little tiny or thumbelina-第2部分

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than　mine；〃　said　the　field…mouse。

　　　　He　was　rich　and　learned；　no　doubt；　but　he　always　spoke　slightingly

of　the　sun　and　the　pretty　flowers；　because　he　had　never　seen　them。

Tiny　was　obliged　to　sing　to　him；　〃Lady…bird；　lady…bird；　fly　away

home；〃　and　many　other　pretty　songs。　And　the　mole　fell　in　love　with　her

because　she　had　such　a　sweet　voice；　but　he　said　nothing　yet；　for　he

was　very　cautious。　A　short　time　before；　the　mole　had　dug　a　long

passage　under　the　earth；　which　led　from　the　dwelling　of　the

field…mouse　to　his　own；　and　here　she　had　permission　to　walk　with

Tiny　whenever　she　liked。　But　he　warned　them　not　to　be　alarmed　at　the

sight　of　a　dead　bird　which　lay　in　the　passage。　It　was　a　perfect

bird；　with　a　beak　and　feathers；　and　could　not　have　been　dead　long；　and

was　lying　just　where　the　mole　had　made　his　passage。　The　mole　took　a

piece　of　phosphorescent　wood　in　his　mouth；　and　it　glittered　like

fire　in　the　dark；　then　he　went　before　them　to　light　them　through　the

long；　dark　passage。　When　they　came　to　the　spot　where　lay　the　dead

bird；　the　mole　pushed　his　broad　nose　through　the　ceiling；　the　earth

gave　way；　so　that　there　was　a　large　hole；　and　the　daylight　shone

into　the　passage。　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　lay　a　dead　swallow；　his

beautiful　wings　pulled　close　to　his　sides；　his　feet　and　his　head　drawn

up　under　his　feathers；　the　poor　bird　had　evidently　died　of　the　cold。

It　made　little　Tiny　very　sad　to　see　it；　she　did　so　love　the　little

birds；　all　the　summer　they　had　sung　and　twittered　for　her　so

beautifully。　But　the　mole　pushed　it　aside　with　his　crooked　legs；　and

said；　〃He　will　sing　no　more　now。　How　miserable　it　must　be　to　be　born　a

little　bird！　I　am　thankful　that　none　of　my　children　will　ever　be

birds；　for　they　can　do　nothing　but　cry；　'Tweet；　tweet；'　and　always　die

of　hunger　in　the　winter。〃

　　　　〃Yes；　you　may　well　say　that；　as　a　clever　man！〃　exclaimed　the

field…mouse；　〃What　is　the　use　of　his　twittering；　for　when　winter　comes

he　must　either　starve　or　be　frozen　to　death。　Still　birds　are　very　high

bred。〃

　　　　Tiny　said　nothing；　but　when　the　two　others　had　turned　their

backs　on　the　bird；　she　stooped　down　and　stroked　aside　the　soft

feathers　which　covered　the　head；　and　kissed　the　closed　eyelids。

〃Perhaps　this　was　the　one　who　sang　to　me　so　sweetly　in　the　summer；〃

she　said；　〃and　how　much　pleasure　it　gave　me；　you　dear；　pretty　bird。〃

　　　　The　mole　now　stopped　up　the　hole　through　which　the　daylight　shone；

and　then　accompanied　the　lady　home。　But　during　the　night　Tiny　could

not　sleep；　so　she　got　out　of　bed　and　wove　a　large；　beautiful　carpet　of

hay；　then　she　carried　it　to　the　dead　bird；　and　spread　it　over　him；

with　some　down　from　the　flowers　which　she　had　found　in　the

field…mouse's　room。　It　was　as　soft　as　wool；　and　she　spread　some　of

it　on　each　side　of　the　bird；　so　that　he　might　lie　warmly　in　the　cold

earth。　〃Farewell；　you　pretty　little　bird；〃　said　she；　〃farewell；

thank　you　for　your　delightful　singing　during　the　summer；　when　all

the　trees　were　green；　and　the　warm　sun　shone　upon　us。　Then　she　laid

her　head　on　the　bird's　breast；　but　she　was　alarmed　immediately；　for　it

seemed　as　if　something　inside　the　bird　went　〃thump；　thump。〃　It　was　the

bird's　heart；　he　was　not　really　dead；　only　benumbed　with　the　cold；　and

the　warmth　had　restored　him　to　life。　In　autumn；　all　the　swallows　fly

away　into　warm　countries；　but　if　one　happens　to　linger；　the　cold

seizes　it；　it　becomes　frozen；　and　falls　down　as　if　dead；　it　remains

where　it　fell；　and　the　cold　snow　covers　it。　Tiny　trembled　very　much；

she　was　quite　frightened；　for　the　bird　was　large；　a　great　deal

larger　than　herself；…　she　was　only　an　inch　high。　But　she　took　courage；

laid　the　wool　more　thickly　over　the　poor　swallow；　and　then　took　a　leaf

which　she　had　used　for　her　own　counterpane；　and　laid　it　over　the

head　of　the　poor　bird。　The　next　morning　she　again　stole　out　to　see

him。　He　was　alive　but　very　weak；　he　could　only　open　his　eyes　for　a

moment　to　look　at　Tiny；　who　stood　by　holding　a　piece　of　decayed　wood

in　her　hand；　for　she　had　no　other　lantern。　〃Thank　you；　pretty　little

maiden；〃　said　the　sick　swallow；　〃I　have　been　so　nicely　warmed；　that

I　shall　soon　regain　my　strength；　and　be　able　to　fly　about　again　in　the

warm　sunshine。〃

　　　　〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　cold　out　of　doors　now；　it　snows　and

freezes。　Stay　in　your　warm　bed；　I　will　take　care　of　you。〃

　　　　Then　she　brought　the　swallow　some　water　in　a　flower…leaf；　and

after　he　had　drank；　he　told　her　that　he　had　wounded　one　of　his　wings

in　a　thorn…bush；　and　could　not　fly　as　fast　as　the　others；　who　were

soon　far　away　on　their　journey　to　warm　countries。　Then　at　last　he

had　fallen　to　the　earth；　and　could　remember　no　more；　nor　how　he　came

to　be　where　she　had　found　him。　The　whole　winter　the　swallow　remained

underground；　and　Tiny　nursed　him　with　care　and　love。　Neither　the

mole　nor　the　field…mouse　knew　anything　about　it；　for　they　did　not　like

swallows。　Very　soon　the　spring　time　came；　and　the　sun　warmed　the

earth。　Then　the　swallow　bade　farewell　to　Tiny；　and　she　opened　the　hole

in　the　ceiling　which　the　mole　had　made。　The　sun　shone　in　upon　them

so　beautifully；　that　the　swallow　asked　her　if　she　would　go　with　him；

she　could　sit　on　his　back；　he　said；　and　he　would　fly　away　with　her

into　the　green　woods。　But　Tiny　knew　it　would　make　the　field…mouse　very

grieved　if　she　left　her　in　that　manner；　so　she　said；　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　　　〃Farewell；　then；　farewell；　you　good；　pretty　little　maiden；〃　said

the　swallow；　and　he　flew　out　into　the　sunshine。

　　　　Tiny　looked　after　him；　and　the　tears　rose　in　her　eyes。　She　was

very　fond　of　the　poor　swallow。

　　　　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　sang　the　bird；　as　he　flew　out　into　the　green

woods；　and　Tiny　felt　very　sad。　She　was　not　allowed　to　go　out　into

the　warm　sunshine。　The　corn　which　had　been　sown　in　the　field　over

the　house　of　the　field…mouse　had　grown　up　high　into　the　air；　and

formed　a　thick　wood　to　Tiny；　who　was　only　an　inch　in　height。

　　　　〃You　are　going　to　be　married；　Tiny；〃　said　the　field…mouse。　〃My

neighbor　has　asked　for　you。　What　good　fortune　for　a　poor　child　like

you。　Now　we　will　prepare　your　wedding　clothes。　They　must　be　both

woollen　and　linen。　Nothing　must　be　wanting　when　you　are　the　mole's

wife。〃

　　　　Tiny　had　to　turn　the　spindle；　and　the　field…mouse　hired　four

spiders；　who　were　to　weave　day　and　night。　Every　evening　the　mole

visited　her；　and　was　continually　speaking　of　the　time　when　the

summer　would　be　over。　Then　he　would　keep　his　wedding…day　with　Tiny；

but　now　the　heat　of　the　sun　was　so　great　that　it　burned　the　earth；　and

made　it　quite　hard；　like　a　stone。　As　soon；　as　the　summer　was　over；　the

wedding　should　take　place。　But　Tiny　was　not　at　all　pleased；　for　she

did　not　like　the　tiresome　mole。　Every　morning　when　the　sun　rose；　and

every　evening　when　it　went　down；　she　would　creep　out　at　the　door；

and　as　the　wind　blew　aside　the　ears　of　corn；　so　that　she　could　see　the

blue　sky；　she　thought　how　beautiful　and　bright　it　seemed　out　there；

and　wished　so　much　to　see　her　dear　swallow　again。　But　he　never

returned；　for　by　this　time　he　had　flown　far　away　into　the　lovely　green

forest。

　　　　When　autumn　arrived；　Tiny　had　her　outfit　quite　ready；　and　the

field…mouse　said　to　her；　〃In　four　weeks　the　wedding　must　take　place。〃

　　　　Then　Tiny　wept；　and　said　she　would　not　marry　the　disagreeable

mole。

　　　　〃Nonsense；〃　replied　the　field…mouse。　〃Now　don't　be　obstinate；　or　I

shall　bite　you　with　my　white　teeth。　He　is　a　very　handsome　mole；　the

queen　herself　does　not　wear　more　beautiful　velvets　and　furs。　His

kitchen　and　cellars　are　quite　full。　You　ought　to　be　very　thankful

for　such　good　fortune。〃

　　　　So　the　wedding…day　was　fixed；　on　which　the　mole　was　to　fetch

Tiny　away　to　live　with　him；　deep　under　the　earth；　and　never　again　to

see　the　warm　sun；　because　he　did　not　like　it。　The　poor　child　was

very　unhappy　at　the　thought　of　saying　farewell　to　the　beautiful　sun；

and　as　the　field…mouse　had　given　her　permission　to　stand　at　the

door；　she　went　to　look　at　it　once　more。

　　　　〃Farewell　bright　sun；〃　she　cried；　stretching　out　her　arm　towards

it；　and　then　she　walked　a　short　distance　from　the　house；　for　the

corn　had　been　cut；　and　only　the　dry　stubble　remained　in　the　fields。

〃Farewell；　farewell；〃　she　repeated；　twining　her　arm　round　a　little　red

flower　that　grew　just　by　her　side。　〃Greet　the　little　swallow　from

me；　if　you　should　see　him　again。〃

　　　　〃Tweet；　tweet；〃　sounded　over　her　head　suddenly。　She　looked　up；　and

there　was　the　swallow　himself　flying　close　by。　As　soon　as　he　spied

Tiny；　he　was　delighted；　and　then　she　told　him　how　unwilling　she　felt

to　marry　the　ugly　mole；　and　to　live　always　beneath　the　earth；　and

never　to　see　the　bright　sun　any　more。　And　as　she　told　him　she　wept。

　　　　〃Cold　winter　is　coming；〃　said　the　swallow；　〃and　I　am　going　to

fly　away　into　warmer　countries。　Will　you　go　with　me？　You　can　sit　on　my

back；　and　fasten　yourself　on　with　your　sash。　Then　we　can　fly　away　from

the　ugly　mole　and　his　gloomy　rooms；…　far　away；　over　the　mountains；

into　warmer　countries；　where　the　sun　shines　more　brightly…　than

here；　where　it　is　always　summer；　and　the　flowers　bloom　in　greater

beauty。　Fly　now　with　me；　dear　little　Tiny；　you　saved　my　life　when　I

lay　frozen　in　that　dark　passage。〃

　　　　〃Yes；　I　will　go　with　you；〃　said　Tiny；　and　she　seated　herself　on

the　bird's　back；　with　her　feet　on　his　outstretched　wings；　and　tied　her

girdle　to　one　of　his　strongest　feathers。

　　　　Then　the　swallow　rose　in　the　air；　and　flew　over　forest　and　over

sea；　high　above　the　highest　mountains；　covered　with　eternal　snow。　Tiny

would　have　been　frozen　in　the　cold　air；　but　she　crept　under　the　bird's

warm　feathers；　keeping　her　little　head　uncovered；　so　that　she　might

admire　the　beautiful　lands　over　which　they　passed。　At　length　they

reached　the　warm　countries；　where　the　sun　shines　brightly；　and　the　sky

seems　so　much　higher　above　the　earth。　Here；　on　the　hedges；　and　by

the　wayside；　grew　purple；　green；　and　white　grapes；　lemons　and

oranges　hung　from　trees　in　the　woods；　and　the　air　was　fragrant　with

myrtles　and　orange　blossoms。　Beautiful　children　ran　along　the

country　lanes；　playing　with　large　g