the bell-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BELL

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　IN　the　narrow　streets　of　a　large　town　people　often　heard　in　the

evening；　when　the　sun　was　setting；　and　his　last　rays　gave　a　golden

tint　to　the　chimney…pots；　a　strange　noise　which　resembled　the　sound　of

a　church　bell；　it　only　lasted　an　instant；　for　it　was　lost　in　the

continual　roar　of　traffic　and　hum　of　voices　which　rose　from　the

town。　〃The　evening　bell　is　ringing；〃　people　used　to　say；　〃the　sun　is

setting！〃　Those　who　walked　outside　the　town；　where　the　houses　were

less　crowded　and　interspersed　by　gardens　and　little　fields；　saw　the

evening　sky　much　better；　and　heard　the　sound　of　the　bell　much　more

clearly。　It　seemed　as　though　the　sound　came　from　a　church；　deep　in　the

calm；　fragrant　wood；　and　thither　people　looked　with　devout　feelings。

　　　　A　considerable　time　elapsed：　one　said　to　the　other；　〃I　really

wonder　if　there　is　a　church　out　in　the　wood。　The　bell　has　indeed　a

strange　sweet　sound！　Shall　we　go　there　and　see　what　the　cause　of　it

is？〃　The　rich　drove；　the　poor　walked；　but　the　way　seemed　to　them

extraordinarily　long；　and　when　they　arrived　at　a　number　of　willow

trees　on　the　border　of　the　wood　they　sat　down；　looked　up　into　the

great　branches　and　thought　they　were　now　really　in　the　wood。　A

confectioner　from　the　town　also　came　out　and　put　up　a　stall　there；

then　came　another　confectioner　who　hung　a　bell　over　his　stall；　which

was　covered　with　pitch　to　protect　it　from　the　rain；　but　the　clapper

was　wanting。

　　　　When　people　came　home　they　used　to　say　that　it　had　been　very

romantic；　and　that　really　means　something　else　than　merely　taking　tea。

Three　persons　declared　that　they　had　gone　as　far　as　the　end　of　the

wood；　they　had　always　heard　the　strange　sound；　but　there　it　seemed

to　them　as　if　it　came　from　the　town。　One　of　them　wrote　verses　about

the　bell；　and　said　that　it　was　like　the　voice　of　a　mother　speaking

to　an　intelligent　and　beloved　child；　no　tune；　he　said；　was　sweeter

than　the　sound　of　the　bell。

　　　　The　emperor　of　the　country　heard　of　it；　and　declared　that　he　who

would　really　find　out　where　the　sound　came　from　should　receive　the

title　of　〃Bellringer　to　the　World；〃　even　if　there　was　no　bell　at　all。

　　　　Now　many　went　out　into　the　wood　for　the　sake　of　this　splendid

berth；　but　only　one　of　them　came　back　with　some　sort　of　explanation。

None　of　them　had　gone　far　enough；　nor　had　he；　and　yet　he　said　that　the

sound　of　the　bell　came　from　a　large　owl　in　a　hollow　tree。　It　was　a

wisdom　owl；　which　continually　knocked　its　head　against　the　tree；　but

he　was　unable　to　say　with　certainty　whether　its　head　or　the　hollow

trunk　of　the　tree　was　the　cause　of　the　noise。

　　　　He　was　appointed　〃Bellringer　to　the　World；〃　and　wrote　every　year　a

short　dissertation　on　the　owl；　but　by　this　means　people　did　not　become

any　wiser　than　they　had　been　before。

　　　　It　was　just　confirmation…day。　The　clergyman　had　delivered　a

beautiful　and　touching　sermon；　the　candidates　were　deeply　moved　by　it；

it　was　indeed　a　very　important　day　for　them；　they　were　all　at　once

transformed　from　mere　children　to　grown…up　people；　the　childish　soul

was　to　fly　over；　as　it　were；　into　a　more　reasonable　being。

　　　　The　sun　shone　most　brightly；　and　the　sound　of　the　great　unknown

bell　was　heard　more　distinctly　than　ever。　They　had　a　mind　to　go

thither；　all　except　three。　One　of　them　wished　to　go　home　and　try　on

her　ball　dress；　for　this　very　dress　and　the　ball　were　the　cause　of　her

being　confirmed　this　time；　otherwise　she　would　not　have　been　allowed

to　go。　The　second；　a　poor　boy；　had　borrowed　a　coat　and　a　pair　of　boots

from　the　son　of　his　landlord　to　be　confirmed　in；　and　he　had　to

return　them　at　a　certain　time。　The　third　said　that　he　never　went

into　strange　places　if　his　parents　were　not　with　him；　he　had　always

been　a　good　child；　and　wished　to　remain　so；　even　after　being

confirmed；　and　they　ought　not　to　tease　him　for　this；　they；　however；

did　it　all　the　same。　These　three；　therefore　did　not　go；　the　others

went　on。　The　sun　was　shining；　the　birds　were　singing；　and　the

confirmed　children　sang　too；　holding　each　other　by　the　hand；　for

they　had　no　position　yet；　and　they　were　all　equal　in　the　eyes　of

God。　Two　of　the　smallest　soon　became　tired　and　returned　to　the　town；

two　little　girls　sat　down　and　made　garlands　of　flowers；　they；

therefore；　did　not　go　on。　When　the　others　arrived　at　the　willow　trees；

where　the　confectioner　had　put　up　his　stall；　they　said：　〃Now　we　are

out　here；　the　bell　does　not　in　reality　exist…　it　is　only　something

that　people　imagine！〃

　　　　Then　suddenly　the　sound　of　the　bell　was　heard　so　beautifully　and

solemnly　from　the　wood　that　four　or　five　made　up　their　minds　to　go

still　further　on。　The　wood　was　very　thickly　grown。　It　was　difficult　to

advance：　wood　lilies　and　anemones　grew　almost　too　high；　flowering

convolvuli　and　brambles　were　hanging　like　garlands　from　tree　to

tree；　while　the　nightingales　were　singing　and　the　sunbeams　played。

That　was　very　beautiful！　But　the　way　was　unfit　for　the　girls；　they

would　have　torn　their　dresses。　Large　rocks；　covered　with　moss　of

various　hues；　were　lying　about；　the　fresh　spring　water　rippled　forth

with　a　peculiar　sound。　〃I　don't　think　that　can　be　the　bell；〃　said

one　of　the　confirmed　children；　and　then　he　lay　down　and　listened。

〃We　must　try　to　find　out　if　it　is！〃　And　there　he　remained；　and　let　the

others　walk　on。

　　　　They　came　to　a　hut　built　of　the　bark　of　trees　and　branches；　a

large　crab…apple　tree　spread　its　branches　over　it；　as　if　it　intended

to　pour　all　its　fruit　on　the　roof；　upon　which　roses　were　blooming；　the

long　boughs　covered　the　gable；　where　a　little　bell　was　hanging。　Was

this　the　one　they　had　heard？　All　agreed　that　it　must　be　so；　except　one

who　said　that　the　bell　was　too　small　and　too　thin　to　be　heard　at

such　a　distance；　and　that　it　had　quite　a　different　sound　to　that　which

had　so　touched　men's　hearts。

　　　　He　who　spoke　was　a　king's　son；　and　therefore　the　others　said

that　such　a　one　always　wishes　to　be　cleverer　than　other　people。

　　　　Therefore　they　let　him　go　alone；　and　as　he　walked　on；　the　solitude

of　the　wood　produced　a　feeling　of　reverence　in　his　breast；　but　still

he　heard　the　little　bell　about　which　the　others　rejoiced；　and

sometimes；　when　the　wind　blew　in　that　direction；　he　could　hear　the

sounds　from　the　confectioner's　stall；　where　the　others　were　singing　at

tea。　But　the　deep　sounds　of　the　bell　were　much　stronger；　soon　it

seemed　to　him　as　if　an　organ　played　an　accompaniment…　the　sound　came

from　the　left；　from　the　side　where　the　heart　is。　Now　something　rustled

among　the　bushes；　and　a　little　boy　stood　before　the　king's　son；　in

wooden　shoes　and　such　a　short　jacket　that　the　sleeves　did　not　reach　to

his　wrists。　They　knew　each　other：　the　boy　was　the　one　who　had　not　been

able　to　go　with　them　because　he　had　to　take　the　coat　and　boots　back　to

his　landlord's　son。　That　he　had　done；　and　had　started　again　in　his

wooden　shoes　and　old　clothes；　for　the　sound　of　the　bell　was　too

enticing…　he　felt　he　must　go　on。

　　　　〃We　might　go　together；〃　said　the　king's　son。　But　the　poor　boy　with

the　wooden　shoes　was　quite　ashamed；　he　pulled　at　the　short　sleeves

of　his　jacket；　and　said　that　he　was　afraid　he　could　not　walk　so

fast；　besides；　he　was　of　opinion　that　the　bell　ought　to　be　sought　at

the　right；　for　there　was　all　that　was　grand　and　magnificent。

　　　　〃Then　we　shall　not　meet；〃　said　the　king's　son；　nodding　to　the　poor

boy；　who　went　into　the　deepest　part　of　the　wood；　where　the　thorns　tore

his　shabby　clothes　and　scratched　his　hands；　face；　and　feet　until

they　bled。　The　king's　son　also　received　several　good　scratches；　but

the　sun　was　shining　on　his　way；　and　it　is　he　whom　we　will　now

follow；　for　he　was　a　quick　fellow。　〃I　will　and　must　find　the　bell；〃　he

said；　〃if　I　have　to　go　to　the　end　of　the　world。〃

　　　　Ugly　monkeys　sat　high　in　the　branches　and　clenched　their　teeth。

〃Shall　we　beat　him？〃　they　said。　〃Shall　we　thrash　him？　He　is　a　king's

son！〃

　　　　But　he　walked　on　undaunted；　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　wood；　where

the　most　wonderful　flowers　were　growing；　there　were　standing　white

star　lilies　with　blood…red　stamens；　sky…blue　tulips　shining　when　the

wind　moved　them；　apple…trees　covered　with　apples　like　large　glittering

soap　bubbles：　only　think　how　resplendent　these　trees　were　in　the

sunshine！　All　around　were　beautiful　green　meadows；　where　hart　and　hind

played　in　the　grass。　There　grew　magnificent　oaks　and　beech…trees；

and　if　the　bark　was　split　of　any　of　them；　long　blades　of　grass　grew

out　of　the　clefts；　there　were　also　large　smooth　lakes　in　the　wood；

on　which　the　swans　were　swimming　about　and　flapping　their　wings。　The

king's　son　often　stood　still　and　listened；　sometimes　he　thought　that

the　sound　of　the　bell　rose　up　to　him　out　of　one　of　these　deep　lakes；

but　soon　he　found　that　this　was　a　mistake；　and　that　the　bell　was

ringing　still　farther　in　the　wood。　Then　the　sun　set；　the　clouds　were

as　red　as　fire；　it　became　quiet　in　the　wood；　he　sank　down　on　his

knees；　sang　an　evenin