安徒生童话-第179章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


worse　than　the　last。　We　might　just　as　wellhave　kept　the　old　year；　I'm　quite　unhappy；　and　I　have　a　right　to　beso。〃

〃Yes；　you　have；　and　yet　the　people　ran　about　and　fired　off　guns；to　usher　in　the　new　year；〃　said　a　little　shivering　sparrow。　〃Theythrew　things　against　the　doors；　and　were　quite　beside　themselveswith　joy；　because　the　old　year　had　disappeared。　I　was　glad　too；　forI　expected　we　should　have　some　warm　days；　but　my　hopes　have　e　tonothing。　It　freezes　harder　than　ever；　I　think　mankind　have　made　amistake　in　reckoning　time。〃

〃That　they　have；〃　said　a　third；　an　old　sparrow　with　a　whitepoll；　〃they　have　something　they　call　a　calendar；　it's　an　inventionof　their　own；　and　everything　must　be　arranged　according　to　it；　butit　won't　do。　When　spring　es；　then　the　year　begins。　It　is　thevoice　of　nature；　and　I　reckon　by　that。〃

〃But　when　will　spring　e？〃　asked　the　others。

〃It　will　e　when　the　stork　returns；　but　he　is　very　uncertain；and　here　in　the　town　no　one　knows　anything　about　it。　In　the　countrythey　have　more　knowledge；　shall　we　fly　away　there　and　wait？　we　shallbe　nearer　to　spring　then；　certainly。〃

〃That　may　be　all　very　well；〃　said　another　sparrow；　who　had　beenhopping　about　for　a　long　time；　chirping；　but　not　saying　anything　ofconsequence；　〃but　I　have　found　a　few　forts　here　in　town　which；I'm　afraid；　I　should　miss　out　in　the　country。　Here　in　thisneighborhood；　there　lives　a　family　of　people　who　have　been　so　sensibleas　to　place　three　or　four　flower…pots　against　the　wall　in　thecourt…yard；　so　that　the　openings　are　all　turned　inward；　and　the　bottomof　each　points　outward。　In　the　latter　a　hole　has　been　cut　large　enoughfor　me　to　fly　in　and　out。　I　and　my　husband　have　built　a　nest　in　one　ofthese　pots；　and　all　our　young　ones；　who　have　now　flown　away；　werebrought　up　there。　The　people　who　live　there　of　course　made　the　wholearrangement　that　they　might　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　us；　or　theywould　not　have　done　it。　It　pleased　them　also　to　strew　bread…crumbs　forus；　and　so　we　have　food；　and　may　consider　ourselves　provided　for。　So　Ithink　my　husband　and　I　will　stay　where　we　are；　although　we　are　notvery　happy；　but　we　shall　stay。〃

〃And　we　will　fly　into　the　country；〃　said　the　others；　〃to　see　ifspring　is　ing。〃　And　away　they　flew。

In　the　country　it　was　really　winter；　a　few　degrees　colder　thanin　the　town。　The　sharp　winds　blew　over　the　snow…covered　fields。　Thefarmer；　wrapped　in　warm　clothing；　sat　in　his　sleigh；　and　beat　his　armsacross　his　chest　to　keep　off　the　cold。　The　whip　lay　on　his　lap。　Thehorses　ran　till　they　smoked。　The　snow　crackled；　the　sparrows　hoppedabout　in　the　wheel…ruts；　and　shivered；　crying；　〃Tweet；　tweet；　whenwill　spring　e？　It　is　very　long　in　ing。〃

〃Very　long　indeed；〃　sounded　over　the　field；　from　the　nearestsnow…covered　hill。　It　might　have　been　the　echo　which　people　heard；or　perhaps　the　words　of　that　wonderful　old　man；　who　sat　high　on　a　heapof　snow；　regardless　of　wind　or　weather。　He　was　all　in　white；　he　had　ona　peasant's　coarse　white　coat　of　frieze。　He　had　long　white　hair；　apale　face；　and　large　clear　blue　eyes。　〃Who　is　that　old　man？〃　asked　thesparrows。

〃I　know　who　he　is；〃　said　an　old　raven；　who　sat　on　the　fence；　andwas　condescending　enough　to　acknowledge　that　we　are　all　equal　in　thesight　of　Heaven；　even　as　little　birds；　and　therefore　he　talked　withthe　sparrows；　and　gave　them　the　information　they　wanted。　〃I　know　whothe　old　man　is；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　Winter；　the　old　man　of　last　year；he　is　not　dead　yet；　as　the　calendar　says；　but　acts　as　guardian　tolittle　Prince　Spring　who　is　ing。　Winter　rules　here　still。　Ugh！the　cold　makes　you　shiver；　little　ones；　does　it　not？〃

〃There！　Did　I　not　tell　you　so？〃　said　the　smallest　of　the　sparrows。〃The　calendar　is　only　an　invention　of　man；　and　is　not　arrangedaccording　to　nature。　They　should　leave　these　things　to　us；　we　arecreated　so　much　more　clever　than　they　are。〃

One　week　passed；　and　then　another。　The　forest　looked　dark；　thehard…frozen　lake　lay　like　a　sheet　of　lead。　The　mountains　haddisappeared；　for　over　the　land　hung　damp；　icy　mists。　Large　black　crowsflew　about　in　silence；　it　was　as　if　nature　slept。　At　length　asunbeam　glided　over　the　lake；　and　it　shone　like　burnished　silver。But　the　snow　on　the　fields　and　the　hills　did　not　glitter　as　before。The　white　form　of　Winter　sat　there　still；　with　his　un…wandering　gazefixed　on　the　south。　He　did　not　perceive　that　the　snowy　carpet　seemedto　sink　as　it　were　into　the　earth；　that　here　and　there　a　littlegreen　patch　of　grass　appeared；　and　that　these　patches　were　coveredwith　sparrows。

〃Tee…wit；　tee…wit；　is　spring　ing　at　last？〃

Spring！　How　the　cry　resounded　over　field　and　meadow；　and　throughthe　dark…brown　woods；　where　the　fresh　green　moss　still　gleamed　onthe　trunks　of　the　trees；　and　from　the　south　came　the　two　firststorks　flying　through　the　air；　and　on　the　back　of　each　sat　a　lovelylittle　child；　a　boy　and　a　girl。　They　greeted　the　earth　with　a　kiss；and　wherever　they　placed　their　feet　white　flowers　sprung　up　frombeneath　the　snow。　Hand　in　hand　they　approached　the　old　ice…man；Winter；　embraced　him　and　clung　to　his　breast；　and　as　they　did　so；　in　amoment　all　three　were　enveloped　in　a　thick；　damp　mist；　dark　and　heavy；that　closed　over　them　like　a　veil。　The　wind　arose　with　mighty　rustlingtone；　and　cleared　away　the　mist。　Then　the　sun　shone　out　warmly。　Winterhad　vanished　away；　and　the　beautiful　children　of　Spring　sat　on　thethrone　of　the　year。

〃This　is　really　a　new　year；〃　cried　all　the　sparrows；　〃now　we　shallget　our　rights；　and　have　some　return　for　what　we　suffered　in　winter。〃

Wherever　the　two　children　wandered；　green　buds　burst　forth　on　bushand　tree；　the　grass　grew　higher；　and　the　corn…fields　became　lovelyin　delicate　green。

The　little　maiden　strewed　flowers　in　her　path。　She　held　herapron　before　her：　it　was　full　of　flowers；　it　was　as　if　they　sprunginto　life　there；　for　the　more　she　scattered　around　her；　the　moreflowers　did　her　apron　contain。　Eagerly　she　showered　snowy　blossomsover　apple　and　peach…trees；　so　that　they　stood　in　full　beauty　beforeeven　their　green　leaves　had　burst　from　the　bud。　Then　the　boy　and　thegirl　clapped　their　hands；　and　troops　of　birds　came　flying　by；　no　oneknew　from　whence；　and　they　all　twittered　and　chirped；　singing〃Spring　has　e！〃　How　beautiful　everything　was！　Many　an　old　dame　cameforth　from　her　door　into　the　sunshine；　and　shuffled　about　with　greatdelight；　glancing　at　the　golden　flowers　which　glittered　everywherein　the　fields；　as　they　used　to　do　in　her　young　days。　The　world　grewyoung　again　to　her；　as　she　said；　〃It　is　a　blessed　time　out　hereto…day。〃　The　forest　already　wore　its　dress　of　dark…green　buds。　Thethyme　blossomed　in　fresh　fragrance。　Primroses　and　anemones　sprungforth；　and　violets　bloomed　in　the　shade；　while　every　blade　of　grasswas　full　of　strength　and　sap。　Who　could　resist　sitting　down　on　sucha　beautiful　carpet？　and　then　the　young　children　of　Spring　seatedthemselves；　holding　each　other's　hands；　and　sang；　and　laughed；　andgrew。　A　gentle　rain　fell　upon　them　from　the　sky；　but　they　did　notnotice　it；　for　the　rain…drops　were　their　own　tears　of　joy。　They　kissedeach　other；　and　were　betrothed；　and　in　the　same　moment　the　buds　of　thetrees　unfolded；　and　when　the　sun　rose；　the　forest　was　green。　Hand　inhand　the　two　wandered　beneath　the　fresh　pendant　canopy　of　foliage；while　the　sun's　rays　gleamed　through　the　opening　of　the　shade；　inchanging　and　varied　colors。　The　delicate　young　leaves　filled　the　airwith　refreshing　odor。　Merrily　rippled　the　clear　brooks　and　rivuletsbetween　the　green；　velvety　rushes；　and　over　the　many…colored　pebblesbeneath。　All　nature　spoke　of　abundance　and　plenty。　The　cuckoo　sang；and　the　lark　carolled；　for　it　was　now　beautiful　spring。　The　carefulwillows　had；　however；　covered　their　blossoms　with　woolly　gloves；　andthis　carefulness　is　rather　tedious。　Days　and　weeks　went　by；　and　theheat　increased。　Warm　air　waved　the　corn　as　it　grew　golden　in　thesun。　The　white　northern　lily　spread　its　large　green　leaves　over　theglossy　mirror　of　the　woodland　lake；　and　the　fishes　sought　theshadows　beneath　them。　In　a　sheltered　part　of　the　wood；　the　sun　shoneupon　the　walls　of　a　farm…house；　brightening　the　blooming　roses；　andripening　the　black　juicy　berries；　which　hung　on　the　loadedcherry…trees；　with　his　hot　beams。　Here　sat　the　lovely　wife　ofSummer；　the　same　whom　we　have　seen　as　a　child　and　a　bride；　her　eyeswere　fixed　on　dark　gathering　clouds；　which　in　wavy　outlines　of　blackand　indigo　were　piling　themselves　up　like　mountains；　higher　andhigher。　They　came　from　every　side；　always　increasing　like　a　rising；rolling　sea。　Then　they　swooped　towards　the　forest；　where　every　soundhad　been　silenced　as　if　by　magic；　every　breath　hushed；　every　birdmute。　All　nature　stood　still　in　grave　suspense。　But　in　the　lanes　andthe　highways；　passengers　on　foot　or　in　carriages　were　hurrying　to　finda　place　of　shelter。　Then　came　a　flash　of　light；　as　if　the　sun　hadrushed　forth　from　the　sky；　flaming；　burning；　all…devouring；　anddarkness　returned　amid　a　rolling　crash　of　thunder。　The　rain　poureddown　in　streams；…　now　there　was　darkness；　then　blinding　light；…　nowthrilling　silence；　then　deafening　din。　The　young　brown　reeds　on　themoor　waved　to　and　fro　in　feathery　billows；　the　forest　boughs　werehidden　in　a　watery　mist；　and　still　light　and　darkness　followed　eachother；　still　came　the　silence　after　the　roar；　while　the　corn　a