023-第1部分

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had　nothing　left　but　his　mill　and　a　large　apple…tree　behind
it。　　Once　when　he　had　gone　into　the　forest　to　fetch　wood；　an
old　man　stepped　up　to　him　whom　he　had　never　seen　before；　and
said；　why　do　you　plague　yourself　with　cutting　wood；　I　will
make　you　rich；　if　you　will　promise　me　what　is　standing　behind
your　mill。　　What　can　that　be　but　my　apple…tree；　thought　the
miller；　and　said；　yes；　and　gave　a　written　promise　to　the
stranger。　　He；　however；　laughed　mockingly　and　said；　when　three
years　have　passed；　I　will　come　and　carry　away　what　belongs　to　me；
and　then　he　went。　　When　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　know　not　how　it
happened。　　He　answered；　it　comes　from　a　stranger　who　met　me　in
the　forest；　and　promised　me　great　treasure。　　I'　in　return；
have　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　must　have　been　the　devil。　　He　did　not　mean　the
apple…tree；　but　our　daughter；　who　was　standing　behind　the　mill
sweeping　the　yard。

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　when　the　evil　one
was　to　fetch　her；　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；　for　otherwise　I　have　no　power　over　her。　　The
miller　was　afraid；　and　did　so。　　The　next　morning　the　devil　came
again；　but　she　had　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　have　no　power　over
her。　　The　miller　was　shocked　and　answered；　how　could　I　cut　off　my
own　child's　hands。　　Then　the　evil　one　threatened　him　and　said；
if　you　do　not　do　it　you　are　mine；　and　I　will　take　you　yourself。

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；　and　in　my　terror
I　have　promised　to　do　it。　　Help　me　in　my　need；　and　forgive　me
the　harm　I　do　you。　　She　replied；　dear　father；　do　with　me　what
you　will；　I　am　your　child。　　Thereupon　she　laid　down　both　her
hands；　and　let　them　be　cut　off。　　The　devil　came　for　the　third
time；　but　she　had　wept　so　long　and　so　much　on　the　stumps；　that
after　all　they　were　quite　clean。　　Then　he　had　to　give　in；　and
had　lost　all　right　over　her。

The　miller　said　to　her；　I　have　by　means　of　you　received　such
great　wealth　that　I　will　keep　you　most　handsomely　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　caused　her　maimed　arms　to　be　bound　to　her　back；
and　by　sunrise　she　set　out　on　her　way；　and　walked　the　whole　day
until　night　fell。　　Then　she　came　to　a　royal　garden；　and　by
the　shimmering　of　the　moon　she　saw　that　trees　covered　with
beautiful　fruits　grew　in
it；　but　she　could　not　enter；　for　it　was　surrounded　by　water。
And　as　she　had　walked　the　whole　day　and　not　eaten　one　mouthful；
and　hunger　tormented　her；　she　thought；　ah；　if　I　were　but　inside；
that　I　might　eat　of　the　fruit；　else　must　I　die　of　hunger。　　Then
she　knelt　down；　called　on　God　the　Lord；　and　prayed。　　And
suddenly　an　angel　came　towards　her；　who　made　a　dam　in　the　water；
so　that　the　moat　became　dry　and　she　could　walk　through　it。　　And
now　she　went　into　the　garden　and　the　angel　went　with　her。　　She
saw　a　tree　covered　with　beautiful　pears；　but　they　were　all
counted。　　Then　she　went　to　them；　and　to　still　her　hunger；　ate
one　with　her　mouth　from　the　tree；　but　no　more。　　The　gardener
was　watching；　but　as　the　angel　was　standing　by；　he　was　afraid
and　thought　the　maiden　was　a　spirit；　and　was　silent；　neither
did　he　dare　to　cry　out；　or　to　speak　to　the　spirit。　　When　she　had
eaten　the　pear；　she　was　satisfied；　and　went　and　concealed　herself
among　the　bushes。　　The　king　to　whom　the　garden　belonged；　came
down　to　it　next　morning；　and　counted；　and　saw　that　one　of　the
pears　was　missing；　and　asked　the　gardener　what　had　become　of　it；
as　it　was　not　lying　beneath　the　tree；　but　was　gone。　　Then
answered　the　gardener；　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；　and　where　did　it　go
after　it　had　eaten　the　pear。　　The　gardener　answered；　someone
came　in　a　snow…white　garment　from　heaven　who　made　a　dam；　and
kept　back　the　water；　that　the　spirit　might　walk　through　the　moat。
And　as　it　must　have　been　an　angel；　I　was　afraid；　and　asked
no　questions；　and　did　not　cry　out。　　When　the　spirit　had　eaten
the　pear；　it　went　back　again。　　The　king　said；　if　it　be　as　you
say；　I　will　watch　with　you　to…night。

When　it　grew　dark　the　king　came　into　the　garden　and　brought
a　priest　with　him；　who　was　to　speak　to　the　spirit。　　All　three
seated　themselves　beneath　the　tree　and　watched。　　At　midnight　the
maiden　came　creeping　out　of　the　thicket；　went　to　the　tree；　and
again　ate　one　pear　off　it　with　her　mouth；　and　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　mortal
deserted　by　all　but　God。〃　　The　king　said；　〃If　you　are　forsaken
by　all　the　world；　yet　will　I　not　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；　had　silver　hands　made　for　her；
and　took　her　to　wife。

After　a　year　the　king　had　to　go　on　a　journey；　so　he　commended
his　young　queen　to　the　care　of　his　mother　and　said；　if　she
is　brought　to　child…bed　take　care　of　her；　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　made　haste　to　write　and　announce
the　joyful　news　to　him。　　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　was　always　seeking　to
injure　the　good　queen；　and　exchanged　the　letter　for　another；　in
which　was　written　that　the　queen　had　brought　a　monster　into
the　world。　　When　the　king　read　the　letter　he　was　shocked　and
much　troubled；　but　he　wrote　in　answer　that　they　were　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；　in　which
it　was　written　that　they　were　to　put　the　queen　and　her　child　to
death。　　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　the　last　letter　it　was
also　written　that　she　was　to　preserve　the　queen's　tongue　and
eyes　as　a　token　that　she　had　obeyed。

But　the　old　mother　wept　to　think　such　innocent　blood　was　to
be　shed；　and