howitshines!"saidthemaidensparrow."isupposethatis'thebeautiful.'peep!buthereitislargerthanapeacock."shestillrememberedwhatinherchildhood'sdayshermotherhadlookeduponasthegreatestamongthebeautiful.sheflewdownintothecourtyard:thereeverythingwasextremelyfine.palmsandbrancheswerepaintedonthewalls,andinthemiddleofthecourtstoodagreatbloomingrose-treespreadingoutitsfreshboughs,coveredwithroses,overagrave.thitherflewthemaidensparrow,forshesawseveralofherownkindthere.a"peep"andthreefoot-scrapings-inthiswayshehadoftengreetedthroughouttheyear,andnooneherehadresponded,forthosewhoareonceparteddonotmeeteveryday;andsothisgreetinghadbecomeahabitwithher.butto-daytwooldsparrowsandayoungoneansweredwitha"peep"andthethrice-repeatedscrapewiththeleftfoot.

"ah!good-day!good-day!"theyweretwooldonesfromthenestandalittleoneofthefamily."dowemeethere?it'sagrandplace,butthere'snotmuchtoeat.thisis'thebeautiful.'peep!"

manypeoplecameoutofthesideroomswherethebeautifulmarblestatuesstoodandapproachedthegravewherelaythegreatmasterwhohadcreatedtheseworksofart.allstoodwithenrapturedfacesroundthorwaldsen'sgrave,andafewpickedupthefallenrose-leavesandpreservedthem.theyhadcomefromafar:onefrommightyengland,othersfromgermanyandfrance.thefairestoftheladiespluckedoneoftherosesandhiditinherbosom.thenthesparrowsthoughtthattherosesreignedhere,andthatthehousehadbeenbuiltfortheirsake.thatappearedtothemtobereallytoomuch,butsinceallthepeopleshowedtheirlovefortheroses,theydidnotwishtobebehindhand."peep!"theysaidsweepingthegroundwiththeirtails,andblinkingwithoneeyeattheroses,theyhadnotlookedatthemlongbeforetheywereconvincedthattheyweretheiroldneighbours.andsotheyreallywere.thepainterwhohaddrawntherose-bushneartheruinedhouse,hadafterwardsobtainedpermissiontodigitup,andhadgivenittothearchitect,forfinerroseshadneverbeenseen.thearchitecthadplantedituponthorwaldsen'sgrave,whereitbloomedasanemblemof'thebeautiful'andyieldedfragrantredrose-leavestobecarriedasmementoestodistantlands.

"haveyouobtainedanappointmenthereinthecity?"askedthesparrows.therosesnodded;theyrecognizedtheirgreyneighboursandwerepleasedtoseethemagain."howgloriousitistoliveandtobloom,toseeoldfriendsagain,andhappyfaceseveryday.itisasifeverydaywereafestival.""peep!"saidthesparrows."yes,theyarereallyouroldneighbours;weremembertheiroriginnearthepond.peep!howtheyhavegoton.yes,somesucceedwhiletheyare!there'safadedleaf;icanseethatquiteplainly."andtheypeckedatittillitfelloff.butthetreestoodtherefresherandgreenerthanever;therosesbloomedinthesunshineonthorwaldsen'sgraveandbecameassociatedwithhisimmortalname.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thenightingale

byhanschristianandersen

inchina,youknow,theemperorisachinese,andallthoseabouthimarechinamenalso.thestoryiamgoingtotellyouhappenedagreatmanyyearsago,soitiswelltohearitnowbeforeitisforgotten.theemperor'spalacewasthemostbeautifulinthewasbuiltentirelyofporcelain,andverycostly,butsodelicateandbrittlethatwhoevertoucheditwasobligedtobecareful.inthegardencouldbeseenthemostsingularflowers,withprettysilverbellstiedtothem,whichtinkledsothateveryonewhopassedcouldnothelpnoticingtheflowers.indeed,everythingintheemperor'sgardenwasremarkable,anditextendedsofarthatthegardenerhimselfdidnotknowwhereitended.thosewhotravelledbeyonditslimitsknewthattherewasanobleforest,withloftytrees,slopingdowntothedeepbluesea,andthegreatshipssailedundertheshadowofitsbranches.inoneofthesetreeslivedanightingale,whosangsobeautifullythateventhepoorfishermen,whohadsomanyotherthingstodo,wouldstopandlisten.sometimes,whentheywentatnighttospreadtheirnets,theywouldhearhersing,andsay,"oh,isnotthatbeautiful?"