安徒生童话-第65部分

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at　first　like　silver；　then　like　gold；　and　whenshe　placed　them　on　the　heads　of　the　old　people　each　flower　became　agolden　crown。　There　they　both　sat　like　a　king　and　queen　under　thesweet…smelling　tree；　which　looked　exactly　like　an　elder…tree；　and　hetold　his　wife　the　story　of　the　elder…tree　mother　as　it　had　been　toldhim　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　They　were　both　of　opinion　that　the　storycontained　many　points　like　their　own；　and　these　similarities　theyliked　best。

〃Yes；　so　it　is；〃　said　the　little　girl　in　the　tree。　〃Some　call　meLittle　Elder…tree　Mother；　others　a　Dryad；　but　my　real　name　is'Remembrance。'　It　is　I　who　sit　in　the　tree　which　grows　and　grows。　Ican　remember　things　and　tell　stories！　But　let's　see　if　you　havestill　got　your　flower。〃

And　the　old　man　opened　his　prayer…book；　the　elder…blossom　wasstill　in　it；　and　as　fresh　as　if　it　had　only　just　been　put　in。Remembrance　nodded；　and　the　two　old　people；　with　the　golden　crownson　their　heads；　sat　in　the　glowing　evening　sun。　They　closed　their　eyesand…　and…

Well；　now　the　story　is　ended！　The　little　boy　in　bed　did　not　knowwhether　he　had　dreamt　it　or　heard　it　told；　the　teapot　stood　on　thetable；　but　no　elder…tree　was　growing　out　of　it；　and　the　old　man　whohad　told　the　story　was　on　the　point　of　leaving　the　room；　and　he　did　goout。

〃How　beautiful　it　was！〃　said　the　little　boy。　〃Mother；　I　havebeen　to　warm　countries！〃

〃I　believe　you；〃　said　the　mother；　〃if　one　takes　two　cups　of　hotelder…tea　it　is　quite　natural　that　one　gets　into　warm　countries！〃And　she　covered　him　up　well；　so　that　he　might　not　take　cold。　〃You　haveslept　soundly　while　I　was　arguing　with　the　old　man　whether　it　was　astory　or　a　fairy　tale！〃

〃And　what　has　bee　of　the　little　elder…tree　mother？〃　asked　theboy。

〃She　is　in　the　teapot；〃　said　the　mother；　〃and　there　she　mayremain。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　LITTLE　MATCH…SELLER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IT　was　terribly　cold　and　nearly　dark　on　the　last　evening　of　theold　year；　and　the　snow　was　falling　fast。　In　the　cold　and　the　darkness；a　poor　little　girl；　with　bare　head　and　naked　feet；　roamed　throughthe　streets。　It　is　true　she　had　on　a　pair　of　slippers　when　she　lefthome；　but　they　were　not　of　much　use。　They　were　very　large；　so　large；indeed；　that　they　had　belonged　to　her　mother；　and　the　poor　littlecreature　had　lost　them　in　running　across　the　street　to　avoid　twocarriages　that　were　rolling　along　at　a　terrible　rate。　One　of　theslippers　she　could　not　find；　and　a　boy　seized　upon　the　other　and　ranaway　with　it；　saying　that　he　could　use　it　as　a　cradle；　when　he　hadchildren　of　his　own。　So　the　little　girl　went　on　with　her　littlenaked　feet；　which　were　quite　red　and　blue　with　the　cold。　In　an　oldapron　she　carried　a　number　of　matches；　and　had　a　bundle　of　them　in　herhands。　No　one　had　bought　anything　of　her　the　whole　day；　nor　had　anyone　given　here　even　a　penny。　Shivering　with　cold　and　hunger；　she　creptalong；　poor　little　child；　she　looked　the　picture　of　misery。　Thesnowflakes　fell　on　her　long；　fair　hair；　which　hung　in　curls　on　hershoulders；　but　she　regarded　them　not。

Lights　were　shining　from　every　window；　and　there　was　a　savorysmell　of　roast　goose；　for　it　was　New…year's　eve…　yes；　she　rememberedthat。　In　a　corner；　between　two　houses；　one　of　which　projected　beyondthe　other；　she　sank　down　and　huddled　herself　together。　She　had　drawnher　little　feet　under　her；　but　she　could　not　keep　off　the　cold；　andshe　dared　not　go　home；　for　she　had　sold　no　matches；　and　could　not　takehome　even　a　penny　of　money。　Her　father　would　certainly　beat　her；besides；　it　was　almost　as　cold　at　home　as　here；　for　they　had　onlythe　roof　to　cover　them；　through　which　the　wind　howled；　although　thelargest　holes　had　been　stopped　up　with　straw　and　rags。　Her　littlehands　were　almost　frozen　with　the　cold。　Ah！　perhaps　a　burning　matchmight　be　some　good；　if　she　could　draw　it　from　the　bundle　and　strike　itagainst　the　wall；　just　to　warm　her　fingers。　She　drew　oneout…〃scratch！〃　how　it　sputtered　as　it　burnt！　It　gave　a　warm；　brightlight；　like　a　little　candle；　as　she　held　her　hand　over　it。　It　wasreally　a　wonderful　light。　It　seemed　to　the　little　girl　that　she　wassitting　by　a　large　iron　stove；　with　polished　brass　feet　and　a　brassornament。　How　the　fire　burned！　and　seemed　so　beautifully　warm　that　thechild　stretched　out　her　feet　as　if　to　warm　them；　when；　lo！　the　flameof　the　match　went　out；　the　stove　vanished；　and　she　had　only　theremains　of　the　half…burnt　match　in　her　hand。

She　rubbed　another　match　on　the　wall。　It　burst　into　a　flame；　andwhere　its　light　fell　upon　the　wall　it　became　as　transparent　as　a　veil；and　she　could　see　into　the　room。　The　table　was　covered　with　a　snowywhite　table…cloth；　on　which　stood　a　splendid　dinner　service；　and　asteaming　roast　goose；　stuffed　with　apples　and　dried　plums。　And　whatwas　still　more　wonderful；　the　goose　jumped　down　from　the　dish　andwaddled　across　the　floor；　with　a　knife　and　fork　in　its　breast；　tothe　little　girl。　Then　the　match　went　out；　and　there　remained　nothingbut　the　thick；　damp；　cold　wall　before　her。

She　lighted　another　match；　and　then　she　found　herself　sittingunder　a　beautiful　Christmas…tree。　It　was　larger　and　more　beautifullydecorated　than　the　one　which　she　had　seen　through　the　glass　door　atthe　rich　merchant's。　Thousands　of　tapers　were　burning　upon　the　greenbranches；　and　colored　pictures；　like　those　she　had　seen　in　theshow…windows；　looked　down　upon　it　all。　The　little　one　stretched　outher　hand　towards　them；　and　the　match　went　out。

The　Christmas　lights　rose　higher　and　higher；　till　they　looked　toher　like　the　stars　in　the　sky。　Then　she　saw　a　star　fall；　leavingbehind　it　a　bright　streak　of　fire。　〃Some　one　is　dying；〃　thought　thelittle　girl；　for　her　old　grandmother；　the　only　one　who　had　everloved　her；　and　who　was　now　dead；　had　told　her　that　when　a　starfalls；　a　soul　was　going　up　to　God。

She　again　rubbed　a　match　on　the　wall；　and　the　light　shone　roundher；　in　the　brightness　stood　her　old　grandmother；　clear　and　shining；yet　mild　and　loving　in　her　appearance。　〃Grandmother；〃　cried　the　littleone；　〃O　take　me　with　you；　I　know　you　will　go　away　when　the　match　burnsout；　you　will　vanish　like　the　warm　stove；　the　roast　goose；　and　thelarge；　glorious　Christmas…tree。〃　And　she　made　haste　to　light　the　wholebundle　of　matches；　for　she　wished　to　keep　her　grandmother　there。　Andthe　matches　glowed　with　a　light　that　was　brighter　than　the　noon…day；and　her　grandmother　had　never　appeared　so　large　or　so　beautiful。　Shetook　the　little　girl　in　her　arms；　and　they　both　flew　upwards　inbrightness　and　joy　far　above　the　earth；　where　there　was　neither　coldnor　hunger　nor　pain；　for　they　were　with　God。

In　the　dawn　of　morning　there　lay　the　poor　little　one；　with　palecheeks　and　smiling　mouth；　leaning　against　the　wall；　she　had　beenfrozen　to　death　on　the　last　evening　of　the　year；　and　the　New…year'ssun　rose　and　shone　upon　a　little　corpse！　The　child　still　sat；　in　thestiffness　of　death；　holding　the　matches　in　her　hand；　one　bundle　ofwhich　was　burnt。　〃She　tried　to　warm　herself；〃　said　some。　No　oneimagined　what　beautiful　things　she　had　seen；　nor　into　what　glory　shehad　entered　with　her　grandmother；　on　New…year's　day。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　THE　LITTLE　MERMAID

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

FAR　out　in　the　ocean；　where　the　water　is　as　blue　as　theprettiest　cornflower；　and　as　clear　as　crystal；　it　is　very；　verydeep；　so　deep；　indeed；　that　no　cable　could　fathom　it：　many　churchsteeples；　piled　one　upon　another；　would　not　reach　from　the　groundbeneath　to　the　surface　of　the　water　above。　There　dwell　the　Sea　Kingand　his　subjects。　We　must　not　imagine　that　there　is　nothing　at　thebottom　of　the　sea　but　bare　yellow　sand。　No；　indeed；　the　mostsingular　flowers　and　plants　grow　there；　the　leaves　and　stems　ofwhich　are　so　pliant；　that　the　slightest　agitation　of　the　watercauses　them　to　stir　as　if　they　had　life。　Fishes；　both　large　and　small；glide　between　the　branches；　as　birds　fly　among　the　trees　here　uponland。　In　the　deepest　spot　of　all；　stands　the　castle　of　the　Sea　King。Its　walls　are　built　of　coral；　and　the　long；　gothic　windows　are　ofthe　clearest　amber。　The　roof　is　formed　of　shells；　that　open　andclose　as　the　water　flows　over　them。　Their　appearance　is　verybeautiful；　for　in　each　lies　a　glittering　pearl；　which　would　be　fit　forthe　diadem　of　a　queen。

The　Sea　King　had　been　a　widower　for　many　years；　and　his　agedmother　kept　house　for　him。　She　was　a　very　wise　woman；　andexceedingly　proud　of　her　high　birth；　on　that　account　she　wore　twelveoysters　on　her　tail；　while　others；　also　of　high　rank；　were　onlyallowed　to　wear　six。　She　was；　however；　deserving　of　very　great　praise；especially　for　her　care　of　the　little　sea…princesses；　hergrand…daughters。　They　were　six　beautiful　children；　but　the　youngestwas　the　prettiest　of　them　all；　her　skin　was　as　clear　and　delicate　as　arose…leaf；　and　her　eyes　as　blue　as　the　deepest　sea；　but；　like　allthe　others；　she　had　no　feet；　and　her　body　ended　in　a　fish's　tail。All　day　long　they　played　in　the　great　halls　of　the　castle；　or　amongthe　living　flowers　that　grew　out　of　the　walls。　The　large　amber　windowswere　open；　and　the　fish　swam　in；　just　as　the　swallows　fly　into　ourhouses　when　we　open　the　windows；　excepting　that　the　fishes　swam　upto　the　princesses；　ate　out　of　their　hands；　and　allowed　themselves　tobe　stroked。　Outside　the　castle　there　was　a　beautiful　garden；　inwhich　grew　bright　red　and　dark　blue　flowers；　and　blossoms　likeflames　of　fire；　the　fruit　glittered　like　gold；　and　the　leaves　andstems　waved　to　and　fro　continually。　The　earth　itself　was　the　finestsand；　but　blue　as　the　flame　of　burning　sulphur。　Over　everything　laya　peculiar　blue　radiance；　as　if　it　were　surrounded　by　the　air　fromabove；　through　which　the　blue　sky　shone；　instead　of　the　dark　depths　ofthe　sea。　In　calm　weather　the　sun　could　be　seen；　looking　like　apurple　flower；　with　the　light　streaming　from　the　calyx。　Each　of　theyoung　princesses　had　a　little　plot　of　ground　in　the　garden；　whereshe　might　dig　and　plant　as　she　pleased。　One　arranged　her　flower…bedinto　the　form　of　a　whale；　another　thought　it　better　to　make　herslike　the　figure　of　a　little　mermaid；　but　that　of　the　youngest　wasround　like　the　sun；　and　contained　flowers　as　red　as　his　rays　atsunset。　She　was　a　strange　child；　quiet　and　thoughtful；　and　while　hersisters　would　be　delighted　with　the　wonderful　things　which　theyobtained　from　the　wrecks　of　vessels；　she　cared　for　nothing　but　herpretty　red　flowers；　like　the　sun；　excepting　a　beautiful　marble　statue。It　was　the　representation　of　a　handsome　boy；　carved　out　of　purewhite　stone；　which　had　fallen　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea　from　a　wreck。She　planted　by　the　statue　a　rose…colored　weeping　willow。　It　grewsplendidly；　and　very　soon　hung　its　fresh　branches　over　the　statue；almost　down　to　the　blue　sands。　The　shadow　had　a　violet　tint；　and　wavedto　and　fro　like　the　branches；　it　seemed　as　if　the　crown　of　the　treeand　the　root　were　at　play；　and　trying　to　kiss　each　other。　Nothing　gaveher　so　much　pleasure　as　to　hear　about　the　world　above　the　sea。　Shemade　her　old　grandmother　tell　her　all　she　knew　of　the　ships　and　of　thetowns；　the　people　and　the　animals。　To　her　it　seemed　most　wonderful　andbeautiful　to　hear　that　the　flowers　of　the　land　should　havefragrance；　and　not　those　below　the　sea；　that　the　trees　of　the　forestshould　be　green；　and　that　the　fishes　among　the　trees　could　sing　sosweetly；　that　it　was　quite　a　pleasure　to　hear　them。　Her　grandmothercalled　the　little　birds　fishes；　or　she　would　not　have　understoodher；　for　she　had　never　seen　birds。

〃When　you　have　reached　your　fifteenth　year；〃　said　thegrand…mother；　〃you　will　have　permission　to　rise　up　out　of　the　sea；to　sit　on　the　rocks　in　the　moonlight；　while　the　great　ships　aresailing　by；　and　then　you　will　see　both　forests　and　towns。〃

In　the　following　year；　one　of　the　sisters　would　be　fifteen：　but　aseach　was　a　year　younger　than　the　other；　the　youngest　would　have　towait　five　years　before　her　turn　came　to　rise　up　from　the　bottom　of　theocean；　and　see　the　earth　as　we　do。　However；　each　promised　to　tellthe　others　what　she　saw　on　her　first　visit；　and　what　she　thought　themost　beautiful；　for　their　grandmother　could　not　tell　them　enough；there　were　so　many　things　on　which　they　wanted　information。　None　ofthem　longed　so　much　for　her　turn　to　e　as　the　youngest；　she　whohad　the　longest　time　to　wait；　and　who　was　so　quiet　and　thoughtful。Many　nights　she　stood　by　the　open　window；　looking　up　through　thedark　blue　water；　and　watching　the　fish　as　they　splashed　about　withtheir　fins　and　tails。　She　could　see　the　moon　and　stars　shiningfaintly；　but　through　the　water　they　looked　larger　than　they　do　toour　eyes。　When　something　like　a　black　cloud　passed　between　her　andthem；　she　knew　that　it　was　either　a　whale　swimming　over　her　head；　or　aship　full　of　human　beings；　who　never　imagined　that　a　pretty　littlemermaid　was　standing　beneath　them；　holding　out　her　white　hands　towardsthe　keel　of　their　ship。

As　soon　as　the　eldest　was　fifteen；　she　was　allowed　to　rise　tothe　surface　of　the　ocean。　When　she　came　back；　she　had　hundreds　ofthings　to　talk　about；　but　the　most　beautiful；　she　said；　was　to　liein　the　moonlight；　on　a　sandbank；　in　the　quiet　sea；　near　the　coast；　andto　gaze　on　a　large　town　nearby；　where　the　lights　were　twinkling　likehundreds　of　stars；　to　listen　to　the　sounds　of　the　music；　the　noiseof　carriages；　and　the　voices　of　human　beings；　and　then　to　hear　themerry　bells　peal　out　from　the　church　steeples；　and　because　she　couldnot　go　near　to　all　those　wonderful　things；　she　longed　for　them　morethan　ever。　Oh；　did　not　the　youngest　sister　listen　eagerly　to　all　thesedescriptions？　and　afterwards；　when　she　stood　at　the　open　windowlooking　up　through　the　dark　blue　water；　she　thought　of　the　great　city；with　all　its　bustle　and　noise；　and　even　fancied　she　could　hear　thesound　of　the　church　bells；　down　in　the　depths　of　the　sea。

In　another　year　the　second　sister　received　permission　to　rise　tothe　surface　of　the　water；　and　to　swim　about　where　she　pleased。　Sherose　just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　and　this；　she　said；　was　the　mostbeautiful　sight　of　all。　The　whole　sky　looked　like　gold；　while　violetand　rose…colored　clouds；　which　she　could　not　describe；　floated　overher；　and；　still　more　rapidly　than　the　clouds；　flew　a　large　flock　ofwild　swans　towards　the　setting　sun；　looking　like　a　long　white　veilacross　the　sea。　She　also　swam　towards　the　sun；　but　it　sunk　into　thewaves；　and　the　rosy　tints　faded　from　the　clouds　and　from　the　sea。

The　third　sister's　turn　followed；　she　was　the　boldest　of　them　all；and　she　swam　up　a　broad　river　that　emptied　itself　into　the　sea。　On　thebanks　she　saw　green　hills　covered　with　beautiful　vines；　palaces　andcastles　peeped　out　from　amid　the　proud　trees　of　the　forest；　sheheard　the　birds　singing；　and　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　so　powerful　thatshe　was　obliged　often　to　dive　down　under　the　water　to　cool　her　burningface。　In　a　narrow　creek　she　found　a　whole　troop　of　little　humanchildren；　quite　naked；　and　sporting　about　in　the　water；　she　wantedto　play　with　them；　but　they　fled　in　a　great　fright；　and　then　alittle　black　animal　came　to　the　water；　it　was　a　dog；　but　she　did　notknow　that；　for　she　had　never　before　seen　one。　This　animal　barked　ather　so　terribly　that　she　became　frightened；　and　rushed　back　to　theopen　sea。　But　she　said　she　should　never　forget　the　beautiful　forest；the　green　hills；　and　the　pretty　little　children　who　could　swim　inthe　water；　although　they　had　not　fish's　tails。

The　fourth　sister　was　more　t