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。