安徒生童话-第121章

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ul　and　spirit；　had　wrestled　and　struggledwith　evil。　She　acknowledged　that　she　had　only　followed　the　impulses　ofan　evil　disposition；　that　she　had　done　nothing　to　cure　herself；everything　had　been　given　her；　and　all　had　happened　as　it　were　bythe　ordination　of　Providence。　She　bowed　herself　humbly；　confessedher　great　imperfections　in　the　sight　of　Him　who　can　read　every　faultof　the　heart；　and　then　the　priest　spoke。　〃Daughter　of　the　moorland；thou　hast　e　from　the　swamp　and　the　marshy　earth；　but　from　this　thoushalt　arise。　The　sunlight　shining　into　thy　inmost　soul　proves　theorigin　from　which　thou　hast　really　sprung；　and　has　restored　the　bodyto　its　natural　form。　I　am　e　to　thee　from　the　land　of　the　dead；and　thou　also　must　pass　through　the　valley　to　reach　the　holy　mountainswhere　mercy　and　perfection　dwell。　I　cannot　lead　thee　to　Hedeby　thatthou　mayst　receive　Christian　baptism；　for　first　thou　must　remove　thethick　veil　with　which　the　waters　of　the　moorland　are　shrouded；　andbring　forth　from　its　depths　the　living　author　of　thy　being　and　thylife。　Till　this　is　done；　thou　canst　not　receive　consecration。〃

Then　he　lifted　her　on　the　horse　and　gave　her　a　golden　censer；similar　to　those　she　had　already　seen　at　the　Viking's　house。　A　sweetperfume　arose　from　it；　while　the　open　wound　in　the　forehead　of　theslain　priest；　shone　with　the　rays　of　a　diamond。　He　took　the　cross　fromthe　grave；　and　held　it　aloft；　and　now　they　rode　through　the　air　overthe　rustling　trees；　over　the　hills　where　warriors　lay　buried　each　byhis　dead　war…horse；　and　the　brazen　monumental　figures　rose　up　andgalloped　forth；　and　stationed　themselves　on　the　summits　of　thehills。　The　golden　crescent　on　their　foreheads；　fastened　with　goldenknots；　glittered　in　the　moonlight；　and　their　mantles　floated　in　thewind。　The　dragon；　that　guards　buried　treasure；　lifted　his　head　andgazed　after　them。　The　goblins　and　the　satyrs　peeped　out　from　beneaththe　hills；　and　flitted　to　and　fro　in　the　fields；　waving　blue；　red；　andgreen　torches；　like　the　glowing　sparks　in　burning　paper。　Over　woodlandand　heath；　flood　and　fen；　they　flew　on；　till　they　reached　the　wildmoor；　over　which　they　hovered　in　broad　circles。　The　Christian　priestheld　the　cross　aloft；　and　it　glittered　like　gold；　while　from　hislips　sounded　pious　prayers。　Beautiful　Helga's　voice　joined　with　his　inthe　hymns　he　sung；　as　a　child　joins　in　her　mother's　song。　She　swungthe　censer；　and　a　wonderful　fragrance　of　incense　arose　from　it；　sopowerful；　that　the　reeds　and　rushes　of　the　moor　burst　forth　intoblossom。　Each　germ　came　forth　from　the　deep　ground：　all　that　hadlife　raised　itself。　Blooming　water…lilies　spread　themselves　forth　likea　carpet　of　wrought　flowers；　and　upon　them　lay　a　slumbering　woman；young　and　beautiful。　Helga　fancied　that　it　was　her　own　image　she　sawreflected　in　the　still　water。　But　it　was　her　mother　she　beheld；　thewife　of　the　Marsh　King；　the　princess　from　the　land　of　the　Nile。

The　dead　Christian　priest　desired　that　the　sleeping　woman　shouldbe　lifted　on　the　horse；　but　the　horse　sank　beneath　the　load；　as　ifhe　had　been　a　funeral　pall　fluttering　in　the　wind。　But　the　sign　of　thecross　made　the　airy　phantom　strong；　and　then　the　three　rode　awayfrom　the　marsh　to　firm　ground。

At　the　same　moment　the　cock　crew　in　the　Viking's　castle；　and　thedream　figures　dissolved　and　floated　away　in　the　air；　but　mother　anddaughter　stood　opposite　to　each　other。

〃Am　I　looking　at　my　own　image　in　the　deep　water？〃　said　the　mother。

〃Is　it　myself　that　I　see　represented　on　a　white　shield？〃　cried　thedaughter。

Then　they　came　nearer　to　each　other　in　a　fond　embrace。　Themother's　heart　beat　quickly；　and　she　understood　the　quickenedpulses。　〃My　child！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃the　flower　of　my　heart…　my　lotusflower　of　the　deep　water！〃　and　she　embraced　her　child　again　andwept；　and　the　tears　were　as　a　baptism　of　new　life　and　love　forHelga。　〃In　swan's　plumage　I　came　here；〃　said　the　mother；　〃and　here　Ithrew　off　my　feather　dress。　Then　I　sank　down　through　the　waveringground；　deep　into　the　marsh　beneath；　which　closed　like　a　wall　aroundme；　I　found　myself　after　a　while　in　fresher　water；　still　a　powerdrew　me　down　deeper　and　deeper。　I　felt　the　weight　of　sleep　upon　myeyelids。　Then　I　slept；　and　dreams　hovered　round　me。　It　seemed　to　me　asif　I　were　again　in　the　pyramids　of　Egypt；　and　yet　the　waving　eldertrunk　that　had　frightened　me　on　the　moor　stood　ever　before　me。　Iobserved　the　clefts　and　wrinkles　in　the　stem；　they　shone　forth　instrange　colors；　and　took　the　form　of　hieroglyphics。　It　was　the　mummycase　on　which　I　gazed。　At　last　it　burst；　and　forth　stepped　thethousand　years'　old　king；　the　mummy　form；　black　as　pitch；　black　as　theshining　wood…snail；　or　the　slimy　mud　of　the　swamp。　Whether　it　wasreally　the　mummy　or　the　Marsh　King　I　know　not。　He　seized　me　in　hisarms；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　must　die。　When　I　recovered　myself；　I　found　inmy　bosom　a　little　bird；　flapping　its　wings；　twittering　and　fluttering。The　bird　flew　away　from　my　bosom；　upwards　towards　the　dark；　heavycanopy　above　me；　but　a　long；　green　band　kept　it　fastened　to　me。　Iheard　and　understood　the　tenor　of　its　longings。　Freedom！　sunlight！to　my　father！　Then　I　thought　of　my　father；　and　the　sunny　land　of　mybirth；　my　life；　and　my　love。　Then　I　loosened　the　band；　and　let　thebird　fly　away　to　its　home…　to　a　father。　Since　that　hour　I　haveceased　to　dream；　my　sleep　has　been　long　and　heavy；　till　in　this　veryhour；　harmony　and　fragrance　awoke　me；　and　set　me　free。〃

The　green　band　which　fastened　the　wings　of　the　bird　to　themother's　heart；　where　did　it　flutter　now？　whither　had　it　beenwafted？　The　stork　only　had　seen　it。　The　band　was　the　green　stalk；the　cup　of　the　flower　the　cradle　in　which　lay　the　child；　that　now　inblooming　beauty　had　been　folded　to　the　mother's　heart。

And　while　the　two　were　resting　in　each　other's　arms；　the　old　storkflew　round　and　round　them　in　narrowing　circles；　till　at　length　he　flewaway　swiftly　to　his　nest；　and　fetched　away　the　two　suits　of　swan'sfeathers；　which　he　had　preserved　there　for　many　years。　Then　hereturned　to　the　mother　and　daughter；　and　threw　the　swan's　plumage　overthem；　the　feathers　immediately　closed　around　them；　and　they　rose　upfrom　the　earth　in　the　form　of　two　white　swans。

〃And　now　we　can　converse　with　pleasure；〃　said　the　stork…papa；〃we　can　understand　one　another；　although　the　beaks　of　birds　are　sodifferent　in　shape。　It　is　very　fortunate　that　you　came　to…night。To…morrow　we　should　have　been　gone。　The　mother；　myself　and　thelittle　ones；　we're　about　to　fly　to　the　south。　Look　at　me　now：　I　aman　old　friend　from　the　Nile；　and　a　mother's　heart　contains　more　thanher　beak。　She　always　said　that　the　princess　would　know　how　to　helpherself。　I　and　the　young　ones　carried　the　swan's　feathers　over　here；and　I　am　glad　of　it　now；　and　how　lucky　it　is　that　I　am　here　still。When　the　day　dawns　we　shall　start　with　a　great　pany　of　otherstorks。　We'll　fly　first；　and　you　can　follow　in　our　track；　so　thatyou　cannot　miss　your　way。　I　and　the　young　ones　will　have　an　eye　uponyou。〃

〃And　the　lotus…flower　which　I　was　to　take　with　me；〃　said　theEgyptian　princess；　〃is　flying　here　by　my　side；　clothed　in　swan'sfeathers。　The　flower　of　my　heart　will　travel　with　me；　and　so　theriddle　is　solved。　Now　for　home！　now　for　home！〃

But　Helga　said　she　could　not　leave　the　Danish　land　without　oncemore　seeing　her　foster…mother；　the　loving　wife　of　the　Viking。　Eachpleasing　recollection；　each　kind　word；　every　tear　from　the　heart　whichher　foster…mother　had　wept　for　her；　rose　in　her　mind；　and　at　thatmoment　she　felt　as　if　she　loved　this　mother　the　best。

〃Yes；　we　must　go　to　the　Viking's　castle；〃　said　the　stork；〃mother　and　the　young　ones　are　waiting　for　me　there。　How　they　willopen　their　eyes　and　flap　their　wings！　My　wife；　you　see；　does　not　saymuch；　she　is　short　and　abrupt　in　her　manner；　but　she　means　well；　forall　that。　I　will　flap　my　wings　at　once；　that　they　may　hear　us　ing。〃Then　stork…papa　flapped　his　wings　in　first…rate　style；　and　he　andthe　swans　flew　away　to　the　Viking's　castle。

In　the　castle；　every　one　was　in　a　deep　sleep。　It　had　been　latein　the　evening　before　the　Viking's　wife　retired　to　rest。　She　wasanxious　about　Helga；　who；　three　days　before；　had　vanished　with　theChristian　priest。　Helga　must　have　helped　him　in　his　flight；　for　it　washer　horse　that　was　missed　from　the　stable；　but　by　what　power　had　allthis　been　acplished？　The　Viking's　wife　thought　of　it　with　wonder；thought　on　the　miracles　which　they　said　could　be　performed　by　thosewho　believed　in　the　Christian　faith；　and　followed　its　teachings。　Thesepassing　thoughts　formed　themselves　into　a　vivid　dream；　and　it　seemedto　her　that　she　was　still　lying　awake　on　her　couch；　while　withoutdarkness　reigned。　A　storm　arose；　she　heard　the　lake　dashing　androlling　from　east　and　west；　like　the　waves　of　the　North　Sea　or　theCattegat。　The　monstrous　snake　which；　it　is　said；　surrounds　the　earthin　the　depths　of　the　ocean；　was　trembling　in　spasmodic　convulsions。The　night　of　the　fall　of　the　gods　was　e；　〃Ragnorock；〃　as　theheathens　call　the　judgment…day；　when　everything　shall　pass　away；even　the　high　gods　themselves。　The　war　trumpet　sounded；　riding　uponthe　rainbow；　came　the　gods；　clad　in　steel；　to　fight　their　lastbattle　on　the　last　battle…field。　Before　them　flew　the　winged　vampires；and　the　dead　warriors　closed　up　the　train。　The　whole　firmament　wasablaze　with　the　northern　li