安徒生童话-第91章

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dy　when　I　look　at　him。〃

〃You　must　not　scold　him；〃　said　the　mother…snail；　〃he　creeps　sovery　carefully。　He　will　be　the　joy　of　our　home；　and　we　old　folkshave　nothing　else　to　live　for。　But　have　you　ever　thought　where　weare　to　get　a　wife　for　him？　Do　you　think　that　farther　out　in　the　woodthere　may　be　others　of　our　race？〃

〃There　may　be　black　snails；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　old　snail；〃black　snails　without　houses；　but　they　are　so　vulgar　and　conceitedtoo。　But　we　can　give　the　ants　a　mission；　they　run　here　and　there；as　if　they　all　had　so　much　business　to　get　through。　They；　most　likely；will　know　of　a　wife　for　our　youngster。〃

〃I　certainly　know　a　most　beautiful　bride；〃　said　one　of　the　ants；〃but　I　fear　it　would　not　do；　for　she　is　a　queen。〃

〃That　does　not　matter；〃　said　the　old　snail；　〃has　she　a　house？〃

〃She　has　a　palace；〃　replied　the　ant；…　〃a　most　beautiful　ant…palacewith　seven　hundred　passages。〃

〃Thank…you；〃　said　the　mother…snail；　〃but　our　boy　shall　not　go　tolive　in　an　ant…hill。　If　you　know　of　nothing　better；　we　will　give　themission　to　the　white　gnats；　they　fly　about　in　rain　and　sunshine；they　know　the　burdock　wood　from　one　end　to　the　other。〃

〃We　have　a　wife　for　him；〃　said　the　gnats；　〃a　hundred　man…stepsfrom　here　there　is　a　little　snail　with　a　house；　sitting　on　agooseberry…bush；　she　is　quite　alone；　and　old　enough　to　be　married。It　is　only　a　hundred　man…steps　from　here。〃

〃Then　let　her　e　to　him；〃　said　the　old　people。　〃He　has　the　wholeburdock　forest；　she　has　only　a　bush。〃

So　they　brought　the　little　lady…snail。　She　took　eight　days　toperform　the　journey；　but　that　was　just　as　it　ought　to　be；　for　itshowed　her　to　be　one　of　the　right　breeding。　And　then　they　had　awedding。　Six　glow…worms　gave　as　much　light　as　they　could；　but　in　otherrespects　it　was　all　very　quiet；　for　the　old　snails　could　not　bearfestivities　or　a　crowd。　But　a　beautiful　speech　was　made　by　themother…snail。　The　father　could　not　speak；　he　was　too　much　overe。Then　they　gave　the　whole　burdock　forest　to　the　young　snails　as　aninheritance；　and　repeated　what　they　had　so　often　said；　that　it　was　thefinest　place　in　the　world；　and　that　if　they　led　upright　andhonorable　lives；　and　their　family　increased；　they　and　their　childrenmight　some　day　be　taken　to　the　nobleman's　palace；　to　be　boiledblack；　and　laid　on　a　silver　dish。　And　when　they　had　finished　speaking；the　old　couple　crept　into　their　houses；　and　came　out　no　more；　for　theyslept。

The　young　snail　pair　now　ruled　in　the　forest；　and　had　a　numerousprogeny。　But　as　the　young　ones　were　never　boiled　or　laid　in　silverdishes；　they　concluded　that　the　castle　had　fallen　into　decay；　and　thatall　the　people　in　the　world　were　dead；　and　as　nobody　contradictedthem；　they　thought　they　must　be　right。　And　the　rain　fell　upon　theburdock…leaves；　to　play　the　drum　for　them；　and　the　sun　shone　topaint　colors　on　the　burdock　forest　for　them；　and　they　were　very　happy；the　whole　family　were　entirely　and　perfectly　happy。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　ICE　MAIDEN

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

　　I。　LITTLE　RUDY

WE　will　pay　a　visit　to　Switzerland；　and　wander　through　thatcountry　of　mountains；　whose　steep　and　rocky　sides　are　overgrown　withforest　trees。　Let　us　climb　to　the　dazzling　snow…fields　at　theirsummits；　and　descend　again　to　the　green　meadows　beneath；　through　whichrivers　and　brooks　rush　along　as　if　they　could　not　quickly　enough　reachthe　sea　and　vanish。　Fiercely　shines　the　sun　over　those　deep　valleys；as　well　as　upon　the　heavy　masses　of　snow　which　lie　on　the　mountains。

During　the　year　these　accumulations　thaw　or　fall　in　the　rollingavalance；　or　are　piled　up　in　shining　glaciers。　Two　of　these　glacierslie　in　the　broad；　rocky　cliffs；　between　the　Schreckhorn　and　theWetterhorn；　near　the　little　town　of　Grindelwald。　They　are　wonderful　tobehold；　and　therefore　in　the　summer　time　strangers　e　here　fromall　parts　of　the　world　to　see　them。　They　cross　snow…covered　mountains；and　travel　through　the　deep　valleys；　or　ascend　for　hours；　higher　andstill　higher；　the　valleys　appearing　to　sink　lower　and　lower　as　theyproceed；　and　bee　as　small　as　if　seen　from　an　air　balloon。　Overthe　lofty　summits　of　these　mountains　the　clouds　often　hang　like　a　darkveil；　while　beneath　in　the　valley；　where　many　brown；　wooden　houses　arescattered　about；　the　bright　rays　of　the　sun　may　be　shining　upon　alittle　brilliant　patch　of　green；　making　it　appear　almosttransparent。　The　waters　foam　and　dash　along　in　the　valleys　beneath；the　streams　from　above　trickle　and　murmur　as　they　fall　down　therocky　mountain's　side；　looking　like　glittering　silver　bands。

On　both　sides　of　the　mountain…path　stand　these　little　woodenhouses；　and；　as　within；　there　are　many　children　and　many　mouths　tofeed；　each　house　has　its　own　little　potato　garden。　These　children　rushout　in　swarms；　and　surround　travellers；　whether　on　foot　or　incarriages。　They　are　all　clever　at　making　a　bargain。　They　offer　forsale　the　sweetest　little　toy…houses；　models　of　the　mountain　cottagesin　Switzerland。　Whether　it　be　rain　or　sunshine；　these　crowds　ofchildren　are　always　to　be　seen　with　their　wares。

About　twenty　years　ago；　there　might　be　seen　occasionally；　standingat　a　short　distance　from　the　other　children；　a　little　boy；　who　wasalso　anxious　to　sell　his　curious　wares。　He　had　an　earnest；expressive　countenance；　and　held　the　box　containing　his　carved　toystightly　with　both　hands；　as　if　unwilling　to　part　with　it。　Hisearnest　look；　and　being　also　a　very　little　boy；　made　him　noticed　bythe　strangers；　so　that　he　often　sold　the　most；　without　knowing　why。　Anhour's　walk　farther　up　the　ascent　lived　his　grandfather；　who　cut　andcarved　the　pretty　little　toy…houses；　and　in　the　old　man's　room　stood　alarge　press；　full　of　all　sorts　of　carved　things…　nut…crackers；knives　and　forks；　boxes　with　beautifully　carved　foliage；　leapingchamois。　It　contained　everything　that　could　delight　the　eyes　of　achild。　But　the　boy；　who　was　named　Rudy；　looked　with　still　greaterpleasure　and　longing　at　some　old　fire…arms　which　hung　upon　therafters；　under　the　ceiling　of　the　room。　His　grandfather　promised　himthat　he　should　have　them　some　day；　but　that　he　must　first　grow　big　andstrong；　and　learn　how　to　use　them。　Small　as　he　was；　the　goats　wereplaced　in　his　care；　and　a　good　goat…keeper　should　also　be　a　goodclimber；　and　such　Rudy　was；　he　sometimes；　indeed；　climbed　higherthan　the　goats；　for　he　was　fond　of　seeking　for　birds'…nests　at　the　topof　high　trees；　he　was　bold　and　daring；　but　was　seldom　seen　to　smile；excepting　when　he　stood　by　the　roaring　cataract；　or　heard　thedescending　roll　of　the　avalanche。　He　never　played　with　the　otherchildren；　and　was　not　seen　with　them；　unless　his　grandfather　senthim　down　to　sell　his　curious　workmanship。　Rudy　did　not　much　liketrade；　he　loved　to　climb　the　mountains；　or　to　sit　by　his　grandfatherand　listen　to　his　tales　of　olden　times；　or　of　the　people　in　Meyringen；the　place　of　his　birth。

〃In　the　early　ages　of　the　world；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃thesepeople　could　not　be　found　in　Switzerland。　They　are　a　colony　from　thenorth；　where　their　ancestors　still　dwell；　and　are　called　Swedes。〃

This　was　something　for　Rudy　to　know；　but　he　learnt　more　from　othersources；　particularly　from　the　domestic　animals　who　belonged　to　thehouse。　One　was　a　large　dog；　called　Ajola；　which　had　belonged　to　hisfather；　and　the　other　was　a　tom…cat。　This　cat　stood　very　high　inRudy's　favor；　for　he　had　taught　him　to　climb。

〃e　out　on　the　roof　with　me；〃　said　the　cat；　and　Rudy　quiteunderstood　him；　for　the　language　of　fowls；　ducks；　cats；　and　dogs；　isas　easily　understood　by　a　young　child　as　his　own　native　tongue。　But　itmust　be　at　the　age　when　grandfather's　stick　bees　a　neighinghorse；　with　head；　legs；　and　tail。　Some　children　retain　these　ideaslater　than　others；　and　they　are　considered　backwards　and　childishfor　their　age。　People　say　so；　but　is　it　so？

〃e　out　on　the　roof　with　me；　little　Rudy；〃　was　the　first　thinghe　heard　the　cat　say；　and　Rudy　understood　him。　〃What　people　sayabout　falling　down　is　all　nonsense；〃　continued　the　cat；　〃you　willnot　fall；　unless　you　are　afraid。　e；　now；　set　one　foot　here　andanother　there；　and　feel　your　way　with　your　fore…feet。　Keep　your　eyeswide　open；　and　move　softly；　and　if　you　e　to　a　hole　jump　over　it；and　cling　fast　as　I　do。〃　And　this　was　just　what　Rudy　did。　He　was　oftenon　the　sloping　roof　with　the　cat；　or　on　the　tops　of　high　trees。　But；more　frequently；　higher　still　on　the　ridges　of　the　rocks　where　pussnever　came。

〃Higher；　higher！〃　cried　the　trees　and　the　bushes；　〃see　to　whatheight　we　have　grown；　and　how　fast　we　hold；　even　to　the　narrow　edgesof　the　rocks。〃

Rudy　often　reached　the　top　of　the　mountain　before　the　sunrise；　andthere　inhaled　his　morning　draught　of　the　fresh；　invigoratingmountain　air；…　God's　own　gift；　which　men　call　the　sweet　fragrance　ofplant　and　herb　on　the　mountain…side；　and　the　mint　and　wild　thyme　inthe　valleys。　The　overhanging　clouds　absorb　all　heaviness　from　the　air；and　the　winds　convey　them　away　over　the　pine…tree　summits。　Thespirit　of　fragrance；　light　and　fresh；　remained　behind；　and　this　wasRudy's　morning　draught。　The　sunbeams…　those　blessing…bringingdaughters　of　the　sun…　kissed　his　cheeks。　Vertigo　might　be　lurking　onthe　watch；　but　he　dared　not　approach　him。　The　swallows；　who　had　notless　than　seven　nests　in　his　grandfather's　house；　flew　up　to　him　and