"areyouanartist?"saidacavalier,thesonofhisfather;"youplayontheflute,youhavemadeityourself;itisgeniusthatrules-theplaceofhonourisduetoyou."

"certainlynot!ionlyadvancewiththetime,andthatofcourseonecan'thelp."

"ihopeyouwilldelightusallwiththelittleinstrument-willyounot?"thussayinghehandedtothetutortheflutewhichhadbeencutfromthewillowtreebythepool;andthenannouncedinaloudvoicethatthetutorwishedtoperformasoloontheywishedtoteasehim-thatwasevident,andthereforethetutordeclinedtoplay,althoughhecoulddosoverywell.theyurgedandrequestedhim,however,solong,thatatlasthetookupthefluteandplacedittohislips.

thatwasamarvellousflute!itssoundwasasthrillingasthewhistleofasteamengine;infactitwasmuchstronger,foritsoundedandwasheardintheyard,inthegarden,inthewood,andmanymilesroundinthecountry;atthesametimeastormroseandroared;"everythingintherightplace."andwiththisthebaron,asifcarriedbythewind,flewoutofthehallstraightintotheshepherd'scottage,andtheshepherdflew-notintothehall,thitherhecouldnotcome-butintotheservants'hall,amongthesmartfootmenwhowerestridingaboutinsilkstockings;thesehaughtymenialslookedhorror-struckthatsuchapersonventuredtositattablewiththem.butinthehallthebaron'sdaughterflewtotheplaceofhonourattheendofthetable-shewasworthytositthere;thepastor'ssonhadtheseatnexttoher;thetwosatthereasiftheywereabridalpair.anoldcount,belongingtooneoftheoldestfamiliesofthecountry,remaineduntouchedinhisplaceofhonour;theflutewasjust,anditisone'sdutytobeso.thesharp-tonguedcavalierwhohadcausedtheflutetobeplayed,andwhowasthechildofhisparents,flewheadlongintothefowl-house,butnothealone.

theflutewasheardatthedistanceofamile,andstrangeeventstookplace.arichbanker'sfamily,whoweredrivinginacoachandfour,wereblownoutofit,andcouldnotevenfindroombehinditwiththeirfootmen.tworichfarmerswhohadinourdaysshotuphigherthantheirowncorn-fields,wereflungintotheditch;itwasadangerousflute.fortunatelyitburstatthefirstsound,andthatwasagoodthing,forthenitwasputbackintoitsowner'spocket-"itsrightplace."

thenextday,nobodyspokeawordaboutwhathadtakenplace;thusoriginatedthephrase,"topockettheflute."everythingwasagaininitsusualorder,exceptthatthetwooldpicturesofthepeddlarandthegoose-girlwerehanginginthebanqueting-hall.theretheywereonthewallasifblownupthere;andasarealexpertsaidthattheywerepaintedbyamaster'shand,theyremainedthereandwererestored."everythingintherightplace,"andtothisitwillcome.eternityislong,muchlongerindeedthanthisstory.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

grandmother

byhanschristianandersengrandmother

grandmotherisveryold,herfaceiswrinkled,andherhairisquitewhite;buthereyesareliketwostars,andtheyhaveamild,gentleexpressioninthemwhentheylookatyou,whichdoesyougood.shewearsadressofheavy,richsilk,withlargeflowersworkedonit;anditrustleswhenshemoves.andthenshecantellthemostwonderfulstories.grandmotherknowsagreatdeal,forshewasalivebeforefatherandmother-that'squitecertain.shehasahymn-bookwithlargesilverclasps,inwhichsheoftenreads;andinthebook,betweentheleaves,liesarose,quiteflatanddry;itisnotsoprettyastheroseswhicharestandingintheglass,andyetshesmilesatitmostpleasantly,andtearsevencomeintohereyes."iwonderwhygrandmotherlooksatthewitheredflowerintheoldbookthatway?