buttheevilspiritcouldnotseethisandremaincontented.hehasmoreclevernessthantenthousandmen,andhefoundmeanstocompasshisend.hebetookhimselftothemarsh,andcollectedafewlittlebubblesofstagnantwater.thenheutteredoverthemtheechoesoflyingwordsthattheymightbecomestrong.hemixeduptogethersongsofpraisewithlyingepitaphs,asmanyashecouldfind,boiledthemintearsshedbyenvy;putuponthemrouge,whichhehadscrapedfromfadedcheeks,andfromtheseheproducedamaiden,informandappearanceliketheblindgirl,theangelofcompleteness,asmencalledher.theevilone'splotwassuccessful.theworldknewnotwhichwasthetrue,andindeedhowshouldtheworldknow?

"totrustinthyselfandgodisbest,

inhisholywillforevertorest."sosungtheblindgirlinfullfaith.shehadentrustedthefourgreenleavesfromthetreeofthesuntothewinds,aslettersofgreetingtoherbrothers,andshehadfullconfidencethattheleaveswouldreachthem.shefullybelievedthatthejewelwhichoutshinesallthegloriesoftheworldwouldyetbefound,andthatupontheforeheadofhumanityitwouldglittereveninthecastleofherfather."eveninmyfather'shouse,"sherepeated."yes,theplaceinwhichthisjewelistobefoundisearth,andishallbringmorethanthepromiseofitwithme.ifeelitglowandswellmoreandmoreinmyclosedhand.everygrainoftruthwhichthekeenwindcarriedupandwhirledtowardsmeicaughtandtreasured.iallowedittobepenetratedwiththefragranceofthebeautiful,ofwhichthereissomuchintheworld,evenfortheblind.itookthebeatingsofaheartengagedinagoodaction,andaddedthemtomytreasure.allthaticanbringisbutdust;still,itisapartofthejewelweseek,andthereisplenty,myhandisquitefullofit."

shesoonfoundherselfagainathome;carriedthitherinaflightofthought,neverhavingloosenedherholdoftheinvisiblethreadfastenedtoherfather'shouse.asshestretchedoutherhandtoherfather,thepowersofevildashedwiththefuryofahurricaneoverthetreeofthesun;ablastofwindrushedthroughtheopendoors,andintothesanctuary,wherelaythebookoftruth.

"itwillbeblowntodustbythewind,"saidthefather,asheseizedtheopenhandsheheldtowardshim.

"no,"shereplied,withquietconfidence,"itisindestructible.ifeelitsbeamwarmingmyverysoul."

thenherfatherobservedthatadazzlingflamegleamedfromthewhitepageonwhichtheshiningdusthadpassedfromherhand.itwastheretoprovethecertaintyofeternallife,andonthebookglowedoneshiningword,andonlyone,thewordbelieve.andsoonthefourbrotherswereagainwiththefatheranddaughter.whenthegreenleaffromhomefellonthebosomofeach,alonginghadseizedthemtoreturn.theyhadarrived,accompaniedbythebirdsofpassage,thestag,theantelope,andallthecreaturesoftheforestwhowishedtotakepartintheirjoy.

wehaveoftenseen,whenasunbeamburstthroughacrackinthedoorintoadustyroom,howawhirlingcolumnofdustseemstocircleround.butthiswasnotpoor,insignificant,commondust,whichtheblindgirlhadbrought;eventherainbow'scolorsaredimwhencomparedwiththebeautywhichshonefromthepageonwhichithadfallen.thebeamingwordbelieve,fromeverygrainoftruth,hadthebrightnessofthebeautifulandthegood,morebrightthanthemightypillarofflamethatledmosesandthechildrenofisraeltothelandofcanaan,andfromthewordbelievearosethebridgeofhope,reachingeventotheunmeasurableloveintherealmsoftheinfinite.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thephoenixbird

byhanschristianandersen

inthegardenofparadise,beneaththetreeofknowledge,bloomedarosebush.here,inthefirstrose,abirdwasborn.hisflightwasliketheflashingoflight,hisplumagewasbeauteous,andhissongravishing.butwhenevepluckedthefruitofthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevil,whensheandadamweredrivenfromparadise,therefellfromtheflamingswordofthecherubasparkintothenestofthebird,whichblazedupforthwith.thebirdperishedintheflames;butfromtheredegginthenestthereflutteredaloftanewone-theonesolitaryphoenixbird.thefabletellsthathedwellsinarabia,andthateveryhundredyears,heburnshimselftodeathinhisnest;buteachtimeanewphoenix,theonlyoneintheworld,risesupfromtheredegg.

thebirdfluttersroundus,swiftaslight,beauteousincolor,charminginsong.whenamothersitsbyherinfant'scradle,hestandsonthepillow,and,withhiswings,formsagloryaroundtheinfant'shead.hefliesthroughthechamberofcontent,andbringssunshineintoit,andthevioletsonthehumbletablesmelldoublysweet.

butthephoenixisnotthebirdofarabiaalone.hewingshiswayintheglimmerofthenorthernlightsovertheplainsoflapland,andhopsamongtheyellowflowersintheshortgreenlandsummer.beneaththecoppermountainsoffablun,andengland'scoalmines,heflies,intheshapeofadustymoth,overthehymnbookthatrestsonthekneesofthepiousminer.onalotusleafhefloatsdownthesacredwatersoftheganges,andtheeyeofthehindoomaidgleamsbrightwhenshebeholdshim.

thephoenixbird,dostthounotknowhim?