安徒生童话-第39章

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Then　she　took　a　little　paper　box；　on　which　were　paintedbeautiful　birds；　and　laid　the　dead　flowers　in　it。

〃This　shall　be　your　pretty　coffin；〃　she　said；　〃and　by　and　by；　whenmy　cousins　e　to　visit　me；　they　shall　help　me　to　bury　you　out　in　thegarden；　so　that　next　summer　you　may　grow　up　again　more　beautifulthan　ever。〃

Her　cousins　were　two　good…tempered　boys；　whose　names　were　Jamesand　Adolphus。　Their　father　had　given　them　each　a　bow　and　arrow；　andthey　had　brought　them　to　show　Ida。　She　told　them　about　the　poorflowers　which　were　dead；　and　as　soon　as　they　obtained　permission；　theywent　with　her　to　bury　them。　The　two　boys　walked　first；　with　theircrossbows　on　their　shoulders；　and　little　Ida　followed；　carrying　thepretty　box　containing　the　dead　flowers。　They　dug　a　little　grave　in　thegarden。　Ida　kissed　her　flowers　and　then　laid　them；　with　the　box；　inthe　earth。　James　and　Adolphus　then　fired　their　crossbows　over　thegrave；　as　they　had　neither　guns　nor　cannons。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　LITTLE　TINY　OR　THUMBELINA

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

THERE　was　once　a　woman　who　wished　very　much　to　have　a　littlechild；　but　she　could　not　obtain　her　wish。　At　last　she　went　to　a　fairy；and　said；　〃I　should　so　very　much　like　to　have　a　little　child；　canyou　tell　me　where　I　can　find　one？〃

〃Oh；　that　can　be　easily　managed；〃　said　the　fairy。　〃Here　is　abarleycorn　of　a　different　kind　to　those　which　grow　in　the　farmer'sfields；　and　which　the　chickens　eat；　put　it　into　a　flower…pot；　andsee　what　will　happen。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　woman；　and　she　gave　the　fairy　twelveshillings；　which　was　the　price　of　the　barleycorn。　Then　she　went　homeand　planted　it；　and　immediately　there　grew　up　a　large　handsome　flower；something　like　a　tulip　in　appearance；　but　with　its　leaves　tightlyclosed　as　if　it　were　still　a　bud。　〃It　is　a　beautiful　flower；〃　said　thewoman；　and　she　kissed　the　red　and　golden…colored　leaves；　and　while　shedid　so　the　flower　opened；　and　she　could　see　that　it　was　a　realtulip。　Within　the　flower；　upon　the　green　velvet　stamens；　sat　a　verydelicate　and　graceful　little　maiden。　She　was　scarcely　half　as　longas　a　thumb；　and　they　gave　her　the　name　of　〃Thumbelina；〃　or　Tiny；because　she　was　so　small。　A　walnut…shell；　elegantly　polished；　servedher　for　a　cradle；　her　bed　was　formed　of　blue　violet…leaves；　with　arose…leaf　for　a　counterpane。　Here　she　slept　at　night；　but　during　theday　she　amused　herself　on　a　table；　where　the　woman　had　placed　aplateful　of　water。　Round　this　plate　were　wreaths　of　flowers　with　theirstems　in　the　water；　and　upon　it　floated　a　large　tulip…leaf；　whichserved　Tiny　for　a　boat。　Here　the　little　maiden　sat　and　rowed　herselffrom　side　to　side；　with　two　oars　made　of　white　horse…hair。　It　reallywas　a　very　pretty　sight。　Tiny　could；　also；　sing　so　softly　andsweetly　that　nothing　like　her　singing　had　ever　before　been　heard。One　night；　while　she　lay　in　her　pretty　bed；　a　large；　ugly；　wet　toadcrept　through　a　broken　pane　of　glass　in　the　window；　and　leaped　rightupon　the　table　where　Tiny　lay　sleeping　under　her　rose…leaf　quilt。〃What　a　pretty　little　wife　this　would　make　for　my　son；　said　thetoad；　and　she　took　up　the　walnut…shell　in　which　little　Tiny　layasleep；　and　jumped　through　the　window　with　it　into　the　garden。

In　the　swampy　margin　of　a　broad　stream　in　the　garden　lived　thetoad；　with　her　son。　He　was　uglier　even　than　his　mother；　and　when　hesaw　the　pretty　little　maiden　in　her　elegant　bed；　he　could　only　cry；〃Croak；　croak；　croak。〃

〃Don't　speak　so　loud；　or　she　will　wake；〃　said　the　toad；　〃andthen　she　might　run　away；　for　she　is　as　light　as　swan's　down。　We　willplace　her　on　one　of　the　water…lily　leaves　out　in　the　stream；　it　willbe　like　an　island　to　her；　she　is　so　light　and　small；　and　then　shecannot　escape；　and；　while　she　is　away；　we　will　make　haste　andprepare　the　state…room　under　the　marsh；　in　which　you　are　to　livewhen　you　are　married。〃

Far　out　in　the　stream　grew　a　number　of　water…lilies；　with　broadgreen　leaves；　which　seemed　to　float　on　the　top　of　the　water。　Thelargest　of　these　leaves　appeared　farther　off　than　the　rest；　and　theold　toad　swam　out　to　it　with　the　walnut…shell；　in　which　little　Tinylay　still　asleep。　The　tiny　little　creature　woke　very　early　in　themorning；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly　when　she　found　where　she　was；　forshe　could　see　nothing　but　water　on　every　side　of　the　large　green　leaf；and　no　way　of　reaching　the　land。　Meanwhile　the　old　toad　was　verybusy　under　the　marsh；　decking　her　room　with　rushes　and　wild　yellowflowers；　to　make　it　look　pretty　for　her　new　daughter…in…law。　Thenshe　swam　out　with　her　ugly　son　to　the　leaf　on　which　she　had　placedpoor　little　Tiny。　She　wanted　to　fetch　the　pretty　bed；　that　she　mightput　it　in　the　bridal　chamber　to　be　ready　for　her。　The　old　toad　bowedlow　to　her　in　the　water；　and　said；　〃Here　is　my　son；　he　will　be　yourhusband；　and　you　will　live　happily　in　the　marsh　by　the　stream。〃

〃Croak；　croak；　croak；〃　was　all　her　son　could　say　for　himself；　sothe　toad　took　up　the　elegant　little　bed；　and　swam　away　with　it；leaving　Tiny　all　alone　on　the　green　leaf；　where　she　sat　and　wept。She　could　not　bear　to　think　of　living　with　the　old　toad；　and　havingher　ugly　son　for　a　husband。　The　little　fishes；　who　swam　about　in　thewater　beneath；　had　seen　the　toad；　and　heard　what　she　said；　so　theylifted　their　heads　above　the　water　to　look　at　the　little　maiden。　Assoon　as　they　caught　sight　of　her；　they　saw　she　was　very　pretty；　and　itmade　them　very　sorry　to　think　that　she　must　go　and　live　with　theugly　toads。　〃No；　it　must　never　be！〃　so　they　assembled　together　inthe　water；　round　the　green　stalk　which　held　the　leaf　on　which　thelittle　maiden　stood；　and　gnawed　it　away　at　the　root　with　theirteeth。　Then　the　leaf　floated　down　the　stream；　carrying　Tiny　far　awayout　of　reach　of　land。

Tiny　sailed　past　many　towns；　and　the　little　birds　in　the　bushessaw　her；　and　sang；　〃What　a　lovely　little　creature；〃　so　the　leaf　swamaway　with　her　farther　and　farther；　till　it　brought　her　to　other　lands。A　graceful　little　white　butterfly　constantly　fluttered　round　her；and　at　last　alighted　on　the　leaf。　Tiny　pleased　him；　and　she　was　gladof　it；　for　now　the　toad　could　not　possibly　reach　her；　and　thecountry　through　which　she　sailed　was　beautiful；　and　the　sun　shone　uponthe　water；　till　it　glittered　like　liquid　gold。　She　took　off　her　girdleand　tied　one　end　of　it　round　the　butterfly；　and　the　other　end　of　theribbon　she　fastened　to　the　leaf；　which　now　glided　on　much　fasterthan　ever；　taking　little　Tiny　with　it　as　she　stood。　Presently　alarge　cockchafer　flew　by；　the　moment　he　caught　sight　of　her；　he　seizedher　round　her　delicate　waist　with　his　claws；　and　flew　with　her　intoa　tree。　The　green　leaf　floated　away　on　the　brook；　and　the　butterflyflew　with　it；　for　he　was　fastened　to　it；　and　could　not　get　away。

Oh；　how　frightened　little　Tiny　felt　when　the　cockchafer　flewwith　her　to　the　tree！　But　especially　was　she　sorry　for　the　beautifulwhite　butterfly　which　she　had　fastened　to　the　leaf；　for　if　he　couldnot　free　himself　he　would　die　of　hunger。　But　the　cockchafer　did　nottrouble　himself　at　all　about　the　matter。　He　seated　himself　by　her　sideon　a　large　green　leaf；　gave　her　some　honey　from　the　flowers　to　eat；and　told　her　she　was　very　pretty；　though　not　in　the　least　like　acockchafer。　After　a　time；　all　the