安徒生童话-第260章

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ed　in　a　second　from　the　vapours　of　the　earth　upto　the　shining　meteor。　The　stars　gleamed　in　the　heavens；　and　it　seemedas　if　long　golden　threads　hung　down　from　them　to　the　earth。

〃Fly　with　me；〃　sang　a　voice；　which　the　boy　heard　in　his　heart。　Andthe　mighty　genius　of　mankind；　swifter　than　a　bird　and　than　an　arrow…swifter　than　anything　of　earthly　origin…　carried　him　out　into　space；where　the　heavenly　bodies　are　bound　together　by　the　rays　that　passfrom　star　to　star。　Our　earth　revolved　in　the　thin　air；　and　thecities　upon　it　seemed　to　lie　close　to　each　other。　Through　thespheres　echoed　the　words：

〃What　is　near；　what　is　far；　when　thou　art　lifted　by　the　mightygenius　of　mind？〃

And　again　the　boy　stood　by　the　window；　gazing　out；　whilst　hisyounger　brother　lay　in　bed。　Their　mother　called　them　by　their　names：〃Anders　Sandoe〃　and　〃Hans　Christian。〃

Denmark　and　the　whole　world　knows　them…　the　two　brothers　Oersted。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　TWO　MAIDENS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

HAVE　you　ever　seen　a　maiden？　I　mean　what　our　pavers　call　a　maiden；a　thing　with　which　they　ram　down　the　paving…stones　in　the　roads。　Amaiden　of　this　kind　is　made　altogether　of　wood；　broad　below；　andgirt　round　with　iron　rings。　At　the　top　she　is　narrow；　and　has　astick　passed　across　through　her　waist；　and　this　stick　forms　the　armsof　the　maiden。

In　the　shed　stood　two　Maidens　of　this　kind。　They　had　their　placeamong　shovels；　hand…carts；　wheelbarrows；　and　measuring…tapes；　and　toall　this　pany　the　news　had　e　that　the　Maidens　were　no　longerto　be　called　〃maidens；〃　but　〃hand…rammers；〃　which　word　was　thenewest　and　the　only　correct　designation　among　the　pavers　for　the　thingwe　all　know　from　the　old　times　by　the　name　of　〃the　maiden。〃

Now；　there　are　among　us　human　creatures　certain　individuals　whoare　known　as　〃emancipated　women；〃　as；　for　instance；　principals　ofinstitutions；　dancers　who　stand　professionally　on　one　leg；milliners；　and　sick…nurses；　and　with　this　class　of　emancipated　womenthe　two　Maidens　in　the　shed　associated　themselves。　They　were　〃maidens〃among　the　paver　folk；　and　determined　not　to　give　up　this　honorableappellation；　and　let　themselves　be　miscalled　〃rammers。

〃Maiden　is　a　human　name；　but　hand…rammer　is　a　thing；　and　wewon't　be　called　things…　that's　insulting　us。〃

〃My　lover　would　be　ready　to　give　up　his　engagement；〃　said　theyoungest；　who　was　betrothed　to　a　paver's　hammer；　and　the　hammer　is　thething　which　drives　great　piles　into　the　earth；　like　a　machine；　andtherefore　does　on　a　large　scale　what　ten　maidens　effect　in　a　similarway。　〃He　wants　to　marry　me　as　a　maiden；　but　whether　he　would　have　mewere　I　a　hand…rammer　is　a　question；　so　I　won't　have　my　name　changed。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　elder　one；　〃would　rather　have　both　my　armsbroken　off。〃

But　the　Wheelbarrow　was　of　a　different　opinion；　and　theWheelbarrow　was　looked　upon　as　of　some　consequence；　for　heconsidered　himself　a　quarter　of　a　coach；　because　he　went　about　uponone　wheel。

〃I　must　submit　to　your　notice；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　name　'maiden'is　mon　enough；　and　not　nearly　so　refined　as　'hand…rammer；'　or'stamper；'　which　latter　has　also　been　proposed；　and　through　whichyou　would　be　introduced　into　the　category　of　seals；　and　only　thinkof　the　great　stamp　of　state；　which　impresses　the　royal　seal　that　giveseffect　to　the　laws！　No；　in　your　case　I　would　surrender　my　maidenname。〃

〃No；　certainly　not！〃　exclaimed　the　elder。　〃I　am　too　old　for　that。〃

〃I　presume　you　have　never　heard　of　what　is　called　'Europeannecessity？'〃　observed　the　honest　Measuring　Tape。　〃One　must　be　ableto　adapt　one's　self　to　time　and　circumstances；　and　if　there　is　a　lawthat　the　'maiden'　is　to　be　called　'hand…rammer；'　why；　she　must　becalled　'hand…rammer；'　and　no　pouting　will　avail；　for　everything　hasits　measure。〃

〃No；　if　there　must　be　a　change；〃　said　the　younger；　〃I　shouldprefer　to　be　called　'Missy；'　for　that　reminds　one　a　little　ofmaidens。〃

〃But　I　would　rather　be　chopped　to　chips；〃　said　the　elder。

At　last　they　all　went　to　work。　The　Maidens　rode…　that　is；　theywere　put　in　a　wheelbarrow；　and　that　was　a　distinction；　but　stillthey　were　called　〃hand…rammers。〃

〃Mai…！〃　they　said；　as　they　were　bumped　upon　the　pavement。〃Mai…！〃　and　they　were　very　nearly　pronouncing　the　whole　word　〃maiden；〃but　they　broke　off　short；　and　swallowed　the　last　syllable；　for　aftermature　deliberation　they　considered　it　beneath　their　dignity　toprotest。　But　they　always　called　each　other　〃maiden；〃　and　praised　thegood　old　days　in　which　everything　had　been　called　by　its　right　name；and　those　who　were　maidens　were　called　maidens。　And　they　remained　asthey　were；　for　the　hammer　really　broke　off　his　engagement　with　theyounger　one；　for　nothing　would　suit　him　but　he　must　have　a　maidenfor　his　bride。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　UNDER　THE　WILLOW…TREE

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THE　region　round　the　little　town　of　Kjoge　is　very　bleak　andcold。　The　town　lies　on　the　sea　shore；　which　is　always　beautiful；　buthere　it　might　be　more　beautiful　than　it　is；　for　on　every　side　thefields　are　flat；　and　it　is　a　long　way　to　the　forest。　But　whenpersons　reside　in　a　place　and　get　used　to　it；　they　can　always　findsomething　beautiful　in　it；…　something　for　which　they　long；　even　in　themost　charming　spot　in　the　world　which　is　not　home。　It　must　be　ownedthat　there　are　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town　some　humble　gardens　on　thebanks　of　a　little　stream　that　runs　on　towards　the　sea；　and　in　summerthese　gardens　look　very　pretty。　Such　indeed　was　the　opinion　of　twolittle　children；　whose　parents　were　neighbors；　and　who　played　in　thesegardens；　and　forced　their　way　from　one　garden　to　the　other　through　thegooseberry…bushes　that　divided　them。　In　one　of　the　gardens　grew　anelder…tree；　and　in　the　other　an　old　willow；　under　which　the　childrenwere　very　fond　of　playing。　They　had　permission　to　do　so；　althoughthe　tree　stood　close　by　the　stream；　and　they　might　easily　havefallen　into　the　water；　but　the　eye　of　God　watches　over　the　littleones；　otherwise　they　would　never　be　safe。　At　the　same　time；　thesechildren　were　very　careful　not　to　go　too　near　the　water；　indeed；　theboy　was　so　afraid　of　it；　that　in　the　summer；　while　the　otherchildren　were　splashing　about　in　the　sea；　nothing　could　entice　himto　join　them。　They　jeered　and　laughed　at　him；　and　he　was　obliged　tobear　it　all　as　patiently　as　he　could。　Once　the　neighbor's　little　girl；Joanna；　dreamed　that　she　was　sailing　in　a　boat；　and　the　boy…　Knudwas　his　name…　waded　out　in　the　water　to　join　her；　and　the　water　cameup　to　his　neck；　and　at　last　closed　over　his　head；　and　in　a　moment　hehad　disappeared。　When　little　Knud　heard　this　dream；　it　seemed　as　if　hecould　not　bear　the　mocking　and　jeering　again；　how　could　he　dare　togo　into　the　water　now；　after　Joanna's　dream！　He　never　would　do　it；　forthis　dream　always　satisfied　him。　The　parents　of　these　children；　whowere　poor；　often　sat　together　while　Knud　and　Joanna　played　in　thegardens　or　in　the　road。　Along　this　road…　a　row　of　willow…trees　hadbeen　planted　to　separate　it　from　a　ditch　on　one　side　of　it。　Theywere　not　very　handsome　trees；　for　the　tops　had　been　cut　off；however；　they　were　intended　for　use；　and　not　for　show。　The　oldwillow…tree　in　the　garden　was　much　handsomer；　and　t