it was in the month of may．the wind still blew cold， but bushes and trees， field and meadow， all alike said the spring had come． there was store of flowers even in the wild hedges；and there spring carried on his affairs，and preached from a little apple tree， where one branch hung fresh and blooming，covered with delicate pink los－somas that were just ready to open． the apple tree branch knew well enough how beautiful he was， for the knowledge is inherent in the blade as well as in the blood；and consequently the branch was not surprised when a nobleman's carriage stopped opposite to him on the road，and the young countess said that that apple branch was the loveliest thing one could behold， a very emblem of spring in its most charming form. and the branch was broken off， and she held it in her delicate hand， and sheltered it with her silk parasol．then they drove to the castle， where there were lofty halls and splendid apartments. pure white curtains fluttered round the open windows， and beautiful flowers stood in shining transparent vases； and in one of these，which looked as if it had been cut out of fresh-fallen snow，the apple branch was placed among some fresh light twigs of beech．it was charming to behold．but the branch be-came proud；and this was quite like human nature．
people of various kinds came through the room， and according to their rank they might express their admiration few said nothing at all， and others again said too much，and the apple tree branch soon got to understand that there was a difference in human beings just as among plants．
“some are created for beauty， and some for use； and there are some which one can do without altogether，”thought the apple branch.
and as he stood just in front of the open window，from whence he could see into the garden and across the fields， he had flowers and plants enough to contemplate and to think about，for there were rich plants and humble plants—some very humble indeed．
“poor despised herbs！”said the apple branch． “there is certainly a difference！and how unhappy they must feel， if indeed that kind can feel like myself and my equals． certainly there is a difference， and distinctions must be made， or we should all be equal．”
and the apple branch looked down with a species of pity，especially upon a certain kind of flower of which great numbers are found in the fields and in ditches．no one bound them into a nosegay，they were too common；for they might be found even among the paving－stones， shoot－in up everywhere like the rankest weeds， and they had the ugly name of “dandelion”， or“the devil's milk-pail”．
“poor despised plants！” said the apple branch．“it is not your fault that you are what you are， that you are so common， and that you received the ugly name you bear．but it is with plants as with men —there must be a differ-enc.！”
“a difference？”said the sunbeam；and he kissed the blooming apple branch， but also kissed the yellow dandle－lions out in the field—all the brothers of the sunbeam kissed them， the poor flowers as well as the rich．
now the apple branch had never thought of the boundless beneficence of providence in creation towards everything that lives and moves and has its being；he had never thought how much that is beautiful and good may be hidden，but not forgotten；but that，too，was quite like human nature．
the sunbeam， the ray of light， knew better， and said，
“you don't see far and you don't see clearly．what is the despised plant that you especially pity？”
“the dandelion，”replied the apple branch．“it is never received into a nosegay； it is trodden under foot．there are too many of them；and when they run to seed，they fly away like little pieces of wool over the roads，and hang and cling to people's dress．
they are nothing but weeds—but it is right there should be weeds too．oh，i'm really very thankful that i was not created one of those flowers，”
but there came across the fields a whole troop of children，the youngest of whom was so small that it was carried by the rest，and when it was set down in the grass among the yellow flowers it laughed aloud with glee， kicked out with its little legs，rolled about and plucked the yellow flowers， and kissed them in its pretty innocence． the elder children broke off the flowers with their hollow stalks，and bent the stalks round into one another， link by link， so that a whole chain was made； first a necklace，and then a scat to hang over their shoulders and tie round their waists，and then a chaplet to wear on the head：it was quite a gala of green links and chains． the eldest children carefully gathered the stalks on which hung the white feat－ere ball，formed by the flower that had run to seed；and this loose， airy wool-flower，which is a beautiful object，looking like the finest snowy down，they held to their mouths， and tried to blow away the whole head at one breath；for their grandmother had said that whoever could do this would be sure to get new clothes before the year was out．so on this occasion the despised flower was a perfect prophet．
“do you see？” said the sunbeam.“do you see the beauty of those flowers？ do you see their power？”
“yes—over children，” replied the apple branch．
and now an old woman came into the field， and be-an to dig with a blunt shiftless knife round the root of the dandelion plant， and pulled it up out of the ground．with some of the roots she intended to make coffee for herself；others she was going to sell for money to the druggist．
“but beauty is a higher thing！”said the apple tree branch．“ only the chosen few can be admitted into the realm of beauty．there is a difference among plants， just as there is a difference among men．”
and then the sunbeam spoke of the boundless love of the creator， as manifested in the creation， and of the just distribution of things in time and in eternity．
“yes，yes， that is your opinion，”the apple branch persisted. but now some people came into the room， and the beautiful young countess appeared， the lady who had placed the apple branch in the transparent vast in the sunlight． she carried in her hand a flower， or something of the kind． the object， whatever it might be， was hid－den by three or four great leaves， wrapped around it like a shield， that no draught or gust of wind should injure it；and it was carried more carefully than the apple bough had been．very gently the large leaves were now re－moved，and loa，there appeared the fine feathery seed crown of the despised dandelion！this it was that the lady had plucked with the greatest care， and had carried home with every precaution， so that not one of the delicate feathery darts that form its downy ball should be blown away．she now produced it， quite uninjured， and admired its beautiful from，its peculiar construction，and its airy beauty． which was to be scattered by the wind．
“look， with what singular beauty providence has in-vested it，” she said．“i will paint it， together with the apple branch， whose beauty all have admired；but this humble flower has received just as much from heaven in a different way；and，various as they are，both are children of the kingdom of beauty．”
and the sunbeam kissed the humble flower， and he kissed the blooming apple branch，whose leaves appeared to blush thereat．
区别
那正是5月。风吹来仍然很冷；但是灌木和大树，田野和草原，都说春天已经到来了。处处都开满了花，一直开到灌木丛组成的篱笆上。春天就在这儿讲它的故事。它在一棵小苹果树上讲——这棵树有一根鲜艳的绿枝；它上面布满了粉红色的、细嫩的、随时就要开放的花苞。它知道它是多么美丽——它这种先天的知识深藏在它的叶子里，好像是流在血液里一样。因此当一位贵族的车子在它面前的路上停下来的时候，当年轻的伯爵夫人说这根柔枝是世界上最美丽的东西、是春天最美丽的表现的时候，它一点也不感到惊奇。接着这枝子就被折断了。她把它握在柔嫩的手里，并且还用绸阳伞替它遮住太阳。他们回到他们华贵的公馆里来。这里面有许多高大的厅堂和华丽的房间。洁白的窗帘在敞着的窗子上迎风飘荡；好看的花儿在透明的、发光的花瓶里面亭亭地立着。有一个花瓶简直像是新下的雪所雕成的。这根苹果枝就插在它里面几根新鲜的山毛榉枝子中间。看它一眼都使人感到愉快。
这根枝子变得骄傲起来；这也是人之常情。
各色各样的人走过这房间。他们可以根据自己的身份来表示他们的赞赏。有些人一句话也不讲；有些人却又讲得太多。苹果枝子知道，在人类中间，正如在植物中间一样，也存在着区别。
“有些东西是为了好看；有些东西是为了实用；但是也有些东西却完全没有用。”苹果树枝想。
正因为它是被放在一个敞着的窗子面前，同时又因为它从这儿可以看到花园和田野，因此它有许多花儿和植物供它思索和考虑。植物中有富贵的，也有贫贱的——有的简直是太贫贱了。
“可怜没有人理的植物啊！”苹果枝说。“一切东西的确都有区别！如果这些植物也能像我和我一类的那些东西那样有感觉，它们一定会感到非常不愉快。一切东西的确有区别。而且的确也应该如此，否则大家就都是一样的了！”
苹果枝对某些花儿——像田里和沟里丛生的那些花儿——特别表示出怜悯的样子。谁也不把他们扎成花束。它们是太普通了，人们甚至在铺地石中间都可以看得到。它们像野草一样，在什么地方都冒出来，而且它们连名字都很丑，叫做“魔鬼的奶桶”。
“可怜被人瞧不起的植物啊！”苹果枝说。“你们的这种处境，你们的平凡，你们所得到的这些丑名字，也不能怪你们自己！在植物中间，正如在人类中间一样，一切都有个区别的啦！”
“区别？”阳光说：它吻着这盛开的苹果枝，但是它也吻着田野里的那些黄色的“魔鬼的奶桶”。阳光的所有兄弟们都吻着它们——吻着下贱的花，也吻着富贵的花。
苹果枝从来就没想到，造物主对一切活着和动着的东西都一样给以无限的慈爱。它从来没有想到，美和善的东西可能会被掩盖住了，但是并没有被忘记——这也是合乎人情的。
太阳光——明亮的光线——知道得更清楚：
“你的眼光看得不远，你的眼光看得不清楚！你特别怜悯的、没有人理的植物，是哪些植物呢？”
“魔鬼的奶桶！”苹果枝说。“人们从来不把它扎成花束。人们把它踩在脚底下，因为它们长得太多了。当它们在结子的时候，它们就像小片的羊毛，在路上到处乱飞，还附在人的衣上。
它们不过是野草罢了！——它们也只能是野草！啊，我真要谢天谢地，我不是它们这类植物中的一种！”
从田野那儿来了一大群孩子。他们中最小的一个是那么小，还要别的孩子抱着他。当他被放到草地上这些黄花中间的时候，他乐得大笑起来。他的小腿踢着，遍地打滚。他只摘下这种黄花，同时天真烂漫地吻着它们。那些较大的孩子把这些黄花从空心的梗子上折下来，并且把这根梗子插到那根梗子上，一串一串地联成链子。他们先做一个项链，然后又做一个挂在肩上的链子，一个系在腰间的链子，[一个悬在胸脯上的链子，]一个戴在头上的链子。这真成了绿环子和绿链子的展览会。有几个大孩子小心地摘下那些落了花的梗子——它们结着以白绒球的形式出现的果实。这松散的、缥缈的绒球本身就是一件漂亮的艺术品；它看起来像羽毛、雪花和茸毛。他们把它放在嘴面前，想要一口气把整朵的花球吹走，因为祖母曾经说过：谁能够这样做，谁就可以在新年到来以前得到一套新衣。所以在这种情况下，这朵被瞧不起的花就成了一个真正的预言家。
“你看到没有？”太阳光说，“你看到它的美没有？你看到它的力量没有？”
“看到了，它只能和孩子在一道时是这样！”苹果枝说。
这时有一个老太婆到田野里来了。她用一把没有柄的钝刀子在这花的周围挖着，把它从土里取出来。她打算把一部分的根子用来煮咖啡吃；把另一部分拿到一个药材店里当作药用。
“不过美是一种更高级的东西呀！”苹果枝说。“只有少数特殊的人才可以走进美的王国。植物与植物之间是有区别的，正如人与人之间有区别一样。”
于是太阳光就谈到造物主对于一切造物和有生命的东西的无限的爱，和对于一切东西永恒公平合理的分配。
“是的，是的，这不过是你的看法！”苹果枝说。这时有人走进房间里来了。那位美丽年轻的伯爵夫人也来了——把苹果枝插在透明的花瓶中，放在太阳光里的人就是她。她手里拿着一朵花——或者一件类似花的东西。这东西，且不管它是什么，被三四片大叶子掩住了：它们像一顶帽子似地在它的周围保护着，使微风或者大风都伤害不到它。它被小心翼翼地端在手中，那根娇嫩的苹果枝从来也没受过这样的待遇。
那几片大叶子现在轻轻地被挪开了。人们可以看到那个被人瞧不起的黄色“魔鬼的奶桶”的柔嫩的白绒球！这就是它！她那么小心地把它摘下来！她那么谨慎地把它带回家，好使那个云雾一般的圆球上的细嫩柔毛不致被风吹散。她把它保护得非常完整。她赞美它漂亮的形态，[它透明的外表，]它特殊的构造，和它不可捉摸的、被风一吹即散的美。
“看吧，造物主把它创造得多么可爱！”她说。“我要把它跟苹果枝一起画下来。大家都觉得苹果枝非凡地漂亮，不过这朵微贱的花儿，以另一种方式也从上天得到了同样多的恩惠。
虽然它们两者有区别，但它们都是美的王国中的孩子。”
于是太阳光吻了这微贱的花儿，也吻了这开满了花的苹果枝——它的花瓣似乎泛出了一阵难为情的绯红。
这也是一首散文诗，最初发表在 1852年哥本哈根出版的《丹麦大众历书》上。“植物与植物之间是有区别的，正如人与人之间有区别一样”。这里所说的“区别”是指“尊贵”和“微贱”之分。开满了花的苹果枝是“尊贵”的，遍地丛生的蒲公英是“微贱”的。虽然它们都有区别，但它们都是美的王国中的孩子。“于是太阳光吻了这微贱的花，也吻了这开满了花的苹果枝——它的花瓣似乎泛出了一阵难为情的绯红。”——因为他曾经骄傲得不可一世，认为自己最为“尊贵”。这里充分表现出了安徒生的民主精神。