andhowfastthestreamrolledon!fortherainhadbeenveryheavy.thepaperboatrockedupanddown,andturneditselfroundsometimessoquicklythatthetinsoldiertrembled;yetheremainedfirm;hiscountenancedidnotchange;helookedstraightbeforehim,andshoulderedhismusket.suddenlytheboatshotunderabridgewhichformedapartofadrain,andthenitwasasdarkasthetinsoldier'sbox.

"whereamigoingnow?"thoughthe."thisistheblackgoblin'sfault,iamsure.ah,well,ifthelittleladywereonlyherewithmeintheboat,ishouldnotcareforanydarkness."

suddenlythereappearedagreatwater-rat,wholivedinthedrain.

"haveyouapassport?"askedtherat,"giveittomeatonce."butthetinsoldierremainedsilentandheldhismuskettighterthanboatsailedonandtheratfollowedit.howhedidgnashhisteethandcryouttothebitsofwoodandstraw,"stophim,stophim;hehasnotpaidtoll,andhasnotshownhispass."butthestreamrushedonstrongerandstronger.thetinsoldiercouldalreadyseedaylightshiningwherethearchended.thenheheardaroaringsoundquiteterribleenoughtofrightenthebravestman.attheendofthetunnelthedrainfellintoalargecanaloverasteepplace,whichmadeitasdangerousforhimasawaterfallwouldbetous.hewastooclosetoittostop,sotheboatrushedon,andthepoortinsoldiercouldonlyholdhimselfasstifflyaspossible,withoutmovinganeyelid,toshowthathewasnotafraid.theboatwhirledroundthreeorfourtimes,andthenfilledwithwatertotheveryedge;nothingcouldsaveitfromsinking.henowstooduptohisneckinwater,whiledeeperanddeepersanktheboat,andthepaperbecamesoftandloosewiththewet,tillatlastthewaterclosedoverthesoldier'shead.hethoughtoftheelegantlittledancerwhomheshouldneverseeagain,andthewordsofthesongsoundedinhisears-

"farewell,warrior!everbrave,

driftingonwardtothygrave."

thenthepaperboatfelltopieces,andthesoldiersankintothewaterandimmediatelyafterwardswasswallowedupbyagreathowdarkitwasinsidethefish!agreatdealdarkerthaninthetunnel,andnarrowertoo,butthetinsoldiercontinuedfirm,andlayatfulllengthshoulderinghismusket.thefishswamtoandfro,makingthemostwonderfulmovements,butatlasthebecamequitestill.afterawhile,aflashoflightningseemedtopassthroughhim,andthenthedaylightapproached,andavoicecriedout,"ideclarehereisthetinsoldier."thefishhadbeencaught,takentothemarketandsoldtothecook,whotookhimintothekitchenandcuthimopenwithalargeknife.shepickedupthesoldierandheldhimbythewaistbetweenherfingerandthumb,andcarriedhimintotheywereallanxioustoseethiswonderfulsoldierwhohadtravelledaboutinsideafish;buthewasnotatallproud.theyplacedhimonthetable,and-howmanycuriousthingsdohappenintheworld!-therehewasintheverysameroomfromthewindowofwhichhehadfallen,therewerethesamechildren,thesameplaythings,standingonthetable,andtheprettycastlewiththeelegantlittledanceratthedoor;shestillbalancedherselfononeleg,andhelduptheother,soshewasasfirmashimself.ittouchedthetinsoldiersomuchtoseeherthathealmostwepttintears,buthekeptthemback.heonlylookedatherandtheybothremainedsilent.presentlyoneofthelittleboystookupthetinsoldier,andthrewhimintothestove.hehadnoreasonfordoingso,thereforeitmusthavebeenthefaultoftheblackgoblinwholivedinthesnuff-box.theflameslightedupthetinsoldier,ashestood,theheatwasveryterrible,butwhetheritproceededfromtherealfireorfromthefireoflovehecouldnottell.thenhecouldseethatthebrightcolorswerefadedfromhisuniform,butwhethertheyhadbeenwashedoffduringhisjourneyorfromtheeffectsofhissorrow,noonecouldsay.helookedatthelittlelady,andshelookedathim.hefelthimselfmeltingaway,buthestillremainedfirmwithhisgunonhisshoulder.suddenlythedooroftheroomflewopenandthedraughtofaircaughtupthelittledancer,sheflutteredlikeasylphrightintothestovebythesideofthetinsoldier,andwasinstantlyinflamesandwasgone.thetinsoldiermelteddownintoalump,andthenextmorning,whenthemaidservanttooktheashesoutofthestove,shefoundhimintheshapeofalittletinheart.butofthelittledancernothingremainedbutthetinselrose,whichwasburntblackasacinder.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thebuckwheat

byhanschristianandersen

veryoften,afteraviolentthunder-storm,afieldofbuckwheatappearsblackenedandsinged,asifaflameoffirehadpassedoverit.thecountrypeoplesaythatthisappearanceiscausedbylightning;butiwilltellyouwhatthesparrowsays,andthesparrowhearditfromanoldwillow-treewhichgrewnearafieldofbuckwheat,andistherestill.itisalargevenerabletree,thoughalittlecrippledbyage.thetrunkhasbeensplit,andoutofthecrevicegrassandbramblesgrow.thetreebendsfor-wardslightly,andthebrancheshangquitedowntothegroundjustlikegreenrngrowsinthesurroundingfields,notonlyryeandbarley,butoats,-prettyoatsthat,whenripe,looklikeanumberoflittlegoldencanary-birdssittingonabough.thecornhasasmilinglookandtheheaviestandrichestearsbendtheirheadslowasifinpioushumility.oncetherewasalsoafieldofbuckwheat,andthisfieldwasexactlyoppositetooldwillow-tree.thebuckwheatdidnotbendliketheothergrain,buterecteditsheadproudlyandstifflyonthestem."iamasvaluableasanyothercorn,"saidhe,"andiammuchhandsomer;myflowersareasbeautifulasthebloomoftheappleblossom,anditisapleasuretolookatus.doyouknowofanythingprettierthanweare,youoldwillow-tree?"