安徒生童话-第21章

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ssing　above　him。

And　Holger　Danske　did　dream　of　the　little　humble　room　in　which　theimage…carver　sat；　he　heard　all　that　had　been　said；　and　he　nodded　inhis　dream；　saying；　〃Ah；　yes；　remember　me；　you　Danish　people；　keep　mein　your　memory；　I　will　e　to　you　in　the　hour　of　need。〃

The　bright　morning　light　shone　over　Kronenburg；　and　the　windbrought　the　sound　of　the　hunting…horn　across　from　the　neighboringshores。　The　ships　sailed　by　and　saluted　the　castle　with　the　boom　ofthe　cannon；　and　Kronenburg　returned　the　salute；　〃Boom；　boom。〃　Butthe　roaring　cannons　did　not　awake　Holger　Danske；　for　they　meant　only〃Good　morning；〃　and　〃Thank　you。〃　They　must　fire　in　another　fashionbefore　he　awakes；　but　wake　he　will；　for　there　is　energy　yet　inHolger　Danske。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

IB　AND　LITTLE　CHRISTINA

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　the　forest　that　extends　from　the　banks　of　the　Gudenau；　in　NorthJutland；　a　long　way　into　the　country；　and　not　far　from　the　clearstream；　rises　a　great　ridge　of　land；　which　stretches　through　thewood　like　a　wall。　Westward　of　this　ridge；　and　not　far　from　theriver；　stands　a　farmhouse；　surrounded　by　such　poor　land　that　the　sandysoil　shows　itself　between　the　scanty　ears　of　rye　and　wheat　whichgrow　in　it。　Some　years　have　passed　since　the　people　who　lived　herecultivated　these　fields；　they　kept　three　sheep；　a　pig；　and　two　oxen；in　fact　they　maintained　themselves　very　well；　they　had　quite　enough　tolive　upon；　as　people　generally　have　who　are　content　with　their　lot。They　even　could　have　afforded　to　keep　two　horses；　but　it　was　asaying　among　the　farmers　in　those　parts；　〃The　horse　eats　himselfup；〃　that　is　to　say；　he　eats　as　much　as　he　earns。　Jeppe　Janscultivated　his　fields　in　summer；　and　in　the　winter　he　made　woodenshoes。　He　also　had　an　assistant；　a　lad　who　understood　as　well　as　hehimself　did　how　to　make　wooden　shoes　strong；　but　light；　and　in　thefashion。　They　carved　shoes　and　spoons；　which　paid　well；　therefore　noone　could　justly　call　Jeppe　Jans　and　his　family　poor　people。　LittleIb；　a　boy　of　seven　years　old　and　the　only　child；　would　sit　by；watching　the　workmen；　or　cutting　a　stick；　and　sometimes　his　fingerinstead　of　the　stick。　But　one　day　Ib　succeeded　so　well　in　hiscarving　that　he　made　two　pieces　of　wood　look　really　like　two　littlewooden　shoes；　and　he　determined　to　give　them　as　a　present　to　LittleChristina。

〃And　who　was　Little　Christina？〃　She　was　the　boatman's　daughter；graceful　and　delicate　as　the　child　of　a　gentleman；　had　she　beendressed　differently；　no　one　would　have　believed　that　she　lived　in　ahut　on　the　neighboring　heath　with　her　father。　He　was　a　widower；　andearned　his　living　by　carrying　firewood　in　his　large　boat　from　theforest　to　the　eel…pond　and　eel…weir；　on　the　estate　of　Silkborg；　andsometimes　even　to　the　distant　town　of　Randers。　There　was　no　oneunder　whose　care　he　could　leave　Little　Christina；　so　she　was　almostalways　with　him　in　his　boat；　or　playing　in　the　wood　among　theblossoming　heath；　or　picking　the　ripe　wild　berries。　Sometimes；　whenher　father　had　to　go　as　far　as　the　town；　he　would　take　LittleChristina；　who　was　a　year　younger　than　Ib；　across　the　heath　to　thecottage　of　Jeppe　Jans；　and　leave　her　there。　Ib　and　Christina　agreedtogether　in　everything；　they　divided　their　bread　and　berries　when　theywere　hungry；　they　were　partners　in　digging　their　little　gardens；they　ran；　and　crept；　and　played　about　everywhere。　Once　they　wandered　along　way　into　the　forest；　and　even　ventured　together　to　climb　the　highridge。　Another　time　they　found　a　few　snipes'　eggs　in　the　wood；　whichwas　a　great　event。　Ib　had　never　been　on　the　heath　where　Christina'sfather　lived；　nor　on　the　river；　but　at　last　came　an　opportunity。Christina's　father　invited　him　to　go　for　a　sail　in　his　boat；　and　theevening　before；　he　acpanied　the　boatman　across　the　heath　to　hishouse。　The　next　morning　early；　the　two　children　were　placed　on　the　topof　a　high　pile　of　firewood　in　the　boat；　and　sat　eating　bread　andwild　strawberries；　while　Christina's　father　and　his　man　drove　the　boatforward　with　poles。　They　floated　on　swiftly；　for　the　tide　was　in　theirfavor；　passing　over　lakes；　formed　by　the　stream　in　its　course；sometimes　they　seemed　quite　enclosed　by　reeds　and　water…plants；　yetthere　was　always　room　for　them　to　pass　out；　although　the　old　treesoverhung　the　water　and　the　old　oaks　stretched　out　their　bare　branches；as　if　they　had　turned　up　their　sleeves　and　wished　to　show　theirknotty；　naked　arms。　Old　alder…trees；　whose　roots　were　loosened　fromthe　banks；　clung　with　their　fibres　to　the　bottom　of　the　stream；　andthe　tops　of　the　branches　above　the　water　looked　like　little　woodyislands。　The　water…lilies　waved　themselves　to　and　fro　on　the　river；everything　made　the　excursion　beautiful；　and　at　last　they　came　tothe　great　eel…weir；　where　the　water　rushed　through　the　flood…gates；and　the　children　thought　this　a　beautiful　sight。　In　those　days　therewas　no　factory　nor　any　town　house；　nothing　but　the　great　farm；　withits　scanty…bearing　fields；　in　which　could　be　seen　a　few　herd　ofcattle；　and　one　or　two　farm　laborers。　The　rushing　of　the　water　throughthe　sluices；　and　the　scream　of　the　wild　ducks；　were　almost　the　onlysigns　of　active　life　at　Silkborg。　After　the　firewood　had　beenunloaded；　Christina's　father　bought　a　whole　bundle　of　eels　and　asucking…pig；　which　were　all　placed　in　a　basket　in　the　stern　of　theboat。　Then　they　returned　again　up　the　stream；　and　as　the　wind　wasfavorable；　two　sails　were　hoisted；　which　carried　the　boat　on　as　wellas　if　two　horses　had　been　harnessed　to　it。　As　they　sailed　on；　theycame　by　chance　to　the　place　where　the　boatman's　assistant　lived；　ata　little　distance　from　the　bank　of　the　river。　The　boat　was　moored；　andthe　two　men；　after　desiring　the　children　to　sit　still；　both　went　onshore。　they　obeyed　this　order　for　a　very　short　time；　and　then　forgotit　altogether。　First　they　peeped　into　the　basket　containing　the　eelsand　the　sucking…pig；　then　they　must　needs　pull　out　the　pig　and　take　itin　their　hands；　and　feel　it；　and　touch　it；　and　as　they　both　wantedto　hold　it　at　the　same　time；　the　consequence　was　that　they　let　it　fallinto　the　water；　and　the　pig　sailed　away　with　the　stream。

Here　was　a　terrible　disaster。　Ib　jumped　ashore；　and　ran　a　littledistance　from　the　boat。

〃Oh；　take　me　with　you；〃　cried　Christina；　and　she　sprang　after　him。In　a　few　minutes　they　found　themselves　deep　in　a　thicket；　and　could　nolonger　see　the　boat　or　the　shore。　They　ran　on　a　little　farther；　andthen　Christina　fell　down；　and　began　to　cry。

Ib　helped　her　up；　and　said；　〃Never　mind；　follow　me。　Yonder　isthe　house。〃　But　the　house　was　not　yonder；　and　they　wandered　stillfarther；　over　the　dry　rustling　leaves　of　the　last　year；　and　treadingon　fallen　branches　that　crackled　under　their　little　feet；　then　theyheard　a　loud；　piercing　cry；　and　they　stood　still　to　listen。Presently　the　scream　of　an　eagle　sounded　through　the　wood；　it　was　anugly　cry；　and　it　frightened　the　children；　but　before　them；　in　thethickest　part　of　the　forest；　grew　the　most　beautiful　blackberries；in　wonderful　quantities。　They　looked　so　inviting　that　the　childrencould　not　help　stopping；　and　they　remained　there　so　long　eating；that　their　mouths　and　cheeks　became　quite　black　with　the　juice。

Presently　they　heard　the　frightful　scream　again；　and　Christinasaid；　〃We　shall　get　into　trouble　about　that　pig。〃

〃Oh；　never　mind；〃　said　Ib；　〃we　will　go　home　to　my　father'shouse。　It　is　here　in　the　wood。〃　So　they　went　on；　but　the　road　led　themout　of　the　way；　no　house　could　be　seen；　it　grew　dark；　and　the　childrenwere　afraid。　The　solemn　stillness　that　reigned　around　them　was　now　andthen　broken　by　the　shrill　cries　of　the　great　horned　owl　and　otherbirds　that　they　knew　nothing　of。　At　last　they　both　lost　themselvesin　the　thicket；　Christina　began　to　cry；　and　then　Ib　cried　too；　and；after　weeping　and　lamenting　for　some　time；　they　stretched　themselvesdown　on　the　dry　leaves　and　fell　asleep。

The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　the　two　children　woke。　Theyfelt　cold；　but　not　far　from　their　resting…place；　on　a　hill；　the　sunwas　shining　through　the　trees。　They　thought　if　they　went　there　theyshould　be　warm；　and　Ib　fancied　he　should　be　able　to　see　his　father'shouse　from　such　a　high　spot。　But　they　were　far　away　from　home　now；in　quite　another　part　of　the　forest。　They　clambered　to　the　top　ofthe　rising　ground；　and　found　themselves　on　the　edge　of　a　declivity；which　sloped　down　to　a　clear　transparent　lake。　Great　quantities　offish　could　be　seen　through　the　clear　water；　sparkling　in　the　sun'srays；　they　were　quite　surprised　when　they　came　so　suddenly　upon　suchan　unexpected　sight。

Close　to　where　they　stood　grew　a　hazel…bush；　covered　withbeautiful　nuts。　They　soon　gathered　some；　cracked　them；　and　ate　thefine　young　kernels；　which　were　only　just　ripe。　But　there　was　anothersurprise　and　fright　in　store　for　them。　Out　of　the　thicket　stepped　atall　old　woman；　her　face　quite　brown；　and　her　hair　of　a　deep　shiningblack；　the　whites　of　her　eyes　glittered　like　a　Moor's；　on　her　back　shecarried　a　bundle；　and　in　her　hand　a　knotted　stick。　She　was　a　gypsy。The　children　did　not　at　first　understand　what　she　said。　She　drew　outof　her　pocket　three　large　nuts；　in　which　she　told　them　were　hidden　themost　beautiful　and　lovely　things　in　the　world；　for　they　were　wishingnuts。　Ib　looked　at　her；　and　as　she　spoke