友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the toad-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



                     FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

                                    THE TOAD

                           by Hans Christian Andersen



    THE well was deep; and therefore the rope had to be a long one; it

was heavy work turning the handle when any one had to raise a

bucketful of water over the edge of the well。 Though the water was

clear; the sun never looked down far enough into the well to mirror

itself in the waters; but as far as its beams could reach; green

things grew forth between the stones in the sides of the well。

    Down below dwelt a family of the Toad race。 They had; in fact;

come head…over…heels down the well; in the person of the old

Mother…Toad; who was still alive。 The green Frogs; who had been

established there a long time; and swam about in the water; called

them 〃well…guests。〃 But the new…comers seemed determined to stay where

they were; for they found it very agreeable living 〃in a dry place;〃

as they called the wet stones。

    The Mother…Frog had once been a traveller。 She happened to be in

the water…bucket when it was drawn up; but the light became too strong

for her; and she got a pain in her eyes。 Fortunately she scrambled out

of the bucket; but she fell into the water with a terrible flop; and

had to lie sick for three days with pains in her back。 She certainly

had not much to tell of the things up above; but she knew this; and

all the Frogs knew it; that the well was not all the world。 The

Mother…Toad might have told this and that; if she had chosen; but

she never answered when they asked her anything; and so they left

off asking。

    〃She's thick; and fat and ugly;〃 said the young green Frogs;

〃and her children will be just as ugly as she is。〃

    〃That may be;〃 retorted the mother…Toad; 〃but one of them has a

jewel in his head; or else I have the jewel。〃

    The young frogs listened and stared; and as these words did not

please them; they made grimaces and dived down under the water。 But

the little Toads kicked up their hind legs from mere pride; for each

of them thought that he must have the jewel; and then they sat and

held their heads quite still。 But at length they asked what it was

that made them so proud; and what kind of a thing a jewel might be。

    〃Oh; it is such a splendid and precious thing; that I cannot

describe it;〃 said the Mother…Toad。 〃It's something which one

carries about for one's own pleasure; and that makes other people

angry。 But don't ask me any questions; for I shan't answer you。〃

    〃Well; I haven't got the jewel;〃 said the smallest of the Toads;

she was as ugly as a toad can be。 〃Why should I have such a precious

thing? And if it makes others angry; it can't give me any pleasure。

No; I only wish I could get to the edge of the well; and look out;

it must be beautiful up there。〃

    〃You'd better stay where you are;〃 said the old Mother…Toad;

〃for you know everything here; and you can tell what you have。 Take

care of the bucket; for it will crush you to death; and even if you

get into it safely; you may fall out。 And it's not every one who falls

so cleverly as I did; and gets away with whole legs and whole bones。

    〃Quack!〃 said the little Toad; and that's just as if one of us

were to say; 〃Aha!〃

    She had an immense desire to get to the edge of the well; and to

look over; she felt such a longing for the green; up there; and the

next morning; when it chanced that the bucket was being drawn up;

filled with water; and stopped for a moment just in front of the stone

on which the Toad sat; the little creature's heart moved within it;

and our Toad jumped into the filled bucket; which presently was

drawn to the top; and emptied out。

    〃Ugh; you beast!〃 said the farm laborer who emptied the bucket;

when he saw the toad。 〃You're the ugliest thing I've seen for one

while。〃 And he made a kick with his wooden shoe at the toad; which

just escaped being crushed by managing to scramble into the nettles

which grew high by the well's brink。 Here she saw stem by stem; but

she looked up also; the sun shone through the leaves; which were quite

transparent; and she felt as a person would feel who steps suddenly

into a great forest; where the sun looks in between the branches and

leaves。

    〃It's much nicer here than down in the well! I should like to stay

here my whole life long!〃 said the little Toad。 So she lay there for

an hour; yes; for two hours。 〃I wonder what is to be found up here? As

I have come so far; I must try to go still farther。〃 And so she

crawled on as fast as she could crawl; and got out upon the highway;

where the sun shone upon her; and the dust powdered her all over as

she marched across the way。

    〃I've got to a dry place。 now; and no mistake;〃 said the Toad。

〃It's almost too much of a good thing here; it tickles one so。〃

    She came to the ditch; and forget…me…nots were growing there;

and meadow…sweet; and a very little way off was a hedge of whitethorn;

and elder bushes grew there; too; and bindweed with white flowers。 Gay

colors were to be seen here; and a butterfly; too; was flitting by。

The Toad thought it was a flower which had broken loose that it

might look about better in the world; which was quite a natural

thing to do。

    〃If one could only make such a journey as that!〃 said the Toad。

〃Croak! how capital that would be。〃

    Eight days and eight nights she stayed by the well; and

experienced no want of provisions。 On the ninth day she thought;

〃Forward! onward!〃 But what could she find more charming and

beautiful? Perhaps a little toad or a few green frogs。 During the last

night there had been a sound borne on the breeze; as if there were

cousins in the neighborhood。

    〃It's a glorious thing to live! glorious to get out of the well;

and to lie among the stinging…nettles; and to crawl along the dusty

road。 But onward; onward! that we may find frogs or a little toad。

We can't do without that; nature alone is not enough for one。〃 And

so she went forward on her journey。

    She came out into the open field; to a great pond; round about

which grew reeds; and she walked into it。

    〃It will be too damp for you here;〃 said the Frogs; 〃but you are

very welcome! Are you a he or a she? But it doesn't matter; you are

equally welcome。〃

    And she was invited to the concert in the evening… the family

concert; great enthusiasm and thin voices; we know the sort of

thing。 No refreshments were given; only there was plenty to drink; for

the whole pond was free。

    〃Now I shall resume my journey;〃 said the little Toad; for she

always felt a longing for something better。

    She saw the stars shining; so large and so bright; and she saw the

moon gleaming; and then she saw the sun rise; and mount higher and

higher。

    〃Perhaps after all; I am still in a well; only in a larger well。 I

must get higher yet; I feel a great restlessness and longing。〃 And

when the moon became round and full; the poor creature thought; 〃I

wonder if that is the bucket which will be let down; and into which

I must step to get higher up? Or is the sun the great bucket? How

great it is! how bright it is! It can take up all。 I must look out;

that I may not miss the opportunity。 Oh; how it seems to shine in my

head! I don't think the jewel can shine brighter。 But I haven't the

jewel; not that I cry about that… no; I must go higher up; into

splendor and joy! I feel so confident; and yet I am afraid。 It's a

difficult step to take; and yet it must be taken。 Onward; therefore;

straight onward!〃

    She took a few steps; such as a crawling animal may take; and soon

found herself on a road beside which people dwelt; but there were

flower gardens as well as kitchen gardens。 And she sat down to rest by

a kitchen garden。

    〃What a number of different creatures there are that I never knew!

and how beautiful and great the world is! But one must look round in

it; and not stay in one spot。〃 And then she hopped into the kitchen

garden。 〃How green it is here! how beautiful it is here!〃

    〃I know that;〃 said the Caterpillar; on the leaf; 〃my leaf is

the largest here。 It hides half the world from me; but I don't care

for the world。〃

    〃Cluck; cluck!〃 And some fowls came。 They tripped about in the

cabbage garden。 The Fowl who marched at the head of them had a long

sight; and she spied the Caterpillar on the green leaf; and pecked

at it; so that the Caterpillar fell on the ground; where it twisted

and writhed。

    The Fowl looked at it first with one eye and then with the

other; for she did not know what the end of this writhing would be。

    〃It doesn't do that with a good will;〃 thought the Fowl; and

lifted up her head to peck at the Caterpillar。

    The Toad was so horrified at this; that she came crawling straight

up towards the Fowl。

    〃Aha; it has allies;〃 quoth the Fowl。 〃Just look at the crawling

thing!〃 And then the Fowl turned away。 〃I don't care for the little

green morsel; it would only tickle my throat。〃 The other fowls took

the same view of it; and they all turned away together。

  
返回目录 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!