English Original
A STORY FROM THE SAND-HILLS
by Hans Christian Andersen
This story is from the sand-dunes of Jutland, but it does not begin there in the North, but far away in the South, in Spain. The wide sea is the highroad from nation to nation. Journey in thought to sunny Spain. It is warm and beautiful there; the fiery pomegranate flowers peep from among dark laurels; a cool refreshing breeze from the mountains blows over the orange gardens, over the Moorish halls with their golden cupolas and coloured walls.
Children go through the streets in procession with candles and waving banners, and the sky, lofty and clear with its glittering stars, rises above them. Sounds of singing and castanets can be heard, and youths and maidens dance, while even the beggar sits upon a block of marble, refreshing himself with a juicy melon, and dreamily enjoying life. It all seems like a beautiful dream.
Here dwelt a newly married couple who completely gave themselves up to the charm of life; indeed they possessed every good thing they could desire—health and happiness, riches and honour.
"We are as happy as human beings can be," said the young couple from the depths of their hearts. They had indeed only one step higher to mount on the ladder of happiness—they hoped that God would give them a child, a son like them in form and spirit. The happy little one was to be welcomed with rejoicing, to be cared for with love and tenderness, and enjoy every advantage of wealth and luxury that a rich and influential family can give. So the days went by like a joyous festival.
...
[The story continues, detailing the couple's philosophical debate about life and the afterlife, their journey by ship to Russia, the shipwreck off the coast of Jutland, the death of the mother in childbirth, and the survival of their son, Jurgen. It follows Jurgen's life as he is raised by poor fisherfolk, his struggles, his love for Else, his wrongful imprisonment for the murder of his rival Martin, his eventual exoneration, his new life with the merchant Bronne and his daughter Clara, the tragic shipwreck where Clara dies, Jurgen's mental decline, and his final, mystical vision in the buried church before his death.]
...
One evening Jurgen sat in his room alone: all at once his mind seemed to become clearer. "Home, home!" he cried. He went out and walked towards the dunes and in the direction of the church. The sand was banked up the walls, but the entrance was free, so Jurgen went in.
The storm raged over the town of Skjagen. But Jurgen was in the temple of God, and while the darkness of night reigned outside, a light arose in his soul that was never to depart from it. He fancied he heard the organ. He sat down, and lo! the candles were lighted one by one, and there was brightness and grandeur. The portraits of the old citizens became alive. The gates flew open, and all the dead people from the churchyard came in, and filled the church, while beautiful music sounded. Jurgen saw his foster parents, old merchant Bronne with his wife and their daughter Clara, who gave him her hand. They went up to the altar, and the priest joined their hands and united them for life.
Then the little ship that hung from the roof of the choir was let down and looked wonderfully large and beautiful with its silken sails and rigging. The young couple went on board, accompanied by the whole congregation. The walls of the church were covered with flowering junipers and lime trees breathing forth fragrance; the branches waved, creating a pleasant coolness; they bent and parted, and the ship sailed between them through the air and over the sea. Every candle in the church became a star, and the wind sang a hymn in which they all joined.
"Through love to glory, no life is lost, the future is full of blessings and happiness. Hallelujah!" These were the last words Jurgen uttered in this world, for the thread that bound his immortal soul was severed, and nothing but the dead body lay in the dark church, while the storm raged outside, covering it with loose sand.
The next day, the congregation found the whole church completely buried in sand. Jurgen could not be found anywhere. They came to the conclusion that one of the great waves had carried him away; but his body lay buried in a great sepulchre—the church itself. The Lord had thrown down a covering for his grave during the storm, and the heavy mound of sand lies upon it to this day.
Nothing disturbs the peaceful sleep of the dead. I was the first to hear this story, for the storm sung it to me among the sand-hills.
中文翻译
沙丘故事
汉斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生 著
这个故事源自日德兰半岛的沙丘，但它并非始于北方的此地，而是始于遥远的南方——西班牙。广阔的大海是连接各国的通衢大道。让我们神游至阳光明媚的西班牙。那里温暖而美丽；火红的石榴花从深色的月桂树叶间探出头来；来自山间的清凉微风拂过橘园，拂过那些有着金色圆顶和彩墙的摩尔式大厅。
孩子们手持蜡烛，挥舞着旗帜在街上列队行进，高远清澈、繁星闪烁的天空笼罩着他们。可以听到歌声和响板声，青年男女翩翩起舞，就连乞丐也坐在大理石上，享用着多汁的甜瓜，悠然自得地享受生活。一切都像一场美梦。
这里住着一对新婚夫妇，他们完全沉醉于生活的魅力之中；事实上，他们拥有所能渴望的一切美好事物——健康与幸福、财富与荣誉。
“我们幸福得如同凡人所能达到的极致，”这对年轻夫妇从心底说道。他们在幸福的阶梯上确实只差一步就能登顶——他们希望上帝赐给他们一个孩子，一个在形体和精神上都像他们的儿子。这个幸福的小生命将在一片欢欣中被迎接，在爱与温柔中被呵护，并享受一个富有且有影响力的家庭所能给予的一切财富与奢华的优势。日子就这样像欢乐的节日般流逝。
……
[故事继续，详细描述了夫妇二人关于今生与来世的哲学辩论、他们乘船前往俄罗斯的旅程、在日德兰海岸附近的沉船、母亲在分娩时去世，以及他们的儿子尤尔根的幸存。故事跟随尤尔根的一生，讲述他被贫穷的渔夫家庭抚养长大、他的挣扎、他对埃尔丝的爱、他因被误认为谋杀情敌马丁而遭冤狱、最终洗清罪名、与商人布罗内及其女儿克拉拉开始新生活、导致克拉拉死亡的悲惨海难、尤尔根的精神衰退，以及他在被掩埋的教堂中离世前最后的奇幻景象。]
……
一天晚上，尤尔根独自坐在房间里：突然间，他的神志似乎清晰起来。“家，回家！”他喊道。他走出去，朝着沙丘和教堂的方向走去。沙子堆积在墙边，但入口是畅通的，于是尤尔根走了进去。
风暴在斯基灵镇上空肆虐。但尤尔根在上帝的殿堂里，当外面黑夜笼罩时，一道光芒在他灵魂中升起，永不消逝。他仿佛听到了管风琴声。他坐下来，看哪！蜡烛一支接一支地点亮了，一片辉煌壮丽。老市民的肖像画活了过来。大门敞开，所有来自教堂墓地的死者都走了进来，挤满了教堂，美妙的乐声响起。尤尔根看到了他的养父母、老商人布罗内和他的妻子以及他们的女儿克拉拉，克拉拉向他伸出手。他们走向圣坛，牧师将他们的手合在一起，使他们结为终身伴侣。
接着，挂在唱诗班屋顶上的那艘小船降了下来，丝绸的船帆和索具让它看起来异常巨大而美丽。这对年轻夫妇在全体会众的陪伴下登上了船。教堂的墙壁上覆盖着开花的杜松和椴树，散发着芬芳；树枝摇曳，带来宜人的凉爽；它们弯曲分开，船从它们之间驶过，穿越天空和大海。教堂里的每一支蜡烛都变成了一颗星星，风儿唱起一首赞美诗，大家齐声应和。
“通过爱抵达荣耀，生命不会失落，未来充满祝福与幸福。哈利路亚！”这是尤尔根在世上说出的最后话语，因为连接他不朽灵魂的线断了，只剩下他的遗体躺在黑暗的教堂里，而外面风暴肆虐，用松散的沙子将它掩埋。
第二天，会众发现整个教堂完全被沙子掩埋了。到处都找不到尤尔根。他们得出结论，一个巨浪把他卷走了；但他的身体被埋葬在一个巨大的坟墓里——教堂本身。主在风暴中为他的坟墓盖上了覆盖物，那厚重的沙丘至今仍覆盖其上。
没有什么能打扰逝者安详的长眠。我是第一个听到这个故事的人，因为风暴在沙丘间将它唱给了我听。