丝路文学

第20部分（第2页）

So　the　woman　rose　up，　and　went　away　into　the　forest　weeping　bitterly，　and　when　the　Star…Child　saw　that　she　had　gone，　he　was　glad，　and　ran　back　to　his　playmates　that　he　might　play　with　them。

But　when　they　beheld　him　ing，　they　mocked　him　and　said，　“Why，　thou　art　as　foul　as　the　toad，　and　as　loathsome　as　the　adder。　Get　thee　hence，　for　we　will　not　suffer　thee　to　play　with　us，”　and　they　drave　him　out　of　the　garden。

And　the　Star…Child　frowned　and　said　to　himself，　“What　is　this　that　they　say　to　me？　I　will　go　to　the　well　of　water　and　look　into　it，　and　it　shall　tell　me　of　my　beauty。”

So　he　went　to　the　well　of　water　and　looked　into　it，　and　lo！　his　face　was　as　the　face　of　a　toad，　and　his　body　was　sealed　like　an　adder。　And　he　flung　himself　down　on　the　grass　and　wept，　and　said　to　himself，　“　Surely　this　has　e　upon　me　by　reason　of　my　sin。　For　I　have　denied　my　mother，　and　driven　her　away，　and　been　proud，　and　cruel　to　her。　Wherefore　I　will　go　and　seek　her　through　the　whole　world，　nor　will　I　rest　till　I　have　found　her。　”

And　there　came　to　him　the　little　daughter　of　the　Woodcutter，　and　she　put　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　said，　“What　doth　it　matter　if　thou　hast　lost　thy　eliness？　Stay　with　us，　and　I　will　not　mock　at　thee。”

And　he　said　to　her，　“Nay，　but　I　have　been　cruel　to　my　mother，　and　as　a　punishment　has　this　evil　been　sent　to　me。　Wherefore　I　must　go　hence，　and　wander　through　the　world　till　I　find　her，　and　she　give　me　her　forgiveness。”

So　he　ran　away　into　the　forest　and　called　out　to　his　mother　to　e　to　him，　but　there　was　no　answer。　All　day　long　he　called　to　her，　and，　when　the　sun　set　he　lay　down　to　sleep　on　a　bed　of　leaves，　and　the　birds　and　the　animals　fled　from　him，　for　they　remembered　his　cruelty，　and　he　was　alone　save　for　the　toad　that　watched　him，　and　the　slow　adder　that　crawled　past。

And　in　the　morning　he　rose　up，　and　plucked　some　bitter　berries　from　the　trees　and　ate　them，　and　took　his　way　through　the　great　wood，　weeping　sorely。　And　of　everything　that　he　met　he　made　inquiry　if　perchance　they　had　seen　his　mother。

He　said　to　the　Mole，　“Thou　canst　go　beneath　the　earth。　Tell　me，　is　my　mother　there？”

And　the　Mole　answered，　“Thou　hast　blinded　mine　eyes。　How　should　I　know？”

He　said　to　the　Lin，　“Thou　canst　fly　over　the　tops　of　the　tall　trees，　and　canst　see　the　whole　world。　Tell　me，　canst　thou　see　my　mother？”

And　the　Lin　answered，　“Thou　hast　clipt　my　wings　for　thy　pleasure。　How　should　I　fly？”

And　to　the　little　Squirrel　who　lived　in　the　fir…tree，　and　was　lonely，　he　said，　“Where　is　my　mother？”

And　the　Squirrel　answered，　“Thou　hast　slain　mine。　Dost　thou　seek　to　slay　thine　also？”

And　the　Star…Child　wept　and　bowed　his　head，　and　prayed　forgiveness　of　God’s　things，　and　went　on　through　the　forest，　seeking　for　the　beggar…woman。　And　on　the　third　day　he　came　to　the　other　side　of　the　forest　and　went　down　into　the　plain。

And　when　he　passed　through　the　villages　the　children　mocked　him，　and　threw　stones　at　him，　and　the　carlots　would　not　suffer　him　even　to　sleep　in　the　byres　lest　he　might　bring　mildew　on　the　stored　corn，　so　foul　was　he　to　look　at，　and　their　hired　men　drave　him　away，　and　there　was　none　who　had　pity　on　him。　Nor　could　he　hear　anywhere　of　the　beggar…woman　who　was　his　mother，　though　for　the　space　of　three　years　he　wandered　over　the　world，　and　often　seemed　to　see　her　on　the　road　in　front　of　him，　and　would　call　to　her，　and　run　after　her　till　the　sharp　flints　made　his　feet　to　bleed。　But　overtake　her　he　could　not，　and　those　who　dwelt　by　the　way　did　ever　deny　that　they　had　seen　her，　or　any　like　to　her，　and　they　made　sport　of　his　sorrow。

For　the　space　of　three　years　he　wandered　over　the　world，　and　in　the　world　there　was　neither　love　nor　loving…kindness　nor　charity　for　him，　but　it　was　even　such　a　world　as　he　had　made　for　himself　in　the　days　of　his　great　pride。

And　one　evening　he　came　to　the　gate　of　a　strong…walled　city　that　stood　by　a　river，　and，　weary　and　footsore　though　he　was，　he　made　to　enter　in。　But　the　soldiers　who　stood　on　guard　dropped　their　halberts　across　the　entrance，　and　said　roughly　to　him，　“What　is　thy　business　in　the　city？”

“I　am　seeking　for　my　mother，”　he　answered，　“and　I　pray　ye　to　suffer　me　to　pass，　for　it　may　be　that　she　is　in　this　city。　”

But　they　mocked　at　him，　and　one　of　them　wagged　a　black　beard，　and　set　down　his　shield　and　cried，　“Of　a　truth，　thy　mother　will　not　be　merry　when　she　sees　thee，　for　thou　art　more　ill…favoured　than　the　toad　of　the　marsh，　or　the　adder　that　crawls　in　the　fen。　Get　thee　gone。　Get　thee　gone。　Thy　mother　dwells　not　in　this　city。”

And　another，　who　held　a　yellow　banner　in　his　hand，　said　to　him，　“Who　is　thy　mother，　and　wherefore　art　thou　seeking　for　her？”

And　he　answered，　“My　mother　is　a　beggar　even　as　I　am，　and　I　have　treated　her　evilly，　and　I　pray　ye　to　suffer　me　to　pass　that　she　may　give　me　her　forgiveness，　if　it　be　that　she　tarrieth　in　this　city。”　But　they　would　not，　and　pricked　him　with　their　spears。

And，　as　he　turned　away　weeping，　one　whose　armour　was　inlaid　with　gilt　flowers，　and　on　whose　helmet　couched　a　lion　that　had　wings，　came　up　and　made　inquiry　of　the　soldiers　who　it　was　who　had　sought　entrance。　And　they　said　to　him，　?

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