1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

intheuttermostpartsofthesea

byhanschristianandersen

someyearsago,largeshipsweresenttowardsthenorthpole,toexplorethedistantcoasts,andtotryhowfarmencouldpenetrateintothoseunknownregions.formorethanayearoneoftheseshipshadbeenpushingitswaynorthward,amidsnowandice,andthesailorshadenduredmanyhardships;tillatlengthwintersetin,andthesunentirelydisappeared;formanyweekstherewouldbeconstantnight.allaround,asfarastheeyecouldreach,nothingcouldbeseenbutfieldsofice,inwhichtheshipremainedstuckfast.thesnowlaypiledupingreatheaps,andofthesethesailorsmadehuts,intheformofbee-hives,someofthemaslargeandspaciousasoneofthe"huns'graves,"andothersonlycontainingroomenoughtoholdthreeorfourmen.itwasnotquitedark;thenorthernlightsshotforthredandblueflames,likecontinuousfireworks,andthesnowglittered,andreflectedbackthelight,sothatthenightherewasonelongtwilight.whenthemoonwasbrightest,thenativescameincrowdstoseethesailors.theyhadaverysingularappearanceintheirrough,hairydressesoffur,andridinginsledgesovertheice.theybroughtwiththemfursandskinsingreatabundance,sothatthesnow-housesweresoonprovidedwithwarmcarpets,andthefursalsoservedforthesailorstowrapthemselvesin,whentheysleptundertheroofsofsnow,whileoutsideitwasfreezingwithacoldfarmoreseverethaninthewinterwithus.inourcountryitwasstillautumn,thoughlateintheseason;andtheythoughtofthatintheirdistantexile,andoftenpicturedtothemselvestheyellowleavesonthetreesathome.theirwatchespointedtothehoursofevening,andtimetogotosleep,althoughintheseregionsitwasnowalwaysnight.

inoneofthehuts,twoofthemenlaidthemselvesdowntoyoungerofthesemenhadbroughtwithhimfromhomehisbest,hisdearesttreasure-abible,whichhisgrandmotherhadgivenhimonhisdeparture.everynightthesacredvolumerestedunderhishead,andhehadknownfromhischildhoodwhatwaswritteninit.everydayhereadinthebook,andwhilestretchedonhiscoldcouch,theholywordshehadlearntwouldcomeintohismind:"ifitakethewingsofthemorning,andflytotheuttermostpartsofthesea,eventherethouartwithme,andthyrighthandshallupholdme;"andundertheinfluenceofthatfaithwhichtheseholywordsinspired,sleepcameuponhim,anddreams,whicharethemanifestationsofgodtothespirit.thesoullivesandacts,whilethebodyisatfeltthislifeinhim,anditwasasifheheardthesoundofdear,well-knownmelodies,asifthebreezesofsummerfloatedaroundhim;andoverhiscouchshonearayofbrightness,asifitwereshiningthroughthecoveringofhissnow-roof.heliftedhishead,andsawthatthebrightgleamingwasnotthereflectionoftheglitteringsnow,butthedazzlingbrightnessofthepinionsofamightyangel,intowhosebeamingfacehewasgazing.asfromthecupofalily,theangelrosefromamidsttheleavesofthebible;and,stretchingouthisarm,thewallsofthehutsunkdown,asthoughtheyhadbeenformedofalight,airyveilofmist,andthegreenhillsandmeadowsofhome,withitsruddywoods,layspreadaroundhiminthequietsunshineofalovelyautumnday.thenestofthestorkwasempty,butripefruitstillhungonthewildapple-tree,althoughtheleaveshadfallen.theredhipsgleamedonthehedges,andthestarlingwhichhunginthegreencageoutsidethewindowofthepeasant'shut,whichwashishome,whistledthetunewhichhehadtaughthim.hisgrandmotherhunggreenbirds'-foodaroundthecage,ashe,hergrandson,hadbeenaccustomedtodo.thedaughterofthevillageblacksmith,whowasyoungandfair,stoodatthewell,drawingwater.shenoddedtothegrandmother,andtheoldwomannoddedtoher,andpointedtoaletterwhichhadcomefromalongwayoff.thatverymorningtheletterhadarrivedfromthecoldregionsofthenorth;there,wheretheabsentonewassweetlysleepingundertheprotectinghandofgod.theylaughedandweptovertheletter;andhe,faraway,amidiceandsnow,undertheshadowoftheangel'swings,weptandsmiledwiththeminspirit;forhesawandhearditallinhisdream.fromthelettertheyreadaloudthewordsofholywrit:"intheuttermostpartsofthesea,thyrighthandshallupholdme."andastheangelspreadhiswingslikeaveiloverthesleeper,therewasthesoundofbeautifulmusicandahymn.thenthevisionwasdarkagaininthesnow-hut:butthebiblestillrestedbeneathhishead,andfaithandhopedweltinhisheart.godwaswithhim,andhecarriedhomeinhisheart,even"intheuttermostpartsofthesea.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

jackthedullard

anoldstorytoldanew

byhanschristianandersen

farintheinteriorofthecountrylayanoldbaronialhall,andinitlivedanoldproprietor,whohadtwosons,whichtwoyoungmenthoughtthemselvestoocleverbyhalf.theywantedtogooutandwootheking'sdaughter;forthemaideninquestionhadpubliclyannouncedthatshewouldchooseforherhusbandthatyouthwhocouldarrangehiswordsbest.

sothesetwogeniusespreparedthemselvesafullweekforthewooing-thiswasthelongesttimethatcouldbegrantedthem;butitwasenough,fortheyhadhadmuchpreparatoryinformation,andeverybodyknowshowusefulthatis.oneofthemknewthewholelatindictionarybyheart,andthreewholeyearsofthedailypaperofthelittletownintothebargain,andsowell,indeed,thathecouldrepeatitalleitherbackwardsorforwards,justashechose.theotherwasdeeplyreadinthecorporationlaws,andknewbyheartwhateverycorporationoughttoknow;andaccordinglyhethoughthecouldtalkofaffairsofstate,andputhisspokeinthewheelinthecouncil.andheknewonethingmore:hecouldembroidersuspenderswithrosesandotherflowers,andwitharabesques,forhewasatasty,light-fingeredfellow.

"ishallwintheprincess!"