蜗牛和玫瑰树
这篇小故事发表于1862年在哥本哈根出版的《新的童话和故事集》第二卷第二辑里。它是作者1861年5月在罗马写成的。据说故事的思想来源于安徒生个人的经验。这里的玫瑰树可能就代表他自己——创作家，而蜗牛则影射批评家——他们不创作，但会发表一些深奥的、作哲学状的议论，如：“你为什么要开花，你的花是怎样开出来的——为什么是这样，而不是别样呢？”安徒生在意大利旅行的时候，收到一封从丹麦寄来的欠资的信，拆开一看，里面是一封批评他的作品的剪报。这就是本文创作的触发与动机。
ROUND about the garden ran a hedge(hedge n.树篱，障碍物v.用树篱围住)of hazelbushes，beyond the hedge were fields and meadows with cows and sheep，But in the middle of the garden stood a Rosetree in bloom，under which sat a Snail，whose shell contained a great deal—that is，himself.
园子的四周是一圈榛子树丛，像一排篱笆。外面是田野和草地，有许多牛羊。园子的中间有一棵盛开的玫瑰树，树下有一只蜗牛，他体内有许多东西，那是他自己。
“Only wait till my time comes，”he said，“I shall do more than grow roses，bear nuts，or give milk，like the hazelbush，the cows and the sheep.”
“等着，等轮到我吧！”他说道，“我不止开花，不止结榛子，或者说像牛羊一样只产奶，我要贡献更多的东西。”
“I expect a great deal from you.”said the rosetree，“May I ask when it will appear？”
“我真是对您大抱希望哪，”玫瑰树说道。“我斗胆请教一下，您什么时候兑现呢？”
“I take my time.”said the snail，“Youre always in such a hurry.That does not excite expectation.”
“我得慢慢来，”蜗牛说道。“您总是那么着急！着急是不能成事的。”
The following year the snail lay in almost the same spot，in the sunshine under the rosetree，which was again budding(bud vi.发芽，萌芽n.芽，蓓蕾)and bearing roses as fresh and beautiful as ever.The snail crept half out of his shell，stretched out his horns (horn n.(牛、羊等的)角，喇叭，触角v.装角)，and drew them in again.
第二年蜗牛仍躺在玫瑰树下大体上同一个地方的太阳里。玫瑰树结了骨朵，绽出花朵，总是那么清爽，那么新鲜。蜗牛伸出一半身子，探出他的触角，接着又把触角缩了回去。
“Everything is just as it was last year！No progress at all.The rosetree sticks to its roses and gets no farther.”
“什么东西看来都和去年一样！没有出现什么进步！玫瑰树还在开他的玫瑰花，再没有什么新招了！”
The summer and the autumn passed.The rosetree bore roses and buds till the snow fell and the weather became raw and wet.Then it bent down its head，and the snail crept into the ground.
夏天过去，秋天到来，玫瑰还在开花，结骨朵，一直到雪飘了下来，寒风呼啸，天气潮湿；玫瑰树垂向地面，蜗牛钻到地里。
A new year began.The roses made their appearance，and the snail made his too.
接着又开始了新的一年，玫瑰又吐芽抽枝，蜗牛也爬了出来。
“You are an old rosetree now.”said the snail，“You must make haste and die.You have given the world all that you had in you.Whether it was of much importance is a question that I have not had time to think about.But this much is clear and plain，that you have not done the least for your inner development，or you would have produced something else.Have you anything to say in defence？You will now soon be nothing but a stick.Do you understand what I say？”
“现在您已经成了老玫瑰枝了，”他说道，“您大约快要了结生命了。您把您所有的一切都给了世界，这是否有意义，是一个我没有时间考虑的问题。但很明显，您一点也没有为您的内在发展做过点什么。否则的话，您一定会另有作为的。您能否认吗？您很快便会变成光秃秃的枝子了！您明白我讲的吗？”
“You frighten me，”said the rosetree，“I have never thought of that.”
“您把我吓了一跳，”玫瑰树说道。“我从来没有想过这一点。”
“No，you have never taken the trouble to think at all.Have you ever given yourself an account why you bloomed，and how your blooming comes about—why just in that way and in no other？”
“不错，看来您从来不太费神思考问题！您是否曾经考虑过，您为什么开花，开花是怎么一回事，为什么是这样而不是另外一样呢！”
