英语版童话故事 (58)[指南]

英语版童话故事(58)[指南]英语版童话故事(58)1872FAIRYTALESOFHANSCHRISTIANANDERSENTHEGIRLWHOTRODONTHELOAFbyHansChristianAndersenTHEREwasonceagirlwhotrodonaloaftoavoidsoilinghershoes,andthemisfortunesthathappenedtoherinconsequencearewellknown.HernamewasInge;shewasapoorchild,butproudandpresuming,andwithabadandcrueldisposition.Whenquitealittlechildshewoulddelightincatchingflies,andtearingofftheirwings,soastomakecreepingthingsofthem.Whenolder,shewouldtakecockchafersandbeetles,andstickpinsthroughthem.Thenshepushedagreenleaf,oralittlescrapofpapertowardstheirfeet,andwhenthepoorcreatureswouldseizeitandholditfast,andturnoverandoverintheirstrugglestogetfreefromthepin,shewouldsay,"Thecockchaferisreading;seehowheturnsovertheleaf."Shegrewworseinsteadofbetterwithyears,and,unfortunately,shewaspretty,whichcausedhertobeexcused,whensheshouldhavebeensharplyreproved."Yourheadstrongwillrequiresseveritytoconquerit,"hermotheroftensaidtoher."Asalittlechildyouusedtotrampleonmyapron,butonedayIfearyouwilltrampleonmyheart."And,alas!thisfearwasrealized.Ingewastakentothehouseofsomerichpeople,wholivedatadistance,andwhotreatedherastheirownchild,anddressedhersofinethatherprideandarroganceincreased.Whenshehadbeenthereaboutayear,herpatronesssaidtoher,"Yououghttogo,foronce,andseeyourparents,Inge."SoIngestartedtogoandvisitherparents;butsheonlywantedtoshowherselfinhernativeplace,thatthepeoplemightseehowfineshewas.Shereachedtheentranceofthevillage,andsawtheyounglaboringmenandmaidensstandingtogetherchatting,andherownmotheramongstthem.Inge'smotherwassittingonastonetorest,withafagotofstickslyingbeforeher,whichshehadpickedupinthewood.ThenIngeturnedback;shewhowassofinelydressedshefeltashamedofhermother,apoorlycladwoman,whopickedupwoodintheforest.Shedidnotturnbackoutofpityforhermother'spoverty,butfrompride.Anotherhalf-yearwentby,andhermistresssaid,"yououghttogohomeagain,andvisityourparents,Inge,andIwillgiveyoualargewheatenloaftotaketothem,theywillbegladtoseeyou,Iamsure."SoIngeputonherbestclothes,andhernewshoes,drewherdressuparoundher,andsetout,steppingverycarefully,thatshemightbecleanandneataboutthefeet,andtherewasnothingwrongindoingso.Butwhenshecametotheplacewherethefootpathledacrossthemoor,shefoundsmallpoolsofwater,andagreatdealofmud,soshethrewtheloafintothemud,andtroduponit,thatshemightpasswithoutwettingherfeet.Butasshestoodwithonefootontheloafandtheotherlifteduptostepforward,theloafbegantosinkunderher,lowerandlower,tillshedisappearedaltogether,andonlyafewbubblesonthesurfaceofthemuddypoolremainedtoshowwhereshehadsunk.Andthisisthestory.ButwheredidIngego?Shesankintotheground,andwentdowntotheMarshWoman,whoisalwaysbrewingthere.TheMarshWomanisrelatedtotheelfmaidens,whoarewell-known,forsongsaresungandpicturespaintedaboutthem.ButoftheMarshWomannothingisknown,exceptingthatwhenamistarisesfromthemeadows,insummertime,itisbecausesheisbrewingbeneaththem.TotheMarshWoman'sbreweryIngesunkdowntoaplacewhichnoonecanendureforlong.AheapofmudisapalacecomparedwiththeMarshWoman'sbrewery;andasIngefellsheshudderedineverylimb,andsoonbecamecoldandstiffasmarble.Herfootwasstillfastenedtotheloaf,whichbowedherdownasagoldenearofcornbendsthestem.AnevilspiritsoontookpossessionofInge,andcarriedhertoastillworseplace,inwhichshesawcrowdsofunhappypeople,waitinginastateofagonyforthegatesofmercytobeopenedtothem,andineveryheartwasamiserableandeternalfeelingofunrest.Itwouldtaketoomuchtimetodescribethevarioustorturesthesepeoplesuffered,butInge'spunishmentconsistedinstandingthereasastatue,withherfootfastenedtotheloaf.Shecouldmovehereyesabout,andseeallthemiseryaroundher,butshecouldnotturnherhead;andwhenshesawthepeoplelookingathershethoughttheywereadmiringherprettyfaceandfineclothes,forshewasstillvainandproud.ButshehadforgottenhowsoiledherclotheshadbecomewhileintheMarshWoman'sbrewery,andthattheywerecoveredwithmud;asnakehadalsofasteneditselfinherhair,andhungdownherback,whilefromeachfoldinherdressagreattoadpeepedoutandcroakedlikeanasthmaticpoodle.Worsethanallwastheterriblehungerthattormentedher,andshecouldnotstooptobreakoffapieceoftheloafonwhichshestood.No;herbackwastoostiff,andherwholebodylikeapillarofstone.Andthencamecreepingoverherfaceandeyesflieswithoutwings;shewinkedandblinked,buttheycouldnotflyaway,fortheirwingshadbeenpulledoff;this,addedtothehungershefelt,washorribletorture."Ifthislastsmuchlonger,"shesaid,"Ishallnotbeabletobearit."Butitdidlast,andshehadtobearit,withoutbeingabletohelpherself.Atear,followedbymanyscaldingtears,felluponherhead,androlledoverherfaceandneck,downtotheloafonwhichshestood.WhocouldbeweepingforInge?Shehadamotherintheworldstill,andthetearsofsorrowwhichamothershedsforherchildwillalwaysfindtheirwaytothechild'sheart,buttheyoftenincreasethetormentinsteadofbeingarelief.AndIngecouldhearallthatwassaidaboutherintheworldshehadleft,andeveryoneseemedcrueltoher.Thesinshehadcommittedintreadingontheloafwasknownonearth,forshehadbeenseenbythecowherdfromthehill,whenshewascrossingthemarshandhaddisappeared.Whenhermotherweptandexclaimed,"Ah,Inge!whatgriefthouhastcausedthymother"shewouldsay,"OhthatIhadneverbeenborn!Mymother'stearsareuselessnow."Andthenthewordsofthekindpeoplewhohadadoptedhercametoherears,whentheysaid,"Ingewasasinfulgirl,whodidnotvaluethegiftsofGod,buttrampledthemunderherfeet.""Ah,"thoughtInge,"theyshouldhavepunishedme,anddrivenallmynaughtytempersoutofme."Asongwasmadeabout"Thegirlwhotrodonaloaftokeephershoesfrombeingsoiled,"andthissongwassungeverywhere.Thestoryofhersinwasalsotoldtothelittlechildren,andtheycalledher"wickedInge,"andsaidshewassonaughtythatsheoughttobepunished.Ingeheardallthis,andherheartbecamehardenedandfullofbitterness.Butoneday,whilehungerandgriefweregnawinginherhollowframe,sheheardalittle,innocentchild,whilelisteningtothetaleofthevain,haughtyInge,burstintotearsandexclaim,"Butwillshenevercomeupagain?"Andsheheardthereply,"No,shewillnevercomeupagain.""Butifsheweretosayshewassorry,andaskpardon,andpromisenevertodosoagain?"askedthelittleone."Yes,thenshemightcome;butshewillnotbegpardon,"wastheanswer."Oh,Iwishshewould!"saidthechild,whowasquiteunhappyaboutit."Ishouldbesoglad.Iwouldgiveupmydollandallmyplaythings,ifshecouldonlycomehereagain.PoorInge!itissodreadfulforher."ThesepityingwordspenetratedtoInge'sinmostheart,andseemedtodohergood.Itwasthefirsttimeanyonehadsaid,"PoorInge!"withoutsayingsomethingaboutherfaults.Alittleinnocentchildwasweeping,andprayingformercyforher.Itmadeherfeelquitestrange,andshewouldgladlyhaveweptherself,anditaddedtohertormenttofindshecouldnotdoso.Andwhileshethussufferedinaplacewherenothingchanged,yearspassedawayonearth,andsheheardhernamelessfrequentlymentioned.Butonedayasighreachedherear,andthewords,"Inge!Inge!whatagriefthouhastbeentome!Isaiditwouldbeso."Itwasthelastsighofherdyingmother.Afterthis,Ingeheardherkindmistresssay,"Ah,poorInge!shallIeverseetheeagain?PerhapsImay,forweknownotwhatmayhappeninthefuture."ButIngeknewrightwellthathermistresswouldnevercometothatdreadfulplace.Time-passed-alongbittertime-thenIngeheardhernamepronouncedoncemore,andsawwhatseemedtwobrightstarsshiningaboveher.Theyweretwogentleeyesclosingonearth.Manyyearshadpassedsincethelittlegirlhadlamentedandweptabout"poorInge."Thatchildwasnowanoldwoman,whomGodwastakingtoHimself.Inthelasthourofexistencetheeventsofawholelifeoftenappearbeforeus;andthishourtheoldwomanrememberedhow,whenachild,shehadshedtearsoverthestoryofInge,andsheprayedforhernow.Astheeyesoftheoldwomanclosedtoearth,theeyesofthesoulopeneduponthehiddenthingsofeternity,andthenshe,inwhoselastthoughtsIngehadbeensovividlypresent,sawhowdeeplythepoorgirlhadsunk.Sheburstintotearsatthesight,andinheaven,asshehaddonewhenalittlechildonearth,sheweptandprayedforpoorInge.Hertearsandherprayersechoedthroughthedarkvoidthatsurroundedthetormentedcaptivesoul,andtheunexpectedmercywasobtainedforitthroughanangel'stears.AsinthoughtIngeseemedtoactoveragaineverysinshehadcommittedonearth,shetrembled,andtearsshehadneveryetbeenabletoweeprushedtohereyes.Itseemedimpossiblethatthegatesofmercycouldeverbeopenedtoher;butwhilesheacknowledgedthisindeeppenitence,abeamofradiantlightshotsuddenlyintothedepthsuponher.Morepowerfulthanthesunbeamthatdissolvesthemanofsnowwhichthechildrenhaveraised,morequicklythanthesnowflakemeltsandbecomesadropofwateronthewarmlipsofachild,wasthestonyformofIngechanged,andasalittlebirdshesoared,withthespeedoflightning,upwardtotheworldofmortals.Abirdthatfelttimidandshytoallthingsaroundit,thatseemedtoshrinkwithshamefrommeetinganylivingcreature,andhurriedlysoughttoconcealitselfinadarkcornerofanoldruinedwall;thereitsatcoweringandunabletoutterasound,foritwasvoiceless.Yethowquicklythelittlebirddiscoveredthebeautyofeverythingaroundit.Thesweet,freshair;thesoftradianceofthemoon,asitslightspreadovertheearth;thefragrancewhichexhaledfrombushandtree,madeitfeelhappyasitsatthereclothedinitsfresh,brightplumage.Allcreationseemedtospeakofbeneficenceandlove.Thebirdwantedtogiveutterancetothoughtsthatstirredinhisbreast,asthecuckooandthenightingaleinthespring,butitcouldnot.Yetinheavencanbeheardthesongofpraise,evenfromaworm;andthenotestremblinginthebreastofthebirdwereasaudibletoHeavenevenasthepsalmsofDavidbeforetheyhadfashionedthemselvesintowordsandsong.Christmas-timedrewnear,andapeasantwhodweltclosebytheoldwallstuckupapolewithsomeearsofcornfastenedtothetop,thatthebirdsofheavenmighthavefeast,andrejoiceinthehappy,blessedtime.AndonChristmasmorningthesunaroseandshoneupontheearsofcorn,whichwerequicklysurroundedbyanumberoftwitteringbirds.Then,fromaholeinthewall,gushedforthinsongtheswellingthoughtsofthebirdasheissuedfromhishidingplacetoperformhisfirstgooddeedonearth,-andinheavenitwaswellknownwhothatbirdwas.Thewinterwasveryhard;thepondswerecoveredwithice,andtherewasverylittlefoodforeitherthebeastsofthefieldorthebirdsoftheair.Ourlittlebirdflewawayintothepublicroads,andfoundhereandthere,intherutsofthesledges,agrainofcorn,andatthehaltingplacessomecrumbs.Oftheseheateonlyafew,buthecalledaroundhimtheotherbirdsandthehungrysparrows,thattheytoomighthavefood.Heflewintothetowns,andlookedabout,andwhereverakindhandhadstrewedbreadonthewindow-sillforthebirds,heonlyateasinglecrumbhimself,andgavealltheresttotherestoftheotherbirds.Inthecourseofthewinterthebirdhadinthiswaycollectedmanycrumbsandgiventhemtootherbirds,tilltheyequalledtheweightoftheloafonwhichIngehadtrodtokeephershoesclean;andwhenthelastbread-crumbhadbeenfoundandgiven,thegraywingsofthebirdbecamewhite,andspreadthemselvesoutforflight."See,yonderisasea-gull!"criedthechildren,whentheysawthewhitebird,asitdivedintothesea,androseagainintotheclearsunlight,whiteandglittering.Butnoonecouldtellwhitheritwentthenalthoughsomedeclareditflewstraighttothesun.THEENDLastIndexNextWrittenByAnderson