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!"