安徒生童话-第188章

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sun　shone　brightly　down　on　the　green　trees；　as　if　itwould　say；　〃You　must　not　be　so　sorrowful；　John。　Do　you　see　thebeautiful　blue　sky　above　you？　Your　father　is　up　there；　and　he　prays　tothe　loving　Father　of　all；　that　you　may　do　well　in　the　future。〃

〃I　will　always　be　good；〃　said　John；　〃and　then　I　shall　go　to　bewith　my　father　in　heaven。　What　joy　it　will　be　when　we　see　each　otheragain！　How　much　I　shall　have　to　relate　to　him；　and　how　many　thingshe　will　be　able　to　explain　to　me　of　the　delights　of　heaven；　andteach　me　as　he　once　did　on　earth。　Oh；　what　joy　it　will　be！〃

He　pictured　it　all　so　plainly　to　himself；　that　he　smiled　evenwhile　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。

The　little　birds　in　the　chestnut…trees　twittered；　〃Tweet；tweet；〃　they　were　so　happy；　although　they　had　seen　the　funeral；　butthey　seemed　as　if　they　knew　that　the　dead　man　was　now　in　heaven；　andthat　he　had　wings　much　larger　and　more　beautiful　than　their　own；　andhe　was　happy　now；　because　he　had　been　good　here　on　earth；　and　theywere　glad　of　it。　John　saw　them　fly　away　out　of　the　green　trees　intothe　wide　world；　and　he　longed　to　fly　with　them；　but　first　he　cut　out　alarge　wooden　cross；　to　place　on　his　father's　grave；　and　when　hebrought　it　there　in　the　evening；　he　found　the　grave　decked　out　withgravel　and　flowers。　Strangers　had　done　this；　they　who　had　known　thegood　old　father　who　was　now　dead；　and　who　had　loved　him　very　much。

Early　the　next　morning；　John　packed　up　his　little　bundle　ofclothes；　and　placed　all　his　money；　which　consisted　of　fifty　dollarsand　a　few　shillings；　in　his　girdle；　with　this　he　determined　to　try　hisfortune　in　the　world。　But　first　he　went　into　the　churchyard；　and；　byhis　father's　grave；　he　offered　up　a　prayer；　and　said；　〃Farewell。〃

As　he　passed　through　the　fields；　all　the　flowers　looked　freshand　beautiful　in　the　warm　sunshine；　and　nodded　in　the　wind；　as　if　theywished　to　say；　〃Wele　to　the　green　wood；　where　all　is　fresh　andbright。〃

Then　John　turned　to　have　one　more　look　at　the　old　church；　in　whichhe　had　been　christened　in　his　infancy；　and　where　his　father　hadtaken　him　every　Sunday　to　hear　the　service　and　join　in　singing　thepsalms。　As　he　looked　at　the　old　tower；　he　espied　the　ringer　standingat　one　of　the　narrow　openings；　with　his　little　pointed　red　cap　onhis　head；　and　shading　his　eyes　from　the　sun　with　his　bent　arm。　Johnnodded　farewell　to　him；　and　the　little　ringer　waved　his　red　cap；laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　him　a　great　manytimes；　to　show　that　he　felt　kindly　towards　him；　and　wished　him　aprosperous　journey。

John　continued　his　journey；　and　thought　of　all　the　wonderfulthings　he　should　see　in　the　large；　beautiful　world；　till　he　foundhimself　farther　away　from　home　than　ever　he　had　been　before。　He　didnot　even　know　the　names　of　the　places　he　passed　through；　and　couldscarcely　understand　the　language　of　the　people　he　met；　for　he　wasfar　away；　in　a　strange　land。　The　first　night　he　slept　on　a　haystack；out　in　the　fields；　for　there　was　no　other　bed　for　him；　but　it　seemedto　him　so　nice　and　fortable　that　even　a　king　need　not　wish　for　abetter。　The　field；　the　brook；　the　haystack；　with　the　blue　sky　above；formed　a　beautiful　sleeping…room。　The　green　grass；　with　the　little　redand　white　flowers；　was　the　carpet；　the　elder…bushes　and　the　hedgesof　wild　roses　looked　like　garlands　on　the　walls；　and　for　a　bath　hecould　have　the　clear；　fresh　water　of　the　brook；　while　the　rushes　bowedtheir　heads　to　him；　to　wish　him　good　morning　and　good　evening。　Themoon；　like　a　large　lamp；　hung　high　up　in　the　blue　ceiling；　and　hehad　no　fear　of　its　setting　fire　to　his　curtains。　John　slept　here　quitesafely　all　night；　and　when　he　awoke；　the　sun　was　up；　and　all　thelittle　birds　were　singing　round　him；　〃Good　morning；　good　morning。Are　you　not　up　yet？〃

It　was　Sunday；　and　the　bells　were　ringing　for　church。　As　thepeople　went　in；　John　followed　them；　he　heard　God's　word；　joined　insinging　the　psalms；　and　listened　to　the　preacher。　It　seemed　to　himjust　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　church；　where　he　had　been　christened；and　had　sung　the　psalms　with　his　father。　Out　in　the　churchyard　wereseveral　graves；　and　on　some　of　them　the　grass　had　grown　very　high。John　thought　of　his　father's　grave；　which　he　knew　at　last　would　looklike　these；　as　he　was　not　there　to　weed　and　attend　to　it。　Then　heset　to　work；　pulled　up　the　high　grass；　raised　the　wooden　crosses　whichhad　fallen　down；　and　replaced　the　wreaths　which　had　been　blown　awayfrom　their　places　by　the　wind；　thinking　all　the　time；　〃Perhaps　someone　is　doing　the　same　for　my　father's　grave；　as　I　am　not　there　to　doit　〃

Outside　the　church　door　stood　an　old　beggar；　leaning　on　hiscrutch。　John　gave　him　his　silver　shillings；　and　then　he　continuedhis　journey；　feeling　lighter　and　happier　than　ever。　Towards　evening；the　weather　became　very　stormy；　and　he　hastened　on　as　quickly　as　hecould；　to　get　shelter；　but　it　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　he　reacheda　little　lonely　church　which　stood　on　a　hill。　〃I　will　go　in　here；〃he　said；　〃and　sit　down　in　a　corner；　for　I　am　quite　tired；　and　wantrest。〃

So　he　went　in；　and　seated　himself；　then　he　folded　his　hands；　andoffered　up　his　evening　prayer；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　anddreaming；　while　the　thunder　rolled　and　the　lightning　flashedwithout。　When　he　awoke；　it　was　still　night；　but　the　storm　hadceased；　and　the　moon　shone　in　upon　him　through　the　windows。　Then　hesaw　an　open　coffin　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　church；　whichcontained　a　dead　man；　waiting　for　burial。　John　was　not　at　all　timid；he　had　a　good　conscience；　and　he　knew　also　that　the　dead　can　neverinjure　any　one。　It　is　living　wicked　men　who　do　harm　to　others。　Twosuch　wicked　persons　stood　now　by　the　dead　man；　who　had　been　brought　tothe　church　to　be　buried。　Their　evil　intentions　were　to　throw　thepoor　dead　body　outside　the　church　door；　and　not　leave　him　to　rest　inhis　coffin。

〃Why　do　you　do　this？〃　asked　John；　when　he　saw　what　they　were　goingto　do；　〃it　is　very　wicked。　Leave　him　to　rest　in　peace；　in　Christ'sname。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　the　two　dreadful　men。　〃He　has　cheated　us；　heowed　us　money　which　he　could　not　pay；　and　now　he　is　dead　we　shallnot　get　a　penny；　so　we　mean　to　have　our　revenge；　and　let　him　lielike　a　dog　outside　the　church　door。〃

〃I　have　only　fifty　dollars；〃　said　John；　〃it　is　all　I　possess　inthe　world；　but　I　will　give　it　to　you　if　you　will　promise　me　faithfullyto　leave　the　dead　man　in　peace。　I　shall　be　able　to　get　on　withoutthe　money；　I　have　strong　and　healthy　limbs；　and　God　will　always　helpme。〃

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　the　horrid　men；　〃if　you　will　pay　his　debtwe　will　both　promise　not　to　touch　him。　You　may　depend　upon　that；〃and　then　they　took　the　money　he　offered　them；　laughed　at　him　for　hisgood　nature；　and　went　their　way。

Then　he　laid　the　dead　body　back　in　the　coffin；　folded　the　hands；and　took　leave　of　it；　and　went　away　contentedly　through　the　greatforest。　All　around　him　he　could　see　the　prettiest　little　elves　dancingin　the　moonlight；　which　shone　through　the　trees。　They　were　notdisturbed　by　his　appearance；　for　they　knew　he　was　good　and　harmlessamong　men。　They　are　wicked　people　only　who　can　never　obtain　aglimpse　of　fairies。　Some　of　them　were　not　taller　than　the　breadth　of　afinger；　and　they　wore　golden　bs　in　their　long；　yellow　hair。　Theywere　rocking　themselves　two　together　on　the　large　dew…drops　with　whichthe　leaves　and　the　high　grass　were　sprinkled。　Sometimes　thedew…drops　would　roll　away；　and　then　they　fell　down　between　the　stemsof　the　long　grass；　and　caused　a　great　deal　of　laughing　and　noise　amongthe　other　little　people。　It　was　quite　charming　to　watch　them　atplay。　Then　they　sang　songs；　and　John　remembered　that　he　had　learntthose　pretty　songs　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　Large　speckled　spiders；with　silver　crowns　on　their　heads；　were　employed　to　spin　suspensionbridges　and　palaces　from　one　hedge　to　another；　and　when　the　tiny　dropsfell　upon　them；　they　glittered　in　the　moonlight　like　shining　glass。This　continued　till　sunrise。　Then　the　little　elves　crept　into　theflower…buds；　and　the　wind　seized　the　bridges　and　palaces；　andfluttered　them　in　the　air　like　cobwebs。

As　John　left　the　wood；　a　strong　man's　voice　called　after　him；〃Hallo；　rade；　where　are　you　travelling？〃

〃Into　the　wide　world；〃　he　replied；　〃I　am　only　a　poor　lad；　I　haveneither　father　nor　mother；　but　God　will　help　me。〃

〃I　am　going　into　the　wide　world　also；〃　replied　the　stranger；〃shall　we　keep　each　other　pany？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　he　said；　and　so　they　went　on　together。　Soonthey　began　to　like　each　other　very　much；　for　they　were　both　good；but　John　found　out　that　the　stranger　was　much　more　clever　thanhimself。　He　had　travelled　all　over　the　world；　and　could　describealmost　everything。　The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　they　seatedthemselves　under　a　large　tree　to　eat　their　breakfast；　and　at　thesame　moment　an　old　woman　came　towards　them。　She　was　very　old　andalmost　bent　double。　She　leaned　upon　a　stick　and　carried　on　her　backa　bundle　of　firewood；　which　she　had　collected　in　the　forest；　her　apronwas　tied　round　it；　and　John　saw　three　great　stems　of　fern　and　somewillow　twigs　peeping　out。　just　as　she　came　close　up　to　them；　herfoot　slipped　and　she　fell　to　the　ground　screaming　loudly；　poor　oldwoman；　she　had　broken　her　leg！　John　proposed　directly　that　they　shouldcarry　the　old　woman　home　to　her　cottage；　but　the　stranger　opened　hisk