andthelittleboyswhistledthroughtheirfingers,andthesoldierspresentedarms.theprincesscameoutofthecoppercastle,andbecamequeen,whichwasverypleasingtoher.theweddingfestivitieslastedawholeweek,andthedogssatatthetable,andstaredwithalltheireyes.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thetoad

byhanschristianandersen

thewellwasdeep,andthereforetheropehadtobealongone;itwasheavyworkturningthehandlewhenanyonehadtoraiseabucketfulofwaterovertheedgeofthewell.thoughthewaterwasclear,thesunneverlookeddownfarenoughintothewelltomirroritselfinthewaters;butasfarasitsbeamscouldreach,greenthingsgrewforthbetweenthestonesinthesidesofthewell.

downbelowdweltafamilyofthetoadrace.theyhad,infact,comehead-over-heelsdownthewell,inthepersonoftheoldmother-toad,whowasstillalive.thegreenfrogs,whohadbeenestablishedtherealongtime,andswamaboutinthewater,calledthem"well-guests."butthenew-comersseemeddeterminedtostaywheretheywere,fortheyfounditveryagreeableliving"inadryplace,"astheycalledthewetstones.

themother-froghadoncebeenatraveller.shehappenedtobeinthewater-bucketwhenitwasdrawnup,butthelightbecametoostrongforher,andshegotapaininhereyes.fortunatelyshescrambledoutofthebucket;butshefellintothewaterwithaterribleflop,andhadtoliesickforthreedayswithpainsinherback.shecertainlyhadnotmuchtotellofthethingsupabove,butsheknewthis,andallthefrogsknewit,thatthewellwasnotalltheworld.themother-toadmighthavetoldthisandthat,ifshehadchosen,butsheneveransweredwhentheyaskedheranything,andsotheyleftoffasking.

"she'sthick,andfatandugly,"saidtheyounggreenfrogs;"andherchildrenwillbejustasuglyassheis."

"thatmaybe,"retortedthemother-toad,"butoneofthemhasajewelinhishead,orelseihavethejewel."

theyoungfrogslistenedandstared;andasthesewordsdidnotpleasethem,theymadegrimacesanddiveddownunderthewater.butthelittletoadskickeduptheirhindlegsfrommerepride,foreachofthemthoughtthathemusthavethejewel;andthentheysatandheldtheirheadsquitestill.butatlengththeyaskedwhatitwasthatmadethemsoproud,andwhatkindofathingajewelmightbe.

"oh,itissuchasplendidandpreciousthing,thaticannotdescribeit,"saidthemother-toad."it'ssomethingwhichonecarriesaboutforone'sownpleasure,andthatmakesotherpeopleangry.butdon'taskmeanyquestions,forishan'tansweryou."

"well,ihaven'tgotthejewel,"saidthesmallestofthetoads;shewasasuglyasatoadcanbe."whyshouldihavesuchapreciousthing?andifitmakesothersangry,itcan'tgivemeany,ionlywishicouldgettotheedgeofthewell,andlookout;itmustbebeautifulupthere."

"you'dbetterstaywhereyouare,"saidtheoldmother-toad,"foryouknoweverythinghere,andyoucantellwhatyouhave.takecareofthebucket,foritwillcrushyoutodeath;andevenifyougetintoitsafely,youmayfallout.andit'snoteveryonewhofallssocleverlyasidid,andgetsawaywithwholelegsandwholebones.

"quack!"saidthelittletoad;andthat'sjustasifoneofusweretosay,"aha!"

shehadanimmensedesiretogettotheedgeofthewell,andtolookover;shefeltsuchalongingforthegreen,upthere;andthenextmorning,whenitchancedthatthebucketwasbeingdrawnup,filledwithwater,andstoppedforamomentjustinfrontofthestoneonwhichthetoadsat,thelittlecreature'sheartmovedwithinit,andourtoadjumpedintothefilledbucket,whichpresentlywasdrawntothetop,andemptiedout.

"ugh,youbeast!"