the snowdrop-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SNOWDROP

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IT　was　winter…time；　the　air　was　cold；　the　wind　was　sharp；　but

within　the　closed　doors　it　was　warm　and　comfortable；　and　within　the

closed　door　lay　the　flower；　it　lay　in　the　bulb　under　the

snow…covered　earth。

　　　　One　day　rain　fell。　The　drops　penetrated　through　the　snowy　covering

down　into　the　earth；　and　touched　the　flower…bulb；　and　talked　of　the

bright　world　above。　Soon　the　Sunbeam　pierced　its　way　through　the

snow　to　the　root；　and　within　the　root　there　was　a　stirring。

　　　　〃Come　in；〃　said　the　flower。

　　　　〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　Sunbeam。　〃I　am　not　strong　enough　to　unlock

the　door！　When　the　summer　comes　I　shall　be　strong！〃

　　　　〃When　will　it　be　summer？〃　asked　the　Flower；　and　she　repeated

this　question　each　time　a　new　sunbeam　made　its　way　down　to　her。　But

the　summer　was　yet　far　distant。　The　snow　still　lay　upon　the　ground；

and　there　was　a　coat　of　ice　on　the　water　every　night。

　　　　〃What　a　long　time　it　takes！　what　a　long　time　it　takes！〃　said　the

Flower。　〃I　feel　a　stirring　and　striving　within　me；　I　must　stretch

myself；　I　must　unlock　the　door；　I　must　get　out；　and　must　nod　a　good

morning　to　the　summer；　and　what　a　happy　time　that　will　be！〃

　　　　And　the　Flower　stirred　and　stretched　itself　within　the　thin　rind

which　the　water　had　softened　from　without；　and　the　snow　and　the

earth　had　warmed；　and　the　Sunbeam　had　knocked　at；　and　it　shot　forth

under　the　snow　with　a　greenish…white　blossom　on　a　green　stalk；　with

narrow　thick　leaves；　which　seemed　to　want　to　protect　it。　The　snow

was　cold；　but　was　pierced　by　the　Sunbeam；　therefore　it　was　easy　to　get

through　it；　and　now　the　Sunbeam　came　with　greater　strength　than

before。

　　　　〃Welcome；　welcome！〃　sang　and　sounded　every　ray；　and　the　Flower

lifted　itself　up　over　the　snow　into　the　brighter　world。　The　Sunbeams

caressed　and　kissed　it；　so　that　it　opened　altogether；　white　as　snow；

and　ornamented　with　green　stripes。　It　bent　its　head　in　joy　and

humility。

　　　　〃Beautiful　Flower！〃　said　the　Sunbeams；　〃how　graceful　and

delicate　you　are！　You　are　the　first；　you　are　the　only　one！　You　are　our

love！　You　are　the　bell　that　rings　out　for　summer；　beautiful　summer；

over　country　and　town。　All　the　snow　will　melt；　the　cold　winds　will

be　driven　away；　we　shall　rule；　all　will　become　green；　and　then　you

will　have　companions；　syringas；　laburnums；　and　roses；　but　you　are

the　first；　so　graceful；　so　delicate！〃

　　　　That　was　a　great　pleasure。　It　seemed　as　if　the　air　were　singing

and　sounding；　as　if　rays　of　light　were　piercing　through　the　leaves　and

the　stalks　of　the　Flower。　There　it　stood；　so　delicate　and　so　easily

broken；　and　yet　so　strong　in　its　young　beauty；　it　stood　there　in　its

white　dress　with　the　green　stripes；　and　made　a　summer。　But　there　was　a

long　time　yet　to　the　summer…time。　Clouds　hid　the　sun；　and　bleak

winds　were　blowing。

　　　　〃You　have　come　too　early；〃　said　Wind　and　Weather。　〃We　have　still

the　power；　and　you　shall　feel　it；　and　give　it　up　to　us。　You　should

have　stayed　quietly　at　home　and　not　have　run　out　to　make　a　display

of　yourself。　Your　time　is　not　come　yet！〃

　　　　It　was　a　cutting　cold！　The　days　which　now　come　brought　not　a

single　sunbeam。　It　was　weather　that　might　break　such　a　little　Flower

in　two　with　cold。　But　the　Flower　had　more　strength　than　she　herself

knew　of。　She　was　strong　in　joy　and　in　faith　in　the　summer；　which　would

be　sure　to　come；　which　had　been　announced　by　her　deep　longing　and

confirmed　by　the　warm　sunlight；　and　so　she　remained　standing　in

confidence　in　the　snow　in　her　white　garment；　bending　her　head　even

while　the　snow…flakes　fell　thick　and　heavy；　and　the　icy　winds　swept

over　her。

　　　　〃You'll　break！〃　they　said；　〃and　fade；　and　fade！　What　did　you

want　out　here？　Why　did　you　let　yourself　be　tempted？　The　Sunbeam　only

made　game　of　you。　Now　you　have　what　you　deserve；　you　summer　gauk。〃

　　　〃Summer　gauk！〃　she　repeated　in　the　cold　morning　hour。

　　　　〃O　summer　gauk！〃　cried　some　children　rejoicingly；　〃yonder　stands

one…　how　beautiful；　how　beautiful！　The　first　one；　the　only　one！〃

　　　　These　words　did　the　Flower　so　much　good；　they　seemed　to　her　like

warm　sunbeams。　In　her　joy　the　Flower　did　not　even　feel　when　it　was

broken　off。　It　lay　in　a　child's　hand；　and　was　kissed　by　a　child's

mouth；　and　carried　into　a　warm　room；　and　looked　on　by　gentle　eyes；　and

put　into　water。　How　strengthening；　how　invigorating！　The　Flower

thought　she　had　suddenly　come　upon　the　summer。

　　　　The　daughter　of　the　house；　a　beautiful　little　girl；　was　confirmed；

and　she　had　a　friend　who　was　confirmed；　too。　He　was　studying　for　an

examination　for　an　appointment。　〃He　shall　be　my　summer　gauk；〃　she

said；　and　she　took　the　delicate　Flower　and　laid　it　in　a　piece　of

scented　paper；　on　which　verses　were　written；　beginning　with　summer

gauk　and　ending　with　summer　gauk。　〃My　friend；　be　a　winter　gauk。〃　She

had　twitted　him　with　the　summer。　Yes；　all　this　was　in　the　verses；

and　the　paper　was　folded　up　like　a　letter；　and　the　Flower　was　folded

in　the　letter；　too。　It　was　dark　around　her；　dark　as　in　those　days　when

she　lay　hidden　in　the　bulb。　The　Flower　went　forth　on　her　journey；

and　lay　in　the　post…bag；　and　was　pressed　and　crushed；　which　was　not　at

all　pleasant；　but　that　soon　came　to　an　end。

　　　　The　journey　was　over；　the　letter　was　opened；　and　read　by　the

dear　friend。　How　pleased　he　was！　He　kissed　the　letter；　and　it　was

laid；　with　its　enclosure　of　verses；　in　a　box；　in　which　there　were　many

beautiful　verses；　but　all　of　them　without　flowers；　she　was　the

first；　the　only　one；　as　the　Sunbeams　had　called　her；　and　it　was　a

pleasant　thing　to　think　of　that。

　　　　She　had　time　enough；　moreover；　to　think　about　it；　she　thought　of

it　while　the　summer　passed　away；　and　the　long　winter　went　by；　and

the　summer　came　again；　before　she　appeared　once　more。　But　now　the

young　man　was　not　pleased　at　all。　He　took　hold　of　the　letter　very

roughly；　and　threw　the　verses　away；　so　that　the　Flower　fell　on　the

ground。　Flat　and　faded　she　certainly　was；　but　why　should　she　be　thrown

on　the　ground？　Still；　it　was　better　to　be　here　than　in　the　fire；　where

the　verses　and　the　paper　were　being　burnt　to　ashes。　What　had　happened？

What　happens　so　often：…　the　Flower　had　made　a　gauk　of　him；　that　was

a　jest；　the　girl　had　made　a　fool　of　him；　that　was　no　jest；　she　had；

during　the　summer；　chosen　another　friend。

　　　　Next　morning　the　sun　shone　in　upon　the　little　flattened

Snowdrop；　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　painted　upon　the　floor。　The

servant　girl；　who　was　sweeping　out　the　room；　picked　it　up；　and　laid　it

in　one　of　the　books　which　were　upon　the　table；　in　the　belief　that　it

must　have　fallen　out　while　the　room　was　being　arranged。　Again　the

flower　lay　among　verses…　printed　verses…　and　they　are　better　than

written　ones…　at　least；　more　money　has　been　spent　upon　them。

　　　　And　after　this　years　went　by。　The　book　stood　upon　the

book…shelf；　and　then　it　was　taken　up　and　somebody　read　out　of　it。　It

was　a　good　book；　verses　and　songs　by　the　old　Danish　poet；　Ambrosius

Stub；　which　are　well　worth　reading。　The　man　who　was　now　reading　the

book　turned　over　a　page。

　　　　〃Why；　there's　a　flower！〃　he　said；　〃a　snowdrop；　a　summer　gauk；　a

poet　gauk！　That　flower　must　have　been　put　in　there　with　a　meaning！

Poor　Ambrosius　Stub！　he　was　a　summer　fool　too；　a　poet　fool；　he　came

too　early；　before　his　time；　and　therefore　he　had　to　taste　the　sharp

winds；　and　wander　about　as　a　guest　from　one　noble　landed　proprietor　to

another；　like　a　flower　in　a　glass　of　water；　a　flower　in　rhymed　verses！

Summer　fool；　winter　fool；　fun　and　folly…　but　the　first；　the　only；

the　fresh　young　Danish　poet　of　those　days。　Yes；　thou　shalt　remain　as　a

token　in　the　book；　thou　little　snowdrop：　thou　hast　been　put　there　with

a　meaning。〃

　　　　And　so　the　Snowdrop　was　put　back　into　the　book；　and　felt　equally

honored　and　pleased　to　know　that　it　was　a　token　in　the　glorious　book

of　songs；　and　that　he　who　was　the　first　to　sing　and　to　write　had

been　also　a　snowdrop；　had　been　a　summer　gauk；　and　had　been　looked　u