itseemedtohimliketurningovertheleavesofabook.andnowtherestoodbeforehimanoldpeasantwoman,whohadcomefromsoroewherethegrassgrowsinthemarket-place.shehadagreenlinenapronthrownoverherheadandshoulders,anditwasquitewet,asifithadbeenrainingheavily."yes,thatithas,"saidshe,andthen,justasshewasgoingtotellhimagreatmanyprettystoriesfromholberg'scomedies,andaboutwaldemarandabsalom,shesuddenlyshrunkuptogether,andwaggedherheadasifshewereafrogabouttospring."croak,"shecried;"itisalwayswet,andasquietasdeathinsoroe."thenlittletuksawshewaschangedintoafrog."croak,"andagainshewasanoldwoman."onemustdressaccordingtotheweather,"saidshe."itiswet,andmytownisjustlikeabottle.bythecorkwemustgoin,andbythecorkwemustcomeoutagain.inoldentimesihadbeautifulfish,andnowihavefresh,rosy-cheekedboysinthebottomofthebottle,andtheylearnwisdom,hebrewandgreek."

"croak."howitsoundedlikethecryofthefrogsonthemoor,orlikethecreakingofgreatbootswhensomeoneismarching,-alwaysthesametone,somonotonousandwearing,thatlittletukatlengthfellfastasleep,andthenthesoundcouldnotannoyhim.buteveninthissleepcameadreamorsomethinglikeit.hislittlesistergustava,withherblueeyes,andfaircurlyhair,hadgrownupabeautifulmaidenallatonce,andwithouthavingwingsshecouldfly.andtheyflewtogetheroverzealand,overgreenforestsandbluelakes.

"hark,soyouhearthecockcrow,littletuk.'cock-a-doodle-doo.'thefowlsareflyingoutofkjoge.youshallhavealargefarm-yard.youshallneversufferhungerorwant.thebirdofgoodomenshallbeyours,andyoushallbecomearichandhappyman;yourhouseshallriseuplikekingwaldemar'stowers,andshallberichlyadornedwithmarblestatues,likethoseatprastoe.understandmewell;yournameshalltravelwithfameroundtheworldliketheshipthatwastosailfromcorsor,andatroeskilde,-don'tforgetthenamesofthetowns,askinghroarsaid,-youshallspeakwellandclearlylittletuk,andwhenatlastyoulieinyourgraveyoushallsleeppeacefully,as-"

"asifilayinsoroe,"saidlittletukawaking.itwasbrightdaylight,andhecouldnotrememberhisdream,butthatwasnotnecessary,forwearenottoknowwhatwillhappentousinthefuture.thenhesprangoutofbedquickly,andreadoverhislessoninthebook,andknewitallatoncequitecorrectly.theoldwasherwomanputherheadinatthedoor,andnoddedtohimquitekindly,andsaid,"manythanks,yougoodchild,foryourhelpyesterday.ihopeallyourbeautifuldreamswillcometrue."

littletukdidnotatallknowwhathehaddreamt,butoneabovedid.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

olethetower-keeper

byhanschristianandersen

"intheworldit'salwaysgoingupanddown;andnowican'tgoupanyhigher!"sosaidolethetower-keeper."mostpeoplehavetotryboththeupsandthedowns;and,rightlyconsidered,weallgettobewatchmenatlast,andlookdownuponlifefromaheight."

suchwasthespeechofole,myfriend,theoldtower-keeper,astrange,talkativeoldfellow,whoseemedtospeakouteverythingthatcameintohishead,andwhoforallthathadmanyaseriousthoughtdeepinhisheart.yes,hewasthechildofrespectablepeople,andtherewereevensomewhosaidthathewasthesonofaprivycouncillor,orthathemighthavebeen.hehadstudied,too,andhadbeenassistantteacheranddeputyclerk;butofwhatservicewasallthattohim?