It was
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there.
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v01 - A to Apu
He would have been glad
if only the ducks would have let him be among them — the poor,
ugly creature!
And the winter grew so cold, so cold! The Duckling had to
swim about in the water, to keep it from freezing over; but
every night the hole in which he swam about became smaller
and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy cover sounded; and
the Duckling had to use his legs all the time to keep the hole
from freezing tight. At last he became worn out, and lay quite
still, and thus froze fast in the ice.
Early in the morning a peasant came by, and found him
there; he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice to pieces, and car-
## p. 516 (#554) ############################################
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
ried the Duckling home to his wife. Then the Duckling came
to himself again. The children wanted to play with him; but
he thought they wanted to hurt him, and in his terror he flew
up into the milk-pan, so that the milk spilled over into the
room. The woman screamed and shook her hand in the air, at
which the Duckling flew down into the tub where they kept the
butter, and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How he
looked then! The woman screamed, and struck at him with the
fire tongs; the children tumbled over one another as they tried
to catch the Duckling; and they laughed and they screamed ! -
well was it that the door stood open, and the poor creature was
able to slip out between the bushes into the newly-fallen snow -
there he lay quite worn out.
But it would be too sad if I were to tell all the misery and
care which the Duckling had to bear in the hard winter. He
lay out on the moor among the reeds, when the sun began to
shine again and the larks to sing; it was a beautiful spring.
Then all at once the Duckling could flap his wings: they
beat the air more strongly than before, and bore him stoutly
away; and before he well knew it, he found himself in a great
garden, where the elder-trees stood in flower, and bent their
long green branches down to the winding canal, and the lilacs
smelt sweet. Oh, here it was beautiful, fresh, and springlike!
and from the thicket came three glorious white swans; they
rustled their wings, and sat lightly on the water. The Duckling
knew the splendid creatures, and felt a strange sadness.
"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will
beat me, because I, that so ugly, dare to come near them.
But it is all the same. Better to be killed by them than to be
chased by ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by the
girl who takes care of the poultry yard, and to suffer hunger in
winter! ” And he flew out into the water, and swam toward the
beautiful swans: these looked at him, and came sailing down
upon him 'with outspread wings. “Kill me! ” said the poor
creature, and bent his head down upon the water, and waited for
death. But what saw he in the clear water ? He saw below him
his own image; and lo! it was no longer a clumsy dark-gray
bird, ugly and hateful to look at, but -a swan!
It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard, if one has
only lain in a swan's egg.
He felt quite glad at all the need and hard times he had
borne; now he could joy in his good luck in all the brightness
am
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517
that was round him. And the great swans swam round him
and stroked him with their beaks.
Into the garden came little children, who threw bread and
corn into the water; and the youngest cried, “There is a new
one! ) and the other children shouted, “Yes, a new
one has
come! ” And they clapped their hands and danced about, and
ran to their father and mother; and bread and cake were thrown
into the water; and they all said, “The new one is the most
beautiful of all! so young and so handsome! ” and the old swans
bowed their heads before him.
Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his
wings, for he did not know what to do; he was so happy, and
yet not at all proud, for a good heart is never proud. He
thought how he had been driven about and mocked and despised;
and now he heard them all saying that he was the most beautiful
of all beautiful birds. And the lilacs bent their branches straight
down into the water before him, and the sun shone warm and
mild. Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, and
cried from the depths of his heart:-
"I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the
Ugly Duckling. ”
WHAT THE MOON SAW
H*
EAR what the Moon told me:
“I have seen a cadet promoted to be an officer, and dress-
ing himself for the first time in his gorgeous uniform; I
have seen young girls in bridal attire, and the prince's young
bride in her wedding dress: but I never saw such bliss as that
of a little four-year-old girl whom I watched this evening. She
had got a new blue dress, and a new pink hat. The finery was
just put on, and all were calling for light, for the moonbeams
that came through the window were not bright enough. They
wanted very different lights from that. There stood the little
girl, stiff as a doll, keeping her arms anxiously off her dress, and
her fingers stretched wide apart. Oh! what happiness beamed
from her eyes, from her whole face. "To-morrow you may go
to walk in the dress,' said the mother; and the little one looked
up at her hat and down again at her dress, and smiled blissfully.
Mother,' she cried, what will the little dogs think when they
see me in all these fine clothes ? ) »
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THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
T"
The Top and the Ball lay in a drawer among some other toys;
and so the Top said to the Ball:-“Shall we not be lovers,
since we live together in the same drawer ? ”
But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco leather, and
thought herself as good as any fine lady, had nothing to say to
such a thing The next day came the little boy who owned the
toys: he painted the Top red and yellow, and drove a brass nail
into it; and the Top looked splendidly when he turned round.
« Look at me! ” he cried to the Ball.
«What do you say
now? Shall we not be lovers? We go so nicely together? You
jump and I dance! No one could be happier than we two
should be. ”
«Indeed! Do you think so ? ” said the Ball. "Perhaps you
do not know that my papa and my mamma were morocco slip-
pers, and that I have a cork inside me ? »
“Yes, but I'am made of mahogany,” said the Top; "and the
mayor himself turned me. He has a turning-lathe of his own,
and it amuses him greatly. ”
“Can I depend on that ? ” asked the Ball.
"May I never be whipped again if it is not true! ” replied
the Top.
"You talk well for yourself,” said the Ball, “but I cannot do
what you ask. I am
I am as good as half engaged to a swallow:
every time I leap up into the air he sticks his head out of the
nest and says, “Will you ? will you ? ' And now I have silently
said “Yes,' and that is as good as being half engaged; but I
promise I will never forget you. ”
“Much good that will do! ” said the Top.
And they spoke no more to each other.
Next day the Ball was taken out. The Top saw how she
flew high into the air, like a bird; at last one could no longer
see her.
Each time she came back again, but always gave a
high leap when she touched the earth; and that came about
either from her longing, or because she had a cork in her body.
The ninth time the Ball stayed away and did not come back
again; and the boy looked and looked, but she was gone.
"I know very well where she is! " sighed the Top. «She is
in the Swallow's nest, and has married the Swallow ! »
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519
The more the Top thought of this, the more he longed for
the Ball. Just because he could not get her, he fell more in
love with her. That she had taken someone else, that was
another thing. So the Top danced around and hummed, but
always thought of the Ball, which grew more and more lovely in
his fancy. Thus many years went by,- and now it was an old
love.
And the Top was no longer young. But one day he was
gilt all over; never had he looked so handsome; he was now a
golden Top, and sprang till he hummed again. Yes, that was
something! But all at once he sprang too high, and — he was
gone!
They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but he was not
to be found.
Where was he?
He had jumped into the dust-box, where all kinds of things
were lying: cabbage stalks, sweepings, and gravel that had fallen
down from the roof.
«Here's a nice place to lie in! The gilding will soon leave
me here. And what a rabble I've come amongst ! ”
And then he looked askance at a long cabbage stalk that was
much too near him, and at a curious round thing like an old
apple; but it was not an apple - it was an old Ball, which had
lain for years in the roof-gutter and was soaked through with
water.
« Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with whom one can
talk! ” said the little Ball, and looked at the gilt Top. “I am
really morocco, sewn by a girl's hands, and have a cork inside
me; but no one would think it to look at me. I was very near
marrying a swallow, but I fell into the gutter on the roof, and
have laid there full five years, and am quite soaked through.
That's a long time, you may believe me, for a young girl. ”
But the Top said nothing. He thought of his old love; and
the more he heard, the clearer it became to him that this was
she. Then came the servant-girl, and wanted to empty the dust-
box. “Aha, there's a gilt top! ” she cried. And so the Top was
brought again to notice and honor, but nothing was heard of the
Ball. And the Top spoke no more of his old love: for that dies
away when the beloved has lain for five years in a gutter and
got soaked through; yes, one does not know her again when one
meets her in the dust-box.
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THE SNOW QUEEN
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
FOURTH STORY — THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
ERDA
G
was obliged to rest herself again, when just over
against where she sat, a large Crow hopped over the white
snow. He had sat there a long while, looking at her and
shaking his head; and now he said, “Caw! caw! Good day!
good day :) He could not say it better; but he meant well by
the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone out
in the wide world. The word “alone” Gerda understood quite
well, ind felt how much lay in it; so she told the Crow her
whole history and asked if he had not seen Kay.
The Crow nodded very gravely, and said, "It may be — it
may be ! »
“What do you really think so ? ” cried the little girl; and she
nearly squeezed the Crow to death, so much did she kiss him.
"Gently gently,” said the Crow. "I think I know; I think
that it may be little Kay. But now he has quite forgotten you
for the Princess. ”
Does he live with a princess? ” asked Gerda.
“Yes,— listen,” said the Crow; “but it is hard for me to
speak your language. If you understand the Crow language, I
can tell you better. ”
“No, I have not learnt it,” said Gerda; “but my grand-
mother understands it. I wish I had learnt it. ”
«No matter,” said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can;
but it will be bad enough. ” And then he told all he knew.
“In the kingdom where we now are, there lives a princess,
who is vastly clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the
whole world, and has forgotten them again, — so clever is she.
Some time ago, they say, she was sitting on her throne, - which is
no great fun, after all, — when she began humming an old tune,
and it was just “Oh, why should I not be married ? Come,
now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then she was
bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how
to give an answer when he was spoken to, - not one who was
good for nothing but to stand and be looked at, for that is very
tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed
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521
together; and when they heard what she meant to do, all were
well pleased, and said, “We are quite glad to hear it: it is the
very thing we were thinking of. ' You may believe every word I
say,” said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops
about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.
“ The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts
and the initials of the Princess; and you could read in them that
every good-looking young man was free to come to the palace
and speak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as
showed he felt himself at home there, and talked best, that one
the Princess would choose for her husband.
“Yes — yes,” said the Crow, you may believe it; it is as true
as I am sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush
and a hurry, but no one had good luck either on the first or
second day. They could all talk well enough when they were out
in the street; but as soon as they came inside the palace gates,
and saw the guard richly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in
gold, on the staircase, and the large lighted halls, then they
were dumb; and when they stood before the throne on which
the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last
word she had said, and she didn't care to hear that again. It
was just as if the people within were under a charm, and had
fallen into a trance till they came out again into the street; for
then - oh, then they could chatter enough. There was a whole
row of them from the town gates to the palace.
to the palace. I was there
myself to look on,” said the Crow. “They grew hungry and
thirsty; but from the palace they got not so much as a glass of
Some of the cleverest, it is true, had taken bread and
butter with them; but none shared it with his neighbor, for each
thought, “Let him look hungry, and then the Princess won't
have him. ) »
"But Kay -- little Kay," asked Gerda, "when did he come?
Was he among the number ? ”
“Give me time! give me time! we are coming to him. It
was on the third day, when a little personage, without horse or
carriage, came marching right boldly up to the palace; his eyes
shone like yours, he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were
very shabby. ”
« That was Kay,” cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. Oh,
now I've found him! ” and she clapped her hands.
"He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Crow.
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“No, that was certainly his sled,” said Gerda; “for he went
away with his sled. »
“That may be," said the Crow; “I did not see, him close to;
but I know from my tame sweetheart that when he came into the
courtyard of the palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, and
the lackeys on the staircase in gold, he was not in the least cast
down; he nodded and said to them, It must be very tiresome to
stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in. ' The halls were
bright with lights. Court people and fine folks were walking
about on bare feet; it was all very solemn. His boots creaked,
too, very loudly; but still he was not at all afraid. ”
“That's Kay, for certain,” said Gerda. "I know he had on
new boots; I have heard them creaking in grandmamma's room.
“Yes, they creaked," said the Crow. “And on he went boldly
up to the Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spin-
ning-wheel. All the ladies of the court stood about, with their
maids and their maids' maids, and all the gentlemen with their
servants and their servants' servants, who kept a boy; and the
nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked. The boy
of the servants servants, who always goes in slippers, hardly
looked at one, so very proudly did he stand in the doorway. ”
“It must have been terrible,” said little Gerda. “And did
Kay get the Princess ? »
"Were I not a Crow, I should have taken the Princess myself,
although I am engaged. It is said he spoke as well as I speak
when I talk crow language; this I learned from my tame sweet-
heart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to
woo the Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased
him and he pleased her. ”
“Yes, yes, for certain that was Kay,” said Gerda.
“He was
so clever; he could do sums with fractions. Oh, won't you take
me to the palace ? ”
« That is very easily said," answered the Crow. But how are
we to manage it ? I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it;
she can tell us what to do; for so much I must tell you, such a
little girl as you are will never get leave to go in the common
way. ”
“Oh, yes, I shall,” said Gerda: “when Kay hears that I am
here, he will come out at once to fetch me. ”
“Wait for me here on these steps," said the Crow. He
wagged his head and flew away.
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523
-
When it grew dark the Crow came back. « Caw! caw! ” said
he. "I bring you a great many good wishes from her; and here
is a bit of bread for you. She took it out of the kitchen, where
,
there is bread enough, and you are hungry, no doubt. It is not
possible for you to enter the palace, for you are barefoot; the
guards in silver and the lackeys in gold would not allow it: but
do not cry, you shall come in still. My sweetheart knows a little
back stair that leads to the chamber, and she knows where she
can get the key of it. ”
And they went into the garden by the broad path, where one
leaf was falling after the other; and when the lights in the palace
were all put out, one after the other, the Crow led little Gerda to
the back door, which stood ajar.
Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with doubt and longing!
It was
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must
be there. She called to mind his clear eyes and his long hair so
vividly, she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they
were sitting under the roses at home. He would surely be glad
to see her — to hear what a long way she had come for his sake;
to know how unhappy all at home were when he did not come
back. Oh, what a fright and what a joy it was!
Now they were on the stairs. A single lamp was burning
there; and on the floor stood the tame Crow, turning her head on
every side and looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother
had taught her to do.
«My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear
young lady,” said the tame Crow. «Your Life, as they call it, is
very affecting. If you will take the lamp, I will go before. We
will go straight on, for we shall meet no one. ”
“I think there is somebody just behind us,” said Gerda; and
it rushed past her. It was like shadows on the wall; horses with
flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen, ladies and gentlemen on
horseback.
« They are only dreams,” said the Crow. “They come to fetch
the thoughts of the fine folk to the chase; 'tis well, for now you
can see them asleep all the better. But let me find, when
you
come to have honor and fame, that you possess a grateful
heart. ”
«Tut! that's not worth talking about,” said the Crow from the
woods.
c
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524
Now they came into the first hall, which was of rose-colored
satin, with painted flowers on the wall. Here the dreams were
rushing past, but they hurried by so quickly that Gerda could not
see the fine people. One hall was more showy than the other
well might people be abashed; and at last they came into the
bed-chamber.
The ceiling of the room was like a great palm-tree, with leaves
of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle of the floor, from
a thick golden stalk, hung two beds, each of which was shaped
like a lily. One was white, and in this lay the Princess: the
other was red, and it was here that Gerda was to look for little
Kay. She bent back one of the red leaves, and saw a brown
neck - oh, that was Kay! She called him quite loud by name,
held the lamp toward him — the dreams rushed again on horse-
back into the chamber — he awoke, turned his head, and — it was
not little Kay!
The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was
young and handsome. And out of the white lily leaves the
Princess peeped too, and asked what was the matter. Then little
Gerda cried and told her whole history, and all that the Crows
had done for her.
Poor little thing! ” said the Prince and the Princess, and they
praised the Crows very much, and told them they were not at all
angry with them, but they were not to do so again. However,
they should have a reward.
“Will you fly about at liberty ? ” asked the Princess; ”or would
you like to have a steady place as court Crows with all the
broken bits from the kitchen ? »
And both the Crows nodded, and begged for a steady place;
for they thought of their old age, and said it was a good thing
to have something for the old folks," as the saying is.
And the Prince got up and let Gerda sleep in his bed, and
more than this he could not do. She folded her little hands, and
thought, “How good men and animals are! ” and then she shut
her eyes and slept soundly. All the dreams came flying in again,
and they now looked like the angels; they drew a little sled, on
which Kay sat and nodded his head: but the whole was only a
dream, and so it was all gone as soon as she awoke.
The next day she was dressed from top to toe in silk and
velvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead a
happy life; but she begged only to have a little carriage with a
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525
horse in front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she
would again go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.
And she got both shoes and a muff; she was dressed very
nicely, too; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage
stopped before the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of
the Prince and Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman,
the footmen, and the outriders, for outriders were there too, all
wore golden crowns. The Prince and Princess helped her into
the carriage themselves, and wished her good luck. The Crow
of the woods, who was now married, went with her for the first
three miles. He sat beside Gerda, for he could not bear riding
backward; the other Crow stood in the doorway, and flapped her
wings; she could not go with Gerda, because she suffered from
headache since she had had a steady place, and ate so much.
The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seats
were fruits and cookies.
"Good-by! good-by! ” cried Prince and Princess; and little
Gerda wept, and the Crows wept. Thus passed the first miles;
and then the Crow said good-by, and this was the worst good-by
of all. He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as
he could see the carriage, that shone from afar like the clear
sunlight.
THE NIGHTINGALE
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Miffin & Co.
I THE
REAL
NIGHTINGALE
I
N CHINA, you must know, the Emperor is a Chinaman, and all
whom he has about him are Chinamen too. It happened a
good many years ago, but that's just why it's worth while to
hear the story before it is forgotten.
The Emperor's palace was the most splendid in the world. It
was made wholly of fine porcelain, very costly, but so brittle and
so hard to handle that one had to take care how one touched it.
In the garden were to be seen the most wonderful flowers, and
to the prettiest of them silver bells were tied, which tinkled, so
that nobody should pass by without noticing the flowers.
Yes, everything in the Emperor's garden was nicely set out,
and it reached so far that the gardener himself did not know
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
where the end was. If a man went on and on, he came into a
glorious forest with high trees and deep lakes. The wood went
straight down to the sea, which was blue and deep; great ships
could sail to and fro beneath the branches of the trees; and in the
trees lived a Nightingale, which sang so finely that even the poor
Fisherman, who had many other things to do, stopped still and
listened, when he had gone out at night to throw out his nets,
and heard the Nightingale.
“How beautiful that is ! ” he said; but he had to attend to his
work, and so he forgot the bird. But the next night, when the
bird sang again, and the Fisherman heard it, he said as before,
“How beautiful that is ! »
From all the countries of the world travelers came to the city
of the Emperor, and admired it, and the palace, and the garden;
but when they heard the Nightingale, they all said, “That is the
best of all !
And the travelers told of it when they came home; and the
learned men wrote many books about the town, the palace, and
the garden. But they did not forget the Nightingale; that was
spoken of most of all; and all those who were poets wrote great
poems about the Nightingale in the wood by the deep lake.
The books went all over the world, and a few of them once
came to the Emperor. He sat in his golden chair, and read, and
read; every moment he nodded his head, for it pleased him to
hear the fine things that were said about the city, the palace,
and the garden. But the Nightingale is the best of all! " -- it
stood written there.
“What's that ? exclaimed the Emperor. « The Nightingale ?
I don't know that at all! Is there such a bird in my empire, and
in my garden to boot? I've never heard of that. One has to
read about such things. ”
Hereupon he called his Cavalier, who was so grand that if any
one lower in rank than he dared to speak to him, or to ask him
any question, he answered nothing but “P! "--and that meant
nothing.
« There is said to be a strange bird here called a Nightin-
gale! ” said the Emperor. “They say it is the best thing in all
my great empire. Why has no ever told me anything
about it ? »
"I have never heard it named,” replied the Cavalier. « It has
never been presented at court. ”
one
1
-
-
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527
"I command that it shall come here this evening, and sing
before me,” said the Emperor. "All the world knows what I
have, and I do not know it myself ! ”
"I have never heard it mentioned,” said the Cavalier. "I will
seek for it. I will find it. ”
But where was it to be found ? The Cavalier ran up and
down all the stairs, through halls and passages, but no one
among all those whom he met had heard talk of the Nightingale.
And the Cavalier ran back to the Emperor, and said that it must
be a fable made up by those who write books.
“Your Imperial Majesty must not believe what is written. It
is fiction, and something that they call the black art.
But the book in which I read this,” said the Emperor, was
sent to me by the high and mighty Emperor of Japan, and so it
cannot be a falsehood. I will hear the Nightingale! It must be
here this evening! It has my high favor; and if it does not
come, all the court shall be trampled upon after it has supped! ”
«Tsing-pe! ” said the Cavalier; and again he ran up and down
all the stairs, and through all the halls and passages, and half
the court ran with him, for the courtiers did not like being
trampled upon. There was a great inquiry after the wonderful
Nightingale, which all the world knew, but not the people at
court.
At last they met with a poor little girl in the kitchen. She
said:
“The Nightingale ? I know it well; yes, how it can sing!
Every evening I get leave to carry my poor sick mother the
scraps from the table. She lives down by the beach, and when
I get back and am tired, and rest in the wood, then I hear the
Nightingale sing. And then the tears come into my eyes, and it
is just as if my mother kissed me! ”
Little Kitchen-girl," said the Cavalier, "I will get you a
fixed place in the kitchen, with leave to see the Emperor dine,
if you will lead us to the Nightingale, for it is promised for this
evening. "
So they all went out into the wood where the Nightingale
was wont to sing; half the court went out. When they were on
the way, a cow began to low.
“Oh! ” cried the court pages, “now we have it! That shows
a great power in so small a creature! We have certainly heard it
before. ”
## p. 528 (#566) ############################################
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are
"No, those cows mooing! ” said the little Kitchen-girl.
“We are a long way from the place yet. ”
Now the frogs began to croak in the marsh.
« Glorious! ” said the Chinese Court Preacher. "Now I hear
it — it sounds just like little church bells. ”
"No, those are frogs! ” said the little Kitchen-maid. “But
now I think we shall soon hear it. ”
And then the Nightingale began to sing.
« That is it! ) exclaimed the little Girl. "Listen, listen! and
yonder it sits. ”
And she pointed to a little gray bird up in the boughs.
"Is it possible ? ” cried the Cavalier. "I should never have
thought it looked like that! How simple it looks! It must cer-
tainly have lost its color at seeing so many famous people
around. ”
"Little Nightingale! ” called the little Kitchen-maid, quite
loudly, our gracious Emperor wishes you to sing before him. ”
“With the greatest pleasure! ” replied the Nightingale, and
sang so that it was a joy to hear it.
It sounds just like glass bells! ” said the Cavalier. “And
look at its little throat, how it's working! It's wonderful that we
should never have heard it before. That bird will be a great
success at court. ”
«Shall I sing once more before the Emperor ? ” asked the
Nightingale, for it thought the Emperor was present.
"My excellent little Nightingale," said the Cavalier, "I have
great pleasure in inviting you to a court festival this evening,
when you shall charm his Imperial Majesty with your beautiful
singing. ”
“My song sounds best in the greenwood! ” replied the Night-
ingale; still it came willingly when it heard what the Emperor
wished.
In the palace there was a great brushing up. The walls and
the floor, which were of porcelain, shone with many thousand
golden lamps. The most glorious flowers, which could ring
clearly, had been placed in the halls. There was a running to
and fro, and a draught of air, but all the bells rang so exactly
together that one could not hear any noise.
In the midst of the great hall, where the Emperor sat, a
golden perch had been placed, on which the Nightingale was to
sit. The whole court was there, and the little Cook-maid had
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529
leave to stand behind the door, as she had now received the title
of a real cook-maid. All were in full dress, and all looked at
the little gray bird, to which the Emperor nodded.
And the Nightingale sang so gloriously that the tears came
into the Emperor's eyes, and the tears ran down over his cheeks;
and then the Nightingale sang still more sweetly; that went
straight to the heart. The Emperor was happy, and he said the
Nightingale should have his golden slipper to wear round its
neck. But the Nightingale thanked him, it had already got
reward enough.
"I have seen tears in the Emperor's eyes — that is the real
treasure to me. An Emperor's tears have a strange power.
I
am paid enough! ” Then it sang again with a sweet, glorious
voice.
That's the most lovely way of making love I ever saw! )
said the ladies who stood round about, and then they took water
in their mouths to gurgle when any one spoke to them. They
thought they should be nightingales too. And the lackeys and
maids let it be known that they were pleased too; and that was
saying a good deal, for they are the hardest of all to please. In
short, the Nightingale made a real hit.
It was now to remain at court, to have its own cage, with
freedom to go out twice every day and once at night. It had
twelve servants, and they all had a silken string tied to the
bird's leg which they held very tight. There was really no
pleasure in going out.
The whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, and when two
people met, one said nothing but Nightin," and the other said
"gale”; and then they sighed, and understood one another.
Eleven storekeepers' children were named after the bird, but not
one of them could sing a note.
II — THE TOY NIGHTINGALE
One day a large parcel came to the Emperor, on which was
written «The Nightingale. ”
Here we have a new book about this famous bird,” said the
Emperor.
But it was not a book: it was a little work of art, that lay in
a box; a toy nightingale, which was to sing like a live one, but
II-34
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it was all covered with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. So soon
as the toy bird was wound up, he could sing one of the pieces
that the real one sang, and then his tail moved up and down,
and shone with silver and gold. Round his neck hung a little
ribbon, and on that was written, “The Emperor of Japan's
Nightingale is poor beside that of the Emperor in China. ”
“That is capital! ” said they all, and he who had brought the
toy bird at once got the title Imperial Head-Nightingale-Bringer.
“Now they must sing together: what a duet that will be!
And so they had to sing together; but it did not sound very
well, for the real Nightingale sang in its own way, and the toy
bird sang waltzes.
« That's not its fault,” said the Play-master: "it's quite per-
fect, and very much in my style. ”
Now the toy bird was to sing alone. It made just as much of
a hit as the real one, and then it was so much more fine to look
at - it shone like bracelets and breastpins.
Three-and-thirty times over did it sing the same piece, and yet
was not tired. The people would gladly have heard it again, but
the Emperor said that the living Nightingale ought to sing a little
something. But where was it? No one had noticed that it had
flown away, out of the open window, back to its green woods.
« But what is become cf it ? asked the Emperor.
Then all the courtiers scolded, and thought the Nightingale
was a very thankless creature.
“We have the best bird, after all,” said they.
if only the ducks would have let him be among them — the poor,
ugly creature!
And the winter grew so cold, so cold! The Duckling had to
swim about in the water, to keep it from freezing over; but
every night the hole in which he swam about became smaller
and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy cover sounded; and
the Duckling had to use his legs all the time to keep the hole
from freezing tight. At last he became worn out, and lay quite
still, and thus froze fast in the ice.
Early in the morning a peasant came by, and found him
there; he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice to pieces, and car-
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ried the Duckling home to his wife. Then the Duckling came
to himself again. The children wanted to play with him; but
he thought they wanted to hurt him, and in his terror he flew
up into the milk-pan, so that the milk spilled over into the
room. The woman screamed and shook her hand in the air, at
which the Duckling flew down into the tub where they kept the
butter, and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How he
looked then! The woman screamed, and struck at him with the
fire tongs; the children tumbled over one another as they tried
to catch the Duckling; and they laughed and they screamed ! -
well was it that the door stood open, and the poor creature was
able to slip out between the bushes into the newly-fallen snow -
there he lay quite worn out.
But it would be too sad if I were to tell all the misery and
care which the Duckling had to bear in the hard winter. He
lay out on the moor among the reeds, when the sun began to
shine again and the larks to sing; it was a beautiful spring.
Then all at once the Duckling could flap his wings: they
beat the air more strongly than before, and bore him stoutly
away; and before he well knew it, he found himself in a great
garden, where the elder-trees stood in flower, and bent their
long green branches down to the winding canal, and the lilacs
smelt sweet. Oh, here it was beautiful, fresh, and springlike!
and from the thicket came three glorious white swans; they
rustled their wings, and sat lightly on the water. The Duckling
knew the splendid creatures, and felt a strange sadness.
"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will
beat me, because I, that so ugly, dare to come near them.
But it is all the same. Better to be killed by them than to be
chased by ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by the
girl who takes care of the poultry yard, and to suffer hunger in
winter! ” And he flew out into the water, and swam toward the
beautiful swans: these looked at him, and came sailing down
upon him 'with outspread wings. “Kill me! ” said the poor
creature, and bent his head down upon the water, and waited for
death. But what saw he in the clear water ? He saw below him
his own image; and lo! it was no longer a clumsy dark-gray
bird, ugly and hateful to look at, but -a swan!
It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard, if one has
only lain in a swan's egg.
He felt quite glad at all the need and hard times he had
borne; now he could joy in his good luck in all the brightness
am
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517
that was round him. And the great swans swam round him
and stroked him with their beaks.
Into the garden came little children, who threw bread and
corn into the water; and the youngest cried, “There is a new
one! ) and the other children shouted, “Yes, a new
one has
come! ” And they clapped their hands and danced about, and
ran to their father and mother; and bread and cake were thrown
into the water; and they all said, “The new one is the most
beautiful of all! so young and so handsome! ” and the old swans
bowed their heads before him.
Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his
wings, for he did not know what to do; he was so happy, and
yet not at all proud, for a good heart is never proud. He
thought how he had been driven about and mocked and despised;
and now he heard them all saying that he was the most beautiful
of all beautiful birds. And the lilacs bent their branches straight
down into the water before him, and the sun shone warm and
mild. Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, and
cried from the depths of his heart:-
"I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the
Ugly Duckling. ”
WHAT THE MOON SAW
H*
EAR what the Moon told me:
“I have seen a cadet promoted to be an officer, and dress-
ing himself for the first time in his gorgeous uniform; I
have seen young girls in bridal attire, and the prince's young
bride in her wedding dress: but I never saw such bliss as that
of a little four-year-old girl whom I watched this evening. She
had got a new blue dress, and a new pink hat. The finery was
just put on, and all were calling for light, for the moonbeams
that came through the window were not bright enough. They
wanted very different lights from that. There stood the little
girl, stiff as a doll, keeping her arms anxiously off her dress, and
her fingers stretched wide apart. Oh! what happiness beamed
from her eyes, from her whole face. "To-morrow you may go
to walk in the dress,' said the mother; and the little one looked
up at her hat and down again at her dress, and smiled blissfully.
Mother,' she cried, what will the little dogs think when they
see me in all these fine clothes ? ) »
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THE LOVERS
From (Riverside Literature Series': copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
T"
The Top and the Ball lay in a drawer among some other toys;
and so the Top said to the Ball:-“Shall we not be lovers,
since we live together in the same drawer ? ”
But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco leather, and
thought herself as good as any fine lady, had nothing to say to
such a thing The next day came the little boy who owned the
toys: he painted the Top red and yellow, and drove a brass nail
into it; and the Top looked splendidly when he turned round.
« Look at me! ” he cried to the Ball.
«What do you say
now? Shall we not be lovers? We go so nicely together? You
jump and I dance! No one could be happier than we two
should be. ”
«Indeed! Do you think so ? ” said the Ball. "Perhaps you
do not know that my papa and my mamma were morocco slip-
pers, and that I have a cork inside me ? »
“Yes, but I'am made of mahogany,” said the Top; "and the
mayor himself turned me. He has a turning-lathe of his own,
and it amuses him greatly. ”
“Can I depend on that ? ” asked the Ball.
"May I never be whipped again if it is not true! ” replied
the Top.
"You talk well for yourself,” said the Ball, “but I cannot do
what you ask. I am
I am as good as half engaged to a swallow:
every time I leap up into the air he sticks his head out of the
nest and says, “Will you ? will you ? ' And now I have silently
said “Yes,' and that is as good as being half engaged; but I
promise I will never forget you. ”
“Much good that will do! ” said the Top.
And they spoke no more to each other.
Next day the Ball was taken out. The Top saw how she
flew high into the air, like a bird; at last one could no longer
see her.
Each time she came back again, but always gave a
high leap when she touched the earth; and that came about
either from her longing, or because she had a cork in her body.
The ninth time the Ball stayed away and did not come back
again; and the boy looked and looked, but she was gone.
"I know very well where she is! " sighed the Top. «She is
in the Swallow's nest, and has married the Swallow ! »
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519
The more the Top thought of this, the more he longed for
the Ball. Just because he could not get her, he fell more in
love with her. That she had taken someone else, that was
another thing. So the Top danced around and hummed, but
always thought of the Ball, which grew more and more lovely in
his fancy. Thus many years went by,- and now it was an old
love.
And the Top was no longer young. But one day he was
gilt all over; never had he looked so handsome; he was now a
golden Top, and sprang till he hummed again. Yes, that was
something! But all at once he sprang too high, and — he was
gone!
They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but he was not
to be found.
Where was he?
He had jumped into the dust-box, where all kinds of things
were lying: cabbage stalks, sweepings, and gravel that had fallen
down from the roof.
«Here's a nice place to lie in! The gilding will soon leave
me here. And what a rabble I've come amongst ! ”
And then he looked askance at a long cabbage stalk that was
much too near him, and at a curious round thing like an old
apple; but it was not an apple - it was an old Ball, which had
lain for years in the roof-gutter and was soaked through with
water.
« Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with whom one can
talk! ” said the little Ball, and looked at the gilt Top. “I am
really morocco, sewn by a girl's hands, and have a cork inside
me; but no one would think it to look at me. I was very near
marrying a swallow, but I fell into the gutter on the roof, and
have laid there full five years, and am quite soaked through.
That's a long time, you may believe me, for a young girl. ”
But the Top said nothing. He thought of his old love; and
the more he heard, the clearer it became to him that this was
she. Then came the servant-girl, and wanted to empty the dust-
box. “Aha, there's a gilt top! ” she cried. And so the Top was
brought again to notice and honor, but nothing was heard of the
Ball. And the Top spoke no more of his old love: for that dies
away when the beloved has lain for five years in a gutter and
got soaked through; yes, one does not know her again when one
meets her in the dust-box.
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THE SNOW QUEEN
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
FOURTH STORY — THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS
ERDA
G
was obliged to rest herself again, when just over
against where she sat, a large Crow hopped over the white
snow. He had sat there a long while, looking at her and
shaking his head; and now he said, “Caw! caw! Good day!
good day :) He could not say it better; but he meant well by
the little girl, and asked her where she was going all alone out
in the wide world. The word “alone” Gerda understood quite
well, ind felt how much lay in it; so she told the Crow her
whole history and asked if he had not seen Kay.
The Crow nodded very gravely, and said, "It may be — it
may be ! »
“What do you really think so ? ” cried the little girl; and she
nearly squeezed the Crow to death, so much did she kiss him.
"Gently gently,” said the Crow. "I think I know; I think
that it may be little Kay. But now he has quite forgotten you
for the Princess. ”
Does he live with a princess? ” asked Gerda.
“Yes,— listen,” said the Crow; “but it is hard for me to
speak your language. If you understand the Crow language, I
can tell you better. ”
“No, I have not learnt it,” said Gerda; “but my grand-
mother understands it. I wish I had learnt it. ”
«No matter,” said the Crow: "I will tell you as well as I can;
but it will be bad enough. ” And then he told all he knew.
“In the kingdom where we now are, there lives a princess,
who is vastly clever; for she has read all the newspapers in the
whole world, and has forgotten them again, — so clever is she.
Some time ago, they say, she was sitting on her throne, - which is
no great fun, after all, — when she began humming an old tune,
and it was just “Oh, why should I not be married ? Come,
now, there is something in that,' said she, and so then she was
bound to marry; but she would have a husband who knew how
to give an answer when he was spoken to, - not one who was
good for nothing but to stand and be looked at, for that is very
tiresome. She then had all the ladies of the court drummed
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521
together; and when they heard what she meant to do, all were
well pleased, and said, “We are quite glad to hear it: it is the
very thing we were thinking of. ' You may believe every word I
say,” said the Crow, "for I have a tame sweetheart that hops
about in the palace quite freely, and she told me all.
“ The newspapers at once came out with a border of hearts
and the initials of the Princess; and you could read in them that
every good-looking young man was free to come to the palace
and speak to the Princess; and he who spoke in such wise as
showed he felt himself at home there, and talked best, that one
the Princess would choose for her husband.
“Yes — yes,” said the Crow, you may believe it; it is as true
as I am sitting here. People came in crowds; there was a crush
and a hurry, but no one had good luck either on the first or
second day. They could all talk well enough when they were out
in the street; but as soon as they came inside the palace gates,
and saw the guard richly dressed in silver, and the lackeys in
gold, on the staircase, and the large lighted halls, then they
were dumb; and when they stood before the throne on which
the Princess was sitting, all they could do was to repeat the last
word she had said, and she didn't care to hear that again. It
was just as if the people within were under a charm, and had
fallen into a trance till they came out again into the street; for
then - oh, then they could chatter enough. There was a whole
row of them from the town gates to the palace.
to the palace. I was there
myself to look on,” said the Crow. “They grew hungry and
thirsty; but from the palace they got not so much as a glass of
Some of the cleverest, it is true, had taken bread and
butter with them; but none shared it with his neighbor, for each
thought, “Let him look hungry, and then the Princess won't
have him. ) »
"But Kay -- little Kay," asked Gerda, "when did he come?
Was he among the number ? ”
“Give me time! give me time! we are coming to him. It
was on the third day, when a little personage, without horse or
carriage, came marching right boldly up to the palace; his eyes
shone like yours, he had beautiful long hair, but his clothes were
very shabby. ”
« That was Kay,” cried Gerda, with a voice of delight. Oh,
now I've found him! ” and she clapped her hands.
"He had a little knapsack at his back," said the Crow.
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“No, that was certainly his sled,” said Gerda; “for he went
away with his sled. »
“That may be," said the Crow; “I did not see, him close to;
but I know from my tame sweetheart that when he came into the
courtyard of the palace, and saw the body-guard in silver, and
the lackeys on the staircase in gold, he was not in the least cast
down; he nodded and said to them, It must be very tiresome to
stand on the stairs; for my part, I shall go in. ' The halls were
bright with lights. Court people and fine folks were walking
about on bare feet; it was all very solemn. His boots creaked,
too, very loudly; but still he was not at all afraid. ”
“That's Kay, for certain,” said Gerda. "I know he had on
new boots; I have heard them creaking in grandmamma's room.
“Yes, they creaked," said the Crow. “And on he went boldly
up to the Princess, who was sitting on a pearl as large as a spin-
ning-wheel. All the ladies of the court stood about, with their
maids and their maids' maids, and all the gentlemen with their
servants and their servants' servants, who kept a boy; and the
nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked. The boy
of the servants servants, who always goes in slippers, hardly
looked at one, so very proudly did he stand in the doorway. ”
“It must have been terrible,” said little Gerda. “And did
Kay get the Princess ? »
"Were I not a Crow, I should have taken the Princess myself,
although I am engaged. It is said he spoke as well as I speak
when I talk crow language; this I learned from my tame sweet-
heart. He was bold and nicely behaved; he had not come to
woo the Princess, but only to hear her wisdom. She pleased
him and he pleased her. ”
“Yes, yes, for certain that was Kay,” said Gerda.
“He was
so clever; he could do sums with fractions. Oh, won't you take
me to the palace ? ”
« That is very easily said," answered the Crow. But how are
we to manage it ? I'll speak to my tame sweetheart about it;
she can tell us what to do; for so much I must tell you, such a
little girl as you are will never get leave to go in the common
way. ”
“Oh, yes, I shall,” said Gerda: “when Kay hears that I am
here, he will come out at once to fetch me. ”
“Wait for me here on these steps," said the Crow. He
wagged his head and flew away.
## p. 523 (#561) ############################################
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523
-
When it grew dark the Crow came back. « Caw! caw! ” said
he. "I bring you a great many good wishes from her; and here
is a bit of bread for you. She took it out of the kitchen, where
,
there is bread enough, and you are hungry, no doubt. It is not
possible for you to enter the palace, for you are barefoot; the
guards in silver and the lackeys in gold would not allow it: but
do not cry, you shall come in still. My sweetheart knows a little
back stair that leads to the chamber, and she knows where she
can get the key of it. ”
And they went into the garden by the broad path, where one
leaf was falling after the other; and when the lights in the palace
were all put out, one after the other, the Crow led little Gerda to
the back door, which stood ajar.
Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with doubt and longing!
It was
just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet
she only wanted to know if little Kay was there. Yes, he must
be there. She called to mind his clear eyes and his long hair so
vividly, she could quite see him as he used to laugh when they
were sitting under the roses at home. He would surely be glad
to see her — to hear what a long way she had come for his sake;
to know how unhappy all at home were when he did not come
back. Oh, what a fright and what a joy it was!
Now they were on the stairs. A single lamp was burning
there; and on the floor stood the tame Crow, turning her head on
every side and looking at Gerda, who bowed as her grandmother
had taught her to do.
«My intended has told me so much good of you, my dear
young lady,” said the tame Crow. «Your Life, as they call it, is
very affecting. If you will take the lamp, I will go before. We
will go straight on, for we shall meet no one. ”
“I think there is somebody just behind us,” said Gerda; and
it rushed past her. It was like shadows on the wall; horses with
flowing manes and thin legs, huntsmen, ladies and gentlemen on
horseback.
« They are only dreams,” said the Crow. “They come to fetch
the thoughts of the fine folk to the chase; 'tis well, for now you
can see them asleep all the better. But let me find, when
you
come to have honor and fame, that you possess a grateful
heart. ”
«Tut! that's not worth talking about,” said the Crow from the
woods.
c
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524
Now they came into the first hall, which was of rose-colored
satin, with painted flowers on the wall. Here the dreams were
rushing past, but they hurried by so quickly that Gerda could not
see the fine people. One hall was more showy than the other
well might people be abashed; and at last they came into the
bed-chamber.
The ceiling of the room was like a great palm-tree, with leaves
of glass, of costly glass; and in the middle of the floor, from
a thick golden stalk, hung two beds, each of which was shaped
like a lily. One was white, and in this lay the Princess: the
other was red, and it was here that Gerda was to look for little
Kay. She bent back one of the red leaves, and saw a brown
neck - oh, that was Kay! She called him quite loud by name,
held the lamp toward him — the dreams rushed again on horse-
back into the chamber — he awoke, turned his head, and — it was
not little Kay!
The Prince was only like him about the neck; but he was
young and handsome. And out of the white lily leaves the
Princess peeped too, and asked what was the matter. Then little
Gerda cried and told her whole history, and all that the Crows
had done for her.
Poor little thing! ” said the Prince and the Princess, and they
praised the Crows very much, and told them they were not at all
angry with them, but they were not to do so again. However,
they should have a reward.
“Will you fly about at liberty ? ” asked the Princess; ”or would
you like to have a steady place as court Crows with all the
broken bits from the kitchen ? »
And both the Crows nodded, and begged for a steady place;
for they thought of their old age, and said it was a good thing
to have something for the old folks," as the saying is.
And the Prince got up and let Gerda sleep in his bed, and
more than this he could not do. She folded her little hands, and
thought, “How good men and animals are! ” and then she shut
her eyes and slept soundly. All the dreams came flying in again,
and they now looked like the angels; they drew a little sled, on
which Kay sat and nodded his head: but the whole was only a
dream, and so it was all gone as soon as she awoke.
The next day she was dressed from top to toe in silk and
velvet. They offered to let her stay at the palace, and lead a
happy life; but she begged only to have a little carriage with a
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525
horse in front, and for a small pair of shoes; then, she said, she
would again go forth in the wide world and look for Kay.
And she got both shoes and a muff; she was dressed very
nicely, too; and when she was about to set off, a new carriage
stopped before the door. It was of pure gold, and the arms of
the Prince and Princess shone like a star upon it; the coachman,
the footmen, and the outriders, for outriders were there too, all
wore golden crowns. The Prince and Princess helped her into
the carriage themselves, and wished her good luck. The Crow
of the woods, who was now married, went with her for the first
three miles. He sat beside Gerda, for he could not bear riding
backward; the other Crow stood in the doorway, and flapped her
wings; she could not go with Gerda, because she suffered from
headache since she had had a steady place, and ate so much.
The carriage was lined inside with sugar-plums, and in the seats
were fruits and cookies.
"Good-by! good-by! ” cried Prince and Princess; and little
Gerda wept, and the Crows wept. Thus passed the first miles;
and then the Crow said good-by, and this was the worst good-by
of all. He flew into a tree, and beat his black wings as long as
he could see the carriage, that shone from afar like the clear
sunlight.
THE NIGHTINGALE
From “Riverside Literature Series): copyright 1891, by Houghton, Miffin & Co.
I THE
REAL
NIGHTINGALE
I
N CHINA, you must know, the Emperor is a Chinaman, and all
whom he has about him are Chinamen too. It happened a
good many years ago, but that's just why it's worth while to
hear the story before it is forgotten.
The Emperor's palace was the most splendid in the world. It
was made wholly of fine porcelain, very costly, but so brittle and
so hard to handle that one had to take care how one touched it.
In the garden were to be seen the most wonderful flowers, and
to the prettiest of them silver bells were tied, which tinkled, so
that nobody should pass by without noticing the flowers.
Yes, everything in the Emperor's garden was nicely set out,
and it reached so far that the gardener himself did not know
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
where the end was. If a man went on and on, he came into a
glorious forest with high trees and deep lakes. The wood went
straight down to the sea, which was blue and deep; great ships
could sail to and fro beneath the branches of the trees; and in the
trees lived a Nightingale, which sang so finely that even the poor
Fisherman, who had many other things to do, stopped still and
listened, when he had gone out at night to throw out his nets,
and heard the Nightingale.
“How beautiful that is ! ” he said; but he had to attend to his
work, and so he forgot the bird. But the next night, when the
bird sang again, and the Fisherman heard it, he said as before,
“How beautiful that is ! »
From all the countries of the world travelers came to the city
of the Emperor, and admired it, and the palace, and the garden;
but when they heard the Nightingale, they all said, “That is the
best of all !
And the travelers told of it when they came home; and the
learned men wrote many books about the town, the palace, and
the garden. But they did not forget the Nightingale; that was
spoken of most of all; and all those who were poets wrote great
poems about the Nightingale in the wood by the deep lake.
The books went all over the world, and a few of them once
came to the Emperor. He sat in his golden chair, and read, and
read; every moment he nodded his head, for it pleased him to
hear the fine things that were said about the city, the palace,
and the garden. But the Nightingale is the best of all! " -- it
stood written there.
“What's that ? exclaimed the Emperor. « The Nightingale ?
I don't know that at all! Is there such a bird in my empire, and
in my garden to boot? I've never heard of that. One has to
read about such things. ”
Hereupon he called his Cavalier, who was so grand that if any
one lower in rank than he dared to speak to him, or to ask him
any question, he answered nothing but “P! "--and that meant
nothing.
« There is said to be a strange bird here called a Nightin-
gale! ” said the Emperor. “They say it is the best thing in all
my great empire. Why has no ever told me anything
about it ? »
"I have never heard it named,” replied the Cavalier. « It has
never been presented at court. ”
one
1
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527
"I command that it shall come here this evening, and sing
before me,” said the Emperor. "All the world knows what I
have, and I do not know it myself ! ”
"I have never heard it mentioned,” said the Cavalier. "I will
seek for it. I will find it. ”
But where was it to be found ? The Cavalier ran up and
down all the stairs, through halls and passages, but no one
among all those whom he met had heard talk of the Nightingale.
And the Cavalier ran back to the Emperor, and said that it must
be a fable made up by those who write books.
“Your Imperial Majesty must not believe what is written. It
is fiction, and something that they call the black art.
But the book in which I read this,” said the Emperor, was
sent to me by the high and mighty Emperor of Japan, and so it
cannot be a falsehood. I will hear the Nightingale! It must be
here this evening! It has my high favor; and if it does not
come, all the court shall be trampled upon after it has supped! ”
«Tsing-pe! ” said the Cavalier; and again he ran up and down
all the stairs, and through all the halls and passages, and half
the court ran with him, for the courtiers did not like being
trampled upon. There was a great inquiry after the wonderful
Nightingale, which all the world knew, but not the people at
court.
At last they met with a poor little girl in the kitchen. She
said:
“The Nightingale ? I know it well; yes, how it can sing!
Every evening I get leave to carry my poor sick mother the
scraps from the table. She lives down by the beach, and when
I get back and am tired, and rest in the wood, then I hear the
Nightingale sing. And then the tears come into my eyes, and it
is just as if my mother kissed me! ”
Little Kitchen-girl," said the Cavalier, "I will get you a
fixed place in the kitchen, with leave to see the Emperor dine,
if you will lead us to the Nightingale, for it is promised for this
evening. "
So they all went out into the wood where the Nightingale
was wont to sing; half the court went out. When they were on
the way, a cow began to low.
“Oh! ” cried the court pages, “now we have it! That shows
a great power in so small a creature! We have certainly heard it
before. ”
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are
"No, those cows mooing! ” said the little Kitchen-girl.
“We are a long way from the place yet. ”
Now the frogs began to croak in the marsh.
« Glorious! ” said the Chinese Court Preacher. "Now I hear
it — it sounds just like little church bells. ”
"No, those are frogs! ” said the little Kitchen-maid. “But
now I think we shall soon hear it. ”
And then the Nightingale began to sing.
« That is it! ) exclaimed the little Girl. "Listen, listen! and
yonder it sits. ”
And she pointed to a little gray bird up in the boughs.
"Is it possible ? ” cried the Cavalier. "I should never have
thought it looked like that! How simple it looks! It must cer-
tainly have lost its color at seeing so many famous people
around. ”
"Little Nightingale! ” called the little Kitchen-maid, quite
loudly, our gracious Emperor wishes you to sing before him. ”
“With the greatest pleasure! ” replied the Nightingale, and
sang so that it was a joy to hear it.
It sounds just like glass bells! ” said the Cavalier. “And
look at its little throat, how it's working! It's wonderful that we
should never have heard it before. That bird will be a great
success at court. ”
«Shall I sing once more before the Emperor ? ” asked the
Nightingale, for it thought the Emperor was present.
"My excellent little Nightingale," said the Cavalier, "I have
great pleasure in inviting you to a court festival this evening,
when you shall charm his Imperial Majesty with your beautiful
singing. ”
“My song sounds best in the greenwood! ” replied the Night-
ingale; still it came willingly when it heard what the Emperor
wished.
In the palace there was a great brushing up. The walls and
the floor, which were of porcelain, shone with many thousand
golden lamps. The most glorious flowers, which could ring
clearly, had been placed in the halls. There was a running to
and fro, and a draught of air, but all the bells rang so exactly
together that one could not hear any noise.
In the midst of the great hall, where the Emperor sat, a
golden perch had been placed, on which the Nightingale was to
sit. The whole court was there, and the little Cook-maid had
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529
leave to stand behind the door, as she had now received the title
of a real cook-maid. All were in full dress, and all looked at
the little gray bird, to which the Emperor nodded.
And the Nightingale sang so gloriously that the tears came
into the Emperor's eyes, and the tears ran down over his cheeks;
and then the Nightingale sang still more sweetly; that went
straight to the heart. The Emperor was happy, and he said the
Nightingale should have his golden slipper to wear round its
neck. But the Nightingale thanked him, it had already got
reward enough.
"I have seen tears in the Emperor's eyes — that is the real
treasure to me. An Emperor's tears have a strange power.
I
am paid enough! ” Then it sang again with a sweet, glorious
voice.
That's the most lovely way of making love I ever saw! )
said the ladies who stood round about, and then they took water
in their mouths to gurgle when any one spoke to them. They
thought they should be nightingales too. And the lackeys and
maids let it be known that they were pleased too; and that was
saying a good deal, for they are the hardest of all to please. In
short, the Nightingale made a real hit.
It was now to remain at court, to have its own cage, with
freedom to go out twice every day and once at night. It had
twelve servants, and they all had a silken string tied to the
bird's leg which they held very tight. There was really no
pleasure in going out.
The whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, and when two
people met, one said nothing but Nightin," and the other said
"gale”; and then they sighed, and understood one another.
Eleven storekeepers' children were named after the bird, but not
one of them could sing a note.
II — THE TOY NIGHTINGALE
One day a large parcel came to the Emperor, on which was
written «The Nightingale. ”
Here we have a new book about this famous bird,” said the
Emperor.
But it was not a book: it was a little work of art, that lay in
a box; a toy nightingale, which was to sing like a live one, but
II-34
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it was all covered with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. So soon
as the toy bird was wound up, he could sing one of the pieces
that the real one sang, and then his tail moved up and down,
and shone with silver and gold. Round his neck hung a little
ribbon, and on that was written, “The Emperor of Japan's
Nightingale is poor beside that of the Emperor in China. ”
“That is capital! ” said they all, and he who had brought the
toy bird at once got the title Imperial Head-Nightingale-Bringer.
“Now they must sing together: what a duet that will be!
And so they had to sing together; but it did not sound very
well, for the real Nightingale sang in its own way, and the toy
bird sang waltzes.
« That's not its fault,” said the Play-master: "it's quite per-
fect, and very much in my style. ”
Now the toy bird was to sing alone. It made just as much of
a hit as the real one, and then it was so much more fine to look
at - it shone like bracelets and breastpins.
Three-and-thirty times over did it sing the same piece, and yet
was not tired. The people would gladly have heard it again, but
the Emperor said that the living Nightingale ought to sing a little
something. But where was it? No one had noticed that it had
flown away, out of the open window, back to its green woods.
« But what is become cf it ? asked the Emperor.
Then all the courtiers scolded, and thought the Nightingale
was a very thankless creature.
“We have the best bird, after all,” said they.
