安徒生童话-第123章

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all　this　joy　and　happiness？　And　in　these　thoughts　sheindulged；　until　at　last　she　thought　no　more　of　the　Giver。　It　was　theover…abundance　of　youthful　spirits　unfolding　its　wings　for　a　daringflight。　Her　eyes　sparkled　with　energy；　when　suddenly　arose　a　loudnoise　in　the　court　below；　and　the　daring　thought　vanished。　Shelooked　down；　and　saw　two　large　ostriches　running　round　quickly　innarrow　circles；　she　had　never　seen　these　creatures　before；…　great；coarse；　clumsy…looking　birds　with　curious　wings　that　looked　as　if　theyhad　been　clipped；　and　the　birds　themselves　had　the　appearance　ofhaving　been　roughly　used。　She　inquired　about　them；　and　for　the　firsttime　heard　the　legend　which　the　Egyptians　relate　respecting　theostrich。

Once；　say　they；　the　ostriches　were　a　beautiful　and　glorious　raceof　birds；　with　large；　strong　wings。　One　evening　the　other　largebirds　of　the　forest　said　to　the　ostrich；　〃Brother；　shall　we　fly　to　theriver　to…morrow　morning　to　drink；　God　willing？〃　and　the　ostrichanswered；　〃I　will。〃

With　the　break　of　day；　therefore；　they　menced　their　flight；first　rising　high　in　the　air；　towards　the　sun；　which　is　the　eye　ofGod；　still　higher　and　higher　the　ostrich　flew；　far　above　the　otherbirds；　proudly　approaching　the　light；　trusting　in　its　own　strength；and　thinking　not　of　the　Giver；　or　saying；　〃if　God　will。〃　When　suddenlythe　avenging　angel　drew　back　the　veil　from　the　flaming　ocean　ofsunlight；　and　in　a　moment　the　wings　of　the　proud　bird　were　scorchedand　shrivelled；　and　they　sunk　miserably　to　the　earth。　Since　thattime　the　ostrich　and　his　race　have　never　been　able　to　rise　in　the　air；they　can　only　fly　terror…stricken　along　the　ground；　or　run　round　andround　in　narrow　circles。　It　is　a　warning　to　mankind；　that　in　all　ourthoughts　and　schemes；　and　in　every　action　we　undertake；　we　should　say；〃if　God　will。〃

Then　Helga　bowed　her　head　thoughtfully　and　seriously；　and　lookedat　the　circling　ostrich；　as　with　timid　fear　and　simple　pleasure　itglanced　at　its　own　great　shadow　on　the　sunlit　walls。　And　the　storyof　the　ostrich　sunk　deeply　into　the　heart　and　mind　of　Helga：　a　life　ofhappiness；　both　in　the　present　and　in　the　future；　seemed　secure　forher；　and　what　was　yet　to　e　might　be　the　best　of　all；　God　willing。

Early　in　the　spring；　when　the　storks　were　again　about　to　journeynorthward；　beautiful　Helga　took　off　her　golden　bracelets；　scratchedher　name　on　them；　and　beckoned　to　the　stork…father。　He　came　to　her；and　she　placed　the　golden　circlet　round　his　neck；　and　begged　him　todeliver　it　safely　to　the　Viking's　wife；　so　that　she　might　know　thather　foster…daughter　still　lived；　was　happy；　and　had　not　forgotten　her。

〃It　is　rather　heavy　to　carry；〃　thought　stork…papa；　when　he　hadit　on　his　neck；　〃but　gold　and　honor　are　not　to　be　flung　into　thestreet。　The　stork　brings　good　fortune…　they'll　be　obliged　toacknowledge　that　at　last。〃

〃You　lay　gold；　and　I　lay　eggs；〃　said　stork…mamma；　〃with　you　itis　only　once　in　a　way；　I　lay　eggs　every　year　But　no　one　appreciateswhat　we　do；　I　call　it　very　mortifying。〃

〃But　then　we　have　a　consciousness　of　our　own　worth；　mother；〃replied　stork…papa。

〃What　good　will　that　do　you？〃　retorted　stork…mamma；　〃it　willneither　bring　you　a　fair　wind；　nor　a　good　meal。〃

〃The　little　nightingale；　who　is　singing　yonder　in　the　tamarindgrove；　will　soon　be　going　north；　too。〃　Helga　said　she　had　oftenheard　her　singing　on　the　wild　moor；　so　she　determined　to　send　amessage　by　her。　While　flying　in　the　swan's　plumage　she　had　learntthe　bird　language；　she　had　often　conversed　with　the　stork　and　theswallow；　and　she　knew　that　the　nightingale　would　understand。　So　shebegged　the　nightingale　to　fly　to　the　beechwood；　on　the　peninsula　ofJutland；　where　a　mound　of　stone　and　twigs　had　been　raised　to　formthe　grave；　and　she　begged　the　nightingale　to　persuade　all　the　otherlittle　birds　to　build　their　nests　round　the　place；　so　that　evermoreshould　resound　over　that　grave　music　and　song。　And　the　nightingaleflew　away；　and　time　flew　away　also。

In　the　autumn；　an　eagle；　standing　upon　a　pyramid；　saw　a　statelytrain　of　richly　laden　camels；　and　men　attired　in　armor　on　foamingArabian　steeds；　whose　glossy　skins　shone　like　silver；　their　nostrilswere　pink；　and　their　thick；　flowing　manes　hung　almost　to　their　slenderlegs。　A　royal　prince　of　Arabia；　handsome　as　a　prince　should　be；　andacpanied　by　distinguished　guests；　was　on　his　way　to　the　statelyhouse；　on　the　roof　of　which　the　storks'　empty　nests　might　be　seen。They　were　away　now　in　the　far　north；　but　expected　to　return　very　soon。And；　indeed；　they　returned　on　a　day　that　was　rich　in　joy　and　gladness。

A　marriage　was　being　celebrated；　in　which　the　beautiful　Helga；glittering　in　silk　and　jewels；　was　the　bride；　and　the　bridegroom　theyoung　Arab　prince。　Bride　and　bridegroom　sat　at　the　upper　end　of　thetable；　between　the　bride's　mother　and　grandfather。　But　her　gaze　wasnot　on　the　bridegroom；　with　his　manly；　sunburnt　face；　round　whichcurled　a　black　beard；　and　whose　dark　fiery　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her；but　away　from　him；　at　a　twinkling　star；　that　shone　down　upon　herfrom　the　sky。　Then　was　heard　the　sound　of　rushing　wings　beating　theair。　The　storks　were　ing　home；　and　the　old　stork　pair；　althoughtired　with　the　journey　and　requiring　rest；　did　not　fail　to　fly　down　atonce　to　the　balustrades　of　the　verandah；　for　they　knew　already　whatfeast　was　being　celebrated。　They　had　heard　of　it　on　the　borders　of　theland；　and　also　that　Helga　had　caused　their　figures　to　be　representedon　the　walls；　for　they　belonged　to　her　history。

〃I　call　that　very　sensible　and　pretty；〃　said　stork…papa。

〃Yes；　but　it　is　very　little；〃　said　mamma　stork；　〃they　could　notpossibly　have　done　less。〃

But；　when　Helga　saw　them；　she　rose　and　went　out　into　theverandah　to　stroke　the　backs　of　the　storks。　The　old　stork　pair　bowedtheir　heads；　and　curved　their　necks；　and　even　the　youngest　among　theyoung　ones　felt　honored　by　this　reception。

Helga　continued　to　gaze　upon　the　glittering　star；　which　seemedto　glow　brighter　and　purer　in　its　light；　then　between　herself　andthe　star　floated　a　form；　purer　than　the　air；　and　visible　through　it。It　floated　quite　near　to　her；　and　she　saw　that　it　was　the　deadChristian　priest；　who　also　was　ing　to　her　wedding　feast…　ingfrom　the　heavenly　kingdom。

〃The　glory　and　brightness；　yonder；　outshines　all　that　is　knownon　earth；〃　said　he。

Then　Helga　the　fair　prayed　more　gently；　and　more　earnestly；　thanshe　had　ever　prayed　in　her　life　before；　that　she　might　be　permitted　togaze；　if　only　for　a　single　moment；　at　the　glory　and　brightness　ofthe　heavenly　kingdom。　Then　she　felt　herself　lifted　up；　as　it　were；above　the　earth；　through　a　sea　of　sound　and　thought；　not　only　aroundher；　but　within　her；　was　there　light　and　song；　such　as　words　cannotexpress。

〃Now　we　must　return；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　be　missed。〃

〃Only　one　more　look；〃　she　begged；　〃but　one　short　moment　more。〃

〃We　must　return　to　earth；　the　guests　will　have　all　departed。Only　one　more　look！…　the　last！〃

Then　Helga　stood　again　in　the　verandah。　But　the　marriage　lampsin　the　festive　hall　had　been　all　extinguished；　and　the　torches　outsidehad　vanished。　The　storks　were　gone；　not　a　guest　could　be　seen；　nobridegroom…　all　in　those　few　short　moments　seemed　to　have　died。　Then　agreat　dread　fell　upon　her。　She　stepped　from　the　verandah　through　theempty　hall　into　the　next　chamber；　where　slept　strange　warriors。　Sheopened　a　side　door；　which　once　led　into　her　own　apartment；　but　now；　asshe　passed　through；　she　found　herself　suddenly　in　a　garden　which　shehad　never　before　seen　here；　the　sky　blushed　red；　it　was　the　dawn　ofmorning。　Three　minutes　only　in　heaven；　and　a　whole　night　on　earthhad　passed　away！　Then　she　saw　the　storks；　and　called　to　them　intheir　own　language。

Then　stork…papa　turned　his　head　towards　here；　listened　to　herwords；　and　drew　near。　〃You　speak　our　language；〃　said　he；　〃what　doyou　wish？　Why　do　you　appear；…　you…　a　strange　woman？〃

〃It　is　I…　it　is　Helga！　Dost　thou　not　know　me？　Three　minutes　ago　wewere　speaking　together　yonder　in　the　verandah。〃

〃That　is　a　mistake；〃　said　the　stork；　〃you　must　have　dreamed　allthis。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　exclaimed。　Then　she　reminded　him　of　the　Viking'scastle；　of　the　great　lake；　and　of　the　journey　across　the　ocean。

Then　stork…papa　winked　his　eyes；　and　said；　〃Why　that's　an　oldstory　which　happened　in　the　time　of　my　grandfather。　There　certainlywas　a　princess　of　that　kind　here　in　Egypt　once；　who　came　from　theDanish　land；　but　she　vanished　on　the　evening　of　her　wedding　day；many　hundred　years　ago；　and　never　came　back。　You　may　read　about　ityourself　yonder；　on　a　monument　in　the　garden。　There　you　will　findswans　and　storks　sculptured；　and　on　the　top　is　a　figure　of　theprincess　Helga；　in　marble。〃

And　so　it　was；　Helga　understood　it　all　now；　and　sank　on　her　knees。The　sun　burst　forth　in　all　its　glory；　and；　as　in　olden　times；　the　formof　the　frog　vanished　in　his　beams；　and　the　beautiful　form　stoodforth　in　all　its　loveliness；　so　now；　bathed　in　light；　rose　a　beautifulform；　purer；　clearer　than　air…　a　ray　of　brightness…　from　the　Source　oflight　Himself。　The　body　crumbled　into　dust；　and　a　faded　lotus…flowerlay　on　the　spot　on　which　Helga　had　stood。

〃Now　that　is　a　new　ending　to　the　story；〃　said　stork…papa；　〃Ireally　never　expected　it　would　end　in　this　way；　but　it　seems　a　verygood　ending。〃

〃And　what　will　the　young　ones　say　to