贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the story of the wind >

第1章

the story of the wind-第1章

小说: the story of the wind 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

                             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 

返回目录 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的