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第2章

the fir tree-第2章

小说: the fir tree 字数: 每页4000字

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tremble at all; though the fire frightened him; he was so anxious

not to hurt any of the beautiful ornaments; even while their

brilliancy dazzled him。 And now the folding doors were thrown open;

and a troop of children rushed in as if they intended to upset the

tree; they were followed more silently by their elders。 For a moment

the little ones stood silent with astonishment; and then they

shouted for joy; till the room rang; and they danced merrily round the

tree; while one present after another was taken from it。

    〃What are they doing? What will happen next?〃 thought the fir。

At last the candles burnt down to the branches and were put out。

Then the children received permission to plunder the tree。

    Oh; how they rushed upon it; till the branches cracked; and had it

not been fastened with the glistening star to the ceiling; it must

have been thrown down。 The children then danced about with their

pretty toys; and no one noticed the tree; except the children's maid

who came and peeped among the branches to see if an apple or a fig had

been forgotten。

    〃A story; a story;〃 cried the children; pulling a little fat man

towards the tree。

    〃Now we shall be in the green shade;〃 said the man; as he seated

himself under it; 〃and the tree will have the pleasure of hearing

also; but I shall only relate one story; what shall it be?

Ivede…Avede; or Humpty Dumpty; who fell down stairs; but soon got up

again; and at last married a princess。〃

    〃Ivede…Avede;〃 cried some。 〃Humpty Dumpty;〃 cried others; and

there was a fine shouting and crying out。 But the fir…tree remained

quite still; and thought to himself; 〃Shall I have anything to do with

all this?〃 but he had already amused them as much as they wished。 Then

the old man told them the story of Humpty Dumpty; how he fell down

stairs; and was raised up again; and married a princess。 And the

children clapped their hands and cried; 〃Tell another; tell

another;〃 for they wanted to hear the story of 〃Ivede…Avede;〃 but they

only had 〃Humpty Dumpty。〃 After this the fir…tree became quite

silent and thoughtful; never had the birds in the forest told such

tales as 〃Humpty Dumpty;〃 who fell down stairs; and yet married a

princess。

    〃Ah! yes; so it happens in the world;〃 thought the fir…tree; he

believed it all; because it was related by such a nice man。 〃Ah!

well;〃 he thought; 〃who knows? perhaps I may fall down too; and

marry a princess;〃 and he looked forward joyfully to the next evening;

expecting to be again decked out with lights and playthings; gold

and fruit。 〃To…morrow I will not tremble;〃 thought he; 〃I will enjoy

all my splendor; and I shall hear the story of Humpty Dumpty again;

and perhaps Ivede…Avede。〃 And the tree remained quiet and thoughtful

all night。 In the morning the servants and the housemaid came in。

〃Now;〃 thought the fir; 〃all my splendor is going to begin again。〃 But

they dragged him out of the room and up stairs to the garret; and

threw him on the floor; in a dark corner; where no daylight shone; and

there they left him。 〃What does this mean?〃 thought the tree; 〃what am

I to do here? I can hear nothing in a place like this;〃 and he had

time enough to think; for days and nights passed and no one came

near him; and when at last somebody did come; it was only to put

away large boxes in a corner。 So the tree was completely hidden from

sight as if it had never existed。 〃It is winter now;〃 thought the

tree; 〃the ground is hard and covered with snow; so that people cannot

plant me。 I shall be sheltered here; I dare say; until spring comes。

How thoughtful and kind everybody is to me! Still I wish this place

were not so dark; as well as lonely; with not even a little hare to

look at。 How pleasant it was out in the forest while the snow lay on

the ground; when the hare would run by; yes; and jump over me too;

although I did not like it then。 Oh! it is terrible lonely here。〃

    〃Squeak; squeak;〃 said a little mouse; creeping cautiously towards

the tree; then came another; and they both sniffed at the fir…tree and

crept between the branches。

    〃Oh; it is very cold;〃 said the little mouse; 〃or else we should

be so comfortable here; shouldn't we; you old fir…tree?〃

    〃I am not old;〃 said the fir…tree; 〃there are many who are older

than I am。〃

    〃Where do you come from? and what do you know?〃 asked the mice;

who were full of curiosity。 〃Have you seen the most beautiful places

in the world; and can you tell us all about them? and have you been in

the storeroom; where cheeses lie on the shelf; and hams hang from

the ceiling? One can run about on tallow candles there; and go in thin

and come out fat。〃

    〃I know nothing of that place;〃 said the fir…tree; 〃but I know the

wood where the sun shines and the birds sing。〃 And then the tree

told the little mice all about its youth。 They had never heard such an

account in their lives; and after they had listened to it attentively;

they said; 〃What a number of things you have seen? you must have

been very happy。〃

    〃Happy!〃 exclaimed the fir…tree; and then as he reflected upon

what he had been telling them; he said; 〃Ah; yes! after all those were

happy days。〃 But when he went on and related all about

Christmas…eve; and how he had been dressed up with cakes and lights;

the mice said; 〃How happy you must have been; you old fir…tree。〃

    〃I am not old at all;〃 replied the tree; 〃I only came from the

forest this winter; I am now checked in my growth。〃

    〃What splendid stories you can relate;〃 said the little mice。

And the next night four other mice came with them to hear what the

tree had to tell。 The more he talked the more he remembered; and

then he thought to himself; 〃Those were happy days; but they may

come again。 Humpty Dumpty fell down stairs; and yet he married the

princess; perhaps I may marry a princess too。〃 And the fir…tree

thought of the pretty little birch…tree that grew in the forest; which

was to him a real beautiful princess。

    〃Who is Humpty Dumpty?〃 asked the little mice。 And then the tree

related the whole story; he could remember every single word; and

the little mice was so delighted with it; that they were ready to jump

to the top of the tree。 The next night a great many more mice made

their appearance; and on Sunday two rats came with them; but they

said; it was not a pretty story at all; and the little mice were

very sorry; for it made them also think less of it。

    〃Do you know only one story?〃 asked the rats。

    〃Only one;〃 replied the fir…tree; 〃I heard it on the happiest

evening of my life; but I did not know I was so happy at the time。〃

    〃We think it is a very miserable story;〃 said the rats。 〃Don't you

know any story about bacon; or tallow in the storeroom。〃

    〃No;〃 replied the tree。

    〃Many thanks to you then;〃 replied the rats; and they marched off。

    The little mice also kept away after this; and the tree sighed;

and said; 〃It was very pleasant when the merry little mice sat round

me and listened while I talked。 Now that is all passed too。 However; I

shall consider myself happy when some one comes to take me out of this

place。〃 But would this ever happen? Yes; one morning people came to

clear out the garret; the boxes were packed away; and the tree was

pulled out of the corner; and thrown roughly on the garret floor; then

the servant dragged it out upon the staircase where the daylight

shone。 〃Now life is beginning again;〃 said the tree; rejoicing in

the sunshine and fresh air。 Then it was carried down stairs and

taken into the courtyard so quickly; that it forgot to think of

itself; and could only look about; there was so much to be seen。 The

court was close to a garden; where everything looked blooming。 Fresh

and fragrant roses hung over the little palings。 The linden…trees were

in blossom; while the swallows flew here and there; crying; 〃Twit;

twit; twit; my mate is coming;〃… but it was not the fir…tree they

meant。 〃Now I shall live;〃 cried the tree; joyfully spreading out

its branches; but alas! they were all withered and yellow; and it

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