登陆注册
14828000000031

第31章

Farewell, little Spirit! I would gladly do more, but voices are calling me far and wide, and I cannot stay.""Many thanks, kind Spring!" cried Ripple, as she floated away on the breeze; "give a kindly word to the mother who waits on the shore, and tell her I have not forgotten my vow, but hope soon to see her again."Then Spring flew on with her sunshine and flowers, and Ripple went swiftly over hill and vale, till she came to the land where Summer was dwelling. Here the sun shone warmly down on the early fruit, the winds blew freshly over fields of fragrant hay, and rustled with a pleasant sound among the green leaves in the forests; heavy dews fell softly down at night, and long, bright days brought strength and beauty to the blossoming earth.

"Now I must seek for Summer," said Ripple, as she sailed slowly through the sunny sky.

"I am here, what would you with me, little Spirit?" said a musical voice in her ear; and, floating by her side, she saw a graceful form, with green robes fluttering in the air, whose pleasant face looked kindly on her, from beneath a crown of golden sunbeams that cast a warm, bright glow on all beneath.

Then Ripple told her tale, and asked where she should go; but Summer answered,--"I can tell no more than my young sister Spring where you may find the Spirits that you seek; but I too, like her, will give a gift to aid you. Take this sunbeam from my crown; it will cheer and brighten the most gloomy path through which you pass. Farewell! I shall carry tidings of you to the watcher by the sea, if in my journey round the world I find her there."And Summer, giving her the sunbeam, passed away over the distant hills, leaving all green and bright behind her.

So Ripple journeyed on again, till the earth below her shone with ye]low harvests waving in the sun, and the air was filled with cheerful voices, as the reapers sang among the fields or in the pleasant vineyards, where purple fruit hung gleaming through the leaves; while the sky above was cloudless, and the changing forest-trees shone like a many-colored garland, over hill and plain;and here, along the ripening corn-fields, with bright wreaths of crimson leaves and golden wheat-ears in her hair and on her purple mantle, stately Autumn passed, with a happy smile on her calm face, as she went scattering generous gifts from her full arms.

But when the wandering Spirit came to her, and asked for what she sought, this season, like the others, could not tell her where to go;so, giving her a yellow leaf, Autumn said, as she passed on,--"Ask Winter, little Ripple, when you come to his cold home; he knows the Fire-Spirits well, for when he comes they fly to the earth, to warm and comfort those dwelling there; and perhaps he can tell you where they are. So take this gift of mine, and when you meet his chilly winds, fold it about you, and sit warm beneath its shelter, till you come to sunlight again. I will carry comfort to the patient woman, as my sisters have already done, and tell her you are faithful still."Then on went the never-tiring Breeze, over forest, hill, and field, till the sky grew dark, and bleak winds whistled by. Then Ripple, folded in the soft, warm leaf, looked sadly down on the earth, that seemed to lie so desolate and still beneath its shroud of snow, and thought how bitter cold the leaves and flowers must be; for the little Water-Spirit did not know that Winter spread a soft white covering above their beds, that they might safely sleep below till Spring should waken them again. So she went sorrowfully on, till Winter, riding on the strong North-Wind, came rushing by, with a sparkling ice-crown in his streaming hair, while from beneath his crimson cloak, where glittering frost-work shone like silver threads, he scattered snow-flakes far and wide.

"What do you seek with me, fair little Spirit, that you come so bravely here amid my ice and snow? Do not fear me; I am warm at heart, though rude and cold without," said Winter, looking kindly on her, while a bright smile shone like sunlight on his pleasant face, as it glowed and glistened in the frosty air.

When Ripple told him why she had come, he pointed upward, where the sunlight dimly shone through the heavy clouds, saying,--"Far off there, beside the sun, is the Fire-Spirits' home; and the only path is up, through cloud and mist. It is a long, strange path, for a lonely little Spirit to be going; the Fairies are wild, wilful things, and in their play may harm and trouble you. Come back with me, and do not go this dangerous journey to the sky. I'll gladly bear you home again, if you will come."But Ripple said, "I cannot turn back now, when I am nearly there.

The Spirits surely will not harm me, when I tell them why I am come;and if I win the flame, I shall be the happiest Spirit in the sea, for my promise will be kept, and the poor mother happy once again.

So farewell, Winter! Speak to her gently, and tell her to hope still, for I shall surely come.""Adieu, little Ripple! May good angels watch above you! Journey bravely on, and take this snow-flake that will never melt, as MYgift," Winter cried, as the North-Wind bore him on, leaving a cloud of falling snow behind.

"Now, dear Breeze," said Ripple, "fly straight upward through the air, until we reach the place we have so long been seeking; Sunbeam shall go before to light the way, Yellow-leaf shall shelter me from heat and rain, while Snow-flake shall lie here beside me till it comes of use.

So farewell to the pleasant earth, until we come again. And now away, up to the sun!"When Ripple first began her airy journey, all was dark and dreary;heavy clouds lay piled like hills around her, and a cold mist filled the air but the Sunbeam, like a star, lit up the way, the leaf lay warmly round her, and the tireless wind went swiftly on. Higher and higher they floated up, still darker and darker grew the air, closer the damp mist gathered, while the black clouds rolled and tossed, like great waves, to and fro.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 高冷男神VS甜美girl

    高冷男神VS甜美girl

    “纪凌辰,你是不是吃饱了撑的?”“纪凌辰,你是不是有病阿?”“纪凌辰,你有没有在听我讲话?”“纪……唔……”盛茹茗美丽的眸子忽然间放大,嘴唇上猝不及防的凉意铺天盖地般席卷而来,指着纪凌辰的手也悬在了半空。她愣了一下,猛的推开了他。“你干什么!你这是觊觎我的美色吗?”她怒气朝天的脸蛋红扑扑的。纪凌辰眉毛微微一挑,“哦?盛小姐的美色在哪里呢?”他睨了一眼她的胸部,薄唇轻启,“这里吗?”欢迎各位宝宝入坑~
  • 萌宠甜妻哪里逃

    萌宠甜妻哪里逃

    一夕之间家族没落,顾晴初被当成‘融资的货物’,匆忙嫁到财阀世家。岂料这老公,竟然是多年前光着屁股一起厮混的小混球?又岂料,新婚之夜,血战大床单!不行,某初思索再三,决定红杏出墙。好不容易温柔学长要带她私奔,却绕不过婆婆一个小小的计谋。好吧好吧,咱先回来,万事好商量。一夜过后,某初扼腕颤抖,不行,她还是要红杏出墙!!诶嗨嗨?家里来了一个美艳的女人姑且称之为小三?开玩笑,看本姑娘怎么折腾你,敢抢我男人,反了你了!
  • 复仇天使的恋爱

    复仇天使的恋爱

    正,邪。在一念之间。母亲的去世,后妈的、姐姐的欺辱,让天使般的她们,心中充满仇恨。在复仇的路上她们遇上了真爱,她们会不会为她们放弃复仇呢?
  • 费斯杰利的刺客

    费斯杰利的刺客

    暗黑破坏神世界的一个小刺客穿到异界,这里没有无处不在的恶魔迷雾,这里只有人类的战争,小刺客依然要把费斯杰利的教诲传递下去……
  • 万战神兵

    万战神兵

    来自亚特兰蒂斯小城伦拜的几个年轻人,来到兰洛克市的第三学院求学,然而造化弄人,无意中却打开了时空的秘密匣子……
  • 灰姑娘变身记:一日爱情

    灰姑娘变身记:一日爱情

    “你还要我平息我的情绪?你这个脏女人,你这个混蛋女人,你跟我上床,要死要活,你跟那个混蛋上床是不是也这么爽?你他妈的……”他用嘶哑的、含混不清的语言滔滔不绝咒骂着污言秽语!陈明辉从来没有这么失控过,他向来是温文尔雅的,原来,除了冷酷,除了淡漠,除了温情款款,他也会暴怒,也会语无伦次,也会脏话连篇!!突然,他停住了,因为,不知道什么时候,他们从床上滚到了地上,他已经扼住了王红颜的脖子,王红颜不喊不叫,她那双黑白分明的眼睛,直直地望着他,那样的悲伤!她竟然让他掐,她不出声,她干什么,做了坏事,内疚了,想死吗?!
  • 罗宣

    罗宣

    这是一个自己心目中的洪荒感谢中国作者素材库免费封面支持
  • 拳震仙佛

    拳震仙佛

    大耳朵、长鼻子、肥胖的身体、反手持一把九齿钉耙!看到对方,范亢顿觉无奈!这已经是西游记中第十六个与他为敌的妖怪了!照此情形看,牛魔王、红孩儿、金、银角大王在不久后都会出现。这些还都不算什么,特别是西游记中那几个超级妖怪,什么九灵元圣、黄眉老佛、蝎子精、九头虫、青狮、白象,这些可都是能一招收了孙猴子的变态妖怪!更别说还有一位骑在如来头顶的大鹏金翅雕!一想到这些,范亢就觉得头痛无比!而这一切都源自于他左手中指一枚金灿灿的戒指!但若仔细观看,这枚戒指更像是缩小版的紧箍儿!“不怕不怕!我有齐天大圣留下的猴毛,可加持己身,什么妖怪都是小意思,更何况面前这头猪!”
  • tfboys之花开未落

    tfboys之花开未落

    【以我点寸微光,护你万丈荣光】豆蔻年华的喜爱千丝万缕的挂念那翩翩的青衣里不知有多少岁月在消散流星划过天空留下一条条痕迹盘旋的余温篆刻在我的心间看着你们成长,跟着你们的脚步你们努力披荆斩棘逆流而上我们便遮风挡雨做你们的后盾流言蜚语化做你们努力的动力TFBOYS...加油...
  • 诸真内丹集要

    诸真内丹集要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。