saideachrose."theonlythingthatiwishforistobeabletokissthesun,becauseitissowarmandbright.ishouldalsoliketokissthoserosesdowninthewater,whicharesomuchlikeus,andtheprettylittlebirdsdowninthenest.therearesomeupabovetoo;theyputouttheirheadsandpipesoftly;theyhavenofeathersliketheirfatherandmother.wehavegoodneighbours,bothbelowandabove.howbeautifulexistenceis!"

theyoungonesaboveandbelow-thosebelowwerereallyonlyshadowsinthewater-weresparrows;theirparentsweresparrowstoo,andhadtakenpossessionoftheemptyswallows'nestoflastyear,andnowlivedinitasifitweretheirownproperty.

"arethosetheduck'schildrenswimminghere?"askedtheyoungsparrowswhentheysawthefeathersonthewater.

"ifyoumustaskquestions,asksensibleones,"saidtheirmother."don'tyouseethattheyarefeathers,suchasiwearandyouwillweartoo?butoursarefiner.still,ishouldliketohavethemupinthenest,fortheykeeponewarm.iamverycurioustoknowwhattheducksweresostartledabout;notaboutus,certainly,althoughididsay'peep'toyouprettyloudly.thethick-headedrosesoughttoknowwhy,buttheyknownothingatall;theyonlylookatthemselvesandsmell.iamheartilytiredofsuchneighbours."

"listentothedearlittlebirdsupthere,"saidtheroses;"theybegintowanttosingtoo,butarenotabletomanageityet.butitwillsooncome.whatapleasurethatmustbe!itisfinetohavesuchcheerfulneighbours."

suddenlytwohorsescamegallopinguptobewatered.apeasantboyrodeonone,andhehadtakenoffallhisclothesexcepthislargebroadblackhat.theboywhistledlikeabird,androdeintothepondwhereitwasdeepest,andashepassedtherose-bushhepluckedaroseandstuckitinhishat.nowhelookeddressed,androdeotherroseslookedaftertheirsister,andaskedeachother,"wherecanshebegoingto?"butnoneofthemknew.

"ishouldliketogooutintotheworldforonce,"saidone;"buthereathomeamongourgreenleavesitisbeautifultoo.thewholedaylongthesunshinesbrightandwarm,andinthenighttheskyshinesmorebeautifullystill;wecanseethatthroughallthelittleholesinit."

theymeantthestars,buttheyknewnobetter.

"wemakeitlivelyaboutthehouse,"saidthesparrow-mother;"andpeoplesaythataswallows'nestbringsluck;sotheyaregladofus.butsuchneighboursasours!arose-bushonthewalllikethatcausesdamp.idaresayitwillbetakenaway;thenweshall,perhaps,havesomecorngrowinghere.therosesaregoodfornothingbuttobelookedatandtobesmelt,oratmosttobestuckinahat.everyyear,asihavebeentoldbymymother,theyfallfarmer'swifepreservesthemandstrewssaltamongthem;thentheygetafrenchnamewhichineithercanpronouncenorcareto,andareputintothefiretomakeanicesmell.yousee,that'stheirlife;theyexistonlyfortheeyeandthenose.nowyouknow."

intheevening,whenthegnatswereplayingaboutinthewarmairandintheredclouds,thenightingalecameandsangtotherosesthatthebeautifulwaslikesunshinetotheworld,andthatthebeautifullivedforever.therosesthoughtthatthenightingalewassingingaboutitself,andthatonemighteasilyhavebelieved;theyhadnoideathatthesongwasaboutthem.buttheywereverypleasedwithit,andwonderedwhetherallthelittlesparrowscouldbecomenightingales.

"iunderstandthesongofthatbirdverywell,"saidtheyoungsparrows."therewasonlyonewordthatwasnotcleartome.whatdoes'thebeautiful'mean?"