“咬耳朵”通过精心收集，向本站投稿了3篇安徒生童话故事第：世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花 中英文版本，下面是小编为大家整理后的安徒生童话故事第：世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花 中英文版本，仅供大家参考借鉴，希望大家喜欢，并能积极分享!
篇1：安徒生童话故事第：世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花 中英文版本
安徒生童话故事第58篇：世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花 中英文版本
从前有一位权力很大的皇后。她的花园里种植着每季最美丽的、从世界各国移来的花。但是她特别喜爱玫瑰花，因此她有各种各色的玫瑰花：从那长着能发出苹果香味的绿叶的野玫瑰，一直到最可爱的、普罗旺斯①的玫瑰，样样都有。它们爬上宫殿的墙壁，攀着圆柱和窗架，伸进走廊，一直长到所有大殿的天花板上去。这些玫瑰有不同的香味，形状和色彩。
但是这些大殿里充满了忧虑和悲哀。皇后睡在病床上起不来，御医宣称她的生命没有希望。
“只有一件东西可以救她，”御医之中一位最聪明的人说。“送给她一朵世界上最美丽的玫瑰花——一朵表示最高尚、最纯洁的爱情的玫瑰花。这朵花要在她的眼睛没有闭上以前就送到她面前来.那么她就不会死掉。”
各地的年轻人和老年人送来许多玫瑰花——所有的花园里开着的最美丽的玫瑰花。然而这却不是那种能治病的玫瑰花。那应该是在爱情的花园里摘下来的一朵花;但是哪朵玫瑰真正表示出最高尚、最纯洁的爱情呢?
诗人们歌唱着世界上最美丽的玫瑰花;每个诗人都有自己的一朵。消息传遍全国，传到每一颗充满了爱情的心里，传给每一种年龄和从事每种职业的人。
“至今还没有人能说出这朵花，”那个聪明人说，“谁也指不出盛开着这朵花的那块地方。这不是罗密欧和朱丽叶棺材上的玫瑰花，也不是瓦尔堡②坟上的玫瑰花，虽然这些玫瑰在诗歌和传说中永远是芬芳的。这也不是从文克里得③的血迹斑斑的长矛上开出的那些玫瑰花——从一个为祖国而死去的英雄的心里所流出的血中开出的玫瑰花，虽然什么样的死也没有这种死可爱，什么样的花也没有他所流出的血那样红。这也不是人们在静寂的房间里，花了无数不眠之夜和宝贵的生命所培养出的那朵奇异之花——科学的奇花。”
“我知道这朵花开在什么地方，”一个幸福的母亲说。她带着她的娇嫩的孩子走到这位皇后的床边来，“我知道在什么地方可以找到世界上最美丽的玫瑰花!那朵表示最高尚和最纯洁的爱情的玫瑰，是从我甜蜜的孩子的鲜艳的脸上开出来的。这时他睡足了觉，睁开他的眼睛，对我发出充满了爱情的微笑!”
“这朵玫瑰是够美的，不过还有一朵比这更美，”聪明人说。
“是的，比这更要美得多，”另一个女人说。“我曾经看到过一朵，再没有任何一朵开得比这更高尚、更神圣的花，不过它像庚申玫瑰的花瓣，白得没有血色。我看到它在皇后的脸上开出来。她取下了她的皇冠，她在悲哀的长夜里抱着她的病孩子哭泣，吻他，祈求上帝保佑他——像一个母亲在苦痛的时刻那样祈求。”
“悲哀中的白玫瑰是神圣的，具有神奇的力量;但是它不是我们所寻找的那朵玫瑰花。”
“不是的，我只是在上帝的祭坛上看到世界上最美的那朵玫瑰花，”虔诚的老主教说。“我看到它像一个安琪儿的面孔似的射出光彩。年轻的姑娘走到圣餐的桌子面前，重复她们在受洗时听作出的诺言，于是玫瑰花开了——她们的鲜嫩的脸上开出淡白色的玫瑰花。一个年轻的女子站在那儿。她的灵魂充满了纯洁的爱，她抬头望着上帝——这是一个最纯洁和最高尚的爱的表情。”
“愿上帝祝福她!”聪明人说。“不过你们谁也没有对我说出世界上最美丽的玫瑰花。”
这时有一个孩子——皇后的小儿子——走进房间里来了。他的眼睛里和他的'脸上全是泪珠。他捧着一本打开的厚书。这书是用天鹅绒装订的，上面还有银质的大扣子。
“妈妈!”小家伙说，“啊，请听我念吧!”
于是这孩子在床边坐下来，念着书中关于他的事情——他，为了拯救人类，包括那些还没有出生的人，在十字架上牺牲了自己的生命。
“没有什么爱能够比这更伟大!”
皇后的脸上露出一片玫瑰色的光彩，她的眼睛变得又大又明亮，因为她在这书页上看到世界上最美丽的玫瑰花——从十字架上的基督的血里开出的一朵玫瑰花。
“我看到它了!”她说，“看到了这朵玫瑰花——这朵地上最美丽的玫瑰花——的人，永远不会死亡!”
①普罗旺斯(Provence)是法国东南部的一个地区。这儿的天气温和，各种各色的花草很多。
②瓦尔堡(Valborg)是八世纪在德国传道的一个修女，在传说中被神化成为“圣者”，她在传说中是保护人民反对魔术侵害的神仙。
③文克里得(Arnold von Winkelried)是瑞士的一个爱国志士。1386年瑞士在山巴赫(Sempach)战胜英国时，据说他起了决定性的作用。他把好几个敌人的长矛抱在一起，使它们刺进自己的胸口里而失去作用。这样他就造成一个缺口，使瑞士军队可以在他身上踩过去，攻击敌人的阵地。
世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花英文版：
The Loveliest Rose in the World
THERE lived once a great queen, in whose garden were found at all seasons the most splendid flowers, and from every land in the world. She specially loved roses, and therefore she possessed the most beautiful varieties of this flower, from the wild hedge-rose, with its apple-scented leaves, to the splendid Provence rose. They grew near the shelter of the walls, wound themselves round columns and window-frames, crept along passages and over the ceilings of the halls. They were of every fragrance and color.
But care and sorrow dwelt within these halls; the queen lay upon a sick bed, and the doctors declared that she must die. “There is still one thing that could save her,” said one of the wisest among them. “Bring her the loveliest rose in the world; one which exhibits the purest and brightest love, and if it is brought to her before her eyes close, she will not die.”
Then from all parts came those who brought roses that bloomed in every garden, but they were not the right sort. The flower must be one from the garden of love; but which of the roses there showed forth the highest and purest love? The poets sang of this rose, the loveliest in the world, and each named one which he considered worthy of that title; and intelligence of what was required was sent far and wide to every heart that beat with love; to every class, age, and condition.
“No one has yet named the flower,” said the wise man. “No one has pointed out the spot where it blooms in all its splendor. It is not a rose from the coffin of Romeo and Juliet, or from the grave of Walburg, though these roses will live in everlasting song. It is not one of the roses which sprouted forth from the blood-stained fame of Winkelreid. The blood which flows from the breast of a hero who dies for his country is sacred, and his memory is sweet, and no rose can be redder than the blood which flows from his veins. Neither is it the magic flower of Science, to obtain which wondrous flower a man devotes many an hour of his fresh young life in sleepless nights, in a lonely chamber.”
“I know where it blooms,” said a happy mother, who came with her lovely child to the bedside of the queen. “I know where the loveliest rose in the world is. It is seen on the blooming cheeks of my sweet child, when it expresses the pure and holy love of infancy; when refreshed by sleep it opens its eyes, and smiles upon me with childlike affection.”
“This is a lovely rose,” said the wise man; “but there is one still more lovely.”
“Yes, one far more lovely,” said one of the women. “I have seen it, and a loftier and purer rose does not bloom. But it was white, like the leaves of a blush-rose. I saw it on the cheeks of the queen. She had taken off her golden crown, and through the long, dreary night, she carried her sick child in her arms. She wept over it, kissed it, and prayed for it as only a mother can pray in that hour of her anguish.”
“Holy and wonderful in its might is the white rose of grief, but it is not the one we seek.”
“No; the loveliest rose in the world I saw at the Lord’s table,” said the good old bishop. “I saw it shine as if an angel’s face had appeared. A young maiden knelt at the altar, and renewed the vows made at her baptism; and there were white roses and red roses on the blushing cheeks of that young girl. She looked up to heaven with all the purity and love of her young spirit, in all the expression of the highest and purest love.”
“May she be blessed!” said the wise man: “but no one has yet named the loveliest rose in the world.”
Then there came into the room a child—the queen’s little son. Tears stood in his eyes, and glistened on his cheeks; he carried a great book and the binding was of velvet, with silver clasps. “Mother,” cried the little boy; “only hear what I have read.” And the child seated himself by the bedside, and read from the book of Him who suffered death on the cross to save all men, even who are yet unborn. He read, “Greater love hath no man than this,” and as he read a roseate hue spread over the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes became so enlightened and clear, that she saw from the leaves of the book a lovely rose spring forth, a type of Him who shed His blood on the cross.
“I see it,” she said. “He who beholds this, the loveliest rose on earth, shall never die.”
篇2：安徒生童话《世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花》
安徒生童话《世上最美丽的一朵玫瑰花》
故事正文：
从前有一位权力很大的皇后。她的花园里种植着每季最美丽的、从世界各国移来的花。但是她特别喜爱玫瑰花，因此她有各种各色的玫瑰花：从那长着能发出苹果香味的绿叶的野玫瑰，一直到最可爱的、普罗旺斯①的玫瑰，样样都有。它们爬上宫殿的墙壁，攀着圆柱和窗架，伸进走廊，一直长到所有大殿的天花板上去。这些玫瑰有不同的香味，形状和色彩。
但是这些大殿里充满了忧虑和悲哀。皇后睡在病床上起不来，御医宣称她的生命没有希望。
“只有一件东西可以救她，”御医之中一位最聪明的人说。“送给她一朵世界上最美丽的玫瑰花——一朵表示最高尚、最纯洁的爱情的玫瑰花。这朵花要在她的眼睛没有闭上以前就送到她面前来。那么她就不会死掉。”
各地的年轻人和老年人送来许多玫瑰花——所有的花园里开着的最美丽的玫瑰花。然而这却不是那种能治病的玫瑰花。那应该是在爱情的花园里摘下来的一朵花;但是哪朵玫瑰真正表示出最高尚、最纯洁的爱情呢?
诗人们歌唱着世界上最美丽的玫瑰花;每个诗人都有自己的一朵。消息传遍全国，传到每一颗充满了爱情的心里，传给每一种年龄和从事每种职业的人。
“至今还没有人能说出这朵花，”那个聪明人说，“谁也指不出盛开着这朵花的那块地方。这不是罗密欧和朱丽叶棺材上的玫瑰花，也不是瓦尔堡②坟上的玫瑰花，虽然这些玫瑰在诗歌和传说中永远是芬芳的。这也不是从文克里得③的血迹斑斑的长矛上开出的那些玫瑰花——从一个为祖国而死去的英雄的心里所流出的血中开出的玫瑰花，虽然什么样的死也没有这种死可爱，什么样的花也没有他所流出的血那样红。这也不是人们在静寂的房间里，花了无数不眠之夜和宝贵的生命所培养出的那朵奇异之花——科学的奇花。”
“我知道这朵花开在什么地方，”一个幸福的母亲说。她带着她的娇嫩的孩子走到这位皇后的床边来，“我知道在什么地方可以找到世界上最美丽的玫瑰花!那朵表示最高尚和最纯洁的爱情的玫瑰，是从我甜蜜的孩子的鲜艳的脸上开出来的。这时他睡足了觉，睁开他的眼睛，对我发出充满了爱情的微笑!”
“这朵玫瑰是够美的，不过还有一朵比这更美，”聪明人说。
“是的，比这更要美得多，”另一个女人说。“我曾经看到过一朵，再没有任何一朵开得比这更高尚、更神圣的花，不过它像庚申玫瑰的花瓣，白得没有血色。我看到它在皇后的脸上开出来。她取下了她的皇冠，她在悲哀的长夜里抱着她的病孩子哭泣，吻他，祈求上帝保佑他——像一个母亲在苦痛的时刻那样祈求。”
“悲哀中的白玫瑰是神圣的，具有神奇的力量;但是它不是我们所寻找的那朵玫瑰花。”
“不是的，我只是在上帝的祭坛上看到世界上最美的那朵玫瑰花，”虔诚的老主教说。“我看到它像一个安琪儿的面孔似的射出光彩。年轻的姑娘走到圣餐的桌子面前，重复她们在受洗时听作出的诺言，于是玫瑰花开了——她们的鲜嫩的脸上开出淡白色的玫瑰花。一个年轻的女子站在那儿。她的灵魂充满了纯洁的爱，她抬头望着上帝——这是一个最纯洁和最高尚的爱的表情。”
“愿上帝祝福她!”聪明人说。“不过你们谁也没有对我说出世界上最美丽的玫瑰花。”
这时有一个孩子——皇后的小儿子——走进房间里来了。他的眼睛里和他的脸上全是泪珠。他捧着一本打开的厚书。这书是用天鹅绒装订的，上面还有银质的大扣子。
“妈妈!”小家伙说，“啊，请听我念吧!”
于是这孩子在床边坐下来，念着书中关于他的事情——他，为了拯救人类，包括那些还没有出生的人，在十字架上牺牲了自己的生命。
“没有什么爱能够比这更伟大!”
皇后的脸上露出一片玫瑰色的光彩，她的眼睛变得又大又明亮，因为她在这书页上看到世界上最美丽的玫瑰花——从十字架上的基督的血里开出的一朵玫瑰花。
“我看到它了!”她说，“看到了这朵玫瑰花——这朵地上最美丽的玫瑰花——的`人，永远不会死亡!”
①普罗旺斯(Provence)是法国东南部的一个地区。这儿的天气温和，各种各色的花草很多。
②瓦尔堡(Valborg)是八世纪在德国传道的一个修女，在传说中被神化成为“圣者”，她在传说中是保护人民反对魔术侵害的神仙。
③文克里得(ArnoldVonWinkelried)是瑞士的一个爱国志士。1386年瑞士在山巴赫(sempach)战胜英国时，据说他起了决定性的作用。他把好几个敌人的长矛抱在一起，使它们刺进自己的胸口里而失去作用。这样他就造成一个缺口，使瑞士军队可以在他身上踩过去，攻击敌人的阵地。
(1852)
这篇故事于1852年发表在《丹麦大众历书》上。在旧时的丹麦，“历书”就像中国过去用的“皇历”一样，每家都有一本，作为日常生活参考之用;所不同的是，丹麦的“历书”中总载有一篇故事，如《卖火柴的小女孩》和《她是一个废物》，就是首发在“大众历书”上的。他利用这种群众性强的出版物发表这类作品，其用意是很明显的。
在安徒生的想象中，耶稣是一个献出自己生命从苦难中拯救人民的人——因为在当时他在现实生活中还找不到这样的人，所以他说在恶人把他钉在十字架的那一堆血泊中所开出的玫瑰，才是世界上最美的花。“他，为了拯救人类，包括那些还没有出生的人，在十字架上牺牲了自己的生命。”实际上他是通过这个象征性的故事来歌颂勇于为人民解除苦难而作出牺牲的人。这里的耶稣不宜与宗教迷信混为一谈。
篇3：安徒生童话故事第：最难使人相信的事情中英文版本
安徒生童话故事第147篇：最难使人相信的事情中英文版本
谁能做出一件最难使人相信的事情，谁就可以得到国王的女儿和他的半个王国。
年轻人——甚至还有年老人——为这事绞尽了脑汁。有两个人把自己啃死了，有一个人喝酒喝得醉死了：他们都是照自己的一套办法来做出最难使人相信的事情，但是这种做法都不合乎要求。街上的小孩子都在练习朝自己背上吐唾沫——他们以为这就是最难使人相信的事情。
一天，有一个展览会开幕了;会上每人表演一件最难使人相信的事情。裁判员都是从3岁的孩子到90岁的老头子中挑选出来的。大家展出的最难使人相信的事情倒是不少，但是大家很快就取得了一致的意见，认为最难使人相信的一件东西是一座有框子的大钟：它里里外外的设计都非常奇妙。
它每敲一次就有活动的人形跳出来指明时刻。这样的表演一共有12次，每次都出现了能说能唱的活动人形。
“这是最难使人相信的事情!”人们说。
钟敲一下，摩西就站在山上，在石板上写下第一道圣谕：“真正的上帝只有一个。”
钟敲两下，伊甸园就出现了：亚当和夏娃两人在这儿会面，他们都非常幸福，虽然他们两人连一个衣柜都没有——他们也没有这个必要。
钟敲三下，东方就出现了三王①他们之中有一位黑得像炭，但是他也没有办法，因为太阳把他晒黑了。他们带来薰香和贵重的物品。
钟敲四下，四季就出现了。春天带来一只杜鹃，它栖在一根含苞的山毛榉枝上。夏天带来蚱蜢，它栖在一根熟了的麦秆上。秋天带来鹳鸟的一个空窠——鹳鸟都已经飞走了。冬天带来一只老乌鸦，它栖在火炉的一旁，讲着故事和旧时的回忆。
“五官”在钟敲五下的时候出现：视觉成了一个眼镜制造匠;听觉成了一个铜匠;嗅觉在卖紫罗兰和车叶草;味觉是一个厨子;感觉是一个承办丧事的人，他戴的黑纱一直拖到脚跟。
钟敲了六下。一个赌徒坐着掷骰子：最大的那一面朝上，上面是六点。
接着一星期的七天(或者七大罪过)出现了——人们不
知道究竟是谁：他们都是半斤八两，不容易辨别。
于是一个僧人组成的圣诗班到来了，他们唱晚间8点钟的颂歌。
九位女神随着钟敲九下到来了：一位是天文学家，一位管理历史文件，其余的则跟戏剧有关。
钟敲10下，摩西带着他的诫条又来了——上帝的圣谕就在这里面，一共有10条。
钟又敲起来了。男孩子和女孩子在跳来跳去;他们一面在玩一种游戏，一面在唱歌：
滴答，滴答，滴滴答，
钟敲了11下!
于是钟就敲了12下。守夜人戴着毡帽、拿着“晨星”②来了。他唱着一支古老的守夜歌：
这恰恰是半夜的时辰，
我们的救主已经出生!
当他正在唱的时候，玫瑰花长出来了，变成一个安琪儿的头，被托在五彩的翅膀上。
这听起来真是愉快，看起来真是美丽。这是无比的、最难使人相信的`艺术品——大家都这样说。
制作它的是一个年轻的艺术家。他的心肠好，像孩子一样地快乐，他是一个忠实的朋友，对他穷苦的父母非常孝顺。
他应该得到那位公主和半个王国。
最后评判的一天到来了。全城都在张灯结彩。公主坐在王座上——座垫里新添了马尾，但这并不使人觉得更舒服或更愉快。四周的裁判员狡猾地对那个快要获得胜利的人望了一眼——这人显得非常有把握和高兴：他的幸运是肯定的，因为他创造出了一件最难使人相信的东西。
“嗨，现在轮到我了!”这时一个又粗又壮的人大声说。
“我才是做一件最难使人相信的事情的人呢!”
于是他对着这件艺术品挥起一把大斧头。
“噼!啪!哗啦!”全都完了。齿轮和弹簧到处乱飞;什么都毁掉了!
“这只有我才能做得出来!”这人说。“我的工作打倒了他的和每个人的工作。我做出了最难使人相信的事情!”
“你把这样一件艺术品毁掉了!”裁判员说，“这的确是最难使人相信的事情!”
所有在场的人都说着同样的话。他将得到公主和半个王国，因为一个诺言究竟是一个诺言，即使它最难使人相信也罢。
喇叭在城墙上和城楼上这样宣布：“婚礼就要举行了!”公主并不觉得太高兴，不过她的样子很可爱，衣服穿得也华丽。
教堂里都点起了蜡烛，在黄昏中特别显得好看。城里的一些贵族小姐们，一面唱着歌，一面扶着公主走出来。骑士们也一面伴着新郎，一面唱着歌。新郎摆出一副堂而皇之的架子，好像谁也打不倒他似的。
歌声现在停止了。静得很，连一根针落到地上都听得见。不过在这沉寂之中，教堂的大门忽然嘎的一声开了，于是——砰!砰!钟的各种机件在走廊上走过去了，停在新娘和新郎中间。我们都知道，死人是不能再起来走路的，不过一件艺术品却是可以重新走路的：它的身体被打得粉碎，但是它的精神是完整的。艺术的精神在显灵，而这决不是开玩笑。
这件艺术品生动地站在那儿，好像它是非常完整，从来没有被毁坏过似的。钟在接二连三地敲着，一直敲到12点。
那些人形都走了出来：第一个是摩西——他的头上似乎在射出火光。他把刻着诫条的石块扔在新郎的脚上，把他压在地上。
“我没有办法把它们搬开，”摩西说，“因为你打断了我的手臂!请你就待在这儿吧!”
接着亚当和夏娃、东方来的圣者和四季都来了。他们每个人都说出那个很不好听的真理：“你好羞耻呀!”
但是他一点也不感到羞耻。
那些在钟上每敲一次就出现的人形，都变得可怕地庞大起来，弄得真正的人几乎没有地方站得住脚。当钟敲到12下的时候，守夜人就戴着毡帽，拿着“晨星”走出来。这时起了一阵惊人的骚动。守夜人大步走到新郎身边，用“晨星”在他的额上痛打。
“躺在这儿吧，”他说，“一报还一报!我们现在报了仇，那位艺术家也报了仇!我们要去了!”
整个艺术品都不见了;不过教堂四周的蜡烛都变成了大朵的花束，同时天花板上的金星也射出长长的、明亮的光线来。风琴自动地奏起来了。大家都说，这是他们从来没有看见过的一件最难使人相信的事情。
“请你们把那位真正的人召进来!”公主说。“那位制造这件艺术品的人才是我的主人和丈夫!”
于是他走进教堂里来，所有的人都成了他的随从。大家都非常高兴，大家都祝福他。没有一个人嫉妒他——这真是一件最难使人相信的事情!
①“东方三王”，或称“东方三博士”。据《圣经·新约全书·马太福音》第二章载，耶稣降生时，有几个博士“看见他的星”，从东方来到耶路撒冷，向他参拜。后人根据所献礼物是三件，推定是三个博士。
②这是一根顶上有叉的木棒。
《最难使人相信的事情》英文版：
The Most Incredible Thing
THE one who could do the most incredible thing should have the king’s daughter and the half of his kingdom.
The young men, and even the old ones, strained all their thoughts, sinews, and muscles; two ate themselves to death, and one drank until he died, to do the most incredible thing according to their own taste, but it was not in this way it was to be done. Little boys in the streets practised spitting on their own backs, they considered that the most incredible thing.
On a certain day an exhibition was to be held of what each had to show as the most incredible. The judges who were chosen were children from three years old to people up in the sixties. There was a whole exhibition of incredible things, but all soon agreed that the most incredible was a huge clock in a case marvellously designed inside and out.
On the stroke of every hour living figures came out, which showed what hour was striking: there were twelve representations in all, with moving figures and with music and conversation.
“That was the most incredible thing,” the people said.
The clock struck one, and Moses stood on the mountain and wrote down on the tables of the law the first commandment, “There is only one true God.”
The clock struck two, and the garden of Eden appeared, where Adam and Eve met, happy both of them, without having so much as a wardrobe; they did not need one either.
On the stroke of three, the three kings from the East were shown; one of them was coal-black, but he could not, help that,—the sun had blackened him. They came with incense and treasures.
On the stroke of four came the four seasons: spring with a cuckoo on a budding beech-bough; summer with a grasshopper on a stalk of ripe corn; autumn with an empty stork’s nest-the birds were flown; winter with an old crow which could tell stories in the chimney-corner, old memories.
When the clock struck five, the five senses appeared sight as a spectacle-maker, hearing as a coppersmith, smell sold violets and woodruff, taste was cook, and feeling was an undertaker with crape down to his heels.
The clock struck six; and there sat a gambler who threw the dice, and the highest side was turned up and showed six.
Then came the seven days of the week, or the seven deadly sins, people were not certain which; they belonged to each other and were not easily distinguished.
Then came a choir of monks and sang the eight o’clock service.
On the stroke of nine came the nine muses; one was busy with astronomy; one with historical archives; the others belonged to the theatre.
On the stroke of ten, Moses again came forward with the tables of the law, on which stood all God’s commandments, and they were ten.
The clock struck again; then little boys and girls danced and hopped about. They played a game, and sang, “Two and two and seven, the clock has struck eleven.”
When twelve struck the watchman appeared with his fur cap and halberd: he sang the old watch verse:
“Twas at the midnight hour
Our Saviour He was born.”
And while he sang, roses grew and changed into angel-beads borne on rainbow-coloured wings.
It was charming to hear, and lovely to see. The whole was a matchless work of art—the most incredible thing, every one said.
The designer of it was a young man, good-hearted and happy as a child, a true friend, and good to his old parents; he deserved the Princess and the half of the kingdom.
The day of decision arrived; the whole of the town had a holiday, and the Princess sat on the throne, which had got new horse-hair, but which was not any more comfortable. The judges round about looked very knowingly at he one who was to win, and he stood glad and confident; his good fortune was certain, he had made the most incredible thing.
“No, I shall do that now!” shouted just then a long bony fellow. “I am the man for the most incredible thing,” and he swung a great axe at the work of art.
“Crash, crash!” and there lay the whole of it. Wheels and springs flew in all directions; everything was destroyed.
“That I could do!” said the man. “My work has overcome his and overcome all of you. I have done the most incredible thing.”
“To destroy such a work of art!” said the judges. “Yes, certainly that is the most incredible thing.”
All the people said the same, and so he was to have the Princess and the half of the kingdom, for a promise is a promise, even if it is of the most incredible kind.
It was announced with trumpet-blast from the ramparts and from all the towers that the marriage should be celebrated. The Princess was not quite pleased about it, but she looked charming and was gorgeously dressed. The church shone with candles; it shows best late in the evening. The noble maidens of the town sang and led the bride forward; the knights sang and accompanied the bridegroom. He strutted as if he could never be broken.
Now the singing stopped and one could have heard a pin fall, but in the midst of the silence the great church door flew open with a crash and clatter, and boom! boom! the whole of the clock-work came marching up the passage and planted itself between the bride and bridegroom. Dead men cannot walk again, we know that very well, but a work of art can walk again; the body was knocked to pieces, but not the spirit; the spirit of the work walked, and that in deadly earnest.
The work of art stood there precisely as if it were whole and untouched. The hours struck, the one after the other, up to twelve, and the figures swarmed forward; first Moses: flames of fire seemed to flash from his forehead; he threw the heavy stone tables down on the feet of the bridegroom and pinned them to the church floor.
“I cannot lift them again,” said Moses, “you have knocked my arm off! Stand as you stand now!”
Then came Adam and Eve, the wise men from the East, and the four Seasons; each of these told him unpleasant truths, and said “For shame!”
But he was not in the least ashamed.
All the figures which each stroke of the clock had to exhibit came out of it, and all increased to a terrible size; there seemed scarcely to he room for the real people; and when at the stroke of twelve the watchman appeared with his fur cap and halberd, there was a wonderful commotion; the watchman walked straight up to the bridegroom and struck him on the forehead with his halberd.
“Lie there,” he said, “like for like! we are avenged and our master as well! we vanish!”
And so the whole work disappeared; but the candles round about in the church became great bouquets, and the gilded stars on the ceiling of the church sent out long, clear beams, and the organ played of itself. All the people said it was the most incredible thing they had ever experienced.
“Will you then summon the right one!” said the Princess, “the one who made the work of art; let him be my lord and husband.”
And he stood in the church with the whole of the people for his retinue. All were glad and all blessed him; there was not one who was jealous—and that was the most incredible thing of all.
