how to tell stories to children-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

om　my　memory；　so　that　I　〃made　up〃　to　suit　the　tastes　of　my　audience。　　Afterward　I　told　the　story　to　a　good　many　children；　at　one　time　or　another；　and　it　gradually　took　the　shape　it　has　here。　　It　was　not　until　several　years　later　that；　in　re…reading　Andersen　for　other　purposes；　I　came　upon　the　real　story　of　the　Little　Fir　Tree；　and　read　it　for　myself。　　Then　indeed　I　was　amused；　and　somewhat　distressed；　to　find　how　far　I　had　wandered　from　the　text。

I　give　this　explanation　that　the　reader　may　know　I　do　not　presume　to　offer　the　little　tale　which　follows　as　an　〃adaptation〃　of　Andersen's　famous　story。　　I　offer　it　plainly　as　a　story　which　children　have　liked；　and　which　grew　out　of　my　early　memories　of　Andersen's　〃The　Little　Fir　Tree〃＇。

Once　there　was　a　Little　Fir　Tree；　slim　and　pointed；　and　shiny；　which　stood　in　the　great　forest　in　the　midst　of　some　big　fir　trees；　broad；　and　tall；　and　shadowy　green。　The　Little　Fir　Tree　was　very　unhappy　　because　he　was　not　big　like　the　others。　　When　the　birds　came　flying　into　the　woods　and　lit　on　the　branches　of　the　big　trees　and　built　their　nests　there；　he　used　to　call　up　to　them；

〃Come　down；　come　down；　rest　in　my　branches！〃　　But　they　always　said；　〃Oh；　no；　no；　you　are　too　little！〃

And　when　the　splendid　wind　came　blowing　and　singing　through　the　forest；　it　bent　and　rocked　and　swung　the　tops　of　the　big　trees；　and　murmured　to　them。　　Then　the　Little　Fir　Tree　looked　up；　and　called；

〃Oh；　please；　dear　wind；　come　down　and　play　with　me！〃　　But　he　always　said；

〃Oh；　no；　you　are　too　little；　you　are　too　little！〃

And　in　the　winter　the　white　snow　fell　softly；　softly；　and　covered　the　great　trees　all　over　with　wonderful　caps　and　coats　of　white。　　The　Little　Fir　Tree；　close　down　in　the　cover　of　the　others；　would　call　up；

〃Oh；　please；　dear　snow；　give　me　a　cap；　too！　　I　want　to　play；　too！〃　　But　the　snow　always　said；

〃Oh　no；　no；　no；　you　are　too　little；　you　are　too　little！〃

The　worst　of　all　was　when　men　came　into　the　wood；　with　sledges　and　teams　of　horses。　　They　came　to　cut　the　big　trees　down　and　carry　them　away。　　And　when　one　had　been　cut　down　and　carried　away　the　others　talked　about　it；　and　nodded　their　heads。　　And　the　Little　Fir　Tree　listened；　and　heard　them　say　that　when　you　were　carried　away　so；　you　might　become　the　mast　of　a　mighty　ship；　and　go　far　away　over　the　ocean；　and　see　many　wonderful　things；　or　you　might　be　part　of　a　fine　house　in　a　great　city；　and　see　much　of　life。　　The　Little　Fir　Tree　wanted　greatly　to　see　life；　but　he　was　always　too　little；　the　men　passed　him　by。

But　by　and　by；　one　cold　winter's　morning；　men　came　with　a　sledge　and　horses；　and　after　they　had　cut　here　and　there　they　came　to　the　circle　of　trees　round　the　Little　Fir　Tree；　and　looked　all　about。

〃There　are　none　little　enough；〃　they　said。

Oh！　how　the　Little　Fir　Tree　pricked　up　his　needles！

〃Here　is　one；〃　said　one　of　the　men；　〃it　is　just　little　enough。〃　　And　he　touched　the　Little　Fir　Tree。

The　Little　Fir　Tree　was　happy　as　a　bird；　because　he　knew　they　were　about　to　cut　him　down。　　And　when　he　was　being　carried　away　on　the　sledge　he　lay　wondering；　SO　contentedly；　whether　he　should　be　the　mast　of　a　ship　or　part　of　a　fine　city　house。　But　when　they　came　to　the　town　he　was　taken　out　and　set　upright　in　a　tub　and　placed　on　the　edge　of　a　sidewalk　in　a　row　of　other　fir　trees；　all　small；　but　none　so　little　as　he。　　And　then　the　Little　Fir　Tree　began　to　see　life。

People　kept　coming　to　look　at　the　trees　and　to　take　them　away。　　But　always　when　they　saw　the　Little　Fir　Tree　they　shook　their　heads　and　said；

〃It　is　too　little；　too　little。〃

Until；　finally；　two　children　came　along；　hand　in　hand；　looking　carefully　at　all　the　small　trees。　　When　they　saw　the　Little　Fir　Tree　they　cried　out；

〃We'll　take　this　one；　it　is　just　little　enough！〃

They　took　him　out　of　his　tub　and　carried　him　away；　between　them。　　And　the　happy　Little　Fir　Tree　spent　all　his　time　wondering　what　it　could　be　that　he　was　just　　little　enough　for；　he　knew　it　could　hardly　be　a　mast　or　a　house；　since　he　was　going　away　with　children。

He　kept　wondering；　while　they　took　him　in　through　some　big　doors；　and　set　him　up　in　another　tub；　on　the　table；　in　a　bare　little　room。　　Pretty　soon　they　went　away；　and　came　back　again　with　a　big　basket；　carried　between　them。　　Then　some　pretty　ladies；　with　white　caps　on　their　heads　and　white　aprons　over　their　blue　dresses；　came　bringing　little　parcels。　　The　children　took　things　out　of　the　basket　and　began　to　play　with　the　Little　Fir　Tree；　just　as　he　had　often　begged　the　wind　and　the　snow　and　the　birds　to　do。　　He　felt　their　soft　little　touches　on　his　head　and　his　twigs　and　his　branches。　And　when　he　looked　down　at　himself；　as　far　as　he　could　look；　he　saw　that　he　was　all　hung　with　gold　and　silver　chains！　　There　were　strings　of　white　fluffy　stuff　drooping　around　him；　his　twigs　held　little　gold　nuts　and　pink；　rosy　balls　and　silver　stars；　he　had　pretty　little　pink　and　white　candles　in　his　arms；　but　last；　and　most　wonderful　of　all；　the　children　hung　a　beautiful　white；　floating　doll…angel　over　his　head！　　The　　Little　Fir　Tree　could　not　breathe；　for　joy　and　wonder。　　What　was　it　that　he　was；　now？　　Why　was　this　glory　for　him？

After　a　time　every　one　went　away　and　left　him。　　It　grew　dusk；　and　the　Little　Fir　Tree　began　to　hear　strange　sounds　through　the　closed　doors。　　Sometimes　he　heard　a　child　crying。　　He　was　beginning　to　be　lonely。　It　grew　more　and　more　shadowy。

All　at　once；　the　doors　opened　and　the　two　children　came　in。　　Two　of　the　pretty　ladies　were　with　them。　　They　came　up　to　the　Little　Fir　Tree　and　quickly　lighted　all　the　little　pink　and　white　candles。　　Then　the　two　pretty　ladies　took　hold　of　the　table　with　the　Little　Fir　Tree　on　it　and　pushed　it；　very　smoothly　and　quickly；　out　of　the　doors；　across　a　hall；　and　in　at　another　door。

The　Little　Fir　Tree　had　a　sudden　sight　of　a　long　room　with　many　little　white　beds　in　it；　of　children　propped　up　on　pillows　in　the　beds；　and　of　other　children　in　great　wheeled　chairs；　and　others　hobbling　about　or　sitting　in　little　chairs。　　He　wondered　why　all　the　little　children　looked　so　white　and　tired；　he　did　not　know　that　he　was　in　a　hospital。　But　before　he　could　wonder　any　more　his　　breath　was　quite　taken　away　by　the　shout　those　little　white　children　gave。

〃Oh！　oh！　m…m！　m…m！〃　they　cried。

〃How　pretty！　　How　beautiful！　　Oh；　isn't　it　lovely！〃

He　knew　they　must　mean　him；　for　all　their　shining　eyes　were　looking　straight　at　him。　　He　stood　as　straight　as　a　mast；　and　quivered　in　every　needle；　for　joy。　　Presently　one　little　weak　child…voice　called　out；

〃It's　the　nicest　Christmas　tree　I　ever　saw！〃

And　then；　at　last；　the　Little　Fir　Tree　knew　what　he　was；　he　was　a　Christmas　tree！　　And　from　his　shiny　head　to　his　feet　he　was　glad；　through　and　through；　because　he　was　just　little　enough　to　be　the　nicest　kind　of　tree　in　the　world！



HOW　MOSES　WAS　SAVED


Thousands　of　years　ago；　many　years　before　David　lived；　there　was　a　very　wise　and　good　man　of　his　people　who　was　a　friend　and　adviser　of　the　king　of　Egypt。　And　for　love　of　this　friend；　the　king　of　Egypt　had　let　numbers　of　the　Israelites　　settle　in　his　land。　　But　after　the　king　and　his　Israelitish　friend　were　dead；　there　was　a　new　king；　who　hated　the　Israelites。　　When　he　saw　how　strong　they　were；　and　how　many　there　were　of　them；　he　began　to　be　afraid　that　some　day　they　might　number　more　than　the　Egyptians；　and　might　take　his　land　from　him。

Then　he　and　his　rulers　did　a　wicked　thing。　　They　made　the　Israelites　slaves。　And　they　gave　them　terrible　tasks　to　do；　without　proper　rest；　or　food；　or　clothes。　For　they　hoped　that　the　hardship　would　kill　off　the　Israelites。　　They　thought　the　old　men　would　die　and　the　young　men　be　so　ill　and　weary　that　they　could　not　bring　up　families；　and　so　the　race　would　vanish　away。

But　in　spite　of　the　work　and　suffering；　the　Israelites　remained　strong；　and　more　and　more　boys　grew　up；　to　make　the　king　afraid。

Then　he　did　the　wickedest　thing　of　all。　He　ordered　his　soldiers　to　kill　every　boy　baby　that　should　be　born　in　an　Israelitish　family；　he　did　not　care　about　the　girls；　because　they　could　not　grow　up　to　fight。

Very　soon　after　this　evil　order；　a　boy　baby　was　born　in　a　certain　Israelitish　family。　　When　his　mother　first　looked　at　him　her　heart　was　nearly　broken；　for　he　was　even　more　beautiful　than　most　babies　are；so　strong　and　fair　and　sweet。　　But　he　was　a　boy！　　How　could　she　save　him　from　death？

Somehow；　she　contrived　to　keep　him　hidden　for　three　whole　months。　　But　at　the　end　of　that　time；　she　saw　that　it　was　not　going　to　be　possible　to　keep　him　safe　any　longer。　　She　had　been　thinking　all　this　time　about　what　she　should　do；　and　now　she　carried　out　her　plan。

First；　she　took　a　basket　made　of　bulrushes　and　daubed　it　all　over　with　pitch　so　that　it　was　water…tight；　and　then　she　laid　the　baby　in　it；　then　she　carried　it　to　the　edge　of　the　river　and　laid　it　in　the　flags　by　the　river's　brink。　　It　did　not　show　at　all；　unless　one　were　quite　near　it。　　Then　she　kissed　her　little　son　and　left　him　there。　But　his　sister　stood　far　off；　not　seeming　to　watch；　but　really　watching　carefully　to　see　what　would　happen　to　the　baby。

Soon　there　was　the　sound　of　talk　and　　laughter；　and　a　train　of　beautiful　women　came　down　to　the　water's