英语故事The Key To The Earth.docx
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英语故事The Key To The Earth.docx
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英语故事TheKeyToTheEarth
英语故事
TheKeyToTheEarth
SeekinggemsisatradeI’veneverhadmuchlikingfor.I’vefoundthem,attimes,butbychance.Youhappentobelookingatpebbleswasheddownandyouseesomethingsparkling.Well,youpickitupandshowittosomeonewithknowledgefthosethings-shallIkeepitorthrowitaway?
Withgold,now,it’ssimple.Ofcoursethere’sdifferentkindswiththattoo,somebetter,someworse;butit’snotlikethosestones.Withthemneithersizenorweighthaveanymeaning.Youcanhaveabigoneandasmallone,theybothshinethesame,butwhentheyaretestedyoufindthey’redifferent.Andforthebigonefolkswon’tgiveacopper,whilethey’realleagerafterthelittleone-amazingwater,theysay,it’llhavetherealfire.
There’stimesit’squeererstill.They’llbuyastonefromyouandrightthereyouwatchthemchipoffhalfofitandthrowitaway.“Thatonlyspoilsit,”they’llsay,“itdimsthefire.”Adthentheywillgrindoffhalfofwhat’sleft,andsingthepraisesofittoo-“There’sthepurewater,nowit’llsparklesoit’llshamethelamps!
”Andit’sright,thestone’llenduptiny,butasifitwasaliveandlaughing.Butwhatitcosts-that’snolaughingmatter,youhearitandgasp.Nay,Icanmakenaughtofthosethings.
Butallthattalkaboutstonesthatkeepyoufromsickness,andstonesthatguardyouwhenyou’resleeping,orkeepsorrowawayandalltherestofit,that’sjustidlechattertomymind,naughtelse.ThoughthereisonetaleaboutstonesIheardfrommyoldfolksthattookmyfancy.It’sanutwithagoodkernel,forthosewithsoundteethtocrackit.
Theysaythere’sastonesomewhereundertheground,andnootherlikeitanywhere,it’stheonlyone.Nonehaveeverfoundthatstone.Notjustinourland,butinotherlandstoo,butthewordofit’sknownallover.Andthestoneisunderoursoil.Theoldfolksfoundthatout.Nooneknowsthespotwhereitis,butthat’snomatter,forthestonewillcomeitselftothehandoftherightone.That’sanotherthingspecialaboutit.Folkslearneditallfromayoungmaid.Thisisthewhytheysayitwas.
NearMurzinka,ormaybeitwassomeotherplace,therewasabigoremine.Theyfoundgoldandallsortsofgemsthere.ItwasCrownland,thosedays.Andtheofficialswiththeirbrightbuttons-butchersinuniform,theywere-usedtodrivefolkstoworkwithbeato’drum,anddrumthemthroughthelinesrunningthegauntlet,withstripesrainingdownonthem.Arealplaceoftorment,itwas.
Inthemidstofitallwasthatlittlegirl,Vasenka.Shewasbornatthemineandshelivedthere,summerandwinter.Hermotherwasasortofcookatthebarrackwheretheforemenlived;asforhermother,Vasenkaknewnaughtofhim.
Noneedtotellyouthesortoflifechildrenofthatkindlived.Menhadtoholdtheirtonguesunderallthetorment,butthenitwouldgettoomuchforthemandthey’dcurseherorcloutherovertheheadbecausetheyhadtoletitoutonsomeone.Aye,itwasabitterlifeshehad.Worsethananorphan’s.Andtherewasnonecouldsaveherfrombeingputtoworkearly,either.Achild,withhandshardlystrongenoughtoholdthereins,adshewasputtocarting.“Carrysandinsteadofgettingunderfolks’feet!
”
Assoonasshegrewabitbiggershewasgivenaboardandsentoffwiththeothermaidsandwomentosearchthesandforgems.AndthentheyfoundVasenkahadarealknackforit.Shefoundmorethananyothers,andallgoodones,reallyvaluable.
Shewasasimple-heartedmaid,whatshefoundshehandedinatoncetothoseoverher.Andgladtheywere,ofcourse.Sometheyputinthebank,someintheirpocketsandsomeintheircheek.Youknowtheoldsaying-whatabigmanputsinhispocketalittleonehastohide.AndoneandallpraisedVasenkaasthoughthey’dchosenthewordstogether.Theygaveheranicknametoo-LuckyEye.Assoonasoneofthemcamealonghe’dmakestraightforVasenka.
“Well,LuckyEye,haveyousomethingworthlookingat?
”
Vasenkadidseek,forshelikeddoingit.
Onceshefoundastonethesizeofherthumbandallthebigfolkcamerunningtotakealook.Sothattimenoonecouldstealit,theyhadtosendittothebank.Andafter,folkssay,itwastakenfromtheTsar’streasurytosomeforeignland.Butthat’snotwhatIwantedtotellyou.
Vasenka’sluckmadeitworsefortheotherwomenandmaids,theforemenneverletthemalone.
“Whycanshefindallthose,andyoubringusrubbishandlittleofthat?
Youseekwithonlyhalfaheart.”
InsteadofgivingVasenkagoodcounselthewomenbandedtogetherinspiteagainsther.Andherlifewasn’tworthliving.Andthenacurcameslaveringround,thechiefforeman.He’danoseforVasenka’sgoodfortune,sohesaid:
“I’llwedthatmaid.”
Histeethhadallrottedawaylongbeforeandontopofthatyoucouldn’tcomewithinfivepacesofhimforthestench,asifhe’drottedawayinsidetoo.Andhekeptsnuffling:
“I’llmakealadyofye,mymaid.Mindthat,andthestonesyoufindgivetomeandtonooneelse.Don’tletothersevenseethem.”
Vasenkawastallbutshewasn’tneartheagetowed.Shemighthavebeenthirteen,orfourteenmaybe.Butwho’dpayheedtothatifitwastheforeman?
Thepriestwouldwriteanyageinthebook.Well,Vasenkawasrealscared.Herhandsshookandherlegstoowhenshesawthatrottingsuiter.She’dmakehastetogivehimallshe’dfound,andhe’dkeeprumbling:
“Seekwell,Vasenka,seekwell!
Comewinter,you’llbesleepinginafeatherbed.”
Assoonashe’dgonethewomenwouldstartjibingandjeeringatVasenka,andshewasreadytotearherselftobitsasitwas,ifshe’dbeenable.Aftertheeveningdrumshe’druntohermotherinthebarrack,butthatonlymadeitallworse.Themotherwassorryforher,ofcourse,triedtoprotectherallshecould,butwhatcouldthebarrackcookdowhenitwasthechiefforeman?
Hecouldhalehertothefloggingpostanydayhewanted.
Vasenkamanagedtoholdhimofftillwinter,butshecoulddonomore.Hestartedcomingtohermothereveryday.
“Givemethemaidwi’goodwill,orit’llbetheworseforye.”
Nousesayingthemaidwastooyoungtowed,he’dpushthatpaperfromthepriestunderhernose.
“Willyoutrytolietome!
Thechurchbooksaysshe’ssixteen.Thelawfulage.Betternotcrossmemore,orI’llhaveyetothewhippingposttomorrow.”
Sothemotherhadtogiveway.
“Seemsit’syourfate,Daughter,andyoucan’tescapeit.”
Andthemaid?
Herarmsandlegswentweak,andnotawordcouldshesay.Butbynightfallitpassedoverandsheranawayfromthemine.Shedidn’teventakeanyspecialcare,shejustwentstraightoffdowntheroad,butwherethatroadledshenevereventhought.Allshewantedwastogetasfarawayasshecould.
Theweatherwaswarmwithnowind,andatevesnowbegantofall.Gentleflakeslikelittlefeathers.Theroadtookherintotheforest.There’dbewolvesandotherwildanimals,butVasenkadidn’tfearthem.She’dmadeuphermind.
“Betterbeeatenbywolvesthanwedstinkingoffal.”
Soonandonshewent.Atfirstshesteppedoutbravely.Shecoveredfifteenverstsormaybetwenty.Herclothesweren’tmuchtospeakofbutshewasn’tcold,sheevenfelthot.Thesnowwasdeep,uptoherknees,shecouldhardlyploughthroughit,andthatwarmedher.Anditkeptonfallingthickerthanever,arealmassofit.Vasenkagottiredatlast,shefeltshecouldn’tgoanotherstep,soshesatdownbytheroadside.
I’llrestabit,shethought-shedidn’tknowit’stheworstthingyoucando,sitdowninanopenplaceinweatherlikethat.
Shesattherelookingatthesnow,anditkeptonfallingandclungtoher.Aftershe’dsatabitshefeltshejustcouldn’tgetup.Butshewasn’tafraid,shejustthought:
I’llhavetositabitlonger,restmyselfproperly.
Well,sherested.Thesnowcoveredherrightup,shewaslikeashockofhaystandingbytheroad.Andtherewasavillagenear.
Bygoodfortuneoneofthevillagerscamebyinthemorning-insummertimeheusedtoseekgold,andstonestoo.Well,hecamebywithahorseandsledge,andthehorsestoppedandsnortedanddidn’twanttogonearthatshock.Thenthemantookalookandsawitwassomepersonburiedinsnow.Hewentupcloseandfoundthebodywasn’tfrozenthrough,hecouldbendthearms.SoheputVasenkaonthesledge,coveredherwithhissheepskinandoffhomewithher.Thenheandhiswifesettoworktothawherandbringhertolifeagain.Andtheymanagedit.Sheopenedhereyesandherfingersloosed.Andthereinonehandlayagreatshinningstone,purebluewater.Themanwasreallyscaredwhenhesawit,athinglikethatcouldtakeyoutojail,soheasked:
“Wheredidyougetthat?
”
“Itflewintomyhandbyitself,”saidVasenka.
“What?
How-?
”
SoVasenkatoldhimallaboutit.
Whenthesnowbegantocoverherrightup,apassageintotheearthsuddenlyopenedinfrontofher.Itwasn’tverywideanditwasdarktoo,butyoucouldgoalongit.Shecouldseesteps,anditwaswarm.Vasenkawasglad.Nonefromthemineswilleverfindmehere,shethought,andwentdownthesteps.Shewentonforalongtimetillshecametoagreatfield,sobigthereseemednoendtoit.Thegrassgrewintuftsandtherewereafewbushesscatteredabout,allofthemyellowastheyareinautumn.Ariverranacrossthemiddle,anditwassmoothandblackwithneverarippleasthoughitwereblackstone.Ontheotherside,justoppositeVasenka,wasalittlemoundandontopofitabigstonelikeatableandsmalleronesrounditlikestools.Butnotthesizefolksuse,muchbigger.Itwascoldandsortoffearsomethere.
Vasen
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