ib and little christina-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IB　AND　LITTLE　CHRISTINA

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　the　forest　that　extends　from　the　banks　of　the　Gudenau；　in　North

Jutland；　a　long　way　into　the　country；　and　not　far　from　the　clear

stream；　rises　a　great　ridge　of　land；　which　stretches　through　the

wood　like　a　wall。　Westward　of　this　ridge；　and　not　far　from　the

river；　stands　a　farmhouse；　surrounded　by　such　poor　land　that　the　sandy

soil　shows　itself　between　the　scanty　ears　of　rye　and　wheat　which

grow　in　it。　Some　years　have　passed　since　the　people　who　lived　here

cultivated　these　fields；　they　kept　three　sheep；　a　pig；　and　two　oxen；

in　fact　they　maintained　themselves　very　well；　they　had　quite　enough　to

live　upon；　as　people　generally　have　who　are　content　with　their　lot。

They　even　could　have　afforded　to　keep　two　horses；　but　it　was　a

saying　among　the　farmers　in　those　parts；　〃The　horse　eats　himself

up；〃　that　is　to　say；　he　eats　as　much　as　he　earns。　Jeppe　Jans

cultivated　his　fields　in　summer；　and　in　the　winter　he　made　wooden

shoes。　He　also　had　an　assistant；　a　lad　who　understood　as　well　as　he

himself　did　how　to　make　wooden　shoes　strong；　but　light；　and　in　the

fashion。　They　carved　shoes　and　spoons；　which　paid　well；　therefore　no

one　could　justly　call　Jeppe　Jans　and　his　family　poor　people。　Little

Ib；　a　boy　of　seven　years　old　and　the　only　child；　would　sit　by；

watching　the　workmen；　or　cutting　a　stick；　and　sometimes　his　finger

instead　of　the　stick。　But　one　day　Ib　succeeded　so　well　in　his

carving　that　he　made　two　pieces　of　wood　look　really　like　two　little

wooden　shoes；　and　he　determined　to　give　them　as　a　present　to　Little

Christina。

　　　　〃And　who　was　Little　Christina？〃　She　was　the　boatman's　daughter；

graceful　and　delicate　as　the　child　of　a　gentleman；　had　she　been

dressed　differently；　no　one　would　have　believed　that　she　lived　in　a

hut　on　the　neighboring　heath　with　her　father。　He　was　a　widower；　and

earned　his　living　by　carrying　firewood　in　his　large　boat　from　the

forest　to　the　eel…pond　and　eel…weir；　on　the　estate　of　Silkborg；　and

sometimes　even　to　the　distant　town　of　Randers。　There　was　no　one

under　whose　care　he　could　leave　Little　Christina；　so　she　was　almost

always　with　him　in　his　boat；　or　playing　in　the　wood　among　the

blossoming　heath；　or　picking　the　ripe　wild　berries。　Sometimes；　when

her　father　had　to　go　as　far　as　the　town；　he　would　take　Little

Christina；　who　was　a　year　younger　than　Ib；　across　the　heath　to　the

cottage　of　Jeppe　Jans；　and　leave　her　there。　Ib　and　Christina　agreed

together　in　everything；　they　divided　their　bread　and　berries　when　they

were　hungry；　they　were　partners　in　digging　their　little　gardens；

they　ran；　and　crept；　and　played　about　everywhere。　Once　they　wandered　a

long　way　into　the　forest；　and　even　ventured　together　to　climb　the　high

ridge。　Another　time　they　found　a　few　snipes'　eggs　in　the　wood；　which

was　a　great　event。　Ib　had　never　been　on　the　heath　where　Christina's

father　lived；　nor　on　the　river；　but　at　last　came　an　opportunity。

Christina's　father　invited　him　to　go　for　a　sail　in　his　boat；　and　the

evening　before；　he　accompanied　the　boatman　across　the　heath　to　his

house。　The　next　morning　early；　the　two　children　were　placed　on　the　top

of　a　high　pile　of　firewood　in　the　boat；　and　sat　eating　bread　and

wild　strawberries；　while　Christina's　father　and　his　man　drove　the　boat

forward　with　poles。　They　floated　on　swiftly；　for　the　tide　was　in　their

favor；　passing　over　lakes；　formed　by　the　stream　in　its　course；

sometimes　they　seemed　quite　enclosed　by　reeds　and　water…plants；　yet

there　was　always　room　for　them　to　pass　out；　although　the　old　trees

overhung　the　water　and　the　old　oaks　stretched　out　their　bare　branches；

as　if　they　had　turned　up　their　sleeves　and　wished　to　show　their

knotty；　naked　arms。　Old　alder…trees；　whose　roots　were　loosened　from

the　banks；　clung　with　their　fibres　to　the　bottom　of　the　stream；　and

the　tops　of　the　branches　above　the　water　looked　like　little　woody

islands。　The　water…lilies　waved　themselves　to　and　fro　on　the　river；

everything　made　the　excursion　beautiful；　and　at　last　they　came　to

the　great　eel…weir；　where　the　water　rushed　through　the　flood…gates；

and　the　children　thought　this　a　beautiful　sight。　In　those　days　there

was　no　factory　nor　any　town　house；　nothing　but　the　great　farm；　with

its　scanty…bearing　fields；　in　which　could　be　seen　a　few　herd　of

cattle；　and　one　or　two　farm　laborers。　The　rushing　of　the　water　through

the　sluices；　and　the　scream　of　the　wild　ducks；　were　almost　the　only

signs　of　active　life　at　Silkborg。　After　the　firewood　had　been

unloaded；　Christina's　father　bought　a　whole　bundle　of　eels　and　a

sucking…pig；　which　were　all　placed　in　a　basket　in　the　stern　of　the

boat。　Then　they　returned　again　up　the　stream；　and　as　the　wind　was

favorable；　two　sails　were　hoisted；　which　carried　the　boat　on　as　well

as　if　two　horses　had　been　harnessed　to　it。　As　they　sailed　on；　they

came　by　chance　to　the　place　where　the　boatman's　assistant　lived；　at

a　little　distance　from　the　bank　of　the　river。　The　boat　was　moored；　and

the　two　men；　after　desiring　the　children　to　sit　still；　both　went　on

shore。　they　obeyed　this　order　for　a　very　short　time；　and　then　forgot

it　altogether。　First　they　peeped　into　the　basket　containing　the　eels

and　the　sucking…pig；　then　they　must　needs　pull　out　the　pig　and　take　it

in　their　hands；　and　feel　it；　and　touch　it；　and　as　they　both　wanted

to　hold　it　at　the　same　time；　the　consequence　was　that　they　let　it　fall

into　the　water；　and　the　pig　sailed　away　with　the　stream。

　　　　Here　was　a　terrible　disaster。　Ib　jumped　ashore；　and　ran　a　little

distance　from　the　boat。

　　　　〃Oh；　take　me　with　you；〃　cried　Christina；　and　she　sprang　after　him。

In　a　few　minutes　they　found　themselves　deep　in　a　thicket；　and　could　no

longer　see　the　boat　or　the　shore。　They　ran　on　a　little　farther；　and

then　Christina　fell　down；　and　began　to　cry。

　　　　Ib　helped　her　up；　and　said；　〃Never　mind；　follow　me。　Yonder　is

the　house。〃　But　the　house　was　not　yonder；　and　they　wandered　still

farther；　over　the　dry　rustling　leaves　of　the　last　year；　and　treading

on　fallen　branches　that　crackled　under　their　little　feet；　then　they

heard　a　loud；　piercing　cry；　and　they　stood　still　to　listen。

Presently　the　scream　of　an　eagle　sounded　through　the　wood；　it　was　an

ugly　cry；　and　it　frightened　the　children；　but　before　them；　in　the

thickest　part　of　the　forest；　grew　the　most　beautiful　blackberries；

in　wonderful　quantities。　They　looked　so　inviting　that　the　children

could　not　help　stopping；　and　they　remained　there　so　long　eating；

that　their　mouths　and　cheeks　became　quite　black　with　the　juice。

　　　　Presently　they　heard　the　frightful　scream　again；　and　Christina

said；　〃We　shall　get　into　trouble　about　that　pig。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　never　mind；〃　said　Ib；　〃we　will　go　home　to　my　father's

house。　It　is　here　in　the　wood。〃　So　they　went　on；　but　the　road　led　them

out　of　the　way；　no　house　could　be　seen；　it　grew　dark；　and　the　children

were　afraid。　The　solemn　stillness　that　reigned　around　them　was　now　and

then　broken　by　the　shrill　cries　of　the　great　horned　owl　and　other

birds　that　they　knew　nothing　of。　At　last　they　both　lost　themselves

in　the　thicket；　Christina　began　to　cry；　and　then　Ib　cried　too；　and；

after　weeping　and　lamenting　for　some　time；　they　stretched　themselves

down　on　the　dry　leaves　and　fell　asleep。

　　　　The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　the　two　children　woke。　They

felt　cold；　but　not　far　from　their　resting…place；　on　a　hill；　the　sun

was　shining　through　the　trees。　They　thought　if　they　went　there　they

should　be　warm；　and　Ib　fancied　he　should　be　able　to　see　his　father's

house　from　such　a　high　spot。　But　they　were　far　away　from　home　now；

in　quite　another　part　of　the　forest。　They　clambered　to　the　top　of

the　rising　ground；　and　found　themselves　on　the　edge　of　a　declivity；

which　sloped　down　to　a　clear　transparent　lake。　Great　quantities　of

fish　could　be　seen　through　the　clear　water；　sparkling　in　the　sun's

rays；　they　were　quite　surprised　when　they　came　so　suddenly　upon　such

an　unexpected　sight。

　　　　Close　to　where　they　stood　grew　a　hazel…bush；　covered　with

beautiful　nuts。　They　soon　gathered　some；　cracked　them；　and　ate　the

fine　young　kernels；　which　were　only　just　ripe。　But　there　was　another

surprise　and　fright　in　store　for　them。　Out　of　the　thicket　stepped　a

tall　old　woman；　her　face　quite　brown；　and　her　hair　of　a　deep　shining

black；　the　whites　of　her　eyes　glittered　like　a　Moor's；　on　her　back　she

carried　a　bundle；　and　in　her　hand　a　knotted　stick。　She　was　a　gypsy。

The　children　did　not　at　first　understand　what　she　said。　She　drew　out

of　her　pocket　three　large　nuts；　in　which　she　told　them　were　hidden　the

most　beautiful　and　lovely　things　in　the　world；　for　they　were　wishing

nuts。　Ib　looked　at　her；　and　as　she　spoke　so　kindly；　he　took　courage；

and　asked　her　if　she　would　give　him　the　nuts；　and　the　woman　gave

them　to　him；　and　then　gathered　some　more　from　the　bushes　for

herself；　quite　a　pocket　full。　Ib　and　Christina　looked　at　the　wishing

nuts　with　wide　open　eyes。

　　　　〃Is　there　in　this　nut　a　carriage；　with　a　pair　of　horses？〃　asked

Ib。

　　　　〃Yes；　there　is　a　golden　carriage；　with　two　golden　horses；〃　replied

the　woman。

　　　　〃Then　give　me　that　nut；〃　said　Christina；　so　Ib　gave　it　to　her；　and

the　strange　woman　tied　up　the　nut　for　her　in　her　handkerchief。

　　　　Ib　held　up　another　nut。　〃Is　there；　in　this　nut；　a　pretty　little

neckerchief　like　the　one　Christina　has　on　her　neck？〃　asked　Ib。

　　　　〃There　are　ten　neckerchiefs　in　it；〃　she　replied；　〃as　well　as

beautiful　dresses；　stockings；　and　a　hat　and　veil。〃

　　　　〃Then　I　will　have　that　one　also；〃　said　Christina；　〃and　it　is　a

pretty　one　too。　And　then　Ib　gave　her　the　second　nut。

　　　　The　third　was　a　little　black　thing。　〃You　may　keep　that　one；〃

said　Christina；　〃it　is　quite　as　pretty。〃

　　　　〃What　is　in　it？〃　asked　Ib。

　　　　〃The　best　of　all　things　for　you；〃　replied　the　gypsy。　So　Ib　held

the　nut　very　tight。

　　　　Then　the　woman　promised　to　lead　the　children　to　the　right　path；

that　they　might　find　their　way　home：　and　they　went　forward　certainly

in　quite　another　direction　to　the　one　they　meant　to　take；　therefore　no

one　ought　to　speak　against　the　woman；　and　say　that　she　wanted　to　steal

the　children。　In　the　wild　wood…path　they　met　a　forester　who　knew　Ib；

and；　by　his　help；　Ib　and　Christina　reached　home；　where　they　found

every　one　had　been　very　anxious　about　them。　They　were　pardoned　and

forgiven；　although　they　really　had　both　done　wrong；　and　deserved　to

get　into　trouble；　first；　because　they　had　let　the　sucking…pig　fall

into　the　water；　and；　secondly；　because　they　had　run　away。　Christina

was　taken　back　to　her　father's　house　on　the　heath；　and　Ib　remained

in　the　farm…house　on　the　borders　of　the　wood；　near　the　great　land

ridge。

　　　　The　first　thing　Ib　did　that　evening　was　to　take　out　of　his

pocket　the　little　black　nut；　in　which　the　best　thing　of　all　was　said

to　be　enclosed。　He　laid　it　carefully　between　the　door　and　the

door…post；　and　then　shut　the　door　so　that　the　nut　cracked　directly。

But　there　was　not　much　kernel　to　be　seen；　it　was　what　we