youcansitonmyback,andfastenyourselfonwithyoursash.thenwecanflyawayfromtheuglymoleandhisgloomyrooms,-faraway,overthemountains,intowarmercountries,wherethesunshinesmorebrightly-thanhere;whereitisalwayssummer,andtheflowersbloomingreaterbeauty.flynowwithme,dearlittletiny;yousavedmylifewhenilayfrozeninthatdarkpassage."

"yes,iwillgowithyou,"saidtiny;andsheseatedherselfonthebird'sback,withherfeetonhisoutstretchedwings,andtiedhergirdletooneofhisstrongestfeathers.

thentheswallowroseintheair,andflewoverforestandoversea,highabovethehighestmountains,coveredwitheternalsnow.tinywouldhavebeenfrozeninthecoldair,butshecreptunderthebird'swarmfeathers,keepingherlittleheaduncovered,sothatshemightadmirethebeautifullandsoverwhichtheypassed.atlengththeyreachedthewarmcountries,wherethesunshinesbrightly,andtheskyseemssomuchhigherabovetheearth.here,onthehedges,andbythewayside,grewpurple,green,andwhitegrapes;lemonsandorangeshungfromtreesinthewoods;andtheairwasfragrantwithmyrtlesandorangeblossoms.beautifulchildrenranalongthecountrylanes,playingwithlargegaybutterflies;andastheswallowflewfartherandfarther,everyplaceappearedstillmorelovely.

atlasttheycametoabluelake,andbythesideofit,shadedbytreesofthedeepestgreen,stoodapalaceofdazzlingwhitemarble,builtintheoldentimes.vinesclusteredrounditsloftypillars,andatthetopweremanyswallows'nests,andoneofthesewasthehomeoftheswallowwhocarriedtiny.

"thisismyhouse,"saidtheswallow;"butitwouldnotdoforyoutolivethere-youwouldnotbecomfortable.youmustchooseforyourselfoneofthoselovelyflowers,andiwillputyoudownuponit,andthenyoushallhaveeverythingthatyoucanwishtomakeyouhappy."

"thatwillbedelightful,"shesaid,andclappedherlittlehandsforjoy.

alargemarblepillarlayontheground,which,infalling,hadbeenbrokenintothreepieces.betweenthesepiecesgrewthemostbeautifullargewhiteflowers;sotheswallowflewdownwithtiny,andplacedherononeofthebroadleaves.buthowsurprisedshewastoseeinthemiddleoftheflower,atinylittleman,aswhiteandtransparentasifhehadbeenmadeofcrystal!hehadagoldcrownonhishead,anddelicatewingsathisshoulders,andwasnotmuchlargerthantinyherself.hewastheangeloftheflower;foratinymanandatinywomandwellineveryflower;andthiswasthekingofthemall.

"oh,howbeautifulheis!"whisperedtinytotheswallow.

thelittleprincewasatfirstquitefrightenedatthebird,whowaslikeagiant,comparedtosuchadelicatelittlecreatureashimself;butwhenhesawtiny,hewasdelighted,andthoughthertheprettiestlittlemaidenhehadeverseen.hetookthegoldcrownfromhishead,andplaceditonhers,andaskedhername,andifshewouldbehiswife,andqueenoveralltheflowers.

thiscertainlywasaverydifferentsortofhusbandtothesonofatoad,orthemole,withmyblackvelvetandfur;soshesaid,"yes,"tothehandsomeprince.thenalltheflowersopened,andoutofeachcamealittleladyoratinylord,allsoprettyitwasquiteapleasuretolookatthem.eachofthembroughttinyapresent;butthebestgiftwasapairofbeautifulwings,whichhadbelongedtoalargewhiteflyandtheyfastenedthemtotiny'sshoulders,sothatshemightflyfromflowertoflower.thentherewasmuchrejoicing,andthelittleswallowwhosatabovethem,inhisnest,wasaskedtosingaweddingsong,whichhedidaswellashecould;butinhishearthefeltsadforhewasveryfondoftiny,andwouldhavelikednevertopartfromheragain.

"youmustnotbecalledtinyanymore,"saidthespiritoftheflowerstoher."itisanuglyname,andyouaresoverypretty.wewillcallyoumaia."

"farewell,farewell,"saidtheswallow,withaheavyheartasheleftthewarmcountriestoflybackintodenmark.therehehadanestoverthewindowofahouseinwhichdweltthewriteroffairytales.theswallowsang,"tweet,tweet,"andfromhissongcamethewholestory.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

littletuk

byhanschristianandersen

yes,theycalledhimlittletuk,butitwasnothisrealname;hehadcalledhimselfsobeforehecouldspeakplainly,andhemeantitforcharles.itwasallverywellforthosewhoknewhim,butnotforstrangers.

littletukwasleftathometotakecareofhislittlesister,gustava,whowasmuchyoungerthanhimself,andhehadtolearnhislessonsatthesametime,andthetwothingscouldnotverywellbeperformedtogether.thepoorboysattherewithhissisteronhislap,andsungtoherallthesongsheknew,andnowandthenhelookedintohisgeographylessonthatlayopenbeforehim.bythenextmorninghehadtolearnbyheartallthetownsinzealand,andallthatcouldbedescribedofthem.

hismothercamehomeatlast,andtooklittlegustavainhertukrantothewindow,andreadsoeagerlythathenearlyreadhiseyesout;forithadbecomedarkeranddarkereveryminute,andhismotherhadnomoneytobuyalight.

"theregoestheoldwasherwomanupthelane,"saidthemother,asshelookedoutofthewindow;"thepoorwomancanhardlydragherselfalong,andnowshehadtodragapailofwaterfromthewell.beagoodboy,tuk,andrunacrossandhelptheoldwoman,won'tyou?"