun was warm; and
  the rains fell softly; its apples were so red; its corn so yellow; its grapes so
  blue; that it was called the Treasure Valley。 Not a river ran into it; but one
  great river flowed down the mountains on the other side; and because the
  setting sun always tinged its high cataract with gold after the rest of the
  world     was    dark;   it  was   called   the  Golden     River。   The    lovely   valley
  belonged to three brothers。 The youngest; little Gluck; was happy…hearted
  and kind; but he had a hard life with his brothers; for Hans and Schwartz
  were so cruel and so mean that they were known everywhere around as the
  〃Black     Brothers。〃    They    were    hard   to  their  farm    hands;   hard   to  their
  customers; hard to the poor; and hardest of all to Gluck。
  At last the Black Brothers became so bad that the Spirit of the West
  Wind took vengeance on them; he forbade any of the gentle winds; south
  and west; to bring rain to the valley。 Then; since there were no rivers in it;
  it dried up; and instead of a treasure valley it became a desert of dry; red
  sand。 The Black Brothers could get nothing out of it; and they wandered
  out into the world on the other side of the mountain…peaks; and little Gluck
  went with them。
  Hans     and   Schwartz      went    out   every    day;   wasting    their   time   in
  wickedness; but they left Gluck in the house to work。 And they lived on
  the gold and silver they had saved in Treasure Valley; till at last it was all
  gone。 The only precious thing left was Gluck's gold mug。 This the Black
  Brothers decided to melt into spoons; to sell; and in spite of Gluck's tears;
  they put it in the melting pot; and went out; leaving him to watch it。
  Poor   little   Gluck   sat   at   the   window;   trying   not   to   cry   for   his   dear
  golden   mug;   and   as   the   sun   began   to   go   down;   he   saw   the   beautiful
  cataract of the Golden River turn red; and yellow; and then pure gold。
  〃Oh; dear!〃 he said to himself; 〃how fine it would be if the river were
  really golden! I needn't be poor; then。〃
  〃It wouldn't be fine at all!〃 said a thin; metallic little voice; in his ear。
  〃Mercy; what's that!〃 said Gluck; looking all about。 But nobody was
  there。
  Suddenly the sharp little voice came again。
  〃Pour me out;〃 it said; 〃I am too hot!〃
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  It seemed to come right from the oven; and as Gluck stood; staring in
  fright; it came again; 〃Pour me out; I'm too hot!〃
  Gluck     was   very   much    frightened;    but  he   went   and   looked    in  the
  melting pot。 When he touched it; the little voice said; 〃Pour me out; I say!〃
  And Gluck took the handle and began to pour the gold out。
  First came out a tiny pair of yellow legs; then a pair of yellow coat…
  tails; then a strange little yellow body; and; last; a wee yellow face; with
  long   curls   of   gold   hair。 And   the   whole   put   itself   together   as   it   fell;   and
  stood up on the floor;the strangest little yellow dwarf; about a foot high!
  〃Dear; me!〃 said Gluck。
  But the little yellow man said; 〃Gluck; do you know who I am? I am
  the King of the Golden River。〃
  Gluck did not know what to say; so he said nothing; and; indeed; the
  little man gave him no chance。 He said; 〃Gluck; I have been watching you;
  and what I have seen of you; I like。 Listen; and I will tell you something
  for your good。 Whoever shall climb to the top of the mountain from which
  the Golden River falls; and shall cast into its waters three drops of holy
  water; for him and him only shall its waters turn to gold。 But no one can
  succeed except at the first trial; and anyone who casts unholy water in the
  river will be turned into a black stone。〃
  And     then;  before    Gluck    could   draw    his  breath;   the  King    walked
  straight into the hottest flame of the fire; and vanished up the chimney!
  When   Gluck's   brothers   came   home;   they   beat   him   black   and   blue;
  because the mug was gone。 But when he told them about the King of the
  Golden River they quarrelled all night; as to which should go to get the
  gold。 At last; Hans; who was the stronger; got the better of Schwartz; and
  started off。 The priest would not give such a bad man any holy water; so
  he stole a bottleful。 Then he took a basket of bread and wine; and began to
  climb the mountain。
  He climbed fast; and soon came to the end of the first hill。 But there he
  found a great glacier; a hill of ice; which he had never seen before。 It was
  horrible to cross;the ice was slippery; great gulfs yawned before him; and
  noises like groans and shrieks came from under his feet。 He lost his basket
  of bread and wine; and was quite faint with fear and exhaustion when his
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  feet touched firm ground again。
  Next he came to a hill of hot; red rock; without a bit of grass to ease
  the feet; or a particle of shade。 After an hour's climb he was so thirsty tha