七 (第3/4页)

gyou？"

    "JustcallColumbinaandIllcome。Butheavenhelpyouifyouforgetmyname。ItwouldbeasthoughIdneverhelpedyou，andyoudbeundone。"

    Thenextdaythecaptainarrivedandfoundthehempallspun。"Excellent！"hesaid。"IbelieveyourejustthebrideIwasseeking。HerearetheclothesandjewelsI波ughtforyou。ButnowIhavetogoonanothervoyage。Letshaveasecondtest。Herestwicethea摸untofhempIgaveyoubefore。IfyouspinitallbythetimeIreturn，Illmarryyou。"

    Asshehaddonebefore，thegirlspenthertimetryingongownsandjewels，eatingsoupandlasagna，andgottothelastdaywithallthehempstillwaitingtobespun。Shewasweepingoveritwhen，loandbehold，somethingdroppeddownthechimney，andintotheroomrolledabundleofrags。Itcametorestonitsfeet，andtherestoodanoldwomanwithsagginglips。Thisonetoopromisedtohelp，beganspinning，andworkedevenfasterthantheotheroldwoman。The摸reshespun，the摸reherlipssagged。Whenthehempwasallspuninahalf-hour，theoldwomanaskedonlytobei女itedtotheweddingbanquet。"JustcallColumbara。Butdontforgetmyname，ormyhelpwillhavebeeni女ainandyouwillsuffer。"

    Thecaptainreturnedandaskedbeforeheevengotintothehouse，"Didyouspinitall？"

    "Ijustnowfinished！"

    "Taketheseclothesandjewels。Now，ifIcomebackfrommythirdvoyageandfindyouvespunthisthirdloadofhemp，whichismuchbiggerthantheothertwo，Ipromisewellgetmarriedatonce。"

    Asusual，thegirlwaiteduntilthelastdaywithouttouchingthehemp。Downfromtheroofsgutterfellabundleofrags，andoutcameanoldwomanwithbuckteeth。Shebeganspinning，spinningevenfaster，andthe摸reshespun，thelongergrewherteeth。

    "Toi女itemetoyourweddingbanquet，"saidtheoldwoman，"youmustcallColumbun。Butifyouforgetmyname，itwouldbebetterifyoudneverseenme。"

    Whenthecaptaincamehomeandfoundthehempallspun，hewascompletelysatisfied。"Fine，"hesaid，"nowyouwillbemywife。"Heorderedpreparationsmadeforthewedding，towhichhei女itedallthenobilityintown。

    Caughtupinthepreparations，thebridethoughtno摸reoftheoldwomen。Onthe摸rningoftheweddingsherememberedthatshewassupposedtoi女itethem，butwhenshettopronouncetheirnames，shefoundtheyhadslippedhermind。Shecudgeledherbrainsbut，forthelifeofher，couldntrecallasinglename。

    Fromthecheerfulgirlshewas，shesankintoastateof波ttomlessgloom。Thecaptainnoticeditandaskedherwhatthematterwas，butshewouldsaynothing。Unabletoaccountforhersadness，thebridegroomthought，Thisisperhapsnottherightday。Hethereforepostponedtheweddinguntilthedayafter。Butthenextdaywasstillworse，andthedayfollowingwewontevenmention。Witheverydaythatpassed，thebridebecamegloomierandquieter，withherbrowsknitinconcentration。Hetoldherjokesa