saidthelamp,awakingfromhisdream;"icouldalmostwishtobemelteddown;butno,thatmustnotbewhiletheoldpeoplelive.theylovemeformyselfalone,theykeepmebright,andsupplymewithoil.iamaswelloffasthepictureofthecongress,inwhichtheytakesomuchpleasure."andfromthattimehefeltatrestinhimself,andnotmoresothansuchanhonorableoldlampreallydeservedtobe.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thepeablossom

byhanschristianandersen

therewereoncefivepeasinoneshell,theyweregreen,theshellwasgreen,andsotheybelievedthatthewholeworldmustbegreenalso,whichwasaverynaturalconclusion.theshellgrew,andthepeasgrew,theyaccommodatedthemselvestotheirposition,andsatallinarow.thesunshonewithoutandwarmedtheshell,andtherainmadeitclearandtransparent;itwasmildandagreeableinbroaddaylight,anddarkatnight,asitgenerallyis;andthepeasastheysattheregrewbiggerandbigger,andmorethoughtfulastheymused,fortheyfelttheremustbesomethingelseforthemtodo.

"arewetosithereforever?"askedone;"shallwenotbecomehardbysittingsolong?itseemstometheremustbesomethingoutside,andifeelsureofit."

andasweekspassedby,thepeasbecameyellow,andtheshellbecameyellow.

"alltheworldisturningyellow,isuppose,"saidthey,-andperhapstheywereright.

suddenlytheyfeltapullattheshell;itwastornoff,andheldinhumanhands,thenslippedintothepocketofajacketincompanywithotherfullpods.

"nowweshallsoonbeopened,"saidone,-justwhattheyallwanted.

"ishouldliketoknowwhichofuswilltravelfurthest,"saidthesmallestofthefive;"weshallsoonseenow."

"whatistohappenwillhappen,"saidthelargestpea.

"crack"wenttheshellasitburst,andthefivepeasrolledoutintothebrightsunshine.theretheylayinachild'shand.alittleboywasholdingthemtightly,andsaidtheywerefinepeasforhispea-shooter.andimmediatelyheputoneinandshotitout.

"nowiamflyingoutintothewideworld,"saidhe;"catchmeifyoucan;"andhewasgoneinamoment.

"i,"saidthesecond,"intendtoflystraighttothesun,thatisashellthatletsitselfbeseen,anditwillsuitmeexactly;"andawayhewent.

"wewillgotosleepwhereverwefindourselves,"saidthetwonext,"weshallstillberollingonwards;"andtheydidcertainlyfallonthefloor,androllaboutbeforetheygotintothepea-shooter;buttheywereputinforallthat."weshallgofartherthantheothers,"saidthey.

"whatistohappenwillhappen,"exclaimedthelast,ashewasshotoutofthepea-shooter;andashespokeheflewupagainstanoldboardunderagarret-window,andfellintoalittlecrevice,whichwasalmostfilledupwithmossandsoftearth.themosscloseditselfroundhim,andtherehelay,acaptiveindeed,butnotunnoticedbygod.

"whatistohappenwillhappen,"saidhetohimself.

withinthelittlegarretlivedapoorwoman,whowentouttocleanstoves,chopwoodintosmallpiecesandperformsuch-likehardwork,forshewasstrongandindustrious.yetsheremainedalwayspoor,andathomeinthegarretlayheronlydaughter,notquitegrownup,andverydelicateandweak.forawholeyearshehadkeptherbed,anditseemedasifshecouldneitherlivenordie.

"sheisgoingtoherlittlesister,"saidthewoman;"ihadbutthetwochildren,anditwasnotaneasythingtosupportbothofthem;butthegoodgodhelpedmeinmywork,andtookoneofthemtohimselfandprovidedforher.nowiwouldgladlykeeptheotherthatwaslefttome,butisupposetheyarenottobeseparated,andmysickgirlwillverysoongotohersisterabove."butthesickgirlstillremainedwhereshewas,quietlyandpatientlyshelayallthedaylong,whilehermotherwasawayfromhomeatherwork.

springcame,andonemorningearlythesunshonebrightlythroughthelittlewindow,andthrewitsraysovertheflooroftheroom.justasthemotherwasgoingtoherwork,thesickgirlfixedhergazeonthelowestpaneofthewindow-"mother,"sheexclaimed,"whatcanthatlittlegreenthingbethatpeepsinatthewindow?