sheexclaimed,assomethingprickedher.outofthesoftearthsomethingwasstickingup.itwas-onlythink!-itwasreallythetinsoldier,theverysamewhichhadbeenlostupintheoldman'sroom,andhadbeenhiddenamongoldwoodandrubbishforalongtime,tillitsunkintotheearth,whereitmusthavebeenformanyyears.andtheyoungwifewipedthesoldier,firstwithagreenleaf,andthenwithherfinepocket-handkerchief,thatsmeltofsuchbeautifulperfume.andthetinsoldierfeltasifhewasrecoveringfromafaintingfit."letmeseehim,"saidtheyoungman,andthenhesmiledandshookhishead,andsaid,"itcanscarcelybethesame,butitremindsmeofsomethingthathappenedtooneofmytinsoldierswheniwasalittleboy."andthenhetoldhiswifeabouttheoldhouseandtheoldman,andofthetinsoldierwhichhehadsentacross,becausehethoughttheoldmanwaslonely;andherelatedthestorysoclearlythattearscameintotheeyesoftheyoungwifefortheoldhouseandtheoldman."itisverylikelythatthisisreallythesamesoldier,"saidshe,andiwilltakecareofhim,andalwaysrememberwhatyouhavetoldme;butsomedayyoumustshowmetheoldman'sgrave."

"idon'tknowwhereitis,"hereplied;"nooneknows.allhisfriendsaredead;noonetookcareofhim,andiwasonlyalittleboy."

"oh,howdreadfullylonelyhemusthavebeen,"saidshe.

"yes,terriblylonely,"criedthetinsoldier;"stillitisdelightfulnottobeforgotten."

"delightfulindeed,"criedavoicequiteneartothem;noonebutthetinsoldiersawthatitcamefromaragoftheleatherwhichhungintatters;ithadlostallitsgilding,andlookedlikewetearth,butithadanopinion,anditspokeitthus:-

"gildingwillfadeindampweather,

toendure,thereisnothinglikeleather."

butthetinsoldierdidnotbelieveanysuchthing.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theoldstreetlamp

byhanschristianandersen

didyoueverhearthestoryoftheoldstreetlamp?itisnotremarkablyinteresting,butforonceinawayyoumayaswelllistentoit.itwasamostrespectableoldlamp,whichhadseenmany,manyyearsofservice,andnowwastoretirewithapension.itwasthiseveningatitspostforthelasttime,givinglighttothestreet.hisfeelingsweresomethinglikethoseofanolddanceratthetheatre,whoisdancingforthelasttime,andknowsthatonthemorrowshewillbeinhergarret,aloneandforgotten.thelamphadverygreatanxietyaboutthenextday,forheknewthathehadtoappearforthefirsttimeatthetownhall,tobeinspectedbythemayorandthecouncil,whoweretodecideifhewerefitforfurtherserviceornot;-whetherthelampwasgoodenoughtobeusedtolighttheinhabitantsofoneofthesuburbs,orinthecountry,atsomefactory;andifnot,itwouldbesentatoncetoanironfoundry,tobemelteddown.inthislattercaseitmightbeturnedintoanything,andhewonderedverymuchwhetherhewouldthenbeabletorememberthathehadoncebeenastreetlamp,andittroubledhimvermighthappen,onethingseemedcertain,thathewouldbeseparatedfromthewatchmanandhiswife,whosefamilyhelookeduponashisown.thelamphadfirstbeenhunguponthatveryeveningthatthewatchman,thenarobustyoungman,hadentereduponthedutiesofhisoffice.ah,well,itwasaverylongtimesinceonebecamealampandtheotherawatchman.hiswifehadalittleprideinthosedays;sheseldomcondescendedtoglanceatthelamp,exceptingwhenshepassedbyintheevening,neverinthedaytime.butinlateryears,whenallthese,-thewatchman,thewife,andthelamp-hadgrownold,shehadattendedtoit,cleanedit,andsupplieditwithoil.theoldpeoplewerethoroughlyhonest,theyhadnevercheatedthelampofasingledropoftheoilprovidedforit.

thiswasthelamp'slastnightinthestreet,andto-morrowhemustgotothetown-hall,-twoverydarkthingstothinkof.nowonderhedidnotburnbrightly.manyotherthoughtsalsopassedthroughhismind.howmanypersonshehadlightedontheirway,andhowmuchhehadseen;asmuch,verylikely,asthemayorandcorporationthemselves!