askedtheearthworm,whohadoversleptthetime,andonlynowcameup.

"itcontainsafreeadmissiontoacabbage-garden,"repliedthemule."iproposedthatasoneoftheprizes.theharemostdecidedlymusthaveit;andi,asanactiveandthoughtfulmemberofthecommittee,tookespecialcarethattheprizeshouldbeoneofadvantagetohim;sonowheisprovidedfor.thesnailcannowsitonthefence,andlickupmossandsunshine.hehasalsobeenappointedoneofthefirstjudgesofswiftnessinracing.itisworthmuchtoknowthatoneofthenumbersisamanoftalentinthethingmencalla'committee.'imustsayiexpectmuchinthefuture;wehavealreadymadesuchagoodbeginning."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theredshoes

byhanschristianandersen

onceuponatimetherewaslittlegirl,prettyanddainty.butinsummertimeshewasobligedtogobarefootedbecauseshewaspoor,andinwintershehadtowearlargewoodenshoes,sothatherlittleinstepgrewquitered.

inthemiddleofthevillagelivedanoldshoemaker'swife;shesatdownandmade,aswellasshecould,apairoflittleshoesoutofsomeoldpiecesofredcloth.theywereclumsy,butshemeantwell,fortheywereintendedforthelittlegirl,whosenamewaskaren.

karenreceivedtheshoesandworethemforthefirsttimeonthedayofhermother'sfuneral.theywerecertainlynotsuitableformourning;butshehadnoothers,andsosheputherbarefeetintothemandwalkedbehindthehumblecoffin.

justthenalargeoldcarriagecameby,andinitsatanoldlady;shelookedatthelittlegirl,andtakingpityonher,saidtotheclergyman,"lookhere,ifyouwillgivemethelittlegirl,iwilltakecareofher."

karenbelievedthatthiswasallonaccountoftheredshoes,buttheoldladythoughtthemhideous,andsotheywereburnt.karenherselfwasdressedveryneatlyandcleanly;shewastaughttoreadandtosew,andpeoplesaidthatshewaspretty.butthemirrortoldher,"youaremorethanpretty-youarebeautiful."

onedaythequeenwastravellingthroughthatpartofthecountry,andhadherlittledaughter,whowasaprincess,withher.allthepeople,amongstthemkarentoo,streamedtowardsthecastle,wherethelittleprincess,infinewhiteclothes,stoodbeforethewindowandallowedherselftobestaredat.sheworeneitheratrainnoragoldencrown,butbeautifulredmoroccoshoes;theywereindeedmuchfinerthanthosewhichtheshoemaker'swifehadsewnforlittlekaren.thereisreallynothingintheworldthatcanbecomparedtoredshoes!

karenwasnowoldenoughtobeconfirmed;shereceivedsomenewclothes,andshewasalsotohavesomenewshoes.therichshoemakerinthetowntookthemeasureofherlittlefootinhisownroom,inwhichtherestoodgreatglasscasesfullofprettyshoesandwhiteslippers.italllookedverylovely,buttheoldladycouldnotseeverywell,andthereforedidnotgetmuchpleasureoutofsttheshoesstoodapairofredones,likethosewhichtheprincesshadworn.howbeautifultheywere!andtheshoemakersaidthattheyhadbeenmadeforacount'sdaughter,butthattheyhadnotfittedher.

"isupposetheyareofshinyleather?"askedtheoldlady."theyshineso."

"yes,theydoshine,"saidkaren.theyfittedher,andwerebought.buttheoldladyknewnothingoftheirbeingred,forshewouldneverhaveallowedkarentobeconfirmedinredshoes,asshewasnowtobe.

everybodylookedatherfeet,andthewholeofthewayfromthechurchdoortothechoiritseemedtoherasifeventheancientfiguresonthemonuments,intheirstiffcollarsandlongblackrobes,hadtheireyesfixedonherredshoes.itwasonlyofthesethatshethoughtwhentheclergymanlaidhishanduponherheadandspokeoftheholybaptism,ofthecovenantwithgod,andtoldherthatshewasnowtobeagrown-upchristian.theorganpealedforthsolemnly,andthesweetchildren'svoicesmingledwiththatoftheiroldleader;butkarenthoughtonlyofherredshoes.intheafternoontheoldladyheardfromeverybodythatkarenhadwornredshoes.shesaidthatitwasashockingthingtodo,thatitwasveryimproper,andthatkarenwasalwaystogotochurchinfutureinblackshoes,eveniftheywereold.

onthefollowingsundaytherewascommunion.karenlookedfirstattheblackshoes,thenattheredones-lookedattheredonesagain,andputthemon.

thesunwasshininggloriously,sokarenandtheoldladywentalongthefootpaththroughthecorn,whereitwasratherdusty.

atthechurchdoorstoodanoldcrippledsoldierleaningonacrutch;hehadawonderfullylongbeard,moreredthanwhite,andheboweddowntothegroundandaskedtheoldladywhetherhemightwipehershoes.thenkarenputoutherlittlefoottoo."dearme,whatprettydancing-shoes!"