(原版)澳大利亞語文第五冊 LESSON 12

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LESSON 12 THE PROUD KING

THE PROUD KING

Ⅰ

THERE was once a king who ruled over many lands. He went to war, and added one country after another to his kingdom. At last he came to be emperor, and that is as much as any man can be. One night, after he was crowned emperor, he lay awake and thought about himself.

Surely, he said, "no one can be greater than I am, on earth or in heaven."

The proud king fell asleep with these thoughts. When he awoke, the day was fair, and he looked out on the pleasant world.

Come, he said to the men about him, "to-day we will go a-hunting."

The horses were brought, the dogs came leaping, the horns sounded, and the proud king with his courtiers ［1］ rode off to the sport. They had hunted all the morning, and were now in a deep wood. In the fields the sun had beaten upon their heads, and they were glad of the shade of the trees; but the proud king wished for something more. He saw a lake not far off, and he said to his men:—

Bide ye here, while I bathe in the lake and cool myself.

Then he rode apart till he came to the shore of the lake. There he dismounted, laid aside his clothes, and plunged into the cool water. Now, while the proud king was swimming away from the shore, and diving to the bottom, there came one who had the same face and form as the king.He drew near the shore, dressed himself in the king's clothes, mounted the king's horse and rode away. So when the proud king was once more cool and fresh, and came to the place where he had left his clothes and his horse, there were no clothes to be seen, and no horse.

The proud king looked about, but saw no man. He called, but no one heard him. The air was mild, but the wood was dark, and no sunshine came through to warm him after his cool bath. He walked by the shore of the lake, and cast about in his mind what he should do.

I have it, he cried at last. "Not far from here lives a knight. It was but a few days ago that I made him a knight and gave him a castle. I will go to him, and he will be glad enough to clothe his king."

The proud king wove some reeds into a mat, and bound the mat about him, and then he walked to the castle of the knight. He beat loudly at the gate of the castle, and called for the porter ［2］ . The porter came and stood behind the gate. He did not draw the bolt at once, but asked, "Who is there?"

Open the gate, said the proud king, "and you will see who I am."

The porter opened the gate, and was amazed at what he saw.

Who are you? he asked.

Wretch! said the proud king, "I am the emperor. Go to your master. Bid him come to me with clothes. I have lost both clothes and horse."

A pretty emperor! the porter laughed. "The great emperor was here not an hour ago. He came with his court from a hunt. My master was with him, and sat at meat with him. But stay you here. I will call my master. Oh, yes! I will show him the emperor," and the porter wagged his beard and laughed.

He came forth again with the knight, and pointed at the proud king.

There is the emperor, he said. "Look at him! look at the great emperor!"

Draw near, said the proud king to the knight, "and kneel to me. I gave thee this castle. I made thee knight. I give thee now a greater gift. I give thee the chance to clothe thy emperor with clothes of thine own."

You knave! cried the knight. "I have just ridden with the emperor, and have come back to my castle. Here!" he shouted to his servants, "beat this fellow and drive him away from the gate."

The porter looked on and laughed.

Lay on well, he said to the other servants. "It is not every day that you can flog an emperor."

Then they beat the proud king, and drove him from the gate of the castle.

Base knight! said the proud king. "I gave him all he has, and this is how he repays me. I will punish him when I sit on my throne again. I will go to the duke, who lives not far away. Him I have known all my days. He will know me. He will know his emperor."

So he came to the gate of the duke's great hall, and knocked three times. At the third knock the porter opened the gate, and saw before him a man clad only in a mat of reeds, and stained and bleeding.

Go, I pray you, to the duke, said the proud king, "and bid him come to me. Say to him that the emperor stands at the gate. He has been robbed of his clothes and of his horse. Go quickly to your master."

The porter closed the gate between them, and went within to the duke.

Your Grace, said he, "there is a madman at the gate. He is unclad and wild. He bade me come to you and tell you that he was the emperor."

Here is a strange thing indeed, said the duke. "I will see it for myself."

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［1 ］ courtiers: Those who attend upon the king.

［2 ］ porter: Gate-keeper, door-keeper.