oh,itishappinessindeed."

butthemothersawnothingofwhatthechildpointedout,onlythedarkcurtain.shelookedwithearthlyeyes,andcouldnotseeasthechildsaw,-hewhomgodhascalledtobewithhimself.shecouldhearthesoundsofmusic,butsheheardnotthewords,thewordinwhichshewastotrust.

"icanflynow,mother,"saidthechild;"icanflywithotherhappychildrenintothepresenceofthealmighty.iwouldfainflyawaynow;butifyouweepformeasyouareweepingnow,youmayneverseemeagain.andyetiwouldgosogladly.mayinotflyaway?andyouwillcometomesoon,willyounot,dearmother?"

"oh,stay,stay!"imploredthemother;"onlyonemomentmore;onlyoncemore,thatimaylookuponthee,andkissthee,andpresstheetomyheart."

thenshekissedandfondledherchild.suddenlyhernamewascalledfromabove;whatcoulditmean?hernameutteredinaplaintivevoice.

"hearestthou?"saidthechild."itismyfatherwhocallsthee."andinafewmomentsdeepsighswereheard,asofchildrenweeping."theyaremysisters,"saidthechild."mother,surelyyouhavenotforgottenthem."

andthensherememberedthosesheleftbehind,andagreatterrorcameoverher.shelookedaroundheratthedarknight.dimformsflittedby.sheseemedtorecognizesomeofthem,astheyfloatedthroughtheregionsofdeathtowardsthedarkcurtain,wheretheyvanished.wouldherhusbandandherdaughtersflitpast?no;theirsighsandlamentationsstillsoundedfromabove;andshehadnearlyforgottenthem,forthesakeofhimwhowasdead.

"mother,nowthebellsofheavenareringing,"saidthechild;"mother,thesunisgoingtorise."

anoverpoweringlightstreamedinuponher,thechildhadvanished,andshewasbeingborneupwards.allaroundherbecamecold;sheliftedherhead,andsawthatshewaslyinginthechurchyard,onthegraveofherchild.thelord,inadream,hadbeenaguidetoherfeetandalighttoherspirit.shebowedherknees,andprayedforforgiveness.shehadwishedtokeepbackasoulfromitsimmortalflight;shehadforgottenherdutiestowardsthelivingwhowerelefther.andwhenshehadofferedthisprayer,herheartfeltlighter.thesunburstforth,overherheadalittlebirdcarolledhissong,andthechurch-bellssoundedfortheearlyservice.everythingaroundherseemedholy,andherheartwaschastened.sheacknowledgedthegoodnessofgod,sheacknowledgedthedutiesshehadtoperform,andeagerlyshereturnedhome.shebentoverherhusband,whostillslept;herwarm,devotedkissawakenedhim,andwordsofheartfeltlovefellfromthelipsofboth.nowshewasgentleandstrongasawifecanbe;andfromherlipscamethewordsoffaith:"whateverhedoethisrightandbest."

thenherhusbandasked,"fromwhencehastthouallatoncederivedsuchstrengthandcomfortingfaith?"

andasshekissedhimandherchildren,shesaid,"itcamefromgod,throughmychildinthegrave."

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theconceitedapple-branch

byhanschristianandersen

itwasthemonthofmay.thewindstillblewcold;butfrombushandtree,fieldandflower,camethewelcomesound,"springiscome."wild-flowersinprofusioncoveredthehedges.underthelittleapple-tree,springseemedbusy,andtoldhistalefromoneofthebrancheswhichhungfreshandblooming,andcoveredwithdelicatepinkblossomsthatwerejustreadytoopen.thebranchwellknewhowbeautifulitwas;thisknowledgeexistsasmuchintheleafasintheblood;iwasthereforenotsurprisedwhenanobleman'scarriage,inwhichsattheyoungcountess,stoppedintheroadjustby.shesaidthatanapple-branchwasamostlovelyobject,andanemblemofspringinitsmostcharmingaspect.thenthebranchwasbrokenoffforher,andshehelditinherdelicatehand,andsheltereditwithhersilkparasol.thentheydrovetothecastle,inwhichwereloftyhallsandsplendiddrawing-rooms.purewhitecurtainsflutteredbeforetheopenwindows,andbeautifulflowersstoodinshining,transparentvases;andinoneofthem,whichlookedasifithadbeencutoutofnewlyfallensnow,theapple-branchwasplaced,amongsomefresh,lighttwigsofbeech.itwasacharmingsight.thenthebranchbecameproud,whichwasverymuchlikehumannature.

peopleofeverydescriptionenteredtheroom,and,accordingtotheirpositioninsociety,sodaredtheytoexpresstheiradmiration.somefewsaidnothing,othersexpressedtoomuch,andtheapple-branchverysoongottounderstandthattherewasasmuchdifferenceinthecharactersofhumanbeingsasinthoseofplantsandflowers.someareallforpompandparade,othershaveagreatdealtodotomaintaintheirownimportance,whiletherestmightbesparedwithoutmuchlosstosociety.sothoughttheapple-branch,ashestoodbeforetheopenwindow,fromwhichhecouldseeoutovergardensandfields,wheretherewereflowersandplantsenoughforhimtothinkandreflectupon;somerichandbeautiful,somepoorandhumbleindeed.

"poor,despisedherbs,"saidtheapple-branch;"thereisreallyadifferencebetweenthemandsuchasiam.howunhappytheymustbe,iftheycanfeelasthoseinmypositiondo!