hewhispered."ohweepnot,thouloveliestofwomen.nowdoibegintounderstandthehappinessofparadise;ifeelittomyinmostsoul,ineverythought.anewlifeisbornwithinme.onemomentofsuchhappinessisworthaneternityofdarknessandwoe."hestoopedandkissedthetearsfromhereyes,andtouchedherlipswithhis.

aclapofthunder,loudandawful,resoundedthroughthetremblingair.allaroundhimfellintoruin.thelovelyfairy,thebeautifulgarden,sunkdeeperanddeeper.theprincesawitsinkingdowninthedarknighttillitshoneonlylikeastarinthedistancebeneathhim.thenhefeltacoldness,likedeath,creepingoverhim;hiseyesclosed,andhebecameinsensible.

whenherecovered,achillingrainwasbeatinguponhim,andasharpwindblewonhishead."alas!whathaveidone?"hesighed;"ihavesinnedlikeadam,andthegardenofparadisehassunkintotheearth."heopenedhiseyes,andsawthestarinthedistance,butitwasthemorningstarinheavenwhichglitteredinthedarkness.

presentlyhestoodupandfoundhimselfinthedepthsoftheforest,closetothecavernofthewinds,andthemotherofthewindssatbyhisside.shelookedangry,andraisedherarmintheairasshespoke."theveryfirstevening!"shesaid."well,iexpectedit!ifyouweremyson,youshouldgointothesack."

"andtherehewillhavetogoatlast,"saidastrongoldman,withlargeblackwings,andascytheinhishand,whosenamewasdeath."heshallbelaidinhiscoffin,butnotyet.iwillallowhimtowanderabouttheworldforawhile,toatoneforhissin,andtogivehimtimetobecomebetter.butishallreturnwhenheleastexpectsme.ishalllayhiminablackcoffin,placeitonmyhead,andflyawaywithitbeyondthestars.therealsobloomsagardenofparadise,andifheisgoodandpioushewillbeadmitted;butifhisthoughtsarebad,andhisheartisfullofsin,hewillsinkwithhiscoffindeeperthanthegardenofparadisehassunk.onceineverythousandyearsishallgoandfetchhim,whenhewilleitherbecondemnedtosinkstilldeeper,orberaisedtoahappierlifeintheworldbeyondthestars."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thegirlwhotrodontheloaf

byhanschristianandersen

therewasonceagirlwhotrodonaloaftoavoidsoilinghershoes,andthemisfortunesthathappenedtoherinconsequencearewellknown.hernamewasinge;shewasapoorchild,butproudandpresuming,andwithabadandcrueldisposition.whenquitealittlechildshewoulddelightincatchingflies,andtearingofftheirwings,soastomakecreepingthingsofthem.whenolder,shewouldtakecockchafersandbeetles,andstickpinsthroughthem.thenshepushedagreenleaf,oralittlescrapofpapertowardstheirfeet,andwhenthepoorcreatureswouldseizeitandholditfast,andturnoverandoverintheirstrugglestogetfreefromthepin,shewouldsay,"thecockchaferisreading;seehowheturnsovertheleaf."shegrewworseinsteadofbetterwithyears,and,unfortunately,shewaspretty,whichcausedhertobeexcused,whensheshouldhavebeensharplyreproved.

"yourheadstrongwillrequiresseveritytoconquerit,"hermotheroftensaidtoher."asalittlechildyouusedtotrampleonmyapron,butonedayifearyouwilltrampleonmyheart."and,alas!thisfearwasrealized.

ingewastakentothehouseofsomerichpeople,wholivedatadistance,andwhotreatedherastheirownchild,anddressedhersofinethatherprideandarroganceincreased.

whenshehadbeenthereaboutayear,herpatronesssaidtoher,"yououghttogo,foronce,andseeyourparents,inge."

soingestartedtogoandvisitherparents;butsheonlywantedtoshowherselfinhernativeplace,thatthepeoplemightseehowfineshewas.shereachedtheentranceofthevillage,andsawtheyounglaboringmenandmaidensstandingtogetherchatting,andherownmotheramongstthem.inge'smotherwassittingonastonetorest,withafagotofstickslyingbeforeher,whichshehadpickedupinthewood.theningeturnedback;shewhowassofinelydressedshefeltashamedofhermother,apoorlycladwoman,whopickedupwoodintheforest.shedidnotturnbackoutofpityforhermother'spoverty,butfrompride.

anotherhalf-yearwentby,andhermistresssaid,"yououghttogohomeagain,andvisityourparents,inge,andiwillgiveyoualargewheatenloaftotaketothem,theywillbegladtoseeyou,iamsure."

soingeputonherbestclothes,andhernewshoes,drewherdressuparoundher,andsetout,steppingverycarefully,thatshemightbecleanandneataboutthefeet,andtherewasnothingwrongindoingso.butwhenshecametotheplacewherethefootpathledacrossthemoor,shefoundsmallpoolsofwater,andagreatdealofmud,soshethrewtheloafintothemud,andtroduponit,thatshemightpasswithoutwettingherfeet.butasshestoodwithonefootontheloafandtheotherlifteduptostepforward,theloafbegantosinkunderher,lowerandlower,tillshedisappearedaltogether,andonlyafewbubblesonthesurfaceofthemuddypoolremainedtoshowwhereshehadsunk.andthisisthestory.

butwheredidingego?