askedthechildwhomtheangelwascarryingtoheaven.

"iknowit,"saidtheangel,"becauseimyselfwasthepoorsickboywhowalkeduponcrutches,andiknowmyownflowerwell."

thenthechildopenedhiseyesandlookedintotheglorioushappyfaceoftheangel,andatthesamemomenttheyfoundthemselvesinthatheavenlyhomewhereallishappinessandjoy.andgodpressedthedeadchildtohisheart,andwingsweregivenhimsothathecouldflywiththeangel,handinhand.thenthealmightypressedalltheflowerstohisheart;buthekissedthewitheredfield-flower,anditreceivedavoice.thenitjoinedinthesongoftheangels,whosurroundedthethrone,somenear,andothersinadistantcircle,butallequallyhappy.theyalljoinedinthechorusofpraise,bothgreatandsmall,-thegood,happychild,andthepoorfield-flower,thatoncelaywitheredandcastawayonaheapofrubbishinanarrow,darkstreet.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thebeetlewhowentonhistravels

byhanschristianandersen

therewasonceanemperorwhohadahorseshodwithgold.hehadagoldenshoeoneachfoot,andwhywasthis?hewasabeautifulcreature,withslenderlegs,bright,intelligenteyes,andamanethathungdownoverhisnecklikeaveil.hehadcarriedhismasterthroughfireandsmokeinthebattle-field,withthebulletswhistlingroundhim;hehadkickedandbitten,andtakenpartinthefight,whentheenemyadvanced;and,withhismasteronhisback,hehaddashedoverthefallenfoe,andsavedthegoldencrownandtheemperor'slife,whichwasofmorevaluethanthebrightestgold.thisisthereasonoftheemperor'shorsewearinggoldenshoes.

abeetlecamecreepingforthfromthestable,wherethefarrierhadbeenshoeingthehorse."greatones,first,ofcourse,"saidhe,"andthenthelittleones;butsizeisnotalwaysaproofofgreatness."hestretchedouthisthinlegashespoke.

"andpraywhatdoyouwant?"askedthefarrier.

"goldenshoes,"repliedthebeetle.

"why,youmustbeoutofyoursenses,"criedthefarrier."goldenshoesforyou,indeed!"

"yes,certainly;goldenshoes,"repliedthebeetle."aminotjustasgoodasthatgreatcreatureyonder,whoiswaiteduponandbrushed,andhasfoodanddrinkplacedbeforehim?anddon'tibelongtotheroyalstables?"

"butwhydoesthehorsehavegoldenshoes?"askedthefarrier;"ofcourseyouunderstandthereason?"

"understand!well,iunderstandthatitisapersonalslighttome,"criedthebeetle."itisdonetoannoyme,soiintendtogooutintotheworldandseekmyfortune."

"goalongwithyou,"saidthefarrier.

"you'rearudefellow,"criedthebeetle,ashewalkedoutofthestable;andthenheflewforashortdistance,tillhefoundhimselfinabeautifulflower-garden,allfragrantwithrosesandlavender.thelady-birds,withredandblackshellsontheirbacks,anddelicatewings,wereflyingabout,andoneofthemsaid,"isitnotsweetandlovelyhere?oh,howbeautifuleverythingis."

"iamaccustomedtobetterthings,"saidthebeetle."doyoucallthisbeautiful?why,thereisnotevenadung-heap."thenhewenton,andundertheshadowofalargehaystackhefoundacaterpillarcrawlingalong."howbeautifulthisworldis!"saidthecaterpillar."thesunissowarm,iquiteenjoyit.andsoonishallgotosleep,anddieastheycallit,butishallwakeupwithbeautifulwingstoflywith,likeabutterfly."

"howconceitedyouare!"