the ice maiden-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ICE　MAIDEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I。　LITTLE　RUDY



　　　　WE　will　pay　a　visit　to　Switzerland；　and　wander　through　that

country　of　mountains；　whose　steep　and　rocky　sides　are　overgrown　with

forest　trees。　Let　us　climb　to　the　dazzling　snow…fields　at　their

summits；　and　descend　again　to　the　green　meadows　beneath；　through　which

rivers　and　brooks　rush　along　as　if　they　could　not　quickly　enough　reach

the　sea　and　vanish。　Fiercely　shines　the　sun　over　those　deep　valleys；

as　well　as　upon　the　heavy　masses　of　snow　which　lie　on　the　mountains。

　　　　During　the　year　these　accumulations　thaw　or　fall　in　the　rolling

avalance；　or　are　piled　up　in　shining　glaciers。　Two　of　these　glaciers

lie　in　the　broad；　rocky　cliffs；　between　the　Schreckhorn　and　the

Wetterhorn；　near　the　little　town　of　Grindelwald。　They　are　wonderful　to

behold；　and　therefore　in　the　summer　time　strangers　come　here　from

all　parts　of　the　world　to　see　them。　They　cross　snow…covered　mountains；

and　travel　through　the　deep　valleys；　or　ascend　for　hours；　higher　and

still　higher；　the　valleys　appearing　to　sink　lower　and　lower　as　they

proceed；　and　become　as　small　as　if　seen　from　an　air　balloon。　Over

the　lofty　summits　of　these　mountains　the　clouds　often　hang　like　a　dark

veil；　while　beneath　in　the　valley；　where　many　brown；　wooden　houses　are

scattered　about；　the　bright　rays　of　the　sun　may　be　shining　upon　a

little　brilliant　patch　of　green；　making　it　appear　almost

transparent。　The　waters　foam　and　dash　along　in　the　valleys　beneath；

the　streams　from　above　trickle　and　murmur　as　they　fall　down　the

rocky　mountain's　side；　looking　like　glittering　silver　bands。

　　　　On　both　sides　of　the　mountain…path　stand　these　little　wooden

houses；　and；　as　within；　there　are　many　children　and　many　mouths　to

feed；　each　house　has　its　own　little　potato　garden。　These　children　rush

out　in　swarms；　and　surround　travellers；　whether　on　foot　or　in

carriages。　They　are　all　clever　at　making　a　bargain。　They　offer　for

sale　the　sweetest　little　toy…houses；　models　of　the　mountain　cottages

in　Switzerland。　Whether　it　be　rain　or　sunshine；　these　crowds　of

children　are　always　to　be　seen　with　their　wares。

　　　　About　twenty　years　ago；　there　might　be　seen　occasionally；　standing

at　a　short　distance　from　the　other　children；　a　little　boy；　who　was

also　anxious　to　sell　his　curious　wares。　He　had　an　earnest；

expressive　countenance；　and　held　the　box　containing　his　carved　toys

tightly　with　both　hands；　as　if　unwilling　to　part　with　it。　His

earnest　look；　and　being　also　a　very　little　boy；　made　him　noticed　by

the　strangers；　so　that　he　often　sold　the　most；　without　knowing　why。　An

hour's　walk　farther　up　the　ascent　lived　his　grandfather；　who　cut　and

carved　the　pretty　little　toy…houses；　and　in　the　old　man's　room　stood　a

large　press；　full　of　all　sorts　of　carved　things…　nut…crackers；

knives　and　forks；　boxes　with　beautifully　carved　foliage；　leaping

chamois。　It　contained　everything　that　could　delight　the　eyes　of　a

child。　But　the　boy；　who　was　named　Rudy；　looked　with　still　greater

pleasure　and　longing　at　some　old　fire…arms　which　hung　upon　the

rafters；　under　the　ceiling　of　the　room。　His　grandfather　promised　him

that　he　should　have　them　some　day；　but　that　he　must　first　grow　big　and

strong；　and　learn　how　to　use　them。　Small　as　he　was；　the　goats　were

placed　in　his　care；　and　a　good　goat…keeper　should　also　be　a　good

climber；　and　such　Rudy　was；　he　sometimes；　indeed；　climbed　higher

than　the　goats；　for　he　was　fond　of　seeking　for　birds'…nests　at　the　top

of　high　trees；　he　was　bold　and　daring；　but　was　seldom　seen　to　smile；

excepting　when　he　stood　by　the　roaring　cataract；　or　heard　the

descending　roll　of　the　avalanche。　He　never　played　with　the　other

children；　and　was　not　seen　with　them；　unless　his　grandfather　sent

him　down　to　sell　his　curious　workmanship。　Rudy　did　not　much　like

trade；　he　loved　to　climb　the　mountains；　or　to　sit　by　his　grandfather

and　listen　to　his　tales　of　olden　times；　or　of　the　people　in　Meyringen；

the　place　of　his　birth。

　　　　〃In　the　early　ages　of　the　world；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃these

people　could　not　be　found　in　Switzerland。　They　are　a　colony　from　the

north；　where　their　ancestors　still　dwell；　and　are　called　Swedes。〃

　　　　This　was　something　for　Rudy　to　know；　but　he　learnt　more　from　other

sources；　particularly　from　the　domestic　animals　who　belonged　to　the

house。　One　was　a　large　dog；　called　Ajola；　which　had　belonged　to　his

father；　and　the　other　was　a　tom…cat。　This　cat　stood　very　high　in

Rudy's　favor；　for　he　had　taught　him　to　climb。

　　　　〃Come　out　on　the　roof　with　me；〃　said　the　cat；　and　Rudy　quite

understood　him；　for　the　language　of　fowls；　ducks；　cats；　and　dogs；　is

as　easily　understood　by　a　young　child　as　his　own　native　tongue。　But　it

must　be　at　the　age　when　grandfather's　stick　becomes　a　neighing

horse；　with　head；　legs；　and　tail。　Some　children　retain　these　ideas

later　than　others；　and　they　are　considered　backwards　and　childish

for　their　age。　People　say　so；　but　is　it　so？

　　　　〃Come　out　on　the　roof　with　me；　little　Rudy；〃　was　the　first　thing

he　heard　the　cat　say；　and　Rudy　understood　him。　〃What　people　say

about　falling　down　is　all　nonsense；〃　continued　the　cat；　〃you　will

not　fall；　unless　you　are　afraid。　Come；　now；　set　one　foot　here　and

another　there；　and　feel　your　way　with　your　fore…feet。　Keep　your　eyes

wide　open；　and　move　softly；　and　if　you　come　to　a　hole　jump　over　it；

and　cling　fast　as　I　do。〃　And　this　was　just　what　Rudy　did。　He　was　often

on　the　sloping　roof　with　the　cat；　or　on　the　tops　of　high　trees。　But；

more　frequently；　higher　still　on　the　ridges　of　the　rocks　where　puss

never　came。

　　　　〃Higher；　higher！〃　cried　the　trees　and　the　bushes；　〃see　to　what

height　we　have　grown；　and　how　fast　we　hold；　even　to　the　narrow　edges

of　the　rocks。〃

　　　　Rudy　often　reached　the　top　of　the　mountain　before　the　sunrise；　and

there　inhaled　his　morning　draught　of　the　fresh；　invigorating

mountain　air；…　God's　own　gift；　which　men　call　the　sweet　fragrance　of

plant　and　herb　on　the　mountain…side；　and　the　mint　and　wild　thyme　in

the　valleys。　The　overhanging　clouds　absorb　all　heaviness　from　the　air；

and　the　winds　convey　them　away　over　the　pine…tree　summits。　The

spirit　of　fragrance；　light　and　fresh；　remained　behind；　and　this　was

Rudy's　morning　draught。　The　sunbeams…　those　blessing…bringing

daughters　of　the　sun…　kissed　his　cheeks。　Vertigo　might　be　lurking　on

the　watch；　but　he　dared　not　approach　him。　The　swallows；　who　had　not

less　than　seven　nests　in　his　grandfather's　house；　flew　up　to　him　and

his　goats；　singing；　〃We　and　you；　you　and　we。〃　They　brought　him

greetings　from　his　grandfather's　house；　even　from　two　hens；　the　only

birds　of　the　household；　but　Rudy　was　not　intimate　with　them。

　　　　Although　so　young　and　such　a　little　fellow；　Rudy　had　travelled　a

great　deal。　He　was　born　in　the　canton　of　Valais；　and　brought　to　his

grandfather　over　the　mountains。　He　had　walked　to　Staubbach…　a　little

town　that　seems　to　flutter　in　the　air　like　a　silver　veil…　the

glittering；　snow…clad　mountain　Jungfrau。　He　had　also　been　to　the　great

glaciers；　but　this　is　connected　with　a　sad　story；　for　here　his

mother　met　her　death；　and　his　grandfather　used　to　say　that　all

Rudy's　childish　merriment　was　lost　from　that　time。　His　mother　had

written　in　a　letter；　that　before　he　was　a　year　old　he　had　laughed　more

than　he　cried；　but　after　his　fall　into　the　snow…covered　crevasse；

his　disposition　had　completely　changed。　The　grandfather　seldom　spoke

of　this；　but　the　fact　was　generally　known。　Rudy's　father　had　been　a

postilion；　and　the　large　dog　which　now　lived　in　his　grandfather's

cottage　had　always　followed　him　on　his　journeys　over　the　Simplon　to

the　lake　of　Geneva。　Rudy's　relations；　on　his　father's　side；　lived　in

the　canton　of　Valais；　in　the　valley　of　the　Rhone。　His　uncle　was　a

chamois　hunter；　and　a　well…known　guide。　Rudy　was　only　a　year　old

when　his　father　died；　and　his　mother　was　anxious　to　return　with　her

child　to　her　own　relations；　who　lived　in　the　Bernese　Oberland。　Her

father　dwelt　at　a　few　hours'　distance　from　Grindelwald；　he　was　a

carver　in　wood；　and　gained　so　much　by　it　that　he　had　plenty　to　live

upon。　She　set　out　homewards　in　the　month　of　June；　carrying　her

infant　in　her　arms；　and；　accompanied　by　two　chamois　hunters；　crossed

the　Gemmi　on　her　way　to　Grindelwald。　They　had　already　left　more　than

half　the　journey　behind　them。　They　had　crossed　high　ridges；　and

traversed　snow…fields；　they　could　even　see　her　native　valley；　with　its

familiar　wooden　cottages。　They　had　only　one　more　glacier　to　climb。

Some　newly　fallen　snow　concealed　a　cleft　which；　though　it　did　not

extend　to　the　foaming　waters　in　the　depths　beneath；　was　still　much

deeper　than　the　height　of　a　man。　The　young　woman；　with　the　child　in

her　arms；　slipped　upon　it；　sank　in；　and　disappeared。　Not　a　shriek；　not

a　groan　was　heard；　nothing　but　the　whining　of　a　little　child。　More

than　an　hour　elapsed　before　her　two　companions　could　obtain　from　the

nearest　house　ropes　and　poles　to　assist　in　raising　them；　and　it　was

with　much　exertion　that　they　at　last　succeeded　in　raising　from　the

crevasse　what　appeared　to　be　two　dead　bodies。　Every　means　was　used

to　restore　them　to　life。　With　the　child　they　were　successful；　but

not　with　the　mother；　so　the　old　grandfather　received　his　daughter's

little　son　into　his　house　an　orphan；…　a　little　boy　who　laughed　more

than　he　cried；　but　it　seemed　as　if　laughter　had　left　him　in　the　cold

ice…world　into　which　he　had　fallen；　where；　as　the　Swiss　peasants

say；　the　souls　of　the　lost　are　confined　till　the　judgment…day。

　　　　The　glaciers　appear　as　if　a　rushing　stream　had　been　frozen　in

its　course；　and　pressed　into　blocks　of　green　crystal；　which；

balanced　one　upon　another；　form　a　wondrous　palace　of　crystal　for　the

Ice　Maiden…　the　queen　of　the　glaciers。　It　is　she　whose　mighty　power

can　crush　the　traveller　to　death；　and　arrest　the　flowing　river　in

its　course。　She　is　also　a　child　of　the　air；　and　with　the　swiftness

of　the　chamois　she　can　reach　the　snow…covered　mountain　to