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
卖火柴的小女孩(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19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”、“红鞋”、“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，书中难免会有不当之处，衷心希望读者朋友批评指正。1.野天鹅/The Wild Swans导读
在一个遥远的地方住着一个国王，他有11个儿子和一个女儿艾丽沙。孩子们本来十分幸福，可是在国王和一个恶毒的女人结婚后，他们就变得十分可怜了。恶毒的王后先是把艾丽沙送到乡下人家去寄住，然后在国王耳边不断地说王子们的坏话，并且把王子们变成了11只野天鹅赶出了王宫。可怜的艾丽沙并不知道哥哥们的遭遇，15岁那年，她回到王宫去了，可是王后想尽了办法，把美丽的艾丽沙弄得丑陋不堪，让国王也认不出自己的女儿，并把她也逐出了王宫。
可怜的艾丽沙在森林里走着，想念着自己的哥哥和过去美好的日子。后来，她碰到一个提着一篮浆果的老太婆，她告诉艾丽沙昨天看到11只带着金冠的天鹅从附近河里游过。于是艾丽沙找到这条河，终于在太阳落山的时候，她看到11只带着金冠的野天鹅慢慢飞过来，在她的附近落下，变成了11位美貌的王子。原来，王子们会在白天变成野天鹅，不停地飞行，傍晚，才可以变回人形，并且一年中只能在自己的国家停留11天。
艾丽沙不愿再与哥哥们分开，于是白天哥哥们就用柳枝皮和芦苇织成的大网带着她飞行。这天晚上，他们在一个王国旁边的山洞落脚。艾丽沙梦见那个提着一篮浆果的老太婆告诉她，只要把教堂墓地周围的荨麻用脚踩碎，得到麻，再搓成线，织成11件长袖的披甲，披到那11只野天鹅的身上，魔力就会解除，但是在编织披甲的一年中，艾丽沙不可以说一句话。艾丽沙醒后，看到自己身边的荨麻，便开始了工作。当她正在织第2件的时候，这个国家的国王打猎经过山洞，看上了艾丽沙的美貌与善良，决定将艾丽沙带回宫殿做他的王后。回到宫殿后，大主教总在国王面前说艾丽沙是巫婆，可是婚礼还是举行了。渐渐地，艾丽沙爱上了这位和善的国王，但是为了解救她的哥哥们，她必须继续在沉默中完成她的工作。在织到第7件的时候，荨麻没有了，艾丽沙只好在夜晚偷偷去教堂墓地采集，但在第二次去的时候，被大主教和国王发现了。国王不得不相信艾丽沙是巫婆，于是在众人的裁判下，决定将她烧死。一直到行刑的时候，艾丽沙还在不停地工作着，她正在完成第11件披甲时，11只天鹅飞来了，她急忙把11件衣服抛向他们，马上11个王子现身了，艾丽沙终于可以开口说话了。恢复了原形的哥哥们把事情的原委都说了出来，国王和民众终于知道艾丽沙是无罪的、高尚的。最后，国王和艾丽沙重新举行了婚礼，幸福地生活在一起。皇后把王子变成了野天鹅
Far away, where the swallows fly when our winter comes on, lived a King, who had eleven sons, and one daughter named Eliza. The eleven brothers were Princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast and his sword by his side.They wrote with pencils of diamond upon slates of gold, and learned by heart just as well as they read；one could see directly that they were Princes.Their sister Eliza sat upon a little stool of plate glass, and had a picture-book which had been bought for the value of half a kingdom.艾丽沙走在森林中
Oh, the children were particularly well off；but it was not always to remain so.
Their father, who was King of the whole country, married a bad Queen who did not love the poor children at all. On the very first day they could notice this.In the whole palace there was great feasting, and the children were playing at receiving guests：but instead of these children receiving, as they had been accustomed to do, all the spare cake and all the roasted apples, they only had some sand given them in a tea-cup, and were told that they might make believe that was something good.
The next week the Queen took the little sister Eliza into the country, to a peasant and his wife；and but a short time had elapsed before she told the King so many falsehoods about the poor Princes that he did not trouble himself any more about them.
“Fly out into the world and get your own living，”said the wicked Queen.“Fly like great birds without a voice.”
But she could not make it so bad for them as she would have liked, for they became eleven magnificent wild swans. With a strange cry they flew out of the palace windows, far over the park and into the wood.野天鹅在她附近落下
It was yet quite early morning when they came by the place where their sister Eliza lay asleep in the peasant's room. Here they hovered over the roof, turned their long necks, and flapped their wings；but no one heard or saw it.They were obliged to fly on, high up towards the clouds, far away into the wide world；there they flew into a great dark wood, which stretched away to the sea shore.
Poor little Eliza stood in the peasant's room and played with a green leaf, for she had no other playthings. And she pricked a hole in the leaf, and looked through it up at the sun, and it seemed to her that she saw her brothers'clear eyes；each time the warm sun shone upon her cheeks she thought of all the kisses they had given her.
Each day passed just like the rest. When the wind swept through the great rose hedges outside the house, it seemed to whisper to them，“What can be more beautiful than you？”But the roses shook their heads and answered，“Eliza！”And when the old woman sat in front of her door on Sunday and read in her hymn-book, the wind turned the leaves and said to the book，“Who can be more pious than you？”and the hymn-book said，“Eliza！”And what the rose bushes and the hymn-book said was the simple truth.
When she was fifteen years old she was to go home. And when the Queen saw how beautiful she was, she became spiteful and filled with hatred towards her.She would have been glad to change her into a wild swan, like her brothers, but she did not dare to do so at once, because the King wished to see his daughter.骑在国王的马背上
Early in the morning the Queen went into the bath, which was built of white marble, and decked with soft cushions and the most splendid tapestry；and she took three toads and kissed them, and said to the first，
“Sit upon Eliza's head when she comes into the bath, that she may become as stupid as you.—Seat yourself upon her forehead，”she said to the second，“that she may become as ugly as you, and her father may not know her.—Rest on her heart，”she whispered to the third，“that she may receive an evil mind and suffer pain from it.”
Then she put the toads into the clear water, which at once assumed a green colour；and calling Eliza, caused her to undress and step into the water. And while Eliza dived, one of the toads sat upon her hair, and the second on her forehead, and the third on her heart；but she did not seem to notice it；and as soon as she rose, three red poppies were floating on the water.If the creatures had not been poisonous, and if the witch had not kissed them, they would have been changed into red roses.But at any rate they became flowers, because they had rested on the girl's head, and forehead, and heart.She was too good and innocent for sorcery to have power over her.
When the wicked Queen saw that, she rubbed Eliza with walnut juice, so that the girl became dark brown, and smeared an evil-smelling ointment on her face, and let her beautiful hair hang in confusion. It was quite impossible to recognize the pretty Eliza.欢迎艾丽莎回宫
When her father saw her he was much shocked, and declared this was not his daughter. No one but the yard dog and the swallows would recognize her；but they were poor animals who had nothing to say in the matter.
Then poor Eliza wept, and thought of her eleven brothers who were all away. Sorrowfully she crept out of the castle, and walked all day over field and moor till she came into the great wood.She did not know whither she wished to go, only she felt very downcast and longed for her brothers：they had certainly been, like herself, thrust forth into the world, and she would seek for them and find them.
She had been only a short time in the wood when the night fell；she quite lost the path, therefore she lay down upon the soft moss, said her evening prayer, and leaned her head against the stump of a tree. Deep silence reigned around, the air was mild, and in the grass and in the moss gleamed like a green fire hundreds of glow-worms when she lightly touched one of the twigs with her hand, the shining insects fell down upon her like shooting stars.
The whole night long she dreamed of her brothers. They were children again playing together, writing with their diamond pencils upon their golden slates, and looking at the beautiful picture—book which had cost half a kingdom.But on the slates they were not writing, as they had been accustomed to do, lines and letters, but the brave deeds they had done, and all they had seen and experienced；and in the picture-book everything was alive—the birds sang, andthe people went out of the book and spoke with Eliza and her brothers.But when the leaf was turned, they jumped back again directly, so that there should be no confusion.
When she awoke, the sun was already standing high. She could certainly not see it, for the lofty trees spread their branches far and wide above her.But the rays played above them like a gauzy veil, there was a fragrance from the fresh verdure, and the birds almost perched upon her shoulders.She heard the plashing of water；it was from a number of springs all flowing into a lake which had the most delightful sandy bottom.It was surrounded by thick growing bushes, but at one part the stags had made a large opening, and here Eliza went down to the water.The lake was so clear, that if the wind had not stirred the branches and the bushes, so that they moved, one would have thought they were painted upon the depths of the lake, so clearly was every leaf mirrored, whether the sun shone upon it or whether it lay in shadow.
When Eliza saw her own face she was terrified—so brown and ugly was she；but when she wetted her little hand and rubbed her eyes and her forehead, the white skin gleamed forth again. Then she undressed and went down into the fresh water：a more beautiful King's daughter than she was could not be found in the world.
And when she had dressed herself again and plaited her long hair, she went to the bubbling spring, drank out of her hollow hand, and then wandered farther into the wood, not knowing whither shewent. She thought of her dear brothers, and thought that Heaven would certainly not forsake her.It is God who lets the wild apples grow, to satisfy the hungry.He showed her a wild apple tree, with the boughs bending under the weight of the fruit.Here she took her midday meal, placed props under the boughs, and then went into the darkest part of the forest.
There it was so still that she could hear her own footsteps, as well as the rustling of every dry leaf which bent under her feet. Not one bird was to be seen, not one ray of sunlight could find its way through the great dark boughs of the trees；the lofty trunks stood so close together that when she looked before her it appeared as though she were surrounded by sets of palings one behind the other.Oh, here was a solitude such as she had never before known！
The night came on quite dark. Not a single glow-worm now gleamed in the grass.Sorrowfully she lay down to sleep.Then it seemed to her as if the branches of the trees parted above her head, and mild eyes of angels looked down upon her from on high.
When the morning came, she did not know if it had really been so or if she had dreamed it.
She went a few steps forward, and then she met an old woman with berries in her basket, and the old woman gave her a few of them. Eliza asked the dame if she had not seen eleven Princes riding through the wood.
“No，”replied the old woman，“but yesterday I saw elevenswans swimming in the river close by, with golden crowns on their heads.”
And she led Eliza a short distance farther, to a declivity, and at the foot of the slope a little river wound its way. The trees on its margin stretched their long leafy branches across towards each other, and where their natural growth would not allow them to come together, the roots had been torn out of the ground, and hung, intermingled with the branches, over the water.
Eliza said farewell to the old woman, and went beside the river to the place where the stream flowed out to the great open ocean.
The whole glorious sea lay before the young girl's eyes, but not one sail appeared on its surface, and not a boat was to be seen. How was she to proceed？She looked at the innumerable little pebbles on the shore；the water had worn them all round.Glass, ironstones, everything that was there had received its shape from the water, which was much softer than even her delicate hand.
“It rolls on unweariedly, and thus what is hard becomes smooth. I will be just as unwearied.Thanks for your lesson, you clear rolling waves；my heart tells me that one day you will lead me to my dear brothers.”
On the foam-covered sea grass lay eleven white swan feathers, which she collected into a bunch. Drops of water were upon them—whether they were dew-drops or tears nobody could tell.Solitary it was there on the strand, but she did not feel it, for the sea showedcontinual changes—more in a few hours than the lovely lakes can produce in a whole year.Then a great black cloud came.It seemed as if the sea would say，“I can look angry, too.”and then the wind blew, and the waves turned their white side outward.But when the clouds gleamed red and the winds slept, the sea looked like a rose leaf；sometimes it became green, sometimes white.But however quietly it might rest, there was still a slight motion on the shore；the water rose gently like the breast of a sleeping child.
When the sun was just about to set, Eliza saw eleven wild swans, with crowns on their heads, flying towards the land：they swept along one after the other, so that they looked like a long white band. Then Eliza ascended the slope and hid herself behind a bush.The swans alighted near her and flapped their great white wings.
As soon as the sun had disappeared beneath the water, the swans'feathers fell off, and eleven handsome Princes, Eliza's brothers, stood there. She uttered a loud cry, for although they were greatly altered, she knew and felt that it must be they.And she sprang into their arms and called them by their names；and the Princes felt supremely happy when they saw their little sister again；and they knew her, though she was now tall and beautiful.They smiled and wept；and soon they understood how cruel their stepmother had been to them all.
“We brothers，”said the eldest，“fly about as wild swans as long as the sun is in the sky, but directly it sinks down we receive ourhuman form again. Therefore we must always take care that we have a resting-place for our feet when the sun sets；for if at that moment we were flying up towards the clouds, we should sink down into the deep as men.We do not dwell here：there lies a land just as fair as this beyond the sea.But the way thither is long；we must cross the great sea, and on our path there is no island where we could pass the night, only a little rock stands forth in the midst of the waves；it is but just large enough that we can rest upon it close to each other.If the sea is rough, the foam spurts far over us, but we thank God for the rock.There we pass the night in our human form：but for this rock we could never visit our beloved native land, for we require two of the longest days in the year for our journey.Only once in each year is it granted to us to visit our home.For eleven days we may stay here and fly over the great wood, from whence we can see the palace in which we were born and in which our father lives, and the high church tower, beneath whose shade our mother lies buried.Here it seems to us as though the bus hes and trees were our relatives；here the wild horses career across the steppe, as we have seen them do in our childhood；here the charcoal-burner sings the old songs to which we danced as children；here is our fatherland：hither we feel ourselves drawn, and here we have found you, our dear little sister.Two days more we may stay here；then we must away across the sea to a glorious land, but which is not our native land.How can we bear you away？Forwe have neither ship nor boat.”
“In what way can I release you？”asked the sister；and they conversed nearly the whole night, only slumbering for a few hours.
She was awakened by the rustling of the swans'wings above her head. Her brothers were again enchanted, and they flew in wide circles and at last far away；but one of them, the youngest, remained behind, and the swan laid his head in her lap, and she stroked his wings；and the whole day they remained together.Towards evening the others came back, and when the sun had gone down they stood there in their own shapes.
“Tomorrow we fly far away from here, and cannot come back until a whole year has gone by. But we cannot leave you thus！Have you courage to come with us？My arm is strong enough to carry you in the wood；and should not all our wings be strong enough to fly with you over the sea？”
“Yes, take me with you，”said Eliza.
The whole night they were occupied in weaving a net of the pliable willow bark and tough reeds；and it was great and strong. On this net Eliza lay down；and when the sun rose, and her brothers were changed into wild swans, they seized the net with their beaks, and flew with their beloved sister, who was still asleep, high up towards the clouds.The sunbeams fell exactly upon her face, so one of the swans flew over her head, that his broad wings might overshadow her.
They were far away from the shore when Eliza awoke：she was still dreaming, so strange did it appear to her to be carried high through the air and over the sea. By her side lay a branch with beautiful ripe berries and a bundle of sweet-tasting roots.The youngest of the brothers had collected them and placed them there for her.She smiled at him thankfully, for she recognized him；he it was who flew over her and shaded her with his wings.
They were so high that the first ship they descried beneath them seemed like a white seagull lying upon the waters. A great cloud stood behind them—it was a perfect mountain；and upon it Eliza saw her own shadow and those of the eleven swans；there they flew on, gigantic in size.Here was a picture, a more splendid one than she had ever yet seen.But as the sun rose higher and the cloud was left farther behind them, the floating shadowy images vanished away.
The whole day they flew onward through the air, like a whirring arrow, but their flight was slower than it was wont to be, for they had their sister to carry. Bad weather came on；the evening drew near；Eliza looked anxiously at the setting sun, for the lonely rock in the ocean could not be seen.It seemed to her as if the swans beat the air more strongly with their wings.Alas！She was the cause that they did not advance fast enough.When the sun went down, they must become men and fall into the sea and drown.Then she prayed a prayer from the depths of her heart；but still she could descry no rock.The dark clouds came nearer in a great blackthreatening body, rolling forward like a mass of lead, and the lightning burst forth, flash upon flash.
Now the sun just touched the margin of the sea. Eliza's heart trembled.Then the swans darted downwards, so swiftly that she thought they were falling, but they paused again.The sun was half-hidden below the water.And now for the first time she saw the little rock beneath her, and it looked no larger than a seal might look, thrusting his head forth from the water.The sun sank very fast；at last it appeared only like a star；and then her foot touched the firm land.The sun was extinguished like the last spark in a piece of burned paper；her brothers were standing around her, arm in arm, but there was not more than just enough room for her and for them.The sea beat against the rock and went over her like small rain；the sky glowed in continual fire, and peal on peal the thunder rolled；but sister and brothers held each other by the hand, and sang psalms, from which they gained comfort and courage.
In the morning twilight the air was pure and calm. As soon as the sun rose the swans flew away with Eliza from the island.The sea still ran high, and when they soared up aloft, the white foam looked like millions of white swans swimming upon the water.
When the sun mounted higher, Eliza saw before her, half-floating in the air, a mountainous country with shining masses of ice on its hills, and in the midst of it rose a castle, apparently a mile long, with row above row of elegant columns, while beneathwaved the palm woods and bright flowers as large as mill-wheels. She asked if this was the country to which they were bound, but the swans shook their heads, for what she beheld was the gorgeous, ever-changing palace of Fata Morgana, and into this they might bring no human being.As Eliza gazed at it, mountains, woods, and castle fell down, and twenty proud churches, all nearly alike, with high towers and pointed windows, stood before them.She fancied she heard the organs sounding, but it was the sea she heard.When she was quite near the churches they changed to a fleet sailing beneath her, but when she looked down it was only a sea mist gliding over the ocean.Thus she had a continual change before her eyes, till at last she saw the real land to which they were bound.There arose the most glorious blue mountains, with cedar forests, cities, and palaces.Long before the sun went down she sat on the rock, in front of a great cave overgrown with delicate green trailing plants looking like embroidered carpets.
“Now we shall see what you will dream of here tonight，”said the youngest brother；and he showed her to her bed-chamber.
“Heaven grant that I may dream of a way to release you，”she replied.
And this thought possessed her mightily, and she prayed ardently for help；yes, even in her sleep she continued to pray. Then it seemed to her as if she were flying high in the air to the cloudy palace of Fata Morgana；and the fairy came out to meet her, beautiful and radiant；and yet the fairy was quite like the old woman who had given her the berries in the wood, and had told her of the swans with golden crowns on their heads.
“Your brothers can be released，”said she.“But have you courage and perseverance？Certainly, water is softer than your delicate hands, and yet it changes the shape of stones；but it feels not the pain that your fingers, will feel；it has no heart, and does not suffer the agony and torment you will have to endure. Do you see the stinging-nettle which I hold in my hand？Many of the same kind grow around the cave in which you sleep：those only, and those that grow upon churchyard graves, are serviceable, remember that.Those you must pluck, though they will burn your hands into blisters.Break these nettles to pieces with your feet, and you will have flax；of this you must plait and weave eleven shirts of mail with long sleeves：throw these over the eleven swans, and the charm will be broken.But recollect well, from the moment you begin this work until it is finished, even though it should take years to accomplish, you must not speak.The first word you utter will pierce your brothers'hearts like a deadly dagger.Their lives hang on your tongue.Remember all this！”
And she touched her hand with the nettle；it was like a burning fire, and Eliza woke with the smart. It was broad daylight；and close by the spot where she had slept lay a nettle like the one she had seen in her dream.
She fell upon her knees and prayed gratefully, and went forth from the cave to begin her work. With her delicate hands she groped among the ugly nettles.These stung like fire, burning great blisters on her arms and hands；but she thought she would bear it gladly if she could only release her dear brothers.Then she bruised every nettle with her bare feet and plaited the green flax.
When the sun had set her brothers came, and they were frightened when they found her dumb. They thought it was some new sorcery of their wicked stepmother's；but when they saw her hands, they understood what she was doing for their sake, and the youngest brother wept.And where his tears dropped she felt no more pain, and the burning blisters vanished.
She passed the night at her work, for she could not sleep till she had delivered her dear brothers. The whole of the following day, while the swans were away, she sat in solitude, but never had time flown so quickly with her as now.One shirt of mail was already finished, and now she began the second.
Then a hunting horn sounded among the hills, and she was struck with fear. The noise came nearer and nearer；she heard the barking dogs, and timidly she fled into the cave, bound into a bundle the nettles she had collected and prepared, and sat upon the bundle.
Immediately a great dog came bounding out of the thicket, and then another, and another：they barked loudly, ran back, and then came again. Only a few minutes had gone before all the huntsmenstood before the cave, and the handsomest of them was the King of the country.He came forward to Eliza, for he had never seen a more beautiful maiden.
“How did you come hither, you delightful child？”he asked.
Eliza shook her head, for she might not speak—it would cost her brothers their deliverance and their lives. And she hid her hands under her apron, so that the King might not see what she was suffering.
“Come with me，”said he.“You cannot stop here. If you are as good as you are beautiful, I will dress you in velvet and silk, and place the golden crown on your head, and you shall dwell in my richest castle, and rule.”
And then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and wrung her hands；but the King said，
“I only wish for your happiness：one day you will thank me for this.”
And then he galloped away among the mountains with her on his horse, and the hunters galloped at their heels.
When the sun went down, the fair regal city lay before them, with its churches and cupolas；and the King led her into the castle, where great fountains plashed in the lofty marble halls, and where walls and ceilings were covered with glorious pictures. But she had no eyes for all this—she only wept and mourned.Passively she let the women put royal robes upon her, and weave pearls in her hair, and draw dainty gloves over her blistered fingers.
When she stood there in full array, she was dazzlingly beautiful, so that the Court bowed deeper than ever. And the King chose her for his bride, although the archbishop shook his head and whispered that the beauteous forest maid was certainly a witch, who blinded the eyes and led astray the heart of the King.
But the King gave no ear to this, but ordered that the music should sound, and the costliest dishes should be served, and the most beautiful maidens should dance before them. And she was led through fragrant gardens into gorgeous halls；but never a smile came upon her lips or shone in her eyes：there she stood, a picture of grief.Then the King opened a little chamber close by, where she was to sleep.This chamber was decked with splendid green tapestry, and completely resembled the cave in which she had been.On the floor lay the bundle of flax which she had prepared from the nettles, and under the ceiling hung the shirt of mail she had completed.All these things one of the huntsmen had brought with him as curiosities.
“Here you may dream yourself back in your former home，”said the King.“Here is the work which occupied you there, and now, in the midst of all your splendour, it will amuse you to think of that time.”
When Eliza saw this that lay so near her heart, a smile played round her mouth and the crimson blood came back into her cheeks. She thought of her brothers'deliverance, and kissed the King's hand；and he pressed her to his heart, and caused the marriage feast to be announced by all the church bells.The beautiful dumb girl out of the wood became the Queen of the country.
Then the archbishop whispered evil words into the King's ear, but they did not sink into the King's heart. The marriage was to take place；the archbishop himself was obliged to place the crown on her head, and with wicked spite he pressed the narrow circlet so tightly upon her brow that it pained her.But a heavier ring lay close around her heart—sorrow for her brothers；she did not feel the bodily pain.Her mouth was dumb, for a single word would cost her brothers their lives, but her eyes glowed with love for the kind, handsome King, who did everything to rejoice her.She loved him with her whole heart, more and more everyday.Oh that she had been able to confide in him and to tell him of her grief！But she was compelled to be dumb, and to finish her work in silence.Therefore at night she crept away from his side, and went quietly into the little chamber which was decorated like the cave, and wove one shirt of mail after another.But when she began the seventh she had no flax left.
She knew that in the churchyard nettles were growing that she could use；but she must pluck them herself, and how was she to go out there？
“Oh, what is the pain in my fingers to the torment my heart endures？”thought she.“I must venture it, and help will not bedenied me！”
With a trembling heart, as though the deed she purposed doing had been evil, she crept into the garden in the moonlight night, and went through the long avenues and through the deserted streets to the churchyard. There, on one of the broadest tombstones, she saw sitting a circle of lamias.These hideous wretches took off their ragged garments, as if they were going to bathe；then with their skinny fingers they clawed open the fresh graves, and with fiendish greed they snatched up the corpses and ate the flesh.Eliza, was obliged to pass close by them, and they fastened their evil glances upon her；but she prayed silently, and collected the burning nettles, and carried them into the castle.
Only one person had seen her, and that was the archbishop. He was awake while others slept.Now he felt sure his opinion was correct, that all was not as it should be with the Queen；she was a witch, and thus she had bewitched the King and the whole people.
In secret he told the King what he had seen and what he feared；and when the hard words came from his tongue, the pictures of saints in the cathedral shook their heads, as though they could have said，“It is not so！Eliza is innocent！”But the archbishop interpreted this differently—he thought they were bearing witness against her, and shaking their heads at her sinfulness. Then two heavy tears rolled down the King's cheeks；he went home with doubt in his heart, and at night pretended to be asleep；but no quiet sleep cameupon his eyes, for he noticed that Eliza got up.Every night she did this, and each time he followed her silently, and saw how she disappeared from her chamber.
From day to day his face became darker. Eliza saw it, but did not understand the reason；but it frightened her—and what did she not suffer in her heart for her brothers？Her hot tears flowed upon the royal velvet and purple；they lay there like sparkling diamonds, and all who saw the splendour wished they were Queens.In the meantime she had almost finished her work.Only one shirt of mail was still to be completed, but she had no flax left, and not a single nettle.Once more, for the last time, therefore, she must go to the churchyard, only to pluck a few handfuls.She thought with terror of this solitary wandering and of the horrible lamias, but her will was firm as her trust in Providence.
Eliza went on, but the King and the archbishop followed her. They saw her vanish into the churchyard through the wicket gate；and when they drew near, the lamias were sitting upon the gravestones as Eliza had seen them；and the King turned aside, for he fancied her among them, whose head had rested against his breast that very evening.
“The people must judge her，”said he.
And the people condemned her to suffer death by fire. Out of the gorgeous regal halls she was led into a dark damp cell, where the wind whistled through the grated window；instead of velvet andsilk they gave her the bundle of nettles which she had collected：on this she could lay her head；and the hard burning coats of mail which she had woven were to be her coverlet.But nothing could have been given her that she liked better.She resumed her work and prayed.Without, the street boys were singing jeering songs about her, and not a soul comforted her with a kind word.
But towards evening there came the whirring of swans'wings close by the grating—it was the youngest of her brothers. He had found his sister, and she sobbed aloud with joy, though she knew that the approaching night would probably be the last she had to live.But now the work was almost finished, and her brothers were here.
Now came the archbishop, to stay with her in her last hour, for he had promised the King to do so. But she shook her head, and with looks and gestures she begged him to depart, for in this night she must finish her work, or else all would be in vain, all her tears, her pain, and her sleepless nights.The archbishop withdrew uttering evil words against her；but poor Eliza knew she was innocent, and continued her work.
The little mice ran about on the floor, and dragged nettles to her feet in order to help her；and the thrush perched beside the bars of the window and sang all night as merrily as it could, so that she might not lose heart.
It was still twilight；not till an hour afterwards would the sunrise. And the eleven brothers stood at the castle gate, and demanded to be brought before the King.That could not be, they were told, for it was still almost night；the King was asleep, and might not be disturbed.They begged, they threatened, and the sentries came, yes, even the King himself came out, and asked what was the meaning of this.At that moment the sun rose, and no more were the brothers to be seen, but eleven wild swans flew away over the castle.
All the people came flocking out at the town gate, for they wanted to see the witch burned. An old horse drew the cart on which she sat.They had put upon her a garment of coarse sackcloth.Her lovely hair hung loose about her beautiful head；her cheeks were as pale as death；and her lips moved silently, while her fingers were engaged with the green flax.Even on the way to death she did not interrupt the work she had begun；the ten shirts of mail lay at her feet, and she wrought at the eleventh.The mob derided her.
“Look at the witch, how she mutters！She has no hymn-book in her hand；no, there she sits with her ugly sorcery—tear it in a thousand pieces！”
And they all pressed upon her, and wanted to tear up the shirts of mail. Then eleven wild swans came flying up, and sat round about her on the cart, and beat with their wings；and the mob gave way before them, terrified.
“That is a sign from heaven！She is certainly innocent！”whispered many. But they did not dare to say it aloud.
Now the executioner seized her by the hand；then she hastily threw the eleven shirts over the swans, and immediately eleven handsome Princes stood there. But the youngest had a swan's wing instead of an arm, for a sleeve was wanting to his shirt—she had not quite finished it.
“Now I may speak！”she said.“I am innocent！”
And the people who saw what happened bowed before her as before a saint；but she sank lifeless into her brothers'arms, such an effect had suspense, anguish, and pain had upon her.
“Yes, she is innocent，”said the eldest brother.
And now he told everything that had taken place；and while he spoke a fragrance arose as of millions of roses, for every piece of faggot in the pile had taken root and was sending forth shoots；and a fragrant hedge stood there, tall and great, covered with red roses, and at the top a flower, white and shining, gleaming like a star. This flower the King plucked and placed in Eliza's bosom；and she awoke with peace and happiness in her heart.
And all the church bells rang of themselves, and the birds came in great flocks. And back to the castle such a marriage procession took place as no King had ever seen.2.猪倌/The Swineherd导读
从前有一个王子，他有一个王国。王国虽然小，但是供给他结婚的费用还是足够的。于是，他大胆地去向皇帝的女儿求婚。
王子父亲的墓上生长着一棵十分美丽的玫瑰，5年才开一次花儿，它芬芳的香气会令闻到的人们立即忘记了忧愁和烦恼。王子还有一只夜莺，这鸟儿能唱一切和谐的调子。王子将玫瑰和夜莺都装到银匣子里面送给公主。皇帝命令将礼物送到大殿里面的时候，公主正和侍女们玩游戏。看了玫瑰花和夜莺之后，公主并不喜欢，她放走了夜莺，也不让王子来看她。
王子并没有因此灰心。他将自己的脸涂成棕里透黑，将帽子拉下来盖住眉毛，来到皇宫，做了一名猪倌。晚上，王子做了一口铜锅，锅边挂着许多小铃铛。当锅煮开了的时候，铃铛就会响起来，奏出一首和谐的老调。更奇妙的是，如果有人将手放在锅里冒出的蒸气中，立刻就可以闻到城里的每个灶上所煮的食物的味道了。公主经过的时候，恰好听到这首她唯一会弹的调子。于是公主就让侍女去问猪倌，要多少钱才可以得到他的锅。猪倌说，只要公主的10个吻就可以。终于，公主经不起那口锅的诱惑，就和猪倌接了10个吻，得到了那口锅。公主和侍女们围着这口锅兴高采烈，她们现在可以知道城里所有厨房煮的东西了。会奏老调的锅
不久，那个猪倌又做了一只会发声的玩具，只要将它转几下，就能奏出几首大家熟悉的舞曲。公主经过的时候，听到了玩具奏出的音乐，她很喜欢，又让侍女去问猪倌玩具的价钱。这次，猪倌要求公主给他100个吻。公主开始不愿意，但她实在很想要那个玩具，又答应了猪倌的要求，为了不让外人看见她在做什么，她让侍女们围着她站成一圈。正在阳台上的皇帝看到这样的情景很奇怪，他匆匆地跑过来踮起脚尖，看到了正在和猪倌接吻的公主。皇帝十分生气，就把公主和猪倌一起赶出了他的国土。
现在天上正下着大雨，公主在屋子外面哭了起来。公主开始后悔没有答应那位求婚的王子。这时，猪倌恢复了自己王子的本来面目，但现在他瞧不起这个为了一个玩具就和猪倌接吻的公主了。王子走回自己的王国，将公主关在了门外。公主只好站在外面，唱着那首她唯一会的老调子。
I here was once a poor Prince, who had a kingdom which was quite small, but still it was large enough that he could marry upon it, and that is what he wanted to do.
Now, it was certainly somewhat bold of him to say to the Emperor's daughter，“Will you have me？”But he did venture it, for his name was famous far and wide：there were hundreds of Princesses who would have been glad to say yes；but did she say so？Well, we shall see.猪倌得到了公主的吻
On the grave of the Prince's father there grew a rose bush, a very beautiful rose bush. It bloomed only every fifth year, and even then it bore only a single rose, but what a rose that was！It was so sweet that whoever smelt at it forgot all sorrow and trouble.And then he had a nightingale, which could sing as if all possible melodies were collected in its little throat.This rose and this nightingale the Princess was to have, and therefore they were put into great silver cases and sent to her.
The Emperor caused the presents to be carried before him into the great hall where the Princess was playing at“visiting”with her maids of honour（they did nothing else），and when she saw the great silver cases with the presents in them, she clapped her hands with joy.
“If it were only a little pussy-cat！”said she.
But then came out the splendid rose.
“Oh, how pretty it is made！”said all the court ladies.
“It is more than pretty，”said the Emperor，“it is charming.”
But the Princess felt it, and then she almost began to cry.
“Fie, papa！”she said，“it is not artificial, it's a natural rose！”
“Fie，”said all the court ladies，“it's a natural one！”
“Let us first see what is in the other case before we get angry，”said the Emperor. And then the nightingale came out；it sang so beautifully that they did not at once know what to say against it.
“Superbe！charmant！”said the maids of honour, for they all spoke French, the one worse than the other.
“How that bird reminds me of the late Empress's musical snuff-box，”said an old cavalier.“Yes, it is the same tone, the same expression.”
“Yes，”said the Emperor；and then he wept like a little child.
“I really hope it is not a natural bird，”said the Princess.
“Yes, it is a natural bird，”said they who had brought it.
“Then let the bird fly away，”said the Princess；and she would by no means allow the Prince to come.
But the Prince was not at all dismayed. He stained his face brown and black, drew his hat down over his brows, and knocked at the door.
“Good day, Emperor，”he said：“could I not be employed here in the castle？”
“Well，”replied the Emperor，“but there are so many who want places；but let me see, I want some one who can keep the pigs, for we have many of them.”
So the Prince was appointed the Emperor's swineherd. He received a miserable small room down by the pig-sty, and here he was obliged to stay；but all day long he sat and worked, and when it was evening he had finished a neat little pot, with bells all round it, and when the pot boiled these bells rang out prettily and played the old melody—
Oh, my darling Augustine，
All is lost, all is lost.王子把她关在城门外
But the cleverest thing about the whole arrangement was, that by holding one's finger in the steam from the pot, one could at once smell what food was being cooked at every hearth in the town. That was quite a different thing from the rose.
Now the Princess came with all her maids of honour, and when she heard the melody she stood still and looked quite pleased；for she, too, could play“Oh, my darling Augustine.”It was the only thing she could play, but then she played it with one finger.
“Why, that is what I play！”she cried.“He must be an educated swineherd！Hark-ye：go down and ask the price of the instrument.”
So one of the maids of honour had to go down；but first she put on a pair of pattens.
“What do you want for the pot？”inquired the lady.
“I want ten kisses from the Princess，”replied the swineherd.
“Heaven preserve us！”exclaimed the maid of honour.
“Well, I won't sell it for less，”said the swineherd.
“Well, what did he say？”asked the Princess.
“I really can't repeat it, it is so shocking，”replied the lady.
“Well, you can whisper it in my ear.”And the lady whispered it to her—
“He is very rude，”declared the Princess；and she went away. But when she had gone a little way, the bells sounded so prettily—
Oh my darling Augustine，
All is lost, all is lost.
“Hark-ye，”said the Princess：“ask him if he will take ten kisses from my maids of honour.”
“No, thanks，”replied the swineherd：“ten kisses from the Princess, or I shall keep my pot.”
“How tiresome that is！”cried the Princess.“But at least you must stand round me, so that nobody sees it.”
And the maids of honour stood round her, and spread out their dresses, and then the swineherd received ten kisses, and she received the pot.
Then there was rejoicing！All the evening and all the day long the pot was kept boiling；there was not a kitchen hearth in the whole town of which they did not know what it had cooked, at the shoemaker's as well as the chamberlain's. The ladies danced with pleasure, and clapped their hands.
“We know who will have sweet soup and pancakes for dinner, and who has hasty pudding and cutlets；how interesting that is！”“Very interesting！”said the head lady-superintendent.
“Yes, but keep counsel, for I'm the Emperor's daughter.”
“Yes, certainty，”said all.
The swineherd, that is to say, the Prince—but of course they did not know but that he was a real swineherd—let no day pass by without doing something, and so he made a rattle；when any personswung this rattle, he could play all the waltzes, hops, and polkas that have been known since the creation of the world.
“But that is superbe！”cried the Princess, as she went past.“I have never heard a finer composition. Hark-ye：go down and ask what the instrument costs；but I give no more kisses.”
“He demands a hundred kisses from the Princess，”said the maid of honour who had gone down to make the inquiry.
“I think he must be mad，”exclaimed the Princess；and she went away；but when she had gone a little distance she stood still.“One must encourage art，”she observed.“I am the Emperor's daughter！Tell him he shall receive ten kisses, like last time, and he may take the rest from my maids of honour.”
“Ah, but we don't like to do it！”said the maids of honour.
“That's all nonsense！”retorted the Princess，“and if I can allow myself to be kissed, you can too；remember, I give you board and wages.”
And so the maids of honour had to go down to him again.
“A hundred kisses from the Princess，”said he，“or each shall keep his own.”
“Stand round me，”said she then；and all the maids of honour stood round her while he kissed the Princess.
“What is that crowd down by the pig-sty？”asked the Emperor, who had stepped out to the balcony. He rubbed his eyes, and put onhis spectacles.“Why, those are the maids of honour, at their tricks, yonder；I shall have to go down to them.”
And he pulled up his slippers behind, for they were shoes that he had trodden down at heel. Gracious mercy, how he hurried！So soon as he came down in the courtyard, he went quite softly, and the maids of honour were too busy counting the kisses, and seeing fair play, to notice the Emperor.Then he stood on tiptoe.
“What's that？”said he, when he saw that there was kissing going on；and he hit them on the head with his slipper, just as the swineherd was taking the eighty-sixth kiss.
“Be off！”said the Emperor, for he was angry.
And the Princess and the swineherd were both expelled from his dominions. So there she stood and cried, the rain streamed down, and the swineherd scolded.
“Oh, miserable wretch that I am！”said the Princess；“if I had only taken the handsome Prince！Oh, how unhappy I am！”
Then the swineherd went behind a tree, washed the stains from his face, threw away the shabby clothes, and stepped forth in his princely attire, so handsome that the Princess was fain to bow before him.
“I have come to this, that I despise you，”said he.“You would not have an honest Prince；you did not value the rose and thenightingale, but for a plaything you kissed the swineherd, and now you have your reward.”
And then he went into his kingdom and shut the door in her face, and put the bar on. So now she might stand outside and sing—
Oh, my darling Augustine，
All is lost, all is lost.3.安琪儿/The Angel导读
每当有一个好孩子死去，就会有一个上帝的安琪儿来到世界上，把死去的孩子带到天上，在孩子生前喜欢的地方飞翔。他摘下一大把花儿带到天上，仁慈的上帝只吻他认为最可爱的花儿，于是花儿就有了声音，可以和大家一起唱幸福的颂歌。
安琪儿抱着一个死去的孩子飞上了天空。他带走了一枝被折断的玫瑰花、几枝被人瞧不起的金凤花和野生的三角堇和一大棵已经枯萎的野花。
原来，这座城市的地下室里，曾经住着一位从小就生病的穷孩子，他整天躺在床上，只能在身体好些的时候在房间里走走，他对树林的认识只能从邻家孩子带给他的树枝里面感受，那树枝让他知道了春天的绿色。有一次，邻家的孩子带给他一枝带着根子的野花。生病的孩子将野花栽种在花盆里，悉心地照料它，让它得到春天的阳光。野花就生长起来，每年开着美丽的花儿，成为病孩子最美丽的花园——他在世界上最珍贵的宝库。当上帝召唤孩子的时候，他在死神面前最后要看的东西就是这枝花。现在的这个安琪儿就是那个病孩子，他在天上有一年了，野花早就被人们遗忘，扔到了垃圾堆里面。这枝野花带给人的快乐，大大超过了皇家花园里那些艳丽的花儿，于是安琪儿要把它也带到天上去。野花是孩子最大的安慰
很快他们来到了天上，这里是和平幸福的天堂。上帝吻了吻那枝曾带给病孩子欢乐的野花。野花和孩子们一起，唱着幸福的歌儿。
“Whenever a good child dies, an angel from heaven comes down to earth and takes the dead child in his arms, spreads out his great white wings, and flies away over all the places the child has loved, and picks quite a handful of flowers, which he carries up to the Almighty, that they may bloom in heaven more brightly than on earth. And the Father presses all the flowers to His heart；but He kisses the flower that pleases Him best, and the flower is then endowed with a voice, and can join in the great chorus of praise！”
“See”—this is what an angel said, as he carried a dead child up to heaven, and the child heard, as if in a dream, and they went on over the regions of home where the little child had played, and they came through gardens with beautiful flowers—“which of these shall we take with us to plant in heaven？”asked the angel.
Now there stood near them a slender, beautiful rose bush；but a wicked hand had broken the stem, so that all the branches, covered with half-opened buds, were hanging around, quite withered.
“The poor rose bush！”said the child.“Take it, that it may bloom up yonder.”安琪儿带走了孩子
And the angel took it, and kissed the child, and the little one half opened his eyes. They plucked some of the rich flowers, but also took with them the despised buttercup and the wild pansy.
“Now we have flowers，”said the child.
And the angel nodded, but he did not yet fly upwards to heaven. It was night and quite silent.They remained in the great city；they floated about there in one of the narrowest streets, where lay whole heaps of straw, ashes, and sweepings, for it had been removal-day.There lay fragments of plates, bits of plaster, rags, and old hats, and all this did not look well.And the angel pointed amid all this confusion to a few fragments of a flower-pot, and to a lump of earth which had fallen out, and which was kept together by the roots of a great dried field flower, which was of no use, and had therefore been thrown out into the sereet.
“We will take that with us，”said the angel.“I will tell you why, as we fly onward.”
So they flew, and the angel related，
“Down yonder in the narrow lane, in the low cellar, lived a poor sick boy；from his childhood he had been bed-ridden. When he was at his best he could go up and down the room a few times, leaning on crutches；that was the utmost he could do.For a few days in summer the sunbeams would penetrate for a few hours to the front of the cellar, and when the poor boy sat there and the sun shone on him, and he looked at the red blood in his fine fingers, ashe held them up before his face, they would say，‘Yes, today he has been out！'He knew the forest with its beautiful vernal green only from the fact that the neighbour's son brought him the first green branch of a beech tree, and he held that up over his head, and dreamed he was in the beech wood where the sun shone and the birds sang.On a spring day the neighbour's boy also brought him field flowers, and among these was, by chance, one to which the root was hanging；and so it was planted in a flower-pot, and placed by the bed, close to the window.And the flower had been planted by a fortunate hand；and it grew, threw out new shoots, and bore flowers every year.It became as a splendid flower garden to the sickly boy—his little treasure here on earth.
He watered it, and tended it, and took care that it had the benefit of every ray of sunlight, down to the last that struggled in through the narrow window；and the flower itself was woven into his dreams, for it grew for him and gladdened his eyes, and spread its fragrance about him；and towards it he turned in death, when the Father called him.
He has now been with the Almighty for a year；for a year the flower has stood forgotten in the window, and is withered；and thus, at the removal, it has been thrown out into the dust of the street. And this is the flower, the poor withered flower, which we have taken into our nosegay；for this flower has given more joy than the richest flower in a Queen's garden！”
“But how do you know all this？”asked the child which the angel was carrying to heaven.
“I know it，”said the angel，“for I myself was that little boy who went on crutches！I know my flower well！”
And the child opened his eyes and looked into the glorious happy face of the angel；and at the same moment they entered the regions where there is peace and joy. And the Father pressed the dead child to His bosom, and then it received wings like the angel, and flew hand in hand with him.And the Almighty pressed all the flowers to His heart；but He kissed the dry withered field flower, and it received a voice and sang with all the angels hovering around—some near, and some in wider circles, and some in infinite distance, but all equally happy.
And they all sang, little and great, the good happy child, and the poor field flower that had lain there withered, thrown among the dust, in the rubbish of the removal-day, in the narrow dark lane.4.恋人/The Lovers导读
陀螺和球儿跟许多其他玩具一样，被关在同一个抽屉里。陀螺请求球儿做他的恋人，可是用鞣皮缝制的球儿很高傲，她拒绝了陀螺的要求。
第二天，玩具的主人（一个小孩子）在陀螺的身上涂了一层红黄相间的颜色，陀螺变得更加漂亮了，他又向球儿请求订婚。可是骄傲的球儿说她曾经和燕子订婚，但仪式没有举行完所以不能答应陀螺的请求。
又过了一天，孩子将球儿拿了出去，球儿像鸟儿一样高高地向空中飞，然后又回到地面，但一触到地面就又飞到空中。直到第9次，球儿飞到了空中，就再也没有回来。孩子找了很久也没有找到。陀螺以为球儿和燕子结婚了。他没有得到球儿，就一直思念着她。几年的光阴过去了，陀螺和球儿的故事成为了“旧恋”。
有一天，陀螺被涂上了金色，成了金陀螺。他跳着、舞着，一不小心跳到了垃圾箱里。人们找不到他了。他在垃圾箱里看到了一个圆圆的东西，原来就是在屋顶的水笕里躺了5年，已经完全被水泡胀的球儿啊！球儿看见金色的陀螺，就向他讲述着她的遭遇。可是陀螺什么也没有说，他心里明白，这就是他的“旧恋”。球儿对陀螺的求婚置之不理
后来，人们在垃圾箱里看见了陀螺，就把他又拿进了屋子，他重新引起人们的注意和尊敬。不过，他再也不说起他的“旧恋”了，“爱情”已经消失得无影无踪。
AWHIP-TOP and a Ball were together in a drawer among some other toys；and the Top said to the Ball，
“Shall we not be bridegroom and bride, as we live together in the same box？”
But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco leather, and was just as conceited as any fine lady, would make no answer to such a proposal.
Next day the little boy came to whom the toys belonged：he painted the top red and yellow, and hammered a brass nail into it；and it looked splendid when the top turned round！
“Look at me！”he cried to the Ball.“What do you say now？Shall we not be engaged to each other？We suit one another so well！You jump and I dance！No one could be happier than we two should be.”
“Indeed？Do you think so？”replied the Ball.“Perhaps you do not know that my papa and my mamma were Morocco slippers, and that I have a cork inside me？”
“Yes, but I am made of mahogany，”said the Top；“and the mayor himself turned me. He has a turning-lathe of his own, and it amuses him greatly.”陀螺飞速旋转
“Can I depend upon that？”asked the Ball.
“May I never be whipped again if it is not true！”replied the Top.
“You can speak well for yourself，”observed the Ball，“but I cannot grant your request. I am as good as engaged to a swallow：every time I leap up into the air it puts its head out of its nest and says，‘Will you？'And now I have silently said‘Yes，'and that is as good as half engaged；but I promise I will never forget you.”
“Yes, that will be much good！”said the Top.
And they spoke no more to each other.
Next day the Ball was taken out by the boy. The Top saw how it flew high into the air, like a bird；at last one could no longer see it.Each time it came back again, but gave a high leap when it touched the earth, and that was done either from its longing to mount up again, or because it had a cork in its body.But the ninth time the Ball remained absent, and did not come back again；and the boy sought and sought, but it was gone.
“I know very well where it is！”sighed the Top.“It is in the swallow's nest, and has married the swallow！”
The more the Top thought of this, the more it longed for the Ball. Just because it could not get the Ball, its love increased；and the fact that the Ball had chosen another, formed a peculiar feature in the case.So the Top danced round and hummed, but always thought of the Ball, which became more and more beautiful in hisfancy.Thus several years went by, and now it was an old love.
And the Top was no longer young！But one day he was gilt all over；never had he looked so handsome；he was now a golden Top, and sprang till he hummed again. Yes, that was something worth seeing！But all at once he sprang too high, and—he was gone！
They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but he was not to be found. Where could he be？
He had jumped into the dust-bin, where all kinds of things were lying：cabbage stalks, sweepings, and dust that had fallen down from the roof.
“Here's a nice place to lie in！The gilding will soon leave me here. Among what a rabble have I alighted！”And then he looked sideways at a long leafless cabbage stump, and at a curious round thing that looked like an old apple；but it was not an apple—it was an old Ball, which had lain for yeas in the gutter on the roof, and was quite saturated with water.
“Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with whom one can talk！”said the Ball, and looked at the gilt Top.“I am real morocco, worked by maidens'hands, and have a cork within me；but no one would think it, to look at me. I was very nearly marrying a swallow, but I fell into the gutter on the roof, and have lain there full five years, and become quite wet through.You may believe me, that's a long time for a young girl.”But the Top said nothing.He thought of his old love；and the more he heard, the clearer it became to himthat this was she.
Then came the servant-girl, and wanted to turn out the dust-bin.
“Aha！there's the gilt top！”she cried.
And so the Top was brought again to notice and honour, but nothing was heard of the Ball. And the Top spoke no more of his old love；for that dies away when the beloved object has lain for five years in a roof-gutter and got wet through；yes, one does not know her again when one meets her in the dust-bin.5.牧羊女和扫烟囱的人/The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweeper导读
客厅里立着一个碗柜，中央雕刻了一个名叫“公山羊腿——中将和少将——作战司令——中士”的人的全身像，他总是盯着镜子下面的桌子。桌子上有瓷做的美丽的牧羊女和黑黑的扫烟囱的人，并且他们订婚了。紧贴着他们的自称是牧羊女祖父的中国人却答应了这个人对牧羊女的求婚。
小牧羊女不愿做碗柜人的妻子，她恳求扫烟囱的人带她离开。于是扫烟囱的人就带着小牧羊女爬下了桌子，经过了抽屉，通过炉身和通风管爬到了烟囱口。然而小牧羊女在看到广大的世界后被吓怕了，她不听扫烟囱的人的劝阻，要回到桌子上去。
当他们回到桌子上时，发现老中国人在追赶他们的时候摔碎了。但之后他被这家人粘好了，并且在颈上钉了结实的钉子，因此他再也无法点头了。从此小牧羊女和扫烟囱的人相亲相爱地生活在一起了。
Have you ever seen a very old wooden cupboard, quite black with age, and ornamented with carved foliage and arabesques？Just such a cupboard stood in a parlour：it had been a legacy from the great-grandmother, and was covered from top to bottom with carved roses and tulips. There were the quaintest flourishes upon it, and from among these peered forth little stags'heads with antlers.In the middle of the cupboard door an entire figure of a man had been cut out：he was certainly ridiculous to look at, and he grinned, for you could not call it laughing：he had goat's legs, little horns on his head, and a long beard.The children in the room always called him the Billygoate-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant；that was a difficult name to pronounce, and there are not many who obtain this title；but it was something to have cut him out.And there he was！He was always looking at the table under the mirror, for on this table stood a lovely little Shepherdess made of china.Her shoes were gilt, her dress was neatly caught up with a red rose, and besides this she had a golden hat and a shepherd's crook：she was very lovely.Close by her stood a little Chimney-Sweeper, black as a coal, but also made of porcelain：he was as clean and neat as any other man, for it was only make-believe that he was a sweep；the china-workers might just as well have made a prince of him, if they had been so minded.小牧羊女哭得很伤心
There he stood very nattily with his ladder, and with a face as white and pink as a girl's；and that was really a fault, for he ought to have been a little black. He stood quite close to the Shepherdess：they had both been placed where they stood；but as they had been placed there they had become engaged to each other.They suited each other well.Both were young people, both made of the same kind of china, and both equally frail.
Close to them stood another figure, three times greater than they. This was an old Chinaman, who could nod.He was also of porcelain, and declared himself to be the grandfather of the little Shepherdess；but he could not prove his relationship.He declared he had authority over her, and that therefore he had nodded to Mr.Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant, who was wooing her for his wife.
“Then you will get a husband！”said the old Chinaman，“a man who I verily believe is made of mahogany. He can make you Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeantess：he has the whole cupboard full of silver plate, besides what he hoards up in secret drawers.”
“I won't go into the dark cupboard！”said the little Shepherdess.“I have heard tell that he has eleven porcelain wives in there.”
“Then you may become the twelfth，”cried the Chinaman.“This night, so soon as it creaks in the old cupboard, you shall be married, as true as I am an old Chinaman！”
And with that he nodded his head and fell asleep. But the little Shepherdess wept and looked at her heart's beloved, the porcelain Chimney-Sweeper.
“I should like to beg of you，”said she，“to go out with me into the wide world, for we cannot remain here.”
“I'll do whatever you like，”replied the little Chimney-Sweeper.“Let us start directly！I think I can keep you by exercising my profession.”
“If we were only safely down from the table！”said she.“I shall not be happy until we are out in the wide world.”
And he comforted her, and showed her how she must place her little foot upon the carved corners and the gilded foliage down the leg of the table；he brought his ladder, too, to help her, and they were soon together upon the floor. But when they looked up at the old cupboard there was great commotion within：all the carved stags were stretching out their heads, rearing up their antlers, and turning their necks；and the Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant sprang high in the air, and called across to the old Chinaman，
“Now they're running away！now they're running away！”
Then they were a little frightened, and jumped quickly into the drawer of the window-seat. Here were three or four packs of cards which were not complete, and a little puppet-show, which had been built up as well as it could be done.There plays were acted, and all the ladies, diamonds, clubs, hearts, and spades, sat in the first row, fanning themselves with their tulips；and behind them stood all theknaves, showing that they had a head above and below, as is usual in playing-cards.The play was about two people who were not to be married to each other, and the Shepherdess wept, because it was just like her own history.
“I cannot bear this！”said she.“I must go out of the drawer.”
But when they arrived on the floor, and looked up at the table, the old Chinaman was awake and was shaking over his whole body—for below he was all one lump.
“Now the old Chinaman's coming！”cried the little Shepherdess and she fell down upon her porcelain knee, so startled was she.
“I have an idea，”said the Chimney-Sweeper.“Shall we creep into the great pot-pourri vase which stands in the corner？Then we can lie on roses and lavender, and throw salt in his eyes if he comes.”
“That will be of no use，”she replied.“Besides, I know that the old Chinaman and the pot-pourri vase were once engaged to each other, and a kind of liking always remains when people have stood in such a relation to each other. No, there's nothing left for us but to go out into the wide world.”
“Have you really courage to go into the wide world with me？”asked the Chimney-Sweeper.“Have you considered how wide the world is, and that we can never come back here again？”
“I have，”replied she.
And the Chimney-Sweeper looked fondly at her, and said，
“My way is through the chimney. If you have really courage to creep with me through the stove—through the iron fire-box as well as up the pipe, then we can get out into the chimney, and I know how to find my way through there.We'll mount so high that they can't catch us, and quite at the top there's a hole that leads out into the wide world.”
And he led her to the door of the stove.
“It looks very black there，”said she；but still she went with him, through the box and through the pipe, where it was pitch-dark night.
“Now we are in the chimney，”said he；“and look, look！up yonder a beautiful star is shining.”
And it was a real star in the sky, which shone straight down upon them, as if it would show them the way. And they clambered and crept：it was a frightful way, and terribly steep；but he supported her and helped her up；he held her, and showed her the best places where she could place her little porcelain feet；and thus they reached the edge of the chimney, and upon that they sat down, for they were desperately tired, as they well might be.
The sky with all its stars was high above, and all the roofs of the town deep below them. They looked far around—far, far out into the world.The poor Shepherdess had never thought of it as it really was：she leaned her little head against the Chimney-Sweeper, then she wept so bitterly that the gold ran down off her girdle.
“That is too much，”she said.“I cannot bear that. The world istoo large！If I were only back upon the table below the mirror！I shall never be happy until I am there again.Now I have followed you out into the wide world, you may accompany me back again if you really love me.”
And the Chimney-Sweeper spoke sensibly to her—spoke of the old Chinaman and of the Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant；but she sobbed bitterly and kissed her little Chimney-Sweeper, so that he could not help giving way to her, though it was foolish.
And so with much labour they climbed down the chimney again. And they crept through the pipe and the fire-box.That was not pleasant at all.And there they stood in the dark stove；there they listened behind the door, to find out what was going on in the room.Then it was quite quiet：they looked in—ah！there lay the old Chinaman in the middle of the floor！He had fallen down from the table as he was pursuing them, and now he lay broken into three pieces；his back had come off all in one piece, and his head had rolled into a corner.The Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant stood where he had always stood, considering.
“That is terrible！”said the little Shepherdess.“The old grandfather has fallen to pieces, and it is our fault. I shall never survive it！”And then she wrung her little hands.
“He can be mended！he can be mended！”said the Chimney-Sweeper.“Don't be so violent. If they glue his back together and give him a good rivet in his neck he will be as good as new, and may say many a disagreeable thing to us yet.”
“Do you think so？”cried she.
So they climbed back upon the table where they used to stand.
“You see, we have come back to this，”said the Chimney-Sweeper：“we might have saved ourselves all the trouble we have had.”
“If the old grandfather were only riveted！”said the Shepherdess.“I wonder if that is dear？”
And he was really riveted. The family had his back cemented, and a great rivet was passed through his neck：he was as good as new, only he could no longer nod.
“It seems you have become proud since you fell to pieces，”said the Billygoat-legs-Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-Sergeant.“I don't think you have any reason to give yourself such airs. Am I to have her, or am I not？”
And the Chimney-Sweeper and the little Shepherdess looked at the old Chinaman most piteously, for they were afraid he might nod. But he could not do that, and it was irksome to him to tell a stranger that he always had a rivet in his neck.And so the porcelain people remained together, and they blessed Grandfather's rivet, and loved one another until they broke.6.卖火柴的小女孩/The Little Match Girl导读
在寒冷的新年的前夕，一个卖火柴的小女孩因为没有卖出去一根火柴而不敢回家。
她蜷缩在墙角里，最后终于忍不住抽出一根火柴来点燃了。火柴亮起来的时候，小女孩觉得自己就在温暖的火炉旁边，可是正准备取暖时火炉就不见了。于是她又擦亮了一根火柴，这回她看到了烤鹅，背上插着刀叉向她走来，可是火柴又在这个时候熄灭了。她又点燃了一根火柴，现在她坐在美丽的圣诞树下，看到流星滑落，想起了自己的老祖母。所以她又擦亮一根火柴，老祖母出现了！小女孩为了留住老祖母，擦亮了剩下的所有火柴。老祖母抱起了小女孩，在光明中飞走了。
第二天，人们在墙角里发现了带着微笑死去的小女孩。
It was terribly cold；it snowed and was already almost dark, and evening came on the last evening of the year. In the cold and gloom a poor little girl, bareheaded and barefoot, was walking through the streets.When she left her own house she certainly had had slippers on；but of what use were they？They were very big slippers, and her mother had used them till then, so big were they.The little maid lost them as she slipped across the road, where two carriages were rattling by terribly fast.One slipper was not to be found again, and a boy had seized the other, and run away with it.He said he could use it very well as a cradle, some day when he had children of his own.So now the little girl went with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold.In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and a bundle of them in her hand.No one had bought anything of her all day, and no one had given her a farthing.小手冻僵了
Shivering with cold and hunger she crept along, a picture of misery, poor little girl！The snowflakes covered her long fair hair, which fell in pretty curls over her neck；but she did not think of that now. In all the windows lights were shining, and there was a glorious smell of roast goose, for it was New Year's Eve.Yes, she thought of that！
In a corner formed by two houses, one of which projected beyond the other, she sat down, cowering. She had drawn up her little feet, but she was still colder, and she did not dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, and did not bring a farthing of money.From her father she would certainly receive a beating, and besides, it was cold at home, for they had nothing over them but a roofthrough, which the wind whistled, though the largest rents had been stopped with straw and rags.
Her little hands were almost benumbed, with the cold. Ah！a match might do her good, if she could only draw one from the bundle, and rub it against the wall, and warm her hands at it.She drew one out.R-r-atch！how it sputtered and burned！It was a warm, bright flame, like a little candle, when she held her hands over it；it was a wonderful little light！It really seemed to the little girl as if she sat before a great polished stove, with bright brass feet and a brass cover.How the fire burned！how comfortable it was！But the little flame went out, the stove vanished when her feet were just reaching out for a little warmth, and she had only the remains of the burned match in her hand.
A second was rubbed against the wall. It burned up, and when the light fell upon the wall it became transparent like a thin veil, and she could see through it into the room.On the table a snow-white cloth was spread；upon it stood a shining dinner service；the roast goose smoked gloriously, stuffed with apples and dried plums.And what was still more splendid to behold, the goose hopped down from the dish, and waddled along the floor, with a knife and fork in its breast, to the little girl.Then the match went out, and only the thick, damp, cold wall was before her.She lighted another match.Then she was sitting under a beautiful Christmas tree；it was greater and more ornamented than the one she had seen through the glass door last Christmas at the rich merchant's.Thousands of candles burned upon the green branches, and coloured pictures like those in the print shops looked down upon them.The little girl stretched forth her hand towards them；then the match went out.The Christmas lights mounted higher.She saw them now as stars in the sky：one of them fell down, forming a long line of fire.带着微笑死去
“Now some one is dying，”thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her and who was now dead, had told her that when a star fell down a soul mounted up to God.
She rubbed another match against the wall；it became bright again and in the brightness the old grandmother stood clear and shining mild and lovely.
“Grandmother！”cried the child.“Oh！take me with you！I know you will go when the match is burned out. You will vanish like the warm fire, the beautiful roast goose, and the great glorious Christmas tree！”
And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that it became brighter than in the middle of the day；grandmother had never been so large or so beautiful.She took the little girl in her arms, and both flew in brightness and joy above the earth, very, very high, and up there was neither cold, nor hunger, nor care—they were with God！
But in the corner, leaning against the wall, sat in the cold morning hours the poor girl with red cheeks and smiling mouth, frozen to death on the last evening of the Old Year. The New Year's sun rose upon a little corpse！The child sat there, stiff and cold, with the matches of which one bundle was burned.“She wanted to warm herself，”the people said.No one imagined what a beautiful thing she had seen, and in what glory she had gone in with her grandmother to the New Year's joy.7.区别/There Is a Difference导读
5月，苹果树上长出一根鲜艳的绿枝，年轻的伯爵夫人认为这是这个春天最美丽的东西，所以将它折断，带回家放在美丽的花瓶里。各种各样的人经过房间都会赞美它，于是，这根苹果枝变得骄傲起来。苹果枝透过窗子看到外面的花园和田野，觉得那些植物十分贫贱，和自己是有很大区别的。而阳光却知道，造物主是公平的，阳光会照到苹果枝，也会照到苹果枝所怜悯的“魔鬼的奶桶”。这时一大群孩子来到田野里，他们用小黄花穿成链子，小心地吹散蒲公英。又有一个老太婆来了，她来采集植物的根煮咖啡和作药用。然而看到这些后苹果枝仍然认为植物之间是有区别的。正在阳光和她争执时，美丽的伯爵夫人来了，她手里小心地拿着被很多叶子保护着的东西，正是苹果枝瞧不起的蒲公英！苹果枝是非常漂亮，但这朵微贱的花儿也受到了上天的恩惠，虽然二者有一定的区别，但它们都是美的！
It was in the month of May. The wind still blew cold, but＆nbsp；bushes and trees, field and meadow, all alike said the spring had come.There was store of flowers even in the wild hedges；and there spring carried on his affairs, and preached from a little apple tree, where one branch hung fresh and blooming, covered with delicate pink blossoms that were just ready to open.The Apple Tree Branch knew well enough how beautiful he was, for the knowledge is inherent in the blade as well as in the blood；and consequently the Branch was not
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