哈哈电子书

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第19部分（第2页）

“Why！　there　is　a　crook　of　gold　for　whoever　finds　it，”they　cried，　and　they　set　to　and　ran，　so　eager　were　they　for　the　gold。

And　one　of　them　ran　faster　than　his　mate，　and　outstripped　him，　and　forced　his　way　through　the　willows，　and　came　out　on　the　other　side，　and　lo！　there　was　indeed　a　thing　of　gold　lying　on　the　white　snow。　So　he　hastened　towards　it，　and　stooping　down　placed　his　hands　upon　it，　and　it　was　a　cloak　of　golden　tissue，　curiously　wrought　with　stars，　and　wrapped　in　many　folds。　And　he　cried　out　to　his　rade　that　he　had　found　the　treasure　that　had　fallen　from　the　sky，　and　when　his　rade　had　e　up，　they　sat　them　down　in　the　snow，　and　loosened　the　folds　of　the　cloak　that　they　might　divide　the　pieces　of　gold。　But，　alas！　no　gold　was　in　it，　nor　silver，　nor，　indeed，　treasure　of　any　kind，　but　only　a　little　child　who　was　asleep。

And　one　of　them　said　to　the　other：　“This　is　a　bitter　ending　to　our　hope，　nor　have　we　any　good　fortune，　for　what　doth　a　child　profit　to　a　man？　Let　us　leave　it　here，　and　go　our　way，　seeing　that　we　are　poor　men，　and　have　children　of　our　own　whose　bread　we　may　not　give　to　another。”

But　his　panion　answered　him：　“Nay，　but　it　were　an　evil　thing　to　leave　the　child　to　perish　here　in　the　snow，　and　though　I　am　as　poor　as　thou　art，　and　have　many　mouths　to　feed，　and　but　little　in　the　pot，　yet　will　I　bring　it　home　with　me，　and　my　wife　shall　have　care　of　it。”

So　very　tenderly　he　took　up　the　child，　and　wrapped　the　cloak　around　it　to　shield　it　from　the　harsh　cold，　and　made　his　way　down　the　hill　to　the　village，　his　rade　marvelling　much　at　his　foolishness　and　softness　of　heart。

And　when　they　came　to　the　village，　his　rade　said　to　him，　“Thou　hast　the　child，　therefore　give　me　the　cloak，　for　it　is　meet　that　we　should　share。”

But　he　answered　him：“Nay，　for　the　cloak　is　neither　mine　nor　thine，　but　the　child’s　only，”　and　he　bade　him　Godspeed，　and　went　to　his　own　house　and　knocked。

And　when　his　wife　opened　the　door　and　saw　that　her　husband　had　returned　safe　to　her，　she　put　her　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed　him，　and　took　from　his　back　the　bundle　of　faggots，　and　brushed　the　snow　off　his　boots，　and　bade　him　e　in。

But　he　said　to　her，　“I　have　found　something　in　the　forest，　and　I　have　brought　it　to　thee　to　have　care　of　it，”　and　he　stirred　not　from　the　threshold。

“What　is　it？”　she　cried。　“Show　it　to　me，　for　the　house　is　bare，　and　we　have　need　of　many　things。”　And　he　drew　the　cloak　back，　and　showed　her　the　sleeping　child。

“Alack，　goodman！”　she　murmured，　“have　we　not　children　of　our　own，　that　thou　must　needs　bring　a　changeling　to　sit　by　the　hearth？　And　who　knows　if　it　will　not　bring　us　bad　fortune？　And　how　shall　we　tend　it？”　And　she　was　wroth　against　him。

“Nay，　but　it　is　a　Star…Child，”　he　answered；　and　he　told　her　the　strange　manner　of　the　finding　of　it。

But　she　would　not　be　appeased，　but　mocked　at　him，　and　spoke　angrily，　and　cried：　“Our　children　lack　bread，　and　shall　we　feed　the　child　of　another？　Who　is　there　who　careth　for　us？　And　who　giveth　us　food？”

“Nay，　but　God　careth　for　the　sparrows　even，　and　feedeth　them，”he　answered。

“　Do　not　the　sparrows　die　of　hunger　in　the　winter？”　she　asked。“And　is　it　not　winter　now？”

And　the　man　answered　nothing，　but　stirred　not　from　the　threshold。

And　a　bitter　wind　from　the　forest　came　in　through　the　open　door，　and　made　her　tremble，　and　she　shivered，　and　said　to　him：“　Wilt　thou　not　close　the　door？　There　eth　a　bitter　wind　into　the　house，　and　I　am　cold。”

“Into　a　house　where　a　heart　is　hard　eth　there　not　always　a　bitter　wind？”　he　asked。　And　the　woman　answered　him　nothing，　but　crept　closer　to　the　fire。

And　after　a　time　she　turned　round　and　looked　at　him，　and　her　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　And　he　came　in　swiftly，　and　placed　the　child　in　her　arms，　and　she　kissed　it，　and　laid　it　in　a　little　bed　where　the　youngest　of　their　own　children　was　lying。　And　on　the　morrow　the　Woodcutter　took　the　curious　cloak　of　gold　and　placed　it　in　a　great　chest，　and　a　chain　of　amber　that　was　round　the　child’s　neck　his　wife　took　and　set　it　in　the　chest　also。

So　the　Star…Child　was　brought　up　with　the　children　of　the　Woodcutter，　and　sat　at　the　same　board　with　them，　and　was　their　playmate。　And　every　year　he　became　more　beautiful　to　look　at，　so　that　all　those　who　dwelt　in　the　village　were　filled　with　wonder，　for，　while　they　were　swarthy　and　black…haired，　he　was　white　and　delicate　as　sawn　ivory，　and　his　curls　were　like　the　rings　of　the　daffodil。　His　lips，　also，　were　like　the　petals　of　a　red　flower，　and　his　eyes　were　like　violets　by　a　river　of　pure　water，　and　his　body　like　the　narcissus　of　a　field　where　the　mower　es　not。

Yet　did　his　beauty　work　him　evil。　For　he　grew　proud，　and　cruel，　and　selfish。　The　children　of　the　Woodcutter，　and　the　other　children　of　the　village，　he　despised，　saying　that　they　were　of　mean　parentage，　while　he　was　noble，　being　sprang　from　a　Star，　and　he　made　himself　master　over　th

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