the bottle neck-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BOTTLE　NECK

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　CLOSE　to　the　corner　of　a　street；　among　other　abodes　of　poverty；

stood　an　exceedingly　tall；　narrow　house；　which　had　been　so　knocked

about　by　time　that　it　seemed　out　of　joint　in　every　direction。　This

house　was　inhabited　by　poor　people；　but　the　deepest　poverty　was

apparent　in　the　garret　lodging　in　the　gable。　In　front　of　the　little

window；　an　old　bent　bird…cage　hung　in　the　sunshine；　which　had　not　even

a　proper　water…glass；　but　instead　of　it　the　broken　neck　of　a　bottle；

turned　upside　down；　and　a　cork　stuck　in　to　make　it　hold　the　water　with

which　it　was　filled。　An　old　maid　stood　at　the　window；　she　had　hung

chickweed　over　the　cage；　and　the　little　linnet　which　it　contained

hopped　from　perch　to　perch　and　sang　and　twittered　merrily。

　　　　〃Yes；　it's　all　very　well　for　you　to　sing；〃　said　the　bottle　neck：

that　is；　he　did　not　really　speak　the　words　as　we　do；　for　the　neck　of　a

bottle　cannot　speak；　but　he　thought　them　to　himself　in　his　own　mind；

just　as　people　sometimes　talk　quietly　to　themselves。

　　　　〃Yes；　you　may　sing　very　well；　you　have　all　your　limbs　uninjured；

you　should　feel　what　it　is　like　to　lose　your　body；　and　only　have　a

neck　and　a　mouth　left；　with　a　cork　stuck　in　it；　as　I　have：　you

wouldn't　sing　then；　I　know。　After　all；　it　is　just　as　well　that　there

are　some　who　can　be　happy。　I　have　no　reason　to　sing；　nor　could　I

sing　now　if　I　were　ever　so　happy；　but　when　I　was　a　whole　bottle；　and

they　rubbed　me　with　a　cork；　didn't　I　sing　then？　I　used　to　be　called

a　complete　lark。　I　remember　when　I　went　out　to　a　picnic　with　the

furrier's　family；　on　the　day　his　daughter　was　betrothed；…　it　seems

as　if　it　only　happened　yesterday。　I　have　gone　through　a　great　deal

in　my　time；　when　I　come　to　recollect：　I　have　been　in　the　fire　and　in

the　water；　I　have　been　deep　in　the　earth；　and　have　mounted　higher　in

the　air　than　most　other　people；　and　now　I　am　swinging　here；　outside

a　bird…cage；　in　the　air　and　the　sunshine。　Oh；　indeed；　it　would　be

worth　while　to　hear　my　history；　but　I　do　not　speak　it　aloud；　for　a

good　reason…　because　I　cannot。〃

　　　　Then　the　bottle　neck　related　his　history；　which　was　really

rather　remarkable；　he；　in　fact；　related　it　to　himself；　or；　at　least；

thought　it　in　his　own　mind。　The　little　bird　sang　his　own　song　merrily；

in　the　street　below　there　was　driving　and　running　to　and　fro；　every

one　thought　of　his　own　affairs；　or　perhaps　of　nothing　at　all；　but

the　bottle　neck　thought　deeply。　He　thought　of　the　blazing　furnace　in

the　factory；　where　he　had　been　blown　into　life；　he　remembered　how

hot　it　felt　when　he　was　placed　in　the　heated　oven；　the　home　from　which

he　sprang；　and　that　he　had　a　strong　inclination　to　leap　out　again

directly；　but　after　a　while　it　became　cooler；　and　he　found　himself

very　comfortable。　He　had　been　placed　in　a　row；　with　a　whole　regiment

of　his　brothers　and　sisters　all　brought　out　of　the　same　furnace；

some　of　them　had　certainly　been　blown　into　champagne　bottles；　and

others　into　beer　bottles；　which　made　a　little　difference　between　them。

In　the　world　it　often　happens　that　a　beer　bottle　may　contain　the

most　precious　wine；　and　a　champagne　bottle　be　filled　with　blacking；

but　even　in　decay　it　may　always　be　seen　whether　a　man　has　been　well

born。　Nobility　remains　noble；　as　a　champagne　bottle　remains　the

same；　even　with　blacking　in　its　interior。　When　the　bottles　were　packed

our　bottle　was　packed　amongst　them；　it　little　expected　then　to

finish　its　career　as　a　bottle　neck；　or　to　be　used　as　a　water…glass

to　a　bird's…cage；　which　is；　after　all；　a　place　of　honor；　for　it　is

to　be　of　some　use　in　the　world。　The　bottle　did　not　behold　the　light　of

day　again；　until　it　was　unpacked　with　the　rest　in　the　wine

merchant's　cellar；　and；　for　the　first　time；　rinsed　with　water；　which

caused　some　very　curious　sensations。　There　it　lay　empty；　and　without　a

cork；　and　it　had　a　peculiar　feeling；　as　if　it　wanted　something　it　knew

not　what。　At　last　it　was　filled　with　rich　and　costly　wine；　a　cork

was　placed　in　it；　and　sealed　down。　Then　it　was　labelled　〃first

quality；〃　as　if　it　had　carried　off　the　first　prize　at　an

examination；　besides；　the　wine　and　the　bottle　were　both　good；　and

while　we　are　young　is　the　time　for　poetry。　There　were　sounds　of　song

within　the　bottle；　of　things　it　could　not　understand；　of　green　sunny

mountains；　where　the　vines　grow　and　where　the　merry　vine…dressers

laugh；　sing；　and　are　merry。　〃Ah；　how　beautiful　is　life。〃　All　these

tones　of　joy　and　song　in　the　bottle　were　like　the　working　of　a　young

poet's　brain；　who　often　knows　not　the　meaning　of　the　tones　which　are

sounding　within　him。　One　morning　the　bottle　found　a　purchaser　in　the

furrier's　apprentice；　who　was　told　to　bring　one　of　the　best　bottles　of

wine。　It　was　placed　in　the　provision　basket　with　ham　and　cheese　and

sausages。　The　sweetest　fresh　butter　and　the　finest　bread　were　put　into

the　basket　by　the　furrier's　daughter　herself；　for　she　packed　it。　She

was　young　and　pretty；　her　brown　eyes　laughed；　and　a　smile　lingered

round　her　mouth　as　sweet　as　that　in　her　eyes。　She　had　delicate

hands；　beautifully　white；　and　her　neck　was　whiter　still。　It　could

easily　be　seen　that　she　was　a　very　lovely　girl；　and　as　yet　she　was　not

engaged。　The　provision　basket　lay　in　the　lap　of　the　young　girl　as

the　family　drove　out　to　the　forest；　and　the　neck　of　the　bottle

peeped　out　from　between　the　folds　of　the　white　napkin。　There　was　the

red　wax　on　the　cork；　and　the　bottle　looked　straight　at　the　young

girl's　face；　and　also　at　the　face　of　the　young　sailor　who　sat　near

her。　He　was　a　young　friend；　the　son　of　a　portrait　painter。　He　had

lately　passed　his　examination　with　honor；　as　mate；　and　the　next

morning　he　was　to　sail　in　his　ship　to　a　distant　coast。　There　had

been　a　great　deal　of　talk　on　this　subject　while　the　basket　was　being

packed；　and　during　this　conversation　the　eyes　and　the　mouth　of　the

furrier's　daughter　did　not　wear　a　very　joyful　expression。　The　young

people　wandered　away　into　the　green　wood；　and　talked　together。　What

did　they　talk　about？　The　bottle　could　not　say；　for　he　was　in　the

provision　basket。　It　remained　there　a　long　time；　but　when　at　last　it

was　brought　forth　it　appeared　as　if　something　pleasant　had　happened；

for　every　one　was　laughing；　the　furrier's　daughter　laughed　too；　but

she　said　very　little；　and　her　cheeks　were　like　two　roses。　Then　her

father　took　the　bottle　and　the　cork…screw　into　his　hands。　What　a

strange　sensation　it　was　to　have　the　cork　drawn　for　the　first　time！

The　bottle　could　never　after　that　forget　the　performance　of　that

moment；　indeed　there　was　quite　a　convulsion　within　him　as　the　cork

flew　out；　and　a　gurgling　sound　as　the　wine　was　poured　forth　into　the

glasses。

　　　　〃Long　life　to　the　betrothed；〃　cried　the　papa；　and　every　glass

was　emptied　to　the　dregs；　while　the　young　sailor　kissed　his

beautiful　bride。

　　　　〃Happiness　and　blessing　to　you　both；〃　said　the　old　people…father

and　mother；　and　the　young　man　filled　the　glasses　again。

　　　　〃Safe　return；　and　a　wedding　this　day　next　year；〃　he　cried；　and

when　the　glasses　were　empty　he　took　the　bottle；　raised　it　on　high；　and

said；　〃Thou　hast　been　present　here　on　the　happiest　day　of　my　life；

thou　shalt　never　be　used　by　others！〃　So　saying；　he　hurled　it　high　in

the　air。

　　　　The　furrier's　daughter　thought　she　should　never　see　it　again；

but　she　was　mistaken。　It　fell　among　the　rushes　on　the　borders　of　a

little　woodland　lake。　The　bottle　neck　remembered　well　how　long　it

lay　there　unseen。　〃I　gave　them　wine；　and　they　gave　me　muddy　water；〃　he

had　said　to　himself；　〃but　I　suppose　it　was　all　well　meant。〃　He　could

no　longer　see　the　betrothed　couple；　nor　the　cheerful　old　people；　but

for　a　long　time　he　could　hear　them　rejoicing　and　singing。　At　length

there　came　by　two　peasant　boys；　who　peeped　in　among　the　reeds　and

spied　out　the　bottle。　Then　they　took　it　up　and　carried　it　home　with

them；　so　that　once　more　it　was　provided　for。　At　home　in　their　wooden

cottage　these　boys　had　an　elder　brother；　a　sailor；　who　was　about　to

start　on　a　long　voyage。　He　had　been　there　the　day　before　to　say

farewell；　and　his　mother　was　now　very　busy　packing　up　various　things

for　him　to　take　with　him　on　his　voyage。　In　the　evening　his　father

was　going　to　carry　the　parcel　to　the　town　to　see　his　son　once　more；

and　take　him　a　farewell　greeting　from　his　mother。　A　small　bottle　had

already　been　filled　with　herb　tea；　mixed　with　brandy；　and　wrapped　in　a

parcel；　but　when　the　boys　came　in　they　brought　with　them　a　larger

and　stronger　bottle；　which　they　had　found。　This　bottle　would　hold　so

much　more　than　the　little　one；　and　they　all　said　the　brandy　would　be

so　good　for　complaints　of　the　stomach；　especially　as　it　was　mixed　with

medical　herbs。　The　liquid　which　they　now　poured　into　the　bottle　was

not　like　the　red　wine　with　which　it　had　once　been　filled；　these　were

bitter　drops；　but　they　are　of　great　use　sometimes…for　the　stomach。　The

new　large　bottle　was　to　go；　not　the　little　one：　so　the　bottle　once

more　s