引導語：珠子是寶貴的奢侈品，那麼下文的最後的珠子這篇安徒生童話故事，有中英文版本的，與大家分享。
這是一個富有的家庭，也是一個幸福的家庭。所有的人——主人、僕人和朋友——都是高興和快樂的，因爲在這天一個繼承人——一個兒子——出生了。媽媽和孩子都安然無恙。
這個舒適的臥室裏的燈是半掩着的;窗子上掛着貴重的、絲織的厚窗簾，地氈是又厚又柔軟，很像一塊蓋滿了青苔的草地。一切東西都起着催眠的作用，使人想睡，使人起一種愉快的、安靜的感覺。保姆也有這種感覺;她睡了，她也睡得着，因爲這兒一切是美好和幸福的。
這家的守護神正在牀頭站着。他在孩子和母親的胸脯的上空伸展開來，像無數明亮的、燦爛的星星——每顆星是一個幸運的珠子。善良的、生命的女神們都帶來她們送給這個新生的孩子的禮物。這兒是一片充滿了健康、富饒、幸運和愛情的景象——一句話，人們在這個世界上所希望有的東西，這兒全有了。
“一切東西都被送給這一家人了!”守護神說。
“還少一件，”他身邊的一個聲音說。這是孩子的好安琪兒。“還有一個仙女沒有送來禮物。但是她會送來的，即使許多年過去了，有一天她總會送來的。還缺少那顆最後的珠子!”
“缺少!這兒什麼東西都不應該缺少。假如真有這麼一回事，那麼我們就要去找她——她這位有力量的女神。我們去找她吧!”
“她會來的!她總有一天會來的!爲了把這個花環紮好，她的'這顆珠子決不可以缺少!”
“她住在什麼地方呢?她的家在什麼地方呢?你只須告訴我，我就可以去把這顆珠子取來!”
“你真的願意做這件事嗎?”孩子的安琪兒上。“不管她在什麼地方，我可以領你去。她沒有一個固定的住址。她到皇帝的宮殿裏去，也到最窮苦的農人家裏去。她決不會走過一個人家而不留下一點痕跡的。她對善良人都送一點禮品——不管是大量的財富，還是一個小小的玩具!她也一定會來看這個小孩子的。你以爲我們這樣老等下去，將來不一定會得到好的東西嗎?好吧，現在我們去取那顆珠子吧——去取這顆最後的珠子，彌補美中不足吧。”
於是她們手挽着手，飛到女神在這個時刻所住的那個地方去。
只是一幢很大的房子。走廊是陰暗的，房間是空洞的。這裏面是一片少有的沉寂。整排的窗子開着的，粗暴的空氣自由侵入，垂着的白色長窗戶幔在微風中飄動。
屋子的中央停着一口開着的棺材;棺材裏躺着一個年輕的少婦的屍體。她的身上蓋滿了新鮮美麗的玫瑰花，只有她那雙交叉着的、細嫩的手和純淨的、表示出對上帝極度忠誠的、高貴的臉顯露出來。
在棺材旁邊站着的是丈夫和孩子——是全家的人。最小的孩子偎在爸爸的懷裏;他們都在這兒作最後的告別。丈夫吻着她的手。這隻手像一片凋零的葉子，但是它從前曾經慈愛地、熱烈地撫慰過他們。悲哀的、沉重的大顆淚珠落到地上，但是誰也說不出一句話來。這時沉寂正說明悲哀是多麼深重。他們在沉默和嗚咽中走出了這屋子。
屋子裏點着一根蠟燭;燭光在風中掙扎，不時伸出又長又紅的舌頭，陌生人走進來，把棺材蓋蓋沒了死者的身體，然後把它緊緊地釘牢。鐵錘的敲擊聲在房間裏，在走廊上，引起一片迴響，在那些碎裂的心裏也引起迴響。
“你把我帶到什麼地方去呢?”守護神說，“擁有生命中最好禮物的仙女不會住在這兒呀!”
“她就住在這兒——在這個神聖的時刻住在這兒。”安琪兒指着一個牆角說，她活着的時候，常常坐在這牆角里的花和圖畫中間;她像這屋子裏的守護神一樣。常常慈愛地對丈夫、孩子和朋友點頭;她像這屋子裏的太陽光一樣，常常在這兒散佈着快樂——她曾經是這家裏一切的重點和中心。現在這兒坐着一個穿着又長又寬的衣服的陌生女人：她就是悲哀的女神，她現在代替死者，成了這家的女主人和母親。一顆熱淚滾到她的衣服上，變成一顆珠子。它射出長虹的各種顏色。安琪兒撿起這顆珠子。珠子射出光彩，像一顆有五種顏色的星。
“悲哀的珠子是一顆最後的珠子——它是怎樣也缺少不了的!只有通過它，別的珠子才特別顯得光耀奪目。你可以在它上面看到長虹的光輝——它把天上和人間聯結起來。我們每次死去一個親愛的人，就可以在天上得到一個更多的朋友。我們在夜間向星空望，尋求最美滿的東西。這時請你看看那顆悲哀的珠子，因爲從這兒把我們帶走的那對靈魂的翅膀，就藏在這顆珠子裏面。”
最後的珠子英文版：
The Last Pearl
WE are in a rich, happy house, where the master, the servants, the friends of the family are full of joy and felicity. For on this day a son and heir has been born, and mother and child are doing well. The lamp in the bed-chamber had been partly shaded, and the windows were covered with heavy curtains of some costly silken material. The carpet was thick and soft, like a covering of moss. Everything invited to slumber, everything had a charming look of repose; and so the nurse had discovered, for she slept; and well she might sleep, while everything around her told of happiness and blessing. The guardian angel of the house leaned against the head of the bed; while over the child was spread, as it were, a net of shining stars, and each star was a pearl of happiness. All the good stars of life had brought their gifts to the newly born; here sparkled health, wealth, fortune, and love; in short, there seemed to be everything for which man could wish on earth.
“Everything has been bestowed here,” said the guardian angel.
“No, not everything,” said a voice near him—the voice of the good angel of the child; “one fairy has not yet brought her gift, but she will, even if years should elapse, she will bring her gift; it is the last pearl that is wanting.”
“Wanting!” cried the guardian angel; “nothing must be wanting here; and if it is so, let us fetch it; let us seek the powerful fairy; let us go to her.”
“She will come, she will come some day unsought!”
“Her pearl must not be missing; it must be there, that the crown, when worn, may be complete. Where is she to be found? Where does she dwell?” said the guardian angel. “Tell me, and I will procure the pearl.”
“Will you do that?” replied the good angel of the child. “Then I will lead you to her directly, wherever she may be. She has no abiding place; she rules in the palace of the emperor, sometimes she enters the peasant’s humble cot; she passes no one without leaving a trace of her presence. She brings her gift with her, whether it is a world or a bauble. To this child she must come. You think that to wait for this time would be long and useless. Well, then, let us go for this pearl—the only one lacking amidst all this wealth.”
Then hand-in-hand they floated away to the spot where the fairy was now lingering. It was in a large house with dark windows and empty rooms, in which a peculiar stillness reigned. A whole row of windows stood open, so that the rude wind could enter at its pleasure, and the long white curtains waved to and fro in the current of air. In the centre of one of the rooms stood an open coffin, in which lay the body of a woman, still in the bloom of youth and very beautiful. Fresh roses were scattered over her. The delicate folded hands and the noble face glorified in death by the solemn, earnest look, which spoke of an entrance into a better world, were alone visible. Around the coffin stood the husband and children, a whole troop, the youngest in the father’s arms. They were come to take a last farewell look of their mother. The husband kissed her hand, which now lay like a withered leaf, but which a short time before had been diligently employed in deeds of love for them all. Tears of sorrow rolled down their cheeks, and fell in heavy drops on the floor, but not a word was spoken. The silence which reigned here expressed a world of grief. With silent steps, still sobbing, they left the room. A burning light remained in the room, and a long, red wick rose far above the flame, which fluttered in the draught of air. Strange men came in and placed the lid of the coffin over the dead, and drove the nails firmly in; while the blows of the hammer resounded through the house, and echoed in the hearts that were bleeding.
“Whither art thou leading me?” asked the guardian angel. “Here dwells no fairy whose pearl could be counted amongst the best gifts of life.”
“Yes, she is here; here in this sacred hour,” replied the angel, pointing to a corner of the room; and there,—where in her life-time, the mother had taken her seat amidst flowers and pictures: in that spot, where she, like the blessed fairy of the house, had welcomed husband, children, and friends, and, like a sunbeam, had spread joy and cheerfulness around her, the centre and heart of them all,—there, in that very spot, sat a strange woman, clothed in long, flowing garments, and occupying the place of the dead wife and mother. It was the fairy, and her name was “Sorrow.” A hot tear rolled into her lap, and formed itself into a pearl, glowing with all the colors of the rainbow. The angel seized it: the, pearl glittered like a star with seven-fold radiance. The pearl of Sorrow, the last, which must not be wanting, increases the lustre, and explains the meaning of all the other pearls.
“Do you see the shimmer of the rainbow, which unites earth to heaven?” So has there been a bridge built between this world and the next. Through the night of the grave we gaze upwards beyond the stars to the end of all things. Then we glance at the pearl of Sorrow, in which are concealed the wings which shall carry us away to eternal happiness.
