the neighbouring families-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NEIGHBOURING　FAMILIES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　ONE　would　have　thought　that　something　important　was　going　on　in

the　duck…pond；　but　it　was　nothing　after　all。　All　the　ducks　lying

quietly　on　the　water　or　standing　on　their　heads　in　it…　for　they

could　do　that…　at　once　swarm　to　the　sides；　the　traces　of　their　feet

were　seen　in　the　wet　earth；　and　their　cackling　was　heard　far　and　wide。

The　water；　which　a　few　moments　before　had　been　as　clear　and　smooth

as　a　mirror；　became　very　troubled。　Before；　every　tree；　every

neighbouring　bush；　the　old　farmhouse　with　the　holes　in　the　roof　and

the　swallows'　nest；　and　especially　the　great　rose…bush　full　of

flowers；　had　been　reflected　in　it。　The　rose…bush　covered　the　wall

and　hung　out　over　the　water；　in　which　everything　was　seen　as　if　in　a

picture；　except　that　it　all　stood　on　its　head；　but　when　the　water

was　troubled　everything　got　mixed　up；　and　the　picture　was　gone。　Two

feathers　which　the　fluttering　ducks　had　lost　floated　up　and　down；

suddenly　they　took　a　rush　as　if　the　wind　were　coming；　but　as　it　did

not　come　they　had　to　lie　still；　and　the　water　once　more　became　quiet

and　smooth。　The　roses　were　again　reflected；　they　were　very

beautiful；　but　they　did　not　know　it；　for　no　one　had　told　them。　The　sun

shone　among　the　delicate　leaves；　everything　breathed　forth　the

loveliest　fragrance；　and　all　felt　as　we　do　when　we　are　filled　with　joy

at　the　thought　of　our　happiness。

　　　　〃How　beautiful　existence　is！〃　said　each　rose。　〃The　only　thing　that

I　wish　for　is　to　be　able　to　kiss　the　sun；　because　it　is　so　warm　and

bright。　I　should　also　like　to　kiss　those　roses　down　in　the　water；

which　are　so　much　like　us；　and　the　pretty　little　birds　down　in　the

nest。　There　are　some　up　above　too；　they　put　out　their　heads　and　pipe

softly；　they　have　no　feathers　like　their　father　and　mother。　We　have

good　neighbours；　both　below　and　above。　How　beautiful　existence　is！〃

　　　　The　young　ones　above　and　below…　those　below　were　really　only

shadows　in　the　water…　were　sparrows；　their　parents　were　sparrows

too；　and　had　taken　possession　of　the　empty　swallows'　nest　of　last

year；　and　now　lived　in　it　as　if　it　were　their　own　property。

　　　　〃Are　those　the　duck's　children　swimming　here？〃　asked　the　young

sparrows　when　they　saw　the　feathers　on　the　water。

　　　　〃If　you　must　ask　questions；　ask　sensible　ones；〃　said　their　mother。

〃Don't　you　see　that　they　are　feathers；　such　as　I　wear　and　you　will

wear　too？　But　ours　are　finer。　Still；　I　should　like　to　have　them　up

in　the　nest；　for　they　keep　one　warm。　I　am　very　curious　to　know　what

the　ducks　were　so　startled　about；　not　about　us；　certainly；　although

I　did　say　'peep'　to　you　pretty　loudly。　The　thick…headed　roses　ought　to

know　why；　but　they　know　nothing　at　all；　they　only　look　at　themselves

and　smell。　I　am　heartily　tired　of　such　neighbours。〃

　　　　〃Listen　to　the　dear　little　birds　up　there；〃　said　the　roses；

〃they　begin　to　want　to　sing　too；　but　are　not　able　to　manage　it　yet。

But　it　will　soon　come。　What　a　pleasure　that　must　be！　It　is　fine　to

have　such　cheerful　neighbours。〃

　　　　Suddenly　two　horses　came　galloping　up　to　be　watered。　A　peasant　boy

rode　on　one；　and　he　had　taken　off　all　his　clothes　except　his　large

broad　black　hat。　The　boy　whistled　like　a　bird；　and　rode　into　the

pond　where　it　was　deepest；　and　as　he　passed　the　rose…bush　he　plucked　a

rose　and　stuck　it　in　his　hat。　Now　he　looked　dressed；　and　rode　on。

The　other　roses　looked　after　their　sister；　and　asked　each　other；

〃Where　can　she　be　going　to？〃　But　none　of　them　knew。

　　　　〃I　should　like　to　go　out　into　the　world　for　once；〃　said　one；

〃but　here　at　home　among　our　green　leaves　it　is　beautiful　too。　The

whole　day　long　the　sun　shines　bright　and　warm；　and　in　the　night　the

sky　shines　more　beautifully　still；　we　can　see　that　through　all　the

little　holes　in　it。〃

　　　　They　meant　the　stars；　but　they　knew　no　better。

　　　　〃We　make　it　lively　about　the　house；〃　said　the　sparrow…mother；　〃and

people　say　that　a　swallows'　nest　brings　luck；　so　they　are　glad　of

us。　But　such　neighbours　as　ours！　A　rose…bush　on　the　wall　like　that

causes　damp。　I　daresay　it　will　be　taken　away；　then　we　shall；

perhaps；　have　some　corn　growing　here。　The　roses　are　good　for　nothing

but　to　be　looked　at　and　to　be　smelt；　or　at　most　to　be　stuck　in　a

hat。　Every　year；　as　I　have　been　told　by　my　mother；　they　fall　off。

The　farmer's　wife　preserves　them　and　strews　salt　among　them；　then　they

get　a　French　name　which　I　neither　can　pronounce　nor　care　to；　and　are

put　into　the　fire　to　make　a　nice　smell。　You　see；　that's　their　life；

they　exist　only　for　the　eye　and　the　nose。　Now　you　know。〃

　　　　In　the　evening；　when　the　gnats　were　playing　about　in　the　warm

air　and　in　the　red　clouds；　the　nightingale　came　and　sang　to　the

roses　that　the　beautiful　was　like　sunshine　to　the　world；　and　that

the　beautiful　lived　for　ever。　The　roses　thought　that　the　nightingale

was　singing　about　itself；　and　that　one　might　easily　have　believed；

they　had　no　idea　that　the　song　was　about　them。　But　they　were　very

pleased　with　it；　and　wondered　whether　all　the　little　sparrows　could

become　nightingales。

　　　　〃I　understand　the　song　of　that　bird　very　well；〃　said　the　young

sparrows。　〃There　was　only　one　word　that　was　not　clear　to　me。　What　does

'the　beautiful'　mean？〃

　　　　〃Nothing　at　all；〃　answered　their　mother；　〃that's　only　something

external。　Up　at　the　Hall；　where　the　pigeons　have　their　own　house；

and　corn　and　peas　are　strewn　before　them　every　day…　I　have　dined

with　them　myself；　and　that　you　shall　do　in　time；　too；　for　tell　me　what

company　you　keep　and　I'll　tell　you　who　you　are…　up　at　the　Hall　they

have　two　birds　with　green　necks　and　a　crest　upon　their　heads；　they　can

spread　out　their　tails　like　a　great　wheel；　and　these　are　so　bright

with　various　colours　that　it　makes　one's　eyes　ache。　These　birds　are

called　peacocks；　and　that　is　'the　beautiful。'　If　they　were　only

plucked　a　little　they　would　look　no　better　than　the　rest　of　us。　I

would　have　plucked　them　already　if　they　had　not　been　so　big。〃

　　　　〃I'll　pluck　them；〃　piped　the　young　sparrow；　who　had　no　feathers

yet。

　　　　In　the　farmhouse　lived　a　young　married　couple；　they　loved　each

other　dearly；　were　industrious　and　active；　and　everything　in　their

home　looked　very　nice。　On　Sundays　the　young　wife　came　down　early；

plucked　a　handful　of　the　most　beautiful　roses；　and　put　them　into　a

glass　of　water；　which　she　placed　upon　the　cupboard。

　　　　〃Now　I　see　that　it　is　Sunday；〃　said　the　husband；　kissing　his

little　wife。　They　sat　down；　read　their　hymn…book；　and　held　each

other　by　the　hand；　while　the　sun　shone　down　upon　the　fresh　roses　and

upon　them。

　　　　〃This　sight　is　really　too　tedious；〃　said　the　sparrow…mother；　who

could　see　into　the　room　from　her　nest；　and　she　flew　away。

　　　　The　same　thing　happened　on　the　following　Sunday；　for　every

Sunday　fresh　roses　were　put　into　the　glass；　but　the　rose…bush

bloomed　as　beautifully　as　ever。　The　young　sparrows　now　had　feathers；

and　wanted　very　much　to　fly　with　their　mother；　but　she　would　not　allow

it；　and　so　they　had　to　stay　at　home。　In　one　of　her　flights；　however　it

may　have　happened；　she　was　caught；　before　she　was　aware　of　it；　in　a

horse…hair　net　which　some　boys　had　attached　to　a　tree。　The

horse…hair　was　drawn　tightly　round　her　leg…　as　tightly　as　if　the

latter　were　to　be　cut　off；　she　was　in　great　pain　and　terror。　The

boys　came　running　up　and　seized　her；　and　in　no　gentle　way　either。

　　　　〃It's　only　a　sparrow；〃　they　said；　they　did　not；　however；　let　her

go；　but　took　her　home　with　them；　and　every　time　she　cried　they　hit　her

on　the　beak。

　　　　In　the　farmhouse　was　an　old　man　who　understood　making　soap　into

cakes　and　balls；　both　for　shaving　and　washing。　He　was　a　merry　old　man；

always　wandering　about。　On　seeing　the　sparrow　which　the　boys　had

brought；　and　which　they　said　they　did　not　want；　he　asked；　〃Shall　we

make　it　look　very　pretty？〃

　　　　At　these　words　an　icy　shudder　ran　through　the　sparrow…mother。

　　　　Out　of　his　box；　in　which　were　the　most　beautiful　colours；　the

old　man　took　a　quantity　of　shining　leaf…gold；　while　the　boys　had　to　go

and　fetch　some　white　of　egg；　with　which　the　sparrow　was　to　be

smeared　all　over；　the　gold　was　stuck　on　to　this；　and　the

sparrow…mother　was　now　gilded　all　over。　But　she；　trembling　in　every

limb；　did　not　think　of　the　adornment。　Then　the　soap…man　tore　off　a

small　piece　from　the　red　lining　of　his　old　jacket；　and　cutting　it　so

as　to　make　it　look　like　a　cock's　comb；　he　stuck　it　to　the　bird's　head。

　　　　〃Now　you　will　see　the　gold…jacket　fly；〃　said　the　old　man；

letting　the　sparrow　go；　which　flew　away　in　deadly　fear；　with　the　sun

shining　upon　her。　How　she　glittered！　All　the　sparrows；　and　even　a

crow…　and　an　old　boy　he　was　too…　were　startled　at　the　sight；　but　still

they　flew　after　her　to　learn　what　kind　of　strange　bird　she　was。

　　　　Driven　by　fear　and　horror；　she　flew　homeward；　she　was　almost

sinking　fainting　to　the　earth；　while　the　flock　of　pursuing　birds

increased；　some　even　attempting　to　peck　at　her。

　　　　〃Look　at　her！　Look　at　h