安徒生童话-第32章

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oft　as　wool；　and　she　spread　some　ofit　on　each　side　of　the　bird；　so　that　he　might　lie　warmly　in　the　coldearth。　〃Farewell；　you　pretty　little　bird；〃　said　she；　〃farewell；thank　you　for　your　delightful　singing　during　the　summer；　when　allthe　trees　were　green；　and　the　warm　sun　shone　upon　us。　Then　she　laidher　head　on　the　bird's　breast；　but　she　was　alarmed　immediately；　for　itseemed　as　if　something　inside　the　bird　went　〃thump；　thump。〃　It　was　thebird's　heart；　he　was　not　really　dead；　only　benumbed　with　the　cold；　andthe　warmth　had　restored　him　to　life。　In　autumn；　all　the　swallows　flyaway　into　warm　countries；　but　if　one　happens　to　linger；　the　coldseizes　it；　it　bees　frozen；　and　falls　down　as　if　dead；　it　remainswhere　it　fell；　and　the　cold　snow　covers　it。　Tiny　trembled　very　much；she　was　quite　frightened；　for　the　bird　was　large；　a　great　deallarger　than　herself；…　she　was　only　an　inch　high。　But　she　took　courage；laid　the　wool　more　thickly　over　the　poor　swallow；　and　then　took　a　leafwhich　she　had　used　for　her　own　counterpane；　and　laid　it　over　thehead　of　the　poor　bird。　The　next　morning　she　again　stole　out　to　seehim。　He　was　alive　but　very　weak；　he　could　only　open　his　eyes　for　amoment　to　look　at　Tiny；　who　stood　by　holding　a　piece　of　decayed　woodin　her　hand；　for　she　had　no　other　lantern。　〃Thank　you；　pretty　littlemaiden；〃　said　the　sick　swallow；　〃I　have　been　so　nicely　warmed；　thatI　shall　soon　regain　my　strength；　and　be　able　to　fly　about　again　in　thewarm　sunshine。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　cold　out　of　doors　now；　it　snows　andfreezes。　Stay　in　your　warm　bed；　I　will　take　care　of　you。〃

Then　she　brought　the　swallow　some　water　in　a　flower…leaf；　andafter　he　had　drank；　he　told　her　that　he　had　wounded　one　of　his　wingsin　a　thorn…bush；　and　could　not　fly　as　fast　as　the　others；　who　weresoon　far　away　on　their　journey　to　warm　countries。　Then　at　last　hehad　fallen　to　the　earth；　and　could　remember　no　more；　nor　how　he　cameto　be　where　she　had　found　him。　The　whole　winter　the　swallow　remainedunderground；　and　Tiny　nursed　him　with　care　and　love。　Neither　themole　nor　the　field…mouse　knew　anything　about　it；　for　they　did　not　likeswallows。　Very　soon　the　spring　time　came；　and　the　sun　warmed　theearth。　Then　the　swallow　bade　farewell　to　Tiny；　and　she　opened　the　holein　the　ceiling　which　the　mole　had　made。　The　sun　shone　in　upon　themso　beautifully；　that　the　swallow　asked　her　if　she　would　go　with　him；she　could　sit　on　his　back；　he　said；　and　he　would　fly　away　with　herinto　the　green　woods。　But　Tiny　knew　it　would　make　the　field…mouse　verygrieved　if　she　left　her　in　that　manner；　so　she　said；　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

〃Farewell；　then；　farewell；　you　good；　pretty　little　maiden；〃　saidthe　swallow；　and　he　flew　out　into　the　sunshine。

Tiny　looked　after　him；　and　the　tears　rose　in　her　eyes。　She　wasvery　fond　of　the　poor　swallow。

〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　sang　the　bird；　as　he　flew　out　into　the　greenwoods；　and　Tiny　felt　very　sad。　She　was　not　allowed　to　go　out　intothe　warm　sunshine。　The　corn　which　had　been　sown　in　the　field　overthe　house　of　the　field…mouse　had　grown　up　high　into　the　air；　andformed　a　thick　wood　to　Tiny；　who　was　only　an　inch　in　height。

〃You　are　going　to　be　married；　Tiny；〃　said　the　field…mouse。　〃Myneighbor　has　asked　for　you。　What　good　fortune　for　a　poor　child　likeyou。　Now　we　will　prepare　your　wedding　clothes。　They　must　be　bothwoollen　and　linen。　Nothing　must　be　wanting　when　you　are　the　mole'swife。〃

Tiny　had　to　turn　the　spindle；　and　the　field…mouse　hired　fourspiders；　who　were　to　weave　day　and　night。　Every　evening　the　molevisited　her；　and　was　continually　speaking　of　the　time　when　thesummer　would　be　over。　Then　he　would　keep　his　wedding…day　with　Tiny；but　now　the　heat　of　the　sun　was　so　great　that　it　burned　the　earth；　andmade　it　quite　hard；　like　a　stone。　As　soon；　as　the　summer　was　over；　thewedding　should　take　place。　But　Tiny　was　not　at　all　pleased；　for　shedid　not　like　the　tiresome　mole。　Every　morning　when　the　sun　rose；　andevery　evening　when　it　went　down；　she　would　creep　out　at　the　door；and　as　the　wind　blew　aside　the　ears　of　corn；　so　that　she　could　see　theblue　sky；　she　thought　how　beautiful　and　bright　it　seemed　out　there；and　wished　so　much　to　see　her　dear　swallow　again。　But　he　neverreturned；　for　by　this　time　he　had　flown　far　away　into　the　lovely　greenforest。

When　autumn　arrived；　Tiny　had　her　outfit　quite　ready；　and　thefield…mouse　said　to　her；　〃In　four　weeks　the　wedding　must　take　place。〃

Then　Tiny　wept；　and　said　she　would　not　marry　the　disagreeablemole。

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　the　field…mouse。　〃Now　don't　be　obstinate；　or　Ishall　bite　you　with　my　white　teeth。　He　is　a　very　handsome　mole；　thequeen　herself　does　not　wear　more　beautiful　velvets　and　furs。　Hiskitchen　and　cellars　are　quite　full。　You　ought　to　be　very　thankfulfor　such　good　fortune。〃

So　the　wedding…day　was　fixed；　on　which　the　mole　was　to　fetchTiny　away　to　live　with　him；　deep　under　the　earth；　and　never　again　tosee　the　warm　sun；　because　he　did　not　like　it。　The　poor　child　wasvery　unhappy　at　the　thought　of　saying　farewell　to　the　beautiful　sun；and　as　the　field…mouse　had　given　her　permission　to　stand　at　thedoor；　she　went　to　look　at　it　once　more。

〃Farewell　bright　sun；〃　she　cried；　stretching　out　her　arm　towardsit；　and　then　she　walked　a　short　distance　from　the　house；　for　thecorn　had　been　cut；　and　only　the　dry　stubble　remained　in　the　fields。〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　she　repeated；　twining　her　arm　round　a　little　redflower　that　grew　just　by　her　side。　〃Greet　the　little　swallow　fromme；　if　you　should　see　him　again。〃

〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　sounded　over　her　head　suddenly。　She　looked　up；　andthere　was　the　swallow　himself　flying　close　by。　As　soon　as　he　spiedTiny；　he　was　delighted；　and　then　she　told　him　how　unwilling　she　feltto　marry　the　ugly　mole；　and　to　live　always　beneath　the　earth；　andnever　to　see　the　bright　sun　any　more。　And　as　she　told　him　she　wept。

〃Cold　winter　is　ing；〃　said　the　swallow；　〃and　I　am　going　tofly　away　into　warmer　countries。　Will　you　go　with　me？　You　can　sit　on　myback；　and　fasten　yourself　on　with　your　sash。　Then　we　can　fly　away　fromthe　ugly　mole　and　his　gloomy　rooms；…　far　away；　over　the　mountains；into　warmer　countries；　where　the　sun　shines　more　brightly…　thanhere；　where　it　is　always　summer；　and　the　flowers　bloom　in　greaterbeauty。　Fly　now　with　me；　dear　little　Tiny；　you　saved　my　life　when　Ilay　frozen　in　that　dark　passage。〃

〃Yes；　I　will　go　with　you；〃　said　Tiny；　and　she　seated　herself　onthe　bird's　back；　with　her　feet　on　his　outstretched　wings；　and　tied　hergirdle　to　one　of　his　strongest　feathers。

Then　the　swallow　rose　in　the　air；　and　flew　over　forest　and　oversea；　high　above　the　highest　mountains；　covered　with　eternal　snow。　Tinywould　have　been　frozen　in　the　cold　air；　but　she　crept　under　the　bird'swarm　feathers；　keeping　her　little　head　uncovered；　so　that　she　mightadmire　the　beautiful　lands　over　which　they　passed。　At　length　theyreached　the　warm　countries；　where　the　sun　shines　brightly；　and　the　skyseems　so　much　higher　above　the　earth。　Here；　on　the　hedges；　and　bythe　wayside；　grew　purple；　green；　and　white　grapes；　lemons　andoranges　hung　from　trees　in　the　woods；　and　the　air　was　fragrant　withmyrtles　and　orange　blossoms。　Beautiful　children　ran　along　thecountry　lanes；　playing　with　large　gay　butterflies；　and　as　theswallow　flew　farther　and　farther；　every　place　appeared　still　morelovely。

At　last　they　came　to　a　blue　lake；　and　by　the　side　of　it；　shaded　bytrees　of　the　deepest　green；　stood　a　palace　of　dazzling　white　marble；built　in　the　olden　times。　Vines　clustered　round　its　lofty　pillars；　andat　the　top　were　many　swallows'　nests；　and　one　of　these　was　the　home　ofthe　swallow　who　carried　Tiny。

〃This　is　my　house；〃　said　the　swallow；　〃but　it　would　not　do　for　youto　live　there…　you　would　not　be　fortable。　You　must　choose　foryourself　one　of　those　lovely　flowers；　and　I　will　put　you　down　upon　it；and　then　you　shall　have　everything　that　you　can　wish　to　make　youhappy。〃

〃That　will　be　delightful；〃　she　said；　and　clapped　her　littlehands　for　joy。

A　large　marble　pillar　lay　on　the　ground；　which；　in　falling；　hadbeen　broken　into　three　pieces。　Between　these　pieces　grew　the　mostbeautiful　large　white　flowers；　so　the　swallow　flew　down　with　Tiny；　andplaced　her　on　one　of　the　broad　leaves。　But　how　surprised　she　was　tosee　in　the　middle　of　the　flower；　a　tiny　little　man；　as　white　andtransparent　as　if　he　had　been　made　of　crystal！　He　had　a　gold　crownon　his　head；　and　delicate　wings　at　his　shoulders；　and　was　not　muchlarger　than　Tiny　herself。　He　was　the　angel　of　the　flower；　for　a　tinyman　and　a　tiny　woman　dwell　in　every　flower；　and　this　was　the　king　ofthem　all。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful　he　is！〃　whispered　Tiny　to　the　swallow。

The　little　prince　was　at　first　quite　frightened　at　the　bird；　whowas　like　a　giant；　pared　to　such　a　delicate　little　creature　ashimself；　but　when　he　saw　Tiny；　he　was　delighted；　and　thought　her　theprettiest　little　maiden　he　had　ever　seen。　He　took　the　gold　crownfrom　his　head；　and　placed　it　on　hers；　and　asked　her　name；　and　if　shewould　be　his　wife；　and　queen　over　all　the　flowers。

This　certainly　was　a　very　different　sort　of　husband　to　the　sonof　a　toad；　or　the　mole；　with　my　black　velvet　and　fur；　so　she　said；〃Yes；〃　to　the　handsome　prince。　Then　all　the　flowers　opened；　and　out　ofeach　came　a　little　lady　or　a　tiny　lord；　all　so　pretty　it　was　quite　apleasure　to　look　at　them。　Each　of　them　brought　Tiny　a　p