安徒生童话-第26章

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〃Oh；〃　said　Jack　the　Dullard；　〃I　can　hardly　tell　you。　How　gladthe　Princess　will　be！〃

〃Bah！〃　said　the　brothers；　〃that　is　nothing　but　clay　out　of　theditch。〃

〃Yes；　certainly　it　is；〃　said　Jack　the　Dullard；　〃and　clay　of　thefinest　sort。　See；　it　is　so　wet；　it　runs　through　one's　fingers。〃　And　hefilled　his　pocket　with　the　clay。

But　his　brothers　galloped　on　till　the　sparks　flew；　andconsequently　they　arrived　a　full　hour　earlier　at　the　town　gate　thancould　Jack。　Now　at　the　gate　each　suitor　was　provided　with　a　number；and　all　were　placed　in　rows　immediately　on　their　arrival；　six　ineach　row；　and　so　closely　packed　together　that　they　could　not　movetheir　arms；　and　that　was　a　prudent　arrangement；　for　they　wouldcertainly　have　e　to　blows；　had　they　been　able；　merely　because　oneof　them　stood　before　the　other。

All　the　inhabitants　of　the　country　round　about　stood　in　greatcrowds　around　the　castle；　almost　under　the　very　windows；　to　see　thePrincess　receive　the　suitors；　and　as　each　stepped　into　the　hall；　hispower　of　speech　seemed　to　desert　him；　like　the　light　of　a　candlethat　is　blown　out。　Then　the　Princess　would　say；　〃He　is　of　no　use！　Awaywith　him　out　of　the　hall！〃

At　last　the　turn　came　for　that　brother　who　knew　the　dictionaryby　heart；　but　he　did　not　know　it　now；　he　had　absolutely　forgotten　italtogether；　and　the　boards　seemed　to　re…echo　with　his　footsteps；　andthe　ceiling　of　the　hall　was　made　of　looking…glass；　so　that　he　sawhimself　standing　on　his　head；　and　at　the　window　stood　three　clerks　anda　head　clerk；　and　every　one　of　them　was　writing　down　every　single　wordthat　was　uttered；　so　that　it　might　be　printed　in　the　newspapers；　andsold　for　a　penny　at　the　street　corners。　It　was　a　terrible　ordeal；and　they　had；　moreover；　made　such　a　fire　in　the　stove；　that　the　roomseemed　quite　red　hot。

〃It　is　dreadfully　hot　here！〃　observed　the　first　brother。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Princess；　〃my　father　is　going　to　roast　youngpullets　today。〃

〃Baa！〃　there　he　stood　like　a　baa…lamb。　He　had　not　been　preparedfor　a　speech　of　this　kind；　and　had　not　a　word　to　say；　though　heintended　to　say　something　witty。　〃Baa！〃

〃He　is　of　no　use！〃　said　the　Princess。　〃Away　with　him！〃

And　he　was　obliged　to　go　accordingly。　And　now　the　second　brothercame　in。

〃It　is　terribly　warm　here！〃　he　observed。

〃Yes；　we're　roasting　pullets　to…day；〃　replied　the　Princess。

〃What…　what　were　you…　were　you　pleased　to　ob…〃　stammered　he…　andall　the　clerks　wrote　down；　〃pleased　to　ob…〃

〃He　is　of　no　use！〃　said　the　Princess。　〃Away　with　him！〃

Now　came　the　turn　of　Jack　the　Dullard。　He　rode　into　the　hall　onhis　goat。

〃Well；　it's　most　abominably　hot　here。〃

〃Yes；　because　I'm　roasting　young　pullets；〃　replied　the　Princess。

〃Ah；　that's　lucky！〃　exclaimed　Jack　the　Dullard；　〃for　I　supposeyou'll　let　me　roast　my　crow　at　the　same　time？〃

〃With　the　greatest　pleasure；〃　said　the　Princess。　〃But　have　youanything　you　can　roast　it　in？　for　I　have　neither　pot　nor　pan。〃

〃Certainly　I　have！〃　said　Jack。　〃Here's　a　cooking　utensil　with　atin　handle。〃

And　he　brought　out　the　old　wooden　shoe；　and　put　the　crow　into　it。

〃Well；　that　is　a　famous　dish！〃　said　the　Princess。　〃But　whatshall　we　do　for　sauce？〃

〃Oh；　I　have　that　in　my　pocket；〃　said　Jack；　〃I　have　so　much　of　itthat　I　can　afford　to　throw　some　away；〃　and　he　poured　some　of　theclay　out　of　his　pocket。

〃I　like　that！〃　said　the　Princess。　〃You　can　give　an　answer；　and　youhave　something　to　say　for　yourself；　and　so　you　shall　be　my　husband。But　are　you　aware　that　every　word　we　speak　is　being　taken　down；　andwill　be　published　in　the　paper　to…morrow？　Look　yonder；　and　you　willsee　in　every　window　three　clerks　and　a　head　clerk；　and　the　old　headclerk　is　the　worst　of　all；　for　he　can't　understand　anything。〃

But　she　only　said　this　to　frighten　Jack　the　Dullard；　and　theclerks　gave　a　great　crow　of　delight；　and　each　one　spurted　a　blot　outof　his　pen　on　to　the　floor。

〃Oh；　those　are　the　gentlemen；　are　they？〃　said　Jack；　〃then　I　willgive　the　best　I　have　to　the　head　clerk。〃　And　he　turned　out　hispockets；　and　flung　the　wet　clay　full　in　the　head　clerk's　face。

〃That　was　very　cleverly　done；〃　observed　the　Princess。　〃I　could　nothave　done　that；　but　I　shall　learn　in　time。〃

And　accordingly　Jack　the　Dullard　was　made　a　king；　and　received　acrown　and　a　wife；　and　sat　upon　a　throne。　And　this　report　we　have　wetfrom　the　press　of　the　head　clerk　and　the　corporation　of　printers…but　they　are　not　to　be　depended　upon　in　the　least。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　LITTLE　CLAUS　AND　BIG　CLAUS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　a　village　there　once　lived　two　men　who　had　the　same　name。They　were　both　called　Claus。　One　of　them　had　four　horses；　but　theother　had　only　one；　so　to　distinguish　them；　people　called　the　owner　ofthe　four　horses；　〃Great　Claus；〃　and　he　who　had　only　one；　〃LittleClaus。〃　Now　we　shall　hear　what　happened　to　them；　for　this　is　a　truestory。

Through　the　whole　week；　Little　Claus　was　obliged　to　plough　forGreat　Claus；　and　lend　him　his　one　horse；　and　once　a　week；　on　a　Sunday；Great　Claus　lent　him　all　his　four　horses。　Then　how　Little　Clauswould　smack　his　whip　over　all　five　horses；　they　were　as　good　as　hisown　on　that　one　day。　The　sun　shone　brightly；　and　the　church　bells　wereringing　merrily　as　the　people　passed　by；　dressed　in　their　bestclothes；　with　their　prayer…books　under　their　arms。　They　were　goingto　hear　the　clergyman　preach。　They　looked　at　Little　Claus　ploughingwith　his　five　horses；　and　he　was　so　proud　that　he　smacked　his　whip；and　said；　〃Gee…up；　my　five　horses。〃

〃You　must　not　say　that；〃　said　Big　Claus；　〃for　only　one　of　thembelongs　to　you。〃　But　Little　Claus　soon　forgot　what　he　ought　to　say；and　when　any　one　passed　he　would　call　out；　〃Gee…up；　my　five　horses！〃

〃Now　I　must　beg　you　not　to　say　that　again；〃　said　Big　Claus；　〃forif　you　do；　I　shall　hit　your　horse　on　the　head；　so　that　he　will　dropdead　on　the　spot；　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　him。〃

〃I　promise　you　I　will　not　say　it　any　more；〃　said　the　other；　but　assoon　as　people　came　by；　nodding　to　him；　and　wishing　him　〃Good　day；〃　hebecame　so　pleased；　and　thought　how　grand　it　looked　to　have　five　horsesploughing　in　his　field；　that　he　cried　out　again；　〃Gee…up；　all　myhorses！〃

〃I'll　gee…up　your　horses　for　you；〃　said　Big　Claus；　and　seizing　ahammer；　he　struck　the　one　horse　of　Little　Claus　on　the　head；　and　hefell　dead　instantly。

〃Oh；　now　I　have　no　horse　at　all；　said　Little　Claus；　weeping。　Butafter　a　while　he　took　off　the　dead　horse's　skin；　and　hung　the　hideto　dry　in　the　wind。　Then　he　put　the　dry　skin　into　a　bag；　and；placing　it　over　his　shoulder；　went　out　into　the　next　town　to　sellthe　horse's　skin。　He　had　a　very　long　way　to　go；　and　had　to　passthrough　a　dark；　gloomy　forest。　Presently　a　storm　arose；　and　he　losthis　way；　and　before　he　discovered　the　right　path；　evening　came　on；　andit　was　still　a　long　way　to　the　town；　and　too　far　to　return　home　beforenight。　Near　the　road　stood　a　large　farmhouse。　The　shutters　outside　thewindows　were　closed；　but　lights　shone　through　the　crevices　at　the　top。〃I　might　get　permission　to　stay　here　for　the　night；〃　thought　LittleClaus；　so　he　went　up　to　the　door　and　knocked。　The　farmer's　wife　openedthe　door；　but　when　she　heard　what　he　wanted；　she　told　him　to　goaway；　as　her　husband　would　not　allow　her　to　admit　strangers。　〃Then　Ishall　be　obliged　to　lie　out　here；〃　said　Little　Claus　to　himself；　asthe　farmer's　wife　shut　the　door　in　his　face。　Near　to　the　farmhousestood　a　large　haystack；　and　between　it　and　the　house　was　a　small　shed；with　a　thatched　roof。　〃I　can　lie　up　there；〃　said　Little　Claus；　as　hesaw　the　roof；　〃it　will　make　a　famous　bed；　but　I　hope　the　stork　willnot　fly　down　and　bite　my　legs；〃　for　on　it　stood　a　living　stork；whose　nest　was　in　the　roof。　So　Little　Claus　climbed　to　the　roof　of　theshed；　and　while　he　turned　himself　to　get　fortable；　he　discoveredthat　the　wooden　shutters；　which　were　closed；　did　not　reach　to　the　topsof　the　windows　of　the　farmhouse；　so　that　he　could　see　into　a　room；in　which　a　large　table　was　laid　out　with　wine；　roast　meat；　and　asplendid　fish。　The　farmer's　wife　and　the　sexton　were　sitting　at　thetable　together；　and　she　filled　his　glass；　and　helped　him　plenteouslyto　fish；　which　appeared　to　be　his　favorite　dish。　〃If　I　could　onlyget　some；　too；〃　thought　Little　Claus；　and　then；　as　he　stretched　hisneck　towards　the　window　he　spied　a　large；　beautiful　pie；…　indeedthey　had　a　glorious　feast　before　them。

At　this　moment　he　heard　some　one　riding　down　the　road；　towards　thefarmhouse。　It　was　the　farmer　returning　home。　He　was　a　good　man；　butstill　he　had　a　very　strange　prejudice；…　he　could　not　bear　the　sight　ofa　sexton。　If　one　appeared　before　him；　he　would　put　himself　in　aterrible　rage。　In　consequence　of　this　dislike；　the　sexton　had　goo　visit　the　farmer's　wife　during　her　husband's　absence　from　home；　andthe　good　woman　had　placed　before　him　the　best　she　had　in　the　houseto　eat。　When　she　heard　the　farmer　ing　she　was　frightened；　andbegged　the　sexton　to　hide　himself　in　a　large　empty　chest　that　stood　inthe　room。　He　did　so；　for　he　knew　her　husband　could　not　endure　thesight　of　a　sexton。　The　woman　then　quickly　put　away　the　wine；　and　hidall　the　rest　of　the　nice　things　in　the　oven；　for　if　her　husband　hadseen　them　he　would　have　asked　what　they　were　brought　out　for。

〃Oh；　dear；〃　sighed　Little　Claus　from　the