that he went off to sleep in his chair； and did not wake up till it
was broad daylight。
〃what a delightful time i shall have in my garden； he said； and
he went to work at once。
〃but somehow he was never able to look after his flowers at all；
for his friend the miller was always ing round and sending him
off on long errands； or getting him to help at the mill。 little
hans was very much distressed at times； as he was afraid his
flowers would think he had forgotten them； but he consoled himself
by the reflection that the miller was his best friend。 besides；
he used to say； he is going to give me his wheelbarrow； and that
is an act of pure generosity。
〃so little hans worked away for the miller； and the miller said all
kinds of beautiful things about friendship； which hans took down in
a note…book； and used to read over at night； for he was a very good
scholar。
〃now it happened that one evening little hans was sitting by his
fireside when a loud rap came at the door。 it was a very wild
night； and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so
terribly that at first he thought it was merely the storm。 but a
second rap came； and then a third； louder than any of the others。
〃it is some poor traveller； said little hans to himself； and he
ran to the door。
〃there stood the miller with a lantern in one hand and a big stick
in the other。
〃dear little hans； cried the miller； i am in great trouble。 my
little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself； and i am going
for the doctor。 but he lives so far away； and it is such a bad
night； that it has just occurred to me that it would be much better
if you went instead of me。 you know i am going to give you my
wheelbarrow； and so； it is only fair that you should do something
for me in return。
〃certainly； cried little hans； i take it quite as a pliment
your ing to me； and i will start off at once。 but you must lend
me your lantern； as the night is so dark that i am afraid i might
fall into the ditch。
〃i am very sorry； answered the miller； but it is my new lantern；
and it would be a great loss to me if anything happened to it。
〃well； never mind； i will do without it； cried little hans； and
he took down his great fur coat； and his warm scarlet cap； and tied
a muffler round his throat； and started off。
〃what a dreadful storm it was！ the night was so black that little
hans could hardly see； and the wind was so strong that he could
scarcely stand。 however； he was very courageous； and after he had
been walking about three hours； he arrived at the doctors house；
and knocked at the door。
〃who is there？ cried the doctor； putting his head out of his
bedroom window。
〃little hans； doctor。
〃what do you want； little hans？
〃the millers son has fallen from a ladder； and has hurt himself；
and the miller wants you to e at once。
〃all right！ said the doctor； and he ordered his horse； and his
big boots； and his lantern； and came downstairs； and rode off in
the direction of the millers house； little hans trudging behind
him。
〃but the storm grew worse and worse； and the rain fell in torrents；
and little hans could not see where he was going； or keep up with
the horse。 at last he lost his way； and wandered off on the moor；
which was a very dangerous place； as it was full of deep holes； and
there poor little hans was drowned。 his body was found the next
day by some goatherds； floating in a great pool of water； and was
brought back by them to the cottage。
〃everybody went to little hans funeral； as he was so popular； and
the miller was the chief mourner。
〃as i was his best friend； said the miller； it is only fair that
i should have the best place； so he walked at the head of the
procession in a long black cloak； and every now and then he wiped
his eyes with a big pocket…handkerchief。
〃little hans is certainly a great loss to every one； said the
blacksmith； when the funeral was over； and they were all seated
fortably in the inn； drinking spiced wine and eating sweet
cakes。
〃a great loss to me at any rate； answered the miller； why； i had
as good as given him my wheelbarrow； and now i really dont know
what to do with it。 it is very much in my way at home； and it is
in such bad repair that i could not get anything for it if i sold
it。 i will certainly take care not to give away anything again。
one always suffers for being generous。〃
〃well？〃 said the water…rat； after a long pause。
〃well； that is the end；〃 said the linnet。
〃but what became of the miller？〃 asked the water…rat。
〃oh！ i really dont know；〃 replied the linnet； 〃and i am sure that
i dont care。〃
〃it is quite evident then that you have no sympathy in your
nature；〃 said the water…rat。
〃i am afraid you dont quite see the moral of the story；〃 remarked
the linnet。
〃the what？〃 screamed the water…rat。
〃the moral。〃
〃do you mean to say that the story has a moral？〃
〃certainly；〃 said the linnet。
〃well； really；〃 said the water…rat； in a very angry manner； 〃i
think you should have told me that before you began。 if you had
done so； i certainly would not have listened to you； in fact； i
should have said pooh； like the critic。 however； i can say it
now〃； so he shouted out 〃pooh〃 at the top of his voice； gave a
whisk with his tail； and went back into his hole。
〃and how do you like the water…rat？〃 asked the duck； who came
paddling up some minutes afterwards。 〃he has a great many good
points； but for my own part i have a mothers feelings； and i can
never look at a confirmed bachelor without the tears ing into my
eyes。〃
〃i am rather afraid that i have annoyed him；〃 answered the linnet。
〃the fact is； that i told him a story with a moral。〃
〃ah！ that is always a very dangerous thing to do；〃 said the duck。
and i quite agree with her。
。。
神奇的火箭
。
神奇的火箭
国王的儿子就要结婚了，所以要在举国上下进行庆典。他为自己的新娘已经等了整整一
年，最后她还是赶来了。她是一位俄国公主，坐着由六只驯鹿拉的雪橇从芬兰一路赶来的。
雪橇看上去像一只巨大的金色天鹅，小公主就安卧在天鹏的两只翅膀之间。那件长长的貂皮
大衣一直垂到她的脚跟，她的头上戴着一顶小巧的银线帽子，她的肤色苍白得就如同她一直
居住的雪宫的颜色。她是如此的苍白，在她驶过街道的时候，沿街的人们都惊讶地叹道：
“她就像一朵白玫瑰！”于是大家纷纷从阳台上朝她抛下鲜花。
在城堡的门口王子正等着迎接她的到来。他有一双梦幻般的紫色眼睛和一头金黄色的头
发。一看见她来了，他就跪下一条腿，吻了她的手。
“你的照片好漂亮，”他轻声地说，“不过你比照片更漂亮。”小公主的脸一下子就红
了。
“她先前像一朵白攻瑰，”一位年轻的侍卫对身边的人说，“可此刻却像一朵红玫瑰
了。”整个宫里的人都快乐无比。
这以后的三天中人人都说着：“白玫瑰，红玫瑰；红玫瑰，白玫瑰。”于是国王下令给
那个侍卫的薪金增加一倍。不过他根本就没有拿薪水，因此这道加薪的命令对他没有任何作
用，然而这被视为一种莫大的荣誉，并按惯例在宫廷报纸上登出。
三天过后便举行了婚礼庆典。这是一次盛大的仪式，新郎和新娘在一幅绣着小珍珠的紫
色鹅绒华盖下手牵着手走着。接着又举行了国宴，持续了五个小时。王子和公主坐在大厅的
首座上，用一只纯清的水晶杯子饮酒。只有真诚的恋人才能用这只杯子喝酒，因为只要虚伪
的嘴唇一挨上杯子，杯子就会变得灰暗无光。
“一眼就能看出他们相亲相爱，”那个小侍卫说，“如同水晶一样纯洁！”为这句话国
王再次下令给他加薪。“多么大的荣耀啊！”群臣们异口同声地喊道。
宴会之后举办了舞会，新郎和新娘将要一块儿跳舞，国王答应为他们吹笛子。他吹得很
不好，可没有人敢对他那么说，因为他是一国之君。说真的，他只会吹两种调子，并且从来
也没有搞清楚他吹的是哪一种，不过也无关紧要，因为不管他吹的是什么，人们都会高喊狂
叫：“棒极了！棒极了！”
这次节目的最后一个项目是施放盛大的烟花，燃放的时间正好定在午夜。小公主一生也
没有看过放烟花，因此国王下令皇家烟花手要亲自出席当天的婚礼以便施放烟花。
“烟花像什么样子？”有一天早上，小公主在露天阳台上散步时这样问过王子。
“它们就像北极光，”国王说，他一贯喜欢替别人回答问题，“只是更自然罢了。我本
人更喜欢烟花而不是星星，因为你一直都明白它们何时会出现，它们就如同我吹笛子一样美
妙。你一定要看看它们。”
就这样在皇家花园的尽头搭起了一座大台子。等皇家烟花手把一切都准备完毕，烟花们
便相互交谈起来。
“世界真是太美丽了，”一个小爆竹大声喊道，“看看那些黄色的郁金香。啊！如果它
们是真正的爆竹，它们会更逗人喜爱的。我很高兴我参加过旅游。旅游大大提高见识，并能
除去一切个人的偏见。”
“国王的花园不是世界，你这个傻爆竹，”一枚罗马烛光弹说，“世界是一个大得很的
地方，你要花三天时间才能看遍全世界。”
“任何地方只要你爱它，它就是你的世界，”一枚深思熟虑的转轮烟火激动地喊道。她
早年曾恋上了一只旧的杉木箱子，并以这段伤心的经历而自豪。“不过爱情已不再时髦了，
诗人们把它给扼杀了。他们对爱情抒发得太多，使人们不再相信那么回事。对此，我一点也
不觉得吃惊。真正的爱情是痛苦的、是沉默的。我记得自己曾有过那么一回——可是现在已
经结束了。浪漫只属于过去。”
“胡说！”罗马烛光弹说，“浪漫永远不会消亡，它犹如月亮一样，永远活着。比如，
新郎和新娘彼此爱得多么热烈。关于他们的故事我是今天早晨从一枚棕色纸做的爆竹那儿听
来的，他碰巧跟我同在一个抽屉里面，并且知道最新的宫中消息。”
可是只见转轮烟火摇摇头，喃喃地说，“浪漫已经消亡了，浪漫已经消亡了，已经消亡
了�
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