The Bottle Neck by Hans Christian Andersen
Section [1 | 2]
the bottle neck

by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H .P .Paull (1872)

close to_the corner of a street, among other abodes of poverty, stood an exceedingly tall, narrow house, which had_been so knocked about by time that_it seemed out of joint in every direction . this house was inhabited by poor people, but the deepest poverty was apparent in_the garret lodging in_the gable . in front of_the little window, an old bent bird- cage hung in_the sunshine, which had_not even a proper water- glass, but instead of it the broken neck of a bottle, turned upside down, and a Cork stuck in to_make it hold the water with_which it_was filled . an old maid stood at_the window; she had hung chickweed over the cage, and_the little linnet which it contained hopped from perch to perch and sang and twittered merrily .

" yes, it's all very_well for_you to sing," said the bottle neck: that_is, he_did_not really speak the words as we_do, for_the neck of a bottle cannot speak; but he thought them to himself in_his own mind, just as people sometimes talk quietly to themselves .

" yes, you_may sing very_well, you_have all your limbs uninjured; you_should feel what it_is like to lose your body, and only have a neck and a mouth left, with a Cork stuck in_it, as I_have: you wouldn't sing then, I_know . after all, it_is just as_well that_there_are some who_can_be happy . I_have no reason to sing, nor could I sing now if I were ever so happy; but when i_was a whole bottle, and_they rubbed me with a Cork, didn't I sing then ? I used to_be called a complete lark .I remember when I went out to a picnic with_the furrier's family, on_the day his daughter was betrothed,- it seems as_if it only happened yesterday .I have_gone through a great deal in my_time, when I come to recollect: I_have_been in_the fire and in_the water, I_have_been deep in_the earth, and_have mounted higher in_the air than most other people, and now I_am swinging here, outside a bird- cage, in_the air and_the sunshine .Oh, indeed, it would_be worth while to hear my history; but I_do_not speak it aloud, for a good reason- because I_cannot ."

then the bottle neck related his history, which_was really rather remarkable; he, in_fact, related it to himself, or, at_least, thought it in_his own mind . the little bird sang his own song merrily; in_the street below there_was driving and running to and fro, every_one thought of_his own affairs, or perhaps of nothing at all; but the bottle neck thought deeply . he thought of_the blazing furnace in_the factory, where he had_been blown into life; he remembered how hot it felt when he_was placed in_the heated oven, the home from_which he sprang, and_that he had a strong inclination to leap out again directly; but after a while it became cooler, and he_found himself very comfortable . he had_been placed in a row, with a whole regiment of_his brothers and sisters all brought out_of_the same furnace; some_of_them had certainly been blown into champagne bottles, and others into beer bottles, which made a little difference between_them . in_the_world it often happens that a beer bottle may contain the most precious wine, and a champagne bottle be filled with blacking, but even in decay it may always be seen whether a man has_been well born . nobility remains noble, as a champagne bottle remains the same, even with blacking in its interior . when_the bottles were packed our bottle was packed amongst them; it little expected then to finish its career as a bottle neck, or to_be used as a water- glass to a bird's- cage, which_is, after all, a place of honor, for_it is_to_be of some use in_the_world . the bottle did_not behold the light of day again, until it_was unpacked with_the rest in_the wine merchant's cellar, and, for_the first time, rinsed with water, which caused some very curious sensations . there it lay empty, and without a Cork, and it had a peculiar feeling, as_if it wanted something it knew not what . at last it_was filled with rich and costly wine, a Cork was placed in_it, and sealed down . then it_was labelled " first quality," as_if it had carried off the first prize at an examination; besides, the wine and_the bottle were both good, and while we_are young is_the time for poetry . there were sounds of song within_the bottle, of things it could_not understand, of green sunny mountains, where the vines grow and where the merry vine-dressers laugh, sing, and_are merry ."Ah, how beautiful is life ." all these tones of joy and song in_the bottle were like the working of a young poet's brain, who often knows not the meaning of_the tones which are sounding within him . one morning the bottle found a purchaser in_the furrier's apprentice, who was told to bring one_of_the_best bottles of wine . it_was placed in_the provision basket with ham and cheese and sausages . the sweetest fresh butter and_the finest bread were put into_the basket by_the furrier's daughter herself, for she packed it . she was young and pretty; her brown eyes laughed, and a smile lingered round her mouth as sweet as_that in her eyes . she had delicate hands, beautifully white, and her neck was whiter still . it could easily be seen that she was a very lovely girl, and as_yet she was not engaged . the provision basket lay in_the lap of_the young girl as_the family drove out to_the forest, and_the neck of_the bottle peeped out from between_the folds of_the white napkin . there_was the red wax on_the Cork, and_the bottle looked straight at_the young girl's face, and also at_the face of_the young sailor who sat near her . he_was a young friend, the son of a portrait painter . he had lately passed his examination with honor, as mate, and_the next morning he_was to sail in_his ship to a distant coast . there had_been a great deal of talk on_this subject while the basket was being packed, and during this conversation the eyes and_the mouth of_the furrier's daughter did_not wear a very joyful expression . the young people wandered away into_the green wood, and talked together . what did they talk about ? the bottle could_not_say, for he_was in_the provision basket . it remained there a long_time; but when at last it_was brought forth it appeared as_if something pleasant had happened, for every_one was laughing; the furrier's daughter laughed too, but she said very little, and her cheeks were like two roses . then her father took the bottle and_the Cork- screw into his hands . what a strange sensation it_was to_have the Cork drawn for_the first time ! the bottle could never after_that forget the performance of_that moment; indeed there_was quite a convulsion within him as_the Cork flew out, and agurgling sound as_the wine was poured forth into_the glasses .

" long life to_the betrothed," cried the papa, and every glass was emptied to_the dregs, while the young sailor kissed his beautiful bride .

" happiness and blessing to_you both," said the old people- father and mother, and_the young man filled the glasses again .

" safe return, and awedding this day next_year," he cried; and when_the glasses were empty he_took the bottle, raised it on high, and said, " thou hast been present here on_the happiest day of_my life; thou shalt never be used by others ! " so saying, he hurled it high in_the air .

the furrier's daughter thought she should never see it again, but she was mistaken . it fell among_the rushes on_the borders of a little woodland lake . the bottle neck remembered well how long it lay there unseen ." I_gave them wine, and_they gave_me muddy water," he had said to himself, " but I suppose it_was all well meant ." he_could no longer see the betrothed couple, nor the cheerful old people; but for_a_long_time he_could hear them rejoicing and singing . at_length there came by two peasant boys, who peeped in among_the reeds and spied out the bottle . then they took it up and carried it home with_them, so_that once more it_was provided for . at home in their wooden cottage these boys had an elder brother, a sailor, who was about to start on a long voyage . he had_been there the day before to_say farewell, and_his mother was now very busy packing up various things for him to_take with_him on_his voyage . in_the evening his father was going to carry the parcel to_the town to_see his son once more, and take him a farewell greeting from_his mother .a small bottle had already been filled with herb tea, mixed with brandy, and wrapped in a parcel; but when_the boys came in they brought with_them a larger and stronger bottle, which they had found . this bottle would hold so_much more than_the little one, and_they all said the brandy would_be so good for complaints of_the stomach, especially as it_was mixed with medical herbs . the liquid which they now poured into_the bottle was not like the red wine with_which it had once been filled; these were bitter drops, but they_are of great use sometimes- for_the stomach . the new large bottle was to_go, not the little one: so the bottle once more started on its travels . it_was taken on board ( for Peter Jensen was one_of_the crew) the very same ship in_which_the young mate was to sail . but the mate did_not see the bottle: indeed, if he had he_would_not have known it, or supposed it was_the one out of_which they had drunk to_the felicity of_the betrothed and to_the prospect of a marriage on_his own happy return . certainly the bottle no longer poured forth wine, but it contained something quite as good; and so it happened that whenever Peter Jensen brought it out, his messmates gave it the name of " the apothecary," for_it contained the best medicine to cure the stomach, and he_gave it out quite willingly as long as a drop remained . those were happy days, and_the bottle would sing when rubbed with a Cork, and it_was called a great lark," "Peter Jensen's lark ."

long days and months rolled by, during which the bottle stood empty in a corner, when a storm arose- whether on_the passage out or home it could_not tell, for_it had never been ashore . it_was a terrible storm, great waves arose, darkly heaving and tossing the vessel to and fro . the main mast was split asunder, the ship sprang a leak, and_the pumps became useless, while all around was black as night . at_the last moment, when_the ship was sinking, the young mate wrote on a piece of paper, " we_are going down: god's will_be_done ." then he wrote the name of_his betrothed, his own name, and_that of_the ship . then he put the leaf in an empty bottle that happened to_be at hand, corked it down tightly, and threw it into_the foaming sea . he_knew not that_it_was the very same bottle from_which the goblet of joy and_hope had once been filled for him, and now it_was tossing on_the waves with_his last greeting, and a message from_the dead . the ship sank, and_the crew sank with her; but the bottle flew on like a bird, for_it bore within it aloving letter from aloving heart . and as_the sun rose and set, the bottle felt as at_the_time of_its first existence, when in_the heated glowing stove it had alonging to fly away . it outlived the storms and_the calm, it struck against no rocks, was not devoured by sharks, but drifted on for more than a year, sometimes towards the north, sometimes towards the south, just as_the current carried it . it_was in all other ways its own master, but even of_that one may get tired . the written leaf, the last farewell of_the bridegroom to_his bride, would only bring sorrow when once it reached her hands; but where were those hands, so soft and delicate, which had once spread the table- cloth on_the fresh grass in_the green wood, on_the day of her betrothal ? Ah, yes ! where was_the furrier's daughter ? and where was_the land which might lie nearest to her home ?

the bottle knew not, it travelled onward and onward, and at last all this wandering about became wearisome; at all events it_was not its usual occupation . but it had to travel, till at_length it reached land- a foreign country . not a word spoken in_this country could the bottle understand; it_was a language it had never before heard, and it_is a great loss not to_be_able to understand a language . the bottle was fished out_of_the water, and examined on all sides . the little letter contained within it_was discovered, taken out, and turned and twisted in every direction; but the people could_not understand what_was written upon it . they_could be quite_sure that_the bottle had_been thrown overboard from a vessel, and_that something about_it was

Section [1 | 2]