愛薇塔樂學英文

HERE was once a king’s son who had a larger and more beautiful collection of books than any one else in the world, and full of splendid copper-plate engravings. He could read and obtain information respecting every people of every land; but not a word could he find to explain the situation of the garden of paradise, and this was just what he most wished to know. His grandmother had told him when he was quite a little boy, just old enough to go to school, that each flower in the garden of paradise was a sweet cake, that the pistils were full of rich wine, that on one flower history was written, on another geography or tables; so those who wished to learn their lessons had only to eat some of the cakes, and the more they ate, the more history, geography, or tables they knew. He believed it all then; but as he grew older, and learnt more and more, he became wise enough to understand that the splendor of the garden of paradise must be very different to all this. “Oh, why did Eve pluck the fruit from the tree of knowledge? why did Adam eat the forbidden fruit?” thought the king’s son: “if I had been there it would never have happened, and there would have been no sin in the world.” The garden of paradise occupied all his thoughts till he reached his seventeenth year.

One day he was walking alone in the wood, which was his greatest pleasure, when evening came on. The clouds gathered, and the rain poured down as if the sky had been a waterspout; and it was as dark as the bottom of a well at midnight; sometimes he slipped over the smooth grass, or fell over stones that projected out of the rocky ground. Every thing was dripping with moisture, and the poor prince had not a dry thread about him. He was obliged at last to climb over great blocks of stone, with water spurting from the thick moss. He began to feel quite faint, when he heard a most singular rushing noise, and saw before him a large cave, from which came a blaze of light. In the middle of the cave an immense fire was burning, and a noble stag, with its branching horns, was placed on a spit between the trunks of two pine-trees. It was turning slowly before the fire, and an elderly woman, as large and strong as if she had been a man in disguise, sat by, throwing one piece of wood after another into the flames.

“Come in,” she said to the prince; “sit down by the fire and dry yourself.”

“There is a great draught here,” said the prince, as he seated himself on the ground.

“It will be worse when my sons come home,” replied the woman; “you are now in the cavern of the Winds, and my sons are the four Winds of heaven: can you understand that?”

“Where are your sons?” asked the prince.

“It is difficult to answer stupid questions,” said the woman. “My sons have plenty of business on hand; they are playing at shuttlecock with the clouds up yonder in the king’s hall,” and she pointed upwards.

“Oh, indeed,” said the prince; “but you speak more roughly and harshly and are not so gentle as the women I am used to.”

“Yes, that is because they have nothing else to do; but I am obliged to be harsh, to keep my boys in order, and I can do it, although they are so head-strong. Do you see those four sacks hanging on the wall? Well, they are just as much afraid of those sacks, as you used to be of the rat behind the looking-glass. I can bend the boys together, and put them in the sacks without any resistance on their parts, I can tell you. There they stay, and dare not attempt to come out until I allow them to do so. And here comes one of them.”

It was the North Wind who came in, bringing with him a cold, piercing blast; large hailstones rattled on the floor, and snowflakes were scattered around in all directions. He wore a bearskin dress and cloak. His sealskin cap was drawn over his ears, long icicles hung from his beard, and one hailstone after another rolled from the collar of his jacket.

“Don’t go too near the fire,” said the prince, “or your hands and face will be frost-bitten.”

“Frost-bitten!” said the North Wind, with a loud laugh; “why frost is my greatest delight. What sort of a little snip are you, and how did you find your way to the cavern of the Winds?”

“He is my guest,” said the old woman, “and if you are not satisfied with that explanation you can go into the sack. Do you understand me?”

That settled the matter. So the North Wind began to relate his adventures, whence he came, and where he had been for a whole month. “I come from the polar seas,” he said; “I have been on the Bear’s Island with the Russian walrus-hunters. I sat and slept at the helm of their ship, as they sailed away from North Cape. Sometimes when I woke, the storm-birds would fly about my legs. They are curious birds; they give one flap with their wings, and then on their outstretched pinions soar far away.”

“Don’t make such a long story of it,” said the mother of the winds; “what sort of a place is Bear’s Island?”

“A very beautiful place, with a floor for dancing as smooth and flat as a plate. Half-melted snow, partly covered with moss, sharp stones, and skeletons of walruses and polar-bears, lie all about, their gigantic limbs in a state of green decay. It would seem as if the sun never shone there. I blew gently, to clear away the mist, and then I saw a little hut, which had been built from the wood of a wreck, and was covered with the skins of the walrus, the fleshy side outwards; it looked green and red, and on the roof sat a growling bear. Then I went to the sea shore, to look after birds’ nests, and saw the unfledged nestlings opening their mouths and screaming for food. I blew into the thousand little throats, and quickly stopped their screaming. Farther on were the walruses with pig’s heads, and teeth a yard long, rolling about like great worms.”

“You relate your adventures very well, my son,” said the mother, “it makes my mouth water to hear you.

“After that,” continued the North Wind, “the hunting commenced. The harpoon was flung into the breast of the walrus, so that a smoking stream of blood spurted forth like a fountain, and besprinkled the ice. Then I thought of my own game; I began to blow, and set my own ships, the great icebergs sailing, so that they might crush the boats. Oh, how the sailors howled and cried out! but I howled louder than they. They were obliged to unload their cargo, and throw their chests and the dead walruses on the ice. Then I sprinkled snow over them, and left them in their crushed boats to drift southward, and to taste salt water. They will never return to Bear’s Island.”

“So you have done mischief,” said the mother of the Winds.

“I shall leave others to tell the good I have done,” he replied. “But here comes my brother from the West; I like him best of all, for he has the smell of the sea about him, and brings in a cold, fresh air as he enters.”

“Is that the little Zephyr?” asked the prince.

“Yes, it is the little Zephyr,” said the old woman; “but he is not little now. In years gone by he was a beautiful boy; now that is all past.”

He came in, looking like a wild man, and he wore a slouched hat to protect his head from injury. In his hand he carried a club, cut from a mahogany tree in the American forests, not a trifle to carry.

“Whence do you come?” asked the mother.

“I come from the wilds of the forests, where the thorny brambles form thick hedges between the trees; where the water-snake lies in the wet grass, and mankind seem to be unknown.”

“What were you doing there?”

“I looked into the deep river, and saw it rushing down from the rocks. The water drops mounted to the clouds and glittered in the rainbow. I saw the wild buffalo swimming in the river, but the strong tide carried him away amidst a flock of wild ducks, which flew into the air as the waters dashed onwards, leaving the buffalo to be hurled over the waterfall. This pleased me; so I raised a storm, which rooted up old trees, and sent them floating down the river.”

“And what else have you done?” asked the old woman.

“I have rushed wildly across the savannahs; I have stroked the wild horses, and shaken the cocoa-nuts from the trees. Yes, I have many stories to relate; but I need not tell everything I know. You know it all very well, don’t you, old lady?” And he kissed his mother so roughly, that she nearly fell backwards. Oh, he was, indeed, a wild fellow.

Now in came the South Wind, with a turban and a flowing Bedouin cloak.

“How cold it is here!” said he, throwing more wood on the fire. “It is easy to feel that the North Wind has arrived here before me.”

“Why it is hot enough here to roast a bear,” said the North Wind.

“You are a bear yourself,” said the other.

“Do you want to be put in the sack, both of you?” said the old woman. “Sit down, now, on that stone, yonder, and tell me where you have been.”

“In Africa, mother. I went out with the Hottentots, who were lion-hunting in the Kaffir land, where the plains are covered with grass the color of a green olive; and here I ran races with the ostrich, but I soon outstripped him in swiftness. At last I came to the desert, in which lie the golden sands, looking like the bottom of the sea. Here I met a caravan, and the travellers had just killed their last camel, to obtain water; there was very little for them, and they continued their painful journey beneath the burning sun, and over the hot sands, which stretched before them a vast, boundless desert. Then I rolled myself in the loose sand, and whirled it in burning columns over their heads. The dromedarys stood still in terror, while the merchants drew their caftans over their heads, and threw themselves on the ground before me, as they do before Allah, their god. Then I buried them beneath a pyramid of sand, which covers them all. When I blow that away on my next visit, the sun will bleach their bones, and travellers will see that others have been there before them; otherwise, in such a wild desert, they might not believe it possible.”

“So you have done nothing but evil,” said the mother. “Into the sack with you;” and, before he was aware, she had seized the South Wind round the body, and popped him into the bag. He rolled about on the floor, till she sat herself upon him to keep him still.

“These boys of yours are very lively,” said the prince.

“Yes,” she replied, “but I know how to correct them, when necessary; and here comes the fourth.” In came the East Wind, dressed like a Chinese.

“Oh, you come from that quarter, do you?” said she; “I thought you had been to the garden of paradise.”

“I am going there to-morrow,” he replied; “I have not been there for a hundred years. I have just come from China, where I danced round the porcelain tower till all the bells jingled again. In the streets an official flogging was taking place, and bamboo canes were being broken on the shoulders of men of every high position, from the first to the ninth grade. They cried, ‘Many thanks, my fatherly benefactor;’ but I am sure the words did not come from their hearts, so I rang the bells till they sounded, ‘ding, ding-dong.’”

“You are a wild boy,” said the old woman; “it is well for you that you are going to-morrow to the garden of paradise; you always get improved in your education there. Drink deeply from the fountain of wisdom while you are there, and bring home a bottleful for me.”

“That I will,” said the East Wind; “but why have you put my brother South in a bag? Let him out; for I want him to tell me about the phoenix-bird. The princess always wants to hear of this bird when I pay her my visit every hundred years. If you will open the sack, sweetest mother, I will give you two pocketfuls of tea, green and fresh as when I gathered it from the spot where it grew.”

“Well, for the sake of the tea, and because you are my own boy, I will open the bag.”

She did so, and the South Wind crept out, looking quite cast down, because the prince had seen his disgrace.

“There is a palm-leaf for the princess,” he said. “The old phoenix, the only one in the world, gave it to me himself. He has scratched on it with his beak the whole of his history during the hundred years he has lived. She can there read how the old phoenix set fire to his own nest, and sat upon it while it was burning, like a Hindoo widow. The dry twigs around the nest crackled and smoked till the flames burst forth and consumed the phoenix to ashes. Amidst the fire lay an egg, red hot, which presently burst with a loud report, and out flew a young bird. He is the only phoenix in the world, and the king over all the other birds. He has bitten a hole in the leaf which I give you, and that is his greeting to the princess.”

“Now let us have something to eat,” said the mother of the Winds. So they all sat down to feast on the roasted stag; and as the prince sat by the side of the East Wind, they soon became good friends.

“Pray tell me,” said the prince, “who is that princess of whom you have been talking! and where lies the garden of paradise?”

“Ho! ho!” said the East Wind, “would you like to go there? Well, you can fly off with me to-morrow; but I must tell you one thing—no human being has been there since the time of Adam and Eve. I suppose you have read of them in your Bible.”

“Of course I have,” said the prince.

“Well,” continued the East Wind, “when they were driven out of the garden of paradise, it sunk into the earth; but it retained its warm sunshine, its balmy air, and all its splendor. The fairy queen lives there, in the island of happiness, where death never comes, and all is beautiful. I can manage to take you there to-morrow, if you will sit on my back. But now don’t talk any more, for I want to go to sleep;” and then they all slept.

When the prince awoke in the early morning, he was not a little surprised at finding himself high up above the clouds. He was seated on the back of the East Wind, who held him faithfully; and they were so high in the air that woods and fields, rivers and lakes, as they lay beneath them, looked like a painted map.

“Good morning,” said the East Wind. “You might have slept on a while; for there is very little to see in the flat country over which we are passing unless you like to count the churches; they look like spots of chalk on a green board.” The green board was the name he gave to the green fields and meadows.

“It was very rude of me not to say good-bye to your mother and your brothers,” said the prince.

“They will excuse you, as you were asleep,” said the East Wind; and then they flew on faster than ever.

The leaves and branches of the trees rustled as they passed. When they flew over seas and lakes, the waves rose higher, and the large ships dipped into the water like diving swans. As darkness came on, towards evening, the great towns looked charming; lights were sparkling, now seen now hidden, just as the sparks go out one after another on a piece of burnt paper. The prince clapped his hands with pleasure; but the East Wind advised him not to express his admiration in that manner, or he might fall down, and find himself hanging on a church steeple. The eagle in the dark forests flies swiftly; but faster than he flew the East Wind. The Cossack, on his small horse, rides lightly o’er the plains; but lighter still passed the prince on the winds of the wind.

“There are the Himalayas, the highest mountains in Asia,” said the East Wind. “We shall soon reach the garden of paradise now.”

Then, they turned southward, and the air became fragrant with the perfume of spices and flowers. Here figs and pomegranates grew wild, and the vines were covered with clusters of blue and purple grapes. Here they both descended to the earth, and stretched themselves on the soft grass, while the flowers bowed to the breath of the wind as if to welcome it. “Are we now in the garden of paradise?” asked the prince.

“No, indeed,” replied the East Wind; “but we shall be there very soon. Do you see that wall of rocks, and the cavern beneath it, over which the grape vines hang like a green curtain? Through that cavern we must pass. Wrap your cloak round you; for while the sun scorches you here, a few steps farther it will be icy cold. The bird flying past the entrance to the cavern feels as if one wing were in the region of summer, and the other in the depths of winter.”

“So this then is the way to the garden of paradise?” asked the prince, as they entered the cavern. It was indeed cold; but the cold soon passed, for the East Wind spread his wings, and they gleamed like the brightest fire. As they passed on through this wonderful cave, the prince could see great blocks of stone, from which water trickled, hanging over their heads in fantastic shapes. Sometimes it was so narrow that they had to creep on their hands and knees, while at other times it was lofty and wide, like the free air. It had the appearance of a chapel for the dead, with petrified organs and silent pipes. “We seem to be passing through the valley of death to the garden of paradise,” said the prince.

But the East Wind answered not a word, only pointed forwards to a lovely blue light which gleamed in the distance. The blocks of stone assumed a misty appearance, till at last they looked like white clouds in moonlight. The air was fresh and balmy, like a breeze from the mountains perfumed with flowers from a valley of roses. A river, clear as the air itself, sparkled at their feet, while in its clear depths could be seen gold and silver fish sporting in the bright water, and purple eels emitting sparks of fire at every moment, while the broad leaves of the water-lilies, that floated on its surface, flickered with all the colors of the rainbow. The flower in its color of flame seemed to receive its nourishment from the water, as a lamp is sustained by oil. A marble bridge, of such exquisite workmanship that it appeared as if formed of lace and pearls, led to the island of happiness, in which bloomed the garden of paradise. The East Wind took the prince in his arms, and carried him over, while the flowers and the leaves sang the sweet songs of his childhood in tones so full and soft that no human voice could venture to imitate. Within the garden grew large trees, full of sap; but whether they were palm-trees or gigantic water-plants, the prince knew not. The climbing plants hung in garlands of green and gold, like the illuminations on the margins of old missals or twined among the initial letters. Birds, flowers, and festoons appeared intermingled in seeming confusion. Close by, on the grass, stood a group of peacocks, with radiant tails outspread to the sun. The prince touched them, and found, to his surprise, that they were not really birds, but the leaves of the burdock tree, which shone with the colors of a peacock’s tail. The lion and the tiger, gentle and tame, were springing about like playful cats among the green bushes, whose perfume was like the fragrant blossom of the olive. The plumage of the wood-pigeon glistened like pearls as it struck the lion’s mane with its wings; while the antelope, usually so shy, stood near, nodding its head as if it wished to join in the frolic. The fairy of paradise next made her appearance. Her raiment shone like the sun, and her serene countenance beamed with happiness like that of a mother rejoicing over her child. She was young and beautiful, and a train of lovely maidens followed her, each wearing a bright star in her hair. The East Wind gave her the palm-leaf, on which was written the history of the phoenix; and her eyes sparkled with joy. She then took the prince by the hand, and led him into her palace, the walls of which were richly colored, like a tulip-leaf when it is turned to the sun. The roof had the appearance of an inverted flower, and the colors grew deeper and brighter to the gazer. The prince walked to a window, and saw what appeared to be the tree of knowledge of good and evil, with Adam and Eve standing by, and the serpent near them. “I thought they were banished from paradise,” he said.

The princess smiled, and told him that time had engraved each event on a window-pane in the form of a picture; but, unlike other pictures, all that it represented lived and moved,—the leaves rustled, and the persons went and came, as in a looking-glass. He looked through another pane, and saw the ladder in Jacob’s dream, on which the angels were ascending and descending with outspread wings. All that had ever happened in the world here lived and moved on the panes of glass, in pictures such as time alone could produce. The fairy now led the prince into a large, lofty room with transparent walls, through which the light shone. Here were portraits, each one appearing more beautiful than the other—millions of happy beings, whose laughter and song mingled in one sweet melody: some of these were in such an elevated position that they appeared smaller than the smallest rosebud, or like pencil dots on paper. In the centre of the hall stood a tree, with drooping branches, from which hung golden apples, both great and small, looking like oranges amid the green leaves. It was the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from which Adam and Eve had plucked and eaten the forbidden fruit, and from each leaf trickled a bright red dewdrop, as if the tree were weeping tears of blood for their sin. “Let us now take the boat,” said the fairy: “a sail on the cool waters will refresh us. But we shall not move from the spot, although the boat may rock on the swelling water; the countries of the world will glide before us, but we shall remain still.”

It was indeed wonderful to behold. First came the lofty Alps, snow-clad, and covered with clouds and dark pines. The horn resounded, and the shepherds sang merrily in the valleys. The banana-trees bent their drooping branches over the boat, black swans floated on the water, and singular animals and flowers appeared on the distant shore. New Holland, the fifth division of the world, now glided by, with mountains in the background, looking blue in the distance. They heard the song of the priests, and saw the wild dance of the savage to the sound of the drums and trumpets of bone; the pyramids of Egypt rising to the clouds; columns and sphinxes, overthrown and buried in the sand, followed in their turn; while the northern lights flashed out over the extinguished volcanoes of the north, in fireworks none could imitate.

The prince was delighted, and yet he saw hundreds of other wonderful things more than can be described. “Can I stay here forever?” asked he.

“That depends upon yourself,” replied the fairy. “If you do not, like Adam, long for what is forbidden, you can remain here always.”

“I should not touch the fruit on the tree of knowledge,” said the prince; there is abundance of fruit equally beautiful.”

“Examine your own heart,” said the princess, “and if you do not feel sure of its strength, return with the East Wind who brought you. He is about to fly back, and will not return here for a hundred years. The time will not seem to you more than a hundred hours, yet even that is a long time for temptation and resistance. Every evening, when I leave you, I shall be obliged to say, ‘Come with me,’ and to beckon to you with my hand. But you must not listen, nor move from your place to follow me; for with every step you will find your power to resist weaker. If once you attempted to follow me, you would soon find yourself in the hall, where grows the tree of knowledge, for I sleep beneath its perfumed branches. If you stooped over me, I should be forced to smile. If you then kissed my lips, the garden of paradise would sink into the earth, and to you it would be lost. A keen wind from the desert would howl around you; cold rain fall on your head, and sorrow and woe be your future lot.”

“I will remain,” said the prince.

So the East Wind kissed him on the forehead, and said, “Be firm; then shall we meet again when a hundred years have passed. Farewell, farewell.” Then the East Wind spread his broad pinions, which shone like the lightning in harvest, or as the northern lights in a cold winter.

“Farewell, farewell,” echoed the trees and the flowers.

Storks and pelicans flew after him in feathery bands, to accompany him to the boundaries of the garden.

“Now we will commence dancing,” said the fairy; “and when it is nearly over at sunset, while I am dancing with you, I shall make a sign, and ask you to follow me: but do not obey. I shall be obliged to repeat the same thing for a hundred years; and each time, when the trial is past, if you resist, you will gain strength, till resistance becomes easy, and at last the temptation will be quite overcome. This evening, as it will be the first time, I have warned you.”

After this the fairy led him into a large hall, filled with transparent lilies. The yellow stamina of each flower formed a tiny golden harp, from which came forth strains of music like the mingled tones of flute and lyre. Beautiful maidens, slender and graceful in form, and robed in transparent gauze, floated through the dance, and sang of the happy life in the garden of paradise, where death never entered, and where all would bloom forever in immortal youth. As the sun went down, the whole heavens became crimson and gold, and tinted the lilies with the hue of roses. Then the beautiful maidens offered to the prince sparkling wine; and when he had drank, he felt happiness greater than he had ever known before. Presently the background of the hall opened and the tree of knowledge appeared, surrounded by a halo of glory that almost blinded him. Voices, soft and lovely as his mother’s sounded in his ears, as if she were singing to him, “My child, my beloved child.” Then the fairy beckoned to him, and said in sweet accents, “Come with me, come with me.” Forgetting his promise, forgetting it even on the very first evening, he rushed towards her, while she continued to beckon to him and to smile. The fragrance around him overpowered his senses, the music from the harps sounded more entrancing, while around the tree appeared millions of smiling faces, nodding and singing. “Man should know everything; man is the lord of the earth.” The tree of knowledge no longer wept tears of blood, for the dewdrops shone like glittering stars.

“Come, come,” continued that thrilling voice, and the prince followed the call. At every step his cheeks glowed, and the blood rushed wildly through his veins. “I must follow,” he cried; “it is not a sin, it cannot be, to follow beauty and joy. I only want to see her sleep, and nothing will happen unless I kiss her, and that I will not do, for I have strength to resist, and a determined will.”

The fairy threw off her dazzling attire, bent back the boughs, and in another moment was hidden among them.

“I have not sinned yet,” said the prince, “and I will not;” and then he pushed aside the boughs to follow the princess. She was lying already asleep, beautiful as only a fairy in the garden of paradise could be. She smiled as he bent over her, and he saw tears trembling out of her beautiful eyelashes. “Do you weep for me?” he whispered. “Oh weep not, thou loveliest of women. Now do I begin to understand the happiness of paradise; I feel it to my inmost soul, in every thought. A new life is born within me. One moment of such happiness is worth an eternity of darkness and woe.” He stooped and kissed the tears from her eyes, and touched her lips with his.

A clap of thunder, loud and awful, resounded through the trembling air. All around him fell into ruin. The lovely fairy, the beautiful garden, sunk deeper and deeper. The prince saw it sinking down in the dark night till it shone only like a star in the distance beneath him. Then he felt a coldness, like death, creeping over him; his eyes closed, and he became insensible.

When he recovered, a chilling rain was beating upon him, and a sharp wind blew on his head. “Alas! what have I done?” he sighed; “I have sinned like Adam, and the garden of paradise has sunk into the earth.” He opened his eyes, and saw the star in the distance, but it was the morning star in heaven which glittered in the darkness.

Presently he stood up and found himself in the depths of the forest, close to the cavern of the Winds, and the mother of the Winds sat by his side. She looked angry, and raised her arm in the air as she spoke. “The very first evening!” she said. “Well, I expected it! If you were my son, you should go into the sack.”

“And there he will have to go at last,” said a strong old man, with large black wings, and a scythe in his hand, whose name was Death. “He shall be laid in his coffin, but not yet. I will allow him to wander about the world for a while, to atone for his sin, and to give him time to become better. But I shall return when he least expects me. I shall lay him in a black coffin, place it on my head, and fly away with it beyond the stars. There also blooms a garden of paradise, and if he is good and pious he will be admitted; but if his thoughts are bad, and his heart is full of sin, he will sink with his coffin deeper than the garden of paradise has sunk. Once in every thousand years I shall go and fetch him, when he will either be condemned to sink still deeper, or be raised to a happier life in the world beyond the stars.”

這裡曾經是國王的兒子誰了書一個更大，更漂亮的一比世界上其他任何一個，且充滿燦爛的銅板雕刻。他可以閱讀和獲取信息的尊重每一個國家每一個民族; 但不是一個詞，他能找到解釋的天堂花園的情況，而這正是他最想知道的。他的祖母曾告訴他時，他是一個相當小男孩，剛剛夠年齡上學，在天堂的花園裡每朵花是一個甜蜜的蛋糕，使雌蕊都充滿了濃郁的酒香，那在一個花的歷史被寫，在另一地域或表格; 所以那些誰願意去學習他們的經驗教訓只有吃一些蛋糕，和他們越吃，越歷史，地理，或表他們知道。他認為這一切即可; 但隨著年齡的增長，學習越來越多，他成為了足夠的智慧明白，天堂花園的輝煌一定是非常不同的這一切。“哦，為什麼夏娃摘下的果子從樹的知識？？亞當為什麼吃了禁果“，認為王的兒子：”如果我曾經在那裡它將永遠不會發生，並且有本來世界上沒有罪過“天堂花園佔據了他所有的想法，直到他達到了他十七年。

有一天，他獨自走在樹林裡，這是他最大的樂趣，當夜幕降臨的。烏雲聚集，雨傾盆而下，彷彿天空一直是水龍捲; 並且它是最暗的一個很好的午夜底部; 有時他滑倒在光滑的草，或下跌逾石頭投射出來的岩石地面。每一件事情得淋漓與水分，可憐的王子有沒有關於他幹的線程。他不得不在最後翻越石頭大的塊，加水噴血從厚厚的青苔。他開始感到相當微弱，當他聽到一個最奇異的嘩嘩聲，在他面前看到了一個大洞，從裡面傳來光的火焰。在一個巨大的火在燃燒，和一個高尚的雄鹿，其分枝角洞的中間，放置在兩個松樹樹的樹幹之間的吐。它是緩慢轉動的火中，一名老年婦女，如大而強，彷彿她一直在變相的男人，坐在，扔一塊木頭陸續進入火海。

“進來，”她對王子說; “靠著爐火坐下來幹自己。”

“這裡有一個很大的草案中，”王子說，他自己坐在地面上。

“這將是糟糕的，當我的兒子回家，”女人回答; “你現在在風之洞穴，和我的兒子都在四風天：你能理解嗎？”

“哪裡是你的兒子？”問王子。

“這是很難回答愚蠢的問題，”女人說。“我的兒子有足夠的業務在手; 他們是在玩踢毽子與雲達那邊在國王的大廳裡，“她指著向上。

“哦，的確，”王子說; “但你能再說大致和嚴厲，不那麼溫柔，因為我習慣了婦女。”

“是的，那是因為他們沒有什麼別的事情可做; 但我必須要嚴厲，讓我的孩子們的秩序，我可以做到這一點，儘管他們是如此的頭強。你看到那四個麻袋掛在牆上？那麼，他們是一樣多的那些麻袋怕，因為你曾經是鏡子背後的大鼠。我可以彎曲的男生在一起，並把它們放在麻袋不會對他們的零件任何抵抗，我可以告訴你。他們在那裡呆了，不敢嘗試出來，直到我允許他們這樣做。這裡涉及其中之一。“

這是北風誰進來了，他感冒了，刺耳的爆炸帶來; 大冰雹叮叮噹當在地板上，和雪花散落在周圍各個方向。他穿著一件熊皮的衣服和披風。他的海豹皮帽子被吸引了他的耳朵，長的冰柱掛在他的鬍子，和一個又一個的冰雹從他的外套的衣領軋製。

“不要去太靠近火源，”王子說，“或者你的手和臉就會凍傷。”

！“凍傷”北風說，大聲笑; “為什麼霜是我最大的喜悅。什麼樣的一點點剪斷的是你，你是怎麼找到你的方式來風之洞穴？“

“他是我的客人，”老太婆說，“如果你不滿意這個解釋你可以進入口袋。你明白了嗎？“

這解決了問題。所以，北風開始與他的冒險，從那裡他來了，他在那裡一直整整一個月。“我來自極地的海洋，”他說; “我一直在熊島與俄羅斯海象獵人。我坐下來，睡在他們的船掌舵，因為他們航行遠離北開普省。有時候，當我醒來，困鳥就飛我的腿。他們是好奇的鳥; 他們給一折有翅膀，然後對他們伸出的小齒輪飛騰遠。“

“不要做它這麼長的故事，說：”風的母親; “什麼樣的地方是熊島？”

“一個非常美麗的地方，與地面跳舞一樣光滑平整的板。半融化的雪，部分長滿了青苔，鋒利的石頭，和海象和極熊的骨骼，撒謊一回事，在綠色腐爛的狀態及其巨大的四肢。這似乎彷彿太陽照不到那裡。我輕輕地吹，以清除霧氣，然後我發現了一座小屋，其中已建成從殘骸的木材，並覆蓋著海象的皮，肉質朝外; 它看起來綠色和紅色，並在屋頂上坐著一個咆哮的熊。然後我去了海邊，看鳥巢後，看見羽毛未豐的雛鳥打開自己的嘴巴和尖叫為食。我吹響了進軍千元的小喉嚨，趕緊停止了尖叫。更遠的人與豬的頭海象，牙齒一碼長，滾動一下像大蟲子。“

“你與你的冒險非常好，我的兒子，”媽媽說，“這讓我的嘴水聽你的。

“在那之後，”繼續北風，“狩獵開始。魚叉被扔到了海象的乳房，使血液吸煙噴流出來像一個噴泉，並besprinkled冰。然後，我想到了我自己的比賽; 我開始刮起，把我自己的船，大冰山航行，以便他們可以粉碎船。呵呵，怎麼水手嚎叫著哭了出來！但我大吼著比他們更響亮。他們不得不卸載他們的貨物，並把他們的胸部和冰死海象。然後我灑雪在他們，並留下他們在粉碎小船向南漂移，嘗鹽水。他們將永遠不會返回到熊島“。

“所以你做了惡作劇，說：”風的母親。

“我將讓別人來告訴我好做了，”他回答說。“但這裡是來自西方的哥哥; 我喜歡他所有最好的，因為他有關於他的海的味道，並帶來了一個寒冷，空氣清新，當他進入。“

“那是小西風？”問王子。

“是的，這是小西風，”老太太說; “但他不小了。在過去的歲月，他是一個漂亮的男孩; 現在是所有過去的。“

他走了進來，看上去像一個野人，他穿著懶散的帽子，以保護他的頭部免受傷害。在他的手，他攜帶一個俱樂部，切從紅木樹在美國的森林，不是一件小事攜帶。

“你來自何方？”問媽媽。

“我來自森林，那裡的棘手荊棘形成的樹木之間厚厚的樹籬的荒野; 那裡的水，蛇出在潮濕的草地，而人類似乎是未知的。“

“你在幹什麼呢？”

“我看著深溪，看見它衝過來從岩石下。水滴安裝在雲和閃閃發光的彩虹。我看到河裡的野生水牛游泳，但強潮他帶走一片野鴨，其中向空中飛去，好像水破滅以後，留下水牛被扔在了瀑布的羊群。這我高興; 所以我提出了一個風暴，拔出來的古樹，打發他們順流而下。“

“還有什麼你做了什麼？”老嫗問。

“我已經瘋狂地衝過大草原; 我撫摸著野馬，並動搖了可可堅果從樹上。是的，我有很多的故事，涉及; 但我不需要告訴我知道的一切。你知道這一切很好，不要你，老夫？“他吻了他的母親這樣粗略地說，她幾乎跌倒倒退。哦，他是，事實上，一個狂野的傢伙。

現在，在來到南風，用頭巾和流淌的貝都因人的斗篷。

“它有多冷就在這裡！”他說，在火上扔更多的木頭。“這是很容易感覺到北風已經來到這裡我面前。”

“為什麼它是熱的夠在這裡烤一隻熊，”北風說。

“你是一隻熊自己，”另一個說。

“你想放於口袋，你們兩個？”老太太說。“坐下，目前，那塊石頭，那邊，告訴我在哪裡，你都有了。”

“在非洲，母親。我出去的霍屯督人，誰是獅子狩獵在卡菲爾土地上的平原覆蓋著草綠色的橄欖的顏色; 在這裡我跑比賽的鴕鳥，但我很快就超過了他的迅捷。最後，我來到了沙漠，在這躺的金色沙灘，恰似大海的底部。在這裡，我遇到了一個馬幫，和旅客剛剛殺了他們最後的駱駝，得到水; 有很少的他們，他們繼續他們的痛苦的旅程火辣辣的太陽底下，並在熱砂，在他們面前一個巨大的，無邊的沙漠而捉襟見肘。然後，我自己滾在鬆軟的沙土，並在燃燒列在他們頭上飛舞了。該dromedarys站定在恐怖，而商家吸引了他們的卡夫坦長衣在他們的頭上，而自己扔在地上我面前，因為他們的真主，他們在神面前做。然後，我把它們埋金字塔砂，它涵蓋了所有這些的下面。當我吹了遠在我下次訪問，太陽將漂白他們的骨頭，遊客將看到其他人已經在那裡他們面前; 否則，在這樣的荒野沙漠，他們可能不相信有可能。“

“所以你做了什麼，但邪惡的，”母親說。“與你的麻袋，”而之前，他知道，她已經抓住了南風窗一輪的身體，他突然出現入袋。他對滾在地板上，直到她坐在自己在他身上，讓他依舊。

“你這孩子很活潑，”王子說。

“是的，”她回答，“但我知道怎麼糾正他們，必要時; 這裡涉及的第四位。“在來到東風，穿得像個中國人。

“哦，你來自那個季度，你”她說; “我想你到過天堂的花園。”

“我去到明天，”他回答說; “我還沒有去過那裡了一百年。我剛從中國，在那裡我跳舞輪瓷塔，直到所有的鐘聲再次叮噹作響。在街頭進行正式鞭笞正在發生，和竹手杖都被打破對每一個很高的位置的男人的肩膀，從第一至第九級。他們喊道，“非常感謝，我的恩人的父愛;' 但我肯定的話不是來自自己的內心，所以我按響了鈴，直到他們響起，“叮，叮咚。”

“你是個野小子”之稱的老女人; “它是很適合你，你要明天到天堂的花園; 你總是在你的教育有改善。從智慧的泉源喝深深而你在那裡，並帶回家bottleful我。“

“我會的，”東方風說; “但是你為什麼把我的弟弟南在一個袋子？讓他出去; 因為我想讓他告訴我關於鳳鳥。公主總是希望聽到這種鳥的時候我付她在我訪問​​每一百年。如果您將打開麻袋，甜蜜的母親，我給你兩個pocketfuls茶，綠色和新鮮的，當我從那裡長大當場收起來。“

“好吧，為了茶飲，因為你是我的孩子，我會打開袋子。”

她這樣做了，而南風爬出來，看著很不快活，因為王子看到了他的恥辱。

“有一個棕櫚葉為公主，”他說。“老鳳祥，唯一一個在世界上，給我自己。他已經刻在了他的嘴他整個歷史過程中百年，他一直住。她能有怎樣讀老鳳集火他自己的窩，坐在上面，而它在燃燒，像一個印度人的遺孀。圍巢的幹樹枝劈啪作響，煙熏，直到火焰迸發和消耗的鳳凰化為灰燼。煙雨火下蛋，紅熱，這與目前一聲爆裂的報告，並指出飛到一個年輕的鳥。他是世界上唯一的鳳，王過所有其他鳥類。他咬了一個洞葉，我給你，那就是他的問候公主。“

“現在讓我們有東西吃，說：”風的母親。所以他們都坐下來飽餐一頓烤雄鹿; 和王子坐在東風的一面，他們很快就成了好朋友。

“請告訴我，”王子說，“誰是誰你一直在談論的公主！並在位於天堂的花園？“

“嗬！嗬！“之稱的東風，”你願意去嗎？嗯，你可以飛了出去與我明天; 但我必須告訴你，因為亞當和夏娃的時間一件事，沒有人一直在那裡。我想你已經在你的聖經閱讀他們。“

“我當然有，”王子說。

“嗯，”延續了東風，“當他們被趕出天堂的花園，它沉入大地; 但它保留了溫暖的陽光，其溫和的空氣，和所有它的輝煌。精靈女王住在這裡，在幸福，死在那裡永遠不會到來的島嶼，一切都美好。我可以管理帶你去明天，如果你要坐在我的背上。但現在不說任何更多，因為我想要去睡覺，“然後他們都睡著了。

當王子在清晨醒來的時候，他是不是在發現自己高了上空的雲層有點意外。他坐在東風，誰抱著他忠實的後面; 他們是如此高的空中那樹林和田野，河流和湖泊，因為他們躺在他們腳下，看上去就像一個畫地圖。

“早上好，”東方風說。“你可能已經睡了一會兒; 對於很少有看到在這平坦的鄉間了，我們逝去的，除非你想指望教會; 它們看起來像粉筆在綠板的斑點。“綠色板是他給的綠色田野和草地的名稱。

“這是非常粗魯的，我必須說再見你的母親和你的兄弟，”王子說。

“他們會原諒你，因為你睡著了，”東方風說; 然後他們立馬就比以往更快。

樹的枝葉沙沙作響，因為他們通過。當他們飛過海洋和湖泊，浪越升越高，而大型船舶浸入如潛水天鵝水。隨著夜幕漸漸降臨了，傍晚，偉大的城市顯得嫵媚; 燈光閃耀，現在看到現在隱藏，就像火花熄滅陸續在一張燒毀的紙張。王子拍了拍手與快感; 但東風勸他不要來表達自己的傾慕以這種方式，或者他可能會跌下來，並且發現自己掛在教堂的尖頂。在黑暗的森林鷹飛得很快; 但速度比他立馬東風。哥薩克，他的小木馬，騎輕輕麗葉在平原; 但較輕還通過對風的風王子。

“有喜馬拉雅山，在亞洲最高的山脈，”東方風說。“我們很快就會達到現在天堂的花園。”

然後，他們轉身向南，空氣變得芬芳與香料和花朵的芳香。在這裡，無花果和石榴生長的野生和藤蔓覆蓋著集群藍色和紫色的葡萄。在這裡，他們都下到地上，舒身柔軟的草地上，而花拜倒在風的氣息，彷彿在歡迎它。“我們現在是在天堂的花園？”問王子。

“不，真的，回答說：”東方風; “但我們將在那裡很快。你看見那個圍岩和洞穴下方，在其上的葡萄藤蔓掛像一個綠色的窗簾？通過洞穴，我們必須通過。包裝你的斗篷圓你;而對於太陽燒焦你在這裡，幾步遠這將是冰涼冰涼的。鳥兒飛過的入口洞穴感覺好像一翼是在夏天的區域，和其他在深冬。“

“因此，這則是通向天堂的花園？”問王子，因為他們進入了洞穴。這確實是冷的; 但冷很快就過去了，東風展開翅膀，都燦爛如最亮的火。當他們經過通過這個奇妙的洞穴，王子可以看到石頭很大塊，從中水流淌，懸在他們頭上的夢幻般的形狀。有時，它是如此狹窄，他們不得不爬在他們的手和膝蓋，而在其他時候，它是崇高的和廣泛的，像自由的空氣。它有一個小教堂為死者的外觀，與石化機關和無聲的管道。“我們似乎通過死亡之谷路過天堂的花園”之稱的王子。

但東風回答不發一言，只是指著轉發給一個可愛的藍色光，閃閃發光的距離。石頭塊假設一個飄渺的樣子，直到最後他們看起來像白雲在月光下。空氣很清新芳香，就像芬芳與玫瑰山谷花山區變得輕而易舉。一條河，清澈如空氣本身，閃耀在他們的腳下，而在其明確的深處可以看到黃金和白銀魚運動在明亮的水，紫色鰻魚發光星星之火在每一個時刻，而寬大的葉片的水百合，那漂浮在其表面，閃爍的彩虹的所有顏色。在火焰的顏色的花彷彿從水中獲得的營養，作為一盞燈是由石油持續。大理石橋這樣精緻的做工，看來蕾絲和珍珠的彷彿形成，導致了幸福的海島，其中開花天堂的花園。東風帶著王子在他的懷裡，帶他過來，而花和葉子唱他的童年的甜美歌聲音色充滿柔和，沒有人的聲音可以大膽地模仿。在花園裡長大的大樹下，血氣方剛; 但他們是否是棕櫚樹或巨大的水生植物，王子不知道的。攀爬植物掛在綠色和金色的花環，像老missals或首字母之間纏繞的邊緣的燈飾。鳥，花，結彩混合出現在表面上的混亂。附近，在草地上，站著一群孔雀，光芒四射的尾巴延伸到太陽。王子打動了他們，這才發現，他吃驚的是，他們不是真正的鳥，但牛蒡樹，閃爍著的孔雀尾巴的顏色的葉子。獅子和老虎，溫柔，溫順，像被綠色灌木，其香味就像橄欖的清香花間嬉戲的貓雨後春筍有關。木鴿子的羽毛閃閃發光的珍珠一樣，因為它擊中了獅子的鬃毛與它的翅膀; 而羚羊，平時很害羞，站在附近，點頭頭，如果它希望加入的嬉鬧。天堂的仙女旁邊做她的外表。她的衣服像閃耀的太陽，她安詳的面容容光煥發，散發出幸福就像一個母親歡喜過她的孩子。她年輕漂亮，可愛的少女的火車跟著她，每次穿著明亮的星星在她的頭髮。東方風給她的棕櫚葉，上面寫著鳳凰的歷史; 她的眼睛閃爍著喜悅。然後她把王子的手，領他到自己的宮殿，城牆，其中是色彩豐富，像鬱金香葉當它轉向太陽。屋頂上有一個倒花的外觀，而且顏色較深的增長和更明亮的基色。王子走到窗口，看到似乎是善惡的知識之樹，與亞當和夏娃站在旁邊，並在他們附近的蛇。“我想，他們從天堂被放逐，”他說。

公主笑了，並告訴他，時間刻了每個事件上的窗口窗格中圖片的形式; 但是，不像其他的圖片，所有它代表的壽命和感動， - 樹葉簌簌，相關人員去了，來了，作為一個鏡子。他透過另一個窗格，看到梯子在雅各布的夢想，對其中的使者也一同被提升，並與展翅下降。所有曾經發生在這裡的世界，生活和移動玻璃的窗格，在畫面，如獨處的時間可以產生。仙女現在帶領王子變成一個大的，崇高的房間，透明的牆壁，通過它的光線照進來。這裡是肖像畫，每一個出現比其他 - 數以百萬計的生命快樂的，他們的笑聲和歌聲夾雜在一個甜美的旋律更美的：其中的一些人在這樣一個較高的位置，他們似乎比最小的玫瑰花蕾小，或像鉛筆點在紙面上。在大廳的中央放著一個樹，有下垂枝，從中掛著金蘋果，無論大或小，看起來像橘子中的綠葉。它是知識之樹的善惡，從亞當和夏娃摘下，吃了禁果，並從每個葉子滴下一個鮮紅的露珠，彷彿樹在哭訴血淚的罪。“現在讓我們上了船，”仙女說：“在涼爽的水域航行將刷新我們。但我們不會從現貨動，雖然船可以搖上的水消腫; 世界各國將下滑在我們面前，但我們會保持不動。“

這確實是美妙脫俗。首先是崇高的阿爾卑斯山，雪覆蓋，並覆蓋著雲層和黑暗的松樹。喇叭響徹，和牧羊人在山谷歡快地唱歌。香蕉樹不約而同地把下垂枝過船，漂浮在水面上的黑天鵝，和奇異的動物和花卉出現在遙遠的彼岸，紐荷蘭，世界第五師，現在下滑了，有山的背景下，在遠處看著藍色。他們聽到了牧師的歌聲，看到了野蠻的狂野舞蹈骨的鼓和喇叭的聲音; 埃及金字塔上升到雲層; 列和獅身人面像，推翻埋在沙子裡，接著又將其; 而北極光閃現出了北方的熄滅的火山，在煙花沒有人能模仿。

王子很高興，但他看到了數以百計的其他美好的事物多可以被描述。“我能永遠留在這兒？”他問道。

“這取決於你自己，”回答的仙女。“如果你不這樣做，像亞當，長的什麼是被禁止的，你可以在這裡仍然一如既往。”

“我不應該接觸的水果知識之樹”之稱的王子; 有豐富的水果同樣美麗。“

“檢查自己的心臟，說：”公主，“如果你不確信其強度，返回與東風誰給你帶來了。他即將飛回，並不會回到這裡了一百年。時間似乎不會給你一百多小時，但即使是很長一段時間的試探和阻力。每天晚上，當我離開你，我將不得不說，“跟我來”，並召喚著你我的手。但你不能聽，也沒有從你的地方跟著我移動; 對於每一步，你會發現你的力量來抵抗弱。如果一旦你試圖跟我走，你會很快發現自己在大廳裡，在那裡生長知識之樹，因為我睡覺的下方芳香分支。如果你佝僂著我，我要用力笑。如果你再吻我的嘴唇，天堂的花園會下沉到地球，並給你它將會消失。從沙漠敏銳的風會號啕大哭你身邊; 冷雨落在你的頭上，憂愁和疾苦是你未來很多。“

“我將繼續，”王子說。

因此，東風吻了他​​的額頭，說：“要堅定; 那時，我們再見面時，一百年過去了。告別，告別“，然後將東風傳播他的廣泛的齒輪，它像閃耀在收穫的閃電，或作為北極光在一個寒冷的冬天。

“再見，再見，”呼應了樹木和花草。

鸛鳥和鵜鶘後，他立馬在羽狀帶，陪他到花園的邊界。

“現在，我們將開始跳舞，”仙女說; “而當它幾乎是在日落時分，當我跳舞和你在一起，我會做一個記號，並要求你跟著我，但不服從。我將不得不重複同樣的事情一百年;每一次，當審判的是過去，如果你反抗，你會獲得力量，直到阻力變得容易，並且在最後的誘惑將會相當克服。今天晚上，因為這將是第一次，我已經警告過你。“

在此之後，仙女把他領到一個寬敞的大廳，充滿了透明的百合花。每朵​​花的黃色耐力形成一個微小的金豎琴，從其中出來的音樂張力喜歡長笛和豎琴的交融色調。美麗的女子，修長而優美的形式，披著透明的紗布，飄來通過舞蹈，在天堂，在那裡死亡從未進入過的花園唱起了幸福的生活，並在那裡一切都會永遠盛開在不朽的青春。當太陽落下去，整個天空變成了深紅色和金色，和有色的百合與玫瑰色調。然後提供給王子起泡酒的美麗的女子; 而當他喝了，他覺得幸福比他以前知道的。目前大廳的開設背景和知識之樹出現時，榮耀，幾乎蒙蔽了他的光環所包圍。的聲音，柔軟，可愛的是他母親的在他耳邊響起，彷彿她在唱他的，“我的孩子，我親愛的孩子。”然後，仙女招了招手給他，並在甜蜜的口音說，“跟我來，跟我“。忘記自己的諾言，甚至在第一個晚上忘記它，他沖向她，而她繼續召喚著他，微笑。他周圍的香味擊敗他的感覺，從豎琴音樂響起更著迷，而周圍的樹上出現了數以百萬計的笑臉，點頭和唱歌。“人應該知道的一切; 人類是地球的主人。“知識之樹不再哭了血淚，為露珠一樣照耀著閃閃發光的星星。

“來，來，”繼續說驚心動魄的聲音，和王子跟著叫。每走一步他的臉頰閃著，血似地衝到通過他的血管。“我必須遵循，”他喊道; “這是不是一種罪過，它不能，跟隨美麗和喜悅。我只想看到她的睡眠，以及什麼都不會發生，除非我吻她，我不會做，因為我有力氣反抗，和堅定的意志。“

仙女脫掉她的令人眼花繚亂的服飾，向後彎曲的樹枝，並在另一個瞬間就被隱藏在其中。

“我沒有犯罪呢，”王子說，“我不會，”然後他推開樹枝跟隨公主。她躺在已經睡著了，美麗如天堂的花園裡只有一個童話可能。她笑了，因為他彎腰她，他就看見淚水顫抖著她的美麗睫毛。“你為我哭泣？”他低聲說。“哦，不哭泣，你最可愛的女人。現在，我開始明白天堂的幸福; 我覺得我的靈魂深處，在每一個念頭。一個新的生命在我裡面誕生了。這種幸福的一個時刻是值得的黑暗和悲哀的永恆。“他彎下腰，吻了她眼中的淚水，摸她的嘴唇與他。

一聲雷響，大聲的和可怕的，響徹顫抖的空氣。所有他周圍陷入了毀滅。與可愛的仙子，美麗的花園，沉沒越陷越深。王子看到了那顆倒在漆黑的夜晚，直到它照耀只喜歡在他身下的距離的明星。然後，他感覺到一道寒光，如同死亡，匍匐在他身上; 他閉著眼睛，他成為了昏迷。

當他回過神來，一個令​​人不寒而栗的雨敲打在他身上，一個尖銳的風吹在他的頭上。“唉！我做了什麼“，他嘆了口氣; “我犯了罪像亞當和天堂的花園已經沉沒入地。”他睜開眼睛，看見遠處的恆星，但它是早晨之星在天上的亮光在黑暗中。

目前，他站起身來，發現自己在樹林深處，靠近風之洞穴，以及風的母親坐在他的身邊。她看著生氣，並提出了她的手臂在空中她說話。“在第一個晚上！”她說。“好吧，我期待了！如果你是我的兒子，你應該進入的口袋。“

“在那裡，他將不得不在最後表示，”一個強大的老頭，與大黑翅膀，手裡拿著一把鐮刀，他的名字叫作死。“他應敷設在他的棺材，但不是現在。我將讓他徜徉世界了一會兒，以彌補他的罪過，並給他時間來變得更好。不過，我會回來的時候，他至少希望我。我要按他在一個黑色的棺材，把它放在我的頭上，又飛去了它超越了明星。此外，還有盛開的天堂花園，如果他是良好的和虔誠，他會被錄取; 但如果他的想法是不好的，他的心臟是充滿了罪惡，他會下沉與他的棺材比天堂的花園更深已經沉沒。一旦在每一千年，我會去取他的時候，他要么被譴責下沉愈深，或提高到超出星星世界的幸福生活。“