安徒生童话-第211章

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lanced　at　a　curious　round　thing　like　an　old　apple；which　lay　near　a　long；　leafless　cabbage…stalk。　It　was；　however；　not　anapple；　but　an　old　ball；　which　had　lain　for　years　in　the　gutter；　andwas　soaked　through　with　water。

〃Thank　goodness；　here　es　one　of　my　own　class；　with　whom　I　cantalk；〃　said　the　ball；　examining　the　gilded　top。　〃I　am　made　ofmorocco；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　sewn　together　by　a　young　lady；　and　I　have　aSpanish　cork　in　my　body；　but　no　one　would　think　it；　to　look　at　me　now。I　was　once　engaged　to　a　swallow；　but　I　fell　in　here　from　the　gutterunder　the　roof；　and　I　have　lain　here　more　than　five　years；　and　havebeen　thoroughly　drenched。　Believe　me；　it　is　a　long　time　for　a　youngmaiden。〃

The　top　said　nothing；　but　he　thought　of　his　old　love；　and　the　moreshe　said；　the　more　clear　it　became　to　him　that　this　was　the　same　ball。

The　servant　then　came　to　clean　out　the　dust…bin。

〃Ah；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃here　is　a　gilt　top。〃　So　the　top　wasbrought　again　to　notice　and　honor；　but　nothing　more　was　heard　of　thelittle　ball。　He　spoke　not　a　word　about　his　old　love；　for　that　soondied　away。　When　the　beloved　object　has　lain　for　five　years　in　agutter；　and　has　been　drenched　through；　no　one　cares　to　know　heragain　on　meeting　her　in　a　dust…bin。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

THE　TRAVELLING　PANION

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

POOR　John　was　very　sad；　for　his　father　was　so　ill；　he　had　nohope　of　his　recovery。　John　sat　alone　with　the　sick　man　in　the　littleroom；　and　the　lamp　had　nearly　burnt　out；　for　it　was　late　in　the　night。

〃You　have　been　a　good　son；　John；〃　said　the　sick　father；　〃and　Godwill　help　you　on　in　the　world。〃　He　looked　at　him；　as　he　spoke；　withmild；　earnest　eyes；　drew　a　deep　sigh；　and　died；　yet　it　appeared　asif　he　still　slept。

John　wept　bitterly。　He　had　no　one　in　the　wide　world　now；　neitherfather；　mother；　brother；　nor　sister。　Poor　John！　he　knelt　down　by　thebed；　kissed　his　dead　father's　hand；　and　wept　many；　many　bittertears。　But　at　last　his　eyes　closed；　and　he　fell　asleep　with　his　headresting　against　the　hard　bedpost。　Then　he　dreamed　a　strange　dream；he　thought　he　saw　the　sun　shining　upon　him；　and　his　father　alive　andwell；　and　even　heard　him　laughing　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　veryhappy。　A　beautiful　girl；　with　a　golden　crown　on　her　head；　and　long；shining　hair；　gave　him　her　hand；　and　his　father　said；　〃See　what　abride　you　have　won。　She　is　the　loveliest　maiden　on　the　whole　earth。〃Then　he　awoke；　and　all　the　beautiful　things　vanished　before　hiseyes；　his　father　lay　dead　on　the　bed；　and　he　was　all　alone。　Poor　John！

During　the　following　week　the　dead　man　was　buried。　The　sonwalked　behind　the　coffin　which　contained　his　father；　whom　he　so　dearlyloved；　and　would　never　again　behold。　He　heard　the　earth　fall　on　thecoffin…lid；　and　watched　it　till　only　a　corner　remained　in　sight；　andat　last　that　also　disappeared。　He　felt　as　if　his　heart　would　breakwith　its　weight　of　sorrow；　till　those　who　stood　round　the　grave　sang　apsalm；　and　the　sweet；　holy　tones　brought　tears　into　his　eyes；　whichrelieved　him。　The　sun　shone　brightly　down　on　the　green　trees；　as　if　itwould　say；　〃You　must　not　be　so　sorrowful；　John。　Do　you　see　thebeautiful　blue　sky　above　you？　Your　father　is　up　there；　and　he　prays　tothe　loving　Father　of　all；　that　you　may　do　well　in　the　future。〃

〃I　will　always　be　good；〃　said　John；　〃and　then　I　shall　go　to　bewith　my　father　in　heaven。　What　joy　it　will　be　when　we　see　each　otheragain！　How　much　I　shall　have　to　relate　to　him；　and　how　many　thingshe　will　be　able　to　explain　to　me　of　the　delights　of　heaven；　andteach　me　as　he　once　did　on　earth。　Oh；　what　joy　it　will　be！〃

He　pictured　it　all　so　plainly　to　himself；　that　he　smiled　evenwhile　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。

The　little　birds　in　the　chestnut…trees　twittered；　〃Tweet；tweet；〃　they　were　so　happy；　although　they　had　seen　the　funeral；　butthey　seemed　as　if　they　knew　that　the　dead　man　was　now　in　heaven；　andthat　he　had　wings　much　larger　and　more　beautiful　than　their　own；　andhe　was　happy　now；　because　he　had　been　good　here　on　earth；　and　theywere　glad　of　it。　John　saw　them　fly　away　out　of　the　green　trees　intothe　wide　world；　and　he　longed　to　fly　with　them；　but　first　he　cut　out　alarge　wooden　cross；　to　place　on　his　father's　grave；　and　when　hebrought　it　there　in　the　evening；　he　found　the　grave　decked　out　withgravel　and　flowers。　Strangers　had　done　this；　they　who　had　known　thegood　old　father　who　was　now　dead；　and　who　had　loved　him　very　much。

Early　the　next　morning；　John　packed　up　his　little　bundle　ofclothes；　and　placed　all　his　money；　which　consisted　of　fifty　dollarsand　a　few　shillings；　in　his　girdle；　with　this　he　determined　to　try　hisfortune　in　the　world。　But　first　he　went　into　the　churchyard；　and；　byhis　father's　grave；　he　offered　up　a　prayer；　and　said；　〃Farewell。〃

As　he　passed　through　the　fields；　all　the　flowers　looked　freshand　beautiful　in　the　warm　sunshine；　and　nodded　in　the　wind；　as　if　theywished　to　say；　〃Wele　to　the　green　wood；　where　all　is　fresh　andbright。〃

Then　John　turned　to　have　one　more　look　at　the　old　church；　in　whichhe　had　been　christened　in　his　infancy；　and　where　his　father　hadtaken　him　every　Sunday　to　hear　the　service　and　join　in　singing　thepsalms。　As　he　looked　at　the　old　tower；　he　espied　the　ringer　standingat　one　of　the　narrow　openings；　with　his　little　pointed　red　cap　onhis　head；　and　shading　his　eyes　from　the　sun　with　his　bent　arm。　Johnnodded　farewell　to　him；　and　the　little　ringer　waved　his　red　cap；laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　him　a　great　manytimes；　to　show　that　he　felt　kindly　towards　him；　and　wished　him　aprosperous　journey。

John　continued　his　journey；　and　thought　of　all　the　wonderfulthings　he　should　see　in　the　large；　beautiful　world；　till　he　foundhimself　farther　away　from　home　than　ever　he　had　been　before。　He　didnot　even　know　the　names　of　the　places　he　passed　through；　and　couldscarcely　understand　the　language　of　the　people　he　met；　for　he　wasfar　away；　in　a　strange　land。　The　first　night　he　slept　on　a　haystack；out　in　the　fields；　for　there　was　no　other　bed　for　him；　but　it　seemedto　him　so　nice　and　fortable　that　even　a　king　need　not　wish　for　abetter。　The　field；　the　brook；　the　haystack；　with　the　blue　sky　above；formed　a　beautiful　sleeping…room。　The　green　grass；　with　the　little　redand　white　flowers；　was　the　carpet；　the　elder…bushes　and　the　hedgesof　wild　roses　looked　like　garlands　on　the　walls；　and　for　a　bath　hecould　have　the　clear；　fresh　water　of　the　brook；　while　the　rushes　bowedtheir　heads　to　him；　to　wish　him　good　morning　and　good　evening。　Themoon；　like　a　large　lamp；　hung　high　up　in　the　blue　ceiling；　and　hehad　no　fear　of　its　setting　fire　to　his　curtains。　John　slept　here　quitesafely　all　night；　and　when　he　awoke；　the　sun　was　up；　and　all　thelittle　birds　were　singing　round　him；　〃Good　morning；　good　morning。Are　you　not　up　yet？〃

It　was　Sunday；　and　the　bells　were　ringing　for　church。　As　thepeople　went　in；　John　followed　them；　he　heard　God's　word；　joined　insinging　the　psalms；　and　listened　to　the　preacher。　It　seemed　to　himjust　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　church；　where　he　had　been　christened；and　had　sung　the　psalms　with　his　father。　Out　in　the　churchyard　wereseveral　graves；　and　on　some　of　them　the　grass　had　grown　very　high。John　thought　of　his　father's　grave；　which　he　knew　at　last　would　looklike　these；　as　he　was　not　there　to　weed　and　attend　to　it。　Then　heset　to　work；　pulled　up　the　high　grass；　raised　the　wooden　crosses　whichhad　fallen　down；　and　replaced　the　wreaths　which　had　been　blown　awayfrom　their　places　by　the　wind；　thinking　all　the　time；　〃Perhaps　someone　is　doing　the　same　for　my　father's　grave；　as　I　am　not　there　to　doit　〃

Outside　the　church　door　stood　an　old　beggar；　leaning　on　hiscrutch。　John　gave　him　his　silver　shillings；　and　then　he　continuedhis　journey；　feeling　lighter　and　happier　than　ever。　Towards　evening；the　weather　became　very　stormy；　and　he　hastened　on　as　quickly　as　hecould；　to　get　shelter；　but　it　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　he　reacheda　little　lonely　church　which　stood　on　a　hill。　〃I　will　go　in　here；〃he　said；　〃and　sit　down　in　a　corner；　for　I　am　quite　tired；　and　wantrest。〃

So　he　went　in；　and　seated　himself；　then　he　folded　his　hands；　andoffered　up　his　evening　prayer；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　anddreaming；　while　the　thunder　rolled　and　the　lightning