askedtheoak,"andthepurplebell-flower,andthedaisy?"youseetheoakwantedtohavethemallwithhim.

"hereweare,wearehere,"soundedinvoiceandsong.

"butthebeautifulthymeoflastsummer,whereisthat?andthelilies-of-the-valley,whichlastyearcoveredtheearthwiththeirbloom?andthewildapple-treewithitslovelyblossoms,andallthegloryofthewood,whichhasflourishedyearafteryear?evenwhatmayhavebutnowsproutedforthcouldbewithushere."

"wearehere,wearehere,"soundedvoiceshigherintheair,asiftheyhadflowntherebeforehand.

"whythisisbeautiful,toobeautifultobebelieved,"saidtheoakinajoyfultone."ihavethemallhere,bothgreatandsmall;notonehasbeenforgotten.cansuchhappinessbeimagined?"itseemedalmostimpossible.

"inheavenwiththeeternalgod,itcanbeimagined,anditispossible,"soundedthereplythroughtheair.

andtheoldtree,asitstillgrewupwardsandonwards,feltthathisrootswerelooseningthemselvesfromtheearth.

"itisrightso,itisbest,"saidthetree,"nofettersholdmenow.icanflyuptotheveryhighestpointinlightandglory.andallilovearewithme,bothsmallandgreat.all-allarehere."

suchwasthedreamoftheoldoak:andwhilehedreamed,amightystormcamerushingoverlandandsea,attheholychristmastime.thesearolledingreatbillowstowardstheshore.therewasacrackingandcrushingheardinthetree.therootwastornfromthegroundjustatthemomentwheninhisdreamhefancieditwasbeingloosenedfromtheearth.hefell-histhreehundredandsixty-fiveyearswerepassedasthesingledayoftheephemera.onthemorningofchristmas-day,whenthesunrose,thestormhadceased.fromallthechurchessoundedthefestivebells,andfromeveryhearth,evenofthesmallesthut,rosethesmokeintothebluesky,likethesmokefromthefestivethank-offeringsonthedruids'altars.theseagraduallybecamecalm,andonboardagreatshipthathadwithstoodthetempestduringthenight,alltheflagsweredisplayed,asatokenofjoyandfestivity."thetreeisdown!theoldoak,-ourlandmarkonthecoast!"exclaimedthesailors."itmusthavefalleninthestormoflastnight.whocanreplaceit?alas!noone."thiswasafuneralorationovertheoldtree;short,butwell-meant.thereitlaystretchedonthesnow-coveredshore,andoveritsoundedthenotesofasongfromtheship-asongofchristmasjoy,andoftheredemptionofthesoulofman,andofeternallifethroughchrist'satoningblood.

"singaloudonthehappymorn,

allisfulfilled,forchristisborn;

withsongsofjoyletusloudlysing,

'hallelujahstochristourking.'"thussoundedtheoldchristmascarol,andeveryoneonboardtheshipfelthisthoughtselevated,throughthesongandtheprayer,evenastheoldtreehadfeltliftedupinitslast,itsbeautifuldreamonthatchristmasmorn.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thelastpearl

byhanschristianandersen

weareinarich,happyhouse,wherethemaster,theservants,thefriendsofthefamilyarefullofjoyandfelicity.foronthisdayasonandheirhasbeenborn,andmotherandchildaredoingwell.thelampinthebed-chamberhadbeenpartlyshaded,andthewindowswerecoveredwithheavycurtainsofsomecostlysilkenmaterial.thecarpetwasthickandsoft,likeacoveringofmoss.everythinginvitedtoslumber,everythinghadacharminglookofrepose;andsothenursehaddiscovered,forsheslept;andwellshemightsleep,whileeverythingaroundhertoldofhappinessandblessing.theguardianangelofthehouseleanedagainsttheheadofthebed;whileoverthechildwasspread,asitwere,anetofshiningstars,andeachstarwasapearlofhappiness.allthegoodstarsoflifehadbroughttheirgiftstothenewlyborn;heresparkledhealth,wealth,fortune,andlove;inshort,thereseemedtobeeverythingforwhichmancouldwishonearth.

"everythinghasbeenbestowedhere,"saidtheguardianangel.

"no,noteverything,"saidavoicenearhim-thevoiceofthegoodangelofthechild;"onefairyhasnotyetbroughthergift,butshewill,evenifyearsshouldelapse,shewillbringhergift;itisthelastpearlthatiswanting."

"wanting!"