安徒生童话- 第98部分

〃Will　you　tell　us　a　story？〃　said　the　queen；…　〃one　that　isinstructive　and　full　of　deep　learning。〃

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

〃Certainly；〃　he　replied；　and　menced　at　once；　asking　them　tolisten　attentively。　〃There　was　once　a　bundle　of　matches　that　wereexceedingly　proud　of　their　high　descent。　Their　genealogical　tree；　thatis；　a　large　pine…tree　from　which　they　had　been　cut；　was　at　one　timea　large；　old　tree　in　the　wood。　The　matches　now　lay　between　atinder…box　and　an　old　iron　saucepan；　and　were　talking　about　theiryouthful　days。　'Ah！　then　we　grew　on　the　green　boughs；　and　were　asgreen　as　they；　every　morning　and　evening　we　were　fed　with　diamonddrops　of　dew。　Whenever　the　sun　shone；　we　felt　his　warm　rays；　and　thelittle　birds　would　relate　stories　to　us　as　they　sung。　We　knew　thatwe　were　rich；　for　the　other　trees　only　wore　their　green　dress　insummer；　but　our　family　were　able　to　array　themselves　in　green；summer　and　winter。　But　the　wood…cutter　came；　like　a　greatrevolution；　and　our　family　fell　under　the　axe。　The　head　of　the　houseobtained　a　situation　as　mainmast　in　a　very　fine　ship；　and　can　sailround　the　world　when　he　will。　The　other　branches　of　the　family　weretaken　to　different　places；　and　our　office　now　is　to　kindle　a　light　formon　people。　This　is　how　such　high…born　people　as　we　came　to　be　in　akitchen。'

〃'Mine　has　been　a　very　different　fate；'　said　the　iron　pot；　whichstood　by　the　matches；　'from　my　first　entrance　into　the　world　I　havebeen　used　to　cooking　and　scouring。　I　am　the　first　in　this　house；when　anything　solid　or　useful　is　required。　My　only　pleasure　is　to　bemade　clean　and　shining　after　dinner；　and　to　sit　in　my　place　and　have　alittle　sensible　conversation　with　my　neighbors。　All　of　us；　exceptingthe　water…bucket；　which　is　sometimes　taken　into　the　courtyard；　livehere　together　within　these　four　walls。　We　get　our　news　from　themarket…basket；　but　he　sometimes　tells　us　very　unpleasant　thingsabout　the　people　and　the　government。　Yes；　and　one　day　an　old　pot　wasso　alarmed；　that　he　fell　down　and　was　broken　to　pieces。　He　was　aliberal；　I　can　tell　you。'

〃'You　are　talking　too　much；'　said　the　tinder…box；　and　the　steelstruck　against　the　flint　till　some　sparks　flew　out；　crying；　'We　want　amerry　evening；　don't　we？'

〃'Yes；　of　course；'　said　the　matches；　'let　us　talk　about　thosewho　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　willbegin。　We　will　tell　something　that　has　happened　to　ourselves；　thatwill　be　very　easy；　and　interesting　as　well。　On　the　Baltic　Sea；　nearthe　Danish　shore'…　　　〃'What　a　pretty　mencement！'　said　the　plates；　'we　shall　alllike　that　story；　I　am　sure。'

〃'Yes；　well　in　my　youth；　I　lived　in　a　quiet　family；　where　thefurniture　was　polished；　the　floors　scoured；　and　clean　curtains　putup　every　fortnight；'

〃'What　an　interesting　way　you　have　of　relating　a　story；'　saidthe　carpet…broom；　'it　is　easy　to　perceive　that　you　have　been　a　greatdeal　in　women's　society；　there　is　something　so　pure　runs　throughwhat　you　say。'

〃'That　is　quite　true；'　said　the　water…bucket；　and　he　made　a　springwith　joy；　and　splashed　some　water　on　the　floor。

〃Then　the　saucepan　went　on　with　his　story；　and　the　end　was　as　goodas　the　beginning。

〃The　plates　rattled　with　pleasure；　and　the　carpet…broom　broughtsome　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　himto…day　he　will　crown　me　to…morrow。'

〃'Now；　let　us　have　a　dance；'　said　the　fire…tongs；　and　then　howthey　danced　and　stuck　up　one　leg　in　the　air。　The　chair…cushion　inthe　corner　burst　with　laughter　when　she　saw　it。

〃'Shall　I　be　crowned　now？'　asked　the　fire…tongs；　so　the　broomfound　another　wreath　for　the　tongs。

〃'They　were　only　mon　people　after　all；'　thought　the　matches。The　tea…urn　was　now　asked　to　sing；　but　she　said　she　had　a　cold；　andcould　not　sing　without　boiling　heat。　They　all　thought　this　wasaffectation；　and　because　she　did　not　wish　to　sing　excepting　in　theparlor；　when　on　the　table　with　the　grand　people。

〃In　the　window　sat　an　old　quill…pen；　with　which　the　maid　generallywrote。　There　was　nothing　remarkable　about　the　pen；　excepting　that　ithad　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　italone；　there　is　a　nightingale　in　a　cage　who　can　sing；　she　has　not　beentaught　much；　certainly；　but　we　need　not　say　anything　this　eveningabout　that。'

〃'I　think　it　highly　improper；'　said　the　tea…kettle；　who　waskitchen　singer；　and　half…brother　to　the　tea…urn；　'that　a　richforeign　bird　should　be　listened　to　here。　Is　it　patriotic？　Let　themarket…basket　decide　what　is　right。'

〃'I　certainly　am　vexed；'　said　the　basket；　'inwardly　vexed；　morethan　any　one　can　imagine。　Are　we　spending　the　evening　properly？Would　it　not　be　more　sensible　to　put　the　house　in　order？　If　eachwere　in　his　own　place　I　would　lead　a　game；　this　would　be　quite　anotherthing。'

〃'Let　us　act　a　play；'　said　they　all。　At　the　same　moment　the　dooropened；　and　the　maid　came　in。　Then　not　one　stirred；　they　allremained　quite　still；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　there　was　not　a　singlepot　amongst　them　who　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　himself；　and　of　what　hecould　do　if　he　chose。

〃'Yes；　if　we　had　chosen；'　they　each　thought；　'we　might　havespent　a　very　pleasant　evening。'

〃The　maid　took　the　matches　and　lighted　them；　dear　me；　how　theysputtered　and　blazed　up！

〃'Now　then；'　they　thought；　'every　one　will　see　that　we　are　thefirst。　How　we　shine；　what　a　light　we　give！'　Even　while　they　spoketheir　light　went　out。

〃What　a　capital　story；〃　said　the　queen；　〃I　feel　as　if　I　werereally　in　the　kitchen；　and　could　see　the　matches；　yes；　you　shall　marryour　daughter。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　king；　〃thou　shalt　have　our　daughter。〃　Theking　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　wholecity　was　illuminated。　Cakes　and　sweetmeats　were　thrown　among　thepeople。　The　street　boys　stood　on　tiptoe　and　shouted　〃hurrah；〃　andwhistled　between　their　fingers；　altogether　it　was　a　very　splendidaffair。

〃I　will　give　them　another　treat；〃　said　the　merchant's　son。　So　hewent　and　bought　rockets　and　crackers；　and　all　sorts　of　fire…works　thatcould　be　thought　of；　packed　them　in　his　trunk；　and　flew　up　with　itinto　the　air。　What　a　whizzing　and　popping　they　made　as　they　wentoff！　The　Turks；　when　they　saw　such　a　sight　in　the　air；　jumped　sohigh　that　their　slippers　flew　about　their　ears。　It　was　easy　to　believeafter　this　that　the　princess　was　really　going　to　marry　a　Turkishangel。

As　soon　as　the　merchant's　son　had　e　down　in　his　flying　trunk　tothe　wood　after　the　fireworks；　he　thought；　〃I　will　go　back　into　thetown　now；　and　hear　what　they　think　of　the　entertainment。〃　It　wasvery　natural　that　he　should　wish　to　know。　And　what　strange　thingspeople　did　say；　to　be　sure！　every　one　whom　he　questioned　had　adifferent　tale　to　tell；　though　they　all　thought　it　very　beautiful。

〃'I　saw　the　Turkish　angel　myself；〃　said　one；　〃he　had　eyes　likeglittering　stars；　and　a　head　like　foaming　water。〃

〃He　flew　in　a　mantle　of　fire；〃　cried　another；　〃and　lovely　littlecherubs　peeped　out　from　the　folds。〃