heasked.

"thatismysister,"repliedthepea-blossom.

"oh,indeed;andyouwillbelikehersomeday,"saidhe;andheflewawaydirectly,forhefeltquiteshocked.

ahoneysucklehungforthfromthehedge,infullbloom;butthereweresomanygirlslikeher,withlongfacesandsallowcomplexions.no;hedidnotlikeher.butwhichonedidhelike?

springwentby,andsummerdrewtowardsitsclose;autumncame;buthehadnotdecided.theflowersnowappearedintheirmostgorgeousrobes,butallinvain;theyhadnotthefresh,fragrantairofyouth.fortheheartasksforfragrance,evenwhenitisnolongeryoung;andthereisverylittleofthattobefoundinthedahliasorthedrychrysanthemums;thereforethebutterflyturnedtothemintontheground.youknow,thisplanthasnoblossom;butitissweetnessallover,-fulloffragrancefromheadtofoot,withthescentofaflowerineveryleaf.

"iwilltakeher,"saidthebutterfly;andhemadeheranoffer.butthemintstoodsilentandstiff,asshelistenedtohim.atlastshesaid,-

"friendship,ifyouplease;nothingmore.iamold,andyouareold,butwemayliveforeachotherjustthesame;astomarrying-no;don'tletusappearridiculousatourage."

andsoithappenedthatthebutterflygotnowifeatall.hehadbeentoolongchoosing,whichisalwaysabadplan.andthebutterflybecamewhatiscalledanoldbachelor.

itwaslateintheautumn,withrainyandcloudyweather.thecoldwindblewoverthebowedbacksofthewillows,sothattheycreakedagain.itwasnottheweatherforflyingaboutinsummerclothes;butfortunatelythebutterflywasnotoutinit.hehadgotashelterbychance.itwasinaroomheatedbyastove,andaswarmassummer.hecouldexisthere,hesaid,wellenough.

"butitisnotenoughmerelytoexist,"saidhe,"ineedfreedom,sunshine,andalittleflowerforacompanion."

thenheflewagainstthewindow-pane,andwasseenandadmiredbythoseintheroom,whocaughthim,andstuckhimonapin,inaboxofcuriosities.theycouldnotdomoreforhim.

"nowiamperchedonastalk,liketheflowers,"saidthebutterfly."itisnotverypleasant,certainly;ishouldimagineitissomethinglikebeingmarried;forhereiamstuckfast."andwiththisthoughtheconsoledhimselfalittle.

"thatseemsverypoorconsolation,"saidoneoftheplantsintheroom,thatgrewinapot.

"ah,"thoughtthebutterfly,"onecan'tverywelltrusttheseplantsinpots;theyhavetoomuchtodowithmankind."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thechildinthegrave

byhanschristianandersen

itwasaverysadday,andeveryheartinthehousefeltthedeepestgrief;fortheyoungestchild,aboyoffouryearsold,thejoyandhopeofhisparents,wasdead.twodaughters,theelderofwhomwasgoingtobeconfirmed,stillremained:theywerebothgood,charminggirls;butthelostchildalwaysseemsthedearest;andwhenitisyoungest,andason,itmakesthetrialstillmoresistersmournedasyoungheartscanmourn,andwereespeciallygrievedatthesightoftheirparents'sorrow.thefather'sheartwasboweddown,butthemothersunkcompletelyunderthedeepgrief.dayandnightshehadattendedtothesickchild,nursingandcarryingitinherbosom,asapartofherself.shecouldnotrealizethefactthatthechildwasdead,andmustbelaidinacoffintorestintheground.shethoughtgodcouldnottakeherdarlinglittleonefromher;andwhenitdidhappennotwithstandingherhopesandherbelief,andtherecouldbenomoredoubtonthesubject,shesaidinherfeverishagony,"goddoesnotknowit.hehashard-heartedministeringspiritsonearth,whodoaccordingtotheirownwill,andheednotamother'sprayers."thusinhergreatgriefshefellawayfromherfaithingod,anddarkthoughtsaroseinhermindrespectingdeathandafuturestate.shetriedtobelievethatmanwasbutdust,andthatwithhislifeallexistenceended.butthesedoubtswerenosupporttoher,nothingonwhichshecouldrest,andshesunkintothefathomlessdepthsofdespair.inherdarkesthourssheceasedtoweep,andthoughtnotoftheyoungdaughterswhowerestilllefttoher.thetearsofherhusbandfellonherforehead,butshetooknonoticeofhim;herthoughtswerewithherdeadchild;herwholeexistenceseemedwrappedupintheremembrancesofthelittleoneandofeveryinnocentwordithaduttered.

thedayofthelittlechild'sfuneralcame.fornightspreviouslythemotherhadnotslept,butinthemorningtwilightofthisdayshesunkfromwearinessintoadeepsleep;inthemeantimethecoffinwascarriedintoadistantroom,andtherenaileddown,thatshemightnotheartheblowsofthehammer.whensheawoke,andwantedtoseeherchild,thehusband,withtears,said,"wehaveclosedthecoffin;itwasnecessarytodoso."

"whengodissohardtome,howcaniexpectmentobebetter?"