安徒生童话-第70章

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ung　man；　whose　head　now　formed　part　of　theearth　beneath　them；　and　of　the　wicked　brother　and　the　poor　sister。　〃Weknow　it；〃　said　each　little　spirit　in　the　flowers；　〃we　know　it；　forhave　we　not　sprung　from　the　eyes　and　lips　of　the　murdered　one。　We　knowit；　we　know　it；〃　and　the　flowers　nodded　with　their　heads　in　a　peculiarmanner。　The　elf　of　the　rose　could　not　understand　how　they　could　restso　quietly　in　the　matter；　so　he　flew　to　the　bees；　who　were　gatheringhoney；　and　told　them　of　the　wicked　brother。　And　the　bees　told　it　totheir　queen；　who　manded　that　the　next　morning　they　should　go　andkill　the　murderer。　But　during　the　night；　the　first　after　thesister's　death；　while　the　brother　was　sleeping　in　his　bed；　close　towhere　he　had　placed　the　fragrant　jasmine；　every　flower　cup　opened；　andinvisibly　the　little　spirits　stole　out；　armed　with　poisonous　spears。They　placed　themselves　by　the　ear　of　the　sleeper；　told　him　dreadfuldreams　and　then　flew　across　his　lips；　and　pricked　his　tongue　withtheir　poisoned　spears。　〃Now　have　we　revenged　the　dead；〃　said　they；　andflew　back　into　the　white　bells　of　the　jasmine　flowers。　When　themorning　came；　and　as　soon　as　the　window　was　opened；　the　rose　elf；　withthe　queen　bee；　and　the　whole　swarm　of　bees；　rushed　in　to　kill　him。　Buthe　was　already　dead。　People　were　standing　round　the　bed；　and　sayingthat　the　scent　of　the　jasmine　had　killed　him。　Then　the　elf　of　the　roseunderstood　the　revenge　of　the　flowers；　and　explained　it　to　the　queenbee；　and　she；　with　the　whole　swarm；　buzzed　about　the　flower…pot。　Thebees　could　not　be　driven　away。　Then　a　man　took　it　up　to　remove　it；　andone　of　the　bees　stung　him　in　the　hand；　so　that　he　let　the　flower…potfall；　and　it　was　broken　to　pieces。　Then　every　one　saw　the　whitenedskull；　and　they　knew　the　dead　man　in　the　bed　was　a　murderer。　And　thequeen　bee　hummed　in　the　air；　and　sang　of　the　revenge　of　the　flowers；and　of　the　elf　of　the　rose　and　said　that　behind　the　smallest　leafdwells　One；　who　can　discover　evil　deeds；　and　punish　them　also。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　ELFIN　HILL

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　FEW　large　lizards　were　running　nimbly　about　in　the　clefts　ofan　old　tree；　they　could　understand　one　another　very　well；　for　theyspoke　the　lizard　language。

〃What　a　buzzing　and　a　rumbling　there　is　in　the　elfin　hill；〃　saidone　of　the　lizards；　〃I　have　not　been　able　to　close　my　eyes　for　twonights　on　account　of　the　noise；　I　might　just　as　well　have　had　thetoothache；　for　that　always　keeps　me　awake。〃

〃There　is　something　going　on　within　there；〃　said　the　other　lizard；〃they　propped　up　the　top　of　the　hill　with　four　red　posts；　tillcock…crow　this　morning；　so　that　it　is　thoroughly　aired；　and　theelfin　girls　have　learnt　new　dances；　there　is　something。〃

〃I　spoke　about　it　to　an　earth…worm　of　my　acquaintance；〃　said　athird　lizard；　〃the　earth…worm　had　just　e　from　the　elfin　hill；　wherehe　has　been　groping　about　in　the　earth　day　and　night。　He　has　heard　agreat　deal；　although　he　cannot　see；　poor　miserable　creature；　yet　heunderstands　very　well　how　to　wriggle　and　lurk　about。　They　expectfriends　in　the　elfin　hill；　grand　pany；　too；　but　who　they　are　theearth…worm　would　not　say；　or；　perhaps；　he　really　did　not　know。　All　thewill…o'…the…wisps　are　ordered　to　be　there　to　hold　a　torch　dance；　as　itis　called。　The　silver　and　gold　which　is　plentiful　in　the　hill　willbe　polished　and　placed　out　in　the　moonlight。〃

〃Who　can　the　strangers　be？〃　asked　the　lizards；　〃what　can　thematter　be？　Hark；　what　a　buzzing　and　humming　there　is！〃

Just　at　this　moment　the　elfin　hill　opened；　and　an　old　elfinmaiden；　hollow　behind；　came　tripping　out；　she　was　the　old　elf　king'shousekeeper；　and　a　distant　relative　of　the　family；　therefore　shewore　an　amber　heart　on　the　middle　of　her　forehead。　Her　feet　moved　veryfast；　〃trip；　trip；〃　good　gracious；　how　she　could　trip　right　down　tothe　sea　to　the　night…raven。

〃You　are　invited　to　the　elf　hill　for　this　evening；〃　said　she；　〃butwill　you　do　me　a　great　favor　and　undertake　the　invitations？　youought　to　do　something；　for　you　have　no　housekeeping　to　attend　to　asI　have。　We　are　going　to　have　some　very　grand　people；　conjurors；　whohave　always　something　to　say；　and　therefore　the　old　elf　king　wishes　tomake　a　great　display。〃

〃Who　is　to　be　invited？〃　asked　the　raven。

〃All　the　world　may　e　to　the　great　ball；　even　human　beings；　ifthey　can　only　talk　in　their　sleep；　or　do　something　after　ourfashion。　But　for　the　feast　the　pany　must　be　carefully　selected；we　can　only　admit　persons　of　high　rank；　I　have　had　a　dispute　myselfwith　the　elf　king；　as　he　thought　we　could　not　admit　ghosts。　The　mermanand　his　daughter　must　be　invited　first；　although　it　may　not　beagreeable　to　them　to　remain　so　long　on　dry　land；　but　they　shall　have　awet　stone　to　sit　on；　or　perhaps　something　better；　so　I　think　they　willnot　refuse　this　time。　We　must　have　all　the　old　demons　of　the　firstclass；　with　tails；　and　the　hobgoblins　and　imps；　and　then　I　think　weought　not　to　leave　out　the　death…horse；　or　the　grave…pig；　or　eventhe　church　dwarf；　although　they　do　belong　to　the　clergy；　and　are　notreckoned　among　our　people；　but　that　is　merely　their　office；　they　arenearly　related　to　us；　and　visit　us　very　frequently。〃

〃Croak；〃　said　the　night…raven　as　he　flew　away　with　theinvitations。

The　elfin　maidens　we're　already　dancing　on　the　elf　hill；　andthey　danced　in　shawls　woven　from　moonshine　and　mist；　which　look　verypretty　to　those　who　like　such　things。　The　large　hall　within　the　elfhill　was　splendidly　decorated；　the　floor　had　been　washed　withmoonshine；　and　the　walls　had　been　rubbed　with　magic　ointment；　sothat　they　glowed　like　tulip…leaves　in　the　light。　In　the　kitchen　werefrogs　roasting　on　the　spit；　and　dishes　preparing　of　snail　skins；with　children's　fingers　in　them；　salad　of　mushroom　seed；　hemlock；noses　and　marrow　of　mice；　beer　from　the　marsh　woman's　brewery；　andsparkling　salt…petre　wine　from　the　grave　cellars。　These　were　allsubstantial　food。　Rusty　nails　and　church…window　glass　formed　thedessert。　The　old　elf　king　had　his　gold　crown　polished　up　with　powderedslate…pencil；　it　was　like　that　used　by　the　first　form；　and　verydifficult　for　an　elf　king　to　obtain。　In　the　bedrooms；　curtains　werehung　up　and　fastened　with　the　slime　of　snails；　there　was；　indeed；　abuzzing　and　humming　everywhere。

〃Now　we　must　fumigate　the　place　with　burnt　horse…hair　and　pig'sbristles；　and　then　I　think　I　shall　have　done　my　part；〃　said　the　elfman…servant。

〃Father；　dear；〃　said　the　youngest　daughter；　〃may　I　now　hear　whoour　high…born　visitors　are？〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　I　must　tell　you　now；〃　he　replied；　〃two　of　mydaughters　must　prepare　themselves　to　be　married；　for　the　marriagescertainly　will　take　place。　The　old　goblin　from　Norway；　who　lives　inthe　ancient　Dovre　mountains；　and　who　possesses　many　castles　built　ofrock　and　freestone；　besides　a　gold　mine；　which　is　better　than　all；so　it　is　thought；　is　ing　with　his　two　sons；　who　are　both　seekinga　wife。　The　old　goblin　is　a　true…hearted；　honest；　old　Norwegiangraybeard；　cheerful　and　straightforward。　I　knew　him　formerly；　whenwe　used　to　drink　together　to　our　good　fellowship：　he　came　here　once　tofetch　his　wife；　she　is　dead　now。　She　was　the　daughter　of　the　king　ofthe　chalk…hills　at　Moen。　They　say　he　took　his　wife　from　chalk；　I　shallbe　delighted　to　see　him　again。　It　is　said　that　the　boys　areill…bred；　forward　lads；　but　perhaps　that　is　not　quite　correct；　andthey　will　bee　better　as　they　grow　older。　Let　me　see　that　you　knowhow　to　teach　them　good　manners。〃

〃And　when　are　they　ing？〃　asked　the　daughter。

〃That　depends　upon　wind　and　weather；〃　said　the　elf　king；　〃theytravel　economically。　They　will　e　when　there　is　the　chance　of　aship。　I　wanted　them　to　e　over　to　Sweden；　but　the　old　man　was　notinclined　to　take　my　advice。　He　does　not　go　forward　with　the　times；　andthat　I　do　not　like。〃

Two　will…o'…the…wisps　came　jumping　in；　one　quicker　than　the　other；so　of　course；　one　arrived　first。　〃They　are　ing！　they　are　ing！〃he　cried。

〃Give　me　my　crown；〃　said　the　elf　king；　〃and　let　me　stand　in　themoonshine。〃

The　daughters　drew　on　their　shawls　and　bowed　down　to　the　ground。There　stood　the　old　goblin　from　the　Dovre　mountains；　with　his　crown　ofhardened　ice　and　polished　fir…cones。　Besides　this；　he　wore　abear…skin；　and　great；　warm　boots；　while　his　sons　went　with　theirthroats　bare　and　wore　no　braces；　for　they　were　strong　men。

〃Is　that　a　hill？〃　said　the　youngest　of　the　boys；　pointing　to　theelf　hill；　〃we　should　call　it　a　hole　in　Norway。〃

〃Boys；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃a　hole　goes　in；　and　a　hill　standsout；　have　you　no　eyes　in　your　heads？〃

Another　thing　they　wondered　at　was；　that　they　were　able　withouttrouble　to　understand　the　language。

〃Take　care；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃or　people　will　think　you　havenot　been　well　brought　up。〃

Then　they　entered　the　elfin　hill；　where　the　select　and　grandpany　were　assembled；　and　so　quickly　had　they　appeared　that　theyseemed　to　have　been　blown　together。　But　for　each　guest　the　neatest　andpleasantest　arrangement　had　been　made。　The　sea　folks　sat　at　table　ingreat　water…tubs；　and　they　said　it　was　just　like　being　at　home。　Allbehaved　themselves　properly　excepting　the　two　young　northern　goblins；they　put　their　legs　on　the　table　and　thought　they　were　all　right。

〃Feet　off　the　table…cloth！〃　said　the　old　goblin。　They　obeyed；but　not　immediately。　Then