The Tinder-Box（1）

　　By Hans Christian Andersen （1835）

　　英漢對照A SOLDIER came marching along the high road： “Left， right―left， right.” He had his knapsack on his back， and a sword at his side； he had been to the wars， and was now returning home.

　　As he walked on， he met a very frightful-looking old witch in the road. Her under-lip hung quite down on her breast， and she stopped and said， “Good evening， soldier； you have a very fine sword， and a large knapsack， and you are a real soldier； so you shall have as much money as ever you like.”

　　“Thank you， old witch，” said the soldier.

　　“Do you see that large tree，” said the witch， pointing to a tree which stood beside them. “Well， it is quite hollow inside， and you must climb to the top， when you will see a hole， through which you can let yourself down into the tree to a great depth. I will tie a rope round your body， so that I can pull you up again when you call out to me.”

　　“But what am I to do， down there in the tree？” asked the soldier.

　　“Get money，” she replied； “for you must know that when you reach the ground under the tree， you will find yourself in a large hall， lighted up by three hundred lamps； you will then see three doors， which can be easily opened， for the keys are in all the locks. On entering the first of the chambers， to which these doors lead， you will see a large chest， standing in the middle of the floor， and upon it a dog seated， with a pair of eyes as large as teacups. But you need not be at all afraid of him； I will give you my blue checked apron， which you must spread upon the floor， and then boldly seize hold of the dog， and place him upon it. You can then open the chest， and take from it as many pence as you please， they are only copper pence； but if you would rather have silver money， you must go into the second chamber. Here you will find another dog， with eyes as big as mill-wheels； but do not let that trouble you. Place him upon my apron， and then take what money you please. If， however， you like gold best， enter the third chamber， where there is another chest full of it. The dog who sits on this chest is very dreadful； his eyes are as big as a tower， but do not mind him. If he also is placed upon my apron， he cannot hurt you， and you may take from the chest what gold you will.”

　　“This is not a bad story，” said the soldier； “but what am I to give you， you old witch？ For， of course， you do not mean to tell me all this for nothing.”

　　“No，” said the witch； “but I do not ask for a single penny. Only promise to bring me an old tinder-box， which my grandmother left behind the last time she went down there.”

　　“Very well； I promise. Now tie the rope round my body.”

　　“Here it is，” replied the witch； “and here is my blue checked apron.”

　　As soon as the rope was tied， the soldier climbed up the tree， and let himself down through the hollow to the ground beneath； and here he found， as the witch had told him， a large hall， in which many hundred lamps were all burning. Then he opened the first door. “Ah！” there sat the dog， with the eyes as large as teacups， staring at him.

　　“You're a pretty fellow，” said the soldier， seizing him， and placing him on the witch's apron， while he filled his pockets from the chest with as many pieces as they would hold. Then he closed the lid， seated the dog upon it again， and walked into another chamber， And， sure enough， there sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels.

　　“You had better not look at me in that way，” said the soldier； “you will make your eyes water；” and then he seated him also upon the apron， and opened the chest. But when he saw what a quantity of silver money it contained， he very quickly threw away all the coppers he had taken， and filled his pockets and his knapsack with nothing but silver.

　　Then he went into the third room， and there the dog was really hideous； his eyes were， truly， as big as towers， and they turned round and round in his head like wheels.

　　“Good morning，” said the soldier， touching his cap， for he had never seen such a dog in his life. But after looking at him more closely， he thought he had been civil enough， so he placed him on the floor， and opened the chest. Good gracious， what a quantity of gold there was！ Enough to buy all the sugar-sticks of the sweet-stuff women； all the tin soldiers， whips， and rocking-horses in the world， or even the whole town itself There was， indeed， an immense quantity. So the soldier now threw away all the silver money he had taken， and filled his pockets and his knapsack with gold instead； and not only his pockets and his knapsack， but even his cap and boots， so that he could scarcely walk.

　　He was really rich now； so he replaced the dog on the chest， closed the door， and called up through the tree， “Now pull me out， you old witch.”

　　“Have you got the tinder-box？” asked the witch.

　　“No； I declare I quite forgot it.” So he went back and fetched the tinderbox， and then the witch drew him up out of the tree， and he stood again in the high road， with his pockets， his knapsack， his cap， and his boots full of gold.

　　“What are you going to do with the tinder-box？” asked the soldier.

　　“That is nothing to you，” replied the witch； “you have the money， now give me the tinder-box.”

　　“I tell you what，” said the soldier， “if you don't tell me what you are going to do with it， I will draw my sword and cut off your head.”

　　“No，” said the witch.

　　The soldier immediately cut off her head， and there she lay on the ground. Then he tied up all his money in her apron. and slung it on his back like a bundle， put the tinderbox in his pocket， and walked off to the nearest town. It was a very nice town， and he put up at the best inn， and ordered a dinner of all his favorite dishes， for now he was rich and had plenty of money.

　　The servant， who cleaned his boots， thought they certainly were a shabby pair to be worn by such a rich gentleman， for he had not yet bought any new ones. The next day， however， he procured some good clothes and proper boots， so that our soldier soon became known as a fine gentleman， and the people visited him， and told him all the wonders that were to be seen in the town， and of the king's beautiful daughter， the princess.

　　“Where can I see her？” asked the soldier.

　　“She is not to be seen at all，” they said； “she lives in a large copper castle， surrounded by walls and towers. No one but the king himself can pass in or out， for there has been a prophecy that she will marry a common soldier， and the king cannot bear to think of such a marriage.”

　　“I should like very much to see her，” thought the soldier； but he could not obtain permission to do so. However， he passed a very pleasant time； went to the theatre， drove in the king's garden， and gave a great deal of money to the poor， which was very good of him； he remembered what it had been in olden times to be without a shilling. Now he was rich， had fine clothes， and many friends， who all declared he was a fine fellow and a real gentleman， and all this gratified him exceedingly. But his money would not last forever； and as he spent and gave away a great deal daily， and received none， he found himself at last with only two shillings left. So he was obliged to leave his elegant rooms， and live in a little garret under the roof， where he had to clean his own boots， and even mend them with a large needle. None of his friends came to see him， there were too many stairs to mount up.

　　I. Translation for Reference（參考譯文）

　　打火匣

　　公路上有一個兵在開步走――一，二！一，二！他背著一個行軍袋，腰間掛著一把長劍，因為他已經(jīng)參加過好幾次戰(zhàn)爭，現(xiàn)在要回家去。他在路上碰見一個老巫婆；她是一個非常可憎的人物，她的下嘴唇垂到她的奶上。她說：“晚安，兵士！你的劍真好，你的行軍袋真大，你真是一個不折不扣的兵士！現(xiàn)在你喜歡要有多少錢就可以有多少錢了。”

　　“謝謝你，老巫婆！”兵士說。

　　“你看見那棵大樹嗎？”巫婆說，指著他們旁邊的一棵樹。“那里面是空的。如果你爬到它的頂上去，就可以看到一個洞口。你從那兒朝下一溜，就可以深深地鉆進樹身里去。我要你腰上系一根繩子，這樣，你喊我的時候，便可以把你拉上來。”

　　“我到樹底下去干什么呢？”兵士問。

　　“取錢呀，”巫婆回答說。“你將會知道，你一鉆進樹底下去，就會看到一條寬大的走廊。那兒很亮，因為那里點著100多盞明燈。你會看到三個門，都可以打開，因為鑰匙就在門鎖里。你走進第一個房間，可以看到當中有一口大箱子，上面坐著一只狗，它的眼睛非常大，像一對茶杯。可是你不要管它！我可以把我藍格子布的圍裙給你。你把它鋪在地上，后趕快走過去，把那只狗抱起來，放在我的圍裙上。于是你就把箱子打開，你想要多少錢就取出多少錢。這些錢都是銅鑄的。但是如果你想取得銀鑄的錢，就得走進第二個房間里去。不過那兒坐著一只狗，它的眼睛有水車輪那么大。可是你不要去理它。你把它放在我的圍裙上，然后把錢取出來。可是，如果你想得到金子鑄的錢，你也可以達到目的。你拿得動多少就可以拿多少――假如你到第三個房間里去的話。不過坐在這兒錢箱上的那只狗的一對眼睛，可有'圓塔'（注：這是指哥本哈根的有名的”圓塔“；它原先是一個天文臺。）那么大啦。你要知道，它才算得是一只狗啦！可是你一點也不必害怕。你只消把它放在我的圍裙上，它就不會傷害你了。你從那個箱子里能夠取出多少金子來，就取出多少來吧。”

　　“這倒很不壞，”兵士說。“不過我拿什么東西來酬謝你呢。老巫婆？我想你不會什么也不要吧。”

　　“不要，”巫婆說，“我一個銅板也不要。我只要你替我把那個舊打火匣取出來。那是我祖母上次忘掉在那里面的。”

　　“好吧！請你把繩子系到我腰上吧。”兵士說。

　　“好吧，”巫婆說。“把我的藍格子圍裙拿去吧。”

　　兵士爬上樹，一下子就溜進那個洞口里去了。正如老巫婆說的一樣，他現(xiàn)在來到了一條點著幾百盞燈的大走廊里。他打開第一道門。哎呀！果然有一條狗坐在那兒。眼睛有茶杯那么大，直瞪著他。

　　“你這個好家伙！”兵士說。于是他就把它抱到巫婆的圍裙上。然后他就取出了許多銅板，他的衣袋能裝多少就裝多少。他把箱子鎖好，把狗兒又放到上面，于是他就走進第二個房間里去。哎呀！這兒坐著一只狗，眼睛大得簡直像一對水車輪。

　　“你不應該這樣死盯著我，”兵士說。“這樣你就會弄壞你的眼睛啦。”他把狗兒抱到女巫的圍裙上。當他看到箱子里有那么多的銀幣的時候，他就把他所有的銅板都扔掉，把自己的衣袋和行軍袋全裝滿了銀幣。隨后他就走進第三個房間――乖乖，這可真有點嚇人！這兒的一只狗，兩只眼睛真正有“圓塔”那么大！它們在腦袋里轉動著，簡直像輪子！

　　“晚安！”兵士說。他把手舉到帽子邊上行了個禮，因為他以前從來沒有看見過這樣的一只狗兒。不過，他對它瞧了一會兒以后，心里就想，“現(xiàn)在差不多了。”他把它抱下來放到地上。于是他就打開箱子。老天爺呀！那里面的金子真夠多！他可以用這金子把整個的哥本哈根買下來，他可以把賣糕餅女人（注：這是指舊時丹麥賣零食和玩具的一種小販。“糖豬”（Sukkergrise）是糖做的小豬，既可以當玩具，又可以吃掉。）所有的糖豬都買下來，他可以把全世界的錫兵啦、馬鞭啦、搖動的木馬啦，全部都買下來。是的，錢可真是不少――兵士把他衣袋和行軍袋里滿裝著的銀幣全都倒出來，把金子裝進去。是的，他的衣袋，他的行軍袋，他的帽子，他的皮靴全都裝滿了，他幾乎連走也走不動了。現(xiàn)在他的確有錢了。他把狗兒又放到箱子上去，鎖好了門，在樹里朝上面喊一聲：“把我拉上來呀，老巫婆！”

　　“你取到打火匣沒有？”巫婆問。

　　“一點也不錯！”兵士說。“我把它忘記得一干二凈。”于是他又走下去，把打火匣取來。巫婆把他拉了出來。所以他現(xiàn)在又站在大路上了。他的衣袋、皮靴、行軍袋、帽子，全都盛滿了錢。

　　“你要這打火匣有什么用呢？”兵士問。

　　“這與你沒有什么相干，”巫婆反駁他說，“你已經(jīng)得到錢――你只消把打火匣交給我好了。”

　　“廢話！”兵士說。“你要它有什么用，請你馬上告訴我。不然我就抽出劍來，把你的頭砍掉。”

　　“我可不能告訴你！”巫婆說。

　　兵士一下子就把她的頭砍掉了。她倒了下來！他把他所有的錢都包在她的圍裙里，像一捆東西似的背在背上；然后把那個打火匣放在衣袋里，一直向城里走去。

　　這是一個頂漂亮的城市！他住進一個最好的旅館里去，開了最舒服的房間，叫了他最喜歡的酒菜，因為他現(xiàn)在發(fā)了財，有的是錢。替他擦皮靴的那個茶房覺得，像他這樣一位有錢的紳士，他的這雙皮鞋真是舊得太滑稽了。但是新的他還來不及買。第二天他買到了合適的靴子和漂亮的衣服。現(xiàn)在我們的這位兵士成了一個煥然一新的紳士了。大家把城里所有的一切事情都告訴他，告訴他關于國王的事情，告訴他這國王的女兒是一位非常美麗的公主。

　　“在什么地方可以看到她呢？”兵士問。

　　“誰也不能見到她，”大家齊聲說。“她住在一幢寬大的銅宮里，周圍有好幾道墻和好幾座塔。只有國王本人才能在那兒自由進出，因為從前曾經(jīng)有過一個預言，說她將會嫁給一個普通的士兵，這可叫國王忍受不了。”

　　“我倒想看看她呢，”兵士想。不過他得不到許可。

　　他現(xiàn)在生活得很愉快，常常到戲院去看戲，到國王的花園里去逛逛，送許多錢給窮苦的人們。這是一種良好的行為，因為他自己早已體會到，沒有錢是多么可怕的事！現(xiàn)在他有錢了，有華美的衣服穿，交了很多朋友。這些朋友都說他是一個稀有的人物，一位豪俠之士。

　　這類話使這個兵士聽起來非常舒服。不過他每天只是把錢花出去，卻賺不進一個來。所以最后他只剩下兩個銅板了。因此他就不得不從那些漂亮房間里搬出來，住到頂層的一間閣樓里去。他也只好自己擦自己的皮鞋，自己用縫針補自己的皮鞋了。他的朋友誰也不來看他了，因為走上去要爬很高的梯子。

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