the snail and the rose-tree-第1节
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FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE SNAIL AND THE ROSE…TREE
by Hans Christian Andersen
ROUND about the garden ran a hedge of hazel…bushes; beyond the
hedge were fields and meadows with cows and sheep; but in the middle
of the garden stood a Rose…tree in bloom; under which sat a Snail;
whose shell contained a great deal… that is; himself。
〃Only wait till my time comes;〃 he said; 〃I shall do more than
grow roses; bear nuts; or give milk; like the hazel…bush; the cows and
the sheep。〃
〃I expect a great deal from you;〃 said the rose…tree。 〃May I ask
when it will appear?〃
〃I take my time;〃 said the snail。 〃You're always in such a
hurry。 That does not excite expectation。〃
The following year the snail lay in almost the same spot; in the
sunshine under the rose…tree; which was again budding and bearing
roses as fresh and beautiful as ever。 The snail crept half out of
his shell; stretched out his horns; and drew them in again。
〃Everything is just as it was last year! No progress at all; the
rose…tree sticks to its roses and gets no farther。〃
The summer and the autumn passed; the rose…tree bore roses and
buds till the snow fell and the weather became raw and wet; then it
bent down its head; and the snail crept into the ground。
A new year began; the roses made their appearance; and the snail
made his too。
〃You are an old rose…tree now;〃 said the snail。 〃You must make
haste and die。 You have given the world all that you had in you;
whether it was of much importance is a question that I have not had
time to think about。 But this much is clear and plain; that you have
not done the least for your inner development; or you would have
produced something else。 Have you anything to say in defence? You will
now soon be nothing but a stick。 Do you understand what I say?〃
〃You frighten me;〃 said the rose… tree。 〃I have never thought of
that。〃
〃No; you have never taken the trouble to think at all。 Have you
ever given yourself an account why you bloomed; and how your
blooming comes about… why just in that way and in no other?〃
〃No;〃 said the rose…tree。 〃I bloom in gladness; because I cannot
do otherwise。 The sun shone and warmed me; and the air refreshed me; I
drank the clear dew and the invigorating rain。 I breathed and I lived!
Out of the earth there arose a power within me; whilst from above I
also received strength; I felt an ever…renewed and ever…increasing
happiness; and therefore I was obliged to go on blooming。 That was
my life; I could not do otherwise。〃
〃You have led a very easy life;〃 remarked the snail。
〃Certainly。 Everything was given me;〃 said the rose…tree。 〃But
still more was given to you。 Yours is one of those deep…thinking
natures; one of those highly gifted minds that astonishes the world。〃
〃I have not the slightest intention of doing so;〃 said the
snail。 〃The world is nothing to me。 What have I to do with the
world? I have enough to do with myself; and enough in myself〃
〃But must we not all here on earth give up our best parts to
others; and offer as much as lies in our power? It is true; I have
only given roses。 But you… you who are so richly endowed… what have
you given to the world? What will you give it?〃
〃What have I given? What am I going to give? I spit at it; it's
good for nothing; and does not concern me。 For my part; you may go
on bearing roses; you cannot do anything else。 Let the hazel bush bear
nuts; and the cows and sheep give milk; they have each their public。 I
have mine in myself。 I retire within myself and there I stop。 The
world is nothing to me。〃
With this the snail withdrew into his house and blocked up the
entrance。
〃That's very sad;〃 said the rose tree。 〃I cannot creep into
myself; however much I might wish to do so; I have to go on bearing
roses。 Then they drop their leaves; which are blown away by the
wind。 But I once saw how a rose was laid in the mistress's
hymn…book; and how one of my roses found a place in the bosom of a
young beautiful girl; and how another was kissed by the lips of a
child in the glad joy of life。 That did me good; it was a real
blessing。 Those are my recollections; my life。〃
And the rose tree went on blooming in innocence; while the snail
lay idling in his house… the world was nothing to him。
Years passed by。
The snail had turned to earth in the earth; and the rose tree too。
Even the souvenir rose in the hymn…book was faded; but in the garden
there were other rose trees and other snails。 The latter crept into
their houses and spat at the world; for it did not concern them。
Shall we read the story all over again? It will be just the same。
THE END
。