the bell-deep-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BELL…DEEP

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　〃DING…DONG！　ding…dong！〃　It　sounds　up　from　the　〃bell…deep〃　in　the

Odense…Au。　Every　child　in　the　old　town　of　Odense；　on　the　island　of

Funen；　knows　the　Au；　which　washes　the　gardens　round　about　the　town；

and　flows　on　under　the　wooden　bridges　from　the　dam　to　the

water…mill。　In　the　Au　grow　the　yellow　water…lilies　and　brown

feathery　reeds；　the　dark　velvety　flag　grows　there；　high　and　thick；　old

and　decayed　willows；　slanting　and　tottering；　hang　far　out　over　the

stream　beside　the　monk's　meadow　and　by　the　bleaching　ground；　but

opposite　there　are　gardens　upon　gardens；　each　different　from　the　rest；

some　with　pretty　flowers　and　bowers　like　little　dolls'　pleasure

grounds；　often　displaying　cabbage　and　other　kitchen　plants；　and　here

and　there　the　gardens　cannot　be　seen　at　all；　for　the　great　elder　trees

that　spread　themselves　out　by　the　bank；　and　hang　far　out　over　the

streaming　waters；　which　are　deeper　here　and　there　than　an　oar　can

fathom。　Opposite　the　old　nunnery　is　the　deepest　place；　which　is　called

the　〃bell…deep；〃　and　there　dwells　the　old　water　spirit；　the　〃Au…mann。〃

This　spirit　sleeps　through　the　day　while　the　sun　shines　down　upon

the　water；　but　in　starry　and　moonlit　nights　he　shows　himself。　He　is

very　old。　Grandmother　says　that　she　has　heard　her　own　grandmother　tell

of　him；　he　is　said　to　lead　a　solitary　life；　and　to　have　nobody　with

whom　he　can　converse　save　the　great　old　church　Bell。　Once　the　Bell

hung　in　the　church　tower；　but　now　there　is　no　trace　left　of　the

tower　or　of　the　church；　which　was　called　St。　Alban's。

　　　　〃Ding…dong！　ding…dong！〃　sounded　the　Bell；　when　the　tower　still

stood　there；　and　one　evening；　while　the　sun　was　setting；　and　the

Bell　was　swinging　away　bravely；　it　broke　loose　and　came　flying　down

through　the　air；　the　brilliant　metal　shining　in　the　ruddy　beam。

　　　　〃Ding…dong！　ding…dong！　Now　I'll　retire　to　rest！〃　sang　the　Bell；

and　flew　down　into　the　Odense…Au；　where　it　is　deepest；　and　that　is　why

the　place　is　called　the　〃bell…deep。〃

　　　　But　the　Bell　got　neither　rest　nor　sleep。　Down　in　the　Au…mann's

haunt　it　sounds　and　rings；　so　that　the　tones　sometimes　pierce　upward

through　the　waters；　and　many　people　maintain　that　its　strains　forebode

the　death　of　some　one；　but　that　is　not　true；　for　the　Bell　is　only

talking　with　the　Au…mann；　who　is　now　no　longer　alone。

　　　　And　what　is　the　Bell　telling？　It　is　old；　very　old；　as　we　have

already　observed；　it　was　there　long　before　grandmother's　grandmother

was　born；　and　yet　it　is　but　a　child　in　comparison　with　the　Au…mann；

who　is　quite　an　old　quiet　personage；　an　oddity；　with　his　hose　of

eel…skin；　and　his　scaly　Jacket　with　the　yellow　lilies　for　buttons；　and

a　wreath　of　reed　in　his　hair　and　seaweed　in　his　beard；　but　he　looks

very　pretty　for　all　that。

　　　　What　the　Bell　tells？　To　repeat　it　all　would　require　years　and

days；　for　year　by　year　it　is　telling　the　old　stories；　sometimes

short　ones；　sometimes　long　ones；　according　to　its　whim；　it　tells　of

old　times；　of　the　dark　hard　times；　thus：

　　　　〃In　the　church　of　St。　Alban；　the　monk　had　mounted　up　into　the

tower。　He　was　young　and　handsome；　but　thoughtful　exceedingly。　He

looked　through　the　loophole　out　upon　the　Odense…Au；　when　the　bed　of

the　water　was　yet　broad；　and　the　monks'　meadow　was　still　a　lake。　He

looked　out　over　it；　and　over　the　rampart；　and　over　the　nuns'　hill

opposite；　where　the　convent　lay；　and　the　light　gleamed　forth　from

the　nun's　cell。　He　had　known　the　nun　right　well；　and　he　thought　of

her；　and　his　heart　beat　quicker　as　he　thought。　Ding…dong！　ding…dong！〃

　　　　Yes；　this　was　the　story　the　Bell　told。

　　　　〃Into　the　tower　came　also　the　dapper　man…servant　of　the　bishop；

and　when　I；　the　Bell；　who　am　made　of　metal；　rang　hard　and　loud；　and

swung　to　and　fro；　I　might　have　beaten　out　his　brains。　He　sat　down

close　under　me；　and　played　with　two　little　sticks　as　if　they　had

been　a　stringed　instrument；　and　he　sang　to　it。　'Now　I　may　sing　it

out　aloud；　though　at　other　times　I　may　not　whisper　it。　I　may　sing　of

everything　that　is　kept　concealed　behind　lock　and　bars。　Yonder　it　is

cold　and　wet。　The　rats　are　eating　her　up　alive！　Nobody　knows　of　it！

Nobody　hears　of　it！　Not　even　now；　for　the　bell　is　ringing　and

singing　its　loud　Ding…dong；　ding…dong！'

　　　　〃There　was　a　King　in　those　days。　They　called　him　Canute。　He

bowed　himself　before　bishop　and　monk；　but　when　he　offended　the　free

peasants　with　heavy　taxes　and　hard　words；　they　seized　their　weapons

and　put　him　to　flight　like　a　wild　beast。　He　sought　shelter　in　the

church；　and　shut　gate　and　door　behind　him。　The　violent　band　surrounded

the　church；　I　heard　tell　of　it。　The　crows；　ravens　and　magpies

started　up　in　terror　at　the　yelling　and　shouting　that　sounded

around。　They　flew　into　the　tower　and　out　again；　they　looked　down

upon　the　throng　below；　and　they　also　looked　into　the　windows　of　the

church；　and　screamed　out　aloud　what　they　saw　there。　King　Canute

knelt　before　the　altar　in　prayer；　his　brothers　Eric　and　Benedict　stood

by　him　as　a　guard　with　drawn　swords；　but　the　King's　servant；　the

treacherous　Blake；　betrayed　his　master。　The　throng　in　front　of　the

church　knew　where　they　could　hit　the　King；　and　one　of　them　flung　a

stone　through　a　pane　of　glass；　and　the　King　lay　there　dead！　The

cries　and　screams　of　the　savage　horde　and　of　the　birds　sounded　through

the　air；　and　I　joined　in　it　also；　for　I　sang　'Ding…dong！　ding…dong！'

　　　　〃The　church　bell　hangs　high；　and　looks　far　around；　and　sees　the

birds　around　it；　and　understands　their　language。　The　wind　roars　in

upon　it　through　windows　and　loopholes；　and　the　wind　knows

everything；　for　he　gets　it　from　the　air；　which　encircles　all　things；

and　the　church　bell　understands　his　tongue；　and　rings　it　out　into

the　world；　'Ding…dong！　ding…dong！'

　　　　〃But　it　was　too　much　for　me　to　hear　and　to　know；　I　was　not　able

any　longer　to　ring　it　out。　I　became　so　tired；　so　heavy；　that　the

beam　broke；　and　I　flew　out　into　the　gleaming　Au；　where　the　water　is

deepest；　and　where　the　Au…mann　lives；　solitary　and　alone；　and　year

by　year　I　tell　him　what　I　have　heard　and　what　I　know。　Ding…dong！

ding…dong〃

　　　　Thus　it　sounds　complainingly　out　of　the　bell…deep　in　the

Odense…Au。　That　is　what　grandmother　told　us。

　　　　But　the　schoolmaster　says　that　there　was　not　any　bell　that　rung

down　there；　for　that　it　could　not　do　so；　and　that　no　Au…mann　dwelt

yonder；　for　there　was　no　Au…mann　at　all！　And　when　all　the　other　church

bells　are　sounding　sweetly；　he　says　that　it　is　not　really　the　bells

that　are　sounding；　but　that　it　is　the　air　itself　which　sends　forth　the

notes；　and　grandmother　said　to　us　that　the　Bell　itself　said　it　was　the

air　who　told　it　to　him；　consequently　they　are　agreed　on　that　point；

and　this　much　is　sure。

　　　　〃Be　cautious；　cautious；　and　take　good　heed　to　thyself；〃　they

both　say。

　　　　The　air　knows　everything。　It　is　around　us；　it　is　in　us；　it　talks

of　our　thoughts　and　of　our　deeds；　and　it　speaks　longer　of　them　than

does　the　Bell　down　in　the　depths　of　the　Odense…Au　where　the　Au…mann

dwells。　It　rings　it　out　in　the　vault　of　heaven；　far；　far　out；

forever　and　ever；　till　the　heaven　bells　sound　〃Ding…dong！　ding…dong！〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。