A Story from the Sand-Hills

A Story from the Sand-Hills

by Hans Christian Andersen（1860）

　　THIS story is from the sand-dunes or sand-hills 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； then， 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 upon the flowering acacia trees， 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.

　　“Life is a gracious gift from God， almost too GREat a gift for us to appreciate！” said the young wife. “Yet they say that fulness of joy for ever and ever can only be found in the future life. I cannot realise it！”

　　“the thought arises， perhaps， from the arrogance of men，” said the husband. “It seems a GREat pride to believe that we shall live for ever， that we shall be as gods！ Were not these the words of the serpent， the father of lies？”

　　“Surely you do not doubt the existence of a future life？” exclaimed the young wife. It seemed as if one of the first shadows passed over her sunny thoughts.

　　“Faith realises it， and the priests tell us so，” replied her husband； “but amid all my happiness I feel that it is arrogant to demand a continuation of it—another life after this. Has not so much been given us in this world that we ought to be， we must be， contented with it？”

　　“Yes， it has been given to us，” said the young wife， “but this life is nothing more than one long scene of trial and hardship to many thousands. How many have been cast into this world only to endure poverty， shame， illness， and misfortune？ If there were no future life， everything here would be too unequally divided， and God would not be the personification of justice.”

　　“the beggar there，” said her husband， “has joys of his own which seem to him GREat， and cause him as much pleasure as a king would find in the magnificence of his palace. And then do you not think that the beast of burden， which suffers blows and hunger， and works itself to death， suffers just as much from its miserable fate？ The dumb creature might demand a future life also， and declare the law unjust that excludes it from the advantages of the higher creation.”

　　“Christ said： 'In my father's house are many mansions，'” she answered. “Heaven is as boundless as the love of our Creator； the dumb animal is also His creature， and I firmly believe that no life will be lost， but each will receive as much happiness as he can enjoy， which will be sufficient for him.”

　　“This world is sufficient for me，” said the husband， throwing his arm round his beautiful， sweet-tempered wife. He sat by her side on the open balcony， smoking a cigarette in the cool air， which was loaded with the sweet scent of carnations and orange blossoms. Sounds of music and the clatter of castanets came from the road beneath， the stars shone above then， and two eyes full of affection—those of his wife—looked upon him with the expression of undying love. “Such a moment，” he said， “makes it worth while to be born， to die， and to be annihilated！” He smiled—the young wife raised her hand in gentle reproof， and the shadow passed away from her mind， and they were happy—quite happy.

　　Everything seemed to work together for their good. They advanced in honour， in prosperity， and in happiness. A change came certainly， but it was only a change of place and not of circumstances.

　　the young man was sent by his Sovereign as ambassador to the Russian Court. This was an office of high dignity， but his birth and his acquirements entitled him to the honour. He possessed a large fortune， and his wife had brought him wealth equal to his own， for she was the daughter of a rich and respected merchant. One of this merchant's largest and finest ships was to be sent that year to Stockholm， and it was arranged that the dear young couple， the daughter and the son-in-law， should travel in it to St. Petersburg. All the arrangements on board were princely and silk and luxury on every side.

　　In an old war song， called “the King of England's Son，” it says：

　　“Farewell， he said， and sailed away. And many recollect that day. the ropes were of silk， the anchor of gold，And everywhere riches and wealth untold.”

　　these words would aptly describe the vessel from Spain， for here was the same luxury， and the same parting thought naturally arose：

　　“God grant that we once more may meet In sweet unclouded peace and joy.”

　　there was a favourable wind blowing as they left the Spanish coast， and it would be but a short journey， for they hoped to reach their destination in a few weeks； but when they came out upon the wide ocean the wind dropped， the sea became smooth and shining， and the stars shone brightly. Many festive evenings were spent on board. At last the travellers began to wish for wind， for a favourable breeze； but their wish was useless—not a breath of air stirred， or if it did arise it was contrary. Weeks passed by in this way， two whole months， and then at length a fair wind blew from the south-west. The ship sailed on the high seas between Scotland and Jutland； then the wind increased， just as it did in the old song of “The King of England's Son.”

　　“ 'Mid storm and wind， and pelting hail，their efforts were of no avail. The golden anchor forth they threw；Towards Denmark the west wind blew.”

　　This all happened a long time ago； King Christian VII， who sat on the Danish throne， was still a young man. Much has happened since then， much has altered or been changed. Sea and moorland have been turned into GREen meadows， stretches of heather have become arable land， and in the shelter of the peasant's cottages， apple-trees and rose-bushes grow， though they certainly require much care， as the sharp west wind blows upon them. In West Jutland one may go back in thought to old times， farther back than the days when Christian VII ruled. The purple heather still extends for miles， with its barrows and aerial spectacles， intersected with sandy uneven roads， just as it did then； towards the west， where broad streams run into the bays， are marshes and meadows encircled by lofty， sandy hills， which， like a chain of Alps， raise their pointed summits near the sea； they are only broken by high ridges of clay， from which the sea， year by year， bites out great mouthfuls， so that the overhanging banks fall down as if by the shock of an earthquake. Thus it is there today and thus it was long ago， when the happy pair were sailing in the beautiful ship.

　　It was a Sunday， towards the end of September； the sun was shining， and the chiming of the church bells in the Bay of Nissum was carried along by the breeze like a chain of sounds. The churches there are almost entirely built of hewn blocks of stone， each like a piece of rock. The North Sea might foam over them and they would not be disturbed. Nearly all of them are without steeples， and the bells are hung outside between two beams. The service was over， and the conGREgation passed out into the churchyard， where not a tree or bush was to be seen； no flowers were planted there， and they had not placed a single wreath upon any of the graves. It is just the same now. Rough mounds show where the dead have been buried， and rank grass， tossed by the wind， grows thickly over the whole churchyard； here and there a grave has a sort of monument， a block of half-decayed wood， rudely cut in the shape of a coffin； the blocks are brought from the forest of West Jutland， but the forest is the sea itself， and the inhabitants find beams， and planks， and fragments which the waves have cast upon the beach. One of these blocks had been placed by loving hands on a child's grave， and one of the women who had come out of the church walked up to it； she stood there， her eyes resting on the weather-beaten memorial， and a few moments afterwards her husband joined her. They were both silent， but he took her hand， and they walked together across the purple heath， over moor and meadow towards the sandhills. For a long time they went on without speaking.

　　“It was a good sermon to-day，” the man said at last. “If we had not God to trust in， we should have nothing.”

　　“Yes，” replied the woman， “He sends joy and sorrow， and He has a right to send them. To-morrow our little son would have been five years old if we had been permitted to keep him.”

　　“It is no use fretting， wife，” said the man. “The boy is well provided for. He is where we hope and pray to go to.”

　　they said nothing more， but went out towards their houses among the sand-hills. All at once， in front of one of the houses where the sea grass did not keep the sand down with its twining roots， what seemed to be a column of smoke rose up. A gust of wind rushed between the hills， hurling the particles of sand high into the air； another gust， and the strings of fish hung up to dry flapped and beat violently against the walls of the cottage； then everything was quiet once more， and the sun shone with renewed heat.

　　the man and his wife went into the cottage. They had soon taken off their Sunday clothes and come out again， hurrying over the dunes which stood there like GREat waves of sand suddenly arrested in their course， while the sandweeds and dune grass with its bluish stalks spread a changing colour over them. A few neighbours also came out， and helped each other to draw the boats higher up on the beach. The wind now blew more keenly， it was chilly and cold， and when they went back over the sand-hills， sand and little sharp stones blew into their faces. The waves rose high， crested with white foam， and the wind cut off their crests， scattering the foam far and wide.

　　Evening came； there was a swelling roar in the air， a wailing or moaning like the voices of despairing spirits， that sounded above the thunder of the waves. The fisherman's little cottage was on the very margin， and the sand rattled against the window panes； every now and then a violent gust of wind shook the house to its foundation. It was dark， but about midnight the moon would rise. Later on the air became clearer， but the storm swept over the perturbed sea with undiminished fury； the fisher folks had long since gone to bed， but in such weather there was no chance of closing an eye. Presently there was a tapping at the window； the door was opened， and a voice said：

　　“there's a large ship stranded on the farthest reef.”