“Poor flowers are quite dead，” said little Ida， “they were so pretty yesterday evening， and now all the leaves are hanging down quite withered. What do they do that for，” she asked， of the student who sat on the sofa； she liked him very much， he could tell the most amusing stories， and cut out the prettiest pictures； hearts， and ladies dancing， castles with doors that opened， as well as flowers； he was a delightful student. “Why do the flowers look so faded to-day？” she asked again， and pointed to her nosegay， which was quite withered.
“Don't you know what is the matter with them？” said the student. “The flowers were at a ball last night， and therefore， it is no wonder they hang their heads.”
“But flowers cannot dance？” cried little Ida.
“Yes indeed， they can，” replied the student. “When it grows dark， and everybody is asleep， they jump about quite merrily. They have a ball almost every night.”
“Can children go to these balls？”
“Yes，” said the student， “little daisies and lilies of the valley.”
“Where do the beautiful flowers dance？” asked little Ida.
“Have you not often seen the large castle outside the gates of the town， where the king lives in summer， and where the beautiful garden is full of flowers？ And have you not fed the swans with bread when they swam towards you？ Well， the flowers have capital balls there， believe me.”
“I was in the garden out there yesterday with my mother，” said Ida， “but all the leaves were off the trees， and there was not a single flower left. Where are they？ I used to see so many in the summer.”
“they are in the castle，” replied the student. “You must know that as soon as the king and all the court are gone into the town， the flowers run out of the garden into the castle， and you should see how merry they are. The two most beautiful roses seat themselves on the throne， and are called the king and queen， then all the red cockscombs range themselves on each side， and bow， these are the lords-in-waiting. After that the pretty flowers come in， and there is a grand ball. The blue violets represent little naval cadets， and dance with hyacinths and crocuses which they call young ladies. The tulips and tiger-lilies are the old ladies who sit and watch the dancing， so that everything may be conducted with order and propriety.”
“But，” said little Ida， “is there no one there to hurt the flowers for dancing in the king's castle？”
“No one knows anything about it，” said the student. “The old steward of the castle， who has to watch there at night， sometimes comes in； but he carries a GREat bunch of keys， and as soon as the flowers hear the keys rattle， they run and hide themselves behind the long curtains， and stand quite still， just peeping their heads out. Then the old steward says， 'I smell flowers here，' but he cannot see them.”
“Oh how capital，” said little Ida， clapping her hands. “Should I be able to see these flowers？”
“Yes，” said the student， “mind you think of it the next time you go out， no doubt you will see them， if you peep through the window. I did so to-day， and I saw a long yellow lily lying stretched out on the sofa. She was a court lady.”
“Can the flowers from the Botanical Gardens go to these balls？” asked Ida. “It is such a distance！”
“Oh yes，” said the student “whenever they like， for they can fly. Have you not seen those beautiful red， white. and yellow butterflies， that look like flowers？ They were flowers once. They have flown off their stalks into the air， and flap their leaves as if they were little wings to make them fly. Then， if they behave well， they obtain permission to fly about during the day， instead of being obliged to sit still on their stems at home， and so in time their leaves become real wings. It may be， however， that the flowers in the Botanical Gardens have never been to the king's palace， and， therefore， they know nothing of the merry doings at night， which take place there. I will tell you what to do， and the botanical professor， who lives close by here， will be so surprised. You know him very well， do you not？ Well， next time you go into his garden， you must tell one of the flowers that there is going to be a grand ball at the castle， then that flower will tell all the others， and they will fly away to the castle as soon as possible. And when the professor walks into his garden， there will not be a single flower left. How he will wonder what has become of them！”
“But how can one flower tell another？ Flowers cannot speak？”
“No， certainly not，” replied the student； “but they can make signs. Have you not often seen that when the wind blows they nod at one another， and rustle all their GREen leaves？”
“Can the professor understand the signs？” asked Ida.
“Yes， to be sure he can. He went one morning into his garden， and saw a stinging nettle making signs with its leaves to a beautiful red carnation. It was saying， 'You are so pretty， I like you very much.' But the professor did not approve of such nonsense， so he clapped his hands on the nettle to stop it. Then the leaves， which are its fingers， stung him so sharply that he has never ventured to touch a nettle since.”
“Oh how funny！” said Ida， and she laughed.
“How can anyone put such notions into a child's head？” said a tiresome lawyer， who had come to pay a visit， and sat on the sofa. He did not like the student， and would grumble when he saw him cutting out droll or amusing pictures. Sometimes it would be a man hanging on a gibbet and holding a heart in his hand as if he had been stealing hearts. Sometimes it was an old witch riding through the air on a broom and carrying her husband on her nose. But the lawyer did not like such jokes， and he would say as he had just said， “How can anyone put such nonsense into a child's head！ what absurd fancies there are！”
“我的可怜的花儿都已经死了！”小意达说，
小意达的花儿-安徒生童话故事全集。“昨天晚上他们还是那么美丽，现在他们的叶子却都垂下来了，枯萎了。他们为什么要这样呢？”她问一个坐在沙发上的学生。因为她很喜欢他。他会讲一些非常美丽的故事，会剪出一些很有趣的图案：
小姑娘在一颗心房里跳舞的图案、花朵的图案，还有门可以自动开启的一个大宫殿的图案。他是一个快乐的学生。
“为什么花儿今天显得这样没有精神呢？”她又问，同时把一束已经枯萎了的花指给他看。
“你可知道他们做了什么事情！”学生问，“这些花儿昨夜去参加了一个跳舞会啦，因此他们今天把头垂下来了。”
“可是花儿并不会跳舞呀，”小意达说。
“嗨，他们可会跳啦，”学生说，“天一黑，我们去睡了以后，他们就兴高采烈地围着跳起来。差不多每天晚上他们都有一个舞会。”
“小孩子可不可以去参加这个舞会呢？”
“当然可以的，”学生说，“小小的雏菊和铃兰花都可以的。”
“这些顶美丽的花儿在什么地方跳舞呢？”小意达问。
“你到城门外的那座大宫殿里去过吗？国王在夏天就搬到那儿去住，那儿有最美丽的花园，里面有各种颜色的花。你看到过那些天鹅吗？当你要抛给它们面包屑的时候，它们就向你游来。美丽的舞会就是在那儿举行的，你相信我的话吧。”
“我昨天就和我的妈妈到那个花园里去过，”小意达说，“可是那儿树上的叶子全都落光了，而且一朵花儿都没有！它们到什么地方去了呀？我在夏天看到过那么多的花。”
“它们都搬进宫里去了呀，”学生说。“你要知道，等到国王和他的臣仆们迁到城里去了以后，这些花儿就马上从花园跑进宫里去，在那儿欢乐地玩起来。你应该看看它们的那副样儿才好。那两朵顶美丽的玫瑰花自己坐上王位，做起花王和花后来。所有的红鸡冠花都排在两边站着，弯着腰行礼，它们就是花王的侍从。各种好看的花儿都来了，于是一个盛大的舞会就开始了。蓝色的紫罗兰就是小小的海军学生，它们把风信子和番红花称为小姐，跟她们一起跳起舞来。郁金香和高大的卷丹花就是老太太。她们在旁监督，要舞会开得好，要大家都守规矩。”
“不过，”小意达问，“这些花儿在国王的宫里跳起舞来，难道就没有人来干涉它们吗？”
“因为没有谁真正知道这件事情呀，”学生说，“当然喽，有时那位年老的宫殿管理人夜间到那里去，因为他得在那里守夜。他带着一大把钥匙。可是当花儿一听到钥匙响的时候，它们马上就静下来，躲到那些长窗帘后面去，只是把头偷偷地伸出来。那位老管理人只是说，‘我闻到这儿有点花香’；但是他却看不见它们。”
“这真是滑稽得很！”小意达说，拍着双手，“不过我可不可以瞧瞧这些花儿呢？”
“可以的，”学生说，“你再去的时候，只须记住偷偷地朝窗子里看一眼，就可以瞧见它们。今天我就是这样做的。有一朵长长的黄水仙花懒洋洋地躺在沙发上，她满以为自己是一位宫廷的贵妇人呢！”
“植物园的花儿也可以到那儿去吗？它们能走那么远的路吗？”
“能的，这点你可以放心，”学生说。“如果它们愿意的话，它们还可以飞呢。你看到过那些红的、黄的、白的蝴蝶吗？它们看起来差不多像花朵一样，它们本来也是花朵。它们曾经从花枝上高高地跳向空中，拍着它们的花瓣，好像这就是小小的翅膀似的。这么着，它们就飞起来啦。因为它们很有礼貌，所以得到许可也能在白天飞，它们不必再回到家里去，死死地呆在花枝上了。这样，它们的花瓣最后也就变成真正的翅膀了。这些东西你已经亲眼看过。很可能植物园的花儿从来没有到国王的宫里去过，而且很可能它们完全不知道那儿晚间是多么有趣。唔，我现在可以教你一件事，准叫那位住在这附近的植物学教授感到非常惊奇。你认识他，不是么？下次你走到他的花园里去的时候，请你带一个信给一朵花儿，说是宫里有人在开一个盛大的舞会。那么这朵花就会转告所有别的花儿，于是它们就会全部飞走的。等那位教授走到花园来的时候，他将一朵花也看不见。他决不会猜得出花儿都跑到什么地方去了。”
“不过，花儿怎么会互相传话呢？花儿是不会讲话的呀。”
“当然咯，它们是不会讲话的，”学生回答说，“不过它们会做表情呀。你一定注意到，当风在微微吹动着的时候，花儿就点起头来，把它们所有的绿叶子全都摇动着。这些姿势它们都明白，跟讲话一样。”
“那位教授能懂得它们的表情吗？”小意达问。
“当然懂得。有一天早晨他走进他的花园，看到一棵有刺的大荨麻正在那儿用它的叶子对美丽的红荷兰石竹花打着手势。它是在说：‘你是那么美丽，我多么爱你呀！’ 可是老教授看不惯这类事儿，所以他就马上在荨麻的叶子上打了一巴拿，因为叶子就是它的手指。不过这样他就刺痛了自己，所以从此以后他再也不敢碰一下荨麻了。”
“这倒很滑稽，”小意达说，同时大笑起来。
“居然把这样的怪想头灌进一个孩子的脑子里去！”一位怪讨厌的枢密顾问官说。他这时恰好来拜访，坐在一个沙发上。他不太喜欢这个学生，当他一看到这个学生剪出一些滑稽好笑的图案时，他就要发牢骚。这些图案有时剪的是一个人吊在绞架上，手里捧着一颗心，表示他曾偷过许多人的心；有时剪的是一个老巫婆，把自己的丈夫放在鼻梁上，骑着一把扫帚飞行。这位枢密顾问官看不惯这类东西，所以常常喜欢说刚才那样的话：“居然把这样的怪想头灌进一个孩子的脑子里去，全是些没有道理的幻想！”