a story from the sand-hills-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　STORY　FROM　THE　SAND…HILLS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　THIS　story　is　from　the　sand…dunes　or　sand…hills　of　Jutland；　but　it

does　not　begin　there　in　the　North；　but　far　away　in　the　South；　in

Spain。　The　wide　sea　is　the　highroad　from　nation　to　nation；　journey

in　thought；　then；　to　sunny　Spain。　It　is　warm　and　beautiful　there；

the　fiery　pomegranate　flowers　peep　from　among　dark　laurels；　a　cool

refreshing　breeze　from　the　mountains　blows　over　the　orange　gardens；

over　the　Moorish　halls　with　their　golden　cupolas　and　coloured　walls。

Children　go　through　the　streets　in　procession　with　candles　and

waving　banners；　and　the　sky；　lofty　and　clear　with　its　glittering

stars；　rises　above　them。　Sounds　of　singing　and　castanets　can　be　heard；

and　youths　and　maidens　dance　upon　the　flowering　acacia　trees；　while

even　the　beggar　sits　upon　a　block　of　marble；　refreshing　himself　with　a

juicy　melon；　and　dreamily　enjoying　life。　It　all　seems　like　a　beautiful

dream。

　　　　Here　dwelt　a　newly　married　couple　who　completely　gave　themselves

up　to　the　charm　of　life；　indeed　they　possessed　every　good　thing　they

could　desire…　health　and　happiness；　riches　and　honour。

　　　　We　are　as　happy　as　human　beings　can　be；〃　said　the　young　couple

from　the　depths　of　their　hearts。　They　had　indeed　only　one　step

higher　to　mount　on　the　ladder　of　happiness…　they　hoped　that　God

would　give　them　a　child；　a　son　like　them　in　form　and　spirit。　The　happy

little　one　was　to　be　welcomed　with　rejoicing；　to　be　cared　for　with

love　and　tenderness；　and　enjoy　every　advantage　of　wealth　and　luxury

that　a　rich　and　influential　family　can　give。　So　the　days　went　by

like　a　joyous　festival。

　　　　〃Life　is　a　gracious　gift　from　God；　almost　too　great　a　gift　for

us　to　appreciate！〃　said　the　young　wife。　〃Yet　they　say　that　fulness

of　joy　for　ever　and　ever　can　only　be　found　in　the　future　life。　I

cannot　realise　it！〃

　　　　〃The　thought　arises；　perhaps；　from　the　arrogance　of　men；〃　said　the

husband。　〃It　seems　a　great　pride　to　believe　that　we　shall　live　for

ever；　that　we　shall　be　as　gods！　Were　not　these　the　words　of　the

serpent；　the　father　of　lies？〃

　　　　〃Surely　you　do　not　doubt　the　existence　of　a　future　life？〃

exclaimed　the　young　wife。　It　seemed　as　if　one　of　the　first　shadows

passed　over　her　sunny　thoughts。

　　　　〃Faith　realises　it；　and　the　priests　tell　us　so；〃　replied　her

husband；　〃but　amid　all　my　happiness　I　feel　that　it　is　arrogant　to

demand　a　continuation　of　it…　another　life　after　this。　Has　not　so

much　been　given　us　in　this　world　that　we　ought　to　be；　we　must　be；

contented　with　it？〃

　　　　〃Yes；　it　has　been　given　to　us；〃　said　the　young　wife；　〃but　this

life　is　nothing　more　than　one　long　scene　of　trial　and　hardship　to　many

thousands。　How　many　have　been　cast　into　this　world　only　to　endure

poverty；　shame；　illness；　and　misfortune？　If　there　were　no　future　life；

everything　here　would　be　too　unequally　divided；　and　God　would　not　be

the　personification　of　justice。〃

　　　　〃The　beggar　there；〃　said　her　husband；　〃has　joys　of　his　own　which

seem　to　him　great；　and　cause　him　as　much　pleasure　as　a　king　would　find

in　the　magnificence　of　his　palace。　And　then　do　you　not　think　that

the　beast　of　burden；　which　suffers　blows　and　hunger；　and　works

itself　to　death；　suffers　just　as　much　from　its　miserable　fate？　The

dumb　creature　might　demand　a　future　life　also；　and　declare　the　law

unjust　that　excludes　it　from　the　advantages　of　the　higher　creation。〃

　　　　〃Christ　said：　'In　my　father's　house　are　many　mansions；'〃　she

answered。　〃Heaven　is　as　boundless　as　the　love　of　our　Creator；　the　dumb

animal　is　also　His　creature；　and　I　firmly　believe　that　no　life　will　be

lost；　but　each　will　receive　as　much　happiness　as　he　can　enjoy；　which

will　be　sufficient　for　him。〃

　　　　〃This　world　is　sufficient　for　me；〃　said　the　husband；　throwing

his　arm　round　his　beautiful；　sweet…tempered　wife。　He　sat　by　her　side

on　the　open　balcony；　smoking　a　cigarette　in　the　cool　air；　which　was

loaded　with　the　sweet　scent　of　carnations　and　orange　blossoms。

Sounds　of　music　and　the　clatter　of　castanets　came　from　the　road

beneath；　the　stars　shone　above　then；　and　two　eyes　full　of　affection…

those　of　his　wife…　looked　upon　him　with　the　expression　of　undying

love。　〃Such　a　moment；〃　he　said；　〃makes　it　worth　while　to　be　born；　to

die；　and　to　be　annihilated！〃　He　smiled…　the　young　wife　raised　her　hand

in　gentle　reproof；　and　the　shadow　passed　away　from　her　mind；　and

they　were　happy…　quite　happy。

　　　　Everything　seemed　to　work　together　for　their　good。　They　advanced

in　honour；　in　prosperity；　and　in　happiness。　A　change　came　certainly；

but　it　was　only　a　change　of　place　and　not　of　circumstances。

　　　　The　young　man　was　sent　by　his　Sovereign　as　ambassador　to　the

Russian　Court。　This　was　an　office　of　high　dignity；　but　his　birth　and

his　acquirements　entitled　him　to　the　honour。　He　possessed　a　large

fortune；　and　his　wife　had　brought　him　wealth　equal　to　his　own；　for　she

was　the　daughter　of　a　rich　and　respected　merchant。　One　of　this

merchant's　largest　and　finest　ships　was　to　be　sent　that　year　to

Stockholm；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　dear　young　couple；　the

daughter　and　the　son…in…law；　should　travel　in　it　to　St。　Petersburg。

All　the　arrangements　on　board　were　princely　and　silk　and　luxury　on

every　side。

　　　　In　an　old　war　song；　called　〃The　King　of　England's　Son；〃　it　says：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Farewell；　he　said；　and　sailed　away。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　many　recollect　that　day。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　ropes　were　of　silk；　the　anchor　of　gold；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　everywhere　riches　and　wealth　untold。〃



　　　　These　words　would　aptly　describe　the　vessel　from　Spain；　for　here

was　the　same　luxury；　and　the　same　parting　thought　naturally　arose：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃God　grant　that　we　once　more　may　meet

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　sweet　unclouded　peace　and　joy。〃



　　　　There　was　a　favourable　wind　blowing　as　they　left　the　Spanish

coast；　and　it　would　be　but　a　short　journey；　for　they　hoped　to　reach

their　destination　in　a　few　weeks；　but　when　they　came　out　upon　the　wide

ocean　the　wind　dropped；　the　sea　became　smooth　and　shining；　and　the

stars　shone　brightly。　Many　festive　evenings　were　spent　on　board。　At

last　the　travellers　began　to　wish　for　wind；　for　a　favourable　breeze；

but　their　wish　was　useless…　not　a　breath　of　air　stirred；　or　if　it

did　arise　it　was　contrary。　Weeks　passed　by　in　this　way；　two　whole

months；　and　then　at　length　a　fair　wind　blew　from　the　south…west。　The

ship　sailed　on　the　high　seas　between　Scotland　and　Jutland；　then　the

wind　increased；　just　as　it　did　in　the　old　song　of　〃The　King　of

England's　Son。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Mid　storm　and　wind；　and　pelting　hail；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Their　efforts　were　of　no　avail。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　golden　anchor　forth　they　threw；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Towards　Denmark　the　west　wind　blew。〃



　　　　This　all　happened　a　long　time　ago；　King　Christian　VII；　who　sat

on　the　Danish　throne；　was　still　a　young　man。　Much　has　happened　since

then；　much　has　altered　or　been　changed。　Sea　and　moorland　have　been

turned　into　green　meadows；　stretches　of　heather　have　become　arable

land；　and　in　the　shelter　of　the　peasant's　cottages；　apple…trees　and

rose…bushes　grow；　though　they　certainly　require　much　care；　as　the

sharp　west　wind　blows　upon　them。　In　West　Jutland　one　may　go　back　in

thought　to　old　times；　farther　back　than　the　days　when　Christian　VII

ruled。　The　purple　heather　still　extends　for　miles；　with　its　barrows

and　aerial　spectacles；　intersected　with　sandy　uneven　roads；　just　as　it

did　then；　towards　the　west；　where　broad　streams　run　into　the　bays；　are

marshes　and　meadows　encircled　by　lofty；　sandy　hills；　which；　like　a

chain　of　Alps；　raise　their　pointed　summits　near　the　sea；　they　are　only

broken　by　high　ridges　of　clay；　from　which　the　sea；　year　by　year；　bites

out　great　mouthfuls；　so　that　the　overhanging　banks　fall　down　as　if

by　the　shock　of　an　earthquake。　Thus　it　is　there　today　and　thus　it

was　long　ago；　when　the　happy　pair　were　sailing　in　the　beautiful　ship。

　　　　It　was　a　Sunday；　towards　the　end　of　September；　the　sun　was

shining；　and　the　chiming　of　the　church　bells　in　the　Bay　of　Nissum

was　carried　along　by　the　breeze　like　a　chain　of　sounds。　The　churches

there　are　almost　entirely　built　of　hewn　blocks　of　stone；　each　like　a

piece　of　rock。　The　North　Sea　might　foam　over　them　and　they　would　not

be　disturbed。　Nearly　all　of　them　are　without　steeples；　and　the　bells

are　hung　outside　between　two　beams。　The　service　was　over；　and　the

congregation　passed　out　into　the　churchyard；　where　not　a　tree　or

bush　was　to　be　seen；　no　flowers　were　planted　there；　and　they　had　not

placed　a　single　wreath　upon　any　of　the　graves。　It　is　just　the　same

now。　Rough　mounds　show　where　the　dead　have　been　buried；　and　rank

grass；　tossed　by　the　wind；　grows　thickly　over　the　whole　churchyard；

here　and　there　a　grave　has　a　sort　of　monument；　a　block　of　half…decayed

wood；　rudely　cut　in　the　shape　of　a　coffin；　the　blocks　are　brought　from

the　forest　of　West　Jutland；　but　the　forest　is　the　sea　itself；　and

the　inhabitants　find　beams；　and　pl