安徒生童话-第119章

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ole　troop；　the　youngest　in　thefather's　arms。　They　were　e　to　take　a　last　farewell　look　of　theirmother。　The　husband　kissed　her　hand；　which　now　lay　like　a　witheredleaf；　but　which　a　short　time　before　had　been　diligently　employed　indeeds　of　love　for　them　all。　Tears　of　sorrow　rolled　down　theircheeks；　and　fell　in　heavy　drops　on　the　floor；　but　not　a　word　wasspoken。　The　silence　which　reigned　here　expressed　a　world　of　grief。With　silent　steps；　still　sobbing；　they　left　the　room。　A　burninglight　remained　in　the　room；　and　a　long；　red　wick　rose　far　above　theflame；　which　fluttered　in　the　draught　of　air。　Strange　men　came　inand　placed　the　lid　of　the　coffin　over　the　dead；　and　drove　the　nailsfirmly　in；　while　the　blows　of　the　hammer　resounded　through　thehouse；　and　echoed　in　the　hearts　that　were　bleeding。

〃Whither　art　thou　leading　me？〃　asked　the　guardian　angel。　〃Heredwells　no　fairy　whose　pearl　could　be　counted　amongst　the　best　gifts　oflife。〃

〃Yes；　she　is　here；　here　in　this　sacred　hour；〃　replied　the　angel；pointing　to　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　there；…　where　in　herlife…time；　the　mother　had　taken　her　seat　amidst　flowers　andpictures：　in　that　spot；　where　she；　like　the　blessed　fairy　of　thehouse；　had　weled　husband；　children；　and　friends；　and；　like　asunbeam；　had　spread　joy　and　cheerfulness　around　her；　the　centre　andheart　of　them　all；…　there；　in　that　very　spot；　sat　a　strange　woman；clothed　in　long；　flowing　garments；　and　occupying　the　place　of　the　deadwife　and　mother。　It　was　the　fairy；　and　her　name　was　〃Sorrow。〃　A　hottear　rolled　into　her　lap；　and　formed　itself　into　a　pearl；　glowing　withall　the　colors　of　the　rainbow。　The　angel　seized　it：　the；　pearlglittered　like　a　star　with　seven…fold　radiance。　The　pearl　of　Sorrow；the　last；　which　must　not　be　wanting；　increases　the　lustre；　andexplains　the　meaning　of　all　the　other　pearls。

〃Do　you　see　the　shimmer　of　the　rainbow；　which　unites　earth　toheaven？〃　So　has　there　been　a　bridge　built　between　this　world　and　thenext。　Through　the　night　of　the　grave　we　gaze　upwards　beyond　thestars　to　the　end　of　all　things。　Then　we　glance　at　the　pearl　of　Sorrow；in　which　are　concealed　the　wings　which　shall　carry　us　away　toeternal　happiness。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　LITTLE　ELDER…TREE　MOTHER

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　little　boy　who　had　caught　cold；　he　had　gone　outand　got　wet　feet。　Nobody　had　the　least　idea　how　it　had　happened；　theweather　was　quite　dry。　His　mother　undressed　him；　put　him　to　bed；　andordered　the　teapot　to　be　brought　in；　that　she　might　make　him　a　goodcup　of　tea　from　the　elder…tree　blossoms；　which　is　so　warming。　At　thesame　time；　the　kind…hearted　old　man　who　lived　by　himself　in　theupper　storey　of　the　house　came　in；　he　led　a　lonely　life；　for　he　had　nowife　and　children；　but　he　loved　the　children　of　others　very　much；and　he　could　tell　so　many　fairy　tales　and　stories；　that　it　was　apleasure　to　hear　him。

〃Now；　drink　your　tea；〃　said　the　mother；　〃perhaps　you　will　hear　astory。〃

〃Yes；　if　I　only　knew　a　fresh　one；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　noddedsmilingly。　〃But　how　did　the　little　fellow　get　his　wet　feet？〃　he　thenasked。

〃That；〃　replied　the　mother；　〃nobody　can　understand。〃

〃Will　you　tell　me　a　story？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃Yes；　if　you　can　tell　me　as　nearly　as　possible　how　deep　is　thegutter　in　the　little　street　where　you　go　to　school。〃

〃Just　half　as　high　as　my　top…boots；〃　replied　the　boy；　〃but　thenI　must　stand　in　the　deepest　holes。〃

〃There；　now　we　know　where　you　got　your　wet　feet；〃　said　the　oldman。　〃I　ought　to　tell　you　a　story；　but　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　do　notknow　any　more。〃

〃You　can　make　one　up；〃　said　the　little　boy。　〃Mother　says　you　cantell　a　fairy　tale　about　anything　you　look　at　or　touch。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；　but　such　tales　or　stories　are　worthnothing！　No；　the　right　ones　e　by　themselves　and　knock　at　myforehead　saying：　'Here　I　am。'〃

〃Will　not　one　knock　soon？〃　asked　the　boy；　and　the　mother　smiledwhile　she　put　elder…tree　blossoms　into　the　teapot　and　poured　boilingwater　over　them。　〃Pray；　tell　me　a　story。〃

〃Yes；　if　stories　came　by　themselves；　they　are　so　proud；　theyonly　e　when　they　please。…　But　wait；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃there　isone。　Look　at　the　teapot；　there　is　a　story　in　it　now。〃

And　the　little　boy　looked　at　the　teapot；　the　lid　rose　upgradually；　the　elder…tree　blossoms　sprang　forth　one　by　one；　freshand　white；　long　boughs　came　forth；　even　out　of　the　spout　they　grewup　in　all　directions；　and　formed　a　bush…　nay；　a　large　elder　tree；which　stretched　its　branches　up　to　the　bed　and　pushed　the　curtainsaside；　and　there　were　so　many　blossoms　and　such　a　sweet　fragrance！In　the　midst　of　the　tree　sat　a　kindly…looking　old　woman　with　a　strangedress；　it　was　as　green　as　the　leaves；　and　trimmed　with　large　whiteblossoms；　so　that　it　was　difficult　to　say　whether　it　was　real　cloth；or　the　leaves　and　blossoms　of　the　elder…tree。

〃What　is　this　woman's　name？〃　asked　the　little　boy。

〃Well；　the　Romans　and　Greeks　used　to　call　her　a　Dryad；〃　said　theold　man；　〃but　we　do　not　understand　that。　Out　in　the　sailors'　quarterthey　give　her　a　better　name；　there　she　is　called　elder…tree　mother。Now；　you　must　attentively　listen　to　her　and　look　at　the　beautifulelder…tree。

〃Just　such　a　large　tree；　covered　with　flowers；　stands　out　there；it　grew　in　the　corner　of　an　humble　little　yard；　under　this　tree　sattwo　old　people　one　afternoon　in　the　beautiful　sunshine。　He　was　an　old；old　sailor；　and　she　his　old　wife；　they　had　alreadygreat…grandchildren；　and　were　soon　to　celebrate　their　goldenwedding；　but　they　could　not　remember　the　date；　and　the　elder…treemother　was　sitting　in　the　tree　and　looked　as　pleased　as　this　one　here。'I　know　very　well　when　the　golden　wedding　is　to　take　place；'　she　said；but　they　did　not　hear　it…　they　were　talking　of　bygone　days。

〃'Well；　do　you　remember？'　said　the　old　sailor；　'when　we　were　quitesmall　and　used　to　run　about　and　play…　it　was　in　the　very　same　yardwhere　we　now　are…　we　used　to　put　little　branches　into　the　ground　andmake　a　garden。'

〃'Yes；'　said　the　old　woman；　'I　remember　it　very　well；　we　used　towater　the　branches；　and　one　of　them；　an　elder…tree　branch；　tookroot；　and　grew　and　became　the　large　tree　under　which　we　are　nowsitting　as　old　people。'

〃'Certainly；　you　are　right；'　he　said；　'and　in　yonder　cornerstood　a　large　water…tub；　there　I　used　to　sail　my　boat；　which　I　had　cutout　myself…　it　sailed　so　well；　but　soon　I　had　to　sail　somewhere　else。'

〃'But　first　we　went　to　school　to　learn　something；'　she　said；'and　then　we　were　confirmed；　we　both　wept　on　that　day；　but　in　theafternoon　we　went　out　hand　in　hand；　and　ascended　the　high　roundtower　and　looked　out　into　the　wide　world　right　over　Copenhagen　and　thesea；　then　we　walked　to　Fredericksburg；　where　the　king　and　the　queenwere　sailing　about　in　their　magnificent　boat　on　the　canals。'

〃'But　soon　I　had　to　sail　about　somewhere　else；　and　for　manyyears　I　was　travelling　about　far　away　from　home。'

〃'And　I　often　cried　about　you；　for　I　was　afraid　lest　you　weredrowned　and　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　Many　a　time　I　got　up　inthe　night　and　looked　if　the　weathercock　had　turned；　it　turned　often；but　you　did　not　return。　I　remember　one　day　distinctly：　the　rain　waspouring　down　in　torrents；　the　dust…man　had　e　to　the　house　where　Iwas　in　service；　I　went　down　with　the　dust…bin　and　stood　for　a　momentin　the　doorway；　and　looked　at　the　dreadful　weather。　Then　the　postmangave　me　a　letter；　it　was　from　you。　Heavens！　how　that　letter　hadtravelled　about。　I　tore　it　open　and　read　it；　I　cried　and　laughed　atthe　same　time；　and　was　so　happy！　Therein　was　written　that　you　werestaying　in　the　hot　countries；　where　the　coffee　grows。　These　must　bemarvellous　countries。　You　said　a　great　deal　about　them；　and　I　read　allwhile　the　rain　was　pouring　down　and　I　was　standing　there　with　thedust…bin。　Then　suddenly　some　one　put　his　arm　round　my　waist…'

〃'Yes；　and　you　gave　him　a　hearty　smack　on　the　cheek；'　said　the　oldman。

〃'I　did　not　know　that　it　was　you…　you　had　e　as　quickly　asyour　letter；　and　you　looked　so　handsome；　and　so　you　do　still。　Youhad　a　large　yellow　silk　handkerchief　in　your　pocket　and　a　shininghat　on。　You　looked　so　well；　and　the　weather　in　the　street　washorrible！'

〃'Then　we　married；'　he　said。　'Do　you　remember　how　we　got　our　firstboy；　and　then　Mary；　Niels；　Peter