the portuguese duck-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　PORTUGUESE　DUCK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　A　DUCK　once　arrived　from　Portugal；　but　there　were　some　who　said

she　came　from　Spain；　which　is　almost　the　same　thing。　At　all　events；

she　was　called　the　〃Portuguese；〃　and　she　laid　eggs；　was　killed；　and

cooked；　and　there　was　an　end　of　her。　But　the　ducklings　which　crept

forth　from　the　eggs　were　also　called　〃Portuguese；〃　and　about　that

there　may　be　some　question。　But　of　all　the　family　one　only　remained　in

the　duckyard；　which　may　be　called　a　farmyard；　as　the　chickens　were

admitted；　and　the　cock　strutted　about　in　a　very　hostile　manner。　〃He

annoys　me　with　his　loud　crowing；〃　said　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃but；

still；　he's　a　handsome　bird；　there's　no　denying　that；　although　he's

not　a　drake。　He　ought　to　moderate　his　voice；　like　those　little　birds

who　are　singing　in　the　lime…trees　over　there　in　our　neighbor's　garden；

but　that　is　an　art　only　acquired　in　polite　society。　How　sweetly　they

sing　there；　it　is　quite　a　pleasure　to　listen　to　them！　I　call　it

Portuguese　singing。　If　I　had　only　such　a　little　singing…bird；　I'd　be

kind　and　good　as　a　mother　to　him；　for　it's　in　my　nature；　in　my

Portuguese　blood。〃

　　　　While　she　was　speaking；　one　of　the　little　singing…birds　came

tumbling　head　over　heels　from　the　roof　into　the　yard。　The　cat　was

after　him；　but　he　had　escaped　from　her　with　a　broken　wing；　and　so　came

tumbling　into　the　yard。　〃That's　just　like　the　cat；　she's　a　villain；〃

said　the　Portuguese　duck。　〃I　remember　her　ways　when　I　had　children

of　my　own。　How　can　such　a　creature　be　allowed　to　live；　and　wander

about　upon　the　roofs。　I　don't　think　they　allow　such　things　in

Portugal。〃　She　pitied　the　little　singing…bird；　and　so　did　all　the

other　ducks　who　were　not　Portuguese。

　　　　〃Poor　little　creature！〃　they　said；　one　after　another；　as　they　came

up。　〃We　can't　sing；　certainly；　but　we　have　a　sounding…board；　or

something　of　the　kind；　within　us；　we　can　feel　that；　though　we　don't

talk　about　it。〃

　　　　〃But　I　can　talk；〃　said　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃and　I'll　do　something

for　the　little　fellow；　it's　my　duty；〃　and　she　stepped　into　the

water…trough；　and　beat　her　wings　upon　the　water　so　strongly　that　the

bird　was　nearly　drowned　by　a　shower…bath；　but　the　duck　meant　it

kindly。　〃That　is　a　good　deed；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　the　others　will

take　example　by　it。〃

　　　　〃Tweet；　tweet！〃　said　the　little　bird；　for　one　of　his　wings　being

broken；　he　found　it　difficult　to　shake　himself；　but　he　quite

understood　that　the　bath　was　meant　kindly；　and　he　said；　〃You　are

very　kind…hearted；　madam；〃　but　he　did　not　wish　for　a　second　bath。

　　　　〃I　have　never　thought　about　my　heart；〃　replied　the　Portuguese

duck；　〃but　I　know　that　I　love　all　my　fellow…creatures；　except　the　cat；

and　nobody　can　expect　me　to　love　her；　for　she　ate　up　two　of　my

ducklings。　But　pray　make　yourself　at　home；　it　is　easy　to　make　one's

self　comfortable。　I　am　myself　from　a　foreign　country；　as　you　may　see

by　my　feathery　dress。　My　drake　is　a　native　of　these　parts；　he's　not　of

my　race；　but　I　am　not　proud　on　that　account。　If　any　one　here　can

understand　you；　I　may　say　positively　I　am　that　person。〃

　　　　〃She's　quite　full　of　'Portulak；'〃　said　a　little　common　duck；　who

was　witty。　All　the　common　ducks　considered　the　word　〃Portulak〃　a

good　joke；　for　it　sounded　like　Portugal。　They　nudged　each　other；　and

said；　〃Quack！　that　was　witty！〃

　　　　Then　the　other　ducks　began　to　notice　the　little　bird。　〃The

Portuguese　had　certainly　a　great　flow　of　language；〃　they　said　to　the

little　bird。　〃For　our　part　we　don't　care　to　fill　our　beaks　with　such

long　words；　but　we　sympathize　with　you　quite　as　much。　If　we　don't　do

anything　else；　we　can　walk　about　with　you　everywhere；　and　we　think

that　is　the　best　thing　we　can　do。〃

　　　　〃You　have　a　lovely　voice；〃　said　one　of　the　eldest　ducks；　〃it

must　be　great　satisfaction　to　you　to　be　able　to　give　so　much

pleasure　as　you　do。　I　am　certainly　no　judge　of　your　singing　so　I

keep　my　beak　shut；　which　is　better　than　talking　nonsense；　as　others

do。〃

　　　　〃Don't　plague　him　so；　interposed　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃he　requires

rest　and　nursing。　My　little　singing…bird　do　you　wish　me　to　prepare

another　bath　for　you？〃

　　　　〃Oh；　no！　no！　pray　let　me　dry；〃　implored　the　little　bird。

　　　　〃The　water…cure　is　the　only　remedy　for　me；　when　I　am　not　well；〃

said　the　Portuguese。　〃Amusement；　too；　is　very　beneficial。　The　fowls

from　the　neighborhood　will　soon　be　here　to　pay　you　a　visit。　There

are　two　Cochin　Chinese　amongst　them；　they　wear　feathers　on　their　legs；

and　are　well　educated。　They　have　been　brought　from　a　great　distance；

and　consequently　I　treat　them　with　greater　respect　than　I　do　the

others。〃

　　　　Then　the　fowls　arrived；　and　the　cock　was　polite　enough　to…day　to

keep　from　being　rude。　〃You　are　a　real　songster；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　as

much　with　your　little　voice　as　it　is　possible　to　do；　but　there

requires　more　noise　and　shrillness　in　any　one　who　wishes　it　to　be

known　who　he　is。〃

　　　　The　two　Chinese　were　quite　enchanted　with　the　appearance　of　the

singing…bird。　His　feathers　had　been　much　ruffled　by　his　bath；　so

that　he　seemed　to　them　quite　like　a　tiny　Chinese　fowl。　〃He's

charming；〃　they　said　to　each　other；　and　began　a　conversation　with

him　in　whispers；　using　the　most　aristocratic　Chinese　dialect：　〃We

are　of　the　same　race　as　yourself；〃　they　said。　〃The　ducks；　even　the

Portuguese；　are　all　aquatic　birds；　as　you　must　have　noticed。　You　do

not　know　us　yet；…　very　few　know　us；　or　give　themselves　the　trouble

to　make　our　acquaintance；　not　even　any　of　the　fowls；　though　we　are

born　to　occupy　a　higher　grade　in　society　than　most　of　them。　But　that

does　not　disturb　us；　we　quietly　go　on　in　our　own　way　among　the　rest；

whose　ideas　are　certainly　not　ours；　for　we　look　at　the　bright　side

of　things；　and　only　speak　what　is　good；　although　that　is　sometimes

very　difficult　to　find　where　none　exists。　Except　ourselves　and　the

cock　there　is　not　one　in　the　yard　who　can　be　called　talented　or

polite。　It　cannot　even　be　said　of　the　ducks；　and　we　warn　you；　little

bird；　not　to　trust　that　one　yonder；　with　the　short　tail　feathers；

for　she　is　cunning；　that　curiously　marked　one；　with　the　crooked

stripes　on　her　wings；　is　a　mischief…maker；　and　never　lets　any　one　have

the　last　word；　though　she　is　always　in　the　wrong。　That　fat　duck　yonder

speaks　evil　of　every　one；　and　that　is　against　our　principles。　If　we

have　nothing　good　to　tell；　we　close　our　beaks。　The　Portuguese　is　the

only　one　who　has　had　any　education；　and　with　whom　we　can　associate；

but　she　is　passionate；　and　talks　too　much　about　'Portugal。'〃

　　　　〃I　wonder　what　those　two　Chinese　are　whispering　about；〃

whispered　one　duck　to　another；　〃they　are　always　doing　it；　and　it

annoys　me。　We　never　speak　to　them。〃

　　　　Now　the　drake　came　up；　and　he　thought　the　little　singing…bird

was　a　sparrow。　〃Well；　I　don't　understand　the　difference；〃　he　said；　〃it

appears　to　me　all　the　same。　He's　only　a　plaything；　and　if　people

will　have　playthings；　why　let　them；　I　say。〃

　　　　〃Don't　take　any　notice　of　what　he　says；〃　whispered　the　Portuguese；

〃he's　very　well　in　matters　of　business；　and　with　him　business　is

placed　before　everything。　But　now　I　shall　lie　down　and　have　a　little

rest。　It　is　a　duty　we　owe　to　ourselves　that　we　may　be　nice　and　fat

when　we　come　to　be　embalmed　with　sage　and　onions　and　apples。〃　So　she

laid　herself　down　in　the　sun　and　winked　with　one　eye；　she　had　a　very

comfortable　place；　and　felt　so　comfortable　that　she　fell　asleep。　The

little　singing…bird　busied　himself　for　some　time　with　his　broken　wing；

and　at　last　he　lay　down；　too；　quite　close　to　his　protectress。　The

sun　shone　warm　and　bright；　and　he　found　out　that　it　was　a　very　good

place。　But　the　fowls　of　the　neighborhood　were　all　awake；　and；　to

tell　the　truth；　they　had　paid　a　visit　to　the　duckyard；　simply　and

solely　to　find　food　for　themselves。　The　Chinese　were　the　first　to

leave；　and　the　other　fowls　soon　followed　them。

　　　　The　witty　little　duck　said　of　the　Portuguese；　that　the　old　lady

was　getting　quite　a　〃doting　ducky；〃　All　the　other　ducks　laughed　at

this。　〃Doting　ducky；〃　they　whispered。　〃Oh；　that's　too　'witty！'〃　And

then　they　repeated　the　former　joke　about　〃Portulak；〃　and　declared　it

was　most　amusing。　Then　they　all　lay　down　to　have　a　nap。

　　　　They　had　been　lying　asleep　for　some　time；　when　suddenly

something　was　thrown　into　the　yard　for　them　to　eat。　It　came　down

with　such　a　bang；　that　the　whole　company　started　up　and　clapped

their　wings。　The　Portuguese　awoke　too；　and　rushed　over　to　the　other

side：　in　so　doing　she　trod　upon　the　little　singing…bird。

　　　　〃Tweet；〃　he　cried；　〃you　trod　very　hard　upon　me；　madam。〃

　　　　〃Well；　then；　why　do　you　lie　in　my　way？〃　she　retorted；　〃you　must

not　be　so　touchy。　I　have　nerves　of　my　own；　but　I　do　not　cry　'tweet。'〃

　　　　〃Don't　be　angry；〃　said　the　little　bird；　〃the　'tweet'　slipped　out

of　my　beak　unawares。〃

　　　　The　Portuguese　did　not　listen　to　him；　but　began　eating　as　fast

as　she　could；　and　made　a　good　meal。　When　she　had　finished；　she　lay

down　again；　and　the　little　bird