a12-第1部分

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！








1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　TOAD
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
THE　well　was　deep；　and　therefore　the　rope　had　to　be　a　long　one；　it
was　heavy　work　turning　the　handle　when　any　one　had　to　raise　a
bucketful　of　water　over　the　edge　of　the　well。　Though　the　water　was
clear；　the　sun　never　looked　down　far　enough　into　the　well　to　mirror
itself　in　the　waters；　but　as　far　as　its　beams　could　reach；　green
things　grew　forth　between　the　stones　in　the　sides　of　the　well。

Down　below　dwelt　a　family　of　the　Toad　race。　They　had；　in　fact；
come　head…over…heels　down　the　well；　in　the　person　of　the　old
Mother…Toad；　who　was　still　alive。　The　green　Frogs；　who　had　been
established　there　a　long　time；　and　swam　about　in　the　water；　called
them　〃well…guests。〃　But　the　new…comers　seemed　determined　to　stay　where　they　were；　for　they　found　it　very　agreeable　living　〃in　a　dry　place；〃　as　they　called　the　wet　stones。

The　Mother…Frog　had　once　been　a　traveller。　She　happened　to　be　in
the　water…bucket　when　it　was　drawn　up；　but　the　light　became　too　strong　for　her；　and　she　got　a　pain　in　her　eyes。　Fortunately　she　scrambled　out　of　the　bucket；　but　she　fell　into　the　water　with　a　terrible　flop；　and　had　to　lie　sick　for　three　days　with　pains　in　her　back。　She　certainly　had　not　much　to　tell　of　the　things　up　above；　but　she　knew　this；　and　all　the　Frogs　knew　it；　that　the　well　was　not　all　the　world。　The
Mother…Toad　might　have　told　this　and　that；　if　she　had　chosen；　but
she　never　answered　when　they　asked　her　anything；　and　so　they　left
off　asking。

〃She's　thick；　and　fat　and　ugly；〃　said　the　young　green　Frogs；

〃and　her　children　will　be　just　as　ugly　as　she　is。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　retorted　the　mother…Toad；　〃but　one　of　them　has　a
jewel　in　his　head；　or　else　I　have　the　jewel。〃

The　young　frogs　listened　and　stared；　and　as　these　words　did　not
please　them；　they　made　grimaces　and　dived　down　under　the　water。　
But　the　little　Toads　kicked　up　their　hind　legs　from　mere　pride；　for　each　of　them　thought　that　he　must　have　the　jewel；　and　then　they　sat　and　held　their　heads　quite　still。　But　at　length　they　asked　what　it　was
that　made　them　so　proud；　and　what　kind　of　a　thing　a　jewel　might　be。

〃Oh；　it　is　such　a　splendid　and　precious　thing；　that　I　cannot
describe　it；〃　said　the　Mother…Toad。　〃It's　something　which　one
carries　about　for　one's　own　pleasure；　and　that　makes　other　people
angry。　But　don't　ask　me　any　questions；　for　I　shan't　answer　you。〃

〃Well；　I　haven't　got　the　jewel；〃　said　the　smallest　of　the　Toads；
she　was　as　ugly　as　a　toad　can　be。　〃Why　should　I　have　such　a　precious　thing？　And　if　it　makes　others　angry；　it　can't　give　me　any　pleasure。

No；　I　only　wish　I　could　get　to　the　edge　of　the　well；　and　look　out；
it　must　be　beautiful　up　there。〃

〃You'd　better　stay　where　you　are；〃　said　the　old　Mother…Toad；

〃for　you　know　everything　here；　and　you　can　tell　what　you　have。　Take
care　of　the　bucket；　for　it　will　crush　you　to　death；　and　even　if　you
get　into　it　safely；　you　may　fall　out。　And　it's　not　every　one　who　falls
so　cleverly　as　I　did；　and　gets　away　with　whole　legs　and　whole　bones。

〃Quack！〃　said　the　little　Toad；　and　that's　just　as　if　one　of　us
were　to　say；　〃Aha！〃

She　had　an　immense　desire　to　get　to　the　edge　of　the　well；　and　to
look　over；　she　felt　such　a　longing　for　the　green；　up　there；　and　the
next　morning；　when　it　chanced　that　the　bucket　was　being　drawn　up；
filled　with　water；　and　stopped　for　a　moment　just　in　front　of　the　stone
on　which　the　Toad　sat；　the　little　creature's　heart　moved　within　it；
and　our　Toad　jumped　into　the　filled　bucket；　which　presently　was
drawn　to　the　top；　and　emptied　out。

〃Ugh；　you　beast！〃　said　the　farm　laborer　who　emptied　the　bucket；
when　he　saw　the　toad。　〃You're　the　ugliest　thing　I've　seen　for　one
while。〃　And　he　made　a　kick　with　his　wooden　shoe　at　the　toad；　which
just　escaped　being　crushed　by　managing　to　scramble　into　the　nettles
which　grew　high　by　the　well's　brink。　Here　she　saw　stem　by　stem；　but
she　looked　up　also；　the　sun　shone　through　the　leaves；　which　were　quite　transparent；　and　she　felt　as　a　person　would　feel　who　steps　suddenly　into　a　great　forest；　where　the　sun　looks　in　between　the　branches　and　leaves。

〃It's　much　nicer　here　than　down　in　the　well！　I　should　like　to　stay
here　my　whole　life　long！〃　said　the　little　Toad。　So　she　lay　there　for
an　hour；　yes；　for　two　hours。　〃I　wonder　what　is　to　be　found　up　here？　
As　I　have　come　so　far；　I　must　try　to　go　still　farther。〃　And　so　she
crawled　on　as　fast　as　she　could　crawl；　and　got　out　upon　the　highway；
where　the　sun　shone　upon　her；　and　the　dust　powdered　her　all　over　as
she　marched　across　the　way。

〃I've　got　to　a　dry　place。　now；　and　no　mistake；〃　said　the　Toad。

〃It's　almost　too　much　of　a　good　thing　here；　it　tickles　one　so。〃
She　came　to　the　ditch；　and　forget…me…nots　were　growing　there；
and　meadow…sweet；　and　a　very　little　way　off　was　a　hedge　of　whitethorn；and　elder　bushes　grew　there；　too；　and　bindweed　with　white　flowers。　Gay　colors　were　to　be　seen　here；　and　a　butterfly；　too；　was　flitting　by。

The　Toad　thought　it　was　a　flower　which　had　broken　loose　that　it
might　look　about　better　in　the　world；　which　was　quite　a　natural
thing　to　do。

〃If　one　could　only　make　such　a　journey　as　that！〃　said　the　Toad。

〃Croak！　how　capital　that　would　be。〃

Eight　days　and　eight　nights　she　stayed　by　the　well；　and
experienced　no　want　of　provisions。　On　the　ninth　day　she　thought；
〃Forward！　onward！〃　But　what　could　she　find　more　charming　and
beautiful？　Perhaps　a　little　toad　or　a　few　green　frogs。　During　the　last
night　there　had　been　a　sound　borne　on　the　breeze；　as　if　there　were
cousins　in　the　neighborhood。

〃It's　a　glorious　thing　to　live！　glorious　to　get　out　of　the　well；
and　to　lie　among　the　stinging…nettles；　and　to　crawl　along　the　dusty
road。　But　onward；　onward！　that　we　may　find　frogs　or　a　little　toad。

We　can't　do　without　that；　nature　alone　is　not　enough　for　one。〃　And
so　she　went　forward　on　her　journey。

She　came　out　into　the　open　field；　to　a　great　pond；　round　about
which　grew　reeds；　and　she　walked　into　it。

〃It　will　be　too　damp　for　you　here；〃　said　the　Frogs；　〃but　you　are
very　welcome！　Are　you　a　he　or　a　she？　But　it　doesn't　matter；　you　are
equally　welcome。〃

And　she　was　invited　to　the　concert　in　the　evening…　the　family
concert；　great　enthusiasm　and　thin　voices；　we　know　the　sort　of
thing。　No　refreshments　were　given；　only　there　was　plenty　to　drink；　for
the　whole　pond　was　free。

〃Now　I　shall　resume　my　journey；〃　said　the　little　Toad；　for　she
always　felt　a　longing　for　something　better。

She　saw　the　stars　shining；　so　large　and　so　bright；　and　she　saw　the
moon　gleaming；　and　then　she　saw　the　sun　rise；　and　mount　higher　and
higher。

〃Perhaps　after　all；　I　am　still　in　a　well；　only　in　a　larger　well。　I
must　get　higher　yet；　I　feel　a　great　restlessness　and　longing。〃　And
when　the　moon　became　round　and　full；　the　poor　creature　thought；　〃I
wonder　if　that　is　the　bucket　which　will　be　let　down；　and　into　which
I　must　step　to　get　higher　up？　Or　is　the　sun　the　great　bucket？　How
great　it　is！　how　bright　it　is！　It　can　take　up　all。　I　must　look　out；
that　I　may　not　miss　the　opportunity。　Oh；　how　it　seems　to　shine　in　my
head！　I　don't　think　the　jewel　can　shine　brighter。　But　I　haven't　the
jewel；　not　that　I　cry　about　that…　no；　I　must　go　higher　up；　into
splendor　and　joy！　I　feel　so　confident；　and　yet　I　am　afraid。　It's　a
difficult　step　to　take；　and　yet　it　must　be　taken。　Onward；　therefore；
straight　onward！〃

She　took　a　few　steps；　such　as　a　crawling　animal　may　take；　and　soon
found　herself　on　a　road　beside　which　people　dwelt；　but　there　were
flower　gardens　as　well　as　kitchen　gardens。　And　she　sat　down　to　rest　by　a　kitchen　garden。

〃What　a　number　of　different　creatures　there　are　that　I　never　knew！
and　how　beautiful　and　great　the　world　is！　But　one　must　look　round　in
it；　and　not　stay　in　one　spot。〃　And　then　she　hopped　into　the　kitchen
garden。　〃How　green　it　is　here！　how　beautiful　it　is　here！〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　Caterpillar；　on　the　leaf；　〃my　leaf　is
the　largest　here。　It　hides　half　the　world　from　me；　but　I　don't　care
for　the　world。〃

〃Cluck；　cluck！〃　And　some　fowls　came。　They　tripped　about　in　the
cabbage　garden。　The　Fowl　who　marched　at　the　head　of　them　had　a　long　sight；　and　she　spied　the　Caterpillar　on　the　green　leaf；　and　pecked
at　it；　so　that　the　Caterpillar　fell　on　the　ground；　where　it　twisted
and　writhed。

The　Fowl　looked　at　it　first　with　one　eye　and　then　with　the
other；　for　she　did　not　know　what　the　end　of　this　writhing　would　be。
〃It　doesn't　do　that　with　a　good　will；〃　thought　the　Fowl；　and
lifted　up　her　head　to　peck　at　the　Caterpillar。

The　Toad　was　so　horrified　at　this；　that　she　came　crawling　straight
up　towards　the　Fowl。

〃Aha；　it　has　allies；〃　quoth　the　Fowl。　〃Just　look　at　the　crawling
thing！〃　And　then　the　Fowl　turned　away。　〃I　don't　care　for　the　little
green　morsel；　it　would　only　tickle　my　throat。〃　The　other　fowls　took
the　same　view　of　it；　and　they　all　turned　away　together。

〃I　writhed　myself　free；〃　said　the　Caterpillar。　〃What　a　good
thing　it　is　when　one　has　presence　of　mind！　But　the　hardest　thing
remains　to　be　done；　and　that　is　to　get　on　my　leaf　again。　Where　is　it？〃
And　the　little　Toad　came　up　and　expressed　her　sympathy。　She　was
glad　that　in　her　ugliness　she　had　frightened　the　fowls。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　cried　the　Caterpillar。　〃I　wriggled
myself　free　from　the　Fowl。　You　are　very　disagreeable　to　look　at。
Cannot　I　be　left　in　peace　on　my　own　property？　Now　I　smell　cabbage；　now　I　am　near　my　leaf。　Nothing　is　so　beautiful　as　property。　But　I　must
go　higher　up。〃

〃Yes；　higher　up；〃　said　the　little　Toad；　〃higher…up！　She　feels　just
as　I　do；　but　she's　not　in　a　good　humor　to…day。　That's　because　of　the
fright。　We　all　want　to　go　higher　up。〃　And　she　looked　up　as　high　as
ever　she　could。

The　stork　sat　in　his　nest　on　the　roof　of　the　farm…house。　He
clapped　with　his　beak；　and　the　Mother…stork　clapped　with　hers。
〃How　high　up　they　live！〃　thought　the　Toad。　〃If　one　could　only
get　as　high　as　that！〃

In　the　farm…house　lived　two　young　students；　the　one　was　a　poet　and
the　other　a　scientific　searcher　into　the　secrets　of　nature。　The　one
sang　and　wrote　joyously　of　everything　that　God　had　created；　and　how　it　was　mirrored　in　his　heart。　He　sang　it　out　clearly；　swee