the little elder-tree mother-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LITTLE　ELDER…TREE　MOTHER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　little　boy　who　had　caught　cold；　he　had　gone　out

and　got　wet　feet。　Nobody　had　the　least　idea　how　it　had　happened；　the

weather　was　quite　dry。　His　mother　undressed　him；　put　him　to　bed；　and

ordered　the　teapot　to　be　brought　in；　that　she　might　make　him　a　good

cup　of　tea　from　the　elder…tree　blossoms；　which　is　so　warming。　At　the

same　time；　the　kind…hearted　old　man　who　lived　by　himself　in　the

upper　storey　of　the　house　came　in；　he　led　a　lonely　life；　for　he　had　no

wife　and　children；　but　he　loved　the　children　of　others　very　much；

and　he　could　tell　so　many　fairy　tales　and　stories；　that　it　was　a

pleasure　to　hear　him。

　　　　〃Now；　drink　your　tea；〃　said　the　mother；　〃perhaps　you　will　hear　a

story。〃

　　　　〃Yes；　if　I　only　knew　a　fresh　one；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　nodded

smilingly。　〃But　how　did　the　little　fellow　get　his　wet　feet？〃　he　then

asked。

　　　　〃That；〃　replied　the　mother；　〃nobody　can　understand。〃

　　　　〃Will　you　tell　me　a　story？〃　asked　the　boy。

　　　　〃Yes；　if　you　can　tell　me　as　nearly　as　possible　how　deep　is　the

gutter　in　the　little　street　where　you　go　to　school。〃

　　　　〃Just　half　as　high　as　my　top…boots；〃　replied　the　boy；　〃but　then

I　must　stand　in　the　deepest　holes。〃

　　　　〃There；　now　we　know　where　you　got　your　wet　feet；〃　said　the　old

man。　〃I　ought　to　tell　you　a　story；　but　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　do　not

know　any　more。〃

　　　　〃You　can　make　one　up；〃　said　the　little　boy。　〃Mother　says　you　can

tell　a　fairy　tale　about　anything　you　look　at　or　touch。〃

　　　　〃That　is　all　very　well；　but　such　tales　or　stories　are　worth

nothing！　No；　the　right　ones　come　by　themselves　and　knock　at　my

forehead　saying：　'Here　I　am。'〃

　　　　〃Will　not　one　knock　soon？〃　asked　the　boy；　and　the　mother　smiled

while　she　put　elder…tree　blossoms　into　the　teapot　and　poured　boiling

water　over　them。　〃Pray；　tell　me　a　story。〃

　　　　〃Yes；　if　stories　came　by　themselves；　they　are　so　proud；　they

only　come　when　they　please。…　But　wait；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃there　is

one。　Look　at　the　teapot；　there　is　a　story　in　it　now。〃

　　　　And　the　little　boy　looked　at　the　teapot；　the　lid　rose　up

gradually；　the　elder…tree　blossoms　sprang　forth　one　by　one；　fresh

and　white；　long　boughs　came　forth；　even　out　of　the　spout　they　grew

up　in　all　directions；　and　formed　a　bush…　nay；　a　large　elder　tree；

which　stretched　its　branches　up　to　the　bed　and　pushed　the　curtains

aside；　and　there　were　so　many　blossoms　and　such　a　sweet　fragrance！

In　the　midst　of　the　tree　sat　a　kindly…looking　old　woman　with　a　strange

dress；　it　was　as　green　as　the　leaves；　and　trimmed　with　large　white

blossoms；　so　that　it　was　difficult　to　say　whether　it　was　real　cloth；

or　the　leaves　and　blossoms　of　the　elder…tree。

　　　　〃What　is　this　woman's　name？〃　asked　the　little　boy。

　　　　〃Well；　the　Romans　and　Greeks　used　to　call　her　a　Dryad；〃　said　the

old　man；　〃but　we　do　not　understand　that。　Out　in　the　sailors'　quarter

they　give　her　a　better　name；　there　she　is　called　elder…tree　mother。

Now；　you　must　attentively　listen　to　her　and　look　at　the　beautiful

elder…tree。

　　　　〃Just　such　a　large　tree；　covered　with　flowers；　stands　out　there；

it　grew　in　the　corner　of　an　humble　little　yard；　under　this　tree　sat

two　old　people　one　afternoon　in　the　beautiful　sunshine。　He　was　an　old；

old　sailor；　and　she　his　old　wife；　they　had　already

great…grandchildren；　and　were　soon　to　celebrate　their　golden

wedding；　but　they　could　not　remember　the　date；　and　the　elder…tree

mother　was　sitting　in　the　tree　and　looked　as　pleased　as　this　one　here。

'I　know　very　well　when　the　golden　wedding　is　to　take　place；'　she　said；

but　they　did　not　hear　it…　they　were　talking　of　bygone　days。

　　　　〃'Well；　do　you　remember？'　said　the　old　sailor；　'when　we　were　quite

small　and　used　to　run　about　and　play…　it　was　in　the　very　same　yard

where　we　now　are…　we　used　to　put　little　branches　into　the　ground　and

make　a　garden。'

　　　　〃'Yes；'　said　the　old　woman；　'I　remember　it　very　well；　we　used　to

water　the　branches；　and　one　of　them；　an　elder…tree　branch；　took

root；　and　grew　and　became　the　large　tree　under　which　we　are　now

sitting　as　old　people。'

　　　　〃'Certainly；　you　are　right；'　he　said；　'and　in　yonder　corner

stood　a　large　water…tub；　there　I　used　to　sail　my　boat；　which　I　had　cut

out　myself…　it　sailed　so　well；　but　soon　I　had　to　sail　somewhere　else。'

　　　　〃'But　first　we　went　to　school　to　learn　something；'　she　said；

'and　then　we　were　confirmed；　we　both　wept　on　that　day；　but　in　the

afternoon　we　went　out　hand　in　hand；　and　ascended　the　high　round

tower　and　looked　out　into　the　wide　world　right　over　Copenhagen　and　the

sea；　then　we　walked　to　Fredericksburg；　where　the　king　and　the　queen

were　sailing　about　in　their　magnificent　boat　on　the　canals。'

　　　　〃'But　soon　I　had　to　sail　about　somewhere　else；　and　for　many

years　I　was　travelling　about　far　away　from　home。'

　　　　〃'And　I　often　cried　about　you；　for　I　was　afraid　lest　you　were

drowned　and　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　Many　a　time　I　got　up　in

the　night　and　looked　if　the　weathercock　had　turned；　it　turned　often；

but　you　did　not　return。　I　remember　one　day　distinctly：　the　rain　was

pouring　down　in　torrents；　the　dust…man　had　come　to　the　house　where　I

was　in　service；　I　went　down　with　the　dust…bin　and　stood　for　a　moment

in　the　doorway；　and　looked　at　the　dreadful　weather。　Then　the　postman

gave　me　a　letter；　it　was　from　you。　Heavens！　how　that　letter　had

travelled　about。　I　tore　it　open　and　read　it；　I　cried　and　laughed　at

the　same　time；　and　was　so　happy！　Therein　was　written　that　you　were

staying　in　the　hot　countries；　where　the　coffee　grows。　These　must　be

marvellous　countries。　You　said　a　great　deal　about　them；　and　I　read　all

while　the　rain　was　pouring　down　and　I　was　standing　there　with　the

dust…bin。　Then　suddenly　some　one　put　his　arm　round　my　waist…'

　　　　〃'Yes；　and　you　gave　him　a　hearty　smack　on　the　cheek；'　said　the　old

man。

　　　　〃'I　did　not　know　that　it　was　you…　you　had　come　as　quickly　as

your　letter；　and　you　looked　so　handsome；　and　so　you　do　still。　You

had　a　large　yellow　silk　handkerchief　in　your　pocket　and　a　shining

hat　on。　You　looked　so　well；　and　the　weather　in　the　street　was

horrible！'

　　　　〃'Then　we　married；'　he　said。　'Do　you　remember　how　we　got　our　first

boy；　and　then　Mary；　Niels；　Peter；　John；　and　Christian？'

　　　　'Oh　yes；　and　now　they　have　all　grown　up；　and　have　become　useful

members　of　society；　whom　everybody　cares　for。'

　　　　〃'And　their　children　have　had　children　again；'　said　the　old

sailor。　'Yes；　these　are　children's　children；　and　they　are　strong　and

healthy。　If　I　am　not　mistaken；　our　wedding　took　place　at　this　season

of　the　year。'

　　　　〃'Yes；　to…day　is　your　golden　wedding…day；'　said　the　little

elder…tree　mother；　stretching　her　head　down　between　the　two　old

people；　who　thought　that　she　was　their　neighbour　who　was　nodding　to

them；　they　looked　at　each　other　and　clasped　hands。　Soon　afterwards　the

children　and　grandchildren　came；　for　they　knew　very　well　that　it　was

the　golden　wedding…day；　they　had　already　wished　them　joy　and　happiness

in　the　morning；　but　the　old　people　had　forgotten　it；　although　they

remembered　things　so　well　that　had　passed　many；　many　years　ago。　The

elder…tree　smelt　strongly；　and　the　setting　sun　illuminated　the　faces

of　the　two　old　people；　so　that　they　looked　quite　rosy；　the　youngest　of

the　grandchildren　danced　round　them；　and　cried　merrily　that　there

would　be　a　feast　in　the　evening；　for　they　were　to　have　hot　potatoes；

and　the　elder　mother　nodded　in　the　tree　and　cried　'Hooray'　with　the

others。〃

　　　　〃But　that　was　no　fairy　tale；〃　said　the　little　boy　who　had　listened

to　it。

　　　　〃You　will　presently　understand　it；〃　said　the　old　man　who　told

the　story。　〃Let　us　ask　little　elder…tree　mother　about　it。〃

　　　　〃That　was　no　fairy　tale；〃　said　the　little　elder…tree　mother；

〃but　now　it　comes！　Real　life　furnishes　us　with　subjects　for　the　most

wonderful　fairy　tales；　for　otherwise　my　beautiful　elder…bush　could　not

have　grown　forth　out　of　the　teapot。〃

　　　　And　then　she　took　the　little　boy　out　of　bed　and　pl