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Рудольф Эрих Распэ

The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen / Приключения барона Мюнхгаузена. Уровень 1

Rudolph Erich Raspe

The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Baron Munchausen is a famous German nobleman. He likes to talk about his wonderful adventures. His exploits focus on his great achievements as a great hunter, soldier, and traveller. Of course, he is the most truthful and resourceful person in the world!

The Cucumber-Gatherers

We sailed from Amsterdam. A storm tore up by the roots many trees of enormous bulk and height, in an island where we lay at anchor to take in wood and water. Some of these trees weighed many tons, yet the wind carried them so amazingly high, that they appeared like the feathers of small birds in the air. They were at least five miles above the earth. However, as soon as the storm subsided they all fell perpendicularly into their places, and took root again, except the largest tree. When that tree was in the air, it had a man and his wife upon its branches. They were gathering cucumbers. In this part of the globe that useful vegetable grows upon trees.

As the tree descended, the weight of this couple over-balanced the trunk, and brought it down in a horizontal position. It fell upon the chief man of the island, and killed him on the spot.

He was returning home through his own garden when this fortunate accident happened. But this tyrant was very avaricious, the natives of the island were half-starved. The goods were spoiling in his stores, while the poor wretches were pining in poverty. Though the destruction of this tyrant was accidental, the people chose the cucumber-gatherers for their governors

The Crocodile and the Lion

In about six weeks we arrived at Ceylon. We were received with friendship and true politeness.

In a fortnight I accompanied one of the governor’s brothers upon a shooting party.

Near the banks of a lake, I heard a rustling noise behind. I turned about and I was almost petrified at the sight of a lion. It was evidently approaching and it wanted to satisfy his appetite with my poor body. What to do in this horrible dilemma? I had not even a moment for reflection. My gun was only charged with swan-shot. Though I did not intend to kill such an animal with that weak kind of ammunition, yet I hoped to frighten it, and perhaps to wound it also. But the shot enraged him, for he quickened his pace. I attempted to escape.

I turned about and I found a large crocodile. His mouth was extended almost ready to devour me. I fell involuntarily to the ground with fear, and the lion sprang over me. I lay some time, I was expecting to feel his teeth or talons in some part of me. But I heard a violent but unusual noise. I raised my head and looked. To my unspeakable joy, I perceived the lion jumped forward into the crocodile’s mouth! And they were struggling to extricate themselves!

I took my knife. With this instrument I severed the lion’s head, and the body fell at my feet! Then I rammed the head farther into the throat of the crocodile, and destroyed it. The crocodile could neither gorge nor eject it.