安徒生童话-第52章

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Now　many　went　out　into　the　wood　for　the　sake　of　this　splendidberth；　but　only　one　of　them　came　back　with　some　sort　of　explanation。None　of　them　had　gone　far　enough；　nor　had　he；　and　yet　he　said　that　thesound　of　the　bell　came　from　a　large　owl　in　a　hollow　tree。　It　was　awisdom　owl；　which　continually　knocked　its　head　against　the　tree；　buthe　was　unable　to　say　with　certainty　whether　its　head　or　the　hollowtrunk　of　the　tree　was　the　cause　of　the　noise。

He　was　appointed　〃Bellringer　to　the　World；〃　and　wrote　every　year　ashort　dissertation　on　the　owl；　but　by　this　means　people　did　not　beeany　wiser　than　they　had　been　before。

It　was　just　confirmation…day。　The　clergyman　had　delivered　abeautiful　and　touching　sermon；　the　candidates　were　deeply　moved　by　it；it　was　indeed　a　very　important　day　for　them；　they　were　all　at　oncetransformed　from　mere　children　to　grown…up　people；　the　childish　soulwas　to　fly　over；　as　it　were；　into　a　more　reasonable　being。

The　sun　shone　most　brightly；　and　the　sound　of　the　great　unknownbell　was　heard　more　distinctly　than　ever。　They　had　a　mind　to　gothither；　all　except　three。　One　of　them　wished　to　go　home　and　try　onher　ball　dress；　for　this　very　dress　and　the　ball　were　the　cause　of　herbeing　confirmed　this　time；　otherwise　she　would　not　have　been　allowedto　go。　The　second；　a　poor　boy；　had　borrowed　a　coat　and　a　pair　of　bootsfrom　the　son　of　his　landlord　to　be　confirmed　in；　and　he　had　toreturn　them　at　a　certain　time。　The　third　said　that　he　never　wentinto　strange　places　if　his　parents　were　not　with　him；　he　had　alwaysbeen　a　good　child；　and　wished　to　remain　so；　even　after　beingconfirmed；　and　they　ought　not　to　tease　him　for　this；　they；　however；did　it　all　the　same。　These　three；　therefore　did　not　go；　the　otherswent　on。　The　sun　was　shining；　the　birds　were　singing；　and　theconfirmed　children　sang　too；　holding　each　other　by　the　hand；　forthey　had　no　position　yet；　and　they　were　all　equal　in　the　eyes　ofGod。　Two　of　the　smallest　soon　became　tired　and　returned　to　the　town；two　little　girls　sat　down　and　made　garlands　of　flowers；　they；therefore；　did　not　go　on。　When　the　others　arrived　at　the　willow　trees；where　the　confectioner　had　put　up　his　stall；　they　said：　〃Now　we　areout　here；　the　bell　does　not　in　reality　exist…　it　is　only　somethingthat　people　imagine！〃

Then　suddenly　the　sound　of　the　bell　was　heard　so　beautifully　andsolemnly　from　the　wood　that　four　or　five　made　up　their　minds　to　gostill　further　on。　The　wood　was　very　thickly　grown。　It　was　difficult　toadvance：　wood　lilies　and　anemones　grew　almost　too　high；　floweringconvolvuli　and　brambles　were　hanging　like　garlands　from　tree　totree；　while　the　nightingales　were　singing　and　the　sunbeams　played。That　was　very　beautiful！　But　the　way　was　unfit　for　the　girls；　theywould　have　torn　their　dresses。　Large　rocks；　covered　with　moss　ofvarious　hues；　were　lying　about；　the　fresh　spring　water　rippled　forthwith　a　peculiar　sound。　〃I　don't　think　that　can　be　the　bell；〃　saidone　of　the　confirmed　children；　and　then　he　lay　down　and　listened。〃We　must　try　to　find　out　if　it　is！〃　And　there　he　remained；　and　let　theothers　walk　on。

They　came　to　a　hut　built　of　the　bark　of　trees　and　branches；　alarge　crab…apple　tree　spread　its　branches　over　it；　as　if　it　intendedto　pour　all　its　fruit　on　the　roof；　upon　which　roses　were　blooming；　thelong　boughs　covered　the　gable；　where　a　little　bell　was　hanging。　Wasthis　the　one　they　had　heard？　All　agreed　that　it　must　be　so；　except　onewho　said　that　the　bell　was　too　small　and　too　thin　to　be　heard　atsuch　a　distance；　and　that　it　had　quite　a　different　sound　to　that　whichhad　so　touched　men's　hearts。

He　who　spoke　was　a　king's　son；　and　therefore　the　others　saidthat　such　a　one　always　wishes　to　be　cleverer　than　other　people。

Therefore　they　let　him　go　alone；　and　as　he　walked　on；　the　solitudeof　the　wood　produced　a　feeling　of　reverence　in　his　breast；　but　stillhe　heard　the　little　bell　about　which　the　others　rejoiced；　andsometimes；　when　the　wind　blew　in　that　direction；　he　could　hear　thesounds　from　the　confectioner's　stall；　where　the　others　were　singing　attea。　But　the　deep　sounds　of　the　bell　were　much　stronger；　soon　itseemed　to　him　as　if　an　organ　played　an　acpaniment…　the　sound　camefrom　the　left；　from　the　side　where　the　heart　is。　Now　something　rustledamong　the　bushes；　and　a　little　boy　stood　before　the　king's　son；　inwooden　shoes　and　such　a　short　jacket　that　the　sleeves　did　not　reach　tohis　wrists。　They　knew　each　other：　the　boy　was　the　one　who　had　not　beenable　to　go　with　them　because　he　had　to　take　the　coat　and　boots　back　tohis　landlord's　son。　That　he　had　done；　and　had　started　again　in　hiswooden　shoes　and　old　clothes；　for　the　sound　of　the　bell　was　tooenticing…　he　felt　he　must　go　on。

〃We　might　go　together；〃　said　the　king's　son。　But　the　poor　boy　withthe　wooden　shoes　was　quite　ashamed；　he　pulled　at　the　short　sleevesof　his　jacket；　and　said　that　he　was　afraid　he　could　not　walk　sofast；　besides；　he　was　of　opinion　that　the　bell　ought　to　be　sought　atthe　right；　for　there　was　all　that　was　grand　and　magnificent。

〃Then　we　shall　not　meet；〃　said　the　king's　son；　nodding　to　the　poorboy；　who　went　into　the　deepest　part　of　the　wood；　where　the　thorns　torehis　shabby　clothes　and　scratched　his　hands；　face；　and　feet　untilthey　bled。　The　king's　son　also　received　several　good　scratches；　butthe　sun　was　shining　on　his　way；　and　it　is　he　whom　we　will　nowfollow；　for　he　was　a　quick　fellow。　〃I　will　and　must　find　the　bell；〃　hesaid；　〃if　I　have　to　go　to　the　end　of　the　world。〃

Ugly　monkeys　sat　high　in　the　branches　and　clenched　their　teeth。〃Shall　we　beat　him？〃　they　said。　〃Shall　we　thrash　him？　He　is　a　king'sson！〃

But　he　walked　on　undaunted；　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　wood；　wherethe　most　wonderful　flowers　were　growing；　there　were　standing　whitestar　lilies　with　blood…red　stamens；　sky…blue　tulips　shining　when　thewind　moved　them；　apple…trees　covered　with　apples　like　large　glitteringsoap　bubbles：　only　think　how　resplendent　these　trees　were　in　thesunshine！　All　around　were　beautiful　green　meadows；　where　hart　and　hindplayed　in　the　grass。　There　grew　magnificent　oaks　and　beech…trees；and　if　the　bark　was　split　of　any　of　them；　long　blades　of　grass　grewout　of　the　clefts；　there　were　also　large　smooth　lakes　in　the　wood；on　which　the　swans　were　swimming　about　and　flapping　their　wings。　Theking's　son　often　stood　still　and　listened；　sometimes　he　thought　thatthe　sound　of　the　bell　rose　up　to　him　out　of　one　of　these　deep　lakes；but　soon　he　found　that　this　was　a　mistake；　and　that　the　bell　wasringing　still　farther　in　the　wood。　Then　the　sun　set；　the　clouds　wereas　red　as　fire；　it　became　quiet　in　the　wood；　he　sank　down　on　hisknees；　sang　an　evening　hymn　and　said：　〃I　shall　never　find　what　I　amlooking　for！　Now　the　sun　is　setting；　and　the　night；　the　dark　night；　isapproaching。　Yet　I　may　perhaps　see　the　round　sun　once　more　before　hedisappears　beneath　the　horizon。　I　will　climb　up　these　rocks；　theyare　as　high　as　the　highest　trees！〃　And　then；　taking　hold　of　thecreepers　and　roots；　he　climbed　up　on　the　wet　stones；　wherewater…snakes　were　wriggling　and　the　toads；　as　it　were；　barked　athim：　he　reached　the　top　before　the　sun；　seen　from　such　a　height；　hadquite　set。　〃Oh；　what　a　splendour！〃　The　sea；　the　great　majestic　sea；which　was　rolling　its　long　waves　against　the　shore；　stretched　outbefore　him；　and　the　sun　was　standing　like　a　large　bright　altar　andthere　where　sea　and　heaven　met…　all　melted　together　in　the　mostglowing　colours；　the　wood　was　singing；　and　his　heart　too。　The　whole　ofnature　was　one　large　holy　church；　in　which　the　trees　and　hoveringclouds　formed　the　pillars；　the　flowers　and　grass　the　woven　velvetcarpet；　and　heaven　itself　was　the　great　cupola；　up　there　the　flamecolour　vanished　as　soon　as　the　sun　disappeared；　but　millions　ofstars　were　lighted；　diamond　lamps　were　shining；　and　the　king's　sonstretched　his　arms　out　towards　heaven；　towards　the　sea；　and　towardsthe　wood。　Then　suddenly　the　poor　boy　with　the　short…sleeved　jacket　andthe　wooden　shoes　appeared；　he　had　arrived　just　as　quickly　on　theroad　he　had　chosen。　And　they　ran　towards　each　other　and　took　oneanother's　hand；　in　the　great　cathedral　of　nature　and　poesy；　andabove　them　sounded　the　invisible　holy　bell；　happy　spirits　surroundedthem；　singing　hallelujahs　and　rejoicing。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　BELL…DEEP

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃DING…DONG！　ding…dong！〃　It　sounds　up　from　the　〃bell…deep〃　in　theOdense…Au。　Every　child　in　the　old　town　of　Odense；　on　the　island　ofFunen；　knows　the　Au；　which　washes　the　gardens　round　about　the　town；and　flows　on　under　the　wooden　bridges　from　the　dam　to　thewater…mill。　In　the　Au　grow　the　yellow　water…lilies　and　brownfeathery　reeds；　the　dark　velvety　flag　grows　there；　high　and　thick；　oldand　decayed　willows；　slanting　and　tottering；　hang　far　out　over　thestream　beside　the　monk's　meadow　and　by　the　bleaching　ground；　butopposite　there　are　gardens　upon　gardens；　each　different　from　the　rest；some　with　pretty　flowers　and　bowers　like　little　dolls'　pleasuregrounds；　often　displaying　cabbage　and　other　kitchen　plants；　and　hereand　there　the　gardens　cannot　be　seen　at　all；　for　the　great　elder　treesthat　spread　themselves　out　by　the　bank；　and　hang　far　out　over　thestreaming　waters；　which　are　deeper　here　and　there　than　an　oar　canfathom。　Opposite　the　old　nunnery　is　the　deepest　place；