Tale of the Blue Belt

Tale of the Blue Belt

Once upon a time there was an old woman who had gone out to beg. She had a little son with her, and when she had got her bag full, she struck across the hills towards her own home. So when they had gone a bit up the hill-side, they came upon a little Blue Belt which lay where two paths met. The son asked his mother's leave to pick it up.

“No,”she said, and forced him to follow her. But when they had gone a bit further, the son said he must turn aside a moment out of the road. Meanwhile his mother sat down on a rock. He ran off to where the Belt lay, took it up, and tied it round his waist.And he felt as strong as if he could lift the whole hill.

When he got back, the old woman was very angry, and wanted to know what he had been doing all that while. She said,“You don't care how much time you waste, and yet you know the night is drawing on.We must cross the hill before it is dark!” So they walked on, but when they had got about half-way, the old woman grew weary, and said she must rest under a tree.

“Dear mother,”said the son,“mayn't I just go up to the top of this high crag(峭壁) while you rest, and try if I can't see some sign of people nearby?” Yes! He might do that.So when he had got to the top he saw a light shining from the north.So he ran down and told his mother.

“We must get on, mother; we are near a house, for I see a bright light shining quite close to us in the north.”Then she rose and shouldered her bag, and set off to see.

In a little while they came to a great house which was all painted red.“We must go in. There must be men where the lights shine so,”said the son. So in he went,and his mother after him, and there they saw a great strong man, at least twenty feet high, sitting on the bench.

—Adapted from The Blue Belt