《安徒生童话英文版》第72章

　　said Ole-Luk-Oie, "Do notbe frightened, and you shall see a little mouse." And then he held outhis hand to him, in which lay a lovely little creature. "It has cometo invite you to a wedding. Two little mice are going to enter intothe marriage state tonight. They reside under the floor of yourmother's store-room, and that must be a fine dwelling-place."

　　"But how can I get through the little mouse-hole in the floor?"asked Hjalmar.

　　"Leave me to manage that," said Ole-Luk-Oie. "I will soon make yousmall enough." And then he touched Hjalmar with his magic wand,whereupon he became less and less, until at last he was not longerthan a little finger. "Now you can borrow the dress of the tinsoldier. I think it will just fit you. It looks well to wear a uniformwhen you go into company."

　　"Yes, certainly," said Hjalmar; and in a moment he was dressedas neatly as the neatest of all tin soldiers.

　　"Will you be so good as to seat yourself in your mamma's thimble,"said the little mouse, "that I may have the pleasure of drawing you tothe wedding."

　　"Will you really take so much trouble, young lady?" saidHjalmar. And so in this way he rode to the mouse's wedding.

　　First they went under the floor, and then passed through a longpassage, which was scarcely high enough to allow the thimble todrive under, and the whole passage was lit up with thephosphorescent light of rotten wood.

　　"Does it not smell delicious?" asked the mouse, as she drew himalong. "The wall and the floor have been smeared with bacon-rind;nothing can be nicer."

　　Very soon they arrived at the bridal hall. On the right stoodall the little lady-mice, whispering and giggling, as if they weremaking game of each other. To the left were the gentlemen-mice,stroking their whiskers with their fore-paws; and in the centre of thehall could be seen the bridal pair, standing side by side, in a hollowcheese-rind, and kissing each other, while all eyes were upon them;for they had already been betrothed, and were soon to be married. Moreand more friends kept arriving, till the mice were nearly treadingeach other to death; for the bridal pair now stood in the doorway, andnone could pass in or out.

　　The room had been rubbed over with bacon-rind, like the passage,which was all the refreshment offered to the guests. But for dessertthey produced a pea, on which a mouse belonging to the bridal pair hadbitten the first letters of their names. This was something quiteuncommon. All the mice said it was a very beautiful wedding, andthat they had been very agreeably entertained.

　　After this, Hjalmar returned home. He had certainly been ingrand society; but he had been obliged to creep under a room, and tomake himself small enough to wear the uniform of a tin soldier.FRIDAY

　　FRIDAY

　　"It is incredible how many old people there are who would beglad to have me at night," said Ole-Luk-Oie, "especially those whohave done something wrong. 'Good little Ole,' say they to me, 'wecannot close our eyes, and we lie awake the whole night and see allour evil deeds sitting on our beds like little imps, and sprinkling uswith hot water. Will you come and drive them away, that we may havea good night's rest?' and then they sigh so deeply and say, 'Wewould gladly pay you for it. Good-night, Ole-Luk, the money lies onthe window.' But I never do anything for gold." "What shall we doto-night?" asked Hjalmar. "I do not know whether you would care togo to another wedding," he replied, "although it is quite adifferent affair to the one we saw last night. Your sister's largedoll, that is dressed like a man, and is called Herman, intends tomarry the doll Bertha. It is also the dolls' birthday, and they willreceive many presents."

　　"Yes, I know that already," said Hjalmar, "my sister always allowsher dolls to keep their birthdays or to have a wedding when theyrequire new clothes; that has happened already a hundred times, I amquite sure."

　　"Yes, so it may; but to-night is the hundred and first wedding,and when that has taken place it must be the last, therefore this isto be extremely beautiful. Only look."

　　Hjalmar looked at the table, and there stood the little card-boarddoll's house, with lights in all the windows, and drawn up before itwere the tin soldiers presenting arms. The bridal pair were seatedon the floor, leaning against the leg of the table, looking verythoughtful, and with good reason. Then Ole-Luk-Oie dressed up ingrandmother's black gown married them.

　　As soon as the ceremony was concluded, all the furniture in theroom joined in singing a beautiful song, which had been composed bythe lead pencil, and which went to the melody of a military tattoo.

　　"What merry sounds are on the wind,

　　As marriage rites together bind

　　A quiet and a loving pair,

　　Though formed of kid, yet smooth and fair!