little tiny or thumbelina-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LITTLE　TINY　OR　THUMBELINA

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THERE　was　once　a　woman　who　wished　very　much　to　have　a　little

child；　but　she　could　not　obtain　her　wish。　At　last　she　went　to　a　fairy；

and　said；　〃I　should　so　very　much　like　to　have　a　little　child；　can

you　tell　me　where　I　can　find　one？〃

　　　　〃Oh；　that　can　be　easily　managed；〃　said　the　fairy。　〃Here　is　a

barleycorn　of　a　different　kind　to　those　which　grow　in　the　farmer's

fields；　and　which　the　chickens　eat；　put　it　into　a　flower…pot；　and

see　what　will　happen。〃

　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　woman；　and　she　gave　the　fairy　twelve

shillings；　which　was　the　price　of　the　barleycorn。　Then　she　went　home

and　planted　it；　and　immediately　there　grew　up　a　large　handsome　flower；

something　like　a　tulip　in　appearance；　but　with　its　leaves　tightly

closed　as　if　it　were　still　a　bud。　〃It　is　a　beautiful　flower；〃　said　the

woman；　and　she　kissed　the　red　and　golden…colored　leaves；　and　while　she

did　so　the　flower　opened；　and　she　could　see　that　it　was　a　real

tulip。　Within　the　flower；　upon　the　green　velvet　stamens；　sat　a　very

delicate　and　graceful　little　maiden。　She　was　scarcely　half　as　long

as　a　thumb；　and　they　gave　her　the　name　of　〃Thumbelina；〃　or　Tiny；

because　she　was　so　small。　A　walnut…shell；　elegantly　polished；　served

her　for　a　cradle；　her　bed　was　formed　of　blue　violet…leaves；　with　a

rose…leaf　for　a　counterpane。　Here　she　slept　at　night；　but　during　the

day　she　amused　herself　on　a　table；　where　the　woman　had　placed　a

plateful　of　water。　Round　this　plate　were　wreaths　of　flowers　with　their

stems　in　the　water；　and　upon　it　floated　a　large　tulip…leaf；　which

served　Tiny　for　a　boat。　Here　the　little　maiden　sat　and　rowed　herself

from　side　to　side；　with　two　oars　made　of　white　horse…hair。　It　really

was　a　very　pretty　sight。　Tiny　could；　also；　sing　so　softly　and

sweetly　that　nothing　like　her　singing　had　ever　before　been　heard。

One　night；　while　she　lay　in　her　pretty　bed；　a　large；　ugly；　wet　toad

crept　through　a　broken　pane　of　glass　in　the　window；　and　leaped　right

upon　the　table　where　Tiny　lay　sleeping　under　her　rose…leaf　quilt。

〃What　a　pretty　little　wife　this　would　make　for　my　son；　said　the

toad；　and　she　took　up　the　walnut…shell　in　which　little　Tiny　lay

asleep；　and　jumped　through　the　window　with　it　into　the　garden。

　　　　In　the　swampy　margin　of　a　broad　stream　in　the　garden　lived　the

toad；　with　her　son。　He　was　uglier　even　than　his　mother；　and　when　he

saw　the　pretty　little　maiden　in　her　elegant　bed；　he　could　only　cry；

〃Croak；　croak；　croak。〃

　　　　〃Don't　speak　so　loud；　or　she　will　wake；〃　said　the　toad；　〃and

then　she　might　run　away；　for　she　is　as　light　as　swan's　down。　We　will

place　her　on　one　of　the　water…lily　leaves　out　in　the　stream；　it　will

be　like　an　island　to　her；　she　is　so　light　and　small；　and　then　she

cannot　escape；　and；　while　she　is　away；　we　will　make　haste　and

prepare　the　state…room　under　the　marsh；　in　which　you　are　to　live

when　you　are　married。〃

　　　　Far　out　in　the　stream　grew　a　number　of　water…lilies；　with　broad

green　leaves；　which　seemed　to　float　on　the　top　of　the　water。　The

largest　of　these　leaves　appeared　farther　off　than　the　rest；　and　the

old　toad　swam　out　to　it　with　the　walnut…shell；　in　which　little　Tiny

lay　still　asleep。　The　tiny　little　creature　woke　very　early　in　the

morning；　and　began　to　cry　bitterly　when　she　found　where　she　was；　for

she　could　see　nothing　but　water　on　every　side　of　the　large　green　leaf；

and　no　way　of　reaching　the　land。　Meanwhile　the　old　toad　was　very

busy　under　the　marsh；　decking　her　room　with　rushes　and　wild　yellow

flowers；　to　make　it　look　pretty　for　her　new　daughter…in…law。　Then

she　swam　out　with　her　ugly　son　to　the　leaf　on　which　she　had　placed

poor　little　Tiny。　She　wanted　to　fetch　the　pretty　bed；　that　she　might

put　it　in　the　bridal　chamber　to　be　ready　for　her。　The　old　toad　bowed

low　to　her　in　the　water；　and　said；　〃Here　is　my　son；　he　will　be　your

husband；　and　you　will　live　happily　in　the　marsh　by　the　stream。〃

　　　　〃Croak；　croak；　croak；〃　was　all　her　son　could　say　for　himself；　so

the　toad　took　up　the　elegant　little　bed；　and　swam　away　with　it；

leaving　Tiny　all　alone　on　the　green　leaf；　where　she　sat　and　wept。

She　could　not　bear　to　think　of　living　with　the　old　toad；　and　having

her　ugly　son　for　a　husband。　The　little　fishes；　who　swam　about　in　the

water　beneath；　had　seen　the　toad；　and　heard　what　she　said；　so　they

lifted　their　heads　above　the　water　to　look　at　the　little　maiden。　As

soon　as　they　caught　sight　of　her；　they　saw　she　was　very　pretty；　and　it

made　them　very　sorry　to　think　that　she　must　go　and　live　with　the

ugly　toads。　〃No；　it　must　never　be！〃　so　they　assembled　together　in

the　water；　round　the　green　stalk　which　held　the　leaf　on　which　the

little　maiden　stood；　and　gnawed　it　away　at　the　root　with　their

teeth。　Then　the　leaf　floated　down　the　stream；　carrying　Tiny　far　away

out　of　reach　of　land。

　　　　Tiny　sailed　past　many　towns；　and　the　little　birds　in　the　bushes

saw　her；　and　sang；　〃What　a　lovely　little　creature；〃　so　the　leaf　swam

away　with　her　farther　and　farther；　till　it　brought　her　to　other　lands。

A　graceful　little　white　butterfly　constantly　fluttered　round　her；

and　at　last　alighted　on　the　leaf。　Tiny　pleased　him；　and　she　was　glad

of　it；　for　now　the　toad　could　not　possibly　reach　her；　and　the

country　through　which　she　sailed　was　beautiful；　and　the　sun　shone　upon

the　water；　till　it　glittered　like　liquid　gold。　She　took　off　her　girdle

and　tied　one　end　of　it　round　the　butterfly；　and　the　other　end　of　the

ribbon　she　fastened　to　the　leaf；　which　now　glided　on　much　faster

than　ever；　taking　little　Tiny　with　it　as　she　stood。　Presently　a

large　cockchafer　flew　by；　the　moment　he　caught　sight　of　her；　he　seized

her　round　her　delicate　waist　with　his　claws；　and　flew　with　her　into

a　tree。　The　green　leaf　floated　away　on　the　brook；　and　the　butterfly

flew　with　it；　for　he　was　fastened　to　it；　and　could　not　get　away。

　　　　Oh；　how　frightened　little　Tiny　felt　when　the　cockchafer　flew

with　her　to　the　tree！　But　especially　was　she　sorry　for　the　beautiful

white　butterfly　which　she　had　fastened　to　the　leaf；　for　if　he　could

not　free　himself　he　would　die　of　hunger。　But　the　cockchafer　did　not

trouble　himself　at　all　about　the　matter。　He　seated　himself　by　her　side

on　a　large　green　leaf；　gave　her　some　honey　from　the　flowers　to　eat；

and　told　her　she　was　very　pretty；　though　not　in　the　least　like　a

cockchafer。　After　a　time；　all　the　cockchafers　turned　up　their　feelers；

and　said；　〃She　has　only　two　legs！　how　ugly　that　looks。〃　〃She　has　no

feelers；〃　said　another。　〃Her　waist　is　quite　slim。　Pooh！　she　is　like

a　human　being。〃

　　　　〃Oh！　she　is　ugly；〃　said　all　the　lady　cockchafers；　although　Tiny

was　very　pretty。　Then　the　cockchafer　who　had　run　away　with　her；

believed　all　the　others　when　they　said　she　was　ugly；　and　would　have

nothing　more　to　say　to　her；　and　told　her　she　might　go　where　she　liked。

Then　he　flew　down　with　her　from　the　tree；　and　placed　her　on　a　daisy；

and　she　wept　at　the　thought　that　she　was　so　ugly　that　even　the

cockchafers　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　her。　And　all　the　while　she

was　really　the　loveliest　creature　that　one　could　imagine；　and　as

tender　and　delicate　as　a　beautiful　rose…leaf。　During　the　whole

summer　poor　little　Tiny　lived　quite　alone　in　the　wide　forest。　She　wove

herself　a　bed　with　blades　of　grass；　and　hung　it　up　under　a　broad　leaf；

to　protect　herself　from　the　rain。　She　sucked　the　honey　from　the

flowers　for　food；　and　drank　the　dew　from　their　leaves　every　morning。

So　passed　away　the　summer　and　the　autumn；　and　then　came　the　winter；…

the　long；　cold　winter。　All　the　birds　who　had　sung　to　her　so　sweetly

were　flown　away；　and　the　trees　and　the　flowers　had　withered。　The　large

clover　leaf　under　the　shelter　of　which　she　had　lived；　was　now　rolled

together　and　shrivelled　up；　nothing　remained　but　a　yellow　withered

stalk。　She　felt　dreadfully　cold；　for　her　clothes　were　torn；　and　she

was　herself　so　frail　and　delicate；　that　poor　little　Tiny　was　nearly

frozen　to　death。　It　began　to　snow　too；　and　the　snow…flakes；　as　they

fell　upon　her；　were　like　a　whole　shovelful　falling　upon　one　of　us；　for

we　are　tall；　but　she　was　only　an　inch　high。　Then　she　wrapped　herself

up　in　a　dry　leaf；　but　it　cracked　in　the　middle　and　could　not　keep

her　warm；　and　she　shivered　with　cold。　Near　the　wood　in　which　she　had

been　living　lay　a　corn…field；　but　the　corn　had　been　cut　a　long　time；

nothing　remained　but　the　bare　dry　stubble　standing　up　out　of　the

frozen　ground。　It　was　to　her　like　struggling　through　a　large　wood。　Oh！

how　she　shivered　with　the　cold。　She　came　at　last　to　the　door　of　a

field…mouse；　who　had　a　little　den　under　the　corn…stubble。　There

dwelt　the　field…mouse　in　warmth　and　comfort；　with　a　whole　roomful　of

corn；　a　kitchen；　and　a　beautiful　dining　room。　Poor　little　Tiny　stood

before　the　door　just　like　a　little　beggar…girl；　and　begged　for　a　small

piece　of　barley…corn；　for　she　had　been　without　a　morsel　to　eat　for　two

days。

　　　　〃You　poor　little　creature；〃　said　the　field…mouse；　who　was　really　a

good　old　field…mouse；　〃come　into　my　warm　room　and　dine　with　me。〃　She

was　very　pleased　with　Tiny；　so　she　said；　〃You　are　quite　welcome　to

stay　with　me　all　the　winter；　if　you　like；　but　you　must　keep　my　rooms

clean　and　neat；　and　tell　me　stories；　for　I　shall　like　to　hear　them

very　much。〃　And　Tiny　did　all　the　field…mouse　asked　her；　and　found

herself　very　comfortable。

　　　　〃We　shall　have　a　visitor　soon；〃　said　the　field…mouse　one　day；

〃my　neighbor　pays　me　a　visit　once　a　week。　He　is　better　off　than　I

am；　he　has　large　rooms；　and　wears　a　beautiful　black　velvet　coat。　If

you　could　only　have　him　for　a　husband；　you　would　be　well　provided

for　indeed。　But　he　is　blind；　so　you　must　tell　him　some　of　your

prettiest　stories。

　　　　But　Tiny　did　not　feel　at　all　interested　about　this　neighbor；　for

he　was　a　mole。　However；　he　came　and　paid　his　visit　dressed　in　his

black　velvet　coat。

　　　　〃He　is　very　rich　and　learned；　and　his　house　is　twenty　times　larger

than　mine；〃　said　the　field…mouse。

　　　　He　was　rich　and　learned；　no　doubt；