the flying trunk-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FLYING　TRUNK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　merchant　who　was　so　rich　that　he　could　have　paved

the　whole　street　with　gold；　and　would　even　then　have　had　enough　for

a　small　alley。　But　he　did　not　do　so；　he　knew　the　value　of　money　better

than　to　use　it　in　this　way。　So　clever　was　he；　that　every　shilling　he

put　out　brought　him　a　crown；　and　so　he　continued　till　he　died。　His　son

inherited　his　wealth；　and　he　lived　a　merry　life　with　it；　he　went　to

a　masquerade　every　night；　made　kites　out　of　five　pound　notes；　and

threw　pieces　of　gold　into　the　sea　instead　of　stones；　making　ducks

and　drakes　of　them。　In　this　manner　he　soon　lost　all　his　money。　At　last

he　had　nothing　left　but　a　pair　of　slippers；　an　old　dressing…gown；

and　four　shillings。　And　now　all　his　friends　deserted　him；　they　could

not　walk　with　him　in　the　streets；　but　one　of　them；　who　was　very

good…natured；　sent　him　an　old　trunk　with　this　message；　〃Pack　up！〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　all　very　well　to　say　'pack　up；'　〃but　he　had

nothing　left　to　pack　up；　therefore　he　seated　himself　in　the　trunk。

It　was　a　very　wonderful　trunk；　no　sooner　did　any　one　press　on　the　lock

than　the　trunk　could　fly。　He　shut　the　lid　and　pressed　the　lock；　when

away　flew　the　trunk　up　the　chimney　with　the　merchant's　son　in　it；

right　up　into　the　clouds。　Whenever　the　bottom　of　the　trunk　cracked；　he

was　in　a　great　fright；　for　if　the　trunk　fell　to　pieces　he　would　have

made　a　tremendous　somerset　over　the　trees。　However；　he　got　safely　in

his　trunk　to　the　land　of　Turkey。　He　hid　the　trunk　in　the　wood　under

some　dry　leaves；　and　then　went　into　the　town：　he　could　so　this　very

well；　for　the　Turks　always　go　about　dressed　in　dressing…gowns　and

slippers；　as　he　was　himself。　He　happened　to　meet　a　nurse　with　a　little

child。　〃I　say；　you　Turkish　nurse；〃　cried　he；　〃what　castle　is　that　near

the　town；　with　the　windows　placed　so　high？〃

　　　　〃The　king's　daughter　lives　there；〃　she　replied；　〃it　has　been

prophesied　that　she　will　be　very　unhappy　about　a　lover；　and

therefore　no　one　is　allowed　to　visit　her；　unless　the　king　and　queen

are　present。〃

　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　merchant's　son。　So　he　went　back　to　the　wood；

seated　himself　in　his　trunk；　flew　up　to　the　roof　of　the　castle；　and

crept　through　the　window　into　the　princess's　room。　She　lay　on　the　sofa

asleep；　and　she　was　so　beautiful　that　the　merchant's　son　could　not

help　kissing　her。　Then　she　awoke；　and　was　very　much　frightened；　but　he

told　her　he　was　a　Turkish　angel；　who　had　come　down　through　the　air

to　see　her；　which　pleased　her　very　much。　He　sat　down　by　her　side　and

talked　to　her：　he　said　her　eyes　were　like　beautiful　dark　lakes；　in

which　the　thoughts　swam　about　like　little　mermaids；　and　he　told　her

that　her　forehead　was　a　snowy　mountain；　which　contained　splendid　halls

full　of　pictures。　And　then　he　related　to　her　about　the　stork　who

brings　the　beautiful　children　from　the　rivers。　These　were　delightful

stories；　and　when　he　asked　the　princess　if　she　would　marry　him；　she

consented　immediately。

　　　　〃But　you　must　come　on　Saturday；〃　she　said；　〃for　then　the　king

and　queen　will　take　tea　with　me。　They　will　be　very　proud　when　they

find　that　I　am　going　to　marry　a　Turkish　angel；　but　you　must　think　of

some　very　pretty　stories　to　tell　them；　for　my　parents　like　to　hear

stories　better　than　anything。　My　mother　prefers　one　that　is　deep　and

moral；　but　my　father　likes　something　funny；　to　make　him　laugh。〃

　　　　〃Very　well；〃　he　replied；　〃I　shall　bring　you　no　other　marriage

portion　than　a　story；〃　and　so　they　parted。　But　the　princess　gave　him　a

sword　which　was　studded　with　gold　coins；　and　these　he　could　use。

　　　　Then　he　flew　away　to　the　town　and　bought　a　new　dressing…gown；

and　afterwards　returned　to　the　wood；　where　he　composed　a　story；　so

as　to　be　ready　for　Saturday；　which　was　no　easy　matter。　It　was　ready

however　by　Saturday；　when　he　went　to　see　the　princess。　The　king；　and

queen；　and　the　whole　court；　were　at　tea　with　the　princess；　and　he

was　received　with　great　politeness。

　　　　〃Will　you　tell　us　a　story？〃　said　the　queen；…　〃one　that　is

instructive　and　full　of　deep　learning。〃

　　　　〃Yes；　but　with　something　in　it　to　laugh　at；〃　said　the　king。

　　　　〃Certainly；〃　he　replied；　and　commenced　at　once；　asking　them　to

listen　attentively。　〃There　was　once　a　bundle　of　matches　that　were

exceedingly　proud　of　their　high　descent。　Their　genealogical　tree；　that

is；　a　large　pine…tree　from　which　they　had　been　cut；　was　at　one　time

a　large；　old　tree　in　the　wood。　The　matches　now　lay　between　a

tinder…box　and　an　old　iron　saucepan；　and　were　talking　about　their

youthful　days。　'Ah！　then　we　grew　on　the　green　boughs；　and　were　as

green　as　they；　every　morning　and　evening　we　were　fed　with　diamond

drops　of　dew。　Whenever　the　sun　shone；　we　felt　his　warm　rays；　and　the

little　birds　would　relate　stories　to　us　as　they　sung。　We　knew　that

we　were　rich；　for　the　other　trees　only　wore　their　green　dress　in

summer；　but　our　family　were　able　to　array　themselves　in　green；

summer　and　winter。　But　the　wood…cutter　came；　like　a　great

revolution；　and　our　family　fell　under　the　axe。　The　head　of　the　house

obtained　a　situation　as　mainmast　in　a　very　fine　ship；　and　can　sail

round　the　world　when　he　will。　The　other　branches　of　the　family　were

taken　to　different　places；　and　our　office　now　is　to　kindle　a　light　for

common　people。　This　is　how　such　high…born　people　as　we　came　to　be　in　a

kitchen。'

　　　　〃'Mine　has　been　a　very　different　fate；'　said　the　iron　pot；　which

stood　by　the　matches；　'from　my　first　entrance　into　the　world　I　have

been　used　to　cooking　and　scouring。　I　am　the　first　in　this　house；

when　anything　solid　or　useful　is　required。　My　only　pleasure　is　to　be

made　clean　and　shining　after　dinner；　and　to　sit　in　my　place　and　have　a

little　sensible　conversation　with　my　neighbors。　All　of　us；　excepting

the　water…bucket；　which　is　sometimes　taken　into　the　courtyard；　live

here　together　within　these　four　walls。　We　get　our　news　from　the

market…basket；　but　he　sometimes　tells　us　very　unpleasant　things

about　the　people　and　the　government。　Yes；　and　one　day　an　old　pot　was

so　alarmed；　that　he　fell　down　and　was　broken　to　pieces。　He　was　a

liberal；　I　can　tell　you。'

　　　　〃'You　are　talking　too　much；'　said　the　tinder…box；　and　the　steel

struck　against　the　flint　till　some　sparks　flew　out；　crying；　'We　want　a

merry　evening；　don't　we？'

　　　　〃'Yes；　of　course；'　said　the　matches；　'let　us　talk　about　those

who　are　the　highest　born。'

　　　　〃'No；　I　don't　like　to　be　always　talking　of　what　we　are；'

remarked　the　saucepan；　'let　us　think　of　some　other　amusement；　I　will

begin。　We　will　tell　something　that　has　happened　to　ourselves；　that

will　be　very　easy；　and　interesting　as　well。　On　the　Baltic　Sea；　near

the　Danish　shore'…

　　　〃'What　a　pretty　commencement！'　said　the　plates；　'we　shall　all

like　that　story；　I　am　sure。'

　　　　〃'Yes；　well　in　my　youth；　I　lived　in　a　quiet　family；　where　the

furniture　was　polished；　the　floors　scoured；　and　clean　curtains　put

up　every　fortnight；'

　　　　〃'What　an　interesting　way　you　have　of　relating　a　story；'　said

the　carpet…broom；　'it　is　easy　to　perceive　that　you　have　been　a　great

deal　in　women's　society；　there　is　something　so　pure　runs　through

what　you　say。'

　　　　〃'That　is　quite　true；'　said　the　water…bucket；　and　he　made　a　spring

with　joy；　and　splashed　some　water　on　the　floor。

　　　　〃Then　the　saucepan　went　on　with　his　story；　and　the　end　was　as　good

as　the　beginning。

　　　　〃The　plates　rattled　with　pleasure；　and　the　carpet…broom　brought

some　green　parsley　out　of　the　dust…hole　and　crowned　the　saucepan；

for　he　knew　it　would　vex　the　others；　and　he　thought；　'If　I　crown　him

to…day　he　will　crown　me　to…morrow。'

　　　　〃'Now；　let　us　have　a　dance；'　said　the　fire…tongs；　and　then　how

they　danced　and　stuck　up　one　leg　in　the　air。　The　chair…cushion　in

the　corner　burst　with　laughter　when　she　saw　it。

　　　　〃'Shall　I　be　crowned　now？'　asked　the　fire…tongs；　so　the　broom

found　another　wreath　for　the　tongs。

　　　　〃'They　were　only　common　people　after　all；'　thought　the　matches。

The　tea…urn　was　now　asked　to　sing；　but　she　said　she　had　a　cold；　and

could　not　sing　without　boiling　heat。　They　all　thought　this　was

affectation；　and　because　she　did　not　wish　to　sing　excepting　in　the

parlor；　when　on　the　table　with　the　grand　people。

　　　　〃In　the　window　sat　an　old　quill…pen；　with　which　the　maid　generally

wrote。　There　was　nothing　remarkable　about　the　pen；　excepting　that　it

had　been　dipped　too　deeply　in　the　ink；　but　it　was　proud　of　that。

　　　　〃'If　the　tea…urn　won't　sing；'　said　the　pen；　'she　can　leave　it

alone；　there　is　a　nightingale　in　a　cage　who　can　sing；　she　has　not　been

taught　much；　certainly；　but　we　need　not　say　anything　this　evening

about　that。'

　　　　〃'I　think　it　highly　improper；'　said　the　tea…kettle；　who　was

kitchen　singer；　and　half…brother　to　the　tea…urn；　'that　a　rich

foreign　bird　should　be　listened　to　here。　Is　it　patriotic？　Let　the

market…basket　decide　what　is　right。'

　　　　〃'I　certainly　am　vexed；'　said　the　basket；　'inwardly　vexed；　more

than　any　one　can　imagine。　Are　we　spending　the　evening　properly？

Would　it　not　be　more　sensible　to　put　the　house　in　order？　If　each

were　in　his　own　place　I　would　lead　a　game；　this　would　be　quite　another

thing。'

　　　　〃'Let　us　act　a　play；'　said　they　all。　At　the　same　moment　the　door

opened；　and　the　maid　came　in。　Then　not　one　stirred；　they　all

remained　quite　still；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　there　was　not　a　single

pot　amongst　them　who　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　himself；　and　of　what　he

could　do　if　he　chose。

　　　　〃'Yes；　if　we　had　chosen；'　they　each　thought；　'we　might　have

spent　a　very　pleasant　evening。'

　　　　〃The　maid　took　the　matches　and　lighted　them；　dear　me；　how　they

sputtered　and　blazed　up！

　　　　〃'Now　then；'　they　thought；　'every　one　will　see　that　we　are　the

first。　How　we　shine；　what　a　light　we　give！'　Even　while　they　spoke

their　light　went　out。

　　　　〃What　a　capital　story；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were

really　in　the　kitchen；　and　could　see　the　matches；　yes；　you　shall　marry

our　daughter。〃

　　　　〃Certainly；〃　said　the　king；　〃thou　shalt　have　our　daughter。〃　The

king　said　thou　to　him　because　he　was　going　to　be　one　of　the　family。

The　wedding…day　was　fixed；　and；　on　the　evening　before；　the　whole

city　was　illuminated。　Cakes　and　sweetmeats　were　thrown　among　the

people。　The　street　boys　stood　on　tiptoe　and　shouted　〃hurrah；〃　and

whistled　between　their　fingers；　altogether　it　was　a　very　splendid

affair。

　　　　〃I　will　give　them　another　treat；〃　said　the　merchant's　son。　So　he

went　and　bought　rockets　and　crackers；　and　all　sorts　of　fire…works　that

could　be　thought　of；　packed　them　in　his　trunk；　and　flew　up　with　it

into　the　air。　What　a　whizzing　and　popping　they　made　as　they　went

off！　The　Turks；　when　they　saw　such　a　sight　in　the　air；　jumped　so

high　that　their　slippers　flew　about　their　ears。　It　was　easy　to　believe

after　this　that　the　princess　was　really　going　to　marry　a　Turkish

angel。

　　　　As　soon　as　the　merchant's　son　had　come　down　in　his　flying　trunk　to

the　wood　after　the　fireworks；　he　thought；　〃I　will　go　ba