andthewillow-treenoddedhishead,asifhewouldsay,"indeedido."

butthebuckwheatspreaditselfoutwithpride,andsaid,"stupidtree;heissooldthatgrassgrowsoutofhisbody."

therearoseaveryterriblestorm.allthefield-flowersfoldedtheirleavestogether,orbowedtheirlittleheads,whilethestormpassedoverthem,butthebuckwheatstooderectinitspride."bendyourheadaswedo,"saidtheflowers.

"ihavenooccasiontodoso,"repliedthebuckwheat.

"bendyourheadaswedo,"criedtheearsofcorn;"theangelofthestormiscoming;hiswingsspreadfromtheskyabovetotheearthbeneath.hewillstrikeyoudownbeforeyoucancryformercy."

"butiwillnotbendmyhead,"saidthebuckwheat.

"closeyourflowersandbendyourleaves,"saidtheoldwillow-tree."donotlookatthelightningwhenthecloudbursts;evenmencannotdothat.inaflashoflightningheavenopens,andwecanlookin;butthesightwillstrikeevenhumanbeingsblind.whatthenmusthappentous,whoonlygrowoutoftheearth,andaresoinferiortothem,ifweventuretodoso?"

"inferior,indeed!"saidthebuckwheat."nowiintendtohaveapeepintoheaven."proudlyandboldlyhelookedup,whilethelightningflashedacrosstheskyasifthewholeworldwereinflames.

whenthedreadfulstormhadpassed,theflowersandthecornraisedtheirdroopingheadsinthepurestillair,refreshedbytherain,butthebuckwheatlaylikeaweedinthefield,burnttoblacknessbythelightning.thebranchesoftheoldwillow-treerustledinthewind,andlargewater-dropsfellfromhisgreenleavesasiftheoldwillowwereweeping.thenthesparrowsaskedwhyhewasweeping,whenallaroundhimseemedsocheerful."see,"theysaid,howthesunshines,andthecloudsfloatinthebluesky.doyounotsmellthesweetperfumefromflowerandbush?whereforedoyouweep,oldwillow-tree?"thenthewillowtoldthemofthehaughtyprideofthebuckwheat,andofthepunishmentwhichfollowedinconsequence.

thisisthestorytoldmebythesparrowsoneeveningwhenibeggedthemtorelatesometaletome.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thebutterfly

byhanschristianandersen

therewasonceabutterflywhowishedforabride,and,asmaybesupposed,hewantedtochooseaveryprettyonefromamongtheflowers.heglanced,withaverycriticaleye,atalltheflower-beds,andfoundthattheflowerswereseatedquietlyanddemurelyontheirstalks,justasmaidensshouldsitbeforetheyareengaged;buttherewasagreatnumberofthem,anditappearedasifhissearchwouldbecomeverywearisome.thebutterflydidnotliketotaketoomuchtrouble,soheflewoffonavisittothedaisies.thefrenchcallthisflower"marguerite,"andtheysaythatthelittledaisycanprophesy.loverspluckofftheleaves,andastheypluckeachleaf,theyaskaquestionabouttheirlovers;thus:"doesheorsheloveme?-ardently?distractedly?verymuch?alittle?notatall?"andsoon.everyonespeaksthesewordsinhisownlanguage.thebutterflycamealsotomargueritetoinquire,buthedidnotpluckoffherleaves;hepressedakissoneachofthem,forhethoughttherewasalwaysmoretobedonebykindness.

"darlingmargueritedaisy,"hesaidtoher,"youarethewisestwomanofalltheflowers.praytellmewhichoftheflowersishallchooseformywife.whichwillbemybride?wheniknow,iwillflydirectlytoher,andpropose."

butmargueritedidnotanswerhim;shewasoffendedthatheshouldcallherawomanwhenshewasonlyagirl;andthereisagreatdifference.heaskedherasecondtime,andthenathird;butsheremaineddumb,andanswerednotaword.thenhewouldwaitnolonger,butflewaway,tocommencehiswooingatonce.itwasintheearlyspring,whenthecrocusandthesnowdropwereinfullbloom.

"theyareverypretty,"thoughtthebutterfly;"charminglittlelasses;buttheyareratherformal."

then,astheyoungladsoftendo,helookedoutfortheeldergirls.henextflewtotheanemones;thesewererathersourtohistaste.theviolet,alittletoosentimental.thelime-blossoms,toosmall,andbesides,therewassuchalargefamilyofthem.theapple-blossoms,thoughtheylookedlikeroses,bloomedto-day,butmightfalloffto-morrow,withthefirstwindthatblew;andhethoughtthatamarriagewithoneofthemmightlasttooshortatime.thepea-blossompleasedhimmostofall;shewaswhiteandred,gracefulandslender,andbelongedtothosedomesticmaidenswhohaveaprettyappearance,andcanyetbeusefulinthekitchen.hewasjustabouttomakeheranoffer,when,closebythemaiden,hesawapod,withawitheredflowerhangingattheend.

"whoisthat?"