安徒生童话-第77章

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y　allremained　quite　still；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　there　was　not　a　singlepot　amongst　them　who　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　himself；　and　of　what　hecould　do　if　he　chose。

〃'Yes；　if　we　had　chosen；'　they　each　thought；　'we　might　havespent　a　very　pleasant　evening。'

〃The　maid　took　the　matches　and　lighted　them；　dear　me；　how　theysputtered　and　blazed　up！

〃'Now　then；'　they　thought；　'every　one　will　see　that　we　are　thefirst。　How　we　shine；　what　a　light　we　give！'　Even　while　they　spoketheir　light　went　out。

〃What　a　capital　story；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　feel　as　if　I　werereally　in　the　kitchen；　and　could　see　the　matches；　yes；　you　shall　marryour　daughter。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　king；　〃thou　shalt　have　our　daughter。〃　Theking　said　thou　to　him　because　he　was　going　to　be　one　of　the　family。The　wedding…day　was　fixed；　and；　on　the　evening　before；　the　wholecity　was　illuminated。　Cakes　and　sweetmeats　were　thrown　among　thepeople。　The　street　boys　stood　on　tiptoe　and　shouted　〃hurrah；〃　andwhistled　between　their　fingers；　altogether　it　was　a　very　splendidaffair。

〃I　will　give　them　another　treat；〃　said　the　merchant's　son。　So　hewent　and　bought　rockets　and　crackers；　and　all　sorts　of　fire…works　thatcould　be　thought　of；　packed　them　in　his　trunk；　and　flew　up　with　itinto　the　air。　What　a　whizzing　and　popping　they　made　as　they　wentoff！　The　Turks；　when　they　saw　such　a　sight　in　the　air；　jumped　sohigh　that　their　slippers　flew　about　their　ears。　It　was　easy　to　believeafter　this　that　the　princess　was　really　going　to　marry　a　Turkishangel。

As　soon　as　the　merchant's　son　had　e　down　in　his　flying　trunk　tothe　wood　after　the　fireworks；　he　thought；　〃I　will　go　back　into　thetown　now；　and　hear　what　they　think　of　the　entertainment。〃　It　wasvery　natural　that　he　should　wish　to　know。　And　what　strange　thingspeople　did　say；　to　be　sure！　every　one　whom　he　questioned　had　adifferent　tale　to　tell；　though　they　all　thought　it　very　beautiful。

〃'I　saw　the　Turkish　angel　myself；〃　said　one；　〃he　had　eyes　likeglittering　stars；　and　a　head　like　foaming　water。〃

〃He　flew　in　a　mantle　of　fire；〃　cried　another；　〃and　lovely　littlecherubs　peeped　out　from　the　folds。〃

He　heard　many　more　fine　things　about　himself；　and　that　the　nextday　he　was　to　be　married。　After　this　he　went　back　to　the　forest　torest　himself　in　his　trunk。　It　had　disappeared！　A　spark　from　thefireworks　which　remained　had　set　it　on　fire；　it　was　burnt　to　ashes！　Sothe　merchant's　son　could　not　fly　any　more；　nor　go　to　meet　his　bride。She　stood　all　day　on　the　roof　waiting　for　him；　and　most　likely　sheis　waiting　there　still；　while　he　wanders　through　the　world　tellingfairy　tales；　but　none　of　them　so　amusing　as　the　one　he　related　aboutthe　matches。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　GARDEN　OF　PARADISE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　king's　son　who　had　a　larger　and　more　beautifulcollection　of　books　than　any　one　else　in　the　world；　and　full　ofsplendid　copper…plate　engravings。　He　could　read　and　obtain　informationrespecting　every　people　of　every　land；　but　not　a　word　could　he　find　toexplain　the　situation　of　the　garden　of　paradise；　and　this　was　justwhat　he　most　wished　to　know。　His　grandmother　had　told　him　when　hewas　quite　a　little　boy；　just　old　enough　to　go　to　school；　that　eachflower　in　the　garden　of　paradise　was　a　sweet　cake；　that　the　pistilswere　full　of　rich　wine；　that　on　one　flower　history　was　written；　onanother　geography　or　tables；　so　those　who　wished　to　learn　theirlessons　had　only　to　eat　some　of　the　cakes；　and　the　more　they　ate；the　more　history；　geography；　or　tables　they　knew。　He　believed　it　allthen；　but　as　he　grew　older；　and　learnt　more　and　more；　he　became　wiseenough　to　understand　that　the　splendor　of　the　garden　of　paradisemust　be　very　different　to　all　this。　〃Oh；　why　did　Eve　pluck　the　fruitfrom　the　tree　of　knowledge？　why　did　Adam　eat　the　forbidden　fruit？〃thought　the　king's　son：　〃if　I　had　been　there　it　would　never　havehappened；　and　there　would　have　been　no　sin　in　the　world。〃　The　gardenof　paradise　occupied　all　his　thoughts　till　he　reached　hisseventeenth　year。

One　day　he　was　walking　alone　in　the　wood；　which　was　his　greatestpleasure；　when　evening　came　on。　The　clouds　gathered；　and　the　rainpoured　down　as　if　the　sky　had　been　a　waterspout；　and　it　was　as　dark　asthe　bottom　of　a　well　at　midnight；　sometimes　he　slipped　over　the　smoothgrass；　or　fell　over　stones　that　projected　out　of　the　rocky　ground。Every　thing　was　dripping　with　moisture；　and　the　poor　prince　had　nota　dry　thread　about　him。　He　was　obliged　at　last　to　climb　over　greatblocks　of　stone；　with　water　spurting　from　the　thick　moss。　He　beganto　feel　quite　faint；　when　he　heard　a　most　singular　rushing　noise；and　saw　before　him　a　large　cave；　from　which　came　a　blaze　of　light。In　the　middle　of　the　cave　an　immense　fire　was　burning；　and　a　noblestag；　with　its　branching　horns；　was　placed　on　a　spit　between　thetrunks　of　two　pine…trees。　It　was　turning　slowly　before　the　fire；　andan　elderly　woman；　as　large　and　strong　as　if　she　had　been　a　man　indisguise；　sat　by；　throwing　one　piece　of　wood　after　another　into　theflames。

〃e　in；〃　she　said　to　the　prince；　〃sit　down　by　the　fire　and　dryyourself。〃

〃There　is　a　great　draught　here；〃　said　the　prince；　as　he　seatedhimself　on　the　ground。

〃It　will　be　worse　when　my　sons　e　home；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃youare　now　in　the　cavern　of　the　Winds；　and　my　sons　are　the　four　Windsof　heaven：　can　you　understand　that？〃

〃Where　are　your　sons？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃It　is　difficult　to　answer　stupid　questions；〃　said　the　woman。〃My　sons　have　plenty　of　business　on　hand；　they　are　playing　atshuttlecock　with　the　clouds　up　yonder　in　the　king's　hall；〃　and　shepointed　upwards。

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　the　prince；　〃but　you　speak　more　roughly　andharshly　and　are　not　so　gentle　as　the　women　I　am　used　to。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　because　they　have　nothing　else　to　do；　but　I　amobliged　to　be　harsh；　to　keep　my　boys　in　order；　and　I　can　do　it；although　they　are　so　head…strong。　Do　you　see　those　four　sackshanging　on　the　wall？　Well；　they　are　just　as　much　afraid　of　thosesacks；　as　you　used　to　be　of　the　rat　behind　the　looking…glass。　I　canbend　the　boys　together；　and　put　them　in　the　sacks　without　anyresistance　on　their　parts；　I　can　tell　you。　There　they　stay；　and　darenot　attempt　to　e　out　until　I　allow　them　to　do　so。　And　here　esone　of　them。〃

It　was　the　North　Wind　who　came　in；　bringing　with　him　a　cold；piercing　blast；　large　hailstones　rattled　on　the　floor；　andsnowflakes　were　scattered　around　in　all　directions。　He　wore　a　bearskindress　and　cloak。　His　sealskin　cap　was　drawn　over　his　ears；　longicicles　hung　from　his　beard；　and　one　hailstone　after　another　rolledfrom　the　collar　of　his　jacket。

〃Don't　go　too　near　the　fire；〃　said　the　prince；　〃or　your　handsand　face　will　be　frost…bitten。〃

〃Frost…bitten！〃　said　the　North　Wind；　with　a　loud　laugh；　〃why　frostis　my　greatest　delight。　What　sort　of　a　little　snip　are　you；　and　howdid　you　find　your　way　to　the　cavern　of　the　Winds？〃

〃He　is　my　guest；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃and　if　you　are　notsatisfied　with　that　explanation　you　can　go　into　the　sack。　Do　youunderstand　me？〃

That　settled　the　matter。　So　the　North　Wind　began　to　relate　hisadventures；　whence　he　came；　and　where　he　had　been　for　a　whole　month。〃I　e　from　the　polar　seas；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　on　the　Bear'sIsland　with　the　Russian　walrus…hunters。　I　sat　and　slept　at　the　helm　oftheir　ship；　as　they　sailed　away　from　North　Cape。　Sometimes　when　Iwoke；　the　storm…birds　would　fly　about　my　legs。　They　are　curious　birds；they　give　one　flap　with　their　wings；　and　then　on　their　outstretchedpinions　soar　far　away。

〃Don't　make　such　a　long　story　of　it；〃　said　the　mother　of　thewinds；　〃what　sort　of　a　place　is　Bear's　Island？〃

〃A　very　beautiful　place；　with　a　floor　for　dancing　as　smooth　andflat　as　a　plate。　Half…melted　snow；　partly　covered　with　moss；　sharpstones；　and　skeletons　of　walruses　and　polar…bears；　lie　all　about；their　gigantic　limbs　in　a　state　of　green　decay。　It　would　seem　as　ifthe　sun　never　shone　there。　I　blew　gently；　to　clear　away　the　mist；and　then　I　saw　a　little　hut；　which　had　been　built　from　the　wood　of　awreck；　and　was　covered　with　the　skins　of　the　walrus；　the　fleshy　sideoutwards；　it　looked　green　and　red；　and　on　the　roof　sat　a　growlingbear。　Then　I　went　to　the　sea　shore；　to　look　after　birds'　nests；　andsaw　the　unfledged　nestlings　opening　their　mouths　and　screaming　forfood。　I　blew　into　the　thousand　little　throats；　and　quickly　stoppedtheir　screaming。　Farther　on　were　the　walruses　with　pig's　heads；　andteeth　a　yard　long；　rolling　about　like　great　worms。

〃You　relate　your　adventures　very　well；　my　son；〃　said　the　mother；〃it　makes　my　mouth　water　to　hear　you。

〃After　that；〃　continued　the　North　Wind；　〃the　hunting　menced。The　harpoon　was　flung　into　the　breast　of　the　walrus；　so　that　a　smokingstream　of　blood　spurted　forth　like　a　fountain；　and　besprinkled　theice。　Then　I　thought　of　my　own　game；　I　began　to　blow；　and　set　my　ownships；　the　great　icebergs　sailing；　so　that　they　might　crush　the　boats。Oh；　how　the　sailors　howled　and　cried　out！　but　I　howled　louder　thanthey。　They　were　obliged　to　unload　their　cargo；　and　throw　theirchests　and　the　dead　walruses　on　the　ice。　Then　I　sprinkled　snow　overthem；　and　left　them　in　their　crushed　boats　to　drift　southward；　andto　taste　salt　water。　They　will　never　return　to　Bear's　Island。〃

〃So　you　have　done　mischi