中英文对照 著名英语故事之安徒生童话THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL卖火柴的小女孩

这篇童话发表在1846年的《丹麦大众历书》上。它的内容一看就清楚：

一年一度的新年除夕，是大家欢乐的日子，但有的人却在挨饿。这种饥饿在天真的孩子身上就特别显得尖锐，特别是当她（或他）看到好吃的东西而弄不到口的时候。卖火柴的小女孩擦亮一根火柴，照出对面楼上有钱人家的餐桌：

“桌上铺着雪白的台布，上面有精致的碗盘，填满了梅子和苹果的、冒着香气的烤鹅。更美妙的事情是：

这只鹅从盘子里跳出来了，背上插着刀叉，蹒跚地在地上走着，一直向这个穷苦的小姑娘面前走来。这时火柴就熄灭了；她面前只有一堵又厚又冷的墙。”最后她“死了——在旧年的除夕冻死了。”在这里安徒生安慰读者，说她和她的祖母“在光明和快乐中飞走了……飞到既没有寒冷，也没有饥饿，也没有忧愁的那块地方——她们是跟上帝在一起。”但这只是一个希望。真正的“光明和快乐”得自己去创造。上帝是没有的。小女孩究竟还是死了。安徒生在他的手记中写道：

“我在去国外旅行的途中在格洛斯登城堡住了几天。《卖火柴的小女孩》就是在那里写成的。我那时接到出版商佛林奇先生的信，要求我为他的历书写一个故事，以配合其中的三幅画。我选了以一个穷苦小女孩拿着一包火柴为画面的那张画。”这幅画是丹麦画家龙布（J.T.Lumdbye，18～1848）的手笔。

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL卖火柴的小女孩

Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening--the last evening of the year.In this cold and darkness there went along thestreet a poor little girl,bareheaded,and with naked feet. When she left homeshe had slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that?They were verylarge slippers,which her mother had hitherto worn;so large were they;andthe poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street,because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.

One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by anurchin, and off he ran with it;he thought it would do capitally for a cradlewhen he

some day or other should have children himself. So the little maidenwalked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold.She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle ofthem in her hand.Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day;noone had given her a single farthing.

She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very picture of sorrow, thepoor little thing!The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curlsaround her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From allthe windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roastgoose, for you know it was New Year's Eve; yes, of that she thought.In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other,she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawnclose up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did notventure, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing ofmoney:

from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was coldtoo, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled,even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.

it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to thelittle maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, withburnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with suchblessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had alreadystretched out her feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, thestove vanished:

she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.

She rubbed another against the wall:

it burned brightly, and where the lightfell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that shecould see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth;uponit was a splendid porcelain service,and the roast goose was steaming famouslywith its stuffing of apple and dried plums.And what was still more capital tobehold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floorwith knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl;