themagneticsparkscometoit,-buthow?itisthesamewithpeopleintheworld;theyarerubbedaboutonthissphericalglobetilltheelectricsparkcomesuponthem,andthenwehaveanapoleon,oraluther,orsomeoneofthekind.

"'thewholeworldisbutaseriesofmiracles,'saidthelecturer,'butwearesoaccustomedtothemthatwecallthemeverydaymatters.'andhewentonexplainingthingstometillmyskullseemedliftedfrommybrain,andideclaredthatwereinotsuchanoldfellow,iwouldatoncebecomeamemberofthepolytechnicinstitution,thatimightlearntolookatthebrightsideofeverything,althoughiwasoneofthehappiestofmen.

"'oneofthehappiest!'saidthelecturer,asiftheideapleasedhim;'areyoureallyhappy?'

"'yes,'ireplied;'foriamwelcomedineverytown,wheniarrivewithmycompany;buticertainlyhaveonewishwhichsometimesweighsuponmycheerfultemperlikeamountainoflead.ishouldliketobecomethemanagerofarealtheatre,andthedirectorofarealtroupeofmenandwomen.'

"'iunderstand,'hesaid;'youwouldliketohavelifebreathedintoyourpuppets,sothattheymightbelivingactors,andyoutheirdirector.andwouldyouthenbequitehappy?'

"isaidibelievedso.buthedidnot;andwetalkeditoverinallmannerofways,yetcouldnotagreeonthesubject.however,thewinewasexcellent,andweclankedourglassestogetherasweremusthavebeenmagicinit,orishouldmostcertainlybecometipsy;butthatdidnothappen,formymindseemedquiteclear;and,indeed,akindofsunshinefilledtheroom,andbeamedfromtheeyesofthepolytechniclecturer.itmademethinkoftheoldstorieswhenthegods,intheirimmortalyouth,wandereduponthisearth,andpaidvisitstomankind.isaidsotohim,andhesmiled;andicouldhaveswornthathewasoneoftheseancientdeitiesindisguise,or,atallevents,thathebelongedtotheraceofthegods.theresultseemedtoproveiwasrightinmysuspicions;foritwasarrangedthatmyhighestwishshouldbegranted,thatmypuppetsweretobegiftedwithlife,andthatiwastobethemanagerofarealcompany.wedranktomysuccess,andclankedourglasses.thenhepackedallmydollsintothebox,andfasteneditonmyback,andifeltasifiwerespinningroundinacircle,andpresentlyfoundmyselflyingonthefloor.irememberthatquitewell.andthenthewholecompanysprangfromthebox.thespirithadcomeuponusall;thepuppetshadbecomedistinguishedactors-atleast,sotheysaidthemselves-andiwastheirdirector.

"whenallwasreadyforthefirstrepresentation,thewholecompanyrequestedpermissiontospeaktomebeforeappearinginpublic.thedancingladysaidthehousecouldnotbesupportedunlessshestoodononeleg;forshewasagreatgenius,andbeggedtobetreatedassuch.theladywhoactedthepartofthequeenexpectedtobetreatedasaqueenoffthestage,aswellasonit,orelseshesaidsheshouldgetoutofpractice.themanwhosedutyitwastodeliveralettergavehimselfasmanyairsashewhotookthepartoffirstloverinthepiece;hedeclaredthattheinferiorpartswereasimportantasthegreatones,anddeservingequalconsideration,aspartsofanartisticwhole.theheroofthepiecewouldonlyplayinapartcontainingpointslikelytobringdowntheapplauseofthehouse.the'primadonna'wouldonlyactwhenthelightswerered,forshedeclaredthatabluelightdidnotsuithercomplexion.itwaslikeacompanyoffliesinabottle,andiwasinthebottlewiththem;foriwastheirdirector.mybreathwastakenaway,myheadwhirled,andiwasasmiserableasamancouldbe.itwasquiteanovel,strangesetofbeingsamongwhominowfoundmyself.ionlywishedihadthemallinmyboxagain,andthatihadneverbeentheirdirector.soitoldthemroundlythat,afterall,theywerenothingbutpuppets;andthentheykilledme.afterawhileifoundmyselflyingonmybedinmyroom;buthowigotthere,orhowigotawayatallfromthepolytechnicprofessor,hemayperhapsknow,idon't.themoonshoneuponthefloor,theboxlayopen,andthedollswereallscatteredaboutingreatconfusion;butiwasnotidle.ijumpedoffthebed,andintotheboxtheyallhadtogo,someontheirheads,someontheirfeet.thenishutdownthelid,andseatedmyselfuponthebox.'nowyou'llhavetostay,'saidi,'andishallbecautioushowiwishyoufleshandbloodagain.'

"ifeltquitelight,mycheerfulnesshadreturned,andiwasthehappiestofmortals.thepolytechnicprofessorhadfullycuredme.iwasashappyasaking,andwenttosleeponthebox.nextmorning-correctlyspeaking,itwasnoon,forisleptremarkablylatethatday-ifoundmyselfstillsittingthere,inhappyconsciousnessthatmyformerwishhadbeenafoolishone.iinquiredforthepolytechnicprofessor;buthehaddisappearedlikethegreekandromangods;fromthattimeihavebeenthehappiestmanintheworld.iamahappydirector;fornoneofmycompanyevergrumble,northepubliceither,forialwaysmakethemmerry.icanarrangemypiecesjustasiplease.ichooseoutofeverycomedywhatilikebest,andnooneisoffended.playsthatareneglectednow-a-daysbythegreatpublicwereranafterthirtyyearsago,andlistenedtotillthetearsrandownthecheeksoftheaudience.thesearethepiecesibringplacethembeforethelittleones,whocryoverthemaspapaandmammausedtocrythirtyyearsago.butimakethemshorter,fortheyoungstersdon'tlikelongspeeches;andiftheyhaveanythingmournful,theylikeittobeoverquickly."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theraces

byhanschristianandersen

aprize,orrathertwoprizes,agreatoneandasmallone,hadbeenawardedforthegreatestswiftnessinrunning,-notinasinglerace,butforthewholeyear.

"iobtainedthefirstprize,"saidthehare."justicemuststillbecarriedout,evenwhenonehasrelationsandgoodfriendsamongtheprizecommittee;butthatthesnailshouldhavereceivedthesecondprize,iconsideralmostaninsulttomyself"

"no,"saidthefence-rail,whohadbeenawitnessatthedistributionofprizes;"thereshouldbesomeconsiderationforindustryandperseverance.ihaveheardmanyrespectablepeoplesayso,andicanquiteunderstandit.thesnailcertainlytookhalfayeartogetoverthethresholdofthedoor;butheinjuredhimself,andbrokehiscollar-bonebythehastehemade.hegavehimselfupentirelytotherace,andranwithhishouseonhisback,whichwasall,ofcourse,verypraiseworthy;andthereforeheobtainedthesecondprize."

"ithinkioughttohavehadsomeconsiderationtoo,"saidtheswallow."ishouldimaginenoonecanbeswifterinsoaringandflightthaniam;andhowfarihavebeen!