安徒生童话-第58章

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eady　faraway；　and　very　soon　the　bottle　was　far　away　also；　for　it　fell　upon　aroof；　and　broke　in　pieces。　But　the　pieces　had　got　such　an　impetus　inthem；　that　they　could　not　stop　themselves。　They　went　jumping　androlling　about；　till　at　last　they　fell　into　the　court…yard；　and　werebroken　into　still　smaller　pieces；　only　the　neck　of　the　bottlemanaged　to　keep　whole；　and　it　was　broken　off　as　clean　as　if　it　hadbeen　cut　with　a　diamond。

〃That　would　make　a　capital　bird's　glass；〃　said　one　of　thecellar…men；　but　none　of　them　had　either　a　bird　or　a　cage；　and　it　wasnot　to　be　expected　they　would　provide　one　just　because　they　hadfound　a　bottle　neck　that　could　be　used　as　a　glass。　But　the　old　maidwho　lived　in　the　garret　had　a　bird；　and　it　really　might　be　useful　toher；　so　the　bottle　neck　was　provided　with　a　cork；　and　taken　up　to　her；and；　as　it　often　happens　in　life；　the　part　that　had　been　uppermost　wasnow　turned　downwards；　and　it　was　filled　with　fresh　water。　Then　theyhung　it　in　the　cage　of　the　little　bird；　who　sang　and　twittered　moremerrily　than　ever。

〃Ah；　you　have　good　reason　to　sing；〃　said　the　bottle　neck；　whichwas　looked　upon　as　something　very　remarkable；　because　it　had　been　in　aballoon；　nothing　further　was　known　of　its　history。　As　it　hung　there　inthe　bird's…cage；　it　could　hear　the　noise　and　murmur　of　the　people　inthe　street　below；　as　well　as　the　conversation　of　the　old　maid　in　theroom　within。　An　old　friend　had　just　e　to　visit　her；　and　theytalked；　not　about　the　bottle　neck；　but　of　the　myrtle　in　the　window。

〃No；　you　must　not　spend　a　dollar　for　your　daughter's　bridalbouquet；〃　said　the　old　maid；　〃you　shall　have　a　beautiful　littlebunch　for　a　nosegay；　full　of　blossoms。　Do　you　see　how　splendidly　thetree　has　grown？　It　has　been　raised　from　only　a　little　sprig　ofmyrtle　that　you　gave　me　on　the　day　after　my　betrothal；　and　fromwhich　I　was　to　make　my　own　bridal　bouquet　when　a　year　had　passed：but　that　day　never　came；　the　eyes　were　closed　which　were　to　havebeen　my　light　and　joy　through　life。　In　the　depths　of　the　sea　mybeloved　sleeps　sweetly；　the　myrtle　has　bee　an　old　tree；　and　I　ama　still　older　woman。　Before　the　sprig　you　gave　me　faded；　I　took　aspray；　and　planted　it　in　the　earth；　and　now；　as　you　see；　it　has　beea　large　tree；　and　a　bunch　of　the　blossoms　shall　at　last　appear　at　awedding　festival；　in　the　bouquet　of　your　daughter。〃

There　were　tears　in　the　eyes　of　the　old　maid；　as　she　spoke　ofthe　beloved　of　her　youth；　and　of　their　betrothal　in　the　wood。　Manythoughts　came　into　her　mind；　but　the　thought　never　came；　that　quiteclose　to　her；　in　that　very　window；　was　a　remembrance　of　those　oldentimes；…　the　neck　of　the　bottle　which　had；　as　it　were　shouted　for　joywhen　the　cork　flew　out　with　a　bang　on　the　betrothal　day。　But　thebottle　neck　did　not　recognize　the　old　maid；　he　had　not　beenlistening　to　what　she　had　related；　perhaps　because　he　was　thinkingso　much　about　her。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　BRAVE　TIN　SOLDIER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　were　once　five…and…twenty　tin　soldiers；　who　were　allbrothers；　for　they　had　been　made　out　of　the　same　old　tin　spoon。　Theyshouldered　arms　and　looked　straight　before　them；　and　wore　a　splendiduniform；　red　and　blue。　The　first　thing　in　the　world　they　ever　heardwere　the　words；　〃Tin　soldiers！〃　uttered　by　a　little　boy；　who　clappedhis　hands　with　delight　when　the　lid　of　the　box；　in　which　they　lay；　wastaken　off。　They　were　given　him　for　a　birthday　present；　and　he　stood　atthe　table　to　set　them　up。　The　soldiers　were　all　exactly　alike；excepting　one；　who　had　only　one　leg；　he　had　been　left　to　the　last；　andthen　there　was　not　enough　of　the　melted　tin　to　finish　him；　so　theymade　him　to　stand　firmly　on　one　leg；　and　this　caused　him　to　be　veryremarkable。

The　table　on　which　the　tin　soldiers　stood；　was　covered　withother　playthings；　but　the　most　attractive　to　the　eye　was　a　prettylittle　paper　castle。　Through　the　small　windows　the　rooms　could　beseen。　In　front　of　the　castle　a　number　of　little　trees　surrounded　apiece　of　looking…glass；　which　was　intended　to　represent　atransparent　lake。　Swans；　made　of　wax；　swam　on　the　lake；　and　werereflected　in　it。　All　this　was　very　pretty；　but　the　prettiest　of　allwas　a　tiny　little　lady；　who　stood　at　the　open　door　of　the　castle；　she；also；　was　made　of　paper；　and　she　wore　a　dress　of　clear　muslin；　witha　narrow　blue　ribbon　over　her　shoulders　just　like　a　scarf。　In　front　ofthese　was　fixed　a　glittering　tinsel　rose；　as　large　as　her　wholeface。　The　little　lady　was　a　dancer；　and　she　stretched　out　both　herarms；　and　raised　one　of　her　legs　so　high；　that　the　tin　soldier　couldnot　see　it　at　all；　and　he　thought　that　she；　like　himself；　had　only　oneleg。　〃That　is　the　wife　for　me；〃　he　thought；　〃but　she　is　too　grand；　andlives　in　a　castle；　while　I　have　only　a　box　to　live　in；　five…and…twentyof　us　altogether；　that　is　no　place　for　her。　Still　I　must　try　andmake　her　acquaintance。〃　Then　he　laid　himself　at　full　length　on　thetable　behind　a　snuff…box　that　stood　upon　it；　so　that　he　could　peepat　the　little　delicate　lady；　who　continued　to　stand　on　one　leg　withoutlosing　her　balance。　When　evening　came；　the　other　tin　soldiers　were　allplaced　in　the　box；　and　the　people　of　the　house　went　to　bed。　Then　theplaythings　began　to　have　their　own　games　together；　to　pay　visits；　tohave　sham　fights；　and　to　give　balls。　The　tin　soldiers　rattled　in　theirbox；　they　wanted　to　get　out　and　join　the　amusements；　but　they　couldnot　open　the　lid。　The　nut…crackers　played　at　leap…frog；　and　the　penciljumped　about　the　table。　There　was　such　a　noise　that　the　canary　woke　upand　began　to　talk；　and　in　poetry　too。　Only　the　tin　soldier　and　thedancer　remained　in　their　places。　She　stood　on　tiptoe；　with　her　legsstretched　out；　as　firmly　as　he　did　on　his　one　leg。　He　never　took　hiseyes　from　her　for　even　a　moment。　The　clock　struck　twelve；　and；　witha　bounce；　up　sprang　the　lid　of　the　snuff…box；　but；　instead　of　snuff；there　jumped　up　a　little　black　goblin；　for　the　snuff…box　was　a　toypuzzle。

〃Tin　soldier；〃　said　the　goblin；　〃don't　wish　for　what　does　notbelong　to　you。

But　the　tin　soldier　pretended　not　to　hear。

〃Very　well；　wait　till　to…morrow；　then；〃　said　the　goblin。

When　the　children　came　in　the　next　morning；　they　placed　the　tinsoldier　in　the　window。　Now；　whether　it　was　the　goblin　who　did　it；　orthe　draught；　is　not　known；　but　the　window　flew　open；　and　out　fellthe　tin　soldier；　heels　over　head；　from　the　third　story；　into　thestreet　beneath。　It　was　a　terrible　fall；　for　he　came　head　downwards；his　helmet　and　his　bayo　stuck　in　between　the　flagstones；　and　hisone　leg　up　in　the　air。　The　servant　maid　and　the　little　boy　went　downstairs　directly　to　look　for　him；　but　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；although　once　they　nearly　trod　upon　him。　If　he　had　called　out；　〃Here　Iam；〃　it　would　have　been　all　right；　but　he　was　too　proud　to　cry　out　forhelp　while　he　wore　a　uniform。

Presently　it　began　to　rain；　and　the　drops　fell　faster　andfaster；　till　there　was　a　heavy　shower。　When　it　was　over；　two　boyshappened　to　pass　by；　and　one　of　them　said；　〃Look；　there　is　a　tinsoldier。　He　ought　to　have　a　boat　to　sail　in。〃

So　they　made　a　boat　out　of　a　newspaper；　and　placed　the　tin　soldierin　it；　and　sent　him　sailing　down　the　gutter；　while　the　two　boys　ran　bythe　side　of　it；　and　clapped　their　hands。　Good　gracious；　what　largewaves　arose　in　that　gutter！　and　how　fast　the　stream　rolled　on！　for　therain　had　been　very　heavy。　The　paper　boat　rocked　up　and　down；　andturned　itself　round　sometimes　so　quickly　that　the　tin　soldiertrembled；　yet　he　remained　firm；　his　countenance　did　not　change；　helooked　straight　before　him；　and　shouldered　his　musket。　Suddenly　theboat　shot　under　a　bridge　which　formed　a　part　of　a　drain；　and　then　itwas　as　dark　as　the　tin　soldier's　box。

〃Where　am　I　going　now？〃　thought　he。　〃This　is　the　black　goblin'sfault；　I　am　sure。　Ah；　well；　if　the　little　lady　were　only　here　withme　in　the　boat；　I　should　not　care　for　any　darkness。〃

Suddenly　there　appeared　a　great　water…rat；　who　lived　in　the　drain。

〃Have　you　a　passport？〃　asked　the　rat；　〃give　it　to　me　at　once。〃　Butthe　tin　soldier　remained　silent　and　held　his　musket　tighter　than　ever。The　boat　sailed　on　and　the　rat　followed　it。　How　he　did　gnash　his　teethand　cry　out　to　the　bits　of　wood　and　straw；　〃Stop　him；　stop　him；　he　hasnot　paid　toll；　and　has　not　shown　his　pass。〃　But　the　stream　rushed　onstronger　and　stronger。　The　tin　soldier　could　already　see　daylightshining　where　the　arch　ended。　Then　he　heard　a　roaring　sound　quiteterrible　enough　to　frighten　the　bravest　man。　At　the　end　of　thetunnel　the　drain　fell　into　a　large　canal　over　a　steep　place；　whichmade　it　as　dangerous　for　him　as　a　waterfall　would　be　to　us。　He　was　tooclose　to　it　to　stop；　so　the　boat　rushed　on；　and　the　poor　tin　soldiercould　only　hold　himself　as　stiffly　as　possible；　without　moving　aneyelid；　to　show　that　he　was　not　afraid。　The　boat　whirled　round　threeor　four　times；　and　then　filled　with　water　to　the　very　edge；　nothingcould　save　it　from　sinking。　He　now　stood　up　to　his　neck　in　water；while　deeper　and　deeper　sank　the　boat；　and　the　paper　became　soft　andloose　with　the　wet；　till　at　last　the　water　closed　over　the　soldier'shead。　He　thought　of　the　elegant　little　dancer　whom　he　should　never　seeagain；　and　the　words　of　the　song　sounded　in　his　ears…

　〃Farewell；　warrior！　ever　brave；

　　Drifting　onward　to　thy　gr