纽约时报丨李翊云：三篇值得长大后重读的童话

3 Fairy Tales Worth Revisiting as an Adult

塑造我们认知世界方式的童年故事。

作者：李翊云为普林斯顿大学创意写作教授，著有《万物自然生长》（2025）。

2026年4月17日

十九世纪末二十世纪初手绘木版画《银河相会》，描绘牛郎织女故事场景。©冬宫博物馆 摄影：Vladimir Terebenin

《牛郎织女》（公元前一千年）是中国传统民间故事。在二十世纪一个广为流传的版本中，讲述一对男女反抗世俗礼教、自由相爱成婚。作为惩罚，西王母（部分版本为玉皇大帝）将二人化为银河两岸两颗星辰，一年仅能相会一次。于我而言，这是诠释爱情关系中爱意局限性的完美故事。故事里的爱情跨越两个阶层，因而更具深意，却并无魔法加持。这份爱情饱受残酷对待与压迫，最终只能化作传说，慰藉世人。

格林兄弟创作于1812年的《几个孩子玩屠宰游戏》“How Some Children Played at Slaughtering”，讲述现实在孩童游戏中拥有别样含义。故事里，一名孩童极度投入屠夫角色，竟杀死了扮演小猪的同伴。这则故事令人不安地揭示：对幼童而言，幻想与现实深度交织，他们对现实的认知未必与成人相同。他们可以构建拥有自身规则与逻辑的现实世界，并沉浸其中。

约1920年恩斯特·克莱多夫为安徒生《小意达的花儿》所作插画。 Interfoto/Alamy Stock Photo

安徒生1835年创作的《小意达的花儿》（Little Ida’s Flowers）十分动人。小意达因花束枯萎而难过，一位年长学生为安慰她，告诉她花儿是参加了一夜舞会，疲惫不堪。意达把花儿安置好入睡后，梦见花儿翩翩起舞。我认为这是一则没有道德说教的童话。儿时读完便终生难忘，打动我的一点是：花儿去参加舞会、因而疲惫不堪，这件事在故事里显得合乎情理。这是安徒生独有的童话笔触，轻柔淡然，读者只会颔首认同：“是啊，本该如此。”

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《几个孩子玩屠宰游戏》“How Some Children Played at Slaughtering”是格林童话中的两则轶事。它在第二版中被删除，并且在大多数现代版本中也缺失。内容过于血腥，不适合展示。

小意达的花儿

汉斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生

（1835年）

“我可怜的花儿全都枯死了。”小意达说，“昨天晚上它们还那么漂亮，现在叶子全都耷拉下来，完全枯萎了。它们为什么会变成这样？”她问坐在沙发上的大学生。她很喜欢他，他会讲最有趣的故事，还会剪出最好看的图案：心形、跳舞的姑娘、带开合大门的城堡，还有各种各样的花儿。他是个讨人喜欢的大学生。“花儿今天怎么这么蔫？”她又问道，指着那束已经完全枯萎的花束。

“你不知道它们怎么了吗？”大学生说，“花儿昨晚去参加舞会了，所以它们垂头丧气也就不足为奇了。”

“可是花儿不会跳舞呀！”小意达叫道。

“它们当然会。”大学生回答，“等到天黑，所有人都睡着以后，它们就快活地跳来跳去。它们几乎每晚都举办舞会。”

“小孩子可以去参加这些舞会吗？”

“可以呀，”大学生说，“小小的雏菊和铃兰都能去。”

“美丽的花儿都在哪儿跳舞呢？”小意达问。

“你不是常常看见城外那座大王宫吗？国王夏天就住在那里，宫里有一座开满鲜花的美丽花园。你不是还喂过朝你游过来的天鹅面包吗？告诉你，花儿们就在那里举办盛大的舞会。”

“昨天我和妈妈去过外面那个花园，”意达说，“可是树上叶子都落光了，一朵花儿也没有剩下。它们都去哪儿了？夏天那里明明有好多好多花。”

“它们都在王宫里。”大学生答道，“你要知道，国王和宫廷所有人一回城，花儿们就从花园跑进王宫。你真该看看它们有多快活。两朵最美的玫瑰坐在王座上，被封为国王和王后。然后所有红鸡冠花分列两旁，鞠躬行礼，它们是侍从官。接着漂亮的花儿们陆续入场，一场盛大的舞会就开始了。蓝色紫罗兰是小海军军官，和风信子、番红花跳舞，它们把番红花称作小姐。郁金香和卷丹花是年长的贵妇，坐在一旁看着跳舞，保证一切都井然有序、举止得体。”

“可是，”小意达说，“花儿们在国王的王宫里跳舞，就没有人伤害它们吗？”

“没有人知道这件事。”大学生说，“夜里看守王宫的老管家偶尔会进来。但他随身带着一大串钥匙，花儿们一听见钥匙叮当响，就立刻躲到长长的窗帘后面，一动不动，只悄悄探出脑袋。这时老管家就会说：‘我闻到这里有花香。’可他看不见花儿。”

“哇太棒了！”小意达拍手说道，“我也能看见这些花儿吗？”

“可以。”大学生说，“下次出门的时候心里想着这件事，再从窗口往里偷看，一定就能看见。我今天就看见了，一朵长长的黄百合躺在沙发上，她是宫廷贵妇。”

“植物园里的花儿也能去参加舞会吗？”意达问，“那里好远啊！”

“当然可以。”大学生说，“它们想去就能去，因为它们会飞。你见过那些漂亮的红、白、黄色蝴蝶吗？长得像花儿一样。它们原本就是花儿，从花茎上飞起来，舒展叶片当作小翅膀飞翔。如果它们表现乖巧，白天就能自由飞舞，不用乖乖待在花茎上。久而久之，它们的叶子就变成了真正的翅膀。不过植物园里的花儿也许从没去过王宫，所以不知道夜里王宫那些欢乐的活动。我告诉你一个办法，住在附近的植物学教授一定会大吃一惊。你很认识他，对吧？下次你去他的花园，就对其中一朵花儿说，王宫里要举办盛大舞会。那朵花儿就会告诉其他所有花儿，它们会立刻飞去王宫。等教授走进花园，一朵花儿都不剩。他一定会好奇花儿都去哪儿了！”

“可是一朵花儿怎么告诉另一朵呢？花儿又不会说话。”

“它们当然不会说话，”大学生答道，“但它们会做手势。你没见过风吹过来的时候，它们互相点头，轻轻晃动所有绿叶吗？”

“教授能看懂这些手势吗？”意达问。

“他当然能。有一天早上他走进花园，看见一株荨麻用叶子对着一朵美丽的红色康乃馨打手势。它在说：‘你真漂亮，我很喜欢你。’可是教授不喜欢这种无聊的举动，就伸手按住荨麻制止它。结果荨麻叶子像手指一样狠狠刺了他一下，从那以后他再也不敢碰荨麻了。”

“太好笑啦！”意达笑着说。

“怎么有人往孩子脑子里灌输这种念头？”一位讨人厌的律师来访，正坐在沙发上，开口说道。他不喜欢这个大学生，看见他剪滑稽有趣的图案就会抱怨。有时候图案是一个人吊在绞刑架上，手里捧着一颗心，像是偷心的盗贼；有时候是老巫婆骑着扫帚飞天，鼻子上还挂着她丈夫。律师不喜欢这些玩笑，就像刚才那样念叨：“怎么有人往孩子脑子里灌输这种无聊东西！多么荒唐的幻想！”

可对小意达来说，大学生讲的所有关于花儿的故事都十分有趣，她反复琢磨这些事。花儿们垂头，是因为跳了一整夜舞，累极了，多半还生病了。于是她把花儿搬到摆着精美小玩具的房间，桌子抽屉里也装满漂亮玩意儿。她的娃娃索菲正躺在娃娃床上睡觉。小意达对她说：“索菲，你快起来。今晚你委屈一下躺在抽屉里吧。可怜的花儿生病了，得睡你的床，这样它们或许就能好起来。”

她把娃娃抱出来，娃娃一脸不高兴，一言不发，因为被赶出床铺而生气。意达把花儿放进娃娃床，盖上被子。她叮嘱花儿乖乖躺好，又为它们泡了茶，希望它们痊愈，第二天早上能醒过来。她还把小床的窗帘拉严实，不让阳光刺到花儿的眼睛。

整个晚上，她都忍不住回想大学生说的话。睡前，她忍不住拉开窗帘，望向花园——那里长着妈妈所有美丽的花儿：风信子、郁金香，还有许许多多别的花。她轻声对它们说：“我知道你们今晚要去参加舞会。”可花儿们像是听不懂，一片叶子也不动。但意达十分确定自己知道真相。上床后她久久无法入睡，想着在国王的花园里，所有美丽花儿一同跳舞该有多美好。“不知道我的花儿是不是真的去过那里。”她自言自语，随后沉沉睡去。

夜里她醒了过来。她梦见了花儿、大学生，还有那位总挑剔大学生的讨厌律师。意达的卧室里一片寂静，桌上亮着夜灯，爸爸妈妈都睡着了。“不知道我的花儿还躺在索菲的床上吗？”她心想，“我好想知道。”

她微微起身，望向放着花儿和玩具的房间门口。门半开着，她静静聆听，听见屋里有人在弹钢琴，琴声轻柔悦耳，是她从未听过的动听旋律。“花儿们肯定正在里面跳舞。”她想，“我好想看看它们。”可她不敢动，怕吵醒爸爸妈妈。“要是它们能来这里就好了。”可花儿没有过来，琴声依旧优美动听，她再也忍不住了。

她悄悄爬下床，轻手轻脚走到门口往里望去。眼前的景象壮丽极了！屋里没有点灯，却十分明亮，月光透过窗户洒在地板上，亮得如同白昼。所有风信子和郁金香在屋里排成两行长队，窗台上一朵花都没有，花盆全是空的。花儿们在地板上优雅起舞，旋转身姿，舒展长长的绿叶互相缠绕摆动。

钢琴前坐着一朵大大的黄百合。小意达确定夏天见过它，还记得大学生说它长得很像意达的朋友莉娜小姐。当时大家都笑话他，可此刻在小意达眼里，这朵高高的黄花真的和那位少女一模一样。它弹琴的姿态也一模一样，金黄修长的花脸左右轻摇，随着优美的音乐轻轻点头。

接着她看见一朵大大的紫色番红花跳到放玩具的桌子中央，走到娃娃床边拉开窗帘。生病的花儿们正躺在里面，它们立刻站起身，向其他花儿点头，表示想要一同跳舞。那个嘴巴破损、模样粗糙的旧娃娃站起身，向美丽的花儿们鞠躬。此刻花儿们看上去一点也不虚弱，欢快地蹦跳嬉戏，却没有一个注意到小意达。

忽然好像有东西从桌上掉落。意达望过去，看见一根小小的狂欢节手杖跳到花儿中间，仿佛本就是它们的一员。手杖精致光滑，顶端坐着一个蜡娃娃，戴着宽檐帽，和律师戴的一模一样。狂欢节手杖靠着三只红色细脚在花儿间蹦跳，跳玛祖卡舞时重重跺脚。花儿们身形轻盈，做不出这样跺脚的动作。

忽然，手杖上的蜡娃娃变得又高又大，转过身对纸花儿说：“怎么能往孩子脑子里灌输这种东西？全都是愚蠢的幻想！”这时娃娃变得和那位戴宽檐帽的律师一模一样，脸色蜡黄、神情恼怒。可纸花儿们敲打它细细的腿，它立刻缩小回去，变回小小的蜡娃娃。

这一幕十分有趣，意达忍不住笑出声。狂欢节手杖继续跳舞，律师模样的娃娃也不得不跟着跳。不管它把自己变大长高，还是变回戴黑帽的小蜡娃娃，都必须跳舞。最后其他花儿纷纷为它求情，尤其是睡过娃娃床的那些花儿，狂欢节手杖才停下舞蹈。

就在这时，意达娃娃索菲所在的抽屉传来一阵响亮敲击声。粗陋娃娃跑到桌尾，平躺下来，轻轻拉开抽屉。

索菲站起身，惊讶地环顾四周。“今晚这里一定有舞会。”索菲说，“怎么没人告诉我？”

“你愿意和我跳舞吗？”粗陋娃娃说。

“你可不配和我跳舞。”索菲说完，背对着它。

随后她坐在抽屉边缘，期盼有花儿来邀请自己跳舞，可一朵花都没有。她清了清嗓子：“咳咳，咳咳。”可依旧无人前来。粗陋娃娃独自跳舞，舞姿倒也不算难看。

花儿们都不理睬索菲，她便从抽屉跳到地板上，故意弄出很大动静。花儿们立刻围过来，问她有没有摔伤，尤其是睡过她床铺的那些花儿。索菲一点也没受伤。意达的花儿们感谢她让出舒适的床铺，对她十分友善。它们把她带到月光照耀的屋子中央，和她一同跳舞，其他花儿围成一圈环绕着它们。

索菲十分开心，说花儿们可以继续睡她的床，她一点也不介意睡抽屉。可花儿们再三感谢她，说道：

“我们活不了多久了。明天早上我们就会完全枯萎。你一定要告诉小意达，把我们埋在花园里金丝雀的坟墓旁。等到夏天，我们就会苏醒，变得比以前更加美丽。”

“不，你们不要死。”索菲亲吻着花儿说。

这时房门打开，一大群美丽的花儿跳了进来。意达想不出它们从哪里来，想必是国王花园里的花儿。最先走来两朵娇艳玫瑰，头戴小金冠，它们就是国王与王后。随后是漂亮的紫罗兰与康乃馨，向在场每一位行礼。它们还带来了乐队：大罂粟花与牡丹花拿着豌豆荚当乐器，使劲吹奏，脸都涨得通红。成簇的蓝色风信子与雪白雪滴花摇晃铃铛般的花朵，如同真的铃铛作响。随后又来了许许多多花儿：蓝色紫罗兰、紫色三色堇、雏菊、铃兰，它们一同起舞，互相亲吻。景象美不胜收。

最后花儿们互相道晚安。小意达悄悄回到床上，梦里全是方才所见的一切。

第二天早上起床，她立刻跑到小桌前，想看花儿是否还在。她拉开小床窗帘。花儿们还躺在那里，却已经完全枯萎，比前一天衰败得更厉害。索菲躺在意达放她的抽屉里，看上去昏昏欲睡。

“你还记得花儿让你转告我的话吗？”小意达问。可索菲呆呆的，一言不发。

“你一点都不善良。”意达说，“明明它们都和你一起跳舞了。”

随后她拿来一只画着美丽小鸟的小纸盒，把枯萎的花儿放了进去。

“这就是你们漂亮的棺材。”她说，“等我的表哥们来看我，就让他们帮我把你们埋在花园里。这样明年夏天，你们就能再次生长，变得比从前更美。”

她的表哥们是两个性格温和的小男孩，名叫詹姆斯和阿道夫。爸爸各送了他们一把弓箭，他们特意带来给意达看。意达告诉他们可怜花儿枯萎的事。得到大人允许后，他们便陪着她一起去埋葬花儿。两个男孩背着弓箭走在前面，小意达跟在后面，捧着装着枯花的漂亮盒子。

他们在花园里挖了一座小小的坟墓。意达亲吻花儿，然后连同盒子一起埋进土里。詹姆斯和阿道夫没有枪也没有炮，便在坟墓上空射弓箭致意。

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, “little 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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