第358章
《安徒生童话英文版 全TXT版》章节:第358章,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
said the farm laborer who emptied the bucket,when he saw the toad. "You're the ugliest thing I've seen for onewhile." And he made a kick with his wooden shoe at the toad, whichjust escaped being crushed by managing to scramble into the nettleswhich grew high by the well's brink. Here she saw stem by stem, butshe looked up also; the sun shone through the leaves, which were quitetransparent; and she felt as a person would feel who steps suddenlyinto a great forest, where the sun looks in between the branches andleaves.
"It's much nicer here than down in the well! I should like to stayhere my whole life long!" said the little Toad. So she lay there foran hour, yes, for two hours. "I wonder what is to be found up here? AsI have come so far, I must try to go still farther." And so shecrawled on as fast as she could crawl, and got out upon the highway,where the sun shone upon her, and the dust powdered her all over asshe marched across the way.
"I've got to a dry place. now, and no mistake," said the Toad."It's almost too much of a good thing here; it tickles one so."
She came to the ditch; and forget-me-nots were growing there,and meadow-sweet; and a very little way off was a hedge of whitethorn,and elder bushes grew there, too, and bindweed with white flowers. Gaycolors were to be seen here, and a butterfly, too, was flitting by.The Toad thought it was a flower which had broken loose that itmight look about better in the world, which was quite a naturalthing to do.
"If one could only make such a journey as that!" said the Toad."Croak! how capital that would be."
Eight days and eight nights she stayed by the well, andexperienced no want of provisions. On the ninth day she thought,"Forward! onward!" But what could she find more charming andbeautiful? Perhaps a little toad or a few green frogs. During the lastnight there had been a sound borne on the breeze, as if there werecousins in the neighborhood.
"It's a glorious thing to live! glorious to get out of the well,and to lie among the stinging-nettles, and to crawl along the dustyroad. But onward, onward! that we may find frogs or a little toad.We can't do without that; nature alone is not enough for one." Andso she went forward on her journey.
She came out into the open field, to a great pond, round aboutwhich grew reeds; and she walked into it.
"It will be too damp for you here," said the Frogs; "but you arevery welcome! Are you a he or a she? But it doesn't matter; you areequally welcome."
And she was invited to the concert in the evening- the familyconcert; great enthusiasm and thin voices; we know the sort ofthing. No refreshments were given, only there was plenty to drink, forthe whole pond was free.
"Now I shall resume my journey," said the little Toad; for shealways felt a longing for something better.
She saw the stars shining, so large and so bright, and she saw themoon gleaming; and then she saw the sun rise, and mount higher andhigher.
"Perhaps after all, I am still in a well, only in a larger well. Imust get higher yet; I feel a great restlessness and longing." Andwhen the moon became round and full, the poor creature thought, "Iwonder if that is the bucket which will be let down, and into whichI must step to get higher up? Or is the sun the great bucket? Howgreat it is! how bright it is! It can take up all. I must look out,that I may not miss the opportunity. Oh, how it seems to shine in myhead! I don't think the jewel can shine brighter. But I haven't thejewel; not that I cry about that- no, I must go higher up, intosplendor and joy!