a little boy and a little girl

A Little Boy and a Little Girl （小男孩和小女孩）中英对照

N a large town, full of houses and people, there is not room for everybody to have even a little garden, therefore they are obliged to be satisfied with a few flowers in flower-pots. In one of these large towns lived two poor children who had a garden something larger and better than a few flower-pots. They were not brother and sister, but they loved each other almost as much as if they had been. Their parents lived opposite to each other in two garrets, where the roofs of neighboring houses projected out towards each other and the water-pipe ran between them. In each house was a little window, so that any one could step across the gutter from one window to the other. The parents of these children had each a large wooden box in which they cultivated kitchen herbs for their own use, and a little rose-bush in each box, which grew splendidly. Now after a while the parents decided to place these two boxes across the water-pipe, so that they reached from one window to the other and looked like two banks of flowers. Sweet-peas drooped over the boxes, and the rose-bushes shot forth long branches, which were trained round the windows and clustered together almost like a triumphal arch of leaves and flowers. The boxes were very high, and the children knew they must not climb upon them, without permission, but they were often, however, allowed to step out together and sit upon their little stools under the rose-bushes, or play quietly. In winter all this pleasure came to an end, for the

windows were sometimes quite frozen over. But then they would warm copper pennies on the stove, and hold the warm pennies against thefrozen pane; there would be very soon a little round hole through which they could peep, and the soft bright eyes of the little boy and girl would beam through the hole at each window as they looked at each other. Their names were Kay and Gerda. In summer they could be together with one jump from the window, but in winter they had to go up and down the long staircase, and out through the snow before they could meet.

“See there are the white bees swarming,” said Kay’s old grandmother one day when it was snowing.

“Have they a queen bee?” asked the little boy, for he knew that the real bees had a queen.

“To be sure they have,” said the grandmother. “She is flying there where the swarm is thickest. She is the largest of them all, and never remains on the earth, but flies up to the dark clouds. Often at midnight she flies through the streets of the town, and looks in at the windows, then the ice freezes on the panes into wonderful shapes, that look like flowers and castles.”

“Yes, I have seen them,” said both the children, and they knew it must be true.

“Can the Snow Queen come in here?” asked the little girl.

“Only let her come,” said the boy, “I’ll set her on the stove and then she’ll melt.”

Then the grandmother smoothed his hair and told him some more tales. One evening, when little Kay was at home, half undressed, he climbed on a chair by the window and peeped out through the little hole. A few flakes of snow were falling, and one of them, rather larger than the rest, alighted on the edge of one of the flower boxes. This snow-flake grew larger and larger, till at last it became the figure of a woman, dressed in garments of white gauze, which looked like millions of starry snow-flakes linked together. She was fair and beautiful, but made of ice—shining and glittering ice. Still she was alive and her eyes sparkled like bright stars, but there was neither peace nor rest in their glance. She nodded towards the window and waved her hand. The little boy was frightened and sprang from the chair; at the same moment it seemed as if a large bird flew by the window. On the following day there was a clear frost, and very soon came the spring. The sun shone; the young green leaves burst forth; the swallows built their nests; windows were opened, and the children sat once more in the garden on the roof, high above all the other rooms. How beautiful the roses blossomed this summer. The little girl had learnt a hymn in which roses were spoken of, and then she thought of their own roses, and she sang the hymn to the little boy, and he sang too:—

“Roses bloom and cease to be,

But we shall the Christ-child see.”

Then the little ones held each other by the hand, and kissed the roses, and looked at the bright sunshine, and spoke to it as if the Christ-child were there. Those were splendid summer days. How beautiful and fresh it was out among the rose-bushes, which seemed as if they would never leave off blooming. One day Kay and Gerda sat looking at a book full of pictures of animals and birds, and then just as the clock in the church tower struck twelve, Kay said, “Oh, something has struck my heart!” and soon after, “There is something in my eye.”The little girl put her arm round his neck, and looked into his eye, but she could see nothing.

“I think it is gone,” he said. But it was not gone; it was one of those bits of the looking-glass—that magic mirror, of which we have spoken—the ugly glass which made everything great and good appear small and ugly, while all that was wicked and bad became more visible, and every little fault could be plainly seen. Poor little Kay had also received a small grain in his heart, which very quickly turned to a lump of ice. He felt no more pain, but the glass was there still. “Why do you cry?” said he at last; “it makes you look ugly. There is nothing the matter with me now. Oh, see!” he cried suddenly, “that rose is worm-eaten, and this one is quite crooked. After all they are ugly roses, just like the box in which they stand,” and then he kicked the boxes with his foot, and pulled off the two roses.

“Kay, what are you doing?” cried the little girl; and then, when he saw how frightened she was, he tore off another rose, and jumped through his own window away from little Gerda.

When she afterwards brought out the picture book, he said, “It was only fit for babies in long clothes,” and when grandmother told any stories, he would in terrupt her with “but;” or, when he could manage it, he would get behind her chair, put on a pair of spectacles, and imitate her very cleverly, to make people laugh. By-and-by he began to mimic the speech and gait of persons in the street. All that was peculiar or disagreeable in a person he would imitate directly, and people said, “That boy will be very clever; he has a remarkable genius.” But it was the piece of glass in his eye, and the coldness in his heart, that made him act like this. He would even tease little Gerda, who loved him with all her heart. His games, too, were quite different; they were not so childish. One winter’s day, when it snowed, he brought out a burning-glass, then he held out the tail of his blue coat, and let the snow-flakes fall upon it. “Look in this glass, Gerda,” said he; and she saw how every flake of snow was magnified, and looked like a beautiful flower or a glittering star. “Is it not clever?” said Kay, “and much more interesting than looking at real flowers. There is not a single fault in it, and the snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt.”

Soon after Kay made his appearance in large thick gloves, and with his sledge at his back. He called up stairs to Gerda, “I’ve got to leave to go into the great square, where

the other boys play and ride.” And away he went.

In the great square, the boldest among the boys would often tie their sledges to the country people’s carts, and go with them a good way. This was capital. But while they were all amusing themselves, and Kay with them, a great sledge came by; it was painted white, and in it sat some one wrapped in a rough white fur, and wearing a white cap. The sledge drove twice round the square, and Kay fastened his own little sledge to it, so that when it went away, he followed with it. It went faster and faster right through the next street, and then the person who drove turned round and nodded pleasantly to Kay, just as if they were acquainted with each other, but whenever Kay wished to loosen his little sledge the driver nodded again, so Kay sat still, and they drove out through the town gate. Then the snow began to fall so heavily that the little boy could not see a hand’s breadth before him, but still they drove on; then he suddenly loosened the cord so that the large sled might go on without him, but it was of no use, his little carriage held fast, and away they went like the wind. Then he called out loudly, but nobody heard him, while the snow beat upon him, and the sledge flew onwards. Every now and then it gave a jump as if it were going over hedges and ditches. The boy was frightened, and tried to say a prayer, but he could remember nothing but the multiplication table.The snow-flakes became larger and larger, till they appeared like great white chickens. All at once they sprang on one side, the great sledge stopped, and the person who had driven it rose up. The fur and the cap, which were made entirely of snow, fell off, and he saw a lady, tall and white, it

was the Snow Queen.

“We have driven well,” said she, “but why do you tremble? here, creep into my warm fur.” Then she seated him beside her in the sledge, and as she wrapped the fur round him he felt as if he were sinking into a snow drift.

“Are you still cold,” she asked, as she kissed him on the forehead. The kiss was colder than ice; it went quite through to his heart, which was already almost a lump of ice; he felt as if he were going to die, but only for a moment; he soon seemed quite well again, and did not notice the cold around him.

“My s ledge! don’t forget my sledge,” was his first thought, and then he looked and saw that it was bound fast to one of the white chickens, which flew behind him with the sledge at its back. The Snow Queen kissed little Kay again, and by this time he had forgotten little Gerda, his grandmother, and all at home.

“Now you must have no more kisses,” she said, “or I should kiss you to death.”

Kay looked at her, and saw that she was so beautiful, he could not imagine a more lovely and intelligent face; she did not now seem to be made of ice, as when he had seen her through his window, and she had nodded to him. In his eyes she was perfect, and she did not feel at all afraid. He told her he could do mental arithmetic, as far as

fractions, and that he knew the number of square miles and the number of inhabitants in the country. And she always smiled so that he thought he did not know enough yet, and she looked round the vast expanse as she flew higher and higher with him upon a black cloud, while the storm blew and howled as if it were singing old songs. They flew over woods and lakes, over sea and land; below them roared the wild wind; the wolves howled and the snow crackled; over them flew the black screaming crows, and above all shone the moon, clear and bright,—and so Kay passed through the long winter’s night, and by day he slept at the feet of the Snow Queen.

小男孩和小女孩

在一座大城市里，房屋鳞次栉比，人口密密麻麻，哪儿允许人人都有一

个小花园？大多数人在泥盆里种上几朵花就心满意足。这里要说到两个穷苦的孩子，他们总算有一个比花盆稍微大一点的小小花园。他们并不是兄妹，但他们的父母住的两间小屋紧紧挨在一起，两家的屋顶几乎是相连的。两家的小屋各有一扇相对的小窗，从一扇小窗只要一步跨过两家小屋间的檐槽，便能钻进另一扇小窗。

他们两家外面都有一个很大的木头箱子，他们在里边种了一些盆栽的香草，供自家使用。另外还各种了一株玫瑰。玫瑰还长得相当不错。两家不约而同想到一个办法，把箱子横放在檐槽上。这样一来，两口箱子差不多都一头顶住一扇窗子，看上去跟两个花坛一模一样。植物的卷须垂在箱子上，玫瑰长出长长的枝条，盘在窗子上，又相互交错，真像一个绿叶和花朵的凯旋拱门。因为两口箱子放得那么高，两个孩子都知道不能随便爬上去。只在得到允许的储况下，才爬到玫瑰树下，坐在各自的小板凳上，一起开开心心地玩个痛快。

一到冬天这种乐趣便没有了。窗子经常结冰，他们便把铜板放在炉子上

加热，然后放在结冰的窗扇上，让它化出一个滴溜滚圆的洞孔来。于是一家一扇窗子的洞孔里便各有一只美丽温柔的眼睛在张望，不用问那是小男孩和小女孩在互相偷看。男孩叫凯依，女孩叫杰尔达。

夏天他们只要跨一步使能到对方身边；但在冬天他们很先下许多级楼梯

，然后又登上许多级楼梯，才能见面。

外面正纷纷扬扬下着雪花。

“那是成群结队的白蜜蜂在飞！”老奶奶说。

“它们中间也有蜂王吗?”小男孩问，他知道真正的蜜蜂群中必定有一个蜂王。

“那还用说吗？”奶奶说。“它飞在蜜蜂最最密集的地方。它是它们中

个儿最大的一个，从不安安静静歇在地上，总是飞啊飞啊，飞到乌云般的蜂

群中去。冬天夜里它总是飞过城市的街道，在家家户户的窗户上张望，于是

这些窗子上便结成了各种各样形状稀奇古怪的冰，就像花朵一样。”

“对，我看到过!”两个孩子另口同声说。他们知道这是真的。

“她要来，就让她进来好啦。”男孩说，“我会让她坐在炉子上。这样

一来她就化成水啦。”

奶奶却抹平他的头发，讲起了别的故事。

晚上小凯依在自己的房间里，衣服才脱了一半，他爬到窗子边的一张椅

子上，在那个小孔里朝外张望。一些雪花正在飘飘而下，其中最大的一片落

在一只花箱的角落里。就在他仔细打量时，那片雪花越变越大，最后变成了

一个十足的太太，穿着一件最最精致的白纱衣服，那衣服仿佛用无数像星星一样闪烁的水晶缝制而成。她又白净又漂亮，不过整个儿是一块冰，一块闪光耀眼的冰。但她是活的，她的眼睛像两颗明亮的星一样放射光芒，只是眼睛里没有一点安宁与和平。

她对着窗子又是点头又是招手。小男孩很害怕，从椅子上跳了下来。于

是她像一只大鸟一样，在窗子外面飞了过去。

第二天下了一场严霜，接着解冻了，春天终于到来。阳光明媚，绿芽在

泥土里探头张望，燕子衔泥筑巢，家家户户的窗户敞开了。两个孩子又高高坐在屋顶上的小花园里，那小花园离地足足有好几层楼高。

那个夏天玫瑰开得格外好看。小女孩背熟了一首赞美诗，诗中提到玫瑰

，使她联想到小花园里的玫瑰。于是她就对小男孩唱起了这首赞美诗，小男孩也跟着一起唱了起来。

玫瑰花开花落短短几天，

只有圣婴耶稣永远住在天堂……

两个小家伙手拉着手，亲吻玫瑰，抬头仰望上帝的灿烂阳光，喃喃自语着，好像圣婴耶酥就在那里。夏天有多么美丽，贴近这些可爱的玫瑰树有多么快活，这些玫瑰树好像有永远开不完的花！

凯依和杰尔达坐在树下看着画有鸟兽的画册。这时教堂的钟正好敲了五下。凯依突然大叫道：

“哎哟，什么东西刺进了我的心!我眼睛里也掉进了什么东西！”

小女孩伸出双臂抱住他的脖子，他眨了眨眼睛．小女孩仔细瞧了瞧，说

眼睛里并没有什么东西。

“我看，东西掉出来了。”小男孩说。其实它没有掉出来。它就是那块

魔镜打碎时飞出来的碎屑。你们还记得吗，那是一块恶毒的魔镜，它能使伟大美好的东西看上去渺小丑陋，能使丑恶讨厌的东西格外讨厌、丑恶，同时使每样东西中的一个个缺点一下子暴露无遗。可伶的凯依心里也进去了一粒碎屑。很快他的心会变成一团冰块。暂时它还不碍事，不过它已经潜伏在他的心里了。

“你干吗哭鼻子?”他问，“这只会让你变得难看。呸，我又没有出什么

毛病！”他忽然又大声叫道，“那朵玫瑰被虫啃了，你看，你看！还有那一朵也蔫了！一句话，这些玫瑰真够难看的，就跟种它们的木箱一样丑！”

说罢他踢了木箱一脚，还扯掉了两朵玫瑰。

“凯依！你在于什么呀？”小女孩叫了起来。

他一看见小女孩吃惊的样子，又扯掉了一朵玫瑰，独自跳进自家的窗子

，把可爱的小杰尔达扔在外面。

后来小女孩拿着画册进去，他却说画册只配给吃奶的娃娃看。奶奶给他

们讲故事，他一有机会，准会冒出一句“哪儿会呢”来。他还常常躲到奶奶

身后，戴上他的老花镜。学她说话的样子，还学很惟妙维肖，别人见了往往

会哈哈大笑。很快，这条街上所有左邻右舍的人说话的腔调，走路的样子他

都会模仿。这些人身上古怪的和不好的东西，他模仿得尤其相像。大家议论

开了，都说：“这孩子脑袋瓜子一定很灵!”谁知这是他眼睛里的玻璃碎屑和

心中的玻璃碎屑在作怪，甚至使他连全心全意爱他的小杰尔达都开始嘲笑起

来了。

如今他的游戏也跟以前不同了；这些游戏更像是成人的娱乐。有一天冬天，雪花纷纷扬扬下着。他拿着一把很大的放大镜来了，扯起上衣的下摆．

让雪花落在上面。

“杰尔达，你透过放大镜看看！”他说每一片雪花都放大了许多，看上

去像一朵美丽的花，也像一颗带六个尖角的星星，真值得好好看看！

“你瞧，这多带劲。”凯依说，“比跟真花打交道有趣得多！它们身上

没有一个瑕疵，非常精致。要是它们不融化，那就更好了！”

不久凯依又手戴一副大手套，肩背一个雪橇前来，他在杰尔达的耳朵边

大叫大嚷道：“我得到允许，到大广场去玩雪橇，别的孩子都在那儿玩。”说完他就走了。

在那广场上，一些胆子大的男孩把他们的雪橇系在农夫的大车上，大车

可以把他们带出去好长一段路。这样玩最最有劲。

他们正玩得兴致勃勃．有一架大雪橇赶了过来。那雪橇漆成白色，坐在

上面的人身裹一仟白色的羊皮袍，头戴一顶羊皮兜帽。那雪橇绕广场赶了两圈，凯依手脚麻利地把小雪橇跟它系在了一起，跟着大雪橇一路冲去。到了下一条街，大雪橇越赶越快，赶雪橇的人回过头来，朝凯依亲热地点点头，好像他们是老相识似的。每回凯依想解下小雪橇，那驾雪橇的人就会冲他点头，于是凯依便又坐回了原位。就这样他们一直赶出了城门。

这时天下起了鹅毛大雪，小男孩一路冲去，连鼻子前面的东西都看不清

楚了。他急忙松开绳子，想脱离那架大雪橇，谁知根本没用，小雪橇还是紧紧地跟它连在一起，旋风般的向前滑。他高声尖叫，可是没人理睬，雪花依旧纷纷扬扬，雪橇依旧往前飞奔，还不时蹦跳一下，好像在篱笆和沟渠上飞越而过。凯依害怕起来，很想祷告几句，但是他能想起来的只是乘法口诀。

雪片越下越大，到最后看上去简直像一只只大白鸡从天而降。突然他们

往旁边一蹦，大雪橇停下了，驾雪橇的人也站了起来。那人的长皮袍和兜帽原来全是雪做成的，凯依看到的是一位细高挑个儿的太太，浑身白光闪闪。这就是白雪皇后。

“我们这次巡游很出色，”她说．“不过天冷得刺骨，是不是？钻到我

的熊皮斗篷里来吧！”

她把小男孩抱进雪橇，让他坐在身边，用她的长皮袍把他裹住。这下他

好像全身陷入了雪堆。

“你还冷吗？”她问。接着她在男孩的前额上吻了一下。

咄，这一吻比冰还冷；尽管他的半颗心事实上早已成为冰块，他还是觉

得有一般寒气直钻心窝。他以为这下他必定要死了，谁知一会儿就过去了。这以后他感到舒服，他对周围的寒冷已经不再有什么感觉。

“我的雪橇!别忘了我的雪橇I”那是他头一件想起来的事情。小雪橇系

在一只大白鸡上，跟在大雪橇后面飘飘忽忽向前飞去。白雪皇后又一次吻了小男孩．于是他忘了杰尔达，忘了奶奶和家里所有的人。

“现在你不能再得到吻啦，”她说。“因为我会把你吻死的！”

凯依看着白雪皇后，她那么美丽，以前他怎么也想象不到会有那么聪明

那么可爱的脸。她好像跟以前坐在窗外向他招手时的模样不一样，那时她像冰做成的。如今她在他眼中完美无缺。他一点也不怕她。

他告诉白雪皇后，他很会做心算，连分数也算得出来，他还知道许多国家，面积多少，人口多少。他说这些话时，白雪皇后一直在微笑。这时他想到自己知道的东西毕竟还很不够，于是他抬头仰望广阔的天空。白写皇后立刻带着他飞到乌云上去，风暴正在呼啸呜咽，仿佛唱着一首首古老而又古老的歌曲。他们飞过树林，飞过星罗棋布的湖泊，飞过海洋．飞过陆地。在他们下面，寒风在咆哮．狼群在曝叫，雪花在闪亮。天空中飞着一群呱呱乱叫的乌鸦。在他们上面是一轮又大又亮的月亮，发出冷冷的清辉，整个漫长的冬夜凯依一直凝望着它。到了白天他才在白雪皇后脚下睡觉。