red fairy book

Chapter 9 Surly Marie Castle (2)
"No," said Havel; "I'll go tomorrow morning, and I'll stay here to-night, sitting by the fire."

Now, they have no way to object.Haver sat down by the fire and began to sift the ashes, as he had done when he lay here to pass the time.

They talked a lot, told Haver this and that, and at the end, Haver asked, don't you have children? "Yes." They said that there was a son named Haver who didn't know where he went, and they didn't even know whether he was dead or alive.

"Will I be him?" Havel asked.

"I know him very well." The old woman stood up. "Our Havel sits around all day and does nothing. He doesn't care, and his clothes are always full of holes. Such a fellow will never be like you." So decent."

The old woman went to warm herself by the fire, and the light of the fire shone on Haver, who was still sifting the ashes, and the old woman recognized him. "God! Is that you, Haver?" she cried.

The old couple were overjoyed.Haver told them all about it.The old woman was glad to take him to the farm, and show the girls who had looked down on him how respectable he was now.

Mother went first, Haver followed.When the mother arrived, she said that Haver was back, and she wanted to show them how noble Haver was. "He's like a prince!" she said.

"We must see the same filthy man in rags, the same as before," said the girls, shaking their heads.

Just then, Haver entered the door.The girls were so startled that their skirts fell on the chimney corner, and they ran off in their petticoats.When they ran in again, they were too embarrassed to look at Haverl.Their attitude towards him before was simply too arrogant.

"Aha! You always think that you are very beautiful, and no one is worthy of you." Havor said, "You really should go and meet the eldest princess I rescued. Compared with her, you are like a shepherdess. The second princess is much more beautiful than you. But the little princess is my love, she is more beautiful than the sun and the moon. I wish they were here so you could see them."

As soon as he had finished speaking, the princesses stood beside him.Now, he regretted it and remembered what they had said.

A grand banquet was held at the farm to welcome the princesses, and to pay homage to them, but they would not stay.

"We want to see your parents' house," they said. "Let's go for a walk."

Haver went out with them.Walking to the big pond outside the house, there are green plants on both sides, which is very beautiful. The princesses said that they want to sit for a while and look at the water scenery.

They sat down.After sitting for a while, the little princess said, "Let me comb your hair, Haver."

Haver rested his head on her lap, she combed his hair, and he fell asleep in a few moments.She took the ring off his finger and put on another one.

Then she said to her sisters, "Hold me, and let's go back to the castle. I hope we're all at Sirlee-Marie Castle already."

When Haver woke up, he knew at once that he had lost the princess.So, he began to cry.He was so unhappy that no one could comfort him.Although his parents tried to keep him, he decided to go, and he said goodbye to them, saying that he would never come back again, because if he couldn't find the princess, he didn't want to live.

He still has 300 yuan.Put the money in your pocket and he's on his way.After walking for a while, he met a man riding a horse. He wanted to buy the horse, so he bargained with the man.

"Well, I didn't think about selling it," the man said, "but if we're all happy, maybe..."

Haver asked how much he wanted.

"I didn't pay much for him. He is not a very valuable horse. He can ride, but not pull the plow. If you walk a while, ride a while, it will be enough to pull you and your pack."

Finally, they struck a deal.Haver put the bundle on the horse's back, and rode and walked for a while.In the evening he went out to a green field, rested under a big tree, took the pack down, and untied the horse, so that he too could rest for a while.

At dawn he set off again, and rode all day, passing through a forest with patches of green in between.He didn't know where he was, and he didn't know where he was going, but every time he came to a green field, he rested for a while, carried the pack on his back, let the horse eat something, and continued to set off.

He rode and walked, and the woods seemed endless.The next night, he saw a light in the woods.

"If there are people there, we can warm ourselves and eat something," thought Havel.

When he got to the bright place, he saw a small hut, and through the window pane, he saw an old couple inside.The old couple were really old, and their hair was as gray as pigeon feathers.The old woman had a long nose, and she sat by the chimney and stirred the fire with her nose.

"Good evening!" said the ugly woman. "What's your business here? No Christian has ever been here in 100 years."

Havel told her that he wanted to go to the Castle Marie, and asked the way.

"Oh," said the old woman, "I don't know, but the moon is coming out soon, and I'll ask her when she comes, she must know where it is."

When the moon stood clearly on the treetops, the old woman went out: "Moon! Moon! How can I get to Castle Marie?"

"I don't know, when I take pictures there, there is always a cloud in front of me." The moon replied.

"Wait a little longer," said the old woman, "the west wind is coming, and he should know that it blows everywhere."

"You have a horse?" she said, coming in again. "Let him off the bit and let him graze in the pasture before he starves at my door. Would you trade me? I have a pair Old boots, with these boots you can walk a mile at a stride, much faster than a horse. With these boots, you will be able to reach Seli Marie Castle sooner."

Haver immediately agreed.The old woman was so happy that she wanted to dance. "Now I can ride to church too," she said.

Haver didn't want to rest anymore, he wanted to set off immediately.But the old woman said: "Don't worry, we don't have any beds. You lie down on the chair and sleep for a while. I'll wait for the west wind to come."

Before the west wind came, there came the wall-shattering roar.

The old woman ran out and cried, "West Wind! West Wind! Can you tell me the way to Serly Marie Castle? Someone wants to go there."

Zephyr replied, "Oh, I'm going there. There's a wedding there, and I'm going to dry my clothes. If he's as fast as a man-of-war, he can go with me."

Haver ran out.

"If you want to come with me, you have to go fast." West Wind crossed mountains and streams, wilderness and swamps, and Haver followed him all the time.

"I don't have time to go with you," said West Wind. "I have to pull a few spruce trees before I go to dry my clothes. When you walk along the side of the hill and see a group of laundry girls, leave Se Limary Castle is not far away.

After a while, Haver saw a group of laundry girls.They asked him if he had seen West Wind, and he was coming to dry the clothes for the wedding.

"See you," said Havel. "He's going to blow down some spruce trees, and he'll be here in a minute." He asked them the way to Seli-Marie Castle, and they told him.

When he got to the castle, the castle was full of people.Haver had just come along with the West Wind, and was torn in his clothes as he walked among the groves and swamps, so he had to wait until the feast began.

At noon, the banquet began.

According to the custom, everyone will give a toast to the bride and all the young girls.The pourers went back and forth, from bride to groom, from knight to servant, and it took a long time before they came to Haver.

Haver drank the wine, put in the glass the ring which the princess had given him when he sat by the water, and asked the pourer to bring the glass to the bride, and wish her happiness.

The princess got up from the table and said, "Who is worthy of us? He who freed us from the giants."

"There's only one worthy." Haver heard her words, and before he had time to throw away his beggar's clothes, he stood up like a groom.

"That's right, it's him." The little princess cried out immediately when she saw him.She pushed everyone else out of the window and married Haver.

(End of this chapter)