安徒生童话-第49章

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〃The　jailer　took　possession　of　me　now。　He　said　something　aboutsoup　from　a　sausage　skewer；　but　I　could　not　trust　him。　He　took　me　inhis　hand　certainly；　but　it　was　to　place　me　in　a　cage　like　atread…mill。　Oh　how　dreadful　it　was！　I　had　to　run　round　and　roundwithout　getting　any　farther　in　advance；　and　only　to　make　everybodylaugh。　The　jailer's　grand…daughter　was　a　charming　little　thing。　Shehad　curly　hair　like　the　brightest　gold；　merry　eyes；　and　such　a　smilingmouth。

〃'You　poor　little　mouse；'　said　she；　one　day　as　she　peeped　intomy　cage；　'I　will　set　you　free。'　She　then　drew　forth　the　ironfastening；　and　I　sprang　out　on　the　window…sill；　and　from　thence　to　theroof。　Free！　free！　that　was　all　I　could　think　of；　not　of　the　objectof　my　journey。　It　grew　dark；　and　as　night　was　ing　on　I　found　alodging　in　an　old　tower；　where　dwelt　a　watchman　and　an　owl。　I　had　noconfidence　in　either　of　them；　least　of　all　in　the　owl；　which　is　like　acat；　and　has　a　great　failing；　for　she　eats　mice。　One　may　however　bemistaken　sometimes；　and　so　was　I；　for　this　was　a　respectable　andwell…educated　old　owl；　who　knew　more　than　the　watchman；　and　even　asmuch　as　I　did　myself。　The　young　owls　made　a　great　fuss　abouteverything；　but　the　only　rough　words　she　would　say　to　them　were；'You　had　better　go　and　make　some　soup　from　sausage　skewers。'　She　wasvery　indulgent　and　loving　to　her　children。　Her　conduct　gave　me　suchconfidence　in　her；　that　from　the　crack　where　I　sat　I　called　out'squeak。'　This　confidence　of　mine　pleased　her　so　much　that　she　assuredme　she　would　take　me　under　her　own　protection；　and　that　not　a　creatureshould　do　me　harm。　The　fact　was；　she　wickedly　meant　to　keep　me　inreserve　for　her　own　eating　in　winter；　when　food　would　be　scarce。　Yetshe　was　a　very　clever　lady…owl；　she　explained　to　me　that　thewatchman　could　only　hoot　with　the　horn　that　hung　loose　at　his　side；and　then　she　said　he　is　so　terribly　proud　of　it；　that　he　imagineshimself　an　owl　in　the　tower；…　wants　to　do　great　things；　but　onlysucceeds　in　small；　all　soup　on　a　sausage　skewer。　Then　I　begged　the　owlto　give　me　the　recipe　for　this　soup。　'Soup　from　a　sausage　skewer；'said　she；　'is　only　a　proverb　amongst　mankind；　and　may　be　understood　inmany　ways。　Each　believes　his　own　way　the　best；　and　after　all；　theproverb　signifies　nothing。'　'Nothing！'　I　exclaimed。　I　was　quitestruck。　Truth　is　not　always　agreeable；　but　truth　is　above　everythingelse；　as　the　old　owl　said。　I　thought　over　all　this；　and　saw　quiteplainly　that　if　truth　was　really　so　far　above　everything　else；　it　mustbe　much　more　valuable　than　soup　from　a　sausage　skewer。　So　I　hastenedto　get　away；　that　I　might　be　home　in　time；　and　bring　what　washighest　and　best；　and　above　everything…　namely；　the　truth。　The　miceare　an　enlightened　people；　and　the　mouse…king　is　above　them　all。　He　istherefore　capable　of　making　me　queen　for　the　sake　of　truth。〃

〃Your　truth　is　a　falsehood；〃　said　the　mouse　who　had　not　yetspoken；　〃I　can　prepare　the　soup；　and　I　mean　to　do　so。〃

　HOW　IT　WAS　PREPARED

〃I　did　not　travel；〃　said　the　third　mouse；　〃I　stayed　in　thiscountry：　that　was　the　right　way。　One　gains　nothing　by　travelling…everything　can　be　acquired　here　quite　as　easily；　so　I　stayed　athome。　I　have　not　obtained　what　I　know　from　supernatural　beings。　I　haveneither　swallowed　it；　nor　learnt　it　from　conversing　with　owls。　Ihave　got　it　all　from　my　reflections　and　thoughts。　Will　you　now　set　thekettle　on　the　fire…　so？　Now　pour　the　water　in…　quite　full…　up　to　thebrim；　place　it　on　the　fire；　make　up　a　good　blaze；　keep　it　burning；that　the　water　may　boil；　it　must　boil　over　and　over。　There；　now　Ithrow　in　the　skewer。　Will　the　mouse…king　be　pleased　now　to　dip　histail　into　the　boiling　water；　and　stir　it　round　with　the　tail。　Thelonger　the　king　stirs　it；　the　stronger　the　soup　will　bee。　Nothingmore　is　necessary；　only　to　stir　it。〃

〃Can　no　one　else　do　this？〃　asked　the　king。

〃No；〃　said　the　mouse；　〃only　in　the　tail　of　the　mouse…king　isthis　power　contained。〃

And　the　water　boiled　and　bubbled；　as　the　mouse…king　stood　closebeside　the　kettle。　It　seemed　rather　a　dangerous　performance；　but　heturned　round；　and　put　out　his　tail；　as　mice　do　in　a　dairy；　when　theywish　to　skim　the　cream　from　a　pan　of　milk　with　their　tails　andafterwards　lick　it　off。　But　the　mous

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　ANGEL

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃WHENEVER　a　good　child　dies；　an　angel　of　God　es　down　fromheaven；　takes　the　dead　child　in　his　arms；　spreads　out　his　greatwhite　wings；　and　flies　with　him　over　all　the　places　which　the　childhad　loved　during　his　life。　Then　he　gathers　a　large　handful　of　flowers；which　he　carries　up　to　the　Almighty；　that　they　may　bloom　more　brightlyin　heaven　than　they　do　on　earth。　And　the　Almighty　presses　theflowers　to　His　heart；　but　He　kisses　the　flower　that　pleases　Himbest；　and　it　receives　a　voice；　and　is　able　to　join　the　song　of　thechorus　of　bliss。〃

These　words　were　spoken　by　an　angel　of　God；　as　he　carried　a　deadchild　up　to　heaven；　and　the　child　listened　as　if　in　a　dream。　Then　theypassed　over　well…known　spots；　where　the　little　one　had　often　played；and　through　beautiful　gardens　full　of　lovely　flowers。

〃Which　of　these　shall　we　take　with　us　to　heaven　to　be　transplantedthere？〃　asked　the　angel。

Close　by　grew　a　slender；　beautiful；　rose…bush；　but　some　wickedhand　had　broken　the　stem；　and　the　half…opened　rosebuds　hung　fadedand　withered　on　the　trailing　branches。

〃Poor　rose…bush！〃　said　the　child；　〃let　us　take　it　with　us　toheaven；　that　it　may　bloom　above　in　God's　garden。〃

The　angel　took　up　the　rose…bush；　then　he　kissed　the　child；　and　thelittle　one　half　opened　his　eyes。　The　angel　gathered　also　somebeautiful　flowers；　as　well　as　a　few　humble　buttercups　andheart's…ease。

〃Now　we　have　flowers　enough；〃　said　the　child；　but　the　angel　onlynodded；　he　did　not　fly　upward　to　heaven。

It　was　night；　and　quite　still　in　the　great　town。　Here　theyremained；　and　the　angel　hovered　over　a　small；　narrow　street；　inwhich　lay　a　large　heap　of　straw；　ashes；　and　sweepings　from　thehouses　of　people　who　had　removed。　There　lay　fragments　of　plates；pieces　of　plaster；　rags；　old　hats；　and　other　rubbish　not　pleasant　tosee。　Amidst　all　this　confusion；　the　angel　pointed　to　the　pieces　of　abroken　flower…pot；　and　to　a　lump　of　earth　which　had　fallen　out　ofit。　The　earth　had　been　kept　from　falling　to　pieces　by　the　roots　of　awithered　field…flower；　which　had　been　thrown　amongst　the　rubbish。

〃We　will　take　this　with　us；〃　said　the　angel；　〃I　will　tell　youwhy　as　we　fly　along。〃

And　as　they　flew　the　angel　related　the　history。

〃Down　in　that　narrow　lane；　in　a　low　cellar；　lived　a　poor　sick　boy；he　had　been　afflicted　from　his　childhood；　and　even　in　his　best　days　hecould　just　manage　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room　on　crutches　once　ortwice；　but　no　more。　During　some　days　in　summer；　the　sunbeams　would　lieon　the　floor　of　the　cellar　for　about　half　an　hour。　In　this　spot　thepoor　sick　boy　would　sit　warming　himself　in　the　sunshine；　andwatching　the　red　blood　through　his　delicate　fingers　as　he　held　thembefore　his　face。　Then　he　would　say　he　had　been　out；　yet　he　knewnothing　of　the　green　forest　in　its　spring　verdure；　till　a　neighbor'sson　brought　him　a　green　bough　from　a　beech…tree。　This　he　would　placeover　his　head；　and　fancy　that　he　was　in　the　beech…wood　while　the　sunshone；　and　the　birds　carolled　gayly。　One　spring　day　the　neighbor's　boybrought　him　some　field…flowers；　and　among　them　was　one　to　which　theroot　still　adhered。　This　he　carefully　planted　in　a　flower…pot；　andplaced　in　a　window…seat　near　his　bed。　And　the　flower　had　beenplanted　by　a　fortunate　hand；　for　it　grew；　put　forth　fresh　shoots；and　blossomed　every　year。　It　became　a　splendid　flower…garden　to　thesick　boy；　and　his　little　treasure　upon　earth。　He　watered　it；　andcherished　it；　and　took　care　it　should　have　the　benefit　of　everysunbeam　that　found　its　way　into　the　cellar；　from　the　earliestmorning　ray　to　the　evening　sunset。　The　flower　entwined　itself　evenin　his　dreams…　for　him　it　bloomed；　for　him　spread　its　perfume。　Andit　gladdened　his　eyes；　and　to　the　flower　he　turned；　even　in　death；when　the　Lord　called　him。　He　has　been　one　year　with　God。　During　thattime　the　flower　has　stood　in　the　window；　withered　and　forgotten；till　at　length　cast　out　among　the　sweepings　into　the　street；　on　theday　of　the　lodgers'　removal。　And　this　poor　flower；　withered　andfaded　as　it　is；　we　have　added　to　our　nosegay；　because　it　gave　morereal　joy　than　the　most　beautiful　flower　in　the　garden　of　a　queen。〃

〃But　how　do　you　know　all　this？〃　asked　the　child　whom　the　angel　wascarrying　to　heaven。

〃I　know　it；〃　said　the　angel；　〃because　I　myself　was　the　poor　sickboy　who　walked　upon　crutches；　and　I　know　my　own　flower　well。〃

Then　the　child　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　into　the　glorioushappy　face　of　the　angel；　and　at　the　same　moment　they　foundthemselves　in　that　heavenly　home　where　all　is　happiness　and　joy。　AndGod　pressed　the　dead　child　to　His　heart；　and　wings　were　given　him　sothat　he　could　fly　with　the　angel；　hand　in　hand。　Then　the　Almightypressed　all　the　flowers　to　His　heart；　but　He　kissed　the　witheredfield…flower；　and　it　received　a　voice。　Then　it　joined　in　the　song　ofthe　angels；　who　surrounded　the　throne；　some　near；　and　others　in　adistant　circle；　but　all　equally　happy。　They　all　joined　in　the　chorusof　praise；　both　great　and　small；…　the　good；　happy　child