The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen
Section [1 | 2 | 3]
the wild Swans

by Hans Christian Andersen

translation by H .P .Paull (1872)

far away in_the land to_which_the swallows fly when it_is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza . the eleven brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on_his breast, and a sword by his side . they wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, and learnt their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every_one might know they were princes . their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate- glass, and had a book full of pictures, which had cost as_much as half a kingdom .Oh, these children were indeed happy, but it_was not to remain so always . their father, who was king of_the country, married a very wicked queen, who did_not love the poor children at all . they knew this from_the very first day after_the wedding . in_the palace there were great festivities, and_the children played at receiving company; but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea- cup, and told them to pretend it_was cake . the week after, she sent little Eliza into_the country to a peasant and_his wife, and then she told the king so_many untrue things about_the young princes, that he_gave himself no more trouble respecting them .

" go out into_the world and get your own living," said the queen ." fly like great birds, who_have no voice ." but she_could_not make them ugly as she wished, for they were turned into eleven beautiful wild swans . then, with a strange cry, they flew through_the windows of_the palace, over the park, to_the forest beyond . it_was early morning when_they passed the peasant's cottage, where their sister Eliza lay asleep in her room . they hovered over the roof, twisted their long necks and flapped their wings, but no one heard them or saw them, so they were at last obliged to fly away, high up in_the clouds; and over the wide world they flew till they came to a thick, dark wood, which stretched far away to_the seashore . poor little Eliza was alone in her room playing with a green leaf, for she had no other playthings, and she pierced a hole through_the leaf, and looked through it at_the sun, and it_was as_if she saw her brothers' clear eyes, and when_the warm sun shone on her cheeks, she thought of all the kisses they had given her . one day passed just like another; sometimes the winds rustled through_the leaves of_the rose- bush, and would whisper to_the roses, " who_can_be more beautiful than you ! " but the roses would shake their heads, and say, "Eliza is ." and when_the old woman sat at_the cottage door on Sunday, and read her hymn- book, the wind would flutter the leaves, and say to_the book, " who_can_be more pious than you ? " and then the hymn- book would answer "Eliza ." and_the roses and_the hymn- book told the real truth . at fifteen she returned home, but when_the queen saw how beautiful she was, she became full of spite and hatred towards her . willingly would she have turned her into a swan, like her brothers, but she did_not dare to_do_so yet, because the king wished to_see his daughter . early one morning the queen went into_the bath- room; it_was built of marble, and had soft cushions, trimmed with_the most beautiful tapestry . she took three toads with her, and kissed them, and said to one, " when Eliza comes to_the bath, seat yourself upon her head, that she may become as stupid as_you_are ." then she said to another, " place yourself on her forehead, that she may become as ugly as_you_are, and_that her father may not know her ." " rest on her heart," she whispered to_the third, " then she will_have evil inclinations, and suffer in consequence ." so she put the toads into_the clear water, and_they turned green immediately . she next called Eliza, and helped her to undress and get into_the bath . as Eliza dipped her head under the water, one_of_the toads sat on her hair, a second on her forehead, and a third on her breast, but she did_not seem to notice them, and when she rose out_of_the water, there were three red poppies floating upon it . had_not the creatures been venomous or been kissed by_the witch, they_would_have been changed into red roses . at all events they became flowers, because they had rested on Eliza's head, and on her heart . she was too good and too innocent for witchcraft to_have any power over her . when_the wicked queen saw this, she rubbed her face with walnut- juice, so_that she was quite brown; then she tangled her beautiful hair and smeared it with disgusting ointment, till it_was quite impossible to recognize the beautiful Eliza .

when her father saw her, he_was much shocked, and declared she was not his daughter . no one but the watch- dog and_the swallows knew her; and_they were only poor animals, and could_say nothing . then poor Eliza wept, and thought of her eleven brothers, who were all away . sorrowfully, she stole away from_the palace, and walked, the whole day, over fields and moors, till she came to_the great forest . she knew not in what direction to_go; but she was so unhappy, and longed so for her brothers, who had_been, like herself, driven out into_the world, that she was determined to seek them . she had_been but a short time in_the wood when night came on, and she quite lost the path; so she laid herself down on_the soft moss, offered up her evening prayer, and leaned her head against the stump of a tree . all nature was still, and_the soft, mild air fanned her forehead . the light of hundreds of glow-worms shone amidst the grass and_the moss, like green fire; and if she touched a twig with her hand, ever so lightly, the brilliant insects fell down around her, like shooting-stars .

all night long she dreamt of her brothers . she and_they were children again, playing together . she saw them writing with their diamond pencils on golden slates, while she looked at_the beautiful picture- book which had cost half a kingdom . they were_not writing lines and letters, as_they used to_do; but descriptions of_the noble deeds they had performed, and of all they had discovered and seen . in_the picture- book, too, everything was living . the birds sang, and_the people came out_of_the book, and spoke to Eliza and her brothers; but, as_the leaves turned over, they darted back again to_their places, that all might_be in_order .

when she awoke, the sun was high in_the heavens; yet she_could_not see him, for_the lofty trees spread their branches thickly over her head; but his beams were glancing through_the leaves here and there, like a golden mist . there_was a sweet fragrance from_the fresh green verdure, and_the birds almost perched upon her shoulders . she heard water rippling from a number of springs, all flowing in a lake with golden sands .Bushes grew thickly round the lake, and at one spot an opening had_been made by a deer, through which Eliza went down to_the water . the lake was so clear that, had_not the wind rustled the branches of_the trees and_the bushes, so that_they moved, they_would_have appeared as_if painted in_the depths of_the lake; for every leaf was reflected in_the water, whether it stood in_the shade or the sunshine . as_soon_as Eliza saw her own face, she was quite terrified at finding it so brown and ugly; but when she wetted her little hand, and rubbed her eyes and forehead, the white skin gleamed forth once more; and, after she had undressed, and dipped herself in_the fresh water, a more beautiful king's daughter could_not_be found in_the wide world . as_soon_as she had dressed herself again, and braided her long hair, she went to_the bubbling spring, and drank some water out_of_the hollow of her hand . then she wandered far into_the forest, not knowing whither she went . she thought of her brothers, and felt sure that god would_not forsake her . it_is god who makes the wild apples grow in_the wood, to satisfy the hungry, and he now led her to one_of_these trees, which_was so loaded with fruit, that_the boughs bent beneath the weight . here she held her noonday repast, placed props under the boughs, and then went into_the gloomiest depths of_the forest . it_was so still that she_could hear the sound of her own footsteps, as_well as_the rustling of every withered leaf which she crushed under her feet . not a bird was to_be seen, not a sunbeam could penetrate through_the large, dark boughs of_the trees . their lofty trunks stood so close together, that, when she looked before her, it seemed as_if she were enclosed within trellis- work . such solitude she had never known before . the night was very dark . not a single glow- worm glittered in_the moss .

sorrowfully she laid herself down to sleep; and, after a while, it seemed to her as if_the branches of_the trees parted over her head, and_that the mild eyes of angels looked down upon her from heaven . when she awoke in_the morning, she knew not whether she had dreamt this, or if_it had really been so . then she continued her wandering; but she had_not gone many steps forward, when she met an old woman with berries in her basket, and she gave her a few to eat . then Eliza asked her if she had_not seen eleven princes riding through_the forest .

" no," replied the old woman, " but I_saw yesterday eleven swans, with gold crowns on their heads, swimming on_the river close by ." then she led Eliza a little distance farther to asloping bank, and at_the foot of it wound a little river . the trees on its banks stretched their long leafy branches across the water towards each_other, and where the growth prevented them from meeting naturally, the roots had torn themselves away from_the ground, so that_the branches might mingle their foliage as_they hung over the water .Eliza bade the old woman farewell, and walked by_the flowing river, till she reached the shore of_the open sea . and there, before_the young maiden's eyes, lay the glorious ocean, but not a sail appeared on its surface, not even a boat could_be seen . how was she to_go farther ? she noticed how the countless pebbles on_the sea- shore had_been smoothed and rounded by_the action of_the water . glass, iron, stones, everything that lay there mingled together, had taken its shape from_the same power, and felt as smooth, or even smoother than her own delicate hand ." the water rolls on without weariness," she said, till all that_is hard becomes smooth; so will I be unwearied in my task . thanks for your lessons, bright rolling waves; my heart tells me you_will lead me to my dear brothers ." on_the foam- covered sea-weeds, lay eleven white swan feathers, which she gathered up and placed together .Drops of water lay upon them; whether they were dew-drops or tears no one could_say . lonely as it_was on_the sea- shore, she did_not observe it, for_the ever-moving sea showed more changes in a few hours than_the most varying lake could produce during a whole year . if a black heavy cloud arose, it_was as if_the sea said, " I_can look dark and angry too;" and then the wind blew, and_the waves turned to white foam as_they rolled . when_the wind slept, and_the clouds glowed with_the red sunlight, then the sea looked like a rose leaf . but however quietly its white glassy surface rested, there_was still a motion on_the shore, as its waves rose and fell like the breast of asleeping child . when_the sun was about to set, Eliza saw eleven white swans with golden crowns on their heads, flying towards the land, one behind the other, like a long white ribbon . then Eliza went down the slope from_the shore, and hid herself behind the bushes . the swans alighted quite close to her and flapped their great white wings . as_soon_as_the sun had disappeared under the water, the feathers of_the swans fell off, and eleven beautiful princes, Eliza's brothers, stood near her . she uttered a loud cry, for, although they were very_much changed, she knew them immediately . she sprang into their arms, and called them each by name . then, how happy the princes were at meeting their little sister again, for they recognized her, although she had grown so tall and beautiful . they laughed, and_they wept, and very_soon understood how wickedly their mother had acted to_them all ." we brothers," said the eldest, " fly about as wild swans, so_long as_the sun is in_the sky; but as_soon_as it sinks behind the hills, we recover our human shape . therefore must we always be near aresting place for_our feet before sunset; for if we_should_be flying towards the clouds at_the_time we recovered our natural shape as men, we_should sink deep into_the sea . we_do_not dwell here, but in a land just as fair, that lies beyond the ocean, which we_have to cross for a long distance; there_is no island in_our passage upon_which we_could pass, the night;

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