Страшные сказки / Scary stories. Оскар Уайльд

the miller got home, his wife came to meet him and said,

      “Tell me, miller, from whence comes this sudden wealth into our house? All at once every box and chest was filled! No one brought it in, and I don’t know how it happened”.

      He answered,

      “It comes from a stranger who met me in the forest, and promised me great treasure. I, in return, promised him what stands behind the mill. We can very well give him the big apple-tree for it”.

      “Ah, husband,” said the terrified wife, “that was the devil! He did not mean the apple-tree, but our daughter, who is behind the mill!”

      The miller’s daughter was a beautiful, pious girl, and lived through the three years in the fear of God and without sin. When therefore the time was over, and the day came, she washed herself clean, and made a circle round herself with chalk. The devil appeared quite early, but he could not come near to her. Angrily, he said to the miller,

      “Take all water away from her, that she may no longer be able to wash herself. Otherwise I have no power over her”.

      The miller was afraid, and did so. The next morning the devil came again, but the girl wept on her hands, and they were quite clean. Again he could not get near her, and furiously said to the miller,

      “Cut her hands off, or else I cannot get her!”

      The miller was shocked and answered,

      “How can I cut off my own child’s hands?”

      Then the devil threatened him and said,

      “If you do not do it, you are mine, and I will take you instead!”

      The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him. So he went to the girl and said,

      “My child, if I do not cut off both your hands, the devil will carry me away. In my terror I promised to do it. Help me in my need, and forgive me the harm”.

      She replied,

      “Dear father, do with me what you will, I am your child”.

      Thereupon she laid down both her hands, and her father cut them off. The devil came for the third time, but she wept so long and so much on the stumps, that after all they were quite clean.

      Then the devil gave in[10], and lost all power over her.

      The miller said to the girl,

      “Thanks to you, I received such great wealth. I will keep you most delicately as long as you live”.

      But she replied,

      “Here I cannot stay, I will go forth, compassionate people will give me as much as I require”.

      Thereupon she asked to tie her arms to her back, and by sunrise she set out on her way. She walked the whole day until night fell. Then she came to a royal garden. She saw that trees are covered with beautiful fruits, but she could not enter, for there was much water round about it. And as she was very tired, and hunger tormented her, she thought,

      “Ah, I want to find myself[11] inside and eat the fruit! Or I’ll die of hunger!”

      Then she knelt down, called on the Lord, and prayed. And suddenly an angel came towards her, who made a dam in the water. The moat became dry and she could walk through it.

      She went into the garden and the angel went with her. She saw a tree with beautiful pears. Then she went to them, and ate one with her mouth from the tree. The gardener watched it; but as the angel was nearby, he was afraid and thought the maiden was a spirit, and was silent. He dare not to cry out, or to speak to the spirit.

      When the girl ate the pear, she was satisfied. She went and concealed herself among the bushes. The King to whom the garden belonged, came down to it next morning, and counted. He saw that one of the pears was missing[12]. The King asked the gardener about the pear. The gardener answered,

      “Last night, a spirit came in, who had no hands, and ate off one of the pears with its mouth”.

      The King said,

      “How did the spirit get over the water? Where did it go after that?”

      The gardener answered,

      “Someone came in a snow-white garment from heaven who made a dam, and kept back the water. So the spirit walked through the moat. And as it was an angel, I was afraid, and asked no questions, and did not cry out. When the spirit ate the pear, it went back again”.

      The King said,

      “If it is so as you say, I will watch with you tonight”.

      When it grew dark the King came into the garden and brought a priest with him. All three seated themselves beneath the tree and watched. At midnight the maiden came out of the thicket, went to the tree, and again ate one pear off it with her mouth. Beside her stood the angel in white garments. Then the priest went out to them and said,

      “Do you come from heaven or from earth? Are you a spirit, or a human being?”

      She replied,

      “I am no spirit, but an unhappy girl. Everybody left me”.

      The King said,

      “I won’t forsake you!”

      He took her with him into his royal palace, and as she was so beautiful and good, he loved her with all his heart. He made for her silver hands, and took her to wife[13].

      After a year the King went to fight, so he commended his young Queen to the care of his mother and said,

      “If she has a baby, nurse her well, and tell me of it at once in a letter”.

      Then she gave birth to a fine boy. So the old mother wrote and announced the joyful news to the King. But the messenger rested by a brook on the way, and as he was fatigued by the great distance, he fell asleep. Then came the Devil, who wanted to injure the good Queen, and exchanged the letter for another. That new letter says that the Queen gave birth to a monster. When the King read the letter he was shocked and much troubled. But he ordered to take great care of the Queen and nurse her well until his arrival. The messenger went back with the letter, but rested at the same place and again fell asleep. Then came the Devil once more, and put a different letter in his pocket. That new letter says that they must kill the Queen and her child.

      The old mother was terribly shocked when she received the letter, and could not believe it. She wrote back again to the King. But received no other answer, because each time the Devil substituted a false letter. And in every letter there was an order: to kill the Queen. Furthermore: to sent to the King the Queen’s tongue and eyes as a token.

      But the old mother brought a hind by night and cut out its tongue and eyes, and kept them. Then she said to the Queen,

      “I cannot kill you as the King commands, but here you may stay no longer. Go forth into the wide world with your child, and never come here again”.

      The poor woman tied her child on her back, and went away with eyes full of tears. She came into a great wild forest, and then she fell on her knees and prayed to God. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and led her to a little house on which was a sign with the words,

      “Here all dwell free”.

      A snow-white maiden came out of the little house and said,

      “Welcome, Lady Queen,” and conducted her inside.

      Then they unbound the little boy from her back, and feed him and laid him in a beautiful little bed. Then the poor girl said,

      “From whence do you know that I was a queen?”

      The white maiden answered,

      “I am a God’s angel. I’ll watch over you and your child”.

      The Queen stayed seven years in the little house. By God’s grace,

10

gave in – отступил

11

to find myself – оказаться

12

was missing – отсутствовала

13

took her to wife – взял её в жёны