安徒生童话-第163章

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of　my　own　value；　andknew　so　well　that　I　bore　a　genuine　stamp。　I　was　as　sorrowful　now　asa　poor　shilling　can　be　when　nobody　will　have　him。　The　woman　took　mehome　again　with　her；　and　looking　at　me　very　earnestly；　she　said；'No；　I　will　not　try　to　deceive　any　one　with　thee　again。　I　will　borea　hole　through　thee；　that　everyone　may　know　that　thou　art　a　falseand　worthless　thing；　and　yet；　why　should　I　do　that？　Very　likely　thouart　a　lucky　shilling。　A　thought　has　just　struck　me　that　it　is　so；and　I　believe　it。　Yes；　I　will　make　a　hole　in　the　shilling；'　saidshe；　'and　run　a　string　through　it；　and　then　give　it　to　my　neighbor'slittle　one　to　hang　round　her　neck；　as　a　lucky　shilling。'　So　shedrilled　a　hole　through　me。

〃It　is　really　not　at　all　pleasant　to　have　a　hole　bored　throughone；　but　we　can　submit　to　a　great　deal　when　it　is　done　with　a　goodintention。　A　string　was　drawn　through　the　hole；　and　I　became　a　kind　ofmedal。　They　hung　me　round　the　neck　of　a　little　child；　and　the　childlaughed　at　me　and　kissed　me；　and　I　rested　for　one　whole　night　on　thewarm；　innocent　breast　of　a　child。

〃In　the　morning　the　child's　mother　took　me　between　her　fingers；and　had　certain　thoughts　about　me；　which　I　very　soon　found　out。　First；she　looked　for　a　pair　of　scissors；　and　cut　the　string。

〃'Lucky　shilling！'　said　she；　'certainly　this　is　what　I　mean　totry。'　Then　she　laid　me　in　vinegar　till　I　became　quite　green；　and　afterthat　she　filled　up　the　hole　with　cement；　rubbed　me　a　little　tobrighten　me　up；　and　went　out　in　the　twilight　hour　to　the　lotterycollector；　to　buy　herself　a　ticket；　with　a　shilling　that　shouldbring　luck。　How　everything　seemed　to　cause　me　trouble。　The　lotterycollector　pressed　me　so　hard　that　I　thought　I　should　crack。　I　had　beencalled　false；　I　had　been　thrown　away；…　that　I　knew；　and　there　weremany　shillings　and　coins　with　inscriptions　and　stamps　of　all　kindslying　about。　I　well　knew　how　proud　they　were；　so　I　avoided　them　fromvery　shame。　With　the　collector　were　several　men　who　seemed　to　have　agreat　deal　to　do；　so　I　fell　unnoticed　into　a　chest；　among　severalother　coins。

〃Whether　the　lottery　ticket　gained　a　prize；　I　know　not；　but　this　Iknow；　that　in　a　very　few　days　after；　I　was　recognized　as　a　badshilling；　and　laid　aside。　Everything　that　happened　seemed　always　toadd　to　my　sorrow。　Even　if　a　man　has　a　good　character；　it　is　of　nouse　for　him　to　deny　what　is　said　of　him；　for　he　is　not　considered　animpartial　judge　of　himself。

〃A　year　passed；　and　in　this　way　I　had　been　changed　from　hand　tohand；　always　abused；　always　looked　at　with　displeasure；　and　trusted　byno　one；　but　I　trusted　in　myself；　and　had　no　confidence　in　the　world。Yes；　that　was　a　very　dark　time。

〃At　length　one　day　I　was　passed　to　a　traveller；　a　foreigner；　thevery　same　who　had　brought　me　away　from　home；　and　he　was　simple　andtrue…hearted　enough　to　take　me　for　current　coin。　But　would　he　alsoattempt　to　pass　me？　and　should　I　again　hear　the　outcry；　'False！good…for…nothing！'　The　traveller　examined　me　attentively；　'I　took　theefor　good　coin；'　said　he；　then　suddenly　a　smile　spread　all　over　hisface。　I　have　never　seen　such　a　smile　on　any　other　face　as　on　his。　'Nowthis　is　singular；'　said　he；　'it　is　a　coin　from　my　own　country；　a　good；true；　shilling　from　home。　Some　one　has　bored　a　hole　through　it；　andpeople　have　no　doubt　called　it　false。　How　curious　that　it　shoulde　into　my　hands。　I　will　take　it　home　with　me　to　my　own　house。'

'Joy　thrilled　through　me　when　I　heard　this。　I　had　been　once　morecalled　a　good；　honest　shilling；　and　I　was　to　go　back　to　my　own　home；where　each　and　all　would　recognize　me；　and　know　that　I　was　made　ofgood　silver；　and　bore　a　true；　genuine　stamp。　I　should　have　been　gladin　my　joy　to　throw　out　sparks　of　fire；　but　it　has　never　at　any　timebeen　my　nature　to　sparkle。　Steel　can　do　so；　but　not　silver。　I　waswrapped　up　in　fine；　white　paper；　that　I　might　not　mix　with　the　othercoins　and　be　lost；　and　on　special　occasions；　when　people　from　my　owncountry　happened　to　be　present；　I　was　brought　forward　and　spoken　ofvery　kindly。　They　said　I　was　very　interesting；　and　it　was　really　quiteworth　while　to　notice　that　those　who　are　interesting　have　often　nota　single　word　to　say　for　themselves。

〃At　length　I　reached　home。　All　my　cares　were　at　an　end。　Joyagain　overwhelmed　me；　for　was　I　not　good　silver；　and　had　I　not　agenuine　stamp？　I　had　no　more　insults　or　disappointments　to　endure；although；　indeed；　there　was　a　hole　through　me；　as　if　I　were　false；　butsuspicions　are　nothing　when　a　man　is　really　true；　and　every　one　shouldpersevere　in　acting　honestly；　for　an　will　be　made　right　in　time。That　is　my　firm　belief；〃　said　the　shilling。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　SNAIL　AND　THE　ROSE…TREE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

ROUND　about　the　garden　ran　a　hedge　of　hazel…bushes；　beyond　thehedge　were　fields　and　meadows　with　cows　and　sheep；　but　in　the　middleof　the　garden　stood　a　Rose…tree　in　bloom；　under　which　sat　a　Snail；whose　shell　contained　a　great　deal…　that　is；　himself。

〃Only　wait　till　my　time　es；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　do　more　thangrow　roses；　bear　nuts；　or　give　milk；　like　the　hazel…bush；　the　cows　andthe　sheep。〃

〃I　expect　a　great　deal　from　you；〃　said　the　rose…tree。　〃May　I　askwhen　it　will　appear？〃

〃I　take　my　time；〃　said　the　snail。　〃You're　always　in　such　ahurry。　That　does　not　excite　expectation。〃

The　following　year　the　snail　lay　in　almost　the　same　spot；　in　thesunshine　under　the　rose…tree；　which　was　again　budding　and　bearingroses　as　fresh　and　beautiful　as　ever。　The　snail　crept　half　out　ofhis　shell；　stretched　out　his　horns；　and　drew　them　in　again。

〃Everything　is　just　as　it　was　last　year！　No　progress　at　all；　therose…tree　sticks　to　its　roses　and　gets　no　farther。〃

The　summer　and　the　autumn　passed；　the　rose…tree　bore　roses　andbuds　till　the　snow　fell　and　the　weather　became　raw　and　wet；　then　itbent　down　its　head；　and　the　snail　crept　into　the　ground。

A　new　year　began；　the　roses　made　their　appearance；　and　the　snailmade　his　too。

〃You　are　an　old　rose…tree　now；〃　said　the　snail。　〃You　must　makehaste　and　die。　You　have　given　the　world　all　that　you　had　in　you；whether　it　was　of　much　importance　is　a　question　that　I　have　not　hadtime　to　think　about。　But　this　much　is　clear　and　plain；　that　you　havenot　done　the　least　for　your　inner　development；　or　you　would　haveproduced　something　else。　Have　you　anything　to　say　in　defence？　You　willnow　soon　be　nothing　but　a　stick。　Do　you　understand　what　I　say？〃

〃You　frighten　me；〃　said　the　rose…　tree。　〃I　have　never　thought　ofthat。〃

〃No；　you　have　never　taken　the　trouble　to　think　at　all。　Have　youever　given　yourself　an　account　why　you　bloomed；　and　how　yourblooming　es　about…　why　just　in　that　way　and　in　no　other？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　rose…tree。　〃I　bloom　in　gladness；　because　I　cannotdo　otherwise。　The　sun　shone　and　warmed　me；　and　the　air　refreshed　me；　Idrank　the　clear　dew　and　the　invigorating　rain。　I　breathed　and　I　lived！Out　of　the　earth　there　arose　a　power　within　me；　whilst　from　above　Ialso　received　strength；　I　felt　an　ever…renewed　and　ever…increasinghappiness；　and　therefore　I　was　obliged　to　go　on　blooming。　That　wasmy　life；　I　could　not　do　otherwise。〃

〃You　have　led　a　very　easy　life；〃　remarked　the　snail。

〃Certainly。　Everything　was　given　me；〃　said　the　rose…tree。　〃Butstill　more　was　given　to　you。　Yours　is　one　of　those　deep…thinkingnatures；　one　of　those　highly　gifted　minds　that　astonishes　the　world。〃

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　intention　of　doing　so；〃　said　thesnail。　〃The　world　is　nothing　to　me。　What　have　I　to　do　with　theworld？　I　have　enough　to　do　with　myself；　and　enough　in　myself〃

〃But　must　we　not　all　here　on　earth　give　up　our　best　parts　toothers；　and　offer　as　much　as　lies　in　our　power？　It　is　true；　I　haveonly　given　roses。　But　you…　you　who　are　so　richly　endowed…　what　haveyou　given　to　the　world？　What　will　you　give　it？〃

〃What　have　I　given？　What　am　I　going　to　give？　I　spit　at　it；　it'sgood　for　nothing；　and　does　not　concern　me。　For　my　part；　you　may　goon　bearing　roses；　you　cannot　do　anything　else。　Let　the　hazel　bush　bearnuts；　and　the　cows　and　sheep　give　milk；　they　have　each　their　public。　Ihave　mine　in　myself。　I　retire　within　myself　and　there　I　stop。　Theworld　is　nothing　to　me。〃

With　this　the　snail　withdrew　into　his　house　and　blocked　up　theentrance。

〃That's　very　sad；〃　said　the　rose　tree。　〃I　cannot　creep　intomyself；　however　much　I　might　wish　to　do　so；　I　have　to　go　on　bearingroses。　Then　they　drop　their　leaves；　which　are　blown　away　by　thewind。　But　I　once　saw　how　a　rose　was　laid　in　the　mistress'shymn…book；　and　how　one　of　my　roses　found　a　place　in　the　bosom　of　ayoung　beautiful　girl；　and　how　another　was　kissed　by　the　lips　of　achild　in　the　glad　joy　of　life。　That　did　me　good；　it　was　a　realblessing。　Those　are　my　recollections；　my　life。〃

And　the　rose　tree　went　on　blooming　in　innocence；　while　the　snaillay　idling　in　his　house…　the　world　was　nothing　to　him。

Years　passed　by。

The　snail　had　turned　to　earth　in　the　earth；　and　the　rose　tree　too。Even　the　souvenir　rose　in　the　hymn…book　was　faded；　but　in　the　gardenthere　were　other　rose　trees　and　other　snails。　The　latter　crept　intotheir　houses　and　spat　at　the　world；　for　it　did　not　concern　them。

Shall　we　read　the　story　all　over　again？　It　will　be　just　the　same。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　SNOW