letusthinkofthemoving-daythatisnotmarkedinthecalendar."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

ole-luk-oie,thedream-god

byhanschristianandersen

thereisnobodyintheworldwhoknowssomanystoriesasole-luk-oie,orwhocanrelatethemsonicely.intheevening,whilethechildrenareseatedatthetableorintheirlittlechairs,hecomesupthestairsverysoftly,forhewalksinhissocks,thenheopensthedoorswithouttheslightestnoise,andthrowsasmallquantityofveryfinedustintheireyes,justenoughtopreventthemfromkeepingthemopen,andsotheydonotseehim.thenhecreepsbehindthem,andblowssoftlyupontheirnecks,tilltheirheadsbegintodroop.butole-luk-oiedoesnotwishtohurtthem,forheisveryfondofchildren,andonlywantsthemtobequietthathemayrelatetothemprettystories,andtheyneverarequietuntiltheyareinbedandasleep.assoonastheyareasleep,ole-luk-oieseatshimselfuponthebed.heisnicelydressed;hiscoatismadeofsilkenstuff;itisimpossibletosayofwhatcolor,foritchangesfromgreentored,andfromredtoblueasheturnsfromsidetoside.undereacharmhecarriesanumbrella;oneofthem,withpicturesontheinside,hespreadsoverthegoodchildren,andthentheydreamthemostbeautifulstoriesthewholenight.buttheotherumbrellahasnopictures,andthisheholdsoverthenaughtychildrensothattheysleepheavily,andwakeinthemorningwithouthavingdreamedatall.

nowweshallhearhowole-luk-oiecameeverynightduringawholeweektothelittleboynamedhjalmar,andwhathetoldreweresevenstories,astherearesevendaysintheday

monday

"nowpayattention,"saidole-luk-oie,intheevening,whenhjalmarwasinbed,"andiwilldecoratetheroom."

immediatelyalltheflowersintheflower-potsbecamelargetrees,withlongbranchesreachingtotheceiling,andstretchingalongthewalls,sothatthewholeroomwaslikeagreenhouse.allthebrancheswereloadedwithflowers,eachflowerasbeautifulandasfragrantasarose;and,hadanyonetastedthem,hewouldhavefoundthemsweetereventhanjam.thefruitglitteredlikegold,andtherewerecakessofullofplumsthattheywerenearlybursting.itwasincomparablybeautiful.atthesametimesoundeddismalmoansfromthetable-drawerinwhichlayhjalmar'sschoolbooks.

"whatcanthatbenow?"saidole-luk-oie,goingtothetableandpullingoutthedrawer.

itwasaslate,insuchdistressbecauseofafalsenumberinthesum,thatithadalmostbrokenitselftopieces.thepencilpulledandtuggedatitsstringasifitwerealittledogthatwantedtohelp,butcouldnot.

andthencameamoanfromhjalmar'scopy-book.oh,itwasquiteterribletohear!oneachleafstoodarowofcapitalletters,everyonehavingasmallletterbyitsside.thisformedacopy;underthesewereotherletters,whichhjalmarhadwritten:theyfanciedtheylookedlikethecopy,buttheyweremistaken;fortheywereleaningononesideasiftheyintendedtofalloverthepencil-lines.

"see,thisisthewayyoushouldholdyourselves,"saidthecopy."lookhere,youshouldslopethus,withagracefulcurve."

"oh,weareverywillingtodoso,butwecannot,"saidhjalmar'sletters;"wearesowretchedlymade."

"youmustbescratchedout,then,"saidole-luk-oie.

"oh,no!"theycried,andthentheystoodupsogracefullyitwasquiteapleasuretolookatthem.

"nowwemustgiveupourstories,andexercisetheseletters,"saidole-luk-oie;"one,two-one,two-"sohedrilledthemtilltheystoodupgracefully,andlookedasbeautifulasacopycouldlook.butafterole-luk-oiewasgone,andhjalmarlookedattheminthemorning,theywereaswretchedandasawkwardasuesday

tuesday

assoonashjalmarwasinbed,ole-luk-oietouched,withhislittlemagicwand,allthefurnitureintheroom,whichimmediatelybegantochatter,andeacharticleonlytalkedofitself.

overthechestofdrawershungalargepictureinagiltframe,representingalandscape,withfineoldtrees,flowersinthegrass,andabroadstream,whichflowedthroughthewood,pastseveralcastles,faroutintothewildocean.ole-luk-oietouchedthepicturewithhismagicwand,andimmediatelythebirdscommencedsinging,thebranchesofthetreesrustled,andthecloudsmovedacrossthesky,castingtheirshadowsonthelandscapebeneathole-luk-oieliftedlittlehjalmaruptotheframe,andplacedhisfeetinthepicture,justonthehighgrass,andtherehestoodwiththesunshiningdownuponhimthroughthebranchesofthetrees.herantothewater,andseatedhimselfinalittleboatwhichlaythere,andwhichwaspaintedredandwhite.thesailsglitteredlikesilver,andsixswans,eachwithagoldencircletrounditsneck,andabrightbluestaronitsforehead,drewtheboatpastthegreenwood,wherethetreestalkedofrobbersandwitches,andtheflowersofbeautifullittleelvesandfairies,whosehistoriesthebutterflieshadrelatedtothem.brilliantfish,withscaleslikesilverandgold,swamaftertheboat,sometimesmakingaspringandsplashingthewaterroundthem,whilebirds,redandblue,smallandgreat,flewafterhimintwolonglines.thegnatsdancedroundthem,andthecockchaferscried"buz,buz."theyallwantedtofollowhjalmar,andallhadsomestorytotellhim.itwasamostpleasantsail.sometimestheforestswerethickanddark,sometimeslikeabeautifulgarden,gaywithsunshineandflowers;thenhepassedgreatpalacesofglassandofmarble,andonthebalconiesstoodprincesses,whosefaceswerethoseoflittlegirlswhomhjalmarknewwell,andhadoftenplayedwith.oneofthemheldoutherhand,inwhichwasaheartmadeofsugar,morebeautifulthananyconfectionereversold.ashjalmarsailedby,hecaughtholdofonesideofthesugarheart,andhelditfast,andtheprincessheldfastalso,sothatitbrokeintwopieces.hjalmarhadonepiece,andtheprincesstheother,buthjalmar'swasthelargest.ateachcastlestoodlittleprincesactingassentinels.theypresentedarms,andhadgoldenswords,andmadeitrainplumsandtinsoldiers,sothattheymusthavebeenrealprinces.

hjalmarcontinuedtosail,sometimesthroughwoods,sometimesasitwerethroughlargehalls,andthenbylargecities.atlasthecametothetownwherehisnurselived,whohadcarriedhiminherarmswhenhewasaverylittleboy,andhadalwaysbeenkindtohim.shenoddedandbeckonedtohim,andthensangthelittleversesshehadherselfcomposedandsettohim,-

"howoftmymemoryturnstothee,

myownhjalmar,everdear!