紐約時(shí)報(bào)丨李翊云：三篇值得長(zhǎng)大后重讀的童話

3 Fairy Tales Worth Revisiting as an Adult

塑造我們認(rèn)知世界方式的童年故事。

作者：李翊云為普林斯頓大學(xué)創(chuàng)意寫作教授，著有《萬(wàn)物自然生長(zhǎng)》（2025）。

2026年4月17日

十九世紀(jì)末二十世紀(jì)初手繪木版畫《銀河相會(huì)》，描繪牛郎織女故事場(chǎng)景。?冬宮博物館 攝影：Vladimir Terebenin

《牛郎織女》（公元前一千年）是中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)民間故事。在二十世紀(jì)一個(gè)廣為流傳的版本中，講述一對(duì)男女反抗世俗禮教、自由相愛(ài)成婚。作為懲罰，西王母（部分版本為玉皇大帝）將二人化為銀河兩岸兩顆星辰，一年僅能相會(huì)一次。于我而言，這是詮釋愛(ài)情關(guān)系中愛(ài)意局限性的完美故事。故事里的愛(ài)情跨越兩個(gè)階層，因而更具深意，卻并無(wú)魔法加持。這份愛(ài)情飽受殘酷對(duì)待與壓迫，最終只能化作傳說(shuō)，慰藉世人。

格林兄弟創(chuàng)作于1812年的《幾個(gè)孩子玩屠宰游戲》“How Some Children Played at Slaughtering”，講述現(xiàn)實(shí)在孩童游戲中擁有別樣含義。故事里，一名孩童極度投入屠夫角色，竟殺死了扮演小豬的同伴。這則故事令人不安地揭示：對(duì)幼童而言，幻想與現(xiàn)實(shí)深度交織，他們對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí)的認(rèn)知未必與成人相同。他們可以構(gòu)建擁有自身規(guī)則與邏輯的現(xiàn)實(shí)世界，并沉浸其中。

約1920年恩斯特·克萊多夫?yàn)榘餐缴缎∫膺_(dá)的花兒》所作插畫。 Interfoto/Alamy Stock Photo

安徒生1835年創(chuàng)作的《小意達(dá)的花兒》（Little Ida’s Flowers）十分動(dòng)人。小意達(dá)因花束枯萎而難過(guò)，一位年長(zhǎng)學(xué)生為安慰她，告訴她花兒是參加了一夜舞會(huì)，疲憊不堪。意達(dá)把花兒安置好入睡后，夢(mèng)見(jiàn)花兒翩翩起舞。我認(rèn)為這是一則沒(méi)有道德說(shuō)教的童話。兒時(shí)讀完便終生難忘，打動(dòng)我的一點(diǎn)是：花兒去參加舞會(huì)、因而疲憊不堪，這件事在故事里顯得合乎情理。這是安徒生獨(dú)有的童話筆觸，輕柔淡然，讀者只會(huì)頷首認(rèn)同：“是啊，本該如此。”

（全文完）

《幾個(gè)孩子玩屠宰游戲》“How Some Children Played at Slaughtering”是格林童話中的兩則軼事。它在第二版中被刪除，并且在大多數(shù)現(xiàn)代版本中也缺失。內(nèi)容過(guò)于血腥，不適合展示。

小意達(dá)的花兒

漢斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生

（1835年）

“我可憐的花兒全都枯死了。”小意達(dá)說(shuō)，“昨天晚上它們還那么漂亮，現(xiàn)在葉子全都耷拉下來(lái)，完全枯萎了。它們?yōu)槭裁磿?huì)變成這樣？”她問(wèn)坐在沙發(fā)上的大學(xué)生。她很喜歡他，他會(huì)講最有趣的故事，還會(huì)剪出最好看的圖案：心形、跳舞的姑娘、帶開(kāi)合大門的城堡，還有各種各樣的花兒。他是個(gè)討人喜歡的大學(xué)生。“花兒今天怎么這么蔫？”她又問(wèn)道，指著那束已經(jīng)完全枯萎的花束。

“你不知道它們?cè)趺戳藛幔俊贝髮W(xué)生說(shuō)，“花兒昨晚去參加舞會(huì)了，所以它們垂頭喪氣也就不足為奇了。”

“可是花兒不會(huì)跳舞呀！”小意達(dá)叫道。

“它們當(dāng)然會(huì)。”大學(xué)生回答，“等到天黑，所有人都睡著以后，它們就快活地跳來(lái)跳去。它們幾乎每晚都舉辦舞會(huì)。”

“小孩子可以去參加這些舞會(huì)嗎？”

“可以呀，”大學(xué)生說(shuō)，“小小的雛菊和鈴蘭都能去。”

“美麗的花兒都在哪兒跳舞呢？”小意達(dá)問(wèn)。

“你不是常常看見(jiàn)城外那座大王宮嗎？國(guó)王夏天就住在那里，宮里有一座開(kāi)滿鮮花的美麗花園。你不是還喂過(guò)朝你游過(guò)來(lái)的天鵝面包嗎？告訴你，花兒們就在那里舉辦盛大的舞會(huì)。”

“昨天我和媽媽去過(guò)外面那個(gè)花園，”意達(dá)說(shuō)，“可是樹(shù)上葉子都落光了，一朵花兒也沒(méi)有剩下。它們都去哪兒了？夏天那里明明有好多好多花。”

“它們都在王宮里。”大學(xué)生答道，“你要知道，國(guó)王和宮廷所有人一回城，花兒們就從花園跑進(jìn)王宮。你真該看看它們有多快活。兩朵最美的玫瑰坐在王座上，被封為國(guó)王和王后。然后所有紅雞冠花分列兩旁，鞠躬行禮，它們是侍從官。接著漂亮的花兒們陸續(xù)入場(chǎng)，一場(chǎng)盛大的舞會(huì)就開(kāi)始了。藍(lán)色紫羅蘭是小海軍軍官，和風(fēng)信子、番紅花跳舞，它們把番紅花稱作小姐。郁金香和卷丹花是年長(zhǎng)的貴婦，坐在一旁看著跳舞，保證一切都井然有序、舉止得體。”

“可是，”小意達(dá)說(shuō)，“花兒們?cè)趪?guó)王的王宮里跳舞，就沒(méi)有人傷害它們嗎？”

“沒(méi)有人知道這件事。”大學(xué)生說(shuō)，“夜里看守王宮的老管家偶爾會(huì)進(jìn)來(lái)。但他隨身帶著一大串鑰匙，花兒們一聽(tīng)見(jiàn)鑰匙叮當(dāng)響，就立刻躲到長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的窗簾后面，一動(dòng)不動(dòng)，只悄悄探出腦袋。這時(shí)老管家就會(huì)說(shuō)：‘我聞到這里有花香。’可他看不見(jiàn)花兒。”

“哇太棒了！”小意達(dá)拍手說(shuō)道，“我也能看見(jiàn)這些花兒?jiǎn)幔俊?/p>

“可以。”大學(xué)生說(shuō)，“下次出門的時(shí)候心里想著這件事，再?gòu)拇翱谕锿悼矗欢ň湍芸匆?jiàn)。我今天就看見(jiàn)了，一朵長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的黃百合躺在沙發(fā)上，她是宮廷貴婦。”

“植物園里的花兒也能去參加舞會(huì)嗎？”意達(dá)問(wèn)，“那里好遠(yuǎn)啊！”

“當(dāng)然可以。”大學(xué)生說(shuō)，“它們想去就能去，因?yàn)樗鼈儠?huì)飛。你見(jiàn)過(guò)那些漂亮的紅、白、黃色蝴蝶嗎？長(zhǎng)得像花兒一樣。它們?cè)揪褪腔▋海瑥幕ㄇo上飛起來(lái)，舒展葉片當(dāng)作小翅膀飛翔。如果它們表現(xiàn)乖巧，白天就能自由飛舞，不用乖乖待在花莖上。久而久之，它們的葉子就變成了真正的翅膀。不過(guò)植物園里的花兒也許從沒(méi)去過(guò)王宮，所以不知道夜里王宮那些歡樂(lè)的活動(dòng)。我告訴你一個(gè)辦法，住在附近的植物學(xué)教授一定會(huì)大吃一驚。你很認(rèn)識(shí)他，對(duì)吧？下次你去他的花園，就對(duì)其中一朵花兒說(shuō)，王宮里要舉辦盛大舞會(huì)。那朵花兒就會(huì)告訴其他所有花兒，它們會(huì)立刻飛去王宮。等教授走進(jìn)花園，一朵花兒都不剩。他一定會(huì)好奇花兒都去哪兒了！”

“可是一朵花兒怎么告訴另一朵呢？花兒又不會(huì)說(shuō)話。”

“它們當(dāng)然不會(huì)說(shuō)話，”大學(xué)生答道，“但它們會(huì)做手勢(shì)。你沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)風(fēng)吹過(guò)來(lái)的時(shí)候，它們互相點(diǎn)頭，輕輕晃動(dòng)所有綠葉嗎？”

“教授能看懂這些手勢(shì)嗎？”意達(dá)問(wèn)。

“他當(dāng)然能。有一天早上他走進(jìn)花園，看見(jiàn)一株蕁麻用葉子對(duì)著一朵美麗的紅色康乃馨打手勢(shì)。它在說(shuō)：‘你真漂亮，我很喜歡你。’可是教授不喜歡這種無(wú)聊的舉動(dòng)，就伸手按住蕁麻制止它。結(jié)果蕁麻葉子像手指一樣狠狠刺了他一下，從那以后他再也不敢碰蕁麻了。”

“太好笑啦！”意達(dá)笑著說(shuō)。

“怎么有人往孩子腦子里灌輸這種念頭？”一位討人厭的律師來(lái)訪，正坐在沙發(fā)上，開(kāi)口說(shuō)道。他不喜歡這個(gè)大學(xué)生，看見(jiàn)他剪滑稽有趣的圖案就會(huì)抱怨。有時(shí)候圖案是一個(gè)人吊在絞刑架上，手里捧著一顆心，像是偷心的盜賊；有時(shí)候是老巫婆騎著掃帚飛天，鼻子上還掛著她丈夫。律師不喜歡這些玩笑，就像剛才那樣念叨：“怎么有人往孩子腦子里灌輸這種無(wú)聊東西！多么荒唐的幻想！”

可對(duì)小意達(dá)來(lái)說(shuō)，大學(xué)生講的所有關(guān)于花兒的故事都十分有趣，她反復(fù)琢磨這些事。花兒們垂頭，是因?yàn)樘艘徽刮瑁蹣O了，多半還生病了。于是她把花兒搬到擺著精美小玩具的房間，桌子抽屜里也裝滿漂亮玩意兒。她的娃娃索菲正躺在娃娃床上睡覺(jué)。小意達(dá)對(duì)她說(shuō)：“索菲，你快起來(lái)。今晚你委屈一下躺在抽屜里吧。可憐的花兒生病了，得睡你的床，這樣它們或許就能好起來(lái)。”

她把娃娃抱出來(lái)，娃娃一臉不高興，一言不發(fā)，因?yàn)楸悔s出床鋪而生氣。意達(dá)把花兒放進(jìn)娃娃床，蓋上被子。她叮囑花兒乖乖躺好，又為它們泡了茶，希望它們?nèi)诙煸缟夏苄堰^(guò)來(lái)。她還把小床的窗簾拉嚴(yán)實(shí)，不讓陽(yáng)光刺到花兒的眼睛。

整個(gè)晚上，她都忍不住回想大學(xué)生說(shuō)的話。睡前，她忍不住拉開(kāi)窗簾，望向花園——那里長(zhǎng)著媽媽所有美麗的花兒：風(fēng)信子、郁金香，還有許許多多別的花。她輕聲對(duì)它們說(shuō)：“我知道你們今晚要去參加舞會(huì)。”可花兒們像是聽(tīng)不懂，一片葉子也不動(dòng)。但意達(dá)十分確定自己知道真相。上床后她久久無(wú)法入睡，想著在國(guó)王的花園里，所有美麗花兒一同跳舞該有多美好。“不知道我的花兒是不是真的去過(guò)那里。”她自言自語(yǔ)，隨后沉沉睡去。

夜里她醒了過(guò)來(lái)。她夢(mèng)見(jiàn)了花兒、大學(xué)生，還有那位總挑剔大學(xué)生的討厭律師。意達(dá)的臥室里一片寂靜，桌上亮著夜燈，爸爸媽媽都睡著了。“不知道我的花兒還躺在索菲的床上嗎？”她心想，“我好想知道。”

她微微起身，望向放著花兒和玩具的房間門口。門半開(kāi)著，她靜靜聆聽(tīng)，聽(tīng)見(jiàn)屋里有人在彈鋼琴，琴聲輕柔悅耳，是她從未聽(tīng)過(guò)的動(dòng)聽(tīng)旋律。“花兒們肯定正在里面跳舞。”她想，“我好想看看它們。”可她不敢動(dòng)，怕吵醒爸爸媽媽。“要是它們能來(lái)這里就好了。”可花兒沒(méi)有過(guò)來(lái)，琴聲依舊優(yōu)美動(dòng)聽(tīng)，她再也忍不住了。

她悄悄爬下床，輕手輕腳走到門口往里望去。眼前的景象壯麗極了！屋里沒(méi)有點(diǎn)燈，卻十分明亮，月光透過(guò)窗戶灑在地板上，亮得如同白晝。所有風(fēng)信子和郁金香在屋里排成兩行長(zhǎng)隊(duì)，窗臺(tái)上一朵花都沒(méi)有，花盆全是空的。花兒們?cè)诘匕迳蟽?yōu)雅起舞，旋轉(zhuǎn)身姿，舒展長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的綠葉互相纏繞擺動(dòng)。

鋼琴前坐著一朵大大的黃百合。小意達(dá)確定夏天見(jiàn)過(guò)它，還記得大學(xué)生說(shuō)它長(zhǎng)得很像意達(dá)的朋友莉娜小姐。當(dāng)時(shí)大家都笑話他，可此刻在小意達(dá)眼里，這朵高高的黃花真的和那位少女一模一樣。它彈琴的姿態(tài)也一模一樣，金黃修長(zhǎng)的花臉左右輕搖，隨著優(yōu)美的音樂(lè)輕輕點(diǎn)頭。

接著她看見(jiàn)一朵大大的紫色番紅花跳到放玩具的桌子中央，走到娃娃床邊拉開(kāi)窗簾。生病的花兒們正躺在里面，它們立刻站起身，向其他花兒點(diǎn)頭，表示想要一同跳舞。那個(gè)嘴巴破損、模樣粗糙的舊娃娃站起身，向美麗的花兒們鞠躬。此刻花兒們看上去一點(diǎn)也不虛弱，歡快地蹦跳嬉戲，卻沒(méi)有一個(gè)注意到小意達(dá)。

忽然好像有東西從桌上掉落。意達(dá)望過(guò)去，看見(jiàn)一根小小的狂歡節(jié)手杖跳到花兒中間，仿佛本就是它們的一員。手杖精致光滑，頂端坐著一個(gè)蠟娃娃，戴著寬檐帽，和律師戴的一模一樣。狂歡節(jié)手杖靠著三只紅色細(xì)腳在花兒間蹦跳，跳瑪祖卡舞時(shí)重重跺腳。花兒們身形輕盈，做不出這樣跺腳的動(dòng)作。

忽然，手杖上的蠟娃娃變得又高又大，轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身對(duì)紙花兒說(shuō)：“怎么能往孩子腦子里灌輸這種東西？全都是愚蠢的幻想！”這時(shí)娃娃變得和那位戴寬檐帽的律師一模一樣，臉色蠟黃、神情惱怒。可紙花兒們敲打它細(xì)細(xì)的腿，它立刻縮小回去，變回小小的蠟娃娃。

這一幕十分有趣，意達(dá)忍不住笑出聲。狂歡節(jié)手杖繼續(xù)跳舞，律師模樣的娃娃也不得不跟著跳。不管它把自己變大長(zhǎng)高，還是變回戴黑帽的小蠟娃娃，都必須跳舞。最后其他花兒紛紛為它求情，尤其是睡過(guò)娃娃床的那些花兒，狂歡節(jié)手杖才停下舞蹈。

就在這時(shí)，意達(dá)娃娃索菲所在的抽屜傳來(lái)一陣響亮敲擊聲。粗陋娃娃跑到桌尾，平躺下來(lái)，輕輕拉開(kāi)抽屜。

索菲站起身，驚訝地環(huán)顧四周。“今晚這里一定有舞會(huì)。”索菲說(shuō)，“怎么沒(méi)人告訴我？”

“你愿意和我跳舞嗎？”粗陋娃娃說(shuō)。

“你可不配和我跳舞。”索菲說(shuō)完，背對(duì)著它。

隨后她坐在抽屜邊緣，期盼有花兒來(lái)邀請(qǐng)自己跳舞，可一朵花都沒(méi)有。她清了清嗓子：“咳咳，咳咳。”可依舊無(wú)人前來(lái)。粗陋娃娃獨(dú)自跳舞，舞姿倒也不算難看。

花兒們都不理睬索菲，她便從抽屜跳到地板上，故意弄出很大動(dòng)靜。花兒們立刻圍過(guò)來(lái)，問(wèn)她有沒(méi)有摔傷，尤其是睡過(guò)她床鋪的那些花兒。索菲一點(diǎn)也沒(méi)受傷。意達(dá)的花兒們感謝她讓出舒適的床鋪，對(duì)她十分友善。它們把她帶到月光照耀的屋子中央，和她一同跳舞，其他花兒圍成一圈環(huán)繞著它們。

索菲十分開(kāi)心，說(shuō)花兒們可以繼續(xù)睡她的床，她一點(diǎn)也不介意睡抽屜。可花兒們?cè)偃兄x她，說(shuō)道：

“我們活不了多久了。明天早上我們就會(huì)完全枯萎。你一定要告訴小意達(dá)，把我們埋在花園里金絲雀的墳?zāi)古浴５鹊较奶欤覀兙蜁?huì)蘇醒，變得比以前更加美麗。”

“不，你們不要死。”索菲親吻著花兒說(shuō)。

這時(shí)房門打開(kāi)，一大群美麗的花兒跳了進(jìn)來(lái)。意達(dá)想不出它們從哪里來(lái)，想必是國(guó)王花園里的花兒。最先走來(lái)兩朵嬌艷玫瑰，頭戴小金冠，它們就是國(guó)王與王后。隨后是漂亮的紫羅蘭與康乃馨，向在場(chǎng)每一位行禮。它們還帶來(lái)了樂(lè)隊(duì)：大罌粟花與牡丹花拿著豌豆莢當(dāng)樂(lè)器，使勁吹奏，臉都漲得通紅。成簇的藍(lán)色風(fēng)信子與雪白雪滴花搖晃鈴鐺般的花朵，如同真的鈴鐺作響。隨后又來(lái)了許許多多花兒：藍(lán)色紫羅蘭、紫色三色堇、雛菊、鈴蘭，它們一同起舞，互相親吻。景象美不勝收。

最后花兒們互相道晚安。小意達(dá)悄悄回到床上，夢(mèng)里全是方才所見(jiàn)的一切。

第二天早上起床，她立刻跑到小桌前，想看花兒是否還在。她拉開(kāi)小床窗簾。花兒們還躺在那里，卻已經(jīng)完全枯萎，比前一天衰敗得更厲害。索菲躺在意達(dá)放她的抽屜里，看上去昏昏欲睡。

“你還記得花兒讓你轉(zhuǎn)告我的話嗎？”小意達(dá)問(wèn)。可索菲呆呆的，一言不發(fā)。

“你一點(diǎn)都不善良。”意達(dá)說(shuō)，“明明它們都和你一起跳舞了。”

隨后她拿來(lái)一只畫著美麗小鳥(niǎo)的小紙盒，把枯萎的花兒放了進(jìn)去。

“這就是你們漂亮的棺材。”她說(shuō)，“等我的表哥們來(lái)看我，就讓他們幫我把你們埋在花園里。這樣明年夏天，你們就能再次生長(zhǎng)，變得比從前更美。”

她的表哥們是兩個(gè)性格溫和的小男孩，名叫詹姆斯和阿道夫。爸爸各送了他們一把弓箭，他們特意帶來(lái)給意達(dá)看。意達(dá)告訴他們可憐花兒枯萎的事。得到大人允許后，他們便陪著她一起去埋葬花兒。兩個(gè)男孩背著弓箭走在前面，小意達(dá)跟在后面，捧著裝著枯花的漂亮盒子。

他們?cè)诨▓@里挖了一座小小的墳?zāi)埂Ｒ膺_(dá)親吻花兒，然后連同盒子一起埋進(jìn)土里。詹姆斯和阿道夫沒(méi)有槍也沒(méi)有炮，便在墳?zāi)股峡丈涔乱狻?/p>

Little Ida’s Flowers

by Hans Christian Andersen

(1835)

My poor flowers are quite dead,” said little Ida, “they were so pretty yesterday evening, and now all the leaves are hanging down quite withered. What do they do that for,” she asked, of the student who sat on the sofa; she liked him very much, he could tell the most amusing stories, and cut out the prettiest pictures; hearts, and ladies dancing, castles with doors that opened, as well as flowers; he was a delightful student. “Why do the flowers look so faded to-day?” she asked again, and pointed to her nosegay, which was quite withered.

“Don’t you know what is the matter with them?” said the student. “The flowers were at a ball last night, and therefore, it is no wonder they hang their heads.”

“But flowers cannot dance?” cried little Ida.

“Yes indeed, they can,” replied the student. “When it grows dark, and everybody is asleep, they jump about quite merrily. They have a ball almost every night.”

“Can children go to these balls?”

“Yes,” said the student, “l(fā)ittle daisies and lilies of the valley.”

“Where do the beautiful flowers dance?” asked little Ida.

“Have you not often seen the large castle outside the gates of the town, where the king lives in summer, and where the beautiful garden is full of flowers? And have you not fed the swans with bread when they swam towards you? Well, the flowers have capital balls there, believe me.”

“I was in the garden out there yesterday with my mother,” said Ida, “but all the leaves were off the trees, and there was not a single flower left. Where are they? I used to see so many in the summer.”

“They are in the castle,” replied the student. “You must know that as soon as the king and all the court are gone into the town, the flowers run out of the garden into the castle, and you should see how merry they are. The two most beautiful roses seat themselves on the throne, and are called the king and queen, then all the red cockscombs range themselves on each side, and bow, these are the lords-in-waiting. After that the pretty flowers come in, and there is a grand ball. The blue violets represent little naval cadets, and dance with hyacinths and crocuses which they call young ladies. The tulips and tiger-lilies are the old ladies who sit and watch the dancing, so that everything may be conducted with order and propriety.”

“But,” said little Ida, “is there no one there to hurt the flowers for dancing in the king’s castle?”

“No one knows anything about it,” said the student. “The old steward of the castle, who has to watch there at night, sometimes comes in; but he carries a great bunch of keys, and as soon as the flowers hear the keys rattle, they run and hide themselves behind the long curtains, and stand quite still, just peeping their heads out. Then the old steward says, ‘I smell flowers here,’ but he cannot see them.”

“Oh how capital,” said little Ida, clapping her hands. “Should I be able to see these flowers?”

“Yes,” said the student, “mind you think of it the next time you go out, no doubt you will see them, if you peep through the window. I did so to-day, and I saw a long yellow lily lying stretched out on the sofa. She was a court lady.”

“Can the flowers from the Botanical Gardens go to these balls?” asked Ida. “It is such a distance!”

“Oh yes,” said the student “whenever they like, for they can fly. Have you not seen those beautiful red, white. and yellow butterflies, that look like flowers? They were flowers once. They have flown off their stalks into the air, and flap their leaves as if they were little wings to make them fly. Then, if they behave well, they obtain permission to fly about during the day, instead of being obliged to sit still on their stems at home, and so in time their leaves become real wings. It may be, however, that the flowers in the Botanical Gardens have never been to the king’s palace, and, therefore, they know nothing of the merry doings at night, which take place there. I will tell you what to do, and the botanical professor, who lives close by here, will be so surprised. You know him very well, do you not? Well, next time you go into his garden, you must tell one of the flowers that there is going to be a grand ball at the castle, then that flower will tell all the others, and they will fly away to the castle as soon as possible. And when the professor walks into his garden, there will not be a single flower left. How he will wonder what has become of them!”

“But how can one flower tell another? Flowers cannot speak?”

“No, certainly not,” replied the student; “but they can make signs. Have you not often seen that when the wind blows they nod at one another, and rustle all their green leaves?”

“Can the professor understand the signs?” asked Ida.

“Yes, to be sure he can. He went one morning into his garden, and saw a stinging nettle making signs with its leaves to a beautiful red carnation. It was saying, ‘You are so pretty, I like you very much.’ But the professor did not approve of such nonsense, so he clapped his hands on the nettle to stop it. Then the leaves, which are its fingers, stung him so sharply that he has never ventured to touch a nettle since.”

“Oh how funny!” said Ida, and she laughed.

“How can anyone put such notions into a child’s head?” said a tiresome lawyer, who had come to pay a visit, and sat on the sofa. He did not like the student, and would grumble when he saw him cutting out droll or amusing pictures. Sometimes it would be a man hanging on a gibbet and holding a heart in his hand as if he had been stealing hearts. Sometimes it was an old witch riding through the air on a broom and carrying her husband on her nose. But the lawyer did not like such jokes, and he would say as he had just said, “How can anyone put such nonsense into a child’s head! what absurd fancies there are!”

But to little Ida, all these stories which the student told her about the flowers, seemed very droll, and she thought over them a great deal. The flowers did hang their heads, because they had been dancing all night, and were very tired, and most likely they were ill. Then she took them into the room where a number of toys lay on a pretty little table, and the whole of the table drawer besides was full of beautiful things. Her doll Sophy lay in the doll’s bed asleep, and little Ida said to her, “You must really get up Sophy, and be content to lie in the drawer to-night; the poor flowers are ill, and they must lie in your bed, then perhaps they will get well again.” So she took the doll out, who looked quite cross, and said not a single word, for she was angry at being turned out of her bed. Ida placed the flowers in the doll’s bed, and drew the quilt over them. Then she told them to lie quite still and be good, while she made some tea for them, so that they might be quite well and able to get up the next morning. And she drew the curtains close round the little bed, so that the sun might not shine in their eyes. During the whole evening she could not help thinking of what the student had told her. And before she went to bed herself, she was obliged to peep behind the curtains into the garden where all her mother’s beautiful flowers grew, hyacinths and tulips, and many others. Then she whispered to them quite softly, “I know you are going to a ball to-night.” But the flowers appeared as if they did not understand, and not a leaf moved; still Ida felt quite sure she knew all about it. She lay awake a long time after she was in bed, thinking how pretty it must be to see all the beautiful flowers dancing in the king’s garden. “I wonder if my flowers have really been there,” she said to herself, and then she fell asleep. In the night she awoke; she had been dreaming of the flowers and of the student, as well as of the tiresome lawyer who found fault with him. It was quite still in Ida’s bedroom; the night-lamp burnt on the table, and her father and mother were asleep. “I wonder if my flowers are still lying in Sophy’s bed,” she thought to herself; “how much I should like to know.” She raised herself a little, and glanced at the door of the room where all her flowers and playthings lay; it was partly open, and as she listened, it seemed as if some one in the room was playing the piano, but softly and more prettily than she had ever before heard it. “Now all the flowers are certainly dancing in there,” she thought, “oh how much I should like to see them,” but she did not dare move for fear of disturbing her father and mother. “If they would only come in here,” she thought; but they did not come, and the music continued to play so beautifully, and was so pretty, that she could resist no longer. She crept out of her little bed, went softly to the door and looked into the room. Oh what a splendid sight there was to be sure! There was no night-lamp burning, but the room appeared quite light, for the moon shone through the window upon the floor, and made it almost like day. All the hyacinths and tulips stood in two long rows down the room, not a single flower remained in the window, and the flower-pots were all empty. The flowers were dancing gracefully on the floor, making turns and holding each other by their long green leaves as they swung round. At the piano sat a large yellow lily which little Ida was sure she had seen in the summer, for she remembered the student saying she was very much like Miss Lina, one of Ida’s friends. They all laughed at him then, but now it seemed to little Ida as if the tall, yellow flower was really like the young lady. She had just the same manners while playing, bending her long yellow face from side to side, and nodding in time to the beautiful music. Then she saw a large purple crocus jump into the middle of the table where the playthings stood, go up to the doll’s bedstead and draw back the curtains; there lay the sick flowers, but they got up directly, and nodded to the others as a sign that they wished to dance with them. The old rough doll, with the broken mouth, stood up and bowed to the pretty flowers. They did not look ill at all now, but jumped about and were very merry, yet none of them noticed little Ida. Presently it seemed as if something fell from the table. Ida looked that way, and saw a slight carnival rod jumping down among the flowers as if it belonged to them; it was, however, very smooth and neat, and a little wax doll with a broad brimmed hat on her head, like the one worn by the lawyer, sat upon it. The carnival rod hopped about among the flowers on its three red stilted feet, and stamped quite loud when it danced the Mazurka; the flowers could not perform this dance, they were too light to stamp in that manner. All at once the wax doll which rode on the carnival rod seemed to grow larger and taller, and it turned round and said to the paper flowers, “How can you put such things in a child’s head? they are all foolish fancies;” and then the doll was exactly like the lawyer with the broad brimmed hat, and looked as yellow and as cross as he did; but the paper dolls struck him on his thin legs, and he shrunk up again and became quite a little wax doll. This was very amusing, and Ida could not help laughing. The carnival rod went on dancing, and the lawyer was obliged to dance also. It was no use, he might make himself great and tall, or remain a little wax doll with a large black hat; still he must dance. Then at last the other flowers interceded for him, especially those who had lain in the doll’s bed, and the carnival rod gave up his dancing. At the same moment a loud knocking was heard in the drawer, where Ida’s doll Sophy lay with many other toys. Then the rough doll ran to the end of the table, laid himself flat down upon it, and began to pull the drawer out a little way.

Then Sophy raised himself, and looked round quite astonished, “There must be a ball here to-night,” said Sophy. “Why did not somebody tell me?”

“Will you dance with me?” said the rough doll.

“You are the right sort to dance with, certainly,” said she, turning her back upon him.

Then she seated herself on the edge of the drawer, and thought that perhaps one of the flowers would ask her to dance; but none of them came. Then she coughed, “Hem, hem, a-hem;” but for all that not one came. The shabby doll now danced quite alone, and not very badly, after all. As none of the flowers seemed to notice Sophy, she let herself down from the drawer to the floor, so as to make a very great noise. All the flowers came round her directly, and asked if she had hurt herself, especially those who had lain in her bed. But she was not hurt at all, and Ida’s flowers thanked her for the use of the nice bed, and were very kind to her. They led her into the middle of the room, where the moon shone, and danced with her, while all the other flowers formed a circle round them. Then Sophy was very happy, and said they might keep her bed; she did not mind lying in the drawer at all. But the flowers thanked her very much, and said,—

“We cannot live long. To-morrow morning we shall be quite dead; and you must tell little Ida to bury us in the garden, near to the grave of the canary; then, in the summer we shall wake up and be more beautiful than ever.”

“No, you must not die,” said Sophy, as she kissed the flowers.

Then the door of the room opened, and a number of beautiful flowers danced in. Ida could not imagine where they could come from, unless they were the flowers from the king’s garden. First came two lovely roses, with little golden crowns on their heads; these were the king and queen. Beautiful stocks and carnations followed, bowing to every one present. They had also music with them. Large poppies and peonies had pea-shells for instruments, and blew into them till they were quite red in the face. The bunches of blue hyacinths and the little white snowdrops jingled their bell-like flowers, as if they were real bells. Then came many more flowers: blue violets, purple heart’s-ease, daisies, and lilies of the valley, and they all danced together, and kissed each other. It was very beautiful to behold.

At last the flowers wished each other good-night. Then little Ida crept back into her bed again, and dreamt of all she had seen. When she arose the next morning, she went quickly to the little table, to see if the flowers were still there. She drew aside the curtains of the little bed. There they all lay, but quite faded; much more so than the day before. Sophy was lying in the drawer where Ida had placed her; but she looked very sleepy.

“Do you remember what the flowers told you to say to me?” said little Ida. But Sophy looked quite stupid, and said not a single word.

“You are not kind at all,” said Ida; “and yet they all danced with you.”

Then she took a little paper box, on which were painted beautiful birds, and laid the dead flowers in it.

“This shall be your pretty coffin,” she said; “and by and by, when my cousins come to visit me, they shall help me to bury you out in the garden; so that next summer you may grow up again more beautiful than ever.”

Her cousins were two good-tempered boys, whose names were James and Adolphus. Their father had given them each a bow and arrow, and they had brought them to show Ida. She told them about the poor flowers which were dead; and as soon as they obtained permission, they went with her to bury them. The two boys walked first, with their crossbows on their shoulders, and little Ida followed, carrying the pretty box containing the dead flowers. They dug a little grave in the garden. Ida kissed her flowers and then laid them, with the box, in the earth. James and Adolphus then fired their crossbows over the grave, as they had neither guns nor cannons.

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