安徒生童话-第75章

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d　the　youngest　worethe　golden　star　on　his　breast；　with　which　the　tree　had　been　adornedduring　the　happiest　evening　of　its　existence。　Now　all　was　past；　thetree's　life　was　past；　and　the　story　also；…　for　all　stories　must　eto　an　end　at　last。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　FLAX

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THE　flax　was　in　full　bloom；　it　had　pretty　little　blue　flowers　asdelicate　as　the　wings　of　a　moth；　or　even　more　so。　The　sun　shone；　andthe　showers　watered　it；　and　this　was　just　as　good　for　the　flax　as　itis　for　little　children　to　be　washed　and　then　kissed　by　their　mother。They　look　much　prettier　for　it；　and　so　did　the　flax。

〃People　say　that　I　look　exceedingly　well；〃　said　the　flax；　〃andthat　I　am　so　fine　and　long　that　I　shall　make　a　beautiful　piece　oflinen。　How　fortunate　I　am；　it　makes　me　so　happy；　it　is　such　a　pleasantthing　to　know　that　something　can　be　made　of　me。　How　the　sunshinecheers　me；　and　how　sweet　and　refreshing　is　the　rain；　my　happinessoverpowers　me；　no　one　in　the　world　can　feel　happier　than　I　am。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　fern；　〃but　you　do　not　know　the　worldyet　as　well　as　I　do；　for　my　sticks　are　knotty；〃　and　then　it　sung　quitemournfully…

　　〃Snip；　snap；　snurre；

　　　Basse　lurre：

　　　The　song　is　ended。〃

〃No；　it　is　not　ended；〃　said　the　flax。　〃To…morrow　the　sun　willshine；　or　the　rain　descend。　I　feel　that　I　am　growing。　I　feel　that　I　amin　full　blossom。　I　am　the　happiest　of　all　creatures。〃

Well；　one　day　some　people　came；　who　took　hold　of　the　flax；　andpulled　it　up　by　the　roots；　this　was　painful；　then　it　was　laid　in　wateras　if　they　intended　to　drown　it；　and；　after　that；　placed　near　a　fireas　if　it　were　to　be　roasted；　all　this　was　very　shocking。　〃We　cannotexpect　to　be　happy　always；〃　said　the　flax；　〃by　experiencing　evil　aswell　as　good；　we　bee　wise。〃　And　certainly　there　was　plenty　ofevil　in　store　for　the　flax。　It　was　steeped；　and　roasted；　and　broken；and　bed；　indeed；　it　scarcely　knew　what　was　done　to　it。　At　last　itwas　put　on　the　spinning　wheel。　〃Whirr；　whirr；〃　went　the　wheel　soquickly　that　the　flax　could　not　collect　its　thoughts。　〃Well；　I　havebeen　very　happy；〃　he　thought　in　the　midst　of　his　pain；　〃and　must　becontented　with　the　past；〃　and　contented　he　remained　till　he　was　put　onthe　loom；　and　became　a　beautiful　piece　of　white　linen。　All　the　flax；even　to　the　last　stalk；　was　used　in　making　this　one　piece。　〃Well；　thisis　quite　wonderful；　I　could　not　have　believed　that　I　should　be　sofavored　by　fortune。　The　fern　was　not　wrong　with　its　song　of

　　　'Snip；　snap；　snurre；

Basse　lurre。'But　the　song　is　not　ended　yet；　I　am　sure；　it　is　only　just　beginning。How　wonderful　it　is；　that　after　all　I　have　suffered；　I　am　madesomething　of　at　last；　I　am　the　luckiest　person　in　the　world…　so　strongand　fine；　and　how　white；　and　what　a　length！　This　is　somethingdifferent　to　being　a　mere　plant　and　bearing　flowers。　Then　I　had　noattention；　nor　any　water　unless　it　rained；　now；　I　am　watched　and　takencare　of。　Every　morning　the　maid　turns　me　over；　and　I　have　ashower…bath　from　the　watering…pot　every　evening。　Yes；　and　theclergyman's　wife　noticed　me；　and　said　I　was　the　best　piece　of　linen　inthe　whole　parish。　I　cannot　be　happier　than　I　am　now。〃

After　some　time；　the　linen　was　taken　into　the　house；　placedunder　the　scissors；　and　cut　and　torn　into　pieces；　and　then　prickedwith　needles。　This　certainly　was　not　pleasant；　but　at　last　it　was　madeinto　twelve　garments　of　that　kind　which　people　do　not　like　to　name；and　yet　everybody　should　wear　one。　〃See；　now；　then；〃　said　the　flax；　〃Ihave　bee　something　of　importance。　This　was　my　destiny；　it　isquite　a　blessing。　Now　I　shall　be　of　some　use　in　the　world；　as　everyoneought　to　be；　it　is　the　only　way　to　be　happy。　I　am　now　divided　intotwelve　pieces；　and　yet　we　are　all　one　and　the　same　in　the　whole　dozen。It　is　most　extraordinary　good　fortune。〃

Years　passed　away；　and　at　last　the　linen　was　so　worn　it　couldscarcely　hold　together。　〃It　must　end　very　soon；〃　said　the　pieces　toeach　other；　〃we　would　gladly　have　held　together　a　little　longer；　butit　is　useless　to　expect　impossibilities。〃　And　at　length　they　fell　intorags　and　tatters；　and　thought　it　was　all　over　with　them；　for　they　weretorn　to　shreds；　and　steeped　in　water；　and　made　into　a　pulp；　and　dried；and　they　knew　not　what　besides；　till　all　at　once　they　found　themselvesbeautiful　white　paper。　〃Well；　now；　this　is　a　surprise；　a　glorioussurprise　too；〃　said　the　paper。　〃I　am　now　finer　than　ever；　and　Ishall　be　written　upon；　and　who　can　tell　what　fine　things　I　may　havewritten　upon　me。　This　is　wonderful　luck！〃　And　sure　enough　the　mostbeautiful　stories　and　poetry　were　written　upon　it；　and　only　once　wasthere　a　blot；　which　was　very　fortunate。　Then　people　heard　thestories　and　poetry　read；　and　it　made　them　wiser　and　better；　for　allthat　was　written　had　a　good　and　sensible　meaning；　and　a　great　blessingwas　contained　in　the　words　on　this　paper。

〃I　never　imagined　anything　like　this；〃　said　the　paper；　〃when　I　wasonly　a　little　blue　flower；　growing　in　the　fields。　How　could　I　fancythat　I　should　ever　be　the　means　of　bringing　knowledge　and　joy　toman？　I　cannot　understand　it　myself；　and　yet　it　is　really　so。　Heavenknows　that　I　have　done　nothing　myself；　but　what　I　was　obliged　to　dowith　my　weak　powers　for　my　own　preservation；　and　yet　I　have　beenpromoted　from　one　joy　and　honor　to　another。　Each　time　I　think　that　thesong　is　ended；　and　then　something　higher　and　better　begins　for　me。　Isuppose　now　I　shall　be　sent　on　my　travels　about　the　world；　so　thatpeople　may　read　me。　It　cannot　be　otherwise；　indeed；　it　is　more　thanprobable；　for　I　have　more　splendid　thoughts　written　upon　me；　than　Ihad　pretty　flowers　in　olden　times。　I　am　happier　than　ever。〃

But　the　paper　did　not　go　on　its　travels；　it　was　sent　to　theprinter；　and　all　the　words　written　upon　it　were　set　up　in　type；　tomake　a　book；　or　rather；　many　hundreds　of　books；　for　so　many　morepersons　could　derive　pleasure　and　profit　from　a　printed　book；　thanfrom　the　written　paper；　and　if　the　paper　had　been　sent　around　theworld；　it　would　have　been　worn　out　before　it　had　got　half　throughits　journey。

〃This　is　certainly　the　wisest　plan；〃　said　the　written　paper；　〃Ireally　did　not　think　of　that。　I　shall　remain　at　home；　and　be　held　inhonor；　like　some　old　grandfather；　as　I　really　am　to　all　these　newbooks。　They　will　do　some　good。　I　could　not　have　wandered　about　as　theydo。　Yet　he　who　wrote　all　this　has　looked　at　me；　as　every　word　flowedfrom　his　pen　upon　my　surface。　I　am　the　most　honored　of　all。〃

Then　the　paper　was　tied　in　a　bundle　with　other　papers；　andthrown　into　a　tub　that　stood　in　the　washhouse。

〃After　work；　it　is　well　to　rest；〃　said　the　paper；　〃and　a　very　goodopportunity　to　collect　one's　thoughts。　Now　I　am　able；　for　the　firsttime；　to　think　of　my　real　condition；　and　to　know　one's　self　is　trueprogress。　What　will　be　done　with　me　now；　I　wonder？　No　doubt　I　shallstill　go　forward。　I　have　always　progressed　hitherto；　as　I　know　quitewell。〃

Now　it　happened　one　day　that　all　the　paper　in　the　tub　was　takenout；　and　laid　on　the　hearth　to　be　burnt。　People　said　it　could　not　besold　at　the　shop；　to　wrap　up　butter　and　sugar；　because　it　had　beenwritten　upon。　The　children　in　the　house　stood　round　the　stove；　forthey　wanted　to　see　the　paper　burn；　because　it　flamed　up　so　prettily；and　afterwards；　among　the　ashes；　so　many　red　sparks　could　be　seenrunning　one　after　the　other；　here　and　there；　as　quick　as　the　wind。They　called　it　seeing　the　children　e　out　of　school；　and　the　lastspark　was　the　schoolmaster。　They　often　thought　the　last　spark　hade；　and　one　would　cry；　〃There　goes　the　schoolmaster；〃　but　the　nextmoment　another　spark　would　appear；　shining　so　beautifully。　How　theywould　like　to　know　where　the　sparks　all　went　to！　Perhaps　we　shall　findout　some　day；　but　we　don't　know　now。

The　whole　bundle　of　paper　had　been　placed　on　the　fire；　and　wassoon　alight。　〃Ugh；〃　cried　the　paper；　as　it　burst　into　a　brightflame；　〃ugh。〃　It　was　certainly　not　very　pleasant　to　be　burning；　butwhen　the　whole　was　wrapped　in　flames；　the　flames　mounted　up　into　theair；　higher　than　the　flax　had　ever　been　able　to　raise　its　littleblue　flower；　and　they　glistened　as　the　white　linen　never　could　haveglistened。　All　the　written　letters　became　quite　red　in　a　moment；　andall　the　words　and　thoughts　turned　to　fire。

〃Now　I　am　mounting　straight　up　to　the　sun；〃　said　a　voice　in　theflames；　and　it　was　as　if　a　thousand　voices　echoed　the　words；　and　theflames　darted　up　through　the　chimney；　and　went　out　at　the　top。　Thena　number　of　tiny　beings；　as　many　in　number　as　the　flowers　on　theflax　had　been；　and　invisible　to　mortal　eyes；　floated　above　them。They　were　even　lighter　and　more　delicate　than　the　flowers　from　whichthey　were　born；　and　as　the　flames　were　extinguished；　and　nothingremained　of　the　paper　but　black　ashes；　these　little　beings　danced　uponit；　and　whenever　they　touched　it；　bright　red　sparks　appeared。

〃The　children　are　all　out　of　school；　and　the　schoolmaster　wasthe　last　of　all；〃　said　the　children。　It　was　good　fun；　and　they　sangover　the　dead　ashes；…

　〃Snip；　snap；　snurre；

　　Basse　lure：

　　The　song　is　ended。〃

But　the　little　invisible　beings　said；　〃The　song　is　never　ended；the　most　beautiful　is　yet　to　e。〃

But　the　children　could　neither　hear　nor　understand　this；　norshould　they；　for　children　must　not　know　everyth