the goblin and the huckster-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　GOBLIN　AND　THE　HUCKSTER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　regular　student；　who　lived　in　a　garret；　and　had

no　possessions。　And　there　was　also　a　regular　huckster；　to　whom　the

house　belonged；　and　who　occupied　the　ground　floor。　A　goblin　lived　with

the　huckster；　because　at　Christmas　he　always　had　a　large　dish　full

of　jam；　with　a　great　piece　of　butter　in　the　middle。　The　huckster　could

afford　this；　and　therefore　the　goblin　remained　with　the　huckster；

which　was　very　cunning　of　him。

　　　　One　evening　the　student　came　into　the　shop　through　the　back　door

to　buy　candles　and　cheese　for　himself；　he　had　no　one　to　send；　and

therefore　he　came　himself；　he　obtained　what　he　wished；　and　then　the

huckster　and　his　wife　nodded　good　evening　to　him；　and　she　was　a

woman　who　could　do　more　than　merely　nod；　for　she　had　usually　plenty　to

say　for　herself。　The　student　nodded　in　return　as　he　turned　to　leave；

then　suddenly　stopped；　and　began　reading　the　piece　of　paper　in　which

the　cheese　was　wrapped。　It　was　a　leaf　torn　out　of　an　old　book；　a

book　that　ought　not　to　have　been　torn　up；　for　it　was　full　of　poetry。

　　　　〃Yonder　lies　some　more　of　the　same　sort；〃　said　the　huckster：　〃I

gave　an　old　woman　a　few　coffee　berries　for　it；　you　shall　have　the　rest

for　sixpence；　if　you　will。〃

　　　　〃Indeed　I　will；〃　said　the　student；　〃give　me　the　book　instead　of

the　cheese；　I　can　eat　my　bread　and　butter　without　cheese。　It　would

be　a　sin　to　tear　up　a　book　like　this。　You　are　a　clever　man；　and　a

practical　man；　but　you　understand　no　more　about　poetry　than　that

cask　yonder。〃

　　　　This　was　a　very　rude　speech；　especially　against　the　cask；　but

the　huckster　and　the　student　both　laughed；　for　it　was　only　said　in

fun。　But　the　goblin　felt　very　angry　that　any　man　should　venture　to　say

such　things　to　a　huckster　who　was　a　householder　and　sold　the　best

butter。　As　soon　as　it　was　night；　and　the　shop　closed；　and　every　one　in

bed　except　the　student；　the　goblin　stepped　softly　into　the　bedroom

where　the　huckster's　wife　slept；　and　took　away　her　tongue；　which　of

course；　she　did　not　then　want。　Whatever　object　in　the　room　he　placed

his　tongue　upon　immediately　received　voice　and　speech；　and　was　able　to

express　its　thoughts　and　feelings　as　readily　as　the　lady　herself　could

do。　It　could　only　be　used　by　one　object　at　a　time；　which　was　a　good

thing；　as　a　number　speaking　at　once　would　have　caused　great　confusion。

The　goblin　laid　the　tongue　upon　the　cask；　in　which　lay　a　quantity　of

old　newspapers。

　　　　〃Is　it　really　true；〃　he　asked；　that　you　do　not　know　what　poetry

is？〃

　　　　〃Of　course　I　know；〃　replied　the　cask：　〃poetry　is　something　that

always　stand　in　the　corner　of　a　newspaper；　and　is　sometimes　cut　out；

and　I　may　venture　to　affirm　that　I　have　more　of　it　in　me　than　the

student　has；　and　I　am　only　a　poor　tub　of　the　huckster's。〃

　　　　Then　the　goblin　placed　the　tongue　on　the　coffee　mill；　and　how　it

did　go　to　be　sure！　Then　he　put　it　on　the　butter　tub　and　the　cash

box；　and　they　all　expressed　the　same　opinion　as　the　waste…paper　tub；

and　a　majority　must　always　be　respected。

　　　　〃Now　I　shall　go　and　tell　the　student；〃　said　the　goblin；　and　with

these　words　he　went　quietly　up　the　back　stairs　to　the　garret　where　the

student　lived。　He　had　a　candle　burning　still；　and　the　goblin　peeped

through　the　keyhole　and　saw　that　he　was　reading　in　the　torn　book；

which　he　had　brought　out　of　the　shop。　But　how　light　the　room　was！　From

the　book　shot　forth　a　ray　of　light　which　grew　broad　and　full；　like　the

stem　of　a　tree；　from　which　bright　rays　spread　upward　and　over　the

student's　head。　Each　leaf　was　fresh；　and　each　flower　was　like　a

beautiful　female　head；　some　with　dark　and　sparkling　eyes；　and　others

with　eyes　that　were　wonderfully　blue　and　clear。　The　fruit　gleamed　like

stars；　and　the　room　was　filled　with　sounds　of　beautiful　music。　The

little　goblin　had　never　imagined；　much　less　seen　or　heard　of；　any

sight　so　glorious　as　this。　He　stood　still　on　tiptoe；　peeping　in；

till　the　light　went　out　in　the　garret。　The　student　no　doubt　had

blown　out　his　candle　and　gone　to　bed；　but　the　little　goblin　remained

standing　there　nevertheless；　and　listening　to　the　music　which　still

sounded　on；　soft　and　beautiful；　a　sweet　cradle…song　for　the　student；

who　had　lain　down　to　rest。〃

　　　　〃This　is　a　wonderful　place；〃　said　the　goblin；　〃I　never　expected

such　a　thing。　I　should　like　to　stay　here　with　the　student；〃　and　the

little　man　thought　it　over；　for　he　was　a　sensible　little　spirit。　At

last　he　sighed；　〃but　the　student　has　no　jam！〃　So　he　went　down　stairs

again　into　the　huckster's　shop；　and　it　was　a　good　thing　he　got　back

when　he　did；　for　the　cask　had　almost　worn　out　the　lady's　tongue；　he

had　given　a　description　of　all　that　he　contained　on　one　side；　and

was　just　about　to　turn　himself　over　to　the　other　side　to　describe　what

was　there；　when　the　goblin　entered　and　restored　the　tongue　to　the

lady。　But　from　that　time　forward；　the　whole　shop；　from　the　cash　box

down　to　the　pinewood　logs；　formed　their　opinions　from　that　of　the

cask；　and　they　all　had　such　confidence　in　him；　and　treated　him　with　so

much　respect；　that　when　the　huckster　read　the　criticisms　on

theatricals　and　art　of　an　evening；　they　fancied　it　must　all　come

from　the　cask。

　　　　But　after　what　he　had　seen；　the　goblin　could　no　longer　sit　and

listen　quietly　to　the　wisdom　and　understanding　down　stairs；　so；　as

soon　as　the　evening　light　glimmered　in　the　garret；　he　took　courage；

for　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　rays　of　light　were　strong　cables；

drawing　him　up；　and　obliging　him　to　go　and　peep　through　the　keyhole；

and；　while　there；　a　feeling　of　vastness　came　over　him　such　as　we

experience　by　the　ever…moving　sea；　when　the　storm　breaks　forth；　and　it

brought　tears　into　his　eyes。　He　did　not　himself　know　why　he　wept；

yet　a　kind　of　pleasant　feeling　mingled　with　his　tears。　〃How

wonderfully　glorious　it　would　be　to　sit　with　the　student　under　such

a　tree；〃　but　that　was　out　of　the　question；　he　must　be　content　to

look　through　the　keyhole；　and　be　thankful　for　even　that。

　　　　There　he　stood　on　the　old　landing；　with　the　autumn　wind　blowing

down　upon　him　through　the　trap…door。　It　was　very　cold；　but　the

little　creature　did　not　really　feel　it；　till　the　light　in　the　garret

went　out；　and　the　tones　of　music　died　away。　Then　how　he　shivered；

and　crept　down　stairs　again　to　his　warm　corner；　where　it　felt

home…like　and　comfortable。　And　when　Christmas　came　again；　and

brought　the　dish　of　jam　and　the　great　lump　of　butter；　he　liked　the

huckster　best　of　all。

　　　　Soon　after；　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　the　goblin　was　awoke　by

a　terrible　noise　and　knocking　against　the　window　shutters　and　the

house　doors；　and　by　the　sound　of　the　watchman's　horn；　for　a　great　fire

had　broken　out；　and　the　whole　street　appeared　full　of　flames。　Was　it

in　their　house；　or　a　neighbor's？　No　one　could　tell；　for　terror　had

seized　upon　all。　The　huckster's　wife　was　so　bewildered　that　she　took

her　gold　ear…rings　out　of　her　ears　and　put　them　in　her　pocket；　that

she　might　save　something　at　least。　The　huckster　ran　to　get　his

business　papers；　and　the　servant　resolved　to　save　her　blue　silk

mantle；　which　she　had　managed　to　buy。　Each　wished　to　keep　the　best

things　they　had。　The　goblin　had　the　same　wish；　for；　with　one　spring；

he　was　up　stairs　and　in　the　student's　room；　whom　he　found　standing

by　the　open　window；　and　looking　quite　calmly　at　the　fire；　which　was

raging　at　the　house　of　a　neighbor　opposite。　The　goblin　caught　up　the

wonderful　book　which　lay　on　the　table；　and　popped　it　into　his　red　cap；

which　he　held　tightly　with　both　hands。　The　greatest　treasure　in　the

house　was　saved；　and　he　ran　away　with　it　to　the　roof；　and　seated

himself　on　the　chimney。　The　flames　of　the　burning　house　opposite

illuminated　him　as　he　sat；　both　hands　pressed　tightly　over　his　cap；　in

which　the　treasure　lay；　and　then　he　found　out　what　feelings　really

reigned　in　his　heart；　and　knew　exactly　which　way　they　tended。　And　yet；

when　the　fire　was　extinguished；　and　the　goblin　again　began　to　reflect；

he　hesitated；　and　said　at　last；　〃I　must　divide　myself　between　the　two；

I　cannot　quite　give　up　the　huckster；　because　of　the　jam。〃

　　　　And　this　is　a　representation　of　human　nature。　We　are　like　the

goblin；　we　all　go　to　visit　the　huckster　〃because　of　the　jam。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。