the old church bell-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　OLD　CHURCH　BELL

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（WRITTEN　FOR　THE　SCHILLER　ALBUM）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　the　country　of　Wurtemburg；　in　Germany；　where　the　acacias　grow

by　the　public　road；　where　the　apple…trees　and　the　pear…trees　in　autumn

bend　to　the　earth　with　the　weight　of　the　precious　fruit；　lies　the

little　town　of　Marbach。　As　is　often　the　case　with　many　of　these　towns；

it　is　charmingly　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Neckar；　which

rushes　rapidly　by；　passing　villages；　old　knights'　castles；　and　green

vineyards；　till　its　waters　mingle　with　those　of　the　stately　Rhine。

It　was　late　in　the　autumn；　the　vine…leaves　still　hung　upon　the

branches　of　the　vines；　but　they　were　already　tinted　with　red　and　gold；

heavy　showers　fell　on　the　surrounding　country；　and　the　cold　autumn

wind　blew　sharp　and　strong。　It　was　not　at　all　pleasant　weather　for　the

poor。　The　days　grew　shorter　and　more　gloomy；　and；　dark　as　it　was　out

of　doors　in　the　open　air；　it　was　still　darker　within　the　small；

old…fashioned　houses　of　the　village。　The　gable　end　of　one　of　these

houses　faced　the　street；　and　with　its　small；　narrow　windows；　presented

a　very　mean　appearance。　The　family　who　dwelt　in　it　were　also　very　poor

and　humble；　but　they　treasured　the　fear　of　God　in　their　innermost

hearts。　And　now　He　was　about　to　send　them　a　child。　It　was　the　hour

of　the　mother's　sorrow；　when　there　pealed　forth　from　the　church

tower　the　sound　of　festive　bells。　In　that　solemn　hour　the　sweet　and

joyous　chiming　filled　the　hearts　of　those　in　the　humble　dwelling

with　thankfulness　and　trust；　and　when；　amidst　these　joyous　sounds；　a

little　son　was　born　to　them；　the　words　of　prayer　and　praise　arose　from

their　overflowing　hearts；　and　their　happiness　seemed　to　ring　out

over　town　and　country　in　the　liquid　tones　of　the　church　bells'

chime。　The　little　one；　with　its　bright　eyes　and　golden　hair；　had

been　welcomed　joyously　on　that　dark　November　day。　Its　parents　kissed

it　lovingly；　and　the　father　wrote　these　words　in　the　Bible；　〃On　the

tenth　of　November；　1759；　God　sent　us　a　son。〃　And　a　short　time　after；

when　the　child　had　been　baptized；　the　names　he　had　received　were

added；　〃John　Christopher　Frederick。〃

　　　　And　what　became　of　the　little　lad？…　the　poor　boy　of　the　humble

town　of　Marbach？　Ah；　indeed；　there　was　no　one　who　thought　or　supposed；

not　even　the　old　church　bell　which　had　been　the　first　to　sound　and

chime　for　him；　that　he　would　be　the　first　to　sing　the　beautiful　song

of　〃The　Bell。〃　The　boy　grew　apace；　and　the　world　advanced　with　him。

　　　　While　he　was　yet　a　child；　his　parents　removed　from　Marbach；　and

went　to　reside　in　another　town；　but　their　dearest　friends　remained

behind　at　Marbach；　and　therefore　sometimes　the　mother　and　her　son

would　start　on　a　fine　day　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　little　town。　The　boy

was　at　this　time　about　six　years　old；　and　already　knew　a　great　many

stories　out　of　the　Bible；　and　several　religious　psalms。　While　seated

in　the　evening　on　his　little　cane…chair；　he　had　often　heard　his　father

read　from　Gellert's　fables；　and　sometimes　from　Klopstock's　grand　poem；

〃The　Messiah。〃　He　and　his　sister；　two　years　older　than　himself；　had

often　wept　scalding　tears　over　the　story　of　Him　who　suffered　death

on　the　cross　for　us　all。

　　　　On　his　first　visit　to　Marbach；　the　town　appeared　to　have　changed

but　very　little；　and　it　was　not　far　enough　away　to　be　forgotten。　The

house；　with　its　pointed　gable；　narrow　windows；　overhanging　walls　and

stories；　projecting　one　beyond　another；　looked　just　the　same　as　in

former　times。　But　in　the　churchyard　there　were　several　new　graves；　and

there　also；　in　the　grass；　close　by　the　wall；　stood　the　old　church

bell！　It　had　been　taken　down　from　its　high　position；　in　consequence　of

a　crack　in　the　metal　which　prevented　it　from　ever　chiming　again；　and　a

new　bell　now　occupied　its　place。　The　mother　and　son　were　walking　in

the　churchyard　when　they　discovered　the　old　bell；　and　they　stood　still

to　look　at　it。　Then　the　mother　reminded　her　little　boy　of　what　a

useful　bell　this　had　been　for　many　hundred　years。　It　had　chimed　for

weddings　and　for　christenings；　it　had　tolled　for　funerals；　and　to　give

the　alarm　in　case　of　fire。　With　every　event　in　the　life　of　man　the

bell　had　made　its　voice　heard。　His　mother　also　told　him　how　the

chiming　of　that　old　bell　had　once　filled　her　heart　with　joy　and

confidence；　and　that　in　the　midst　of　the　sweet　tones　her　child　had

been　given　to　her。　And　the　boy　gazed　on　the　large；　old　bell　with　the

deepest　interest。　He　bowed　his　head　over　it　and　kissed　it；　old；　thrown

away；　and　cracked　as　it　was；　and　standing　there　amidst　the　grass　and

nettles。　The　boy　never　forgot　what　his　mother　told　him；　and　the

tones　of　the　old　bell　reverberated　in　his　heart　till　he　reached

manhood。　In　such　sweet　remembrance　was　the　old　bell　cherished　by　the

boy；　who　grew　up　in　poverty　to　be　tall　and　slender；　with　a　freckled

complexion　and　hair　almost　red；　but　his　eyes　were　clear　and　blue　as

the　deep　sea；　and　what　was　his　career　to　be？　His　career　was　to　be

good；　and　his　future　life　enviable。　We　find　him　taking　high　honors

at　the　military　school　in　the　division　commanded　by　the　member　of　a

family　high　in　position；　and　this　was　an　honor；　that　is　to　say；　good

luck。　He　wore　gaiters；　stiff　collars；　and　powdered　hair；　and　by　this

he　was　recognized；　and；　indeed；　he　might　be　known　by　the　word　of

command…　〃March！　halt！　front！〃

　　　　The　old　church　bell　had　long　been　quite　forgotten；　and　no　one

imagined　it　would　ever　again　be　sent　to　the　melting　furnace　to　make　it

as　it　was　before。　No　one　could　possibly　have　foretold　this。　Equally

impossible　would　it　have　been　to　believe　that　the　tones　of　the　old

bell　still　echoed　in　the　heart　of　the　boy　from　Marbach；　or　that　one

day　they　would　ring　out　loud　enough　and　strong　enough　to　be　heard

all　over　the　world。　They　had　already　been　heard　in　the　narrow　space

behind　the　school…wall；　even　above　the　deafening　sounds　of　〃March！

halt！　front！〃　They　had　chimed　so　loudly　in　the　heart　of　the　youngster；

that　he　had　sung　them　to　his　companions；　and　their　tones　resounded

to　the　very　borders　of　the　country。　He　was　not　a　free　scholar　in　the

military　school；　neither　was　he　provided　with　clothes　or　food。　But

he　had　his　number；　and　his　own　peg；　for　everything　here　was　ordered

like　clockwork；　which　we　all　know　is　of　the　greatest　utility…　people

get　on　so　much　better　together　when　their　position　and　duties　are

understood。　It　is　by　pressure　that　a　jewel　is　stamped。　The　pressure　of

regularity　and　discipline　here　stamped　the　jewel；　which　in　the

future　the　world　so　well　knew。

　　　　In　the　chief　town　of　the　province　a　great　festival　was　being

celebrated。　The　light　streamed　forth　from　thousands　of　lamps；　and

the　rockets　shot　upwards　towards　the　sky；　filling　the　air　with　showers

of　colored　fiery　sparks。　A　record　of　this　bright　display　will　live

in　the　memory　of　man；　for　through　it　the　pupil　in　the　military

school　was　in　tears　and　sorrow。　He　had　dared　to　attempt　to　reach

foreign　territories　unnoticed；　and　must　therefore　give　up

fatherland；　mother；　his　dearest　friends；　all；　or　sink　down　into　the

stream　of　common　life。　The　old　church　bell　had　still　some　comfort；

it　stood　in　the　shelter　of　the　church　wall　in　Marbach；　once　so

elevated；　now　quite　forgotten。　The　wind　roared　around　it；　and　could

have　readily　related　the　story　of　its　origin　and　of　its　sweet

chimes；　and　the　wind　could　also　tell　of　him　to　whom　he　had　brought

fresh　air　when；　in　the　woods　of　a　neighboring　country；　he　had　sunk

down　exhausted　with　fatigue；　with　no　other　worldly　possessions　than

hope　for　the　future；　and　a　written　leaf　from　〃Fiesco。〃　The　wind

could　have　told　that　his　only　protector　was　an　artist；　who；　by　reading

each　leaf　to　him；　made　it　plain；　and　that　they　amused　themselves　by

playing　at　nine…pins　together。　The　wind　could　also　describe　the　pale

fugitive；　who；　for　weeks　and　months；　lay　in　a　wretched　little

road…side　inn；　where　the　landlord　got　drunk　and　raved；　and　where　the

merry…makers　had　it　all　their　own　way。　And　he；　the　pale　fugitive；　sang

of　the　ideal。

　　　　For　many　heavy　days　and　dark　nights　the　heart　must　suffer　to

enable　it　to　endure　trial　and　temptation；　yet；　amidst　it　all；　would

the　minstrel　sing。　Dark　days　and　cold　nights　also　passed　over　the

old　bell；　and　it　noticed　them　not；　but　the　bell　in　the　man's　heart

felt　it　to　be　a　gloomy　time。　What　would　become　of　this　young　man；

and　what　would　become　of　the　old　bell？

　　　　The　old　bell　was；　after　a　time；　carried　away　to　a　greater　distance

than　any　one；　even　the　warder　in　the　bell　tower；　ever　imagined；　and

the　bell　in　the　breast　of　the　young　man　was　heard　in　countries　where

his　feet　had　never　wandered。　The　tones　went　forth　over　the　wide

ocean　to　every　part　of　the　round　world。

　　　　We　will　now　follow　the　career　of　the　old　bell。　It　was；　as　we

have　said；　carried　far　away　from　Marbach　and　sold　as　old　copper；

then　sent　to　Bavaria　to　be　melted　down　in　a　furnace。　And　then　what

happened？

　　　　In　the　royal　city　of　Bavaria；　many　years　after　the　bell　had　been

removed　from　the　tower　and　melted　down；　some　metal　was　required　for

a　monument　in　honor　of　one　of　the　most　celebrated　characters　which　a

German　people　or　a　German　land　could　produce。　And　now　we　see　how

wonderfully　things　are　ordered。　Strange　things　sometimes　happen　in

this　world。

　　　　In　Denmark；　in　one　of　those　green　islands　where　the　foliage　of　the

beech…woods　rustles　in　the　wind；　and　where　many　Huns'　graves　may　be

seen；　was　another　poor　boy　born。　He　wore　wooden　shoes；　and　when　his

father　worked　in　a　ship…yard；　the　boy；　wrapped　up　in　an　old　worn…out

shawl；　carried　his　dinner　to　him　every　day。　This　poor　child　was　now

the　pride　of　his　country；　for　the　sculptured　marble；　the　work　of　his

hands；　had　astonished　the　world。*　To　him　was　offered　the　honor　of

forming　from　the　clay；　a　model　of　the　figure　of　him　whose　name；

〃John　Christopher　Frederick；〃　had　been　written　by　his　father　in　the

Bible。　The　bust　was　cast　in　bronze；　and　part　of　the