Twilight Land

Оглавление

Говард Пайл. Twilight Land

Introduction

The Stool of Fortune

The Talisman of Solomon

Ill-Luck and the Fiddler

Empty Bottles

Good Gifts and a Fool’s Folly

The Good of a Few Words

Woman’s Wit

A Piece of Good Luck

The Fruit of Happiness

Not a Pin to Choose

Much shall have more and little shall have less

Wisdom’s Wages and Folly’s Pay

The Enchanted Island

All Things are as Fate wills

Where to Lay the Blame

The Salt of Life

Отрывок из книги

Once upon a time there came a soldier marching along the road, kicking up a little cloud of dust at each step – as strapping and merry and bright-eyed a fellow as you would wish to see in a summer day. Tramp! tramp! tramp! he marched, whistling as he jogged along, though he carried a heavy musket over his shoulder and though the sun shone hot and strong and there was never a tree in sight to give him a bit of shelter.

At last he came in sight of the King’s Town and to a great field of stocks and stones, and there sat a little old man as withered and brown as a dead leaf, and clad all in scarlet from head to foot.

.....

Zadok laughed. “This,” said he, “is nothing; come with me.”

He led him from this room to another – like it vaulted, and like it lit by a carbuncle set in the dome of the roof above. In the middle of the floor was a basin such as Aben Hassen the Fool had seen in the other room beyond; only this was filled with gold as that had been filled with silver, and the gold was like that he had found in the garden. When the young man saw this vast and amazing wealth he stood speechless and breathless with wonder. The Demon Zadok laughed. “This,” said he, “is great, but it is little. Come and I will show thee a marvel indeed.”

.....