安徒生童话-第164章

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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　MAN

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃IT　is　so　delightfully　cold；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃that　it　makes　mywhole　body　crackle。　This　is　just　the　kind　of　wind　to　blow　life　intoone。　How　that　great　red　thing　up　there　is　staring　at　me！〃　He　meant　thesun；　who　was　just　setting。　〃It　shall　not　make　me　wink。　I　shallmanage　to　keep　the　pieces。〃

He　had　two　triangular　pieces　of　tile　in　his　head；　instead　of　eyes；his　mouth　was　made　of　an　old　broken　rake；　and　was；　of　course；furnished　with　teeth。　He　had　been　brought　into　existence　amidst　thejoyous　shouts　of　boys；　the　jingling　of　sleigh…bells；　and　theslashing　of　whips。　The　sun　went　down；　and　the　full　moon　rose；　large；round；　and　clear；　shining　in　the　deep　blue。

〃There　it　es　again；　from　the　other　side；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；who　supposed　the　sun　was　showing　himself　once　more。　〃Ah；　I　havecured　him　of　staring；　though；　now　he　may　hang　up　there；　and　shine；that　I　may　see　myself。　If　I　only　knew　how　to　manage　to　move　awayfrom　this　place；…　I　should　so　like　to　move。　If　I　could；　I　wouldslide　along　yonder　on　the　ice；　as　I　have　seen　the　boys　do；　but　I　don'tunderstand　how；　I　don't　even　know　how　to　run。〃

〃Away；　away；〃　barked　the　old　yard…dog。　He　was　quite　hoarse；　andcould　not　pronounce　〃Bow　wow〃　properly。　He　had　once　been　an　indoordog；　and　lay　by　the　fire；　and　he　had　been　hoarse　ever　since。　〃Thesun　will　make　you　run　some　day。　I　saw　him；　last　winter；　make　yourpredecessor　run；　and　his　predecessor　before　him。　Away；　away；　theyall　have　to　go。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；　rade；〃　said　the　Snow　Man。　〃Is　thatthing　up　yonder　to　teach　me　to　run？　I　saw　it　running　itself　a　littlewhile　ago；　and　now　it　has　e　creeping　up　from　the　other　side。

〃You　know　nothing　at　all；〃　replied　the　yard…dog；　〃but　then；　you'veonly　lately　been　patched　up。　What　you　see　yonder　is　the　moon；　andthe　one　before　it　was　the　sun。　It　will　e　again　to…morrow；　andmost　likely　teach　you　to　run　down　into　the　ditch　by　the　well；　for　Ithink　the　weather　is　going　to　change。　I　can　feel　such　pricks　and　stabsin　my　left　leg；　I　am　sure　there　is　going　to　be　a　change。〃

〃I　don't　understand　him；〃　said　the　Snow　Man　to　himself；　〃but　Ihave　a　feeling　that　he　is　talking　of　something　very　disagreeable。The　one　who　stared　so　just　now；　and　whom　he　calls　the　sun；　is　not　myfriend；　I　can　feel　that　too。〃

〃Away；　away；〃　barked　the　yard…dog；　and　then　he　turned　roundthree　times；　and　crept　into　his　kennel　to　sleep。

There　was　really　a　change　in　the　weather。　Towards　morning；　a　thickfog　covered　the　whole　country　round；　and　a　keen　wind　arose；　so　thatthe　cold　seemed　to　freeze　one's　bones；　but　when　the　sun　rose；　thesight　was　splendid。　Trees　and　bushes　were　covered　with　hoar　frost；　andlooked　like　a　forest　of　white　coral；　while　on　every　twig　glitteredfrozen　dew…drops。　The　many　delicate　forms　concealed　in　summer　byluxuriant　foliage；　were　now　clearly　defined；　and　looked　likeglittering　lace…work。　From　every　twig　glistened　a　white　radiance。The　birch；　waving　in　the　wind；　looked　full　of　life；　like　trees　insummer；　and　its　appearance　was　wondrously　beautiful。　And　where　the　sunshone；　how　everything　glittered　and　sparkled；　as　if　diamond　dust　hadbeen　strewn　about；　while　the　snowy　carpet　of　the　earth　appeared　asif　covered　with　diamonds；　from　which　countless　lights　gleamed；whiter　than　even　the　snow　itself。

〃This　is　really　beautiful；〃　said　a　young　girl；　who　had　e　intothe　garden　with　a　young　man；　and　they　both　stood　still　near　the　SnowMan；　and　contemplated　the　glittering　scene。　〃Summer　cannot　show　a　morebeautiful　sight；〃　she　exclaimed；　while　her　eyes　sparkled。

〃And　we　can't　have　such　a　fellow　as　this　in　the　summer　time；〃replied　the　young　man；　pointing　to　the　Snow　Man；　〃he　is　capital。〃

The　girl　laughed；　and　nodded　at　the　Snow　Man；　and　then　trippedaway　over　the　snow　with　her　friend。　The　snow　creaked　and　crackledbeneath　her　feet；　as　if　she　had　been　treading　on　starch。

〃Who　are　these　two？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man　of　the　yard…dog。　〃You　havebeen　here　longer　than　I　have；　do　you　know　them？〃

〃Of　course　I　know　them；〃　replied　the　yard…dog；　〃she　has　stroked　myback　many　times；　and　he　has　given　me　a　bone　of　meat。　I　never　bitethose　two。〃

〃But　what　are　they？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man。

〃They　are　lovers；〃　he　replied；　〃they　will　go　and　live　in　thesame　kennel　by…and…by；　and　gnaw　at　the　same　bone。　Away；　away！〃

〃Are　they　the　same　kind　of　beings　as　you　and　I？〃　asked　the　SnowMan。

〃Well；　they　belong　to　the　same　master；〃　retorted　the　yard…dog。〃Certainly　people　who　were　only　born　yesterday　know　very　little。　I　cansee　that　in　you。　I　have　age　and　experience。　I　know　every　one　here　inthe　house；　and　I　know　there　was　once　a　time　when　I　did　not　lie　outhere　in　the　cold；　fastened　to　a　chain。　Away；　away！〃

〃The　cold　is　delightful；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃but　do　tell　metell　me；　only　you　must　not　clank　your　chain　so；　for　it　jars　allthrough　me　when　you　do　that。〃

〃Away；　away！〃　barked　the　yard…dog；　〃I'll　tell　you；　they　said　I　wasa　pretty　little　fellow　once；　then　I　used　to　lie　in　a　velvet…coveredchair；　up　at　the　master's　house；　and　sit　in　the　mistress's　lap。　Theyused　to　kiss　my　nose；　and　wipe　my　paws　with　an　embroideredhandkerchief；　and　I　was　called　'Ami；　dear　Ami；　sweet　Ami。'　But　after　awhile　I　grew　too　big　for　them；　and　they　sent　me　away　to　thehousekeeper's　room；　so　I　came　to　live　on　the　lower　story。　You　can　lookinto　the　room　from　where　you　stand；　and　see　where　I　was　master　once；for　I　was　indeed　master　to　the　housekeeper。　It　was　certainly　a　smallerroom　than　those　up　stairs；　but　I　was　more　fortable；　for　I　was　notbeing　continually　taken　hold　of　and　pulled　about　by　the　children　asI　had　been。　I　received　quite　as　good　food；　or　even　better。　I　had　myown　cushion；　and　there　was　a　stove…　it　is　the　finest　thing　in　theworld　at　this　season　of　the　year。　I　used　to　go　under　the　stove；　andlie　down　quite　beneath　it。　Ah；　I　still　dream　of　that　stove。　Away；away！〃

〃Does　a　stove　look　beautiful？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man；　〃is　it　at　alllike　me？〃

〃It　is　just　the　reverse　of　you；'　said　the　dog；　〃it's　as　black　as　acrow；　and　has　a　long　neck　and　a　brass　knob；　it　eats　firewood；　sothat　fire　spurts　out　of　its　mouth。　We　should　keep　on　one　side；　orunder　it；　to　be　fortable。　You　can　see　it　through　the　window；　fromwhere　you　stand。〃

Then　the　Snow　Man　looked；　and　saw　a　bright　polished　thing　with　abrazen　knob；　and　fire　gleaming　from　the　lower　part　of　it。　The　Snow　Manfelt　quite　a　strange　sensation　e　over　him；　it　was　very　odd；　he　knewnot　what　it　meant；　and　he　could　not　account　for　it。　But　there　arepeople　who　are　not　men　of　snow；　who　understand　what　it　is。　〃'And　whydid　you　leave　her？〃　asked　the　Snow　Man；　for　it　seemed　to　him　thatthe　stove　must　be　of　the　female　sex。　〃How　could　you　give　up　such　afortable　place？〃

〃I　was　obliged；〃　replied　the　yard…dog。　〃They　turned　me　out　ofdoors；　and　chained　me　up　here。　I　had　bitten　the　youngest　of　mymaster's　sons　in　the　leg；　because　he　kicked　away　the　bone　I　wasgnawing。　'Bone　for　bone；'　I　thought；　but　they　were　so　angry；　andfrom　that　time　I　have　been　fastened　with　a　chain；　and　lost　my　bone。Don't　you　hear　how　hoarse　I　am。　Away；　away！　I　can't　talk　any　more　likeother　dogs。　Away；　away；　that　is　the　end　of　it　all。〃

But　the　Snow　Man　was　no　longer　listening。　He　was　looking　intothe　housekeeper's　room　on　the　lower　storey；　where　the　stove　stood　onits　four　iron　legs；　looking　about　the　same　size　as　the　Snow　Manhimself。　〃What　a　strange　crackling　I　feel　within　me；〃　he　said。〃Shall　I　ever　get　in　there？　It　is　an　innocent　wish；　and　innocentwishes　are　sure　to　be　fulfilled。　I　must　go　in　there　and　lean　againsther；　even　if　I　have　to　break　the　window。〃

〃You　must　never　go　in　there；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃for　if　youapproach　the　stove；　you'll　melt　away；　away。〃

〃I　might　as　well　go；〃　said　the　Snow　Man；　〃for　I　think　I　ambreaking　up　as　it　is。〃

During　the　whole　day　the　Snow　Man　stood　looking　in　through　thewindow；　and　in　the　twilight　hour　the　room　became　still　moreinviting；　for　from　the　stove　came　a　gentle　glow；　not　like　the　sun　orthe　moon；　no；　only　the　bright　light　which　gleams　from　a　stove　whenit　has　been　well　fed。　When　the　door　of　the　stove　was　opened；　theflames　darted　out　of　its　mouth；　this　is　customary　with　all　stoves。　Thelight　of　the　flames　fell　directly　on　the　face　and　breast　of　the　SnowMan　with　a　ruddy　gleam。　〃I　can　endure　it　no　longer；〃　said　he；　〃howbeautiful　it　looks　when　it　stretches　out　its　tongue？〃

The　night　was　long；　but　did　not　appear　so　to　the　Snow　Man；　whostood　there　enjoying　his　own　reflections；　and　crackling　with　the　cold。In　the　morning；　the　window…panes　of　the　housekeeper's　room　werecovered　with　ice。　They　were　the　most　beautiful　ice…flowers　any　SnowMan　could　desire；　but　they　concealed　the　stove。　These　window…paneswould　not　thaw；　and　he　could　see　nothing　of　the　stove；　which　hepictured　to　himself；　as　if　it　had　been　a　lovely　human　being。　Thesnow　crackled　and　the　wind　whistled　around　him；　it　was　just　the　kindof　frosty　weather　a　Snow　Man　might　thoroughly　enjoy。　But　he　did　notenjoy　it；　how；　indeed；　could　he　enjoy　anything　when　he　was　〃stovesick？〃

〃That　is　terrible　disease　for　a　Snow　Man；〃　said　the　yard…dog；　〃Ihave　suffered　from　it　myself；　but　I　got　over　it。　Away；　away；〃　hebarked　and　then　he　added；　〃the