安徒生童话-第2章

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We　were　staying　in　the　country　at　a　gentleman's　seat；　where　it

happened　that　the　master　was　absent　for　a　few　days。　In　the　meantime；

there　arrived　from　the　next　town　a　lady；　she　had　a　pug　dog　with　her；

and　came；　she　said；　to　dispose　of　shares　in　her　tan…yard。　She　had

her　papers　with　her；　and　we　advised　her　to　put　them　in　an　envelope；

and　to　write　thereon　the　address　of　the　proprietor　of　the　estate；

〃General　War…missary　Knight；〃　&c。

She　listened　to　us　attentively；　seized　the　pen；　paused；　and　begged

us　to　repeat　the　direction　slowly。　We　plied；　and　she　wrote；　but

in　the　midst　of　the　〃General　War…〃　she　struck　fast；　sighed　deeply；　and

said；　〃I　am　only　a　woman！〃　Her　Puggie　had　seated　itself　on　the

ground　while　she　wrote；　and　growled；　for　the　dog　had　e　with　her　for

amusement　and　for　the　sake　of　its　health；　and　then　the　bare　floor

ought　not　to　be　offered　to　a　visitor。　His　outward　appearance　was

characterized　by　a　snub　nose　and　a　very　fat　back。

〃He　doesn't　bite；〃　said　the　lady；　〃he　has　no　teeth。　He　is　like　one

of　the　family；　faithful　and　grumpy；　but　the　latter　is　my

grandchildren's　fault；　for　they　have　teased　him；　they　play　at　wedding；

and　want　to　give　him　the　part　of　the　bridesmaid；　and　that's　too　much

for　him；　poor　old　fellow。〃

And　she　delivered　her　papers；　and　took　Puggie　upon　her　arm。　And

this　is　the　first　part　of　the　story　which　might　have　been　left　out。

PUGGIE　DIED！！　That's　the　second　part。

It　was　about　a　week　afterwards　we　arrived　in　the　town；　and　put

up　at　the　inn。　Our　windows　looked　into　the　tan…yard；　which　was　divided

into　two　parts　by　a　partition　of　planks；　in　one　half　were　many　skins

and　hides；　raw　and　tanned。　Here　was　all　the　apparatus　necessary　to

carry　on　a　tannery；　and　it　belonged　to　the　widow。　Puggie　had　died　in

the　morning；　and　was　to　be　buried　in　this　part　of　the　yard；　the

grandchildren　of　the　widow　（that　is；　of　the　tanner's　widow；　for　Puggie

had　never　been　married）　filled　up　the　grave；　and　it　was　a　beautiful

grave…　it　must　have　been　quite　pleasant　to　lie　there。

The　grave　was　bordered　with　pieces　of　flower…pots　and　strewn

over　with　sand；　quite　at　the　top　they　had　stuck　up　half　a　beer　bottle；

with　the　neck　upwards；　and　that　was　not　at　all　allegorical。

The　children　danced　round　the　grave；　and　the　eldest　of　the　boys

among　them；　a　practical　youngster　of　seven　years；　made　the　proposition

that　there　should　be　an　exhibition　of　Puggie's　burial…place　for　all

who　lived　in　the　lane；　the　price　of　admission　was　to　be　a　trouser

button；　for　every　boy　would　be　sure　to　have　one；　and　each　might　also

give　one　for　a　little　girl。　This　proposal　was　adopted　by　acclamation。

And　all　the　children　out　of　the　lane…　yes；　even　out　of　the

little　lane　at　the　back…　flocked　to　the　place；　and　each　gave　a　button。

Many　were　noticed　to　go　about　on　that　afternoon　with　only　one

suspender；　but　then　they　had　seen　Puggie's　grave；　and　the　sight　was

worth　much　more。

But　in　front　of　the　tan…yard；　close　to　the　entrance；　stood　a

little　girl　clothed　in　rags；　very　pretty　to　look　at；　with　curly

hair；　and　eyes　so　blue　and　clear　that　it　was　a　pleasure　to　look　into

them。　The　child　said　not　a　word；　nor　did　she　cry；　but　each　time　the

little　door　was　opened　she　gave　a　long；　long　look　into　the　yard。　She

had　not　a　button…　that　she　knew　right　well；　and　therefore　she　remained

standing　sorrowfully　outside；　till　all　the　others　had　seen　the　grave

and　had　gone　away；　then　she　sat　down；　held　her　little　brown　hands

before　her　eyes；　and　burst　into　tears；　this　girl　alone　had　not　seen

Puggie's　grave。　It　was　a　grief　as　great　to　her　as　any　grown　person　can

experience。

We　saw　this　from　above；　and　looked　at　from　above；　how　many　a　grief

of　our　own　and　of　others　can　make　us　smile！　That　is　the　story；　and

whoever　does　not　understand　it　may　go　and　purchase　a　share　in　the

tan…yard　from　the　window。

THE　END

。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　A　LEAF　FROM　HEAVEN

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

HIGH　up　in　the　clear；　pure　air　flew　an　angel；　with　a　flowerplucked　from　the　garden　of　heaven。　As　he　was　kissing　the　flower　a　verylittle　leaf　fell　from　it　and　sunk　down　into　the　soft　earth　in　themiddle　of　a　wood。　It　immediately　took　root；　sprouted；　and　sent　outshoots　among　the　other　plants。

〃What　a　ridiculous　little　shoot！〃　said　one。　〃No　one　will　recognizeit；　not　even　the　thistle　nor　the　stinging…tle。〃

〃It　must　be　a　kind　of　garden　plant；〃　said　another；　and　so　theysneered　and　despised　the　plant　as　a　thing　from　a　garden。

〃Where　are　you　ing？〃　said　the　tall　thistles　whose　leaves　wereall　armed　with　thorns。　〃It　is　stupid　nonsense　to　allow　yourself　toshoot　out　in　this　way；　we　are　not　here　to　support　you。〃

Winter　came；　and　the　plant　was　covered　with　snow；　but　the　snowglittered　over　it　as　if　it　had　sunshine　beneath　as　well　as　above。

When　spring　came；　the　plant　appeared　in　full　bloom：　a　morebeautiful　object　than　any　other　plant　in　the　forest。　And　now　theprofessor　of　botany　presented　himself；　one　who　could　explain　hisknowledge　in　black　and　white。　He　examined　and　tested　the　plant；　but　itdid　not　belong　to　his　system　of　botany；　nor　could　he　possibly　find　outto　what　class　it　did　belong。　〃It　must　be　some　degenerate　species；〃said　he；　〃I　do　not　know　it；　and　it　is　not　mentioned　in　any　system。〃

〃Not　known　in　any　system！〃　repeated　the　thistles　and　the　tles。

The　large　trees　which　grew　round　it　saw　the　plant　and　heard　theremarks；　but　they　said　not　a　word　either　good　or　bad；　which　is　thewisest　plan　for　those　who　are　ignorant。

There　passed　through　the　forest　a　poor　innocent　girl；　her　heartwas　pure；　and　her　understanding　increased　by　her　faith。　Her　chiefinheritance　had　been　an　old　Bible；　which　she　read　and　valued。　From　itspages　she　heard　the　voice　of　God　speaking　to　her；　and　telling　her　toremember　what　was　said　of　Joseph's　brethren　when　persons　wished　toinjure　her。　〃They　imagined　evil　in　their　hearts；　but　God　turned　itto　good。〃　If　we　suffer　wrongfully；　if　we　are　misunderstood　ordespised；　we　must　think　of　Him　who　was　pure　and　holy；　and　who　prayedfor　those　who　nailed　Him　to　the　cross；　〃Father　forgive　them；　forthey　know　not　what　they　do。〃

The　girl　stood　still　before　the　wonderful　plant；　for　the　greenleaves　exhaled　a　sweet　and　refreshing　fragrance；　and　the　flowersglittered　and　sparkled　in　the　sunshine　like　colored　flames；　and　theharmony　of　sweet　sounds　lingered　round　them　as　if　each　concealedwithin　itself　a　deep　fount　of　melody；　which　thousands　of　years　couldnot　exhaust。　With　pious　gratitude　the　girl　looked　upon　this　gloriouswork　of　God；　and　bent　down　over　one　of　the　branches；　that　she　mightexamine　the　flower　and　inhale　the　sweet　perfume。　Then　a　light　broke　inon　her　mind；　and　her　heart　expanded。　Gladly　would　she　have　plucked　aflower；　but　she　could　not　overe　her　reluctance　to　break　one　off。She　knew　it　would　so　soon　fade；　so　she　took　only　a　single　greenleaf；　carried　it　home；　and　laid　it　in　her　Bible；　where　it　remainedever　green；　fresh；　and　unfading。　Between　the　pages　of　the　Bible　itstill　lay　when；　a　few　weeks　afterwards；　that　Bible　was　laid　underthe　young　girl's　head　in　her　coffin。　A　holy　calm　rested　on　her　face；as　if　the　earthly　remains　bore　the　impress　of　the　truth　that　she　nowstood　in　the　presence　of　God。

In　the　forest　the　wonderful　plant　still　continued　to　bloom　till　itgrew　and　became　almost　a　tree；　and　all　the　birds　of　passage　bowedthemselves　before　it。

〃That　plant　is　a　foreigner；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　thistles　and　theburdocks。　〃We　can　never　conduct　ourselves　like　that　in　thiscountry。〃　And　the　black　forest　snails　actually　spat　at　the　flower。

Then　came　the　swineherd；　he　was　collecting　thistles　and　shrubsto　burn　them　for　the　ashes。　He　pulled　up　the　wonderful　plant；　rootsand　all；　and　placed　it　in　his　bundle。　〃This　will　be　as　useful　as　any；〃he　said；　so　the　plant　was　carried　away。

Not　long　after；　the　king　of　the　country　suffered　from　thedeepest　melancholy。　He　was　diligent　and　industrious；　but　employmentdid　him　no　good。　They　read　deep　and　learned　books　to　him；　and　then　thelightest　and　most　trifling　that　could　be　found；　but　all　to　no　purpose。Then　they　applied　for　advice　to　one　of　the　wise　men　of　the　world；and　he　sent　them　a　message　to　say　that　there　was　one　remedy　whichwould　relieve　and　cure　him；　and　that　it　was　a　plant　of　heavenly　originwhich　grew　in　the　forest　in　the　king's　own　dominions。　The　messengerdescribed　the　flower　so　that　is　appearance　could　not　be　mistaken。

Then　said　the　swineherd；　〃I　am　afraid　I　carried　this　plant　awayfrom　the　forest　in　my　bundle；　and　it　has　been　burnt　to　ashes　long　ago。But　I　did　not　know　any　better。〃

〃You　did　not　know；　any　better！　Ignorance　upon　ignorance　indeed！〃

The　poor　swineherd　took　these　words　to　heart；　for　they　wereaddressed　to　him；　he　knew　not　that　there　were　others　who　wereequally　ignorant。　Not　even　a　leaf　of　the　plant　could　be　found。　Therewas　one；　but　it　lay　in　the　coffin　of　the　dead；　no　one　knew　anythingabout　it。

Then　the　king；　in　his　melancholy；　wandered　out　to　the　spot　inthe　wood。　〃Here　is　where　the　plant　stood；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　sacredplace。〃　Then　he　ordered　that　the　place　should　be　surrounded　with　agolden　railing；　and　a　sentry　stationed　near　it。

Th