a13-第1节

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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　TOP　AND　BALL
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
A　WHIPPING　TOP　and　a　little　ball　lay　together　in　a　box；　among
other　toys；　and　the　top　said　to　the　ball；　〃Shall　we　be　married；　as
we　live　in　the　same　box？〃

But　the　ball；　which　wore　a　dress　of　morocco　leather；　and　thought
as　much　of　herself　as　any　other　young　lady；　would　not　even
condescend　to　reply。

The　next　day　came　the　little　boy　to　whom　the　playthings
belonged；　and　he　painted　the　top　red　and　yellow；　and　drove　a
brass…headed　nail　into　the　middle；　so　that　while　the　top　was
spinning　round　it　looked　splendid。

〃Look　at　me；〃　said　the　top　to　the　ball。　〃What　do　you　say　now？
Shall　we　be　engaged　to　each　other？　We　should　suit　so　well；　you　spring；　and　I　dance。　No　one　could　be　happier　than　we　should　be。〃
〃Indeed！　do　you　think　so？　Perhaps　you　do　not　know　that　my　father
and　mother　were　morocco　slippers；　and　that　I　have　a　Spanish　cork　in　my　body。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　made　of　mahogany；〃　said　the　top。　〃The　major　himself
turned　me。　He　has　a　turning　lathe　of　his　own；　and　it　is　a　great
amusement　to　him。〃

〃Can　I　believe　it？〃　asked　the　ball。

〃May　I　never　be　whipped　again；〃　said　the　top；　〃if　I　am　not　telling
you　the　truth。〃

〃You　certainly　know　how　to　speak　for　yourself　very　well；〃　said　the
ball；　〃but　I　cannot　accept　your　proposal。　I　am　almost　engaged　to　a
swallow。　Every　time　I　fly　up　in　the　air；　he　puts　his　head　out　of　the
nest；　and　says；　'Will　you？'　and　I　have　said；　'Yes；'　to　myself
silently；　and　that　is　as　good　as　being　half　engaged；　but　I　will
promise　never　to　forget　you。〃

〃Much　good　that　will　be　to　me；〃　said　the　top；　and　they　spoke　to
each　other　no　more。

Next　day　the　ball　was　taken　out　by　the　boy。　The　top　saw　it
flying　high　in　the　air；　like　a　bird；　till　it　would　go　quite　out　of
sight。　Each　time　it　came　back；　as　it　touched　the　earth；　it　gave　a
higher　leap　than　before；　either　because　it　longed　to　fly　upwards；　or
from　having　a　Spanish　cork　in　its　body。　But　the　ninth　time　it　rose
in　the　air；　it　remained　away；　and　did　not　return。　The　boy　searched
everywhere　for　it；　but　he　searched　in　vain；　for　it　could　not　be　found；
it　was　gone。

〃I　know　very　well　where　she　is；〃　sighed　the　top；　〃she　is　in　the
swallow's　nest；　and　has　married　the　swallow。〃

The　more　the　top　thought　of　this；　the　more　he　longed　for　the　ball。
His　love　increased　the　more；　just　because　he　could　not　get　her；　and
that　she　should　have　been　won　by　another；　was　the　worst　of　all。　The
top　still　twirled　about　and　hummed；　but　he　continued　to　think　of　the
ball；　and　the　more　he　thought　of　her；　the　more　beautiful　she　seemed　to
his　fancy。

Thus　several　years　passed　by；　and　his　love　became　quite　old。　The
top；　also；　was　no　longer　young；　but　there　came　a　day　when　he　looked
handsomer　than　ever；　for　he　was　gilded　all　over。　He　was　now　a　golden　top；　and　whirled　and　danced　about　till　he　hummed　quite　loud；　and　was　something　worth　looking　at；　but　one　day　he　leaped　too　high；　and　then　he；　also；　was　gone。　They　searched　everywhere；　even　in　the　cellar；　but　he　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　Where　could　he　be？　He　had　jumped　into　the　dust…bin；　where　all　sorts　of　rubbish　were　lying：
cabbage…stalks；　dust；　and　rain…droppings　that　had　fallen　down　from　the　gutter　under　the　roof。

〃Now　I　am　in　a　nice　place；〃　said　he；　〃my　gilding　will　soon　be
washed　off　here。　Oh　dear；　what　a　set　of　rabble　I　have　got　amongst！〃
And　then　he　glanced　at　a　curious　round　thing　like　an　old　apple；
which　lay　near　a　long；　leafless　cabbage…stalk。　It　was；　however；　not　an
apple；　but　an　old　ball；　which　had　lain　for　years　in　the　gutter；　and
was　soaked　through　with　water。

〃Thank　goodness；　here　comes　one　of　my　own　class；　with　whom　I　can　talk；〃　said　the　ball；　examining　the　gilded　top。　〃I　am　made　of
morocco；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　sewn　together　by　a　young　lady；　and　I　have　a　Spanish　cork　in　my　body；　but　no　one　would　think　it；　to　look　at　me　now。

I　was　once　engaged　to　a　swallow；　but　I　fell　in　here　from　the　gutter
under　the　roof；　and　I　have　lain　here　more　than　five　years；　and　have
been　thoroughly　drenched。　Believe　me；　it　is　a　long　time　for　a　young
maiden。〃

The　top　said　nothing；　but　he　thought　of　his　old　love；　and　the　more
she　said；　the　more　clear　it　became　to　him　that　this　was　the　same　ball。
The　servant　then　came　to　clean　out　the　dust…bin。

〃Ah；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃here　is　a　gilt　top。〃　So　the　top　was
brought　again　to　notice　and　honor；　but　nothing　more　was　heard　of　the
little　ball。　He　spoke　not　a　word　about　his　old　love；　for　that　soon
died　away。　When　the　beloved　object　has　lain　for　five　years　in　a
gutter；　and　has　been　drenched　through；　no　one　cares　to　know　her
again　on　meeting　her　in　a　dust…bin。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson