神奇的火箭
國王的兒子就要結婚了，所以要在舉國上下進行慶典。他為自己的新娘已經等了整整一
年，最後她還是趕來了。她是一位俄國公主，坐著由六隻馴鹿拉的雪橇從芬蘭一路趕來的。
雪橇看上去像一隻巨大的金色天鵝，小公主就安臥在天鵬的兩隻翅膀之間。那件長長的貂皮
大衣一直垂到她的腳跟，她的頭上戴著一頂小巧的銀線帽子，她的膚色蒼白得就如同她一直
居住的雪宮的顏色。她是如此的蒼白，在她駛過街道的時候，沿街的人們都驚訝地嘆道：
“她就像一朵白玫瑰！”於是大家紛紛從陽台上朝她拋下鮮花。
在城堡的門口王子正等著迎接她的到來。他有一雙夢幻般的紫色眼睛和一頭金黃色的頭
發。一看見她來了，他就跪下一條腿，吻了她的手。
“你的照片好漂亮，”他輕聲地說，“不過你比照片更漂亮。”小公主的臉一下子就紅
了。
“她先前像一朵白攻瑰，”一位年輕的侍衛對身邊的人說，“可此刻卻像一朵紅玫瑰
了。 ”整個宮裡的人都快樂無比。
這以後的三天中人人都說著：“白玫瑰，紅玫瑰；紅玫瑰，白玫瑰。”於是國王下令給
那個侍衛的薪金增加一倍。不過他根本就沒有拿薪水，因此這道加薪的命令對他沒有任何作
用，然而這被視為一種莫大的榮譽，並按慣例在宮廷報紙上登出。
三天過後便舉行了婚禮慶典。這是一次盛大的儀式，新郎和新娘在一幅繡著小珍珠的紫
色鵝絨華蓋下手牽著手走著。接著又舉行了國宴，持續了五個小時。王子和公主坐在大廳的
首座上，用一隻純清的水晶杯子飲酒。只有真誠的戀人才能用這只杯子喝酒，因為只要虛偽
的嘴唇一挨上杯子，杯子就會變得灰暗無光。
“一眼就能看出他們相親相愛，”那個小侍衛說，“如同水晶一樣純潔！”為這句話國
王再次下令給他加薪。 “多麼大的榮耀啊！”群臣們異口同聲地喊道。
宴會之後舉辦了舞會，新郎和新娘將要一塊兒跳舞，國王答應為他們吹笛子。他吹得很
不好，可沒有人敢對他那麼說，因為他是一國之君。說真的，他只會吹兩種調子，並且從來
也沒有搞清楚他吹的是哪一種，不過也無關緊要，因為不管他吹的是什麼，人們都會高喊狂
叫：“棒極了！棒極了！”
這次節目的最後一個項目是施放盛大的煙花，燃放的時間正好定在午夜。小公主一生也
沒有看過放煙花，因此國王下令皇家煙花手要親自出席當天的婚禮以便施放煙花。
“煙花像什麼樣子？”有一天早上，小公主在露天陽台上散步時這樣問過王子。
“它們就像北極光，”國王說，他一貫喜歡替別人回答問題，“只是更自然罷了。我本
人更喜歡煙花而不是星星，因為你一直都明白它們何時會出現，它們就如同我吹笛子一樣美
妙。你一定要看看它們。 ”
就這樣在皇家花園的盡頭搭起了一座大台子。等皇家煙花手把一切都準備完畢，煙花們
便相互交談起來。
“世界真是太美麗了，”一個小爆竹大聲喊道，“看看那些黃色的鬱金香。啊！如果它
們是真正的爆竹，它們會更逗人喜愛的。我很高興我參加過旅遊。旅遊大大提高見識，並能
除去一切個人的偏見。 ”
“國王的花園不是世界，你這個傻爆竹，”一枚羅馬燭光彈說，“世界是一個大得很的
地方，你要花三天時間才能看遍全世界。 ”
“任何地方只要你愛它，它就是你的世界，”一枚深思熟慮的轉輪煙火激動地喊道。她
早年曾戀上了一隻舊的杉木箱子，並以這段傷心的經歷而自豪。 “不過愛情已不再時髦了，
詩人們把它給扼殺了。他們對愛情抒發得太多，使人們不再相信那麼回事。對此，我一點也
不覺得吃驚。真正的愛情是痛苦的、是沉默的。我記得自己曾有過那麼一回——可是現在已
經結束了。浪漫只屬於過去。 ”
“胡說！”羅馬燭光彈說，“浪漫永遠不會消亡，它猶如月亮一樣，永遠活著。比如，
新郎和新娘彼此愛得多麼熱烈。關於他們的故事我是今天早晨從一枚棕色紙做的爆竹那兒聽
來的，他碰巧跟我同在一個抽屜裡面，並且知道最新的宮中消息。 ”
可是只見轉輪煙火搖搖頭，喃喃地說，“浪漫已經消亡了，浪漫已經消亡了，已經消亡
了。 ”她和其他許多人一樣，相信假如你把同一件事情反复說上許多次，最後假的也會變成
真的了。
突然，傳來一聲尖尖的干咳聲，他們都轉頭四下張望。
這聲音來自一個高大的，模樣傲慢的火箭，它被綁在一根長木桿的頂端。它在發表言論
之前，總要先咳上幾聲，好引起人們的注意。
“啊咳！啊咳！”他咳嗽著。大家都認真地聽著，只有可憐的轉輪煙火仍舊搖著頭，喃
喃地說，“浪漫已經消亡了。”
“肅靜！肅靜！”一隻爆竹大聲嚷道。他是個政客似的人物，在本地的選舉中總能獨占
鰲頭，因此他深知如何使用恰當的政治術語。
“死光了，”轉輪煙火低聲耳語道，說完她就去睡覺了。
等到周圍完全安靜下來時，火箭發出第三次咳嗽聲，並開始了發言。他的語調既緩慢又
清晰，好像是在背誦自己的記錄本一樣，對他的聽眾他從來不正眼去看。說實在的，他的風
度是非常出眾的。
“國王的兒子真是幸運啊，”他說道，“他結婚的日子正好是我要升天燃放的時候。真
是的，就算是事先安排好的，對他來說也沒有比這更好的了；但話又說回來，王子們總是交
好運的。 ”
“我的媽呀！”小爆竹說，“我的想法卻正好相反，我想我們是為了王子的榮譽而升天
燃放的。 ”
“對於你來說可能是這樣的，”他回答說，“事實上這一點是肯定無疑的。不過對我而
言事情就不一祥了。我是一枚非常神奇的火箭，出身於一個了不起的家庭。我母親是她那個
時代最出名的轉輪煙火，並以她優美的舞姿而著稱。只要她一出場亮相，她要旋轉十九次才
會飛出去，每轉上一次，她就會向空中拋撒七顆粉紅的彩星。她的直徑有三英尺半，是用最
好的火藥製成的。我的父親像我一樣也是火箭，他來自法蘭西。他飛得可真高，人們都擔心
他不會下來了。儘管如此，他還是下來了，因為他性格善良。他化作一陣金色的雨，非常耀
眼地落了下來。報紙用足吹棒的詞句描述他的表演。的確，宮廷的報紙把他稱為煙花藝術的
一個偉大成就。 ”
“煙花，煙花，你是指它嗎，”一枚孟加拉煙火說，“我知道它是煙花，因為我看見我
的匣子上寫著呢。 ”
“噢，我說的是火砲，”火箭語調嚴肅地回答說。孟加拉煙火感到自己受到極大的欺
壓，並立即去欺負那些小爆竹了，目的是為了表明自己依舊是個重要的角色。
“我是說，”火箭繼續說，“我是說——我說的是什麼？”
“你在說你自己，”羅馬燭光彈回答說。
“的確，我知道我正在討論某個有趣的話題，卻被人給粗暴地打斷了。我討厭各種粗魯
的舉止和不良行為，因為我是個非常敏感的人。全世界沒有哪個人比我更敏感了，對此我深
信不疑。 ”
“一個敏感的人是指什麼？”爆竹對羅馬燭光彈問道。
“一個人因為自己腳上生雞眼，便總想著踩別人的腳趾頭，”羅馬燭光彈低聲耳語道。
爆竹差一點沒笑破肚皮。
“請問你笑什麼呀？”火箭開口問道，“我就一點沒有笑。”
“我笑是因為我高興，”爆竹回答說。
“這理由太自私了，”火箭臉帶怒色地說，“你有什麼權利高興？你應該為別人想想。
實際上，你應該為我想想。我總是想著我自己，我也希望別人都會這麼做。這就是所謂的同
情。這是個可愛的美德，我這方面的德性就很高。例如，假定今天夜裡我出了什麼事，那麼
對每一個人來說會是多麼的不幸！王子和公主再也不會開心了，他們的婚後生活將會被毀
掉；至於國王，他或許經不住這場打擊。真的，我一想起自己所處的重要地位，我幾乎感動
得流下眼淚。 ”
“如果你想給別人帶來快樂，”羅馬燭光彈說，“那麼你最好先不要把自己弄得濕乎乎
的。 ”
“當然了，”孟加拉煙火說，他現在的精神好多了，“這是個簡單的常識。”
“常識，一點不假！”火箭憤憤不平地說，“可你忘了我是很不尋常的，而且非常了不
起。啊，任何人如若沒有想像力的話，也會具備常識的。然而我有想像力，因為我從沒有把
事物按照它們實際的情況去考慮，我總是把它們想像成另外一回事。至於要我本人不要流
淚，很顯然在場的各位沒人能夠欣賞多情的品性。所幸的是我本人並不介意。能夠讓我維持
一生的唯一一件事就是想到自己要比別人優越得多，這也是我一貫培養的感覺。你們這些人
都是沒有情感的。你們只會傻笑或開玩笑，好像王子和公主不是剛剛結婚似的。 ”
“啊，正是，”一枚小火球動情地叫道，“難道不行嗎？這是一件多大的喜事呀，我只
要一飛到天上去，我就會把這一切都講給星星聽。等我給它們講起美麗的公主，你會看見星
星們在眨眼睛。 ”
“啊！多麼渺小的人生觀！”火箭說，“然而這正是我所預料的。你們胸無大志；你們
既淺薄又無知。噢，或許王子和公主會到有條深深河流的鄉村去住；或許他們只有一個兒
子，那個小男孩他王子一樣有一頭金發和紫色眼晴；或許有一天小男孩會跟保姆一起出去散
步；或許保姆會在一株古老的大樹下睡覺；或許小男孩會掉進深深的流水中淹死了。多麼可
怕的災難啊！可憐的人兒，失去了他們唯一的兒子！這真是太可怕了！我永遠也忘不了。 ”
“但是他們並沒有失去他們的獨子呀，”羅馬燭光彈說，“根本就沒有任何不幸發主在
他們身上。 ”
“我從沒說過他們會發生不幸，”火箭回答說，“我只是說他們可能會。如果他們已經
失去了獨生子，那麼再談此事還有什麼意思。我討厭那些事後反悔的人。不過一想到他們可
能會失去獨子，我就會非常難過。 ”
“你當然會的！”孟加拉煙火大聲嚷道，“實際上，你是我所遇到的最感情用事的人。”
“你是我所遇到的最粗俗的人，”火箭反駁說，“你是無法理解我對王子的友情的。”
“噢，你甚至還不認識他呢，”羅馬燭光彈怒吼道。
“我從未說過我認識他，”火箭回答說，“我敢說，如果我認識他，我是不會成為他的
朋友的。認識好多朋友，是件非常危險的事。 ”
“說真的你最好還是不要流眼淚，”火球說，“這可是件要緊的事。”
“我敢肯定，對你是非常要緊，”火箭回答說，“可我想哭就得哭。”說先他還真的哭
了起來，後水像雨點一樣從桿子上流下來，差一點淹死兩隻正在尋找一塊乾燥的好地方做窩
的小甲蟲。
“他必定有真正的浪漫品質，”轉輪煙花說，“根本就沒有什麼可哭的，他卻能哭得起
來。 ”接著她長嘆一日氣，又想起了那個杉木箱子。
不過羅馬燭光彈和孟加拉煙火卻是老大不樂意，他們不停地說著：“胡扯！胡扯！”那
聲音可真夠大的。他們是非常講實際的，只要是他們反對的東西，他們就會說是胡扯。
這時明月像一面銀色的盾牌冉冉升起；繁星開始閃爍，音樂聲從宮中傳來。
王子和公主正在領舞。他們跳得可真美，就連那些亭亭玉立的白蓮花也透過窗戶偷看他
倆，大朵的紅色罌粟花頻頻點頭，並打著節拍。
隨後十點的鐘聲敲響了，接著十一點的鐘聲敲響了，然後是十二點。當午夜最後一下鐘
聲敲響時，所有的人都來到了露天陽台上，國王派人去叫皇家煙花手。
“開始放煙花吧，”國王宣布說。皇家煙花手深深地鞠了一躬，並邁步向下走到花園的
盡頭。他帶了六個助手，每個助手都本著一根竿子，竿子的頂頭捆著一個點燃的火把。
這的確是一場空前盛大的表演。
颼颼！颼颼！轉輪煙花飛了上去，一邊飛一邊旋轉著。轟隆！轟隆！羅馬燭光彈又飛了
上去。然後爆竹們便到處狂舞起來，接著孟加拉煙火把一切都映成了紅彤彤的。 “再見
了，”火球喊了一聲就騰空而去，拋下無數藍色的小火星。啪啪！啦啦！大爆竹們也跟著響
了，他們真是痛快無比。他們個個都非常成功，只剩下神奇的火箭了。他渾身哭得濕乎乎
的，根本就無法升空上天。他身上最好的東西只有火藥，火藥被淚水打濕後，就什麼用場也
派不上了。他的那些窮親戚們，平時他從未打過招呼，只是偶爾譏諷一下，此刻個個都像盛
開著的燃燒的全色花朵，飛到天空中去了。好哇！好哇！宮廷的人們都歡呼起來；小公主高
興地笑了起來。
“我猜想他們留著我是為了某個更盛大的慶典時用，”火箭說，“毫無疑問就是這個意
思。 ”他看上去比以前還要傲慢。
第二天工人們來打歸清理。 “這些人一看就是代表團的，”火箭說，“我要帶著尊嚴來
迎接他們。 ”於是他就擺出一幅威嚴的樣子，莊重地皺著眉頭，彷彿在思考什麼雪要的問題
似的。可是他們一點也沒有理睬他，直到要離開的時候，他們中的一人碰巧看見了他。
“嘿！”他大喊了一聲，“這麼破舊的一枚火箭！”說完他便把火箭丟到牆外的陰溝裡去了。
“破舊火箭？破舊火箭？”他在空中一邊翻滾著一邊說，“不可能！大火箭，那個人就
是這麼說的。破舊和大這兩個發音是非常接近的，的確它們常常是一樣的發音。 ”接著他就
掉進了陰溝裡。
“這裡並不舒服，”他說，“可沒準是個時髦的浴場，他們送我來是為了要我恢復健
康。我的神經的確受到極大的傷害，我也需要休息了。 ”
這時一隻小青蛙朝他遊了過來，他有一雙明亮閃光的寶石眼睛，和一件綠色斑紋的外衣。
“看來，是個新到的！”青蛙說，“啊，畢竟跟稀泥巴不一樣。我只要能享受雨天和一
條陰溝，我便會十分幸福。你認為下午會下雨嗎？我真希望如此，可你看這藍藍的天空，萬
裡無雲，多麼可惜啊！ ”
“啊咳！啊咳！”火箭說著便咳了起來。
“你的聲音多好聽啊！”青蛙大聲叫道． “真像是青蛙的呱呱叫聲，這種呱呱聲當然是
世界上最美好的音樂了。今天晚上你可以來聽聽我們合唱隊的演出。我們都在農夫房屋旁的
老鴨池中，月亮一升起我們便開始表演。那可太迷人了，人人都睜著雙眼躺著聽我們唱。其
實，就在昨天我還聽農夫的妻子對她的母親說，就是因為我們的存在，使她整夜一點兒也睡
不著。能受到這麼多人的歡迎，真是謝天謝地。 ”
“啊咳！啊咳！”火箭生氣地說。由於連一句話也插不進去，他感到非常惱火。
“當然了，美妙的音樂，”青蛙繼續說，“我希望你能到鴨池來。我要去看我的女兒們
了。我有六個漂亮的女兒，我很擔心梭魚會遇到她們。他是個地道的怪物，會毫不猶豫地拿
她們當早餐吃掉的。好了，再見，我們的談話真讓我開心，我信得過你。 ”
“談話，一點不假！”火箭說，“都是你一個人在說話，那不算談話。”
“總得要人聽啊，”青蛙回答說，“我也喜歡一個人談話。這節省時間，且避免爭吵。”
“可我卻喜歡爭吵，”火箭說。
“我不希望這樣，”青蛙得意地說，“爭吵太粗俗了，因為在好的社會中，人人都會持
有完全一致的意見。再一次告別了，我看見我的女兒在那邊。 ”說完小青蛙就遊走了。
“你是個非常討厭的傢伙，”火箭說，“且教養又很差。我討厭人們只顧談論自己，就
跟你這樣，要知道此時別人也想說說話，就像我這樣。這就是我所說的自私，自私是十分可
惡的事，特別是對於我這種品性的人來說，因為我是以同情心而出了名的。說實在的，你應
該以我為學習榜樣，你或許找不到比我更好的榜樣了。既然你還有機會，你最好把握住，因
為我差不多馬上就要返回宮中去了。我在宮中是個大寵兒；其實，王子和公主在昨天就為慶
祝我而舉辦了婚禮。當然，這些事你是一無所知的，因為你是個鄉巴佬。 ”
“跟他講話沒有任何益處，”一隻蜻蜓開口說，他此刻正坐在一株棕色的香蒲頂上。
“沒有任何益處，因為他已經走開了。”
“嗯，那是他的損失，不是我的，”火箭回答說。 “我不會僅僅因為他不理會我，就停
止對他說話。我喜歡聽自己講話，這是我最大的樂趣之一。我常常一個人講上一大堆話，我
可是太聰明了，有時候我連我自己講的話也不懂。 ”
“那麼你真應該去講授哲學，”晴蜓說，說完他展開自己一對可愛的紗翼朝空中飛去了。
“他不留在這兒可算是傻極了！”火箭說，“我敢說他並不是經常有這樣的機會來提高
智力的。然而，我一點也不介意。像我這樣的天才肯定有一天會得人賞識的。 ”他往稀泥中
陷得更深了。
過了一會兒一隻白色的大鴨子向他遊了過來。她有一對黃色的腿和一雙蹼足，而且由於
她走起路來一搖一擺的，便被視為是個大美人。
“嘎，嘎，嘎，”她叫著說，“你的樣子多麼古怪啊！我可以問問你是怎么生得如此模
樣的嗎？或者是由於一次事故造成的？ ”
“很顯然，你一直都住在鄉下，”火箭回答說，“不然你會知道我是誰的。不過，我會
原諒你的無知。期望別人跟自己一樣了不起是不公平的。等你聽說我能夠飛上天空並撒下一
陣金色的雨點後，你一定會感到驚訝的。 ”
“我倒不看重那個，”鴨子說，“因為我看不出它對別人會有什麼好處。眼下，要是你
能像牛一樣地去犁地，像馬一樣地去拉車，或像牧羊犬那樣地照看羊群，那還算是個人物。 ”
“我的好人啊，”火箭用十分高傲的語言大聲說道，“可見你是屬於下等階層的。我這
樣身份的人是永遠不會有用的。我們已經有了一定的成就，那就足夠了。我本人對各種所謂
的勤勞並沒有好感，尤其對像你讚賞的那些勤勞更是一點好感也沒有。說實話，我一貫認為
做艱苦的工作僅僅是那些無事可干的人們的一種逃避方式。 ”
“好吧，好吧，”鴨子說，她是個處事平穩的人，也從未跟任何人爭吵過，“各人有各
人的愛好。我想，無論如何，你要在這兒安家落戶了吧。 ”
“啊！當然不會了，”火箭嚷道，“我只是個過路人，一位有名望的客人。事實是我覺
得這地方好無聊。這兒既不寧靜，又沒有社交生活。說實在的，這兒根本就是郊外。我可能
要回到宮裡去，因為我注定了要在世界上做一番成就的。 ”
“我也曾想過要投身於公眾事業中去，”鴨子說，“世上有那麼多需要革新的事物。老
實說，我前些時干過一陣會議的主席工作，我們通過決議譴責一切我們不喜歡的東西。然
而，它們好像並沒有多大效果。現在我一心從事家務，照看我的家庭。 ”
“我生來就是為了這個社會的，”火箭說，“我所有的親戚也都是如此，甚至包括他們
中最卑微的。只要我們一出場，隨時都會引起廣泛的關注。其實還沒輪到我出場呢，不過只
要我一出現，準會是壯觀的場面。說到家務事，它會使人早早地衰老，並無心追求更高的目
標。 ”
“啊！更高的生活目標，它們該有多好呀！”鴨子說，“可它倒使我覺得好飢餓。”說
完她就朝下游泅水而去，同時還“嘎，嘎，嘎”地叫著。
“回來，快回來！”火箭尖聲明著，“我有好多話要對你說。”但是鴨子沒理會他。
“我很高興她離去了，”他對自己說，“她的思想的確只算得上一般。”他往稀泥中陷得更
深了，這時才開始想起天才的寂寞來。忽然有兩個小男孩身穿白色的粗布衫，手拿一隻水
壺，懷裡抱著好些柴火，朝岸邊跑了過來。
“這一定是那個代表團了，”火箭說著，又努力表現出非常莊重的樣子。
“嘿！”其中的一個孩子叫道，“快看這根舊木棍！我不知道它怎麼會在這兒。”他把
火箭從陰溝裡拾起。
“舊木棍！”火箭說，“不可能！金木棍，這才是他說的。金木棍才是很中聽的話。實
際上，他把我錯當成宮中的某位顯貴了。 ”
“我們把它放到火裡去吧！”另一個孩子說，“它會幫著把水燒開。”
於是他倆把柴火堆在一起，把火箭放在最上面，並點燃了火。
“這下可太棒了，”火箭大聲叫道，“他們要在大白天裡把我給燃放了，這樣人人都會
看見我了。 ”
“我們現在去睡覺吧，”他倆說，“睡醒時水壺的水就會燒開了。”說完他們便在草地
上躺下身，閉上了眼睛。
火箭渾身都濕透了，所以花了好長時間才把他烤乾。不過，到最後火苗還是把他點燃了。
“現在我就要升空了！”他大叫起來，同時把身體挺得筆直筆直的。 “我知道我要飛得
比星星更高，比月亮更高，比太陽更高。其實，我會飛得高到——”
嘶嘶！嘶嘶！嘶嘶！他垂直朝天空中飛去。
“太棒了！”他叫了起來，“我要這樣一直飛下去，我是多麼的成功啊！”
不過，沒有人看見他。
這時他開始感到有一股奇怪的刺痛襲遍全身。
“現在我就要爆炸了，”他大聲喊道，“我要點燃整個世界，我要聲威大震，讓所有的
人在這一年裡都不再談論別的事情。 ”的確他真的爆炸了。呼！呼：呼！火藥爆炸了。這是
千真萬確的。
可是沒有人聽見他，就連那兩個小孩也沒有聽見，因為他倆睡得可熟了。
接著他所剩下的只有木棍了，木棍掉下去，正好落在一隻在陰溝邊散步的鵝的背上。
“天呀！”鵝叫了起來，“怎麼下起棍子來了。”說完就跳進河裡去了。
“我知道我會創造奇蹟的，”火箭喘息著說，然後他就熄滅了。
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
The Kings son was going to be married, so there were general
rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last
she had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all
the way from Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge
was shaped like a great golden swan, and between the swans wings
lay the little Princess herself. Her long ermine-cloak reached
right down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver
tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace in which she had
always lived. So pale was she that as she drove through the
streets all the people wondered. "She is like a white rose!" they
cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies.
At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her.
He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When
he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand.
"Your picture was beautiful," he murmured, "but you are more
beautiful than your picture"; and the little Princess blushed.
"She was like a white rose before," said a young Page to his
neighbour, "but she is like a red rose now"; and the whole Court
was delighted.
For the next three days everybody went about saying, "White rose,
Red rose, Red rose, White rose"; and the King gave orders that the
Pages salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all
this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great
honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette.
When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was
a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in
hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little
pearls. Then there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five
hours. The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall
and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could
drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey
and dull and cloudy.
"Its quite clear that they love each other," said the little Page,
"as clear as crystal!" and the King doubled his salary a second
time. "What an honour!" cried all the courtiers.
After the banquet there was to be a Ball. The bride and bridegroom
were to dance the Rose-dance together, and the King had promised to
play the flute. He played very badly, but no one had ever dared to
tell him so, because he was the King. Indeed, he knew only two
airs, and was never quite certain which one he was playing; but it
made no matter, for, whatever he did, everybody cried out,
"Charming! charming!"
The last item on the programme was a grand display of fireworks, to
be let off exactly at midnight. The little Princess had never seen
a firework in her life, so the King had given orders that the Royal
Pyrotechnist should be in attendance on the day of her marriage.
"What are fireworks like?" she had asked the Prince, one morning,
as she was walking on the terrace.
"They are like the Aurora Borealis," said the King, who always
answered questions that were addressed to other people, "only much
more natural. I prefer them to stars myself, as you always know
when they are going to appear, and they are as delightful as my own
flute-playing. You must certainly see them."
So at the end of the Kings garden a great stand had been set up,
and as soon as the Royal Pyrotechnist had put everything in its
proper place, the fireworks began to talk to each other.
"The world is certainly very beautiful," cried a little Squib.
"Just look at those yellow tulips. Why! if they were real crackers
they could not be lovelier. I am very glad I have travelled.
Travel improves the mind wonderfully, and does away with all ones
prejudices."
"The Kings garden is not the world, you foolish squib," said a big
Roman Candle; "the world is an enormous place, and it would take
you three days to see it thoroughly."
"Any place you love is the world to you," exclaimed a pensive
Catherine Wheel, who had been attached to an old deal box in early
life, and prided herself on her broken heart; "but love is not
fashionable any more, the poets have killed it. They wrote so much
about it that nobody believed them, and I am not surprised. True
love suffers, and is silent. I remember myself once - But it is
no matter now. Romance is a thing of the past."
"Nonsense!" said the Roman Candle, "Romance never dies. It is like
the moon, and lives for ever. The bride and bridegroom, for
instance, love each other very dearly. I heard all about them this
morning from a brown-paper cartridge, who happened to be staying in
the same drawer as myself, and knew the latest Court news."
But the Catherine Wheel shook her head. "Romance is dead, Romance
is dead, Romance is dead," she murmured. She was one of those
people who think that, if you say the same thing over and over a
great many times, it becomes true in the end.
Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and they all looked round.
It came from a tall, supercilious-looking Rocket, who was tied to
the end of a long stick. He always coughed before he made any
observation, so as to attract attention.
"Ahem! ahem!" he said, and everybody listened except the poor
Catherine Wheel, who was still shaking her head, and murmuring,
"Romance is dead."
"Order! order!" cried out a Cracker. He was something of a
politician, and had always taken a prominent part in the local
elections, so he knew the proper Parliamentary expressions to use.
"Quite dead," whispered the Catherine Wheel, and she went off to
sleep.
As soon as there was perfect silence, the Rocket coughed a third
time and began. He spoke with a very slow, distinct voice, as if
he was dictating his memoirs, and always looked over the shoulder
of the person to whom he was talking. In fact, he had a most
distinguished manner.
"How fortunate it is for the Kings son," he remarked, "that he is
to be married on the very day on which I am to be let off. Really,
if it had been arranged beforehand, it could not have turned out
better for him; but, Princes are always lucky."
"Dear me!" said the little Squib, "I thought it was quite the other
way, and that we were to be let off in the Princes honour."
"It may be so with you," he answered; "indeed, I have no doubt that
it is, but with me it is different. I am a very remarkable Rocket,
and come of remarkable parents. My mother was the most celebrated
Catherine Wheel of her day, and was renowned for her graceful
dancing. When she made her great public appearance she spun round
nineteen times before she went out, and each time that she did so
she threw into the air seven pink stars. She was three feet and a
half in diameter, and made of the very best gunpowder. My father
was a Rocket like myself, and of French extraction. He flew so
high that the people were afraid that he would never come down
again. He did, though, for he was of a kindly disposition, and he
made a most brilliant descent in a shower of golden rain. The
newspapers wrote about his performance in very flattering terms.
Indeed, the Court Gazette called him a triumph of Pylotechnic art."
"Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnic, you mean," said a Bengal Light; "I know
it is Pyrotechnic, for I saw it written on my own canister."
"Well, I said Pylotechnic," answered the Rocket, in a severe tone
of voice, and the Bengal Light felt so crushed that he began at
once to bully the little squibs, in order to show that he was still
a person of some importance.
"I was saying," continued the Rocket, "I was saying - What was I
saying?"
"You were talking about yourself," replied the Roman Candle.
"Of course; I knew I was discussing some interesting subject when I
was so rudely interrupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of
every kind, for I am extremely sensitive. No one in the whole
world is so sensitive as I am, I am quite sure of that."
"What is a sensitive person?" said the Cracker to the Roman Candle.
"A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other
peoples toes," answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper; and the
Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.
"Pray, what are you laughing at?" inquired the Rocket; "I am not
laughing."
"I am laughing because I am happy," replied the Cracker.
"That is a very selfish reason," said the Rocket angrily. "What
right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others.
In fact, you should be thinking about me. I am always thinking
about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. That is
what is called sympathy. It is a beautiful virtue, and I possess
it in a high degree. Suppose, for instance, anything happened to
me to-night, what a misfortune that would be for every one! The
Prince and Princess would never be happy again, their whole married
life would be spoiled; and as for the King, I know he would not get
over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on the importance of my
position, I am almost moved to tears."
"If you want to give pleasure to others," cried the Roman Candle,
"you had better keep yourself dry."
"Certainly," exclaimed the Bengal Light, who was now in better
spirits; "that is only common sense."
"Common sense, indeed!" said the Rocket indignantly; "you forget
that I am very uncommon, and very remarkable. Why, anybody can
have common sense, provided that they have no imagination. But I
have imagination, for I never think of things as they really are; I
always think of them as being quite different. As for keeping
myself dry, there is evidently no one here who can at all
appreciate an emotional nature. Fortunately for myself, I dont
care. The only thing that sustains one through life is the
consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and
this is a feeling that I have always cultivated. But none of you
have any hearts. Here you are laughing and making merry just as if
the Prince and Princess had not just been married."
"Well, really," exclaimed a small Fire-balloon, "why not? It is a
most joyful occasion, and when I soar up into the air I intend to
tell the stars all about it. You will see them twinkle when I talk
to them about the pretty bride."
"Ah! what a trivial view of life!" said the Rocket; "but it is only
what I expected. There is nothing in you; you are hollow and
empty. Why, perhaps the Prince and Princess may go to live in a
country where there is a deep river, and perhaps they may have one
only son, a little fair-haired boy with violet eyes like the Prince
himself; and perhaps some day he may go out to walk with his nurse;
and perhaps the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder-tree; and
perhaps the little boy may fall into the deep river and be drowned.
What a terrible misfortune! Poor people, to lose their only son!
It is really too dreadful! I shall never get over it."
"But they have not lost their only son," said the Roman Candle; "no
misfortune has happened to them at all."
"I never said that they had," replied the Rocket; "I said that they
might. If they had lost their only son there would be no use in
saying anything more about the matter. I hate people who cry over
spilt milk. But when I think that they might lose their only son,
I certainly am very much affected."
"You certainly are!" cried the Bengal Light. "In fact, you are the
most affected person I ever met."
"You are the rudest person I ever met," said the Rocket, "and you
cannot understand my friendship for the Prince."
"Why, you dont even know him," growled the Roman Candle.
"I never said I knew him," answered the Rocket. "I dare say that
if I knew him I should not be his friend at all. It is a very
dangerous thing to know ones friends."
"You had really better keep yourself dry," said the Fire-balloon.
"That is the important thing."
"Very important for you, I have no doubt," answered the Rocket,
"but I shall weep if I choose"; and he actually burst into real
tears, which flowed down his stick like rain-drops, and nearly
drowned two little beetles, who were just thinking of setting up
house together, and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in.
"He must have a truly romantic nature," said the Catherine Wheel,
"for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about"; and she
heaved a deep sigh, and thought about the deal box.
But the Roman Candle and the Bengal Light were quite indignant, and
kept saying, "Humbug! humbug!" at the top of their voices. They
were extremely practical, and whenever they objected to anything
they called it humbug.
Then the moon rose like a wonderful silver shield; and the stars
began to shine, and a sound of music came from the palace.
The Prince and Princess were leading the dance. They danced so
beautifully that the tall white lilies peeped in at the window and
watched them, and the great red poppies nodded their heads and beat
time.
Then ten oclock struck, and then eleven, and then twelve, and at
the last stroke of midnight every one came out on the terrace, and
the King sent for the Royal Pyrotechnist.
"Let the fireworks begin," said the King; and the Royal
Pyrotechnist made a low bow, and marched down to the end of the
garden. He had six attendants with him, each of whom carried a
lighted torch at the end of a long pole.
It was certainly a magnificent display.
Whizz! Whizz! went the Catherine Wheel, as she spun round and
round. Boom! Boom! went the Roman Candle. Then the Squibs danced
all over the place, and the Bengal Lights made everything look
scarlet. "Good-bye," cried the Fire-balloon, as he soared away,
dropping tiny blue sparks. Bang! Bang! answered the Crackers, who
were enjoying themselves immensely. Every one was a great success
except the Remarkable Rocket. He was so damp with crying that he
could not go off at all. The best thing in him was the gunpowder,
and that was so wet with tears that it was of no use. All his poor
relations, to whom he would never speak, except with a sneer, shot
up into the sky like wonderful golden flowers with blossoms of
fire. Huzza! Huzza! cried the Court; and the little Princess
laughed with pleasure.
"I suppose they are reserving me for some grand occasion," said the
Rocket; "no doubt that is what it means," and he looked more
supercilious than ever.
The next day the workmen came to put everything tidy. "This is
evidently a deputation," said the Rocket; "I will receive them with
becoming dignity" so he put his nose in the air, and began to frown
severely as if he were thinking about some very important subject.
But they took no notice of him at all till they were just going
away. Then one of them caught sight of him. "Hallo!" he cried,
"what a bad rocket!" and he threw him over the wall into the ditch.
"BAD Rocket? BAD Rocket?" he said, as he whirled through the air;
"impossible! GRAND Rocket, that is what the man said. BAD and
GRAND sound very much the same, indeed they often are the same";
and he fell into the mud.
"It is not comfortable here," he remarked, "but no doubt it is some
fashionable watering-place, and they have sent me away to recruit
my health. My nerves are certainly very much shattered, and I
require rest."
Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled eyes, and a green mottled
coat, swam up to him.
"A new arrival, I see!" said the Frog. "Well, after all there is
nothing like mud. Give me rainy weather and a ditch, and I am
quite happy. Do you think it will be a wet afternoon? I am sure I
hope so, but the sky is quite blue and cloudless. What a pity!"
"Ahem! ahem!" said the Rocket, and he began to cough.
"What a delightful voice you have!" cried the Frog. "Really it is
quite like a croak, and croaking is of course the most musical
sound in the world. You will hear our glee-club this evening. We
sit in the old duck pond close by the farmers house, and as soon
as the moon rises we begin. It is so entrancing that everybody
lies awake to listen to us. In fact, it was only yesterday that I
heard the farmers wife say to her mother that she could not get a
wink of sleep at night on account of us. It is most gratifying to
find oneself so popular."
"Ahem! ahem!" said the Rocket angrily. He was very much annoyed
that he could not get a word in.
"A delightful voice, certainly," continued the Frog; "I hope you
will come over to the duck-pond. I am off to look for my
daughters. I have six beautiful daughters, and I am so afraid the
Pike may meet them. He is a perfect monster, and would have no
hesitation in breakfasting off them. Well, good-bye: I have
enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure you."
"Conversation, indeed!" said the Rocket. "You have talked the
whole time yourself. That is not conversation."
"Somebody must listen," answered the Frog, "and I like to do all
the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments."
"But I like arguments," said the Rocket.
"I hope not," said the Frog complacently. "Arguments are extremely
vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same
opinions. Good-bye a second time; I see my daughters in the
distance and the little Frog swam away.
"You are a very irritating person," said the Rocket, "and very ill-
bred. I hate people who talk about themselves, as you do, when one
wants to talk about oneself, as I do. It is what I call
selfishness, and selfishness is a most detestable thing, especially
to any one of my temperament, for I am well known for my
sympathetic nature. In fact, you should take example by me; you
could not possibly have a better model. Now that you have the
chance you had better avail yourself of it, for I am going back to
Court almost immediately. I am a great favourite at Court; in
fact, the Prince and Princess were married yesterday in my honour.
Of course you know nothing of these matters, for you are a
provincial."
"There is no good talking to him," said a Dragon-fly, who was
sitting on the top of a large brown bulrush; "no good at all, for
he has gone away."
"Well, that is his loss, not mine," answered the Rocket. "I am not
going to stop talking to him merely because he pays no attention.
I like hearing myself talk. It is one of my greatest pleasures. I
often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever
that sometimes I dont understand a single word of what I am
saying."
"Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy," said the Dragon-
fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away
into the sky.
"How very silly of him not to stay here!" said the Rocket. "I am
sure that he has not often got such a chance of improving his mind.
However, I dont care a bit. Genius like mine is sure to be
appreciated some day"; and he sank down a little deeper into the
mud.
After some time a large White Duck swam up to him. She had yellow
legs, and webbed feet, and was considered a great beauty on account
of her waddle.
"Quack, quack, quack," she said. "What a curious shape you are!
May I ask were you born like that, or is it the result of an
accident?"
"It is quite evident that you have always lived in the country,"
answered the Rocket, "otherwise you would know who I am. However,
I excuse your ignorance. It would be unfair to expect other people
to be as remarkable as oneself. You will no doubt be surprised to
hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come down in a shower of
golden rain."
"I dont think much of that," said the Duck, "as I cannot see what
use it is to any one. Now, if you could plough the fields like the
ox, or draw a cart like the horse, or look after the sheep like the
collie-dog, that would be something."
"My good creature," cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of
voice, "I see that you belong to the lower orders. A person of my
position is never useful. We have certain accomplishments, and
that is more than sufficient. I have no sympathy myself with
industry of any kind, least of all with such industries as you seem
to recommend. Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work
is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do."
"Well, well," said the Duck, who was of a very peaceable
disposition, and never quarrelled with any one, "everybody has
different tastes. I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take
up your residence here."
"Oh! dear no," cried the Rocket. "I am merely a visitor, a
distinguished visitor. The fact is that I find this place rather
tedious. There is neither society here, nor solitude. In fact, it
is essentially suburban. I shall probably go back to Court, for I
know that I am destined to make a sensation in the world."
"I had thoughts of entering public life once myself," remarked the
Duck; "there are so many things that need reforming. Indeed, I
took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and we passed
resolutions condemning everything that we did not like. However,
they did not seem to have much effect. Now I go in for
domesticity, and look after my family."
"I am made for public life," said the Rocket, "and so are all my
relations, even the humblest of them. Whenever we appear we excite
great attention. I have not actually appeared myself, but when I
do so it will be a magnificent sight. As for domesticity, it ages
one rapidly, and distracts ones mind from higher things."
"Ah! the higher things of life, how fine they are!" said the Duck;
"and that reminds me how hungry I feel": and she swam away down
the stream, saying, "Quack, quack, quack."
"Come back! come back!" screamed the Rocket, "I have a great deal
to say to you"; but the Duck paid no attention to him. "I am glad
that she has gone," he said to himself, "she has a decidedly
middle-class mind"; and he sank a little deeper still into the mud,
and began to think about the loneliness of genius, when suddenly
two little boys in white smocks came running down the bank, with a
kettle and some faggots.
"This must be the deputation," said the Rocket, and he tried to
look very dignified.
"Hallo!" cried one of the boys, "look at this old stick! I wonder
how it came here"; and he picked the rocket out of the ditch.
"OLD Stick!" said the Rocket, "impossible! GOLD Stick, that is
what he said. Gold Stick is very complimentary. In fact, he
mistakes me for one of the Court dignitaries!"
"Let us put it into the fire!" said the other boy, "it will help to
boil the kettle."
So they piled the faggots together, and put the Rocket on top, and
lit the fire.
"This is magnificent," cried the Rocket, "they are going to let me
off in broad day-light, so that every one can see me."
"We will go to sleep now," they said, "and when we wake up the
kettle will be boiled"; and they lay down on the grass, and shut
their eyes.
The Rocket was very damp, so he took a long time to burn. At last,
however, the fire caught him.
"Now I am going off!" he cried, and he made himself very stiff and
straight. "I know I shall go much higher than the stars, much
higher than the moon, much higher than the sun. In fact, I shall
go so high that - "
Fizz! Fizz! Fizz! and he went straight up into the air.
"Delightful!" he cried, "I shall go on like this for ever. What a
success I am!"
But nobody saw him.
Then he began to feel a curious tingling sensation all over him.
"Now I am going to explode," he cried. "I shall set the whole
world on fire, and make such a noise that nobody will talk about
anything else for a whole year." And he certainly did explode.
Bang! Bang! Bang! went the gunpowder. There was no doubt about it.
But nobody heard him, not even the two little boys, for they were
sound asleep.
Then all that was left of him was the stick, and this fell down on
the back of a Goose who was taking a walk by the side of the ditch.
"Good heavens!" cried the Goose. "It is going to rain sticks"; and
she rushed into the water.
"I knew I should create a great sensation," gasped the Rocket, and
he went out.
End