安徒生童話:the BELL鐘聲
the BELL
People said “the Evening Bell is sounding， the sun is setting.” For a strange wondrous tone was heard in the narrow streets of a large town. It was like the sound of a church-bell： but it was only heard for a moment， for the rolling of the carriages and the voices of the multitude made too GREat a noise.
Those persons who were walking outside the town， where the houses were farther apart， with gardens or little fields between them， could see the evening sky still better， and heard the sound of the bell much more distinctly. It was as if the tones came from a church in the still forest； people looked thitherward， and felt their minds attuned most solemnly.
A long time passed， and people said to each other——“I wonder if there is a church out in the wood？ The bell has a tone that is wondrous sweet； let us stroll thither， and examine the matter nearer.” And the rich people drove out，and the poor walked， but the way seemed strangely long to them； and when they came to a clump of willows which GREw on the skirts of the forest， they sat down， and looked up at the long branches， and fancied they were now in the depth of the green wood. The confectioner of the town came out， and set up his booth there； and soon after came another confectioner， who hung a bell over his stand， as a sign or ornament， but it had no clapper， and it was tarred over to preserve it from the rain. When all the people returned home， they said it had been very romantic， and that it was quite a different sort of thing to a pic-nic or tea-party. There were three persons who asserted they had penetrated to the end of the forest， and that they had always heard the wonderful sounds of the bell， but it had seemed to them as if it had come from the town. One wrote a whole poem about it， and said the bell sounded like the voice of a mother to a good dear child， and that no melody was sweeter than the tones of the bell. The king of the country was also observant of it， and vowed that he who could discover whence the sounds proceeded， should have the title of “Universal Bell-ringer，” even if it were not really a bell.
Many persons now went to the wood， for the sake of getting the place， but one only returned with a sort of explanation； for nobody went far enough， that one not further than the others. However， he said that the sound proceeded from a very large owl， in a hollow tree； a sort of learned owl， that continually knocked its head against the branches. But whether the sound came from his head or from the hollow tree， that no one could say with certainty. So now he got the place of “Universal Bell-ringer，” and wrote yearly a short treatise“On the Owl”； but everybody was just as wise as before.
It was the day of confirmation. The clergyman had spoken so touchingly， the children who were confirmed had been GREatly moved； it was an eventful day for them； from children they become all at once grown-up-persons； it was as if their infant souls were now to fly all at once into persons with more understanding. The sun was shining gloriously； the children that had been confirmed went out of the town； and from the wood was borne towards them the sounds of the unknown bell with wonderful distinctness. They all immediately felt a wish to go thither； all except three. One of them had to go home to try on a ball-dress； for it was just the dress and the ball which had caused her to be confirmed this time， for otherwise she would not have come； the other was a poor boy， who had borrowed his coat and boots to be confirmed in from the innkeeper's son， and he was to give them back by a certain hour； the third said that he never went to a strange place if his parents were not with him——that he had always been a good boy hitherto， and would still be so now that he was confirmed， and that one ought not to laugh at him for it： the others， however， did make fun of him， after all.
there were three， therefore， that did not go； the others hastened on. The sun shone， the birds sang， and the children sang too， and each held the other by the hand； for as yet they had none of them any high office， and were all of equal rank in the eye of God.
But two of the youngest soon GREw tired， and both returned to town； two little girls sat down， and twined garlands， so they did not go either； and when the others reached the willow-tree， where the confectioner was， they said， “Now we are there！ In reality the bell does not exist； it is only a fancy that people have taken into their heads！”
At the same moment the bell sounded deep in the wood， so clear and solemnly that five or six determined to penetrate somewhat further. It was so thick，and the foliage so dense， that it was quite fatiguing to proceed. Woodroof and anemonies GREw almost too high； blooming convolvuluses and blackberry-bushes hung in long garlands from tree to tree， where the nightingale sang and the sunbeams were playing： it was very beautiful， but it was no place for girls to go； their clothes would get so torn. Large blocks of stone lay there，overgrown with moss of every color； the fresh spring bubbled forth， and made a strange gurgling sound.
“That surely cannot be the bell，” said one of the children， lying down and listening. “This must be looked to.” So he remained， and let the others go on without him.
they afterwards came to a little house， made of branches and the bark of trees； a large wild apple-tree bent over it， as if it would shower down all its blessings on the roof， where roses were blooming. The long stems twined round the gable， on which there hung a small bell.
Was it that which people had heard？ Yes， everybody was unanimous on the subject， except one， who said that the bell was too small and too fine to be heard at so GREat a distance， and besides it was very different tones to those that could move a human heart in such a manner. It was a king's son who spoke；whereon the others said， “Such people always want to be wiser than everybody else.”
they now let him go on alone； and as he went， his breast was filled more and more with the forest solitude； but he still heard the little bell with which the others were so satisfied， and now and then， when the wind blew， he could also hear the people singing who were sitting at tea where the confectioner had his tent； but the deep sound of the bell rose louder； it was almost as if an organ were accompanying it， and the tones came from the left hand， the side where the heart is placed. A rustling was heard in the bushes， and a little boy stood before the King's Son， a boy in wooden shoes， and with so short a jacket that one could see what long wrists he had. Both knew each other： the boy was that one among the children who could not come because he had to go home and return his jacket and boots to the innkeeper's son. This he had done，and was now going on in wooden shoes and in his humble dress， for the bell sounded with so deep a tone， and with such strange power， that proceed he must.
“Why， then， we can go together，” said the King's Son. But the poor child that had been confirmed was quite ashamed； he looked at his wooden shoes， pulled at the short sleeves of his jacket， and said that he was afraid he could not walk so fast； besides， he thought that the bell must be looked for to the right；for that was the place where all sorts of beautiful things were to be found.
“But there we shall not meet，” said the King's Son， nodding at the same time to the poor boy， who went into the darkest， thickest part of the wood， where thorns tore his humble dress， and scratched his face and hands and feet till they bled. The King's Son got some scratches too； but the sun shone on his path， and it is him that we will follow， for he was an excellent and resolute youth.
“I must and will find the bell，” said he， “even if I am obliged to go to the end of the world.”
the ugly apes sat upon the trees， and grinned. “Shall we thrash him？” said they. “Shall we thrash him？ He is the son of a king！”
But on he went， without being disheartened， deeper and deeper into the wood，where the most wonderful flowers were growing. There stood white lilies with blood-red stamina， skyblue tulips， which shone as they waved in the winds， and apple-trees， the apples of which looked exactly like large soapbubbles： so only think how the trees must have sparkled in the sunshine！ Around the nicest GREen meads， where the deer were playing in the grass， grew magnificent oaks and beeches； and if the bark of one of the trees was cracked， there grass and long creeping plants grew in the crevices. And there were large calm lakes there too， in which white swans were swimming， and beat the air with their wings. The King's Son often stood still and listened. He thought the bell sounded from the depths of these still lakes； but then he remarked again that the tone proceeded not from there， but farther off， from out the depths of the forest.
the sun now set： the atmosphere glowed like fire. It was still in the woods，so very still； and he fell on his knees， sung his evening hymn， and said： “I cannot find what I seek； the sun is going down， and night is coming——the dark，dark night. Yet perhaps I may be able once more to see the round red sun before he entirely disappears. I will climb up yonder rock.”
And he seized hold of the creeping-plants， and the roots of trees——climbed up the moist stones where the water-snakes were writhing and the toads were croaking——and he gained the summit before the sun had quite gone down. How magnificent was the sight from this height！ The sea——the GREat， the glorious sea， that dashed its long waves against the coast——was stretched out before him. And yonder， where sea and sky meet， stood the sun， like a large shining altar， all melted together in the most glowing colors. And the wood and the sea sang a song of rejoicing， and his heart sang with the rest： all nature was a vast holy church， in which the trees and the buoyant clouds were the pillars， flowers and grass the velvet carpeting， and heaven itself the large cupola. The red colors above faded away as the sun vanished， but a million stars were lighted， a million lamps shone； and the King's Son spread out his arms towards heaven， and wood， and sea； when at the same moment， coming by a path to the right， appeared， in his wooden shoes and jacket， the poor boy who had been confirmed with him. He had followed his own path， and had reached the spot just as soon as the son of the king had done. They ran towards each other， and stood together hand in hand in the vast church of nature and of poetry， while over them sounded the invisible holy bell： blessed spirits floated around them， and lifted up their voices in a rejoicing hallelujah！
鐘聲
黃昏的時候，太陽正在下沉，煙囪上飄着的雲塊泛出一片金黃的光彩；這時在一個大城市的小巷裏，一忽兒這個人，一忽兒那個人全都聽到類似教堂鐘聲的奇異聲音。不過聲音每次持續的時間非常短。因爲街上隆隆的車聲和嘈雜的人聲總是把它打斷了。
“暮鐘響起來了！”人們說，“太陽落下去了！”
城外的房子彼此之間的距離比較遠，而且都有花園和草坪；因此城外的人就可以看出天還是很亮的，所以也能更清楚地聽到這個鐘聲。它似乎是從一個藏在靜寂而清香的森林裏的教堂裏發出來的。大家朝這聲音飄來的方向望，不禁起了一種莊嚴的感覺。
過了好長一段時間，人們開始互相傳說：“我不知道，樹林裏會不會有一個教堂？鐘聲的調子是那麼奇怪和美麗，我們不妨去仔細瞧一瞧。”
於是富人坐着車子去，窮人步行去；不過路似乎怎樣也走不完。當他們來到森林外面的柳樹林跟前的時候，就坐下來。
他們望着長長的柳樹枝，以爲真的已經走進森林裏來了。城裏賣糕餅的人也搬到這兒來，並且搭起了帳篷。接着又來了一個賣糖果的人，這人在自己的帳篷上掛起了一口鐘；這口鐘上還塗了一層防雨的瀝青，不過它裏面卻沒有鍾舌。
大家回到家裏來以後，都說這事情很新奇，比他們吃過一次茶還要新奇得多。有三個人說，他們把整個的樹林都走完了，直走到樹林的盡頭；他們老是聽到這個奇怪的鐘聲，不過那時它似乎是從城裏飄來的。有一位甚至還編了一支歌，把鐘聲比成一個母親對一個親愛的好孩子唱的歌——什麼音樂也沒有這種鐘聲好聽。
這個國家的皇帝也聽到了這件事情。他下一道聖旨，說無論什麼人，只要能找出鐘聲的發源地，就可以被封爲“世界的敲鐘人”——哪怕他所發現的不是鍾也沒有關係。
這麼一來，許多人爲了飯碗問題，就到樹林裏去尋找鍾。不過在回來的人當中只有一個人能說出一點道理，誰也沒有深入樹林，這人當然也沒有，可是他卻說聲音是住在一株空樹裏的大貓頭鷹發出來的。這隻貓頭鷹的腦袋裏裝的全是智慧。它不停地把腦袋撞着樹。不過這聲音是從它的腦袋裏發出來的呢，還是從空樹幹裏發出來的呢，他可沒有把握下個判斷。他總算得到了“世界的敲鐘人”這個職位，因此他每年寫一篇關於貓頭鷹的短論。不過大家並沒有因爲讀了他的論文而變得比以前更聰明。
在舉行堅信禮的那一天，牧師發表了一篇漂亮而動人的演說。受堅信禮的孩子們都受到了極大的感動，因爲這是他們生命中極重要的一天。他們在這一天從孩子變成了成年人。他們稚氣的靈魂也要變成更有理智的成年人的靈魂。當這些受了堅信禮的人走出城外的時候，處處照着燦爛的太陽光，樹林裏那個神祕的大鐘發出非常洪亮的聲音。他們想立刻就去找這個鐘聲；因此他們全都去了，只有三個人是例外。一個要回家去試試她的參加舞會的禮服，因爲她這次來受堅信禮完全是爲了這件禮服和舞會，否則她就決不會來的。第二個是一個窮苦的孩子。他受堅信禮穿的衣服和靴子是從主人的少爺那兒借來的；他必須在指定的時間內歸還。第三個說，在他沒有得到父母的同意以前，決不到一個陌生的地方去。他一直是一個聽話的孩子，即使受了堅信禮，仍然是如此。人們不應該笑他！——但是人們卻仍然笑他。
因此這三個人就不去了。別的人都連蹦帶跳地走了。太陽在照耀着，鳥兒在唱着，這些剛剛受了堅信禮的人也在唱着。他們彼此手挽着手，因爲他們還沒得到什麼不同的職位，而且在受堅信禮的這天大家在我們的上帝面前都是平等的。
不過他們之中有兩個最小的孩子馬上就感到膩煩了，所以他們兩個人就回到城裏去了。另外還有兩個小女孩子坐下來扎花環，也不願意去。當其餘的孩子走到那個賣糕餅的人所在的柳樹林裏的時候，他們說：“好，我們算是到了。鍾連影子都沒有，這完全是一個幻想！”
正在這時候，一個柔和而莊嚴的鐘聲在樹林的深處響起來；有四五個孩子決計再向樹林裏走去。樹很密，葉子又多，要向前走真是不太容易。車葉草和秋牡丹長得非常高，盛開的旋花和黑莓像長花環似的從這棵樹牽到那棵樹。夜鶯在這些樹上唱歌，太陽光在這些樹上嬉戲。啊，這地方真是美麗得很，不過這條路卻不是女孩子可以走的，因爲她們在這兒很容易撕破自己的衣服，這兒有長滿各色青苔的石塊，有潺潺流着的新鮮泉水，發出一種“骨碌，骨碌”的怪聲音。
“這不會是那個鍾吧？”孩子中有一個問。於是他就躺下來靜靜地聽。“我倒要研究一下！”
他一個人留下來，讓別的孩子向前走。
他們找到一座用樹皮和樹枝蓋的房子。房子上有一棵結滿了蘋果的大樹。看樣子它好像是把所有的幸福都搖到這個開滿玫瑰花的屋頂上似的。它的長枝子盤在房子的三角牆上，而這牆上正掛着一口小小的鐘。難道大家聽到的鐘聲就是從這裏發出來的嗎？是的，他們都有這種看法，只有一個人是例外。這人說，這口鐘太小，太精緻，決不會叫他們在很遠的地方就聽得見！此外，他們聽到過的鐘聲跟這鐘聲完全不同，因爲它能打動人的心。說這話的人是國王的兒子。因此別的人都說：“這種人總是想裝得比別人聰明一點。”
這樣，大家就讓他一個人向前走。他越向前走，他的心裏就越充滿了一種森林中特有的靜寂之感。不過他仍聽見大家所欣賞的那陣小小的鐘聲。有時風把那個糕餅店裏的聲音吹來，於是他就聽到大家在一面吃茶，一面唱歌。不過洪亮的鐘聲比這些聲音還要大，好像有風琴在伴奏似的。這聲音是從左邊來的——從心所在的那一邊來的。
有一個沙沙的響聲從一個灌木叢中飄出來。王子麪前出現了一個男孩子。這孩子穿着一雙木鞋和一件非常短的上衣——短得連他的手肘也蓋不住。他們彼此都認識，因爲這個孩子也是在這天參加過堅信禮的。他沒有能跟大家一起來，因爲他得回去把衣服和靴子還給老闆的少爺。他辦完了這件事以後，就穿着木鞋和寒磣的上衣獨自一人走來，因爲鐘聲是那麼洪亮和深沉，他非來不可。
“我們一塊兒走吧！”王子說。
這個穿着木鞋的孩子感到非常尷尬。他把上衣的短袖子拉了一下，說他恐怕不能走得像王子那樣快；此外，他認爲鐘聲一定是從右邊來的，因爲右邊的景象很莊嚴和美麗。
“這樣一來，我們就碰不到頭了！”王子說，對這窮苦的孩子點了點頭。孩子向這樹林最深最密的地方走去。荊棘把他寒磣的衣服鉤破了，把他的臉、手和腳劃得流出血來。王子身上也有好幾處傷痕，不過他所走的路卻充滿了太陽光。我們現在就要注意他的行程，因爲他是一個聰明的孩子。
“即使我走到世界的盡頭，”他說，“我也要找到這口鐘！”
難看的猢猻高高地坐在樹上做怪臉，露出牙齒。“我們往他身上扔些東西吧！”它們說，“我們打他吧，因爲他是一個國王的兒子！”
不過他不怕困難，他一步一步地向樹林的深處走。那兒長着許多奇異的花：含有紅蕊的、像星星一樣的百合花，在微風中射出光彩的、天藍色的鬱金香，結着像大肥皂泡一樣發亮的果實的蘋果樹。你想想看，這些樹在太陽光中該是多麼光彩奪目啊。
四周是一片非常美麗的綠草原。草上有公鹿和母鹿在嬉戲，而且還有茂盛的櫟樹和山毛櫸。草和藤本植物從樹縫裏長出來。這一大片林木中還有靜靜的湖，湖裏還有游泳着的白天鵝，它們在拍着翅膀。王子站着靜靜地聽。他常常覺得鐘聲是從深沉的湖裏飄上來的；不過他馬上就注意到，鐘聲並不是從湖裏來的，而是從森林的深處來的。
太陽現在下沉了，天空像火一樣地發紅，森林裏是一片靜寂。這時他就跪下來，唱了黃昏的讚美歌，於是他說：
“我將永遠看不到我所追尋的東西！現在太陽已經下沉了，夜——漆黑的夜——已經到來了。也許在圓圓的紅太陽沒有消逝以前，我還能夠看到它一眼吧。我要爬到崖石上去，因爲它比最高的樹還要高！”他攀着樹根和藤蔓在潮溼的石壁上爬。壁上盤着水蛇，有些癩蛤蟆也似乎在對他狂叫。不過，在太陽沒有落下去以前，他已經爬上去了。他在這塊高處仍然可以看見太陽。啊，這是多麼美麗的景象啊！海，他的眼前展開一片美麗的茫茫大海，洶涌的海濤向岸上襲來。太陽懸在海天相連的那條線上，像一座發光的大祭壇。一切融化成爲一片鮮紅的色彩。樹林在唱着歌，大海在唱着歌，他的心也跟它們一起在唱着歌。整個大自然成了一個偉大的、神聖的教堂：樹木和浮雲就是它的圓柱，花朵和綠葉就是它的柔軟的地氈，天空就是它的廣闊的圓頂。正在這時候，那個穿着短袖上衣和木鞋的窮苦孩子從右邊走來了。他是沿着他自己的道路，在同一個時候到來的。他們急忙走到一起，在這大自然和詩的教堂中緊緊地握着雙手。那口看不見的、神聖的鐘在他們的上空發出聲音。幸福的精靈在教堂的周圍跳舞，唱着歡樂的頌歌！
（1845年）
這是一篇具有象徵性的童話，最初發表在《兒童月刊》1845年5月號上。“鐘聲”究竟代表什麼，居然能吸引那麼多人？王子和貧民都去追尋它。 “那個穿着短袖上衣和木鞋的窮苦孩子從右邊走來了，他是沿着自己的道路，在同一個時候到來的。他們急忙走到一起，在這大自然和詩的教堂中緊緊地握着雙手。那口看不見的、神聖的鐘在他們的上空發出聲音。”這“聲音”也許就是象徵“文學創作”吧。它有同樣感召王子和貧民的靈魂。安徒生在他的手記中說：“'鐘聲 '這個故事，實際上像我以後寫的一些故事一樣，完全是我自己的創造。它們像種子似的潛藏在我的思想中。只需一陣雨，一片陽光和一點土壤就可以開出花來。我越來越清楚地感覺到什麼都可以通過童話表現出來。隨着時間的推移，我更清楚地認識到了我的筆力，但同時也理解到了自己的侷限。”這是安徒生的一段創作自白。
