theleafiskept,butthefriendshipdoesnolongerexist.hereisaforeignhothouseplant,tootenderforthegardensofthenorth.itisalmostasifitsleavesstillsmeltsweet!shegaveittohimoutofherowngarden-anobleman'sdaughter.

hereisawater-lilythathehadpluckedhimself,andwateredwithsalttears-alilyofsweetwater.andhereisanettle:whatmayitsleavestellus?whatmighthehavethoughtwhenhepluckedandkeptit?hereisalittlesnowdropoutofthesolitarywood;hereisanevergreenfromtheflower-potatthetavern;andhereisasimplebladeofgrass.

thelilacbendsitsfreshfragrantflowersoverthedeadman'shead;theswallowpassesagain-"twit,twit;"nowthemencomewithhammerandnails,thelidisplacedoverthedeadman,whilehisheadrestsonthedumbbook-solongcherished,nowclosedforever!

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theelfoftherose

byhanschristianandersen

inthemidstofagardengrewarose-tree,infullblossom,andintheprettiestofalltheroseslivedanelf.hewassuchalittleweething,thatnohumaneyecouldseehim.behindeachleafoftherosehehadasleepingchamber.hewasaswellformedandasbeautifulasalittlechildcouldbe,andhadwingsthatreachedfromhisshoulderstohisfeet.oh,whatsweetfragrancetherewasinhischambers!andhowcleanandbeautifulwerethewalls!fortheyweretheblushingleavesoftherose.

duringthewholedayheenjoyedhimselfinthewarmsunshine,flewfromflowertoflower,anddancedonthewingsoftheflyingbutterflies.thenhetookitintohisheadtomeasurehowmanystepshewouldhavetogothroughtheroadsandcross-roadsthatareontheleafofalinden-tree.whatwecalltheveinsonaleaf,hetookforroads;ay,andverylongroadstheywereforhim;forbeforehehadhalffinishedhistask,thesunwentdown:hehadcommencedhisworktoolate.itbecameverycold,thedewfell,andthewindblew;sohethoughtthebestthinghecoulddowouldbetoreturnhome.hehurriedhimselfasmuchashecould;buthefoundtherosesallclosedup,andhecouldnotgetin;notasinglerosestoodopen.thepoorlittleelfwasverymuchfrightened.hehadneverbeforebeenoutatnight,buthadalwaysslumberedsecretlybehindthewarmrose-leaves.oh,thiswouldcertainlybehisdeath.attheotherendofthegarden,heknewtherewasanarbor,overgrownwithbeautifulhoney-suckles.theblossomslookedlikelargepaintedhorns;andhethoughttohimself,hewouldgoandsleepinoneofthesetillthemorning.heflewthither;but"hush!"twopeoplewereinthearbor,-ahandsomeyoungmanandabeautifullady.theysatsidebyside,andwishedthattheymightneverbeobligedtopart.theylovedeachothermuchmorethanthebestchildcanloveitsfatherandmother.

"butwemustpart,"saidtheyoungman;"yourbrotherdoesnotlikeourengagement,andthereforehesendsmesofarawayonbusiness,overmountainsandseas.farewell,mysweetbride;forsoyouaretome."

andthentheykissedeachother,andthegirlwept,andgavehimarose;butbeforeshedidso,shepressedakissuponitsoferventlythatthefloweropened.thenthelittleelfflewin,andleanedhisheadonthedelicate,fragrantwalls.herehecouldplainlyhearthemsay,"farewell,farewell;"andhefeltthattherosehadbeenplacedontheyoungman'sbreast.oh,howhisheartdidbeat!thelittleelfcouldnotgotosleep,itthumpedsoloudly.theyoungmantookitoutashewalkedthroughthedarkwoodalone,andkissedtheflowersooftenandsoviolently,thatthelittleelfwasalmostcrushed.hecouldfeelthroughtheleafhowhotthelipsoftheyoungmanwere,andtherosehadopened,asiffromtheheatofthenoondaysun.

therecameanotherman,wholookedgloomyandwicked.hewasthewickedbrotherofthebeautifulmaiden.hedrewoutasharpknife,andwhiletheotherwaskissingtherose,thewickedmanstabbedhimtodeath;thenhecutoffhishead,andburieditwiththebodyinthesoftearthunderthelinden-tree.

"nowheisgone,andwillsoonbeforgotten,"thoughtthewickedbrother;"hewillnevercomebackagain.hewasgoingonalongjourneyovermountainsandseas;itiseasyforamantolosehislifeinsuchajourney.mysisterwillsupposeheisdead;forhecannotcomeback,andshewillnotdaretoquestionmeabouthim."

thenhescatteredthedryleavesoverthelightearthwithhisfoot,andwenthomethroughthedarkness;buthewentnotalone,ashethought,-thelittleelfaccompaniedhim.hesatinadryrolled-uplinden-leaf,whichhadfallenfromthetreeontothewickedman'shead,ashewasdiggingthegrave.thehatwasontheheadnow,whichmadeitverydark,andthelittleelfshudderedwithfrightandindignationatthewickeddeed.

itwasthedawnofmorningbeforethewickedmanreachedhome;hetookoffhishat,andwentintohissister'sroom.therelaythebeautiful,bloominggirl,dreamingofhimwhomshelovedso,andwhowasnow,shesupposed,travellingfarawayovermountainandrwickedbrotherstoppedoverher,andlaughedhideously,asfiendsonlycanlaugh.thedryleaffelloutofhishairuponthecounterpane;buthedidnotnoticeit,andwenttogetalittlesleepduringtheearlymorninghours.buttheelfslippedoutofthewitheredleaf,placedhimselfbytheearofthesleepinggirl,andtoldher,asinadream,ofthehorridmurder;describedtheplacewhereherbrotherhadslainherlover,andburiedhisbody;andtoldherofthelinden-tree,infullblossom,thatstoodcloseby.

"thatyoumaynotthinkthisisonlyadreamthatihavetoldyou,"hesaid,"youwillfindonyourbedawitheredleaf."

thensheawoke,andfounditthere.oh,whatbittertearssheshed!