sotukranacrossquickly,andhelpedher,butwhenhecamebackintotheroomitwasquitedark,andtherewasnotawordsaidaboutalight,sohewasobligedtogotobedonhislittletrucklebedstead,andtherehelayandthoughtofhisgeographylesson,andofzealand,andofallthemasterhadtoldhim.heoughtreallytohavereaditoveragain,buthecouldnotforwantoflight.soheputthegeographybookunderhispillow,forhehadheardthatthiswasagreathelptowardslearningalesson,butnotalwaystobedependedupon.hestilllaythinkingandthinking,whenallatonceitseemedasifsomeonekissedhimonhiseyesandmouth.hesleptandyethedidnotsleep;anditappearedasiftheoldwasherwomanlookedathimwithkindeyesandsaid,"itwouldbeagreatpityifyoudidnotknowyourlessonto-morrowmorning;youhelpedme,andnowiwillhelpyou,andprovidencewillalwayskeepthosewhohelpthemselves;"andatthesametimethebookundertuk'spillowbegantomoveabout."cluck,cluck,cluck,"criedahenasshecrepttowardshim."iamahenfromkjoge,"andthenshetoldhimhowmanyinhabitantsthetowncontained,andaboutabattlethathadbeenfoughtthere,whichreallywasnotworthspeakingof.

"crack,crack,"downfellsomething.itwasawoodenbird,theparrotwhichisusedasatargetasprastoe.hesaidtherewereasmanyinhabitantsinthattownashehadnailsinhisbody.hewasveryproud,andsaid,"thorwalsdenlivedclosetome,andhereiamnow,quitecomfortable."

butnowlittletukwasnolongerinbed;allinamomenthefoundhimselfonhorseback.gallop,gallop,awayhewent,seatedinfrontofarichly-attiredknight,withawavingplume,whoheldhimonthesaddle,andsotheyrodethroughthewoodbytheoldtownofwordingburg,whichwasverylargeandbusy.theking'scastlewassurroundedbyloftytowers,andradiantlightstreamedfromallthewindows.withinthereweresongsanddancing;kingwaldemarandtheyounggayly-dressedladiesofthecourtweredancingtogether.morningdawned,andasthesunrose,thewholecityandtheking'scastlesanksuddenlydowntogether.onetowerafteranotherfell,tillatlastonlyoneremainedstandingonthehillwherethecastlehadformerlybeen.

thetownnowappearedsmallandpoor,andtheschool-boysreadintheirbooks,whichtheycarriedundertheirarms,thatitcontainedtwothousandinhabitants;butthiswasamereboast,foritdidnotcontainsomany.

andagainlittletuklayinhisbed,scarcelyknowingwhetherhewasdreamingornot,forsomeonestoodbyhim.

"tuk!littletuk!"saidavoice.itwasaverylittlepersonwhospoke.hewasdressedasasailor,andlookedsmallenoughtobeamiddy,buthewasnotone."ibringyoumanygreetingsfromcorsor.itisarisingtown,fulloflife.ithassteamshipsandmail-coaches.intimespasttheyusedtocallitugly,butthatisnolongertrue.ilieonthesea-shore,"saidcorsor;"ihavehigh-roadsandpleasure-gardens;ihavegivenbirthtoapoetwhowaswittyandentertaining,whichtheyarenotall.ioncewantedtofitoutashiptosailroundtheworld,butididnotaccomplishit,thoughmostlikelyimighthavedoneso.butiamfragrantwithperfume,forclosetomygatesmostlovelyrosesbloom."

thenbeforetheeyesoflittletukappearedaconfusionofcolors,redandgreen;butitclearedoff,andhecoulddistinguishacliffclosetothebay,theslopesofwhichwerequiteovergrownwithverdure,andonitssummitstoodafineoldchurchwithpointedtowers.springsofwaterflowedoutofthecliffinthickwaterspouts,sothattherewasacontinualsplashing.closebysatanoldkingwithagoldencrownonhiswhitehead.thiswaskinghroarofthespringsandnearthespringsstoodthetownofroeskilde,asitisallthekingsandqueensofdenmarkwentuptheascenttotheoldchurch,handinhand,withgoldencrownsontheirheads,whiletheorganplayedandthefountainssentforthjetsofwater.

littletuksawandhearditall."don'tforgetthenamesofthesetowns,"saidkinghroar.

allatonceeverythingvanished;butwhere!