安徒生童话-第139章

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tian　priest；　who　also　was　ing　to　her　wedding　feast…　ingfrom　the　heavenly　kingdom。

〃The　glory　and　brightness；　yonder；　outshines　all　that　is　knownon　earth；〃　said　he。

Then　Helga　the　fair　prayed　more　gently；　and　more　earnestly；　thanshe　had　ever　prayed　in　her　life　before；　that　she　might　be　permitted　togaze；　if　only　for　a　single　moment；　at　the　glory　and　brightness　ofthe　heavenly　kingdom。　Then　she　felt　herself　lifted　up；　as　it　were；above　the　earth；　through　a　sea　of　sound　and　thought；　not　only　aroundher；　but　within　her；　was　there　light　and　song；　such　as　words　cannotexpress。

〃Now　we　must　return；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　be　missed。〃

〃Only　one　more　look；〃　she　begged；　〃but　one　short　moment　more。〃

〃We　must　return　to　earth；　the　guests　will　have　all　departed。Only　one　more　look！…　the　last！〃

Then　Helga　stood　again　in　the　verandah。　But　the　marriage　lampsin　the　festive　hall　had　been　all　extinguished；　and　the　torches　outsidehad　vanished。　The　storks　were　gone；　not　a　guest　could　be　seen；　nobridegroom…　all　in　those　few　short　moments　seemed　to　have　died。　Then　agreat　dread　fell　upon　her。　She　stepped　from　the　verandah　through　theempty　hall　into　the　next　chamber；　where　slept　strange　warriors。　Sheopened　a　side　door；　which　once　led　into　her　own　apartment；　but　now；　asshe　passed　through；　she　found　herself　suddenly　in　a　garden　which　shehad　never　before　seen　here；　the　sky　blushed　red；　it　was　the　dawn　ofmorning。　Three　minutes　only　in　heaven；　and　a　whole　night　on　earthhad　passed　away！　Then　she　saw　the　storks；　and　called　to　them　intheir　own　language。

Then　stork…papa　turned　his　head　towards　here；　listened　to　herwords；　and　drew　near。　〃You　speak　our　language；〃　said　he；　〃what　doyou　wish？　Why　do　you　appear；…　you…　a　strange　woman？〃

〃It　is　I…　it　is　Helga！　Dost　thou　not　know　me？　Three　minutes　ago　wewere　speaking　together　yonder　in　the　verandah。〃

〃That　is　a　mistake；〃　said　the　stork；　〃you　must　have　dreamed　allthis。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　exclaimed。　Then　she　reminded　him　of　the　Viking'scastle；　of　the　great　lake；　and　of　the　journey　across　the　ocean。

Then　stork…papa　winked　his　eyes；　and　said；　〃Why　that's　an　oldstory　which　happened　in　the　time　of　my　grandfather。　There　certainlywas　a　princess　of　that　kind　here　in　Egypt　once；　who　came　from　theDanish　land；　but　she　vanished　on　the　evening　of　her　wedding　day；many　hundred　years　ago；　and　never　came　back。　You　may　read　about　ityourself　yonder；　on　a　monument　in　the　garden。　There　you　will　findswans　and　storks　sculptured；　and　on　the　top　is　a　figure　of　theprincess　Helga；　in　marble。〃

And　so　it　was；　Helga　understood　it　all　now；　and　sank　on　her　knees。The　sun　burst　forth　in　all　its　glory；　and；　as　in　olden　times；　the　formof　the　frog　vanished　in　his　beams；　and　the　beautiful　form　stoodforth　in　all　its　loveliness；　so　now；　bathed　in　light；　rose　a　beautifulform；　purer；　clearer　than　air…　a　ray　of　brightness…　from　the　Source　oflight　Himself。　The　body　crumbled　into　dust；　and　a　faded　lotus…flowerlay　on　the　spot　on　which　Helga　had　stood。

〃Now　that　is　a　new　ending　to　the　story；〃　said　stork…papa；　〃Ireally　never　expected　it　would　end　in　this　way；　but　it　seems　a　verygood　ending。〃

〃And　what　will　the　young　ones　say　to　it；　I　wonder？〃　saidstork…mamma。

〃Ah；　that　is　a　very　important　question；〃　replied　the　stork。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　METAL　PIG

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　the　city　of　Florence；　not　far　from　the　Piazza　del　Granduca；runs　a　little　street　called　Porta　Rosa。　In　this　street；　just　infront　of　the　market…place　where　vegetables　are　sold；　stands　a　pig；made　of　brass　and　curiously　formed。　The　bright　color　has　beenchanged　by　age　to　dark　green；　but　clear；　fresh　water　pours　from　thesnout；　which　shines　as　if　it　had　been　polished；　and　so　indeed　ithas；　for　hundreds　of　poor　people　and　children　seize　it　in　theirhands　as　they　place　their　mouths　close　to　the　mouth　of　the　animal；to　drink。　It　is　quite　a　picture　to　see　a　half…naked　boy　clasping　thewell…formed　creature　by　the　head；　as　he　presses　his　rosy　lipsagainst　its　jaws。　Every　one　who　visits　Florence　can　very　quicklyfind　the　place；　he　has　only　to　ask　the　first　beggar　he　meets　for　theMetal　Pig；　and　he　will　be　told　where　it　is。

It　was　late　on　a　winter　evening；　the　mountains　were　covered　withsnow；　but　the　moon　shone　brightly；　and　moonlight　in　Italy　is　like　adull　winter's　day　in　the　north；　indeed　it　is　better；　for　clear　airseems　to　raise　us　above　the　earth；　while　in　the　north　a　cold；　gray；leaden　sky　appears　to　press　us　down　to　earth；　even　as　the　cold　dampearth　shall　one　day　press　on　us　in　the　grave。　In　the　garden　of　thegrand　duke's　palace；　under　the　roof　of　one　of　the　wings；　where　athousand　roses　bloom　in　winter；　a　little　ragged　boy　had　been　sittingthe　whole　day　long；　a　boy；　who　might　serve　as　a　type　of　Italy；lovely　and　smiling；　and　yet　still　suffering。　He　was　hungry　andthirsty；　yet　no　one　gave　him　anything；　and　when　it　became　dark；　andthey　were　about　to　close　the　gardens；　the　porter　turned　him　out。　Hestood　a　long　time　musing　on　the　bridge　which　crosses　the　Arno；　andlooking　at　the　glittering　stars；　reflected　in　the　water　which　flowedbetween　him　and　the　elegant　marble　bridge　Della　Trinita。　He　thenwalked　away　towards　the　Metal　Pig；　half　knelt　down；　clasped　it　withhis　arms；　and　then　put　his　mouth　to　the　shining　snout　and　drank　deepdraughts　of　the　fresh　water。　Close　by；　lay　a　few　salad…leaves　andtwo　chestnuts；　which　were　to　serve　for　his　supper。　No　one　was　in　thestreet　but　himself；　it　belonged　only　to　him；　so　he　boldly　seatedhimself　on　the　pig's　back；　leaned　forward　so　that　his　curly　head　couldrest　on　the　head　of　the　animal；　and；　before　he　was　aware；　he　fellasleep。

It　was　midnight。　The　Metal　Pig　raised　himself　gently；　and　theboy　heard　him　say　quite　distinctly；　〃Hold　tight；　little　boy；　for　Iam　going　to　run；〃　and　away　he　started　for　a　most　wonderful　ride。First；　they　arrived　at　the　Piazza　del　Granduca；　and　the　metal　horsewhich　bears　the　duke's　statue；　neighed　aloud。　The　paintedcoats…of…arms　on　the　old　council…house　shone　like　transparentpictures；　and　Michael　Angelo's　David　tossed　his　sling；　it　was　as　ifeverything　had　life。　The　metallic　groups　of　figures；　among　whichwere　Perseus　and　the　Rape　of　the　Sabines；　looked　like　livingpersons；　and　cries　of　terror　sounded　from　them　all　across　the　noblesquare。　By　the　Palazzo　degli　Uffizi；　in　the　arcade；　where　the　nobilityassemble　for　the　carnival；　the　Metal　Pig　stopped。　〃Hold　fast；〃　saidthe　animal；　〃hold　fast；　for　I　am　going　up　stairs。〃

The　little　boy　said　not　a　word；　he　was　half　pleased　and　halfafraid。　They　entered　a　long　gallery；　where　the　boy　had　been　before。The　walls　were　resplendent　with　paintings；　here　stood　statues　andbusts；　all　in　a　clear　light　as　if　it　were　day。　But　the　grandestappeared　when　the　door　of　a　side　room　opened；　the　little　boy　couldremember　what　beautiful　things　he　had　seen　there；　but　to…nighteverything　shone　in　its　brightest　colors。　Here　stood　the　figure　of　abeautiful　woman；　as　beautifully　sculptured　as　possible　by　one　of　thegreat　masters。　Her　graceful　limbs　appeared　to　move；　dolphins　sprang　ather　feet；　and　immortality　shone　from　her　eyes。　The　world　called　herthe　Venus　de'　Medici。　By　her　side　were　statues；　in　which　the　spirit　oflife　breathed　in　stone；　figures　of　men；　one　of　whom　whetted　his　sword；and　was　named　the　Grinder；　wrestling　gladiators　formed　anothergroup；　the　sword　had　been　sharpened　for　them；　and　they　strove　forthe　goddess　of　beauty。　The　boy　was　dazzled　by　so　much　glitter；　for　thewalls　were　gleaming　with　bright　colors；　all　appeared　living　reality。

As　they　passed　from　hall　to　hall；　beauty　everywhere　showed　itself；and　as　the　Metal　Pig　went　step　by　step　from　one　picture　to　theother；　the　little　boy　could　see　it　all　plainly。　One　glory　eclipsedanother；　yet　there　was　one　picture　that　fixed　itself　on　the　littleboy's　memory；　more　especially　because　of　the　happy　children　itrepresented；　for　these　the　little　boy　had　seen　in　daylight。　Manypass　this　picture　by　with　indifference；　and　yet　it　contains　a　treasureof　poetic　feeling；　it　represents　Christ　descending　into　Hades。　Theyare　not　the　lost　whom　the　spectator　sees；　but　the　heathen　of　oldentimes。　The　Florentine；　Angiolo　Bronzino；　painted　this　picture；　mostbeautiful　is　the　expression　on　the　face　of　the　two　children；　whoappear　to　hav