tanglewood tales-第8部分

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　children　and　babies　have　been？　A　whole　family　of　them　might　have　been　put　to　bed　in　a　shoe；　or　have　crept　into　an　old　glove；　and　played　at　hide…and…seek　in　its　thumb　and　fingers。　You　might　have　hidden　a　year…old　baby　under　a　thimble。

Now　these　funny　Pygmies；　as　I　told　you　before；　had　a　Giant　for　their　neighbor　and　brother；　who　was　bigger；　if　possible；　than　they　were　little。　He　was　so　very　tall　that　he　carried　a　pine　tree；　which　was　eight　feet　through　the　butt；　for　a　walking　stick。　It　took　a　far…sighted　Pygmy；　I　can　assure　you；　to　discern　his　summit　without　the　help　of　a　telescope；　and　sometimes；　in　misty　weather；　they　could　not　see　his　upper　half；　but　only　his　long　legs；　which　seemed　to　be　striding　about　by　themselves。　But　at　noonday　in　a　clear　atmosphere；　when　the　sun　shone　brightly　over　him；　the　Giant　Antaeus　presented　a　very　grand　spectacle。　There　he　used　to　stand；　a　perfect　mountain　of　a　man；　with　his　great　countenance　smiling　down　upon　his　little　brothers；　and　his　one　vast　eye　（which　was　as　big　as　a　cart　wheel；　and　placed　right　in　the　center　of　his　forehead）　giving　a　friendly　wink　to　the　whole　nation　at　once。

The　Pygmies　loved　to　talk　with　Antaeus；　and　fifty　times　a　day；　one　or　another　of　them　would　turn　up　his　head；　and　shout　through　the　hollow　of　his　fists；　〃Halloo；　brother　Antaeus！　How　are　you；　my　good　fellow？〃　　And　when　the　small　distant　squeak　of　their　voices　reached　his　ear；　the　Giant　would　make　answer；　〃Pretty　well；　brother　Pygmy；　I　thank　you；〃　in　a　thunderous　roar　that　would　have　shaken　down　the　walls　of　their　strongest　temple；　only　that　it　came　from　so　far　aloft。

It　was　a　happy　circumstance　that　Antaeus　was　the　Pygmy　people's　friend；　for　there　was　more　strength　in　his　little　finger　than　in　ten　million　of　such　bodies　as　this。　If　he　had　been　as　ill…natured　to　them　as　he　was　to　everybody　else；　he　might　have　beaten　down　their　biggest　city　at　one　kick；　and　hardly　have　known　that　he　did　it。　With　the　tornado　of　his　breath；　he　could　have　stripped　the　roofs　from　a　hundred　dwellings　and　sent　thousands　of　the　inhabitants　whirling　through　the　air。　He　might　have　set　his　immense　foot　upon　a　multitude；　and　when　he　took　it　up　again；　there　would　have　been　a　pitiful　sight；　to　be　sure。　But；　being　the　son　of　Mother　Earth；　as　they　likewise　were；　the　Giant　gave　them　his　brotherly　kindness；　and　loved　them　with　as　big　a　love　as　it　was　possible　to　feel　for　creatures　so　very　small。　And；　on　their　parts；　the　Pygmies　loved　Antaeus　with　as　much　affection　as　their　tiny　hearts　could　hold。　He　was　always　ready　to　do　them　any　good　offices　that　lay　in　his　power；　as　for　example；　when　they　wanted　a　breeze　to　turn　their　windmills；　the　Giant　would　set　all　the　sails　a…going　with　the　mere　natural　respiration　of　his　lungs。　When　the　sun　was　too　hot；　he　often　sat　himself　down；　and　let　his　shadow　fall　over　the　kingdom；　from　one　frontier　to　the　other；　and　as　for　matters　in　general；　he　was　wise　enough　to　let　them　alone；　and　leave　the　Pygmies　to　manage　their　own　affairswhich；　after　all；　is　about　the　best　thing　that　great　people　can　do　for　little　ones。

In　short；　as　I　said　before；　Antaeus　loved　the　Pygmies；　and　the　Pygmies　loved　Antaeus。　The　Giant's　life　being　as　long　as　his　body　was　large；　while　the　lifetime　of　a　Pygmy　was　but　a　span；　this　friendly　intercourse　had　been　going　on　for　innumerable　generations　and　ages。　It　was　written　about　in　the　Pygmy　histories；　and　talked　about　in　their　ancient　traditions。　The　most　venerable　and　white…bearded　Pygmy　had　never　heard　of　a　time；　even　in　his　greatest　of　grandfathers'　days；　when　the　Giant　was　not　their　enormous　friend。　Once；　to　be　sure　（as　was　recorded　on　an　obelisk；　three　feet　high；　erected　on　the　place　of　the　catastrophe）；　Antaeus　sat　down　upon　about　five　thousand　Pygmies；　who　were　assembled　at　a　military　review。　But　this　was　one　of　those　unlucky　accidents　for　which　nobody　is　to　blame；　so　that　the　small　folks　never　took　it　to　heart；　and　only　requested　the　Giant　to　be　careful　forever　afterwards　to　examine　the　acre　of　ground　where　he　intended　to　squat　himself。

It　is　a　very　pleasant　picture　to　imagine　Antaeus　standing　among　the　Pygmies；　like　the　spire　of　the　tallest　cathedral　that　ever　was　built；　while　they　ran　about　like　pismires　at　his　feet；　and　to　think　that；　in　spite　of　their　difference　in　size；　there　were　affection　and　sympathy　between　them　and　him！　Indeed；　it　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　the　Giant　needed　the　little　people　more　than　the　Pygmies　needed　the　Giant。　For；　unless　they　had　been　his　neighbors　and　well　wishers；　and；　as　we　may　say；　his　playfellows；　Antaeus　would　not　have　had　a　single　friend　in　the　world。　No　other　being　like　himself　had　ever　been　created。　No　creature　of　his　own　size　had　ever　talked　with　him；　in　thunder…　like　accents；　face　to　face。　When　he　stood　with　his　head　among　the　clouds；　he　was　quite　alone；　and　had　been　so　for　hundreds　of　years；　and　would　be　so　forever。　Even　if　he　had　met　another　Giant；　Antaeus　would　have　fancied　the　world　not　big　enough　for　two　such　vast　personages；　and；　instead　of　being　friends　with　him；　would　have　fought　him　till　one　of　the　two　was　killed。　But　with　the　Pygmies　he　was　the　most　sportive　and　humorous；　and　merry…hearted；　and　sweet…tempered　old　Giant　that　ever　washed　his　face　in　a　wet　cloud。

His　little　friends；　like　all　other　small　people；　had　a　great　opinion　of　their　own　importance；　and　used　to　assume　quite　a　patronizing　air　towards　the　Giant。

〃Poor　creature！〃　they　said　one　to　another。　〃He　has　a　very　dull　time　of　it；　all　by　himself；　and　we　ought　not　to　grudge　wasting　a　little　of　our　precious　time　to　amuse　him。　He　is　not　half　so　bright　as　we　are；　to　be　sure；　and；　for　that　reason；　he　needs　us　to　look　after　his　comfort　and　happiness。　Let　us　be　kind　to　the　old　fellow。　Why；　if　Mother　Earth　had　not　been　very　kind　to　ourselves；　we　might　all　have　been　Giants　too。〃

On　all　their　holidays；　the　Pygmies　had　excellent　sport　with　Antaeus。　He　often　stretched　himself　out　at　full　length　on　the　ground；　where　he　looked　like　the　long　ridge　of　a　hill；　and　it　was　a　good　hour's　walk；　no　doubt；　for　a　short…legged　Pygmy　to　journey　from　head　to　foot　of　the　Giant。　He　would　lay　down　his　great　hand　flat　on　the　grass；　and　challenge　the　tallest　of　them　to　clamber　upon　it；　and　straddle　from　finger　to　finger。　So　fearless　were　they；　that　they　made　nothing　of　creeping　in　among　the　folds　of　his　garments。　When　his　head　lay　sidewise　on　the　earth；　they　would　march　boldly　up；　and　peep　into　the　great　cavern　of　his　mouth；　and　take　it　all　as　a　joke　（as　indeed　it　was　meant）　when　Antaeus　gave　a　sudden　snap　of　his　jaws；　as　if　he　were　going　to　swallow　fifty　of　them　at　once。　You　would　have　laughed　to　see　the　children　dodging　in　and　out　among　his　hair；　or　swinging　from　his　beard。　It　is　impossible　to　tell　half　of　the　funny　tricks　that　they　played　with　their　huge　comrade；　but　I　do　not　know　that　anything　was　more　curious　than　when　a　party　of　boys　were　seen　running　races　on　his　forehead；　to　try　which　of　them　could　get　first　round　the　circle　of　his　one　great　eye。　It　was　another　favorite　feat　with　them　to　march　along　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　and　jump　down　upon　his　upper　lip。

If　the　truth　must　be　told；　they　were　sometimes　as　troublesome　to　the　Giant　as　a　swarm　of　ants　or　mosquitoes；　especially　as　they　had　a　fondness　for　mischief；　and　liked　to　prick　his　skin　with　their　little　swords　and　lances；　to　see　how　thick　and　tough　it　was。　But　Antaeus　took　it　all　kindly　enough；　although；　once　in　a　while；　when　he　happened　to　be　sleepy；　he　would　grumble　out　a　peevish　word　or　two；　like　the　muttering　of　a　tempest；　and　ask　them　to　have　done　with　their　nonsense。　A　great　deal　oftener；　however；　he　watched　their　merriment　and　gambols　until　his　huge；　heavy；　clumsy　wits　were　completely　stirred　up　by　them；　and　then　would　he　roar　out　such　a　tremendous　volume　of　immeasurable　laughter；　that　the　whole　nation　of　Pygmies　had　to　put　their　hands　to　their　ears；　else　it　would　certainly　have　deafened　them。

〃Ho！　ho！　ho！〃　quoth　the　Giant；　shaking　his　mountainous　sides。　〃What　a　funny　thing　it　is　to　be　little！　If　I　were　not　Antaeus；　I　should　like　to　be　a　Pygmy；　just　for　the　joke's　sake。〃

The　Pygmies　had　but　one　thing　to　trouble　them　in　the　world。　They　were　constantly　at　war　with　the　cranes；　and　had　always　been　so；　ever　since　the　long…　lived　Giant　could　remember。　From　time　to　time；　very　terrible　battles　had　been　fought　in　which　sometimes　the　little　men　won　the　victory；　and　sometimes　the　cranes。　According　to　some　historians；　the　Pygmies　used　to　go　to　the　battle；　mounted　on　the　backs　of　goats　and　rams；　but　such　animals　as　these　must　have　been　far　too　big　for　Pygmies　to　ride　upon；　so　that；　I　rather　suppose；　they　rode　on　squirrel…back；　or　rabbit…back；　or　redbook；　or　perhaps　got　upon　hedgehogs；　whose　prickly　quills　would　be　very　terrible　to　the　enemy。　However　this　might　be；　and　whatever　creatures　the　Pygmies　rode　upon；　I　do　not　doubt　that　they　made　a　formidable　appearance；　armed　with　sword　and　spear；　and　bow　and　arrow；　blowing　their　tiny　trumpet；　and　shouting　their　little　war　cry。　They　never　failed　to　exhort　one　another　to　fight　bravely；　and　recollect　that　the　world　had　its　eyes　upon　them；　although；　in　simple　truth；　the　only　spectator　was　the　Giant　Antaeus；　with　his　one；　great；　stupid　eye　in　the　middle　of　his　forehead。

When　the　two　armies　joined　battle；　the　cranes　would　rush　forward；　flapping　their　wings　and　stretching　out　their　necks；　and　would　perhaps　snatch　up　some　of　the　Pygmies　crosswise　in　their　beaks。　Whenever　this　happened；　it　was　truly　an　awful　spectacle　to　see　those　little　men　of　might　kicking　and　sprawling　in　the　air；　and　at　last　disappearing　down　the　crane's　long；　crooked　throat；　swallowed　up　alive。　A　hero；　you　know；　must　hold　himself　in　readiness　for　any　kind　of　fate；　and　doubtless　the　glory　of　the　thing　was　a　consolation　to　him；　even　in　the　crane's　gizzard。　If　Antaeus　observed　that　the　battle　was　going　hard　against　his　little　allies；　he　generally　stopped　laughing；　and　ran　with　mile…long　strides　to　their　assistance；　flourishing　his　club　aloft　and　shouting　at　the　cranes；　who　quacked　and　croaked；　and　retreated　as　fast　as　they　could。　Then　the　Pygmy　army　would　march　homeward　in　triumph；　attributing　the　victory　entirely　to　their　own　valor；　and　to　the　warlike　skill　and　strategy　of　whomsoever　happened　to　be　captain　general；　and　for　a　tedious　while