past!"saidtheoldtree;"oh,hadibutenjoyedmyselfwhileicouldhavedoneso!butnowitistoolate."thenaladcameandchoppedthetreeintosmallpieces,tillalargebundlelayinaheapontheground.thepieceswereplacedinafireunderthecopper,andtheyquicklyblazedupbrightly,whilethetreesighedsodeeplythateachsighwaslikeapistol-thechildren,whowereatplay,cameandseatedthemselvesinfrontofthefire,andlookedatitandcried,"pop,pop."butateach"pop,"whichwasadeepsigh,thetreewasthinkingofasummerdayintheforest;andofchristmasevening,andof"humptydumpty,"theonlystoryithadeverheardorknewhowtorelate,tillatlastitwasconsumed.theboysstillplayedinthegarden,andtheyoungestworethegoldenstaronhisbreast,withwhichthetreehadbeenadornedduringthehappiesteveningofitsexistence.nowallwaspast;thetree'slifewaspast,andthestoryalso,-forallstoriesmustcometoanendatlast.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theflax

byhanschristianandersen

theflaxwasinfullbloom;ithadprettylittleblueflowersasdelicateasthewingsofamoth,orevenmoreso.thesunshone,andtheshowerswateredit;andthiswasjustasgoodfortheflaxasitisforlittlechildrentobewashedandthenkissedbytheirylookmuchprettierforit,andsodidtheflax.

"peoplesaythatilookexceedinglywell,"saidtheflax,"andthatiamsofineandlongthatishallmakeabeautifulpieceoflinen.howfortunateiam;itmakesmesohappy,itissuchapleasantthingtoknowthatsomethingcanbemadeofme.howthesunshinecheersme,andhowsweetandrefreshingistherain;myhappinessoverpowersme,nooneintheworldcanfeelhappierthaniam."

"ah,yes,nodoubt,"saidthefern,"butyoudonotknowtheworldyetaswellasido,formysticksareknotty;"andthenitsungquitemournfully-

"snip,snap,snurre,

basselurre:

thesongisended."

"no,itisnotended,"saidtheflax."to-morrowthesunwillshine,ortheraindescend.ifeelthatiamgrowing.ifeelthatiaminfullblossom.iamthehappiestofallcreatures."

well,onedaysomepeoplecame,whotookholdoftheflax,andpulleditupbytheroots;thiswaspainful;thenitwaslaidinwaterasiftheyintendedtodrownit;and,afterthat,placednearafireasifitweretoberoasted;allthiswasveryshocking."wecannotexpecttobehappyalways,"saidtheflax;"byexperiencingevilaswellasgood,webecomewise."andcertainlytherewasplentyofevilinstorefortheflax.itwassteeped,androasted,andbroken,andcombed;indeed,itscarcelyknewwhatwasdonetoit.atlastitwasputonthespinningwheel."whirr,whirr,"wentthewheelsoquicklythattheflaxcouldnotcollectitsthoughts."well,ihavebeenveryhappy,"hethoughtinthemidstofhispain,"andmustbecontentedwiththepast;"andcontentedheremainedtillhewasputontheloom,andbecameabeautifulpieceofwhitelinen.alltheflax,eventothelaststalk,wasusedinmakingthisonepiece."well,thisisquitewonderful;icouldnothavebelievedthatishouldbesofavoredbyfortune.thefernwasnotwrongwithitssongof

'snip,snap,snurre,

basselurre.'butthesongisnotendedyet,iamsure;itisonlyjustwonderfulitis,thatafterallihavesuffered,iammadesomethingofatlast;iamtheluckiestpersonintheworld-sostrongandfine;andhowwhite,andwhatalength!