GOOD LUCK CAN LIE IN A PIN

NOW I shall tell a story about good luck．We allknow good luck：some see it from year's end to year'send，others only at certain seasons，on a certain day；there are even people who only see it once in their lives，but see it we all do．

Now I need not tell you，for every one knows it，that God sends the little child and lays it in a mother'slap，—it may be in the rich castle，and in the well－to－dohouse，but it may also be in the open field where the coldwind blows．Every one does not know，however，but it istrue all the same，that God，when He brings the child，brings also a lucky gift for it：but it is not laid openly byits side；it is laid in some place in the world where onewould least expect to find it，and yet it always is found：that is the best of it．It may be laid in an apple；it was sofor a learned man who was called Newton：the apple fell，and so he found his good luck．If you do not know thestory，then ask some，one who knows it to tell it yon．Ihave another story to tell，and that is a story about apear．

Once upon a time there was a man who was born inpoverty，had grown up in poverty，and in poverty he hadmarried．He was a turner by trade and made，especially，umbrella handles and rings；but he only lived from handto mouth．"I never find good luck，"he said．This is astory that really happened，and one could name the coun－try and the place where the man lived，but that doesn'tmatter．

The red，sour rowan－berries grew in richest profu－sion about his house and garden．In the garden there wasalso a pear-tree，but it did not bear a single pear，andyet the good luck was laid in that pear－tree，laid in theinvisible pears．

One night the wind blew a terrible storm．They toldin the newspapers that the big stage－coach was lifted off theroad and thrown aside like a rag．It could very well happenthen that a great branch was broken off the pear－tree．

The branch was put into the workshop，and the man，as a joke，made a big pear out of it，and then another bigone，then a smaller one，and then some very little ones．"The tree must some time or other have pears，"the mansaid，and he gave them to the children to play with．

One of the necessities of life in a wet country is an umbrella．The whole house had only one for common use；if the wind blew too strongly，the umbrella turned inside－out；it also snapped two or three times，but the man soonput it right again．The most provoking thing，however，wasthat the button which held it together when it was down，too often jumped off，or the ring which was round it brokein two．

One day the button flew off；the man searched for iton the floor，and there got hold of one of the smallest ofthe wooden pears which the children had got to play with．"The button is not to be found，"said the man，"but thislittle thing will serve the same purpose．"So he bored ahole in it，pulled a string through it，and the little pear fit－ted very well into the broken ring．It was assuredly the verybest fastener the umbrella had ever had．

Next year when the man was sending umbrella handlesto the town，as he regularly did，he also sent some of thelittle wooden pears，and begged that they might be tried，and so they came to America．There they very soon noticedthat the little pears held much better than any other button，and now they demanded of the merchant that all the um－brellas which were sent after that should be fastened with alittle pear．

Now，there was something to do！Pears in thousands！Wooden pears on all umbrellas！The man must set to work．He turned and turned．The whole pear－tree was cut up intolittle pears！It brought in pennies，it brought in shillings！

"My good luck was laid in the pear－tree，"said theman．He now got a big workshop with workmen and boys．He was always in a good humour，and said，"Good luckcan lie in a pin！"

I also，who tell the story，say so．

People have a saying，"Take a white pin in yourmouth and you will be invisible，"but it must be the rightpin，the one which was given us as a lucky gift by ourLord．

I got that，and I also，like the man，can catchchinking gold，gleaming gold，the very best，that kindwhich shines from children's eyes，the kind that soundsfrom children's mouths，and from father and mother too．They read the stories，and I stand among them in the middle of the room，but invisible，for I have the whitepin in my mouth．If I see that they are delighted withwhat I tell them，then I also say，"Good luck can lie in apin ！"

幸运可能就在一根棒上

 

我现在要讲一个关于好运道的故事。我们都知道好运道这回事：有的人一年到头都碰见它，另外有些人几年才碰见它一次，还有一些人在一生中才碰见它一次。不过我们每个人都会遇见它的。

我现在不需告诉你——因为每个人都知道——小孩子是上帝送来的，而且是送在妈妈的怀里。这件事可能是发生在一个华贵的宫殿里，也可能是发生在一个富有的家庭里，不过也可能是发生在冷风扫着的旷野里。但是有一件事并不是每个人都知道的，而这件事却是真的：上帝把小孩子送来的时候，同时也送来一件幸运的礼物。不过他并不把它公开地放在孩子旁边，而是把它放在人所意想不到的一个角落里。但是它总会被找到的——这是最愉快的事情。它可能被放在一个苹果里：这是送给一个有学问的人的礼物——他的名字叫牛顿。这个苹果落下来了，因此他找到了他的好运道。如果你不知道这个故事，你可以去找一个知道的人讲给你听。现在我要讲另外一个故事。这是一个关于梨子的故事。

从前有一个穷苦的人，他在穷困中出生，在穷困中长大，而且在穷困中结了婚。他是一个旋工，主要是做雨伞的把手和环子，不过这只能勉强糊口。

“我从来没有碰到过好运道，”他说。

这是一个真正发生过的故事。人们可以说出这人所住的国家和城市，不过这也没有什么关系。

他的房子和花园的周围结满了又红又酸的花楸树果实[——最华贵的装饰品]。花园里还有一棵梨树，但是它却一个梨子也不结。然而好运道却藏在这株梨树里面——藏在它看不见的梨子里。

有一天晚上吹起了一阵可怕的狂风。报纸上说，暴风把一辆大公共马车吹起来，然后又把它像一块破布片似地扔向一边。梨树有一根大枝子也被折断了——这当然算不上什么希奇。

这枝子被吹到工厂里。这人为了好玩，用它车出一个大梨子，接着又车出一个大梨子，最后车出一个小梨子和一些更小的梨子。

“这树多少总应该结几个梨子吧，”这人说。于是他把这些梨子送给小孩子拿去玩。

在一个多雨的国家里，生活中必需物件之一是一把雨伞。一般说来，他家只用一把雨伞。如果风吹得太猛，雨伞就翻过来了，它也折断过两三次，但是这人马上就把它修好了，不过最恼人的事情是，当伞收下来时，扎住伞的那颗扣子常常跳走了，或者圈住伞的那个环子常常裂成两半。

有一天扣子飞走了，这人在地上寻找。他找到他所车出的一个最小的梨子——孩子们拿去玩的一个梨子。

“扣子找不到了！”这人说，“不过这个小家伙倒可以代替它呢！”

于是他就在它上面钻了一个眼，同时穿一根线进去。这个小梨子跟那个破环子配得恰恰合适，它无疑是这把伞从来没有过的一颗最好的扣子。

第二年，当这人照例送雨伞把手到京城去的时候，他同时还送了几个小木梨。他要求东家把它们试用一下，因此它们就被运到美洲去了。那儿的人马上就注意到，小木梨比扣子扣得还紧；所以他们要求雨伞商今后把雨伞运去的时候，还必须扣上一个小木梨。

这样一来，工作可多了！人们需要成千成万的木梨！所有的雨伞上都要加一个木梨！这人必须大量工作。他车了又车。整个的梨树都变成了小木梨！它赚来银毫子，它赚来现洋！

“我的好运道可能就在这棵梨树上！”这人说。于是他开设了一个大工场，里面有工人和学徒。他的心情总是很好的，并且喜欢说：“幸运可能就在一根棒上！”

我作为讲这个故事的人，也要这样说。

民间流行着一句谚语：“你在嘴里放一根白色的木棒，人们就没有办法看见你。”但是这必须正好是那根棒子——上帝作为幸运的礼物送给我们的那根棒子。

我得到了这件东西。像那人一样，我也能获得丁当响的金子，亮闪闪的金子——最好的一种金子：它在孩子的眼睛里射出光来，它在孩子的嘴里发出响声，也在爸爸和妈妈的嘴里发出响声。他们读着这些故事，我在屋子中央站在他们中间，但是谁也看不见我，因为我嘴里有一根白色的木棒。如果我发现他们因为听到我所讲的故事而感到高兴，那么我也要说：“幸运可能就在一根棒上！”

这篇小故事最初发表在纽约出版的《青少年河边杂志》1869年4月号上。在丹麦则发表于1870年3月出版的《浪漫派与历史》杂志上。原稿的前面有这样一行字：“特为美国的年轻朋友们而写。”可见，它是为美国的孩子们写的。什么叫做“幸运”？“‘你在嘴里放一根白色的木棒，人们就没有办法看见你’。……我在屋子中央站在他们（孩子们）中间，但是谁也看不见我，因为我嘴里有一根白色的木棒。如果我发现他们因为听到我所讲的故事而感到高兴，那么我也要说：‘幸运可能就在一根棒上！’”这也就是一个儿童文学作家所期望得到的“幸运”。