ole-luk-oie, the dream-god-第2节
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bewildered amongst them。
〃Just look at that fellow；〃 said the chickens。
Then the turkey…cock puffed himself out as large as he could；
and inquired who he was； and the ducks waddled backwards； crying；
〃Quack； quack。〃
Then the stork told them all about warm Africa； of the pyramids；
and of the ostrich； which； like a wild horse； runs across the
desert。 But the ducks did not understand what he said； and quacked
amongst themselves； 〃We are all of the same opinion； namely； that he
is stupid。〃
〃Yes； to be sure； he is stupid；〃 said the turkey…cock； and
gobbled。
Then the stork remained quite silent； and thought of his home in
Africa。
〃Those are handsome thin legs of yours；〃 said the turkey…cock。
〃What do they cost a yard？〃
〃Quack； quack； quack；〃 grinned the ducks； but； the stork pretended
not to hear。
〃You may as well laugh；〃 said the turkey； 〃for that remark was
rather witty； or perhaps it was above you。 Ah； ah； is he not clever？
He will be a great amusement to us while he remains here。〃 And then he
gobbled； and the ducks quacked； 〃Gobble； gobble； Quack； quack。〃
What a terrible uproar they made； while they were having such
fun among themselves！
Then Hjalmar went to the hen…house； and； opening the door；
called to the stork。 Then he hopped out on the deck。 He had rested
himself now； and he looked happy； and seemed as if he nodded to
Hjalmar； as if to thank him。 Then he spread his wings； and flew away
to warmer countries； while the hens clucked； the ducks quacked； and
the turkey…cock turned quite scarlet in the head。
〃To…morrow you shall be made into soup；〃 said Hjalmar to the
fowls； and then he awoke； and found himself lying in his little bed。
It was a wonderful journey which Ole…Luk…Oie had made him take
this night。
THURSDAY
THURSDAY
〃What do you think I have got here？〃 said Ole…Luk…Oie； 〃Do not
be frightened； and you shall see a little mouse。〃 And then he held out
his hand to him； in which lay a lovely little creature。 〃It has come
to invite you to a wedding。 Two little mice are going to enter into
the marriage state tonight。 They reside under the floor of your
mother's store…room； and that must be a fine dwelling…place。〃
〃But how can I get through the little mouse…hole in the floor？〃
asked Hjalmar。
〃Leave me to manage that；〃 said Ole…Luk…Oie。 〃I will soon make you
small enough。〃 And then he touched Hjalmar with his magic wand；
whereupon he became less and less； until at last he was not longer
than a little finger。 〃Now you can borrow the dress of the tin
soldier。 I think it will just fit you。 It looks well to wear a uniform
when you go into company。〃
〃Yes； certainly；〃 said Hjalmar； and in a moment he was dressed
as neatly as the neatest of all tin soldiers。
〃Will you be so good as to seat yourself in your mamma's thimble；〃
said the little mouse； 〃that I may have the pleasure of drawing you to
the wedding。〃
〃Will you really take so much trouble； young lady？〃 said
Hjalmar。 And so in this way he rode to the mouse's wedding。
First they went under the floor； and then passed through a long
passage； which was scarcely high enough to allow the thimble to
drive under； and the whole passage was lit up with the
phosphorescent light of rotten wood。
〃Does it not smell delicious？〃 asked the mouse； as she drew him
along。 〃The wall and the floor have been smeared with bacon…rind；
nothing can be nicer。〃
Very soon they arrived at the bridal hall。 On the right stood
all the little lady…mice； whispering and giggling； as if they were
making game of each other。 To the left were the gentlemen…mice；
stroking their whiskers with their fore…paws； and in the centre of the
hall could be seen the bridal pair； standing side by side； in a hollow
cheese…rind； and kissing each other； while all eyes were upon them；
for they had already been betrothed； and were soon to be married。 More
and more friends kept arriving； till the mice were nearly treading
each other to death； for the bridal pair now stood in the doorway； and
none could pass in or out。
The room had been rubbed over with bacon…rind； like the passage；
which was all the refreshment offered to the guests。 But for dessert
they produced a pea； on which a mouse belonging to the bridal pair had
bitten the first letters of their names。 This was something quite
uncommon。 All the mice said it was a very beautiful wedding； and
that they had been very agreeably entertained。
After this； Hjalmar returned home。 He had certainly been in
grand society； but he had been obliged to creep under a room； and to
make himself small enough to wear the uniform of a tin soldier。
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
〃It is incredible how many old people there are who would be
glad to have me at night；〃 said Ole…Luk…Oie； 〃especially those who
have done something wrong。 'Good little Ole；' say they to me； 'we
cannot close our eyes； and we lie awake the whole night and see all
our evil deeds sitting on our beds like little imps； and sprinkling us
with hot water。 Will you come and drive them away； that we may have
a good night's rest？' and then they sigh so deeply and say； 'We
would gladly pay you for it。 Good…night； Ole…Luk； the money lies on
the window。' But I never do anything for gold。〃 〃What shall we do
to…night？〃 asked Hjalmar。 〃I do not know whether you would care to
go to another wedding；〃 he replied； 〃although it is quite a
different affair to the one we saw last night。 Your sister's large
doll； that is dressed like a man； and is called Herman； intends to
marry the doll Bertha。 It is also the dolls' birthday； and they will
receive many presents。〃
〃Yes； I know that already；〃 said Hjalmar； 〃my sister always allows
her dolls to keep their birthdays or to have a wedding when they
require new clothes； that has happened already a hundred times； I am
quite sure。〃
〃Yes； so it may； but to…night is the hundred and first wedding；
and when that has taken place it must be the last； therefore this is
to be extremely beautiful。 Only look。〃
Hjalmar looked at the table； and there stood the little card…board
doll's house； with lights in all the windows； and drawn up before it
were the tin soldiers presenting arms。 The bridal pair were seated
on the floor； leaning against the leg of the table； looking very
thoughtful； and with good reason。 Then Ole…Luk…Oie dressed up in
grandmother's black gown married them。
As soon as the ceremony was concluded； all the furniture in the
room joined in singing a beautiful song； which had been composed by
the lead pencil； and which went to the melody of a military tattoo。
〃What merry sounds are on the wind；
As marriage rites together bind
A quiet and a loving pair；
Though formed of kid； yet smooth and fair！
Hurrah！ If they are deaf and blind；
We'll sing； though weather prove unkind。〃
And now came the present； but the bridal pair had nothing to
eat； for love was to be their food。
〃Shall we go to a country house； or travel？〃 asked the bridegroom。
Then they consulted the swallow who had travelled so far； and
the old hen in the yard； who had brought up five broods of chickens。
And the swallow talked to them of warm countries； where the grapes
hang in large clusters on the vines； and the air is soft and mild； and
about the mountains glowing with colors more beautiful than we can
think of。
〃But they have no red cabbage like we have；〃 said the hen； 〃I
was once in the country with my chickens for a whole summer； there was
a large sand…pit； in which we could walk about and scratch as we
liked。 Then we got into a garden in which grew red cabbage； oh； how
nice it was； I cannot think of anything more delicious。〃
〃But one cabbage stalk is exactly like another；〃 said the swallow；
〃and here we have often bad weather。〃
〃Yes； but we are accustomed to it；〃 said the hen。
〃But it is so cold here； and freezes sometimes。〃
〃Cold weather is good for cabbages；〃 said the hen； 〃besides we
do have it warm here sometimes。 Four years ago； we had a summer that
lasted more than five weeks； and it was so hot one could scarcely
breathe。 And then in this country we have no poisonous animals； and we
are free from robbers。 He must be wicked who does not consider our
country the finest of all lands。 He ought not to be allowed to live
here。〃 And then the hen wept very much and said； 〃I have also
travelled。 I once went twelve miles in a coop； and it was not pleasant
travelling at all。〃
〃The hen is a sensible woman；〃 said the doll Bertha。 〃I don't care
for travelling over mountains； just to go up and come down again。
No； let us go to the sand…pit in front of the gate； and then take a
walk in the cabbage garden。〃
And so they settled it。
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
〃Am I to hear any more stories？〃 asked little Hjalmar； as soon
as Ole…Luk…Oie had s
