第 25 节
作者:沸点123      更新:2021-02-27 02:03      字数:9321
  edge of the big river; and there the piper turned sharply about and stepped
  aside; and all those rats tumbled hurry skurry; head over heels; down the
  bank   into   the   river ANDWERE   DROWNED。   Every   single   one。   No;
  87
  … Page 88…
  HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
  there was one big old fat rat; he was so fat he didn't sink; and he swam
  across; and ran away to tell the tale。
  Then the Piper came back to the town hall。 And all the people   were
  waving their hats and shouting for joy。 The Mayor said they would have a
  big celebration; and build a tremendous bonfire in the middle of the town。
  He asked the Piper to stay and see the bonfire;very politely。
  〃Yes;〃 said the Piper; 〃that will be very nice; but first; if you please; I
  should like my thousand guineas。〃
  〃H'm;erahem!〃 said the Mayor。 〃You mean that little joke of mine;
  of course that was a joke。〃 (You see it is always harder to pay for a thing
  when you no longer need it。)
  〃I do not joke;〃 said the Piper very quietly; 〃my thousand guineas; if
  you please。〃
  〃Oh; come; now;〃 said the Mayor; 〃you know very well it wasn't worth
  sixpence to play a little tune like that; call it one guinea; 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
  88
  … Page 89…
  HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
  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   him
  andjust 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
  89
  … Page 90…
  HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
  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。
  90
  … Page 91…
  HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
  〃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