安徒生童话-第187章

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nguage　overthe　whole　earth…　up　in　the　North　and　in　Egypt。　And　then　men　are　notable　to　fly；　moreover。　They　rush　along　by　means　of　an　invention　theycall　'railway；'　but　they　often　break　their　necks　over　it。　It　makesmy　beak　turn　cold　when　I　think　of　it。　The　world　could　get　on　withoutmen。　We　could　do　without　them　very　well；　so　long　as　we　only　keep　frogsand　earth…worms。〃

〃That　was　a　powerful　speech；〃　thought　the　little　Toad。　〃What　agreat　man　that　is　yonder！　and　how　high　he　sits！　Higher　than　ever　I　sawany　one　sit　yet；　and　how　he　can　swim！〃　she　cried；　as　the　Storksoared　away　through　the　air　with　outspread　pinions。

And　the　Mother…Stork　began　talking　in　the　nest；　and　told　aboutEgypt　and　the　waters　of　the　Nile；　and　the　inparable　mud　that　was　tobe　found　in　that　strange　land；　and　all　this　sounded　new　and　verycharming　to　the　little　Toad。

〃I　must　go　to　Egypt！〃　said　she。　〃If　the　Stork　or　one　of　hisyoung　ones　would　only　take　me！　I　would　oblige　him　in　return。　Yes；　Ishall　get　to　Egypt；　for　I　feel　so　happy！　All　the　longing　and　all　thepleasure　that　I　feel　is　much　better　than　having　a　jewel　in　one'shead。〃

And　it　was　just　she　who　had　the　jewel。　That　jewel　was　thecontinual　striving　and　desire　to　go　upward…　ever　upward。　It　gleamed　inher　head；　gleamed　in　joy；　beamed　brightly　in　her　longing。

Then；　suddenly；　up　came　the　Stork。　He　had　seen　the　Toad　in　thegrass；　and　stooped　down　and　seized　the　little　creature　anything　butgently。　The　Stork's　beak　pinched　her；　and　the　wind　whistled；　it　wasnot　exactly　agreeable；　but　she　was　going　upward…　upward　towards　Egypt…and　she　knew　it；　and　that　was　why　her　eyes　gleamed；　and　a　spark　seemedto　fly　out　of　them。

〃Quunk！…　ah！〃

The　body　was　dead…　the　Toad　was　killed！　But　the　spark　that　hadshot　forth　from　her　eyes；　what　became　of　that？

The　sunbeam　took　it　up；　the　sunbeam　carried　the　jewel　from　thehead　of　the　toad。　Whither？

Ask　not　the　naturalist；　rather　ask　the　poet。　He　will　tell　itthee　under　the　guise　of　a　fairy　tale；　and　the　Caterpillar　on　thecabbage；　and　the　Stork　family　belong　to　the　story。　Think！　theCaterpillar　is　changed；　and　turns　into　a　beautiful　butterfly；　theStork　family　flies　over　mountains　and　seas；　to　the　distant　Africa；　andyet　finds　the　shortest　way　home　to　the　same　country…　to　the　same　roof。Nay；　that　is　almost　too　improbable；　and　yet　it　is　true。　You　may　askthe　naturalist；　he　will　confess　it　is　so；　and　you　know　it　yourself；for　you　have　seen　it。

But　the　jewel　in　the　head　of　the　toad？

Seek　it　in　the　sun；　see　it　there　if　you　can。

The　brightness　is　too　dazzling　there。　We　have　not　yet　such　eyes　ascan　see　into　the　glories　which　God　has　created；　but　we　shall　receivethem　by…and…by；　and　that　will　be　the　most　beautiful　story　of　all；and　we　shall　all　have　our　share　in　it。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　TOP　AND　BALL

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　WHIPPING　TOP　and　a　little　ball　lay　together　in　a　box；　amongother　toys；　and　the　top　said　to　the　ball；　〃Shall　we　be　married；　aswe　live　in　the　same　box？〃

But　the　ball；　which　wore　a　dress　of　morocco　leather；　and　thoughtas　much　of　herself　as　any　other　young　lady；　would　not　evencondescend　to　reply。

The　next　day　came　the　little　boy　to　whom　the　playthingsbelonged；　and　he　painted　the　top　red　and　yellow；　and　drove　abrass…headed　nail　into　the　middle；　so　that　while　the　top　wasspinning　round　it　looked　splendid。

〃Look　at　me；〃　said　the　top　to　the　ball。　〃What　do　you　say　now？Shall　we　be　engaged　to　each　other？　We　should　suit　so　well；　you　spring；and　I　dance。　No　one　could　be　happier　than　we　should　be。〃

〃Indeed！　do　you　think　so？　Perhaps　you　do　not　know　that　my　fatherand　mother　were　morocco　slippers；　and　that　I　have　a　Spanish　cork　in　mybody。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　made　of　mahogany；〃　said　the　top。　〃The　major　himselfturned　me。　He　has　a　turning　lathe　of　his　own；　and　it　is　a　greatamusement　to　him。〃

〃Can　I　believe　it？〃　asked　the　ball。

〃May　I　never　be　whipped　again；〃　said　the　top；　〃if　I　am　not　tellingyou　the　truth。〃

〃You　certainly　know　how　to　speak　for　yourself　very　well；〃　said　theball；　〃but　I　cannot　accept　your　proposal。　I　am　almost　engaged　to　aswallow。　Every　time　I　fly　up　in　the　air；　he　puts　his　head　out　of　thenest；　and　says；　'Will　you？'　and　I　have　said；　'Yes；'　to　myselfsilently；　and　that　is　as　good　as　being　half　engaged；　but　I　willpromise　never　to　forget　you。〃

〃Much　good　that　will　be　to　me；〃　said　the　top；　and　they　spoke　toeach　other　no　more。

Next　day　the　ball　was　taken　out　by　the　boy。　The　top　saw　itflying　high　in　the　air；　like　a　bird；　till　it　would　go　quite　out　ofsight。　Each　time　it　came　back；　as　it　touched　the　earth；　it　gave　ahigher　leap　than　before；　either　because　it　longed　to　fly　upwards；　orfrom　having　a　Spanish　cork　in　its　body。　But　the　ninth　time　it　rosein　the　air；　it　remained　away；　and　did　not　return。　The　boy　searchedeverywhere　for　it；　but　he　searched　in　vain；　for　it　could　not　be　found；it　was　gone。

〃I　know　very　well　where　she　is；〃　sighed　the　top；　〃she　is　in　theswallow's　nest；　and　has　married　the　swallow。〃

The　more　the　top　thought　of　this；　the　more　he　longed　for　the　ball。His　love　increased　the　more；　just　because　he　could　not　get　her；　andthat　she　should　have　been　won　by　another；　was　the　worst　of　all。　Thetop　still　twirled　about　and　hummed；　but　he　continued　to　think　of　theball；　and　the　more　he　thought　of　her；　the　more　beautiful　she　seemed　tohis　fancy。

Thus　several　years　passed　by；　and　his　love　became　quite　old。　Thetop；　also；　was　no　longer　young；　but　there　came　a　day　when　he　lookedhandsomer　than　ever；　for　he　was　gilded　all　over。　He　was　now　a　goldentop；　and　whirled　and　danced　about　till　he　hummed　quite　loud；　and　wassomething　worth　looking　at；　but　one　day　he　leaped　too　high；　and　thenhe；　also；　was　gone。　They　searched　everywhere；　even　in　the　cellar；but　he　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　Where　could　he　be？　He　had　jumpedinto　the　dust…bin；　where　all　sorts　of　rubbish　were　lying：cabbage…stalks；　dust；　and　rain…droppings　that　had　fallen　down　from　thegutter　under　the　roof。

〃Now　I　am　in　a　nice　place；〃　said　he；　〃my　gilding　will　soon　bewashed　off　here。　Oh　dear；　what　a　set　of　rabble　I　have　got　amongst！〃And　then　he　glanced　at　a　curious　round　thing　like　an　old　apple；which　lay　near　a　long；　leafless　cabbage…stalk。　It　was；　however；　not　anapple；　but　an　old　ball；　which　had　lain　for　years　in　the　gutter；　andwas　soaked　through　with　water。

〃Thank　goodness；　here　es　one　of　my　own　class；　with　whom　I　cantalk；〃　said　the　ball；　examining　the　gilded　top。　〃I　am　made　ofmorocco；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　sewn　together　by　a　young　lady；　and　I　have　aSpanish　cork　in　my　body；　but　no　one　would　think　it；　to　look　at　me　now。I　was　once　engaged　to　a　swallow；　but　I　fell　in　here　from　the　gutterunder　the　roof；　and　I　have　lain　here　more　than　five　years；　and　havebeen　thoroughly　drenched。　Believe　me；　it　is　a　long　time　for　a　youngmaiden。〃

The　top　said　nothing；　but　he　thought　of　his　old　love；　and　the　moreshe　said；　the　more　clear　it　became　to　him　that　this　was　the　same　ball。

The　servant　then　came　to　clean　out　the　dust…bin。

〃Ah；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃here　is　a　gilt　top。〃　So　the　top　wasbrought　again　to　notice　and　honor；　but　nothing　more　was　heard　of　thelittle　ball。　He　spoke　not　a　word　about　his　old　love；　for　that　soondied　away。　When　the　beloved　object　has　lain　for　five　years　in　agutter；　and　has　been　drenched　through；　no　one　cares　to　know　heragain　on　meeting　her　in　a　dust…bin。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　TRAVELLING　PANION

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

POOR　John　was　very　sad；　for　his　father　was　so　ill；　he　had　nohope　of　his　recovery。　John　sat　alone　with　the　sick　man　in　the　littleroom；　and　the　lamp　had　nearly　burnt　out；　for　it　was　late　in　the　night。

〃You　have　been　a　good　son；　John；〃　said　the　sick　father；　〃and　Godwill　help　you　on　in　the　world。〃　He　looked　at　him；　as　he　spoke；　withmild；　earnest　eyes；　drew　a　deep　sigh；　and　died；　yet　it　appeared　asif　he　still　slept。

John　wept　bitterly。　He　had　no　one　in　the　wide　world　now；　neitherfather；　mother；　brother；　nor　sister。　Poor　John！　he　knelt　down　by　thebed；　kissed　his　dead　father's　hand；　and　wept　many；　many　bittertears。　But　at　last　his　eyes　closed；　and　he　fell　asleep　with　his　headresting　against　the　hard　bedpost。　Then　he　dreamed　a　strange　dream；he　thought　he　saw　the　sun　shining　upon　him；　and　his　father　alive　andwell；　and　even　heard　him　laughing　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　veryhappy。　A　beautiful　girl；　with　a　golden　crown　on　her　head；　and　long；shining　hair；　gave　him　her　hand；　and　his　father　said；　〃See　what　abride　you　have　won。　She　is　the　loveliest　maiden　on　the　whole　earth。〃Then　he　awoke；　and　all　the　beautiful　things　vanished　before　hiseyes；　his　father　lay　dead　on　the　bed；　and　he　was　all　alone。　Poor　John！

During　the　following　week　the　dead　man　was　buried。　The　sonwalked　behind　the　coffin　which　contained　his　father；　whom　he　so　dearlyloved；　and　would　never　again　behold。　He　heard　the　earth　fall　on　thecoffin…lid；　and　watched　it　till　only　a　corner　remained　in　sight；　andat　last　that　also　disappeared。　He　felt　as　if　his　heart　would　breakwith　its　weight　of　sorrow；　till　those　who　stood　round　the　grave　sang　apsalm；　and　the　sweet；　holy　tones　brought　tears　into　his　eyes；　whichrelieved　him。　The　sun　shone　brightly　down　on　the　green　trees；　as　if　itwould　say；　〃You　must　not　be　so　sorrowful；　John。