安徒生童话-第29部分

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

〃That　is　all；〃　answered　the　little　mouse；　with　a　bow。

〃That　all！〃　said　the　mouse…king；　〃then　we　shall　be　glad　to　hearwhat　information　the　next　may　have　to　give　us。〃

WHAT　THE　SECOND　MOUSE　HAD　TO　TELL

〃I　was　born　in　the　library；　at　a　castle；〃　said　the　second　mouse。〃Very　few　members　of　our　family　ever　had　the　good　fortune　to　getinto　the　dining…room；　much　less　the　store…room。　On　my　journey；　andhere　to…day；　are　the　only　times　I　have　ever　seen　a　kitchen。　We　wereoften　obliged　to　suffer　hunger　in　the　library；　but　then　we　gained　agreat　deal　of　knowledge。　The　rumor　reached　us　of　the　royal　prizeoffered　to　those　who　should　be　able　to　make　soup　from　a　sausageskewer。　Then　my　old　grandmother　sought　out　a　manuscript　which；however；　she　could　not　read；　but　had　heard　it　read；　and　in　it　waswritten；　'Those　who　are　poets　can　make　soup　of　sausage　skewers。'　Shethen　asked　me　if　I　was　a　poet。　I　felt　myself　quite　innocent　of　anysuch　pretensions。　Then　she　said　I　must　go　out　and　make　myself　apoet。　I　asked　again　what　I　should　be　required　to　do；　for　it　seemedto　me　quite　as　difficult　as　to　find　out　how　to　make　soup　of　asausage　skewer。　My　grandmother　had　heard　a　great　deal　of　reading　inher　day；　and　she　told　me　three　principal　qualifications　werenecessary…　understanding；　imagination；　and　feeling。　'If　you　can　manageto　acquire　these　three；　you　will　be　a　poet；　and　the　sausage…skewersoup　will　be　quite　easy　to　you。'

〃So　I　went　forth　into　the　world；　and　turned　my　steps　towards　thewest；　that　I　might　bee　a　poet。　Understanding　is　the　mostimportant　matter　in　everything。　I　knew　that；　for　the　two　otherqualifications　are　not　thought　much　of；　so　I　went　first　to　seek　forunderstanding。　Where　was　I　to　find　it？　'Go　to　the　ant　and　learnwisdom；'　said　the　great　Jewish　king。　I　knew　that　from　living　in　alibrary。　So　I　went　straight　on　till　I　came　to　the　first　greatant…hill；　and　then　I　set　myself　to　watch；　that　I　might　bee　wise。The　ants　are　a　very　respectable　people；　they　are　wisdom　itself。　Allthey　do　is　like　the　working　of　a　sum　in　arithmetic；　which　es　right。'To　work　and　to　lay　eggs；'　say　they；　and　to　provide　for　posterity；is　to　live　out　your　time　properly；'　and　that　they　truly　do。　They　aredivided　into　the　clean　and　the　dirty　ants；　their　rank　is　pointed　outby　a　number；　and　the　ant…queen　is　number　ONE；　and　her　opinion　is　theonly　correct　one　on　everything；　she　seems　to　have　the　whole　wisdomof　the　world　in　her；　which　was　just　the　important　matter　I　wished　toacquire。　She　said　a　great　deal　which　was　no　doubt　very　clever；　yetto　me　it　sounded　like　nonsense。　She　said　the　ant…hill　was　the　loftiestthing　in　the　world；　and　yet　close　to　the　mound　stood　a　tall　tree；which　no　one　could　deny　was　loftier；　much　loftier；　but　no　mentionwas　made　of　the　tree。　One　evening　an　ant　lost　herself　on　this　tree；she　had　crept　up　the　stem；　not　nearly　to　the　top；　but　higher　thanany　ant　had　ever　ventured；　and　when　at　last　she　returned　home　she　saidthat　she　had　found　something　in　her　travels　much　higher　than　theant…hill。　The　rest　of　the　ants　considered　this　an　insult　to　thewhole　munity；　so　she　was　condemned　to　wear　a　muzzle　and　to　livein　perpetual　solitude。　A　short　time　afterwards　another　ant　got　onthe　tree；　and　made　the　same　journey　and　the　same　discovery；　but　shespoke　of　it　cautiously　and　indefinitely；　and　as　she　was　one　of　thesuperior　ants　and　very　much　respected；　they　believed　her；　and　when　shedied　they　erected　an　eggshell　as　a　monument　to　her　memory；　for　theycultivated　a　great　respect　for　science。　I　saw；〃　said　the　little　mouse；〃that　the　ants　were　always　running　to　and　fro　with　her　burdens　ontheir　backs。　Once　I　saw　one　of　them　drop　her　load；　she　gave　herselfa　great　deal　of　trouble　in　trying　to　raise　it　again；　but　she　could　notsucceed。　Then　two　others　came　up　and　tried　with　all　their　strengthto　help　her；　till　they　nearly　dropped　their　own　burdens　in　doing　so；then　they　were　obliged　to　stop　for　a　moment　in　their　help；　for　everyone　must　think　of　himself　first。　And　the　ant…queen　remarked　that　theirconduct　that　day　showed　that　they　possessed　kind　hearts　and　goodunderstanding。　'These　two　qualities；'　she　continued；　'place　us　ants　inthe　highest　degree　above　all　other　reasonable　beings。　Understandingmust　therefore　be　seen　among　us　in　the　most　prominent　manner；　and　mywisdom　is　greater　than　all。'　And　so　saying　she　raised　herself　on　hertwo　hind　legs；　that　no　one　else　might　be　mistaken　for　her。　I　could　nottherefore　make　an　error；　so　I　ate　her　up。　We　are　to　go　to　the　antsto　learn　wisdom；　and　I　had　got　the　queen。

〃I　now　turned　and　went　nearer　to　the　lofty　tree　already　mentioned；which　was　an　oak。　It　had　a　tall　trunk　with　a　wide…spreading　top；　andwas　very　old。　I　knew　that　a　living　being　dwelt　here；　a　dryad　as　she　iscalled；　who　is　born　with　the　tree　and　dies　with　it。　I　had　heard　thisin　the　library；　and　here　was　just　such　a　tree；　and　in　it　anoak…maiden。　She　uttered　a　terrible　scream　when　she　caught　sight　ofme　so　near　to　her；　like　many　women；　she　was　very　much　afraid　ofmice。　And　she　had　more　real　cause　for　fear　than　they　have；　for　I　mighthave　gnawed　through　the　tree　on　which　her　life　depended。　I　spoke　toher　in　a　kind　and　friendly　manner；　and　begged　her　to　take　courage。At　last　she　took　me　up　in　her　delicate　hand；　and　then　I　told　herwhat　had　brought　me　out　into　the　world；　and　she　promised　me　thatperhaps　on　that　very　evening　she　should　be　able　to　obtain　for　me　oneof　the　two　treasures　for　which　I　was　seeking。　She　told　me　thatPhantaesus　was　her　very　dear　friend；　that　he　was　as　beautiful　as　thegod　of　love；　that　he　remained　often　for　many　hours　with　her　underthe　leafy　boughs　of　the　tree　which　then　rustled　and　waved　more　thanever　over　them　both。　He　called　her　his　dryad；　she　said；　and　the　treehis　tree；　for　the　grand　old　oak；　with　its　gnarled　trunk；　was　just　tohis　taste。　The　root；　spreading　deep　into　the　earth；　the　top　risinghigh　in　the　fresh　air；　knew　the　value　of　the　drifted　snow；　the　keenwind；　and　the　warm　sunshine；　as　it　ought　to　be　known。　'Yes；'　continuedthe　dryad；　'the　birds　sing　up　above　in　the　branches；　and　talk　toeach　other　about　the　beautiful　fields　they　have　visited　in　foreignlands；　and　on　one　of　the　withered　boughs　a　stork　has　built　hisnest；…　it　is　beautifully　arranged；　and　besides　it　is　pleasant　tohear　a　little　about　the　land　of　the　pyramids。　All　this　pleasesPhantaesus；　but　it　is　not　enough　for　him；　I　am　obliged　to　relate　tohim　of　my　life　in　the　woods；　and　to　go　back　to　my　childhood；　when　Iwas　little；　and　the　tree　so　small　and　delicate　that　astinging…tle　could　overshadow　it；　and　I　have　to　tell　everythingthat　has　happened　since　then　till　now　that　the　tree　is　so　large　andstrong。　Sit　you　down　now　under　the　green　bindwood　and　pay　attention；when　Phantaesus　es　I　will　find　an　opportunity　to　lay　hold　of　hiswing　and　to　pull　out　one　of　the　little　feathers。　That　feather　youshall　have；　a　better　was　never　given　to　any　poet；　it　will　be　quiteenough　for　you。'

〃And　when　Phantaesus　came　the　feather　was　plucked；　and；〃　saidthe　little　mouse；　〃I　seized　and　put　it　in　water；　and　kept　it　theretill　it　was　quite　soft。　It　was　very　heavy　and　indigestible；　but　Imanaged　to　nibble　it　up　at　last。　It　is　not　so　easy　to　nibble　one'sself　into　a　poet；　there　are　so　many　things　to　get　through。　Now；however；　I　had　two　of　them；　understanding　and　imagination；　and　throughthese　I　knew　that　the　third　was　to　be　found　in　the　library。　A　greatman　has　said　and　written　that　there　are　novels　whose　sole　and　only　useappeared　to　be　that　they　might　relieve　mankind　of　overflowing　tears…　akind　of　sponge；　in　fact；　for　sucking　up　feelings　and　emotions。　Iremembered　a　few　of　these　books；　they　had　always　appeared　temptingto　the　appetite；　they　had　been　much　read；　and　were　so　greasy；　thatthey　must　have　absorbed　no　end　of　emotions　in　themselves。　I　retracedmy　steps　to　the　library；　and　literally　devoured　a　whole　novel；　thatis；　properly　speaking；　the　interior　or　soft　part　of　it；　the　crust；or　binding；　I　left。　When　I　had　digested　not　only　this；　but　a　second；　Ifelt　a　stirring　within　me；　then　I　ate　a　small　piece　of　a　thirdromance；　and　felt　myself　a　poet。　I　said　it　to　myself；　and　toldothers　the　same。　I　had　head…ache　and　back…ache；　and　I　cannot　tell　whataches　besides。　I　thought　over　all　the　stories　that　may　be　said　to　beconnected　with　sausage　pegs；　and　all　that　has　ever　been　writtenabout　skewers；　and　sticks；　and　staves；　and　splinters　came　to　mythoughts；　the　ant…queen　must　have　had　a　wonderfully　clearunderstanding。　I　remembered　the　man　who　placed　a　white　stick　in　hismouth　by　which　he　could　make　himself　and　the　stick　invisible。　Ithought　of　sticks　as　hobby…horses；　staves　of　music　or　rhyme；　ofbreaking　a　stick　over　a　man's　back；　and　heaven　knows　how　many　morephrases　of　the　same　sort　relating　to　sticks；　staves；　and　skewers。All　my　thoughts　rein　on　skewers；　sticks　of　wood；　and　staves；　and　asI　am；　at　last；　a　poet；　and　I　have　worked　terribly　hard　to　makemyself　one；　I　can　of　course　make　poetry　on　anything。　I　shall　thereforebe　able　to　wait　upon　you　every　day　in　the　week　with　a　poetical　historyof　a　skewer。　And　that　is　my　soup。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　mouse…king；　〃we　will　hear　what　thethird　mouse　has　to　say。〃

〃Squeak；　squeak；〃　cried　a　little　mouse　at　the　kitchen　door；　it　wasthe　fourth；　and　not　the　third；　of　the　four　who　were　contending　for　theprize；　one　whom　the　rest　supposed　to　be　dead。　She　shot　in　like　anarrow；　and　overturned　the　sausage　peg　that　had　been　covered　withcrape。　She　had　been　running　day　and　night。　She　had　watched　anopportunity　to　get　into　a　goods　train；　and　had　travelled　by　therailway；　and　yet　she　had　arrived　almost　too　late。　She　pressed　forward；looking　very　much　ruffled。　She　had　lost　her　sausage　skewer；　but　nother　voice；　for　she　began　to　speak　at　once　as　if　they　only　waited　forher；　and　would　hear　her　only；　and　as　if　nothing　else　in　the　worldwas　of　the　least　consequence。　She　spoke　out　so　clearly　and　plainly；and　she　had　e　in　so　suddenly；　that　no　one　had　time　to　stop　her　orto　say　a　word　while　she　was　speaking。　And　now　let　us　hear　what　shesaid。

WHAT　THE　FOURTH　MOUSE；　WHO　SPOKE

　　BEFORE　THE　THIRD；　HAD　TO　TELL

〃I　started　off　at　once　to　the　largest　town；〃　said　she；　〃but　thename　of　it　has　escaped　me。　I　have　a　very　bad　memory　for　names。　I　wascarried　from　the　railway；　with　some　forfeited　goods；　to　the　jail；and　on　arriving　I　made　my　escape；　and　ran　into　the　house　of　theturnkey。　The　turnkey　was　speaking　of　his　prisoners；　especially　ofone　who　had　uttered　thoughtless　words。　These　words　had　given　rise　toother　words；　and　at　length　they　were　written　down　and　registered：　'Thewhole　affair　is　like　making　soup　of　sausage　skewers；'　said　he；　'butthe　soup　may　cost　him　his　neck。'

〃Now　this　raised　in　me　an　interest　for　the　prisoner；〃　continuedthe　little　mouse；　〃and　I　watched　my　opportunity；　and　slipped　intohis　apartment；　for　there　is　a　mouse…hole　to　be　found　behind　everyclosed　door。　The　prisoner　looked　pale；　he　had　a　great　beard　and　large；sparkling　eyes。　There　was　a　lamp　burning；　but　the　walls　were　soblack　that　they　only　looked　the　blacker　for　it。　The　prisoner　scratchedpictures　and　verses　with　white　chalk　on　the　black　walls；　but　I　did　notread　the　verses。　I　think　he　found　his　confinement　wearisome；　so　that　Iwas　a　wele　guest。　He　enticed　me　with　bread…crumbs；　withwhistling；　and　with　gentle　words；　and　seemed　so　friendly　towards　me；that　by　degrees　I　gained　confidence　in　him；　and　we　became　friends；he　divided　his　bread　and　water　with　me；　gave　me　cheese　and　sausage；and　I　really　began　to　love　him。　Altogether；　I　must　own　that　it　was　avery　pleasant　intimacy。　He　let　me　run　about　on　his　hand；　and　on　hisarm；　and　into　his　sleeve；　and　I　even　crept　into　his　beard；　and　hecalled　me　his　little　friend。　I　forgot　what　I　had　e　out　into　theworld　for；　forgot　my　sausage　skewer　which　I　had　laid　in　a　crack　in　thefloor…　it　is　lying　there　still。　I　wished　to　stay　with　him　always　whereI　was；　for　I　knew　that　if　I　went　away　the　poor　prisoner　would　haveno　one　to　be　his　friend；　which　is　a　sad　thing。　I　stayed；　but　he　didnot。　He　spoke　to　me　so　mournfully　for　the　last　time；　gave　me　double　asmuch　bread　and　cheese　as　usual；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　me。　Then　hewent　away；　and　never　came　back。　I　know　nothing　more　of　his　history。

〃The　jailer　took　possession　of　me　now。　He　said　something　aboutsoup　from　a　sausage　skewer；　but　I　could　not　trust　him。　He　took　me　inhis　hand　certainly；　but　it　was　to　place　me　in　a　cage　like　atread…mill。　Oh　how　dreadful　it　was！　I　had　to　run　round　and　roundwithout　getting　any　farther　in　advance；　and　only　to　make　everybodylaugh。　The　jailer's　grand…daughter　was　a　charming　little　thing。　Shehad　curly　hair　like　the　brightest　gold；　merry　eyes；　and　such　a　smilingmouth。

〃'You　poor　little　mouse；'　said　she；　one　day　as　she　peeped　intomy　cage；　'I　will　set　you　free。'　She　then　drew　forth　the　ironfastening；　and　I　sprang　out　on　the　window…sill；　and　from　thence　to　theroof。　Free！　free！　that　was　all　I　could　think　of；　not　of　the　objectof　my　journey。　It　grew　dark；　and　as　night　was　ing　on　I　found　alodging　in　an　old　tower；　where　dwelt　a　watchman　and　an　owl。　I　had　noconfidence　in　either　of　them；　least　of　all　in　the　owl；　which　is　like　acat；　and　has　a　great　failing；　for　she　eats　mice。　One　may　however　bemistaken　sometimes；　and　so　was　I；　for　this　was　a　respectable　andwell…educated　old　owl；　who　knew　more　than　the　watchman；　and　even　asmuch　as　I　did　myself。　The　young　owls　made　a　great　fuss　abouteverything；　but　the　only　rough　words　she　would　say　to　them　were；'You　had　better　go　and　make　some　soup　from　sausage　skewers。'　She　wasvery　indulgent　and　loving　to　her　children。　Her　conduct　gave　me　suchconfidence　in　her；　that　from　the　crack　where　I　sat　I　called　out'squeak。'　This　confidence　of　mine　pleased　her　so　much　that　she　assuredme　she　would　take　me　under　her　own　protection；　and　that　not　a　creatureshould　do　me　harm。　The　fact　was；　she　wickedly　meant　to　keep　me　inreserve　for　her　own　eating　in　winter；　when　food　would　be　scarce。　Yetshe　was　a　very　clever　lady…owl；　she　explained　to　me　that　thewatchman　could　only　hoot　with　the　horn　that　hung　loose　at　his　side；and　then　she　said　he　is　so　terribly　proud　of　it；　that　he　imagineshimself　an　owl　in　the　tower；…　wants　to　do　great　things；　but　onlysucceeds　in　small；　all　soup　on　a　sausage　skewer。　Then　I　begged　the　owlto　give　me　the　recipe　for　this　soup。　'Soup　from　a　sausage　skewer；'said　she；　'is　only　a　proverb　amongst　mankind；　and　may　be　understood　inmany　ways。　Each　believes　his　own　way　the　best；　and　after　all；　theproverb　signifies　nothing。'　'Nothing！'　I　exclaimed。　I　was　quitestruck。　Truth　is　not　always　agreeable；　but　truth　is　above　everythingelse；　as　the　old　owl　said。　I　thought　over　all　this；　and　saw　quiteplainly　that　if　truth　was　really　so　far　above　everything　else；　it　mustbe　much　more　valuable　than　soup　from　a　sausage　skewer。　So　I　hastenedto　get　away；　that　I　might　be　home　in　time；　and　bring　what　washighest　and　best；　and　above　everything…　namely；　the　truth。　The　miceare　an　enlightened　people；　and　the　mouse…king　is　above　them　all。　He　istherefore　capable　of　making　me　queen　for　the　sake　of　truth。〃

〃Your　truth　is　a　falsehood；〃　said　the　mouse　who　had　not　yetspoken；　〃I　can　prepare　the　soup；　and　I　mean　to　do　so。〃

　HOW　IT　WAS　PREPARED

〃I　did　not　travel；〃　said　the　third　mouse；　〃I　stayed　in　thiscountry：　that　was　the　right　way。　One　gains　nothing　by　travelling…everything　can　be　acquired　here　quite　as　easily；　so　I　stayed　athome。　I　have　not　obtained　what　I