安徒生童話中英對比三篇

安徒生童話中英對比三篇

導語：安徒生童話的文字“善於爲人們的幸福和自己的幸福去想象，而不是爲了悲哀”。這裏本站的小編爲大家整理了三篇安徒生童話中英對比，希望你們喜歡。

故事一：《世界上最美麗的一朵玫瑰花》

從前有一位權力很大的皇后。她的花園裏種植着每季最美麗的、從世界各國移來的花。但是她特別喜愛玫瑰花，因此她有各種各色的玫瑰花：從那長着能發出蘋果香味的綠葉的野玫瑰，一直到最可愛的、普羅旺斯的玫瑰，樣樣都有。它們爬上宮殿的牆壁，攀着圓柱和窗架，伸進走廊，一直長到所有大殿的天花板上去。這些玫瑰有不同的香味，形狀和色彩。

但是這些大殿裏充滿了憂慮和悲哀。皇后睡在病牀上起不來，御醫宣稱她的生命沒有希望。

“只有一件東西可以救她，”御醫之中一位最聰明的人說。“送給她一朵世界上最美麗的玫瑰花——一朵表示最高尚、最純潔的愛情的玫瑰花。這朵花要在她的眼睛沒有閉上以前就送到她面前來.那麼她就不會死掉。”

各地的年輕人和老年人送來許多玫瑰花——所有的花園裏開着的最美麗的玫瑰花。然而這卻不是那種能治病的玫瑰花。那應該是在愛情的花園裏摘下來的一朵花;但是哪朵玫瑰真正表示出最高尚、最純潔的愛情呢?

詩人們歌唱着世界上最美麗的玫瑰花;每個詩人都有自己的一朵。消息傳遍全國，傳到每一顆充滿了愛情的心裏，傳給每一種年齡和從事每種職業的人。

“至今還沒有人能說出這朵花，”那個聰明人說，“誰也指不出盛開着這朵花的那塊地方。這不是羅密歐和朱麗葉棺材上的玫瑰花，也不是瓦爾堡墳上的玫瑰花，雖然這些玫瑰在詩歌和傳說中永遠是芬芳的。這也不是從文克里得的血跡斑斑的長矛上開出的那些玫瑰花——從一個爲祖國而死去的英雄的心裏所流出的血中開出的玫瑰花，雖然什麼樣的死也沒有這種死可愛，什麼樣的花也沒有他所流出的血那樣紅。這也不是人們在靜寂的房間裏，花了無數不眠之夜和寶貴的生命所培養出的那朵奇異之花——科學的奇花。”

“我知道這朵花開在什麼地方，”一個幸福的母親說。她帶着她的嬌嫩的孩子走到這位皇后的牀邊來，“我知道在什麼地方可以找到世界上最美麗的玫瑰花!那朵表示最高尚和最純潔的愛情的玫瑰，是從我甜蜜的孩子的鮮豔的臉上開出來的。這時他睡足了覺，睜開他的眼睛，對我發出充滿了愛情的微笑!”

“這朵玫瑰是夠美的，不過還有一朵比這更美，”聰明人說。

“是的，比這更要美得多，”另一個女人說。“我曾經看到過一朵，再沒有任何一朵開得比這更高尚、更神聖的花，不過它像庚申玫瑰的花瓣，白得沒有血色。我看到它在皇后的臉上開出來。她取下了她的皇冠，她在悲哀的長夜裏抱着她的病孩子哭泣，吻他，祈求上帝保佑他——像一個母親在苦痛的時刻那樣祈求。”

“悲哀中的白玫瑰是神聖的，具有神奇的力量;但是它不是我們所尋找的那朵玫瑰花。”

“不是的，我只是在上帝的祭壇上看到世界上最美的那朵玫瑰花，”虔誠的老主教說。“我看到它像一個安琪兒的面孔似的射出光彩。年輕的姑娘走到聖餐的桌子面前，重複她們在受洗時聽作出的諾言，於是玫瑰花開了——她們的鮮嫩的臉上開出淡白色的玫瑰花。一個年輕的女子站在那兒。她的靈魂充滿了純潔的愛，她擡頭望着上帝——這是一個最純潔和最高尚的愛的表情。”

“願上帝祝福她!”聰明人說。“不過你們誰也沒有對我說出世界上最美麗的玫瑰花。”

這時有一個孩子——皇后的小兒子——走進房間裏來了。他的眼睛裏和他的臉上全是淚珠。他捧着一本打開的厚書。這書是用天鵝絨裝訂的，上面還有銀質的大釦子。

“媽媽!”小傢伙說，“啊，請聽我念吧!”

於是這孩子在牀邊坐下來，念着書中關於他的事情——他，爲了拯救人類，包括那些還沒有出生的人，在十字架上犧牲了自己的生命。

“沒有什麼愛能夠比這更偉大!”

皇后的臉上露出一片玫瑰色的光彩，她的眼睛變得又大又明亮，因爲她在這書頁上看到世界上最美麗的玫瑰花——從十字架上的基督的血裏開出的一朵玫瑰花。

“我看到它了!”她說，“看到了這朵玫瑰花——這朵地上最美麗的玫瑰花——的人，永遠不會死亡!”

英文版：The Loveliest Rose in the World

THERE lived once a great queen, in whose garden were found at all seasons the most splendid flowers, and from every land in the world. She specially loved roses, and therefore she possessed the most beautiful varieties of this flower, from the wild hedge-rose, with its apple-scented leaves, to the splendid Provence rose. They grew near the shelter of the walls, wound themselves round columns and window-frames, crept along passages and over the ceilings of the halls. They were of every fragrance and color.

But care and sorrow dwelt within these halls; the queen lay upon a sick bed, and the doctors declared that she must die. “There is still one thing that could save her,” said one of the wisest among them. “Bring her the loveliest rose in the world; one which exhibits the purest and brightest love, and if it is brought to her before her eyes close, she will not die.”

Then from all parts came those who brought roses that bloomed in every garden, but they were not the right sort. The flower must be one from the garden of love; but which of the roses there showed forth the highest and purest love? The poets sang of this rose, the loveliest in the world, and each named one which he considered worthy of that title; and intelligence of what was required was sent far and wide to every heart that beat with love; to every class, age, and condition.

“No one has yet named the flower,” said the wise man. “No one has pointed out the spot where it blooms in all its splendor. It is not a rose from the coffin of Romeo and Juliet, or from the grave of Walburg, though these roses will live in everlasting song. It is not one of the roses which sprouted forth from the blood-stained fame of Winkelreid. The blood which flows from the breast of a hero who dies for his country is sacred, and his memory is sweet, and no rose can be redder than the blood which flows from his veins. Neither is it the magic flower of Science, to obtain which wondrous flower a man devotes many an hour of his fresh young life in sleepless nights, in a lonely chamber.”

“I know where it blooms,” said a happy mother, who came with her lovely child to the bedside of the queen. “I know where the loveliest rose in the world is. It is seen on the blooming cheeks of my sweet child, when it expresses the pure and holy love of infancy; when refreshed by sleep it opens its eyes, and smiles upon me with childlike affection.”

“This is a lovely rose,” said the wise man; “but there is one still more lovely.”

“Yes, one far more lovely,” said one of the women. “I have seen it, and a loftier and purer rose does not bloom. But it was white, like the leaves of a blush-rose. I saw it on the cheeks of the queen. She had taken off her golden crown, and through the long, dreary night, she carried her sick child in her arms. She wept over it, kissed it, and prayed for it as only a mother can pray in that hour of her anguish.”

“Holy and wonderful in its might is the white rose of grief, but it is not the one we seek.”

“No; the loveliest rose in the world I saw at the Lord’s table,” said the good old bishop. “I saw it shine as if an angel’s face had appeared. A young maiden knelt at the altar, and renewed the vows made at her baptism; and there were white roses and red roses on the blushing cheeks of that young girl. She looked up to heaven with all the purity and love of her young spirit, in all the expression of the highest and purest love.”

“May she be blessed!” said the wise man: “but no one has yet named the loveliest rose in the world.”

Then there came into the room a child—the queen’s little son. Tears stood in his eyes, and glistened on his cheeks; he carried a great book and the binding was of velvet, with silver clasps. “Mother,” cried the little boy; “only hear what I have read.” And the child seated himself by the bedside, and read from the book of Him who suffered death on the cross to save all men, even who are yet unborn. He read, “Greater love hath no man than this,” and as he read a roseate hue spread over the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes became so enlightened and clear, that she saw from the leaves of the book a lovely rose spring forth, a type of Him who shed His blood on the cross.

“I see it,” she said. “He who beholds this, the loveliest rose on earth, shall never die.”

故事二：《小鬼和小商人》

從前有一個名副其實的學生：他住在一間頂樓裏，什麼也沒有;同時有一個名副其實的小商人，住在第一層樓上，擁有整幢房子。一個小鬼就跟這個小商人住在一起，因爲在這兒，在每個聖誕節的前夕，他總能得到一盤麥片粥吃，裏面還有一大塊黃油!這個小商人能夠供給這點東西，所以小鬼就住在他的店裏，而這件事是富有教育意義的。

有一天晚上，學生從後門走進來，給自己買點蠟燭和幹奶酪。他沒有人爲他跑腿，因此才親自來買。他買到了他所需要的東西，也付了錢。小商人和他的太太對他點點頭，表示祝他晚安。這位太太能做的事情並不止點頭這一項——她還有會講話的天才!

學生也點了點頭。接着他忽然站着不動，讀起包乾奶酪的那張紙上的字來了。這是從一本舊書上撕下的一頁紙。這頁紙本來是不應該撕掉的，因爲這是一部很舊的詩集。

“這樣的書多得是!"小商人說。"我用幾粒咖啡豆從一個老太婆那兒換來的。你只要給我三個銅板，就可以把剩下的全部拿去。”

“謝謝，"學生說，"請你給我這本書，把幹奶酪收回去吧;我只吃黃油麪包就夠了。把一整本書撕得亂七八糟，真是一樁罪過。你是一個能幹的人，一個講究實際的人，不過就詩說來，你不會比那個盆子懂得更多。”

這句話說得很沒有禮貌，特別是用那個盆子作比喻;但是小商人大笑起來，學生也大笑起來，因爲這句話不過是開開玩笑罷了。但是那個小鬼卻生了氣：居然有人敢對一個賣最好的黃油的商人兼房東說出這樣的話來。

黑夜到來了，店鋪關上了門;除了學生以外，所有的人都上牀去睡了。這時小鬼就走進來，拿起小商人的太太的舌頭，因爲她在睡覺的時候並不需要它。只要他把這舌頭放在屋子裏的任何物件上，這物件就能發出聲音，講起話來，而且還可以像太太一樣，表示出它的思想和感情。不過一次只能有一件東西利用這舌頭，而這倒也是一樁幸事，否則它們就要彼此打斷話頭了。

小鬼把舌頭放在那個裝報紙的盆裏。"有人說你不懂得詩是什麼東西，"他問，"這話是真的嗎?”

“我當然懂得，"盆子說，"詩是一種印在報紙上補白的東西，可以隨便剪掉不要。我相信，我身體裏的詩要比那個學生多得多;但是對小商人說來，我不過是一個沒有價值的盆子罷了。”

於是小鬼再把舌頭放在一個咖啡磨上。哎唷!咖啡磨簡直成了一個話匣子了!於是他又把舌頭放在一個黃油桶上，然後又放到錢匣子上——它們的意見都跟盆子的意見一樣，而多數人的意見是必須尊重的。

“好吧，我要把這意見告訴那個學生!”

於是小鬼就靜悄悄地從一個後樓梯走上學生所住的那間頂樓。房裏還點着蠟燭。小鬼從門鎖孔裏朝裏面偷看。他瞧見學生正在讀他從樓下拿去的那本破書。

但是這房間裏是多麼亮啊!那本書裏冒出一根亮晶晶的光柱。它擴大成爲一根樹幹，變成了一株大樹。它長得非常高，而且它的枝丫還在學生的頭上向四面伸展開來。每片葉子都很新鮮，每朵花兒都是一個美女的面孔：臉上的眼睛有的烏黑髮亮，有的藍得分外晶瑩。每一個果子都是一顆明亮的星;此外，房裏還有美妙的歌聲和音樂。

嗨!這樣華麗的景象是小鬼從沒有想到過的，更談不上看見過或聽到過了。他踮着腳尖站在那兒，望了又望，直到房裏的光滅掉爲止。學生把燈吹熄，上牀睡覺去了。但是小鬼仍舊站在那兒，因爲音樂還沒有停止，聲音既柔和，又美麗;對於躺着休息的學生說來，它真算得是一支美妙的催眠曲。

“這真是美麗極了!"小鬼說。"這真是出乎我的想象之外!

我倒很想跟這學生住在一起哩。”

接着他很有理智地考慮了一下，嘆了一口氣："這學生可沒有粥給我吃!"所以他仍然走下樓來，回到那個小商人家裏去了。他回來得正是時候，因爲那個盆子幾乎把太太的舌頭用爛了：它已經把身子這一面所裝的東西全都講完了，現在它正打算翻轉身來把另一面再講一通。正在這時候，小鬼來到了，把這舌頭拿走，還給了太太。不過從這時候起，整個的店——從錢匣一直到木柴——都隨聲附和盆子了。它們尊敬它，五體投地地佩服它，弄得後來店老闆晚間在報紙上讀到藝術和戲劇批評文章時，它們都相信這是盆子的意見。

但是小鬼再也沒有辦法安安靜靜地坐着，聽它們賣弄智慧和學問了。不成，只要頂樓上一有燈光射出來，他就覺得這些光線好像就是錨索，硬要把他拉上去。他不得不爬上去，把眼睛貼着那個小鑰匙孔朝裏面望。他胸中起了一種豪邁的感覺，就像我們站在波濤洶涌的、正受暴風雨襲擊的大海旁邊一樣。他不禁悽然淚下!他自己也不知道他爲什麼要流眼淚，不過他在流淚的時候卻有一種幸福之感：跟學生一起坐在那株樹下該是多麼幸福啊!然而這是做不到的事情——他能在小孔裏看一下也就很滿足了。

他站在寒冷的樓梯上;秋風從閣樓的圓窗吹進來。天氣變得非常冷了。不過，只有當頂樓上的燈滅了和音樂停止了的時候，這個小矮子纔開始感覺到冷。嗨!這時他就顫抖起來，爬下樓梯，回到他那個溫暖的角落裏去了。那兒很舒服和安適!

聖誕節的粥和一大塊黃油來了——的確，這時他體會到小商人是他的主人。

不過半夜的時候，小鬼被窗扉上一陣可怕的敲擊聲驚醒了[]。外面有人在大喊大叫。守夜人在吹號角，因爲發生了火災——整條街上都是一片火焰。火是在自己家裏燒起來的呢，還是在隔壁房裏燒起來的呢?究竟是在什麼地方燒起來的呢?

大家都陷入恐怖中。

小商人的太太給弄糊塗了，連忙扯下耳朵上的金耳環，塞進衣袋，以爲這樣總算救出了一點東西。小商人則忙着去找他的股票，女傭人跑去找她的黑綢披風——因爲她沒有錢再買這樣一件衣服。每個人都想救出自己最好的東西。小鬼當然也是這樣。他幾步就跑到樓上，一直跑進學生的房裏。學生正泰然自若地站在一個開着的窗子面前，眺望着對面那幢房子裏的火焰。小鬼把放在桌上的那本奇書搶過來，塞進自己的小紅帽裏，同時用雙手捧着帽子。現在這一家的最好的寶物總算救出來了!所以他就趕快逃跑，一直跑到屋頂上，跑到煙囪上去。他坐在那兒，對面那幢房子的火光照着他——他雙手抱着那頂藏有寶貝的帽子。現在他知道他心裏的真正感情，知道他的心真正向着誰了。不過等到火被救熄以後，等到他的頭腦冷靜下來以後——嗨……"我得把我分給兩個人，"他說。"爲了那碗粥，我不能捨棄那個小商人!”

這話說得很近人情!我們大家也到小商人那兒去——爲了我們的粥。

英文版： 　　The Goblin and the Huckster

There was once a regular student, who lived in a garret, and had no possessions. And there was also a regular huckster, to whom the house belonged, and who occupied the ground floor. A goblin lived with the huckster, because at Christmas he always had a large dish full of jam, with a great piece of butter in the middle. The huckster could afford this; and therefore the goblin remained with the huckster, which was very cunning of him.

One evening the student came into the shop through the back door to buy candles and cheese for himself, he had no one to send, and therefore he came himself; he obtained what he wished, and then the huckster and his wife nodded good evening to him, and she was a woman who could do more than merely nod, for she had usually plenty to say for herself. The student nodded in return as he turned to leave, then suddenly stopped, and began reading the piece of paper in which the cheese was wrapped. It was a leaf torn out of an old book, a book that ought not to have been torn up, for it was full of poetry.

“Yonder lies some more of the same sort,” said the huckster: “I gave an old woman a few coffee berries for it; you shall have the rest for sixpence, if you will.”

“Indeed I will,” said the student; “give me the book instead of the cheese; I can eat my bread and butter without cheese. It would be a sin to tear up a book like this. You are a clever man; and a practical man; but you understand no more about poetry than that cask yonder.”

This was a very rude speech, especially against the cask; but the huckster and the student both laughed, for it was only said in fun. But the goblin felt very angry that any man should venture to say such things to a huckster who was a householder and sold the best butter. As soon as it was night, and the shop closed, and every one in bed except the student, the goblin stepped softly into the bedroom where the huckster’s wife slept, and took away her tongue, which of course, she did not then want. Whatever object in the room he placed his tongue upon immediately received voice and speech, and was able to express its thoughts and feelings as readily as the lady herself could do. It could only be used by one object at a time, which was a good thing, as a number speaking at once would have caused great confusion. The goblin laid the tongue upon the cask, in which lay a quantity of old newspapers.

“Is it really true,” he asked, “that you do not know what poetry is?”

“Of course I know,” replied the cask: “poetry is something that always stand in the corner of a newspaper, and is sometimes cut out; and I may venture to affirm that I have more of it in me than the student has, and I am only a poor tub of the huckster’s.”

Then the goblin placed the tongue on the coffee mill; and how it did go to be sure! Then he put it on the butter tub and the cash box, and they all expressed the same opinion as the waste-paper tub; and a majority must always be respected.

“Now I shall go and tell the student,” said the goblin; and with these words he went quietly up the back stairs to the garret where the student lived. He had a candle burning still, and the goblin peeped through the keyhole and saw that he was reading in the torn book, which he had brought out of the shop. But how light the room was! From the book shot forth a ray of light which grew broad and full, like the stem of a tree, from which bright rays spread upward and over the student’s head. Each leaf was fresh, and each flower was like a beautiful female head; some with dark and sparkling eyes, and others with eyes that were wonderfully blue and clear. The fruit gleamed like stars, and the room was filled with sounds of beautiful music. The little goblin had never imagined, much less seen or heard of, any sight so glorious as this. He stood still on tiptoe, peeping in, till the light went out in the garret. The student no doubt had blown out his candle and gone to bed; but the little goblin remained standing there nevertheless, and listening to the music which still sounded on, soft and beautiful, a sweet cradle-song for the student, who had lain down to rest.

“This is a wonderful place,” said the goblin; “I never expected such a thing. I should like to stay here with the student;” and the little man thought it over, for he was a sensible little spirit. At last he sighed, “but the student has no jam!” So he went down stairs again into the huckster’s shop, and it was a good thing he got back when he did, for the cask had almost worn out the lady’s tongue; he had given a description of all that he contained on one side, and was just about to turn himself over to the other side to describe what was there, when the goblin entered and restored the tongue to the lady. But from that time forward, the whole shop, from the cash box down to the pinewood logs, formed their opinions from that of the cask; and they all had such confidence in him, and treated him with so much respect, that when the huckster read the criticisms on theatricals and art of an evening, they fancied it must all come from the cask.

But after what he had seen, the goblin could no longer sit and listen quietly to the wisdom and understanding down stairs; so, as soon as the evening light glimmered in the garret, he took courage, for it seemed to him as if the rays of light were strong cables, drawing him up, and obliging him to go and peep through the keyhole; and, while there, a feeling of vastness came over him such as we experience by the ever-moving sea, when the storm breaks forth; and it brought tears into his eyes. He did not himself know why he wept, yet a kind of pleasant feeling mingled with his tears. “How wonderfully glorious it would be to sit with the student under such a tree;” but that was out of the question, he must be content to look through the keyhole, and be thankful for even that.

There he stood on the old landing, with the autumn wind blowing down upon him through the trap-door. It was very cold; but the little creature did not really feel it, till the light in the garret went out, and the tones of music died away. Then how he shivered, and crept down stairs again to his warm corner, where it felt home-like and comfortable. And when Christmas came again, and brought the dish of jam and the great lump of butter, he liked the huckster best of all.

Soon after, in the middle of the night, the goblin was awoke by a terrible noise and knocking against the window shutters and the house doors, and by the sound of the watchman’s horn; for a great fire had broken out, and the whole street appeared full of flames. Was it in their house, or a neighbor’s? No one could tell, for terror had seized upon all. The huckster’s wife was so bewildered that she took her gold ear-rings out of her ears and put them in her pocket, that she might save something at least. The huckster ran to get his business papers, and the servant resolved to save her blue silk mantle, which she had managed to buy. Each wished to keep the best things they had. The goblin had the same wish; for, with one spring, he was up stairs and in the student’s room, whom he found standing by the open window, and looking quite calmly at the fire, which was raging at the house of a neighbor opposite. The goblin caught up the wonderful book which lay on the table, and popped it into his red cap, which he held tightly with both hands. The greatest treasure in the house was saved; and he ran away with it to the roof, and seated himself on the chimney. The flames of the burning house opposite illuminated him as he sat, both hands pressed tightly over his cap, in which the treasure lay; and then he found out what feelings really reigned in his heart, and knew exactly which way they tended. And yet, when the fire was extinguished, and the goblin again began to reflect, he hesitated, and said at last, “I must divide myself between the two; I cannot quite give up the huckster, because of the jam.”

And this is a representation of human nature. We are like the goblin; we all go to visit the huckster “because of the jam.”

故事三：《一個豆莢裏的五粒豆》

有一個豆莢，裏面有五粒豌豆。它們都是綠的，因此它們就以爲整個世界都是綠的。事實也正是這樣!豆莢在生長，豆粒也在生長。它們按照它們在家庭裏的地位，坐成一排。太陽在外邊照着，把豆莢曬得暖洋洋的;雨把它洗得透明。這兒是既溫暖，又舒適;白天有亮，晚間黑暗，這本是必然的規律。豌豆粒坐在那兒越長越大，同時也越變得沉思起來，因爲它們多少得做點事情呀。

“難道我們永遠就在這兒坐下去麼?"它們問。"我只願老這樣坐下去，不要變得僵硬起來。我似乎覺得外面發生了一些事情——我有這種預感!”

許多星期過去了。這幾粒豌豆變黃了，豆莢也變黃了。

“整個世界都在變黃啦!"它們說。它們也可以這樣說。

忽然它們覺得豆莢震動了一下。它被摘下來了，落到人的手上，跟許多別的豐滿的豆莢在一起，溜到一件馬甲的口袋裏去。

“我們不久就要被打開了!"它們說。於是它們就等待這件事情的到來。

“我倒想要知道，我們之中誰會走得最遠!"最小的一粒豆說。"是的，事情馬上就要揭曉了。”

“該怎麼辦就怎麼辦!"最大的那一粒說。

“啪!"豆莢裂開來了。那五粒豆子全都滾到太陽光裏來了。它們躺在一個孩子的手中。這個孩子緊緊地捏着它們，說它們正好可以當作豆槍的子彈用。他馬上安一粒進去，把它射出來。

“現在我要飛向廣大的世界裏去了!如果你能捉住我，那麼就請你來吧!"於是它就飛走了。

“我，"第二粒說，"我將直接飛進太陽裏去。這纔像一個豆莢呢，而且與我的身份非常相稱!”

於是它就飛走了。

“我們到了什麼地方，就在什麼地方睡，"其餘的兩粒說。

“不過我們仍得向前滾。"因此它們在沒有到達豆槍以前，就先在地上滾起來。但是它們終於被裝進去了。"我們纔會射得最遠呢!”

“該怎麼辦就怎麼辦!"最後的那一粒說。它射到空中去了。它射到頂樓窗子下面一塊舊板子上，正好鑽進一個長滿了青苔的黴菌的裂縫裏去。青苔把它裹起來。它躺在那兒不見了，可是我們的上帝並沒忘記它。

“應該怎麼辦就怎麼辦!"它說。

在這個小小的頂樓裏住着一個窮苦的女人。她白天到外面去擦爐子，鋸木材，並且做許多類似的粗活，因爲她很強壯，而且也很勤儉，不過她仍然是很窮。她有一個發育不全的獨生女兒，躺在這頂樓上的家裏。她的身體非常虛弱。她在牀上躺了一整年;看樣子既活不下去，也死不了。

“她快要到她親愛的姐姐那兒去了!"女人說。"我只有兩個孩子，但是養活她們兩個人是夠困難的。善良的上帝分擔我的愁苦，已經接走一個了。我現在把留下的這一個養着。不過我想他不會讓她們分開的;她也會到她天上的姐姐那兒去的。”

可是這個病孩子並沒有離開。她安靜地、耐心地整天在家裏躺着，她的母親到外面去掙點生活的費用。這正是春天。一大早，當母親正要出去工作的時候，太陽溫和地、愉快地從那個小窗子射進來，一直射到地上。這個病孩子望着最低的那塊窗玻璃。

“從窗玻璃旁邊探出頭來的那個綠東西是什麼呢?它在風裏擺動!”

母親走到窗子那兒去，把窗打開一半。"啊"她說，"我的天，這原來是一粒小豌豆。它還長出小葉子來了。它怎樣鑽進這個隙縫裏去的?你現在可有一個小花園來供你欣賞了!”

病孩子的牀搬得更挨近窗子，好讓她看到這粒正在生長着的豌豆。於是母親便出去做她的工作了。

“媽媽，我覺得我好了一些!"這個小姑娘在晚間說。"太陽今天在我身上照得怪溫暖的。這粒豆子長得好極了，我也會長得好的;我將爬起牀來，走到溫暖的太陽光中去。”

“願上帝準我們這樣!"母親說，但是她不相信事情就會這樣。不過她仔細地用一根小棍子把這植物支起來，好使它不致被風吹斷，因爲它使她的女兒對生命起了愉快的想象。她從窗臺上牽了一根線到窗框的上端去，使這粒豆可以盤繞着它向上長，它的確在向上長——人們每天可以看到它在生長。

“真的，它現在要開花了!"女人有一天早晨說。她現在開始希望和相信，她的病孩子會好起來。她記起最近這孩子講話時要比以前愉快得多，而且最近幾天她自己也能爬起來，直直地坐在牀上，用高興的眼光望着這一顆豌豆所形成的小花園。一星期以後，這個病孩子第一次能夠坐一整個鐘頭。她快樂地坐在溫暖的太陽光裏。窗子打開了，它面前是一朵盛開的、粉紅色的豌豆花。小姑娘低下頭來，把它柔嫩的葉子輕輕地吻了一下。這一天簡直像一個節日。

“我幸福的孩子，上帝親自種下這顆豌豆，叫它長得枝葉茂盛，成爲你我的希望和快樂!"高興的母親說。她對這花兒微笑，好像它就是上帝送下來的一位善良的安琪兒。

但是其餘的幾粒豌豆呢?嗯，那一粒曾經飛到廣大的世界上去，並且還說過"如果你能捉住我，那末就請你來吧!”

它落到屋頂的水筧裏去了，在一個鴿子的嗉囊裏躺下來，正如約拿躺在鯨魚肚中一樣。那兩粒懶惰的豆子也不過只走了這麼遠，因爲它們也被鴿子吃掉了。總之，它們總還算有些實際的用途。可是那第四粒，它本來想飛進太陽裏去，但是卻落到水溝裏去了，在髒水裏躺了好幾個星期，而且漲大得相當可觀。

“我胖得夠美了!"這粒豌豆說。"我胖得要爆裂開來。我想，任何豆子從來不曾、也永遠不會達到這種地步的。我是豆莢裏五粒豆子中最了不起的一粒。”

水溝說它講得很有道理。

可是頂樓窗子旁那個年輕的女孩子——她臉上射出健康的光彩，她的眼睛發着亮光——正在豌豆花上面交叉着一雙小手，感謝上帝。

水溝說："我支持我的那粒豆子。”

英文版： 　　The Pea Blossom

There were once five peas in one shell, they were green, the shell was green, and so they believed that the whole world must be green also, which was a very natural conclusion. The shell grew, and the peas grew, they accommodated themselves to their position, and sat all in a row. The sun shone without and warmed the shell, and the rain made it clear and transparent; it was mild and agreeable in broad daylight, and dark at night, as it generally is; and the peas as they sat there grew bigger and bigger, and more thoughtful as they mused, for they felt there must be something else for them to do.

“Are we to sit here forever?” asked one; “shall we not become hard by sitting so long? It seems to me there must be something outside, and I feel sure of it.”

And as weeks passed by, the peas became yellow, and the shell became yellow.

“All the world is turning yellow, I suppose,” said they,—and perhaps they were right.

Suddenly they felt a pull at the shell; it was torn off, and held in human hands, then slipped into the pocket of a jacket in company with other full pods.

“Now we shall soon be opened,” said one,—just what they all wanted.

“I should like to know which of us will travel furthest,” said the smallest of the five; “we shall soon see now.”

“What is to happen will happen,” said the largest pea.

“Crack” went the shell as it burst, and the five peas rolled out into the bright sunshine. There they lay in a child’s hand. A little boy was holding them tightly, and said they were fine peas for his pea-shooter. And immediately he put one in and shot it out.

“Now I am flying out into the wide world,” said he; “catch me if you can;” and he was gone in a moment.

“I,” said the second, “intend to fly straight to the sun, that is a shell that lets itself be seen, and it will suit me exactly;” and away he went.

“We will go to sleep wherever we find ourselves,” said the two next, “we shall still be rolling onwards;” and they did certainly fall on the floor, and roll about before they got into the pea-shooter; but they were put in for all that. “We shall go farther than the others,” said they.

“What is to happen will happen,” exclaimed the last, as he was shot out of the pea-shooter; and as he spoke he flew up against an old board under a garret-window, and fell into a little crevice, which was almost filled up with moss and soft earth. The moss closed itself round him, and there he lay, a captive indeed, but not unnoticed by God.

“What is to happen will happen,” said he to himself.

Within the little garret lived a poor woman, who went out to clean stoves, chop wood into small pieces and perform such-like hard work, for she was strong and industrious. Yet she remained always poor, and at home in the garret lay her only daughter, not quite grown up, and very delicate and weak. For a whole year she had kept her bed, and it seemed as if she could neither live nor die.

“She is going to her little sister,” said the woman; “I had but the two children, and it was not an easy thing to support both of them; but the good God helped me in my work, and took one of them to Himself and provided for her. Now I would gladly keep the other that was left to me, but I suppose they are not to be separated, and my sick girl will very soon go to her sister above.” But the sick girl still remained where she was, quietly and patiently she lay all the day long, while her mother was away from home at her work.

Spring came, and one morning early the sun shone brightly through the little window, and threw its rays over the floor of the room. just as the mother was going to her work, the sick girl fixed her gaze on the lowest pane of the window—“Mother,” she exclaimed, “what can that little green thing be that peeps in at the window? It is moving in the wind.”

The mother stepped to the window and half opened it. “Oh!” she said, “there is actually a little pea which has taken root and is putting out its green leaves. How could it have got into this crack? Well now, here is a little garden for you to amuse yourself with.” So the bed of the sick girl was drawn nearer to the window, that she might see the budding plant; and the mother went out to her work.

“Mother, I believe I shall get well,” said the sick child in the evening, “the sun has shone in here so brightly and warmly to-day, and the little pea is thriving so well: I shall get on better, too, and go out into the warm sunshine again.”

“God grant it!” said the mother, but she did not believe it would be so. But she propped up with the little stick the green plant which had given her child such pleasant hopes of life, so that it might not be broken by the winds; she tied the piece of string to the window-sill and to the upper part of the frame, so that the pea-tendrils might twine round it when it shot up. And it did shoot up, indeed it might almost be seen to grow from day to day.

“Now really here is a flower coming,” said the old woman one morning, and now at last she began to encourage the hope that her sick daughter might really recover. She remembered that for some time the child had spoken more cheerfully, and during the last few days had raised herself in bed in the morning to look with sparkling eyes at her little garden which contained only a single pea-plant. A week after, the invalid sat up for the first time a whole hour, feeling quite happy by the open window in the warm sunshine, while outside grew the little plant, and on it a pink pea-blossom in full bloom. The little maiden bent down and gently kissed the delicate leaves. This day was to her like a festival.

“Our heavenly Father Himself has planted that pea, and made it grow and flourish, to bring joy to you and hope to me, my blessed child,” said the happy mother, and she smiled at the flower, as if it had been an angel from God.

But what became of the other peas? Why the one who flew out into the wide world, and said, “Catch me if you can,” fell into a gutter on the roof of a house, and ended his travels in the crop of a pigeon. The two lazy ones were carried quite as far, for they also were eaten by pigeons, so they were at least of some use; but the fourth, who wanted to reach the sun, fell into a sink and lay there in the dirty water for days and weeks, till he had swelled to a great size.

“I am getting beautifully fat,” said the pea, “I expect I shall burst at last; no pea could do more that that, I think; I am the most remarkable of all the five which were in the shell.” And the sink confirmed the opinion.

But the young maiden stood at the open garret window, with sparkling eyes and the rosy hue of health on her cheeks, she folded her thin hands over the pea-blossom, and thanked God for what He had done.

“I,” said the sink, “shall stand up for my pea.”