安徒生童话-第186章

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r　it　will　crush　you　to　death；　and　even　if　youget　into　it　safely；　you　may　fall　out。　And　it's　not　every　one　who　fallsso　cleverly　as　I　did；　and　gets　away　with　whole　legs　and　whole　bones。

〃Quack！〃　said　the　little　Toad；　and　that's　just　as　if　one　of　uswere　to　say；　〃Aha！〃

She　had　an　immense　desire　to　get　to　the　edge　of　the　well；　and　tolook　over；　she　felt　such　a　longing　for　the　green；　up　there；　and　thenext　morning；　when　it　chanced　that　the　bucket　was　being　drawn　up；filled　with　water；　and　stopped　for　a　moment　just　in　front　of　the　stoneon　which　the　Toad　sat；　the　little　creature's　heart　moved　within　it；and　our　Toad　jumped　into　the　filled　bucket；　which　presently　wasdrawn　to　the　top；　and　emptied　out。

〃Ugh；　you　beast！〃　said　the　farm　laborer　who　emptied　the　bucket；when　he　saw　the　toad。　〃You're　the　ugliest　thing　I've　seen　for　onewhile。〃　And　he　made　a　kick　with　his　wooden　shoe　at　the　toad；　whichjust　escaped　being　crushed　by　managing　to　scramble　into　the　tleswhich　grew　high　by　the　well's　brink。　Here　she　saw　stem　by　stem；　butshe　looked　up　also；　the　sun　shone　through　the　leaves；　which　were　quitetransparent；　and　she　felt　as　a　person　would　feel　who　steps　suddenlyinto　a　great　forest；　where　the　sun　looks　in　between　the　branches　andleaves。

〃It's　much　nicer　here　than　down　in　the　well！　I　should　like　to　stayhere　my　whole　life　long！〃　said　the　little　Toad。　So　she　lay　there　foran　hour；　yes；　for　two　hours。　〃I　wonder　what　is　to　be　found　up　here？　AsI　have　e　so　far；　I　must　try　to　go　still　farther。〃　And　so　shecrawled　on　as　fast　as　she　could　crawl；　and　got　out　upon　the　highway；where　the　sun　shone　upon　her；　and　the　dust　powdered　her　all　over　asshe　marched　across　the　way。

〃I've　got　to　a　dry　place。　now；　and　no　mistake；〃　said　the　Toad。〃It's　almost　too　much　of　a　good　thing　here；　it　tickles　one　so。〃

She　came　to　the　ditch；　and　forget…me…nots　were　growing　there；and　meadow…sweet；　and　a　very　little　way　off　was　a　hedge　of　whitethorn；and　elder　bushes　grew　there；　too；　and　bindweed　with　white　flowers。　Gaycolors　were　to　be　seen　here；　and　a　butterfly；　too；　was　flitting　by。The　Toad　thought　it　was　a　flower　which　had　broken　loose　that　itmight　look　about　better　in　the　world；　which　was　quite　a　naturalthing　to　do。

〃If　one　could　only　make　such　a　journey　as　that！〃　said　the　Toad。〃Croak！　how　capital　that　would　be。〃

Eight　days　and　eight　nights　she　stayed　by　the　well；　andexperienced　no　want　of　provisions。　On　the　ninth　day　she　thought；〃Forward！　onward！〃　But　what　could　she　find　more　charming　andbeautiful？　Perhaps　a　little　toad　or　a　few　green　frogs。　During　the　lastnight　there　had　been　a　sound　borne　on　the　breeze；　as　if　there　werecousins　in　the　neighborhood。

〃It's　a　glorious　thing　to　live！　glorious　to　get　out　of　the　well；and　to　lie　among　the　stinging…tles；　and　to　crawl　along　the　dustyroad。　But　onward；　onward！　that　we　may　find　frogs　or　a　little　toad。We　can't　do　without　that；　nature　alone　is　not　enough　for　one。〃　Andso　she　went　forward　on　her　journey。

She　came　out　into　the　open　field；　to　a　great　pond；　round　aboutwhich　grew　reeds；　and　she　walked　into　it。

〃It　will　be　too　damp　for　you　here；〃　said　the　Frogs；　〃but　you　arevery　wele！　Are　you　a　he　or　a　she？　But　it　doesn't　matter；　you　areequally　wele。〃

And　she　was　invited　to　the　concert　in　the　evening…　the　familyconcert；　great　enthusiasm　and　thin　voices；　we　know　the　sort　ofthing。　No　refreshments　were　given；　only　there　was　plenty　to　drink；　forthe　whole　pond　was　free。

〃Now　I　shall　resume　my　journey；〃　said　the　little　Toad；　for　shealways　felt　a　longing　for　something　better。

She　saw　the　stars　shining；　so　large　and　so　bright；　and　she　saw　themoon　gleaming；　and　then　she　saw　the　sun　rise；　and　mount　higher　andhigher。

〃Perhaps　after　all；　I　am　still　in　a　well；　only　in　a　larger　well。　Imust　get　higher　yet；　I　feel　a　great　restlessness　and　longing。〃　Andwhen　the　moon　became　round　and　full；　the　poor　creature　thought；　〃Iwonder　if　that　is　the　bucket　which　will　be　let　down；　and　into　whichI　must　step　to　get　higher　up？　Or　is　the　sun　the　great　bucket？　Howgreat　it　is！　how　bright　it　is！　It　can　take　up　all。　I　must　look　out；that　I　may　not　miss　the　opportunity。　Oh；　how　it　seems　to　shine　in　myhead！　I　don't　think　the　jewel　can　shine　brighter。　But　I　haven't　thejewel；　not　that　I　cry　about　that…　no；　I　must　go　higher　up；　intosplendor　and　joy！　I　feel　so　confident；　and　yet　I　am　afraid。　It's　adifficult　step　to　take；　and　yet　it　must　be　taken。　Onward；　therefore；straight　onward！〃

She　took　a　few　steps；　such　as　a　crawling　animal　may　take；　and　soonfound　herself　on　a　road　beside　which　people　dwelt；　but　there　wereflower　gardens　as　well　as　kitchen　gardens。　And　she　sat　down　to　rest　bya　kitchen　garden。

〃What　a　number　of　different　creatures　there　are　that　I　never　knew！and　how　beautiful　and　great　the　world　is！　But　one　must　look　round　init；　and　not　stay　in　one　spot。〃　And　then　she　hopped　into　the　kitchengarden。　〃How　green　it　is　here！　how　beautiful　it　is　here！〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　Caterpillar；　on　the　leaf；　〃my　leaf　isthe　largest　here。　It　hides　half　the　world　from　me；　but　I　don't　carefor　the　world。〃

〃Cluck；　cluck！〃　And　some　fowls　came。　They　tripped　about　in　thecabbage　garden。　The　Fowl　who　marched　at　the　head　of　them　had　a　longsight；　and　she　spied　the　Caterpillar　on　the　green　leaf；　and　peckedat　it；　so　that　the　Caterpillar　fell　on　the　ground；　where　it　twistedand　writhed。

The　Fowl　looked　at　it　first　with　one　eye　and　then　with　theother；　for　she　did　not　know　what　the　end　of　this　writhing　would　be。

〃It　doesn't　do　that　with　a　good　will；〃　thought　the　Fowl；　andlifted　up　her　head　to　peck　at　the　Caterpillar。

The　Toad　was　so　horrified　at　this；　that　she　came　crawling　straightup　towards　the　Fowl。

〃Aha；　it　has　allies；〃　quoth　the　Fowl。　〃Just　look　at　the　crawlingthing！〃　And　then　the　Fowl　turned　away。　〃I　don't　care　for　the　littlegreen　morsel；　it　would　only　tickle　my　throat。〃　The　other　fowls　tookthe　same　view　of　it；　and　they　all　turned　away　together。

〃I　writhed　myself　free；〃　said　the　Caterpillar。　〃What　a　goodthing　it　is　when　one　has　presence　of　mind！　But　the　hardest　thingremains　to　be　done；　and　that　is　to　get　on　my　leaf　again。　Where　is　it？〃

And　the　little　Toad　came　up　and　expressed　her　sympathy。　She　wasglad　that　in　her　ugliness　she　had　frightened　the　fowls。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　cried　the　Caterpillar。　〃I　wriggledmyself　free　from　the　Fowl。　You　are　very　disagreeable　to　look　at。Cannot　I　be　left　in　peace　on　my　own　property？　Now　I　smell　cabbage；　nowI　am　near　my　leaf。　Nothing　is　so　beautiful　as　property。　But　I　mustgo　higher　up。〃

〃Yes；　higher　up；〃　said　the　little　Toad；　〃higher…up！　She　feels　justas　I　do；　but　she's　not　in　a　good　humor　to…day。　That's　because　of　thefright。　We　all　want　to　go　higher　up。〃　And　she　looked　up　as　high　asever　she　could。

The　stork　sat　in　his　nest　on　the　roof　of　the　farm…house。　Heclapped　with　his　beak；　and　the　Mother…stork　clapped　with　hers。

〃How　high　up　they　live！〃　thought　the　Toad。　〃If　one　could　onlyget　as　high　as　that！〃

In　the　farm…house　lived　two　young　students；　the　one　was　a　poet　andthe　other　a　scientific　searcher　into　the　secrets　of　nature。　The　onesang　and　wrote　joyously　of　everything　that　God　had　created；　and　how　itwas　mirrored　in　his　heart。　He　sang　it　out　clearly；　sweetly；　richly；　inwell…sounding　verses；　while　the　other　investigated　created　matteritself；　and　even　cut　it　open　where　need　was。　He　looked　upon　God'screation　as　a　great　sum　in　arithmetic…　subtracted；　multiplied；　andtried　to　know　it　within　and　without；　and　to　talk　with　understandingconcerning　it；　and　that　was　a　very　sensible　thing；　and　he　spokejoyously　and　cleverly　of　it。　They　were　good；　joyful　men；　those　two；

〃There　sits　a　good　specimen　of　a　toad；〃　said　the　naturalist。　〃Imust　have　that　fellow　in　a　bottle　of　spirits。〃

〃You　have　two　of　them　already；〃　replied　the　poet。　〃Let　the　thingsit　there　and　enjoy　its　life。〃

〃But　it's　so　wonderfully　ugly；〃　persisted　the　first。

〃Yes；　if　we　could　find　the　jewel　in　its　head；〃　said　the　poet；　〃Itoo　should　be　for　cutting　it　open。'

〃A　jewel！〃　cried　the　naturalist。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　great　dealabout　natural　history。〃

〃But　is　there　not　something　beautiful　in　the　popular　belief　thatjust　as　the　toad　is　the　ugliest　of　animals；　it　should　often　carrythe　most　precious　jewel　in　its　head？　Is　it　not　just　the　same　thingwith　men？　What　a　jewel　that　was　that　Aesop　had；　and　still　more；Socrates！〃

The　Toad　did　not　hear　any　more；　nor　did　she　understand　half　ofwhat　she　had　heard。　The　two　friends　walked　on；　and　thus　she　escapedthe　fate　of　being　bottled　up　in　spirits。

〃Those　two　also　were　speaking　of　the　jewel；〃　said　the　Toad　toherself。　〃What　a　good　thing　that　I　have　not　got　it！　I　might　havebeen　in　a　very　disagreeable　position。〃

Now　there　was　a　clapping　on　the　roof　of　the　farm…house。Father…Stork　was　making　a　speech　to　his　family；　and　his　family　wasglancing　down　at　the　two　young　men　in　the　kitchen　garden。

〃Man　is　the　most　conceited　creature！〃　said　the　Stork。　〃Listenhow　their　jaws　are　wagging；　and　for　all　that　they　can't　clap　properly。They　boast　of　their　gifts　of　eloquence　and　their　language！　Yes；　a　finelanguage　truly！　Why；　it　changes　in　every　day's　journey　we　make。　One　ofthem　doesn't　understand　another。　Now；　we　can　speak　our　language　overthe　whole　earth…　up　in　the　North　and　in　Egypt。　And　then　men　are　notable　to　fly；　moreover。