安徒生童话-第54章

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　and　a　peasant　anda　dog　were　of　equal　importance；　where　did　the　Bird　of　Song　findshelter　and　protection？　Neither　violence　nor　stupidity　gave　him　athought。

But　in　the　gabled　window　of　the　knightly　castle；　the　lady　of　thecastle　sat　with　the　parchment　roll　before　her；　and　wrote　down　theold　recollections　in　song　and　legend；　while　near　her　stood　the　oldwoman　from　the　wood；　and　the　travelling　peddler　who　went　wanderingthrough　the　country。　As　these　told　their　tales；　there　fluttered　aroundthem；　with　twittering　and　song；　the　Bird　of　Popular　Song；　who　neverdies　so　long　as　the　earth　has　a　hill　upon　which　his　foot　may　rest。

And　now　he　looks　in　upon　us　and　sings。　Without　are　the　night　andthe　snow…storm。　He　lays　the　Runes　beneath　our　tongues；　and　we　know　theland　of　our　home。　Heaven　speaks　to　us　in　our　native　tongue；　in　thevoice　of　the　Bird　of　Popular　Song。　The　old　remembrances　awake；　thefaded　colors　glow　with　a　fresh　lustre；　and　story　and　song　pour　us　ablessed　draught　which　lifts　up　our　minds　and　our　thoughts；　so　that　theevening　bees　as　a　Christmas　festival。

The　snow…flakes　chase　each　other；　the　ice　cracks；　the　stormrules　without；　for　he　has　the　might；　he　is　lord…　but　not　the　LORD　OFALL。

It　is　winter　time。　The　wind　is　sharp　as　a　two…edged　sword；　thesnow…flakes　chase　each　other；　it　seems　as　though　it　had　been　snowingfor　days　and　weeks；　and　the　snow　lies　like　a　great　mountain　over　thewhole　town；　like　a　heavy　dream　of　the　winter　night。　Everything　onthe　earth　is　hidden　away；　only　the　golden　cross　of　the　church；　thesymbol　of　faith；　arises　over　the　snow　grave；　and　gleams　in　the　blueair　and　in　the　bright　sunshine。

And　over　the　buried　town　fly　the　birds　of　heaven；　the　small　andthe　great；　they　twitter　and　they　sing　as　best　they　may；　each　bird　withhis　beak。

First　es　the　band　of　sparrows：　they　pipe　at　every　trifle　in　thestreets　and　lanes；　in　the　nests　and　the　houses；　they　have　stories　totell　about　the　front　buildings　and　the　back　buildings。

〃We　know　the　buried　town；〃　they　say；　〃everything　living　in　it　ispiep！　piep！　piep！〃

The　black　ravens　and　crows　flew　on　over　the　white　snow。

〃Grub；　grub！〃　they　cried。　〃There's　something　to　be　got　down　there；something　to　swallow；　and　that's　most　important。　That's　the　opinion　ofmost　of　them　down　there；　and　the　opinion　is　goo…goo…good！〃

The　wild　swans　e　flying　on　whirring　pinions；　and　sing　of　thenoble　and　the　great；　that　will　still　sprout　in　the　hearts　of　men；　downin　the　town　which　is　resting　beneath　its　snowy　veil。

No　death　is　there…　life　reigns　yonder；　we　hear　it　on　the　notesthat　swell　onward　like　the　tones　of　the　church　organ；　which　seize　uslike　sounds　from　the　elf…hill；　like　the　songs　of　Ossian；　like　therushing　swoop　of　the　wandering　spirits'　wings。　What　harmony！　Thatharmony　speaks　to　our　hearts；　and　lifts　up　our　souls！　It　is　the　Birdof　Popular　Song　whom　we　hear。

And　at　this　moment　the　warm　breath　of　heaven　blows　down　from　thesky。　There　are　gaps　in　the　snowy　mountains；　the　sun　shines　into　theclefts；　spring　is　ing；　the　birds　are　returning；　and　new　races　areing　with　the　same　home　sounds　in　their　hearts。

Hear　the　story　of　the　year：　〃The　night　of　the　snow…storm；　theheavy　dream　of　the　winter　night；　all　shall　be　dissolved；　all　shallrise　again　in　the　beauteous　notes　of　the　Bird　of　Popular　Song；　whonever　dies！〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　BISHOP　OF　BORGLUM　AND　HIS　WARRIORS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

OUR　scene　is　laid　in　Northern　Jutland；　in　the　so…called　〃wildmoor。〃　We　hear　what　is　called　the　〃Wester…wow…wow〃…　the　peculiarroar　of　the　North　Sea　as　it　breaks　against　the　western　coast　ofJutland。　It　rolls　and　thunders　with　a　sound　that　perates　formiles　into　the　land；　and　we　are　quite　near　the　roaring。　Before　usrises　a　great　mound　of　sand…　a　mountain　we　have　long　seen；　and　towardswhich　we　are　wending　our　way；　driving　slowly　along　through　the　deepsand。　On　this　mountain　of　sand　is　a　lofty　old　building…　the　convent　ofBorglum。　In　one　of　its　wings　（the　larger　one）　there　is　still　a　church。And　at　this　convent　we　now　arrive　in　the　late　evening　hour；　but　theweather　is　clear　in　the　bright　June　night　around　us；　and　the　eye　canrange　far；　far　over　field　and　moor　to　the　Bay　of　Aalborg；　over　heathand　meadow；　and　far　across　the　deep　blue　sea。

Now　we　are　there；　and　roll　past　between　barns　and　other　farmbuildings；　and　at　the　left　of　the　gate　we　turn　aside　to　the　Old　CastleFarm；　where　the　lime　trees　stand　in　lines　along　the　walls；　and；sheltered　from　the　wind　and　weather；　grow　so　luxuriantly　that　theirtwigs　and　leaves　almost　conceal　the　windows。

We　mount　the　winding　staircase　of　stone；　and　march　through　thelong　passages　under　the　heavy　roof…beams。　The　wind　moans　verystrangely　here；　both　within　and　without。　It　is　hardly　known　how；　butthe　people　say…　yes；　people　say　a　great　many　things　when　they　arefrightened　or　want　to　frighten　others…　they　say　that　the　old　deadchoir…men　glide　silently　past　us　into　the　church；　where　mass　issung。　They　can　be　heard　in　the　rushing　of　the　storm；　and　their　singingbrings　up　strange　thoughts　in　the　hearers…　thoughts　of　the　old　timesinto　which　we　are　carried　back。

On　the　coast　a　ship　is　stranded；　and　the　bishop's　warriors　arethere；　and　spare　not　those　whom　the　sea　has　spared。　The　sea　washesaway　the　blood　that　has　flowed　from　the　cloven　skulls。　The　strandedgoods　belong　to　the　bishop；　and　there　is　a　store　of　goods　here。　Thesea　casts　up　tubs　and　barrels　filled　with　costly　wine　for　theconvent　cellar；　and　in　the　convent　is　already　good　store　of　beer　andmead。　There　is　plenty　in　the　kitchen…　dead　game　and　poultry；　hamsand　sausages；　and　fat　fish　swim　in　the　ponds　without。

The　Bishop　of　Borglum　is　a　mighty　lord。　He　has　greatpossessions；　but　still　he　longs　for　more…　everything　must　bow　beforethe　mighty　Olaf　Glob。　His　rich　cousin　at　Thyland　is　dead；　and　hiswidow　is　to　have　the　rich　inheritance。　But　how　es　it　that　onerelation　is　always　harder　towards　another　than　even　strangers　wouldbe？　The　widow's　husband　had　possessed　all　Thyland；　with　theexception　of　the　church　property。　Her　son　was　not　at　home。　In　hisboyhood　he　had　already　started　on　a　journey；　for　his　desire　was　to　seeforeign　lands　and　strange　people。　For　years　there　had　been　no　newsof　him。　Perhaps　he　had　been　long　laid　in　the　grave；　and　would　nevere　back　to　his　home；　to　rule　where　his　mother　then　ruled。

〃What　has　a　woman　to　do　with　rule？〃　said　the　bishop。

He　summoned　the　widow　before　a　law　court；　but　what　did　he　gainthereby？　The　widow　had　never　been　disobedient　to　the　law；　and　wasstrong　in　her　just　rights。

Bishop　Olaf　of　Borglum；　what　dost　thou　purpose？　What　writestthou　on　yonder　smooth　parchment；　sealing　it　with　thy　seal；　andintrusting　it　to　the　horsemen　and　servants；　who　ride　away；　far　away；to　the　city　of　the　Pope？

It　is　the　time　of　falling　leaves　and　of　stranded　ships；　and　soonicy　winter　will　e。

Twice　had　icy　winter　returned　before　the　bishop　weled　thehorsemen　and　servants　back　to　their　home。　They　came　from　Rome　with　apapal　decree…　a　ban；　or　bull；　against　the　widow　who　had　dared　tooffend　the　pious　bishop。　〃Cursed　be　she　and　all　that　belongs　to　her。Let　her　be　expelled　from　the　congregation　and　the　Church。　Let　no　manstretch　forth　a　helping　hand　to　her；　and　let　friends　and　relationsavoid　her　as　a　plague　and　a　pestilence！〃

〃What　will　not　bend　must　break；〃　said　the　Bishop　of　Borglum

And　all　forsake　the　widow；　but　she　holds　fast　to　her　God。　He　isher　helper　and　defender。

One　servant　only…　an　old　maid…　remained　faithful　to　her；　andwith　the　old　servant；　the　widow　herself　followed　the　plough；　and　thecrop　grew；　although　the　land　had　been　cursed　by　the　Pope　and　by　thebishop。

〃Thou　child　of　perdition；　I　will　yet　carry　out　my　purpose！〃cried　the　Bishop　of　Borglum。　〃Now　will　I　lay　the　hand　of　the　Pope　uponthee；　to　summon　thee　before　the　tribunal　that　shall　condemn　thee！〃

Then　did　the　widow　yoke　the　last　two　oxen　that　remained　to　herto　a　wagon；　and　mounted　up　on　the　wagon；　with　her　old　servant；　andtravelled　away　across　the　heath　out　of　the　Danish　land。　As　astranger　she　came　into　a　foreign　country；　where　a　strange　tongue　wasspoken　and　where　new　customs　prevailed。　Farther　and　farther　shejourneyed；　to　where　green　hills　rise　into　mountains；　and　the　vineclothes　their　sides。　Strange　merchants　drive　by　her；　and　they　lookanxiously　after　their　wagons　laden　with　merchandise。　They　fear　anattack　from　the　armed　followers　of　the　robber…knights。　The　two　poorwomen；　in　their　humble　vehicle　drawn　by　two　black　oxen；　travelfearlessly　through　the　dangerous　sunken　road　and　through　thedarksome　forest。　And　now　they　were　in　Franconia。　And　there　met　thema　stalwart　knight；　with　a　train　of　twelve　armed　followers。　Hepaused；　gazed　at　the　strange　vehicle；　and　questioned　the　women　as　tothe　goal　of　their　journey　and　the　place　whence　they　came。　Then　oneof　them　mentioned　Thyland　in　Denmark；　and　spoke　of　her　sorrows；　of　herwoes；　which　were　soon　to　cease；　for　so　Divine　Providence　had　willedit。　For　the　stranger　knight　is　the　widow's　son！　He　seized　her　hand；　heembraced　her；　and　the　mother　wept。　For　years　she　had　not　been　ableto　weep；　but　had　only　bitten　her　lips　till　the　blood　started。

It　is　the　time　of　falling　leaves　and　of　stranded　ships；　and　soonwill　icy　winter　e。

The　sea　rolled　wine…tubs　to　the　shore