安徒生童話:the LEAP FROG

the LEAP-FROG

A Flea， a Grasshopper， and a Leap-frog once wanted to see which could jump highest； and they invited the whole world， and everybody else besides who chose to come to see the festival. Three famous jumpers were they， as everyone would say， when they all met together in the room.

“I will give my daughter to him who jumps highest，” exclaimed the King； “for it is not so amusing where there is no prize to jump for.”

the Flea was the first to step forward. He had exquisite manners， and bowed to the company on all sides； for he had noble blood， and was， moreover，accustomed to the society of man alone； and that makes a GREat difference.

then came the Grasshopper. He was considerably heavier， but he was well-mannered， and wore a GREen uniform， which he had by right of birth； he said， moreover， that he belonged to a very ancient Egyptian family， and that in the house where he then was， he was thought much of. The fact was， he had been just brought out of the fields， and put in a pasteboard house， three stories high， all made of court-cards， with the colored side inwards； and doors and windows cut out of the body of the Queen of Hearts. “I sing so well，” said he， “that sixteen native grasshoppers who have chirped from infancy， and yet got no house built of cards to live in， grew thinner than they were before for sheer vexation when they heard me.”

It was thus that the Flea and the Grasshopper gave an account of themselves，and thought they were quite good enough to marry a Princess.

the Leap-frog said nothing； but people gave it as their opinion， that he therefore thought the more； and when the housedog snuffed at him with his nose， he confessed the Leap-frog was of good family. The old councillor， who had had three orders given him to make him hold his tongue， asserted that the Leap-frog was a prophet； for that one could see on his back， if there would be a severe or mild winter， and that was what one could not see even on the back of the man who writes the almanac.

“I say nothing， it is true，” exclaimed the King； “but I have my own opinion，notwithstanding.”

Now the trial was to take place. The Flea jumped so high that nobody could see where he went to； so they all asserted he had not jumped at all； and that was dishonorable.

the Grasshopper jumped only half as high； but he leaped into the King's face，who said that was ill-mannered.

the Leap-frog stood still for a long time lost in thought； it was believed at last he would not jump at all.

“I only hope he is not unwell，” said the house-dog； when， pop！ he made a jump all on one side into the lap of the Princess， who was sitting on a little golden stool close by.

Hereupon the King said， “There is nothing above my daughter； therefore to bound up to her is the highest jump that can be made； but for this， one must possess understanding， and the Leap-frog has shown that he has understanding. He is brave and intellectual.”

And so he won the Princess.

“It's all the same to me，” said the Flea. “She may have the old Leap-frog， for all I care. I jumped the highest； but in this world merit seldom meets its reward. A fine exterior is what people look at now-a-days.”

the Flea then went into foreign service， where， it is said， he was killed.

the Grasshopper sat without on a GREen bank， and reflected on worldly things；and he said too， “Yes， a fine exterior is everything——a fine exterior is what people care about.” And then he began chirping his peculiar melancholy song，from which we have taken this history； and which may， very possibly， be all untrue， although it does stand here printed in black and white.

跳高者有一次，跳蚤、蚱蜢和跳鵝①想要知道它們之中誰跳得最高。它們把所有的人和任何願意來的人都請來參觀這個偉大的場面。它們這三位著名的跳高者就在一個房間裏集合起來。

①這是丹麥一種舊式的玩具，它是用一根鵝的胸骨做成的；加上一根木栓和一根線，再擦上一點蠟油，就可以使它跳躍。

“對啦，誰跳得最高，我就把我的女兒嫁給誰！”國王說，“因爲，假如讓這些朋友白白地跳一陣子，那就未免太不像話了！”

跳蚤第一個出場。它的態度非常可愛：它向四周的人敬禮，因爲它身體中流着年輕小姐的血液，習慣於跟人類混在一起，而這一點是非常重要的。

接着蚱蜢就出場了，它的確很粗笨，但它的身體很好看。它穿着它那套天生的綠制服。此外，它的整個外表說明它是出身於埃及的一個古老的家庭，因此它在這兒非常受到人們的尊敬。人們把它從田野里弄過來，放在一個用紙牌做的三層樓的房子裏——這些紙牌有畫的一面都朝裏。這房子有門也有窗，而且它們是從 “美人”身中剪出來的。

“我唱得非常好，”它說，“甚至十六個本地產的蟋蟀從小時候開始唱起，到現在還沒有獲得一間紙屋哩。它們聽到我的情形就嫉妒得要命，把身體弄得比以前還要瘦了。”

跳蚤和蚱蜢這兩位毫不含糊地說明了它們是怎樣的人物。它們認爲它們有資格和一位公主結婚。

跳鵝一句話也不說。不過據說它自己更覺得了不起。宮裏的狗兒把它嗅了一下，很有把握地說，跳鵝是來自一個上等的家庭。那位因爲從來不講話而獲得了三個勳章的老顧問官說，他知道跳鵝有預見的天才：人們只須看看它的背脊骨就能預知冬天是溫和還是寒冷。這一點人們是沒有辦法從寫曆書的人的背脊骨上看出來的。

“好，我什麼也不再講了！”老國王說，“我只須在旁看看，我自己心中有數！”

現在它們要跳了。跳蚤跳得非常高，誰也看不見它，因此大家就說它完全沒有跳。這種說法太不講道理。

蚱蜢跳得沒有跳蚤一半高。不過它是向國王的臉上跳過來，因此國王就說，這簡直是可惡之至。

跳鵝站着沉思了好一會兒；最後大家就認爲它完全不能跳。

“我希望它沒有生病！”宮裏的狗兒說，然後它又在跳鵝身上嗅了一下。

“噓！”它笨拙地一跳，就跳到公主的膝上去了。她坐在一個矮矮的金凳子上。

國王說：“誰跳到我的女兒身上去，誰就要算是跳得最高的了，因爲這就是跳高的目的。不過能想到這一點，倒是需要有點頭腦呢——跳鵝已經顯示出它有頭腦。它的腿長到額上去了！”

所以它就得到了公主。

“不過我跳得最高！”跳蚤說。“但是這一點用處也沒有！不過儘管她得到一架帶木栓和蠟油的鵝骨，我仍然要算跳得最高。但是在這個世界裏，一個人如果想要使人看見的話，必須有身材才成。”

跳蚤於是便投效一個外國兵團。據說它在當兵時犧牲了。

那隻蚱蜢坐在田溝裏，把這世界上的事情仔細思索了一番，不禁也說：“身材是需要的！身材是需要的！”

於是它便唱起了它自己的哀歌。我們從它的歌中得到了這個故事——這個故事可能不是真的，雖然它已經被印出來了。

（1845年）

這是一個有風趣的小故事，發表於1845年，這裏麪包含着一些似是而非的“真理”，事實上是對人間某些世態的諷刺。“跳蚤跳得非常高，誰也看不見它，因此大家就說它完全沒有跳。”但是在這個世界裏，一個人如果想要使人看見的話，必須有身材才成。“誰跳到我的女兒身上去，誰就要算跳得最高的了…… 不過能想到這一點，倒是需要有點頭腦呢——跳鵝已經顯示出它有頭腦。”事實上跳鵝跳得最低，但是它得到了公主！安徒生在他的手記中說：“當幾個孩子要求給他們講一個故事的時候，我靈機一動就寫出了這個《跳高者》。”