安徒生童话-第168章

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And　then　she　tucked　up　her　little　dress；　that　she　might　runfaster；　but　the　narcissus　caught　her　by　the　leg　as　she　was　jumpingover　it；　so　she　stopped　and　looked　at　the　tall　yellow　flower；　andsaid；　〃Perhaps　you　may　know　something。〃

Then　she　stooped　down　quite　close　to　the　flower；　and　listened；　andwhat　did　he　say？

〃I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself；〃　said　the　narcissus。　〃Oh；　howsweet　is　my　perfume！　Up　in　a　little　room　with　a　bow　window；　stands　alittle　dancing　girl；　half　undressed；　she　stands　sometimes　on　oneleg；　and　sometimes　on　both；　and　looks　as　if　she　would　tread　thewhole　world　under　her　feet。　She　is　nothing　but　a　delusion。　She　ispouring　water　out　of　a　tea…pot　on　a　piece　of　stuff　which　she　holdsin　her　hand；　it　is　her　bodice。　'Cleanliness　is　a　good　thing；'　shesays。　Her　white　dress　hangs　on　a　peg；　it　has　also　been　washed　in　thetea…pot；　and　dried　on　the　roof。　She　puts　it　on；　and　ties　asaffron…colored　handkerchief　round　her　neck；　which　makes　the　dresslook　whiter。　See　how　she　stretches　out　her　legs；　as　if　she　wereshowing　off　on　a　stem。　I　can　see　myself；　I　can　see　myself。〃

〃What　do　I　care　for　all　that；〃　said　Gerda；　〃you　need　not　tell　mesuch　stuff。〃　And　then　she　ran　to　the　other　end　of　the　garden。　The　doorwas　fastened；　but　she　pressed　against　the　rusty　latch；　and　it　gaveway。　The　door　sprang　open；　and　little　Gerda　ran　out　with　bare　feetinto　the　wide　world。　She　looked　back　three　times；　but　no　one　seemed　tobe　following　her。　At　last　she　could　run　no　longer；　so　she　sat　downto　rest　on　a　great　stone；　and　when　she　looked　round　she　saw　that　thesummer　was　over；　and　autumn　very　far　advanced。　She　had　known　nothingof　this　in　the　beautiful　garden；　where　the　sun　shone　and　the　flowersgrew　all　the　year　round。

〃Oh；　how　I　have　wasted　my　time？〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃it　is　autumn。I　must　not　rest　any　longer；〃　and　she　rose　up　to　go　on。　But　herlittle　feet　were　wounded　and　sore；　and　everything　around　her　looked　socold　and　bleak。　The　long　willow…leaves　were　quite　yellow。　Thedew…drops　fell　like　water；　leaf　after　leaf　dropped　from　the　trees；　thesloe…thorn　alone　still　bore　fruit；　but　the　sloes　were　sour；　and　setthe　teeth　on　edge。　Oh；　how　dark　and　weary　the　whole　world　appeared！

　FOURTH　STORY

THE　PRINCE　AND　PRINCESS

Gerda　was　obliged　to　rest　again；　and　just　opposite　the　place　whereshe　sat；　she　saw　a　great　crow　e　hopping　across　the　snow　toward　her。He　stood　looking　at　her　for　some　time；　and　then　he　wagged　his　head　andsaid；　〃Caw；　caw；　good…day；　good…day。〃　He　pronounced　the　words　asplainly　as　he　could；　because　he　meant　to　be　kind　to　the　little　girl；and　then　he　asked　her　where　she　was　going　all　alone　in　the　wide　world。

The　word　alone　Gerda　understood　very　well；　and　knew　how　much　itexpressed。　So　then　she　told　the　crow　the　whole　story　of　her　life　andadventures；　and　asked　him　if　he　had　seen　little　Kay。

The　crow　nodded　his　head　very　gravely；　and　said；　〃Perhaps　Ihave…　it　may　be。〃

〃No！　Do　you　think　you　have？〃　cried　little　Gerda；　and　she　kissedthe　crow；　and　hugged　him　almost　to　death　with　joy。

〃Gently；　gently；〃　said　the　crow。　〃I　believe　I　know。　I　think　it　maybe　little　Kay；　but　he　has　certainly　forgotten　you　by　this　time　for　theprincess。〃

〃Does　he　live　with　a　princess？〃　asked　Gerda。

〃Yes；　listen；〃　replied　the　crow；　〃but　it　is　so　difficult　tospeak　your　language。　If　you　understand　the　crows'　language　then　Ican　explain　it　better。　Do　you？〃

〃No；　I　have　never　learnt　it；〃　said　Gerda；　but　my　grandmotherunderstands　it；　and　used　to　speak　it　to　me。　I　wish　I　had　learnt　it。〃

〃It　does　not　matter；〃　answered　the　crow；　〃I　will　explain　as　wellas　I　can；　although　it　will　be　very　badly　done；〃　and　he　told　her　whathe　had　heard。　〃In　this　kingdom　where　we　now　are；〃　said　he；　〃therelives　a　princess；　who　is　so　wonderfully　clever　that　she　has　read　allthe　newspapers　in　the　world；　and　forgotten　them　too；　although　she　isso　clever。　A　short　time　ago；　as　she　was　sitting　on　her　throne；　whichpeople　say　is　not　such　an　agreeable　seat　as　is　often　supposed；　shebegan　to　sing　a　song　which　mences　in　these　words：

　　　'Why　should　I　not　be　married？''Why　not　indeed？'　said　she；　and　so　she　determined　to　marry　if　shecould　find　a　husband　who　knew　what　to　say　when　he　was　spoken　to；　andnot　one　who　could　only　look　grand；　for　that　was　so　tiresome。　Thenshe　assembled　all　her　court　ladies　together　at　the　beat　of　the　drum；and　when　they　heard　of　her　intentions　they　were　very　much　pleased。　'Weare　so　glad　to　hear　it；'　said　they；　we　were　talking　about　it　ourselvesthe　other　day。'　You　may　believe　that　every　word　I　tell　you　is　true；〃said　the　crow；　〃for　I　have　a　tame　sweetheart　who　goes　freely　about　thepalace；　and　she　told　me　all　this。〃

Of　course　his　sweetheart　was　a　crow；　for　〃birds　of　a　feather　flocktogether；〃　and　one　crow　always　chooses　another　crow。

〃Newspapers　were　published　immediately；　with　a　border　of　hearts；and　the　initials　of　the　princess　among　them。　They　gave　notice　thatevery　young　man　who　was　handsome　was　free　to　visit　the　castle　andspeak　with　the　princess；　and　those　who　could　reply　loud　enough　to　beheard　when　spoken　to；　were　to　make　themselves　quite　at　home　at　thepalace；　but　the　one　who　spoke　best　would　be　chosen　as　a　husband　forthe　princess。　Yes；　yes；　you　may　believe　me；　it　is　all　as　true　as　I　sithere；〃　said　the　crow。　〃The　people　came　in　crowds。　There　was　a　greatdeal　of　crushing　and　running　about；　but　no　one　succeeded　either　on　thefirst　or　second　day。　They　could　all　speak　very　well　while　they　wereoutside　in　the　streets；　but　when　they　entered　the　palace　gates；　andsaw　the　guards　in　silver　uniforms；　and　the　footmen　in　their　goldenlivery　on　the　staircase；　and　the　great　halls　lighted　up；　they　becamequite　confused。　And　when　they　stood　before　the　throne　on　which　theprincess　sat；　they　could　do　nothing　but　repeat　the　last　words　shehad　said；　and　she　had　no　particular　wish　to　hear　her　own　words　overagain。　It　was　just　as　if　they　had　all　taken　something　to　make　themsleepy　while　they　were　in　the　palace；　for　they　did　not　recoverthemselves　nor　speak　till　they　got　back　again　into　the　street。　Therewas　quite　a　long　line　of　them　reaching　from　the　town…gate　to　thepalace。　I　went　myself　to　see　them；〃　said　the　crow。　〃They　were　hungryand　thirsty；　for　at　the　palace　they　did　not　get　even　a　glass　of　water。Some　of　the　wisest　had　taken　a　few　slices　of　bread　and　butter　withthem；　but　they　did　not　share　it　with　their　neighbors；　they　thoughtif　they　went　in　to　the　princess　looking　hungry；　there　would　be　abetter　chance　for　themselves。〃

〃But　Kay！　tell　me　about　little　Kay！〃　said　Gerda；　〃was　he　amongstthe　crowd？〃

〃Stop　a　bit；　we　are　just　ing　to　him。　It　was　on　the　third　day；there　came　marching　cheerfully　along　to　the　palace　a　little　personage；without　horses　or　carriage；　his　eyes　sparkling　like　yours；　he　hadbeautiful　long　hair；　but　his　clothes　were　very　poor。〃

〃That　was　Kay！〃　said　Gerda　joyfully。　〃Oh；　then　I　have　foundhim；〃　and　she　clapped　her　hands。

〃He　had　a　little　knapsack　on　his　back；〃　added　the　crow。

〃No；　it　must　have　been　his　sledge；〃　said　Gerda；　〃for　he　wentaway　with　it。〃

〃It　may　have　been　so；〃　said　the　crow；　〃I　did　not　look　at　it　veryclosely。　But　I　know　from　my　tame　sweetheart　that　he　passed　through　thepalace　gates；　saw　the　guards　in　their　silver　uniform；　and　the　servantsin　their　liveries　of　gold　on　the　stairs；　but　he　was　not　in　the　leastembarrassed。　'It　must　be　very　tiresome　to　stand　on　the　stairs；'　hesaid。　'I　prefer　to　go　in。〃　The　rooms　were　blazing　with　light。Councillors　and　ambassadors　walked　about　with　bare　feet；　carryinggolden　vessels；　it　was　enough　to　make　any　one　feel　serious。　Hisboots　creaked　loudly　as　he　walked；　and　yet　he　was　not　at　all　uneasy。〃

〃It　must　be　Kay；〃　said　Gerda；　〃I　know　he　had　new　boots　on；　Ihave　heard　them　creak　in　grandmother's　room。〃

〃They　really　did　creak；〃　said　the　crow；　〃yet　he　went　boldly　upto　the　princess　herself；　who　was　sitting　on　a　pearl　as　large　as　aspinning　wheel；　and　all　the　ladies　of　the　court　were　present　withtheir　maids；　and　all　the　cavaliers　with　their　servants；　and　each　ofthe　maids　had　another　maid　to　wait　upon　her；　and　the　cavaliers'servants　had　their　own　servants；　as　well　as　a　page　each。　They　allstood　in　circles　round　the　princess；　and　the　nearer　they　stood　tothe　door；　the　prouder　they　looked。　The　servants'　pages；　who　alwayswore　slippers；　could　hardly　be　looked　at；　they　held　themselves　up　soproudly　by　the　door。〃

〃It　must　be　quite　awful；〃　said　little　Gerda；　〃but　did　Kay　winthe　princess？〃

〃If　I　had　not　been　a　crow；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　have　married　hermyself；　although　I　am　engaged。　He　spoke　just　as　well　as　I　do；　when　Ispeak　the　crows'　language；　so　I　heard　from　my　tame　sweetheart。　Hewas　quite　free　and　agreeable　and　said　he　had　not　e　to　woo　theprincess；　but　to　hear　her　wisdom；　and　he　was　as　pleased　with　her　asshe　was　with　him。〃

〃Oh；　certainly　that　was　Kay；〃　said　Gerda；　〃he　was　so　clever；　hecould　work　mental　arithmetic　and　fractions。　Oh；　will　you　take　me　tothe　palace？〃

〃It　is　very　easy　to　ask　that；〃　replied　the　crow；　〃but　how　are　weto　manage　it？　However；　I　will　speak　about　it　to　my　tame　sweetheart；and　ask　her　advice；　for　I　must　tell　you　it　will　be　very　difficult　togain　permission　for　a　little　girl　like　you　to　enter　the　palace。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　but　I　shall　gain　permission　easily；〃　said　Gerda；　〃forwhen　Kay　hears　that　I　am　here；　he　will　e　out　and　fetch