saidole-luk-oie,"donotbefrightened,andyoushallseealittlemouse."andthenheheldouthishandtohim,inwhichlayalovelylittlecreature."ithascometoinviteyoutoawedding.twolittlemicearegoingtoenterintothemarriagestatetonight.theyresideunderthefloorofyourmother'sstore-room,andthatmustbeafinedwelling-place."

"buthowcanigetthroughthelittlemouse-holeinthefloor?"askedhjalmar.

"leavemetomanagethat,"saidole-luk-oie."iwillsoonmakeyousmallenough."andthenhetouchedhjalmarwithhismagicwand,whereuponhebecamelessandless,untilatlasthewasnotlongerthanalittlefinger."nowyoucanborrowthedressofthetinsoldier.ithinkitwilljustfityou.itlookswelltowearauniformwhenyougointocompany."

"yes,certainly,"saidhjalmar;andinamomenthewasdressedasneatlyastheneatestofalltinsoldiers.

"willyoubesogoodastoseatyourselfinyourmamma'sthimble,"saidthelittlemouse,"thatimayhavethepleasureofdrawingyoutothewedding."

"willyoureallytakesomuchtrouble,younglady?"saidhjalmar.andsointhiswayherodetothemouse'swedding.

firsttheywentunderthefloor,andthenpassedthroughalongpassage,whichwasscarcelyhighenoughtoallowthethimbletodriveunder,andthewholepassagewaslitupwiththephosphorescentlightofrottenwood.

"doesitnotsmelldelicious?"askedthemouse,asshedrewhimalong."thewallandthefloorhavebeensmearedwithbacon-rind;nothingcanbenicer."

verysoontheyarrivedatthebridalhall.ontherightstoodallthelittlelady-mice,whisperingandgiggling,asiftheyweremakinggameofeachother.totheleftwerethegentlemen-mice,strokingtheirwhiskerswiththeirfore-paws;andinthecentreofthehallcouldbeseenthebridalpair,standingsidebyside,inahollowcheese-rind,andkissingeachother,whilealleyeswereuponthem;fortheyhadalreadybeenbetrothed,andweresoontobemarried.moreandmorefriendskeptarriving,tillthemicewerenearlytreadingeachothertodeath;forthebridalpairnowstoodinthedoorway,andnonecouldpassinorout.

theroomhadbeenrubbedoverwithbacon-rind,likethepassage,whichwasalltherefreshmentofferedtotheguests.butfordesserttheyproducedapea,onwhichamousebelongingtothebridalpairhadbittenthefirstlettersoftheirnames.thiswassomethingquiteuncommon.allthemicesaiditwasaverybeautifulwedding,andthattheyhadbeenveryagreeablyentertained.

afterthis,hjalmarreturnedhome.hehadcertainlybeeningrandsociety;buthehadbeenobligedtocreepunderaroom,andtomakehimselfsmallenoughtoweartheuniformofatinriday

friday

"itisincrediblehowmanyoldpeopletherearewhowouldbegladtohavemeatnight,"saidole-luk-oie,"especiallythosewhohavedonesomethingwrong.'goodlittleole,'saytheytome,'wecannotcloseoureyes,andwelieawakethewholenightandseeallourevildeedssittingonourbedslikelittleimps,andsprinklinguswithhotwater.willyoucomeanddrivethemaway,thatwemayhaveagoodnight'srest?'andthentheysighsodeeplyandsay,'wewouldgladlypayyouforit.good-night,ole-luk,themoneyliesonthewindow.'butineverdoanythingforgold.""whatshallwedoto-night?"askedhjalmar."idonotknowwhetheryouwouldcaretogotoanotherwedding,"hereplied,"althoughitisquiteadifferentaffairtotheonewesawlastnight.yoursister'slargedoll,thatisdressedlikeaman,andiscalledherman,intendstomarrythedollbertha.itisalsothedolls'birthday,andtheywillreceivemanypresents."

"yes,iknowthatalready,"saidhjalmar,"mysisteralwaysallowsherdollstokeeptheirbirthdaysortohaveaweddingwhentheyrequirenewclothes;thathashappenedalreadyahundredtimes,iamquitesure."

"yes,soitmay;butto-nightisthehundredandfirstwedding,andwhenthathastakenplaceitmustbethelast,thereforethisistobeextremelybeautiful.onlylook."

hjalmarlookedatthetable,andtherestoodthelittlecard-boarddoll'shouse,withlightsinallthewindows,anddrawnupbeforeitwerethetinsoldierspresentingarms.thebridalpairwereseatedonthefloor,leaningagainstthelegofthetable,lookingverythoughtful,andwithgoodreason.thenole-luk-oiedressedupingrandmother'sblackgownmarriedthem.

assoonastheceremonywasconcluded,allthefurnitureintheroomjoinedinsingingabeautifulsong,whichhadbeencomposedbytheleadpencil,andwhichwenttothemelodyofamilitarytattoo.

"whatmerrysoundsareonthewind,

asmarriageritestogetherbind

aquietandalovingpair,

thoughformedofkid,yetsmoothandfair!