ole-luk-oie, the dream-god-第3节

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　　　　〃Am　I　to　hear　any　more　stories？〃　asked　little　Hjalmar；　as　soon

as　Ole…Luk…Oie　had　sent　him　to　sleep。

　　　　〃We　shall　have　no　time　this　evening；〃　said　he；　spreading　out　his

prettiest　umbrella　over　the　child。　〃Look　at　these　Chinese；〃　and　then

the　whole　umbrella　appeared　like　a　large　china　bowl；　with　blue　trees

and　pointed　bridges；　upon　which　stood　little　Chinamen　nodding　their

heads。　〃We　must　make　all　the　world　beautiful　for　to…morrow　morning；〃

said　Ole…Luk…Oie；　〃for　it　will　be　a　holiday；　it　is　Sunday。　I　must

now　go　to　the　church　steeple　and　see　if　the　little　sprites　who　live

there　have　polished　the　bells；　so　that　they　may　sound　sweetly。　Then

I　must　go　into　the　fields　and　see　if　the　wind　has　blown　the　dust

from　the　grass　and　the　leaves；　and　the　most　difficult　task　of　all

which　I　have　to　do；　is　to　take　down　all　the　stars　and　brighten　them

up。　I　have　to　number　them　first　before　I　put　them　in　my　apron；　and

also　to　number　the　places　from　which　I　take　them；　so　that　they　may

go　back　into　the　right　holes；　or　else　they　would　not　remain；　and　we

should　have　a　number　of　falling　stars；　for　they　would　all　tumble

down　one　after　the　other。〃

　　　　〃Hark　ye！　Mr。　Luk…Oie；〃　said　an　old　portrait　which　hung　on　the

wall　of　Hjalmar's　bedroom。　〃Do　you　know　me？　I　am　Hjalmar's

great…grandfather。　I　thank　you　for　telling　the　boy　stories；　but　you

must　not　confuse　his　ideas。　The　stars　cannot　be　taken　down　from　the

sky　and　polished；　they　are　spheres　like　our　earth；　which　is　a　good

thing　for　them。〃

　　　　〃Thank　you；　old　great…grandfather；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie。　〃I　thank

you；　you　may　be　the　head　of　the　family；　as　no　doubt　you　are；　but　I

am　older　than　you。　I　am　an　ancient　heathen。　The　old　Romans　and

Greeks　named　me　the　Dream…god。　I　have　visited　the　noblest　houses；

and　continue　to　do　so；　still　I　know　how　to　conduct　myself　both　to　high

and　low；　and　now　you　may　tell　the　stories　yourself：〃　and　so

Ole…Luk…Oie　walked　off；　taking　his　umbrellas　with　him。

　　　　〃Well；　well；　one　is　never　to　give　an　opinion；　I　suppose；〃　grumbled

the　portrait。　And　it　woke　Hjalmar。

SUNDAY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUNDAY



　　　　〃Good　evening；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie。

　　　　Hjalmar　nodded；　and　then　sprang　out　of　bed；　and　turned　his

great…grandfather's　portrait　to　the　wall；　so　that　it　might　not

interrupt　them　as　it　had　done　yesterday。　〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃you　must

tell　me　some　stories　about　five　green　peas　that　lived　in　one　pod；　or

of　the　chickseed　that　courted　the　chickweed；　or　of　the　darning　needle；

who　acted　so　proudly　because　she　fancied　herself　an　embroidery

needle。〃

　　　　〃You　may　have　too　much　of　a　good　thing；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie。　〃You

know　that　I　like　best　to　show　you　something；　so　I　will　show　you　my

brother。　He　is　also　called　Ole…Luk…Oie　but　he　never　visits　any　one　but

once；　and　when　he　does　come；　he　takes　him　away　on　his　horse；　and　tells

him　stories　as　they　ride　along。　He　knows　only　two　stories。　One　of

these　is　so　wonderfully　beautiful；　that　no　one　in　the　world　can

imagine　anything　at　all　like　it；　but　the　other　is　just　as　ugly　and

frightful；　so　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　describe　it。〃　Then

Ole…Luk…Oie　lifted　Hjalmar　up　to　the　window。　〃There　now；　you　can　see

my　brother；　the　other　Ole…Luk…Oie；　he　is　also　called　Death。　You

perceive　he　is　not　so　bad　as　they　represent　him　in　picture　books；

there　he　is　a　skeleton；　but　now　his　coat　is　embroidered　with　silver；

and　he　wears　the　splendid　uniform　of　a　hussar；　and　a　mantle　of　black

velvet　flies　behind　him；　over　the　horse。　Look；　how　he　gallops

along。〃　Hjalmar　saw　that　as　this　Ole…Luk…Oie　rode　on；　he　lifted　up　old

and　young；　and　carried　them　away　on　his　horse。　Some　he　seated　in　front

of　him；　and　some　behind；　but　always　inquired　first；　〃How　stands　the

mark…book？〃

　　　　〃Good；〃　they　all　answered。

　　　　〃Yes；　but　let　me　see　for　myself；〃　he　replied；　and　they　were

obliged　to　give　him　the　books。　Then　all　those　who　had　〃Very　good；〃

or　〃Exceedingly　good；〃　came　in　front　of　the　horse；　and　heard　the

beautiful　story；　while　those　who　had　〃Middling；〃　or　〃Tolerably

good；〃　in　their　books；　were　obliged　to　sit　behind；　and　listen　to　the

frightful　tale。　They　trembled　and　cried；　and　wanted　to　jump　down

from　the　horse；　but　they　could　not　get　free；　for　they　seemed

fastened　to　the　seat。

　　　　〃Why；　Death　is　a　most　splendid　Luk…Oie；〃　said　Hjalmar。　〃I　am　not

in　the　least　afraid　of　him。〃

　　　　〃You　need　have　no　fear　of　him；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie；　〃if　you　take

care　and　keep　a　good　conduct　book。〃

　　　　〃Now　I　call　that　very　instructive；〃　murmured　the

great…grandfather's　portrait。　〃It　is　useful　sometimes　to　express　an

opinion；〃　so　he　was　quite　satisfied。

　　　　These　are　some　of　the　doings　and　sayings　of　Ole…Luk…Oie。　I　hope　he

may　visit　you　himself　this　evening；　and　relate　some　more。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。