安徒生童话-第59章

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　of　the　song　sounded　in　his　ears…

　〃Farewell；　warrior！　ever　brave；

　　Drifting　onward　to　thy　grave。〃

Then　the　paper　boat　fell　to　pieces；　and　the　soldier　sank　intothe　water　and　immediately　afterwards　was　swallowed　up　by　a　great　fish。Oh　how　dark　it　was　inside　the　fish！　A　great　deal　darker　than　in　thetunnel；　and　narrower　too；　but　the　tin　soldier　continued　firm；　andlay　at　full　length　shouldering　his　musket。　The　fish　swam　to　and　fro；making　the　most　wonderful　movements；　but　at　last　he　became　quitestill。　After　a　while；　a　flash　of　lightning　seemed　to　pass　through　him；and　then　the　daylight　approached；　and　a　voice　cried　out；　〃I　declarehere　is　the　tin　soldier。〃　The　fish　had　been　caught；　taken　to　themarket　and　sold　to　the　cook；　who　took　him　into　the　kitchen　and　cut　himopen　with　a　large　knife。　She　picked　up　the　soldier　and　held　him　by　thewaist　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　and　carried　him　into　the　room。They　were　all　anxious　to　see　this　wonderful　soldier　who　hadtravelled　about　inside　a　fish；　but　he　was　not　at　all　proud。　Theyplaced　him　on　the　table；　and…　how　many　curious　things　do　happen　in　theworld！…　there　he　was　in　the　very　same　room　from　the　window　of　which　hehad　fallen；　there　were　the　same　children；　the　same　playthings；standing　on　the　table；　and　the　pretty　castle　with　the　elegant　littledancer　at　the　door；　she　still　balanced　herself　on　one　leg；　and　held　upthe　other；　so　she　was　as　firm　as　himself。　It　touched　the　tin　soldierso　much　to　see　her　that　he　almost　wept　tin　tears；　but　he　kept　themback。　He　only　looked　at　her　and　they　both　remained　silent。　Presentlyone　of　the　little　boys　took　up　the　tin　soldier；　and　threw　him　into　thestove。　He　had　no　reason　for　doing　so；　therefore　it　must　have　beenthe　fault　of　the　black　goblin　who　lived　in　the　snuff…box。　The　flameslighted　up　the　tin　soldier；　as　he　stood；　the　heat　was　very　terrible；but　whether　it　proceeded　from　the　real　fire　or　from　the　fire　of　lovehe　could　not　tell。　Then　he　could　see　that　the　bright　colors　were　fadedfrom　his　uniform；　but　whether　they　had　been　washed　off　during　hisjourney　or　from　the　effects　of　his　sorrow；　no　one　could　say。　He　lookedat　the　little　lady；　and　she　looked　at　him。　He　felt　himself　meltingaway；　but　he　still　remained　firm　with　his　gun　on　his　shoulder。Suddenly　the　door　of　the　room　flew　open　and　the　draught　of　aircaught　up　the　little　dancer；　she　fluttered　like　a　sylph　right　into　thestove　by　the　side　of　the　tin　soldier；　and　was　instantly　in　flamesand　was　gone。　The　tin　soldier　melted　down　into　a　lump；　and　the　nextmorning；　when　the　maid　servant　took　the　ashes　out　of　the　stove；　shefound　him　in　the　shape　of　a　little　tin　heart。　But　of　the　little　dancernothing　remained　but　the　tinsel　rose；　which　was　burnt　black　as　acinder。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　BUCKWHEAT

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

VERY　often；　after　a　violent　thunder…storm；　a　field　of　buckwheatappears　blackened　and　singed；　as　if　a　flame　of　fire　had　passed　overit。　The　country　people　say　that　this　appearance　is　caused　bylightning；　but　I　will　tell　you　what　the　sparrow　says；　and　thesparrow　heard　it　from　an　old　willow…tree　which　grew　near　a　field　ofbuckwheat；　and　is　there　still。　It　is　a　large　venerable　tree；　thougha　little　crippled　by　age。　The　trunk　has　been　split；　and　out　of　thecrevice　grass　and　brambles　grow。　The　tree　bends　for…ward　slightly；　andthe　branches　hang　quite　down　to　the　ground　just　like　green　hair。Corn　grows　in　the　surrounding　fields；　not　only　rye　and　barley；　butoats；…pretty　oats　that；　when　ripe；　look　like　a　number　of　little　goldencanary…birds　sitting　on　a　bough。　The　corn　has　a　smiling　look　and　theheaviest　and　richest　ears　bend　their　heads　low　as　if　in　pioushumility。　Once　there　was　also　a　field　of　buckwheat；　and　this　field　wasexactly　opposite　to　old　willow…tree。　The　buckwheat　did　not　bend　likethe　other　grain；　but　erected　its　head　proudly　and　stiffly　on　the　stem。〃I　am　as　valuable　as　any　other　corn；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　am　muchhandsomer；　my　flowers　are　as　beautiful　as　the　bloom　of　the　appleblossom；　and　it　is　a　pleasure　to　look　at　us。　Do　you　know　of　anythingprettier　than　we　are；　you　old　willow…tree？〃

And　the　willow…tree　nodded　his　head；　as　if　he　would　say；　〃Indeed　Ido。〃

But　the　buckwheat　spread　itself　out　with　pride；　and　said；〃Stupid　tree；　he　is　so　old　that　grass　grows　out　of　his　body。〃

There　arose　a　very　terrible　storm。　All　the　field…flowers　foldedtheir　leaves　together；　or　bowed　their　little　heads；　while　the　stormpassed　over　them；　but　the　buckwheat　stood　erect　in　its　pride。　〃Bendyour　head　as　we　do；〃　said　the　flowers。

〃I　have　no　occasion　to　do　so；〃　replied　the　buckwheat。

〃Bend　your　head　as　we　do；〃　cried　the　ears　of　corn；　〃the　angel　ofthe　storm　is　ing；　his　wings　spread　from　the　sky　above　to　theearth　beneath。　He　will　strike　you　down　before　you　can　cry　for　mercy。〃

〃But　I　will　not　bend　my　head；〃　said　the　buckwheat。

〃Close　your　flowers　and　bend　your　leaves；〃　said　the　oldwillow…tree。　〃Do　not　look　at　the　lightning　when　the　cloud　bursts；　evenmen　cannot　do　that。　In　a　flash　of　lightning　heaven　opens；　and　we　canlook　in；　but　the　sight　will　strike　even　human　beings　blind。　Whatthen　must　happen　to　us；　who　only　grow　out　of　the　earth；　and　are　soinferior　to　them；　if　we　venture　to　do　so？〃

〃Inferior；　indeed！〃　said　the　buckwheat。　〃Now　I　intend　to　have　apeep　into　heaven。〃　Proudly　and　boldly　he　looked　up；　while　thelightning　flashed　across　the　sky　as　if　the　whole　world　were　in　flames。

When　the　dreadful　storm　had　passed；　the　flowers　and　the　cornraised　their　drooping　heads　in　the　pure　still　air；　refreshed　by　therain；　but　the　buckwheat　lay　like　a　weed　in　the　field；　burnt　toblackness　by　the　lightning。　The　branches　of　the　old　willow…treerustled　in　the　wind；　and　large　water…drops　fell　from　his　green　leavesas　if　the　old　willow　were　weeping。　Then　the　sparrows　asked　why　he　wasweeping；　when　all　around　him　seemed　so　cheerful。　〃See；〃　they　said；how　the　sun　shines；　and　the　clouds　float　in　the　blue　sky。　Do　you　notsmell　the　sweet　perfume　from　flower　and　bush？　Wherefore　do　you　weep；old　willow…tree？〃　Then　the　willow　told　them　of　the　haughty　pride　ofthe　buckwheat；　and　of　the　punishment　which　followed　in　consequence。

This　is　the　story　told　me　by　the　sparrows　one　evening　when　Ibegged　them　to　relate　some　tale　to　me。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　BUTTERFLY

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　butterfly　who　wished　for　a　bride；　and；　as　maybe　supposed；　he　wanted　to　choose　a　very　pretty　one　from　among　theflowers。　He　glanced；　with　a　very　critical　eye；　at　all　the　flower…beds；and　found　that　the　flowers　were　seated　quietly　and　demurely　on　theirstalks；　just　as　maidens　should　sit　before　they　are　engaged；　butthere　was　a　great　number　of　them；　and　it　appeared　as　if　his　searchwould　bee　very　wearisome。　The　butterfly　did　not　like　to　take　toomuch　trouble；　so　he　flew　off　on　a　visit　to　the　daisies。　The　Frenchcall　this　flower　〃Marguerite；〃　and　they　say　that　the　little　daisycan　prophesy。　Lovers　pluck　off　the　leaves；　and　as　they　pluck　eachleaf；　they　ask　a　question　about　their　lovers；　thus：　〃Does　he　or　shelove　me？…　Ardently？　Distractedly？　Very　much？　A　little？　Not　at　all？〃and　so　on。　Every　one　speaks　these　words　in　his　own　language。　Thebutterfly　came　also　to　Marguerite　to　inquire；　but　he　did　not　pluck　offher　leaves；　he　pressed　a　kiss　on　each　of　them；　for　he　thought　therewas　always　more　to　be　done　by　kindness。

〃Darling　Marguerite　daisy；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃you　are　the　wisestwoman　of　all　the　flowers。　Pray　tell　me　which　of　the　flowers　I　shallchoose　for　my　wife。　Which　will　be　my　bride？　When　I　know；　I　will　flydirectly　to　her；　and　propose。〃

But　Marguerite　did　not　answer　him；　she　was　offended　that　he　shouldcall　her　a　woman　when　she　was　only　a　girl；　and　there　is　a　greatdifference。　He　asked　her　a　second　time；　and　then　a　third；　but　sheremained　dumb；　and　answered　not　a　word。　Then　he　would　wait　nolonger；　but　flew　away；　to　mence　his　wooing　at　once。　It　was　in　theearly　spring；　when　the　crocus　and　the　snowdrop　were　in　full　bloom。

〃They　are　very　pretty；〃　thought　the　butterfly；　〃charming　littlelasses；　but　they　are　rather　formal。〃

Then；　as　the　young　lads　often　do；　he　looked　out　for　the　eldergirls。　He　next　flew　to　the　anemones；　these　were　rather　sour　to　histaste。　The　violet；　a　little　too　sentimental。　The　lime…blossoms；　toosmall；　and　besides；　there　was　such　a　large　family　of　them。　Theapple…blossoms；　though　they　looked　like　roses；　bloomed　to…day；　butmight　fall　off　to…morrow；　with　the　first　wind　that　blew；　and　hethought　that　a　marriage　with　one　of　them　might　last　too　short　atime。　The　pea…blossom　pleased　him　most　of　all；　she　was　white　andred；　graceful　and　slender；　and　belonged　to　those　domestic　maidenswho　have　a　pretty　appearance；　and　can　yet　be　useful　in　the　kitchen。　Hewas　just　about　to　make　her　an　offer；　when；　close　by　the　maiden；　he　sawa　pod；　with　a　withered　flower　hanging　at　the　end。

〃Who　is　that？〃　he　asked。

〃That　is　my　sister；〃　replied　the　pea…blossom。

〃Oh；　indeed；　and　you　will　be　like　her　some　day；〃　said　he；　and　heflew　away　directly；　for　he　felt　quite　shocked。

A　honeysuckle　hung　forth　from　the　hedge；　in　full　bloom；　butthere　were　so　many　girls　like　her；　with　long　faces　and　sallowplexions。　No；　he　did　not　like　her。　But　which　one　did　he　like？

Spring　went　by；　an