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！
＇1＇ Adapted from Old Greek Folk…Stories； by Josephine Preston
Peabody。 （Harrap & Co。 9d。）
The Greek God Pan； the god of the open air； was a great musician。 He
played on a pipe of reeds。 And the sound of his reed…pipe was so sweet
that he grew proud； and believed himself greater than the chief musician
of the gods； Apollo； the son…god。 So he challenged great Apollo to make
better music than he。
122
… Page 123…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
Apollo consented to the test； for he wished to punish Pan's vanity； and
they chose the mountain Tmolus for judge； since no one is so old and wise
as the hills。
When Pan and Apollo came before Tmolus； to play； their followers
came with them； to hear； and one of those who came with Pan was a
mortal named Midas。
First Pan played； he blew on his reed…pipe； and out came a tune so
wild and yet so coaxing that the birds hopped from the trees to get near；
the squirrels came running from their holes； and the very trees swayed as
if they wanted to dance。 The fauns laughed aloud for joy as the melody
tickled their furry little ears。 And Midas thought it the sweetest music in
the world。
Then Apollo rose。 His hair shook drops of light from its curls； his
robes were like the edge of the sunset cloud； in his hands he held a golden
lyre。 And when he touched the strings of the lyre； such music stole upon
the air as never god nor mortal heard before。 The wild creatures of the
wood crouched still as stone； the trees kept every leaf from rustling； earth
and air were silent as a dream。 To hear such music cease was like bidding
farewell to father and mother。
When the charm was broken； the hearers fell at Apollo's feet and
proclaimed the victory his。 All but Midas。 He alone would not admit that
the music was better than Pan's。
〃If thine ears are so dull； mortal；〃 said Apollo； 〃they shall take the
shape that suits them。〃 And he touched the ears of Midas。 And straightway
the dull ears grew long； pointed； and furry； and they turned this way and
that。 They were the ears of an ass！
For a long time Midas managed to hide the tell…tale ears from
everyone； but at last a servant discovered the secret。 He knew he must not
tell； yet he could not bear not to； so one day he went into the meadow；
scooped a little hollow in the turf； and whispered the secret into the earth。
Then he covered it up again； and went away。 But； alas； a bed of reeds
sprang up from the spot； and whispered the secret to the grass。 The grass
told it to the tree…tops； the tree…tops to the little birds； and they cried it all
abroad。
123
… Page 124…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
And to this day； when the wind sets the reeds nodding together； they
whisper； laughing； 〃Midas has the ears of an ass！ Oh； hush； hush！〃
WHY THE SEA IS SALT＇1＇
＇1＇ There are many versions of this tale； in different collections。 This
one is the story which grew up in my mind； about the bare outline related
to me by one of Mrs Rutan's hearers。 What the original teller said； I never
knew； but what the listener felt was clear。 And in this form I have told it a
great many times。
Once there were two brothers。 One was rich； and one was poor； the
rich one was rather mean。 When the Poor Brother used to come to ask for
things it annoyed him； and finally one day he said； 〃There； I'll give it to
you this time； but the next time you want anything； you can go Below for
it！〃
Presently the Poor Brother did want something； and he knew it wasn't
any use to go to his brother； he must go Below for it。 So he went； and he
went； and he went； till he came Below。
It was the queerest place！ There were red and yellow fires burning all
around； and kettles of boiling oil hanging over them； and a queer sort of
men standing round； poking the fires。 There was a Chief Man； he had a
long curly tail that curled up behind； and two ugly little horns just over his
ears； and one foot was very queer indeed。 And as soon as anyone came in
the door； these men would catch him up and put him over one of the fires；
and turn him on a spit。 And then the Chief Man； who was the worst of all；
would come and say； 〃Eh； how do you feel now？ How do you feel now？〃
And of course the poor people screamed and screeched and said； 〃Let us
out！ Let us out！〃 That was just what the Chief Man wanted。
When the Poor Brother came in； they picked him up at once； and put
him over one of the hottest fires； and began to turn him round and round
like the rest； and of course the Chief Man came up to him and said； 〃Eh；
how do you feel now？ How do you feel now？〃 But the Poor Brother did
not say； 〃Let me out！ Let me out！〃 He said； 〃Pretty well； thank you。〃
124
… Page 125…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
The Chief Man grunted and said to the other men； 〃Make the fire
hotter。〃 But the next time he asked the Poor Brother how he felt； the Poor
Brother smiled and said。 〃Much better now； thank you。〃 The Chief Man
did not like this at all； because； of course； the whole object in life of the
people Below was to make their victims uncomfortable。 So he piled on
more fuel and made the fire hotter still。 But every time he asked the Poor
Brother how he felt； the Poor Brother would say； 〃Very much better〃； and
at last he said； 〃Perfectly comfortable； thank you； couldn't be better。〃
You see when the Poor Brother was on earth he had never once had
money enough to buy coal enough to keep him warm； so he liked the heat。
At last the Chief Man could stand it no longer。
〃Oh； look here；〃 he said； 〃you can go home。〃
〃Oh no； thank you；〃 said the Poor Brother； 〃I like it here。〃
〃You MUST go home；〃 said the Chief Man
〃But I won't go home；〃 said the Poor Brother。
The Chief Man went away and talked with the other men； but no
matter what they did they could not make the Poor Brother uncomfortable；
so at last the Chief Man came back and said；
〃What'll you take to go home？〃
〃What have you got？〃 said the Poor Brother。
〃Well；〃 said the Chief Man； 〃if you'll go home quietly I'll give you the
Little Mill that stands behind my door。〃
〃What's the good of it？〃 said the Poor Brother。
〃It is the most wonderful mill in