saidthefingers,astheyseizedherroundthebody.

"see,iamcomingwithatrain,"saidthedarning-needle,drawingalongthreadafterher;buttherewasnoknotinthethread.

thefingersthenplacedthepointoftheneedleagainstthecook'sslipper.therewasacrackintheupperleather,whichhadtobesewntogether.

"whatcoarsework!"saidthedarning-needle,"ishallnevergetthrough.ishallbreak!-iambreaking!"andsureenoughshebroke."didinotsayso?"saidthedarning-needle,"iknowiamtoofineforsuchworkasthat."

"thisneedleisquiteuselessforsewingnow,"saidthefingers;buttheystillhelditfast,andthecookdroppedsomesealing-waxontheneedle,andfastenedherhandkerchiefwithitinfront.

"sonowiamabreast-pin,"saidthedarning-needle;"iknewverywellishouldcometohonorsomeday:meritissuretorise;"andshelaughed,quietlytoherself,forofcoursenooneeversawadarning-needlelaugh.andthereshesatasproudlyasifshewereinastatecoach,andlookedallaroundher."mayibeallowedtoaskifyouaremadeofgold?"sheinquiredofherneighbor,apin;"youhaveaveryprettyappearance,andacurioushead,althoughyouarerathersmall.youmusttakepainstogrow,foritisnoteveryonewhohassealing-waxdroppeduponhim;"andasshespoke,thedarning-needledrewherselfupsoproudlythatshefelloutofthehandkerchiefrightintothesink,whichthecookwascleaning."nowiamgoingonajourney,"saidtheneedle,asshefloatedawaywiththedirtywater,"idohopeishallnotbelost."butshereallywaslostinagutter."iamtoofineforthisworld,"saidthedarning-needle,asshelayinthegutter;"butiknowwhoiam,andthatisalwayssomecomfort."sothedarning-needlekeptupherproudbehavior,anddidnotlosehergoodhumor.thentherefloatedoverherallsortsofthings,-chipsandstraws,andpiecesofoldnewspaper."seehowtheysail,"saidthedarning-needle;"theydonotknowwhatisunderthem.iamhere,andhereishallstick.see,theregoesachip,thinkingofnothingintheworldbuthimself-onlyachip.there'sastrawgoingbynow;howheturnsandtwistsabout!don'tbethinkingtoomuchofyourself,oryoumaychancetorunagainstastone.thereswimsapieceofnewspaper;whatiswrittenuponithasbeenforgottenlongago,andyetitgivesitselfairs.isitherepatientlyandquietly.iknowwhoiam,soishallnotmove."

onedaysomethinglyingclosetothedarning-needleglitteredsosplendidlythatshethoughtitwasadiamond;yetitwasonlyapieceofbrokenbottle.thedarning-needlespoketoit,becauseitsparkled,andrepresentedherselfasabreast-pin."isupposeyouarereallyadiamond?"shesaid.

"whyyes,somethingofthekind,"hereplied;andsoeachbelievedtheothertobeveryvaluable,andthentheybegantotalkabouttheworld,andtheconceitedpeopleinit.

"ihavebeeninalady'swork-box,"saidthedarning-needle,"andthisladywasthecook.shehadoneachhandfivefingers,andanythingsoconceitedasthesefivefingersihaveneverseen;andyettheywereonlyemployedtotakemeoutoftheboxandtoputmebackagain."

"weretheynothigh-born?"

"high-born!"saidthedarning-needle,"noindeed,butsohaughty.theywerefivebrothers,allbornfingers;theykeptveryproudlytogether,thoughtheywereofdifferentlengths.theonewhostoodfirstintherankwasnamedthethumb,hewasshortandthick,andhadonlyonejointinhisback,andcouldthereforemakebutonebow;buthesaidthatifhewerecutofffromaman'shand,thatmanwouldbeunfitforasoldier.sweet-tooth,hisneighbor,dippedhimselfintosweetorsour,pointedtothesunandmoon,andformedtheletterswhenthefingerswrote.longman,themiddlefinger,lookedovertheheadsofalltheothers.gold-band,thenextfinger,woreagoldencircleroundhiswaist.andlittleplaymandidnothingatall,andseemedproudofit.theywereboasters,andboasterstheywillremain;andthereforeileftthem."

"andnowwesithereandglitter,"saidthepieceofbrokenbottle.

atthesamemomentmorewaterstreamedintothegutter,sothatitoverflowed,andthepieceofbottlewascarriedaway.

"soheispromoted,"saidthedarning-needle,"whileiremainhere;iamtoofine,butthatismypride,andwhatdoicare?"