安徒生童话-第47章

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me。　They　did　not　reach　higher　than　myknee；　they　looked　like　human　beings；　but　were　better　proportioned；　andthey　called　themselves　elves。　Their　clothes　were　very　delicate　andfine；　for　they　were　made　of　the　leaves　of　flowers；　trimmed　with　thewings　of　flies　and　gnats；　which　had　not　a　bad　effect。　By　their　manner；it　appeared　as　if　they　were　seeking　for　something。　I　knew　not　what；till　at　last　one　of　them　espied　me　and　came　towards　me；　and　theforemost　pointed　to　my　sausage　skewer；　and　said；　'There；　that　isjust　what　we　want；　see；　it　is　pointed　at　the　top；　is　it　notcapital？'　and　the　longer　he　looked　at　my　pilgrim's　staff；　the　moredelighted　he　became。　'I　will　lend　it　to　you；'　said　I；　'but　not　tokeep。'

〃'Oh　no；　we　won't　keep　it！'　they　all　cried；　and　then　they　seizedthe　skewer；　which　I　gave　up　to　them；　and　danced　with　it　to　the　spotwhere　the　delicate　moss　grew；　and　set　it　up　in　the　middle　of　thegreen。　They　wanted　a　maypole；　and　the　one　they　now　had　seemed　cutout　on　purpose　for　them。　Then　they　decorated　it　so　beautifully　that　itwas　quite　dazzling　to　look　at。　Little　spiders　spun　golden　threadsaround　it；　and　then　it　was　hung　with　fluttering　veils　and　flags　sodelicately　white　that　they　glittered　like　snow　in　the　moonshine。　Afterthat　they　took　colors　from　the　butterfly's　wing；　and　sprinkled　themover　the　white　drapery　〃which　gleamed　as　if　covered　with　flowers　anddiamonds；　so　that　I　could　not　recognize　my　sausage　skewer　at　all。　Sucha　maypole　had　never　been　seen　in　all　the　world　as　this。　Then　came　agreat　pany　of　real　elves。　Nothing　could　be　finer　than　theirclothes；　and　they　invited　me　to　be　present　at　the　feast；　but　I　wasto　keep　at　a　certain　distance；　because　I　was　too　large　for　them。Then　menced　such　music　that　it　sounded　like　a　thousand　glass　bells；and　was　so　full　and　strong　that　I　thought　it　must　be　the　song　of　theswans。　I　fancied　also　that　I　heard　the　voices　of　the　cuckoo　and　theblack…bird；　and　it　seemed　at　last　as　if　the　whole　forest　sent　forthglorious　melodies…　the　voices　of　children；　the　tinkling　of　bells；and　the　songs　of　the　birds；　and　all　this　wonderful　melody　came　fromthe　elfin　maypole。　My　sausage　peg　was　a　plete　peal　of　bells。　Icould　scarcely　believe　that　so　much　could　have　been　produced　fromit；　till　I　remembered　into　what　hands　it　had　fallen。　I　was　so　muchaffected　that　I　wept　tears　such　as　a　little　mouse　can　weep；　but　theywere　tears　of　joy。　The　night　was　far　too　short　for　me；　there　are　nolong　nights　there　in　summer；　as　we　often　have　in　this　part　of　theworld。　When　the　morning　dawned；　and　the　gentle　breeze　rippled　theglassy　mirror　of　the　forest　lake；　all　the　delicate　veils　and　flagsfluttered　away　into　thin　air；　the　waving　garlands　of　the　spider's　web；the　hanging　bridges　and　galleries；　or　whatever　else　they　may　becalled；　vanished　away　as　if　they　had　never　been。　Six　elves　broughtme　back　my　sausage　skewer；　and　at　the　same　time　asked　me　to　make　anyrequest；　which　they　would　grant　if　in　their　power；　so　I　begged　them；if　they　could；　to　tell　me　how　to　make　soup　from　a　sausage　skewer。

〃'How　do　we　make　it？'　said　the　chief　of　the　elves　with　a　smile。'Why　you　have　just　seen　it；　you　scarcely　knew　your　sausage　skeweragain；　I　am　sure。'

〃They　think　themselves　very　wise；　thought　I　to　myself。　Then　I　toldthem　all　about　it；　and　why　I　had　travelled　so　far；　and　also　whatpromise　had　been　made　at　home　to　the　one　who　should　discover　themethod　of　preparing　this　soup。　'What　use　will　it　be；'　I　asked；　'to　themouse…king　or　to　our　whole　mighty　kingdom　that　I　have　seen　all　thesebeautiful　things？　I　cannot　shake　the　sausage　peg　and　say；　Look；　hereis　the　skewer；　and　now　the　soup　will　e。　That　would　only　produce　adish　to　be　served　when　people　were　keeping　a　fast。'

〃Then　the　elf　dipped　his　finger　into　the　cup　of　a　violet；　and　saidto　me；　'Look　here；　I　will　anoint　your　pilgrim's　staff；　so　that　whenyou　return　to　your　own　home　and　enter　the　king's　castle；　you　have　onlyto　touch　the　king　with　your　staff；　and　violets　will　spring　forth　andcover　the　whole　of　it；　even　in　the　coldest　winter　time；　so　I　think　Ihave　given　you　really　something　to　carry　home；　and　a　little　morethan　something。'〃

But　before　the　little　mouse　explained　what　this　something　morewas；　she　stretched　her　staff　out　to　the　king；　and　as　it　touched　himthe　most　beautiful　bunch　of　violets　sprang　forth　and　filled　theplace　with　perfume。　The　smell　was　so　powerful　that　the　mouse…kingordered　the　mice　who　stood　nearest　the　chimney　to　thrust　their　tailsinto　the　fire；　that　there　might　be　a　smell　of　burning；　for　the　perfumeof　the　violets　was　overpowering；　and　not　the　sort　of　scent　thatevery　one　liked。

〃But　what　was　the　something　more　of　which　you　spoke　just　now？〃asked　the　mouse…king。

〃Why；〃　answered　the　little　mouse；　〃I　think　it　is　what　they　call'effect；'〃　and　thereupon　she　turned　the　staff　round；　and　behold　nota　single　flower　was　to　be　seen　upon　it！　She　now　only　held　the　nakedskewer；　and　lifted　it　up　as　a　conductor　lifts　his　baton　at　aconcert。　〃Violets；　the　elf　told　me；〃　continued　the　mouse；　〃are　for　thesight；　the　smell；　and　the　touch；　so　we　have　only　now　to　produce　theeffect　of　hearing　and　tasting；〃　and　then；　as　the　little　mouse　beattime　with　her　staff；　there　came　sounds　of　music；　not　such　music　as　washeard　in　the　forest；　at　the　elfin　feast；　but　such　as　is　often　heard　inthe　kitchen…　the　sounds　of　boiling　and　roasting。　It　came　quitesuddenly；　like　wind　rushing　through　the　chimneys；　and　seemed　as　ifevery　pot　and　kettle　were　boiling　over。　The　fire…shovel　clattered　downon　the　brass　fender；　and　then；　quite　as　suddenly；　all　was　still；…nothing　could　be　heard　but　the　light；　vapory　song　of　the　tea…kettle；which　was　quite　wonderful　to　hear；　for　no　one　could　rightlydistinguish　whether　the　kettle　was　just　beginning　to　boil　or　goingto　stop。　And　the　little　pot　steamed；　and　the　great　pot　simmered；　butwithout　any　regard　for　each；　indeed　there　seemed　no　sense　in　thepots　at　all。　And　as　the　little　mouse　waved　her　baton　still　morewildly；　the　pots　foamed　and　threw　up　bubbles；　and　boiled　over；　whileagain　the　wind　roared　and　whistled　through　the　chimney；　and　at　lastthere　was　such　a　terrible　hubbub；　that　the　little　mouse　let　herstick　fall。

〃That　is　a　strange　sort　of　soup；〃　said　the　mouse…king；　〃shall　wenot　now　hear　about　the　preparation？〃

〃That　is　all；〃　answered　the　little　mouse；　with　a　bow。

〃That　all！〃　said　the　mouse…king；　〃then　we　shall　be　glad　to　hearwhat　information　the　next　may　have　to　give　us。〃

WHAT　THE　SECOND　MOUSE　HAD　TO　TELL

〃I　was　born　in　the　library；　at　a　castle；〃　said　the　second　mouse。〃Very　few　members　of　our　family　ever　had　the　good　fortune　to　getinto　the　dining…room；　much　less　the　store…room。　On　my　journey；　andhere　to…day；　are　the　only　times　I　have　ever　seen　a　kitchen。　We　wereoften　obliged　to　suffer　hunger　in　the　library；　but　then　we　gained　agreat　deal　of　knowledge。　The　rumor　reached　us　of　the　royal　prizeoffered　to　those　who　should　be　able　to　make　soup　from　a　sausageskewer。　Then　my　old　grandmother　sought　out　a　manuscript　which；however；　she　could　not　read；　but　had　heard　it　read；　and　in　it　waswritten；　'Those　who　are　poets　can　make　soup　of　sausage　skewers。'　Shethen　asked　me　if　I　was　a　poet。　I　felt　myself　quite　innocent　of　anysuch　pretensions。　Then　she　said　I　must　go　out　and　make　myself　apoet。　I　asked　again　what　I　should　be　required　to　do；　for　it　seemedto　me　quite　as　difficult　as　to　find　out　how　to　make　soup　of　asausage　skewer。　My　grandmother　had　heard　a　great　deal　of　reading　inher　day；　and　she　told　me　three　principal　qualifications　werenecessary…　understanding；　imagination；　and　feeling。　'If　you　can　manageto　acquire　these　three；　you　will　be　a　poet；　and　the　sausage…skewersoup　will　be　quite　easy　to　you。'

〃So　I　went　forth　into　the　world；　and　turned　my　steps　towards　thewest；　that　I　might　bee　a　poet。　Understanding　is　the　mostimportant　matter　in　everything。　I　knew　that；　for　the　two　otherqualifications　are　not　thought　much　of；　so　I　went　first　to　seek　forunderstanding。　Where　was　I　to　find　it？　'Go　to　the　ant　and　learnwisdom；'　said　the　great　Jewish　king。　I　knew　that　from　living　in　alibrary。　So　I　went　straight　on　till　I　came　to　the　first　greatant…hill；　and　then　I　set　myself　to　watch；　that　I　might　bee　wise。The　ants　are　a　very　respectable　people；　they　are　wisdom　itself。　Allthey　do　is　like　the　working　of　a　sum　in　arithmetic；　which　es　right。'To　work　and　to　lay　eggs；'　say　they；　and　to　provide　for　posterity；is　to　live　out　your　time　properly；'　and　that　they　truly　do。　They　aredivided　into　the　clean　and　the　dirty　ants；　their　rank　is　pointed　outby　a　number；　and　the　ant…queen　is　number　ONE；　and　her　opinion　is　theonly　correct　one　on　everything；　she　seems　to　have　the　whole　wisdomof　the　world　in　her；　which　was　just　the　important　matter　I　wished　toacquire。　She　said　a　great　deal　which　was　no　doubt　very　clever；　yetto　me　it　sounded　like　nonsense。　She　said　the　ant…hill　was　the　loftiestthing　in　the　world；　and　yet　close　to　the　mound　stood　a　tall　tree；which　no　one　could　deny　was　loftier；　much　loftier；　but　no　mentionwas　made　of　the　tree。　One　evening　an　ant　lost　herself　on　this　tree；she　had　crept　up　the　stem；　not　nearly　to　the　top；　but　higher　thanany　ant　had　ever　ventured；　and　when　at　last　she　returned　home　she　saidthat　she　had　found　something　in　her　travels　much　higher　than　theant…hill。　The　rest　of　the　ants　considered　this　an　insult　to　thewhole　munity；　so