THE A．B．C．BOOK

THERE was a man who had written some new verses for the A．B．C．book；two lines for every letter，as in the old A．B．C．books；he thought that one ought to have something new，the old verses were so stale，and he always thought so well of his own．The new A．B．C．book was as yet only in manuscript，and it was placed be－side the old printed one in the big book－case，in which stood so many learned and interesting books；but the old A．B．C．book would not be a neighbour to the new one，and so it had sprung from the shelf，and at the same time had given the new one a push，so that it also lay upon the floor with all its loose leaves scattered round about．The old A．B．C．book was open at the first page，and it is the most important：all the letters stand there，the big and the little．That pag contains everything that all the other books live upon，the alphabet，the letters，which really rule the world；they have a terrible power！It entirely depends on how they are commanded to stand；they can give life，put to death，gladden，and affliet．Placed separately they signify nothing，but placed in ranks—ah！When our Lord caused them to be placed under His thoughts，we learned more than we had strength to bear，we bowed ourselves deeply，but the letters had the strength to bear it．

There the books lay now，facing upwards！And the cock in the capital A shone with red，blue，and green feathers；he thrust out his chest，for he knew what the letters meant，and knew that he was the only living thing amongst them．

When the old A．B．C．book fell on the floor，he flapped his wings，flew out，and set himself on the edge of the book-case，preened his feathers and crowed，so that echo rang with it．Every book in the book-case，which at other times stood day and night as in a doze when not in use，heard the trumpet－call—and then the cock talked clearly and distinctly about the injustice which had been done to the worthy old A．B．C．book．

“Everything must now be new，be different，”he said，“everything must be so advanced！Children are so clever，that they can now read before they know the letters．

“They shall have something new，”said he who wrote the new A．B．C．verses，which lie there scattered on the floor．I know them！More than ten times have I heard him read them aloud to himself！It was such a pleasure to him．No，may I beg to have my own verses，the good old ones with Xanthus，and the pictures which belong to them；these will I fight for，these will I crow for！Every book in the book－case knows them well．Now I shall read the new ones he has written，read them with all calmness，and then let us agree that they are no good！”

 

A．AYAH

 

An Ayah has an Eastern air

And others'children are her care．

 

B．BOOR

 

A Boor in former days but toiled；

Now he's somewhat proud and spoiled．

“That verse，now，I think wonderfully flat！”said the cock，“but I will read on！”

 

C．COLUMBUS

 

Columbus sailed across the main，

And earth became as large again．

 

D．DENMARK

 

Of Denmark's kingdom it is told，

God over it His hand will hold．

“Many will think that beautiful！”said the cock，“but don't！I find nothing beautiful here！Let us read on！”

 

E．ELEPHANT

 

The Elephant，though young it be，

Can tread but heavily，we see．

 

F．FLOOD

 

When rain makes rivers rise in Flood，

It may do harm，but also good．

 

G．GOOSE

 

A Goose，though ne’er so wisely taught，

Is always slow in learning aught．

 

H．HURRAH

 

Hurrah is used to mark applause，

And often for but trifling cause．

“How's a child to understand that now？”said the cock，“there certainly stands on the title-page‘A．B．C．book for big and little’，but the big ones have other things to do than read A．B．C．verses，and the little ones cannot possibly understand it！There is limit to everything！Let us go on！”

 

I．ISLAND

 

Our earth an Island is in space，

And we but atoms on its face．

 

K．KINE

 

The Kine are kindred to the bull，

And with their calves the fields are full．

“How can one explain to children the relationship of these to each other？”

 

L．LION

 

In deserts wild the Lions roam，

But we have other lions at home．

 

M．MORNING SUN

 

The Morning sun its beams has shown，

But not because the cock has crown．

“Now I am being insulted！”said the cock，“but I am in good company，in company with the sun．Let's go on！”

 

N．NEGRO

 

Black is the Negro past all hope，

One cannot wash him white with soap．

 

O．OLIVE

 

The Olive leaf of Noah's dove

Must rank all other leaves above．

 

P．POST

 

The Post conveys from land to land

The work of many a head and hand．

 

Q．QUEY

 

A Quey will one day be a cow，

And so is worth the having now．

 

R．ROUND－TOWER

 

One may as stout as Round－tower stand，

And yet have neither name nor land

 

S．SWINE

 

Be not too proud，though all the Swine

That in the forest feed are thine

“Allow me to crow now！”said the cock，“it tries one's strength to read so much！one must take a breath！”and he crowed，so that it rang like a brass trumpet，and it was a great delight to hear it—for the cock．

 

T．TEA-KETTLE

 

Though lowly the Tea-kettle's place，

It sings with all a Tea－urn's grace．

 

U．URANUS

 

Though far as Uranus we fly，

Beyond is still the endless sky．

 

W．WASHERWOMAN

 

A Washerwoman may wash so long

That things will tear，however strong．

 

X．XANTHIPPE

 

“Here he hasn't been able to invent anything new．”

A stormy cliff in wedlock's seas

Xanthippe proved to Socrates．

“He had to take Xanthippe；but Xanthus is better

 

Y．YGDRASIL

 

'Neath Ygdrasil the gods did dwell；

The tree is dead，and the gods as well．

 

Z．ZEPHYR

 

The Danish Zephyr from the west

Can blow through fur-lined coat and vest．

 

“There it ended！But it is not done with！Now it is to be printed！And then it is to be read！It is to be offered instead of the worthy old letter-verses in my book！What says the meeting，learned and unlearned，single and collected works？What says the book－case？I have spoken—now the others can act！”

And the books stood and the book－case stood，but the cock flew down again into his capital A，and looked about him proudly．“I talked well，I crowed well！—that the new A．B．C．book cannot do after me！it will certainly die！it is dead already！it has no cock！”

识字课本

 

有一个人替《识字课本》写了一些新诗。像在那些老《识字课本》里一样，他也在每个字母下面写两行。他认为大家应该读点新的东西，因为那些旧诗都已经太陈腐了。此外，他还觉得自己是一个了不起的人。这本新的《识字课本》还不过是一部原稿。它跟那本旧的一起立在书架上——书架上还有许多深奥和有趣的书。可是那本旧的却不愿跟这部新的做邻居，因此它就从书架上跳下来，同时把那部新的一推，弄得它也滚到地板上来，把原稿纸撒得遍地都是。

旧《识字课本》的第一页是敞开着的。这是最重要的一页，因为所有大大小小的字母都印在它上面。一切其他书籍不可缺少的东西，这一页上全有：字母啦、字啦——事实上它们统治着整个世界，它们的威力真是可怕得很！问题在于你怎样把它们安放在恰当的位置上。它们可以叫人活，叫人死，叫人高兴，叫人痛苦。你把它们一拆开，它们就什么意义也没有。不过假如你把它们排成队——是的，当我们的上帝用它们来表达他的思想的时候，[我们从它们所得到的知识才多啦：]我们简直没有力量把这些知识背起来，我们的腰被压弯，但是字母却有力量扛起来。

这两部躺着的书都是面朝上。在大写字母A里的公鸡炫耀着它的红色、蓝色和绿色的羽毛。他挺起他的胸脯，因为他知道字母的意义，同时也知道他自己是字母里唯一有生命的东西。

当老《识字课本》跌到地上来的时候，他拍着他的翅膀，飞起来了。他落到书架的边缘上，理了理自己的羽毛，提高嗓子叫了一声，引起一片尖锐的回音。书架里的书在没有人用它们的时候，日夜老是站着不动，好像是在睡觉似的。现在这些书可听到号声了。于是这只公鸡就高声地、毫不含糊地把人们对于那部老《识字课本》所做的不公平的事情都讲出来。

“什么东西都要新奇，都要不同！”他说，“什么东西都要跑到前面一步！孩子们都要那么聪明，在没有识字以前就要会读书。

“‘他们应该学点新的东西，’写那本躺在地上的新识字课本的诗人说。我知道那是些什么诗！我不止10次听到他读给自己听！他读得津津有味。不成，我要求有我自己的那套诗，那套很好的旧诗——X项下就是Xanthus！我还要求有跟这诗在一起的那些图画。我要为这些东西而斗争，为这些东西而啼叫！书架上所有的书都认识它们。现在我要把这些新写的诗读一下——当然是平心静气地读！这样，我们就可以取得一致的意见，认为他们一文不值！”

 

A 保姆

 

一个保姆穿着漂亮的衣服，

别人家的孩子由她来看护。

 

B 种田人

 

一个种田人从前受过许多闷气，

不过现在他却觉得非常了不起。

“这几句诗我觉得太平淡了，”公鸡说，“但是我还是念下去吧！”

 

C 哥伦布

 

哥伦布横渡过了大海，

两倍大的陆地现出来。

 

D 丹麦

 

关于丹麦王国有这样一个故事；

据说上帝亲自伸手来把它扶持。

“有许多人一定以为这诗很美！”公鸡说，“但是我不同意！我在这里看不出任何一点美来！我们念下去吧！”

 

E 象

 

一只象走起路来笨重得很，

但是他有一颗很年轻的心。

 

F 月食

 

月亮戴着帽子不停地走，

月食才是他休息的时候。

 

G 公猪

 

公猪即使鼻头上戴一个铁环，

叫他学好礼貌还是非常困难。

 

H 万岁

 

“万岁！”在我们这个人间，

常常是被乱用的字眼。

“一个孩子怎么能读懂这样的诗呢？”公鸡说。“封面上写得清清楚楚：‘适合大小孩子的课本’。大孩子有别的书看，不需读《识字课本》，而小孩子却读不懂！什么东西都有一个限度呀！我们念下去吧！”

 

J 大地

 

我们的母亲是我们辽阔的大地，

我们最后仍然要回到她的怀里。

[“这种说法太粗鲁！”公鸡说。]

 

K 田牛 小牛

 

母牛是公牛的眷属，

田野里到处都是他们的小牛犊

“一个人怎样能对孩子解释她们之间的关系呢？”

 

L 狮子 眼镜

 

野狮子没有夹鼻眼镜可以戴上，

包厢里的家狮子却戴得很像样。

 

M 早晨的太阳光

 

金色的太阳先高高地照着，

并不是因为公鸡刚刚啼过。

“我现在可要生气了！”公鸡说。“不过人们倒是把我描写成为和好朋友在一起——跟太阳在一起！念下去吧！”

 

N黑人

 

黑人是永远那么漆黑，

他怎样洗也不能变白。

 

O 橄榄树叶

 

你知道什么样的树叶最好？

白鸽衔来的那片价值最高。

 

P  脑袋

 

人类的脑袋里常常装着许多东西，

时间空间的容量都不能跟它相比。

 

Q 牲口

 

牲口是有用的好东西，

即使很小也没有关系。

 

R 圆塔

 

一个人可以像圆塔那样沉重，

但他并不因此就能显得光荣。

 

S 猪

 

你切不要显出骄傲的神气，

虽然你有许多猪在树林里。

“现在让我啼一声吧！”公鸡说，“念这么多的诗可吃力啦！一个人也得换一口气呀！”于是他啼了一声，简直像一个黄铜喇叭在吹。这叫人听到怪舒服的——当然这只是就公鸡而言。“念下去吧！”

 

T 烧水壶 茶壶

 

烧水壶虽然住在厨房，

但是它只对茶壶歌唱。

 

U 钟

 

钟虽然不停地敲，不停地走，

人却是在“永恒”之中立足。

[“这话说得太深奥了，”公鸡说，“深得我达不到底！”]

 

 

V 浣熊

 

浣熊把东西洗得太久，

洗到后来什么也没有。

 

X 桑第普

 

“他现在再玩不出什么新花样了！”

夫妻生活的海中有一个暗礁，

桑第普特别指给苏格拉底瞧。

“他不得不把桑第普找出来凑数！事实上桑都斯要好得多！”

 

Y 乌德拉西树

 

神仙们都住在乌德拉西树下面，

树死了以后神仙们也一齐完蛋。

 

Z 和风

 

西风在丹麦算得是“和风”，

它能透过皮衣吹进身中。

 

E 驴

 

驴子究竟还是一头驴，

哪怕它有漂亮的身躯。

 

Φ 牡蛎

 

牡蛎对世界没有任何信心，

因为人一口吃掉它的全身。]

“就是这么一回事儿，不过事儿还没有完结！它要被印出来，还要被人阅读！它将要代替我那些有价值的老字母诗而流传出去！各位朋友们——深奥和浅显的书，单行本和全集，你们有什么意见？书架有什么意见？我的话已经说完了，大家可以行动了！”

书没动。书架也没动。但是公鸡仍飞到大写字母A里面去，向他的周围骄傲地望了一眼。

“我说得很好，我也啼得很好！这本新的《识字课本》可比不上我！它一定会灭亡！它已经灭亡了！因为它里面没有公鸡！”

 

这也是一篇童话式的杂文，通过公鸡这个形象，讽刺了人间（也包括公鸡自己）的某些弱点，但说得很含蓄，充满了风趣，而且简洁。这种形式也是一种创造。此文最先发表在《新的童话和故事集》第1卷第1部。