自负的苹果树枝
THE CONCEITED APPLE-BRANCH
IT was the month of May. The wind still blew cold; but from bush and tree, field and flower, came the welcome sound, 鈥淪pring is come.鈥 Wild-flowers in profusion covered the hedges. Under the little apple-tree, Spring seemed busy, and told his tale from one of the branches which hung fresh and blooming, and covered with delicate pink blossoms that were just ready to open. The branch well knew how beautiful it was; this knowledge exists as much in the leaf as in the blood; I was therefore not surprised when a nobleman鈥檚 carriage, in which sat the young countess, stopped in the road just by. She said that an apple-branch was a most lovely object, and an emblem of spring in its most charming aspect. Then the branch was broken off for her, and she held it in her delicate hand, and sheltered it with her silk parasol. Then they drove to the castle, in which were lofty halls and splendid drawing-rooms. Pure white curtains fluttered before the open windows, and beautiful flowers stood in shining, transparent vases; and in one of them, which looked as if it had been cut out of newly fallen snow, the apple-branch was placed, among some fresh, light twigs of beech. It was a charming sight. Then the branch became proud, which was very much like human nature.
People of every description entered the room, and, according to their position in society, so dared they to express their admiration. Some few said nothing, others expressed too much, and the apple-branch very soon got to understand that there was as much difference in the characters of human beings as in those of plants and flowers. Some are all for pomp and parade, others have a great deal to do to maintain their own importance, while the rest might be spared without much loss to society. So thought the apple-branch, as he stood before the open window, from which he could see out over gardens and fields, where there were flowers and plants enough for him to think and reflect upon; some rich and beautiful, some poor and humble indeed.
鈥淧oor, despised herbs,鈥 said the apple-branch; 鈥渢here is really a difference between them and such as I am. How unhappy they must be, if they can feel as those in my position do! There is a difference indeed, and so there ought to be, or we should all be equals.鈥
And the apple-branch looked with a sort of pity upon them, especially on a certain little flower that is found in fields and in ditches. No one bound these flowers together in a nosegay; they were too common; they were even known to grow between the paving-stones, shooting up everywhere, like bad weeds; and they bore the very ugly name of 鈥渄og-flowers鈥 or 鈥渄andelions.鈥
鈥淧oor, despised plants,鈥 said the apple-bough, 鈥渋t is not your fault that you are so ugly, and that you have such an ugly name; but it is with plants as with men,鈥攖here must be a difference.鈥
鈥淎 difference!鈥 cried the sunbeam, as he kissed the blooming apple-branch, and then kissed the yellow dandelion out in the fields. All were brothers, and the sunbeam kissed them鈥攖he poor flowers as well as the rich.
The apple-bough had never thought of the boundless love of God, which extends over all the works of creation, over everything which lives, and moves, and has its being in Him; he had never thought of the good and beautiful which are so often hidden, but can never remain forgotten by Him,鈥攏ot only among the lower creation, but also among men. The sunbeam, the ray of light, knew better.
鈥淵ou do not see very far, nor very clearly,鈥 he said to the apple-branch. 鈥淲hich is the despised plant you so specially pity?鈥
鈥淭he dandelion,鈥 he replied. 鈥淣o one ever places it in a nosegay; it is often trodden under foot, there are so many of them; and when they run to seed, they have flowers like wool, which fly away in little pieces over the roads, and cling to the dresses of the people. They are only weeds; but of course there must be weeds. O, I am really very thankful that I was not made like one of these flowers.鈥
There came presently across the fields a whole group of children, the youngest of whom was so small that it had to be carried by the others; and when he was seated on the grass, among the yellow flowers, he laughed aloud with joy, kicked out his little legs, rolled about, plucked the yellow flowers, and kissed them in childlike innocence. The elder children broke off the flowers with long stems, bent the stalks one round the other, to form links, and made first a chain for the neck, then one to go across the shoulders, and hang down to the waist, and at last a wreath to wear round the head, so that they looked quite splendid in their garlands of green stems and golden flowers. But the eldest among them gathered carefully the faded flowers, on the stem of which was grouped together the seed, in the form of a white feathery coronal. These loose, airy wool-flowers are very beautiful, and look like fine snowy feathers or down. The children held them to their mouths, and tried to blow away the whole coronal with one puff of the breath. They had been told by their grandmothers that who ever did so would be sure to have new clothes before the end of the year. The despised flower was by this raised to the position of a prophet or foreteller of events.
鈥淒o you see,鈥 said the sunbeam, 鈥渄o you see the beauty of these flowers? do you see their powers of giving pleasure?鈥
鈥淵es, to children,鈥 said the apple-bough.
By-and-by an old woman came into the field, and, with a blunt knife without a handle, began to dig round the roots of some of the dandelion-plants, and pull them up. With some of these she intended to make tea for herself; but the rest she was going to sell to the chemist, and obtain some money.
鈥淏ut beauty is of higher value than all this,鈥 said the apple-tree branch; 鈥渙nly the chosen ones can be admitted into the realms of the beautiful. There is a difference between plants, just as there is a difference between men.鈥
Then the sunbeam spoke of the boundless love of God, as seen in creation, and over all that lives, and of the equal distribution of His gifts, both in time and in eternity.
鈥淭hat is your opinion,鈥 said the apple-bough.
Then some people came into the room, and, among them, the young countess,鈥攖he lady who had placed the apple-bough in the transparent vase, so pleasantly beneath the rays of the sunlight. She carried in her hand something that seemed like a flower. The object was hidden by two or three great leaves, which covered it like a shield, so that no draught or gust of wind could injure it, and it was carried more carefully than the apple-branch had ever been. Very cautiously the large leaves were removed, and there appeared the feathery seed-crown of the despised dandelion. This was what the lady had so carefully plucked, and carried home so safely covered, so that not one of the delicate feathery arrows of which its mist-like shape was so lightly formed, should flutter away. She now drew it forth quite uninjured, and wondered at its beautiful form, and airy lightness, and singular construction, so soon to be blown away by the wind.
鈥淪ee,鈥 she exclaimed, 鈥渉ow wonderfully God has made this little flower. I will paint it with the apple-branch together. Every one admires the beauty of the apple-bough; but this humble flower has been endowed by Heaven with another kind of loveliness; and although they differ in appearance, both are the children of the realms of beauty.鈥
Then the sunbeam kissed the lowly flower, and he kissed the blooming apple-branch, upon whose leaves appeared a rosy blush.
自负的苹果树枝
那正是五月。风吹来仍然很冷;但是灌木和大树,田野和草原,都说春天已经到来了。处处都开满了花,一直开到灌木丛组成的篱笆上。春天就在这儿讲它的故事。它在一棵小苹果树上讲鈥斺斦饪檬饔幸桓恃薜穆讨Γ核厦娌悸朔酆焐摹⑾改鄣摹⑺媸本鸵诺幕òK浪嵌嗝疵览鲡斺斔庵窒忍斓闹渡畈卦谒囊蹲永铮孟袷橇髟谘豪镆谎R虼说币晃还笞宓某底釉谒媲暗穆飞贤O吕吹氖焙颍蹦昵岬牟舴蛉怂嫡飧嶂κ鞘澜缟献蠲览龅亩鳌⑹谴禾熳蠲览龅谋硐值氖焙颍坏阋膊桓械骄妗=幼耪庵ψ泳捅徽鄱狭恕K阉赵谌崮鄣氖掷铮⑶一褂贸裱羯√嫠谧√簟K腔氐剿腔蟮墓堇锢础U饫锩嬗行矶喔叽蟮奶煤兔览龅姆考洹=喟椎拇傲痹诔ㄗ诺拇白由嫌缙矗缓每吹幕ǘ谕该鞯摹⒎⒐獾幕ㄆ坷锩嫱ねさ亓⒆拧S幸桓龌ㄆ考蛑毕袷切孪碌难┧癯傻摹U飧还筒逶谒锩婕父孪实纳矫分ψ又屑洹?此谎鄱际谷烁械接淇臁
这根枝子变得骄傲气来;这也是人之常情。
各色各样的人走过这房间。他们可以根据自己的身份来表示他们的赞赏。有些人一句话也不讲;有些人却又讲得太多。苹果枝子知道,在人类中间,正如在植物中间一样,也存在着区别。
鈥溣行┒魇俏撕每矗挥行┒魇俏耸涤茫坏且灿行┒魅词峭耆挥杏茫澠还髦ο搿
正因为它是被放在一个敞着的窗子面前,同时又因为它从这儿可以看到花园和田野,因此它有许多花儿和植物供它思索和考虑。植物中有富贵的,也有贫贱的鈥斺斢械募蛑笔翘都恕
鈥溈闪挥腥死淼闹参锇。♀澠还λ怠b溡磺卸鞯娜范加星穑∪绻庑┲参镆材芟裎液臀乙焕嗟哪切┒髂茄懈芯酰且欢ɑ岣械蕉嗝床挥淇彀 R磺卸鞯娜酚星穑业娜芬灿Ω萌绱耍裨虼蠹揖投际且谎牧耍♀
苹果枝对某些花儿鈥斺斚裉锢锖凸道锎陨哪切┗ǘ斺斕乇鸨硎境隽醯难印K膊话阉窃苫ㄊK鞘翘胀耍嗣巧踔猎谄痰厥屑涠伎梢钥吹玫健K窍褚安菀谎谑裁吹胤蕉济俺隼矗宜橇侄己艹螅凶鍪裁粹溎Ч淼哪掏扳潱ㄗⅲ杭雌压ⅲ蛭鄱虾罂梢悦俺鱿衽D趟频陌捉#
鈥溈闪蝗饲撇黄鸬闹参锇。♀澠还λ怠b溎忝堑恼庵执常忝堑钠椒玻忝撬玫降恼庑┏竺郑膊荒芄帜忝亲约海≡谥参镏屑洌缭谌死嘀屑湟谎磺卸加懈銮鹄玻♀
鈥溓穑库澭艄馑怠K亲耪馐⒖钠还Γ撬参亲盘镆袄锏哪切┗粕拟溎Ч淼哪掏扳潯Q艄獾乃械苄置嵌嘉亲潘氢斺斘亲畔录幕ǎ参亲鸥还蟮幕ā
苹果枝从来就没想到,造物主对一切活着和动着的东西都一样给以无限的慈爱。它从来没有想到,美和善的东西可能会被掩盖住了,但是并没有被忘记鈥斺斦庖彩呛虾跞饲榈摹
太阳光鈥斺斆髁恋墓庀哜斺斨赖酶宄
鈥溎愕难酃饪吹貌辉叮愕难酃饪吹貌磺宄∧闾乇鹆醯摹⒚挥腥死淼闹参铮悄男┲参锬兀库
鈥溎Ч淼哪掏埃♀澠还λ怠b溔嗣谴永床话阉苫ㄊH嗣前阉仍诮诺紫拢蛭浅さ锰嗔恕5彼窃诮嶙拥氖焙颍蔷拖裥∑难蛎诼飞系酱β曳桑垢皆谌说囊律稀K遣还且安莅樟耍♀斺斔且仓荒苁且安荩“。艺嬉惶煨坏兀也皇撬钦饫嘀参镏械囊恢郑♀
从田野那儿来了一大群孩子。他们中最小的一个是那么小,还要别的孩子抱着他。当他被放到这些黄花中间的时候,他乐得大笑起来。他的小腿踢着,遍地打滚。他只摘下这种黄花,同时天真烂漫地吻着它们。那些较大的孩子把这些黄花从空梗子上折下来,并且把这根梗子插到那根梗子上,一串一串地联成链子。他们先做一个项链,然后又做一个挂在肩上的链子,一个系在腰间的链子,一个悬在胸脯上的链子,一个戴在头上的链子。这真成了绿环子和绿链子的展览会。但是那几个大孩子当心地摘下那些落了花的梗子鈥斺斔墙嶙乓园兹耷虻男问匠鱿值墓怠U馑缮⒌摹㈢午康娜耷颍旧砭褪且患⌒〉耐暾囊帐跗罚凰雌鹄聪裼鹈⒀┗ê腿酌K前阉旁谧烀媲埃胍豢谄颜涞幕ㄇ虼底撸蛭婺冈倒核芄徽庋觯涂梢栽谛履甑嚼匆郧暗玫揭惶仔乱隆
所以在这种情况下,这朵被瞧不起的花就成了一个真正的预言家。
鈥溎憧吹矫挥校库澨艄馑怠b溎憧吹剿拿烂挥校磕憧吹剿牧α棵挥校库
鈥溈吹搅耍荒芎秃⒆釉谝坏朗笔钦庋♀澠还λ怠
这时有一个老太婆到田野里来了。她用一把没有柄的钝刀子在这花的周围挖着,把它从土里取出来。她打算把一部分的根子用来煮咖啡吃;把另一部分拿到一个药材店里当做药用。
鈥湶还朗且恢指呒兜亩餮剑♀澠还λ怠b溨挥猩偈厥獾娜瞬趴梢宰呓赖耐豕V参镉胫参镏涫怯星鸬模缛擞肴酥溆星鹨谎b
于是太阳光就谈到造物主对于一切造物和有生命的东西的无限的爱,和对于一切东西永恒公平合理的分配。
鈥準堑模獠还悄愕目捶ǎ♀澠还λ怠
这时有人走进房间里来了。那位美丽年轻的伯爵夫人也来了鈥斺敯哑还Σ逶谕该鞯幕ㄆ恐校旁谔艄饫锏娜司褪撬K掷锬米乓欢浠ㄢ斺敾蛘咭患嗨苹ǖ亩鳌U舛鞅蝗钠笠蹲友谧×耍核窍褚欢ッ弊铀频卦谒闹芪П;ぷ牛刮⒎缁蛘叽蠓缍忌撕Σ坏剿K恍⌒囊硪淼囟嗽谑种校歉磕鄣钠还Υ永匆裁皇芄庋拇觥
那几片大叶子现在轻轻地被挪开了。人们可以看到那个被人瞧不起的黄色鈥溎Ч淼哪掏扳澋娜崮鄣陌兹耷颍≌饩褪撬∷敲葱⌒牡匕阉吕矗∷敲唇魃鞯匕颜獯丶遥檬鼓歉鲈莆硪话愕脑睬蛏系南改廴崦恢卤环绱瞪ⅰK阉;さ梅浅M暾K廾浪恋男翁该鞯耐獗恚厥獾墓乖欤退豢勺矫摹⒈环缫淮导瓷⒌拿馈
鈥溈窗桑煳镏靼阉丛斓枚嗝纯砂♀澦怠b溛乙颜飧还吕础4蠹蚁衷诙季醯盟欠驳仄粒还舛湮⒓幕ǘ粤硪恢址绞揭泊由咸斓玫搅送嗟亩骰荨K淙凰橇秸叨加星穑嵌际敲赖耐豕械暮⒆印b
于是太阳光吻了这微贱的花儿,也吻了这开满了花的苹果枝鈥斺斔幕ò晁坪醴撼隽艘徽竽盐榈溺澈臁
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