安徒生童話故事第14篇：天國花園The Garden of Paradise
天國花園中文版：
從前有一位國王的兒子，誰也沒有他那麼多美麗的書：世界上所發生的事情，在這些書本里他都讀得到，而且也可以在一些美麗的插圖中看得見。他可以知道每個民族和每個國家。不過天國花園在什麼地方，書上卻一字也沒有提到。而他最想知道的正是這件事情。
當他還是一個小孩、但已經可以上學的時候，他的祖母曾經告訴他，說：天國花園裡每朵花都是最甜的點心，每顆花蕊都是最美的酒;這朵花上寫的是歷史，那朵花上寫的是地理和乘法表。一個人只須吃一塊點心就可以學一課書;他越吃得多，就越能學到更多的歷史、地理和乘法表。
那時他相信這話。不過他年紀越大，學到的東西越多，就變得越聰明。他知道，天國花園的美景一定是很特殊的。
“啊，為什麼夏娃①要摘下知識之樹的果子呢?為什麼亞當要吃掉禁果呢?如果我是他的話，這件事就決不會發生，世界上也就永遠不會有罪孽存在了。”
這是他那時說的一句話。等他到了17歲，他仍然說著這句話。“天國花園”佔據了他整個的思想。
有一天他在森林裡散步。他是單獨地在散步，因為這是他生活中最愉快的事情。
黃昏到來了，雲塊在密集著，雨在傾盆地下著，好像天空就是一個專門瀉水的水閘似的。天很黑，黑得像在深井中的黑夜一樣。他一會兒在潮溼的草上滑一腳，一會兒在崎嶇的地上冒出的光石頭上絆一跤。一切都浸在水裡。這位可憐的王子身上沒有一絲是乾的。他不得不爬到一大堆石頭上去，因為這兒的水都從厚青苔裡沁出來了。他幾乎要倒下來了。這時他聽到一個奇怪的噓噓聲。於是他看到面前有一個發光的大地洞。洞裡燒著一堆火;這堆火幾乎可以烤熟一隻牡鹿。事實上也是這樣。有一隻長著高大的犄角的美麗的牡鹿，被穿在一根叉子上，在兩根杉樹幹之間慢慢地轉動。火邊坐著一個身材高大的老女人，樣子很像一位偽裝的男人。她不斷地添些木塊到火裡去。
“請進來吧!”她說。“請在火旁邊坐下，把你的衣服烤乾吧。”
“這兒有一股陰風吹進來!”王子說，同時他在地上坐下來。
“我的孩子們回來以後，那還要糟呢!”女人回答說。“你現在來到了風之洞。我的兒子們就是世界上的四種風。你懂得嗎?”
“你的兒子現在在什麼地方呢?”王子問。
“嗨，當一個人發出一個糊塗的問題的時候，這是很難回答的，”女人說。“我的兒子各人在做著各人自己的事情。他們正在天宮裡和雲塊一道踢毽子。”
於是她朝天上指了一下。
“啊，真有這樣的事情!”王子說。“不過你說話的態度粗魯，一點也沒有我周圍的那些女人的溫柔氣息。”
“是的，大概她們都沒有別的事情可做吧!如果我要叫我的兒子們聽話，我得要厲害一點才成。這點我倒是做得到，雖然他們都是一些固執的傢伙。請你看看牆上掛著的四個袋子吧;他們害怕這些東西，正如你從前害怕掛在鏡子後面的那根竹條一樣。我告訴你，我可以把這幾個孩子疊起來，塞進袋子裡去。我們不須講什麼客氣!他們在那裡面待著，在我認為沒有必要把他們放出來以前，他們不能出來到處撒野。不過，現在有一個回來了!”
這是北風。他帶著一股冰冷的寒氣衝進來。大塊的雹子在地上跳動，雪球在四處亂飛。他穿著熊皮做的上衣和褲子。海豹皮做的帽子一直蓋到耳朵上。他的鬍子上掛著長長的冰柱。雹子不停地從他的上衣領子上滾下來。
“不要馬上就到火邊來!”王子說，“否則你會把手和麵孔凍傷的。”
“凍傷?”北風說，不禁哈哈大笑起來。“冰凍!這正是我最喜歡的東西!不過你是一個什麼少爺?你怎麼鑽進風之洞裡來了?”
“他是我的客人!”老女人說。“如果你對於這解釋感到不滿意的話，那麼就請你鑽進那個袋子裡去——現在你懂得我的用意了吧!”
這話馬上發生效力。北風開始敘述他是從什麼地方來的，他花了將近一個月的工夫到了些什麼地方去過。
“我是從北極海來的，”他說。“我和俄國獵海象的人到白令島②去過。當他們從北望角開出的時候，我坐在他們的船舵上打盹。當我偶爾醒過來的時候，海燕就在我的腿邊飛。這是一種很滑稽的鳥兒!它們猛烈地拍幾下翅膀，接著就張著翅膀停在空中不動，然後忽然像箭似的向前飛走。”
“不要東扯西拉，”風媽媽說。“你到白令島去過嗎?”
“那兒才美哪!那兒跳舞用的地板，平整得像盤子一樣!
那兒有長著青苔的半融的雪、尖峭的岩石、海象和北極熊的殘骸。它們像生滿了綠黴的巨人的肢體。人們會以為太陽從來沒有在那兒出現過。我把迷霧吹了幾下，好讓人們可以找
到小屋。這是用破船的木頭砌成的一種房子，上面蓋著海象的皮——貼肉的那一面朝外。房子的顏色是紅綠相間的;屋頂上坐著一個活的北極熊，在那兒哀叫。我跑到岸上去找雀窠，看到光赤的小鳥張著嘴在尖叫。於是我朝它們無數的小咽喉裡吹一口氣，教它們把嘴閉住。更下面一點，有許多大海象在拍著水，像一些長著尺把長牙齒和豬腦袋的活腸子或大蛆!”
“我的少爺，你的故事講得很好!”媽媽說。“聽你講的時候，我連口水都流出來了!”
“於是打獵開始了!長魚叉插進海象的胸脯裡去，血噴出來像噴泉一樣灑在冰上。這時我也想起了我的遊戲!我吹起來，讓我的那些船——山一樣高的冰塊——向他們的船中間衝過去。嗨，船伕吹著口哨，大喊大嚷!可是我比他們吹得更厲害。他們只好把死的海象、箱子和纜繩扔到冰上去!我在他們身上撒下雪花，讓他們乘著破船，帶著他們的獵物，漂向南方，去嚐嚐鹹水的滋味。他們永遠也不能再到白令島來了!”
“那麼你做了一件壞事了!”風媽媽說。
“至於我做了些什麼好事，讓別人來講吧!”他說。“不過現在我的西方兄弟到來了。所有兄弟之中我最喜歡他。他有海的氣息和一種愉快的清涼味。”
“那就是小小的西風嗎?”王子問。
“是，他就是西風，”老女人說。“不過他並不是那麼小，從前他是一個可愛的孩子，不過那已經是過去的事了。”
他的樣子像一個野人，不過他戴著一頂寬邊帽來保護自己的面孔。他手上拿著一根桃花心木的棒子——這是在美洲一個桃花心木樹林裡砍下來的。這可不是一件小玩意兒啦。
“你是從什麼地方來的?”媽媽問。
“從荒涼的森林裡來的!”他說。“那兒多刺的藤蔓在每株樹的周圍建立起一道籬笆，水蛇在潮溼的草裡睡覺，人類在那兒似乎是多餘的。”
“你在那兒幹嗎?”
“我在那兒看一條頂深的河，看它從岩石中衝下來，變成水花，濺到雲塊中去，托住一條虹。我看到野水牛在河裡游泳，不過激流把它沖走了。它跟一群野鴨一起漂流。野鴨漂到河流要變成瀑布的地方就飛起來了。水牛隻好隨著水滾下去!我覺得這好玩極了，我吹起一股風暴，把許多古樹吹到水裡去，打成碎片!”
“你沒有做過別的事嗎?”老女人問。
“我在原野上翻了幾個跟頭：我摸撫了野馬，搖下了可可核。是的，是的，我有很多故事要講!不過一個人不能把他所有的東西都講出來。這一點你是知道的，老太太。”
他吻了他的媽媽一下，她幾乎要向後倒下去了。他真是一個野蠻的孩子!
現在南風到了。他頭上裹著一塊頭巾，身上披著一件遊牧人的寬斗篷。
“這兒真是冷得夠嗆!”他說，同時加了幾塊木材到火裡去。"人們立刻可以感覺出北風已經先到這兒來了。”
“這兒真太熱，人們簡直可以在這兒烤一隻北極熊。”北風說。
“你本人就是一隻北極熊呀!”南風說。
“你想要鑽進那個袋子裡去嗎?”老女人問。“請在那邊的石頭上坐下來，趕快告訴我你到什麼地方去過。”
“到非洲去過，媽媽!”他回答說。“我曾在卡菲爾人③的國土裡和霍屯督人④一起去獵過獅子!那兒平原上的草綠得像橄欖樹一樣!那兒角馬⑤在跳舞。有一隻鴕鳥跟我賽跑，不過我的腿比它跑得快。我走到那全是黃沙的沙漠裡去——這地方的樣子很像海底。我遇見一隊旅行商，他們把最後一隻駱駝殺掉了，為的是想得到一點水喝，不過他們所得到的水很少。太陽在上面烤，沙子在下面炙。沙漠向四面展開，沒有邊際。於是我在鬆散的細沙上打了幾個滾，攪起一陣像巨大圓柱的灰沙。這場舞才跳得好哪!你應該瞧瞧單峰駱駝呆呆地站在那兒露出一副多麼沮喪的神情。商人把長袍拉到頭上蓋著。他倒在我面前，好像倒在他的阿拉⑥面前一樣。他們現在被埋葬了——沙子做成的一個金字塔堆在他們身上。以後我再把它吹散掉的時候，太陽將會把他們的白骨曬枯了。那麼旅人們就會知道，這兒以前曾經有人來過。否則誰也不會相信，在沙漠中會有這樣的事情。”
“所以你除了壞事以外，什麼事情也沒有做!”媽媽說。
“鑽進那個袋子裡去!”
在他還沒有發覺以前，她已經把南風攔腰抱住，按進袋子裡去。他在地上打著滾，不過她已經坐在袋子上，所以他也只好不作聲了。
“你的這群孩子倒是蠻活潑的!”王子說。
“一點也不錯，”她回答說，“而且我還知道怎樣管他們呢!現在第四個孩子回來了!”
這是東風，他穿一套中國人的衣服。
“哦!你從哪個地區來的?”媽媽說。“我相信你到天國花園裡去過。”
“我明天才飛到那兒去，”東風說。“自從我上次去過以後，明天恰恰是100年。我現在是從中國來的——我在瓷塔周圍跳了一陣舞，把所有的鐘都弄得叮噹叮噹地響起來!官員們在街上捱打;竹條子在他們肩上打裂了，而他們卻都是一品到九品的官啦。他們都說：‘多謝恩主!’不過這不是他們心裡的話。於是我搖著鈴，唱：‘丁，當，鏘!’”
“你太頑皮了!”老女人說。“你明天到天國花園去走走也好;這可以教育你，對你有好處。好好地在智慧泉裡喝幾口水吧，還請你帶一小瓶給我。”
“這個不成問題，”東風說。“不過你為什麼把我的弟兄南風關在袋子裡呢?把他放出來呀!他可以講點鳳凰的故事給我聽，因為天國花園的那位公主，每當我過了一個世紀去拜望她的時候，她總是喜歡聽聽鳳凰的故事。請把袋子開啟吧!
這樣你才是我最甜蜜的媽媽呀，我將送給你兩包茶——兩包我從產地摘下的又綠又新鮮的茶!”
“唔，為了這茶的緣故，也因為你是我所喜歡的一個孩子，我就把袋子開啟吧!”
她這麼做了。南風爬了出來，不過他的神氣很頹喪，因為這位陌生的王子看到了他受懲罰。
“你把這張棕櫚樹葉帶給公主吧!”南風說。“這樹葉是現在世界上僅有的那隻鳳凰帶給我的。他用尖嘴在葉子上繪出了他這100年的生活經歷。現在她可以親自把這記載讀一讀。
我親眼看見鳳凰把自己的窠燒掉，他自己坐在裡面，像一個印度的寡婦⑦似的把自己燒死。乾枝子燒得多麼響!煙多麼大!氣味多麼香!最後，一切都變成了火焰，老鳳凰也化為灰燼。不過他的蛋在火裡發出紅光。它轟然一聲爆裂開來，於是一隻小鳳凰就飛出來了。他現在是群鳥之王，也是世界上唯一的一隻鳳凰。他在我給你的這張棕櫚葉上啄開了一個洞口：這就是他送給公主的敬禮!”
“現在我們來吃點東西吧!”風媽媽說。
他們都坐下來吃那隻烤好了的牡鹿。王子坐在東風旁邊，他們馬上就成了很要好的朋友。
“請告訴我，”王子說，“你們剛才談的那位公主究竟是怎樣的一個人呢?天國花園在什麼地方呢?”
“哈，哈，”東風說。“你想到那兒去嗎?嗯，那麼你明天跟我一起飛去吧!不過，我得告訴你，自從亞當和夏娃以後，什麼人也沒有到那兒去過。你在《聖經》故事中已經讀到過關於他們的故事了吧?”
“讀到過!”王子說。
“當他們被趕出去以後，天國花園就墜到地裡去了;不過它還保留著溫暖的陽光、溫和的空氣以及它一切的美觀。群仙之後就住在裡面，幸福之島也在那兒——死神從來不到這島上來，住在這兒真是美極了!明天你可以坐在我的背上，我把你帶去：我想這辦法很好。但是現在我們不要再閒聊吧，因為我想睡了。”
於是大家都去睡了。
大清早，王子醒來時，他可是吃驚不小，他已經高高地在雲塊上飛行。他騎在東風的背上，而東風也老老實實地揹著他：他們飛得非常高，下邊的森林、田野、河流和湖泊簡直像是映在一幅大地圖上的東西。
“早安!”東風說。“你還可以多睡一會兒，因為下面的平地上並沒有什麼東西好看。除非你願意數數那些教堂!它們像在綠板上用粉筆畫的小點子。”
他所謂的綠板就是田野和草地。
“我沒有跟你媽媽和你的弟兄告別，真是太沒有禮貌了!”
王子說。
“當一個人在睡覺的時候，他是應該得到原諒的!”東風說。
於是他們加快飛行的速度。人們可以聽到他們在樹頂上飛行，因為當他們經過的時候，葉子和柔枝都沙沙地響起來了。人們也可以在海上和湖上聽到，因為他們飛過的時候，浪就高起來，許多大船也向水點著頭，像游泳的天鵝。
將近黃昏的時候，天就暗下來，許多大城市真是美麗極了。有許多燈在點著，一會兒這裡一亮，一會兒那裡一亮。這景象好比一個人在燃著一張紙，看到火星後就散開來，像小孩子走出學校門一樣。王子拍著雙手，不過東風請求他不要這樣做，他最好坐穩一點，不然就很容易掉下來，掛在教堂的尖頂上。
黑森林裡的蒼鷹在輕快地飛翔著。但是東風飛得更輕快。
騎著小馬的哥薩克人在草原上敏捷地飛馳過去了，但王子更敏捷地在空中飛過去。
“現在你可以看到喜馬拉雅山了!”東風說。“這是亞洲最高的山。過一會兒我們就要到天國花園了!”
他們更向南飛，空中立刻有一陣花朵和香料的氣味飄來。
處處長著無花果和石榴，野葡萄藤結滿了紅葡萄和紫葡萄。他們兩個人就在這兒降下來，在柔軟的草地上伸開肢體。花朵向風兒點頭，好像是說：“歡迎你回來!”
“我們現在到了天國花園了嗎?”王子問。
“沒有，當然沒有!”東風回答說。“不過我們馬上就要到了。你看到那邊石砌的牆嗎?你看到那邊的大洞口嗎?你看到那洞口上懸著的像綠簾子的葡萄藤嗎?我們將要走進那洞口!請你緊緊地裹住你的大衣吧。太陽在這兒灼熱地烤著，可是再向前一步，你就會感到冰凍般的寒冷。飛過這洞子的雀子總有一隻翅膀留在炎熱的夏天裡，另一隻翅膀留在寒冷的冬天裡!”
“這就是到天國花園去的道路嗎?”王子問。
他們走進洞口裡去!噢!裡面冷得像冰一樣，但是時間沒有多久。東風展開他的翅膀;它們亮得像最光耀的火焰。這是多麼奇怪的一個洞子啊!懸在他們頭上的是一大堆奇形怪狀的、滴著水的石塊。有些地方是那麼狹小，他們不得不伏在地上爬;有些地方又是那麼寬廣和高闊，好像在高空中一樣。這地方很像墓地的教堂，裡面有發不出聲音的風琴管，和成了化石的旗子。
“我們透過死神的道路來到天國!”王子說。
但是東風一個字也不回答。他指著前面，那兒有一道美麗的藍色在發出閃光。上面的石塊漸漸變成一層煙霧，最後變得像月光中的一塊白雲。他們現在呼吸到涼爽溫和的空氣，新鮮得好像站在高山上，香得好像山谷裡的玫瑰花。
有一條像空氣一樣清亮的河在流著，魚兒簡直像金子和銀子。紫紅色的鱔魚在水底下嬉戲，它們捲動一下就發出藍色的光芒。寬大的睡蓮葉子射出虹一樣的色彩。被水培養著的花朵像油培養著燈花一樣，鮮豔得像橘黃色的焰光。一座堅固的大理石橋，刻得非常精緻而富有藝術風味，簡直像是用緞帶和玻璃珠子砌成的。它橫在水上，通到幸福之島——天國花園，在這兒開出一片花朵。
東風用雙手抱著王子，把他帶到這個島上。花朵和葉子唱出他兒時最悅耳的歌曲，不過它們唱得那麼美，人類的聲音是決唱不出來的。
生長在這兒的東西是棕櫚樹呢，還是龐大的水草?王子從來沒有看到過這麼青翠和龐大的樹木。許多非常美麗的攀援植物垂下無數的花彩，像聖賢著作中書緣上那些用金黃和其他色彩所繪成的圖案，或是一章書的頭一個字母中的花紋。這可說是花、鳥和花彩所組成的“三絕”。附近的草地上有一群孔雀在展開光亮的長尾。是的，這都是真的!不過當王子摸一下這些東西的時候，他發現它們並不是鳥兒，而是植物。它們是牛蒡，但是光耀得像華麗的孔雀屏。虎和獅子，像敏捷的貓兒一樣，在綠色的灌木林中跳來跳去。這些灌木林發出的香氣像橄欖樹的花朵。而且這些老虎和獅子都是很馴服的。野斑鳩閃亮得像最美麗的珍珠。它們在獅子的鬃毛上拍著翅膀。平時總是很羞怯的羚羊現在站在旁邊點著頭，好像它也想來玩一陣子似的。
天國的仙女到來了。她的衣服像太陽似的發著亮光，她的面孔是溫柔的，正如一個快樂的母親對於自己的孩子感到幸福的'時候一樣。她是又年輕，又美麗。她後面跟著一群最美麗的使女，每人頭上都戴著一顆亮晶晶的星。
東風把鳳凰寫的那張葉子交給她，她的眼睛發出快樂的光彩。她挽著王子的手，把他領進王宮裡去。那兒牆壁的顏色就像照在太陽光中的鬱金香。天花板就是一大朵閃著亮光的花。人們越朝裡面望，花萼就越顯得深。王子走到窗子那兒去，在一塊玻璃後面朝外望。這時他看到知識之樹、樹旁的蛇和在附近的亞當和夏娃。
“他們沒有被趕出去麼?”他問。
仙女微笑了一下。她解釋著說，時間在每塊玻璃上烙下了一幅圖畫，但這並不是人們慣常所見的那種圖畫。不，這畫裡面有生命：樹上的葉子在搖動，人就像鏡中的影子似的在來來往往。他又在另一塊玻璃後面望。他看見雅各夢見通到天上的梯子⑧長著大翅膀的安琪兒在上上下下地飛翔。的確，世界上所發生的事情全都在玻璃裡活動著。只有時間才能刻下這樣奇異的圖畫。
仙女微笑了一下，又把他領到一間又高又大的廳堂裡去。牆壁像是透明的畫像，面孔一個比一個好看。這兒有無數幸福的人們，他們微笑著，歌唱著;這些歌聲和笑聲交融成為一種和諧的音樂。最上面的是那麼小，小得比繪在紙上作為最小的玫瑰花苞的一個小點還要小。大廳中央有一株綠葉茂密、枝丫低垂的大樹;大大小小的金黃蘋果，像橘子似的在葉子之間懸著。這就是知識之樹。亞當和夏娃曾吃過這樹上的果子。每一片葉子滴下一滴亮晶晶的紅色露珠;這好像樹哭出來的血眼淚。
“我們現在到船上去吧!”仙女說，“我們可以在波濤上呼吸一點空氣。船會搖擺，可是它並不離開原來的地點。但是世界上所有的國家將會在我們眼前經過。”
整個的河岸在移動，這真是一種奇觀。積雪的阿爾卑斯山，帶著雲塊和松林，現在出現了;號角吹出憂鬱的調子;牧羊人在山谷裡高聲歌唱。香蕉樹在船上垂下長枝;烏黑的天
鵝在水上游泳，奇異的動物和花卉在岸上顯耀著自己。這是新荷蘭⑨——世界五大洲之一。它被一系列的青山襯托著，在眼前浮過去了。人們聽到牧師的歌聲，看到原始人踏著鼓聲和骨頭做的喇叭聲在跳舞。深入雲霄的埃及金字塔，倒下的圓柱和一半埋在沙裡的斯芬克斯⑩，也都在眼前浮過去了。北極光照在北方的冰河上——這是誰也仿造不出來的焰火。王子感到非常幸福。的確，他所看到的東西，比我們現在所講的要多100倍以上。
“我能不能永遠住在這兒?”他問。
“這要由你自己決定!”仙女回答說。“如果你能不像亞當那樣去作違禁的事，你就可以永遠住在這兒!”
“我決不會去動知識樹上的果子!”王子說。“這兒有無數的果子跟那個果子同樣美麗。”
“請你問問你自己吧。假如你的意志不夠堅強，你可以跟送你來的東風一道回去。他快要飛回去了。他只有過了100年以後才再到這兒來;在這兒，這段時間只不過像100個鐘頭;但就罪惡和誘惑說來，這段時間卻非常漫長。每天晚上，當我離開你的時候，我會對你喊：‘跟我一塊兒來吧!’我也會向你招手，不過你不能動。你不要跟我一道來，因為你向前走一步，你的慾望就會增大。那麼你就會來到長著那棵知識之樹的大廳。我就睡在它芬芳的垂枝下面;你會在我的身上彎下腰來，而我必然會向你微笑。不過如果你吻了我的嘴唇，天國就會墜到地底下去，那麼你也就失掉它了。沙漠的厲風將會在你的周圍吹，冰涼的雨點將會從你的頭髮上滴下來。憂愁和苦惱將會是你的命運。”
“我要在這兒住下來!”王子說。
於是東風就在他的前額上吻了一下，同時說：“請放堅強些吧。100年以後我們再在這兒會見。再會吧!再會吧!”
東風展開他的大翅膀。它們發出的閃光像秋天的麥田或寒冷冬天的北極光。
“再會吧!再會吧!”這是花叢和樹林中發出的聲音。鸛鳥和鵜鶘成行地飛起，像飄蕩著的緞帶，一直陪送東風飛到花園的邊境。
“現在我們開始跳舞吧!”仙女說。“當我和你跳完了，當太陽落下去了的時候，我將向你招手。你將會聽到我對你喊：‘跟我一道來吧。’不過請你不要聽這話，因為在這100年間我每晚必定說一次這樣的話。你每次經過這樣一個考驗，你就會獲得更多的力量;最後你就會一點也不想這話了。今晚是頭一次。我得提醒你!”
仙女把他領到一個擺滿了透明的百合花的大廳裡。每朵花的黃色花蕊是一個小小的金色豎琴——它發出絃樂器和蘆笛的聲音。許多苗條的美麗女子，穿著霧似的薄紗衣服，露出她們可愛的肢體，在輕盈地跳舞。她們歌唱著生存的快樂，歌唱她們永不滅亡，天國花園永遠開著花朵。
太陽落下來了。整個天空變成一片金黃，把百合花染上一層最美麗的玫瑰色。王子喝著這些姑娘所倒出的、泛著泡沫的美酒，感到從來沒有過的幸福。他看到大廳的背景在他面前展開;知識之樹在射出光芒，使他的眼睛發花。歌聲是柔和的，美麗的，像他母親的聲音，也像母親在唱：“我的孩子!我親愛的孩子!”
於是仙女向他招手，向他親熱地說：“跟我來吧!跟我來吧!”
於是他就向她走去。他忘記了自己的諾言，忘記了那頭一個晚上。她在招手，在微笑。環繞在他周圍的芬芳的氣息越變越濃，豎琴也奏得更好聽。在這長著知識之樹的大廳裡，現在似乎有好幾個面孔在向他點頭和歌唱，“大家應該知道，人類是世界的主人!”從知識樹的葉子上滴下來的不再是血的眼淚;在他的眼中，這似乎是放亮的紅星。
“跟我來吧!跟我來吧!”一個顫抖的聲音說。王子每走一步，就感到自己的面孔更灼熱，血流得更快。
“我一定來!”他說。“這不是罪過，這不可能是罪過!為什麼不追求美和快樂呢?我要看看她的睡態!只要我不吻她，我就不會有什麼損失。我決不做這事，我是堅強的，我有果斷的意志!”
仙女脫下耀眼的外衣，分開垂枝，不一會兒就藏進樹枝裡去了。
“我還沒有犯罪，”王子說，“而且我也決不會。”
於是他把樹枝向兩邊分開。她已經睡著了，只有天國花園裡的仙女才能有她那樣美麗。她在夢中發出微笑，他對她彎下腰來，他看見她的睫毛下有淚珠在顫抖。
“你是在為我哭嗎?”他柔聲地說。“不要哭吧，你——美麗的女人!現在我可懂得天國的幸福了!這幸福現在在我的血液裡流，在我的思想裡流。在我這個凡人的身體裡，我現在感到了安琪兒的力量，感到了永恆的生命。讓這永恆的夜屬於我吧，有這樣的一分鐘已經就夠豐富了。”
於是他吻了她眼睛裡的眼淚，他的嘴唇貼上了她的嘴唇——
這時一個沉重可怕的雷聲響起來了，任何人從來都沒有聽見過。一切東西都沉陷了;那位美麗的仙女，那開滿了花的樂園——這一切都沉陷了，沉陷得非常深。王子看到這一切沉進黑夜中去，像遠處亮著的一顆小小的明星。他全身感到一種死的寒冷。他閉起眼睛，像死去了似的躺了很久。
冷雨落到他的面上，厲風在他的頭上吹，於是他恢復了知覺。
“我做了些什麼呢?”他嘆了一口氣。“我像亞當一樣犯了罪!所以天國就沉陷下去了!”
於是他睜開眼睛。遠處的那顆明星，那顆亮得像是已經沉陷了的天國的星——是天上的一顆晨星。
他站起來，發現自己在大森林裡風之洞的近旁，風媽媽正坐在他的身邊：她有些兒生氣，把手舉在空中。
“在第一天晚上，”她說，“我料想到結果必定是如此!是的，假如你是我的孩子，你就得鑽進袋子裡去!”
“是的，你應該鑽進去才成!”死神說。這是一位強壯的老人，手中握著一把鐮刀，身上長著兩隻大黑翅膀。“他應該躺進棺材裡去，不過他的時間還沒有到;我只是把他記下來，讓他在人世間再旅行一些時候，叫他能贖罪，變得好一點!總有一天我會來的。在他意料不到的時候，我將把他關進一個黑棺材裡去，我把他頂在我的頭上，向那一顆星飛去。那兒也有一個開滿了花的天國花園。如果他是善良和虔誠的，他就可以走進去。不過如果他有惡毒的思想，如果他的心裡還充滿了罪過，他將和他的棺材一起墜落，比天國墜落得還要深。只有在隔了一千年以後我才再來找他，使他能有機會再墜落得更深一點，或是升向那顆星——那顆高高地亮著的星!”
天國花園英文版：
The Garden of Paradise
THERE was once a king’s son who had a larger and more beautiful collection of books than any one else in the world, and full of splendid copper-plate engravings. He could read and obtain information respecting every people of every land; but not a word could he find to explain the situation of the garden of paradise, and this was just what he most wished to know. His grandmother had told him when he was quite a little boy, just old enough to go to school, that each flower in the garden of paradise was a sweet cake, that the pistils were full of rich wine, that on one flower history was written, on another geography or tables; so those who wished to learn their lessons had only to eat some of the cakes, and the more they ate, the more history, geography, or tables they knew. He believed it all then; but as he grew older, and learnt more and more, he became wise enough to understand that the splendor of the garden of paradise must be very different to all this. “Oh, why did Eve pluck the fruit from the tree of knowledge? why did Adam eat the forbidden fruit?” thought the king’s son: “if I had been there it would never have happened, and there would have been no sin in the world.” The garden of paradise occupied all his thoughts till he reached his seventeenth year.
One day he was walking alone in the wood, which was his greatest pleasure, when evening came on. The clouds gathered, and the rain poured down as if the sky had been a waterspout; and it was as dark as the bottom of a well at midnight; sometimes he slipped over the smooth grass, or fell over stones that projected out of the rocky ground. Every thing was dripping with moisture, and the poor prince had not a dry thread about him. He was obliged at last to climb over great blocks of stone, with water spurting from the thick moss. He began to feel quite faint, when he heard a most singular rushing noise, and saw before him a large cave, from which came a blaze of light. In the middle of the cave an immense fire was burning, and a noble stag, with its branching horns, was placed on a spit between the trunks of two pine-trees. It was turning slowly before the fire, and an elderly woman, as large and strong as if she had been a man in disguise, sat by, throwing one piece of wood after another into the flames.
“Come in,” she said to the prince; “sit down by the fire and dry yourself.”
“There is a great draught here,” said the prince, as he seated himself on the ground.
“It will be worse when my sons come home,” replied the woman; “you are now in the cavern of the Winds, and my sons are the four Winds of heaven: can you understand that?”
“Where are your sons?” asked the prince.
“It is difficult to answer stupid questions,” said the woman. “My sons have plenty of business on hand; they are playing at shuttlecock with the clouds up yonder in the king’s hall,” and she pointed upwards.
“Oh, indeed,” said the prince; “but you speak more roughly and harshly and are not so gentle as the women I am used to.”
“Yes, that is because they have nothing else to do; but I am obliged to be harsh, to keep my boys in order, and I can do it, although they are so head-strong. Do you see those four sacks hanging on the wall? Well, they are just as much afraid of those sacks, as you used to be of the rat behind the looking-glass. I can bend the boys together, and put them in the sacks without any resistance on their parts, I can tell you. There they stay, and dare not attempt to come out until I allow them to do so. And here comes one of them.”
It was the North Wind who came in, bringing with him a cold, piercing blast; large hailstones rattled on the floor, and snowflakes were scattered around in all directions. He wore a bearskin dress and cloak. His sealskin cap was drawn over his ears, long icicles hung from his beard, and one hailstone after another rolled from the collar of his jacket.
“Don’t go too near the fire,” said the prince, “or your hands and face will be frost-bitten.”
“Frost-bitten!” said the North Wind, with a loud laugh; “why frost is my greatest delight. What sort of a little snip are you, and how did you find your way to the cavern of the Winds?”
“He is my guest,” said the old woman, “and if you are not satisfied with that explanation you can go into the sack. Do you understand me?”
That settled the matter. So the North Wind began to relate his adventures, whence he came, and where he had been for a whole month. “I come from the polar seas,” he said; “I have been on the Bear’s Island with the Russian walrus-hunters. I sat and slept at the helm of their ship, as they sailed away from North Cape. Sometimes when I woke, the storm-birds would fly about my legs. They are curious birds; they give one flap with their wings, and then on their outstretched pinions soar far away.”
“Don’t make such a long story of it,” said the mother of the winds; “what sort of a place is Bear’s Island?”
“A very beautiful place, with a floor for dancing as smooth and flat as a plate. Half-melted snow, partly covered with moss, sharp stones, and skeletons of walruses and polar-bears, lie all about, their gigantic limbs in a state of green decay. It would seem as if the sun never shone there. I blew gently, to clear away the mist, and then I saw a little hut, which had been built from the wood of a wreck, and was covered with the skins of the walrus, the fleshy side outwards; it looked green and red, and on the roof sat a growling bear. Then I went to the sea shore, to look after birds’ nests, and saw the unfledged nestlings opening their mouths and screaming for food. I blew into the thousand little throats, and quickly stopped their screaming. Farther on were the walruses with pig’s heads, and teeth a yard long, rolling about like great worms.”
“You relate your adventures very well, my son,” said the mother, “it makes my mouth water to hear you.
“After that,” continued the North Wind, “the hunting commenced. The harpoon was flung into the breast of the walrus, so that a smoking stream of blood spurted forth like a fountain, and besprinkled the ice. Then I thought of my own game; I began to blow, and set my own ships, the great icebergs sailing, so that they might crush the boats. Oh, how the sailors howled and cried out! but I howled louder than they. They were obliged to unload their cargo, and throw their chests and the dead walruses on the ice. Then I sprinkled snow over them, and left them in their crushed boats to drift southward, and to taste salt water. They will never return to Bear’s Island.”
“So you have done mischief,” said the mother of the Winds.
“I shall leave others to tell the good I have done,” he replied. “But here comes my brother from the West; I like him best of all, for he has the smell of the sea about him, and brings in a cold, fresh air as he enters.”
“Is that the little Zephyr?” asked the prince.
“Yes, it is the little Zephyr,” said the old woman; “but he is not little now. In years gone by he was a beautiful boy; now that is all past.”
He came in, looking like a wild man, and he wore a slouched hat to protect his head from injury. In his hand he carried a club, cut from a mahogany tree in the American forests, not a trifle to carry.
“Whence do you come?” asked the mother.
“I come from the wilds of the forests, where the thorny brambles form thick hedges between the trees; where the water-snake lies in the wet grass, and mankind seem to be unknown.”
“What were you doing there?”
“I looked into the deep river, and saw it rushing down from the rocks. The water drops mounted to the clouds and glittered in the rainbow. I saw the wild buffalo swimming in the river, but the strong tide carried him away amidst a flock of wild ducks, which flew into the air as the waters dashed onwards, leaving the buffalo to be hurled over the waterfall. This pleased me; so I raised a storm, which rooted up old trees, and sent them floating down the river.”
“And what else have you done?” asked the old woman.
“I have rushed wildly across the savannahs; I have stroked the wild horses, and shaken the cocoa-nuts from the trees. Yes, I have many stories to relate; but I need not tell everything I know. You know it all very well, don’t you, old lady?” And he kissed his mother so roughly, that she nearly fell backwards. Oh, he was, indeed, a wild fellow.
Now in came the South Wind, with a turban and a flowing Bedouin cloak.
“How cold it is here!” said he, throwing more wood on the fire. “It is easy to feel that the North Wind has arrived here before me.”
“Why it is hot enough here to roast a bear,” said the North Wind.
“You are a bear yourself,” said the other.
“Do you want to be put in the sack, both of you?” said the old woman. “Sit down, now, on that stone, yonder, and tell me where you have been.”
“In Africa, mother. I went out with the Hottentots, who were lion-hunting in the Kaffir land, where the plains are covered with grass the color of a green olive; and here I ran races with the ostrich, but I soon outstripped him in swiftness. At last I came to the desert, in which lie the golden sands, looking like the bottom of the sea. Here I met a caravan, and the travellers had just killed their last camel, to obtain water; there was very little for them, and they continued their painful journey beneath the burning sun, and over the hot sands, which stretched before them a vast, boundless desert. Then I rolled myself in the loose sand, and whirled it in burning columns over their heads. The dromedarys stood still in terror, while the merchants drew their caftans over their heads, and threw themselves on the ground before me, as they do before Allah, their god. Then I buried them beneath a pyramid of sand, which covers them all. When I blow that away on my next visit, the sun will bleach their bones, and travellers will see that others have been there before them; otherwise, in such a wild desert, they might not believe it possible.”
“So you have done nothing but evil,” said the mother. “Into the sack with you;” and, before he was aware, she had seized the South Wind round the body, and popped him into the bag. He rolled about on the floor, till she sat herself upon him to keep him still.
“These boys of yours are very lively,” said the prince.
“Yes,” she replied, “but I know how to correct them, when necessary; and here comes the fourth.” In came the East Wind, dressed like a Chinese.
“Oh, you come from that quarter, do you?” said she; “I thought you had been to the garden of paradise.”
“I am going there to-morrow,” he replied; “I have not been there for a hundred years. I have just come from China, where I danced round the porcelain tower till all the bells jingled again. In the streets an official flogging was taking place, and bamboo canes were being broken on the shoulders of men of every high position, from the first to the ninth grade. They cried, ‘Many thanks, my fatherly benefactor;’ but I am sure the words did not come from their hearts, so I rang the bells till they sounded, ‘ding, ding-dong.’”
“You are a wild boy,” said the old woman; “it is well for you that you are going to-morrow to the garden of paradise; you always get improved in your education there. Drink deeply from the fountain of wisdom while you are there, and bring home a bottleful for me.”
“That I will,” said the East Wind; “but why have you put my brother South in a bag? Let him out; for I want him to tell me about the phoenix-bird. The princess always wants to hear of this bird when I pay her my visit every hundred years. If you will open the sack, sweetest mother, I will give you two pocketfuls of tea, green and fresh as when I gathered it from the spot where it grew.”
“Well, for the sake of the tea, and because you are my own boy, I will open the bag.”
She did so, and the South Wind crept out, looking quite cast down, because the prince had seen his disgrace.
“There is a palm-leaf for the princess,” he said. “The old phoenix, the only one in the world, gave it to me himself. He has scratched on it with his beak the whole of his history during the hundred years he has lived. She can there read how the old phoenix set fire to his own nest, and sat upon it while it was burning, like a Hindoo widow. The dry twigs around the nest crackled and smoked till the flames burst forth and consumed the phoenix to ashes. Amidst the fire lay an egg, red hot, which presently burst with a loud report, and out flew a young bird. He is the only phoenix in the world, and the king over all the other birds. He has bitten a hole in the leaf which I give you, and that is his greeting to the princess.”
“Now let us have something to eat,” said the mother of the Winds. So they all sat down to feast on the roasted stag; and as the prince sat by the side of the East Wind, they soon became good friends.
“Pray tell me,” said the prince, “who is that princess of whom you have been talking! and where lies the garden of paradise?”
“Ho! ho!” said the East Wind, “would you like to go there? Well, you can fly off with me to-morrow; but I must tell you one thing—no human being has been there since the time of Adam and Eve. I suppose you have read of them in your Bible.”
“Of course I have,” said the prince.
“Well,” continued the East Wind, “when they were driven out of the garden of paradise, it sunk into the earth; but it retained its warm sunshine, its balmy air, and all its splendor. The fairy queen lives there, in the island of happiness, where death never comes, and all is beautiful. I can manage to take you there to-morrow, if you will sit on my back. But now don’t talk any more, for I want to go to sleep;” and then they all slept.
When the prince awoke in the early morning, he was not a little surprised at finding himself high up above the clouds. He was seated on the back of the East Wind, who held him faithfully; and they were so high in the air that woods and fields, rivers and lakes, as they lay beneath them, looked like a painted map.
“Good morning,” said the East Wind. “You might have slept on a while; for there is very little to see in the flat country over which we are passing unless you like to count the churches; they look like spots of chalk on a green board.” The green board was the name he gave to the green fields and meadows.
“It was very rude of me not to say good-bye to your mother and your brothers,” said the prince.
“They will excuse you, as you were asleep,” said the East Wind; and then they flew on faster than ever.
The leaves and branches of the trees rustled as they passed. When they flew over seas and lakes, the waves rose higher, and the large ships dipped into the water like diving swans. As darkness came on, towards evening, the great towns looked charming; lights were sparkling, now seen now hidden, just as the sparks go out one after another on a piece of burnt paper. The prince clapped his hands with pleasure; but the East Wind advised him not to express his admiration in that manner, or he might fall down, and find himself hanging on a church steeple. The eagle in the dark forests flies swiftly; but faster than he flew the East Wind. The Cossack, on his small horse, rides lightly o’er the plains; but lighter still passed the prince on the winds of the wind.
“There are the Himalayas, the highest mountains in Asia,” said the East Wind. “We shall soon reach the garden of paradise now.”
Then, they turned southward, and the air became fragrant with the perfume of spices and flowers. Here figs and pomegranates grew wild, and the vines were covered with clusters of blue and purple grapes. Here they both descended to the earth, and stretched themselves on the soft grass, while the flowers bowed to the breath of the wind as if to welcome it. “Are we now in the garden of paradise?” asked the prince.
“No, indeed,” replied the East Wind; “but we shall be there very soon. Do you see that wall of rocks, and the cavern beneath it, over which the grape vines hang like a green curtain? Through that cavern we must pass. Wrap your cloak round you; for while the sun scorches you here, a few steps farther it will be icy cold. The bird flying past the entrance to the cavern feels as if one wing were in the region of summer, and the other in the depths of winter.”
“So this then is the way to the garden of paradise?” asked the prince, as they entered the cavern. It was indeed cold; but the cold soon passed, for the East Wind spread his wings, and they gleamed like the brightest fire. As they passed on through this wonderful cave, the prince could see great blocks of stone, from which water trickled, hanging over their heads in fantastic shapes. Sometimes it was so narrow that they had to creep on their hands and knees, while at other times it was lofty and wide, like the free air. It had the appearance of a chapel for the dead, with petrified organs and silent pipes. “We seem to be passing through the valley of death to the garden of paradise,” said the prince.
But the East Wind answered not a word, only pointed forwards to a lovely blue light which gleamed in the distance. The blocks of stone assumed a misty appearance, till at last they looked like white clouds in moonlight. The air was fresh and balmy, like a breeze from the mountains perfumed with flowers from a valley of roses. A river, clear as the air itself, sparkled at their feet, while in its clear depths could be seen gold and silver fish sporting in the bright water, and purple eels emitting sparks of fire at every moment, while the broad leaves of the water-lilies, that floated on its surface, flickered with all the colors of the rainbow. The flower in its color of flame seemed to receive its nourishment from the water, as a lamp is sustained by oil. A marble bridge, of such exquisite workmanship that it appeared as if formed of lace and pearls, led to the island of happiness, in which bloomed the garden of paradise. The East Wind took the prince in his arms, and carried him over, while the flowers and the leaves sang the sweet songs of his childhood in tones so full and soft that no human voice could venture to imitate. Within the garden grew large trees, full of sap; but whether they were palm-trees or gigantic water-plants, the prince knew not. The climbing plants hung in garlands of green and gold, like the illuminations on the margins of old missals or twined among the initial letters. Birds, flowers, and festoons appeared intermingled in seeming confusion. Close by, on the grass, stood a group of peacocks, with radiant tails outspread to the sun. The prince touched them, and found, to his surprise, that they were not really birds, but the leaves of the burdock tree, which shone with the colors of a peacock’s tail. The lion and the tiger, gentle and tame, were springing about like playful cats among the green bushes, whose perfume was like the fragrant blossom of the olive. The plumage of the wood-pigeon glistened like pearls as it struck the lion’s mane with its wings; while the antelope, usually so shy, stood near, nodding its head as if it wished to join in the frolic. The fairy of paradise next made her appearance. Her raiment shone like the sun, and her serene countenance beamed with happiness like that of a mother rejoicing over her child. She was young and beautiful, and a train of lovely maidens followed her, each wearing a bright star in her hair. The East Wind gave her the palm-leaf, on which was written the history of the phoenix; and her eyes sparkled with joy. She then took the prince by the hand, and led him into her palace, the walls of which were richly colored, like a tulip-leaf when it is turned to the sun. The roof had the appearance of an inverted flower, and the colors grew deeper and brighter to the gazer. The prince walked to a window, and saw what appeared to be the tree of knowledge of good and evil, with Adam and Eve standing by, and the serpent near them. “I thought they were banished from paradise,” he said.
The princess smiled, and told him that time had engraved each event on a window-pane in the form of a picture; but, unlike other pictures, all that it represented lived and moved,—the leaves rustled, and the persons went and came, as in a looking-glass. He looked through another pane, and saw the ladder in Jacob’s dream, on which the angels were ascending and descending with outspread wings. All that had ever happened in the world here lived and moved on the panes of glass, in pictures such as time alone could produce. The fairy now led the prince into a large, lofty room with transparent walls, through which the light shone. Here were portraits, each one appearing more beautiful than the other—millions of happy beings, whose laughter and song mingled in one sweet melody: some of these were in such an elevated position that they appeared smaller than the smallest rosebud, or like pencil dots on paper. In the centre of the hall stood a tree, with drooping branches, from which hung golden apples, both great and small, looking like oranges amid the green leaves. It was the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from which Adam and Eve had plucked and eaten the forbidden fruit, and from each leaf trickled a bright red dewdrop, as if the tree were weeping tears of blood for their sin. “Let us now take the boat,” said the fairy: “a sail on the cool waters will refresh us. But we shall not move from the spot, although the boat may rock on the swelling water; the countries of the world will glide before us, but we shall remain still.”
It was indeed wonderful to behold. First came the lofty Alps, snow-clad, and covered with clouds and dark pines. The horn resounded, and the shepherds sang merrily in the valleys. The banana-trees bent their drooping branches over the boat, black swans floated on the water, and singular animals and flowers appeared on the distant shore. New Holland, the fifth division of the world, now glided by, with mountains in the background, looking blue in the distance. They heard the song of the priests, and saw the wild dance of the savage to the sound of the drums and trumpets of bone; the pyramids of Egypt rising to the clouds; columns and sphinxes, overthrown and buried in the sand, followed in their turn; while the northern lights flashed out over the extinguished volcanoes of the north, in fireworks none could imitate.
The prince was delighted, and yet he saw hundreds of other wonderful things more than can be described. “Can I stay here forever?” asked he.
“That depends upon yourself,” replied the fairy. “If you do not, like Adam, long for what is forbidden, you can remain here always.”
“I should not touch the fruit on the tree of knowledge,” said the prince; there is abundance of fruit equally beautiful.”
“Examine your own heart,” said the princess, “and if you do not feel sure of its strength, return with the East Wind who brought you. He is about to fly back, and will not return here for a hundred years. The time will not seem to you more than a hundred hours, yet even that is a long time for temptation and resistance. Every evening, when I leave you, I shall be obliged to say, ‘Come with me,’ and to beckon to you with my hand. But you must not listen, nor move from your place to follow me; for with every step you will find your power to resist weaker. If once you attempted to follow me, you would soon find yourself in the hall, where grows the tree of knowledge, for I sleep beneath its perfumed branches. If you stooped over me, I should be forced to smile. If you then kissed my lips, the garden of paradise would sink into the earth, and to you it would be lost. A keen wind from the desert would howl around you; cold rain fall on your head, and sorrow and woe be your future lot.”
“I will remain,” said the prince.
So the East Wind kissed him on the forehead, and said, “Be firm; then shall we meet again when a hundred years have passed. Farewell, farewell.” Then the East Wind spread his broad pinions, which shone like the lightning in harvest, or as the northern lights in a cold winter.
“Farewell, farewell,” echoed the trees and the flowers.
Storks and pelicans flew after him in feathery bands, to accompany him to the boundaries of the garden.
“Now we will commence dancing,” said the fairy; “and when it is nearly over at sunset, while I am dancing with you, I shall make a sign, and ask you to follow me: but do not obey. I shall be obliged to repeat the same thing for a hundred years; and each time, when the trial is past, if you resist, you will gain strength, till resistance becomes easy, and at last the temptation will be quite overcome. This evening, as it will be the first time, I have warned you.”
After this the fairy led him into a large hall, filled with transparent lilies. The yellow stamina of each flower formed a tiny golden harp, from which came forth strains of music like the mingled tones of flute and lyre. Beautiful maidens, slender and graceful in form, and robed in transparent gauze, floated through the dance, and sang of the happy life in the garden of paradise, where death never entered, and where all would bloom forever in immortal youth. As the sun went down, the whole heavens became crimson and gold, and tinted the lilies with the hue of roses. Then the beautiful maidens offered to the prince sparkling wine; and when he had drank, he felt happiness greater than he had ever known before. Presently the background of the hall opened and the tree of knowledge appeared, surrounded by a halo of glory that almost blinded him. Voices, soft and lovely as his mother’s sounded in his ears, as if she were singing to him, “My child, my beloved child.” Then the fairy beckoned to him, and said in sweet accents, “Come with me, come with me.” Forgetting his promise, forgetting it even on the very first evening, he rushed towards her, while she continued to beckon to him and to smile. The fragrance around him overpowered his senses, the music from the harps sounded more entrancing, while around the tree appeared millions of smiling faces, nodding and singing. “Man should know everything; man is the lord of the earth.” The tree of knowledge no longer wept tears of blood, for the dewdrops shone like glittering stars.
“Come, come,” continued that thrilling voice, and the prince followed the call. At every step his cheeks glowed, and the blood rushed wildly through his veins. “I must follow,” he cried; “it is not a sin, it cannot be, to follow beauty and joy. I only want to see her sleep, and nothing will happen unless I kiss her, and that I will not do, for I have strength to resist, and a determined will.”
The fairy threw off her dazzling attire, bent back the boughs, and in another moment was hidden among them.
“I have not sinned yet,” said the prince, “and I will not;” and then he pushed aside the boughs to follow the princess. She was lying already asleep, beautiful as only a fairy in the garden of paradise could be. She smiled as he bent over her, and he saw tears trembling out of her beautiful eyelashes. “Do you weep for me?” he whispered. “Oh weep not, thou loveliest of women. Now do I begin to understand the happiness of paradise; I feel it to my inmost soul, in every thought. A new life is born within me. One moment of such happiness is worth an eternity of darkness and woe.” He stooped and kissed the tears from her eyes, and touched her lips with his.
A clap of thunder, loud and awful, resounded through the trembling air. All around him fell into ruin. The lovely fairy, the beautiful garden, sunk deeper and deeper. The prince saw it sinking down in the dark night till it shone only like a star in the distance beneath him. Then he felt a coldness, like death, creeping over him; his eyes closed, and he became insensible.
When he recovered, a chilling rain was beating upon him, and a sharp wind blew on his head. “Alas! what have I done?” he sighed; “I have sinned like Adam, and the garden of paradise has sunk into the earth.” He opened his eyes, and saw the star in the distance, but it was the morning star in heaven which glittered in the darkness.
Presently he stood up and found himself in the depths of the forest, close to the cavern of the Winds, and the mother of the Winds sat by his side. She looked angry, and raised her arm in the air as she spoke. “The very first evening!” she said. “Well, I expected it! If you were my son, you should go into the sack.”
“And there he will have to go at last,” said a strong old man, with large black wings, and a scythe in his hand, whose name was Death. “He shall be laid in his coffin, but not yet. I will allow him to wander about the world for a while, to atone for his sin, and to give him time to become better. But I shall return when he least expects me. I shall lay him in a black coffin, place it on my head, and fly away with it beyond the stars. There also blooms a garden of paradise, and if he is good and pious he will be admitted; but if his thoughts are bad, and his heart is full of sin, he will sink with his coffin deeper than the garden of paradise has sunk. Once in every thousand years I shall go and fetch him, when he will either be condemned to sink still deeper, or be raised to a happier life in the world beyond the stars.”