第 1 节
作者:冬冬      更新:2021-02-19 21:02      字数:3197
  everyone in the world to be godfather; and when still another
  child was born; no one else was left whom he could invite。
  He knew not what to do; and; in his perplexity; he lay down
  and fell asleep。  Then he dreamt that he was to go outside the
  gate;
  and ask the first person he met to be godfather。  When he awoke;
  he determined to obey his dream; and went outside the gate; and
  asked the first person who came up to him to be godfather。  The
  stranger presented him with a little glass of water; and said;
  this is a wonderful water; with it you can heal the sick; only
  you must see where death is standing。  If he is standing by the
  patient's head; give the patient some of the water and he will
  be healed; but if death is standing by his feet; all trouble
  will be in vain; for the sick man must die。  From this time forth;
  the man could always say whether a patient could be saved or
  not; and became famous for his skill; and earned a great deal
  of money。  Once he was called in to the child of the king; and
  when he entered; he saw death standing by the child's head and
  cured it with the water; and he did the same a second time; but
  the third time death was standing by its feet; and then he knew
  the child had to die。
  Once the man thought he would visit the godfather; and tell him
  how he had succeeded with the water。  But when he entered the
  house; the strangest things were going on within。  On the first
  flight of stairs; the broom and shovel were disputing; and
  knocking each other about violently。  He asked them; where does
  the godfather live。  The broom replied; one flight of stairs
  higher up。  When he came to the second flight; he saw a heap of
  dead fingers lying。  He asked; where does the godfather live。
  One of the fingers replied; one flight of stairs higher。  On
  the third flight lay a heap of dead heads; which again directed
  him to the flight beyond。  On the fourth flight; he saw fishes on
  the fire; which frizzled in pans and baked themselves。  They;
  too; said; one flight of stairs higher。  And when he had
  ascended the fifth; he came to the door of a room and peeped
  through the keyhole; and there he saw the godfather who had
  a pair of long horns。  When he opened the door and went in;
  the godfather got into bed in a great hurry and covered himself
  up。  Then said the man; sir godfather; what a strange house…hold
  you have。  When I came to your first flight of stairs; the shovel
  and broom were quarreling; and beating each other violently。
  How stupid you are; said the godfather。  That was the boy
  and the maid talking to each other。  But on the second flight I
  saw dead fingers lying。  Oh; how silly you are。  Those were some
  roots of scorzonera。  On the third flight lay a heap of dead
  men's heads。  Foolish man; those were cabbages。  On the fourth
  flight I saw fishes in a pan; which were hissing and baking
  themselves。  When he had said that; the fishes came and served
  themselves up。  And when I got to the fifth flight; I peeped
  through the keyhole of a door; and there; godfather; I saw
  you and you had long; long horns。  Oh; that is not true。  The
  man became alarmed; and ran out; and if he had not; who knows
  what the godfather would have done to him。