安徒生童话-第71章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


all　right。

〃Feet　off　the　table…cloth！〃　said　the　old　goblin。　They　obeyed；but　not　immediately。　Then　they　tickled　the　ladies　who　waited　at　table；with　the　fir…cones；　which　they　carried　in　their　pockets。　They　took　offtheir　boots；　that　they　might　be　more　at　ease；　and　gave　them　to　theladies　to　hold。　But　their　father；　the　old　goblin；　was　verydifferent；　he　talked　pleasantly　about　the　stately　Norwegian　rocks；　andtold　fine　tales　of　the　waterfalls　which　dashed　over　them　with　aclattering　noise　like　thunder　or　the　sound　of　an　organ；　spreadingtheir　white　foam　on　every　side。　He　told　of　the　salmon　that　leaps　inthe　rushing　waters；　while　the　water…god　plays　on　his　golden　harp。　Hespoke　of　the　bright　winter　nights；　when　the　sledge　bells　areringing；　and　the　boys　run　with　burning　torches　across　the　smoothice；　which　is　so　transparent　that　they　can　see　the　fishes　dart　forwardbeneath　their　feet。　He　described　everything　so　clearly；　that　those　wholistened　could　see　it　all；　they　could　see　the　saw…mills　going；　themen…servants　and　the　maidens　singing　songs；　and　dancing　a　rattlingdance；…　when　all　at　once　the　old　goblin　gave　the　old　elfin　maiden　akiss；　such　a　tremendous　kiss；　and　yet　they　were　almost　strangers　toeach　other。

Then　the　elfin　girls　had　to　dance；　first　in　the　usual　way；　andthen　with　stamping　feet；　which　they　performed　very　well；　then　followedthe　artistic　and　solo　dance。　Dear　me；　how　they　did　throw　their　legsabout！　No　one　could　tell　where　the　dance　begun；　or　where　it　ended；　norindeed　which　were　legs　and　which　were　arms；　for　they　were　all　flyingabout　together；　like　the　shavings　in　a　saw…pit！　And　then　they　spunround　so　quickly　that　the　death…horse　and　the　grave…pig　became　sickand　giddy；　and　were　obliged　to　leave　the　table。

〃Stop！〃　cried　the　old　goblin；〃　is　that　the　only　house…keeping　theycan　perform？　Can　they　do　anything　more　than　dance　and　throw　abouttheir　legs；　and　make　a　whirlwind？〃

〃You　shall　soon　see　what　they　can　do；〃　said　the　elf　king。　And　thenhe　called　his　youngest　daughter　to　him。　She　was　slender　and　fair　asmoonlight；　and　the　most　graceful　of　all　the　sisters。　She　took　awhite　chip　in　her　mouth；　and　vanished　instantly；　this　was　heracplishment。　But　the　old　goblin　said　he　should　not　like　his　wife　tohave　such　an　acplishment；　and　thought　his　boys　would　have　thesame　objection。　Another　daughter　could　make　a　figure　like　herselffollow　her；　as　if　she　had　a　shadow；　which　none　of　the　goblin　folk　everhad。　The　third　was　of　quite　a　different　sort；　she　had　learnt　in　thebrew…house　of　the　moor　witch　how　to　lard　elfin　puddings　withglow…worms。

〃She　will　make　a　good　housewife；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　and　thensaluted　her　with　his　eyes　instead　of　drinking　her　health；　for　he　didnot　drink　much。

Now　came　the　fourth　daughter；　with　a　large　harp　to　play　upon；and　when　she　struck　the　first　chord；　every　one　lifted　up　the　leftleg　（for　the　goblins　are　left…legged）；　and　at　the　second　chord　theyfound　they　must　all　do　just　what　she　wanted。

〃That　is　a　dangerous　woman；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　and　the　two　sonswalked　out　of　the　hill；　they　had　had　enough　of　it。　〃And　what　can　thenext　daughter　do？〃　asked　the　old　goblin。

〃I　have　learnt　everything　that　is　Norwegian；〃　said　she；　〃and　Iwill　never　marry；　unless　I　can　go　to　Norway。〃

Then　her　youngest　sister　whispered　to　the　old　goblin；　〃That　isonly　because　she　has　heard；　in　a　Norwegian　song；　that　when　the　worldshall　decay；　the　cliffs　of　Norway　will　remain　standing　like　monuments；and　she　wants　to　get　there；　that　she　may　be　safe；　for　she　is　so　afraidof　sinking。〃

〃Ho！　ho！〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃is　that　what　she　means？　Well；　whatcan　the　seventh　and　last　do？〃

〃The　sixth　es　before　the　seventh；〃　said　the　elf　king；　for　hecould　reckon；　but　the　sixth　would　not　e　forward。

〃I　can　only　tell　people　the　truth；〃　said　she。　〃No　one　cares　forme；　nor　troubles　himself　about　me；　and　I　have　enough　to　do　to　sew　mygrave　clothes。〃

So　the　seventh　and　last　came；　and　what　could　she　do？　Why；　shecould　tell　stories；　as　many　as　you　liked；　on　any　subject。

〃Here　are　my　five　fingers；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃now　tell　me　astory　for　each　of　them。〃

So　she　took　him　by　the　wrist；　and　he　laughed　till　he　nearlychoked；　and　when　she　came　to　the　fourth　finger；　there　was　a　goldring　on　it；　as　if　it　knew　there　was　to　be　a　betrothal。　Then　the　oldgoblin　said；　〃Hold　fast　what　you　have：　this　hand　is　yours；　for　Iwill　have　you　for　a　wife　myself。〃

Then　the　elfin　girl　said　that　the　stories　about　the　ring…fingerand　little　Peter　Playman　had　not　yet　been　told。

〃We　will　hear　them　in　the　winter；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　〃andalso　about　the　fir　and　the　birch…trees；　and　the　ghost　stories；　andof　the　tingling　frost。　You　shall　tell　your　tales；　for　no　one　overthere　can　do　it　so　well；　and　we　will　sit　in　the　stone　rooms；　where　thepine　logs　are　burning；　and　drink　mead　out　of　the　goldendrinking…horn　of　the　old　Norwegian　kings。　The　water…god　has　given　metwo；　and　when　we　sit　there；　Nix　es　to　pay　us　a　visit；　and　will　singyou　all　the　songs　of　the　mountain　shepherdesses。　How　merry　we　shallbe！　The　salmon　will　be　leaping　in　the　waterfalls；　and　dashingagainst　the　stone　walls；　but　he　will　not　be　able　to　e　in。　It　isindeed　very　pleasant　to　live　in　old　Norway。　But　where　are　the　lads？〃

Where　indeed　were　they？　Why；　running　about　the　fields；　and　blowingout　the　will…o'…the…wisps；　who　so　good…naturedly　came　and　broughttheir　torches。

〃What　tricks　have　you　been　playing？〃　said　the　old　goblin。　〃Ihave　taken　a　mother　for　you；　and　now　you　may　take　one　of　your　aunts。〃

But　the　youngsters　said　they　would　rather　make　a　speech　anddrink　to　their　good　fellowship；　they　had　no　wish　to　marry。　Then　theymade　speeches　and　drank　toasts；　and　tipped　their　glasses；　to　show　thatthey　were　empty。　Then　they　took　off　their　coats；　and　lay　down　on　thetable　to　sleep；　for　they　made　themselves　quite　at　home。　But　the　oldgoblin　danced　about　the　room　with　his　young　bride；　and　exchanged　bootswith　her；　which　is　more　fashionable　than　exchanging　rings。

〃The　cock　is　crowing；〃　said　the　old　elfin　maiden　who　acted　ashousekeeper；　now　we　must　close　the　shutters；　that　the　sun　may　notscorch　us。〃

Then　the　hill　closed　up。　But　the　lizards　continued　to　run　up　anddown　the　riven　tree；　and　one　said　to　the　other；　〃Oh；　how　much　I　waspleased　with　the　old　goblin！〃

〃The　boys　pleased　me　better；〃　said　the　earth…worm。　But　then　thepoor　miserable　creature　could　not　see。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　EMPEROR'S　NEW　SUIT

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

MANY；　many　years　ago　lived　an　emperor；　who　thought　so　much　ofnew　clothes　that　he　spent　all　his　money　in　order　to　obtain　them；　hisonly　ambition　was　to　be　always　well　dressed。　He　did　not　care　for　hissoldiers；　and　the　theatre　did　not　amuse　him；　the　only　thing；　infact；　he　thought　anything　of　was　to　drive　out　and　show　a　new　suit　ofclothes。　He　had　a　coat　for　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　as　one　would　sayof　a　king　〃He　is　in　his　cabi；〃　so　one　could　say　of　him；　〃Theemperor　is　in　his　dressing…room。〃

The　great　city　where　he　resided　was　very　gay；　every　day　manystrangers　from　all　parts　of　the　globe　arrived。　One　day　two　swindlerscame　to　this　city；　they　made　people　believe　that　they　were　weavers；and　declared　they　could　manufacture　the　finest　cloth　to　be　imagined。Their　colours　and　patterns；　they　said；　were　not　only　exceptionallybeautiful；　but　the　clothes　made　of　their　material　possessed　thewonderful　quality　of　being　invisible　to　any　man　who　was　unfit　forhis　office　or　unpardonably　stupid。

〃That　must　be　wonderful　cloth；〃　thought　the　emperor。　〃If　I　were　tobe　dressed　in　a　suit　made　of　this　cloth　I　should　be　able　to　find　outwhich　men　in　my　empire　were　unfit　for　their　places；　and　I　coulddistinguish　the　clever　from　the　stupid。　I　must　have　this　cloth　wovenfor　me　without　delay。〃　And　he　gave　a　large　sum　of　money　to　theswindlers；　in　advance；　that　they　should　set　to　work　without　any　lossof　time。　They　set　up　two　looms；　and　pretended　to　be　very　hard　at　work；but　they　did　nothing　whatever　on　the　looms。　They　asked　for　thefinest　silk　and　the　most　precious　gold…cloth；　all　they　got　they　didaway　with；　and　worked　at　the　empty　looms　till　late　at　night。

〃I　should　very　much　like　to　know　how　they　are　getting　on　withthe　cloth；〃　thought　the　emperor。　But　he　felt　rather　uneasy　when　heremembered　that　he　who　was　not　fit　for　his　office　could　not　see　it。Personally；　he　was　of　opinion　that　he　had　nothing　to　fear；　yet　hethought　it　advisable　to　send　somebody　else　first　to　see　how　mattersstood。　Everybody　in　the　town　knew　what　a　remarkable　quality　thestuff　possessed；　and　all　were　anxious　to　see　how　bad　or　stupid　theirneighbours　were。

〃I　shall　send　my　honest　old　minister　to　the　weavers；〃　thoughtthe　emperor。　〃He　can　judge　best　how　the　stuff　looks；　for　he　isintelligent；　and　nobody　understands　his　office　better　than　he。〃

The　good　old　minister　went　into　the　room　where　the　swindlers　satbefore　the　empty　looms。　〃Heaven　preserve　us！〃　he　thought；　and　openedhis　eyes　wide；　〃I　cannot　see　anything　at　all；〃　but　he　did　not　sayso。　Both　swindlers　requested　him　to　e　near；　and　asked　him　if　he　didnot　admire　the　exquisite　pattern　and　the　beautiful　colours；　pointingto　the　empty　looms。　The　poor　old　minister　tried　his　very　best；　buthe　could　see　nothing；　for　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen。　〃Oh　dear；〃he　thought；　〃can　I　be　so　stu