安徒生童话-第202章

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〃Let　it　go　farther；〃　shrieked　the　bats；　and　the　hens　clucked　andthe　cocks　crowed；　〃Let　it　go　farther！　Let　it　go　farther！〃　In　thisway　the　story　travelled　from　poultry…yard　to　poultry…yard；　and　at　lastcame　back　to　the　place　from　which　it　had　really　started。

〃Five　hens；〃　it　now　ran；　〃have　plucked　out　all　their　feathers　toshow　which　of　them　had　grown　leanest　for　love　of　the　cock；　and　thenthey　all　pecked　at　each　other　till　the　blood　ran　down　and　they　felldown　dead；　to　the　derision　and　shame　of　their　family；　and　to　the　greatloss　of　their　owner。〃

The　hen　who　had　lost　the　loose　little　feather　naturally　did　notrecognise　her　own　story；　and　being　a　respectable　hen；　said：　〃I　despisethose　fowls；　but　there　are　more　of　that　kind。　Such　things　ought　not　tobe　concealed；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　get　the　story　into　thepapers；　so　that　it　bees　known　throughout　the　land；　the　hens　haverichly　deserved　it；　and　their　family　too。〃

It　got　into　the　papers；　it　was　printed；　and　there　is　no　doubtabout　it；　one　little　feather　may　easily　grow　into　five　hens。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　TWO　BROTHERS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

ON　one　of　the　Danish　islands；　where　old　Thingstones；　the　seatsof　justice　of　our　forefathers；　still　stand　in　the　cornfields；　and　hugetrees　rise　in　the　forests　of　beech；　there　lies　a　little　town　whose　lowhouses　are　covered　with　red　tiles。　In　one　of　these　houses　strangethings　were　brewing　over　the　glowing　coals　on　the　open　hearth；　therewas　a　boiling　going　on　in　glasses；　and　a　mixing　and　distilling；while　herbs　were　being　cut　up　and　pounded　in　mortars。　An　elderly　manlooked　after　it　all。

〃One　must　only　do　the　right　thing；〃　he　said；　〃yes；　the　right…the　correct　thing。　One　must　find　out　the　truth　concerning　everycreated　particle；　and　keep　to　that。〃

In　the　room　with　the　good　housewife　sat　her　two　sons；　they　werestill　small；　but　had　great　thoughts。　Their　mother；　too；　had　alwaysspoken　to　them　of　right　and　justice；　and　exhorted　them　to　keep　tothe　truth；　which　she　said　was　the　countenance　of　the　Lord　in　thisworld。

The　elder　of　the　boys　looked　roguish　and　enterprising。　He　took　adelight　in　reading　of　the　forces　of　nature；　of　the　sun　and　the　moon；no　fairy　tale　pleased　him　so　much。　Oh；　how　beautiful　it　must　be；　hethought；　to　go　on　voyages　of　discovery；　or　to　find　out　how　toimitate　the　wings　of　birds　and　then　to　be　able　to　fly！　Yes；　to　findthat　out　was　the　right　thing。　Father　was　right；　and　mother　wasright…　truth　holds　the　world　together。

The　younger　brother　was　quieter；　and　buried　himself　entirely　inhis　books。　When　he　read　about　Jacob　dressing　himself　in　sheep…skins　topersonify　Esau；　and　so　to　usurp　his　brother's　birthright；　he　wouldclench　his　little　fist　in　anger　against　the　deceiver；　when　he　readof　tyrants　and　of　the　injustice　and　wickedness　of　the　world；　tearswould　e　into　his　eyes；　and　he　was　quite　filled　with　the　thoughtof　the　justice　and　truth　which　must　and　would　triumph。

One　evening　he　was　lying　in　bed；　but　the　curtains　were　not　yetdrawn　close；　and　the　light　streamed　in　upon　him；　he　had　taken　his　bookinto　bed　with　him；　for　he　wanted　to　finish　reading　the　story　of　Solon。His　thoughts　lifted　and　carried　him　away　a　wonderful　distance；　itseemed　to　him　as　if　the　bed　had　bee　a　ship　flying　along　underfull　sail。　Was　he　dreaming；　or　what　was　happening？　It　glided　overthe　rolling　waves　and　across　the　ocean　of　time；　and　to　him　came　thevoice　of　Solon；　spoken　in　a　strange　tongue；　yet　intelligible　to　him；he　heard　the　Danish　motto：　〃By　law　the　land　is　ruled。〃

The　genius　of　the　human　race　stood　in　the　humble　room；　bent　downover　the　bed　and　imprinted　a　kiss　on　the　boy's　forehead：　〃Be　thoustrong　in　fame　and　strong　in　the　battle　of　life！　With　truth　in　thyheart　fly　toward　the　land　of　truth！〃

The　elder　brother　was　not　yet　in　bed；　he　was　standing　at　thewindow　looking　out　at　the　mist　which　rose　from　the　meadows。　Theywere　not　elves　dancing　out　there；　as　their　old　nurse　had　told　him；he　knew　better…　they　were　vapours　which　were　warmer　than　the　air；and　that　is　why　they　rose。　A　shooting　star　lit　up　the　sky；　and　theboy's　thoughts　passed　in　a　second　from　the　vapours　of　the　earth　upto　the　shining　meteor。　The　stars　gleamed　in　the　heavens；　and　it　seemedas　if　long　golden　threads　hung　down　from　them　to　the　earth。

〃Fly　with　me；〃　sang　a　voice；　which　the　boy　heard　in　his　heart。　Andthe　mighty　genius　of　mankind；　swifter　than　a　bird　and　than　an　arrow…swifter　than　anything　of　earthly　origin…　carried　him　out　into　space；where　the　heavenly　bodies　are　bound　together　by　the　rays　that　passfrom　star　to　star。　Our　earth　revolved　in　the　thin　air；　and　thecities　upon　it　seemed　to　lie　close　to　each　other。　Through　thespheres　echoed　the　words：

〃What　is　near；　what　is　far；　when　thou　art　lifted　by　the　mightygenius　of　mind？〃

And　again　the　boy　stood　by　the　window；　gazing　out；　whilst　hisyounger　brother　lay　in　bed。　Their　mother　called　them　by　their　names：〃Anders　Sandoe〃　and　〃Hans　Christian。〃

Denmark　and　the　whole　world　knows　them…　the　two　brothers　Oersted。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　TWO　MAIDENS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

HAVE　you　ever　seen　a　maiden？　I　mean　what　our　pavers　call　a　maiden；a　thing　with　which　they　ram　down　the　paving…stones　in　the　roads。　Amaiden　of　this　kind　is　made　altogether　of　wood；　broad　below；　andgirt　round　with　iron　rings。　At　the　top　she　is　narrow；　and　has　astick　passed　across　through　her　waist；　and　this　stick　forms　the　armsof　the　maiden。

In　the　shed　stood　two　Maidens　of　this　kind。　They　had　their　placeamong　shovels；　hand…carts；　wheelbarrows；　and　measuring…tapes；　and　toall　this　pany　the　news　had　e　that　the　Maidens　were　no　longerto　be　called　〃maidens；〃　but　〃hand…rammers；〃　which　word　was　thenewest　and　the　only　correct　designation　among　the　pavers　for　the　thingwe　all　know　from　the　old　times　by　the　name　of　〃the　maiden。〃

Now；　there　are　among　us　human　creatures　certain　individuals　whoare　known　as　〃emancipated　women；〃　as；　for　instance；　principals　ofinstitutions；　dancers　who　stand　professionally　on　one　leg；milliners；　and　sick…nurses；　and　with　this　class　of　emancipated　womenthe　two　Maidens　in　the　shed　associated　themselves。　They　were　〃maidens〃among　the　paver　folk；　and　determined　not　to　give　up　this　honorableappellation；　and　let　themselves　be　miscalled　〃rammers。

〃Maiden　is　a　human　name；　but　hand…rammer　is　a　thing；　and　wewon't　be　called　things…　that's　insulting　us。〃

〃My　lover　would　be　ready　to　give　up　his　engagement；〃　said　theyoungest；　who　was　betrothed　to　a　paver's　hammer；　and　the　hammer　is　thething　which　drives　great　piles　into　the　earth；　like　a　machine；　andtherefore　does　on　a　large　scale　what　ten　maidens　effect　in　a　similarway。　〃He　wants　to　marry　me　as　a　maiden；　but　whether　he　would　have　mewere　I　a　hand…rammer　is　a　question；　so　I　won't　have　my　name　changed。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　elder　one；　〃would　rather　have　both　my　armsbroken　off。〃

But　the　Wheelbarrow　was　of　a　different　opinion；　and　theWheelbarrow　was　looked　upon　as　of　some　consequence；　for　heconsidered　himself　a　quarter　of　a　coach；　because　he　went　about　uponone　wheel。

〃I　must　submit　to　your　notice；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　name　'maiden'is　mon　enough；　and　not　nearly　so　refined　as　'hand…rammer；'　or'stamper；'　which　latter　has　also　been　proposed；　and　through　whichyou　would　be　introduced　into　the　category　of　seals；　and　only　thinkof　the　great　stamp　of　state；　which　impresses　the　royal　seal　that　giveseffect　to　the　laws！　No；　in　your　case　I　would　surrender　my　maidenname。〃

〃No；　certainly　not！〃　exclaimed　the　elder。　〃I　am　too　old　for　that。〃

〃I　presume　you　have　never　heard　of　what　is　called　'Europeannecessity？'〃　observed　the　honest　Measuring　Tape。　〃One　must　be　ableto　adapt　one's　self　to　time　and　circumstances；　and　if　there　is　a　lawthat　the　'maiden'　is　to　be　called　'hand…rammer；'　why；　she　must　becalled　'hand…rammer；'　and　no　pouting　will　avail；　for　everything　hasits　measure。〃

〃No；　if　there　must　be　a　change；〃　said　the　younger；　〃I　shouldprefer　to　be　called　'Missy；'　for　that　reminds　one　a　little　ofmaidens。〃

〃But　I　would　rather　be　chopped　to　chips；〃　said　the　elder。

At　last　they　all　went　to　work。　The　Maidens　rode…　that　is；　theywere　put　in　a　wheelbarrow；　and　that　was　a　distinction；　but　stillthey　were　called　〃hand…rammers。〃

〃Mai…！〃　they　said；　as　they　were　bumped　upon　the　pavement。〃Mai…！〃　and　they　were　very　nearly　pronouncing　the　whole　word　〃maiden；〃but　they　broke　off　short；　and　swallowed　the　last　syllable；　for　aftermature　deliberation　they　considered　it　beneath　their　dignity　toprotest。　But　they　always　called　each　other　〃maiden；〃　and　praised　thegood　old　days　in　which　everything　had　been　called　by　its　right　name；and　those　who　were　maidens　were　called　maidens。　And　they　remained　asthey　were；　for　the　hammer　really　broke　off　his　engagement　with　theyounger　one；　for　nothing　would　suit　him　but　he　must　have　a　maidenfor　his　bride。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　UNDER　THE　WILLOW…TREE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THE　region　round　the　little　town　of　Kjoge　is　very　bleak　andcold。　The　town　lies　on　the　sea　shore；　which　is　always　beautiful；　buthere　it　might　be　more　beautiful　than　it　is；　for　on　every　side　thefields　are　flat；　and　it　is　a　long　way　to　the　forest。　But　whenpersons　reside　in　a　pla