The Old House (1)

The Old House (1)

Once upon a time there stood in a street a very old house; it was nearly three hundred years.

You could tell what year it had been built by reading the date cut into one of the beams; all around it tulips and curling hop vines had been carved.

Right above the entrance a whole verse had been inscribed, and above each window appeared a grinning face.

The second storey protruded over first.

The lead gutters, which hung under the roof, were shaped like a dragons, with the monster's head at either end.

The water was supposed to spout out of their mouths, but it didn't ; the gutter was filled with holes and the water ran out of the dragons' stomachs.

All the other houses in the street were new and well kept, their walls were straight and smooth, and they had large windows.

It was quite rasonable that they should feel themselves superior to the old house.

(1/20)
アンデルセン童話の一つです。少し長いですが。