the story of the wind-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　STORY　OF　THE　WIND

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　〃NEAR　the　shores　of　the　great　Belt；　which　is　one　of　the　straits

that　connect　the　Cattegat　with　the　Baltic；　stands　an　old　mansion

with　thick　red　walls。　I　know　every　stone　of　it；〃　says　the　Wind。　〃I　saw

it　when　it　was　part　of　the　castle　of　Marck　Stig　on　the　promontory。　But

the　castle　was　obliged　to　be　pulled　down；　and　the　stone　was　used　again

for　the　walls　of　a　new　mansion　on　another　spot…　the　baronial　residence

of　Borreby；　which　still　stands　near　the　coast。　I　knew　them　well；　those

noble　lords　and　ladies；　the　successive　generations　that　dwelt　there；

and　now　I'm　going　to　tell　you　of　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　daughters。　How

proud　was　his　bearing；　for　he　was　of　royal　blood；　and　could　boast　of

more　noble　deeds　than　merely　hunting　the　stag　and　emptying　the

wine…cup。　His　rule　was　despotic：　'It　shall　be；'　he　was　accustomed　to

say。　His　wife；　in　garments　embroidered　with　gold；　stepped　proudly　over

the　polished　marble　floors。　The　tapestries　were　gorgeous；　and　the

furniture　of　costly　and　artistic　taste。　She　had　brought　gold　and　plate

with　her　into　the　house。　The　cellars　were　full　of　wine。　Black；　fiery

horses；　neighed　in　the　stables。　There　was　a　look　of　wealth　about　the

house　of　Borreby　at　that　time。　They　had　three　children；　daughters；

fair　and　delicate　maidens…　Ida；　Joanna；　and　Anna　Dorothea；　I　have

never　forgotten　their　names。　They　were　a　rich；　noble　family；　born　in

affluence　and　nurtured　in　luxury。

　　　　〃Whir…r…r；　whir…r…r！〃　roared　the　Wind；　and　went　on；　〃I　did　not　see

in　this　house；　as　in　other　great　houses；　the　high…born　lady　sitting

among　her　women；　turning　the　spinning…wheel。　She　could　sweep　the

sounding　chords　of　the　guitar；　and　sing　to　the　music；　not　always

Danish　melodies；　but　the　songs　of　a　strange　land。　It　was　'Live　and　let

live；'　here。　Stranger　guests　came　from　far　and　near；　music　sounded；

goblets　clashed；　and　I；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃was　not　able　to　drown　the

noise。　Ostentation；　pride；　splendor；　and　display　ruled；　but　not　the

fear　of　the　Lord。

　　　　〃It　was　on　the　evening　of　the　first　day　of　May；〃　the　Wind

continued；　〃I　came　from　the　west；　and　had　seen　the　ships　overpowered

with　the　waves；　when　all　on　board　persisted　or　were　cast　shipwrecked

on　the　coast　of　Jutland。　I　had　hurried　across　the　heath　and　over

Jutland's　wood…girt　eastern　coast；　and　over　the　island　of　Funen；　and

then　I　drove　across　the　great　belt；　sighing　and　moaning。　At　length　I

lay　down　to　rest　on　the　shores　of　Zeeland；　near　to　the　great　house

of　Borreby；　where　the　splendid　forest　of　oaks　still　flourished。　The

young　men　of　the　neighborhood　were　collecting　branches　and　brushwood

under　the　oak…trees。　The　largest　and　dryest　they　could　find　they

carried　into　the　village；　and　piled　them　up　in　a　heap　and　set　them

on　fire。　Then　the　men　and　maidens　danced；　and　sung　in　a　circle　round

the　blazing　pile。　I　lay　quite　quiet；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃but　I　silently

touched　a　branch　which　had　been　brought　by　one　of　the　handsomest　of

the　young　men；　and　the　wood　blazed　up　brightly；　blazed　brighter　than

all　the　rest。　Then　he　was　chosen　as　the　chief；　and　received　the　name

of　the　Shepherd；　and　might　choose　his　lamb　from　among　the　maidens。

There　was　greater　mirth　and　rejoicing　than　I　had　ever　heard　in　the

halls　of　the　rich　baronial　house。　Then　the　noble　lady　drove　by　towards

the　baron's　mansion　with　her　three　daughters；　in　a　gilded　carriage

drawn　by　six　horses。　The　daughters　were　young　and　beautiful…　three

charming　blossoms…　a　rose；　a　lily；　and　a　white　hyacinth。　The　mother

was　a　proud　tulip；　and　never　acknowledged　the　salutations　of　any　of

the　men　or　maidens　who　paused　in　their　sport　to　do　her　honor。　The

gracious　lady　seemed　like　a　flower　that　was　rather　stiff　in　the　stalk。

Rose；　lily；　and　hyacinth…　yes；　I　saw　them　all　three。　Whose　little

lambs　will　they　one　day　become？　thought　I；　their　shepherd　will　be　a

gallant　knight；　perhaps　a　prince。　The　carriage　rolled　on；　and　the

peasants　resumed　their　dancing。　They　drove　about　the　summer　through

all　the　villages　near。　But　one　night；　when　I　rose　again；　the　high…born

lady　lay　down　to　rise　again　no　more；　that　thing　came　to　her　which

comes　to　us　all；　in　which　there　is　nothing　new。　Waldemar　Daa

remained　for　a　time　silent　and　thoughtful。　'The　loftiest　tree　may　be

bowed　without　being　broken；'　said　a　voice　within　him。　His　daughters

wept；　all　the　people　in　the　mansion　wiped　their　eyes；　but　Lady　Daa　had

driven　away；　and　I　drove　away　too；〃　said　the　Wind。　〃Whir…r…r；

whir…r…r…！

　　　　〃I　returned　again；　I　often　returned　and　passed　over　the　island

of　Funen　and　the　shores　of　the　Belt。　Then　I　rested　by　Borreby；　near

the　glorious　wood；　where　the　heron　made　his　nest；　the　haunt　of　the

wood…pigeons；　the　blue…birds；　and　the　black　stork。　It　was　yet

spring；　some　were　sitting　on　their　eggs；　others　had　already　hatched

their　young　broods；　but　how　they　fluttered　about　and　cried　out　when

the　axe　sounded　through　the　forest；　blow　upon　blow！　The　trees　of　the

forest　were　doomed。　Waldemar　Daa　wanted　to　build　a　noble　ship；　a

man…of…war；　a　three…decker；　which　the　king　would　be　sure　to　buy；　and

these；　the　trees　of　the　wood；　the　landmark　of　the　seamen；　the　refuge

of　the　birds；　must　be　felled。　The　hawk　started　up　and　flew　away；　for

its　nest　was　destroyed；　the　heron　and　all　the　birds　of　the　forest

became　homeless；　and　flew　about　in　fear　and　anger。　I　could　well

understand　how　they　felt。　Crows　and　ravens　croaked；　as　if　in　scorn；

while　the　trees　were　cracking　and　falling　around　them。　Far　in　the

interior　of　the　wood；　where　a　noisy　swarm　of　laborers　were　working；

stood　Waldemar　Daa　and　his　three　daughters；　and　all　were　laughing　at

the　wild　cries　of　the　birds；　excepting　one；　the　youngest；　Anna

Dorothea；　who　felt　grieved　to　the　heart；　and　when　they　made

preparations　to　fell　a　tree　that　was　almost　dead；　and　on　whose　naked

branches　the　black　stork　had　built　her　nest；　she　saw　the　poor　little

things　stretching　out　their　necks；　and　she　begged　for　mercy　for

them；　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　So　the　tree　with　the　black　stork's

nest　was　left　standing；　the　tree　itself；　however；　was　not　worth　much

to　speak　of。　Then　there　was　a　great　deal　of　hewing　and　sawing；　and

at　last　the　three…decker　was　built。　The　builder　was　a　man　of　low

origin；　but　possessing　great　pride；　his　eyes　and　forehead　spoke　of

large　intellect；　and　Waldemar　Daa　was　fond　of　listening　to　him；　and　so

was　Waldemar's　daughter　Ida；　the　eldest；　now　about　fifteen　years

old；　and　while　he　was　building　the　ship　for　the　father；　he　was

building　for　himself　a　castle　in　the　air；　in　which　he　and　Ida　were

to　live　when　they　were　married。　This　might　have　happened；　indeed；　if

there　had　been　a　real　castle；　with　stone　walls；　ramparts；　and　a

moat。　But　in　spite　of　his　clever　head；　the　builder　was　still　but　a

poor；　inferior　bird；　and　how　can　a　sparrow　expect　to　be　admitted

into　the　society　of　peacocks？

　　　　〃I　passed　on　in　my　course；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃and　he　passed　away

also。　He　was　not　allowed　to　remain；　and　little　Ida　got　over　it；

because　she　was　obliged　to　do　so。　Proud；　black　horses；　worth　looking

at；　were　neighing　in　the　stable。　And　they　were　locked　up；　for　the

admiral；　who　had　been　sent　by　the　king　to　inspect　the　new　ship；　and

make　arrangements　for　its　purchase；　was　loud　in　admiration　of　these

beautiful　horses。　I　heard　it　all；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃for　I　accompanied

the　gentlemen　through　the　open　door　of　the　stable；　and　strewed

stalks　of　straw；　like　bars　of　gold；　at　their　feet。　Waldemar　Daa　wanted

gold；　and　the　admiral　wished　for　the　proud　black　horses；　therefore

he　praised　them　so　much。　But　the　hint　was　not　taken；　and

consequently　the　ship　was　not　bought。　It　remained　on　the　shore　covered

with　boards；…　a　Noah's　ark　that　never　got　to　the　water…　Whir…r…r…r…

and　that　was　a　pity。

　　　　〃In　the　winter；　when　the　fields　were　covered　with　snow；　and　the

water　filled　with　large　blocks　of　ice　which　I　had　blown　up　to　the

coast；〃　continued　the　Wind；　〃great　flocks　of　crows　and　ravens；　dark

and　black