THE ELDERBUSHOnce upon a time there was a little boy who had taken cold. He had gone
out and got his feet wet; though nobody could imagine how it had happened, for it was quite dry weather. So his mother undressed him, put him to bed, and had the tea-pot brought in, to make him a good cup of Elderflower tea. Just at that moment the merry old man came in who lived up a-top of the house all alone; for he had neither wife nor children--but he liked children very much, and knew so many fairy tales, that it was quite delightful."Now drink your tea," said the boy's mother; "then, perhaps, you may hear a fairy tale.""If I had but something new to tell," said the old man. "But how did the child get his feet wet?""That is the very thing that nobody can make out," said his mother."Am I to hear a fairy tale?" asked the little boy."Yes, if you can tell me exactly--for I must know that first--how deep the gutter is in the little street opposite, that you pass through in going to school.""Just up to the middle of my boot," said the child; "but then I must go into
the deep hole.""Ah, ah! That's where the wet feet came from," said the old man. "I ought now to tell you a story; but I don't know any more.""You can make one in a moment," said the little boy. "My mother says that all you look at can be turned into a fairy tale: and that you can find a story in everything.""Yes, but such tales and stories are good for nothing. The right sort come of themselves; they tap at my forehead and say, 'Here we are.'""Won't there be a tap soon?" asked the little boy. And his mother laughed, put some Elder-flowers in the tea-pot, and poured boiling water upon them."Do tell me something! Pray do!""Yes, if a fairy tale would come of its own accord; but they are proud and haughty, and come only when they choose. Stop!" said he, all on a sudden. "I have it! Pay attention! There is one in the tea-pot!"And the little boy looked at the tea-pot. The cover rose more and more; and the Elder-flowers came forth so fresh and white, and shot up long branches. Out of the spout even did they spread themselves on all sides, and grew larger and larger; it was a splendid Elderbush, a whole tree; and it reached into the very bed, and pushed the curtains aside. How it bloomed! And what an odour! In the middle of the bush sat a friendly-looking old woman in a most strange
dress.
从前有一个很小的孩子，他患了伤风，病倒了。他到外面去过，把一双脚全打湿了。谁也不知道他是怎样打湿的，因为天气很干燥。现在他妈妈把他的衣服脱掉，送他上床去睡，同时叫人把开水壶拿进来，为他泡了一杯很香的接骨木茶①，因为茶可以使人感到温暖。这时有一个很有趣的老人走到门口来；他一个人住在这屋子的最高一层楼上，非常孤独。因为他没有太太，也没有孩子。但是他却非常喜欢小孩，而且知道很多童话和故事。听他讲故事是很愉快的。 ①接骨木树是一种落叶灌木或小乔木。叶对生，羽状复叶，卵形或椭圆形，揉碎后有臭气。春季开黄色小花。茎枝可以入药，味甘苦，功能祛风湿。这里说的接骨木茶当是治病用的。 “现在你得喝茶，”母亲说，“然后才可以听一个故事。” “哎！我只希望我能讲一个新的故事！”老人说，和善地点了点头。“不过这小家伙是在什么地方把一双脚弄湿了的呢？”他问。 “不错，在什么地方呢？”妈妈说，“谁也想象不出来。” “讲一个童话给我听吧？”孩子问。 “好，不过我得先知道一件事情：你能不能确实地告诉我，你上学校时经过的那条街，那儿阴沟有多深。” “如果我把脚伸到那条阴沟最深的地方，”孩子回答说， “那么水恰恰淹到我的小腿。” “你看，我们的脚就是这样弄湿了的，”老人说。“现在我却是应该讲一个童话给你听了；不过我的童话都讲完了。” “你可以马上编一个出来，”小孩说。“妈妈说，你能把你所看到的东西编成童话，你也能把你所摸过的东西都讲成一个故事。” “不错，不过这些童话和故事算不了什么！不，真正的故事是自己走来的。它们敲着我的前额，说：我来了！’” “它们会不会马上就来敲一下呢？”小孩问。妈妈大笑了一声，把接骨木叶放进壶里，然后把开水倒进去。 “讲呀！讲呀！”“对，假如童话自动来了的话。不过这类东西架子是很大的；它只有高兴的时候才来——等着吧！”他忽然叫出声来，“它现在来了。请看吧，它现在就在茶壶里面。” 于是小孩向茶壶望去。茶壶盖慢慢地自动立起来了，好几朵接骨木花，又白又新鲜，从茶壶里冒出来了。它们长出又粗又长的枝丫，并且从茶壶嘴那儿向四面展开，越展越宽，形成一个最美丽的接骨木丛——事实上是一棵完整的树。这树甚至伸到床上来，把帐幔分向两边。它是多么香，它的花开得多么茂盛啊！在这树的正中央坐着一个很亲切的老太婆。她穿着奇异的服装 |
