安徒生童话-第42章

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rprised　she　was　tosee　in　the　middle　of　the　flower；　a　tiny　little　man；　as　white　andtransparent　as　if　he　had　been　made　of　crystal！　He　had　a　gold　crownon　his　head；　and　delicate　wings　at　his　shoulders；　and　was　not　muchlarger　than　Tiny　herself。　He　was　the　angel　of　the　flower；　for　a　tinyman　and　a　tiny　woman　dwell　in　every　flower；　and　this　was　the　king　ofthem　all。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful　he　is！〃　whispered　Tiny　to　the　swallow。

The　little　prince　was　at　first　quite　frightened　at　the　bird；　whowas　like　a　giant；　pared　to　such　a　delicate　little　creature　ashimself；　but　when　he　saw　Tiny；　he　was　delighted；　and　thought　her　theprettiest　little　maiden　he　had　ever　seen。　He　took　the　gold　crownfrom　his　head；　and　placed　it　on　hers；　and　asked　her　name；　and　if　shewould　be　his　wife；　and　queen　over　all　the　flowers。

This　certainly　was　a　very　different　sort　of　husband　to　the　sonof　a　toad；　or　the　mole；　with　my　black　velvet　and　fur；　so　she　said；〃Yes；〃　to　the　handsome　prince。　Then　all　the　flowers　opened；　and　out　ofeach　came　a　little　lady　or　a　tiny　lord；　all　so　pretty　it　was　quite　apleasure　to　look　at　them。　Each　of　them　brought　Tiny　a　present；　but　thebest　gift　was　a　pair　of　beautiful　wings；　which　had　belonged　to　a　largewhite　fly　and　they　fastened　them　to　Tiny's　shoulders；　so　that　shemight　fly　from　flower　to　flower。　Then　there　was　much　rejoicing；　andthe　little　swallow　who　sat　above　them；　in　his　nest；　was　asked　tosing　a　wedding　song；　which　he　did　as　well　as　he　could；　but　in　hisheart　he　felt　sad　for　he　was　very　fond　of　Tiny；　and　would　have　likednever　to　part　from　her　again。

〃You　must　not　be　called　Tiny　any　more；〃　said　the　spirit　of　theflowers　to　her。　〃It　is　an　ugly　name；　and　you　are　so　very　pretty。　Wewill　call　you　Maia。〃

〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　said　the　swallow；　with　a　heavy　heart　as　heleft　the　warm　countries　to　fly　back　into　Denmark。　There　he　had　anest　over　the　window　of　a　house　in　which　dwelt　the　writer　of　fairytales。　The　swallow　sang；　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　and　from　his　song　came　thewhole　story。

　THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　LITTLE　TUK

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

YES；　they　called　him　Little　Tuk；　but　it　was　not　his　real　name；he　had　called　himself　so　before　he　could　speak　plainly；　and　he　meantit　for　Charles。　It　was　all　very　well　for　those　who　knew　him；　but　notfor　strangers。

Little　Tuk　was　left　at　home　to　take　care　of　his　little　sister；Gustava；　who　was　much　younger　than　himself；　and　he　had　to　learn　hislessons　at　the　same　time；　and　the　two　things　could　not　very　well　beperformed　together。　The　poor　boy　sat　there　with　his　sister　on　his　lap；and　sung　to　her　all　the　songs　he　knew；　and　now　and　then　he　looked　intohis　geography　lesson　that　lay　open　before　him。　By　the　next　morninghe　had　to　learn　by　heart　all　the　towns　in　Zealand；　and　all　thatcould　be　described　of　them。

His　mother　came　home　at　last；　and　took　little　Gustava　in　her　arms。Then　Tuk　ran　to　the　window；　and　read　so　eagerly　that　he　nearly　readhis　eyes　out；　for　it　had　bee　darker　and　darker　every　minute；　andhis　mother　had　no　money　to　buy　a　light。

〃There　goes　the　old　washerwoman　up　the　lane；〃　said　the　mother；as　she　looked　out　of　the　window；　〃the　poor　woman　can　hardly　dragherself　along；　and　now　she　had　to　drag　a　pail　of　water　from　thewell。　Be　a　good　boy；　Tuk；　and　run　across　and　help　the　old　woman；　won'tyou？〃

So　Tuk　ran　across　quickly；　and　helped　her；　but　when　he　came　backinto　the　room　it　was　quite　dark；　and　there　was　not　a　word　said　about　alight；　so　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　bed　on　his　little　trucklebedstead；　and　there　he　lay　and　thought　of　his　geography　lesson；　and　ofZealand；　and　of　all　the　master　had　told　him。　He　ought　really　to　haveread　it　over　again；　but　he　could　not　for　want　of　light。　So　he　putthe　geography　book　under　his　pillow；　for　he　had　heard　that　this　wasa　great　help　towards　learning　a　lesson；　but　not　always　to　bedepended　upon。　He　still　lay　thinking　and　thinking；　when　all　at　once　itseemed　as　if　some　one　kissed　him　on　his　eyes　and　mouth。　He　slept　andyet　he　did　not　sleep；　and　it　appeared　as　if　the　old　washerwoman　lookedat　him　with　kind　eyes　and　said；　〃It　would　be　a　great　pity　if　you　didnot　know　your　lesson　to…morrow　morning；　you　helped　me；　and　now　Iwill　help　you；　and　Providence　will　always　keep　those　who　helpthemselves；〃　and　at　the　same　time　the　book　under　Tuk's　pillow　began　tomove　about。　〃Cluck；　cluck；　cluck；〃　cried　a　hen　as　she　crept　towardshim。　〃I　am　a　hen　from　Kjoge；〃　and　then　she　told　him　how　manyinhabitants　the　town　contained；　and　about　a　battle　that　had　beenfought　there；　which　really　was　not　worth　speaking　of。

〃Crack；　crack；〃　down　fell　something。　It　was　a　wooden　bird；　theparrot　which　is　used　as　a　target　as　Prastoe。　He　said　there　were　asmany　inhabitants　in　that　town　as　he　had　nails　in　his　body。　He　was　veryproud；　and　said；　〃Thorwalsden　lived　close　to　me；　and　here　I　am　now；quite　fortable。〃

But　now　little　Tuk　was　no　longer　in　bed；　all　in　a　moment　hefound　himself　on　horseback。　Gallop；　gallop；　away　he　went；　seated　infront　of　a　richly…attired　knight；　with　a　waving　plume；　who　held　him　onthe　saddle；　and　so　they　rode　through　the　wood　by　the　old　town　ofWordingburg；　which　was　very　large　and　busy。　The　king's　castle　wassurrounded　by　lofty　towers；　and　radiant　light　streamed　from　all　thewindows。　Within　there　were　songs　and　dancing；　King　Waldemar　and　theyoung　gayly…dressed　ladies　of　the　court　were　dancing　together。　Morningdawned；　and　as　the　sun　rose；　the　whole　city　and　the　king's　castle　sanksuddenly　down　together。　One　tower　after　another　fell；　till　at　lastonly　one　remained　standing　on　the　hill　where　the　castle　had　formerlybeen。

The　town　now　appeared　small　and　poor；　and　the　school…boys　readin　their　books；　which　they　carried　under　their　arms；　that　it　containedtwo　thousand　inhabitants；　but　this　was　a　mere　boast；　for　it　did　notcontain　so　many。

And　again　little　Tuk　lay　in　his　bed；　scarcely　knowing　whether　hewas　dreaming　or　not；　for　some　one　stood　by　him。

〃Tuk！　little　Tuk！〃　said　a　voice。　It　was　a　very　little　person　whospoke。　He　was　dressed　as　a　sailor；　and　looked　small　enough　to　be　amiddy；　but　he　was　not　one。　〃I　bring　you　many　greetings　from　Corsor。　Itis　a　rising　town；　full　of　life。　It　has　steamships　and　mail…coaches。　Intimes　past　they　used　to　call　it　ugly；　but　that　is　no　longer　true。　Ilie　on　the　sea…shore；〃　said　Corsor；　〃I　have　high…roads　andpleasure…gardens；　I　have　given　birth　to　a　poet　who　was　witty　andentertaining；　which　they　are　not　all。　I　once　wanted　to　fit　out　aship　to　sail　round　the　world；　but　I　did　not　acplish　it；　though　mostlikely　I　might　have　done　so。　But　I　am　fragrant　with　perfume；　for　closeto　my　gates　most　lovely　roses　bloom。〃

Then　before　the　eyes　of　little　Tuk　appeared　a　confusion　of　colors；red　and　green；　but　it　cleared　off；　and　he　could　distinguish　a　cliffclose　to　the　bay；　the　slopes　of　which　were　quite　overgrown　withverdure；　and　on　its　summit　stood　a　fine　old　church　with　pointedtowers。　Springs　of　water　flowed　out　of　the　cliff　in　thick　waterspouts；so　that　there　was　a　continual　splashing。　Close　by　sat　an　old　king　witha　golden　crown　on　his　white　head。　This　was　King　Hroar　of　the　Springsand　near　the　springs　stood　the　town　of　Roeskilde；　as　it　is　called。Then　all　the　kings　and　queens　of　Denmark　went　up　the　ascent　to　the　oldchurch；　hand　in　hand；　wi