threelittlepiggieshasshe,"&c.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thethistle'sexperiences

byhanschristianandersen

belongingtothelordlymanor-housewasbeautiful,well-keptgarden,withraretreesandflowers;theguestsoftheproprietordeclaredtheiradmirationofit;thepeopleoftheneighborhood,fromtownandcountry,cameonsundaysandholidays,andaskedpermissiontoseethegarden;indeed,wholeschoolsusedtopayvisitstoit.

outsidethegarden,bythepalingsattheroad-side,stoodagreatmightythistle,whichspreadoutinmanydirectionsfromtheroot,sothatitmighthavebeencalledathistlebush.nobodylookedatit,excepttheoldasswhichdrewthemilk-maid'scart.thisassusedtostretchouthisnecktowardsthethistle,andsay,"youarebeautiful;ishouldliketoeatyou!"buthishalterwasnotlongenoughtolethimreachitandeatit.

therewasgreatcompanyatthemanor-house-someverynoblepeoplefromthecapital;youngprettygirls,andamongthemayoungladywhocamefromalongdistance.shehadcomefromscotland,andwasofhighbirth,andwasrichinlandandingold-abrideworthwinning,saidmorethanoneoftheyounggentlemen;andtheirladymotherssaidthesamething.

theyoungpeopleamusedthemselvesonthelawn,andplayedatball;theywanderedamongtheflowers,andeachoftheyounggirlsbrokeoffaflower,andfasteneditinayounggentleman'sbuttonhole.buttheyoungscotchladylookedround,foralongtime,inanundecidedway.noneoftheflowersseemedtosuithertaste.thenhereyeglancedacrossthepaling-outsidestoodthegreatthistlebush,withthereddish-blue,sturdyflowers;shesawthem,shesmiled,andaskedthesonofthehousetopluckoneforher.

"itistheflowerofscotland,"shesaid."itbloomsinthescutcheonofmycountry.givemeyonderflower."

andhebroughtthefairestblossom,andprickedhisfingersascompletelyasifithadgrownonthesharpestrosebush.

sheplacedthethistle-flowerinthebuttonholeoftheyoungman,andhefelthimselfhighlyhonored.eachoftheotheryounggentlemenwouldwillinglyhavegivenhisownbeautifulflowertohavewornthisone,presentedbythefairhandofthescottishdifthesonofthehousefelthimselfhonored,whatwerethefeelingsofthethistlebush?