saidlittleida.butsophylookedquitestupid,andsaidnotasingleword.

"youarenotkindatall,"saidida;"andyettheyalldancedwithyou."

thenshetookalittlepaperbox,onwhichwerepaintedbeautifulbirds,andlaidthedeadflowersinit.

"thisshallbeyourprettycoffin,"shesaid;"andbyandby,whenmycousinscometovisitme,theyshallhelpmetoburyyououtinthegarden;sothatnextsummeryoumaygrowupagainmorebeautifulthanever."

hercousinsweretwogood-temperedboys,whosenameswerejamesandadolphus.theirfatherhadgiventhemeachabowandarrow,andtheyhadbroughtthemtoshowida.shetoldthemaboutthepoorflowerswhichweredead;andassoonastheyobtainedpermission,theywentwithhertoburythem.thetwoboyswalkedfirst,withtheircrossbowsontheirshoulders,andlittleidafollowed,carryingtheprettyboxcontainingthedeadflowers.theydugalittlegraveinthegarden.idakissedherflowersandthenlaidthem,withthebox,intheearth.jamesandadolphusthenfiredtheircrossbowsoverthegrave,astheyhadneithergunsnorcannons.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

littletinyorthumbelina

byhanschristianandersen

therewasonceawomanwhowishedverymuchtohavealittlechild,butshecouldnotobtainherwish.atlastshewenttoafairy,andsaid,"ishouldsoverymuchliketohavealittlechild;canyoutellmewhereicanfindone?"

"oh,thatcanbeeasilymanaged,"saidthefairy."hereisabarleycornofadifferentkindtothosewhichgrowinthefarmer'sfields,andwhichthechickenseat;putitintoaflower-pot,andseewhatwillhappen."

"thankyou,"saidthewoman,andshegavethefairytwelveshillings,whichwasthepriceofthebarleycorn.thenshewenthomeandplantedit,andimmediatelytheregrewupalargehandsomeflower,somethinglikeatulipinappearance,butwithitsleavestightlyclosedasifitwerestillabud."itisabeautifulflower,"saidthewoman,andshekissedtheredandgolden-coloredleaves,andwhileshedidsothefloweropened,andshecouldseethatitwasarealtulip.withintheflower,uponthegreenvelvetstamens,sataverydelicateandgracefullittlemaiden.shewasscarcelyhalfaslongasathumb,andtheygaveherthenameof"thumbelina,"ortiny,becauseshewassosmall.awalnut-shell,elegantlypolished,servedherforacradle;herbedwasformedofblueviolet-leaves,witharose-leafforacounterpane.hereshesleptatnight,butduringthedaysheamusedherselfonatable,wherethewomanhadplacedaplatefulofwater.roundthisplatewerewreathsofflowerswiththeirstemsinthewater,anduponitfloatedalargetulip-leaf,whichservedtinyforaboat.herethelittlemaidensatandrowedherselffromsidetoside,withtwooarsmadeofwhitehorse-hair.itreallywasaveryprettysight.tinycould,also,singsosoftlyandsweetlythatnothinglikehersinginghadeverbeforebeennight,whileshelayinherprettybed,alarge,ugly,wettoadcreptthroughabrokenpaneofglassinthewindow,andleapedrightuponthetablewheretinylaysleepingunderherrose-leafquilt."whataprettylittlewifethiswouldmakeformyson,saidthetoad,andshetookupthewalnut-shellinwhichlittletinylayasleep,andjumpedthroughthewindowwithitintothegarden.

intheswampymarginofabroadstreaminthegardenlivedthetoad,withherson.hewasugliereventhanhismother,andwhenhesawtheprettylittlemaideninherelegantbed,hecouldonlycry,"croak,croak,croak."

"don'tspeaksoloud,orshewillwake,"saidthetoad,"andthenshemightrunaway,forsheisaslightasswan'sdown.wewillplaceherononeofthewater-lilyleavesoutinthestream;itwillbelikeanislandtoher,sheissolightandsmall,andthenshecannotescape;and,whilesheisaway,wewillmakehasteandpreparethestate-roomunderthemarsh,inwhichyouaretolivewhenyouaremarried."

faroutinthestreamgrewanumberofwater-lilies,withbroadgreenleaves,whichseemedtofloatonthetopofthewater.thelargestoftheseleavesappearedfartheroffthantherest,andtheoldtoadswamouttoitwiththewalnut-shell,inwhichlittletinylaystillasleep.thetinylittlecreaturewokeveryearlyinthemorning,andbegantocrybitterlywhenshefoundwhereshewas,forshecouldseenothingbutwateroneverysideofthelargegreenleaf,andnowayofreachingtheland.meanwhiletheoldtoadwasverybusyunderthemarsh,deckingherroomwithrushesandwildyellowflowers,tomakeitlookprettyforhernewdaughter-in-law.thensheswamoutwithheruglysontotheleafonwhichshehadplacedpoorlittletiny.shewantedtofetchtheprettybed,thatshemightputitinthebridalchambertobereadyforher.theoldtoadbowedlowtoherinthewater,andsaid,"hereismyson,hewillbeyourhusband,andyouwilllivehappilyinthemarshbythestream."

"croak,croak,croak,"wasallhersoncouldsayforhimself;sothetoadtookuptheelegantlittlebed,andswamawaywithit,leavingtinyallaloneonthegreenleaf,whereshesatandwept.shecouldnotbeartothinkoflivingwiththeoldtoad,andhavingheruglysonforahusband.thelittlefishes,whoswamaboutinthewaterbeneath,hadseenthetoad,andheardwhatshesaid,sotheyliftedtheirheadsabovethewatertolookatthelittlemaiden.assoonastheycaughtsightofher,theysawshewasverypretty,anditmadethemverysorrytothinkthatshemustgoandlivewiththeuglytoads."no,itmustneverbe!"