Тема 1 Наближені обчислення 8 страница

Where was I? Well, as I was a-saying, the Brownie at Hilton Hall would play at mischief, but if the servants laid out for it a bowl of cream, or a knuckle cake spread with honey, it would clear away things for them, and make everything tidy in the kitchen. One night, however, when the servants had stopped up late, they heard a noise in the kitchen, and, peeping in, saw the Brownie swinging to and fro on the chain, and saying:

‘Woe’s me! woe’s me!
The acorn’s not yet
Fallen from the tree,
That’s to grow the wood,
That’s to make the cradle
That's to rock the bairn,
That’s to grow to the man,
That’s to lay me.
Woe’s me! Woe’s me!’

So they took pity on the poor Brownie, and asked the nearest hen-wife what they should do to send it away. ‘That’s easy enough,’ said the hen-wife, and told them that a Brownie that’s paid for its service, in aught that’s not perishable, goes away at once. So they made a cloak of Lincoln green, with a hood to it, and put it by the hearth and watched. They saw the Brownie come up, and seeing the hood and cloak, put them on and frisk about, dancing on one leg and saying:

‘I’ve taken your cloak, I’ve taken your hood;
The Cauld Lad of Hilton will do no more good.’

And with that it vanished, and was never seen or heard of afterwards.

The Ass, the Table, and the Stick (Осел, стол и палка)

A LAD named Jack (парень по имени Джек) was once so unhappy at home (был однажды так несчастлив дома) through his father’s ill-treatment (из-за того, что его отец плохо обращался с ним: «через своего отца плохое обращение /с ним/»), that he made up his mind (что он решил) to run away (убежать прочь) and seek his fortune in the wide world (и искать свою удачу в широком мире = по белу свету).

He ran, and he ran (он бежал и он бежал), until he could run no longer (пока он не мог бежать больше: «не дольше»), and then he ran right up against a little old woman (и тогда он набежал = наткнулся на маленькую старуху) who was gathering sticks (которая собирала палки). He was too much out of breath (он был слишком запыхавшимся: «из дыхания») to beg pardon (чтобы попросить прощения), but the woman was good-natured (но женщина была добродушная), and she said he seemed to be a likely lad (и она сказала, что он кажется подходящим парнем), so she would take him (так что она возьмет его) to be her servant (чтобы быть ее слугой), and would pay him well (и будет платить ему хорошо). He agreed, for he was very hungry (он согласился, ибо он был очень голоден), and she brought him to her house in the wood (и она привела его к своему дому в лесу), where he served her for twelve months and a day (где он служил ей в течение двенадцати месяцев и одного дня). When the year had passed (когда год прошел), she called him to her (она позвала его к себе), and said she had good wages for him (и сказала, что у нее есть хороший заработок для него). So she presented him with an ass out of the stable (так что она одарила его ослом из стойла), and he had but to pull Neddy’s ears (и он должен был = стоило ему только потянуть ослика уши) to make him begin at once to ee-aw (чтобы заставить того начать сразу же кричать и-а)! And when he brayed (а когда он ревел) there dropped from his mouth silver sixpences (из его рта падали серебряные шестипенсовики), and half-crowns (и полкроны), and golden guineas (и золотые гинеи).

The lad was well pleased with the wage he had received (парень был очень: «хорошо» обрадован заработком, который он получил), and away he rode till he reached an inn (и прочь он поехал, пока не добрался до постоялого двора). There he ordered the best of everything (там он заказал лучшее из всего), and when the innkeeper refused to serve him without being paid beforehand (и когда хозяин отказался обслуживать его, пока он не заплатит: «без быть оплаченным заранее»), the boy went off to the stable (мальчик пошел прочь к стойлу), pulled the ass’s ears (потянул уши осла) and obtained his pocket full of money (и получил свой карман полный денег = и набил свой карман деньгами). The host had watched all this through a crack in the door (хозяин наблюдал все это через трещину в двери), and when the night came on (и когда настала ночь) he put an ass of his own (он поставил своего собственного осла) for the precious Neddy of the poor youth (вместо драгоценного ослика бедного юноши). So Jack (так что Джек), without knowing that any change had been made (не подозревая, что какая-либо перемена была сделана), rode away (поехал прочь) the next morning (следующим утром) to his father’s house (к дому его отца).

Now, I must tell you that near his home (теперь я должен сказать вам, что близ его дома) dwelt a poor widow with an only daughter (жила бедная вдова с единственной дочерью; to dwell — обитать, проживать). The lad and the maiden were fast friends (юноша и девушка были близкими друзьями) and true-loves (и истинными возлюбленными); but when Jack asked his father’s leave (но когда Джек спросил позволение своего отца) to marry the girl (жениться на этой девушке), ‘Never till you have the money to keep her (никогда /до тех пор/, пока у тебя не будет денег, чтобы содержать ее),’ was the reply (был ответ). ‘I have that, father (у меня есть это = они /деньги/, отец),’ said the lad (сказал юноша), and going to the ass (и, подойдя к ослу) he pulled its long ears (он потянул его длинные уши); well, he pulled, and he pulled (ну, он тянул, и он тянул), till one of them came off in his hands (пока одно из них не оторвалось в его руках); but Neddy (но ослик), though he hee-hawed and he hee-hawed (хотя он кричал и-а), let fall no half-crowns or guineas (не ронял: «не пускал падать» никаких полкрон или гиней). The father picked up a hay-fork (отец поднял вверх вилы; hay — сено) and beat his son out of the house (и побоями выгнал своего сына из дома). I promise you he ran (я уверяю вас: «обещаю вам», он бежал = ну и бежал же он, скажу я вам). Ah! he ran and ran (он бежал и бежал) till he came bang against a door (пока он не пришел бух по двери = не влетел в дверь), and burst it open (и не распахнул ее настежь), and there he was in a joiner’s shop (и вот он оказался в лавке столяра). ‘You’re a likely lad (ты подходящий парень),’ said the joiner (сказал столяр); ‘serve me for a twelve months and a day (служи мне в течение двенадцати месяцев и одного дня) and I will pay you well (и я заплачу тебе хорошо).’ So he agreed (так что он согласился), and served the carpenter (и служил плотнику) for a year and a day (один год и один день). ‘Now (теперь),’ said the master (сказал хозяин), ‘I will give you your wage (я дам тебе твой заработок)’; and he presented him with a table (и он одарил его столом), telling him he had but to say (сказав ему, что он должен был = стоило ему только сказать), ‘Table, be covered (стол, будь накрыт)’, and at once it would be spread with lots to eat and drink (и сразу же он будет уставлен многим: «кучами», чтобы есть и пить = будет уставлен обильной едой и обильным питьем).

pardon [`pa:dən], present (глагол) [prı`zent], carpenter [`ka:pəntə]

A LAD named Jack was once so unhappy at home through his father’s ill-treatment, that he made up his mind to run away and seek his fortune in the wide world.

He ran, and he ran, until he could run no longer, and then he ran right up against a little old woman who was gathering sticks. He was too much out of breath to beg pardon, but the woman was good-natured, and she said he seemed to be a likely lad, so she would take him to be her servant, and would pay him well. He agreed, for he was very hungry, and she brought him to her house in the wood, where he served her for twelve months and a day. When the year had passed, she called him to her, and said she had good wages for him. So she presented him with an ass out of the stable, and he had but to pull Neddy’s ears to make him begin at once to ee-aw! And when he brayed there dropped from his mouth silver sixpences, and half-crowns, and golden guineas.

The lad was well pleased with the wage he had received, and away he rode till he reached an inn. There he ordered the best of everything, and when the innkeeper refused to serve him without being paid beforehand, the boy went off to the stable, pulled the ass’s ears and obtained his pocket full of money. The host had watched all this through a crack in the door, and when the night came on he put an ass of his own for the precious Neddy of the poor youth. So Jack, without knowing that any change had been made, rode away the next morning to his father’s house.

Now, I must tell you that near his home dwelt a poor widow with an only daughter. The lad and the maiden were fast friends and true-loves; but when Jack asked his father’s leave to marry the girl, ‘Never till you have the money to keep her,’ was the reply. ‘I have that, father,’ said the lad, and going to the ass he pulled its long ears; well, he pulled, and he pulled, till one of them came off in his hands; but Neddy, though he hee-hawed and he hee-hawed, let fall no half-crowns or guineas. The father picked up a hay-fork and beat his son out of the house. I promise you he ran. Ah! he ran and ran till he came bang against a door, and burst it open, and there he was in a joiner’s shop. ‘You’re a likely lad,’ said the joiner; ‘serve me for a twelve months and a day and I will pay you well.’ So he agreed, and served the carpenter for a year and a day. ‘Now,’ said the master, ‘I will give you your wage’; and he presented him with a table, telling him he had but to say, ‘Table, be covered’, and at once it would be spread with lots to eat and drink.

Jack hitched the table on his back (Джек взвалил стол на спину), and away he went with it (и прочь он пошел с ним) till he came to the inn (пока не пришел к постоялому двору). ‘Well, host (ну, хозяин),’ shouted he (крикнул он), ‘my dinner today (мой обед сегодня), and that of the best (и из лучшего = да получше).’

‘Very sorry (очень жаль), but there is nothing in the house but ham and eggs (но в доме нет ничего, кроме ветчины и яиц).’

‘Ham and eggs for me (ветчина и яйца для меня)!’ exclaimed Jack (воскликнул Джек), ‘I can do better than that (я могу сделать лучше, чем это). Come (ну, давай: «приходи»), my table, be covered (мой стол, будь накрыт)!’

At once the table was spread with turkey and sausages (тут же стол был уставлен индейкой и сосисками), roast mutton (жареной бараниной), potatoes (картошкой), and greens (и зеленью). The innkeeper opened his eyes (хозяин открыл свои глаза), but he said nothing (но он не сказал ничего), not he (/только/ не он = нет, он промолчал).

That night he fetched down from his attic (этой ночью он принес вниз из своего чердака) a table very like that of Jack’s (стол, очень похожий на стол Джека), and exchanged the two (и поменял эти два). Jack, none the wiser (Джек, ничего не заметив: «ничуть не мудрее»), the next morning hitched the worthless table (следующим утром взвалил никудышный: «не имеющий ценности» стол) to his back (на спину) and carried it home (и понес его домой). ‘Now, father, may I marry my lass (теперь, отец, могу я жениться на моей девушке)?’ he asked (спросил он).

‘Not unless you can keep her (только если ты можешь содержать ее; unless — если не; пока не),’ replied the father (ответил отец).

‘Look here (смотри сюда)!’ exclaimed Jack (воскликнул Джек). ‘Father, I have a table which does all my bidding (отец, у меня есть стол, который выполняет все мои приказы).’

‘Let me see it (давай посмотрю: «позволь мне увидеть это»),’ said the old man (сказал старик).

The lad set it in the middle of the room (юноша поставил его /стол/ в середине комнаты), and bade it be covered (и потребовал он, чтобы он был накрыт); but all in vain (но все напрасно), the table remained bare (стол остался пуст). In a rage (в ярости), the father caught the warming-pan down from the wall (отец схватил: «поймал» металлическую грелку: «греющую миску» вниз со стены) and warmed his son’s back with it (и взгрел спину своего сына ею) so that the boy fled howling from the house (так что мальчик убежал, воя, из дома; to flee — бежать, спасаться бегством), and ran and ran (и бежал и бежал) till he came to a river and tumbled in (пока не добрался до реки и не свалился в /нее/). A man picked him out (один человек выловил его наружу) and bade him help him (и попросил его помочь ему) in making a bridge over the river (в делании моста = навести мост через реку); and how do you think he was doing it (и как, думаете вы, он делал это)? Why (как же: «почему»), by casting a tree across (перебросив дерево через /реку/); so Jack climbed up to the top of the tree (так что Джек забрался вверх на вершину дерева) and threw his weight on it (и бросил свой вес на него), so that when the man had rooted the tree up (так что, когда человек выкорчевал дерево), Jack and the tree-head dropped on the farther bank (Джек и верхушка дерева: «дерево-голова» упали на дальний берег).

host [həust], turkey [`tə:kı], sausages [`so:səGəz]

Jack hitched the table on his back, and away he went with it till he came to the inn. ‘Well, host,’ shouted he, ‘my dinner today, and that of the best.’

‘Very sorry, but there is nothing in the house but ham and eggs.’

‘Ham and eggs for me!’ exclaimed Jack, ‘I can do better than that. Come, my table, be covered!’

At once the table was spread with turkey and sausages, roast mutton, potatoes, and greens. The innkeeper opened his eyes, but he said nothing, not he.

That night he fetched down from his attic a table very like that of Jack’s, and exchanged the two. Jack, none the wiser, the next morning hitched the worthless table to his back and carried it home. ‘Now, father, may I marry my lass?’ he asked.

‘Not unless you can keep her,’ replied the father.

‘Look here!’ exclaimed Jack. ‘Father, I have a table which does all my bidding.’

‘Let me see it,’ said the old man.

The lad set it in the middle of the room, and bade it be covered; but all in vain, the table remained bare. In a rage, the father caught the warming-pan down from the wall and warmed his son’s back with it so that the boy fled howling from the house, and ran and ran till he came to a river and tumbled in. A man picked him out and bade him help him in making a bridge over the river; and how do you think he was doing it? Why, by casting a tree across; so Jack climbed up to the top of the tree and threw his weight on it, so that when the man had rooted the tree up, Jack and the tree-head dropped on the farther bank.

‘Thank you (благодарю тебя),’ said the man (сказал человек); ‘and now for what you have done I will pay you (а теперь за то, что ты сделал, я заплачу тебе)’; so saying (так говоря), he tore a branch from the tree (он оторвал ветку от дерева; to tear — рвать), and fettled it up into a club with his knife (и превратил: «очистил/подправил» ее в дубинку своим ножом). ‘There (вот),’ exclaimed he (воскликнул он); ‘take this stick (возьми эту палку), and when you say to it (и когда ты скажешь ей), "Up stick and bang him (вверх, палка, и побей его)", it will knock anyone down who angers you (она собьет/повалит кого угодно, кто сердит тебя).’

The lad was overjoyed to get this stick (юноша был вне себя от радости получить эту палку) — so away he went with it to the inn (так что прочь он пошел с ней к постоялому двору), and as soon as the innkeeper appeared (и как только хозяин появился), ‘Up stick and bang him (вверх, палка, и побей его)!’ was his cry (был его крик). At the word (на этом слове) the cudgel flew from his hand (дубинка вылетела из его руки) and battered the old fellow on the back (и поколотила старого парня по спине), rapped his head (постучала по его голове), bruised his arms (отшибла его руки; bruise — ушиб, синяк; to bruise — ушибить, ставить синяки), tickled his ribs (пощекотала его ребра), till he fell groaning on the floor (пока он не упал стонущий на пол); still the stick belaboured the prostrate man (все еще палка обрабатывала лежавшего/распростертого человека), nor would Jack call it off (и не хотел Джек отозвать ее прочь) till he got back the stolen ass and table (пока он не получил назад украденные осла и стол). Then he galloped home on the ass (тогда он помчался домой на осле), with the table on his shoulders (со столом на своих плечах), and the stick in his hand (и палкой в руке). When he arrived there (когда он прибыл туда) he found his father was dead (он обнаружил, что его отец был мертв), so he brought his ass into the stable (так что он привел своего осла в стойло) and pulled its ears (и тянул его уши) till he had filled the manger with money (пока он не наполнил кормушку деньгами).

It was soon known through the town (это было скоро узнано по всему городу: «через город» = во всем городе скоро узнали) that Jack had returned rolling in wealth (что Джек вернулся, катающийся в богатстве), and accordingly all the girls in the place (и соответственно все девушки в том месте) set their caps at him (заинтересовались им: «наставили свои чепцы на него»). ‘Now (теперь),’ said Jack (сказал Джек), ‘I shall marry the richest lass in the place (я женюсь на богатейшей из девушек в этом месте); so tomorrow do you all come (так что завтра придите вы все) in front of my house (/и встаньте/ перед моим домом) with your money in your aprons (с вашими деньгами в ваших передниках).’

The next morning the street was full of girls (следующим утром улица была полна девушек) with aprons held out (с передниками, выставленными наружу), and gold and silver in them (и с золотом и серебром в них); but Jack’s own sweetheart was among them (но собственная возлюбленная Джека была среди них), and she had neither gold nor silver (и она не имела ни золота, ни серебра), naught but two copper pennies (ничего, кроме двух медных грошей); that was all she had (это было все, что она имела).

‘Stand aside, lass (стань в сторону, девчонка),’ said Jack to her, speaking roughly (сказал ей Джек, говоря грубо). ‘Thou hast no silver nor gold (у тебя нет ни серебра, ни золота) — stand off from the rest (стань прочь = отдельно от остальных).’ She obeyed (она послушалась), and the tears ran down her cheeks (и слезы побежали вниз по ее щекам), and filled her apron with diamonds (и наполнили ее передник бриллиантами).

‘Up stick and bang them (вверх, палка, и побей их)!’ exclaimed Jack (воскликнул Джек); whereupon (после чего: «на чем») the cudgel leapt up (дубинка подпрыгнула вверх), and running along the line of girls (и, пробежав вдоль линии девушек), knocked them all on the heads (ударила их всех по головам) and left them senseless on the pavement (и оставила их бесчувственными на мостовой). Jack took all the money (Джек взял все деньги) and poured it into his true-love’s lap (и ссыпал их на колени своей истинной возлюбленной). ‘Now, lass (теперь, девушка),’ he exclaimed (он воскликнул), ‘thou art the richest (ты самая богатая), and I shall marry thee (и я женюсь на тебе).’

bruise [bru:z], belabour [bı`leıbə], prostrate [`prostreıt]

‘Thank you,’ said the man; ‘and now for what you have done I will pay you’; so saying, he tore a branch from the tree, and fettled it up into a club with his knife. ‘There,’ exclaimed he; ‘take this stick, and when you say to it, "Up stick and bang him", it will knock anyone down who angers you.’

The lad was overjoyed to get this stick — so away he went with it to the inn, and as soon as the innkeeper appeared, ‘Up stick and bang him!’ was his cry. At the word the cudgel flew from his hand and battered the old fellow on the back, rapped his head, bruised his arms, tickled his ribs, till he fell groaning on the floor; still the stick belaboured the prostrate man, nor would Jack call it off till he got back the stolen ass and table. Then he galloped home on the ass, with the table on his shoulders, and the stick in his hand. When he arrived there he found his father was dead, so he brought his ass into the stable and pulled its ears till he had filled the manger with money.

It was soon known through the town that Jack had returned rolling in wealth, and accordingly all the girls in the place set their caps at him. ‘Now,’ said Jack, ‘I shall marry the richest lass in the place; so tomorrow do you all come in front of my house with your money in your aprons.’

The next morning the street was full of girls with aprons held out, and gold and silver in them; but Jack’s own sweetheart was among them, and she had neither gold nor silver, naught but two copper pennies; that was all she had.

‘Stand aside, lass,’ said Jack to her, speaking roughly. ‘Thou hast no silver nor gold — stand off from the rest.’ She obeyed, and the tears ran down her cheeks, and filled her apron with diamonds.

‘Up stick and bang them!’ exclaimed Jack; whereupon the cudgel leapt up, and running along the line of girls, knocked them all on the heads and left them senseless on the pavement. Jack took all the money and poured it into his true-love’s lap. ‘Now, lass,’ he exclaimed, ‘thou art the richest, and I shall marry thee.’

Fairy Ointment (Чудесная мазь)

DAME Goody was a nurse (дама Гуди была сиделкой) that looked after sick people (которая смотрела за больными людьми), and minded babies (и заботилась о малышах). One night she was woke up at midnight (одной ночью она была разбужена в полночь), and when she went downstairs (и когда она спустилась вниз по ступенькам), she saw a strange squinny-eyed, little ugly old fellow (она увидела странного, косоглазого, маленького, уродливого старого человека), who asked her to come to his wife (который попросил ее прийти к его жене) who was too ill to mind her baby (которая была слишком больна, чтобы заботиться о своем ребенке). Dame Goody didn’t like the look of the old fellow (даме Гуди не понравился вид старого человека), but business is business (но дело есть дело); so she popped on her things (так что она набросила свои вещи), and went down to him (и пошла вниз к нему). And when she got down to him (а когда она спустилась вниз к нему), he whisked her up on to a large coal-black horse (он забросил ее вверх на большую угольно-черную лошадь) with fiery eyes (с огненными глазами), that stood at the door (которая стояла у двери); and soon they were going (и вскоре они скакали) at a rare pace (на большой скорости; rare — редкий; pace — шаг; аллюр; скорость, темп; сравните: at a fast pace — на большой скорости), Dame Goody holding on to the old fellow (дама Гуди /при этом/ держалась за старого человека) like grim death (/который был/ как мрачная смерть).

They rode, and they rode (они скакали и они скакали), till at last they stopped before a cottage door (пока наконец они не остановились перед дверью домика). So they got down (так что они спустились вниз) and went in (и вошли внутрь) and found the good woman abed (и нашли добрую женщину в постели) with the children playing about (с детьми, играющими вокруг); and the babe, a fine bouncing boy, beside her (и младенец, прекрасный здоровый мальчик, /был/ подле нее).

Dame Goody took the babe (дама Гуди взяла младенца), which was as fine a baby boy as you’d wish to see (который был такой прекрасный мальчуган, как вы бы желали увидеть). The mother, when she handed the baby to Dame Goody to mind (мать, когда она передавала младенца даме Гуди, чтобы та заботилась о нем = присматривала за ним), gave her a box of ointment (дала ей коробочку мази), and told her to stroke the baby’s eyes (и сказала ей намазать глаза ребенка) with it (ею) as soon as it opened them (как только он откроет их). After a while (после некоторого времени) it began to open its eyes (он начал открывать свои глаза). Dame Goody saw (дама Гуди увидела) that it had squinny eyes just like its father (что у него были косые глаза, точно как у его отца). So she took the box of ointment (так что она взяла коробочку мази) and stroked its two eyelids with it (и помазала его два века ею). But she couldn’t help wondering (но она не могла не удивляться) what it was for (зачем это было), as she had never seen such a thing done before (так как она никогда не видела такую вещь сделанной прежде). So she looked to see if the others were looking (так что она посмотрела, чтобы увидеть, смотрят ли другие), and, when they were not noticing (и, когда они не заметили), she stroked her own right eyelid with the ointment (она намазала свое собственное правое веко мазью).

No sooner had she done so (как только она сделала так), than everything seemed changed about her (как все показалось измененным вокруг нее). The cottage became elegantly furnished (домик стал элегантно обставленным). The mother in the bed (мать в кровати) was a beautiful lady (была прекрасная дама), dressed up in white silk (одетая в белый шелк). The little baby was still more beautiful than before (маленький ребенок был еще более прекрасен, чем прежде), and its clothes were made of a sort of silvery gauze (а его одежда была сделана из чего-то наподобие: «из разновидности» серебряного газа). Its little brothers and sisters around the bed (его маленькие братья и сестры вокруг постели) were flat-nosed imps (были плосконосыми бесенятами) with pointed ears (с заостренными ушами), who made faces at one another (которые корчили рожи друг другу), and scratched their polls (и чесали свои головы). Sometimes they would pull the sick lady’s ears (иногда они тянули больной дамы уши) with their long and hairy paws (своими длинными и волосатыми лапами). In fact (на самом деле), they were up to all kinds of mischief (они были горазды на всевозможные каверзы); and Dame Goody knew that she had got into a house of pixies (и дама Гуди узнала, что она попала в дом эльфов; pixy — фея, эльф). But she said nothing to nobody (но она не сказала ничего никому), and as soon as the lady was well enough (и как только дама была достаточно здорова) to mind the baby (чтобы заботиться о ребенке), she asked the old fellow to take her back home (она попросила старика взять ее назад домой). So he came round to the door (так что он подошел к двери) with the coal-black horse with eyes of fire (с угольно-черной лошадью с глазами огня), and off they went as fast as before (и прочь они отправились так быстро, как прежде = как и прошлый раз), or perhaps a little faster (или, возможно, немного быстрее), till they came to Dame Goody’s cottage (пока они не добрались до домика дамы Гуди), where the squinny-eyed old fellow (где косоглазый старый человек) lifted her down and left her (спустил ее: «поднял ее вниз» и оставил ее; to leave — оставлять, покидать), thanking her civilly enough (поблагодарив ее довольно = весьма учтиво), and paying her more (и заплатив ей больше) than she had ever been paid before (чем ей когда-либо платили прежде: «чем она когда-либо была оплачена прежде») for such service (за такую услугу).

squinny [`skwını], bouncing [`baunsıŋ], gauze [go:z]

DAME Goody was a nurse that looked after sick people, and minded babies. One night she was woke up at midnight, and when she went downstairs, she saw a strange squinny-eyed, little ugly old fellow, who asked her to come to his wife who was too ill to mind her baby. Dame Goody didn’t like the look of the old fellow, but business is business; so she popped on her things, and went down to him. And when she got down to him, he whisked her up on to a large coal-black horse with fiery eyes, that stood at the door; and soon they were going at a rare pace, Dame Goody holding on to the old fellow like grim death.

They rode, and they rode, till at last they stopped before a cottage door. So they got down and went in and found the good woman abed with the children playing about; and the babe, a fine bouncing boy, beside her.

Dame Goody took the babe, which was as fine a baby boy as you’d wish to see. The mother, when she handed the baby to Dame Goody to mind, gave her a box of ointment, and told her to stroke the baby’s eyes with it as soon as it opened them. After a while it began to open its eyes. Dame Goody saw that it had squinny eyes just like its father. So she took the box of ointment and stroked its two eyelids with it. But she couldn’t help wondering what it was for, as she had never seen such a thing done before. So she looked to see if the others were looking, and, when they were not noticing, she stroked her own right eyelid with the ointment.

No sooner had she done so, than everything seemed changed about her. The cottage became elegantly furnished. The mother in the bed was a beautiful lady, dressed up in white silk. The little baby was still more beautiful than before, and its clothes were made of a sort of silvery gauze. Its little brothers and sisters around the bed were flat-nosed imps with pointed ears, who made faces at one another, and scratched their polls. Sometimes they would pull the sick lady’s ears with their long and hairy paws. In fact, they were up to all kinds of mischief; and Dame Goody knew that she had got into a house of pixies. But she said nothing to nobody, and as soon as the lady was well enough to mind the baby, she asked the old fellow to take her back home. So he came round to the door with the coal-black horse with eyes of fire, and off they went as fast as before, or perhaps a little faster, till they came to Dame Goody’s cottage, where the squinny-eyed old fellow lifted her down and left her, thanking her civilly enough, and paying her more than she had ever been paid before for such service.