衬衫领子
这篇故事发表于１８４８年哥本哈根出版的《新的童话》里。它是根据现实生活写成的，安徒生说，一位朋友和他谈起一位落魄的绅士。此人所有的财产只剩下一个擦鞋器和一把梳子，但是他的架子却还放不下来，一直吹嘘自己过去的“光荣”。事实上，在一个阶级社会里，没有了财产就没有了特权，何况衬衫领子本身已经破烂了。最后它只有“来到一个造纸厂的箱子里。周围是一堆破烂的朋友：细致的跟细致的人在一起，粗鲁的跟粗鲁的人在一起，真是物以类聚。”“它已经成了造纸的原料了，最后变成纸，这个故事就是在这张纸上被印出来的。”这是一起含蓄的讽刺小品。
THERE was once a fine gentleman who possessed among other things a bootjack and a hairbrush，but he had also the finest shirtcollar in the world，and of this collar we are about to hear a story.
从前有一位漂亮的绅士，他所有的动产只是一个脱靴器和一把梳子。但他有一个世界上最好的衬衫领子。我们现在所要听到的就是关于这个领子的故事。
The collar had become so old that he began to think about getting married，and one day he happened to find himself in the same washingtub as a garter.“Upon my word，”said the shirtcollar，“I have never seen anything so slim and delicate，so neat(neat adj.整洁的，灵巧的，优雅的，(酒)纯的，未搀水的)and soft before.May I venture to ask your name？”
衬衫领子已经到了，足够考虑结婚问题的年纪了。事有凑巧，他和袜带在一块儿混在水里洗。“我的天！”衬衫领子说，“我从来没有看到过这么苗条和细嫩、这么迷人和温柔的人儿。请问你尊姓大名？”
“I shall not tell you.”replied the garter.
“这个我可不能告诉你！”袜带说。
“Where do you reside when you are at home？”asked the shirtcollar.But the garter was naturally shy，and did not know how to answer such a question.
“你家里在什么地方？”衬衫领子问。不过袜带是非常害羞的。对于这样一个问题，她觉得很难回答。
“I presume you are a girdle，”said the shirtcollar，“a sort of under girdle.I see that you are useful，as well as ornamental(ornamental adj.装饰性的，装饰的，装饰用的n.装饰物，观赏植物)，my little lady.”
“我猜你是一根腰带吧？”衬衫领子说，“一种内衣的腰带！亲爱的小姐，我可以看出，你既有用，又可以做装饰品！”
“You must not speak to me，”said the garter，“I do not think I have given you any encouragement to do so.”
“你不应该跟我讲话！”袜带说。“我想，我没有给你任何这样做的理由！”
“Oh，when any one is as beautiful as you are，”said the shirtcollar，“is not that encouragement enough？”
“咳，一个长得像你这样美丽的人儿，”衬衫领子说，“就是足够的理由了。”
“Get away，dont come so near me，”said the garter，“you appear to me quite like a man.”
“走开，请不要离我太近！”袜带说，“你很像一个男人！”
“I am a fine gentleman certainly，”said the shirtcollar，“I possess a bootjack and a hairbrush.”This was not true，for these things belonged to his master，but he was a boaster(boaster n.自夸的人).
“我还是一个漂亮的绅士呢！”衬衫领子说。“我有一个脱靴器和一把梳子！”这完全不是真话，因为这两件东西是属于他的主人的。他不过是在吹牛罢了。
“Dont come so near me，”said the garter，“I am not accustomed to it.”
“请不要离我太近！”袜带说，“我不习惯这样。”“Affectation！”said the shirtcollar.Then they were taken out of the washtub，starched，and hung over a chair in the sunshine，and then laid on the ironingboard.And now came the glowing(glowing adj.炽热的，容光焕发的，生气勃勃的)iron.“Mistress widow，”said the shirtcollar，“little mistress widow，I feel quite warm.I am changing，I am losing all my creases.You are burning a hole in me.Ugh！I propose to you.”
“装腔作势！”衬衫领子说。这时他们就从水里被取出来，上了浆，挂在一张椅子上晒，最后就被拿到一个熨斗板上。现在一个滚热的熨斗来了。“太太！”衬衫领子说，“亲爱的寡妇太太，我现在颇感到有些热了。我现在变成了另外一个人；我的皱纹全没有了。你烫穿了我的身体，噢，我要向你求婚！”
“You old rag！”said the flatiron，driving proudly over the collar，for she fancied herself a steamengine，which rolls over the railway and draws carriages.“You old rag！”said she.
“你这个老破烂！”熨斗说。同时很骄傲地在衬衫领子上走过去，因为她想像自己是一架火车头，拖着一长串列车，在铁轨上驰过去——“你这个老破烂！”
The edges of the shirtcollar were a little frayed，so the scissorsscissors n.剪刀were brought to cut them smooth.“Oh！”exclaimed the shirtcollar，“what a firstrate dancer you would make，you can stretch out your leg so well.I never saw anything so charming.I am sure no human being could do the same.”
衬衫领子的边缘上有些破损。因此有一把剪纸的剪刀就来把这些破损的地方剪平。“天啦！”衬衫领子说，“你一定是一个芭蕾舞舞蹈家！你的腿伸得多么直啊！我从来没有看见过这样迷人的姿态！世界上没有任何人能模仿你！”“I should think not.”replied the scissors.
“这一点我知道！”剪刀说。