Лучшие сказки загадочной Шотландии. Уровень 1 / The Best Tales of Enchanted Scotland

Thomas the Rhymer[1]

Thomas Learmont was a young gentleman in Scotland in the thirteenth century. He loved books, poetry, and music. Above all, he loved to study nature, and to watch the habits of the beasts and birds.

One sunny May morning, Thomas went into the woods. It was a lovely morning – fresh, and bright, and warm. Everything was very beautiful.

The trees were green with the new leaves. Yellow flowers turned up their faces to the morning sky. The little birds sang, and hundreds of insects flew backwards and forwards in the sunshine. The bright-eyed water-rats poked their noses out of their holes.

Thomas felt very happy with the gladness of it all. He lay down under a tree, to watch the nature around him.

Suddenly he saw a very beautiful lady. She came to him on a grey horse. She wore a silk dress, the colour of the fresh spring grass. From her shoulders hung a velvet mantle. She had golden hair. On her head sparkled a diadem of precious stones. It flashed like fire in the sunlight.

Her horse's reins were of gold. They had little silver bells. As she rode along, she made a sound like fairy music.

She carried a hunting-horn[2] and arrows. She led seven hunting dogs. Many dogs ran at her horse's side.

She was singing an old Scotch song. She was like a queen. Her dress was really magnificent. Thomas wanted to stand on his knees by the side of the path and worship her. He thought it was the Blessed Virgin herself[3]!

The rider came to him, and understood his thoughts. So she shook her head sadly.

“I am not that Blessed Lady, as you think,” she said. “Men call me Queen. But I am the Queen of Fairy-land, and not the Queen of Heaven.”

It seemed she said the truth. Thomas forgot prudence, and caution, and common-sense[4]. It was dangerous for people to have business with Fairies. He knew that. But he was very entranced with the Lady's beauty. And he begged her to give him a kiss. This was just what she wanted. If she kisses him she has him in her power!

Their lips met. To the young man's horror, an awful change came over her. Her beautiful clothes disappeared. She stood in a long grey dress. It was just the colour of ashes. Her beauty faded away also. She grew old and ugly. Half of her golden hair went grey. She saw the poor man's surprise and terror and laughed.

“I am not so fair now,” she said. “You sold yourself, Thomas! Now you are my servant for seven long years. Who kisses the Fairy Queen must go with her to Fairy-land. He will serve her there.”

Poor Thomas fell on his knees and asked for mercy. But the Queen only laughed in his face. Then she brought her horse to him.

“You asked for the kiss,” she said, “and now you must pay the price. Now get on the horse behind me.”

So Thomas, with a sigh, got on the horse behind her. The grey horse galloped off.

On and on they went. They were faster than the wind. At last, they left the land of the men. They came to the edge of a great desert. It stretched before them. It was dry, and bare, and desolate.

How to cross this desert? How to reach the other side of it? The Fairy Queen suddenly stopped the horse.

“Now you must get down on earth, Thomas,” said the Lady. “Lie down. Lay your head on my knee. I will show you hidden things. You cannot see them by mortal eyes.”

Thomas dismounted. He lay down, and rested his head on the Fairy Queen's knee. He looked once more over the desert. Everything changed. He saw three roads across it. He did not notice them before. Each of these three roads was different.

One of them was broad, level and even. It ran straight on across the sand. No one who travels by it will lose his way.

The second road was narrow, winding and long. There were bushes on both sides of it. Those bushes grew very high. Their branches were very wild and tangled.

The third road was through a hillside among brackens and heather. It looked pleasant.

“Now,” said the Fairy Queen, “I shall tell you where these three roads lead to. The first road, as you see, is broad, even and easy. Many people choose it. But it leads to a bad end. So the folk that choose it repent their choice for ever.

The narrow road is hampered and hindered by the thorns and the briars. Where does it lead? That is the Road of Righteousness. Although it is hard and irksome, it ends in a glorious City. That City is called the City of the Great King.

The third road runs up the brae among the ferns. I can say, Thomas, where it leads. It leads unto fair Elf-land. We will take that road.

Remember, Thomas, if you hope to see your home again, take care of your tongue when we reach our journey's end. Speak no single word to anyone save me[5]. The mortal who opens his lips rashly in Fairy-land must bide there for ever.”

Then she told him to get on her horse again. They rode on. The road was not very lovely, however. It led them into a narrow ravine[6]. The ravine went right down under the earth. There was no ray of light to guide them. The air was dank and heavy under the earth. There was a sound of water everywhere. It was cold and chill.

Thomas was scared. Where is their journey's end? At last the darkness began to lighten. The light grew stronger. Soon they were back in broad sunshine.

Then Thomas looked up. They rode through a beautiful orchard. He saw apples and pears, dates and figs and wine-berries. His tongue was parched and dry. He wanted to eat some of the fruit.

He stretched out his hand to take some of it. But his companion turned in her saddle and forbade him.

“There is nothing safe for you to eat here,” she said. “I will give you an apple. If you touch anything else you will remain in Fairy-land for ever.”

So poor Thomas did not take anything.

They rode slowly on, until they came to a tiny tree. The tree was covered with red apples. The Fairy Queen took one, and gave it to her companion.

“I can give you this,” she said, “and I do it gladly. These apples are the Apples of Truth. Your lips will never be able to tell a lie after eating the apple.”

Thomas took the apple, and ate it. For evermore the Grace of Truth rested on his lips. That is why men called him “True Thomas.”

Soon they came to a magnificent Castle on a hillside.

“This is my home,” said the Queen proudly. “There stays my Lord and all the Nobles of his court. My Lord does not like any strangers near me. I ask you to utter no word to anyone who speaks to you. If anyone asks me who and what you are, I will tell them that you are dumb. So nobody will notice you in the crowd.”

With these words the Lady raised her hunting-horn and blew it. A marvelous change came over her again. Her ugly ash-covered[7] gown dropped off her. The grey colour in her hair vanished. She appeared once more in her green riding-skirt and mantle. Her face grew young and fair.

A wonderful change passed over Thomas also. His rough country clothes were transformed into a suit of fine brown cloth. On his feet he wore satin shoes.

Immediately the sound of the horn rang out. The doors of the Castle opened. The King hurried out to meet the Queen. He was with his Knights and Ladies, Minstrels and Page-boys[8]. Thomas slid from his horse. Then he passed into the Castle.

Everyone was very glad to see the Queen. The people crowded in the Great Hall. She spoke to them graciously. She allowed them to kiss her hand. Then she passed, with her husband, to the two thrones. The Royal pair sat down to watch the revels.

Poor Thomas, meanwhile, stood far away at the other end of the Hall. He was fascinated by the extraordinary scene.

All the fine Ladies, and Courtiers, and Knights danced in one part of the Hall. The huntsmen were in another part. They carried in great deer. Then they threw them down in heaps on the floor. Some cooks stood beside the dead animals. They cut the deer up into joints, and took the joints away to the kitchen.

It was a very strange, fantastic scene. Thomas stood and gazed, and gazed. He did not speak a word to anybody. This went on for three long days. Then the Queen rose from her throne. She crossed the Hall to Thomas.

“It is time to go home, Thomas,” she said. “You will see your home again. You are here seven long years.”

Thomas looked at her in amazement.

“You spoke of seven long years, Lady,” he exclaimed, “but I am here three days.”

The Queen smiled.

“Time passes quickly in Fairy-land, my friend,” she replied. “You think that you spent here three days. But we met seven years ago. And now it is time for you to go. I want to stay with you longer, but I dare not. Every seventh year an Evil Spirit comes from the Regions of Darkness. He carries back with him one of our followers. He chooses the follower himself. You are a good fellow. I fear that he will choose you. So I will take you back to your own country this night.”

Once more the grey horse appeared. Thomas and the Queen mounted it. Then they returned to his country.

Thomas asked the Queen to give him something as a gift from her Fairy-land.

“I gave you the Gift of Truth,” she replied. “I will now give you the Gifts of Prophecy and Poetry. You will be able to foretell the future. And you will be able to write wondrous verses. And here is something that mortals can see with their own eyes. Look: this is a Harp from Fairy-land. Good-bye, my friend. Some day, maybe, I will return again.”

With these words the Lady vanished. Thomas was a little sorry to come back to the ordinary world.

After this, he lived for many years in his Castle. The fame of his poetry and of his prophecies spread all over the country. The people named him True Thomas, and Thomas the Rhymer.

I cannot write down for you all the prophecies which Thomas uttered. He foretold some great battles and the Union of England and Scotland. It came true in 1603, when King James became Monarch of both countries.

1. Сколько дорог через пустыню увидел Томас?

1) 2

2) 3

3) 4

4) 5

5) 6

2. Вставьте нужное слово:

Thomas foretold the Union of England and ____________________.

1) Ireland

2) Scotland

3) Wales

4) France

5) Italy

3. Как ещё называли Томаса-рифмача?

1) Thomas the Great

2) Brave Thomas

3) Thomas the King

4) Sly Thomas

5) True Thomas

4. Что такое hunting-horn?

1) ружьё

2) седло для коня

3) охотничий рожок

4) посох

5) шляпа с пером

5. Вставьте нужный предлог:

A wonderful change passed ____________________ Thomas.

1) over

2) about

3) on

4) in

5) at

Ответы:

3, Scotland, True Thomas, охотничий рожок, over

The Seal Catcher and the Merman

Once upon a time there was a man who lived in the north of Scotland. He and his family lived in a little cottage by the seashore. He caught seals and sold their fur. It was very valuable.

He earned much money. The seals came out of the sea, and lay on the rocks near his house. It was not difficult to kill them.

Some of those seals were larger than others. The country people called them “Roane”. The people whispered that they were not seals, but Mermen and Merwomen. They said these Mermen and Merwomen were coming to the shore from their own country. This country was under the ocean. But the seal catcher only laughed at them. He said that it was necessary to kill those seals. Their skins were big, and he got an extra price for them.

One day, he stabbed a seal with his knife. The creature cried of pain and slipped off the rock into the sea. Then the creature disappeared under the water and carried the knife along with it.

The seal catcher was very annoyed at his clumsiness. He was also very annoyed at the loss of his knife. He went home to dinner. On his way he met a strange horseman. That horseman rode on a gigantic horse. The seal catcher stopped and looked at him in astonishment.

The stranger stopped also. Then the stranger asked about his business. When the horseman heard that he was a seal catcher, he immediately ordered a great number of seal skins. The seal catcher was delighted. Such an order meant a large sum of money to him. But it was absolutely necessary to bring the skins that evening.

“I cannot do it,” said the hunter. “The seals will not come back to the rocks again until tomorrow morning.”

“I can take you to a place with many seals,” answered the stranger. “Just mount behind me on my horse. Come with me.”

The seal catcher agreed to this. He climbed up behind the rider. The rider shook his bridle rein. The great horse galloped off. On and on they went. They flew like the wind. At last they came to the edge of a huge precipice. The face of that precipice went sheer down to the sea. Here the mysterious horseman pulled up his steed with a jerk.

“Get off now[9],” he said shortly.

The seal catcher got off. He found himself safe on the ground. Then he peeped cautiously over the edge of the cliff. Where are the seals? To his astonishment he saw only the blue sea.

“Where are your seals?” he asked anxiously.

“You will see them soon,” answered the stranger.

The seal catcher was frightened. It was useless to cry out for help in such a lonely place.

The next moment the stranger laid his hand upon the hunter's shoulder. Then the stranger pushed him over the cliff. The seal catcher fell with a splash into the sea. He thought that was his last hour.

But, to his astonishment, he could breathe quite easily. He and his companion, sank quickly down through the sea.

Down and down they went. At last they came to a huge arched door. The door was made of pink coral and cockle-shells[10]. It opened. When they entered they found themselves[11] in a huge hall. The walls of that hall were of mother-of-pearl[12]. The floor of that hall was of sea-sand. It was smooth, and firm, and yellow.

The hall was crowded with occupants. They were seals, not men. What it all meant? Suddenly the seal catcher found that his guide, too, became a seal. He was still more aghast when he saw himself in a large mirror. The mirror hung on the wall. The hunter saw that he was also no longer a man. He was a nice, hairy, brown seal!

“Ah, woe to me![13]” he said to himself. “Why did this artful stranger cast some baneful charm upon me? In this awful guise I will remain for the rest of my life!”

At first none of the huge creatures spoke to him. They were very sad. They moved gently about the hall. They talked quietly and mournfully to one another. The wiped big tears from their eyes with their soft furry fins.

But presently they noticed him. They began to whisper to one another. His guide moved away from him. He disappeared through a door at the end of the hall. When the guide returned he held a huge knife in his hand.

“Have you ever seen this before?” he asked.

He showed the knife to the unfortunate seal catcher. The seal catcher recognised his own knife. With that knife he wanted to kill the seal in the morning.

The hunter begged for mercy. He was afraid of the inhabitants of the cavern. Do they want to wreak their vengeance upon him?

But they crowded round him. They rubbed their soft noses against his fur. They showed their sympathy.

“Don't be afraid,” they said. “We will do you no harm. We will love you. But do what we ask you.”

“Tell me what it is,” said the seal catcher, “and I will do it.”

“Follow me,” answered his guide.

He went to the door. The seal catcher followed him. And there, in a smaller room, he found a great brown seal on a bed of pale pink sea-weed. The seal had a wound in his side.

“That is my father,” said his guide, “whom you wounded this morning. I brought you hither to bind up his wounds. Only you can heal him.”

“I can't heal,” said the seal catcher. He was very astonished. “But I will try to bind up the wound. I am very sorry for that.”

He went over to the bed. He stooped over the wounded Merman. He washed and dressed the wound. His hands worked very well. The wound deadened and died. The old seal sprang up, as well as ever[14].

The seals in the Palace of the Seals were very glad. They laughed, talked and embraced each other. They crowded round their comrade, and rubbed their noses against his. They were very delighted at his recovery.

The seal catcher stood alone in a corner. His mind was filled with dark thoughts. He did not want to spend his life in the guise of a seal, deep under the ocean.

But then, to his great joy, his guide approached him, and said,

“Now you may return home to your wife and children. I will take you to them. But you have to promise me something.”

“What is that?” asked the seal catcher eagerly.

“Promise me that you will never wound a seal again.”

“I will gladly do that!” he replied.

All the seals gathered round him to listen to him. They were all very happy to hear it. He was the most famous seal catcher in the North.

Then he passed once more through the outer doors of coral, and up, and up, and up, through the shadowy green water. At last he and his guide entered the sunshine of earth. Then they reached the top of the cliff. The great black horse waited for them.

They left the water. Their strange disguise dropped from them. They were now a seal catcher and a tall, well-dressed gentleman.

Soon the seal catcher found himself in safety before his own garden gate. He wanted to say “good-bye”. But the stranger pulled out a huge bag of gold.

“This bag is for you. I think that is enough for the rest of your days,” he said.

Then he vanished. The astonished seal catcher carried the bag into his cottage. He turned the gold out on the table. The stranger was right. The hunter became a rich man for the rest of his days!

1. Какую клятву дал охотник на тюленей?

1) never to fish

2) never to dance

3) never to wound a seal

4) never to eat meat

5) never to sing songs

2. Кто такие Merwomen?

1) феи

2) вдовы

3) жёны рыбаков

4) русалки

5) лесные ведьмы

3. С помощью какого оружия охотник собирался убить тюленя?

1) pistol

2) stick

3) harpoon

4) knife

5) knuckleduster

4. Who was the stranger?

1) A great brown seal's son.

2) A great black seal's brother.

3) A great blue seal's father.

4) A great white seal's cousin.

5) A great red seal's uncle.

5. Вставьте нужное слово:

The country people called the big seals ____________________.

1) Doane

2) Roane

3) Moane

4) Foane

5) Woane

Ответы:

never to wound a seal, русалки, knife, A great brown seal's son, Roane

The Elfin Knight

There is a lone moor[15] in Scotland. Once in every seven years, people saw Elfin Knight there. Everyone was scared of him. Sometimes someone crossed the moor and disappeared.

Men searched every inch of the ground. But they found no trace of him. With a thrill of horror the searching party went home again. They shook their heads and whispered to one another the terrible stories about the dreaded Knight.

So the moor was deserted. Nobody dared pass that way. It became the haunt of wild animals. They made their lairs there. Mortal huntsmen never disturbed them.

In that same region lived two young earls, Earl St. Clair and Earl Gregory. They were very good friends. They rode, and hunted, and fought together.

Both were very fond of the chase. One day Earl Gregory offered to go a-hunting[16] on the moor.

“I hardly believe in the Elfin Knight at all,” cried the young man, with a laugh. “I think it is just an old wife's tale for the bairns[17]. We – two bearded men – will pay no heed to such talk.”

But Earl St. Clair looked grave.

“It is not a tale for the bairns,” he answered, “the travellers vanished there. That Elfin Knight claimed the land as his. I know, however, how to be safe from the Knight's power. It's necessary to wear the Sign of the Blessed Trinity. So let us bind that on our arm and ride forth without fear.”

Sir Gregory burst into a loud laugh at these words.

“Do you think that I am a bairn?” he said. “To be frightened by an idle tale? And then to think that a leaf of clover will protect me? No, no, carry that Sign if you want. I will trust to my good bow and arrow.”

Earl St. Clair did not heed his companion's words. When he was a little lad, his mother warned him. Whoso carried the Sign of the Blessed Trinity will never fear any spell by Warlock or Witch, Elf or Demon.

So he went out to the meadow. He plucked a leaf of clover. He bound it on his arm with a silken scarf. Then he mounted his horse and rode with Earl Gregory to the desolate and lonely moorland.

For some hours all went well. The young men forgot their fears. Then suddenly both of them reined in their steeds and became silent. A horseman crossed their track. They both did not know who he was and whence he came.

“He rides in haste, whoever he may be,” said Earl Gregory at last. “Look! For every league that my horse goes, his goes seven. Let us follow him! Let us see from what part of the world he comes.”

“Don't follow him,” said Earl St. Clair devoutly. “Why, man, it is the Elfin Knight! Can't you see that he does not ride on the solid ground? He flies through the air. It will be an evil day for you when you follow him.”

But Earl St. Clair forgot that he carried a Talisman which his companion lacked. That Talisman enabled him to see things as they really were. So he was startled and amazed when Earl Gregory said sharply,

“You are mad over this Elfin King. I tell you:he is a Knight in a green vesture. I want to know his name and degree. I will follow him till I find him.”

Without another word he put spurs to his horse and galloped off. He left Earl St. Clair alone upon the moorland. Earl St. Clair's fingers touched the sacred Sign. His lips muttered prayers for protection. He knew that his friend was bewitched. But Earl St. Clair was a brave gentleman and decided to follow his friend and save him.

Meanwhile Earl Gregory rode on and on, over moor, and burn, and moss. At last, he came to the desolate region. The wind blew cold. The hoar-frost lay thick and white on the withered grass at his feet.

And there, in front of him, he saw a terrible thing. He saw an enormous Ring on the ground. The grass inside was lush, and rank, and green. Hundreds of shadowy Elfin figures danced there. They were clad in loose transparent robes of dull blue. Their robes curled and twisted round their wearers like snaky wreaths of smoke.

These weird Goblins shouted and sang songs, and waved their arms above their heads. They threw themselves about on the ground. Suddenly they saw Earl Gregory outside the Ring. They beckoned to him with their skinny fingers.

“Come hither, come hither,” they shouted; “we will drink to you out of our Monarch's cup!”

The spell over the young Earl was powerful. In spite of his fear, he felt that he must obey the eldritch summons. He threw his bridle on his horse's neck. He prepared to join them. An old Goblin stepped out from among his companions. The Goblin approached him. Apparently he dared not leave the charmed Circle. He stopped at the edge of it. Then he whispered in a hoarse whisper:

“I don't know who you are. I don't know from whence you come, Sir Knight. But if you love your life, don't come within this Ring. Don't join us.”

But Earl Gregory only laughed.

“I will follow the Green Knight. That's my promise,” he replied.

With these words he stepped over the edge of the Circle. He came to the ghostly dancers.

They shouted louder than ever. They danced more madly. They sang more lustily. Then a silence fell upon them. They parted into two companies, and left a way through their midst. They signed to the Earl to pass it.