Claus understood, and turning to the Forest's edge he selected a number of fallen tree-trunks, which he began to clear of their dead branches. He would not cut into a living tree. His life among the nymphs who guarded the Forest had taught him that a live tree is sacred, being a created thing endowed with feeling. But with the dead and fallen trees it was different. They had fulfilled their destiny, as active members of the Forest community, and now it was fitting that their remains3 should minister to the needs of man.
The ax bit deep into the logs at every stroke. It seemed to have a force of its own, and Claus had but to swing and guide it.
When shadows began creeping over the green hills to lie in the Valley overnight, the young man had chopped many logs into equal lengths and proper shapes for building a house such as he had seen the poorer classes of men inhabit. Then, resolving to await another day before he tried to fit the logs together, Claus ate some of the sweet roots he well knew how to find, drank deeply from the laughing brook, and lay down to sleep on the grass, first seeking a spot where no flowers grew, lest the weight of his body should crush them.
And while he slumbered4 and breathed in the perfume of the wondrous5 Valley the Spirit of Happiness crept into his heart and drove out all terror and care and misgivings6. Never more would the face of Claus be clouded with anxieties; never more would the trials of life weigh him down as with a burden. The Laughing Valley had claimed him for its own.
Would that we all might live in that delightful7 place!—but then, maybe, it would become overcrowded. For ages it had awaited a tenant8. Was it chance that led young Claus to make his home in this happy vale? Or may we guess that his thoughtful friends, the immortals9, had directed his steps when he wandered away from Burzee to seek a home in the great world?
Certain it is that while the moon peered over the hilltop and flooded with its soft beams the body of the sleeping stranger, the Laughing Valley was filled with the queer, crooked10 shapes of the friendly Knooks. These people spoke11 no words, but worked with skill and swiftness. The logs Claus had trimmed with his bright ax were carried to a spot beside the brook and fitted one upon another, and during the night a strong and roomy dwelling12 was built.
The birds came sweeping13 into the Valley at daybreak, and their songs, so seldom heard in the deep wood, aroused the stranger. He rubbed the web of sleep from his eyelids14 and looked around. The house met his gaze.
"I must thank the Knooks for this," said he, gratefully. Then he walked to his dwelling and entered at the doorway15. A large room faced him, having a fireplace at the end and a table and bench in the middle. Beside the fireplace was a cupboard. Another doorway was beyond. Claus entered here, also, and saw a smaller room with a bed against the wall and a stool set near a small stand. On the bed were many layers of dried moss16 brought from the Forest.
"Indeed, it is a palace!" exclaimed the smiling Claus. "I must thank the good Knooks again, for their knowledge of man's needs as well as for their labors18 in my behalf."
He left his new home with a glad feeling that he was not quite alone in the world, although he had chosen to abandon his Forest life. Friendships are not easily broken, and the immortals are everywhere.
Upon reaching the brook he drank of the pure water, and then sat down on the bank to laugh at the mischievous19 gambols20 of the ripples21 as they pushed one another against rocks or crowded desperately22 to see which should first reach the turn beyond. And as they raced away he listened to the song they sang:
"Rushing, pushing, on we go!
Not a wave may gently flow—
All are too excited.
Ev'ry drop, delighted,
Turns to spray in merry play
As we tumble on our way!"
Next Claus searched for roots to eat, while the daffodils turned their little eyes up to him laughingly and lisped their dainty song:
"Blooming fairly, growing rarely,
Never flowerets were so gay!
Perfume breathing, joy bequeathing,
As our colors we display."
It made Claus laugh to hear the little things voice their happiness as they nodded gracefully23 on their stems. But another strain caught his ear as the sunbeams fell gently across his face and whispered:
"Here is gladness, that our rays
Warm the valley through the days;
Here is happiness, to give
Comfort unto all who live!"
"Yes!" cried Claus in answer, "there is happiness and joy in all things here. The Laughing Valley is a valley of peace and good-will."
He passed the day talking with the ants and beetles24 and exchanging jokes with the light-hearted butterflies. And at night he lay on his bed of soft moss and slept soundly.
Then came the Fairies, merry but noiseless, bringing skillets and pots and dishes and pans and all the tools necessary to prepare food and to comfort a mortal. With these they filled cupboard and fireplace, finally placing a stout25 suit of wool clothing on the stool by the bedside.
When Claus awoke he rubbed his eyes again, and laughed, and spoke aloud his thanks to the Fairies and the Master Woodsman who had sent them. With eager joy he examined all his new possessions, wondering what some might be used for. But, in the days when he had clung to the girdle of the great Ak and visited the cities of men, his eyes had been quick to note all the manners and customs of the race to which he belonged; so he guessed from the gifts brought by the Fairies that the Master expected him hereafter to live in the fashion of his fellow-creatures.
"Which means that I must plow26 the earth and plant corn," he reflected; "so that when winter comes I shall have garnered27 food in plenty."
But, as he stood in the grassy28 Valley, he saw that to turn up the earth in furrows29 would be to destroy hundreds of pretty, helpless flowers, as well as thousands of the tender blades of grass. And this he could not bear to do.
Therefore he stretched out his arms and uttered a peculiar30 whistle he had learned in the Forest, afterward31 crying:
"Ryls of the Field Flowers—come to me!"
Instantly a dozen of the queer little Ryls were squatting32 upon the ground before him, and they nodded to him in cheerful greeting.
Claus gazed upon them earnestly.
"Your brothers of the Forest," he said, "I have known and loved many years. I shall love you, also, when we have become friends. To me the laws of the Ryls, whether those of the Forest or of the field, are sacred. I have never wilfully33 destroyed one of the flowers you tend so carefully; but I must plant grain to use for food during the cold winter, and how am I to do this without killing34 the little creatures that sing to me so prettily35 of their fragrant36 blossoms?"
The Yellow Ryl, he who tends the buttercups, made answer:
"Fret37 not, friend Claus. The great Ak has spoken to us of you. There is better work for you in life than to labor17 for food, and though, not being of the Forest, Ak has no command over us, nevertheless are we glad to favor one he loves. Live, therefore, to do the good work you are resolved to undertake. We, the Field Ryls, will attend to your food supplies."
After this speech the Ryls were no longer to be seen, and Claus drove from his mind the thought of tilling the earth.
When next he wandered back to his dwelling a bowl of fresh milk stood upon the table; bread was in the cupboard and sweet honey filled a dish beside it. A pretty basket of rosy38 apples and new-plucked grapes was also awaiting him. He called out "Thanks, my friends!" to the invisible Ryls, and straightway began to eat of the food.
Thereafter, when hungry, he had but to look into the cupboard to find goodly supplies brought by the kindly39 Ryls. And the Knooks cut and stacked much wood for his fireplace. And the Fairies brought him warm blankets and clothing.
So began his life in the Laughing Valley, with the favor and friendship of the immortals to minister to his every want.
点击收听单词发音
1 brook | |
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让 | |
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2 burnished | |
adj.抛光的,光亮的v.擦亮(金属等),磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 );被擦亮,磨光 | |
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3 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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4 slumbered | |
微睡,睡眠(slumber的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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5 wondrous | |
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
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6 misgivings | |
n.疑虑,担忧,害怕;疑虑,担心,恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 );疑惧 | |
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7 delightful | |
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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8 tenant | |
n.承租人;房客;佃户;v.租借,租用 | |
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9 immortals | |
不朽的人物( immortal的名词复数 ); 永生不朽者 | |
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10 crooked | |
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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11 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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12 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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13 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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14 eyelids | |
n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 );眼睛也不眨一下;不露声色;面不改色 | |
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15 doorway | |
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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16 moss | |
n.苔,藓,地衣 | |
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17 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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18 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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19 mischievous | |
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的 | |
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20 gambols | |
v.蹦跳,跳跃,嬉戏( gambol的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21 ripples | |
逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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22 desperately | |
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
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23 gracefully | |
ad.大大方方地;优美地 | |
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24 beetles | |
n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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26 plow | |
n.犁,耕地,犁过的地;v.犁,费力地前进[英]plough | |
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27 garnered | |
v.收集并(通常)贮藏(某物),取得,获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28 grassy | |
adj.盖满草的;长满草的 | |
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29 furrows | |
n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 );(脸上的)皱纹v.犁田,开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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30 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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31 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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32 squatting | |
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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33 wilfully | |
adv.任性固执地;蓄意地 | |
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34 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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35 prettily | |
adv.优美地;可爱地 | |
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36 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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37 fret | |
v.(使)烦恼;(使)焦急;(使)腐蚀,(使)磨损 | |
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38 rosy | |
adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
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39 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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