小学英语安徒生童话系列二TheWickedPrince阅读素材2

theWickedPrincebyHansChristianAndersen（1840）theRElivedonceuponatimeawickedprincewhoseheartandmindweresetuponconqueringallthecountriesoftheworld，andonfrighteningthepeople；hedevastatedtheircountrieswithfireandsword，andhissoldierstroddownthecropsinthefieldsanddestroyedthepeasantshutsbyfire，sothattheflameslickedtheGREenleavesoffthebranches，andthefruithungdrieduponthesingedblacktrees.Manyapoormotherfled，hernakedbabyinherarms，behindthestillsmokingwallsofhercottage；butalsotherethesoldiersfollowedher，andwhentheyfoundher，sheservedasnewnourishmenttotheirdiabolicalenjoyments；demonscouldnotpossiblyhavedoneworsethingsthanthesesoldiers！Theprincewasofopinionthatallthiswasright，andthatitwasonlythenaturalcoursewhichthingsoughttotake.Hispowerincreaseddaybyday，hisnamewasfearedbyall，andfortunefavouredhisdeeds.Hebroughtenormouswealthhomefromtheconqueredtowns，andgraduallyaccumulatedinhisresidencericheswhichcouldnowherebeequalled.Heerectedmagnificentpalaces，churches，andhalls，andallwhosawthesesplendidbuildingsandGREattreasuresexclaimedadmiringly： “Whatamightyprince！”Buttheydidnotknowwhatendlessmiseryhehadbroughtuponothercountries，nordidtheyhearthesighsandlamentationswhichroseupfromthedebrisofthedestroyedcities.theprinceoftenlookedwithdelightuponhisgoldandhismagnificentedifices，andthought，likethecrowd： “Whatamightyprince！ButImusthavemoremuchmore.Nopoweronearthmustequalmine，farlessexceedit.”Hemadewarwithallhisneighbours，anddefeatedthem.Theconqueredkingswerechainedupwithgoldenfetterstohischariotwhenhedrovethroughthestreetsofhiscity.Thesekingshadtokneelathisandhiscourtiersfeetwhentheysatattable，andliveonthemorselswhichtheyleft.Atlasttheprincehadhisownstatueerectedonthepublicplacesandfixedontheroyalpalaces；nay，heevenwishedittobeplacedinthechurches，onthealtars，butinthisthepriestsopposedhim，saying： “Prince，youaremightyindeed，butGodspowerismuchGREaterthanyours；wedarenotobeyyourorders.”“Well，”saidtheprince. “ThenIwillconquerGodtoo.”Andinhishaughtinessandfoolishpresumptionheorderedamagnificentshiptobeconstructed，withwhichhecouldsailthroughtheair；itwasgorgeouslyfittedoutandofmanycolours；likethetailofapeacock，itwascoveredwiththousandsofeyes，buteacheyewasthebarrelofagun.Theprincesatinthecentreoftheship，andhadonlytotouchaspringinordertomakethousandsofbulletsflyoutinalldirections，whilethegunswereatonceloadedagain.Hundredsofeagleswereattachedtothisship，anditrosewiththeswiftnessofanarrowuptowardsthesun.Theearthwassoonleftfarbelow，andlooked，withitsmountainsandwoods，likeacornfieldwheretheploughhadmadefurrowswhichseparatedGREenmeadows；soonitlookedonlylikeamapwithindistinctlinesuponit；andatlastitentirelydisappearedinmistandclouds.Higherandhigherrosetheeaglesupintotheair；thenGodsentoneofhisnumberlessangelsagainsttheship.Thewickedprinceshoweredthousandsofbulletsuponhim，buttheyreboundedfromhisshiningwingsandfelldownlikeordinaryhailstones.Onedropofblood，onesingledrop，cameoutofthewhitefeathersoftheangelswingsandfellupontheshipinwhichtheprincesat，burntintoit，andweigheduponitlikethousandsofhundredweights，draggingitrapidlydowntotheearthagain；thestrongwingsoftheeaglesgaveway，thewindroaredroundtheprinceshead，andthecloudsaroundweretheyformedbythesmokerisingupfromtheburntcities？tookstrangeshapes，likecrabsmany，manymileslong，whichstretchedtheirclawsoutafterhim，androseuplikeenormousrocks，fromwhichrollingmassesdasheddown，andbecamefire-spittingdragons.theprincewaslyinghalf-deadinhisship，whenitsankatlastwithaterribleshockintothebranchesofalargetreeinthewood.“IwillconquerGod！”saidtheprince. “Ihaveswornit：mywillmustbedone！”Andhespentsevenyearsintheconstructionofwonderfulshipstosailthroughtheair，andhaddartscastfromthehardeststeeltobreakthewallsofheavenwith.Hegatheredwarriorsfromallcountries，somanythatwhentheywereplacedsidebysidetheycoveredthespaceofseveralmiles.Theyenteredtheshipsandtheprincewasapproachinghisown，whenGodsentaswarmofgnatsoneswarmoflittlegnats.Theybuzzedroundtheprinceandstunghisfaceandhands；angrilyhedrewhisswordandbrandishedit，butheonlytouchedtheairanddidnothitthegnats.thenheorderedhisservantstobringcostlycoveringsandwraphiminthem，thatthegnatsmightnolongerbeabletoreachhim.Theservantscarriedouthisorders，butonesinglegnathadplaceditselfinsideoneofthecoverings，creptintotheprincesearandstunghim.Theplaceburntlikefire，andthepoisonentered