"Dunsany, Lord - collection - A Dreamer's Tales- And Other Stories" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dunsany Lord)

strange birds that the venturous fowlers bring in creaking wagons out of
Asagйhon, whose feathers are alternate purple and white. Now, he that shall
love thy daughter, Hilnaric, whoever he shall be, is the man to climb
Poltarnees and return, as none hath ever before, and tell us upon what
Poltarnees looks; for it may be that they daughter is more beautiful than
the Sea."
Then from his Seat of Council arose the King of Arizim. He said: "I fear
that thou hast spoken blasphemy against the Sea, and I have a dread that ill
will come of it. Indeed I had not thought she was so fair. It is such a
short while ago that she was quite a small child with her hair still unkempt
and not yet attired in the manner of princesses, and she would go up into
the wild woods unattended and come back with her robes unseemly and all
torn, and would not take reproof with a humble spirit, but made grimaces
even in my marble court all set about with fountains."
Then said the King of Toldees:
"Let us watch more closely and let us see the Princess Hilnaric in the
season of the orchard-bloom when the great birds go by that know the Sea, to
rest in our inland places; and if she be more beautiful than the sunrise
over our folded kingdoms when all the orchards bloom, it may be that she is
more beautiful than the Sea."
And the King of Arizim said:
"I fear this is terrible blasphemy, yet will I do as you have decided in
council."
And the season of the orchard-bloom appeared. One night the King of Arizim
called his daughter forth on his outer balcony of marble. And the moon was
rising huge and round and holy over dark woods, and all t he fountains were
singing to the night. And the moon touched the marble palace gables, and
they glowed in the land. And the moon touched the heads of all the
fountains, and the grey columns broke into fairy lights. And the moon left
the dark ways of the forest and lit the whole white palace and its fountains
and shone on the forehead of the Princess, and the palace of Arizim glowed
afar, and the fountains became columns of gleaming jewels and song. And the
moon made a music at its rising, but it fell a little short of mortal ears.
And Hilnaric stood there wondering, clad in white, with the moonlight
shining on her forehead; and watching her from the shadows on the terrace
stood the kings of Mondath and Toldees. They said.
"She is more beautiful than the moonrise."
And the season of the orchard-bloom appeared. One night the King of Arizim
called his daughter forth on his outer balcony of marble. And the moon was
rising huge and round and holy over dark woods, and all t he fountains were
singing to the night. And the moon touched the marble palace gables, and
they glowed in the land. And the moon touched the heads of all the
fountains, and the grey columns broke into fairy lights. And the moon left
the dark ways of the forest and lit the whole white palace and its fountains
and shone on the forehead of the Princess, and the palace of Arizim glowed
afar, and the fountains became columns of gleaming jewels and song. And the
moon made a music at its rising, but it fell a little short of mortal ears.
And Hilnaric stood there wondering, clad in white, with the moonlight
shining on her forehead; and watching her from the shadows on the terrace
stood the kings of Mondath and Toldees. They said.