她是一个可爱的人物 来源：家长学院作者：安徒生 市长正站在开着的窗子面前。他只穿着衬衫；衬衫的前襟上别着一根领带别针。他的胡子刮得特别光──是他亲自刮的。的确，他划开了一个小口，但是他已经在上面贴了一小片报纸。

“听着，小家伙！”他大声说。

这小家伙不是别人，就是那个贫苦的洗衣妇的儿子。他正在这房子前面经过；他恭恭敬敬地把帽子摘下来。帽子已经破了，因为他随时可以把帽子卷起来塞在衣袋里。这孩子穿着一件朴素的旧衣服，但是衣服很干净，补得特别平整，脚上拖着一双厚木鞋，站在那儿，卑微得好像是站在皇帝面前一样。

“你是一个好孩子，”市长先生说。“你是一个有礼貌的孩子。我想你的妈妈正在河边洗衣服吧？你现在是要把藏在衣袋里的东西一定是送给她。这对你母亲说来是一件很不好的事情！你弄到了多少？”

イchild用一种害怕的声音吞吞吐吐地说：“半斤。”

イcity mayor继续说道：“今天早晨她已经喝了这么多。”

イchild回答道：“没有，那是昨天！”

イcity mayor感慨地说：“两个半斤就整整是一斤！她真是一个浪费者！你们这个阶级的人说来也真糟糕！告诉你妈妈，她应该觉得羞耻。你自己切记不要变成一个酒鬼——不过你会的！可怜的小孩，你去吧！”

Child walked away with his hat in hand. The wind blew through his golden hair, making it stand upright. He rounded a street corner and turned into a small alley leading to the river. His mother was standing in the water at a washing tub, beating heavily at a big pile of wet blankets with her wooden mallet. The water was swirling rapidly because the mill's sluice gate had been opened; these blankets were almost pushing over the washing tub (Household Academy: A different learning space for you!). This washerwoman had to use all her strength to steady it.

"I'm almost being swept away!" she said, "You've come just in time; I need someone to help me out; standing in the water is so cold! But I've been here for six hours now."

"Here, take this bottle," child said, handing her an empty wine bottle.

Her eyes lit up when she saw it. She took it and drank from it greedily.

"Ah! That's saved me!" she exclaimed. "It warms me up like a hot meal! And cheap too! Oh dear child, you look as white as a ghost! You're shivering so badly in that thin coat... It's autumn after all."

She climbed out of the river and sat down on the bridge beside him.

"I'll work hard until my fingers bleed," she said grimly. "But if only I can bring you up by honest labor..."

As she spoke, another woman approached them - older than herself but equally ragged-looking - one leg lame and wearing an ill-fitting wig over one eye which was meant to conceal its blindness but only drew attention to its absence instead. They called her 'Wigged Lame Malene' among neighbors...

The city mayor continued speaking: "Listen here little guy!"

This little guy wasn't anyone else but that poor washerwoman's son who happened to be passing by outside this house window - he took off his cap respectfully before continuing on his way.

"You are such an obedient boy," he praised him warmly while looking at him affectionately with those deep-set eyes that seemed both wise beyond years yet also utterly innocent & youthful simultaneously...