安徒生童话-第236章

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s　there；　oncethe　ruler　of　three　kingdoms；　the　friend　of　the　citizen　and　thepeasant。　It　is　Christian　the　Second。　Enemies　wrote　his　history。　Let　usremember　his　improvements　of　seven　and　twenty　years；　if　we　cannotforget　his　crime。

A　ship　sails　away；　quitting　the　Danish　shores。　A　man　leans　againstthe　mast；　casting　a　last　glance　towards　the　Island　Hueen。　It　isTycho　Brahe。　He　raised　the　name　of　Denmark　to　the　stars；　and　wasrewarded　with　injury；　loss　and　sorrow。　He　is　going　to　a　strangecountry。

〃The　vault　of　heaven　is　above　me　everywhere；〃　he　says；　〃and　whatdo　I　want　more？〃

And　away　sails　the　famous　Dane；　the　astronomer；　to　live　honoredand　free　in　a　strange　land。

〃Ay；　free；　if　only　from　the　unbearable　sufferings　of　the　body！〃es　in　a　sigh　through　time；　and　strikes　upon　our　ear。　What　apicture！　Griffenfeldt；　a　Danish　Prometheus；　bound　to　the　rockyisland　of　Munkholm。

We　are　in　America；　on　the　margin　of　one　of　the　largest　rivers；an　innumerable　crowd　has　gathered；　for　it　is　said　that　a　ship　is　tosail　against　the　wind　and　weather；　bidding　defiance　to　the　elements。The　man　who　thinks　he　can　solve　the　problem　is　named　Robert　Fulton。The　ship　begins　its　passage；　but　suddenly　it　stops。　The　crowd　beginsto　laugh　and　whistle　and　hiss…　the　very　father　of　the　man　whistleswith　the　rest。

〃Conceit！　Foolery！〃　is　the　cry。　〃It　has　happened　just　as　hedeserved。　Put　the　crack…brain　under　lock　and　key！〃

Then　suddenly　a　little　nail　breaks；　which　had　stopped　themachine　for　a　few　moments；　and　now　the　wheels　turn　again；　the　floatsbreak　the　force　of　the　waters；　and　the　ship　continues　its　course；and　the　beam　of　the　steam　engine　shortens　the　distance　between　farlands　from　hours　into　minutes。

O　human　race；　canst　thou　grasp　the　happiness　of　such　a　minute　ofconsciousness；　this　peration　of　the　soul　by　its　mission；　the　momentin　which　all　dejection；　and　every　wound…　even　those　caused　by　one'sown　fault…　is　changed　into　health　and　strength　and　clearness…　whendiscord　is　converted　to　harmony…　the　minute　in　which　men　seem　torecognize　the　manifestation　of　the　heavenly　grace　in　one　man；　and　feelhow　this　one　imparts　it　to　all？

Thus　the　thorny　path　of　honor　shows　itself　as　a　glory；　surroundingthe　earth　with　its　beams。　Thrice　happy　he　who　is　chosen　to　be　awanderer　there；　and；　without　merit　of　his　own；　to　be　placed　betweenthe　builder　of　the　bridge　and　the　earth…　between　Providence　and　thehuman　race。

On　mighty　wings　the　spirit　of　history　floats　through　the　ages；　andshows…　giving　courage　and　fort；　and　awakening　gentle　thoughts…　onthe　dark　nightly　background；　but　in　gleaming　pictures；　the　thorny　pathof　honor；　which　does　not；　like　a　fairy　tale；　end　in　brilliancy　and　joyhere　on　earth；　but　stretches　out　beyond　all　time；　even　into　eternity！

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　THE　TINDER…BOX

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

A　SOLDIER　came　marching　along　the　high　road：　〃Left；　right…　left；right。〃　He　had　his　knapsack　on　his　back；　and　a　sword　at　his　side；　hehad　been　to　the　wars；　and　was　now　returning　home。

As　he　walked　on；　he　met　a　very　frightful…looking　old　witch　inthe　road。　Her　under…lip　hung　quite　down　on　her　breast；　and　she　stoppedand　said；　〃Good　evening；　soldier；　you　have　a　very　fine　sword；　and　alarge　knapsack；　and　you　are　a　real　soldier；　so　you　shall　have　asmuch　money　as　ever　you　like。〃

〃Thank　you；　old　witch；〃　said　the　soldier。

〃Do　you　see　that　large　tree；〃　said　the　witch；　pointing　to　a　treewhich　stood　beside　them。　〃Well；　it　is　quite　hollow　inside；　and　youmust　climb　to　the　top；　when　you　will　see　a　hole；　through　which　you　canlet　yourself　down　into　the　tree　to　a　great　depth。　I　will　tie　a　roperound　your　body；　so　that　I　can　pull　you　up　again　when　you　call　outto　me。〃

〃But　what　am　I　to　do；　down　there　in　the　tree？〃　asked　the　soldier。

〃Get　money；〃　she　replied；　〃for　you　must　know　that　when　you　reachthe　ground　under　the　tree；　you　will　find　yourself　in　a　large　hall；lighted　up　by　three　hundred　lamps；　you　will　then　see　three　doors；which　can　be　easily　opened；　for　the　keys　are　in　all　the　locks。　Onentering　the　first　of　the　chambers；　to　which　these　doors　lead；　youwill　see　a　large　chest；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　andupon　it　a　dog　seated；　with　a　pair　of　eyes　as　large　as　teacups。　But　youneed　not　be　at　all　afraid　of　him；　I　will　give　you　my　blue　checkedapron；　which　you　must　spread　upon　the　floor；　and　then　boldly　seizehold　of　the　dog；　and　place　him　upon　it。　You　can　then　open　the　chest；and　take　from　it　as　many　pence　as　you　please；　they　are　only　copperpence；　but　if　you　would　rather　have　silver　money；　you　must　go　into　thesecond　chamber。　Here　you　will　find　another　dog；　with　eyes　as　big　asmill…wheels；　but　do　not　let　that　trouble　you。　Place　him　upon　my　apron；and　then　take　what　money　you　please。　If；　however；　you　like　goldbest；　enter　the　third　chamber；　where　there　is　another　chest　full　ofit。　The　dog　who　sits　on　this　chest　is　very　dreadful；　his　eyes　are　asbig　as　a　tower；　but　do　not　mind　him。　If　he　also　is　placed　upon　myapron；　he　cannot　hurt　you；　and　you　may　take　from　the　chest　what　goldyou　will。〃

〃This　is　not　a　bad　story；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃but　what　am　I　togive　you；　you　old　witch？　for；　of　course；　you　do　not　mean　to　tell　meall　this　for　nothing。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　witch；　〃but　I　do　not　ask　for　a　single　penny。　Onlypromise　to　bring　me　an　old　tinder…box；　which　my　grandmother　leftbehind　the　last　time　she　went　down　there。〃

〃Very　well；　I　promise。　Now　tie　the　rope　round　my　body。〃

〃Here　it　is；〃　replied　the　witch；　〃and　here　is　my　blue　checkedapron。〃

As　soon　as　the　rope　was　tied；　the　soldier　climbed　up　the　tree；　andlet　himself　down　through　the　hollow　to　the　ground　beneath；　and　here　hefound；　as　the　witch　had　told　him；　a　large　hall；　in　which　manyhundred　lamps　were　all　burning。　Then　he　opened　the　first　door。　〃Ah！〃there　sat　the　dog；　with　the　eyes　as　large　as　teacups；　staring　at　him。

〃You're　a　pretty　fellow；〃　said　the　soldier；　seizing　him；　andplacing　him　on　the　witch's　apron；　while　he　filled　his　pockets　from　thechest　with　as　many　pieces　as　they　would　hold。　Then　he　closed　thelid；　seated　the　dog　upon　it　again；　and　walked　into　another　chamber；And；　sure　enough；　there　sat　the　dog　with　eyes　as　big　as　mill…wheels。

〃You　had　better　not　look　at　me　in　that　way；〃　said　the　soldier；〃you　will　make　your　eyes　water；〃　and　then　he　seated　him　also　uponthe　apron；　and　opened　the　chest。　But　when　he　saw　what　a　quantity　ofsilver　money　it　contained；　he　very　quickly　threw　away　all　thecoppers　he　had　taken；　and　filled　his　pockets　and　his　knapsack　withnothing　but　silver。

Then　he　went　into　the　third　room；　and　there　the　dog　was　reallyhideous；　his　eyes　were；　truly；　as　big　as　towers；　and　they　turned　roundand　round　in　his　head　like　wheels。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　soldier；　touching　his　cap；　for　he　hadnever　seen　such　a　dog　in　his　life。　But　after　looking　at　him　moreclosely；　he　thought　he　had　been　civil　enough；　so　he　placed　him　onthe　floor；　and　opened　the　chest。　Good　gracious；　what　a　quantity　ofgold　there　was！　enough　to　buy　all　the　sugar…sticks　of　thesweet…stuff　women；　all　the　tin　soldiers；　whips；　and　rocking…horsesin　the　world；　or　even　the　whole　town　itself　There　was；　indeed；　animmense　quantity。　So　the　soldier　now　threw　away　all　the　silver　moneyhe　had　taken；　and　fi