【导语】“天天好”通过精心收集,向本站投稿了4篇安徒生童话《她是一个废物》,下面是小编为大家推荐的安徒生童话《她是一个废物》,欢迎大家分享。
篇1:安徒生童话《她是一个废物》
安徒生童话《她是一个废物》
镇长站在敞开着的窗户前,他身上穿着高领硬袖的衬衫,衬衫前襟上别着一枚胸针。胡子刮得光光的,那是他自己刮的,只割破一个小口子,他已经在小口子上贴了一小片报纸。
“听着,小家伙。”他叫道。
这个小家伙并非别人,就是洗衣妇的儿子。他恰好走过这里,便恭敬地脱下头上的便帽。那顶便帽的帽檐已经折断,可以塞进衣服口袋里去。小男孩衣着简朴,却干干净净,破的地方全都缝补得整整齐齐,脚上拖着一双木屐。他站在镇长面前,样子诚惶诚恐,如同站在国王面前一样。
“你真是个好孩子,”镇长说,“你是个礼数周全的懂事的孩子。我想你母亲大概在河边漂洗衣服,你快把兜里装着的东西给她送去吧,你母亲的老毛病改不了啦!
你带了多少呢?”
“只有半斤。”小男孩说道,他害怕得嗫嚅了半晌才低声说了出来,声音还颤抖着。
“今天早上她不是已经喝过这么多了吗?”那人刨根究底地问道。
“不是的,那是昨天的事情。”小男孩回答道。
“哈,两个半斤不就成了整整一斤啦。她真是个窝囊废!这个阶层的人真是可悲!
去对你母亲说,她应该为自己害臊才是。你可不要再变成一个酒鬼,不过你一定会的。可怜的孩子,你走吧!”
小男孩便移步走开去。他把便帽拿在手里,听凭他的满头金发被风吹得飘拂起来,一绺绺地竖立在头上。他顺着大街走了一段,然后拐进一条小巷,走到了河边。他的母亲站在河水里的洗衣凳旁边,用一根粗大的木杵拍打着沉重的亚麻布床单。河水滔滔流过,汹涌而湍急,因为磨坊的闸门已经打开了。急流险些把床单冲走,把洗衣凳掀翻,洗衣妇人用足了力气才把它们按住。
“我差点儿被水冲走。”她说道,“你来得正好,我要来点东西鼓鼓劲,在水里泡着真是冷得要命,而我已经在冷水里站了六个钟头了。你给我带了点什么来吗?”
小男孩赶忙从衣服口袋里掏出了酒瓶,他母亲迫不及待地把瓶口凑到嘴边,喝了几口。
“哦,真是顶用,真是舒服,浑身都暖和过来了,就像吃了一顿热气腾腾的饭菜一样,再说价钱也不怎么贵。喝一点,我的孩子!
你看上去脸色那么苍白,穿得又这么单薄,你冻得直打哆嗦。现在已经是秋天啦,河水冰凉冰凉的,但愿我不要病倒才好。不会的,我不会生病的!
再让我喝上一口,你也喝一点,只许喝一小口,不过千万不许沾上这个癖好。唉,我可怜的孩子!”
她说着就绕过小男孩站着的踏脚石走上岸来,河水从她腰里围的灯芯草围裙上,从她的裙衫上滴滴答答地流下来。她说道:“我拼死拼活地干活,洗得两只手的指甲缝里快要流出鲜血来了。但只要我能光彩体面地把你拉扯成人,吃这些苦都算不了什么,我亲爱的孩子。”
就在这时候,走来了一个年岁比她更大的女人。她身上的衣服十分褴褛,瘦得皮包骨头,有一条腿是瘸着的,有一只眼睛是瞎的,一绺拳曲的假发垂在这只眼前,大概想要遮挡住瞎眼,却反而使得这一缺陷显得分外醒目了。她是那个洗衣妇的朋友,邻居都称呼她“一绺鬈发的瘸大娘玛伦”。她说道:“唉,你这可怜的女人,干起活来连性命都不顾啦,就那么一直站在冰凉的水里。你真是要喝点什么暖暖身子才行,可是你喝了那几口就有人说三道四讲你的坏话!”
于是玛伦便把方才镇长对小男孩说的那些话一五一十地全都讲给洗衣妇听,这些话当时恰好全都让玛伦听在耳中。玛伦听得直生闷气,因为一个堂堂的大男人竟然去对一个孩子数落他母亲的不是。让她更恼火的是镇长居然有脸去指责洗衣妇喝的那几口酒,而就在那天晚上,镇长自己要举行盛大的晚宴,宴席上有的是整瓶整瓶的美酒佳酿。“都是好酒,还都是烈酒!
在酒席上,许多人都会拿酒当水来解渴,可是他们却不把这叫做酗酒。他们可以这样做,而你却不行!”
“镇长真的对你这么说来着,孩子?”洗衣妇问道,她的嘴唇抖动得很厉害,“你真是有一个窝囊废的母亲,也许他的话一点不错,可是他怎么能对着孩子说呢。他们家真是让我吃够了苦头。”
“可不是,想当初镇长的父母都还活着住在那里的时候,你就已经在那个宅子里帮佣了。那是许多年前的事情了,打那时起连盐都吃掉了不少,所以那些人口渴得不行,非要猛喝一通哪!”玛伦笑了笑又说,“镇长家今天晚上仍旧照样大摆宴席,其实这次晚宴本来应该推迟才对,不过消息来得太晚,酒菜都已经做好了,再要改动也来不及了,这是宅子里的男用人告诉我的。就在一个小时之前刚刚来了一封信,说是他们最小的那个在哥本哈根死掉了。”
“死啦!”洗衣妇失声惊叫起来,脸色陡然变得像死人一般苍白。
“是呀,怎么啦,”玛伦说,“你用不着那么伤心难过。你一定同他很熟,是在那个宅子里帮佣时候认识他的吧?”
“他真的死了吗?”洗衣妇说,“天哪,他是那么一个心地善良的好人,像他这样的好人还真不多。”她说着说着,眼泪就扑簌簌地淌下了面颊,“哦,天哪,我的上帝!
我只觉得眼前天旋地转,那是因为我把那瓶酒都灌了下去,喝得太多,超过了我的酒量。我觉得浑身难受!”她赶紧将身子靠在木栅栏上。
“天哪,你的脸色真是太难看了,”那个老妇人说道,“我最好还是把你送回家去吧。”
“可是这一堆衣服怎么办?”
“不要紧,我可以收拾掉的。来吧,你扶着我的胳膊,孩子先留在这里照看一下,等我回来把剩下的衣服都洗掉,已经没剩多少了。”
洗衣妇的两条腿在止不住地颤抖着。
“我在冰凉的河水里站得太久了,从大清早起一整天都没有吃过东西,不管是干的稀的都没有下肚。我身上滚烫滚烫,像在发烧一样。哦,我的耶稣,帮助我回到家里去吧!
我可怜的孩子。”她哭泣起来。
小男孩也不禁哭起来。过了片刻,他就独自坐在河边,坐在那堆湿漉漉的衣服旁边。那两个女人慢慢吞吞地走着,洗衣妇脚步踉跄,一步一冲的。她们穿过小巷,拐到大街上,走过镇长的宅院。她刚走到镇长家的大门口,便一个踉跄倒了下去,跌倒在镇长家门口的踏脚板上。路上行人纷纷围了上来。
瘸腿的玛伦赶紧跑进院子里去求救,镇长和他的客人们都站到窗前向外张望。
“哦,是那个洗衣妇呀!”镇长说道,“她大概馋酒馋得过头啦!她真是个窝囊废。她的那个眉清目秀的儿子真命苦,我倒是很心疼那个可爱的孩子。他的母亲真是个窝囊废!”
洗衣妇终于恢复了知觉,她被送回到自己那个贫苦寒酸的家里,躺到了床上。好心的玛伦给她倒了一杯加了黄油和白糖的热啤酒,因为玛伦相信这是最好的灵丹妙药。然后玛伦回到河边洗衣服的地方,把剩下的衣服洗了一遍。她只是马马虎虎地洗了一下,把衣服在河水里浸了浸就捞起来扔在筐子里。
天黑时分,玛伦坐在洗衣妇的一贫如洗的家里陪着她。玛伦从镇长的厨娘那里得到了两只烤得焦黄的土豆和一块肥得流油的上好火腿,小男孩和玛伦便享用起来,那个病人闻着浓香也很高兴地说道:“闻闻这香味,就可以滋养身体了。”
小男孩上床睡觉了,他同母亲睡在一张床上,不过他是挨着母亲的脚后跟横在床头的。他身上盖着一条用蓝色和红色碎布条拼缀起来的铺地的旧地毯。
洗衣妇觉得好了一些,热啤酒使得她身上有了点力气,美食的浓香也使得她舒服得多。
“多谢你这个好人。”洗衣妇对玛伦说道,“等孩子睡熟了,我要把这桩事情的前后经过全都讲给你听。我觉得这会儿他已经睡熟了。你看看他长得多么可爱,多么福相,两只小眼睛闭得紧紧的。他不知道自己的母亲是在怎样死撑活挨地苦度日子啊!
但愿上帝开恩,决不要让他再过这种苦日子……这桩事情发生时我正在枢密顾问官——就是镇长的父亲——家里帮佣。那天他们家的小儿子从大学里回来了。那时候我年纪轻,有点疯野又爱热闹,可是规矩老实从不越轨,我当着上帝的面都敢这么说。”洗衣妇说,“大学生性情开朗,那么关怀体贴人,他身上每一滴血都是正直善良的,世界上没有比他更好的人了。他是这个宅第里的阔少爷,而我只是一个卑微的女用人,可是我们两心相许,真心诚意地相爱了。在两个人真心相爱的时候,亲吻拥抱并不是什么罪孽。他把我们的事告诉了他的母亲,因为对他来说,母亲就是人世间的上帝,再说她是那么聪明,那么和善。
“他走了,动身之前把他的金戒指戴到我的手指上。等到他刚离开家门,我的女主人就把我叫到她跟前去,她讲话十分认真严肃,却又和颜悦色。她不厌其烦地向我解说他和我之间在智力和身份上的差距有多大。‘他现在只看到你长得有多好看,可是美貌是很快就会消逝的。你没有像他那样的学问和教养,你们两个人在精神的王国里是毫不相配的,这就埋藏了不幸。我十分尊重穷人,’她又说道,‘到了上帝面前,也许一个穷人会得到比许多富人更为荣耀的位置,可是在世上做人却有一定的规矩,就像行车上路那样,不可以越轨走错了道,否则就非翻车不可,而你们俩的结果便是翻车。’
“女主人接着又说道:‘我知道有一个很有气概的男人曾经向你求过婚,那个手艺人是做手套的师傅埃里克,他是个鳏夫,没有孩子,家境挺不错的。你不妨再想想吧。’她说的每一个字都像刀子一样刺穿了我的心,可是她说的话句句在理,一点不错。她的话使我十分痛苦,这些话的分量把我完全压垮了。我亲吻了她的手,流下了许多苦涩的眼泪。我一回到我自己的房间里便扑倒在床上,眼泪更是哗哗地流淌下来。
“那个晚上真是漫长而沉重啊,上帝才知道我经受了多大的折磨和怎样苦苦挣扎。到了星期天,我就上教堂去,到圣坛前祈求上帝给我指点迷津,就好像是天意一样,我从教堂里走出来的时候,迎面来了做手套的师傅埃里克。我们这么一照面,我心里就不再有任何犹豫了,我们两个在身份地位,在境况条件上都很相配,何况他还是个手头上相当宽裕的人。于是我径直朝他走了过去,拉住他的手问道:‘你对我的心思仍旧没有变吗?’‘是的,永生永世都不会变。’他说道。‘那么你情愿娶一个尊敬你、钦佩你却对你还没有什么感情的姑娘为妻吗?
当然,说不定那个姑娘有朝一日会喜欢上你的。’‘爱情迟早会来的。’他说道。于是我们订下了婚约。
“我回到了女主人的家里,他儿子给我的那个金戒指我一直贴胸藏着,白天我不敢把它戴在手指上,等到每天夜里我躺到了床上,才能把它戴上。我不断地亲吻着戒指,直到我的嘴唇都磨出血来。后来我终于把戒指还给了我的女主人,并且对她说,下个星期天牧师将在教堂的布道坛上发布我和埃里克的结婚公告。于是女主人伸出双臂把我搂在怀里,连连亲吻着我,她没有说过我不中用,大概那时候我干起事情来还挺利索的,要比现在强得多,再说我还一点没有尝到人间的艰辛。我们就在二月二日圣烛节那一天举行了婚礼。婚后第一年日子过得很顺心,我们有个伙计,还有一个学徒。玛伦,你就是那时候到我们家来帮佣的。”
“是呀,你是个随和善良的女东家。”玛伦说,“我永远也忘不了你和你男人对我是多么好。”
“你来的时候正是我们家日子过得最红火的时候,当时我们还没有生孩子呢。至于那个大学生,我再也没有同他见过面。噢,不对,我见到过他一面,可是他却没有瞅见我。他回到老家来参加他母亲的葬礼。我看到他站在母亲的坟墓前,脸色铁青、苍白,那么伤心悲哀,是因为他母亲去世的缘故。后来他的父亲也死了,他没有回来送葬,那时他已去了国外,从此再也没有回来过。我知道他终身未娶,听说他当上了检察官。他大概早就把我忘得干干净净了,就算他见到我,恐怕也不会认出我来,我变得那么难看了,不过这也挺好。”
接着她又讲到了她经历的苦难:不幸一下子降临到他们的头上。他们手头上攒下了五百块银币。那时大街上有一栋房屋要出售,卖价二百块银币。这个价钱十分划算,很值得把它买下来,拆掉之后再盖一栋新房子。于是他们便把那栋房子买到了手,请来泥瓦匠和木匠,估算出营造新房子的费用,总共还要花一千零二十块银币才能再盖起来。埃里克借到了一笔贷款,那笔钱是从哥本哈根借来的,可是把那笔钱捎过来的船长偏偏就在这次失事中遇难,连人带钱一起沉入了海底。
“那时我刚生下这个可爱的儿子,我丈夫当上了父亲,可是却染上了重病,一下子躺倒了,有八九个月光景我天天要为他穿衣脱衣。我们手头上的钱花得光光的,只好去借了又借,背了不少的债。我们家里穿的用的全都变卖掉了,可是孩子他爹也没有活下来,抛下了我们母子俩。
“我们母子俩相依为命,我拼死拼活地苦干,为的`是养活儿子。擦洗楼梯啦,洗衣服啦,不管是粗活细活,什么都干,可是我的日子却一点也没有好起来,不过这是上帝的旨意,我有什么办法?
反正上帝早晚都会让我得到解脱的,但愿这个孩子不要被遗忘,不要没有人照管。”
说完,她就昏昏沉沉地睡过去了。
第二天早晨,她觉得自己好多了,她相信自己有力气可以去干活了。可是当她一踩进冰凉的河水的时候,就猛地一阵眩晕,浑身软绵绵的一点力气都没有了。她的双手痉挛般地朝着空中乱抓乱舞,她又向前迈了一步,便不由自主地栽倒下去。她的脑袋仰在河岸上,可是两只脚却浸泡在河水里。她脚上穿的那双木鞋被河里的流水冲走了,那是她站在河里干活时穿的,每只木鞋都用一束干草系在脚上。直到玛伦到这里来送咖啡给她喝的时候,才发现她倒在河边。
就在这时候,镇长派人来传了个口信,叫她马上前去见镇长,镇长有要紧的话对她说。可惜已经太晚了。大家找来了一个剃头师傅给她放血也无济于事了,洗衣妇已经死去。
“她是喝酒喝得送掉了性命。”镇长说道。
在传递镇长弟弟死讯的那封报丧信中,还写明了死者的遗嘱,遗嘱中说,要留给那位曾经给死者父母当过女佣的手套匠人遗孀一笔钱,数目是六百块银币。这笔赠款应按照实际的需要,拆成大小若干份,分期支付给那位遗孀或者她的孩子。
“我弟弟曾经同她有过点什么交情吧。”镇长说道,“如今她总算不在人世了,那倒真是件好事情。那个男孩子可以得到那一整笔钱。我会把他交给正派本分的人家去抚养,他会成为一个很出色的手艺人。”
上帝赐福吧。
镇长把小男孩叫来了,答应照管他,还告诉他说,他母亲死了要比活在人间好,因为她是个没有用的窝囊废。
洗衣妇埋葬在教堂墓地的义冢里,那是埋葬穷人尸骨的地方。玛伦在她的坟上种了一株玫瑰,小男孩站在她的身边。
“我亲爱的母亲,”小男孩说道,他的泪水如泉涌一般地流淌下来,“难道是真的吗,人家都说她是个窝囊废!”
“不,她才不是什么窝囊废!”老妇人玛伦说着抬起头来仰望着头上的苍天,“多少年来我一直心里很有数,她临终前的最后一夜让我更加明白过来。我对你说:她是个可敬的好女人!上帝也会赞成的,尽管别人说她是个窝囊废。”
这篇作品和《卖火柴的小女孩》一样,是发表在《丹麦大众历书》上。丹麦每年要出一本“历书”,像我们过去的“皇历”,供广大民众在日常生活中参考。所不同的是,这种历书按惯例总要请一位作家写篇故事,以“新年展望”这类的题材作为内容。供广大群众翻用历书时阅读。正因为如此,安徒生才与众不同,特别提供像《卖火柴的小女孩》和《她是一个废物》这类尖锐地反映现实生活的故事,使人们在快乐中不要忘掉受苦的人。
这位被市长认为是“废物”的洗衣妇,其实是一个极为勤劳、善良、自尊心强、具有纯洁感情的穷苦妇女。“我要苦下去,我要拼命的工作,工作得直到手指流出血来。不过,我亲爱的孩子,只要我能凭诚实的劳动把你养大,我吃什么苦也愿意。”她是一个伟大的母亲。她无依无靠,当了一生佣人,因她生得漂亮,主人家的小少爷爱上了她,但女主人认为她出身卑贱,劝她嫁给一个手套制作匠人,而这个匠人又不幸早死,她和儿子成了孤儿寡母,而且气力已衰,无人雇她,只好靠洗衣为生。这是一项非常艰苦的工作,对过了中年以后的她更是如此:她“站在水里一个洗衣凳旁边,用木杵打着一大堆沉重的被单。水在滚滚地流,因为磨房的闸门已经抽开了;这些被单被水冲着,差不多要把洗衣凳推翻。这个洗衣妇不得不使尽一切力气来稳住凳子。”她有时得在这样的冷水里一口气站六个钟头以上。她得喝点酒来产生一点热力。“它简直像一顿热饭,而且价钱不贵!”但是市长却因此说她是个“废物”,虽然他自己在举行宴会的时候,大家一瓶一瓶地喝着,“而且是强烈的好酒!有许多人将要喝得超过他们的酒量——但是这却不叫做喝酒!他们是有用的人……”这个可怜的妇人终于因为浸在水里的时间太长,劳动过度,倒在水里死去了。她心地善良,逆来顺受,但“人们说她是一个废物,这是真的吗?”这句问话代表了安徒生向社会提出的一个抗议。
篇2:安徒生童话故事第:她是一个废物She Was Good for Noth
安徒生童话故事第70篇:她是一个废物She Was Good for Nothing
市长正站在开着的窗子面前。他只穿着衬衫;衬衫的前襟上别着一根领带别针。他的胡子刮得特别光——是他亲自刮的。的确,他划开了一个小口,但是他已经在上面贴了一小片报纸。
“听着,小家伙!”他大声说。
这小家伙不是别人,就是那个贫苦的洗衣妇的儿子。他正在这房子前面经过;他恭恭敬敬地把帽子摘下来。帽子已经破了,因为他随时可以把帽子卷起来塞在衣袋里。这孩子穿着一件朴素的旧衣服,但是衣服很干净,补得特别平整,脚上拖着一双厚木鞋,站在那儿,卑微得好像是站在皇帝面前一样。
“你是一个好孩子,”市长先生说。“你是一个有礼貌的孩子。我想你的妈妈正在河边洗衣服吧?你现在是要把藏在衣袋里的东西一定是送给她。这对你母亲说来是一件很不好的事情!你弄到了多少?”
“半斤,”孩子用一种害怕的声音吞吞吐吐地说。
“今天早晨她已经喝了这么多。”市长说。
“没有,那是昨天!”孩子回答说。
“两个半斤就整整是一斤!她真是一个废物!你们这个阶级的人说来也真糟糕!告诉你妈妈,她应该觉得羞耻。你自己切记不要变成一个酒徒——不过你会的!可怜的孩子,你去吧!”
孩子走开了。帽子仍然拿在手中。风在吹着他金黄的头发,把鬈发都弄得直立起来了。他绕过一个街角,拐进一条通向河流的小巷里去。他的母亲站在水里一个洗衣凳旁边,用木杵打着一大堆沉重的被单。水在滚滚地流,因为磨房的闸门已经抽开了;这些被单被水冲着,差不多要把洗衣凳推翻。这个洗衣妇不得不使尽一切力气来稳住凳子。
“我差不多也要被卷走了!”她说,“你来得正好,我正需要人来帮帮忙,站在水里真冷,但是我已经站了六个钟头了。你带来什么东西给我吗?”
孩子取出一瓶酒来。妈妈把它凑在嘴上,喝了一点。
“啊,这算是救了我!”她说。“它真叫我感到温暖!它简直像一顿热饭,而且价钱还不贵!你也喝点吧,我的孩子!你看起来简直一点血色也没有。你穿着这点单衣,要冻坏的。而且现在又是秋天。噢,水多冷啊!我希望我不要闹起病来。不,我不会生病的!再给我喝一口吧,你也可以喝一点,不过只能喝一点,可不能喝上瘾,我可怜的、亲爱的孩子!”
于是她走出河水,爬到孩子站着的那座桥上来。水从她的草编的围裙上和她的衣服上不停地往下滴。
“我要苦下去,我要拼命的工作,工作得直到手指流出血来。不过,我亲爱的孩子,只要我能凭诚实的劳动把你养大,我吃什么苦也愿意。”
当她正在说这话的时候,也一个年纪比她大一点的女人向他们走来了。她的衣服穿得非常寒碜,一只脚也跛了,还有一卷假发盖在一只眼睛上。这卷假发的作用本来是要掩住这只瞎眼的,不过它反而把这个缺点弄得更突出了。她是这个洗衣妇的朋友。邻居们把她叫做“假发跛子玛伦”。
“咳,你这可怜的人!你简直在冷水里工作得不要命了!你的确应该喝点什么东西,把自己暖一下;不过有人一看到你喝几滴就大喊大叫起来!”不一会儿,市长刚才说的话就全部传到洗衣妇的耳朵里去了,因为玛伦把这些话全都听到了,而且她很生气,觉得他居然敢把一个母亲所喝的几滴酒,那样郑重其事地告诉她亲生的儿子,特别是因为市长正在这天要举行一个盛大的宴会;在这个宴会上,大家将要一瓶瓶地喝着酒。“而且是强烈的好酒!有许多人将要喝得超过他们的酒量——但是这却不叫做喝酒!他们是有用的人;但是你就算是废物!”
“咳,我的孩子,他居然对你说那样的话!”洗衣妇说,同时她的嘴唇在发抖。“你看,你的妈妈是个废物!也许他的话有道理,但他不能对我的孩子说呀,况且我在他家里吃的苦头已经够了。”
“当市长的父母还是活着的时候,你就在他家里当佣人,并且住在他家里。那是多少年前的事!从那时起,人们不知吃了多少斗的盐,现在人们也应该感到渴了!”玛伦笑了一下。“市长今天要举行一个盛大的午宴。他本来要请那些客人改期再来的,不过已经来不及了,因为菜早就准备好了。这事是门房告诉我的。一个钟头以前他接到一封信,说他的弟弟已经在哥本哈根死了。”
“死了?”洗衣妇大叫一声。她变得象死一样地惨白。
“是的,死了,”玛伦说。“你感到特别伤心吗?是的,你认识他,你在他家里当过佣人。”
“他死了!他是一个非常好、非常可爱的人!我们的上帝是少有像他那样的人的。”于是眼泪就沿着她的脸滴下来了。“啊,老天爷!我周围一切东西在打旋转!——这是因为我把一瓶酒喝光了的缘故。我实在没有那么大的酒量!我觉得我病了!”于是她就靠着木栅栏,免得倒下来。
“天老爷,你真的病了!”玛伦说。“不要急,你可能会清醒过来的。不对!你真的病了!我最好还是把你送回家去吧。”
“不过我这堆衣服——”
“交给我好了!扶着我吧!你的孩子可以留在这儿等着。我一会儿就回来把它洗完;它并不多。”
这个洗衣妇的腿在发抖。
“我在冷水里站得太久了!从清早起,我就没有吃喝过什么东西。我全身烧得滚烫。啊,耶稣上帝!请帮助我走回家去吧!啊,我可怜的孩子!”于是她就哭起来。
孩子也哭起来。他单独坐在河边,守着这一大堆湿衣服。这两个女人走得很慢。洗衣妇摇摇摆摆地走过一条小巷,拐过一条街就来到市长住着的那条街上。一到他的公馆面前,她就倒到人行道上去了。许多人围拢来。
跛脚玛伦跑进这公馆里去找人来帮忙。市长和他的客人们走到窗子面前来朝外面望。
“原来是那个洗衣的女人!”他说。“她喝得太多,醉了!她是一个废物!真可惜,她有一个可爱的儿子。我的确喜欢这孩子。不过这母亲是一个废物!”
不一会儿洗衣妇恢复了知觉。大家把她扶到她简陋的屋子里去,然后把她放在床上。好心肠的玛伦为她热了一杯啤酒,里面加了一些黄油和糖;她认为这是最好的药品。然后她就匆匆忙忙地跑向河边去,把衣服洗完了——洗得够马虎,虽然她的本意很不坏。严格地说,她不过只是把潮湿的衣服拖上岸来,放进桶里去罢了。
天黑的时候,她来到那间简陋的小房子里,坐在洗衣妇的旁边。她特别为病人向市长的厨子讨一点烤洋山芋和一片肥火腿来。玛伦和孩子大吃了一通,不过病人只能欣赏这食物的香味。她说香味也是很滋补的。
不一会儿,孩子就上床去睡了,睡在他的妈妈睡的那张床上。他横睡在她的脚头,盖着一床缝满了蓝色和白色补丁的旧地毯。
洗衣妇感到现在精神稍微好了一点。温暖的啤酒使她有了一点力气;食物的香味也对她起了好的作用。
“多谢你,你这个好心肠的人,”她对玛伦说。“孩子睡着以后,我就把一切经过都告诉你。我想他已经睡着了。你看,他闭着眼睛躺在那儿,是一副多么温柔好看的样儿!他一点也不知道妈妈的痛苦——我希望老天爷永远不要让他知道。我那时是帮那位枢密顾问官——就是市长的父亲——做佣人。有一天他的在大学里念书的小儿子回来了。我那时是一个粗野的年轻女孩子;但是我可以在老天爷面前发誓,我是正派的!”洗衣妇说。“那大学生是一个快乐、和蔼、善良和勇敢的人!他身上的每一滴血都是善良和诚实的。我在这世界上没有看到过比他更好的人。他是这家的少爷,我不过是一个女佣人;但是我们相爱起来了——我们相爱是真诚的,正当的。他把这件事告诉了他的母亲,她在他的眼中就像是世上的一个活神仙。她既聪明,又温柔。他离开家的时候就把他的戒指套在我的手指上。他已经走了很远以后,我的女主人就喊我去。她用一种坚定的、但是温和严肃的语气对我说话——只有我们的上帝才能这样讲话。她把他跟我的区别,无论从精神方面或实质方面,都清楚地告诉了我。
“‘他现在只是看到你是多么漂亮,’她说,‘不过漂亮是保持不住多久的。你没有受过他那样的教育。你在智力方面永远赶不上他——不幸的关键就在这里。我尊重穷人,’她继续说:‘在上帝的面前。他们比许多富人的位置还高;不过在我们人的世界里,我们必须当心不要越过了界限,不然车子就会翻掉,你们两人也就会翻掉。我知道有一个很好的人向你求过婚——一个手艺人——就是那个手套匠人爱力克。他的妻子已经死了,没有小孩。他的境遇也很好。你考虑考虑吧!’
“她讲的每个字都像一把刺进我心里的尖刀。不过我知道她的话是有道理的。这使我感到难过,感到沉重。我吻了她的手,流出苦痛的眼泪。当我回到我的房里倒到床上的时候,我哭得更痛苦。这是我最难过的一夜。只有上帝知道,我是在怎样受难,怎样挣扎!
“第二个礼拜天我到教堂里去,祈求上帝指引我。当我走出教堂的时候,手套匠人爱力克正在向我走来——这好像就是上帝的意志。这时我心里的一切疑虑都消除了。我们在身分和境遇方面都是相称的——他还可以算得是境况好的人。因此我就走向他,握着他的手,同时说:
“‘你的心还没有变吧?’
“‘没有,永远不会变!’他回答说。
“‘你愿跟一个尊重和敬服你、但是不爱你的女子结婚吗——虽然她以后可能会对你发生爱情?’
“‘是的,爱情以后就会来的!’他说。这样,我们就同意了。我回到女主人的家里来。她的儿子给我的那个戒指一直是藏在我的怀里。我在白天不敢戴它;只是在晚上我上床去睡的时候才戴上它。现在我吻着戒指,一直吻到我的嘴唇要流出血来。然后我把它交还给我的女主人,同时告诉她,下星期牧师就要宣布我和手套匠人的结婚的预告。我的女主人双手抱着我,吻我。她没有说我是一个废物;不过那时我可能是比现在更有用一点的,因为我还没有碰上生活的灾难。在圣烛节①那天我们就结婚了。头一年我们的生活还不坏:我们有一个伙计和一个学徒,还有你,玛伦——你帮我们的忙。”
“啊,你是一个善良的女主人,”玛伦说。“我永远也忘不了,你和你的丈夫对我是多么好!”
“是的,你和我们住在一起的时候,正是我们过得好的时候!我们那时还没有孩子。那个大学生我再也没有见到过——啊,对了,我看到过他,但是他却没有看到我!他回来参加他母亲的葬礼。我看到他站在坟旁,脸色惨白,样子很消沉,不过那是因为母亲死了的.缘故。后来,当他的父亲死的时候,他正住在国外,没有回来。以后他也没有回来。我知道他一直没有结婚。后来他成了一个律师。他已经把我忘记了。即使他再看到我,大概也不会认识我的——我已经变得非常难看。这也可算是一件幸事!”
于是她谈到她那些苦难的日子和她家所遭遇到的不幸。他们积蓄了五百块钱,街上有一座房子要卖,估价是两百块钱。把它拆了,再建一座新的,还是值得。所以他们就把它买下来了。石匠和木匠把费用计算了一下;新房子的建筑费要1020块钱。手套匠人爱力克很有信用,所以他在京城里借了这笔钱。不过带回这笔钱的那个船长,在半路上翻了船;钱和他本人都没有了。
“这时候,现在正在睡着的我的这个亲爱的孩子出世了。长期的重病把我的丈夫拖倒了。有九个月的光景,我得每天替他穿衣和脱衣。我们一天不如一天,而且在不停地借债。我们把所有的东西都卖了,接着丈夫也死了。我工作着,操劳着,为我的孩子操劳和工作,替人擦楼梯,替人洗粗细衣服,但是我的境遇还是没有办法改好——这就是上帝的意志!他将要在适当的时候把我唤走的,他也不会不管我的孩子。”
于是她便睡去了。
到了早晨她的精神好了许多,也觉得有了些气力;她觉得自己可以去继续工作。不过她一走进冷水里去的时候,就感到一阵寒颤和无力。她用手在空中乱抓,向前走了一步,便倒下来了。她的头搁在岸上,但脚仍然浸在水里。她的一双木鞋——每只鞋里垫着一把草——顺着水流走了。这情形是玛伦送咖啡来时看到的。
这时市长家的一个仆人跑到她简陋的屋子里来,叫她赶快到市长家里去,因为他有事情要对她讲。但是现在已经迟了!大家请来了一个剃头兼施外科手术的人来为她放血。不过这个可怜的洗衣妇已经死了。
“她喝酒喝死了!”市长说。
那封关于他弟弟去世的信里附有一份遗嘱的大要。这里面有一项是:死者留下六百块钱给他母亲过去的佣人——就是现在的手套匠的寡妇。这笔钱应该根据实际需要,以或多或少的数目付给她或她的孩子。
“我的弟弟和她曾经闹过一点无聊的事儿,”市长说。“幸亏她死了。现在那个孩子可以得到全部的钱。我将把他送到一个正经人家里去寄养,好使他将来可以成为一个诚实的手艺人。”
请我们的上帝祝福这几句话吧。
市长把这孩子喊来,答应照顾他,同时还说他的母亲死了是一桩好事,因为她是一个废物!
人们把她抬到教堂墓地上去,埋在穷人的公墓里。玛伦在她的坟上栽了一棵玫瑰树;那个孩子立在她旁边。
“我亲爱的妈妈!”他哭了起来,眼泪不停地流着。“人们说她是一个废物,这是真的吗?”
“不,她是一个非常有用的人!”那个老佣人说,同时生气地朝天上望着。“我在许多年以前就知道她是一个好人;从昨天晚上起我更知道她是一个好人。我告诉你她是一个有用的人!老天爷知道这是真的。让别人说‘她是一个废物’吧!”
①圣烛节(Kyndelmisse)是在二月二日举行的基督教的节日,纪念耶稣生后40天,圣母玛利亚带他到耶路撒冷去祈祷。
她是一个废物英文版:
She Was Good for Nothing
THE mayor stood at the open window. He looked smart, for his shirt-frill, in which he had stuck a breast-pin, and his ruffles, were very fine. He had shaved his chin uncommonly smooth, although he had cut himself slightly, and had stuck a piece of newspaper over the place. “Hark ’ee, youngster!” cried he.
The boy to whom he spoke was no other than the son of a poor washer-woman, who was just going past the house. He stopped, and respectfully took off his cap. The peak of this cap was broken in the middle, so that he could easily roll it up and put it in his pocket. He stood before the mayor in his poor but clean and well-mended clothes, with heavy wooden shoes on his feet, looking as humble as if it had been the king himself.
“You are a good and civil boy,” said the mayor. “I suppose your mother is busy washing the clothes down by the river, and you are going to carry that thing to her that you have in your pocket. It is very bad for your mother. How much have you got in it?”
“Only half a quartern,” stammered the boy in a frightened voice.
“And she has had just as much this morning already?”
“No, it was yesterday,” replied the boy.
“Two halves make a whole,” said the mayor. “She’s good for nothing. What a sad thing it is with these people. Tell your mother she ought to be ashamed of herself. Don’t you become a drunkard, but I expect you will though. Poor child! there, go now.”
The boy went on his way with his cap in his hand, while the wind fluttered his golden hair till the locks stood up straight. He turned round the corner of the street into the little lane that led to the river, where his mother stood in the water by her washing bench, beating the linen with a heavy wooden bar. The floodgates at the mill had been drawn up, and as the water rolled rapidly on, the sheets were dragged along by the stream, and nearly overturned the bench, so that the washer-woman was obliged to lean against it to keep it steady. “I have been very nearly carried away,” she said; “it is a good thing that you are come, for I want something to strengthen me. It is cold in the water, and I have stood here six hours. Have you brought anything for me?”
The boy drew the bottle from his pocket, and the mother put it to her lips, and drank a little.
“Ah, how much good that does, and how it warms me,” she said; “it is as good as a hot meal, and not so dear. Drink a little, my boy; you look quite pale; you are shivering in your thin clothes, and autumn has really come. Oh, how cold the water is! I hope I shall not be ill. But no, I must not be afraid of that. Give me a little more, and you may have a sip too, but only a sip; you must not get used to it, my poor, dear child.” She stepped up to the bridge on which the boy stood as she spoke, and came on shore. The water dripped from the straw mat which she had bound round her body, and from her gown. “I work hard and suffer pain with my poor hands,” said she, “but I do it willingly, that I may be able to bring you up honestly and truthfully, my dear boy.”
At the same moment, a woman, rather older than herself, came towards them. She was a miserable-looking object, lame of one leg, and with a large false curl hanging down over one of her eyes, which was blind. This curl was intended to conceal the blind eye, but it made the defect only more visible. She was a friend of the laundress, and was called, among the neighbors, “Lame Martha, with the curl.” “Oh, you poor thing; how you do work, standing there in the water!” she exclaimed. “You really do need something to give you a little warmth, and yet spiteful people cry out about the few drops you take.” And then Martha repeated to the laundress, in a very few minutes, all that the mayor had said to her boy, which she had overheard; and she felt very angry that any man could speak, as he had done, of a mother to her own child, about the few drops she had taken; and she was still more angry because, on that very day, the mayor was going to have a dinner-party, at which there would be wine, strong, rich wine, drunk by the bottle. “Many will take more than they ought, but they don’t call that drinking! They are all right, you are good for nothing indeed!” cried Martha indignantly.
“And so he spoke to you in that way, did he, my child?” said the washer-woman, and her lips trembled as she spoke. “He says you have a mother who is good for nothing. Well, perhaps he is right, but he should not have said it to my child. How much has happened to me from that house!”
“Yes,” said Martha; “I remember you were in service there, and lived in the house when the mayor’s parents were alive; how many years ago that is. Bushels of salt have been eaten since then, and people may well be thirsty,” and Martha smiled. “The mayor’s great dinner-party to-day ought to have been put off, but the news came too late. The footman told me the dinner was already cooked, when a letter came to say that the mayor’s younger brother in Copenhagen is dead.”
“Dead!” cried the laundress, turning pale as death.
“Yes, certainly,” replied Martha; “but why do you take it so much to heart? I suppose you knew him years ago, when you were in service there?”
“Is he dead?” she exclaimed. “Oh, he was such a kind, good-hearted man, there are not many like him,” and the tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. Then she cried, “Oh, dear me; I feel quite ill: everything is going round me, I cannot bear it. Is the bottle empty?” and she leaned against the plank.
“Dear me, you are ill indeed,” said the other woman. “Come, cheer up; perhaps it will pass off. No, indeed, I see you are really ill; the best thing for me to do is to lead you home.”
“But my washing yonder?”
“I will take care of that. Come, give me your arm. The boy can stay here and take care of the linen, and I’ll come back and finish the washing; it is but a trifle.”
The limbs of the laundress shook under her, and she said, “I have stood too long in the cold water, and I have had nothing to eat the whole day since the morning. O kind Heaven, help me to get home; I am in a burning fever. Oh, my poor child,” and she burst into tears. And he, poor boy, wept also, as he sat alone by the river, near to and watching the damp linen.
The two women walked very slowly. The laundress slipped and tottered through the lane, and round the corner, into the street where the mayor lived; and just as she reached the front of his house, she sank down upon the pavement. Many persons came round her, and Lame Martha ran into the house for help. The mayor and his guests came to the window.
“Oh, it is the laundress,” said he; “she has had a little drop too much. She is good for nothing. It is a sad thing for her pretty little son. I like the boy very well; but the mother is good for nothing.”
After a while the laundress recovered herself, and they led her to her poor dwelling, and put her to bed. Kind Martha warmed a mug of beer for her, with butter and sugar—she considered this the best medicine—and then hastened to the river, washed and rinsed, badly enough, to be sure, but she did her best. Then she drew the linen ashore, wet as it was, and laid it in a basket. Before evening, she was sitting in the poor little room with the laundress. The mayor’s cook had given her some roasted potatoes and a beautiful piece of fat for the sick woman. Martha and the boy enjoyed these good things very much; but the sick woman could only say that the smell was very nourishing, she thought. By-and-by the boy was put to bed, in the same bed as the one in which his mother lay; but he slept at her feet, covered with an old quilt made of blue and white patchwork. The laundress felt a little better by this time. The warm beer had strengthened her, and the smell of the good food had been pleasant to her.
“Many thanks, you good soul,” she said to Martha. “Now the boy is asleep, I will tell you all. He is soon asleep. How gentle and sweet he looks as he lies there with his eyes closed! He does not know how his mother has suffered; and Heaven grant he never may know it. I was in service at the counsellor’s, the father of the mayor, and it happened that the youngest of his sons, the student, came home. I was a young wild girl then, but honest; that I can declare in the sight of Heaven. The student was merry and gay, brave and affectionate; every drop of blood in him was good and honorable; a better man never lived on earth. He was the son of the house, and I was only a maid; but he loved me truly and honorably, and he told his mother of it. She was to him as an angel upon earth; she was so wise and loving. He went to travel, and before he started he placed a gold ring on my finger; and as soon as he was out of the house, my mistress sent for me. Gently and earnestly she drew me to her, and spake as if an angel were speaking. She showed me clearly, in spirit and in truth, the difference there was between him and me. ‘He is pleased now,’ she said, ‘with your pretty face; but good looks do not last long. You have not been educated like he has. You are not equals in mind and rank, and therein lies the misfortune. I esteem the poor,’ she added. ‘In the sight of God, they may occupy a higher place than many of the rich; but here upon earth we must beware of entering upon a false track, lest we are overturned in our plans, like a carriage that travels by a dangerous road. I know a worthy man, an artisan, who wishes to marry you. I mean Eric, the glovemaker. He is a widower, without children, and in a good position. Will you think it over?’ Every word she said pierced my heart like a knife; but I knew she was right, and the thought pressed heavily upon me. I kissed her hand, and wept bitter tears, and I wept still more when I went to my room, and threw myself on the bed. I passed through a dreadful night; God knows what I suffered, and how I struggled. The following Sunday I went to the house of God to pray for light to direct my path. It seemed like a providence that as I stepped out of church Eric came towards me; and then there remained not a doubt in my mind. We were suited to each other in rank and circumstances. He was, even then, a man of good means. I went up to him, and took his hand, and said, ‘Do you still feel the same for me?’ ‘Yes; ever and always,’ said he. ‘Will you, then, marry a maiden who honors and esteems you, although she cannot offer you her love? but that may come.’ ‘Yes, it will come,’ said he; and we joined our hands together, and I went home to my mistress. The gold ring which her son had given me I wore next to my heart. I could not place it on my finger during the daytime, but only in the evening, when I went to bed. I kissed the ring till my lips almost bled, and then I gave it to my mistress, and told her that the banns were to be put up for me and the glovemaker the following week. Then my mistress threw her arms round me, and kissed me. She did not say that I was ‘good for nothing;’ very likely I was better then than I am now; but the misfortunes of this world, were unknown to me then. At Michaelmas we were married, and for the first year everything went well with us. We had a journeyman and an apprentice, and you were our servant, Martha.”
“Ah, yes, and you were a dear, good mistress,” said Martha, “I shall never forget how kind you and your husband were to me.”
“Yes, those were happy years when you were with us, although we had no children at first. The student I never met again. Yet I saw him once, although he did not see me. He came to his mother’s funeral. I saw him, looking pale as death, and deeply troubled, standing at her grave; for she was his mother. Sometime after, when his father died, he was in foreign lands, and did not come home. I know that he never married, I believe he became a lawyer. He had forgotten me, and even had we met he would not have known me, for I have lost all my good looks, and perhaps that is all for the best.” And then she spoke of the dark days of trial, when misfortune had fallen upon them.
“We had five hundred dollars,” she said, “and there was a house in the street to be sold for two hundred, so we thought it would be worth our while to pull it down and build a new one in its place; so it was bought. The builder and carpenter made an estimate that the new house would cost ten hundred and twenty dollars to build. Eric had credit, so he borrowed the money in the chief town. But the captain, who was bringing it to him, was shipwrecked, and the money lost. Just about this time, my dear sweet boy, who lies sleeping there, was born, and my husband was attacked with a severe lingering illness. For three quarters of a year I was obliged to dress and undress him. We were backward in our payments, we borrowed more money, and all that we had was lost and sold, and then my husband died. Since then I have worked, toiled, and striven for the sake of the child. I have scrubbed and washed both coarse and fine linen, but I have not been able to make myself better off; and it was God’s will. In His own time He will take me to Himself, but I know He will never forsake my boy.” Then she fell asleep. In the morning she felt much refreshed, and strong enough, as she thought, to go on with her work. But as soon as she stepped into the cold water, a sudden faintness seized her; she clutched at the air convulsively with her hand, took one step forward, and fell. Her head rested on dry land, but her feet were in the water; her wooden shoes, which were only tied on by a wisp of straw, were carried away by the stream, and thus she was found by Martha when she came to bring her some coffee.
In the meantime a messenger had been sent to her house by the mayor, to say that she must come to him immediately, as he had something to tell her. It was too late; a surgeon had been sent for to open a vein in her arm, but the poor woman was dead.
“She has drunk herself to death,” said the cruel mayor. In the letter, containing the news of his brother’s death, it was stated that he had left in his will a legacy of six hundred dollars to the glovemaker’s widow, who had been his mother’s maid, to be paid with discretion, in large or small sums to the widow or her child.
“There was something between my brother and her, I remember,” said the mayor; “it is a good thing that she is out of the way, for now the boy will have the whole. I will place him with honest people to bring him up, that he may become a respectable working man.” And the blessing of God rested upon these words. The mayor sent for the boy to come to him, and promised to take care of him, but most cruelly added that it was a good thing that his mother was dead, for “she was good for nothing.” They carried her to the churchyard, the churchyard in which the poor were buried. Martha strewed sand on the grave and planted a rose-tree upon it, and the boy stood by her side.
“Oh, my poor mother!” he cried, while the tears rolled down his cheeks. “Is it true what they say, that she was good for nothing?”
“No, indeed, it is not true,” replied the old servant, raising her eyes to heaven; “she was worth a great deal; I knew it years ago, and since the last night of her life I am more certain of it than ever. I say she was a good and worthy woman, and God, who is in heaven, knows I am speaking the truth, though the world may say, even now she was good for nothing.”
篇3:《她是一个废物》童话故事
《她是一个废物》童话故事
镇长站在敞开着的窗户前,他身上穿着高领硬袖的衬衫,衬衫前襟上别着一枚胸针。胡子刮得光光的,那是他自己刮的,只割破一个小口子,他已经在小口子上贴了一小片报纸。
“听着,小家伙。”他叫道。
这个小家伙并非别人,就是洗衣妇的儿子。他恰好走过这里,便恭敬地脱下头上的便帽。那顶便帽的帽檐已经折断,可以塞进衣服口袋里去。小男孩衣着简朴,却干干净净,破的地方全都缝补得整整齐齐,脚上拖着一双木屐。他站在镇长面前,样子诚惶诚恐,如同站在国王面前一样。
“你真是个好孩子,”镇长说,“你是个礼数周全的懂事的孩子。我想你母亲大概在河边漂洗衣服,你快把兜里装着的东西给她送去吧,你母亲的老毛病改不了啦!
你带了多少呢?”
“只有半斤。”小男孩说道,他害怕得嗫嚅了半晌才低声说了出来,声音还颤抖着。
“今天早上她不是已经喝过这么多了吗?”那人刨根究底地问道。
“不是的,那是昨天的事情。”小男孩回答道。
“哈,两个半斤不就成了整整一斤啦。她真是个窝囊废!这个阶层的人真是可悲!
去对你母亲说,她应该为自己害臊才是。你可不要再变成一个酒鬼,不过你一定会的。可怜的孩子,你走吧!”
小男孩便移步走开去。他把便帽拿在手里,听凭他的满头金发被风吹得飘拂起来,一绺绺地竖立在头上。他顺着大街走了一段,然后拐进一条小巷,走到了河边。他的母亲站在河水里的洗衣凳旁边,用一根粗大的木杵拍打着沉重的亚麻布床单。河水滔滔流过,汹涌而湍急,因为磨坊的闸门已经打开了。急流险些把床单冲走,把洗衣凳掀翻,洗衣妇人用足了力气才把它们按住。
“我差点儿被水冲走。”她说道,“你来得正好,我要来点东西鼓鼓劲,在水里泡着真是冷得要命,而我已经在冷水里站了六个钟头了。你给我带了点什么来吗?”
小男孩赶忙从衣服口袋里掏出了酒瓶,他母亲迫不及待地把瓶口凑到嘴边,喝了几口。
“哦,真是顶用,真是舒服,浑身都暖和过来了,就像吃了一顿热气腾腾的饭菜一样,再说价钱也不怎么贵。喝一点,我的孩子!
你看上去脸色那么苍白,穿得又这么单薄,你冻得直打哆嗦。现在已经是秋天啦,河水冰凉冰凉的,但愿我不要病倒才好。不会的,我不会生病的!
再让我喝上一口,你也喝一点,只许喝一小口,不过千万不许沾上这个癖好。唉,我可怜的孩子!”
她说着就绕过小男孩站着的踏脚石走上岸来,河水从她腰里围的灯芯草围裙上,从她的裙衫上滴滴答答地流下来。她说道:“我拼死拼活地干活,洗得两只手的指甲缝里快要流出鲜血来了。但只要我能光彩体面地把你拉扯成人,吃这些苦都算不了什么,我亲爱的孩子。”
就在这时候,走来了一个年岁比她更大的女人。她身上的衣服十分褴褛,瘦得皮包骨头,有一条腿是瘸着的,有一只眼睛是瞎的,一绺拳曲的假发垂在这只眼前,大概想要遮挡住瞎眼,却反而使得这一缺陷显得分外醒目了。她是那个洗衣妇的朋友,邻居都称呼她“一绺鬈发的瘸大娘玛伦”。她说道:“唉,你这可怜的女人,干起活来连性命都不顾啦,就那么一直站在冰凉的水里。你真是要喝点什么暖暖身子才行,可是你喝了那几口就有人说三道四讲你的坏话!”
于是玛伦便把方才镇长对小男孩说的那些话一五一十地全都讲给洗衣妇听,这些话当时恰好全都让玛伦听在耳中。玛伦听得直生闷气,因为一个堂堂的大男人竟然去对一个孩子数落他母亲的不是。让她更恼火的是镇长居然有脸去指责洗衣妇喝的那几口酒,而就在那天晚上,镇长自己要举行盛大的晚宴,宴席上有的是整瓶整瓶的美酒佳酿。“都是好酒,还都是烈酒!
在酒席上,许多人都会拿酒当水来解渴,可是他们却不把这叫做酗酒。他们可以这样做,而你却不行!”
“镇长真的对你这么说来着,孩子?”洗衣妇问道,她的嘴唇抖动得很厉害,“你真是有一个窝囊废的母亲,也许他的话一点不错,可是他怎么能对着孩子说呢。他们家真是让我吃够了苦头。”
“可不是,想当初镇长的父母都还活着住在那里的时候,你就已经在那个宅子里帮佣了。那是许多年前的事情了,打那时起连盐都吃掉了不少,所以那些人口渴得不行,非要猛喝一通哪!”玛伦笑了笑又说,“镇长家今天晚上仍旧照样大摆宴席,其实这次晚宴本来应该推迟才对,不过消息来得太晚,酒菜都已经做好了,再要改动也来不及了,这是宅子里的男用人告诉我的。就在一个小时之前刚刚来了一封信,说是他们最小的那个在哥本哈根死掉了。”
“死啦!”洗衣妇失声惊叫起来,脸色陡然变得像死人一般苍白。
“是呀,怎么啦,”玛伦说,“你用不着那么伤心难过。你一定同他很熟,是在那个宅子里帮佣时候认识他的吧?”
“他真的死了吗?”洗衣妇说,“天哪,他是那么一个心地善良的好人,像他这样的好人还真不多。”她说着说着,眼泪就扑簌簌地淌下了面颊,“哦,天哪,我的上帝!
我只觉得眼前天旋地转,那是因为我把那瓶酒都灌了下去,喝得太多,超过了我的酒量。我觉得浑身难受!”她赶紧将身子靠在木栅栏上。
“天哪,你的脸色真是太难看了,”那个老妇人说道,“我最好还是把你送回家去吧。”
“可是这一堆衣服怎么办?”
“不要紧,我可以收拾掉的。来吧,你扶着我的胳膊,孩子先留在这里照看一下,等我回来把剩下的.衣服都洗掉,已经没剩多少了。”
洗衣妇的两条腿在止不住地颤抖着。
“我在冰凉的河水里站得太久了,从大清早起一整天都没有吃过东西,不管是干的稀的都没有下肚。我身上滚烫滚烫,像在发烧一样。哦,我的耶稣,帮助我回到家里去吧!
我可怜的孩子。”她哭泣起来。
小男孩也不禁哭起来。过了片刻,他就独自坐在河边,坐在那堆湿漉漉的衣服旁边。那两个女人慢慢吞吞地走着,洗衣妇脚步踉跄,一步一冲的。她们穿过小巷,拐到大街上,走过镇长的宅院。她刚走到镇长家的大门口,便一个踉跄倒了下去,跌倒在镇长家门口的踏脚板上。路上行人纷纷围了上来。
瘸腿的玛伦赶紧跑进院子里去求救,镇长和他的客人们都站到窗前向外张望。
“哦,是那个洗衣妇呀!”镇长说道,“她大概馋酒馋得过头啦!她真是个窝囊废。她的那个眉清目秀的儿子真命苦,我倒是很心疼那个可爱的孩子。他的母亲真是个窝囊废!”
洗衣妇终于恢复了知觉,她被送回到自己那个贫苦寒酸的家里,躺到了床上。好心的玛伦给她倒了一杯加了黄油和白糖的热啤酒,因为玛伦相信这是最好的灵丹妙药。然后玛伦回到河边洗衣服的地方,把剩下的衣服洗了一遍。她只是马马虎虎地洗了一下,把衣服在河水里浸了浸就捞起来扔在筐子里。
天黑时分,玛伦坐在洗衣妇的一贫如洗的家里陪着她。玛伦从镇长的厨娘那里得到了两只烤得焦黄的土豆和一块肥得流油的上好火腿,小男孩和玛伦便享用起来,那个病人闻着浓香也很高兴地说道:“闻闻这香味,就可以滋养身体了。”
小男孩上床睡觉了,他同母亲睡在一张床上,不过他是挨着母亲的脚后跟横在床头的。他身上盖着一条用蓝色和红色碎布条拼缀起来的铺地的旧地毯。
洗衣妇觉得好了一些,热啤酒使得她身上有了点力气,美食的浓香也使得她舒服得多。
“多谢你这个好人。”洗衣妇对玛伦说道,“等孩子睡熟了,我要把这桩事情的前后经过全都讲给你听。我觉得这会儿他已经睡熟了。你看看他长得多么可爱,多么福相,两只小眼睛闭得紧紧的。他不知道自己的母亲是在怎样死撑活挨地苦度日子啊!
但愿上帝开恩,决不要让他再过这种苦日子……这桩事情发生时我正在枢密顾问官——就是镇长的父亲——家里帮佣。那天他们家的小儿子从大学里回来了。那时候我年纪轻,有点疯野又爱热闹,可是规矩老实从不越轨,我当着上帝的面都敢这么说。”洗衣妇说,“大学生性情开朗,那么关怀体贴人,他身上每一滴血都是正直善良的,世界上没有比他更好的人了。
他是这个宅第里的阔少爷,而我只是一个卑微的女用人,可是我们两心相许,真心诚意地相爱了。在两个人真心相爱的时候,亲吻拥抱并不是什么罪孽。他把我们的事告诉了他的母亲,因为对他来说,母亲就是人世间的上帝,再说她是那么聪明,那么和善。
“他走了,动身之前把他的金戒指戴到我的手指上。等到他刚离开家门,我的女主人就把我叫到她跟前去,她讲话十分认真严肃,却又和颜悦色。她不厌其烦地向我解说他和我之间在智力和身份上的差距有多大。‘他现在只看到你长得有多好看,可是美貌是很快就会消逝的。
篇4:安徒生童话·一个特殊的祈祷
月亮对我说道:“我特别爱那些儿童们,而且偏爱那些岁数比较小的,我对他们很感兴趣。而每当想起那些年龄很小的儿童的时候,我经常偷偷地悄无声息地从窗帘、窗框或者门缝里溜进他们的卧室,看见这些小家伙自己动手脱衣服也真滑稽,全身光光的。圆滑的小肩膀首先甩掉了衣服的裹包,然后是细细的胳膊从中钻出来,有时他们自己脱下袜子,露出一只既白又胖,小巧玲珑的小脚,可爱极了,特惹人喜欢。我抓住机会深深地吻了吻他们光滑的脚板,然后每个人都想去吻!”月亮窃笑道。
我今天夜里碰见的事很有意思,你肯定非常乐意听!今夜,我向一所房子望去,透过一扇小窗,而那间屋子的窗帘仍然没有拉下来,因为在他们家后面已经没有别的人家了。我清楚地看见在屋子里有一大群小孩子,像一群兄弟姐妹一样,在这群儿童中,年龄最小的女孩也只有四岁。但是,她很乘巧,学着其他孩子的样子,默默地虔诚地向仁慈的上帝祷告着什么。每天夜里,她亲爱的妈妈都坐在她的床边,听着小家伙有趣的祈祷。这样,每天夜里,妈妈都来,而每次来她都会祈祷一会儿,接着她便能够得到疼爱她的妈妈的一个甜蜜的吻。而妈妈就这样听着,静静地安祥地坐在她的`床边,一直熬到小家伙安然入睡,妈妈才悄悄地离开。一般时候,只要她的两只闪烁的眼睛一闭,便能够很快的进入梦乡,但今天夜里,几个年龄比较大的孩子总是静不下来。有一个身着雪白的睡衣,用单脚跳来跳去,很高兴的样子,好像是在做睡前运动;又有一个孩子站在一把小凳子上,在他的旁边放着其他孩子脱下来的衣服围了一大圈,他在做一个表演,让其他的孩子去猜测;而又有两个小孩把白天弄得乱七八糟的玩具全都排列到一个大抽屉里面,这的确是帮他们的妈妈做了一件好事。这时,他们的妈妈已经坐在那个年纪最小的孩子的床边,告诉其他的年龄大一点的孩子都不要吵闹,因为这个可爱的小妹妹马上就要做祷告了。
“我可以从灯上面直射过去,清清楚楚地看着那个只有四岁的小女孩躺在她温馨的小床上,身上盖一个雪白的毛巾被,合起两只纤细的小手,然后收起笑容,露出一副十分虔诚、肃立的脸色。接着,她大声地祷告起来,稚嫩的童音在屋子里,在夜空中回响。”月亮说道。
“哎,等一等,你在说什么?告诉我,当你念到‘请你每天都赐给我们面包’之后,我听见你还小声的嘀咕了一点别的话语,但我却没有听清楚你说些什么,你必须坦白的告诉我!”妈妈打断小家伙的祷告询问道。
小女孩闭上嘴巴,露出一副害羞的样子看着母亲。
“快告诉我,在念完‘每天都赐给我面包’的后面,你又小声地嘀咕了些什么,坦白地告诉我!”妈妈再次严厉地问道。
“小姑娘一点也不慌张地说道:‘请您不要生气,我亲爱的母亲,我是想让上帝在面包上多抹上一些黄油!’”
[知识拓展]
[童话导读] 《永远讲不完的故事》
说到《西游记》相信所有中国的小朋友们都知晓,那么,在德国呢?《永远讲不完的故事》就和《西游记》一样,是人们家喻户晓的书,让孩子看到现实世界之外的幻想王国,感受不一样的奇妙。
这个《永远讲不完的故事》的小主人翁,和我们生活中很多平凡的孩子一样,他是一个胖胖的、行动笨拙、经常被嘲笑、被愚弄的、不快乐的男孩,因为自己的不快乐,所以,一本书,改变了他的生活,他走向了一个神奇的世界,去拯救幻想王国。
在这个故事中,孩子们可以和小主人翁一起,去拯救正在走向没落的幻想王国,一起去给生命垂危的天真女皇取一个新的名字。在这个幻想王国,主人翁是不是能够找到快乐?
故事的最后,又归于平淡,小男孩回到了现实的生活,并且,回到了那个让他走向幻想王国的书店,然后,从那里开始,他似乎不再感觉到不快乐。
相信小孩子们,在很多时候,也会像《永远讲不完的故事》的主人翁一样,感觉到不快乐,那么,就展开自己的想象,然后,一起走进《永远讲不完的故事》,去寻找属于自己内心世界的幻想王国吧。
[童话导读] 《巴兰京幻想曲》
《巴兰京幻想曲》是八十年代苏联儿童文学最优秀的作品之一,曾获国际安徒生文学荣誉奖,并被译成多种文字。看出这本童话书的魅力了吧,这样的童话故事最值得孩子们一读。
为什么说《巴兰京幻想曲》受到孩子们的喜欢呢?因为,这本童话书就用了孩子们的童真的一面,用幽默和善意的嘲笑,通过轻快的笔触讽刺了巴兰京的妄自尊大、吹牛、懒惰和经常得两分的缺点,正是这个缺点,也给我们展示了一个虽有缺点,却富有朝气、活泼可爱、天真的孩子。
在这个童话故事中,我们可以看到小学生巴兰京为了逃避艰苦的学习,想过幸福的麻雀、蝴蝶、雄蜂和蚂蚁的生活。殊不知麻雀要受到孩子弹弓的惊吓,还要筑巢、觅食,对付天敌,有时为了生存还要与同类搏斗,它们的生活绝不是悠闲自得的;蝴蝶整天在花间奔忙,也不轻松;蚂蚁更是忙个不停,连星期天也无法休息……读到这里,孩子们是不是也明白了其中的道理,其实,我们所向往的永远都是心中所想,在现实生活中是永远无法拥有的。
《巴兰京幻想曲》是一本美好趣味而又现实的童话,用孩子们最喜欢的风格讲故事,同时,又让孩子们从这些故事中,感受生活的现实。
安徒生童话《她是一个废物》(共4篇)




