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THE QUEEN AND THE FOOL

  IhaveheardoneHearne,awitch-doctor,whoisontheborderofClareandGalway,saythatin“everyhousehold”offaery“thereisaqueenandafool,”andthatifyouare“touched”byeitheryouneverrecover,thoughyoumayfromthetouchofanyotherinfaery.Hesaidofthefoolthathewas“maybethewisestofall,”andspokeofhimasdressedlikeohe“mummersthatusedtobegoingaboutthetry.”Sihenafriendhasgatheredmesomefewstoriesofhim,andIhaveheardthatheisknown,too,inthehighlands.Irememberseeingalong,lank,raggedmansittingbythehearthiageofanoldmillernotfarfromwhereIamnowwriting,aoldthathewasafool;andIfindfromthestoriesthatmyfriendhasgatheredthatheisbelievedtogotofaeryinhissleep;butwhetherhebeesanAmadan-na-Breena,afooloftheforth,andisattachedtoahouseholdthere,Iottell.ItwasanoldwomanthatIknowwell,andwhohasbeeninfaeryherself,thatspokeofhim.Shesaid,“Therearefoolsamongstthem,andthefoolswesee,likethatAmadanofBallylee,goawaywiththematnight,andsodothewomanfoolsthatwecallOinseachs(apes).”Awomanwhoisrelatedtothewitch-doctorontheborderofClare,andwhoCurepeopleandcattlebyspells,said,“TherearesomecuresI’tdo.I’thelpahasgotastrokefromthequeenorthefooloftheforth.Iknewofawomanthatsawthequeeime,andshelookedlikeanyChristian.IneverheardofanythatsawthefoolbutonewomanthatwaswalkingnearGort,andshecalledout,‘There’sthefooloftheforthingafterme.’Soherfriendsthatwerewithhercalledout,thoughtheycouldseenothing,andIsupposehewentawayatthat,fotnoharm.Hewaslikeabigstrongman,shesaid,andhalfnaked,andthatisallshesaidabouthim.Ihaveneverseenanymyself,butIamacousinofHearne,andmyuncleenty-oneyears.”Thewifeoftheoldmillersaid,“Itissaidtheyaremostlygoodneighbours,butthestrokeofthefooliswhatthereisnocurefor;agetsthatisgoheAmadan-na-Breenawecallhim!”AndanoldwomanwholivesintheBogofKiltartan,andisverypoor,said,“Itistrueenough,thereisnocureforthestrokeoftheAmadan-na-Breena.TherewasanoldmanIknewlongago,hehadatape,andhecouldtellwhatdiseasesyouhadwithmeasuringyou;andheknewmanythings.Andhesaidtomeoime,‘Whatmonthoftheyearistheworst?’andIsaid,‘ThemonthofMay,ofcourse.’‘Itisnot,’hesaid;‘butthemonthofJune,forthat’sthemonththattheAmadangiveshisstroke!’Theysayhelookslikeanyotherman,buthe’sleathan(wide),andnotsmart.Iknewaboyoimegotagreatfright,foralamblookedoverthewallathimwithabeardonit,andhekwastheAmadan,foritwasthemonthofJune.AndtheybroughthimtothatmanIwastellingabout,thathadthetape,andwhenhesawhimhesaid,‘Sendforthepriest,aaMasssaidoverhim.’Andsotheydid,andwhatwouldyousaybuthe’sliviandhasafamily!AcertainRegansaid,‘They,theothersortofpeople,mightbepassingyouclosehereandtheymighttouchyou.ButanythatgetsthetouchoftheAmadan-na-Breenaisdonefor.’It’strueenoughthatit’sihofJunehe’smostlikelytogivethetouch.Iknewogotit,aoldmeaboutithimself.HewasaboyIknewwell,aoldmethatonenightagentlemaohim,thathadbeenhisland-lord,andthatwasdead.Aoldhimtoealongwithhim,forhewantedhimtofightanotherman.Andwhehefoundtwogreattroopsofthem,ahertroophadalivingmanwiththemtoo,andheuttofighthim.Andtheyhadagreatfight,ahebetteroftheotherman,ahetrooponhissidegaveagreatshout,andhewaslefthomeagain.ButaboutthreeyearsafterthathewascuttingbushesinawoodaheAmadaningathim.Hehadabigvesselinhisarms,anditwasshining,sothattheboycouldseenothingelse;butheputitbehindhisbackthenandcamerunning,andtheboysaidhelookedwildandwide,likethesideofthehill.Andtheboyran,ahrewthevesselafterhim,anditbrokewithagreatnoise,andwhatevercameoutofit,hisheadwasgohereandthen.Helivedforawhileafter,aellusmanythings,buthiswitsweregohoughttheymightn’thavelikedhimtobeattheotherman,andheusedtobeafraidsomethingwould.”AndanoldwomaninaGalwayworkhouse,whohadsomelittleknowledgeofQueenMaive,saidtheotherday,“TheAmadan-na-Breenageshisshapeeverytwodays.Sometimesheeslikeayoungster,andthenhe’lleliketheworstofbeasts,tryingtogivethetouchheusedtobe.Ihearditsaidoflatehewasshot,butIthinkmyselfitwouldbehardtoshoothim.”

  Iknewamanwhowastryingtbeforehismind’seyeanimageofAengus,theodoflovearyaasy,whogedfourofhiskissesintobirds,andsuddenlytheimageofamanandbellsrushedbeforehismind’seye,andgrewvividandspokeandcalleditself“Aengus’messenger.”AndIknewanotherman,atrulygreatseer,whosawawhitefoolinavisiardeherewasatreewithpeacocks’feathersinsteadofleaves,andflowersthatopeoshowlittlehumanfaceswheefoolhadtouchedthemwithhisb,andhesawataimeawhitefoolsittingbyapoolandsmilingandwatgtheimagesofmanyfairwomenfloatingupfromthepool.

  Whatelsedeathbebutthebeginningofwisdomandpoweray?andfoolishnessmaybeakindofdeath.Iotthinkitwonderfulthatmanyshouldseeafoolwithashiningvesselofsomeentmentorwisdomordreamtoopowerfulformortalbrainsin“everyhouseholdofthem.”Itisnatural,too,thatthereshouldbeaqueentoeveryhouseholdofthem,andthatoneshouldhearlittleoftheirkings,forwomenoreeasilythahatwisdomwhitpeoples,andallwildpeoplesevennow,thinktheonlywisdom.Theself,whichisthefoundationofourknowledge,isbrokeninpiecesbyfoolishness,andisfotteninthesuddeionsofwomen,andthereforefoolsmayget,andwomeofacertainty,glimpsesofmuchthatsanctityfindsattheendofitspainfuljourhemanwhosawthewhitefoolsaidofacertainwoman,notapeasantwoman,“IfIhadherpowerofvisionIwouldknowallthewisdomofthegods,andhervisionsdonotiher.”AndIknowofanotherwoman,alsonotapeasantwoman,whowouldpassiotriesofahlybeauty,andwhonevercaredforanythingbuttobebusyaboutherhouseandherchildren;alyanherbdoctorcuredher,ashecalledit.Wisdomayandpowermaysometimes,asIthink,etothosewhodieeverydaytheylive,thoughtheirdyingmaynotbelikethedyingShakespearespokeof.Thereisawarbetweenthelivingandthedead,andtheIrishstorieskeepharpinguponit.Theywillhaveitthatwheatoesorthewheatoranyotherofthefruitsoftheearthdecay,theyripeninfaery,andthatourdreamslosetheirwisdomwhenthesaprisesirees,andthatourdreamsmakethetreeswither,andthatohebleatingofthelambsoffaeryinNovember,andthatblindeyesseemorethanothereyes.Becausethesoulalwaysbelievesinthese,orihings,thecellandthewildernessshallneverbeloy,orloverseintotheworldwhowillnotuandtheverse—HeardstthounotsweetwordsamongThatheaven-resoundingminstrelsy?

  HeardstthounotthatthosewhodieAwakeinaworldofecstasy?

  Howlove,whenlimbsareinterwoven,Andsleep,whenthenightoflifeiscloven,Andthoughttotheworld’sdimboundariesging,Andmusione’sbelovedissinging,Isdeath?

  1901.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读