安徒生童话-第61章

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ut　if　you　weep　for　me　as　you　are　weeping　now；　you　may　neversee　me　again。　And　yet　I　would　go　so　gladly。　May　I　not　fly　away？　Andyou　will　e　to　me　soon；　will　you　not；　dear　mother？〃

〃Oh；　stay；　stay！〃　implored　the　mother；　〃only　one　moment　more；　onlyonce　more；　that　I　may　look　upon　thee；　and　kiss　thee；　and　press　thee　tomy　heart。〃

Then　she　kissed　and　fondled　her　child。　Suddenly　her　name　wascalled　from　above；　what　could　it　mean？　her　name　uttered　in　a　plaintivevoice。

〃Hearest　thou？〃　said　the　child。　〃It　is　my　father　who　callsthee。〃　And　in　a　few　moments　deep　sighs　were　heard；　as　of　childrenweeping。　〃They　are　my　sisters；〃　said　the　child。　〃Mother；　surely　youhave　not　forgotten　them。〃

And　then　she　remembered　those　she　left　behind；　and　a　greatterror　came　over　her。　She　looked　around　her　at　the　dark　night。　Dimforms　flitted　by。　She　seemed　to　recognize　some　of　them；　as　theyfloated　through　the　regions　of　death　towards　the　dark　curtain；　wherethey　vanished。　Would　her　husband　and　her　daughters　flit　past？　No；their　sighs　and　lamentations　still　sounded　from　above；　and　she　hadnearly　forgotten　them；　for　the　sake　of　him　who　was　dead。

〃Mother；　now　the　bells　of　heaven　are　ringing；〃　said　the　child；〃mother；　the　sun　is　going　to　rise。〃

An　overpowering　light　streamed　in　upon　her；　the　child　hadvanished；　and　she　was　being　borne　upwards。　All　around　her　became　cold；she　lifted　her　head；　and　saw　that　she　was　lying　in　the　churchyard；on　the　grave　of　her　child。　The　Lord；　in　a　dream；　had　been　a　guide　toher　feet　and　a　light　to　her　spirit。　She　bowed　her　knees；　and　prayedfor　forgiveness。　She　had　wished　to　keep　back　a　soul　from　itsimmortal　flight；　she　had　forgotten　her　duties　towards　the　living　whowere　left　her。　And　when　she　had　offered　this　prayer；　her　heart　feltlighter。　The　sun　burst　forth；　over　her　head　a　little　bird　carolled　hissong；　and　the　church…bells　sounded　for　the　early　service。　Everythingaround　her　seemed　holy；　and　her　heart　was　chastened。　Sheacknowledged　the　goodness　of　God；　she　acknowledged　the　duties　shehad　to　perform；　and　eagerly　she　returned　home。　She　bent　over　herhusband；　who　still　slept；　her　warm；　devoted　kiss　awakened　him；　andwords　of　heartfelt　love　fell　from　the　lips　of　both。　Now　she　was　gentleand　strong　as　a　wife　can　be；　and　from　her　lips　came　the　words　offaith：　〃Whatever　He　doeth　is　right　and　best。〃

Then　her　husband　asked；　〃From　whence　hast　thou　all　at　once　derivedsuch　strength　and　forting　faith？〃

And　as　she　kissed　him　and　her　children；　she　said；　〃It　came　fromGod；　through　my　child　in　the　grave。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　CONCEITED　APPLE…BRANCH

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　the　month　of　May。　The　wind　still　blew　cold；　but　from　bushand　tree；　field　and　flower；　came　the　wele　sound；　〃Spring　ise。〃　Wild…flowers　in　profusion　covered　the　hedges。　Under　thelittle　apple…tree；　Spring　seemed　busy；　and　told　his　tale　from　one　ofthe　branches　which　hung　fresh　and　blooming；　and　covered　withdelicate　pink　blossoms　that　were　just　ready　to　open。　The　branch　wellknew　how　beautiful　it　was；　this　knowledge　exists　as　much　in　the　leafas　in　the　blood；　I　was　therefore　not　surprised　when　a　nobleman'scarriage；　in　which　sat　the　young　countess；　stopped　in　the　road　justby。　She　said　that　an　apple…branch　was　a　most　lovely　object；　and　anemblem　of　spring　in　its　most　charming　aspect。　Then　the　branch　wasbroken　off　for　her；　and　she　held　it　in　her　delicate　hand；　andsheltered　it　with　her　silk　parasol。　Then　they　drove　to　the　castle；in　which　were　lofty　halls　and　splendid　drawing…rooms。　Pure　whitecurtains　fluttered　before　the　open　windows；　and　beautiful　flowersstood　in　shining；　transparent　vases；　and　in　one　of　them；　whichlooked　as　if　it　had　been　cut　out　of　newly　fallen　snow；　theapple…branch　was　placed；　among　some　fresh；　light　twigs　of　beech。　Itwas　a　charming　sight。　Then　the　branch　became　proud；　which　was　verymuch　like　human　nature。

People　of　every　description　entered　the　room；　and；　according　totheir　position　in　society；　so　dared　they　to　express　theiradmiration。　Some　few　said　nothing；　others　expressed　too　much；　andthe　apple…branch　very　soon　got　to　understand　that　there　was　as　muchdifference　in　the　characters　of　human　beings　as　in　those　of　plants　andflowers。　Some　are　all　for　pomp　and　parade；　others　have　a　great　deal　todo　to　maintain　their　own　importance；　while　the　rest　might　be　sparedwithout　much　loss　to　society。　So　thought　the　apple…branch；　as　he　stoodbefore　the　open　window；　from　which　he　could　see　out　over　gardens　andfields；　where　there　were　flowers　and　plants　enough　for　him　to　thinkand　reflect　upon；　some　rich　and　beautiful；　some　poor　and　humbleindeed。

〃Poor；　despised　herbs；〃　said　the　apple…branch；　〃there　is　reallya　difference　between　them　and　such　as　I　am。　How　unhappy　they　mustbe；　if　they　can　feel　as　those　in　my　position　do！　There　is　a　differenceindeed；　and　so　there　ought　to　be；　or　we　should　all　be　equals。〃

And　the　apple…branch　looked　with　a　sort　of　pity　upon　them；especially　on　a　certain　little　flower　that　is　found　in　fields　and　inditches。　No　one　bound　these　flowers　together　in　a　nosegay；　they　weretoo　mon；　they　were　even　known　to　grow　between　the　paving…stones；shooting　up　everywhere；　like　bad　weeds；　and　they　bore　the　very　uglyname　of　〃dog…flowers〃　or　〃dandelions。〃

〃Poor；　despised　plants；〃　said　the　apple…bough；　〃it　is　not　yourfault　that　you　are　so　ugly；　and　that　you　have　such　an　ugly　name；　butit　is　with　plants　as　with　men；…　there　must　be　a　difference。〃

〃A　difference！〃　cried　the　sunbeam；　as　he　kissed　the　bloomingapple…branch；　and　then　kissed　the　yellow　dandelion　out　in　thefields。　All　were　brothers；　and　the　sunbeam　kissed　them…　the　poorflowers　as　well　as　the　rich。

The　apple…bough　had　never　thought　of　the　boundless　love　of　God；which　extends　over　all　the　works　of　creation；　over　everything　whichlives；　and　moves；　and　has　its　being　in　Him；　he　had　never　thought　ofthe　good　and　beautiful　which　are　so　often　hidden；　but　can　never　remainforgotten　by　Him；…　not　only　among　the　lower　creation；　but　also　amongmen。　The　sunbeam；　the　ray　of　light；　knew　better。

〃You　do　not　see　very　far；　nor　very　clearly；〃　he　said　to　theapple…branch。　〃Which　is　the　despised　plant　you　so　specially　pity？〃

〃The　dandelion；〃　he　replied。　〃No　one　ever　places　it　in　anosegay；　it　is　often　trodden　under　foot；　there　are　so　many　of　them；and　when　they　run　to　seed；　they　have　flowers　like　wool；　which　fly　awayin　little　pieces　over　the　roads；　and　cling　to　the　dresses　of　thepeople。　They　are　only　weeds；　but　of　course　there　must　be　weeds。　O；　Iam　really　very　thankful　that　I　was　not　made　like　one　of　theseflowers。〃

There　came　presently　across　the　fields　a　whole　group　ofchildren；　the　youngest　of　whom　was　so　small　that　it　had　to　becarried　by　the　others；　and　when　he　was　seated　on　the　grass；　amongthe　yellow　flowers；　he　laughed　aloud　with　joy；　kicked　out　his　littlelegs；　rolled　about；　plucked　the　yellow　flowers；　and　kissed　them　inchildlike　innocence。　The　elder　children　broke　off　the　flowers　withlong　stems；　bent　the　stalks　one　round　the　other；　to　form　links；　andmade　first　a　chain　for　the　neck；　then　one　to　go　across　theshoulders；　and　hang　down　to　the　waist；　and　at　last　a　wreath　to　wearround　the　head；　so　that　they　looked　quite　splendid　in　their　garlandsof　green　stems　and　golden　flowers。　But　the　eldest　among　themgathered　carefully　the　faded　flowers；　on　the　stem　of　which　was　groupedtogether　the　seed；　in　the　form　of　a　white　feathery　coronal。　Theseloose；　airy　wool…flowers　are　very　beautiful；　and　look　like　finesnowy　feathers　or　down。　The　children　held　them　to　their　mouths；　andtried　to　blow　away　the　whole　coronal　with　one　puff　of　the　breath。　Theyhad　been　told　by　their　grandmothers　that　who　ever　did　so　would　be　sureto　have　new　clothes　before　the　end　of　the　year。　The　despised　flowerwas　by　this　raised　to　the　position　of　a　prophet　or　foreteller　ofevents。

〃Do　you　see；〃　said　the　sunbeam；　〃do　you　see　the　beauty　of　theseflowers？　do　you　see　their　powers　of　giving　pleasure？〃

〃Yes；　to　children；〃　said　the　apple…bough。

By…and…by　an　old　woman　came　into　the　field；　and；　with　a　bluntknife　without　a　handle；　began　to　dig　round　the　roots　of　some　of　thedandelion…plants；　and　pull　them　up。　With　some　of　these　she　intended　tomake　tea　for　herself；　but　the　rest　she　was　going　to　sell　to　thechemist；　and　obtain　some　money。

〃But　beauty　is　of　higher　value　than　all　this；〃　said　the　apple…treebranch；　〃only　the　chosen　ones　can　be　admitted　into　the　realms　of　thebeautiful。　There　is　a　difference　between　plants；　just　as　there　is　adifference　between　men。〃

Then　the　sunbeam　spoke　of　the　boundless　love　of　God；　as　seen　increation；　and　over　all　that　lives；　and　of　the　equal　distribution　ofHis　gifts；　both　in　time　and　in　eternity。

〃That　is　your　opinion；〃　said　the　apple…bough。

Then　some　people　came　into　the　room；　and；　among　them；　the　youngcountess；…　the　lady　who　had　placed　the　apple…bough　in　thetransparent　vase；　so　pleasantly　beneath　the　rays　of　the　sunlight。She　carried　in　her　hand　something　that　seemed　like　a　flower。　Theobject　was　hidden　by　two　or　three　great　leaves；　which　covered　itlike　a　shield；　so　that　no　draught　or　gust　of　wind　could　injure　it；　andit　was　carried　more　carefully　than　the　apple…branch　had　ever　been。Very　cautiously　the　large　leaves　were　removed；　and　there　appearedthe　feathery　seed…crown　of　the　des