安徒生童话-第63章

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The　fingers　then　placed　the　point　of　the　needle　against　the　cook'sslipper。　There　was　a　crack　in　the　upper　leather；　which　had　to　besewn　together。

〃What　coarse　work！〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃I　shall　never　getthrough。　I　shall　break！…　I　am　breaking！〃　and　sure　enough　she　broke。〃Did　I　not　say　so？〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃I　know　I　am　too　fine　forsuch　work　as　that。〃

〃This　needle　is　quite　useless　for　sewing　now；〃　said　the　fingers；but　they　still　held　it　fast；　and　the　cook　dropped　some　sealing…waxon　the　needle；　and　fastened　her　handkerchief　with　it　in　front。

〃So　now　I　am　a　breast…pin；〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃I　knewvery　well　I　should　e　to　honor　some　day：　merit　is　sure　to　rise；〃　andshe　laughed；　quietly　to　herself；　for　of　course　no　one　ever　saw　adarning…needle　laugh。　And　there　she　sat　as　proudly　as　if　she　were　in　astate　coach；　and　looked　all　around　her。　〃May　I　be　allowed　to　ask　ifyou　are　made　of　gold？〃　she　inquired　of　her　neighbor；　a　pin；　〃youhave　a　very　pretty　appearance；　and　a　curious　head；　although　you　arerather　small。　You　must　take　pains　to　grow；　for　it　is　not　every　one　whohas　sealing…wax　dropped　upon　him；〃　and　as　she　spoke；　thedarning…needle　drew　herself　up　so　proudly　that　she　fell　out　of　thehandkerchief　right　into　the　sink；　which　the　cook　was　cleaning。　〃NowI　am　going　on　a　journey；〃　said　the　needle；　as　she　floated　away　withthe　dirty　water；　〃I　do　hope　I　shall　not　be　lost。〃　But　she　really　waslost　in　a　gutter。　〃I　am　too　fine　for　this　world；〃　said　thedarning…needle；　as　she　lay　in　the　gutter；　〃but　I　know　who　I　am；　andthat　is　always　some　fort。〃　So　the　darning…needle　kept　up　herproud　behavior；　and　did　not　lose　her　good　humor。　Then　there　floatedover　her　all　sorts　of　things；…　chips　and　straws；　and　pieces　of　oldnewspaper。　〃See　how　they　sail；〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃they　donot　know　what　is　under　them。　I　am　here；　and　here　I　shall　stick。　See；there　goes　a　chip；　thinking　of　nothing　in　the　world　but　himself…only　a　chip。　There's　a　straw　going　by　now；　how　he　turns　and　twistsabout！　Don't　be　thinking　too　much　of　yourself；　or　you　may　chance　torun　against　a　stone。　There　swims　a　piece　of　newspaper；　what　is　writtenupon　it　has　been　forgotten　long　ago；　and　yet　it　gives　itself　airs。　Isit　here　patiently　and　quietly。　I　know　who　I　am；　so　I　shall　not　move。〃

One　day　something　lying　close　to　the　darning…needle　glittered　sosplendidly　that　she　thought　it　was　a　diamond；　yet　it　was　only　apiece　of　broken　bottle。　The　darning…needle　spoke　to　it；　because　itsparkled；　and　represented　herself　as　a　breast…pin。　〃I　suppose　youare　really　a　diamond？〃　she　said。

〃Why　yes；　something　of　the　kind；〃　he　replied；　and　so　each　believedthe　other　to　be　very　valuable；　and　then　they　began　to　talk　about　theworld；　and　the　conceited　people　in　it。

〃I　have　been　in　a　lady's　work…box；〃　said　the　darning…needle；〃and　this　lady　was　the　cook。　She　had　on　each　hand　five　fingers；　andanything　so　conceited　as　these　five　fingers　I　have　never　seen；　and　yetthey　were　only　employed　to　take　me　out　of　the　box　and　to　put　me　backagain。〃

〃Were　they　not　high…born？〃

〃High…born！〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃no　indeed；　but　sohaughty。　They　were　five　brothers；　all　born　fingers；　they　kept　veryproudly　together；　though　they　were　of　different　lengths。　The　one　whostood　first　in　the　rank　was　named　the　thumb；　he　was　short　and　thick；and　had　only　one　joint　in　his　back；　and　could　therefore　make　but　onebow；　but　he　said　that　if　he　were　cut　off　from　a　man's　hand；　that　manwould　be　unfit　for　a　soldier。　Sweet…tooth；　his　neighbor；　dippedhimself　into　sweet　or　sour；　pointed　to　the　sun　and　moon；　and　formedthe　letters　when　the　fingers　wrote。　Longman；　the　middle　finger；　lookedover　the　heads　of　all　the　others。　Gold…band；　the　next　finger；　wore　agolden　circle　round　his　waist。　And　little　Playman　did　nothing　atall；　and　seemed　proud　of　it。　They　were　boasters；　and　boasters　theywill　remain；　and　therefore　I　left　them。〃

〃And　now　we　sit　here　and　glitter；〃　said　the　piece　of　brokenbottle。

At　the　same　moment　more　water　streamed　into　the　gutter；　so　that　itoverflowed；　and　the　piece　of　bottle　was　carried　away。

〃So　he　is　promoted；〃　said　the　darning…needle；　〃while　I　remainhere；　I　am　too　fine；　but　that　is　my　pride；　and　what　do　I　care？〃　And　soshe　sat　there　in　her　pride；　and　had　many　such　thoughts　as　these；…　〃Icould　almost　fancy　that　I　came　from　a　sunbeam；　I　am　so　fine。　Itseems　as　if　the　sunbeams　were　always　looking　for　me　under　the　water。Ah！　I　am　so　fine　that　even　my　mother　cannot　find　me。　Had　I　still　myold　eye；　which　was　broken　off；　I　believe　I　should　weep；　but　no；　Iwould　not　do　that；　it　is　not　genteel　to　cry。〃

One　day　a　couple　of　street　boys　were　paddling　in　the　gutter；　forthey　sometimes　found　old　nails；　farthings；　and　other　treasures。　It　wasdirty　work；　but　they　took　great　pleasure　in　it。　〃Hallo！〃　cried　one；　ashe　pricked　himself　with　the　darning…needle；　〃here's　a　fellow　for　you。〃

〃I　am　not　a　fellow；　I　am　a　young　lady；〃　said　the　darning…needle；but　no　one　heard　her。

The　sealing…wax　had　e　off；　and　she　was　quite　black；　but　blackmakes　a　person　look　slender；　so　she　thought　herself　even　finer　thanbefore。

〃Here　es　an　egg…shell　sailing　along；〃　said　one　of　the　boys；so　they　stuck　the　darning…needle　into　the　egg…shell。

〃White　walls；　and　I　am　black　myself；〃　said　the　darning…needle；〃that　looks　well；　now　I　can　be　seen；　but　I　hope　I　shall　not　besea…sick；　or　I　shall　break　again。〃　She　was　not　sea…sick；　and　she　didnot　break。　〃It　is　a　good　thing　against　sea…sickness　to　have　a　steelstomach；　and　not　to　forget　one's　own　importance。　Now　my　sea…sicknesshas　past：　delicate　people　can　bear　a　great　deal。〃

Crack　went　the　egg…shell；　as　a　waggon　passed　over　it。　〃Goodheavens；　how　it　crushes！〃　said　the　darning…needle。　〃I　shall　be　sicknow。　I　am　breaking！〃　but　she　did　not　break；　though　the　waggon　wentover　her　as　she　lay　at　full　length；　and　there　let　her　lie。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　DROP　OF　WATER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

OF　course　you　know　what　is　meant　by　a　magnifying　glass…　one　ofthose　round　spectacle…glasses　that　make　everything　look　a　hundredtimes　bigger　than　it　is？　When　any　one　takes　one　of　these　and　holdsit　to　his　eye；　and　looks　at　a　drop　of　water　from　the　pond　yonder；　hesees　above　a　thousand　wonderful　creatures　that　are　otherwise　neverdiscerned　in　the　water。　But　there　they　are；　and　it　is　no　delusion。It　almost　looks　like　a　great　plateful　of　spiders　jumping　about　in　acrowd。　And　how　fierce　they　are！　They　tear　off　each　other's　legs。　andarms　and　bodies；　before　and　behind；　and　yet　they　are　merry　andjoyful　in　their　way。

Now；　there　once　was　an　old　man　whom　all　the　people　calledKribble…Krabble；　for　that　was　his　name。　He　always　wanted　the　best　ofeverything；　and　when　he　could　not　manage　it　otherwise；　he　did　it　bymagic。

There　he　sat　one　day；　and　held　his　magnifying…glass　to　his　eye；and　looked　at　a　drop　of　water　that　had　been　taken　out　of　a　puddle　bythe　ditch。　But　what　a　kribbling　and　krabbling　was　there！　All　thethousands　of　little　creatures　hopped　and　sprang　and　tugged　at　oneanother；　and　ate　each　other　up。

〃That　is　horrible！〃　said　old　Kribble…Krabble。　〃Can　one　notpersuade　them　to　live　in　peace　and　quietness；　so　that　each　one　maymind　his　own　business？〃

And　he　thought　it　over　and　over；　but　it　would　not　do；　and　so　hehad　recourse　to　magic。

〃I　must　give　them　color；　that　they　may　be　seen　more　plainly；〃　saidhe；　and　he　poured　something　like　a　little　drop　of　red　wine　into　thedrop　of　water；　but　it　was　witches'　blood　from　the　lobes　of　the　ear；the　finest　kind；　at　ninepence　a　drop。　And　now　the　wonderful　littlecreatures　were　pink　all　over。　It　looked　like　a　whole　town　of　nakedwild　men。

〃What　have　you　there？〃　asked　another　old　magician；　who　had　noname…　and　that　was　the　best　thing　about　him。

〃Yes；　if　you　can　guess　what　it　is；〃　said　Kribble…Krabble；　〃I'llmake　you　a　present　of　it。〃

But　it　is　not　so　easy　to　find　out　if　one　does　not　know。

And　the　magician　who　had　no　name　looked　through　themagnifying…glass。

It　looked　really　like　a　great　town　reflected　there；　in　which　allthe　people　were　running　about　without　clothes。　It　was　terrible！　But　itwas　still　more　terrible　to　see　how　one　beat　and　pushed　the　other；and　bit　and　hacked；　and　tugged　and　mauled　him。　Those　at　the　top　werebeing　pulled　down；　and　those　at　the　bottom　were　struggling　upwards。

〃Look！　look！　his　leg　is　longer　than　mine！　Bah！　Away　with　it！　Thereis　one　who　has　a　little　bruise。　It　hurts　him；　but　it　shall　hurt　himstill　more。〃

And　they　hacked　away　at　him；　and　they　pulled　at　him；　and　ate　himup；　because　of　the　little　bruise。　And　there　was　one　sitting　as　stillas　any　little　maiden；　and　wishing　only　for　peace　and　quietness。　Butnow　she　had　to　e　out；　and　they　tugged　at　her；　and　pulled　her　about；and　ate　her　up。

〃That's　funny！〃　said　the　magician。

〃Yes；　but　what　do　you　think　it　is？〃　said　Kribble…Krabble。　〃Can　youfind　that　out？〃

〃Why；　one　can　see　that　easily　enough；〃　said　the　other。　〃That's　Paris；or　some　other　great　city；　for　they're　all　alike。　It's　a　great　city！〃

〃It's　a　drop　of　puddle　water！〃　said　Kribble…Krabble。

　THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　DRYAD

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

WE　are　travelling　to　Paris　to　the　Exhibition。

Now　we　are　there。　That　was　a　journey；　a　flight　without　m