There was once on a time a poor man, who could no longer support his only son. Then said the son, “Dear father, things go so badly with us that I am a burden to you. I would rather go away and see how I can earn my bread.” So the father gave him his blessing¹, and with great sorrow took leave of him. At this time the King of a mighty² empire was at war, and the youth took service with him, and with him went out to fight. And when he came before the enemy, there was a battle, and great danger, and it rained shot until his comrades fell on all sides, and when the leader also was killed, those left were about to take flight, but the youth stepped forth³, spoke⁴ boldly to them, and cried, “We will not let our fatherland be ruined!” Then the others followed him, and he pressed on and conquered the enemy. When the King heard that he owed the victory to him alone, he raised him above all the others, gave him great treasures, and made him the first in the kingdom.

The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange. She had made a vow⁵ to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first. “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?” On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him. This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her. “But dost thou know what thou must promise?” said the King. “I must be buried with her,” he replied, “if I outlive her, but my love is so great that I do not mind the danger.” Then the King consented, and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour.

They lived now for a while happy and contented⁶ with each other, and then it befell that the young Queen was attacked by a severe illness, and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead, the young King remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and was

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1 blessing
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。 A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

2 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

3 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 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
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 vow
n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
参考例句：
My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。 I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

6 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

7 horrified
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句：
The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。 We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

8 sentries
哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We posted sentries at the gates of the camp. 我们在军营的大门口布置哨兵。 We were guarded by sentries against surprise attack. 我们由哨兵守卫，以免遭受突袭。

9 corpse
n.尸体，死尸
参考例句：
What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。 The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

10 vault
n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室
参考例句：
The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。 The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

11 coffin
n.棺材，灵柩
参考例句：
When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。 The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

12 gnaw
v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨
参考例句：
Dogs like to gnaw on a bone.狗爱啃骨头。 A rat can gnaw a hole through wood.老鼠能啃穿木头。

13 hewed
v.（用斧、刀等）砍、劈( hew的过去式和过去分词 )；砍成；劈出；开辟
参考例句：
He hewed a canoe out of a tree trunk. 他把一根树干凿成独木舟。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He hewed out an important position for himself in the company. 他在公司中为自己闯出了要职。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

14 severed
v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂
参考例句：
The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

16 veins
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 regained
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地
参考例句：
The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。 She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

18 fidelity
n.忠诚，忠实；精确
参考例句：
There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。 His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

19 inclination
n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好
参考例句：
She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。 I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

20 sleeper
n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺
参考例句：
I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。 But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

21 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

22 extol
v.赞美，颂扬
参考例句：
We of the younger generation extol the wisdom of the great leader and educator.我们年轻一代崇拜那位伟大的引路人和教育家的智慧。 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 我要天天称颂你，也要永永远远赞美你的名。

23 traitors
卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人
参考例句：
Traitors are held in infamy. 叛徒为人所不齿。 Traitors have always been treated with contempt. 叛徒永被人们唾弃。

24 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

25 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

26 accomplice
n.从犯，帮凶，同谋
参考例句：
She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。 He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。