作者：(丹)安徒生（Andersen, H. C.）
出版社：清华大学出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
丑小鸭(插图·中文导读英文版)试读：
前言
汉斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生（Hans Christian Andersen，1805—1875）是丹麦十九世纪著名作家、诗人，名扬世界的童话大师，被誉为“现代童话之父”。
安徒生1805年4月2日出生于丹麦中部富恩岛上的奥登塞小镇的一个贫苦家庭，早年在慈善学校读过书，当过学徒工。受父亲和民间口头文学影响，他自幼酷爱文学。11岁时父亲病逝，母亲改嫁。14岁时他只身来到首都哥本哈根，在哥本哈根皇家剧院当了一名小配角。之后，在皇家剧院的资助下入斯拉格尔塞文法学校和赫尔辛欧学校就读。1828年，进入哥本哈根大学学习。安徒生文学创作生涯始于1822年，早期主要撰写诗歌和剧本。进入大学后，创作日趋成熟。曾发表游记和歌舞喜剧，出版诗集和诗剧。1833年出版了长篇小说《即兴诗人》，该小说奠定了他在丹麦文坛的地位。然而，使安徒生名扬天下的却是他的童话故事。
安徒生一生共计写了童话168篇，他的童话具有独特的艺术风格：即诗意的美和喜剧性的幽默。其中“卖火柴的小女孩”、“拇指姑娘”、“皇帝的新装”、“丑小鸭”、“红舞鞋的故事”、“豌豆上的公主”和“夜莺”等已成为世界童话宝库中的经典名篇。安徒生的童话同民间文学有着血缘关系，继承并发扬了民间文学朴素清新的格调。他早期的作品大多取材于民间故事，后期创作中也引用了很多民间歌谣和传说。在体裁和写作手法上，安徒生的作品是多样化的，有童话故事，也有短篇小说；有寓言，也有诗歌；既适合于儿童阅读，也适合于成年人鉴赏。在语言风格上，安徒生是一个有高度创造性的作家，在作品中大量运用丹麦下层人民的日常口语和民间故事的结构形式。语言生动、自然、流畅、优美，充满浓郁的乡土气息。《安徒生童话》问世100多年来，至今被译成世界上150多种文字，而其中的中文译本也是不计其数。国内引进的《安徒生童话》读本主要集中在两个方面：一种是中文翻译版，另一种是中英文对照版。而其中的中英文对照读本比较受青少年读者的欢迎，这主要是得益于中国人热衷于学习英文的大环境。而从英文学习的角度上来看，直接使用纯英文的学习资料更有利于英语学习。考虑到对英文内容背景的了解有助于英文阅读，使用中文导读应该是一种比较好的方式，也可以说是该类型书的第三种版本形式，这也是我们编写本书的主要原因。采用中文导读而非中英文对照的方式进行编排，这样有利于国内读者摆脱对英文阅读依赖中文注释的习惯。在中文导读中，我们尽力使其贴近原作的精髓，也尽可能保留原作简洁、精练、明快的风格，丰满、艳丽的形象。我们希望能够编出为当代中国青少年读者所喜爱的经典读本。读者在阅读英文故事之前，可以先阅读中文导读部分，这样有利于了解故事背景，从而加快阅读速度、提高阅读水平。
本书主要内容由王勋、纪飞编译。参加本书故事素材搜集整理及编译工作的还有郑佳、刘乃亚、赵雪、左新杲、黄福成、冯洁、徐鑫、马启龙、王业伟、王旭敏、陈楠、王多多、邵舒丽、周丽萍、王晓旭、李永振、孟宪行、熊红华、胡国平、熊建国、徐平国、王小红等。限于我们的文学素养和英语水平，书中一定会有一些不当之处，衷心希望读者朋友批评指正。1.打火匣/The Tinder-Box导读
一个退伍士兵在森林里赶路，遇见了一个老巫婆。老巫婆告诉士兵，不远处有一棵大树，树洞底下的大厅里有三个房间，里面分别有三只大眼睛狗守护着三箱钱财，眼睛如茶杯大的狗所守护的箱子里装满了铜钱，眼睛如车轮大的狗守护着银币，眼睛如圆塔大的狗守护着金币，这些钱取之不尽，士兵想拿多少就拿多少，而老巫婆自己则什么都不要，只要士兵帮她把里面一个旧的打火匣带给她。士兵依照巫婆的话到了树洞里，果然看到了他这辈子都没见过的钱财，他非常开心，装满了金币后就上来了。当老巫婆问他要打火匣时，士兵逼她告诉他打火匣究竟有什么用。巫婆不肯说，士兵就一刀把巫婆的头砍了下来。
士兵带着钱和打火匣来到了一座美丽的城市，听说城市里有一位美丽的公主，国王把她关在一座密不透风的高塔里，任何人都见不到她，士兵非常想看看这位公主。因为他很有钱，所以很受欢迎，结交了许多朋友。他乐善好施，过着无忧无虑的生活，渐渐忘了这件事。
不久，他的钱用光了，那些势利的朋友纷纷离开了他。一天晚上，他穷到连一根蜡烛都买不起时，忽然想起那个打火匣，他把它找出来，一擦，那个眼睛如茶杯大的狗就出现在他面前，问他有什么吩咐。士兵非常惊奇，叫狗儿去给他弄些钱来，不一会儿，狗就衔来一大口袋钱。士兵非常高兴，又做了几次实验，发现只要擦一下，眼睛如茶杯大的狗就会出来等候吩咐，擦两下那只眼睛如车轮大的狗就会出现，擦三下那只眼睛如圆塔大的狗就会出现。士兵爬上树
从此士兵又过上了有钱人的生活。一天深夜，士兵很想见见那位公主，就用打火匣召唤自己的仆从去把公主驮来了。公主还在睡梦中，士兵见到美丽的公主，不禁吻了她。第二天，公主与父母聊天说自己梦见了一只狗和一个士兵，那个士兵还吻了她。国王和王后很警觉，便派宫女看守公主，以防不测。第二天晚上，士兵又派狗儿将公主驮来了。这一切都被宫女看到了，她悄悄地跟踪前来，用粉笔在士兵家的房门画了一个十字做记号。士兵发现了，就用粉笔在周围的房屋门上全画上了十字，结果国王没有找到士兵的家。第三天晚上，士兵又让狗去驮公主，此时他已经深深地爱上了美丽的公主，希望她能够嫁给他。这一次聪明的王后把面粉装在公主的香囊里，又把香囊剪了个口子，面粉洒了一路。这一次国王终于找到了士兵。国王大怒，下令把他抓起来问斩。
可怜的士兵被关进了牢里。因为走得匆忙他没带打火匣，于是他央求一个鞋匠学徒帮他把打火匣取来，允诺给他丰厚的报酬。拿到打火匣之后，士兵擦了三次，把三只狗都召唤来，请它们帮忙不要让自己被绞死，于是狗儿们飞奔过去把国王、王后、大臣和卫兵都撕扯着扔到了空中，他们落下来都摔成了肉酱。百姓见到残暴的国王被处死了，都欢呼着拥立这个士兵做国王，这时公主也从高塔里走出来，做了士兵的王后，他们幸福地生活在一起。箱子上有一条狗
There came a soldier marching along the high road—one, two！one, two！He had his knapsack on his back and a sabre by his side, for he had been in the wars, and now he wanted to go home. And on the way he met with an old witch：she was very hideous, and her under lip hung down upon her breast.She said，“Good evening, soldier.What a fine sword you have, and what a big knapsack！You're a proper soldier！Now you shall have as much money as you like to have.”
“I thank you, you old witch！”said the soldier.
“Do you see that great tree？”quoth the witch；and she pointed to a tree which stood beside them.“It's quite hollow inside. You must climb to the top, and then you'll see a hole, through which you can let yourself down and get deep into the tree.I'll tie a rope round your body, so that I can pull you up again when you call me.”
“What am I to do down in the tree？”asked the soldier.
“Get money，”replied the witch.“Listen to me. When you come down to the earth under the tree, you will find yourself in a great hall：it is quite light, for many hundred lamps are burning there.Then you will see three doors；these you can open, for the keys are in the locks.If you go into the first chamber, you'll see a great chest in the middle of the floor；on this chest sits a dog, and he's got a pair of eyes as big as two tea-cups.But you need not care for that.I'll give you my blue-checked apron, and you can spread it out upon the floor；then go up quickly and take the dog, and set him on my apron；then open the chest, and take as many farthings as you like.They are of copper：if you prefer silver, you must go into the second chamber.But there sits a dog with a pair of eyes as big as mill-wheels.But do not you care for that.Set him upon my apron, and take some of the money.And if you want gold, you can have that too—in fact, as much as you can carry—if you go into the third chamber.But the dog that sits on the money-chest there has two eyes as big as the round tower of Copenhagen.He is a fierce dog, you may be sure；but you needn't be afraid, for all that.Only set him on my apron, and he won't hurt you；and take out of the chest as much gold as you like.”士兵打开了箱子
“That's not so bad，”said the soldier.“But what am I to give you, you old witch？for you will not do it for nothing, I fancy.”
“No，”replied the witch，“not a single farthing will I have. You shall only bring me an old tinder-box which my grandmother forgot when she was down there last.”
“Then tie the rope round my body，”cried the soldier.
“Here it is，”said the witch，“and here's my blue-checked apron.”
Then the soldier climbed up into the tree, let himself slip down into the hole, and stood, as the witch had said, in the great hall where the many hundred lamps were burning.
Now he opened the first door. Ugh！There sat the dog with eyesas big as tea-cups, staring at him.“You're a nice fellow！”exclaimed the soldier；and he set him on the witch's apron, and took as many copper farthings as his pockets would hold, and then locked the chest, set the dog on it again, and went into the second chamber.Aha！There sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels.
“You should not stare so hard at me，”said the soldier；“you might strain your eyes.”And he set the dog up on the witch's apron. When he saw the silver money in the chest, he threw away all the copper money he had, and filled his pockets and his knapsack with silver only.Then he went into the third chamber.Oh, but that was horrid！The dog there really had eyes as big as the round tower and they turned round and round in his head like wheels.
“Good evening！”said the soldier；and he touched his cap, for he had never seen such a dog as that before. When he had looked at him a little more closely, he thought，“That will do，”and lifted him down to the floor, and opened the chest.Mercy！What a quantity of gold was there！He could buy with it the whole of Copenhagen, and the sugar pigs of the cake-woman, and all the tin soldiers, whips, and rocking-horses in the whole world.Yes, that was a quantity of money！Now the soldier threw away all the silver coin with which he had filled his pockets and his knapsack, and took gold instead：yes, all his pockets, his knapsack, his boots, and his cap were filled, so that he could scarcely walk.Now indeed he had plenty of money.He put the dog, on the chest, shut the door, and then called upthrough the tree，“Now pull me up, you old witch.”
“Have you the tinder-box？”asked the witch.
“Plague on it！”exclaimed the soldier，“I had clean forgotten that.”And he went and brought it.
The witch drew him up, and he stood on the high road again, with pockets, boots, knapsack, and cap full of gold.
“What are you going to do with the tinder-box？”asked the soldier.
“That's nothing to you，”retorted the witch.“You've had your money—just give me the tinder-box.”
“Nonsense！”said the soldier.“Tell me directly what you're going to do with it, or I'll draw my sword and cut off your head.”
“No！”cried the witch.
So the soldier cut off her head. There she lay！But he tied up all his money in her apron, took it on his back like a bundle, put the tinder-box in his pocket, and went straight off towards the town.
That was a splendid town！He put up at the very best inn, asked for the finest rooms, and ordered his favourite dishes, for now he was rich, having got so much money. The servant who had to clean his boots certainly thought them a remarkably old pair for such a rich gentleman；but he had not bought any new ones yet.The next day he procured proper boots and handsome clothes.Now our soldier had become a fine gentleman；and the people told him of all the splendid things which were in their city, and about the king, andwhat a pretty princess the king's daughter was.
“Where can one get to see her？”asked the soldier.
“She is not to be seen at all，”said they all together；“she lives in a great copper castle, with a great many walls and towers round about it；no one but the king may go in and out there, for it has been prophesied that she shall marry a common soldier, and the king can't bear that.”
“I should like to see her，”thought the soldier；but he could not get leave to do so. Now he lived merrily, went to the theatre, drove in the king's garden, and gave much money to the poor；and this was very kind of him, for he knew from old times how hard it is when one has not a shilling.Now he was rich, had fine clothes, and gained many friends, who all said he was a rare one, a true cavalier；and that pleased the soldier well.But as he spent money every day and never earned any, he had at last only two shillings left；and he was obliged to turn out of the fine rooms in which he had dwelt, and had to live in a little garret under the roof, and clean his boots for himself, and mend them with a darning-needle.None of his friends came to see him, for there were too many stairs to climb.
It was quite dark one evening, and he could not even buy himself a candle, when it occurred to him that there was a candle-end in the tinder-box which he had taken out of the hollow tree into which the witch had helped him. He brought out the tinder-box and the candle-end；but as soon as he struck fire and the sparksrose up from the flint, the door flew open, and the dog who had eyes as big as a couple of tea-cups, and whom he had seen in the tree, stood before him, and said：
“What are my lord's commands？”
“What is this？”said the soldier.“That's a famous tinder-box, if I can get everything with it that I want！Bring me some money，”said he to the dog；and whisk！the dog was gone, and whisk！he was back again, with a great bag full of shillings in his mouth.
Now the soldier knew what a capital tinder-box this was. If he struck it once, the dog came who sat upon the chest of copper money；if he struck it twice, the dog came who had the silver；and if he struck it three times, then appeared the dog who had the gold.Now the soldier moved back into the fine rooms, and appeared again in handsome clothes；and all his friends knew him again, and cared very much for him indeed.
Once he thought to himself，“It is a very strange thing that one cannot get to see the princess. They all say she is very beautiful；but what is the use of that, if she has always to sit in the great copper castle with the many towers？Can I not get to see her at all？Where is my tinder box？”And so he struck a light, and whisk！came the dog with eyes as big as tea cups.
“It is midnight, certainly，”said the soldier，“but I should very much like to see the princess, only for one little moment.”
The dog was outside the door directly, and, before the soldierthought it, came back with the princess. She sat upon the dog's back and slept；and every one could see she was a real princess, for she was so lovely.The soldier could not refrain from kissing her, for he was a thorough soldier.
Then the dog ran back again with the princess. But when morning came, and the King and Queen were drinking tea, the princess said she had had a strange dream the night before, about a dog and a soldier—that she had ridden upon the dog, and the soldier had kissed her.“That would be a fine history！”said the Queen.
So one of the old court ladies had to watch the next night by the princess's bed, to see if this was really a dream, or what it might be.
The soldier had a great longing to see the lovely princess again；so the dog came in the night, took her away, and ran as fast as he could. But the old lady put on waterboots, and ran just as fast after him.When she saw that they both entered a great house, she thought；“Now I know where it is；”and with a bit of chalk she drew a great cross on the door.Then she went home and lay down, and the dog came up with the princess；but when he saw that there was a cross drawn on the door where the soldier lived, he took a piece of chalk too, and drew crosses on all the doors in the town.And that was cleverly done, for now the lady could not find the right door, because all the doors had crosses upon them.
In the morning early came the King and the Queen, the old court lady and all the officers, to see where it was the princess hadbeen.“Here it is！”said the King, when he saw the first door with a cross upon it.“No, my dear husband, it is there！”said the Queen, who descried another door which also showed a cross.“But there is one, and there is one！”said all, for wherever they looked there were crosses on the doors. So they saw that it would avail them nothing if they searched on.
But the Queen was an exceedingly clever woman, who could do more than ride in a coach. She took her great gold scissors, cut a piece of silk into pieces, and made a neat little bag；this bag she filled with fine wheat flour, and tied it on the princess's back；and when that was done, she cut a little hole in the bag, so that the flour would be scattered along all the way which the princess should take.
In the night the dog came again, took the princess on his back, and ran with her to the soldier, who loved her very much, and would gladly have been a prince, so that he might have her for his wife. The dog did not notice at all how the flour ran out in a stream from the castle to the windows of the soldier's house, where he ran up the wall with the princess.In the morning the King and the Queen saw well enough where their daughter had been, and they took the soldier and put him in prison.
There he sat. Oh, but it was dark and disagreeable there！And they said to him.“Tomorrow you shall be hanged.”That was not amusing to hear, and he had left his tinder-box at the inn.In themorning he could see, through the iron grating of the little window, how the people were hurrying out of the town to see him hanged.He heard the drums beat and saw the soldiers marching.All the people were running out, and among them was a shoemaker's boy with leather apron and slippers, and he galloped so fast that one of his slippers flew off, and came right against the wall where the soldier sat looking through the iron grating.
“Halloo, you shoemaker's boy！You needn't be in such a hurry，”cried the soldier to him：“it will not begin till I come. But if you will run to where I lived, and bring me my tinder-box, you shall have four shillings；but you must put your best leg foremost.”
The shoemaker's boy wanted to get the four shillings, so he went and brought the tinder-box, and—well, we shall hear now what happened.
Outside the town a great gallows had been built, and round it stood the soldiers and many hundred thousand people. The King and Queen sat on a splendid throne, opposite to the judges and the whole council.The soldier already stood upon the ladder；but as they were about to put the rope round his neck, he said that before a poor criminal suffered his punishment an innocent request was always granted to him.He wanted very much to smoke a pipe of tobacco, and it would be the last pipe he should smoke in the world.The King would not say“No”to this；so the soldier took his tinder-box, and struck fire.One—two—three！—and there suddenlystood all the dogs—the one with eyes as big as tea-cups, the one with eyes as large as mill-wheels, and the one whose eyes were as big as the round tower.
“Help me now, so that I may not be hanged，”said the soldier.
And the dogs fell upon the judge and all the council, seized one by the leg and another by the nose, and tossed them all many feet into the air, so that they fell down and were all broken to pieces.
“I won't！”cried the King；but the biggest dog took him and the Queen, and threw them after the others. Then the soldiers were afraid, and the people cried，“Little soldier, you shall be our king, and marry the beautiful princess！”
So they put the soldier into the king's coach, and all the three dogs danced in front and cried“Hurrah！”and the boys whistled through their fingers, and the soldiers presented arms. The princess came out of the copper castle, and became queen, and she liked that well enough.The wedding lasted a whole week, and the three dogs sat at the table too, and opened their eyes wider than ever at all they saw.2.旅伴/The Travelling Companion导读
有个孩子名叫约翰，他的心地很善良，就像他的父亲一样。父亲是约翰在这个世界上唯一的亲人。可是有一天，父亲也生了重病。父亲在去世之前，对约翰说：“约翰，你是一个很好的孩子，上帝会帮助你的。”在埋葬父亲的时候，约翰发誓，永远做一个好人，这样死后就可以在天上与父亲重逢了。
埋葬了父亲的第二天清早，约翰就打好行李，带上家里仅有的50块钱和几个小银币上路了，他要走向广阔的世界。约翰走过了田野，路过了小时候受洗礼的教堂。他一路走着，走到了遥远的地方，来到了陌生人的中间。他一路感受着世界的美好，也憧憬着愉快的旅程。在经过教堂的墓地时，他拔去坟头上的荒草，把倒下的十字架重新竖起来。他想：“我不在家时，也许会有人也在照料我父亲的坟墓吧。”在教堂墓地门外，约翰把所有的几个银币都给了一个年迈的乞丐。
善良的约翰继续走着，晚上，天气忽然变得很坏，他只好躲进一座孤寂的小教堂藏身。暴风雨过去后，月光透过教堂的窗子照进来。约翰看见教堂的中央放着一具棺材，里面躺着一个死人。不过约翰一点儿也不害怕，他知道，死人是不会害人的，倒是活着的坏人能害人。现在就有两个坏人站在死人的旁边，想把尸体扔到教堂外面去，不让死人安息。约翰把自己身上仅有的50块钱都给了那两个坏人，请求他们放过死人。那两个人接过了约翰的钱，大笑着走出了教堂。第二天，约翰重新上路的时候，认识了一个陌生人，俩人结伴而行。魔法师的头被砍了下来
在路上，约翰和旅伴碰到了一个跌断了腿的老太婆，旅伴用自己的药膏治好了老太婆的腿，换得了三根枝条。两个人继续向前走着，他们来到一家旅店里面，里面正在出演木偶戏。可是一只可怕的哈巴狗忽然跳上了舞台，把木偶皇后的头咬了下来。旅伴马上拿出自己的药膏治好了木偶。现在这个木偶皇后就像一个活人一样，再也不用别人的牵线了。木偶的老板很高兴，并恳求旅伴给其他的木偶也擦上这种药膏。旅伴答应了，并换得了老板身上挂着的一把剑。
第二天，约翰和旅伴在路上看见一只死去的白天鹅，旅伴用手中的剑割下了天鹅的翅膀，把它们带在身上。他们又走了很远很远的路，终于看到了一座很大的城市。这座城市里有一座大理石的美丽宫殿，国王就住在里面。约翰和旅伴听旅店的老板说，国王是一个很有德行的君主，可是他的女儿却是一位恶毒的巫婆，她长得十分美丽，心肠却坏极了。公主允许任何人向她求婚，只是必须猜出她问的三个问题，猜不出的人就会被砍掉脑袋。已经不知道多少位王子在公主那里丧了命。可怜又善良的老国王也拿自己的女儿没有办法。
在街上约翰看到了从此经过的公主。公主长得是如此美丽，以至于约翰马上爱上了公主，他不相信公主会是恶毒的巫婆。约翰决心去向公主求婚，虽然所有的人都劝他不要前往，他还是来到了宫殿里。老国王看到来了新的求婚者，心里十分悲伤，他把约翰带到了公主的花园里，那里到处挂着死去王子的头颅，十分可怕。但是约翰没有被吓倒，他向老国王说，会有好结果的。约翰和公主商定好次日清早来回答问题。约翰见到了老国王
约翰一点儿也不担心，因为他坚信上帝会帮助他，他回到旅店就早早睡了。可是他的旅伴没有睡觉，他把天鹅的一双翅膀系在自己身上，把那个跌断了腿的老太婆的一根最长的枝条装进了口袋，就向王宫飞去，停在公主睡房的窗子下面。夜深的时候，公主穿着一件白色的长袍，展开她的黑色翅膀向一座大山飞去。旅伴跟在公主的后面，用枝条抽打着公主。公主一直以为是冰雹呢，因为她看不见已经隐身的旅伴。公主来到了一位魔法师的住处，里面有着十分可怕的景象。原来是这个魔法师指使公主用阴谋杀死了那么多位王子的。当公主告诉魔法师她又有一位新的求婚者时，魔法师让公主把自己的一只鞋子作为第一个问题，并让公主第二天晚上将约翰的眼珠带来，他要尝尝味道。旅伴听到了他们所有的对话，他跟着公主回到了宫殿，一路不断用枝条抽打着她。第二天一早，旅伴告诉约翰昨晚自己梦到了公主和她的一只鞋子，并让约翰将公主的一只鞋子作为第一题的答案。约翰答应了。结果当然是约翰答对了问题，大家都很高兴。旅伴什么也没有说，晚上仍然跟着公主来到魔法师的住处。这次问题的答案是一只手套，旅伴又告诉了约翰。约翰又一次答对了。第三天，魔法师让公主将自己的头作为答案时，旅伴就用那把剑将魔法师的头砍了下来，包在一块湿手帕里，拿回了旅店交给约翰，让他在公主问第三个问题时把手帕打开。就这样，约翰把三个问题全都答对了。公主只好和约翰结婚，国王和臣民们都高兴极了。可是旅伴知道公主现在还是一个巫婆，她并不爱约翰。于是旅伴教约翰驱除了公主身上的魔力，让他们幸福地生活在一起。虽然约翰极力挽留，旅伴还是不能留在宫殿里，原来他就是约翰在教堂里搭救的那个死人。
Poor John was in great tribulation, for his father was very ill, and could not get well again. Except these two, there was no one at all in the little room：the lamp on the table was nearly extinguished, and it was quite late in the evening.
“You have been a good son, John，”said the sick father.“Providence will help you through the world.”And he looked at him with mild earnest eyes, drew a deep breath, and died：it was just as if he slept. But John wept；for now he had no one in the world, neither father nor mother, neither sister nor brother.Poor John！He knelt down beside the bed, kissed his dead father's hand, and shed very many salt tears；but at last his eyes closed, and he went to sleep, lying with his head against the hard bed-board.
Then he dreamed a strange dream：he saw the sun and moon curtsy to him, and he beheld his father again, fresh, and well, and he heard his father laugh as he had always laughed when he was very glad. A beautiful girl, with a golden crown upon her long beautiful hair, gave him her hand；and his father said，”Do you see what a bride you have gained？She is the most beautiful in the whole world！”Then he awoke, and all the splendour was gone.His father was lying dead and cold in the bed, and there was no one at all withthem.Poor John！
In the next week the dead man was buried. The son walked close behind the coffin, and could now no longer see the good father who had loved him so much.He heard how they threw the earth down upon the coffin, and stopped to see the last corner of it；but the next shovel-full of earth hid even that；then he felt just as if his heart would burst into pieces, so sorrowful was he.Around him they were singing a psalm；it sounded so beautifully, and the tears came into John's eyes；he wept, and that did him good in his sorrow.
The sun shone magnificently on the green trees, just as if it would have said，“You shall no longer be sorrowful, John！Do you see how beautifully blue the sky is？Your father is up there, and prays to the Father of all that it may be always well with you.”
“I will always be good，”said John，“then I shall go to heaven to my father；and what joy that will be when we see each other again！How much I shall then have to tell him！And he will show me so many things, and explain to me so much of the glories of heaven, just as he taught me here on earth. Oh, how joyful that will be！”
He pictured that to himself so plainly, that he smiled, while the tears were still rolling down his cheeks. The little birds sat up in the chestnut trees, and twittered，“Tweet-weet！Tweet-weet！”They were joyful and merry, though they had been at the burying, but they knew quite well that the dead man was now in heaven；that hehad wings, far larger and more beautiful than theirs；that he was now happy, because he had been a good man upon earth, and they were glad at it.John saw how they flew from the green trees out into the world, and he felt inclined to fly too.But first he cut out a great cross of wood to put on his father's grave；and when he brought it there in the evening the grave was decked with sand and flowers；strangers had done this, for they were all very fond of the good father who was now dead.
Early next morning John packed his little bundle, and put in his belt his whole inheritance, which consisted of fifty dollars and a few silver shillings；with this he intended to wander out into the world. But first he went to the churchyard, to his father's grave, repeated the Lord's Prayer, and said，“Farewell, dear father, I will always be good, and so you may well venture to pray to the good God that things may go well with me.”
Out in the field where he was walking all the flowers stood fresh and beautiful in the warm sunshine；and they nodded in the wind, just as if they would have said，“Welcome to the green wood！Is it not fine here？”But John turned back once more to look at the old church, in which he had been christened when he was a little child, and where he had been every Sunday with his father at the service, and had sung his psalm；then, high up in one of the openings of the tower, he saw the church-goblin standing in his little pointed red cap, shading his face with his bent arm, to keep thesun from shining in his eyes. John nodded a farewell to him, and the little goblin waved his red cap, laid his hand on his heart, and kissed his hand to John a great many times, to show that he wished the traveller well and hoped he would have a prosperous journey.
John thought what a number of fine things he would get to see in the great splendid world；and he went on farther—farther than he had ever been before. He did not know the places at all through which he came, nor the people whom he met.Now he was far away in a strange region.
The first night he was obliged to lie under a haystack in the field to sleep, for he had no other bed. But that was very nice, he thought；the king could not be better off.There was the whole field, with the brook, the haystack, and the blue sky above it；that was certainly a beautiful sleeping-room.The green grass with the little red and white flowers was the carpet；the elder bushes and the wild rose hedges were garlands of flowers；and for a wash-hand basin he had the whole brook with the clear fresh water, where the sedges bowed before him and wished him“good evening”and“good morning”.The moon was certainly a great night-lamp, high up under the blue ceiling, and that lamp would never set fire to the curtains with its light.John could sleep quite quietly, and he did so, and never woke until the sun rose and all the little birds were singing around，“Good morning！Good morning！Are you not up yet？”
The bells were ringing for church；it was Sunday. The people went to hear the preacher, and John followed them, and sang a psalm and heard God's Word.It seemed to him just as if he was in his own church, where he had been christened and had sung psalms with his father.
Out in the churchyard were many graves, and on some of them the grass grew high. Then he thought of his father's grave, which would at last look like these, as he could not weed it and adorn it.
So he sat down and plucked up the long grass, set up the wooden crosses which had fallen down, and put back in their places the wreaths which the wind had blown away from the graves；for he thought，“Perhaps some one will do the same to my father's grave, as I cannot do it.”
Outside the churchyard gate stood an old beggar, leaning upon his crutch. John gave him the silver shillings which he had, and then went away, happy and cheerful, into the wide world.Towards evening the weather became terribly bad.He made haste to get under shelter, but dark night soon came on；then at last he came to a little church, which lay quite solitary on a small hill.
The door luckily stood ajar, and he crept in；here he decided to remain till the storm had gone down.
“Here I will sit down in a corner，”said he；“I am quite tired and require a little rest.”Then he sat down, folded his hands, and said his evening prayer；and before he was aware of it he was asleep anddreaming, while it thundered and lightened without.
When he woke it was midnight；but the bad weather had passed by, and the moon shone in upon him through the windows. In the midst of the church stood an open coffin with a dead man in it who had not yet been buried.John was not at all timid, for he had a good conscience；and he knew very well that the dead do not harm anyone.It is living people who do harm.Two such living bad men stood close by the dead man, who had been placed here in the church till he should be buried.They had an evil design against him, and would not let him rest quietly in his coffin, but were going to throw him out before the church door—the poor dead man！
“Why will you do that？”asked John；“that is wrong and wicked. Let him rest, A for mercy's sake.”
“Nonsense！”replied the bad men；“he has cheated us. He owed us money and could not pay it, and now he's dead into the bargain, and we shall not get a penny！So we mean to revenge ourselves properly：he shall lie like a dog outside the church door！”
“I have not more than fifty dollars，”cried John，“that is my whole in heritance；but I will gladly give it to you, if you will honestly promise me to leave the poor dead man in peace. I shall manage to get on without the money；I have hearty strong limbs, and Heaven will always help me.”
“Yes，”said these ugly bad men，“if you will pay his debt we will do nothing to him, you may depend upon that！”And then theytook the money he gave them, laughed aloud at his good nature, and went their way. But he laid the corpse out again in the coffin, and folded its hands.took leave of it, and went away contentedly through the great forest.
All around, wherever the moon could shine through between the trees, he saw the graceful little elves playing merrily. They did not let him disturb them；they knew that he was a good innocent lad；and it is only the bad people who never can see the elves.Some of them were not larger than a finger, and had fastened up their long yellow hair with golden combs：they were rocking themselves, two and two, on the great dew-drops that lay on the leaves and on the high grass；sometimes the drop rolled away, and then they fell down between the long grass-stalks, and that occasioned much laughter and noise among the other little creatures.It was extremely amusing.They sang, and John recognized quite plainly the pretty songs which he had learned as a little boy.Great coloured spiders, with silver crowns on their heads.had to spin long hanging bridges and palaces from hedge to hedge；and as the tiny dew-drops fell on these they looked like gleaming glass in the moonlight.This continued until the sun rose.Then the little elves crept into the flower-buds, and the wind caught their bridges and palaces, which flew through the air in the shape of spider's webs.
John had just come out of the wood, when a strong man's voice called out behind him，“Halloo, comrade！Whither are youjourneying？”
“Into the wide world！”he replied. I have neither father nor mother, and am but a poor lad；but Providence will help me.”
“I am going out into the wide world, too，”said the strange man：“shall we two keep one another company？”
“Yes, certainly，”said John；and so they went on together. Soon they became very fond of each other, for they were both good souls.But John saw that the stranger was much more clever than himself.He had travelled through almost the whole world, and could tell of almost everything that existed.
The sun already stood high when they seated themselves under a great tree to eat their breakfast；and just then an old woman came up. Oh, she was very old, and walked quite bent, leaning upon a crutch；upon her back she carried a bundle of firewood which she had collected in the forest.Her apron was tucked up, and John saw that three great stalks of fern and some willow twigs stuck out of it.When she was close to them, her foot slipped；she fell and gave a loud scream, for she had broken her leg, the poor old woman！
John directly proposed that they should carry the old woman home to her dwelling；but the stranger opened his knapsack, took out a little jar, and said that he had a salve there which would immediately make her leg whole and strong, so that she could walk home herself, as if she had never broken her leg at all. But for that he required that she should give him the three rods which shecarried in her apron.
“That would be paying well！”said the old woman, and she nodded her head in a strange way. She did not like to give away the rods, but then it was not agreeable to lie there with a broken leg.So she gave him the wands；and as soon as he had only rubbed the ointment on her leg, the old mother arose, and walked much better than before—such was the power of this ointment.But then it was not to be bought at the chemist's.
“What do you want with the rods？”John asked his travelling companion.
“They are three capital fern brooms，”replied he.“I like those very much, for I am a whimsical fellow.”
And they went on a good way.
“See how the sky is becoming overcast，”said John, pointing straight before them.“Those are terribly thick clouds.”
“No，”replied his travelling companion，“those are not clouds, they are mountains—the great glorious mountains, on which one gets quite up over the clouds, and into the free air. Believe me, it is delicious！Tomorrow we shall certainly be far out into the world.”
But that was not so near as it looked；they had to walk for a whole day before they came to the mountains, where the black woods grew straight up towards heaven, and there were stones almost as big as a whole town. It might certainly be hard work toget quite across them, and for that reason John and his comrade went into the inn to rest themselves well, and gather strength for the morrow's journey.
Down in the great common room in the inn many guests were assembled, for a man was there exhibiting a puppet-show. He had just put up his little theatre, and the people were sitting round to see the play.Quite in front a fat old butcher had taken his seat in the very best place；his great bulldog, who looked very much inclined to bite, sat at his side, and made big eyes, as all the rest were doing.
Now the play began；and it was a very nice play, with a king and a queen in it；they sat upon a velvet throne, and had gold crowns on their heads and long trains to their cloaks, for their means admitted of that. The prettiest of wooden dolls with glass eyes and great moustaches stood at all the doors, and opened and shut them so that fresh air might come into the room.It was a very pleasant play, and not at all mournful.But—goodness knows what the big bulldog can have been thinking of！—Just as the queen stood up and was walking across the boards, as the fat butcher did not hold him, he made a spring upon the stage, and seized the queen round her slender waist so that it cracked.It was quite terrible！
The poor man who managed the play was very much frightened and quite sorrowful about his queen, for she was the daintiest little doll he possessed, and now the ugly bulldog had bitten off her head. But afterwards, when the people went away, the stranger said thathe would put her to rights again；and then he brought out his little jar and rubbed the doll with the ointment with which he had cured the old woman when she broke her leg.As soon as the doll had been rubbed, she was whole again；yes, she could even move all her limbs by herself；it was no longer necessary to pull her by her string.The doll was like a living person, only that she could not speak.The man who had the little puppet-show was very glad, now he had not to hold this doll any more.She could dance by herself, and none of the others could do that.
When night came on, and all the people in the inn had gone to bed, there was some one who sighed so fearfully, and went on doing it so long, that they all got up to see who this could be. The man who had shown the play went to his little theatre, for it was there that somebody was sighing.All the wooden dolls lay mixed together, the king and all his followers；and it was they who sighed so pitiably, and stared with their big glass eyes；for they wished to be rubbed a little as the queen had been, so that they might be able to move by themselves.The queen at once sank on her knees, and stretched forth her beautiful crown, as if she begged，“Take this from me, but rub my husband and my courtiers！”
Then the poor man, the proprietor of the little theatre and the dolls, could not refrain from weeping, for he was really sorry for them. He immediately promised the travelling companion that he would give him all the money he should receive the next eveningfor the performance if the latter would only anoint four or five of his dolls.But the comrade said he did not require anything at all but the sword the man wore by his side；and, on receiving this, he anointed six of the dolls, who immediately began to dance so gracefully that all the girls, the living human girls, fell to dancing too.The coachman and the cook danced, the waiter and the chambermaid, and all the strangers, and the fire-shovel and tongs；but these latter fell down just as they made their first leaps.Yes, it was a merry night！
Next morning John went away from them all with his travelling companion, up on to the high mountains, and through the great pine woods. They came so high up that the church steeples under them looked at last like little red berries among all the green；and they could see very far, many, many miles away, where they had never been.So much splendour in the lovely world John had never seen at one time before.And the sun shone warm in the fresh blue air, and among the mountains he could hear the huntsmen blowing their horns so gaily and sweetly that tears came into his eyes, and he could not help calling out，“How kind has Heaven been to us all, to give us all the splendour that is in this world！”
The travelling companion also stood there with folded hands, and looked over the forest and the towns in the warm sunshine. At the same time there arose lovely sounds over their heads：they looked up, and a great white swan was soaring in the air, andsinging as they had never heard a bird sing till then.But the song became weaker and weaker；he bowed his head and sank quite slowly down at their feet, where he lay dead, the beautiful bird！
“Two such splendid wings，”said the travelling companion，“so white and large, as those which this bird has, are worth money；I will take them with me. Do you see that it was good I got a sabre？”
And so, with one blow, he cut off both the wings of the dead swan, for he wanted to keep them.
They now travelled for many, many miles over the mountains, till at last they saw a great town before them with hundreds of towers, which glittered like silver in the sun. In the midst of the town was a splendid marble palace, roofed with red gold.And there the king lived.
John and the travelling companion would not go into the town at once, but remained in the inn outside the town, that they might dress themselves；for they wished to look nice when they came out into the streets. The host told them that the king was a very good man, who never did harm to any one；but his daughter, yes, goodness preserve us！She was a bad princess.She possessed beauty enough—no one could be so pretty and so charming as she was—but of what use was that？She was a wicked witch, through whose fault many gallant princes had lost their lives.She had given permission to all men to seek her hand.Any one might come, be he prince or beggar；it was all the same to her.He had only to guessthree things about which she questioned him.If he could do that she would marry him, and he was to be king over the whole country when her father should die；but if he could not guess the three things, she caused him to be hanged or to have his head cut off！So evil and so wicked was the beautiful princess.
Her father, the old king, was very sorry about it；but he could not forbid her to be so wicked, because he had once said that he would have nothing to do with her lovers；she might do as she liked. Every time a prince came, and was to guess to gain the princess, he was unable to do it, and was hanged or lost his head.He had been warned in time, you see, and might have given over his wooing.The old king was so sorry for all this misery and woe, that he used to go down on his knees with all his soldiers for a whole day in every year, praying that the princess might become good；but she would not, by any means.The old women who drank brandy used to colour it quite black before they drank it, they were in such deep mourning—and they certainly could not do more.
“The ugly princess！'said John；“she ought really to have the rod；that would do her good. If I were only the old king she should be punished！”
Then they heard the people outside shouting，“Hurrah！”The princess came by；and she was really so beautiful that all the people forgot how wicked she was, and that is why they cried“Hurrah！”Twelve beautiful virgins, all in white silk gowns, and each with agolden tulip in her hand, rode on coal-black steeds at her side. The princess herself had a snow-white horse, decked with diamonds and rubies.Her riding-habit was all of cloth of gold, and the whip she held in her hand looked like a sunbeam；the golden crown on her head was just like little stars out of the sky, and her mantle was sewn together out of more than a thousand beautiful butterflies'wings.In spite of this, she herself was much more lovely than all her clothes.
When John saw her, his face became as red as a drop of blood, and he could hardly utter a word. The princess looked just like the beautiful lady with the golden crown, of whom he had dreamt on the night when his father died.He thought her so enchanting that he could not help loving her greatly.It could not be true that she was a wicked witch, who caused people to be hanged or beheaded if they could not guess the riddles she put to them.
“Every one has permission to aspire to her hand, even the poorest beggar. I will really go to the castle, for I cannot help doing it！”
They all told him not to attempt it, for certainly he would fare as all the rest had done. His travelling companion too tried to dissuade him；but John thought it would end well.He brushed his shoes and his coat, washed his face and his hands, combed his beautiful yellow hair, and then went quite alone into the town and to the palace.
“Come in！”said the old king, when John knocked at the door.
John opened it, and the old king came towards him in a dressing-gown and embroidered slippers；he had the crown on his head, and the sceptre in one hand and the orb in the other.“Wait a little！”said he, and put the orb under his arm, so that he could reach out his hand to John. But as soon as he learned that his visitor was a suitor, he began to weep so violently that both the sceptre and the orb fell to the ground, and he was obliged to wipe his eyes with his dressing-gown.Poor old king！
“Give it up！”said he.“You will fare badly, as all the others have done. Well, you shall see！”
Then he led him out into the princess's, pleasure-garden. There was a terrible sight！In every tree there hung three or four kings'sons who had wooed the princess, but had not been able to guess the riddles she proposed to them.Each time that the breeze blew all the skeletons rattled, so that the little birds were frightened, and never dared to come into the garden.All the flowers were tied up to human bones, and in the flower-pots skulls stood and grinned.That was certainly a garden for a princess.
“Here you see it，”said the old king.“It will chance to you as it has chanced to all these whom you see here；therefore you had better give it up. You will really make me unhappy, for I take these things very much to heart.”
John kissed the good old king's hand, and said it would gowell, for that he was quite enchanted with the beautiful princess.
Then the princess herself came riding into the courtyard, with all her ladies；and they went out to her and wished her good morning. She was beautiful to look at, and she gave John her hand.And he cared much more for her then than before—she could certainly not be a wicked witch, as the people asserted.Then they betook themselves to the hall, and the little pages waited upon them with preserves and gingerbread nuts.But the old king was quite sorrowful；he could not eat anything at all.Besides, gingerbread nuts were too hard for him.
It was settled that John should come to the palace again the next morning；then the judges and the whole council would be assembled, and would hear how he succeeded with his answers. If it went well, he should come twice more；but no one had yet come who had succeeded in guessing right the first time, and so they had to lose their lives.
John was not at all anxious as to how he should fare. On the contrary, he was merry, thought only of the beautiful princess, and felt quite certain that he should be helped；but how he did not know, and preferred not to think of it.He danced along on the road returning to the inn, where his travelling companion was waiting for him.
John could not leave off telling how polite the princess had been to him, and how beautiful she was. He declared he alreadylonged for the next day, when he was to go into the palace and try his luck in guessing.
But the travelling companion shook his head and was quite downcast.“I am so fond of you！”said he.“We might have been together a long time yet, and now I am to lose you already！You poor dear John！I should like to cry, but I will not disturb your merriment on the last evening, perhaps, we shall ever spend together. We will be merry, very merry！Tomorrow, when you are gone, I can weep undisturbed.”
All the people in the town had heard directly that a new suitor for the princess had arrived；and there was great sorrow on that account. The theatre remained closed；the women who sold cakes tied bits of crape round their sugar pigs, and the king and the priests were on their knees in the churches.There was great lamentation；for John would not, they all thought, fare better than the other suitors had fared.
Towards evening the travelling companion mixed a great bowl of punch, and said to John，“Now we will be very merry, and drink to the health of the princess.”But when John had drunk two glasses, he became so sleepy that he found it impossible to keep his eyes open, and he sank into a deep sleep. The travelling companion lifted him very gently from his chair, and laid him in the bed；and when it grew to be dark night, he took the two great wings which he had cut off the swan, and bound them to his own shoulders.Then he put inhis pocket the longest of the rods he had received from the old woman who had fallen and broken her leg；and he opened the window and flew away over the town, straight towards the palace, where he seated himself in a corner under the window which looked into the bedroom of the princess.
All was quiet in the whole town. Now the clock struck a quarter to twelve, the window was opened, and the princess came out in a long white cloak, and with black wings, and flew away across the town to a great mountain.But the travelling companion made himself invisible, so that she could not see him at all, and flew behind her, and whipped the princess with his rod, so that the blood actually came wherever he struck.Oh, that was a voyage through the air！The wind caught her cloak, so that it spread out on all sides like a great sail, and the moon shone through it.
“How it hails！How it hails！”said the princess at every blow she got from the rod；and it served her right. At last she arrived at the mountain, and knocked there.There was a rolling like thunder, as the mountain opened, and the princess went in.The travelling companion followed her, for no one could see him—he was invisible.They went through a great long passage, where the walls shone in quite a peculiar way：there were more than a thousand glowing spiders running up and down the walls and gleaming like fire.Then they came into a great hall built of silver and gold；flowers as big as sunflowers, red and blue, shone on the walls；butno one could pluck these flowers, for the stems were ugly poisonous snakes, and the flowers were streams of fire pouring out of their mouths.The whole ceiling was covered with shining glowworms and sky-blue bats, flapping their thin wings.It looked quite terrific！In the middle of the floor was a throne, carried by four skeleton horses, with harness of fiery red spiders；the throne itself was of milk-white glass, and the cushions were little black mice, biting each other's tails.Above it was a canopy of pink spider's web, trimmed with the prettiest little green flies, which gleamed like jewels.On the throne sat an old magician, with a crown on his ugly head and a sceptre in his hand.He kissed the princess on the forehead, made her sit down beside him on the costly throne, and then the music began.Great black grasshoppers played on Jews'-harps, and the owl beat her wings upon her body, because she hadn't a drum.That was a strange concert！Little black goblins with a Jack-o'-lantern light on their caps danced about in the hall.But no one could see the travelling companion：he had placed himself just behind the throne, and heard and saw everything.The courtiers, who now came in, were very grand and stately；but he who could see it all knew very well what it all meant.They were nothing more than broomsticks with heads of cabbages on them, which the magician had animated by his power, and to whom he had given embroidered clothes.But that did not matter, for, you see, they were only wanted for show.
After there had been a little dancing, the princess told the magician that she had a new suitor, and therefore she inquired of him what she should think of to ask the suitor when he should come tomorrow to the palace.
“Listen！”said the magician，“I will tell you that：you must choose something very easy, for then he won't think of it. Think of one of your shoes.That he will not guess.Let him have his head cut off：but don't forget, when you come to me tomorrow night, to bring me his eyes, for I'll eat them.”
The princess curtsied very low, and said she would not forget the eyes. The magician opened the mountain, and she flew home again；but the travelling companion followed her, and beat her again so hard with the rod that she sighed quite deeply about the heavy hail-storm, and hurried as much as she could to get back into the bedroom through the open window.The travelling companion, for his part, flew back to the inn, where John was still asleep, took off his wings, and then lay down upon the bed, for he might well be tired.
It was quite early in the morning when John awoke. The travelling companion also got up, and said he had had a wonderful dream in the night, about the princess and her shoe；and he therefore begged John to ask if the princess had not thought about her shoe.For it was this he had heard from the magician in the mountain.But he would not tell John anything about that；he merely told him toask if she had not thought about one of her shoes.
“I may just as well ask about that as about anything else，”said John.“Perhaps it is quite right, what you have dreamed. But I will bid you farewell；for, if I guess wrong, I shall never see you more.”
Then they embraced each other, and John went into the town and to the palace. The entire hall was filled with people：the judges sat in their arm-chairs and had eider down pillows behind their heads, for they had a great deal to think about.The old king stood up, and wiped his eyes with a white pocket-handkerchief.Now the princess came in.She was much more beautiful than yesterday, and bowed to all in a very affable manner；but to John she gave her hand, and said，“Good morning to you.”
Now John was to guess what she had thought of. Oh, how lovingly she looked at him！But as soon as she heard the single word“shoe”pronounced, she became as white as chalk in the face, and trembled all over.But that availed her nothing, for John had guessed right！Wonderful！How glad the old king was！He threw a somersault, beautiful to behold.And all the people clapped their hands in honour of him and of John, who had guessed right the first time！
The travelling companion beamed with delight, when he heard how well matters had gone. But John folded his hands and thanked God, who certainly would help him also the second and third time.The next day he was to guess again.
The evening passed just like that of yesterday. While John slept the travelling companion flew behind the princess out to the mountain, and beat her even harder than the time before, for now he had taken two rods.No one saw him, and he heard everything.The princess was to think of her glove；and this again he told to John as if it had been a dream.Thus John could guess correctly, which caused great rejoicing in the palace.The whole court threw somersaults, just as they had seen the king do the first time；but the princess lay on the sofa, and would not say a single word.Now, the question was, if John could guess properly the third time.If he succeeded, he was to have the beautiful princess and inherit the whole kingdom after the old king's death.If he failed, he was to lose his life, and the magician would eat his beautiful blue eyes.
That evening John went early to bed, said his prayers, and went to sleep quite quietly. But the travelling companion bound his wings to his back and his sword by his side, and took all three rods with him, and so flew away to the palace.
It was a very dark night. The wind blew so hard that the tiles flew off from the roofs, and the trees in the garden where the skeletons hung bent like reeds before the storm.The lightening flashed out every minute, and the thunder rolled just as if it were one peal lasting the whole night.Now the window opened, and the princess flew out.She was as pale as death；but she laughed at the bad weather, and thought it was not bad enough yet.And her whitecloak fluttered in the wind like a great sail；but the travelling companion beat her with the three rods, so that the blood dripped upon the ground, and at last she could scarcely fly any farther.At length, however, she arrived at the mountain.
“It hails and blows dreadfully！”he said.“I have never been out in such weather.”
“One may have too much of a good thing，”said the magician. Now she told him that John had also guessed correctly the second time；if he did the same on the morrow, then he had won, and she could never more come out to him in the mountain, and would never be able to perform such feats of magic as before, and so she was quite dejected.“He shall not be able to guess，”said the magician.“I shall think of something of which he has never thought, or he must be a greater conjuror than I.But now we will be merry.”And he took the princess by the hands, and they danced about with all the little goblins and Jack-o'-lanterns that were in the room.The red spiders jumped just as merrily up and down the walls：it looked as if fiery flowers were spurting out.The owl played the drum, the crickets piped, and the black grasshoppers played on the Jew's-harp.It was a merry ball.
When they had danced long enough the princess was obliged to go home, for she might be missed in the palace. The magician said he would accompany her, then they would have each other's company on the way.
Then they flew away into the bad weather, and the travelling companion broke his three rods across their backs. Never had the magician been out in such a hailstorm.In front of the palace he said good-bye to the princess, and whispered to her at the same time，“Think of my head.”But the travelling companion heard it；and just at the moment when the princess slipped through the window into her bedroom, and the magician was about to turn back, he seized him by his long beard, and with his sabre cut off the ugly conjuror's head just by the shoulders, so that the magician did not even see him.The body he threw out into the sea to the fishes；but the head he only dipped into the water, and then tied it in his silk handkerchief, took it with him into the inn, and then lay down to sleep.
Next morning he gave John the handkerchief, and told him not to untie it until the princess asked him to tell her thoughts.
There were so many people in the great hall of the palace, that they stood as close together as radishes bound together in a bundle. The council sat in the chairs with the soft pillows, and the old king had new clothes on；the golden crown and sceptre had been polished, and everything looked quite stately.But the princess was very pale, and had a coal-black dress on, as if she were going to a funeral.
“Of what have I thought？”she asked John. And he immediately untied the handkerchief, and was himself quite frightened when hesaw the ugly magician's head.All present shuddered, for it was terrible to look upon；but the princess sat just like a statue, and could not utter a single word.At length she stood up, and gave John her hand, for he had guessed correctly.She did not look at any one, only sighed aloud, and said，“Now you are my lord！—this evening we will hold our wedding.”
“I like that！”cried the old king.“So I would have it.”
All present cried，“Hurrah！”The soldiers'band played music in the streets, the bells rang, and the cake-women took off the black crape from their sugar pigs, for joy now reigned everywhere；three oxen roasted whole, and stuffed with ducks and fowls, were placed in the middle of the market, that everyone might cut himself a slice；the fountains ran with the best wine；and whoever bought a penny cake at a baker's got six buns into the bargain, and the buns had raisins in them.
In the evening the whole town was illuminated；the soldiers fired off the cannon, and the boys let off crackers；and there was eating and drinking, clinking of glasses, and dancing, in the palace. All the noble gentlemen and pretty ladies danced with each other, and one could hear, a long, distance off, how they sang—
Here are many pretty girls, who all love to dance；
See, they whirl like spinning-wheels，
retire and advance.
Turn, my pretty maiden, do，
till the sole falls from your shoe.
But still the princess was a witch, and did not like John. This had been expected by the travelling companion；and so he gave John three feathers out of the swan's wings, and a little bottle with a few drops in it, and told John that he must put a large tub of water before the princess's bed；and when the princess was about to get into bed, he should give her a little push, so that she should fall into the tub；and then he must dip her three times, after he had put in the feathers and poured in the drops；she would then lose her magic qualities, and love him very much.
John did all that the travelling companion had advised him to do. The princess screamed out loudly while he dipped her in the tub, and struggled under his hands in the form of a great coal-black swan with fiery eyes.When she came up the second time above the water, the swan was white, with the exception of a black ring round her neck.John let the water close for the third time over the bird, and in the same moment it was again changed to the beautiful princess.She was more beautiful even than before, and thanked him, with tears in her lovely eyes, that he had freed her from the magic spell.
The next morning the old king came with his whole court, and then there was great congratulation till late into the day. Last of allcame the travelling companion；he had his staff in his hand and his knapsack on his back.John kissed him many times, and said he must not depart，—he must remain with the friend of whose happiness he was the cause.But the travelling companion shook his head, and said mildly and kindly，“No, now my time is up.I have only paid my debt.Do you remember the dead man whom the bad people wished to injure？You gave all you possessed in order that he might have rest in the grave.I am that man.”
And in the same moment he vanished.
The wedding festivities lasted a whole month. John and the princess loved each other truly, and the old king passed many pleasant days, and let their little children ride on his knees and play with his sceptre.And John afterwards became king over the whole country.
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