aweekhaspassed;thismorninghisdeathwasinthenewspaper,thatisthereasonofthegirl'smourning!heroldsweetheartisdeadandhasleftawifeandthreestep-children,asthepapersays;itsoundsasifthereisacrack,butthemetalispure.

theblackbowsignifiesmourning,thegirl'sfacepointstothesameinastillhigherdegree;itispreservedintheheartandwillneverbeforgotten.delayingisnotforgetting!

thesearethreestoriesyousee,threeleavesonthesamestalk.doyouwishforsomemoretrefoilleaves?inthelittleheartbookaremanymoreofthem.delayingisnotforgetting!

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

everythingintherightplace

byhanschristianandersen

itismorethanahundredyearsago!attheborderofthewood,nearalargelake,stoodtheoldmansion:deepditchessurroundeditoneveryside,inwhichreedsandbulrushesgrew.closebythedrawbridge,nearthegate,therewasanoldwillowtree,whichbentoverthereeds.

fromthenarrowpasscamethesoundofbuglesandthetramplingofhorses'feet;thereforealittlegirlwhowaswatchingthegeesehastenedtodrivethemawayfromthebridge,beforethewholehuntingpartycamegallopingup;theycame,however,soquickly,thatthegirl,inordertoavoidbeingrunover,placedherselfononeofthehighcorner-stonesofthebridge.shewasstillhalfachildandverydelicatelybuilt;shehadbrightblueeyes,andagentle,sweetexpression.butsuchthingsthebarondidnotnotice;whilehewasridingpastthelittlegoose-girl,hereversedhishuntingcrop,andinroughplaygavehersuchapushwithitthatshefellbackwardintotheditch.

"everythingintherightplace!"hecried."intotheditchwithyou."

thenheburstoutlaughing,forthathecalledfun;theothersjoinedin-thewholepartyshoutedandcried,whilethehoundsbarked.

whilethepoorgirlwasfallingshehappilycaughtoneofthebranchesofthewillowtree,bythehelpofwhichsheheldherselfoverthewater,andassoonasthebaronwithhiscompanyandthedogshaddisappearedthroughthegate,thegirlendeavouredtoscrambleup,butthebranchbrokeoff,andshewouldhavefallenbackwardamongtherushes,hadnotastronghandfromaboveseizedheratthismoment.itwasthehandofapedlar;hehadwitnessedwhathadhappenedfromashortdistance,andnowhastenedtoassisther.

"everythingintherightplace,"hesaid,imitatingthenoblebaron,andpullingthelittlemaiduptothedryground.hewishedtoputthebranchbackintheplaceithadbeenbrokenoff,butitisnotpossibletoputeverythingintherightplace;"thereforehestuckthebranchintothesoftground.

"growandthriveifyoucan,andproduceagoodfluteforthemyonderatthemansion,"hesaid;itwouldhavegivenhimgreatpleasuretoseethenoblebaronandhiscompanionswellthrashed.thenheenteredthecastle-butnotthebanquetinghall;hewastoohumbleforthat.no;hewenttotheservants'hall.themen-servantsandmaidslookedoverhisstockofarticlesandbargainedwithhim;loudcryingandscreamingwereheardfromthemaster'stableabove:theycalleditsinging-indeed,theydidtheirbest.laughterandthehowlsofdogswereheardthroughtheopenwindows:theretheywerefeastingandrevelling;wineandstrongoldalewerefoamingintheglassesandjugs;thefavouritedogsatewiththeirmasters;nowandthenthesquireskissedoneoftheseanimals,afterhavingwipeditsmouthfirstwiththetablecloth.theyorderedthepedlartocomeup,butonlytomakefunofhim.thewinehadgotintotheirheads,andreasonhadleftthem.theypouredbeerintoastockingthathecoulddrinkwiththem,butquick.that'swhattheycalledfun,anditmadethemlaugh.thenmeadows,peasants,andfarmyardswerestakedononecardandlost.

"everythingintherightplace!"