ishegoingtoproposetome?"saidthescissors,andshebecamesoangrythatshecuttoosharplyintotheshirtcollar,anditwasobligedtobethrownbyasuseless.

"ishallbeobligedtoproposetothehair-brush,"thoughttheshirtcollar;soheremarkedoneday,"itiswonderfulwhatbeautifulhairyouhave,mylittlelady.haveyouneverthoughtofbeingengaged?"

"youmightknowishouldthinkofit,"answeredthehairbrush;"iamengagedtotheboot-jack."

"engaged!"criedtheshirtcollar,"nowthereisnoonelefttoproposeto;"andthenhepretendedtodespisealllove-making.

alongtimepassed,andtheshirtcollarwastakeninabagtothepaper-mill.herewasalargecompanyofrags,thefineoneslyingbythemselves,separatedfromthecoarser,asitoughttobe.theyhadallmanythingstorelate,especiallytheshirtcollar,whowasaterribleboaster."ihavehadanimmensenumberofloveaffairs,"saidtheshirtcollar,"nooneleftmeanypeace.itistrueiwasaveryfinegentleman;quitestuckup.ihadaboot-jackandabrushthatineverused.youshouldhaveseenmethen,wheniwasturneddown.ishallneverforgetmyfirstlove;shewasagirdle,socharming,andfine,andsoft,andshethrewherselfintoawashingtubformysake.therewasawidowtoo,whowaswarmlyinlovewithme,butileftheralone,andshebecamequiteblack.thenextwasafirst-ratedancer;shegavemethewoundfromwhichistillsuffer,shewassopassionate.evenmyownhair-brushwasinlovewithme,andlostallherhairthroughneglectedlove.yes,ihavehadgreatexperienceofthiskind,butmygreatestgriefwasforthegarter-thegirdleimeanttosay-thatjumpedintothewash-tub.ihaveagreatdealonmyconscience,anditisreallytimeishouldbeturnedintowhitepaper."

andtheshirtcollarcametothisatlast.alltheragsweremadeintowhitepaper,andtheshirtcollarbecametheveryidenticalpieceofpaperwhichwenowsee,andonwhichthisstoryisprinted.ithappenedasapunishmenttohim,forhavingboastedsoshockinglyofthingswhichwerenottrue.andthisisawarningtous,tobecarefulhowweact,forwemaysomedayfindourselvesintherag-bag,tobeturnedintowhitepaper,onwhichourwholehistorymaybewritten,evenitsmostsecretactions.anditwouldnotbepleasanttohavetorunabouttheworldintheformofapieceofpaper,tellingeverythingwehavedone,liketheboastingshirtcollar.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thesilvershilling

byhanschristianandersen

therewasonceashilling,whichcameforthfromthemintspringingandshouting,"hurrah!nowiamgoingoutintothewideworld."andtrulyitdidgooutintothewideworld.thechildrenhelditwithwarmhands,themiserwithacoldandconvulsivegrasp,andtheoldpeopleturneditabout,goodnessknowshowmanytimes,whiletheyoungpeoplesoonallowedittorollawayfromthem.theshillingwasmadeofsilver,itcontainedverylittlecopper,andconsidereditselfquiteoutintheworldwhenithadbeencirculatedforayearinthecountryinwhichithadbeencoined.oneday,itreallydidgooutintotheworld,foritbelongedtoagentlemanwhowasabouttotravelinforeignlands.thisgentlemanwasnotawarethattheshillinglayatthebottomofhispursewhenhestarted,tillheonedayfounditbetweenhisfingers."why,"criedhe,"hereisashillingfromhome;well,itmustgoonitstravelswithmenow!"