安徒生童话THE FLYING TRUNK.docx

1、安徒生童话THE FLYING TRUNK 1872 FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN THE FLYING TRUNK by Hans Christian Andersen THERE was once a merchant who was so rich that he could have pavedthe whole street with gold, and would even then have had enough fora small alley. But he did not do so; he knew the value of

2、 money betterthan to use it in this way. So clever was he, that every shilling heput out brought him a crown; and so he continued till he died. His soninherited his wealth, and he lived a merry life with it; he went toa masquerade every night, made kites out of five pound notes, andthrew pieces of g

3、old into the sea instead of stones, making ducksand drakes of them. In this manner he soon lost all his money. At lasthe had nothing left but a pair of slippers, an old dressing-gown,and four shillings. And now all his friends deserted him, they couldnot walk with him in the streets; but one of them

4、, who was verygood-natured, sent him an old trunk with this message, Pack up!Yes, he said, it is all very well to say pack up, but he hadnothing left to pack up, therefore he seated himself in the trunk.It was a very wonderful trunk; no sooner did any one press on the lockthan the trunk could fly. H

5、e shut the lid and pressed the lock, whenaway flew the trunk up the chimney with the merchants son in it,right up into the clouds. Whenever the bottom of the trunk cracked, hewas in a great fright, for if the trunk fell to pieces he would havemade a tremendous somerset over the trees. However, he go

6、t safely inhis trunk to the land of Turkey. He hid the trunk in the wood undersome dry leaves, and then went into the town: he could so this verywell, for the Turks always go about dressed in dressing-gowns andslippers, as he was himself. He happened to meet a nurse with a littlechild. I say, you Tu

7、rkish nurse, cried he, what castle is that nearthe town, with the windows placed so high? The kings daughter lives there, she replied; it has beenprophesied that she will be very unhappy about a lover, andtherefore no one is allowed to visit her, unless the king and queenare present. Thank you, said

8、 the merchants son. So he went back to the wood,seated himself in his trunk, flew up to the roof of the castle, andcrept through the window into the princesss room. She lay on the sofaasleep, and she was so beautiful that the merchants son could nothelp kissing her. Then she awoke, and was very much

9、 frightened; but hetold her he was a Turkish angel, who had come down through the airto see her, which pleased her very much. He sat down by her side andtalked to her: he said her eyes were like beautiful dark lakes, inwhich the thoughts swam about like little mermaids, and he told herthat her foreh

10、ead was a snowy mountain, which contained splendid hallsfull of pictures. And then he related to her about the stork whobrings the beautiful children from the rivers. These were delightfulstories; and when he asked the princess if she would marry him, sheconsented immediately. But you must come on S

11、aturday, she said; for then the kingand queen will take tea with me. They will be very proud when theyfind that I am going to marry a Turkish angel; but you must think ofsome very pretty stories to tell them, for my parents like to hearstories better than anything. My mother prefers one that is deep

12、 andmoral; but my father likes something funny, to make him laugh. Very well, he replied; I shall bring you no other marriageportion than a story, and so they parted. But the princess gave him asword which was studded with gold coins, and these he could use. Then he flew away to the town and bought

13、a new dressing-gown,and afterwards returned to the wood, where he composed a story, soas to be ready for Saturday, which was no easy matter. It was readyhowever by Saturday, when he went to see the princess. The king, andqueen, and the whole court, were at tea with the princess; and hewas received w

14、ith great politeness. Will you tell us a story? said the queen,- one that isinstructive and full of deep learning. Yes, but with something in it to laugh at, said the king. Certainly, he replied, and commenced at once, asking them tolisten attentively. There was once a bundle of matches that wereexc

15、eedingly proud of their high descent. Their genealogical tree, thatis, a large pine-tree from which they had been cut, was at one timea large, old tree in the wood. The matches now lay between atinder-box and an old iron saucepan, and were talking about theiryouthful days. Ah! then we grew on the gr

16、een boughs, and were asgreen as they; every morning and evening we were fed with diamonddrops of dew. Whenever the sun shone, we felt his warm rays, and thelittle birds would relate stories to us as they sung. We knew thatwe were rich, for the other trees only wore their green dress insummer, but ou

17、r family were able to array themselves in green,summer and winter. But the wood-cutter came, like a greatrevolution, and our family fell under the axe. The head of the houseobtained a situation as mainmast in a very fine ship, and can sailround the world when he will. The other branches of the famil

18、y weretaken to different places, and our office now is to kindle a light forcommon people. This is how such high-born people as we came to be in akitchen. Mine has been a very different fate, said the iron pot, whichstood by the matches; from my first entrance into the world I havebeen used to cooki

19、ng and scouring. I am the first in this house,when anything solid or useful is required. My only pleasure is to bemade clean and shining after dinner, and to sit in my place and have alittle sensible conversation with my neighbors. All of us, exceptingthe water-bucket, which is sometimes taken into

20、the courtyard, livehere together within these four walls. We get our news from themarket-basket, but he sometimes tells us very unpleasant thingsabout the people and the government. Yes, and one day an old pot wasso alarmed, that he fell down and was broken to pieces. He was aliberal, I can tell you

21、. You are talking too much, said the tinder-box, and the steelstruck against the flint till some sparks flew out, crying, We want amerry evening, dont we? Yes, of course, said the matches, let us talk about thosewho are the highest born. No, I dont like to be always talking of what we are,remarked t

22、he saucepan; let us think of some other amusement; I willbegin. We will tell something that has happened to ourselves; thatwill be very easy, and interesting as well. On the Baltic Sea, nearthe Danish shore- What a pretty commencement! said the plates; we shall alllike that story, I am sure. Yes; we

23、ll in my youth, I lived in a quiet family, where thefurniture was polished, the floors scoured, and clean curtains putup every fortnight, What an interesting way you have of relating a story, saidthe carpet-broom; it is easy to perceive that you have been a greatdeal in womens society, there is some

24、thing so pure runs throughwhat you say. That is quite true, said the water-bucket; and he made a springwith joy, and splashed some water on the floor. Then the saucepan went on with his story, and the end was as goodas the beginning. The plates rattled with pleasure, and the carpet-broom broughtsome

25、 green parsley out of the dust-hole and crowned the saucepan,for he knew it would vex the others; and he thought, If I crown himto-day he will crown me to-morrow. Now, let us have a dance, said the fire-tongs; and then howthey danced and stuck up one leg in the air. The chair-cushion inthe corner bu

26、rst with laughter when she saw it. Shall I be crowned now? asked the fire-tongs; so the broomfound another wreath for the tongs. They were only common people after all, thought the matches.The tea-urn was now asked to sing, but she said she had a cold, andcould not sing without boiling heat. They al

27、l thought this wasaffectation, and because she did not wish to sing excepting in theparlor, when on the table with the grand people. In the window sat an old quill-pen, with which the maid generallywrote. There was nothing remarkable about the pen, excepting that ithad been dipped too deeply in the

28、ink, but it was proud of that. If the tea-urn wont sing, said the pen, she can leave italone; there is a nightingale in a cage who can sing; she has not beentaught much, certainly, but we need not say anything this eveningabout that. I think it highly improper, said the tea-kettle, who waskitchen si

29、nger, and half-brother to the tea-urn, that a richforeign bird should be listened to here. Is it patriotic? Let themarket-basket decide what is right. I certainly am vexed, said the basket; inwardly vexed, morethan any one can imagine. Are we spending the evening properly?Would it not be more sensib

30、le to put the house in order? If eachwere in his own place I would lead a game; this would be quite anotherthing. Let us act a play, said they all. At the same moment the dooropened, and the maid came in. Then not one stirred; they allremained quite still; yet, at the same time, there was not a sing

31、lepot amongst them who had not a high opinion of himself, and of what hecould do if he chose. Yes, if we had chosen, they each thought, we might havespent a very pleasant evening. The maid took the matches and lighted them; dear me, how theysputtered and blazed up! Now then, they thought, every one will see that we are thefirst. How we shine; what a light we give! Even while they spoketheir light went out. What a capital story, said the queen, I feel as if I werereally in the kitchen, and could see the matches; yes, you shall marryour