安徒生童话- 第60部分

〃It　was　the　height　of　summer；　which　the　mice　told　me　was　thereason　that　the　forest　smelt　so　strong；　and　that　the　herbs　were　sofragrant；　and　the　lakes　with　the　white　swimming　swans　so　dark；　and　yetso　clear。　On　the　margin　of　the　wood；　near　to　three　or　four　houses；　apole；　as　large　as　the　mainmast　of　a　ship；　had　been　erected；　and　fromthe　summit　hung　wreaths　of　flowers　and　fluttering　ribbons；　it　wasthe　Maypole。　Lads　and　lasses　danced　round　the　pole；　and　tried　to　outdothe　violins　of　the　musicians　with　their　singing。　They　were　as　merry　asever　at　sunset　and　in　the　moonlight；　but　I　took　no　part　in　themerry…making。　What　has　a　little　mouse　to　do　with　a　Maypole　dance？　Isat　in　the　soft　moss；　and　held　my　sausage　skewer　tight。　The　moon　threwits　beams　particularly　on　one　spot　where　stood　a　tree　covered　withexceedingly　fine　moss。　I　may　almost　venture　to　say　that　it　was　as　fineand　soft　as　the　fur　of　the　mouse…king；　but　it　was　green；　which　is　acolor　very　agreeable　to　the　eye。　All　at　once　I　saw　the　most　charminglittle　people　marching　towards　me。　They　did　not　reach　higher　than　myknee；　they　looked　like　human　beings；　but　were　better　proportioned；　andthey　called　themselves　elves。　Their　clothes　were　very　delicate　andfine；　for　they　were　made　of　the　leaves　of　flowers；　trimmed　with　thewings　of　flies　and　gnats；　which　had　not　a　bad　effect。　By　their　manner；it　appeared　as　if　they　were　seeking　for　something。　I　knew　not　what；till　at　last　one　of　them　espied　me　and　came　towards　me；　and　theforemost　pointed　to　my　sausage　skewer；　and　said；　'There；　that　isjust　what　we　want；　see；　it　is　pointed　at　the　top；　is　it　notcapital？'　and　the　longer　he　looked　at　my　pilgrim's　staff；　the　moredelighted　he　became。　'I　will　lend　it　to　you；'　said　I；　'but　not　tokeep。'

〃'Oh　no；　we　won't　keep　it！'　they　all　cried；　and　then　they　seizedthe　skewer；　which　I　gave　up　to　them；　and　danced　with　it　to　the　spotwhere　the　delicate　moss　grew；　and　set　it　up　in　the　middle　of　thegreen。　They　wanted　a　maypole；　and　the　one　they　now　had　seemed　cutout　on　purpose　for　them。　Then　they　decorated　it　so　beautifully　that　itwas　quite　dazzling　to　look　at。　Little　spiders　spun　golden　threadsaround　it；　and　then　it　was　hung　with　fluttering　veils　and　flags　sodelicately　white　that　they　glittered　like　snow　in　the　moonshine。　Afterthat　they　took　colors　from　the　butterfly's　wing；　and　sprinkled　themover　the　white　drapery　〃which　gleamed　as　if　covered　with　flowers　anddiamonds；　so　that　I　could　not　recognize　my　sausage　skewer　at　all。　Sucha　maypole　had　never　been　seen　in　all　the　world　as　this。　Then　came　agreat　pany　of　real　elves。　Nothing　could　be　finer　than　theirclothes；　and　they　invited　me　to　be　present　at　the　feast；　but　I　wasto　keep　at　a　certain　distance；　because　I　was　too　large　for　them。Then　menced　such　music　that　it　sounded　like　a　thousand　glass　bells；and　was　so　full　and　strong　that　I　thought　it　must　be　the　song　of　theswans。　I　fancied　also　that　I　heard　the　voices　of　the　cuckoo　and　theblack…bird；　and　it　seemed　at　last　as　if　the　whole　forest　sent　forthglorious　melodies…　the　voices　of　children；　the　tinkling　of　bells；and　the　songs　of　the　birds；　and　all　this　wonderful　melody　came　fromthe　elfin　maypole。　My　sausage　peg　was　a　plete　peal　of　bells。　Icould　scarcely　believe　that　so　much　could　have　been　produced　fromit；　till　I　remembered　into　what　hands　it　had　fallen。　I　was　so　muchaffected　that　I　wept　tears　such　as　a　little　mouse　can　weep；　but　theywere　tears　of　joy。　The　night　was　far　too　short　for　me；　there　are　nolong　nights　there　in　summer；　as　we　often　have　in　this　part　of　theworld。　When　the　morning　dawned；　and　the　gentle　breeze　rippled　theglassy　mirror　of　the　forest　lake；　all　the　delicate　veils　and　flagsfluttered　away　into　thin　air；　the　waving　garlands　of　the　spider's　web；the　hanging　bridges　and　galleries；　or　whatever　else　they　may　becalled；　vanished　away　as　if　they　had　never　been。　Six　elves　broughtme　back　my　sausage　skewer；　and　at　the　same　time　asked　me　to　make　anyrequest；　which　they　would　grant　if　in　their　power；　so　I　begged　them；if　they　could；　to　tell　me　how　to　make　soup　from　a　sausage　skewer。

〃'How　do　we　make　it？'　said　the　chief　of　the　elves　with　a　smile。'Why　you　have　just　seen　it；　you　scarcely　knew　your　sausage　skeweragain；　I　am　sure。'

〃They　think　themselves　very　wise；　thought　I　to　myself。　Then　I　toldthem　all　about　it；　and　why　I　had　travelled　so　far；　and　also　whatpromise　had　been　made　at　home　to　the　one　who　should　discover　themethod　of　preparing　this　soup。　'What　use　will　it　be；'　I　asked；　'to　themouse…king　or　to　our　whole　mighty　kingdom　that　I　have　seen　all　thesebeautiful　things？　I　cannot　shake　the　sausage　peg　and　say；　Look；　hereis　the　skewer；　and　now　the　soup　will　e。　That　would　only　produce　adish　to　be　served　when　people　were　keeping　a　fast。'

〃Then　the　elf　dipped　his　finger　into　the　cup　of　a　violet；　and　saidto　me；　'Look　here；　I　will　anoint　your　pilgrim's　staff；　so　that　whenyou　return　to　your　own　home　and　enter　the　king's　castle；　you　have　onlyto　touch　the　king　with　your　staff；　and　violets　will　spring　forth　andcover　the　whole　of　it；　even　in　the　coldest　winter　time；　so　I　think　Ihave　given　you　really　something　to　carry　home；　and　a　little　morethan　something。'〃

But　before　the　little　mouse　explained　what　this　something　morewas；　she　stretched　her　staff　out　to　the　king；　and　as　it　touched　himthe　most　beautiful　bunch　of　violets　sprang　forth　and　filled　theplace　with　perfume。　The　smell　was　so　powerful　that　the　mouse…kingordered　the　mice　who　stood　nearest　the　chimney　to　thrust　their　tailsinto　the　fire；　that　there　might　be　a　smell　of　burning；　for　the　perfumeof　the　violets　was　overpowering；　and　not　the　sort　of　scent　thatevery　one　liked。

〃But　what　was　the　something　more　of　which　you　spoke　just　now？〃asked　the　mouse…king。

〃Why；〃　answered　the　little　mouse；　〃I　think　it　is　what　they　call'effect；'〃　and　thereupon　she　turned　the　staff　round；　and　behold　nota　single　flower　was　to　be　seen　upon　it！　She　now　only　held　the　nakedskewer；　and　lifted　it　up　as　a　conductor　lifts　his　baton　at　aconcert。　〃Violets；　the　elf　told　me；〃　continued　the　mouse；　〃are　for　thesight；　the　smell；　and　the　touch；　so　we　have　only　now　to　produce　theeffect　of　hearing　and　tasting；〃　and　then；　as　the　little　mouse　beattime　with　her　staff；　there　came　sounds　of　music；　not　such　music　as　washeard　in　the　forest；　at　the　elfin　feast；　but　such　as　is　often　heard　inthe　kitchen…　the　sounds　of　boiling　and　roasting。　It　came　quitesuddenly；　like　wind　rushing　through　the　chimneys；　and　seemed　as　ifevery　pot　and　kettle　were　boiling　over。　The　fire…shovel　clattered　downon　the　brass　fender；　and　then；　quite　as　suddenly；　all　was　still；…nothing　could　be　heard　but　the　light；　vapory　song　of　the　tea…kettle；which　was　quite　wonderful　to　hear；　for　no　one　could　rightlydistinguish　whether　the　kettle　was　just　beginning　to　boil　or　goingto　stop。　And　the　little　pot　steamed；　and　the　great　pot　simmered；　butwithout　any　regard　for　each；　indeed　there　seemed　no　sense　in　thepots　at　all。　And　as　the　little　mouse　waved　her　baton　still　morewildly；　the　pots　foamed　and　threw　up　bubbles；　and　boiled　over；　whileagain　the　wind　roared　and　whistled　through　the　chimney；　and　at　lastthere　was　such　a　terrible　hubbub；　that　the　little　mouse　let　herstick　fall。

〃That　is　a　strange　sort　of　soup；〃　said　the　mouse…king；　〃shall　wenot　now　hear　abo