therelaytheoldchinamanonthefloor;hehadfallendownfromthetableasheattemptedtorunafterthem,andwasbrokenintothreepieces;hisbackhadseparatedentirely,andhisheadhadrolledintoacorneroftheroom.themajor-generalstoodinhisoldplace,andappearedlostinthought.

"thisisterrible,"saidthelittleshepherdess."mypooroldgrandfatherisbrokentopieces,anditisourfault.ishallneverliveafterthis;"andshewrungherlittlehands.

"hecanberiveted,"saidthechimney-sweep;"hecanberiveted.donotbesohasty.iftheycementhisback,andputagoodrivetinit,hewillbeasgoodasnew,andbeabletosayasmanydisagreeablethingstousasever."

"doyouthinkso?"saidshe;andthentheyclimbeduptothetable,andstoodintheiroldplaces.

"aswehavedonenogood,"saidthechimney-sweep,"wemightaswellhaveremainedhere,insteadoftakingsomuchtrouble."

"iwishgrandfatherwasriveted,"saidtheshepherdess."willitcostmuch,iwonder?"

andshehadherwish.thefamilyhadthechinaman'sbackmended,andastrongrivetputthroughhisneck;helookedasgoodasnew,buthecouldnolongernodhishead.

"youhavebecomeproudsinceyourfallbrokeyoutopieces,"saidmajor-general-field-sergeant-commanderbilly-goat's-legs."youhavenoreasontogiveyourselfsuchairs.amitohaveherornot?"

thechimney-sweepandthelittleshepherdesslookedpiteouslyattheoldchinaman,fortheywereafraidhemightnod;buthewasnotable:besides,itwassotiresometobealwaystellingstrangershehadarivetinthebackofhisneck.

andsothelittlechinapeopleremainedtogether,andweregladofthegrandfather'srivet,andcontinuedtoloveeachothertilltheywerebrokentopieces.

theend.

1872

theshepherd'sstoryofthebondoffriendship

byhanschristianandersen

thelittledwellinginwhichwelivedwasofclay,butthedoor-postswerecolumnsofflutedmarble,foundnearthespotonwhichitstood.theroofslopednearlytotheground.itwasatthistimedark,brown,andugly,buthadoriginallybeenformedofbloomingoliveandlaurelbranches,broughtfrombeyondthemountains.thehousewassituatedinanarrowgorge,whoserockywallsrosetoaperpendicularheight,nakedandblack,whileroundtheirsummitscloudsoftenhung,lookinglikewhitelivingfigures.notasingingbirdwaseverheardthere,neitherdidmendancetothesoundofthepipe.thespotwasonesacredtooldentimes;evenitsnamerecalledamemoryofthedayswhenitwascalled"delphi."thenthesummitsofthedark,sacredmountainswerecoveredwithsnow,andthehighest,mountparnassus,glowedlongestintheredeveninglight.thebrookwhichrolledfromitnearourhouse,wasalsosacred.howwellicanremembereveryspotinthatdeep,sacredsolitude!afirehadbeenkindledinthemidstofthehut,andwhilethehotasheslaythereredandglowing,thebreadwasbakedinthem.attimesthesnowwouldbepiledsohigharoundourhutasalmosttohideit,andthenmymotherappearedmostcheerful.shewouldholdmyheadbetweenherhands,andsingthesongssheneversangatothertimes,fortheturks,ourmasters,wouldnotallowit.shesang,-

"onthesummitofmountolympus,inaforestofdwarffirs,layanoldstag.hiseyeswereheavywithtears,andglitteringwithcolorslikedewdrops;andtherecamebyaroebuck,andsaid,'whatailestthee,thatthouweepestblueandredtears?