IT is incredible what children know nowadays．One is almist at alossto say what there is that they do not know．
That the stork has fetched them out of the wellor out of the mill－dam，and brought them as little children to theirfather and mother，is now such an old story，that they don't believeit，andyetitistheonly true one．
Buthowdo the children come tobein the mill-dam
andthewell？Ah，everyonedoesnotknowthat，butstill some do．Have you ever really looked at the sky， on a clear starry night，andseen the manyshooting－stars？ It is as if a star fell and vanished． The most learned cannot ex- plain what they do not know themselves！ but it can be ex－plainedwhen oneknows it． It is just as if a little Christmascandle fell from the sky and wasextinguished； it is a soul－spark from Our Father， which travels down towards the earth， and whenit comes into our closer， heavier atmo－ sphere the brightness vanishes， and thereremainsonlywhat our eyes have not the power to see， for it is somethingmuch finer than our air， it is a heaven－child which is sent，a little angel， but without wings， for the little one shall be－come a man. Quietly it glidesthrough the air，andthe wind carriesit intoaflwer,itmaybeaviolet，a dande- lion， a rose or a ragged robin， there it lies and makes itselfstrong． It is light and airy； a flymightflyaway with it，orat any rate abee,and they come by turns to search for the sweetness intheflower．If nowthe air-childshould lie in their way， theydonotwhisk it out， theyha not the heart to do that； they lay it in the sun， on a wate- lily leaf， andfrom there it crawls and creeps down into the water， where it sleeps andgrows， till the storkcan see it， and fetches itto a human family， which wishes for such a sweet littleone； but whether it is sweet or not， depends on whetherthe little one has drunk of theclear spring， or has swal－ lowed mud or duck－weed the wrong way： that makes it soearthy．The stork takes the first hesee，without making any choice．One comes into a goodhouse to matchless parents； another comes tohard people in great poverty； itwould have been much better to stay in the mill－dam． The little ones do not remember at all what they dreamt about under the water－lily leaf， where in the evening the frogs sang to them，"Croak， croak， creek， creek,"—which means inthelanguage of men，"Will you see now， if you can sleep and dream！" They cannotremember either in which flower they first lay， or how it smelt， and yet there is somethingin them， when they grow up， which says，"This is the flower we like best，"and that is the one theylay in as air－children． The stork becomes a very old bird， and always pays sttention to how things go with the little oneshehas brought， and how they behave in theworld． He cannot really do anything for them， or change their lot， as he hashis own family to care for， but he never lets them slip outof his thoughts． I know an old， very honest stork， who has a great deal of knowledge， and has brought many little ones， andknows their stories，inwhich there is always a little mud and duck－weed from the mill-dam． Ibegged him to give a little life- sketch of one of them， and so he said thatI should get three for one from Peterson's house．
Itwasa particularly nicefamily， Peterson's．The
man was one of the town's two and thirty men， and thatwas a distinction： he lived for the two and thirty， andwent with the two and thirty． The stork came there， and brought a little Peter， for so the child was called． Next year the stork came again with another one；him theycalled Pete，and when the third was brought, he got the name of Peterkin，forinthe names Peter，Pete，and Peterkin， lies the name Peterson．
There were thus three brothers， three shooting－starscradled each in his own flower， laid under the water－lily leaf in the mill－dam， and brought from there to the familyPeterson，whose house is at the corner， as youknow．
They grew up bothinbody and soul，and then they wished to be something still greater than the two and thirty men．
Peter said that he would be a robber． He had seen the playof"Fra Diavolo"，andmade up hismind for therob－ ber—businessas themost delightful in theworld．
Pete would be a rattle－man， and Peterkin， who wassuch a good， sweet child，round and plump， but who bit his nails（that was his only fault）， Peterkin would be"Fa－ther"． That iswhat eachofthemsaidwhen any one asked what they wanted to be in the world．
And then they went to school． One became dux， and one became dunce， and one was betwixt and between； butfor all that they might be equally good and equally clever， and that they were，said their very clear-sighted parents．
Theywentto children's balls；they smoked cigars when no one saw them； theygrew in learning and knowl- edge．
Peter was stubborn from his earliest days， as of course a robber must be；he was a very naughty boy， buthis mother said that was because he suffered from worms；naughty children have always worms；—mud in the stom- ach．His self-willandstubbornness one day spent them－ selves on his mother's new silk dress．
"Don't push the coffee－table， my lamb，" she had said；"you might upset the cream-jug，andIshould get a stain on my new silk dress．" And the"lamb" took the cream-jug with afirm hand， and emptied it right into mother's lap， who could not help saying，"My lamb，mylamb，thatwasnot considerate ofyou，mylamb！"Butthe child had a will，she must admit．Will shows character， and that is so promising for a mother． Hemight certainly havebecome a robber， but he did not become it literally；heonly came to look like a robber； went about with a soft hat， bare neck， and long， loose hair； he was going to be an artist，but only got into the clothes of one， and also looked like a hollyhock； all the people he drew， lookedlike hollyhocks， they were so long and lanky． Hewasvery fond of that flower； he had in fact lain in a hollyhock， thestork said．
Pete hadlain in abuttercup． Helooked sobutteryround the corners of his mouth， and was yellow－skinned；
one might believe that ifhe was cut in the cheek， butter would come out． He seemed born to be a butter－man， and mighthavebeenhisownsign-board，but inwardly he was a"rattle－man"； he was the musical portionof thePeter－ son family，"but enough for allofthem together，"said the neighbours. He composedseventeendew polkas in a week， and made an opera out of them with trumpet and rattle． Oh， how lovely it was! Peterkin was white and red， little and common-look－ing； hehadlain in adaisy．He neverhit out when the otherboys struck him； he said that he was the mostsensi－ble， and the most sensible always gives way. He collectedfirst slate－pencils， then seals， then he got a little cabinetof natural curiosities， in which was the skeleton of astickle-back， three blind youngrats in spirits， and a stuffed mole．Peterkin had a taste forthe scientific and aneye for nature， and thatwasdelightful for the parents， and forPeterkin too．Hewould rather go into the woods than theschool， and preferred natureto discipline His brotherswere already engaged to bemarried， while he still lived only to complete his collection of the eggs of water－fowls． He very soon knew more about beasts thanabout human beings，and even thought that we could not approach the beasts in that which weset highest—
"love．"He saw that when the hen-nightingale sat hatch－ ing her eggs， the fathernightingale sat and sang the wholenight to his little wife，"Cluck，cluck， jug， jug， jug."Peterkin could never have done that， nor devoted himselfto the task．When the mother stork lay in the nest with the young ones， the father stork stood on the roof the whole night on one leg：Peterkin could not have stood like that for one hour． And when he one day observed the spi- der's web and what was in it， he quite gave up all thought of matrimony． Mr． Spider weaves to catch thoughtless flies， young and old， blood－filled andwind－dried； he lives to weave and nourish his family， butMrs． Spiderlives forFather alone．She eats him up form sheerlove； she eats his heart， his head， his stomach，onlyhis longthinlegs remain behind in theweb，where he sat with the task of supporting the whole family． That is thesimple truth， straight out of natural history．Peterkin saw that and thought itover；"to beloved by one's wife like that， tobeeaten by herin violentlove. No; no human be- ing goes as far as that； and would it be desirable？"
Peterdetermined nevertomarry！ neverto give or to take a kiss； that might look like the firit step towards mat－rimony． But still he got one kiss， the one we all get， thegreat hearty kiss of Death． When we have lived long enough，Death getstheorder"kiss away!" and so the per－ son is gone． There flashes from our Lord a sun－blink， sostrong that one is almost blinded． The soul of man， whichcame， like a meteor，flies hence again like a meteor，but not to rest in a flower or to dream under a water－lily leaf．
It has more important things before it， it flies into the greatland of Eternity， but how things are there， or what it lookslike， no one can tell． No one has seen into it， not even thestork， however far he can see， and however much he mayknow． Nor did he know any more about Peterkin， thoughhe did about Peter and Pete； butI have heard enough about them，and so have you； so I said"Thanks" to the stork for this time；but now he demands for this common little story three frog sand a young snake； he takes his pay－mentin victuals．Will youpay？ I won't！ I have neither frogs nor young snakes．
贝脱、比脱和比尔
现在的小孩子所知道的事情真多，简直叫人难以相信！你很难说他们有什么事情不知道。说是鹳鸟把他们从井里或磨坊水闸里捞起来，然后把他们当作小孩子送给爸爸和妈妈——他们认为这是一个老故事，半点也不会相信。但是这却是唯一的真事情。
不过小孩子又怎样来到磨坊水闸和井里的呢？的确，谁也不知道，但同时却又有些人知道。你在满天星斗的夜里仔细瞧过天空和那些流星吗？你可以看到好像有星星在落下来，不见了！连最有学问的人也没有办法把自己不知道的事情解释清楚。不过假如你知道的话，你是可以做出解释的。那是像一根圣诞节的蜡烛；它从天上落下来，便熄灭了。它是来自上帝身边的一颗“灵魂的大星”。它向地下飞；当它接触到我们的沉浊的空气的时候，就失去了光彩。它变成一个我们的肉眼无法看见的东西，因为它比我们的空气还要轻得多：它是天上送下来的一个孩子——一个安琪儿，但是没有翅膀，因为这个小东西将要成为一个人。它轻轻地在空中飞。风把它送进一朵花里去。这可能是一朵兰花，一朵蒲公英，一朵玫瑰花，或是一朵樱花。它躺在花里面，恢复它的精神。
它的身体非常轻飘，一个苍蝇就能把它带走；无论如何，蜜蜂是能把它带走的，而蜜蜂经常飞来飞去，在花里寻找蜜。如果这个空气的孩子在路上捣蛋，它们决不会把它送回去，因为它们不忍心这样做。它们把它带到太阳光中去，放在睡莲的花瓣上。它就从这儿爬进水里；它在水里睡觉和生长，直到鹳鸟看到它，把它送到一个盼望可爱的孩子的人家里去为止。不过这个小家伙是不是可爱，那完全要看它是喝过了清洁的泉水，还是错吃了泥巴和青浮草而定——后者会把人弄得很不干净。鹳鸟只要第一眼看到一个孩子就会把他衔起来，并不加以选择。这个来到一个好家庭里，碰上最理想的父母；那个来到极端穷困的人家里——还不如呆在磨坊水闸里好呢。
这些小家伙一点也记不起，他们在睡莲花瓣下面做过一些什么梦。在睡莲花底下，青蛙常常对他们唱歌：“格，格！呱，呱！”在人类的语言中这就等于是说：“请你们现在试试，看你们能不能睡着，做个梦！”他们现在一点也记不起自己最初是躺在哪朵花里，花儿发出怎样的香气。但是他们长大成人以后，身上却有某种气质，使他们说：“我最爱这朵花！”这朵花就是他们作为空气的孩子时睡过的花。
鹳鸟是一种很老的鸟儿。他非常关心自己送来的那些小家伙生活得怎样，行为好不好？他不能帮助他们，或者改变他们的环境，因为他有自己的家累。但是他在思想中却没有忘记他们。
我认识一只非常善良的老鹳鸟。他有丰富的经验，他送过许多小家伙到人们的家里去，他知道他们的历史——这里面多少总是牵涉到一点磨坊水间里的泥巴和青浮草的。我要求他把他们之中随便哪个的简历告诉我一下。他说他不止可以把一个小家伙的历史讲给我听，而且可以讲三个，他们都是发生在贝脱生家里的。
贝脱生的家庭是一个非常可爱的家庭。贝脱生是镇上32个参议员中的一员，而这是一种光荣的差使。他成天跟这32个人一道工作，经常跟他们一道消遣。鹳鸟送一个小小的贝脱到他家里来——贝脱就是一个孩子的名字。第二年鹳鸟又送一个小孩子来，他们把他叫比脱。接着第三个孩子来了；他叫比尔，因为贝脱、比脱和比尔都是贝脱生这个姓的组成部分。
这样他们就成了三兄弟。他们是三颗流星，在三朵不同的花里睡过，在磨坊水闸的睡莲花瓣下面住过。鹳鸟把他们送到贝脱生家里来。这家的屋子位于一个街角上，你们都知道。
他们在身体和思想方面都长成了大人。他们希望成为比那32个人还要伟大一点的人物。
贝脱说，他要当一个强盗。他曾经看过《魔鬼兄弟》这出戏，所以他肯定地认为做一个大盗是世界上最愉快的事情。
比脱想当一个收破烂的人。至于比尔，他是一个温柔和蔼的孩子，又圆又肥，只是喜欢咬指甲——这是他唯一的缺点。他想当“爸爸”。如果你问他们想在世界上做些什么事情，他们每个人就这样回答你。
他们上学校。一个当班长，一个考倒数第一名，第三个不好不坏。虽然如此，他们可能是同样好，同样聪明，而事实上也是这样——这是他们非常有远见的父母说的话。
他们参加孩子的舞会，当没有人在场的时候，他们抽雪茄烟。他们得到学问，交了许多朋友。
正如一个强盗一样，贝脱从极小的时候起就很固执。他是一个非常顽皮的孩子，但是妈妈说，这是因为他身体里有虫的缘故。顽皮的孩子总是有虫——肚皮里的泥巴。他生硬和固执的脾气有一天在妈妈的新绸衣上发作了。
“我的羔羊，不要推咖啡桌！”她说。“你会把奶油壶推翻，在我的新绸衣上弄出一大块油渍来的！”
这位“羔羊”一把就抓住奶油壶，把一壶奶油倒在妈妈的衣服上。妈妈只好说：“羔羊！羔羊！你太不体贴人了！”但是她不得不承认，这孩子有坚强的意志。坚强的意志表示性格，在妈妈的眼中看来，这是一种非常有出息的现象。
他很可能成为一个强盗，但是他却没有真正成为一个强盗。他只是样子像一个强盗罢了：他戴着一顶无边帽，打着一个光脖子，留着一头又长又乱的头发。他要成为一个艺术家，不过只是在服装上是这样，实际上他很像一株蜀葵。他所画的一些人也像蜀葵，因为他把他们画得都又长又瘦。他很喜欢这种花，因为鹳鸟说，他曾经在一朵蜀葵里住过。
比脱曾经在金凤花里睡过，因此他的嘴角边现出一种黄油的表情；他的皮肤是黄的，人们很容易相信，只要在他的脸上划一刀，就有黄油冒出来。他很像是一个天生卖黄油的人；他本人就是一个黄油招牌。但是他内心里却是一个“卡嗒卡嗒人”。他代表贝脱生这一家在音乐方面的遗传。“不过就他们一家说来，音乐的成分已经够多了！”邻居们说。他在一个星期中编了17支新的波尔卡舞曲，而他配上喇叭和卡嗒卡嗒，把它们组成一部歌剧。唔，那才可爱哩！
比尔的脸上有红有白，身材矮小，相貌平常。他在一朵雏菊里睡过，当别的孩子打他的时候，他从来不还手。他说他是一个最讲道理的人，而最讲道理的人总是让步的。他是一个收藏家；他先收集石笔，然后收集印章，最后他弄到一个收藏博物的小匣子，里面装着一条棘鱼的全部骸骨，三只用酒精浸着的小耗子和一只剥制的鼹鼠。比尔对于科学很感兴趣，对于大自然很能欣赏。这对于他的父母和自己说来，都是很好的事情。
他情愿到山林里去，而不愿进学校；他爱好大自然而不喜欢纪律。他的兄弟都已经订婚了，而他却只想着怎样完成收集水鸟蛋的工作。
他对于动物的知识比对于人的知识要丰富得多。他认为在我们最重视的一个问题——爱情问题上，我们赶不上动物。他看到当母夜莺在孵卵的时候，公夜莺就整夜守在旁边，为他亲爱的妻子唱歌：嘀嘀！吱吱！咯咯——丽！像这类事儿，比尔就做不出来，连想都不会想到。当鹳鸟妈妈跟孩子们睡在窝里的时候，鹳鸟爸爸就整夜用一只腿站在屋顶上。比尔这样连一个钟头都站不了。
有一天当他在研究一个蜘蛛网里面的东西时，他忽然完全放弃了结婚的念头。蜘蛛先生忙着织网，为的是要网住那些粗心的苍蝇——
年轻的、年老的、胖的和瘦的苍蝇。他活着是为了织网养家，但是蜘蛛太太却只是专为丈夫而活着。她为了爱他就一口把他吃掉：她吃掉他的心、他的头和肚皮。只有他的一双又瘦又长的腿还留在网里，作为他曾经为全家的衣食奔波过一番的纪念。这是他从博物学中得来的绝对真理。比尔亲眼看见这事情，他研究过这个问题。“这样被自己的太太爱，在热烈的爱情中这样被自己的太太一口吃掉。不，人类之中没有谁能够爱到这种地步，不过这样爱值不值得呢？”
比尔决定终身不结婚！连接吻都不愿意， 他也不希望被别人吻，因为接吻可能是结婚的第一步呀。但是他却得到了一个吻——我们大家都会得到的一个吻：死神的结实的一吻。
等我们活了足够长的时间以后，死神就会接到一个命令：“把他吻死吧！”于是人就死了。上帝射出一丝强烈的太阳光，把人的眼睛照得看不见东西。人的灵魂，到来的时候像一颗流星，飞走的时候也像一颗流星，但是它不再躺在一朵花里，或睡在睡莲花瓣下做梦。它有更重要的事情要做。它飞到永恒的国度里去；不过这个国度是什么样子的，谁也说不出来。谁也没有到它里面去看过，连鹳鸟都没有去看过，虽然他能看得很远，也知道很多东西。他对于比尔所知道的也不多，虽然他很了解贝脱和比脱。不过关于他们，我们已经听得够多了，我想你也是一样。所以这一次我对鹳鸟说：“谢谢你。”但是他对于这个平凡的小故事要求三个青蛙和一条小蛇的报酬，因为他是愿意得到食物作为报酬的。你愿不愿意给他呢？
我是不愿意的。我既没有青蛙，也没有小蛇呀。
这篇作品，发表在哥本哈根1868年1月 12日出版的《费加罗》（Figaro）杂志。安徒生在他的手记中写道：“《贝脱·比脱和比尔》，像《小小的绿东西》一样，来源于一个舒适的住处，可以使人产生得意和自满之感的这种情境。”但这里却是写平凡的人生。一个人从出生到成长，以及他在一生中所追求的东西都不一样，但殊途同归，“等我们活了足够长的时间以后，死神就会接到一个命令：把他吻死吧！于是人就死了。”他的灵魂就“飞到永恒的国度里去；不过这个国度是什么样子的，谁也说不出来。”安徒生对此也不能解答。