andsoshesatthereinherpride,andhadmanysuchthoughtsasthese,-"icouldalmostfancythaticamefromasunbeam,iamsofine.itseemsasifthesunbeamswerealwayslookingformeunderthe!iamsofinethatevenmymothercannotfindme.hadistillmyoldeye,whichwasbrokenoff,ibelieveishouldweep;butno,iwouldnotdothat,itisnotgenteeltocry."

onedayacoupleofstreetboyswerepaddlinginthegutter,fortheysometimesfoundoldnails,farthings,andothertreasures.itwasdirtywork,buttheytookgreatpleasureinit."hallo!"criedone,asheprickedhimselfwiththedarning-needle,"here'safellowforyou."

"iamnotafellow,iamayounglady,"saidthedarning-needle;butnooneheardher.

thesealing-waxhadcomeoff,andshewasquiteblack;butblackmakesapersonlookslender,soshethoughtherselfevenfinerthanbefore.

"herecomesanegg-shellsailingalong,"saidoneoftheboys;sotheystuckthedarning-needleintotheegg-shell.

"whitewalls,andiamblackmyself,"saidthedarning-needle,"thatlookswell;nowicanbeseen,butihopeishallnotbesea-sick,orishallbreakagain."shewasnotsea-sick,andshedidnotbreak."itisagoodthingagainstsea-sicknesstohaveasteelstomach,andnottoforgetone'sownimportance.nowmysea-sicknesshaspast:delicatepeoplecanbearagreatdeal."

crackwenttheegg-shell,asawaggonpassedoverit."goodheavens,howitcrushes!"saidthedarning-needle."ishallbesicknow.iambreaking!"butshedidnotbreak,thoughthewaggonwentoverherasshelayatfulllength;andthereletherlie.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thedropofwater

byhanschristianandersen

ofcourseyouknowwhatismeantbyamagnifyingglass-oneofthoseroundspectacle-glassesthatmakeeverythinglookahundredtimesbiggerthanitis?whenanyonetakesoneoftheseandholdsittohiseye,andlooksatadropofwaterfromthepondyonder,heseesaboveathousandwonderfulcreaturesthatareotherwiseneverdiscernedinthewater.buttheretheyare,anditisnoalmostlookslikeagreatplatefulofspidersjumpingaboutinacrowd.andhowfiercetheyare!theytearoffeachother'slegs.andarmsandbodies,beforeandbehind;andyettheyaremerryandjoyfulintheirway.

now,thereoncewasanoldmanwhomallthepeoplecalledkribble-krabble,forthatwashisname.healwayswantedthebestofeverything,andwhenhecouldnotmanageitotherwise,hediditbymagic.

therehesatoneday,andheldhismagnifying-glasstohiseye,andlookedatadropofwaterthathadbeentakenoutofapuddlebytheditch.butwhatakribblingandkrabblingwasthere!allthethousandsoflittlecreatureshoppedandsprangandtuggedatoneanother,andateeachotherup.

"thatishorrible!"saidoldkribble-krabble."canonenotpersuadethemtoliveinpeaceandquietness,sothateachonemaymindhisownbusiness?"

andhethoughtitoverandover,butitwouldnotdo,andsohehadrecoursetomagic.

"imustgivethemcolor,thattheymaybeseenmoreplainly,"saidhe;andhepouredsomethinglikealittledropofredwineintothedropofwater,butitwaswitches'bloodfromthelobesoftheear,thefinestkind,atninepenceadrop.andnowthewonderfullittlecreatureswerepinkallover.itlookedlikeawholetownofnakedwildmen.

"whathaveyouthere?"askedanotheroldmagician,whohadnoname-andthatwasthebestthingabouthim.

"yes,ifyoucanguesswhatitis,"saidkribble-krabble,"i'llmakeyouapresentofit."

butitisnotsoeasytofindoutifonedoesnotknow.

andthemagicianwhohadnonamelookedthroughthemagnifying-glass.

itlookedreallylikeagreattownreflectedthere,inwhichallthepeoplewererunningaboutwithoutclothes.itwasterrible!