《安徒生童话英文版》第56章

　　In went Great Claus, and immediately sank to the bottomof the river.

　　"I'm afraid he will not find any cattle," said Little Claus, andthen he drove his own beasts homewards.

　　THE END.

　　1872

　　FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

　　LITTLE IDA'S FLOWERS

　　by Hans Christian Andersen

　　"My poor flowers are quite dead," said little Ida, "they were sopretty yesterday evening, and now all the leaves are hanging downquite withered. What do they do that for," she asked, of the studentwho sat on the sofa; she liked him very much, he could tell the mostamusing stories, and cut out the prettiest pictures; hearts, andladies dancing, castles with doors that opened, as well as flowers; hewas a delightful student. "Why do the flowers look so faded to-day?"she asked again, and pointed to her nosegay, which was quite withered.

　　"Don't you know what is the matter with them?" said the student."The flowers were at a ball last night, and therefore, it is no wonderthey hang their heads."

　　"But flowers cannot dance?" cried little Ida.

　　"Yes indeed, they can," replied the student. "When it growsdark, and everybody is asleep, they jump about quite merrily. Theyhave a ball almost every night."

　　"Can children go to these balls?"

　　"Yes," said the student, "little daisies and lilies of thevalley."

　　"Where do the beautiful flowers dance?" asked little Ida.

　　"Have you not often seen the large castle outside the gates of thetown, where the king lives in summer, and where the beautiful gardenis full of flowers? And have you not fed the swans with bread whenthey swam towards you? Well, the flowers have capital balls there,believe me."

　　"I was in the garden out there yesterday with my mother," saidIda, "but all the leaves were off the trees, and there was not asingle flower left. Where are they? I used to see so many in thesummer."

　　"They are in the castle," replied the student. "You must know thatas soon as the king and all the court are gone into the town, theflowers run out of the garden into the castle, and you should seehow merry they are. The two most beautiful roses seat themselves onthe throne, and are called the king and queen, then all the redcockscombs range themselves on each side, and bow, these are thelords-in-waiting. After that the pretty flowers come in, and thereis a grand ball. The blue violets represent little naval cadets, anddance with hyacinths and crocuses which they call young ladies. Thetulips and tiger-lilies are the old ladies who sit and watch thedancing, so that everything may be conducted with order andpropriety."

　　"But," said little Ida, "is there no one there to hurt the flowersfor dancing in the king's castle?"

　　"No one knows anything about it," said the student. "The oldsteward of the castle, who has to watch there at night, sometimescomes in; but he carries a great bunch of keys, and as soon as theflowers hear the keys rattle, they run and hide themselves behindthe long curtains, and stand quite still, just peeping their headsout. Then the old steward says, 'I smell flowers here,' but hecannot see them."

　　"Oh how capital," said little Ida, clapping her hands. "Should Ibe able to see these flowers?"

　　"Yes," said the student, "mind you think of it the next time yougo out, no doubt you will see them, if you peep through the window.I did so to-day, and I saw a long yellow lily lying stretched out onthe sofa. She was a court lady."

　　"Can the flowers from the Botanical Gardens go to these balls?"