shecouldsaynomore.

thenibbroughtoutanothermatch,andlightedapieceofcandlewhichhefoundintheroom,anditthrewaglimmeringlightoverthewretcheddwelling.iblookedatthelittlegirl,andthoughtofchristinainheryoungdays.forhersake,couldhenotlovethischild,whowasastrangertohim?ashethusreflected,thedyingwomanopenedhereyes,andgazedathim.didsherecognizehim?heneverknew;fornotanotherwordescapedherlips.

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intheforestbytherivergudenau,notfarfromtheheath,andbeneaththeridgeofland,stoodthelittlefarm,newlypaintedandwhitewashed.theairwasheavyanddark;therewerenoblossomsontheheath;theautumnwindswhirledtheyellowleavestowardstheboatman'shut,inwhichstrangersdwelt;butthelittlefarmstoodsafelyshelteredbeneaththetalltreesandthehighridge.theturfblazedbrightlyonthehearth,andwithinwassunlight,thesparklinglightfromthesunnyeyesofachild;thebirdliketonesfromtherosylipsringinglikethesongofalarkinspring.allwaslifeandjoy.littlechristinasatonib'sknee.ibwastoherbothfatherandmother;herownparentshadvanishedfromhermemory,asadream-picturevanishesalikefromchildhoodandage.ib'shousewaswellandprettilyfurnished;forhewasaprosperousmannow,whilethemotherofthelittlegirlrestedinthechurchyardatcopenhagen,whereshehaddiedinpoverty.ibhadmoneynow-moneywhichhadcometohimoutoftheblackearth;andhehadchristinaforhisown,afterall.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

inathousandyears

byhanschristianandersen

yes,inathousandyearspeoplewillflyonthewingsofsteamthroughtheair,overtheocean!theyounginhabitantsofamericawillbecomevisitorsofoldeurope.theywillcomeovertoseethemonumentsandthegreatcities,whichwillthenbeinruins,justasweinourtimemakepilgrimagestothetotteringsplendorsofsouthernasia.inathousandyearstheywillcome!

thethames,thedanube,andtherhinestillrolltheircourse,montblancstandsfirmwithitssnow-cappedsummit,andthenorthernlightsgleamoverthelandofthenorth;butgenerationaftergenerationhasbecomedust,wholerowsofthemightyofthemomentareforgotten,likethosewhoalreadyslumberunderthehillonwhichtherichtrader,whosegrounditis,hasbuiltabench,onwhichhecansitandlookoutacrosshiswavingcornfields.

"toeurope!"crytheyoungsonsofamerica;"tothelandofourancestors,thegloriouslandofmonumentsandfancy-toeurope!"

theshipoftheaircomes.itiscrowdedwithpassengers,forthetransitisquickerthanbysea.theelectro-magneticwireundertheoceanhasalreadytelegraphedthenumberoftheaerialuropeisinsight.itisthecoastofirelandthattheysee,butthepassengersarestillasleep;theywillnotbecalledtilltheyareexactlyoverengland.theretheywillfirststeponeuropeanshore,inthelandofshakespeare,astheeducatedcallit;inthelandofpolitics,thelandofmachines,asitiscalledbyothers.

heretheystayawholeday.thatisallthetimethebusyracecandevotetothewholeofenglandandscotland.thenthejourneyiscontinuedthroughthetunnelundertheenglishchannel,tofrance,thelandofcharlemagneandnapoleon.moliereisnamed,thelearnedmentalkoftheclassicschoolofremoteantiquity.thereisrejoicingandshoutingforthenamesofheroes,poets,andmenofscience,whomourtimedoesnotknow,butwhowillbebornafterourtimeinparis,thecentreofeurope,andelsewhere.

theairsteamboatfliesoverthecountrywhencecolumbuswentforth,wherecortezwasborn,andwherecalderonsangdramasinsoundingverse.beautifulblack-eyedwomenlivestillinthebloomingvalleys,andtheoldestsongsspeakofthecidandthealhambra.

thenthroughtheair,overthesea,toitaly,whereoncelayold,everlastingrome.ithasvanished!