butitwasstillmoreterribletoseehowonebeatandpushedtheother,andbitandhacked,andtuggedandmauledhim.thoseatthetopwerebeingpulleddown,andthoseatthebottomwerestrugglingupwards.

"look!look!hislegislongerthanmine!bah!awaywithit!thereisonewhohasalittlebruise.ithurtshim,butitshallhurthimstillmore."

andtheyhackedawayathim,andtheypulledathim,andatehimup,becauseofthelittlebruise.andtherewasonesittingasstillasanylittlemaiden,andwishingonlyforpeaceandquietness.butnowshehadtocomeout,andtheytuggedather,andpulledherabout,andateherup.

"that'sfunny!"saidthemagician.

"yes;butwhatdoyouthinkitis?"saidkribble-krabble."canyoufindthatout?"

"why,onecanseethateasilyenough,"saidtheother."that'sparis,orsomeothergreatcity,forthey'reallalike.it'sagreatcity!"

"it'sadropofpuddlewater!"saidkribble-krabble.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thedryad

byhanschristianandersen

wearetravellingtoparistotheexhibition.

nowwearethere.thatwasajourney,aflightwithoutmagic.weflewonthewingsofsteamovertheseaandacrosstheland.

yes,ourtimeisthetimeoffairytales.

weareinthemidstofparis,inagreathotel.bloomingflowersornamentthestaircases,andsoftcarpetsthefloors.

ourroomisaverycosyone,andthroughtheopenbalconydoorwehaveaviewofagreatsquare.springlivesdownthere;ithascometoparis,andarrivedatthesametimewithus.ithascomeintheshapeofagloriousyoungchestnuttree,withdelicateleavesnewlyopened.howthetreegleams,dressedinitsspringgarb,beforealltheothertreesintheplace!oneoftheselatterhadbeenstruckoutofthelistoflivingtrees.itliesonthegroundwithrootsexposed.ontheplacewhereitstood,theyoungchestnuttreeistobeplanted,andtoflourish.

itstillstandstoweringaloftontheheavywagonwhichhasbroughtitthismorningadistanceofseveralmilestoparis.foryearsithadstoodthere,intheprotectionofamightyoaktree,underwhichtheoldvenerableclergymanhadoftensat,withchildrenlisteningtohisstories.

theyoungchestnuttreehadalsolistenedtothestories;forthedryadwholivedinitwasachildalso.sherememberedthetimewhenthetreewassolittlethatitonlyprojectedashortwayabovethegrassandfernsaround.thesewereastallastheywouldeverbe;butthetreegreweveryyear,andenjoyedtheairandthesunshine,anddrankthedewandtherain.severaltimesitwasalso,asitmustbe,wellshakenbythewindandtherain;forthatisapartofeducation.

thedryadrejoicedinherlife,andrejoicedinthesunshine,andthesingingofthebirds;butshewasmostrejoicedathumanvoices;sheunderstoodthelanguageofmenaswellassheunderstoodthatofanimals.

butterflies,cockchafers,dragon-flies,everythingthatcouldflycametopayavisit.theycouldalltalk.theytoldofthevillage,ofthevineyard,oftheforest,oftheoldcastlewithitsparksandcanalsandponds.downinthewaterdweltalsolivingbeings,which,intheirway,couldflyunderthewaterfromoneplacetoanother-beingswithknowledgeanddelineation.theysaidnothingatall;theyweresoclever!

andtheswallow,whohaddived,toldabouttheprettylittlegoldfish,ofthethickturbot,thefatbrill,andtheoldcarp.theswallowcoulddescribeallthatverywell,but,"selfistheman,"shesaid."oneoughttoseethesethingsone'sself."buthowwasthedryadevertoseesuchbeings?