little tuk-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LITTLE　TUK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　YES；　they　called　him　Little　Tuk；　but　it　was　not　his　real　name；

he　had　called　himself　so　before　he　could　speak　plainly；　and　he　meant

it　for　Charles。　It　was　all　very　well　for　those　who　knew　him；　but　not

for　strangers。

　　　　Little　Tuk　was　left　at　home　to　take　care　of　his　little　sister；

Gustava；　who　was　much　younger　than　himself；　and　he　had　to　learn　his

lessons　at　the　same　time；　and　the　two　things　could　not　very　well　be

performed　together。　The　poor　boy　sat　there　with　his　sister　on　his　lap；

and　sung　to　her　all　the　songs　he　knew；　and　now　and　then　he　looked　into

his　geography　lesson　that　lay　open　before　him。　By　the　next　morning

he　had　to　learn　by　heart　all　the　towns　in　Zealand；　and　all　that

could　be　described　of　them。

　　　　His　mother　came　home　at　last；　and　took　little　Gustava　in　her　arms。

Then　Tuk　ran　to　the　window；　and　read　so　eagerly　that　he　nearly　read

his　eyes　out；　for　it　had　become　darker　and　darker　every　minute；　and

his　mother　had　no　money　to　buy　a　light。

　　　　〃There　goes　the　old　washerwoman　up　the　lane；〃　said　the　mother；

as　she　looked　out　of　the　window；　〃the　poor　woman　can　hardly　drag

herself　along；　and　now　she　had　to　drag　a　pail　of　water　from　the

well。　Be　a　good　boy；　Tuk；　and　run　across　and　help　the　old　woman；　won't

you？〃

　　　　So　Tuk　ran　across　quickly；　and　helped　her；　but　when　he　came　back

into　the　room　it　was　quite　dark；　and　there　was　not　a　word　said　about　a

light；　so　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　bed　on　his　little　truckle

bedstead；　and　there　he　lay　and　thought　of　his　geography　lesson；　and　of

Zealand；　and　of　all　the　master　had　told　him。　He　ought　really　to　have

read　it　over　again；　but　he　could　not　for　want　of　light。　So　he　put

the　geography　book　under　his　pillow；　for　he　had　heard　that　this　was

a　great　help　towards　learning　a　lesson；　but　not　always　to　be

depended　upon。　He　still　lay　thinking　and　thinking；　when　all　at　once　it

seemed　as　if　some　one　kissed　him　on　his　eyes　and　mouth。　He　slept　and

yet　he　did　not　sleep；　and　it　appeared　as　if　the　old　washerwoman　looked

at　him　with　kind　eyes　and　said；　〃It　would　be　a　great　pity　if　you　did

not　know　your　lesson　to…morrow　morning；　you　helped　me；　and　now　I

will　help　you；　and　Providence　will　always　keep　those　who　help

themselves；〃　and　at　the　same　time　the　book　under　Tuk's　pillow　began　to

move　about。　〃Cluck；　cluck；　cluck；〃　cried　a　hen　as　she　crept　towards

him。　〃I　am　a　hen　from　Kjoge；〃　and　then　she　told　him　how　many

inhabitants　the　town　contained；　and　about　a　battle　that　had　been

fought　there；　which　really　was　not　worth　speaking　of。

　　　　〃Crack；　crack；〃　down　fell　something。　It　was　a　wooden　bird；　the

parrot　which　is　used　as　a　target　as　Prastoe。　He　said　there　were　as

many　inhabitants　in　that　town　as　he　had　nails　in　his　body。　He　was　very

proud；　and　said；　〃Thorwalsden　lived　close　to　me；　and　here　I　am　now；

quite　comfortable。〃

　　　　But　now　little　Tuk　was　no　longer　in　bed；　all　in　a　moment　he

found　himself　on　horseback。　Gallop；　gallop；　away　he　went；　seated　in

front　of　a　richly…attired　knight；　with　a　waving　plume；　who　held　him　on

the　saddle；　and　so　they　rode　through　the　wood　by　the　old　town　of

Wordingburg；　which　was　very　large　and　busy。　The　king's　castle　was

surrounded　by　lofty　towers；　and　radiant　light　streamed　from　all　the

windows。　Within　there　were　songs　and　dancing；　King　Waldemar　and　the

young　gayly…dressed　ladies　of　the　court　were　dancing　together。　Morning

dawned；　and　as　the　sun　rose；　the　whole　city　and　the　king's　castle　sank

suddenly　down　together。　One　tower　after　another　fell；　till　at　last

only　one　remained　standing　on　the　hill　where　the　castle　had　formerly

been。

　　　　The　town　now　appeared　small　and　poor；　and　the　school…boys　read

in　their　books；　which　they　carried　under　their　arms；　that　it　contained

two　thousand　inhabitants；　but　this　was　a　mere　boast；　for　it　did　not

contain　so　many。

　　　　And　again　little　Tuk　lay　in　his　bed；　scarcely　knowing　whether　he

was　dreaming　or　not；　for　some　one　stood　by　him。

　　　　〃Tuk！　little　Tuk！〃　said　a　voice。　It　was　a　very　little　person　who

spoke。　He　was　dressed　as　a　sailor；　and　looked　small　enough　to　be　a

middy；　but　he　was　not　one。　〃I　bring　you　many　greetings　from　Corsor。　It

is　a　rising　town；　full　of　life。　It　has　steamships　and　mail…coaches。　In

times　past　they　used　to　call　it　ugly；　but　that　is　no　longer　true。　I

lie　on　the　sea…shore；〃　said　Corsor；　〃I　have　high…roads　and

pleasure…gardens；　I　have　given　birth　to　a　poet　who　was　witty　and

entertaining；　which　they　are　not　all。　I　once　wanted　to　fit　out　a

ship　to　sail　round　the　world；　but　I　did　not　accomplish　it；　though　most

likely　I　might　have　done　so。　But　I　am　fragrant　with　perfume；　for　close

to　my　gates　most　lovely　roses　bloom。〃

　　　　Then　before　the　eyes　of　little　Tuk　appeared　a　confusion　of　colors；

red　and　green；　but　it　cleared　off；　and　he　could　distinguish　a　cliff

close　to　the　bay；　the　slopes　of　which　were　quite　overgrown　with

verdure；　and　on　its　summit　stood　a　fine　old　church　with　pointed

towers。　Springs　of　water　flowed　out　of　the　cliff　in　thick　waterspouts；

so　that　there　was　a　continual　splashing。　Close　by　sat　an　old　king　with

a　golden　crown　on　his　white　head。　This　was　King　Hroar　of　the　Springs

and　near　the　springs　stood　the　town　of　Roeskilde；　as　it　is　called。

Then　all　the　kings　and　queens　of　Denmark　went　up　the　ascent　to　the　old

church；　hand　in　hand；　with　golden　crowns　on　their　heads；　while　the

organ　played　and　the　fountains　sent　forth　jets　of　water。

　　　　Little　Tuk　saw　and　heard　it　all。　〃Don't　forget　the　names　of

these　towns；〃　said　King　Hroar。

　　　　All　at　once　everything　vanished；　but　where！　It　seemed　to　him

like　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　book。　And　now　there　stood　before　him

an　old　peasant　woman；　who　had　come　from　Soroe　where　the　grass　grows　in

the　market…place。　She　had　a　green　linen　apron　thrown　over　her　head　and

shoulders；　and　it　was　quite　wet；　as　if　it　had　been　raining　heavily。

〃Yes；　that　it　has；〃　said　she；　and　then；　just　as　she　was　going　to

tell　him　a　great　many　pretty　stories　from　Holberg's　comedies；　and

about　Waldemar　and　Absalom；　she　suddenly　shrunk　up　together；　and

wagged　her　head　as　if　she　were　a　frog　about　to　spring。　〃Croak；〃　she

cried；　〃it　is　always　wet；　and　as　quiet　as　death　in　Soroe。〃　Then　little

Tuk　saw　she　was　changed　into　a　frog。　〃Croak；〃　and　again　she　was　an　old

woman。　〃One　must　dress　according　to　the　weather；〃　said　she。　〃It　is

wet；　and　my　town　is　just　like　a　bottle。　By　the　cork　we　must　go　in；　and

by　the　cork　we　must　come　out　again。　In　olden　times　I　had　beautiful

fish；　and　now　I　have　fresh；　rosy…cheeked　boys　in　the　bottom　of　the

bottle；　and　they　learn　wisdom；　Hebrew　and　Greek。〃

　　　　〃Croak。〃　How　it　sounded　like　the　cry　of　the　frogs　on　the　moor；

or　like　the　creaking　of　great　boots　when　some　one　is　marching；…　always

the　same　tone；　so　monotonous　and　wearing；　that　little　Tuk　at　length

fell　fast　asleep；　and　then　the　sound　could　not　annoy　him。　But　even

in　this　sleep　came　a　dream　or　something　like　it。　His　little　sister

Gustava；　with　her　blue　eyes；　and　fair　curly　hair；　had　grown　up　a

beautiful　maiden　all　at　once；　and　without　having　wings　she　could

fly。　And　they　flew　together　over　Zealand；　over　green　forests　and

blue　lakes。

　　　　〃Hark；　so　you　hear　the　cock　crow；　little　Tuk。　'Cock…a…doodle…doo。'

The　fowls　are　flying　out　of　Kjoge。　You　shall　have　a　large　farm…yard。

You　shall　never　suffer　hunger　or　want。　The　bird　of　good　omen　shall

be　yours；　and　you　shall　become　a　rich　and　happy　man；　your　house

shall　rise　up　like　King　Waldemar's　towers；　and　shall　be　richly　adorned

with　marble　statues；　like　those　at　Prastoe。　Understand　me　well；　your

name　shall　travel　with　fame　round　the　world　like　the　ship　that　was

to　sail　from　Corsor；　and　at　Roeskilde；…　Don't　forget　the　names　of

the　towns；　as　King　Hroar　said；…　you　shall　speak　well　and　clearly

little　Tuk；　and　when　at　last　you　lie　in　your　grave　you　shall　sleep

peacefully；　as…〃

　　　　〃As　if　I　lay　in　Soroe；〃　said　little　Tuk　awaking。　It　was　bright

daylight；　and　he　could　not　remember　his　dream；　but　that　was　not

necessary；　for　we　are　not　to　know　what　will　happen　to　us　in　the

future。　Then　he　sprang　out　of　bed　quickly；　and　read　over　his　lesson　in

the　book；　and　knew　it　all　at　once　quite　correctly。　The　old　washerwoman

put　her　head　in　at　the　door；　and　nodded　to　him　quite　kindly；　and　said；

〃Many　thanks；　you　good　child；　for　your　help　yesterday。　I　hope　all　your

beautiful　dreams　will　come　true。〃

　　　　Little　Tuk　did　not　at　all　know　what　he　had　dreamt；　but　One　above

did。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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