herconsciencefeltsatisfiedonthisquestion,andshefounditacomforttoher,thatonthechristiansabbathshecouldhaveanhourforherownprayersundisturbed.themusicandsingingofthecongregationsoundedinherearswhileatworkinherkitchen,tilltheplaceitselfbecamesacredtoher.thenshewouldreadintheoldtestament,thattreasureandcomforttoherpeople,anditwasindeedtheonlyscripturesshecouldread.faithfullyinherinmostthoughtshadshekeptthewordsofherfathertoherteacherwhenshelefttheschool,andthevowhehadmadetoherdyingmotherthatsheshouldneverreceivechristianbaptism.thenewtestamentmustremaintoherasealedbook,andyetsheknewagreatdealofitsteaching,andthesoundofthegospeltruthsstilllingeredamongtherecollectionsofherchildhood.
oneeveningshewassittinginacornerofthedining-room,whilehermasterreadaloud.itwasnotthegospelheread,butanoldstory-book;thereforeshemightstayandlistentohim.thestoryrelatedthatahungarianknight,whohadbeentakenprisonerbyaturkishpasha,wasmostcruellytreatedbyhim.hecausedhimtobeyokedwithhisoxentotheplough,anddrivenwithblowsfromthewhiptillthebloodflowed,andhealmostsunkwithexhaustionandfaithfulwifeoftheknightathomegaveupallherjewels,mortgagedhercastleandland,andhisfriendsraisedlargesumstomakeuptheransomdemandedforhisrelease,whichwasmostenormouslyhigh.itwascollectedatlast,andtheknightreleasedfromslaveryandmisery.sickandexhausted,hereachedhome.
erelongcameanothersummonstoastrugglewiththefoesofchristianity.thestilllivingknightheardthesound;hecouldendurenomore,hehadneitherpeacenorrest.hecausedhimselftobeliftedonhiswar-horse;thecolorcameintohischeeks,andhisstrengthreturnedtohimagainashewentforthtobattleandtovictory.theverysamepashawhohadyokedhimtotheplough,becamehisprisoner,andwasdraggedtoadungeoninthecastle.butanhourhadscarcelypassed,whentheknightstoodbeforethecaptivepasha,andinquired,"whatdoyousupposeawaiteththee?"
"iknow,"repliedthepasha;"retribution."
"yes,theretributionofachristian,"repliedtheknight."theteachingofchrist,theteacher,commandsustoforgiveourenemies,toloveourneighbors;forgodislove.departinpeace:returntothyhome.igivetheebacktothylovedones.butinfuturebemildandhumanetoallwhoareintrouble."
thentheprisonerburstintotears,andexclaimed,"ohhowcouldiimaginesuchmercyandforgiveness!iexpectedpainandtorment.itseemedtomesosurethatitookpoison,whichisecretlycarriedaboutme;andinafewhoursitseffectswilldestroyme.imustdie!nothingcansaveme!butbeforeidie,explaintometheteachingwhichissofullofloveandmercy,sogreatandgod-like.oh,thatimayhearhisteaching,anddieachristian!"andhisprayerwasgranted.
thiswasthelegendwhichthemasterreadoutoftheoldstory-book.everyoneinthehousewhowaspresentlistened,andsharedthepleasure;butsarah,thejewishgirl,sittingsostillinacorner,feltherheartburnwithexcitement.greattearscameintohershiningdarkeyes;andwiththesamegentlepietywithwhichshehadoncelistenedtothegospelwhilesittingontheformatschool,shefeltitsgrandeurnow,andthetearsrolleddownhercheeks.thenthelastwordsofherdyingmotherrosebeforeher,"letnotmychildbecomeachristian;"andwiththemsoundedinherheartthewordsofthelaw,"honorthyfatherandthymother."
"iamnotadmittedamongthechristians,"shesaid;"theymockmeasajewishgirl;theneighbors'boysdidsolastsundaywhenistoodlookinginthroughtheopenchurchdooratthecandlesburningonthealtar,andlisteningtothesinging.eversinceisatontheschool-benchihavefeltthepowerofchristianity;apowerwhich,likeasunbeam,streamsintomyheart,howevercloselyimayclosemyeyesagainstit.butiwillnotgrievethee,mymother,inthygrave.iwillnotbeunfaithfultomyfather'svow.iwillnotreadthebibleofthechristian.ihavethegodofmyfathers,andinhimiwilltrust."
andagainyearspassedby.sarah'smasterdied,andhiswidowfoundherselfinsuchreducedcircumstancesthatshewishedtodismissherservantmaid;butsarahrefusedtoleavethehouse,andshebecameatruesupportintimeoftrouble,andkeptthehouseholdtogetherbyworkingtilllateatnight,withherbusyhands,toearntheirdailybread.notarelativecameforwardtoassistthem,andthewidowwasconfinedtoasickbedformonthsandgrewweakerfromdaytoday.sarahworkedhard,butcontrivedtosparetimetoamuseherandwatchbythesickbed.shewasgentleandpious,anangelofblessinginthathouseofpoverty.
"mybibleliesonthetableyonder,"saidthesickwomanonedaytosarah."readmesomethingfromit;thenightappearssolong,andmyspiritthirststohearthewordofgod."
andsarahbowedherhead.shetookthebook,andfoldedherhandoverthebibleofthechristians,andatlastopenedit,andreadtothesickwoman.tearsstoodinhereyesassheread,andtheyshonewithbrightness,forinherheartitwaslight.
"mother,"shemurmured,"thychildmaynotreceivechristianbaptism,norbeadmittedintothecongregationofchristianuhastsowilledit,andiwillrespectthycommand.wearethereforestillunitedhereonearth;butinthenextworldtherewillbeahigherunion,evenwithgodhimself,wholeadsandguideshispeopletilldeath.hecamedownfromheaventoearthtosufferforus,thatweshouldbringforththefruitsofrepentance.iunderstanditnow.iknownothowilearntthistruth,unlessitisthroughthenameofchrist."yetshetrembledasshepronouncedtheholyname.shestruggledagainsttheseconvictionsofthetruthofchristianityforsomedays,tilloneeveningwhilewatchinghermistressshewassuddenlytakenveryill;herlimbstotteredunderher,andshesankfaintingbythebedsideofthesickwoman.
"poorsarah,"saidtheneighbors;"sheisovercomewithhardworkandnightwatching."andthentheycarriedhertothehospitalforthesickpoor.thereshedied;andtheyborehertoherresting-placeintheearth,butnottothechurchyardofthechristians.therewasnoplaceforthejewishgirl;buttheydugagraveforheroutsidethewall.andgod'ssun,whichshinesuponthegravesofthechurchyardofthechristians,alsothrowsitsbeamsonthegraveofthejewishmaidenbeyondthewall.andwhenthepsalmsofthechristianssoundacrossthechurchyard,theirechoreachesherlonelyresting-place;andshewhosleepstherewillbecountedworthyattheresurrection,throughthenameofchristthelord,whosaidtohisdisciples,"johnbaptizedyouwithwater,butiwillbaptizeyouwiththeholyghost."
theend.
1872
fairytalesofhanschristianandersen
thejumper
byhanschristianandersen
theflea,thegrasshopper,andtheskipjackoncewantedtoseewhichofthemcouldjumphighest;andtheyinvitedthewholeworld,andwhoeverelsewouldcome,toseethegrandsight.andtherethethreefamousjumpersweremettogetherintheroom.
"yes,i'llgivemydaughtertohimwhojumpshighest,"saidtheking,"foritwouldbemeantoletthesepeoplejumpfornothing."
thefleasteppedoutfirst.hehadveryprettymanners,andbowedinalldirections,forhehadyoungladies'bloodinhisveins,andwasaccustomedtoconsortonlywithhumanbeings;andthatwasofgreatconsequence.
thencamethegrasshopper:hewascertainlymuchheavier,buthehadagoodfigure,andworethegreenuniformthatwasbornwithhim.thisperson,moreover,maintainedthathebelongedtoaveryoldfamilyinthelandofegypt,andthathewashighlyesteemedthere.hehadjustcomefromthefield,hesaid,andhadbeenputintoacardhousethreestorieshigh,andallmadeofpicturecardswiththefiguresturnedinwards.thereweredoorsandwindowsinthehouse,cutinthebodyofthequeenofhearts.
"isingso,"hesaid,"thatsixteennativecricketswhohavechirpedfromtheiryouthup,andhaveneveryethadacardhouseoftheirown,wouldbecomethinnerthantheyarewithenvyiftheyweretohearme."
bothofthem,thefleaandthegrasshopper,tookcaretoannouncewhotheywere,andthattheyconsideredthemselvesentitledtomarryaprincess.
theskipjacksaidnothing,butitwassaidofhimthathethoughtallthemore;anddirectlytheyarddoghadsmeltathimhewasreadytoassertthattheskipjackwasofgoodfamily,andformedfromthebreastboneofanundoubtedgoose.theoldcouncillor,whohadreceivedthreemedalsforholdinghistongue,declaredthattheskipjackpossessedthegiftofprophecy;onecouldtellbyhisboneswhethertherewouldbeaseverewinteroramildone;andthat'smorethanonecanalwaystellfromthebreastboneofthemanwhowritesthealmanac.
"ishallnotsayanythingmore,"saidtheoldking."ionlygoonquietly,andalwaysthinkthebest."
nowtheyweretotaketheirjump.thefleasprangsohighthatnoonecouldseehim;andthentheyassertedthathehadnotjumpedatall.thatwasverymean.thegrasshopperonlyspranghalfashigh,buthesprangstraightintotheking'sface,andthekingdeclaredthatwashorriblyrude.theskipjackstoodalongtimeconsidering;atlastpeoplethoughtthathecouldnotjumpatall.
"ionlyhopehe'snotbecomeunwell,"saidtheyarddog,andthenhesmeltathimagain.
"tap!"