安徒生童话-第259章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


en　she　told　a　storythat　made　the　feathers　on　the　other　hens　bristle　up；　and　the　cock'sb　fall。　There　was　no　doubt　about　it。

But　we　will　begin　at　the　beginning；　and　that　is　to　be　found　in　ahen…roost　in　another　part　of　the　town。　The　sun　was　setting；　and　thefowls　were　flying　on　to　their　roost；　one　hen；　with　white　feathersand　short　legs；　used　to　lay　her　eggs　according　to　the　regulations；　andwas；　as　a　hen；　respectable　in　every　way。　As　she　was　flying　upon　theroost；　she　plucked　herself　with　her　beak；　and　a　little　feather　cameout。

〃There　it　goes；〃　she　said；　〃the　more　I　pluck；　the　more　beautifuldo　I　get。〃　She　said　this　merrily；　for　she　was　the　best　of　the　hens；and；　moreover；　as　had　been　said；　very　respectable。　With　that　shewent　to　sleep。

It　was　dark　all　around；　and　hen　sat　close　to　hen；　but　the　onewho　sat　nearest　to　her　merry　neighbour　did　not　sleep。　She　had　heardand　yet　not　heard；　as　we　are　often　obliged　to　do　in　this　world；　inorder　to　live　at　peace；　but　she　could　not　keep　it　from　her　neighbouron　the　other　side　any　longer。　〃Did　you　hear　what　was　said？　I　mentionno　names；　but　there　is　a　hen　here　who　intends　to　pluck　herself　inorder　to　look　well。　If　I　were　a　cock；　I　should　despise　her。〃

Just　over　the　fowls　sat　the　owl；　with　father　owl　and　the　littleowls。　The　family　has　sharp　ears；　and　they　all　heard　every　word　thattheir　neighbour　had　said。　They　rolled　their　eyes；　and　mother　owl；beating　her　wings；　said：　〃Don't　listen　to　her！　But　I　suppose　you　heardwhat　was　said？　I　heard　it　with　my　own　ears；　and　one　has　to　hear　agreat　deal　before　they　fall　off。　There　is　one　among　the　fowls　whohas　so　far　forgotten　what　is　being　to　a　hen　that　she　plucks　out　allher　feathers　and　lets　the　cock　see　it。〃

〃Prenez　garde　aux　enfants！〃　said　father　owl；　〃children　shouldnot　hear　such　things。〃

〃But　I　must　tell　our　neighbour　owl　about　it；　she　is　such　anestimable　owl　to　talk　to。〃　And　with　that　she　flew　away。

〃Too…whoo！　Too…whoo！〃　they　both　hooted　into　the　neighbour'sdove…cot　to　the　doves　inside。　〃Have　you　heard？　Have　you　heard？Too…whoo！　There　is　a　hen　who　has　plucked　out　all　her　feathers　forthe　sake　of　the　cock；　she　will　freeze　to　death；　if　she　is　not　frozenalready。　Too…whoo！〃

〃Where？　where？〃　cooed　the　doves。

〃In　the　neighbour's　yard。　I　have　as　good　as　seen　it　myself。　Itis　almost　unbeing　to　tell　the　story；　but　there　is　no　doubt　aboutit。〃

〃Believe　every　word　of　what　we　tell　you；〃　said　the　doves；　andcooed　down　into　their　poultry…yard。　〃There　is　a　hen…　nay；　some　saythat　there　are　two…　who　have　plucked　out　all　their　feathers；　inorder　not　to　look　like　the　others；　and　to　attract　the　attention　of　thecock。　It　is　a　dangerous　game；　for　one　can　easily　catch　cold　and　diefrom　fever；　and　both　of　these　are　dead　already。〃

〃Wake　up！　wake　up！〃　crowed　the　cock；　and　flew　upon　his　board。Sleep　was　still　in　his　eyes；　but　yet　he　crowed　out：　〃Three　hens　havedied　of　their　unfortunate　love　for　a　cock。　They　had　plucked　out　alltheir　feathers。　It　is　a　horrible　story：　I　will　not　keep　it　tomyself；　but　let　it　go　farther。〃

〃Let　it　go　farther；〃　shrieked　the　bats；　and　the　hens　clucked　andthe　cocks　crowed；　〃Let　it　go　farther！　Let　it　go　farther！〃　In　thisway　the　story　travelled　from　poultry…yard　to　poultry…yard；　and　at　lastcame　back　to　the　place　from　which　it　had　really　started。

〃Five　hens；〃　it　now　ran；　〃have　plucked　out　all　their　feathers　toshow　which　of　them　had　grown　leanest　for　love　of　the　cock；　and　thenthey　all　pecked　at　each　other　till　the　blood　ran　down　and　they　felldown　dead；　to　the　derision　and　shame　of　their　family；　and　to　the　greatloss　of　their　owner。〃

The　hen　who　had　lost　the　loose　little　feather　naturally　did　notrecognise　her　own　story；　and　being　a　respectable　hen；　said：　〃I　despisethose　fowls；　but　there　are　more　of　that　kind。　Such　things　ought　not　tobe　concealed；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　get　the　story　into　thepapers；　so　that　it　bees　known　throughout　the　land；　the　hens　haverichly　deserved　it；　and　their　family　too。〃

It　got　into　the　papers；　it　was　printed；　and　there　is　no　doubtabout　it；　one　little　feather　may　easily　grow　into　five　hens。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　TWO　BROTHERS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

ON　one　of　the　Danish　islands；　where　old　Thingstones；　the　seatsof　justice　of　our　forefathers；　still　stand　in　the　cornfields；　and　hugetrees　rise　in　the　forests　of　beech；　there　lies　a　little　town　whose　lowhouses　are　covered　with　red　tiles。　In　one　of　these　houses　strangethings　were　brewing　over　the　glowing　coals　on　the　open　hearth；　therewas　a　boiling　going　on　in　glasses；　and　a　mixing　and　distilling；while　herbs　were　being　cut　up　and　pounded　in　mortars。　An　elderly　manlooked　after　it　all。

〃One　must　only　do　the　right　thing；〃　he　said；　〃yes；　the　right…the　correct　thing。　One　must　find　out　the　truth　concerning　everycreated　particle；　and　keep　to　that。〃

In　the　room　with　the　good　housewife　sat　her　two　sons；　they　werestill　small；　but　had　great　thoughts。　Their　mother；　too；　had　alwaysspoken　to　them　of　right　and　justice；　and　exhorted　them　to　keep　tothe　truth；　which　she　said　was　the　countenance　of　the　Lord　in　thisworld。

The　elder　of　the　boys　looked　roguish　and　enterprising。　He　took　adelight　in　reading　of　the　forces　of　nature；　of　the　sun　and　the　moon；no　fairy　tale　pleased　him　so　much。　Oh；　how　beautiful　it　must　be；　hethought；　to　go　on　voyages　of　discovery；　or　to　find　out　how　toimitate　the　wings　of　birds　and　then　to　be　able　to　fly！　Yes；　to　findthat　out　was　the　right　thing。　Father　was　right；　and　mother　wasright…　truth　holds　the　world　together。

The　younger　brother　was　quieter；　and　buried　himself　entirely　inhis　books。　When　he　read　about　Jacob　dressing　himself　in　sheep…skins　topersonify　Esau；　and　so　to　usurp　his　brother's　birthright；　he　wouldclench　his　little　fist　in　anger　against　the　deceiver；　when　he　readof　tyrants　and　of　the　injustice　and　wickedness　of　the　world；　tearswould　e　into　his　eyes；　and　he　was　quite　filled　with　the　thoughtof　the　justice　and　truth　which　must　and　would　triumph。

One　evening　he　was　lying　in　bed；　but　the　curtains　were　not　yetdrawn　close；　and　the　light　streamed　in　upon　him；　he　had　taken　his　bookinto　bed　with　him；　for　he　wanted　to　finish　reading　the　story　of　Solon。His　thoughts　lifted　and　carried　him　away　a　wonderful　distance；　itseemed　to　him　as　if　the　bed　had　bee　a　ship　flying　along　underfull　sail。　Was　he　dreaming；　or　what　was　happening？　It　glided　overthe　rolling　waves　and　across　the　ocean　of　time；　and　to　him　came　thevoice　of　Solon；　spoken　in　a　strange　tongue；　yet　intelligible　to　him；he　heard　the　Danish　motto：　〃By　law　the　land　is　ruled。〃

The　genius　of　the　human　race　stood　in　the　humble　room；　bent　downover　the　bed　and　imprinted　a　kiss　on　the　boy's　forehead：　〃Be　thoustrong　in　fame　and　strong　in　the　battle　of　life！　With　truth　in　thyheart　fly　toward　the　land　of　truth！〃

The　elder　brother　was　not　yet　in　bed；　he　was　standing　at　thewindow　looking　out　at　the　mist　which　rose　from　the　meadows。　Theywere　not　elves　dancing　out　there；　as　their　old　nurse　had　told　him；he　knew　better…　they　were　vapours　which　were　warmer　than　the　air；and　that　is　why　they　rose。　A　shooting　star　lit　up　the　sky；　and　theboy's　thoughts　passed　in　a　second　from　the　vapours　of　the　earth　upto　the　shining　meteor。　The　stars　gleamed　in　the　heave