小学英语 安徒生童话系列（五）The Elf of the Rose阅读素材.docx

theelfoftherosebyhanschristianandersen（1839）inthemidstofagardengrewarose-tree，infullblossom，andintheprettiestofalltheroseslivedanelf.hewassuchalittleweething，thatnohumaneyecouldseehim.behindeachleafoftherosehehadasleepingchamber.hewasaswellformedandasbeautifulasalittlechildcouldbe，andhadwingsthatreachedfromhisshoulderstohisfeet.oh，whatsweetfragrancetherewasinhischambers！andhowcleanandbeautifulwerethewalls！fortheyweretheblushingleavesoftherose.duringthewholedayheenjoyedhimselfinthewarmsunshine，flewfromflowertoflower，anddancedonthewingsoftheflyingbutterflies.thenhetookitintohisheadtomeasurehowmanystepshewouldhavetogothroughtheroadsandcross-roadsthatareontheleafofalinden-tree.whatwecalltheveinsonaleaf，hetookforroads；ay，andverylongroadstheywereforhim；forbeforehehadhalffinishedhistask，thesunwentdown：hehadcommencedhisworktoolate.itbecameverycold，thedewfell，andthewindblew；sohethoughtthebestthinghecoulddowouldbetoreturnhome.hehurriedhimselfasmuchashecould；buthefoundtherosesallclosedup，andhecouldnotgetin；notasinglerosestoodopen.thepoorlittleelfwasverymuchfrightened.hehadneverbeforebeenoutatnight，buthadalwaysslumberedsecretlybehindthewarmrose-leaves.oh，thiswouldcertainlybehisdeath.attheotherendofthegarden，heknewtherewasanarbor，overgrownwithbeautifulhoney-suckles.theblossomslookedlikelargepaintedhorns；andhethoughttohimself，hewouldgoandsleepinoneofthesetillthemorning.heflewthither；but“hush！”twopeoplewereinthearbor，ahandsomeyoungmanandabeautifullady.theysatsidebyside，andwishedthattheymightneverbeobligedtopart.theylovedeachothermuchmorethanthebestchildcanloveitsfatherandmother.“butwemustpart，”saidtheyoungman； “yourbrotherdoesnotlikeourengagement，andthereforehesendsmesofarawayonbusiness，overmountainsandseas.farewell，mysweetbride；forsoyouaretome.”andthentheykissedeachother，andthegirlwept，andgavehimarose；butbeforeshedidso，shepressedakissuponitsoferventlythatthefloweropened.thenthelittleelfflewin，andleanedhisheadonthedelicate，fragrantwalls.herehecouldplainlyhearthemsay， “farewell，farewell；”andhefeltthattherosehadbeenplacedontheyoungmansbreast.oh，howhisheartdidbeat！thelittleelfcouldnotgotosleep，itthumpedsoloudly.theyoungmantookitoutashewalkedthroughthedarkwoodalone，andkissedtheflowersooftenandsoviolently，thatthelittleelfwasalmostcrushed.hecouldfeelthroughtheleafhowhotthelipsoftheyoungmanwere，andtherosehadopened，asiffromtheheatofthenoondaysun.therecameanotherman，wholookedgloomyandwicked.hewasthewickedbrotherofthebeautifulmaiden.hedrewoutasharpknife，andwhiletheotherwaskissingtherose，thewickedmanstabbedhimtodeath；thenhecutoffhishead，andburieditwiththebodyinthesoftearthunderthelinden-tree.“nowheisgone，andwillsoonbeforgotten，”thoughtthewickedbrother； “hewillnevercomebackagain.hewasgoingonalongjourneyovermountainsandseas；itiseasyforamantolosehislifeinsuchajourney.mysisterwillsupposeheisdead；forhecannotcomeback，andshewillnotdaretoquestionmeabouthim.”thenhescatteredthedryleavesoverthelightearthwithhisfoot，andwenthomethroughthedarkness；buthewentnotalone，ashethought，thelittleelfaccompaniedhim.hesatinadryrolled-uplinden-leaf，whichhadfallenfromthetreeontothewickedmanshead，ashewasdiggingthegrave.thehatwasontheheadnow，whichmadeitverydark，andthelittleelfshudderedwithfrightandindignationatthewickeddeed.itwasthedawnofmorningbeforethewickedmanreachedhome；hetookoffhishat，andwentintohissistersroom.therelaythebeautiful，bloominggirl，dreamingofhimwhomshelovedso，andwhowasnow，shesupposed，travellingfarawayovermountainandsea.herwickedbrotherstoppedoverher，andlaughedhideously，asfiendsonlycanlaugh.thedryleaffelloutofhishairuponthecounterpane；buthedidnotnoticeit，andwenttogetalittlesleepduringtheearlymorninghours.buttheelfslippedoutofthewitheredleaf，placedhimselfbytheearofthesleepinggirl，andtoldher，asinadream，ofthehorridmurder；describedtheplacewhereherbrotherhadslainherlover，andburiedhisbody；andtoldherofthelinden-tree，infullblossom，thatstoodcloseby.“thatyoumaynotthinkthisisonlyadreamthatihavetoldyou，”hesaid， “youwillfindonyourbedawitheredleaf.”thensheawoke，andfounditthere.oh，whatbittertearssheshed！andshecouldnotopenherhearttoanyoneforrelief.thewindowstoodopenthewholeday，andthelittleelfcouldeasilyhavereachedtheroses，oranyoftheflowers；buthecouldnotfinditinhishearttoleaveonesoafflicted.inthewindowstoodabushbearingmonthlyroses.heseatedhimselfinoneoftheflowers，andgazedonthepoorgirl.herbrotheroftencameintotheroom，andwouldbequitecheerful，inspiteofhisbaseconduct；soshedarenotsayawordtohimofherheartsgrief.assoonasnightcameon，sheslippedoutofthehouse，andwentintothewood，tothespotwherethelinden-treestood；andafterremovingtheleavesfromtheearth，sheturneditup，andtherefoundhimwhohadbeenmurdered.oh，howsheweptandprayedthatshealsomightdie！gladlywouldshehavetakenthebodyhomewithher；butthatwasimpossible；soshetookupthepoorheadwiththeclosedeyes，kissedthecoldlips，andshookthemouldoutofthebeautifulhair.“iwillkeepthis，”saidshe；andassoonasshehadcoveredthebodyagainwiththeearthandleaves，shetooktheheadandalittlesprigofjasminethatbloomedinthewood，nearthespotwherehewasburied，andcarriedthemhomewithher.assoonasshewasinherroom，shetookthelargestflower-potshecouldfind，andinthissheplacedtheheadofthedeadman，covereditupwithearth，andplantedthetwigofjasmineinit.“farewell，farewell，”whisperedthelittleelf.hecouldnotanylongerenduretowitnessallthisagonyofgrief，hethereforeflewawaytohisownroseinthegarden.buttherosewasfaded；onlyafewdryleavesstillclungtothegreenhedgebehindit.“alas！howsoonallthatisgoodandbeautifulpassesaway，”sighedtheelf.afterawhilehefoundanotherrose，whichbecamehishome，foramongitsdelicatefragrantleaveshecoulddwellinsafety.everymorningheflewtothewindowofthepoorgirl，andalwaysfoundherweepingbytheflowerpot.thebittertearsfelluponthejasminetwig，andeachday，asshebecamepalerandpaler，thesprigappearedtogrowgreenerandfresher.oneshootafteranothersproutedforth，andlittlewhitebudsblossomed，whichthepoorgirlfondlykissed.butherwickedbrotherscoldedher，andaskedherifshewasgoingmad.hecouldnotimaginewhyshewasweepingoverthatflower-pot，anditannoyedhim.hedidnotknowwhoseclosedeyeswerethere，norwhatredlipswerefadingbeneaththeearth.andonedayshesatandleanedherheadagainsttheflower-pot，andthelittleelfoftherosefoundherasleep.thenheseatedhimselfbyherear，talkedtoherofthateveninginthearbor，ofthesweetperfumeoftherose，andthelovesoftheelves.sweetlyshedreamed，andwhileshedreamt，herlifepassedawaycalmlyandgently，andherspiritwaswithhimwhomsheloved，inheaven.andthejasmineopeneditslargewhitebells，andspreadforthitssweetfragrance；ithadnootherwayofshowingitsgriefforthedead.butthewickedbrotherconsideredthebeautifulbloomingplantashisownproperty，lefttohimbyhissister，andheplaceditinhissleepingroom，closebyhisbed，foritwasverylovelyinappearance，andthefragrancesweetanddelightful.thelittleelfoftherosefollowedit，andflewfromflowertoflower，tellingeachlittlespiritthatdweltinthemthestoryofthemurderedyoungman，whoseheadnowformedpartoftheearthbeneaththem，andofthewickedbrotherandthepoorsister.“weknowit，”saideachlittlespiritintheflowers， “weknowit，forhavewenotsprungfromtheeyesandlipsofthemurderedone.weknowit，weknowit，”andtheflowersnoddedwiththeirheadsinapeculiarmanner.theelfoftherosecouldnotunderstandhowtheycouldrestsoquietlyinthematter，soheflewtothebees，whoweregatheringhoney，andtoldthemofthewickedbrother.andthebeestoldittotheirqueen，whocommandedthatthenextmorningtheyshouldgoandkillthemurderer.butduringthenight，thefirstafterthesistersdeath，whilethebrotherwassleepinginhisbed，closetowherehehadplacedthefragrantjasmine，everyflowercupopened，andinvisiblythelittlespiritsstoleout，armedwithpoisonousspears.theyplacedthemselvesbytheearofthesleeper，toldhimdreadfuldreamsandthenflewacrosshislips，andprickedhistonguewit