安徒生童话-第220章

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et。　Not　a　bird　wasto　be　seen；　not　a　sunbeam　could　perate　through　the　large；　darkboughs　of　the　trees。　Their　lofty　trunks　stood　so　close　together；　that；when　she　looked　before　her；　it　seemed　as　if　she　were　enclosed　withintrellis…work。　Such　solitude　she　had　never　known　before。　The　nightwas　very　dark。　Not　a　single　glow…worm　glittered　in　the　moss。

Sorrowfully　she　laid　herself　down　to　sleep；　and；　after　a　while；　itseemed　to　her　as　if　the　branches　of　the　trees　parted　over　her　head；and　that　the　mild　eyes　of　angels　looked　down　upon　her　from　heaven。When　she　awoke　in　the　morning；　she　knew　not　whether　she　had　dreamtthis；　or　if　it　had　really　been　so。　Then　she　continued　her　wandering；but　she　had　not　gone　many　steps　forward；　when　she　met　an　old　womanwith　berries　in　her　basket；　and　she　gave　her　a　few　to　eat。　ThenEliza　asked　her　if　she　had　not　seen　eleven　princes　riding　throughthe　forest。

〃No；〃　replied　the　old　woman；　〃But　I　saw　yesterday　eleven　swans；with　gold　crowns　on　their　heads；　swimming　on　the　river　close　by。〃　Thenshe　led　Eliza　a　little　distance　farther　to　a　sloping　bank；　and　atthe　foot　of　it　wound　a　little　river。　The　trees　on　its　banksstretched　their　long　leafy　branches　across　the　water　towards　eachother；　and　where　the　growth　prevented　them　from　meeting　naturally；　theroots　had　torn　themselves　away　from　the　ground；　so　that　the　branchesmight　mingle　their　foliage　as　they　hung　over　the　water。　Eliza　bade　theold　woman　farewell；　and　walked　by　the　flowing　river；　till　shereached　the　shore　of　the　open　sea。　And　there；　before　the　youngmaiden's　eyes；　lay　the　glorious　ocean；　but　not　a　sail　appeared　onits　surface；　not　even　a　boat　could　be　seen。　How　was　she　to　go　farther？She　noticed　how　the　countless　pebbles　on　the　sea…shore　had　beensmoothed　and　rounded　by　the　action　of　the　water。　Glass；　iron；stones；　everything　that　lay　there　mingled　together；　had　taken　itsshape　from　the　same　power；　and　felt　as　smooth；　or　even　smoother　thanher　own　delicate　hand。　〃The　water　rolls　on　without　weariness；〃　shesaid；　till　all　that　is　hard　bees　smooth；　so　will　I　be　unweariedin　my　task。　Thanks　for　your　lessons；　bright　rolling　waves；　my　hearttells　me　you　will　lead　me　to　my　dear　brothers。〃　On　the　foam…coveredsea…weeds；　lay　eleven　white　swan　feathers；　which　she　gathered　up　andplaced　together。　Drops　of　water　lay　upon　them；　whether　they　weredew…drops　or　tears　no　one　could　say。　Lonely　as　it　was　on　thesea…shore；　she　did　not　observe　it；　for　the　ever…moving　sea　showed　morechanges　in　a　few　hours　than　the　most　varying　lake　could　produce　duringa　whole　year。　If　a　black　heavy　cloud　arose；　it　was　as　if　the　sea　said；〃I　can　look　dark　and　angry　too；〃　and　then　the　wind　blew；　and　the　wavesturned　to　white　foam　as　they　rolled。　When　the　wind　slept；　and　theclouds　glowed　with　the　red　sunlight；　then　the　sea　looked　like　a　roseleaf。　But　however　quietly　its　white　glassy　surface　rested；　there　wasstill　a　motion　on　the　shore；　as　its　waves　rose　and　fell　like　thebreast　of　a　sleeping　child。　When　the　sun　was　about　to　set；　Eliza　saweleven　white　swans　with　golden　crowns　on　their　heads；　flying　towardsthe　land；　one　behind　the　other；　like　a　long　white　ribbon。　Then　Elizawent　down　the　slope　from　the　shore；　and　hid　herself　behind　the　bushes。The　swans　alighted　quite　close　to　her　and　flapped　their　great　whitewings。　As　soon　as　the　sun　had　disappeared　under　the　water；　thefeathers　of　the　swans　fell　off；　and　eleven　beautiful　princes；Eliza's　brothers；　stood　near　her。　She　uttered　a　loud　cry；　for；although　they　were　very　much　changed；　she　knew　them　immediately。　Shesprang　into　their　arms；　and　called　them　each　by　name。　Then；　howhappy　the　princes　were　at　meeting　their　little　sister　again；　forthey　recognized　her；　although　she　had　grown　so　tall　and　beautiful。They　laughed；　and　they　wept；　and　very　soon　understood　how　wickedlytheir　mother　had　acted　to　them　all。　〃We　brothers；〃　said　the　eldest；〃fly　about　as　wild　swans；　so　long　as　the　sun　is　in　the　sky；　but　assoon　as　it　sinks　behind　the　hills；　we　recover　our　human　shape。Therefore　must　we　always　be　near　a　resting　place　for　our　feet　beforesunset；　for　if　we　should　be　flying　towards　the　clouds　at　the　time　werecovered　our　natural　shape　as　men；　we　should　sink　deep　into　thesea。　We　do　not　dwell　here；　but　in　a　land　just　as　fair；　that　liesbeyond　the　ocean；　which　we　have　to　cross　for　a　long　distance；　there　isno　island　in　our　passage　upon　which　we　could　pass；　the　night；nothing　but　a　little　rock　rising　out　of　the　sea；　upon　which　we　canscarcely　stand　with　safety；　even　closely　crowded　together。　If　thesea　is　rough；　the　foam　dashes　over　us；　yet　we　thank　God　even　forthis　rock；　we　have　passed　whole　nights　upon　it；　or　we　should　neverhave　reached　our　beloved　fatherland；　for　our　flight　across　the　seaoccupies　two　of　the　longest　days　in　the　year。　We　have　permission　tovisit　out　home　once　in　every　year；　and　to　remain　eleven　days；　duringwhich　we　fly　across　the　forest　to　look　once　more　at　the　palace　whereour　father　dwells；　and　where　we　were　born；　and　at　the　church；　whereour　mother　lies　buried。　Here　it　seems　as　if　the　very　trees　andbushes　were　related　to　us。　The　wild　horses　leap　over　the　plains　aswe　have　seen　them　in　our　childhood。　The　charcoal　burners　sing　theold　songs；　to　which　we　have　danced　as　children。　This　is　ourfatherland；　to　which　we　are　drawn　by　loving　ties；　and　here　we　havefound　you；　our　dear　little　sister。；　Two　days　longer　we　can　remainhere；　and　then　must　we　fly　away　to　a　beautiful　land　which　is　not　ourhome；　and　how　can　we　take　you　with　us？　We　have　neither　ship　nor　boat。〃

〃How　can　I　break　this　spell？〃　said　their　sister。　And　then　shetalked　about　it　nearly　the　whole　night；　only　slumbering　for　a　fewhours。　Eliza　was　awakened　by　the　rustling　of　the　swans'　wings　asthey　soared　above。　Her　brothers　were　again　changed　to　swans；　andthey　flew　in　circles　wider　and　wider；　till　they　were　far　away；　but　oneof　them；　the　youngest　swan；　remained　behind；　and　laid　his　head　inhis　sister's　lap；　while　she　stroked　his　wings；　and　they　remainedtogether　the　whole　day。　Towards　evening；　the　rest　came　back；　and　asthe　sun　went　down　they　resumed　their　natural　forms。　〃To…morrow；〃said　one；　〃we　shall　fly　away；　not　to　return　again　till　a　whole　yearhas　passed。　But　we　cannot　leave　you　here。　Have　you　courage　to　gowith　us？　My　arm　is　strong　enough　to　carry　you　through　the　wood；　andwill　not　all　our　wings　be　strong　enough　to　fly　with　you　over　the　sea？〃

〃Yes；　take　me　with　you；〃　said　Eliza。　Then　they　spent　the　wholenight　in　weaving　a　　with　the　pliant　willow　and　rushes。　It　wasvery　large　and　strong。　Eliza　laid　herself　down　on　the　；　and　whenthe　sun　rose；　and　her　brothers　again　became　wild　swans；　they　took　upthe　　with　their　beaks；　and　flew　up　to　the　clouds　with　their　dearsister；　who　still　slept。　The　sunbeams　fell　on　her　face；　thereforeone　of　the　swans　soared　over　her　head；　so　that　his　broad　wings　mightshade　her。　They　were　far　from　the　land　when　Eliza　woke。　She　thoughtshe　must　still　be　dreaming；　it　seemed　so　strange　to　her　to　feelherself　being　carried　so　high　in　the　air　over　the　sea。　By　her　side　laya　branch　full　of　beautiful　ripe　berries；　and　a　bundle　of　sweetroots；　the　youngest　of　her　brothers　had　gathered　them　for　her；　andplaced　them　by　her　side。　She　smiled　her　thanks　to　him；　she　knew　it　wasthe　same　who　had　hovered　over　her　to　shade　her　with　his　wings。　Theywere　now　so　high；　that　a　large　ship　beneath　them　looked　like　a　whitesea…gull　skimming　the　waves。　A　great　cloud　floating　behind　themappeared　like　a　vast　mountain；　and　upon　it　Eliza　saw　her　own　shadowand　those　of　the　eleven　swans；　looking　gigantic　in　size。　Altogether　itformed　a　more　beautiful　picture　than　she　had　ever　seen；　but　as　the　sunrose　higher；　and　the　clouds　were　left　behind；　the　shadowy　picturevanished　away。　Onward　the　whole　day　they　flew　through　the　air　like　awinged　arrow；　yet　more　slowly　than　usual；　for　they　had　their　sister　tocarry。　The　weather　seemed　inclined　to　be　stormy；　and　Eliza　watched　thesinking　sun　with　great　anxiety；　for　the　little　rock　in　the　ocean　wasnot　yet　in　sight。　It　appeared　to　her　as　if　the　swans　were　making　greatefforts　with　their　wings。　Alas！　she　was　the　cause　of　their　notadvancing　more　quickly。　When　the　sun　set；　they　would　change　to　men；fall　into　the　sea　and　be　drowned。　Then　she　offered　a　prayer　from　herinmost　heart；　but　still　no　appearance　of　the　rock。　Dark　clouds　camenearer；