the elf of the rose-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ELF　OF　THE　ROSE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　the　midst　of　a　garden　grew　a　rose…tree；　in　full　blossom；　and　in

the　prettiest　of　all　the　roses　lived　an　elf。　He　was　such　a　little

wee　thing；　that　no　human　eye　could　see　him。　Behind　each　leaf　of　the

rose　he　had　a　sleeping　chamber。　He　was　as　well　formed　and　as　beautiful

as　a　little　child　could　be；　and　had　wings　that　reached　from　his

shoulders　to　his　feet。　Oh；　what　sweet　fragrance　there　was　in　his

chambers！　and　how　clean　and　beautiful　were　the　walls！　for　they　were

the　blushing　leaves　of　the　rose。

　　　　During　the　whole　day　he　enjoyed　himself　in　the　warm　sunshine；　flew

from　flower　to　flower；　and　danced　on　the　wings　of　the　flying

butterflies。　Then　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　measure　how　many　steps

he　would　have　to　go　through　the　roads　and　cross…roads　that　are　on

the　leaf　of　a　linden…tree。　What　we　call　the　veins　on　a　leaf；　he　took

for　roads；　ay；　and　very　long　roads　they　were　for　him；　for　before　he

had　half　finished　his　task；　the　sun　went　down：　he　had　commenced　his

work　too　late。　It　became　very　cold；　the　dew　fell；　and　the　wind　blew；

so　he　thought　the　best　thing　he　could　do　would　be　to　return　home。　He

hurried　himself　as　much　as　he　could；　but　he　found　the　roses　all　closed

up；　and　he　could　not　get　in；　not　a　single　rose　stood　open。　The　poor

little　elf　was　very　much　frightened。　He　had　never　before　been　out　at

night；　but　had　always　slumbered　secretly　behind　the　warm

rose…leaves。　Oh；　this　would　certainly　be　his　death。　At　the　other　end

of　the　garden；　he　knew　there　was　an　arbor；　overgrown　with　beautiful

honey…suckles。　The　blossoms　looked　like　large　painted　horns；　and　he

thought　to　himself；　he　would　go　and　sleep　in　one　of　these　till　the

morning。　He　flew　thither；　but　〃hush！〃　two　people　were　in　the　arbor；…　a

handsome　young　man　and　a　beautiful　lady。　They　sat　side　by　side；　and

wished　that　they　might　never　be　obliged　to　part。　They　loved　each　other

much　more　than　the　best　child　can　love　its　father　and　mother。

　　　　〃But　we　must　part；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃your　brother　does　not

like　our　engagement；　and　therefore　he　sends　me　so　far　away　on

business；　over　mountains　and　seas。　Farewell；　my　sweet　bride；　for　so

you　are　to　me。〃

　　　　And　then　they　kissed　each　other；　and　the　girl　wept；　and　gave　him　a

rose；　but　before　she　did　so；　she　pressed　a　kiss　upon　it　so　fervently

that　the　flower　opened。　Then　the　little　elf　flew　in；　and　leaned　his

head　on　the　delicate；　fragrant　walls。　Here　he　could　plainly　hear

them　say；　〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　and　he　felt　that　the　rose　had　been

placed　on　the　young　man's　breast。　Oh；　how　his　heart　did　beat！　The

little　elf　could　not　go　to　sleep；　it　thumped　so　loudly。　The　young

man　took　it　out　as　he　walked　through　the　dark　wood　alone；　and　kissed

the　flower　so　often　and　so　violently；　that　the　little　elf　was　almost

crushed。　He　could　feel　through　the　leaf　how　hot　the　lips　of　the

young　man　were；　and　the　rose　had　opened；　as　if　from　the　heat　of　the

noonday　sun。

　　　　There　came　another　man；　who　looked　gloomy　and　wicked。　He　was　the

wicked　brother　of　the　beautiful　maiden。　He　drew　out　a　sharp　knife；　and

while　the　other　was　kissing　the　rose；　the　wicked　man　stabbed　him　to

death；　then　he　cut　off　his　head；　and　buried　it　with　the　body　in　the

soft　earth　under　the　linden…tree。

　　　　〃Now　he　is　gone；　and　will　soon　be　forgotten；〃　thought　the　wicked

brother；　〃he　will　never　come　back　again。　He　was　going　on　a　long

journey　over　mountains　and　seas；　it　is　easy　for　a　man　to　lose　his　life

in　such　a　journey。　My　sister　will　suppose　he　is　dead；　for　he　cannot

come　back；　and　she　will　not　dare　to　question　me　about　him。〃

　　　　Then　he　scattered　the　dry　leaves　over　the　light　earth　with　his

foot；　and　went　home　through　the　darkness；　but　he　went　not　alone；　as　he

thought；…　the　little　elf　accompanied　him。　He　sat　in　a　dry　rolled…up

linden…leaf；　which　had　fallen　from　the　tree　on　to　the　wicked　man's

head；　as　he　was　digging　the　grave。　The　hat　was　on　the　head　now；

which　made　it　very　dark；　and　the　little　elf　shuddered　with　fright

and　indignation　at　the　wicked　deed。

　　　　It　was　the　dawn　of　morning　before　the　wicked　man　reached　home；

he　took　off　his　hat；　and　went　into　his　sister's　room。　There　lay　the

beautiful；　blooming　girl；　dreaming　of　him　whom　she　loved　so；　and　who

was　now；　she　supposed；　travelling　far　away　over　mountain　and　sea。

Her　wicked　brother　stopped　over　her；　and　laughed　hideously；　as

fiends　only　can　laugh。　The　dry　leaf　fell　out　of　his　hair　upon　the

counterpane；　but　he　did　not　notice　it；　and　went　to　get　a　little

sleep　during　the　early　morning　hours。　But　the　elf　slipped　out　of　the

withered　leaf；　placed　himself　by　the　ear　of　the　sleeping　girl；　and

told　her；　as　in　a　dream；　of　the　horrid　murder；　described　the　place

where　her　brother　had　slain　her　lover；　and　buried　his　body；　and　told

her　of　the　linden…tree；　in　full　blossom；　that　stood　close　by。

　　　　〃That　you　may　not　think　this　is　only　a　dream　that　I　have　told

you；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　find　on　your　bed　a　withered　leaf。〃

　　　　Then　she　awoke；　and　found　it　there。　Oh；　what　bitter　tears　she

shed！　and　she　could　not　open　her　heart　to　any　one　for　relief。

　　　　The　window　stood　open　the　whole　day；　and　the　little　elf　could

easily　have　reached　the　roses；　or　any　of　the　flowers；　but　he　could　not

find　it　in　his　heart　to　leave　one　so　afflicted。　In　the　window　stood

a　bush　bearing　monthly　roses。　He　seated　himself　in　one　of　the　flowers；

and　gazed　on　the　poor　girl。　Her　brother　often　came　into　the　room；

and　would　be　quite　cheerful；　in　spite　of　his　base　conduct；　so　she　dare

not　say　a　word　to　him　of　her　heart's　grief。

　　　　As　soon　as　night　came　on；　she　slipped　out　of　the　house；　and　went

into　the　wood；　to　the　spot　where　the　linden…tree　stood；　and　after

removing　the　leaves　from　the　earth；　she　turned　it　up；　and　there

found　him　who　had　been　murdered。　Oh；　how　she　wept　and　prayed　that

she　also　might　die！　Gladly　would　she　have　taken　the　body　home　with

her；　but　that　was　impossible；　so　she　took　up　the　poor　head　with　the

closed　eyes；　kissed　the　cold　lips；　and　shook　the　mould　out　of　the

beautiful　hair。

　　　　〃I　will　keep　this；〃　said　she；　and　as　soon　as　she　had　covered　the

body　again　with　the　earth　and　leaves；　she　took　the　head　and　a　little

sprig　of　jasmine　that　bloomed　in　the　wood；　near　the　spot　where　he

was　buried；　and　carried　them　home　with　her。　As　soon　as　she　was　in

her　room；　she　took　the　largest　flower…pot　she　could　find；　and　in

this　she　placed　the　head　of　the　dead　man；　covered　it　up　with　earth；

and　planted　the　twig　of　jasmine　in　it。

　　　　〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　whispered　the　little　elf。　He　could　not　any

longer　endure　to　witness　all　this　agony　of　grief；　he　therefore　flew

away　to　his　own　rose　in　the　garden。　But　the　rose　was　faded；　only　a　few

dry　leaves　still　clung　to　the　green　hedge　behind　it。

　　　　〃Alas！　how　soon　all　that　is　good　and　beautiful　passes　away；〃

sighed　the　elf。

　　　　After　a　while　he　found　another　rose；　which　became　his　home；　for

among　its　delicate　fragrant　leaves　he　could　dwell　in　safety。　Every

morning　he　flew　to　the　window　of　the　poor　girl；　and　always　found　her

weeping　by　the　flower　pot。　The　bitter　tears　fell　upon　the　jasmine

twig；　and　each　day；　as　she　became　paler　and　paler；　the　sprig

appeared　to　grow　greener　and　fresher。　One　shoot　after　another　sprouted

forth；　and　little　white　buds　blossomed；　which　the　poor　girl　fondly

kissed。　But　her　wicked　brother　scolded　her；　and　asked　her　if　she　was

going　mad。　He　could　not　imagine　why　she　was　weeping　over　that

flower…pot；　and　it　annoyed　him。　He　did　not　know　whose　closed　eyes　were

there；　nor　what　red　lips　were　fading　beneath　the　earth。　And　one　day

she　sat　and　leaned　her　head　against　the　flower…pot；　and　the　little　elf

of　the　rose　found　her　asleep。　Then　he　seated　himself　by　her　ear；

talked　to　her　of　that　evening　in　the　arbor；　of　the　sweet　perfume　of

the　rose；　and　the　loves　of　the　elves。　Sweetly　she　dreamed；　and　while

she　dreamt；　her　life　passed　away　calmly　and　gently；　and　her　spirit　was

with　him　whom　she　loved；　in　heaven。　And　the　jasmine　opened　its　large

white　bells；　and　spread　forth　its　sweet　fragrance；　it　had　no　other　way

of　showing　its　grief　for　the　dead。　But　the　wicked　brother　considered

the　beautiful　blooming　plant　as　his　own　property；　left　to　him　by　his

sister；　and　he　placed　it　in　his　sleeping　room；　close　by　his　bed；　for

it　was　very　lovely　in　appearance；　and　the　fragrance　sweet　and

delightful。　The　little　elf　of　the　rose　followed　it；　and　flew　from

flower　to　flower；　telling　each　little　spirit　that　dwelt　in　them　the

story　of　the　murdered　young　man；　whose　head　now　formed　part　of　the

earth　beneath　them；　and　of　the　wicked　brother　and　the　poor　sister。　〃We

know　it；〃　said　each　little　spirit　in　the　flowers；　〃we　know　it；　for

have　we　not　sprung　from　the　eyes　and　lips　of　the　murdered　one。　We　know

it；　we　know　it；〃　and　the　flowers　nodded　with　their　heads　in　a　peculiar

manner。　The　elf　of　the　rose　could　not　understand　how　they　could　rest

so　quietly　in　the　matter；　so　he　flew　to　the　bees；　who　were　gathering

honey；　and　told　them　of　the　wicked　brother。　And　the　bees　told　it　to

their　queen；　who　commanded　that　the　next　morning　they　should　go　and

kill　the　murderer。　But　during　the　night；　the　first　after　the

sister's　death；　while　the　brother　was　sleeping　in　his　bed；　close　to

where　he　had　placed　the　fragrant　jasmine；　every　flower　cup　opened；　and

invisibly　the　little　spirits　stole　out；　armed　with　poisonous　spears。

They　placed　themselves　by　the　ear　of　the　sleeper；　told　him　dreadful

dreams　and　then　flew　across　his　lips；　and　pricked　his　tongue　with

their　poisoned　spears。　〃Now　have　we　revenged　the　dead；〃　said　they；　and

flew　back　into　the　white　bells　of　the　jasmine　flowers。　When　the

morning　came；　and　as　soon　as　the　window　was　opened；　the　rose　elf；　with

the　queen　bee；　and　the　whole　swarm　of　bees；　rushed　in　to　kill　him。　But

he　was　already　dead。　People　were　standing　round　the　bed；　and　saying

that　the　scent　of　the　jasmine　had　killed　him。　Then　the　elf　of　the　rose

understood　the　revenge　of　the　flowers；　and　explained　it　to　the　queen

bee；　and　she；　with　the　whole　swarm；　buzzed　about　the　flower…pot。　The

bees　could　not　be　driven　away。　Then　a　man　took　it　up　to　remove　it；　and

one　of　the　bees　stung　him　in　the　hand；　so　that　he　let　the　flower…pot

fall；　and　it　was　broken　to　pieces。　Then　every　one　saw　the　whitened

skull；　and　they　knew　the　dead　man　in　the　bed　was　a　murderer。　And　the

queen　bee　hummed　in　the　air；　and　sang　of　the　revenge　of　the　flowers；

and　of　the　elf　of　the　rose　and　said　that　behind　the　smallest　leaf

dwells　One；　who　can　discover　evil　deeds；　and　punish　them　also。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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