askedtheking.

"no,"saidthemouse;"onlyinthetailofthemouse-kingisthispowercontained."

andthewaterboiledandbubbled,asthemouse-kingstoodclosebesidethekettle.itseemedratheradangerousperformance;butheturnedround,andputouthistail,asmicedoinadairy,whentheywishtoskimthecreamfromapanofmilkwiththeirtailsandafterwardslickitoff.butthemous

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theangel

byhanschristianandersen

"wheneveragoodchilddies,anangelofgodcomesdownfromheaven,takesthedeadchildinhisarms,spreadsouthisgreatwhitewings,andflieswithhimoveralltheplaceswhichthechildhadlovedduringhislife.thenhegathersalargehandfulofflowers,whichhecarriesuptothealmighty,thattheymaybloommorebrightlyinheaventhantheydoonearth.andthealmightypressestheflowerstohisheart,buthekissestheflowerthatpleaseshimbest,anditreceivesavoice,andisabletojointhesongofthechorusofbliss."

thesewordswerespokenbyanangelofgod,ashecarriedadeadchilduptoheaven,andthechildlistenedasifinadream.thentheypassedoverwell-knownspots,wherethelittleonehadoftenplayed,andthroughbeautifulgardensfulloflovelyflowers.

"whichoftheseshallwetakewithustoheaventobetransplantedthere?"askedtheangel.

closebygrewaslender,beautiful,rose-bush,butsomewickedhandhadbrokenthestem,andthehalf-openedrosebudshungfadedandwitheredonthetrailingbranches.

"poorrose-bush!"saidthechild,"letustakeitwithustoheaven,thatitmaybloomaboveingod'sgarden."

theangeltookuptherose-bush;thenhekissedthechild,andthelittleonehalfopenedhiseyes.theangelgatheredalsosomebeautifulflowers,aswellasafewhumblebuttercupsandheart's-ease.

"nowwehaveflowersenough,"saidthechild;buttheangelonlynodded,hedidnotflyupwardtoheaven.

itwasnight,andquitestillinthegreattown.heretheyremained,andtheangelhoveredoverasmall,narrowstreet,inwhichlayalargeheapofstraw,ashes,andsweepingsfromthehousesofpeoplewhohadremoved.therelayfragmentsofplates,piecesofplaster,rags,oldhats,andotherrubbishnotpleasanttosee.amidstallthisconfusion,theangelpointedtothepiecesofabrokenflower-pot,andtoalumpofearthwhichhadfallenoutofit.theearthhadbeenkeptfromfallingtopiecesbytherootsofawitheredfield-flower,whichhadbeenthrownamongsttherubbish.

"wewilltakethiswithus,"saidtheangel,"iwilltellyouwhyasweflyalong."

andastheyflewtheangelrelatedthehistory.

"downinthatnarrowlane,inalowcellar,livedapoorsickboy;hehadbeenafflictedfromhischildhood,andeveninhisbestdayshecouldjustmanagetowalkupanddowntheroomoncrutchesonceortwice,butnomore.duringsomedaysinsummer,thesunbeamswouldlieonthefloorofthecellarforabouthalfanhour.inthisspotthepoorsickboywouldsitwarminghimselfinthesunshine,andwatchingtheredbloodthroughhisdelicatefingersasheheldthembeforehisface.thenhewouldsayhehadbeenout,yetheknewnothingofthegreenforestinitsspringverdure,tillaneighbor'ssonbroughthimagreenboughfromabeech-tree.thishewouldplaceoverhishead,andfancythathewasinthebeech-woodwhilethesunshone,andthebirdscarolledgayly.onespringdaytheneighbor'sboybroughthimsomefield-flowers,andamongthemwasonetowhichtherootstilladhered.thishecarefullyplantedinaflower-pot,andplacedinawindow-seatnearhisbed.andtheflowerhadbeenplantedbyafortunatehand,foritgrew,putforthfreshshoots,andblossomedeveryyear.itbecameasplendidflower-gardentothesickboy,andhislittletreasureuponearth.hewateredit,andcherishedit,andtookcareitshouldhavethebenefitofeverysunbeamthatfounditswayintothecellar,fromtheearliestmorningraytotheeveningsunset.theflowerentwineditselfeveninhisdreams-forhimitbloomed,forhimspreaditsperfume.anditgladdenedhiseyes,andtotheflowerheturned,evenindeath,whenthelordcalledhim.hehasbeenoneyearwithgod.duringthattimetheflowerhasstoodinthewindow,witheredandforgotten,tillatlengthcastoutamongthesweepingsintothestreet,onthedayofthelodgers'removal.andthispoorflower,witheredandfadedasitis,wehaveaddedtoournosegay,becauseitgavemorerealjoythanthemostbeautifulflowerinthegardenofaqueen."

"buthowdoyouknowallthis?"