the last dream of the old oak-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LAST　DREAM　OF　THE　OLD　OAK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　the　forest；　high　up　on　the　steep　shore；　and　not　far　from　the

open　seacoast；　stood　a　very　old　oak…tree。　It　was　just　three　hundred

and　sixty…five　years　old；　but　that　long　time　was　to　the　tree　as　the

same　number　of　days　might　be　to　us；　we　wake　by　day　and　sleep　by　night；

and　then　we　have　our　dreams。　It　is　different　with　the　tree；　it　is

obliged　to　keep　awake　through　three　seasons　of　the　year；　and　does

not　get　any　sleep　till　winter　comes。　Winter　is　its　time　for　rest；

its　night　after　the　long　day　of　spring；　summer；　and　autumn。　On　many

a　warm　summer；　the　Ephemera；　the　flies　that　exist　for　only　a　day；

had　fluttered　about　the　old　oak；　enjoyed　life　and　felt　happy　and　if；

for　a　moment；　one　of　the　tiny　creatures　rested　on　one　of　his　large

fresh　leaves；　the　tree　would　always　say；　〃Poor　little　creature！　your

whole　life　consists　only　of　a　single　day。　How　very　short。　It　must　be

quite　melancholy。〃

　　　　〃Melancholy！　what　do　you　mean？〃　the　little　creature　would　always

reply。　〃Everything　around　me　is　so　wonderfully　bright　and　warm；　and

beautiful；　that　it　makes　me　joyous。〃

　　　　〃But　only　for　one　day；　and　then　it　is　all　over。〃

　　　　〃Over！〃　repeated　the　fly；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of　all　over？　Are

you　all　over　too？〃

　　　　〃No；　I　shall　very　likely　live　for　thousands　of　your　days；　and　my

day　is　whole　seasons　long；　indeed　it　is　so　long　that　you　could　never

reckon　it　out。〃

　　　　〃No？　then　I　don't　understand　you。　You　may　have　thousands　of　my

days；　but　I　have　thousands　of　moments　in　which　I　can　be　merry　and

happy。　Does　all　the　beauty　of　the　world　cease　when　you　die？〃

　　　　〃No；〃　replied　the　tree；　〃it　will　certainly　last　much　longer；…

infinitely　longer　than　I　can　even　think　of。　〃Well；　then；〃　said　the

little　fly；　〃we　have　the　same　time　to　live；　only　we　reckon

differently。〃　And　the　little　creature　danced　and　floated　in　the　air；

rejoicing　in　her　delicate　wings　of　gauze　and　velvet；　rejoicing　in

the　balmy　breezes；　laden　with　the　fragrance　of　clover…fields　and

wild　roses；　elder…blossoms　and　honeysuckle；　from　the　garden　hedges；

wild　thyme；　primroses；　and　mint；　and　the　scent　of　all　these　was　so

strong　that　the　perfume　almost　intoxicated　the　little　fly。　The　long

and　beautiful　day　had　been　so　full　of　joy　and　sweet　delights；　that

when　the　sun　sank　low　it　felt　tired　of　all　its　happiness　and

enjoyment。　Its　wings　could　sustain　it　no　longer；　and　gently　and　slowly

it　glided　down　upon　the　soft　waving　blades　of　grass；　nodded　its　little

head　as　well　as　it　could　nod；　and　slept　peacefully　and　sweetly。　The

fly　was　dead。

　　　　〃Poor　little　Ephemera！〃　said　the　oak；　〃what　a　terribly　short

life！〃　And　so；　on　every　summer　day　the　dance　was　repeated；　the　same

questions　asked；　and　the　same　answers　given。　The　same　thing　was

continued　through　many　generations　of　Ephemera；　all　of　them　felt

equally　merry　and　equally　happy。

　　　　The　oak　remained　awake　through　the　morning　of　spring；　the　noon

of　summer；　and　the　evening　of　autumn；　its　time　of　rest；　its　night　drew

nigh…　winter　was　coming。　Already　the　storms　were　singing；　〃Good…night；

good…night。〃　Here　fell　a　leaf　and　there　fell　a　leaf。　〃We　will　rock　you

and　lull　you。　Go　to　sleep；　go　to　sleep。　We　will　sing　you　to　sleep；　and

shake　you　to　sleep；　and　it　will　do　your　old　twigs　good；　they　will　even

crackle　with　pleasure。　Sleep　sweetly；　sleep　sweetly；　it　is　your

three…hundred…and…sixty…fifth　night。　Correctly　speaking；　you　are　but　a

youngster　in　the　world。　Sleep　sweetly；　the　clouds　will　drop　snow

upon　you；　which　will　be　quite　a　cover…lid；　warm　and　sheltering　to　your

feet。　Sweet　sleep　to　you；　and　pleasant　dreams。〃　And　there　stood　the

oak；　stripped　of　all　its　leaves；　left　to　rest　during　the　whole　of　a

long　winter；　and　to　dream　many　dreams　of　events　that　had　happened　in

its　life；　as　in　the　dreams　of　men。　The　great　tree　had　once　been　small；

indeed；　in　its　cradle　it　had　been　an　acorn。　According　to　human

computation；　it　was　now　in　the　fourth　century　of　its　existence。　It　was

the　largest　and　best　tree　in　the　forest。　Its　summit　towered　above

all　the　other　trees；　and　could　be　seen　far　out　at　sea；　so　that　it

served　as　a　landmark　to　the　sailors。　It　had　no　idea　how　many　eyes

looked　eagerly　for　it。　In　its　topmost　branches　the　wood…pigeon　built

her　nest；　and　the　cuckoo　carried　out　his　usual　vocal　performances；　and

his　well…known　notes　echoed　amid　the　boughs；　and　in　autumn；　when　the

leaves　looked　like　beaten　copper　plates；　the　birds　of　passage　would

come　and　rest　upon　the　branches　before　taking　their　flight　across

the　sea。　But　now　it　was　winter；　the　tree　stood　leafless；　so　that　every

one　could　see　how　crooked　and　bent　were　the　branches　that　sprang　forth

from　the　trunk。　Crows　and　rooks　came　by　turns　and　sat　on　them；　and

talked　of　the　hard　times　which　were　beginning；　and　how　difficult　it

was　in　winter　to　obtain　food。

　　　　It　was　just　about　holy　Christmas　time　that　the　tree　dreamed　a

dream。　The　tree　had；　doubtless；　a　kind　of　feeling　that　the　festive

time　had　arrived；　and　in　his　dream　fancied　he　heard　the　bells

ringing　from　all　the　churches　round；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　him　to　be

a　beautiful　summer's　day；　mild　and　warm。　His　mighty　summits　was

crowned　with　spreading　fresh　green　foliage；　the　sunbeams　played

among　the　leaves　and　branches；　and　the　air　was　full　of　fragrance

from　herb　and　blossom；　painted　butterflies　chased　each　other；　the

summer　flies　danced　around　him；　as　if　the　world　had　been　created

merely　for　them　to　dance　and　be　merry　in。　All　that　had　happened　to　the

tree　during　every　year　of　his　life　seemed　to　pass　before　him；　as　in

a　festive　procession。　He　saw　the　knights　of　olden　times　and　noble

ladies　ride　by　through　the　wood　on　their　gallant　steeds；　with　plumes

waving　in　their　hats；　and　falcons　on　their　wrists。　The　hunting　horn

sounded；　and　the　dogs　barked。　He　saw　hostile　warriors；　in　colored

dresses　and　glittering　armor；　with　spear　and　halberd；　pitching　their

tents；　and　anon　striking　them。　The　watchfires　again　blazed；　and　men

sang　and　slept　under　the　hospitable　shelter　of　the　tree。　He　saw　lovers

meet　in　quiet　happiness　near　him　in　the　moonshine；　and　carve　the

initials　of　their　names　in　the　grayish…green　bark　on　his　trunk。

Once；　but　long　years　had　intervened　since　then；　guitars　and　Eolian

harps　had　been　hung　on　his　boughs　by　merry　travellers；　now　they　seemed

to　hang　there　again；　and　he　could　hear　their　marvellous　tones。　The

wood…pigeons　cooed　as　if　to　explain　the　feelings　of　the　tree；　and

the　cuckoo　called　out　to　tell　him　how　many　summer　days　he　had　yet　to

live。　Then　it　seemed　as　if　new　life　was　thrilling　through　every

fibre　of　root　and　stem　and　leaf；　rising　even　to　the　highest

branches。　The　tree　felt　itself　stretching　and　spreading　out；　while

through　the　root　beneath　the　earth　ran　the　warm　vigor　of　life。　As　he

grew　higher　and　still　higher；　with　increased　strength；　his　topmost

boughs　became　broader　and　fuller；　and　in　proportion　to　his　growth；

so　was　his　self…satisfaction　increased；　and　with　it　arose　a　joyous

longing　to　grow　higher　and　higher；　to　reach　even　to　the　warm；　bright

sun　itself。　Already　had　his　topmost　branches　pierced　the　clouds；　which

floated　beneath　them　like　troops　of　birds　of　passage；　or　large　white

swans；　every　leaf　seemed　gifted　with　sight；　as　if　it　possessed　eyes　to

see。　The　stars　became　visible　in　broad　daylight；　large　and

sparkling；　like　clear　and　gentle　eyes。　They　recalled　to　the　memory　the

well…known　look　in　the　eyes　of　a　child；　or　in　the　eyes　of　lovers　who

had　once　met　beneath　the　branches　of　the　old　oak。　These　were　wonderful

and　happy　moments　for　the　old　tree；　full　of　peace　and　joy；　and　yet；

amidst　all　this　happiness；　the　tree　felt　a　yearning；　longing　desire

that　all　the　other　trees；　bushes；　herbs；　and　flowers　beneath　him；

might　be　able　also　to　rise　higher；　as　he　had　done；　and　to　see　all　this

splendor；　and　experience　the　same　happiness。　The　grand；　majestic　oak

could　not　be　quite　happy　in　the　midst　of　his　enjoyment；　while　all

the　rest；　both　great　and　s