'

"'yes,ofcourse,'saidthematches,'letustalkaboutthosewhoarethehighestborn.'

"'no,idon'tliketobealwaystalkingofwhatweare,'remarkedthesaucepan;'letusthinkofsomeotheramusement;iwillbegin.wewilltellsomethingthathashappenedtoourselves;thatwillbeveryeasy,andinterestingaswell.onthebalticsea,nearthedanishshore'-"'whataprettycommencement!'saidtheplates;'weshallalllikethatstory,iamsure.'

"'yes;wellinmyyouth,ilivedinaquietfamily,wherethefurniturewaspolished,thefloorsscoured,andcleancurtainsputupeveryfortnight,'

"'whataninterestingwayyouhaveofrelatingastory,'saidthecarpet-broom;'itiseasytoperceivethatyouhavebeenagreatdealinwomen'ssociety,thereissomethingsopurerunsthroughwhatyousay.'

"'thatisquitetrue,'saidthewater-bucket;andhemadeaspringwithjoy,andsplashedsomewateronthefloor.

"thenthesaucepanwentonwithhisstory,andtheendwasasgoodasthebeginning.

"theplatesrattledwithpleasure,andthecarpet-broombroughtsomegreenparsleyoutofthedust-holeandcrownedthesaucepan,forheknewitwouldvextheothers;andhethought,'ificrownhimto-dayhewillcrownmeto-morrow.'

"'now,letushaveadance,'saidthefire-tongs;andthenhowtheydancedandstuckuponelegintheair.thechair-cushioninthecornerburstwithlaughterwhenshesawit.

"'shallibecrownednow?'askedthefire-tongs;sothebroomfoundanotherwreathforthetongs.

"'theywereonlycommonpeopleafterall,'thoughtthetea-urnwasnowaskedtosing,butshesaidshehadacold,andcouldnotsingwithoutboilingheat.theyallthoughtthiswasaffectation,andbecauseshedidnotwishtosingexceptingintheparlor,whenonthetablewiththegrandpeople.

"inthewindowsatanoldquill-pen,withwhichthemaidgenerallywrote.therewasnothingremarkableaboutthepen,exceptingthatithadbeendippedtoodeeplyintheink,butitwasproudofthat.

"'ifthetea-urnwon'tsing,'saidthepen,'shecanleaveitalone;thereisanightingaleinacagewhocansing;shehasnotbeentaughtmuch,certainly,butweneednotsayanythingthiseveningaboutthat.'

"'ithinkithighlyimproper,'saidthetea-kettle,whowaskitchensinger,andhalf-brothertothetea-urn,'thatarichforeignbirdshouldbelistenedtohere.isitpatriotic?letthemarket-basketdecidewhatisright.'

"'icertainlyamvexed,'saidthebasket;'inwardlyvexed,morethananyonecanimagine.arewespendingtheeveningproperly?woulditnotbemoresensibletoputthehouseinorder?ifeachwereinhisownplaceiwouldleadagame;thiswouldbequiteanotherthing.'

"'letusactaplay,'saidtheyall.atthesamemomentthedooropened,andthemaidcamein.thennotonestirred;theyallremainedquitestill;yet,atthesametime,therewasnotasinglepotamongstthemwhohadnotahighopinionofhimself,andofwhathecoulddoifhechose.

"'yes,ifwehadchosen,'theyeachthought,'wemighthavespentaverypleasantevening.'

"themaidtookthematchesandlightedthem;dearme,howtheysputteredandblazedup!

"'nowthen,'theythought,'everyonewillseethatwearethefirst.howweshine;whatalightwegive!'evenwhiletheyspoketheirlightwentout.

"whatacapitalstory,"saidthequeen,"ifeelasifiwerereallyinthekitchen,andcouldseethematches;yes,youshallmarryourdaughter."

"certainly,"saidtheking,"thoushalthaveourdaughter."thekingsaidthoutohimbecausehewasgoingtobeoneofthewedding-daywasfixed,and,ontheeveningbefore,thewholecitywasilluminated.cakesandsweetmeatswerethrownamongthepeople.thestreetboysstoodontiptoeandshouted"hurrah,"andwhistledbetweentheirfingers;altogetheritwasaverysplendidaffair.

"iwillgivethemanothertreat,"saidthemerchant'sson.sohewentandboughtrocketsandcrackers,andallsortsoffire-worksthatcouldbethoughtof,packedtheminhistrunk,andflewupwithitintotheair.whatawhizzingandpoppingtheymadeastheywentoff!