(原版)澳大利亞語文第五冊(cè) LESSON 17

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LESSON 17 PANDORA'S BOX

PANDORA'S BOX

LONG , long ago there lived two brothers, named Prometheus and Epimetheus. Prometheus stole fire from heaven and gave it to men. This made the gods very angry with him, and they made him suffer a terrible punishment. He warned his brother, Epimetheus, to take no gift from the gods, lest he, too, should be made sorry. Epimetheus promised to remember his brother's warning, but when the gods sent him a beautiful wife, he forgot his brother's advice and married her.

The woman's name was Pandora, meaning "all-gifted"; for all the gods and goddesses had given her of their best gifts. She was so beautiful, so clever, and so pleasing in her manners, that Epimetheus soon loved her very dearly. She kept his house for him, worked at the loom ［1］ , and did many useful things that made life comfortable and happy for them both.

One day, Hermes came to the home of Epimetheus and Pandora. He came disguised as an old pedlar ［2］ , and left a box, which was bound with cords, and sealed with seals ［3］ .

I had orders, said the messenger, "to leave this box with you. But you must not open it till the rightful owner comes." Putting down the box, he hurried away, leaving Pandora puzzled and curious.

When she told Epimetheus, he was worried. "Do not touch the box, Pandora," he said. "Who knows what trouble it may bring us! Perhaps it is a gift from the gods, and I have been warned by my brother that such a gift may bring sorrow."

Pandora readily promised to obey her husband's wishes;but every day she looked at the box, and wondered what it contained. Perhaps it held costly gems, or was it gold and silver, or fine cloth and fair linen ［4］ ? She longed to know; but then she remembered her husband's words, and the order given by the pedlar, and she turned away, trying to forget the mysterious ［5］ box.

As the days passed, and no one came to claim the box, Pandora begged her husband to open it. But he refused, saying, "No, it is safer as it is; perhaps the owner will soon come."

One day, Epimetheus brought some of his friends to the house, and they had a feast. When the feast was over, they went out to enjoy some games under the shady trees that grew near the house, and Pandora was left alone. She looked at the box, standing in the corner. How she longed to open it, and peep in! Surely that would not be very wrong; of course, she would not take anything, however wonderful the contents might be! She tiptoed up to the box, and fingered the cords; it would be quite easy, she thought, to tie it up again, and put fresh wax on the knots.

Then she thought she heard little whispers coming from the box. "Pandora, let us out! Let us out!" She was frightened and excited. She ran to the window and looked out. Epimetheus and his friends were busy with a game. They would not be coming back to the house just yet. She would be very quick! Just one peep, then she would be quite happy; and Epimetheus would never know.

Her fingers trembled as she began to pull at the knots. She was very eager, and the knots were untied much more easily than she had expected. Soon the last knot was loosened; then Pandora hesitated ［6］ . She knew that Epimetheus would be very angry, if he came to know of her disobedience. Suppose he should be right, and the box brought trouble! Then the little voices whispered again, "Pandora, let us out! Let us out!"

Epimetheus will not know, she said to herself. "I will just peep, and then tie the cords again."

She lifted the lid. In a moment a swarm of black-winged creatures flew out. They settled on Pandora's beautiful arms and neck, and stung, and stung. She let the lid fall back with a cry of horror and pressed one knee upon it to keep it tightly closed, but it was too late. The black-winged creatures buzzed around her, blinding her, stinging her.

A SWARM OF BLACK-WINGED CREATURES FLEW OUT.

Epimetheus! Epimetheus! cried Pandora, wild with pain and terror.

Hearing his wife's cries, Epimetheus rushed into the house, followed by his friends. As soon as they entered the room, the creatures flew at them, too, and stung them. Poor Pandora! In her pain and shame she wished that she had listened to her husband; now she had brought all this suffering and evil upon him and his friends.

She sobbed as though her heart would break.

What a change had come over the happy party! No more laughing and gay voices; no more music and singing; only cries of rage and pain, as Epimetheus and his friends tried to drive away the wicked stingers. Pandora felt that her husband would never forgive her disobedience.

But hark! There was a tiny tapping sound coming from the box, and a sweet voice, like the tinkle of a silver bell, called, "Pandora!"

Pandora hushed her sobs for a second. The voice called again, "Pandora, let me out!" But she was afraid to raise the lid again, having done enough mischief already. Still the voice called her, "Pandora, Pandora, let me out! My name is Hope. I will help you. Let me out!"

Trembling and afraid, Pandora lifted the lid, and a little white-winged creature fluttered out. It flew around the room, going from one to another of the sufferers, and as its gentle wings touched their wounds, the pain ceased, and soon they were healed.

But, although Pandora, Epimetheus, and their friends were soon quite well again, the swarm of black-winged creatures flew out of the window, and carried pain and suffering to other people. It had been so easy to open the box, and let them out, but no power in the world could make them go back to it. Happily for men, Hope was also free, and flew over the world, and carried help and healing into places made sad by pain and suffering.

Pandora was so sorry for what she had done that Epimetheus had to forgive her, but she could not forget what harm she had brought to the world by her disobedience and curiosity.

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［1 ］ loom: A frame used for making thread into cloth.

［2 ］ pedlar: One who travels about selling odds and ends.

［3 ］ seals: Pieces of wax stamped on to a fastening to show if anyone should interfere with it.

［4 ］ linen: Cloth made of flax.

［5 ］ mysterious: Strange; hard to understand.

［6 ］ hesitated: Paused before acting.