《安徒生童话英文版》第233章

　　said the stork-mamma. "Theycertainly ought not to forget the most important person in the affair,as you really are. The learned men have done nothing at all but usetheir tongues. Surely they will not overlook you."

　　Late in the night, while the gentle sleep of peace rested on thenow happy house, there was still one watcher. It was not stork-papa,who, although he stood on guard on one leg, could sleep soundly. Helgaalone was awake. She leaned over the balcony, gazing at thesparkling stars that shone clearer and brighter in the pure air thanthey had done in the north, and yet they were the same stars. Shethought of the Viking's wife in the wild moorland, of the gentleeyes of her foster-mother, and of the tears she had shed over the poorfrog-child that now lived in splendor and starry beauty by thewaters of the Nile, with air balmy and sweet as spring. She thought ofthe love that dwelt in the breast of the heathen woman, love thathad been shown to a wretched creature, hateful as a human being, andhideous when in the form of an animal. She looked at the glitteringstars, and thought of the radiance that had shone forth on theforehead of the dead man, as she had fled with him over the woodlandand moor. Tones were awakened in her memory; words which she had heardhim speak as they rode onward, when she was carried, wondering andtrembling, through the air; words from the great Fountain of love, thehighest love that embraces all the human race. What had not been wonand achieved by this love?

　　Day and night beautiful Helga was absorbed in the contemplation ofthe great amount of her happiness, and lost herself in thecontemplation, like a child who turns hurriedly from the giver toexamine the beautiful gifts. She was over-powered with her goodfortune, which seemed always increasing, and therefore what might itbecome in the future? Had she not been brought by a wonderfulmiracle to all this joy and happiness? And in these thoughts sheindulged, until at last she thought no more of the Giver. It was theover-abundance of youthful spirits unfolding its wings for a daringflight. Her eyes sparkled with energy, when suddenly arose a loudnoise in the court below, and the daring thought vanished. Shelooked down, and saw two large ostriches running round quickly innarrow circles; she had never seen these creatures before,- great,coarse, clumsy-looking birds with curious wings that looked as if theyhad been clipped, and the birds themselves had the appearance ofhaving been roughly used. She inquired about them, and for the firsttime heard the legend which the Egyptians relate respecting theostrich.

　　Once, say they, the ostriches were a beautiful and glorious raceof birds, with large, strong wings. One evening the other largebirds of the forest said to the ostrich, "Brother, shall we fly to theriver to-morrow morning to drink, God willing?" and the ostrichanswered, "I will."

　　With the break of day, therefore, they commenced their flight;first rising high in the air, towards the sun, which is the eye ofGod; still higher and higher the ostrich flew, far above the otherbirds, proudly approaching the light, trusting in its own strength,and thinking not of the Giver, or saying, "if God will." When suddenlythe avenging angel drew back the veil from the flaming ocean ofsunlight, and in a moment the wings of the proud bird were scorchedand shrivelled, and they sunk miserably to the earth. Since thattime the ostrich and his race have never been able to rise in the air;they can only fly terror-stricken along the ground, or run round andround in narrow circles. It is a warning to mankind, that in all ourthoughts and schemes, and in every action we undertake, we should say,"if God will."

　　Then Helga bowed her head thoughtfully and seriously, and lookedat the circling ostrich, as with timid fear and simple pleasure itglanced at its own great shadow on the sunlit walls. And the storyof the ostrich sunk deeply into the heart and mind of Helga: a life ofhappiness, both in the present and in the future, seemed secure forher, and what was yet to come might be the best of all, God willing.

　　Early in the spring, when the storks were again about to journeynorthward, beautiful Helga took off her golden bracelets, scratchedher name on them, and beckoned to the stork-father. He came to her,and she placed the golden circlet round his neck, and begged him todeliver it safely to the Viking's wife, so that she might know thather foster-daughter still lived, was happy, and had not forgotten her.

　　"It is rather heavy to carry," thought stork-papa, when he hadit on his neck; "but gold and honor are not to be flung into thestreet. The stork brings good fortune- they'll be obliged toacknowledge that at last."

　　"You lay gold, and I lay eggs," said stork-mamma; "with you itis only once in a way, I lay eggs every year But no one appreciateswhat we do; I call it very mortifying."

　　"But then we have a consciousness of our own worth, mother,"replied stork-papa.

　　"What good will that do you?"