安徒生童话-第30章

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odding　in　time　tothe　beautiful　music。　Then　she　saw　a　large　purple　crocus　jump　intothe　middle　of　the　table　where　the　playthings　stood；　go　up　to　thedoll's　bedstead　and　draw　back　the　curtains；　there　lay　the　sickflowers；　but　they　got　up　directly；　and　nodded　to　the　others　as　asign　that　they　wished　to　dance　with　them。　The　old　rough　doll；　with　thebroken　mouth；　stood　up　and　bowed　to　the　pretty　flowers。　They　did　notlook　ill　at　all　now；　but　jumped　about　and　were　very　merry；　yet　none　ofthem　noticed　little　Ida。　Presently　it　seemed　as　if　something　fell　fromthe　table。　Ida　looked　that　way；　and　saw　a　slight　carnival　rodjumping　down　among　the　flowers　as　if　it　belonged　to　them；　it　was；however；　very　smooth　and　neat；　and　a　little　wax　doll　with　a　broadbrimmed　hat　on　her　head；　like　the　one　worn　by　the　lawyer；　sat　upon　it。The　carnival　rod　hopped　about　among　the　flowers　on　its　three　redstilted　feet；　and　stamped　quite　loud　when　it　danced　the　Mazurka；　theflowers　could　not　perform　this　dance；　they　were　too　light　to　stampin　that　manner。　All　at　once　the　wax　doll　which　rode　on　the　carnivalrod　seemed　to　grow　larger　and　taller；　and　it　turned　round　and　saidto　the　paper　flowers；　〃How　can　you　put　such　things　in　a　child'shead？　they　are　all　foolish　fancies；〃　and　then　the　doll　was　exactlylike　the　lawyer　with　the　broad　brimmed　hat；　and　looked　as　yellow　andas　cross　as　he　did；　but　the　paper　dolls　struck　him　on　his　thin　legs；and　he　shrunk　up　again　and　became　quite　a　little　wax　doll。　This　wasvery　amusing；　and　Ida　could　not　help　laughing。　The　carnival　rod　wenton　dancing；　and　the　lawyer　was　obliged　to　dance　also。　It　was　no　use；he　might　make　himself　great　and　tall；　or　remain　a　little　wax　doll　witha　large　black　hat；　still　he　must　dance。　Then　at　last　the　other　flowersinterceded　for　him；　especially　those　who　had　lain　in　the　doll's　bed；and　the　carnival　rod　gave　up　his　dancing。　At　the　same　moment　a　loudknocking　was　heard　in　the　drawer；　where　Ida's　doll　Sophy　lay　with　manyother　toys。　Then　the　rough　doll　ran　to　the　end　of　the　table；　laidhimself　flat　down　upon　it；　and　began　to　pull　the　drawer　out　a　littleway。

Then　Sophy　raised　himself；　and　looked　round　quite　astonished；〃There　must　be　a　ball　here　to…night；〃　said　Sophy。　〃Why　did　notsomebody　tell　me？〃

〃Will　you　dance　with　me？〃　said　the　rough　doll。

〃You　are　the　right　sort　to　dance　with；　certainly；〃　said　she；turning　her　back　upon　him。

Then　she　seated　herself　on　the　edge　of　the　drawer；　and　thoughtthat　perhaps　one　of　the　flowers　would　ask　her　to　dance；　but　none　ofthem　came。　Then　she　coughed；　〃Hem；　hem；　a…hem；〃　but　for　all　that　notone　came。　The　shabby　doll　now　danced　quite　alone；　and　not　verybadly；　after　all。　As　none　of　the　flowers　seemed　to　notice　Sophy；　shelet　herself　down　from　the　drawer　to　the　floor；　so　as　to　make　a　verygreat　noise。　All　the　flowers　came　round　her　directly；　and　asked　if　shehad　hurt　herself；　especially　those　who　had　lain　in　her　bed。　But　shewas　not　hurt　at　all；　and　Ida's　flowers　thanked　her　for　the　use　ofthe　nice　bed；　and　were　very　kind　to　her。　They　led　her　into　themiddle　of　the　room；　where　the　moon　shone；　and　danced　with　her；　whileall　the　other　flowers　formed　a　circle　round　them。　Then　Sophy　wasvery　happy；　and　said　they　might　keep　her　bed；　she　did　not　mind　lyingin　the　drawer　at　all。　But　the　flowers　thanked　her　very　much；　andsaid；…

〃We　cannot　live　long。　To…morrow　morning　we　shall　be　quite　dead；and　you　must　tell　little　Ida　to　bury　us　in　the　garden；　near　to　thegrave　of　the　canary；　then；　in　the　summer　we　shall　wake　up　and　bemore　beautiful　than　ever。〃

〃No；　you　must　not　die；〃　said　Sophy；　as　she　kissed　the　flowers。

Then　the　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　a　number　of　beautifulflowers　danced　in。　Ida　could　not　imagine　where　they　could　e　from；unless　they　were　the　flowers　from　the　king's　garden。　First　came　twolovely　roses；　with　little　golden　crowns　on　their　heads；　these　were　theking　and　queen。　Beautiful　stocks　and　carnations　followed；　bowing　toevery　one　present。　They　had　also　music　with　them。　Large　poppies　andpeonies　had　pea…shells　for　instruments；　and　blew　into　them　till　theywere　quite　red　in　the　face。　The　bunches　of　blue　hyacinths　and　thelittle　white　snowdrops　jingled　their　bell…like　flowers；　as　if　theywere　real　bells。　Then　came　many　more　flowers：　blue　violets；　purpleheart's…ease；　daisies；　and　lilies　of　the　valley；　and　they　all　dancedtogether；　and　kissed　each　other。　It　was　very　beautiful　to　behold。

At　last　the　flowers　wished　each　other　good…night。　Then　littleIda　crept　back　into　her　bed　again；　and　dreamt　of　all　she　had　seen。When　she　arose　the　next　morning；　she　went　quickly　to　the　little　table；to　see　if　the　flowers　were　still　there。　She　drew　aside　the　curtains　ofthe　little　bed。　There　they　all　lay；　but　quite　faded；　much　more　so　thanthe　day　before。　Sophy　was　lying　in　the　drawer　where　Ida　had　placedher；　but　she　looked　very　sleepy。

〃Do　you　remember　what　the　flowers　told　you　to　say　to　me？〃　saidlittle　Ida。　But　Sophy　looked　quite　stupid；　and　said　not　a　single　word。

〃You　are　not　kind　at　all；〃　said　Ida；　〃and　yet　they　all　danced　withyou。〃

Then　she　took　a　little　paper　box；　on　which　were　paintedbeautiful　birds；　and　laid　the　dead　flowers　in　it。

〃This　shall　be　your　pretty　coffin；〃　she　said；　〃and　by　and　by；　whenmy　cousins　e　to　visit　me；　they　shall　help　me　to　bury　you　out　in　thegarden；　so　that　next　summer　you　may　grow　up　again　more　beautifulthan　ever。〃

Her　cousins　were　two　good…tempered　boys；　whose　names　were　Jamesand　Adolphus。　Their　father　had　given　them　each　a　bow　and　arrow；　andthey　had　brought　them　to　show　Ida。　She　told　them　about　the　poorflowers　which　were　dead；　and　as　soon　as　they　obtained　permission；　theywent　with　her　to　bury　them。　The　two　boys　walked　first；　with　theircrossbows　on　their　shoulders；　and　little　Ida　followed；　carrying　thepretty　box　containing　the　dead　flowers。　They　dug　a　little　grave　in　thegarden。　Ida　kissed　her　flowers　and　then　laid　them；　with　the　box；　inthe　earth。　James　and　Adolphus　then　fired　their　crossbows　over　thegrave；　as　they　had　neither　guns　nor　cannons。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　LITTLE　TINY　OR　THUMBELINA

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　woman　who　wished　very　much　to　have　a　littlechild；　but　she　could　not　obtain　her　wish。　At　last　she　went　to　a　fairy；and　said；　〃I　should　so　very　much　like　to　have　a　little　child；　canyou　tell　me　where　I　can　find　one？〃

〃Oh；　that　can　be　easily　managed；〃　said　the　fairy。　〃Here　is　abarleycorn　of　a　different　kind　to　those　which　grow　in　the　farmer'sfields；　and　which　the　chickens　eat；　put　it　into　a　flower…pot；　andsee　what　will　happen。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　woman；　and　she　gave　the　fairy　twelveshillings；　which　was　the　price　of　the　barleycorn。　Then　she　went　homeand　planted　it；　and　immediately　there　grew　up　a　large　handsome　flower；something　like　a　tulip　in　appearance；　but　with　its　leaves　tightlyclosed　as　if　it　were　still　a　bud。　〃It　is　a　beautiful　flower；〃　said　thewoman；　and　she　kissed　the　red　and　golden…colored　leaves；　and　while　shedid　so　the　flower　opened；　and　she　could　see　that　it　was　a　realtulip。　Within　the　flower；　upon　the　green　velvet　stamens；　sat　a　verydelicate　and　graceful　little　maiden。　She　was　scarcely　half　as　longas　a　thumb；　and　they　gave　her　the　name　of　〃Thumbelina；〃　or　Tiny；because　she　was　so　small。　A　walnut…shell；　elegantly　polished；　servedher　for　a　cradle；　her　bed　was　formed　of　blue　violet…leaves；　with　arose…leaf　for　a　counterpane。　Here　she　slept　at　night；　but　during　theday　she　amused　herself　on　a　table；　where　the　woman　had　placed　aplateful　of　water。　Round　this　plate　were　wreaths　of　flowers　with　theirstems　in　the　water；　and　upon　it　floated　a　large　tulip…leaf；　whichserved　Tiny　for　a　boat。　Here　the　little　maiden　sat　and　rowed　herselffrom　side　to　side；　with　two　oars　made　of　white　horse…hair。　It　reallywas　a　very　pretty　sight。　Tiny　could；　also；　sing　so　softly　andsweetly　that　nothing　like　her　singing　had　ever　before　been　heard。One　night；　while　she　lay　in　her　pretty　bed；　a　large；　ugly；　wet　toadcrept　through　a　broken　pane　of　glass　in　the　window；　and　leaped　rightupon　the　table　where　Tiny　lay　sleeping　under　her　rose…leaf　quilt。〃What　a　pretty　little　wife　this　would　make　for　my　son；　said　thetoad；　and　she　took　up　the　walnut…shell　in　which　little　Tiny　layasleep；　and　jumped　through　the　window　with　it　into　the　garden。

In　the　swampy　margin　of　a　broad　stream　in　the　garden　lived　thetoad；　with　her　son。　He　was　uglier　even　than　his　mother；　and　when　hesaw　the　pretty　little　maiden　in　her　elegant　bed；　he　could　only　cry；〃Croak；　croak；　croak。〃

〃Don't　speak　so　loud；　or　she　will　wake；〃　said　the　toad；　〃andthen　she　might　run　away；　for　she　is　as　light　as　swan's　down。　We　willplace　her　on　one　of　the　water…lily　leaves　out　in　the　stream；　it　willbe　like　an　island　to　her；　she　is　so　light　and　small；　and　then　shecannot　escape；　and；　while　she　is　away；　we　will　make　haste　andprepare　the　state…room　under　the　marsh；　in　which　you　are　to　livewhen　you　are　married。〃

Far　out　in　the　stream　grew　a　number　of　water…lilies；　with　broadgreen　leaves；　which　seemed　to　float　on　the　top　of　the　water。　Thelargest　of　these　leaves　appeared　farther　off　than　the　rest；　and　theold　toad　swam　out　to　it　with　the　walnut…shell；　in　which　little　Tinylay　still　asleep。　The　tiny　little　creature　woke　very　early　in　themorning；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly　when　she　foun