saidthethistlebush."myfirstbornwasputintoabuttonhole,andmyyoungesthasbeenputinareshalligo?"

andtheassstoodbytheroad-side,andlookedacrossatthethistle.

"cometome,mynibbledarling!"saidhe."ican'tgetacrosstoyou."

butthethistledidnotanswer.hebecamemoreandmorethoughtful-keptonthinkingandthinkingtillnearchristmas,andthenaflowerofthoughtcameforth.

"ifthechildrenareonlygood,theparentsdonotmindstandingoutsidethegardenpale."

"that'sanhonorablethought,"saidthesunbeam."youshallalsohaveagoodplace."

"inapotorinaframe?"askedthethistle.

"inastory,"repliedthesunbeam.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thethornyroadofhonor

byhanschristianandersen

anoldstoryyetlivesofthe"thornyroadofhonor,"ofamarksman,whoindeedattainedtorankandoffice,butonlyafteralifelongandwearystrifeagainstdifficulties.whohasnot,inreadingthisstory,thoughtofhisownstrife,andofhisownnumerous"difficulties?"thestoryisverycloselyakintoreality;butstillithasitsharmoniousexplanationhereonearth,whilerealityoftenpointsbeyondtheconfinesoflifetotheregionsofeternity.thehistoryoftheworldislikeamagiclanternthatdisplaystous,inlightpicturesuponthedarkgroundofthepresent,howthebenefactorsofmankind,themartyrsofgenius,wanderedalongthethornyroadofhonor.

fromallperiods,andfromeverycountry,theseshiningpicturesdisplaythemselvestous.eachonlyappearsforafewmoments,buteachrepresentsawholelife,sometimesawholeage,withitsconflictsandvictories.letuscontemplatehereandthereoneofthecompanyofmartyrs-thecompanywhichwillreceivenewmembersuntiltheworlditselfshallpassaway.

welookdownuponacrowdedamphitheatre.outofthe"clouds"ofaristophanes,satireandhumorarepouringdowninstreamsupontheaudience;onthestagesocrates,themostremarkablemaninathens,hewhohadbeentheshieldanddefenceofthepeopleagainstthethirtytyrants,isheldupmentallyandbodilytoridicule-socrates,whosavedalcibiadesandxenophonintheturmoilofbattle,andwhosegeniussoaredfarabovethegodsoftheancients.hehimselfispresent;hehasrisenfromthespectator'sbench,andhassteppedforward,thatthelaughingatheniansmaywellappreciatethelikenessbetweenhimselfandthecaricatureonthestage.therehestandsbeforethem,toweringhighabovethemall.

thoujuicy,green,poisonoushemlock,throwthyshadowoverathens-notthou,olivetreeoffame!

sevencitiescontendedforthehonorofgivingbirthtohomer-thatistosay,theycontendedafterhisdeath!letuslookathimashewasinhislifetime.hewandersonfootthroughthecities,andreciteshisversesforalivelihood;thethoughtforthemorrowturnshishairgray!he,thegreatseer,isblind,andpainfullypursueshisway-thesharpthorntearsthemantleofthekingofpoets.hissongyetlives,andthroughthatalonelivealltheheroesandgodsofantiquity.

onepictureafteranotherspringsupfromtheeast,fromthewest,farremovedfromeachotherintimeandplace,andyeteachoneformingaportionofthethornyroadofhonor,onwhichthethistleindeeddisplaysaflower,butonlytoadornthegrave.

thecamelspassalongunderthepalmtrees;theyarerichlyladenwithindigoandothertreasuresofvalue,sentbytherulerofthelandtohimwhosesongsarethedelightofthepeople,thefameofthecountry.hewhomenvyandfalsehoodhavedrivenintoexilehasbeenfound,andthecaravanapproachesthelittletowninwhichhehastakenrefuge.apoorcorpseiscarriedoutofthetowngate,andthefuneralprocessioncausesthecaravantohalt.thedeadmanishewhomtheyhavebeensenttoseek-firdusi-whohaswanderedthethornyroadofhonoreventotheend.

theafrican,withbluntfeatures,thicklips,andwoollyhair,sitsonthemarblestepsofthepalaceinthecapitalofportugal,andbegs.heisthesubmissiveslaveofcamoens,andbutforhim,andforthecoppercoinsthrowntohimbythepassers-by,hismaster,thepoetofthe"lusiad,"woulddieofhunger.now,acostlymonumentmarksthegraveofcamoens.

thereisanewpicture.

behindtheirongratingamanappears,paleasdeath,withlongunkemptbeard.

"ihavemadeadiscovery,"hesays,"thegreatestthathasbeenmadeforcenturies;andtheyhavekeptmelockeduphereformorethantwentyyears!"