the wild swans-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　WILD　SWANS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　FAR　away　in　the　land　to　which　the　swallows　fly　when　it　is

winter；　dwelt　a　king　who　had　eleven　sons；　and　one　daughter；　named

Eliza。　The　eleven　brothers　were　princes；　and　each　went　to　school

with　a　star　on　his　breast；　and　a　sword　by　his　side。　They　wrote　with

diamond　pencils　on　gold　slates；　and　learnt　their　lessons　so　quickly

and　read　so　easily　that　every　one　might　know　they　were　princes。

Their　sister　Eliza　sat　on　a　little　stool　of　plate…glass；　and　had　a

book　full　of　pictures；　which　had　cost　as　much　as　half　a　kingdom。　Oh；

these　children　were　indeed　happy；　but　it　was　not　to　remain　so

always。　Their　father；　who　was　king　of　the　country；　married　a　very

wicked　queen；　who　did　not　love　the　poor　children　at　all。　They　knew

this　from　the　very　first　day　after　the　wedding。　In　the　palace　there

were　great　festivities；　and　the　children　played　at　receiving

company；　but　instead　of　having；　as　usual；　all　the　cakes　and　apples

that　were　left；　she　gave　them　some　sand　in　a　tea…cup；　and　told　them　to

pretend　it　was　cake。　The　week　after；　she　sent　little　Eliza　into　the

country　to　a　peasant　and　his　wife；　and　then　she　told　the　king　so

many　untrue　things　about　the　young　princes；　that　he　gave　himself　no

more　trouble　respecting　them。

　　　　〃Go　out　into　the　world　and　get　your　own　living；〃　said　the　queen。

〃Fly　like　great　birds；　who　have　no　voice。〃　But　she　could　not　make　them

ugly　as　she　wished；　for　they　were　turned　into　eleven　beautiful　wild

swans。　Then；　with　a　strange　cry；　they　flew　through　the　windows　of

the　palace；　over　the　park；　to　the　forest　beyond。　It　was　early

morning　when　they　passed　the　peasant's　cottage；　where　their　sister

Eliza　lay　asleep　in　her　room。　They　hovered　over　the　roof；　twisted

their　long　necks　and　flapped　their　wings；　but　no　one　heard　them　or　saw

them；　so　they　were　at　last　obliged　to　fly　away；　high　up　in　the　clouds；

and　over　the　wide　world　they　flew　till　they　came　to　a　thick；　dark

wood；　which　stretched　far　away　to　the　seashore。　Poor　little　Eliza

was　alone　in　her　room　playing　with　a　green　leaf；　for　she　had　no

other　playthings；　and　she　pierced　a　hole　through　the　leaf；　and

looked　through　it　at　the　sun；　and　it　was　as　if　she　saw　her　brothers'

clear　eyes；　and　when　the　warm　sun　shone　on　her　cheeks；　she　thought

of　all　the　kisses　they　had　given　her。　One　day　passed　just　like

another；　sometimes　the　winds　rustled　through　the　leaves　of　the

rose…bush；　and　would　whisper　to　the　roses；　〃Who　can　be　more

beautiful　than　you！〃　But　the　roses　would　shake　their　heads；　and　say；

〃Eliza　is。〃　And　when　the　old　woman　sat　at　the　cottage　door　on

Sunday；　and　read　her　hymn…book；　the　wind　would　flutter　the　leaves；　and

say　to　the　book；　〃Who　can　be　more　pious　than　you？〃　and　then　the

hymn…book　would　answer　〃Eliza。〃　And　the　roses　and　the　hymn…book　told

the　real　truth。　At　fifteen　she　returned　home；　but　when　the　queen　saw

how　beautiful　she　was；　she　became　full　of　spite　and　hatred　towards

her。　Willingly　would　she　have　turned　her　into　a　swan；　like　her

brothers；　but　she　did　not　dare　to　do　so　yet；　because　the　king　wished

to　see　his　daughter。　Early　one　morning　the　queen　went　into　the

bath…room；　it　was　built　of　marble；　and　had　soft　cushions；　trimmed　with

the　most　beautiful　tapestry。　She　took　three　toads　with　her；　and　kissed

them；　and　said　to　one；　〃When　Eliza　comes　to　the　bath；　seat　yourself

upon　her　head；　that　she　may　become　as　stupid　as　you　are。〃　Then　she

said　to　another；　〃Place　yourself　on　her　forehead；　that　she　may

become　as　ugly　as　you　are；　and　that　her　father　may　not　know　her。〃

〃Rest　on　her　heart；〃　she　whispered　to　the　third；　〃then　she　will　have

evil　inclinations；　and　suffer　in　consequence。〃　So　she　put　the　toads

into　the　clear　water；　and　they　turned　green　immediately。　She　next

called　Eliza；　and　helped　her　to　undress　and　get　into　the　bath。　As

Eliza　dipped　her　head　under　the　water；　one　of　the　toads　sat　on　her

hair；　a　second　on　her　forehead；　and　a　third　on　her　breast；　but　she　did

not　seem　to　notice　them；　and　when　she　rose　out　of　the　water；　there

were　three　red　poppies　floating　upon　it。　Had　not　the　creatures　been

venomous　or　been　kissed　by　the　witch；　they　would　have　been　changed

into　red　roses。　At　all　events　they　became　flowers；　because　they　had

rested　on　Eliza's　head；　and　on　her　heart。　She　was　too　good　and　too

innocent　for　witchcraft　to　have　any　power　over　her。　When　the　wicked

queen　saw　this；　she　rubbed　her　face　with　walnut…juice；　so　that　she　was

quite　brown；　then　she　tangled　her　beautiful　hair　and　smeared　it　with

disgusting　ointment；　till　it　was　quite　impossible　to　recognize　the

beautiful　Eliza。

　　　　When　her　father　saw　her；　he　was　much　shocked；　and　declared　she　was

not　his　daughter。　No　one　but　the　watch…dog　and　the　swallows　knew

her；　and　they　were　only　poor　animals；　and　could　say　nothing。　Then　poor

Eliza　wept；　and　thought　of　her　eleven　brothers；　who　were　all　away。

Sorrowfully；　she　stole　away　from　the　palace；　and　walked；　the　whole

day；　over　fields　and　moors；　till　she　came　to　the　great　forest。　She

knew　not　in　what　direction　to　go；　but　she　was　so　unhappy；　and　longed

so　for　her　brothers；　who　had　been；　like　herself；　driven　out　into　the

world；　that　she　was　determined　to　seek　them。　She　had　been　but　a

short　time　in　the　wood　when　night　came　on；　and　she　quite　lost　the

path；　so　she　laid　herself　down　on　the　soft　moss；　offered　up　her

evening　prayer；　and　leaned　her　head　against　the　stump　of　a　tree。　All

nature　was　still；　and　the　soft；　mild　air　fanned　her　forehead。　The

light　of　hundreds　of　glow…worms　shone　amidst　the　grass　and　the　moss；

like　green　fire；　and　if　she　touched　a　twig　with　her　hand；　ever　so

lightly；　the　brilliant　insects　fell　down　around　her；　like

shooting…stars。

　　　　All　night　long　she　dreamt　of　her　brothers。　She　and　they　were

children　again；　playing　together。　She　saw　them　writing　with　their

diamond　pencils　on　golden　slates；　while　she　looked　at　the　beautiful

picture…book　which　had　cost　half　a　kingdom。　They　were　not　writing

lines　and　letters；　as　they　used　to　do；　but　descriptions　of　the　noble

deeds　they　had　performed；　and　of　all　they　had　discovered　and　seen。

In　the　picture…book；　too；　everything　was　living。　The　birds　sang；　and

the　people　came　out　of　the　book；　and　spoke　to　Eliza　and　her

brothers；　but；　as　the　leaves　turned　over；　they　darted　back　again　to

their　places；　that　all　might　be　in　order。

　　　　When　she　awoke；　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens；　yet　she　could　not

see　him；　for　the　lofty　trees　spread　their　branches　thickly　over　her

head；　but　his　beams　were　glancing　through　the　leaves　here　and　there；

like　a　golden　mist。　There　was　a　sweet　fragrance　from　the　fresh　green

verdure；　and　the　birds　almost　perched　upon　her　shoulders。　She　heard

water　rippling　from　a　number　of　springs；　all　flowing　in　a　lake　with

golden　sands。　Bushes　grew　thickly　round　the　lake；　and　at　one　spot　an

opening　had　been　made　by　a　deer；　through　which　Eliza　went　down　to

the　water。　The　lake　was　so　clear　that；　had　not　the　wind　rustled　the

branches　of　the　trees　and　the　bushes；　so　that　they　moved；　they　would

have　appeared　as　if　painted　in　the　depths　of　the　lake；　for　every

leaf　was　reflected　in　the　water；　whether　it　stood　in　the　shade　or

the　sunshine。　As　soon　as　Eliza　saw　her　own　face；　she　was　quite

terrified　at　finding　it　so　brown　and　ugly；　but　when　she　wetted　her

little　hand；　and　rubbed　her　eyes　and　forehead；　the　white　skin

gleamed　forth　once　more；　and；　after　she　had　undressed；　and　dipped

herself　in　the　fresh　water；　a　more　beautiful　king's　daughter　could　not

be　found　in　the　wide　world。　As　soon　as　she　had　dressed　herself

again；　and　braided　her　long　hair；　she　went　to　the　bubbling　spring；　and

drank　some　water　out　of　the　hollow　of　her　hand。　Then　she　wandered

far　into　the　forest；　not　knowing　whither　she　went。　She　thought　of

her　brothers；　and　felt　sure　that　God　would　not　forsake　her。　It　is

God　who　makes　the　wild　apples　grow　in　the　wood；　to　satisfy　the　hungry；

and　He　now　led　her　to　one　of　these　trees；　which　was　so　loaded　with

fruit；　that　the　boughs　bent　beneath　the　weight。　Here　she　held　her

noonday　repast；　placed　props　under　the　boughs；　and　then　went　into

the　gloomiest　depths　of　the　forest。　It　was　so　still　that　she　could

hear　the　sound　of　her　own　footsteps；　as　well　as　the　rustling　of

every　withered　leaf　which　she　crushed　under　her　feet。　Not　a　bird　was

to　be　seen；　not　a　sunbeam　could　penetrate　through　the　large；　dark

boughs　of　the　trees。　Their　lofty　trunks　stood　so　close　together；　that；

when　she　looked　before　her；　it　seemed　as　if　she　were　enclosed　within

trellis…work。　Such　solitude　she　had　never　known　before。　The　night

was　very　dark。　Not　a　single　glow…worm　glittered　in　the　moss。

　　　　Sorrowfully　she　laid　herself　down　to　sleep；　and；　after　a　while；　it

seemed　to　her　as　if　the　branches　of　the　trees　parted　over　her　head；

and　that　the　mild　eyes　of　angels　looked　down　upon　her　from　heaven。

When　she　awoke　in　the　morning；　she　knew　not　whether　she　had　dreamt

this；　or　if　it　had　really　been　so。　Then　she　continued　her　wandering；

but　she　had　not　gone　many　steps　forward；　when　she　met　an　old　woman

with　berries　in　her　basket；　and　she　gave　her　a　few　to　eat。　Then

Eliza　asked　her　if　she　had　not　seen　eleven　princes　riding　through

the　forest。

　　　　〃No；〃　replied　the　old　woman；　〃But　I　saw　yesterday　eleven　swans；

with　gold　crowns　on　their　heads；　swimming　on　the　river　close　by。〃　Then

she　led　Eliza　a　little　distance　farther　to　a　sloping　bank；　and　at

the　foot　of　it　wound　a　little　river。　The　trees　on　its　banks

stretched　their　long　leafy　branches　across　the　water　towards　each

other；　and　where　the　growth　prevented　them　from　meeting　naturally；　the

roots　had　torn　themselves　away　from　the　ground；　so　that　the　branches

might　mingle　their　foliage　as　they　hung　over　the　water。　Eliza　bade　the

old　woman　farewell；　and　walked　by　the　flowing　river；　till　she

reached　the　shore　of　the　open　sea。　And　there；　before　the　young

maiden's　eyes；　lay　the　glorious　ocean；　but　not　a　sail　appeared　on

its　surface；　not　even　a　boat　could　be　seen。　How　was　she　to　go　farther？

She　noticed　how　the　countless　pebbles　on　the　sea…shore　had　been

smoothed　and　rounded　by　the　action　of　the　water。　Glass；　iron；

stones；　everything　that　lay　there　mingled　together；　had　taken　its

shape　from　the　same　power；　and　felt　as　smooth；　or　even　smoother　than

her　own　delicate　hand。　〃The　water　rolls　on　without　weariness；〃　she

said；　till　all　that　is　hard　becomes　smooth；　so　will　I　be　unwearied

in　my　task。　Thanks　for　your　lessons；　bright　rolling　waves；　my　heart

tells　me　you　will　lead　me　to　my　dear　brothers。〃　On　the　foam…covered

sea…weeds；　lay　eleven　white　swan　feathers；　which　she　gathered　up　and

placed　together。　Drops　of　water　lay　upon　them；　whether　they　were

dew…drops　or　tears　no　one　could　say。　Lonely　as　it　was　on　the

sea…shore；　she　did　not　observe　it；　for　the　ever…moving　sea　showed　more

changes　in　a　few　hours　than　the　most　varying　lake　could　produce　during

a　whole　year。　If　a　black　heavy　cloud　arose；　it　was　as　if　the　sea　said；

〃I　can　look　dark　and　angry　too；〃　and　then　t