安徒生童话之跳高者(3)

　　Now they were to take their jump. The Flea sprang so high that no one could see him; and then they asserted that he had not jumped at all. That was very mean. The Grasshopper only sprang half as high, but he sprang straight into the King’s face, and the King declared that was horribly rude. The Skipjack stood a long time considering; at last people thought that he could not jump at all.

　　“I only hope he’s not become unwell,” said the Yard Dog, and then he smelt at him again.

　　“Tap!” he sprang with a little crooked jump just into the lap of the Princess, who sat on a low golden stool.

　　Then the King said, “The highest leap was taken by him who jumped up to my daughter; for therein lies the point; but it requires head to achieve that, and the Skipjack has shown that he has a head.”

　　And so he had the Princess.

　　“I jumped highest, after all,” said the Flea. “But it’s all the same. Let her have the goose-bone with its lump of wax and bit of stick. I jumped to the highest; but in this world a body is required if one wishes to be seen.”