by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER XXIII
THE STORY OF THE MAN WITH THE GREEN EYES
But the small mites were not as good with their new nurse as they hadbeen with the old one. A look from Zeneida had been enough to stilltheir moanings and whimperings; but Bethsaba was little more than achild herself, they were not in the least awed by her. One child set upthe cry, the others following in chorus, "Where is baba? where is pata?"and she might have gone on forever washing the tears from the littlefaces.
Well, pata and baba she could not give back to them; but she rememberedwhat her nurses had done when she was a little child and used to cry forher mamma. They had told her fairy tales.
"Don't cry! Be good and sensible, and I will tell you the story of _TheMan with the Green Eyes_. It's such a lovely story. Now listen!"
The children were quiet as mice; they clustered up to Bethsaba, clingingto her dress, resting their chins on her knees, and listened.
"A long, long time ago there was a little prince, as little as you are,Struwelpeter, here at my feet. He had a good papa and a good baba, wholoved him very much. But one day they had to go a long journey, and werelaid in long metal boxes, and the lids were shut down upon them. Thenthey were carried out and placed upon two grand gold and silver coaches,each drawn by six horses, and, amid bands of music, firing of cannons,and great crowds of people, they were driven away.
"When the little prince was left alone he asked his Grand Vizier, 'Towhat land did my father and mother go?'
"And the Grand Vizier answered, 'Ah, little prince, to a land far away.To another world.'
"'And why did they go to that other world?'
"'Because it is much better there than in ours!' the vizier explained.
"Upon which the little king's son asked, 'If that world is so muchbetter, why did they not take me with them?'
"'Because you have yet much to work, battle, and suffer in this worldbefore you will be worthy to reach that other one whither your fatherand mother went.'
"This admonition did not please the little prince at all, and he thoughtto himself, 'We'll see. I _will_ get to papa and baba in the otherworld, whatever he may say!'
"And, taking his little gun, he went out into the woods, as if to shootbirds. There he stayed so long that he was caught in a thunder-shower;and to avoid getting wet he looked about for a hollow tree to shelterin. He had found one, and was looking in, when he saw that some one wasalready there. Now, Struwelpeter, what would you have done in such acase?"
"I should have cried out loud."
"Well, now, the little king's son did not do that; but, like a man, hespoke up to the intruder: 'I say, you fellow, this wood is my wood, andthis tree is my tree, and I don't allow you to live in it. But if youcan tell me where that better land is to which papa and baba have gone Iwill make you a present of wood and tree, and you shall live in them.'
"And the stranger in the hollow tree answered, 'Not so, little king'sson! I lived here before this wood existed, and no one has power todrive me away. You want to know where the better land is? That I canonly tell you when I love you and you love me. Already I love you.'
"'But I don't love you, naughty man,' said the little prince.
"'Why not?' asked the wood sprite.
"'Because you've got _green eyes_.'
"The stranger's eyes, in truth, gleamed like two green beetles.
"'Then Heaven be with you!' said the stranger; by which the littleprince knew he was no evil spirit, else he dared not name the holyplace.
"'I'm going!' returned the little king's son; 'and I will find thebetter land without you. I have often heard which way to take.'
"The little prince had often heard tell that far off, among the rocks,lived a fierce, bloodthirsty tiger, who had despatched many a huntsmanand goatherd to the other world. He would take him along too.
"So he went on till he came to the wild beast's den. He knew it by themany human bones strewn about on the ground. The tiger was in his den;his growling could be heard without.
"Now, you obstreperous little man, would you have dared to go into hisden?"
"Not even if my ball had fallen in!"
"Well, then, the king's son was more courageous. He shouted into theden, 'Heh! you tiger, come out! I am the king's son! Bear me at onceacross to the better land!'
"The monster came slowly out of his lair, licking his bloody muzzle andstriking his long tail against his haunches, and preparing to make onespring on the boy. (Don't cry, little snub-nose!) He did not gobble himup; for at that instant a gigantic snake darted out of a cleft in therock, threw itself round the tiger, and, encircling neck and body, bitthe monster in the throat. The tiger uttered an awful roar, and wrestledwith the snake on the ground. Now began a battle for life and deathbetween the two animals, until both together they fell down the rockyprecipice. They had killed each other. The prince had to go home to hispalace.
"On his way home he met a huntsman, his bow and quiver slung on hisback.
"'That's an odd huntsman who hunts nowadays with bow and arrow,' thoughtthe little prince, and looked straight into his eyes. It was _the manwith the green eyes_!
"'So you can't find the way to the better land unless you love me, eh?'said he, and disappeared as if the earth had swallowed him up.
"'We'll see,' thought the little prince. 'I heard once that there is agreat sea, and that many people who went on that sea in ships found theway to that land. Perhaps I may succeed in finding that big sea.'
"So he commanded his Grand Vizier to fit out a great ship on the BlackSea for him; and in this they sailed to the country of thefire-worshippers, which had been the home of the prince's mother. Thevoyage out was propitious; but coming back they were caught in aterrific storm. It thundered and lightened, the sky grew quite dark, andas the lightning lit it up and the rifts of cloud opened, they couldclearly see in the sky beyond the radiant angel host; and as thestorm-winds made clefts in the sea they could see the sea-nymphs at thebottom.
"'At last!' thought the king's son. 'Whether from above or below, Ishall find the way to the better land.'
"The waves ran so high they had already broken the ship's rudder; theman at the helm had been washed overboard; the ship was fast running onto a huge mass of rocks; there was no doubt but that it must inevitablygo to pieces.
"At that moment the prince saw some one by the steering-gear, astranger, who began steering the ship with an old-fashioned helm.
"'That's an odd sort of man who thinks to steer this great ship withthat old-fashioned gear!'
"Suddenly the storm ceased; sky and sea quieted down, the ship ranunharmed past the threatening rocky shore, and reached its homewarddestination in safety.
"The little prince looked round for the stranger steersman, whom no oneon board knew; but he, with a laugh, said:
"'You will not find the better land before you get to love me, eh?'
"And the little king's son, looking still more closely, recognized inhim _the man with the green eyes_; but he disappeared as if the sea hadswallowed him up.
"And now the little prince began to be very angry.
"'Can there be no road for me to the better land? Oh yes, there is. Ihave heard that many a hero has found it on the battle-field.'
"So he commanded his Grand Vizier, then and there, to declare waragainst the King of the Tartars.
"And the Grand Vizier, with his army, invaded Tartary; but its king wasvery powerful. He let the little prince's army go farther and fartherinto the heart of his country, then surrounded them on all sides.
"The Grand Vizier was frightened.
"'We are lost, little king's son! The Tartar knows no mercy; he willeither kill us or make us slaves. His army is countless as an army oflocusts.'
"The little king's son exulted.
"'Give the signal for attack at once, that it may be the sooner over.'
"But the Grand Vizier was so frightened that he disguised himself as acommon soldier, and hid himself, not daring to lead on his army. So the
whole army, becoming demoralized, were ready to lay down their arms tothe enemy, when suddenly there appeared at their head an unknown generalin a uniform they had never yet seen. His sword was like a flaming fireor a serpent. He encouraged the men, and led them against the Tartars;and scarce had the trumpet sounded for the attack before the King ofTartary advanced towards the prince, sword in hand, barefoot, in araiment of goat's hair, and humbly offered him costly presents,beseeching peace. 'For,' he said, 'I cannot fight. My soldiers are dyingoff by thousands; they fall as they stand, their hands and feet writhingand convulsed.'
"And once more the prince recognized _the man with the green eyes_ inthe unknown general. This grieved him greatly. He began to see that,without his help, never could he find that land where his father andmother were. Thus he made up his mind to seek out _the man with thegreen eyes_ in his hiding-place, and to tell him he loved him. He wentand called him out of the hollow tree. _The man with the green eyes_ hada garment of tinder, a hat of tinder bound with green mildew; his facewas yellow as wax, his lips blue as mulberries.
"'Well, dear child, do you love me at last?' he asked the little king'sson.
"'Yes, yes; I love you. Only show me, at last, the road to the betterland.'
"'Never fear! I will show it you. But first you must eat one of theplums from my basket and kiss me.'
"I must tell you he had a basket in his hand, filled with plums, aswaxen yellow as was his face. The little king's son took a plum and ateit.
"'Now, just one kiss!' and he kissed him.
"'Huh! how cold your lips were!' said the little prince, with a shudder.
"And by means of that one plum and that kiss the king's son found, whathe had long sought so yearningly, the way to that better land where hisfather and mother were awaiting him. He is still there, and sends youhis greetings."
While she told her story the king's daughter had been busily combing thefair locks of a little girl, who, with eyes and mouth wide open, took inevery word of the fable. When it came to an end she asked:
"And what is that other world?"
"Where good people live; where the sun ever shines and it is perpetualspring-time; where man labors and every day is the Feast of St. Michael;where all people are glad and love one another; where none are hungry orthirsty; and where the children play with the baby angels."
"Oh, I say," quoth the little fair-haired maid, "if people must not eator drink in the better land, I am sure papa and baba won't go there!"
This set Bethsaba off laughing, as she covered the little speaker withkisses. Upon which there was a loud clapping of hands from the nextroom.