The Bottle Neck by Hans Christian Andersen
Section [1 | 2]
was written on_this paper: but what_was written ? that was_the question,- so the paper was put back into_the bottle, and then both were put away in a large cupboard of one_of_the great houses of_the town . whenever any strangers arrived, the paper was taken out and turned over and over, so that_the address, which_was only written in pencil, became almost illegible, and at last no one could distinguish any letters on_it at all . for a whole year the bottle remained standing in_the cupboard, and then it_was taken up_to_the loft, where it soon became covered with dust and cobwebs .Ah ! how often then it thought of_those better days- of_the times when in_the fresh, green wood, it had poured forth rich wine; or, while rocked by_the swelling waves, it had carried in its bosom a secret, a letter, a last parting sigh . for full twenty years it stood in_the loft, and it might_have stayed there longer but that_the house was going to_be rebuilt . the bottle was discovered when_the roof was taken off; they talked about_it, but the bottle did_not understand what they said- a language is_not to_be learnt by living in a loft, even for twenty years ." if I had_been down stairs in_the room," thought the bottle, " I_might_have learnt it ." it_was now washed and rinsed, which process was really quite necessary, and afterwards it looked clean and transparent, and felt young again in its old age; but the paper which it had carried so faithfully was destroyed in_the washing . they filled the bottle with seeds, though it scarcely knew what had_been placed in_it . then they corked it down tightly, and carefully wrapped it up . there not even the light of a torch or lantern could reach it, much less the brightness of_the sun or moon ." and yet," thought the bottle, " men go on a journey that_they may see as_much as possible, and I_can_see nothing ." however, it did something quite as important; it travelled to_the place of_its destination, and was unpacked .

" what trouble they_have taken with_that bottle over yonder ! " said one, and very likely it_is broken after all ." but the bottle was not broken, and, better still, it understood every word that was said: this language it had heard at_the furnaces and at_the wine merchant's; in_the forest and on_the ship,- it was_the only good old language it could understand . it had returned home, and_the language was as a welcome greeting . for very joy, it felt ready to jump out of people's hands, and scarcely noticed that its Cork had_been drawn, and its contents emptied out, till it found itself carried to a cellar, to_be left there and forgotten ." there's no place like home, even if_it's a cellar ." it never occurred to him to_think that he might lie there for years, he_felt so comfortable . for many long years he remained in_the cellar, till at last some people came to carry away the bottles, and ours amongst the number .

out in_the garden there_was a great festival . brilliant lamps hung in festoons from tree to tree; and paper lanterns, through which the light shone till they looked like transparent tulips . it_was a beautiful evening, and_the weather mild and clear . the stars twinkled; and_the new moon, in_the form of a crescent, was surrounded by_the shadowy disc of_the whole moon, and looked like a gray globe with a golden rim: it_was a beautiful sight for_those who had good eyes . the illumination extended even to_the most retired of_the garden walks, at_least not so retired that any_one need lose himself there . in_the borders were placed bottles, each containing a light, and among them the bottle with which_we_are acquainted, and whose fate it_was, one day, to_be only a bottle neck, and to_serve as a water- glass to a bird's- cage . everything here appeared lovely to our bottle, for it_was again in_the green wood, amid joy and feasting; again it heard music and song, and_the noise and murmur of a crowd, especially in_that part of_the garden where the lamps blazed, and_the paper lanterns displayed their brilliant colors . it stood in a distant walk certainly, but a place pleasant for contemplation; and it carried a light; and was at once useful and ornamental . in_such an hour it_is easy to forget that one has spent twenty years in a loft, and a good thing it_is to_be_able to_do_so . close before_the bottle passed a single pair, like the bridal pair- the mate and_the furrier's daughter- who had so long_ago wandered in_the wood . it seemed to_the bottle as_if he were living that_time over again . not_only the guests but other people were walking in_the garden, who were allowed to witness the splendor and_the festivities . among_the latter came an old maid, who seemed to_be quite alone in_the_world . she was thinking, like the bottle, of_the green wood, and of a young betrothed pair, who were closely connected with herself; she was thinking of_that hour, the happiest of her life, in_which she had taken part, when she had herself been one of_that betrothed pair; such hours are never to_be forgotten, let a maiden be as old as she may . but she did_not recognize the bottle, neither did the bottle notice the old maid . and so we often pass each_other in_the_world when we meet, as did these two, even while together in_the same town .

the bottle was taken from_the garden, and again sent to a wine merchant, where it_was once more filled with wine, and sold to an aeronaut, who was to_make an ascent in_his balloon on_the following Sunday .a great crowd assembled to witness the sight; military music had_been engaged, and many_other preparations made . the bottle saw it all from_the basket in_which he lay close to a live rabbit . the rabbit was quite excited because he_knew that he_was to_be taken up, and let down again in a parachute . the bottle, however, knew nothing of_the " up," or the " down;" he_saw only that_the balloon was swelling larger and larger till it could swell no more, and began to rise and be restless . then the ropes which held it were cut through, and_the aerial ship rose in_the air with_the aeronaut and_the basket containing the bottle and_the rabbit, while the music sounded and all the people shouted "Hurrah ."

" this_is a wonderful journey up into_the air," thought the bottle; " it_is a new way of sailing, and here, at_least, there_is no fear of striking against anything ."

Thousands of people gazed at_the balloon, and_the old maid who was in_the garden saw it also; for she stood at_the open window of_the garret, by_which hung the cage containing the linnet, who then had no water- glass, but was obliged to_be contented with an old cup . in_the window-sill stood a Myrtle in a pot, and this had_been pushed a little on one side, that_it might_not fall out; for_the old maid was leaning out_of_the window, that she might see . and she did see distinctly the aeronaut in_the balloon, and how he let down the rabbit in_the parachute, and then drank to_the health of all the spectators in_the wine from_the bottle . after doing this, he hurled it high into_the air . how little she thought that_this was_the very same bottle which her friend had thrown aloft in her honor, on_that happy day of rejoicing, in_the green wood, in her youthful days . the bottle had no time to_think, when raised so suddenly; and before it_was aware, it reached the highest point it had ever attained in its life .Steeples and roofs lay far, far beneath it, and_the people looked as tiny as possible . then it began to descend much more rapidly than_the rabbit had done, made somersaults in_the air, and felt itself quite young and unfettered, although it_was half full of wine . but this_did_not last long . what a journey it_was ! all the people could_see the bottle; for_the sun shone upon it . the balloon was already far away, and very_soon the bottle was far away also; for_it fell upon a roof, and broke in pieces . but the pieces had got such an impetus in_them, that they_could_not stop themselves . they went jumping and rolling about, till at last they fell into_the court- yard, and were broken into still smaller pieces; only the neck of_the bottle managed to_keep whole, and it_was broken off as clean as_if it had_been cut with a diamond .

" that_would make a capital bird's glass," said one_of_the cellar- men; but none_of_them had either a bird or a cage, and it_was not to_be expected they_would provide one just because they had found a bottle neck that could_be used as a glass . but the old maid who lived in_the garret had a bird, and it really might_be useful to her; so the bottle neck was provided with a Cork, and taken up_to her; and, as it often happens in life, the part that had_been uppermost was now turned downwards, and it_was filled with fresh water . then they hung it in_the cage of_the little bird, who sang and twittered more merrily than ever .

"Ah, you_have good reason to sing," said the bottle neck, which_was looked upon as something very remarkable, because it had_been in a balloon; nothing further was known of_its history . as it hung there in_the bird's- cage, it could hear the noise and murmur of_the people in_the street below, as_well as_the conversation of_the old maid in_the room within . an old friend had just come to visit her, and_they talked, not about_the bottle neck, but of_the Myrtle in_the window .

" no, you_must not spend a dollar for your daughter's bridal bouquet," said the old maid; " you_shall_have a beautiful little bunch for a nosegay, full of blossoms . do you_see how splendidly the tree has grown ? it_has_been raised from only a little sprig of Myrtle that you_gave me on_the day after my betrothal, and from_which i_was to_make my own bridal bouquet when a year had passed: but that day never came; the eyes were closed which were to_have_been my light and joy through life . in_the depths of_the sea my beloved sleeps sweetly; the Myrtle has become an old tree, and I_am a still older woman . before_the sprig you_gave me faded, i_took a spray, and planted it in_the earth; and now, as you_see, it has become a large tree, and a bunch of_the blossoms shall at last appear at awedding festival, in_the bouquet of your daughter ."

there were tears in_the eyes of_the old maid, as she spoke of_the beloved of her youth, and of_their betrothal in_the wood . many thoughts came into her mind; but the thought never came, that quite close to her, in_that very window, was a remembrance of_those olden times,- the neck of_the bottle which had, as it were shouted for joy when_the Cork flew out with a bang on_the betrothal day . but the bottle neck did_not recognize the old maid; he had_not_been listening to what she had related, perhaps because he_was thinking so_much about her .

the end

Section [1 | 2]