the daisy-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DAISY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　Now　listen！　In　the　country；　close　by　the　high　road；　stood　a

farmhouse；　perhaps　you　have　passed　by　and　seen　it　yourself。　There

was　a　little　flower　garden　with　painted　wooden　palings　in　front　of　it；

close　by　was　a　ditch；　on　its　fresh　green　bank　grew　a　little　daisy；　the

sun　shone　as　warmly　and　brightly　upon　it　as　on　the　magnificent

garden　flowers；　and　therefore　it　thrived　well。　One　morning　it　had

quite　opened；　and　its　little　snow…white　petals　stood　round　the

yellow　centre；　like　the　rays　of　the　sun。　It　did　not　mind　that　nobody

saw　it　in　the　grass；　and　that　it　was　a　poor　despised　flower；　on　the

contrary；　it　was　quite　happy；　and　turned　towards　the　sun；　looking

upward　and　listening　to　the　song　of　the　lark　high　up　in　the　air。

　　　　The　little　daisy　was　as　happy　as　if　the　day　had　been　a　great

holiday；　but　it　was　only　Monday。　All　the　children　were　at　school；

and　while　they　were　sitting　on　the　forms　and　learning　their　lessons；

it　sat　on　its　thin　green　stalk　and　learnt　from　the　sun　and　from　its

surroundings　how　kind　God　is；　and　it　rejoiced　that　the　song　of　the

little　lark　expressed　so　sweetly　and　distinctly　its　own　feelings。　With

a　sort　of　reverence　the　daisy　looked　up　to　the　bird　that　could　fly　and

sing；　but　it　did　not　feel　envious。　〃I　can　see　and　hear；〃　it　thought；

〃the　sun　shines　upon　me；　and　the　forest　kisses　me。　How　rich　I　am！〃

　　　　In　the　garden　close　by　grew　many　large　and　magnificent　flowers；

and；　strange　to　say；　the　less　fragrance　they　had　the　haughtier　and

prouder　they　were。　The　peonies　puffed　themselves　up　in　order　to　be

larger　than　the　roses；　but　size　is　not　everything！　The　tulips　had

the　finest　colours；　and　they　knew　it　well；　too；　for　they　were　standing

bolt　upright　like　candles；　that　one　might　see　them　the　better。　In

their　pride　they　did　not　see　the　little　daisy；　which　looked　over　to

them　and　thought；　〃How　rich　and　beautiful　they　are！　I　am　sure　the

pretty　bird　will　fly　down　and　call　upon　them。　Thank　God；　that　I

stand　so　near　and　can　at　least　see　all　the　splendour。〃　And　while　the

daisy　was　still　thinking；　the　lark　came　flying　down；　crying　〃Tweet；〃

but　not　to　the　peonies　and　tulips…　no；　into　the　grass　to　the　poor

daisy。　Its　joy　was　so　great　that　it　did　not　know　what　to　think。　The

little　bird　hopped　round　it　and　sang；　〃How　beautifully　soft　the

grass　is；　and　what　a　lovely　little　flower　with　its　golden　heart　and

silver　dress　is　growing　here。〃　The　yellow　centre　in　the　daisy　did

indeed　look　like　gold；　while　the　little　petals　shone　as　brightly　as

silver。

　　　　How　happy　the　daisy　was！　No　one　has　the　least　idea。　The　bird

kissed　it　with　its　beak；　sang　to　it；　and　then　rose　again　up　to　the

blue　sky。　It　was　certainly　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　the

daisy　recovered　its　senses。　Half　ashamed；　yet　glad　at　heart；　it　looked

over　to　the　other　flowers　in　the　garden；　surely　they　had　witnessed　its

pleasure　and　the　honour　that　had　been　done　to　it；　they　understood

its　joy。　But　the　tulips　stood　more　stiffly　than　ever；　their　faces　were

pointed　and　red；　because　they　were　vexed。　The　peonies　were　sulky；　it

was　well　that　they　could　not　speak；　otherwise　they　would　have　given

the　daisy　a　good　lecture。　The　little　flower　could　very　well　see　that

they　were　ill　at　ease；　and　pitied　them　sincerely。

　　　　Shortly　after　this　a　girl　came　into　the　garden；　with　a　large　sharp

knife。　She　went　to　the　tulips　and　began　cutting　them　off；　one　after

another。　〃Ugh！〃　sighed　the　daisy；　〃that　is　terrible；　now　they　are　done

for。〃

　　　　The　girl　carried　the　tulips　away。　The　daisy　was　glad　that　it　was

outside；　and　only　a　small　flower…　it　felt　very　grateful。　At　sunset

it　folded　its　petals；　and　fell　asleep；　and　dreamt　all　night　of　the　sun

and　the　little　bird。

　　　　On　the　following　morning；　when　the　flower　once　more　stretched

forth　its　tender　petals；　like　little　arms；　towards　the　air　and

light；　the　daisy　recognised　the　bird's　voice；　but　what　it　sang　sounded

so　sad。　Indeed　the　poor　bird　had　good　reason　to　be　sad；　for　it　had

been　caught　and　put　into　a　cage　close　by　the　open　window。　It　sang　of

the　happy　days　when　it　could　merrily　fly　about；　of　fresh　green　corn　in

the　fields；　and　of　the　time　when　it　could　soar　almost　up　to　the

clouds。　The　poor　lark　was　most　unhappy　as　a　prisoner　in　a　cage。　The

little　daisy　would　have　liked　so　much　to　help　it；　but　what　could　be

done？　Indeed；　that　was　very　difficult　for　such　a　small　flower　to

find　out。　It　entirely　forgot　how　beautiful　everything　around　it　was；

how　warmly　the　sun　was　shining；　and　how　splendidly　white　its　own

petals　were。　It　could　only　think　of　the　poor　captive　bird；　for　which

it　could　do　nothing。　Then　two　little　boys　came　out　of　the　garden；

one　of　them　had　a　large　sharp　knife；　like　that　with　which　the　girl　had

cut　the　tulips。　They　came　straight　towards　the　little　daisy；　which

could　not　understand　what　they　wanted。

　　　　〃Here　is　a　fine　piece　of　turf　for　the　lark；〃　said　one　of　the　boys；

and　began　to　cut　out　a　square　round　the　daisy；　so　that　it　remained

in　the　centre　of　the　grass。

　　　　〃Pluck　the　flower　off〃　said　the　other　boy；　and　the　daisy

trembled　for　fear；　for　to　be　pulled　off　meant　death　to　it；　and　it

wished　so　much　to　live；　as　it　was　to　go　with　the　square　of　turf　into

the　poor　captive　lark's　cage。

　　　　〃No　let　it　stay；〃　said　the　other　boy；　〃it　looks　so　pretty〃。

　　　　And　so　it　stayed；　and　was　brought　into　the　lark's　cage。　The　poor

bird　was　lamenting　its　lost　liberty；　and　beating　its　wings　against　the

wires；　and　the　little　daisy　could　not　speak　or　utter　a　consoling　word；

much　as　it　would　have　liked　to　do　so。　So　the　forenoon　passed。

　　　　〃I　have　no　water；〃　said　the　captive　lark；　〃they　have　all　gone　out；

and　forgotten　to　give　me　anything　to　drink。　My　throat　is　dry　and

burning。　I　feel　as　if　I　had　fire　and　ice　within　me；　and　the　air　is

so　oppressive。　Alas！　I　must　die；　and　part　with　the　warm　sunshine；

the　fresh　green　meadows；　and　all　the　beauty　that　God　has　created。〃　And

it　thrust　its　beak　into　the　piece　of　grass；　to　refresh　itself　a

little。　Then　it　noticed　the　little　daisy；　and　nodded　to　it；　and　kissed

it　with　its　beak　and　said：　〃You　must　also　fade　in　here；　poor　little

flower。　You　and　the　piece　of　grass　are　all　they　have　given　me　in

exchange　for　the　whole　world；　which　I　enjoyed　outside。　Each　little

blade　of　grass　shall　be　a　green　tree　for　me；　each　of　your　white　petals

a　fragrant　flower。　Alas！　you　only　remind　me　of　what　I　have　lost。〃

　　　　〃I　wish　I　could　console　the　poor　lark；〃　thought　the　daisy。　It

could　not　move　one　of　its　leaves；　but　the　fragrance　of　its　delicate

petals　streamed　forth；　and　was　much　stronger　than　such　flowers　usually

have：　the　bird　noticed　it；　although　it　was　dying　with　thirst；　and　in

its　pain　tore　up　the　green　blades　of　grass；　but　did　not　touch　the

flower。

　　　　The　evening　came；　and　nobody　appeared　to　bring　the　poor　bird　a

drop　of　water；　it　opened　its　beautiful　wings；　and　fluttered　about　in

its　anguish；　a　faint　and　mournful　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　was　all　it　could

utter；　then　it　bent　its　little　head　towards　the　flower；　and　its

heart　broke　for　want　and　longing。　The　flower　could　not；　as　on　the

previous　evening；　fold　up　its　petals　and　sleep；　it　dropped

sorrowfully。　The　boys　only　came　the　next　morning；　when　they　saw　the

dead　bird；　they　began　to　cry　bitterly；　dug　a　nice　grave　for　it；　and

adorned　it　with　flowers。　The　bird's　body　was　placed　in　a　pretty　red

box；　they　wished　to　bury　it　with　royal　honours。　While　it　was　alive　and

sang　they　forgot　it；　and　let　it　suffer　want　in　the　cage；　now；　they

cried　over　it　and　covered　it　with　flowers。　The　piece　of　turf；　with　the

little　daisy　in　it；　was　thrown　out　on　the　dusty　highway。　Nobody

thought　of　the　flower　which　had　felt　so　much　for　the　bird　and　had　so

greatly　desired　to　comfort　it。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。