" and Other Tale^ 
 
 by tJANS AMDEHSCK 
 
 Ulustratedb/ ' ^if f 
 
 E. R DuTTON h Co 31. West Twenty-Third St. New York. 
 
 1 «M'W 
 
Obf ) 
 
 FRAGILE DOES: HO' 
 CIRCULATE 
 
 FR.^GILE PAI'ER 
 Please handle this booh 
 with care, as the paper 
 is fragile. A decision 
 on replacement is pend- 
 i n V . 
 
I' p ^ 
 
 The white swans and other tales / 
 
 MINI llNlBlilll ! 
 
 3 1924 012 682 864 
 
 <rCZ^' 
 
 Cornell UniversKy Library 
 
 PT8116.E5P32 
 
 , 3 
 
Hrpi Cornell University 
 
 iJ hj) Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tlie Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012682864 
 

 ^*^*^*% %. t&. 
 
 >---r^5>.- 
 
HJT£ SVaNS 
 
 OrjH£i^ Tales b 
 
 HANS ANDERSEN 
 
 jk^ tUil^ IllusTronons b^ 
 
 ^mt:^ 
 
 \ 
 
 V 
 
 E. P DuTTON tr Co 31, Wf.st Tw ENTY-Third St. Ntw YoRt 
 
i%-% -^^^, 
 
 "X. 
 
 rilH'KK vras a lillle ]»iv wliu ].hi\r(l «illi n MaiiMiictlc I'licalic. Tin- lilth- 
 iiix-; srnili.'i.l al lilin; ami lie 1i,l;Ii1..'iI iIil' I'aiiillcs; and il was all \i'i"\" 
 ml and diMUiifal. 
 
 And wliii. 1h- v\ a ; a man. he \\as un a real Uinatrc. 'IT.c lights were L;a\' 
 I dir mii^i' liiiid. I'jUI Ins luaut was sail, for nob(jd\- i-arrd loi- liim. 
 So !:c na;nl :;vva'" I'l Ins lunnlnc honua and louk his ilnldi-nii (jn his knee, 
 and liild tlicni |irLai • snira-s lill tii,-\ iVIl ash;n|i; and lie slu[il luu, and iii his 
 dia'ams he saw nian\ oliiri" hah|i\ ihihhnn. Smnc uere sitlinu ni die meadows 
 undei' d:e snmiiHM" smisliine. S^.mie waa'e siUniL; \'\ (he lii'eh^h; m the uinter 
 r\eniii,L;s Iheir e\e-^ wert- uidi; open as die\ lislen.ed wiih eauevness tu the 
 ;ak's dieir muthers read ;" kniin 
 
 Ami he \\]\<j eiieanU m his narret knew the\- ^veve reading his 
 stiirie.i. and knew that he '.i\rd in the lidie iliinu'en's hearts. 
 
 And wlien he wajke he I'll di.il tlie lights am! llie music and 
 the (riittd.i m tin theatie «eie nulhin;; to hnii if iml\" lie emild 
 \\n llii.' children's liea i ki, 
 
 I'l. I M K W \- \ I iini; I V. 
 
G 
 
 o M t e: m 1 5 
 
 T^ E p R A V' E Ti jM Soldier 
 
 Ti^e: (^oKCEiTED Apple- J3raHcK 
 
 Th( E White 5v/ans 
 
 Tk ^ PeA" .l3LOSSO/^ 
 
 T;h E Little M a t c H - S e l l e r .... 
 
 Pa^^ 
 
 6. 
 
 » 
 
 11. 
 
 )) 
 
 17. 
 
 1) 
 
 22. 
 
 i» 
 
 41. 
 
 11 
 
 46 
 
THE DAISY 
 
 XTOW^ listen. In the couiitr)-, dose by tlie roadside, stood a pleasant lioiise ; you have seen one like it', no 
 .doulil, \ciy often. In iVont la>- a little K^irden enchjsed in ])a,lin,t(s, and full of bloomino- (lowers. Near the 
 I'ledge, in the solt ^q-een ,^rass, urew a little daisy. Tlie sun shone as hri^nhtl)" and warmly upon lier as upon 
 the large and beautiful g-ardeji flowers, so the daisy grew from hour to hour. Every morning she unfolded her 
 little white petals, like shining rays roinid the little golden sun in the centre of the flower. She never thought of 
 being unseen dnwn in the grass, or that she was (jnly a poor, insignificant flower. Slie felt to(j happy to care 
 lor that, so slie tui-ned towards the warm sun, looked up to the blue sky, and listened t(j the lark singing high in 
 the air. ■ One da)' the little flower was as joyful as if it bail been a great lioliday, and yet it was only Monda\-. 
 
 
 h^' 
 
Till: DAIS)'. 
 
 All the iliildrcn were al srliini]. anil while tliex' sal cjii their feinns leaniin;^ tlnir ie^xiiis. ?^he, mi 
 
 her little stem, learnt also IVum tlie warin sun ami rnnii e\'er\thin;;" around her how nood (ioil is, 
 
 atid she was tilad to hear the lark in his pK-asanl son^" exja'ess exaetU her o\\ n feelinus. And the 
 
 daisA' admired the hajjjiv hini who roiild warlile so sweeiU' and ll\' so lHi;h ; hut she was not 
 
 sorrowful from regret at her own inal)ilit\' to do the same. " I ean SL'e and hear." tliou;j;ht she ; 
 
 ''the sun shities upon me, and the wind kisses me: what else do 1 nee(J to make me lia|ip\'.-" 
 
 Within the ]ialiii:j;s grew a numljer ol garden flowers, who appeared more |)roud and (-(JiKeited 
 
 in proportion as the}' were sientless. 'I'hi.' [jeijnit's considered it a grand tiling to he so large, 
 
 and puffed themseUes out t(j be larger than the roses. The tuli|is knew that the\- were 
 
 marked with lieautiful colours, and held theniseUes hold ujiright, that tln.\- might he seen UKn'o 
 
 ))lainlv. Thev ilid nrjt notice the little dais\- outside, but she looked at them and thouglit, " Ibjw 
 
 rich and beautiful the\' are' \'o wonder the ]jre!t\- biid flies d(.iwn to \i,^ii them. I low gl.id 
 
 ] am that 1 gvoi\ so ne ir tint I m \ idmire' their beautiful appearance." Ju.^t at this 
 
 moment the IabK fltM\ lUown i n in^ -t^n e(5^ .^ btfl 1ft tlid not l*^ pear the pemiRs and tulips; 
 
 he hopped intoTlho'' gra* lit ii tie l(;wl\ dSilsv She trembled ^I'of joy, and hardU knew what 
 
 to think. 1 he little binl liopjsjti round the* d,ns\ sm^iiig, '*<:)h, what sweet, solt gr.iss and 
 
 ^^■hat a lo\ely little fltnveT, >vitli, g(jld in its ]ie4it and sil\er-on its,i1|ress/'';^; .;l''iir the \ell<.iw 
 
 centre in the daisv looked like gold, and the lea\"es ar(Hind were glittering white, like siher. 
 
 How happy the little dais\- felt no one ''an describe; the bird kissed it with his be.ik, sang to it, and then tlew up again into 
 
 the blue air abo\"e. It was, at least, a (]uarter cjf ;ui hour before the daisy could reco\ er hersell'. Half ashamed, yet liap]iv 
 
 in herself, she glani-ed at the othei' (lowers; lhe\' must lia\e seen the honoui- she had received and would understand her 
 
 delight and pleasure. But the tulijis looked iiroiider than e\er; indeed, they were i.'\idently <)uite \i'.\ed about it. And the 
 
 peonies were ipiite (Ji^gtisted, and ecuild the\- haw spoken, the poor little dais\' u ould ha\e no doulit received a gi>od 
 
 scolding. She e(juld;'.5ee- -thev were all out of temjier, and it rnade her \er\- sorr)-. 
 
 At this moii*ent '"'tfierc came info .the gari^,en a girl with a large sharji knife, which glittered in her hand. She went 
 straight up to the tulips and <"ut down se\eral ol theni, one alter aiiolher. 
 
 " ()li dear.'* sighed the daisv, "how shockiiigl It is all o\er with them now." The girl carried the iuli|is awav. and the 
 daisv felt \erv glad to grow outside in the grass, imd to be only a ])oor little Howt'r. When the sun set. she hilded up 
 her leaves and went to sleep, and dre.imt the vvhole night long ol the warm -am and tli(.' ]irette hlt'e l-ird 'I'he next 
 
77/ A' n.i/sv. 
 
 morning, wiien t!ic fluwei iu\rully stretcliod out its wliiic leaves om e more to tlie warm air and the 
 liglit, she recognised th.e xoice ol' the bird, hut liis song s(3uiuled mournful anti sa<_l, Alas! he had g'jod 
 reason to be sad- he liad l)een rauglit and made a prisoner in a cage that hung close b}- the ojien window. 
 He sung of the hapiiy time when he could fly in the air joyous and free, of the yoimg green c'lrn in 
 the fields from whicli he would spring higher and higher to sing liis gleirious song, and now he was a 
 prisoner in a cage. Tlie little daisy wished very much that she could help him. I'ut what ( ould 
 she do: In her anxiety she forgot ail the beauliftil things around her. the warm sunshine, and her 
 own pretty shining white leases. Alas! she cc.uild think of nothing but tin- capti\e bird, and her own 
 inability to help) him. Two boys came into the garden; (jne of them i:arried a large sharp knife in his 
 hand like the one with which the girl had <ut down the tulips. Thev went straight up to the little 
 
 •■ „. daisy, who (ould not think what the\' 
 
 were going to tlo. ''We can . cut a 
 ■nii'e jiiece of turl for the lark here," 
 saitl one of the boys; and he l.iegau to 
 cut a scjuure ]jiece round the daisy, s<j 
 that she stood just in the centre. " Pull 
 up the flower," said the other boy. and 
 the daisy trembled \vith foar. for to 
 pluck it up would destroy its life, and 
 it wished so much t(j li\e and to be ^ 
 
 taken to the capli\c lark, in his cage, j f 
 
 on the ])iece of turf. " Xo, let it stay," ' 
 
 said the lnjy, "it looks so iirettv." So 
 
 the daisy remained, and \\ as jiut with tlu' turf in the lark's 
 < age. The poor bird was complaining hjudly about his lost 
 Ireedom, and beat his wings against the iron bars (.)f his cage. 
 The little daisy could not spieak nor utter one worti ti.i 
 console h.im, (jr she would gladU" ha\"e done so. Tlie whole 
 morning jiassrd in this manner 
 
10 
 
 niF. DAISY. 
 
 "Here IS nil waler, said tin- ra|ili\e lark, ' iiK\- are all inline mU ami ha\e l'iir;,'ntlen to l;i\(. iiie i tlro|i of water lO 
 ilrmk. ^My throat is hot ami (ir\-; I KlI i il I li ul fire and iee wilhin nie. anil the air is (j If^tw Alas! I must 
 die; I must hid lareuell to the \\ariii iin Inn the Iresli !/l-^^.^^.I■l ;,iiiJ all the lieaiitil'iil thiiiL's uhii h (.i<«J li ts created."' And 
 then he thrust his lieak into the iiml tuil t) leli h hiinsell" a little , -with the fresh ,i,o-ass, and his eyti l-fil n the dais\- ; then 
 the liird nodded to it AwX kissed il with his jiejsik ind said, ■■\'iiii also udll wither here, vmi |n)iii ^itt/< fliwerl Thev ha\e 
 j^dven \s_iii tn me with the little |i,iti h. I ^leen ^1^ on whieli Aiju '^'roii:, in exehan^e for the uhi Lf wi ild whieh was mine 
 ijut tliere. P^aih lillle Made of i,rass u is ta i« '' { ** ^.,M'eat tree, and each nf \'iiin' white leaves as t jjgrw e i Alas I vou onlv 
 show itie lio\\' nuirh J ha\e lust." " (,)h il 1 i iild mh" imiihirt him," thmiuht the i.lais\-, lait she t'A^d n it iiiov.eo..a- leaf.; 
 \et the ]ierfume Irniii her lea\\s was sin n-,-ilJJ t^tH !■> ti iial m these flowers, and tlie bird iiQtieed it, lnfJ»;S^ luh he was tainting 
 with thirst, and in his ]iaiti^jjttlled ii]i tliL ^1 tn til-H<el>^ ol grass, he tlitl nut toneh the flcpyy,e,j;:j^j.j^!^j w^%-iM^^ i ime, and \et no 
 line ajipeared to bring tlie liird a drii| I Wjitui fc,'i a he stretehed mit his iirett\" wings and slmok i-iiii\ ulsi\ el\' ; he eotild only 
 sing, "'['.ntit't, tueet," in a weak, un iiiridii' t fiA"'""f"li little he. id ln.rtt down towards the tlouer; the bird's heart was breiken 
 with want and ]iiiiing. 'i'hen the llou 1. 1 ul^jiit t t I'-f its lea\ts a^ it \^^\ clone the owning belore. to sleeji, Imt it droo]ied, 
 sick and sorrowful, towards tlie earth. \ tW^fn' ining did tWjims < \'yvf\i, and when tin \ iiml li bird de ul, the\' w^ent 
 lany and bitter tears; the)- dug a lucUV ^'■'^<- ' ' 'i'"'- 'i"'' 'Mm'"'"'' It'^idi le,i\es il tlowtis I If t lifeless' body 
 
 was jiiaeed in a smart red box, aiuUfi/ '^^'^^ I "" I " '•'' ,^i' '' niwnoiit-. I'oor bird! w 
 
 the\' lorgot liiin. .mil allowed hiiii ti|; sjt itt jS u and sulii i want luit now 
 lie was dead, the\" luourned lor him With «taftv ten , and buried hiin in ro\.il 
 state. But the turf w nh the clais\- on it waS'-t+irown out iiuo the dusl\- road, 
 Xo one tliouglil of llie little llouer, ttliieh h;id felt more for tlie poor bird than 
 ain" one else, and would lia\e been .^i glad to liel|i .ind console liim. il she had 
 been able to do so. 
 
 uld |i^j;- 
 
 ^^:i^l: 
 
 ■.(,t.'5-"-,-^-^X'"r'-f 
 
 ^^-■ 
 
 V<^Qis 
 
FHE BRAVE TIN SOLDIER. 
 
 ^PHERfJ were mice fn-c-antl-twcnty tin soldiers, wlio were all Ijrnthers, for they bad been made out of the same old tin spoon. 
 
 Tliey shouldered arms and looked straight l.>efore them, and wore a sjilendid unilorni, reil and blue. The first thijtg in 
 
 llie world they ever heart! were the words, "Tin soliliersl ''.uttered li\- a little bov, who clapped !iis hands with delight when 
 
12 
 
 THE JU<A\J-: TIX S0I.1V/-K. 
 
 Ihc hd i){ til'' l"j\. in wliirli nn-\ !a\. \\:is \.\Vrn uti; Tiic)' n scarl. In lV<uit <il llii-, u;is fixt-d ,i -liUcrinj;- tin^^fl rose, as 
 wore .i;i\rii him Tor a l)n-tli(l;u- |)iisent. and he stood at tin; t.il.lc hir.i;e as !ur wlioli- face. 'Ilie little lad>- was a daneer, and 
 to set them u|>. The soliliers w.-re all e>a< tl)- alike, e\<e|itin,i; sli'- str.-ti bed out holh lur arms, and r,ilsed one ol" her leL;s so 
 
 IiIl^Ii, that the tin soldier could not see it at all, 
 
 one. who had oid\' one leg; he IkhI lieen lei t to the last 
 and then there was not enough oldhe melted tin / _, 
 to finish hini, sei tlK\' made hiin to stand 
 hrmU' on i.mc leg, and this eaused him / /] 
 to he \er\- reinarkahle, 
 
 'I'hetahleoti w liirh thelin solilii.-rs 
 sl(,)od was ("o\ ereii w it h other jihu - 
 things, but the most attraeti\e to 
 the e\-e was a pretlv little |ja[)er 
 eastle. 'I'hrougii the small win- 
 (lows the rooms r(juld he seen. In \ y 
 l'r<int ol' the castle a mini her ol' lit 1 1 
 trees surrounded a i)ieie cil looking- 
 glass, which was intended to represent 
 a transparent lake. Swans, made of u 
 swam cjn the lake, and were reflected in il. 
 All tliis was \ei\" prett\", hut piettiest cj|" all was 
 tiny little lacl\-, wlio stc.jod lci llie open door cjf the c.tsilc; house went to hed, 'I'hcui the playthings began to ]ia\e their 
 slie, alscj, was made' cjf ]>aper, and she wore a dress ol' clear own games together, to ))a\' \isits, to ha\e sham fights, and to 
 imislin, with a narrce.v blue riblion o\cr her shoulders ju^t like gne balls, 'I'he tin solcjiers rattled in their box; tliey wanted 
 
 end he thought that she, like himself, had 
 
 onU one leg. " That is the wife lor mc, ' 
 
 i: thouglit : ■■but she is too grand, 
 
 \ ,ind li\es in a rastle, wliile I have 
 
 A V onl\' a bov to li\e in, fi\e-anci- 
 
 \\ \ twentv ol Us altogether, that is 
 
 v\ I no [ilaee for her. Still I iiiust 
 
 tr\- and make her aic]uaintanee. " 
 
 Then he laid himself at full 
 
 length on the table behind a 
 
 uiffdiox th;it stciod upcjn it, so 
 
 that he cduld peep at the little 
 
 c'licile laih', who continued to stand 
 
 one leg without losing her balance, 
 
 e\ening eame the other Im soldiers 
 
 « ere .ill (Ticed in the box, anel the |ieo|ile cit tlie 
 
/■///;■ /:/x.n r 'ji\ sOLi^ir .v 
 
 /? 
 
 to [iCt uut :iri(l til jiiin the aimiscuicnts, iuit lhc\- (.iiilij not oiicn the liiL The nut 
 
 crarkci's ])laveil at leap-liaig, and tlie pencil jumpe'l aluiiit the table. 'I'here was such 
 
 a niiise that the caTiar\- woke up and heiraii to talk, and in poetry too. Only the 
 
 hi_LA~^ tni soldier and the dancer remained in their [jlaces. She stood on tip toe, with her 
 
 arms stretched out, as llrnih' as h'; did on his one Icl;. He never took his eyes from 
 liei- lor even a moment. The chick struck twelve, aiid, with a hounce, up sprang tlie 
 lid of the snlili-hox; but, instead of snutT, there jumped uji a little black goblin, for 
 the snuf1"-ljo\ was a toy puz/Je. 
 
 " I'in soldier," said the goblin, " ilon 1 wisii for what does not belong to you," 
 But the lin soldier pretended not to hear. 
 ■■Very well; wait till to-moi-mw, thiai," said the griblin. 
 
 When the children came in the next tnorning, the\" placed the tin seddier in the window. Nciw, 
 
 whetlier it was the gi.iblm wli^i di(.l it. or tlie draught, is not knouii, but the window flew open, 
 
 and out I'ell the tin soldier, heels o\ei head, rnun the third stor\', into the street beneath. It was a 
 
 terrible fall; for lie came head downwards, his hehnet and his bayonet stuck in lietween tlie flag-stones, and his 
 
 one leg up in the air. The ser\ant-niaid and the' little bov went thiwnstairs directly t(j look lor him; but he 
 
 was n<5where to be seen, although once the}- nearb- trod upiin him. If lie had called out, " Here I am," it would have been 
 
 all right; but he was too [iroud to cry out for help vvliih.- he wore ;l unifci-rn. 
 
 Presently it began to rain, and the drops fell taster and laster, till there was a hea\y shower. When it was over, two bo\-s 
 liaiipened to Jiass bv, and one of them said, "bciok, there is a tin soldier. He ought to have a boat to sail in," So they made a 
 boat out of a newspaper, and jilacetl the tin soklier in il. and sent him sailing d.n\ii tlie guiter, while the two bov ran l>y 
 tlie side of it, and clapjjed their liands. Good gracious, what hoge ua\"es ;irose in that gutter! and how fast the stream rolled 
 on! lot the rain had been \'ery heavv The jia|)er boat ro<ke(.l U|i and down, and turned itself rouml sometimes so quickh 
 
14 
 
 Tiff. liKA]'F. riS SOLDIER 
 
 tliat the tin soldKi tienililul "i eC lie lemojrK^d IVfiTV^-li+i cuunU-nanre did nut change; lie hxjked straight Ijefore liim, and 
 ?hiu|l(ki<_d his miisk^t ^. i I iify ''"^ \'^A^ '-hcit undci i bridge which furrncd ]>art (jt~ a drain, and tlien it was as dark as tlie 
 
 
 i. 
 
 \ 
 
 tin M Khci s 1 ijj|. 
 
 W hue q^'Ii^oiilg HOW thotigjit h^, ^'X-Ihis^is tin black gobbles i^uh I \m sure Ah, well, if the little lady were only 
 
 / ' ^' ^ f J i 
 
 here witL^^C tfTtlit- iHTit I sliuuld not < iic fm ai^v ^n km ss ' , t- 
 
 Sl8^eTWY-i^«">1ppe ucd a r,>e it WJterial w h > IixlcI m tljuj^rain, ^'S 
 ^^^Jy4J■CJ'^^iI•^'^ss] i>it - T'^.d tjic rart L,i\e it tii nu 4t <a>ix: l^itt Ibc tin S( Idler remained silent and held ins musket 
 tigi^^hm e\ei Ihi_ bo it siile^flcn nid fvc lU lillowcfl M. Hu'« in til ^n i^ his teeth and cry out to the bits of wood 
 
 jflsi.4n.i« M(i]i him st )]) him lie I -. i t i ud toll and has mil > > pis I'ut the stream rushed on stronger and 
 
 ^"^ -^ , . r - . 
 
 btlc^^Li The tin soldier <i>uld die id\ si^ (4^R-,ht shining wlieu the inHti '. d 1 he n he heard a roaring sound ((iiite terrible 
 
 ^i^lftt^ti lO Irigliten the bra\est mm \t tli?';^id ol thi. tunnel tin di iin i^Jt into t Tii-,e canal o\or a steep place, which made 
 
 'a 
 
 it fl'i drn^Lrous lor him as a '\ t».+,JI woutcl be to us. He wis too (lose ti i '"^top so the boat rushed on. and the poor tin 
 
 ^fdici eyrfel oiilv hold hinise i ^^ ^i U' B^ ■l?0'' ifefe. '\\itlioiit m(>\ nig \n c\ 'itL't^ ■-how that 
 
 he^Svi^ Hut afraid. Tlie bo U wh^fe i iiuj th||i„e Oi, toi*:. f ftiies and then lille<l V^'5<h water to 
 
 t!u \>.f\ edge; nothing could s.rol«*'S«i]n sinking He now stood up to his igsc^^ in water, 
 
 ' F> 
 
 -J»krie d<i4P'-''" '"''*' dee]ier sank tli|f ' ni+ S"3 'tjif- pariei lje< ame soft and loose w itb^n wet, till 
 
 it , t llie^water closed o\er the '^idu > k , i] ^TO^thoUglu of the elegant little ip^fer whom 
 
 fie^'sTtotiM never see again, md tm? w-titds ol tlu song sounded in his ears — ** 
 
 " Karcueli warrior ' e\cr lirnvc, 
 I)rirLii)g onwarM Lo ihy i^r.ive 
 
 'I hen tlie ])apcr boat fell to ]iie(es. and the soldier sank iiit<i the water and immediately 
 
 afterwards was swallowed U]( b)' a great fish. Oh how dark it was insiile tlie 
 
 fish I a great deal darker than in the luiiiiel, and narrower too, but the tin 
 
Id 
 
 rill nixu J-: TL\ siiinii'.K. 
 
 solilici- .oDliiuicd firin, ami lay at fall lvii,^th, sJKniklcrinK his imiskct. 'I'lie lisli swam to and fro, makinj;- ilic must wundcii'iil 
 moNcmoiits, hut at last he [iccaine (]uitr slill. After a while, a tlasli of lif;htnini,' seenie<l to [pass through him, and then t!ie da\light 
 a|)]jearetl, and a \(>irc i i-iccl out, ■' 1 declare here is tlie tin soldier." 'I'he hsli liad been iau,uht, taken to the market and sold 
 t(r the cook, who tiujk him into the kitchen and < ait him o]ien uith a large knife. She pn ketl u\< the soldier and held him h\ 
 ihe waist hetween her fin,L;er and thunili, and carried him intu the roinn. 'rhe\' were all anxious to see this wonderl'ul soldier 
 wIkj hail tia\elled about inside a fish; but he «as not at all ]>roud, Thex placed him on the table, and- how man\- curious 
 things do hap|ien m the world !-- there he wa^ in the \er\" same room frum the winduw of which Ik.' had fallen, there were the 
 same c;>ildi-rii, the same |da\thin,L;s standing on the table, and the prett\ castle with the ele,i;aiU little dancer at the door; she still 
 balaiii ed hersi-l|-on one leg. and held U|"i the cither, sci she was as iirm as himself. It touched the tin soldier so much to see her that he 
 almost wept tin tears, but lie kept them back. He (inl\- hiokeil at her. and the\- [joth remained silent. Presently one of the little bo}s 
 took up the tin soldier, and threw him into the st(.i\e. He had im reason fur duing sec therefore it must ha\e been the fault cif the black 
 g(jblin n ho lixetl in the snufi-bo.x. '("he flames lighted ii|i tiie tin soldier, as he stooil ; the heat was \er\" terrible, but whether it 
 proceeded frum tlie real fire or lV(.)in the fire of lu\c he c uuld nut tell. 'then he cuuld see that the bright lohuirs were fadetl 
 frum his iinilurm, but uhetluT the\' had been washed uf( during his juiirnex'. ur frum (he eflects oi his surruw. nu une could sa\'. 
 J{e looked at tlie little lady, and she luuked at him. lie felt himself melting awa\, but he still remained firm willi his gun on his 
 shoulder. .Siiddenl\- the door of the room flew ojien. and the di'aught of air caught up the little daiu er ; she tlutlered like a s-\iph 
 right into the stu\e In the side of the tin suldier, and was mstanll)- in thimes and was gune. The tin soldier melted down into a 
 lump, and the ne\t miu'ning, when the maid-ser\ant took the ashes out of tlie sto\e, she luund liiin m the shape uf a little tin 
 heart. Hut uf the little dan( er inilhing remained 11;?^ but the tinsel rose, wliich was burnt black as a <ander. 
 
 "'-^^^^0'^ 
 
J? 
 
 tup: CONClilTED APPLE-BRANCH. 
 
 TT was tlie iiKinth of >[a\-. 'I'hc w iml still lilcw c uld ; Inil rn.jii bush and tree. Held and 
 tluwer. came the wi'lc-diiie snund, "Siiriiifj; is (■(.mie.' \\ ild-flnwers in |)rol'usi(in eo^ered the 
 hedges. Under tiie little ;iii]ile-tree SjirinL; seemed Inisy, and tuld his tale from one of the 
 hranehes whirh Iuiiil; iVesli and liloouiinu, and (■(i\ere<l with delicate pink hlussoms tliat were 
 just ready tu oiien 'l"he Inanrh well knew luivv heautitul it was; this kn(i\vled,L;e exists as 
 much in the leal" as in the IiIik.xI; 1 \\-as therelore nut surprised wdien a nohieman's carriaj:e, 
 in which s.it the youni; cuuntess, st(.ip]ied in the road just hv. She said that an apple-branch 
 was a most lo\"el)- object, and an ernhkni of s])rin;,' in its most charming a.s]iect. Then the 
 liranch was bruken ■iff for her, and she held it in lier delicate hand, and sheltered it Avith her 
 silk ]iarasol. Then they dr(.)\ e to the cattle, in which were loft\' halls and siplendid drawing- 
 nioms. Pure \\-hitc ctirtains fluttered before the o|ien windows, and beautiful tluwers stood 
 in shinuig, t,ans]iarent vases; and in une of them, whicli looked as if it had been cut out 
 of ncwl\-f,dlen sn(jw, the apple-braiich w.is iil.iced, among some fresh, light twigs of beeih. It 
 was a ■channlng sight. 'I'hen the branch became prcjud, uliich was \ei-v much like human 
 . , ^y.-^ — ^ ., nature. People nl e\er\- descri|itiiin entered the room, ami according to tlicir i.)Osition in 
 
 CJ^H—^ Cu'cy~~'' \J society, so dared the\- tu express their admiratiim. Some few- said nijthing. others expressed 
 
 l(jii much, and the appledu-anch \ery s(jon gut to understantl that there was as much dilference 
 in the characters ol' human beings as in those of jilants and fl(jwers. Some are all for pomp 
 and ])arade. others ha\e a great deal tc, do to maintain their own im]iortance. while the rest might be spared without 
 much Icjss to S(.)Ciet\'. So thought the ajiple-branch, as he striod before the open window, from which he could see riut o\X'r 
 gardens and fields, where there were flowers and ]ilants en.ough tor him to think aiul relleet ii])on; some rich and beautitul, 
 some yjoor and humble indeed. 
 
 ■'Poor, despised herbs." said the ajijile br.meli ; "there is re. ill)' a difleren< e betn-een them and such as I am. Hiaw 
 unhappy they must be, if they can feel as Ihosi.: in no posiiiun do' There is a dilTcrence indeed, and so there oULjht 
 to be, or we should all be equals.' 
 
 And the appled.irancli looked with a sort (jf ]iit\- upon tliem, es])eciall\- on a certain little flower tl;at is found in fields- 
 
I^^l^ 
 
TlIK CONCEITED AJTIK-EKAXCII. 
 
 ") 
 
 aiul in ditcliL-s. N(j one lidund tliesc flowers toLjetliL'r in a nosegav ; thcv were loo c oinnion , they were e\en known to 
 i^row helwecn the |)a\ ing-stones, shootin;:; up e\er\vvhere, like had weeds; and thev ijore the \ery uj^ly n.mte o( "dogdlowev. 
 or ■ dantlelions, " 
 
 " Poiu', des[)ised plants," said the appledjoiigli. "it is not yoin' I'ault that \oii are so nglv, and that you lla^e ^?'n an ugly 
 name; htit it is with plants is v\itli/4iKn- then must he a difference.' _-' 
 
 'A dilTcrenee!" ovfed Uie <fUi1) ' t,' i ' kissetl the lih)oniing api)h.-diranih, and then kissed the wdow dandelion out in 
 tlie fieUls. All wer(.*'1i*rothe1>, dm) ilie vitflttn im kissed them — the i.ioi.ir (lowers as well as the liih. 
 
 'I'lie appled)ougrtftiii.d m*\\r th ii^ht )l ttjc I undless lo\e ofdod. whiih extends o\er all the works of rreatiyn, o\er ever\thing 
 which li\es. and niyfes, an I h o its hemi^ "tR 'Him, he had iii\er thcjiight of the good and heaiitiful uhich are? scr ol'ten hidden, 
 but can ne\er re^^m^^||,iigolti'n 1)\ ]-[|qp''-'j)ot onl\ among the lower creation, hut also-- :iniong nieiif The ftunhearn, the ray 
 of light, knew hetteV.^rC' >" . / ' ;, ,. :'' 
 
 ■■ V(^u do not see \"er\' l.ii nor \ 1 1 »' de irl\ he said to the ap]ile-l)ranch. " \\ hii h is the U<'spised [ilRnt vou so S|ieciali\-^flty r " 
 
 " '1 he (.llnd^llon ! i lied \o one \ei pla-es it m a nosega\ . it is often ffodden ilfider loot, there ofc so many 
 
 of them jiid wUwn t'l* v um to stid thL\ lM\e llouars like w<iol, whiih ll\ ;iwa\- in littli>:;.pieces o\er the rorfcls, and cling 
 to the dre^^^M^iiw V*. I'h Ih \ iie OIl^^ v ds , but of course tlieo mu^l be w eci|»;**''^%4' I am really vt>ry thankful tiiat 
 
 1 was nif ^^,^.1. I liK^^J^k 'I ^, .,jf "% 
 
 'riiefc ^■^jiSj' J»i&i)ith '4i^'?>ss lli(^-1i I s 4r*\\hole grou|i of childien. the \oun^M of whom w:is '^o small tliat it had to be 
 
 carried 'i^b)^^^^^ <)fiH*^S;jfJ ai^il when he -in is melted on the 
 
 grass, am<>|"^jUj4- f$-l<'*i 4liJ"|-i ^^ lai^bul aloud with joy, . 
 
 khked ^0i\^^\\X^^^k^ i h ' d .(it 'Tilut ked die \eUow 
 
 flowers in<l 'Miiau'a "■W'n m m ^Juldtjke iii-ni i i nee., I he elder 
 
 ^ *- ^ ;^ "•< 
 
 children br( ke II tlu tlirtVXiS:^ w^i'^-^ynr, stems, bent thy-" 
 
 Stalks ne nund the t«inl linls md made fir^l ' a 
 
 .i 
 
 chain toi the neck thew oi*« to gv unss Ihjt' shoulders and 
 hang down t<S the *«^ <k^wr4li*'^-»4 ,a^ « le ilh 'to .Wear' found 
 the held so tlml''tiiC\ 4|t>^'S'<^A*ti^^f* '^f*^*'""4'^'' U*,, their gaflands 
 (jf greui stems iivd ^i^afeV^ fl^JS^^^i^' ' J'ut tin,'' eldest among 
 tliem ,,,itheio<t i 1i( liilU tlu lide<l thweis n the stem (jf wlmh 
 was .^^'loufjed togethu the seed, in the loim ol a while le.itliery 
 
THE COXCFJTf.D AJ'I'I.E- I^RAXCI f. 
 
 21 
 
 coronal. 'I'iu'se loose, airv wool-tlowcis arc \cry licautilul, and look like fine snowy feathers or down. 
 
 The ehildren held them to their moulhs, and tried to blow aua\- the whole coronal witli one \>\\\{ -^''Z \A ": '^t - -^'r '-- 
 
 oi the breath. Thev had been told bv their grandmothers that whoever did so would be sure to have ■ — ^•^r'n 
 
 new chjthcs before the end of the vear. The desjiised tlower was b\- this raised to the ])osilion of a 
 
 prophet or foreteller of e\ents. 
 
 "Do \'rjii see," said the sunbeam, ''tlo vou see the l.ie.nit\ i.if these llowers ': do vou see their 
 poweis of giving pleasure?" 
 
 " Ves, to children," said the appIe-l.iou,i;h. '.«;? 
 
 By-andd))' an old woman lame into the tield, and. with a blunt knife without a Itandle. lie,L;'an 
 to dig round the roots of some of the dandelion-plants, and pull them up. With sirt'ne of these she 
 intended to make tea for herself; but the rest she was going ti.i sell \i the ilem t and obtain some 
 nionev. , ^ 
 
 "Hut beauty is of higher \alue than all this," said the apple-tree bi mc h ynh tlie chosen can Lie .admitted into the 
 realms of the beautiful. There is a difference Ijetween plants, jusi as thcie is \ fiiHerence between men." " ,^ 
 
 Tlien the sunbeam s]ioke of the boinulless lo\e (jf Ciod as seen in (ledioflf ^Vi\i over all li\es, and of the eipial distribu- 
 tion of His gifts, both in time and in eternitv. S^^ » * 
 
 " 'I'hat is your ojjinicjn," said the apple-Lniugh ' ' / 
 
 Then sonic ])eo]ile came into the room, and among them, the vouj^j, i lunt*. s the ladv « fi'iy )i\\\ pi k-i,H tin a]iple- 
 bougli in the tianspii(_nt \ase, so jileasantiv bene-iith the ra\'S of sunlight -^lu < iiVii d in her 1» md '-.omtE^imL ^at seemed 
 like a tlowci Jt'1iu>.'51.yei t was hidden h\ iw(.i oi ihree gre it leaves, w hi( ff'^ie^j'^ieil it like a shie%i '^^so tiliit no^draught or 
 gust of wind iffesjjd injUit it, and it was cairied n.ore c.ireliilh' than the i)|lebt-in<h hid ever ben \ci\ ('autieush the large 
 leaves weiu^4'novcd uul there appeared the lealherv seed-crown of the des] i d yellow dandthon. I his was what the 
 'ady had so^^tyullv plucked, and carried home so safelv eoNcred, so that not one of the delicate featherv" airows ol" which 
 its mistdike sha]je was so lightly torined. sli ic'd Huttn- away She now drew it forth cjuiti.' uninjured, and vvajndered at 
 its beatHUul form, and airv lightness, and singular r-onstruction, so soon to be blown awa^v by the wind 
 
 "See,'' she- e.xclaiiialid, "haw wonderfullv (iod has made this little flower. 1 will p.aint il with the ajiple-branch, to.gether. 
 E\ery one admires the beauty of the appk-bough , but this humble flower has been endowed l>y Heaven with another kind 
 of loveliness; and although the)' differ in a.p|ie;oance. both are the children of tlie realms of heaulv.' 
 
 Thert'the sunbeam kissed the lowl\- flower, and he ki.^sed the blooming aiJ|ile-l)ranch, uj on whose leaves ap]>cared a rosy blush ] 
 
I7AR away in the land to wtiicli the swall 
 elo\ en sons, and one dau,L;l>tcr, nanird Eliza 
 
 white; SWANS 
 
 '1-Rc 
 
 walli'us iTy'Swh^ it is wjij^ft dwelt a KnYg who had 
 
 vcn br<it|iers ' 
 
 c print,^, afid eifch 
 went to school with a star rju hteUioast, and a sword' by iiis sidel' , Th* Itrote "i^ithteiamo'nd 
 [icnrils on u"hl slalcri, and Icanit their lessons so "qijictpy and read fce^ e^ly tlig.^ ev^ry one 
 might know the\- were jjrinres. Their sister Eliza sit iSfl a little ^ool of pjl-te-gtals, and had 
 a hdok full of jiittures whli h Jiad i ost as mueh as haltl' 'a: kuiLjdon^ 'T'^'h, itl|esfe 'clilMi?en were 
 indee<j liaiijn-, hut it was not lo remain s(.i always. Their father, who 'yE:iis%ing of the country, 
 married a \ery wicked ([ueen, wiio did not lo\e the pour children at all. They knew this from 
 111 the palace there were ureat fstixities, and the children jilayed at receising company; 
 
 king so many untiUt^lrjings abuiit 
 
 " <_io out into the world and get your 
 
 the vei'y first day after the weddin , , , . 
 
 but festeaff'^.i'f having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea-cup and told them 
 to pretend'ii wrft'eake. The week .ifter, slie sent lillle Kliza inln the iountr\- to a peas.ant aiul his wile, and then she told the 
 
 the iiiung jirinees that lie gave himself no more troutile respeilmg them. 
 
 1 living," s.ud the ipicen. " l''ly like great birds who ha\"e no voice." But she 
 could not make duni uglv as slie wished, for ihcy u eve lurnetl into elexen beautiful wild swans. Then, with a strange crj", 
 they flew' through the windows of die palace, o\er llic park, to the fu'i'st beyond. It was yet early morning wjien they passed 
 the peasant's (Ottage. where their sister Eli/.a hn aslceji in her room. Tlje\ lio\ered i;\er the rcjof twisted their long necks and 
 flapped fheir w ini;s. but no one heard tlieni or saw tlnni, so tin \ were at last obliged to llv awae, iiigh up in tlie clouds: and 
 over the'w ide \v(jrld the) lieu till the\ < ame to a thick, dark wood, whic h stretched far away to the seashore. Poor little Eliza 
 was alone in her room pilaving with a green leaf, for she luul no otlier .)ilaythings, and she jiicrced a hole through the leat, and 
 
-V 
 
 77//; ir/f/Tf: s\r.L\s 
 
 looked tlirouiih it at the sun, ;iiul it was as il' she san hi r hintheis dear e\es, and when thi u arrii sini siioiic nn her iheeks 
 she thotit;iit (jf all the kisses the\" had j;i\en her. ( )ne (hn passed just hke aiiotiter; sonK.-times the winds rustled throUL^'h the 
 lea\ es of the rosedmsh, and would whisper to the roses, -Who can he more heautiful than \our" liut tlie r(jscs would shake 
 their lii-ails and saw " Kll/,a is/' Antl when lln' old wiuiian sal at the ioHai;e-door on Sunda\-. and read her hymndiook, 
 the wind would flutter the lea\es, antl sa\- to llie liook, "Who <an he more ]iious than )-oii:' and then the hymndiook 
 would answer, " F,li/a,"' And the roses ami the Inmndiook told the real trutli, \\ fifle.;n she retiuaied home; hut when the 
 (lueen saw Ikjw beautiful she was, she heeame full of spite and haired towards lirr. WilliiiLlv would .^he haxe turned her into 
 a swan, like her brothers, but she did not dare to do so \et, beiausc the kini;" wished to see his daughter. P'arl\' one morsiin.t,^ 
 the (pieeii went into the bath-r(.iom ; it was built of marble, and had soft < u^hiuns, tiinimeil with most beatitil\il tajiestry. She 
 took three toads with her, and kisstal them, and saiil to one, 'When Kli/..i comes to the bath, seal \(an-sell' upon her heatl, 
 that sin- niav become as stupid as \oii are. 'i'lien she said to another, ■' I'lace yoursi-lf on her forehead, that she ma\" liecome 
 as tigU- as you are. and that her father mav not know her," " Kesl on her heart,' she whis|iered to the tliird, "then she will 
 haAee\il inclinations, and sufter in idnsequenee." So she ]iut the toads into the clear water, and tlie\ turned i;-reen imnn.-di- 
 ately. She next <alled Kli/a. ami helped her to undress and i^et into the batli. As Kli/a dijijied her head under llie w.iter, one 
 
 ol' the to.ids sat on her hair, a second on her liuehead. and a 
 third (ui her breast, but she did not seem to notice them, and 
 when she rose out of the water, there were tliree red ]io])iues 
 lloatin.L;" up'Ui it, 1 lad not the i re.ilui es lieen \ enomous or lieen 
 kissetl b\" the w itch llie\ would li.i \e been <'hanL;eil into reil roses. 
 At all e\enls. the\" became llowers, bci.iuse lhe\' had rested on 
 !'',li/,a's he, el and on her hc.irl. She was too l;oo(1 and too 
 inm.K eni I'oi' witch ci .ill ioh,neaiu )iowei" o\ i.a" luu', W hen tfie 
 wiiked ipieen saw this, she rubbed her t'ai e with walniit-juiee. 
 so that shi' was quile brown; tlii'ii she tan;^"ieil her beaiililtil 
 h.iirand smeared it uith disuustiiye omlment, till il was (piite 
 iiiipos^ible to re< o^iii^e the beaiuit'ul hJi/.i 
 
 When her lather sauherlie w:is much ^lu.ickeil :ind declared 
 shi' was not his il.iu^liler. ,\o one but the w alcledc.)!,; and the 
 sw,i Hows knew her ; and lhc\ were i uih" jioor animals, :ind coitlil 
 
Till' W'lllTI: SWAXS. 
 
 say nuthmj;. Thcti pdor 
 Eliza wi^'pt. and thcui^ht 
 lit' her cIcNcn broUicrs, 
 "who wni' all awav. Sor- 
 ruwfulh' she stole awav 
 from the palace, and 
 walked, the whole da\', 
 over liekls and moors, till 
 she eame to the great 
 forest. 
 
 She knew not in wiiat 
 <hreeti(jn to ,l;"o ; but she 
 was so unha[)])\'. anil longeil so lor her linitliers, wlm had been, like 
 herself, dri\en out into the worUl, that she was determined to seek 
 them. Slie had been but a shoit time in the wood when ni;^'lit 
 came on, and she quite lost the ]iath ; so she laid herself tlown on 
 the S(h't moss, offered up her e\"eninL; praver. and leaned her heael 
 a.u'ainst the s!um]i of a Iri'e. All natme was still, and the soft, 
 mild air I'anned her furehead. The li,L,dit of hundreds ol'glow- 
 wijrms shone amidst the L;rass and the moss, like f;reen lire; and 
 if she tou<'hed a twig with her haml. e\(.-r so lij;ht]\-, the brilliant 
 insects fell d(.)wn anmnd her, like sliootii\:;-stars. 
 
 .\11 ni,i;lit long she dreamt of her brothers. She and the\ 
 were rhildren again. pla\ing together. Slie saw them writing 
 with their diamond jieiicils on gcildeii sl.ites, while slie hjuked at 
 the beautiful ]jicturedM(ok wliich had ci.st half a kingdmn. The}' 
 were not writing lines and letters, as tliev used tu do, Liut 
 descrijitions of the nofile tleeds the\' had iierhjrmed, and ol 
 all tliev had disco\ei"ed and seen. In tlie jiicturedn jok, too. 
 
 e\ erything was lix'ing. 
 The birdssang, andtlie 
 peo|jle came out of the 
 book and spcjke to 
 Kli/.a andherbrotb.ers ; 
 but asthe lea\ cs tuined 
 o\ er. the\' darted back 
 again to their |)lai es, 
 th.il all might be in 
 order. 
 
 W hen sheawoke, the 
 sun was high in the 
 heavens; Act she couli.l not see him, fir tlie lofty trees spread their 
 branches thickU' o\er lier head; but kiis beams were glancing 
 through the lea\es here and there, like a golden mist. There was 
 a sweet fragrance from the fresh green \erdure. and the birds 
 almost ]jeriheil u]ion her shoulders. She heard \v"ater ri]i]iling 
 iVoin a number of s|uangs. all (lowing int(.i a hike witli golden 
 sands. Rushes grew thi<;kl\ round the lake, and at one spot an 
 o|)ening had been made by a \\qi:v , through wliich Kliza went 
 down to the water. 'i'he lake was so cle;ir that, had not tlie 
 wind rustled the brani lies of tlie trees anil the bushes, so that 
 the\ mo\"ed, t!ie\' wouhl lia\e appeared as if ]iainted in the depths 
 of the lake; lor e\ery leat was refiecteil in tlie water, wdiether it 
 stood in tlie shade or the sunshine. As soon as Kliza saw hei 
 oun hiee, she was ipiite terrified at finding it so brown and 
 ugly; but wlien slie wetted her little hand, and rubbed her eves 
 and torehead, the white skin gleamed forth once more; and, after 
 she had undressed, and dipped herself m the iVesh water, a more 
 
nil'. II 1 1 IT I SII\I.\S 
 
 heautifiil kiiii; s (km^litcr (uulcl not ijc Icunul iii t!ic wide- 
 
 \V(M-UI. As siKin ;;s she li.id circsiccl licisi-U' .Ti,r;iin. a!ul 
 
 braitled licr long luiir, she went t<j the Ijuhhhiii; sjinnj;" and 
 
 drank some water out ijf the liolh.w of her han(.! Tiien 
 
 II wandered far into the forest, not knowin-^- whither she uent. 
 
 le lliouj^dit of her Ijrotliers, and felt sure that llod wa.nild not 
 
 rsakc her. It is (iod wlio makes the wild a])[iles i;row in the 
 
 ootl, to sati.-.f\ the Iuin,L;r\-, and He now led her to one of the^e 
 
 eis. whii h was so loailed witli fruit that the lM)U,L;hs bent tieneatli 
 
 ihe weight. Here she held her niMinda\' repast, plaeed props innier 
 
 the l)oiii;"hs, and then went into the i,doomiest tiepths of the 
 
 f(jrest. It was so still that she could liear the sound of !ier 
 
 own fo(jtste|is, as well as the rustiini; of e\ery withered leaf 
 
 which slie erushed under her feet. Not a hird was to Ije seen, 
 
 it a sunlieam euuld penetrate through the large, dark bought of 
 
 e trees. 'I'heir lolt\ trunks stood so (lose together, that, when 
 
 e looked tiefore her, it seemed as if she were enclosed within 
 
 llis-work. Such solitude she had ne\er known before. The night 
 
 as \er\' tlark. Not a single glow-worm glittered in the moss. 
 
 Sorrow fulh she laid lierself down to slee]i ; and, after a while, it 
 
 lenied to her as if the branches of the trees parted o\er her 
 
 td, and that tlie mild eye.-, of angels looked dowii upon lier from 
 
 hea\en. W hen slie awoke in tiie morning, she knew not whether 
 
 she had dreamt this, or if it had realh' becri so Then she 
 
 <-ontinui-d lu'r wandering; but she had m.it gone man\' steps 
 
 lorw ard, wlun she met an okl woman with berries in her Ijasket, and 
 
 she ga\e her a few to eat. Then K!i/,a asked her if she hat! not 
 
 seen ele\en princes riding through the lorest. 
 
 ■ \o. ' ie]ilied the old woman; 'but 1 saw 
 
 e\ 
 
 y^,: 
 
Till': n inn: stt.ixs. 
 
 ■A 
 
 ^'8 
 
 anifel 
 
 \cslcRl;iy cIcNcn swans,, uilh f;old < louns un their IrmiIs, swniiniin,L; on 
 
 the ri\er close l)^■." Tlien she led P^li/a a Hltie distanee larther td a- 
 
 sloping bank, and at the ro<.)t of it wound a little ri\er. The trees on its 
 
 banks stretehed their lonf,' leaf)' branches acriiss the water low aids eac h other, 
 
 and where the growth prevented them from meeting naturalU, the roots had ti.iin 
 
 themselves away from the ground, so tliat the in am hes might mingle their loliage 
 
 as they hung over the water. Eli/.a bade the old woman farewell, and walked by the « 
 
 flowing river till she reache.l the shore of the o]ien sea. And there, betore the young •*^-:' 
 
 maiden's eyes, lay the glorious oeean, but not a sail a|ipeared on its suilaee, not c\en a 
 
 boat could be seen. How was she to go farther: She noticed how the lountless pebliles on 
 
 the seashore had been smoothed and rounded by the action of the water, (dass, iron, strmes, 
 
 everything that la\ there mingle<l logelber, had taken its shape from the same power, aniFrlflt 
 
 as smooth, or even smoother than her own delicate hand. "The water rolls on Wftlprit 
 
 weariness," she ■ said, "till all that is hard becomes smo(.)tIi; so will I be unwearied .,;^'t.,..iaTy 
 
 task. Thanks for yi;ur lessons, bright rolling waxes: mv heart tells me you will lead -'Ij^llbj,^^ 
 
 my dear brothers." On the IViam-covered seaweeds la\- ek-\en while swan feathers, wliie'|;'",^l\e' '; 
 
 gathered up and (jlaeed .together. birops of water l,iy upon thcrn ; whether they were dewi]JTjps - 
 
 or tears no one could say. Loneh' as it was i.>n the seashore, she did not observe it, lor the 
 
 ever-moving sea showed more changes in a few hours than tlie most varying lake <-ould produie 
 
 during a whole year. If a black, heavy cloud arose, it was as il the sea said "I can look 
 
 dark and angry too;" and then the wind blew, and the waves turned to white foam as 
 
 they rolled. When the wind slejit, and the clouds glowed with tlie red sunlight, then 
 
 the sea looked like a rosedeal^ J'.ul -however quietly its white glassy surfai e rested, 
 
 there was still a motion on the shore, as its waves rose and fell like the breast ol 
 
 a sleeping child. When the sun was about to set, Eli/,a saw eleven white swan.-,, 
 
 with golden crowns on their heads, flying towards the land, one behind the 
 
 other, like a long white ribbon. Then Kli^a went down the slope from tlie 
 
 shore, and hid herself behind the buslies. The swans alighted quite close 
 
 to her, and flapped their great white wings. As soon as thc^r^^un had 
 
 i 
 
 /y 
 
 f 
 
 b 
 
 >h. 
 
 .«<Aj/ 
 
 ,^->^ 
 
Till-: wnirr. sir.ixs 
 
 ih i| 1 II 4 limit 1 tliL witci I'll k xthi-ii) ^t HW^ s» rriTji Itll ofl]^^9,pi4, eiS\(,^ T5l utilii] 
 
 I nil s Hr/is 111 tlKis ■'t""ik *i'" ^r 'i'-*' JWji^fl ^.lo\n]',(iv f >• li u>-,ii 
 til \ u (_ I \Pi\ iiiitib rWtWfi^gl *J-lQ kn( v> M^Hi iramLd-^if!(.h -^liv -vj t -ti ^ lutf) 
 til II iiiiih 111(1 ilktl tlitm LuH^T!.!/ i<\i^ii 1 '^'-R't 'f'*^ If^^ry? tff^* ^)iiiii t,','' ui h 
 at in l-fli^^li ir hlfiL Mvtu \^atn f<Jt tlie-l^ rcc o^rU^^d^R^r ilth ri^li C>.1lV iMtL i^iowj^ 
 s --pll mil I I. itittf|ij lljc.J'- 1 ni_jiii|jfl** rtiTT^^fj^w \\ I I 111(1 \ci\ s ►it rin<r(>ist x^tii lioiS? 
 \Mn.LiP> ^iLii ni(rtb(.i hnl 1 li'^T to l^^ 1} flj _ ^nV(, I tlnr^ si,ii,t t}1^> .ikl<(*,r iU 
 il iiH IS ^w ilil sA 111 so loni, is till 'sun ^^ 1 Kj t 111 i^«jj,uOa iso it sriiks 
 i liiiid tlu^ lulls UL u((\Li out Juiimn slijLni? j. {^ffertfeu inLi>t ^0 il«'«vft' t*(. ii iV 
 .1 l(_stllK^ll<^ j. 1 uiu kci Uk»i, sjui (.t '■. t^V^^ii ukl I.e" IImiu t<^" I fi» t'M 
 (1 lids af llw 'ijnw? «( iL(.fnC| 'oui »\<lf r *W* i^ i- stj^i l^'l 1 siiikj (i tp ml 
 til s(. 1 Wifd). nit jiv.L'H lkt<* IStu in J I w 1 11% til it li s ftLvCJiul the 
 
 II I 111 %\h| li S\ lin t ( i' s i-^i^ A 1 Jiig <li Mil T, )^n'u 1 n isl m I iij^ i,i | i^l 
 II] n i\lii<U « III 1 1 1 s tl^ lUj^iit n tliin^ 1 Ht i litti iml- iisin* c( i 
 
 s I uptoff whuli w L m SI ^(H) jSlind with sxl5st\ t.\t.n (loscU i r( « i i ^ i^ 
 l! iht Tf Jt IS 1 ii^h tlK luiui dibli«.s (i\(.i Us \tt ^^■p rii ink (jod (M.n I t ifetr'^lf \l;'5 
 \\ li n ^' ] 1 s(, 1 \j(_}iok nir^lit ai)>>u fjL, ( 1 x\ (, sh ul I n \ (. i h i\ tl i li 1 »mt } 1 vtd 
 r.ith iklJid 1)1 iaf flight I u die set ((U|i t<\ I th I n^ t diy^ in tin 
 
 VL u M\ h l\ 1 ( 1 nil SI 11 |v \ I it ill li iiK ( II (. m (. \ li \ \ (. ii iiwl t ) K^iii \in 
 ■_'k'\ i.-n duvs, dunn:; \ huh wl fl\ ;ii)ii'-s i1k- [^iiiL'.st tn hjuk once niijrtj at the iKilmtj;;' 
 ttlicir (.111- Isillii !■ dwells md «liii(< -» ( )\vrr iKjrn, and at the cluiiTli \vdKTt;;'(i«r''liinthOT 
 lies Imrii^-d. Mltc ■ i-t -*)t (^ n>s.„< as' rt tl i^ \rv\ tix-cs and hiislics S\e*-r- r--' i; 
 
 ^^^IS 
 
 
 
 ,-jl 
 
! ! 
 
rill wiiiTi: SWANS 
 
 "..% 
 
 
 ii|,iiL|r 1 liilil'i'v (il I lu (liii (1 Ki luj- I .1 ' '^ nc; 1 , ,, , , j ,., -^ 
 
 to-- will ( 1 \i lie iti n IT hi ,1 \ in_ li s uul Ikk n c \\\\l oH tjit net vn<\ whin the sifh v Jjl- i tici ts^irfhw-i v .X)-a'fi^ 
 
 I'Aiul \ ti )ur -(kit iittk wtit^tei I w ih\s Ihi^lt 
 >\|; ( in iciiijtn luK nil iln.Ti; iiiiKt ive 11^ a\'.a\ 
 '(/iIh iililiil 1 ml IK liK 11 '-< ni)t I II lionif ; aii.l 
 ]i'-t\\ I III \ t lU Mill «itii nl; i\ c lui 
 ni itin I i)j I 11 I 1)11 il. v« 
 
 Ho-^s ( in T haik tlil^ --.jii I! s 11(1 
 till II i^ti 1 \n(l thon sJtl l.tll I 
 iImiuI it jk iI\ ill whok nulit i nl\ A 
 >liun.b,vi'ini; I'u&A At'^^ Imurs. Kli/a 
 was aw akcnj'^^^, tlu- nistlliiL; i>r,,' 
 the swans' ' wli^ ;ij> They' sn'nrfd 
 aliiAc, :He.r l^VjtluTs ueiC a,L;ain 
 ilian^ril III swills, a.nd tln:\' Hew in 
 I in Ics wiili'i" aiiitl wider, till llic\" 
 were far a\\"a\"; Init one of tlieiii. yiL 
 \ ijnni;esl S'\ m u in iiiud h^vtflf! Stlii^aid 
 his liead \M \\\\ Slsn.J^ I l|i while 'She 
 siruked his \^lf^, ail#tlK\ leiii.iined togelhei 
 the whole d^ I i*XV.a#?U i\. nilii; theJ'est r, 
 
 lid "^ the stnr*ent 
 
 4'' !)(?( Ti«t^ w ilil sw Ills the\ t) 1- up the net with the 11 
 
 W^^, and llew ii]' to die rioiids with their dear 
 
 sister, will.) still slept. The siinlieanis tell on her 
 
 lai e', lliei'efore one i.if the sw alls soareei .u\vr 
 
 s\ her head, so that his hroad wdiiLrs nii''ht 
 
 sl>ft(lcht»^■;'^'. They were far frinii the land 
 
 \?%en K^za woke. She thoiitfhl she 
 
 iiVtjSt" stiS he elreaininc;, it .se'emeel so 
 
 strange' to her tei feel lit'r^^tT heini; 
 
 (-iirrire^-,;so .,hii,'li in the aii*;o\ er the' 
 
 -'.yU. Ji^ lier.side lay ;^M)ranlE;h full 
 
 /ft' lictltttifuk 'ripe WFi-'res'."' iiVid a 
 
 |iLiiif!le 'fif sweet roots; the voiinuest 
 
 tif Ijiir , hrotliei's had j;\itliered tiieiii 
 
 Uw her, and, plare<l tliem h)' her side. 
 
 lie smiled hei" thanks to him; she 
 
 ei\' it, was llv^ sann.' i^ho hael hoxered 
 
 her te> slia(k''1u'r willi his winijs. 'I"he\' 
 
 w so h'i'gh,>li*t a large ship hencatli them 
 
 liM.ked like a whitf^'sC-agull ^)timmi6g the waws. A 
 
 .hall fl\- Ki'i''il I loud llMating hehiiut them a|)ix'a|ed like a \ast 
 
 ha' k, and "^ the stlirlilent ddwn itlev resumeel llleii 
 
 natural i iim^ IVj'Wl&i 1 w ' saiel one, "we s __, . ,., - -j, ■ -'.. 
 
 awa\-, not I > 1 1 KS'Ji "^^aiii till 1 wlmle ve'ar has j/assed. Tail rti' iiTaiiitain, and iipun it KI i/.a''' saw; Tie't^anvii Shadow" ami those 
 
 I annot li oe \ o 1 *litfvii^X4iaj.\i \ oil <()Ura;;e to ^o willi us: .\I\- of llie ileM'ii swans, leiokinu" gii^antie in-jsi|e. Altogether it 
 
 ' "*• ' ' ' " ■--'.,'. % 
 
 .irni is stioiig I IK ii^lj^_Ia%-ttn\ ^ ou through the w ood ; and will foiiind a more heaiitifui ]iieture than »ie had cxer seen; 
 
 11, it ;in our wiiius he strong eiiouL,li to Ih uilli \ ou o\i'r the .^ea ':" hut as the sun rose higher, and the rlou^s were lelt hehind, 
 
Tin: w'niTi: s\\ .i.vs 
 
 tlie shatlouN jiirturo vaiiislic<l .luaw 1 )nw.iril tlic wholr (]a\" iIk\' I1im\ lliioii^li thr an- liki- a wini^cii arruu. xcl mure -Joui', 
 
 than usual, for thc_\- had tlicir Msti'r to caiTv. ■|'lii- wi'athcr scuinnl imlinccl to he storni\'. niid Kh/.n watilicd the sinkin.L; 
 
 sun with j;rcat aii\iot\". Tor the httle rock in tlu- orc.m was noi \i| in siu'lu If .qiiiuarcd to hrr as if (ho swans were 
 
 ntaklnn irreat efforts watit their wini;s. Alasl siic was the caust' ol' their not :i(|\ anejni;" more (|iiirkl\. Wlien tlie sun 
 
 set tlies' wouki ehan^je to men, lall into the sea, and he drowned. 'Haai she oCfered a ]ir.i\er honi h<a" inmost heart. 
 
 but still no aii|iearanic ol' the rork. 1 )ark ehiuds c anie nearer, tlie nusts of wind told oi' a <o!rnn.i; slorni, while fi"(aii a 
 
 thirk, hea\ \ mass of clouds the lii;htnin^" lnu'st foith Hash after flash, Tlie stm Ii.mI rt'ai lied the i-il^e of the sea. uhen 
 
 the swans darted down so swiftl\- that Kli/,a's head ti'emhled; she lielie\ed thi'\- were hdlin,;::. hut the\ a.^ain soaia'd onw.ird. 
 
 PresentK she i au.i^ht siL;ht ol' the rock just helow them, and h\' this time the sun w ;is half hidden li\' the wa\es The rock 
 
 did not a]i|iear larger th.m a seals Ihm<I thrust out of the waler, rhe\' sunk so ra]uillv. thai at the niorneiil dicir feca toiu hcd the 
 
 rock, it shone onl\- hke a star, ami at last disaii]iearetl like the last spark in a |iieci.' ol hurnt paper I'lieu she s.iw Iht luotliers 
 
 standing iloscK' round her with their arms linked touelher. 'ITiere was hut just romn cnoiiuh for tlaaii, and not (lie sriKillest 
 
 space to spare', 1 he se.i dasla-d a^^ainst thi." roi k, .md cioerei.l them willi spra\. The he,i\(ais were' lighted iip with * ontinual 
 
 flashes, and jieal alter peal of thunder r(.illed. Ihil the sisler and hroihers --.u holdm.u e.e h ollier's h.inds. and sin^iiiL;" Inmns. from 
 
 whiih thev ,uaincd hopie ami coura.t^c. In the i-arU' d.iw n ihe air hecanie calm a nd still, and .il sunri ,..' the swans ^ 
 1 flew a\va\' from the roi k with Kli/a. '1 he st'a was slid loULih. .md Iroiii llair liiijh position in ilu.' aur ihe ^^k.j^^^J^-C: 
 
 white Uiam on the dark tureen wa\es looked like inilhons ...f swans swimming on the' water. .\s llie sun i ij.J'.fL/ii ^1 f 
 hi.Ljher, Kli/a saw hefore her, fhiatiipii in the air a r,inL;c ol uKjiinlam-. wilh shiniiic masses of k e on ^ ? /^"w^ \ ' Mp 1 i 
 
 their summits. In the ( entre rose a castle apparentU a rude Impi;, with row s of i ( jkimris -- ^7 iV ^ \iWi\ ' 
 
 risin.L; one ahove anijther, while arounil it |ialni-lrees wa\eil and llowers 1, loomed Yii p^m 3^11 V 
 as lar,i,re as mill-wheels. ."she asked if this was the hind to wlinh lhe\ were •' ^l fli^t '^ 'vi^' 
 hastenm;;. The swans shook iheir heads, for wh.it she heheld weie the heautd'ul 'l^^^'^mfQ — '^ 'ivS 
 c\ er-chan,i;"in;,' c louel palai es of the "Fata ,MorL;ana.' into wlmli no mortal (an f^\r~- ' ^fcifc/ ^ 
 
 enter. h'Ji/a was still .Lta/inj,; at the scene, wlieti moimlams. lor(_'sts. and caslles '^ \ # JB. I '0 
 melted awa\. and twent\' slate'U ( hurches rose m their slead. wilh hi.c;li -^M/UrVSw^Y^ 
 towers and p(unted (iotliii- windows. Kli/.a e\en lancied she (luild hear ^^ ,7 '^^ ^ , m' 
 the tones of the or,L;an, hut it was the musn- ol' the murmurmi^ sea \\liich 'T''^-^ ^ 
 
 she heard. .\s the\ drew nearer to the churches, they also ihaii.ucd into 
 
 a fleet of ships, which seemed to he sailiipi; heneath her; hill as she 
 
Tiir. wiiiri-: s]\.\,\s 
 
 lt>okc(l again, shv lound it was (nily a sea mist gliding; oscr tlu- oi-oan. 
 So there eontinued to i)ass before lier eyes a constant cliange of s. one 
 till at last she saw the real land to which thev were bound, with its blue 
 mountains, its cedar forests, and its cities and ]ialaces. Long before 
 the sLin went down she sat on a rock in frt/rit of a large cave, on the 
 floor of which the o\ergrovvn yet delicate green creeping ])lant looked 
 like an embroidered cari-et. "Now we shall exjiect to hear what \()ii 
 dream of to night." said the youngest brother, as he showed his sister ^v*^' 
 her bedroom. V. 
 
 " Heaven grant that I may dream how to sa^e you, ' she re|ilied. 
 And this thought tocjk such hold u[>on lier mind that she |iraved earnestlv 
 to (lod for hel]). and e\ en in iier sleep she continued to i<ray. Then 
 it apjieared to her as if she were flying high in the air. towards the 
 cloud} palace of the " Fata Morgana." and a fairy came out to meet 
 her. radiant and beautiful in appearance, and vet \er\ nuuh like the 
 old \v(]man who had gi\en her berries in the wood, and who had tnkl 
 hei of the swans with golden crowns on their heads, N'our 
 
 biothers can be released," said she. "if you have onl\ courage and 
 
 perse\ erance. 'i'rue. water is softer than your own dehi ate hands, and \et it polishes stones into shapes; it feels no pain 
 as your fingers would feel, it has no soul, and cannot suffer sin h agon\- and torment as \q\\ will ha\e to endure. Do vou 
 see the stinging-nettle which I hold in my hand? (^)uantities of tlie same surt gro--v round the cave in which yciu sleepc but 
 none will be of any use to you unless they grow upon t'\ie graves in a <hurchyard. These you must gather e\en while they 
 burn blisters on your hands. Break them to pieces with your hands and feet, and the\' will become flax, from which yc 
 must spin and wea\e eleven coats with long sleeves; if these ;ire then thr(.iwn over the eleven swans the spell will be broken. 
 lUit remember, that from the moment you i (immence your task until it is finished, even should it occupy years of \our life, von 
 must not speak. The first word you utter will pierce through the hearts of yout brothers like a deadly dagger. Their lives 
 hang upon your longue. Remeir.ber all I have told you." And as she fmished speaking she touched her hand lightly with the 
 nettle, and a pain, as (jf burning fire, awoke Eliza 
 
 It was broad daylight, and ( hjse by where she had been sleeping lav a nettle like the one she had seen in her dream 
 
rilE liJJJTJi SH.LXS 
 
 She fell on her knees and ulTercd lior thanks lo Ciod. 'riicn 
 she went forth from tlie ra\ e to begin her work witli her (leli( ate 
 lia.nds, She groped in amongst tlie ugly nettles, whii h Imrnt 
 great blisters on lier hands and arms, but she determined to f)ear 
 it gladly if she could onlv release lier dear brotliers. So slie 
 bruised the nettles with her bart- feet and spun llie llax. At t 
 sunset her brothers returned and were \er\ mu( h Irighteiied 
 when they found her dumb, d'hey fieliex ed it to l>e some new ^ 
 sorcery of their wicked ste|)-m(.ither. liut when llie\ saw her | 
 hands they imderstood wliat slic was doing on their liehalf, and 
 the youngest brotlier wept, and where liis tears fell the pain 
 ceased, and the fairning bbstcrs \anislied. She kept to her 
 work all night, for she <-ould not rest til! she liad released 
 her dear brothers. During the wliole of the following day. 
 while her brothers were absent, sire sat in solitude, but luxer 
 before had the time Hown so quickly. < 'ne coat was alrcath' 
 finished and she had begun the second, when she heard the 
 huntsman's horn, and was struck with fear. The souml ( ame 
 nearer and nearer, slie heard the dogs barking, and nc<l u ith teiri>i- 
 into the cave. She hastih bound t(jgetlier the nettles she had 
 gathered into a bundle and sat upcm tiiem. Immediately a great 
 dog came bounding towards lier out of the ra\ ine, and then an<ither 
 and another , the} 
 barked loudly, ran 
 back, and then came 
 again. In a very icw 
 minutes all the hunts- 
 men stood before the 
 cave, atid the hand- 
 
 somest of them was the king of the country. He advanced 
 towards her. for he had never seen a -more beautiful 
 maiden. 
 
 "How did \ou come here, my sweet child?" he asked, 
 but Eliza shook her head. She dared not speak, at the cost 
 of licr brothers' li\es. An(.l she hitl her hands under her 
 a|iron, so that the king miglit not see how she must be 
 su tiering. 
 
 ''Come with me," he said; "here vou cannot remain. 
 If vou are as good as \ ou are beautiful, I will tlress \ou in 
 silk and AcKet. [ will jilaee a goKlen cri.iwn on vour head, and 
 yon shall dwell, an<l rule, and make vour home in mv richest 
 castle. And then he lifted her (jn his horse. She wept and 
 wrung her hands, but the king said. 'I wish only vour hapju- 
 ness. A time will i nine when you will thank me for this." .\nd 
 then he galloped a\\a\- oxer the mcjuntaiiis. holding her before 
 him on Ills horse, and the hunters followed behind them. 
 .\s tlie sun went dnwii, thcv aiiprijached a fair, ro>al city 
 with churches and cupi.ilas. On arriving at tlie castle, the 
 king lei.l her into maible halls, where large fountains placed, 
 and where the walls and the ceilings were co\ered with 
 liili ]iaintings, lUit she had no e\'es for all these gloiious 
 
 sights, she could only 
 mourii and weep. 
 I'atientiv she allowed 
 the women t(.i array 
 lier in ro}al robes, to 
 weaAC pearls in her 
 liair, and draw s(jft 
 
TJIE U IllTli SII.LVS. 
 
 JS 
 
 gloNcs over her lihstcroil lingcis. As she 
 stood licforc tliom in all her rich dress, 
 she looked so da/,/Jiiij;ly lie;\i;til'iil that the 
 court bowed low in her jDeseiice. Then 
 the king declared his iuleiition of making- 
 lier his. bride, liul the archljisliojj sh(jok Ins 
 liead, and whispered tliat the fair aduhl; 
 maiden «as Hiilv a witch who liad bliniled 
 the kinys e\es anti liewit( lied his heart, 
 Kut the kinii would not listen to this; he 
 ordered the music to souinl, the tiaintiest 
 dishes to be serxetl, and the loveliest 
 .maidens to tlan< c. Afterwards he led 
 her throUL;h fra^ant gardens anil loft\- 
 halls, but not a smile ai)])eared 
 on her lips or sjiarkled in her eves. She 
 lookeil the \erv picture of grief. Then the 
 king opened the door of a little .chamlier 
 in whi<-h she was to sleep; it was atiorneil 
 with rich green tapestrx, and resembleil 
 the ca\e in whi<h he had found hei, 
 i)n the floor la\ the liuntlle of fla,\ which 
 she had s]>un from the nettles, an(.l untler the ceiling hu?ig the 
 <oat she had matle. These things had been brought avva\- 
 from the cave as curiosities by one of the ituntsmen, 
 
 "Here vou can dream )ourself back again in the old 
 home in the ca\e-," said the king; "here is the work with 
 which you employed yourself, Itvvill amuse you now in tlie 
 midst ol all this s))lendour to think of that time." 
 
 W iicii l-,li/,a ^;i u all these tilings 
 «hicii la\ so nc. ir her heart, a smile 
 jihued ;ui)und her month, and the i rimson 
 blood rushed to her cheeks. She thought 
 of her brothers, ;unl their release made 
 her so jovful th.ii she kissed the king's 
 hand. Then he ]iiessed her \i) his heart. 
 \"er\ soon the jovous ■ huii h bells 
 announced the marriage feast, and that the 
 beautiful dumfi girl out of the wood was 
 to be made the i|ui'en of the country. 
 Then the archbishop whispered wicked 
 words in the king's ear, but they did not 
 sink into his heart, 'I'he marriage was 
 still to take i)la( e, and the archbishop 
 himself had to ]ilace the crown (jn the 
 bride's head; in his wicked spite, he 
 ]>ressed the narrow circlet so tightly on 
 her forehead that it ( :iused her pain, liut 
 a lieaA ier weight encin led her heart- sorrow 
 tor her l)rothers. She fi-lt nut IxHlilv ]>ain. 
 ' Her mouth »v;is c Icised ; a sm^rl^^. word 
 would cost her brothers their lives, Mut she loved the kind, 
 handsome king, who diil e\er\lliing to make her ha|ip\, more 
 and mort- each (hu' ; she lo\ed him with her whole heart, and 
 her e\es beame<l with the lo\e she dareil not s|ieak. Oh I 
 if she had onl\ been able to < onfi<le in him ;ni<l tell hmi of her 
 grief. But dumb she must remain till her task was finished. 
 Therefore at night she i rept awa\ tn her little cliarnher, whi( h 
 
,.v 
 
 7V/A WniTJ'. S!I\L'\'S 
 
 She fell on her knees anil (ilTored ber thanks tn (lod. Then 
 slie went forth from the ( a\ e to begin her work with Iier delic ate 
 hands. She proped in amongst the ugly nettles, wliieli biirjit 
 great blisters on her bands and arms, but slie determinei.l to liear 
 it gladly if she could only release ber dear brothers. So she 
 bruised the nettles \yitli her bare feet and spun the (lax. At 
 sunset her brothers returned and xyere \ er\' mui h IViglitened 
 \v!ien they found her duml.i. 'rhe\' lieliexed it to lie some new I 
 sorrery ol" their wicked step-mother. Hut when the\^ saw her i 
 hands they understood what she was doing on their behalf, and 
 the youngest brotlier wept, and where liis tears fell the pain 
 ceased, and the Imrning blisters \anished. She kept to lier 
 work all night, for she could not rest til! she luui released 
 her dear brothers. During the whole of the following <la\-, 
 while her brothers were absent, slie s.it in solitude, hut ?ie\er 
 before had the time Hown so qui( kl\'. ( )ne coat was aln;uh 
 finished and she had begun the second, when she he.inl the 
 huntsman's horn, and was struck with fear. The sound ( .ime 
 nearer and nearer, she heard the dogs barking, and fled with terror 
 int(j the i;aye. She liastily l>ound t(jgether the nettles she had 
 gathered into a bundle and sat U[)on them. InimediateU a great 
 dog came l.iounding t(j« ards lier out of the r.u ine, and then another 
 and anotlier; the\ 
 barked loudly, ran 
 back, and then came 
 again. In a ycry few 
 mmutes all the hunts- 
 men stood before the 
 cayo, and the liand- 
 
 soniest of them was the king f>f the countrj-. He advanced 
 t<jwards her. for he had never seen a -more beautiful 
 maiden. 
 
 "How did you come here, ni\' sweet child?" he asked, 
 but Eli/a sliook her head. She dared not speak, at the cost 
 ol her brotliers' li\es. Antl she hid her hands under her 
 ajiron, so that the king might ncjt see how she must be 
 suflering. 
 
 ''Come with me," he said; "here \'ou cannot remain, 
 ll you are as g(jinl as \ou are beautiful, I will dress you in 
 silk and \el\et. 1 will jilacc a golden crown on vour head, and 
 \ou sliall duell, an-d rule, and riiake your home in my richest 
 caslle. An(.l then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and 
 wrung her hands, but the king said, 'I wish only vour hapjii- 
 ness. A time will ( unie wlicn \'ou will thank me for this." And 
 then he galloped away over the mountains, holding her before 
 him on Ills horse, and the hunters followed behind them. 
 -\s the sun went down, they ap|iroached a fair, ro)'al city 
 with <luinhes and cupi.ilas. ( )n arri\ing at the castle, the 
 king led her Into marfile halls, where large fountains pla\ed, 
 and where the walls and the ceilings were covered with 
 lich |iaintings. but slie had no e}es for all these glorious 
 
 sights, she could only 
 mourn and we<']i. 
 Patiently she alhnved 
 the women to arrax' 
 her in rciA al robes, to 
 wea^e pearls in her 
 hair, and draw soft 
 
TJfK W'lrirE SWANS 
 
 •^Uj\x-s L>\cr iicr lilistcrci! Iiiij^irs. As sin- 
 stood liofore tlicm in all lu-i rich dress, 
 slie looked so dazzliiip;lv beautil'ul th.it the 
 court l>owcd low in her i)resen<e. I'hen 
 the kinji declared his intention of making' 
 lier his bride, Liul the arehbishop shook his 
 head, and whispered that the fair \ounu; 
 maiden was <inl\' a witeli who liad liliiuled 
 tlie king's e\es and bewiti hed his heart. 
 l->ut the king would not listen to this; he 
 ordered tlie niusie to sound, the daintiest 
 dishes to be serxetl, and tlie hivellest 
 .maidens to daiKf. Afterwards hi- led 
 her through I'ragant gardens and loft\- 
 lialls, but not a smile ajijieared 
 on her lips or s])arkled in her eves. She 
 looketl tile \er\ jjirture of grief, 'I'hen the 
 king o])ened the door of a little chainlier 
 in wliicii she was to sleep; it was adorned 
 with ri<h green tajiestr}, and resembled 
 the <-a\e in whieh he had found her. 
 On the floor lay the bundle of fla.x whieh 
 
 she had spun fr(;m tlie nettles, and under the eeiling hung the 
 (-oat she had made, 'I'hese things had been brought away 
 from the eave as ruriosities by one of the huntsmen, 
 
 ■'Here vou can dream yourself back again in tiie old 
 home in the cave;" said the king; "here is the work with 
 whieh you em])loyed yourself. It will amuse you now in the 
 midst o( all this splendour to think of that time." 
 
 When Kli/,a saw all tliese things 
 which lay so near her heart, a smile 
 j)la\ed around her mouth, and the ( rimson 
 blood rushed to her cheeks. She thought 
 of her brothers, and their release made 
 her so joyful that she kissed the king's 
 hand. Then he jiressed lier to his heart, 
 \'er\' soon the joyc;)Us • hun h liells 
 announced the marriage feast, and that the 
 lieautifiil dumli girl out (jf the wood was 
 to be made the queen cif th.- country. 
 Then the archbisho]) whis|)ered wicked 
 words in the king's ear. but lhe\' did not 
 sink into his heart. I'he marriage was 
 still to take place, and the archbishop 
 himself had to place the crown (.m the 
 bride's head; in liis wii ked spite, he 
 ])ressed the narrow circ-let so tightly on 
 her forehead that it caused her jiain. But 
 a hea\ ier weight encinded her heart- snrrow 
 lor her brothers. She felt not Ixxlily jiain. 
 Her mouth >vas clused; a sj|,^^rl^^. word 
 would cdst her brothers their li\es. But she lo\etl the kind, 
 handsome king, who did everything to make her liapp\ , more 
 and more each dav ; she loxed him with her whole heart, and 
 her eyes lieameil with the love she dared not s]ieak. Oh I 
 if she had onlv lieen able to < on fide in him and tell him ot her 
 grief. But duinl.) she must remain till her task was Imished 
 Therefore at night she < rep't away to her little chamber, whi< h 
 
r///-; WHITE sii'.ixs. 
 
 Iiaii 
 
 she Ijegan the se\enth she found she liid no fl\ . is\if 
 
 in the cliurchvard, and thit she must iiKn^k thei^ berself'S^'J 
 
 ' 1 . <® 
 
 )een cle<-ked out to look like the (a\e, and (iuick5!{is^jO»^iOTie tp:d after aiiotiier. ]jUt wlien 
 
 ill fW^tl^ts \^ « lined t( use .^lew 
 lould tile „ct o«t til le t»h 
 
 what is tlie pain in n\ hn^ers to tlu <a?j)ient which ™^ f^^^J'^f'^"-'' "^^ ''^f' '^'i'- '^^ "¥'"' \entuie 
 I shall not be denied helj) liom 'iealen ^ i?ISLn \v ifh %i^^^Ji]^^ lu ut as it she venS,a'""" '<^ 
 
 sle^<~ 
 
 jierform a wicked deed 
 
 narrow walks an 
 
 tbe4H=oatflxrrrrb stones 
 
 gla»c€-s-«-pon her, but ■Jie "p&,\ 
 
 her to the castle, One'y^'^iyxJitf 
 
 everybody was aslci 
 
 the queen. She w 
 
 the king what he 1 
 
 carved images of 
 
 innocent." 
 
 ■ But the archbisR 
 were .shaking their 
 he went home with 
 sleep -to his eyes, 
 From dav to da\ 
 
 r^^Sar. 
 
 ta ti 
 
 
 (ir the 
 
 d the deastt^i.-fi cits' ""ttH sheiKad]e(^^^^tffiieh^riI^«''^!ht)»J^^."4^*'^^^ ot 
 
 ' ^ 4 „ ^3 
 
 tod seen hci and th t ^Mi^ 
 _lit his { liinii n \\ rs e\ 
 id bi \\ iti lied till, 
 h(. le lied ind is 
 then he ids is it 
 
 n inothi I u i\ lie b' 
 I kcdness 1 u ( 
 
 irt Old it 111 
 
 1 ^t t up e\ei\i.Ajg^*'%| di»M,}ipeAi 
 
 llkll iiul P ll/l 
 
 It \nd Si^#ot 3Jnderst\nd the reisi n but 
 
 it alarmed her and made %ier heart tremble for her brothers. Her l'i^.;|Kirs glittered like pearls on 
 
 who saw her were wishing tiiey could be queens. In the meantime she had almost 
 liat she had nq^^Sa-'^ left, and not a single nettle. 
 
 the regal velvet and diamiSlftds,owJ|tle; al 
 
 finished her tagk; .only one o^JT^i&fjW'V.' ^'''^^ wantin,u 
 
 Once more onh', 
 
 and for the last time, must %Jie V!eutiif«.-.to the churchyard and plu?,l^"f&Tew handfuls. She thought with terror of the 
 
 Ik, a»«i--(3f^he horrictti? i|)mtP';|'|m^ Providence. Kli/.a went, and the 
 
 iie archbislu)]) tbllowM,,-^^l^''&t"1^S^'.'"^^ '#(jr%-aiish^-i1^^^^^^ 'flie wicket-gate into the churchyard, and when they 
 
 solitary walk, aw^-naf^he horrjcttd i||)tntj 
 
 king and ti 
 
 came nearer they saw the ghouls sitting' on the tombstone, as Eliza had seen them, and the king turned away his head, 
 
 for he thought she was with them — she whose head ;, had rested on his breast that \ei\' e\ening. "The people must 
 
 condemn her," said he; and she was verv quickly condemned by e\ erv one t(j suffer death by fire. Away from the gorgeous 
 
sS' 
 
 rilE IIJ/JTF. SJl'JXS 
 
 icgul lialL> was slic led to a daik, drcai)- rcil, where tlie wind whistled tlirough 
 
 she irtin bars. Instead of the vehet and silk dresses, they ga\e her the coats of 
 
 mail wliicli she had «o\cn to rover her, and the Imiidle of nettles for a pillow; 
 
 but nothin}; thev could gi\e her would lia\e pleased her more. She continued 
 
 lier task- with jov, and prayed for help, while the street-boys sang jeering songs 
 
 about her, anil not a soul comforted her vvith a kind word. Towards evening, 
 
 slie heard at the grating the flutter of a swan's wing; it was her youngest 
 
 brother -he hail I'ound his sister, and slie soitbed for joy, although she knew 
 
 that \ery likely this would be the last niglit she would !ia\e to live. But sPill, 
 
 tlie could htipe, fur her task was almost fuiisbed, and her br(jthers were come. 
 
 ■' Tbenp the .'iTchbishop arrived, to be with her during her last hours, as he had 
 
 promised the king. Puit she shook her head, and beggtd him, by looks and 
 
 J gestures, not to stay; foi m this night she kmj*' .-sheVnit^t finish her task, 
 
 otherwise all her pain and te^us f\xn1 sk' j<kss nights, would lia\c been suffered 
 
 '%rt,, vaiii. The archbishop Wrti'tflT* y?^ u^J^nug bittct words against her; but poor. 
 
 Eliza knew that she was inno^Tft,^wSS'lttniLentlv continued h^r work. 
 
 '-'^'^■■J^ The 'littKl illice ran about the floor's thev dragged the nettles to her feet, to 
 
 hclVr" as'*"* well as thev could; and the thrush sat outidde the grating of the 
 
 thrush sat 
 to her the whole night long, as sweetly as possible, to keep 
 
 window, and san 
 U]i her spirits. 
 
 It was still twilight, and at least an hour before sunrise, when the eleven 
 brotlicrs stood at the caslle gate, and demanded to be brought before the king, 
 They were told it could not be; it was }'et almost night, and as tlie king slept, 
 ilisturb him.'!,jThi-\V' frtVfeatened, they entreated. Then the guard appeared, and e\en the king himself, inquiring 
 what all illt noise meant. Af.this moment the sun r(.ise. The ele\en brothers were seen no more, but eleven' wild swans flew away 
 o\er the castle. And now all the people came streaming forth from the gates of the city to see the witch burnt. An old horse 
 drew the cart on which^' shtj sat. They had dressed her in a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hung loose on 
 her shoulders, her checks- were deadly jiale, her lips mo\ed silently, while her fingers still worked at the green flax.. Even on the 
 way to death she would not gl\e up her ta-k. The ten (ciats uf mail la\ at her feet, she was wnrking hard at the eleventh. 
 
 they daren » 
 
.rv 
 
40 
 
 Till'. II IIITi:. Slt'JXS. 
 
 whlK- ihc mill) jcci-cd her ;uul said, "Sec the witch, how she muttersl She has nn li\'mn-l»iuk in 
 lier haiul. She sits there with her iiulv sorccrx-. Let lis tear it in a thousand pieces." 
 
 And then the)' ]iressed t(jwards her, and wuuhl ha\e destri)\-ed the coats of mail, but at the 
 same moment ele\'en wild swans tlew (j\er lier, and ali,^lued (jn the cart. Then tliev tlapjx-d tlieir 
 hirge winns, and the crowd drew on one side in akirm. 
 
 "It IS a sipjn from heaven that she is innocent," wliispered many of them; hut tliev \entured 
 not to sa\- it aloud. 
 
 .\s the executioner seized lier hv the hantl to lift her out of the cart, she hastilx- threw 
 the eleven coals of mail over the swans, and ihev immediatelv' became eleven liandsome ]irinces ; 
 but the vounL;cst had a swans wing instead of an arm; for she had not l)een able to finish the 
 last sleev e of the coat. 
 
 "Now I mav" speak." she exclaimed. "I am innocent." 
 
 Then the |ieo])le, who saw what ha]i|iened, liowed to her, as before a saint; but she sank 
 lifeless in her brother's arms, overcijme with susjiense, anguish, and pain. 
 
 " \'es. she is innoi ent." said the eldest brother; and then he related all that had taken place; 
 and while lie spoke there rose in the air a fragrance as from millions of roses. Every piece of 
 fa.ggol in the pile had taken root, and threw out bran< hes, and a]ipeared a thick hedge, large 
 and high, covered with roses; while above all bloomed a white and shining flcMver. that glittered 
 like a star. This flower the king ]ilucked, and placed in Kli/as bosom, when she awoke from 
 her swoon, with peace and happiness in her lieart. Ami all the church Ijells rang of themselves, 
 and the birds came in great tro(jps. :\nd a marriage jireicession returned to tile castle such as 
 no king had evtr before seen. 
 
 wm^ 
 
 Ki^^r*' 
 
4r 
 
 THE PEA-BLOSSOM, 
 
 IIKRK were nricc five peas in one shell, they were green, the shell was green, and 
 so the\ believed that the whole world must be green also, \\hi(h was a very natural 
 <(in<lusion. The shell grew, antl the peas grew, they arominodated themselves tn 
 their positi(jn, and sat all in a row. The sun shone without and warmed ihe shell, 
 and the rain made it clear and transparent; it was mild and agreeable m bro?d 
 d. IV light, and dark at night, as it generally is; and the peas as they sat there grew 
 bigger and bi,L;ger, and more thoughtful as they mused, tor they felt that there 
 must be S(jmething fijr them to tlo. 
 
 Are we to sit here lor e\er-" asked one; ■shall we not become hard by sittnig so hjngr 
 It seems to me there must be something outside, and I feel siu-e of it."' 
 .\.nd as weeks passed b\-. the jjeas liecame yellow, anti the shell Ijecame yellow. 
 ■• .\ll the world is turning vellow, 1 suppose," said they, -and perhaps they were right. 
 
 SudclrnU they felt a luill at the shell; it was torn (.iff, and held in human hands, then slipjicd into the 
 ]>o(ket of a ]a( ket in compajiy with other full pods. 
 
 ■•N(jw we shall s<jon be opened,'^ said one, — just what they all wantetl. 
 ■'1 should like to know which of us will tra\el farthest." said the smallest of the five; "we shall soon see now." 
 ■'What IS 111 hiijipen will luippen," said the largest jiea. 
 
 ■■(.'rack! ' went the shell as it burst, and the five peas rolled out into the bright sunshine. There they lay in a child's hand, 
 iltle bo\ was lioldine them tii:litl\'. and said the\ were fine peas for his ]ie;i-shooter. ,\nd immediately he put one in antI sliot it out. 
 
7-' 
 
77//; I'1':a-iu.oss.om 
 
 ■'. -"Now I am Spying out into the wide world," said he; ■■raid) me if you can;" and Ll w is ^ofle^a riKtmogi , Z>f -%. 
 ■ ■ ■ "I," said tli» "second, 'intend to llv straiLdit to the sun, that is a shell ihiit lets itself l>e se-t^r, d-nd if wiU-^Ut iiie e\l( tl\ , 
 and .ii^ay he went, ' ... -'..»? ^ » i- ** 3 
 
 ."\Ve will g(f to sleep wlij_re\Li \\c hnd oursehes," saitl the two nexfr^ "we shill 4t4Cl)e iollin^i$nj\ar-d^', £^d tli^'y 
 did certainly fall on the Hooi ''antj' lolled about before they ijot into the [jcaMhooter , l^ji^-tltc^ ^il ptft4ri for all ilnt^ ' \\ t| 
 shall <'o farther than the otheis, ''Vaid--ttjt?v^ f'li ./ •.&'«■'-' 'i ' 
 
 "What is tu ha]ii)en will Ita^nieiJ ' cxehjmied the last, as he was shotStit of t!i¥ fea^Iiootei .nnd as Jie si oLcMic fl< w 
 .up ai,fainst an old boaid undeT i 5!ri.J ttrndiw, and fell into a little i rc\ iiM w'hieh was dm I lifleil up with ukas -#id?^iiti' 
 earth. The moss closed it 4lf > i tm ai^^theic he l^^ i (iptnt mdijsii 1 ut not unnoU(,«?d b\ i. )d '>--^ 4 ' ' 
 
 ."\\hat is to happen 'hiSjiU i)J*)i>pi>, said Ivigt U; himsi,ll 
 ■ .'Within the little f, w^^^^^ .^ "^gooi w 
 ■sueh-like hard work, tor^^^^Si^^iSs^ md flldustftotlf "- Yct sJlT ^«i^iaTHe ^^w i \ s poi r ind dt l),ome in the f^arret lay hei 
 only daughter, not (iuie*^6?\/j)* ubAnd \(.iv delmte and wfife >oru^|?k \lii i 'I kept lii-r bed, and it seemed 
 as if she could noithei^^»:?iQF^!l^ ^*^ ^ 
 
 'She is goinff to l^s^l^"^^^ *Aui the worn m I hid I ut the tw^lijlxildien ml it is iii>t afi eas\ thing to su].ipoit 
 
 Kimm i(8mo Went out t(_i i k in 
 
 ( bo]i wind int small j rcls and j^crloim 
 
 both of them; but tlu*"|^^^'i^l4#fii'tH me in i«s^,!M4aL aui' 
 would, gladly keep the^-lj^.nKStffias K'tt to mt, but F^up^<n. 
 ^'o jtoher sister abo\t^j|,'p^^tbi u k ^ul still umii^Ld ^ * '•< 
 
 e at tlv, 1 woik 
 
 t^l * 
 
 hii 1 I H 111 ill md ]iro\ide(I for her. Now 1 
 
 ' ic b<) II tid ind mv sick girl will \erv soon 
 
 ) tU mil 1 iticnth she lay all the day hjng, while. 
 
 her 'mother was awa^' 
 
 . Spring came, and, 
 
 rays o^er the floor ol"; 
 
 on the lowest pane ot 
 
 peeps in. at the •*\;indo\^ 
 
 The 'mother stej:jptjd<*l^r wuid|* •^nd: Jidl < j^enert if^ ^i" Oh' she si th u is i tiiilh n little^'S'a 
 
 pea that Jias taken 'roi.)t and is [ uttiii-r out its giten k.ues. How toukl I.im. got into tins i rack r 
 Well now, here is a Uttle gartlen for you to amuse yourself with." So thc" bed of the sick L,drl was 
 drawn nearer to tlie window, that she might see the budding ]ilant; arid :t^he mijther went out to 
 her work.- ' . 
 
 "Mother, I be-lie\"e I shall get well," said the sick child in the e^eninL;, 'the sun has shone in heie 
 
 ri)lfig c xVh the sun sho^L biiipjtU th^u.^fi'' theili'Hle window and threw his 
 mi lust as tht. mother5\is ^mn^ tu^i ^ ,)r^ft|it su k ,^irl lixcd her gaze 
 ml Mothei I shc^^)t<.^ii«'_(^jpj.^ss?i^r c% ^t intde ^leen thnv be that 
 
 ■^1 ni )«flg in the w iiufe ^'f''*^"' "" ' 
 
44 
 
 TJIE J'KJ-JU.OSSOM. 
 
 4ct on better, too, and 
 
 brightly i;in(.4»*ai-mL>' to-<iay, and the little ]iea is thri\ ing so well; 1 sha 
 
 :.,$-§^ go au|, |nto tlie warm sunshine again," 
 
 ' iif. ^ ^" *jpd giant it!" said (he mother; but she did not belie\e it would be so. But she propped \\\i 
 
 J . ^^-.^tv^tll-al little -slick the green i)lant whii-h had gi\en her child such i)leasant hopes of live, so that it 
 
 might not be broken by the winds she tied the piece of string to the window-sill and to the upper 
 
 part of the fiame, st> that the pea-tendrils might twine round it wVffi|p it _^]Qt up.-*- And it 
 
 ditl sho(jt up: indeed, it might almost be seen to grow from dav.,;to*rd^V.''^ 
 
 .,j-*4' ^ow really hire is a llower cuming," said the okb woman one morniTig, and now 
 
 fM last a}>e bega^^ to* encourage the hope that her littlifc sigM daughter might really recjovej? 
 
 '?|She rem^nbered thit for some t^iny, Ihe child had sp'ikeVi iM%e cheerfullv, a^d chlikiS( th'e[ 
 
 ^ last few days had raised hej-sclf in bed in th^'raorrmyi: to look witl%,,ji)arlclin^ «e)'cs 
 
 -at her little garden S«ii<4T coxitOiinecli^QJilv a,sidgre pea-plant. A^'ireM after* ttfe 
 
 ■'** '"^Invalid sat up for the first time a whole liour, feeding qujtei hai)pv by .the -Qpcti 
 
 window ,in the warm sunshine, while outside gre"y; tlill-|fittle plant, anti on it a 
 
 jiink pea-blossom in full bloom. The little niaicleTu'bciit'?«^ifn iind 'gently kissed 
 
 the delicate lea\es. This day was to her like a festival,,*;, ■' -_^'-.^ 
 
 l" Otii- heaxenly Father Himself has plantej^ihat jii.;x,. a)v{ made it grow and 
 
 t1(,)Ui*ish, to firing joy to you and hope to me,» my bf^^Sed child," sciad the hajipv 
 
 nifither, and she smiled at the flower, as if it had -l^eerj^;, an angel»-flfom God. 
 
 But , what became of tlie other peas.- Why the one who flow iduf into the wid,e..>vorld, 
 
 and saicj, "Catch me if you <an," fell into a gutter on the roof of a house and ended his 
 
 travels in the crop of a pigeon. The two lazy ones were carried cpiite as far, for thev were also 
 
 eaten by pigeons, so they were at least of some use ; but the foiarth, wh(i%anted to reach the sun, 
 
 fell into a sink, aiul la\- there in the dirt\ water for da\s and weeks, tiU he- hSd'se'cfied to a ureal size. 
 
 "T am getting beautilully fat," said the jiea ; ''1 cxjiect f shall burst -it t last ; no jiea ciiuld d(.i 
 
 I am the most remarkable of all tlie fi\e whi<:h were in the shelf." And tlie'liift'Cimfirnied the opinion. 
 
 th( \Oung maiden stood at the open garret window, with s])arkling e\'es and the rosy lyie^Jff health' on'^her' cTi^k*, 
 ■ ' %' ' 
 
 led her tliin hands over the ])ea-bl(jssoni, antl thanked Cjod leu what He had done. 
 
 " said the sink, " shidi stand U|i for my |iea " 
 
//>" 
 
 
46 
 
 THE LITTLE MATCH-SELLER. 
 
 was tcniiily lold and iicarh' dark (ui the e\ciiiii;; of llic old )car, and the snow was 
 
 falling fast. ' Tn the lohl and the darkness, a poor little girl, with hare head and 
 
 naked" feet, roamed through the streets. It is true she liatl on a ))air of siipjiers 
 
 when she lelt lionie. luil tliex uere not of niueh use. Thex' «ere"\erv large,' so 
 
 large, indec'd, th.it thc\- had hehmged to her mother .ajuf the jioor little" creature, 
 
 h;ul hist them in running across the street to.a\;)ld twei carriages that wc^'e rolling'^ 
 
 along a( a lerril)le rate. ( )ne of the slippcis -.she < (mid not find, and a bo)' seM/ed 
 
 ^ upon" the other and ran awa\ with it, saving tlial he eould use it as a eradle. when 
 
 he had rhddren of Ins own. .Si.) the little girl went on with hei little naked feet, 
 
 which were (piite red and hltie with- tile' i cild. In an old iii>r.on she earrieil a number of 
 
 \} matches, and had a bundle of them in her hands. No one had bought an\thing. of 
 
 ,\ her the whole .tla\ , nor had anv one gi\en her e\eit a jiennv. ,Shi\ering with C(jld and 
 
 \ hunger, she crept along; yjoor litlh: rhildl she looketl the )>ic.ture of mlserw 'I'he snow- 
 
 , w hiih hung in curls on her shoulders, biil- slu.- regarded 
 
 ■J Hakes lell on hei- long, iair hair, 
 them not. 
 
 Taghts weie shining from e\er\- window, and there was a sa\ourv smell ol roast goose, 
 for it was New \'ear's K\e — yes, she remembered that. In a corner, between two houses, 
 one of whi<'h ])rojectetl be\(ind the other, she sank down and hiKldled herself togetlier. She 
 ^ ., had drawn her little feet mider lier. but she could not keep off the cold, and she tlaretl. 
 * 'mi not go liome, h.r she had sold no matches, and coukl not take home e\en a penny of 
 mone\ . Her father would ■ (.rtaiiiK beat her; besic.les, it was almost as i (.)ld at home as 
 Iheie, for llie\ had onlv the roof to (ovcrthem, through which the wind howknl, altlu.>ugh 
 the largest holes ha<l bcrn s-to|i]ied up with straw and rags. Her little liamls were almost 
 frozen with the cold. All! jx-rhajis a burning match might be some good, if she C(.)uld draw it from tlie liundle and strike' it 
 against the wall, just t<i warm her fuigers. She drew one oul ' Mr,il<ii!" how it sputtered as' it burnt! It g;i\-e a warni, bright 
 light, like a little candle, as she held her lumd o\cr it It ^^a^ ir,dly a wonderhil light. It seemed to the little girl as if 
 she were sillinu' bi a large iron slose, with ]ioiislHil bi.is^ Ic'i .nul a brass ornament. How the In-e burneil ' ;ind seeuied so 
 
47 
 
4,\- 
 
 THE 1- 1 rri. /•; j/. ; ix usei. / /•;/>■. 
 
 iioaulirullv warm that the chilil strcti ht.'(l out hor 
 foci as if to warm thi'iii, \\hon, lo! the llamc 
 ijf tlK- malrh 
 
 loc 
 
 jf tlK- malrh 
 went (lilt, the sto\ e 
 \anisheil, and she hai 
 "' ■' linsdl'th'' 
 
 iml) the remains (il tlv ^;i:.»-^™ 
 hall'-hin-nt mat( li in lier hand 
 Slie rithbed another inatrh on 
 
 Slie rithbed an.....^ , ....n. ,, ,... 
 the walh It l)urst into a flame, am 
 
 <rl-i t" I r 'I I III i( 111 till ' \i-i 1 1 If 1 .1 ■( ■ I nie as 
 
 the walh It l)urst into a flame, and ---'H, *<^^l|g?»*K,.^ 
 
 where its lii;ht fell U]ion the wall il her, ime as "^^""""^^f ?t'' \"^' 
 
 transparent as a \eil, and she eould see int(j the room. The ' •'/ 
 table was covered with a siiow)' white taljle-cloMi, on which stood 
 asplendid rlinner-ser\ ire, and a steaniini; roast _i;o(jse, stulTed with 
 ajiples and dried plums. And what was still more wonderlul. the 
 goose jumyicd down from the dish and waddletl across the floor, 
 with a knife an<l folk in its breast, to the little girl. Tlien the 
 match went out, and there remained nothing but the thick, damp, 
 cokl wall before her. 
 
 She lighted another match, and then she found herself sitting 
 under a beautiful Christmas-tree. Il was laiger and more beauti- 
 fully decoraletl than the one she had seen through the glass 
 door at llie ricli meii liaiit's. Thous.'uids of tapers were burning 
 Ujion the green branches, and coloured jm lures, like ihosi; she 
 had seen in the sIiom -windows, h joked down upon il all. The little 
 one St ret ( lied out her hand towards them, and the .r.ali h \\ ent mil 
 
 'I'he Christmas lighis i-ose higher and higlier, till the\" lookeil 
 to iii.u- like the star'- in the sk\'. Then she sau a star lall 
 
 'I'he C'hristm 
 to iii.u- like the star'- in the sk\'. Then she sau a 
 leaving beliind a bright sireak of hre. " Some 
 thought ih.- liltle girl, for her ol.l graiidmolher, Il 
 
 who had e\er lo\ed her, and who was now- 
 dead, had told her that when a star falls, a 
 
 soul was going 
 \\\> to (.jod. 
 
 ,_ __t— --. -^ '.i She again rubbed 
 
 -^ _jj»r ""**=:^^^_ ^jsf match on the wall, and 
 ;\^j'-^'-*^- — _»— ^•^' ihe light shone round her; in 
 ■^ , ',j^,<^^,___^- the bri.ghtness stood her old grand- 
 ^«*r ^^W^^ mother, clear and shining, yet mild 
 
 1 "TS J> ^'^ ,^Y^ and lo\ing in her appearance, ''(irand 
 
 ^./-><v -^ nii..ther," cried the little one, ,, oh take me with 
 
 you ; I know you will go away when the match burns out ; \'ou will 
 \anish like the warm sto\e, the roast goose, and the large glorious 
 Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the w liole bundle of 
 matches, for she w ished to keep her granilmolher there. Ami the 
 mat( lies glowed with a light that was lirighter than the nocjii- 
 dav, and her grandmothei- had ne\er appeared scj large or so 
 beautiful. She look the little girl in her arms, and they both 
 flew upw ards in brightness and jo\ far abo\e the earth, where there 
 was neither cold nor hunger nor jiain, for they were with (iod. 
 In the dawn of the morning tlieie la\ the ]ioor little one, 
 ^vilh pale clieeks and smiling mouth, leaning against the wall; 
 she had been b-o/en to death on the last evening of ihe Old 
 ^ear; and the New \'ear's sun rose and shone upon a little 
 lorpsel The i hild siill sal. in the stiffness of deatli, hokling 
 the mall lies in her hand, luie bundle of which was burnt. 
 ■' She tried to warm herself, ' saiti some, Xo one imagined 
 what beautiful things she had seen, nor into wliat glory she 
 had entei"<.d wllli hi-r L.r.i ndniwlher lUi New \'ea''s Ji.n. 
 
 lie is d\ing, 
 onU wii 
 
c 
 
 " N V ^']^ LI .S'"^ i*^ m*. K 
 
/