安徒生童话-第195章

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an　astork　could　imagine；　and　in　that　country；　there　is　a　river　thatoverflows　its　banks；　and　then　goes　back；　leaving　nothing　but　mire；there　we　can　walk　about；　and　eat　frogs　in　abundance。〃

〃Oh；　o…　h！〃　cried　the　young　storks。

〃Yes；　it　is　a　delightful　place；　there　is　nothing　to　do　all　daylong　but　eat；　and　while　we　are　so　well　off　out　there；　in　thiscountry　there　will　not　be　a　single　green　leaf　on　the　trees；　and　theweather　will　be　so　cold　that　the　clouds　will　freeze；　and　fall　on　theearth　in　little　white　rags。〃　The　stork　meant　snow；　but　she　could　notexplain　it　in　any　other　way。

〃Will　the　naughty　boys　freeze　and　fall　in　pieces？〃　asked　the　youngstorks。

〃No；　they　will　not　freeze　and　fall　into　pieces；〃　said　themother；　〃but　they　will　be　very　cold；　and　be　obliged　to　sit　all　dayin　a　dark；　gloomy　room；　while　we　shall　be　flying　about　in　foreignlands；　where　there　are　blooming　flowers　and　warm　sunshine。〃

Time　passed　on；　and　the　young　storks　grew　so　large　that　they　couldstand　upright　in　the　nest　and　look　about　them。　The　father　broughtthem；　every　day；　beautiful　frogs；　little　snakes；　and　all　kinds　ofstork…dainties　that　he　could　find。　And　then；　how　funny　it　was　to　seethe　tricks　he　would　perform　to　amuse　them。　He　would　lay　his　head　quiteround　over　his　tail；　and　clatter　with　his　beak；　as　if　it　had　been　arattle；　and　then　he　would　tell　them　stories　all　about　the　marshesand　fens。

〃e；〃　said　the　mother　one　day；　〃Now　you　must　learn　to　fly。〃And　all　the　four　young　ones　were　obliged　to　e　out　on　the　top　of　theroof。　Oh；　how　they　tottered　at　first；　and　were　obliged　to　balancethemselves　with　their　wings；　or　they　would　have　fallen　to　the　groundbelow。

〃Look　at　me；〃　said　the　mother；　〃you　must　hold　your　heads　in　thisway；　and　place　your　feet　so。　Once；　twice；　once；　twice…　that　is　it。　Nowyou　will　be　able　to　take　care　of　yourselves　in　the　world。〃

Then　she　flew　a　little　distance　from　them；　and　the　young　ones　madea　spring　to　follow　her；　but　down　they　fell　plump；　for　their　bodieswere　still　too　heavy。

〃I　don't　want　to　fly；〃　said　one　of　the　young　storks；　creeping　backinto　the　nest。　〃I　don't　care　about　going　to　warm　countries。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　stay　here　and　freeze　when　the　winter　es？〃said　the　mother；　〃or　till　the　boys　es　to　hang　you；　or　to　roastyou？…　Well　then；　I'll　call　them。〃

〃Oh　no；　no；〃　said　the　young　stork；　jumping　out　on　the　roof　withthe　others；　and　now　they　were　all　attentive；　and　by　the　third　daycould　fly　a　little。　Then　they　began　to　fancy　they　could　soar；　sothey　tried　to　do　so；　resting　on　their　wings；　but　they　soon　foundthemselves　falling；　and　had　to　flap　their　wings　as　quickly　aspossible。　The　boys　came　again　in　the　street　singing　their　song：…

〃Stork；　stork；　fly　away。〃

〃Shall　we　fly　down；　and　pick　their　eyes　out？〃　asked　the　youngstorks。

〃No；　leave　them　alone；〃　said　the　mother。　〃Listen　to　me；　that　ismuch　more　important。　Now　then。　One…two…three。　Now　to　the　right。One…two…three。　Now　to　the　left；　round　the　chimney。　There　now；　that　wasvery　good。　That　last　flap　of　the　wings　was　so　easy　and　graceful；that　I　shall　give　you　permission　to　fly　with　me　to…morrow　to　themarshes。　There　will　be　a　number　of　very　superior　storks　there　withtheir　families；　and　I　expect　you　to　show　them　that　my　children　are　thebest　brought　up　of　any　who　may　be　present。　You　must　strut　aboutproudly…　it　will　look　well　and　make　you　respected。〃

〃But　may　we　not　punish　those　naughty　boys？〃　asked　the　youngstorks。

〃No；　let　them　scream　away　as　much　as　they　like。　You　can　fly　fromthem　now　up　high　amid　the　clouds；　and　will　be　in　the　land　of　thepyramids　when　they　are　freezing；　and　have　not　a　green　leaf　on　thetrees　or　an　apple　to　eat。〃

〃We　will　revenge　ourselves；〃　whispered　the　young　storks　to　eachother；　as　they　again　joined　the　exercising。

Of　all　the　boys　in　the　street　who　sang　the　mocking　song　aboutthe　storks；　not　one　was　so　determined　to　go　on　with　it　as　he　who　firstbegan　it。　Yet　he　was　a　little　fellow　not　more　than　six　years　old。　Tothe　young　storks　he　appeared　at　least　a　hundred；　for　he　was　so　muchbigger　than　their　father　and　mother。　To　be　sure；　storks　cannot　beexpected　to　know　how　old　children　and　grown…up　people　are。　So　theydetermined　to　have　their　revenge　on　this　boy；　because　he　began　thesong　first　and　would　keep　on　with　it。　The　young　storks　were　veryangry；　and　grew　worse　as　they　grew　older；　so　at　last　their　motherwas　obliged　to　promise　that　they　should　be　revenged；　but　not　until　theday　of　their　departure。

〃We　must　see　first；　how　you　acquit　yourselves　at　the　grandreview；〃　said　she。　〃If　you　get　on　badly　there；　the　general　will　thrusthis　beak　through　you；　and　you　will　be　killed；　as　the　boys　said；　thoughnot　exactly　in　the　same　manner。　So　we　must　wait　and　see。〃

〃You　shall　see；〃　said　the　young　birds；　and　then　they　took　suchpains　and　practised　so　well　every　day；　that　at　last　it　was　quite　apleasure　to　see　them　fly　so　lightly　and　prettily。　As　soon　as　theautumn　arrived；　all　the　storks　began　to　assemble　together　beforetaking　their　departure　for　warm　countries　during　the　winter。　Thenthe　review　menced。　They　flew　over　forests　and　villages　to　show　whatthey　could　do；　for　they　had　a　long　journey　before　them。　The　youngstorks　performed　their　part　so　well　that　they　received　a　mark　ofhonor；　with　frogs　and　snakes　as　a　present。　These　presents　were　thebest　part　of　the　affair；　for　they　could　eat　the　frogs　and　snakes；which　they　very　quickly　did。

〃Now　let　us　have　our　revenge；〃　they　cried。

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　cried　the　mother　stork。　〃I　have　thought　upon　thebest　way　to　be　revenged。　I　know　the　pond　in　which　all　the　littlechildren　lie；　waiting　till　the　storks　e　to　take　them　to　theirparents。　The　prettiest　little　babies　lie　there　dreaming　more　sweetlythan　they　will　ever　dream　in　the　time　to　e。　All　parents　are　glad　tohave　a　little　child；　and　children　are　so　pleased　with　a　little　brotheror　sister。　Now　we　will　fly　to　the　pond　and　fetch　a　little　baby　foreach　of　the　children　who　did　not　sing　that　naughty　song　to　make　gameof　the　storks。〃

〃But　the　naughty　boy；　who　began　the　song　first；　what　shall　we　doto　him？〃　cried　the　young　storks。

〃There　lies　in　the　pond　a　little　dead　baby　who　has　dreameditself　to　death；〃　said　the　mother。　〃We　will　take　it　to　the　naughtyboy；　and　he　will　cry　because　we　have　brought　him　a　little　deadbrother。　But　you　have　not　forgotten　the　good　boy　who　said　it　was　ashame　to　laugh　at　animals：　we　will　take　him　a　little　brother　andsister　too；　because　he　was　good。　He　is　called　Peter；　and　you　shall　allbe　called　Peter　in　future。〃

So　they　all　did　what　their　mother　had　arranged；　and　from　that　day；even　till　now；　all　the　storks　have　been　called　Peter。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　THE　STORM　SHAKES　THE　SHIELD

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

IN　the　old　days；　when　grandpapa　was　quite　a　little　boy；　and　ranabout　in　little　red　breeches　and　a　red　coat；　and　a　feather　in　his　cap…for　that's　the　costume　the　little　boys　wore　in　his　time　when　they　weredressed　in　their　best…　many　things　were　very　different　from　whatthey　are　now。　There　was　often　a　good　deal　of　show　in　the　streets…　showthat　we　don't　see　nowadays；　because　it　has　been　abolished　as　tooold…fashioned。　Still；　it　is　very　interesting　to　hear　grandfathertell　about　it。

It　must　really　have　been　a　gorgeous　sight　to　behold；　in　thosedays；　when　the　shoemaker　brought　over　the　shield；　when　the　court…housewas　changed。　The　silken　flag　waved　to　and　fro；　on　the　shield　itselfa　double　eagle　was　displayed；　and　a　big　boot；　the　youngest　ladscarried　the　〃wele；〃　and　the　chest　of　the　workmen's　guild；　and　theirshirt…sleeves　were　adorned　with　red　and　white　ribbons；　the　elderones　carried　drawn　swords；　each　with　a　lemon　stuck　on　its　point。　Therewas　a　full　band　of　music；　and　the　most　splendid　of　all　the　instrumentswas　the　〃bird；〃　as　grandfather　called　the　big　stick　with　thecrescent　on　the　top；　and　all　manner　of　dingle…dangles　hanging　to　it…　aperfect　Turkish　clatter　of　music。　The　stick　was　lifted　high　in　theair；　and　swung　up　and　down　till　it　jingled　again；　and　quite　dazzledone's　eyes　when　the　sun　shone　on　all　its　glory　of　gold；　and　silver；and　brass。

In　front　of　the　procession　ran　the　Harlequin；　dressed　in　clothesmade　of　all　kinds　of　colored　patches　artfully　sewn　together；　with　ablack　face；　and　bells　on　his　head　lik