贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > holger danske >

第1章

holger danske-第1章

小说: holger danske 字数: 每页4000字

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

                                 HOLGER DANSKE

                           by Hans Christian Andersen



    IN Denmark there stands an old castle named Kronenburg; close by

the Sound of Elsinore; where large ships; both English; Russian; and

Prussian; pass by hundreds every day。 And they salute the old castle

with cannons; 〃Boom; boom;〃 which is as if they said; 〃Good…day。〃

And the cannons of the old castle answer 〃Boom;〃 which means 〃Many

thanks。〃 In winter no ships sail by; for the whole Sound is covered

with ice as far as the Swedish coast; and has quite the appearance

of a high…road。 The Danish and the Swedish flags wave; and Danes and

Swedes say; 〃Good…day;〃 and 〃Thank you〃 to each other; not with

cannons; but with a friendly shake of the hand; and they exchange

white bread and biscuits with each other; because foreign articles

taste the best。

    But the most beautiful sight of all is the old castle of

Kronenburg; where Holger Danske sits in the deep; dark cellar; into

which no one goes。 He is clad in iron and steel; and rests his head on

his strong arm; his long beard hangs down upon the marble table;

into which it has become firmly rooted; he sleeps and dreams; but in

his dreams he sees everything that happens in Denmark。 On each

Christmas…eve an angel comes to him and tells him that all he has

dreamed is true; and that he may go to sleep again in peace; as

Denmark is not yet in any real danger; but should danger ever come;

then Holger Danske will rouse himself; and the table will burst

asunder as he draws out his beard。 Then he will come forth in his

strength; and strike a blow that shall sound in all the countries of

the world。

    An old grandfather sat and told his little grandson all this about

Holger Danske; and the boy knew that what his grandfather told him

must be true。 As the old man related this story; he was carving an

image in wood to represent Holger Danske; to be fastened to the prow

of a ship; for the old grandfather was a carver in wood; that is;

one who carved figures for the heads of ships; according to the

names given to them。 And now he had carved Holger Danske; who stood

there erect and proud; with his long beard; holding in one hand his

broad battle…axe; while with the other he leaned on the Danish arms。

The old grandfather told the little boy a great deal about Danish

men and women who had distinguished themselves in olden times; so that

he fancied he knew as much even as Holger Danske himself; who; after

all; could only dream; and when the little fellow went to bed; he

thought so much about it that he actually pressed his chin against the

counterpane; and imagined that he had a long beard which had become

rooted to it。 But the old grandfather remained sitting at his work and

carving away at the last part of it; which was the Danish arms。 And

when he had finished he looked at the whole figure; and thought of all

he had heard and read; and what he had that evening related to his

little grandson。 Then he nodded his head; wiped his spectacles and put

them on; and said; 〃Ah; yes; Holger Danske will not appear in my

lifetime; but the boy who is in bed there may very likely live to

see him when the event really comes to pass。〃 And the old

grandfather nodded again; and the more he looked at Holger Danske; the

more satisfied he felt that he had carved a good image of him。 It

seemed to glow with the color of life; the armor glittered like iron

and steel。 The hearts in the Danish arms grew more and more red; while

the lions; with gold crowns on their heads; were leaping up。 〃That

is the most beautiful coat of arms in the world;〃 said the old man。

〃The lions represent strength; and the hearts; gentleness and love。〃

And as he gazed on the uppermost lion; he thought of King Canute;

who chained great England to Denmark's throne; and he looked at the

second lion; and thought of Waldemar; who untied Denmark and conquered

the Vandals。 The third lion reminded him of Margaret; who united

Denmark; Sweden; and Norway。 But when he gazed at the red hearts;

their colors glowed more deeply; even as flames; and his memory

followed each in turn。 The first led him to a dark; narrow prison;

in which sat a prisoner; a beautiful woman; daughter of Christian

the Fourth; Eleanor Ulfeld; and the flame became a rose on her

bosom; and its blossoms were not more pure than the heart of this

noblest and best of all Danish women。 〃Ah; yes; that is indeed a noble

heart in the Danish arms;〃 said the grandfather。 and his spirit

followed the second flame; which carried him out to sea; where cannons

roared and the ships lay shrouded in smoke; and the flaming heart

attached itself to the breast of Hvitfeldt in the form of the ribbon

of an order; as he blew himself and his ship into the air in order

to save the fleet。 And the third flame led him to Greenland's wretched

huts; where the preacher; Hans Egede; ruled with love in every word

and action。 The flame was as a star on his breast; and added another

heart to the Danish arms。 And as the old grandfather's spirit followed

the next hovering flame; he knew whither it would lead him。 In a

peasant woman's humble room stood Frederick the Sixth; writing his

name with chalk on the beam。 The flame trembled on his breast and in

his heart; and it was in the peasant's room that his heart became

one for the Danish arms。 The old grandfather wiped his eyes; for he

had known King Frederick; with his silvery locks and his honest blue

eyes; and had lived for him; and he folded his hands and remained

for some time silent。 Then his daughter came to him and said it was

getting late; that he ought to rest for a while; and that the supper

was on the table。

    〃What you have been carving is very beautiful; grandfather;〃

said she。 〃Holger Danske and the old coat of arms; it seems to me as

if I have seen the face somewhere。〃

    〃No; that is impossible;〃 replied the old grandfather; 〃but I have

seen it; and I have tried to carve it in wood; as I have retained it

in my memory。 It was a long time ago; while the English fleet lay in

the roads; on the second of April; when we showed that we were true;

ancient Danes。 I was on board the Denmark; in Steene Bille's squadron;

I had a man by my side whom even the cannon balls seemed to fear。 He

sung old songs in a merry voice; and fired and fought as if he were

something more than a man。 I still remember his face; but from

whence he came; or whither he went; I know not; no one knows。 I have

often thought it might have been Holger Danske himself; who had swam

down to us from Kronenburg to help us in the hour of danger。 That

was my idea; and there stands his likeness。〃

    The wooden figure threw a gigantic shadow on the wall; and even on

part of the ceiling; it seemed as if the real Holger Danske stood

behind it; for the shadow moved; but this was no doubt caused by the

flame of the lamp not burning steadily。 Then the daughter…in…law

kissed the old grandfather; and led him to a large arm…chair by the

table; and she; and her husband; who was the son of the old man and

the father of the little boy who lay in bed; sat down to supper with

him。 And the old grandfather talked of the Danish lions and the Danish

hearts; emblems of strength and gentleness; and explained quite

clearly that there is another strength than that which lies in a

sword; and he pointed to a shelf where lay a number of old books;

and amongst them a collection of Holberg's plays; which are much

read and are so clever and amusing that it is easy to fancy we have

known the people of those days; who are described in them。

    〃He knew how to fight also;〃 said the old man; 〃for he lashed

the follies and prejudices of people during his whole life。〃

    Then the grandfather nodded to a place above the looking…glass;

where hung an almanac; with a representation of the Round Tower upon

it; and said 〃Tycho Brahe was another of those who used a sword; but

not one to cut into the flesh and bone; but to make the way of the

stars 

返回目录 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的