the wen was deep，and so the rope was long；the windlass had barely room to turn， when one came to liftthe bucket full of water over the edge of the well． the suncould never get down to reflect itself in the water， howev－er clear it was； but so far as it managed to shine down，green plants grew between the stones．
a family of the toad-race lived there．they were im－migrants，who had really come down there head-fore-most with the old mother－toad， who still lived． the greenfrogs， who swarm in the water， and had been there muchearlier， acknowledged relationship and called them"thewell-guests"．these quite intended to remain there； theylived very comfortably on the dry labd， as they called thewet stones．
the mother－frog had once travelled，had been in thebucket when it went up， but the light became too strongfor her， and she got a pain in her eyes； luckily she gotout of the bucket．she fell with a frightful splash into thewater， and lay three days afterwards with a pain in herback． she could not tell very much about the world upabove， but she knew， and they all knew， that the wellwas not the whole world． mother toad should have been able to tell one or two things， but she never answered when she was asked， and so one did not ask．
"thick and ugly， horrid and fat she is！" said theyoung green frogs．"her children will be just as ugly！"
"that may be so，"said mother toad，"but one of them has jewel in its head， or i have it myself！"
and the green frogs heard， and they stared； and asthey didn't like it，they made faces，and went to the bot-tom．but the young toads stretched their hind legs withsheer pride；each of them believed that he had the jewel，and so they sat and kept their heads very still，but finallythey asked what they were so proud of ， and what a jewelreally was．
" it is something so splendid and precious，" saidmother toad，"that i cannot describe it！it is something that one goes about with for one's own pleasure， and which the others go about and fret over． but don't ask，iwon't answer！"
"well， i have not got the jewel，"said the smallest toad；it was just as ugly as it could be．"why should ihave such a grand thing？ and if it vexes others，it cannotgive me pleasure！ no，i only wish that i might come up to the edge of the well some time to look out． it must be charming there！"
"better remain where you are！" said the old one．
"you know what you are doing then．take care of thebucket，it may squash you；and if you get safely into it，you may fall out； not all fall so luckily as i did， and keeptheir limbs and eggs whole．"
"quack！" said the little one， and it was just as when we mortals say"alack ！"
it had such a desire to get up to the edge of the welland look out； it felt sucha longing after the green thingsup there；and when next morning the bucket， filled withwater，was being drawn up， and accidentally stopped for a moment just by the stone， on which the toad sat， the littlecreature quivered and sprang into the full bucket， and sankto the bottom of the water， which then came up and was emptied out．
"ugh，confound it ！"said the man，who saw it．"it isthe ugliest thing i have seen，" and he made a kick with hiswooden shoe at the toad， which came， near to being crip－ pled， but escaped by getting in amongst the high stinging－nettles． it saw stalk by stalk， and it looked upwards too．the sun shone on the leaves， they were quite transparent；it was for it， as it is for us when we come all at once intoa great wood，where the sun shines through the leaves andbranches．
"it is much lovelier here than down in the well！one could wish to stay here all one's life！"， said the littletoad． it lay there one hour， it lay there two！"now， iwon－der what can be outside？ as i have come so far， i may as well go farther！"and it crawled as fast as it could，and came out on to the road， where the sun shone on it， andthe dust powdered it whilst it marched across the high road．
"here one is really on dry land，"said the toad；"iam getting almost too much of a good thing； it tickles rightinto me！"
now it came to the ditch； the forget－me－nots grew here and the meadow-sweet；there was a hedge close by，with hawthorn and elder bushes； and the white－floweredconvolvulus climbed over it． here were colours to be seen；and yonder flew a butterfly；the toad thought it was a flow－er which had broken loose， the better to look about theworld；it was such a natural thing to do．
"if one could only get along like that，" said the toad．"ah！ah！ how delightful！"
it stayed in the ditch for eight days and nights， and had no want of food． the ninth day it thought，"farther onnow！"—but what more beautiful could be found？ perhaps alittle toad，or some green frogs． during the past night， ithad sounded in the wind as if there were cousins in the neighbourhood．"it is lovely to live！to come up out of thewell； to lie among stinging－nettles；to crawl along a dustyroad， and to rest in the wet ditch！ but forward still！ letus find frogs or a little toad；one cannot do without that；nature is not enough for one！"and so it set out again onits wanderings． it came into the field， to a big pond withsedges round it， and it made its way into these．
"it is too wet for you here， isn't it？" said the frogs，"but you are very welcome！—are you a he or a she？itdoes not matter， you are welcome all the same．"
and so it was invited to a concert in the evening， afamily concert；great enthusiasm and thin voices，—we allknow that kind．there were no refreshments，except freedrinks，—the whole pond if they liked．
"now i shall travel farther！" said the little toad． itwas always craving after something better． it saw the starstwinkle， so big and so clear；it saw the new moon shine，it saw the sun rise， higher and higher．
"iam still in the well， in a bigger well； i must gethigher up！ ihave a restlessness and a longing．"
and when the moon was full and round， the poorcreature thought，"can that be the bucket，which is letdown， and which i can jump into， to come higher up！oris the sun the big bucket？ how big it is， and how beam-ing； it could hold all of us together． imust watch for mychance！oh，what a brightness there is in my head！ idon't believe the jewel can shine better！ but i haven'tgot it， and i don't weep for it． no， higher up in bright-ness and gladness！ i have an assurance，and yet afear—it is a hard step to take！ but one must take it！ forwards！right out on the highway！"
and it stepped out， as well as such a crawling crea－ture can， and then it was on the highway where peoplelived；there were both flower-gardens and kitchen-gar- dens． it rested beside a kitchen-garden．
"how many different beings there are， which i havenever known！ and how big and blessed the world is！ butone must also look about in it ，and not remain sitting inone place，" and so it hopped into the kitchen-garden．"how green it is！ how lovely it is here！"
"i know that well enough！" said the caterpillar onthe leaf．"my leaf is the biggest one here！it hides halfthe world， but i can do without that．"
"cluck， cluck， was heard， and fowls came trippinginto the garden．the foremost hen was long－sighted；she saw the caterpillar on the curly leaf， and pecked at it， sothat it fell to the ground， where it wriggled and twisted it－self．the hen looked first with one eye and then with the other， for it did not know what was to be the end of thiswrigglins．
"it does not do that with any good intent，" thoughtthe hen， and lifted its head to peck at it． the toad becameso frightened，that it crawled right up towards the hen．
"so it has friends to help it！" said the hen，"look atthat crawler！" and it turned away．"i don't care a bitabout the little green mouthful： it only tickles one'sthroat！" the other fowls were of the same opinion，and sothey went away．
"i wriggled myself away from it！"said the caterpillar，"it is a good thing to have presence of mind；but the hard-est task remains，to get back onto my cabbage leaf． whereis it？"
and the little toad came and expressed its sympathy．it was glad that it had frightened the hens with its ugliness．
"what do you mean by that？" asked the caterpillar．"i wriggled myself away from them． you are very unpleas－ant to look at！may ibe allowed to occupy my own place？now i smell cabbage！ now iam close to my leaf！ there is nothing so nice as one's own！ but i must get higher up！"
"yes，higher up！ said the little toad，"higher up！ itfeels as i do！ but it is not in a good humour today；thatcomes from the fright． we all wish to get higher up！" andit looked up as high as it could．
the stork sat in his nest on the farmer's roof；he chattered， and the mother－stork chattered．
"how high up they live！"thought the toad；"if one could only get up there！"
in the farm－house lived two young students． the one was a poet， the other a naturalist； the one sang and wrotein gladness about all that god had made，and as it was re－flected in his heart； he sang it out， short， clear，and richin melodious verse．the other took hold of the thing itself；aye ，split it up，if necessary．he took our lord's cre－ation as a vast sum in arithmetic， subtracted， multiplied，wanted to know it out and in and to talk with understand-ing about it；and it was perfect understanding，and hetalked in gladness and with wisdom about it．they weregood， happy fellows， both of them．
"there sits a good specimen of a toad，"said thenaturalist．"imust have it in spirit．"
"you have two others already， said the poet；"letit sit in peace， and enjoy itself！"
"but it is so beautifully ugly， "said the other．
"yes， if we could find the jewel in its head！"saidthe poet，"i myself would help to split it up．"
"the jewel！" said the other；"you are goot at natu－ral history！"
"but is there not something very beautiful in the common belief that the toad， the very ugliest of animals，often carries hidden in its head the most precious jewel？is it not the same with men？what a jewel had not aesop，and socrates ！"—the toad heard no more，and it did notunderstand the half of it． the two friends went on， and itescaped being put in spirit．
"they also talked about the jewel！" said the toad．"it is a good thing that i have not got it； otherwise ishould have got into trouble．"
there was a chattering on the farmer'sroof； the fa－ther-stork was delivering a lecture to his family， and theylooked down askance at the two young men in the kitchen－garden．
"man is the most conceited creature！" said thestork．"listen how they chatter！ and yet they can't givea single decent croak． they are vain of their oratoricalpowersand their language！ and it is a rare language！ itbecomes unintelligible every day's journey that we do．the one doesn't understand the other．our language wecan talk over the whole world， both in denmark and inegypt． and men can't fly at all！ they fly along by meansof an invention which they call a railway， but they oftenbreak their necks with that． i get shivers in my bill wheni think of it； the world can exist without men．we can dowithout them． let us only keep frogs and rain-worms！""that was a grand speech！" thought the little toad．"what abig man he is，and how high he sits， higher tham "i must go to egypt，"it said，"if only the storkwould take me with it； or one of the young ones． iwoulddo it a service in return on its wedding－day．yes，iamsure i shall get to egypt， fori am so lucky． all the long－ing and desire which i have is much better than having ajewel in one's haed．"
and it just had the jewel ；the eternal longing and desise，upwards，always upwards！it shone within it ，shone in gladness， and beamed with desire．
at that moment came the stork；it had seen the toad in the grass， and he swooped down， and took hold of the little creature， not altogether gently．the bill pinched，the wind whistled；it was not pleasant ，but upwards it went—up to egypt，it knew ；and so its eyes shone，as if a spark flew out of them．"quack！ ack ！"
the body was dead， the toad was killed． but thespark from his eyes， what became of it？
the sunbeam took it， the sunbeam bore the jewelfrom the head of the toad． whither？
you must not ask the naturalist， rather ask the po－et； he will tell it you as a story；and the caterpillar is init， and the stork－family is in it． think！ the caterpillar istransformed， and becomes a lovely butterfly！the stork-family flies over mountains and seas， to distant africa，and yet finds the shortest way home again to denmark， tothe same place，the same roof！ yes， it is really almosttoo like a fairy tale， and yet it is true！ you may quitewell ask the naturalist about it ； he must admit it，and youyourself know it too， for you have seen it．
but the jewel in the head fo the toad？
look for it in the sun，see it there if you can ．thesplendour there is too strong． we have not yet got theeyes to look into all the glories which god has created，but some day we shall get them，and that will be theloveliest story， for we shall be in it ourselves！
癫 蛤 蟆
水井很深，因此绳子也就很长。当人们要把装满了水的汲水桶拉到井边上的时候，滑轮几乎连转动的余地都没有了。井水不论是怎样清澈，太阳总是没有办法照进去的。不过凡是太阳光可以射到的地方，就有绿色的植物从石缝之间生长出来。
这儿住着一个癞蛤蟆的家族。他们是外来的移民。事实上他们是跟老癞蛤蟆妈妈倒栽葱跳进来的。她现在还活着。那些早就住在这儿和现在正在水里游着的青蛙，都承认与他们有亲族关系，同时也把他们称为“井客”。这些客人愿意在这儿住下来。他们把潮湿的石块叫作干地；他们就在这上面舒服地生活下去。
青蛙妈妈曾经旅行过一次。当汲水桶被拉上来的时候，她就在里面。不过她觉得阳光太厉害，刺痛了她的眼睛。很幸运，她马上就跳出了水桶，噗通一声就跳进井水里去了。她腰痛了整整三天，不能动弹。关于上面的世界，她没有多少意见可以发表，不过她知道，所有别的青蛙也全知道——水井并不就是整个世界。癞蛤蟆妈妈大概可以谈出一点道理来；不过当别人问起她的时候，她从来不回答，因此别人也就不再问了。
“她是又笨又丑，又胖又讨厌！”小青蛙们齐声说。“她的一些孩子们也同样丑。”
“也许是这样，”癞蛤蟆妈妈说。“不过在他们之中有一个头上镶着一颗宝石——如果不是镶在我的头上的话！”
青蛙们都听到了这句话，他们同时把眼睛睁得斗大。当然他们是不愿听这样的话的，因此就对她做了一个鬼脸，跳到井底去。不过那些小癫蛤蟆们特别伸伸后腿，表示骄傲。他们都以为自己有那颗宝石，因此把头昂着，动也不敢动一下。不过后来大家问他们究竟为什么要感到骄傲，宝石究竟是一种什么东西。
“是一种漂亮和昂贵的东西，”癫蛤蟆妈妈说，“我简直形容不出来！那是一种使你戴起来感到非常得意、使别人看起来非常嫉妒的东西。但是请你们不要问吧，我是不会回答的。”
“是的，我不会有这颗宝石，”最小的那个癞蛤蟆说。他是一个丑得不能再丑的小玩艺儿。“我为什么要有这样了不起的东西呢？如果它引起别人烦恼，那么我也不会感到得意的！不，我只希望将来有机会跑到井边上去看看外面的世界。那一定是非常好玩的！”
“你最好待在原来的地方不要动！”老癞蛤蟆说。“这是你根生土长的地方，这儿你什么都熟悉。当心那个汲水桶啦！它可能把你压碎。即使你安全地跑进里面去，你也可能跌出来的。我跌过一交，连四肢和肚子里的卵都没有受到损伤，但不是每个癞蛤蟆都能像我这样幸运呀。”
“呱！”小癞蛤蟆说。这跟我们人类说一声“哎呀”差不多。
他非常想跑到井边去看看；他渴望瞧瞧上面的绿东西。第二天早晨，当盛满了水的汲水桶正在被拉上来，在小癞蛤蟆坐着的石头旁偶尔停一下的时候，这个小家伙就抖了一下，跳到这个满满的桶里，一直沉到水底，水被拉上来了，他也被倒出来了。
“呸，真倒霉！”看到他的那个人说。“这是我从来没有看到过的一个最丑的东西！”
他用木拖鞋踢了它一脚。癫蛤蟆几乎要成了残废，不过他总算是滚进一丛很高的荨麻里去了。他把周围的麻梗子看了又看，还朝上面望了一眼。太阳光射在叶子上；叶子全都是透明的。这对于他说来，简直是像我们人走进了一个大森林里去一样，太阳从青枝绿叶之间透进来。
“这儿比在井里漂亮得多了！叫我在这儿住一生也是乐意的！”小癞蛤蟆说。他在这儿呆了一点钟，呆了两点钟！“我倒很想知道，外面是个什么样子？我既然跑了这么远的路，那么当然可以再跑远一点！”于是他就尽快地朝外面爬。他爬到大路上来了。当他正在横爬过去的时候，太阳在照着，灰尘在路上飞扬。
“人们在这儿可算是真正到干地上来了，”癞蛤蟆说。“我几乎可以说是一个幸运儿；这太使我舒服了！”
他现在来到了一条水沟旁边。这儿长着毋忘我花和绣线菊；紧挨着还有一道山楂和接骨木形成的篱笆，上面悬挂着许多白色的旋花。人们可以在这儿看到许多不同的色彩。这儿还有一只蝴蝶在飞舞。癞蛤蟆以为它是一朵花，为了要好好地看看这个世界，才从枝子上飞走——这当然是再合理不过的事情。
“假如我能像它这样自由自在地来往，”癞蛤蟆说。“呱！哎呀，那该是多么痛快啊！”
他在沟里呆了八天八夜，什么食物也不缺少。到了第九天，他想：“再向前走吧！”但是他还能找到什么比这更美丽的东西呢？他可能找到一只小癞蛤蟆和几只青蛙。昨天晚上，风里有一种声音，好像是说附近住着一些“亲族”似的。
“活着真愉快！从井里跳出来，躺在荨麻里，在尘土飞扬的路上爬，在湿润的沟里休息！但是再向前走！我们得找一些青蛙和一只小癞蛤蟆。没有他们是活不下去的；光有大自然是不够的！”
于是他又开始乱跑起来。
他来到田野里的一个长满了灯心草的小池旁边。接着他就走进去。
“这地方对你说来是太潮湿了，是不是？”青蛙们说。“不过我们非常欢迎你！——请问你是一个先生还是一个太太？不过这也没有什么关系，我们欢迎你就得了！”
这天晚上，他被请去参加了一个音乐会——一个家庭音乐会：满腔的热忱和微弱的歌声。我们都熟悉这一套。会上没有什么点心吃，但是水可以随便喝——假如你高兴的话，你可以把一池的水都喝光。
“现在我还得向前走！”小癞蛤蟆说。他老是在追求更好的东西。
他看到又大又明亮的星星在眨着眼睛，他看到新月在射出光辉。他看到太阳升起来——越升越高。
“我还在井里，不过在一个较大的井里罢了。我必须爬得更高一点。我有一种不安和渴望的心情！”
当这个可怜的小东西看到又大又圆的月亮的时候，他想，“不知道这是不是上面放下来的一个汲水桶？我不知道能不能跳进去，爬得更高一点？难道太阳不是一个大汲水桶吗？它是多么大，多么亮啊！它可以把我们统统都装进去！我一定要抓住机会！啊，我的脑袋里是多么亮啊！我不相信宝石能够发出比这还亮的光来！但是我并没有宝石，我也不一定要为这而感到伤心。不，更高地爬进快乐和光明中去吧！我有把握，可是我也害怕——这是一件很难办的事情。但是我非办不可！前进吧！向大路上前进吧！”
于是他就前进了——像一个爬行动物能够前进的那个样儿前进。他来到一条两旁有人居住的大路上。这儿有花园，也有菜园。他在一个菜园旁边休息一下。
“该是有多少不同的动物啊！我从来没有看到过这些东西！这个世界是多么大，多么幸福啊！不过你也得走过去亲自看看，不能老呆在一个地方呀！”因此他就跳进菜园里去。
“这儿是多么绿啊！多么美丽啊！”
“这些东西我早就知道！”白菜叶上的毛虫说。“我的这片叶子在这儿要算最大！它盖住了半个世界，不过没有这半个世界我也可以活下去。”
“咕！咕！”有一个声音说。接着就有一些母鸡进来了。她们在菜园里蹒跚地走着。
走在最前面的那只母鸡是远视眼。她一眼就瞧见了那片皱菜叶上的毛虫。她啄了一口，弄得它滚到地上来，卷做一团。母鸡先用一只眼睛瞧了它一下，接着又用另一只眼睛瞧了它一下，因为她猜不透，它这样卷一下究竟要达到一个什么目的。
“它这样做决不是出于什么好意！”母鸡想。于是它抬起头来又啄了一下。癞蛤蟆吓了一大跳，无意之中爬到鸡面前去了。
“它居然还有援军！”母鸡说。“瞧这个爬行的东西！”母鸡转身就走。“我不在乎这一小口绿色的食物；这只会弄得我的喉咙发痒！”
别的鸡也同意她的看法，因此大家就走开了。
“我卷动一下就逃脱了！”毛虫说。“可见镇定自若是必要的。不过最困难的事情还在后面——怎样回到白菜叶上去。那在什么地方呢？”
小癞蛤蟆走过来，表示同情。他很高兴，他能用它丑陋的外貌把母鸡吓跑了。
“你这是什么意思？”毛虫问。“事实上是我自己逃开她的，你的样子的确难看！让我回到我原来的地方去吧！我现在已经可以闻到白菜的气味了！我现在已经走到我的菜叶上了！什么地方也没有自己的家好。我得爬上去！”
“是的，爬上去！”小癞蛤蟆说。“爬上去！它的想法跟我一样。不过它今天的心情不大好，这大概是因为它吓了一跳的缘故。我们大家都要向上爬！”
因此他就尽量地抬头朝上面看。
鹳鸟正坐在农家屋顶上的窝里。他叽哩咕噜地讲些什么东西，鹳鸟妈妈也在叽哩咕噜地讲些什么东西。
“他们住得多高啊！”癞蛤蟆想。“我希望也能爬得那么高！”
农舍里住着两个年轻的学生。一个是诗人，另一个是博物学家。一个歌颂和欢乐地描述上帝所创造的一切以及他自己心中的感受；他用简单、明了、丰富、和谐的诗句把这一切都唱出来。另一个找来一些东西，而且在必要的时候，还要把它们分析一下。他把我们上帝创造出来的东西当作数学，一会儿减，一会儿乘。他要知道事物的里里外外，找出其中的道理。他懂得全部的奥妙，他欢乐地、聪明地谈论着它。他们两人都是善良、快乐的人。
“那儿坐着一个完整的癞蛤蟆标本，”博物学家说。“我要把它放在酒精里保存起来。”
“你已经有了两个呀！”诗人说。“你让他安静地坐着，享受生活吧！”
“不过他是丑得那么可爱！”博物学家说。
“是的，如果你能在他头上找得出一颗宝石来！”诗人说，“那么我都要帮助你把它剖开。”
“宝石！”博物学家说。“你倒是一个博物学专家呢！”
“民间不是流传着一个美丽的故事，说最丑的动物癞蛤蟆头上藏着一颗最贵重的宝石么？人不也是一样么？伊索和苏格拉底不都是有一颗宝石么？”——癞蛤蟆没有再听下去，他们的话它连一半都听不懂。这两位朋友继续谈下去，癞蛤蟆逃开了，也就没有被泡到酒精里。
“他们也在谈论着宝石！”癞蛤蟆说。“我身上没有这东西——真是幸事！不然的话，我可要倒霉了。”
农舍的屋顶上又有叽哩咕噜的声音。原来是鹳鸟爸爸在对他家里的人训话。他们都侧着脑袋望着菜园里的这两个年轻人。
“人是一种最自命不凡的动物！”鹳鸟说。“你们听他们讲话的这副神气！他们连一个像样的‘嘎嘎’声都发不出来，而却以为自己讲话的本领和语言非常了不起。他们的语言倒是世界上少有的：我们每次走完一天路程，语言就变了。这个人听不懂那个人的话。但我们的语言在全世界都通行——在丹麦跟在埃及一样容易懂。而且人还不会飞呢！他们发明一种东西来帮助他们旅行——把这叫做‘铁路’。不过他们常常在铁路上跌断脖子。我一想起这事情就不禁连嘴都要哆嗦起来。世界没有人也可以存在下去。我们没有他们也可以活下去！我们只要有青蛙和蚯蚓就得了！”“这是一篇了不起的演说！”小癞蛤蟆想。“他是一个多么伟大的人，他坐得多么高——我从来没有看见过有人坐得这样高！他游得才好呢！”当鹳鸟展开翅膀，在空中飞过去的时候，癞蛤蟆就大叫了一声。
鹳鸟妈妈在窝里谈话。她谈着关于埃及、尼罗河的水和外国的美妙的泥巴。小癞蛤蟆觉得这是非常新奇和有趣的故事。
“我也得到埃及去，”他说，“只要鹳鸟或者他的一个孩子愿意带我去的话。将来这小家伙结婚的时候，我将送给他一点什么东西。是的，我一定会到埃及去的，因为我是一个非常幸运的人！我心中的这种渴望和希求，比头上有一颗宝石要好得多。”
他正是有这样一颗宝石，叫做：永恒的渴望和希求；向上——不断地向上。这颗宝石在他的身体里发出光来——发出快乐和渴望的光。
正在这时候，鹳鸟飞来了。它看到草里的这只癞蛤蟆。它扑下来，使劲地啄住这只癞蛤蟆。嘴衔得很紧，风呼啸而过。这是一种很不愉快的感受，但癞蛤蟆却在向上飞，而且他知道是在向埃及飞。因此他的眼睛在发着光，好像里面有火星迸出来似的：“呱！哎呀！”
他的躯体死了；癞蛤蟆被掐死了。但是他的眼睛里迸出的火花变成了什么呢？
太阳光把他吸收去了。太阳带走了癞蛤蟆头上的那颗宝石。但带到什么地方去了呢？
你不必去问那位博物学家。你最好去问那位诗人。他可以把这故事当做一个童话告诉你。这童话里面还有那条毛虫，也有鹳鸟这一家人。想想看吧，毛虫变了形，变成了一只美丽的蝴蝶！鹳鸟家庭飞过高山和大海，到辽远的非洲去。但是它们仍然能够找到最短的捷径，飞回到丹麦来——飞到同样的地方，同样的屋顶上来。是的，这几乎是太像一个童话了，但这是真的！你不妨问问博物学家吧。他不得不承认这个事实。但是你自己也知道，因为你曾经看到过全部的经过。
不过怎样才可以看到癞蛤蟆头上的宝石呢？
你到太阳里去找吧。你可以瞧瞧它，假如你能够的话！太阳光是很强的。我们的眼睛还没有能力正视上帝创造的一切光辉，但是有一天我们会有这种能力的。那时这个童话将会非常精彩，因为我们自己也将会成为这个童话的一部分。
这篇故事首先发表在1866年哥本哈根出版的《新的童话和故事集》第2卷第4部。故事中有许多动物出场——它们都是为生存而生存，安于现状，不时吹吹牛，但真正的主人公是那只最丑的小癞蛤蟆。它还有点大志，有点较高的趣味。它不像别的丑癞蛤蟆那样，一生下来头上就有一颗“宝石”，但是它心里有颗宝石，“叫永恒的渴望和希求，向上——不断地向上。这颗宝石在他的身体里发出光来——发出快乐和渴望的光。”小癞蛤蟆倒是最后达到了“向上”的愿望：鹳鸟啄住了它，嘴衔得很紧，向埃及飞去。但它还是不免被掐死，可是“他的眼睛在发着光”，“太阳光把他吸收去了。”他的灵魂不灭。
关于这篇故事的起因，安徒生在他的手记中写道：“这是我1866年夏天在葡萄牙塞杜巴尔旅行时写的。那里有一口深井，人们用悬在轱辘上的一个瓦罐把水汲上来，然后倒进水槽里流到菜地上浇地。有一天我看见一只非常丑的癞蛤蟆向我爬来。我仔细地观察了它一下，发现它的眼睛非常聪明。很快一个童话的情节就浮现在我的脑中了，后来我在丹麦重写了这个故事，加进了一些丹麦大自然和环境的气氛。”事实上安徒生是于1866年6月 26日在葡萄牙开始动笔，于1866年10月 23日在丹麦霍尔斯但堡城堡完成它的。