American forest young records第四节.docx

American forest young records第四节.docx

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Americanforestyoungrecords第四节

Chapter1TheWoodcutter'sCottage

ONCEuponatime,awoodcutterandhiswifelivedintheircottageontheedgeofalargeandancientforest.Theyhadtwodearlittlechildrenwhometwithamostwonderfuladventure

But,beforetellingyouallaboutit,Imustdescribethechildrentoyouandletyouknowsomethingoftheircharacter;for,iftheyhadnotbeensosweetandbraveandplucky,thecuriousstorywhichyouareabouttohearwouldneverhavehappenedatall.

Tyltyl–thatwasourhero'sname–wastenyearsold;andMytyl,hislittlesister,wasonlysix.

Tyltylwasafine,talllittlefellow,stoutandwell-setup,withcurlyblackhairwhichwasofteninatangle,forhewasfondofaromp.Hewasagreatfavouritebecauseofhissmilingandgood-temperedfaceandthebrightlookinhiseyes;but,bestofall,hehadthewaysofaboldandfearlesslittleman,whichshowedthenoblequalitiesofhisheart.When,earlyinthemorning,hetrottedalongtheforest-roadbythesideofhisdaddy,Tylthewoodcutter,forallhisshabbyclotheshelookedsoproudandgallantthateverybeautifulthingontheearthandintheskyseemedtolieinwaitforhimtosmileuponhimashepassed.

Hislittlesisterwasverydifferent,butlookedeversosweetandprettyinherlongfrock,whichMummyTylkeptneatlypatchedforher.Shewasasfairasherbrotherwasdark;andherlargetimideyeswereblueastheforget-me-notsinthefields.Anythingwasenoughtofrightenherandshewouldcryattheleastthing;butherlittlechild'ssoulalreadyheldthehighestwomanlyqualities:

shewaslovingandgentleandsofondlydevotedtoherbrotherthat,ratherthanabandonhim,shedidnothesitatetoundertakealonganddangerousjourneyinhiscompany.

Whathappenedandhowourlittleheroandheroinewentoffintotheworldonenightinsearchofhappiness:

thatisthesubjectofmystory.

DaddyTyl'scottagewasthepoorestofthecountryside;anditseemedevenmorewretchedbecauseitstoodoppositeasplendidhallinwhichrichchildrenlived.FromthewindowsofthecottageyoucouldseewhatwentoninsidetheHallwhenthedining-roomanddrawing-roomswerelitupintheevening.And,inthedaytime,yousawthelittlechildrenplayingontheterraces,inthegardensandinthehot-houseswhichpeoplecameallthewayfromtowntovisitbecausetheywerealwaysfilledwiththerarestflowers.

Now,oneeveningwhichwasnotlikeotherevenings,foritwasChristmasEve,MummyTylputherlittleonestobedandkissedthemevenmorelovinglythanusual.Shefeltalittlesad,becauseowingtothestormyweather,DaddyTylwasnotabletogotoworkintheforest;andsoshehadnomoneytobuypresentswithwhichtofillTyltylandMytyl'sstockings.TheChildrensoonfellasleep,everythingwasstillandsilentandnotasoundwasheardbutthepurringofthecat,thesnoringofthedogandthetickingofthegreatgrandfather'sclock.Butsuddenlyalightasbrightasdaycreptthroughtheshutters,thelampuponthetablelitagainofitselfandthetwoChildrenawoke,yawned,rubbedtheireyes,stretchedouttheirarmsinbedandTyltyl,inacautiousvoicecalled:

"Mytyl?

''

"Yes,Tyltyl?

''wastheanswer."Areyouasleep?

"

"Areyou?

'

"No,"saidTyltyl."HowcanIbeasleep,whenI'mtalkingtoyou?

"

"Isay,isthisChristmasDay?

"askedhissister.

"Notyet;nottillto-morrow.ButFatherChristmaswon'tbringusanythingthisyear."

"Whynot?

"

"IheardMummysaythatshecouldn'tgototowntotellhim.Buthewillcomenextyear."

"Isnextyearfaroff?

"

"Agoodlongwhile,"saidtheboy."Buthewillcometotherichchildrento-night."

"Really?

"

"Hullo!

"criedTyltylofasudden."Mummy'sforgottentoputoutthelamp!

...I'veanidea!

"

"What?

"

"Let'sgetup."

"Butwemustn't,"saidMytyl,whoalwaysremembered.

"Why,there'snooneabout!

....Doyouseetheshutters?

"

"Oh,howbrighttheyare!

"

"It'sthelightsoftheparty,"saidTyltyl.

"Whatparty?

"

"Therichchildrenopposite.It'stheChristmas-tree.Let'sopentheshutters...."

"Canwe?

"askedMytyl,timidly.

"Ofcoursewecan;there'snoonetostopus....Doyouhearthemusic?

....Letusgetup."

ThetwoChildrenjumpedoutofbed,rantothewindow,climbedonthestoolinfrontofitandthrewbacktheshutters.Abrightlightfilledtheroom;andtheChildrenlookedouteagerly:

"Wecanseeeverything!

"saidTyltyl.

"Ican't,"saidpoorlittleMytyl,whocouldhardlyfindroomonthestool.

"It'ssnowing!

"saidTyltyl."There'stwocarriages,withsixhorseseach!

"

"Therearetwelvelittleboysgettingout!

"saidMytyl,whowasdoingherbesttopeepoutofthewindow.

"Don'tbesilly!

...They'relittlegirls..."

"They'vegotknickerbockerson..."

"Dobequiet!

..Andlook!

..."

"Whatarethosegoldthingsthere,hangingfromthebranches?

"

"Why,toys,tobesure!

"saidTyltyl."Swords,guns,soldiers,cannons...."

"Andwhat'sthat,allroundthetable?

"

"Cakesandfruitandcream-tarts."

"Oh,howprettythechildrenare!

"criedMytyl,clappingherhands.

"Andhowthey'relaughingandlaughing!

"answeredTyltyl,rapturously.

"Andthelittleonesdancing!

..."

"Yes,yes;let'sdancetoo!

"shoutedTyltyl.

AndthetwoChildrenbegantostamptheirfeetforjoyonthestool"

"Oh,whatfun!

"saidMytyl.

"They'regettingthecakes!

"criedTyltyl."Theycantouchthem!

...They'reeating,they'reeating,they'reeating!

...Oh,howlovely,howlovely!

..."

Mytylbegantocountimaginarycakes:

"Ihavetwelve!

..."

"AndIfourtimestwelve!

"saidTyltyl."ButI'llgiveyousome...."

Andourlittlefriends,dancing,laughingandshriekingwithdelight,rejoicedsoprettilyintheotherchildren'shappinessthattheyforgottheirownpovertyandwant.Theyweresoontohavetheirreward.Suddenly,therecamealoudknockingatthedoor.ThestartledChildrenceasedtheirrompanddarednotmovealimb.Thenthebigwoodenlatchliftedofitself,withaloudcreak;thedooropenedslowly;andincreptalittleoldwoman,dressedallingreen,witharedhoodoverherhead.Shewashump-backedandlameandhadonlyoneeye;hernoseandchinalmosttouched;andshewalkedleaningonastick.Shewasobviouslyafairy.

ShehobbleduptotheChildrenandasked,inasnufflingvoice:

"Haveyouthegrassherethatsingsorthebirdthatisblue?

"

"Wehavesomegrass,"repliedTyltyl,tremblingalloverhisbody,"butitcan'tsing…"

"Tyltylhasabird,"saidMytyl.

"ButIcan'tgiveitaway,becauseit'smine,"thelittlefellowadded,quickly.

Nowwasn'tthatacapitalreason?

TheFairyputonherbig,roundglassesandlookedatthebird:

"He'snotblueenough,"sheexclaimed."ImustabsolutelyhavetheBlueBird.It'sformylittlegirl,whoisveryill...DoyouknowwhattheBlueBirdstandsfor?

No?

Ithoughtyoudidn't;and,asyouaregoodchildren,Iwilltellyou."

TheFairyraisedhercrookedfingertoherlong,pointednose,andwhispered,inamysterioustone:

"TheBlueBirdstandsforhappiness;andIwantyoutounderstandthatmylittlegirlmustbehappyinordertogetwell.ThatiswhyInowcommandyoutogooutintotheworldandfindtheBlueBirdforher.Youwillhavetostartatonce..DoyouknowwhoIam?

"

TheChildrenexchangedpuzzledglances.Thefactwasthattheyhadneverseenafairybefore;andtheyfeltalittlescaredinherpresence.However,Tyltylsoonsaidpolitely:

"Youareratherlikeourneighbour,MadameBerlingot..."

Tyltylthoughtthat,insayingthis,hewaspayingtheFairyacompliment;forMadameBerlingot'sshop,whichwasnextdoortotheircottage,wasaverypleasantplace.Itwasstockedwithsweets,marbles,chocolatecigarsandsugarcocks-and-hens;and,atfair-time,therewerebiggingerbreaddollscoveredalloverwithgiltpaper.GoodyBerlingothadanosethatwasquiteasuglyastheFairy's;shewasoldalso;and,liketheFairy,shewalkeddoubledupintwo;butshewasverykindandshehadadearlittlegirlwhousedtoplayonSundayswiththewoodcutter'sChildren.Unfortunately,thepoorlittlepretty,fair-hairedthingwasalwayssufferingfromsomeunknowncomplaint,whichoftenkeptherinbed.Whenthishappened,sheusedtobegandprayforTyltyl'sdovetoplaywith;butTyltylwassofondofthebirdthathewouldnotgiveittoher.Allthis,thoughtthelittleboy,wasverylikethatwhattheFairytoldhim;andthatwaswhyhecalledherBerlingot.

SheherselfhelpedMytyl

Muchtohissurprise,theFairyturnedcrimsonwithrage.Itwasahobbyofherstobelikenobody,becauseshewasafairyandabletochangeherappearance,fromonemomenttothenext,asshepleased.Thatevening,shehappenedtobeuglyandoldandhump-backed;shehadlostoneofhereyes;andtwoleanwispsofgreyhairhungoverhershoulders.

"WhatdoIlooklike?

"sheaskedTyltyl."AmIprettyorugly?

Oldoryoung?

"

Herreasonforaskingthesequestionswastotrythekindnessofthelittleboy.Heturnedawayhisheadanddarednotsaywhathethoughtofherlooks.Thenshecried:

"IamtheFairyBérylune!

"

"Oh,that'sallright!

"answeredTyltyl,who,bythistime,wasshakingineverylimb.

ThismollifiedtheFairy;and,astheChildrenwerestillintheirnight-shirts,shetoldthemtogetdressed.SheherselfhelpedMytyland,whileshedidso,asked:

"WhereareyourFatherandMother?

"

"Inthere,"saidTyltyl,pointingtothedoorontheright."They'reasleep."

"AndyourGrandadandGranny?

'

"They'redead...."

"Andyourlittlebrothersandsisters...Haveyouany?

..."

"Oh,yes,threelittlebrothers!

"saidTyltyl."Andfourlittlesisters,"addedMytyl.

"Wherearethey?

"askedthe