安徒生童话-第84部分

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t　oil　as　usual。The　lamp　burned　through　the　whole　evening；　and　began　to　perceive　tooclearly　that　the　gift　of　the　stars　would　remain　a　hidden　treasureall　his　life。　Then　he　had　a　dream；　for；　to　one　with　his　faculties；dreaming　was　no　difficulty。　It　appeared　to　him　that　the　old　peoplewere　dead；　and　that　he　had　been　taken　to　the　iron　foundry　to　be　melteddown。　It　caused　him　quite　as　much　anxiety　as　on　the　day　when　he　hadbeen　called　upon　to　appear　before　the　mayor　and　the　council　at　thetown…hall。　But　though　he　had　been　endowed　with　the　power　of　fallinginto　decay　from　rust　when　he　pleased；　he　did　not　make　use　of　it。　Hewas　therefore　put　into　the　melting…furnace　and　changed　into　as　elegantan　iron　candlestick　as　you　could　wish　to　see；　one　intended　to　hold　awax　taper。　The　candlestick　was　in　the　form　of　an　angel　holding　anosegay；　in　the　centre　of　which　the　wax　taper　was　to　be　placed。　It　wasto　stand　on　a　green　writing　table；　in　a　very　pleasant　room；　many　bookswere　scattered　about；　and　splendid　paintings　hung　on　the　walls。　Theowner　of　the　room　was　a　poet；　and　a　man　of　intellect；　everything　hethought　or　wrote　was　pictured　around　him。　Nature　showed　herself　to　himsometimes　in　the　dark　forests；　at　others　in　cheerful　meadows　where　thestorks　were　strutting　about；　or　on　the　deck　of　a　ship　sailing　acrossthe　foaming　sea　with　the　clear；　blue　sky　above；　or　at　night　theglittering　stars。　〃What　powers　I　possess！〃　said　the　lamp；　awaking　fromhis　dream；　〃I　could　almost　wish　to　be　melted　down；　but　no；　that　mustnot　be　while　the　old　people　live。　They　love　me　for　myself　alone；they　keep　me　bright；　and　supply　me　with　oil。　I　am　as　well　off　as　thepicture　of　the　congress；　in　which　they　take　so　much　pleasure。〃　Andfrom　that　time　he　felt　at　rest　in　himself；　and　not　more　so　than　suchan　honorable　old　lamp　really　deserved　to　be。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　PEA　BLOSSOM

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　were　once　five　peas　in　one　shell；　they　were　green；　the　shellwas　green；　and　so　they　believed　that　the　whole　world　must　be　greenalso；　which　was　a　very　natural　conclusion。　The　shell　grew；　and　thepeas　grew；　they　acmodated　themselves　to　their　position；　and　sat　allin　a　row。　The　sun　shone　without　and　warmed　the　shell；　and　the　rainmade　it　clear　and　transparent；　it　was　mild　and　agreeable　in　broaddaylight；　and　dark　at　night；　as　it　generally　is；　and　the　peas　asthey　sat　there　grew　bigger　and　bigger；　and　more　thoughtful　as　theymused；　for　they　felt　there　must　be　something　else　for　them　to　do。

〃Are　we　to　sit　here　forever？〃　asked　one；　〃shall　we　not　bee　hardby　sitting　so　long？　It　seems　to　me　there　must　be　something　outside；and　I　feel　sure　of　it。〃

And　as　weeks　passed　by；　the　peas　became　yellow；　and　the　shellbecame　yellow。

〃All　the　world　is　turning　yellow；　I　suppose；〃　said　they；…　andperhaps　they　were　right。

Suddenly　they　felt　a　pull　at　the　shell；　it　was　torn　off；　andheld　in　human　hands；　then　slipped　into　the　pocket　of　a　jacket　inpany　with　other　full　pods。

〃Now　we　shall　soon　be　opened；〃　said　one；…　just　what　they　allwanted。

〃I　should　like　to　know　which　of　us　will　travel　furthest；〃　said　thesmallest　of　the　five；　〃we　shall　soon　see　now。〃

〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　said　the　largest　pea。

〃Crack〃　went　the　shell　as　it　burst；　and　the　five　peas　rolled　outinto　the　bright　sunshine。　There　they　lay　in　a　child's　hand。　A　littleboy　was　holding　them　tightly；　and　said　they　were　fine　peas　for　hispea…shooter。　And　immediately　he　put　one　in　and　shot　it　out。

〃Now　I　am　flying　out　into　the　wide　world；〃　said　he；　〃catch　me　ifyou　can；〃　and　he　was　gone　in　a　moment。

〃I；〃　said　the　second；　〃intend　to　fly　straight　to　the　sun；　thatis　a　shell　that　lets　itself　be　seen；　and　it　will　suit　me　exactly；〃　andaway　he　went。

〃We　will　go　to　sleep　wherever　we　find　ourselves；〃　said　the　twonext；　〃we　shall　still　be　rolling　onwards；〃　and　they　did　certainly　fallon　the　floor；　and　roll　about　before　they　got　into　the　pea…shooter；　butthey　were　put　in　for　all　that。　〃We　shall　go　farther　than　theothers；〃　said　they。

〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　exclaimed　the　last；　as　he　wasshot　out　of　the　pea…shooter；　and　as　he　spoke　he　flew　up　against　an　oldboard　under　a　garret…window；　and　fell　into　a　little　crevice；　which　wasalmost　filled　up　with　moss　and　soft　earth。　The　moss　closed　itselfround　him；　and　there　he　lay；　a　captive　indeed；　but　not　unnoticed　byGod。

〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　said　he　to　himself。

Within　the　little　garret　lived　a　poor　woman；　who　went　out　to　cleanstoves；　chop　wood　into　small　pieces　and　perform　such…like　hard　work；for　she　was　strong　and　industrious。　Yet　she　remained　always　poor；and　at　home　in　the　garret　lay　her　only　daughter；　not　quite　grown　up；and　very　delicate　and　weak。　For　a　whole　year　she　had　kept　her　bed；　andit　seemed　as　if　she　could　neither　live　nor　die。

〃She　is　going　to　her　little　sister；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　had　butthe　two　children；　and　it　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　support　both　ofthem；　but　the　good　God　helped　me　in　my　work；　and　took　one　of　them　toHimself　and　provided　for　her。　Now　I　would　gladly　keep　the　other　thatwas　left　to　me；　but　I　suppose　they　are　not　to　be　separated；　and　mysick　girl　will　very　soon　go　to　her　sister　above。〃　But　the　sick　girlstill　remained　where　she　was；　quietly　and　patiently　she　lay　all　theday　long；　while　her　mother　was　away　from　home　at　her　work。

Spring　came；　and　one　morning　early　the　sun　shone　brightlythrough　the　little　window；　and　threw　its　rays　over　the　floor　of　theroom。　just　as　the　mother　was　going　to　her　work；　the　sick　girl　fixedher　gaze　on　the　lowest　pane　of　the　window…　〃Mother；〃　she　exclaimed；〃what　can　that　little　green　thing　be　that　peeps　in　at　the　window？　Itis　moving　in　the　wind。〃

The　mother　stepped　to　the　window　and　half　opened　it。　〃Oh！〃　shesaid；　there　is　actually　a　little　pea　which　has　taken　root　and　isputting　out　its　green　leaves。　How　could　it　have　got　into　this　crack？Well　now；　here　is　a　little　garden　for　you　to　amuse　yourself　with。〃So　the　bed　of　the　sick　girl　was　drawn　nearer　to　the　window；　that　shemight　see　the　budding　plant；　and　the　mother　went　out　to　her　work。

〃Mother；　I　believe　I　shall　get　well；〃　said　the　sick　child　in　theevening；　〃the　sun　has　shone　in　here　so　brightly　and　warmly　to…day；　andthe　little　pea　is　thriving　so　well：　I　shall　get　on　better；　too；　and　goout　into　the　warm　sunshine　again。〃

〃God　grant　it！〃　said　the　mother；　but　she　did　not　believe　itwould　be　so。　But　she　propped　up　with　the　little　stick　the　greenplant　which　had　given　her　child　such　pleasant　hopes　of　life；　so　thatit　might　not　be　broken　by　the　winds；　she　tied　the　piece　of　string　tothe　window…sill　and　to　the　upper　part　of　the　frame；　so　that　thepea…tendrils　might　twine　round　it　when　it　shot　up。　And　it　did　shootup；　indeed　it　might　almost　be　seen　to　grow　from　day　to　day。

〃Now　really　here　is　a　flower　ing；〃　said　the　old　woman　onemorning；　and　now　at　last　she　began　to　encourage　the　hope　that　her　sickdaughter　might　really　recover。　She　remembered　that　for　some　time　thechild　had　spoken　more　cheerfully；　and　during　the　last　few　days　hadraised　herself　in　bed　in　the　morning　to　look　with　sparkling　eyes　ather　little　garden　which　contained　only　a　single　pea…plant。　A　weekafter；　the　invalid　sat　up　for　the　first　time　a　whole　hour；　feelingquite　happy　by　the　open　window　in　the　warm　sunshine；　while　outsidegrew　the　little　plant；　and　on　it　a　pink　pea…blossom　in　full　bloom。　Thelittle　maiden　bent　down　and　gently　kissed　the　delicate　leaves。　Thisday　was　to　her　like　a　festival。

〃Our　heavenly　Father　Himself　has　planted　that　pea；　and　made　itgrow　and　flourish；　to　bring　joy　to　you　and　hope　to　me；　my　blessedchild；〃　said　the　happy　mother；　and　she　smiled　at　the　flower；　as　ifit　had　been　an　angel　from　God。

But　what　became　of　the　other　peas？　Why　the　one　who　flew　out　intothe　wide　world；　and　said；　〃Catch　me　if　you　can；〃　fell　into　a　gutteron　the　roof　of　a　house；　and　ended　his　travels　in　the　crop　of　apigeon。　The　two　lazy　ones　were　carried　quite　as　far；　for　they　alsowere　eaten　by　pigeons；　so　they　were　at　least　of　some　use；　but　thefourth；　who　wanted　to　reach　the　sun；　fell　into　a　sink　and　lay　therein　the　dirty　water　for　days　and　weeks；　till　he　had　swelled　to　a　greatsize。

〃I　am　getting　beautifully　fat；〃　said　the　pea；　〃I　expect　I　shallburst　at　last；　no　pea　could　do　more　that　that；　I　think；　I　am　themost　remarkable　of　all　the　five　which　were　in　the　shell。〃　And　the　sinkconfirmed　the　opinion。

But　the　young　maiden　stood　at　the　open　garret　window；　withsparkling　eyes　and　the　rosy　hue　of　health　on　her　cheeks；　she　foldedher　thin　hands　over　the　pea…blossom；　and　thanked　God　for　what　He　haddone。

〃I；〃　said　the　sink；　〃shall　stand　up　for　my　pea。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　PEN　AND　THE　INKSTAND

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　a　poet's　room；　where　his　inkstand　stood　on　the　table；　theremark　was　once　made；　〃It　is　wonderful　what　can　be　brought　out　of　aninkstand。　What　will　e　next？　It　is　indeed　wonderful。〃

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　the　inkstand　to　the　pen；　and　to　the　otherarticles　that　stood　on　the　table；　〃that's　what　I　always　say。　It　iswonderful　and　extraordinary　what　a　number　of　things　e　out　of　me。It's　quite　incredible；　and　I　really　don't　know　what　is　ing　nextwhen　that　man　dips　his　pen　into　me。　One　drop　out　of　me　is　enough　forhalf　a　page　of　paper；　and　what　cannot　half　a　page　contain？　From　me；all　the　works　of　a　poet　are　produced；　all　those　imaginary　characterswhom　people　fancy　they　have　known　or　met。　All　the　deep　feeling；　thehumor；　and　the　vivid　pictures　of　nature。　I　myself　don't　understand　howit　is；　for　I　am　not　acquainted　with　nature；　but　it　is　certainly　in　me。From　me　have　gone　forth　to　the　world　those　wonderful　descriptions　oftroops　of　charming　maidens；　and　of　brave　knights　on　prancing　steeds；of　the　halt　and　the　blind；　and　I　know　not　what　more；　for　I　assureyou　I　never　think　of　these　things。〃

〃There　you　are　right；〃　said　the　pen；　〃for　you　don't　think　atall；　if　you　did；　you　would　see　that　you　can　only　provide　the　means。You　give　the　fluid　that　I　may　place　upon　the　paper　what　dwells　inme；　and　what　I　wish　to　bring　to　light。　It　is　the　pen　that　writes：　noman　doubts　that；　and；　indeed；　most　people　understand　as　much　aboutpoetry　as　an　old　inkstand。〃

〃You　have　had　very　little　experience；〃　replied　the　inkstand。〃You　have　hardly　been　in　service　a　week；　and　are　already　half　wornout。　Do　you　imagine　you　are　a　poet？　You　are　only　a　servant；　and　beforeyou　came　I　had　many　like　you；　some　of　the　goose　family；　and　othersof　English　manufacture。　I　know　a　quill　pen　as　well　as　I　know　a　steelone。　I　have　had　both　sorts　in　my　service；　and　I　shall　have　many　morewhen　he　es…　the　man　who　performs　the　mechanical　part…　and　writesdown　what　he　obtains　from　me。　I　should　like　to　know　what　will　be　thenext　thing　he　gets　out　of　me。〃

〃Inkpot！〃　exclaimed　the　pen　contemptuously。

Late　in　the　evening　the　poet　came　home。　He　had　been　to　aconcert；　and　had　been　quite　enchanted　with　the　admirable　performanceof　a　famous　violin　player　whom　he　had　heard　there。　The　performer　hadproduced　from　his　instrument　a　richness　of　tone　that　sometimes　soundedlike　tinkling　waterdrops　or　rolling　pearls；　sometimes　like　the　birdstwittering　in　chorus；　and　then　rising　and　swelling　in　sound　like　thewind　through　the　fir…trees。　The　poet　felt　as　if　his　own　heart　wereweeping；　but　in　tones　of　melody　like　the　sound　of　a　woman's　voice。It　seemed　not　only　the　strings；　but　every　part　of　the　instrumentfrom　which　these　sounds　were　produced。　It　was　a　wonderfulperformance　and　a　difficult　piece；　and　yet　the　bow　seemed　to　glideacross　the　strings　so　easily　that　it　was　as　if　any　one　could　do　it　whotried。　Even　the　violin　and　the　bow　appeared　to　perform　independentlyof　their　master　who　guided　them；　it　was　as　if　soul　and　spirit　had　beenbreathed　into　the　instrument；　so　the　audience　forgot　the　performerin　the　beautiful　sounds　he　produced。　Not　so　the　poet；　he　rememberedhim；　and　named　him；　and　wrote　down　his　thoughts　on　the　subject。　〃Howfoolish　it　would　be　for　the　violin　and　the　bow　to　boast　of　theirperformance；　and　yet　we　men　often　mit　that　folly。　The　poet；　theartist；　the　man　of　science　in　his　laboratory；　the　general；…　we　alldo　it；　and　yet　we　are　only　the　instruments　which　the　Almighty　uses；　toHim　alone　the　honor　is　due。　We　have　nothing　of　ourselves　of　which　weshould　be　proud。〃　Yes；　this　is　what　the　poet　wrote　down。　He　wrote　itin　the　form　of　a　parable；　and　called　it　〃The　Master　and　theInstruments。〃

〃That　is　what　you　have　got；　madam；〃　said　the　pen　to　theinkstand；　when　the　two　were　alone　again。　〃Did　you　hear　him　readaloud　what　I　had　written　down？〃

〃Yes；　what　I　gave　you　to　write；〃　retorted　the　inkstand。　〃Thatwas　a　cut　at　you　because　of　your　conceit。　To　think　that　you　couldnot　understand　that　you　were　being　quizzed。　I　gave　you　a　cut　fromwithin　me。　Surely　I　must　know　my　own　satire。〃

〃Ink…pitcher！〃　cried　the　pen。

〃Writing…stick！〃　retorted　the　inkstand。　And　each　of　them　feltsatisfied　that　he　had　given　a　good　answer。　It　is　pleasing　to　beconvinced　that　you　have　settled　a　matter　by　your　reply；　it　issomething　to　make　you　sleep　well；　and　they　both　slept　well　upon　it。But　the　poet　did　not　sleep。　Thoughts　rose　up　within　him　like　thetones　of　the　violin；　falling　like　pearls；　or　rushing　like　the　strongwind　through　the　forest。　He　understood　his　own　heart　in　thesethoughts；　they　were　as　a　ray　from　the　mind　of　the　Great　Master　of　allminds。

〃To　Him　be　all　the　honor。〃

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　PHILOSOPHER'S　STONE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

FAR　away　towards　the　east；　in　India；　which　seemed　in　those　daysthe　world's　end；　stood　the　Tree　of　the　Sun；　a　noble　tree；　such　as　wehave　never　seen；　and　perhaps　never　may　see。

The　summit　of　this　tree　spread　itself　for　miles　like　an　entireforest；　each　of　its　smaller　branches　forming　a　plete　tree。　Palms；beech…trees；　pines；　plane…trees；　and　various　other　kinds；　which　arefound　in　all　parts　of　the　world；　were　here　like　small　branches；shooting　forth　from　the　great　tree；　while　the　larger　boughs；　withtheir　knots　and　curves；　formed　valleys　and　hills；　clothed　with　velvetygreen　and　covered　with　flowers。　Everywhere　it　was　like　a　bloomingmeadow　or　a　lovely　garden。　Here　were　birds　from　all　quarters　of　theworld　assembled　together；　birds　from　the　primeval　forests　ofAmerica；　from　the　rose　gardens　of　Damascus；　and　from　the　deserts　ofAfrica；　in　which　the　elephant　and　the　lion　may　boast　of　being　the　onlyrulers。　Birds　from　the　Polar　regions　came　flying　here；　and　of　coursethe　stork　and　the　swallow　were　not　absent。　But　the　birds　were　notthe　only　living　creatures。　There　were　stags；　squirrels；　antelopes；　andhundreds　of　other　beautiful　and　light…footed　animals　here　found　ahome。

The　summit　of　the　tree　was　a　wide…spreading　garden；　and　in　themidst　of　it；　where　the　green　boughs　formed　a　kind　of　hill；　stood　acastle　of　crystal；　with　a　view　from　it　towards　every　quarter　ofheaven。　Each　tower　was　erected　in　the　form　of　a　lily；　and　within　thestern　was　a　winding　staircase；　through　which　one　could　ascend　to　thetop　and　step　out　upon　the　leaves　as　upon　balconies。　The　calyx　of　theflower　itself　formed　a　most　beautiful；　glittering；　circular　hall；above　which　no　other　roof　arose　than　the　blue　firmament　and　the　sunand　stars。

Just　as　much　splendor；　but　of　another　kind；　appeared　below；　in　thewide　halls　of　the　castle。　Here；　on　the　walls；　were　reflectedpictures　of　the　world；　which　represented　numerou